Patent Grant
10391776
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid remaining amount detection mechanism of a liquid storage container and a printing apparatus mounting a liquid storage container having a liquid remaining amount detection mechanism.
Description of the Related Art
An ink jet printing apparatus is known, which prints images, characters, etc., on a printing medium by ejecting a liquid onto the printing medium from a liquid ejection head. It is common for the printing apparatus such as this to mount a liquid storage container that can be attached and detached, or a liquid storage container capable of filling a liquid while being mounted on the printing apparatus. From the viewpoint of user convenience, it is desirable for a user to be capable of grasping the amount of remaining liquid within the liquid storage container in the state where the liquid storage container is attached to the printing apparatus. As a configuration with which it is possible to grasp the amount of remaining liquid within the liquid storage container, the liquid remaining amount detection mechanism described in Japanese Patent No. 4595359 has been proposed.
An object of the present invention is to cause a rocking body to operate smoothly by suppressing adhesion or fixation of a rotating area in the rocking body, and to make it possible for a printing apparatus to more securely detect the amount of remaining liquid within a liquid storage container.
The liquid storage container of the present invention includes: a liquid storage chamber configured to store a liquid; a support part provided in the liquid storage chamber; and a rocking body having, on one hand, a float part that moves in accordance with the height of a liquid surface of the liquid within the liquid storage chamber via a supported part that is supported rotatably by the support part, and on the other hand, a detection target part that is used to detect the amount of the liquid within the liquid storage chamber, and configured to rock with the support part as a fulcrum, and the detection target part is coupled to the supported part via an arm part and the low end in the vertical direction of a connection part at which the arm part and the supported part are connected is located on the lower side in the vertical direction than the top end in the vertical direction of the rotating area of the supported part.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments (with reference to the attached drawings).
The inventors of the present invention have discussed the liquid storage container described in Japanese Patent No. 4595359 and have found that the droplets exposed to the atmosphere tend to become adhesive or fixative and that there is a possibility that the droplets cause adhesion or fixation of the rotating area of the axis part 11 (area of an axis hole 15 to which a pivot 7 is attached). In the case where the droplets left unremoved in the rotating area become adhesive or fixative, there is a possibility that the smooth behavior of the rocking body 10 is impeded.
In the following, an aspect for embodying the present invention is explained with reference to the drawings. However, the components described in these embodiments are merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to those.
Before the embodiments are explained, the liquid remaining amount detection mechanism of the prior art is discussed. As shown in
In the printing apparatus main body, an optical sensor is provided, which is arranged so that a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit sandwich the detection target chamber 3 from the outside of the liquid storage container 1. A reference letter P indicates the detection position of the optical sensor. In the case where the amount of remaining liquid within the liquid storage container 1 is large, the float part 12 ascends within the liquid storage chamber 2 by the buoyant force and the detection target part 13 provided on the opposite side of the float part 12 descends in the detection target chamber 3 with the axis part 11 as a center. At this time, the detection target part 13 is eventually located on the lower side within the detection target chamber, and therefore, the light rays output from the optical sensor are shut off by the detection target part 13. The printing apparatus reports a user that the amount of remaining liquid within the liquid storage container 1 is large via a display or the like provided in the recording apparatus based on that the light rays output from the optical sensor are in the shut-off state.
As the amount of remaining liquid within the liquid storage container 1 becomes small and the height of the liquid surface is reduced from the upper side in the vertical direction to the lower side in the vertical direction, the rocking body 10 is exposed from the liquid I to the atmosphere space A. The float part 12 descends within the liquid storage chamber 2 by the gravitational force and on the contrary, the detection target part 13 ascends within the detection target chamber 3. At this time, the detection target part 13 is eventually located on the upper side within the detection target chamber, and therefore, the light rays output from the optical sensor begin to pass through the detection target chamber 3. The printing apparatus reports a user that the amount of remaining liquid within the liquid storage container 1 becomes small via a display or the like provided in the printing apparatus based on that the light rays output from the optical sensor are in the transmission state.
