ink cartridge

Abstract

The present invention provides an ink cartridge for use in a printer, wherein the ink cartridge is provided with a chip, a liquid level detection portion, and an ink outlet; the printer is provided with a stylus for electrically connecting to contacts of the chip; the ink cartridge has a hook portion that can extend into a hook groove to removably secure the ink cartridge in the mounting portion; the ink cartridge is provided with an end face and a circumferential wall surface, the end face being located at the front end of the ink cartridge along the mounting direction, the circumferential wall surface being connected to the end face and located in the circumference of the ink cartridge, and the liquid level detection portion being located on the end face of the ink cartridge; the circumferential wall surface including a top wall surface and a bottom wall surface, the chip being located on the top wall surface of the ink cartridge and located at an end of the ink cartridge near the end face; the ink outlet being located on the end face of the ink cartridge, and the hook portion being located on the end face of the ink cartridge or on a side of the circumferential wall surface near the end face. In the present invention, the liquid level detection portion of the ink cartridge has a small shaking amplitude and a high accuracy in detecting the remaining ink amount.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] A printer is a commonly used office tool used to spray ink on paper to form preset text, images, etc.

[0003] The printer includes an ink cartridge. A mounting portion for the ink cartridge is provided on the printer. The ink cartridge is fixedly connected to the mounting portion via a connecting assembly, allowing the ink in the cartridge to be introduced into the printer to perform printing tasks. The ink cartridge is provided with a liquid level detector for detecting the remaining ink in the cartridge. The liquid level detector is typically located on the ink cartridge at a position opposite the bottom wall of the mounting portion.

[0004] To facilitate user access to the ink cartridge, the connector is typically located at the opening of the mounting portion. This can cause the ink cartridge to sway relative to the printer using the connector as a fulcrum when the printer is shaken, leading to significant sway in the liquid level detector and poor ink level detection accuracy. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above problems, an embodiment of the present invention provides an ink cartridge, wherein the shaking amplitude of the liquid level detection portion of the ink cartridge is small and the detection accuracy of the remaining ink amount is high.

[0006] In order to achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of the present invention provide the following technical solutions:

[0007] An embodiment of the present invention provides an ink cartridge for use in a printer. The printer is provided with a mounting portion having a hook groove. The ink cartridge is used to store ink. The ink cartridge is provided with a chip for contacting a stylus of the printer, a liquid level detection portion for detecting the remaining ink level, and an ink outlet for supplying ink to the printer. The printer is provided with a stylus for electrically connecting to a contact of the chip.

[0008] The ink cartridge has a disassembly direction, a width direction, and a height direction, wherein the disassembly direction, the width direction, and the height direction are perpendicular to each other, wherein the disassembly direction includes an installation direction and a disassembly direction, and the installation direction and the disassembly direction are parallel to each other and face opposite directions;

[0009] The ink cartridge has a hook portion, which can extend into the hook groove to detachably fix the ink cartridge in the mounting portion;

[0010] The ink cartridge is provided with an end face and a circumferential wall, the end face is located at the front end of the ink cartridge along the installation direction, the circumferential wall is connected to the end face and is located in the circumference of the ink cartridge, and the liquid level detection part is located on the end face of the ink cartridge; the circumferential wall includes a top wall and a bottom wall, the top wall and the bottom wall are respectively located at the top and bottom of the ink cartridge along the height direction, the chip is located on the top wall of the ink cartridge and at one end of the ink cartridge close to the end face; the ink outlet is located on the end face of the ink cartridge, and the hook portion is arranged on the end face of the ink cartridge or on the side of the circumferential wall close to the end face.

[0011] Compared with the prior art, the ink cartridge provided by the embodiment of the present invention has the following advantages: the ink cartridge is used to store ink, and when the ink cartridge is connected to a printer, the ink can be transported to the printer to achieve a printing task.

[0012] The printer is provided with a mounting portion, into which the ink cartridge is removably secured via a latching engagement between a latching portion and a latching groove. The ink cartridge has an end face extending in the direction of assembly and disassembly and a circumferential side wall. When installed in the mounting portion, the end face is located within the mounting portion, while the side wall faces the inner wall of the mounting portion. This means that the wall of the ink cartridge opposite the end face is exposed at the opening of the mounting portion, resulting in a simpler appearance for the printer.

[0013] The ink cartridge is equipped with a liquid level detector, and the printer is equipped with a corresponding liquid level detector. The liquid level detector detects the remaining ink level using detection light emitted by the liquid level detector. The liquid level detector is located on the end face of the ink cartridge. The hook portion is located on the outer wall of the ink cartridge near the liquid level detector, thereby minimizing the distance between the connecting assembly and the liquid level detector. Even if the ink cartridge is shaken relative to the printer, the entire cartridge shakes with the connecting assembly as the fulcrum. Due to the small distance between the liquid level detector and the connecting assembly, the liquid level detector's shaking relative to the connecting assembly is minimal, resulting in higher accuracy in detecting the remaining ink level.

[0014] In addition to the technical problems solved by the embodiments of the present invention described above, the technical features that constitute the technical solutions, and the beneficial effects brought about by the technical features of these technical solutions, other technical problems that can be solved by the ink cartridge provided by the embodiments of the present invention, other technical features included in the technical solutions, and the beneficial effects brought about by these technical features will be further described in detail in the specific implementation methods. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0016] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a printing device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the Chinese ontology;

[0018] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the middle clamping assembly including the clamping hook portion and the clamping hook groove;

[0019] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure of part A;

[0020] Figure 5 for Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle ink cartridge body Figure 1 ;

[0021] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the structure of part B;

[0022] Figure 7 for Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the middle ink cartridge body;

[0023] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the structure of part C;

[0024] Figure 9 for Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle ink cartridge body Figure 2 ;

[0025] Figure 10 for Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the structure of part D;

[0026] Figure 11 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the middle clamping assembly including the rocker arm, the sliding portion, and the slide groove;

[0027] Figure 12 for Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the structure of part E;

[0028] Figure 13 for Figure 11Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle ink cartridge body Figure 1 ;

[0029] Figure 14 for Figure 13 Schematic diagram of the structure of part F;

[0030] Figure 15 for Figure 13 Schematic diagram of the explosion structure of the ink cartridge body Figure 1 ;

[0031] Figure 16 for Figure 13 Schematic diagram of the explosion structure of the middle ink cartridge body Figure 2 ;

[0032] Figure 17 for Figure 13 A schematic diagram of the structure of the middle shielding member and the driving member;

[0033] Figure 18 for Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle ink cartridge body Figure 2 ;

[0034] Figure 19 for Figure 18 Schematic diagram of the structure of part G;

[0035] Figure 20 for Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the structure when the sliding part of the middle swing rod is opposite to the introduction section of the chute;

[0036] Figure 21 for Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the structure when the sliding part of the middle swing rod is located in the introduction section;

[0037] Figure 22 for Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the structure of the middle swing arm when the sliding portion is engaged with the engaging section;

[0038] Figure 23 for Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the structure when the sliding part of the middle rocker is located in the lead-out section.

