Ink box

Abstract

The utility model discloses an ink box. The ink box comprises a box body and a diaphragm valve. The diaphragm valve comprises a valve cavity, a diaphragm, an elastic mechanism and a limiting structure, the elastic mechanism comprises a first elastic part and a second elastic part, one end of the first elastic part and one end of the second elastic part abut against the diaphragm, and the other end of the first elastic part and the other end of the second elastic part abut against the limiting structure. The diaphragm divides the valve cavity into a first cavity and a second cavity which are independent of each other, and the diaphragm can respond to the pressure difference between the first cavity and the second cavity to move relative to the transmission column so that a transmission channel between the first cavity and the second cavity can be connected or disconnected.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] There is an ink cartridge such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, it includes a shell for storing ink, an air filling port 311 and an ink outlet 312 are provided on the shell, a valve assembly is arranged in the shell, the valve assembly includes a diaphragm 130, the center of the diaphragm 130 passes through the transmission column 140, thereby separating the valve assembly 100 into a first deformation chamber 210 and a second deformation chamber 220; the first deformation chamber 210 is connected to the air filling port 311, and the other end of the air filling port 311 is connected to the pump of the printer; the second deformation chamber 220 is connected to the ink storage chamber 400, and the ink storage chamber 400 is connected to the ink outlet 312. A transmission channel 141 capable of transmitting gas is provided on the transmission column 140, and an elastic member 150 is sleeved thereon. One end of the elastic member 150 abuts against the inner wall of the second deformation chamber 220, and the other end abuts against the second protrusion 132 of the diaphragm 130, so that the first protrusion 131 of the diaphragm 130 is always abutted against the top limit portion 111 to ensure that the first deformation chamber 210 and the transmission channel 141 are in a sealed state.

[0003] When the printer inflates and pressurizes the air inlet 311, the air pressure value of the first deformation chamber 210 increases, and the diaphragm 130 overcomes the elastic force of the elastic member 150 and moves toward the second deformation chamber 220, so that the first protrusion 131 is separated from the limiting portion 111, so that the first deformation chamber 210 and the second deformation chamber 220 are connected through the air path of the transmission channel 141. As the air pressure value of the first deformation chamber 210 continues to increase, when the lowest point of the second protrusion 132 of the diaphragm 130 moves below the transmission channel 141, the air path between the second deformation chamber 220 and the transmission channel 141 is disconnected, so that the first deformation chamber 210 and the second deformation chamber 220 are in a disconnected state. The diaphragm 130 is provided with a folded portion 135 bent relative to the end surface of the diaphragm, so that the diaphragm 130 has a relatively large deformation margin, and the concave deformation of the diaphragm 130 itself can force the ink in the second deformation chamber 220 to be discharged from the ink outlet 312, thereby completing the pressurized ink discharge.

[0004] After the printer is pressurized, the air pump is removed. At this time, the first deformation chamber 210 is connected to the atmosphere through the inflation port 311, the air pressure value of the first deformation chamber 210 decreases, and the diaphragm 130 moves toward the first deformation chamber 210 under the restoring force of the elastic member 150, and the diaphragm 130 itself is deformed and restored, thereby resetting.

[0005] However, the valve assembly structure used in the prior art has many defects:

[0006] When the printer's pump inflates and pressurizes the ink cartridge, the wrinkles around the existing diaphragm are sunken downward. When the pressure is high, the diaphragm is fully stretched and often abuts against the bottom of the cavity. When the printer stops pressurizing, the first deformation cavity is connected to the atmosphere, and the diaphragm that touches the bottom slowly rebounds, often finding it difficult to return to the state before the pressurization. In fact, due to the negative pressure formed between the abutment point and the bottom of the cavity, the diaphragm may not be able to recover its deformation at all, resulting in failure of subsequent inflation and pressurization.

[0007] When the printer performs continuous printing of large color blocks, the print head continues to consume the ink in the ink cartridge, and the wrinkles around the existing diaphragm sink downward, further pulling the center hole of the diaphragm to slide downward. When the ink is consumed more, the diaphragm fully stretches and often abuts against the bottom of the cavity. When the printing operation continues, the diaphragm has no space to sink and deform, and no chance to recover the deformation, resulting in ink interruption when printing continuous large color blocks.

[0008] When the printer is performing daily printing or is stationary, the nozzles of the print head assembly are exposed to the air. The existing diaphragm slides too long on the transmission column and may stagnate in the middle of the transmission channel due to uneven force. At this time, the first chamber and the second chamber are connected to the atmosphere, and the ink accumulates under the print head assembly under the action of its own gravity. Changes in ambient temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure may increase the amount of ink accumulation, resulting in color missing, color mixing, and ink dripping problems on the printed media.

[0009] The diaphragm of the valve assembly is made of silicone material with good deformability and easy processing. In order to make the diaphragm have a larger deformation amount, the diaphragm adopts a thin and wrinkled structure. This structure realizes the maximum deformation margin, but also reduces its own restoring force, resulting in the diaphragm not being able to deform, slide and reset as expected under the action of the existing elastic parts. On the contrary, due to the different deformation orders of various parts of the diaphragm, the diaphragm experiences hysteresis or jamming during the sliding process, making the conduction or cutoff state between the first deformation cavity and the second deformation cavity unstable. Summary of the invention

[0010] In order to overcome the defects of the prior art, the present application provides an ink cartridge with a novel diaphragm valve structure.

