JP2009226855A - Liquid jet system and liquid container - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent detachment of a liquid container from a holder, in the liquid container attachable to a liquid jet apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: The liquid jet system includes the liquid jet apparatus that has the liquid container and the holder. The holder has: a liquid supply needle for receiving a liquid supplied from the liquid container when the liquid container is attached; a holder side electrode disposed further upstream than the liquid supply needle and electrically connected to the liquid container when the liquid container is attached; and an energizing section disposed further downstream than the liquid supply needle and energizing the energization-receiving part of the liquid container in a predetermined energizing direction when the liquid container is attached. The liquid container has: a supply part with a liquid supply port that opens in a front wall and receives the liquid supply needle when it is attached to the holder; and a container-side electrode fixed in position so as to be electrically connected to the holder-side electrode when it is attached to the holder. In the energizing direction, a line extending from the energization-receiving part toward the energizing direction passes through a side-wall side rather than the container-side electrode. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid container and a liquid ejecting system, and more particularly to a liquid container that can be attached to a holder of a liquid ejecting apparatus by being inserted in a predetermined insertion direction, and a liquid ejecting system including the liquid container. .

  2. Related Art Ink jet printers are known in which an ink cartridge holding ink is detachably attached to an ink cartridge holder and ink is supplied to the ink jet printer. Some ink cartridges used in ink jet printers have an IC chip that stores information such as ink type, color, and existing amount of ink. An ink cartridge holder on which this kind of ink cartridge is mounted is provided with an electrode on the ink jet printer side at a position corresponding to the electrode of the IC chip. With the ink cartridge mounted in the ink cartridge holder, the ink chip IC chip electrode and the ink cartridge holder electrode are in electrical contact with each other, for example, so that the ink jet printer, the ink cartridge IC chip, Are communicably connected (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2003-341100 A

  However, conventionally, when the ink cartridge is mounted on the holder, the ink cartridge may be detached from the holder. Such a problem is not limited to ink cartridges for ink jet printers, but is a problem common to liquid containers that can be attached to liquid devices.

  An object of the present invention is to suppress detachment of a liquid container in a liquid container that can be attached to a liquid ejecting apparatus.

  The present invention can be realized as the following forms or application examples in order to solve at least a part of the above-described problems.

[Application Example 1]
A liquid ejection system,
A liquid container having a front wall and a side wall having a bias receiving portion;
A liquid ejecting apparatus having a holder that can be mounted by inserting the liquid container in a predetermined insertion direction with the front wall in front;
With
The holder further comprises:
A liquid supply needle for receiving a supply of liquid from the liquid container when the liquid container is mounted;
A holder-side electrode portion that is disposed above the liquid supply needle and electrically connected to the liquid container when the liquid container is mounted;
An urging portion that is disposed below the liquid supply needle and urges the urging receiving portion of the liquid container in a predetermined urging direction when the liquid container is mounted;
Have
The liquid container further includes:
A supply part having a liquid supply port into which the liquid supply needle is inserted when the front wall is opened and attached to the holder;
A container-side electrode portion whose position is fixed so as to be electrically connected to the holder-side electrode portion when mounted on the holder;
Have
The liquid ejecting system, wherein the urging direction is set such that an extension line extending from the urging receiving portion in the urging direction passes through the side wall from the container side electrode portion.
In this way, the urging force received by the urging receiving portion generates a rotational moment that rotates the liquid container in the insertion direction around the fixed holder-side electrode portion and the vicinity of the container-side electrode portion. As a result, detachment of the liquid container from the holder can be suppressed.

Application Example 2 In the liquid ejecting system according to claim 1,
The holder further has a holder-side positioning portion,
The liquid container further includes a container-side positioning portion that contacts the positioning portion when positioned on the holder and positions the container-side electrode portion with respect to the holder-side electrode portion,
The liquid ejecting system, wherein the urging direction is set such that an extension line extending from the urging receiving portion in the urging direction passes through the side wall side from a positioning position by the container side positioning portion.
In this way, the urging force received by the urging receiving portion generates a rotational moment that rotates the liquid container in the insertion direction around the positioning portion. As a result, detachment of the liquid container from the holder can be suppressed.

