Ink cartridge

Abstract

The present invention relates to an ink cartridge, which is detachably installed in an imaging device provided with a first detection component and a second detection component. The ink cartridge comprises: a cartridge body; and an assembly to be detected, which at least comprises a second component to be detected. During the installation of the ink cartridge, the second component to be detected cooperates with the second detection component, so as to at least detect the model of the ink cartridge; as the ink cartridge is installed forwardly, the assembly to be detected moves upwardly from a first position toward a second position relative to the cartridge body; at the first position, the second component to be detected is located at a position capable of shielding second light rays; and at the second position, the second component to be detected reaches a position where the second component to be detected cannot shield the second light rays. In the ink cartridge of this technical solution, the cartridge body can be universally compatible.

Description

Ink cartridge TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of inkjet imaging, and in particular to an ink cartridge for an inkjet imaging device. BACKGROUND

[0002] An ink cartridge is a kind of ink container which is detachably installed in an inkjet imaging device (hereinafter referred to as "imaging device"). In order for the imaging device to know whether the ink cartridge is installed to a predetermined position, the model of the ink cartridge, the ink remaining amount and the like, the imaging device is provided with a first detection member and a second detection member, and the ink cartridge is provided with a first detected member, a second detected member and a third detected member, the first detected member is used to cooperate with the first detection member to realize detection of whether the ink cartridge is installed to the predetermined position, and the second detected member and the third detected member respectively cooperate with the second detection member to realize detection of the model of the ink cartridge.

[0003] The first detected member realizes detection by shielding and not shielding the light emitted by the first detection member, and the second detected member and the third detected member also realize detection by shielding and not shielding the light emitted by the second detection member. In order to realize detection of ink cartridges of different models, the time length during which the light emitted by the second detection member is shielded by the second detected member is set to be different, or the interval between the second detected member and the third detected member is set to be different, so that the time length during which the light emitted by the second detection member is not shielded by the interval is set to be different.

[0004] In the above-mentioned manner of detecting the model of the ink cartridge, for ink cartridges of different models, the ink cartridge manufacturer needs to prepare different cartridge bodies respectively, which is not conducive to the inventory management of the ink cartridge manufacturer and reduces the cost. SUMMARY

[0005] The present application provides an ink cartridge to reduce the cost of the ink cartridge, and the specific scheme is as follows:

[0006] An ink cartridge is detachably installed into an image forming apparatus provided with a first detection member and a second detection member, the first detection member is located above the second detection member, the first detection member has a first light emitting unit and a first light receiving unit arranged at intervals, the second detection member has a second light emitting unit and a second light receiving unit arranged at intervals, the first light emitting unit emits first light, and the second light emitting unit emits second light; the ink cartridge comprises: a cartridge body for containing ink; a detected component comprising at least a second detected member, during installation of the ink cartridge, the second detected member cooperates with the second detection member to detect at least the model of the ink cartridge; as the ink cartridge is installed forwardly, the detected component moves relative to the cartridge body from a first position to a second position along a direction from bottom to top; at the first position, the second detected member is located at a position capable of blocking the second light; at the second position, the second detected member reaches a position incapable of blocking the second light.

[0007] In some embodiments, the detected component further comprises a first detected member, during installation of the ink cartridge, the first detected member cooperates with the first detection member to detect whether the ink cartridge is at a predetermined position; along the up-and-down direction, the first detected member is located above the second detected member; at the first position, the first detected member is located at a position incapable of blocking the first light; at the second position, the second detected member reaches a position capable of blocking the first light.

[0008] In some embodiments, the detected component further comprises a third detected member, during installation of the ink cartridge, the third detected member cooperates with the second detection member to detect at least the model of the ink cartridge; in a state where the ink cartridge is installed into a predetermined position, the third detected member cooperates with the second detection member to detect the ink remaining amount of the ink cartridge; along the front-and-rear direction, the second detected member is located in front of the third detected member; after the second detected member reaches the second position, as the ink cartridge continues to move forwardly, the second light is blocked by the third detected member.

[0009] In some embodiments, the detected component further comprises a detected member body and a forced pushing part, the second detected member is connected to the detected member body, and the forced pushing part is used to receive a forced pushing force from outside of the ink cartridge, so that the detected component moves from the first position to the second position.

[0010] In some embodiments, along the front-and-rear direction, the forced pushing part is located rearward of a front end of the second detected member.

[0011] In some embodiments, the detected assembly further comprises a detected body and a forced pushing part, the first detected member and the second detected member are connected with the detected body, and the forced pushing part is arranged on at least one of the detected body, the first detected member and the second detected member, and is used for receiving a forced pushing force from outside the ink cartridge, so that the detected assembly moves from the first position to the second position.

[0012] In some embodiments, the ink cartridge further comprises an upward-facing upper side wall and a third guide part arranged on the upper side wall, and the first detected member is guided by the third guide part.

[0013] In some embodiments, the ink cartridge further comprises an auxiliary part detachably combined with the cartridge body, and the auxiliary part is provided with an auxiliary hole, which is aligned with at least part of the through hole in the up-down direction when the auxiliary part is mounted to the cartridge body.

[0014] In some embodiments, a third detected member is arranged on the cartridge body, the third detected member is provided with a second guide part, and the second detected member is provided with a second guided part for cooperating with the second guide part.

[0015] In some embodiments, there is a spacing S between the second detected member and the third detected member.

[0016] In some embodiments, the first detected member comprises a connecting part connected with the detected body and an extension part cooperating with the connecting part, and at least one extension part is arranged on one side of the connecting part in the left-right direction.

[0017] In some embodiments, the cartridge body is formed with an ink chamber for accommodating ink, and the ink cartridge further comprises a gas guide member for communicating the atmosphere with the ink chamber, and the gas guide member is located above the ink chamber.

[0018] In some embodiments, the cartridge body is formed with an ink flow channel, the ink chamber comprises a first ink storage chamber, a second ink storage chamber and an ink supply chamber, the ink flow channel communicates the first ink storage chamber and the second ink storage chamber, the ink supply chamber is located below the second ink storage chamber, and the first ink storage chamber is arranged adjacent to the second ink storage chamber and the ink supply chamber respectively; along the flow path of the gas, the first ink storage chamber is located upstream of the second ink storage chamber; and along the up-down direction, the ink flow channel overlaps at least part of the first ink storage chamber, at least part of the second ink storage chamber and at least part of the ink supply chamber respectively.

[0019] In some embodiments, the ink chamber is divided into a plurality of chambers, the gas guide member has a gas guide opening for communicating the atmosphere with the plurality of chambers; the ink cartridge further comprises a sealing part moving relative to the cartridge body between a sealing position and an unsealing position, when the sealing part is located at the sealing position, the gas guide opening is sealed by the sealing part, and the ink chamber is not in communication with the atmosphere; and when the sealing part is located at the unsealing position, the gas guide opening is not sealed by the sealing part, and the ink chamber is in communication with the atmosphere.

[0020] In some embodiments, the air guide member further has an air communication passage for communicating the plurality of cavities with the first ink storage cavity, the plurality of cavities including a first cavity, a second cavity and a third cavity in communication with each other, the first cavity being for communication with the air guide port, the third cavity being for communication with the air communication passage, so that air flows into the ink cavity through the first cavity, the second cavity and the third cavity in sequence.

[0021] In some embodiments, the air guide member further includes a first air inlet and a second air inlet formed on the housing, the first air inlet being for communication with the second cavity, the second air inlet being for communication with the third cavity, the sealing member further having an air guide groove formed on the sealing portion, the air guide groove being for cooperation with the first air inlet and the second air inlet to communicate the second cavity and the third cavity. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0022] FIG. 1A is a schematic view of an ink cartridge and an ink cartridge mounting portion according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0023] FIG. 1B is a schematic view of an ink cartridge mounting portion according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0024] FIG. 1C is an exploded view of a part of an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present application, with parts exploded.

[0026] FIG. 3A is a side view of an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present application, viewed from the left to the right, with a detection member located at a first position.

[0027] FIG. 3B is a side view of an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present application, viewed from the left to the right, with a detection member located at a second position.

[0028] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present application, with parts exploded.

[0029] FIG. 5 is a plan view of an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present application, viewed from the top to the bottom.

