ink cartridge

Abstract

The present invention provides an ink cartridge, comprising a print head housing, an ink bag housing, a first chip and a second chip, wherein the ink bag housing is accommodated in the print head housing, and the second chip is arranged on the ink bag housing; a first area and a second area are arranged on the first chip, the first area is arranged on the outer wall of the print head housing, a print head housing opening is arranged on the top of the print head housing, the second area extends to the edge of the print head housing opening, and bypasses the edge of the print head housing opening to extend to the inner wall of the print head housing, the second area is electrically connected to the second chip, and the electrical connection between the ink cartridge and the printer is realized through the first chip and the second chip, thereby realizing the detection of the ink amount; compared with the prior art, no hole is opened on the ink cartridge housing, and even if the ink sprayed by the print nozzle leaks, it cannot enter the ink bag housing, thereby avoiding the circuit damage of the ink bag housing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of printers, and in particular to an ink cartridge. Background Art

[0002] In the prior art, the interior of the original discarded ink cartridge is modified into a detachable inner cartridge, so that the cartridge shell can be reused by replacing the inner cartridge, saving resources. However, this method requires drilling holes in the cartridge shell to connect the circuits located in the cartridge shell and the inner cartridge, and the size of the hole is difficult to control, resulting in a complex process and difficult operation. If the hole size is not properly controlled and a gap exists between the circuit and the side wall of the hole, when the ink from the nozzle leaks onto the outer shell circuit, it is likely to penetrate into the inner cartridge circuit through the hole or the gap on the outer shell, causing more serious damage to the circuit. Summary of the invention

[0003] An embodiment of the present invention provides an ink cartridge to solve the technical problem that a hole is provided on the ink cartridge shell, and the circuit realizes electrical connection between the inner ink cartridge and the ink cartridge shell through the hole, and ink easily enters the ink cartridge shell through the hole, thereby causing damage to the inner ink cartridge.

[0004] An embodiment of the present invention provides an ink cartridge, comprising: a print head housing, an ink bag housing, a first chip and a second chip, wherein the ink bag housing is accommodated in the print head housing, and the second chip is arranged on the ink bag housing; the first chip is arranged on the outer wall of the print head housing, and a first area and a second area are arranged on the first chip, the first area is used to be electrically connected to the original chip, a print head housing opening is arranged on the top of the print head housing, the second area extends toward the edge of the print head housing opening, and bypasses the edge of the print head housing opening to extend to the inner wall of the print head housing, and the second area is electrically connected to the second chip.

[0005] In the ink cartridge as described above, preferably, the first chip and / or the second chip is a flexible chip; or the first chip and / or the second chip is a rigid chip.

[0006] For the ink cartridge as described above, preferably, an elastic member is provided between the second region and the inner wall of the print head housing, and the elastic member is used to push the second region against the ink bag housing so that the second region fits the second chip.

[0007] As described above, in the ink cartridge, preferably, a plurality of second chip electrical contacts are arranged at intervals on the second chip; a plurality of first chip electrical contacts are arranged at intervals on the second area, and a plurality of abutment tops are arranged on the elastic member, each of the abutment tops corresponds to one of the first chip electrical contacts, and the first chip electrical contacts are used to fit with the second chip electrical contacts.

[0008] As for the ink cartridge as described above, preferably, a surface cover is provided on the top of the ink bag housing, and an air guide hole communicating with the interior of the ink bag housing is provided on the surface cover.

[0009] As described above, in the ink cartridge, preferably, the ink bag shell further comprises a surface coating, an air guide groove is provided on the surface cover, one end of the air guide groove is connected to the air guide hole, the surface coating covers the air guide groove and the air guide hole, and the other end of the air guide groove is provided with an opening connected to the outside.

[0010] For the ink cartridge as described above, preferably, the air guide groove is bent and extended on the surface cover.

[0011] As for the ink cartridge as described above, preferably, the surface cover is also provided with an ink injection hole.

[0012] As for the ink cartridge as described above, preferably, a support portion is provided at the bottom of the ink bag housing, and the bottom of the ink bag housing also has an ink outlet, and the support portion is located at one side of the ink outlet.

[0013] As for the ink cartridge as described above, preferably, the edge of the surface cover is provided with a snap-fitting portion, the top end of the print head housing is provided with a rib, and the snap-fitting portion snaps with the rib.

[0014] As the ink cartridge described above, preferably, a first protrusion is provided on the top of the ink bag housing, and a second protrusion is provided on the top of the print head housing, and the first protrusion abuts against the side of the second protrusion to limit the position between the ink bag housing and the print head housing.

[0015] As for the ink cartridge as described above, preferably, a clamping portion is provided on the top of the ink bag housing, and the clamping portion is clamped with the second protrusion.

[0016] The ink cartridge provided by the embodiment of the present invention comprises a print head housing, an ink bag housing, a first chip and a second chip, the ink bag housing is accommodated in the print head housing, and the second chip is arranged on the ink bag housing; a first area and a second area are arranged on the first chip, the first area is arranged on the outer wall of the print head housing, a print head housing opening is arranged on the top of the print head housing, the second area extends to the edge of the print head housing opening, and bypasses the edge of the print head housing opening to extend to the inner wall of the print head housing, the second area is electrically connected to the second chip, and the electrical connection between the ink cartridge and the printer is realized through the first chip and the second chip, thereby realizing the detection of the ink amount; compared with the prior art, no hole is opened on the ink cartridge housing, even if the ink sprayed by the print nozzle leaks, it cannot enter the ink bag housing, thereby avoiding damage to the circuit of the ink bag housing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an inclined plane of a print head housing of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of an inclined plane outside the housing of a print head into which a first chip is loaded according to the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of an inclined plane inside a print head housing into which a first chip is loaded according to the present invention;

