JP2023144119A - system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a system in which a tank can be enlarged in size and which can reduce the possibility that a storage body is errorneously removed from the tank.SOLUTION: A system comprises: a lower enclosure 13 extending in a longitudinal direction and having a carrying path 24 on which paper 2 passes; a tank 103B that is positioned at the left side of the carrying path 24, and stores ink; tanks 103C, 103M and 103Y that are positioned at the right side of the carrying path 24, and store ink; an ink cartridge 30B that can be connected to the tank 103B and stores ink; and ink cartridges 30C, 30M and 30Y that can be connected to the tanks 103C, 103M and 103Y and store ink; and a recording head 21 that discharges ink supplied from the tanks 103B, 103C, 103M and 103Y. The ink cartridge 30B is connected to the tank 103B from above. The ink cartridges 30C, 30M and 30Y are connected to the tanks 103C, 103M and 103Y from above.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a system that includes a storage body that stores liquid and a tank to which the storage body can be connected.

2. Description of the Related Art Systems that include a storage body that stores liquid and a tank to which the storage body can be connected are conventionally known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a system that includes an ink cartridge that stores ink and an image recording device that includes a tank to which the ink cartridge can be connected.

The image recording apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a feeding tray that supports sheets fed into the apparatus and an ejection tray that supports sheets ejected from the apparatus. The feed tray and the discharge tray are arranged at the center in the width direction of the image recording apparatus.

The image recording apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes four tanks, and an ink cartridge is connected to each tank. When the user operates the image recording device (for example, when the user operates the touch panel of the image recording device or sets paper in the image recording device), from the user's perspective, all four tanks are , is arranged to the right of the feed tray and the discharge tray. Further, the ink cartridge is connected to the tank along the horizontal direction.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-122515

However, in the image recording apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the user operates the image recording apparatus, the tank is arranged to the right of the feed tray and the discharge tray when viewed from the user. The tank is not placed to the left of the feed tray and discharge tray. Therefore, the image recording apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 cannot effectively utilize the space to the left of the feed tray and the discharge tray. Therefore, increasing the size of the tank has been limited.

Furthermore, in the image recording apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the ink cartridge is connected to the tank along the horizontal direction, there is a risk that the ink cartridge may accidentally come off from the tank.

The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a system that can increase the size of a tank and reduce the possibility that a storage body connected to the tank will accidentally come out of the tank. It is about providing.

(1) The system according to the present invention includes a casing that extends in a depth direction that intersects with a height direction and has a conveyance path through which a sheet passes, and a casing that extends in a width direction that is orthogonal to the height direction and the depth direction. A first tank is disposed on one side of the conveyance path inside the body and stores the liquid, and a first tank is disposed on the other side of the conveyance path inside the housing in the width direction and stores the liquid. a second tank that is connectable to the first tank and stores liquid; a second storage body that is connectable to the second tank and stores liquid; and the casing. A liquid ejection head disposed inside the body and ejecting liquid supplied from the first tank and the second tank. The first storage body and the second storage body each include a liquid flow hole through which the stored liquid can flow to the outside. The first tank includes a first flow pipe that extends upward from an upper end of the first tank and is connectable to the liquid flow hole of the first reservoir. The second tank includes a second flow pipe that extends upward from the upper end of the second tank and is connectable to the liquid flow hole of the second reservoir.

According to this configuration, the first tank and the second tank (hereinafter, the first tank and the second tank are collectively referred to as tanks) are arranged separately on one side and the other side of the conveyance path in the width direction. . Thereby, the size of each tank can be increased compared to a configuration in which all the tanks are arranged only on one side of the transport path in the width direction.

Moreover, according to this configuration, the storage body is connected to the tank from above. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the storage body will accidentally come out of the tank, compared to a configuration in which the storage body is connected to the tank along the horizontal direction.

(2) At least one of the first tank and the second tank includes a first wall having translucency. The housing includes a front wall having an opening through which the sheet is discharged. The first wall is visible from the outside of the casing through a first light-transmitting portion having light-transmitting properties formed on the front wall.

Typically, a user of the system retrieves the ejected sheet facing the front wall of the housing. In other words, the sheet ejected from the front of the housing is taken out. According to this configuration, the remaining amount of liquid stored in the tank can be confirmed from the front of the housing through the first wall.

(3) The first storage body includes a second wall having translucency. When the first reservoir is connected to the first tank, the second wall is visible from the outside of the casing through the first light-transmitting part.

(4) The second storage body includes a third wall having translucency. When the second storage body is connected to the second tank, the third wall is visible from the outside of the housing through the first light-transmitting part.

Typically, a user of the system retrieves the ejected sheet facing the front wall of the housing. In other words, the sheet ejected from the front of the housing is taken out. According to the configurations (3) and (4), it is possible to check the remaining amount of liquid stored in the storage body from the front of the housing through the second wall and the third wall.

(5) The casing includes a side wall extending from an end of the front wall in the width direction in a direction intersecting the width direction and the height direction. The first wall is visible from the outside of the casing through a second light-transmitting portion having light-transmitting properties formed on the side wall.

According to this configuration, the remaining amount of liquid stored in the tank can be confirmed from the side as well as from the front through the first wall.

(6) The first storage body includes a second wall having translucency. When the first storage body is connected to the first tank, the second wall is visible from the outside of the housing through the second light-transmitting part.

(7) The second storage body includes a third wall having translucency. When the second storage body is connected to the second tank, the third wall is visible from the outside of the housing through the second light-transmitting part.

According to this configuration, the remaining amount of liquid stored in the storage body can be checked not only from the front but also from the side through the second wall and the third wall.

(8) The system according to the present invention includes a plurality of at least one of the first tank and the second tank. At least one of the plurality of first tanks or the plurality of second tanks are arranged in parallel along the width direction.

According to this configuration, it is easy to configure the tanks arranged in parallel along the width direction to be visible from the front.

(9) The system according to the present invention includes a plurality of at least one of the first storage body and the second storage body. At least one of the plurality of first storage bodies or the plurality of second storage bodies are arranged in parallel along the width direction.

According to this configuration, it is easy to configure the storage bodies arranged in parallel along the width direction to be visible from the front.

(10) The system according to the present invention includes a plurality of at least one of the first tank and the second tank. At least one of the plurality of first tanks or the plurality of second tanks are arranged in parallel along the depth direction.

According to this configuration, it is easy to configure the tanks arranged in parallel along the depth direction to be visible from the side.

(11) The system according to the present invention includes a plurality of at least one of the first storage body and the second storage body. At least one of the plurality of first storage bodies or the plurality of second storage bodies are arranged in parallel along the depth direction.

According to this configuration, it is easy to configure the storage bodies arranged in parallel along the depth direction to be visible from the side.

(12) A liquid having a first specific gravity is stored in the first tank and the first storage body. A liquid having a second specific gravity smaller than the first specific gravity is stored in the second tank and the second storage body.

According to this configuration, for example, a mechanism required only for the liquid having the first specific gravity (for example, a necessary pigment stirring mechanism when the liquid having the first specific gravity is a pigment) is only required near the first tank. You can place it in That is, the mechanism does not need to be placed near the second tank. Therefore, the second tank can be made larger.

(13) The first tank and the second tank have an atmospheric communication hole that communicates the internal spaces of the first tank and the second tank with the atmosphere, and one end of which is located below the atmospheric communication hole in the internal space. a first flow path whose other end is open to the outside through the first flow pipe or the second flow pipe; one end of which is located below one end of the first flow path in the internal space; A second flow path opened to the outside through the first flow pipe or the second flow pipe.

According to this configuration, when the liquid stored in the tank is consumed and the liquid level becomes lower than the opening at the lower end of the first flow path when the storage body is connected to the tank, air is communicated with the atmosphere. It enters the tank through the hole and enters the reservoir through the first channel. Then, liquid corresponding to the volume of the air that has entered the reservoir is supplied from the reservoir into the tank through the second flow path. When the level of the liquid in the tank reaches the opening of the first channel, the supply of liquid is stopped. Thereby, the level of the liquid stored in the tank can be maintained constant.

(14) The first tank, the second tank, the first storage body, and the second storage body each include an atmosphere communication hole that communicates the inside thereof with the atmosphere. When the first storage body is connected to the first tank, the water head difference between the liquid level of the liquid stored in the first storage body and the liquid level of the liquid stored in the first tank causes the above-mentioned Liquid flows between the first reservoir and the first tank. When the second storage body is connected to the second tank, the water head difference between the liquid level of the liquid stored in the second storage body and the liquid level of the liquid stored in the second tank causes the above-mentioned Liquid flows between the second reservoir and the second tank.

According to this configuration, the liquid stored in the storage body can be supplied to the tank without requiring a complicated configuration.

