LIQUID FEED VALVE UNIT AND LIQUID EJECTION DEVICE

• US 20120127242A1
• Filed: 11/10/2011
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: KUMAGAI, Toshio, SHIMIZU, Kazutoshi, KOIKE, Kaoru
• Granted Patent: US 9,039,147 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/85
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17509 Whilst mounted in the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves

Abstract

A liquid feed valve unit is configured to switch between a releasing mode for forcibly opening a valve and a blocking mode for closing the valve, and the valve can therefore be opened and closed in a short time as needed. Since the releasing mode is implemented by pushing the peripheral part and the pressure-receiving part of the flexible member, the flexible member can be prevented from flexing toward the outside of the liquid accommodating chamber even in the case that the pressure-receiving part is pushed. In this case, since a residual pressure can be prevented from forming in the liquid accommodating chamber, there is no need to suspend operation, and it is possible to immediately proceed to the next operation. A fast-operating liquid feed valve unit can thereby be obtained.

Claims

1. A liquid feed valve unit for feeding a liquid from a liquid storing part for storing the liquid to a liquid ejection head for ejecting the liquid, the liquid feed valve unit comprising:

a liquid accommodating member having a concave part forming a liquid accommodating chamber connected to the liquid ejection head and the liquid storing part;

a flexible member blocking an opening of the concave part;

a valve configured and arranged to block a connecting passage between the liquid accommodating chamber and the liquid storing part, and to open the connecting passage when the flexible member flexes in a direction in which an internal volume of the liquid accommodating chamber decreases;

an urging mechanism urging the valve so that the valve opens the connecting passage in a reduced-pressure state in which a pressure in the liquid accommodating chamber is less than a predetermined pressure, and so that the valve blocks the connecting passage in a state other than the reduced-pressure state;

a pushing mechanism provided to a portion of the flexible member, and configured and arranged to push a pressure-receiving part and a peripheral part of the flexible member around the pressure-receiving member, the pressure receiving part being configured and arranged to receive a pressure from the valve when the valve contacts the flexible member; and

a control unit configured to switch between operating in a releasing mode for pushing the peripheral part and the pressure-receiving part to forcibly open the valve, and a blocking mode for air-releasing the peripheral part and the pressure-receiving part to close the valve.

2. The liquid feed valve unit according to claim 1, wherein

the pushing mechanism has an expansion and contraction mechanism configured and arranged to expand and contract, and to push the peripheral part and the pressure-receiving part in an expanded state, and

the control unit is configured to cause the expansion and contraction mechanism to expand to implement the releasing mode, and to cause the expansion and contraction mechanism to contract to implement the blocking mode.

3. The liquid feed valve unit according to claim 1, wherein

the pushing mechanism has

a pressure adjustment chamber surrounded by a wall part so as to be adjacent to the peripheral part and the pressure-receiving part, and

a pressure adjustment part configured and arranged to adjust a pressure in the pressure adjustment chamber, and

the control unit is configured to control the pressure adjustment part to switch between the releasing mode and the blocking mode.

4. A liquid ejection device comprising:

the liquid feed valve unit according to claim 1, and configured and arranged to feed the liquid to the liquid ejection head; and

the liquid ejection head configured and arranged to eject the liquid.

5. The liquid ejection device according to claim 4, further comprising

a device control unit configured and arranged to switch between performing an ejection operation for ejecting the liquid from the liquid ejection head and an adjustment operation for adjusting an ejection state of the liquid ejection head,

the device control unit serving as the control unit of the liquid feed valve unit.

6. The liquid ejection device according to claim 5, wherein

the device control unit implements the releasing mode in the liquid feed valve unit in a case in which an inside portion of the liquid ejection head is pressurized and the liquid is discharged as the adjustment operation.

7. The liquid ejection device according to claim 5, wherein

the device control unit implements the blocking mode in the liquid feed valve unit in a case in which an inside portion of the liquid ejection head is suctioned and the liquid is discharged as the adjustment operation.

8. A liquid ejection device comprising:

the liquid feed valve unit according to claim 2, and configured and arranged to feed the liquid to the liquid ejection head; and

the liquid ejection head configured and arranged to eject the liquid.

9. The liquid ejection device according to claim 8, further comprising

a device control unit configured and arranged to switch between performing an ejection operation for ejecting the liquid from the liquid ejection head and an adjustment operation for adjusting an ejection state of the liquid ejection head,

the device control unit serving as the control unit of the liquid feed valve unit.

10. The liquid ejection device according to claim 9, wherein

the device control unit implements the releasing mode in the liquid feed valve unit in a case in which an inside portion of the liquid ejection head is pressurized and the liquid is discharged as the adjustment operation.

11. The liquid ejection device according to claim 9, wherein

the device control unit implements the blocking mode in the liquid feed valve unit in a case in which an inside portion of the liquid ejection head is suctioned and the liquid is discharged as the adjustment operation.

12. A liquid ejection device comprising:

the liquid feed valve unit according to claim 3, and configured and arranged to feed the liquid to the liquid ejection head; and

the liquid ejection head configured and arranged to eject the liquid.

13. The liquid ejection device according to claim 12, further comprising

a device control unit configured and arranged to switch between performing an ejection operation for ejecting the liquid from the liquid ejection head and an adjustment operation for adjusting an ejection state of the liquid ejection head,

the device control unit serving as the control unit of the liquid feed valve unit.

14. The liquid ejection device according to claim 13, wherein

the device control unit implements the releasing mode in the liquid feed valve unit in a case in which an inside portion of the liquid ejection head is pressurized and the liquid is discharged as the adjustment operation.

15. The liquid ejection device according to claim 13, wherein

the device control unit implements the blocking mode in the liquid feed valve unit in a case in which an inside portion of the liquid ejection head is suctioned and the liquid is discharged as the adjustment operation.