Ink Cartridge

Abstract

The present invention relates to an ink cartridge detachably mounted in an inkjet printer provided with a light emitting member and a light receiving member. The ink cartridge includes a frame forming a cavity and a detection assembly. Ink is accommodated in the cavity. The detection assembly cooperates with the light emitting member and the light receiving member to detect the ink level. When the ink cartridge is in the installed posture, the frame has side plates facing forward, backward, upward, and downward. The detection assembly includes a first part located outside the frame and a second part located inside the frame. The first part and the second part are located on both sides of the side plate and interact with each other by magnetic force. Therefore, holes allowing the first part and the second part to pass through do not need to be provided on the side plates of the frame, so that ink will not leak from the side plates of the frame, and the sealing requirement of the ink cartridge is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of inkjet imaging, and particularly to an ink cartridge detachably installed in an inkjet printer. Background Art

[0002] An ink cartridge is a consumable for supplying ink to an inkjet printer. Before the ink is consumed, the inkjet printer needs to output a prompt message to the end user to ensure that the end user can replace the new ink cartridge in time.

[0003] European Patent EP3112164 describes an ink cartridge 30 including an ink detection unit 60. The ink cartridge 30 can be installed in an inkjet printer provided with a light emitting member and a light receiving member. The ink detection unit 60 is provided with a light entry portion 62 and a movable light shielding member 68. The light shielding member 68 is located between the light emitting member and the light receiving member. When the ink cartridge cavity 36 is filled with ink, the light shielding member 68 can block the light emitted by the light emitting member, and the light receiving member cannot receive the light. At this time, the inkjet printer considers that the ink in the ink cartridge 30 is full. As the ink in the cavity 36 is consumed, the position of the light shielding member 68 in the cavity 36 changes until the light is no longer blocked and the light receiving member can receive the light. At this time, the inkjet printer considers that the ink in the ink cartridge 30 is about to be consumed and needs to prompt the end user to replace the ink cartridge.

[0004] As shown in this patent EP3112164 Figure 6 The space for accommodating the light shielding member 68 is formed by the light entry portion 62. This space communicates with the cavity 36. Therefore, the top surface of the housing forming the cavity 36 cannot be made integrally, and the light entry portion 62 is made of a light-transmitting material. A notch that can be combined with the light entry portion 62 needs to be provided on the top surface of the housing. During the assembly process of the ink cartridge 30, the light entry portion 62 also needs to be installed towards the housing. In this way, the sealing problem between the light entry portion 62 and the housing needs to be considered to prevent ink from leaking from the gap between the two. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention provides an ink cartridge. When the ink cartridge can be normally used to detect the remaining ink volume, the sealing requirements of the ink cartridge are reduced and ink leakage is prevented. The specific solution is as follows:

[0006] An ink cartridge is detachably installed in an inkjet printer provided with a light emitting member and a light receiving member. The ink cartridge includes a frame body forming a cavity and a detection assembly. Ink is accommodated in the cavity. The detection assembly cooperates with the light emitting member and the light receiving member to detect the remaining ink volume. When the ink cartridge is in the installed posture, the frame body has side plates facing forward, backward, upward, and downward. The detection assembly includes a first part and a second part located outside and inside the frame body respectively. The first part and the second part are located on both sides of the side plate and interact with each other by magnetic force.

[0007] The first part includes a light-shielding member and a first magnetic member mounting portion that are connected to each other, and the first magnetic member is mounted in the first magnetic member mounting portion.

[0008] Due to the magnetic force, the light-shielding member can move between a light-shielding position and a non-light-shielding position. At the light-shielding position, the light emitted by the light-emitting member is blocked by the light-shielding member, and the light-receiving member cannot receive light. At the non-light-shielding position, the light emitted by the light-emitting member is not blocked by the light-shielding member, and the light-receiving member can receive light.

[0009] The light-shielding member moves in a straight line or rotates around a rotation axis between the light-shielding position and the non-light-shielding position.

[0010] When the light-shielding member moves in a straight line, the ink cartridge further includes a limiting frame located above the frame body, a first limiting plate provided in the limiting frame, and a face cover covering the cavity. A second limiting plate is provided on the face cover, and the light-shielding member is clamped between the first limiting plate and the second limiting plate.

[0011] The ink cartridge further includes a first limiting block provided on the first limiting plate, and the movement direction of the light-shielding member is limited by the first limiting block.

[0012] When the light-shielding member moves in a straight line, along the movement direction of the light-shielding member, at the light-shielding position, the first part and the second part are distributed relatively, and at the non-light-shielding position, the first part and the second part still maintain relative distribution or non-relative distribution.