[0039] Reference numerals:

[0040] 10: Printer; 11: Mounting unit; 12: Ejector rod structure; 13: Hook slot; 14: Vertical plate;

[0041] 20: Ink cartridge body; 21: Liquid level detection unit; 221: End surface; 222: Top wall; 223: Bottom wall; 224: Side wall; 225: Outer wall; 23: Chip; 231: Contact; 24: Ink outlet; 25: Air inlet; 26: Grip;

[0042] 30: Connecting assembly; 31: Rocker; 311: Sliding portion; 32: Sliding groove; 321: Lead-in section; 322: Engaging section; 3221: Engaging wall; 323: Lead-out section; 33: Second elastic member; 35: Hook portion; 351: Avoidance notch;

[0043] 40: shielding assembly; 41: driving member; 411: first clamping portion; 42: shielding member; 421: second clamping portion; 43: third elastic member; 44: fourth elastic member;

[0044] X: assembly and disassembly direction; Y: width direction; Z: height direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0046] The ink cartridge consists of an ink cartridge body and a connecting assembly, which is connected to the printer's mounting assembly. Once connected, the ink cartridge body can swing relative to the printer, with the connecting assembly serving as a fulcrum. The greater the distance between the ink cartridge body and the connecting assembly, the greater the swing.

[0047] In the prior art, to facilitate installation and removal of ink cartridges, the connector assembly is typically located near the opening of the mounting portion of the ink cartridge body for easier user operation. The liquid level detector is typically located at the end of the ink cartridge body. This creates a large gap between the liquid level detector and the connector assembly, leading to significant fluctuations in the liquid level detector, resulting in lower detection accuracy.

[0048] In view of this, the connecting component in the embodiment of the present application is arranged at a position close to the liquid level detection part of the ink cartridge body to reduce the distance between the connecting component and the liquid level detection part. In this way, the shaking amplitude of the liquid level detection part relative to the connecting component is smaller, thereby improving the detection accuracy of the remaining ink amount.

[0049] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a printing device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the Chinese ontology. Figure 3 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the middle hook assembly including the hook portion and the hook groove 13. Figure 4 for Figure 3Schematic diagram of the structure of part A. Figure 5 for Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle ink cartridge body Figure 1 . Figure 6 for Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the structure of part B. Figure 7 for Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the explosion structure of the ink cartridge body. Figure 8 for Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the structure of part C. Figure 9 for Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle ink cartridge body Figure 2 . Figure 10 for Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the structure of part D.

[0050] See also Figures 1 to 10 An embodiment of the present invention provides an ink cartridge for use in a printer 10. The ink cartridge includes an ink cartridge body 20 and a connecting assembly. The connecting assembly is used to detachably connect the ink cartridge body 20 to the printer 10. The ink cartridge body 20 is used to store ink. The ink cartridge body 20 is provided with a liquid level detection portion 21 for detecting the remaining ink amount. The printer 10 is provided with a mounting portion 11. The ink cartridge body 20 can extend into or out of the mounting portion 11 along a disassembly direction X. The connecting assembly and the liquid level detection portion 21 are both located at the same end of the ink cartridge body 20 along the direction of the maximum dimension.

[0051] Specifically, the printer 10 is used to spray ink onto paper to form predetermined text, images, etc. The printer 10 is provided with an ink cartridge for storing ink. The printer 10 is also provided with an ink supply assembly (not shown) to direct the ink in the ink cartridge to the print nozzles (not shown) of the printer 10. The printer 10 and the ink supply assembly may be of any type known to those skilled in the art and are not limited in this embodiment.

[0052] The ink cartridge includes a cartridge body 20 and a connecting assembly 30. The printer 10 is provided with a mounting portion 11, to which the ink cartridge is fixedly connected via the connecting assembly 30. The mounting portion 11 may be a recessed structure, into which the ink cartridge body 20 extends and is accommodated. This allows only the outer wall 225 of the ink cartridge body 20 to be exposed at the opening of the mounting groove, while the connecting assembly 30 between the ink cartridge body 20 and the mounting portion 11 is concealed within the mounting portion 11, resulting in a simpler appearance for the printer 10.

[0053] The printer 10 may be provided with a plurality of mounting portions 11 in parallel, and each mounting portion 11 may be provided with a corresponding ink cartridge, so that the printer 10 may be provided with a plurality of ink cartridges at the same time.

[0054] The ink cartridge body 20 can have different shapes depending on different needs. When the ink cartridge body 20 has different shapes, the direction of the maximum dimension of the ink cartridge body 20 also varies. For example, if the ink cartridge body 20 is cylindrical and the axial dimension of the cylindrical ink cartridge body 20 is greater than the radial dimension of the cylindrical ink cartridge body 20, the direction of the maximum dimension of the ink cartridge body 20 is the axial direction of the ink cartridge body 20.

[0055] Optionally, in this embodiment, the ink cartridge body 20 may have a substantially cubic structure and six walls. For ease of explanation, the ink cartridge body 20 has an assembly / disassembly direction X, a width direction Y, and a height direction Z. The assembly / disassembly directions X, Y, and Z are arranged perpendicular to each other and are parallel to three adjacent sides of the ink cartridge body 20, respectively. Depending on the dimensions of the ink cartridge body 20, the maximum dimension of the ink cartridge body 20 may be in any one of the assembly / disassembly direction X, the width direction Y, and the height direction Z.

[0056] When the ink cartridge body 20 moves along the disassembly direction X toward the side close to the printer 10, the ink cartridge body 20 can be installed on the printer 10; when the ink cartridge body 20 moves along the disassembly direction X toward the side away from the printer 10, the ink cartridge body 20 can be removed from the printer 10.

[0057] The wall of the ink cartridge body 20 at the front end in the installation and removal direction X is the end face 221, and the other wall of the ink cartridge body 20 opposite the end face 221 is the outer wall 225. When the ink cartridge body 20 is installed in the printer 10, the end face 221 is located within the mounting portion 11, and the outer wall 225 is exposed at the opening of the mounting portion 11. The other four walls of the ink cartridge body 20 constitute circumferential walls and are arranged along the circumference of the ink cartridge body 20. The circumferential walls are located between the end face 221 and the outer wall 225, and include a top wall 222 and a bottom wall 223 along the height direction Z, and two side walls 224 along the width direction Y.

