EP0585615A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Liquid storing container for recording apparatus
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1993-07-30
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Granted: —
•
Expires: 2013-07-30
Abstract
Abstract A liquid storing container (303) employable for an ink jet recording apparatus includes a housing (303, 100), a porous ink absorbing member (310, 103) received in the housing (303, 100), and a first filter (308, F) coming in contact with the ink absorbing member (310, 103). The liquid storing container (303) is detachably connected to an ink jet recording head (301, 104, 200) having a second filter (302) disposed in a liquid flow path thereof. The liquid storing container (303) is constructed such that the volume between the first filter (308, F) and the second filter (302), a size of each filter, a condition for compressively receiving the ink absorbing member (310, 103) in the housing (303, 100), and an inner structure of the liquid storing container (303) satisfactorily coincide with predetermined conditions.
Inventors
- 👤 Toshihiko C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ujita
- 👤 Koji c/o Canon Kabushiki Kaishaha Yamakawa
- 👤 Masanori Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Takenouchi
- 👤 Sadayuki Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Sugama
- 👤 Kenjiro Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Watanabe
- 👤 Torachika Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Osada
- 👤 Kazuhiro Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Nakajima
- 👤 Takayoshi Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Tsutsumi
- 👤 Hidemi Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Kubota
- 👤 Yasuo Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Kotaki
- 👤 Keiichiro Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Tsukuda
- 👤 Yohei Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Sato
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 12:30
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/17; B41J2/175; B41J2/17503; B41J2/1752; B41J2/17523; B41J2/135; B41J2/165; B41J2/16517; B41J2/1652; B41J2/17513; B41J2/17553; B41J2/17563
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 61
Claim 1
Independent Claim
143 words
A liquid storage container, being connectable to a recording means for recording with a liquid as a recording agent and discharging said liquid in response to a sucking operation of a sucking means while said liquid to be fed to said recording means is stored in said liquid storage container, wherein said liquid storing container a joint portion to be connected to a liquid inflow path on the recording means side, said joint portion including a liquid outflow path for feeding said liquid from a liquid storing section to said liquid inflow path therethrough, and a sum of the volume of said liquid outflow path and the volume as measured from a liquid inflow port of said liquid inflow path to a liquid discharging portion is determined to be smaller than a quantity of liquid to be discharged per each liquid sucking operation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
144 words
A liquid storage container, being connectable to a recording means for recording with a liquid as a recording agent and discharging said liquid in response to a sucking operation of a sucking means while said liquid to be fed to said recording means is stored in said liquid storage container, wherein said liquid storing container a joint portion to be connected to a liquid inflow path having a filter on the recording means side, said joint portion including a liquid outflow path for feeding said liquid from a liquid storing section to said liquid inflow path therethrough, and a sum of the volume of said liquid outflow path and the volume as measured from a liquid inflow port of said liquid inflow path to said filter is determined to be smaller than a quantity of liquid to be discharged per each liquid sucking operation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
A liquid storage container according to claim 1, characterized in that said joint portion comprises a valve mechanism in said liquid outflow path so as to enable said liquid to flow therethrough only when said joint portion is connected to said recording means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
A liquid storage container according to claim 2, characterized in that said joint portion comprises a valve mechanism in said liquid outflow path so as to enable said liquid to flow therethrough only when said joint portion is connected to said recording means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A liquid storage container according to claim 3, characterized in that said valve mechanism comprises a valve body for opening and closing said liquid outflow path and a filter disposed upstream of said valve body
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A liquid storage container according to claim 4, characterized in that said valve mechanism comprises a valve body for opening and closing said liquid outflow path and a filter disposed upstream of said valve body.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
A recording unit of the type integrated with a liquid storage container characterized by comprising; a liquid storage container as defined in claim 2, and a recording head to be connected to and disconnected from said liquid storage container, said recording head serving as said recording means for recording by discharging said liquid toward a recording medium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
A recording unit according to claim 7, characterized in that said recording means comprises an element for generating thermal energy for inducing film boiling with said liquid, said element serving also an element for generating energy to be utilized for discharging said liquid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
A liquid jet recording unit characterized by comprising; holding means for detachably holding a recording unit of the type integrated with a liquid storage container as defined in claim 7, and liquid sucking means, adapted to be connected to discharging orifices of said recording head, for sucking said liquid.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
A liquid jet recording unit according to claim 9, characterized in that said liquid sucking means comprises a cap for covering said discharging orifices of said recording head and a pump for sucking said liquid with said cap.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
191 words