[0013] The present invention also provides an ink cartridge that is detachably installed in an inkjet printer provided with a light-emitting member and a light-receiving member. The ink cartridge includes a frame body forming a cavity and a detection assembly. Ink is accommodated in the cavity, and the detection assembly cooperates with the light-emitting member and the light-receiving member to detect the ink remaining amount; when the ink cartridge is in the installed posture, the frame body has side plates facing forward, backward, upward, and downward; the detection assembly includes a split first part and a second part, and one side wall is located between the first part and the second part. The first part and the second part do not contact each other due to the magnetic force.

[0014] The ink cartridge further includes an ink outlet portion and a sealing film connected to the frame body. An ink channel and a gas channel are provided in the ink outlet portion, and the sealing film seals the ink channel and the gas channel at the same time.

[0015] The first part and the second part interact with each other through magnetic force. There is no need to provide a hole in the side plate located between the first part and the second part to allow the first part and the second part to pass through, and the ink will not leak from this side plate, reducing the sealing requirement of the ink cartridge. Description of the Drawings

[0016] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the ink cartridge according to the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 It is an exploded view of some components in the ink cartridge according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the relative positions of the components of the detection assembly when the ink cartridge according to the first embodiment of the present invention is filled with ink.

[0019] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the relative positions of the components of the detection assembly when the ink in the ink cartridge according to the first embodiment of the present invention is consumed completely.

[0020] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the relative positions of the components of the detection assembly when the ink cartridge according to the second embodiment of the present invention is filled with ink.

[0021] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the relative positions of the components of the detection assembly when the ink in the ink cartridge according to the second embodiment of the present invention is consumed completely.

[0022] Figure 7 It is an exploded view of some components in the ink cartridge according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the relative positions of the components of the detection assembly when the ink cartridge according to the third embodiment of the present invention is filled with ink.

[0024] Figure 9 It is a schematic diagram of the relative positions of the components of the detection assembly when the ink in the ink cartridge according to the third embodiment of the present invention is consumed completely.

[0025] Figure 10 It is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the ink cartridge according to the present invention after the cartridge cover is hidden.

[0026] Figure 11 It is a cross-sectional view of the ink cartridge according to the present invention taken along a plane perpendicular to the up-down direction and passing through the center line of the ink outlet. Detailed Embodiments

[0027] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] Figure 1 It is a perspective view of the ink cartridge according to the present invention. To make the description below clearer, the ink cartridge is defined as follows: Taking the angle when the ink cartridge is in normal use in an inkjet printer as the standard, the installation direction of the ink cartridge 1 is defined as the front, and the extraction direction is defined as the rear. When observing from the rear to the front, the ink cartridge 1 has the same upper, lower, left, and right directions as the observer.

[0029] The ink cartridge 1 includes a housing 3 and a face cover 2 that are combined with each other, and a chip mounting portion 4 located in front of the housing 3. A part of the housing 3 forms an open cavity 33 for containing ink, and the face cover 2 covers the cavity 33 (as Figure 2 shown). Further, the ink cartridge 1 further includes a detection component 5 provided therein. The detection component 5 is used to cooperate with a light emitting component and a light receiving component in an inkjet printer to detect the remaining ink amount in the cavity. The light emitting component and the light receiving component are arranged opposite to each other. When the ink cartridge 1 is installed at a predetermined position of the inkjet printer, the light emitting component and the light receiving component are respectively located on the left and right sides of the ink cartridge 1.

[0030] [Embodiment 1]

[0031] Figure 2 is an exploded schematic diagram of some components in the ink cartridge according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0032] The housing 3 includes a frame body 31 that forms the cavity 33. When the ink cartridge 1 is in the posture of being installed in the inkjet printer, the frame body 31 has a front side plate 3c facing forward, a rear side plate 3d facing backward, an upper side plate 3a facing upward, and a lower side plate 3b facing downward. The front side plate 3c, the rear side plate 3d, the upper side plate 3a, the lower side plate 3b, and the housing bottom plate jointly enclose to form an open cavity 33, and the cavity 33 can be sealed by a sealing film or directly by the face cover 2; the ink outlet portion 32 extends / protrudes forward from the front side plate 3c and is used to supply the ink in the cavity 33 to the inkjet printer.

[0033] The detection component 5 includes a separately arranged first part 51 and a second part 52. Among them, the first part 51 is located outside the cavity 33, and the second part 52 is located inside the cavity 33. And at any time, the first part 51 is always located outside the cavity 33, and the second part 52 is always located inside the cavity 33. The first part 51 and the second part 52 interact with each other by magnetic force without having to contact each other. In this way, each side plate of the frame body 31 can be kept intact without having to open holes for the detection component 5 to pass through on the side plate, thereby improving the sealing performance of the ink cartridge 1. Correspondingly, the frame body 31 can be integrally formed, and its production efficiency can also be improved.