[0021] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of an inclined plane of the exterior of the ink bag housing into which the second chip is loaded according to the present invention;

[0022] Figure 5 A top view of the ink bag housing with the second chip installed therein according to the present invention;

[0023] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a surface cover of an ink bag housing of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the engagement between the face cover of the ink bag housing and the print head housing of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 8 It is a front schematic diagram of the ink cartridge of the present invention;

[0026] Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of an inclined plane of an ink cartridge of the present invention;

[0027] Fig.10 is a schematic diagram of the contact between the first chip and the second chip of the present invention;

[0028] Fig.11 It is a partial enlarged schematic diagram of the contact between the first chip and the second chip of the present invention;

[0029] Fig.12 It is a schematic diagram of the inclined surface of the ink cartridge according to the first variation of the present invention;

[0030] Fig.13 It is a schematic diagram of an inclined plane of a first chip of an ink cartridge according to a second variation of the present invention;

[0031] Fig.14 It is a schematic diagram of an inclined plane of the second chip of the ink cartridge according to the second variation of the present invention;

[0032] Fig.15 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the interior of a print head housing with a first chip installed in an ink cartridge provided by an embodiment of the present invention Figure 2 ;

[0033] Fig.16 for Fig.15 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a first chip electrical contact is provided in the middle;

[0034] Fig.17 for Figure 3 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a first chip electrical contact is provided in the middle;

[0035] Fig.18 A schematic diagram of the back side of an ink cartridge provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Fig.19 for Fig.18 A partial enlarged view of the middle A;

[0037] Fig. 20 A top view of a cover of an ink bag housing in a multi-color ink cartridge provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Fig.21 A schematic diagram of the bottom of an ink bag housing in a monochrome ink cartridge provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Fig. 22 A schematic diagram of the bottom of an ink bag housing in a multi-color ink cartridge provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Description of reference numerals:

[0041] 1: Print head housing;

[0042] 11: Print head housing opening;

[0043] 12: original chip;

[0044] 13: Printing nozzle;

[0045] 14: Ribs;

[0046] 101: First chip;

[0047] 101a: first area;

[0048] 101b: Second area;

[0049] 1011: first chip electrical contact;

[0050] 15: second protruding portion;

[0051] 2: ink sac shell;

[0052] 201: second chip;

[0053] 2011: Second chip electrical contact;

[0054] 21: Ribs;

[0055] 22: Card strip;

[0056] 23: air guide hole;

[0057] 24: air guide groove;

[0058] 25: Ink injection hole;

[0059] 26: snap-fitting part;

[0060] 27: ink outlet;

[0061] 28: support part;

[0062] 29: clamping part;

[0063] 210: first protrusion;

[0064] 3: Face cover;

[0065] 4: Elastic parts;

[0066] 5: Reach the top. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0067] Exemplary embodiments will be described in detail herein, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the drawings, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements unless otherwise indicated. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with the present disclosure. Instead, they are merely examples of devices and methods consistent with some aspects of the present disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

[0068] In the absence of conflict, the embodiments of the present invention and the features described in the embodiments may be combined with each other. The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and in combination with the embodiments.

[0069] The following briefly describes this implementation mode:

[0070] Figure 1 FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an inclined plane of a print head housing of the present invention. Figure 1 As shown, the bottom of the print head housing 1 of the original ink cartridge has a print head 13, and the original chip 12 is arranged on the surface adjacent to the print head. Among them, the original chip 12 is provided with multiple electrical contacts. When the original ink cartridge is used, the above multiple electrical contacts are connected with the corresponding contacts on the printer side to establish an electrical connection between the original chip 12 and the printer. The top edge of the print head housing is the print head housing opening 11. In addition, as shown in FIG. Figure 1 As shown, a rib 14 is formed on the print head housing. Preferably, in this embodiment, the rib 14 is located at the top of the side of the print head housing 1. Those skilled in the art should understand that the rib can also be located at other positions according to specific needs.

[0071] Figure 2 FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an inclined plane of the exterior of a print head housing into which the first chip is loaded according to the present invention. Figure 2 As shown, after the modification is completed, the first chip 101 is attached to the surface of the print head housing where the original chip is located, and the first chip 101 at least overlaps with a portion of the original chip. The first chip is provided with a first area 101a and a second area 101b, wherein the first area at least partially corresponds to the position where the original chip is located. The first area includes a plurality of electrical contacts, which at least contact with the electrical contacts corresponding to a portion of the original chip to establish an electrical connection between the first chip and the original chip. In this way, on the print head housing after the modification, the first area at least covers a portion of the original chip. In addition, a second area including other electrical contacts 1011 is provided at a position of the first chip different from the first area, and the second area is opposite to the first area and is located inside the ink cartridge in a direction perpendicular to the direction of loading the ink bag. As shown Figure 3 As shown, Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the first chip is attached to part of the original circuit and extends to the inside through the opening of the print head housing. A person skilled in the art should understand that the first chip can be attached directly to the outer surface of the original chip or can be set between the original chip and the print head housing, that is, attached to the back of the original chip.

