Ink cartridge and inkjet printer

Abstract

The application belongs to the field of printers, and particularly relates to an ink cartridge and an inkjet printer. The ink cartridge comprises a cartridge body, a cartridge cover, an ink adding assembly and a locking device. The inside of the cartridge body is provided with an ink chamber. The cartridge cover is arranged on the opening of the cartridge body. The ink adding assembly is used for adding ink to the ink chamber. The locking device is arranged between the top plate of the ink adding assembly and the cartridge cover. The locking device is used for limiting and locking the top plate and the cartridge cover in the vertical direction. In the locked state, the top plate covers the through hole, and the inner wall of the through hole blocks the filling port, so that the ink in the ink chamber is prevented from leaking out of the through hole and the filling port. When ink needs to be added, the locking device is controlled to release the limitation of the top plate and the cartridge cover in the vertical direction, and then the top plate is manually lifted. The top plate drives the ink adding pipe connected thereto to extend out of the through hole on the cartridge cover, so that the filling port on the ink adding pipe is exposed. Ink can be added to the ink chamber through the filling port. The ink cartridge can be repeatedly inked multiple times, and the problem of ink seepage is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of printer technology, and more particularly to an ink cartridge and an inkjet printer. Background Technology

[0002] Laser printers and inkjet printers are commonly used printing devices in both home and office environments. With the increasing prevalence of smart and electronic office practices and the growing printing demands from home and education, the demand for printing equipment is increasing year by year. Comparatively, inkjet printers with the same functionality are cheaper, require no preheating, and have lower energy consumption. Furthermore, inkjet printers in the same price range offer higher color reproduction and higher resolution, making them suitable for printing photos and other everyday needs.

[0003] As inkjet printers become more widely used, some problems have gradually emerged. For example, when adding ink, the label pasted on the ink filling port needs to be peeled off. Repeated ink filling will cause the label's adhesion to decrease, resulting in ink leakage. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an ink cartridge and an inkjet printer to solve the problem that when refilling existing ink cartridges, the label pasted on the ink filling port needs to be peeled off, and repeated ink filling will cause the label's adhesion to decrease, resulting in ink leakage.

[0005] Therefore, according to one aspect of this application, an ink cartridge is provided, comprising:

[0006] The box body has an ink tank inside, and the top of the box body has an opening corresponding to the ink tank. The ink tank is filled with a sponge.

[0007] A box lid is provided over the opening, and the box lid has a through hole;

[0008] An ink filling assembly includes a top plate, an ink guide cylinder, and an ink filling tube. The top plate is located on the side of the box cover facing away from the opening. The upper end of the ink guide cylinder is fixed to the side of the box cover facing the opening and communicates with the through hole. The lower end of the ink guide cylinder extends vertically into the sponge. The upper end of the ink filling tube is fixed to the top plate at a position corresponding to the through hole. The lower end of the ink filling tube extends vertically into the ink guide cylinder through the through hole. A filling port communicating with the interior of the ink filling tube is provided on the side wall of the end of the ink filling tube near the top plate.

[0009] A locking device is disposed between the top plate and the lid. The locking device has a locking state that limits the vertical movement between the top plate and the lid, and an unlocking state that releases the vertical movement between the top plate and the lid. In the locking state, the top plate covers the through hole and the inner wall of the through hole blocks the filling port. In the unlocking state, the top plate can move vertically relative to the lid so that the upper end of the ink tube extends out of the through hole and exposes the filling port.

