JP2022181326A - Waste liquid container and recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

To inhibit dripping of a waste liquid from a waste liquid container.SOLUTION: A waste liquid container is configured to be attached to or detached from a device including a discharge part for discharging a waste liquid and may house the waste liquid discharged from the discharge part. The waste liquid discharge part includes: a housing which houses the waste liquid; and a connection part which is provided on a first surface of the housing and connected with the discharge part. The first surface has: a first portion provided with the connection part; and a second portion which is located at the front side relative to the first portion in a plan view viewed from the first surface side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9A

Description

The present invention relates to a drainage container and a recording apparatus.

Conventionally, as shown in Patent Document 1, there is known a waste ink tank that is attachable to and detachable from a printer having a discharge section for discharging waste ink, and that receives waste ink discharged from the discharge section in the attached state. . The waste ink tank includes a connection port (opening) that connects to the discharge section, and a grip that a user grips when attaching or detaching the waste ink tank.

JP 2009-269206 A

However, when the waste ink tank is removed from the discharge part while holding the holding part, the holding part may be held upward. Since the opening is downward when held in this way, there is a problem that the waste ink in the waste ink tank drips from the opening due to gravity.
When the waste ink drips from the opening, it causes various problems such as staining the user's body and property.

The waste liquid container is detachable from a device having a discharge part for discharging the waste liquid, and is a waste liquid container capable of containing the waste liquid discharged from the discharge part, and contains the waste liquid. a housing; and a connection section provided on a first surface of the housing and connected to the discharge section, wherein the first surface includes a first portion provided with the connection section, and the first surface. and a second portion in front of the first portion in plan view from the side.

A recording apparatus is a recording apparatus configured to be detachable from the above-described drainage container, and includes a recording unit that performs recording by ejecting liquid onto a medium. , the liquid ejected from the recording portion to the outside of the end portion of the medium is stored as a waste liquid.

A recording apparatus is a recording apparatus configured to be detachable from the above-described drainage container, and includes a recording unit that performs recording by ejecting liquid onto a medium. Contain waste fluid generated by maintenance to keep it in good condition.

1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of a drainage recovery unit according to the first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a drainage recovery unit according to the first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a side view showing the configuration of the drainage recovery unit according to the first embodiment; 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the drainage container according to the first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the drainage container according to the first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of the drainage container according to the first embodiment; FIG. 2 is an internal view showing the structure of the absorbent body according to the first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a side view showing the configuration of the drainage container according to the first embodiment; The perspective view which shows the structure of the drainage container concerning 2nd Embodiment. The perspective view which shows the structure of the drainage container concerning 2nd Embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the structure of the waste liquid container concerning 3rd Embodiment. FIG. 11 is an internal view showing the configuration of a drainage container according to a fourth embodiment; FIG. 11 is an internal view showing the configuration of a drainage container according to a fourth embodiment; The schematic diagram which shows the structure of the drainage container concerning 5th Embodiment. The schematic diagram which shows the structure of the drainage container concerning 6th Embodiment. The schematic diagram which shows the structure of the drainage container concerning 6th Embodiment. The schematic diagram which shows the structure of the drainage container concerning 6th Embodiment. The schematic diagram which shows the structure of the drainage container concerning 7th Embodiment. The schematic diagram which shows the structure of the drainage container concerning 7th Embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a drainage container according to an eighth embodiment; FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a drainage container according to an eighth embodiment; FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a drainage container according to an eighth embodiment;

1. First Embodiment First, the configuration of the recording apparatus 10 will be described. The recording apparatus 10 of the present embodiment is a serial inkjet printer that performs recording by ejecting ink as liquid onto a medium P (for example, paper).
1 and 2 are perspective views showing the configuration of the recording apparatus 10. FIG.
Note that when the recording apparatus 10 is installed on the XY plane (horizontal plane) parallel to the X axis and the Y axis, the direction along the Z axis is the vertical direction, the +Z direction is the upward direction, and the -Z direction is the vertical direction. The direction is downward. The direction along the Y axis is the front-back direction, the +Y direction side is the front direction (front side), and the −Y direction side is the rear direction (back side). The direction along the X axis is the left-right direction (width direction), the +X direction side is the left direction, and the −X direction side is the right direction.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the device main body 12 includes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped housing 13 and a document reading device 14 arranged on the housing 13 . The document reading device 14 includes a horizontal document placement surface 15 made of transparent glass or the like on which a document to be read is placed, and a document cover 16 capable of covering the document placement surface 15 . Between the closed state (FIG. 1) in which the document cover 16 covers the document placement surface 15 from above and the open state (FIG. 2) in which the document cover 16 is opened from the closed state to open the area above the document placement surface 15, It is provided so as to be openable and closable around a rotation axis (not shown) parallel to the X-axis extending in the width direction.

On the outer surface of the housing 13 , an ejection port 18 for ejecting the medium P from the inside is provided at the lower portion of the front surface 17 that is the front surface of the apparatus main body 12 . Inside the discharge port 18, a stacker 19 is provided for supporting the medium P discharged from the inside of the housing 13 toward the front side in a placed state.