[0072] Figure 4 FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an oblique view of the exterior of the ink bag housing with the second chip installed in the present invention. The top of the ink bag housing 2 has a cover 3 for sealing the ink bag housing. Figures 5-6 As shown, the cover also has a plurality of clips 22 for engaging with the printer, air guide holes 23 and air guide grooves 24 for guiding the gas in the ink bag, and an ink injection hole 25. In addition, the edge of the cover also has a clip 26. The side has a single or multiple ribs 21, so that after the ink bag is installed in the print head housing, the friction between the ink bag and the print head housing is increased to prevent the displacement between the ink bag and the print head housing from reducing the printing quality. The bottom of the ink bag has an ink outlet 27, and a second chip 201 is attached to the side adjacent to the ink outlet. Like the first chip, the second chip has a second chip electrical contact 2011. Figure 7 In the process, the ink bag housing is installed into the print head housing, and the engaging portion 26 on the cover engages with the rib 14 on the edge of the print head housing. Figures 8 to 11As shown, the first chip extends inward through the opening of the print head housing to a position opposite to the second chip, and at this time, the first chip contact contacts the second chip contact to form an electrical connection. At this time, even if the nozzle ink leaks, it will not penetrate into the print head housing, pollute the second chip, and affect the ink sac circuit. During the printing process, the first chip is positioned on the print head housing, and the second chip is positioned on the ink sac housing. When the ink sac is assembled on the print head housing, the second chip contacts the first chip, and the first chip contacts the printer. During printing, the printer sends an instruction to read the ink volume, and the second chip and the first chip receive the printer's instruction at the same time. At this time, the second chip feeds back the ink volume information to the printer, and the first chip feeds back the information that the remaining ink volume in the ink cartridge is 0 to the printer. At this time, the printer receives the superimposed signal of the two chips and recognizes it as the required ink volume information; and the printer calculates the remaining ink volume information and writes the information to the second chip regularly; after the printer reads the information that the ink volume is 0, it prompts that the ink is exhausted and prompts the user to replace the ink cartridge. At this time, only the ink sac in it needs to be replaced. This method can obtain the actual amount of ink in the inner ink cartridge, preventing ink waste, damage to the print head due to empty printing, or disconnection of printing. A person skilled in the art should know that after receiving the printer's instructions, the second chip can also directly feedback the ink amount information to the printer. In addition, a person skilled in the art should know that the first chip and the second chip can respond to various instructions of the printer separately, or they can cooperate with each other to respond to the printer's instructions.

[0073] The first and second chips of this embodiment are both flexible chips.

[0074] Preferably, Figures 12-13 As shown, the first chip is a flexible chip, and the second chip is a rigid chip. The rigid chip has an arc-shaped protrusion, and when the ink bag is installed in the print head housing, the arc-shaped protrusion contacts the first chip contact point to form an electrical connection.

[0075] Preferably, Fig.14 As shown, the first and second chips are both rigid chips, the second chip has an arc-shaped protrusion, and the second chip is exposed from the print head housing and contacts the arc-shaped depression of the first chip, thereby forming an electrical connection portion.

[0076] The ink cartridge refers to a component in an inkjet printer that is used to store printing ink, transport the ink to the print head 13, and finally complete printing. The split ink cartridge separates the print head 13 from the ink cartridge, and the ink cartridge is not integrated on the print head 13, which reduces the printing cost, avoids the user from damaging the print head 13 during the disassembly and assembly of the ink cartridge, and increases the service life of the ink cartridge. In the split ink cartridge, according to the color, it can be divided into monochrome ink cartridges and multi-color ink cartridges; wherein, monochrome ink cartridges refer to each color being independently packaged; multi-color ink cartridges refer to multiple colors being packaged in one ink cartridge in different chambers. However, the plastic shell of the discarded ink cartridge is difficult to decompose, and the chemical ink remaining in the ink cartridge will cause huge pollution to the environment and endanger human health.

[0077] Figure 1 FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an inclined plane of a print head housing of the present invention. Figure 1 As shown, an ink cartridge is provided, comprising: a print head housing 1, an ink sac housing 2, an ink sac housing chip and an original chip 12. A print head housing opening 11 is provided on the top of the print head housing 1, and a ridge 14 is provided on the top of the print head housing 1; the original chip 12 is provided on the outer wall of the print head housing 1, and an opening is provided on the outer wall of the print head housing 1 where the original chip 12 is located, and an ink sac housing chip is provided on the ink sac housing 2, and the original chip 12 contacts the ink sac housing chip through the opening to form an electrical connection. When printing, the printer obtains the ink information stored in the ink sac housing chip through the ink sac housing chip and the original chip 12, and then calculates the ink usage according to the printing situation, and then obtains the remaining ink amount in the ink sac housing 2, and stores the remaining ink amount in the ink sac housing chip; after the printer reads the information that the ink amount displayed on the ink sac housing chip is 0, it prompts that the ink is exhausted, and reminds the user to replace the ink sac housing 2.

[0078] This embodiment reads the ink volume information and replaces the ink bag housing 2 in time, thereby reusing the print head housing 1, saving resources and avoiding environmental pollution.

[0079] However, this method requires drilling holes in the ink sac shell 2 to connect the circuits located in the ink sac shell 2 and the print head shell 1 respectively. The size of the holes is difficult to control, resulting in a complicated process and difficult operation. If the size of the holes is not properly controlled and a gap exists between the circuit and the side wall of the holes, the ink leaked from the print head 13 is likely to penetrate into the circuit of the ink sac shell 2 through the holes or the gaps in the ink sac shell 2, causing serious damage to the circuit. To address this technical problem, an embodiment of the present invention provides an ink cartridge.

[0080] It should be understood that the above-mentioned names of the components of the ink cartridge are only for identification purposes and should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of the present invention.

[0081] The ink cartridge provided in this embodiment includes: a print head housing 1, an ink bag housing 2, a first chip 101 and a second chip 201, the ink bag housing 2 is accommodated in the print head housing 1, and the second chip 201 is arranged on the ink bag housing 2; the first chip 101 is provided with a first area 101a and a second area 101b, the first area 101a is arranged on the outer wall of the print head housing 1, and a print head housing opening 11 is arranged on the top of the print head housing 1, the second area 101b extends to the edge of the print head housing opening 11, and bypasses the edge of the print head housing opening 11 to extend to the inner wall of the print head housing 1, and the second area 101b is electrically connected to the second chip 201.

