Ink-jet recording apparatus and ink tank cartridge therefor

• US 5,657,058 A
• Filed: 01/16/1996
• Issued: 08/12/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Mochizuki, Seiji, Nakamura, Masahiro, Yoshida, Masanori, Ohshima, Keiichi, Kawakami, Kuzuhisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Fuller, Benjamin R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HALLACHER, CRAIG ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/586,336
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 347/7, 347/85, 347/86, 347/87, 347/92
• US Class Current: 347/7
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17523 Ink connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/19 for removing air bubbles

Abstract

An ink tank cartridge is provided removably mountable onto an ink supply needle of the ink-jet type recording apparatus body. The cartridge has a housing provided with an ink supply port extending through and projecting from a wall of the housing and into the chamber of the housing. A porous member having ink impregnated thereon is positioned inside the chamber of the housing abutting against the ink supply port. A filter is mounted on the inner end opening of the ink supply port. The ink tank cartridge is further provided with a packing member for resiliently abutting against the outer periphery of the ink supply needle and is positioned adjacent one end of the ink supply port. The outer opening of the ink supply port is sealed with a sealing member through which the ink supply needle penetrates. A further porous member may be positioned in the ink supply port between the packing member and the filter to prevent a false ink end indication caused by air reaching an electrode of an ink end sensor positioned between the filter and the further porous member when the ink tank cartridge is removed from the recording apparatus.

Claims

1. An ink tank cartridge for a printer, the ink tank cartridge comprising:

a housing formed with a chamber therein;

an ink supply port positioned in said housing so as to project into said chamber at one end thereof;

a first electrode positioned in said ink supply port;

a second electrode positioned in said chamber of said housing, said second electrode being spaced from said first electrode; and

at least one porous member having pores for being impregnated with ink, said at least one porous member being accommodated in said chamber of said housing so as to be engaged by said one end of said ink supply port and to be compressed in the region of such engagement, said second electrode engaging said porous member;

whereby ink in said cartridge between said first and second electrodes can electrically connect said electrodes so that the absence of said ink can be detected.

2. The ink tank cartridge of claim 1, wherein the volume of the porous member before insertion in said chamber is greater than the volume of the chamber.

3. The ink tank cartridge of claim 1, wherein said ink supply port is located in a bottom region of said porous member, said second electrode being positioned near the bottom region of said porous member.

4. The ink tank cartridge of claim 1, wherein said housing is formed with a wall on a side of said chamber opposed to said one end of said ink supply port for at least in part holding said porous member in compressing engagement with said one end of said ink supply port.

5. The ink tank cartridge of claim 4, wherein said wall is a cover.

6. The ink tank cartridge of claim 4, wherein said wall includes at least one projection extending into said chamber for compressing said porous member and for forming a space between said porous member and said wall.

7. The ink tank cartridge of claim 6, and including an air vent coupling said space between said wall and said porous member to ambient air.

8. An ink tank cartridge for a printer being removably mountable onto an ink supply needle of said printer, the ink tank cartridge comprising:

a housing formed with a chamber therein;

an ink supply port positioned in said housing;

a packing member provided within said ink supply port, said packing member being formed with a hole therethrough dimensioned to receive said ink supply needle;

a first electrode positioned in said ink supply port;

a second electrode positioned in said chamber of said housing, said second electrode being spaced from said first electrode; and

at least one porous member having pores for being impregnated with ink, said at least one porous member being accommodated in said chamber of said housing so as to be engaged by said one end of said ink supply port and to be compressed in the region of such engagement, said second electrode engaging said porous member;

whereby ink in said cartridge between said first and second electrodes can electrically connect said electrodes so that the absence of said ink can be detected.

9. The ink tank cartridge of claim 8, wherein the volume of the porous member before insertion in said chamber is greater than the volume of the chamber.

10. The ink tank cartridge of claim 8, wherein said ink supply port is located in a bottom region of said porous member, said second electrode being positioned near the bottom region of said porous member.

11. The ink tank cartridge of claim 8, wherein said housing is formed with a wall on a side of said chamber opposed to said one end of said ink supply port for at least in part holding said porous member in compressing engagement with said one end of said ink supply port.

12. The ink tank cartridge of claim 11, wherein said wall includes at least one projection extending into said chamber for compressing said porous member and for forming a space between said porous member and said wall to maintain a substantially constant air pressure in said chamber.

