JP2008200912A - Liquid supply device and liquid vessel - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a means which enables the easy and sure determination of an attitude for inserting a liquid vessel into an insertion opening of a vessel mounting portion. <P>SOLUTION: A vessel body 31 comprises right and left side surfaces 42 and 41 where guides 48 and 47 composed of a protrusive streak 51 and a recessed streak 52 are formed, and a back surface 44 where an ink supply valve 32 is arranged. A first direction in which the protrusive streak 51 and the recessed streak 52 are elongated is different from a second direction in which a liquid flows out from the ink supply valve 32. A case has an insertion opening in which a guide portion engaged with the protrusive streak 51 and the recessed streak 52 is formed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid supply apparatus including a liquid container for storing a liquid and a container mounting portion to which the liquid container can be mounted.

  As an example to which the liquid supply apparatus is applied, there is an ink jet recording apparatus. An ink jet recording apparatus records an image on a recording sheet by ejecting ink supplied to a recording head from a nozzle. The liquid supply device supplies ink to the recording head. When the ink is consumed, the liquid container of the liquid supply device is replaced. This liquid container is generally called an ink cartridge.

  The ink jet recording apparatus is reduced in size and thickness. Such an ink jet recording apparatus is often installed on a desk. The installed inkjet recording apparatus is at a position lower than the user's viewpoint. When a negative pressure is applied to the ink in the recording head due to a water head difference between the ink level in the recording head and the ink level in the ink cartridge, the ink cartridge is preferably installed at a position lower than the recording head. In many cases, it is mounted on the bottom side of the ink jet recording apparatus. When replacing the ink cartridge, it is convenient that the ink cartridge can be attached and detached from the front side or the upper side of the apparatus. Since it is assumed that the user replaces the ink cartridge while looking down at the apparatus, the operability is excellent when the ink cartridge is attached or detached in an oblique direction.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which an ink tank is mounted from an oblique direction with respect to a tank mounting portion. In order to guide the mounting of the ink tank, a guide projection is provided on the ink tank. Corresponding to the guide protrusion, a guide rail having an inclined surface is formed in the tank mounting portion. The guide protrusion is in sliding contact with the inclined surface of the guide rail, whereby the mounting direction of the ink tank is guided.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a tank having an uneven portion on a side wall. Since the concave and convex portions are engaged with each other, a plurality of tanks are integrated, which is advantageous when manufacturing or replacing the ink tank.

JP 2004-230704 A JP-A-8-216429

  The ink cartridge is often a synthetic resin molded product. If the guide protrusion disclosed in Patent Document 1 is formed integrally with an ink tank as a synthetic resin molded article, the guide protrusion may be damaged by a load applied when the ink tank is attached or detached.

  Further, in the operation of replacing the ink cartridge, further improvement in operability is expected. For example, in the replacement operation, it is desired that the insertion direction of the ink cartridge is guided with a simple configuration or that the posture of the ink cartridge is stabilized.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide means capable of easily and reliably determining the posture in which the liquid container is inserted into the insertion port of the container mounting portion. .

  Another object of the present invention is to improve the operability of the ink cartridge.

  (1) A liquid supply apparatus according to the present invention includes a container main body that stores a liquid, a liquid container that includes a liquid supply unit that causes the liquid stored in the container main body to flow out, and a container in which the liquid container can be attached. And a mounting portion. The container body includes a pair of first and second surfaces that are opposed to each other and at least one of a ridge or a groove along a predetermined first direction is formed on at least one of the surfaces. And a third surface adjacent to the first surface and the second surface and on which the liquid supply unit is disposed, and the first direction is a second direction in which the liquid flows out from the liquid supply unit And a different direction. The said container mounting part has the insertion port in which the guide part engaged with the said protruding item | line or a concave item was formed.

  A liquid is sealed inside the container body. The liquid in the container body flows out from the liquid supply unit. At least one of a ridge or a groove is formed on at least one of the first surface and the second surface of the container body. The strength of the container body is improved by the ridges or ridges. The ridges or ridges are along a first direction different from the second direction in which the liquid flows out from the liquid supply unit. When the user hangs his / her fingers on the ridges or ridges, it becomes easy to hold the container main body from the first direction with the second direction as the horizontal direction, and the ridges or ridges function as slip stoppers.

  Since a guide portion that engages with the ridges or recesses of the container body is formed at the insertion port of the container mounting portion, the liquid container is reliably guided in the first direction and inserted into the insertion port.