Application Example 3 In the liquid ejecting system according to claim 2,
The biasing portion of the holder has a hook that abuts on the biasing receiving portion in order to bias the biasing receiving portion,
The bias receiving portion has a contact surface that contacts the hook,
The liquid ejecting system, wherein the contact surface of the urging receiving portion is along an arc passing through the contact surface with the positioning position as a center.
In this way, even if the liquid container moves a little around the positioning portion, the urging receiving portion can maintain contact with the hook. As a result, detachment of the liquid container from the holder can be further suppressed.

Application Example 4 In the liquid ejecting system according to claim 3,
The side wall of the liquid container has a recess including a surface recessed from the other part,
The liquid ejecting system, wherein the contact surface of the urging receiving portion extends until it intersects the recessed surface.
By so doing, it is possible to secure the length of the abutting surface of the bias receiving portion. As a result, the liquid container can be further prevented from coming off from the holder.

Application Example 5 In the liquid ejecting system according to any one of claims 2 to 4,
The holder-side positioning part includes a positioning needle disposed above the liquid supply needle,
The container-side positioning unit includes a fitting hole that fits into the positioning needle when the liquid container is mounted on the holder.
In this way, positioning can be performed with a simple configuration.

Application Example 6 In the liquid ejecting system according to claim 5,
The holder side positioning part includes the holder side flat part,
The container-side positioning portion includes a container-side flat portion that is provided on the front wall and comes into contact with the holder-side flat portion when mounted on the holder.
In this way, positioning can be performed with a simple configuration.

  The present invention can be realized in various forms. For example, the present invention can be realized in the form of a liquid container that can be attached to the holder of the liquid ejecting apparatus by being inserted in a predetermined insertion direction. For example, in the liquid container, when the liquid container is mounted, the holder includes a holder-side electrode unit for electrical connection with the liquid container, and the liquid container when the liquid container is mounted. A liquid supply needle for receiving a supply of liquid from the container; and an urging portion that is disposed below the liquid supply needle and biases the liquid container when the liquid container is mounted. ing. The liquid container is a wall on the insertion direction side, and when the liquid container is attached to the holder, the front wall having a liquid supply port into which the liquid supply needle is inserted and the liquid container are attached to the holder And a container side electrode portion whose position is fixed so as to be electrically connected to the holder side electrode portion, and when urged in the predetermined urging direction by the urging portion when mounted on the holder. A side wall having a biasing receiving portion for receiving, and the biasing direction is set such that an extension line extending from the biasing receiving portion in the biasing direction passes through the side wall side from the container side electrode portion. Yes.

A. Example:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ink jet printer as an embodiment of the present invention. The inkjet printer 10 includes a printer main body 200 and a holder 1000 that is provided in a part of the printer main body 200 and in which an ink cartridge is mounted. The holder 1000 of the inkjet printer 10 has a rotatable lid 11. An example of the ink jet printer 10 is a large ink jet printer that uses a large amount of ink to record on large paper (such as A2 to A0 size) such as a poster. The holder 1000 accommodates a plurality of ink cartridges 100. A plurality of ink cartridges 100 each containing a predetermined color of ink are arranged in a row in the holder 1000. Thereby, the inkjet printer 10 can perform full-color printing on printing paper.

  FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the holder 1000 and a plurality of ink cartridges 100 attached to the holder 1000. The holder 1000 includes the same number of holder main bodies 1100 as the mountable ink cartridges 100, a lock lever 1010, and a lock shaft 1500. One holder body 1100 can accommodate one ink cartridge 100. In the inkjet printer 10 of the present embodiment, color printing is performed using four colors of ink of black, cyan, magenta, and yellow. Therefore, four holder bodies 1100 are connected in the X-axis direction for the ink cartridges 100 of these colors. Has been. In FIG. 2, the leftmost holder main body 1100 is a holder for a color ink cartridge, generally a black ink cartridge, for which a large ink cartridge 100b is prepared. The other holder body 1100 is a holder for a color ink cartridge for which a standard size ink cartridge 100a is prepared. The lock lever 1010 is attached to be rotatable about a rotation axis parallel to the X axis. Similar to the lock lever 1010, the lock shaft 1500 is attached so as to be rotatable about another rotation shaft parallel to the X axis.

