CN1907719B

CN1907719B - Liquid container

Info

Publication number: CN1907719B
Application number: CN2006101114630A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 石泽卓; 情野健朗; 木村仁俊
Original assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
Current assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
Priority date: 2003-08-08
Filing date: 2004-08-09
Publication date: 2010-05-12
Anticipated expiration: 2024-08-09
Also published as: CN1907719A; CN101172420A; CN101058262A; JP4161846B2; CN101058262B; CN101524921A; JP2005059322A

Abstract

A second sealing film F2 is thermally bonded onto a leading end portion R1 of an ink lead-out member 32b of an ink pack and an annular projecting portion R2 provided on an ink casing 31. Thereby, a gap D produced between the ink lead-out member 32b and the ink casing 31 can be closed from outside the ink casing 31. Accordingly, the airtightness of a space S in the ink casing 31 is kept, thus making it possible to raise the pressure in the space S and generate such a force as to crush the ink pack.

Description

Liquid container

The present application is a divisional application of the patent application entitled "liquid container" with the application date of 2004, 8/9 and the application number of 200410055157.0.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a liquid container.

Background

An ink jet printer is known as a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects liquid droplets from nozzles of a liquid ejecting head. In the ink jet printer, a liquid container (ink cartridge) that stores liquid (ink) supplied to a liquid ejecting head (printing head) is detachably mounted. The ink cartridge is constituted by a casing and a member (e.g., a porous member, an ink storage bag, a film valve, etc.) for holding ink in the casing, and in order to easily accommodate the member in the casing, the casing is usually constituted by a casing main body and a lid portion.

Japanese patent laying-open No. 5-16377 discloses an ink cartridge that contains a bag-like ink pack in a casing constituted by a casing main body and a lid portion. The cover portion is provided with a pair of corners and a pair of claw portions. And the case body is provided with a hole portion corresponding to the corner and a recessed portion corresponding to the claw portion, respectively. Also, after the ink storage bag is accommodated in the case main body, the corners of the lid portion are fitted into the hole portions, and the claw portions of the lid portion are engaged into the recessed portions, thereby attaching the lid portion to the case main body, thereby forming an ink container (ink cartridge). With this configuration, the cover portion can be firmly connected to the housing main body. Further, the cover portion can be detached from the housing main body by releasing the engagement between the claw portion and the recessed portion and removing the corner from the hole portion. Thus, the ink storage bag can be replaced, whereby the lid portion and the housing body can be regenerated, so that the ink container can be recycled.

However, in the structure of the ink cartridge of japanese patent application laid-open No. 5-16377, when a dimensional error occurs between the cover portion and the case main body due to a manufacturing error in manufacturing the cover portion or the case main body, the corner or claw portion of the cover portion is displaced with respect to the hole portion or the recessed portion of the case main body, and it is difficult to attach the cover portion to the case main body, and the work of forming the ink cartridge is troublesome.

In recent years, due to an increase in the ink flow rate due to an increase in the printing speed and accuracy of a printer, an ink jet printing apparatus has been used in which an ink reservoir bag is pressurized by causing air to flow into an ink tank when ink is supplied to a printing head. At this time, if air is caused to flow into the ink container in order to pressurize the ink storage bag, the cap portion is pressurized from the inside of the ink container by the air that flows in along with this. By this pressing, the cover portion is bent and the corner or claw portion of the cover portion is moved, so that the cover portion is easily detached from the housing main body. This causes a problem that the reliability of the ink container is lowered.

When the ink storage bag is pressurized by causing air to flow into the ink container, it is necessary to increase the air pressure between the case and the ink pack. Therefore, it is necessary to seal the opening portion of the case for mounting the ink pack in an airtight state. As shown in fig. 7, in the ink cartridge 151 of japanese patent laid-open No. 2001-212973, a plug 155 sealing an opening portion of an ink pack 154 is projected to the outside from an opening portion 153 formed in a housing 152. In this state, the O-ring 156 is attached to the opening 153, and the engaging member 157 is pressed from the outside of the housing 152, so that the plug body 155 is attached to the opening 153 in an airtight state.

Therefore, in the ink cartridge in which the bag-shaped ink pack or the like is accommodated in the case, in addition to the sealing member for improving the sealing property, the structure of the sealing member becomes complicated to cause an increase in cost. Alternatively, the number of steps for assembling the device is also increased.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object thereof is to provide a liquid container which can reduce the number of parts and the number of steps of mounting and maintain airtightness. Another object of the present invention is to provide a liquid container which can reduce the influence of manufacturing errors during manufacturing and improve reliability.

Further, the liquid container of the present invention is applicable to an ink cartridge of an ink jet printer equipped with an off-carriage type ink supply system, but is not limited thereto. For example, the liquid container of the present invention is also applicable to a printer of the type in which an ink cartridge is mounted on a movable carriage provided on an ink jet printer.

Here, the off-carriage type ink supply system may be, for example, a system in which an ink cartridge is disposed on the side of a printer main body, and ink is supplied from the ink cartridge to a printer head mounted on a carriage movable relative to the main body through an ink supply tube or an ink replenishment mechanism, directly or through a sub-tank.

The off-carriage type ink supply system is suitable for a printer equipped with a large capacity ink cartridge for large-size printing or for a printer in which a carriage is miniaturized because the ink cartridge is not mounted on the carriage, thereby realizing miniaturization and thinning.

Disclosure of Invention

The liquid container of the present invention includes a liquid storage bag having a flexible portion including a lead-out member for leading out a liquid to the outside, and a case for accommodating the liquid storage bag, wherein the case includes a space for pressurizing the liquid storage bag, and further includes an opening portion for exposing a tip end portion of the lead-out member of the liquid storage bag to the outside, and in the liquid container, a gap between the opening portion of the case and the lead-out member is sealed by a sealing member from the outside of the case.

