Patent Grant
9981478
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid ejecting device and a head.
Description of the Related Art
As a liquid ejecting device (e.g., ink-jet printing device) for ejecting liquid such as ink to print an image or character, for example, there is one having a form in which a head having an ink tank is mounted on a carriage and a main tank for storing ink is placed at another position from the carriage. The ink in the main tank is supplied to the ink tank on the head side with a tube or the like, and the ink is ejected from an ejecting unit.
As the liquid ejecting device in such a form, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-105883 discloses the one having a configuration in which a supply needle is attached to a cover member of an ink tank so as to pierce the cover member. With the configuration, a connecting member is attached around the supply needle for connection to the tube. Further, a connecting member is attached to one end of the tube for connection to the connecting member attached to the cover member of the ink tank. The connecting member of the ink tank on the side of the cover member is connected to the connecting member on the side of the tube, and thereby the tube is connected to the ink tank.
A liquid ejecting device of the present invention includes: a liquid container that can store liquid thereinside; a head provided on a carriage and including a liquid containing unit that can store liquid thereinside, and a liquid ejecting unit that ejects liquid; and a flexible member that connects the liquid container to the liquid containing unit and supplies the liquid stored inside the liquid container to the liquid containing unit, and a concave portion that is concave in a direction to an inside of the liquid containing unit is formed on an outer wall surface of the liquid containing unit, and a projected portion that is projected in a direction to an outside of the liquid containing unit from a bottom surface of the concave portion and is inserted to the flexible member is formed inside the concave portion.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments (with reference to the attached drawings).
With the liquid ejecting device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-105883, a connecting member on the side of the ink tank attached to a wall surface of a cover member of the ink tank on the side of a top surface is connected to a connecting member on the side of the tube, and thereby the ink tank is connected to the tube. Therefore, a connecting unit for connection between the ink tank and the tube is arranged on the top surface side of the cover member of the ink tank. Thus, in the ink tank, the connecting unit is projected to the outer side than the cover member of the ink tank, the configuration of the ink tank including the connecting unit to the tube is increased in size, and the configuration of the liquid ejecting device may be increased in size, as a result.
According to the present invention, there is provided a downsized liquid ejecting device in consideration of the situations.
Hereinbelow, a description is given of embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings.
The head 1 mounted on the carriage 17 includes a liquid ejecting unit (ink ejecting unit) 2 that ejects the liquid and a liquid containing unit (ink tank unit) 20 that supplies the liquid (ink) to the liquid ejecting unit 2. The liquid ejecting unit 2 is integrated to the liquid containing unit 20. As mentioned above, the carriage 17 is configured capable of supporting the head 1. The liquid containing unit 20 in the head 1 is configured capable of storing the liquid thereinside.
Note that the liquid containing unit and the liquid ejecting unit may not be integrated but may be formed separately. A printing medium such as a sheet is conveyed in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction of the carriage by a conveyance roller. The liquid ejecting device 27 repeats a printing operation for ejecting the liquid to a print area of the printing medium on a platen while moving the liquid ejecting unit 2 in the main scanning direction and a conveying operation for conveying the printing medium in the sub-scanning direction by a distance corresponding to a printing width thereof. Thus, images are sequentially printed (formed) on the printing medium.
A plurality of ejecting ports, a plurality of pressure chambers communicating with the plurality of ejecting ports, and a plurality of flow passages communicating with the pressure chambers are formed, respectively, in the liquid ejecting unit 2 of the head 1. The liquid is supplied via the respective flow passages to the pressure chambers formed inside the liquid ejecting unit 2 from the liquid containing unit of the head 1. Each pressure chamber includes, e.g., a heat generating element (electricity/heat converter) as an energy generating element. The heat generating element is energized via a wiring, and thermal energy is generated from the heat generating element, thereby heating the ink in the pressure chamber and generating bubbles with film boiling. Liquid droplets are ejected from the ejecting port with bubble generating energy at this time. Note that a piezoelectric element or the like may be used as an energy generating element.
