JP4404110B2 - Inkjet printer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink jet printer, and more particularly to an ink jet printer that supplies ink of an ink cartridge to a recording head via a needle member.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ink jet printer in which an ink cartridge is replaceably installed in a main body of an ink jet printer and ink in the ink cartridge is supplied to a recording head via a hollow needle member is known from Patent Document 1 and the like. .

In Patent Document 1, a recording head that performs recording by ejecting ink onto a recording medium such as paper is mounted on a carriage that is reciprocally movable in the width direction of the recording medium. A cartridge mounting portion to which an ink cartridge for supplying ink to the recording head is detachably mounted is provided, and a hollow needle member is provided in the cartridge mounting portion. When the ink cartridge is mounted in the cartridge mounting portion, the needle member is inserted into the ink cartridge, so that the ink is guided to the ink flow path via the needle member and supplied to the recording head. ing.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-58762

  However, according to Patent Document 1, since the ink cartridge is replaceable, the ink cartridge is removed from the needle member when the ink is empty or when the ink cartridge is removed or inserted for some reason. The needle hole of the hollow needle member that has led the ink from the ink cartridge to the recording head until then is opened. As a result, the ink contained in the needle member leaks out of the needle hole, contaminates the carriage and the main body, and also causes the ink to adhere to the user himself or the recording medium. .

  In Patent Document 1, the recording head and the needle member (mounting position of the ink cartridge) are arranged on the same carriage. However, depending on the configuration of the ink jet printer, they are not necessarily arranged on the same carriage. In some cases, the recording head is arranged at a position higher than the needle member. Particularly in such a case, since the water head pressure is applied to the needle member due to the water head difference between the needle member and the nozzle surface of the recording head, the nozzle surface of the recording head is covered with the ink cartridge being removed from the needle member. When the cap is removed, all the ink in the ink flow path from the upper recording head to the lower needle member leaks out from the needle hole, so that contamination by ink is a very big problem.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to eliminate ink contamination in an ink jet printer, and in particular, an ink jet printer that can prevent contamination due to outflow of ink when an ink cartridge is detached from a needle member. The issue is to provide.

In order to solve the technical problem, an ink jet printer according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a recording head that performs recording on a recording medium by ejecting ink, and an ink that contains ink supplied to the recording head. A cartridge mounting portion in which the cartridge is inserted and mounted in a horizontal direction, and the cartridge mounting portion is accommodated in the ink cartridge by being inserted into the ink cartridge when the ink cartridge is mounted. A hollow needle member extending in the horizontal direction capable of supplying the recording ink to the recording head, a first lower partition plate provided below the needle member and supporting the ink cartridge on its upper surface, and the first 1 a second lower partition plate provided below the lower partition plate, and an ink absorber disposed on the second lower partition plate to absorb ink An absorber, an opening provided at a position below the needle member in the first lower partition plate, and a bottom surface of the second lower partition plate positioned below the opening, A concave ink discharge port opened upward is formed by an inner wall surface continuous from the first lower partition plate extending from the opening to the bottom surface, and ink transmitted to the base side of the needle member is formed on the inner wall surface. A guide portion is provided for guiding the ink absorber disposed at the ink discharge port, and when the distal end side of the needle member is the front side and the proximal end side is the back side, the ink absorber is the guide portion. It is sandwiched between the lower side of the member which comprises, and the 2nd lower partition plate, and is arrange | positioned in the position of the back | inner side, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the ink jet printer according to the first aspect, the base of the needle member is provided with a second ink absorber that absorbs ink transmitted to the base of the needle member. It is characterized by.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the ink jet printer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the discharge port collects ink directly dropped from the needle member in addition to ink guided by the guide portion. It is arranged at a position where it can be formed.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the inkjet printer according to any one of the first to third aspects, the cartridge mounting portion is configured to be capable of mounting a plurality of ink cartridges, and the needle member and A plurality of ink outlets are arranged in parallel, and the ink absorber is arranged and shared over the bottom surfaces of the plurality of ink outlets.

