Ink agitation device and ink jet printer comprising the same

Abstract

To provide an ink agitation device which eliminates ink settling more reliably.SOLUTION: An ink agitation device 50 comprises: a mounting stand 53 which supports an ink cartridge 50a; and an oscillation mechanism 52 which is connected to the mounting stand 53, and oscillates the mounting stand 53 in at least a vertical direction. The mounting stand 53 is oscillated by the oscillation mechanism 52, and ink in the ink cartridge 50a is vertically oscillated by the vertical oscillation of the mounting stand 53. At this time, settled ink particles move upward, and the ink is agitated, and thus, the ink in the ink cartridge 50a is agitated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5A

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an ink stirring device and an ink jet printer equipped with the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a stirring kit is known that describes a stirring method for a solvent containing particles that may settle, which is used in an inkjet printer or the like. Patent Document 1 discloses a stirring kit that includes an information-writing medium and a liquid container. The liquid container contains a solvent containing particles that may settle. The liquid container is, for example, an ink cartridge mounted in a printer. The solvent is, for example, ink used in the printer. The information-writing medium describes a stirring method for a user to shake the ink cartridge by hand and stir the ink. The stirring method includes, for example, the time for shaking the ink cartridge by hand. The user can stir the ink and eliminate the settling of the ink by checking and executing the stirring method described in the information-writing medium. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-173288 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with a mixing kit such as that shown in Patent Document 1, for example, there is a risk that a user may misread the mixing method and execute an incorrect mixing method. When ink is stirred using an incorrect mixing method, there is a possibility that ink settling will not be resolved. If a printer prints with ink in a settled state, ink will not be ejected at an appropriate concentration, and the image quality of the printed matter may deteriorate, or the ink head that ejects the ink may become clogged.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ink agitation device that more reliably prevents ink settling. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention is an ink stirring device that stirs an ink container filled with ink used in a printer, and is equipped with a mounting stand on which the ink container is placed, and a vibration mechanism connected to the mounting stand and vibrating the mounting stand at least in the vertical direction.

[0007] According to this ink stirring device, the ink container is placed on the mounting table. The vibration mechanism is connected to the mounting table and vibrates the mounting table in an up-down direction. When the mounting table vibrates in an up-down direction, the ink filled in the ink container vibrates in an up-down direction. As the ink vibrates in an up-down direction, the ink particles that have settled move upward within the ink container. This makes it possible to eliminate the settling of the ink. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an ink agitation device that more reliably eliminates ink sedimentation. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of a printer according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of an ink stirring device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view of an ink stirring device according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4(a) is a graph showing the change in rotation speed of the rotating shaft with respect to time, and FIG. 4(b) is a graph showing the change in vibration frequency of the mounting table with respect to time. [Figure 5A]13 is a diagram showing the ink agitation device when the ball joint is located at the lowest position in the up-down direction. FIG. [Figure 5B] 13 is a diagram showing the ink agitation device when the ball joint is positioned at the uppermost position in the up-down direction. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view of an ink stirring device according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of an inkjet printer according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiment described here is, of course, not intended to limit the present invention in any particular way. Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used for members and parts that perform the same functions, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a front view of an inkjet printer (hereinafter referred to as printer 10) according to this embodiment. The printer 10 prints on a recording medium 5. In the following description, when the printer 10 is viewed from the front, the side away from the printer 10 is the front, and the side approaching the printer 10 is the rear. The terms left, right, top, and bottom refer to the left, right, top, and bottom of the printer 10 when viewed from the front. Also, the symbols F, Rr, L, R, U, and D in the drawings refer to the front, back, left, right, top, and bottom, respectively. Also, the symbol Y in the drawings indicates the main scanning direction. Here, the main scanning direction Y is the left-right direction. The symbol X (see FIG. 2) indicates the sub-scanning direction. Here, the sub-scanning direction X is the front-rear direction, and is perpendicular to the main scanning direction Y in a plan view. The symbol Z indicates the up-down direction. The up-down direction Z is perpendicular to the main scanning direction Y in a front view. However, the above directions are merely defined for the convenience of explanation, and do not limit the installation mode of the printer 10 or the present invention in any way.

[0012] The recording medium 5 is, for example, recording paper. However, the recording medium 5 is not limited to recording paper. For example, the recording medium 5 includes relatively thick materials such as a sheet made of a resin material such as PVC or polyester, a metal plate made of aluminum or iron, a glass plate, or a wooden plate.

[0013] 1, the printer 10 includes a device body 12, a platen 18, and legs 19. The device body 12 includes a base member 13 and a body case 15 attached to the base member 13. The legs 19 are attached to the lower part of the base member 13. The legs 19 support the base member 13. The base member 13 extends in the main scanning direction Y.

