The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-140605, which was filed on Jun. 24, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink cartridge that contains ink.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ink cartridges that are generally known comprise an ink bag that contains ink in its interior, a plug for extracting the contained ink from the ink bag, and a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped plastic case configured to house the ink bag.
The ink cartridge of the above-described prior art reference is provided with an opening on the housing. A needle that pierces into the rubber stopper of the plug and introduces the ink within the reservoir portion passes through the opening. While the plug can be visually checked from this opening, visually checking the volume of ink within the reservoir portion is difficult.
One possible approach is to make the moving member capable of rotation around the axis contact a lateral surface of the bag-shaped reservoir portion in the thickness direction, for example, and display the volume of ink within the reservoir portion by the movement of the moving member.
Nevertheless, in such a case, a structure that rotatably supports the axis of the moving member must be provided within the interior of the housing that is substantially box-like in shape. At this time, the structure must be assembled so that the moving member is rotatable with respect to the housing, which is originally a separate member. Further, after such assembly, the moving member must be made to not disengage from the housing. With normal axially supported structures, improving the assemble-ability of a moving member is difficult, resulting in the possibility of a decrease in the productivity of the ink cartridge.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an ink cartridge capable of improving the assemble-ability of the moving member on the housing when the ink volume within the reservoir portion is to be displayed by the rotational position of the moving member, and thus improve productivity.
In order to achieve the above-described object, according to the first invention, there is provided a n ink cartridge for storing ink, comprising: a reservoir portion configured to store ink; a housing configured to cover the reservoir portion; a moving member capable of executing a display in accordance with an ink volume within the reservoir portion based on a rotational position achieved by contacting the reservoir portion and rotating in accordance with a change in a contact position with the reservoir portion; and a support device provided to the housing and comprising at a predetermined interval in an axial direction of a plug of the reservoir portion two concave portions for rotatably supporting the moving member; wherein: the moving member has: two arm portions at least partially elastic, provided at a predetermined interval; and a convex portion of a shape engageable with the concave portion, provided protruding from each of two of the arm portions along a direction that intersects with an extending direction of the arm portion, disposed linearly at an interval; and at least one of the arm portions is capable of elastic deformation in which, upon receipt of an external force along a direction opposite a protruding direction of the convex portion, changes a position of the convex portion provided to the one of the arm portions to an extent that the concave portion and the convex portion do not engage, generates an elastic force near the predetermined interval when the external force is removed from the one of the arm portions, and positions the convex portion in a position that includes a rotation center of the arm portion when the concave portion and the convex portion engage.
According to the cartridge of the first aspect of the present invention, ink is stored in a reservoir portion disposed within the housing. Then, the moving member rotatably supported by a support device moves in accordance with the ink volume within the reservoir portion. Specifically, two convex portions, which respectively protrude in a direction orthogonal to an extending direction of two arm portions respectively provided at a predetermined interval to the moving member and are linearly disposed at an interval, engage with two concave portions disposed at a predetermined interval in the axial direction of the plug of the above-described reservoir portion of the support device provided to the housing. Then, the moving member is rotatably supported by the support device. With this arrangement, the moving member moves rotationally around the rotation center of the above-described arm portions on an axis that is in the same direction as the axial direction of the plug of the above-described reservoir portion, in accordance with the ink volume within the reservoir portion. As a result, the change in ink volume can be detected by the rotation of this moving member.
During the assembly of the ink cartridge according to the first aspect of the present invention, the above-described moving member is mounted to the support device fixed to the housing. The two arm portions of the moving member are partially elastic. With this arrangement, the distance between the two arm portions can be shortened or extended by utilizing external force. With the above-described mounting, external force is applied by hand in the direction opposite the protruding direction of the convex portion provided to at least one of the two arm portions, elastically deforming the one of the arm portions to the extent that the convex portion of the one of the arm portions does not engage with one concave portion of the support device. Then, in that state, the convex portion of the other arm portion engages with the other concave portion of the support device. Subsequently, the convex portion of the one of the arm portions is positioned to one concave portion of the support device, and the external force applied to the one of the arm portions is removed. Subsequently, the one of the arm portions returns to its original shape by the elastic force generated in the one arm portion. With this arrangement, each of the above-described two convex portions respectively engages with the concave portions and are rotatably supported around an axis that is in the same direction as the axial direction of the plug of the above-described reservoir portion.