[0011] The ink cartridge comprises a cartridge body and a diaphragm valve; the cartridge body has an ink storage cavity, the diaphragm valve is arranged in the ink storage cavity, and the outer wall of the cartridge body is provided with an ink outlet and an air charging port; the diaphragm valve comprises a valve cavity, a diaphragm, an elastic mechanism and a limiting structure; a transmission column is fixed in the valve cavity, and at least one of the transmission column and the diaphragm is provided with a transmission channel; the central hole of the diaphragm passes through the transmission column and divides the valve cavity into a first chamber and a second chamber which are independent of each other, the first chamber is communicated with the air charging port, and the second chamber is communicated with the ink storage cavity; the elastic mechanism is connected with the transmission channel The column is the central axis, is positioned in the second chamber by the limiting structure, and abuts against the diaphragm, wherein the elastic mechanism includes a first elastic part and a second elastic part, and the support area where the first elastic part abuts against the diaphragm is smaller than the support area where the second elastic part abuts against the diaphragm; the diaphragm includes a guide area distributed with the center hole as the center, and the guide area can respond to the pressure difference between the first chamber and the second chamber, and move relative to the transmission column to connect or disconnect the connection between the first chamber and the second chamber.

[0012] Specifically, the first elastic part and the second elastic part can be the first compression spring and the second compression spring respectively, the contact position of the first compression spring and the diaphragm has a first support circle diameter; the contact position of the second compression spring and the diaphragm has a second support circle diameter; the first support circle diameter is smaller than the second support circle diameter.

[0013] In addition, the elastic mechanism can also be a special-shaped compression spring, wherein the first elastic part and the second elastic part can be the first part and the second part of the special-shaped compression spring respectively, and the contact position of the first part with the diaphragm has a first support circle diameter, and the contact position of the second part with the diaphragm has a second support circle diameter; the first support circle diameter is smaller than the second support circle diameter. Specifically, the first part is in a spiral disc shape, and includes an inner support circle and an outer support circle, and the contact position of the inner support circle with the diaphragm has a first support circle diameter; the second part is in a spiral column shape, and includes an upper support circle and a lower support circle, and the contact position of the upper support circle with the diaphragm has a second support circle diameter; the outer support circle is connected or connected to the upper support circle or integrally formed, and the first support circle diameter is smaller than the second support circle diameter.

[0014] The elastic mechanism provided by the present application has two supporting points of different areas acting on the surface of the diaphragm. The first supporting circle with a smaller supporting area lifts the diaphragm guide area, which is conducive to the rapid rebound of the sliding guide area. The first elastic part increases the diaphragm rebound speed, reduces the opening time of the transmission channel, and prevents the disappearance of negative pressure due to excessive air replenishment. The second supporting circle with a larger supporting area lifts the diaphragm guide area or its edge, which is conducive to the rapid rebound of the concave deformation area of ​​the diaphragm, and extracts the air accumulated in the print head assembly during the rebound process. This effectively maintains the force balance of the diaphragm and avoids hysteresis or jamming of the diaphragm during movement.

[0015] In order to further improve the stability of the diaphragm valve, the diaphragm also includes a deformation area and a fixed area, wherein the guide area is on the side facing the first chamber and is in the shape of a boss higher than the deformation area, the boss has a first height in the moving direction of the diaphragm and a first diameter in the maximum cross section perpendicular to the moving direction; the other side of the guide area is provided with a columnar protrusion extending toward the second chamber, the columnar protrusion has a second height in the moving direction of the diaphragm and a second diameter in the cross section perpendicular to the moving direction, wherein the second height is greater than the first height and the second diameter is less than the first diameter. The center hole passes through the boss and the columnar protrusion, and the hole wall is sleeved on the transmission column; the fixed area is located at the edge of the diaphragm and fixed on the valve cavity wall; the deformation area is located between the guide area and the fixed area.

[0016] The diameter of the first support ring is greater than the second diameter, and the first elastic part is sleeved on the periphery of the columnar protrusion to support the guide area; and / or the diameter of the second support ring is greater than or equal to the first diameter, and the second elastic part is supported at the deformation area or at the junction of the guide area and the deformation area.

[0017] In order to further optimize the control of the force level of the diaphragm valve during pressurized air extraction and negative pressure air replenishment, the limiting structure includes a first limiting part and a second limiting part; the first limiting part limits the relative position of the first compression spring to the axis of the transmission column, and or the maximum compression length of the first compression spring when the guide area moves; the second limiting part limits the relative position of the second compression spring to the axis of the transmission column, and or the maximum compression length of the second compression spring when the guide area moves.

[0018] Specifically, the first limiting portion includes a limiting column, the limiting column extends between the bottom wall of the second chamber and the transmission column, at least a portion of the first compression spring is sleeved on the side wall of the limiting column, the top surface of the limiting column is opposite to the guide area, and a sealing line may be provided on the top surface, when the center hole abuts against the top surface of the limiting column, the current displacement of the guide area is the maximum stroke that it can move relative to the transmission column. Specifically, the maximum stroke is less than 2 mm.

