Ink cartridges and inkjet printers

Abstract

The present invention provides an ink cartridge and an inkjet printer. The ink cartridge includes a shell, a first sealing film, a second sealing film, a porous material and a one-way valve arranged in an accommodating chamber. The shell has an accommodating chamber and a deformable chamber located in the accommodating chamber. The shell is provided with an ink outlet communicating with the accommodating chamber, an air charging port communicating with the deformable chamber, a first air guide port, a second air guide port and an anti-leakage venting structure. The first sealing film seals the first air guide port, the second sealing film seals the second air guide port, the anti-leakage venting structure has a first flow channel communicating with the first air guide port and a first port of the one-way valve and a second flow channel communicating with the second air guide port and the accommodating chamber. In the flow direction of the second flow channel, at least a portion of the porous material is located between the second air guide port and the accommodating chamber. The second port of the one-way valve is communicated with the accommodating chamber. When the one-way valve is in a conducting state, the first port is an inlet and the second port is an outlet. The inkjet printer is provided with the above ink cartridge, and the ink cartridge has the advantages of good stability in use and ink leakage prevention.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of printing consumables, and in particular to an ink cartridge and a printer provided with the ink cartridge. Background Art

[0002] The ink cartridge is used to store ink and cooperate with the inkjet printer to print the preset printing results on the relevant media. For example, a patent document with publication number CN203157372U discloses an ink cartridge, which includes a shell and a one-way valve; the shell has a body and a face cover, a deformable cavity is arranged in the body, an ink containing cavity is formed between the body and the face cover, a partition is arranged in the ink containing cavity, the partition divides the ink containing cavity into a first ink storage cavity and a second ink storage cavity, the deformable cavity is located in the first ink storage cavity and is connected with the inflation port on the shell, the first ink storage cavity is connected with the ink outlet on the shell, and the second ink storage cavity is provided with an ink inlet; the one-way valve includes a valve cavity arranged on the shell, a spring and a valve member located in the valve cavity, and a valve cover covering the valve cavity, etc., the through hole of the valve cavity is connected with the ink inlet, so that the ink in the second ink storage cavity can enter the valve cavity, the through port of the valve cavity is connected with the first ink storage cavity, so that the ink in the valve cavity can enter the first ink storage cavity, and the one-way valve is a one-way flow channel connected between the first ink storage cavity and the second ink storage cavity, so that the ink can only flow from the second ink storage cavity into the first ink storage cavity. However, the one-way valve has many parts, which makes it difficult to ensure the sealing of the assembly, and due to the presence of the partition, the ink cartridge is prone to the following problems during use:

[0003] When the deformable cavity expands, the ink will be compressed instantly. However, since the one-way valve is in a closed state at this time and the partition isolates the flow of ink between the first ink storage cavity and the second ink storage cavity, the pressure of the ink will act on the shell, causing cracks to appear at the welding points between the surface cover and the main body and / or the welding points between the main body and the valve cover, thereby causing the shell to rupture and leak ink. At the same time, the ink will also squeeze the deformable cavity in the reverse direction, making the film of the deformable cavity easily ruptured due to excessive force. Furthermore, since the one-way valve is the only flow channel between the first ink storage cavity and the second ink storage cavity, when the one-way valve fails, the ink in the second ink storage cavity cannot enter the first ink storage cavity, thereby greatly shortening the service life of the ink cartridge. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to solve the above problems, the main purpose of the present invention is to provide an ink cartridge with good stability in use and prevent ink leakage.

[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide an inkjet printer provided with the above-mentioned ink cartridge.

[0006] In order to achieve the main purpose of the present invention, the present invention provides an ink cartridge, including a shell, the shell having a accommodating chamber and a deformable chamber located in the accommodating chamber, the shell being provided with an ink outlet and an air charging port, the ink outlet being communicated with the accommodating chamber, and the air charging port being communicated with the deformable chamber, wherein the ink cartridge further comprises a first sealing film, a second sealing film, a porous material and a one-way valve arranged in the accommodating chamber, the shell being further provided with a first air guide port, a second air guide port and an anti-leakage venting structure, the first sealing film sealing the first air guide port, the second sealing film sealing the second air guide port, the anti-leakage venting structure comprising a first flow channel and a second flow channel, the first flow channel communicating the first air guide port and a first opening of the one-way valve, the second flow channel communicating the second air guide port and the accommodating chamber, in a flow direction of the second flow channel, at least a portion of the porous material is located between the second air guide port and the accommodating chamber, the second opening of the one-way valve is communicated with the accommodating chamber, and when the one-way valve is in a conducting state, the first opening is an inlet, and the second opening is an outlet.