An ink jet printer according to a first aspect of the present invention is mounted with a recording head that performs recording on a recording medium by ejecting ink, and an ink cartridge that contains ink supplied to the recording head, which is inserted in a horizontal direction. A cartridge mounting portion that supplies ink stored in the ink cartridge to the recording head when the ink cartridge is inserted into the cartridge mounting portion. Possible hollow needle member extending in the horizontal direction, a first lower partition plate provided below the needle member and supporting the ink cartridge on its upper surface, and provided below the first lower partition plate A second lower partition plate and an ink absorber that is disposed on the second lower partition plate and absorbs ink; An opening provided at a position below the needle member in the first lower partition plate, a bottom surface of the second lower partition plate positioned below the opening, and the first lower from the opening to the bottom surface A concave ink discharge port whose upper part is opened is constituted by an inner wall surface continuous from the partition plate. According to this, since the ink leaked from the needle member enters the ink discharge port provided below and is absorbed and held by the ink absorber disposed in the ink discharge port, the ink is supported on the support member and other members. It is prevented from flowing in and contaminating the ink jet printer. The ink absorber is sandwiched between the lower side of the inner wall surface and the second lower partition plate. That is, the ink absorber is also disposed between the lower partition plate and the second lower partition plate. Thus, the ink absorption capacity is increased by increasing the area of the ink absorber.

  In addition, the ink discharge port is provided with a guide portion that guides ink transmitted to the base side of the needle member to an ink absorber disposed in the ink discharge port. . According to this, since the ink is efficiently collected in the ink absorber by the guide portion, the prevention of ink contamination is enhanced.

  Further, when the distal end side of the needle member is the front side and the proximal end side is the back side, the ink absorber is sandwiched between the lower side of the member constituting the guide portion and the second lower partition plate. Further, it is arranged at a position on the back side. According to this, the ink that is transmitted to the base of the needle member is sandwiched between the lower side of the member constituting the guide portion and the second lower partition plate, and is further disposed at the back side position. Since it is absorbed by the body, the absorptivity of ink flowing down the guide portion is enhanced.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the ink jet printer according to the first aspect, the base of the needle member is provided with a second ink absorber that absorbs ink transmitted to the base of the needle member. It is characterized by. According to this, since the ink can be absorbed even at the base of the needle member, the ink absorption capacity as a whole can be increased.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the ink jet printer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the discharge port collects ink directly dropped from the needle member in addition to ink guided by the guide portion. It is arranged at a position where it can be formed. According to this, the ink leaking from the needle member normally travels along the length direction of the needle member or drops directly from the needle member, so that the ink can be surely absorbed by absorbing the ink in both paths. Can be absorbed by an absorber.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the inkjet printer according to any one of the first to third aspects, the cartridge mounting portion is configured to be capable of mounting a plurality of ink cartridges, and the needle member and A plurality of ink outlets are arranged in parallel, and the ink absorber is arranged and shared over the bottom surfaces of the plurality of ink outlets. According to this, since the ink absorber is arranged in a large area, the ink absorption capacity can be increased.

  Next, an embodiment embodying the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is an external view of a multi-function device equipped with an ink jet head according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the ink jet printer without a document reading device, and FIG. 3 is a recording head unit periphery of the ink jet printer FIG. 4 is a plan view of the periphery of the cartridge mounting portion, FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the positional relationship between the nozzle surface and the ink needle, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cartridge mounting portion, and FIG. FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which the ink cartridge is completely attached to the cartridge attaching portion, and FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing a state in which the needle hole of the needle member is capped. FIG. 10 and FIG. 10 are cross-sectional views showing a state in which the member capping the needle hole of the needle member is slid to the skirt member.

  In the present embodiment, the present invention is applied to a multi-function device (MFC) 1 having a printer function, a copy function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function. As shown in FIG. A paper feeding device 3 is provided on the rear end side, and a document reading device 4 for a copy function or the like is provided on the upper front side of the paper feeding device 3. An ink jet printer 5 (to be described later) for realizing a printer function or the like is provided on the entire lower side of the document reading device 4, and a recording medium such as paper P that is recorded (printed) and discharged on the front side thereof. A paper discharge tray 6 is provided for receiving the paper.

  Although not shown, the document reading device 4 is configured to be swingable up and down by a horizontal axis at the rear end portion. When the cover body 4a is opened upward, a glass plate for placing a document is provided. An image scanner device for reading a document is provided on the lower side.

  When the entire document reading device 4 is opened upward, an ink cartridge 7 as an ink tank (for cartridges for individual colors, ie, black, cyan, magenta, and yellow) to be used in an ink jet printer 5 for full color recording. The reference numerals 7a to 7d are attached, see FIG. 2), and maintenance of the recording head unit 10 can be performed.

