JP2015024527A - Liquid supply device and liquid consuming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid supply device in which liquid leakage through an air communication passage can be suppressed while suppressing enlargement and a liquid consuming device provided with the liquid supply device.SOLUTION: A liquid supply device comprises plural liquid storage chambers 21 which can store ink, an air supply tube 51 which makes the plural liquid storage chambers communicate with the air, and an air communication switching part 50 which switches the communication state of the liquid storage chambers and the air through the air supply tube between a communication allowed state in which the plural liquid storage chambers communicate with the air and a communication restricted state in which the communication state of the plural liquid storage chambers and the air is restricted. The air communication switching part switches the communication state of the plural liquid storage chambers and the air between the communication allowed state and the communication restricted state by opening and closing air passages in the air supply tube the number of which is less than the number of the liquid storage chambers.

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid consumption device including a liquid consumption unit that consumes liquid, and a liquid supply device that supplies liquid to the liquid consumption unit.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an inkjet including an ink tank unit (liquid container) provided with an ink chamber (liquid storage chamber) that can store ink consumed by a liquid ejecting head (liquid consumption unit) that ejects ink (liquid). Type printers (liquid consuming devices) are known. In such a printer, a printer including a liquid supply device provided with a switching unit (opening / closing unit) for switching the flow state of ink through a tube (liquid flow path) between the ink tank unit and the liquid ejecting head has been proposed. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

JP 2012-71581 A

  By the way, in the above ink tank unit, when ink is supplied from the ink chamber to the liquid ejecting head through the tube, the volume of air corresponding to the supplied ink is reduced to the atmosphere in order to prevent the ink chamber from being decompressed. It is comprised so that it may flow in. In other words, the ink tank unit is provided with an air communication path that connects the ink chamber and the air. For this reason, for example, when the printer is transported at the time of installing the printer, the ink tank fixed to the printer moves, so that the ink also moves in the ink chamber, and the ink may leak out of the ink chamber through the atmosphere communication path. There is.

  In order to prevent ink leakage through the atmosphere communication path, the atmosphere side opening of the atmosphere communication path has been conventionally closed with a rubber plug, etc., but in order to stably supply ink to the liquid ejecting head when using the printer, It is necessary to open the rubber stopper so that the ink chamber is not decompressed. For this reason, since it is necessary to provide the rubber plug with a size that can be operated by the user, there is a problem that the ink tank unit is increased in size.

  These problems are not limited to the ink tank unit provided in the ink jet printer, but are generally common in the liquid supply device that supplies liquid to the liquid consumption unit and the liquid consumption device that includes this liquid supply device. It has become.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid supply apparatus and liquid supply apparatus capable of suppressing liquid leakage through the atmosphere communication path while suppressing an increase in size. It is providing the liquid consumption apparatus provided with.

Hereinafter, means for solving the above-described problems and the effects thereof will be described.
A liquid supply apparatus that solves the above problem is a liquid supply apparatus that supplies a liquid to a liquid consumption unit that consumes the liquid, and includes a plurality of liquid storage chambers that can store the liquid, and the plurality of liquid storage chambers. An atmosphere communication path communicating with the atmosphere, a communication state between the liquid storage chamber and the atmosphere by the atmosphere communication path, a communication permissible state in which the plurality of liquid storage chambers communicate with the atmosphere, and the plurality of liquid storage chambers and the atmosphere. An atmosphere communication switching unit that switches between a communication suppression state in which the communication is suppressed, and the atmosphere communication switching unit opens and closes a number of the atmosphere communication passages that are smaller than the number of the liquid storage chambers. The communication state between the plurality of liquid storage chambers and the atmosphere is switched between the communication permission state and the communication suppression state.

  According to this configuration, the air communication state of the plurality of liquid storage chambers in which the liquid to be supplied to the liquid consumption unit is stored can be switched by opening and closing the number of air communication paths smaller than the number of liquid storage chambers. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress the leakage of the liquid through the atmosphere communication path while suppressing the increase in size of the liquid supply device.

  In the liquid supply apparatus, the atmosphere communication path is branched into a plurality of atmosphere communication paths connected to each of the plurality of liquid storage chambers between the atmosphere communication switching unit and the plurality of liquid storage chambers. It is preferable that a portion is provided.

