Printer and ink supply unit

Abstract

The present invention reduces the effect of inertia associated with the movement of a carriage.　A carriage 131 on which a discharge head 120 and an ink supply unit 170 are mounted reciprocates in a main scanning direction. The ink supply unit 170 includes: a first ink chamber in which the ink supplied from an ink tank 160 through an ink supply path is accommodated; a second ink chamber in which the ink to be supplied to the discharge head 120 is accommodated; a connection flow path that connects the first ink chamber and the second ink chamber; and a sealing valve for closing or opening the connection flow path from the first ink chamber side. The ink supply unit 170 is disposed so that a sealing direction, which is the direction in which the sealing valve moves when the sealing valve closes the connection flow path, does not coincide with the main scanning direction.

Description

Printing device and ink supply unit

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a printing device and an ink supply unit.

[0002] Currently, an ink supply unit that is provided between an ink tank and a discharge head and adjusts the pressure of the ink supplied to the discharge head is known. Such an ink supply unit is described in, for example, Patent Document 1.

[0003] This Patent Document 1 describes a valve unit that receives the supply of a liquid from a liquid container via a supply path and supplies the liquid to a liquid injection head. When the liquid in the pressure chamber decreases and the negative pressure increases, this valve unit opens the valve with a film member to replenish the liquid into the pressure chamber.

[0004] International Publication No. 2003 / 041964

[0005] However, in the valve unit described in Patent Document 1, the influence of inertia when the carriage holding the valve unit accelerates or decelerates is not considered. Therefore, in the valve unit described in Patent Document 1, when the carriage accelerates or decelerates, the sealing force by the valve may excessively change due to the influence of inertia, and appropriate valve opening and closing control may not be achieved. For this reason, a technique for reducing the influence of inertia accompanying the movement of the carriage is desired.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a printing device and an ink supply unit that reduce the influence of inertia accompanying the movement of the carriage.

[0007] To achieve the above objective, a printing apparatus according to the first aspect of this disclosure includes: an ink tank for storing ink; an ink supply path for supplying the ink; a discharge head for ejecting the ink; an ink supply unit for supplying the ink supplied from the ink tank through the ink supply path to the discharge head; and a carriage for mounting the discharge head and the ink supply unit and moving back and forth in the main scanning direction, wherein the ink supply unit includes: a first ink chamber for storing the ink supplied from the ink tank through the ink supply path; a second ink chamber for storing the ink to be supplied to the discharge head; a connecting passage for connecting the first ink chamber and the second ink chamber; and a sealing valve for closing or opening the connecting passage from the first ink chamber side, wherein the ink supply unit is arranged such that the sealing direction, which is the direction in which the sealing valve moves when the sealing valve closes the connecting passage, coincides with the main scanning direction.

[0008] In the above configuration, the ink supply unit is positioned so that the sealing direction and the main scanning direction do not coincide. Therefore, the influence of valve inertia on the sealing force of the sealing valve is suppressed. Accordingly, the above configuration makes it possible to reduce the effect of inertia associated with carriage movement.

[0009] The ink supply unit may include: a first biasing member that biases the sealing valve so that it closes the connecting passage; an opening valve that is pressed against the sealing valve to open the connecting passage; a second biasing member that biases the opening valve so that it moves away from the sealing valve; and a film member to which the opening valve is fixed, which displaces when the ink in the second ink chamber decreases so that the opening valve is pressed against the sealing valve and the connecting passage is opened.

[0010] In the above configuration, the ink supply unit includes a film member that, when the ink level in the second ink chamber decreases, is displaced so that the opening valve is pressed against the sealing valve and the connecting channel is opened. With the above configuration, in a printing apparatus using an ink supply unit that automatically replenishes ink from the first ink chamber to the second ink chamber, the effect of inertia associated with carriage movement can be reduced.

[0011] The main scanning direction is a direction parallel to the horizontal plane, and the sealing direction may be a direction parallel to the horizontal plane that does not coincide with the main scanning direction.

[0012] In the above configuration, the main scanning direction is parallel to the horizontal plane, and the sealing direction is a direction parallel to the horizontal plane that does not coincide with the main scanning direction. With the above configuration, it is possible to reduce the effect of inertia associated with carriage movement while maintaining the sealing direction parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0013] The main scanning direction may be parallel to the horizontal plane, and the sealing direction may be perpendicular to the horizontal plane.

[0014] In the above configuration, the main scanning direction is parallel to the horizontal plane, and the sealing direction is perpendicular to the horizontal plane. Therefore, the influence of valve inertia on the sealing force of the sealing valve is almost suppressed. Accordingly, the above configuration makes it possible to reduce the effect of valve inertia associated with carriage movement.

[0015] The ink supply unit has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with a first surface and a second surface perpendicular to the first surface, and the ink supply unit is arranged such that the first surface is perpendicular to the main scanning direction and the second surface is perpendicular to the vertical direction, and the sealing valve may be arranged within the ink supply unit such that the sealing direction is not perpendicular to the first surface.

[0016] In the above configuration, the sealing valve is positioned within the ink supply unit so that its sealing direction is not perpendicular to the first surface, and the ink supply unit is positioned such that the first surface is perpendicular to the main scanning direction and the second surface is perpendicular to the vertical direction. Therefore, with the above configuration, even when the first surface is perpendicular to the main scanning direction and the second surface is perpendicular to the vertical direction, the effect of inertia associated with carriage movement can be reduced.