[0007] As can be seen from the above, before the ink cartridge is put into the machine (installed on the printer carriage), observe whether there is ink in the second air guide port. If there is ink in the second air guide port, only the first sealing film is torn off. After the ink cartridge is put into the machine and before printing begins, the air pump of the printer inflates the deformable cavity through the inflation port, so that the deformable cavity expands and the pressure in the accommodating cavity increases. At this time, the one-way valve is in a cut-off state, so that the ink in the accommodating cavity flows from the ink outlet to the print head; when the ink flows to the print head, the air pump stops working, so that the deformable cavity shrinks, and the gas in the deformable cavity is discharged through the inflation port, and a certain negative pressure is maintained in the accommodating cavity, so that the bubbles in the print head are attracted to the ink cartridge to remove the bubbles in the print head. In addition, during the process of increasing the pressure in the accommodating cavity, when the ink submerges the entrance of the second flow channel, the ink can flow into the second flow channel, and the porous material can absorb the ink in the second flow channel, thereby appropriately reducing the pressure in the accommodating cavity, and preventing the ink from leaking from the welding point of the shell and / or the deformable cavity from being damaged due to excessive pressure in the accommodating cavity. During printing, the air pump does not work, and the ink in the accommodating chamber is continuously consumed, causing the negative pressure in the accommodating chamber to gradually increase. At this time, the one-way valve is in a conducting state, and external gas enters the shell from the first air guide port through the one-way valve, so that the air pressure in the accommodating chamber is balanced with the external air pressure.

[0008] Before the ink cartridge is put into the machine, if it is observed that there is no ink in the second air port or when the one-way valve cannot be opened normally, the first sealing film and the second sealing film are torn off at the same time, so that the one-way valve does not participate in the work. When the pressure in the accommodating chamber increases, the porous material is arranged in the second flow channel, which increases the resistance of the ink entering the second flow channel and flowing in the second flow channel, so that the ink flows from the ink outlet to the print head, but at the same time, when the ink submerges the entrance of the second flow channel, the ink can flow into the second flow channel, which plays the role of storing ink and appropriately reducing the pressure in the accommodating chamber, and the setting of the second flow channel can prevent the ink from being discharged from the ink cartridge from the second air port. During printing, as the ink is continuously consumed, the negative pressure in the accommodating chamber tends to gradually increase. At this time, the external gas enters the shell from the second air port through the second flow channel, so that the air pressure in the accommodating chamber is balanced with the external air pressure.

[0009] A preferred solution is that the second opening is communicated with the accommodating chamber through a second flow channel, and in the flow direction, the second air guide port is located between the second opening and the accommodating chamber.

[0010] As can be seen from the above, the above structural design effectively prevents ink from entering the one-way valve when the one-way valve is in a normally open state due to failure, thereby preventing ink from leaking from the one-way valve.

[0011] Another preferred solution is that when the ink cartridge is in the off-machine state, the ink outlet is located at the bottom of the shell, the first air port and the second air port are located at the top of the shell, and the connection between the second flow channel and the accommodating chamber is located at the top of the shell; the line connecting the axis of the first air port and the axis of the second air port is parallel to the axis of the ink outlet.

[0012] As can be seen from the above, the ink outlet is positioned so that the ink in the accommodating cavity can be discharged from the ink outlet as much as possible, while the first air outlet and the second air outlet are positioned so as to better prevent the ink from leaking out of the shell from the first air outlet and the second air outlet.

[0013] Another preferred solution is that the second flow channel has a drainage section, a buffer cavity and a first guide section. When the ink cartridge is in a dropped state, the drainage section and the first guide section extend from the top of the shell toward the bottom of the shell respectively, the drainage section is connected with the accommodating cavity, the buffer cavity is connected between the drainage section and the first guide section, the inlet of the drainage section and the outlet of the buffer cavity are both located at the top of the shell, and the second air guide port is located in the first guide section; at least a portion of the porous material is located in the buffer cavity.

[0014] As can be seen from the above, the drainage section is used to guide the ink in the accommodating chamber to the buffer chamber, and the setting of the buffer chamber enables the second flow channel to accommodate more ink, and the position setting of the buffer chamber, the position setting of the second air guide port and the outlet position setting of the buffer chamber can better prevent the ink from leaking out of the shell through the second air guide port. The inlet position setting of the drainage section allows the ink in the accommodating chamber to flow into the second flow channel as little as possible, and the setting of at least a part of the porous material in the buffer chamber can improve the buffer chamber's ability to receive ink therein.

[0015] A further solution is that the second flow channel also has a second guide section, the second guide section is parallel to the axis of the ink outlet, the second guide section is connected between the first guide section and the second opening, and when the ink cartridge is in a dropped state, the second guide section is located below the buffer chamber; the first guide section is provided with a portion of porous material at the second air outlet.

[0016] As can be seen from the above, the provision of the second guide section can prevent the ink in the accommodating chamber from directly entering the one-way valve through the second opening, thereby better preventing the ink from leaking out of the housing from the one-way valve. Providing a portion of porous material at the second air guide port can prevent the ink from leaking out of the housing from the second air guide port when the ink flows through the second air guide port.