[0030] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0031] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a part of an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0032] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present application, with a first housing hidden.

[0033] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a sealing member according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0034] Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the ink cartridge in the initial state, taken along the line A-A in Fig. 6, according to the third embodiment of the present application.

[0035] Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the ink cartridge in the mounted state, taken along the line A-A in Fig. 6, according to the third embodiment of the present application.

[0036] Fig. 12 is a sectional view of the ink cartridge in the mounted state, taken along the line B-B in Fig. 6, according to the third embodiment of the present application.

[0037] Fig. 13A is a schematic view of the structure of the ink cartridge mounting portion of the apparatus to which the ink cartridge is applied.

[0038] Figs. 13B and 13C are perspective views of the ink cartridge mounting portion.

[0039] Figs. 14A and 14B are perspective views of the ink cartridge according to the present application.

[0040] Fig. 15A is a perspective view of the ink cartridge according to the fourth embodiment of the present application.

[0041] Fig. 15B is a schematic side view of the ink cartridge mounted to the ink cartridge mounting portion according to the fourth embodiment of the present application.

[0042] Fig. 15C is a schematic sectional view of the ink cartridge mounted to the ink cartridge mounting portion according to the fourth embodiment of the present application.

[0043] Fig. 16A is a perspective view of the ink cartridge according to the fifth embodiment of the present application.

[0044] Fig. 16B is a schematic side view of the ink cartridge mounted to the ink cartridge mounting portion according to the fifth embodiment of the present application.

[0045] Fig. 16C is a schematic sectional view of the ink cartridge mounted to the ink cartridge mounting portion according to the fifth embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] Embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0047] When the ink cartridge 100 is placed in the posture shown in Fig. 1, the ink cartridge 100 has a front, a rear, a left, a right, an upper, and a lower, wherein the front and the rear are opposite to each other, the left and the right are opposite to each other, the upper and the lower are opposite to each other, the front-rear direction is the first direction / length direction / longitudinal direction of the ink cartridge 100, the left-right direction is the second direction / width direction / lateral direction of the ink cartridge 100, and the up-down direction is the third direction / height direction / vertical direction of the ink cartridge 100, the front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction cross each other, preferably, the front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction are perpendicular to each other, the ink cartridge 100 is mounted toward the front and is detached / taken out toward the rear.

[0048] The ink cartridge 100 is used to be detachably mounted to an ink cartridge mounting portion 300 in an image forming apparatus, the ink cartridge mounting portion 300 has the same direction as the ink cartridge 100, the ink cartridge mounting portion 300 has an insertion space 350, and has an ink cartridge mounting port 300a which is open towards the rear, each insertion space 350 is provided with a wick 310 and an electrical contact pin assembly 300b, the ink cartridge 100 is mounted from the ink cartridge mounting port 300a towards the inside of the ink cartridge mounting portion 300, in the up-down direction, the electrical contact pin assembly 300b is located above the wick 310, and the electrical contact pin assembly 300b at least includes an electrical contact pin 340.

[0049] Further, as shown in FIG. IB, in an embodiment, the ink cartridge mounting portion 300 / insertion space 350 is further provided with an ink remaining amount detection member / second detection member 330, in the left-right direction, the ink remaining amount detection member 330 has a second light emitting unit and a second light receiving unit which are spaced apart, after the ink cartridge 100 is mounted in place, the third detected member 5 provided in the ink cartridge 100 is located between the second light emitting unit and the second light receiving unit, when the ink in the ink cartridge 100 is sufficient, the third detected member 5 will block the second light emitted from the second light emitting unit, so the second light receiving unit cannot receive the second light, when the ink is insufficient, the second light emitted from the second light emitting unit is no longer blocked by the third detected member 5, and can be received by the second light receiving unit, further, the third detected member 5 can be provided as a float in a cavity which communicates with the ink chamber 106, or can be provided as a prism which communicates with the ink chamber 106.

[0050] [Embodiment One]

[0051] As shown in FIGS. 1A-1C, the ink cartridge 100 includes a cartridge body 1 for containing ink, and an ink outlet portion 2 combined with the cartridge body 1, the ink outlet portion 2 is used to supply ink to the image forming apparatus, in the up-down direction, the ink outlet portion 2 is located below the cartridge body 1, further, the ink outlet portion 2 has an ink outlet port 21 which faces forward, the ink outlet port 21 is used to be combined with the wick 310 in the insertion space 350 to supply ink to the image forming apparatus; the ink cartridge 100 further includes a left side wall 100a which faces left, a right side wall 100b which faces right, a front side wall 100c which faces forward, a rear side wall 100d which faces rear, an upper side wall 100e which faces upward, and a lower side wall 100f which faces downward; the cartridge body 1 includes a first shell 101a and a second shell 101b which are detachably combined, an ink chamber 106 is formed between the first shell 101a and the second shell 101b, in the up-down direction, the upper side wall 100e is located above the ink chamber 106, and the ink outlet portion 2 is provided on the first shell 101a or the second shell 101b; the direction in which the first shell 101a and the second shell 101b are combined is not limited herein.

[0052] In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1C, the left side wall 100a is located in the first shell 101a, the right side wall 100b, the front side wall 100c, the rear side wall 100d, the upper side wall 100e and the lower side wall 100f are located in the second shell 101b, the ink outlet 2 is arranged on the second shell 101b, and further, the ink outlet 2 is arranged on the front side wall 100c, at this time, the ink outlet 2 protrudes forward from the front side wall 100c to form.

[0053] Further, the ink cartridge 100 further comprises a chip member 13 arranged on the upper side of the cartridge body 1, the chip member 13 is used to establish a communication connection between the ink cartridge 100 and the image forming equipment, specifically, the chip member 13 comprises a chip and a combination part / chip fixing seat combined with each other, the combination part / chip fixing seat is integrally / separately connected with the cartridge body 1, the chip comprises a substrate and an electrical contact part arranged on the substrate, and further, the electrical contact part is used to be electrically connected with the electrical contact pin 340, so that the ink cartridge 100 and the image forming equipment establish a communication connection.

[0054] In an embodiment, the ink cartridge further comprises a first detected member 11A and a second detected member 12A, and the image forming equipment / ink cartridge mounting part 300 further comprises a first detection member 360, during the installation process of the ink cartridge 100, the first detected member 11A is used to cooperate with the first detection member 360 to detect whether the ink cartridge 100 is installed (specifically, whether the ink cartridge 100 is installed in place / prescribed position); during the installation process of the ink cartridge 100, the second detected member 12A and the third detected member 5 are both used to cooperate with the second detection member 330 to at least detect the model of the ink cartridge 100; and when the ink cartridge 100 is in the state of being installed to the prescribed position, the third detected member 5 is used to cooperate with the second detection member 330 to achieve the detection of the ink remaining amount of the ink cartridge 100.

[0055] In an embodiment, at least one of the cooperation between the second detected member 12A and the second detection member 330 and the cooperation between the third detected member 5 and the second detection member 330 can also detect whether the ink cartridge 100 is installed. In the front-rear direction, the first detection member 360 has a first light emitting unit and a first light receiving unit arranged at intervals; the first detected member 11A is located in front of the chip member 13, specifically, the first detected member 11A is located at the front end of the cartridge body 1, in the up-down direction, the first detected member 11A is located above the ink outlet 2, specifically, the first detected member 11A is located at the upper end of the cartridge body 1, and the first detected member 11A is also located above the second detected member 12A, in the front-rear direction, the second detected member 12A is located in front of the third detected member 5, and the second detected member 12A and the third detected member 5 have an interval S therebetween.

[0056] In the installation process of the ink cartridge 100, the second detected member 12A and the third detected member 5 are matched with the second detection member 330 respectively, the second light will experience the process of being shielded, not being shielded, and being shielded again, specifically, the second light is first shielded by the second detected member 12A, then experiences the process of not being shielded by passing through the interval S, and finally is shielded by the third detected member 5, so that the model of the ink cartridge 100 and / or whether the ink cartridge is installed is known by the image forming apparatus, and it can be seen that at least whether the ink cartridge 100 is installed can be detected in the installation process of the ink cartridge 100, and the model of the ink cartridge 100 can also be detected by detecting the length of time that the second light is shielded or not shielded.

