Ink jet cartridge and ink tank

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus comprises an ink tank containing ink; a recording head for performing recording by selectively ejecting ink; a mounting portion for mounting the ink tank and the recording head; a liquid passage coupling portion provided on either or both of the ink tank and the recording head for separating or connecting the ink passages in the ink tank and the recording head; a holding portion provided on either or both of the ink tank and recording head for guiding the ink tank to the recording head in order to hold them separably; and an electrically or mechanically connecting portion provided on either or both of the recording head and mounting portion for electrically or mechanically connecting the recording head to or separating it from the mounting portion.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet cartridge for use in a recording apparatus which performs recording by ejecting ink, and an ink tank. Related Background Art A number of printers, facsimile apparatuses, word processors, and other information apparatuses are being developed today. In these apparatuses, the ink jet recording method is widely used because it is capable of providing a high resolution, a high speed recording with a compact fabrication and low cost. Among the many other advantages, the capability of compact fabrication and low running cost are particularly significant. As shown in Fig. 3, there has hitherto been a method wherein a head cartridge 1801 integrally structured with a recording head 1801a and an ink tank 1801b filled with ink is exchangeably mounted on a mounting unit 1802 of an apparatus. However, this method has a drawback that its running cost is high because the recording head in this case is an article of consumption. Also, the recording head 1801a is yet to reach the end of its life when the ink has been consumed completely. This is a waste because a recording head 1801a which is still usable for recording is discarded. There is also a method wherein a recording head 1901 and an ink tank 1903 are structured separately and are exchangeably mounted on the mounting unit 1903 of an recording apparatus individually as shown in Fig. 4, for example. However, with this method, it is necessary to provide the ink supply passage 1904 on the recording apparatus in order to supply ink in the ink tank to the recording head. As a result, costs are inevitably increased. Also this hinders making the apparatus compact. Moreover, when an ink tank containing ink materials of different colors is utilized, ink mixing takes place in the ink passages in a recording apparatus even if the recording heads 1901 and ink tanks 1902 are replaced. In order to avoid this mixture, it is necessary for the recording heads 1901, ink tanks 1902 and ink supply passages 1904 for each color to be mounted separately on the mounting units 1903. Also, as shown in Fig. 5, for example, there is a method wherein a recording head 1701 is connected and fixed to the mounting unit 1702 of a recording apparatus while an ink tank 1703 is exchangeably connected to the foregoing recording head 1701. This method, however, makes it difficult to replace the recording head with ease when the recording head is damaged. Also, when ink tanks having ink materials of different colors are used making of inks will take place in the recording head. Accordingly, recording heads 1701 must be provided in the mounting unit 1702 separately for each color of ink. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is designed in consideration of the above-mentioned problems. It is an object of the invention to provide an ink jet cartridge and an ink tank capable of reducing the running cost, which enable ink tanks and recording heads to be replaced with ease, preventing ink from being scattered when the recording heads are replaced, and enable ink colors to be changed simply without any mixing. In accordance with the present invention there is provided an ink jet cartridge removably mountable on a carriage of an ink jet printer, said cartridge comprising: a head housing provided with an ink jet head; and a separate ink tank housing for storing ink to be supplied to the ink jet head, said head housing having an engaging portion for holding the head housing and ink tank housing together, characterised in that: the head housing has walls defining a recess into which the ink tank housing is inserted when the head housing is coupled to the ink tank housing such that, when the two housings are coupled, a portion of said ink tank housing grippable by a user is exposed, so as to enable manual separation of said ink tank housing and said head housing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the entire body of an example of a recording apparatus included for the purpose of reference. Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an information processing apparatus to which the present invention is applicable. Fig. 3 is a schematical cross-sectional view illustrating the prior art. Fig. 4 is a schematical cross-sectional view illustrating the prior art. Fig. 5 is a schematical cross-sectional view illustrating the prior art. Fig. 6 is a schematically perspective view illustrating the state where a recording head and ink tank according to an embodiment is parted. Fig. 7 is a schematic view illustrating the state where the recording head and ink tank are coupled. Fig. 8 is a schematically perspective view illustrating the state an recording head and ink tank according to still another embodiment are coupled. Fig. 9 is a schematically perspective view illustrating another way in which the recording head, ink tank, and carrier are coupled. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, the description will be made in detail of the embodiments according to the present invention. Fig. 1 is a schematically perspective view illustrating the outline of an example of a recording apparatus included for the purposes of reference. A carrier 102 with a head cartridge 101 being mounted has a pin (not shown) to be engaged with the spiral groove 105 of a lead screw 103 which is interrelated with the normal and reverse rotations of a carrier motor 402a and rotated through a transmission mechanism (not shown). Thus, the carrier is reciprocated in the directions indicated by arrows a and b following the rotation of the lead screw 103. Here, a reference numeral 104 designates a slide shaft to regulate the rotation of the carrier. Also, with a carrier sensor 510, the carrier 102 establishes the position (home position) in the directions indicated by arrows a and b. A reference numeral 301 designates a recovery unit which comprises a cap 302 facing the discharging surface of the head cartridge 101 at a given position (a home position, for example) outside the recording area for the head cartridge 101, and a cap advance and retraction driver (not shown) to keep the cap in contact with the discharging surface to protect it when recording is at rest or the like occasions. Also, it is possible to arrange a pump to suck overly viscous ink, dust particles, and air bubbles from the discharging ports when the cap is in contact with the discharging surface in order to maintain the ink ejection conditions desirably, and a member to contain such an unwanted ink thus sucked. Furthermore, a wiper (not shown) is provided to clean the vicinity of the discharging ports of the head cartridge 101. A reference numeral 201 designates a feed roller to feed a recording medium 6 in the directions indicated by an arrow c in Fig. 1 and 202, a pinch roller to press the recording medium 6 against the feed roller 201. The recording medium 6 is fed intermittently in the directions indicated by an arrow c in Fig. 1 while being pinched by a pair of these rollers. The feed roller 201 is coupled to a feeding motor 402b through a transmission mechanism formed by a feed roller gear 205 and feed roller idler gear 206 so as to receive the transmission of the driving force. Also, pinch roller 202 is capable of being in contact with or apart from the feed roller 201 by the operation of a release lever 210. A reference numeral 207 designates a platen to regulate the recording surface of the recording medium 6 to keep it flat. Also, it may be possible to provide a member to prevent the recording medium 6 from being raised by pressing it against the platen 207. A reference numeral 213 designates a discharge roller which rotates in synchronism with the feed roller 201 to deliver the recording medium 6 after recording in the directions indicated by an arrow c in Fig. 1. There is provided a spur roller 214 at a position opposite to the discharge roller 213 through the recording medium 6. With those rollers, the recording medium 6 is delivered outside the printer after the recording is over. Fig. 2 is a schematically perspective view illustrating the outer appearance of an information processing apparatus 604 to which the present invention may be incorporated. In Fig. 2, a reference numeral 601 designates the above-mentioned printing unit; 602, a key board provided with keys to input letters, numerals, and other characters as well as keys to give various instructions; and 603, an indication unit provided with a display. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in which coupling indication marks are provided for a type which stores an ink tank in a recording head housing. Fig. 6 is a schematically perspective view illustrating an ink jet cartridge according to the present invention. Fig. 7 is a plan view. In Fig. 6, a reference numeral 8200 designates a recording head and 8220, an ink tank. For the recording head 8200 there are provided a nozzle unit 8201 to eject ink droplets; a supply tube 8202 to receive the ink supply from an ink tank 8220; a window 8203 to examine matching marks; marching marks 8204; finger stays 8205 for the removal of ink tank 8220; and locking nails 8206 to fix the ink tank 8220. For the foregoing ink tank 8220 there are provided matching lines 8221; finger stays 8222 for installation use; an ink supply outlet to supply ink to the foregoing recording head 8200; and receptacles 8224 to receive the foregoing locking nails 8206. The coupling of the ink tank 8220 is conducted by inserting the ink tank in the direction indicated by an arrow. As shown in the left-hand side in Fig. 7, when the ink tank 8220 is inserted into the correct position, the matching mark 8204 of the recording head 8200 and the matching line 8221 of the ink tank 8220 are matched. Hence, it is easy to discriminate whether the installation is correctly conducted or not. If the installation is incorrect, the matching mark 8204 and matching line 8221 are displaced as shown in the right-hand side in Fig. 6. Since the examination window 8203 is diagonally provided with respect to the installation direction, even a