Ink supply device

Abstract

The present invention provides an ink supply device for an ink cartridge. The ink cartridge includes a printhead housing and an ink sac. The ink sac includes an ink sac body and a cover. The cover is detachably connected to the printhead housing and defines a mounting cavity for accommodating the ink sac body. The cover is provided with a filling port, which communicates with the inner cavity of the ink sac body. The ink supply device includes an air sac having an air inlet and an air outlet, both of which communicate with the inner and outer sides of the air sac. The air outlet is configured to be sealedly connected to the filling port. The air sac is an elastic element configured to contract when the air inlet is closed, thereby directing the gas within the air sac into the ink sac. The ink supply device provided by the present invention can supply ink from the ink sac to the printhead after the ink sac is replaced in the ink cartridge, avoiding problems such as printing line interruptions and ink flow problems.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on August 20, 2021, with application number 202121980615.7 and application name “A ink supply device”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to the technical field of inkjet printers, and in particular to an ink supply device. Background Art

[0003] In the prior art, the interior of an original discarded ink cartridge can be modified into a detachable inner cartridge, so that the cartridge shell can be reused by replacing the inner cartridge, thereby improving the utilization rate of the ink cartridge.

[0004] An ink cartridge includes a printhead, a printhead housing, and an ink sac housed within the printhead housing. The ink sac is removably housed within the printhead housing and communicates with the printhead filter cavity to transfer ink from the sac to the printhead filter cavity. Thus, when the ink cartridge is installed in a printing device, it can supply ink to the printing device.

[0005] However, after the ink bag is replaced, the ink in the new ink bag cannot enter the filter cavity of the print head by itself, resulting in ink blockage and print disconnection in the printing device. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the above problems, an embodiment of the present invention provides an ink supply device, which can supply the ink in the ink bag to the print head after the ink bag is replaced in the ink cartridge, thereby avoiding the problem of printing line interruption and ink blockage.

[0007] In order to achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of the present invention provide the following technical solutions:

[0008] An embodiment of the present invention provides an ink supply device, which is applied to an ink cartridge, wherein the ink cartridge includes a print head housing and an ink sac, wherein the ink sac includes an ink sac body and a face cover, wherein the face cover is detachably connected to the print head housing and forms an installation cavity for accommodating the ink sac body, wherein a filling port is provided on the face cover, wherein the filling port is connected to the inner cavity of the ink sac body, and the ink supply device includes an air bag, wherein the air bag has an air inlet and an air outlet, wherein the air inlet and the air outlet are both connected to the inner and outer sides of the air bag, and the air outlet is configured to be sealed and connected to the filling port, and the air bag is an elastic element, wherein the air bag is configured to contract when the air inlet is closed so as to introduce the gas in the air bag into the ink sac.

[0009] In some embodiments, the airbag includes an airbag body and a connecting portion, and the connecting portion is sealed to the face cover.

[0010] In some embodiments, the airbag body is open, and the opening of the airbag body constitutes the air outlet; the connecting portion extends along the edge of the airbag body and protrudes from the outer wall of the airbag body, the connecting portion is an elastic element and is configured to be attached to the face cover, and the filling port is located in the opening of the airbag body.

[0011] In some embodiments, the ink supply device further includes a clamping member, which is detachably connected to the print head housing, and the connecting portion and the surface cover are clamped between the clamping member and the print head housing.

[0012] In some embodiments, a positioning protrusion is provided on the connecting portion, a positioning groove is provided on the clamping member, and the positioning protrusion extends into the positioning groove.

[0013] In some embodiments, the airbag body and the connecting portion are integrally formed.

[0014] In some embodiments, the connecting portion is a connecting tube, one end of the connecting portion is connected to the airbag body, the other end of the connecting portion forms the air outlet, and the connecting portion is configured to extend into the filling port.

[0015] In some embodiments, the side wall of the airbag body is an arc-shaped side wall, or the side wall of the airbag body is bent.

[0016] In some embodiments, the face cover is further provided with an ink filling port for filling ink, and the ink filling port is spaced apart from the filling port.

[0017] In some embodiments, the ink supply device includes a sealing plug, which is an elastic element and is detachably disposed in the filling port.

