Consumable box

Abstract

The utility model provides a consumable box which is detachably installed on an installation unit of an image forming device, the installation unit is provided with a contact pin assembly, the contact pin assembly comprises a contact pin frame and a first contact pin group, the contact pin frame comprises a contact pin groove, the first contact pin group comprises at least one first contact pin, and the first contact pin groove comprises at least one second contact pin. The first contact pin is located in the contact pin groove, the first contact pin comprises a first end and a second end, in the first direction, the second end of the first contact pin is higher than the first end of the first contact pin, in the second direction, the side face of the second end of the first contact pin is provided with a side face part, and the side face part is exposed out of the contact pin groove; the consumable box comprises a box body, a chip and at least one connecting piece, the chip comprises a first terminal set, the first end of the connecting piece is used for making contact with the first terminal set, and the second end of the connecting piece is used for making contact with the side face part. The utility model is used for solving the technical problem of poor stability of connection between the connecting piece and the contact pin.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of printers, in particular to a consumables box. Background Art

[0002] Imaging devices are usually equipped with replaceable consumables, such as ink cartridges. The ink cartridges are provided with a chip, which is used to communicate with the printer's contact pins. The chip is provided with multiple terminals. If conductive foreign matter adheres between the terminals during the use of the ink cartridge, a short circuit will occur between the terminals, and the chip will be burned or the printer will not recognize the machine. Based on this, a connector is added to the ink cartridge, wherein the first end of the connector is electrically connected to one of the terminals of the chip, and the second end of the connector is electrically connected to at least part of the target contact pin in the printer or to other conductive units (such as a main control circuit board, etc.) in the printer.

[0003] However, the contact stability between the existing consumable box and the connector is poor. During use, the consumable box may be shaken, vibrated, or swayed by external environmental factors, which may cause the second end of the connector to lose contact or become misaligned with the top of the target contact pin, thereby causing the connector and the target contact pin to lose stable electrical connection, affecting the communication quality between the consumable box and the printing device.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need to improve the stability of the connection between the connector and the contact pin. Utility Model Content

[0005] The utility model provides a consumables box, which is used to at least solve the technical problem of poor stability of connection between a connecting piece and a contact pin.

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the utility model provides a consumable box, which is detachably mounted on an installation unit of an image forming device, wherein the installation unit is provided with a stylus assembly, wherein the stylus assembly comprises a stylus holder and a first stylus group, wherein the stylus holder comprises a stylus slot, wherein the first stylus group comprises at least one first stylus, wherein the first stylus is located in the stylus slot, wherein the first stylus comprises a first end and a second end, wherein in a first direction, the second end of the first stylus is higher than the first end of the first stylus; wherein the stylus holder further comprises a blocking portion, wherein the blocking portion blocks between two adjacent stylus slots;

[0007] In the second direction, the side surface of the second end of the first contact pin has a side surface portion, and the side surface portion is exposed from the contact pin groove; the second direction and the first direction have an included angle;

[0008] The consumables box comprises a box body, a chip and at least one connector, the chip comprises a first terminal group, and the first terminal group comprises at least one first terminal;

[0009] The connecting member includes a first end and a second end. The first end of the connecting member is used to contact the first terminal group, and the second end of the connecting member is used to contact the side surface of the first contact pin.

[0010] The utility model provides a consumable box, in the second direction, the side of the second end of the first contact pin has a side portion, and the side portion is exposed from the contact pin groove so that the second end of the connecting piece can contact the side portion of the first contact pin, which can increase the contact area between the second end of the connecting piece and the first contact pin, thereby improving the stability of the connection between the connecting piece and the first contact pin. When the consumable box encounters external environmental factors such as vibration and shaking during use, the problem of separation or misalignment between the second end of the connecting piece and the first contact pin is reduced, thereby improving the communication quality between the consumable box and the printing device.

[0011] In a possible implementation, part of the contact pin groove is oriented toward one end of the consumable box to form an outward expansion groove, and part of the side surface of the first contact pin extending into the outward expansion groove constitutes the side surface portion;

[0012] When the consumables box and the image forming device are in an installed state, the second end of the connecting member extends into the outward expansion groove and abuts against the side surface.

[0013] In a possible implementation, a top of a portion of the blocking portion has a notch, and the notch is located on a side of the blocking portion facing the consumable box, and the side portion is exposed in the second direction through the notch;

[0014] When the consumables box and the image forming device are in an installed state, the second end of the connecting member extends into the notch and abuts against the side surface.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the outer wall of the box body is provided with at least one placement portion, and the placement portion is used to accommodate part of the connecting member; along the third direction, the projection of the placement portion at least partially overlaps with the projection of the outward expansion groove, and there is an angle between the third direction and the second direction.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the outer wall of the box body is provided with at least one placement portion, and the placement portion is used to accommodate part of the connecting member; along the third direction, the projection of the placement portion at least partially overlaps with the projection of the notch, and there is an angle between the third direction and the second direction.

[0017] In a possible implementation, the second end of the connecting member has an overhanging portion;

[0018] When the consumables box and the image forming device are in an installed state, a portion of the protruding portion contacts the side portion; or,

[0019] When the consumables box is in an installed state with the image forming device, the protruding portion contacts the side portion, the protruding portion abuts against the blocking portion, or the protruding portion extends into the contact pin groove and abuts against the inner wall of the contact pin groove.

[0020] In a possible implementation, the outer wall of the box body is provided with at least one fixing portion, the fixing portion is arranged at intervals with the placement portion, the fixing portion has an open cavity, and the first end of the connecting member has an arm portion;

[0021] The arm is disposed in the open cavity; or,

[0022] The arm portion is arranged on the outer wall of the opening cavity.

[0023] In a possible implementation, the fixing portion further includes a notch portion for the arm portion to pass through, and the notch portion passes through a side wall of the opening cavity.