[0082] The ink cartridge provided in this embodiment is a split ink cartridge, which is connected to a printer body to form a printer, and the first ink supply system of the ink cartridge is connected to the second ink supply system of the printer body to achieve printing. Specifically, a print head 13 is provided on the edge of the side wall of the print head housing 1 near the bottom, which is used to receive ink for printing. The print head housing 1 has a cavity inside, and the cavity is used to accommodate the ink sac housing 2; the print head housing 1 and the ink sac housing 2 are assembled to form an ink cartridge, and the printer body has a mounting groove inside, and the mounting groove is used to accommodate the ink cartridge.

[0083] In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the cavity of the print head housing 1 can be a regular shape such as a square or rectangle, or other irregular shapes, which is not limited in this embodiment; in addition, this embodiment does not limit the size of the cavity of the print head housing 1, and the size of the cavity is related to the model of the printer; the cross-sectional shape and size of the outer wall of the ink bag housing 2 are reasonably set so that the ink bag housing 2 can be accommodated in the print head housing 1. At the same time, the cross-sectional shape and size of the outer wall of the print head housing 1 are reasonably set so that the print head housing 1 can be accommodated in the printer body.

[0084] Reference Figure 2 , Figure 3 , a first chip 101 is arranged on the outer wall of the print head housing 1, and a first area 101a and a second area 101b are arranged on the first chip 101, wherein the first area 101a is arranged on the outer wall of the print head housing 1, and the first area 101a is used to be electrically connected to the original chip 12. Specifically, a conductive contact is arranged on the outer side of the original chip 12, and a contact portion is arranged on the side of the first area 101a facing the original chip 12, and the first area 101a can be attached to the outer side of the original chip 12, and the contact portion corresponds to the conductive contact one by one, so as to be electrically connected. Among them, the first area 101a forms electrical contact with at least part of the conductive contacts on the original chip 12.

[0085] Among them, the second area 101b extends to the edge of the print head housing opening 11, and bypasses the edge of the print head housing opening 11 to extend to the inner wall of the print head housing 1, and the second area 101b is used to be electrically connected to the second chip 201. Specifically, the print head housing opening 11 is arranged at the edge of the outer wall of the print head housing 1 where the first area 101a is located, and the second area 101b is parallel to the inner wall of the print head housing 1. Optionally, the edge of the print head housing opening 11 around which the second area 101b is arranged can be in an arc shape or a prism shape with chamfers, so that the second area 101b is conveniently arranged around the edge of the print head housing 1, and at the same time, the sharp edge of the print head housing 1 is prevented from damaging the second area 101b, resulting in electrical connection failure. Preferably, the top of the second area 101b is semicircular, and the curvature is the same as the curvature of the edge of the print head housing opening 11, so that the second area 101b is conveniently arranged around the edge of the print head housing opening 11, thereby being electrically connected to the second chip 201.

[0086] In this embodiment, the ink bag housing 2 has a cavity inside, and the cavity of the ink bag housing 2 is used to contain ink. Specifically, the bottom of the ink bag housing 2 is provided with an ink outlet 27 for guiding the ink to the printer body for printing. Correspondingly, the bottom of the print head housing 1 is provided with an ink delivery port. When the ink bag housing 2 is installed on the print head housing 1, the ink delivery port corresponds to the ink outlet 27.

[0087] Since the ink sac housing 2 is contained in the cavity of the print head housing 1, in order to increase the friction between the ink sac housing 2 and the print head housing 1 and prevent the ink sac housing 2 from being relatively displaced in the cavity of the print head housing 1, thereby affecting the printing quality, a rib 21 is provided on the side wall of the ink sac housing 2; preferably, a card slot matching the rib 21 can be provided on the inner wall of the print head housing 1. Specifically, the rib 21 and the ink sac housing 2 can be connected by welding, or integrally formed by casting. A second chip 201 is provided on the side wall of the ink sac housing 2, specifically on the side wall of the ink sac housing 2 that matches the second area 101b. Among them, the second chip 201 is connected to the ink sac housing 2 by welding.

[0088] Specifically, the first region 101a and the second region 101b are connected to form the first chip 101, and the first chip 101 can be split or integrated. When the first chip 101 is split, the connection between the first region 101a and the second region 101b can be welding or bonding; when the first chip 101 is integrated, the connection between the first region 101a and the second region 101b can be integrated.

[0089] In an achievable manner, the first chip 101 and the second chip 201 both include circuits, pins, and chips. When the ink capsule housing 2 is mounted on the print head housing 1, the first chip 101 contacts the printer, and the second chip 201 is electrically connected to the first chip 101, so that the circuits of the first chip 101 and the second chip 201 are connected, and the first chip 101 and the second chip 201 are enabled to work normally. When printing, the printer obtains the ink information stored in the second chip 102 through the first chip 101 and the second chip 102, and then calculates the ink usage according to the printing situation, and then obtains the remaining ink amount in the ink capsule housing 2, and stores the remaining ink amount in the second chip 102; specifically, the ink information can be information such as the material, color, and initial ink amount of the ink.

[0090] In another achievable manner, the first chip 101 includes a circuit, and the second chip 201 includes a circuit, a pin, and a chip. When the ink bag housing 2 is installed to the print head housing 1, the first chip 101 contacts the printer, and the second chip 201 is electrically connected to the first chip 101, so that the circuits of the first chip 101 and the second chip 201 are connected, and the second chip 201 is enabled to operate normally.

[0091] The ink cartridge provided by the embodiment of the present invention comprises a print head housing 1, an ink capsule housing 2, a first chip 101 and a second chip 201, the ink capsule housing 2 is contained in the print head housing 1, and the second chip 201 is arranged on the ink capsule housing 2; the first chip 101 is provided with a first area 101a and a second area 101b, the first area 101a is arranged on the outer wall of the print head housing 1, the top of the print head housing 1 is provided with a print head housing opening 11, the second area 101b extends to the edge of the print head housing opening 11, and bypasses the edge of the print head housing opening 11 to extend to the inner wall of the print head housing 1, and the second area 101b is electrically connected to the second chip 201. The electrical connection between the ink cartridge and the printer is realized by the first chip 101 and the second chip 201, thereby realizing the detection of the ink amount. Compared with the prior art, no hole is opened on the ink cartridge housing, and even if the ink sprayed by the print nozzle 13 leaks, it cannot enter the ink capsule housing 2, thereby avoiding the circuit damage of the ink capsule housing 2.

