JP2019025794A - Liquid consumption device - Google Patents

Abstract

To reduce liquid leak during detachment of a liquid cartridge from an attaching part.SOLUTION: A multifunctional machine 10 comprises a cartridge attaching part 110 in which an ink cartridge 30 is attached/detached in a forward/backward direction. The ink cartridge 30 comprises: a packing 76 disposed on a peripheral edge part of an ink supply port 71 allowing communication between an ink storage chamber 32 and outside; a cap 79 disposed below the packing 76 and in contact with the packing 76 and projecting further forward than the packing 76; and a projection 59 that stops the ink cartridge 30 at a prescribed position by interfering with the cartridge attaching part 110 in the process of detaching the ink cartridge 30. The cartridge attaching part 110 comprises an ink needle 102 inserted into the ink supply port 71 of the attached ink cartridge 30. In the prescribed position, the leading end of the ink needle 102 is located further forward than the ink supply port 71 and the packing 76 and further backward than the front end of the cap 79.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid consuming apparatus in which a liquid cartridge can be mounted on a mounting portion, and liquid stored in the liquid cartridge is consumed by a consuming portion via the mounting portion.

  As an example of the liquid consuming apparatus as described above, an ink jet recording apparatus is known in which an ink cartridge can be attached to and detached from a mounting portion. In the ink jet recording apparatus, for example, a hollow needle provided in the mounting portion is inserted into the ink supply port of the ink cartridge. Thereby, the ink in an ink cartridge is supplied to a consumption part via an ink supply port and a needle. A seal portion made of rubber or the like is disposed around the ink supply port. A gap between the ink supply port and the needle is sealed by the seal portion. Thereby, ink leakage from the gap is prevented.

  However, when the contact between the needle and the seal portion is eliminated in the process of removing the ink cartridge from the mounting portion, the ink in the ink cartridge or the needle may be pulled by the needle or the seal portion and leak to the outside. . In order to solve this problem, in the ink jet recording apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, the ink bag is covered with an ink tank case, and when the ink cartridge is removed, the movement of the ink cartridge is temporarily stopped. Let At the time of this temporary stop, the tip of the needle is located in the space between the ink bag and the ink tank case. As a result, the leaked ink described above falls into the space and therefore does not leak outside the ink cartridge.

JP 2012-51190 A

  However, in the case of the configuration of the ink jet recording apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, the ink bag is relatively small by the amount of the ink tank case (specifically, by the space). As a result, the amount of ink stored in the ink cartridge is reduced.

  On the other hand, when the ink bag in which the ink is stored is not covered with the ink tank case, that is, when the ink supply port is exposed to the outside, the above-described ink leakage problem occurs.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to mount a liquid cartridge even when the liquid cartridge is configured such that the ink supply port is exposed to the outside. It is an object of the present invention to provide a means capable of reducing liquid leakage at the time of withdrawal.

  (1) A liquid consuming apparatus according to the present invention includes a liquid cartridge having a storage chamber for storing a liquid, and a mounting portion in which the liquid cartridge is inserted forward and intersects the direction of gravity, and the liquid cartridge is removed backward. And a consumption unit that consumes the liquid stored in the storage chamber of the liquid cartridge mounted on the mounting unit. The liquid cartridge extends in the front-rear direction, the liquid supply hole communicating with the storage chamber and the outside of the liquid cartridge, and a seal portion disposed at a peripheral edge of the opening of the liquid supply hole. A liquid receiving part is provided below the seal part and disposed in the front-rear direction without a gap and protruding forward from the seal part. The mounting portion includes a hollow needle protruding rearward. The proximal end of the needle communicates with the consumption unit through a flow path through which liquid flows. The tip of the needle is inserted into the opening when the liquid cartridge is mounted. One of the liquid cartridge or the mounting unit interferes with the other of the liquid cartridge or the mounting unit in the process of removing the liquid cartridge from the mounting unit, and stops the liquid cartridge at a specified position. Is provided. In a state where the liquid cartridge is located at the specified position, the tip of the needle is located in front of the opening and the seal portion, and is located behind the tip of the liquid receiving portion.

  According to the above configuration, the liquid cartridge stops at the specified position during the removal process from the mounting portion. At this time, the tip of the needle is located in front of the opening and the seal part, and is located behind the tip of the liquid receiving part. Therefore, even if the liquid in the needle of the liquid cartridge is pulled rearward by the seal portion and leaks to the outside of the liquid cartridge, the liquid receiving portion disposed below the seal portion leaks. Can receive. Further, the liquid receiving part protrudes forward from the seal part. Therefore, even if the liquid around the seal portion of the liquid cartridge is pulled forward by the needle and leaks to the outside of the liquid cartridge, the liquid receiving portion disposed below the seal portion leaks. Can receive.

  Moreover, according to the said structure, the liquid receiving part is arrange | positioned without the space | interval in the front-back direction with the seal part. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the leaked liquid does not fall on the liquid receiving portion but falls on the periphery of the liquid receiving portion. That is, according to the said structure, the leaked liquid can be received in a liquid receiving part with high probability.

  (2) The liquid consuming device according to the present invention protrudes forward, has an opening of the liquid supply hole formed at the tip, and allows the liquid stored in the storage chamber to pass outside the liquid cartridge through the opening. A liquid supply cylinder is provided. The seal part is disposed at the tip of the liquid supply cylinder. The liquid receiving portion is a cylindrical cap that fixes the seal portion with the seal portion interposed between the liquid supply tube and the liquid supply tube in a state of being covered with the liquid supply tube.

  According to the said structure, the cap for fixing a seal part can receive the liquid which leaked from the opening and the needle. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately provide a member for receiving the liquid.

  Moreover, according to the said structure, a cap fixes a seal part on both sides of a seal part between liquid supply cylinders. Therefore, the positional accuracy between the cap and the seal portion can be increased. As a result, the leaked liquid can be received by the cap with a high probability.

  (3) The liquid receiving part includes a standing wall extending upward in the mounting posture at the front end part. In a state where the liquid cartridge is located at the specified position, the tip of the needle is located behind the standing wall.

  According to the said structure, it can suppress by the standing wall that the liquid which the liquid receiving part received flows down from the front end of a liquid receiving part.

  (4) The liquid consuming apparatus according to the present invention further includes a front wall and a rear wall separated in the front-rear direction. The liquid supply hole is formed at the lower end of the front surface of the front wall.

  According to the said structure, opening is formed in the lower end part of the front surface of a front wall. Therefore, the amount of liquid remaining in the storage chamber without being supplied to the consumption unit can be reduced. That is, it is not necessary to pressurize the storage chamber of the liquid cartridge in order to reduce the amount of liquid remaining in the storage chamber without being supplied to the consumption unit.

  (5) The interference portion is a protrusion extending from one of the liquid cartridge or the mounting portion toward the other of the liquid cartridge or the mounting portion. A plurality of the protrusions are arranged side by side in the width direction orthogonal to the direction of insertion of the liquid cartridge and the direction of gravity.

  According to the above configuration, it is possible to reduce the load necessary for moving the liquid cartridge stopped at the specified position backward again.

  (6) The liquid cartridge has a front wall and a rear wall separated in the front-rear direction and an upper wall and a lower wall separated in the gravitational direction in the mounting posture. The mounting portion includes a bottom wall that supports the lower wall from below. The interference portion is formed on the lower wall. Furthermore, the liquid cartridge is disposed on the upper surface of the upper wall, and includes an engaging portion that engages with the mounting portion from below in the mounting posture.

  When the liquid cartridge is removed from the mounting portion, it is necessary to release the engagement of the liquid cartridge with the mounting portion by the engaging portion. According to this configuration, the liquid cartridge moves downward during the release. That is, the interference part formed on the lower wall of the liquid cartridge moves downward. Thereby, an interference part and a bottom wall can be made to interfere more reliably.

  (7) The liquid cartridge at the prescribed position is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction so that the opening is directed obliquely upward.