[0024] In a possible implementation, at least two of the fixing portions are arranged at intervals along the second direction, and at least one of the two fixing portions is further provided with an avoidance groove.

[0025] In a possible implementation, a portion of the first end of the connector is used to be electrically connected to the first terminal, and a portion of the second end of the connector is used to be electrically connected to the side surface.

[0026] In a possible implementation, the chip is provided with a second terminal group on a side facing away from the box body, and the second terminal group includes at least one second terminal;

[0027] The contact pin assembly also includes a second contact pin group, the second contact pin group includes at least one second contact pin, the second contact pin is located in the contact pin slot, the second contact pin includes a first end and a second end, in the first direction, the second end of the second contact pin is higher than the first end of the second contact pin, and the first end of the second contact pin is electrically connected to the second terminal.

[0028] In a possible implementation, the first terminal group is located on a side of the chip facing the box body, or the first terminal group is located on a side of the chip facing away from the box body;

[0029] The chip further includes a storage element, and at least one of the first terminals is electrically connected to the storage element;

[0030] The outer extension portion is provided with an outer contact portion, the side portion of the first contact pin is provided with an electric contact portion, the outer contact portion is used to abut against the electric contact portion, and along the second direction, the projection of the outer extension portion partially overlaps with the projection of the side portion of the first contact pin;

[0031] One end of the extending portion away from the box body abuts against the inner wall surface of the outwardly expanded groove.

[0032] The present application provides a consumable box, which can constrain the range of movement of the protruding part by abutting a part of the protruding part against the contact pin slot, or inserting a part of the protruding part into the contact pin slot, thereby effectively avoiding the problem in the prior art that the second end of the connector is a free end and lacks constraint, and the second end of the connector is easily misaligned with the top of the target contact pin when encountering external environmental factors such as vibration and shaking, thereby avoiding the situation that the chip is burned or the printing device does not recognize the machine or even the chip is short-circuited, and can greatly improve the safety of chip use.

[0033] The consumables box provided in the present application increases the contact area between the extending portion and the first contact pin by partially contacting the side surface of the first contact pin, thereby improving the stability of the electrical connection between the extending portion and the first contact pin, thereby improving the communication quality.

[0034] The utility model provides a consumable box, in which the projection of the extending portion and the projection of the first contact pin are partially overlapped along the second direction, and the placement portion is configured to correspond to the position of the blocking portion along the third direction, so that part of the extending portion abuts against the side surface of the first contact pin, thereby increasing the contact area between the extending portion and the first contact pin, thereby improving the stability of the connection between the connecting piece and the first contact pin. When the consumable box is affected by external environmental factors such as vibration and shaking during use, the second end of the connecting piece and the first contact pin are less likely to be separated or misaligned, thereby improving the communication quality between the consumable box and the printing device.

[0035] In addition to the technical problems solved by the embodiments of the utility model described above, the technical features that constitute the technical solution, and the beneficial effects brought about by the technical features of the technical solution, other technical problems that can be solved by a consumable box provided by the embodiments of the utility model, other technical features included in the technical solution, 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

[0036] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the utility model or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the utility model. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0037] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a consumables box provided by an embodiment of the utility model installed on a mounting unit of an image forming device;

[0038] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the mounting unit of the image forming device;

[0039] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the consumables box and the stylus assembly provided in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0040] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a stylus assembly provided in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0041] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of another three-dimensional structure of a stylus assembly provided in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0042] Figure 6 for Figure 3 A magnified view of the structure at A;

[0043] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the partial structure of the consumables box and the stylus assembly provided in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0044] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a partial structure of a consumables box provided in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0045] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the box body of the consumable box provided in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0046] Fig.10 An exploded view of a consumables box provided in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0047] Fig.11 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the chip and the connector of the consumable box provided in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0048] Fig.12 A schematic diagram of another three-dimensional structure of a stylus assembly provided in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0049] Fig.13 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the first contact pin and the second contact pin;

[0050] Fig.14 A partial three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of another consumables box provided in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0051] Fig.15 A front view of a box body of another consumable box provided in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0052] Fig.16 A schematic diagram of a partial structure of a box body of another consumable box provided in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0053] Fig.17 A partial structural schematic diagram of another consumable box and a stylus assembly provided in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0054] Fig.18 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the chip, connector and contact pin assembly of the consumable box provided in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0055] Fig.19 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the chip and the connector of the consumable box provided in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0056] Fig. 20 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a chip of a consumable box provided in an embodiment of the utility model.

[0057] Description of reference numerals:

[0058] 10-box body;

[0059] 11- Resettlement Department;

[0060] 12-fixed part;

[0061] 121- notch portion;

[0062] 122-open mouth;

[0063] 123-avoidance slot;

[0064] 13- guide groove;

[0065] 14-installation position;

[0066] 15-handle;

[0067] 16- ink outlet nozzle;

[0068] 17-targeted part;

[0069] 20-chip;

[0070] 21-Substrate;

[0071] 22- first terminal;

[0072] 23- second terminal;

[0073] 24- storage element;

[0074] 30-connecting piece;

[0075] 31-extension;

[0076] 32-arm;

[0077] 33-connecting part;

[0078] 40- contact pin assembly;

[0079] 41- stylus holder;

[0080] 411-contact pin groove;

[0081] 4121-External expansion slot;

[0082] 412- barrier part;

[0083] 4122-Gap;

[0084] 413- bottom panel;

[0085] 421-first contact pin;

[0086] 4211-support part;

[0087] 4212-pin part;

[0088] 422 - lateral part;

[0089] 431 - second contact pin;

[0090] 50-installation unit;

[0091] 51-accommodation position;

[0092] 52-Alignment section. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0093] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the utility model clearer, the technical solution of the utility model will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the utility model. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the utility model, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the utility model, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the utility model.