An operation unit 20 operated by the user of the recording apparatus 10 is provided on the upper portion of the front surface 17 of the housing 13 . The operation unit 20 is a horizontally long panel whose longitudinal direction is the width direction along the X axis. The operation unit 20 includes a power button 21 operated to turn on or off the recording apparatus 10 and an operation button 22 operated to input various operation information. In addition, a liquid crystal display 23 capable of displaying the operating state of the recording apparatus 10 is provided. The liquid crystal display 23 may be a touch panel.

An ink supply unit 25 is provided on the front surface 17 of the housing 13 . The ink supply section 25 supplies ink to the recording head 32 (FIG. 3). The ink supply section 25 includes a plurality of ink tanks 26 and the like. The ink tank 26 is a container capable of containing ink.

Next, the internal configuration of the recording apparatus 10 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 3, the recording apparatus 10 includes a recording head 32 as a recording unit and a carriage 30 on which the recording head 32 is mounted.
The carriage 30 is supported by guide rails 33 extending in the direction along the X-axis, and is configured to be reciprocally movable in the direction along the X-axis by a drive mechanism (not shown).
A platen 34 that supports the medium P to be transported is arranged below the recording head 32 .
The recording head 32 has a plurality of nozzles and ejects ink droplets onto the medium P supported by the platen 34 . The platen 34 has a plate shape.
The recording apparatus 10 includes a transport mechanism that transports the medium P from a paper feeding unit (not shown) to the discharge port 18 via the platen 34 . In the process of moving the carriage 30 along the X-axis, the recording head 32 ejects droplets to perform one-pass recording, and the transport operation alternately transports the medium P to the next recording position. , images, documents, etc. are recorded on the medium P.
In this embodiment, the ink supply unit 25 and the ink tanks 26 are arranged at different positions from the carriage 30, which is an off-carriage type. It may be an on-carriage type mounted on the . The recording apparatus 10 is not limited to the serial method, and the recording head 32 is an elongated line head arranged over the entire maximum width of the medium P, and the droplets are simultaneously applied to the entire width of the medium P. A line system capable of discharging may be used.

The recording device 10 further includes a maintenance section 40 . The maintenance section 40 performs maintenance to keep the recording head 32 in a normal state. For example, ink or air is forcibly discharged from the recording head 32 (cleaning operation).

The maintenance section 40 has a cap 41 . While the recording apparatus 10 is not performing a recording operation, the carriage 30 is arranged at the home position, which is a position outside the recording area during the recording operation.

The cap 41 is arranged at the home position and is a bottomed box-shaped member. The cap 41 is movable in the direction along the Z-axis by an elevating mechanism. The cap 41 is pressed against the lower surface side of the recording head 32 by being lifted. Thereby, the cap 41 forms a closed space so as to cover the nozzles formed on the lower surface of the recording head 32 . This closed space can suppress drying of the ink in the nozzles of the recording head 32 .

Cap 41 is connected to a suction pump via a suction tube. The suction pump sucks ink and air from the recording head 32 through the suction tube by being driven in a closed space state. As a result, degraded ink (dried and thickened ink) in the recording head 32 is sucked out, and the recording head 32 is maintained (recovered) in a normal state.

In addition, in order to keep the recording head 32 in a normal state, the maintenance section 40 performs a flushing operation of forcibly ejecting ink from the recording head 32 toward the cap 41 and discharging deteriorated ink in the recording head 32 . Do it regularly.

Ink (waste liquid) discharged from the recording head 32 due to maintenance such as cleaning operation and flushing operation is treated as waste liquid.
Waste liquid is also generated during so-called borderless printing. Specifically, the ink (waste liquid) ejected from the recording head 32 to the outside of the end portion of the medium P during recording by the recording head 32 becomes waste liquid.
As described above, the waste liquid generated inside the device main body 12 is collected by the waste liquid collection unit 50 . The waste liquid collected by the waste liquid collection unit 50 is discharged to the waste liquid storage body 60 , and the discharged waste liquid is stored in the waste liquid storage body 60 .

Next, the configuration of the drainage recovery unit 50 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 4, a waste liquid recovery unit 50 is arranged below the platen 34 . The drainage recovery unit 50 has a plate shape and is large enough to support the entire platen 34 . A plurality of through holes 35 are provided in the platen 34 . The through hole 35 is a hole penetrating in the vertical direction, and is used to guide the waste liquid (waste liquid) discarded outside the edge of the medium P to the waste liquid recovery unit 50 arranged below during borderless printing. is a hole in

As shown in FIG. 5 , the waste liquid recovery section 50 includes a receiving section 51 that receives the waste liquid discharged from the platen 34 . The receiving portion 51 has a flat portion 51a having a flat surface and a wall portion 51b that defines the flat portion 51a. .

In addition, the drainage recovery part 50 has a recessed part 52 that is recessed below the plane of the flat part 51a. The recessed portion 52 is arranged in the central portion of the drainage collecting portion 50 in the direction along the X-axis. As a result, the liquid discharged from the flat portion 51 a can be easily made to flow into the recessed portion 52 .
The waste liquid collection unit 50 collects waste liquid generated during borderless printing as waste liquid. In addition, the waste liquid discharged during cleaning by the maintenance unit 40 or during flushing can be recovered as waste liquid through the cap 41 .

