Ink-jet printer, and method for attaching ink cartridge

Abstract

An ink-jet printer that comprises: a carriage on which a recording head having nozzles for discharging ink and a buffer tank for supplying the ink to the recording head are mounted; an exhaust valve provided on an exhaust path for exhausting air in the buffer tank to the outside; an attaching unit disposed outside the carriage and at a height lower than the recording head, to which the ink cartridge is detachably attached; an ink flow passage having one end portion to which the ink cartridge to be attached to the attaching unit is detachably connected, for supplying the ink in the ink cartridge to the buffer tank. The ink in the ink flow passage moves to the side of the ink, due to the head difference between the buffer tank and the ink cartridge, by opening the exhaust valve when the ink cartridge is attached to the attaching unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a configuration example of an essential portion of an ink-jet printer according to the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a schematic view showing a connection state between a buffer tank and an ink cartridge;

FIG. 2B is an enlarged schematic view showing an operation state of a valve member when the ink cartridge is attached to an attaching unit;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a configuration example of the buffer tank and a maintenance unit;

FIG. 4 is a circuit block diagram showing a configuration of a control system of the ink-jet printer;

FIG. 5A is a schematic view showing the state before the ink cartridge is attached to explain the procedure of a method for attaching the ink cartridge;

FIG. 5B is a schematic view showing the state a new ink cartridge 2 is attached to explain the procedure of the method for attaching the ink cartridge;

FIG. 5C is a schematic view showing the state the exhaust valve of the buffer tank is opened to explain the procedure of the method for attaching the ink cartridge;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a control procedure by a CPU when the ink cartridge is attached; and

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a method for attaching another ink cartridge according to this embodiment.

Claims

1. A method for attaching an ink cartridge to an ink-jet printer, the ink-jet printer being provided with: a carriage on which a recording head having nozzles for discharging ink and a buffer tank for supplying the ink to the recording head are mounted;an exhaust valve provided on an exhaust path that exhausts air in the buffer tank to the outside;an attaching unit disposed outside the carriage and at a height lower than the recording head, to which the ink cartridge is detachably attached;an ink flow passage, to whose one end the ink cartridge to be attached to the attaching unit is detachably connected, that supplies the ink in the ink cartridge to the buffer tank;a sensor that detects whether or not the cartridge is attached to the attaching unit; anda control circuit that controls the exhaust valve;the method comprising:detecting by the sensor whether or not the cartridge is attached to the attaching unit;opening the exhaust valve by the control circuit when the sensor detects a change from a state where the cartridge is not attached to the attaching unit to a state where the cartridge is attached to the attaching unit; andmoving the ink in the vicinity of the one end of the ink flow passage to which the ink cartridge is connected, into the ink cartridge, by moving the ink in the ink flow passage from the side of the buffer tank to the side of the ink cartridge due to a head difference between a head of the ink in the buffer tank and a head of the ink in the ink cartridge when the valve is opened.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: moving the ink by a predetermined amount by closing the exhaust valve after a predetermined duration from; andthereafter supplying the ink from the ink cartridge to the buffer tank through the ink flow passage.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein a plurality of the ink cartridges can be attached to the attaching unit;same number of the buffer tanks and the ink flow passages as the number of the ink cartridges attachable to the attaching unit are provided,the exhaust valve is provided for the respective buffer tanks, andthe exhaust valve corresponding to the ink cartridge that is attached to the attaching unit is opened.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3, further comprising: moving the ink by a predetermined amount by closing the exhaust valve after a predetermined duration from; andthereafter supplying the ink from the ink cartridge to the buffer tank through the ink flow passage.

5. An ink-jet printer, comprising: a carriage on which a recording head having nozzles for discharging ink and a buffer tank for supplying the ink to the recording head are mounted;an exhaust valve provided on an exhaust path that exhausts air in the buffer tank to the outside;an attaching unit disposed outside the carriage and at a height lower than the recording head, to which the ink cartridge is detachably attached;an ink flow passage, to whose one end the ink cartridge to be attached to the attaching unit is detachably connected, that supplies the ink in the ink cartridge to the buffer tank;a sensor that detects whether or not the cartridge is attached to the attaching unit; anda control circuit that opens the exhaust valve when the sensor detects a change from a state where the cartridge is not attached to the attaching unit to a state where the cartridge is attached to the attaching unit;whereby the ink in the vicinity of the one end of the ink flow passage to which the ink cartridge is connected moves into the ink cartridge, by moving the ink in the ink flow passage from the side of the buffer tank to the side of the ink cartridge due to a head difference between a head of the ink in the buffer tank and a head of the ink in the ink cartridge when the valve is opened.

6. The ink-jet printer as set forth in claim 5, further comprising a switch that can be operated when the ink cartridge is attached, wherein the control circuit opens the exhaust valve when the switch is operated.

7. The ink-jet printer as set forth in claim 5, further comprising a counter that counts an elapsed time from the time when the exhaust valve, wherein the control circuit opens the exhaust valve during a predetermined time until the counter counts the predetermined time, to move the ink by a predetermined amount.

8. The ink-jet printer as set forth in claim 7, further comprising a switch that can be operated when the ink cartridge is attached, wherein the control circuit opens the exhaust valve when the switch is operated.

9. The ink-jet printer as set forth in claim 5, further comprising an ink supply mechanism that supplies the ink from the ink cartridge attached to the attaching unit to the buffer tank through the ink flow passage.

10. The ink-jet printer as set forth in claim 9, wherein the ink supply mechanism comprises a cap opposed to the recording head and a pump that suctions the ink from the nozzles, under a state where the carriage is positioned at a predetermined position.

11. The ink-jet printer as set forth in claim 10, further comprising a counter that counts an elapsed time from the time when the exhaust valve, wherein the control circuit opens the exhaust valve during a predetermined time until the counter counts the predetermined time, to move the ink by a predetermined amount.

12. The ink-jet printer as set forth in claim 11, further comprising a switch that can be operated when the ink cartridge is attached, wherein the control circuit opens the exhaust valve when the switch is operated.

13. The ink-jet printer as set forth in claim 5, wherein a plurality of the ink cartridges can be attached to the attaching unit;same number of the buffer tanks and the ink flow passages as the number of the ink cartridges attachable to the attaching unit are provided,the exhaust valve is provided for the respective buffer tanks, and the exhaust valve corresponding to the ink cartridge that is attached to the attaching unit is opened.

14. The ink-jet printer as set forth in claim 13, further comprising an ink supply mechanism that supplies the ink from the ink cartridge attached to the attaching unit to the buffer tank through the ink flow passage.

15. The ink-jet printer as set forth in claim 14, wherein the ink supply mechanism comprises a cap opposed to the recording head and a pump that suctions the ink from the nozzles, under a state where the carriage is positioned at a predetermined position.

16. The ink-jet printer as set forth in claim 15, further comprising a counter that counts an elapsed time from the time when the exhaust valve, wherein the control circuit opens the exhaust valve during a predetermined time until the counter counts the predetermined time, to move the ink by a predetermined amount.

17. The ink-jet printer as set forth in claim 16, further comprising a switch that can be operated when the ink cartridge is attached, wherein the control circuit opens the exhaust valve when the switch is operated.