(15) The system according to the present invention includes a covering position that covers the upper ends of the first reservoir connected to the first tank and the second reservoir connected to the second tank, and the upper end is opened. It has a cover that can be moved to an open position. The first storage body and the second storage body are arranged in a closed position where the atmospheric communication hole of the first storage body and the second storage body is closed, and the atmosphere of the first storage body and the second storage body is The valve includes a valve movable to an open position that opens a communication hole, and a biasing member that biases the valve to the closed position. The valve moves to the open position against the biasing force of the biasing member by being brought into contact with the cover in the covering position.

According to this configuration, when the reservoir is not connected to the tank, the valve is biased by the biasing member to be in the closed position. Therefore, the liquid stored in the storage body can be prevented from leaking to the outside through the atmosphere communication hole of the storage body.

Moreover, according to this configuration, when the reservoir is connected to the tank and the cover is moved to the covering position, the valve is moved to the open position. This makes it possible to supply liquid from the reservoir to the tank based on the water head difference.

(16) The system according to the present invention includes a covering position that covers the upper ends of the first reservoir connected to the first tank and the second reservoir connected to the second tank, and the upper end is opened. It has a cover that can be moved to an open position.

According to this configuration, the reservoir connected to the tank can be protected by the cover.

(17) The cover in the covering position is in contact with the first storage body from above. The position where the cover in the covering position is in contact with the first storage body and the liquid flow hole of the first storage body overlap in the line of sight along the height direction.

(18) The cover in the covering position is in contact with the second storage body from above. The position where the cover in the covering position is in contact with the second storage body and the liquid flow hole of the second storage body overlap in the line of sight along the height direction.

According to the configurations (17) and (18), the position where the cover at the covering position is in contact with the storage body and the liquid flow hole overlap in the vertical line of sight. Therefore, the attitude of the reservoir connected to the tank can be stabilized.

(19) The system according to the present invention includes a first holding mechanism that holds the first storage body in a state connected to the first tank.

(20) The system according to the present invention includes a second holding mechanism that holds the second storage body in a state connected to the second tank.

According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent the reservoir from unintentionally coming off from the tank.

According to the present invention, it is possible to increase the size of the tank and to reduce the possibility that a storage body connected to the tank will accidentally come out of the tank.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multifunction device 10 in which an ink cartridge 30 is installed. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the multifunction device 10 without the ink cartridge 30 installed. FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view schematically showing the internal structure of the multifunction device 10. As shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a front view of the lower housing 13. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the lower housing 13. 6(A) is a right side view of the lower housing 13, and FIG. 6(B) is a left side view of the lower housing 13. 7(A) is a perspective view of the ink cartridge 30, and FIG. 7(B) is a perspective view of the tank 103. FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the ink cartridge 30 in the installed state. FIG. 9 is a front view of the lower housing 13 in a modified example. FIG. 10 is a plan view of the lower housing 13 in a modified example. FIG. 11(A) is a right side view of the lower housing 13 in the modified example, and FIG. 11(B) is a left side view of the lower housing 13 in the modified example. FIG. 12 is a front view of the lower housing 13 in a modified example. FIG. 13 is a plan view of the lower housing 13 in a modified example. FIG. 14(A) is a right side view of the lower housing 13 in the modified example, and FIG. 14(B) is a left side view of the lower housing 13 in the modified example. FIG. 15 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the ink cartridge 30 in the installed state in a modified example, in which (A) shows the state where the cover 18 is in the covering position, and (B) shows the state where the cover 18 is in the open position. .

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings as appropriate. It should be noted that the embodiment described below is merely an example in which the present invention is embodied, and it goes without saying that the embodiment can be modified as appropriate without changing the gist of the present invention.

[Overall configuration of multifunction device 10]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the multifunction device 10 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole.

The direction of gravity is defined as a downward direction 53, and the direction opposite to the downward direction 53 is defined as an upward direction 54, based on the posture in which the multifunctional device 10 is installed on a horizontal surface so that it can be used. Furthermore, a front direction 51 and a rear direction 52 opposite to the front direction 51 are defined, assuming that the wall in which the opening 17 of the multifunction device 10 is provided is the front wall 44 . Furthermore, a right direction 55 and a left direction 56 are defined when viewing the multifunction device 10 from the front. The upper direction 54 and the lower direction 53, the front direction 51 and the rear direction 52, and the right direction 55 and the left direction 56 are perpendicular to each other. The front direction 51 and the rear direction 52 are defined as the front-back direction (an example of the depth direction). The upward direction 54 and the downward direction 53 are defined as vertical directions (an example of the height direction). The right direction 55 and the left direction 56 are defined as left and right directions (an example of the width direction).

The multifunction device 10 includes a printer 11 and a scanner 12. A system is configured by the multifunction device 10 and an ink cartridge 30, which will be described later.

The printer 11 is an image recording device that records an image by ejecting ink droplets onto the paper 2 (an example of a sheet, see FIG. 3) based on an inkjet recording method, and is, for example, an inkjet printer. Scanner 12 is a flatbed scanner.

The printer 11 is located in a lower housing 13 (an example of a housing) of the multifunction device 10. The scanner 12 is located above the printer 11 in the lower housing 13. Note that the scanner 12 may be provided in the upper housing 14 of the multifunction device 10.

The upper housing 14 is located above the lower housing 13. The upper housing 14 is connected to the lower housing 13 at the rear end of the multifunction device 10. The upper housing 14 is rotatable in the direction of an arrow 104 about a shaft 106 located at a connecting portion with the lower housing 13 . Thereby, the upper housing 14 can be rotated between a covering position shown by a broken line in FIG. 1 and an open position shown by a solid line in FIG. The upper housing 14 in the covering position covers the upper end of the lower housing 13. The upper housing 14 in the open position opens the upper end of the lower housing 13.

As shown in FIG. 3, the multifunction device 10 includes a recording head 21 (an example of a liquid ejection head), a mounting section 110, and an ink tube 20. At least one tank 103 capable of storing ink is arranged in the mounting portion 110. The ink cartridge 30 is attached to the attachment portion 110 . The ink cartridge 30 stores ink (an example of liquid) to be supplied to the recording head 21 . The ink cartridge 30 mounted on the mounting section 110 is connected to the tank 103. The ink tube 20 connects the recording head 21 and at least one tank 103. An opening 112 is formed at the upper end of the mounting portion 110.

The ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the mounting portion 110 from above to below through the opening 112 and is mounted. The ink cartridge 30 is pulled out from the mounting portion 110 from the bottom to the top through the opening 112. 1, 3, and 8 show the ink cartridge 30 in a mounted state in which the mounting of the ink cartridge 30 into the mounting portion 110 is completed. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the ink cartridge 30 is not attached to the attachment section 110.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the installed state, the ink cartridge 30 and the recording head 21 are connected via the tank 103 and the ink tube 20. The recording head 21 is arranged inside the lower housing 13. The recording head 21 includes a sub tank 28. The sub tank 28 temporarily stores ink supplied through the ink tube 20. The recording head 21 discharges ink supplied from the sub-tank 28 from the nozzle 29 using an inkjet recording method. Specifically, a drive voltage is selectively applied from a head control board (not shown) provided in the recording head 21 to the piezo elements 29A provided corresponding to each nozzle 29. As a result, ink is ejected from the nozzle 29. The recording head 21 is mounted on a carriage 34. The carriage 34 is supported by a frame (not shown) of the lower housing 13 so as to be movable in the left-right direction.

The multifunction device 10 includes a feed tray 15 , a feed roller 23 , a pair of transport rollers 25 , a platen 26 , a pair of ejection rollers 27 , and an ejection tray 16 . The paper 2 fed from the feed tray 15 to the conveyance path 24 by the feed roller 23 is conveyed in a conveyance direction 19 by a pair of conveyance rollers 25 . The conveyance direction 19 is indicated by a dashed-dotted arrow in FIG. When the paper 2 is transported to the platen 26 by the transport roller pair 25, the carriage 34 moves in the left-right direction. At this time, the recording head 21 discharges ink onto the paper passing over the platen 26. As a result, an image is recorded on the paper 2. The paper 2 that has passed through the platen 26 is supported by a pair of ejection rollers 27 on the ejection tray 16 provided at the most downstream side of the conveyance path 24 . The paper 2 supported on the ejection tray 16 is ejected through the opening 17.

As shown in FIG. 5, the conveyance path 24 extends in the front-rear direction from the conveyance roller pair 25 through between the recording head 21 and the platen 26 to the discharge roller pair 27. The conveyance path 24 is formed approximately in the center of the lower housing 13 in the left-right direction. The carriage 34 is movable to the area where the transport path 24 is formed (the area between the two dashed lines in FIG. 5), the area to the right of the transport path 24, and the area to the left of the transport path 24. .