  FIG. 2 shows a state in which the lock lever 1010 is rotated until the knob 1010b reaches the lower end position. A lock lever gear 1010a is formed below the lock lever 1010. Similarly, the lock shaft 1500 is formed with a lock shaft gear 1500a. The lock lever gear 1010a and the lock shaft gear 1500a mesh with each other. When the lock lever 1010 rotates, the lock shaft 1500 rotates in conjunction with the lock lever gear 1010a. In a state where the lock lever 1010 is rotated until the knob 1010b is at the lower end position, the rotation position of the lock shaft 1500 is a lock position described later. On the contrary, in a state where the lock lever 1010 is rotated until the knob 1010b reaches the upper end position, the rotation position of the lock shaft 1500 is an open position described later. When the lock shaft 1500 is in the lock position, the ink cartridge 100 cannot be removed from the holder main body 1100. When the rotation position is in the open position, the ink cartridge 100 can be removed from the holder main body 1100. it can. The lock mechanism of the ink cartridge 100 will be described later.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an ink cartridge as an embodiment of the present invention. The container main body 101 of the ink cartridge 100 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The wall surface on the negative side of the Y axis of the container body 101 in FIG. 2 is referred to as a front wall surface F1. Similarly, the wall surface on the positive side of the Z axis of the container body 101 is the upper wall surface F3, the wall surface on the negative side of the Z axis is the lower wall surface F2, the wall surface on the positive side of the X axis is the right wall surface F4, and the negative wall surface of the X axis is negative. The wall surface in the direction is referred to as the left wall surface F6, and the wall surface on the positive direction side of the Y axis is referred to as the rear wall surface F5. The upper right corner portion of the right wall surface F4 in FIG. 2 is formed in a concave shape, and a substrate installation wall surface F7 parallel to the right wall surface F4 and lower in the negative direction in the X direction than the right wall surface F4 is formed at the corner portion.

  A circuit board 150 is disposed on the board installation wall surface F7. In the front wall surface F1, an ink supply part 110, a positioning hole 120 and a positioning flat part 130 as a container side positioning part, and a guide hole 140 are formed. The positioning flat surface portion 130 is protruded from the peripheral portion of the front wall surface F1 on the outer periphery of the opening portion of the positioning hole 120. A bias receiving portion 160 is formed on the lower wall surface F2. The rear wall surface F5 is formed with a gripping shape that makes it easier for the user to grip the ink cartridge 100. This gripping shape assumes that the user grips the ink cartridge 100 from the right side with the right hand.

  Although illustration is omitted, the inside of the container body 101 is configured to hold a predetermined amount of ink. For example, as an example of a means for holding ink inside the container main body 101, a flexible ink pack having an ink supply port is accommodated inside the container main body 101. Then, the ink is filled in the ink pack, and the ink supply port formed in the ink pack is fixed to the ink supply unit 110 of the container body 101.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the bias receiving portion 160. The bias receiving portion 160 is provided in the vicinity of the side where the lower wall surface F2 and the left wall surface F6 intersect. The bias receiving portion 160 has a substantially trapezoidal shape when viewed from the Z-axis direction, and includes a first surface 162, a second surface 163, and a third surface 164 as surfaces parallel to the Z-axis direction. The first surface 162 indicated by hatching is a surface (biasing receiving surface) that is brought into contact with the hook member of the holder and receives an urging force by the hook member as will be described later. On the Y-axis direction side of the urging receiving portion 160, a recess that forms a surface F8 is formed at a position lower than the lower wall surface F2 by a depth h. The recess bottom surface F8 is parallel to the lower wall surface F2. The first surface 162 does not intersect with the lower wall surface F2, but intersects the recess bottom surface F8. That is, the first surface 162 extends until it intersects with the recess bottom surface F8, and has a larger area than when intersecting with the lower wall surface F2.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration in the vicinity of the front wall surface F <b> 1 of the ink cartridge 100. The circuit board 150 is arranged in parallel to the right wall surface F4 and the board installation wall surface F7. A non-volatile memory (not shown) (for example, EEPROM) is mounted on the back side of the circuit board 150. The memory stores information such as the type of ink and ink cartridge, the color of ink held by the ink cartridge, and the existing amount of ink. A plurality of container side electrode portions (terminals) 151 are arranged on the surface of the circuit board 150. When the ink cartridge 100 is mounted on the holder 1000, the container side electrode portion 151 contacts and is electrically connected to a holder side electrode portion described later. Thereby, the control circuit of the inkjet printer 10 can read and write information data in the memory. The container-side electrode portions 151 are arranged in a two-row zigzag pattern as shown in FIG.