[0017] Another preferred solution is that the one-way valve includes a valve cavity, a valve core, a valve cover and a spring; the side wall of the shell is concavely formed into the valve cavity; the opening of the valve cavity is located at the side wall; the first air guide port, the second air guide port and the first flow channel pass through the side wall; the second port is located at the bottom of the valve cavity and connects the valve cavity and the accommodating cavity; the valve core is installed in the valve cavity; a through hole is provided on the valve core; the valve cover covers the opening of the valve cavity; the first port is provided on the valve cover; the spring forces the valve core to abut against the valve cover; the ink cartridge also includes a third sealing film, which closes the first port and the first flow channel outside the accommodating cavity.

[0018] As can be seen from the above, the third sealing film is used to seal the first opening and the first flow channel outside the accommodating chamber when the one-way valve is in normal use, so as to prevent the ink in the accommodating chamber from leaking out of the housing from the first opening and / or the first flow channel outside the accommodating chamber, and to ensure that the one-way valve can work normally. When the one-way valve is in a faulty or ineffective state, the third sealing film can be torn off, so that the one-way valve does not participate in the work, so as to ensure the normal operation of the ink cartridge, and accelerate the pressure balance in the accommodating chamber.

[0019] A further solution is that the third sealing film also seals a portion of the gap between the valve cover and the shell; the ink cartridge also includes a fourth sealing film, which seals the remaining gap between the valve cover and the shell, and when the ink cartridge is in a dropped state, the first port and the first flow channel outside the accommodating cavity are both located above the fourth sealing film.

[0020] As can be seen from the above, the third sealing film is positioned so that when the third sealing film is torn off, the pressure balance in the accommodating cavity can be further accelerated. The fourth sealing film is used to assist the third sealing film in closing the gap between the valve cover and the housing, and can prevent the valve cover from separating from the housing.

[0021] A further solution is that the leak-proof ventilation structure is located in the accommodating cavity, and the ink cartridge further includes a fifth sealing film, which seals the opening of the leak-proof ventilation structure.

[0022] A further solution is that when the ink cartridge is in the off-machine state, the one-way valve is located in the upper middle portion of the shell.

[0023] As can be seen from the above, the position setting of the one-way valve can effectively reduce the space occupied by the leak-proof ventilation structure in the accommodating chamber to increase the ink storage capacity of the accommodating chamber, and at the same time can also optimize the structure of the ink cartridge.

[0024] In order to achieve another purpose of the present invention, the present invention provides an inkjet printer, including a printer carriage, a cartridge installation position is provided on the printer carriage, the cartridge installation position has an ink outlet interface and an air supply interface, wherein the inkjet printer also includes the above-mentioned ink cartridge, the ink cartridge is detachably installed in the cartridge installation position, the ink outlet interface is connected to the ink outlet port, and the air supply interface is connected to the inflation port.

[0025] As can be seen from the above, an inkjet printer equipped with the above ink cartridge can improve the printing quality and prevent the ink cartridge from leaking ink during the use of the printer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 It is a structural diagram of an ink cartridge embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 It is an exploded view of an ink cartridge embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 3 It is a structural diagram of the first embodiment of the ink cartridge of the present invention after omitting some components.

[0029] Figure 4 It is a structural diagram of the second embodiment of the ink cartridge of the present invention after omitting some components.

[0030] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 Enlarged view of point A in the middle.

[0031] Figure 6 It is a structural diagram of the third embodiment of the ink cartridge of the present invention after omitting some components.

[0032] Figure 7 It is a disassembled view of the fourth embodiment of the ink cartridge of the present invention after omitting some components.

[0033] Figure 8It is a structural diagram of the fifth embodiment of the ink cartridge of the present invention after omitting some components.

[0034] Fig. 9 yes Figure 8 Sectional view along A-A.

[0035] The present invention is further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] Ink cartridge embodiment:

[0037] The ink cartridge 100 is installed on the printer carriage of the printer to supply ink to the print head on the printer carriage, so that the printer carriage can print the preset printing structure on the relevant medium. Figures 1 to 3 The ink cartridge 100 includes a housing 1 , a first sealing film 21 , a second sealing film 22 , a third sealing film 23 , a fourth sealing film 24 , a fifth sealing film 25 , a one-way valve 3 and a porous material 4 .

[0038] The housing 1 includes a body 11 and a cover 12. The body 11 has a receiving cavity 13 and a deformable cavity 14. The receiving cavity 13 is used to store ink. The cover 12 covers the opening of the receiving cavity 13 to seal the receiving cavity 13. In addition, the cover 12 and the housing 1 can be fixedly connected by ultrasonic welding to ensure airtightness between the cover 12 and the housing 1.

[0039] Combination Figure 4 The deformable cavity 14 includes a cavity wall 141 and a sixth sealing film 143. The cavity wall 141 is formed on the side wall 111 of the body 11 and forms a first cavity 142 with the side wall 111. The cavity wall 141 is located in the accommodating cavity 13. In the height direction of the cavity wall 141, the height of the cavity wall 141 is less than the height of the peripheral wall 112 of the body 11. The sixth sealing film 143 is fixedly connected to the opening of the first cavity 142 to close the first cavity 142. In addition, a second spring 144 is provided between the sixth sealing film 143 and the housing 1, and the second spring 144 is used to force the sixth sealing film 143 to move into the first cavity 142.