[0019] The second limiting portion includes a limiting boss which is annular or arranged in a roughly annular shape, and the limiting boss includes a baffle and a lifting surface extending from the bottom wall of the second chamber toward the diaphragm, the extension height of the baffle is greater than the extension height of the lifting surface, at least a portion of the side surface of the second compression spring abuts against the baffle, and at least a portion of a supporting end of the second compression spring abuts against the lifting surface.

[0020] The limit structure provided in the present application can improve the stability of the elastic mechanism and effectively prevent the position displacement of the elastic mechanism when it is deformed by force. In addition, during the production and debugging stage, the force applied by the elastic mechanism to the diaphragm can be adjusted by adjusting the height of the top surface of the limit column and the lifting surface, which is convenient for technicians to debug the function of the diaphragm valve and analyze the force. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of an existing ink cartridge.

[0022] Figure 2 It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an existing ink cartridge.

[0023] Figure 3 The figure is a schematic diagram of the structure of a valve assembly of an existing ink cartridge.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a working principle diagram of the printer for this application.

[0025] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the principle of pressurizing and exhausting the ink cartridge in one embodiment of the present application.

[0027] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the negative pressure air replenishment of the ink cartridge in one embodiment of the present application.

[0028] Figure 8 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of an initial state of a diaphragm valve according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0029] Fig. 9 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the working state of a diaphragm valve according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0030] Fig.10 for Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the structure of the diaphragm in the top view.

[0031] Fig.11 This is a schematic diagram of the elastic mechanism structure of another embodiment of the present application.

[0032] Fig.12 A schematic cross-sectional view of a diaphragm provided in one embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present application more clearly understood, the present application is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and are not used to limit the present application.

[0034] In the description of this application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance; unless otherwise specified or explained, the term "plurality" refers to two or more; the terms "connection", "abutment", "fixation", "stuck", "set", etc. should be understood in a broad sense, for example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, an integral connection, or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0035] In the description of this specification, it should be understood that the directional words such as "upper" and "lower" described in the embodiments of the present application are described at the angles shown in the accompanying drawings and should not be understood as limitations on the embodiments of the present application. In addition, in the context, it should also be understood that when it is mentioned that an element is connected to another element "upper" or "lower", it can not only be directly connected to another element "upper" or "lower", but also indirectly connected to another element "upper" or "lower" through an intermediate element.

[0036] Figure 4The working principle diagram of the printer of the present application. The printer includes an ink management system and one or more drivers 4 and a controller 5. The ink management system also includes a print head assembly 2 and a pump 3. The print head assembly 2 includes an air management system and a print head. The ink cartridge 1 is detachably installed in the ink management system. The driver 4 can be one or more driving mechanisms that drive the mechanical movement in the printer, such as a motor. The controller 5 is used to control the print head to spray the ink stored in the ink cartridge 1 onto the medium as needed. The air management system is responsible for collecting bubbles and eliminating the interference of bubbles on the smoothness of printing. The pump 3 is connected to the ink cartridge 1 through a relatively movable flexible tube, and is connected continuously or at discrete times as needed to provide a certain amount of fluid such as gas to pump the ink in the ink cartridge 1 into the print head assembly 2, and at the same time recover the air accumulated in the print head assembly 2.

[0037] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the decomposition structure of an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 5 As shown, the body of the ink cartridge 1 includes a shell 6 and a cover 7. The cover 7 is generally welded to the shell 6 to form an ink storage chamber for containing ink. The ink outlet 10 is arranged on the side wall of the shell 6. The ink outlet 10 is provided with a sealing ring 11 for opening or closing the ink outlet 10 so as to connect or disconnect the ink storage chamber with the printer. The air filling port 9 is arranged on the side wall of the shell 6 adjacent to the ink outlet 10. The ink cartridge 1 can be provided with a chip 8, and the chip 8 can contact with the corresponding contact unit in the printer to realize the transmission and interconnection of information. A track groove is provided on the bottom wall of the ink cartridge 1, and the track groove can cooperate with the corresponding track guide in the printer carriage so that the ink cartridge can be detachably installed in the printer carriage. The chip 8, the air filling port 9 and the ink outlet 10 are centrally arranged on the same side wall of the ink cartridge 1, which saves operating space, facilitates the optimization of the internal structure, and increases the capacity of the ink storage chamber.

[0038] Figure 6 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the ink cartridge pressurization and degassing in one embodiment of the present application. Figure 6 As shown, when the ink cartridge 1 is first installed on the printer carriage or the printer performs deep cleaning on the print head assembly 2, the printer pump 3 will establish a fluid connection with the air filling port 9, and the printer driver drives the pump 3 to inflate the ink cartridge 1, forcing the ink in the ink storage chamber to flow out from the ink outlet 10 under a pressurized state to achieve ink flow. The outflowing ink is transported to the print head assembly 2, and the air management system in the print head assembly 2 is responsible for collecting the air in the ink. When the pump 3 disconnects the fluid connection with the air filling port 9 and the ink storage chamber returns to the air pressure balance state, the air collected by the print head assembly 2 will be recovered into the ink cartridge 1 through the ink outlet 10. If the air in the print head assembly 2 cannot be discharged smoothly, the air will occupy the ink space in the print head assembly 2, causing the print head assembly 2 to malfunction.

