Ink cartridge and ink cartridge system

Abstract

The present invention provides an ink cartridge and an ink cartridge system, which relate to the field of printer components and control technology. The ink cartridge includes a first container and a second container for containing ink; the second container is arranged inside the first container; the first container is provided with openings communicating with the interior thereof at upper and lower locations; the second container is a tubular structure, and its two end openings are respectively connected to the upper and lower openings of the first container to communicate with the outside, serving as the gas port and liquid port of the ink cartridge; the interior of the first container is filled with a buffer medium that immerses the first container, so as to reduce the shaking degree of the second container located in the first container. The present invention can reduce the shaking degree of the second container during the transportation / use of the ink cartridge by filling the first container with a buffer medium that immerses the second container, thereby playing a role of buffering and shock absorbing for the second container. On the other hand, the overall tubular structure design of the second container reduces the contact area between the ink and the gas, further reducing the shaking degree and the contact area with the air.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of printer components and control technology, and in particular relates to an ink cartridge and an ink cartridge system. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous advancement of printed electronics technology, conductive fluids represented by liquid metal have emerged, making it possible to print wires to make liquid metal flexible electronic circuits. This has not only changed the traditional PCB hard electronic circuit manufacturing model, but also greatly reduced the time and cost of electronic circuit manufacturing. Liquid metal printing technology has unique advantages in the rapid manufacturing of flexible circuits, PCB printed circuit boards, antennas and other electronic devices, and has a very broad application prospect.

[0003] The existing ink cartridge structure mainly uses a cavity to store ink. Since the area of ​​contact between ink and oxygen is large, it is easy to cause the liquid metal, which is extremely easy to undergo oxidation reaction with air, to deteriorate. Especially during the transportation and daily use of ink, it is very easy to cause the ink to shake and roll, which increases the contact area between ink and oxygen, seriously affects the ink output and printing effect, and reduces the reliability of the ink cartridge. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of this, an object of the present invention is to provide an ink cartridge to solve the problem of low reliability of the ink storage structure in the prior art.

[0005] In some illustrative embodiments, the ink cartridge comprises: a first container and a second container for containing ink; the second container is arranged inside the first container; the first container is provided with openings at the upper and lower parts thereof connected to the interior thereof; the second container is a tubular structure, and its two end openings are respectively connected to the upper and lower openings of the first container to communicate with the outside, serving as the gas inlet and liquid inlet of the ink cartridge; the interior of the first container is filled with a buffer medium that immerses the second container, so as to reduce the shaking degree of the second container located in the first container.

[0006] In some optional embodiments, the second container is a spiral tubular structure or a folded tubular structure.

[0007] In some optional embodiments, the second container is a vertically placed spiral tubular structure, and each spiral surface of the second container forms an angle of 15°-60° with the horizontal direction.

[0008] In some optional embodiments, a seal that moves with the ink liquid level is provided at a position close to the second container and the air port.

[0009] In some optional embodiments, the sealing plug is a sealant or a piston body.

[0010] In some optional embodiments, the buffer medium is a thermally conductive gas, liquid or solid.

[0011] In some optional embodiments, the buffer medium is a curable thermally conductive adhesive.

[0012] In some optional embodiments, a temperature control component and a temperature sensing component are provided in the first container.

[0013] In some optional embodiments, the first container is provided with a filling port for the buffer medium.

[0014] The present invention provides an ink cartridge, which includes a first container and a second container. The second container for holding ink is arranged in the first container. The first container is filled with a buffer medium that immerses the second container, which can reduce the shaking degree of the second container during the transportation / use of the ink cartridge and play a buffering and shock-absorbing role for the second container. On the other hand, the second container is an overall tubular structure, which reduces the contact area between the ink and the gas. Combined with the structural design of the buffer medium, it can greatly ensure the effectiveness and reliability of the ink and prevent the occurrence of ink deterioration.

[0015] Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink cartridge system to solve the technical problems in the prior art.

