JP2024042588A - Waste ink tank and recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technology which reduces a force needed for inserting a needle (a discharge member).

SOLUTION: An insertion port is provided at a container part so that a discharge member for discharging a waste ink may be inserted into/removed from the insertion port, and the container part includes: an absorber including an insertion part which allows insertion of the discharge member to be inserted into the insertion port in a first direction, and reduction parts which may reduce a force applied to the discharge member inserted into the insertion part in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the absorber configured to absorb the waste ink discharged from the discharge member.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

COPYRIGHT: (C)2024,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a waste ink tank that stores waste ink and is replaceably mounted on the device, and a recording device equipped with the waste ink tank.

A printing apparatus that performs printing by ejecting ink is configured to be able to perform a recovery operation to maintain and recover good ink ejection performance. Such a recording apparatus is provided with a replaceable waste ink tank for accommodating waste ink generated during the recovery operation.

Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which a needle provided at the tip of a tube for discharging waste ink is inserted into a waste ink tank, and the waste ink is discharged into the waste ink tank through the tube. There is. In the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, by arranging an absorbing member so as to block a part of the insertion port through which the needle is inserted and removed, when the needle is removed, the ink adhering to the needle is removed from the waste ink tank. This is to prevent the material from scattering to the outside.

JP 2009-269195 A

However, with the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the needle is inserted into the insertion port, the absorbing member that blocks part of the insertion port interferes with the needle, increasing the load generated during insertion.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a technique that can reduce the force required when inserting a needle.

In order to achieve the above object, one embodiment of a waste ink tank according to the present invention is characterized in that it comprises a container portion provided with an insertion opening through which a discharge member for discharging waste ink can be inserted and removed, an insertion portion through which the discharge member inserted into the insertion opening can be inserted in a first direction at a position of the insertion opening corresponding to an opening area through which the discharge member can be inserted and removed, and a reduction portion capable of reducing a force applied to the discharge member inserted into the insertion portion in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and an absorber housed in the container portion that absorbs the waste ink discharged from the discharge member.

According to the present invention, the force required when inserting the needle (ejection member) can be reduced.

Schematic diagram of recording device Schematic diagram of recovery unit and waste ink tank Block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the recording device Perspective configuration diagram of waste ink tank Diagram showing an example of the insertion part Diagram showing another form of the insertion part Exploded perspective view of waste ink tank Diagram showing a waste ink tank with the shielding part in the shielding position and the open position Perspective configuration diagram of frame part Diagram showing the positional relationship between the waste ink tank in the insertion position and the frame part Diagram showing the positional relationship between the waste ink tank in the storage position and the frame part A plan view of a waste ink tank showing an example of a gripping part Diagram showing another form of the grip part Diagram showing the recording unit and waste ink tank exposed through the opening Diagram explaining how to replace the waste ink tank Diagram explaining how the convex part restricts movement of the waste ink tank Diagram showing the waste ink tank fixing mechanism Diagram explaining recording head replacement

Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of a waste ink tank and a recording device will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the present invention, and not all combinations of features described in the present embodiments are essential to the solution of the present invention. Further, the positions, shapes, etc. of the components described in the embodiments are merely examples, and the scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited thereto.

(recording device)
The recording device equipped with the waste ink tank according to this embodiment may be a device that only has the function of recording an image on a recording medium, or may be a multifunction device that has a function of reading an image. good. In the following description, a multifunction peripheral capable of reading an image and recording an image on a recording medium will be described as an example of a recording apparatus equipped with a waste ink tank according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a recording apparatus according to the present embodiment, in which (a) is an external view of the recording apparatus with the reading section open, and (b) is a schematic configuration diagram of the main parts of the recording section. . FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the recovery unit and waste ink tank.

Here, the directions used in this specification will be explained. In this specification, when an operator faces the recording device, the direction from the left side to the right side of the device is the X direction, the direction from the back side to the front side is the Y direction, and the direction from the bottom side to the top side. The direction toward will be described as the Z direction. In this way, the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction are directions from one side to the other side, and are expressed by adding a "+ (plus)" as appropriate, and for each direction, from the other side, respectively. The direction toward one side is indicated by adding a "- (minus)".

