Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Fluid or fluid source handling means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-30
2003-02-18
Vo, Anh T.N. (Department: 2861)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Fluid or fluid source handling means
Reexamination Certificate
active
06520630
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus wherein an ink tank for supplying ink to a recording head is placed over a movable carriage.
2. Description of the Related Art
A structure for supplying ink to a recording head has heretofore been proposed for an ink jet recording apparatus in various ways.
For example, Japanese Published Examined Patent Application No. Sho 54-31898 (hereinafter called “prior art example 1”) discloses a structure wherein a liquid storage of a print head is charged with a liquid absorption material and a charging opening fit with a liquid charging device is provided and brought into contact with a wick provided in the liquid charging device, whereby liquid is supplied to the print head by a capillary force.
Japanese Published Examined Patent Application No. Sho 63-51868 (hereinafter called “prior art example 2”) also discloses a structure wherein a supply pipe connects between a sub tank mounted to a carriage and a main ink tank provided outside the carriage, and when ink in the sub tank is reduced, the main ink tank is pressed to feed the ink to within the sub tank under pressure, whereby air in the sub tank is stored in a bag-like container through an exhaust pipe.
Further, Japanese Published Examined Patent Application No. Hei 7-51356 (hereinafter called “prior art example 3”) discloses a structure wherein a first tank placed over a carriage and a second tank provided outside the carriage are connected to each other by two connecting pipes corresponding to first and second connecting pipes to feed ink from the second tank to the first tank under pressure, and overflowing ink is withdrawn into the second tank. Incidentally, pressure maintenance is effected on a nozzle orifice by pressure applied at this time.
Furthermore, Japanese Published Examined Patent Application No. 2772014 (hereinafter called “prior art example 4”) discloses a structure wherein when a remaining-amount-of-ink detection electrode of a first ink tank placed on a carriage detects a reduction in the remaining amount of ink, a mechanical valve of a tube connecting the first ink tank and a second ink tank is opened, so that ink is automatically resupplied from the second ink tank located at a position higher than that of the first ink tank.
Still further, Japanese Published Examined Patent Application No. 2929804 (hereinafter called “prior art example 5”) discloses a structure wherein in an ink supply mechanism configured so as to allow separation between a head cartridge unit and an ink cartridge unit, the head cartridge unit has a first chamber having an opening defined therein for communication with air and a second chamber in communication with the first chamber and having a porous member, and is joined with the ink cartridge unit by two or more communication paths having a height difference within the first chamber, whereby ink is supplied from the ink cartridge unit according to differential pressure based on the height difference.
Still further, Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 4-10946 (hereinafter called “prior art example 6”) discloses a structure provided with a pump mechanism in which a first ink tank communicating with a nozzle of a ink jet printer and a second ink tank communicating with the first ink tank are both placed on a carriage and which has a piston idly movable in a reciprocating direction according to the inertia incident to reciprocation motion of the carriage and performs the transfer of ink between the first ink tank and the second ink tank according to the actuation of the piston.
Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 5-57902 (hereinafter called “prior art example 7”) discloses a structure wherein an ink jet head cartridge is provided in which a recording head and an ink storage unit are integrally formed, an ink re-filling cartridge filled with replenishing ink is connected to the head cartridge, and the recording head is sucked under negative pressure to thereby replenish the head cartridge with the ink in the ink re-filling cartridge.
Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 5-177844 (hereinafter called “prior art example 8”) discloses a structure wherein an ink flight unit is provided integrally with an ink cartridge detachably mounted to a cartridge, an ink spare cartridge for refilling the ink cartridge with ink is removably provided, and the junction between the ink cartridge and the ink spare cartridge is made by capillary or tubing.
Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 7-17046 (hereinafter called “prior art example 9”) discloses a structure wherein a print head, an ink tank for replenishing ink, and a pump for delivering ink from the replenishing ink tank are mounted on a carriage, and the pump is actuated based on a signal detected by a remaining-of-amount-of-ink detector attached to the print head to supply the ink.
In Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 9-187967 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,172)(hereinafter called “prior art example 10”) and Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 10-128992 (hereinafter called “prior art example 11”), a structure is disclosed wherein a print cartridge replaceable with a cartridge is placed and connected to an ink supply unit placed within a printer through an ink tube. Further, a structure is disclosed wherein a pump chamber for pressurizing an ink supply unit is provided and a print cartridge is provided with a pressure control valve, whereby ink is supplied to a print head under suitable negative pressure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,912,687 (hereinafter called “prior art example 12”) discloses a structure wherein a nozzle for replenishing ink is elongated and joined to a print head placed on a carriage to supply pressurized ink from an in ink cartridge.
Japanese Patent Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 10-29318 (hereinafter called “prior art example 13”) discloses a method of replenishing a liquid storage container having a first chamber holding a negative pressure generating member therein and having an opening in communication with the outside, and a second chamber which communicates with the first chamber through a communication portion and defines a hermetically sealed space, with liquid by using a replenishing container, i.e., a structure wherein gas in the second chamber and gas in the replenishing container, and liquid in the second chamber and liquid in the replenishing container are allowed to communicate with one another through different paths respectively. This discloses that the pressure of the gas in the second chamber and the pressure of the gas in the replenishing container are balanced by causing the gases to communicate with each other in this way, and the liquids are respectively supplied so as to reach a predetermined liquid surface or level by the difference in head pressure.
Incidentally, one example in which an ink chamber for supplying ink to a recording head is brought to a predetermined vacuum state, has been disclosed in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 7-81084. Namely, this discloses that a sub-ink chamber for holding an ink absorption member communicates with a main ink chamber through a meniscus formation member having a small hole defined therein and thereby ink is supplied from the ink absorption member to the main ink chamber through the meniscus formation member when negative pressure increases with the consumption of ink in the main ink chamber, thereby maintaining the negative pressure. This also discloses that after all the ink in the ink absorption member are used up, a suitable amount of air (bubbles) is supplied through an ink meniscus film formed on the meniscus formation member to thereby keep the negative pressure of the main ink chamber constant.
The respective prior art examples involving the following inconveniences.
The prior art example 1 has the inconvenience that the satisfactory transfer of ink is not performed depending on the condition of a d
Oda Kazuyuki
Tomikawa Ichiro
Fuji 'Xerox Co., Ltd.
Morgan & Lewis & Bockius, LLP
Vo Anh T.N.
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