The waste fluid collection unit 50 has a discharge unit 55 that discharges the collected waste fluid to the waste fluid container 60 . The discharge part 55 of this embodiment projects in the -Y direction and is provided with a groove part 56 through which the discharged liquid flows. The groove 56 has an elongated depression along the Y-axis. The outer shape of the discharge portion 55 gradually decreases in dimension along the X-axis toward the -Y direction. In addition, the outer shape of the discharge portion 55 gradually decreases in dimension along the Z-axis toward the -Y direction. That is, the outer shape of the discharge portion 55 forms a sharp shape in the -Y direction. The discharge portion 55 protrudes from the bottom of the recessed portion 52 in the -Y direction. Also, the groove portion 56 is inclined downward in the -Y direction. As a result, the drainage can be easily made to flow from the recessed portion 52 toward the drainage container 60 .
In addition, although the discharge part 55 of the present embodiment is arranged in the center part of the drainage recovery part 50 in the direction along the X axis, it may be arranged on the +X direction side of the drainage recovery part 50, or -X direction. It can be arranged on the direction side.

As shown in FIG. 6 , the −Y direction tip of the discharge portion 55 is inserted through the connection portion 64 into the drainage container 60 . Since the outer shape of the discharge part 55 is pointed in the -Y direction, it can be easily inserted into the inside of the waste liquid container 60 . By inserting the discharge part 55 into the drainage container 60 via the connecting part 64 , the drainage can be reliably flowed into the drainage container 60 . The connecting portion 64 is provided on the first surface 101 of the housing 62 . The first surface 101 of the present embodiment is the +Y direction end surface of the housing 62 in the state where the drainage container 60 is attached to the apparatus main body 12 . In addition, in this embodiment, since the absorber 63 that absorbs the drained liquid is laid in the housing 62 of the drained liquid container 60, the groove 56 of the discharge part 55 and the absorber 63 easily come into contact with each other. . As a result, the absorbent 63 absorbs the waste liquid discharged through the groove portion 56 of the discharge portion 55 .

Next, the configuration of the drainage container 60 will be described.
The waste liquid storage body 60 stores the waste liquid generated inside the apparatus main body 12 via the waste liquid recovery section 50 .
The drainage container 60 is attachable to and detachable from the recording apparatus 10 (apparatus main body 12 ) as an apparatus having a discharge portion 55 . Since there is a limit to the amount of waste liquid that can be stored in the waste liquid container 60, it is necessary to replace the waste liquid container 60 with a new one. Therefore, when the drainage in the drainage container 60 reaches a specified storage amount, the drainage container 60 in use is removed from the device main body 12 and a new drainage container 60 is attached to the device main body 12 .
The specified amount of the discharged liquid in the discharged liquid container 60 is determined, for example, by the integrated amount of ink ejected from the recording head 32 . When the accumulated amount of ejected ink reaches a specified amount, a message is displayed on the liquid crystal display 23 to the effect that the drainage container 60 needs to be replaced. In this case, the user removes the rear cover 11 attached to the rear side of the apparatus main body 12 from the apparatus main body 12, as shown in FIG.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, the drainage container 60 is exposed. The drainage container 60 is arranged while being supported by the bottom plate portion 70 . The drainage container 60 has a grip portion 61 for gripping with fingers. The grip portion 61 is provided on the third surface 103 opposite to the first surface 101 on which the connecting portion 64 of the drainage container 60 is arranged. The user can remove the drainage container 60 from the device main body 12 by pulling it in the -Y direction while putting a finger on the grip part 61 .
When the drainage container 60 is attached to the device main body 12 , the drainage container 60 is inserted into the device main body 12 with the connecting portion 64 directed in the +Y direction, and the drainage container 60 is placed on the bottom plate portion 70 . Set 60. After that, the user attaches the rear cover 11 to the rear side of the device main body 12 . When a new drainage container 60 is replaced, the integrated amount of ink ejected from the recording head 32 is reset.

Here, the drainage container 60 is attachable to and detachable from the apparatus main body 12 . As described above, when the drainage container 60 is removed from the discharge unit 55 with the grip portion 61 gripped, the grip portion 61 may be gripped upward. Since the connecting portion 64 is positioned downward when held in this manner, there is a concern that the drainage in the drainage container 60 may drip from the connecting portion 64 due to gravity. Drainage dripping from the connecting portion 64 causes various problems such as staining the user's body and property.
Therefore, when the drainage container 60 of the present embodiment is removed from the apparatus main body 12, in addition to the posture in which the connection part 64 is downward, the drainage container 60 may be held in any posture. also has a configuration for suppressing dripping of the drainage liquid from the connecting portion 64 .
A detailed configuration of the drainage container 60 will be described below.