[0016] In some illustrative embodiments, the ink cartridge system includes: an ink cartridge as described in any one of the above items, an air control component connected to an air port of the ink cartridge, and a print head connected to a liquid port of the ink cartridge. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an ink cartridge in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of a second container with a spiral structure in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure of the ink cartridge system in an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The following description and the accompanying drawings fully illustrate specific embodiments of the present invention so that those skilled in the art can practice them. Other embodiments may include structural, logical, electrical, process and other changes. The examples represent possible variations only. Unless explicitly required, separate components and functions are optional, and the order of operation may vary. Parts and features of some embodiments may be included in or replace parts and features of other embodiments. The scope of the embodiments of the present invention includes the entire scope of the claims, and all available equivalents of the claims. In this article, these embodiments of the present invention may be represented individually or collectively by the term "invention", which is merely for convenience, and if more than one invention is disclosed in fact, it is not intended to automatically limit the scope of the application to any single invention or inventive concept.

[0021] It should be noted that the various technical features in the embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0022] The present invention provides an ink cartridge, specifically, as Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the ink cartridge in an embodiment of the present invention; the ink cartridge 100 includes a first container 101 and a second container 102; the second container 102 is arranged inside the first container 101, and serves as an ink storage container for containing ink 200 in the ink cartridge 100. Specifically, the first container 101 is provided with an opening at the upper and lower parts, respectively, the upper opening serves as the air port 103 of the ink cartridge 100, for connecting to an external air control system when the ink cartridge 100 is in use, and the lower opening serves as the liquid port 104 of the ink cartridge 100, for discharging ink through the liquid port 104 when the ink cartridge 100 is in use. The second container 102 is a tubular structure with openings at both ends, and the two ends of the tube openings are connected to the air port 103 and the liquid port 104 from the inside of the first container 101, respectively, and the interior of the first container 101 is blocked from the air port 103 and the liquid port 104 by the connection structure. The interior of the first container 101 is filled with a buffer medium 105 , thereby forming a structure that immerses / covers the exterior of the second container 102 , so as to reduce the shaking degree of the second container 102 .

[0023] In this embodiment, the second container 102 is arranged inside the first container 101, so the internal space of the first container 101 should be larger than the size of the second container 102 and meet the requirements of placing the second container 102. There is a gap between the internal space of the first container 101 and the outer side of the second container 102 that can be filled with the buffer medium 105, and the gap can be a partial gap between the two or a whole gap between the two.

[0024] Optionally, the tubular second container 102 may adopt a columnar structure, a spiral structure, a folded structure, and other regular or irregular tubular structures. Preferably, the second container 102 may adopt a spiral tubular structure or a folded tubular structure, and the ink capacity of the second container 102 may be increased by spiral winding and circuitous folding, and the entire internal space of the first container 101 may be filled as much as possible while ensuring the above-mentioned gap.

[0025] like Figure 2 , wherein the second container 102 of the spiral tube structure, the spiral structure of the second container 102 is a vertical spiral structure, the winding direction is vertical, and the spiral surface formed by each winding has a certain inclination angle, and the inclination angle is used to make the gravity of the ink itself constitute a certain degree of ink discharge power, thereby completely saving the external power source (such as the air control system) or reducing the power provided by the external power source. Preferably, each spiral surface of the spiral structure of the first container is at an angle of 15°-60° with the horizontal direction.

[0026] Among them, the second container 102 has a folding structure. Compared with the spiral structure, the folding structure of the second container 102 can more easily fill the internal space of the first container 101. The folding structure can be folded in the horizontal direction or in the vertical direction. Preferably, the second container 102 is first folded horizontally, then folded vertically, and then folded horizontally again until the folding scheme in both the horizontal and vertical directions is completed.

[0027] Preferably, the second container 102 with a spiral structure or a folded structure in the embodiment of the present invention may have gaps between itself that can be filled with the buffer medium 105 to provide a buffering and shock-absorbing effect.