  According to this configuration, for example, even if the number of liquid storage chambers increases or decreases, by branching the atmosphere communication passages closer to the liquid storage chambers than the branch portion into the number of air communication passages according to the number of liquid storage chambers, The increased or decreased number of liquid storage chambers can be easily communicated with the atmosphere.

In the liquid supply apparatus, it is preferable that the plurality of atmospheric communication paths are configured such that the volumes in the atmospheric communication paths are equal.
According to this configuration, since the total volume of the atmosphere in each liquid storage chamber and the atmosphere communication passage is substantially the same, the pressure fluctuation in each liquid storage chamber that occurs when opening and closing the atmosphere communication passage can be made substantially equal. . Accordingly, there is a high probability that the liquid supply from each liquid storage chamber to the liquid consumption unit is substantially equal. In addition, the state where the volume in the atmosphere communication path is equal means a state including a slight difference in the volume in the atmosphere communication path caused by the dimensional variation in manufacturing of the atmosphere communication path.

  In the liquid supply device, a plurality of liquid flow passages through which the liquid flows from the plurality of liquid storage chambers to the liquid consumption unit, and a flow allowable state in which the liquid can flow through the plurality of liquid flow passages. And a liquid flow switching unit that switches between the flow restricted state in which the liquid flow is restricted, and the liquid flow switching unit is operated when switching between the flow allowed state and the flow restricted state. Preferably, the operation member is operated, and the operation member is operated to switch between the communication permission state and the communication suppression state in the atmosphere communication switching unit.

According to this configuration, by operating the operation member, it is possible to perform both the control of the liquid supply to the liquid consumption unit and the control of the inflow of air into the liquid storage chamber.
A liquid consuming apparatus that solves the above problem includes a liquid consuming unit that consumes liquid, and a liquid supply apparatus having the above-described configuration.

  According to this configuration, the air communication state of the plurality of liquid storage chambers in which the liquid to be supplied to the liquid consumption unit is stored can be switched by opening and closing the number of air communication paths smaller than the number of liquid storage chambers. Therefore, it is possible to suppress liquid leakage through the air communication path while suppressing an increase in size of the apparatus.

The schematic front view of the printer of the comparative example provided with the conventional liquid supply apparatus. Similarly, a schematic plan view of a printer of a comparative example. 1 is a schematic front view of a printer according to an embodiment. Similarly, a schematic plan view of the printer of the embodiment. The schematic diagram which shows the other structure of the branch part of the atmosphere communicating path in a liquid supply apparatus in a modification. The schematic diagram which shows the other structure of the air | atmosphere communication path in a liquid supply apparatus in a modification. The schematic diagram which shows the liquid supply apparatus which is provided with an air | atmosphere communication switching part but is not provided with a liquid distribution switching part in a modification.

  Hereinafter, as an example of a liquid consuming device, an embodiment of an ink jet printer including a liquid consuming unit that consumes liquid by ejecting liquid onto an ejected medium and printing an image or the like on the ejected medium will be described. The description will be given with reference. In order to facilitate understanding of the printer of the present embodiment, a printer that is a comparative example of the present embodiment will be described first.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the printer 11 </ b> A as a comparative example is provided separately from the printer main body 12 having the liquid consumption unit 13 in the housing and the printer main body 12. And a conventional liquid supply device 20 for supplying a liquid to the unit 13.

  Inside the printer main body 12, a not-shown transport unit that transports the paper P, which is an example of the ejection target medium, along one direction, and a width direction X that intersects the transport direction Y of the paper P are extended. A carriage 15 that is guided by the guide shaft 14 and reciprocates along the guide shaft 14 by a driving force from a driving means (not shown) is accommodated. A liquid ejecting head 16 capable of ejecting ink, which is an example of liquid, is provided on the lower surface side of the carriage 15 that is the gravity direction Z side. The liquid consumption unit 13 includes a carriage 15 and a liquid jet head 16.

  The liquid supply apparatus 20 includes a plurality of liquid storage chambers 21 that can store ink disposed outside the printer main body 12, and a liquid flow path that distributes ink from the plurality of liquid storage chambers 21 to the liquid ejecting head 16. A plurality of ink supply tubes 41. Therefore, the ink supply tube 41 functions as a liquid flow path. In the present embodiment, four separated liquid storage chambers 21 are provided in a liquid storage body 21a including a single casing. The liquid container 21a may be composed of four separated housings, and the liquid housing chamber 21 may be provided in each housing. Further, the number of liquid storage chambers 21 provided is not limited to four, but may be plural (two or more).