According to the present invention, a gap generated between a lead-out member disposed in the liquid storage bag and an opening portion of the housing into which the lead-out member is inserted can be closed from outside the housing. Thus, the airtightness of the liquid container can be maintained, the pressure in the space can be increased, and a force to collapse the liquid storage bag can be generated. Further, it is not necessary to insert a member for closing a gap between a lead-out member disposed in the liquid storage bag and an opening portion of the housing into which the lead-out member is inserted, into the housing. Therefore, the number of parts can be reduced while the number of parts can be reduced.

In the liquid container, the sealing member has a shape and a size capable of sealing at least the gap.

According to the present invention, the sealing member does not have to be a member dedicated to the size or shape of the gap as long as it has a size and shape that can cover at least the gap. Therefore, the cost of the parts can be reduced.

In the liquid container, the seal member is bonded to a tip end portion of the lead-out member and an annular projection portion formed at an opening edge of the opening portion exposing the tip end portion of the lead-out member.

According to the present invention, the sealing member becomes easier to be bonded.

In the liquid container, a second projecting portion is formed on the case so as to surround the annular projecting portion, and the second projecting portion is joined to both the tip end portion of the lead-out member and the annular projecting portion via the seal member.

According to the present invention, since the seal member is bonded to the second projecting portion, the seal member is difficult to peel off from the annular projecting portion.

In this liquid container, the sealing member is made of the same material as the lead-out member and the case, and the sealing member is bonded by heat fusion.

According to the present invention, the sealing member can be sealed in the gap formed between the lead-out member disposed in the liquid storage bag and the opening portion of the case into which the lead-out member is inserted, by thermally welding the sealing member from the outside of the liquid container after the liquid storage bag is accommodated in the case. Therefore, the number of parts assembling steps can be reduced.

In the liquid container, a gap between the opening portion of the casing and the lead-out member is sealed by a sealing member so that an outer surface of the casing and an end portion of the lead-out member are substantially flush with each other.

According to the present invention, the film can be reliably and easily bonded by thermal fusion bonding without fusion failure or the like.

In the liquid container, an opening for discharging the liquid is formed at a distal end of the discharge member, and the opening of the discharge member and the gap are sealed by a single sealing member bonded to an outer surface of the casing. According to the present invention, the sealing of the opening of the liquid lead-out port and the sealing of the gap between the opening portion of the housing and the lead-out member can be performed in the same step. In addition, the number of parts can be reduced.

The liquid container of the present invention includes a first housing having an opening portion, and a second housing mounted on the first housing for closing the opening portion of the first housing, wherein the first housing includes at least one first engaging member, the second housing includes at least one second engaging member engaging with the first engaging member, the first engaging member includes a first guide portion for guiding the second engaging member when the first engaging member engages with the second engaging member, and the second engaging member has flexibility.

Accordingly, when the second housing is mounted on the first housing, since the second engaging member is guided by the first guide portion, the mounting can be performed smoothly. And at this time, since the second engaging member has flexibility, it can be slightly bent at the time of mounting. Thus, even if the second engaging member is slightly deviated from the first engaging member in, for example, the width or length direction of the first housing due to a manufacturing error at the time of manufacturing, it can be engaged with the first engaging member. Therefore, even when the first housing or the second housing is formed slightly larger or smaller than each other, the second housing can be attached to the first housing.

The liquid container is configured such that the first guide portion supports the second engagement member when the first engagement member and the second engagement member are engaged together.

Accordingly, when the first engaging member engages with the second engaging member, the first guide portion supports the second engaging member. With this configuration, the second engagement member can be stably engaged with the first engagement member, and therefore, the second housing can be stably attached to the first housing.

The second engaging member of the liquid container has a claw portion (preferably, such as a hook) on a tip end portion thereof, wherein the claw portion engages with the first engaging member and restricts movement of the second engaging member, and the claw portion includes a second guide portion that guides the claw portion when the claw portion engages with the first engaging member.

Accordingly, the second engaging member has a claw portion on a tip end portion thereof, wherein the claw portion engages with the first engaging member and restricts movement of the second engaging member. The claw portion includes a second guide portion that guides the claw portion when the claw portion is engaged with the first engagement member. With this configuration, when the second housing is mounted on the first housing, the second engaging member is guided by the second guide portion. Thereby, the second housing can be smoothly attached to the first housing. Further, by the claw portion engaging with the first engaging member, the movement of the second housing can be restricted. As a result, the second housing can be bonded and fixed to the first housing.

The second engagement member of the liquid container includes a third guide portion that guides the second engagement member when the claw portion is engaged with the first engagement member.

Accordingly, when the second housing is mounted on the first housing, the second engaging member is guided by the third guide portion. This allows the second housing to be smoothly attached to the first housing.

The liquid container is configured such that the third guide portion is formed so as to be directly opposed to the first guide portion when the claw portion is engaged to the first engaging member, and the first guide portion supports the second engaging member by the third guide portion when the third guide portion is brought into contact with the first guide portion.

Accordingly, for example, when air flows into the liquid container and thus the second housing is pressurized from the inside to expand, even if the second engaging member moves accordingly, the movement of the second engaging member is restricted because the third guide portion is in contact with the first guide portion. Thereby, the first engaging member can be prevented from disengaging from the second engaging portion. As a result, the second housing can be prevented from being detached from the first housing, and the reliability of the liquid container that accommodates the liquid storage bag can be improved.

The liquid container is configured such that the second engaging member is formed to protrude from the second housing, the first engaging member is formed inside the opening portion into which the second engaging member is inserted, and the engaging portion is covered with an outer wall of the first housing when the second engaging member is engaged with the first engaging member.

Accordingly, the second engaging member is formed to protrude from the second housing, and the first engaging member is formed inside the opening portion into which the second engaging member is inserted. Further, when the second engaging member is engaged with the first engaging member, the engaging portion is covered with the outer wall of the first housing. Thus, in the engaging portion, since it is not affected from the outside, it is possible to prevent the disengagement due to, for example, an impact such as contact from the outside. Further, by thus covering the engaging portion, the appearance can be simplified.

In the liquid container, the first housing has a frame body for partitioning a space for accommodating a liquid storage bag in an inside thereof, and the first engaging member is formed between the frame body and an outer wall of the first housing.