  According to the above configuration, the opening faces obliquely upward when the liquid cartridge is positioned at the specified position. Therefore, the possibility that the liquid stored in the storage chamber leaks from the storage chamber through the opening can be reduced.

  (8) The interference portion is configured to be movable against a biasing force in a direction away from the other of the liquid cartridge or the mounting portion.

  According to the above configuration, it is possible to reduce the load necessary for moving the liquid cartridge stopped at the specified position backward again.

  According to the present invention, even when the liquid cartridge is configured such that the opening is exposed to the outside, liquid leakage when the liquid cartridge is removed from the mounting portion can be reduced.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing the internal structure of the printer 10. FIG. 2 is a front view of the cartridge mounting unit 110. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting unit 110 and is in the first posture. FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the ink cartridge 30 in a state where the ink supply unit 34 is disassembled. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the ink cartridge 30. FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting unit 110 and is in the second posture. FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where the ink cartridge 30 in the cartridge mounting portion 110 is in the specified position. FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the modified example in a state where the ink cartridge 30 in the cartridge mounting portion 110 is in the specified position. FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the modified example in a state where the ink cartridge 30 in the cartridge mounting portion 110 is in the specified position. FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an ink cartridge 30 according to a modification. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the lower part of the ink cartridge 30.

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

  In the following description, the direction in which the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the cartridge mounting unit 110 is defined as the front direction 51. Further, a direction opposite to the front direction 51 and in which the ink cartridge 30 is removed from the cartridge mounting portion 110 is defined as a rear direction 52. In the present embodiment, the front direction 51 and the rear direction 52 are horizontal directions. Further, the gravity direction is defined as the downward direction 53, and the direction opposite to the gravity direction is defined as the upward direction 54. The front direction 51 and the rear direction 52 are orthogonal to the direction of gravity. In addition, directions orthogonal to the front direction 51 and the downward direction 53 are defined as a right direction 55 and a left direction 56. More specifically, in a state where the ink cartridge 30 is inserted to the mounting position of the cartridge mounting portion 110, that is, in a mounting state where the ink cartridge 30 is in a mounting posture, The direction extending to the left is defined as the right direction 55, and the direction extending to the left is defined as the left direction 56.

  Further, the front direction 51 and the rear direction 52 are defined as the front-rear direction. Further, the upward direction 54 and the downward direction 53 are defined as the vertical direction. Further, the right direction 55 and the left direction 56 are defined as left and right directions.

  In the mounting posture of the ink cartridge 30, the left-right direction is the width direction of the ink cartridge 30, the up-down direction is the height direction of the ink cartridge 30, and the front-back direction is the depth direction of the ink cartridge 30.

  Further, in this specification and the like, “facing forward” includes facing the direction including the forward component, and “facing backward” includes facing the direction including the backward component, "Looking upward" includes pointing in the direction including the lower component, and "Looking upward" includes pointing in the direction including the upper component. For example, “the front surface is directed forward” may mean that the front surface is directed forward or the front surface is directed in a direction inclined with respect to the front.

[Overview of Printer 10]
As shown in FIG. 1, a printer 10 (an example of a liquid consuming device) records an image by selectively ejecting ink droplets onto a sheet based on an ink jet recording method. The printer 10 includes a recording head 21 (an example of a consumption unit), an ink supply device 100, and an ink tube 20 that connects the recording head 21 and the ink supply device 100. The ink supply device 100 is provided with a cartridge mounting part 110 (an example of a mounting part). An ink cartridge 30 (an example of a liquid cartridge) can be mounted on the cartridge mounting unit 110. An opening 112 is provided on one surface of the cartridge mounting portion 110. The ink cartridge 30 is inserted forward into the cartridge mounting part 110 through the opening 112 or is pulled out rearward from the cartridge mounting part 110.

  The ink cartridge 30 stores ink (an example of a liquid) that can be used by the printer 10. In a state where the mounting of the ink cartridge 30 to the cartridge mounting unit 110 is completed, the ink cartridge 30 and the recording head 21 are connected by the ink tube 20. The recording head 21 is provided with a sub tank 28. The sub tank 28 temporarily stores the ink supplied through the ink tube 20. The recording head 21 selectively ejects the ink supplied from the sub tank 28 from the nozzles 29 by the ink jet recording method. Specifically, a drive voltage is selectively applied from the head control board provided in the recording head 21 to the piezo elements 29 </ b> A provided corresponding to the respective nozzles 29. Thereby, ink is selectively ejected from the nozzles 29. That is, the recording head 21 consumes ink stored in the ink cartridge 30 mounted on the cartridge mounting unit 110.

  The printer 10 includes a feed tray 15, a feed roller 23, a transport roller pair 25, a platen 26, a discharge roller pair 27, and a discharge tray 16. The sheet fed from the feeding tray 15 to the conveying path 24 by the feeding roller 23 is conveyed onto the platen 26 by the conveying roller pair 25. The recording head 21 selectively ejects ink onto a sheet that passes over the platen 26. Thereby, an image is recorded on the paper. The sheet that has passed through the platen 26 is discharged by a discharge roller pair 27 to a discharge tray 16 provided on the most downstream side of the transport path 24.

[Ink supply apparatus 100]
As shown in FIG. 1, the ink supply device 100 is provided in the printer 10. The ink supply device 100 supplies ink to the recording head 21 provided in the printer 10. The ink supply device 100 includes a cartridge mounting unit 110 in which the ink cartridge 30 can be mounted. FIG. 1 shows a state where the ink cartridge 30 is completely mounted in the cartridge mounting unit 110 (mounted state). That is, in FIG. 1, the ink cartridge 30 is in the mounting posture.

[Cartridge mounting part 110]
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the cartridge mounting unit 110 includes a cartridge case 101, an ink needle 102, a tank 103, an optical sensor 113, and a contact 106. The cartridge mounting portion 110 can accommodate four ink cartridges 30 corresponding to each color of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. In addition, four ink needles 102, tanks 103, optical sensors 113, and contacts 106 are provided corresponding to the four ink cartridges 30.

[Cartridge case 101]
As shown in FIG. 2, the cartridge case 101 forms a housing of the cartridge mounting unit 110. The cartridge case 101 has a box shape having an upper wall 115, a bottom wall 116, a back wall 117, and an opening 112. The lower surface of the upper wall 115 defines the top of the internal space of the cartridge case 101. The upper surface of the bottom wall 116 defines the bottom of the cartridge case 101. The back wall 117 connects the upper wall 115 and the bottom wall 116. The opening 112 is formed in the cartridge case 101 at a position facing the back wall 117 in the front-rear direction. The opening 112 may be exposed to a user interface surface of the printer 10 that is a surface that the user faces when using the printer 10.

  The ink cartridge 30 is inserted and attached to the cartridge case 101 through the opening 112. The ink cartridge 30 is removed from the cartridge case 112 rearward through the opening 112. A guide groove 109 is formed on the upper surface of the bottom wall 116 of the cartridge case 101. The ink cartridge 30 is guided along the front-rear direction in FIG. 2 by inserting the lower end portion of the ink cartridge 30 into the guide groove 109. The cartridge case 101 is provided with three plates 104. The three plates 104 partition the internal space into four spaces that are long in the vertical direction. The ink cartridge 30 is accommodated in each space partitioned by the plate 104. The ink cartridge 30 attached to the cartridge case 101 is supported by the bottom wall 116.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a hole 118 is formed in the upper surface of the bottom wall 116. As shown in FIG. 3, the surface 119 that defines the rear end of the hole 118 is located behind the front end (rear end) of the ink needle 102.