[0017] To achieve the above objective, an ink supply unit according to a second aspect of this disclosure is mounted together with a discharge head on a carriage that reciprocates in the main scanning direction, and supplies ink supplied from an ink tank to the discharge head via an ink supply path, comprising: a first ink chamber for storing the ink supplied from the ink tank via the ink supply path; a second ink chamber for storing the ink to be supplied to the discharge head; a connecting channel for connecting the first ink chamber and the second ink chamber; and a sealing valve for closing or opening the connecting channel from the first ink chamber side, wherein, when incorporated into a printing apparatus, the sealing direction, which is the direction in which the sealing valve moves when the sealing valve closes the connecting channel, does not coincide with the main scanning direction.

[0018] In the above configuration, the ink supply unit is positioned so that the sealing direction and the main scanning direction do not coincide. Therefore, the influence of valve inertia on the sealing force of the sealing valve is suppressed. Accordingly, the above configuration makes it possible to reduce the effect of inertia associated with carriage movement.

[0019] According to this disclosure, the effects of inertia associated with carriage movement can be reduced.

[0020] External view of the printing apparatus according to Embodiment 1. Configuration diagram of the apparatus body according to Embodiment 1. External view of the head moving mechanism according to Embodiment 1. Arrangement diagram of the ink supply unit according to Embodiment 1, where (A) is the first arrangement diagram of the ink supply unit and (B) is the second arrangement diagram of the ink supply unit. First cross-sectional view of the ink supply unit along line A-A in Figure 4(B). Second cross-sectional view of the ink supply unit along line A-A in Figure 4(B). Graph showing the change in ink pressure in the first ink chamber. Explanatory diagram of sealing force during each period. Arrangement diagram of the ink supply unit according to Embodiment 2, where (A) is the first arrangement diagram of the ink supply unit and (B) is the second arrangement diagram of the ink supply unit. Cross-sectional view of the ink supply unit along line B-B in Figure 9(A). Arrangement diagram of the ink supply unit according to Embodiment 3, where (A) is the first arrangement diagram of the ink supply unit and (B) is the second arrangement diagram of the ink supply unit. Cross-sectional view of the ink supply unit along line C-C in Figure 11(A).

[0021] (Embodiment 1) First, the configuration of the printing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is an external view of the printing apparatus 100. In Figure 1, the Z axis is an axis extending in the vertical direction, the X axis is an axis perpendicular to the Z axis, and the Y axis is an axis perpendicular to both the X axis and the Z axis. Hereinafter, the direction in which the arrows of the X axis, Y axis, Z axis, etc. extend will be referred to as the positive direction, and the direction opposite to the positive direction will be referred to as the negative direction. In this embodiment, the Y axis direction is the main scanning direction, and the X axis direction is the sub-scanning direction.

[0022] The printing device 100 is a device that prints an image onto a media 200 using an inkjet method. The media 200 is a sheet-like material such as paper or cloth. As shown in Figure 1, the printing device 100 comprises a device body 101 and a stand 102.

[0023] The main body of the device 101 has the function of printing an image onto the media 200. The main body of the device 101 is supported by a stand 102. The main body of the device 101 is equipped with a platen 103 that supports the media 200. As shown in Figure 2, the main components of the main body of the device 101 that are involved in control include a controller 110, an ejection head 120, a head movement mechanism 130, a feeding mechanism 140, and an input / output unit 150.

[0024] The controller 110 controls the overall operation of the main unit 101 of the device. The controller 110 includes a processor that executes various programs and a storage device that stores various programs. The processor is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) with built-in ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), RTC (Real Time Clock), etc. The storage device is a hard disk, SSD (Solid State Drive), etc. The various functions performed by the controller 110 are realized, for example, by the processor executing programs stored in the storage device.

[0025] The controller 110 prints an image on the media 200 based on image data supplied from an external device (not shown). Specifically, the controller 110 drives the head movement mechanism 130 to move the ejection head 120 in the main scanning direction and ejects ink from the ejection head 120 at timings based on the image data, thereby performing one line of printing. After that, the controller 110 drives the feed mechanism 140 to move the media 200 a predetermined distance in the sub-scanning direction. The controller 110 prints on the media 200 by repeating the process of printing one line and moving the media 200.

[0026] The ejection head 120 ejects printing ink supplied from the ink tank onto the media 200 according to the control of the controller 110. The ejection head 120 ejects ink using an inkjet method such as a piezo method or a thermal head method. The printing ink is, for example, an ultraviolet-curing ink and consists of CMYK inks. C stands for cyan, M stands for magenta, Y stands for yellow, and K stands for key plate.

[0027] The head movement mechanism 130 is a mechanism that moves the discharge head 120 along the main scanning direction according to the control of the controller 110. As shown in Figure 3, the head movement mechanism 130 comprises a carriage 131, a member 132, a guide rail (not shown), a drive belt (not shown), a drive pulley (not shown), a driven pulley (not shown), and a drive motor (not shown).

[0028] The carriage 131 moves back and forth in the main scanning direction. The carriage 131 is equipped with an ejection head 120 and an ink supply unit 170. Component 132 is a component that extends in the main scanning direction. A guide rail is fixed to component 132. The guide rail guides the movement of the carriage 131 in the main scanning direction. A drive belt is fixed to the carriage 131. The drive belt is routed around a drive pulley and a driven pulley. The drive motor rotates the drive belt via the drive pulley, moving the carriage 131 in the main scanning direction.

[0029] The ink supply unit 170 supplies ink from the ink tank 160 to the ejection head 120 via the ink tube 161. The ink supply unit 170 is located on the path that supplies ink from the ink tank 160 to the ejection head 120. The ink supply unit 170 adjusts the pressure of the ink supplied to the ejection head 120. The ink tank 160 is a container for storing ink. The ink tube 161 is a tube for supplying ink. In this embodiment, at least a portion of the ink tube 161 is fixed to the carriage 131.