  In the printer 11 </ b> A, one end side of each of the four ink supply tubes 41 is connected to the four liquid storage chambers 21, and the other end side is connected to an ink flow path (not shown) provided in the carriage 15. The ink that has flowed into the carriage 15 (ink channel) from each liquid storage chamber 21 via the ink supply tube 41 is guided to the liquid ejecting head 16 and ejected from the liquid ejecting head 16.

  Furthermore, the liquid supply device 20 includes a liquid flow switching unit 30 that switches each of the four ink supply tubes 41 between a flow permission state in which ink flow is possible and a flow restriction state in which ink flow is restricted. ing. That is, the liquid flow switching unit 30 enters a flow regulation state that regulates the flow of ink by crushing the ink supply tube 41 between the liquid storage chamber 21 and the carriage 15 outside the printer body 12. By opening the crushing of the ink supply tube 41, the flow is allowed to be allowed to flow.

  Specifically, the liquid flow switching unit 30 includes a holding frame 31 that holds the ink supply tube 41, and a rotating cam 34 provided with a rotating knob 33 at one end of the rotating shaft 32. Further, a pressing body 35 is provided which contacts the rotating cam 34 and functions as a follower of the rotating cam 34 and which contacts the ink supply tube 41 and crushes the ink supply tube 41. In FIG. 2, the pressing body 35 located below the rotary cam 34 is not shown.

  Four rotation cams 34 are provided corresponding to the number of ink supply tubes 41, and the rotation shafts 32 to which the respective rotation cams 34 are fixed are rotatably supported with respect to the holding frame 31 and the ink supply tubes. Of 41, at least the holding portion 41a held by the holding frame 31 is formed of a flexible elastic material. The holding portion 41a of the ink supply tube 41 is in contact with the rotating cam 34 that rotates as the rotating knob 33 rotates counterclockwise, as indicated by the solid arrow and the two-dot chain line in FIG. It is crushed by the pressing body 35 that descends downward toward the holding portion 41a. By the crushing by the pressing body 35, the ink supply tube 41 is in a flow regulation state in which the liquid flow path in the tube is closed and the flow of ink from the liquid storage chamber 21 toward the liquid consumption unit 13 is restricted. As a result, even when the printer 11A is carried, even if the water head difference is changed by tilting the printer 11A, the inflow of ink into the liquid consumption unit 13 (carriage 15) or the ink from the liquid consumption unit 13 (carriage 15). Outflow is suppressed.

  Thereafter, the carrying of the printer 11A is completed, and when the printer 11A is used, the pressing member 35 is displaced in conjunction with the rotating operation of the rotating cam 34 by rotating the rotary knob 33 clockwise. That is, the pressing body 35 is displaced away from the holding portion 41 a by the elastic force of the holding portion 41 a of the ink supply tube 41. By this displacement, the crushing of the holding portion 41a in the ink supply tube 41 is released, and the ink supply tube 41 is allowed to flow ink from the liquid storage chamber 21 toward the liquid consumption unit 13 in the liquid flow path in the tube. It becomes the distribution permissible state.

  Meanwhile, in the printer 11A, the stored ink EK stored in the liquid storage chamber 21 is supplied to the liquid ejecting head 16 via the ink supply tube 41 by using the water head difference. Therefore, in the liquid storage chamber 21, it is necessary to suppress the air pressure (atmospheric pressure) in the liquid storage chamber 21 from being reduced even if ink is supplied from the liquid storage chamber 21 to the liquid ejecting head 16. Therefore, in the printer 11 </ b> A, the air communication port 22 is provided so that air corresponding to the amount of ink supplied to the liquid consumption unit 13 during use flows into the liquid storage chamber 21.