[0010] Optionally, the locking device includes a fixed cylinder, a movable cylinder, an operating head, a connecting assembly, and a limiting assembly. The top plate has a mounting hole, and the lid has a through hole corresponding to the mounting hole. The upper end of the fixed cylinder is fixed to the side of the lid facing the opening and communicates with the through hole. The lower end of the fixed cylinder is closed and extends vertically downward into the ink tank. The upper end of the movable cylinder is fixed to the mounting hole and communicates with it. The lower end of the movable cylinder is closed and extends vertically downward into the fixed cylinder. The operating head is located on the top plate, and the movable cylinder has a connection between the interior of the movable cylinder and the interior of the fixed cylinder. The connecting hole is connected to the fixed cylinder. The inner side wall of the fixed cylinder is provided with a limiting groove. The limiting component is installed in the connecting hole. The limiting component has a limiting head and a first elastic element that are connected to each other. The limiting head extends partially into the limiting groove under the action of the first elastic element, and under the action of external force, the limiting head can overcome the elastic force of the first elastic element and move out of the limiting groove. The connecting component is disposed inside the movable cylinder and connects the operating head and the limiting component. Under the action of the operating head and the connecting component, the limiting head can switch between being able to move relative to the connecting hole and not being able to move relative to the connecting hole.

[0011] Optionally, the connecting assembly includes a movable rod, a connector, and a moving head. The operating head is rotatably mounted on the top plate, the movable rod is rotatably mounted inside the movable cylinder, and the upper end of the movable rod is fixed to the operating head. The lower end of the movable rod is screwed to the connector. The connector is slidably connected to the movable cylinder in the vertical direction. The moving head is fixed to the lower end of the connector. The moving head has a narrow diameter section, a transition section, and a wide diameter section connected vertically in sequence.

[0012] The limiting assembly further includes a limiting post and a second elastic element. The limiting head is slidably disposed in the connecting hole and partially extends into the limiting groove. The first elastic element is disposed in the connecting hole and elastically abuts against the side of the limiting head near the interior of the movable cylinder. The side of the limiting head near the interior of the movable cylinder is provided with an installation groove. The second elastic element is disposed in the installation groove. One end of the limiting post is connected to the second elastic element, and the other end extends into the interior of the movable cylinder and elastically abuts against the periphery of the moving head. In the locked state, the limiting post abuts against the wide diameter section, the first elastic element cannot be compressed, and the limiting head cannot move out of the limiting groove under external force. When the limiting post abuts against the narrow diameter section, the first elastic element can be compressed, so that the limiting head can move out of the limiting groove under external force.

[0013] Optionally, the lower end of the movable rod is provided with an external thread section, and the connector is provided with a threaded hole adapted to the external thread section.

[0014] Optionally, the transverse cross-section of the interior of the movable cylinder and the transverse cross-section of the exterior of the connector are both polygonal.

[0015] Optionally, one end of the limiting head that extends into the limiting groove is hemispherical.

[0016] Optionally, the ink filling assembly further includes a magnet and a piston. The magnet is disposed at the connection between the ink guide tube and the cover. The piston is fixed to the lower end of the ink filling tube and slidably connected to the interior of the ink guide tube. The piston has a receiving cavity inside. The top of the piston has a first communication port connecting the receiving cavity to the interior of the ink filling tube, and the bottom of the piston has a second communication port connecting the receiving cavity to the interior of the ink guide tube. A return spring and a blocking ball connected to the return spring are disposed in the receiving cavity. The diameter of the blocking ball is larger than the diameter of the second communication port and smaller than the inner diameter of the receiving cavity. The blocking ball is sealed on the second communication port under the action of the return spring. The blocking ball is magnetic. When the piston moves to the upper end of the ink guide tube, the magnetic attraction force generated between the magnet and the blocking ball is greater than the elastic force of the return spring, so that the blocking ball is removed from the second communication port.

[0017] Optionally, the lid is detachably disposed on the top of the box body. The lid includes a top cover and a retaining edge disposed around the top cover and extending downward. The top cover is disposed on the top of the box body, and the retaining edge is located on the periphery of the upper end of the box body. The retaining edge is provided with a snap-fit ​​notch, and the box body is provided with an elastic locking block corresponding to the snap-fit ​​notch. When the top cover is disposed on the top of the box body, the elastic locking block can be snapped into the snap-fit ​​notch to lock the lid onto the box body.