[0040] The shell 1 is provided with an ink outlet 15, an air charging port 16, a first air guide port 17, a second air guide port 18 and an anti-leakage ventilation structure 19. The ink outlet 15 and the air charging port 16 are both provided on the same peripheral wall 112 of the body 11. The first air guide port 17, the second air guide port 18 and the cavity wall 141 of the deformable cavity 14 are all provided on the same side wall 111 of the body 11, and the first air guide port 17 and the second air guide port 18 respectively penetrate the side wall 111 where they are located along the height direction of the cavity wall 141. When the ink cartridge 100 is in the machine-dropping state, the ink outlet 15 is located at the bottom of the shell 1, and the air charging port 16 is located above the ink outlet 15; while the first air guide port 17 and the second air guide port 18 are both located at the top of the shell 1, and preferably, the line connecting the axis of the first air guide port 17 and the axis of the second air guide port 18 is parallel to the axis of the ink outlet 15. The down-machine state refers to the position state of the ink cartridge 100 when the ink cartridge 100 is installed on the printer carriage. The ink outlet 15 is communicated with the accommodating chamber 13, so that the ink in the accommodating chamber 13 can be output to the printer carriage through the ink outlet 15, and the air charging port 16 is communicated with the first cavity 142 of the deformable cavity 14, so that the air pump of the printer can charge the deformable cavity 14 with gas through the air charging port 16, so that the deformable cavity 14 swells. Specifically, when the air pump charges the deformable cavity 14 with gas through the air charging port 16, the sixth sealing film 143 will bulge and deform toward the outside of the first cavity 142 under the action of air pressure, thereby squeezing the ink in the accommodating chamber 13 and squeezing the ink out of the ink outlet 15; and when the air pump stops working, the sixth sealing film 143 is pressed toward the first cavity 142 under the elastic force of the second spring 144, so that the gas in the first cavity 142 is discharged through the air charging port 16, and at this time, a certain negative pressure is maintained in the accommodating chamber 13 to attract the bubbles in the print head into the ink cartridge 100, so as to remove the bubbles in the print head. Of course, as an optional solution, the deformable cavity 14 may also be an airbag.

[0041] Combination Figure 5 and Figure 6 , the leak-proof ventilation structure 19 is arranged in the accommodating cavity 13, and the leak-proof ventilation structure 19 is arranged on the side wall 111. In the height direction of the cavity wall 141 of the deformable cavity 14, the height of the leak-proof ventilation structure 19 is less than the height of the peripheral wall 112 of the body 11. Since the body 11 is usually injection molded, the leak-proof ventilation structure 19 will have an opening to facilitate the demoulding of the mold core or insert of the injection mold from the body 11. The fifth sealing film 25 closes the opening of the leak-proof ventilation structure 19 to prevent the ink in the accommodating cavity 13 from directly entering the leak-proof ventilation structure 19 from the opening of the leak-proof ventilation structure 19. And preferably, in the height direction of the cavity wall 141 of the deformable cavity 14, the height of the leak-proof ventilation structure 19 is equal to the height of the cavity wall 141 of the deformable cavity 14, and the fifth sealing film 25 and the sixth sealing film 143 can be combined into a sealing film.

[0042] The leak-proof ventilation structure 19 has a first flow channel 191 and a second flow channel 192. The first flow channel 191 connects the first air guide port 17 and the first port 35 of the one-way valve 3, and the second flow channel 192 connects the second air guide port 18 and the accommodating chamber 13. In the flow direction of the second flow channel 192, a part of the porous material 4 is located between the second air guide port 18 and the accommodating chamber 13, that is, a part of the porous material 4 is located between the second air guide port 18 and the entrance of the second flow channel 192. When the one-way valve 3 is in the conducting state, the first port 35 is the entrance and the second port 36 is the exit.

[0043] Specifically, the first opening 35 of the one-way valve 3 is located outside the accommodating chamber 13, and a second through hole 1911 is provided in the first flow channel 191. The second through hole 1911 penetrates the side wall 111 of the body 11 along the axial direction of the first air guide port 17. In order to better connect the second through hole 1911 with the first opening 35 of the one-way valve 3, a connecting flow channel 193 may be provided on the side wall 111 and outside the accommodating chamber 13, so that the connecting flow channel 193 connects the second through hole 1911 and the first opening 35. The connecting flow channel 193 may be regarded as a part of the first flow channel 191 or a part of the first opening 35. When the ink cartridge 100 is in the off-machine state, the vertical distance between the axis of the second through hole 1911 and the axis of the ink outlet 15 is preferably smaller than the vertical distance between the axis of the first air guide port 17 and the axis of the ink outlet 15.