A recording unit characterized by comprising a liquid storage container comprising a housing having an opening portion formed thereon, a cylindrical-shaped member projected inside of said housing while surrounding said opening portion therewith, a first filter disposed on the innermost end of said cylindrical-shaped member, a liquid absorbing member received in said housing while coming in contact with said filter, and a valve body disposed to be displaced in said cylindrical-shaped member so as to be biased in such a direction as to close said opening, a recording head comprising a cylindrical-shaped member having a liquid path formed therein to make communication with discharging orifices therethrough, said sleeve-shaped member being able to be inserted into said opening portion, and a second filter disposed in said liquid path, and sealing means for sealing between said liquid storage container and said recording head when both connected to each other, wherein the volume as measured between said first filter and said second filter is determined to be smaller than a quantity of liquid suction achieved by liquid sucking means of a recording apparatus having said recording unit mounted thereon per each liquid sucking operation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
126 words
An ink jet recording unit characterized by comprising an ink jet recording head and an ink tank cartridge, said ink jet recording unit being exchangeably mounted on a carriage of an ink jet recording apparatus to effect recording on a recording medium therewith by discharging droplets of ink to said recording medium, wherein said ink jet recording unit comprises a connecting mechanism for connecting said ink jet recording head and said ink tank cartridge to each other and disconnecting them from each other, and a connecting portion for bringing a flow path in said ink jet recording head in sealable contact with a flow path in said ink tank cartridge when said ink jet recording head and said ink tank cartridge are connected to each other.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
59 words
An ink jet recording unit according to claim 12, characterized in that said carriage comprises a tank disconnecting mechanism for disconnecting said ink tank cartridge from said ink jet recording head, and an intensity of connecting force attainable from said connecting mechanism is determined to be smaller than an intensity of disconnecting force applied to said tank disconnecting mechanism.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
87 words
An ink jet recording unit according to claim 13, characterized in that said ink tank cartridge comprises a valve for preventing ink from leaking from said joint portion when said ink tank cartridge is disconnected from said ink jet recording head and an elastic member for biasing said valve from the interior of said ink tank cartridge in the outward direction, and an intensity of acting force of said elastic member is determined to be smaller than an intensity of connecting force attainable from said connecting mechanism.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
An ink jet recording unit according to claim 12, characterized in that said joint portion comprises an O-ring.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
An ink jet recording unit according to claim 12, characterized in that an intensity of connecting force attainable from said connecting mechanism lies within the range of 9.8 N (about 1 kgf) to 19.6 N (about 2 kgf).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
67 words
An ink jet recording unit according to claim 12, characterized in that said connecting mechanism comprises a pair of arrow-shaped pawls extending from the opposite sides of one of said ink jet recording head and said ink tank cartridge and a pair of receiving portions formed on the other of said ink jet recording head and said ink tank cartridge to be engaged with said arrow-shaped pawls.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
223 words
An ink container characterized by comprising a housing having a first opening portion and a second opening portion formed thereon, and an ink absorbing member for storing ink being received in said housing said first opening portion being connected to an ink discharging section, and said second opening portion being communicated with the outside when said first opening portion is connected to said ink discharging section, wherein when said first opening portion is connected to said ink discharging section, the power relationship between a capillary power Ka arising in a connecting portion between said ink absorbing member and said ink injecting section connected to each other and a capillary power Kb arising in the region located adjacent to said connecting portion is represented by the following inequality, Ka (at the time of connection) ≧ Kb said capillary power Ka arising in said connecting portion immediately after said first opening portion is disconnected from said ink discharging section varies as represented by the following inequality, and Ka (at the time of connection) ≧ Ka (at the time of disconnection) at this time, the power relationship between said capillary power Ka arising in said connecting portion and said capillary power Kb arising in the region located adjacent to said connecting portion is represented by the following inequality. Ka (at the time of disconnection) ≦ Kb
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
An ink container according to claim 18, characterized in that said ink discharging section can be connected to and disconnected from said ink container by a user as desired.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
69 words
An ink container according to claim 18, characterized in that said ink absorbing member received in said housing of said ink container is composed of a first ink absorbing member to be received in said connecting portion and a second ink absorbing member to be received in the other part rather than said connecting portion each of which is prepared in the form of an individual ink absorbing member.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
An ink container according to claim 20, characterized in that a member is disposed between said first ink absorbing member and said second absorbing member so as to enable them to be separated from each other.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
An ink container acceding to claim 21, characterized in that said separating member is prepared in the form of a filter.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