[0034] Both the first part 51 and the second part 52 are arranged in a movable manner. A first magnetic member 53 is installed in the first part 51, and a second magnetic member 54 is installed in the second part 52. The sides of the first magnetic member 53 and the second magnetic member 54 facing each other have opposite polarities. That is to say, a magnetic force that can pass through the side plate of the frame body is formed between the first magnetic member 53 and the second magnetic member 54. Commonly, the first magnetic member 53 and the second magnetic member 54 are permanent magnets. Optionally, the first magnetic member 53 and the second magnetic member 54 can also be electromagnets, or one of the first magnetic member 53 and the second magnetic member 54 is a permanent magnet and the other is an electromagnet. From the perspective of convenient installation, preferably, both the first magnetic member 53 and the second magnetic member 54 are selected as permanent magnets.

[0035] As shown in the figure, the first part 51 includes a light-shielding member 511 and a first magnetic member mounting portion 512 that are connected to each other. The first magnetic member 53 is installed in the first magnetic member mounting portion 512. The light-shielding member 511 can be entirely made of light-impermeable material, or an impermeable material can be pasted on the surface of the light-transmitting material, or the surface of the light-transmitting material can be painted black with black paint so that light cannot pass through the light-shielding member 511.

[0036] The second part 52 includes a base 521, a guide rod 522 connected to the base 521, and a second magnetic member mounting portion 523 connected to the guide rod 522. Therefore, the guide rod 522 is located between the base 521 and the second magnetic member mounting portion 523. Optionally, the guide rod 522 can be omitted. At this time, the base 521 is directly connected to the second magnetic member mounting portion 523. The base 521 can also be used as a guiding member to guide the second part 52. The second magnetic member 54 is fixedly installed in the second magnetic member mounting portion 523. Preferably, the base 521 is made of a material with a density less than the density of the ink. When the cavity 33 is filled with ink, the second part 52 floats as a whole and is immersed in the ink.

[0037] Continue as Figure 2 shown, the housing 3 further includes a limit frame 35 located above the frame body 31, a first limit plate 36 arranged in the limit frame 35, and a first limit block 37 arranged on the first limit plate 36. The face cover 2 includes a covering portion 21 for covering the cavity 33 and a second limit plate 23 arranged on the upper surface 22 of the covering portion 21. The light-shielding member 511 is clamped between the first limit plate 36 and the second limit plate 23 to ensure that the light-shielding member 511 can move in the up and down directions. At the same time, the first limit block 37 is used to limit the upward movement range of the light-shielding member 511. The light-shielding member 511 has an upper part 511a and a lower part 511b that are opposite to each other in the up and down directions. The first limit block 37 is used to abut against the upper part 511a.

[0038] Further, the first part 51 further includes a rib 513 connected to the light-shielding member 511. The rib 513 is a strip-shaped object extending in the vertical direction from the surface of the light-shielding member 511. When the ink cartridge 1 is assembled, the rib 513 abuts against the first limiting plate 36 or the second limiting plate 23 in the front-rear direction, and the light-shielding member 511 is positioned in the front-rear direction. Alternatively, the structure for guiding and limiting the light-shielding member 511 can also be the cooperation of a guiding protrusion and a guiding groove. For example, a guiding groove is provided on the housing 3, and a guiding protrusion is provided on the light-shielding member 511, or a guiding protrusion is provided on the housing 3, and a guiding groove is provided on the light-shielding member 511. Similarly, a structure for guiding the guide rod 522 / base 521 is also provided in the cavity 33. Commonly, a guiding groove is provided in the cavity 33, but the guiding groove provided in the cavity 33 is not conducive to the free flow of ink in the cavity. For this reason, a plurality of spaced protrusions 55 as shown in the figure are provided in the cavity 33 of the present invention. The plurality of spaced protrusions 55 are distributed in the front-rear direction and the vertical direction, and can simultaneously guide the second part 52 and limit its range of movement, as described below.

[0039] Figure 3 FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the relative positions of the components of the detection assembly when the ink cartridge according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is filled with ink;

[0040] Figure 4 FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the relative positions of the components of the detection assembly when the ink in the ink cartridge according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is consumed.

[0041] When the cavity 33 is filled with ink, the second part 52 moves upward under the buoyancy of the ink until the protrusion 55 abuts against the top surface 5211 of the base 521. The upward movement of the second part 52 is restricted. The guide rod 522 is clamped by the protrusions 55 distributed in the front-rear direction. The first magnetic member 53 and the second magnetic member 54 are relatively distributed in the vertical direction. Under the repulsive force generated between the two, the first part 51 moves upward in the vertical direction until the upper part 511a of the light-shielding member 511 abuts against the first limiting block 37. At this time, the light-shielding member 511 is located on the traveling path of the light emitted by the light-emitting member. That is to say, the light-receiving member will not receive the light emitted by the light-emitting member.