[0014] The platen 18 is a member that supports the recording medium 5 when printing on the recording medium 5. The recording medium 5 is placed on the platen 18. Printing on the recording medium 5 is performed on the platen 18. The platen 18 extends in the main scanning direction Y. The platen 18 is provided on the base member 13. The platen 18 is located in the center of the base member 13 in the main scanning direction Y.

[0015] The printer 10 includes a carriage 40, a head moving mechanism 20, a medium transport mechanism 30, and an ink stirring device 50. The carriage 40 and the head moving mechanism 20 are housed in a main case 15. The head moving mechanism 20 is a mechanism for moving the carriage 40 in the main scanning direction Y. The head moving mechanism 20 includes a guide rail 21, a left pulley 22, a right pulley 23, a belt 24, and a carriage motor 25. The guide rail 21 guides the movement of the carriage 40 in the main scanning direction Y. The guide rail 21 is disposed above the platen 18. The guide rail 21 is provided on the base member 13. The guide rail 21 extends in the main scanning direction Y. The left pulley 22 is provided to the left of the left end of the guide rail 21. The right pulley 23 is provided to the right of the right end of the guide rail 21. The belt 24 is wound around the left pulley 22 and the right pulley 23. A carriage motor 25 is connected to the left pulley 22. However, the carriage motor 25 may be connected to the right pulley 23. When the carriage motor 25 is driven and the left pulley 22 rotates, the belt 24 runs between the left pulley 22 and the right pulley 23. The carriage motor 25 is electrically connected to the control device 90 and is controlled by the control device 90. The carriage 40 is attached to the belt 24. The carriage 40 engages with the guide rail 21 and is provided on the guide rail 21 so as to be freely slidable thereon. The belt 24 runs when the carriage motor 25 is driven, and the carriage 40 moves in the main scanning direction Y. However, the configuration of the head moving mechanism 20 is not limited to this.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 includes a plurality of ink heads 45 mounted on a carriage 40. The ink heads 45 move in the main scanning direction Y in accordance with the movement of the carriage 40. The plurality of ink heads 45 are aligned in the main scanning direction Y. Here, the plurality of ink heads 45 are formed to have the same shape and the same size. The ink heads 45 eject ink. The ink heads 45 have a nozzle row aligned in the sub-scanning direction X and configured with a plurality of nozzles (not shown) that eject ink. For example, one ink head 45 has a plurality of (for example, two) nozzle rows aligned in the main scanning direction Y. The ink ejected from the ink heads 45 is not particularly limited. The ink ejected from the ink heads 45 may be, for example, a solvent-based pigment ink, a water-based ink, a photocurable ink (for example, an ultraviolet-curable pigment ink that is cured by receiving ultraviolet light, so-called UV ink), or the like. The color of the ink is also not limited. The ink may be, for example, a process color ink for image formation such as CMYK, or may be a primer ink or white ink for pretreatment to form a base or lining for the image. The ink may be a gloss ink (transparent ink) or metallic ink for imparting gloss to the surface of the image. Printing is performed on the recording medium 5 by ejecting ink from each of the multiple ink heads 45 onto the recording medium 5.

[0017] The printer 10 is provided with an ink path 47 that connects the ink head 45 and an ink cartridge 50a, which will be described later. The ink path 47 forms a flow path that guides ink from the ink cartridge 50a to the ink head 45. The ink path 47 is flexible and elastically deformable. The configuration of the ink path 47 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, the ink path 47 is a tube made of resin that is easily deformed. However, the ink path 47 may be made of a material other than a tube. Also, a part of the ink path 47 may be made of a tube. Although not shown, the ink path 47 may be provided with a pump that sends ink, a valve that opens and closes the ink path 47, and the like.

[0018] The printer 10 includes a medium transport mechanism 30. The medium transport mechanism 30 is provided on the base member 13. The medium transport mechanism 30 is a mechanism for moving the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 18 in the sub-scanning direction X (see FIG. 2). The medium transport mechanism 30 includes a grit roller 31, a pinch roller 32, and a feed motor 33. The grit roller 31 is provided on the platen 18. Here, a part of the grit roller 31 protrudes from the platen 18. The pinch roller 32 is disposed above the grit roller 31 so as to face the grit roller 31 in the vertical direction. The pinch roller 32 is a member that presses the recording medium 5 from above. The feed motor 33 is connected to the grit roller 31. When the feed motor 33 is driven to rotate the grit roller 31 while the recording medium 5 is sandwiched between the grit roller 31 and the pinch roller 32, the recording medium 5 is transported in the sub-scanning direction X. However, the configuration of the medium transport mechanism 30 is not limited to this.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 includes an ink stirring device 50. The ink stirring device 50 is disposed in the upper left portion of the device main body 12. However, the location where the ink stirring device 50 is disposed is not limited to this position. The ink stirring device 50 and the ink cartridge 50a are stored in a cartridge holder 60. The cartridge holder 60 is a box-shaped member that opens to the front. As shown in FIG. 2, one ink cartridge 50a is attached to one ink stirring device 50. The ink cartridge 50a is detachably attached. The ink stirring device 50 is a device that vibrates the ink cartridge 50a and stirs the ink inside the ink cartridge 50a. The ink stirring device 50 includes a base 51, a vibration mechanism 52, a mounting base 53, a fulcrum portion 54, and a control device 90. In this embodiment, the number of ink stirring devices 50 and ink cartridges 50a is eight, but the number of ink stirring devices 50 and ink cartridges 50a is not particularly limited.