[0030] The ink tanks 160, ink tubes 161, and ink supply units 170 are provided for each ink color. In other words, four sets of ink tanks 160, ink tubes 161, and ink supply units 170 are provided. However, for ease of understanding, Figure 3 shows only one set of ink tanks 160 and ink tubes 161 for one color. The ink tube 161 is an example of an ink supply path.

[0031] The feed mechanism 140 is a mechanism that moves the media 200 along the sub-scanning direction according to the control of the controller 110. The feed mechanism 140 includes, for example, a drive motor (not shown), a drive roller (not shown), and a plurality of pinch rollers (not shown). The media 200, sandwiched between the drive roller and the plurality of pinch rollers, moves along the sub-scanning direction due to the rotation of the drive roller.

[0032] The input / output unit 150 is the user interface of the printing device 100. The input / output unit 150 displays an image according to the image data supplied from the controller 110. The input / output unit 150 also receives operation input from the user and supplies control signals to the controller 110 according to the operation input. The input / output unit 150 is, for example, a touchscreen.

[0033] Next, the configuration and arrangement of the ink supply unit 170 will be described with reference to Figures 4, 5, and 6. Figure 4 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the ink supply unit 170. Figure 4(A) is a diagram showing the arrangement of the ink supply unit 170 as viewed from the positive direction of the Z axis. Figure 4(B) is a diagram showing the arrangement of the ink supply unit 170 as viewed from the positive direction of the X axis. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the ink supply unit 170 along line A-A in Figure 4(B) when the sealing valve 171 is in the closed state. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the ink supply unit 170 along line A-A in Figure 4(B) when the sealing valve 171 is in the open state.

[0034] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the ink supply unit 170 has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape with a first face, a second face, and a third face. The first, second, and third faces are orthogonal to each other. In this embodiment, the area of ​​the first face is larger than the area of ​​the third face, and the area of ​​the second face is smaller than the area of ​​the third face. The four ink supply units 170 are arranged along the Y-axis.

[0035] Furthermore, the ink supply unit 170 is arranged such that the first and third surfaces are not perpendicular to the Y-axis direction, and the second surface is perpendicular to the Z-axis direction. Here, as will be described later, within the ink supply unit 170, the sealing direction, which is the direction in which the sealing valve 171 moves when the sealing valve 171 closes the connecting passage 179, is perpendicular to the first surface. Therefore, in this embodiment, the sealing direction is a direction parallel to the horizontal plane that does not coincide with the main scanning direction.

[0036] The internal structure of the ink supply unit 170 will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. For ease of understanding, Figures 5 and 6 show a cross-sectional view of one of the four ink supply units 170. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the ink supply unit 170 comprises a sealing valve 171, a spring 172, a sealing member 173, an opening valve 174, a spring 175, a film member 176, a first ink chamber 177, a second ink chamber 178, a connecting channel 179, and members 181, 182, 183, and 184.

[0037] The sealing valve 171 is a valve body that closes or opens the connecting passage 179 from the first ink chamber 177 side. The sealing valve 171 closes the connecting passage 179 by sandwiching a sealing member 173, which is provided in the connecting passage 179, between itself and member 181. The sealing valve 171 closes the connecting passage 179 by being pushed out toward the second ink chamber 178 side by a spring 172. The sealing valve 171 also opens the connecting passage 179 by being pushed back toward the first ink chamber 177 side by an opening valve 174.

[0038] The spring 172 is a spring that biases the sealing valve 171 so that it closes the connecting passage 179. The spring 172 is positioned between member 182 and the sealing valve 171. When the spring 172 is extended, the sealing valve 171 closes the connecting passage 179. When the spring 172 is compressed, the sealing valve 171 opens the connecting passage 179. The spring 172 is an example of a first biasing member.

[0039] The sealing member 173 is a member for sealing the connecting channel 179. The sealing member 173 is sandwiched between member 181 and member 183 and positioned on the connecting channel 179. The sealing member 173 is sandwiched between the sealing valve 171 and member 181 to seal the connecting channel 179. The sealing member 173 is, for example, a ring-shaped piece of rubber.

[0040] The opening valve 174 is a valve body that is pressed against the sealing valve 171 to open the connecting passage 179. The opening valve 174 comprises a plate-shaped portion (not shown) which extends in a plate shape, and a projection portion (not shown) which protrudes from the plate-shaped portion. The plate-shaped portion is fixed to the film member 176. When the plate-shaped portion is pushed out toward the sealing valve 171 by the film member 176, the projection portion pushes the sealing valve 171 back toward the first ink chamber 177.

[0041] The spring 175 is a spring that biases the opening valve 174 so that it moves away from the sealing valve 171. The spring 175 is positioned between member 181 and the plate-shaped portion of the opening valve 174. When the spring 175 is extended, the sealing valve 171 closes the connecting passage 179. When the spring 175 is compressed, the opening valve 174 opens the connecting passage 179. The spring 175 is an example of a second biasing member.

[0042] The film member 176 is a film-like member having flexibility. The plate-like portion of the opening valve 174 is fixed to the film member 176. When the ink in the second ink chamber 178 decreases, the film member 176 is displaced so that the volume in the second ink chamber 178 decreases. When the ink in the second ink chamber 178 further decreases, the film member 176 is displaced so that the opening valve 174 is pressed against the sealing valve 171 and the connection flow path 179 is opened.

[0043] The first ink chamber 177 is a space for storing the ink supplied from the ink tank 160 via the ink tube 161. One end of the ink tube 161 is connected to the ink tank 160, and the other end of the ink tube 161 is connected to the first ink chamber 177. That is, the inside of the ink tube 161 and the inside of the first ink chamber 177 are connected.