[0057] In an embodiment, in the installation process of the ink cartridge 100, the model of the ink cartridge 100 can also be detected by detecting the number of times or frequency that the second light is shielded.

[0058] When the ink cartridge 100 is installed to the predetermined position of the image forming apparatus, the first light emitted by the first light emitting unit is shielded by the first detected member 11A, and the first light receiving unit cannot receive the first light, so that whether the ink cartridge 100 is in the predetermined position can be detected by the cooperation of the first detected member 11A and the first detection member 360. As shown in FIG. 2, the ink cartridge 100 comprises a detected assembly 6 movable relative to the cartridge body 1, which can move between a first position and a second position; as the ink cartridge 100 is installed to the ink cartridge installation portion 300, the detected assembly 6 moves from the first position to the second position, and the detection of whether the ink cartridge 100 is installed to the predetermined position and the detection of the model of the ink cartridge 100 are realized in the movement process of the detected assembly 6; when the ink cartridge 100 is installed to the predetermined position, the detected assembly 6 reaches and remains in the second position.

[0059] In an embodiment, the detected assembly 6 comprises a detected member body 61, a first detected member 11A and a second detected member 12A, both of which are connected with the detected member body 61, and a forced pushing portion 62 for receiving a forced pushing force from outside of the ink cartridge 100, so that the detected assembly 6 moves from the first position to the second position, and therefore, the position and shape of the forced pushing portion 62 can be determined according to at least one of the structural design of the ink cartridge 100 and the structural design of the image forming apparatus, that is, the forced pushing portion 62 can be arranged on at least one of the detected member body 61, the first detected member 11A and the second detected member 12A.

[0060] Continuing as shown in FIG. 2, the detected assembly 6 is further provided with a first guide portion 63, and the cartridge body 1 is further provided with a first guide portion 1a for cooperating with the first guide portion 63, both of which extend along the movement direction of the detected assembly 6.

[0061] In one embodiment, the detected component 6 is arranged to move along the up-down direction, thus, the first guide part 1a and the first guided part 63 both extend along the up-down direction, one of the first guide part 1a and the first guided part 63 is formed as a protrusion, and the other is formed as a slot or hole matched with the protrusion.

[0062] In one embodiment, the second detected component 12A further cooperates with the third detected component 5, so that the movement track of the detected component 6 is more accurate, in this embodiment, the second detected component 12A and the third detected component 5 are in contact with each other along the front-back direction, and no interval S is formed between them.

[0063] Preferably, the third detected component 5 is arranged as a prism, and the second detected component 12A cooperates with the tip 51 of the prism 5, at this time, it can be considered that the second detected component 12A is provided with a second guide part, the tip 51 can be regarded as a second guide part matched with the second guide part, through the cooperation of the first guide part 1a and the first guided part 63, the cooperation of the second guide part 51 and the second guide part, the movement track of the detected component 6 will be more stable.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 3A, before the ink cartridge 100 is installed, the detected component 6 is located at the first position, the first detected component 11A is located at a position that cannot block the first light, and the second detected component 12A is located at a position that can block the second light.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 3B, as the ink cartridge 100 is installed towards the ink cartridge installation part 300, the forced pushing part 62 is pushed by the pushing part arranged in the ink cartridge installation part 300, the detected component 6 moves from down to up, the first detected component 11A gradually reaches a position that can block the first light; during the upward movement of the second detected component 12A, the second detected component 12A gradually reaches a position that cannot block the second light, at the same time, since the ink cartridge 100 still continues to move forward, the second light is subsequently blocked by the third detected component 5, the detected component 6 reaches the second position, the ink cartridge 100 reaches the predetermined position, and the installation is completed.

[0066] When the ink cartridge 100 is taken out backward, the forced pushing part 62 is gradually no longer pushed by the pushing part in the ink cartridge installation part 300, the detected component 6 gradually returns from the second position to the first position under the action of its own gravity; or, a reset member is arranged in the ink cartridge 100, and the detected component 6 returns from the second position to the first position by using the reset force released by the reset member.

[0067] In an embodiment, the forced pushing part 62 is an inclined surface arranged on the detected member body 61, and the distance between the inclined surface and the ink outlet part 2 in the up-down direction gradually increases in the rear-to-front direction, so that the forced pushing part 62 can smoothly receive the forced pushing force.

[0068] In an embodiment, in the front-to-rear direction, the forced pushing part 62 is located rearward of the front end of the second detected member 12A, or in other words, the forced pushing part 62 does not exceed the second detected member 12A, so that the ink cartridge 100 can avoid receiving the forced pushing force in advance during the installation process, and thus the second detected member 12A can avoid moving to a position that cannot block the second light in advance.

[0069] In an embodiment, the movement track of the detected assembly 6 does not have to be limited to being parallel to the up-down direction, for example, the detected assembly 6 can also move in a direction inclined to the up-down direction, as long as the detected assembly 6 has a displacement amount in the up-down direction.

[0070] In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the ink cartridge 100 further comprises a third guide part 100e1 arranged on the upper side wall 100e, and during the process that the first detected member 11A moves upward along with the detected member body 61, the first detected member 11A is guided by the third guide part 100e1 as a third guide part, so as to ensure that the first detected member 11A can accurately reach between the first light emitting unit and the first light receiving unit of the first detection member 360; preferably, the third guide part 100e1 is arranged as a through hole extending in the front-to-rear direction.

[0071] In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the ink cartridge 100 further comprises an auxiliary member 14 detachably combined with the cartridge body 1, and the auxiliary member 14 is provided with an auxiliary hole 141, when the auxiliary member 14 is installed to the cartridge body 1, the auxiliary hole 141 coincides with at least a part of the through hole 100e1 in the up-down direction, and the auxiliary hole 141 is closer to the front end of the through hole 100e1 in the front-to-rear direction, so that the first detected member 11A can be more stably positioned by the auxiliary hole 141. Optionally, the auxiliary member 14 can also be integrally formed with the cartridge body 1.

[0072] In an embodiment, the third detected member 5 can also be arranged on the detected assembly 6, at this time, the cartridge body 1 will no longer be provided with a detected member, and according to the above description, after the ink cartridge 100 is installed to the predetermined position, the third detected member 5 can block the second light, thus the position of the third detected member 5 on the detected assembly 6 does not have to be limited, as long as the third detected member 5 can reach a position capable of blocking the second light when the ink cartridge 100 reaches the predetermined position, and the third detected member 5 can be arranged as a common float, a magnet float, a prism, etc.

[0073] In one embodiment, the first detected component 11A can also be fixedly arranged on the cartridge body 1, and the second detected component 12A is arranged to be movable relative to the cartridge body 1. During the installation of the ink cartridge 100, the detected assembly 6 is moved from the first position to the second position, and during the movement of the detected assembly 6, the model of the ink cartridge 100 is detected.

[0074] In this embodiment, the ink cartridge 100 still has the following beneficial effects, that is, in the first detected component 11A and the second detected component 12A, at least the second detected component 12A is arranged in the detected assembly 6.

[0075] Accordingly, in the first detected component 11A and the second detected component 12A, at least the second detected component 12A does not have to be arranged on the cartridge body 1, but is arranged on the detected assembly 6 which is movable relative to the cartridge body 1. During the movement of the detected assembly 6 from the first position to the second position, at least the model of the ink cartridge 100 is detected, the versatility of the cartridge body 1 can be improved, the user / ink cartridge manufacturer can select different detected assemblies 6 according to the model of the ink cartridge, and the ink cartridge manufacturer does not have to prepare different cartridge bodies for different models of ink cartridges; in the up-down direction, the position of the second detected component 12A when the detected assembly 6 is in the second position is higher than the position of the second detected component 12A when the detected assembly 6 is in the first position.

[0076] For example, the difference between the first model of ink cartridge and the second model of ink cartridge is that the time t experienced by the second light from being blocked by the second detected component 12A to being blocked by the third detected component again is different, then the size or shape of the second detected component 12A can be adjusted so that the second light is blocked by the second detected component 12A for a longer or shorter time, when the second light is blocked by the second detected component 12A for a longer time, the time t will be shorter, and when the second light is blocked by the second detected component 12A for a shorter time, the time t will be longer, thus, according to the different models of ink cartridges, the user or the ink cartridge manufacturer can select the corresponding detected assembly 6.