[Attachment part 110]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mounting section 110 includes a mounting section 110A disposed at the right end of the lower housing 13 and a mounting section 110B disposed at the left end of the lower housing 13. As shown in FIG. 5, the mounting portion 110A is located to the right of the conveyance path 24. The mounting portion 110B is located to the left of the conveyance path 24. The mounting section 110A and the mounting section 110B have substantially the same configuration. Therefore, in the following, the configuration of the mounting section 110A will be explained, and the configuration of the mounting section 110B will be omitted in principle and will be explained as necessary.

As shown in FIG. 3, the mounting section 110A includes a holder 101, a tank 103, an optical sensor 113, a connector 130, and a stopper 131. Note that the mounting portion 110A does not need to include the optical sensor 113.

[Holder 101]
As shown in FIG. 3, the holder 101 constitutes a housing of the mounting section 110A. The holder 101 includes a back wall 81 and a bottom wall 82. The back wall 81 is located behind the front wall 44 of the lower housing 13 and faces the front wall 44 in the front-rear direction. The bottom wall 82 extends forward from the lower end of the back wall 81. An internal space 108 of the holder 101 is formed by the back wall 81, the bottom wall 82, the front wall 44 of the lower housing 13, and the right side wall 45 (an example of a side wall) of the lower housing 13. The right side wall 45 extends rearward from the right end of the front wall 44 and constitutes the right end of the lower housing 13.

In the case of the mounting portion 110B, the internal space 108 of the holder 101 is formed by the back wall 81, the bottom wall 82, the front wall 44 of the lower housing 13, and the left side wall 46 (an example of a side wall) of the lower housing 13. ing. The left side wall 46 extends rearward from the left end of the front wall 44 and constitutes the left end of the lower housing 13.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, openings 47 (an example of a first light-transmitting portion) are formed at the right and left ends of the front wall 44. As shown in FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6A, an opening 48 (an example of a second light-transmitting portion) is formed at the front end of the right side wall 45. As shown in FIG. 6(B), an opening 49 (an example of a second light-transmitting portion) is formed at the front end of the left side wall 46.

As shown in FIG. 3, the upper end of the holder 101 that faces the bottom wall 82 in the vertical direction is an opening 112 that communicates the internal space 108 of the holder 101 with the outside of the holder 101.

A cover 18 is provided near the opening 112 of the holder 101 . The cover 18 is rotatably supported by the upper end of the back wall 81. The cover 18 is rotatable in the direction of an arrow 105 about a shaft 107 located at a connecting portion with the back wall 81 when the upper housing 14 is in the open position. As a result, the cover 18 can be placed in a covering position, which is shown by broken lines in FIGS. 1 to 3, and which closes the opening 112, and an open position, which is shown in solid lines in FIGS. 1 to 3, and which exposes the opening 112 to the outside. It is rotatable.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, when the ink cartridge 30 is connected to the tank 103, the cover 18 in the covering position covers the upper end of the ink cartridge 30, and the cover 18 in the open position covers the top of the ink cartridge 30. The upper end of 30 is open.

The internal space 108 of the holder 101 is partitioned into three rooms arranged in the left-right direction by partition walls (not shown). Tank 103, optical sensor 113, and connector 130 may be arranged in respective rooms of partitioned internal space 108. Note that the internal space 108 does not need to include a partition wall. In this case, all the tanks 103, optical sensors 113, and connectors 130 to be arranged are arranged in the internal space 108, which is one room.

In this embodiment, one ink cartridge 30 is attached to the attachment portion 110B. Therefore, the internal space 108 of the holder 101 of the mounting portion 110B is not partitioned into a plurality of rooms (it is composed of one room).

In this embodiment, the tank 103 and the optical sensor 113 are arranged in each of the three chambers of the mounting section 110A, and the connector 130 is not arranged. On the other hand, a tank 103, an optical sensor 113, and a connector 130 are arranged in one room of the mounting section 110B.

Note that the number of rooms in the internal space 108 of the holder 101 of the mounting parts 110A and 110B, and the number of tanks 103, optical sensors 113, and connectors 130 disposed in each of the rooms are not limited to the above numbers.

[Tank 103]
As shown in FIG. 3, a tank 103 is located at the bottom of the internal space 108 of the holder 101. Tank 103 is supported by bottom wall 82.

As described above, the internal space 108 of the holder 101 of the mounting section 110A is partitioned into three rooms lined up in the left-right direction. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, three tanks 103 are arranged in parallel in the left-right direction in the internal space 108 of the holder 101 of the mounting section 110A. Note that when a plurality of tanks 103 are arranged in the mounting portion 110B, the plurality of tanks 103 may also be arranged in parallel along the left-right direction.

As shown in FIG. 7(B), the tank 103 has a casing 117 having a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape.

The housing 117 includes a front wall 91 , a rear wall 92 , an upper wall 93 , a lower wall 94 , a right side wall 95 , and a left side wall 96 . The front wall 91, the right side wall 95, and the left side wall 96 are examples of first walls. The front wall 91 and the rear wall 92 are separated from each other in the front-rear direction. The upper wall 93 is located between the front wall 91 and the rear wall 92 and extends from the upper end of the front wall 91 to the upper end of the rear wall 92. The lower wall 94 is located between the front wall 91 and the rear wall 92 and extends from the lower end of the front wall 91 to the lower end of the rear wall 92. An upper wall 93 and a lower wall 94 connect the front wall 91 and the rear wall 92. The right side wall 95 is located between the front wall 91 and the rear wall 92 and extends from the right end of the front wall 91 to the right end of the rear wall 92. The left side wall 96 is located between the front wall 91 and the rear wall 92 and extends from the left end of the front wall 91 to the left end of the rear wall 92. A right side wall 95 and a left side wall 96 connect the front wall 91 and the rear wall 92. The upper wall 93 and the lower wall 94 are separated from each other in the vertical direction. The right side wall 95 and the left side wall 96 are separated from each other in the left-right direction. The peripheries of the right side wall 95 and the left side wall 96 are continuous with the front wall 91 , the rear wall 92 , the upper wall 93 , and the lower wall 94 .

As shown in FIG. 8, the housing 117 has an internal space 119. The internal space 119 is a space configured by a front wall 91, a rear wall 92, an upper wall 93, a lower wall 94, a right side wall 95, and a left side wall 96. Ink can be stored in the internal space 119.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, three chambers in the internal space 108 of the holder 101 of the mounting section 110A are arranged in order from the left chamber to a tank 103 (hereinafter referred to as a tank) in which cyan ink is stored. 103C), a tank 103 storing magenta ink (hereinafter referred to as tank 103M), and a tank 103 storing yellow ink (hereinafter referred to as tank 103Y). There is. A tank 103 (hereinafter referred to as tank 103B) in which black ink is stored is arranged in one room of the internal space 108 of the holder 101 of the mounting portion 110B. Hereinafter, the tanks 103C, 103M, 103Y, and 103B will be collectively referred to as tanks 103. Further, in this embodiment, dye ink is stored in all the tanks 103. Tank 103B is an example of a first tank. Tanks 103C, 103M, and 103Y are examples of second tanks.

Note that the color of ink stored in each tank 103 is not limited to the above-mentioned colors. Furthermore, the material of the ink stored in each tank 103 is not limited to dye. For example, ink stored in tanks 103 disposed in one chamber of the internal space 108 of the holder 101 of the mounting section 110B is stored in tanks 103 disposed in three chambers of the internal space 108 of the holder 101 of the mounting section 110A. Ink having a higher specific gravity (second specific gravity) than the specific gravity (first specific gravity) may be stored. Examples of the ink having the second specific gravity include white ink and pigment ink. Examples of the first specific gravity ink include cyan, magenta, and yellow inks, and dye inks.

It goes without saying that the color and material of the ink stored in the tank 103 disposed in each room are not limited to the above example, and can be set as appropriate.

The housing 117 has translucency that allows the ink stored in the internal space 119 to be viewed from the outside.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the front wall 91 of the housing 117 faces the opening 47 formed in the front wall 44 of the lower housing 13 in the front-rear direction. Thereby, when the lower housing 13 is viewed from the front, the front wall 91 is visible through the opening 47. The front wall 91 has translucency. Therefore, when the lower housing 13 is viewed from the front, the ink stored in the internal space 119 is visible through the opening 47 and the front wall 91. In this embodiment, the ink stored in the tanks 103C, 103M, and 103Y is visible through the opening 47 formed at the right end of the front wall 44 and the front wall 91, and the ink stored in the tank 103B is visible through the front wall 91. It is visible through the opening 47 formed at the left end of the wall 44 and the front wall 91.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6A, the right side wall 95 of the housing 117 faces the opening 48 formed in the right side wall 45 of the lower housing 13 in the left-right direction. Thereby, when the lower housing 13 is viewed from the right side, the right side wall 95 is visible through the opening 48. Further, the right side wall 95 has translucency. Therefore, when the lower housing 13 is viewed from the right, the ink stored in the internal space 119 is visible through the opening 48 and the right side wall 95. In this embodiment, the ink stored in the tank 103Y is visible through the opening 48 and the right side wall 95.