Accordingly, the first housing has a frame body for partitioning a space for accommodating the liquid storage bag in the interior thereof, and the first engaging member is formed between the frame body and an outer wall of the first housing. Therefore, there is no obstacle such as a projection forming the first engaging member in the space for accommodating the liquid storage bag. Therefore, the problem that the barrier brings unnecessary impact to the liquid storage bag when the first shell and the second shell are engaged can be reduced. Further, when the first case is bonded to the second case, since the second engaging member protruding from the second case does not contact the liquid storage bag, it is possible to prevent the liquid storage bag from being damaged by erroneously contacting the second engaging member.

The present invention relates to the subject matter included in japanese patent application nos. 2003-290827 and 2003-290828 (filed 8/2003), which are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a printer in the present embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the same printer;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view for explaining ink supply of this embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the same printer;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the same printer;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a principal part of the same printer;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a prior art ink cartridge;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view for explaining the structure of the ink cartridge of this embodiment;

fig. 9(a) is an enlarged view of a sectional portion for explaining the relationship of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion; fig. 9(b) is an enlarged view of a sectional portion for explaining the relationship of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion;

fig. 10 is a top view for explaining the structure of the first engaging member;

fig. 11 is a sectional view of the cartridge case showing a state where the first engagement portion is engaged with the second engagement portion.

Detailed Description

Next, an embodiment embodying the present invention will be described with reference to fig. 1 to 6 and 8 to 11.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view for explaining an outline of a printer according to the present embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view for explaining the internal structure of the printer according to the present embodiment. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining ink supply according to the present embodiment.

As shown in fig. 1, a printer 11 as a liquid ejecting apparatus of the present embodiment has a frame 12. As shown in fig. 2, the frame 12 includes: the guide shaft 14, the carriage 15, the recording head 20 as a liquid ejecting head, the valve unit 21, the ink cartridge 23 as a liquid container (see fig. 1), and the pressure pump 25 (see fig. 1).

As shown in fig. 1, the frame 12 is a box body having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and an ink cartridge holder 12a is formed on a front surface thereof.

As shown in fig. 2, the guide shaft 14 is formed in a bar shape and is mounted in the frame 12. In the present embodiment, the direction in which the guide shaft 14 is mounted is referred to as the main scanning direction. The carriage 15 is inserted so as to be movable relative to the guide shaft 14, and is movable back and forth in the main scanning direction. The carriage 15 is connected to a carriage motor (not shown) via a timing belt (not shown). A carriage motor is supported on the frame 12, and the carriage 15 is driven via a timing belt by the driving of the carriage motor so that the carriage 15 reciprocates along the guide shaft 14, i.e., the main scanning direction.

The recording head 20 provided on the lower surface of the carriage 15 has a plurality of nozzles (20a) for ejecting ink as liquid and recording print data such as images and characters by ejecting ink droplets onto a print medium such as recording paper. The valve unit 21 is mounted on the carriage 15, and supplies the temporarily stored ink to the recording head 20 in a pressure-adjusted state.

In addition, in the present embodiment, each of the valve units 21 can supply two kinds of inks individually to the recording head 20 in a pressure-adjusted state. In the present embodiment, three valve units 21 are provided, corresponding to the six ink colors (black, yellow, magenta, blue, light red, and light blue), respectively.

Further, a tray (not shown) is provided below the recording head 20. The tray is used for supporting a target recording medium P conveyed in a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction orthogonal thereto by a paper feeding device (not shown).

As shown in fig. 1, six ink cartridges 23 are detachably accommodated in the cartridge holder 12a, corresponding to the colors of the inks.

As shown in fig. 3, the ink cartridge 23 has an ink pack 32 as a liquid storage bag in a cartridge case 31 thereof. Further, the ink pack 32 has an ink supply part 32b as a liquid lead-out portion, and is accommodated in the cartridge case 31 of the ink cartridge 23. Further, the cartridge case 31 is provided with an air introduction port H so as to communicate with a gap formed between the cartridge case 31 and the ink pack 32.

With this configuration, air flows in from the air inlet, so that the pressure in the gap S is increased, and a force that can crush the ink pack 32 can be generated.

On the other hand, as shown in fig. 3, the ink supply member 32b of the ink pack 32 is connected to the valve unit 21 through a supply tube 36 provided for each ink color. The valve unit 21 is connected to the recording head 20 as described above.

With this configuration, the ink in the ink pack 32 is supplied to the valve unit 21 through the ink supply tube 36.

In fig. 3, only one of the six ink cartridges 23 is shown, and the remaining five ink cartridges 23 are not shown because they have the same structure.

Further, as shown in fig. 1, an air pressure pump 25 is fixed to the back side of the frame 12. The air pressurizing pump 25 can take in atmospheric air, change the taken-in atmospheric air into pressurized air, and discharge the pressurized air. The air pressure pump 25 is connected to the air inlet H of the corresponding ink cartridge 23 via six air tubes 115 (see fig. 3).

With this configuration, the air pressurized by the air pressurizing pump 25 is introduced into the gap S of the ink cartridge 23 through the air pipe 115.

Therefore, for example, pressurized air flows into the gap S from the air pressurizing pump 25, and when the ink pack 32 of each ink cartridge 23 is pressurized, the ink in the ink pack 32 is supplied to the valve unit 21. The ink temporarily stored in the valve unit 21 is supplied to the recording head 20 with the pressure adjusted. Then, the printer 11 moves the carriage 15 in the main scanning direction while moving the recording medium P in the sub-scanning direction by the paper feeding device based on the image data, and performs printing on the recording medium P by ejecting ink from the recording head 20.

As shown in fig. 4, the ink cartridge 23 has a case main body 31a and an upper case 31b and an ink pack 32 as a liquid storage bag. As shown in fig. 5, the cartridge case 31 is configured by a case main body 31a and an upper case 31b, and the ink pack 32 is accommodated in the case. In fig. 4, only one of the six ink cartridges 23 is shown, and the remaining five ink cartridges 23 are not shown because they have the same mechanism.