As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the drainage container 60 has a housing 62 made of a resin material. The housing 62 is a container capable of containing drainage.
A connection portion 64 that connects to the discharge portion 55 is arranged in a part of the housing 62 of the drainage container 60 . The connecting portion 64 is provided on the first surface 101 that is the end surface of the housing 62 in the +Y direction. The connecting portion 64 of the present embodiment has an opening (through hole), and the waste liquid collected by the waste liquid collecting portion 50 is introduced into the housing 62 via the connecting portion 64 .
Also, the connecting portion 64 of the present embodiment is arranged in the central portion of the first surface 101 in the direction along the X-axis. Note that the connecting portion 64 does not have to be the central portion of the first surface 101 in the direction along the X-axis.

Further, in this embodiment, the absorber 63 is arranged inside the housing 62 . The absorber 63 is a member that absorbs waste liquid, and is, for example, a nonwoven fabric or a sponge material. The absorber 63 is spread all over the inside of the housing 62 . Therefore, in the present embodiment, the waste liquid collected by the waste liquid collection unit 50 is introduced into the housing 62 via the connection section 64, and the introduced waste liquid is absorbed and held by the absorber 63. FIG. By holding the drainage, it is possible to more effectively suppress the dripping of the drainage.

The first surface 101 of the housing 62 has a first portion 111 provided with the connecting portion 64, and a second portion 112 located in front of the first portion 111 in plan view from the first surface 101 side. . That is, the first portion 111 is located in a concave portion recessed with respect to the second portion 112 , and the second portion 112 is formed in a convex shape projecting from the first portion 111 . In this embodiment, the second portions 112 are provided in the +X direction and the −X direction of the connecting portion 64 . As a result, even if the connection portion 64 is held facing downward, the drainage in the housing 62 flows toward the second portion 112 arranged below the connection portion 64, so that the drainage from the connection portion 64 is prevented. can be prevented from dripping.

The first surface 101 also has a third portion 113 that connects the first portion 111 and the second portion 112 at an angle. Specifically, when the third surface 103 of the housing 62 is directed upward and the first surface 101 is directed downward, the third portion 113 is inclined downward from the first portion 111 toward the second portion 112. have a face. As a result, it is possible to smoothly flow the drainage from the first portion 111 toward the second portion 112 .
Note that the third portion 113 may have a shape that connects the first portion 111 and the second portion 112 at right angles.

In addition, the drainage container 60 has a shape that makes it difficult to place (stand up) on, for example, a desk surface or a floor surface with the connecting portion 64 directed downward. Specifically, the second portion 112 has a rounded shape. In this embodiment, when the drainage container 60 is viewed in the +X direction, the second portion 112 has a curved surface protruding in the +Y direction. As a result, the first surface 101 cannot be placed downward. Therefore, since the connection portion 64 is not placed facing downward, the connection portion 64 does not face downward when the drainage container 60 is placed, and the drainage liquid may drip from the connection portion 64 . can be prevented.

As shown in FIG. 10 , the absorber 63 has a first region 121 facing the connecting portion 64 in the housing 62 and a second region 122 located farther from the connecting portion 64 than the first region 121 . placed. The liquid retention force of the absorbent body 63 in the first region 121 is configured to be smaller than the liquid retention force of the absorbent body 63 in the second region 122 . The first region 121 includes a region facing the first portion 111 , and the second region 122 includes regions facing the second portion 112 and the third portion 113 . As a result, the fluidity of the waste liquid increases in the first region 121 , and the flow of the waste liquid from the first region 121 to the second region 122 is promoted.

The liquid retention capacity of the absorbent body 63 is set by the bubble density of the absorbent body 63 . Specifically, the bubble density of the absorber 63 in the first region 121 is set to be lower than the bubble density of the absorber 63 in the second region 122 . As a result, since the bubble density in the first region 121 is low, it is possible to promote the flow of the waste liquid from the first region 121 to the second region 122 side by capillary force.

In this embodiment, as the absorber 63, a first absorber 63a is arranged in the first region 121, and a second absorber 63b is arranged in the second region 122. As shown in FIG. The bubble density of the first absorbent body 63a is lower than that of the second absorbent body 63b. By arranging a plurality of absorbers 63 (the first absorber 63a and the second absorber 63b) having different bubble densities, it is possible to easily differentiate the bubble densities depending on the region. Another absorbent body may be arranged between the first absorbent body 63a and the second absorbent body 63b. In this case, the bubble density of the other absorbent is higher than that of the first absorbent 63a and lower than that of the second absorbent 63b. Also in this way, the waste liquid can be made to flow from the first area 121 toward the second area 122 .

As shown in FIG. 11, the housing 62 has a second surface 102 that intersects the first surface 101 . When placed on the apparatus main body 12 with the second surface 102 facing down, the inside of the second surface 102 is directed away from the connection position between the first surface 101 and the second surface 102 (-Y direction). It slopes down towards As a result, the connection portion 64 faces upward compared to the other portions, so that when the drainage container 60 is placed, the connection portion 64 does not face downward, and the drainage flows toward the connection portion 64 side. flow can be suppressed.