The carriage 17 moves in the main scanning direction, and thereby the liquid is ejected from the liquid ejecting unit 2 while the head 1 moves. The ejected liquid lands onto the printing medium or the like, thereby performing the printing. In the printing, the liquid contained in the liquid container 12 is supplied to the liquid containing unit 20 of the head 1 via the flexible member 7. The liquid is directly stored in the liquid container 12. In order to increase a storage amount of the liquid, preferably, a holding member to hold the liquid, such as a sponge, is not arranged inside the liquid container 12. As mentioned above, the liquid in the liquid container 12 is continuously supplied to the liquid containing unit 20 of the head 1.
The liquid ejecting unit 2 of the head 1 is arranged at a position higher in the gravity direction than a portion where the liquid is stored in the liquid container 12. Therefore, a water head difference is generated between the liquid ejecting unit 2 and the liquid container 12 in the head 1. With the water head difference, a negative pressure is generated inside the liquid ejecting unit 2 of the head 1. The generation of the negative pressure in the liquid ejecting unit 2 prevents the drop of the liquid from the ejecting port of the liquid ejecting unit 2, thereby holding the liquid inside the liquid ejecting unit 2. Note that the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the head 1 in this form and the liquid container 12 and can be applied to a system with a negative pressure generating mechanism in the liquid container 12.
The head 1 is formed by welding the cover member 6 to a case 4. A flow passage connecting member 13 (see
The projected portion 11 that is projected from the central position of the bottom surface of the concave portion 23 in a direction (direction to the flow passage connecting member 13) to the outside of the liquid containing unit 20 is formed. In the case where the flexible member 7 is connected to the cover member 6, the projected portion 11 is inserted into an inserting port 16 formed in the flexible member 7. As mentioned above, positioning is performed between the flexible member 7 and the cover member 6. Referring to
As mentioned above, the holding member 5 that can hold the stored liquid is enclosed inside the liquid containing unit 20 in the head 1. Further, the liquid ejecting unit 2 that ejects the liquid is arranged in the head 1. As shown in
In order to efficiently supply the liquid held by the holding member 5 to the liquid ejecting unit 2, it is required that the holding member 5 is press-contacted with the filter 3. For that purpose, a rib 8 that presses the holding member 5 is provided on a rear surface of the cover member 6. With the cover member 6 configured as mentioned above, the rib 8 presses the holding member 5 in a direction to the flow passage 26 in the case where the cover member 6 is welded to the case 4. That is, the rib 8 presses the holding member 5 in the direction to the filter 3. As a consequence, the holding member 5 and the filter 3 are press-contacted with each other, and the holding member 5 and the filter 3 are arranged in the liquid containing unit 20 of the head 1.
In a state in which the cover member 6 is attached to the case 4, the concave portion 23 on the outer wall surface (outer wall surface of the cover member) of the liquid containing unit is concave to a position where the concave portion 23 comes into contact with the holding member 5. Therefore, in the case where the cover member 6 is attached to the case 4, the holding member 5 is pressed to the inside by the bottom surface 18 of the concave portion 23.
The liquid supply unit 10 is formed in the cover member 6 to supply the liquid supplied from the flexible member 7 to the inside of the liquid containing unit 20. The liquid supply unit 10 is a hollow flow passage that guides the liquid supplied from the flexible member 7 into the liquid containing unit 20. In a state in which the flexible member 7 is not connected to the head 1, the inside of the liquid containing unit 20 communicates with the outside thereof in the liquid supply unit 10. Therefore, in a state in which the flexible member 7 is not connected to the head 1, in order to suppress the leakage of the liquid from the head 1, the liquid supply unit 10 is configured not to be touched to the holding member 5. As a consequence, the flow passage from the holding member 5 is shut off, thereby suppressing the leakage of the liquid to the outside of the head 1.