slight displacement in the installation direction is emphatically indicated so as to make discrimination easier. As another embodiment, Fig. 8 illustrates a case where a click is provided for the coupling of a head cartridge and carrier in a mode that an ink tank is stored in the recording head housing. Fig. 8 is a schematically perspective view showing an ink jet cartridge according to the present invention. For each element which has the same function as above, the same reference mark is provided in the corresponding location, and the description thereof will be omitted. In Fig. 8, the ink tank 8002b is installed in the direction indicated by an arrow A with respect to the recording head 8002a, and these are coupled by clicking of the nails 8002a6 arranged in two locations on the recurrent head side and the receptacles 8002a6 on the ink tank side. The recording head 8002a is installed in the direction indicated by an arrow B which is the same as the direction indicated by the arrow A with respect to the carrier 8001 and is coupled thereto by clicking of a spring 8001h and a receiving portion 8002a7. The ink tank 8002b can be replaced alone even in a state where the recording head 8002a is coupled to the carrier 8001, but since the ink tank 8002b and recording head 8002a are mounted or demounted in the same direction, the strength of the click for coupling for the ink tank 8002b should be set weaker than that of the click for coupling the recording head 8002a. In this way, when only the ink tank 8002b is replaced, it is possible to prevent the recording head 8002a from-being removed together with the ink tank by mistake. Also, as shown in Fig. 9, the installation direction of the recording head 8002a and that of the ink tank 8002b are made different. As a result, it becomes possible to reliably conduct the installations of the ink tank and recording head separately. In Fig. 9, although the way to couple the ink tank 8002b and recording head 8002a are the same as the case described in conjunction with Fig. 8, the directions in which the recording head 8002a and carrier 8001 are coupled are different. In order to couple the recording head 8002a to the carrier 8001, the recording head 8002a must be slight displaced at first before being mounted on the carrier 8001. If the amount of such a displacement is not enough, a pin 8002a9 is caused to butt a slop 8001n provided for the carrier to displace the recording head 8002a in the horizontal direction, at the same time preventing the intervention of the nails 8001m and receptacles 8002a8. When the recording head 8002a is mounted on the carrier as indicated by an arrow D, it is shifted in the horizontal direction to complete the installation by clicking of the nails 8001m on the carrier side and the receptacles 8002a8 on the recording head side. As regards the kind and number of the recording heads mountable on the carriage, it may be a single color ink, or may be plural heads corresponding to a plurality of ink materials having different recording color or density. The present invention is effectively applicable to an apparatus having at least one of a monochromatic mode mainly with black, a multi-color mode with different color ink materials and/or a full-color mode using the mixture of the colors, which may be an integrally formed recording unit or a combination of plural recording heads. Now, in the embodiments, according to the present invention set forth above, while the ink has been described as liquid, it may be an ink material which is solidified below the room temperature but liquefied at the room temperature. Since the ink is controlled within the temperature not lower than 30°C and not higher than 70°C to stabilize its viscosity for the provision of the stable ejection in general, the ink may be such that it can be liquefied when the applicable recording signals are given. In addition, while preventing the temperature rise due to the thermal energy by the positive use of such energy as an energy consumed for changing states of the ink from solid to liquid, or using the ink which will be solidified when left intact for the purpose of preventing ink evaporation, it may be possible to apply to the present invention the use of an ink having a nature of being liquefied only by the application of thermal energy such as an ink capable of being ejected as ink liquid by enabling itself to be liquefied anyway when the thermal energy is given in accordance with recording signals, an ink which will have already begun solidifying itself by the time it reaches a recording medium. For an ink such as this, it may be possible to retain the ink as a liquid or solid material in through holes or recesses formed in a porous sheet as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 54-56847 or Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 60-71260 in order to execute a mode whereby to enable the ink to face the electrothermal transducers in such a state. For the present invention, the most effective method for each of the above-mentioned ink materials is the one which can implement the film boiling method described above. Furthermore, as modes of the foregoing ink jet recording apparatus, a copying apparatus combined with reader and the like or a facsimile apparatus having transmission reception functions or the like may be employed in addition to those used as an image output terminal of an information processing apparatus such as a computer.