[0018] Optionally, multiple ink tanks, sponges, through holes, and ink filling components are provided, with each of the multiple ink tanks, sponges, through holes, and ink filling components corresponding to one another.

[0019] According to another aspect of this application, an inkjet printer is provided, including the ink cartridges described above.

[0020] The beneficial effects of the ink cartridge and inkjet printer provided in this application are as follows: Compared with the prior art, the ink cartridge of this application includes a cartridge body, a cartridge cover, an ink filling assembly, and a locking device. The cartridge body has an ink tank inside, and the cartridge cover is placed over the opening of the cartridge body. The ink filling assembly is used to add ink to the ink tank. The locking device is located between the top plate of the ink filling assembly and the cartridge cover. The locking device locks the top plate and the cartridge cover vertically. In the locked state, the top plate covers the through hole and the inner wall of the through hole blocks the filling port, preventing ink in the ink tank from leaking out from the through hole and the filling port. When ink needs to be added, first control the locking device to release the vertical limit between the top plate and the cartridge cover, and then manually lift the top plate. The top plate drives the ink filling tube connected to it to extend out from the through hole on the cartridge cover, exposing the filling port on the ink filling tube. Ink can then be added to the ink tank through the filling port. Through the cooperation of the cartridge cover, the ink filling assembly, and the locking device, the ink cartridge can be repeatedly refilled without causing ink leakage. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] in:

[0023] Figure 1 This is a side view of the external structure of an ink cartridge shown in one embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at point A in the diagram;

[0026] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 Enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at point B in the diagram;

[0027] Figure 5 yes Figure 2Enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at point C;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the detachable connection between the cartridge cover and the cartridge body of an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a top view of an ink cartridge after the cover has been removed, as shown in one embodiment of this application.

[0030] Explanation of key component symbols:

[0031] 100. Cartridge body; 101. Ink tank; 102. Opening; 110. Sponge;

[0032] 200. Box lid; 210. Top cover; 220. Edge guard; 221. Snap-fit ​​notch;

[0033] 300. Ink filling assembly; 310. Top plate; 320. Ink guide tube; 321. Drain hole; 330. Ink filling tube; 331. Filling port; 340. Piston; 341. Receiving cavity; 342. First connecting port; 343. Second connecting port; 350. Return spring; 360. Plug ball;

[0034] 400. Locking device; 410. Fixed cylinder; 411. Limiting groove; 420. Movable cylinder; 421. Connecting hole; 430. Operating head; 440. Movable rod; 450. Connecting piece; 460. Moving head; 470. Limiting head; 471. Mounting groove; 480. First elastic element; 490. Limiting post; 491. Second elastic element;

[0035] 500. Magnet;

[0036] 600, Flexible Card Block;

[0037] 700. Push spring. Detailed Implementation

[0038] To facilitate understanding of this application, a more complete description will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of this application are shown in the drawings. However, this application can be implemented in many other different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of this application.

[0039] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly on that other component. When a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to that other component.

[0040] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0041] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0042] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0043] It should also be noted that in the embodiments of this application, the same reference numerals are used to represent the same component or part. For the same part in the embodiments of this application, the reference numerals may only be used to mark one part or component as an example. It should be understood that the reference numerals are also applicable to other identical parts or components.

[0044] To address the aforementioned problems, according to one aspect of this application, embodiments of this application provide an ink cartridge, such as... Figures 1-2 As shown, the ink cartridge includes a cartridge body 100, a cartridge cover 200, an ink filling assembly 300, and a locking device 400.

[0045] The cartridge body 100 has an ink tank 101 inside, and an opening 102 corresponding to the ink tank 101 is provided on the top of the cartridge body 100. A sponge 110 is provided inside the ink tank 101. The cartridge cover 200 is placed on the opening 102, and a through hole is provided on the cartridge cover 200.