[0020] The ink cartridge 50a is a member in which ink is stored. The ink cartridge 50a is an example of an ink container in the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the ink cartridge 50a stores an ink pouch 50b in which ink is stored. The ink pouch 50b includes a main body portion 50ba that stores ink, and a supply port 50bb that connects the inside and outside of the main body portion 50ba. The main body portion 50ba has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the front-rear direction. The supply port 50bb is a connection port in the present invention. In this embodiment, the supply port 50bb supplies ink inside the main body portion 50ba to the ink path 47 (see FIG. 1). The ink pouch 50b is formed from a flexible material. Examples of flexible materials include resin materials such as polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate, and laminate films obtained by laminating aluminum foil.

[0021] The ink cartridge 50a includes a case 50c and a connecting member 50d. The case 50c is a member having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the length of the ink cartridge 50a in the vertical direction is H1. The length of the ink cartridge 50a in the left-right direction is W1 (see FIG. 3). In this embodiment, H1 is longer than W1. However, H1 may be shorter than W1. The case 50c is hollow inside, and the ink pouch 50b is accommodated inside the case 50c. The ink pouch 50b is arranged along the case 50c. Therefore, like the ink cartridge 50a, the ink pouch 50b is arranged so that the length in the vertical direction is longer than the length in the left-right direction. The connecting member 50d is attached to the rear end of the case 50c. The connection member 50d has a protrusion 50da to which one end of the ink path 47 (see FIG. 1) is connected, and a needle material 50db connected to a supply port 50bb of the ink pouch 50b. The protrusion 50da has an outlet (not shown) that communicates with the needle material 50db. The needle material 50db extends forward from the protrusion 50da and has a flow path therein through which the ink flows. When the needle material 50db is stuck into the supply port 50bb of the ink pouch 50b, the ink in the ink pouch 50b is supplied to the ink path 47. Therefore, in this embodiment, the ink is supplied to the ink path 47 at the rear end 53Rr of the mounting table.

[0022] The base 51 is a base for fixing the vibration mechanism 52 and placing the fulcrum part 54 thereon. The base 51 is a substantially L-shaped member formed by a bottom wall 51a extending in the front-rear direction and a vertical wall 51b extending vertically upward. A recess 51aa is formed near the rear end of the bottom wall 51a, recessed downward from an upper surface 51aF of the bottom wall 51a. A part of the fulcrum part 54 is stored in the recess 51aa. A motor 52a of the vibration mechanism 52, which will be described later, is fixed to the vertical wall 51b. The member forming the base 51 is not particularly limited.

[0023] The vibration mechanism 52 is a mechanism that vibrates the mounting table 53 at least in the vertical direction. Here, "vibration" refers to a reciprocating motion centered on a certain point. Since a combination of vertical vibration and horizontal vibration results in a circular motion, the circular motion is also included in the "vibration" in this specification. As shown in FIG. 2, the vibration mechanism 52 includes a motor 52a, a rotating plate 52b, and a ball joint 52c. The ball joint 52c is an example of a joint in the present invention.

[0024] The motor 52a is attached to the vertical wall 51b. The motor 52a includes a rotating shaft 52aa. The rotating shaft 52aa extends in the front-rear direction. In this specification, the front-rear direction is also referred to as the axial direction of the rotating shaft 52aa. The motor 52a is electrically connected to the control device 90 and is controlled by the control device 90. When the control device 90 drives the motor 52a, the rotating shaft 52aa rotates in the direction of the arrow M. The rotating direction of the rotating shaft 52aa may be opposite to the arrow M.

[0025] The rotating plate 52b is connected to the rear end of the rotating shaft 52aa so as to be rotatable together with the rotating shaft 52aa. The rotating plate 52b is a circular member when viewed from the axial direction of the rotating shaft 52aa. The rotating plate 52b is attached so that the radial direction of the rotating plate 52b is perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotating shaft 52aa. The rotating plate 52b is attached so that the rotating shaft 52aa is located at the center position in the radial direction. The material of the rotating plate 52b is not particularly limited, but is, for example, made of iron.