  The ink supply unit 110 is disposed at the center portion in the longitudinal direction (Z-axis direction) of the front wall surface F1 and at the center portion in the short-side direction (X-axis direction) of the front wall surface F1. The positioning hole 120 and the positioning flat surface portion 130 are disposed on the front wall surface F1 on the upper wall surface F3 side (Z-axis positive direction side) from the ink supply unit 110 and in the vicinity of the upper wall surface F3. The positioning hole 120 and the positioning flat surface portion 130 are disposed in the vicinity of the circuit board 150. This is because when the ink cartridge 100 is mounted on the holder 1000, the container-side electrode portion 151 is accurately positioned with respect to a holder-side electrode portion described later. The guide hole 140 is disposed on the lower wall surface F2 side (Z-axis negative direction side) from the ink supply unit 110 and in the vicinity of the lower wall surface F2.

  FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the holder body 1100. The holder main body 1100 has a case portion 1110 and a lock housing portion 1120. The ink cartridge 100 is inserted into the case unit 1110 with the front wall surface F1 in front and the Y-axis negative direction as the insertion direction. A hook member 1300 is fixed to the case portion 1110. A reciprocating member 1200 and a coil spring 1400 are accommodated in the lock accommodating portion 1120. The reciprocating member 1200 is formed with a through hole 1200a penetrating in the X-axis direction, and the lock shaft 1500 passes through the through hole 1200a.

  FIG. 7 is a view of the holder body 1100 as seen from the positive side of the X axis. An ink introduction needle 1600, a positioning needle 1700, a guide needle 1800, and a holder-side electrode portion 1900 are provided on the wall of the case portion 1110 on the negative side of the Y axis.

  FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the holder body 1100 taken along a plane that passes through the center of the XZ cross section of the ink introduction needle 1600 and is parallel to the YZ plane. A base member 1750 is provided at the root portion of the positioning needle 1700. The surface of the base member 1750 on the Y axis direction side is a device side flat portion 1751. The positioning needle 1700 is inserted into the positioning hole 120 when the ink cartridge 100 is attached to the case portion 1110. The apparatus-side flat surface portion 1751 contacts the positioning flat surface portion 130 when the ink cartridge 100 is attached to the case portion 1110. The ink introduction needle 1600 is inserted into the ink supply port of the ink supply unit 110 when the ink cartridge 100 is attached to the case unit 1110. The guide needle 1800 is inserted into the guide hole 140 when the ink cartridge 100 is attached to the case portion 1110.

  In FIG. 7, the hook member 1300, the reciprocating member 1200, and the lock shaft 1500 are hatched. The hook member 1300 includes a contact member 1310 and a support member 1320. The contact member 1310 is integrated with the end of the support member 1320 on the positive side of the Y axis. An end portion on the negative direction side of the Y axis of the support member 1320 is fixed to the case portion 1110. The hook member 1300 is formed of a resin such as plastic, and the abutting member 1310 can swing in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) around a fixing portion between the support member 1320 and the case portion 1110. The reciprocating member 1200 is accommodated in the lock accommodating portion 1120 so as to be able to reciprocate along a predetermined urging direction DR1. The surface on the biasing direction DR1 side of the reciprocating member 1200 is a hook contact surface 1201 that contacts the contact member 1310. The coil spring 1400 biases the reciprocating member 1200 in the biasing direction DR1.

  In FIG. 8, the hatched member 1510 of the lock shaft 1500 is a stopper member. The stopper member 1510 rotates together with the lock shaft 1500 when the lock shaft 1500 rotates about a rotation axis parallel to the X axis. The stopper member 1510 prevents the reciprocating member 1200 from moving in the direction opposite to the biasing direction DR1 when the lock shaft 1500 is in the first rotation position, and the lock shaft 1500 is in the second rotation position. In some cases, the reciprocating member 1200 is allowed to move in a direction opposite to the biasing direction DR1. FIG. 8 shows that the lock shaft 1500 is in the second rotational position.

  FIG. 9 is a first diagram illustrating a state where the ink cartridge 100 is inserted into the holder main body 1100. When the ink cartridge 100 is inserted in the insertion direction with the front wall surface F1 in front, the guide hole 140 is fitted to the tip of the guide needle 1800 and guided in the insertion direction. Similarly, the positioning hole 120 is fitted to the tip of the positioning needle 1700. Furthermore, the circuit board 150 approaches the holder-side electrode portion 1900.