  Next, a schematic configuration of the inkjet printer 5 will be described with reference to FIGS. The inkjet printer 5 includes a printing mechanism unit 9 that is included in a main body frame 14 and ejects ink onto a sheet P that is a recording medium, and a maintenance unit 11 that performs maintenance processing of the recording head unit 10 in the printing mechanism unit 9. And an ink supply unit 12 for supplying ink from the ink cartridges 7a to 7d to the recording head unit 10, an air supply unit 13 for supplying pressurized (positive pressure) air to the ink cartridges 7a to 7d, and the like. Has been.

  As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, the printing mechanism unit 9 and the maintenance unit 11 are accommodated in a box-shaped main body frame 14 whose upper part is opened in a substantially elliptical shape. A carriage 17 is slidably mounted on a left and right rear guide shaft 15 provided in parallel in the main body frame 14 and a front guide shaft 16, and the recording head unit 10 is integrally attached to the carriage 17. It is mounted.

  A carriage drive motor 18 disposed on the right rear side of the main body frame 14 and a timing belt 19 which is an endless belt are configured to reciprocate the carriage 17 in the left-right direction along the front and rear guide shafts 16 and 15. (See FIG. 2). On the other hand, the main conveyance below the rear guide shaft 15 via a paper feed motor 20 disposed on the left rear side of the main body frame 14 and a transmission mechanism 21 such as a belt and a gear disposed on the left side of the main body frame 14. A roller 22 and a conveyance roller (not shown) positioned below the front guide shaft 16 convey the paper P horizontally on the lower surface side of the recording head unit 10, and the recorded paper P is for discharge. It is conveyed and discharged in the direction of the tray 6.

  An ink receiving portion 8 is provided on one end side (the left end portion in FIGS. 2 and 3 in the embodiment) outside the width of the conveyed paper P, and a maintenance unit 11 is provided on the other end side. Is arranged. Thus, the recording head unit 10 periodically ejects ink to prevent nozzle clogging at the flushing position where the ink receiving portion 8 is provided, and receives ink at the ink receiving portion 8 during the recording operation. . At the head standby position on the other end side, the maintenance unit 11 is arranged to clean the nozzle surface, and to perform a recovery process for selectively sucking ink for each color.

  Next, the configuration of the recording head unit 10 mounted on the carriage 17 will be described with reference to FIG. In the present embodiment, for full color recording, the recording head unit 10 includes a recording head (not shown, four sets in the embodiment) having a nozzle row for each color, and a flat plate shape bonded to the upper surface of each recording head. An actuator (not shown) such as a piezoelectric element is provided.

  On the lower surface of the recording head, from the left side in FIG. 3, a row of black (BK) nozzles 33a, a row of cyan (C) nozzles 33b, a row of magenta (M) nozzles 33c, and yellow ( The row of nozzles 33d for Y) is formed long in the direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the carriage 17. Each nozzle 33 is exposed downward so as to face the upper surface of the paper P. The recording head distributes the supplied ink to the pressure chambers for each nozzle in the same manner as a known one, and ejects ink from the nozzles by an actuator such as a piezoelectric element corresponding to the pressure chamber.

  Next, the configuration of the ink supply unit 12 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and 5, the recording head unit 10 is disposed below the conveyance path of the paper P and on the front upper surface of the lower partition plate 2 a (see FIG. 5) of the main body case 2. A cartridge mounting portion 23 is provided below the nozzle surface 29 on the lower surface so that the individual ink cartridges 7 can be inserted and mounted from the front. In FIG. Ink cartridge 7a, cyan (C) cartridge 7b, magenta (M) cartridge 7c, and yellow (Y) cartridge 7d are arranged horizontally and in parallel.

  In each ink cartridge 7, a flexible film material 24a is affixed to almost the entire area, and the film material 24a is divided into a lower ink storage chamber 24b and an upper air chamber 24c.

  When the ink cartridge 7 is mounted, air that communicates with the air chamber 24c and the atmosphere is provided on the surface of each ink cartridge 7 facing the rear side of the multi-function device 1 (hereinafter referred to as an insertion side wall surface of the ink cartridge 7). While a hole (not shown) is formed, a seal member 25 made of silicone or the like for separating the ink storage chamber 24b from the outside is mounted.