[0058] The ink cartridge body 20 is a container-like structure, and its interior is hollow to accommodate ink. The interior of the ink cartridge body 20 is also provided with a plurality of reinforcing ribs to increase the strength of the ink cartridge body 20. The ink cartridge body 20 has an ink outlet 24 connected to the ink supply assembly. The ink in the ink cartridge body 20 is discharged into the ink supply assembly through the ink outlet 24. The ink cartridge body 20 also has an air inlet 25, which connects the interior of the ink cartridge body 20 to the atmosphere. In this way, when the ink level decreases, air can be replenished to maintain the air pressure inside the ink cartridge body 20. The ink cartridge body 20 also includes a liquid level detection unit 21 for detecting the remaining ink level.

[0059] The liquid level detection portion 21 protrudes from the ink cartridge body 20. The cavity enclosed by the liquid level detection portion 21 communicates with the inner cavity of the ink cartridge body 20, allowing ink to enter the liquid level detection portion 21. The liquid level detection portion 21 is made of a light-transmissive resin structure. A corresponding optical sensor is provided on the printer 10. The optical sensor includes an emitter and a receiver, which are respectively disposed on either side of the liquid level detection portion 21. The emitter is configured to emit detection light, and the receiver is configured to receive the detection light transmitted through the liquid level detection portion 21. Both the liquid level detection portion 21 and the ink can attenuate the detection light. The amount of detection light received by the receiver can be used to determine whether ink is present in the ink cartridge body 20 and the amount of ink remaining. Of course, a detection rocker arm, as is well known to those skilled in the art, can also be provided within the ink cartridge body 20. The detection rocker arm can rotate relative to the ink cartridge body 20 and extend into the liquid level detection portion 21 to attenuate or deflect light, etc. This is not a limitation in this embodiment.

[0060] The liquid level detection portion 21 can be provided on any wall surface of the ink cartridge body 20. Optionally, in this embodiment, the liquid level detection portion 21 is provided on the end surface 221 of the ink cartridge body 20.

[0061] The connecting assembly 30 securely connects the ink cartridge body 20 to the printer 10, and the connecting assembly 30 and the liquid level detector 21 are located at the same end of the ink cartridge body 20 along its largest dimension. This minimizes the distance between the connecting assembly 30 and the liquid level detector 21. Once the ink cartridge body 20 is secured to the printer 10, even if the ink cartridge body 20 shakes relative to the printer 10, the ink cartridge body 20 will shake relative to the printer 10 with the connecting assembly 30 as the fulcrum. However, due to the smaller distance between the liquid level detector 21 and the connecting assembly 30, the liquid level detector 21 will only move less relative to its preset position, or less deflect, thereby improving the accuracy of ink level detection.

[0062] Depending on the direction of the maximum dimension of the ink cartridge body 20, the connecting assembly 30 can be disposed on different wall surfaces of the ink cartridge body 20. For example, when the maximum dimension of the ink cartridge body 20 is in the height direction Z and the minimum dimension is in the assembly and disassembly direction X, and the liquid level detection portion 21 is disposed on the end surface 221, the connecting assembly 30 can be disposed on the end surface 221 or at a position on the outer wall 225 corresponding to the liquid level detection portion 21.

[0063] In some optional embodiments, the dimension of the ink cartridge body 20 along the assembly and disassembly direction X is greater than or equal to the cross-sectional dimension of the ink cartridge body 20 in the circumferential direction. That is, the maximum dimension of the ink cartridge body 20 is in the assembly and disassembly direction X or the height direction Z. For example, the dimension of the ink cartridge body 20 along the assembly and disassembly direction X can be approximately equal to the dimension of the ink cartridge body 20 along the height direction Z, and the dimension of the ink cartridge body 20 along the assembly and disassembly direction X is greater than the dimension of the ink cartridge body 20 along the width direction Y.

[0064] This embodiment is described using the direction of the largest dimension of the ink cartridge body 20 as the assembly / disassembly direction X. In this case, the ink cartridge body 20 is provided with an end face 221 and a circumferential wall. The end face 221 is located at the end of the ink cartridge body 20 along the assembly / disassembly direction X. The circumferential wall is connected to the end face 221 and is located circumferentially of the ink cartridge body 20. The liquid level detection portion 21 is located on the end face 221 of the ink cartridge body 20. The connecting assembly 30 can be disposed on the end face 221 of the ink cartridge body 20 or on a side of the circumferential wall that is closer to the end face 221.

[0065] When the connecting assembly 30 is disposed on the end surface 221 of the ink cartridge body 20, refer to Figure 5 , the connecting assembly 30 can be arranged in parallel with the liquid level detection part 21 along the width direction Y. Of course, at this time, the connecting assembly 30 can also be arranged at different positions along the height direction Z of the liquid level detection part 21.

[0066] When the connecting assembly 30 is arranged on the circumferential wall surface of the ink cartridge body 20, the connecting assembly 30 can be arranged on the top wall surface 222, the bottom wall surface 223 (such as Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown) or on either of the side wall surfaces 224, and the connecting component 30 is located on the side of the circumferential wall surface close to the end surface 221 to reduce the distance between the connecting component 30 and the liquid level detection portion 21.

[0067] In some optional embodiments, Figure 5 and Figure 6 as well as Figure 13 and Figure 14 The printer 10 is provided with a contact pin, and the ink cartridge body 20 is provided with a chip 23. The chip 23 is arranged on the circumferential wall surface of the ink cartridge body 20. When the ink cartridge body 20 is installed on the printer 10, the contact pin is electrically connected to the contact 231 of the chip 23 to realize communication between the ink cartridge body 20 and the printer 10.

[0068] It can be understood that the contact pin is an elastic member. When the contact pin is electrically connected to the chip 23, the contact pin is elastically deformed and pressed against the contact point 231 of the chip 23, so that the ink cartridge body 20 abuts against the other side of the mounting portion 11 opposite to the contact pin.

[0069] The chip 23 can be fixed at any position of the circumferential wall of the ink cartridge body 20. Optionally, this embodiment is described by taking the chip 23 being arranged on the top wall 222 as an example. The top wall 222 is provided with a chip fixing seat, and the chip 23 is arranged on the chip fixing seat, and the chip 23 is arranged perpendicular to the height direction Z, or as shown in FIG. Figure 5 and Figure 13 The chip is tilted relative to the top wall 222. This embodiment does not limit the structures of the contact pins, the chip 23, and the chip holder.

[0070] Among them, see Figure 13 The chip 23 has three contacts 231 electrically connected to the contact pins. The three contacts 231 are arranged in parallel along the width direction Y of the ink cartridge.

[0071] See also Figure 5 and Figure 6 as well as Figure 13 and Figure 14 In some optional embodiments, the ink cartridge has a bonding surface, which is the bonding surface formed by the ink cartridge body 20 and the printer through the connecting component 30. The bonding surface and the surface of the contact 231 are spaced apart in the width direction Y of the ink cartridge body 20, and the width direction Y is perpendicular to the disassembly direction X.