[0028] The diameter of the tubular second container 102 in the embodiment of the present invention is between 5 mm and 2 cm, thereby reducing the possible contact area between the ink and the gas in the second container 102; and the thickness of the tube wall is controlled between 1 mm and 2 mm, which can minimize the influence of the tube wall on the volume of the internal space of the first container 101.

[0029] Preferably, the diameter of the second container 102 is set to 5 mm, which greatly reduces the contact range between the ink and the gas and can also satisfy the passage of ink with high surface tension, such as liquid metal.

[0030] In some embodiments, a sealing plug 107 that moves with the ink level can be set in the second container 102 near the gas port 103. The sealing plug 107 can use a follow-up sealant, such as a composite ester of polyorganosiloxane, also known as lithium-based ester, which can act as a liquid piston in the tube. The sealing plug 107 can also use a piston body with a columnar structure or a spherical structure. For example, when a spiral pipeline structure is used and the pipeline diameter uniformity is good, a spherical structure can be used as a follow-up sealing plug.

[0031] The buffer medium 105 in the embodiment of the present invention is a gas, liquid or solid with thermal conductivity. The gas can be air or an inert gas with a high density; the liquid can be a liquid with good fluidity, or a liquid in a viscous state; the solid can be a thermally conductive paste or powder. Specifically, the buffer medium 105 can be thermally conductive oil, thermally conductive paste, powder thermal conductive agent, thermally conductive filling glue, etc. Preferably, the buffer medium 105 is a curable thermally conductive glue, and its curing conditions can be ultraviolet light, thermal curing, room temperature self-curing, electron radiation, etc.

[0032] On the one hand, the use of curable thermally conductive adhesive makes it easier to fill the first container 101 with the adhesive, and it is easy to be immersed in the gap between the internal space of the first container 101 and the second container 102, thereby achieving the best heat transfer effect; on the other hand, after curing, it can support the second container 102 located in the first container 101, and strengthen the stable structure of the second container 102 in the first container 101; furthermore, the adhesive still has a certain elasticity after curing, and can provide a buffering and shock-absorbing effect for the second container 102.

[0033] In other embodiments of the present invention, the stable structure of the second container 102 in the first container 101 may be connected by a rigid structure, or may be reinforced by additional fixings such as bundling, supporting, and clamping.

[0034] In some embodiments, one or more temperature control components 108 may be provided in the first container 101, and the temperature control component 108 is used to control the temperature of the ink in the second container 102 through the buffer medium 105. The controlled temperature may be heating and / or cooling. When there are multiple temperature control components 108, they may be evenly distributed in the first container 101 to achieve uniform temperature control.

[0035] In some embodiments, a temperature sensing component 109, such as a temperature sensor, for monitoring the temperature of the ink may also be provided in the first container 101. The temperature sensing component 109 is provided away from the temperature control component 108 to achieve reliable temperature detection.

[0036] Preferably, a closed-loop control is formed between the temperature control component 108, the temperature sensing component 109 and the target temperature, and the control component 108 performs actual temperature control based on the magnitude relationship between the detection value of the temperature sensing component 109 and the target value. This embodiment satisfies the more precise temperature control of the ink cartridge and is suitable for liquid metals that are sensitive to temperature changes.

[0037] In some embodiments, the first container 101 is provided with a filling port 106 for a buffer medium.

[0038] The liquid metal in the embodiment of the present invention refers to a low melting point metal with a melting point lower than 120°C, such as a 105°C low melting point metal, a 75°C low melting point metal, a 50°C low melting point metal, a room temperature liquid low melting point metal, etc. The low melting point metal may be a metal element or a metal alloy, such as a gallium element, a gallium-based alloy, a gallium-indium alloy, a gallium-indium-tin alloy, a bismuth-indium-tin alloy, etc. Preferably, the ink cartridge in the embodiment of the present invention is more suitable for low melting point metals with a melting point of 75°C or below.