[0044] The second flow channel 192 has a drainage section 1921, a buffer cavity 1922, a first drainage section 1923 and a second drainage section 1924. When the ink cartridge 100 is in the dropped state, the drainage section 1921 extends from the top of the housing 1 toward the bottom of the housing 1. Preferably, the extension direction of the drainage section 1921 is perpendicular to the axis of the first air guide port 17. The drainage section 1921 is connected to the accommodating cavity 13, and the connection point between the drainage section 1921 and the accommodating cavity 13 is preferably located at the top of the body 11, that is, the inlet 1920 of the drainage section 1921 is located at the top of the housing 1. Similarly, when the ink cartridge 100 is in the off-machine state, the first guide section 1923 extends from the top of the shell 1 toward the bottom of the shell 1, the buffer cavity 1922 connects the guide section 1921 and the first guide section 1923, and the outlet of the guide section 1921 is preferably located at the bottom of the buffer cavity 1922, the outlet of the first guide section 1923 is located at the top of the buffer cavity 1922, and the second air guide port 18 is located in the first guide section 1923.

[0045] The drainage section 1921 is used to guide the ink in the accommodating chamber 13 to the buffer chamber 1922, and the buffer chamber 1922 is used to store ink, so that the second flow channel 192 can accommodate more ink. In addition, the position setting of the buffer chamber 1922, the position setting of the second air guide port 18, and the position setting of the outlet of the buffer chamber 1922 can better prevent the ink from leaking out of the housing 1 through the second air guide port 18. Furthermore, the position setting of the inlet 1920 of the drainage section 1921 can minimize the ink in the accommodating chamber 13 from flowing into the second flow channel 192 after the ink cartridge 100 is dropped from the machine, so as to reduce the loss of ink.

[0046] In this embodiment, the buffer cavity 1922 has a second cavity 1925, a transition section 1926 and a third cavity 1927. The transition section 1926 connects the second cavity 1925 and the third cavity 1927, and the transition section 1926 preferably extends along the axial direction of the ink outlet 15. When the ink cartridge 100 is in the machine-dropping state, the second cavity 1925 is located below the third cavity 1927. The second cavity 1925 is connected to the outlet of the guide section 1921, and the third cavity 1927 is connected to the inlet of the first guide section 1923. The porous material 4 is disposed in the second flow channel 192. In the flow direction of the second flow channel 192, at least a portion of the porous material 4 is located between the second air guide port 18 and the accommodating cavity 13. Specifically, the porous material 4 includes three parts, the first part of the porous material 4 is filled in the second cavity 1925, the second part of the porous material 4 is filled in the third cavity 1927, the third part of the porous material 4 is filled in the first guide section 1923, and the third part of the porous material 4 is located at the second air guide port 18. The porous material 4 is arranged in the second flow channel 192, so that the porous material 4 can absorb the ink in the second flow channel 192, so that when the deformable cavity 14 expands, the pressure in the accommodating cavity 13 is appropriately reduced by absorbing the ink, so as to prevent the ink from leaking from the welding point between the body 11 and the cover body 12 and / or the deformable cavity 14 from being damaged due to excessive pressure in the accommodating cavity 13. In addition, porous material 4 is respectively arranged at the second air outlet 18 in the second cavity 1925, the third cavity 1927 and the first guide section 1923, so that the porous material 4 can improve the ink storage performance of the buffer cavity 1922 and prevent the ink from leaking out of the shell 1 from the second air outlet 18.

[0047] In this embodiment, the second opening 36 of the one-way valve 3 is connected to the accommodating chamber 13 through the second flow channel 192, and in the flow direction of the second flow channel 192, the second air guide port 18 is located between the second opening 36 and the accommodating chamber 13, that is, the second air guide port 18 is located between the second opening 36 and the inlet 1920 of the guide section 1921. Specifically, the second guide section 1924 is parallel to the axis of the ink outlet 15, and the second guide section 1924 is connected between the first guide section 1923 and the second opening 36. When the ink cartridge 100 is in the machine-dropping state, the second guide section 1924 is located below the buffer chamber 1922. It can be seen that the provision of the second guide section 1924 can prevent the ink in the accommodating chamber 13 from directly entering the one-way valve 3 through the second opening 36, so as to better prevent the ink from leaking out of the housing 1 from the one-way valve 3.