  On the rear side of the cartridge mounting portion 23, an ink needle 26 (corresponding to a needle member in claims) is provided in a horizontal manner so as to face the approximate center of the insertion side wall surface of the ink cartridge 7 of each color. . The ink needle 26 is hollow, and an opening 20 is formed on the side surface near the tip. When the ink cartridge 7 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 23, the ink needle 26 is inserted into the seal member 25 of the ink cartridge 7, and the needle hole 26a of the ink needle 26 reaches the ink storage chamber 24b. Ink supply tubes 27 a to 27 d having corresponding flexibility are connected to the base end portion of the ink needle 26 corresponding to the ink of each color via the buffer tank 36, and supplies ink to the recording head unit 10. In this case, the middle portions of the black and cyan ink supply tubes 27a and 27b and the middle portions of the magenta and yellow ink supply tubes 27c and 27d are stacked one above the other. The buffer tank 36 temporarily holds the ink supplied from the ink needle 26 and filters dust in the ink.

Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the nozzle surface 29 in the recording head unit 10 is arranged at a position higher than the position of the ink needle 26 by the water head H. Then, a diaphragm-type air pump 28 in the air supply unit 13 and four pressure bonding pads 31 that protrude forward in parallel with the ink needles 26 are connected by an air tube 32. Each pressure pad 31 is held in close contact with the air hole on the insertion side wall surface of each ink cartridge 7 inserted and fixed in the cartridge mounting portion 23 by the urging force of the urging spring. In this state, for example, during a maintenance operation, the air pump 28 is driven by the drive motor 30 to supply pressurized (positive pressure) air to the air chambers 24c of the ink cartridges 7a to 7d, and the ink in the ink storage chambers 24b. By applying a positive pressure to the nozzle, it is possible to prevent the meniscus from being destroyed when the cap is separated from the nozzle surface of the recording head unit 10. Next, the cartridge mounting portion 23 will be described in more detail. As shown in FIG. 4, the cartridge mounting portion 23 includes a partition wall 40 provided for guiding the ink cartridge 7, a shutter member 41 provided for shielding the ink needle 26, and a lock member for the shutter member 41. 42, an unlocking operation piece 43, a retraction opening 45 of the shutter member 41, and a retaining lock convex portion 44 provided for retaining the ink cartridge 7.

  The partition wall 40 is formed so as to protrude upward from the surface of the lower partition plate 2a of the main body case 2 (corresponding to a support member for supporting the ink cartridge in the claims) on both sides of each cartridge mounting portion 23 and extend in the depth direction. The width of the cartridge mounting portion 23 is defined. The width of the ink cartridge 7 is larger than that of the other ink cartridges 7 b to 7 d by the black ink cartridge 7 a that is frequently used, and the width between the partition walls 40 is a size that matches the width of the corresponding ink cartridge 7. It has become.

  The shutter member 41 is positioned at a distance from the front end side of the ink needle 26 and covers the front end from the front side of the cartridge mounting portion 23. As shown in FIG. 7, the shutter member 41 is provided with a shutter surface portion 41a that shields the front of the ink needle 26 when the ink cartridge 7 is not attached. The shutter surface portion 41a is located below the lower partition plate 2a. The shutter member 41 is rotatably supported around a rotation shaft 41b of the shutter member 41 perpendicular to the depth direction. The shutter surface portion 41a swings from a retracting port 45 formed in the lower partition plate 2a to a shielding position that stands and protrudes on the lower partition plate 2a and a retracted position that tilts into the retracting port 45 and retracts. It is movable and is always biased toward the shielding position by a spring (not shown). Further, a spacer 41c is provided at the left end of the shutter surface portion 41a (which may be a right end portion or a left and right end portion) so as to protrude toward the ink cartridge 7 (front side), and the shutter surface portion 41a. Direct contact with the insertion side wall surface of the ink cartridge 7 is prevented.

  The lock member 42 is supported on the lower side of the lower partition plate 2a so as to be rotatable around a shaft 42a, and the holding plate 42b rising from one end thereof is a spring (not shown) along the surface of the shutter surface portion 41a on the ink needle 26 side. It is energized by. Further, the lock member 42 is integrally provided with an unlocking operation piece 43 between the shaft 42a and the pressing plate 42b, and the unlocking operation piece 43 is formed in the lower partition plate 2a by the biasing of the spring. It protrudes upward from.

