JP5034361B2 - Liquid container and liquid filling method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid container and a liquid filling method, for example, a liquid container that supplies a predetermined liquid to a liquid consuming device such as a liquid jet head that discharges a minute amount of liquid droplets, and a liquid detection unit of the liquid container The present invention relates to a liquid filling method for filling a liquid.

  Liquid ejecting heads in liquid ejecting apparatuses such as textile printing apparatuses, micro dispensers, and commercial recording apparatuses that require ultra-high quality printing are supplied with the liquid to be ejected from the liquid storage container. If it is operated in a non-operating state, the ejection head is damaged due to so-called idling. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the remaining amount of liquid in the container to prevent this.

Thus, taking an example of a recording apparatus, various types of ink cartridges that are liquid containers and equipped with a liquid detection unit for detecting the remaining amount of ink have been proposed.
As a specific configuration of such a liquid detection unit, as in the invention described in Patent Document 1, a recess for storing liquid is provided on one of opposing flat surfaces of a flexible bag that stores liquid. And forming a piezoelectric vibrator on the outer surface of the recess, and a rigid body on the other surface, and detecting from the vibration state due to the amount of liquid (depth of liquid) between the rigid body and the piezoelectric vibrator. Has also been proposed.

JP 2004-136670 A

  However, although the liquid detection unit described in Patent Document 1 can detect the remaining amount of liquid with relatively high accuracy, the remaining amount of ink stored in the flexible bag is changed to the deformation of the flexible bag. Since the rigid body is moved by following the movement, there is a possibility that the detection accuracy may be lowered due to the influence of the bag bending, wrinkles and the like.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems, and a liquid storage container having a function of detecting that the remaining amount of liquid has reached a predetermined amount, and a liquid to the liquid detection unit of the liquid storage container. It is to provide a good liquid filling method for filling.

The above object of the present invention is to provide a liquid container for discharging the liquid pressurized and stored by the pressurizing means from the liquid discharge port, a liquid supply port for supplying the liquid to an external liquid consumption device, A liquid storage container comprising a liquid detection unit interposed between the liquid storage unit and the liquid supply port,
The liquid detection unit includes a liquid detection chamber having a liquid inlet connected to a liquid discharge port of the liquid storage unit, a liquid outlet connected to the liquid supply port, and a liquid storage amount of the liquid detection chamber. A movable member that is slidably accommodated in response, a concave portion that forms a detection space in cooperation with one surface of the movable member when a liquid storage amount in the liquid detection chamber becomes a predetermined value or less, and a vibration in the concave portion. And a piezoelectric detection means for detecting a free vibration state associated with the applied vibration,
The moving member is achieved by a liquid storage container provided with two flow paths for communicating the detection space, which is partitioned and formed in cooperation with the recess, to the liquid detection chamber.

  According to the above configuration, when the liquid storage amount in the liquid detection chamber becomes a predetermined value or less, the moving member partitions the detection space in cooperation with the concave portion that is the vibration action region, so that the free vibration detected by the piezoelectric detection means is detected. It is possible to accurately and reliably detect the time point or state when the change in state becomes significant and the amount of liquid contained in the liquid detection chamber reaches a predetermined level.

Furthermore, in order to fill the liquid detection chamber with the liquid, when the liquid is sucked from the liquid supply port connected to the liquid consuming device, the suction force acts on the two flow paths provided in the moving member. The liquid is supplied to the liquid supply port by going back the path on which the liquid operates.
That is, since the liquid is surely filled in the concave portion which is the vibration action region, and no bubbles remain in the concave portion, it is possible to prevent a decrease in detection accuracy due to the remaining bubbles.

In the liquid container having the above-described configuration, it is desirable that one of the two flow paths extends to the vicinity of the liquid outlet.
According to such a configuration, the suction force for sucking the liquid supply port in order to fill the liquid into the liquid detection chamber is likely to act on one of the two flow paths via the liquid outlet. It also acts reliably on the recess communicated with.
Therefore, the liquid in the liquid detection chamber is easily sucked through the concave portion communicating with the two flow paths, and the bubbles remaining in the concave portion can be easily removed.

In the liquid container having the above-described configuration, it is desirable that the other of the two flow paths extends to the vicinity of the liquid inlet.
According to such a configuration, the suction force for sucking the liquid supply port in order to fill the liquid detection chamber with the liquid surely acts on the liquid inlet through the other of the two flow paths.
Therefore, the liquid supplied from the liquid storage part to the liquid inflow port easily flows into the recess through the other flow path, and it is easy to eliminate bubbles remaining in the recess.

Furthermore, in the liquid container having the above-described configuration, it is desirable that the two flow paths extend to the vicinity of the liquid outlet and the vicinity of the liquid inlet, respectively.
According to such a configuration, the suction force that sucks the liquid supply port in order to fill the liquid into the liquid detection chamber is surely applied to one of the two flow paths via the liquid outlet, and It acts reliably on the liquid inlet via the other side of the channel.
Therefore, the liquid in the liquid storage portion is easily sucked through the concave portion communicating with the two flow paths, and the bubbles remaining in the concave portion can be easily removed.

