An ink container

Abstract: An ink container comprising a flexible bag which is of a polygonal parallelopiped shape when it contains sufficient quantity of ink.

Description: The present invention relates to an ink container according to the precharacterizing part of claim 1. An example of conventional ink containers for an ink jet recording apparatus for effecting record on a recording material such as paper with ink, is in the form of a bladder of elastic material, as shown in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 98857/1984, for example. As shown in Figure 1 which is a partial sectional view of the container adjacent the opening portion of the container, a side wall having a large thickness t1 is covered with a thin flexible member 200. With delivery of the ink, the side wall collapses elastically. Another example of the ink container is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 87242/1988. As shown in Figure 2 in an exploded perspective view, a porous absorbing material 202 is placed in the container 201, and the container 201 is closed by a cover 203. As a further example, as shown in Figure 3 in a perspective view, an envelope type container 204 made of soft material is used. A leaf-shaped flange is sandwiched by the flexible material of the envelope, and the envelope is fuse-sealed at a part 207 of the outer edge. The flange is provided with a plug 206, from which the ink is delivered. Designated by a reference numeral 208 is a rectangular parallelepiped outer casing. The above-mentioned elastic bladder type ink container has an elastic nature with the result that the elastic restoring force is produced in the direction of sucking the ink back into the elastic bladder, with consumption of the ink. The restoring force gradually increases. At a certain stage, the ink sucking pressure inside the ink becomes larger than the ink sucking-out pressure, and then it is no longer possible to deliver the ink. Therefore, not all of the ink in the bladder is not used up, and therefore, the use efficiency is poor. The inventors experiments have revealed that the use efficiency is approx. 50 % when the elastic bladder type ink container is used with an ink jet printer. As the case may be, the use efficiency is even smaller. When a porous absorbing material 202 is used as a material of the ink container, cavities are produced in the porous material 202 with the consumption of the ink. At a certain stage of the ink delivery, a cavity is produced between the portion of the absorbing material adjacent the outlet and the portion of the absorbing material still containing the ink, and the cavity expands even to the extent that the ink can not be sucked out. Therefore, the ink use efficiency is 50 % or lower, similarly to the case of the above-described bladder type container. In order to solve the above problems, the envelope type container 204 of flexible material is used. In this case, the ink use efficiency is not less than 90 %. However, because of the shape of the ink container, the quantity of the ink which the container is capable of actually containing the ink is relatively small. In the case where a thin rectangular parallelepiped case 208 is used for the container 204, as shown in Figure 3, the accommodation efficiency for the ink relative to the given volume is not so low. However, if the use is made with an envelope type container as an outer casing 14 having a configuration as shown in Figure 9, the accommodatable volume is small. Recently the demand for the recording apparatus is directed to smallness of the size, and then, the space allotted to the ink container becomes very small. In such a case, a rectangular parallelopiped shape having a cross-section close to square is preferred to the thin and wide container. A cubic ink container is further preferable from the accommodation efficiency standpoint. In other words, the need exists in an ink container having small longitudinal, lateral and height dimensions while keeping has large as accommodation capacity. According to document JP-U-63 97 569, there is disclosed a generic ink container comprising an outer casing having a polygonal cross-section and a flexible bag disposed in the casing. The flexible bag is formed from sheet material and has an opening at the first end thereof, a bottom portion opposed to said opening, as well as continuous folds in opposite sides. The bag has the same polygonal cross-section as the casing when it is filled with ink, but it is deformable to reduce its volume with the consumption of ink therefrom. The object of the invention is to provide an ink container having a high ink accomodating capacity and high ink use efficiency. This object is achieved by means of the combination of the features defined in claim 1. Preferable embodiments of the invention are set forth in the subclaims. By means of the ink container according to the invention, the small volume within the container can be efficiently utilized and the ink container is capable of delivering the ink with a minimum wasteful ink. In the following, the invention is further illustrated by embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a partly cross-sectional view of a first conventional example of an ink container. