JP3165281B2 - Package of replaceable ink jet recording ink cartridge and method of opening the same - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a replaceable ink jet recording ink cartridge package which stores ink supplied by being connected to an ink jet recording head and a method of opening the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, ink cartridges for ink jet recording are roughly classified into the following two types.

[0003] One is an ink cartridge connected to and integrated with an ink jet recording head as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-87242 (hereinafter referred to as a first conventional example).

The other is a replaceable ink cartridge (hereinafter referred to as a second conventional example) which is separated and independent from the ink jet recording head and is connected via an ink supply pipe or the like.

In an ink cartridge package integrated with an ink jet recording head as in the first conventional example, an orifice (ejection port) of the ink jet recording head is used.
By applying an elastic material or an adhesive tape to the air communication port of the ink cartridge and / or the ink cartridge, gluing it, and then packing it with a packaging member, it can also be used for transportation during distribution and environmental changes. At the time of (pressure change, temperature change, etc.), care is taken to prevent ink leakage.

At the time of use, the ink cartridge integrated with the ink jet recording head is opened by an arbitrary method,
Orifice of inkjet recording head, and / or
The member applied to the air communication port of the ink cartridge is removed.

In the second conventional example, ink is stored in a plastic container or bag, and the ink supply port to the ink jet recording head is sealed by a joint using an elastic member. I have. That is, since the ink cartridge alone does not have an air communication port, a closed structure is obtained by closing the ink supply port.

[0008] It is configured to be extremely free from movement during distribution or environmental change without ink leakage.

In the case of a plastic container type, an air communication port is provided so that ink can be supplied by being loaded into an ink jet recording apparatus during use. In the case of a plastic bag type, ink is supplied. Since the configuration is such that the bag itself that does not contribute to the consumption of ink follows, the ink can be supplied.

[0010]

However, when the above conventional example is applied to an exchangeable ink jet recording ink cartridge having at least two openings, an ink supply port and an air communication port, the following problems arise. Occurred.

At least two of the ink supply port and the air communication port
When the opening is sealed with a tape-like member having adhesiveness as in the first conventional example, the exchangeable ink cartridge having two openings has a disadvantage in that the ink cartridge in the ink cartridge may be removed after a long period of distribution. Ink oozes out of the area between the opening and the seal, and eventually the tape peels off, causing ink leakage. In addition, the internal pressure in the ink cartridge changes due to changes in temperature and pressure due to changes in the environment, and ink leakage similar to the above occurs.

Furthermore, even when there is no ink leakage at the time of logistics, at the time of opening (when the tape is peeled off), the ink that has reached the opening portion splatters at the same time as the tape is removed, and stains the clothes and hands of the user. was there.

When the structure as in the second conventional example is applied to an exchangeable ink cartridge having at least two openings, an ink supply port and an air communication port, the size of the ink jet recording apparatus can be increased or the ink of the ink jet recording head can be increased. The structure of the cartridge connecting portion becomes complicated, which leads to downsizing or high cost of the ink jet device, and furthermore, an increase in parts and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described various problems. Even if an exchangeable ink cartridge having a plurality of openings is used, ink can be prevented from leaking during storage and transport. It is an object of the present invention to provide a package of a replaceable ink jet recording ink cartridge which can be distributed with high reliability.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of opening an exchangeable ink cartridge which can be easily opened by anyone without causing the ink to splatter or drop when opened.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a package which can be applied to a replaceable ink cartridge having a simple shape and which does not hinder the miniaturization of the ink jet recording apparatus and the simplification of the structure of the ink jet recording head connected to the ink tank. It is assumed that.

[0017]

Therefore, a package of the replaceable ink jet recording ink cartridge according to the present invention is provided by replacing the replaceable ink jet recording ink cartridge having an ink supply port and an air communication port with the ink supply port and the ink supply port. A package in which the opening of the atmosphere communication port is sealed with a seal member and packaged with a packaging member, and a part of the seal member is welded and sealed to the ink supply port and the opening of the atmosphere communication port, The above object is achieved by a configuration in which the other part of the seal portion is integrated with the packaging member.