  FIG. 10 is a second view showing how the ink cartridge 100 is inserted into the holder body 1100. Further, when the ink cartridge 100 is inserted in the insertion direction, the ink supply port of the ink supply unit 110 is fitted into the ink introduction needle 1600. Then, the third surface 164 of the bias receiving portion 160 provided on the lower wall surface F2 of the ink cartridge 100 contacts the hook member 1300 and pushes the contact member 1310 downward (FIG. 10: arrow A1). . Since the pressed-down contact member 1310 pushes down the hook contact surface 1201 of the reciprocating member 1200, the reciprocating member 1200 moves in the lock accommodating portion 1120 in the direction opposite to the biasing direction DR1 (FIG. 10: arrow A2). . As the reciprocating member 1200 moves, the coil spring 1400 contracts in the same direction.

  FIG. 11 is a first diagram illustrating a state where the ink cartridge 100 is mounted on the holder main body 1100. Further, when the ink cartridge 100 is inserted in the insertion direction, the ink introduction needle 1600 is completely inserted into the ink supply port of the ink supply unit 110. Further, the positioning needle 1700 is completely inserted into the positioning hole 120, and the apparatus-side flat portion 1751 at the root of the positioning needle 1700 comes into contact with the positioning flat portion 130 at the opening of the positioning hole 120. And each container side electrode part 151 of the circuit board 150 is fixed to the position which contacts the corresponding holder side electrode part 1900. FIG.

  In the state of FIG. 11 in which the ink cartridge 100 is completely attached to the holder main body 1100, the contact member 1310 that has been pushed down in FIG. 10 is pushed back upward (FIG. 11: arrow A3) to receive the bias. It abuts against the bias receiving surface 162 of the portion 160. The contact member 1310 receives an urging force in the urging direction DR1 from the hook contact surface 1201 of the reciprocating member 1200 at a position in contact with the urging receiving surface 162. The urging force in the urging direction DR1 is applied to the urging receiving surface 162 of the ink cartridge 100 via the contact member 1310.

  FIG. 12 is a second diagram illustrating a state where the ink cartridge 100 is mounted on the holder main body 1100. In the state shown in FIG. 11, the rotation position of the lock shaft 1500 is in the open position, and the reciprocating member 1200 is allowed to move in the direction opposite to the urging direction DR1. On the other hand, in the state shown in FIG. 12, the rotation position of the lock shaft 1500 is in the lock position, and the reciprocating member 1200 is prohibited from moving in the direction opposite to the biasing direction DR1. That is, when the rotation position of the lock shaft 1500 is at the lock position, the stopper member 1510 abuts against the inner wall on the biasing direction DR1 side of the through hole 1200a of the reciprocating member 1200.

  FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the holder main body 1100 and the ink cartridge 100 attached thereto taken along a plane that passes through the center of the ZX cross section of the positioning needle 1700 and is parallel to the ZY plane. In FIG. 13, a point C <b> 1 indicates a positioning point that is positioned by the positioning hole 120 and the positioning plane part 130 as the container side positioning part, and the positioning needle 1700 and the apparatus side plane part 1751 as the apparatus side positioning part. Yes.

  FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of the first area AR1 and the second area AR2 in FIG. When the ink cartridge 100 is correctly attached to the holder main body 1100, the inner surface of the positioning hole 120 of the ink cartridge 100 and the outer surface of the positioning needle 1700 are in contact with each other. By this contact, the position in the X-axis direction and the position in the Z-axis direction with respect to the holder main body 1100 of the ink cartridge 100 are positioned. When the ink cartridge 100 is correctly mounted on the holder main body 1100, the positioning flat surface portion 130 of the ink cartridge 100 and the device side flat surface portion 1751 are in contact with each other. By this contact, the position of the ink cartridge 100 in the Y-axis direction with respect to the holder main body 1100 is positioned. As can be seen from the above, the intersection C1 between the plane including the positioning plane portion 130 and the central axis of the positioning hole 120 is the positioning position. The positioning point C1 is located in the vicinity of the position where the container side electrode portion 151 and the holder side electrode portion 1900 are electrically connected. This is for assuring that the container side electrode portion 151 and the holder side electrode portion 1900 come into contact with each other with high accuracy. That is, since the positioning point C1 is set close, when the ink cartridge 100 is mounted on the holder main body 1100, the position of the container side electrode portion 151 relative to the holder side electrode portion 1900 is fixed.

