Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Fluid or fluid source handling means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-22
2001-07-24
Le, N. (Department: 2861)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Fluid or fluid source handling means
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264316
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a print head device of a type in which an ink cartridge is directly mounted in a print head unit having a print head thereon, an ink jet printer incorporating the print head device, and the ink cartridge for the ink jet printer.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, an ink cartridge for use in a print head device of the above-mentioned kind was proposed e.g. by Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 8-132636. The ink cartridge is comprised of a cartridge body containing ink, a delivery spout-sealing film for sealing an ink delivery spout of the cartridge body, and an air inlet passage-sealing film for sealing an ink-charging port and an air inlet passage of the same. Mounted in an inner peripheral surface of the ink delivery spout is a packing, and when the ink cartridge is mounted in a print head unit, a head needle of the print head unit pierces the delivery spout-sealing film to fit into the packing, whereby the ink cartridge is joined to the print head unit.
When this type of ink cartridge is used, the user peels off a portion (peel-off portion) of the air inlet passage-sealing film in advance to make the air inlet passage (upstream end of a meandering passage communicating with an air inlet port) open to the atmosphere, and then mounts the ink cartridge in the print head unit. As a result, the inside of the print head and that of the ink cartridge communicate with each other via the head needle, and at the same time, the inside of the ink cartridge communicates with the atmosphere, which allows ink to be delivered from the ink cartridge to the print head.
In this kind of conventional print head device, however, when the ink cartridge is mounted without peeling off the air inlet passage-sealing film (i.e. the peel-off portion thereof), the ink cannot be delivered to the print head. Further, this kind of ink cartridge is supplied in a state negatively pressurized inside. Therefore, there is an inconvenience that air can be mixed into the ink when the ink is drawn from the ink cartridge into the print head immediately before a start of printing. Once air is mixed into the ink, it is difficult to expel the air out of the ink even if the air inlet passage-sealing film is peeled off afterward, which can cause failure of printing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a first object of the invention to provide a print head device which saves the trouble of peeling off an air inlet passage-sealing film sealing an air inlet passage of an ink cartridge, and is capable of properly and positively making the air inlet passage open to the atmosphere before a head needle of the print head device pierces a delivery spout-sealing film sealing an ink delivery spout of the ink cartridge.
It is a second object of the invention to provide an ink jet printer including a print head device which saves the trouble of peeling off an air inlet passage-sealing film sealing an air inlet passage of an ink cartridge, and is capable of properly and positively making the air inlet passage open to the atmosphere before a head needle of the print head device pierces a delivery spout-sealing film sealing an ink delivery spout of the ink cartridge.
It is a third object of the invention to provide an ink cartridge which saves the trouble of peeling off an air inlet passage-sealing film sealing an air inlet passage thereof, and is capable of properly and positively making the air inlet passage open to the atmosphere before a head needle of the print head device pierces a delivery spout-sealing film sealing an ink delivery spout of the ink cartridge.
To attain the first object, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a print head device in which an ink cartridge is mounted for printing, the ink cartridge having an ink delivery spout, a delivery spout-sealing film sealing the ink delivery spout, an air inlet passage, and an air inlet passage-sealing film sealing the air inlet passage.
The print head device according to the first aspect of the invention is characterized by comprising:
a cartridge holder for removably receiving the ink cartridge therein;
a print head;
a hollow head needle in communication with the print head;
a pusher member for pushing inward the ink cartridge in a state provisionally received in the cartridge holder until the hollow head needle pierces the delivery spout-sealing film such that the hollow head needle is inserted into the ink delivery spout, thereby causing the ink cartridge to be completely received in the cartridge holder; and
a piercing member for piercing the air inlet passage-sealing film to make the air inlet passage open to the atmosphere prior to the piercing of the delivery spout-sealing film by the hollow head needle, when the ink cartridge is pushed inward by the pusher member.
According to this print head device, after the ink cartridge is provisionally received in the cartridge holder (provisionally mounted in the print head device), the ink cartridge is pushed into the cartridge holder by the pusher member such that it is completely received in the cartridge holder (completely mounted in the print head device), whereby after the piercing member pierces the air inlet passage-sealing film, the hollow head needle pierces the delivery spout-sealing film. That is, it is possible to make the air inlet passage open to the atmosphere before the hollow head needle pierces the delivery spout-sealing film simply by mounting the ink cartridge in the print head device in a normal way.
Preferably, the air inlet passage has one end extending in a surface of the ink cartridge with which the pusher member is brought into abutment for pushing inward the ink cartridge, and the piercing member is arranged in an inside surface of the pusher member in a manner protruding from the inside surface.
According to this preferred embodiment, it is possible to apply a force for piercing the air inlet passage-sealing film to the piercing member directly by operating the pusher member. Further, the piercing member can be easily assembled to the pusher member, and maintenance thereof can be easily carried out.
More preferably, the print head device includes a pivotal shaft about which the pusher member is pivotally movable, and the piercing member is arranged in the pusher member at a location close to the pivotal shaft.
According to this preferred embodiment, it is possible to pierce the air inlet passage-sealing film by a relatively weak force. Further, even if an area of the air inlet passage-sealing film which is to be pierced is small, or even if the pivotal shaft of the pusher member is loose, it is possible to positively bring the piercing member onto the area to be pierced.
Alternatively, the air inlet passage has one end extending in an end face of the ink cartridge where the ink delivery spout is formed, and the piercing member is arranged in an inner surface of the cartridge holder in a manner protruding therefrom.
According to this preferred embodiment, the user cannot touch the piercing member by accident, so that it is possible to preclude the inconvenience that the piercing member is damaged by accident. Further, even if the user erroneously pushes the ink cartridge provisionally received in the cartridge holder (provisionally mounted in the print head device) further inward to cause the same to be completely received in the cartridge holder (completely mounted in the print head device) without using the pusher member, the air inlet passage-sealing film and the delivery spout-sealing film can be properly pierced in the mentioned order.
More preferably, the piercing member is arranged upright in a bottom of the cartridge holder in parallel with the hollow head needle, for piercing the air inlet passage-sealing film when the ink cartridge is pushed inward by the pusher member, and then retracting as the ink cartridge is pushed further inward by the pusher member.
According to this preferred embodiment, it is possible to pierce the air inlet passage-sealing film and the delivery spout-seal
Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.
Le N.
Nghiem Michael
Seiko Epson Corporation
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