[Ink needle 102]
As shown in FIG. 2, the ink needle 102 (an example of a needle) is made of a tubular resin and is located at the lower part of the rear surface of the back wall 117 of the cartridge case 101. The ink needle 102 is disposed on the rear surface of the back wall 117 of the cartridge case 101 at a position corresponding to the ink supply unit 34 of the ink cartridge 30 mounted on the cartridge mounting unit 110. The ink needle 102 protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the back wall 117 of the cartridge case 101. The ink needle 102 is hollow.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the rear end (base end) of the ink needle 102 communicates with the recording head 21 through the tank 103 and the ink tube 20 (an example of a flow path). The front end (tip) of the ink needle 102 is inserted into the ink supply port 71 of the ink supply unit 34 in the mounted state.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the process of inserting the ink cartridge 30 forward into the cartridge mounting part 110, that is, in the process of moving the ink cartridge 30 to the mounting position, the ink needle 102 is formed in the ink supply part 34. The ink supply port 71 is inserted. Thereby, the ink needle 102 and the ink supply part 34 are connected. The ink stored in the second storage chamber 33 formed inside the ink cartridge 30 flows out into the tank 103 through the ink valve chamber 35 formed inside the ink supply unit 34 and the internal space of the ink needle 102. The The tip of the ink needle 102 may be flat or pointed.

[Contact 106]
As shown in FIG. 3, four contact points 106 are provided in the vicinity of the back wall 117 on the lower surface of the upper wall 115 of the cartridge case 101. The four contacts 106 protrude downward from the lower surface of the upper wall 115 toward the internal space of the cartridge case 101. Although not shown in detail in each figure, the four contact points 106 are arranged apart from each other in the left-right direction. The arrangement of the four contacts 106 corresponds to the arrangement of four electrodes 65 of the ink cartridge 30 described later. Each contact 106 is composed of a member having conductivity and elasticity, and can be elastically deformed upward. Four sets of four contacts 106 are provided corresponding to the four ink cartridges 30 that can be accommodated in the cartridge case 101. The number of contacts 106 and the number of electrodes 65 are arbitrary.

  Each contact 106 is electrically connected to the arithmetic unit via an electric circuit. The arithmetic device includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and may be configured as a control unit of the printer 10. When the contact point 106 and the corresponding electrode 65 are engaged and electrically connected, the voltage Vc is applied to the electrode 65, the electrode 65 is grounded, or power is supplied to the electrode 65. Data stored in the IC of the ink cartridge 30 can be accessed by electrical conduction between the contact 106 and the corresponding electrode 65. The output from the electric circuit is input to the arithmetic unit.

[Rod 125]
As shown in FIG. 3, a rod 125 is formed above the ink needle 102 on the rear surface of the back wall 117 of the cartridge case 101. The rod 125 protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the back wall 117 of the cartridge case 101. The rod 125 has a cylindrical shape. The rod 125 is inserted into the atmosphere communication port 96 described later in a mounted state in which the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting unit 110.

[Optical sensor 113]
As shown in FIG. 3, an optical sensor 113 is disposed on the upper wall 115 of the cartridge case 101. The optical sensor 113 is located behind the rod 125 and ahead of the contact 106. The optical sensor 113 includes a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit. The light emitting unit is provided on the right side or the left side of the light receiving unit and spaced from the light receiving unit. A notch 66 of a light shielding plate 67, which will be described later, of the ink cartridge 30 that has been mounted on the cartridge mounting unit 110 is disposed between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit.

  The optical sensor 113 outputs different detection signals depending on whether or not the light emitted from the light emitting unit along the left-right direction is received by the light receiving unit. For example, the optical sensor 113 outputs a low level signal to the control unit on condition that the light output from the light emitting unit cannot be received by the light receiving unit (that is, the received light intensity is less than a predetermined intensity). On the other hand, the optical sensor 113 outputs a high-level signal to the control unit on condition that the light output from the light emitting unit can be received by the light receiving unit (that is, the received light intensity is equal to or higher than a predetermined intensity). The control unit determines that the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting unit 110 when the signal from the optical sensor 113 is at a low level.

[Lock shaft 145]
As shown in FIG. 3, the lock shaft 145 extends in the left-right direction of the cartridge case 101 near the upper wall 115 and the opening 112 near the cartridge case 101. The lock shaft 145 is located behind the contact 106. The lock shaft 145 is a rod-shaped member extending along the left-right direction. The lock shaft 145 is, for example, a metal cylinder. Both ends of the lock shaft 145 in the left-right direction are fixed to walls that define both ends of the cartridge case 101 in the left-right direction. The lock shaft 145 extends in the left-right direction over four spaces in which the four ink cartridges 30 can be stored. In each space in which the ink cartridge 30 is accommodated, there is a space around the lock shaft 145. Therefore, it is possible to access the lock shaft 145 upward and backward.

  The lock shaft 145 is for holding the ink cartridge 30 mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 110 at the mounting position. The ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the cartridge mounting portion 110 and rotated to the mounting posture to be engaged with the lock shaft 145. The coil shafts 78 and 98 of the ink cartridge 30 are connected to the lock shaft 145 by the ink cartridge. The ink cartridge 30 is held in the cartridge mounting portion 110 against the force pushing the 30 backward.

[Positioning part 107]
As shown in FIG. 3, the positioning portion 107 is provided on the lower surface of the upper wall 115 of the cartridge case 101. The positioning portion 107 is provided between the contact 106 and the lock shaft 145 in the front-rear direction. The positioning portion 107 has a convex shape protruding downward from the lower surface of the upper wall 115. The lower end surface of the positioning portion 107 can come into contact with the contact surface 84 of the ink cartridge 30.

[Tank 103]
As shown in FIG. 1, a tank 103 is provided in front of the cartridge case 101. The tank 103 has a box shape capable of storing ink therein. The upper part of the tank 103 is opened to the outside by an air communication port 124. Thereby, the internal space of the tank 103 is open to the atmosphere. The internal space of the tank 103 communicates with the internal space of the ink needle 102 in the front. As a result, the ink that has flowed out of the ink cartridge 30 through the ink needle 102 is stored in the tank 103. An ink tube 20 is connected to the tank 103. As a result, the ink stored in the internal space of the tank 103 is supplied to the recording head 21 through the ink tube 20.

[Ink cartridge 30]
The ink cartridge 30 shown in FIG. 4 is a container for storing ink. The posture of the ink cartridge 30 shown in FIG. 4 is a mounting posture. The ink cartridge 30 includes a front wall 40, a rear wall 41, an upper wall 39, a lower wall 42, a right wall 37, and a left wall 38. In the mounting posture, the direction from the rear wall 41 to the front wall 40 matches the front direction 51, the direction from the front wall 40 to the rear wall 41 matches the rear direction 52, and the direction from the upper wall 39 to the lower wall 42 Is the posture in which the direction from the lower wall 42 to the upper wall 39 coincides with the upper direction 54. When the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 110, the front wall 40 faces the front, the rear wall 41 faces the rear, the lower wall 42 faces the lower side, and the upper wall 39 faces the upper side.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the ink cartridge 30 includes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped casing 31. In the present embodiment, the housing 31 includes a lower case 31L in which a first storage chamber 32 and a second storage chamber 33 are formed, and an upper cover 31U fitted to the lower case 31L. The first storage chamber 32 and the second storage chamber 33 are an example of a storage chamber. The casing 31 as a whole has a flat shape with a short dimension along the left-right direction, and a dimension along each of the up-down direction and the front-rear direction that is longer than the dimension along the left-right direction.

  When the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the cartridge mounting portion 110, that is, the surface of the housing 31 facing forward in the mounting posture is the front wall 40, and the surface of the housing 31 facing rear is the rear wall 41. In the mounting posture, the front wall 40 and the rear wall 41 are separated in the front-rear direction. The right wall 37 and the left wall 38 are connected to the front wall 40 and the rear wall 41 by extending so as to intersect with the front wall 40 and the rear wall 41, respectively. In the mounting posture, the right wall 37 and the left wall 38 face rightward or leftward, respectively. In the mounting posture, the right wall 37 and the left wall 38 are separated in the left-right direction. The upper wall 39 and the lower wall 42 extend so as to intersect the front wall 40 and the rear wall 41 and the right wall 37 and the left wall 38 respectively, thereby connecting the front wall 40 and the rear wall 41 and the right wall 37 and the left wall 38. Yes. In the mounting posture, the upper wall 39 and the lower wall 42 face upward or downward, respectively. In the mounting posture, the upper wall 39 and the lower wall 42 are separated in the direction of gravity.