In this embodiment, the second surface 102 is a flat surface, and the projection 130 is provided on the second surface 102 on the first surface 101 side of the center. Specifically, a projection 130 that protrudes downward is provided at the +Y direction end of the second surface 102 . Then, when the drainage container 60 is attached to the device main body 12, the top surface of the protrusion 130 and the bottom plate portion 70 are brought into contact with each other. As a result, the drainage container 60 is inclined downward in the -Y direction, so that the drainage can be suppressed from flowing toward the connecting portion 64 side. Note that the drainage container 60 may be placed on a desk or a floor surface with the protrusion 130 of the drainage container 60 directed downward. Even in this case, since the housing 62 is inclined downward from the first surface 101 toward the third surface 103, it is possible to suppress the drainage from flowing toward the connecting portion 64 side.

Next, the action and effect of the drainage container 60 when the drainage container 60 is removed from the apparatus main body 12 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 8, when removing the drainage container 60 from the device main body 12, the user holds the grip portion 61 of the drainage container 60 attached to the device main body 12. - Pull in the Y direction. As a result, the drainage container 60 moves in the -Y direction, the discharge portion 55 is separated from the connection portion 64, and the drainage container 60 is removed from the apparatus main body 12. FIG.

Here, when the user carries the drainage container 60 while gripping the grip portion 61, the grip portion 61 of the drainage container 60 faces upward and the connection portion 64 faces downward in the first posture. , there is a concern that the drainage liquid in the housing 62 may drip from the connecting portion 64 in the direction of gravity. Note that the first posture is a posture including a downward component in which the orientation of the connection portion 64 is not limited to the direction of gravity.

However, according to this embodiment, in the first posture of the drainage container 60, the second portion 112 is positioned below the first portion 111 provided with the connecting portion 64. The drainage moves from the first portion 111 to the second portion 112 side. As a result, dripping of the drainage from the connecting portion 64 can be suppressed.

In addition, since the first portion 111 and the second portion 112 are connected by the third portion 113 having an inclined surface, from the first portion 111 to the second portion 112, that is, from the first region 121 to the second region 122 Drainage can be smoothly moved toward the

In addition, since the absorbers 63 (the first absorber 63a and the second absorber 63b) are arranged in the housing 62, the drainage can be smoothly moved from the first region 121 toward the second region 122. At the same time, by absorbing and holding the drainage liquid introduced through the connection portion 64 , dripping of the drainage liquid from the connection portion 64 can be suppressed.

Furthermore, since the second portion 112 of the drainage container 60 is rounded, it is difficult to place the drainage container 60 with the first surface 101 facing downward. Therefore, since the connection portion 64 is not placed facing downward, when the drainage container 60 is placed, the connection portion 64 does not face downward, and the drainage from the connection portion 64 drips. You can prevent falling.

2. 2nd Embodiment Next, 2nd Embodiment is described. In addition, the same code|symbol is attached|subjected about the structure same as 1st Embodiment, and the overlapping description is abbreviate|omitted.
In the drainage container 60 of the above embodiment, the second portion 112 has a rounded shape, but it is not limited to this. The second portion 112 of the drainage container 60A of the present embodiment has an inclined surface so as to be difficult to place (upright) on a desk surface or a floor surface.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 12A, when the drainage container 60A is viewed in the +X direction, the second portion 112 has an inclined surface that slopes from the -Z direction end to the +Z direction end. As a result, the first surface 101 cannot be placed downward. Therefore, since the connection portion 64 is not placed facing downward, when the drainage container 60A is placed, the connection portion 64 does not face downward, and the drainage can be prevented from dripping from the connection portion 64. .
Further, as shown in FIG. 12B, two inclined surfaces inclined in the +Y direction from the -Z direction end and the +Z direction end of the second portion 112 are formed so that the second portion 112 protrudes in the +Y direction. It may be a configuration having. Similar effects can be obtained in this way as well.

3. 3rd Embodiment Next, 3rd Embodiment is described. In addition, the same code|symbol is attached|subjected about the structure same as 1st Embodiment, and the overlapping description is abbreviate|omitted.
Although the projection 130 is provided on the second surface 102 in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 13, the drainage container 60B of the present embodiment is provided with an inclined surface 131 inside the housing 62 that is inclined downward from the +Y direction end toward the −Y direction. As a result, the inner side of the second surface 102 slopes downward, and the flow of the drainage liquid toward the connecting portion 64 can be suppressed.
In addition, in the drainage container 60B of the present embodiment, an inclined surface 131 inclined downward in the -Y direction from the +Y direction end, and the inclined surface 131 further provided in the -Y direction from the -Y direction end of the inclined surface 131 However, for example, the horizontal surface 132 may be omitted and the inclined surface 131 may be formed up to the -Y direction end inside the housing 62 . Further, it may be a configuration in which recesses that are inclined downward from the first surface 101 side and the third surface 103 side toward the central portion are formed.