As shown in fig. 4, the ink pack 32 includes a flexible ink bag 32a, an ink lead-out member 32b as a liquid lead-out member, and a supply port member 33. The ink bag 32a is made of a flexible and airtight material, and is formed by laminating two aluminum films, each of which is made of a nylon film as an outer side and a polypropylene film as an inner side, and thermally bonding the peripheries of the two aluminum films. The ink bag 32a may be formed by overlapping two sheets of a film having flexibility obtained by depositing aluminum on a polyethylene film.

The ink lead-out member 32b is made of, for example, polypropylene, and is attached to the ink bag 32a by thermal bonding (thermal fusion bonding) or the like. Specifically, in forming the ink pack 32a, three sides of two aluminum films to be stacked are bonded by heat fusion, and then the ink lead-out member 32b is heat fused in a state of being protruded from the center portion of the remaining one side, thereby forming the ink pack 32. At least the portion of the ink lead-out member 32b and the ink bag 32a that are in contact with each other are formed of a material having the same texture, which is preferable from the viewpoint of heat bonding.

The ink in the ink bag 32a is contained in a degassed state. The ink lead-out member 32b has a substantially cylindrical shape, and an ink lead-out port 32c is formed therein. The ink contained in the ink bag 32a is taken out through the ink outlet port 32 c. The ink outlet port 32c is provided with a valve mechanism that is opened only when ink is supplied, so that ink in the ink bag 32a does not leak out. More specifically, the valve mechanism of the ink outlet port 32c is provided with a spring seat 34 and a coil spring 35 inside the ink outlet port 32c of the ink outlet member 32b on the inner side of the supply port member 33. The coil spring 35 urges the spring seat 34 toward the supply port member 33 side, whereby the spring seat 34 closes the supply port 33a of the supply port member 33. After the ink cartridge 23 is disposed on the cartridge holder 12a, an ink supply needle formed in the liquid ejecting apparatus penetrates the ink supply member 33 and the ink lead-out member 32b, and presses the spring seat 34 toward the ink bag 32a against the elastic force of the coil spring 35. When the spring seat 34 is pressed and separated from the supply port member 33, the ink in the ink bag 32 flows out through the gap between the supply port member 33 and the spring seat 34.

Therefore, the constitution is as follows. That is, the spring seat 34 closes the supply port 33a in a state where the ink cartridge 23 is not mounted in the liquid ejecting apparatus, and the ink supply needle formed in the liquid ejecting apparatus is lifted up the spring seat 34 to be in a state where ink can be supplied in a state where the ink cartridge 23 is mounted in the liquid ejecting apparatus. In this case, after the ink pack 32 is filled with ink, the ink pack 32 can be relatively easily held when the ink pack 32 is attached to the cartridge case 31.

The supply port member 33 disposed inside the ink outlet port 32c of the ink lead-out member 32b is formed of an elastic material such as elastomer. The supply port member 33 is substantially cylindrical and is opened vertically, and as shown in fig. 6, the outer peripheral surface thereof is fixed by being brought into elastic contact with the inner wall surface of the ink outlet port 32c of the ink outlet member 32 b. The supply port member 33 is formed inside with a funnel-shaped supply port 33a which is elastically contacted with the outer circumference of a liquid supply needle formed in the liquid ejecting apparatus. Then, the liquid inlet of the liquid supply needle inserted into the supply port 33a is positioned in the flow path 32d of the ink lead-out member 32b, whereby the ink contained in the ink bag 32a is supplied to the liquid ejecting apparatus. The opening end of the supply port member 33 is retracted inward of the leading end portion R1 of the ink lead-out member 32b (ink lead-out port 32 c).

The housing main body 31a is composed of an outer housing 31c and an inner housing 31d, each formed of, for example, polypropylene. The outer case 31c is a box body having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and an open upper side. The inner case 31d is smaller by one than the outer case 31c and has a shape similar to the ink pack 32, and restricts the ink pack 32 from moving in accordance with the movement of the case main body 31. The upper case 31b is formed of a substantially rectangular plate-like body covering the upper surface of the case main body 31a, and is formed of polypropylene, for example. Upper case 31b is provided with stopper K1 at a predetermined position, and when upper case 31b is covered on the upper surface of case main body 31a, stopper K1 is engaged with engagement member K2 formed between outer case 31c and inner case 31 d.

In the center of the front surface 31e of the housing main body 31a, a square supply port mounting portion 31f is formed. On the supply port mounting portion 31f, an opening portion 31g communicating with the inner housing 31d is provided. Then, on the opening edge of the opening portion 31g, a ring-shaped projecting portion R2 is formed projecting in the direction of the opening edge toward the outside of the cartridge case 31. Further, at four corners of the supply port mounting portion 31f, there are protrudingly formed cylindrical individual projecting portions R3, which individual projecting portions R3 as second projecting portions in the outside direction of the cartridge case 31 have the same projecting amount as the annular projecting portions R2.

On one side of the supply port installation portion 31f, an air introduction port H is formed. The air inlet H communicates the outside of the case body 31a with the inside of the inner case 31 d. When the ink pack 32 is accommodated in the cartridge case 31, the ink pack 32 is accommodated in the inner case 31d such that the ink lead-out member 32b of the ink pack 32 is exposed from the inside to the outside of the opening portion 31 g. At this time, as shown in fig. 6, the ink lead-out member 32b exposed from the opening portion 31g is accommodated such that the tip end portion R1 thereof is located at the same projecting position as the annular projecting portion R2.

After the ink pack 32 is accommodated in the inner case 31d, a first sealing film F1 (see fig. 4) made of polypropylene is thermally bonded to the upper surface 31d1 of the inner case 31 d. Further, on the supply port mounting portion 31F of the cartridge case 31, a second sealing film F2 formed of polypropylene as a sealing member is thermally bonded. In detail, the second sealing film F2 is thermally bonded to the annular protrusion portion R2 formed on the opening edge of the opening portion 31g protruding outward from the supply port installation portion 31F and the opening portion 31g protruding outward, while being thermally bonded to the respective individual protrusion portions R3. From the viewpoint of thermal bonding (thermal fusion), the adhesive surface of the film F1, the adhesive surface of the cartridge case 31, the adhesive surface of the film F2, and the adhesive surface of the cartridge case 31 are preferably formed of materials having the same texture.