  (2) An embodiment is conceivable in which the second direction is a horizontal direction, and the first direction is a direction inclined upward with respect to the horizontal direction as the distance from the liquid supply unit increases. Thereby, since a liquid container can be inserted from diagonally upward with respect to a container mounting part, it is excellent in operativity.

  (3) The present invention is suitable when the container body is flat and thin in which the areas of the first surface and the second surface are larger than the areas of the other surfaces.

  (4) The ridge or the groove may be formed on a part of the first surface or the second surface on the third surface side.

  This embodiment is useful when the direction in which the liquid container is inserted changes from the first direction. As a case where the insertion direction changes from the first direction, for example, an embodiment in which the second direction is the horizontal direction in the mounted state can be considered.

  (5) The present invention can be attached to a container mounting portion having an insertion port in which a guide portion is formed, and includes a container main body that stores liquid and a liquid supply portion that causes the liquid stored in the container main body to flow out. It can be grasped as a liquid container. The container body includes a pair of first and second protrusions that are opposed to each other and at least one of a ridge or a groove that engages with the guide portion is formed on at least one surface along a predetermined first direction. A first surface and a second surface; and a third surface adjacent to the first surface and the second surface and on which the liquid supply unit is disposed, wherein the first direction is from the liquid supply unit. The direction is different from the second direction in which the liquid flows out.

  Thus, according to this invention, since the intensity | strength of a container main body is improved with the protruding item | line or concave strip formed in the 1st surface or 2nd surface of a container main body, a container main body becomes difficult to deform | transform. Moreover, it is easy for the user to pinch the container body from the first direction with the second direction as the horizontal direction by the ridges or grooves along the first direction. In addition, since the ridges or the ridges function as a slip stopper, the operability of the container body is improved. In addition, since the liquid container is guided in the first direction by the engagement between the ridge or the groove and the guide portion, the liquid container can be smoothly inserted into the insertion port along the first direction.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings as appropriate. Note that the following embodiment is merely an example of the present invention, and it is needless to say that the embodiment can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.

<Overall Configuration of Multifunction Device 10>
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a multifunction machine 10 including a refill unit 100 that is a liquid supply apparatus according to the present invention. The multifunction machine 10 is a multi-function device that integrally includes a printer unit 12 and a scanner unit 13. The printer unit 12 and the scanner unit 13 are configured in two upper and lower stages with the scanner unit 13 on the upper side. The printer unit 12 is a printer that employs an inkjet recording method. The scanner unit 13 is a scanner having a flat bed scanner and an auto document feeder 15. The multifunction device 10 can be connected to an external information device such as a computer or a digital camera. The multifunction device 10 performs image recording based on data transmitted from an external information device or based on image data read by the scanner unit 13.

  The outer shape of the multifunction machine 10 is a wide and thin rectangular parallelepiped having a width and depth larger than the height. The printer unit 12 includes a housing 14 having an opening 17 formed on the front side of the apparatus. A paper feed tray and a paper discharge tray can be attached to and detached from the printer unit 12 through the opening 17. In FIG. 1, the right front side of the drawing is the front side of the apparatus.

  A door 20 is provided on the right side of the front of the apparatus in the housing 14. The door 20 can be opened and closed with respect to the housing 14. When the door 14 is opened, an opening accessible to the inside of the apparatus is opened. Through this opening, the refill unit 100 provided inside the apparatus can be accessed. That is, the ink cartridge 30 is exchanged through this opening. The refill unit 100 is not shown in FIG. 1 because it is in the housing 14.

  The refill unit 100 has four cases 101. Case 101 is an example of a container mounting portion according to the present invention. Each case 101 can be equipped with four ink cartridges 30. The ink cartridge 30 is an example of a liquid container according to the present invention. Note that the ink cartridge 30 is not shown in FIG. The four ink cartridges 30 contain liquid inks of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, respectively. The printer unit 2 performs image recording using the four colors of ink that flow out from each ink cartridge 30.

<Ink cartridge 30>
Hereinafter, the structure of the ink cartridge 30 will be described. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing an external configuration of the ink cartridge 30. FIG. 3 is a side view of the ink cartridge 30. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the internal configuration of the ink cartridge 30.

  The ink cartridge 30 includes a container body 31, an ink supply valve 32, and a remaining amount detection unit 33. The ink supply valve 32 corresponds to the liquid supply unit in the present invention. The container body 31 contains the above-described ink. The ink stored in the container body 31 can flow out through the ink supply valve 32. The remaining amount detection unit 33 is a window for detecting the presence or absence of ink in the container body 31.