  The air communication port 22 is provided, for example, on the upper surface of the liquid storage chamber 21 on the side opposite to the gravitational direction, separately from the injection port 23 for injecting ink into the liquid storage chamber 21 for replenishment or the like. The inlet 23 is closed by a lid member 24 except when ink is injected. However, since the atmosphere communication port 22 is normally open, when carrying the printer 11A, as shown by a broken line arrow in FIG. In order to prevent the stored ink EK from overflowing, the lid is closed by a plug member 25 such as a rubber plug. For this reason, since it is necessary to form the plug member 25 with a size that can be easily attached to or removed from the atmosphere communication port 22 by the user, the liquid container 21a and thus the liquid supply device 20 are increased in size. Become.

  Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the printer 11 of the present embodiment, the liquid supply device 20 has a branch connector in which one end is an open end in contact with the atmosphere and the other end is an example of a branch portion. An air supply tube 51 having an air flow path is provided in the tube connected to 52. The air supply tube 51 is held by the holding frame 31 in the liquid flow switching unit 30 and is configured to be crushed by the pressing body 35 in the same manner as the ink supply tube 41. Specifically, in the liquid flow switching unit 30, the rotation shaft 32 is extended in the axial direction, and the rotation cam 34 and the pressing body 35 are added to the extended shaft portion. Five pressing bodies 35 are provided. The expanded pressing body 35 is configured to crush the air supply tube 51 as the expanded rotating cam 34 rotates. Note that at least the holding portion 51a held by the holding frame 31 in the air supply tube 51 is formed of a flexible elastic material. In FIG. 4, the pressing body 35 located on the lower side of the rotating cam 34 is not shown.

  In the branch connector 52 to which the other end of the air supply tube 51 is connected, one air flow path to which the air supply tube 51 is connected branches into four air flow paths as shown by broken lines in FIGS. 3 and 4. A branch channel 53 is formed inside the connector. The four air flow paths branched in the branch flow path 53 include one end side of each of the first tube 55, the second tube 56, the third tube 57, and the fourth tube 58 having the inside of the tube as an air flow path. Connected. The other end sides of the first tube 55, the second tube 56, the third tube 57, and the fourth tube 58 are connected to the atmosphere communication ports 22 of the four liquid storage chambers 21, respectively.

  Accordingly, the four liquid storage chambers 21 communicate with the atmosphere via the first tube 55, the second tube 56, the third tube 57, the fourth tube 58, and the air supply tube 51. In other words, the air supply tube 51, the branch connector 52, the first tube 55, the second tube 56, the third tube 57, and the fourth tube 58 function as an atmosphere communication path. The first tube 55, the second tube 56, the third tube 57, and the fourth tube 58 may be collectively referred to as a branch tube 54.

  At this time, the tube lengths of the branch tubes 54 may be different due to the arrangement relationship between the liquid storage chambers 21 and the branch connectors 52. For example, the first tube 55 may have the shortest length from the branch connector 52 to the atmosphere communication port 22, and then the second tube 56, the third tube 57, and the fourth tube 58 may become longer in this order. In such a case, in the present embodiment, the thickness of the first tube 55 is increased so that the cross-sectional area of the air flow path in the tube is maximized. Next, the cross-sectional area of the air flow path is reduced in the order of the second tube 56, the third tube 57, and the fourth tube 58. With this configuration, the total volume of the air flow paths in each tube of the branch tube 54 can be made substantially equal.

Next, the operation of the printer 11 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.
First, for example, when the printer 11 is carried, the rotation knob 33 of the liquid flow switching unit 30 is rotated counterclockwise as indicated by an arrow in FIG. The five pressing bodies 35 are displaced in conjunction with the five rotary cams 34 that rotate in accordance with the rotation of the rotary knob 33, and the ink supply tube 41 and the air supply tube 51 held by the holding frame 31 are crushed. This crushing closes the liquid flow paths in the four ink supply tubes 41 and closes the air flow paths in one air supply tube 51. As a result, in the liquid flow paths of the four ink supply tubes 41, the flow of ink from the liquid storage chamber 21 toward the liquid consumption unit 13 is restricted, and the four liquid storage chambers 21 have one flow path. By restricting the flow of air in the air flow path in the air supply tube 51, a communication suppression state is achieved in which communication with the atmosphere is suppressed.

  In this way, the communication between the liquid storage chambers 21 and the atmosphere is suppressed, so that the branch tubes 54, that is, the first tube 55, the second tube 56, the third tube 57, and the fourth tube 58, respectively. Air flow is suppressed. As a result, the stored ink EK in the liquid storage chamber 21 is prevented from entering the branch tubes 54 of the first tube 55, the second tube 56, the third tube 57, and the fourth tube 58.