The recording device 10 includes a reading unit 12 that can read an image of a document, a recording unit 14 that can record an image on a recording medium based on image data, and receives instructions from a user and receives various information. and an operation section 16 capable of displaying. The reading section 12 is provided above the recording section 14 so as to be openable and closable. Note that various known techniques can be used for the configuration of the reading section 12 and the operation section 16, so detailed explanation thereof will be omitted in the following explanation.

The recording unit 14 includes a conveyance roller 18 that conveys the fed recording medium, a platen 20 that supports the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance roller 18, and an ejection of ink onto the recording medium supported by the platen 20. The recording head 22 is equipped with a recording head 22 for recording. The recording unit 14 also includes a discharge roller 23 that discharges the recording medium recorded by the recording head 22 onto a tray (not shown).

The recording unit 14 includes a pinch roller 24 that is in pressure contact with the conveyance roller 18 and is driven by the conveyance roller 18. The recording medium is pinched between the conveyance roller 18 and the pinch roller 24 and can be conveyed in the ±Y direction. ing. The recording head 22 is removably mounted on a carriage 26 that is movable in the ±X directions. Therefore, in the recording section 14, the recording head 22 is configured to be movable in the ±X directions via the carriage 26. The platen 20 extends in the X direction by a length corresponding to the length of the recordable recording medium in the width direction.

In the recording unit 14, when the recording medium is conveyed to the recording start position by the conveyance roller 18, a recording operation is performed in which ink is ejected onto the recording medium and recorded while moving the recording head 22 in the X direction (or -X direction). conduct. Next, the conveyance roller 18 performs a conveyance operation to convey the recording medium by a predetermined amount in the Y direction, positions the area that has not been recorded yet at a position facing the recording head 22, and performs the recording operation again. By alternately and repeatedly performing the printing operation and the transporting operation in this way, the printing unit 14 performs printing on the printing medium.

The recording unit 14 includes an ink tank 28 that stores ink to be supplied to the recording head 22 on the other side in the Y direction. The ink tank 28 is connected to the recording head 22 via a tube 30, and the ink stored in the ink tank 28 is supplied to the recording head 22 via the tube 30. Further, the recording unit 14 includes a recovery unit 32 at a position facing the recording head 22 in the standby position, which performs a recovery operation to maintain and restore good ink ejection performance of the recording head 22. Note that the standby position is a position where the print head 22 stands by when not printing. This is the position near the end on the other side in the X direction of U (also referred to as "movement area of U (described later)"). Further, the recording section 14 includes a waste ink tank 34 from which the waste ink received in the recovery section 32 is discharged. In the present embodiment, the waste ink tank 34 is a storage section provided adjacent to the movement area of the recording head 22 and the conveyance direction of the recording medium, more specifically, adjacent to the other side of the movement area in the Y direction. It is housed in 38.

The recovery unit 32 includes a cap 202 that caps and protects the ejection port surface on which the ejection port for ejecting ink of the recording head 22 is formed, a wiper 204 that wipes off deposits attached to the ejection port surface, and a wiper 204 that wipes off deposits attached to the ejection port surface. (See FIG. 2). In this embodiment, since the configuration is such that black ink and color ink are ejected, the cap 202 includes a cap corresponding to an ejection port for ejecting black ink and a cap corresponding to an ejection port for ejecting color ink. We are prepared.

The suction pump 206 is connected to a discharge tube 208. One end of the discharge tube 208 is connected to the suction pump 206, and the other end is connected to the waste ink tank 34 via a connection part 210. That is, the recovery part 32 is connected to the waste ink tank 34 via the discharge tube 208. In the recording part 14, the waste ink received in the recovery part 32 by performing various recovery operations is discharged to the waste ink tank 34 via the discharge tube 208. The connection part 210 is provided with a needle part 950 (see FIG. 9), and the discharge tube 208 is connected to the waste ink tank 34 by inserting the needle part 950 into the insertion port 408 (described later) of the waste ink tank 34.

The upper surface of the recording unit 14 is formed by a cover member 36 (see FIG. 1A). Therefore, in the recording device 10, when the reading unit 12 is opened, the cover member 36 is exposed to the outside. The cover member 36 has an opening 40 that exposes a part of the movement area of the recording head 22 and a storage section 38 that stores the waste ink tank 34. In the opening 40, the part that exposes a part of the movement area of the recording head 22 is large enough for a user to insert their hand into the movement area of the recording head 22, etc., and remove the recording medium when a jam (paper jam) occurs. In addition, in the opening 40, the part that exposes the storage section 38 is large enough to insert the waste ink tank 34 into the storage section 38 in the -Z direction (gravity direction). The storage section 38 is located on the other side of the movement area of the recording head 22 in the Y direction and on one side of the movement area in the X direction. Therefore, in the recording device 10, when the reading unit 12 is opened, the waste ink tank 34 is located in front of the movement area of the recording head 22, making it easy for users, repair personnel, and other workers to replace the waste ink tank 34.