  In the casing 31, at least the rear wall 41 in the lower case 31 </ b> L has translucency so that the liquid level of the ink stored in the first storage chamber 32 and the second storage chamber 33 can be visually recognized from the outside.

  In the present embodiment, the casing 31 forms an outer surface by the lower case 31L and the upper cover 31U, but the casing 31 may be configured by a single box-shaped case. Moreover, the housing | casing 31 is divided into the inner case which divides a storage chamber, and the outer case which comprises an outer wall, and the nested structure in which an inner case is accommodated in an outer case may be sufficient.

  The rear wall 41 has an upper portion 41U and a lower portion 41L. The upper portion 41U is located above the lower portion 41L. The lower portion 41L is located in front of the upper portion 41U. The upper portion 41U and the lower portion 41L are both flat surfaces and intersect with each other without being orthogonal to each other. The lower portion 41L is inclined with respect to the vertical direction so as to be closer to the front wall 40 as the lower wall 42 is approached.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the lower surface of the lower wall 42 is an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction so that the front end is positioned below the rear end. The front end of the lower surface (inclined surface) of the lower wall 42 is located in front of the lock surface 151 described later. The rear end of the lower surface (inclined surface) of the lower wall 42 is connected to the lower end of the lower portion 41L of the rear wall 41. The inclination angle of the lower wall 42 is preferably 2 ° to 4 ° with respect to the horizontal direction.

  The housing 31 is located above the lower wall 42 and has a sub lower wall 48 that extends rearward from the lower end of the front wall 40. In the present embodiment, the front end of the sub lower wall 48 is positioned forward of the front end of the ink supply unit 34, and the rear end of the sub lower wall 48 is positioned rearward of the front end of the ink supply unit 34. The lower wall 42 and the sub lower wall 48 are continuous by a step wall 49. The ink supply unit 34 extends forward from the front surface of the step wall 49 below the sub lower wall 48 and above the lower wall 42. Here, as described later, the step wall 49 forms a part of the front wall 40. Therefore, the ink supply unit 34 is formed at the lower end of the front surface of the front wall 40. In addition, the position of the front end of the sub lower wall 48 is arbitrary, and may be located behind the front end of the ink supply unit 34, for example.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a convex portion 43 is provided on the upper surface of the upper wall 39 of the housing 31. The convex portion 43 extends along the front-rear direction at a position offset from the center of the upper wall 39 in the left-right direction. A surface facing rearward and downward in the convex portion 43 is a lock surface 151 (an example of an engaging portion). The lock surface 151 is located above the upper wall 39 of the housing 31. The lock surface 151 extends along the vertical direction. The lock surface 151 approaches the lock shaft 145 of the cartridge mounting unit 110 from below in the process of mounting the ink cartridge 30 on the cartridge mounting unit 110, and the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting unit 110 (mounted state). ), The lock shaft 145 can be contacted rearward (see FIG. 3). When the lock surface 151 contacts the lock shaft 145 rearward, the ink cartridge 30 is held by the cartridge mounting portion 110 against the urging force of the coil spring 78 (see FIG. 5). That is, the lock surface 151 engages with the lock shaft 145 of the cartridge mounting unit 110 from below in the mounting posture.

  A horizontal surface 154 is provided continuously with the lock surface 151 in front of the lock surface 151 in the convex portion 43. The horizontal surface 154 is a surface that extends along the left-right direction and the front-rear direction. In front of the horizontal plane 154, an inclined surface 155 is provided continuously with the horizontal plane 154. The inclined surface 155 faces upward and forward. The inclination angle of the inclined surface 155 with respect to the horizontal direction is preferably 15 ° to 25 °. The inclined surface 155 is located between an IC substrate 64 (described later) and the lock surface 151 in the front-rear direction. By the inclined surface 155 and the horizontal plane 154, the lock shaft 145 is smoothly guided from the lock surface 151 to the rear while being in contact with the inclined plane 155 and the horizontal plane 154 in the process of inserting the ink cartridge 30 into the cartridge mounting portion 110.

  On the upper wall 39 of the housing 31, an operation unit 90 is provided behind the lock surface 151. A sub-upper wall 91 is formed at the front end and the rear end of the upper wall 39 of the housing 31, and is located below the central portion of the upper wall 39 in the front-rear direction. An operation unit 90 is disposed above the sub upper wall 91 with a space therebetween. The operation portion 90 protrudes upward from the vicinity of the boundary between the other portion of the upper wall 39 and the sub upper wall 91 to the same extent as the convex portion 43, and is further bent backward and downward obliquely downward. It is.

  In the operation unit 90, the surface facing upward and rearward is the operation surface 92. When the ink cartridge 30 is viewed downward, the operation surface 92 and the sub upper surface 91 are in overlapping positions.

  The operation surface 92 is visible when the ink cartridge 30 is viewed downward, and is visible when the ink cartridge 30 is viewed forward. The operation surface 92 is a surface for the user to operate in order to take out the ink cartridge 30 from the state where the ink cartridge 30 is mounted in the cartridge mounting unit 110.

  As shown in FIG. 4, on the upper wall 39 of the housing 31, a contact surface 84 facing upward is formed in front of the convex portion 43. The contact surface 84 is located between an IC substrate 64 (described later) and the lock surface 151 in the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the contact surface 84 contacts the positioning unit 107 in a state where the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the cartridge mounting unit 110, and serves as a reference for positioning the ink cartridge 30 in the vertical direction.

  In addition, the front wall 40, the rear wall 41, the upper wall 39, the lower wall 42, the right wall 37, and the left wall 38 of the ink cartridge 30 do not necessarily need to form one plane. That is, the front wall 40 is a wall that is a surface that can be seen when the ink cartridge 30 in the mounted posture is viewed rearward and that is positioned forward of the front-rear direction center of the ink cartridge 30 in the mounted posture. In the present embodiment, the stepped wall 49 that connects the lower wall 42 and the sub lower wall 48 forms a part of the front wall 40 together with the front wall 40 that connects the sub lower wall 48 and the sub upper wall 91. I can say that. On the other hand, the ink cartridge 30 may not have the sub lower wall 48 and the sub upper wall 91. In other words, the front wall 40 of the ink cartridge 30 may be a single wall that continuously connects the upper wall 39 and the lower wall 42. The rear wall 41 is a wall that can be seen when the ink cartridge 30 in the mounting posture is viewed forward, and that is located behind the center in the front-rear direction of the ink cartridge 30 in the mounting posture. The upper wall 39 is a wall that can be seen when the ink cartridge 30 in the mounting posture is viewed downward, and that is located above the center in the vertical direction of the ink cartridge 30 in the mounting posture. The lower wall 42 is a wall that is visible when the ink cartridge 30 in the mounting posture is viewed upward, and that is positioned below the center in the vertical direction of the ink cartridge 30 in the mounting posture. The same applies to the outer surfaces of the right wall 37 and the left wall 38.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a light shielding plate 67 protruding upward is formed on the upper wall 39. The light shielding plate 67 extends in the front-rear direction. The light shielding plate 67 is located in front of the contact surface 84. The light shielding plate 67 is located in front of and below an electrical interface 60 described later. In the present embodiment, the light shielding plate 67 is a resin plate including a color material (black pigment) capable of absorbing light, for example. As another form, the light-shielding plate 67 may be formed by attaching a material that cannot transmit light, such as an aluminum foil, to a side surface of a plate that can transmit light.

  The light shielding plate 67 blocks or attenuates the light of the optical sensor 113 traveling from left to right, for example. The light blocking plate 67 may bend the light traveling direction or may totally reflect the light instead of blocking or attenuating the light from traveling from the light emitting unit to the light receiving unit.

  An IC substrate 64 is provided between the light shielding plate 67 and the convex portion 43. The IC substrate 64 is located in front of the contact surface 84. The IC substrate 64 is electrically connected to the contact 106 while the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 110, and is also connected to the contact 106 even when the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 110.