  A gap t <b> 1 is provided between the outer surface of the guide needle 1800 and the inner surface of the guide hole 140. A gap t <b> 2 is provided between the flat surface 1810 at the root of the guide needle 1800 and the flat surface portion 141 at the opening of the guide hole 140. Therefore, the guide needle 1800 and the guide hole 140 are not positioned.

  Returning to FIG. In FIG. 13, a circular arc RC centered on the positioning point C1 and having a radius RD is indicated by a broken line. The arc RC passes through a contact point C <b> 2 between the hook member 1300 and the bias receiving surface 162. The bias receiving surface 162 is parallel to the circumferential direction of the arc RC at the contact point C2. That is, the urging receiving surface 162 is along the arc RC passing through the contact point C2 with the positioning point C1 as the center.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 13, the line extending from the contact point C2 in the urging direction DR1 passes through the positioning point C1 and the lower side (Z-axis minus direction side) of the container side electrode portion 151 fixed by the positioning point C1. To do.

  When the ink cartridge 100 is mounted on the holder main body 1100, the ink jet printer 10 can receive ink from the ink cartridge 100 via the ink introduction needle 1600 and execute printing using the supplied ink.

  According to the first embodiment described above, the ink cartridge 100 is urged in the urging direction DR1 with respect to the urging receiving surface 162 of the ink cartridge 100 with the ink cartridge 100 mounted in the holder 1000. As described above, the extension line extending from the contact point C2 of the urging receiving surface 162 in the urging direction DR1 is located below the positioning point C1 and the container side electrode portion 151 fixed by the positioning point C1 (Z-axis minus direction side). ) As a result, a rotation moment in the direction indicated by the arrow MO in FIG. 13 is applied to the ink cartridge 100 around the positioning point C1 and the container-side electrode portion 151 fixed by the positioning point C1. This rotational moment is the direction in which the ink supply unit 110 of the ink cartridge 100 is pushed into the ink introduction needle 1600, as can be seen from FIG. As a result, it is possible to prevent the ink cartridge 100 from being detached from the holder 1000.

  Further, the bias receiving surface 162 is along an arc RC passing through the contact point C2 with the positioning point C1 as the center. For this reason, even if the ink cartridge 100 moves slightly around the positioning point C1, the urging receiving surface 162 can maintain contact with the contact member 1310. As a result, it is possible to prevent the ink cartridge 100 from being detached from the holder 1000.

  Furthermore, since the urging receiving surface 162 of the ink cartridge 100 extends to the bottom surface F8 of the concave portion of the container body 101, the circumferential length of the arc RC on the urging receiving surface 162 is secured. As a result, even if the ink cartridge 100 moves slightly around the positioning point C <b> 1, the urging receiving surface 162 can maintain contact with the contact member 1310. As a result, it is possible to prevent the ink cartridge 100 from being detached from the holder 1000.

  Further, the bias receiving portion 160 is provided on the lower wall surface F <b> 2 of the ink cartridge 100. For this reason, in the holder 1000, urging portions such as the lock housing portion 1120, the reciprocating member 1200, the hook member 1300, and the lock shaft 1500 can be provided below the holder 1000. As a result, it is possible to suppress the holder 1000 from increasing upward. In this embodiment, the printing system including the ink jet printer 10 and the ink cartridge 100 is a water head supply type that supplies ink by the gravity of the ink. The holder 1000 is inevitably disposed at a certain height in the ink jet printer 10 because it is determined by the necessary head position. If the holder 1000 is further increased to the upper side by providing the urging portion, the entire inkjet printer 10 may be increased in size.

  Further, since the coil spring 1400 is used as the urging member for urging the reciprocating member 1200 in the urging unit, the cost is lower than using a leaf spring. In the holder 1000, the large ink cartridge 100b is designed to be attached to the leftmost holder main body 1100, and each ink cartridge 100 has a grip shape gripped from the right side on the rear wall surface F5. . As a result, good gripping performance is ensured for all ink cartridges 100 mounted in the holder 1000. Further, since the holder 1000 is configured by connecting the same holder main body 1100 as many as the number of colors used by the inkjet printer 10, the types of parts can be reduced. Further, with a simple configuration in which the lock shaft 1500 is rotated, it is possible to switch between a state in which removal of the ink cartridge 100 is permitted and a state in which removal of the ink cartridge 100 is prohibited.