(Configuration of control system of recording device)
Next, the configuration of the control system of the recording apparatus 10 will be explained. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the recording apparatus 10. As shown in FIG. Note that FIG. 3 shows the main configuration of the recording device 10, centering on the recording section 14.

The recording device 10 includes an MPU 302 that controls the overall operation of the recording device 10, such as the operation of each component and data processing, and a ROM 304 that stores various programs and data executed by the MPU 302. The recording device 10 also includes a RAM 306 that temporarily stores processing data executed by the MPU 302 and data received from the host computer 300 (described later).

The MPU 302 is connected to a print head driver 308 and controls driving of the print head 22 via the print head driver 308. The MPU 302 is also connected to a carriage motor driver 310 and controls the driving of a carriage motor 312 that moves the carriage 26 via the carriage motor driver 310. Furthermore, the MPU 302 is connected to a conveyance motor driver 314 and controls the driving of a conveyance motor 316 that drives the conveyance roller 18 and the discharge roller 23 via the conveyance motor driver 314 . Furthermore, the MPU 302 is connected to a suction motor driver 318 and controls a suction motor 320 that drives the suction pump 206 via the suction motor driver 318 .

The MPU 302 is connected to an interface (I/F) section 322 and connected to the host computer 300 via the I/F section 322 . The host computer 300 is provided with a driver 324 that collects and communicates recording information such as a recorded image and recording quality with the recording apparatus 10 when a user instructs to start recording. The MPU 302 is also connected to a display section 328 and controls the display on the operation section 16 via the display section 328 . Further, the MPU 302 is connected to a detection unit 330 that can detect the amount of waste ink discharged into the waste ink tank 34. Based on the detection result of the detection unit 330, the MPU 302 issues a notification prompting, for example, to replace the waste ink tank 34 via the display unit 328.

(waste ink tank)
Next, the configuration of the waste ink tank 34 will be explained in detail. FIG. 4 is a perspective configuration diagram of the waste ink tank 34. Note that in the drawings showing the waste ink tank 34 in this specification, the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction in the drawings indicate the directions when the waste ink tank 34 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 38. The waste ink tank 34 is replaced by a new waste ink tank 34 by an operator based on, for example, a notification displayed on the operation unit 16 urging replacement of the waste ink tank 34 .

The waste ink tank 34 includes a substantially box-shaped container section 402 with an open top (see FIG. 7), and a lid section 404 that is removably fixed to the container section 402 so as to cover the opening at the top of the container section 402. We are prepared. Further, the waste ink tank 34 is housed in a container portion 402 and includes an absorber 406 (see FIG. 7) capable of absorbing waste ink.

The container portion 402 has a needle portion 950 (see FIG. 9) provided in the connecting portion 210 (see FIG. 2) on the side surface 402a located on the other side in the Y direction when the waste ink tank 34 is accommodated in the storage portion 38. ) is provided with an insertion port 408 that is open to allow insertion and removal. Note that the absorbent body 406 housed in the container portion 402 is exposed from the opening of the insertion port 408. In this embodiment, two insertion ports 408 are provided along the X direction. A needle portion 950 for discharging waste black ink is inserted into one of the insertion ports 408, and a needle portion 950 for discharging waste black ink is inserted into the other insertion port 408. A needle portion 950 for discharging waste color ink is inserted.

Here, although the details will be described later, when storing the waste ink tank 34 in the accommodating part 38, the waste ink tank 34 is first inserted in the -Z direction from the position corresponding to the accommodating part 38 in the opening 40. . Thereafter, the waste ink tank 34 is moved in the Y direction, and the needle portion 950 is inserted into the insertion port 408. That is, in this embodiment, when the waste ink tank 34 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 38, the needle portion 950 of the connecting portion 210 is inserted into the insertion port 408. Then, the waste ink is discharged from the needle portion 950 into the container portion 402 through the discharge tube 208, and the discharged waste ink is absorbed by the absorber 406. In this manner, in this embodiment, the needle portion 950 functions as a discharge member that discharges waste ink into the waste ink tank 34.