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a second conventional example of a container. Figure 3 is a perspective view of a third conventional example of an ink container. Figure 4 is a perspective view of an ink container according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the container is shown as containing full ink. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the ink container of Figure 4 after the ink is used. Figure 6 is a sectional view showing an outer shape of an envelope. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the envelope of Figure 6 in which the bottom portion is expanded. Figure 8 is a perspective view of an automatic envelope manufacturing device for the envelope of Figure 1. Figure 9 is a perspective view in which the ink container of Figure 4 is contained in an outer cylindrical casing. Figure 10 is a sectional view of an ink container according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figures 11A and 11B show a state before fusing, in an example. Figures 12A and 12B show a state after the fusing, in an example. Figures 13A and 13B show states before and after the fusing, in another example. Figures 14A and 14B illustrate a fusing machine. Figures 15A and 15B illustrate a fusing machine. Figure 16 is a perspective view of an example of a printer. Figure 17 is a perspective view of an example of a computer. Figure 18 is a block diagram of an electric circuit used in the computer of Figure 17. Figure 19 is a flow chart of sequential operations for the recording. Referring to Figure 4, there is shown in a perspective view an ink container used with a recording apparatus (printer) in an information processing apparatus such as an electronic computer or the like, wherein the container is filled with ink. The container is in the form of a rectangular parallelopiped bag 1 made of flexible film material.. The preferable materials for the film includes polyethylene, polypropylene resin materials or the like. Another high polymer resin material is usable. A multi laminated structure is preferable to provide suitable functions. As examples, flexible polyethylene film or polypropylene film may be attached to a polyester film or polyamide film, or a polyethylene resin film or polypropylene resin film may be laminated. In these cases, the polyethylene or polypropylene resin materials are inside, that is, are in contact with the ink. The inside material preferably has lower fusing point. This is preferable also from the standpoint of the chemical characteristics of the bag 1. The polyethylene and polypropylene or the like materials having high chemical resistant properties, but have a relatively poor gas sealing nature. More particularly, there is a possibility that the water and other ink components are evaporated out, and the external air or gas enters the ink container, with the result of an intended result. On the other hand, the polyester and polyamide resin have slightly poorer chemical resistant property, however, they have very good gas sealing properties. Therefore, they are combined in the ink bag, so that the ink container which is easy to manufacture and which provides better performance, is accomplished. Designated by reference numerals 2, 12 and 13 are seamed provided by manufacturing this bag 1. The seams are in the form of "Y" when the ink is contained in the bag 1. The Y-shaped seam is also formed symmetrically on the other side surface 8 faced to the side. On the other hand, there is no seam in the sides 9, 10 and the bottom side 11. The bag 1 is fused or bonded to a rectangular flange 15 integrally formed on a covering member 4 having an ink outlet opening. As another example, simple crimping will be enough using rubber ring or the like. For the purpose of better understanding, the ink container is shown as a separate member from a printing head in this Figure. However, the ink container may be integral with the printing head with the communication therebetween through the outlet 3. The bag shown in this Figure is of rectangular parallelopiped shape when it contains sufficient quantity of the ink. Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating how the bag collapses when the ink is delivered. The design of the system is such that the ink in the bag 1 is non-usable when the inside pressure becomes -0,24 bar (-180 mmHg). As will be understood from this Figure, the sides 9, 10 and 11 of the bag 1 move toward inside, the sides 9, 10 and 11 not having seams 2, 12 or 13. When the inside pressure of the bag 1 reduces with the consumption of the ink, the sides 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the bag 1 receive the same vacuum. However, the seams provide the function of reinforcing the sides 7 and 8 like a reinforcing ribs, and therefore, such sides less easily collapses toward the inside. Therefore, in most cases, the bag 1 collapses in order as shown in Figure 2, that is the sides 9, 10 and 11 collapse toward inside. Particularly in the shown example, the connecting seams are provided in the sides 9, 10 and 1 in this embodiment because of the conveniences in the manufacturing, such sides collapses in good order. Thus, the bag 1 is folded regularly without crease or the