Further, the method for unpacking and packaging the replaceable ink jet recording ink cartridge according to the present invention comprises a sealing member in which the openings of the ink supply port and the atmosphere communication port of the replaceable ink jet recording ink cartridge are sealed by welding. A package formed by integrating a member and a packaging member for packaging the ink cartridge, wherein the ink supply port and the atmosphere communication port are provided by opening a part of the packaging member;
Exposing a part away from the cartridge to the outside,
A packaging unit utilizing a part of the ink cartridge
The above object is achieved by a configuration in which the seal member is peeled off from the ink supply port and the air communication port covered with a material to complete the unsealing.

[0019]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective plan view showing a package of an exchangeable ink-jet ink cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view of the same. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of an exchangeable ink jet recording ink cartridge packaged in the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 3, the ink cartridge body 1 packaged in this embodiment has an ink supply port 2 for connecting to an ink jet head and an atmosphere communication port 3 necessary for supplying ink in the ink cartridge. It has two openings, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, both openings are sealed with a sealing member 4, and an edge portion 7 of the sealing member 4 is connected to a packaging member 5 to form an integrated structure. Has become.

The exchangeable ink cartridge 1 to be packaged is
It has at least two openings, the ink supply port 2 and the air communication port 3, and may have any shape, and the structure in the ink cartridge is not particularly limited. Therefore, even if it is a replaceable ink cartridge type in which an ink cartridge containing a porous member integrated with a conventional ink jet recording head is separated, a direct liquid in which only ink exists in the replaceable ink cartridge can be used. It may be a type of ink cartridge. In particular, an opening connected to the ink jet recording head and a negative pressure generating member housing that stores the negative pressure generating member, and an ink housing that is adjacent to the negative pressure generating member housing and stores the ink that is communicated with the bottom communication portion. It is suitable for a replaceable ink jet ink cartridge comprising:

At least two openings provided in the replaceable ink-jet recording ink cartridge are all sealed by a seal member 4 so long as they can withstand evaporation of ink and expansion of air or ink in the ink cartridge. The seal may be formed by any method such as pressure bonding, adhesion, welding, etc., but welding is preferable in order to maintain high reliability.

As the sealing member 4, it is preferable to use a barrier of a single layer called a barrier material in the field of packaging and a composite barrier material of several layers of a plastic film. At the time of welding, it is more preferable that the material of the same type as that of the exchangeable ink cartridge body is welded by heating or the like as a welding layer of the sealing material.

The packaging member 5 may be any one that can be integrated with the above-mentioned sealing member 4 by pressure bonding, adhesion, welding, or the like. The material can be used.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the welded layer of the sealing member 4 at the longitudinal edge 7 and the welded layer of the packaging member 5 are welded by heat and integrated.

(Other Embodiment) Sealing Member 4 and Packaging Member 5
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, both ends 7, 7a of the seal member are welded and integrated with the upper and lower surfaces of the bonding member 6 of the packaging member 5 interposed therebetween. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, only one end 7 of the sealing member is integrated with the packaging member 5.

Further, as shown in FIG.
In the case of an ink cartridge in which the opening and the air communication port 3 are opened in different directions, the openings are sealed with separate sealing members 4 and 4a, and the end portions 7 and 7a are attached to the nearby packaging member 5. It is welded between the joining portions 6.

The packaging member 5 may be closed or partially open.

As described above, since at least a part of the seal member 4 and the packaging member 5 are integrated, when the ink cartridge is removed, the opening of the ink cartridge is sealed and in the packaging member. Even if ink splatters from the ink supply port 2, the ink only spills into the packaging member, does not leak to the outside, and the user does not stain his hands. Further, the dirty packaging member can be promptly discarded.

Next, a method for opening the replaceable ink cartridge from the package according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In this embodiment, the packaging member enclosing the exchangeable ink cartridge may be opened by any means as long as the sealing member and the packaging member are not separated.

In consideration of the simplicity and reliability of opening, it is preferable to make a cut in the end of the packaging member or to make a perforation or the like in the packaging member. More preferably, a release tape or the like is provided on the packaging member. It is to be.

The distribution of the ink in the ink cartridge is configured such that the ink supply port side is made dense to facilitate the supply of the ink to the ink jet head, and the air communication port has as little ink as possible. When separating the sealant and the replaceable ink cartridge, it is preferable to open the seal from the atmosphere communication port side. When the internal pressure of the ink cartridge sealed by the seal material is increasing due to environmental changes (changes in temperature and atmospheric pressure), the ink cartridge is opened from the air communication port side, which has a smaller opening area than the ink supply port. The internal pressure is returned to the atmospheric pressure state, and the ejection of ink from the ink supply port can be suppressed.