4. 4th Embodiment Next, 4th Embodiment is described. In addition, the same code|symbol is attached|subjected about the structure same as 1st Embodiment, and the overlapping description is abbreviate|omitted.
The drainage storage body 60 of the above-described embodiment includes the first absorbent body 63a and the second absorbent body 63b, and the bubble density difference is formed between the first absorbent body 63a and the second absorbent body 63b. not.
When the absorber 63 of the drainage container 60C of the present embodiment is attached to the housing 62, the size of the portion arranged in the second region 122 in the first direction is the inside of the housing 62 in the first direction. It is formed larger than the size. The first direction may be a direction along the X-axis, a direction along the Y-axis, or a direction along the Z-axis. For example, in the example of FIG. 14A , the absorbent body 63 is formed such that the portion disposed in the second region 122 is larger than the volume of the housing 62 in the direction along the X axis. In addition, the bubble density of the absorber 63 is formed uniformly. Then, as shown in FIG. 14B, the absorber 63 is housed inside the housing 62 . Since the portion corresponding to the second region 122 is larger than the inner dimension of the housing 62 , when the absorber 63 is accommodated in the housing 62 , the portion corresponding to the second region 122 of the absorber 63 will be inside the housing 62 . pressed. Thereby, the bubble density in the second region 122 can be made higher than the bubble density in the first region 121 . Therefore, since it is possible to configure only one absorbent body 63 having the same bubble density, the manufacturing of the drainage storage body 60C is facilitated.

5. 5th Embodiment Next, 5th Embodiment is described. In addition, the same code|symbol is attached|subjected about the structure same as 1st Embodiment, and the overlapping description is abbreviate|omitted.
In the drainage container 60 of the above embodiment, the first portion 111 and the second portion 112 are provided, and the absorber 63 is arranged according to the shapes of the first portion 111 and the second portion 112, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. .
For example, as shown in FIG. 15, in a drainage container 60D of the present embodiment, the first surface 101 includes a housing 62 extending along the X-axis, and the housing 62 contains an absorber 63. Prepare. The absorber 63 has a first absorber portion 66a facing the connecting portion 64, and a second absorber portion 66b in front of the first absorber portion 66a in plan view from the first surface 101 side. . In this way, even if the connecting portion 64 is positioned downward, the drainage flows from the first absorbent portion 66a to the second absorbent portion 66b, so that dripping of the drainage from the connecting portion 64 can be prevented.

6. Sixth Embodiment Next, a sixth embodiment will be described. In addition, the same code|symbol is attached|subjected about the structure same as 1st Embodiment, and the overlapping description is abbreviate|omitted.
In the drainage container 60 of the above-described embodiment, the connection portion 64 has an opening, and the discharge portion 55 is inserted into the housing 62 through the opening. However, the configuration is not limited to this. For example, the connecting portion 64 may be provided with the lid portion 201 .

As shown in FIG. 16A, the drainage container 60E includes a lid portion 201 that can be displaced between a closed state that covers the connection portion 64 and an open state that opens the connection portion 64 . The lid portion 201 can be in an open state (FIG. 16B) when the housing 62 is attached to the apparatus main body 12, and can be in a closed state (FIG. 16C) when the housing 62 is removed from the apparatus main body 12. .

The lid portion 201 of the present embodiment is rotatably provided on the connection portion 64 . Specifically, it includes a plate-like opening/closing body 202 and a shaft 203 capable of rotating the opening/closing body 202 . The opening/closing body 202 has approximately the same size as the opening of the connecting portion 64 . The shaft 203 is arranged at the −Z direction end of the opening/closing body 202 and extends in the direction along the X axis. The opening/closing body 202 can be opened and closed around the shaft 203 . Thereby, it becomes possible to displace between the open state and the closed state with a simple configuration.

Then, as shown in FIG. 16B, when the drainage container 60E with the lid portion 201 closed is attached to the apparatus main body 12, the discharge portion 55 presses the opening/closing body 202 of the lid portion 201 in the -Y direction. As a result, the opening/closing body 202 rotates about the shaft 203, and the lid portion 201 is opened.

Then, as shown in FIG. 16C, when the drainage container 60E is removed from the device main body 12 and the first surface 101 is turned downward, the lid portion 201 is closed. A weight portion 204 is provided on the opposite side of the opening/closing body 202 from the shaft 203 . The weight portion 204 is thicker than other portions of the opening/closing body 202 . As a result, the rotational force around the shaft 203 is promoted by the weight portion 204, and the lid portion 201 is smoothly closed.
That is, in the present embodiment, the cover 201 is displaced from the open state to the closed state by its own weight. This eliminates the need for a special configuration for displacing the lid portion 201, thereby simplifying the configuration.
In the process of shifting from the open state to the closed state, the −Z direction end of the opening/closing body 202 comes into contact with the convex portion 205 provided inside the housing 62, thereby restricting the rotational movement of the opening/closing body 202 and closing it. state is maintained.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, by providing the lid portion 201 on the connection portion 64 , it is possible to prevent the drainage liquid from dripping from the connection portion 64 .
In addition, since the lid portion 201 is closed when the connection portion 64, which is likely to drip the drainage liquid, faces downward, the dripping of the drainage liquid can be prevented. It should be noted that downward refers not only to the case of direct downward, but also to the case where a downward component is included. Further, the closed state is not limited to completely blocking the connecting portion 64, and may at least partially block the connecting portion 64. FIG.
In this embodiment, a torsion spring may be arranged on the shaft 203 to bias the opening/closing member 202 toward the closed state. In this case, when the ejection portion 55 is connected to the connection portion 64, the ejection portion 55 displaces the lid portion 201 from the closed state to the open state against the biasing force of the torsion spring. Further, when the discharging portion 55 and the connecting portion 64 are separated from each other, the lid portion 201 is displaced from the open state to the closed state by the biasing force of the torsion spring. Even in this way, the lid portion 201 can be displaced with a simple configuration.