[0046] The ink filling assembly 300 includes a top plate 310, an ink guide cylinder 320, and an ink filling tube 330. The top plate 310 is located on the side of the cover 200 away from the opening 102 (i.e., the top of the top plate 310). The upper end of the ink guide cylinder 320 is fixed to the side of the cover 200 facing the opening 102 and communicates with the through hole. The lower end of the ink guide cylinder 320 extends vertically into the sponge 110. The upper end of the ink filling tube 330 is fixed to the top plate 310 at the position corresponding to the through hole. The lower end of the ink filling tube 330 extends vertically into the ink guide cylinder 320 through the through hole. The side wall of the ink filling tube 330 near the top plate 310 is provided with a filling port 331 that communicates with the interior of the ink filling tube 330.

[0047] A locking device 400 is disposed between the top plate 310 and the cover 200. The locking device 400 has a locking state that limits the vertical position between the top plate 310 and the cover 200, and an unlocking state that releases the vertical position between the top plate 310 and the cover 200. In the locking state, the top plate 310 covers the through hole and the inner wall of the through hole blocks the filling port 331. In the unlocking state, the top plate 310 can move vertically relative to the cover 200 so that the upper end of the ink tube 330 extends out of the through hole and exposes the filling port 331.

[0048] In this embodiment, the ink cartridge uses a locking device 400 to lock the top plate 310 and the cover 200 vertically. In the locked state, the top plate 310 covers the through hole and the inner wall of the through hole blocks the filling port 331, preventing ink in the ink tank 101 from leaking out of the through hole and the filling port 331. When ink needs to be added, the locking device 400 is first controlled to release the vertical restriction between the top plate 310 and the cover 200. Then, the top plate 310 is manually lifted, and the top plate 310 drives the ink filling tube 330 connected to it to extend out of the through hole on the cover 200, exposing the filling port 331 on the ink filling tube 330. Ink can then be added to the ink tank 101 through the filling port 331. Through the cooperation of the cover 200, the ink filling assembly 300 and the locking device 400, the ink cartridge can be repeatedly refilled without causing ink leakage.

[0049] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 and Figure 4As shown, the locking device 400 includes a fixed cylinder 410, a movable cylinder 420, an operating head 430, a connecting assembly, and a limiting assembly. The top plate 310 has a mounting hole, and the cover 200 has a through hole corresponding to the mounting hole. The upper end of the fixed cylinder 410 is fixed to the side of the cover 200 facing the opening 102 and communicates with the through hole. The lower end of the fixed cylinder 410 is closed and extends vertically downward into the ink tank 101. The upper end of the movable cylinder 420 is fixed inside the mounting hole and communicates with it. The lower end of the movable cylinder 420 is closed and extends vertically downward into the fixed cylinder 410. The operating head 430 is mounted on the top plate 310. The movable cylinder 420 has a connecting hole 421 that connects the interior of the movable cylinder 420 to the interior of the fixed cylinder 410. The inner wall of the cylinder 420 is provided with a limiting groove 411. The limiting component is installed in the connecting hole 421. The limiting component has a limiting head 470 and a first elastic member 480 connected to each other. Under the action of the first elastic member 480, the limiting head 470 extends into the limiting groove 411. Under the action of external force (such as pulling the movable cylinder 420 upward by the top cover 210), the limiting head 470 can overcome the elastic force of the first elastic member 480 and move out of the limiting groove 411, thus converting to the unlocked state. The connecting component is provided inside the movable cylinder 420 and connects the operating head 430 and the limiting component. Under the action of the operating head 430 and the connecting component, the limiting head 470 switches between being able to move relative to the connecting hole 421 and not being able to move relative to the connecting hole 421.

[0050] Understandably, when the limiting head 470 is able to move relative to the connecting hole 421, under the action of external force (such as by pulling the movable cylinder 420 upward through the top cover 210), the limiting head 470 can overcome the elastic force of the first elastic member 480 and move out of the limiting groove 411, thus converting to the unlocked state; when the limiting head 470 is unable to move relative to the connecting hole 421, the limiting head 470 cannot move out of the limiting groove 411 and is in the locked state.

