EP0624475A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ink tank, head cartridge and ink jet printing apparatus
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1994-05-11
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Granted: —
•
Expires: 2014-05-11
Abstract
Abstract A length (c) of a melamine foamed block (12) to be accommodated in an ink tank housing (11) as measured in the longitudinal direction is dimensioned to be larger than a length (C) of the ink tank housing (11) as measured in the longitudinal direction. Thus, while the foamed block (12) is accommodated in the ink tank housing (11), it is compressed in the direction orienting toward an ink feeding port (13) from which ink is fed to a printing head (14), i.e., in the ink feeding direction. Consequently, the ink retaining force induced by the capillary force is not intensified in the compressing direction of the melamine foamed block (12), resulting in an ink feeding capability of the printing head (14) being improved. On the contrary, the ink retaining force effective at a right angle relative to the compressing direction of the melamine foamed block (12) is intensified.
Inventors
- 👤 Masahiko C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Higuma
- 👤 Tokuya C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ohta
- 👤 Hiroshi C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Sugitani
- 👤 Kazuaki C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Masuda
- 👤 Hiroyuki C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ishinaga
- 👤 Torachika C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Osada
- 👤 Jun C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai
- 👤 Yohei C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Sato
- 👤 Yoichi C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Taneya
- 👤 Takashi C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Saito
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 06:16
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/17; B41J2/175; B41J2/17503; B41J2/1752; B41J2/17513; B41J2/17553; B41J2/17563
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 55
Claim 1
Independent Claim
100 words
An ink tank for storably receiving ink therein, characterized by comprising: a housing having an ink feeding port formed therethrough so as to allow ink to be storably received therein to be fed through said ink feeding port; an ink absorbing member accommodated in said housing for retaining ink therein, said ink absorbing member being a porous block having a three-dimensional net-shaped structure and comprising a foamed block molded of a condensate composed of a compound having an amino group and a formaldehyde as base materials; and compressing means for compressing said ink absorbing member toward said ink feeding port.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
103 words
An ink tank for storably receiving ink therein, characterized by comprising: a housing having an ink feeding port formed therethrough so as to allow ink to be storably received therein to be fed through said ink feeding port; an ink absorbing member accommodated in said housing for retaining ink therein, said ink absorbing member being a porous block having a three-dimensional net-shaped structure and comprising a foamed block molded of a condensate composed of a compound having an amino group and a formaldehyde as base materials; and compressing means for compressing said ink absorbing member in said housing at least in one direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
An ink tank as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said compressing means is constructed such that dimensions defining at least a part of the contour of said ink absorbing member are larger than those defining a part of the inner contour of said housing so as to enable said compressing to be achieved.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
An ink tank as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said compound having an amino group is at least one kind of material selected from a group consisting of melamine, urea, carboxylic acid amide, dicyandiamido, guanidine, sulfonic acid amide, aliphatic amine, benzoguana and its derivative.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
An ink tank as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said ink tank is used for an ink jet printing head adapted to perform a printing operation at an ink injecting frequency of 3 kHz or more.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
121 words
An ink tank as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that when it is assumed that inner dimensions on a plane including said ink feeding port in said housing as measured in the substantially vertical and transverse directions are designated by A and B and outer dimensions on a plane of said ink absorbing member extending in parallel with the first-mentioned plane including said ink feeding port as measured in the vertical and transverse directions before said ink absorbing member is accommodated in said housing are designates by a and b, the dimensional relationship represented by the following inequality is established among said dimensions A , B, a and b. 0.8 ≦ a ̲ / A ̲ x b/B ≦ 1.7
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
An ink tank as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that while the contour of said ink absorbing member is maintained, a / A and/or b/B are maximized on said plane located on an ink feeding port side.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
An ink tank as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that a plurality of cutouts, slits or holes each extending toward said ink feeding port are formed in said ink absorbing member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
An ink tank as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that a part of said housing along which said ink absorbing member and the inner wall of said housing come in contact with each other is coated with a surface active agent and a slip additive.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
