Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7559634?dq=U.S.+Patent+No.+4,528,643
Timestamp: 2018-01-21 12:59:09
Document Index: 701343044

Matched Legal Cases: ['art.\n12', 'art.\n13', 'art.\n14', 'art.\n15', 'art.\n16', 'art.\n17', 'art.\n26', 'art 54', 'art 54', 'art 54', 'art 54', 'application No. 07005031']

Patent US7559634 - Ink-jet recording device and ink supply unit suitable for it - Google Patents
Ink maintained at a negative pressure state is supplied to an ink-jet recording head via an ink supply mechanism constructed as a differential pressure valve having a coil spring 51 and a movable membrane 54 normally contacted elastically with a valve seat by the coil spring 51....http://www.google.com/patents/US7559634?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7559634 - Ink-jet recording device and ink supply unit suitable for it
Publication number US7559634 B2
Application number US 11/426,194
Also published as DE29924902U1, DE69915999D1, DE69915999T2, DE69915999T3, DE69930171D1, DE69930171T2, DE69938202D1, DE69938202T2, DE69938202T3, DE69941375D1, DE69943172D1, DE69943417D1, EP1016533A1, EP1016533A4, EP1016533B1, EP1016533B3, EP1348561A1, EP1348561B1, EP1440808A1, EP1440808B1, EP1440808B2, EP1792737A2, EP1792737A3, EP1792737B1, EP1792737B9, EP1914080A1, EP1914080B1, EP2108513A1, EP2108513B1, US7090341, US7350907, US7422317, US8007088, US8136931, US20050134661, US20060098062, US20060284946, US20080151021, US20080303883, WO2000003877A1
Publication number 11426194, 426194, US 7559634 B2, US 7559634B2, US-B2-7559634, US7559634 B2, US7559634B2
Patent Citations (100), Non-Patent Citations (9), Referenced by (13), Classifications (22), Legal Events (2)
US 7559634 B2
Ink maintained at a negative pressure state is supplied to an ink-jet recording head via an ink supply mechanism constructed as a differential pressure valve having a coil spring 51 and a movable membrane 54 normally contacted elastically with a valve seat by the coil spring 51.
1. An ink supply unit configured to be connected to an ink-jet recording head, the ink supply unit comprising:
an ink supply port configured to supply ink to the ink-jet recording head therethrough;
a container having an ink storage chamber communicating with the ink supply port;
a differential pressure valve accommodated in the container and including a coil spring and a movable membrane, the coil spring causing the movable membrane to elastically contact the valve seat,
wherein said movable membrane is located between said valve seat and said coil spring.
2. An ink supply unit according to claim 1, wherein:
said movable membrane is arranged vertically when said ink supply unit is mounted to a carriage.
3. An ink supply unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:
said movable membrane is arranged in parallel to a plane perpendicular to a direction in which said carriage is moved.
4. An ink supply unit according to claim 1, wherein:
said differential pressure valve includes a disc-shaped elastic membrane member formed at its center with an ink flow port, a valve seat located at an upstream side with respect to ink flow and facing said ink flow port, and a coil spring located at a downstream side and pressing said ink flow port of said elastic membrane member toward said valve seat.
5. An ink supply unit according to claim 1, wherein:
said movable membrane receives force from said coil spring via a holder.
6. An ink supply unit according to any one of claims 1, 2, 4 and 5, wherein:
said casing includes a frame-like casing having at its side surface with a window, and an air intercepting film sealing said window.
7. An ink supply unit according to claim 1, wherein:
said ink storage chamber communicates with an atmosphere via a capillary formed in said container.
8. An ink supply unit according to claim 7, wherein:
said capillary includes a groove formed on an upper wall of said ink storage chamber, and an air impermeable film sealing said groove.
9. An ink supply unit according to claim 7, wherein:
said capillary includes a groove formed on a side wall of said ink storage chamber, and an air impermeable film sealing said groove.
10. An ink supply unit according to claim 7, wherein:
a film member having both gas permeability and a liquid repellent property is interposed between said capillary and said ink storage chamber.
11. An ink supply unit according to claim 1, wherein:
said movable membrane includes a movable part made of a resilient material, and a fixing part made of a material that is harder than the resilient material, and fixed to a periphery of said movable part.
12. An ink supply unit according to claim 11, wherein:
a supporting part is formed in an outer periphery of said movable part; and
said movable part is connected to said fixing part via said supporting part.
