Ink-jet recording apparatus and ink tank cartridge therefor

• US 6,045,207 A
• Filed: 04/25/1997
• Issued: 04/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Masahiro, Yoshida, Masanori, Kawakami, Kazuhisa, Ohshima, Keiichi, Mochizuki, Seiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Fuller, Benjamin R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HALLACHER, CRAIG ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/837,885
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 347/85-87, 347/92, 347/93, 347/7
• 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 being removably mountable on to an ink supply needle of said printer, the ink tank cartridge comprising:

a housing formed with a chamber therein;

an ink supply port projecting from a wall of said housing, said ink supply port having a first opening directed towards the interior of said chamber of said housing and a second opening directed away from said wall of said housing toward the exterior of said housing;

at least one porous member accommodated in said chamber of said housing for having ink impregnated therein;

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 filter essentially positioned at the first opening of said ink supply port so that said porous member abuts against said filter; and

a sealing member separate from said packing member positioned to seal said second opening of said ink supply port before said ink tank cartridge is mounted on said ink supply needle and to be penetrated by said ink supply needle when said ink tank cartridge is mounted on said ink supply needle.

2. The ink tank cartridge of claim 1, further including a first ink end sensor positioned in said chamber of said housing.

3. The ink tank cartridge of claim 2, further including a second ink end sensor positioned in said ink supply port intermediate said packing member and said filter.

4. The ink tank cartridge of claim 3, wherein said ink in said cartridge between said first and second ink end sensors can electrically connect said sensors so that the absence of ink can be detected.

5. The ink tank cartridge of claim 1, wherein said filter includes a mesh filter.

6. The ink tank cartridge of claim 5, wherein said mesh filter has a pore size of about 20 to 100 μ

m.

7. The ink tank cartridge of claim 5, wherein said mesh filter is formed of a stainless steel.

8. The ink tank cartridge of claim 1, wherein said filter is fuse bonded onto said first opening of said ink supply port.

9. The ink tank cartridge of claim 1, wherein said filter is formed of a high polymer material.

10. The ink tank cartridge of claim 1, wherein said filter is formed of an anti-corrosion metal.

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

a housing formed with a chamber therein;

an ink supply port projecting from a wall of said housing, said ink supply port having a first opening directed towards the interior of said chamber of said housing and a second opening directed away from said wall of said housing toward the exterior of 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 ink end sensor positioned in said ink supply port;

a second ink end sensor positioned in said chamber of said housing, said second ink end sensor being spaced from said first ink end sensor;

at least one porous member accommodated in said chamber of said housing for having ink impregnated therein, said second ink end sensor engaging said porous member; and

a filter essentially positioned at the first opening of said ink supply port so that said porous member abuts against said filter;

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

12. The ink tank cartridge of claim 11, wherein said first ink end sensor is positioned in said ink supply port intermediate said packing member and said filter.

13. The ink tank cartridge of claim 11, further including a sealing member separate from said packing member positioned to seal said second opening of said ink supply port before said ink tank cartridge is mounted on said ink supply needle and to be penetrated by said ink supply needle when said ink tank cartridge is mounted on said ink supply needle.

14. The ink tank cartridge of claim 11, wherein said filter includes a mesh filter.

15. The ink tank cartridge of claim 14, wherein said mesh filter has a pore size of about 20 to 100 μ

m.

16. The ink tank cartridge of claim 14, wherein said mesh filter is formed of a stainless steel.

17. The ink tank cartridge of claim 11, wherein said filter is fuse bonded onto said first opening of said ink supply port.

18. The ink tank cartridge of claim 11, wherein said filter is formed of a high polymer material.

19. The ink tank cartridge of claim 11, wherein said filter is formed of an anti-corrosion metal.