[0042] During the upward movement of the second part 52, the first part 51 and the second part 52 always remain non-contact, and are respectively located outside and inside the cavity 33. The upper side plate 3a therebetween remains intact without having to provide holes allowing the movement of the first part 51 or the second part 52. Thus, the frame 31 forming the cavity 33 has better integrity, and ink leakage from the side plate is prevented. As shown in the figure, the protrusion 55 for abutting against the top surface 5211 of the base may not be provided, and the upward movement range of the second part 52 is limited by the abutment of the second magnetic mounting part 523 and the upper side plate 3a.

[0043] As the ink in the cavity 33 is consumed, the buoyancy of the ink acting on the first part 51 becomes smaller and smaller. Under the combined action of the self-gravity of the second part 52 and the repulsive force between the first magnetic member 53 and the second magnetic member 54, the second part 52 begins to gradually move downward (in the direction inside the cavity 33), and the light-shielding member 511 gradually moves from a position capable of blocking the light path emitted by the light-emitting member to a position incapable of blocking the light path. When the ink in the cavity 33 is consumed completely or is about to be consumed completely, the lower part 511b of the first part 51 abuts against the upper surface 34 of the upper side plate 3a, and the base 521 or the second magnetic member mounting part 523 of the second part 52 abuts against the protrusion 55 and is restricted. The light emitted by the light-emitting member is no longer blocked by the light-shielding member 511. At this time, the light-receiving member can receive the light emitted by the light-emitting member. In the up-down direction, the first magnetic member 53 and the second magnetic member 54 still maintain their relative distribution, and the repulsive force therebetween disappears or decreases to a level insufficient to push the first part 51 upward.

[0044] During the downward movement of the second part 52, the first part 51 and the second part 52 still always remain non-contact, and are respectively located outside and inside the cavity 33. The upper side plate 3a therebetween remains intact without having to provide holes allowing the movement of the first part 51 or the second part 52. Thus, the frame 31 has better integrity, and ink leakage from the side plate is prevented.

[0045] [Embodiment 2]

[0046] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the relative positions of the components of the detection assembly when the ink cartridge according to the second embodiment of the present invention is filled with ink;

[0047] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the relative positions of the components of the detection assembly when the ink in the ink cartridge according to the second embodiment of the present invention is consumed completely.

[0048] In this embodiment, the detection component 5 still includes a first part 51 and a second part 56 located outside and inside the cavity 33 respectively, and is integrally formed with the frame 31 for forming the cavity 33. There is no need to provide holes in the frame 31 to allow the movement of the first part 51 or the second part 52, thus ensuring the integrity of the frame 31 and preventing the leakage of ink from the side plates.

[0049] The second part 56 can rotate around the rotation axis and includes a floating part 561, a supporting part 562 and a rotating part 563. The floating part 561 and the supporting part 562 are respectively connected to the rotating part 563. The second magnetic member 54 is supported by the supporting part 562 and can change its position in the cavity 33 as the second part 56 rotates. Preferably, the second part 56 can also be provided with a second magnetic member mounting part 564 for mounting the second magnetic member 54. While enabling the stable mounting of the second magnetic member 54, it can also reduce the mounting difficulty of the second magnetic member 54. The second magnetic member mounting part 564 is provided at the end of the supporting part 562.

[0050] When the cavity 33 is filled with ink, the second part 56 rotates around the rotating part 563 under the buoyancy of the ink. At the same time, the supporting part 562 drives the second magnetic member mounting part 564 to rotate around the rotating part 563. As Figure 5 shown, in the state where the cavity 33 is filled with ink, the floating part 561 rotates to the highest point in the up-down direction under the buoyancy of the ink. Correspondingly, the supporting part 562 also reaches the highest point in the up-down direction. The second magnetic member 54 and the first magnetic member 53 are distributed opposite to each other across the upper side plate 3a. Under the repulsive force between the two, the first part 51 moves upward in the up-down direction and abuts against the first limit block 37 through the upper part 511a of the light-shielding member 511. The upward movement trend of the first part 51 is restricted. At this time, the light emitted by the light-emitting member in the inkjet printer is blocked by the light-shielding member 511, and the light-receiving member cannot receive the light.