[0094] The consumable box is a component in the printing device that needs to be replaced frequently. The printing device can be an inkjet printer, and the corresponding consumable box is an ink cartridge that stores ink; the printing device can also be a laser printer, and the corresponding consumable box is a processing box, a developer box, a powder box, etc. that stores toner.

[0095] The chip provided on the body of the consumable box is used to store information such as the manufacturer, the amount of ink, the type of consumable box, the color of ink, related processing procedures, and communication procedures. In order to prevent charged foreign matter from falling on the chip and causing a short circuit, some terminals are provided on the rear surface of the chip, and the remaining terminals are provided on the front surface of the chip, thereby reducing the problem of short circuit caused by charged foreign matter falling on the chip. In order to make the terminals located on the rear surface of the chip contact with the corresponding target pins, in some schemes, a connector is provided on the body of the consumable box, the first end of the connector is electrically connected to the chip, and the second end of the connector is used to electrically connect to the target pin of the printing device, thereby realizing the electrical connection between the terminals on the rear surface of the chip and the target pin of the printing device, and achieving a communication effect.

[0096] In the existing consumable box, the second end of the connector extends too long to the outer wall of the consumable box, and contacts the top of the target contact pin in a point-to-point manner, so the contact area is small. Since the top of the target contact pin is not flat, the consumable box is subjected to external environmental factors such as vibration and shaking during use, which will cause the second end of the connector to lose contact with the top of the target contact pin, thereby causing the connector and the target contact pin to be unable to be electrically connected stably, thereby reducing the communication quality between the consumable box and the printing device.

[0097] In addition, in the height direction of the consumable box, the second end of the connector is usually higher than the top of the target contact pin, and the second end of the connector is a free end. Therefore, during the operation of the consumable box, due to external environmental factors such as vibration and shaking, the second end of the connector is prone to misalignment with the top of the target contact pin. For example, the first end of the connector is electrically connected to one of the terminals of the chip. If the terminal is a ground terminal or a power terminal, and the contact pin that the second end of the connector mistakenly contacts is a power contact pin or a ground contact pin, there is a risk of the chip being burned after the printing device is powered on.

[0098] In the present application: along the second direction, the projection of the extension part at the second end of the connector partially overlaps with the projection of the stylus, and the placement part is configured to correspond to the position of the blocking part along the third direction, so that part of the extension part abuts against the side surface of the stylus, that is, the extension part and the stylus are in surface-to-surface contact, and the contact surface is a plane, which can increase the contact area between the extension part and the stylus, improve the stability of the electrical connection between the two, and improve the communication quality. Therefore, the present application improves the structure of the consumable box, so that the contact method and contact position between the second end of the connector and the top of the stylus in the prior art are improved, so as to solve the problem that the second end of the connector and the top of the stylus are in poor contact or out of contact due to external environmental factors such as vibration and shaking when the consumable box is used.

[0099] In addition, the present application can constrain the range of movement of the protruding part by abutting a part of the protruding part against the contact pin slot, or inserting a part of the protruding part into the contact pin slot, thereby effectively avoiding the problem in the prior art that the second end of the connector is a free end and lacks constraint, and is easily misaligned with the top of the target contact pin when encountering external environmental factors such as vibration and shaking, thereby avoiding the situation where the chip is burned or the printing device does not recognize the terminal short-circuited, and can greatly improve the safety of chip use.

[0100] For a better description of the consumables cartridge components, refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, a coordinate system is established: wherein the width direction of the consumable box is the X-axis direction, the length direction of the consumable box is the Y-axis direction, and the height direction of the consumable box is the Z-axis direction, wherein the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis are perpendicular to each other.

[0101] In this example, the first direction is the direction indicated by the Z axis, that is, the height direction of the consumable box and the height direction of the stylus holder; the second direction is the direction indicated by the X axis, that is, the width direction of the consumable box; the third direction is the direction indicated by the Y axis, that is, the length direction of the consumable box. The angles between the second direction, the third direction and the first direction can be 90°.

[0102] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the utility model provides a consumable box, which is detachably mounted on a mounting unit 50 of an image forming device, and the mounting unit 50 can carry one or more consumable boxes, and the mounting unit 50 has one or more accommodating positions 51, and the accommodating positions 51 are used to accommodate the consumable boxes. For example, the mounting unit 50 has four accommodating positions 51, so that the mounting unit 50 can carry four consumable boxes, and the four consumable boxes can store four different colors of ink or toner, such as black, yellow, blue, and red.

[0103] The mounting unit 50 is provided with a stylus assembly 40, which may be provided on the inner wall surface of the accommodation position 51. The stylus assembly 40 includes a stylus holder 41 and a first stylus group. Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the stylus holder 41 includes a stylus slot 411 and a blocking portion 412 . The blocking portion 412 blocks between two adjacent stylus slots 411 . The first stylus group includes at least one first stylus 421 . The first stylus 421 is located in the stylus slot 411 .

[0104] refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the first contact pin 421 includes a first end and a second end. In a first direction, that is, in the height direction of the contact pin holder 41, the second end of the first contact pin 421 is higher than the first end of the first contact pin 421, that is, in the first direction, the second end of the first contact pin 421 is higher than the first end of the first contact pin 421.

[0105] In the second direction, the side surface of the second end of the first contact pin 421 has a side surface portion 422 , and the side surface portion 422 is exposed from the contact pin groove 411 ; the second direction and the first direction have an included angle.

[0106] In this example, the angle between the second direction and the first direction may be 89°, 90°, 91°, etc.

[0107] refer to Figure 8 , Fig. 9 and Fig.10 As shown, the consumable box includes a box body 10, a chip 20 and at least one connector 30, and the chip 20 and the connector 30 are both arranged on the box body 10. The chip 20 includes a first terminal group, the first terminal group includes at least one first terminal 22, the connector 30 includes a first end and a second end, a part of the first end of the connector 30 is used to be electrically connected to the first terminal 22, and a part of the second end of the connector 30 is used to be electrically connected to the side portion 422, and the electrical connection between the first terminal group of the chip 20 and the first contact pin 421 is realized through the connector 30.