Further, a side surface 402a of the container portion 402 has a connection terminal that can be electrically connected to a connection terminal (not shown) provided in the storage portion 38 when the waste ink tank 34 is stored in the storage portion 38. 412 is provided. The connection terminal 412 is provided on one side of the insertion port 408 in the Z direction and at a different position from the insertion port 408 in the X direction. Therefore, even if waste ink leaks from the insertion port 408, the leaked waste ink will not easily reach the connection terminal 412. The MPU 402 detects that the waste ink tank 34 is accommodated in the accommodation section 38 by detecting that the connection terminal in the accommodation section 38 is connected to the connection terminal 412 based on the detection result of the detection section 330 . On the other hand, the MPU 402 detects that the connection terminal in the storage section 38 and the connection terminal 412 have been disconnected based on the detection result of the detection section 330, thereby indicating that the waste ink tank 34 has been removed from the storage section 38. Detect that. Further, when the MPU 402 detects that a new waste ink tank 34 is accommodated in the accommodation section 38, the MPU 402 stores the amount of waste ink contained in the newly attached waste ink tank 34.

A shielding portion 414 that can shield and open the insertion port 408 is provided on the side surface 402a of the container portion 402. The shielding part 414 is configured to be movable between a shielding position and an open position. The shielding portion 414 is located at a shielding position that shields the insertion port 408, thereby shielding the insertion port 408 from the outside. Thereby, the absorbent body 406 exposed from the insertion port 408 is shielded from the outside. In addition, the shielding portion 414 is positioned at an open position to open the insertion port 408, thereby exposing the insertion port 408. As a result, the absorbent body 406 is exposed to the outside from the insertion port 408.

The lid portion 404 is provided with an opening 410 for promoting evaporation of waste ink absorbed by the absorber 406 within the container portion 402. The lid part 404 includes, for example, a plurality of holes 404a that can fit into the plurality of claws 402b provided on the container part 402 (see FIG. 7), and the holes 404a fit into the claws 402b. As a result, the lid portion 404 is fixed to the container portion 402 (see FIG. 4). Note that the mechanism for fixing the lid section 404 to the container section 402 is not limited to this. A grip portion 416 that can be gripped by an operator is formed on the lid portion 404. Therefore, the operator can move the waste ink tank 34 by grasping the gripping part 416 of the lid part 404 fixed to the container part 402.

<Absorber>
Next, the absorbent body 406 housed in the container section 402 will be explained. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the insertion part provided in the absorber 406 located within the opening area of the insertion port 408, (a) is a schematic configuration diagram of the insertion part, and (b) is a diagram showing a needle in the insertion part. 9 is a diagram showing a state in which a portion 950 is inserted. FIG. Note that the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction in the figure indicate the directions when the waste ink tank 34 is housed in the housing section 38. In addition, in FIG. 5(b), in order to facilitate understanding, the absorbent body 406 is shown to be located only in a part of the area inside the container portion 402 near the insertion port 408. That is, the absorber 406 near the insertion port 408 is not limited to the form shown in FIG. 5(b).

The absorber 406 is arranged inside the container section 402 so as to be able to absorb waste ink discharged through the needle section 950. Further, the absorber 406 is formed with an insertion portion 502 into which the needle portion 950 can be inserted, at a position corresponding to the opening region S1 of the insertion port 408, that is, at a position including a portion exposed from the insertion port 408.

The insertion portion 502 has a size that can cover the entire opening region S1, and is formed by a plurality of linear cuts 504 that intersect with each other at the center position P1 of the opening region S1. Furthermore, in the insertion portion 502, a linear cut 508 along the extending direction of the buckling portion 506 is formed at the center of each buckling portion 506 that buckles when the needle portion 950 is inserted. Note that in the insertion portion 502, the cut 508 is formed at a position in contact with the opening area S1 (the position shown in FIG. 5A) or outside the opening area S1. For example, when two cuts 504 are formed in the insertion part 502 in a substantially cross shape, the extension of the buckled part 506 is placed at the center position of the buckled part 506 that connects the adjacent ends of the cuts 504. A cut 508 is formed along the direction (see FIG. 5(a)). Note that the length of the cut 508 is shorter than the length of the buckled portion 506 in which the cut 508 is formed (the length between adjacent ends of the cut 504).