[0072] In this way, on a projection plane perpendicular to the height direction, the projections of the chip contacts 231 on the projection plane and the projections of the bonding surfaces on the projection plane are arranged at intervals along the width direction Y.

[0073] For example, the three contacts 231 of the chip 23 are spaced apart along the width direction Y. The chip 23 has a first plane that is perpendicular to the width direction Y, and the edge of the chip 23 that is adjacent to the contacts 231 of the connecting component 30 is located on the first plane. The connecting component 30 has a second plane, and the edge of the bonding surface that is adjacent to the chip 23 is also located on the second plane. When the bonding surface and the surface of the chip contacts 231 are spaced apart along the width direction Y of the ink cartridge body 20, the first plane and the second plane are spaced apart along the width direction Y.

[0074] When the connecting component 30 is disposed on the side wall surface 224, the chip 23 does not protrude from the side wall surface 224. Therefore, the chip 23 can be disposed on the top wall surface 222, the bottom wall surface 223, or the other side wall surface 224 opposite the connecting component 30. When the connecting component is disposed on the top wall surface 222, the chip 23 can be disposed on the side wall surface 224. Alternatively, the chip 23 can be disposed on the top wall surface 222 or the bottom wall surface 223, as long as the bonding surfaces formed by the contacts 231 and the connecting component 30 are staggered along the width direction Y.

[0075] In this way, there are multiple fixed positions between the ink cartridge and the mounting portion 11 in the width direction Y, and the ink cartridge body 20 can be fixed in the mounting portion 11 more stably.

[0076] When the bonding surface and the contact 231 are spaced apart in the width direction Y, the distance between the connecting component 30 and the end face 221 along the disassembly direction X is smaller than the distance between the chip 23 and the end face 221 along the disassembly direction X; the distance between the connecting component 30 and the liquid level detection part 21 along the height direction Z is smaller than the distance between the chip 23 and the liquid level detection part 21 along the height direction Z.

[0077] For example, when the connecting assembly is disposed on the end surface 221 and the chip 23 is disposed on the top wall surface 222, the spacing between the connecting assembly and the end surface 221 along the assembly / disassembly direction X is zero, while the spacing between the chip 23 and the end surface 221 along the assembly / disassembly direction X is greater than zero. Furthermore, the connecting assembly is located below the chip 23 along the height direction Z, and the spacing between the connecting assembly and the liquid level detection portion 21 along the height direction Z is smaller than the spacing between the chip 23 and the liquid level detection portion 21 along the height direction Z.

[0078] Thus, along both the assembly and disassembly direction X and the height direction Z, the spacing between the connecting assembly and the liquid level detection portion 21 is smaller than the spacing between the connecting assembly and the chip 23. That is, along both the assembly and disassembly direction X and the height direction Z, the connecting assembly is disposed between the liquid level detection portion 21 and the chip 23. This minimizes the amount of wobbling of the liquid level detection portion 21 and improves the accuracy of ink level detection. It also prevents the problem of poor electrical connection between the chip 23 and the contact pins, which could occur due to a large spacing between the connecting assembly 30 and the chip 23, when the ink cartridge body 20 is shaken relative to the printer 10.

[0079] In some optional embodiments, there are multiple connecting components 30, and the multiple connecting components 30 are arranged on the end face 221 of the cartridge body 20 and / or the side wall surface 224 of the cartridge body 20, and the multiple connecting components 30 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the cartridge body 20.

[0080] The plurality of connection assemblies 30 may be disposed simultaneously on the circumferential wall surface, or simultaneously on the end surface 221, and spaced apart along the circumference of the ink cartridge body 20. Alternatively, the plurality of connection assemblies 30 may be disposed simultaneously on the circumferential wall surface and the end surface 221 to improve the fixing stability of the ink cartridge body 20 and prevent the ink cartridge body 20 from shaking relative to the printer 10.

[0081] For example, there are two connecting assemblies 30, both of which are disposed on the end surface 221 and symmetrically arranged on both sides of the liquid level detection portion 21 along the width direction Y. The two connecting assemblies 30 can also be disposed on the top wall 222 and bottom wall 223 of the ink cartridge body 20, or on the end surface 221 and bottom wall 223. This embodiment does not limit the number or location of the connecting assemblies 30.

[0082] It can be understood that the ink cartridge body 20 is fixed in the mounting portion 11 , and the connecting assembly 30 is correspondingly hidden in the mounting portion 11 , and the connecting assembly 30 is not exposed at the opening position of the mounting portion 11 .

[0083] For easy disassembly and installation of the ink cartridge body 20, please refer to Figures 2 to 10 In some optional embodiments, the connecting component includes a hook portion 35 and a hook groove 13, one of the hook portion 35 and the hook groove 13 is arranged on the ink cartridge body 20, and the other is arranged on the mounting portion 11, and the hook portion 35 can extend into the hook groove 13 to fix the ink cartridge in the mounting portion 11; and when the ink cartridge is fixed in the mounting portion 11, there is a fitting gap between the ink cartridge and the mounting portion 11, so that the hook portion 35 can be disengaged from the hook groove 13 through the relative movement between the ink cartridge and the mounting portion 11.

[0084] Specifically, the hook portion 35 can be formed on the mounting portion 11 of the printer 10, and the hook groove 13 can be formed on the ink cartridge body 20. Figure 3 and Figure 4 This embodiment is described using an example in which the hook groove 13 is formed on the mounting portion 11 and the hook portion 35 is formed on the ink cartridge body 20. For example, the mounting portion 11 is provided with a vertical plate 14. The cavity on the side of the vertical plate 14 facing away from the ink cartridge body 20 can constitute the hook groove 13. The hook portion 35 hooks with the side of the vertical plate 14 facing away from the ink cartridge body 20, thereby securing the ink cartridge within the mounting portion 11.

[0085] The hook portion 35 may be an elastic member, so that the hook portion 35 can be extended into or out of the hook slot 13 through elastic deformation of the hook portion 35 .

[0086] As will be appreciated, there is a clearance between the ink cartridge and the mounting portion 11 to facilitate pushing and pulling the ink cartridge. This clearance is utilized in this embodiment to prevent the hook portion 35 from breaking. For example, when a user grips the ink cartridge body 20 to move the ink cartridge relative to the mounting portion 11 or to rotate the ink cartridge around a point on the cartridge body, the hook portion 35 moves with the ink cartridge body 20 relative to the mounting portion 11, extending into or out of the hook slot 13, thereby extending the service life of the hook portion 35.