[0018] Compared to the prior art, the ink supply device provided by the embodiments of the present invention has the following advantages: After replacing the ink sac in the ink cartridge, the ink supply device can be installed on the printhead housing. The air outlet of the cavity is now sealed and connected to the ink cartridge's filling port. The air sac is then deflated while the air inlet is blocked. This allows gas within the air sac to be introduced into the interior of the air sac through the filling port. The increased gas pressure within the air sac drives the ink within the ink sac into the printhead filter cavity. As will be appreciated, after the air sac is released, the air inlet connects the interior and exterior of the air sac, allowing external air to enter the air sac through the air inlet until the air sac regains its original shape. This allows the user to squeeze the air sac multiple times to force the ink within the ink sac into the printhead filter cavity. The ink supply device can then be removed from the ink cartridge for subsequent storage or use.

[0019] In addition to the technical problems solved by the embodiments of the present invention described above, the technical features that constitute the technical solutions, and the beneficial effects brought about by the technical features of these technical solutions, other technical problems that can be solved by the ink supply device provided by the embodiments of the present invention, other technical features included in the technical solutions, and the beneficial effects brought about by these technical features will be further described in detail in the specific implementation methods. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0021] Figure 1 It is a structural diagram of an ink cartridge in the related art;

[0022] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of an ink supply device provided by an embodiment of the present invention applied to an ink cartridge;

[0023] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of the ink supply device;

[0024] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the ink supply device and ink cartridge;

[0025] Figure 5 A schematic structural diagram of another ink supply device provided by an embodiment of the present invention applied to an ink cartridge;

[0026] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic structural diagram of the ink supply device;

[0027] Figure 7 for Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle ink cartridge;

[0028] Figure 8 for Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the ink supply device and ink cartridge;

[0029] Figure 9 A schematic structural diagram of another ink supply device provided by an embodiment of the present invention applied to an ink cartridge.

[0030] Reference numerals:

[0031] 10: ink supply device;

[0032] 110: airbag;

[0033] 111: air inlet; 112: air outlet; 113: airbag body; 114: connecting part; 1141: positioning protrusion;

[0034] 120: Clamping member; 121: Positioning slot; 122: Clamping claw; 123: Airbag hole;

[0035] 130: Sealing plug;

[0036] 20: ink cartridge;

[0037] 210: Print head housing; 211: Engaging groove; 212: Elastic component; 213: First chip; 214: Second chip; 215: Folding edge; 216: Print head filter cavity;

[0038] 220: ink sac;

[0039] 221: Ink sac body;

[0040] 222: cover; 2221: filling port; 2222: ink filling port; 2223: snap-fit ​​part; 2224: card strip; 2225: air guide channel; 2226: sealing film. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0042] In the related art, to improve the utilization of the print head and print head housing in the ink cartridge, the ink cartridge is replaced after the ink in the cartridge is consumed. However, as the ink in the cartridge is consumed, the ink in the print head filter cavity is also consumed. At the same time, the ink in the replaced ink cartridge cannot enter the print head filter cavity on its own, resulting in ink flow problems and print interruptions when the ink cartridge is used in the printing device.

[0043] In view of this, an embodiment of the present application provides an ink supply device equipped with a contractible and deformable airbag having an air inlet and an air outlet. After replacing the ink bag, the ink supply device is mounted on the ink cartridge so that the air outlet of the airbag communicates with the ink bag's filling port. Thus, by contracting the airbag while blocking the air inlet, the gas within the airbag is introduced into the ink bag, increasing the gas pressure within the ink bag. Under the action of the gas pressure, the ink within the ink bag enters the filter cavity of the printhead, thus avoiding the problem of ink blockage and print interruptions when the ink cartridge is used in a printing device.

[0044] See also Figures 1 to 9 , an embodiment of the present invention provides an ink supply device 10, which is applied to an ink cartridge 20, and the ink cartridge 20 includes a print head housing 210 and an ink sac 220. The print head housing 210 can be approximately cylindrical with an opening, and the print head is located at the bottom of the print head housing 210. The ink sac 220 includes an ink sac body 221 and a face cover 222. The ink sac body 221 is used to store ink, and the ink sac body 221 can be connected to the ink sac body 221 by welding or other methods to prevent ink leakage. The face cover 222 is detachably connected to the print head housing 210 and surrounds an installation cavity for accommodating the ink sac body 221, that is, the face cover 222 is connected to the open end of the print head housing 210, and the ink sac 220 is arranged in the installation cavity. When the ink in the ink sac 220 is consumed, the face cover 222 can be detached from the print head housing 210, and the face cover 222 and the ink sac 220 can be taken out of the installation cavity as a whole to facilitate replacement of the ink sac 220.