As a result, when the needle part 950 is inserted from the insertion port 408, the needle part 950 inserted from the vicinity of the center position P1 presses the insertion part 502 in the -Y direction. As a result, the plurality of approximately triangular regions formed by the cuts 504 in the insertion portion 502 are deformed while contacting the needle portion 950, and as shown in FIG. bend. At this time, since a cut 508 is formed at the center of the buckling part 506, the insertion part 502 can be easily bent in the -Y direction, and the load generated when inserting the needle part 950 is reduced. There is. In other words, the cut 508 reduces the force applied to the needle portion 950 in the direction opposite to the insertion direction when the needle portion 950 is inserted into the insertion portion 502 .

Note that the configuration of the insertion portion 502 is not limited to that formed by the cuts 504 and 508 described above. That is, the insertion part 502 may have any shape as long as it has a reducing part that can reduce the load generated on the needle part 950 when the needle part 950 is inserted therethrough. Note that in the above description, the cut 508 corresponds to the reducing portion.

Another type of insertion portion 502′ includes, for example, a substantially polygonal first opening 602 and a position corresponding to each side of the first opening 602, specifically, a predetermined distance apart from each side. and a substantially rectangular second opening 604 formed at the position (see FIG. 6). 6A and 6B are diagrams showing the insertion portion 502′, (a) is a schematic configuration diagram of the insertion portion 502′, and FIG. 6(b) is a diagram showing the insertion portion 502′ in a deformed state due to insertion of the needle portion 950. It is. In FIG. 6, as in FIG. 5, the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction in the figure indicate the directions when the waste ink tank 34 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 38.

The first opening 602 is formed such that its center position substantially coincides with the center position P1 of the opening area S1, and at least a portion of each side is located within the opening area S1. The first opening 602 has, for example, a substantially square shape as shown in FIG. 6(a).

The second opening 604 is provided on an extension of the direction in which the first opening 602 deforms (hereinafter also referred to as the "deformation direction") when the needle part 950 is inserted into the insertion part 502'. The distance between the second opening 604 and the first opening 602 is such that when the needle part 950 is inserted into the insertion part 502', the gap gm between the second opening 604 and the first opening 602 is the entire gap. The spacing is such that it can be deformed in the above deformation direction. Further, the length Ls of the short side of the substantially rectangular second opening 604 is preferably equal to or greater than the amount of deformation Δd of the gap gm when the needle portion 950 is inserted into the insertion portion 502. Further, the length Ll of the long side of the second opening 604 is, for example, approximately equal to the length of the corresponding side of the first opening 602. Note that the shape of the second opening 604 is not limited to a substantially rectangular shape, and the gap gm after deformation when the needle part 950 is inserted does not come into contact with the inside of the second opening 604. It may be of any shape as long as it has any shape. That is, in the insertion part 502', the length of the second opening 604 in the direction in which the corresponding side of the first opening 602 is deformed when the needle part 950 is inserted is greater than or equal to the deformation amount Δd of the gap gm. It is preferable that

With this configuration, when the needle portion 950 is inserted from the insertion port 408, the needle portion 950 inserted from the vicinity of the center position P1 moves each side of the first opening 602 away from the center position P1. (deformation direction described above). Thereby, the gap portion gm is deformed in the direction of separation while being in contact with the needle portion 950. Here, the second opening 604 is provided on the extension of the direction in which the gap portion gm deforms, and the length of the second opening 604 in the deformation direction, that is, the short side Ls is the deformation of the gap portion. The amount is greater than or equal to the amount Δd. Therefore, the deformation of the gap gm is absorbed by the second opening 604. As a result, the insertion portion 502' is easily deformed when the needle portion 950 is inserted therethrough, and the load generated on the needle portion 950 when inserted into the insertion port 408 is reduced. That is, in this case, the second opening 604 corresponds to a reducing part that reduces the load generated on the needle part 950 during insertion.

As explained above, in this embodiment, when the needle part 950 is inserted into the insertion part 502 of the absorber 406 exposed from the insertion port 408 through which the needle part 950 can be inserted, It is equipped with a lightening section that can reduce the resulting load. Specifically, for example, the insertion portion 502 includes a plurality of linear cuts 504 passing through the center position P1 and a cut 508 formed at the buckling portion when the needle portion 950 is inserted. As another form, for example, the insertion portion 502' has a first opening 602 formed so that at least a portion of each side of the substantially polygonal shape covers the opening area S1 of the insertion port 408, and a first opening 602 formed on each side of the insertion port 408. A substantially rectangular second opening 604 is provided at a corresponding position.

