Ink storage unit

Abstract

The utility model discloses an ink storage unit for supplying ink to ink-jet printing equipment. The ink storage unit is used for supplying ink to the ink-jet printing equipment, the ink storage unit comprises an adapter, a holding part and an ink bag, the ink bag is provided with an ink outlet head and an ink flowing pipe for supplying ink to the ink outlet head, the ink bag comprises an ink outlet head and an ink storage part, and the outer wall of the ink storage part can be made of a flexible material; a spacer is arranged in the ink bag and divides the ink storage part into an upper space and a lower space which are communicated with each other; the ink outlet head is inserted into the adapter, and the holding part is connected with the ink outlet head. The ink supply device has the advantages of uniform ink supply concentration, simple structure and low manufacturing cost.

Description

[0001] The present utility model claims the priority of a prior application in China with an application date of May 18, 2023, an invention name of “Ink Storage Unit” and an application number of CN2023212077348, and all contents of the prior application are fully cited in the present application. Technical Field

[0002] The utility model belongs to the field of inkjet printing, and in particular relates to an ink storage unit used for supplying ink to inkjet printing equipment. Background Art

[0003] An inkjet printing device is a device that ejects ink onto a printing medium such as paper to record. The ink is generally provided by an ink storage device that is detachably mounted to the inkjet printing device. When the ink in the ink storage device is used up, a new ink storage device is replaced.

[0004] Chinese patent CN107718893B discloses an ink storage unit for an inkjet printing device. Since the ink stored in the ink capsule has a sedimentation component, the ink supplied to the liquid ejection device of the inkjet printing device needs to mix the ink with a lower concentration located above the ink capsule with the ink with a higher concentration located below the ink capsule and transport it to the liquid ejection device. In order to achieve the purpose of uniform ink concentration supplied to the liquid ejection device, a spacing component is provided in the ink capsule, and the spacing component is provided with structures such as a support portion, a beam portion, a comb tooth portion, and a through hole, so that the spacing component structure is complex and the manufacturing cost of the ink storage unit is high.

[0005] In addition, Japanese patent JP6702077B2 discloses an ink storage unit for an inkjet printing device, which can be detachably installed in a carrier box of the inkjet printing device, and includes an ink sac and an adapter, wherein the ink sac is made of a flexible material, one end of which is closed in the length direction, and the other end is connected to the adapter to cooperate with the inkjet printing device and supply the ink in the ink sac to the inkjet printing device, and the adapter is also rotatably provided with a handle, and when the ink storage unit is placed in the carrier box, at least a part of the handle is positioned higher than the adapter. The ink storage unit with such a handle requires high manufacturing precision of the adapter and uses a lot of materials, so the manufacturing cost of the entire ink storage unit is high. Summary of the invention

[0006] In view of the problems existing in the prior art, the main purpose of the utility model is to provide an ink storage unit with a simple structure and low manufacturing cost.

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned main purpose, the utility model provides an ink storage unit for supplying ink to an inkjet printing device, the ink storage unit includes an adapter and an ink bag, the ink bag is provided with an ink outlet head and an ink circulation tube for supplying ink to the ink outlet head, the ink bag includes an ink outlet head and an ink storage part, wherein the outer wall of the ink storage part can be made of a flexible material; a spacer is provided in the ink bag, dividing the ink storage part into two connected spaces in an upper and lower manner; the ink outlet head is inserted into the adapter, and the gripping part is connected to the ink outlet head.

[0008] It can be seen from the above scheme that by providing an extension piece on the ink outlet head to form a gripping portion, the ink storage unit can be conveniently installed into or removed from the carrier box using this structure. Compared with the rotatable handle, this structure is simple and easy to implement, thereby reducing costs.

[0009] Furthermore, a portion of the ink outlet head is exposed outside the adapter, and the gripping portion is arranged on the exposed portion.

[0010] Furthermore, the gripping portion is arranged on the upper surface of the ink outlet head and extends upward and backward.