  Next, in the liquid flow switching unit 30 in the flow path restricted state and the communication restrained state, the five pressing bodies 35 are interlocked with the rotation of the five rotating cams 34 by rotating the rotary knob 33 clockwise. The displacement of the ink supply tube 41 and the air supply tube 51 held by the holding frame 31 is released. By releasing the crushing, the liquid flow paths in the four ink supply tubes 41 are allowed to flow and the ink flows, and the air flow paths in one air supply tube 51 are allowed to communicate so that the air flows. It is in a flowing state. That is, in the four liquid storage chambers 21, the flow of ink to the liquid consumption unit 13 is allowed in the respective liquid flow paths of the four ink supply tubes 41, and the number of the four liquid storage chambers 21 is less than four in one air supply tube 51. By allowing the air flow in the air flow paths, communication with the atmosphere is permitted.

  As a result, the liquid flow switching unit 30 operates the rotary knob 33 to change the communication state between the liquid storage chamber 21 and the atmosphere, the communication permission state where the four liquid storage chambers 21 communicate with the atmosphere, and the four It functions as an atmosphere communication switching unit 50 that switches between the liquid storage chamber 21 and the communication suppression state in which communication between the atmosphere and the atmosphere is suppressed. Note that the ink that has entered the branch tubes 54 of the first tube 55, the second tube 56, the third tube 57, and the fourth tube 58 has a high probability due to the air flowing into the branch tubes 54 opened to the atmosphere. To return to the liquid storage chamber 21.

According to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The air communication state of the plurality of liquid storage chambers 21 in which the ink to be supplied to the liquid consumption unit 13 is stored can be switched by opening and closing a number of air supply tubes 51 smaller than the number of liquid storage chambers 21. . Therefore, it is possible to suppress ink leakage through the branch tube 54 and the air supply tube 51 while suppressing an increase in the size of the liquid supply device 20.

  (2) For example, even if the number of the liquid storage chambers 21 increases or decreases, the number of the first tubes 55, the second tubes 56, and the third tubes on the liquid storage chamber 21 side with respect to the branch connector 52 according to the number of the liquid storage chambers 21. By branching to the tube 57 and the fourth tube 58, the increased or decreased number of liquid storage chambers 21 can be easily communicated with the atmosphere.

  (3) Since the total volume of the atmosphere in each liquid storage chamber 21 and the branch tube 54 is the same, each liquid generated when the air flow path of the air supply tube 51 and the liquid flow path of the ink supply tube 41 are opened and closed. The pressure fluctuations in the storage chamber 21 can be made substantially equal. Therefore, there is a high probability that the ink supply from each liquid storage chamber 21 to the liquid consumption unit 13 is substantially equal.

  (4) By operating the rotary knob 33 that is an example of the operation member, both the supply of ink to the liquid consumption unit 13 and the control of the inflow of air into the liquid storage chamber 21 can be performed. .

  (5) Opening and closing the air flow path of one air supply tube 51 in which the plurality of liquid storage chambers 21 in which the ink to be supplied to the liquid consumption unit 13 is stored is less than the number of the liquid storage chambers 21 It can be switched by doing. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress ink leakage through the branch tube 54 and the air supply tube 51 while suppressing an increase in size of the printer 11.

In addition, you may change the said embodiment as follows.
In the above embodiment, the total volume of the air flow paths in the first tube 55, the second tube 56, the third tube 57, and the fourth tube 58 may not necessarily be substantially the same. For example, in each liquid storage chamber 21, the pressure difference generated when the air flow path of the air supply tube 51 or the liquid flow path of the ink supply tube 41 is opened or closed causes ink from each liquid storage chamber 21 to the liquid consumption unit 13. When the probability of affecting the supply condition is low, the volume in each branch tube 54 may be different. The generated pressure difference between the liquid storage chambers 21 is finally eliminated because the liquid storage chambers 21 communicate with each other via the branch connector 52. In other words, even if a pressure difference occurs between the plurality of liquid storage chambers 21, the pressure difference can be suppressed or eliminated by the branch connector 52.