As mentioned above, in the cover member 6, the projected portion 11 is formed to perform positioning between the cover member 6 and the flow passage connecting member 13 attached to the flexible member 7. Further a positioning port (inserting port) to which the projected portion 11 is inserted is formed in the flow passage connecting member 13 of the flexible member 7. The projected portion 11 is projected in a direction (direction to the flow passage connecting member 13) to the outside of the liquid containing unit so as to be inserted to the positioning port 16 formed in the flow passage connecting member 13. The projecting direction of the projected portion 11 is an upward direction in the gravity direction from the cover member 6 in a posture of the head 1 in the case where the liquid ejecting device 27 is used, and corresponds to a direction of the flow passage connection between the flow passage connecting member 13 and the liquid containing unit 20. In the case where the flow passage connecting member 13 is attached to the cover member 6, the projected portion 11 is inserted to the positioning port 16, and thereby the liquid supply unit 10 of the cover member 6 and a flow-passage-connecting-member flow passage (first liquid flow passage) 22 of the flow passage connecting member 13 are arranged at a corresponding position. Therefore, proper positioning is performed between the flow passage connecting member 13 and the cover member 6.
In the head 1, the projected portion 11 is formed inside the concave portion 23. Therefore, the projected portion 11 is projected from a position (bottom surface of the concave portion) located deep inside from the top surface of the cover member 6 in the head 1 in a direction (direction to the flow passage connecting member 13) to the outside of the liquid containing unit. As a consequence, while sufficiently ensuring a length of stroke for positioning with the projected portion 11, it is possible to reduce an amount of projection to the outside from the top surface of the cover member 6 in the projected portion 11. That is, it is possible to reduce the size of a projected portion in a direction to the flow passage connecting member 13 from the cover member 6.
Since it is possible to reduce the amount of projection in the direction to the flow passage connecting member 13 in the projected portion 11, in a posture in which the head 1 is mounted on the carriage 17, the height of the head 1 thus can be reduced. Therefore, while sufficiently ensuring a length of stroke of the projected portion 11 that is required for positioning between the cover member 6 and the flow passage connecting member 13, it is possible to reduce the sizes of the head 1 and the liquid ejecting device having the head 1. Furthermore, since the length of stroke for positioning with the projected portion 11 is sufficiently ensured, it is possible to precisely perform positioning between the flow passage connecting member 13 and the cover member 6.
The whole projected portion 11 is preferably in the concave portion 23 in consideration of only reduction in size. That is, an end of the projected portion 11 extending from the bottom surface of the concave portion 23 is at the same height as that of a top surface (top surface of an outer wall surface of the cover member) of the outer wall surface of the liquid containing unit or at a lower position, preferably, the end thereof is not projected from the top surface. However, in consideration of insertion to the flexible member 7, the end of the projected portion 11 is preferably at a higher position than the top surface (top surface of the outer wall surface of the cover member) of the outer wall surface of the liquid containing unit, as shown in
Further, since the concave portion 23 is formed on the outer wall surface of the cover member 6, the cover member 6 is bent. Therefore, regarding the height direction of the head 1, the position of the bottom surface 18 of the concave portion 23 can be deviated from the position of another surface of the cover member 6. Even in the case where impact of drop or vibration is applied to the head 1, directly operating to the projected portion 11 is suppressed, which makes it hard to deform the projected portion 11.
Note that, in the embodiment, a description is given of a form for enclosing the liquid of one kind (one color) to the liquid containing unit 20 in the head 1. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The number of kinds (e.g., colors) of the liquid contained in the liquid containing unit 20 may be two or more. In this case, a plurality of liquid ejecting units 2 may be formed in the head 1, corresponding to a plurality of kinds of the liquid.