Therefore, after the second sealing film F2 is thermally bonded to the annular projecting portion R2 and the leading end portion R1 of the ink lead-out member 32b, the gap between the opening portion 31g and the ink lead-out member 32d is sealed by this second sealing film F2. as a result, the space S formed by the inner case 31d accommodating the ink pack 32 and the sealing film is in a sealed state except for the air lead-in port H. therefore, since the inner case 31d is kept sealed, the air supplied from the pressure pump 25 (refer to FIG. 1) supported on the frame 12 into the inner case 31d through the air lead-in port H applies pressure to the ink pack 32 accommodated in the space S.

Further, since the second sealing film F2 is thermally bonded to the leading end portion R1 of the ink lead-out member 32b, the ink lead-out port 32c of the ink lead-out member 32b is also sealed, and the inside of the ink pack is blocked from the outside. In addition, since the second sealing film F2 is thermally bonded to the annular projecting portion R2, the ink outlet port 32c of the ink lead-out member 32b is sealed, so that there is no problem that a projection is inserted from the outside to open the spring seat 34 and bring air bubbles into the ink pack. In addition, since the second sealing film F2 is thermally bonded to the individual projection portion R3 surrounding the periphery of the annular projection portion R2, the second sealing film F2 is prevented from being peeled off from the annular projection portion R2 by some force.

Further, two ink lead-out member fixing ribs 31j are formed on the case body 31a with the ink lead-out member 32b interposed therebetween, and an end 31j1 of the ink lead-out member fixing rib 31j is fixed to the case body 31a in contact with the annular projected portion 32b1, wherein the annular projected portion 32b1 is formed in a disc shape on the outer periphery of the ink lead-out member 32 b. This restricts the movement of the ink lead-out member 32b into the case main body 31a during thermal bonding.

Further, the rotation preventing member 31k is a projection which engages with a recessed portion (not shown in the figure) formed on the annular projecting portion 32b1 of the ink lead-out member 32b, restricts the movement of the ink pack in the rotational direction and positions it at a predetermined position.

As shown in fig. 4 and 8, in the present embodiment, the inner housing 31d is spaced from the inner wall surface 126 of the outer housing 31c by a slight distance. Then, with this gap, a groove portion is formed between the outer wall surface 127 of the inner housing 31d and the inner wall surface 126 of the outer housing 31 c. A frame-shaped first engagement portion K2(128) as a first engagement member is formed in the groove portion so that its upper surface (upward direction) is opened.

On the other hand, the cover portion 31b is formed in a plate shape and has a size capable of covering the opening portion of the outer case 31 c. A plate-like second engagement portion K1(130) serving as a second engagement member is formed on the edge of the lid portion 31b so as to protrude downward. A plurality of second engaging portions K1(130) are formed corresponding to the first engaging portions K2 (128). In addition, the second engaging portion K1(130) is provided in a size engageable with the above-described first engaging portion K2 (128). Then, after the second engagement portion K1(130) of the cover portion 31b is engaged with the first engagement portion K2(128), and the cover portion 31b is attached to the outer case 31c, the ink cartridge 31 is formed.

In this manner, by forming the first engagement portion K2(128) in the groove portion described above, in the accommodation space (inner case 31d) accommodating the ink pack 32, there are no protrusions forming the first engagement portion K2(128), and no obstacles such as the second engagement portion K1 (130). Thus, when the outer case 31c is fitted to the cover portion 31b, it is possible to reduce the problem of unnecessary collision or the like of the ink pack 32 due to an obstacle.

In addition, the air introduction port H does not pass through the groove portion where the first engaging portion K2(128) is disposed, but directly communicates with the space (inner housing 31d) S accommodating the ink pack 31.

Next, an operation of the printer 11 configured as described above, which can efficiently supply ink and print, will be described.

As shown in fig. 1, the ink cartridges 23 of the respective colors are mounted on the cartridge holder 12a by sliding the ink cartridges 23 of the respective colors inward in the sub-scanning direction with respect to the cartridge holder 12 a. When the ink cartridge 23 is mounted, the ink supply needle provided in the cartridge holder 12a pierces the second sealing film F2 and is connected to the ink lead-out member 32 b. The ink supply needle is connected to the valve unit 21 through an ink supply tube 36. Accordingly, the ink of the ink pack 32 is supplied into the valve unit 21, and is supplied to the recording head 20 in a pressure-adjusted state.

At the same time, the air introducing member provided in the cartridge holder 12a is connected to the air inlet port H of the ink cartridge 23 (the casing main body 31a) and the air introducing member is connected to the pressure pump 25 through the air introducing pipe, so that the pressurized air can be introduced into the space S accommodating the ink pack 32 by the pressure pump 25, at this time, the opening portion of the inner casing 31D is sealed by the first sealing film F1 and the gap D between the opening portion 31g and the ink lead-out member 32b is sealed by the second sealing film F2, so that the air supplied from the air inlet port H into the inner casing 31D does not leak to the outside, and as a result, the ink pack 32 can be pressure-controlled with high accuracy.

Thus, after the ink pack 32 of each ink cartridge 23 is pressurized by the pressurized air supplied from the pressurizing pump 25, the ink in the ink pack 32 is supplied to the valve unit 21. Then, the ink temporarily stored in the valve unit 21 is supplied to the recording head 20 in a pressure-adjusted state.

Then, based on the image data, the recording medium P is moved in the sub-scanning direction by the paper feeding device, and the carriage 15 is moved in the main scanning direction to eject ink from the recording head 20, thereby printing on the recording medium P.

According to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) In the above embodiment, the second sealing film F2 is thermally bonded to the annular protrusion portion R2 formed at the opening edge of the opening portion 31g and the tip end portion R1 of the ink lead-out member 32b, while being thermally bonded to the respective independent protrusion portions R3, so the gap D between the opening portion 31g and the ink lead-out member 32b can be simply sealed by this second sealing film F2. Therefore, when the air introduction port H is connected to the air introduction pipe, the space S formed by the inner case 31d accommodating the ink pack 32 and the sealing film is reliably maintained in an airtight state. As a result, by maintaining airtightness, the pressure in the space S is increased, and a pressure for flattening the ink pack 32 can be generated.