[0092] At the same time, by reading the ink volume information, the actual ink volume in the ink bag housing 2 can be obtained, which can prevent the waste of ink and avoid damaging the print head 13 due to empty printing.

[0093] Preferably, the first chip 101 and / or the second chip 201 may be a flexible chip; the first chip 101 and / or the second chip 201 may be a rigid chip. Specifically, the flexible chip may be a flexible printed circuit (FPC), and the rigid chip may be a printed circuit board (PCB).

[0094] In one feasible manner, the first chip 101 and the second chip 201 are both flexible chips, which have the advantages of being able to be freely bent, folded, and rolled, and to be freely moved and stretched in three-dimensional space. When the ink sac shell 2 is installed in the print head shell 1, but there is a gap between the ink sac shell 2 and the print head shell 1, when the first chip 101 is not attached to the second chip 201, the flexible chip enables the first chip 101 and the second chip 201 to stretch and be electrically connected, thereby ensuring a stable electrical connection.

[0095] In another feasible manner, the first chip 101 and the second chip 201 use a mixed rigid and flexible circuit board, the first chip 101 is a flexible chip, and the second chip 201 is a rigid chip; or the first chip 101 is a rigid chip, and the second chip 201 is a flexible chip. The manufacturing and assembly costs of the flexible circuit board are high, and compared with the previous embodiment, the manufacturing and assembly costs are effectively reduced.

[0096] In another achievable method, the first chip 101 and the second chip 201 are both rigid chips. When the printer is in use, the long-term connection between the first chip 101 and the second chip 201 is likely to generate high heat. Rigid chips have good heat dissipation performance to avoid heat concentration and damage to the circuit.

[0097] Reference Figures 15 to 19 , Fig.15 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the interior of a print head housing with a first chip installed in an ink cartridge provided by an embodiment of the present invention Figure 2 ; Fig.16 for Fig.15 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a first chip electrical contact is provided in the middle; Fig.17 for Figure 3 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a first chip electrical contact is provided in the middle; Fig.18 A schematic diagram of the back side of an ink cartridge provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Fig.19 for Fig.18 A partial enlarged view of point A in the middle.

[0098] In this embodiment, an elastic member 4 is provided between the second area 101b and the inner wall of the print head housing 1, and the elastic member 4 is used to press the second area 101b against the ink bag housing 2, so that the second area 101b and the second chip 201 are attached, so that the first chip 101 and the second chip 201 are electrically connected stably, and the first chip 101 and the second chip 201 feed back ink volume information to the printer, thereby reusing the print head housing 1. Specifically, there is a gap between the second area 101b and the inner wall of the print head housing 1, and the elastic member 4 is accommodated in the gap.

[0099] Optionally, the elastic member 4 can be a spring, a plastic part, a spring, a rubber part, etc., wherein the spring has good conductivity and resilience, and can always press against the second area 101b to fit the second chip 201. At the same time, the spring is in the form of a thin sheet with a small thickness, and the gap between the second area 101b and the inner wall of the print head housing 1 is small, so as to prevent the second area 101b from loosening. Fig.19 Taking the orientation shown as an example, specifically, the spring piece includes a bending section and a top section, and the bending section is bent in the horizontal direction to the left, and its bending angle is the same as the angle formed by the print head housing opening 11 and the inner wall of the print head housing 1, so that the spring piece can be completely attached to the inner wall of the print head housing 1, thereby improving the stability of the connection between the spring piece and the print head housing 1. Among them, since the spring piece has good elasticity, the bending section is easy to restore the deformation under the action of elastic force, and the bending section and the top section of the spring piece are both connected to the print head housing 1. Further, the spring piece can be connected to the print head housing 1 by adhesive, or by screw connection or clamping. In addition, the spring piece can be rubber or soft plastic. The spring piece made of rubber or soft plastic has a certain elasticity and low hardness, which can prevent the spring piece from wearing the second area 101b, thereby improving the service life of the ink cartridge. Preferably, the elastic member 4 can be an elastic metal sheet. In this case, insulation treatment is required between the elastic metal sheet and the second area 101b to prevent the elastic metal sheet from being connected to the circuit on the first chip 101. Exemplarily, an insulating film made of rubber or plastic can be formed on the surface of the elastic metal sheet.

[0100] Optionally, the elastic member 4 includes a spring, and the second region 101b abuts against the second chip 201 under the action of the spring to achieve electrical connection. Compared with the spring, the spring has better compression performance and better abutting effect. Specifically, one end of the spring is connected to the inner wall of the print head housing 1, and can be connected by welding, or by clamping or bonding; the other end of the spring abuts against the second region 101b. When the ink sac housing 2 is not installed in the print head housing 1, the cavity of the print head housing 1 is empty, the spring is in its original state, and abuts against the second region 101b in the cavity of the print head housing 1; when the ink sac housing 2 is installed in the print head housing 1, the second chip 201 is electrically connected to the second region 101b, and the second chip 201 presses the second region 101b toward the inner wall of the print head housing 1, and the spring is in a compressed state.