  The retaining lock convex portion 44 is provided to provide resistance against urging in a direction in which the mounted ink cartridge 7 is separated from the ink needle 26 side, and projects upward from an opening formed in the lower partition plate 2a. In order to be possible, it is provided integrally with the retaining lock member 44a. The retaining lock member 44a is supported on the lower surface of the lower partition plate 2a so as to be rotatable around a shaft 44b, and is biased upward by a spring (not shown). Normally, the retaining lock convex portion 44 protrudes upward from the opening and is fitted into the retaining lock concave portion 44c (see FIG. 8) of the ink cartridge 7 at the mounting position. However, when the ink cartridge 7 comes into contact with the retaining lock convex portion 44 due to the force when removing the ink cartridge 7, the retaining lock member 44a rotates around the shaft 44b, and the retaining lock convex portion is rotated. The portion 44 is retracted below the lower partition plate 2a, and the ink cartridge 7 can be removed.

  As a result, on the lower partition plate 2a from the front side toward the ink needle 26 side, the retaining lock convex portion 44, the unlocking operation piece 43, the spacer portion 41c, the shutter surface portion 41a, and the pressing plate 42b are arranged in this order. Yes.

  Even if an external force is applied to the shutter member 41 without pressing the unlocking operation piece 43, the presser plate 42b is in contact with the back surface of the shutter surface portion 41a, so that the shielding of the ink needle 26 is not released. The ink needle 26 is not exposed to the front side.

  As described above, the opening 45 is provided in the lower partition plate 2a. As shown in FIG. 5, a second lower partition plate 2 b is provided below the lower partition plate 2 a in parallel with this, and this is a bottom surface 45 c of the retreat port 45. In addition, a portion corresponding to a piece of the lower partition plate 2a cut out in a U shape in plan view to form the retreat port 45 has an inner wall surface on the rear side of the retreat port 45 so as to be bent downward. Is forming. In addition, a member disposed between the lower partition plate 2a and the second lower partition plate 2b is another inner wall surface of the retracting port 45, and the retracting port 45 is formed upward by a combination of a plurality of members. It is configured as an open concave shape.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the retreat port 45 is provided at a position corresponding to the vertically lower side of the ink needle 26 to serve also as an ink discharge port for collecting waste ink, and at least the needle hole 26 a of the ink needle 26. It is formed so as to open at a position corresponding to the vertically downward direction. The front end edge 45a of the opening of the ink discharge port (retreat port) 45 is separated from the ink needle 26 to the front side so that the shutter surface portion 41a can tilt without hitting the tip of the ink needle 26 when retracted. Further, the rear end edge 45b of the opening of the ink discharge port (retraction port) 45 is formed in the vicinity of the root 26b of the ink needle 26, and the ink transmitted to the base 26b side of the ink needle 26 is transferred to the ink discharge port (retraction port). ) It drops in 45. A sheet-like ink absorber 46 having ink absorptivity is disposed on the bottom surface 45c of the ink discharge port (retraction port) 45 to absorb and hold waste ink that has flowed into the ink discharge port (retraction port) 45. I am doing so.

  A guide portion 47 for guiding ink to the ink absorber 46 is provided on the inner wall surface (rear inner wall surface) extending from the rear edge 45b to the bottom surface 45c. The guide portion 47 is formed in a stepped shape projecting to the lower front side, and the ink dripped onto the inner wall surface of the guide portion 47 quickly flows down and is absorbed and held by the ink absorber 46.

  Further, a skirt member 48 for guiding the ink transmitted to the base side 26 a to the guide portion 47 is attached to the base 26 a of the ink needle 26. As shown in FIG. 6, the skirt member 48 has a shape in which the lower side is a semicircular shape, and the ink transmitted to the skirt member 48 is directed to the lower side of the semicircular shape. It concentrates on the protruding point so that it can be easily dropped onto the guide portion 47. The shape of the skirt member 48 may be a triangle projecting downward, or may be a shape having a plurality of projecting points on the lower side.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the skirt member 48 is provided with a ring-shaped recess 49 that opens toward the tip end side of the ink needle 26 at a position facing the root 26 a of the ink needle 26. The concave portion 49 accommodates a second ink absorber 50 formed in a ring shape. The second ink absorber 50 has a non-water-absorbing material 50 a on its inner peripheral surface, and the other part of the inner peripheral surface is made of the same ink-absorbing material 50 b as the ink absorber 46. The second ink absorber 50 is attached at a position to close the needle hole 26 of the ink needle 26 until the ink cartridge 7 is first attached after shipment. As shown in FIG. 10, the insertion side wall surface of the ink cartridge 7 is pushed into the recess 49. Since a liquid for preventing drying is introduced into the ink flow path from the ink needle 26 to the recording head unit 10 at the time of shipment, a cap member for preventing the liquid from leaking from the needle hole 26 of the ink needle 26 is provided. Originally necessary. Therefore, only the inner peripheral surface of the second absorbent body 50 is made the non-water absorbent material 50a, and the second absorbent body 50 is configured to be slid by the mounting operation of the ink cartridge 7, whereby the needle hole 26 is formed. It is possible to combine the cap member that closes and the member that absorbs ink with the ink needle 26 root 26a.