With the two arm portions of the moving member thus used in a shortening or extending operation, the moving member can be easily mounted to the support device. As a result, the assemble-ability of the moving member is improved, making it possible to improve the productivity of the ink cartridge.
The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to accompanying drawings.
<Printer Overview>
The following describes the printer used in this embodiment, using
This printer 100 comprises a platen 104, the above-described printhead 114, a carriage 113, a pair of guide bars 112, and a carriage drive mechanism within a box-shaped housing 101. The platen 104 sets and horizontally supports the fabric (not shown). The printhead 114 discharges ink supplied from the ink cartridge 1 onto the fabric supported by the platen 104, printing letters, images, etc., on the fabric. The carriage 113 holds the printhead 114 and moves the printhead 114 back and forth to the left side and the right side in
Eight cartridge mounting portions 108 that extend in the front-rear direction are provided to a lower location near the front right of the housing 101. A cartridge insertion port 120 of each of the cartridge mounting portions 108 opens on the front of the housing 101. Note that
<Ink Cartridge>
The following describes the overall configuration of the ink cartridge 1, using
The above-described housing 2, as shown in
The housing main body 3 comprises a left wall portion 30, a bottom wall portion 31, an upper wall portion 32, a rear wall 33, and a front wall portion 34. The rear wall 33, as shown in
As shown in
The first rear protruding portion 301 comprises the convex-shaped planar portion 316 that is parallel with the left wall portion 30. Further, the first rear protruding portion 301 is formed as a protruding portion that joins with the lower rear wall portion 332. The plug opening 335 of the above-described lower rear wall portion 332 is formed into a lateral U-shape on the lower rear wall portion 332. At this time, the plug opening 335 is formed so that the U-shaped end portion in the protruding direction extends across to the joining portion of the lower rear wall portion 332 of the first rear protruding portion 301. Note that the vicinity of the end portion of plug opening 335 on the left wall 30 side serves as a joining wall portion 337. The first rear protruding portion 301 comprises a rectangular engaging hole 307.
The second rear protruding portion 302 comprises a convex-shaped planar portion 317 that is parallel with the left wall portion 30. Further, the second rear protruding portion 302 is formed as a protruding portion that joins with the upper rear wall portion 331. The ink volume detection opening 336 of the above-described upper rear wall portion 331 forms a lateral rectangular shape from the upper rear wall portion 331 to the second protruding portion 302. The first intermediate protruding portion 303 and the second intermediate protruding portion 304 are provided in locations near the rear portion of the left wall portion 30 and are separated vertically. The front protruding portion 305 is provided in a location near the front portion of the left wall portion 30. These first and second intermediate protruding portions 303 and 304 and front protruding portion 305 each comprise convex-shaped planar portions 342, 347, and 352 that are parallel with the left wall portion 30. Gentle sloped portions 341, 346, and 351 that slope toward the rear direction are formed on the rear sides of these convex-shaped planar portions 342, 347, and 352.
The convex-shaped planar portions 316, 317, 342, 347, and 352 of these protruding portions 301, 302, 303, 304, and 305 have the same height. With this arrangement, when a worker performs a task such as installing the cover 4 or placing the ink pack 7 within the housing main body 3, the worker performs the operation with the housing main body 3 laid on a horizontal plane, such as a work table, as shown in
Note that the first and second intermediate wall portions 303 and 304 comprise an identification function that permits color identification by the user. That is, when the second intermediate wall portion 304 is short, the first intermediate wall portion 303 is long, and the condition described later is satisfied, the ink color of the ink pack 7 housed within the housing 2 is white. The condition is that the second intermediate wall portion 304 does not intersect with the strip region in the front-rear direction of the housing 2, which has a width that between the boundary location of the upper and lower rear walls 331 and 332 and the lower end location of the second rear protruding portion 302. Further, if the second intermediate wall portion 304 is long, the first intermediate wall portion 303 is short, and the second intermediate wall portion 304 intersects with the above-described strip region, the ink color of the ink pack 7 housed in the housing 2 is yellow, magenta, and cyan.