As shown in FIG. 6(B), the left side wall 96 of the housing 117 faces the opening 49 formed in the left side wall 46 of the lower housing 13 in the left-right direction. Thereby, when the lower housing 13 is viewed from the left, the left side wall 96 is visible through the opening 49. Further, the left side wall 96 has translucency. Therefore, when the lower housing 13 is viewed from the left, the ink stored in the internal space 119 is visible through the opening 49 and the left side wall 96. In this embodiment, the ink stored in the tank 103B is visible through the opening 49 and the left side wall 96.

In addition, in the case 31 of the tank 103 (tanks 103C, 103M, 103Y in this embodiment) mounted on the mounting portion 110A, at least the front wall 91 facing forward and the right wall 95 facing right are transparent. It suffices if it has gender. Further, in the case 31 of the tank 103 (tank 103B in this embodiment) mounted on the mounting portion 110B, at least the front wall 91 facing forward and the left wall 96 facing left have translucency. All you have to do is stay there.

Furthermore, all of the tanks 103B, 103C, 103M, and 103Y do not need to have walls that are translucent, but at least one of the tanks 103B, 103C, 103M, and 103Y is equipped with a wall that is translucent. It is preferable that the tanks 103B, 103C, 103M, and 103Y all have a light-transmitting wall.

As shown in FIG. 7(B), an atmospheric communication hole 124 is formed in the upper wall 93 of the casing 117 of the tank 103, passing through the upper wall 93. Thereby, the internal space 119 communicates with the atmosphere. Further, the internal space 119 communicates with the ink tube 20. As a result, the ink stored in the internal space 119 is supplied to the recording head 21 through the ink tube 20.

As shown in FIG. 8, the tank 103 includes a flow pipe 120. The flow pipe 120 included in the tank 103B is an example of a first flow pipe. The flow pipes 120 provided in the tanks 103C, 103M, and 103Y are examples of second flow pipes.

The flow pipe 120 extends in the vertical direction and penetrates the upper wall 93. Flow tube 120 extends upward from top wall 93 .

The flow pipe 120 includes an outer peripheral wall 122 and a partition wall 123. The partition wall 123 extends above the outer peripheral wall 122. The partition wall 123 divides the internal space of the outer peripheral wall 122 into two spaces. One of the two spaces is the first flow path 125. The other of the two spaces is the second flow path 126.

The first flow path 125 is a space surrounded by the rear part of the outer peripheral wall 122 and the partition wall 123. An opening 125A is formed at one end of the first flow path 125, and an opening 125B is formed at the other end of the first flow path 125.

The second flow path 126 is a space surrounded by the front part of the outer peripheral wall 122 and the partition wall 123. An opening 126A is formed at one end of the second flow path 126, and an opening 126B is formed at the other end of the second flow path 126.

Openings 125A, 126A are in interior space 119. The openings 125A and 126A are located below the atmosphere communication hole 124. The opening 126A is located below the opening 125A.

Openings 125B, 126B are on the outside of tank 103. The opening 125B allows the internal space 119 to communicate with the outside of the tank 103 via the first flow path 125. The opening 126B allows the internal space 119 to communicate with the outside of the tank 103 via the second flow path 126.

[Optical sensor 113]
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 8, an optical sensor 113 is arranged on the back wall 81 of the holder 101. The optical sensor 113 includes a light emitting section and a light receiving section. The light emitting section and the light receiving section are arranged to face each other with an interval in the left and right direction.

The optical sensor 113 outputs different detection signals to the controller 1 (see FIG. 3) depending on whether the light emitted from the light emitting section in the left-right direction is received by the light receiving section. Optical sensor 113 and controller 1 are connected by cable 4. For example, the optical sensor 113 outputs a low level signal to the controller 1 on the condition that the light emitted from the light emitting part cannot be received by the light receiving part (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 controller 1 on the condition that the light output from the light emitting section can be received by the light receiving section (that is, the received light intensity is equal to or higher than a predetermined intensity).

The controller 1 controls the operation of the multifunction device 10, and includes, for example, a CPU, ROM, and RAM. A CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. are mounted on the control board 3. As shown in FIG. 1, the control board 3 is disposed inside the lower housing 13 on the right rear side. As shown in FIG. 5, the cable 4 connecting the optical sensor 113 of the mounting section 110B and the control board 3 is connected above the conveyance path 24 from the mounting section 110B to the mounting section 110A, and is connected to the recording head 21. The cables 4 are routed to the right through the space in front of the mounting section 110A, and are routed rearward toward the control board 3 along with the cables 4 extending from the optical sensors 113 arranged corresponding to the tanks 103C, 103M, and 103Y of the mounting section 110A. There is. A cable 4 connecting the optical sensor 113 of the mounting section 110A and the control board 3 is routed rearward from the mounting section 110A toward the control board 3. Note that the control board 3 may be arranged at a position other than the right rear inside the lower housing 13. The wiring of the cable 4 is determined as appropriate depending on the arrangement position of the control board 3.

[Connector 130]
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 8, a connector 130 is arranged on the back wall 81 of the holder 101. As shown in FIGS. Connector 130 includes four contacts 132. The four contacts 132 are arranged in parallel at intervals in the left-right direction. Each contact 132 corresponds to each electrode 65 of the circuit board 64 of the ink cartridge 30. Note that the number of contacts 132 is not limited to four.

The contact 132 is made of a conductive and elastic member. Contact point 132 projects further forward than connector 130. The contact 132 is connected to a substrate (not shown). Thereby, the contact 132 is electrically connected to the electric circuit also mounted on the board. The electric circuit is electrically connected to the controller 1 (see FIG. 3) by a cable 5. Cable 5 is wired similarly to cable 4 (see FIG. 3).

In this embodiment, the connector 130 is provided only for the tank 103B among the tanks 103B, 103C, 103M, and 103Y. That is, the connector 130 is provided corresponding to one chamber of the mounting section 110B, and is not provided in the mounting section 110A. However, the connector 130 may be provided corresponding to at least one of the tanks 103C, 103M, and 103Y. That is, the connector 130 may be provided in at least one of the three rooms of the mounting section 110A.

[Stopper 131]
As shown in FIG. 3, the stopper 131 protrudes rearward from the upper end of the front wall 44 of the housing. The stopper 131 is for holding the ink cartridge 30 in the mounted state in the mounting portion 110. The stopper 131 is supported by the front wall 44 so as to be movable in the left-right direction. The stopper 131 is slidable in the left-right direction between a holding position where the ink cartridge 30 is held in the installed state in the mounting portion 110 (a state where the ink cartridge 30 is connected to the tank 103) and a release position where the holding is released. be. The stopper 131 provided in the mounting section 110B (the stopper 131 protruding into the internal space 108 of the holder 101 of the mounting section 110A) is an example of a first holding mechanism. The stopper 131 provided in the mounting section 110A (the stopper 131 protruding into the internal space 108 of the holder 101 of the mounting section 110B) is an example of a second holding mechanism.

Note that when the through hole 152 of the ink cartridge 30, which will be described later, is configured to be openable and closable by a valve biased by a spring, the ink cartridge 30 connected to the tank 103 is connected to the tank 103 by the reaction force of the spring. The ink cartridge 30 can be held in a state connected to the tank 103 by restricting movement in the direction in which the ink cartridge 30 is released by the stopper 131 . As in this embodiment, when the ink cartridge 30 connected to the tank 103 does not move in the direction where the connection with the tank 103 is released due to the reaction force of the spring, the mounting unit 110 closes the stopper 131. You don't have to be prepared.

[Ink cartridge 30]
The ink cartridge 30 shown in FIG. 7(A) is a container in which ink is stored. Three ink cartridges 30 are housed in each of the three divided internal spaces 108 (see FIG. 3) of the holder 101 of the mounting section 110A. Further, one ink cartridge 30 is accommodated in the internal space 108 (see FIG. 3) of the holder 101 of the mounting portion 110B.

As described above, the internal space 108 of the holder 101 of the mounting section 110A is partitioned into three rooms lined up in the left-right direction. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the three ink cartridges 30 mounted in the internal space 108 of the holder 101 of the mounting section 110A are arranged in parallel along the left-right direction. Note that when a plurality of ink cartridges 30 are arranged in the mounting portion 110B, the plurality of ink cartridges 30 may also be arranged in parallel along the left-right direction.