13. An ink supply unit according to claim 11, wherein:
said fixing part is formed, at a side facing said valve seat, with a flange part; and a position of said movable part in its thickness direction is regulated by said flange part.
14. An ink supply unit according to claim 1, wherein:
a movable part is provided to said movable membrane; and
a supporting part is formed in an outer periphery of said movable part.
15. An ink supply unit according to claim 14, wherein:
said movable part is located approximately at a center in a thickness direction of said supporting part.
16. An ink supply unit according to any one of claims 11 and 14, wherein:
an annular bent part is formed in a vicinity of an outer periphery of said movable part.
17. An ink supply unit according to claim 11 or 14, wherein:
a central area of said movable part is offset from a peripheral area thereof.
18. An ink supply unit according to claim 1, wherein:
a filter is arranged at an upstream side with respect to said differential pressure valve.
19. An ink supply unit according to claim 18, wherein:
an ink level detector is arranged at an upstream side with respect to said filter.
20. An ink supply unit according to claim 18, wherein an ink level detector is arranged so that said filter is not exposed when an ink end is detected.
21. An ink supply unit according to claim 1, wherein:
said coil spring contacts said movable membrane via a holder having an ink flow hole located to face an ink flow port of said movable membrane.
22. An ink supply unit according to claim 1, wherein:
said valve seat is formed as a spherical surface protruded toward said movable membrane.
23. An ink supply unit according to claim 1, wherein:
a protruded part is formed on a surface of said valve seat where it contacts said movable membrane.
24. An ink supply unit according to claim 1, wherein:
said valve seat is formed as a protruded part having a planar surface on a side facing said movable valve.
25. An ink supply unit according to claim 1, wherein:
said movable valve includes a disc-like moveable part made of soft high polymer material and having at its outer periphery a thick part, and an annular supporting part made of hard high polymer material and having at its valve seat side a flange part, the flange part having a thickness; and said valve seat is formed as a protruded part defining a planar surface on a movable valve side and having a thickness approximately equal to the thickness of said flange part.
26. An ink supply unit according to claim 25, wherein:
said planar surface of said protruded part and said flange part are located on a same plane.
27. An ink supply unit according to claim 1, wherein:
said differential pressure valve includes a disc-like movable membrane formed at its center with an ink flow port, a coil spring contacted with said movable membrane, and a valve seat formed as a protruded part defining a planar surface on a movable membrane side and having an outer edge located outside an outer periphery of said coil spring.
28. An ink supply unit according to claim 27, wherein:
said movable membrane is formed at its valve seat side with a planar surface and at the opposite surface with a protruded part that supports said coil spring.
29. An ink supply unit according to claim 1, wherein:
an ink injection port is provided in an upper surface of said container, and is communicated with a bottom part of said ink storage chamber via a passage isolated from said ink storage chamber.
30. An ink supply unit according to claim 1, wherein:
an ink injection port is provided in an upper surface of said container, and is communicated with a bottom part of said ink storage chamber in the vicinity of an upstream side of said differential pressure valve via a passage isolated from said ink storage chamber.
31. An ink supply unit according to claim 1, wherein:
said ink storage chamber and an area where said differential pressure valve is accommodated are separated by a wall having in its bottom part a communicating hole;
a plurality of electrodes for detecting an ink level are provided in said ink storage chamber; and
at least one of said electrodes is disposed above said communicating hole.
32. An ink supply unit according to claim 1, wherein:
said differential pressure valve includes a spherical movable membrane having at its center an ink flow port, a coil spring contacted with said movable membrane, and a valve seat having a spherical part protruded toward said movable membrane.
33. An ink supply unit according to claim 32, wherein:
said valve seat is formed on a wall forming said ink storage chamber.
34. An ink supply unit according to claim 32, wherein:
said movable membrane and said coil spring are attached to a wall forming said ink storage chamber by a valve fixing frame.
35. An ink supply unit according to claim 34, wherein:
said valve fixing frame is formed with a passage communicating with a recording head.
36. An ink supply unit according to claim 35, wherein:
said passage includes a groove in said valve fixing frame, and an air impermeable film sealing said groove.
37. An ink supply unit according to claim 1, wherein:
an ink level detector is arranged at an upstream side with respect to said differential pressure valve.
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/525,477, filed on Mar. 15, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,090,341, which is a continuation of International Appln. No. PCT/JP99/03839, filed on Jul. 15, 1999.