B. Variations:
・ First modification:
The positioning in the above embodiment uses the ink cartridge 100 side as a positioning hole and the holder 1000 side as a positioning needle, but is not limited to this, and may have another positioning structure. For example, the holder side may be a positioning hole and the ink cartridge side may be a positioning needle. Moreover, you may use the positioning structure which combined the groove part and the collar part fitted to a groove | channel.

・ Second modification:
In the above embodiment, the ink cartridge 100 side is an ink supply port and the holder 1000 side is an ink supply needle. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and another ink supply structure may be provided. For example, the holder side may be an ink supply port, and the ink cartridge side may be an ink supply needle.

・ Third modification:
In the above embodiment, one ink tank is configured as one ink cartridge 100, but a plurality of ink tanks may be configured as one ink cartridge 100.

-Fourth modification:
The above embodiment employs an ink jet printer and an ink cartridge, but employs a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects or discharges liquid other than ink, and a liquid container containing the liquid. You may do it. The liquid here includes a liquid body in which particles of a functional material are dispersed in a solvent, and a fluid body such as a gel. For example, liquid ejecting devices and biochips that eject liquid containing materials such as electrode materials and color materials used in the manufacture of liquid crystal displays, EL (electroluminescence) displays, surface-emitting displays, color filters, etc. It may be a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects a bio-organic matter used for manufacturing, or a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects a liquid that is used as a precision pipette and serves as a sample. In addition, transparent resin liquids such as UV curable resin to form liquid injection devices that pinpoint lubricant oil onto precision machines such as watches and cameras, and micro hemispherical lenses (optical lenses) used in optical communication elements. A liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects a liquid onto the substrate or a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects an etching solution such as an acid or an alkali to etch the substrate may be employed. The present invention can be applied to any one of these ejecting apparatuses and the liquid relay apparatus for the liquid.

  As mentioned above, although the Example and modification of this invention were demonstrated, this invention is not limited to these Example and modification at all, and implementation in a various aspect is possible within the range which does not deviate from the summary. It is.

1 is a perspective view of an ink jet printer as one embodiment of the present invention. The enlarged view of the some ink cartridge with which the holder and the holder were mounted | worn. 1 is a perspective view of an ink cartridge as one embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows the structure of an urging | biasing receiving part. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration in the vicinity of a front wall surface of an ink cartridge. The perspective view of a holder main body. The figure which looked at the holder main body from the positive direction side of the X-axis. Sectional drawing which cut | disconnected the holder main body at the surface parallel to a YZ plane passing through the center of the XZ cross section of an ink introduction needle | hook. FIG. 3 is a first diagram illustrating a state in which an ink cartridge is inserted into a holder body. The 2nd figure which shows a mode that an ink cartridge is inserted in a holder main body. FIG. 3 is a first diagram illustrating a state where an ink cartridge is mounted on a holder body. FIG. 9 is a second diagram illustrating a state where an ink cartridge is mounted on the holder body. Sectional drawing which cut the holder main body and the ink cartridge with which it was mounted | worn by the surface parallel to a ZY plane passing through the center of the ZX cross section of a positioning needle. FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of a first region and a second region in FIG. 13.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Inkjet printer 11 ... Cover 100, 100a, 100b ... Ink cartridge 101 ... Container body 110 ... Ink supply part 120 ... Positioning hole 130 ... Positioning plane part 140 .. Guide hole 141 ... Flat part 150 ... Circuit board 151 ... Container side electrode part 160 ... Biasing receiving part 162 ... Biasing receiving surface 200 ... Printer body 1000 ... Holder DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1010 ... Lock lever 1010a ... Lock lever gear 1010b ... Knob 1100 ... Holder main body 1110 ... Case part 1120 ... Lock accommodating part 1200 ... Reciprocating member 1200a ... Through-hole 1201 ... Hook contact surface 1300 ... Hook member 1310 ... Contact member 1320 ... Support member 1400 ... Coil spring 1500 ... Lock shaft 1500a ... Lock shaft gear 1510 ... Stopper member 1600 ... Ink introduction needle 700 ... positioning needle 1750 ... base member 1751 ... device side flat portion 1800 ... guide needle 1900 ... holder-side electrode portion

Claims (12)