  As another embodiment, instead of the second absorbent body 50, a ring-shaped member made only of a non-water-absorbing material (for example, silicon rubber) may be provided. In this case, the ring-shaped member is attached as a cap member at a position where the needle hole 26 is closed at the time of shipment. The first mounting operation of the ink cartridge 7 causes the insertion side wall surface of the ink cartridge 7 to enter the concave portion 49. Pushed in. The ring-shaped member housed in the skirt member 48 cannot absorb ink, but functions as a path for transmitting ink downward.

  Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, four ink needles 26 are arranged in parallel for the four color inks to be used, and the four ink needles 26 correspond to the aforementioned ink needles 26. Four retraction openings 45 that also serve as ink discharge openings are arranged in parallel. In the ink discharge port (retreat port) 45, as shown in FIG. 5, the second lower partition plate 2b is the bottom plate 45c, but in the four ink discharge ports (retreat ports) 45, the second lower partition plate 2b. Is shared as the bottom surface 45c. That is, the lower partition plate 2a having four openings in parallel is arranged in parallel on the second lower partition plate 2b. Therefore, the sheet-like ink absorber 46 disposed on the bottom surface 45c is long in the left-right direction so as to be shared across the four ink discharge ports (retreat ports) 45, as indicated by the dotted lines in FIG. It is arranged. Thus, the ink absorption capacity is increased by increasing the area of the ink absorber 46. The rear edge portion of the ink absorber 46 is sandwiched between the lower side of the member constituting the guide portion 47 and the second lower partition plate 2b as the inner wall surface of the ink discharge port (retreat port) 45. Further, the multi-function device 1 is disposed at a position on the back side to enhance the absorbability of ink flowing down the guide portion 47. Further, the front edge of the ink absorber 46 is arranged in front of the needle hole 26a of the ink needle 26 so that the ink dripping directly from the needle hole 26a can be absorbed by the ink absorber 46. .

  As shown in FIG. 7, the ink absorber 46 is provided with a hole 46a or notch that matches the position of a protrusion (screw or the like) provided on the second lower partition plate 2b. Positioning is performed. In addition, the edge portion of the ink absorber 46 may be brought into contact with another member to prevent displacement.

  In this embodiment, the ink absorber 46 is shared by the four ink discharge ports (retreat ports) 45 as described above, but of course, the ink absorber is provided independently for each ink discharge port (retraction port) 45. It may be provided. Further, the positions of the front and rear edge portions of the ink absorber 46 may be changed, or the ink absorber 46 may be disposed on the inner wall surface of the ink discharge port (retreat port) 45.

  According to the above configuration, when the user first mounts the ink cartridge 7 on the cartridge mounting portion 23 after shipment, the lower surface of the ink cartridge 7 is placed on the lower partition plate 2a of the main body case 2 and the rear side. Slide towards. Then, the lower surface of the cartridge 7 presses and retracts the retaining lock convex portion 44 shown in FIG. Thereafter, the retaining lock convex portion 44 continues to be retracted while the cartridge 7 slides and advances as shown in FIG. When the lower surface of the cartridge 7 steps on the unlocking operation piece 43, the lock member 42 unlocks the shutter member 41 (lowers the pressing plate 42b). Subsequently, when the side end portion side of the end surface on the ink needle 26 side comes into contact with the spacer portion 41c of the shutter member 41, the shutter surface portion 41a is pressed. At this time, since the pressing plate 42b that prevents the rotation of the shutter surface portion 41a does not exist on the back surface of the shutter surface portion 41a, the shutter surface portion 41a is inclined to the retraction opening 45 and retreats (see FIG. 8).