The color of the ink stored in the ink cartridges 30 arranged in each room of the internal space 108 is the same color as the color of the ink stored in the tank 103 arranged in each room. That is, in this embodiment, the three chambers of the internal space 108 of the holder 101 of the mounting portion 110A are filled with ink cartridges 30 (hereinafter referred to as ink cartridges 30C) in which cyan ink is stored in order from the left chamber. ), an ink cartridge 30 storing magenta ink (hereinafter referred to as ink cartridge 30M), and an ink cartridge 30 storing yellow ink (hereinafter referred to as ink cartridge 30Y) are installed. . An ink cartridge 30 (hereinafter referred to as an ink cartridge 30B) storing black ink is installed in one chamber of the internal space 108 of the holder 101 of the installation section 110B. That is, the ink cartridge 30C is connected to the tank 103C, the ink cartridge 30M is connected to the tank 103M, the ink cartridge 30Y is connected to the tank 103Y, and the ink cartridge 30B is connected to the tank 103B. Hereinafter, the ink cartridges 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30B will be collectively referred to as ink cartridges 30. The ink cartridge 30B is an example of a first reservoir. The ink cartridges 30C, 30M, and 30Y are examples of second storage bodies.

Note that the number of ink cartridges 30 disposed in the internal space 108, the color and material of the ink stored in the ink cartridges 30 disposed in each room may vary depending on the configuration of the mounting section 110 (the inside of the holder 101 of the mounting section 110). It is determined according to the number of rooms in the space 108, the color and material of the ink stored in each tank 103).

Ink cartridges 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30B have generally the same configuration except that ink cartridge 30B is larger than ink cartridges 30C, 30M, and 30Y. Therefore, in the following, the configuration of the ink cartridge 30B will be explained, and the configurations of the ink cartridges 30C, 30M, and 30Y will be omitted in principle and will be explained as necessary. Note that although the configuration of the ink cartridge 30B will be described below, the ink cartridge 30B will be referred to as an ink cartridge 30 for convenience.

As shown in FIGS. 7A and 8, the ink cartridge 30 includes a housing 31, a protrusion 67, a circuit board 64, and a protrusion 70. In the following description of the configuration of the ink cartridge 30, unless otherwise specified, it is assumed that the ink cartridge 30 is in the upright position (the position connected to the tank 103, and the position shown in FIG. 8), in the front-back direction, up and down. The direction and left/right directions are defined.

As shown in FIG. 7(A), the housing 31 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape. The housing 31 as a whole has a flat shape in which the dimension along the left-right direction is smaller than the dimension along the front-back direction, and the dimensions along the up-down direction and the front-back direction are larger than the dimensions along the left-right direction. .

The housing 31 includes a front wall 40, a rear wall 41, an upper wall 39, a lower wall 42, a right side wall 37, and a left side wall 38. The front wall 40 and the rear wall 41 are separated from each other in the front-rear direction. The upper wall 39 is located between the front wall 40 and the rear wall 41 and extends from the upper end of the front wall 40 to the upper end of the rear wall 41. The lower wall 42 is located between the front wall 40 and the rear wall 41 and extends from the lower end of the front wall 40 to the lower end of the rear wall 41. The upper wall 39 and the lower wall 42 connect the front wall 40 and the rear wall 41. The right side wall 37 is located between the front wall 40 and the rear wall 41 and extends from the right end of the front wall 40 to the right end of the rear wall 41. The left side wall 38 is located between the front wall 40 and the rear wall 41 and extends from the left end of the front wall 40 to the left end of the rear wall 41. The right side wall 37 and the left side wall 38 connect the front wall 40 and the rear wall 41. The upper wall 39 and the lower wall 42 are separated from each other in the vertical direction. The right side wall 37 and the left side wall 38 are separated from each other in the left-right direction. The peripheral edges of the right side wall 37 and the left side wall 38 are continuous with the front wall 40, the rear wall 41, the upper wall 39, and the lower wall 42.

As shown in FIG. 8, the housing 31 has an internal space 151. The internal space 151 is a space configured by the front wall 40, the rear wall 41, the upper wall 39, the lower wall 42, the right side wall 37, and the left side wall 38. Ink can be stored in the internal space 151.

As shown in FIG. 3, with the cover 18 in the open position, the housing 31 is inserted downward into the holder 101 through the opening 112 and attached, and is pulled out upward.

The housing 31 has translucency that allows the ink stored in the internal space 151 to be viewed from the outside.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, in the attached state, the front wall 40 of the housing 31 faces the opening 47 formed in the front wall 44 of the lower housing 13 in the front-rear direction. Thereby, when the lower housing 13 is viewed from the front, the front wall 40 is visible through the opening 47. Furthermore, since the front wall 40 has translucency, the ink stored in the internal space 151 is visible through the opening 47 and the front wall 40 when the lower housing 13 is viewed from the front. In this embodiment, the ink stored in the ink cartridges 30C, 30M, and 30Y is visible through the opening 47 formed at the right end of the front wall 44 and the front wall 40, and the ink stored in the ink cartridge 30B is visible. , is visible through the opening 47 formed at the left end of the front wall 44 and the front wall 40 . The front wall 40 of the ink cartridge 30B is an example of a second wall. The front wall 40 of the ink cartridges 30C, 30M, and 30Y is an example of a third wall.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6A, in the attached state, the right side wall 37 of the housing 31 faces the opening 48 formed in the right side wall 45 of the lower housing 13 in the left-right direction. Thereby, when the lower housing 13 is viewed from the right side, the right side wall 37 is visible through the opening 48. Furthermore, since the right side wall 37 has translucency, the ink stored in the internal space 151 is visible through the opening 48 and the right side wall 37 when the lower housing 13 is viewed from the right. In this embodiment, the ink stored in the ink cartridge 30Y is visible through the opening 48 and the right side wall 95. The right side wall 37 of the ink cartridge 30Y is an example of a third wall.

As shown in FIG. 6(B), in the attached state, the left side wall 38 of the housing 31 faces the opening 49 formed in the left side wall 46 of the lower housing 13 in the left-right direction. Thereby, when the lower housing 13 is viewed from the left, the left side wall 38 is visible through the opening 49. Furthermore, since the left side wall 38 has translucency, the ink stored in the internal space 151 is visible through the opening 49 and the left side wall 38 when the lower housing 13 is viewed from the left. In this embodiment, the ink stored in the ink cartridge 30B is visible through the opening 49 and the left side wall 96. The left side wall 38 of the ink cartridge 30B is an example of a third wall.

In addition, in the housing 31 of the ink cartridge 30 (ink cartridges 30C, 30M, and 30Y in this embodiment) installed in the installation part 110A, at least the front wall 40 facing forward and the right side wall 37 facing right are as follows. It suffices if it has translucency. Furthermore, in the housing 31 of the ink cartridge 30 (ink cartridge 30B in this embodiment) installed in the installation section 110B, at least the front wall 40 facing forward and the left side wall 38 facing left have translucency. It is enough if you have it.

In addition, all of the ink cartridges 30B, 30C, 30M, and 30Y do not have to have a light-transmitting wall, but at least one of the ink cartridges 30B, 30C, 30M, and 30Y has a light-transmitting wall. It is preferable that the ink cartridges 30B, 30C, 30M, and 30Y all have a light-transmitting wall.

As shown in FIG. 7(A), a through hole 152 (an example of a liquid circulation hole) is formed in the lower wall 42 of the housing 31. Internal space 151 communicates with the outside through through hole 152 . The ink stored in the internal space 151 can flow to the outside through the through hole 152. However, in this embodiment, the through hole 152 is closed by a seal 153 affixed to the outer surface of the lower wall 42. Therefore, the flow of the ink stored in the internal space 151 to the outside is restricted.

Note that the means for closing the through hole 152 is not limited to the seal 153. For example, a so-called duckbill type valve may be attached to the through hole 152, or the through hole 152 may be closed by a valve having the same structure as the valve 35 shown in FIG. 15, which will be described later.

[Protrusion 67]
As shown in FIGS. 7A and 8, the rear wall 41 of the housing 31 has a projection 67 that projects rearward. The protrusion 67 extends in the vertical direction.

The right or left surface of the protrusion 67 is a surface on which the light emitted by the optical sensor 113 of the mounting portion 110 hits. In this embodiment, the protrusion 67 is, for example, a resin plate containing a color material (black pigment) that can block or attenuate light. As another form, a material such as aluminum foil that cannot transmit light may be attached to at least the light-blocking surface of the protrusion 67.

[Circuit board 64]
As shown in FIGS. 7A and 8, a circuit board 64 is attached to the rear wall 41 of the housing 31. The circuit board 64 is below the protrusion 67. Note that the position of the circuit board 64 is not limited to the position below the protrusion 67. The circuit board 64 includes a substrate 63, a memory (not shown), and an electrode 65.

In this embodiment, the circuit board 64 is provided only in the ink cartridge 30B among the ink cartridges 30B, 30C, 30M, and 30Y. That is, the circuit board 64 is not provided in the ink cartridges 30C, 30M, and 30Y. However, the circuit board 64 may be provided in at least one of the ink cartridges 30C, 30M, and 30Y.

The circuit board 64 includes a board 63 which is a rigid board made of glass epoxy or the like, on which a memory is mounted and four electrodes 65 are formed. Note that the number of electrodes 65 is determined according to the number of contacts 132 of mounting portion 110, and is not limited to four.