like, thus permitting sufficient use of the inside ink. With the structure of the bag 1, there is no need of additional member for preventing unintended folding or bending, as shown in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application No. 97569/1988 or Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application No. 101567/1988. Therefore, the manufacturing of such an ink bag is very simple. Figures 6 and 7 show the bag immediately after being manufactured. In Figure 6, the bottom side 11 is folded inside. Figure 7 is a perspective view in which the bottom side is expanded. The hatched seam portions 2, 12 and 13 are sealed by heat fusing. When the heat sealing is carried out, it is preferable that a two or more multi-layer laminated structure film is used in which the inside layer is made of a resin material having lower fusing point than the outside layer, since then the bag 1 can be easily manufactured. More particularly in Figure 6, the bottom side portion 11 of the film blank is folded to the inside, and the hatched portions and the cut portions 16 and 17 which will be cut afterward, are heated by a heater. If the fusing temperature of the inside resin is lower than that of the outside resin, and the heater temperature is set to a level therebetween, the low fusing point resin faced to each other among the four layers in the heat sealing portions 12 nd 13, are fused with the other two layers not fusing. Therefore, the structure is very convenient. When the ink is supplied to such a bag 1, it becomes rectangular parallelopiped shape as shown in Figure 4. It is not inevitable to cut the cutting portions 16 and 17. Figure 8 shows an example of a manufacturing apparatus with which the above process can be carried out automatically. A film 27 flowing from a roll 18 is controlled with determined dimension of the portion to be folded by a thickness adjusting roll 19 and a direction controlling roll 20. Then, the portion is formed into a folded portion by a folding roll 21 and a pressing roll 22. Then, the heat sealing device 23 is used. At this time, make the folding line sharper between the roll 22 and the device 23, the material is heated by a flat heater to a non-fusing degree, by which the dimensional accuracy is improved. In order to provide correct rectangular parallelopiped shape, the angle formed between the heat sealing portion 13 and the heat sealing portion 2 is selected to be 45 degrees. Since the folding amount is one half a length of one side of a rectangular shape constituting the bottom side, the folding amount d in Figure 3 is preferably determined in the following manner. D > 2 x d When d is D/4, the cross-section of the parallelopiped shape is square. Designated by a reference numeral 24 is a position detector which detests the heat sealing portion, and an output thereof is used to determine the operational timing of a cutter 25 for providing the cutting portions 16 and 17. The position detector 24 is used for the purpose of dimensional accuracy, and therefore, is not inevitable. On the contrary, a greater number of the position detectors may be used, and the cutters 25 and 26 are controlled with computer. This may be properly selected by one skilled in the art depending on the physical properties of the film 27 and the required dimensional accuracy of the bag. Figure 9 is a perspective view in which the ink container 1 is set in an outer casing 14. The outer cylindrical casing 14 and a rectangular covering member with flange 15 may be manufactured by molding resin material. The usable materials include various resin materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate or polysulfone resin material. However, in consideration of the molding accuracy, fusing, cost or the like, the preferable material in this embodiment is polypropylene resin. For example, the bag 1 wall comprises a polyester film having a thickness of 9 - 12 microns and a polypropylene resin layer having a thickness of 20 - 30 microns, laminated thereon (two layer structure). This provided satisfactory results. In this case, when a more flexible film is desired, a film laminated with polyethylene resin is preferable. When a stronger fusing is desired with respect to the covering member 15, a film laminated with the polypropylene resin is preferable. The connection between the bag 1 and the flange may be effected with bonding material or with the resiliency of rubber or the like. The heat fusing is simple method. It is also possible to use ultrasonic wave fusing. The connection between the outer casing 14 and the covering member 15 may be effected conveniently with heat fusing, ultrasonic wave fusing or mechanical connection. The outer casing is provided with an air vent 37 to ease the vacuum produced with the consumption of the ink. As the case may be, a pressure adjusting valve may be used. The ink container of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 10, is made of soft flexible film material in which it is fused in opposite sides at seams 2 into a bag. The bag is heat-fused to a rectangular flange 15 adjacent its top opening (reference numeral 5 designates the heat fusing portion). The flexible bag 1 of rectangular parallelopiped shape is accommodated in an