[0051] Among them, combined Figure 2 and Figure 4As shown, the connecting assembly includes a movable rod 440, a connector 450, and a moving head 460. The operating head 430 is rotatably mounted on the top plate 310. The movable rod 440 is rotatably mounted inside the movable cylinder 420, with its upper end fixed to the operating head 430 and its lower end screwed to the connector 450. The connector 450 and the movable cylinder 420 are vertically slidably connected. The moving head 460 is fixed to the lower end of the connector 450 and has a narrow-diameter section, a transition section, and a wide-diameter section vertically connected in sequence. The limiting assembly also includes a limiting post 490 and a second elastic member 491. The limiting head 470 is slidably mounted in the connecting hole 421 and partially extends into the limiting groove 411. The first elastic member 480 is disposed on the connecting... The hole 421 is elastically abutted against the side of the limiting head 470 near the interior of the movable cylinder 420. The side of the limiting head 470 near the interior of the movable cylinder 420 is provided with a mounting groove 471. The second elastic member 491 is disposed in the mounting groove 471. One end of the limiting post 490 is connected to the second elastic member 491, and the other end extends into the interior of the movable cylinder 420 and elastically abuts against the periphery of the moving head 460. In the locked state, the limiting post 490 abuts against the wide diameter section, the first elastic member 480 cannot be compressed, and the limiting head 470 cannot move out of the limiting groove 411 under the action of external force. When the limiting post 490 abuts against the narrow diameter section, the first elastic member 480 can be compressed so that the limiting head 470 can move out of the limiting groove 411 under the action of external force.

[0052] With the above settings, when ink needs to be added to the ink tank 101, first remove the ink cartridge from inside the inkjet printer. Then, rotate the operating head 430. The operating head 430 drives the movable rod 440 to rotate. Since the lower end of the movable rod 440 is threadedly connected to the connector 450, and the connector 450 is slidably connected to the movable cylinder 420 in the vertical direction, the rotation of the movable rod 440 can drive the connector 450 and the moving head 460 to move downwards. This causes the end of the limiting post 490 located inside the movable cylinder 420 to change from abutting against the wide diameter section of the moving head 460 to abutting against the narrow diameter section. When the limit post 490 is connected to the second elastic element 491, the end of the limit post 490 moves outward from the inside of the mounting groove 471, and the second elastic element 491 is released. At this time, the limit post 490 will not restrict the movement of the limit head 470. Then, the top plate 310 is pulled upward by the operating head 430. During the upward movement of the top plate 310, the movable cylinder 420 and the ink filling tube 330 are driven upward. When the movable cylinder 420 moves upward, the limit head 470 is squeezed and moves towards the inside of the connecting hole 421. The second elastic element 491 is compressed, causing the limit head 470 to disengage from the limit groove 411.

[0053] Furthermore, to limit the upper limit position of the movable cylinder 420, the inner wall of the upper end of the fixed cylinder 410 is also provided with a protrusion or groove, which is used to cooperate with the limiting head 470 to play a limiting role.

[0054] Specifically, both the first elastic element 480 and the second elastic element 491 can be springs. The lower end of the movable rod 440 is provided with an external thread section, and the connecting member 450 is provided with a threaded hole adapted to the external thread section. Specifically, the connecting member 450 can be an internal threaded sleeve. The internal transverse cross-section of the movable cylinder 420 and the external transverse cross-section of the connecting member 450 are both polygonal, thus ensuring that the connecting member 450 and the movable cylinder 420 slide vertically without relative rotation. The end of the limiting head 470 that extends into the limiting groove 411 is hemispherical, facilitating the insertion and exit of the limiting head 470 into the limiting groove 411.