The memory is mounted on the back surface of the substrate 63 (the surface facing the rear wall 41). In this embodiment, when the substrate 63 is attached to the rear wall 41, a recess (not shown) capable of accommodating the memory is formed at a position corresponding to the memory on the rear wall 41. Note that the mounting position of the memory is not limited to the back surface of the board 63.

Information regarding the ink cartridge 30 is stored in the memory so that it can be read by the controller 1 (see FIG. 3) of the multifunction device 10. The information regarding the ink cartridge 30 is, for example, data indicating information such as a lot number, date of manufacture, and ink color. In addition, information regarding the amount of ink stored in the ink cartridge 30, such as the amount of ink consumed, may be stored. The memory is, for example, a semiconductor memory such as a nonvolatile memory such as FRAM (registered trademark) or a volatile memory such as SRAM.

Each of the four electrodes 65 corresponds to each of the four contacts 132 of the mounting section 110. As shown in FIG. 7(A), the four electrodes 65 are exposed so that they can be electrically connected. Each electrode 65 extends along the vertical direction. Each electrode 65 is spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. Each electrode 65 is electrically connected to the memory.

[Protrusion 70]
As shown in FIG. 8, the projection 70 projects forward from the front wall 40 of the housing 31. As shown in FIG. In the mounted state, when the stopper 131 of the mounting portion 110 is in the holding position, the protrusion 70 is located directly below the stopper 131. At this time, the stopper 131 prevents the ink cartridge 30 from being removed from the mounting portion 110. In the mounted state, when the stopper 131 of the mounting portion 110 is in the release position, the protrusion 70 is located at a different position from the stopper 131 in the left-right direction. At this time, the ink cartridge 30 can be pulled out from the mounting portion 110 without being restricted by the stopper 131. The protrusion 70 included in the ink cartridge 30B is an example of a first holding mechanism. The protrusion 70 provided in the ink cartridges 30C, 30M, and 30Y is an example of a second holding mechanism.

Note that the ink cartridge 30 may be moved or rotated in the left-right direction instead of the stopper 131 sliding. By moving or rotating the ink cartridge 30, the projection 70 and the stopper 131 are shifted from the vertically overlapping position, so that the ink cartridge 30 can be removed from the mounting portion 110 without being restricted by the stopper 131. may be taken as

Furthermore, the ink cartridge 30 does not need to include the protrusion 70. In this case, for example, the stopper 131 in the holding position may come into contact with the upper wall 39 of the ink cartridge 30, thereby preventing the ink cartridge 30 from being removed from the mounting portion 110.

[Operation of installing the ink cartridge 30 into the mounting section 110]
The operation of mounting the ink cartridge 30 into the holder 101 of the mounting section 110 will be described below.

As shown in FIG. 7A, in the ink cartridge 30 that is not installed in the installation section 110, the through hole 152 is sealed with a seal 153, so that the ink stored in the internal space 151 flows out. is prevented from doing so.

Further, in the mounting section 110 where the ink cartridge 30 is not mounted, there is no other member between the light emitting section and the light receiving section of the optical sensor 113. This allows light to travel from the light emitting section to the light receiving section. At this time, the optical sensor 113 outputs a high-level detection signal to the controller 1 (see FIG. 3). When the controller 1 receives a high-level detection signal from the optical sensor 113, it determines that the ink cartridge 30 is not installed in the installation section 110.

Further, in the mounting portion 110 where the ink cartridge 30 is not mounted, the stopper 131 is at the release position.

First, the upper housing 14 (see FIG. 1) is rotated from the covered position to the open position. As a result, the upper end of the lower housing 13 is opened and the cover 18 is exposed. Next, the cover 18 is rotated from the covering position to the open position. This exposes the opening 112.

The ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the internal space 108 of the holder 101 from above the holder 101 through the opening 112. Note that in this embodiment, the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the holder 101 facing downward, but the ink cartridge 30 is not limited to this, but the ink cartridge 30 is inserted facing downward (diagonal downward direction). It may be inserted into the holder 101.

As shown in FIG. 8, when the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the holder 101, the flow pipe 120 pierces the seal 153 from below the ink cartridge 30, passes through the through hole 152, and passes through the internal space of the ink cartridge 30. Enter 151. That is, the flow pipe 120 is connected to the through hole 152. This allows the ink stored in the internal space 151 to flow into the internal space 119 of the tank 103 via the flow pipe 120.

Note that a ring member (not shown) made of an elastic material such as rubber is attached to the periphery of the through hole 152. The ring member is in fluid-tight contact with the outer peripheral surface of the flow pipe 120 passing through the through hole 152.

Further, when the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the holder 101, the protrusion 67 is located between the light emitting part and the light receiving part of the optical sensor 113. Thereby, the protrusion 67 blocks light from proceeding from the light emitting section to the light receiving section. At this time, the optical sensor 113 outputs a low-level detection signal to the controller 1 (see FIG. 3). When the controller 1 receives a low-level detection signal from the optical sensor 113, it determines that the ink cartridge 30 is installed in the installation section 110.

Further, when the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the holder 101, each electrode 65 of the circuit board 64 contacts the corresponding contact point 132 from the front. When each electrode 65 contacts and conducts with the corresponding contact 132, voltage Vc is applied to the electrode 65, the electrode 65 is grounded, or power is supplied to the electrode 65. Further, due to the conduction between the contact 132 and the electrode 65, the memory mounted on the circuit board 64 is connected to the controller 1 (see FIG. 3). This allows the controller 1 to access the memory. As a result, the data stored in the memory is input to the controller 1.

Further, after the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the holder 101, the stopper 131 is moved from the release position to the holding position. As a result, the ink cartridge 30 is maintained in the mounted state in the mounting section 110. Thereafter, the cover 18 is rotated from the open position to the covered position, and the upper housing 14 is rotated from the open position to the covered position.

When the ink cartridge 30 is extracted from the holder 101, the upper housing 14 is rotated from the covered position to the open position, and the cover 18 is rotated from the covered position to the open position. Thereafter, the stopper 131 is moved from the holding position to the release position. Thereby, the ink cartridge 30 can be pulled out from the mounting portion 110 without being restricted by the stopper 131. Next, the user grasps the ink cartridge 30 and pulls the ink cartridge 30 upward. As a result, the flow tube 120 is removed from the through hole 152, and the ink cartridge 30 is removed from the holder 101.

The supply of ink from the ink cartridge 30 to the tank 103 in the installed state shown in FIG. 8 will be described below. In this embodiment, ink is supplied from the ink cartridge 30 to the tank 103 using a so-called chicken feed method, as will be described in detail below.

When the ink cartridge 30 is connected to the tank 103 and the openings 125B and 126B of the flow pipe 120 are located in the internal space 151 of the ink cartridge 30, the internal space 151 and the internal space 119 of the tank 103 form a first flow path. 125 and a second flow path 126. As a result, as shown by the dashed line arrow in FIG. It circulates to the space 119. Further, when the ink flows, air enters the internal space 119 from the atmosphere communication hole 124 and flows into the internal space 151 from the first flow path 125 via the opening 125B, as shown by the broken line arrow in FIG. Here, the volume of ink flowing from the ink cartridge 30 to the tank 103 and the volume of air flowing from the tank 103 to the ink cartridge 30 are approximately the same. In this way, so-called gas-liquid replacement is performed.

As the ink flows into the internal space 119, the liquid level of the ink in the internal space 119 rises and reaches the opening 125A of the first flow path 125, and the air between the first flow path 125 and the internal space 151 increases. Distribution is cut off. As a result, the flow of air from the internal space 119 to the internal space 151 is stopped. Therefore, the flow of ink from the internal space 151 to the internal space 119 is stopped.

[Operations and effects of this embodiment]
According to this embodiment, the tank 103B and the tanks 103C, 103M, and 103Y are arranged separately on the left and right sides of the transport path 24. Thereby, the size of each tank 103 can be increased compared to a configuration in which all the tanks 103 are arranged only on one side of the transport path 24 in the left-right direction.

According to this embodiment, the ink cartridge 30 is connected to the tank 103 from above. Therefore, the possibility that the ink cartridge 30 will be accidentally removed from the tank 103 can be lowered than in the embodiment in which the ink cartridge 30 is connected to the tank 103 along the horizontal direction.

According to this embodiment, the ink cartridge 30 is connected to the tank 103 from above. Therefore, the ink cartridge 30 is located above the tank 103. This makes it easy to use up the ink stored in the ink cartridge 30.

Normally, a user stands in front of the lower housing 13 and takes out the ejected paper 2. According to this embodiment, the remaining amount of ink stored in the tank 103 can be confirmed from the front of the lower housing 13 through the front wall 91.

Normally, a user stands in front of the lower housing 13 and takes out the ejected paper 2. According to the above embodiment, the remaining amount of ink stored in the ink cartridge 30 can be confirmed from the front of the lower housing 13 through the front wall 40.