A liquid ejection system,
A liquid container having a front wall and a side wall having a bias receiving portion;
A liquid ejecting apparatus having a holder that can be mounted by inserting the liquid container in a predetermined insertion direction with the front wall in front;
With
The holder further comprises:
A liquid supply needle for receiving a supply of liquid from the liquid container when the liquid container is mounted;
A holder-side electrode portion that is disposed above the liquid supply needle and electrically connected to the liquid container when the liquid container is mounted;
An urging portion that is disposed below the liquid supply needle and urges the urging receiving portion of the liquid container in a predetermined urging direction when the liquid container is mounted;
Have
The liquid container further includes:
A supply part having a liquid supply port into which the liquid supply needle is inserted when the front wall is opened and attached to the holder;
A container-side electrode portion whose position is fixed so as to be electrically connected to the holder-side electrode portion when mounted on the holder;
Have
The liquid ejecting system, wherein the urging direction is set such that an extension line extending from the urging receiving portion in the urging direction passes through the side wall from the container side electrode portion. The liquid ejection system according to claim 1,
The holder further has a holder-side positioning portion,
The liquid container further includes a container-side positioning portion that contacts the positioning portion when positioned on the holder and positions the container-side electrode portion with respect to the holder-side electrode portion,
The liquid ejecting system, wherein the urging direction is set such that an extension line extending from the urging receiving portion in the urging direction passes through the side wall side from a positioning position by the container side positioning portion. The liquid ejection system according to claim 2, wherein
The biasing portion of the holder has a hook that abuts on the biasing receiving portion in order to bias the biasing receiving portion,
The bias receiving portion has a contact surface that contacts the hook,
The liquid ejecting system, wherein the contact surface of the urging receiving portion is along an arc passing through the contact surface with the positioning position as a center. The liquid ejection system according to claim 3, wherein
The side wall of the liquid container has a recess including a surface recessed from the other part,
The liquid ejecting system, wherein the contact surface of the urging receiving portion extends until it intersects the recessed surface. The liquid ejection system according to any one of claims 2 to 4,
The holder-side positioning part includes a positioning needle disposed above the liquid supply needle,
The container-side positioning unit includes a fitting hole that fits into the positioning needle when the liquid container is mounted on the holder. The liquid ejection system according to claim 5, wherein
The holder side positioning part includes the holder side flat part,
The container-side positioning portion includes a container-side flat portion that is provided on the front wall and comes into contact with the holder-side flat portion when mounted on the holder. A liquid container that can be attached to a holder of a liquid ejecting apparatus by being inserted in a predetermined insertion direction,
The holder is
When the liquid container is mounted, a holder side electrode portion for electrically connecting to the liquid container;
A liquid supply needle for receiving a supply of liquid from the liquid container when the liquid container is mounted;
An urging portion that is disposed below the liquid supply needle and urges the liquid container when the liquid container is mounted;
Have
The liquid container is
A front wall having a liquid supply port into which the liquid supply needle is inserted when the insertion direction side wall is mounted on the holder;
A container-side electrode portion whose position is fixed so as to be electrically connected to the holder-side electrode portion when mounted on the holder;
A side wall having a bias receiving portion that is biased in a predetermined biasing direction by the biasing portion when mounted on the holder;
With
The urging direction is a liquid container in which an extension line extending from the urging receiving portion in the urging direction passes through the side wall side from the container side electrode portion. The liquid container according to claim 7,
The holder further has a holder-side positioning portion,
The liquid container further includes a container-side positioning portion that contacts the positioning portion when positioned on the holder and positions the container-side electrode portion with respect to the holder-side electrode portion,
The urging direction is a liquid container in which an extension line extending from the urging receiving portion in the urging direction passes through the side wall side from a positioning position by the container side positioning portion. The liquid container according to claim 8,
The biasing portion of the holder has a hook that abuts on the biasing receiving portion in order to bias the biasing receiving portion,
The bias receiving portion has a contact surface that contacts the hook,
The liquid container, wherein the contact surface of the bias receiving portion is along an arc passing through the contact surface with the positioning position as a center. The liquid container according to claim 9,
The side wall of the liquid container has a recess including a surface recessed from the other part,
The liquid container, wherein the contact surface of the urging receiving portion extends until it intersects the recessed surface. The liquid container according to any one of claims 8 to 10,
The holder-side positioning part includes a positioning needle disposed above the liquid supply needle,
The said container side positioning part is a liquid container containing the fitting hole fitted to the said positioning needle when the said liquid container is mounted | worn with the said holder. The liquid container according to claim 11,
The holder side positioning part includes the holder side flat part,
The container-side positioning part is a liquid container including a container-side flat part that is provided on the front wall and comes into contact with the holder-side flat part when mounted on the holder.

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