  In the above embodiment, the branch connector 52 may have a different configuration. For example, two air supply tubes 51 are provided, and in the branch connector 52, one air flow path of each air supply tube 51 is branched into two air flow paths to branch into a total of four air flow paths. It may be. Of course, in this case, the liquid flow switching unit 30 has a configuration in which two rotating cams 34 and a pressing body 35 are additionally provided in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 32.

  In the above embodiment, the first tube 55, the second tube 56, the third tube 57, and the fourth tube 58 connected to the branch connector 52 may be provided to have the same tube length. This modification will be described with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the branch connector 52 includes one air chamber 59 that extends to a position facing the atmosphere communication port 22 of each liquid storage chamber 21. The other end of the air supply tube 51 is connected to the air chamber 59, and the first tube 55, the second tube 56, and the third tube are between the air communication port 22 of each liquid storage chamber 21 and the air chamber 59. The tube 57 and the fourth tube 58 are connected. Therefore, since the first tube 55, the second tube 56, the third tube 57, and the fourth tube 58 can have the same thickness and length, the first tube 55, the second tube 56, the second tube The 3 tube 57 and the 4th tube 58 can be made into a common tube, for example. As a result, the atmospheric pressure fluctuation in each liquid storage chamber 21 that occurs when the air flow path of the air supply tube 51 and the liquid flow path of the ink supply tube 41 are opened and closed can be easily made substantially equal.

  In the above embodiment, the branch connector 52 is not necessarily provided. For example, a configuration in which one air supply tube 51 is connected to the atmosphere communication ports 22 of the four liquid storage chambers 21 may be employed. An example of this modification will be described with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the air supply tube 51 extends so as to face the air communication port 22 of each liquid storage chamber 21, and its end is connected to the air communication port 22 of one liquid storage chamber 21. Is done. Then, a hole 51 h that substantially overlaps the air communication port 22 is formed at a position facing the air communication port 22 of the other three liquid storage chambers 21 in the air supply tube 51, and the air communication port 22 and the hole are formed by an adhesive 28 or the like. The air supply tube 51 is fixed to the liquid container 21a so that 51h communicates. By configuring in this way, the air supply tube 51 can communicate the atmosphere communication port 22 of each liquid storage chamber 21 with the atmosphere without using the branch connector 52.

  In the above embodiment, the atmosphere communication switching unit 50 may be formed separately from the liquid flow switching unit 30. In this case, although the volume occupied by the two atmosphere communication switching units 50 and the liquid flow switching unit 30 increases, the rotation knob 33 of the atmosphere communication switching unit 50 and the rotation knob 33 of the liquid flow switching unit 30 are independent of each other. And rotating the liquid channel and the air channel can be opened and closed separately.

  -Moreover, in the said embodiment, the structure which is not provided with the liquid distribution switching part 30, and is provided only with the atmospheric | air communication switching part 50 may be sufficient. For example, when ink is supplied to the liquid consumption unit 13 by driving a pump instead of using a head difference, the liquid flow switching unit 30 is not provided, and the ink overflow from the atmosphere communication port 22 is suppressed. And it is sufficient. This modification will be described with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the printer 11 of this modification includes an atmosphere communication switching unit 50 having the same configuration as the liquid flow switching unit 30 in the printer 11 of the above embodiment, and includes the liquid storage chamber 21 and the liquid consumption unit 13. Is provided with a configuration in which the ink supply tube 41 is directly connected. Specifically, the atmosphere communication switching unit 50 has a configuration in which the rotary cam 34 and the pressing body 35 push or push the one air supply tube 51 or release the crushing to open and close the air flow path, that is, one The rotating cam 34 and one pressing body 35 are provided. Therefore, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 7, when the rotary knob 33 is rotated, the pressurizing body 35 crushes the air supply tube 51 and closes the air flow path. Leakage of the stored ink EK through the communication port 22 is suppressed.

  In the above-described embodiment, the liquid supply device 20 is not necessarily limited to a configuration provided outside the printer main body 12, for example, provided inside the printer main body 12. Further, the liquid supply device 20 may be configured such that the liquid storage chamber 21 and the liquid flow switching unit 30 (atmospheric communication switching unit 50) are provided in one housing.

  In the above embodiment, the ejected medium is not limited to the paper P, and may be a plate member made of a metal plate, a resin plate, a cloth, or the like. That is, any member that can be transported and can be printed with ink ejected by the liquid ejecting head 16 can be employed as the ejected medium.