[0039] Figure 7FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the ink cartridge negative pressure air replenishment in one embodiment of the present application. Figure 7 As shown, after the printer pump 3 is evacuated, the air filling port 9 will be connected to the atmosphere. As the ink is continuously consumed during the printing process, negative pressure is generated inside the ink storage chamber, and air enters the ink cartridge through the air filling hole 9 to maintain the air pressure balance of the ink storage chamber. If the negative pressure inside the ink storage chamber is too large, the passage connecting the air filling port 9 and the ink storage chamber will be closed, and the ink in the ink storage chamber cannot flow out stably, which will cause ink interruption during printing. If the negative pressure inside the ink storage chamber is too small or disappears when the ink cartridge 1 is stationary, the ink in the ink storage chamber will accumulate at the print head through the ink outlet 10 due to unbalanced force, which will cause mixed colors or lack of colors during printing.

[0040] In order to stabilize the negative pressure balance in the ink cartridge, a diaphragm valve 16 is provided in the ink storage chamber of the ink cartridge 1 of this embodiment. The diaphragm valve 16 connects the inflation port 9 and the ink outlet 10, and completes ink discharge and air extraction through large deformation and displacement of the internal diaphragm, and realizes air replenishment and negative pressure through small deformation and displacement of the diaphragm.

[0041] refer to Figure 8 and Fig. 9 , Figure 8 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the initial state of a diaphragm valve according to an embodiment of the present application, Fig. 9 It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the working state of the diaphragm valve of an embodiment of the present application. The diaphragm valve 16 includes a valve cavity 61, a diaphragm 62, an elastic mechanism 63 and a limiting structure 64. The valve cavity 61 is formed by the valve cover 110 and the valve seat 120, and the valve seat 120 is fixed on the housing 6. The valve cover 110 can be integrally formed with the face cover 7, or it can be an independent cover member covered on the valve seat 120. A transmission column 140 is provided at the center of the valve cavity 61, and a center hole A is provided at the center of the diaphragm 62. The center hole A is sleeved on the transmission column 140. The diaphragm 62 divides the valve cavity 61 into a first chamber 611 and a second chamber 612, wherein the first chamber 611 is connected to the inflation port and can accommodate air, and the second chamber 612 is connected to the ink storage cavity through the fluid port 6121 and can accommodate ink.

[0042] Fig.10 yes Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the structure of the diaphragm in the top view. Fig.10As shown, the diaphragm 62 includes a guide area B, a deformation area C and a fixed area D. The guide area B is the central area of ​​the diaphragm 62 distributed with the central hole A as the center of the circle. The fixed area D is the edge of the diaphragm 62. The fixed area D can be fixed on the valve cavity wall. For the convenience of assembly, preferably, the fixed area D can be fixed between the valve seat 120 and the valve cover 110. When the valve seat 120 and the valve cover 110 are fixedly connected by welding, screwing, gluing, riveting or clamping, the fixed area D is fixed on the valve cavity wall. The deformation area C is located between the guide area B and the fixed area D. Compared with the guide area B and the fixed area D, the deformation area C of the diaphragm 62 is more prone to self-deformation.

[0043] In one embodiment of the present application, the elastic mechanism 63 is located in the second chamber 612, one end of which is sleeved or clamped on the limiting structure 64, and the other end of which is in contact with the diaphragm 62. The elastic mechanism 63 includes a first elastic part and a second elastic part, and the support area surrounded by the support ring of the first elastic part at the contact with the diaphragm 62 is S1, and the support area surrounded by the support ring of the second elastic part at the contact with the diaphragm 62 is S2, and the support area S1 is smaller than the support area S2.

[0044] At least one of the transmission column and the diaphragm is provided with a transmission channel capable of transmitting gas. The transmission channel 141 of this embodiment is opened on the transmission column 140, and the diaphragm 62 can slide relative to the transmission column 140 in response to the pressure difference between the first chamber 611 and the second chamber 612. For details, please refer to Figure 8 and Fig. 9 The center hole A is interference fit with the outer wall of the transmission column 140. When the air pressure value of the first chamber 611 is greater than the pressure value of the second chamber 612, the diaphragm 62 can be deformed toward the second chamber 612, and the guide area B slides along the transmission column 140 toward the bottom wall of the valve chamber, the elastic mechanism 63 is compressed and energy is stored, the transmission channel is opened, connecting the first chamber and the second chamber, and the air is replenished into the ink cartridge through the transmission channel 141; when the air pressure value in the first chamber 611 decreases, the air is discharged to the outside of the ink cartridge through the transmission channel 141, the elastic potential energy of the elastic mechanism 63 is released, and the guide area B slides along the transmission column 140 toward the first chamber 611, so that the diaphragm 62 is reset, the transmission channel 141 is closed, and the connection between the first chamber and the second chamber is disconnected.