[0077]

Embodiment Two

[0078] As described above, the chip member 13 is provided with the electrical contact portions 131 for electrical connection with the electrical contact pins 340, and the electrical contact portions 131 are arranged in multiple in the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the electrical contact portions 131 in the chip member 13 in the embodiment are arranged in three in the left-right direction, from left to right, the first electrical contact portion 131a, the second electrical contact portion 131b, and the third electrical contact portion 131c, and the second electrical contact portion 131b is between the first electrical contact portion 131a and the third electrical contact portion 131c, thus the second electrical contact portion 131b is also called the intermediate electrical contact portion, and according to the number of the electrical contact portions 131, the intermediate electrical contact portion 131b can be one or two.

[0079] In other embodiments, the number of the electrical contact portions 131 can also be greater than three, but the technical solution described in the embodiment is still applicable, for example, when the number of the electrical contact portions 131 is an odd number greater than three, the intermediate electrical contact portion 131b is one of all the electrical contact portions, and when the number of the electrical contact portions 131 is an even number greater than three, the intermediate electrical contact portion 131b is two of all the electrical contact portions.

[0080] In order to form stable electrical connection between each electrical contact portion 131 and the electrical contact pin 340, each electrical contact portion 131 has a predetermined size in the left-right direction, as shown in FIG. 5, in the embodiment, the size d1 of the second electrical contact portion 131b is not greater than the size d2 of the first detected member 11A, that is, in the left-right direction, the size d2 of the first detected member 11A is greater than or equal to the size d1 of the second electrical contact portion 131b, and this design can enable the first detected member 11A to be stably positioned in the ink cartridge mounting portion 300.

[0081] In an embodiment, the first detected member 11A includes a connecting portion 11Aa connected with the detected member body 61 and an extension 11Ab matched with the connecting portion 11Aa, and at least one extension 11Ab is arranged on one side of the connecting portion 11Aa in the left-right direction, that is, the size d2 of the first detected member 11A in the left-right direction in the embodiment is the sum of the size of the connecting portion 11Aa in the left-right direction and the size of the at least one extension 11Ab in the left-right direction, and d2≥d1 is satisfied.

[0082] In an embodiment, the connecting portion 11Aa and the extension 11Ab are separately arranged, one extension 11Ab can be arranged on one side of the connecting portion 11Aa by bonding, clamping, or the like, or can be sleeved on the connecting portion 11Aa, at this time, part of the extension 11Ab is on one side of the connecting portion 11Aa, and the other part is on the other side of the connecting portion 11Aa.

[0083] The extension piece 11Ab can also be provided in multiple numbers, for example, two extension pieces 11Ab are provided on both sides of the connecting part 11Aa, or multiple extension pieces 11Ab are provided on one side of the connecting part 11Aa or on both sides of the connecting part 11Aa.

[0084] The separately provided connecting part 11Aa and extension piece 11Ab can make the first detected member 11A have more extensive applicability, and the user can choose whether to install the extension piece 11Ab according to the structure of the imaging device / ink cartridge mounting part 300, and then choose to install the extension piece 11Ab of which structure.

[0085] In an embodiment, the connecting part 11Aa and the extension piece 11Ab can also be integrally formed, which is conducive to simplifying the structure of the ink cartridge 100.

[0086] When the connecting part 11Aa and the extension piece 11Ab are separately provided, preferably, at least a part of the extension piece 11Ab has elasticity, for example, the extension piece 11Ab is made of rubber, sponge or the like, so that the extension piece 11Ab can be stably installed in the imaging device / ink cartridge mounting part 300 by means of elastic deformation.

[0087] [Example Three]

[0088] Hereinafter, Example Three of the present application will be described with reference to FIGS. 6-12.

[0089] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the ink chamber 106 includes a first ink storage chamber 106a, a second ink storage chamber 106b and an ink supply chamber 106c which are in communication with each other, the ink cartridge 100 further has an ink flow channel 101d formed in the cartridge body 1, along the up-down direction, the ink flow channel 101d is provided on the side close to the ink supply chamber 106c, along the front-rear direction, the ink flow channel 101d is also provided on the side close to the ink supply chamber 106c, for connecting the first ink storage chamber 106a and the second ink storage chamber 106b, the ink outlet 2 is in communication with the ink supply chamber 106c, and the ink outlet 2 is combined with the ink suction needle 310 in the ink cartridge mounting part to supply ink to the imaging device.

[0090] In the present application, the state of the ink cartridge 100 when it is not installed to the ink cartridge mounting part can be referred to as an initial state, and the state of the ink cartridge 100 when it is installed to the ink cartridge mounting part can be referred to as an installed state.

[0091] As shown in FIGS. 6-8, the second shell 101b has a containing cavity 107 formed therein, the lower end of the containing cavity 107 is provided with an intermediate partition plate 107a, the containing cavity 107 is located between the upper side wall 100e and the intermediate partition plate 107a, and at least used for containing the following sealing member 110d.

[0092] As shown in FIGS. 6-8, the ink cartridge 100 further comprises a gas guide port 110b disposed on the intermediate partition 107a, the gas guide port 110b being used to communicate the atmosphere and the ink chamber 106 to maintain the internal pressure of the ink chamber 106 stable; the ink chamber 106 is divided into multiple chambers, in the present application, the cartridge body 1 further comprises a first chamber 106d1, a second chamber 106d2, a third chamber 106d3, a gas buffer zone B141 and multiple side plates, the ink cartridge 100 further comprises a gas communication channel B140 formed in the cartridge body 1, the gas communication channel B140 being used to communicate the third chamber 106d3 and the first ink storage chamber 106a; the first chamber 106d1 is used to communicate the gas guide port 110b, the gas buffer zone B141 is used to slow down the gas flow rate, and the gas buffer zone B141 can also reduce the possibility of ink leakage caused by ink backflow; the multiple side plates comprise a first side plate 101c1 between the first chamber 106d1 and the gas buffer zone B141, a second side plate 101c2 between the second chamber 106d2 and the gas buffer zone B141, and a third side plate 101c3 between the third chamber 106d3 and the gas communication channel B140, the ink cartridge 100 further comprises a first communication port B142 disposed on the first side plate 101c1, a third communication port B144 disposed on the second side plate 101c2, a second communication port B143 disposed on the third side plate 101c3, and a first gas inlet port 110b1 and a second gas inlet port 110b2 disposed on the intermediate partition 107a, the first communication port B142 is used to communicate the first chamber 106d1 and the gas buffer zone B141, the third communication port B144 is used to communicate the second chamber 106d2 and the gas buffer zone B141, the second communication port B143 is used to communicate the third chamber 106d3 and the first ink storage chamber 106a, and the first gas inlet port 110b1 and the second gas inlet port 110b2 are in communication with each other when the ink cartridge 100 is in the installed state.

[0093] As shown in FIG. 7, the ink cartridge 100 further comprises a sealing member 110d disposed in the accommodating cavity 107, the sealing member 110d being movable relative to the cartridge body 1 and being used to cooperate with a force applying component in the image forming device to directly or indirectly control the opening or closing of the gas guide port 110b; specifically, the sealing member 110d has a sealing position and a non-sealing position, when the sealing member 110d is in the sealing position, the gas guide port 110b is sealed by the sealing member 110d, and the ink chamber 106 is not in communication with the atmosphere; when the sealing member 110d is in the non-sealing position, the gas guide port 110b is not sealed by the sealing member 110d, and the ink chamber 106 is in communication with the atmosphere.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 9, the seal 110d has an abutting portion 110f for cooperating with the force applying member, and a sealing portion 110d1, and further has a second protruding portion 110d5 provided on the sealing portion 110d1, the cartridge 1 has a fourth guide portion 107g formed on the first housing 101a for cooperating with the second protruding portion 110d5 to move the seal 110d from the sealing position to the unsealing position, and further has a first protruding portion 100e5 formed on the first housing 101a and arranged in the fourth guide portion 107g, which abuts against the second protruding portion 110d5 when the seal 110d is in the sealing position to prevent the seal 110d from moving, and the sealing portion 110d1 is arranged to cooperate with the air guide port 110b, the first air inlet port 110b1 and the second air inlet port 110b2, and the seal 110d has a third through hole 110d4 formed on the sealing portion 110d1 for cooperating with the air guide port 110b, and air guide grooves 110d6 (as shown in FIG. 9) for cooperating with the first air inlet port 110b1 and the second air inlet port 110b2 respectively, and the third through hole 110d4 is further arranged to communicate with the atmosphere.