[0044] The inside of the first ink chamber 177 is filled with ink. A positive pressure by a pump or a hydrostatic pressure is applied to the inside of the first ink chamber 177. The positive pressure is a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure, and the negative pressure is a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure. The first ink chamber 177 is a space surrounded by members 181, 182, 183, etc.

[0045] The second ink chamber 178 is a space for storing the ink supplied to the discharge head 120. The discharge head 120 includes a nozzle 121 and an ink flow path 122. The nozzle 121 is a nozzle for discharging ink. In the present embodiment, the ink discharge direction, which is the direction in which the nozzle 121 discharges ink, is the negative direction of the Z axis and is a vertically downward direction. The ink flow path 122 is a flow path for supplying ink to the nozzle 121. One end of the ink flow path 122 is connected to the nozzle 121, and the other end of the ink flow path 122 is connected to the second ink chamber 178. That is, the inside of the ink flow path 122 and the inside of the second ink chamber 178 are connected. The ink in the second ink chamber 178 is supplied to the nozzle 121 via the ink flow path 122.

[0046] The interior of the second ink chamber 178 is filled with ink. When ink is supplied from the second ink chamber 178 to the ejection head 120, the ink in the second ink chamber 178 decreases, the pressure in the second ink chamber 178 drops, and the volume of the second ink chamber 178 decreases. Basically, a negative pressure is applied inside the second ink chamber 178. The second ink chamber 178 is a space surrounded by members 181, film member 176, etc.

[0047] The connection channel 179 is a space connecting the first ink chamber 177 and the second ink chamber 178. The connection channel 179 is closed or opened by the open valve 174. While the connection channel 179 is open, ink is supplied from the first ink chamber 177 to the second ink chamber 178. While the connection channel 179 is closed, the supply of ink from the first ink chamber 177 to the second ink chamber 178 is blocked.

[0048] Members such as member 181, member 182, and member 184 are members forming the outer shape of the ink supply unit 170. When a relatively small aperture (not shown) provided in member 181 is blocked by member 182, the first ink chamber 177 is formed. When a relatively large aperture (not shown) provided in member 181 is blocked by the film member 176, the second ink chamber 178 is formed. Member 183 is a member for fixing the sealing member 173 in the connection channel 179.

[0049] Next, the operation of the ink supply unit 170 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. First, as shown in FIG. 5, when there is a sufficient amount of ink in the second ink chamber 178, the ink supply unit 170 maintains a closed state in which the connection channel 179 is closed by the sealing member 173. The reason for this will be explained below.

[0050] First, the force of the spring 172 pushing the sealing valve 171 in the sealing direction causes the sealing valve 171 to press against the sealing member 173. As a result, the sealing member 173 is sandwiched between the sealing valve 171 and the member 181, and the connecting passage 179 is closed by the sealing member 173. On the other hand, the force of the spring 175 pushing the opening valve 174 back in the opposite direction to the opening direction causes the opening valve 174 to be pulled away from the sealing member 173. The opening direction is the direction in which the opening valve 174 moves when the opening valve 174 opens the connecting passage 179. The opening direction is the opposite direction to the sealing direction, and is the leftward direction in Figures 5 and 6.

[0051] When there is a sufficient amount of ink in the second ink chamber 178, the force exerted by the film member 176 to push the opening valve 174 in the opening direction is weak. As a result, the opening valve 174 does not move in the opening direction and does not come into contact with the sealing valve 171. Consequently, the sealing valve 171 is not pushed back by the opening valve 174 and remains closed.

[0052] Here, ink is ejected from the ejection head 120, and as ink is supplied from the second ink chamber 178 to the ejection head 120, the amount of ink in the second ink chamber 178 decreases. As the amount of ink in the second ink chamber 178 decreases, the force with which the film member 176 pushes the opening valve 174 in the opening direction increases. When the force with which the film member 176 pushes the opening valve 174 becomes stronger than the force with which the spring 175 pushes the opening valve 174 back, the opening valve 174 comes into contact with the sealing valve 171.

[0053] As the amount of ink in the second ink chamber 178 decreases further, the force with which the film member 176 pushes out the opening valve 174 becomes stronger. When the force with which the film member 176 pushes out the opening valve 174 becomes stronger than the sum of the force with which the spring 175 pushes back the opening valve 174 and the force with which the spring 172 pushes out the sealing valve 171, the sealing valve 171 is pushed back in the direction opposite to the sealing direction.

[0054] As shown in Figure 6, the ink supply unit 170 enters an open state when the sealing valve 171 is pulled away from the sealing member 173 and the connecting channel 179 is opened. When the ink supply unit 170 is in the open state, ink is supplied from the first ink chamber 177 to the second ink chamber 178 via the connecting channel 179. As the amount of ink in the second ink chamber 178 increases, the force with which the film member 176 pushes out the opening valve 174 weakens. Therefore, when the amount of ink in the second ink chamber 178 reaches a sufficient level, the sealing valve 171 closes the connecting channel 179, and the ink supply unit 170 returns to the closed state.

[0055] Incidentally, the sealing force, which is the force with which the sealing valve 171 closes the connecting passage 179, should preferably be stable. If the sealing force becomes too high, damage or deterioration of the sealing member 173 may occur, and if the sealing force becomes too low, ink may leak from the first ink chamber 177 to the second ink chamber 178. Factors that can affect the sealing force include the inertia associated with the movement of the carriage 131. Note that inertia is the same as inertia.