[0045] In some embodiments, to achieve a detachable connection between the face cover 222 and the printhead housing 210, the printhead housing 210 is provided with a snap-fitting groove 211 that connects the inside and outside of the printhead housing 210. The face cover 222 is provided with a snap-fitting member 2223 that protrudes into the mounting cavity. The snap-fitting member 2223 is disposed corresponding to the snap-fitting groove 211 and is provided with a snap-fitting protrusion. Thus, when the face cover 222 is connected to the printhead housing 210, the snap-fitting protrusion on the snap-fitting member 2223 abuts against the inner wall of the snap-fitting groove 211. To remove the ink bag 220, the user presses the snap-fitting member 2223 toward one side of the mounting cavity. The snap-fitting member 2223 undergoes elastic deformation by bending until the snap-fitting protrusion disengages from the inner wall of the snap-fitting groove 211. At this point, the face cover 222 and the printhead housing 210 are separated from each other, making assembly and disassembly convenient.

[0046] In some embodiments, an elastic component 212, such as a spring or elastic rubber member, may be further disposed at the bottom of the printhead housing 210. This allows the elastic component 212 in the ink sac 220 to be compressed between the ink sac body 221 and the printhead housing 210 when the ink sac 220 is mounted on the printhead housing 210. The ink volume in the ink sac body 221 is high, and the weight of the ink sac body 221 is high. This compresses the elastic component 212 between the ink sac body 221 and the printhead housing 210. When the ink in the ink sac 220 is consumed and the cover 222 is removed from the printhead housing 210, the weight of the ink sac body 221 is low, allowing the elastic component 212 to recover its deformation and push the ink sac body 221 out, allowing the user to easily remove the ink sac 220.

[0047] In some embodiments, a card strip 2224 can also be provided on the face cover 222. The card strip 2224 is located on the top wall of the face cover 222. A corresponding card slot corresponding to the card strip 2224 is provided on the printing device (not shown). When the ink cartridge 20 is installed on the printing device, the card strip 2224 engages with the card slot on the printing device to achieve the installation and fixation of the ink cartridge 20.

[0048] The number of the card strips 2224 can be one or more, and the installation position of the card strips 2224 can also be set as needed. For example, see Figure 1 Three clips 2224 are provided on the cover 222, two of which are arranged side by side at one end of the cover 222, and the two clips 2224 are symmetrically arranged with respect to the axis of the cover 222, and the other clip 2224 is located at the other end opposite to the cover 222, and the center line of the clip 2224 is collinear with the axis of the cover 222.

[0049] In some embodiments, the face cover 222 is also provided with an air guide channel 2225 (not shown) connected to the inner cavity of the airbag body 113, which is used to connect to the atmosphere when the ink cartridge 20 is used on the printing device to facilitate the ink discharge of the ink cartridge 20. The air guide channel 2225 is sealed by a sealing film 2226.

[0050] In some embodiments, see Figure 2To enable communication between the ink cartridge 20 and the printing device, a first chip 213 is provided on the outer wall of the printhead housing 210. This first chip 213 is the original chip corresponding to the ink cartridge 20. One end of the first chip 213 corresponds to the bottom wall of the printhead housing 210 and is electrically connected to the printhead. The other end of the first chip 213 is bent and extends to the front wall of the printhead housing 210. The first chip 213 is provided with multiple contacts for electrically connecting to electrical contacts on the printing device. To prevent data on the first chip 213 from being damaged or requiring rewriting after replacing the ink sac 220, a second chip 214 is also provided on the printhead housing 210. The second chip 214 is attached to the outer side of the first chip 213 and is electrically connected to some of the electrical contacts on the first chip 213. This allows the ink cartridge 20 to communicate with the printing device via the first and second chips 213, 214.

[0051] In some embodiments, a filling port 2221 is provided on the face cover 222, and the filling port 2221 is connected to the inner cavity of the ink bag body 221, wherein the ink supply device 10 includes an air bag 110, and the air bag 110 is an elastic element, that is, the air bag 110 can undergo telescopic deformation, and the air bag 110 has an air inlet 111 and an air outlet 112, and the air inlet 111 and the air outlet 112 are both connected to the inside and outside of the air bag 110, and the air outlet 112 is configured to be sealed and connected to the filling port 2221, and the air bag 110 is configured to shrink when the air inlet 111 is closed to introduce the gas in the air bag 110 into the ink bag 220.