[0051] As the ink in the cavity 33 is consumed, the buoyancy received by the floating part 561 gradually decreases. Under the combined action of the self-gravity of the second part 56 and the first magnetic member 53 and the second magnetic member 54, the second part 56 rotates in the opposite direction around the rotation axis. The second magnetic member 54 and the first magnetic member 53 are gradually no longer distributed opposite to each other, and they deviate in the up-down direction. The first part 51 moves downward under its own gravity and finally reaches Figure 6At the position shown, at this time, the lower part 511b of the light-shielding member 511 abuts against the upper surface 34 of the upper side plate 3a, and the second magnetic member 54 rotates with the second part 56 to a position where it is not distributed opposite to the first magnetic member 53 in the vertical direction. Compared with the position of the second magnetic member 54 when the first part 51 is located above the position where it is abutted by the first limiting block 37, when the first part 51 reaches the position below the upper surface 34 of the upper side plate 3a where it abuts, the second magnetic member 54 is farther away from the upper side plate 3a. Specifically, the second magnetic member 54 is closer to the inside of the cavity 33, the light-shielding member 511 no longer blocks the light emitted by the light-emitting member, and the light-receiving member can receive the light.

[0052] In the above embodiment, the first part 51 is arranged to be movable in the vertical direction, and the second part 56 is arranged to be movable in the vertical direction or to rotate around a rotation axis located in the cavity 33. When the cavity 33 is filled with ink, or rather, when the cavity 33 contains a first predetermined amount of ink, the buoyancy generated by the first predetermined amount of ink can force the second part 52 to move upward. In the vertical direction, the first magnetic member 53 and the second magnetic member 54 are distributed opposite to each other. The second magnetic member 54 located in the second part 56 is at the highest point that the second magnetic member 54 can reach in the cavity 33. The repulsive force generated between the first magnetic member 53 and the second magnetic member 54 forces the first part 51 to reach the highest point in the vertical direction, and the light emitted by the light-emitting member is blocked by the light-shielding member 511, and the light-receiving member cannot receive the light. When the ink in the cavity 33 is consumed, or rather, when the amount of ink in the cavity 33 is the second predetermined amount of ink, the buoyancy generated by the second predetermined amount of ink cannot force the second part 56 to move upward. In the vertical direction, the second magnetic member 54 located in the second part 56 is at the lowest point that the second magnetic member 54 can reach in the cavity 33. Whether or not there is a repulsive force between the first magnetic member 53 and the second magnetic member 54, the first part 511 drops to a position where it cannot block the light emitted by the light-emitting member, and the light-receiving member can receive the light.

[0053] It can be seen from this that for the first magnetic member 53, when the light-shielding member 511 can block the light emitted by the light-emitting member at the light-shielding position, the first magnetic member 53 is located at the first position. When the light-shielding member 511 cannot block the light emitted by the light-emitting member at the non-light-shielding position, the first magnetic member 53 is located at the second position. In the vertical direction, the first position is above the second position, or rather, there is a height difference between the first position and the second position. Similarly, for the second part 56, at the light-shielding position, the second magnetic member 54 is located at the third position, and at the non-light-shielding position, the second magnetic member 54 is located at the fourth position. In the vertical direction, the third position is above the fourth position, or rather, there is a height difference between the third position and the fourth position.

[0054] The rotatable second part 56 is easier to install compared to the second part 52 that moves linearly in the vertical direction. The overall structure of the ink cartridge can be simplified. As described above, when the second part 52 moves linearly in the vertical direction, multiple protrusions 55 need to be provided in the cavity 33, while for the rotatable second part 56, only a stud or a recess that cooperates with the rotating part 563 needs to be provided in the cavity 33 during operation.

[0055] [Embodiment III]

[0056] Figure 7 It is an exploded schematic view of some components in the ink cartridge according to Embodiment III of the present invention.

[0057] As described above, the first part 51 and the second part 52 / 56 in the detection assembly 5 are respectively located outside and inside the cavity 33. Due to the repulsive magnetic force between them, the second part 52 / 56 located inside the cavity 33 is forced to form a height difference in the vertical direction, thereby causing the first part 51 located outside the cavity 33 to move between a light-shielding position where it can block the light emitted by the light-emitting member and a non-light-shielding position where it cannot block the light emitted by the light-emitting member.

[0058] Among them, the second part 52 / 56 can achieve a height difference in the vertical direction by moving linearly in the vertical direction or by rotating around the rotation axis. More specifically, the second magnetic member 54 installed in the second magnetic member installation part 564 of the second part 52 / 56 forms a height difference in the vertical direction.

[0059] In this embodiment, the second part 56 can rotate around the rotation axis, and the first part 51 is also arranged to be rotatable around the rotation axis. As Figure 7 shown, the first part 51 still includes a light-shielding member 511 and a first magnetic member installation part 512 that are connected to each other. The first magnetic member 53 is installed in the first magnetic member installation part 512. The light-shielding member 511 can be entirely made of light-impermeable material, or it can be a light-impermeable material laminated on the surface of a light-transmitting material, or the surface of the light-transmitting material can be painted black with black paint so that light cannot pass through the light-shielding member 511. The whole of the first part 51 can rotate around the rotating part 514.