[0011] According to one aspect of the utility model, an ink storage unit is provided for supplying ink to an inkjet printing device, the ink storage unit comprising an adapter and an ink bag, wherein the ink storage unit needs to be installed in a carrier box of the inkjet printing device, and the adapter is provided with a handle made of a flexible material.

[0012] It can be seen from the above solution that by providing a handle made of flexible material on the adapter, it is easier to install and remove the ink storage unit into the carrier box. Compared with the rotatable handle, the structure of this handle is simple and easy to implement, thereby reducing costs.

[0013] According to one aspect of the utility model, an ink storage unit is provided for supplying ink to an inkjet printing device, the ink storage unit comprising an adapter and an ink sac, wherein the ink storage unit needs to be installed in a carrier box of the inkjet printing device, and structures for increasing friction are provided on the front side and the rear side of the adapter close to the rear side wall of the ink sac.

[0014] It can be seen from the above scheme that by providing a structure for increasing friction on the rear side wall of the adapter, a gripping portion is formed on the rear side wall, and this structure can be used to conveniently install the ink storage unit into or remove it from the carrier box. Compared with the rotatable handle, this structure is simple and easy to implement, thereby reducing costs.

[0015] According to one aspect of the utility model, an ink storage unit is provided for supplying ink to an inkjet printing device, the ink storage unit comprising an adapter and an ink sac, wherein the ink storage unit needs to be installed in a carrier box of the inkjet printing device, and the adapter is provided with an extension plate extending backwards near the rear side wall of the ink sac, and the extension plate extends backwards along the upper surface of the adapter and above the ink sac.

[0016] It can be seen from the above scheme that by providing an extension plate on the adapter to form a gripping portion, the ink storage unit can be conveniently installed into or removed from the carrier box using this structure. Compared with a rotatable handle, this structure is simple and easy to implement, thereby reducing costs.

[0017] According to one aspect of the utility model, an ink storage unit is provided for supplying ink to an inkjet printing device, the ink storage unit comprising an adapter and an ink bag, wherein the ink storage unit needs to be installed in a carrier box of the inkjet printing device, the ink bag comprises an ink outlet head, the adapter is connected to the ink bag via the ink outlet head, and the upper surface of the ink outlet head is provided with an extension piece that is tilted upward and backward.

[0018] Furthermore, the spacer is configured to be plate-shaped and has a plurality of through holes.

[0019] It can be seen from the above scheme that by providing a plate-like spacer with a through hole, the ink in the ink bag can be separated, so that the lower concentration ink located above the spacer and the higher concentration ink located below the spacer are transported to the ink outlet head through the ink circulation tube, mixed and transported to the liquid injection device, so that the supplied ink concentration is uniform, the structure of the spacer is simple, and the manufacturing cost is low.

[0020] Further, the spacer comprises a sheet material folded into a zigzag shape.

[0021] It can be seen from the above scheme that the spacer with a serrated sheet material can support the storage space in the ink bag, and the ink volume can be changed according to the ink consumption, so that the lower concentration ink and the higher concentration ink are transported to the ink outlet head through the ink circulation tube, mixed and transported to the liquid injection device, so that the supplied ink concentration is uniform, the structure of the spacer is simple, and the manufacturing cost is low.

[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the above-mentioned objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of Embodiment 1 of the present utility model;

[0024] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the structure of Embodiment 1 of the utility model after removing the adapter and the outer wall of the ink bag;

[0025] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of Embodiment 2 of the present utility model;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of Embodiment 2 of the utility model after removing the adapter and the outer wall of the ink bag;

[0027] Figure 5 It is a structural schematic diagram of Embodiment 3 of the present utility model;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the embodiment 3 of the utility model after being installed in the carrier box;

[0029] Figure 7 It is a structural schematic diagram of Embodiment 4 of the present utility model;

[0030] Figure 8 It is a structural schematic diagram of Embodiment 5 of the present utility model;

[0031] Fig. 9 It is a structural schematic diagram of Embodiment 6 of the present utility model;

[0032] Fig.10 It is a structural schematic diagram of embodiment 6 of the present utility model. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present invention, but it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that the present invention can also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, other possible implementation methods that can be known by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments described in this application all belong to the protection scope of this application.

