Method for refilling liquid into a liquid reservoir container, a liquid jet recording apparatus using such method, a liquid refilling container, a liquid reservoir container, and a head cartridge

• US 6,022,102 A
• Filed: 04/23/1997
• Issued: 02/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Koitabashi, Noribumi, Tsuruoka, Yuji, Ikkatai, Masatoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vo, Anh T. N.
• Application Number:
  US08/847,755
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 347/6, 347/7, 347/84, 347/85, 347/86, 347/87
• US Class Current: 347/85
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1652 by driving a fluid through the nozzles to the outside thereof, e.g. by applying pressure to the inside or vacuum at the outside of the print head
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16523 Waste ink transport from caps or spittoons, e.g. by suction Collecting or collectors of waste ink B41J2/1721
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17509 Whilst mounted in the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1755 mechanically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17566 Ink level or ink residue control
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/2056 by ink density change
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 23/025 using a single or common power source for two or more functions

Abstract

A method for refilling liquid using a refilling container is to refill liquid to a liquid reserving container, which is provided with a first chamber that houses a negative pressure generating member, at the same time, having an aperture conductively connected to the outside, and with a second chamber conductively connected with the first chamber through a communicating unit for forming essentially a closed space with the exception of the communicating unit. This method comprises the step of forming an essentially closed space from the atmospheric air by means of the second chamber and the refilling container with the exception of the communicating unit in a state where the liquid surface of the refilling container is positioned higher than the liquid surface of the second chamber, and the step of arranging the second chamber to be conductively connected with the refilling container by use of a first path that enables gas in the second chamber to communicate with gas in the refilling container, and a second path, which is different from the first path, arranged for shifting liquid in the refilling container into the second chamber. With the method thus arranged, liquid in the liquid refilling container is refilled into the liquid reserving chamber quickly and stably without leakage from the aperture arranged for the first chamber.

Claims

1. A method for refilling liquid using a refilling container to refill liquid to a liquid reserving container provided with a first chamber housing a negative pressure generating member and having an opening communicating with atmospheric air, and a second chamber communicating with said first chamber through a communicating portion to form essentially a closed space with the exception of said communicating portion, comprising the steps of:

forming an essentially closed space from the atmospheric air by said second chamber and said refilling container with the exception of said communicating portion in a state of the liquid surface of said refilling container being positioned higher than the liquid surface of said second chamber; and

arranging said second chamber to be connected with said refilling container by a first path for conducting gas in said second chamber into said refilling container, and by a second path different from said first path for conducting liquid in said refilling container into said second chamber, and said first path is positioned above said second path.

2. A method for refilling liquid according to claim 1, wherein said second path is connected after said first path is conductively connected.

3. A method for refilling liquid according to claim 1, wherein said second chamber is connected with said refilling container being in a state of said communicating portion to be positioned on a bottom side thereof.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first path is arranged such that the gas in the second chamber is able to communicate with gas in the refilling container.

5. A liquid jet recording apparatus provided with a head cartridge having a liquid reserving container holding liquid, and a recording head for recording on a recording medium by discharging liquid to be supplied from said liquid reserving container, and with a refilling container holding liquid to be refilled into said liquid reserving container, comprising:

said liquid reserving container having a first chamber housing a negative pressure generating member and having a supply port for supplying liquid to said recording head and an air communication port, and a second chamber having a communicating portion communicating with said first chamber to make essentially a closed space with the exception of said communicating portion; and

said second chamber and said refilling container being connected in a state of the liquid surface of said refilling container being positioned higher than the liquid surface of said second chamber by a first path for conducting gas in said second chamber into said refilling container and a second path different from said first path for conducting liquid in said refilling container to said second chamber, and said first path is positioned above said second path.

6. A liquid jet recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a capacity of said refilling container is larger than a capacity of said liquid reserving container.

7. A liquid jet recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first path and said second path are comprised of tubes connected with said second chamber and said refilling container, and provided with valves, respectively.

8. A liquid jet recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first path and said second path are structured by tubes provided for said refilling container and said second chamber, and valve mechanisms arranged for said tubes, respectively, and the tube provided for said refilling container and tube for said second chamber are connected by the movement of a carriage, and said valve mechanism are open by the connections of said tubes.

9. A liquid jet recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the tubes constituting said first path are connected earlier than the tubes constituting said second path.

10. A liquid jet recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein means for detecting ink remains is provided for said liquid reserving container to detect the height of the liquid surface in said second chamber, and when the liquid surface in said second chamber becomes a specific height, the connection between said second chamber and said refilling container through said first path and said second path is cut off.