(2) In the above embodiment, since the gap D between the opening portion 31g and the ink lead-out member 32b is sealed by the second sealing film F2, it is not necessary to provide a special member for closing the gap D from the inside of the cartridge case 31 as in the conventional case. Therefore, the number of steps for assembling the components can be reduced.

(3) In the above embodiment, since the second sealing film F2 seals the ink outlet 32c of the ink lead-out member 32b at the same time, the ink in the ink pack 32 is kept in an airtight state, and the unused ink cartridge 23 can be stored for a long time.

(4) In the above embodiment, the independent projected portion R3 surrounding the periphery of the annular projected portion R2 is formed, and the second sealing film F2 is thermally bonded to the independent projected portion R3. Therefore, even if some force is applied to the second sealing film F2, the second sealing film F2 can be made difficult to be peeled off from the annular projecting portion R2 because the second sealing film F2 is bonded to the independent projecting portion R3.

(5) In the above embodiment, the second sealing film is not necessarily a member exclusively used for the gap D as long as it can seal at least the gap D between the opening portion 31g and the ink lead-out member 32 b. Thus, the cost of the components can be reduced.

(6) In the above embodiment, the gap between the opening portion 31g of the case main body 31a and the ink lead-out member 32b is sealed with the second sealing film F2 such that the outer surface of the case main body 31a and the end portion of the ink lead-out member 32b are substantially flush. Therefore, thermal bonding can be easily and reliably performed.

(7) In the above embodiment, the ink outlet port 32c of the ink lead-out member 32b and the gap between the opening portion 31g of the case main body 31a and the ink lead-out member 32b are sealed by the second sealing film F2. Therefore, thermal bonding can be easily and reliably performed. Further, the sealing of the ink lead-out member 32b and the ink lead-out port 32c and the sealing of the gap between the opening portion 31 of the case main body 31a and the ink lead-out member 32b may be performed in the same process.

The above embodiment may be modified as follows.

In the above embodiment, when the ink supply needle provided in the cartridge holder 12a pierces the second sealing film F2 to connect to the ink lead-out member 32b, a cross-shaped or X-shaped notch or a hole may be formed in the second sealing film F2 in order to facilitate the piercing of the second sealing film F2.

In the above embodiment, one annular projecting portion R2 is provided on the front surface 31e of the cartridge case 31, but two or more annular projecting portions may be provided. Thereby, the second sealing film F2 can be thermally bonded more firmly.

In the above embodiment, the cartridge case 31, the supply port member 33, and the second sealing film F2 are all made of polypropylene, but may be made of any thermally bondable material. For example, polyethylene is also possible.

In the above embodiment, the second sealing film F2 has a square shape and the same size as the supply port attachment portion 31F, but may have any shape and size that can close at least the gap D. For example, it may be a circle having a diameter the same as the size of one side of the supply port fitting portion 31f, or a ring shape that can cover the gap D.

In the above embodiment, the second sealing film F2 is a film, but may be, for example, a tape.

In the above embodiment, the supply port member 33 disposed in the ink lead-out member 32b is open. This may also be the following ink cartridge: one opening of the supply port 33a is sealed with the same material as the supply port 33a, and when the liquid ejecting apparatus is mounted, an ink supply needle formed in the liquid ejecting apparatus penetrates a concave portion formed in the center of the sealed supply port 33a, and is in a state in which ink can be supplied. At this time, when the ink pack 32 is mounted on the cartridge case 31 after the ink is injected into the ink pack 32, the operation is easy, and since the second sealing film F2 seals the ink pack, there is no problem that a projection is inserted from the outside to open the supply port 33a, thereby introducing air bubbles into the ink pack.

In the above embodiment, the inner case (frame portion) 31d is provided on the case main body 31a, and the film F1 is bonded to the upper surface 31d1 of the inner case 31d, whereby the airtight space S is formed. The airtight space S may be formed without providing the inner case 31 d. For example, the film F1 may be bonded by thermal bonding on the upper surface of the case main body 31 (the upper surface of the outer case 31 c) after omitting the inner case 31d, the first engaging portion K2(128) from the case main body 31 and the second engaging portion K1(130) from the cover portion 31b, or the cover portion 31b may be bonded directly by ultrasonic bonding or the like without using the film F1, thereby forming the airtight space S. In such a modified example, by thermally bonding the second sealing film F2 to the annular projection portion R2 formed at the opening edge of the opening portion 31g and the top end portion R1 of the ink lead-out member 32b, the gap D between the opening portion 31g and the ink lead-out member 32b can be simply sealed by this second sealing film F2. Therefore, when the air introduction port H is connected to the air introduction pipe, the space S is reliably maintained in an airtight state.

Next, referring to fig. 8 to 11, explaining in detail the optimum structure of the first engaging portion K2(128) and the second engaging portion K1(130), in the above embodiment, the first engaging portion K2(128) is provided at the groove portion between the outer housing 31c and the inner housing 31d, and the second engaging portion K1(130) is engaged with the first engaging portion K2 (128).

In fig. 8, the

components

33, 34, 35 and F2 shown in fig. 4 are not shown. Fig. 8 shows a circuit board IC not shown in fig. 4. In addition, fig. 8 shows the ink pack 32 in a state of being filled with ink, and fig. 4 shows the ink pack 32 before being filled with ink. The ink pack 32 may be filled with ink before the ink pack 32 is accommodated in the cartridge case 31, or after the ink pack 32 is accommodated in the cartridge case 31.

Fig. 9(a) and 9(b) are enlarged sectional views for explaining the relationship between the first engagement portion 128 and the second engagement portion 130. Fig. 10 is a top view for explaining the structure of the first engaging portion 128. Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the cartridge case 31 showing a state where the first engaging portion 128 is engaged with the second engaging portion 130.