[0026] The ball joint 52c is attached to the rotating plate 52b. As shown in FIG. 3, the ball joint 52c includes an attachment portion 52ca, a movable portion 52cb, and a shaft 52cc. The attachment portion 52ca is attached to the rotating plate 52b. In the radial direction of the rotating plate 52b, the distance between the center position of the rotating shaft 52aa and the center position of the attachment portion 52ca of the ball joint 52c is L1. In this embodiment, the length of L1 is 1 mm to 6 mm. Therefore, the ball joint 52c is attached eccentrically with respect to the center of the rotating shaft 52aa. The movable portion 52cb has a ball (not shown) therein. The ball is connected to the front end of the shaft 52cc and is connected so as to be rotatable in the vertical and horizontal directions. Therefore, the rotation of the ball makes it possible to tilt the extension direction of the shaft 52cc in the vertical and horizontal directions. The shaft 52cc is an axis that connects the rotating plate 52b and the mounting table 53. In Fig. 3, the shaft 52cc extends in the front-rear direction. At this time, as shown in Fig. 2, the position of the ball joint 52c and the position of the center of the rotating shaft 52aa are aligned in the up-down direction. However, as described above, the direction in which the shaft 52cc extends changes as the ball of the movable part 52cb rotates. The rear end of the shaft 52cc is connected to a bearing 53a of the mounting table 53, which will be described later. Therefore, the ball joint 52c is connected to the rotating shaft 52aa via the rotating plate 52b.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 2, the mounting table 53 is a table on which the ink cartridge 50a is placed. The mounting table 53 is connected to the ball joint 52c of the vibration mechanism 52. The mounting table 53 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the front-rear direction. That is, the mounting table 53 extends in the axial direction of the rotation shaft 52aa. A bearing 53a is disposed at the front end 53F of the mounting table 53. The rear end of the shaft 52cc (see FIG. 3) of the ball joint 52c is connected to the bearing 53a. The configuration of the bearing 53a is not particularly limited, and for example, the bearing 53a is a ball bearing. The material forming the mounting table 53 is not particularly limited, and for example, it is made of iron. The rear end 53Rr of the mounting table 53 is supported by the fulcrum part 54.

[0028] The fulcrum part 54 supports the rear end part 53Rr of the mounting table 53 and is configured to be movable in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the fulcrum part 54 includes a spring 54a, a ball 54b, and a pivot bearing 54c. The spring 54a is a compression coil spring. A part of the spring 54a is stored in the recess 51aa of the table 51, and the other part is located above the upper surface 51aF of the bottom wall 51a. A ball 54b is placed on the upper end of the spring 54a. The ball 54b is, for example, a steel ball. The outer diameter of the ball 54b is larger than the inner diameter of the spring 54a. The ball 54b placed on the upper end of the spring 54a is partially located inside the spring 54a, and the other part is located above the spring 54a. The pivot bearing 54c is attached to the rear end part 53Rr of the mounting table 53. The pivot bearing 54c is embedded in the mounting base 53 so that its lower surface is exposed downward. The pivot bearing 54c includes an outer ring 54ca and a plurality of balls 54cb. The plurality of balls 54b are arranged so as to be in contact with the inner side of the outer ring 54ca. The plurality of balls 54cb are in contact with the balls 54b. Therefore, when the force acting downward on the rear end 53Rr of the mounting base 53 changes, the amount of extension of the spring 54a changes so that the force acting downward on the rear end 53Rr and the elastic force of the spring 54a are balanced. The number of the plurality of balls 54cb is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the spring constant of the spring 54a is set so that the mounting base 53 is approximately parallel to the axial direction of the rotation shaft 52aa when the center of the rotation shaft 52aa and the center of the ball joint 52c are aligned in the vertical direction. Although detailed illustration is omitted, in this embodiment, two fulcrum parts 54 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. However, the number of fulcrum parts 54 is not particularly limited.

[0029] The control device 90 is a device that controls the stirring of the ink contained in the ink cartridge 50a. In this embodiment, the control device 90 also serves as a device that controls printing on the recording medium 5 (see FIG. 1). However, the device that controls the stirring of the ink and the device that controls printing on the recording medium 5 may be different devices. The configuration of the control device 90 is not particularly limited. The control device 90 is, for example, a microcomputer. The hardware configuration of the microcomputer is not particularly limited, but includes, for example, an interface (I / F) that receives print data from an external device such as a host computer, a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and a storage device. As shown in FIG. 1, the control device 90 is provided inside the device main body 12. However, the control device 90 does not have to be provided inside the device main body 12. For example, the control device 90 may be a computer or the like installed outside the printer 10. In this case, the control device 90 is connected to a board (not shown) of the printer 10 via a wire or wirelessly so as to be able to communicate with it.