88 words
An ink tank for storably receiving ink therein, characterized by comprising: a housing; an ink absorbing member accommodated in said housing for retaining ink therein, said ink absorbing member comprising a foamed block including cell films of which number is smaller than that of a foamed block molded of a polyurethane resin or a foamed block molded of a condensate composed of a compound having an amino group and a formaldehyde; and foamed block deforming/accommodating means for compensating or suppressing deterioration of properties of said ink absorbing member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
99 words
An ink tank for storably receiving ink therein, characterized by comprising; a housing; an ink absorbing member accommodated in said housing for retaining ink therein, said ink absorbing member being a foamed block including cell films of which number is smaller than that of a foamed block molded of a polyurethane resin or a foamed block molded of a condensate composed of a compound having an amino group and a formaldehyde; and at least a part of said ink absorbing member accommodated in said housing for retaining ink therein being subjected to preliminary treatment for the purpose of compensation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
An ink tank as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that at least a side surface of said ink absorbing member on the ink feeding side or a slidable surface of said ink absorbing member after the latter is accommodated in said housing is subjected to water jet working.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
134 words
A head cartridge including a printing head for ejecting ink therefrom and an ink tank for storably receiving ink to be fed to said printing head, said printing head and said ink tank being integrated with each other, characterized in that said ink tank comprises: a housing having an ink feeding port formed therethrough so as to allow ink to be storably received therein to be fed through said ink feeding port; an ink absorbing member accommodated in said housing for retaining ink therein, said ink absorbing member being a porous block having a three-dimensional net-shaped structure and comprising a foamed block molded of a condensate composed of a compound having an amino group and a formaldehyde as base materials; and compressing means for compressing said ink absorbing member toward said ink feeding port.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
138 words
A head cartridge including a printing head for ejecting ink therefrom and an ink tank for storably receiving therein ink to be fed to said printing head, said printing head and said ink tank being integrated with each other, characterized in that said ink tank comprises: a housing having an ink feeding port formed therethrough so as to allow ink to be storably received therein to be fed through said ink feeding port; an ink absorbing member accommodated in said housing for retaining ink therein, said ink absorbing member being a porous block having a three-dimensional net-shaped structure and comprising a foamed block molded of a condensate composed of a compound having an amino group and a formaldehyde as base materials; and compressing means for compressing said ink absorbing member in said housing at least in one direction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
A head cartridge as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that said printing head generates a bubble by utilizing thermal energy, and subsequently, ejects ink therefrom by the functional force induced by said bubble.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
141 words
An ink jet printing apparatus for performing a printing operation by ejecting ink to a printing medium from a printing head adapted to eject ink therefrom, characterized in that said ink jet apparatus includes an ink tank for storably receiving ink to be fed to said printing head, said ink tank comprising; a housing having an ink feeding port formed therethrough so as to allow ink to be storably received therein to be fed through said ink feeding port; an ink absorbing member accommodated in said housing for retaining ink therein, said ink absorbing member being a porous block having a three-dimensional net-shaped structure and comprising a foamed block molded of a condensate composed of a compound having an amino group and a formaldehyde as base materials; and compressing means for compressing said ink absorbing member toward said ink feeding port.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
146 words
An ink jet printing apparatus for performing a printing operation by ejecting ink to a printing medium from a printing head adapted to eject ink therefrom, characterized in that said ink jet printing apparatus includes an ink tank for storably receiving therein ink to be fed to said printing head, said ink tank comprising; a housing having an ink feeding port formed therethrough so as to allow ink to be storably received therein to be fed through said ink feeding port; an ink absorbing member accommodated in said housing for retaining ink therein, said ink absorbing member being a porous block having a three-dimensional net-shaped structure and comprising a foamed block molded of a condensate composed of a compound having an amino group and a formaldehyde as base materials; and compressing means for compressing said ink absorbing member in said housing at least in one direction.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that said printing head performs a printing operation at an ink injecting frequency of 3 kHz or more.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that said printing head generates a bubble in ink by utilizing thermal energy, and subsequently, ejects ink by the functional force induced by said bubble.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
74 words