[0052] Thus, in its natural state, the inner cavity of the airbag 110 is connected to the atmosphere through the air inlet 111. When the airbag 110 is deflated while the air inlet 111 is blocked, the gas within the airbag 110 is directed into the ink sac 220 via the air outlet 112 and the filling port 2221, increasing the gas pressure within the ink sac 220. The gas pressure allows the ink within the ink sac 220 to flow into the print head filter cavity 216. This prevents ink flow problems and print interruptions when the ink cartridge 20 is installed in a printing device.

[0053] It is understood that when the airbag 110 is released, the inner cavity of the airbag 110 is connected to the atmosphere through the air inlet 111. As the airbag 110 recovers its deformation, the inner cavity of the airbag 110 is immediately filled with air, making it easier for the user to deflate the airbag 110 again. In other words, the user can deflate the airbag 110 once or multiple times as needed.

[0054] In some embodiments, the user can compress the airbag 110 by holding the component. Alternatively, the user can operate by hand, that is, the user can compress the airbag 110 while blocking the air inlet 111 with the fingers, which is convenient to operate.

[0055] In some embodiments, the airbag 110 includes an airbag body 113, wherein the interior of the airbag body 113 is hollow, and the gas inside the airbag body 113 can be introduced into the interior of the ink bag 220 through the contraction of the airbag body 113, wherein the air inlet 111 is set on the airbag body 113, and when the airbag body 113 recovers its deformation, external air can enter the interior of the airbag body 113 through the air inlet 111.

[0056] The airbag body 113 may have different shapes as needed. In some embodiments, the sidewalls of the airbag body 113 are arc-shaped. For example, the airbag body 113 is in the shape of a hemispherical protrusion (e.g., Figures 2 to 4 The side wall of the airbag body 113 is relatively smooth and easy for the user to hold. In some embodiments, in order to increase the exhaust volume of the airbag body 113 during a single contraction, the side wall of the airbag body 113 can also be bent (as shown). Figure 5 、 Figure 5 as well as Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown), in this way, the expansion and contraction amount of the airbag body 113 becomes larger, the number of contractions of the airbag body 113 can be reduced, and the operation is convenient.

[0057] The airbag 110 also includes a connecting portion 114, which is used to connect the airbag body 113 to the surface cover 222. In order to avoid gas leakage during the deformation of the airbag body 113, the connecting portion 114 and the surface cover 222 are sealed. In this way, the gas discharged during the contraction of the airbag body 113 can be introduced into the ink bag 220, which is more efficient.

[0058] When the shape of the airbag 110 is different, the connecting portion 114 can be sealed with the cover 222 in different ways.

[0059] In some embodiments, the airbag body 113 is open (eg Figures 2 to 4 As shown), for example, the airbag body 113 is bowl-shaped or cylindrical. In this case, the opening of the airbag body 113 constitutes the air outlet 112. When the ink supply device 10 is installed on the ink cartridge 20, the airbag body 113 can be buckled on the surface cover 222, and the filling port 2221 is located in the opening of the airbag body 113, that is, the edge of the opening of the airbag body 113 is arranged on the circumferential outside of the filling port 2221.

[0060] To achieve a seal between the airbag 110 and the cover 222, it is sufficient to seal the edge of the opening of the airbag body 113 with the cover 222. To optimize the sealing effect, the connecting portion 114 extends along the edge of the airbag body 113 and protrudes from the outer wall of the airbag body 113, that is, the connecting portion 114 forms a flange structure. The connecting portion 114 is an elastic element. Exemplarily, the material of the connecting portion 114 can be silicone, rubber, etc. When the ink supply device 10 is installed on the ink cartridge 20, the connecting portion 114 is configured to be attached to the cover 222. In this way, the contact area between the connecting portion 114 and the cover 222 is larger, and the sealing between the connecting portion 114 and the cover 222 is better.

[0061] In some embodiments, when using the ink supply device 10 , the user's hand may press on the connecting portion 114 to prevent the connecting portion 114 from being separated from the cover 222 , while improving the sealing between the connecting portion 114 and the cover 222 .

[0062] It can be understood that the seal between the connecting portion 114 and the surface cover 222 is achieved by the fit between the connecting portion 114 and the surface cover 222. When the adhesion of some positions of the connecting portion 114 is poor, it will cause a leakage gap between some positions of the connecting portion 114 and the surface cover 222. However, it does not affect the air bag 110 pouring air into the ink bag 220. At this time, the connecting portion 114 and the surface cover 222 can still be considered to be a sealed connection.