An ink jet recording device used for printing a large number of pages is arranged, as disclosed in Japanese published examined patent application No. Hei4-43785 for example, such that an ink tank, e.g. a cassette, is installed in the body, and connected to an ink supply unit mounted on a carriage via an ink supply tube to supply ink to be consumed for printing to a recording head via the ink supply unit.
The present disclosure relates to the subject matter contained in Japanese patent application Nos. Hei. 10-200377 (filed on Jul. 15, 1998) and Hei. 10-284104 (filed on Oct. 6, 1998), which are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
As shown in FIG. 6, the membrane part 54 serves to define a small chamber between the membrane part 54 and the fixing member 57 and within a chamber communicated with the ink storage chamber 36. The through-hole 57 d in the fixing member 57 is radially offset from the ink flow port 54 a of the membrane valve 53. The coil spring 51, the membrane valve 53 and the valve seat 57 c serve as a part of a negative pressure generating mechanism selectively communicating the ink storage chamber 36 with the ink supply port 23 depending on pressure change caused in the ink supply port 23 during printing.
When printing is started in this state and ink is consumed by the recording head 4, pressure in the groove 44 forming the ink passage is decreased to maintain ink supplied to the recording head 9 at fixed negative pressure. As ink is further consumed, negative pressure is increased. Therefore, differential pressure acting on the membrane part 54 is increased as shown in FIG. 6 (b), the membrane part 54 retracts against the spring 51 to separate the ink flow port 54 a from the valve seat 57 c, thereby forming a gap g.
The ink cartridge 80 is divided into plural chambers 84′, 85, and 86′ by partitions 82′ and 83′, and formed with ink supply ports 125. Each ink supply port 125 has a valve 124 constantly biased downwardly by a spring 123, which is located opposite to the hollow needle 121 in the case where the ink cartridge 80 is mounted to a holder 122. The ink supply ports 125 are sealed by a film 126.
US5963237 Apr 18, 1997 Oct 5, 1999 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Liquid refilling method, liquid supplying apparatus, and liquid jet recording apparatus
US6945641 May 17, 2002 Sep 20, 2005 Silicon Valley Bank Ink cartridge
DE3446182A1 Dec 18, 1984 Jul 11, 1985 Canon Kk Tintenstrahlaufzeichnungskopf und tintenstrahlaufzeichnungsvorrichtung
2 Partial European search report, dated Aug. 20, 2007, from European patent application No. 07005031.5-2304.
3 Patent Abstracts of Japan vol. 012, No. 098 (M-680), Mar. 31, 1998, JP 62 231759, Oct. 12, 1987.
4 Patent Abstracts of Japan vol. 1998, No. 03, Feb. 27, 1998.
5 Search Report from European Patent Appln. 03012124.8 (dated Aug. 18, 2003).
6 Search Report from European Patent Appln. 04 00 1663.6 (Jun. 9, 2004).
8 U.S. Appl. No. 10/819,756, filed Apr. 6, 2004, Miyazawa.
9 U.S. Appl. No. 10/826,918, filed Apr. 16, 2004, Miyazawa et al.
US7992977 * Mar 18, 2008 Aug 9, 2011 Seiko Epson Corporation Liquid ejecting apparatus and liquid supply method
US8113612 * Feb 27, 2009 Feb 14, 2012 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Ink delivery system
US8376529 * Jan 19, 2010 Feb 19, 2013 Seiko Epson Corporation Pressure-regulating valve and liquid droplet ejection apparatus having the same
US8733913 Jan 4, 2013 May 27, 2014 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Liquid delivery system
US20080231672 * Mar 18, 2008 Sep 25, 2008 Seiko Epson Corporation Liquid ejecting apparatus and liquid supply method
US20100214377 * Jan 19, 2010 Aug 26, 2010 Seiko Epson Corporation Pressure-regulating valve and liquid droplet ejection apparatus having the same
WO2012005721A1 * Jul 6, 2010 Jan 12, 2012 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Liquid delivery system
International Classification B41J2/175, B41J2/17, B41J2/18
Cooperative Classification B41J2/17513, Y10T137/7888, B41J2/17523, B41J2/18, B41J2/17503, B41J2/17596, B41J2/17566, B41J2/17509, B41J2/17556
European Classification B41J2/175C2, B41J2/175P, B41J2/18, B41J2/175L, B41J2/175C3A, B41J2/175C, B41J2/175C1A, B41J2/175C9