Preferably, in the head 1, a position where a flow passage (second liquid flow passage) 26 through which the liquid is supplied to the liquid ejecting unit 2 from the liquid containing unit 20 is formed is a position facing the concave portion 23. That is, preferably, the filter 3 arranged on the flow passage 26 is just below the concave portion 23 and at a position downward in the gravity direction of the concave portion 23. Note that the position just below the concave portion 23 means a position where the liquid containing unit 20 is partially overlapped with at least the concave portion 23, in the case where the liquid containing unit 20 is seen from above.
Next, a description is given of a head as a comparative example with reference to
On the other hand,
In order to efficiently supply the liquid held in the holding member 5 to the liquid ejecting unit 2, it is required that the holding member 5 is pressed to the filter 3 arranged at a position adjacent to the liquid ejecting unit 2. In the head shown in
In the case where the head 1 includes a plurality of filters 3, preferably, the bottom surfaces 18 of the concave portion 23 in the outer circumference of the two projected portions 11 are just above the filters 3. In the case where the number of filters 3 is over two and the number of filters 3 is larger than the number of the projected portions 11, the holding member 5 may be pressed by only the pressing rib 8 for a portion where the holding member 5 cannot be pressed by the bottom surface 18 of the concave portion 23.
Further, in the case where one filter 3 is arranged in the head 1 and the number of the filter 3 is smaller than the number of the projected portions 11, preferably, the filter 3 is arranged as follows. That is, preferably, two projected portions 11 are arranged on the straight line along a scanning direction of the carriage 17, and the filter 3 is arranged at a position (e.g., a just-below position) corresponding to a line perpendicular to a line connecting the two projected portions 11. That is, in the case of forming a larger number of the concave portions 23 than the filters 3 on the flow passage 26 towards the liquid ejecting unit 2 in the liquid containing unit 20 of the head 1, a plurality of the concave portions 23 is arranged on a straight line along a direction in which the carriage 17 reciprocates. At this time, preferably, the filter is arranged at a position corresponding to a line perpendicular to a line connecting a plurality of the concave portions 23.
Here, the filter 3 is formed at a position just below a line perpendicular to the line connecting a plurality of the concave portions 23. With the structure, it is possible to press the holding members 5 in a direction to the filter 3 respectively at positions for sandwiching the filter 3 by the bottom portion 18 of the concave portion 23 around the two projected portions 11. Thus, the holding member 5 is hard to incline to the filter 3. As a consequence, the holding member 5 is more reliably made to come into contact with the filter 3. In the case where the projected portion 11 is just on the filter 3, preferably, the bottom portion 18 of the projected portion 11 is made as high as the bottom surface of the rib 8 or is located at a position for pressing the holding member 5 deeper than the rib 8.
Preferably, on the cover member 6, the concave portion 23 in the outer circumference of the position where the projected portion 11 is formed and the concave portion 24 in the outer circumference of the position where the liquid supply unit 10 is formed are independently formed. In a form shown in
The projected portion 11 and the rib 8 are directly touched to the front surface of the holding member 5 on the side of the cover member 6. Therefore, in the case where the head 1 takes a posture in which the cover member 6 is located downward in the gravity direction, the liquid may move from the holding member 5 through the bottom surface 18 of the concave portion 23 and the concave portion 24. Therefore, depending on the shape of the head 1, as shown in
On the other hand, the case is considered where the concave portion 23 formed in the outer circumference of the projected portion 11 and the concave portion 24 formed in the outer circumference of the liquid supply unit 10 are independently formed.
However, the liquid having reached the outer surface of the cover member 6 cannot flow to the outside via the liquid supply unit 10 in the case where the liquid does not reach a water level over the concave portion 24. Therefore, with the shape of the cover member 6 in the head 1, the leakage of the liquid to the outside via the liquid supply unit 10 is hard to occur. With the above-structured head 1, in the case where the liquid moves, as shown in
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-214300 filed Oct. 30, 2015, which is hereby incorporated by reference wherein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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| 2015-214300 | Oct 2015 | JP | national |
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