[0095] Specifically, when the ink cartridge 100 is in the initial state, as shown in FIG. 10, the seal 110d is in the sealing position, the third through hole 110d4 is not opposite to the air guide port 110b, and the sealing portion 110d1 seals the air guide port 110b so that the air guide port 110b does not communicate with the atmosphere, at this time, the air guide grooves 110d6 are also not opposite to the first air inlet port 110b1 and the second air inlet port 110b2, and the sealing portion 110d1 seals the first air inlet port 110b1 and the second air inlet port 110b2; during the process of installing the ink cartridge 100 to the ink cartridge mounting portion along the installation direction, that is, when the ink cartridge 100 is converted from the initial state to the installation state, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the abutting portion 110f cooperates with the force applying member to force the seal 110d to move from front to back, and the seal 110d moves from the sealing position to the unsealing position, at this time, the third through hole 110d4 is opposite to the air guide port 110b, and the air guide grooves 110d6 are also opposite to the first air inlet port 110b1 and the second air inlet port 110b2 at the same time, which makes the user not need to manually tear off the tearable film before using the ink cartridge 100, avoids the air guide port 110b from communicating with the atmosphere before the ink cartridge 100 is installed to the image forming apparatus, and further avoids the ink from flowing back to the outside of the air guide port 110b due to the factors such as the pressure difference and temperature difference between the ink cavity 106 and the atmosphere, and meanwhile, the installation steps can be simplified.

[0096] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7, the intermediate partition plate 107a is concave downward to form a fifth recess 107a3, and the ink cartridge 100 further comprises a sealing silica gel 107a4 arranged in the fifth recess 107a3, which is located between the sealing member 110d and the intermediate partition plate 107a in the up-down direction, so as to further improve the sealing effect of the ink cartridge 100. The sealing silica gel 107a4 has a first matching hole 107a41 for communicating with the third through hole 110d4 and the air guide hole 110b, a second matching hole 107a42 for communicating with the first air inlet 110b1 or the air guide groove 110d6, and a third matching hole 107a43 for communicating with the second air inlet 110b2 or the air guide groove 110d6.

[0097] As shown in FIGS. 7, 8, 11 and 12, when the ink cartridge 100 is in the installed state, the flow path of the gas is as follows: the gas enters from the third through hole 110d4 on the sealing member 110d, passes through the first matching hole 107a41 on the sealing silica gel 107a4 and the air guide hole 110b on the intermediate partition plate 107a into the first cavity 106d1, continues to flow through the first communication port B142 into the gas buffer area B141, then through the third communication port B144 and the second matching hole 107a42 into the second cavity 106d2, continues to flow through the first air inlet 110b1 into the air guide groove 110d6, continues to flow in the air guide groove 110d6, through the second air inlet 110b2 and the third matching hole 107a43 into the third cavity 106d3, continues to flow through the second communication port B143 into the gas communication channel B140, continues to flow along the gas communication channel B140 into the first ink storage cavity 106a, then the gas flows through the ink flow channel 101d into the second ink storage cavity 106b, and finally the gas flows from the second ink storage cavity 106b into the ink supply cavity 106c; this design not only can maintain the stable pressure in the ink cavity 106, but also can increase the stroke of ink backflow, preventing the ink from flowing back from the air guide hole 110b to contaminate the external environment of the ink cartridge 100; in the process of installing the ink cartridge 100 to the ink cartridge mounting portion along the installation direction, the ink outlet 2 and the air guide hole 110b are opened at the same time, so that the gas entering from the air guide hole 110b can push the ink in the air guide member 110 (as described below) back to the ink cavity 106, and at the same time, the ink outlet 2 supplies ink to the ink cartridge mounting portion, thereby further avoiding ink backflow to contaminate the external environment of the ink cartridge 100.

[0098] In some embodiments, the above-mentioned auxiliary member 14 can also play the role of the sealing member 110d, that is, the auxiliary member 14 and the sealing member 110d can also be formed in one piece.

[0099] In the present application, the air guide port 110b, the first air inlet 110b1, the second air inlet 110b2 and the gas communication passage B140 are collectively referred to as an air guide member 110, which is used to communicate the atmosphere and the ink cavity 106.

[0100] As shown in Fig. 8, the ink cartridge 100 further has a prism 5 for detecting the ink level, and a fifth partition plate 107a7 arranged in the second ink storage cavity 106b, which is used to stabilize the ink level and prevent the ink in the prism 5 from shaking, preferably, the lowest end of the fifth partition plate 107a7 is higher than the uppermost end of the prism 5.

[0101] In the present application, along the up-down direction, the ink flow channel 101d respectively overlaps at least part of the first ink storage cavity 106a, at least part of the second ink storage cavity 106b and at least part of the ink supply cavity 106c, the air guide member 110 is respectively located above the first ink storage cavity 106a and the second ink storage cavity 106b, and the ink supply cavity 106c is located below the second ink storage cavity 106b, that is, the air guide member 110 is arranged above the ink cavity 106, which can avoid occupying the space of the ink cavity 106, thereby improving the capacity of the ink cavity 106; along the front-back direction, the first ink storage cavity 106a is arranged adjacent to the second ink storage cavity 106b and the ink supply cavity 106c.

[0102] As described above, the present application can achieve the following beneficial effects:

[0103] 1. The air guide member 110 is arranged above the ink cavity 106, which can avoid occupying the space of the ink cavity 106, thereby improving the capacity of the ink cavity 106.

[0104] 2. The air guide member 110 is provided with an air guide port 110b, a plurality of cavities and a gas communication passage B140, which not only can maintain the stable pressure in the ink cavity 106, but also can increase the stroke of ink backflow, thereby preventing the ink from flowing back from the air guide port 110b to pollute the external environment of the ink cartridge 100.

[0105] 3. During the process of installing the ink cartridge 100 to the ink cartridge mounting portion along the installation direction, the ink outlet 2 and the air guide port 110b are opened at the same time, so that the gas entering from the air guide port 110b can push the ink in the air guide member 110 back to the ink cavity 106, at the same time, the ink outlet 2 supplies ink to the ink cartridge mounting portion, thereby further avoiding the ink backflow to pollute the external environment of the ink cartridge 100.

[0106] 4. The sealing member 110d is movable relative to the cartridge body 1, so that the user does not need to manually tear off the tearable film before using the ink cartridge 100, thereby simplifying the installation steps.

[0107] Embodiments four to seven of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0108] [Structure of ink cartridge mounting portion]

[0109] As shown in FIGS. 13A, 13B and 13C, a plurality of ink cartridge mounting portions 10 are provided in the image forming apparatus, each of which is configured to accommodate one ink cartridge 100, and the ink cartridges 100 mounted in each of the ink cartridge mounting portions 10 contain different colors of ink. The structure of each of the ink cartridge mounting portions 10 is substantially the same, and one of the ink cartridge mounting portions will be described below as an example.

[0110] Each of the ink cartridge mounting portions 10 is provided with an ink suction portion 1, a connecting member 3 and a latching structure 4 (or the connecting member 3 and the latching structure 4 can be regarded as one latching component), the ink suction portion 1 is provided with an ink suction needle 2 configured to be connected to an ink outlet 118 (described below) of the ink cartridge, the latching structure 4 is connected to the connecting member 3 and can rotate with the connecting member 3, and thus the latching component can be described as being movable between a third position and a fourth position different from the third position. In some embodiments, when the latching component is in the third position, the ink cartridge 100 can be locked, and when the latching component is in the fourth position, the ink cartridge 100 can be unlocked.