[0108] In a possible implementation, the first end of the connector 30 and the first terminal 22 may be electrically connected through electrical contact, and the second end of the connector 30 and the side surface 422 of the first contact pin 421 may be electrically connected through electrical contact.

[0109] In a possible implementation, the first terminal group is located on a side of the chip 20 facing the box body 10 , or the first terminal group is located on a side of the chip 20 facing away from the box body 10 .

[0110] In one possible implementation, reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the blocking portion 412 blocks between two adjacent contact pin grooves 411, and the blocking portion 412 is used to block the first contact pin 421. Part of the contact pin groove 411 faces one end of the consumable box to form an outward expansion groove 4121, and part of the side surface of the first contact pin 421 extending into the outward expansion groove 4121 constitutes a side surface portion 422; when the consumable box and the image forming device are in an installed state, the second end of the connecting member 30 extends into the outward expansion groove 4121 and abuts against the side surface portion 422.

[0111] In one possible implementation, in order to form the outward-expanding groove 4121, the blocking portion 412 includes a first blocking portion and a second blocking portion, and the first blocking portion has a side facing the consumable box as an inclined surface, which is inclined toward the inside of the contact pin groove 411, so that the outward-expanding groove 4121 is formed between the inclined surfaces of two adjacent first blocking portions, and the cross-section of the outward-expanding groove 4121 can be triangular or trapezoidal. The existence of the outward-expanding groove 4121 exposes part of the side surface of the first contact pin 421 extending into the outward-expanding groove 4121 and is no longer blocked by the side surface of the blocking portion 412, so that part of the side surface of the first contact pin 421 forms a side surface portion 422; the second blocking portion has a side facing the consumable box as a vertical surface, for example, the second blocking portion is in the shape of a cube.

[0112] Of course, it can also be along the third direction, that is, the direction indicated by the Y-axis, the length of the first blocking portion is shorter than the length of the second blocking portion, and the first blocking portion is flush with the side of the second blocking portion facing away from the box body 10, so that the contact pin groove 411 is oriented toward one end of the consumable box to form an outward expansion groove 4121.

[0113] refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the stylus holder 41 further includes a bottom panel 413 connected to each barrier portion 412 , and each barrier portion 412 is connected through the connection function of the bottom panel 413 .

[0114] In one possible implementation, reference Fig. 9 and Fig.10 As shown, the outer wall of the box body 10 is provided with at least one placement portion 11, and the placement portion 11 is used to accommodate part of the connector 30. The number of the placement portions 11 is consistent with the number of the connector 30.

[0115] refer to Figure 3 , Fig.10 and Fig.12 As shown, along the third direction, the projection of the placement portion 11 and the projection of the outward expansion groove 4121 at least partially overlap; that is, the position of the placement portion 11 is opposite to the position of the outward expansion groove 4121, so that the second end of the connector 30 extending from the placement portion 11 can more conveniently and accurately contact the side surface 422 of the first contact pin 421, thereby achieving a stable electrical connection effect. There is an angle between the third direction and the second direction, and in this example, the angle between the third direction and the second direction is 90°.

[0116] The second end of the connecting member 30 has an extending portion 31 , a portion of the extending portion 31 is located in the placement portion 11 , and another portion of the extending portion 31 extends to the outside of the consumable box in a direction opposite to the third direction.

[0117] refer to Figure 3 and Figure 6As shown, when the consumable box and the image forming apparatus are in the installed state, the extension portion 31 contacts the side portion 422 , the extension portion 31 abuts against the blocking portion 412 , or the extension portion 31 extends into the contact pin groove 411 and abuts against the inner wall of the contact pin groove 411 .

[0118] The protruding portion 31 contacts the side portion 422, thereby realizing the electrical connection effect between the connector 30 and the first contact pin 421. The protruding portion 31 abuts against the blocking portion 412 or the protruding portion 31 extends into the contact pin slot 411 and abuts against the inner wall of the contact pin slot 411, so as to improve the stability of the contact between the protruding portion 31 and the side portion 422. When the protruding portion 31 abuts against the blocking portion 412, the blocking portion 412 provides a supporting effect for the protruding portion 31. When the protruding portion 31 extends into the contact pin slot 411 and abuts against the inner wall of the contact pin slot 411, the inner wall of the contact pin slot 411 provides a supporting effect for the protruding portion 31, which helps to reduce the shaking of the protruding portion 31.

[0119] An external contact portion (not shown in the figure) is provided on the extending portion 31, and an electric contact portion (not shown in the figure) is provided on the side portion 422 of the first contact pin 421. The external contact portion is used to abut against the electric contact portion. Along the second direction, the projection of the extending portion 31 partially overlaps with the projection of the side portion 422 of the first contact pin 421.

[0120] Along the second direction, i.e., the direction indicated by the X-axis, the projection of the extending portion 31 overlaps with the projection of a portion of the side portion 422, and the placement portion 11 is configured to correspond to the position of the blocking portion 412 along the third direction, so that the external contact portion of the extending portion 31 abuts against the electrical contact portion of the side portion 422 of the first contact pin 421, and the third direction is the direction indicated by the Y-axis.

[0121] The utility model provides a consumable box, in which the projection of the extension portion 31 overlaps with the projection of the side portion 422 of the first contact pin 421 along the second direction, and the placement portion 11 is configured to correspond to the position of the blocking portion 412 along the third direction, so that when the consumable box and the image forming device are in an installed state, part of the extension portion 31 abuts against the side portion 422 of the first contact pin 421, so that a part of the extension portion 31 is in contact and electrically connected with the side portion 422, and at the same time, one end of the part of the extension portion 31 abuts against the side wall of the external expansion groove 4121, so that even if the consumable box encounters external environmental factors such as vibration and shaking during use, the problem of separation or misalignment between the second end of the connector 30 and the first contact pin 421 is reduced, thereby improving the installability of the chip.