A gripping portion 40 of the housing 2 is provided to the upper front corner portion of the cover 4, as shown in
Further, an observation hole 45 that is long in the front-rear direction and passes through the cover 4 is provided at a location near the rear portion of the cover 4. As shown in
<Ink Pack>
Next, the structure of the ink pack 7 and the surrounding area thereof will be described using
The plug 72 comprises a resin, cylindrical main body portion 721 and a joining portion 722 that has a square cylindrical shape with a long and narrow width in the vertical direction. The cylindrical main body portion 721 is formed in a rectangular block shape having a rear side that is relatively large. The joining portion 722 is integrally provided with the front portion of the main body portion 721.
The main body portion 721, as shown in
Note that a collapse prevention rib 80 that prevents collapse of the upper portion of the reservoir portion 71 is provided to the cover 4, extending above the detection plate 50. Furthermore, a reinforcement rib 81 that reinforces the collapse prevention rib 80 is provided to the cover 4. The collapse prevention rib 80 and the reinforcement rib 81 will be described later.
On the other hand, as shown in
The ink cartridge 1 is inserted into the cartridge mounting portion 108, rear portion first, and set into the cartridge mounting portion 108 with the rear portion of the housing 2 in contact with the abutment plate 109. A part of the securing portion 181 of the connecting portion 180 enters the housing 2 from the plug opening 335 as the cartridge 1 is inserted. Then, the lead needle 183 of the front portion of the securing portion 181 is further inserted through the center of the rubber stopper 723 from an end portion 724 of the rubber stopper 723 of the main body portion 721 of the plug 72. As a result, the end portion of the lead needle 183 is positioned within the hollow portion 700 of the main body portion 721. With this arrangement, the reservoir portion 71 of the ink pack 7 and the ink tube 182 on the printer 100 side are connected via the plug 72 and the connecting portion 108. As a result, the ink within the reservoir portion 71 is discharged into the ink tube 182 through the hollow portion 700 of the plug 72, the lead needle 183, and the securing portion 181 of the connecting portion 108 and supplied from the ink tube 182 to the printhead 114.
<Detection Plate>
Next, the detailed structure of the detection plate 50, which is one special characteristic of this embodiment, and its installation state will be described using
The detection plate 50, as shown in
A left surface 51a of the abutment portion 51 comes in contact with the right side of the ink pack 7. The two front and rear arm portions 52 and 52 are provided to the front side, specifically, one bent side, that is, an end portion of the lower side, that is, a lower end portion, of the abutment portion 51, and disposed at a predetermined interval in the longwise direction, that is, the front-rear direction, of the housing 2. The above-described shaft portions 54a and 54b are provided to support plates 53 of the respective arm portions 52 so that they protrude outward in the extended direction, that is, a direction that intersects the horizontal direction, that is, the front-rear direction, of the arm portions 52, and are linearly disposed at an interval. The display portion 58 is provided to the other bent side, that is, the end portion of the upper side, that is, the upper end portion, which is the rear side of the abutment plate 51. The connecting plate 55 connects the two support plates 53, firmly supporting the support plates 53.
An edge frame 56 is provided to the surrounding area, excluding one bent side, that is, the end portion on the lower side, of the abutment plate 51. The edge frame 56 protrudes to the left of the abutment plate 51, and gradually narrows along the other bent side, that is, the upper side, of the abutment plate 51. The abutment plate 51 is reinforced by the edge frame 56.