  The IC substrate 64 is obtained by mounting an IC (not shown in each figure) and four electrodes 65 on a substrate formed of silicon or the like. The four electrodes 65 are arranged along the left-right direction. The IC is a semiconductor integrated circuit, and stores information about the ink cartridge 30 such as data indicating information such as a lot number, date of manufacture, and ink color in a readable manner. The IC substrate 64 may be configured by providing an IC and an electrode on a flexible substrate having flexibility.

  Each electrode 65 is electrically connected to the IC. Each electrode 65 extends along the front-rear direction, and the four electrodes 65 are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. Each electrode 65 is exposed on the upper surface of the IC substrate 64 so as to be electrically accessible.

  A step wall 95 extends upward from the rear end of the sub upper wall 91 at the front end of the outer surface of the upper wall 39. The step wall 95 is a wall facing forward. An air communication port 96 is formed in the step wall 95. The air communication port 96 is a substantially circular opening formed in the step wall 95, and has an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the rod 125 of the cartridge mounting part 110. In the process in which the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 110, the rod 125 enters the atmosphere communication port 96. The rod 125 that has entered the air communication port 96 moves the valve 97 that seals the air communication port 96 rearward against the biasing force of the coil spring 98. When the valve 97 moves rearward and moves away from the atmosphere communication port 96, the first storage chamber 32 is opened to the atmosphere. The member that seals the atmosphere communication port 96 is not limited to the valve 97. For example, the atmosphere communication port 96 may be sealed with a seal that can be peeled off from the step wall 95.

  The ink cartridge 30 includes four convex portions 179 formed on each of the right wall 37 and the left wall 38. The convex portion 179 engages with a protrusion 180 formed on the cap 79 described later.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the ink cartridge 30 includes a protrusion 59 (an example of an interference portion) on the lower surface of the lower wall 42. The protrusion 59 protrudes downward. That is, the protrusion 59 protrudes toward the bottom wall 116 of the cartridge mounting portion 110.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, the three protrusions 59 are arranged on the lower surface of the lower wall 42 with a space in the left-right direction (an example of the width direction). Each protrusion 59 has a plate shape in which the length in the front-rear direction and the vertical direction is longer than the length in the left-right direction.

  Each protrusion 59 includes a first inclined surface 59A and a second inclined surface 59B as the lower surface. The first inclined surface 59A is a surface that faces rearward and downward. The rear end of the first inclined surface 59 </ b> A is connected to the lower surface of the lower wall 42. The first inclined surface 59A is inclined so as to go downward as it goes forward from its rear end. The second inclined surface 59B is a surface facing forward and downward. The rear end of the second inclined surface 59B is connected to the front end of the first inclined surface 59A. The second inclined surface 59B is inclined so as to go upward as it goes forward from its rear end. The front end of the second inclined surface 59B is connected to the lower surface of the lower wall 42. As shown in FIG. 5, the angle θ1 of the first inclined surface 59A with respect to the lower surface of the lower wall 42 is larger than the angle θ2 of the second inclined surface 59B with respect to the lower surface of the lower wall 42. In other words, the inclination of the first inclined surface 59A with respect to the front-rear direction is gentler than the inclination of the second inclined surface 59B with respect to the front-rear direction.

  The number of protrusions 59 is not limited to three. For example, only one protrusion 59 may be provided. Further, the shape of the protrusion 59 is not limited to the shape described above. For example, the lower surface of the protrusion 59 may be formed in a spherical shape.

[Internal structure of casing 31]
As shown in FIG. 5, a first storage chamber 32, a second storage chamber 33, an ink valve chamber 35, and an atmospheric valve chamber 36 are formed inside the housing 31. A partition wall 44 that separates the first storage chamber 32 and the atmospheric valve chamber 36 and a lower wall 45 that separates the first storage chamber 32 and the second storage chamber 33 are provided inside the housing 31. The partition wall 44 and the lower wall 45 are walls that extend in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction, respectively. The partition wall 44 and the lower wall 45 are disposed to face each other in the vertical direction.

  The first storage chamber 32 has an upper end defined by the lower surface of the partition wall 44, a lower end defined by the upper surface of the lower wall 45, and a front end defined by the inner surfaces of the front wall 40, the rear wall 41, the right wall 37, and the left wall 38. A rear end, a right end, and a left end are defined spaces. A through hole 46 is formed in the partition wall 44. The first storage chamber 32 and the atmospheric valve chamber 36 are communicated with each other through the through hole 46.

  The second storage chamber 33 is located below the first storage chamber 32 in the mounting posture in the internal space of the housing 31 and stores ink. The volume in which the second storage chamber 33 can store ink is smaller than the volume in which the first storage chamber 32 can store ink.

  The second storage chamber 33 has an upper end defined by the lower surface of the lower wall 45, a lower end defined by the upper surface of the lower wall 42, and a rear end, a right end, and an inner surface of each of the rear wall 41, the right wall 37, and the left wall 38. And the left end are defined spaces. A partition wall 50 is formed between the second storage chamber 33 and the ink valve chamber 35. The partition 50 defines the front end of the second storage chamber 33. The second storage chamber 33 communicates with the first storage chamber 32 through a communication port 47 formed in the lower wall 45. The second storage chamber 33 communicates with the ink valve chamber 35 through a through hole 99 formed in the partition wall 50.

  A valve 97 and a coil spring 98 are accommodated in the atmospheric valve chamber 36. The atmospheric valve chamber 36 communicates with the outside through an atmospheric communication port 96 formed in the step wall 95. The valve 97 is movable between a closed position for sealing the atmosphere communication port 96 and an open position away from the atmosphere communication port 96. The coil spring 98 is disposed so as to be expandable and contractable along the front-rear direction, and biases the valve 97 in a direction in which the valve 97 abuts on the atmosphere communication port 96, that is, forward. The spring constant of the coil spring 98 is smaller than the spring constant of the coil spring 78 of the ink supply unit 34.

  The ink supply section 34 includes a cylindrical cylinder 75 (an example of a liquid supply cylinder), a packing 76 (an example of a seal section), a valve 77, a coil spring 78, and a cap 79 (a liquid receiving section). An example).

  The cylinder 75 protrudes forward from the step wall 49. An internal space of the cylinder 75 is an ink valve chamber 35 (an example of a liquid supply hole). The ink valve chamber 35 is a space extending in the front-rear direction. An ink supply port 71 (an example of an opening) is formed at the front end (tip) of the cylinder 75. The ink supply port 71 communicates the ink valve chamber 35 with the outside of the ink cartridge 30.

  As described above, the ink valve chamber 35 communicates with the second storage chamber 33 through the through hole 99. The second storage chamber 33 is communicated with the first storage chamber 32 through a communication port 47. That is, the ink valve chamber 35 communicates the first storage chamber 32 and the second storage chamber 33 with the outside of the ink cartridge 30. That is, the cylinder 75 supplies the ink stored in the first storage chamber 32 and the second storage chamber 33 to the outside of the ink cartridge 30 through the ink supply port 71 formed in the ink valve chamber 35.

  The packing 76 is disposed at the peripheral edge of the ink supply port 71 at the front end (tip) of the cylinder 75. That is, the packing 76 is disposed on the peripheral edge of the ink supply port 71. The packing 76 is a disk-shaped member having a through hole formed in the center. The packing 76 is made of an elastic material such as rubber or elastomer, for example. The center of the packing 76 is penetrated in the front-rear direction to form a cylindrical inner peripheral surface. The through hole is partitioned by the inner peripheral surface. As described above, the peripheral portion of the ink supply port 71 is blocked by the packing 76, while the central portion of the ink supply port 71 is maintained by the through hole. That is, the inner diameter of the ink supply port 71 is the diameter of the through hole. The inner diameter of the ink supply port 71 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the ink needle 102.