13. The ink tank cartridge of claim 11, wherein said wall is a cover.

14. The ink tank cartridge of claim 11, wherein said wall is a cover.

15. The ink tank cartridge of claim 12, and including an air vent coupling said space between said cover and said porous member to ambient air.

16. 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 throughhole; and

an ink tank cartridge configured for storing ink and mountable onto said recording head so that ink can flow from said ink tank cartridge to said recording head, said ink tank cartridge having a housing formed with a chamber therein;

an ink supply port positioned in said housing for receiving said ink supply needle;

a first electrode positioned in said ink supply port;

a second electrode positioned in said chamber of said housing, said second electrode being spaced from said first electrode; and

at least one porous member having pores for being impregnated with ink, said at least one porous member being accommodated in said chamber of said housing so as to be engaged by said one end of said ink supply port and to be compressed in the region of such engagement, said cover compressing said porous member in said chamber, said second electrode engaging said porous member;

whereby ink in said cartridge between said first and second electrodes can electrically connect said electrodes so that the absence of said ink can be detected.

17. The ink-jet recording apparatus of claim 16, wherein the volume of the porous member before insertion in said chamber is greater than the volume of the chamber.

18. The ink-jet recording apparatus of claim 16, wherein ink supply port is located in a bottom region of said porous member, said second electrode being positioned near said bottom region of said porous member.

19. The ink-jet recording apparatus of claim 16, wherein said housing is formed with a wall on a side of said chamber opposed to said one end of said ink supply port for at least n part holding said porous member in compressing engagement with said one end of said ink supply port.

20. The ink-jet recording apparatus of claim 19, wherein said wall includes at least one projection extending into said chamber for compressing said porous member and for forming a space between said porous member and said wall to maintain a substantially constant air pressure in said chamber.

21. The ink-jet recording apparatus of claim 20, and including an air vent coupling said space between said wall and said porous member to ambient air.

22. An ink cartridge for a printer, the ink tank cartridge, comprising:

a housing formed with a chamber therein and a wall on one side of said chamber, said wall including at least one projection extending into said chamber;

an ink supply port positioned in said housing so as to project into said chamber at one end thereof;

a first electrode positioned in said ink supply port;

a second electrode positioned in said chamber of said housing, said second electrode being spaced from said first electrode; and

at least one porous member having pores being impregnated with ink, said at least one porous member being accommodated in said chamber of said housing, said second electrode engaging said porous member;

whereby ink in said cartridge between said first and second electrodes can electrically connect said electrodes so that the absence of said ink can be detected.

23. The ink tank cartridge of claim 22, wherein said at least one porous member is engaged by one end of said ink supply port.

24. The ink tank cartridge of claim 22, wherein said at least one projection is a plurality of projections for compressing said porous member.

25. The ink tank cartridge of claim 22, wherein said wall is a cover.

26. The ink cartridge of claim 22, wherein said wall at least in part holds said porous member in compressing engagement with said one end of said ink supply port.

27. The ink tank cartridge of claim 26, wherein said wall and said at least one projection form a space between said porous member and said wall.

28. The ink tank cartridge of claim 27, and including an air vent coupling said space between said wall and said porous member to ambient air.

29. 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 throughhole; and

an ink tank cartridge, comprising;

a housing formed with a chamber therein and a wall on one side of said chamber, said wall including at least one projection extending into said chamber;

an ink supply port positioned in said housing so as to project into said chamber at one end thereof;

a first electrode positioned in said ink supply port;

a second electrode positioned in said chamber of said housing, said second electrode being spaced from said first electrode; and

at least one porous member having pores being impregnated with ink, said at least one porous member being accommodated in said chamber of said housing, said second electrode engaging said porous member;

whereby ink in said cartridge between said first and second electrodes can electrically connect said electrodes so that the absence of said ink can be detected.

30. The ink tank cartridge of claim 29, wherein said at least one porous member is engaged by one end of said ink supply port.

31. The ink tank cartridge of claim 29, wherein said at least one projection is a plurality of projection for compressing said porous member.

32. The ink tank cartridge of claim 29, wherein said wall is a cover.

33. The ink cartridge of claim 29, wherein said wall at least in part holds said porous member in compressing engagement with said one end of said ink supply port.

34. The ink tank cartridge of claim 33, wherein said wall and said at least one projection form a space between said porous member and said wall.

35. The ink tank cartridge of claim 34, and including an air vent coupling said space between said wall and said porous member to ambient air.