The support plate 53 is formed on the arm portion 52 in a substantially triangular shape or substantially trapezoidal shape, extending from one side, that is, the end portion area on the left side, to the other side, that is, the area on the right side, to provide higher elasticity to the arm portion 52. The arm portion 52 connects with the abutment plate 51 on the other side, that is, the area on the right side, of the support plate 53. The shaft portion 54 is provided to one side, that is, the end portion area on the left side, of the support plate 53. Then, to ensure strength during the elastic deformation of the arm portion 52, the arm portion 52 is provided so that it juts out on the other side, that is, the right side, further than the other side, that is, the right end portion, of the abutment plate 51.
To install the detection plate 50 to the housing main body 3, first the left surface 51a of the detection plate 50 is disposed in the housing main body 3 in a state facing the left wall portion 30 of the housing main body 3, as shown in
The protruding, that is, front-rear, length of the shaft portions 54a and 54b provided to the support plates 53 and 53 of the two arm portions 52 and 52 have a relationship such as shown in the above-described
Further, a torsion spring 57 that locks both ends with the abutment plate 51 of the detection plate 50 and the bottom wall portion 31 of the housing main body 3 is installed to the longer shaft portion 54a of the two shaft portions 54a and 54b of the detection plate 50, as shown in the enlarged view in
The above-described display portion 58 is inserted through the ink volume detection opening 336 of the upper rear wall portion 331 of the housing main body 3 in the rear portion of the housing 2, with the detection plate 50 provided within the housing 2. The display portion 58 protrudes toward the ink volume detection opening 336 from the other bent side, that is, the end portion opposite the arm portion 52, that is, the upper end, of the detection plate 50. Then, the display portion 58 forms a planar shape that extends in the front-rear direction and width direction, that is, thickness direction, of the housing 2, within the detection opening 336. As a result, the display portion 58 becomes displaced in the substantially horizontal direction and width direction of the housing 2 within the detection opening 336 as the detection plate 50 of the ink pack 7 rotates (see
<Detection of Display Portion>
At this time, the displacement of the above-described display portion 58 in the substantially horizontal direction is detected on the printer 100 side. Detection of this displacement will now be described using
That is, when there is a high volume of ink within the reservoir portion 71, the reservoir portion 71 has sufficient thickness in the width direction, that is, the horizontal direction, and the display portion 58 of the detection plate 50 is positioned near the left side. In this case, as shown in
From the above-described state, the display portion 58 of the detection plate 50 moves slightly near the right side as the ink volume within the reservoir portion 71 slightly decreases. In this case, as shown in
Subsequently, the display portion 58 of the detection plate 50 further moves further near the right side as the ink volume within the reservoir portion 71 further decreases. In this case, as shown in
Subsequently, the display portion 58 of the detection plate 50 moves further near the right side as the ink volume within the reservoir portion 71 further decreases, coming close to empty. In this case, as shown in
The above-described CPU of the printer 100 issues notifications and prohibits printing in accordance with the ink volume, based on the above-described determination results.