Claims: An ink jet cartridge removably mountable on a carriage of an ink jet printer, said cartridge comprising: a head housing (8200) provided with an ink jet head (8201); and a separate ink tank housing (8220) for storing ink to be supplied to the ink jet head (8201), said head housing (8200) having an engaging portion (8206) for holding the head housing and ink tank housing together, characterised in that: the head housing (8200) has walls defining a recess into which the ink tank housing (8220) is inserted when the head housing is coupled to the ink tank housing (8220) such that, when the two housings (8200,8220) are coupled, a portion (8222) of said ink tank housing (8220) grippable by a user is exposed, so as to enable manual separation of said ink tank housing (8220) and said head housing (8200). A cartridge according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said walls of said head housing (8200) defining said recess into which said ink tank housing (8220) is inserted when the head housing is coupled to the ink tank housing defines a cut-away portion which exposes a portion of said ink tank housing grippable by the user (8222) so as to enable manual separation of said ink tank housing (8220) and said head housing (8200). A cartridge according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said ink tank housing (8220) is provided with a line capable of confirming a mounting condition of said ink tank housing to said ink head housing (8200). A cartridge according to claim 3 wherein said head housing (8200) has a mark capable of confirming a mounting condition of an ink tank housing (8220) to said head housing (8200), said mark being arranged along the line set forth in claim 3 when the head and ink tank housing are coupled together. A cartridge according to claim 3 or 4, wherein said head housing (8200) has an opening through which said line on said ink tank housing (8220) can be viewed when said ink tank housing (8220) is mounted to said head housing (8200). A cartridge according to any preceding claim wherein said ink tank housing (8220) has a complementary engaging portion (8224) complementary to the engaging portion (8206) of said head housing (8200). An ink jet head assembly comprising: a cartridge in accordance with any preceding claim and a carriage (8001), said carriage having walls defining a recess into which said cartridge is inserted when said cartridge is coupled to said carriage (8001), said cartridge being removably mounted to said carriage. An ink jet head assembly in accordance with claim 7, wherein said carriage (8001) has walls defining a recess into which said cartridge is inserted when said cartridge is coupled to said carriage, such that when said cartridge, and said carriage, are coupled, a portion of said cartridge grippable by the user is exposed so as to enable manual separation of said cartridge from said carriage. An assembly in accordance with claim 8, wherein at least one of said walls of said carriage defining said recess into which said cartridge is inserted when said cartridge is coupled to said carriage defines a cut-away portion which exposes a portion of said cartridge grippable by a user so as to enable manual separation of said cartridge from said carriage. An ink jet printing apparatus comprising an ink jet assembly in accordance with claims 7, 8 or 9. An ink jet printing apparatus comprising an ink jet cartridge in accordance with any of claims 1-6.

Inventors: AONO KENJI, ARA YOJI, BEKKI TOSHIHIKO, HANABUSA TADASHI, HATTORI YOSHIFUMI, HIRABAYASHI HIROMITSU, IKADO MASAHARU, KAWANO KENJI, KITANI MASASHI, KOJIMA MASAMI, OHASHI TETSUYO, SAIKAWA HIDEO, SUZUKI ETSUROU, TANNO KOICHI, UCHIKATA YOSHIO, WADA TOSHIHIDE, AONO, KENJI, ARA, YOJI, BEKKI, TOSHIHIKO, HANABUSA, TADASHI, HATTORI, YOSHIFUMI, HIRABAYASHI, HIROMITSU, IKADO, MASAHARU, KAWANO, KENJI, KITANI, MASASHI, KOJIMA, MASAMI, OHASHI, TETSUYO, SAIKAWA, HIDEO, SUZUKI, ETSUROU, TANNO, KOICHI, UCHIKATA, YOSHIO, WADA, TOSHIHIDE
Applicants: CANON KK, CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B41J2
IPC codes: B41J2, B41J25