[0111] Further, the ink cartridge mounting portion 10 is also provided with a contact pin seat 10a, an abutment 10c and a guide 10d. In the upward-downward direction, the contact pin seat 10a, the ink suction needle 2 and the abutment 10c are arranged in sequence from top to bottom, in the front-rear direction, the abutment 10c, the connecting member 3 and the guide 10d are arranged in sequence from front to rear, and a spacing portion 10e is further formed between the guide 10d and the connecting member 3. The guide 10d has a guide surface 10d1 facing upward and a locking surface 10d2 facing forward, and a guide plate is located on the left side and / or the right side of the guide surface 10d1. In the upward-downward direction, the guide plate is located above the guide surface 10d1.

[0112] During the mounting and removal of the ink cartridge 100, the abutment 10c is configured to cooperate with an extension groove 11d described below to prevent the ink cartridge 100 from rotating during the mounting or removal process. The abutment 10c can be configured as a T-shaped guide rail, a plate-shaped guide rail or a columnar guide rail.

[0113] The contact pin seat 10a has contact pins configured to be connected to the ink cartridge, the contact pins extend in the mounting direction or the front-rear direction of the ink cartridge. Preferably, the contact pins are provided in plurality and are arranged in the upward-downward direction. More preferably, the contact pins are configured to be elastically movable in the left-right direction, so that during the mounting of the ink cartridge 100, the contact pins abut against the electrical contact portion 101b2 described below and are elastically moved, and finally, the contact pins can be in good contact with the electrical contact portion 101b2.

[0114] In some embodiments, the ink cartridge mounting portion 10 further comprises a pumping mechanism 10b, which is located between the stylus seat 10a and the ink suction needle 2 in the up-down direction, and is used to pump air into the ink cartridge 100, so that the ink cartridge 100 can complete detection work such as installation detection, ink amount detection, etc.

[0115] [Overall structure of the ink cartridge]

[0116] As shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, the ink cartridge 100 comprises a cartridge body 11 and an ink outlet 118, the cartridge body 11 is formed with an ink containing portion 119 for containing ink, the ink in the ink containing portion 119 is supplied to the ink suction needle through the ink outlet 118, the cartridge body 11 is generally cuboid-shaped, has oppositely arranged front and rear surfaces 11a and 11b, upper and lower surfaces 11c and 11d, the ink containing portion 119 is located between the front and rear surfaces 11a and 11b, the upper and lower surfaces 11c and 11d, and the ink outlet 118 is exposed from the front surface 11a, and the ink cartridge 100 is installed along the exposure direction of the ink outlet 118.

[0117] Accordingly, the orientation of the ink cartridge 100 is defined as follows, the direction in which the ink cartridge 100 is installed to the image forming device is the front direction, the direction in which the ink cartridge 100 is removed from the image forming device is the rear direction, when viewed in the direction from the rear to the front, the left side of the line of sight is the left side of the ink cartridge, the right side of the line of sight is the right side of the ink cartridge, the upper side of the line of sight is the upper side of the ink cartridge, and the lower side of the line of sight is the lower side of the ink cartridge, and the ink cartridge mounting portion 10 also has the same orientation as the ink cartridge 100.

[0118] In some embodiments, the ink cartridge 100 further comprises a chip assembly 101, the chip assembly 101 comprises a chip seat 101a and a chip 101b, the chip 101b comprises a substrate 101b1 and an electrical contact portion 101b2, the electrical contact portion 101b2 extends in the front-rear direction and is used to form electrical contact / electrical connection with the stylus, so that the ink cartridge 100 establishes a communication connection with the image forming device, when the electrical contact portion 101b2 is provided in multiple, the multiple electrical contact portions 101b2 are arranged in the up-down direction; wherein whether the electrical contact portion 101b2 is provided on the substrate 101b1 is not necessarily limited, as long as the electrical contact portion 101b2 can form electrical connection with the stylus; a chip containing space 11g is formed between the front surface 11a and the upper surface 11c, and at least the electrical contact portion 101b2 in the chip assembly 101 is contained in the containing space 11g.

[0119] In some embodiments, the electrical contact portion 101b2 is provided towards the left side.

[0120] In some embodiments, the electrical contact 101b2 is disposed towards the right side, and the ink cartridge 100 further comprises a partition disposed to the right of the electrical contact 101b2, the electrical contact 101b2 and the partition being spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction, and the ink cartridge 100 is prevented from rotating by the partition abutting against the stylus seat 10a.

[0121] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the electrical contact 101b2 is located in front of the front surface 11a in the front-rear direction.

[0122] In some embodiments, the chip seat 101a is detachably connected to the cartridge body 11, and the connection can be clamping, insertion, adhesion, magnetic connection, etc. For example, a portion of the chip seat 101a is located on the upper surface 11c in the up-down direction.

[0123] In some embodiments, the chip 101b can be a newly manufactured chip or a recycled old chip.

[0124] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the chip 101b can also be made of a flexible circuit board, for example, at least a portion of the substrate 101b1 is a flexible circuit board.

[0125] In some embodiments, the ink cartridge 100 further comprises a gas inlet 116, which cooperates with the gas charging mechanism 10b when the ink cartridge 100 is installed in the predetermined position of the image forming apparatus, and the gas charging mechanism 10b can charge the ink cartridge 100 through the gas inlet 116, so that the ink cartridge 100 can complete the above-mentioned detection work; in some embodiments, the ink cartridge 100 further comprises a gas charging channel in communication with the gas inlet 116, at least a portion of the gas charging channel extends in the front-rear direction and coincides with the gas charging mechanism 10b.

[0126] [Locking mechanism]

[0127] In order to enable the ink cartridge 100 to be stably positioned in the image forming apparatus / ink cartridge mounting portion 10, as shown in FIG. 14B, the ink cartridge 100 further comprises a locking mechanism 12 movably disposed relative to the cartridge body 11, the locking mechanism 12 is disposed to be movable relative to the cartridge body 11 between a locking position and an unlocking position different from the locking position, at least a portion of the locking mechanism 12 contacts the ink cartridge mounting portion 10 during installation of the ink cartridge 100, forcing the locking mechanism 12 to move relative to the cartridge body 11 from the unlocking position to the locking position, and finally, the ink cartridge 100 is retained / locked in the ink cartridge mounting portion 10 by cooperating with the ink cartridge mounting portion 10.

[0128] In some embodiments, at least a part of the locking mechanism 12 is arranged to be slidable / translational relative to the cartridge body 11, and the sliding / translational direction thereof can be parallel to one of the front-rear direction, the up-down direction and the left-right direction, or can be inclined relative to at least one of the front-rear direction, the up-down direction and the left-right direction.

[0129] In some embodiments, at least a part of the locking mechanism 12 is arranged to be rotatable relative to the cartridge body 11, and the rotation axis thereof can be parallel to one of the front-rear direction, the up-down direction and the left-right direction, or can be inclined relative to at least one of the front-rear direction, the up-down direction and the left-right direction.

[0130] Embodiment Four

[0131] For some imaging devices that have been used for a long time, the connecting member 3 and / or the latch structure 4 in the cartridge mounting portion 10 can be damaged or used improperly, for example, the connecting member 3 cannot be smoothly rotated, and thus the original cartridge cannot be smoothly and normally installed; or due to partial damage of the connecting member 3 and / or the latch structure 4, the locking mechanism 12 cannot counteract the elastic force of the elastic member 10f (as shown in FIG. 16B) in the cartridge mounting portion 10 for a long time after the cartridge 100 is installed, and thus is forced to move from the locked position to the unlocked position; in the foregoing cases, the user generally needs to disassemble the cartridge mounting portion from the printer to repair the connecting member 3 and / or the latch structure 4, thereby affecting the user's use cost.

[0132] The present embodiment provides a cartridge, which can be locked during installation without rotating the connecting member 3 and / or the latch structure 4 of the cartridge mounting portion 10, that is, the cartridge can be kept in the cartridge mounting portion, thereby reducing the user's use cost. The differences between the present embodiment and the above-mentioned embodiments are mainly described below.

[0133] As shown in FIGS. 15A-15C, the locking mechanism 12 includes a locking member 12a and a trigger member 12c, the locking member 12a has the above-mentioned locked position and unlocked position; when the locking mechanism 12 is located at the locked position, the locking mechanism 12 cooperates with any front-facing surface in the cartridge mounting portion 10 at the locked position, so that the cartridge 100 cooperates with the cartridge mounting portion 10 to be kept / locked in the cartridge mounting portion 10; the trigger member 12c is used to drive the locking member to move from the locked position to the unlocked position.