[0056] In this embodiment, the ink supply unit 170 is mounted on the carriage 131, and the ink supply unit 170 and a portion of the ink tube 161 move together with the carriage 131. Therefore, when the carriage 131 accelerates or decelerates, inertia forces act on the ink in the first ink chamber 177, the ink in the ink tube 161, the sealing valve 171, etc. In this embodiment, the inertia acting on the ink is called the ink inertia, and the inertia acting on the sealing valve 171 is called the valve inertia.

[0057] The effect of ink inertia will be explained with reference to Figure 7. Figure 7 is a simplified graph showing the measurement results of the ink pressure, which is the pressure of the ink in the first ink chamber 177. In Figure 7, the vertical axis represents ink pressure, and the horizontal axis represents time. In this embodiment, the path in the positive direction of the Y axis is called the forward path, and the path in the negative direction of the Y axis is called the return path.

[0058] t1 is the timing when carriage 131 begins accelerating for movement in the positive direction. t2 is the timing when carriage 131 ends accelerating for movement in the positive direction. t3 is the timing when carriage 131 begins decelerating to stop movement in the positive direction. t4 is the timing when carriage 131 ends decelerating to stop movement in the positive direction. t5 is the timing when carriage 131 begins accelerating for movement in the negative direction. t6 is the timing when carriage 131 ends accelerating for movement in the negative direction. t7 is the timing when carriage 131 begins decelerating to stop movement in the negative direction. t8 is the timing when carriage 131 ends decelerating to stop movement in the negative direction.

[0059] T1 is the period when the carriage 131 is moving while accelerating in the positive direction. T2 is the period when the carriage 131 is moving at a constant velocity in the positive direction. T3 is the period when the carriage 131 is moving while decelerating in the positive direction. T4 is the period when the carriage 131 is stationary. T5 is the period when the carriage 131 is moving while accelerating in the negative direction. T6 is the period when the carriage 131 is moving at a constant velocity in the negative direction. T7 is the period when the carriage 131 is moving while decelerating in the negative direction.

[0060] During periods T1 and T5, the ink pressure decreases. During periods T2 and T6, the ink pressure does not change much. During periods T3 and T7, the ink pressure increases. In other words, regardless of the direction of movement of the carriage 131, the ink pressure decreases when the carriage 131 is accelerating and increases when the carriage 131 is decelerating.

[0061] Such changes in ink pressure are thought to be due to the effect of ink inertia. In other words, during acceleration of the carriage 131, the ink in the first ink chamber 177 moves with a lag behind the first ink chamber 177, causing the ink pressure to decrease. On the other hand, during deceleration of the carriage 131, the ink that moved with a lag behind the first ink chamber 177 returns to the first ink chamber 177, causing the ink pressure to increase.

[0062] Ink pressure affects sealing force. For example, a decrease in ink pressure reduces sealing force, while an increase in ink pressure increases sealing force. Note that the effect of ink pressure on sealing force is independent of the sealing direction.

[0063] Next, we will explain the effect of valve inertia. During period T1, an inertial force acts on the sealing valve 171 in the negative direction of the Y-axis. During period T2, no inertial force acts on the sealing valve 171. During period T3, an inertial force acts on the sealing valve 171 in the positive direction of the Y-axis. During period T4, no inertial force acts on the sealing valve 171. During period T5, an inertial force acts on the sealing valve 171 in the positive direction of the Y-axis. During period T6, no inertial force acts on the sealing valve 171. During period T7, an inertial force acts on the sealing valve 171 in the negative direction of the Y-axis.

[0064] Here, the influence of the inertial force of the sealing valve 171 on the sealing force depends on the sealing direction. For example, when the sealing direction coincides with the scanning direction, the influence of the inertial force of the sealing valve 171 on the sealing force is greatest. On the other hand, when the sealing direction is perpendicular to the scanning direction, the influence of the inertial force of the sealing valve 171 on the sealing force is almost negligible. In this embodiment, the sealing direction is neither perpendicular to the scanning direction nor coincides with the scanning direction. Therefore, the influence of the inertial force of the sealing valve 171 on the sealing force is not very large.

[0065] Referring to Figure 8, the influence of incinerator and valve incinerator on sealing force will be explained.

[0066] During period T1, the sealing force decreases due to the effect of inquinertia, but increases slightly due to the effect of valve inertia. During period T1, the effects of inquinertia and valve inertia cancel each other out, so the effect of inertia on sealing force is not very large. During period T2, since both the effects of inquinertia and valve inertia are small, the effect of inertia on sealing force is small.

[0067] During period T3, the sealing force increases due to the effect of inquinertia, but decreases slightly due to the effect of valve inertia. During period T3, the effects of inquinertia and valve inertia cancel each other out, so the effect of inertia on sealing force is not very large. During period T4, both the effects of inquinertia and valve inertia are small, so the effect of inertia on sealing force is small.

[0068] During period T5, the sealing force decreases due to the influence of incinerator, and the sealing force decreases slightly due to the influence of valve incinerator. During period T5, the influence of valve incinerator is added to the influence of incinerator. However, in this embodiment, the scanning direction and the sealing direction do not coincide, so the influence of valve incinerator is not very large. Therefore, even during period T5, the influence of incinerator on the sealing force is not that large. During period T6, since both the influence of incinerator and valve incinerator are small, the influence of incinerator on the sealing force is small.

[0069] During period T7, the sealing force increases due to the influence of inertia, and the sealing force increases slightly due to the influence of valve inertia. During period T7, the influence of valve inertia is added to the influence of inertia. However, in this embodiment, the scanning direction and the sealing direction do not coincide, so the influence of valve inertia is not very large. Therefore, even during period T7, the influence of inertia on the sealing force is not that large.