A method of producing an ink absorbing member, characterized by comprising the steps of: providing a thermosetting foamed block having a porous three-dimensional divergent circuit network, said thermosetting foamed block being molded of a condensate composed of a compound having an amino group and a formaldehyde; and working said foamed block by actuating a water jet cutter in such a manner as to enable said foamed block to be accommodated in an ink tank.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as claimed in claim 20, characterized in that at least a part of said ink absorbing member facing an ink outflow portion of said ink tank is worked by actuating said water jet cutter.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method as claimed in claim 21, characterized in that a part of said ink absorbing member is worked by actuating said water jet cutter so as to allow a negative pressure in said ink absorbing member to be adequately adjusted and to allow ink to smoothly flow toward said ink outflow portion.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as claimed in claim 22, characterized in that said part of said ink absorbing member is worked in the form of a plurality of holes or a plurality of slits each extending in the direction orienting toward said ink outflow portion.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
An ink tank having an ink absorbing member accommodated therein, said ink absorbing member being producing by practicing said method as claimed in claim 20.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
49 words
An ink jet printing apparatus characterized by comprising: an ink tank as claimed in claim 24; a printing head for performing a printing operation by ejecting to a printing medium the ink fed from said ink tank; and means for displacing said printing medium relative to said printing head.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
35 words
An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 25, characterized in that said printing head generates a bubble by utilizing thermal energy, and subsequently, ejects ink by the functional force induced by said bubble.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
49 words
A head cartridge, characterized by comprising: an ink tank as claimed in claim 24; and a printing head for performing a printing operation by ejecting to a printing medium the ink fed from said ink tank, wherein said ink tank and said printing head are integrated with each other.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
33 words
A head cartridge as claimed in claim 27, characterized in that said printing head generates a bubble by utilizing thermal energy, and subsequently, ejects ink by the functional force induced by said bubble.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
28 words
An ink jet printing apparatus, characterized by comprising: a head cartridge as defined in claim 28; and means for displacing a printing medium relative to said head cartridge.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
78 words
An ink tank for storably receiving ink therein, characterized by comprising: an ink absorbing member having a porous three-dimensional divergent circuit network and comprising a thermosetting foamed block molded of a condensate composed of a compound having an amino group and a formaldehyde as base materials; pressing means for pressing said ink absorbing member against an ink outflow portion; and alleviating means for alleviating an intensity of pressure, applied to said ink absorbing member by said pressing means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
37 words
An ink tank as claimed in claim 30, characterized in that said pressing means includes an ink feeding tube adapted to be brought in close contact with said ink absorbing member together with said ink outflow portion.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
20 words
An ink tank as claimed in claim 31, characterized in that a filter is disposed in said ink outflow portion.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
53 words
An ink tank as claimed in claim 32, characterized in that said attenuating means includes a second ink absorbing member having high elasticity at least at the pressed part of the interior of said ink tank, said second ink absorbing member being interposed between said ink absorbing member and said ink outflow portion.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
26 words
An ink tank as claimed in claim 32, characterized in that said alleviating means is an ink outflow portion convexly projected toward said ink absorbing member.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
39 words
An ink tank as claimed in claim 32, characterized in that said attenuating means is a collision portion adapted to collide against said ink absorbing member, said collision portion having dimensions larger than those of said ink outflow portion.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
86 words
An ink tank as claimed in claim 32, characterized in that said alleviating means is a collision portion having a ratio of W/L ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 on the assumption that a sneezing length of said ink outflow portion squeezed in said ink absorbing member by said pressing means is designated by L and a diameter of the circle derived from convertible calculation made for an area of the collided part of said collision portion on the said ink absorbing member is designated by W.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
40 words
An ink tank as claimed in claim 32 further characterized by including second pressing means for additionally pressing said ink absorbing member toward said ink outflow portion so as to reliably maintain the thrusted state induced by said pressing means.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
32 words
An ink tank as claimed in claim 37 further characterized by including second alleviating means for alleviating an intensity of pressure applied to said ink absorbing member by said second pressing means.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
61 words