[0030] The control device 90 controls the motor 52a shown in FIG. 2. The control device 90 drives the motor 52a to vibrate the mounting table 53, thereby stirring the ink in the ink cartridge 50a. The control device 90 changes the frequency of vibration of the mounting table 53 by changing the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 52aa of the motor 52a. Here, the rotation speed refers to the number of times the rotating shaft 52aa rotates around the axial direction per minute. The control device 90 changes the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 52aa between 5 rotations / minute and 50 rotations / minute. The control device 90 changes the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 52aa of the motor 52a from 5 rotations / minute to 50 rotations / minute to 5 rotations / minute at a constant speed for 5 minutes. FIG. 4(a) is a graph showing the change in rotation speed over time when the control device 90 controls the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 52aa. The vertical axis of FIG. 4(a) indicates the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 52aa, and the horizontal axis indicates the time since the control device 90 drives the motor 52a. In FIG. 4(a), t1=5 minutes, t2=10 minutes, and t3=15 minutes. Also, R1=5 times / min, and R2=50 times / min. Therefore, the control device 90 changes the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 52aa of the motor 52a from 5 rotations / min to 50 rotations / min to 5 rotations / min every 5 minutes. If a series of changes in the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 52aa of the motor 52a from 5 rotations / min to 50 rotations / min to 5 rotations / min is considered as one set, as shown in FIG. 4(a), the control device 90 is set to change the rotation speed three sets. However, the control device 90 may be set to change the rotation speed three or more sets, or to change the rotation speed less than three sets. The control of changing the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 52aa by the above-mentioned method and vibrating the mounting table 53 is referred to as vibration control. FIG. 4(b) is a graph showing the change in the frequency of the vertical vibration of the mounting table 53 when the control device 90 controls the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 52aa as shown in FIG. 4(a). The vertical axis of FIG. 4(b) shows the frequency of the vertical vibration of the mounting table 53, and the horizontal axis shows the time after the control device 90 drives the motor 52a. The mounting table 53 vibrates in the vertical direction at a frequency of 5 Hz to 50 Hz. The frequency of the vibration of the mounting table 53 changes as shown in FIG. 4(b). In FIG. 4(b), F1=5 Hz, F2=50 Hz.As in FIG. 4(a), t1=5 minutes, t2=10 minutes, and t3=15 minutes. The frequency Fr shown in FIG. 4(b) is the resonance frequency of the ink inside the ink cartridge 50a. The "ink resonance frequency" is the resonance frequency when the ink cartridge 50a and the ink contained therein are regarded as a single entity, and varies depending on the remaining amount of ink contained in the ink cartridge 50a, etc. The resonance frequency Fr is a frequency greater than F1 and smaller than F2. In this embodiment, the resonance frequency Fr is a frequency around 30 Hz.

[0031] The control device 90 is set to perform vibration control at least once a day. The control device 90 is set to perform vibration control, for example, during nighttime cleaning of the printer 10. In this embodiment, the time when the control device 90 performs vibration control is set in advance. However, the time when the vibration control is performed is not particularly limited. The vibration control may be performed by the user inputting an instruction to perform the vibration control to the control device 90. The vibration control may be performed more than once a day. When the ink contained inside the ink pouch 50b (see FIG. 2) is prone to settling, for example, when the ink contained in the ink pouch 50b is white ink, the vibration control may be performed multiple times a day.

[0032] The configuration of the printer 10 according to this embodiment has been described above. Next, the operation of stirring the ink by the ink stirring device 50 of the printer 10 will be described.

[0033] The control device 90 starts vibration control at a preset time. The control device 90 changes the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 52aa as shown in FIG. 4(a). At this time, as shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, a circular motion is given to the front end 53F of the mounting table 53 connected to the vibration mechanism 52. FIG. 5A is a diagram showing the ink stirring device when the ball joint 52c is disposed at the lowest position in the vertical direction. FIG. 5B is a diagram showing the ink stirring device when the ball joint 52c is disposed at the highest position in the vertical direction. At this time, when focusing on the vertical movement of the mounting table 53, the mounting table 53 vibrates in the vertical direction. The frequency of the vibration of the mounting table 53 changes at a constant speed between 5 Hz and 50 Hz as shown in FIG. 4(b). As shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, the front end 53F of the mounting table 53 is connected to the ball joint 52c, and therefore moves following the movement of the shaft 52cc of the ball joint 52c. At this time, the direction in which shaft 52cc of ball joint 52c extends changes in accordance with the vibration of mounting table 53. In Fig. 5A, shaft 52cc extends upward and rearward. In Fig. 5B, shaft 52cc extends downward and rearward. In the radial direction of rotating plate 52b, distance L1 (see Fig. 3) between the center position of rotating shaft 52aa and the center position of mounting portion 52ca of ball joint 52c is 1 mm to 6 mm, so that front end 53F of mounting table 53 vibrates in the range of 1 mm to 6 mm in the vertical direction from the center position of rotating shaft 52aa.