[0060] The second part 56 includes a floating part 561, a supporting part 562, a rotating part 563, and a second magnetic member installation part 564. The floating part 561 and the supporting part 562 are respectively connected to the rotating part 563, and the second magnetic member 54 can be installed in the second magnetic member installation part 564.

[0061] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the relative positions of the components of the detection assembly when the ink cartridge according to Embodiment III of the present invention is filled with ink;

[0062] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the relative positions of the components of the detection assembly when the ink in the ink cartridge involved in Embodiment 3 of the present invention is used up.

[0063] When the ink cartridge is filled with ink, the floating part 561 floats, and the second part 56 rotates as a whole around the rotating part 563. In the vertical direction, the second magnetic part 54 and the first magnetic part 53 are distributed relatively, and the upper side plate 3a is located between them. Under the repulsive force between the first magnetic part 53 and the second magnetic part 54, the first part 51 rotates around the rotating part 514, so that the first magnetic part 53 rotates away from the cavity 33, and the light-shielding part 511 reaches the light-shielding position where it can block the light emitted by the light-emitting part, and the light-receiving part will not be able to receive the light emitted by the light-emitting part.

[0064] As the ink in the cavity 33 is consumed, the buoyancy force on the floating part 561 decreases, and the second part 56 rotates in the reverse direction around the rotating part 563. In the vertical direction, the second magnetic part 54 and the first magnetic part 53 gradually cease to be relatively distributed, and the repulsive force between them gradually disappears. The first part 51 rotates in the reverse direction around the rotating part 514, and the first magnetic part 53 gradually approaches the cavity 33. The light-shielding part 511 moves from the light-shielding position to a non-light-shielding position where it cannot block the light emitted by the light-emitting part, and the light-receiving part can receive the light emitted by the light-emitting part.

[0065] In this embodiment, the first part 51 does not move in a straight line in the vertical direction, but rotates around the rotating part 514, and its overall structure is simplified. In particular, the size of the ink cartridge in the vertical direction can be effectively controlled. The positions of the components in the detection assembly 5 relative to the housing 3 can change with the amount of ink in the cavity 33. The first part 51 and the second part 52 / 56 of the detection assembly 5 are respectively located outside and inside the cavity 33 / frame 31, and the movement between the two is realized through the interaction between the first magnetic part 53 provided in the first part 51 and the second magnetic part 54 located in the second part 52 / 56. There is no need to provide holes in the frame 31 forming the cavity 33 to allow the movement of the first part 51 and the second part 52 / 56. The frame 31 is more complete, thus avoiding the leakage of ink from the frame 31, and the overall sealing performance of the ink cartridge is improved.

[0066] The above embodiments describe the case where the detection component 5 is located above the ink cartridge 1. At this time, the first part 51 and the second part 52 / 56 are respectively located on both sides of the upper side plate 3c, and there is a magnetic interaction between the first part 51 and the second part 52 / 56. Therefore, the structure of the upper side plate 3a remains intact, and ink leakage from the upper side plate 3a will not occur. Similarly, the position of the detection component 5 can also be adjusted according to the positions of the light emitting component and the light receiving component in the inkjet printer. For example, when the detection component 5 is located in front of the ink cartridge, at this time, the first part 51 and the second part 52 / 56 are respectively located on both sides of the front side plate 3c, and there is also a magnetic interaction between them. In this way, the structural integrity of the front side plate 3c can also be improved.

[0067] [Structure of the ink outlet part]

[0068] Figure 10 is a schematic internal structure diagram after the ink cartridge cover involved in the present invention is hidden; Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the ink cartridge involved in the present invention taken along a plane perpendicular to the up-down direction and passing through the center line of the ink outlet.

[0069] First, refer to Figure 7 , the ink outlet part 32 protrudes forward from the front side plate 3c. The chip mounting part 4 is located above the ink outlet part 32, and the chip 41 is mounted in the chip mounting part 4. When the ink cartridge 1 is installed in the inkjet printer, the chip 41 is connected to the contacts in the inkjet printer, establishing a communication connection between the ink cartridge and the inkjet printer.