An ink jet recording apparatus characterized by comprising said ink container as claimed in claim 18 installed thereon.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
102 words
The ink container according to claim 18, characterized in that said connecting portion of said ink absorbing member to said ink discharging section is located in a cylindrical-shaped member projected inward of said housing while surrounding said first opening portion, and when said ink container is connected to said ink discharging section, a cylindrical-shaped member of said ink discharging section having a flow path formed therein to be communicated with discharging orifices of said ink discharging section is inserted into said cylindrical-shaped member of said ink container while compressing a part of said ink absorbing member located in said connecting portion therewith.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
37 words
An ink container according to claim 18, characterized in that said ink absorbing member received in said housing of said ink container has compressibility which is increased from said second opening portion toward said first opening portion.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
59 words
An ink jet recording unit characterized by comprising; a first filter disposed in an ink intake port of an ink jet recording head adapted to discharge ink from discharging orifices, and a second filter disposed in an ink feed port of an ink tank cartridge to be connected to said ink intake port of said ink jet recording head.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
26 words
An ink jet recording unit according to claim 26, characterized in that said first filter has a mesh size larger than that of said second filter.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
An ink jet recording unit according to claim 26, characterized in that said first filter has a diameter smaller than that of said second filter.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
36 words
An ink jet recording unit according to claim 26, characterized in that said ink jet recording head and said ink tank cartridge are connected to each other on a carriage of an ink jet recording apparatus.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
40 words
An ink jet recording unit according to claim 26, characterized in that said ink jet recording head comprises an electrothermal converting element for generating thermal energy for inducing film boiling, said thermal energy being utilized as energy for discharging ink.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
48 words
An ink jet recording apparatus characterized by comprising; a carriage having an ink jet recording unit as defined in claim 26 mounted thereon, means for controllably driving said ink jet recording unit, and means for displacing said carriage relative to a recording medium to be recorded with ink.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
125 words
An ink tank cartridge having an atmospheric air intake port and an ink outflow port formed thereon at positions different from each other so as to allow ink to be fed to the outside from said ink outflow port, said ink tank cartridge having an ink absorbing member made of a porous material received therein, wherein a plurality of ribs are formed along an inner wall of said ink tank cartridge so as to enable atmospheric air taken through said atmospheric intake port to be distributed over one surface of said ink absorbing member on the atmospheric air intake port side, at least one side surface of said ink absorbing member, and one surface of said ink absorbing member on the ink outflow port side.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
79 words
An ink tank cartridge according to claim 32, characterized in that each of said ribs is caused to extend from the position where a sufficient quantity of air can be taken in said ink tank cartridge through said atmospheric air intake port till the location positionally coincident with the surface having said ink outflow port formed thereon without any formation of a closed space between said ink absorbing member and the inner wall surface of said ink tank cartridge.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
51 words
An ink tank cartridge according to claim 33, characterized in that said ink tank cartridge has a parallelepiped-shaped or a cubic ink absorbing member receiving section having said ink absorbing member received therein, and said ribs are formed on at least two inner surfaces of said ink absorbing member receiving section.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
71 words
An ink tank cartridge according to claim 33, characterized in that said ink tank cartridge has a parallelepiped-shaped or a cubic ink absorbing member receiving section having said ink absorbing member received therein, and said ribs are formed on two surfaces of said ink tank absorbing member receiving section exclusive of the surface having said atmospheric air intake port formed thereon and the surface having said ink outflow port formed thereon.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
43 words
An ink tank cartridge according to claim 32, characterized in that 70 % or more of the whole surface area of said ink absorbing member is exposed to air while a part of said ink absorbing member comes in contact with said ribs.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
76 words
A mechanism for connecting an ink jet recording head having an ink discharging function to an ink receiving container for receiving ink therein, wherein said ink jet recording head and said ink receiving container are connected to each other with a pipe-shaped connecting member interposed therebetween, said connecting member comprising an elastic sealing member for sealably closing at least the space between said ink jet recording head and said ink receiving container from the outside therewith.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
107 words
A mechanism according to claim 37, characterized in that an ink absorbing member is received in said ink receiving container connected to said ink jet recording head via said connecting member so as to allow ink to be fed to said ink jet recording head from said ink absorbing member through a connection port of said ink receiving container, and when said ink receiving container is connected to said ink jet recording head via said connecting member, the foremost end of said connecting member is inserted into said ink receiving container through said connection port so as to compress a part of said ink absorbing member therewith.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
23 words