[0034] When the mounting table 53 vibrates in the vertical direction, the fulcrum 54 supports the rear end 53Rr of the mounting table 53. More specifically, the rear end 53Rr of the mounting table 53 is supported by the elastic force of the spring 54a of the fulcrum 54. As shown in FIG. 5A, when the front end 53F of the mounting table 53 vibrates and moves downward, the mounting table 53 presses the spring 54a downward via the balls 54b and 54cb. At this time, the elastic force of the spring 54a increases. The rear end 53Rr of the mounting table 53 comes to rest at a position where the force of the mounting table 53 pressing the spring 54a and the elastic force of the spring 54a are balanced. Therefore, at this time, the rear end 53Rr is located above the front end 53F. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5B, when the front end 53F of the mounting table 53 moves upward, the force of the mounting table 53 pressing the spring 54a weakens, so that the spring 54a stretches upward. The rear end 53Rr of the mounting table 53 comes to rest at a position where the force of the mounting table 53 pressing the spring 54a and the elastic force are balanced. Since the front end 53F of the mounting table 53 is connected to the shaft 52cc of the ball joint 52c, the force acting downward on the rear end 53Rr is greater than that on the front end 53F due to the influence of gravity. Therefore, at this time, the rear end 53Rr is located lower than the front end 53F. Since the fulcrum 54 supports the rear end 53Rr of the mounting table 53, the amplitude of the rear end 53Rr is smaller than that of the front end 53F.

[0035] The control device 90 changes the frequency of the vibration of the mounting table 53 in the vertical direction between the frequency F1 and the frequency F2 shown in FIG. 4(b). The resonance frequency Fr is greater than the frequency F1 and less than the frequency F2. Therefore, when the control device 90 changes the frequency from F1 to F2 or from F2 to F1, the frequency of the vibration of the mounting table 53 may become the resonance frequency Fr. At this time, ink resonance occurs inside the ink cartridge 50a. As shown in FIG. 5A, when ink resonance occurs, the ink particles DK move upward relatively greatly. When the ink particles DK move relatively greatly, an ink flow is formed inside the ink pouch 50b. The flows F1 and F2 shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are diagrams that show the flow of the ink particles DK when ink resonance occurs. In addition, in this embodiment, the vibration mechanism 52 imparts a circular motion to the mounting table 53. Therefore, the mounting table 53 is imparted with a left-right vibration along with a vertical vibration. Therefore, the flows F1 and F2 also move in the left and right directions. However, since the position where the ink resonance occurs is irregular, the ink flow shown in FIG. 5 is merely an example and is not limited to this. The flows F1 and F2 agitate the ink inside the ink pouch 50b. As shown in FIG. 4(a), when the control of the rotation speed of the motor 52a has been performed three times, the control device 90 stops the motor 52a.

[0036] As described above, according to the ink stirring device 50 of this embodiment, the ink cartridge 50a is placed on the placement table 53. The vibration mechanism 52 is connected to the placement table 53 and vibrates the placement table 53 in the vertical direction. When the placement table 53 vibrates in the vertical direction, the ink inside the ink cartridge 50a vibrates in the vertical direction. As the ink vibrates in the vertical direction, the ink particles DK that have settled move upward inside the ink pouch 50b, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, and ink flows F1 and F2 are formed. This eliminates the settling of the ink inside the ink cartridge 50a.

[0037] According to the ink stirring device 50 of this embodiment, the vibration mechanism 52 includes a motor 52a having a rotating shaft 52aa, and a ball joint 52c connected to the rotating shaft 52aa and the mounting table 53. The ball joint 52c is attached eccentrically with respect to the center of the rotating shaft 52aa in the radial direction of the rotating plate 52b. Therefore, the mounting table 53 is given a circular motion from the rotating shaft 52aa via the rotating plate 52b and the ball joint 52c. The circular motion is a combination of vertical and horizontal movements. Here, if the vertical length H1 of the ink cartridge 50a is shorter than the horizontal length W1 of the ink cartridge 50a, when the mounting table 53 is vibrated, the flows F1 and F2 are unlikely to spread in the vertical direction. However, as in this embodiment, the flows F1 and F2 can spread in the horizontal direction as well by applying horizontal vibration to the mounting table 53, and the ink inside the ink pouch 50b is stirred. Therefore, by applying a circular motion to the mounting table 53 using a motor, the effects of the present invention can be obtained regardless of the length of the ink cartridge 50a mounted on the mounting table 53 in the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0038] According to the ink agitation device 50 of this embodiment, the control device 90 controls the rotation speed of the rotation shaft 52aa, thereby controlling the vibration frequency of the mounting table 53. In this way, the ink agitation device 50 can vibrate the mounting table 53 at a frequency desired by the user.

