Ink cartridge and a method for sealing an aperture provided for such cartridge

• US 6,428,154 B1
• Filed: 09/26/1996
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Hiroaki, Ishinaga, Hiroyuki, Masuda, Kazuaki, Kaneko, Hajime, Kamiyama, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Judy
• Application Number:
  US08/721,205
• Time in Patent Office: 2,140 Days
• Field of Search: 347/86, 347/85, 347/84
• US Class Current: 347/86
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1752 Mounting within the printer

Abstract

An ink cartridge for ink jet use is provided with an aperture for filling in the cartridge with ink. The circumference of the aperture and a part of a plug pressed in the aperture are fused and welded to be formed integrally to airtightly close the aperture, and obtain an integrated structure without any interface. Hence, it is made possible to reliably prevent ink from leaking therefrom, even if some scratches and cracks are present on both of them. This contributes to eliminating inspection steps to find ink leakage in the course of manufacture, and also, contributes to improving the yield of production. As a result, a significant reduction of costs is possible, while enhancing the reliability of the ink cartridge.

Claims

1. An ink cartridge for use in an ink jet printing device, comprising:

an outer casing provided with an atmosphere communication portion for bringing an inside of the casing into communication with atmosphere, an ink supply portion for supplying ink to said printing device, and a filling portion having a cylindrical hollow portion projecting inwardly of said outer casing for filling the casing with ink; and

a plug integrally sealed to said filling portion,

wherein said plug is inserted into the cylindrical hollow portion of said filling portion so as to establish a first contact portion between an inner surface of the cylindrical hollow portion of said filling portion and an outer surface of said plug,

wherein a twisting vibration is applied at an abutment portion of the plug, the abutment portion of the plug being different from the first contact portion, so as to fuse the abutment portion,

wherein the fused abutment portion is enlarged outwardly relative to the cylindrical hollow portion so as to establish the integral seal between said plug and said filling portion; and

wherein enlargement of the fused abutment portion establishes a second contact portion between an inner surface of said cylindrical hollow portion and a fused outer surface of said plug, said second contact portion being different from the first contact portion and the abutment portion.

3. An ink cartridge according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said filling portion and said plug are a same material.

4. An ink cartridge according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said filling portion and said plug are formed of same material having identical melting points.

5. An ink cartridge according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising an ink containing portion within said outer casing, wherein ink introduced into the ink cartridge through said cylindrical hollow portion fills said ink containing portion directly.

6. An ink cartridge according to claim 5, further comprising:

a negative pressure generating receiving portion that absorbs and holds ink; and

a partition,

wherein said negative pressure generating receiving portion is arranged adjacent to said ink containing portion within said outer casing, with said partition therebetween, and said partition defines gas-liquid exchanging means for exchanging gas and liquid between said ink containing portion and said negative pressure generating receiving portion.

7. An ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the second contact portion is intermediate the first contact portion and the abutment portion.

2. An ink cartridge for use in an ink jet printing device, comprising:

an outer casing provided with an atmosphere communication portion for bringing an inside of the casing into communication with an atmosphere, an ink supply portion for supplying ink to said printing device, and a filling portion having a cylindrical hollow portion projecting inwardly of said outer casing for filling the casing with ink; and

a plug integrally sealed to said filling portion,

wherein said plug is inserted into the cylindrical hollow portion of said filling portion so as to establish a first contact portion between an inner surface of the cylindrical hollow portion of said filling portion and an outer surface of said plug,

wherein a twisting vibration is applied at an abutment portion of the plug, the abutment portion of the plug being different from the first contact portion, so as to fuse the abutment portion,

wherein the fused abutment portion is enlarged outwardly relative to the cylindrical hollow portion so as to establish the integral seal between said plug and said filling portion;

wherein enlargement of the fused abutment portion establishes a second contact portion between said outer casing adjacent said cylindrical hollow portion and a fused outer surface of said plug, said second contact portion being different from the first contact portion and the abutment portion; and

wherein the first contact portion is not welded.