Ink-jet recording apparatus and ink tank cartridge therefor

• US 5,790,158 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 08/04/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Mochizuki, Seiji, Koike, Hisashi, Kobayashi, Takao, Shinada, Satoshi, Suda, Yukiharu, Miyazawa, Yoshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Fuller, Benjamin R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HALLACHER, CRAIG ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/478,170
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 347/85, 347/86, 347/87, 222/81
• US Class Current: 347/86
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1752 Mounting within the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17523 Ink connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure

Abstract

An ink tank cartridge for an ink-jet type recording apparatus being removably mounted onto an ink supply needle of a recording body is provided. The ink tank cartridge is provided with a first chamber for storing ink and a second chamber for storing a porous member having ink impregnated therein. The second chamber communicates with the first chamber through a passageway formed within the cartridge between the first and second chambers. An ink supply port extends through and projects from a wall of the second chamber. The ink supply port supplies inks to the ink-jet recording apparatus through said porous member. A funnel-shaped packing member is provided within the ink supply port. The packing member is formed with a hole therethrough having a wide end and a narrow end and is dimensioned to receive the ink supply needle and to resiliently abutt against an outer periphery of the ink supply needle. The packing member is formed for preventing the flow of ink through the ink supply port other than through the ink supply needle when the needle is positioned in the ink supply port. The wide end of the hole is disposed away from the porous member.

Claims

1. An ink tank cartridge for an ink-jet type recording apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of walls forming at least one chamber within said ink tank cartridge;

an ink supply port extending through at least one of said walls of said at least one chamber to permit ink to pass out of said at least one chamber; and

a funnel-shaped packing member provided within said ink supply port, said packing member having a wide end dimensioned to engage said ink supply port, a narrow end dimensioned to be smaller than said ink supply port, and an opening therethrough having a wide end and a narrow end, said wide end of said opening being dimensioned to be larger than the ink supply needle, said narrow end of said opening dimensioned to receive an ink supply needle of an ink-jet type recording apparatus and to resiliently abut against an outer periphery of said ink supply needle, said packing member permitting ink to pass from said ink supply port only to said ink supply needle when said needle is positioned in said ink supply port.

2. The ink tank cartridge of claim 1, wherein said ink supply port includes a passage therethrough defined by an interior wall, said packing member including a support portion supported by said interior wall of said ink supply port coupled at a region thereof close to said at least one chamber to the wide end of said packing member.

3. The ink tank cartridge of claim 2, wherein said passage through said ink supply port includes a stepped region between a region of smaller cross sectional area closer to the at least one chamber and a region of larger cross-sectional area and abutting said stepped region.

4. The ink tank cartridge of claim 3, wherein said region of larger cross-sectional area of said passage includes a lateral groove, said support portion including a projection for receipt in said groove.

5. The ink tank cartridge of claim 4, wherein said support portion is essentially tubular in shape.

6. The ink tank cartridge of claim 1, wherein said at least one chamber include a first chamber;

a second chamber for communicating with said first chamber through a passageway formed within said cartridge between said first and second chambers; and

a porous member in said second chamber for transferring ink to said ink supply port, said first chamber being dimensioned to contain ink for transfer to said porous member in said second chamber.

7. The ink tank cartridge of claim 1, wherein said first and second chambers form an integrated unit.

8. The ink tank cartridge of claim 7, wherein said ink tank cartridge comprises a plurality of said integrated units forming a single integrated tank, each unit containing a respective different kind of ink.

9. The ink tank cartridge of claim 6, said ink supply port including a protrusion portion projecting into said second chamber and formed with an entrance opening to said ink supply port, and said protrusion portion engaging against and locally compressing a part of said porous member in the region of the entrance opening to said ink supply port.

10. The ink tank cartridge of claim 7, said ink supply port including a protrusion portion projecting into said second chamber and formed with an entrance opening to said ink supply port, and said protrusion portion engaging against and locally compressing a part of said porous member in the region of the entrance opening to said ink supply port.

11. The ink tank cartridge of claim 6, further including a projection for pressing said porous member against said ink supply port, said projection being formed on an inside portion of said second chamber essentially opposite said ink supply port.

12. The ink tank cartridge of claim 10, further including a projection for pressing said porous member against said ink supply port, said projection being formed on an inside portion of said foam chamber essentially opposite said ink supply port.

13. The ink tank cartridge of claim 6, wherein said porous member has a volume before insertion in said second chamber greater than the volume of said second chamber.