[0048] Combination Figures 7 to 9 The one-way valve 3 includes a valve cavity 31, a valve core 32, a valve cover 33 and a spring 34, wherein the side wall 111 of the housing 1 is concavely formed toward the accommodating cavity 13 to form the valve cavity 31, and the opening of the valve cavity 31 is located at the side wall 111. A second through port 36 is provided at the bottom of the valve cavity 31, and the second through port 36 communicates the valve cavity 31 with the accommodating cavity 13. The valve core 32 is installed in the valve cavity 31, and a through hole 321 is provided in the middle of the valve core 32. The valve cover 33 covers the opening of the valve cavity 31, so that the valve core 32 is located between the bottom of the valve cavity 31 and the valve cover 33, and the first through port 35 is provided on the valve cover 33. The spring 34 is provided between the bottom of the valve cavity 31 and the valve core 32, and the spring 34 is used to force the valve core 32 to abut against the valve cover 33. When the one-way valve 3 is working normally, when the ink flows to the print head and generates negative pressure in the accommodating chamber 13, external air enters the first opening 35 of the one-way valve 3 through the first air guide port 17 and the first flow channel 191 and pushes the valve core 32, so that the valve core 32 overcomes the elastic force of the spring 34 and breaks away from the adjacent to the valve cover 33, and then the air passes through the through hole 321 on the valve core 32 and enters the accommodating chamber 13 via the second opening 36, so as to balance the air pressure in the accommodating chamber 13 and ensure that the ink can flow to the print head normally. At this time, the one-way valve 3 is in the guiding state. Open state; when the air pump of the printer inflates the deformable cavity 14 to make the deformable cavity 14 swell, the ink and / or air in the accommodating cavity 13 enters the second flow channel 192, and enters the second opening 36 of the one-way valve 3 through the second flow channel 192. At this time, the valve core 32 is pressed and abutted against the valve cover 33 under the elastic force of the spring 34 and the pressure inside the accommodating cavity 13, so that the air and / or ink in the accommodating cavity 13 cannot flow out of the one-way valve 3 from the first opening 35. At this time, the one-way valve 3 is in the closed state.

[0049] Preferably, when the ink cartridge 100 is in the state of being dropped, the one-way valve 3 is located in the middle and upper part of the housing 1. By setting the one-way valve 3 in the above position, the space in the accommodating chamber 13 occupied by the anti-leakage venting structure 19 can be effectively reduced to increase the ink storage capacity of the accommodating chamber 13, while optimizing the structure of the ink cartridge 100.

[0050] The first sealing film 21 is used to close the first air guide port 17 to prevent external air from entering the accommodating chamber 13 through the first air guide port 17. The second sealing film 22 is used to close the second air guide port 18 to prevent external air from entering the accommodating chamber 13 through the second air guide port 18 and the second flow channel 192 of the leak-proof ventilation structure 19, and at the same time, it can prevent the ink in the accommodating chamber 13 from leaking out of the housing 1 through the second flow channel 192 and the second air guide port 18. The third sealing film 23 closes the first opening 35 and the first flow channel 191 located outside the accommodating chamber 13, that is, the third sealing film 23 closes the first opening 35, the connecting flow channel 193 and the second through hole 1911, thereby preventing external air from entering the accommodating chamber 13 through the first opening 35 and / or the second through hole 1911; in addition, the third sealing film 23 also closes a portion of the gap between the valve cover 33 and the body 11. The fourth sealing film 24 closes the remaining gap between the valve cover 33 and the body 11, and when the ink cartridge 100 is in the off-machine state, the first opening 35 and the flow channel outside the accommodating chamber 13 are both located above the fourth sealing film 24, that is, the third sealing film 23 is located above the fourth sealing film 24; preferably, the third sealing film 23 closes the upper half of the gap between the valve cover 33 and the body 11, and the fourth sealing film 24 closes the lower half of the gap between the valve cover 33 and the body 11.

[0051] The ink cartridge 100 of the present invention has three usage modes, which are briefly described below:

[0052] The first method: before the ink cartridge 100 is installed on the carriage of the printer, that is, before the ink cartridge 100 is put into the printer, the first air guide port 17, the second air guide port 18, the first port 35, the connecting flow channel 193, the second through hole 1911 and the upper half circumference gap between the valve cover 33 and the body 11 of the ink cartridge 100 are first observed. If there is ink in the second air guide port 18, only the first sealing film 21 is torn off so that the first sealing film 21 releases the seal of the first air guide port 17. After the ink cartridge 100 is put into the printer and before printing begins, the air pump of the printer inflates the deformable cavity 14 through the inflation port 16, so that the deformable cavity 14 expands and the pressure in the accommodating cavity 13 increases. At this time, the air pressure in the accommodating cavity 13 and the spring 34 of the one-way valve 3 force the valve core 32 to abut against the valve cover 33, so that the one-way valve 3 is in a cut-off state, and then the ink in the accommodating cavity 13 flows from the ink outlet 15 to the print head under the action of pressure. When the ink flows to the print head, the air pump stops working, causing the deformable cavity 14 to shrink under the elastic force of the second spring 144, and the gas in the deformable cavity 14 is discharged through the inflation port 16, so that a certain negative pressure is formed in the position of the accommodating cavity 13, thereby attracting the bubbles in the print head into the ink cartridge 100 to remove the bubbles in the print head. When the pressure in the accommodating cavity 13 increases, when the ink submerges the entrance of the second flow channel 192, the ink can flow into the second flow channel 192, and the porous material 4 can absorb the ink entering the buffer cavity 1922, thereby appropriately reducing the pressure in the accommodating cavity 13, and preventing the ink from leaking from the welding point of the housing 1 and / or the deformable cavity 14 from being damaged due to excessive pressure in the accommodating cavity 13. During printing, the air pump does not work. As the ink in the accommodating chamber 13 is continuously consumed, the negative pressure in the accommodating chamber 13 gradually increases. At this time, the one-way valve 3 will switch to the on state, allowing external gas to enter the shell 1 from the first air port 17 through the one-way valve 3, thereby balancing the air pressure in the accommodating chamber 13 with the external air pressure, ensuring that the ink cartridge 100 can supply ink to the print head normally.