  In the above embodiment, the liquid ejecting head 16 is not limited to a so-called serial head type that ejects liquid by reciprocating with the carriage 15 in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the paper P. That is, in the state in which the length size forms an overall shape corresponding to the width size of the paper P and the longitudinal direction thereof is fixedly arranged so as to be along the width direction intersecting the transport direction of the paper P, substantially the entire longitudinal direction thereof In other words, a so-called line head type may be used in which liquid is ejected from a large number of nozzles provided so as to extend toward the ejection medium.

  In the above embodiment, the printer 11 may be a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects or ejects liquid other than ink. Note that the state of the liquid ejected as a minute amount of liquid droplets from the liquid ejecting apparatus includes a granular shape, a tear shape, and a thread-like shape. The liquid here may be any material that can be ejected from the liquid ejecting apparatus. For example, it may be in a state in which the substance is in a liquid phase, such as a liquid with high or low viscosity, sol, gel water, other inorganic solvents, organic solvents, solutions, liquid resins, liquid metals (metal melts ). Further, not only a liquid as one state of a substance but also a substance in which particles of a functional material made of a solid such as a pigment or a metal particle are dissolved, dispersed or mixed in a solvent is included. Typical examples of the liquid include ink and liquid crystal as described in the above embodiment. Here, the ink includes general water-based inks and oil-based inks, and various liquid compositions such as gel inks and hot melt inks. As a specific example of the liquid ejecting apparatus, for example, a liquid containing a material such as an electrode material or a color material used for manufacturing a liquid crystal display, an EL (electroluminescence) display, a surface emitting display, or a color filter in a dispersed or dissolved form. There is a liquid ejecting apparatus for ejecting the liquid. Further, it may be a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects a bio-organic matter used for biochip manufacturing, a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects liquid as a sample used as a precision pipette, a textile printing apparatus, a My Black dispenser, or the like. 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. May be a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects the liquid onto the substrate. Further, it may be a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects an etching solution such as acid or alkali in order to etch a substrate or the like.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Printer (an example of a liquid consumption apparatus), 13 ... Liquid consumption part, 20 ... Liquid supply apparatus, 21 ... Liquid storage chamber, 30 ... Liquid distribution switching part, 41 ... Ink supply tube (an example of a liquid flow path), 50 ... atmosphere communication switching part, 51 ... air supply tube (an example of an atmosphere communication path).

Claims (5)

A liquid supply apparatus that supplies the liquid to a liquid consumption unit that consumes the liquid,
A plurality of liquid storage chambers capable of storing the liquid;
An atmosphere communication path for communicating the plurality of liquid storage chambers with the atmosphere;
The communication state between the liquid storage chamber and the atmosphere through the atmosphere communication path, the communication permission state in which the plurality of liquid storage chambers communicate with the atmosphere, and the communication suppression state in which communication between the plurality of liquid storage chambers and the atmosphere is suppressed. An atmosphere communication switching unit for switching between and
With
The atmosphere communication switching unit opens and closes the number of the atmosphere communication paths smaller than the number of the liquid storage chambers, thereby changing the communication state between the plurality of liquid storage chambers and the atmosphere to the communication permission state and the communication suppression state. The liquid supply device is characterized by being switched between.   The atmosphere communication path is provided with a branching portion that branches into a plurality of atmosphere communication paths connected to each of the plurality of liquid storage chambers between the atmosphere communication switching unit and the plurality of liquid storage chambers. The liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1.   The liquid supply device according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of atmosphere communication paths are configured to have the same volume in each of the atmosphere communication paths. A plurality of liquid flow passages through which the liquid flows from the plurality of liquid storage chambers to the liquid consumption unit;
A liquid flow switching unit that switches the plurality of liquid flow paths between a flow allowable state in which the liquid can flow and a flow restriction state in which the liquid flow is restricted;
With
The liquid flow switching unit has an operation member that is operated when switching between the flow allowed state and the flow restricted state,
4. The liquid supply according to claim 1, wherein the operation member is operated to switch between the communication permission state and the communication suppression state in the atmosphere communication switching unit. 5. apparatus. A liquid consumption unit for consuming liquid;
A liquid consuming device comprising the liquid supply device according to claim 1.