14. The ink tank cartridge of claim 10, wherein said porous member has a volume before insertion in said second chamber greater than the volume of said foam chamber.

15. The ink tank cartridge of claim 12, wherein said porous member has a volume before insertion in said second chamber greater than the volume of said foam chamber.

16. The ink tank cartridge of claim 9, further including a recessed portion formed on said protrusion portion and defining the entrance opening to said ink supply port, said ink supply port including an ink passage extending from said recessed portion away from said porous member, said recessed portion having a cross-sectional area greater than a cross-sectional area of said ink passage adjacent said recessed portion of said protrusion portion, and a filter disposed on said recessed portion between said porous member and said ink passage.

17. The ink tank cartridge of claim 1, further comprising at least one partition wall disposed within said at least one chamber to define a plurality of subchambers within said at least one chamber.

18. The ink tank cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a rib disposed within said at least one chamber, said rib being vertically elongated and positioned on an inner face of said at least one chamber.

19. The ink tank cartridge of claim 1, said ink supply port including an exit opening spaced from said at least one chamber and further including a sealing member separate from said packing member positioned to seal said ink supply port at about said exit opening and constructed to be penetrated by said ink supply needle when said ink tank cartridge is mounted on said ink supply needle.

20. The ink tank cartridge of claim 1, wherein said cartridge is constructed to be removably mounted on said recording apparatus so that an ink supply needle of said apparatus is received in said ink supply port.

21. An ink-jet type recording apparatus for outputting ink onto a recording medium, comprising:

a recording head for ejecting ink;

an ink supply needle coupled to said recording head and having at least one through hole to allow ink to pass therethrough; and

an ink tank cartridge being removably mountable onto said ink supply needle of said ink-jet type recording apparatus, the ink tank cartridge, comprising;

a plurality of walls forming at least one chamber within said ink tank cartridge;

an ink supply port extending through at least one of said walls of said at least one chamber to permit ink to pass out of said at least one chamber; and

a funnel-shaped packing member provided within said ink supply port, said packing member having a wide end dimensioned to engage said ink supply port, a narrow end dimensioned to be smaller than said ink supply port, and an opening therethrough having a wide end and a narrow end, said wide end of said opening being dimensioned to be larger than the ink supply needle, said narrow end of said opening dimensioned to receive an ink supply needle of an ink-jet type recording apparatus and to resiliently abut against an outer periphery of said ink supply needle, said packing member permitting ink to pass from said ink supply port only to said ink supply needle when said needle is positioned in said ink supply port.

22. The ink-jet type recording apparatus of claim 21, wherein said ink supply port includes a passage therethrough defined by an interior wall, said packing member including a support portion supported by said interior wall of said ink supply port coupled at a region thereof close to said at least one chamber to the wide end of said packing member.

23. The ink-jet type recording apparatus of claim 22, wherein said passage through said ink supply port includes a stepped region between a region of smaller cross sectional area closer to the at least one chamber and a region of larger cross-sectional area and abutting said stepped region.

24. The ink-jet type recording apparatus of claim 23, wherein said region of larger cross-sectional area of said passage includes a lateral groove, said support portion including a projection for receipt in said groove.

25. The ink-jet type recording apparatus of claim 24, wherein said support portion is essentially tubular in shape.

26. The ink-jet type recording apparatus of claim 21, wherein said at least one chamber includes a first chamber;

a second chamber for communicating with said first chamber through a passageway formed within said cartridge between said first and second chambers; and

a porous member in said second chamber for transferring ink to said ink supply port, said first chamber being dimensioned to contain ink for transfer to said porous member in said second chamber.

27. The ink-jet type recording apparatus of claim 21, wherein said first and second chambers form an integrated unit.

28. The ink-jet type recording apparatus of claim 27, wherein said ink tank cartridge comprises a plurality of said integrated units forming a single integrated tank, each unit containing a respective different kind of ink.

29. The ink-jet type recording apparatus of claim 26, said ink supply port including a protrusion portion projecting into said second chamber and formed with an entrance opening to said ink supply port, and said protrusion portion engaging against and locally compressing a part of said porous member in the region of the entrance opening to said ink supply port.

30. The ink-jet type recording apparatus of claim 27, said ink supply port including a protrusion portion projecting into said second chamber and formed with an entrance opening to said ink supply port, and said protrusion portion engaging against and locally compressing a part of said porous member in the region of the entrance opening to said ink supply port.