[0039] According to the ink stirring device 50 of this embodiment, the control device 90 changes the vibration frequency of the mounting table 53 at a constant speed within a predetermined frequency range for 5 minutes. The predetermined frequency range includes the resonant frequency Fr of the ink. Therefore, when the control device 90 changes the vibration frequency of the mounting table 53, the vibration frequency of the mounting table 53 and the resonant frequency Fr of the ink may coincide with each other. At this time, the ink inside the ink cartridge 50a resonates, and the settled ink particles DK move significantly. In other words, by changing the vibration frequency of the mounting table 53 within a frequency range including the resonant frequency Fr, the ink is more easily stirred.

[0040] According to the ink stirring device 50 of this embodiment, the control device 90 changes the vibration frequency of the mounting table 53 between 5 Hz and 50 Hz. The inventors of the present application found that the resonant frequency Fr of the ink inside the ink cartridge 50a in this embodiment is a frequency of about 30 Hz. Therefore, by changing the vibration frequency of the mounting table 53 between 5 Hz and 50 Hz, the mounting table 53 may vibrate at the resonant frequency Fr. This makes it possible to preferably obtain the effects of the present invention. Therefore, a vibration frequency range of the mounting table 53 between 5 Hz and 50 Hz is a preferable aspect in which the effects of the present invention can be obtained.

[0041] According to the ink stirring device 50 of this embodiment, the time period during which the control device 90 changes the vibration frequency of the mounting table 53 is five minutes, and the control device 90 is configured to repeat the control of changing the vibration frequency of the mounting table 53 three or more times in succession. Changing the vibration frequency of the mounting table 53 over five minutes can sufficiently vibrate the ink at the resonance frequency Fr. Furthermore, by repeating the control of changing the vibration frequency of the mounting table 53 three or more times in succession, the probability that the ink particles DK will move significantly increases, and the ink can be stirred more reliably.

[0042] According to the ink stirring device 50 of this embodiment, the control device 90 is set to perform control to change the vibration frequency of the mounting table 53 at least once a day. That is, the ink inside the ink cartridge 50a is stirred at least once a day. This prevents, for example, the printer 10 from starting printing without stirring the ink and with the ink still settling.

[0043] According to the ink stirring device 50 of this embodiment, the distance L1 between the center position of the rotating shaft 52aa and the center position of the mounting part 52ca of the ball joint 52c is 1 mm to 6 mm in the radial direction of the rotating plate 52b. That is, the ball joint 52c is attached 1 mm to 6 mm off-center with respect to the center of the rotating shaft 52aa. Therefore, the amplitude of the vibration of the front end 53F of the mounting table 53 in the vertical direction is 1 mm to 6 mm from the center position of the rotating shaft 52aa. Here, if the amplitude of the vibration of the mounting table 53 is relatively small, there is a possibility that the ink inside the ink cartridge 50a cannot be sufficiently stirred. On the other hand, if the amplitude of the vibration of the mounting table 53 is relatively large, the vibration is transmitted to the ink stirring device 50 and the printer 10, and each component of the ink stirring device 50 and the printer 10 is burdened. Therefore, the amplitude of the vibration of the mounting table 53 needs to be controlled to an appropriate magnitude. The inventors of the present application have confirmed that when the amplitude of vibration of the front end 53F of the mounting table 53 is set to 1 mm to 6 mm, the ink can be agitated while having relatively little effect on the ink agitation device 50 and the components of the printer 10. Therefore, a vertical amplitude of the mounting table 53 of 1 mm to 6 mm is a preferred embodiment for carrying out the present invention.