  On the other hand, a cap member (second ink absorber) 50 is attached to the needle hole 26a of the ink needle 26 in order to prevent leakage of the liquid introduced to prevent drying of the ink flow path at the time of shipment (see FIG. (See FIG. 9). Therefore, when the ink cartridge 7 is further advanced, the tip of the ink needle 26 pierces the seal member 25 of the ink cartridge 7. The insertion side wall surface of the ink cartridge 7 drives the cap member (second ink absorber) 50 rearward as it is, and the cap member (second ink absorber) 50 is accommodated in the recess 49 of the skirt member 48. The needle hole 26a reaches the ink storage chamber 24a (see FIGS. 8 and 10). Then, the pressure-bonding pad 31 is urged into close contact with the air hole in the insertion side wall surface of the cartridge 7. The retaining lock convex portion 44 engages with the retaining lock concave portion 44 c of the cartridge 7, and the cartridge 7 is locked from being pulled out to the front side. In this way, the four color ink cartridges 7 are mounted in the respective cartridge mounting portions 23.

  When the ink cartridge 7 is mounted, the liquid for preventing drying introduced into the ink flow path by the maintenance unit 11 is sucked. The ink in the ink storage chamber 24b is once supplied to the buffer tank 36 by the ink needle 26, and then the ink is supplied from the buffer tank 36 to the recording head unit 10 via the ink supply tube 27 (27a to 27d). And used for recording operation.

  Here, the location of the ink needle 26 is positioned below the nozzle surface 29 of the recording head unit 10 by the water head H as shown in FIG. 5, so that the ink in the nozzle 33 is always negative due to the water head difference. In this state, the ink is held in the nozzle 33 against the negative pressure due to the surface tension of the meniscus of the ink formed in the nozzle. For example, during a maintenance operation, pressurized air (positive pressure) is supplied to each air chamber 24c of the ink cartridge 7 by the air pump 28 to prevent the meniscus from being destroyed when the cap is detached.

  The amount of ink in the ink cartridge is detected by a sensor, but when the remaining amount becomes small, replacement of the ink cartridge 7 is prompted. Then, when the ink cartridge 7 is removed, an operation opposite to the above-described mounting operation is performed. When a force pulling forward is applied to the ink cartridge 7, the ink cartridge 7 comes into contact with the retaining lock convex portion 44, and the retaining lock member 44a rotates around the shaft 44b, and the retaining lock convex portion. 44 retracts below the lower partition plate 2a. Thereafter, the ink cartridge 7 is pulled out to the front as it is, and the removal from the cartridge mounting portion 23 is completed.

  Since the ink needle 26 from which the ink cartridge 7 has been removed is not attached with a cap member that closes the needle hole 26 at the time of shipment, the pressure corresponding to the water head difference H between the ink needle 26 and the nozzle surface 29 (water head pressure) Therefore, if the cap that covers the nozzle surface of the head is accidentally removed, the ink remaining in the ink flow path leaks from the needle hole 26a. A part of the leaked ink flows along the ink needle 26 to the root 26 b and is absorbed by the second ink absorber 50 accommodated in the skirt member 48. Further, another part of the ink leaking from the needle hole 26 a flows along the ink needle 26 to the root 26 b, concentrates downward along the shape protruding downward from the skirt member 48, and reaches the guide portion 47. Dripping (see arrow A in FIG. 7). The ink dripped onto the guide portion 47 flows further downward along the inclination, and is absorbed by the ink absorber 46 disposed on the bottom surface 45 c of the ink discharge port (retreat port) 45. Further, another part of the ink leaking from the needle hole 26a is dropped directly vertically downward and absorbed by the ink absorber 46 (see arrow B in FIG. 7).

  In this way, when the cap is removed from the head with the ink cartridge 7 removed, the ink leaks from the needle hole 26a. However, even if this ink passes through various paths, the ink absorber 46 or Since the ink is absorbed by the second ink absorber 50, there is no fear that the inside of the ink jet printer 5 or the like is soiled. In particular, by using a sheet-like member having a large area for the ink absorber 46, the amount of waste ink absorbed is increased and the certainty of preventing pollution is increased.

  In addition, the ink cartridge 7 is not only removed when the remaining amount of ink is exhausted as described above, but also for some reason, the ink cartridge 7 may be temporarily removed and mounted again for some reason. In such a case, ink is often attached to the surface of the insertion side wall of the ink cartridge 7, particularly the surface near the center of the seal member 25 into which the ink needle 26 has been inserted. When the ink cartridge 7 is remounted, the insertion side wall surface of the ink cartridge 7 presses the shutter surface portion 41a, so that the ink adheres to the shutter surface portion 41a when it is pressed and becomes dirty. There is a concern that the ink jet printer 5 is soiled by being transmitted to the partition plate 2a or the like. However, in the present invention, this problem is avoided by protruding the spacer portion 41c on the shutter surface portion 41a. That is, since the insertion side wall surface of the ink cartridge 7 first comes into contact with the spacer portion 41c on the side end side and presses the shutter surface portion 41a, the insertion side wall surface of the ink cartridge 7 that is soiled with ink directly contacts the shutter surface portion 41a. Since it does not contact, contamination of the ink to other members is prevented.