[0087] The hook portion 35 can be integrally formed with the ink cartridge body 20. In order to improve the service life of the ink cartridge, the hook portion 35 can also be detachably connected to the ink cartridge body 20, for example, the hook portion 35 can be fastened to the ink cartridge body 20 by a threaded fastener.

[0088] At this time, the joint surface formed by the connecting assembly 30 is the contact surface between the vertical plate 14 and the hook portion 35. When the hook portion 35 extends longer in the width direction Y, the contact surface between the vertical plate 14 and the hook portion 35 has a larger dimension in the width direction Y.

[0089] To prevent the contact surface between the vertical plate 14 and the hook portion 35 from intersecting with the surface of the contact point 231 in the width direction Y, please refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 The hook portion 35 may be provided with an escape notch 351, which is located on the side of the hook portion 35 close to the chip 23. In this way, the hook portion 35 is reduced in size along the width direction Y, and the edge of the contact surface close to the chip 23 is offset toward the side away from the chip 23, so that a distance is maintained between the contact point 231 and the contact surface along the width direction Y.

[0090] In some optional embodiments, the hook portion 35 is provided on the ink cartridge body 20 , the hook groove 13 is provided on the mounting portion 11 , and the opening of the hook groove 13 faces upward, so that the hook portion 35 can extend into the hook groove 13 under the action of gravity of the ink cartridge body 20 .

[0091] Thus, when the ink cartridge body 20 is inserted into the mounting portion 11, the ink cartridge body 20 overlaps the bottom wall 223 of the mounting groove under the action of its own weight. At this time, the hook portion 35 moves downward along the height direction Z with the ink cartridge body 20 and extends into the hook groove 13, thereby achieving a locking and fixing connection between the ink cartridge and the mounting portion 11. When the ink cartridge needs to be removed, the user simply pulls the ink cartridge body 20 upward along the height direction Z, resulting in a simple structure and convenient operation.

[0092] Figure 11 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the middle clamping assembly including the rocker arm, the sliding portion, and the slide groove. Figure 12 for Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the structure of part E. Figure 13 for Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle ink cartridge body Figure 1 . Figure 14 for Figure 13 Schematic diagram of the structure of part F. Figure 15 for Figure 13 Schematic diagram of the explosion structure of the ink cartridge body Figure 1 . Figure 16 for Figure 13 Schematic diagram of the explosion structure of the middle ink cartridge body Figure 2 . Figure 17for Figure 13 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle shielding component and the driving component. Figure 18 for Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle ink cartridge body Figure 2 . Figure 19 for Figure 18 Schematic diagram of the structure of part G.

[0093] See also Figures 11 to 19 To facilitate the disassembly and assembly of the ink cartridge body 20, in some optional embodiments, the connecting assembly 30 may further include a rocker arm 31, a slide groove 32, and a first elastic member (not shown). The first elastic member is connected to one of the printer 10 and the ink cartridge body 20 and can be compressed between the printer 10 and the ink cartridge body 20; the slide groove 32 is provided on one of the printer 10 and the ink cartridge body 20, and the other of the printer 10 and the ink cartridge body 20 is rotatably connected to the rocker arm 31, and the rocker arm 31 is provided with a protruding sliding portion 311; wherein, when the ink cartridge body 20 moves relative to the printer 10, the rocker arm 31 can rotate around its own rotation axis so that the sliding portion 311 moves relative to the slide groove 32 along the extension direction of the slide groove 32; when the ink cartridge body 20 and the printer 10 are relatively fixed, the sliding portion 311 is pressed against the inner wall surface of the slide groove 32 under the elastic force of the first elastic member.

[0094] Specifically, the swing arm 31 can be provided on the ink cartridge body 20, and the slide 32 can be provided on the printer 10. This embodiment is described by taking the swing arm 31 provided on the printer 10 and the slide 32 provided on the ink cartridge body 20 as an example.

[0095] The swing arm 31 is rotatably connected to the printer 10 via its own rotating shaft. The rotating shaft of the swing arm 31 can be arranged parallel to the width direction Y, parallel to the height direction Z, or arranged at an angle to the width direction Y, which is not limited in this embodiment. Optionally, the rotating shaft of the swing arm 31 in this embodiment can be arranged along the height direction Z.

[0096] The first elastic member can be a spring, elastic rubber, or other elastic component. One end of the first elastic member can be connected to one of the printer 10 and the ink cartridge body 20. The other end of the first elastic member is a free end configured to abut against the other of the printer 10 and the ink cartridge body 20. Optionally, in this embodiment, the first elastic member is connected to the mounting portion 11 to avoid protruding components from the wall of the ink cartridge body 20 and simplify the appearance of the ink cartridge body 20.

[0097] When the rocker arm 31 rotates relative to the printer 10, the sliding portion 311 rotates around the rotation axis of the rocker arm 31 and slides in the slide groove 32 at the same time. When the sliding portion 311 is located at different positions of the slide groove 32, the ink cartridge body 20 has different connection states relative to the printer 10.

[0098] Specifically, when the ink cartridge body 20 needs to be installed, the user pushes the ink cartridge body 20 along the disassembly direction X. When the ink cartridge body 20 extends into the installation portion 11, the sliding portion 311 extends into the slide groove 32 through the entrance of the slide groove 32. As the ink cartridge body 20 continues to extend into the installation portion 11, the first elastic member is compressed, and the sliding portion 311 moves relative to the slide groove 32 along the extension direction of the slide groove 32.

[0099] When the ink cartridge body 20 moves to the preset position, the user disengages from the ink cartridge body 20 , and the ink cartridge body 20 moves along the disassembly direction X toward the side extending out of the mounting portion 11 under the elastic force of the first elastic member until the sliding portion 311 abuts against the inner wall surface of the slide groove 32 , and the ink cartridge body 20 is fixed in the mounting portion 11 .

[0100] When the ink cartridge body 20 needs to be removed, the swing arm 31 can continue to rotate to resist the elastic force of the first elastic member. Under the elastic force of the first elastic member, the ink cartridge body 20 moves along the installation and removal direction X toward the side extending from the mounting portion 11 until the sliding portion 311 slides out of the sliding groove 32. At this point, the ink cartridge body 20 is separated from the printer 10.

[0101] That is, the user pushes the ink cartridge, and the ink cartridge body 20 is disassembled and assembled relative to the printer 10 through the mutual cooperation between the rocker arm 31 and the slide groove 32, which has a simple structure and is easy to operate.

[0102] The slide groove 32 may be a blind hole structure, and the sliding portion 311 is engaged with the end of the slide groove 32 and extends into or out of the slide groove 32 from the end of the blind hole slide groove 32 .

[0103] At this time, the joint surface formed by the connecting assembly 30 is the abutment surface between the rocker 31 and the slide groove 32, wherein the sliding portion 311 can have different shapes, such as a spherical shape, a cylindrical shape, etc. When the sliding portion 311 has different shapes, the projection of the abutment surface on the projection plane can be a projection surface or a projection line.