[0044] According to the ink stirring device 50 of this embodiment, the ink cartridge 50a and the mounting base 53 have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the axial direction of the rotation shaft 52aa. Therefore, the longitudinal direction of the mounting base 53 and the axial direction of the rotation shaft 52aa coincide with each other. The fulcrum portion 54 supports the rear end portion 53Rr of the mounting base 53 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The ink cartridge 50a includes a connection member 50d. The supply port 50bb of the ink pouch 50b and the ink path 47 are connected via the needle material 50db. The vibration mechanism 52 is connected to the front end portion 53F of the mounting base 53. Here, if the vibration mechanism 52 is connected to the rear end portion 53Rr of the mounting base 53, the amplitude of the rear end portion of the mounting base 53 is larger than that of this embodiment. Therefore, the supply port 50bb vibrates relatively large in the vertical direction. At this time, for example, there is a possibility that air may be mixed into the ink path 47 from the gap between the supply port 50bb and the needle material 50db. Furthermore, the hole formed when the needle material 50db is inserted into the supply port 50bb may widen, and ink may enter the ink path 47. If air enters the ink path 47, ink ejection problems may occur. As in this embodiment, the supply port 50bb is connected to the ink path 47 at the rear end 53Rr of the mounting base 53, and the vibration mechanism 52 is connected to the front end 53F of the mounting base 53, thereby preventing air from entering the ink. This makes it possible to suppress ink ejection problems.

[0045] The printer 10 of this embodiment includes an ink stirring device 50. Therefore, the printer 10 can perform printing using ink stirred by the ink stirring device 50. This reduces ejection defects in printed matter.

[0046] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above-described embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention can be embodied in various other forms.

[0047] In the present embodiment, the printer 10 includes the ink stirring device 50, but this is not limiting. The ink stirring device 50 may be installed outside the printer 10. For example, after a user has finished using the printer 10, the user may remove the ink cartridge 50a from the printer 10 and attach the ink cartridge 50a to the ink stirring device 50 installed outside the printer 10. The ink cartridge 50a attached to the ink stirring device 50 is periodically stirred. The next time the user uses the printer 10, the user may remove the ink cartridge 50a from the ink stirring device 50 and attach it to the printer 10.

[0048] In the present embodiment, the ink cartridge 50a is detachable, but is not limited to this. FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of an ink stirring device 50A according to another embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, the ink stirring device 50A may include an ink pouch 50e and a tube 80 in addition to the ink pouch 50b of the ink cartridge 50a. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an ink stirring device 50A according to another embodiment. In FIG. 6, the configuration other than the ink pouch 50e and the tube 80 is the same as that in FIG. 2, so the description is omitted. The ink pouches 50b and 50e are connected to each other by the tube 80. The ink pouch 50e is installed outside the printer 10 (see FIG. 1). The tube 80 is, for example, a flexible tube. The tube 80 may include a pump for sending ink. The ink pouch 50b is supplied with ink from the ink pouch 50e. Therefore, the ink pouch 50b always contains ink. When the ink pouch 50e runs out of ink, the user only needs to replace the ink pouch 50e, and therefore does not need to replace the ink cartridge 50a. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 10 Printer (inkjet printer) 50 Ink stirring device 50a Ink cartridge (ink container) 50bb supply port (connection port) 52 Vibration mechanism 52a Motor 52aa Rotating shaft 53 Placement table 54 Support 90 Control device L1 eccentricity

Claims

1. An ink stirring device for stirring an ink container filled with ink used in a printer, comprising: a mounting table on which the ink container is mounted; a vibration mechanism connected to the mounting table for vibrating the mounting table at least in a vertical direction.

2. The vibration mechanism includes: A motor having a rotating shaft; a joint connected to the rotating shaft and the mounting table, The ink stirring device according to claim 1 , wherein the joint is connected eccentrically with respect to a center of the rotation shaft.

3. A control device for controlling the motor is provided, The ink agitation device according to claim 2 , wherein the control device changes a frequency of vibration of the placement table by changing a rotation speed of the rotation shaft.

4. the control device changes a frequency of vibration of the mounting table at a constant speed within a predetermined range; The ink stirring device according to claim 3 , wherein the predetermined range includes a resonance frequency of the ink contained in the ink container.

5. 5. The ink stirring device according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined range is a frequency range of 5 Hz to 50 Hz.

6. 5. The ink stirring device according to claim 4, wherein the time period during which the control device changes the frequency of vibration of the placement stage is five minutes, and the control device repeats the control of changing the frequency of vibration of the placement stage three or more times in succession.

7. The ink stirring device according to claim 3 , wherein the control device performs control to change the frequency of vibration of the placement table at least once a day.

8. 3. The ink stirring device according to claim 2, wherein an amount of eccentricity of the joint with respect to the rotation shaft is 1 mm to 6 mm.

9. the ink container and the mounting table have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in an axial direction of the rotation shaft, a fulcrum portion that supports one end of the mounting table in the longitudinal direction and is movable in the vertical direction; the ink container is a container having a connection port at one end in a longitudinal direction thereof for connecting an inside and an outside of the ink container, The ink stirring device according to claim 2 , wherein the vibration mechanism is connected to the other end of the placement table in the longitudinal direction.

10. An ink jet printer comprising the ink stirring device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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