[0055] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, the ink filling assembly 300 also includes a magnet 500 and a piston 340. The magnet 500 is disposed at the connection between the ink guide cylinder 320 and the cover 200. The piston 340 is fixed to the lower end of the ink filling tube 330 and slidably connected to the interior of the ink guide cylinder 320. The piston 340 has a receiving cavity 341 inside. The top of the piston 340 has a first connecting port 342 connecting the receiving cavity 341 and the interior of the ink filling tube 330. The bottom of the piston 340 has a second connecting port 343 connecting the receiving cavity 341 and the interior of the ink guide cylinder 320. A return spring 350 and a plug ball 360 connected to the return spring 350 are provided in the cavity 341. The diameter of the plug ball 360 is larger than the diameter of the second connecting port 343 and smaller than the inner diameter of the cavity 341. The plug ball 360 is sealed on the second connecting port 343 under the action of the return spring 350. The plug ball 360 is magnetic. When the piston 340 moves to the upper end of the ink guide cylinder 320, the magnetic attraction force generated between the magnet 500 and the plug ball 360 is greater than the elastic force of the return spring 350, so that the plug ball 360 is removed from the second connecting port 343.

[0056] With the above configuration, when ink needs to be added, the moving cylinder 420 and ink filling tube 330 move upward as the top plate 310 moves upward. When the moving cylinder 420 moves into position within the fixed cylinder 410, the piston 340 moves to the upper end of the ink guide cylinder 320. The magnet 500 (preferably annular) attracts the stop ball 360 to move upward, and the return spring 350 is compressed. At this time, the second connecting port 343 is opened, and then the corresponding ink can be drawn from the ink bottle using a syringe and injected through the filling port 331 on the ink filling tube 330. The ink flows through the ink filling tube 330, the first connecting port 342, and the second connecting port 343 into the ink guide cylinder 320 located below the piston 340. In the process, ink diffuses from the seepage hole 321 on the side wall of the ink guide cylinder 320 into the sponge 110 inside the ink tank 101. After a certain amount of ink is added, the top plate 310 is pressed down, and the top plate 310 presses down the ink filling tube 330 and the piston 340. The piston 340 moves downward until the elastic force of the return spring 350 is greater than the attraction of the magnet 500 to the blocking ball 360. The return spring 350 pushes the blocking ball 360 to reset, and the blocking ball 360 blocks the second connecting port 343 again. At this time, the piston 340 can press down on the ink in the ink guide cylinder 320 during the downward movement, thereby accelerating the diffusion of ink into the sponge 110 and shortening the waiting time after adding ink.

[0057] Furthermore, to facilitate the rapid flow of ink into the sponge 110 from the ink guide cylinder 320, multiple sets of seepage holes 321 are symmetrically provided on the lower side wall of the ink guide cylinder 320.

[0058] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 6 As shown, the lid 200 is detachably disposed on the top of the box body 100. The lid 200 includes a top cover 210 and a retaining edge 220 disposed around the top cover 210 and extending downward. The top cover 210 covers the top of the box body 100, and the retaining edge 220 is located on the periphery of the upper end of the box body 100. The retaining edge 220 is provided with a snap-fit ​​notch 221. The box body 100 is provided with an elastic locking block 600 corresponding to the snap-fit ​​notch 221. When the top cover 210 is disposed on the top of the box body 100, the elastic locking block 600 can be snapped into the snap-fit ​​notch 221 to lock the lid 200 onto the box body 100.

[0059] With the above settings, if the ink cartridge malfunctions, the elastic latch 600 can be moved to disengage the elastic latch 600 from the latching notch 221, thus separating the cartridge cover 200, along with the ink filling component 300 and locking device 400 mounted on the cartridge cover 200, from the cartridge body 100. The disassembly and assembly are relatively simple and convenient.

[0060] Preferably, multiple sets of snap-fit ​​notches 221 on the edge 220 and elastic snap-fit ​​blocks 600 on the box body 100 corresponding to the snap-fit ​​notches 221 can be provided to improve the connection stability between the box cover 200 and the box body 100.