As shown in fig. 9(a), the second engaging portion 130 is constituted by a substrate 131, a claw portion 132 (preferably, such as a hook), a guide portion 133, the substrate 131 is formed extending downward from the cover portion 31b, has flexibility, and is formed with the claw portion 132 on the tip end outer side surface thereof, that is, as shown in fig. 9, when the cover portion 31b is mounted on the outer case 31c, the claw portion 132 is formed on the side directly opposite to the inner wall surface 126 of the outer case 31c, further, in the claw portion 132, there are included a tapered portion 132a, a contact portion 132c, and a contact portion 132c, wherein the tapered portion 132a is formed to face downward of the outer side of the claw portion 132 to be tapered, the contact portion 132b is formed to face outward and flat so as to be connected to the tapered portion 132a, the contact portion 132c is formed to face upward and flat so as to be connected to the contact portion 132b, the tapered portion 132a and the contact portion 132b constitute a second guide portion.

In this way, by configuring the claw portions 132 to face outward, the mold does not require a complicated structure when the cover portion 31b is formed by injection molding, as compared with the case where the claw portions 132 are configured to face inward, and thus the cover portion 31b can be manufactured inexpensively by injection molding.

Further, on the substrate 131, a guide portion 133 as a third guide member is formed on a surface (outer surface) on which the claw portion 132 is formed and a surface (inner surface) on the opposite side. As shown in fig. 9, the guide portion 133 is formed so as to face inward (directly opposite to the outer wall surface 127 of the inner housing 31d) when the cover portion 31b is mounted on the outer housing 31 c. In addition, the guide portion 133 includes a tapered portion 133a formed to be tapered facing downward of the inner side of the guide portion 133 and a contact portion 133b formed to be flat facing the inner side so as to be connected to the tapered portion 133 a.

Meanwhile, as shown in fig. 9(a) and 10, the first engaging portion 128 has a pair of connecting pieces 128a, the pair of connecting pieces 128a being connected between the inner wall surface 126 of the outer housing 31c and the outer wall surface 127 of the inner housing (frame portion) 31d, and the second engaging portion 130 is inserted into the hole 100 surrounded by the pair of connecting pieces 128a, the inner wall surface 126, and the outer wall surface 127.

A guide portion 134 as a first guide member is formed on an inner surface of the hole 100 of the first engagement portion 128, that is, an inner wall surface 126 of the outer housing 32 c. The guide portion 134 includes a tapered portion 134a formed to be tapered facing upward inside of the guide portion 134, a contact portion 134b formed to be flat facing inward so as to be connected to the tapered portion 134a, and a holding portion 134c formed to be flat facing downward so as to be connected to the contact portion 134 b.

Further, a guide portion 135 as a first guide member is formed on an inner side surface of the hole 100 of the first engaging portion 128, that is, an outer wall surface 127 of the inner housing 31 d. The guide portion 135 includes a tapered portion 135a formed to be tapered facing upward and outside of the guide portion 135, and a contact portion 135b formed to be flat facing outward and connected to the tapered portion 135 a. Then, the interval between the contact portion 135b of the guide portion 135 and the contact portion 134b of the guide portion 134 is in accordance with the thickness of the contact portion 133b portion of the substrate 131.

When the first engaging portion 128 is engaged with the second engaging portion 130 thus constituted, as shown in fig. 9(a), first, the tapered portion 132a of the claw portion 132 is brought into contact with the tapered portion 134a of the guide portion 134. If the cover portion 31b is pressed downward from this state, the tapered portion 132a slides downward while being kept in contact with the tapered portion 134 a.

Then, as the cover portion 31b is further pressed downward, the tapered portion 132a is separated from the tapered portion 134a, while the contact portion 132b connected to the tapered portion 132a is brought into contact with the contact portion 134b of the guide portion 134 and slides downward. Thus, the claw portion 132 is supported while being guided by the guide portion 134.

At this time, the substrate 131 of the second engaging portion 130 is slightly bent inward due to flexibility as described above, and further, if the cover portion 31b is pressed downward from this state, as shown in fig. 9(b), the tapered portion 133a of the guide portion 133 comes into contact with the tapered portion 135a of the guide portion 135, and then, the contact state is maintained and the substrate slides downward.

Then, if the cover portion 31b is further pressed downward, the tapered portion 133a is separated from the tapered portion 135a, while the contact portion 133b connected to the tapered portion 133a is brought into contact with the contact portion 135b of the guide portion 135 and slides downward. Thus, the guide portion 133 is supported while being guided by the guide portion 135.

Then, if the cover portion 31b is further pressed downward, the contact portion 132b of the claw portion 132 is separated from the contact portion 134b of the guide portion 134. Thereby, the substrate 131 of the second engaging portion 130 is restored in the outward direction. At this time, as shown in fig. 11, the contact portion 132c of the claw portion 132 is opposed to and in contact with the holding portion 134c of the guide portion 134. That is, the first engaging portion 128 engages with the second engaging portion 130. Then, the upward movement of the cover portion 31b is restricted by the contact portion 132c of the claw portion 132 contacting and engaging with the holding portion 134 c. Thereby, the lid portion 31b is tightly fixed to the outer case 31c, thereby sealing the opening portion of the outer case 31 c.

With this configuration, when the cover portion 31b is attached to the outer case 31c, the claw portions 132 and the guide portions 133 of the second engagement portion 130 of the cover portion 31b are guided and supported by the guide portions 134 and 135 of the first engagement portion 128, and thus, the attachment can be performed stably and smoothly. And at this time, since the substrate 131 of the second engagement portion 130 has flexibility as described above, there is some bending at the time of mounting. Thus, even if some deviation is formed in the width or length direction of the outer case 31c with respect to the first engagement portion 128 due to a manufacturing error at the time of manufacturing thereof, the second engagement portion 130 of the cover portion 31b can be inserted and engaged into the first engagement portion 128. Therefore, even if the outer case 31c or the cover portion 31b is formed larger or smaller than each other due to a dimensional error, the cover portion 31b can be attached to the outer case 31 c.