[0070] During periods T5 and T7, inertia has the greatest influence on the sealing force. However, in this embodiment, the scanning direction and the sealing direction do not coincide, so the influence of valve inertia is not very large. Therefore, even during periods T5 and T7, the influence of inertia on the sealing force is not very large.

[0071] As described above, in this embodiment, the ink supply unit 170 is positioned so that the sealing direction and the main scanning direction do not coincide. Therefore, the influence of valve inertia on the sealing force of the sealing valve 171 is suppressed. Accordingly, according to this embodiment, the influence of inertia associated with the movement of the carriage 131 can be reduced.

[0072] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the ink supply unit 170 includes a film member 176 that, when the ink in the second ink chamber 178 decreases, is displaced so that the opening valve 174 is pressed against the sealing valve 171 and the connecting passage 179 is opened. According to this embodiment, in a printing apparatus 100 using an ink supply unit 170 that automatically replenishes ink from the first ink chamber 177 to the second ink chamber 178, the effect of inertia associated with the movement of the carriage 131 can be reduced.

[0073] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the main scanning direction is parallel to the horizontal plane, and the sealing direction is a direction parallel to the horizontal plane that does not coincide with the main scanning direction. According to this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the effect of inertia associated with the movement of the carriage 131 while maintaining the sealing direction parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0074] (Embodiment 2) In Embodiment 1, an example was described in which the sealing direction is parallel to the horizontal plane. In this embodiment, an example is described in which the sealing direction is perpendicular to the horizontal plane. Hereafter, the same configurations, functions, etc. as in Embodiment 1 will be omitted or simplified in the description.

[0075] The configuration and arrangement of the ink supply unit 170A will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the ink supply unit 170A. Figure 9(A) is a diagram showing the arrangement of the ink supply unit 170A as viewed from the positive direction of the Z axis. Figure 9(B) is a diagram showing the arrangement of the ink supply unit 170A as viewed from the positive direction of the X axis. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the ink supply unit 170A along the line B-B in Figure 9(A) when the sealing valve 171A is in the sealed state.

[0076] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the ink supply unit 170A has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape with a first face, a second face, and a third face. The first, second, and third faces are orthogonal to each other. In this embodiment, the area of ​​the first face is larger than the area of ​​the third face, and the area of ​​the second face is smaller than the area of ​​the third face. The four ink supply units 170A are arranged along the Y-axis.

[0077] Furthermore, the ink supply unit 170A is arranged such that its first surface is perpendicular to the Y-axis direction and its second surface is perpendicular to the Z-axis direction. Here, as will be described later, within the ink supply unit 170A, the sealing direction, which is the direction in which the sealing valve 171A moves when the sealing valve 171A closes the connecting passage 179A, is perpendicular to the first surface. Therefore, in this embodiment, the sealing direction is perpendicular to the horizontal plane and perpendicular to the main scanning direction.

[0078] Referring to Figure 10, the internal structure of the ink supply unit 170A will be described. As shown in Figure 10, the ink supply unit 170A comprises a sealing valve 171A, a spring 172A, a sealing member 173A, an opening valve 174A, a spring 175A, a film member 176A, a first ink chamber 177A, a second ink chamber 178A, a connecting channel 179A, and members 181A, 182A, 183A, and 184A. Basically, the sealing valve 171A, spring 172A, sealing member 173A, release valve 174A, spring 175A, film member 176A, first ink chamber 177A, second ink chamber 178A, and the connecting channel 179A, member 181A, member 182A, member 183A, and member 184A correspond to the sealing valve 171, spring 172, sealing member 173, release valve 174, spring 175, film member 176, first ink chamber 177, second ink chamber 178, and the connecting channel 179, member 181, member 182, member 183, and member 184, respectively.

[0079] The sealing valve 171A is a valve body that closes or opens the connecting passage 179A from the first ink chamber 177A side. The spring 172A is a spring that biases the sealing valve 171A so that it closes the connecting passage 179A. The spring 172A is an example of the first biasing member. The sealing member 173A is a member for sealing the connecting passage 179A.

[0080] The opening valve 174A is a valve body that is pressed against the sealing valve 171A to open the connecting passage 179A. The spring 175A is a spring that biases the opening valve 174A so that it moves away from the sealing valve 171A. The spring 175A is an example of a second biasing member. The film member 176A is a flexible film-like member.

[0081] The first ink chamber 177A is a space for storing ink supplied from the ink tank 160 via the ink tube 161. The inside of the ink tube 161 and the inside of the first ink chamber 177A are connected. The second ink chamber 178A is a space for storing ink supplied to the ejection head 120. The inside of the ink flow path 122 and the inside of the second ink chamber 178A are connected.

[0082] The connecting channel 179A is a space that connects the first ink chamber 177A and the second ink chamber 178A. The connecting channel 179A is closed or opened by the opening valve 174A. While the connecting channel 179A is open, ink is supplied from the first ink chamber 177A to the second ink chamber 178A. While the connecting channel 179A is closed, the supply of ink from the first ink chamber 177A to the second ink chamber 178A is cut off.

[0083] Members 181A, 182A, 184A, etc., are components that form the outer shape of the ink supply unit 170A. A relatively small opening (not shown) in member 181A is closed by member 182A to form the first ink chamber 177A. A relatively large opening (not shown) in member 181A is closed by film member 176A to form the second ink chamber 178A. Member 183A is a component for fixing the sealing member 173A within the connecting channel 179A.

[0084] In this embodiment, the ink supply unit 170A is mounted on the carriage 131, and the ink supply unit 170A and a part of the ink tube 161 move together with the carriage 131A. Therefore, when the carriage 131 accelerates or decelerates, an inertia force acts on the ink in the first ink chamber 177A, the ink in the ink tube 161, the sealing valve 171A, etc.