[0053] The second method: before the ink cartridge 100 is put into the machine, if it is observed that there is no ink in the second air guide port 18, but there is ink in any of the first port 35, the connecting channel 193, the second through hole 1911 and the upper half of the gap between the valve cover 33 and the body 11, or after the ink cartridge 100 is put into the machine, it is found that the one-way valve 3 cannot work normally and there is no ink in the second air guide port 18, the first sealing film 21 and the second sealing film 22 can be torn off at the same time, so that the first sealing film 21 releases the sealing of the first air guide port 17 and the second sealing film 22 releases the sealing of the second air guide port 18, so that the one-way valve 3 does not participate in the work. After the ink cartridge 100 is placed in the machine and before printing begins, the air pump of the printer inflates the deformable chamber 14 through the inflation port 16, so that the deformable chamber 14 expands and the pressure in the accommodating chamber 13 increases. At this time, since the one-way valve 3 does not participate in the work and remains in a closed state, and since the porous material 4 is arranged in the second flow channel 192, the resistance of the ink entering the second flow channel 192 and the flow resistance in the second flow channel 192 are increased, so that when the pressure in the accommodating chamber 13 increases, most of the ink flows from the ink outlet 15 to the print head, but at the same time, when the ink submerges the entrance of the second flow channel 192, the ink can flow into the second flow channel 192 to play the role of storing ink and appropriately reducing the pressure in the accommodating chamber 13, and the arrangement of the second flow channel 192 and the porous material 4 can prevent the ink from leaking out of the shell 1 from the second air guide port 18. During printing, the air pump does not work. As the ink in the accommodating chamber 13 is continuously consumed, the negative pressure in the accommodating chamber 13 tends to gradually increase. At this time, external gas enters the housing 1 from the second air port 18 via the second flow channel 192, so that the air pressure in the accommodating chamber 13 is balanced with the external air pressure, so that the external gas does not need to work by overcoming the elastic force of the spring 34 of the one-way valve 3, thereby increasing the speed at which the air pressure in the accommodating chamber 13 is balanced with the external air pressure, and ensuring that the ink cartridge 100 can supply ink to the print head normally.

[0054] The third method: before the ink cartridge 100 is put into the machine, if it is observed that there is no ink in the second air guide port 18, the first port 35, the connecting flow channel 193, the second through hole 1911 and the upper half of the gap between the valve cover 33 and the body 11, the first sealing film 21, the second sealing film 22 and the third sealing film 23 can be torn off at the same time, so that the first sealing film 21 releases the sealing of the first air guide port 17, the second sealing film 22 releases the sealing of the second air guide port 18, and the third sealing film 23 releases the sealing of the first port 35, the connecting flow channel 193, the second through hole 1911 and the upper half of the gap between the valve cover 33 and the body 11, so that the one-way valve 3 is not involved in the work. After the ink cartridge 100 is placed in the machine and before printing begins, the air pump of the printer inflates the deformable chamber 14 through the inflation port 16, so that the deformable chamber 14 expands and the pressure in the accommodating chamber 13 increases. At this time, since the one-way valve 3 is involved in the work and maintains a closed state, and since the porous material 4 is arranged in the second flow channel 192, the resistance of the ink entering the second flow channel 192 and the flow resistance in the second flow channel 192 are increased, when the pressure in the accommodating chamber 13 increases, most of the ink flows from the ink outlet 15 to the print head, but at the same time, when the ink submerges the entrance of the second flow channel 192, the ink can flow into the second flow channel 192 to receive the ink and appropriately reduce the pressure in the accommodating chamber 13, and the arrangement of the second flow channel 192 and the porous material 4 can prevent the ink from leaking out of the shell 1 from the second air guide port 18. During printing, the air pump does not work. As the ink in the accommodating chamber 13 is continuously consumed, the negative pressure in the accommodating chamber 13 tends to gradually increase. At this time, external gas enters the shell 1 from the second air guide port 18 via the second flow channel 192 and / or enters the accommodating chamber 13 through the first air guide port 17, the first opening 35, the connecting flow channel 193 and the upper half of the gap between the valve cover 33 and the main body 11, so that the air pressure in the accommodating chamber 13 is balanced with the external air pressure, thereby increasing the speed at which the air pressure in the accommodating chamber 13 is balanced with the external air pressure and ensuring that the ink cartridge 100 can supply ink to the print head normally.

[0055] In summary, it can be seen that through the structural design of the ink cartridge, the first sealing film, the second sealing film and the third sealing film can cooperate with the first air guide port, the second air guide port, the one-way valve and the anti-leakage ventilation structure to provide different usage methods for the ink cartridge, so as to effectively avoid the problem that the printer cannot print normally when the one-way valve inside the ink cartridge fails or fails. At the same time, it also allows the user to choose different usage methods according to the different states of the ink cartridge, so as to expand the versatility of the ink cartridge and avoid the problem of ink leakage of the ink cartridge under extreme circumstances.