[0070] The ink outlet part 32 includes a tubular body 39 extending forward from the front side plate 3c and a sealing plug 7 installed in the tubular body. Preferably, both the tubular body 39 and the sealing plug 7 are cylindrical bodies. The sealing plug 7 is a hollow body, and divides the internal space 390 of the tubular body 39 into an ink channel 70 and a gas channel 392. The ink channel 70 communicates with the cavity 33, and the gas channel 392 communicates the cavity 33 and the external atmosphere; as Figure 10 and Figure 11 shown, the tubular body 39 also includes a first communication port 393 that forms gas communication with the cavity 33 / ink outlet cavity 331 and a second communication port 394 that forms liquid communication with the cavity 33 / ink outlet cavity 331. Therefore, the ink channel 70 communicates with the cavity 33 / ink outlet cavity 331 through the second communication port 394, and the gas channel 392 communicates with the cavity 33 / ink outlet cavity 331 through the first communication port 393.

[0071] Further, the ink cartridge 1 further includes a first sealing film 61 for sealing the cavity 33 and a second sealing film 62 for sealing the ink outlet portion 32. The face cover 2 is located on the left side of the first sealing film 61, that is, the first sealing film 61 is located between the housing 3 and the face cover 2 and is protected. While sealing the ink outlet portion 32, the second sealing film 62 also seals the gas passage 392. That is to say, the ink passage 70 and the gas passage 392 of the ink cartridge 1 are simultaneously sealed by the second sealing film 62. When the ink cartridge 1 is installed in the inkjet printer, as the second sealing film 62 is punctured, the ink passage 70 and the gas passage 392 are simultaneously opened, eliminating the need to provide a gas passage at a location other than the ink outlet portion 32 in the ink cartridge 1, simplifying the structure of the ink cartridge 1, not only simplifying the production process but also reducing the usage steps of the end user.

[0072] The internal space 390 of the tubular body 39 includes adjacent first space 391 and second space 392. The sealing plug 7 is received in the first space 391, and the second space 392 forms the gas passage. Preferably, the second space 392 is formed by being recessed from the first space 391 towards the outside of the tubular body 39, as Figure 7 and Figure 11 shown, the second space 392 extends in the front-rear direction from the free end (front end) of the side wall of the tubular body 39.

[0073] The sealing plug 7 includes a small-sized portion 71 forming the ink passage 70, and large-sized portions 72 and a seal 73 respectively located on both sides of the small-sized portion 71. The large-sized portions 72 and the seal 73 are both in contact with the surface of the first space 391, and the sealing plug 7 can be stably supported in the first space 391. The seal 73 is formed as a sealing ring installed on or integrally formed with the small-sized portion 71. The sealing ring 73 is in close contact with the surface of the first space 391. On the side where the second communication port 394 is located, the first communication port 393 is in front of the seal 73, and the ink passage 70 and the gas passage 392 are isolated, and ink will not enter the gas passage 392; as Figure 11 shown, the sealing plug 7 further includes a self-sealing member 74 provided in the large-sized portion 72. When the ink is not installed in the inkjet printer, the ink passage 70 is sealed by the self-sealing member 74.

[0074] When the sealing plug 7 is installed, the free end (front end) of the sealing plug 7 is located behind the free end (front end) of the tubular body 39 so that they are not aligned. The second sealing film 62 is welded to the free end of the tubular body 39, and can seal the ink passage 70 and the gas passage 392 at the same time. During the process of installing the ink cartridge 1 into the inkjet printer, an ink suction needle (not shown) in the inkjet printer pierces the second sealing film 62 and enters the ink passage 70 through the self-sealing member 74, so that the ink passage 70 and the gas passage 392 are opened at the same time, that is, the ink passage 70 communicates with the ink suction needle, and the gas passage 392 communicates with the atmosphere.

[0075] However, when the sealing plug 7 is assembled so that its free end is aligned with the free end of the tubular body 39, the second sealing film 62 will contact the free end of the tubular body 39 and the free end of the sealing plug 7 at the same time. Similarly, the ink passage 70 and the gas passage 392 are sealed by the second sealing film 62 at the same time; during the process of installing the ink cartridge 1 into the inkjet printer, an ink suction needle (not shown) in the inkjet printer pierces the second sealing film 62 and enters the ink passage 70 through the self-sealing member 74. Since the second sealing film 62 is also welded to the free end of the sealing plug 7, the gas passage 392 between the sealing plug 7 and the outer surface of the tubular body 39 may still remain sealed by the second sealing film 62. At this time, the ink passage 70 communicates with the ink suction needle, but the gas passage 392 has not yet communicated with the atmosphere, and the ink cartridge 1 will not work. Therefore, as Figure 7 and Figure 11 shown, the sealing plug 7 further includes a plurality of bumps 75 arranged at intervals along the circumference of the large-size portion 72 (the side where the free end of the sealing plug 7 is located). A gap 76 is formed between two adjacent bumps 75. When the sealing plug 7 is installed, at least one gap 76 communicates with the gas passage 392. Therefore, even if the second sealing film 62 between the sealing plug 7 and the tubular body 39 is not pierced by the ink suction needle, the external atmosphere can still enter the gas passage 392 through the gap 76.