[0063] It is understood that the connecting portion 114 can be in the form of a sheet and attached to the cover 222. In some embodiments, the connecting portion 114 can also be in a bent structure, see Figures 2 to 4 The cross section of the connecting portion 114 is approximately U-shaped, and the two ends of the connecting portion 114 are clamped on both sides of the surface cover 222 to improve its adhesion to the surface of the surface cover 222, and the sealing between the connecting portion 114 and the surface cover 222 is better.

[0064] In some embodiments, both ends of the connecting portion 114 may respectively abut against the locking strip 2224 to limit the connecting portion 114 .

[0065] In some embodiments, see Figures 5 to 8 The ink supply device 10 also includes a clamping member 120, which is detachably connected to the print head housing 210 to facilitate the disassembly and assembly of the clamping member 120. The connecting portion 114 and the surface cover 222 are clamped between the clamping member 120 and the print head housing 210. In this way, the connecting portion 114 is deformed under pressure and clamped and fixed between the clamping member 120 and the surface cover 222. The sealing between the connecting portion 114 and the surface cover 222 is good, and it can also prevent the user from manually pressing the connecting portion 114, making the operation more convenient.

[0066] The clamping member 120 and the print head housing 210 may be connected via a threaded connection. To facilitate operation, in some embodiments, the clamping member 120 and the print head housing 210 may also be connected via a snap connection.

[0067] Specifically, the printhead housing 210 is typically provided with a folded edge 215 at the location where it connects to the cover 222. The clamping member 120 has a claw 122 extending toward one side of the printhead housing 210. The claw 122 is provided with a protruding engaging block. When the clamping member 120 is engaged with the printhead housing 210, the engaging block abuts against the lower wall of the folded edge 215. To remove the clamping member 120, the user applies force to pull the claw 122, causing it to elastically deform until the engaging block is free of the folded edge 215.

[0068] In some embodiments, the claw 122 and the clamping strip 2224 are respectively located at different side positions of the clamping member 120, so that the two ends of the clamping member 120 can respectively abut against the clamping strip 2224 to limit the connecting portion 114 and prevent the clamping member 120 from offsetting relative to the print head housing 210.

[0069] In some embodiments, an airbag hole 123 for the airbag body 113 to pass through can be provided on the clamping member 120. The portion of the clamping member 120 that contacts the connecting portion 114 can be approximately plate-shaped and arranged on the circumferential outer side of the airbag body 113. In this way, the contact area between the clamping member 120 and the connecting portion 114 is larger, and the fixing stability of the airbag body 113 is higher.

[0070] In some embodiments, a positioning protrusion 1141 may also be provided on the connecting portion 114, and a positioning groove 121 may be provided on the clamping member 120. When the clamping member 120 is connected to the print head housing 210, the positioning protrusion 1141 extends into the positioning groove 121. In this way, the clamping member 120 and the connecting portion 114 are relatively fixed, which can avoid the relative movement of the airbag body 113 relative to the face cover 222 during the connection process of the clamping member 120 and the print head housing 210, resulting in the air outlet 112 of the airbag body 113 and the filling port 2221 being staggered.

[0071] The airbag body 113 and the connecting portion 114 can be two independent parts connected by bonding, etc. In some embodiments, the airbag body 113 and the connecting portion 114 can also be integrally formed, and the structure of the airbag 110 is relatively simple.

[0072] The connecting portion 114 of the airbag 110 may also be in other shapes. In some embodiments, see Figure 9The connecting portion 114 is a connecting tube made of plastic, rubber, or other materials. One end of the connecting portion 114 is connected to the airbag body 113, and the other end of the connecting portion 114 forms the air outlet 112. The connecting portion 114 and the airbag body 113 can be snap-fitted or threaded together. In this case, the airbag body 113 and the connecting portion 114 can resemble a spring bottle structure familiar to those skilled in the art. When the ink supply device 10 is in use, the connecting portion 114 is configured to extend into the filling port 2221. When the airbag body 113 contracts, gas within the airbag body 113 can enter the ink sac 220 through the connecting tube.

[0073] The filling port 2221 may be an ink filling port 2222, through which ink is filled into the ink bag 220. As will be appreciated, the ink filling port 2222 is typically covered with a sealing film 2226 to prevent dust and other foreign matter from entering the air bag 110 through the ink filling port 2222. Therefore, the sealing film 2226 must be removed before using the ink supply device 10. After using the ink supply device 10, if the ink cartridge 20 is no longer in use, the sealing film 2226 must be reinstalled, which is a rather cumbersome operation.

