Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Fluid or fluid source handling means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-30
2004-03-23
Nghiem, Michael (Department: 2863)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Fluid or fluid source handling means
Reexamination Certificate
active
06709092
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording liquid container for containing a recording liquid (ink), a recording liquid feed path through which the recording liquid contained in the recording liquid container is conducted to an ink jet head which ejects a recording liquid for adhesion to a recording medium to effect recording, and a recording liquid feed device provided with the recording liquid container and the recording liquid feed path, as well as a hydrophilization method for a surface of a portion of the recording liquid feed device through which portion the recording liquid passes directly and also for the surface of a part of a structure such as a filter which is necessary for the feed of the recording liquid.
The present invention further relates to an element surface modifying method for modifying characteristics and properties of either surfaces of fibers themselves which are used as a negative pressure generating member within the recording liquid container or the said surfaces which have been subjected to a certain treatment, to improve their liquid contact property. The invention still further relates to the so-surface-modified negative pressure generating member.
In addition, the present invention particularly relates to a surface modifying method capable of surely modifying the surfaces of fibers constituted by olefin resins which are difficult to be surface-treated but are environment-friendly, as well as fibers having so-modified surfaces and a method for preparing the fibers.
2. Related Background Art
In an ink jet printer of a type in which a recording liquid (ink) is ejected from an ink jet head and is adhered to a recording medium to effect recording, there generally is provided a recording liquid feed device, which device includes a recording liquid container for containing ink to be fed to an ink jet head and also includes a recording liquid feed path for conducting ink from an ink tank to the ink jet head.
In the case where the recording liquid container and the ink jet head are spaced apart from each other, a flexible plastic tube or the like is used as the recording liquid feed path, and even when there is used a recording liquid container integral with or removable from the ink jet head, there sometimes is used a pipe-like communication member (joint pipe). Usually, a filter is disposed within the path between the head and the tank.
In a recording liquid feed device in which such a feed tube
1001
, e.g., a plastic tube, as shown in
FIGS. 35A and 35B
are used as the aforesaid recording liquid feed path, ink present within the feed tube
1001
evaporates into gas, which gas permeates through the wall of the feed tube
1001
and is discharged to the exterior. It follows that a trace of air enters the feed tube
1001
through the wall of the tube
1001
, which entry of air may result in formation of a bubble
1002
within the tube
1001
, as shown in FIG.
35
A. The bubble
1002
if formed within the feed tube
1001
causes the ink flow path to become narrower, with consequent obstruction to the flow of ink, which may lead to a deficient supply of ink.
Further, if such a state is left as it is over a long period, the bubble will grow into a larger bubble
1002
, which may cause separation of the ink present within the feed tube
1001
and formation of meniscuses
1003
, as shown in FIG.
35
B. Such a state influences the flow of ink and may result in ink being unable to be fed. In this case, even if an attempt is made to recover the continuity of the feed tube
1001
, for example by using a pump to suck out the ink from the interior of tube
1001
, it may be impossible to recover the tube continuity unless a considerably large force is used.
If a gas barrier layer through which air is difficult to permeate is formed on the wall of the feed tube
1001
, the formation of bubbles
1002
may be diminished. With such a gas barrier layer, however, the feed tube
1001
becomes thicker and occupies a larger space. Besides, the feed pipe becomes hard and may be cracked upon imposition of a stress thereon when bent so as to be disposed within the ink jet printer or when the ink jet head moves together with a carriage which carries the ink jet head thereon.
In a recording liquid container having an absorber containing chamber and a liquid storage chamber, the absorber containing chamber having a gas inlet path formed therein for the promotion of gas-liquid exchange, the entry of air into the gas inlet path forms an air path and the entry of the air into liquid storage chamber relieves the internal pressure. In this case, the air moving time dominates an increase in negative pressure during the supply of liquid, so it is preferable that the air move smoothly without the need of increasing a capillary force of the gas inlet path for gas-liquid exchange.
In the case of a recording liquid container in which the liquid storage chamber is replaceable, a joint pipe as an ink flow path, which is relatively long in a lateral direction (horizontal direction), is laid between the liquid storage chamber and the absorber containing chamber, there sometimes occurs a case where the introduction of ink from the liquid storage chamber into the absorber containing chamber is not performed smoothly. Particularly, for example when the ink jet printer is placed obliquely and hence the joint pipe is inclined upward toward the absorber containing chamber, there is a fear that the introduction of ink may not be done smoothly, with consequent exhaustion of ink.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention intends to solve the above-mentioned problems and provide a recording liquid feed path, a recording liquid container, and a recording liquid feed device provided with them, capable of effecting the movement of ink smoothly within a liquid flow path from the recording liquid container to a liquid ejection head/(preferably also within the recording liquid container).
In the case of an ink tank with a compressed member disposed within a liquid feed port of a recording head, the compressed member being constituted by a bundle of fibers which are arranged in alignment with a liquid feed direction, if an ink flow resistance of the compressed member is high and if ink is to be fed at a high flow rate to meet the requirement for high-speed printing, then from the same viewpoint as above, there arises the problem that it is no longer possible to feed ink stably to the head.
The present invention is an epoch-making invention based on a new knowledge found out during our studies about the conventional technical level.
According to the conventional surface modifying method by only a chemical bond based on radical formation, it is impossible to modify a surface of a complicated shape uniformly. Particularly, surface modification is infeasible for the interior of a negative pressure generating member having a complicated porous portion in the interior thereof such as sponge or a fiber composite which is used in the ink jet field for generating a negative pressure.
Besides, if the liquid used contains a surfactant, the porous portion is not surface-modified, and upon extinction of the surfactant the liquid exhibits no characteristic and the characteristic of the surface itself also reverts to its original state immediately.
Olefin resins are superior in water repellence as can be seen from their contact angles as high as 80° or more relative to water, but no method is available for ensuring a desired lyophilic nature over a long period.
Having therefore made studies for finding out a method capable of surface-modifying olefin resins in a rational manner and maintaining the thus-modified characteristic and for eventually providing a method capable of surface-modifying all kinds of elements, the present inventors noted the use of a treating liquid and premised that even a negative pressure generating member of a complicated structure could be treated thereby.
Moreover, in connection with the relation between a to-be-modified surface of a negat
Hattori Shozo
Hayashi Hiroki
Kitabatake Kenji
Koshikawa Hiroshi
Sanada Mikio
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Nghiem Michael
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