[0039] The first container 101 in the embodiment of the present invention can be made of hard materials, such as metal materials, hard plastic materials, etc., to ensure stable support of the structure outside the ink cartridge; the second container 102 can be made of flexible materials or hard materials. Since it is protected by the first container 101, there is no requirement for flexibility of its material. When a flexible material is selected, the structural stability of the second container 102 inside the first container 101 can be achieved through the above-mentioned support and reinforcement structure.

[0040] The first container 101 in the embodiment of the present invention can be assembled in a disassembled manner to facilitate the placement of the second container 102 in the first container 101, or a mounting hole structure corresponding to the size of the second container 102 can be opened on the first container 101 so that the second container 102 can be placed in the first container 101 through the mounting hole. After the placement is completed, the sealing assembly is completed through the structure corresponding to the mounting hole.

[0041] The gas port 103 and the liquid port 104 of the ink cartridge in the embodiment of the present invention may be provided with structures that facilitate connection or blocking, such as joints, sealing caps, etc. The present invention proposes an ink cartridge, which includes a first container and a second container, wherein the second container for holding ink is arranged in the first container, and the first container is filled with a buffer medium for immersing the second container, which can reduce the shaking degree of the second container during the transportation / use of the ink cartridge and play a role in buffering and shock absorption for the second container. On the other hand, the second container is an overall tubular structure, which reduces the contact area between the ink and the gas. Combined with the structural design of the buffer medium, it can greatly ensure the effectiveness and reliability of the ink and prevent the occurrence of ink deterioration.

[0042] Now refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3An ink cartridge system in an embodiment of the present invention is shown, which includes the ink cartridge 100 in any of the above embodiments, an air control component 300 connected to the air port 103 of the ink cartridge 100, and a print head 400 connected to the liquid port 104 of the ink cartridge 100.

[0043] The air control component 300 can provide positive pressure or negative pressure to the air port 103 , as well as the change of the air pressure, by inputting the control air pressure.

[0044] The print head 400 may adopt various ink outlet structures such as a direct write print head and an inkjet print head. Preferably, a direct write print head is adopted, which is more suitable for good ink outlet of liquid metal.

[0045] Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the various illustrative logic blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithmic steps described in conjunction with the embodiments herein can all be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination thereof. In order to clearly illustrate the interchangeability between hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps are generally described above around their functions. Whether such functions are implemented as hardware or software depends on specific applications and the design constraints imposed on the entire system. A skilled person can implement the described functions in an alternative manner for each specific application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as departing from the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An ink cartridge, It is characterized in that include: A first container and a second container for containing ink; the second container is arranged inside the first container; the first container is provided with openings communicating with the interior thereof at the upper and lower positions; the second container is a tubular structure, and its two ends are respectively connected to the upper and lower openings of the first container to communicate with the outside, serving as the gas port and liquid port of the ink cartridge; the interior of the first container is filled with a buffer medium for immersing the second container, so as to reduce the shaking degree of the second container located in the first container; the buffer medium is a gas, liquid or solid with thermal conductivity; One or more temperature control components are arranged in the first container, and the temperature control components are used to transmit the controlled temperature to the ink in the second container through the buffer medium.

2. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The second container is a spiral tubular structure or a folded tubular structure.

3. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The second container is a vertically placed spiral tubular structure, and each spiral surface of the second container forms an angle of 15° to 60° with the horizontal direction.

4. The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, It is characterized in that A sealing member that moves with the ink liquid level is provided at a position close to the second container and the air port.

5. The ink cartridge according to claim 4, It is characterized in that The sealing plug is a sealant or a piston body.

6. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The buffer medium is a curable thermally conductive adhesive.

7. The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, It is characterized in that A temperature sensing component is arranged in the first container.

8. The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, It is characterized in that The first container is provided with a filling port for the buffer medium.

9. An ink cartridge system, It is characterized in that include: An ink cartridge as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, an air control component connected to the air port of the ink cartridge, and a print head connected to the liquid port of the ink cartridge.

Images