outer casing 14 also having a rectangular parallelopiped shape. A rectangular flange 15 is provided with an discharge outlet 3 for delivering the ink, and the discharge outlet 3 is closed by a ball plug 44 (closing means) when it is not used for the recording. It contains the ink inside. The outer casing 14 is provided with an air vent 37. By this structure, the ink accommodation efficiency is good relative to the ink container volume. The fuse bonding method usable with this embodiment will be described. Figures 11A, 11B, 12A and 12B, show longitudinal and cross-sectional views before and after the fusing. A ratio between a peripheral length 2 (a+b) and a peripheral length 2 (c+d) of the rectangular flange 15 before the fusing shown in Figure 11, is 54:62, for example. By heat-fusing the flange 15 and the bag 1 having such a relation, as shown in Figure 12, heat fusing without leakage between the bag 1 and the flange 15, has been accomplished. The heat fusing shown in Figures 12A and 12B have the following features. First, the connecting portion between the flange 15 and the bag 1 is in the form of a rib, as indicated by a reference numeral 39. Second, the excessive portion of the peripheral length of the bag 1 relative to the peripheral length of the flange 1, is concentrated at corners 38 of the rectangular or square shape. Because of these features, the reliability of the heat fusing is improved. Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view before and after the beat fusing, of a triangular flange portion 15a. As shown in this Figure, the excessive portion of the peripheral length of the bag 1 is concentrated at the corners 38 of the triangular shape, and the connecting portion between the flange 15a and the bag 1a is formed into a rib after the heat fusing, by which the leakage can be effectively prevented between the flange 15a and the bag 1a. In the foregoing two embodiments, the rest portion of the bag is concentrated at corners of the flange, and are fused thereon. The shape of the flange is not limited to those described above. Figures 14A and 14B show a relation between a flange 15 and a configuration of an edge of a heat fusing heater blade 101 of a heat fusing device usable with the present invention. As shown in Figure 14A, heaters 101 each having a length shorter than that of the flange 15, are simultaneously contacted to effect the heat fusing, so that the rest portions are heat fused, while the material of the flange 15 is melted and projected outwardly, so that the leakage of the ink at the corners can be effectively prevented. Figures 15A and 15B show a relationship between a side of the flange 15 and the heater 101. By providing a recess and a projection at an end of the heater 101, the material of the melted flange is confined. As described in the foregoing, according to the embodiments of the present invention, a flexible bag is heat-fused on a polygonal flange having a circumferential length smaller than that of the flange. The excessive portion of the bag relative to the peripheral of the flange is concentrated at the corners of the polygonal shape, so that the ink leakage between the flange and the bag can be reliably prevented. When the bag has a heat-fusing portion, the connecting portion between the bag and the flange is formed into a rib after the fusing, by which the leakage is effectively prevented between the heat fusing portion of the bag itself and the heat fusing portion relative to the flange. By doing so, a polygonal shape flange and bag can be suitably combined, so that the ink accommodating efficiency relative to the volume of the ink container has been improved. Figure 16 is a perspective view of an ink jet recording apparatus IJRA in which the present invention is used. A lead screw 45 rotates by way of a drive transmission gears 51 and 49 by the forward and backward rotation of a driving motor 53. The lead screw 45 has a helical groove 44 with which a pin (not shown) of the carriage C is engaged, by which the carriage C is reciprocable in directions a and b. A sheet confining plate 42 confines the sheet on the platen over the carriage movement range. Home position detecting means 47 and 48 are in the form of a photocoupler to detect presence of a lever 46 of the carriage, in response to which the rotational direction of the motor 5 is switched. A supporting member 56 supports the front side surface of the recording head to a capping member 62 for capping the recording head. Sucking means 55 functions to suck the recording head through the opening 63 of the cap so as to recover the recording head. A cleaning blade 57 is moved toward front and rear by a moving member 57. They are supported on the supporting frame 58 of the main assembly of the apparatus. The blade may be in another form, more particularly, a known cleaning blade. A lever 61 is effective to start the sucking recovery operation and is moved with the movement of a cam 60 engaging the carriage, and the driving force from the driving motor is controlled by known transmitting means such as clutch or the like. The capping, cleaning and sucking operations can be performed when the carriage is at the home position by the lead screw 45 in this embodiment. However, the