<Collapse Prevention Rib>
Next, the above-described collapse prevention rib 80, which is one more special characteristic of this embodiment, will be described using
As shown in
The reservoir portion 71 of the ink pack 7 contacts and is fixed by the adhesive portion 65 of the left wall portion 30. As shown in
According to this embodiment, the collapse prevention rib 80 is provided in response to the above. Further, the upper portion 71a of the reservoir portion 71 is inserted through the gap 82 formed between the collapse prevention rib 80 and the left lateral surface of the housing 2, that is, with the left wall portion 30 of the housing main body 3. With this arrangement, even if the upper portion 71a of the reservoir portion 71 attempts to collapse downward toward the right, the collapse prevention rib 80 receives and stops the upper portion 71a as shown in
Note that, at this time, as shown in
As described above, according to this embodiment, the support mechanism 60 of the detection plate 50 comprises the two concave portions 62 and 62 for rotatably supporting the detection plate 50 provided to the housing 2. The concave portions 62 and 62 are provided at a predetermined interval in the axial direction X of the plug 72 of the reservoir portion 71, that is, in the front-rear direction of the housing 2. On the other hand, the detection plate 50 comprises the two arm portions 52 and 52 and the shaft portions 54a and 54b. The two arm portions 52 and 52 are at least partially elastic and are provided at a predetermined interval. The shaft portions 54a and 54b are respectively provided to protrude outward from the two arm portions 52 and 52 and are linearly disposed at an interval, comprising a shape capable of engaging with the concave portions 62 of the support mechanism 60. At this time, the detection plate 50 is capable of elastic deformation wherein at least one arm portion 52 receives an external force in an inward direction that is opposite the protruding direction of the shaft portions 54a and 54b, changing the position of the shaft portion 54 provided to the one of the arm portions 52 to the extent that the concave portion 62 and the shaft portion 54 do not engage. Further, when the above-described external force is removed from the one of the arm portions 52, generating an elastic force near the above-described predetermined interval and causing the concave portion 62 and the shaft portion 54 to engage, the shaft portions 54a and 54b are located in positions that include the rotation center of the arm portions 52. With this arrangement, the detection plate 50 rotates around the rotation center of the above-described arm portion 52 on the axis in the same direction as the axial direction X of the plug 72 of the reservoir portion 71, in accordance with the ink volume within the reservoir portion 71. As a result, the change in the ink volume can be detected by the rotation of the detection plate 50.
During the assembly of the ink cartridge, the above-described detection plate 50 is mounted to the support mechanism 60 fixed to the housing 2. The two arm portions 52 and 52 of the detection plate 50 are partially elastic, as described above. With this arrangement, the worker can shorten the distance between the two arm portions 52 by utilizing external force. That is, during the above-described mounting, the worker applies external force by hand to at least one of the two arm portions 52 and 52, in the inward direction that is opposite the protruding direction of the shaft portions 54a and 54b provided to the one arm portion 52 and 52. Then, the worker elastically deforms the one of the arm portions 52 to the extent that the shaft portion 54a or 54b of the one of the arm portions 52 does not engage with one concave portion 62 of the support mechanism 60. Then, in this state, the shaft portion 54b or 54a of the other arm portion 52 engages with the other concave portion 62 of the support mechanism 60. Subsequently, the worker positions the shaft portion 54a or 54b of the one of the arm portions 52 to the other concave portion 62 of the support mechanism 60, and releases his or her hand to remove the external force applied to the one of the arm portions 52. As a result, the one of the arm portions 52 returns to its original shape by the elastic force generated in one arm portion 52. Consequently, the above-described two shaft portions 54a and 54b are respectively engaged with the above-described concave portions 62 and 62, and rotatably supported around the axis in the same direction as the axial direction X of the plug 72 of the above-described reservoir portion 71.
By thus utilizing the shortening operation of the two arm portions 52 and 52 of the detection plate 50, it is possible to easily mount the detection plate 50 onto the support mechanism 60. As a result, the assemble-ability of the detection plate 50 is improved, making it possible to improve the productivity of the ink cartridge 1.
Further, in particular, according to this embodiment, the detection plate 50 comprises the abutment plate 51 that comes in contact with the reservoir portion 71 on the left side. With the reservoir portion 71 coming in contact with a surface 51a of the above-described one side of the abutment plate 51, the reservoir portion 71 bulges to the extent of the high volume of ink within the reservoir portion 71, pressing the abutment plate 51 to the other side. With the rotation of the detection plate 50 by this applied pressure, rotation of the detection plate 50 in accordance with the ink volume is achieved.