As shown in FIG. 7, only the part of the packaging member is opened, and the remaining part of the packaging member covers a part of the replaceable ink cartridge.
Preferably, the opening of the ink cartridge and the seal member are separated. According to the book opening method, even if ink splatters from the ink supply port, the ink only stains the inside of the packaging member and does not stain the user's hand or clothes.

FIG. 8 shows a package in which the above-described opening method can be more preferably and easily performed.

In the example shown in FIG. 8, a long seal member 4 is used, the remaining portion of the seal member on the side where the atmosphere communication port 3 is sealed is U-turned, housed in a package, and the ink supply port 2 is sealed. The end 7 of the side seal member is integrated with the packaging member at a nearby packaging member bonding portion.

When unsealing, after opening a part of the packaging member 5, the end 7 a of the sealing material 4 protruding from the packaging member is pulled in the direction of the arrow to peel it off from the air communication port 3 and the ink supply port 2. Can be. The other sealing material end 7 is integrated with the packaging member, and after being peeled off from the ink supply port, the sealing material 4 and the packaging member 5 remain as one.

The direction in which the sealant is peeled off from the opening of the replaceable ink cartridge is preferably such that the sealant is pulled as sharply as possible without applying force.

In the example shown in FIG. 8, the peeling direction is a direction close to 180 °. In the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and the like, it is preferable to use a method in which the ink cartridge is turned to be threaded from the sealing material.

[0041]

As described above, according to the package of the replaceable ink jet recording ink cartridge and the method of opening the same according to the present invention, there is no ink leakage or the like even during single physical distribution, and high reliability is maintained. A low-cost logistics form can be achieved with a simple configuration.

Further, at the time of opening, it can be easily opened, and the hands of the user are not stained. Furthermore, the packaging member after opening is integrated with the sealing material, so that the number of disposal steps is small and the packaging member can be cleaned cleanly.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective plan view of one embodiment of a package of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective side view of one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a replaceable inkjet ink cartridge.

FIG. 4 is a perspective plan view of another embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective plan view of another embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective plan view of another embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of an embodiment of the opening method of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Replaceable ink cartridge main body 2 Ink supply port 3 Atmospheric communication port 4, 4a Seal member 5 Packaging member 6 Packaging member bonding portion 7 End of sealing material

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Toshio Kashino 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Masami Ikeda 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon (56) References JP-A-3-205154 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 2/175

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A package in which an exchangeable ink jet recording ink cartridge having an ink supply port and an atmosphere communication port is sealed with a seal member at the opening of the ink supply port and the atmosphere communication port and packaged with a packaging member. A part of the seal member is welded and sealed to the openings of the ink supply port and the air communication port, and the other part of the seal part is integrated with the packaging member. Package for ink-jet recording ink cartridges. 2. An opening means for opening the packaging member for taking out the packaged ink cartridge from the place where the opening of the ink supply port and the atmosphere communication port is sealed. 2. A package for an exchangeable ink jet recording ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the ink cartridge is located at a remote place. 3. A part of the packaging member is opened by the opening means, a part of the ink cartridge is exposed to the outside from the opened part, and the openings of the ink supply port and the atmosphere communication port are The package of an ink cartridge for replaceable ink jet recording according to claim 2, wherein the package is covered with the packaging member while being sealed with a seal member. 4. The package according to claim 1, wherein the seal member and the packaging member are made of the same material. 5. The ink supply port of the replaceable ink jet recording ink cartridge and the opening of the air communication port are melted.
The seal member that has been attached and sealed is integrated with the seal member.
The package constituted by a packaged packaging member of the ink cartridge, the portion of opening the partially said ink supply port and the atmosphere communication port of the packaging member is separated from the portion of the ink cartridge provided with that Is exposed to the outside, and the sealing member is peeled off from the ink supply port and the air communication port covered with the packaging member by using a part of the exposed ink cartridge to complete the unsealing. A method for opening the package of the exchangeable ink jet recording ink cartridge. 6. The seal member is peeled off from the opening of the air communication port before the ink supply port.
A method for unpacking the replaceable ink jet recording ink cartridge as described in the above.