[0034] The specific structure of the embodiment of the utility model is described in detail below according to the accompanying drawings. It can be understood that the embodiment of the utility model includes but is not limited to the illustrated structure, and those skilled in the art can make corresponding adjustments and improvements to its structure according to actual conditions.

[0035] Example 1

[0036] like Figure 1 As shown, the ink storage unit 10 includes an ink bag 11 for storing ink and an adapter 12 located at the front end of the ink bag 11 and connected thereto. The ink bag 11 includes an ink outlet head and an ink storage part, wherein the outer wall of the ink storage part can be made of a flexible material. The specific structure inside the ink bag 11 is described below.

[0037] Figure 21 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the ink storage unit 10 after removing the adapter 12 and the outer wall of the ink storage part of the ink bag 11, that is, a schematic diagram of the structure of the ink bag 11 after removing the outer wall of its ink storage part. Figure 2 As shown, the ink bag 11 includes an ink outlet head 13, and the ink storage part has a spacer 14 and ink flow tubes 131, 132. The ink outlet head 13 is inserted into the adapter 12, and the spacer 14 and the ink flow tubes 131, 132 are wrapped by the outer wall of the ink storage part. Figure 1 Not shown in the figure.

[0038] The spacer 14 is plate-shaped and has a plurality of through holes 141, which roughly divide the ink storage part into two connected spaces, the upper and the lower. The ink stored in the ink storage part can be transported to the ink outlet head 13 through the ink circulation tubes 131 and 132, and then supplied to the liquid injection device of the inkjet printing equipment after mixing. The ink inlet 1311 of the ink circulation tube 131 is upwardly tilted, and the ink inlet 1321 of the ink circulation tube 132 is downwardly protruded. Therefore, when using ink with sedimentation components, the ink entering the ink circulation tube 131 from the ink inlet 1311 is low-concentration ink, and the ink entering the ink circulation tube 132 from the ink inlet 1321 is high-concentration ink. The inks of the two ink circulation tubes are mixed in the ink outlet head 13 to form ink of suitable concentration, and are supplied to the liquid injection device of the inkjet printing equipment.

[0039] The spacer 14 separates the ink and allows the ink to be connected through the multiple through holes 141. The ink can shuttle up and down along the through holes during the flow process. Impurities in the ink, such as bubbles and ink blocks, can be intercepted by the through holes 141 and will not flow into the ink circulation tubes 131 and 132, thereby ensuring a smooth and stable supply of ink. At the same time, the ink circulation tubes 131 and 132 can be fixed in the middle of the spacer 14, so that the positions of the ink circulation tubes 131 and 132 are stable and will not be offset due to the flow of ink.

[0040] As the ink is consumed, the volume of the ink storage part becomes smaller and the outer wall of the ink storage part shrinks, causing the ink inlet 1311 of the ink circulation tube 131 to move downward and the ink inlet 1321 of the ink circulation tube 132 to move upward relative to the spacer 14. The ink is transported to the ink outlet head in a manner such that the ink inlet 1311 enters low-concentration ink and the ink inlet 1321 enters high-concentration ink, thereby ensuring a uniform ink concentration supplied to the liquid injection device.

[0041] In this embodiment, the ink is separated by the plate-shaped spacer 14, and the ink can be interconnected through the through hole 141, so that the ink supply is smooth, and the spacer has a simple structure and low cost.

[0042] Example 2

[0043] like Figure 3As shown, the ink storage unit 20 includes an ink bag 21 for storing ink and an adapter 22 located at the front end of the ink bag 21 and connected thereto. The ink bag 21 includes an ink outlet head 23 and an ink storage part, wherein the outer wall of the ink storage part can be made of a flexible material. The specific structure inside the ink bag 21 is described below.

