Ink supply tube

Abstract

This ink supply tube comprises an inner layer that makes contact with ink, an intermediate layer comprising at least three layers, and an outer layer, and is characterized in that: the intermediate layer includes a first intermediate layer, a second intermediate layer and a third intermediate layer; the inner layer comprises any of an ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer resin, a tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkoxy alkane copolymer resin, or a modified perfluoroalkoxy resin, which have solvent resistance, oxygen barrier properties and low moisture permeability; the first intermediate layer comprises a polyamide resin, which is fusible with the inner layer or the second intermediate layer; the second intermediate layer comprises an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin, which has oxygenbarrier properties; the third intermediate layer is fusible with the second intermediate layer or the outer layer and comprises an adhesive polyolefin resin, which has low moisture permeability; and the outer layer comprises a thermoplastic resin or elastomer. Due to this configuration, the present invention provides an ink supply tube for ink jet printers, which has excellent solvent resistance and flexibility, and which is superior in terms of oxygen barrier properties and low moisture permeability.

Description

technical field [0001] This invention relates to ink supply tubes for ink jet printers. Background technique [0002] Generally, in printing using an inkjet printer, dedicated ink sealed in an ink cartridge in advance is supplied to a print head via an ink supply tube, ejected onto a medium such as paper, and printed. [0003] The ink supply tube used here is an indispensable and important component for stably supplying ink from the ink tank to the print head. [0004] On the other hand, with regard to the ink supply tube, the characteristics required for the ink supply tube are gradually diversified along with the diversification of ink types due to the improvement in the functions of inkjet printers in recent years. [0005] The characteristics required for the ink supply tubes for such inkjet printers can be listed as follows: [0006] 1. Solvent resistance: maintain the durability of ink contact parts to various solvent components used in ink; [0007] 2. Oxygen barri...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0011] For the ink supply tube, when there are problems with oxygen barrier properties and low moisture permeability, the oxygen and water vapor passing through the ink supply tube will be mixed into the ink, causing the ink components to deteriorate, resulting in clogging of the nozzles of the print head, and the generation of air bubbles in the ink. The resulting poor ejection, etc., will cause problems that adversely affect the printing quality.

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