A mechanism according to claim 37, characterized in that said connecting member comprises a filter which is disposed in a flow path thereof.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
155 words
An ink jet recording unit characterized by comprising; an ink jet recording head exhibiting an ink discharging function for discharging ink from ink discharging orifices thereof, said ink jet recording head comprising a sleeve-shaped connecting portion projecting from a housing thereof, said connecting portion having a flow path formed therein to make communication with said ink discharging orifices of said ink jet recording head, an ink receiving container characterized by comprising a housing having an opening portion formed thereon, a cylindrical-shaped member projecting inward of said housing while surrounding said opening portion therewith, and an ink absorbing member received in said housing, and a connecting member comprising a pipe-shaped member inserted into said cylindrical-shaped member with a diameter larger than that of said sleeve-shaped connecting portion, and an elastic sealing member fitted around the outer periphery of said pipe-shaped member to come in contact with at least said housing of said ink jet recording head.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
37 words
An ink jet recording unit according to claim 40, characterized in that said pipe-shaped member is dimensioned to have a length longer than that of said cylindrical-shaped member and comprises a filter at the foremost end thereof.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
21 words
An ink jet recording unit according to claim 40, characterized in that said pipe-shaped member is sheathed with an elastic material.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
27 words
The ink jet recording unit according to claim 42, characterized in that said pipe-shaped member exhibits a tapered contour which conically extending in the axial direction thereof.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
157 words
An ink jet recording unit characterized by comprising; an ink jet recording head exhibiting an ink discharging function for discharging ink from ink discharging orifices thereof, said ink jet recording head comprising a sleeve-shaped connecting portion having a flow path formed therein to make communication with said ink discharging orifices of said ink jet recording head and an annular elastic member fitted around the base end of said sleeve-shaped connecting portion, an ink receiving container comprising a housing having an opening portion formed thereon, a cylindrical-shaped member projecting inward of said housing while surrounding said opening portion therewith, and an ink absorbing member received in said housing, and a connecting member comprising a pipe-shaped member having a first pipe-shaped portion to be inserted into said cylindrical-shaped member and a second pipe-shaped portion having a diameter larger than that of said annular elastic member, and an elastic sealing member fitted around the outer periphery of said pipe-shaped member.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
52 words
An ink container of which housing is formed with an atmospheric air intake port, said ink container having ink to be fed to recording means received therein, wherein said housing of said ink container comprises a cutout portion along one of the surfaces thereof having said atmospheric air intake port formed thereon.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
41 words
An ink container according to claim 45, characterized in that said cutout portion serves also as a guiding member for defining an attitude to be assumed when said ink container is installed on a carriage for an ink jet recording apparatus.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
130 words
A liquid storing container including a receiving case in which a porous member having a large number of pores communicated with each other therein is received in the compressed state under an atmospheric pressure introduced through an atmospheric air intake port formed on said receiving case with a small diameter, said liquid storing container comprising, an end filter to which liquid is fed from an end part of said porous member while said end filter comes in contact with said end part of said porous member, and a plurality of symmetrical surfaces with respect to the center of said end filter at a contact portion where said porous member comes in contact with said end filter, said surfaces each extending in the direction of feeding liquid at said contact portion.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
40 words
A liquid storing container according to claim 47, characterized in that said receiving case exhibits a square sectional shape, and said symmetrical surfaces are coincident with two parallel surfaces located opposite to each other while extending in the longitudinal direction.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
135 words
A liquid storing container including a receiving case in which a porous member having a large number of pores communicated with each other therein is received in the compressed state under an atmospheric pressure introduced through an atmospheric air intake port formed on said receiving case with a small diameter, said liquid storing container characterized by comprising, a circular end filter to which liquid is fed from an end part of said porous member while said filter comes in contact with said end part of said porous member, and wherein a shortest distance as measured from the periphery of a contact portion of said circular end filter to said receiving case is dimensioned to be smaller than the diameter of the contact range where said circular end filter comes in contact with said porous member.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
39 words
A liquid storing container according to claim 49, characterized in that said shortest distance is dimensioned to be a half or less of the diameter of the contact range of said end filter multiplied by a numeral of 1.3.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
137 words
A liquid storing container including a receiving case in which a porous member having a large number of pores communicated with each other therein is received in the compressed state under an atmospheric pressure introduced through an atmospheric air intake port formed on said receiving case with a small diameter, said liquid storing container comprising, an end filter to which liquid is fed from an end part of said porous member, while said filter comes in contact with said end part of said porous member, and wherein a sectional area of said porous member as measured along the transverse plane positionally coincident with the contact part of said end filter is determined to lie within the range from 3 or more to 6.5 or less times the sectional area of the contact part of said porous member.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