Further, as shown in fig. 11, in a state where the cover portion 31b is mounted on the outer housing 31c, the contact portion 133b of the guide portion 133 of the second engaging portion 130 becomes a state directly opposed to and contactable with the contact portion 135b of the guide portion 135. Therefore, for example, when the cover portion 31b is pressurized via the film F1 and expanded upward by the inflow of air from the air pressure pump 25, even if the second engagement portion 130 moves inward in accordance therewith, the movement thereof is restricted because the contact portion 133b is supported by the contact portion 135 b. By restricting the movement of the second engaging portion 130, the contact portion 132c of the claw portion 132 is not disengaged from the holding portion 134c of the guide portion 134. As a result, since the cover portion 31b is not detached from the outer case 31c, the reliability of the ink cartridge 23 can be improved.

With this configuration, as shown in fig. 11, in a state where the cover portion 31b is attached to the outer case 31c, the engaging portions of the first engaging portion 128 and the second engaging portion 130 are covered by the outer wall of the case 31 a. Thus, since the engaging portion is not affected from the outside, it is possible to prevent disengagement due to, for example, an external impact caused by a collision. Further, by thus covering the engaging portion, the appearance of the state in which the cover portion 31c is mounted on the housing 31a can be simplified.

According to the present embodiment described above, the following effects are obtained.

(1) In the present embodiment, the claw portion 132 of the second engagement portion 130 is configured to face outward. Thus, the structure of the mold used when injection molding the cover portion 31b has no complicated structure as compared with the case where the claw portion 132 is configured to face inward. As a result, since it is easy to manufacture the cover portion 31b by the injection molding method, the production cost can be reduced.

(2) In the present embodiment, the claw portion 132 is provided on the second engagement portion 130 of the lid portion 31b, and the guide portion 134 is provided on the inner wall surface 126 of the outer case 31c, with this configuration, when the lid portion 31b is mounted on the outer case 31c, the claw portion 132 of the second engagement portion 130 is guided and supported by the guide portion 134, whereby the lid portion 31b can be smoothly mounted on the outer case 31c, and further, upward movement of the lid portion 31b can be restricted by the contact portion 132c of the claw portion 132 being in contact with the holding portion 134c of the guide portion 134, and as a result, the lid portion 31b can be tightly connected to and fixed to the outer case 31 c.

(3) In the present embodiment, the guide portion 133 is provided on the second engagement portion 130 of the cover portion 31b, and the guide portion 135 is provided on the outer wall surface 127 of the inner case 31 d. By thus constituting, when the cover portion 31b is mounted on the outer case 31c, the guide portion 133 of the second engaging portion 130 is guided and supported by the guide portion 135. Thereby, the cover portion 31b can be smoothly attached to the outer case 31 c. Further, in a state where the cover portion 31b is mounted on the outer case 31c, the contact portion 133b of the guide portion 133 of the second engagement portion 130 is opposed to and contacts the contact portion 135b of the guide portion 135. Therefore, when the cover portion 31b is pressurized and expanded upward via the film F1 by the inflow of air from the air pressure pump 25, even if the second engagement portion 130 moves inward in accordance therewith, the movement thereof is restricted because the contact portion 133b is supported by the contact portion 135 b. Thereby, the contact portion 132c of the claw portion 132 can be prevented from being disengaged from the holding portion 134c of the guide portion 134. As a result, since the cover portion 31b is not detached from the outer case 31c, the reliability of the ink cartridge 23 accommodating the ink pack can be improved. Moreover, the reliability of the printer 11 equipped with the ink cartridge 23 can be improved.

(4) In this embodiment mode, the substrate 131 of the second engaging portion 130 is provided to have flexibility. By so constituting, the second engagement portion 130 can be slightly bent when the cover portion 31b is mounted on the outer case 31 c. Thus, even if some deviation is formed in the width or length direction of the outer case 31c with respect to the first engagement portion 128 due to a manufacturing error at the time of manufacturing thereof, the second engagement portion 130 of the cover portion 31b can be inserted and engaged into the first engagement portion 128. As a result, even if the outer case 31c or the cover portion 31b is formed larger or smaller than each other due to a dimensional error, the cover portion 32b can be attached to the outer case 31 c.

Further, the ink cartridge having the structure of the first engaging portion K2(128) and the second engaging portion K1(130) described above can be applied to an ink cartridge having a case constituted by a case main body and a lid portion, and therefore, the structure of the first engaging portion K2(128) and the second engaging portion K1(130) described above is not limited to an ink cartridge in which an ink storage bag is accommodated in a case.

In the above embodiment, six ink cartridges 23 are provided, but the number of ink cartridges mounted on the printer 11 may be any number.

In the above embodiment, the liquid container of the present invention is embodied in the ink cartridge 7, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be embodied in another container.

In the above embodiments, the printer (including the printing apparatus such as the facsimile machine and the copying machine) that ejects the ink has been described as the liquid ejecting apparatus, but the printer may be a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects another liquid. For example, the liquid ejecting apparatus may be a liquid ejecting apparatus for ejecting a liquid such as an electrode material or a coloring material used for manufacturing a liquid crystal display, an EL display, a surface-emitting display, or the like, a liquid ejecting apparatus for ejecting a bio-organic material used for manufacturing a biochip, or a sample ejecting apparatus serving as a precision pipette.

Claims

1. A liquid container comprising:

a first housing having an opening portion; and

a second housing mounted on the first housing and closing an opening portion of the first housing; wherein,

the first housing includes at least one first engagement member,

the second housing includes at least one second engagement member,

the first engaging member includes a first guide portion that guides the second engaging member when the first engaging member is engaged with the second engaging member,

the second engagement member has flexibility;

the second engaging member is formed to protrude from the second housing,

the first engaging member is formed inside the opening portion into which the second engaging member is insertable,

when the second engaging member is engaged with the first engaging member, the engaging portion is covered by the outer wall of the first housing.

2. A fluid container according to claim 1,

the first housing has a frame body forming a space for accommodating a liquid storage bag therein, and the first engagement member is formed between the frame body and an outer wall of the first housing.