31. The ink-jet type recording apparatus of claim 26, further including a projection for pressing said porous member against said ink supply port, said projection being formed on an inside portion of said second chamber essentially opposite said ink supply port.

32. The ink-jet type recording apparatus of claim 30, further including a projection for pressing said porous member against said ink supply port, said projection being formed on an inside portion of said foam chamber essentially opposite said ink supply port.

33. The ink-jet type recording apparatus of claim 26, wherein said porous member has a volume before insertion in said second chamber greater than the volume of said second chamber.

34. The ink-jet type recording apparatus of claim 30, wherein said porous member has a volume before insertion in said second chamber greater than the volume of said foam chamber.

35. The ink-jet type recording apparatus of claim 32, wherein said porous member has a volume before insertion in said second chamber greater than the volume of said foam chamber.

36. The ink-jet type recording apparatus of claim 29, further including a recessed portion formed on said protrusion portion and defining the entrance opening to said ink supply port, said ink supply port including an ink passage extending from said recessed portion away from said porous member, said recessed portion having a cross-sectional area greater than a cross-sectional area of said ink passage adjacent said recessed portion of said protrusion portion, and a filter disposed on said recessed portion between said porous member and said ink passage.

37. The ink-jet type recording apparatus of claim 21, further comprising at least one partition wall disposed within said at least one chamber to define a plurality of subchambers within said at least one chamber.

38. The ink-jet type recording apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a rib disposed within said at least one chamber, said rib being vertically elongated and positioned on an inner face of said at least one chamber.

39. The ink-jet type recording apparatus of claim 21, said ink supply port including an exit opening spaced from said at least one chamber and further including a sealing member separate from said packing member positioned to seal said ink supply port at about said exit opening and constructed to be penetrated by said ink supply needle when said ink tank cartridge is mounted on said ink supply needle.

40. A system for mounting an ink tank cartridge onto an ink supply needle of an ink-jet type recording apparatus, the ink tank cartridge comprising:

a plurality of walls forming at least one chamber within said ink tank cartridge;

an ink supply port extending through at least one of said walls of said at least one chamber to permit ink to pass out of said at least one chamber; and

a funnel-shaped packing member provided within said ink supply port, said packing member having a wide end dimensioned to engage said ink supply port, a narrow end dimensioned to be smaller than said ink supply port, and an opening therethrough having a wide end and a narrow end, said wide end of said opening being dimensioned to be larger than the ink supply needle, said narrow end of said opening dimensioned to receive an ink supply needle of an ink-jet type recording apparatus and to resiliently abut against an outer periphery of said ink supply needle, said packing member permitting ink to pass from said ink supply port only to said ink supply needle when said needle is positioned in said ink supply port.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein said ink supply port includes a passage therethrough defined by an interior wall, said packing member including a support portion supported by said interior wall of said ink supply port coupled at a region thereof close to said at least one chamber to the wide end of said packing member.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein said passage through said ink supply port includes a stepped region between a region of smaller cross sectional area closer to the at least one chamber and a region of larger cross-sectional area and abutting said stepped region.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein said region of larger cross-sectional area of said passage includes a lateral groove, said support portion including a projection for receipt in said groove.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein said support portion is essentially tubular in shape.

45. The system of claim 40, wherein said at least one chamber includes a first chamber;

a second chamber for communicating with said first chamber through a passageway formed within said cartridge between said first and second chambers; and

a porous member in said second chamber for transferring ink to said ink supply port, said first chamber being dimensioned to contain ink for transfer to said porous member in said second chamber.

46. The system of claim 40, wherein said first and second chambers form an integrated unit.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein said ink tank cartridge comprises a plurality of said integrated units forming a single integrated tank, each unit containing a respective different kind of ink.

48. The system of claim 45, said ink supply port including a protrusion portion projecting into said second chamber and formed with an entrance opening to said ink supply port, and said protrusion portion engaging against and locally compressing a part of said porous member in the region of the entrance opening to said ink supply port.

49. The system of claim 46, said ink supply port including a protrusion portion projecting into said second chamber and formed with an entrance opening to said ink supply port, and said protrusion portion engaging against and locally compressing a part of said porous member in the region of the entrance opening to said ink supply port.

50. The system of claim 45, further including a projection for pressing said porous member against said ink supply port, said projection being formed on an inside portion of said second chamber essentially opposite said ink supply port.

51. The system of claim 49, further including a projection for pressing said porous member against said ink supply port, said projection being formed on an inside portion of said foam chamber essentially opposite said ink supply port.