137 words
A liquid storing container including a receiving case in which a porous member having a large number of pores communicated with each other therein is received in the compressed state under an atmospheric pressure introduced through an atmospheric air intake port formed on said receiving case with a small diameter, said liquid storing container comprising, an end filter to which liquid is fed from an end part of said porous member, while said filter comes in contact with said end part of said porous member, and wherein a sectional area of said porous member as measured along the transverse plane positionally coincident with the contact part of said end filter is determined to lie within the range from 4 or more to 6.0 or less times the sectional area of the contact part of said porous member.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
149 words
A liquid storing container including a receiving case in which a porous member having a large number of pores communicated with each other therein is received in the compressed state under an atmospheric pressure introduced through an atmospheric air intake port formed on said receiving case with a small diameter, comprising a contact member, comes in contact with said porous member at one end thereof on the liquid feeding side, for compressing said porous member therewith so as to receive liquid fed from said one end of said porous member, and wherein a compression ratio of the compressed volume of said porous member induced by compression with said contact member to the original volume of said porous member prior to said compression is smaller than that of the compressed volume of said porous member in the ultimately compressed state induced by compression with inner surfaces of said receiving case.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
51 words
A liquid storing container according to claim 53, characterized in that averages of the compression ratios of said porous member compressed by said inner surfaces of said receiving case as measured along transverse plane perpendicular to each of said inner surfaces of said receiving case are substantially equal to each other.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
33 words
A liquid storing container according to claim 54, characterized in that said compression ratios of said porous member with respect to respective said inner surfaces vary within the range of ± 5 %.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
33 words
A liquid storing container according to claim 54, characterized in that said compression ratios of said porous member with respect to respective said inner surfaces vary within the range of ± 2 %.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
102 words
A liquid storing container according to claim 53, characterized in that when it is assumed that the compression ratio is represented by a length of said porous member after receipt of the latter in said receiving case/a length of the same prior to receipt thereof in said receiving case, a difference between the compression ratio of said porous member compressed by the inner surfaces of said receiving case and the compression ratio of said porous member compressed by said contact member in said receiving case in the liquid feeding direction lies within the range of 0.5 or more to 0.25 or less.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
101 words
A liquid storing container according to claim 53, characterized in that when it is assumed that the compression ratio is represented by a length of said porous member after receipt of the latter in said receiving case/a length of the same after receipt thereof in said receiving case, a difference between the compression ratio of said porous member compressed by the inner surfaces of said receiving case and the compression ratio of said porous member compressed by said contact member in said receiving case in the liquid feeding direction lies within the range of 0.09 or more to 0.18 or less.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
59 words
A liquid storing container according to claim 47, characterized in that said receiving case is arranged in the direction of extension of said porous member coincident with the liquid feeding direction, and a plurality of ribs each projecting inside of said receiving case are caused to extend within the range larger than that of extension of said porous member.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
89 words
A liquid storing container according to claim 59, characterized in that said receiving case comprises, an end filter firmly held therein, and a value normally biased toward the position where the value sealably isolate said end filter from the outside, said value being displaced by a thrusting force applied thereto to the position where liquid is permitted to flow therethrough but said valve is held in the noncontact state relative to said end filter, and wherein said liquid is supplementally filled in said receiving case from the valve side.
Claim 61
Independent Claim
180 words
A method of filling a liquid storing container with liquid characterized in that said liquid storing container comprises a porous member having a large number of pores communicated with each other therein, said porous member being received in a receiving case of said liquid storing container, a filter portion adapted to come in close contact with said porous member, a valve portion serving to sealably isolate said filter portion from the outside, said valve portion being displaced at the time of liquid feeding so as to permit said filter portion to make communication with the outside, and an atmospheric air intake port through which atmospheric air is introduced in said receiving case to make communication with said porous member, wherein when said valve portion is displaced, a space sufficient to temporarily store said liquid between said filter portion and said valve portion is formed in said receiving case, and said liquid storing container is filled with said liquid by displacing said valve portion from the outside while the communicated state is maintained between said filter portion and said valve portion.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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