[0056] Inkjet Printer Example:

[0057] An inkjet printer includes a printer carriage, a print head, an air pump and the above-mentioned ink cartridge. An ink cartridge installation position is provided on the printer carriage. The ink cartridge installation position has an ink outlet interface and an air supply interface. The ink cartridge is detachably installed in the ink cartridge installation position. The ink outlet interface is respectively connected to the ink outlet port and the print head, and the air supply interface is respectively connected to the inflation port and the air pump. An inkjet printer provided with the above-mentioned ink cartridge can improve printing quality and prevent ink leakage from the ink cartridge during use of the printer.

[0058] Finally, it should be emphasized that the above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention may have various changes and modifications. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ink cartridge, comprising a shell, the shell having a containing cavity and a deformable cavity located in the containing cavity, the shell being provided with an ink outlet and an air filling port, the ink outlet being communicated with the containing cavity, the air filling port being communicated with the deformable cavity, characterized in that: The ink cartridge further comprises a first sealing film, a second sealing film, a porous material and a one-way valve; The shell is also provided with a first air guide port, a second air guide port and a leak-proof ventilation structure, the first sealing film closes the first air guide port, the second sealing film closes the second air guide port, the leak-proof ventilation structure has a first flow channel and a second flow channel, the first flow channel connects the first air guide port and the first opening of the one-way valve, the second flow channel connects the second air guide port and the accommodating cavity, in the flow direction of the second flow channel, at least a part of the porous material is located between the second air guide port and the accommodating cavity, the second opening of the one-way valve is connected to the accommodating cavity, and when the one-way valve is in a conducting state, the first opening is an inlet and the second opening is an outlet; The second opening is communicated with the accommodating cavity through the second flow channel; In the flow direction, the second air guide port is located between the second through port and the accommodating chamber.

2. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the ink cartridge is in the state of being dropped into the machine, the ink outlet is located at the bottom of the shell, the first air guide port and the second air guide port are located at the top of the shell, and the connection between the second flow channel and the accommodating cavity is located at the top of the shell; A line connecting the axis of the first air guide port and the axis of the second air guide port is parallel to the axis of the ink outlet.

3. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second flow channel comprises a drainage section, a buffer cavity and a first drainage section. When the ink cartridge is in a dropped state, the drainage section and the first drainage section extend from the top of the shell toward the bottom of the shell respectively. The drainage section is communicated with the accommodating cavity. The buffer cavity is communicated between the drainage section and the first drainage section. The inlet of the drainage section and the outlet of the buffer cavity are both located at the top of the shell. The second air guide port is located in the first drainage section. At least a portion of the porous material is located in the buffer cavity.

4. The ink cartridge according to claim 3, characterized in that: The second flow channel further comprises a second guide section, the second guide section is parallel to the axis of the ink outlet, the second guide section is connected between the first guide section and the second opening, and when the ink cartridge is in the machine-dropping state, the second guide section is located below the buffer cavity; The first flow guiding section is provided with a portion of the porous material at the second air guiding port.

5. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that: The one-way valve comprises a valve cavity, a valve core, a valve cover and a spring. The side wall of the housing is concavely formed into the valve cavity. The opening of the valve cavity is located at the side wall. The first air guide port, the second air guide port and the first flow channel penetrate the side wall. The second through port is located at the bottom of the valve cavity and communicates the valve cavity and the accommodating cavity. The valve core is installed in the valve cavity. A through hole is provided on the valve core. The valve cover covers the opening of the valve cavity. The first through port is provided on the valve cover. The spring forces the valve core to abut against the valve cover. The ink cartridge further includes a third sealing film, which seals the first opening and the first flow channel outside the accommodating cavity.

6. The ink cartridge according to claim 5, characterized in that: The third sealing film also seals a portion of the gap between the valve cover and the housing; The ink cartridge further comprises a fourth sealing film, which seals the remaining gap between the valve cover and the shell. When the ink cartridge is in a dropped state, the first opening and the first flow channel outside the accommodating cavity are both located above the fourth sealing film.

7. The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The leak-proof ventilation structure is located in the accommodating cavity, and the ink cartridge further comprises a fifth sealing film, which seals the opening of the leak-proof ventilation structure.

8. The ink cartridge according to claim 7, characterized in that: When the ink cartridge is in the off-machine state, the one-way valve is located in the upper middle portion of the shell.

9. An inkjet printer, comprising a printer carriage, wherein the printer carriage is provided with an ink cartridge installation position, wherein the ink cartridge installation position has an ink outlet interface and an air supply interface, wherein: The inkjet printer further comprises an ink cartridge as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the ink cartridge is detachably mounted in the ink cartridge mounting position, the ink outlet interface is docked with the ink outlet port, and the air supply interface is docked with the air charging port.

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