[0045] In another embodiment, the limiting structure 64 includes a first limiting portion and a second limiting portion, wherein the first limiting portion includes a limiting column 641, the limiting column 641 extends between the bottom wall of the second chamber and the transmission column 140, and the cross section of the limiting column 641 is larger than the cross section of the transmission column 140 and the opening area of ​​the central hole A, so that the limiting column 641 forms a top surface 410 at the junction with the transmission column 140, the top surface 410 faces the diaphragm 62, and a sealing line may be provided on the top surface 410. The height of the limiting column 641 (the height of the top surface 410 from the bottom wall of the second chamber) is smaller than the height of the elastic mechanism 63 in the natural state.

[0046] When the ink cartridge is negatively charged, the guide area B moves along the transmission column 140 toward the second chamber 612. When the center hole abuts against the top surface of the limit column (such as Fig. 9 As shown in the figure, the guide area B will be blocked by the top surface 410 of the limit column 641 and stop moving, that is, the current displacement of the guide area B is the maximum travel it can move relative to the transmission column 140. It can be seen that the height of the limit column 641 will limit the height of the transmission column 140, and further limit the maximum travel of the guide area B and the maximum compression amount of the elastic mechanism 63. For example, increasing the height of the first limit boss will lead to a decrease in the height of the transmission column, which will indirectly lead to a smaller effective travel of the guide area B on the transmission column 140, and a smaller compression stroke of the first elastic part. By reducing the effective stroke, the opening time of the transmission channel 141 can be reduced to prevent the disappearance of negative pressure caused by excessive air replenishment. By reducing the effective compression amount of the elastic part, a smaller force is obtained to prevent the transmission channel 141 from failing to open and replenish air. It can be seen that the provision of the first limit portion facilitates the functional debugging and force analysis of the ink cartridge during production testing.

[0047] The second limiting portion can be an annular limiting boss, or can be formed by at least two limiting bumps arranged along a virtual ring, which can limit the relative position of the second elastic part to the axis of the transmission column 140 to prevent the second elastic part from being offset when deformed by force. Figure 8 and Fig. 9 As shown, the limiting boss 642 includes a baffle 411 and a lifting surface 412 extending from the bottom wall of the second chamber 612 toward the diaphragm 62, the extension height of the baffle 411 is greater than the extension height of the lifting surface 412, and the baffle 411 abuts at least a portion of the side surface of the second elastic part, thereby limiting the relative position of the second elastic part from the axis of the transmission column 140. One end of the second elastic part abuts the diaphragm 62, and the other end abuts the lifting surface 412, so that the height of the lifting surface 412 will affect the maximum compression distance of the second elastic part.

[0048] In a preferred embodiment, the height of the lifting surface 412 from the bottom wall of the second chamber does not exceed the length when the second elastic part is fully compressed, and is less than the height of the limiting column 641. Therefore, when the guide area B will be blocked by the top surface 410 of the limiting column 641 and stop moving, the second elastic part can continue to deform, avoiding that the pressure on the diaphragm in the second chamber is always less than the pressure on the diaphragm in the first chamber, which is conducive to the rebound of the diaphragm 62.

[0049] refer to Figure 8 and Fig. 9 In one embodiment of the present application, the first elastic part of the elastic mechanism 63 is a first compression spring 631. The first compression spring 631 takes the transmission column 140 as the central axis, one end of which abuts against the diaphragm 62, and the other end is sleeved on the side wall of the limiting column 641 and positioned by the first limiting portion. The second elastic part is a second compression spring 632. The inner diameter of the second compression spring 632 is larger than the outer diameter of the first compression spring 631. Similarly, the second compression spring 632 takes the transmission column 140 as the central axis, one end of which abuts or is connected to the second limiting portion of the limiting structure 64 on the bottom wall of the valve chamber, and the other end of which abuts against the diaphragm 62. The support ring of the first compression spring 631 abutting against the diaphragm 62 has a first support ring diameter L1, and the support ring of the second compression spring 632 abutting against the diaphragm 62 has a second support ring diameter L2, and the second support ring diameter L2 is larger than the first support ring diameter L1. In a preferred embodiment, the second support ring diameter L2 is at least 1.5 times the first support ring diameter L1.

[0050] The elastic mechanism provided in the present application has two supporting points (contact or lifting range) of different areas acting on the surface of the diaphragm 62, which can effectively maintain the force balance of the diaphragm 62 and avoid hysteresis or jamming of the diaphragm during movement. And by adjusting the elastic coefficients of the first compression spring 631 and the second compression spring 632 respectively and configuring them to the same or different values, the air pressure balance in the valve cavity can be adjusted more accurately. The working process of the elastic mechanism 63 of this embodiment will be described in detail below.

[0051] When the printer pump 3 inflates the air into the inflation port 9, the large-diameter support ring of the second compression spring 632 provides a support range farther from the center hole A. The diaphragm 62 will not touch the bottom wall of the valve chamber under the support of the second compression spring 632. When the printer pump 3 stops inflating, the diaphragm 62 can quickly return to its initial position under the restoring force of the second compression spring 632, thereby avoiding the failure of re-inflation due to excessive deformation of the diaphragm 62 when the printer pump 3 is inflated again.