present invention is usable in another type of system wherein such operations are effected at different timing. The recording apparatus is provided with electric signal supply means to supply electric signals to the recording head, to effect the recording operation. The individual structures are advantageous, and in addition, the combination thereof is further preferable. In the following the description will be made as to an example of an information processing apparatus (computer) using the present invention, and an electric circuit therefor. Figure 17 is a perspective view of the information processing apparatus 7 having the built-in recording apparatus of this invention. The apparatus comprises the printer IJP described in the foregoing, a key board 72 having letter, character and figure input keys and command keys, and a display 73. Figure 18 is a block diagram of the electric circuit of the information processing apparatus 74. The electric circuit comprises a main controller 81, a CPU includes the feature of a microcomputer 82 for sequential operation control, a RAM having a working area or the area for the text data or image data, a ROM for storing programs for the sequential operation and fixed data such as font data, a timer 85 for producing execution cycles for the CPU 82 and for providing proper timing for the recording operation of the printer IJP, and an interface 86 for connection of the CPU 82 with peripheral devices. It further comprises a controller for the printer IJP, a head driver 88 for supplying electric power and recording signals to the head cartridge C, motor drivers 89a and 89b for supplying signals and electric power for driving the carriage motor 102a and feed roller 102b, a carriage sensor 91 for detecting position of the carriage C to determine, for example, whether the carriage is at the home position or not, and a paper sensor for detecting presence of absence of the recording material P to prevent recording operation outside the recording material, when, for example, the recording material is not fed or when the trailing end portion of the recording material has been recorded. It further comprises an external memory 75 such as FDD, HDD or RAM card, and an external interface 92 for communication with another information processing apparatus or for connection with the internal bus to control the peripheral device. Although not shown in Figure 18, there are voltage source for supplying electric power to the electric circuit, which may be in the form of a chargeable battery, dry battery or converter for conversion from AC power. Referring to Figure 19, the sequential recording operation control will be described. The following series of operations starts in response to record starting instructions from the key board or from the external record starting instructions through the interface. First, the description will be made as to whether or not the display and the operation panel are in the on-line state, at step S1. This is done so as to avoid the start of the printing operation without sufficient preparation of the printer mainly when the record starting signal is transmitted from the outside by communication line or the like. At step S2, the description will be made as to whether or not the recording material P is set in the printer on the basis of output of the paper sensor 81 or the like. This is done for the purpose of avoiding the scattering of the ink, contamination of the apparatus thereby and the wasteful consumption of the ink if the printing operation is started without the recording material. At the step S2, the discrimination may be made as to whether the nip between the pinch roller 20 and the feed roller is released or not, because if it is released, the recording material is not properly fed. For this discrimination, the release lever may be provided with a mechanical switch. If the recording material is not property set, the operation proceeds to step S3. At step S3, a message is given to the operator to promote setting of the recording material. The message may be in the form of light or sound. If the proper setting of the recording material P is discriminated at step S3, the operation Proceeds to step 4, where the recording operation starts. In response to the instructions from the CPU 82, the head driver 78 drives the head cartridge C, and in synchronism therewith, the motor drivers 89a and 89b drive the carriage motor 102a and the feed motor 102b. The recording operation is carried out with main scan direction movement of the carriage C, subscan direction movement of the recording material and cleaning operation for the recording head. At step S5, the termination of the recording operation is instructed from the CPU 82 or the like. Or when the page end or recordable range end comes, recording operation is completed. In an ending step S6, the carriage C is returned to the home position, so that the recording head is capped to protest the ink ejection surface thereof in consideration of the possibility that the main switch is deactuated after the end of the recording. The recording material is discharged by driving the feed motor 102b through a predetermined amount or by driving the feed motor 102b until the sheet discharge is detected