Further, in the liquid container having the above-described configuration, the liquid detection chamber is configured by sealing an opening formed on an upper surface with a film that can be deformed according to a liquid storage amount, and the piezoelectric detection unit includes It is desirable to arrange at the bottom of the liquid detection chamber.
According to such a configuration, the liquid detection chamber can be easily deformed in response to a change in liquid storage amount (pressure change) and can be easily configured as a sealed space, and ink leakage can be prevented with a simple structure. Can do.

Furthermore, in the liquid container having the above-described configuration, it is preferable that the moving member moves by deformation of the film corresponding to a change in the liquid storage amount of the liquid detection chamber. In the liquid container having the above structure, it is desirable that the moving member is fixed to the film.
According to such a configuration, the moving member can smoothly follow the liquid level and pressure by easy deformation of the film.

Furthermore, in the liquid container configured as described above, it is desirable that the moving member has a surface substantially parallel to the vibration surface in a region facing the vibration surface of the piezoelectric detection means.
According to such a configuration, it is possible to easily form a detection space that changes the volume in response to the liquid level.

Furthermore, in the liquid container having the above-described configuration, it is desirable that the moving member is urged by an urging unit in a direction in which the piezoelectric detection unit is disposed. In the liquid container having the above-described configuration, it is desirable that the urging means is constituted by an elastic member.
According to such a configuration, by adjusting the urging force by the urging means, it is possible to change the timing at which one surface of the moving member forms the detection space in cooperation with the recess, and the liquid detection chamber to be detected can be changed. The internal pressure (residual liquid amount) can be easily set.

Furthermore, in the liquid container having the above-described configuration, it is desirable that the time when the moving member forms the detection space in cooperation with the recess is set to a state where the liquid in the liquid container is exhausted.
In the liquid container having the above configuration, it is desirable that the time when the moving member forms the detection space in cooperation with the concave portion is set to a state where the liquid in the liquid container is substantially exhausted. .
According to such a configuration, for example, when a liquid storage container is used as an ink cartridge, the piezoelectric detection unit of the liquid detection unit detects the ink end detection to detect that the remaining amount of ink in the liquid storage unit has become zero. It can be effectively used as a mechanism or an ink near-end detection mechanism for detecting a state that will soon become zero.

Furthermore, in the liquid container having the above-described configuration, the concave portion has two openings, and when the detection space is partitioned and formed in cooperation with the moving member, the two openings and the moving member 2 are provided. It is desirable that two flow paths communicate.
According to such a configuration, in order to fill the liquid into the liquid detection chamber, when the liquid is sucked from the liquid supply port connected to the liquid consuming device, the suction force is provided to the two flow paths provided in the moving member. The liquid is reliably supplied to the liquid supply port through the path in which the suction force acts, reliably acting on the concave portion having the two openings that communicate with each other. That is, since the concave portion has a flow path shape having two openings, the bubble discharge performance is further improved.

Furthermore, in the liquid container having the above-described configuration, the two flow paths of the moving member can be used even when the two openings of the concave portion do not have a height difference at least when the liquid detection chamber is filled with the liquid. It is desirable that the two openings on the side that is not connected to the concave portion in FIG.
According to such a configuration, the layout in which the two openings of the concave portion when filling the liquid detection chamber are horizontal with no difference in height due to the electrode arrangement of the piezoelectric detection means or the like. Even so, the two openings on the side that is not connected to the recess in the two flow paths of the moving member are arranged so as to have a height difference, so that the lower side when the recess is filled with the liquid An opening of the moving member can be used as a liquid inflow port to clarify the flow direction. Therefore, it is possible to ensure the bubble discharge property of the recess when the liquid detection chamber is filled with the liquid.

Further, the above object of the present invention is a liquid filling method for filling a liquid in the liquid detection part of the liquid container having the above structure,
This is achieved by a liquid filling method in which the liquid detection unit is filled with a liquid in a state where a height difference is ensured in two openings on the side of the two flow paths of the moving member that are not connected to the recess. .

  According to the liquid filling method having the above-described configuration, when the liquid is sucked from the liquid supply port connected to the liquid consuming apparatus and filled into the liquid detection unit, there is a difference in height between the two openings of the moving member. Thus, since the opening of the moving member on the lower side when the liquid is filled in the concave portion becomes the liquid inflow port and the flow direction becomes clear, the bubble discharge property of the liquid detection unit is improved.

  According to the liquid storage container of the present invention, when the liquid storage amount in the liquid detection chamber becomes a predetermined amount or less, the moving member partitions the detection space in cooperation with the recess, so that the change in the free vibration state becomes significant, It is possible to accurately and reliably detect the time or state when the liquid storage capacity in the liquid detection chamber reaches a predetermined level.