[0052] When the ink cartridge 1 supplies ink to the print head assembly 2, the deformation area C deforms first, and the guide area B is further deformed as the ink decreases, and finally the center hole A slides along the transmission column 140. The sliding causes the first compression spring 631 and the second compression spring 632 to be slightly compressed. When the restoring force generated by the compression is greater than the fluid pressure, the elastic component 63 lifts the diaphragm 62 to quickly return to its original position, and the ink cartridge completes the air replenishment during the sliding of the diaphragm 62. At the same time, the large-diameter support ring generated by the second compression spring provides a support range far from the center hole A, which can effectively prevent the center hole A from deforming, and thus prevent the center hole A of the diaphragm 62 from getting stuck during the sliding process along the transmission column 140.

[0053] When the ink cartridge 1 continuously supplies a large amount of ink to the print head assembly 2, the deformation area C pulls the guide area B to deform, and finally the columnar protrusion 622 of the diaphragm 62 abuts against the limit structure 64, and the guide area B slides along the transmission column 140 over the maximum stroke H (also called the effective stroke). At this time, the first compression spring 631 is no longer compressed, and the second compression spring 632 continues to be compressed. When the restoring force of the second compression spring 632 is greater than the fluid pressure, the second compression spring 632 and the first compression spring 631 successively lift the diaphragm 62 to quickly return to its original position, and the diaphragm 62 completes the air replenishment during the sliding process. The effective compression stroke of the second compression spring 632 (the maximum compression length of the second compression spring 632 during operation) is greater than the effective compression stroke of the first compression spring 631 (the maximum compression length of the first compression spring 631 during operation), avoiding the problem of insufficient restoring force of the diaphragm 62 when the ink is continuously supplied in large quantities. After repeated tests and verifications, the effective compression stroke of the first compression spring 631 should be less than 2 mm, and 1 mm is the best value.

[0054] Fig.11 6 is a schematic diagram of the elastic mechanism structure of another embodiment of the present application. The difference between this embodiment and the above embodiment is that the specific structure of the elastic mechanism 63 is different. Unless otherwise specified, the ink cartridge structure provided in this embodiment is the same as the ink cartridge structure in the above embodiment. Fig.11 As shown, the elastic mechanism of this embodiment is a special-shaped compression spring 633, which includes a first compression spring part 331 in the shape of a spiral disk and a second compression spring part 332 in the shape of a spiral column. The first compression spring part 331 includes an inner support ring with a radius of R1 and an outer support ring with a radius of R3, and the second compression spring part 332 includes an upper support ring with a radius of R2 and a lower support ring with a radius of R4.

[0055] The special-shaped compression spring 633 is sleeved on the limiting structure 64 with the transmission column 140 as the axis, and the outer support ring of the first compression spring part 331 is connected or connected or integrally formed with the upper support ring of the second compression spring part 332. The inner support ring of the first compression spring part 331 abuts against the diaphragm 62. The lower support ring of the second compression spring part 332 abuts or is connected to the limiting structure 64, and the upper support ring abuts against the diaphragm 62. Among them, the radius R2 of the upper support ring of the second compression spring part 332 is greater than the radius R1 of the inner support ring of the first compression spring part 331. Preferably, R2 is at least 1.5 times R1.

[0056] The special-shaped compression spring 633 provided in this embodiment has two supporting points (contact or lifting range) of different areas on the surface of the diaphragm, which can effectively maintain the force balance of the diaphragm 62 and avoid hysteresis or jamming of the diaphragm during movement, and has the same beneficial effects as the aforementioned implementation. In addition, the two compression springs of the first compression spring 631 and the second compression spring 632 are integrated into one special-shaped compression spring 633, which can effectively simplify the ink cartridge production process and save production and material costs. In the natural state of the elastic mechanism, the inner support ring of the first compression spring part 331 can be located on the same plane as the upper support ring of the second compression spring part 332.

[0057] Since the weight of the diaphragm 62 in the guide area is heavier than that in the deformation area, in order to better abut and seal the boss, in another embodiment, the first compression spring part 331 can be a conical spring, that is, in the natural state of the compression spring, the plane where the inner support ring R2 of the first compression spring part 331 is located is higher than the plane where the upper support ring R3 of the second compression spring part 332 is located. The elastic coefficients of the first compression spring part and the second compression spring part can be the same or different.

[0058] Fig.12 Schematic diagram of a cross-sectional view of a diaphragm provided in one embodiment of the present application. Fig.12 As shown, on the side of the diaphragm 62 facing the first chamber 611, the guide area B is a boss 621 higher than the deformation area C, so that the diaphragm thickness H1 of the guide area B is greater than the diaphragm thickness of the deformation area C, and the deformation area C is deformed first when the diaphragm 62 is subjected to force. The boss 621 has a first diameter D1 with the center hole A as the center of the circle on the maximum cross section perpendicular to the extension direction of the transmission column 140. Preferably, the first diameter D1 is less than 1 / 2 of the diaphragm diameter. The end surface of the boss 621 facing the valve cover can be a plane or a curved surface with a center higher than the surrounding area, as long as the end surface abuts against the limiting portion on the valve cover, a seal can be formed between the boss 621 and the limiting portion.