  A valve 77 and a coil spring 78 are accommodated in the ink valve chamber 35. The valve 77 opens and closes the ink supply port 71 by moving along the front-rear direction. The coil spring 78 urges the valve 77 forward. Therefore, the valve 77 closes the ink supply port 71 in a state where no external force is applied.

  The ink supply port 71 may be sealed with a film instead of the valve 77. The ink supply port 71 is formed by puncturing a needle or the like in a sealing member such as an elastic resin that does not have a through hole. When the needle is extracted from the sealing member, the ink supply port 71 is sealed by the elasticity of the sealing member. You may be comprised so that.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the cap 79 is cylindrical and has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped outer shape. The cap 79 may have an outer shape other than a rectangular parallelepiped as long as it is a cylindrical member.

  An opening 87 is formed at the rear end of the cap 79. The cylinder 75 and the packing 76 are inserted into the internal space of the cap 79 through the opening 87. Thereby, the cap 79 is put on the cylinder 75 and the packing 76 from the front.

  An opening 88 is formed at the front end of the cap 79. In a state where the cap 79 is put on the cylinder 75 and the packing 76, the ink valve chamber 35 communicates with the outside of the ink cartridge 30 through the ink supply port 71 and the opening 88.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the cap 79 includes a standing wall 89. The standing wall 89 protrudes from the front end portion of the cap 79, specifically, from the edge of the opening 88 of the cap 79 toward the center of the opening 88. That is, when the ink cartridge 30 is mounted, the upper part of the standing wall 89 extends downward, the right part of the standing wall 89 extends to the left, the left part of the standing wall 89 extends to the right, The lower part extends upward.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the cap 79 includes two protrusions 180. The protrusion 180 protrudes backward from the edge of the opening 87 of the cap 79. One of the two protrusions 180 protrudes rearward from the right side of the opening 87. The other of the two protrusions 180 protrudes rearward from the left side of the opening 87.

  A pair of engaging claws 181 is formed at the tip of each protrusion 180. One of the pair of engaging claws 181 protrudes upward from the upper surface of the tip. The other of the pair of engaging claws 181 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the tip.

  In a state where the cap 79 is put on the cylinder 75 and the packing 76 from the front, the pair of engaging claws 181 engage with the convex portion 179. As a result, the cap 79 is held in a state of being attached to the housing 130.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in a state where the cap 79 is placed on the cylinder 75 and the packing 76 from the front, the surface 86 facing the rear at the front end portion of the cap 79 is in pressure contact with the packing 76 from the front. The front end is in pressure contact with the packing 76 from the rear. Thereby, the packing 76 is fixed in a state of being sandwiched between the cap 79 and the cylinder 75. The gap between the packing 76 and the cylinder 75 and the gap between the packing 76 and the cap 79 are sealed in a liquid-tight manner.

  As described above, the surface 86 of the cap 79 is in contact with the packing 76 in a state where the ink cartridge 30 is in the mounting posture and the packing 76 is fixed between the cap 79 and the cylinder 75. In other words, in this state, the cap 79 is disposed without being spaced from the packing 76. In this state, the lower portion of the cap 79 is positioned below the packing 76. Further, in this state, a portion of the cap 79 in front of the surface 86 projects forward from the packing 76.

[Operation for Mounting Ink Cartridge 30 to Cartridge Mounting Unit 110]
Hereinafter, a process in which the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting unit 110 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 5, in the ink cartridge 30 before being mounted in the cartridge mounting portion 110, the valve 77 closes the ink supply port 71. Thereby, the flow of ink from the ink valve chamber 35 to the outside of the ink cartridge 30 is blocked. The valve 97 closes the atmosphere communication port 96. Thereby, the 1st storage chamber 32 is not open | released by air | atmosphere.

  The ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the cartridge case 101 through the opening 112 of the cartridge mounting portion 110 with the front surface 40 of the housing 31 facing forward and the upper surface 39 facing upward. The upper portion 41U of the rear surface 41 of the housing 31 is located behind the lower portion 41L, that is, located near the user. Therefore, the user inserts the ink cartridge 30 forward with respect to the cartridge mounting portion 110 while pressing the upper portion 41U. The lower portion of the ink cartridge 30 enters the guide groove 109 below the cartridge case 101.

  As shown in FIG. 6, when the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the cartridge case 101, the rod 125 enters the atmosphere communication port 96. Further, a light shielding plate 67 is located between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit of the optical sensor 113.

  When the front wall 40 of the ink cartridge 30 is inserted to the vicinity of the back wall 117 of the cartridge case 101, the ink needle 102 enters the ink supply port 71. The ink needle 102 elastically deforms the packing 76 and its outer peripheral surface comes into liquid-tight contact with the inner peripheral surface that defines the ink supply port 71. When the tip of the ink needle 102 passes through the ink supply port 71 formed in the packing 76 and enters the ink valve chamber 35, it comes into contact with the valve 77. Further, when the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the cartridge mounting portion 110, the ink needle 102 moves the valve 77 backward against the urging force of the coil spring 78 to separate it from the packing 76. As a result, the ink stored in the ink valve chamber 35 can flow to the internal space of the ink needle 102. Thereby, the ink supply part 34 is positioned. A biasing force of the coil spring 78 is applied to the ink cartridge 30 backward.

  Further, the rod 125 that has entered the atmosphere communication port 96 comes into contact with the valve 97 and separates the valve 97 from the atmosphere communication port 96 against the urging force of the coil spring 98. As a result, the first storage chamber 32 is opened to the atmosphere via the through hole 46, the atmospheric valve chamber 36, and the atmospheric communication port 96.

  A backward urging force generated by the compressed coil springs 78 and 98 acts on the ink cartridge 30. The magnitude of the urging force generated by each of the coil springs 78 and 98 is determined by the spring constant and the distance compressed from the natural length. The spring constant of the coil spring 98 is smaller than the spring constant of the coil spring 78, and the distance that the coil spring 78 is compressed (the distance that the valve 77 is separated from the ink supply port 71) is the distance that the coil spring 98 is compressed (the valve 97 is Longer than the distance from the air communication port 96). As a result, in a state where the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 110, the magnitude of the urging force generated by the coil spring 78 is larger than the magnitude of the urging force generated by the coil spring 98.

  Further, the convex portion 43 reaches the lock shaft 145, and the inclined surface 155 slides with respect to the lock shaft 145. A rotational moment is applied to the ink cartridge 30 counterclockwise in FIG. 5 when the user pushes the upper portion 41U of the rear surface 41 forward. However, due to the contact between the inclined surface 155 and the lock shaft 145, the ink cartridge 30 counters this rotational moment with the center C (see FIG. 6) of the ink supply port 71 of the packing 76 into which the ink needle 102 is inserted. It rotates as the center of rotation. The position of the center C in the ink cartridge 30 depends on the shape of the ink needle 102 and the shape of the ink supply port 71, but the center of the portion where the ink needle 102 and the inner surface of the cylindrical ink supply port 34 are in contact is virtually rotated. It is a dynamic center. In the present embodiment, the center of the portion of the ink needle 102 where the inner peripheral surface of the packing 76 that defines the ink supply port 71 is in contact is rotated clockwise about the virtual rotation center. The posture of the ink cartridge 30 at this time (the posture shown in FIG. 6) is referred to as a second posture.

  The ink cartridge 30 in the second posture is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction (horizontal direction) so that the ink supply port 71 faces obliquely upward in the front.

  Since the lower surface 42 of the casing 31 is an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction, the aforementioned rotation (clockwise rotation) occurs between the lower surface 42 and the bottom wall 116 of the cartridge case 101. There is space for. Further, since the inner diameter of the air communication port 96 is larger than the outer diameter of the rod 125, there is a space for rotation (clockwise rotation) between the rod 125 and the air communication port 96, and the mounted state At this time, the rod 125 and the atmosphere communication port 96 do not contact each other.