[0122] refer to Figure 7As shown, when the consumable box is installed on the installation unit 50 of the image forming device, since the side surface portion 422 of the first contact pin 421 is a plane, along the second direction, the side surface portion 422 of the first contact pin 421 has a larger surface area. Compared with the solution in the prior art that the extension portion 31 abuts against the top of the first contact pin 421, the contact area between the extension portion 31 and the electric contact portion provided on the side surface portion 422 of the first contact pin 421 can be increased, thereby improving the stability of the electrical connection between the extension portion 31 and the first contact pin 421 and improving the communication quality between the consumable box and the printing device.

[0123] In one possible implementation, reference Fig. 9 and Fig.10 As shown, the box body 10 is provided with a mounting position 14, and along the first direction, that is, the Z-axis direction, the mounting position 14 is located at the lower side of the placement portion 11, and the chip 20 is arranged on the mounting position 14, referring to Fig.10 and Fig.11 As shown, the chip 20 includes a substrate 21 and a first terminal group, the first terminal group is arranged on a side of the substrate 21 facing the box body 10, and the first terminal group includes at least one first terminal 22, and the position of the first terminal 22 corresponds to the position of the first end of the connector 30.

[0124] In the present application, the first contact pin 421 is a target contact pin, which is used to make corresponding contact with the first terminal 22 on the rear surface of the chip 20 through the second end of the connector 30 , wherein a portion of the first end of the connector 30 is electrically connected to the second end of the connector 30 .

[0125] refer to Fig.10 and Fig.11 As shown, the chip 20 is provided with a second terminal group on a side facing away from the box body 10 , and the second terminal group includes at least one second terminal 23 . The second terminal group is located on a side of the substrate 21 facing away from the box body 10 , and the second terminal group includes the second terminal 23 .

[0126] refer to Figure 7 and Fig.12 As shown, the contact pin assembly 40 also includes a second contact pin group, which is used to electrically connect to the second terminal 23. The second contact pin group includes at least one second contact pin 431, and the second contact pin 431 is located in the contact pin groove 411, wherein the second contact pin 431 is used to contact the second terminal 23 to achieve electrical connection, and the first contact pin 421 of the first contact pin group is used to achieve electrical connection with the first terminal 22 through the connector 30.

[0127] The second contact pin 431 includes a first end and a second end. In the first direction, that is, the height direction of the contact pin holder 41, the second end of the second contact pin 431 is higher than the first end of the second contact pin 431, and the first end of the second contact pin 431 is electrically connected to the second terminal 23. The first end of the second contact pin 431 may be in contact with the second terminal 23 to achieve electrical connection.

[0128] refer to Fig.12 and Fig.13 As shown, the second contact pin 431 and the first contact pin 421 have the same structure. Both the second contact pin 431 and the first contact pin 421 include a supporting portion 4211 and a pin portion 4212. The pin portion 4212 is connected to both sides of the bottom end of the supporting portion 4211. In a first direction, the top end of the supporting portion 4211 is away from the pin portion 4212. In a second direction, the pin portion 4212 protrudes outward from the contact pin slot 411. The top end of the supporting portion 4211 is located in the contact pin slot. The supporting portion 4211 is constructed as an arc-shaped structure.

[0129] refer to Fig.10 and Fig.11 As shown, the chip 20 further includes a storage element 24 , which is disposed on the substrate 21 , and at least one first terminal 22 is electrically connected to the storage element.

[0130] In this example, the storage element 24 may be disposed on a side of the substrate 21 facing the box body 10, and the first terminal 22 and the second terminal 23 are both electrically connected to the storage element 24. The storage element 24 may store information of the chip 20, for example, the storage element 24 stores information such as manufacturer information, ink volume information, consumable box category information, ink color, related processing procedures and communication procedures, etc. It should be noted that the storage element 24 may also be disposed on a side of the substrate 21 facing away from the box body 10.

[0131] In one possible implementation, reference Figure 6 and Fig.12 As shown, the side surface portion 422 of the first contact pin 421 adjacent to the second end along the second direction or the direction opposite to the second direction is exposed through the outward expansion groove 4121; along the third direction, the projection of the placement portion 11 at least partially overlaps with the projection of the outward expansion groove 4121. The third direction is the direction of the consumable box toward the contact pin assembly 40, that is, the length direction of the consumable box.

[0132] The purpose of such a structure is to ensure that when the consumable box is installed in the installation unit 50 of the image forming device, the external contact portion of the extending portion 31 located in the placement portion 11 can contact the electrical contact portion of the first contact pin 421, thereby preventing the second end of the connecting member 30 from being detached or misaligned with the first contact pin 421, improving the stability of the electrical connection between the second end of the connecting member 30 and the first contact pin 421, and ensuring the communication quality between the consumable box and the printing device.

[0133] The side surface portion 422 of the second end of the first contact pin 421 is exposed from the outward expansion groove 4121, which increases the exposed area of ​​the side surface portion 422 of the first contact pin 421, helps to increase the contact area between the second end of the connector 30 and the first contact pin 421, thereby improving the stability of the electrical connection between the second end of the connector 30 and the first contact pin 421.

[0134] In one possible implementation, reference Figure 2 and Fig. 9 As shown, the accommodation position 51 of the installation unit 50 has an alignment portion 52, and the box body of the consumable box has an alignment portion 17. When the consumable box is loaded into the accommodation position 51 of the installation unit 50, the alignment portion 17 engages with the alignment portion 52, so as to limit the width direction of the consumable box, that is, the X-axis direction.