[0101] Continue to refer to Figures 15 to 19 On the basis of the above embodiment, a plurality of second chip electrical contacts 2011 are arranged at intervals on the second chip 201; a plurality of first chip electrical contacts 1011 are arranged at intervals on the second region 101b, and a plurality of abutting top portions 5 are arranged on the elastic member 4, each abutting top portion 5 corresponds to a first chip electrical contact 1011, and the first chip electrical contact 1011 is used to fit with the second chip electrical contact 2011. By providing the abutting top portions 5, each abutting top portion 5 abuts against a first chip electrical contact 1011, so that the first chip electrical contact 1011 is fitted to the second chip electrical contact 2011, so that the first chip electrical contact 1011 is always in contact with the second chip electrical contact 2011, and the first chip 101 and the second chip 201 maintain a stable electrical connection.

[0102] Specifically, the second area 101b extends to the inner wall of the print head housing 1, and a first chip electrical contact 1011 is provided on the side away from the inner wall of the print head housing 1, and the first chip electrical contact 1011 is used to be electrically connected to the second chip electrical contact 2011. Preferably, there are multiple first chip electrical contacts 1011, and the multiple first chip electrical contacts 1011 are arranged at intervals on the side of the second area 101b away from the inner wall of the print head housing 1, which can avoid the failure of electrical connection due to damage to one electrical contact, thereby improving the stability of the electrical connection. In addition, the first chip electrical contact 1011 can be in a regular shape such as a circle or a square, or in other irregular shapes, as long as it can be electrically connected to the second chip electrical contact 2011; at the same time, in order to improve the conductive performance, the material of the first chip electrical contact 1011 can be silver, copper, or tungsten carbide.

[0103] Specifically, a second chip electrical contact 2011 is provided on one side of the second chip 201 facing the inner wall of the print head housing 1, and the second chip electrical contact 2011 is used to connect with the first chip electrical contact 1011. Preferably, there may be multiple second chip electrical contacts 2011, and the second chip electrical contacts 2011 are reasonably arranged according to the position distribution of the first chip electrical contacts 1011, and the multiple second chip electrical contacts 2011 are connected to the multiple first chip electrical contacts 1011 in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0104] Specifically, a plurality of abutment top portions 5 are provided on the elastic member 4, and the number of the abutment top portions 5 is the same as the number of the first chip electrical contacts 1011, so that each abutment top portion 5 corresponds to a first chip electrical contact 1011, and the first chip electrical contact 1011 is in contact with the second chip electrical contact 2011, ensuring that the circuits of the first chip 101 and the second chip 201 are connected, so that the first chip 101 and the second chip 201 can work normally.

[0105] Optionally, refer to Fig.15 , the top 5 is a cylindrical protrusion, correspondingly, refer to Fig.16 , the first chip electrical contact 1011 is circular, and a cylindrical abutment portion 5 corresponds to a circular first chip electrical contact 1011; or, referring to Figure 3 , the top portion 5 is a long strip protrusion, correspondingly, refer to Fig.17 The first chip electrical contact 1011 has a long strip-shaped patch with electrical contacts at both ends of the patch; in addition, the second chip electrical contact 2011 is a groove corresponding to the abutment top 5, so that the first chip electrical contact 1011 and the second chip electrical contact 2011 maintain good contact to form an electrical connection.

[0106] When the elastic member 4 is a spring sheet, the abutting top portion 5 is arranged on the abutting section. Specifically, the abutting top portion 5 is made of elastic materials such as rubber or soft plastic, and the abutting top portion 5 can be connected to the abutting section by bonding, or can be integrally formed with the abutting section; the abutting top portion 5 can also be made of metal materials such as copper or steel, and the abutting top portion 5 is connected to the abutting section by bonding.

[0107] When the elastic member 4 is a spring, one end of the spring is connected to the inner wall of the print head housing 1, and the other end of the spring is connected to the abutting top 5. The abutting top 5 abuts the second area 101b under the action of the spring. Specifically, the connection between the spring and the abutting top 5 can be welding or bonding. The number of springs is the same as the number of abutting tops 5, and one spring corresponds to one abutting top 5.

[0108] Reference Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Fig. 20 , Figure 5 A top view of the ink bag housing with the second chip installed therein according to the present invention; Figure 6is a schematic diagram of a surface cover of an ink bag housing of the present invention; Fig. 20 A top view of a cover of an ink bag housing in a multi-color ink cartridge provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0109] In this embodiment, a surface cover 3 is provided on the top of the ink bag housing 2, and an air guide hole 23 connected to the inside of the ink bag housing 2 is provided on the surface cover 3. By providing the surface cover 3, the ink bag housing 2 is sealed to avoid ink leakage.

[0110] Specifically, the bottom of the cover 3 has a groove, and the size of the groove is the same as the size of the ink sac housing 2, so that the cover 3 can completely cover the ink sac housing 2, thereby achieving sealing. Figure 5 Taking the orientation shown as an example, a clamping strip 22 is also provided on the top of the cover 3 for clamping with the printer body so that the ink cartridge is installed and fixed in the printer body. The clamping strip 22 may be one or more. For example, there are three clamping strips 22, two of which are arranged at the left end of the top of the cover 3 and symmetrically arranged along the axis of the cover 3, and another clamping strip 22 is arranged at the right end of the top of the cover 3, and its center line is colinear with the axis of the cover 3. It is worth noting that the portion of the printer body that matches the clamping strip 22 is provided with a corresponding clamping slot for clamping with the clamping strip 22.

[0111] The air guide hole 23 is used to communicate with the inside of the ink bag housing 2, thereby balancing the air pressure between the ink bag housing 2 and the external environment, so that the ink can flow out smoothly. At the same time, by guiding the air in the ink bag housing 2, the ink inside the ink bag housing 2 is prevented from drying out due to air evaporation. Optionally, the air guide hole 23 can be circular or square, as long as it can be connected.