[0085] The effect of ink inertia is basically as described in Embodiment 1. That is, regardless of the direction of movement of the carriage 131, the ink pressure decreases and the sealing force decreases when the carriage 131 is accelerating, and the ink pressure increases and the sealing force increases when the carriage 131 is decelerating.

[0086] On the other hand, in this embodiment, the effect of valve inertia is almost negligible. In other words, in this embodiment, the Y-axis direction on which the inertial force of the sealing valve 171A acts is perpendicular to the sealing direction, so the inertial force of the sealing valve 171A does not affect the sealing force of the sealing valve 171A. For this reason, in this embodiment, the only inertia that affects the sealing force of the sealing valve 171A is inertia.

[0087] In this embodiment, the main scanning direction is parallel to the horizontal plane, and the sealing direction is perpendicular to the horizontal plane. Therefore, the influence of valve inertia on the sealing force of the sealing valve 171A is almost suppressed. Accordingly, according to this embodiment, the influence of valve inertia associated with the movement of the carriage 131 can be reduced.

[0088] (Embodiment 3) In Embodiment 1, an example was described in which the sealing direction and the main scanning direction are not aligned by the arrangement of the ink supply unit 170. In this embodiment, an example is described in which the sealing direction and the main scanning direction are not aligned by the structure of the ink supply unit 170B. Hereinafter, the same configurations and functions as in Embodiments 1 and 2 will be omitted or simplified in the description.

[0089] The configuration and arrangement of the ink supply unit 170B will be described with reference to Figures 11 and 12. Figure 11 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the ink supply unit 170B. Figure 11(A) is a diagram showing the arrangement of the ink supply unit 170B as viewed from the positive direction of the Z axis. Figure 11(B) is a diagram showing the arrangement of the ink supply unit 170B as viewed from the positive direction of the X axis. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the ink supply unit 170B along the line C-C in Figure 11(A) when the sealing valve 171B is in the closed state.

[0090] As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the ink supply unit 170B has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape with a first face, a second face, and a third face. The first, second, and third faces are orthogonal to each other. In this embodiment, the area of ​​the first face is larger than the area of ​​the third face, and the area of ​​the second face is smaller than the area of ​​the third face. The four ink supply units 170B are arranged along the Y-axis.

[0091] Furthermore, the ink supply unit 170B is arranged such that the first surface is perpendicular to the Y-axis direction and the second surface is perpendicular to the Z-axis direction. Here, as will be described later, within the ink supply unit 170B, the sealing direction, which is the direction in which the sealing valve 171B moves when the sealing valve 171B closes the connecting passage 179B, is not perpendicular to the first and second surfaces, but is parallel to the third surface. Therefore, in this embodiment, the sealing direction is diagonally downward and does not coincide with the main scanning direction.

[0092] Referring to Figure 12, the internal structure of the ink supply unit 170B will be described. As shown in Figure 12, the ink supply unit 170B comprises a sealing valve 171B, a spring 172B, a sealing member 173B, an opening valve 174B, a spring 175B, a film member 176B, a first ink chamber 177B, a second ink chamber 178B, a connecting channel 179B, a member 181B, a member 182B, a member 183B, a member 184B, a member 185B, and a space 186B. Basically, the sealing valve 171B, spring 172B, sealing member 173B, release valve 174B, spring 175B, film member 176B, first ink chamber 177B, second ink chamber 178B, and the connecting channel 179B, member 181B, member 182B, member 183B, and member 184B correspond to the sealing valve 171, spring 172, sealing member 173, release valve 174, spring 175, film member 176, first ink chamber 177, second ink chamber 178, and the connecting channel 179, member 181, member 182, member 183, and member 184, respectively.

[0093] The sealing valve 171B is a valve body that closes or opens the connecting passage 179B from the first ink chamber 177B side. The spring 172B is a spring that biases the sealing valve 171B so that it closes the connecting passage 179B. The spring 172B is an example of the first biasing member. The sealing member 173B is a member for sealing the connecting passage 179B.

[0094] The opening valve 174B is a valve body that is pressed against the sealing valve 171B to open the connecting passage 179B. The spring 175B is a spring that biases the opening valve 174B so that it moves away from the sealing valve 171B. The spring 175B is an example of a second biasing member. The film member 176B is a flexible film-like member.

[0095] The first ink chamber 177B is a space that stores ink supplied from the ink tank 160 via the ink tube 161. The inside of the ink tube 161 and the inside of the first ink chamber 177B are connected. The second ink chamber 178B is a space that stores ink supplied to the ejection head 120. The inside of the ink flow path 122 and the inside of the second ink chamber 178B are connected.

[0096] The connecting channel 179B is a space that connects the first ink chamber 177B and the second ink chamber 178B. The connecting channel 179B is closed or opened by the opening valve 174B. While the connecting channel 179B is open, ink is supplied from the first ink chamber 177B to the second ink chamber 178B. While the connecting channel 179B is closed, the supply of ink from the first ink chamber 177B to the second ink chamber 178B is cut off.

[0097] Members 181B, 182B, 184B, 185B, etc., are components that form the outer shape of the ink supply unit 170B. A relatively small opening (not shown) in member 181B is closed by member 182B to form the first ink chamber 177B. A relatively large opening (not shown) in member 181B is closed by film member 176B to form the second ink chamber 178B. Member 183B is a component for fixing the sealing member 173B within the connecting channel 179B. A space 186B is formed when an opening (not shown) in member 185B is closed by film member 176B. Space 186B is connected to the space outside the ink supply unit 170B.