[0044] Figure 4 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the ink storage unit 20 after removing the adapter 22 and the outer wall of the ink storage part of the ink bag 21, that is, a schematic diagram of the structure of the ink bag 21 after removing the outer wall of its ink storage part. Figure 4 As shown, the ink bag 21 includes an ink outlet head 23, and the ink storage part has a spacer 24 and ink flow tubes 231, 232. The ink outlet head 23 is inserted into the adapter 22, and the spacer 24 and the ink flow tubes 231, 232 are wrapped by the outer wall of the ink storage part. Figure 3 Not shown in the figure.

[0045] The spacer 24 is formed of a sheet material folded into a zigzag shape and extending in the horizontal direction, and roughly divides the ink storage part into two connected spaces, upper and lower. The ink stored in the ink storage part can be transported to the ink outlet head 23 through the ink flow tubes 231 and 232, and then mixed and supplied to the liquid ejection device of the inkjet printing device. The ink inlet 2311 of the ink flow tube 231 is tilted upward, and the ink inlet 2321 of the ink flow tube 232 is protruding downward. Therefore, when using ink with sedimentation components, the ink entering the ink flow tube 231 from the ink inlet 2311 is low-concentration ink, and the ink entering the ink flow tube 232 from the ink inlet 2321 is high-concentration ink. The inks of the two ink flow tubes are mixed in the ink outlet head 23 to form ink of suitable concentration, and are supplied to the liquid ejection device of the inkjet printing device.

[0046] The spacer 24 separates the ink and keeps the ink connected, which can ensure the stable supply of ink. Impurities in the ink, such as bubbles and ink blocks, can be intercepted by the spacer 24 and will not flow into the ink circulation tubes 231 and 232, thereby ensuring the smooth and stable supply of ink. At the same time, the ink circulation tubes 231 and 232 can be fixed in the middle of the spacer 14, so that the position of the ink circulation tubes 231 and 232 is stable and will not be offset due to the flow of ink.

[0047] As the ink is consumed, the volume of the ink storage part becomes smaller and the outer wall of the ink storage part shrinks, causing the ink inlet 2311 of the ink circulation tube 231 to move downward and the ink inlet 2321 of the ink circulation tube 232 to move upward relatively. However, the ink inlet 2311 still enters low-concentration ink and the ink inlet 2321 still enters high-concentration ink, thereby transporting ink to the ink outlet head, and then supplying a uniform ink concentration to the liquid injection device.

[0048] In this embodiment, the ink is separated by the folded spacer 24, and the ink can remain connected, so that the ink supply is smooth, and the spacer has a simple structure and low cost.

[0049] In the following embodiments, the ink bag may have the spacer described in Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2 inside.

[0050] Example 3

[0051] like Figure 5 As shown, the ink storage unit 30 includes an ink sac 31 for storing ink and an adapter 32 located at the front end of the ink sac 31 and connected thereto, wherein the outer wall of the ink storage part of the ink sac 31 can be made of a flexible material, and the ink for supplying to the inkjet printing device is contained therein, and the volume of the ink sac 31 will shrink as the ink is consumed. In this embodiment, the ink outlet head of the ink sac 31 extends into the adapter 32 and is not exposed on the outer surface of the ink storage unit. A strip handle 321 made of a flexible material is provided on the adapter 32, wherein the handle 321 can be pasted or welded on both sides of the adapter 32, and is arched in the middle, so that the user can extend his hand under the arched part to lift the ink storage unit 30. Before the ink storage unit 30 is used, it needs to be installed in the carrier box of the inkjet printing device, and then installed together in the inkjet printing device. Among them, the handle 321 in this embodiment is an example of a gripping portion.

[0052] Figure 6 FIG. 2 shows the structure after the ink storage unit 30 is installed in the carrier box 90. Figure 6 As shown, the carrier box 90 is a rectangular shell with an open top. The ink storage unit 30 is loaded from the top opening. After the ink storage unit 30 is installed and positioned in the carrier box 90 with its length and width directions consistent with the carrier box 90 and the adapter 32 of the ink storage unit 30 located at the front side of the carrier box 90, the carrier box 90 and the ink storage unit 30 are then installed inside the inkjet printing device along the installation direction A. When adjusting the position of the ink storage unit 30 in the carrier box 90, the adapter 32 can be slightly lifted by the handle 321 and moved in a desired direction until the ink storage unit 30 is properly positioned in the carrier box 90. When removing the ink storage unit 30 from the carrier box 90, the carrier box is first moved from the inkjet printing device in a direction opposite to the installation direction to a position where the ink storage unit 30 can be exposed outside the inkjet printing device, and then the ink storage unit 30 is lifted by the handle 321, so that the ink storage unit 30 is removed from the carrier box 90.