[0112] Preferably, the cover 3 is also provided with an ink injection hole 25, through which ink is injected into the ink bag housing 2, which is simple and convenient to operate. The number of the ink injection hole 25 and the air guide hole 23 depends on the type of the ink cartridge. Figure 5 If the ink cartridge is a monochrome ink cartridge, the ink injection hole 25 and the air guide hole 23 are both set as one; refer to Fig. 20 If the ink cartridge is a multi-color ink cartridge, the ink injection hole 25 and the air guide hole 23 can be set to three according to the type of color, each ink injection hole 25 is used to inject one color of ink, and each air guide hole 23 is used to communicate with a chamber where one color of ink is located.

[0113] Preferably, in order to prevent the outside air from entering from the air guide hole 23, causing the ink inside the ink bag housing 2 to evaporate and dry, and also to prevent the ink from flowing out from the air guide hole 23 and the ink injection hole 25, the ink bag housing 2 also includes a surface coating, and an air guide groove 24 is provided on the cover 3, one end of the air guide groove 24 is connected to the air guide hole 23, and the surface coating covers the air guide groove 24 and the air guide hole 23, and the other end of the air guide groove 24 is provided with an opening connected to the outside. Specifically, the surface coating can be an aluminum plate or a plastic film. Preferably, the surface coating is a transparent PVC material, and the ink in the ink bag housing 2 can be observed from the air guide hole 23. When there is air inside the ink bag housing 2, since the density of the air is less than the density of the ink, the air is above the inside of the ink bag housing 2, flows into the air guide hole 23 and then enters one end of the air guide groove 24, and circulates along the air guide groove 24, flows to the other end of the air guide groove 24, and finally flows out from the opening and merges into the outside air. Among them, since the surface coating covers the air guide hole 23, the air guide hole 23 cannot be used to balance the air pressure between the ink bag housing 2 and the external environment, resulting in a pressure difference between the ink bag housing 2 and the outside, making it difficult to inject ink. Therefore, an opening is set at the other end of the air guide groove 24, and the opening is connected to the outside air to balance the air pressure between the ink bag housing 2 and the external environment, so that the ink injection is successful. Among them, the air guide groove 24 can be a straight pipe section for guiding the air inside the ink bag housing 2. Preferably, the air guide groove 24 is bent and extended on the surface cover 3, and the air guide groove 24 forms a tortuous curve, which can prevent the ink from flowing out along the air guide hole 23 and the air guide groove 24.

[0114] The air guide hole 23, the air guide groove 24 and the opening form an air guide system, which is arranged on the cover 3 on the top of the ink sac housing 2 to balance the pressure difference between the ink sac housing 2 and the outside air. Optionally, in order to speed up the balancing speed, multiple air guide systems can be arranged on the cover 3, and the positions of the multiple air guide systems are arranged reasonably. For example, referring to Figure 5 Two air guide systems are provided on the cover 3 , and the two air guide systems are located in the middle of the cover 3 and are symmetrically arranged along the axis of the cover 3 .

[0115] Reference Figure 21 to Figure 22 , Fig.21 A schematic diagram of the bottom of an ink bag housing in a monochrome ink cartridge provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 22 A schematic diagram of the bottom of an ink bag housing in a multi-color ink cartridge provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0116] On the basis of the above embodiment, a support portion 28 is provided at the bottom of the ink bag housing 2 , and the bottom of the ink bag housing 2 also has an ink outlet 27 , and the support portion 28 is located at one side of the ink outlet 27 .

[0117] When the ink bag housing 2 is replaced, the ink bag housing 2 is often placed on a table. Dust on the table can easily enter the ink bag housing 2 from the ink outlet 27, causing the ink to be contaminated. By providing the support portion 28, the ink outlet 27 is prevented from directly contacting the outside, thereby preventing dust from entering the ink outlet 27.

[0118] In this embodiment, the support portion 28 is arranged at one end of the side wall of the ink sac housing 2 close to the second chip 201, and in the height direction, the horizontal plane where the bottom of the support portion 28 is located is lower than the horizontal plane where the ink outlet 27 is located. When the ink sac housing 2 is placed horizontally on a plane, the bottom of the support portion 28 contacts the plane, and the ink outlet 27 does not contact the plane. Optionally, the support portion 28 can be cylindrical or truncated, or plate-shaped, as long as its bottom surface is a plane; Optionally, the connection method between the support portion 28 and the bottom of the ink sac housing 2 can be welding, bonding or integral molding by molding. Specifically, this embodiment does not limit the width of the support portion 28, as long as the support portion 28 is sufficient to support the ink sac housing 2. It is worth noting that since the multi-color ink cartridge carries many types of ink and the capacity of the multi-color ink cartridge is large, in order to improve the strength of the support portion 28 of the ink sac housing 2 in the multi-color ink cartridge, the width of the support portion 28 of the ink sac housing 2 in the multi-color ink cartridge is larger than the width of the support portion 28 of the ink sac housing 2 in the monochrome ink cartridge. In addition, a groove matching the support portion 28 is provided on the inner wall of the print head housing 1 for engaging with the support portion 28 to improve the connection strength between the ink bag housing 2 and the print head housing 1 .

[0119] Specifically, the ink outlet 27 is disposed at the bottom of the ink bag housing 2 and is located on the side of the support portion 28 away from the side wall where the second chip 201 is located. The number of the ink outlets 27 is related to the type of ink cartridge. According to the type of ink cartridge, the number of the ink outlets 27 is reasonably set and the positions of the ink outlets 27 are reasonably arranged; for example, referring to Fig.21 ,by Fig.21 Taking the orientation shown as an example, when the ink cartridge is a monochrome ink cartridge, there is only one ink outlet 27, and the ink outlet 27 is located on the right side of the support portion 28; Fig. 22 ,by Fig. 22 Taking the shown orientation as an example, when the ink cartridge is a color ink cartridge, there are three ink outlets 27 , two of which are located on the right side of the support portion 28 , and the other ink outlet 27 is located between the two support portions 28 .