[0059] On the side of the diaphragm 62 facing the second chamber 612, a cylindrical protrusion 622 extending toward the second chamber 65 is provided on the guide area B. The extension height of the cylindrical protrusion 622 is H2, so that the height of the central hole A in the guide area is increased, and the diaphragm 62 is more stable when it is subjected to force and slides along the transmission column. The cylindrical protrusion 622 has a second diameter D2 with the central hole A as the center of the circle in a cross section perpendicular to the extension direction of the transmission column 140. The second diameter D2 is smaller than the first diameter D1. When the end surface of the cylindrical protrusion 622 facing the bottom wall of the valve cavity abuts against the limiting structure 64 on the bottom wall of the valve cavity, a seal is formed.

[0060] The central hole A of the diaphragm 62 is located at the center of the diaphragm, and passes through the boss 621 and the columnar protrusion 622. When the air pressure of the first chamber 611 is less than or equal to the pressure value of the second chamber 612, the guide area B is in the initial position, and the boss 621 abuts against the limiting part on the valve cover to form a seal; when the air pressure value of the first chamber 611 is greater than the pressure value of the second chamber 612, the guide area B slides along the transmission column 140 toward the bottom wall of the valve chamber, so that the boss 621 is separated from the limiting part on the valve cover, and the first chamber 611 and the second chamber 612 are connected through the transmission channel 141; the guide area B continues to slide, so that the columnar protrusion 622 abuts against the limiting structure 64 on the bottom wall of the valve chamber, and the connection between the first chamber 611 and the second chamber 612 is disconnected again.

[0061] If the thickness H1 of the diaphragm in the guide area B is too large, it may affect the overall flatness and sealing of the diaphragm 62 after installation, and reduce the amount of deformation and displacement. If the height H2 of the columnar protrusion 622 is too small, it may directly affect the difficulty of assembling the elastic mechanism and the stability after assembly, and indirectly reduce the fitting surface and friction between the center hole A and the transmission column 140. After repeated tests and verification, the difference between the effective length of the transmission column 140 that plays a mobile guiding role (excluding the part embedded in the valve cover during assembly) and the length L of the center hole A should be less than 2 mm. At this time, it can meet the sealing requirements in the balanced state and the rapid air replenishment and negative pressure maintenance of the ink cartridge during use.

[0062] On the other hand, in order to ensure the sealing performance between the boss 621 and the limiting portion on the valve cover in the initial equilibrium state, in a preferred embodiment, the first diameter D1 of the boss 621 is greater than the second diameter D2 of the columnar protrusion 622, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the boss 621 is greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the columnar protrusion 622, which can not only reduce the weight of the columnar protrusion 622 to avoid the guide area B being too heavy, but also increase the contact area between the boss 621 and the limiting portion on the valve cover to ensure the sealing performance. At the same time, the diaphragm thickness H1 of the guide area B is much smaller than the height H2 of the columnar protrusion 622, so that the increase in the cross-sectional area of ​​the boss 621 will not affect the diaphragm weight of the guide area B too much, and effectively avoid the vibration of the ink cartridge causing the boss 621 to separate from the limiting portion on the valve cover in the initial equilibrium state, and the ink in the second chamber 612 to leak into the first chamber 611.

[0063] At the same time, the elastic mechanism 63 forces the boss 621 to abut against the limiter on the valve cover by abutting against the diaphragm 62. Since the end face of the boss 621 is far away from the lower end face of the columnar protrusion 622, if the support ring of the elastic mechanism 63 abuts against the columnar protrusion 622, the elastic force loss of the elastic mechanism will be relatively large, and the compression length of the elastic mechanism will also be limited, which is easy to cause the problem of unstable abutment between the boss 621 and the limiter in the initial equilibrium state, thereby destroying the sealing of the first deformation chamber and causing ink to overflow from the transmission channel and pollute. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, one end of the first elastic part of the elastic mechanism 63 is sleeved on the periphery of the columnar protrusion 622, and its support ring directly abuts against the diaphragm surface on the back side of the boss 621. That is, the first support ring diameter L1 (or the inner support ring diameter of the first compression spring part 331) and the second diameter D2 of the first compression spring 631 can reduce the elastic force loss of the elastic mechanism and ensure that the first elastic part of the elastic mechanism has sufficient compression length.

[0064] As mentioned above, since the deformation area C of the diaphragm 62 is more prone to self-deformation than the guide area B, in a preferred embodiment, one end of the second elastic part of the elastic mechanism 63 is sleeved on the periphery of the first sleeved first elastic part, and its support ring abuts against the deformation area C, or the intersection of the guide area B and the deformation area C. That is, the second support ring diameter L2 of the second compression spring 632 (or the upper support ring diameter of the second compression spring part 332) is greater than or equal to the first diameter D1. Therefore, when the printer pump 3 stops inflating, the second elastic part can more directly give the deformation area C a restoring force, stabilize the deformation and reset at the deformation area C.