7. 7th Embodiment Next, 7th Embodiment is described. In addition, the same code|symbol is attached|subjected about the structure same as 1st Embodiment, and the overlapping description is abbreviate|omitted.
In the present embodiment, the configuration of the drainage container 60F having the lid portion 211 on the connection portion 64 will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B, the drainage container 60F includes a lid portion 211 that can be displaced between a closed state that covers the connection portion 64 and an open state that opens the connection portion 64 . The lid portion 211 can be in an open state when the housing 62 is attached to the apparatus main body 12 and can be in a closed state when the housing 62 is removed from the apparatus main body 12 .

The lid portion 211 is an elastic body that covers the connection portion 64 . A slit 212 is provided in the elastic body. The slit 212 is a notch provided from the center point 212 a of the lid portion 211 toward the outer peripheral portion of the lid portion 211 . A plurality of slits 212 are formed from a center point 212a.

Since the lid portion 211 is an elastic body, it is biased toward the closed state. Then, when the drainage container 60F with the lid portion 211 closed is attached to the device main body 12 (the discharge portion 55 is connected to the connection portion 64), the discharge portion 55 resists the biasing force of the lid portion 211, and the lid portion 211 is closed. 211 is pressed in the -Y direction. As a result, the lid portion 211 is deformed and displaced from the closed state to the open state. A special structure for controlling the opening and closing of the lid portion 211 is not required, and the configuration can be simplified.

Then, when the drainage container 60F is removed from the device main body 12, the lid portion 211 is closed. That is, the urging force of the elastic body of the lid portion 211 interlocks with the movement of the discharge portion 55 and displaces from the open state to the closed state.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the drainage container 60F is removed from the apparatus main body 12, the lid portion 211 is always closed.
Note that the lid portion 211 of the present embodiment and the rotary lid portion 201 of the sixth embodiment may be used together. Specifically, the lid portion 211 is arranged outside the pivotable lid portion 201 . This can further prevent the drainage from dripping.

8. Eighth Embodiment Next, an eighth embodiment will be described. In addition, the same code|symbol is attached|subjected about the structure same as 1st Embodiment, and the overlapping description is abbreviate|omitted.
In this embodiment, the configuration of a drainage container 60G having a lid portion 221 on the connection portion 64 will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B, the drainage container 60G includes a lid portion 221 that can be displaced between a closed state that covers the connection portion 64 and an open state that opens the connection portion 64 . The lid portion 221 can be in an open state (FIG. 18C) when the housing 62 is attached to the apparatus main body 12 and can be in a closed state when the housing 62 is removed from the apparatus main body 12 .

The first surface 101 of the drainage container 60</b>G of this embodiment becomes the top surface of the housing 62 when the housing 62 is attached to the apparatus main body 12 . That is, the connecting portion 64 is arranged on the first surface 101 which is the upper surface.

The lid portion 221 of the present embodiment is rotatably provided on the connection portion 64 . Specifically, it includes a plate-like opening/closing body 222 and a shaft 223 capable of rotating the opening/closing body 222 . The opening/closing body 222 has approximately the same size as the opening of the connecting portion 64 . The shaft 223 is arranged at the -Y direction end of the opening/closing body 222 and extends in the direction along the X axis. The opening/closing body 222 can be opened and closed around a shaft 223 . Thereby, it becomes possible to displace between the open state and the closed state with a simple configuration.

Then, as shown in FIG. 18C, when the drainage container 60G with the lid portion 221 closed is attached to the device main body 12, the tip portion of the discharge portion 55 abuts the lower end portion of the opening/closing member 222 in the +Y direction. As a result, the +Y direction end portion of the opening/closing body 222 moves upward about the axis 223, and the lid portion 221 is opened. In other words, when connecting the discharge portion 55 to the connection portion 64 , the discharge portion 55 displaces the lid portion 221 from the closed state to the open state against the weight of the lid portion 221 . Thereby, the opening and closing operation of the lid portion 221 can be performed with a simple configuration.

Then, as shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B, the lid portion 221 is closed when the drainage container 60G is removed from the apparatus main body 12. As shown in FIGS. Specifically, the lower end portion of the opening/closing body 222 in the +Y direction contacts the contact portion 224 arranged at the lower end portion of the opening/closing body 222 in the +Y direction, thereby maintaining the closed state of the opening/closing body 222 . That is, in the present embodiment, the cover 221 is displaced from the open state to the closed state by its own weight. This eliminates the need for a special configuration for displacing, and simplifies the configuration.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, by providing the connection portion 64 on the upper surface of the drainage container 60G, it becomes difficult for the user to turn the connection portion 64 downward when the drainage container 60G is removed. It is possible to prevent the drainage from dripping.