As a result, when the needle part 950 is inserted, the region formed by the cut 504 and the second opening 604 corresponding to the reducing part, and the needle part 950 when deforming the first opening 602. It will be possible to reduce the load on the. Therefore, the operator can easily insert the needle portion 950 into the insertion port 408, which reduces the burden on the operator.

<Shielding part>
Next, the shielding section 414 will be explained. As described above, the shielding part 414 is configured to be movable between the shielding position and the open position. Specifically, when the waste ink tank 34 is not housed in the housing section 38, the shielding section 414 is located at the shielding position. When the waste ink tank 34 is housed in the housing section 38, the shielding section 414 is moved from the shielding position to the open position by a frame section 900 (described later) provided in the housing section 38. Further, when the waste ink tank 34 is removed from the storage portion 38, it is separated from the frame portion 900 and the shielding portion 414 moves from the open position to the shielding position. Hereinafter, the configurations of the shielding section 414 (including the moving mechanism) and the frame section 900, and the operation of the shielding section 414 will be described.

=Configuration of the shielding part and the movement mechanism of the shielding part=
FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the waste ink tank 34. 8(a) is a perspective view of the waste ink tank 34 with the shielding part 414 in the shielding position, and FIG. 8(b) is a perspective view of the waste ink tank 34 with the shielding part 414 in the open position.

A holding part 700 that can hold the shielding part 414 movably in the Z direction is formed on the side surface 402a of the container part 402, and while the shielding part 414 is held by this holding part 700, It is arranged on the side surface 402a of the container section 402.

The holding portion 700 receives a spring 714 held between a rib 702 extending in the Z direction, a pair of convex portions 704 formed at intervals in the Z direction and protruding in the Y direction, and the shielding portion 414. A spring receiving portion 706 is provided. Further, the shielding part 414 is disposed between a groove part 708 that extends in the Z direction and can fit into the rib 702, and a pair of convex parts 704, so that when the shielding part 414 moves in the ±Z direction, the pair of convex parts It includes an abutting part 710 that abuts against the part 704, and a spring receiving part 712 that receives a spring 714. Further, the shielding section 414 includes a shielding member 716 that shields the insertion port 408 and a contact section 718 that comes into contact with the frame section 900 when the waste ink tank 34 is accommodated in the housing section 38 .

When the shielding portion 414 is held by the holding portion 700, the spring 714 is held by the spring receiving portion 706 and the spring receiving portion 712. The spring 714 is disposed in the spring receiving portion 706 and the spring receiving portion 712 so as to bias the shielding portion 414 in the -Z direction (predetermined direction). In addition, with the abutment portion 710 positioned between the pair of protrusions 704, the groove portion 708 is fitted into the rib 702.

The abutting portion 710 between the pair of convex portions 704 restricts movement of the shielding portion 414 in the ±Z direction beyond a predetermined range including the shielding position and the open position. Specifically, since the shielding part 414 is always biased in the -Z direction by the spring 714, the shielding member 716 will not shield the insertion port 408 unless a force in the Z direction acts on the shielding part 414. (see FIG. 8(a)). In this shielding position, the abutting part 710 is in contact with one of the protrusions 704a located on one side in the Z direction of the pair of convexes 704, so the shielding part 414 is moved in the −Z direction from the shielding position. Movement is restricted. On the other hand, when a force in the Z direction is applied, the shielding part 414 moves in the Z direction against the biasing force of the spring 714 in the -Z direction, and the shielding of the insertion port 408 by the shielding member 716 is released. (See FIG. 8(b)). In this open position, the abutting part 710 is in contact with the other protrusion 704b located on the other side of the pair of protrusions 704 in the Z direction, so the shielding part 414 is moved in the Z direction more than in the open position. is regulated. As described above, in the present embodiment, the pair of protrusions 704 restrict the movement of the shielding part 414 beyond the shielding position in the -Z direction, and also restrict the movement of the shielding part 414 beyond the open position in the Z direction. It functions as a regulating member.

Furthermore, the fitting between the rib 702 and the groove 708 restricts movement in the Y direction. Note that the shielding portion 414 is provided at a portion of the container portion 402 where a step in the Y direction is formed, and movement in the It has a regulated structure. Note that the engagement relationship between the shielding part 414 and the holding part 700 is not limited to the configuration described above, and various known techniques can be used.