Further, the right end portion of the arm portion 52 is designed to jut out further over the right side than the right end portion of the abutment plate 51. This design has significance such as follows. That is, from the viewpoint of maintaining strength during the above-described elastic deformation, one approach is to design a structure in which at least a part of the arm portion 52 juts out further than the abutment plate 51. Given a structure in which the a part of the arm portion 52 juts out on the left side further than the abutment plate 51, the reservoir portion 71 which bulges in accordance with the ink volume as described above may come in contact with the above-described jutting arm portion 52 and not with or along with the abutment plate 51. To avoid this harmful effect, according to this embodiment, the right end portion of the arm portion 52 is designed to jut out on the right side further than the right end portion of the abutment plate 51. Such a structure in which the arm portion 52 thus juts out to the right prevents the end portion on the left side of the arm portion 52 from jutting out on the left side further than the abutment plate 51, making it possible to prevent such a harmful effect. As a result, it is possible to achieve rotation of the detection plate 50 favorably following the change in the ink volume. For example, according to the example shown in
Further, in particular, according to this embodiment, the arm portion 52 comprises the substantially triangular-shaped or substantially trapezoidal-shaped support plate 53 that extends from the left end area toward the right area where the above-described shaft portions 54a and 54b are provided. With this arrangement, the end area of the above-described left side of the support plate 53, which is a side having a narrow width, is readily elastically deformed, making it possible to easily shorten the distance between the above-described two shaft portions 54.
Further, in particular, according to this embodiment, the detection plate 50 comprises the connecting plate 55 configured to connect the support plates 53 of the two arm portions 52 in the area on the right side. With this arrangement, it is possible to firmly support the support plates 53 that elastically deform the end area via the connecting plate 55.
Further, in particular, according to this embodiment, the protruding length of the shaft portions 54 of the two arm portions 52 of the detection plate 50 are designed so that the length of the one shaft portion 54a is longer than that of the other shaft portion 54b. When the worker inserts the shaft portions 54a and 54b of the two arm portions 52 of the detection plate 50 into the two concave portions 62 of the support mechanism 60, the worker first inserts the longer shaft portion 54a of the one arm portion 52 into one of the concave portions 62. Subsequently, the worker flexibly deforms the other arm portion 52, making it possible to insert the shorter shaft portion 54b into the other concave portion 62 of the support mechanism 60. As a result, the worker can reliably elastically deform the detection plate 50 with minimal deformation and easily mount the detection plate 50 onto the support mechanism 60.
Further, in particular, according to this embodiment, the support mechanism 60 comprises the two mounting plates 61 that are orthogonal to the axial direction of the plug 72 of the reservoir portion 71 and provided at a predetermined interval in the axial direction of the plug 72. Then, the above described concave portion 62 is formed as a through-hole through which the mounting plate 61 is inserted, or as a blind hole that opens in the direction opposite the protruding direction of the shaft portion 54 of the arm portion 52 of the detection plate 50, in the axial direction X of the plug 72 of the reservoir portion 71. With this arrangement, the housing 2 comprising the support mechanism 60 can be formed without using a slide in the die, making it possible to manufacture the housing 2 that offers easy installation of the detection plate 50 and the support mechanism 60 with ease.
Further, in particular, according to this embodiment, the display portion 58 of the detection plate 50 is made of a flat plate that protrudes from the end portion of the side opposite the above-described arm portion 52 toward the above-described opening of the ink volume detection opening 336 on the rear portion of the housing 2. This flat plate extends in the axial direction of the plug 72 of the reservoir portion 71 and in the direction from the abutment plate 51 of the detection plate 50 toward the reservoir portion 71, within the opening 336.
With this arrangement, the ink volume can be displayed in a manner that is instinctively easy-to-understand by the operator.
Note that while, according to this embodiment, the shaft portions 54a and 54b of the arm portions 52 of the detection plate 50 are made to protrude outward in a direction that intersects with the extending direction of the arm portions 52, as schematically shown in
Further, while the collapse prevention rib 80 is provided as a displacement suppressing portion of the ink pack 7 within the housing 2 according to this embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, as shown in
Additionally, other than those previously described, methods according to the above-described embodiments and modification examples may be utilized in combination as appropriate.
Note that various modifications which are not described in particular can be made according to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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2011-140605 | Jun 2011 | JP | national |
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20120327162 A1 | Dec 2012 | US |