  The container body 31 is a flat and thin hexahedron. The x direction in FIG. 2 is the depth direction of the case 101. The y direction in FIG. 2 is the thickness direction of the container main body 31, and the container main body 31 is thin and flat with respect to the y direction. The z direction in FIG. 2 is the vertical direction of the container body 31.

  The container body 31 has a left side surface 41 and a right side surface 42 that face each other in the y direction, a front surface 43 and a back surface 44 that face each other in the x direction, and an upper surface 45 and a lower surface 46 that face each other in the z direction. . In FIG. 2, the back surface 44, the left side surface 41, and the top surface 45 of the container body 31 appear, and the front surface 43, the right side surface 42, and the bottom surface 46 do not appear.

  The left side surface 41 and the right side surface 42 are the maximum areas on the six surfaces constituting the outer surface of the container body 31. The front surface 43 and the back surface 44 are adjacent to the left side surface 41 and the right side surface 42. The front 43 faces the front side of the multifunction machine 1 in a state where the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the case 101. An ink supply valve 32 and a remaining amount detector 33 are provided on the back surface 44. The upper surface 45 and the lower surface 46 are adjacent to the left side surface 42 and the right side surface 43. The left side surface 41 and the right side surface 42 facing each other are parallel, the front surface 43 and the back surface 44 are parallel, and the upper surface 45 and the lower surface 46 are parallel.

  In the present embodiment, the left side surface 41 corresponds to the first surface according to the present invention, the right side surface corresponds to the second surface according to the present invention, and the back surface 44 corresponds to the third surface according to the present invention. In the present invention, the first surface and the second surface are in a relative relationship, and they may be interchanged.

  On the left side surface 41 and the right side surface 42, guides 47 and 48 are respectively formed on part of the rear surface 44 side. Since the guides 47 and 48 are formed symmetrically in the container main body 31, the detailed configuration will be described below taking the guide 47 on the left side surface 41 as an example.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a guide 47 is formed on a part of the left side surface 41 on the back surface 44 side. The range in which the guide 47 is formed is appropriately set in consideration of the guide in the insertion direction of the ink cartridge 30 and ease of holding. For example, when the insertion direction changes from the first direction to the second direction as in the present embodiment, the guide 47 has a length in the depth direction (x direction, left-right direction in FIG. 2) of the container body 31. On the other hand, it is preferably set within a range of about half or less.

  The guide 47 includes a plurality of ridges 51 projecting in the thickness direction (y direction) of the container body 31 and a plurality of ridges 52 recessed in the thickness direction of the container body 31. The ridges 51 and the ridges 52 are alternately arranged in the height direction (z direction) of the container body 31. Further, an inclined surface is formed between the protruding ridges 51 and the recessed ridges 52 adjacent to each other. That is, a plurality of concavo-convex shapes are formed in the height direction of the container body 31 by the plurality of ridges 51 and the plurality of ridges 52. The ridges 51 and the ridges 52 form ridges and valleys of this concavo-convex shape.

  Each protruding line 51 and each recessed line 52 extend in a direction (arrow 71) inclined with respect to the depth direction (arrow 70) of the container body 31. The direction indicated by the arrow 71 is the first direction in the present invention, and the direction indicated by the arrow 70 is the second direction in the present invention. The first direction forms an angle θ with respect to the second direction, and is inclined upward as the distance from the ink supply valve 32 increases. That is, the first direction and the second direction are different directions. As will be described later, the second direction is the horizontal direction and coincides with the direction in which the liquid flows out from the ink supply valve 32.

  The direction in which each protruding line 51 and each recessed line 52 extends is the first direction (arrow 71), and each protruding line 51 and each recessed line 52 are parallel. Moreover, the distance between the adjacent protruding item | line 51 and the protruding item | line 52 is equal intervals (pitch). The ridges 51 and the ridges 52 are relative, and the ridges 51 protrude from the left side surface 41 in this embodiment. The recess 52 is not recessed from the left side surface 41, and as a result of being disposed between the two protrusions 51, has a recess shape. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the distance D2 between the pair of corresponding protrusions 51 on the left side surface 41 and the right side surface 42 is larger than the thickness D1 of the container body 31. Further, a distance D3 between the pair of corresponding concave strips 52 on the left side surface 41 and the right side surface 42 is equal to the thickness D1 of the container main body 31.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the internal space of the container body 31 forms an ink storage chamber 36. The ink storage chamber 36 stores a predetermined volume of ink without causing it to flow outside. The ink storage chamber 36 may be configured by a casing of the container body 31 or may be configured by another member such as a frame or an ink pack.