Furthermore, in order to fill the liquid detection chamber with the liquid, when the liquid is sucked from the liquid supply port connected to the liquid consuming device, the suction force acts on the two flow paths provided in the moving member. The liquid is supplied to the liquid supply port by going back the path on which the liquid operates.
That is, since the liquid is surely filled into the concave portion, which is the vibration action area, and no bubbles remain in the concave portion, it is possible to prevent the detection accuracy from being lowered due to the residual bubbles and to detect the liquid storage amount with high accuracy. It becomes possible.

Further, according to the liquid filling method of the present invention, when the liquid detection unit is filled with liquid by suction from the liquid supply port connected to the liquid consuming device, there is a difference in height between the two openings of the moving member. Thus, since the opening of the moving member on the lower side when the liquid is filled in the concave portion becomes the liquid inflow port and the flow direction becomes clear, the bubble discharge property of the liquid detection unit is improved.
Accordingly, it is possible to provide a liquid container having a function of detecting that the remaining amount of liquid has reached a predetermined amount, and a good liquid filling method for filling the liquid detection unit of the liquid container.

Hereinafter, a liquid container according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a liquid container according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and shows a state in which liquid is sucked from a liquid container in a non-pressurized state via a liquid supply port. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the liquid container shown in FIG. 1 when the liquid container is in a pressurized state.

The liquid container 1 of the first embodiment is detachably mounted on a cartridge mounting portion of an ink jet recording apparatus (liquid consumption apparatus) (not shown), and supplies ink (liquid) to a print head mounted on the recording apparatus. Ink cartridge.
As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid storage container 1 is stored in the pressurization chamber 3 by storing a container main body 5 in which a pressurization chamber 3 to be pressurized by a pressurizing unit (not shown) is partitioned and ink. And an ink pack (liquid container) 7 for discharging ink stored by pressurization of the pressurizing chamber 3 from a discharge port (liquid discharge port) 7b, and a print head of an ink jet recording apparatus which is an external liquid consumption device An ink supply port (liquid supply port) 9 for supplying ink to the ink, and an ink detection unit (liquid detection unit) 11 that is interposed between the ink pack 7 and the ink supply port 9 to detect the remaining amount of ink. It has.

The container body 5 is a flat rectangular parallelepiped housing formed of resin, and a pressurizing means (not shown) pressurizes the pressurizing chamber 3 and the pressurizing chamber 3 as indicated by an arrow A. A pressurizing port 13 that is a pressurized gas injection unit for supplying air and a detection unit accommodating chamber 15 that accommodates the ink detection unit 11 are provided. The detector housing chamber 15 is a region that is cut off from the pressure of the pressurized gas supplied to the pressurizing chamber 3.
The container body 5 is not necessarily an integrally formed resin member as long as the pressurizing chamber 3 can be sealed.

  The ink pack 7 is formed on one end side of a flexible bag 7a formed by laminating the peripheral portions of aluminum laminated multilayer films in which an aluminum layer is laminated on a resin film layer having flexibility. The cylindrical discharge port 7b to which the ink inlet (liquid inlet) 11a of the ink detector 11 is connected is joined. The ink pack 7 uses an aluminum laminated multilayer film to ensure high gas barrier properties.

The ink pack 7 and the ink detection unit 11 are connected to each other by fitting and connecting the ink inflow port 11a to the discharge port 7b. That is, by releasing the fitting between the discharge port 7b and the ink inflow port 11a, they can be separated from each other.
The discharge port 7b is equipped with a packing 17 for airtight connection with the ink inflow port 11a. The ink pack 7 is filled with ink that has been adjusted in advance to a high degree of deaeration before the ink detector 11 is connected.

  The ink detection unit 11 includes an ink inlet 11 a connected to the discharge port 7 b of the ink pack 7 and an ink outlet (liquid outlet) 11 b connected to the ink supply port 9 of the flat rectangular parallelepiped container body 5. A detection unit case 19 having a concave space 19a communicated along the longitudinal direction (left and right direction in FIG. 1) and a sensor chamber (liquid detection chamber) 21 formed by sealing the opening of the concave space 19a. The flexible film 23, the pressure detection unit 25 provided at the bottom of the concave space 19a, the pressure receiving plate (moving member) 127 fixed to the flexible film 23 opposite to the pressure detection unit 25, and the pressure reception A compression coil spring (biasing member) that is pressure-fitted between the plate 127 and the upper wall of the detector housing chamber 15 and elastically biases the pressure receiving plate 127 and the flexible film 23 in a direction in which the volume of the sensor chamber 21 is reduced. 29).

  In the detection unit case 19, an ink inlet 11a is integrally formed on one end side of the peripheral wall that defines the concave space 19a, and the peripheral wall facing the ink inlet 11a communicates with the ink supply port 9. The ink outlet 11b is formed through. Although not shown, the ink supply port 9 is equipped with a valve mechanism that opens the flow path by inserting an ink supply needle provided in the cartridge mounting portion when the ink supply port 9 is mounted in the cartridge mounting portion of the ink jet recording apparatus. The

  The pressure detection unit 25 in the ink detection unit 11 includes a bottom plate 31 that abuts the pressure receiving plate 127 in close contact with the urging force of the compression coil spring 29 when the ink is not led out from the ink pack 7 to the ink supply port 9, and the bottom plate An ink guide path 33 which is a recess formed in 31, and a piezoelectric sensor (piezoelectric detection means) 35 which applies vibration to the ink guide path 33 and detects the state of free vibration accompanying the vibration. Is.