According to this embodiment, the remaining amount of ink stored in the tank 103 can be checked from the side as well as from the front through the front wall 91.

According to this embodiment, the remaining amount of ink stored in the ink cartridge 30 can be confirmed from the front wall 40 from the side as well as from the front.

According to this embodiment, it is easy to configure the tanks 103 arranged in parallel along the left-right direction to be visible from the front.

According to this embodiment, it is easy to configure the ink cartridges 30 arranged in parallel along the left-right direction to be visible from the front.

According to the present embodiment, for example, a mechanism required only for the ink having the first specific gravity (for example, a necessary pigment stirring mechanism when the ink having the first specific gravity is a pigment) is only required near the tank 103B. You can place it in That is, the mechanism does not need to be placed near the tanks 103C, 103M, and 103Y. Therefore, the tanks 103C, 103M, and 103Y can be made larger.

According to this embodiment, in the installed state, when the ink stored in the tank 103 is consumed and the ink level becomes lower than the opening 125A at the lower end of the first flow path 125, air flows from the atmosphere communication hole 124. It enters the tank 103 and enters the ink cartridge 30 through the first flow path 125. Then, ink corresponding to the volume of air that has entered the ink cartridge 30 is supplied from the ink cartridge 30 into the tank 103 through the second flow path 126. When the liquid level of the ink in the tank 103 reaches the opening 125A of the first flow path 125, the supply of ink is stopped. Thereby, the liquid level of the ink stored in the tank 103 can be maintained constant.

According to this embodiment, the ink cartridge 30 connected to the tank 103 can be protected by the cover 18.

According to this embodiment, the protrusions 70 and 131 can prevent the ink cartridge 30 from unintentionally coming off the tank 103.

[Modified example]
In the embodiment described above, the tanks 103 are arranged in parallel in the left-right direction in the internal space 108 of the holder 101. However, the arrangement of the tanks 103 is not limited to parallel arrangement along the left-right direction.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, the tank 103 and the ink cartridge 30 may be arranged in parallel along the front-rear direction in the internal space 108 of the holder 101 of the mounting section 110A.

In this case, the front wall 91 of the tank 103Y and the front wall 40 of the ink cartridge 30Y are visible through the opening 47 formed at the right end of the front wall 44 of the lower housing 13. Furthermore, the ink stored in the tank 103Y is visible through the opening 47 and the front wall 91, and the ink stored in the ink cartridge 30Y is visible through the opening 47 and the front wall 40.

Further, the right side walls 95 of the tanks 103C, 103M, and 103Y and the right side walls 37 of the ink cartridges 30C, 30M, and 30Y are visible through the opening 48 formed in the right side wall 45 of the lower housing 13. Further, the ink stored in the tanks 103C, 103M, and 103Y is visible through the opening 48 and the right side wall 95, and the ink stored in the ink cartridges 30C, 30M, and 30Y is visible through the opening 48 and the right side wall 37. It is.

This allows the user to recognize that the ink level has approached the lower end of the ink cartridge 30 and the time to replace the ink cartridge 30 is approaching. In addition, since the liquid level of the tank 103 is also visible, it is possible to make the user aware that even if the ink cartridge 30 runs out of ink, there is still some printing possible. Further, when the liquid level of the tank 103 approaches the lower end, it means that the ink in the ink cartridge has been used up. The user can recognize the necessity of replacing the ink cartridge (replenishing ink) when the liquid level of the tank 103 approaches the lower end.

Note that when a plurality of tanks 103 and ink cartridges 30 are arranged in the mounting portion 110B, the plurality of tanks 103 and ink cartridges 30 may also be arranged in parallel along the front-rear direction.

According to the modifications shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, it is easy to configure the ink cartridge 30 and tank 103, which are arranged in parallel along the front-rear direction, to be visible from the side.

Furthermore, the shapes of the tanks 103 are not necessarily the same, and may be different shapes. For example, tanks 103C, 103M, and 103Y may be configured as shown in FIGS. 12 to 14. The tank 103Y has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The tank 130M has an L-shape in plan view, is larger than the tank 103Y, and is arranged from the left side to the rear side of the tank 103Y. The tank 130C is L-shaped in plan view, is larger than the tank 103M, and is arranged from the left side to the rear side of the tank 103M.

In the configuration shown in FIGS. 12 to 14, the front walls 91 of the tanks 103C, 103M, and 103Y are visible through the opening 47 formed at the right end of the front wall 44 of the lower housing 13. Further, the ink stored in the tanks 103C, 103M, and 103Y is visible through the opening 47 and the front wall 91.

Further, the right side walls 95 of the tanks 103C, 103M, and 103Y are visible through the opening 48 formed in the right side wall 45 of the lower housing 13. Further, the ink stored in the tanks 103C, 103M, and 103Y is visible through the opening 48 and the right side wall 95.

Note that in the configurations shown in FIGS. 12 to 14, the ink cartridges 30 are arranged in parallel along the left-right direction, similar to the above embodiment (see FIGS. 4 to 6). Of course, the configuration of each ink cartridge 30 is not limited to the parallel arrangement along the left-right direction. For example, the ink cartridges 30C, 30M, and 30Y may be configured in the same shape as the tanks 103C, 103M, and 103Y shown in FIGS. 12 to 14, respectively.

In the embodiment described above, ink is supplied from the ink cartridge 30 to the tank 103 using a chicken feed method, but it may be performed using a method other than the chicken feed method. For example, the supply of ink from the ink cartridge 30 to the tank 103 is performed based on the liquid level of the ink stored in the internal space 151 of the ink cartridge 30 and the inside of the tank 103, as will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. This may be performed based on the difference in water head between the liquid level of the ink stored in the space 119 and the liquid level of the ink. Note that in the following description, portions of the configuration that are different from the above embodiment will be explained, and descriptions of portions that are the same as those of the above embodiment will also be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 15, the tank 103 is L-shaped when viewed from the side. The tank 103 extends to the rear of the back wall 81 of the holder 101, and extends upward behind the back wall 81.

The flow pipe 120 does not include a partition wall 123. In other words, the internal space of the flow pipe 120 is formed of only one flow path 127.

An atmospheric communication hole 155 is formed in the upper wall 39 of the ink cartridge 30 and passes through the upper wall 39 . Thereby, the internal space 151 communicates with the atmosphere. The atmosphere communication hole 155 is configured to be openable and closable. In the configuration shown in FIG. 15, the ink cartridge 30 includes a valve 35 and a coil spring 36 (an example of a biasing member). The valve 35 and the coil spring 36 are arranged in a sub-space 154 defined by the inner wall 50 of the housing 31. The valve 35 is movable between an open position in which the atmospheric communication hole 155 is opened (see FIG. 15(A)) and a closed position in which the atmospheric communication hole 155 is closed (see FIG. 15(B)). Coil spring 36 urges valve 35 to the closed position. When the valve 35 is in the closed position, the distal end portion 35A of the valve 35 projects upwardly from the upper wall 39 of the housing 31. Note that the configuration that allows the atmospheric communication hole 155 to be opened and closed is not limited to the configuration including the valve 35 and the coil spring 36, and various known configurations can be adopted.

The ink cartridge 30 is attached to the holder 101 of the attachment section 110 in the same manner as in the above embodiment.

After the ink cartridge 30 is attached to the holder 101, the valve 35 is biased by the coil spring 36 to the closed position until the cover 18 is rotated from the open position to the covering position, as shown in FIG. 15(B). It is in. In other words, the internal space 151 of the ink cartridge 30 is not exposed to the atmosphere. Therefore, ink does not flow from the internal space 151 to the internal space 119 of the tank 103 via the flow path 127, and the liquid level of the ink stored in the internal space 151 is maintained at the position P1.

In the attached state, when the cover 18 is rotated from the open position to the covered position, the tip 35A of the valve 35 comes into contact with the cover 18 from above and is pushed downward. As a result, the valve 35 moves from the closed position to the open position against the biasing force of the coil spring 36, as shown in FIG. 15(A). This opens the internal space 151 of the ink cartridge 30 to the atmosphere. Therefore, the ink flows from the internal space 151 to the internal space 119 via the flow path 127 due to the difference in the liquid levels between the internal spaces 151 and 119 . As a result, the liquid level of the ink stored in the internal spaces 151 and 119 is at position P2.

Here, the tip portion 35A of the valve 35 is located directly above the through hole 152. That is, in a plan view, the distal end portion 35A of the bulb 35 and the through hole 152 at least partially overlap with each other. In other words, in plan view, the position where the cover 18 abuts the ink cartridge 30 and the through hole 152 at least partially overlap. Note that the tip end portion 35A of the bulb 35 and the through hole 152 do not need to overlap in plan view.