52. The system of claim 45, wherein said porous member has a volume before insertion in said second chamber greater than the volume of said second chamber.

53. The system of claim 49, wherein said porous member has a volume before insertion in said second chamber greater than the volume of said foam chamber.

54. The system of claim 51, wherein said porous member has a volume before insertion in said second chamber greater than the volume of said foam chamber.

55. The system of claim 48, further including a recessed portion formed on said protrusion portion and defining the entrance opening to said ink supply port, said ink supply port including an ink passage extending from said recessed portion away from said porous member, said recessed portion having a cross-sectional area greater than a cross-sectional area of said ink passage adjacent said recessed portion of said protrusion portion, and a filter disposed on said recessed portion between said porous member and said ink passage.

56. The system of claim 40, further comprising at least one partition wall disposed within said at least one chamber to define a plurality of subchambers within said at least one chamber.

57. The system of claim 40, further comprising a rib disposed within said at least one chamber, said rib being vertically elongated and positioned on an inner face of said at least one chamber.

58. The system of claim 40, said ink supply port including an exit opening spaced from said at least one chamber and further including a sealing member separate from said packing member positioned to seal said ink supply port at about said exit opening and constructed to be penetrated by said ink supply needle when said ink tank cartridge is mounted on said ink supply needle.

59. A method for removably mounting an ink tank cartridge for an ink-jet type recording apparatus onto an ink supply needle of said ink jet type recording apparatus, said ink tank cartridge including a plurality of walls forming at least one chamber within said ink tank cartridge, the method for comprising the steps of:

storing ink in said at least one chamber;

extending an ink supply port through at least one of said walls of said at least one chamber in said ink tank cartridge to supply ink to the ink-jet recording apparatus;

inserting said ink supply needle of the ink jet type recording apparatus into a funnel-shaped packing member provided within said ink supply port, said packing member having a wide end dimensioned to engage said ink supply port, a narrow end dimensioned to be smaller than said ink supply port and an opening therethrough having a wide end and a narrow end, said wide of said opening being dimensioned to receive said ink supply needle, said narrow end being dimensioned to receive said ink supply needle; and

abutting said narrow end of said opening resiliently against an outer periphery of said ink supply needle of the ink jet type recording apparatus for permitting ink to pass from said ink supply port said only to ink supply needle when said needle is positioned in said ink supply port.

60. An ink tank cartridge for an ink-jet type recording apparatus, comprising:

a housing formed with a chamber therein;

an ink supply port extending through a wall of said housing, said ink supply port having a first opening directed toward said chamber of said housing and a second opening directed away from said wall of said housing; and

a funnel-shaped packing member provided within said ink supply port, said packing member having a wide end dimensioned to engage said ink supple port, a narrow end dimensioned to be smaller than said ink supply port, and an opening therethrough having a wide end and a narrow end, said wide end of said opening being dimensioned to be larger than the ink supply needle, said narrow end of said opening dimensioned to receive an ink supply needle of an ink-jet type recording apparatus and to resiliently abut against an outer periphery of said ink supply needle, said packing member permitting ink to pass from said ink supply port only to said ink supply needle when said needle is positioned in said ink supply port.

61. The ink tank cartridge of claim 60, further including a sealing member separate from said packing member positioned to seal said ink supply port before said ink tank cartridge is mounted on said ink supply needle, said sealing member being penetrated by said ink supply needle when said ink tank cartridge is mounted on said ink supply needle.

62. An ink-jet type recording apparatus for outputting ink onto a recording medium, comprising:

a recording head for ejecting ink;

an ink supply needle coupled to said recording head and having at least one through hole; and

an ink tank cartridge being removably mountable onto the ink supply needle, said ink tank cartridge comprising;

a housing formed with a chamber therein;

an ink supply port extending from a wall of said housing, said ink supply port having first opening directed towards said chamber of said housing and a second opening directed away from said wall of said housing; and

a funnel-shaped packing member provided within said ink supply port, said packing member having a wide end dimensioned to engage said ink supply port, a narrow end dimensioned to be smaller than said ink supply port, and an opening therethrough having a wide end and a narrow end, said wide end of said opening being dimensioned to be larger than the ink supply needle, said narrow end of said opening dimensioned to receive an ink supply needle of an ink-jet type recording apparatus and to resiliently abut against an outer periphery of said ink supply needle, said packing member permitting ink to pass from said ink supply port only to said ink supply needle when said needle is positioned in said ink supply port.