The piezoelectric sensor 35 can detect different free vibration states depending on whether or not the ink guide path 33 is covered by the pressure receiving plate 127.
Therefore, for example, the control unit provided in the ink jet recording apparatus detects the deformation of the flexible film 23 supporting the pressure receiving plate 127 according to the state of free vibration detected by the piezoelectric sensor 35. The pressure in the sensor chamber 21 can be detected.

The biasing direction of the compression coil spring 29 is the direction in which the volume of the sensor chamber 21 is reduced as described above, and at the same time the piezoelectric sensor 35 is disposed.
The ink guide path 33, which is a recess formed in the bottom plate 31, has a flow path shape that has two openings 33a and 33b and is formed in communication with the longitudinal direction of the container body 5, as shown in FIG. In the state where the pressure receiving plate 127 is in close contact with the bottom plate 31, the detection space is partitioned and formed in cooperation with one surface 127c of the pressure receiving plate 127, and the first flow path 127a and the second flow path 127b described later of the pressure receiving plate 127 are formed. And the openings 33a and 33b communicate with each other. On the other hand, when the pressure receiving plate 127 is separated from the bottom plate 31 as shown in FIG. 2, the ink guide path 33 is opened to the sensor chamber 21 through the two openings 33a and 33b. One surface 127 c of the pressure receiving plate 127 is a surface that is substantially parallel to the vibration surface in a region facing the vibration surface of the piezoelectric sensor 35.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the ink detector 11 pressurizes the ink pack 7 with the pressurized air supplied to the pressurizing chamber 3, and when ink is supplied from the ink pack 7 to the sensor chamber 21, The flexible film 23 bulges upward and deforms in accordance with the change in the ink storage amount (liquid level) in the sensor chamber 21. Due to the deformation of the flexible film 23, the pressure receiving plate 127 constituting a part of the partition wall of the sensor chamber 21 moves upward, and the pressure receiving plate 127 is separated from the bottom plate 31. When the pressure receiving plate 127 is separated from the bottom plate 31, the ink guide path 33 is opened to the sensor chamber 21, and ink is supplied from the ink supply port 9 to the recording head side through the sensor chamber 21. .

Even if the pressure chamber 3 is in a predetermined pressure state, if the amount of ink stored in the ink pack 7 is reduced, the amount of ink supplied from the ink pack 7 to the sensor chamber 21 is reduced. As a result, the pressure in the sensor chamber 21 decreases, so that the pressure receiving plate 127 approaches the bottom plate 31 having the ink guide path 33.
In this embodiment, when the pressure in the sensor chamber 21 decreases, the pressure receiving plate 127 comes into close contact with the bottom plate 31 and cooperates with the ink guide path 33 to partition the detection space, and the ink in the ink pack 7 is exhausted. It is set to the state.

  The flexible film 23 functions as a diaphragm that applies displacement to the pressure receiving plate 127 according to the pressure of the ink supplied to the sensor chamber 21. In order to be able to detect a minute pressure change of the ink and improve the detection accuracy, the flexible film 23 is preferably provided with sufficient flexibility.

As shown in FIG. 1, the pressure receiving plate 127 of the present embodiment includes a first flow path 127 a that is two flow paths that communicate with the sensor chamber 21 in a detection space that is partitioned and formed in cooperation with the ink guide path 33. A second flow path 127b is provided.
Furthermore, the second flow path 127b, which is one of the two flow paths, extends to the vicinity of the ink outlet 11b.

  In the liquid storage container 1 of the present embodiment described above, when the liquid storage amount in the sensor chamber 21 becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value, the pressure receiving plate 127 contacts the bottom plate 31 and cooperates with the ink guide path 33 that is a vibration action region. Since the detection space is partitioned, the change in the free vibration state detected by the piezoelectric sensor 35 becomes significant, and the time or state when the liquid storage amount in the sensor chamber 21 reaches a predetermined level is accurately and reliably detected. be able to.

  Further, in order to fill the sensor chamber 21 with ink, when the ink is sucked from the ink supply port 9 connected to the ink jet recording apparatus, the suction force is formed in the second flow path 127b formed in the pressure receiving plate 127, and the ink guide. The ink acts on the discharge port 7b of the ink pack 7 connected to the sensor chamber 21 via the path 33 and the first flow path 127a, and ink is supplied to the ink supply port 9 by going back the path on which this suction force acts. Here, since the ink guide path 33 of the present embodiment has a flow path shape having two openings 33a and 33b, the suction force from the ink supply port 9 is the first flow path 127a and the second flow path. The ink guide path 33 having the two openings 33a and 33b communicating with the path 127b can be surely acted, and the bubble discharge performance is further improved.