[0135] In a possible embodiment, the aligned portion 17 is an aligned surface, and the box body 10 has two aligned surfaces in the width direction of the consumable box; the alignment portion 52 is located on the inner wall of the accommodating position 51, and the alignment portion 52 is constructed as an alignment protrusion. A plurality of alignment protrusions are provided on the accommodating position 51 of the installation unit 50, and the two aligned surfaces are respectively engaged with the plurality of alignment protrusions.

[0136] The aligned portion 17 of the consumable box is engaged with the alignment portion 52 of the mounting position of the mounting unit 50, and enters the mounting position of the mounting unit 50 along the mounting direction of the consumable box. By limiting the width direction of the consumable box, the placement portion 11 and the outer expansion groove 4121 can be further aligned in the third direction, which is beneficial to improve the accuracy of the electrical connection between the extending portion 31 of the connector 30 and the electric contact portion arranged near the second end of the first contact pin 421, and avoid the problem of the chip 20 being short-circuited and burned due to the misalignment of the contact between the second end of the connector 30 and the first contact pin 421.

[0137] In one possible implementation, reference Figure 3 , Figure 6 and Fig.12 As shown, part of the extension part 31 extends into the contact pin groove 411. When the extension part 31 contacts the first contact pin 421, part of the extension part 31 and the contact pin groove 411 abut against the inner wall surface of the contact pin groove 411, thereby improving the contact stability between the extension part 31 and the first contact pin 421.

[0138] In a possible implementation, one end of the extension portion 31 away from the box body 10 abuts against the inner wall surface of the outward expansion groove 4121. When the extension portion 31 contacts the first contact pin 421, a portion of the extension portion 31 abuts against the inner wall surface of the outward expansion groove 4121, thereby improving the stability of the contact between the extension portion 31 and the first contact pin 421.

[0139] In one possible implementation, reference Fig. 9 and Fig.10 As shown, at least one fixing portion 12 is provided on the outer wall of the box body 10, and the fixing portion 12 and the placement portion 11 are arranged at intervals along the first direction, and the first end of the connector 30 is provided on the fixing portion 12. The fixing portion 12 is used to limit the first end of the connector 30 to prevent the first end of the connector 30 from being displaced or falling out. When the chip 20 and the box body 10 are in the installed state, the inner contact portion provided on the arm portion 32 of the first end of the connector 30 is used to contact the first terminal 22 to achieve electrical connection.

[0140] The first end of the connector 30 and the chip 20 may be connected by welding, bonding, abutting or clamping, so as to improve the relative stability between the connector 30 and the chip 20 .

[0141] The fixing portion 12 is located at the installation position 14 of the box body 10 . The fixing portion 12 may be cylindrical and protrude from the inner wall of the installation position 14 .

[0142] In one possible implementation, reference Fig.10 and Fig.11 As shown, the fixing portion 12 has an open cavity 122 therein, and the first end of the connecting member 30 has an arm portion 32. When the chip 20 is installed in the installation position 14 of the box body 10, the open cavity 122 can avoid the storage element 24.

[0143] In one possible implementation, reference Fig.14 and Fig.15 As shown, the arm portion 32 is disposed in the opening cavity 122 .

[0144] In another possible implementation, reference Fig.10 As shown, the arm portion 32 is disposed on the outer wall of the opening cavity 122 , thereby achieving fixation of the arm portion 32 .

[0145] In one possible implementation, reference Fig.15 and Fig.16 As shown, the fixing portion 12 further includes a notch portion 121 for the arm portion 32 to pass through, and the notch portion 121 penetrates the side wall of the opening cavity 122. The notch portion 121 is provided to facilitate the installation of the arm portion 32 into the opening cavity 122, wherein the arm portion 32 and the opening cavity 122 are installed in an interference fit manner to prevent the wall portion from falling out of the opening cavity 122.

[0146] In one possible implementation, reference Fig.15 , Fig.16 and Fig.19As shown, the outer wall of the box body 10 is also provided with a guide groove 13, which is connected to the placement portion 11. The first end of the connecting member 30 also includes a connecting portion 33, which is connected between the extending portion 31 and the arm portion 32, and at least part of the connecting portion 33 is embedded in the guide groove 13.

[0147] The guide groove 13 is a structure recessed into the box body 10 . The guide groove 13 can guide the direction of the connecting portion 33 and improve the stability of the fixing of the connecting portion 33 .

[0148] Exemplarily, the connector 30 may be made of a conductive material, such as at least one metal wire, such as a copper wire, formed by bending, which not only meets the conductivity requirement but also has sufficient elastic deformation capability.

[0149] In some examples, to ensure safety in use, the remaining portion of the connector 30 except the first end of the connector 30 and the second end of the connector 30 may be provided with a coating or an insulating layer.

[0150] In one possible implementation, reference Fig.15 , Fig.16 and Fig.19 As shown, at least two fixing portions 12 are arranged at intervals along the second direction, and one of the at least two fixing portions 12 is further provided with an avoidance groove 123 , which is connected between the guide groove 13 and the opening cavity 122 .

[0151] In this example, refer to Fig.19 and Fig. 20 As shown, the number of the first terminals 22 may be two, and the two first terminals 22 may be arranged at intervals along the second direction. In order to electrically connect the two first terminals 22 to the corresponding first contact pin groups, the number of the connectors 30 is two, and the two connectors 30 are respectively connected between the first terminal 22 and the corresponding first contact pin 421. Correspondingly, reference Fig.17 and Fig.18 As shown, in each contact pin holder 41 , the number of contact pin slots 411 with outwardly expanded slots 4121 may be two, and the side surfaces 422 of the second ends of the two first contact pins 421 are exposed through the two outwardly expanded slots 4121 along the second direction or the direction opposite to the second direction.