[0104] By arranging the surface of the contact point 231 and the contact surface between the rocker arm 31 and the slide groove 32 at intervals along the width direction Y, the ink cartridge body 20 can be fixed more firmly in the mounting portion 11 .

[0105] Figure 20 for Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the structure when the sliding part of the middle rocker is opposite to the introduction section of the chute. Figure 21 for Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the structure when the sliding part of the middle rocker is located in the introduction section. Figure 22 for Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the structure when the sliding part of the middle swing arm is engaged with the engaging section. Figure 23 for Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the structure when the sliding part of the middle rocker is located in the lead-out section.

[0106] See also Figures 11 to 23 , Optionally, the slide groove 32 in this embodiment may include an inlet section 321, a clamping section 322 and an outlet section 323, and the clamping section 322 connects the inlet section 321 and the outlet section 323; when the ink cartridge body 20 is inserted into the mounting portion 11, the rocker arm 31 is arranged opposite to the port of the inlet section 321, so that the sliding portion 311 can be inserted into the inlet section 321 and move along the inlet section 321 toward the side of the clamping section 322; the clamping section 322 is provided with a clamping wall 3221, and the clamping wall 3221 is bent toward one side of the rotating shaft of the rocker arm 31 to accommodate the sliding portion 311. The sliding portion 311 can abut against the locking wall 3221 under the elastic force of the first elastic member; wherein, when the slide groove 32 and the rocker arm 31 move toward each other, the sliding portion 311 can slide out of the locking section 322 along the locking wall 3221 and extend along the lead-out section 323 under the elastic force of the first elastic member, so that the ink cartridge body 20 and the printer 10 are separated from each other.

[0107] Specifically, the introduction section 321 is used to guide the sliding portion 311 into the chute 32 during installation of the ink cartridge body 20 in the printer 10. That is, during movement of the ink cartridge body 20 relative to the printer 10, the end of the introduction section 321 always faces the sliding portion 311 of the rocker 31. Furthermore, to facilitate the detachment of the sliding portion 311 from the exit section 323, the end of the exit section 323 also faces the rocker 31. Thus, the chute 32 has a U-shaped structure.

[0108] In order to effectively engage the rocking arm 31 and prevent the sliding portion 311 from moving relative to the slide groove 32 due to shaking of the printer, a engaging wall 3221 is provided in the engaging section 322 in this embodiment. The engaging wall 3221 is recessed on one side of the rotating shaft of the rocking arm 31 to form an accommodating area for the sliding portion 311. After the sliding portion 311 moves to the position of the engaging wall 3221, the sliding portion 311 can abut against the engaging wall 3221, that is, the engaging wall 3221 limits the sliding portion 311 to fix the ink cartridge body 20 on the printer 10.

[0109] It can be understood that the engaging wall 3221 has three parts, namely, two first parts along the circumference of the rotating axis of the rocker arm 31 and a second part located between the two parts. The second part connects the two first parts and encloses the above-mentioned accommodating area.

[0110] At this time, along the circumferential direction of the swing arm 31's rotation axis, the sliding portion 311 abuts against the first portion of the engaging wall 3221; along the assembly / disassembly direction X, under the elastic force of the first elastic member, the sliding portion 311 engages with the second portion of the engaging wall 3221. Thus, under the combined action of the first elastic member and the second elastic member 33, the sliding portion 311 of the swing arm 31 can adaptively move relative to the engaging wall 3221 and effectively abut against the engaging wall 3221, thereby providing a high degree of fixation stability for the ink cartridge body 20.

[0111] To remove the ink cartridge body 20, the sliding portion 311 must be removed from the accommodating area, causing the slide groove 32 and the rocker arm 31 to move toward each other. In other words, the user can press the ink cartridge body 20 toward the inside of the mounting portion 11 along the removal direction X. As the rocker arm 31 continues to rotate, the sliding portion 311 slides out of the accommodating area and continues to slide along the lead-out section 323. Simultaneously, under the elastic force of the first elastic member, the ink cartridge body 20 pops out toward the side extending from the mounting portion 11, separating the ink cartridge body 20 from the printer 10.

[0112] The printer may be equipped with a motor or other device to drive the swing arm 31 to rotate about its axis. To simplify the drive structure of the swing arm 31, in some optional embodiments, the connecting assembly 30 further includes a second elastic member 33 connected to the swing arm 31. The second elastic member 33 and the sliding portion 311 are respectively located at opposite ends of the swing arm 31's axis. When the second elastic member 33 is in its natural state, the swing arm 31 extends toward the lead-out section 323. The second elastic member 33 may be a spring, an elastic metal sheet, or other elastic component, resulting in a simple structure and convenient assembly and disassembly of the ink cartridge body 20.

[0113] The second elastic member 33 can be disposed around the rotating shaft of the swing arm 31 to drive the swing arm 31 to rotate. Optionally, in this embodiment, the second elastic member 33 is connected to the swing arm 31, with one end of the second elastic member 33 connected to the swing arm 31 and the other end of the second elastic member 33 connected to the printer 10. When the second elastic member 33 is in a neutral position, the swing arm 31 extends toward the outlet section 323.

[0114] At this time, see Figure 20 The opening size of the introduction section 321 is larger to at least cover a portion of the outlet section 323 in the installation direction, so that when the ink cartridge body 20 extends into the installation portion 11, the sliding portion 311 can extend into the introduction section 321.

[0115] So, see Figure 21As the ink cartridge body 20 extends into the mounting portion 11, the sliding portion 311 extends into the introduction section 321, and the rocker arm 31 rotates clockwise around its own axis, simultaneously driving the second elastic member 33 to stretch and deform. Thus, the second elastic member 33 has a tendency to contract, and the rocker arm 31 has a tendency to rotate counterclockwise. As the ink cartridge body 20 extends into the mounting portion 11, the sliding portion 311, on the one hand, moves along the extension direction of the introduction section 321, and on the other hand, presses against the inner wall surface of the introduction section 321 under the elastic force of the second elastic member 33, until the sliding portion 311 falls into the accommodating area surrounded by the engaging wall surface 3221 under the elastic force of the second elastic member 33 (see FIG. 2 ). Figure 22 In other words, the elastic force of the second elastic member 33 helps drive the sliding portion 311 into the engaging section 322. At this point, under the elastic force of the first elastic member, the chute 32 and the rocker arm 31 tend to move apart, and the sliding portion 311 abuts against the engaging wall 3221, thereby achieving a fixed connection between the ink cartridge body 20 and the printer 10.