by the paper sensor 510. Then, the end of the recording operation is displayed on the display, or the signal indicative of the end is sent to the peripheral device. In this embodiment, the recording head and the ink container are separable. They may be connected with each other on or off the carriage. Since the ink container is on the carriage, no tube for the ink supply is required, and the size of the apparatus can be reduced. When the ink becomes empty, only the ink container is changed, so that the running cost is reduced. If one of the recording head or the ink container has to be exchanged, only that one is changed, so the apparatus is economical. Where the recording head and the ink container are separated by lever or the like on the carriage, the separating speed can be controlled, so that the ink scattering from the ink supply port or the ink receptor port can be prevented. When the recording head and the ink container are separated on the carriage, it is not necessary to directly touch the recording head, and therefore, the ink ejection side surface of the recording head is not touched by the operator's finger, so the ejection side surface can be protected from contamination influential to the recording operation. When the recording head and the ink container are separated on the carriage, the portion of the ink container which receives the force is limitedly determined, the mechanical strength may be made high only at such a portion. The other portion may have a smaller thickness so that the weight can be reduced, or the inside volume (capacity) can be increased. When the recording color is to be changed, the recording head and the ink container can be replaced as a unit, and therefore, the exchange operation is easy without the possibility of the color mixture. While the invention has been described with reference to the structures disclosed herein, it is not confined to the details set forth and this application is intended to cover such modifications or changes as may come within the scope of the following claims.

Claims: An ink container for containing ink to be supplied to an ink jet recording head for ejecting ink in accordance with recording signals, comprising an outer casing (14) having a polygonal cross-section, and a flexible bag (1) disposed in said casing (14), having the same polygonal cross-section as said casing (14) when said bag (1) is filled with ink, said bag (1) being formed from a sheet material, having an opening (3) at a first end thereof, a bottom portion (11) opposed to said opening (3), as well as continuous folds in opposite sides (9, 10), and being deformable to reduce its volume with the consumption of ink therefrom, characterized in that said bag (1) has a fold also in said bottom portion (11) and seams (2, 12, 13) on the other opposite sides (7, 8), said seams (2, 12, 13) including a first seam (2) extending in a first direction from said opening (3) to said bottom portion (11), and a second seam (12, 13) extending in a second direction that crosses the first direction. An ink container according to claim 1, characterized in that said flexible bag (1) has a polygonal parallelopiped shape when it is filled with ink. An ink container according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a flange (15) having said opening (3), wherein said bag (1) is pressed or fused on said flange. A container according to claim 3, characterized in that said flange (15) has a polygonal shape. A container according to claim 3, characterized in that said flange (15) is fused, bonded or engaged with a polygonal or circular parallelopiped outer casing (14). A container according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that a peripheral length of an opening of said bag (1) is larger than a peripheral length of said flange (15). A container according to claim 6, characterized in that a portion of the bag (1) corresponding to a difference between the peripheral lengths is concentrated at a corner of said flange (15a) and is heat-fused at the corner. A container according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that a fused portion between said flange (15) and said bag (1) constitutes a rib (39) or groove extending along a periphery of said flange (15), after fusing between said flange and said bag. A container according to one of claims 3 to 8, characterized in that at least a portion of said bag (1) is of a material which is different from that of said flange. A container according to claim 1, characterized in that said flexible bag (1) has an elasticity that resists collapse such that ink supply from said bag stops when an internal pressure in said bag reaches -0,24 bar (-180 mmHg). A container according to claim 1, characterized in that said bag (1) has a folding score in an another side for permitting said bag to collapse along the score with consumption of the ink therein.

Inventors: KUBOTA HIDEMI, OSADA TORACHIKA, KUBOTA, HIDEMI, OSADA, TORACHIKA, KUBOTA, HIDEMI, C/O CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, OSADA, TORACHIKA, C/O CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Applicants: CANON KK, CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1993
Main classification: B41J2
IPC codes: B41J2