11. A liquid jet recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said second chamber and said refilling container are connected substantially in the horizontal direction, and said first path is positioned above said second path.

12. A liquid jet recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first path is arranged such that the gas in the second chamber is able to communicate with gas in the refilling container.

13. A liquid refilling container detachably installed on a liquid reserving container provided with a first chamber housing a negative pressure generating member and having an opening communicating with the atmospheric air, and a second chamber communicating with said first chamber through a communicating portion for forming essentially a closed space with the exception of said communicating portion, comprising:

a first path for conducting gas to said refilling container; and

a second path different from said first path for conducting liquid in said liquid refilling container to said second chamber, wherein an opening of said container of said first path is positioned above that of said container of said second path.

14. A liquid refilling container according to claim 13, wherein said liquid refilling container is connected with said second chamber substantially in the horizontal direction.

15. A liquid refilling container according to claim 13, wherein said refilling container is connected with said second chamber in a state of said communicating portion being positioned on the bottom side of said liquid reserving container.

16. A liquid refilling container according to claim 13, wherein said first path is arranged such that the gas in the second chamber is able to communicate with gas in the refilling container.

17. A liquid reserving container for liquid in a liquid refilling container to be refilled thereinto when said liquid refilling container holding liquid therein is installed, comprising:

a first chamber housing a negative pressure generating member and having an opening communicating with atmospheric air;

a second chamber having a communicating portion communicating with said first chamber for forming essentially a closed space with the exception of said communicating portion;

a first connecting unit provided for said second chamber for the connection with said first path provided for said liquid refilling container to conduct gas in said second chamber to said refilling container;

a second connecting unit provided for said second chamber different from said first connecting unit for the connection with the second path provided for said liquid refilling container for conducting liquid in said liquid refilling container to said second chamber; and

valve members provided respectively for said first and second connecting units and arranged to be open when said first path or second path is connected.

18. A head cartridge integrally formed by a liquid reserving container according to claim 17 and a recording head for recording by discharging liquid onto a recording medium to be supplied from the first chamber of said liquid reserving container.

19. A liquid reserving container according to claim 17, wherein said first path is arranged such that the gas in the second chamber is able to communicate with gas in the refilling container.

23. An integrated head cartridge according to claim 17, wherein said first path is arranged such that the gas in the second chamber is able to communicate with gas in the liquid refilling container.

20. An integrated liquid container, comprising:

a liquid reserving container provided with a first chamber housing a negative pressure generating member and having an opening communicating with the atmospheric air, and a second chamber communicating with said first chamber through a communicating portion for forming essentially a closed space with the exception of said communicating portion; and

a liquid refilling container detachably mountable on said liquid reserving container for refilling liquid held therein into said liquid reserving container,

wherein said liquid refilling container is provided with a first path for conducting gas in said second chamber to said liquid refilling container, and a second path different from said first path for conducting liquid in said liquid reserving container to said second chamber, said first path being above said second path; and

wherein said liquid reserving container is provided with a first connecting unit arranged for said second chamber for the connection with said first path, a second connecting unit different from said first connecting unit arranged for said second chamber for the connection with said second path, and valve mechanisms provided respectively for said first and second connecting units and arranged to be open when said first path or said second path is connected.

21. An integrated liquid container according to claim 20, wherein said first path is arranged such that the gas in the second chamber is able to communicate with gas in the liquid refilling container.

22. An integrated head cartridge, comprising:

a liquid reserving container provided with a first chamber housing a negative pressure generating member and having an opening communicating with the atmospheric air, and a second chamber communicating with said first chamber through a communicating portion for forming essentially a closed space with the exception of said communicating portion;

a liquid refilling container detachably mountable on said liquid reserving container for refilling liquid held therein into said liquid reserving container; and

a recording head for recording by discharging liquid onto a recording medium to be supplied from the first chamber of said liquid reserving container,

wherein said liquid refilling container is provided with a first path for conducting gas in said second chamber to said liquid refilling container, and a second path different from said first path for conducting liquid in said liquid reserving container to said second chamber, said first path being above said second path; and

wherein said liquid reserving container is provided with a first connecting unit arranged for said second chamber for the connection with said first path, a second connecting unit different from said first connecting unit arranged for said second chamber for the connection with said second path, and valve mechanisms provided respectively for said first and second connecting units and arranged to be open when said first path or said second path is connected.