In the case where the detection target part 13 is located on the upper side of the detection target chamber 3, the droplets remaining on the surface of the detection target part 13 flow in the direction of the arrow a along the arm part 14 by the gravitational force. The droplets exposed to the atmosphere tend to become adhesive or fixative, and therefore, there is a possibility that adhesion or fixation of the rotating area of the axis part 11 (area of the axis hole 15 to which the pivot 7 is attached) is caused. In the case where the droplets left unremoved become adhesive or fixative, there is a possibility that the smooth behavior of the rocking body 10 is impeded. In the case where the smooth behavior of the rocking body 10 is impeded, there is a possibility that the detection precision of the optical sensor is degraded and it is no longer possible to securely detect the amount of remaining liquid within the liquid storage container.
The liquid storage container 1 of the present embodiment includes a container casing 4 the side surface of which is open and a container lid 8 that covers the side surface opening of the container casing 4. For the assembly of the container casing 4 and the container lid 8, it is possible to use, for example, the method of ultrasonic welding so as to prevent a liquid stored in the liquid storage container 1 from leaking out, but the assembly method is not limited to this. The container casing 4 includes the liquid storage chamber 2 configured to store a liquid, a liquid supply port 5 through which the liquid stored in the liquid storage chamber 2 is supplied to the printing apparatus main body, and an atmosphere introduction port 6 through which the atmosphere is introduced into the liquid storage container 1. The liquid supply port 5 and the atmosphere introduction port 6 are sealed with a sealing member, to be described later, in order to prevent the liquid stored within the liquid storage container 1 from leaking out during the transport of the liquid storage container 1. By a liquid supply pipe 17 in the shape of a pipe (not shown schematically in
The container casing 4 is provided with the liquid storage chamber 2 and the detection target chamber 3 communicating with the liquid storage chamber 2, and the liquid storage chamber 2 and the detection target chamber 3 are arranged so that the liquid within the liquid storage container 1 can be distributed to each other. Further, the liquid storage chamber 2 is provided with the pivot 7, which is a support part, and the axis part 11 of the rocking body 10, which is a supported part, is supported rotatably.
The rocking body 10 that is used to detect the liquid surface of the liquid storage container 1 rocks in accordance with the amount of remaining liquid stored in the liquid storage container 1. The rocking body 10 of the present embodiment has, on one hand, the float part 12 that moves in accordance with the height of the liquid surface within the liquid storage chamber via the axis part 11, and on the other hand, the detection target part 13 that is used to detect the amount of liquid within the liquid storage chamber. Further, the rocking body 10 is supported so as to be capable of rocking like a seesaw within the liquid storage container 1 with the axis part 11 as a fulcrum, and the detection target part 13 is coupled to the axis part 11 via the arm part 14.
In the present embodiment, in order to cause the rocking body 10 to rock smoothly, a predetermined clearance is provided between the pivot 7 and the axis hole 15. In the case where the clearance is too large, the position of the rocking body 10 within the liquid storage container 1 is not stabilized, and therefore, the detection precision of the optical sensor, to be described later, is degraded. On the contrary, in the case where the clearance is too small, frictional resistance occurs at the time of rotation of the pivot 7 and the axis hole 15, and therefore, the operation of the rocking body 10 within the liquid storage container 1 becomes unstable. Because of this, it is favorable for the clearance between the pivot 7 and the axis hole 15 in the present embodiment to be about 0.2 mm (not less than 0.1 mm and not more than 0.3 mm).
As the material of the liquid storage container 1 and the rocking body 10 in the present embodiment, a PP (polypropylene) resin is used favorably. Of course, the material of the liquid storage container 1 and the rocking body 10 is not limited to the PP resin and another material, such as a PE (polyethylene) resin, or a metal may be used. Further, the mechanism to cause the rocking body 10 to rock is not limited to the structure in which the container casing 4 is provided with the pivot 7 and the rocking body 10 is provided with the axis hole 15, and it is only required for the rocking body 10 to be attached so as to be capable of rocking within the liquid storage container 1. For example, it may also be possible to configure the pivot 7 as a part separate from the container casing 4. Alternatively, a structure may be accepted in which the container casing 4 is provided with a bearing and the axis part 11 of the rocking body 10 is provided with a pivot, respectively.