[0061] Specifically, a groove is provided on the top outer side of the cartridge body 100, and the elastic locking block 600 is partially slidably disposed in the groove. A push spring 700 connected to the elastic locking block 600 is also provided in the groove. The locking notch 221 has a vertical inlet and a horizontal locking interface communicating with the inlet. When the cartridge cover 200 needs to be removed, the elastic locking block 600 is pushed to overcome the elastic force of the push spring 700 and slide from the locking interface into the inlet. At this time, the cartridge cover 200 can be removed upwards, along with the ink filling assembly 300 and the locking device 400, to facilitate the replacement of the sponge 110 in the ink tank 101 and the internal devices of the cartridge body 100. Then, the cartridge cover 200 is reinstalled on the top of the cartridge body 100. During installation, the retaining edge 220 of the cartridge cover 200 presses down on the inclined surface of the top of the elastic locking block 600, forcing the elastic locking block 600 to move to the side, and then locking into the locking interface through the inlet, thereby restricting the cartridge cover 200 and preventing the cartridge cover 200 from falling off.

[0062] In one embodiment, such as Figure 7 As shown, multiple through holes and ink filling components (not shown) are provided on the ink tank 101, sponge 110, and lid (not shown in the figure), with each ink tank 101, sponge 110, through hole, and ink filling component corresponding to the others. This arrangement allows for the storage of various colors of ink and the separate filling of different ink tanks 101.

[0063] Furthermore, the ink refill component is made of transparent plastic, and the color of the ink refill tube is the same as the color of the ink inside the corresponding ink tank 101 (e.g., the four primary colors ymck (Yellow Magenta Cyan blacK, yellow / magenta / cyan / black). When the ink refill tube is pulled out, the color of the ink inside the corresponding ink tank 101 can be directly observed through the color of the ink refill tube. This eliminates the need to use tools such as toothpicks or tissues to test the color of the ink in the ink tank 101, making it easy to add ink quickly and accurately.

[0064] According to another aspect of this application, embodiments of this application also provide an inkjet printer that includes the ink cartridges in any of the above embodiments.

[0065] Since this inkjet printer uses the ink cartridges described in the above embodiments, it also has the advantages and benefits brought by the ink cartridges described in the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0066] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0067] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An ink cartridge, characterized in that, include: The box body has an ink tank inside, and the top of the box body has an opening corresponding to the ink tank. The ink tank is filled with a sponge. A box lid is provided over the opening, and the box lid has a through hole; The ink filling assembly includes a top plate, an ink guide cylinder, and an ink filling tube. The top plate is located on the side of the box cover away from the opening. The upper end of the ink guide cylinder is fixed to the side of the box cover facing the opening and communicates with the through hole. The lower end of the ink guide cylinder extends vertically into the sponge. The upper end of the ink filling tube is fixed to the top plate at the position corresponding to the through hole. The lower end of the ink filling tube extends vertically into the ink guide cylinder through the through hole. The side wall of the ink filling tube near the top plate is provided with a filling port that communicates with the interior of the ink filling tube. as well as A locking device is disposed between the top plate and the cover. The locking device has a locking state that limits the vertical movement between the top plate and the cover, and an unlocking state that releases the vertical limit between the top plate and the cover. In the locking state, the top plate covers the through hole and the inner wall of the through hole blocks the filling port. In the unlocking state, the top plate can move vertically relative to the cover so that the upper end of the ink tube extends out of the through hole and exposes the filling port. The locking device includes a fixed cylinder, a movable cylinder, an operating head, a connecting assembly, and a limiting assembly. The top plate has a mounting hole, and the lid has a through hole corresponding to the mounting hole. The upper end of the fixed cylinder is fixed to the side of the lid facing the opening and communicates with the through hole. The lower end of the fixed cylinder is closed and extends vertically downwards into the ink tank. The upper end of the movable cylinder is fixed to the mounting hole and communicates with it. The lower end of the movable cylinder is closed and extends vertically downwards into the fixed cylinder. The operating head is located on the top plate, and the movable cylinder has a connection that links the interior of the movable cylinder to the interior of the fixed cylinder. The connecting hole of the fixed cylinder has a limiting groove on its inner side wall. The limiting component is installed in the connecting hole. The limiting component has a limiting head and a first elastic element connected to each other. The limiting head extends partially into the limiting groove under the action of the first elastic element, and under the action of external force, the limiting head can overcome the elastic force of the first elastic element and move out of the limiting groove. The connecting component is disposed inside the movable cylinder and connects the operating head and the limiting component. Under the action of the operating head and the connecting component, the limiting head can switch between being able to move relative to the connecting hole and not being able to move relative to the connecting hole.

2. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting assembly includes a movable rod, a connector, and a moving head. The operating head is rotatably mounted on the top plate, the movable rod is rotatably mounted inside the movable cylinder, and the upper end of the movable rod is fixed to the operating head. The lower end of the movable rod is screwed to the connector. The connector and the movable cylinder are slidably connected in the vertical direction. The moving head is fixed to the lower end of the connector. The moving head has a narrow diameter section, a transition section, and a wide diameter section connected vertically in sequence. The limiting assembly further includes a limiting post and a second elastic element. The limiting head is slidably disposed in the connecting hole and partially extends into the limiting groove. The first elastic element is disposed in the connecting hole and elastically abuts against the side of the limiting head near the interior of the movable cylinder. The side of the limiting head near the interior of the movable cylinder is provided with an installation groove. The second elastic element is disposed in the installation groove. One end of the limiting post is connected to the second elastic element, and the other end extends into the interior of the movable cylinder and elastically abuts against the periphery of the moving head. In the locked state, the limiting post abuts against the wide diameter section, the first elastic element cannot be compressed, and the limiting head cannot move out of the limiting groove under external force. When the limiting post abuts against the narrow diameter section, the first elastic element can be compressed, so that the limiting head can move out of the limiting groove under external force.

3. The ink cartridge according to claim 2, characterized in that, The lower end of the movable rod is provided with an external thread section, and the connector is provided with a threaded hole that matches the external thread section.

4. The ink cartridge according to claim 2, characterized in that, The transverse cross-section of the interior of the movable cylinder and the transverse cross-section of the exterior of the connector are both polygonal.

5. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that, The end of the limiting head that extends into the limiting groove is hemispherical.

6. The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The ink filling assembly also includes a magnet and a piston. The magnet is located at the connection between the ink guide tube and the cover. The piston is fixed to the lower end of the ink filling tube and slidably connected to the interior of the ink guide tube. The piston has a receiving cavity inside. The top of the piston has a first communication port connecting the receiving cavity to the interior of the ink filling tube, and the bottom of the piston has a second communication port connecting the receiving cavity to the interior of the ink guide tube. A return spring and a stop ball connected to the return spring are provided in the receiving cavity. The diameter of the stop ball is larger than the diameter of the second communication port and smaller than the inner diameter of the receiving cavity. The stop ball is sealed on the second communication port under the action of the return spring. The stop ball is magnetic. When the piston moves to the upper end of the ink guide tube, the magnetic attraction between the magnet and the stop ball is greater than the elastic force of the return spring, causing the stop ball to move away from the second communication port.

7. The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The lid is detachably mounted on the top of the box body. The lid includes a top cover and a retaining edge that is disposed around the top cover and extends downward. The top cover is mounted on the top of the box body, and the retaining edge is located on the upper periphery of the box body. The retaining edge is provided with a snap-fit ​​notch, and the box body is provided with an elastic locking block corresponding to the snap-fit ​​notch. When the top cover is mounted on the top of the box body, the elastic locking block can be engaged into the snap-fit ​​notch to lock the lid onto the box body.

8. The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, Multiple ink tanks, multiple sponges, multiple through holes and multiple ink filling components are provided, and each of the multiple ink tanks, multiple sponges, multiple through holes and multiple ink filling components corresponds to one another.

9. An inkjet printer, characterized in that, Including the ink cartridge as described in any one of claims 1-8.

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