  By inserting the ink cartridge 30 into the cartridge case 101, the IC substrate 64 reaches below the contact 106. Due to the above-described rotation, in the ink cartridge 30 in the second posture, a space exists in the vertical direction between the electrode 65 of the IC substrate 64 and the contact 106. That is, the electrode 65 and the contact 106 are separated from each other. In addition, the contact surface 84 reaches below the positioning unit 107, but in the ink cartridge 30 in the second posture, a space exists in the vertical direction between the positioning unit 107 and the contact surface 84. That is, the positioning portion 107 and the contact surface 84 are separated from each other.

  When the ink cartridge 30 is inserted forward against the urging force of the coil spring 78, the inclined surface 155 and the horizontal surface 154 of the convex portion 43 are positioned closer to the back wall 117 of the cartridge case 101 than the lock shaft 145. In the ink cartridge 30 in the second posture, the lock surface 151 is positioned below the lock shaft 145.

  A rotational moment is applied to the ink cartridge 30 counterclockwise in FIG. 6 when the user pushes the upper portion 41U of the rear surface 41 forward. On the other hand, a clockwise rotational moment is generated in the ink cartridge 30 by the biasing force of the coil spring 98 provided in the atmospheric valve chamber 36. Since the inclined surface 155 and the horizontal surface 154 do not come into contact with the lock shaft 145, the ink cartridge 30 has an ink supply port of the packing 76 into which the ink needle 102 is inserted against the biasing force of the coil spring 98 by the user's force. It rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 6 with the center C of 71 as the rotation center. Then, the contact surface 84 contacts the positioning portion 107 from below.

  When the ink cartridge 30 is in the posture shown in FIG. 3, the lock surface 151 faces the lock shaft 145 toward the rear. When the user stops pushing the ink cartridge 30 forward, the ink cartridge 30 moves backward by the biasing force of the coil spring 78. Since the lock surface 151 faces the lock shaft 145 rearward, the lock surface 151 contacts the lock shaft 145 when the ink cartridge 30 moves rearward. This restricts the ink cartridge 30 from moving backward. Further, when the contact surface 84 contacts the positioning portion 107 from below, the ink cartridge 30 is restricted from moving upward, that is, rotating counterclockwise about the center C as a rotation center. As a result, the ink cartridge 30 is positioned in the cartridge mounting portion 110 and is mounted. The posture of the ink cartridge 30 at this time (the posture shown in FIG. 3) is referred to as a first posture. The first posture is a mounting posture. In other words, the ink cartridge 30 can be changed in posture between the first posture and the second posture by rotating about the center C.

  In the ink cartridge 30 in the first posture, each electrode 65 of the IC substrate 64 is in electrical contact with the contact 106 being elastically deformed upward.

[Operation for Removing Ink Cartridge 30 from Cartridge Mounting Unit 110]
Hereinafter, a process in which the ink cartridge 30 is removed from the cartridge mounting unit 110 will be described.

  When the ink cartridge 30 is removed from the cartridge mounting portion 110, the user pushes the operation surface 92 downward. In the state where the ink cartridge 30 is in the first posture (mounting posture), the operation surface 92 faces upward and rearward, so that when the ink cartridge 30 is released from the position positioned with respect to the cartridge mounting portion 110. When the user operates the operation surface 92, a force acts on the ink cartridge 30 downward and forward. The lock surface 151 is separated from the lock shaft 145 by the force acting forward. The ink cartridge 30 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 3 by the force acting downward. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 6, the contact surface 84 is separated from the positioning portion 107, and the electrode 65 of the IC substrate 64 is separated from the contact 106. Further, the lock surface 151 is positioned below the lock shaft 145. That is, the posture of the ink cartridge 30 changes from the first posture (mounting posture) to the second posture. Then, the urging force of the coil spring 78 causes the ink cartridge 30 to move rearward with respect to the cartridge mounting portion 110 in the second posture.

  When the ink cartridge 30 moves rearward, as shown in FIG. 7, the first inclined surface 59 </ b> A of the protrusion 59 of the ink cartridge 30 contacts the surface 119 of the cartridge mounting portion 110 from the rear. That is, the protrusion 59 interferes with the cartridge mounting portion 110. Thereby, the ink cartridge 30 stops. The position of the ink cartridge 30 at this time, that is, the position of the ink cartridge 30 shown in FIG. 7 is the specified position.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the tip 102 </ b> A of the ink needle 102 is located in front of the ink supply port 71 and the packing 76 in a state where the ink cartridge 30 is located at the specified position. In this state, the tip 102 </ b> A of the ink needle 102 is located behind the standing wall 89 of the cap 79.

  Further, as described above, the ink cartridge 30 in the second posture is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction (horizontal direction) so that the ink supply port 71 faces obliquely upward. That is, the ink cartridge 30 located at the specified position is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction (horizontal direction) so that the ink supply port 71 faces obliquely upward in the front.

  When the user applies a force to lift the ink cartridge 30 upward in a state where the ink cartridge 30 is located at the specified position, the ink cartridge 30 rotates counterclockwise. As a result, the protrusion 59 is positioned above the surface 119. When the ink cartridge 30 is located at the specified position, the lock surface 151 is located behind the lock shaft 145. Therefore, the ink cartridge 30 can move backward without being restricted by the surface 119 and the lock shaft 145. Therefore, the user can take out the ink cartridge 30 from the cartridge mounting portion 110.

[Operational effects of this embodiment]
According to the present embodiment, the ink cartridge 30 stops at the specified position in the process of removing from the cartridge mounting unit 110. At this time, the tip 102 </ b> A of the ink needle 102 is positioned in front of the ink supply port 71 and the packing 76, and is positioned behind the tip of the cap 79. Therefore, even if the ink in the ink needle 102 of the ink cartridge 30 is pulled backward by the packing 76 and leaks to the outside of the ink cartridge 30, the cap 79 disposed below the packing 76 is removed. Can receive leaked ink. Further, the cap 79 protrudes forward from the packing 76. Therefore, even if the ink around the packing 76 of the ink cartridge 30 is pulled forward by the ink needle 102 and leaks to the outside of the ink cartridge 30, the cap 79 disposed below the packing 76 is removed. Can receive leaked ink.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, the cap 79 is arranged with no gap in the front-rear direction from the packing 76. Therefore, the possibility that the leaked ink does not fall on the cap 79 but falls around the cap 79 can be reduced. That is, according to this embodiment, the leaked ink can be received by the cap 79 with a high probability.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the cap 79 for fixing the packing 76 can receive ink leaked from the ink supply port 71 and the ink needle 102. Therefore, there is no need to separately provide a member for receiving ink.

  Further, according to this embodiment, the cap 79 fixes the packing 76 with the packing 76 sandwiched between the cap 75. Therefore, the positional accuracy between the cap 79 and the packing 76 can be improved. As a result, the leaked ink can be received by the cap 79 with a high probability.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the standing wall 89 can suppress the ink received by the cap 79 from flowing down from the front end of the cap 79.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the ink supply port 71 is formed at the lower end of the front surface of the front wall 40. Therefore, the amount of ink remaining in the first storage chamber 32 and the second storage chamber 33 without being supplied to the recording head 21 can be reduced. That is, in order to reduce the amount of ink remaining in the first storage chamber 32 and the second storage chamber 33 without being supplied to the recording head 21, the first storage chamber 32 and the second storage chamber 33 of the ink cartridge 30 are pressurized. There is no need to.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, the plurality of protrusions 59 are arranged side by side at intervals in the left-right direction. Therefore, the load necessary for moving the ink cartridge 30 stopped at the specified position backward again can be reduced.

  Further, when the ink cartridge 30 is removed from the cartridge mounting portion 110, it is necessary to release the engagement of the ink cartridge 30 with the cartridge mounting portion 110 by the lock surface 151. According to the present embodiment, the ink cartridge 30 moves downward during the release. That is, the protrusion 59 formed on the lower wall 42 of the ink cartridge 30 moves downward. Thereby, the protrusion 59 and the bottom wall 116 can be made to interfere more reliably.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, when the ink cartridge 30 is located at the specified position, the ink supply port 71 faces obliquely upward. Therefore, the possibility that the ink stored in the first storage chamber 32 and the second storage chamber 33 leaks from the first storage chamber 32 and the second storage chamber 33 through the ink supply port 71 can be reduced.