[0065] The "circle diameter", "support circle", "pressed and combined" and the like used in the specific implementation of the utility model are all conventional technical terms in the field of springs and should be understood in a broad sense. For example, the support circle is a circle that is pressed tightly at both ends of the spring and does not participate in deformation. For a spring whose two ends are not tightly combined, the support circle is a flattened circle. The above are only preferred specific implementations of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily thought of by any technician familiar with the technical field within the technical scope disclosed in the present application should be covered within the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. An ink cartridge, which is detachably arranged in an imaging device having an air supply mechanism, characterized in that: The ink cartridge comprises a cartridge body and a diaphragm valve; the cartridge body has an ink storage cavity, the diaphragm valve is arranged in the ink storage cavity, and an outer wall of the cartridge body is provided with an ink outlet and an air charging port; The diaphragm valve comprises a valve cavity, a diaphragm, an elastic mechanism and a limiting structure; A transmission column is fixed in the valve cavity, and at least one of the transmission column and the diaphragm is provided with a transmission channel; the central hole of the diaphragm passes through the transmission column and divides the valve cavity into a first chamber and a second chamber that are independent of each other, the first chamber is communicated with the air charging port, and the second chamber is communicated with the ink storage cavity; The elastic mechanism is positioned in the second chamber by the limiting structure with the transmission column as the central axis, and abuts against the diaphragm, wherein the elastic mechanism includes a first elastic part and a second elastic part, and the support area where the first elastic part abuts against the diaphragm is smaller than the support area where the second elastic part abuts against the diaphragm; The diaphragm includes a guide area distributed with the central hole as the center, and the guide area can respond to the pressure difference between the first chamber and the second chamber and move relative to the transmission column to connect or disconnect the connection between the first chamber and the second chamber.

2. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first elastic part is a first compression spring, and the contact position between the first compression spring and the diaphragm has a first support circle diameter; the second elastic part is a second compression spring, and the contact position between the second compression spring and the diaphragm has a second support circle diameter; the first support circle diameter is smaller than the second support circle diameter.

3. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic mechanism is a special-shaped compression spring, the first elastic part is the first part of the special-shaped compression spring, and has a first support circle diameter at the contact position with the diaphragm; the second elastic part is the second part of the special-shaped compression spring, and has a second support circle diameter at the contact position with the diaphragm; The first support ring diameter is smaller than the second support ring diameter.

4. The ink cartridge according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first elastic portion is in a spiral disk shape, including an inner support ring and an outer support ring, and the contact position between the inner support ring and the diaphragm has a first support ring diameter; The second elastic part is in the shape of a spiral column, and comprises an upper support ring and a lower support ring, and the contact position between the upper support ring and the diaphragm has a second support ring diameter; The outer support ring is connected or integrally formed with the upper support ring, and the diameter of the first support ring is smaller than the diameter of the second support ring.

5. The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that: The diaphragm further comprises a deformation region and a fixing region, wherein: The side of the guide area facing the first chamber includes a boss higher than the deformation area, the boss has a first height in the moving direction of the diaphragm, and the boss has a first diameter in the maximum cross section perpendicular to the moving direction; A columnar protrusion extending toward the second chamber is provided on the other side of the guide area, the columnar protrusion has a second height in the moving direction of the diaphragm, and the columnar protrusion has a second diameter in a cross section perpendicular to the moving direction; wherein the second height is greater than the first height, and the second diameter is smaller than the first diameter; The central hole passes through the boss and the columnar protrusion, and the hole wall is sleeved on the transmission column; The fixing area is located at the edge of the diaphragm and is fixed on the valve cavity wall; The deformation area is located between the guide area and the fixing area.

6. The ink cartridge according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first support ring diameter is greater than the second diameter, and / or the second support ring diameter is greater than or equal to the first diameter.

7. The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The limiting structure includes a first limiting portion and a second limiting portion; The first limiting portion defines a relative position of the first elastic portion from the transmission column, and / or a maximum stroke of the first elastic portion when the guide area moves; The second limiting portion defines the relative position of the second elastic portion from the axis of the transmission column, and / or the maximum compression length of the second elastic portion.

8. The ink cartridge according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first limiting portion includes a limiting column, which extends between the bottom wall of the second chamber and the transmission column. At least a portion of the first elastic portion is sleeved on the limiting column. The top surface of the limiting column faces the guide area. When the center hole abuts against the top surface of the limiting column, the displacement of the guide area is the maximum stroke that it can move relative to the transmission column.

9. The ink cartridge according to claim 7, characterized in that: The second limiting portion includes a limiting boss which is annular or arranged in a roughly annular shape, and the limiting boss includes a baffle and a lifting surface extending from the bottom wall of the second chamber toward the diaphragm, the extension height of the baffle is greater than the extension height of the lifting surface, at least a portion of the side surface of the second elastic part abuts against the baffle, and at least a portion of a supporting end of the second elastic part abuts against the lifting surface.

10. The ink cartridge according to claim 8, characterized in that: The maximum travel by which the guide area can move relative to the transfer column is less than 2 mm.

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