[0053] The material of the handle in this embodiment can be a common flexible material with a certain toughness, which can be the same as or different from the material of the outer wall of the ink sac 31. The handle 321 is preferably set at a position of the adapter 32 close to the ink sac 31, which can be closer to the center of gravity of the ink storage unit 30 to facilitate lifting the ink storage unit 30. The handle 321 can also be fixed to the bottom surface of the adapter 32, and bypass the two side surfaces to form an arch on the top surface of the adapter 32. In this embodiment, the handle 321 has a simple structure, is easy to fix on the adapter 32, has low cost, and can easily install or remove the ink storage unit 30 on the carrier box 90.

[0054] Example 4

[0055] like Figure 7 As shown, the ink storage unit 40 includes an ink sac 41 for storing ink and an adapter 42 located at the front end of the ink sac 41 and connected thereto, wherein the outer wall of the ink storage portion of the ink sac 41 can be made of a flexible material, and the ink for supplying to the inkjet printing device is contained therein, and a plurality of convex ribs 422 in the horizontal direction are arranged on the rear side wall 421 of the adapter 42 close to the ink sac 41. The convex ribs 422 are arranged on both the front and rear sides of the rear side wall 421, thereby forming a gripping portion. The convex ribs 422 in this embodiment are an example of a gripping portion.

[0056] When installing the ink storage unit 40, the convex rib 422 of the adapter 42 can be held to insert the ink storage unit 40 from the top opening of the carrier box 90. After the ink storage unit 40 is installed and positioned in the carrier box 90 with its length and width directions consistent with the carrier box 90 and the adapter 42 of the ink storage unit 40 located at the front side of the carrier box 90, the carrier box 90 and the ink storage unit 40 are then installed inside the inkjet printing device along the installation direction A. When adjusting the position of the ink storage unit 40 in the carrier box 90, the adapter 42 can be slightly lifted by holding the rear side wall 421 and moved in a desired direction until the ink storage unit 40 is properly positioned in the carrier box 90.

[0057] In this embodiment, the gripping portion is preferably disposed on the rear side wall of the adapter 42 to facilitate gripping and to be closer to the center of gravity of the ink storage unit 40. In addition to providing convex ribs, the gripping portion may also increase friction by other methods, such as providing depressions or making the front and rear sides of the rear side wall rough. In this embodiment, the convex ribs have a simple structure, low cost, and can conveniently install or remove the ink storage unit 40 from the carrier box 90.

[0058] Example 5

[0059] like Figure 8As shown, the ink storage unit 50 includes an ink sac 51 for storing ink and an adapter 52 located at the front end of the ink sac 51 and connected thereto, wherein the outer wall of the ink storage portion of the ink sac 51 may be made of a flexible material, and the ink for supplying to the inkjet printing device is contained therein. An extension plate 521 extending in a horizontal direction is provided on the rear side wall of the adapter 52 close to the ink sac 51. The upper surface of the extension plate 521 may be flush with the top surface of the adapter. The width of the extension plate 521 may be consistent with the width of the adapter, or may be narrower than the width of the adapter, but is preferably provided in the middle position. The extension length of the extension plate 521 may be sufficient for easy gripping. The extension plate 521 in this embodiment is an example of a gripping portion.