[0152] In one possible implementation, reference Fig.14 and Fig.15 As shown, part of the connecting portion 33 extends into the guide groove 13 through the avoidance groove 123. By providing the avoidance groove 123, the fixing of the connecting member 30 is made more convenient.

[0153] In a possible implementation, part of the connecting portion 33 extends into the guide groove 13 through the notch portion 121 .

[0154] In a possible implementation, along the third direction, a projection of the first terminal 22 at least partially overlaps with a projection of the first end of the connector 30 .

[0155] Of course, there may be more than one first terminal 22 , and the corresponding fixing portions 12 are arranged at intervals along the second direction.

[0156] In some examples, when the chip 20 includes a ground terminal, a power terminal, a reset terminal, a clock terminal and a data terminal, the first terminal 22 may be two or more of the ground terminal, the power terminal, the reset terminal, the clock terminal and the data terminal. The second terminal group includes the remaining terminals except the first terminal 22 in the first terminal group. It should be noted that the ground terminal is used to receive a ground potential; the power terminal is used to receive a power potential different from the ground potential (such as 3.6V, or 3.3V), and the storage element 24 is powered by this terminal; the reset terminal is used to reset the internal data of the storage element 24; the clock terminal is used to receive a clock signal; the data terminal is used to send or receive a data signal, and is also used to detect a short circuit between the data terminal and at least one of the clock terminal, the reset terminal and the power terminal.

[0157] In other examples, when the chip 20 includes a ground terminal, a power terminal, a reset terminal, a clock terminal, a data terminal, a high-voltage terminal, and a detection terminal, the first terminal 22 may be two or more of the ground terminal, the power terminal, the reset terminal, the clock terminal, the data terminal, the high-voltage terminal, and the detection terminal, and the second terminal group includes the remaining terminals except the first terminal 22 in the first terminal group. It should be noted that the high-voltage terminal is used to detect whether the consumable box is correctly loaded into the image forming device. The detection terminal is used to detect whether a short circuit occurs between the high-voltage terminal of the chip and at least one of the remaining terminals (i.e., the low-voltage terminal).

[0158] In this example, refer to Fig.17 As shown, ink is stored inside the box body 10, and an ink outlet nozzle 16 is provided at the bottom of the box body 10. The ink outlet nozzle 16 is used for allowing the ink stored inside the box body 10 to flow out and supply ink to the image forming device. A handle 15 is also provided on the outer wall of the box body 10. When the consumable box is installed in the installation unit 50, the handle 15 is used to engage with a part of the installation unit 50 to prevent the consumable box from popping out of the installation unit 50.

[0159] When the chip 20 is installed in the box body 10, an inner contact (not shown in the figure) is provided on the arm 32 of the connector 30, and the first terminal 22 contacts the inner contact accordingly. When the consumable box and the installation unit 50 are in the installed state, the second terminal 23 of the chip 20 is electrically connected to the first end of the second contact pin 431, and the outer contact provided on the extending portion 31 of the connector 30 is electrically connected by abutting against the side portion 422 of the first contact pin 421. A part of the extending portion 31 abuts against the inner wall of the outer expansion groove 4121 to support the extending portion 31 of the connector 30, thereby avoiding the problem in the prior art that the extending portion 31 and the first contact pin 421 cannot be stably electrically connected or are out of contact due to the influence of external environment such as vibration and shaking.

[0160] In one possible implementation, reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the top of the partial blocking portion 412 has a notch 4122, and the notch 4122 is located on the side of the blocking portion 412 facing the consumable box, and the side portion 422 is exposed in the second direction through the notch 4122;

[0161] When the consumables box and the image forming apparatus are in an installed state, the second end of the connecting member 30 extends into the notch 4122 and abuts against the side surface portion 422 .

[0162] In this example, the top of one or two or more blocking parts 412 may have a notch 4122, and the contact pin grooves 411 on both sides of the blocking part 412 are connected through the notch 4122. The notch 4122 exposes the side part 422 to avoid the blocking part 412 blocking the side part 422, so that the second end of the connector 30 extends into the notch 4122 and abuts against the side part 422. The second end of the connector 30 is electrically connected to the first contact pin 42.

[0163] The notch 4122 is a gap at the top of the blocking portion 412 , so that the side surface portion 422 of the first contact pin 421 is exposed along the second direction or a direction opposite to the second direction.

[0164] refer to Figure 3 , Fig.10 and Fig.12 As shown, along the third direction, the projection of the placement portion 11 at least partially overlaps with the projection of the notch 4122. Alternatively, the position of the placement portion 11 is opposite to the position of the notch 4122, so that the second end of the connector 30 extending from the placement portion 11 can more conveniently and accurately contact the side surface 422 of the first contact pin 421, thereby achieving a stable electrical connection effect.

[0165] When the consumables box is installed with the image forming apparatus, a portion of the extension portion 31 contacts the side portion 422. In this example, the external contact portion of the extension portion 31 contacts the electrical contact portion of the side portion 422, ensuring electrical connection.

[0166] It should be noted that, in the present application, the chip 20 may not have a second terminal group, and all terminals of the chip 20 are constructed as a first terminal group, that is, all terminals of the chip 20 are located on a side of the chip 20 facing the box body 10 .

[0167] It should be noted here that the numerical values ​​and numerical ranges involved in this application are approximate values. Due to the influence of the manufacturing process, there may be a certain range of errors, which can be considered negligible by those skilled in the art.

[0168] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms used, such as “center”, “length”, “width”, “thickness”, “top”, “bottom”, “up”, “down”, “left”, “right”, “front”, “back”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “inside”, “outside”, “axial”, “circumferential”, etc., to indicate directions or positional relationships are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the position or component referred to must have a specific direction, a specific structure and operation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0169] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present utility model, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0170] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "install", "connect", "connect", "fix" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, they can be fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrated; they can be mechanically connected, electrically connected, or can communicate with each other; they can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, so that the internal communication of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements can be achieved. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0171] In the present utility model, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include that the first and second features are in direct contact, or may include that the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through another feature between them. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" and "above" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" and "below" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0172] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solution of the utility model, rather than to limit it. Although the utility model has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, ordinary technicians in this field should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions recorded in the aforementioned embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solution deviate from the scope of the technical solution of the embodiments of the utility model.