That is, the ink guide path 33 that is the vibration action region is reliably filled with ink, and bubbles do not remain in the ink guide path 33, thereby preventing a reduction in detection accuracy due to the remaining bubbles and high accuracy. Ink storage capacity can be detected.
Therefore, the liquid container 1 of the present embodiment can have a function of detecting that the remaining amount of ink has reached a predetermined amount.

For reference, a liquid container 100 including a pressure receiving plate 27 not provided with the first flow path 127a and the second flow path 127b is shown in FIGS. The liquid storage container 100 has the same configuration as the liquid storage container 1 except that the pressure receiving plate 27 is not provided with the first flow path 127a and the second flow path 127b.
In the case of the liquid container 100, when the ink is sucked from the ink supply port 9 connected to the ink jet recording apparatus in order to fill the sensor chamber 21 with ink, as shown in FIG. The ink guide path 33 is in a state of being closed by the pressure receiving plate 27.

  Therefore, even if suction is performed from the ink supply port 9, the suction force does not act on the ink guide path 33 in the case of the liquid container 100, and the ink guide path 33 is filled with ink as shown in FIG. 6. It is hard to be done. As a result, bubbles remaining in the ink guide path 33 flow toward the recording head, causing a failure, or because of the remaining bubbles, the free vibration state detected by the piezoelectric sensor 35 becomes incorrect, and the remaining bubbles remain. The accuracy of quantity detection may be reduced.

In the liquid container 1 of the present embodiment, since the second flow path 127b formed in the pressure receiving plate 127 extends to the vicinity of the ink outlet 11b, ink supply is performed to fill the sensor chamber 21 with ink. When sucked from the port 9, the suction force easily acts on the second flow path 127 b via the ink outlet 11 b, and reliably acts on the ink guide path 33 communicating with the second flow path 127 b.
Therefore, the ink in the sensor chamber 21 is easily sucked through the ink guide path 33 communicating with the first flow path 127a and the second flow path 127b, and it is easy to eliminate bubbles remaining in the ink guide path 33. Become.

Further, in the liquid storage container 1 of the present embodiment, the sensor chamber 21 is configured by sealing the opening formed on the upper surface with a flexible film 23 that can be deformed according to the ink storage capacity. Reference numeral 35 denotes a configuration arranged at the bottom of the sensor chamber 21.
For this reason, the sensor chamber 21 can be easily deformed in response to a change in the liquid storage amount (pressure change) and can be easily configured as a sealed space, and ink leakage can be prevented with a simple structure.

Further, in the liquid storage container 1 of the present embodiment, the pressure receiving plate 127 is fixed to the flexible film 23 and moves by deformation of the flexible film 23 corresponding to the change in the liquid storage amount of the sensor chamber 21.
Therefore, the pressure receiving plate 127 can smoothly follow the liquid level and pressure by the easy deformation of the flexible film 23.

  Furthermore, in the liquid storage container 1 of the present embodiment, the one surface 127c of the pressure receiving plate 127 is a surface that is substantially parallel to the vibration surface in a region facing the vibration surface of the piezoelectric sensor 35, and therefore is at a liquid level. A detection space that responds to change the volume can be easily formed.

Further, in the liquid container 1 of the present embodiment, the pressure receiving plate 127 is urged in the direction in which the piezoelectric sensor 35 is disposed by the compression coil spring 29 that is an urging means constituted by an elastic member.
Therefore, by adjusting the biasing force of the compression coil spring 29, the time when the one surface 127c of the pressure receiving plate 127 cooperates with the ink guide path 33 to form the detection space can be arbitrarily changed, and the sensor chamber 21 to be detected The internal pressure (residual liquid amount) can be easily set.

  Further, in the liquid container 1 of the present embodiment, the time when the pressure receiving plate 127 forms a detection space in cooperation with the ink guide path 33 is set to a state where the ink in the ink pack 7 is exhausted. When the ink cartridge is used as described above, the piezoelectric sensor 35 of the ink detector 11 is effectively used as an ink end detection mechanism that detects that the ink remaining amount in the ink pack 7 has become zero. Can do.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a liquid container according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
The liquid storage container 101 of the second embodiment uses a pressure receiving plate 227 instead of the pressure receiving plate 27 in the liquid storage container 1 of the first embodiment, and the configuration other than the pressure receiving plate 227 is the liquid storage container. Since the configuration is the same as that of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the pressure receiving plate 227 in the liquid container 101 of the second embodiment has two flow paths that communicate with the sensor chamber 21 in the detection space that is partitioned and formed in cooperation with the ink guide path 33. A first flow path 227a and a second flow path 227b are provided.
Furthermore, the first channel 227a, which is the other of the two channels, extends to the vicinity of the ink inlet 11a.