  The ink supply valve 32 is provided below the back surface 44 of the container body 31. One end of the ink supply valve 32 is exposed to the outside of the container main body 31, and the other end is exposed to the inside of the ink storage chamber 36. The ink supply valve 32 has an ink flow path 39 and a valve. In FIG. 4, the ink flow path 39 is indicated by a dotted line, and the valve is omitted. The ink flow path 39 is a flow path that opens at both ends of the ink supply valve 32 and allows liquid to flow therethrough. The ink flow path 39 is formed in the direction indicated by the arrow 70. The valve is a so-called check valve that opens the ink flow path 39 when the push rod 104 is jointed, and closes the ink flow path 39 when the push rod 104 is removed. Since such a check valve is known, a detailed description of the configuration is omitted. Through the ink supply valve 32, the ink in the ink storage chamber 36 can flow out.

  The remaining amount detection unit 33 is for detecting the amount of ink stored in the ink storage chamber 36. The remaining amount detection unit 33 is provided above the ink supply valve 32 on the back surface 44 of the container main body 31. The external shape of the remaining amount detection unit 33 is a thin plate shape, and protrudes outward from the back surface 44 with the thickness direction as a horizontal direction. The inside of the remaining amount detection unit 33 is a hollow and communicates with the ink storage chamber 36. Therefore, ink flows into and out of the remaining amount detection unit 33 according to the amount of ink in the ink storage chamber 36. The remaining amount detection unit 33 is formed of a transparent synthetic resin, and can transmit detection light from the optical sensor 103 attached to the case 101 as will be described later.

  A sensor arm 60 is provided in the ink storage chamber 36. The sensor arm 60 is a member for detecting the amount of ink stored in the ink storage chamber 36. The sensor arm 60 is made of synthetic resin. The sensor arm 60 roughly includes a shielding plate 62, an arm 63, and a float 64. The shielding plate 62 is provided on one end side of the arm 63. The float 64 is provided on the other end side of the arm 63.

  The shielding plate 62 has a thin plate shape. The shielding plate 62 shields the detection light from the optical sensor 103. The shielding plate 62 is disposed in the remaining amount detection unit 33 with the thickness direction as the y direction (see FIG. 2). The ink cartridge 30 is inserted substantially in the x direction, but the thickness direction of the shielding plate 62 is orthogonal to the insertion direction of the ink cartridge 30. When inserting the ink cartridge 30, it is assumed that the ink in the ink storage chamber 36 moves in the x direction and flows in and out of the remaining amount detection unit 33. The direction is along the front and back surfaces. Accordingly, it is possible to minimize the movement of the shielding plate 62 due to the movement of the ink described above, so that the posture of the sensor arm 60 is stabilized when the ink cartridge 30 is inserted.

  A connecting shaft 66 is provided on the arm 63. The connecting shaft 66 is rotatably supported on the inner walls of the left side surface 41 and the right side surface 42 of the container body 31. The arm 63 is bent at an obtuse angle. The bending angle is such that the shielding plate 62 is positioned on the remaining amount detection unit 33 and the float 64 is positioned near the bottom of the ink storage chamber 36 in a state where the arm 62 is rotatably supported by the connecting shaft 66. Is set. The arm 63 is rotatable about the connecting shaft 66, so that the sensor arm 60 can swing in the ink storage chamber 36 within a range in which the shielding plate 62 or the float 64 does not contact other members. . The arm 63 also has a thin plate shape. This effect is the same as that of the shielding plate 62 described above.

  The float 64 has a hollow shape with a hollow inside. The float 64 has a predetermined buoyancy with respect to ink. In the sensor arm 60, the weight on the float 64 side is heavier than the connection shaft 66 relative to the weight on the shielding plate 62 side from the connection shaft 66. Accordingly, in the atmosphere, the sensor arm 60 rotates so that the float 64 is on the lower side. For example, as indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 4, when the ink level in the ink storage chamber 36 becomes low, the float 64 descends due to the action of gravity. As a result, as indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 4, the shielding plate 62 moves upward in the remaining amount detection unit 33 and comes into contact with the ceiling surface 54 of the remaining amount detection unit 33 and stops. In this state, the shielding plate 62 does not shield the detection light of the optical sensor 103.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the sensor arm 60 is immersed in ink, the above-described relationship is reversed by the buoyancy generated in the float 64. That is, the float 64 floats in the ink, and the sensor arm 60 rotates so that the float 64 is on the upper side. As a result, the shielding plate 62 moves downward in the remaining amount detection unit 33 and comes into contact with the bottom surface 53 of the remaining amount detection unit 33 and stops. In this state, the shielding plate 62 shields the detection light of the optical sensor 103. The float 64 is also a thin plate shape. This effect is the same as that of the shielding plate 62 described above.