[0120] Preferably, a snap-fitting portion 26 is provided on the edge of the face cover 3, and a rib 14 is provided on the top of the print head housing 1. The snap-fitting portion 26 snaps into the rib 14, so that when the face cover 3 snaps into the top of the print head housing 1, the movement in the height direction between the face cover 3 and the print head housing 1 is limited, thereby realizing the installation of the ink cartridge.

[0121] Reference Figure 6 , Figure 7Specifically, the engaging portion 26 is arranged on the edge of the side wall of the face cover 3. When the ink bag housing 2 is installed in the print head housing 1, the side wall of the face cover 3 where the engaging portion 26 is located is opposite to the side wall where the first chip 101 is located. The engaging portion 26 is located in the middle of the edge of the side wall of the face cover 3. Specifically, the rib 14 is arranged on the top edge of the side wall of the print head housing 1 opposite to the side wall where the print head housing opening 11 is located. The top surface of the rib 14 is parallel to the horizontal plane and is used to connect with the top surface of the face cover 3. Optionally, refer to Figure 7 The end of the engaging portion 26 away from the edge of the cover 3 has a step, which is used to engage with the rib 14. The distance from the end of the engaging portion 26 away from the edge of the cover 3 to the step is the same as the thickness of the rib 14, so that the engaging portion 26 cannot move up and down after engaging with the rib 14.

[0122] Reference Figure 12 to Figure 14 Preferably, the top of the ink bag housing 2 is provided with a first protrusion 210, and the top of the print head housing 1 is provided with a second protrusion 15, and the first protrusion 210 abuts against the side of the second protrusion 15 to limit the position between the ink bag housing 2 and the print head housing 1. When the ink bag housing 2 is installed in the print head housing 1, the first protrusion 210 cooperates with the second protrusion 15 to achieve lateral positioning, thereby improving the position accuracy between the ink bag housing 2 and the print head housing 1.

[0123] Specifically, the second protrusion 15 is disposed on the side wall of the print head housing 1 adjacent to the side wall where the first chip 101 is located, and is located at the top of the print head housing 1. The top surface of the second protrusion 15 and the top surface of the rib 14 are located on the same horizontal plane, and when the cover 3 is covered on the print head housing 1, the top surface of the rib 14 supports the cover 3; the side surface of the second protrusion 15 can be a plane or an inclined surface.

[0124] Preferably, a clamping portion 29 is provided on the top of the ink bag housing 2 , and the clamping portion 29 is clamped with the second protruding portion 15 , thereby limiting the movement between the surface cover 3 and the print head housing 1 in the height direction.

[0125] Optionally, refer to Figure 12 to Figure 14 The end of the clamping portion 29 away from the top of the ink bag housing 2 has a step, and the step is used to engage with the second protrusion 15. The distance from the end of the clamping portion 29 away from the top of the ink bag housing 2 to the step is the same as the thickness of the second protrusion 15. Specifically, the second protrusion 15 has a protrusion toward the bottom of the print head housing 1.

[0126] 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 aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned 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 cartridge, characterized in that: include: A print head housing, an ink sac housing, a first chip and a second chip, wherein the ink sac housing is accommodated in the print head housing, and the second chip is arranged on the ink sac housing; the first chip is arranged on the outer wall of the print head housing, and a first area and a second area are arranged on the first chip, the first area is used to be electrically connected to an original chip, the original chip is arranged on the outer wall of the print head housing, the first chip is attached to the original chip, and the first chip overlaps with at least part of the original chip, a print head housing opening is arranged on the top of the print head housing, the second area extends toward the edge of the print head housing opening, and bypasses the edge of the print head housing opening to extend to the inner wall of the print head housing, and the second area is electrically connected to the second chip.

2. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first chip and / or the second chip is a flexible chip; Alternatively, the first chip and / or the second chip is a rigid chip.

3. The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that: An elastic member is disposed between the second region and the inner wall of the print head housing, and the elastic member is used to push the second region against the ink bag housing so that the second region is fitted with the second chip.

4. The ink cartridge according to claim 3, characterized in that: A plurality of second chip electrical contacts are arranged at intervals on the second chip; a plurality of first chip electrical contacts are arranged at intervals on the second area, a plurality of abutting tops are arranged on the elastic member, each abutting top corresponds to one of the first chip electrical contacts, and the first chip electrical contacts are used to fit with the second chip electrical contacts.

5. The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that: A surface cover is arranged on the top of the ink bag housing, and an air guide hole communicating with the interior of the ink bag housing is arranged on the surface cover.

6. The ink cartridge according to claim 5, characterized in that: The ink bag shell also includes a surface coating, an air guide groove is arranged on the surface cover, one end of the air guide groove is connected with the air guide hole, the surface coating covers the air guide groove and the air guide hole, and the other end of the air guide groove is provided with an opening connected with the outside.

7. The ink cartridge according to claim 6, characterized in that: The air guide groove is bent and extends on the surface cover.

8. The ink cartridge according to claim 7, characterized in that: The surface cover is also provided with an ink injection hole.

9. The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that: A supporting portion is arranged at the bottom of the ink bag housing, and an ink outlet is also arranged at the bottom of the ink bag housing, and the supporting portion is located at one side of the ink outlet.

10. The ink cartridge according to claim 5, characterized in that: The edge of the surface cover is provided with a clamping portion, the top of the print head housing is provided with a rib, and the clamping portion is clamped with the rib.

11. The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that: The top of the ink bag housing is provided with a first protrusion, the top of the print head housing is provided with a second protrusion, and the first protrusion abuts against the side surface of the second protrusion to limit the position between the ink bag housing and the print head housing.

12. The ink cartridge according to claim 11, characterized in that: A clamping portion is provided on the top of the ink bag housing, and the clamping portion is clamped with the second protruding portion.

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