Therefore, in the liquid container 101 of the second embodiment, the suction force is the first when sucked from the ink supply port 9 connected to the ink jet recording apparatus in order to fill the sensor chamber 21 with ink. It acts reliably on the ink inlet 11a via the flow path 227a.
Therefore, the ink supplied from the ink pack 7 to the ink inlet 11a can easily flow to the ink guide path 33 via the first flow path 227a, and air bubbles remaining in the ink guide path 33 can be easily removed.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a liquid container according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
The liquid storage container 102 of the third embodiment uses a pressure receiving plate 327 instead of the pressure receiving plate 27 in the liquid storage container 1 of the first embodiment, and the configuration other than the pressure receiving plate 327 is the liquid storage container. Since the configuration is the same as that of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, the pressure receiving plate 327 in the liquid storage container 102 of the third embodiment has two flow paths that communicate with the sensor chamber 21 in the detection space that is partitioned and formed in cooperation with the ink guide path 33. A certain first flow path 327a and a second flow path 327b are provided.
Further, the first flow path 327a and the second flow path 327b, which are two flow paths, extend to the vicinity of the ink inlet 11a and the ink outlet 11b, respectively.

Therefore, in the liquid container 102 of the third embodiment, when the ink is sucked from the ink supply port 9 connected to the ink jet recording apparatus in order to fill the sensor chamber 21 with ink, the suction force is reduced. It acts reliably on the second flow path 327b via the outlet 11b and acts reliably on the ink inlet 11a via the first flow path 327a.
Therefore, the ink in the ink pack 7 is easily sucked through the ink guide path 33 communicating with the first flow path 327a and the second flow path 327b, and it is easy to eliminate bubbles remaining in the ink guide path 33. Become.

  Furthermore, when ink is filled into the ink detection unit 11 of the liquid container 102 by the ink filling method (liquid filling method) of the present invention, for example, as shown in FIG. The supply port 9 side is lifted to incline the liquid storage container 102, and the ink inlet side that is the two openings of the pressure receiving plate 327 that are not connected to the ink guide path 33 in the first flow path 327 a and the second flow path 327 b. A height difference h is secured between the opening 327d and the ink outlet side opening 327e.

That is, when the ink supply port 9 connected to the ink jet recording apparatus is sucked to fill the ink detection unit 11 with ink from the ink pack 7, the ink outlet side opening 327e in the vicinity of the ink supply port 9 is the discharge port. The state is higher than the ink inlet side opening 327d in the vicinity of 7b.
Then, the ink inlet side opening 327d of the lower pressure receiving plate 327 when ink is filled into the ink guide path 33 becomes the ink inlet, and the flow direction becomes clear, so that the liquid container 102 is leveled. Compared with the case where ink is filled in the state, the bubble discharge property of the ink detection unit 11 is improved.

  In the ink filling method of the present invention, when the ink is filled, the ink outlet side opening 327e in the vicinity of the ink supply port 9 only needs to be higher than the ink inlet side opening 327d in the vicinity of the outlet 7b. Ink filling of the ink detection unit 11 may be performed in a state where the liquid container 102 is vertically set so that the supply port 9 side faces upward.

FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view of a liquid container according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.
The liquid container 401 of the fourth embodiment uses an ink detector 411 instead of the ink detector 11 in the liquid container 102 of the third embodiment, except that the arrangement of the ink detector 411 is different. Since the configuration is the same as the configuration of the liquid container 102, the same reference numerals are given and the detailed description is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the ink detection unit 411 in the liquid container 401 of the fourth embodiment has an ink inlet (liquid inlet) 411 a and an ink supply port 409 connected to the outlet 407 b of the ink pack 407. A detection unit case 419 having a recessed space 419a in which a connected ink outlet (liquid outlet) 411b is communicated along a short direction (vertical direction in FIG. 8) of a flat rectangular parallelepiped container body 405; A flexible film 23 in which the opening of the concave space 419a is sealed to form the sensor chamber 21, a pressure detection unit 25 provided at the bottom of the concave space 419a, and a flexible film facing the pressure detection unit 25. The pressure receiving plate 327 fixed to the conductive film 23 and the pressure receiving plate 327 and the movable plate 327 are mounted in a direction in which the pressure receiving plate 327 is pressed between the pressure receiving plate 327 and the front wall of the detection unit accommodating chamber 415 to reduce the volume of the sensor chamber 21. Sex film 23 includes a compression coil spring 29 for elastically biasing the.

  In the detection unit case 419, an L-shaped ink inlet 411a is integrally formed on one end side of a peripheral wall that defines the concave space 419a, and an ink supply port is formed on the peripheral wall facing the ink inlet 411a. An L-shaped ink outlet 411 b that communicates with 409 is formed through. Therefore, the ink that has flowed into the sensor chamber 21 from the discharge port 407b of the ink pack 407 is supplied to the recording head side through the ink outlet 411b and the ink supply port 409 that is offset and opened in the lateral direction of the container body 405. Is done.

  The container body 405 is a pressurized chamber 403 in a sealed state, and a pressurized gas injection unit for supplying pressurized air to the pressurizing chamber 403 by a pressurizing unit (not shown) as indicated by an arrow A. A pressure port 413 and a detection unit storage chamber 415 that stores the ink detection unit 411 are provided. The detection unit accommodation chamber 415 is a region that is cut off from the pressure of the pressurized gas supplied to the pressurization chamber 403.