On the other hand, the printing apparatus has an optical sensor 100 that is arranged in the vicinity of the liquid storage container 1, and an electric signal from the optical sensor 100 is configured so as to be capable of being output to the control unit 101. In the present embodiment, a light-emitting unit 100a and a light-receiving unit 100b are arranged so as to sandwich the detection target chamber 3 from the outside, and it is possible for the light-emitting unit 100a to output light rays to the light-receiving unit 100b. In the case where the light-receiving unit 100b receives light rays, the optical sensor 100 outputs a signal indicating that the detection target chamber 3 of the liquid storage container 1 is in the transmission state to the control unit 101. On the other hand, in the case where light rays are shut off by the detection target part 13 and it is not possible for the light-receiving unit 100b to receive light rays, the optical sensor 100 suspends outputting of a signal to the control unit 101.
A liquid remaining amount detection unit 102 detects the amount of remaining liquid within the liquid storage container 1 based on the presence/absence of a signal that is received from the optical sensor 100. As in the liquid remaining amount detection mechanism of the prior art, as the liquid surface within the liquid storage container 1 lowers and the float part 12 descends within the liquid storage chamber 2, the detection target part 13 ascends within the liquid storage container 1. Next, the light rays having been shut off by the detection target part 13 begin to be received by the light-receiving unit 100b. Then, the optical sensor 100 outputs a signal indicating that the shut-off state has changed into the transmission state to the control unit 101.
In the case of determining that the signal from the optical sensor 100 has been received, the liquid remaining amount detection unit 102 detects that the amount of remaining liquid within the liquid storage container 1 becomes small. In the present embodiment, in the case where it is detected that the amount of remaining liquid within the liquid storage container 1 becomes small, the control unit 101 displays a message prompting the exchange of the liquid storage container 1 with a new one on the display provided in the printing apparatus.
The printing apparatus main body is provided with the optical sensor 100 that is arranged so as to sandwich the detection target chamber 3 by the light-emitting unit 100a and the light-receiving unit 100b shown in
As the amount of remaining liquid within the liquid storage container 1 becomes small and the height of a liquid surface L is reduced, the rocking body 10 is exposed to the atmosphere space A from the liquid I. The float part 12 descends in the liquid by the gravitational force and on the contrary, the detection target part 13 ascends within the detection target chamber 3. In the case where the height of the liquid surface L is reduced and most of the rocking body 10 is exposed to the atmosphere space A from the liquid I, the detection target part 13 is eventually located on the upper side of the detection target chamber 3, and therefore, the light rays output from the optical sensor begin to pass through the detection target chamber 3. It is possible for the printing apparatus to detect that the amount of remaining liquid within the liquid storage container 1 becomes small based on that the light rays output from the optical sensor are in the transmission state.
As described previously, the liquid storage container 1 is provided with the liquid supply port 5 through which the liquid stored in the liquid storage chamber 2 is supplied to the printing apparatus main body, and the atmosphere introduction port 6 through which the atmosphere is introduced into the liquid storage container 1. The liquid supply port 5 and the atmosphere introduction port 6 are sealed with a sealing member 9 in order to prevent the liquid stored inside the liquid storage container 1 from leaking out during the transport of the liquid storage container 1. The sealing member 9 of the present embodiment is made up of, for example, an elastic member, such as rubber.
In the case where the liquid storage container 1 is mounted on the printing apparatus (
Next, the operation of the rocking body 10, which is the essential unit of the present embodiment, is explained in detail.