An ink tank, characterized by comprising: an ink absorbing member having a porous three-dimensional divergent circuit network and comprising a thermosetting foamed block molded of a condensate composed of a compound having an amino group and a formaldehyde; and compensating means for applying a functional force to said thermosetting foamed block corresponding to deterioration of properties of said ink absorbing member.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
50 words
An ink tank as claimed in claim 39, characterized in that said compensating means comprises a foamed block having elastic properties and a capillary force more excellent than those of said thermosetting foamed block, said foamed block being interposed between the ink outflow portion side and said ink absorbing member.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
35 words
An ink tank as claimed in claim 40, characterized in that said compensating means includes an elastic pressing mechanism for pressing said ink absorbing member while following deterioration of properties of said ink absorbing member.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
84 words
An ink tank, characterized by comprising: an ink absorbing member having a porous three-dimensional divergent circuit network and comprising a thermosetting foamed block molded of a condensate composed of a compound having an amino group and a formaldehyde as base materials; a holding portion for holding an ink feeding tube inserted into said ink tank so as to allow ink to flow outside of said ink absorbing member therethrough; and a pressure alleviating member interposed between said holding portion and said ink absorbing member.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
49 words
An ink jet printing apparatus, characterized by comprising: an ink tank as defined in claim 30; a printing head for performing a printing operation by ejecting to a printing medium the ink fed from said ink tank; and means for displacing a printing medium relative to said printing head.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
34 words
An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 43, characterized in that said printing head generates a bubble by utilizing thermal energy, subsequently, ejects ink by the functional force induced by said bubble.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
48 words
A head cartridge, characterized by comprising: an ink tank as defined in claim 30; a printing head for performing a printing operation by ejecting to a printing medium the ink fed from said ink tank, wherein said ink tank and said printing head are integrated with each other.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
32 words
A head cartridge as claimed in claim 45, characterized in that said printing head generates a bubble by utilizing thermal energy, and subsequently, ejects ink by the functional force of said bubble.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
28 words
An ink jet printing apparatus, characterized by comprising: a head cartridge as defined in claim 46, and means for displacing a printing medium relative to said head cartridge.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
87 words
An ink tank for storably receiving ink therein, characterized by comprising: a first ink chamber including an ink feeding portion and an atmospheric air communicating portion and having an ink absorbing member accommodated therein; and one or a plurality of second ink chambers each communicated with said first ink chamber and having ink storably received therein, wherein said ink absorbing member is a porous block having a three-dimensional net-shaped structure and is molded of a condensate composed of a compound having an amino group and a formaldehyde.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
110 words
An ink tank for storably receiving ink therein, characterized by comprising: a first ink chamber including an ink feeding portion and having an ink absorbing member accommodated therein; and one or a plurality of second ink chambers each communicated with said first ink chamber and having ink storably received therein, wherein each of said second ink chambers communicated with said first ink chamber and including an atmospheric communicating portion has an ink absorbing member accommodated therein; and said ink absorbing member is a porous block having a three-dimensional net-shaped structure and is molded of a condensate composed of a compound having an amino group and a formaldehyde as base materials.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
24 words
An ink tank as claimed in claim 49, characterized in that a capillary member is disposed in a communication portion between adjacent ink chambers.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
29 words
An ink tank as claimed in claim 48, characterized in that said ink tank is separable from a printing head so as to enable it be exchanged another one.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
35 words
A head cartridge, characterized by comprising: an ink tank as defined in claim 48; and a printing head for allowing ink to be fed from said ink tank and then ejecting the fed ink therefrom.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
31 words
A head cartridge as claimed in claim 52, characterized in that said printing head includes an energy generating element for generating energy to be utilized for the purpose of ink ejection.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
41 words
A head cartridge as claimed in claim 53, characterized in that said printing head includes an electrothermal converting element for generating thermal energy required for generating a bubble in said ink, said electrothermal converting element serving as said energy generating element.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
29 words
An ink jet printing apparatus, characterized by comprising: a head cartridge as defined in claim 54, wherein said printing head is detachably mounted on said ink jet printing apparatus.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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