Claims

1. A consumables box, detachably mounted on an installation unit (50) of an image forming device, the installation unit (50) being provided with a stylus assembly (40), the stylus assembly (40) comprising a stylus holder (41) and a first stylus group, the stylus holder (41) comprising a stylus slot (411), the first stylus group comprising at least one first stylus (421), the first stylus (421) being located in the stylus slot (411), the first stylus (421) comprising a first end and a second end, in a first direction, the second end of the first stylus (421) is higher than the first end of the first stylus (421), characterized in that: The stylus holder (41) further comprises a blocking portion (412), wherein the blocking portion (412) blocks between two adjacent stylus grooves (411); In the second direction, the side surface of the second end of the first contact pin (421) has a side surface portion (422), and the side surface portion (422) is exposed from the contact pin groove (411); the second direction and the first direction have an included angle; The consumables box comprises a box body (10), a chip (20) and at least one connecting member (30), wherein the chip (20) comprises a first terminal group, and the first terminal group comprises at least one first terminal (22); The connecting member (30) comprises a first end and a second end, the first end of the connecting member (30) is used to contact the first terminal group, and the second end of the connecting member (30) is used to contact the side surface (422) of the first contact pin (421).

2. The consumables box according to claim 1, characterized in that: A portion of the contact pin groove (411) faces one end of the consumable box to form an outward expansion groove (4121), and a portion of the side surface of the first contact pin (421) extending into the outward expansion groove (4121) constitutes the side surface portion (422); When the consumables box and the image forming device are in an installed state, the second end of the connecting member (30) extends into the outward expansion groove (4121) and abuts against the side surface portion (422).

3. The consumables box according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: A top end of part of the blocking portion (412) has a notch (4122), and the notch (4122) is located on a side of the blocking portion (412) facing the consumable box, and the side portion (422) is exposed in the second direction through the notch (4122); When the consumables box and the image forming device are in an installed state, the second end of the connecting member (30) extends into the notch (4122) and abuts against the side surface portion (422).

4. The consumables box according to claim 2, characterized in that: The outer wall of the box body (10) is provided with at least one placement portion (11), and the placement portion (11) is used to accommodate part of the connecting member (30); along a third direction, the projection of the placement portion (11) and the projection of the outward expansion groove (4121) at least partially overlap, and there is an angle between the third direction and the second direction.

5. The consumables box according to claim 3, characterized in that: The outer wall of the box body (10) is provided with at least one placement portion (11), and the placement portion (11) is used to accommodate part of the connecting member (30); along the third direction, the projection of the placement portion (11) and the projection of the notch (4122) at least partially overlap, and there is an angle between the third direction and the second direction.

6. The consumables box according to claim 2, characterized in that: The second end of the connecting member (30) has an overhanging portion (31); When the consumables box and the image forming device are in an installed state, a portion of the extended portion (31) contacts the side portion (422); or, When the consumable box and the image forming device are in an installed state, the protruding portion (31) contacts the side portion (422), the protruding portion (31) abuts against the blocking portion (412), or the protruding portion (31) extends into the interior of the contact pin groove (411) and abuts against the inner wall of the contact pin groove (411).

7. The consumables box according to claim 4, characterized in that: The outer wall of the box body (10) is provided with at least one fixing portion (12), the fixing portion (12) and the placement portion (11) are arranged at intervals, the fixing portion (12) has an open cavity (122) in it, and the first end of the connecting member (30) has an arm portion (32); The arm portion (32) is disposed in the open cavity (122); or, The arm portion (32) is arranged on the outer wall of the open cavity (122).

8. The consumables box according to claim 7, characterized in that: The fixing portion (12) further comprises a notch portion (121) for the arm portion (32) to pass through, and the notch portion (121) passes through the side wall of the opening cavity (122).

9. The consumables box according to claim 7, characterized in that: At least two of the fixing portions (12) are arranged at intervals along the second direction, and one of the at least two fixing portions (12) is further provided with an avoidance groove (123).

10. The consumables box according to claim 1, characterized in that: A portion of the first end of the connecting member (30) is used to be electrically connected to the first terminal (22), and a portion of the second end of the connecting member (30) is used to be electrically connected to the side surface portion (422).

11. The consumables box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The chip (20) is provided with a second terminal group on a side facing away from the box body (10), and the second terminal group includes at least one second terminal (23); The contact pin assembly (40) further comprises a second contact pin group, the second contact pin group comprises at least one second contact pin (431), the second contact pin (431) is located in the contact pin slot (411), the second contact pin (431) comprises a first end and a second end, the second end of the second contact pin (431) is higher than the first end of the second contact pin (431) in the first direction, and the first end of the second contact pin (431) is electrically connected to the second terminal (23).

12. The consumables box according to claim 6, characterized in that: The first terminal group is located on a side of the chip (20) facing the box body (10), or the first terminal group is located on a side of the chip (20) facing away from the box body (10); The chip (20) further comprises a storage element (24), and at least one of the first terminals (22) is electrically connected to the storage element (24); The extending portion (31) is provided with an external contact portion, the side portion (422) of the first contact pin (421) is provided with an electric contact portion, the external contact portion is used to abut against the electric contact portion, and along the second direction, the projection of the extending portion (31) partially overlaps with the projection of the side portion (422) of the first contact pin (421); One end of the extending portion (31) away from the box body (10) abuts against the inner wall surface of the outwardly expanded groove (4121).

Images