As described previously, the detection target part 13 and the float part 12 rock like a seesaw with the axis part 11 as a fulcrum. Because of this, in the case where the rocking body 10 is immersed in the liquid I, the force that causes the detection target part 13 to descend occurs. The detection target part 13 having descended to the lower side of the detection target chamber 3 shuts off the light rays output from the light-emitting unit 100a.
As the printing apparatus consumes the liquid I in the liquid storage container 1, the liquid is supplied to the printing apparatus via the liquid supply port 5 and the atmosphere is introduced into the liquid storage container 1 via the atmosphere introduction port 6. In the case where the liquid surface L comes near to the float part 12, the volume of the float part 12 existing in the atmosphere space A gradually increases and the volume of the float part 12 existing in the liquid I gradually decreases. In this manner, as the liquid surface L descends, the buoyant force applied to the float part 12 gradually diminishes, and therefore, the float part 12 descends to the lower side of the liquid storage chamber 2. In the case where the float part 12 moves to the lower side of the liquid storage chamber 2, the detection target part 13 moves to the upper side of the detection target chamber 3 on the contrary.
In
The configuration differs from the configuration in the above-described embodiment in that not only the connection part 16 between the axis part 11 and the arm part 14 but also a connection part 19 between the axis part 11 and the float part 12 is located on the lower side in the vertical direction than the rotating area of the axis part 11. Due to the configuration such as this, even in the case where the droplets remaining on the surface of the float part 12 flow in the direction toward the axis part 11 of the rocking body 10, the droplets tend to flow on the side lower than the axis hole 15, and therefore, it is possible to suppress the adhesion or fixation of the rotating area of the axis part 11.
As a modified example of the above-described embodiment, a configuration as in
In the above-described embodiments, the aspect is explained in which the container casing 4 and the container lid 8 are assembled by using ultrasonic welding, but it may also be possible to assembly the liquid storage container 1 by another method, such as vibration welding and adhesion.
Further, it may also be possible to form the liquid storage chamber 2 by thermally welding a film to the container casing 4 in place of the container lid 8 and, a configuration may be accepted in which the container casing 4 is formed into the shape of a frame and openings on both sides in the formed frame are covered with a film. In this case, it is preferable for a cover part for protection to be attached to the outside of the container casing 4 in order to prevent damage to the film.
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, the aspect is explained in which by the liquid supply pipe 17 being inserted into the sealing member 9 made up of an elastic member, such as rubber, it is made possible to supply the liquid from the liquid storage container 1 to the printing apparatus main body. However, in other embodiments, it may also be possible to implement the liquid supply mechanism by another configuration and an aspect may be accepted in which it is made possible to supply the liquid from the liquid storage container 1 to the printing apparatus main body by pressing the valve against the sealing member 9 by using, for example, an elastic material, such as rubber.
Embodiment(s) of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computer executable instructions (e.g., one or more programs) recorded on a storage medium (which may also be referred to more fully as a ‘non-transitory computer-readable storage medium’) to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/or that includes one or more circuits (e.g., application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) for performing the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method performed by the computer of the system or apparatus by, for example, reading out and executing the computer executable instructions from the storage medium to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/or controlling the one or more circuits to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s). The computer may comprise one or more processors (e.g., central processing unit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU)) and may include a network of separate computers or separate processors to read out and execute the computer executable instructions. The computer executable instructions may be provided to the computer, for example, from a network or the storage medium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or more of a hard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a storage of distributed computing systems, an optical disk (such as a compact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD)™), a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like.
According to the liquid storage container of the present invention, by suppressing the adhesion or fixation of the rotating area of the rocking body, it is possible to cause the rocking body to operate smoothly. Because of this, it is possible for the printing apparatus to more securely detect the amount of remaining liquid within the liquid storage container.
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 Applications No. 2015-234247 filed Nov. 30, 2015, and No. 2016-206064 filed Oct. 20, 2016, which are hereby incorporated by reference wherein in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-234247 | Nov 2015 | JP | national |
| 2016-206064 | Oct 2016 | JP | national |
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