[Modification]
In the above embodiment, the interference portion is the protrusion 59. However, the interference portion is not limited to a protrusion as long as it interferes with the cartridge mounting portion 110 in the process of removing the ink cartridge 30 from the cartridge mounting portion 110 and stops the ink cartridge 30 at a specified position.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the interference part may be configured by a contact piece 131 and a coil spring 132. The contact piece 131 contacts the surface 119 of the cartridge mounting unit 110 from the rear in a state where the ink cartridge 30 is located at the specified position. One end of the coil spring 132 is connected to the contact piece 131, and the other end is connected to the lower wall 42 of the ink cartridge 30. In this case, when the user applies a force to pull out the ink cartridge 30 backward from the state shown in FIG. 8, the contact piece 131 is moved away from the cartridge mounting portion 110, that is, upwardly biased by the coil spring 132. Move against. As a result, the ink cartridge 30 is released from the restriction by the surface 119 and can move rearward.

  According to this modification, the load required to move the ink cartridge 30 stopped at the specified position backward again can be reduced.

  In the above embodiment, the interference portion (the protrusion 59 in the above embodiment) is formed in the ink cartridge 30. However, the interference part may be formed in the cartridge mounting part 110. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, a protrusion 131 (an example of an interference portion) that protrudes upward is formed on the bottom wall 116 of the cartridge mounting portion 110, and a recess 132 that is recessed upward on the lower wall 42 of the ink cartridge 30. May be formed. In this case, when the ink cartridge 30 is in the specified position, the protrusion 131 fits into the recess 132, so that the protrusion 131 interferes with the ink cartridge 30 (specifically, the surface 132 </ b> A that defines the rear end of the recess 132).

  In the above embodiment, the cap 79 is provided with the standing wall 89, but may not be provided with the standing wall 89. In this case, in a state where the ink cartridge 30 is located at the specified position, the tip 102 </ b> A of the ink needle 102 is located behind the front end (tip) of the cap 79.

  In the above-described embodiment, in the cartridge mounting unit 110, the ink cartridge 30 is rotated between the first posture and the second posture as the ink cartridge 30 is rotated about the center C, but other than the rotation, For example, the ink cartridge 30 may be configured to change the posture between the first posture and the second posture by sliding the ink cartridge 30 in the vertical direction.

  In the above embodiment, the ink cartridge 30 changes its posture between the first posture and the second posture when it is attached to and detached from the cartridge mounting unit 110, but may be attached and detached without changing its posture.

  The ink cartridge 30 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. For example, the ink cartridge 30 may be configured as shown in FIG. In this case, as shown in FIG. 10, the outer shape of the ink cartridge 30 is generally configured as a rectangular parallelepiped, and does not include the cylinder 75 or the cap 79.

  The ink cartridge 30 includes a storage chamber 82 and an ink supply hole 83 (an example of a liquid supply hole) as a space for storing ink. The rear end of the ink supply hole 83 communicates with the storage chamber 82. The front end of the ink supply hole 83 communicates with the outside of the ink cartridge 30 through the ink supply port 71.

  Further, the ink cartridge 30 includes a seal portion 85 instead of the packing 76. The seal portion 85 is formed of an elastic material such as rubber or elastomer as with the packing 76. The seal portion 85 is fitted in a recess formed in the peripheral portion of the ink supply port 71 in the front wall 40. A portion below the ink supply port 71 in the seal portion 85 protrudes forward from the ink supply port 71. This protruding portion is an example of the liquid receiving portion. That is, in the configuration of FIG. 10, the liquid receiving portion is formed integrally with the seal portion 85.

  In addition, the ink cartridge 30 includes a protrusion 59 on the lower surface of the lower wall 42 as in the above embodiment. Needless to say, the ink cartridge 30 shown in FIG. 10 may include the IC substrate 64, the light shielding plate 67, the lock surface 151, and the like, similarly to the ink cartridge 30 shown in FIG. 4.

  In the above-described embodiment, ink is described as an example of a printing fluid. For example, instead of ink, a pretreatment liquid that is discharged onto paper or the like prior to ink during printing may be stored in a printing fluid cartridge. Good. Further, water for cleaning the recording head 21 may be stored in the printing fluid cartridge. Further, a fluid having a fluidity such as toner may be a printing fluid.

10 ... Printer (Liquid consumption device)
20 ... Ink tube (flow path)
21 ... Recording head (consumption unit)
30 ... Ink cartridge (liquid cartridge)
32 ... 1st storage chamber (storage chamber)
33 ... 2nd storage chamber (storage chamber)
35 ... Ink valve chamber (liquid supply hole)
59 ... Protrusion (interference part)
71: Ink supply port (opening)
76 ... Packing (seal part)
79 ... Cap (liquid receiving part)
102 ... Ink needle (needle)
110 ... Cartridge mounting part (mounting part)

Claims (8)

A liquid cartridge having a storage chamber for storing liquid;
A mounting portion in which the liquid cartridge is inserted forward and intersects the direction of gravity, and the liquid cartridge is removed backward;
A liquid consumption device comprising: a consumption unit that consumes the liquid stored in the storage chamber of the liquid cartridge mounted on the mounting unit;
The liquid cartridge is
The storage chamber;
A liquid supply hole extending in the front-rear direction and communicating between the storage chamber and the outside of the liquid cartridge;
A seal portion disposed at a peripheral edge portion of the opening of the liquid supply hole;
A liquid receiving portion that is disposed below the seal portion and spaced apart in the front-rear direction and protrudes forward from the seal portion, and
The mounting portion includes a hollow needle protruding rearward,
The proximal end of the needle communicates with the consumption unit through a flow path through which the liquid flows.
The tip of the needle is inserted into the opening in a state where the liquid cartridge is mounted,
One of the liquid cartridge or the mounting unit interferes with the other of the liquid cartridge or the mounting unit in the process of removing the liquid cartridge from the mounting unit, and stops the liquid cartridge at a specified position. With
In the state where the liquid cartridge is located at the specified position, the tip of the needle is located in front of the opening and the seal portion, and is located behind the tip of the liquid receiving portion. A liquid supply cylinder that protrudes forward, has an opening for the liquid supply hole at the tip, and supplies the liquid stored in the storage chamber to the outside of the liquid cartridge through the opening;
The seal portion is disposed at the tip of the liquid supply cylinder,
2. The liquid consumption according to claim 1, wherein the liquid receiving portion is a cylindrical cap that fixes the seal portion with the seal portion sandwiched between the liquid supply tube in a state of being covered with the liquid supply tube. apparatus. The liquid receiving portion is provided with a standing wall extending upward in the mounting posture at the front end portion,
3. The liquid consuming device according to claim 1, wherein a tip of the needle is located behind the standing wall in a state where the liquid cartridge is located at the specified position. Further comprising a front wall and a rear wall separated in the front-rear direction,
The liquid consuming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid supply hole is formed at a lower end portion of a front surface of the front wall. The interference portion is a protrusion extending from one of the liquid cartridge or the mounting portion toward the other of the liquid cartridge or the mounting portion,
5. The liquid consuming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the protrusions are arranged side by side in the width direction perpendicular to the direction of gravity and the direction of gravity of the liquid cartridge. The liquid cartridge has a front wall and a rear wall separated in the front-rear direction and a top wall and a lower wall separated in a gravitational direction in the mounting posture,
The mounting portion includes a bottom wall that supports the lower wall from below,
The interference part is formed on the lower wall,
Further, the liquid cartridge is
The liquid consuming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an engaging portion that is disposed on an upper surface of the upper wall and engages with the mounting portion from below in a mounting posture.   The liquid consuming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid cartridge at the specified position is inclined with respect to a horizontal direction so that the opening faces obliquely upward. The liquid consuming device according to claim 1, wherein the interference unit is configured to be movable against a biasing force in a direction away from the other of the liquid cartridge or the mounting unit.

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