  Although not described in detail, the container main body 31 may be formed with an air communication hole for opening the ink storage chamber 36 to the atmosphere. Due to the air communication hole, the atmospheric pressure in the ink storage chamber 36 becomes atmospheric pressure, and ink flows out from the ink storage chamber 36 at a constant pressure.

<Case 101>
Below, the structure of case 101 is demonstrated. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the internal configuration of the case 101. FIG. 6 is a front view showing the front side of the case 101. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a VII-VII cross section in FIG. 5. In FIG. 6, the lock lever 106 is omitted. The refill unit 100 includes four cases 101. Since the configurations of the cases 101 are the same, the detailed configuration will be described using one case 101 as an example.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the case 101 includes a case main body 105 and a lock lever 106. The internal space of the case main body 105 is a cavity, and this cavity forms the accommodation chamber 107. The storage chamber 107 has an insertion port 120 that opens to the front side of the apparatus. In FIG. 5, the right side of the drawing is the front side of the apparatus. The ink cartridge 30 is extracted from the storage chamber 107 through the insertion port 120. The storage chamber 107 has a back wall 111, a ceiling wall 112, and a bottom wall 113. Further, the storage chamber 107 has a side wall 114 adjacent to these and a side wall 115 (see FIG. 7) facing the side wall 114, but the side wall 115 is not shown in FIG. An upper inclined wall 116 is formed on the insertion opening 120 side from the ceiling wall 112.

  The ceiling wall 112 and the bottom wall 113 are horizontal surfaces. The angle formed by the upper inclined wall 116 with respect to the ceiling wall 112 is set in consideration of the angle θ at which the ink cartridge 30 is attached to the case 101 from obliquely above. The angle θ is an angle θ at which the direction in which the ridges 51 and the ridges 52 of the container body 31 extend (arrow 71) is inclined with respect to the direction in which the liquid flows out from the ink supply valve 32 (arrow 70).

  The insertion port 120 of the storage chamber 107 is composed of a bottom wall 113, both side walls 114 and 115 (the side wall 115 is not shown in FIG. 5), and an upper inclined wall 116. A guide part 121 is formed on the side wall 114. Although the guide part 122 (refer FIG. 6) is formed also in the side wall 115 facing the side wall 114, it does not appear in FIG. Since the guide parts 121 and 122 are formed symmetrically in the case main body 101, a detailed configuration will be described below taking the guide part 121 on the side wall 114 as an example.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a guide portion 121 is formed in the insertion port 120 in the side wall 114. The range in which the guide part 121 is formed is a part of the vicinity of the insertion port 120 and is set corresponding to the length of the guide 48 formed in the container body 31 of the ink cartridge 30.

  The guide part 121 can be engaged with the guide 48. That is, the guide part 121 has an uneven shape that engages with the uneven shape of the guide 48. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the guide portion 121 includes a plurality of ridges 123 that are recessed in the thickness direction of the side wall 114 (left and right direction in FIG. 6), and a plurality of ridges 124 that protrude inward from the side wall 115. It consists of. The concave stripes 123 and the convex stripes 124 are alternately arranged in the height direction of the insertion port 120 (the vertical direction in FIG. 6). In addition, an inclined surface is formed between the concave stripe 123 and the convex stripe 124 adjacent to each other. That is, a plurality of concave and convex shapes are formed in the height direction of the side wall 114 by the plurality of concave stripes 123 and the convex stripes 124. The concave stripes 123 and the convex stripes 124 form valleys and ridges of this irregular shape.

  Each concave line 123 and each convex line 124 extend in a direction (arrow 109) inclined with respect to the depth direction (arrow 108) of the side wall 114. The direction indicated by the arrow 109 is the first direction in the present invention, the direction indicated by the arrow 108 is the second direction in the present invention, and the first direction forms an angle θ with respect to the second direction. .

