Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Fluid or fluid source handling means
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-17
2003-10-07
Nghiem, Michael (Department: 2863)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Fluid or fluid source handling means
C251S149600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06629758
ABSTRACT:
This application is based on Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2000-118564 filed Apr. 19, 2000 and 2000-123295 filed Apr. 24, 2000, the content of which is incorporated hereinto by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a joint device, an ink jet apparatus having the joint device, and an ink supplying device and method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional ink jet recording apparatuses include, what is called, a serial scan type that comprises a recording head acting as recording means and an ink tank acting as an ink vessel, both being replaceably mounted on a carriage movable in a main scanning direction. This recording method comprises sequentially recording an image on a recorded medium by repeating a main scan of the carriage with the recording head and the ink tank mounted thereon and a subscan of the recorded medium.
With this recording method, an image can be recorded on a recorded medium of a large size such as A1 or A0 by increasing the movement width of the carriage. Since, however, the image is recorded on the large screen using a large amount of ink, this method requires an increase in the amount of ink accommodated in the ink tank, thereby increasing the weight of the entire carriage and proportionally an inertia force applied when the carriage is moved. To move the carriage at a high speed against the inertia force, a drive motor for the carriage must provide a high drive power, thus disadvantageously increasing the price of the entire recording apparatus. Further, the increase in the weight of the entire carriage also increases a force required to zero the acceleration of the carriage against the inertia force when the carriage reverses its direction at the turning point of a round-trip main scan; the reaction force to this force causes the entire recording apparatus to vibrate significantly. Thus, it is difficult to increase the movement speed of the carriage.
On the other hand, if the amount of ink accommodated in the ink tank is reduced to lighten the carriage, the ink tank must more frequently be replaced and the replacement must be carried out during a recording operation.
One of the solutions proposed for such an ink tank replacement problem is the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 9-24698 (1997). With this conventional technique, a closed bias-bag-type ink vessel is connected to a recording head and an auxiliary ink vessel is connected to the bias-bag-type ink vessel so that the bias-bag-type ink vessel is refilled with an ink from the auxiliary ink vessel. The bias-bag-type comprises a bag for accommodating the ink and accommodates the ink therein under such negative pressure that hinders the leakage of the ink from an ink ejection port of the recording head. This negative pressure is used to refill the bias-bag-type ink vessel with the ink from the auxiliary ink vessel.
The bag of this bias-bag-type ink vessel collapses gradually to have its volume decrease with an increase in the amount of ink ejected from the recording head, that is, the amount of ink used. Once the volume of the bag decreases down to a predetermined value or smaller, a stopper to a supply port formed in the bias-bag-type ink vessel is opened and the supply port is connected to the auxiliary ink vessel. As a result, the negative pressure in the bag of the bias-bag-type ink vessel allows the ink to be supplied from the auxiliary ink vessel to the inside of the bag. When the amount of ink accommodated in the bag reaches a maxim value, the negative pressure in the bag becomes “zero” to automatically stop the ink refilling. Thus, according to this conventional technique, the negative pressure can be used to automatically stop the ink refilling without the needs for control using a pressure sensor, a volume detecting sensor, or the like.
The upper limit on the negative pressure in the bias-bag-type ink vessel is determined based on a tradeoff with the ink ejection force with which the recording head ejects the ink. This is because an excessively high negative pressure reduces the ink ejection force of the recording head, which thus cannot eject the ink. Accordingly, the negative pressure must be determined within the range of the best ink ejection conditions for the recording head. Further, the heat position of the ink in the auxiliary ink vessel must be set below that of the ink in the bias-bag-type ink vessel. With a too large difference in head position, the ink refilling is disabled even if the negative pressure in the bias-bag-type ink container is determined depending on the ink ejection conditions for the recording head.
Thus, this conventional technique includes a special device for setting the vertical height position of the auxiliary ink vessel relative to the bias-bag-type ink vessel. The inclusion of such a device, however, disadvantageously increases the size of the recording apparatus main body and costs thereof. Further, if, during ink refilling, air enters an ink channel from a portion thereof, the ink channel connecting the auxiliary ink vessel to the bias-bag-type ink vessel, the air moves to the inside of the bias-bag-type ink vessel to substantially reduce the amount of ink accommodated in the bias-bag-type ink vessel. Furthermore, if a large amount of air enters the ink channel, the inside of the bag of the bias-bag-type ink vessel is filled with air to prevent further ink refilling. Moreover, the bias-bag-type ink vessel comprises a telescopic bag member forming the bag and movable parts such as spring members for inflating the bag member, so that the size reduction of the ink vessel is limited, thus increasing the complexity, weight, and manufacturing costs of this structure.
On the other hand, in a joint portion for connecting an ink intake port formed in the ink vessel to the auxiliary ink vessel, a force required to close the joint must be increased so as to preclude the ink from leaking from the auxiliary ink tank. As a result, high power is required to open and close a joint supply port.
The present invention is adapted to solve the problems of the prior art, and an object thereof is to provide a joint device for refilling an ink tank with an ink which has a simple configuration but which can be reliably implemented using low power, thus reducing the weight and costs of a recording apparatus and making it more reliable, as well as an ink jet recording apparatus using the joint device, and an ink supplying device and method.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To attain the above object, the present invention provides a joint device for connecting and separating an ink tank capable of taking in an ink through an ink intake port to and from ink supply means connected to the ink intake port to take the ink from a refilling tank in the ink tank, the joint device being characterized by comprising a supply pipe having an ink supply port disposed therein, closing means composed of an elastic member, for opening and closing the ink supply port, deformation means for deforming the closing means, and urging means for urging the deformation means. Accordingly, the joint device for refilling the ink tank with an ink can be produced to have the simple configuration and can be reliably implemented by using low power despite the simple configuration, thereby reducing the weight of a recording apparatus and making the recording apparatus more reliable.
The joint device of the present invention is also characterized in that the deformation means operates during a connection operation in such a manner as to relieve the deformation of the closing means and then slide over the supply pipe. The deformation means thus scrapes and removes attachments such as dirt and ink which adhere to an abutment surface, to prevent leakage from the joint due to the attachments.
The joint device of the present invention is further characterized in that the closing means has a sucker-shaped portion additionally formed therein and which is sufficiently deformed to allow the deformation means to operate, thereby e
Ara Yohji
Asaki Noriyasu
Fukazawa Hideo
Hayashi Hiroki
Hirano Hirofumi
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Nghiem Michael
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