[0134] The front-facing surface of the ink cartridge mounting portion 10 can be a surface (e.g., the locking surface 10d2) of the front-facing portion of the guide 10d, or a surface of the front-facing portion of the latch structure 4. When the front-facing surface of the ink cartridge mounting portion 10 is a surface of the front-facing portion of the latch structure 4, the locking mechanism 12 is in the locked position when the latch member is in the third position, and the locking mechanism 12 is in the unlocked position when the latch member is in the fourth position. In some embodiments, the locking member 12a has a tendency to move from the unlocked position to the locked position, e.g., the locking member 12a can have a tendency to move from the unlocked position to the locked position under the action of gravity; for another example, the locking mechanism 12 further comprises a pushing member 12b, and the locking member can have a tendency to move from the unlocked position to the locked position under the action of the pushing member 12b; or, the locking member 12a can have a tendency to move from the unlocked position to the locked position under the action of gravity / spring force.

[0135] In some embodiments, the locking member comprises an engaging surface 12a1, which abuts against any front-facing surface of the ink cartridge mounting portion 10 when the locking mechanism 12 is in the locked position, so that the ink cartridge 100 is retained in the ink cartridge mounting portion 10. For example, the engaging surface 12a1 can abut against the front-facing surface of the locking surface 12d2 / latch structure 4 in the front-rear direction when the locking mechanism 12 is in the locked position.

[0136] In some embodiments, when the locking mechanism 12 is in the locked position, the locking mechanism 12 cooperates with any surface of the ink cartridge mounting portion 10 facing in any one of the upward, downward, leftward, and rightward directions, and at this time, the ink cartridge 100 can also be retained / locked in the ink cartridge mounting portion 10 by the frictional force generated between the locking mechanism 12 and the ink cartridge mounting portion 10 overcoming the elastic force of the elastic member 10f, and at this time, the locking member 12a is provided as the portion of the cartridge body 11 abutting against the ink cartridge mounting portion 10; for example, in the up-down and / or left-right directions, the cartridge body 11 has a portion abutting against the ink cartridge mounting portion 10, which can be regarded as the locking member 12a.

[0137] In some embodiments, the trigger member 12c can drive the locking member 12a to move from the locked position to the unlocked position.

[0138] In some embodiments, the trigger member 12c can be provided at the rear side of the ink cartridge 100, e.g., at the rear surface 11b; specifically, the trigger member 12c can be provided at the rear surface 11b close to the upper surface 11c and / or close to the lower surface 11d, or can be provided at the middle of the rear surface 11b.

[0139] In some embodiments, the trigger 12c is arranged at a diagonal position of the cartridge 11 relative to the chip assembly 101 along a plane formed in the up-down direction and the front-back direction; along the front-back direction, the locking member 12a is located between the triggers; in this way, when the triggers 12c are pressed to move the locking member 12a from the locking position to the unlocking position, the locking mechanism 12 is less likely to shake the cartridge 11 as a whole and thus less likely to damage the chip assembly 101, because the triggers and the locking member are movable relative to the cartridge 11.

[0140] In some embodiments, the trigger 12c can be arranged at the junction of the rear side of the cartridge 100 and the upper surface 11c / lower surface 11d, for example, the cartridge 100 further comprises a clearance space 12c1 for accommodating at least a part of the trigger 12c, and the clearance space 12c1 can be arranged at the junction of the rear side of the cartridge 100 and the upper surface 11c / lower surface 11d.

[0141] The bottom surface of the cartridge 11 is further provided with a first clearance portion 11d2, and during the installation process of the cartridge and / or in the installed state, the connecting member 3 / latch structure 4 / abutment 10c is at least partially located in the first clearance portion 11d2. In this way, even if the connecting member 3 / latch structure 4 is damaged, for example, the connecting member 3 cannot rotate smoothly, the installation of the cartridge will not be affected; in addition, the first clearance portion 11d2 can effectively reduce the material of the cartridge 11, reduce costs and alleviate environmental pollution.

[0142] In some embodiments, during the installation of the cartridge, the latch structure 4 and the abutment 10c pass through the first clearance portion 11d2.

[0143] In some embodiments, along the up-down direction, when the cartridge is in the installed state, the first clearance portion 11d2 at least partially coincides with the abutment 10c.

[0144]

Example Five

[0145] To solve the similar technical problems as in Example Four, this embodiment mainly describes the differences from Example Four.

[0146] As shown in FIGS. 16A-16C, the ink cartridge 100 includes a cartridge body 11, an elastically movable locking mechanism 12, a handle 13, and a second avoiding portion 116a. The locking mechanism 12 includes a locking member 12a, which includes a locking position and an unlocking position. When the locking mechanism 12 is in the locking position, the locking member 12a abuts against any front-facing surface in the ink cartridge mounting portion 10, so that the ink cartridge 100 is retained in the ink cartridge mounting portion 10. The handle 13 is used to take out the ink cartridge 100 installed in the ink cartridge mounting portion 10. When the ink cartridge is taken out, the locking mechanism 12 is elastically moved at least partially, so that the locking member 12a is moved from the locking position to the unlocking position. The second avoiding portion 116a is recessed from the cartridge body 11. When the ink cartridge is in the installed state, the elastic member 10f in the ink cartridge mounting portion 10 is located in the second avoiding portion 116a.

[0147] In some embodiments, the locking member 12a can be elastically moved. When the ink cartridge is taken out, the locking member 12a is elastically moved at least partially, so that the locking member 12a is moved from the locking position to the unlocking position. In some embodiments, the locking member 12a and the pushing member 12b can be provided as a single component. For example, the locking member 12a is a bent component made of elastic material (e.g., a metal spring / a spring integrated with the cartridge body 11). When a portion of the locking member 12a is elastically deformed, the elastically deformed portion can be regarded as the pushing member 12b (as shown in FIG. 16C). For another example, the pushing member 12b has an end portion extending in a direction different from the locking member 12a. When the ink cartridge is taken out, the end portion of the pushing member 12b abuts against the ink cartridge mounting portion 10 / cartridge body 11 and is elastically deformed at least partially, so that the locking member 12a is displaced and moved from the locking position to the unlocking position.

[0148] In some embodiments, the locking mechanism 12 further includes a pushing member 12b connected to the locking member 12a. When the pushing member 12b is elastically deformed, the pushing member 12b applies an elastic force to the locking member 12a, so that the locking member 12a has a tendency to move from the unlocking position to the locking position. In some embodiments, the locking member 12a and the pushing member 12b can be provided as independent components. For example, the pushing member 12b is provided as a spring (a compression spring / a tension spring / a torsion spring). When the ink cartridge is taken out, the spring is elastically deformed at least partially, so that the locking member 12a is displaced and moved from the locking position to the unlocking position. In some embodiments, the locking member 12a can be provided as a ball.

[0149] When the user needs to take out the ink cartridge 100 (in the installed state) installed in the ink cartridge mounting portion 10, the user applies a force in the rear direction (the disassembly direction) to the ink cartridge through the handle, so that the locking mechanism is moved from the locking position to the unlocking position.

[0150] In some embodiments, the handle 13 can be arranged on the rear side of the ink cartridge 100, such as on the rear surface lib; in particular, the handle 13 can be arranged on the rear surface lib near the upper surface lie and / or near the lower surface lid, or the handle 13 can be arranged in the middle of the rear surface lib.

[0151] In some embodiments, the handle 13 is recessed at least partially from the rear surface lib of the cartridge body 11.

[0152] In some embodiments, the handle 13 is arranged as a protrusion, at least a portion of the handle 13 extends further than the rear surface lib of the cartridge body 11, for example, the handle 13 extends rearward from the cartridge body 11, and the end of the handle 13 is further rearward than the rear surface lib of the cartridge body 11.

[0153] The second avoiding portion 116a is recessed from the front surface lie of the cartridge body 11 toward the cartridge body 11. In this way, when the ink cartridge is removed, once the ink cartridge 100 is incorrectly pivoted at the joint of the ink outlet 118 and the ink suction portion 1, the second avoiding portion 116a can abut against the elastic member 10f to limit such incorrect pivoting, thereby avoiding damage to the ink suction portion 1.