  The direction in which each concave line 123 and each convex line 124 extend is the first direction (arrow 109), and each concave line 123 and each convex line 124 are parallel. Moreover, the distance between the adjacent groove 123 and the protrusion 124 is equal intervals (pitch). This pitch corresponds to the pitch between the ridges 51 and the ridges 52 in the container body 31. Note that the concave stripes 123 and the convex stripes 124 are relative, and in the present embodiment, the convex stripes 124 protrude inward from the side wall 114. The recess 123 is not recessed from the side wall 114, and as a result of being disposed between the two protrusions 124, has a recess. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the distance D5 between the pair of corresponding protrusions 124 in the guides 121 and 122 is smaller than the distance D4 between the side walls 114 and 115 in the storage chamber 107. Further, the distance D6 between the pair of corresponding concave stripes 123 in the guides 121 and 122 is equal to the distance D4 between the side walls 114 and 115. The distance D4 is equivalent to the distance D2 of the guides 47 and 48 in the container body 31, and the distances D5 and D6 are equivalent to the distances D1 and D3 of the guides 47 and 48 in the container body.

  In FIG. 6, the height H2 of the insertion port 120 is larger than the height H1 of the container body 31 (see FIG. 2). Specifically, it is larger than the height H <b> 1 of the container body 31 by the pitch between the ridges 51 and the ridges 52. Thereby, the container main body 31 can be inserted into the insertion port 120 obliquely from above. In addition, when the lower inclined wall which inclines similarly to the upper inclined wall 116 is provided in the insertion port 120 side in the bottom wall 113 of the storage chamber 107, the height H2 of the insertion port 120 is set to the height of the container body 31. It can be made equivalent to H1.

  A drooping wall 118 protruding downward from the ceiling wall 112 is provided at a corner between the back wall 111 and the ceiling wall 112. The hanging wall 118 is in contact with the back surface 44 of the container body 31 to position the mounting position of the container body 31.

  Concave grooves 119 are formed along the corners of the back wall 111 and the bottom wall 113. The concave groove 119 is for receiving ink dropped from the ink supply valve 32 of the ink cartridge 30 or the push rod 104 of the case 101.

  An optical sensor 103 is provided on the back wall 111. The optical sensor 103 corresponds to the position of the remaining amount detection unit 33 in the mounted ink cartridge 30. The optical sensor 103 is a transmissive photo interrupter. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the optical sensor 103 includes an emitting part 131 and a light receiving part 132. The emission part 131 and the light receiving part 132 are opposed to each other in the horizontal direction. The remaining amount detection unit 33 is positioned between the emission unit 131 and the light receiving unit 132. Detection light is emitted from the emission unit 131 in the thickness direction of the remaining amount detection unit 33 (left and right direction in FIGS. 6 and 7), and the light reception unit 132 receives the detection light. The optical sensor 103 outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 132. Based on this electrical signal, the remaining amount of ink in the ink storage chamber 36 is determined.

  A push rod 104 is provided below the back wall 111. The push rod 104 is a hollow tube, and one end thereof protrudes from the back wall 111 in the horizontal direction. The push rod 104 passes through the case body 105 and the other end reaches the outside of the case body 105. Although not shown in detail in FIG. 5, the other end of the push rod 104 is connected to an ink tube. The ink tube forms an ink flow path from the refill unit 100 to the recording head.

  The lock lever 106 opens and closes the insertion port 120. The lock lever 106 presses the container body 31 of the ink cartridge 30 loaded in the storage chamber 107 in the insertion direction. The lock lever 106 is large enough to seal the insertion slot 120 and has a flat plate shape that is long in the vertical direction. The upper end of the lock lever 106 is pivotally supported by the case main body 105 by a shaft 110 provided on the upper side of the insertion port 120. When the lock lever 106 is rotated about the shaft 110, the lock lever 106 has a posture of sealing the insertion port 120 and a posture of opening the insertion port 120, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. The posture changes.

  The lower end of the lock lever 106 is bent along the outer shape of the case main body 105 below the insertion port 120. A claw 126 is provided at the lower end of the lock lever 106. The claw 126 engages with a notch 127 formed in the case main body 105. When the claw 126 is engaged with the notch 127, the lock lever 106 maintains the posture in which the insertion port 120 is sealed.

  A projecting piece 128 is provided substantially at the center of the inner surface of the lock lever 106. The protruding piece 128 protrudes corresponding to the distance between the front surface 43 of the container main body 31 of the ink cartridge 30 and the inner surface of the lock lever 106 in the mounted state, and the front opening 43 faces the insertion port 120 in the sealed position. Press. Thereby, the container main body 31 is pressed with a constant pressure in the insertion direction.

<Ink cartridge 30 mounting method>
Hereinafter, a method for mounting the ink cartridge 30 to the case 101 will be described. 8 to 10 are diagrams illustrating a method for mounting the ink cartridge 30 to the case 101. FIG. 8 to 10, the case 101 is shown in a vertical cross section, but the ink cartridge 30 is not shown in a cross section.