[0116] See also Figure 23 When the ink cartridge body 20 needs to be removed or replaced, the user can press the ink cartridge body 20 along the removal direction X. At this time, the swing arm 31 and the slide groove 32 approach each other. Since the second elastic member 33 is in its natural state, the swing arm 31 extends toward the outlet section 323. The sliding portion 311 can continue to rotate counterclockwise under the elastic force of the second elastic member 33 and move out of the engaging section 322 along the engaging wall 3221. At this time, the ink cartridge body 20 gradually moves out of the mounting portion 11 under the elastic force of the first elastic member. At the same time, the sliding portion 311 continues to rotate counterclockwise under the elastic force of the second elastic member 33 until the sliding portion 311 moves into the outlet section 323, and the second elastic member 33 returns to its natural state. In other words, the second elastic member 33 prevents the sliding portion 311 from moving toward the inlet section 321 when it moves out of the engaging section 322.

[0117] The ink cartridge body 20 can then continue to move out of the mounting portion 11 under the elastic force of the first elastic member or under user operation, and the sliding portion 311 can continue to rotate counterclockwise and move along the lead-out section 323 until the sliding portion 311 moves out of the lead-out section 323, and the ink cartridge body 20 is detached from the printer 10. At this time, the second elastic member 33 is stretched and deformed, and has a tendency to rotate clockwise.

[0118] After the ink cartridge body 20 is separated from the printer 10, the swing arm 31 can rotate clockwise under the elastic force of the second elastic member 33 until the second elastic member 33 returns to its natural state. At this time, the mounting portion 11 of the printer 10 is empty.

[0119] That is, the second elastic member 33 can be used to conveniently realize the assembly and disassembly of the ink cartridge body 20 , with a simple structure and low manufacturing cost.

[0120] In order to facilitate the user to hold the ink cartridge body 20, the ink cartridge body 20 is provided with a gripping member 26, which is arranged on the outer wall surface 225 or a side of the circumferential wall surface close to the outer wall surface 225. For example, the gripping member 26 can be arranged on the top wall surface 222.

[0121] It can be understood that a top plate is provided on the top of the ink cartridge body 20 , the wall surface of the top plate constitutes a top wall surface 222 , and the gripping member 26 can be fixedly connected to the top plate.

[0122] Optionally, a locking member may be further provided at a position of the printer 10 opposite to the holding member 26 , and accordingly, the holding member 26 is movably connected to the ink cartridge body 20 .

[0123] Specifically, the locking member is rotatably connected to the mounting portion 11, and a fifth elastic member is provided on the mounting portion 11. The fifth elastic member can extend the locking member toward one side of the ink cartridge body 20. In this way, when the ink cartridge body 20 is inserted into the mounting portion 11, the locking member can abut against the top wall surface 222 of the ink cartridge body 20 and slide relative to the ink cartridge body 20.

[0124] The top wall surface of the ink cartridge body 20 is correspondingly provided with an abutment groove that can abut against the locking piece. After the ink cartridge body 20 moves into position, the locking piece falls into the abutment groove and abuts against the inner wall surface of the abutment groove, preventing the ink cartridge body 20 from extending out of the mounting portion 11.

[0125] At this time, the holding piece 26 is rotatably connected to the top plate, and the holding piece 26 is pressed downward along the height direction Z. The other end of the holding piece 26 is lifted upward and lifts the locking piece to rotate. At this time, the locking piece can be disengaged from the abutment groove, and the ink cartridge body 20 can be taken out from the mounting portion 11.

[0126] Optionally, the top plate can be arranged in a stepped shape, with part of the top plate being used to be rotatably connected to the holding piece 26, and the other part of the top plate protruding toward the side away from the cartridge body 20. In this way, the holding piece 26 and the protruding part of the top plate are arranged roughly flush, and the appearance of the ink cartridge is relatively flat.

[0127] In some optional embodiments, the printer 10 is provided with a light detection element, which is arranged in the installation portion 11; a shielding component is provided on the ink cartridge, and when the ink cartridge body 20 is installed on the printer 10, the shielding component 40 blocks the detection light emitted by the light detection element to prompt that the ink cartridge body 20 is installed in the installation portion 11.

[0128] The optical detection element may include an emitting element and a receiving element. The emitting element is configured to emit detection light, and the receiving element is configured to receive the detection light. The shielding assembly 40 may be a protruding structure formed on the wall of the ink cartridge body 20. When the ink cartridge body 20 is secured within the mounting portion 11, the shielding assembly 40 is disposed between the emitting element and the receiving element. The shielding assembly 40 may attenuate or block the detection light. In this way, the amount of detection light received by the receiver may be used to determine whether the ink cartridge body 20 is secured within the mounting portion 11.

[0129] Thus, when the ink cartridge body 20 is installed in the printer 10, the shielding assembly 40 is disposed between the transmitter and the receiver, and the amount of light detected by the receiver is small or zero, indicating that the ink cartridge body 20 is secured within the mounting portion 11. When the amount of light detected by the receiver equals the amount of detection light emitted by the transmitter, it can be determined that the ink cartridge body 20 is not secured within the mounting portion 11 or that the mounting portion 11 of the printer 10 is empty.

[0130] Optionally, in order to prevent foreign matter from being disposed between the transmitting element and the receiving element, causing the light detecting element to misjudge that the ink cartridge body 20 is fixed in the mounting portion 11, in some optional embodiments, the shielding assembly 40 includes a driving element 41, a shielding element 42, and a third elastic element 43, the two ends of the third elastic element 43 are respectively connected to the shielding element 42 and the ink cartridge body 20, the driving element 41 is provided with a first clamping portion 411, the shielding element 42 is provided with a second clamping portion 421, the first clamping portion 411 and the second clamping portion 421 are respectively provided on the sides of the driving element 41 and the shielding element 42 facing each other; the ink cartridge body 20 is relative to the printer 10 During movement, the driving member 41 abuts against the printer 10, and drives the shielding member 42 to move relative to the ink cartridge body 20 toward the side away from the printer 10 through the abutment between the first clamping portion 411 and the second clamping portion 421; wherein, the first clamping portion 411 is provided with a guide slope, and the second clamping portion 421 can move along the guide slope toward the side away from the driving member 41. When the ink cartridge body 20 is fixed in the mounting portion 11 through the connecting assembly, the first clamping portion 411 and the second clamping portion 421 are separated from each other, and the shielding member 42 can be extended under the elastic force of the third elastic member 43 and block the detection light emitted by the light detection member.

[0131] That is, both the driving member 41 and the shielding member 42 are movably connected to the ink cartridge body 20. Specifically, the shielding member 42 is connected to the ink cartridge body 20 via a third elastic member 43, and the driving member 41 is connected to the ink cartridge body 20 via a fourth elastic member 44. This allows the driving member 41 to return to its initial position relative to the ink cartridge body 20 via the fourth elastic member 44 after the ink cartridge body 20 is removed. The shielding member 42 can be moved relative to the ink cartridge body 20 by deformation of the third elastic member 43, and the driving member 41 can be moved relative to the ink cartridge body 20 by deformation of the fourth elastic member 44.