  That is, when the ink detector 411 of the liquid container 401 according to the fourth embodiment is filled with ink, as shown in FIG. 8, the container body 405 stands upright so that the lateral direction is vertical. Thus, the ink inlet side opening 327d and the ink outlet side opening 327e, which are the two openings of the pressure receiving plate 327 that are not connected to the ink guide path 33 in the first flow path 327a and the second flow path 327b, are provided. The height difference h can be secured.

That is, when the ink supply port 409 connected to the ink jet recording apparatus is sucked to fill the ink detection unit 411 with the ink from the ink pack 407, the ink outlet side opening 327e in the vicinity of the ink supply port 409 is a discharge port. It becomes a state higher than the ink inlet side opening 327d in the vicinity of 407b.
Then, the ink inlet side opening 327d of the lower pressure receiving plate 327 when the ink guide path 33 is filled with ink becomes the ink inlet, and the flow direction becomes clear. The bubbles in the sensor chamber 21 also move to the upper ink outlet side opening 327de by buoyancy. Therefore, the bubble discharge property of the ink detection unit 411 is improved.

  FIG. 9 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a liquid container according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a plan view and a cross-sectional view illustrating the ink detection unit shown in FIG. Note that the liquid container 501 according to the fifth embodiment has the same configuration as the liquid container 102 of the third embodiment except for the ink detection unit 511, and thus the same reference numerals are used for detailed description. Is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the ink detection unit 511 according to the fifth embodiment includes an ink inlet (liquid inlet) 511 a connected to the discharge port 7 b of the ink pack 7 and an ink connected to the ink supply port 9. A detection unit case 519 having a concave space 519a communicating with an outlet (liquid outlet) 511b, a flexible film 23 in which the opening of the concave space 519a is sealed to form a sensor chamber 21, and a concave space A pressure detection unit 525 provided at the bottom of 519a, a pressure receiving plate (moving member) 527 that is fixed to the flexible film 23 so as to face the pressure detection unit 525, and the pressure receiving plate 527 and the detection unit accommodating chamber 15 And a compression coil spring 29 that is pressure-fitted between the upper wall and the sensor chamber 21 in a direction in which the volume of the sensor chamber 21 is reduced, and elastically biases the flexible film 23.

  The ink guide path 533, which is a recess formed in the bottom plate 531 of the pressure detection unit 525, has a flow path shape having two openings 533 a and 533 b, and the pressure receiving plate 527 is in close contact with the bottom plate 531. The detection space is partitioned by cooperating with the one surface 527c of the plate 527, and a first flow path 527a and a second flow path 527b (to be described later) of the pressure receiving plate 527 and the openings 533a and 533b communicate with each other. On the other hand, when the pressure receiving plate 527 is separated from the bottom plate 531, the ink guide path 533 is opened to the sensor chamber 21 through the two openings 533a and 533b. One surface 527c of the pressure receiving plate 527 is a surface that is substantially parallel to the vibration surface in a region facing the vibration surface of the piezoelectric sensor 535.

As shown in FIG. 10, the pressure receiving plate 527 in the liquid container 501 of the fifth embodiment has two flow paths that communicate with the sensor chamber 21 in the detection space partitioned and formed in cooperation with the ink guide path 533. A first flow path 527a and a second flow path 527b are provided.
Further, the first flow path 327a and the second flow path 327b, which are two flow paths, are extended to the vicinity of the ink inlet 511a and the ink outlet 511b, respectively.
The ink guide path 533 formed on the bottom plate 531 of the pressure detection unit 525 of the present embodiment has a flat rectangular parallelepiped container body 5 as shown in FIG. 10 due to the electrode arrangement of the piezoelectric sensor 535. The channel shape is formed in communication along the short direction.

  When the ink detection unit 511 of the liquid container 501 is filled with ink based on the ink filling method of the present invention, the ink supply port 9 side at the longitudinal end of the liquid container 501 is lifted in the arrow B direction. Even if the liquid container 501 is tilted, the two openings 533a and 533b of the ink guide path 533 are horizontal with no difference in level, but the first flow path 527a and the second flow path 527b of the pressure receiving plate 527 are not provided. The ink inlet side opening 527d and the ink outlet side opening 527e, which are the two openings on the side not connected to the ink guide path 533, can be in a state in which a height difference is secured.

That is, when the ink supply port 9 connected to the ink jet recording apparatus is sucked to fill the ink detection unit 511 with ink from the ink pack 7, the ink outlet side opening 527 e near the ink supply port 9 is the discharge port. It becomes a state higher than the ink inlet side opening 527d in the vicinity of 7b.
Accordingly, the ink inlet side opening 527d of the lower pressure receiving plate 527 when the ink guide path 533 is filled with ink serves as a liquid inlet, and the flow direction becomes clear. The bubble discharge property of the channel 533 can be ensured.

In each of the above embodiments, the compression coil spring 29 is used as a biasing means that biases the flexible film 23 and the pressure receiving plate 127 (227, 327) toward the piezoelectric sensor 35 side.
However, instead of the compression coil spring 29, an urging means constituted by rubber or another elastic member may be used.

Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the time when the pressure receiving plate 127 (227, 327) forms the detection space in cooperation with the ink guide path 33 is set to a state where the ink in the ink pack 7 is completely exhausted. Thus, the piezoelectric sensor 35 is caused to function as an ink end detection mechanism for detecting that the remaining amount of ink in the ink pack 7 has become zero.
However, the time when the pressure receiving plate 127 (227, 327) forms the detection space in cooperation with the ink guide path 33 is a state where the ink in the ink pack 7 is almost exhausted (a state where a predetermined small amount remains). ), The piezoelectric sensor 35 can be used as an ink near-end detection mechanism for detecting a state where the ink remaining amount in the ink pack 7 is almost zero.

  Further, in the liquid container according to the present invention, the concave portion which is a vibration action region in which the detection space is partitioned in cooperation with one surface of the moving member and the pressure detection portion acts on the vibration is as described in each of the above embodiments. The ink guide path 33 is not limited to the two openings 33a and 33b. The recess according to the present invention may be formed in a simple notch shape that opens to the upper surface of the bottom plate 31 instead of the tubular passage.

The use of the liquid container of the present invention is not limited to the ink cartridge of the ink jet recording apparatus. The present invention can be used for various liquid consuming devices including a liquid ejecting head that discharges a minute amount of liquid droplets.
Specific examples of the liquid consuming device include, for example, an electrode material (conductive) used for forming an electrode such as a device having a color material ejecting head used for manufacturing a color filter such as a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, and a surface emitting display (FED). Examples thereof include an apparatus having a paste) ejection head, an apparatus having a bio-organic matter ejection head used for biochip manufacturing, an apparatus having a sample ejection head as a precision pipette, a textile printing apparatus, and a micro dispenser.

It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the liquid storage container which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention, and shows the state by which a liquid is attracted | sucked through a liquid supply port from the liquid storage part of a non-pressurized state. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view when the liquid storage part of the liquid storage container shown in FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the liquid storage container which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the liquid storage container which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the liquid storage container as a comparative example which deleted the 1st flow path and the 2nd flow path from the pressure receiving plate of the liquid storage container which concerns on this invention. FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the liquid container shown in FIG. 5, showing a state in which liquid is sucked from a liquid container in a non-pressurized state via a liquid supply port. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view for explaining a liquid filling method when filling the liquid detection unit of the liquid container shown in FIG. 4 with liquid. It is a horizontal sectional view of the liquid storage container concerning a 4th embodiment of the present invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the liquid container which concerns on 5th Embodiment of this invention. It is the top view and sectional drawing explaining the liquid detection part of the liquid container shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Liquid storage container, 3 ... Pressurization chamber, 5 ... Container main body, 7 ... Ink pack (liquid storage part), 7a ... Flexible bag, 7b ... Discharge port (liquid discharge port), 9 ... Ink supply port (Liquid supply port), 11... Ink detection unit (liquid detection unit), 11 a... Ink inlet (liquid inlet), 11 b .. ink outlet (liquid outlet), 13. Chamber, 19 ... detector case, 19a ... concave space, 21 ... sensor chamber (liquid detection chamber), 23 ... flexible film, 25 ... pressure detector, 29 ... compression coil spring (biasing means), 31 ... bottom plate, 33: Ink guide path (recess), 35: Piezoelectric sensor (piezoelectric detection means), 127: Pressure receiving plate (moving member), 127a: First flow path, 127b: Second flow path

Claims (5)

A liquid storage unit having a liquid discharge port for discharging the liquid stored therein, a liquid supply port for supplying the liquid to an external liquid consumption device, the liquid storage unit, and the liquid supply port; A liquid container including a liquid detection unit interposed between the two,
The liquid detection unit includes a liquid detection chamber having a liquid inlet connected to a liquid discharge port of the liquid storage unit, a liquid outlet connected to the liquid supply port, and a liquid storage amount of the liquid detection chamber. A movable member that is slidably accommodated in response, a concave portion that forms a detection space in cooperation with one surface of the movable member when a liquid storage amount of the liquid detection chamber becomes a predetermined value or less, and is applied to the concave portion. A piezoelectric detection means provided for detecting a free vibration state associated with the vibration,
2. The liquid container according to claim 1, wherein the moving member is provided with two flow paths for communicating the detection space formed in cooperation with the concave portion with the liquid detection chamber.   The liquid container according to claim 1, wherein one of the two flow paths extends to the vicinity of the liquid outlet.   The liquid container according to claim 1, wherein the other of the two flow paths extends to the vicinity of the liquid inflow port.   2. The liquid container according to claim 1, wherein the two flow paths are extended to the vicinity of the liquid outlet and the vicinity of the liquid inlet, respectively. A liquid filling method for filling a liquid in a liquid detection unit of the liquid container according to claim 1,
A liquid filling method comprising filling the liquid detection unit with a liquid in a state in which a difference in height is secured in two openings on the side of the two flow paths of the moving member that are not connected to the recess.

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