= Structure of the frame and operation of the shielding part when attached to the frame =
Next, the structure of the frame section provided in the storage section 38 and the operation of the shielding section 414 when the waste ink tank 34 is attached to the frame section will be described. The frame part has a function of guiding the waste ink tank 34 that has been moved in the -Z direction and positioned in the insertion position into the storage part 38 to a connection position where it is connected to the needle part 950 of the connection part 210, and a shielding function. It has a function of moving the section 414 from the shielding position to the open position.

- Structure of Frame Section FIG. 9 is a perspective configuration diagram of a frame section 900 provided in the housing section 38. The frame section 900 includes a main body section 902 to which the waste ink tank 34 can be attached and detached, and a cover 904 provided on the other side of the main body section 902 in the Z direction. Note that in FIG. 9, the shape of the cover 904 is shown in a simplified manner for easy understanding.

The main body section 902 includes a guide section 905 that extends in the Y direction and can guide the movement of the waste ink tank 34 between the insertion position and the connection position, and is provided upright on the other side of the guide section 905 in the Y direction. and an upright portion 906. The guide portion 905 includes a guide groove 908 into which a guide 720 (see FIG. 7) provided on the waste ink tank 34 is inserted, and an abutment that contacts the shielding portion 414 between the insertion position of the waste ink tank 34 and the connection position. A contact portion 910 is provided. The connecting portion 210 is held in the upright portion 906 so that the needle portion 950 is properly inserted into the insertion port 408 when the waste ink tank 34 with the shielding portion 414 in the open position moves to the connecting position. There is.

The cover 904 is configured to cover the upper side of the connection portion 210 arranged on the main body portion 902. In other words, the cover 904 covers the connection portion at the erected portion 906 of the connection portion 210 and the upper side of the exposed needle portion 950. The cover 904 may be formed integrally with the main body portion 902, or may be provided separately from the main body portion 902. If formed separately, the cover 904 may be, for example, fixedly connected to the cover member 36, or may be connected to be rotatable about an axis parallel to the X direction. The cover 904 is not shown in FIG. 1.

- Operation of the shielding part when attached to the frame part FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the waste ink tank 34 and the frame part 900 at the insertion position, and (a) is a perspective view seen from above; b) is a plan view, and (c) is a perspective view seen from below. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the waste ink tank 34 and the frame part 900 in the connected position, (a) is a perspective view seen from above, (b) is a plan view, and (c) is a diagram. It is a perspective view seen from the lower side. Note that in FIGS. 10(a) and 11(a), the cover 904 is omitted for ease of understanding. Furthermore, in FIGS. 10(b) and 11(b) and 11(c), the shape of the cover 904 is shown in a simplified manner for easy understanding. Further, in FIGS. 10(c) and 11(c), the main body portion 902 is omitted for ease of understanding.

- When the waste ink tank 34 is inserted into the accommodating part 38 from the opening 40 while moving in the Z direction and the waste ink tank 34 is placed in the insertion position of the accommodating part 38, the frame provided in the accommodating part 38 is inserted. The portion 900 and the waste ink tank 34 have a positional relationship as shown in FIG.

Specifically, when placing the waste ink tank 34 in the insertion position, the operator first grasps the gripping part 416 with his or her fingers and inserts the waste ink tank 34 into the storage part 38 from the opening 40 in the -Z direction. Then, the guide 720 of the waste ink tank 34 is fitted into the guide groove 908 of the frame portion 900. At this time, the contact portion 718 of the shielding portion 414 is in contact with the contact portion 910 of the frame portion 900. Next, the operator releases his finger from the grip portion 416. Here, the biasing force of the spring 714 is smaller than the force in the -Z direction generated by the weight of the waste ink tank 34. Therefore, when the finger leaves the grip part 416, the shielding part 414 maintains its position in the Z direction, while the container part 402 moves in the -Z direction. In other words, the shielding part 414 moves in the Z direction relative to the container part 402. As a result, the shielding portion 414 is located at the open position, and the insertion port 408 is in an open state. Although a case has been described in which the shielding part 414 is located at the open position due to the weight of the waste ink tank 34, the present invention is not limited to this, and the shielding part 414 may be positioned in the open position by the waste ink tank 34 when the operator presses it in the -Z direction. Then, the shielding part 414 may be located at the open position.