[0154] In some embodiments, the second avoiding portion 116a is arranged as an avoiding groove corresponding to the shape of the elastic member 10f.

[0155] In some embodiments, along the up-down direction / left-right direction, when the ink cartridge 10 is mounted on the ink cartridge mounting portion 10, the second avoiding portion 116a at least partially coincides with the elastic member 10f.

[0156] In some embodiments, along the front-rear direction, the second avoiding portion 116a at least partially overlaps with the handle 13.

[0157] In some embodiments, along the front-rear direction, the recessed direction of the second avoiding portion 116a is parallel to the extended / recessed direction of the handle 13.

[0158] In some embodiments, along the up-down direction, both the second avoiding portion 116a and the handle 13 are on the upper side of the cartridge body 11.

[0159]

Embodiment Six

[0160] The difference between this embodiment and the above embodiments is that the locking mechanism 12 can also be arranged as a detachable connection relative to the cartridge body 11, in this way, the locking mechanism 12 can be quickly and simply mounted / detached on the cartridge body 11.

[0161] The locking mechanism includes a main body, the locking mechanism 12 main body, a fixing portion arranged between the main body and the cartridge body 11, and a locking member 12a.

[0162] In some embodiments, the locking member 12a includes a latching rail for guiding the latching structure 4 and a latching stopper for retaining the latching structure 4, which can retain the ink cartridge 100 in the ink cartridge mounting portion 10 when the latching stopper is in abutment with the latching structure 4. Alternatively, the locking member can also be in the form of other embodiments described above, which are not limited herein.

[0163] In some embodiments, the fixing portion can be a snap structure, a plug-in structure, a screw fixing portion or a magnetic fixing portion.

[0164] In some embodiments, the locking mechanism can also be connected by interference fit between the main body and the cartridge body 11.

[0165]

Embodiment Seven

[0166] The difference between this embodiment and the above-described embodiments is that the cartridge body 11 is set to be smaller in the left-right direction, for example, when the ink cartridge 100 is mounted to the ink cartridge mounting portion 10, the cartridge body 11 does not have a portion that coincides with the guide surface 10d1 in the up-down direction.

[0167] In some embodiments, the bottom surface 11d is set to be a flat surface.

[0168] In this way, the space of the cartridge body 11 can be fully utilized, the size of the ink containing portion 119 is ensured while reducing the overall volume of the cartridge body 11, and thus the transportation cost of the ink cartridge 100 can be reduced.

Claims

1. A cartridge detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus provided with a first detection member and a second detection member, the first detection member being located above the second detection member, the first detection member having a first light emitting unit and a first light receiving unit arranged apart from each other, the second detection member having a second light emitting unit and a second light receiving unit arranged apart from each other, the first light emitting unit emitting a first light, the second light emitting unit emitting a second light; characterized in that the cartridge comprising: a cartridge body for accommodating ink; a detected assembly including at least a second detected member, the second detected member cooperating with the second detection member during mounting of the cartridge to detect at least a model of the cartridge; the detected assembly moving relative to the cartridge body in a direction from lower to upper along a front-rear direction from a first position to a second position as the cartridge is mounted forward; at the first position, the second detected member is located at a position capable of blocking the second light; at the second position, the second detected member reaches a position incapable of blocking the second light.

2. The ink cartridge of claim 1, wherein the detected assembly further including a first detected member, the first detected member cooperating with the first detection member during mounting of the cartridge to detect whether the cartridge is in a predetermined position; the first detected member being located above the second detected member in a direction from lower to upper; at the first position, the first detected member is located at a position incapable of blocking the first light; at the second position, the second detected member reaches a position capable of blocking the first light.

3. The ink cartridge of claim 2, wherein the detected assembly further including a third detected member, the third detected member cooperating with the second detection member during mounting of the cartridge to detect at least a model of the cartridge; the third detected member cooperating with the second detection member to detect an ink remaining amount of the cartridge when the cartridge is in a state of being mounted to the predetermined position; the second detected member being located in front of the third detected member in the front-rear direction; after the second detected member reaches the second position, the second light is blocked by the third detected member as the cartridge continues to move forward.

4. The ink cartridge of claim 1, wherein the detected assembly further including a detected member main body and a forced pushing portion, the second detected member being connected to the detected member main body, the forced pushing portion being configured to receive a forced pushing force from outside of the cartridge to move the detected assembly from the first position to the second position.

5. The ink cartridge of claim 4, wherein the forced pushing portion being located rearward of a front end of the second detected member in the front-rear direction.

6. The ink cartridge of claim 3, wherein the detected assembly further including a detected member main body and a forced pushing portion, the first detected member and the second detected member both being connected to the detected member main body, the forced pushing portion being provided on at least one of the detected member main body, the first detected member and the second detected member, the forced pushing portion being configured to receive a forced pushing force from outside of the cartridge to move the detected assembly from the first position to the second position.

7. The ink cartridge of claim 6, wherein the cartridge further including an upwardly facing upper side wall and a third guide portion provided on the upper side wall, the first detected member being guided by the third guide portion.

8. The ink cartridge of claim 7, wherein the cartridge further including an auxiliary member detachably coupled to the cartridge body, the auxiliary member being provided with an auxiliary hole, the auxiliary hole coinciding with at least a portion of the through hole in a direction from lower to upper when the auxiliary member is mounted to the cartridge body.

9. The ink cartridge of claim 3, wherein The third detected member is arranged on the cartridge body, and the third detected member is provided with a second guide part, and the second detected member is provided with a second guided part for cooperating with the second guide part.

10. The ink cartridge of claim 3, wherein The second detected member and the third detected member have a spacing S therebetween.

11. The ink cartridge of claim 4, wherein The first detected member includes a connecting part connected with the detected member body and an extension part cooperating with the connecting part, and at least one extension part is arranged on one side of the connecting part in the left-right direction.

12. The ink cartridge of any one of claims 1-11, wherein, The cartridge body is formed with an ink chamber for accommodating ink, and the ink cartridge further comprises a gas guide member for communicating the atmosphere and the ink chamber, and the gas guide member is located above the ink chamber.

13. The ink cartridge of claim 12, wherein, The cartridge body is formed with an ink flow channel, and the ink chamber comprises a first ink storage chamber, a second ink storage chamber and an ink supply chamber, the ink flow channel communicates the first ink storage chamber and the second ink storage chamber, and the ink supply chamber is located below the second ink storage chamber, and the first ink storage chamber is arranged adjacent to the second ink storage chamber and the ink supply chamber respectively; Along the flow path of the gas, the first ink storage chamber is located upstream of the second ink storage chamber; Along the up-down direction, the ink flow channel overlaps at least part of the first ink storage chamber, at least part of the second ink storage chamber and at least part of the ink supply chamber respectively.

14. The ink cartridge of claim 13, wherein, The ink chamber is divided into a plurality of chambers, and the gas guide member has a gas guide port for communicating the atmosphere and the plurality of chambers; The ink cartridge further comprises a sealing member moving relative to the cartridge body between a sealing position and an unsealing position, when the sealing member is located at the sealing position, the gas guide port is sealed by the sealing member, and the ink chamber is not in communication with the atmosphere; when the sealing member is located at the unsealing position, the gas guide port is not sealed by the sealing member, and the ink chamber is in communication with the atmosphere.

15. The ink cartridge of claim 14, wherein, The gas guide member further has a gas communication channel for communicating the plurality of chambers and the first ink storage chamber, the plurality of chambers include a first chamber, a second chamber and a third chamber in communication with each other, the first chamber is used for communication with the gas guide port, and the third chamber is used for communication with the gas communication channel, so that the gas flows into the ink chamber through the first chamber, the second chamber and the third chamber in sequence.

16. The ink cartridge of claim 15, wherein, The gas guide member further comprises a first air inlet and a second air inlet formed on the housing, the first air inlet is used for communication with the second chamber, and the second air inlet is used for communication with the third chamber, and the sealing member further has a gas guide groove formed on the sealing part, the gas guide groove is used for cooperating with the first air inlet and the second air inlet to communicate the second chamber and the third chamber.

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