  As described above, when the door 20 is opened, the refill unit 100 can be accessed through the opening. With respect to the four cases 101 of the refill unit 100, the lock levers 106 are exposed through the openings and can be operated from the outside. As shown in FIG. 6, when the lock lever 106 is opened, the insertion port 120 of the case 101 is opened. The ink cartridge 30 can be inserted into the storage chamber 107 from the insertion port 120.

  As described above, the guides 47 and 48 are formed on the left side surface 41 and the right side surface 42 of the container main body 31, respectively. Since the container main body 31 is flat and thin with a small thickness (y direction), the user operates the ink cartridge 30 with the left side surface 41 and the right side surface 42 sandwiched therebetween. Since the strength of the container body 31 is improved by the uneven shape by the guides 47 and 48, there is an advantage that the container body 31 is not easily deformed with respect to the force held by the user.

  The concave and convex shapes of the guides 47 and 48 are inclined upward toward the front 43 side of the container body 31 with respect to the direction in which ink flows out from the ink supply valve 32 (second direction). When the user holds the area where the guides 47 and 48 are formed on the left side surface 41 and the right side surface 42 of the container main body 31 with his / her finger, the user holds the convex strips 51 and the concave strips 52 of the guides 47 and 48 in the extending direction. Cheap. The direction (first direction) in which the ridges 51 and the ridges 52 extend is a direction in which the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the insertion port 120. Therefore, when the container main body 31 is held with the direction (second direction) in which ink flows out from the ink supply valve 32 as the horizontal direction, there is an advantage that the user can easily put the finger along the uneven shape and can easily hold it. Further, the uneven shape of the guides 47 and 48 functions as a slip stopper.

  As described above, guide portions 121 and 122 corresponding to the concave and convex shapes of the guides 47 and 48 of the container body 31 are formed in the insertion port 120. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, the guides 47 and 48 of the container body 31 are engaged with the guide portions 121 and 122 of the insertion port 120, and the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the insertion port 120. The container body 31 is guided in the direction (first direction) in which the guides 47 and 48 and the guide portions 121 and 122 extend. In this insertion process, the container body 31 is maintained in a posture in which the direction in which the ink flows out from the ink supply valve 32 is the horizontal direction. That is, without tilting the container main body 31 from the joint posture, the ink cartridge 30 can be inserted into the insertion port 120 obliquely upward (arrow 71) with respect to the horizontal direction by an angle θ, and the container is maintained while maintaining the posture. The main body 31 is guided in the direction of the arrow 71 (first direction).

  As shown in FIG. 9, when the container main body 31 is inserted into the insertion port 120 obliquely from above (arrow 71), the lower surface 46 of the container main body 31 comes into contact with the bottom wall 113 of the storage chamber 107. As described above, the guides 47 and 48 of the container body 31 are formed on the left side surface 41 and the right side surface 42 at a part on the ink supply valve 32 side. Further, the guide portions 121 and 122 of the case 101 are formed in a part on the insertion port 120 side. In the state shown in FIG. 9, the guides 47 and 48 of the container main body 31 pass through the guide portions 121 and 122 of the insertion port 120. In this state, the insertion in the direction of the arrow 71 (first direction) is completed. The user can know that the insertion from the oblique upper side is completed by feeling the resistance that the lower surface 46 of the container body 31 abuts against the bottom wall 113 of the storage chamber 107. In this state, the ink supply valve 32 is not jointed with the push rod 104, and the remaining amount detection unit 33 has not reached the optical sensor 103.

  Subsequently, the ink cartridge 30 is further inserted into the inner portion of the storage chamber 107 with the lower surface 46 of the container body 31 along the bottom wall 113 of the storage chamber 107. As described above, the distance D4 between the side walls 114 and 115 of the case 101 is equal to the distance D5 between the pair of ridges 124. Therefore, the ink cartridge 30 can be inserted in the horizontal direction using the lower surface 46 of the container body 31 as a guide surface for guiding the joint direction (second direction) of the ink cartridge 30. That is, the insertion direction of the ink cartridge 30 is changed from the first direction to the second direction. The bottom wall 113 of the storage chamber 107 is horizontal, and the lower surface 46 of the container body 31 along these is also horizontal. Therefore, the ink cartridge 30 is guided in the horizontal direction (arrow 70) and further inserted while the container body 31 remains in the same posture as the state where it is inserted into the insertion port 120 obliquely from above (arrow 71).