[0060] When installing the ink storage unit 50, the extension plate 521 of the adapter 52 can be held to load the ink storage unit 50 from the top opening of the carrier box 90. After the ink storage unit 50 is installed and positioned in the carrier box 90 with its length and width directions being consistent with the carrier box 90 and the adapter 52 of the ink storage unit 50 being located at the front side of the carrier box 90, the carrier box 90 and the ink storage unit 50 are then installed inside the inkjet printing device along the installation direction A. When adjusting the position of the ink storage unit 50 in the carrier box 90, the adapter 52 can be slightly lifted by holding the extension plate 521 and moved in a desired direction until the ink storage unit 50 is properly positioned in the carrier box 90.

[0061] Example 6

[0062] like Fig. 9 and Fig.10 As shown, the ink storage unit 60 includes an ink sac 61 for storing ink and an adapter 62 located at the front end of the ink sac 61 and connected thereto. The ink sac 61 includes an ink outlet head 63 and an ink storage part, wherein the outer wall of the ink storage part can be made of a flexible material. The ink outlet head 63 is inserted into the adapter 62, and a part is exposed outside the adapter 62, and the extension piece 631 is arranged on the exposed part. To facilitate the grip of the extension piece 631, the extension piece 631 can be arranged to extend upward and backward in a tilted shape, and the width increases along the extension direction, and can have an opening structure to increase friction or facilitate hooking. Among them, the extension piece 631 in this embodiment is an example of a gripping part.

[0063] When installing the ink storage unit 60, the extension piece 631 can be held to load the ink storage unit 60 from the top opening of the carrier box 90. After the ink storage unit 60 is installed and positioned in the carrier box 90 with its length and width directions consistent with the carrier box 90 and the adapter 62 of the ink storage unit 60 located at the front side of the carrier box 90, the carrier box 90 and the ink storage unit 60 are then installed inside the inkjet printing device along the installation direction A. When adjusting the position of the ink storage unit 60 in the carrier box 90, the adapter 62 can be slightly lifted by holding the extension piece 631 and moved in a desired direction until the ink storage unit 60 is properly positioned in the carrier box 90.

[0064] It is understandable that the above embodiments can be used together or combined to obtain better results.

[0065] Although the present invention is disclosed as above with preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make some improvements without departing from the scope of the present invention, that is, any changes or improvements made according to the present invention should be covered by the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ink storage unit for supplying ink to an inkjet printing device, the ink storage unit comprising an adapter, a gripping portion and an ink bag, the ink bag being provided with an ink outlet head and an ink flow tube for supplying ink to the ink outlet head, characterized in that: The ink bag comprises an ink outlet head and an ink storage part, wherein the outer wall of the ink storage part can be made of a flexible material; A spacer is provided in the ink bag to divide the ink storage part into two upper and lower connected spaces; The ink outlet head is inserted into the adapter, and the gripping portion is connected to the ink outlet head.

2. The ink storage unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: A portion of the ink outlet head is exposed outside the adapter, and the gripping portion is arranged on the exposed portion.

3. The ink storage unit according to claim 2, characterized in that: The gripping portion is arranged on the upper surface of the ink outlet head and extends upward and backward.

4. An ink storage unit for supplying ink to an inkjet printing device, the ink storage unit comprising an adapter and an ink capsule, wherein the ink storage unit needs to be installed in a carrier box of the inkjet printing device, characterized in that: The adapter is provided with a handle made of flexible material.

5. An ink storage unit for supplying ink to an inkjet printing device, the ink storage unit comprising an adapter and an ink capsule, wherein the ink storage unit needs to be installed in a carrier box of the inkjet printing device, characterized in that: The front side surface and the rear side surface of the adapter close to the rear side wall of the ink bag are both provided with structures for increasing friction.

6. An ink storage unit for supplying ink to an inkjet printing device, the ink storage unit comprising an adapter and an ink capsule, wherein the ink storage unit needs to be installed in a carrier box of the inkjet printing device, characterized in that: The adapter is provided with an extension plate extending backwards on a rear side wall close to the ink bag, and the extension plate extends backwards above the ink bag along the upper surface of the adapter.

7. The ink storage unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The spacer is configured in a plate shape and has a plurality of through holes.

8. The ink storage unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The spacer includes a sheet material folded into a zigzag shape.

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