[0132] A guide structure may be provided between the driving member 41 and the ink cartridge body 20, and between the shielding member 42 and the ink cartridge body 20, to ensure that both the driving member 41 and the ink cartridge body 20 move relative to the ink cartridge body 20 in a predetermined direction, thereby preventing the driving member 41 and the shielding member 42 from shifting. The guide structure may be a guide groove, etc., with the driving member 41 and the ink cartridge body 20 each being guided by slidingly engaging with the guide groove. This embodiment does not limit the guide structure.

[0133] The shielding member 42 and the driving member 41 can be disposed at any position on the wall surface of the ink cartridge body 20. Optionally, in this embodiment, the driving member 41 and the shielding member 42 are disposed side by side on the top wall surface 222 of the ink cartridge body 20 along the height direction Z. For example, the shielding member 42 is located above the driving member 41 along the height direction Z. In this way, the first engaging portion 411 of the driving member 41 is located above the driving member 41 along the height direction Z, and the second engaging portion 421 of the shielding member 42 is located below the shielding member 42 along the height direction Z.

[0134] A protruding push rod structure 12 is provided in the mounting portion 11 . The push rod structure 12 protrudes from the inner wall surface of the mounting portion 11 to abut against the driving member 41 .

[0135] Thus, after the ink cartridge body 20 is inserted into the mounting portion 11, the shielding member 42 initially blocks the detection light emitted by the emitting member. As the ink cartridge body 20 continues to move inward of the mounting portion 11 against the elastic force of the first elastic member, the push rod structure 12 abuts against the driving member 41, pushing the driving member 41 relative to the ink cartridge body 20. At this point, the fourth elastic member 44 is compressed.

[0136] Then the first clamping portion 411 and the second clamping portion 421 abut against each other. Thus, driven by the driving member 41 , the shielding member 42 also moves relative to the ink cartridge body 20 . At this time, the third elastic member 43 is compressed.

[0137] The first clamping portion 411 is provided with a guiding inclined surface, and the second clamping portion 421 can move along the guiding inclined surface toward the side away from the driving member 41, that is, during the process of the first clamping portion 411 and the second clamping portion 421 abutting against each other, the second clamping portion 421 moves along the guiding inclined surface relative to the first clamping portion 411 until the first clamping portion 411 and the second clamping portion 421 are separated from each other, and under the action of the elastic force of the third elastic member 43, the shielding member 42 returns to its initial position relative to the ink cartridge body 20.

[0138] When the ink cartridge body 20 is fixed in the mounting portion 11 , the shielding member 42 returns to its initial position relative to the ink cartridge body 20 and shields the detection light of the emitting member again.

[0139] That is, in this embodiment, the secondary blocking action of the blocking member 42 is used to prompt that the ink cartridge body 20 is properly installed, thereby preventing the printer 10 from misjudging that the ink cartridge body 20 is properly installed.

[0140] The various embodiments or implementation methods in this specification are described in a progressive manner. Each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments, and the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other.

[0141] Throughout this specification, reference to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiments," "examples," "specific examples," or "some examples" means that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in conjunction with an embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, illustrative descriptions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0142] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the above embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ink cartridge, used in a printer, wherein the printer is provided with a mounting portion, the mounting portion having a hook groove, characterized in that: The ink cartridge is used to store ink, and is provided with a chip for contacting the stylus of the printer, a liquid level detection unit for detecting the remaining ink amount, and an ink outlet for supplying ink to the printer; the printer is provided with a stylus for electrically connecting to the contact of the chip; The ink cartridge has a disassembly direction, a width direction, and a height direction, wherein the disassembly direction, the width direction, and the height direction are perpendicular to each other, wherein the disassembly direction includes an installation direction and a disassembly direction, and the installation direction and the disassembly direction are parallel to each other and face opposite directions; The ink cartridge has a hook portion, which can extend into the hook groove to detachably fix the ink cartridge in the mounting portion; The ink cartridge is provided with an end face and a circumferential wall, the end face is located at the front end of the ink cartridge along the installation direction, the circumferential wall is connected to the end face and is located in the circumference of the ink cartridge, and the liquid level detection part is located on the end face of the ink cartridge; the circumferential wall includes a top wall and a bottom wall, the top wall and the bottom wall are respectively located at the top and bottom of the ink cartridge along the height direction, the chip is located on the top wall of the ink cartridge and at one end of the ink cartridge close to the end face; the ink outlet is located on the end face of the ink cartridge, and the hook part is arranged on the end face of the ink cartridge or on the side of the circumferential wall close to the end face so that the distance between the hook part and the liquid level detection part is smaller than the distance between the hook part and the chip.

2. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein When the ink cartridge is fixed in the mounting portion, the hook portion has a coupling surface that engages with the hook groove, and the coupling surface and the chip are respectively located on different sidewalls of the ink cartridge; A shielding component is provided on the top wall of the ink cartridge, and the shielding component is configured to block the detection light of the printer when the ink cartridge is installed in the installation portion; wherein the shielding component is located in front of the chip along the installation direction.

3. The ink cartridge according to claim 2, wherein: The joining surface extends along the width direction and the height direction and is inclined toward the disassembly direction; The distance between the bonding surface and the liquid level detection portion along the height direction is smaller than the distance between the chip and the liquid level detection portion along the height direction of the ink cartridge; The distance between the joint surface and the liquid level detection portion along the disassembly direction is smaller than the distance between the chip and the liquid level detection portion along the disassembly direction of the ink cartridge.

4. The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The hook portion is arranged on the bottom wall surface of the ink cartridge.

5. The ink cartridge according to claim 4, wherein: The opening of the hook groove faces upward in the height direction of the ink cartridge, and the hook portion can extend into the hook groove under the action of the gravity of the ink cartridge.

6. The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The hook portion and the ink cartridge are detachably connected or integrally formed.

7. The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The distance between the hook portion and the ink outlet along the height direction of the ink cartridge is smaller than the distance between the hook portion and the liquid level detection portion along the height direction of the ink cartridge.

8. The ink cartridge according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: When the hook portion is provided on the end surface of the ink cartridge, the coupling surface and the contact point are spaced apart in the width direction.

9. The ink cartridge according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The distance between the joint surface and the end surface along the disassembly direction is smaller than the distance between the chip and the end surface along the disassembly direction of the ink cartridge.

10. The ink cartridge according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The shielding component and the combining surface are located on different side wall surfaces of the ink cartridge, and the combining surface is located below the shielding component in the height direction.

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