[0076] Continuing as Figure 11 shown, after the sealing plug 7 is installed, the first space 391 between the small-size portion 71 and the surface of the internal space 390 communicates with the gas passage 392, and the first communication port 393 communicates with the gas passage 392, as Figures 7 - 10As shown, the air guide groove 332 is provided on the housing 31. One end of the air guide groove 332 communicates with the cavity 33, and the other end communicates with the first communication port 393. Therefore, when the ink cartridge 1 is installed in the inkjet printer, external air can sequentially enter the cavity 33 through the gas passage 392, the first communication port 393, and the air guide groove 332. During the operation of the inkjet printer, the air pressure in the cavity 33 can be kept balanced. The gas passage 392 for introducing air into the ink cartridge cavity 33 is arranged adjacent to the ink passage 70. The second sealing film 62 can seal the gas passage 392 and the ink passage 70 at the same time, without having to weld a special sealing film for sealing the gas passage 392 on the ink cartridge 1. Before using the ink cartridge 1, the end user does not have to first tear off the special sealing film for sealing the gas passage 392, and the use process of the ink cartridge 1 is simplified.

Claims

1. An ink cartridge is detachably installed in an inkjet printer provided with a light emitting member and a light receiving member. The ink cartridge includes a housing forming a cavity and a detection assembly. Ink is contained in the cavity. The detection assembly cooperates with the light emitting member and the light receiving member to detect the ink level. When the ink cartridge is in the installed posture, the housing has side plates facing forward, backward, upward, and downward. The ink cartridge further includes an ink outlet portion protruding forward from the side plate facing forward. The ink outlet portion is configured to supply the ink in the cavity to the inkjet printer. It is characterized in that The detection assembly includes a first portion and a second portion located outside and inside the housing respectively. The first portion and the second portion are respectively located on both sides of the side plate facing upward. The first portion is located above the second portion, and the two interact with each other by magnetic force.

2. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein The first portion includes a light shielding member and a first magnetic member mounting portion connected to each other. The first magnetic member is mounted in the first magnetic member mounting portion.

3. The ink cartridge according to claim 2, wherein Due to the magnetic force, the light shielding member can move between a light shielding position and a non-light shielding position. In the light shielding position, the light emitted by the light emitting member is blocked by the light shielding member, and the light receiving member cannot receive light. In the non-light shielding position, the light emitted by the light emitting member is not blocked by the light shielding member, and the light receiving member can receive light.

4. The ink cartridge according to claim 3, characterized in that, The light shielding member moves in a straight line or rotates around a rotation axis between the light shielding position and the non-light shielding position.

5. The ink cartridge according to claim 4, characterized in that, When the light shielding member moves in a straight line, the ink cartridge further includes a limit frame located above the housing, a first limit plate provided in the limit frame, and a cover covering the cavity. A second limit plate is provided on the cover. The light shielding member is clamped between the first limit plate and the second limit plate.

6. The ink cartridge according to claim 5, wherein, The ink cartridge further includes a first limit block provided on the first limit plate. The movement direction of the light shielding member is restricted by the first limit block.

7. The ink cartridge according to claim 5, characterized in that, When the light shielding member moves in a straight line, along the movement direction of the light shielding member, in the light shielding position, the first portion and the second portion are distributed relatively, and in the non-light shielding position, the first portion and the second portion still maintain relative distribution.

8. The ink cartridge according to claim 4, wherein Along the movement direction of the light shielding member, in the light shielding position, the first portion and the second portion are distributed relatively, and in the non-light shielding position, the first portion and the second portion are not distributed relatively.

9. An ink cartridge is detachably installed in an inkjet printer provided with a light emitting member and a light receiving member. The ink cartridge includes a housing forming a cavity and a detection assembly. Ink is contained in the cavity. The detection assembly cooperates with the light emitting member and the light receiving member to detect the ink level. When the ink cartridge is in the installed posture, the housing has side plates facing forward, backward, upward, and downward. The ink cartridge further includes an ink outlet portion protruding forward from the side plate facing forward. The ink outlet portion is configured to supply the ink in the cavity to the inkjet printer. It is characterized in that The detection assembly includes a split first portion and a second portion. The side plate facing upward is located between the first portion and the second portion. The first portion is located above the second portion. The first portion and the second portion do not contact each other due to the magnetic force.

10. The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The ink cartridge further includes a sealing film. An ink channel and a gas channel are provided in the ink outlet portion. The sealing film seals both the ink channel and the gas channel simultaneously.

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