Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Fluid or fluid source handling means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-11
2001-06-26
Yockey, David F. (Department: 2861)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Fluid or fluid source handling means
C347S093000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250752
ABSTRACT:
This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 10-169891 (1998) filed Jun. 17, 1998 and Japanese Patent Application No. 11-150508 (1999) filed May 28, 1999 the contents of which are incorporated hereinto by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink supply device and a recording head of an ink-jet recording apparatus for discharging flying liquid drops of ink as a recording liquid as ink droplets from a discharge port to perform recording on recording paper, more concretely to an ink supply device which is provided with a removing device for removing dust, and to a recording head.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an ink-jet recording head, it is constructed so as to supply ink to a common chamber communicating with a discharge port, in which a filter device having a filter for preventing contamination with fine dust or the like which may be a cause of nozzle clogging is provided in a passage for introducing the ink supplied from an ink tank. Such filter device is generally of a type in which a filter box is connected to a pipe for introducing the ink. A filter is disposed in the filter box, and the diameter of the filter is normally larger than the diameter of the pipe. For this reason, an inside diameter of the pipe in the vicinity of the filter is increased towards the filter diameter, resulting in a bell-bottomed shape of the pipe of this portion.
However, if an expanded portion of a flow passage such as a bell-bottomed portion is present in a filter device of an ink supply device, the ink flow rate is decreased at this portion resulting in a stagnation of the ink, and a bubble is liable to generate in the vicinity of the filter. Further, a once-generated bubble does not readily disappear but tends to adhere to the filter. As a result, an effective area of the filter is decreased, which may disturb an ink refill, leading to an unstable discharge or a discharge failure due to an insufficient ink refill.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to solve such problems in the prior arts, it is an object of the present invention to provide a highly reliable ink supply device and an ink-jet recording head having a filter device which does not generate a bubble in the vicinity of the filter in the filter box, or even if generates, has a structure capable of immediately defoaming, thereby preventing an occurrence of an unstable discharge or an insufficient ink refill.
In accordance with the present invention which attains the above object, there is provided an ink supply device having an ink flow passage for communicating an ink containing part for containing an ink with a discharge part for discharging the ink, the ink flow passage is characterized by a filter device including a filter and a filter box for containing the filter and provided with an ink inlet port and an ink outlet port, wherein an area at the ink inlet port side of the filter box is disposed beneath an area at the ink outlet port side of the filter box, and an inside diameter of the ink flow passage at the ink inlet port side of the filter box is narrowed in a diameter to be smaller than the inside diameter of the ink flow passage immediately before expanding into a bell-bottomed shape towards the filter.
Further, an ink-jet recording head according to the present invention for discharging an ink comprises a filter device having a filter and a filter box for containing the filter and provided with an ink inlet port and an ink outlet port, the filter and the filter box provided in a passage for supplying the ink to the ink-jet recording head, wherein an area at the ink inlet port side of the filter box is disposed beneath an area at the ink outlet port side of the filter box, and an inside diameter of the ink flow passage at the ink inlet port side of the filter box is narrowed in diameter to be smaller than an inside diameter of the ink flow passage immediately before expanding into a bell-bottomed shape towards the filter.
According to the above-described ink supply device and the ink-jet recording head, the flow rate of the ink passing through the narrowed orifice-formed part is increased, which is offset each other by a mutual effect of a relaxation of an ink flow rate in a box member having a cross-sectional area expanding in a bell-bottomed shape towards the filter having a large diameter, thereby preventing an occurrence of a generation of a bubble due to a stagnation of an ink flow and obtaining a highly reliable ink supply device and an ink-jet recording head without an unstable ink discharge or an insufficient ink refill.
The above and other objects, effects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Karita Seiichiro
Tajima Hiroki
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Yockey David F.
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