  In this horizontal insertion process, the push rod 104 is jointed to the ink supply valve 32 as shown in FIG. In addition, the remaining amount detection unit 33 reaches the optical sensor 103.

  When the lock lever 106 is rotated in a direction to close the insertion port 120, the projecting piece 128 comes into contact with the front surface 43 of the container main body 31. When the claw 126 of the lock lever 106 is engaged with the notch 127, the lock lever 106 is locked with the insertion port 120 sealed. At this time, the container main body 31 of the ink cartridge 30 is maintained in a state of being pressed in the insertion direction by an appropriate force by the protruding piece 128, so that the push rod 104 and the ink supply valve 32 are reliably jointed.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the strength of the container main body 31 is improved by the guides 47 and 48 formed on the left side surface 41 and the right side surface 42 of the container main body 31, so that the container main body 31 is hardly deformed. In addition, since the guides 47 and 48 are constituted by the ridges 51 and the ridges 52 along the first direction (arrow 71), the user moves the container body 31 in the second direction (arrow 70) in the horizontal direction. Easy to hold in one direction. Moreover, since the protruding item | line 51 and the recessed item | line 52 function as a slipper, the operativity of the container main body 31 is improved. Further, since the ink cartridge 30 is guided in the first direction by the engagement between the guides 47 and 48 and the guide portions 121 and 122, the ink cartridge 30 can be smoothly inserted into the insertion port 120 along the first direction. it can.

  In the present embodiment, the guides 47 and 48 are formed on both the left side surface 41 and the right side surface 42 of the container main body 31, but the guides 47 and 48 may be formed only on one of the side surfaces 41 and 42. Good. Of course, the uneven shapes of the guides 47 and 48 are not limited to those shown in the present embodiment. For example, the guides 47 and 48 may be configured by only one of a ridge or a groove, and a plurality of ridges or grooves are not necessarily required. Furthermore, the shape of the container main body 31 of the ink cartridge 30 is not limited to the hexahedron shown in the present embodiment, and other three-dimensional shapes can be adopted without departing from the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a multifunction machine 10 including a refill unit 100 that is a liquid supply apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing an external configuration of the ink cartridge 30. FIG. 3 is a side view of the ink cartridge 30. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the internal configuration of the ink cartridge 30. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the internal configuration of the case 101. FIG. 6 is a front view showing the front side of the case 101. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a VII-VII cross section in FIG. 5. FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a method for inserting the ink cartridge 30. FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a method for inserting the ink cartridge 30. FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a method for inserting the ink cartridge 30.

Explanation of symbols

30 ... Ink cartridge (liquid container)
31 ... Container body 32 ... Ink supply valve (liquid supply unit)
41 ... Left side (first side)
42 ... Right side (second side)
44 ... back (third surface)
51 ... convex 52 ... concave 100 ... refill unit (liquid supply device)
101 ... Case (container mounting part)
109: Insertion port 121, 122 ... Guide part

Claims (5)

A liquid supply apparatus comprising: a container main body that stores liquid; a liquid container that includes a liquid supply unit that causes the liquid stored in the container main body to flow out; and a container mounting unit on which the liquid container can be mounted. Because
The container body includes a pair of first and second surfaces that are opposed to each other and at least one of a ridge or a groove along a predetermined first direction is formed on at least one of the surfaces. A third surface that is adjacent to the first surface and the second surface and on which the liquid supply unit is disposed,
The first direction is a direction different from the second direction in which the liquid flows out from the liquid supply unit,
The said container mounting part is a liquid supply apparatus which has an insertion port in which the guide part engaged with the said protruding item | line or a concave item was formed. The second direction is a horizontal direction,
The liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first direction is a direction inclined upward with respect to a horizontal direction as the distance from the liquid supply unit increases.   3. The liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container body has a flat and thin shape in which each area of the first surface and the second surface is larger than each area of the other surface.   The liquid supply device according to claim 3, wherein the ridge or the groove is formed on a part of the first surface or the second surface on the third surface side. A liquid container having a container body that has an insertion port formed with a guide part and that has a liquid supply part that allows the liquid stored in the container body and the container main body to store the liquid,
The container body includes a pair of first and second protrusions that are opposed to each other and at least one of a ridge or a groove that engages with the guide portion is formed on at least one surface along a predetermined first direction. A first surface and a second surface; and a third surface adjacent to the first surface and the second surface and where the liquid supply unit is disposed;
A liquid container in which the first direction is different from a second direction in which liquid flows out from the liquid supply unit.

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