[0074] In some embodiments, the cover 222 is further provided with an ink filling port 2222 for filling ink, and the ink filling port 2222 is spaced apart from the filling port 2221. In other words, in this embodiment, the ink filling port 2222 and the filling port 2221 are independent of each other, and the sealing film 2226 does not cover the filling port 2221. Thus, when the ink supply device 10 is used, the sealing film 2226 does not need to be removed, thereby preventing the air guide channel 2225 and the air inlet 111 from being exposed, thereby preventing ink leakage from the ink bag 220.

[0075] In order to prevent ink leakage or foreign matter such as dust from entering the airbag 110 through the filling port 2221, in some embodiments, the ink supply device 10 includes a sealing plug 130. The sealing plug 130 is an elastic element. For example, the sealing plug 130 is made of silicone, rubber, etc. The sealing plug 130 is detachably arranged in the filling port 2221. In this way, when the ink supply device 10 is used, the sealing plug 130 can be removed and the airbag 110 can be filled with gas (such as Figure 8 As shown), after the ink supply device 10 is used, the sealing plug 130 is installed in the filling port 2221, which is easy to operate.

[0076] When the connecting portion 114 is a connecting tube, in order to achieve sealing between the connecting tube and the filling port 2221, the outer wall surface of the connecting tube and the inner wall surface of the filling port 2221 can be in sealing contact, for example, the outer wall surface of the connecting tube and the inner wall surface of the filling port 2221 are interference fit.

[0077] In some embodiments, a plug seam (not shown) may be further provided on the sealing plug 130. In a natural state, the plug seam is in a closed state under the elastic force of the sealing plug 130 to prevent ink leakage or foreign matter such as dust from entering the airbag 110. When the ink supply device 10 is used, the sealing plug 130 may be left unremoved, such as when the ink supply device 10 is in use. Figure 9 As shown, the connecting tube is inserted into the joint seam and then into the airbag 110 through the joint seam. At this time, under the elastic force of the sealing plug 130, the inner wall of the joint seam covers the outer wall of the connecting tube, which is convenient for operation. The joint seam can be a circular gap, a cross gap, or a straight gap.

[0078] The various embodiments or implementation methods in this specification are described in a progressive manner. Each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments, and the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other.

[0079] Throughout this specification, reference to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiments," "examples," "specific examples," or "some examples" means that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in conjunction with an embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, illustrative descriptions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0080] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the above embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ink supply device, applied to an ink cartridge, the ink cartridge comprising a print head housing and an ink sac, the ink sac comprising an ink sac body and a cover, the cover being detachably connected to the print head housing and forming a mounting cavity for accommodating the ink sac body, the cover being provided with a filling port, the filling port being connected to an inner cavity of the ink sac body, characterized in that: The ink supply device includes an air bag having an air inlet and an air outlet, wherein the air inlet and the air outlet are both connected to the inside and outside of the air bag, and the air outlet is configured to be sealed and connected to the filling port. The air bag is an elastic element and is configured to contract when the air inlet is closed to guide the gas in the air bag into the ink bag. The airbag comprises an airbag body and a connecting portion, wherein the connecting portion is sealedly connected to the face cover; The connecting portion extends along the edge of the airbag body and protrudes from the outer wall surface of the airbag body, and the connecting portion is an elastic element and is configured to be attached to the face cover; The ink supply device further includes a clamping member, which is detachably connected to the print head housing. The connecting portion and the surface cover are clamped between the clamping member and the print head housing.

2. The ink supply device according to claim 1, wherein: The airbag body is open, and the opening of the airbag body constitutes the air outlet; The filling port is located in the opening of the airbag body.

3. The ink supply device according to claim 2, wherein: The connecting portion is provided with a positioning protrusion, the clamping piece is provided with a positioning groove, and the positioning protrusion extends into the positioning groove.

4. The ink supply device according to claim 2, wherein: The airbag body and the connecting portion are integrally formed.

5. The ink supply device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that: The side wall of the airbag body is an arc-shaped side wall, or the side wall of the airbag body is bent.

6. The ink supply device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that: The surface cover is also provided with an ink filling port for filling ink, and the ink filling port is spaced apart from the filling port.

7. The ink supply device according to claim 6, wherein: The ink supply device includes a sealing plug, which is an elastic element and is detachably arranged in the filling port.

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