In this embodiment, a torsion spring may be arranged on the shaft 223 to bias the opening/closing body 222 toward the contact portion 224 . In this case, when the ejection portion 55 is connected to the connection portion 64, the ejection portion 55 displaces the lid portion 221 from the closed state to the open state against the biasing force of the torsion spring. Further, when the discharging portion 55 and the connecting portion 64 are separated from each other, the lid portion 221 is displaced from the open state to the closed state by the biasing force of the torsion spring. Even in this way, the lid portion 221 can be displaced with a simple configuration.

In addition, in the first to fifth embodiments, a lyophilic agent may be applied around the connecting portion 64 (opening) of the first surface 101 of the housing 62 . Alternatively, a lyophilic treatment may be applied around the connecting portion 64 (opening). In this way, the waste liquid seeping out from the connecting portion 64 spreads over the first surface 101, so that the waste liquid can be easily prevented from becoming droplets and dripping down. Also, a lyophilic agent may be applied or lyophilic treatment may be performed on the outer surfaces of the lids 201, 211, and 221 in the sixth to eighth embodiments. Even if it does in this way, the effect similar to the above can be acquired.

Moreover, the form of the grip part 61 in 1st Embodiment to 8th Embodiment is not limited. For example, it may be a through hole, an uneven portion, a protrusion, a recess, or the like. In addition, it is sufficient that at least a grippable partial form is formed on the third surface 103 .

In addition, although the waste liquid container 60 of the above-described embodiment has been described as a configuration for containing waste liquid generated during borderless printing or maintenance as waste liquid, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the waste liquid container 60 may be, for example, an ink cartridge or the like that can contain usable waste liquid (eg, ink).

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Recording apparatus 11... Rear cover 12... Apparatus main body 20... Operation part 25... Ink supply part 26... Ink tank 30... Carriage 32... Recording head 33... Guide rail 34... Platen 35 Through hole 40 Maintenance part 41 Cap 50 Drain recovery part 55 Discharge part 56 Groove 60, 60A, 60B, 60C, 60D, 60E, 60F, 60G Drain container, 61... Grip portion 62... Housing 63... Absorber 63a... First absorber 63b... Second absorber 64... Connection part 66a... First absorber part 66b... Second absorber part 70... Bottom plate portion 101... First surface 102... Second surface 103... Third surface 111... First part 112... Second part 113... Third part 121... First region 122... Third 2 areas 130...Protrusion 131...Slanted surface 201...Lid portion 202...Open/close body 203...Axis 204...Weight portion 205...Convex portion 211...Lid portion 212...Slit 212a...Center point , 221... Lid portion, 222... Opening/closing body, 223... Shaft, 224... Contact portion, P... Medium.

Claims (14)

A waste liquid container configured to be attachable to and detachable from a device having a discharge unit for discharging waste liquid, and capable of containing the waste liquid discharged from the discharge unit,
a housing containing the drainage;
a connection portion provided on the first surface of the housing and connected to the discharge portion;
with
The first surface is characterized by having a first portion provided with the connecting portion and a second portion in front of the first portion in plan view from the first surface side. Drainage container. 2. A drainage container according to claim 1, wherein said first surface has a third portion connecting said first portion and said second portion at an angle. 3. A drainage container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said second portion is an inclined surface. 3. Drainage container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second part has a rounded shape. the housing has a second surface that intersects with the first surface;
When placed with the second surface facing down, the inner side of the second surface slopes downward in a direction away from a connection position between the first surface and the second surface. 5. The drainage container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein 6. The drainage container according to claim 5, wherein the second surface has a projection on the first surface side of the center. 7. A waste liquid container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising an absorbent provided in said housing for absorbing waste liquid. In the absorber, the liquid retention force of a first region facing the connection portion is smaller than the liquid retention force of a second region located away from the connection portion compared to the first region. 8. Drainage container according to claim 7, characterized in that. 9. The waste liquid container according to claim 8, wherein the absorber has a bubble density in the first region lower than a bubble density in the second region. The absorbent body has a first absorbent body arranged in the first region and a second absorbent body arranged in the second region,
10. A waste liquid container according to claim 8, wherein the bubble density of said first absorbent is lower than that of said second absorbent. When the absorber is attached to the housing, the size of the portion arranged in the second region in the first direction is formed to be larger than the inner dimension of the housing in the first direction. 10. Drainage container according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that Further comprising a grip on a third surface opposite to the first surface of the housing,
12. A waste fluid container according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: A recording apparatus in which the drainage container according to any one of claims 1 to 12 is attachable and detachable,
Equipped with a recording unit that ejects liquid onto a medium for recording,
The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid discharge container contains the liquid discharged from the recording section to the outside of the end portion of the medium as the liquid discharge during recording by the recording section. A recording apparatus in which the drainage container according to any one of claims 1 to 12 is attachable and detachable,
Equipped with a recording unit that ejects liquid onto a medium for recording,
1. A recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drainage container stores drainage generated by maintenance for keeping said recording section in a normal state.

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