  In the above description, the ink absorber 46 has been described as absorbing ink leakage when the ink cartridge 7 is not attached to the ink needle 26, but the ink needle 26 is attached to the ink cartridge 7 by any chance. Even if ink leakage occurs, it can be absorbed by the ink absorber 46, so that contamination of the device with ink can be prevented.

  In the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to the multi-function device 1. However, the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied to various devices including an inkjet printer.

1 is an external view of a multifunction device equipped with an inkjet head according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the ink jet printer in a state where a document reading device is removed. 2 is a plan view of the periphery of a recording head unit of an inkjet printer. FIG. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the vicinity of a cartridge mounting unit. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the positional relationship of a nozzle surface and an ink needle. It is a perspective view of a cartridge mounting part. FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in the middle of mounting the ink cartridge to the cartridge mounting portion. FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a state where the ink cartridge is completely installed in the cartridge mounting unit. It is sectional drawing which shows the state in which the needle hole of the needle member was capped. It is sectional drawing which shows the state which the member which capped the needle hole of the needle member was slid to the skirt member.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Multifunctional device 2 Main body case 2a Lower partition plate 3 Paper feeder 4 Document reading device 5 Inkjet printer 6 Paper discharge tray 7 (7a-7d) Ink cartridge 8 Ink receiving part 9 Printing mechanism part 10 Recording head unit 11 Maintenance unit 12 Ink supply unit 13 Air supply unit 14 Main body frame 15 Rear guide shaft 16 Front guide shaft 17 Carriage 18 Carriage drive motor 19 Timing belt 20 Paper feed motor 21 Transmission mechanism 22 Main transport roller 23 Cartridge mounting portion 24a Film material 24b Ink storage chamber 24c Air chamber 25 Seal member 26 Ink needle 26a Needle hole 26b Root 27a to 27d Ink supply tube 28 Air pump 29 Nozzle surface 30 Drive motor 31 Crimp pad 32 Air tubes 33a to 33d Nozzle 36 Buffer tank 40 Partition wall 41 Shutter member 41a Shutter surface portion 41b Rotating shaft 41c Spacer portion 42 Lock member 42a Shaft 42b Holding plate 43 Unlocking operation piece 44 Retaining lock projection 44a Retaining lock member 44b Shaft 44c Retaining lock recess 45 Retraction port (ink) Vent)
46 Ink absorber 47 Guide portion 48 Skirt member 49 Recess 50 Second ink absorber

Claims (4)

A recording head for recording on a recording medium by ejecting ink; and
An ink cartridge containing ink to be supplied to the recording head is inserted in the horizontal direction and mounted; and a cartridge mounting portion.
In this cartridge mounting part,
A hollow needle member extending in a horizontal direction capable of supplying ink stored in the ink cartridge to the recording head by being inserted into the ink cartridge when the ink cartridge is mounted;
A first lower partition plate provided below the needle member and supporting the ink cartridge on its upper surface;
A second lower partition plate provided below the first lower partition plate;
An ink absorber disposed on the second lower partition plate and absorbing ink; and
An opening provided at a position below the needle member in the first lower partition plate, a bottom surface of the second lower partition plate positioned below the opening, and the first from the opening to the bottom surface. A concave ink discharge port whose upper part is opened is constituted by an inner wall surface continuous from the lower partition plate,
The inner wall surface is provided with a guide portion that guides ink transmitted to the base side of the needle member to an ink absorber disposed in the ink discharge port,
When the distal end side of the needle member is the front side and the proximal end side is the back side, the ink absorber is sandwiched between the lower side of the member constituting the guide portion and the second lower partition plate, Furthermore, the ink jet printer is arranged at a position on the back side.   The inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein a second ink absorber that absorbs ink transmitted to a base of the needle member is provided at a base of the needle member.   3. The ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein the discharge port is disposed at a position where the ink directly dropped from the needle member can be collected in addition to the ink guided by the guide portion. The cartridge mounting portion is configured to be capable of mounting a plurality of ink cartridges, a plurality of the needle members and ink discharge ports are arranged in parallel, and the ink absorber is a bottom surface of the plurality of ink discharge ports. The ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein the ink jet printer is disposed and shared.

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