[0098] In this embodiment, the ink supply unit 170B is mounted on the carriage 131, and the ink supply unit 170B and a portion of the ink tube 161 move together with the carriage 131B. Therefore, when the carriage 131 accelerates or decelerates, an inertia force acts on the ink in the first ink chamber 177B, the ink in the ink tube 161, the sealing valve 171B, etc.

[0099] The effect of ink inertia is basically as described in Embodiment 1. That is, regardless of the direction of movement of the carriage 131, the ink pressure decreases and the sealing force decreases when the carriage 131 is accelerating, and the ink pressure increases and the sealing force increases when the carriage 131 is decelerating.

[0100] The effect of valve inertia is basically the same as described in Embodiment 1. In other words, in this embodiment as well, since the Y-axis direction in which the inertial force of the sealing valve 171B acts does not coincide with the sealing direction, the influence of the inertial force of the sealing valve 171B on the sealing force of the sealing valve 171B is small.

[0101] In this embodiment, the sealing valve 171B is positioned within the ink supply unit 170B such that its sealing direction is perpendicular to the first surface, and the ink supply unit 170B is positioned such that its first surface is perpendicular to the main scanning direction and its second surface is perpendicular to the vertical direction. Therefore, according to this embodiment, even when the first surface is perpendicular to the main scanning direction and the second surface is perpendicular to the vertical direction, the influence of inertia associated with the movement of the carriage 131 can be reduced.

[0102] (Modifications) Although embodiments have been described above, various modifications and applications are possible. It is arbitrary which parts of the configuration, function, and operation described in the above embodiments are adopted. In addition to the configuration, function, and operation described above, further configurations, functions, and operations may be adopted. Furthermore, the configurations, functions, and operations described in the above embodiments can be freely combined.

[0103] In Embodiment 1, an example was described in which the sealing direction is a direction parallel to the horizontal plane but not perpendicular to the main scanning direction. The sealing direction may also be a direction parallel to the horizontal plane but perpendicular to the main scanning direction.

[0104] In Embodiment 2, an example was described in which the sealing direction is vertically downward. The sealing direction may also be vertically upward.

[0105] This disclosure allows for various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the embodiments described above are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of this disclosure. In other words, the scope of this disclosure is indicated by the claims, not by the embodiments. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and the equivalent significance of the disclosure are considered to be within the scope of this disclosure.

[0106] 100 Printing device 101 Device body 102 Stand 103 Platen 110 Controller 120 Discharge head 121 Nozzle 122 Ink flow path 130 Head movement mechanism 131 Carriage 132, 181, 181A, 181B, 182, 182A, 182B, 183, 183A, 183B, 184, 184A, 184B, 185B Components 140 Feeding mechanism 150 Input / Output section 160 Ink tank 161 Ink tube 170, 170A, 170B Ink supply unit 171, 171A, 171B Sealing valve 172, 172A, 172B, 175, 175A, 175B Spring 173, 173A, 173B Sealing members 174, 174A, 174B Opening valves 176, 176A, 176B Film members 177, 177A, 177B First ink chambers 178, 178A, 178B Second ink chambers 179, 179A, 179B Connecting channel 186B Space 200 Media

Claims

1. A printing apparatus comprising: an ink tank for storing ink; an ink supply path for supplying the ink; a discharge head for ejecting the ink; an ink supply unit for supplying the ink supplied from the ink tank via the ink supply path to the discharge head; and a carriage for mounting the discharge head and the ink supply unit and moving back and forth in the main scanning direction, wherein the ink supply unit comprises: a first ink chamber for storing the ink supplied from the ink tank via the ink supply path; a second ink chamber for storing the ink to be supplied to the discharge head; a connecting passage for connecting the first ink chamber and the second ink chamber; and a sealing valve for closing or opening the connecting passage from the first ink chamber side, wherein the ink supply unit is arranged such that the sealing direction, which is the direction in which the sealing valve moves when the sealing valve closes the connecting passage, does not coincide with the main scanning direction.

2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink supply unit comprises: a first biasing member that biases the sealing valve to close the connection channel; an opening valve that is pressed against the sealing valve to open the connection channel; a second biasing member that biases the opening valve to move away from the sealing valve; and a film member to which the opening valve is fixed, which, when the ink in the second ink chamber decreases, is displaced so that the opening valve is pressed against the sealing valve to open the connection channel.

3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the main scanning direction is a direction parallel to the horizontal plane, and the sealing direction is a direction parallel to the horizontal plane that does not coincide with the main scanning direction.

4. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the main scanning direction is parallel to the horizontal plane, and the sealing direction is perpendicular to the horizontal plane.

5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ink supply unit has the outer shape of a rectangular parallelepiped having a first surface and a second surface perpendicular to the first surface, the ink supply unit is arranged such that the first surface is perpendicular to the main scanning direction and the second surface is perpendicular to the vertical direction, and the sealing valve is arranged within the ink supply unit such that the sealing direction is not perpendicular to the first surface.

6. An ink supply unit mounted on a carriage that reciprocates in the main scanning direction together with a discharge head, which supplies ink from an ink tank to the discharge head via an ink supply path, comprising: a first ink chamber for storing the ink supplied from the ink tank via the ink supply path; a second ink chamber for storing the ink to be supplied to the discharge head; a connecting channel for connecting the first ink chamber and the second ink chamber; and a sealing valve for closing or opening the connecting channel from the first ink chamber side, wherein, when incorporated into a printing apparatus, the sealing direction, which is the direction in which the sealing valve moves when the sealing valve closes the connecting channel, does not coincide with the main scanning direction.

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