In the above embodiment (configuration shown in FIG. 8), the cover 18 in the covering position may also come into contact with the ink cartridge 30 from above. Further, in this case, it is preferable that at least a portion of the position where the cover 18 abuts the ink cartridge 30 and the through hole 152 overlap in plan view.

According to the modification shown in FIG. 15, the ink stored in the ink cartridge 30 can be supplied to the tank 103 without requiring a complicated configuration.

According to the modification shown in FIG. 15, when the ink cartridge 30 is not connected to the tank 103, the valve 35 is biased by the coil spring 36 to the closed position. Therefore, the ink stored in the ink cartridge 30 can be prevented from leaking to the outside through the atmosphere communication hole 155.

According to the variant shown in FIG. 15, when the ink cartridge 30 is connected to the tank 103 and the cover 18 is moved to the covering position, the valve 35 is moved to the open position. This makes it possible to supply ink from the ink cartridge 30 to the tank 103 based on the water head difference.

According to the modification shown in FIG. 15, the position where the cover 18 in the covering position is in contact with the ink cartridge 30 and the through hole 152 overlap in the vertical line of sight. Therefore, the posture of the ink cartridge 30 connected to the tank 103 can be stabilized.

In the above embodiment, the ink stored in the ink cartridge 30 and the tank 103 is transmitted through the opening 47, which is an example of the first light-transmitting part, and the opening 48, which is an example of the second light-transmitting part, formed in the lower housing 13. It was visible through 49. However, the means for visually checking the ink stored in the ink cartridge 30 and the tank 103 is not limited to the openings 47, 48, and 49, as long as it has translucency. For example, a transparent plate may be attached to the openings 47, 48, and 49. In this case, since the plate has translucency, the ink stored in the ink cartridge 30 and the tank 103 is visible through the plate. The plate provided on the front wall 44 is an example of the first light-transmitting part. The plates provided on the right side wall 45 and the left side wall 46 are examples of the second light-transmitting portion.

The multifunction device 10 does not need to include the cover 18. In this case, in the configuration shown in FIG. 15, it may be the upper housing 14 that comes into contact with the tip 35A of the valve 35. That is, the upper housing 14 functions as a cover instead of the cover 18.

In the above embodiment, the upper housing 14 and the cover 18 are moved to the covering position and the open position by rotation, but may be moved to the covering position and the open position by other than rotation (for example, sliding back and forth).

In the embodiment described above, the ink cartridge 30 including the circuit board 64 and the protrusion 67 is connected to the tank 103, but the reservoir connected to the tank 103 is not limited to the ink cartridge 30. For example, a bottle without the circuit board 64 or the protrusion 67 may be connected to the tank 103 as the reservoir. In this case, the means for distributing the ink stored in the bottle to the tank 103 may be the above-mentioned chicken feed method or water head difference, or other means (for example, by pumping the bottle). The ink stored in the bottle may be distributed to the tank 103 according to the method described above.

The shape of the storage body may be a rectangular parallelepiped like the ink cartridge 30, or may be any other shape. For example, the bottle described above may have a cylindrical shape. Further, the shape of the tank 103 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped.

Although ink is described as an example of a liquid in the above embodiment, for example, instead of ink, a pretreatment liquid that is ejected onto paper or the like prior to ink during printing may be stored in the liquid cartridge. Furthermore, water for cleaning the recording head 21 may be stored in the liquid cartridge.

2...Paper (sheet)
13...Lower casing (casing)
21... Recording head (liquid ejection head)
24... Conveyance path 30B... Ink cartridge (first storage body)
30C, 30M, 30Y... Ink cartridge (second storage body)
103B...tank (first tank)
103C, 103M, 103Y...tank (second tank)
120...Flow pipe (first flow pipe, second flow pipe)
152...Through hole (liquid circulation hole)

Claims (20)

a casing having a conveyance path extending in the depth direction intersecting the height direction and through which the sheet passes;
a first tank that is disposed on one side of the transport path inside the housing in a width direction perpendicular to the height direction and the depth direction, and stores liquid;
a second tank that is disposed on the other side of the transport path inside the housing in the width direction and stores liquid;
a first storage body that is connectable to the first tank and stores liquid;
a second storage body that is connectable to the second tank and stores liquid;
a liquid ejection head disposed inside the casing, the liquid ejection head ejecting the liquid supplied from the first tank and the second tank;
The first storage body and the second storage body are provided with liquid flow holes through which the stored liquid can flow to the outside,
The first tank includes a first flow pipe that extends upward from the upper end of the first tank and is connectable to the liquid flow hole of the first storage body,
The second tank includes a second flow pipe extending upward from an upper end of the second tank and connectable to the liquid flow hole of the second reservoir. At least one of the first tank and the second tank includes a first wall having translucency,
The housing includes a front wall having an opening through which the sheet is discharged,
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first wall is visible from the outside of the housing through a first light-transmitting portion having light-transmitting properties formed on the front wall. The first storage body includes a second wall having translucency,
3. The system according to claim 2, wherein when the first reservoir is connected to the first tank, the second wall is visible from outside the housing through the first light-transmitting part. The second storage body includes a third wall having translucency,
4. The system according to claim 2, wherein when the second storage body is connected to the second tank, the third wall is visible from outside the housing through the first light-transmitting part. The casing includes a side wall extending from an end of the front wall in the width direction in a direction intersecting the width direction and the height direction,
5. The system according to claim 2, wherein the first wall is visible from the outside of the casing through a second light-transmitting section formed on the side wall. The first storage body includes a second wall having translucency,
6. The system according to claim 5, wherein when the first reservoir is connected to the first tank, the second wall is visible from the outside of the housing through the second transparent part. The second storage body includes a third wall having translucency,
7. The system according to claim 5, wherein when the second storage body is connected to the second tank, the third wall is visible from the outside of the casing through the second transparent part. The system includes a plurality of at least one of the first tank and the second tank,
The system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein at least one of the plurality of first tanks or the plurality of second tanks are arranged in parallel along the width direction. The system includes a plurality of at least one of the first storage body and the second storage body,
The system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein at least one of the plurality of first storage bodies or the plurality of second storage bodies are arranged in parallel along the width direction. The system includes a plurality of at least one of the first tank and the second tank,
The system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of first tanks or the plurality of second tanks are arranged in parallel along the depth direction. The system includes a plurality of at least one of the first storage body and the second storage body,
The system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein at least one of the plurality of first storage bodies or the plurality of second storage bodies are arranged in parallel along the depth direction. A liquid having a first specific gravity is stored in the first tank and the first storage body,
12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second tank and the second storage body store a liquid having a second specific gravity smaller than the first specific gravity. The first tank and the second tank are
an atmosphere communication hole that communicates the internal spaces of the first tank and the second tank with the atmosphere;
a first flow path having one end located below the atmospheric communication hole in the internal space and the other end opening to the outside through the first flow pipe or the second flow pipe;
Claim 1 comprising: a second flow path, one end of which is located below one end of the first flow path in the internal space, and the other end of which is opened to the outside through the first flow pipe or the second flow pipe. The system according to any one of 12 to 12. The first tank, the second tank, the first storage body, and the second storage body are provided with an atmosphere communication hole that communicates the inside with the atmosphere,
When the first storage body is connected to the first tank, the water head difference between the liquid level of the liquid stored in the first storage body and the liquid level of the liquid stored in the first tank causes the above-mentioned A liquid flows between the first storage body and the first tank,
When the second storage body is connected to the second tank, the water head difference between the liquid level of the liquid stored in the second storage body and the liquid level of the liquid stored in the second tank causes the above-mentioned 14. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein liquid flows between the second reservoir and the second tank. a covering position that covers the upper ends of the first storage body connected to the first tank and the second storage body connected to the second tank, and a cover movable to an open position that opens the upper ends;
The first storage body and the second storage body are
a valve movable to a closed position that closes the atmospheric communication holes of the first storage body and the second storage body; and an open position that opens the atmospheric communication holes of the first storage body and the second storage body; ,
a biasing member that biases the valve to the closed position;
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the valve moves to the open position against the biasing force of the biasing member by being abutted against the cover in the covering position. A claim comprising: a covering position that covers the upper ends of the first reservoir connected to the first tank and the second reservoir connected to the second tank; and a cover movable to an open position that opens the upper ends. The system according to any one of Items 1 to 14. The cover in the covering position is in contact with the first storage body from above,
16. The position of the covering position where the cover is in contact with the first storage body and the liquid flow hole of the first storage body overlap in the line of sight along the height direction. 16. The system according to 16. The cover in the covering position is in contact with the second storage body from above,
16. From claim 15, wherein the position where the cover at the covering position is in contact with the second storage body and the liquid flow hole of the second storage body overlap in the line of sight along the height direction. 18. The system according to any one of 17. 19. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a first holding mechanism that holds the first reservoir in connection with the first tank. 20. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a second holding mechanism that holds the second storage body in connection with the second tank.

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