At the insertion position, the waste ink tank 34 is spaced apart from the cover 904 in the Y direction (see FIG. 10(b)). Also, at the insertion position, the needle portion 950 is spaced apart from the insertion port 408 and is not inserted (see FIG. 10(c)).

Once the waste ink tank 34 is located at the insertion position, the operator then moves the waste ink tank 34 in the Y direction. As a result, the waste ink tank 34 is moved in the Y direction while being guided by the guide section 905, and the needle section 950 of the connecting section 210 fixed to the upright section 906 is inserted into the insertion port 408 (FIG. 11 (see (a)). Then, the waste ink tank 34 is moved and fixed to a position where the needle part 950 is properly inserted into the insertion port 408, that is, a connection position where the waste ink discharged from the needle part 950 does not leak from the insertion port 408. do. The fixing mechanism of the waste ink tank 34 will be described later. In addition, in the connection position of the waste ink tank 34, the connection terminal 412 is connected to the connection terminal provided in the accommodating portion 38. Thereby, the MPU 302 detects that a new waste ink tank 34 has been installed, and also stores the amount of waste ink contained in the newly installed waste ink tank 34.

At the connection position, the waste ink tank 34 is adjacent to the cover 904 in the Y direction (see FIG. 11(b)). In addition, at the connection position, the waste ink tank 34 has a part of the area on the other side in the Y direction where the insertion port 408 and the shielding part 414 are located (see the broken line part in FIG. 11(b)), and covers the upper side thereof. It is in a state covered by 904. In other words, the cover 904 is provided so as to overlap a part of the waste ink tank 34 in the connection position in the Y direction. Furthermore, the shape of the side 904a of the cover 904 on one side in the Y direction adjacent to the waste ink tank 34 corresponds to the shape of the adjacent waste ink tank 34 at the connection position. Note that when the waste ink tank 34 is in the connected position, for example, the top surface of the lid portion 404 and the cover member 36 are aligned in the Z direction, or the top surface of the lid portion 404 is a certain amount on one side in the Z direction relative to the cover member 36. (lower side).

When removing the waste ink tank 34 from the storage portion 38, the above-described procedure is reversed. Specifically, first, the operator grips the grip portion 416 and moves the waste ink tank 34 in the −Y direction. As a result, the waste ink tank 34 moves from the connection position to the insertion position. At this time, the needle part 950 is removed from the insertion port 408, but the insertion part 502 of the absorber 406 is located in the opening area S1 of the insertion port 408, and the needle part 950 is removed while the insertion part 502 is in contact with it. . This makes it difficult for ink to leak out of the insertion port 408.

Thereafter, the waste ink tank 34 is moved in the Z direction, and the waste ink tank 34 is removed from the storage section 38. When the waste ink tank 34 is moved from the insertion position in the Z direction, the abutting part 718 of the shielding part 414 separates from the abutting part 910 of the frame part 900, so the biasing force of the spring 714 causes the shielding part 414 to It moves in the -Z direction relative to the container part 402. Thereby, the shielding part 414 moves from the open position to the shielding position. Therefore, when extracting the waste ink tank 34 from the storage section 38, the insertion port 408 is shielded by the shielding section 414, and the operator can easily insert the insertion port 408 of the waste ink tank 34 that has been removed. This prevents contact and prevents ink from adhering to the worker.

Furthermore, when the waste ink tank 34 is removed from the housing portion 38, the needle portion 950 is exposed to the outside. However, since the cover 904 covers the upper side of the connection part 210 including the needle part 950, the worker cannot easily touch the needle part 950 to which waste ink has adhered, which suppresses ink from adhering to the worker. be done.

<Grip part>
Next, the grip portion 416 will be explained. FIG. 12 is a plan view of the waste ink tank 34 for explaining the installation position of the grip part 416.

The grip portion 416 is formed by cutting out a portion of one side and the other side of the lid portion 404 in the Y direction. The upper surface 416a of the grip part 416 and the upper surface 404b of the lid part 404 may be formed on the same plane, or may be formed on different planes, such as having a step. The grip part 416 includes a grip surface 416b formed substantially parallel to the XZ plane, and a grip surface 416c formed opposite to the grip surface 416b on the other side of the grip surface 416b in the Y direction. Therefore, when the waste ink tank 34 is housed in the housing portion 38, the gripping surface 416b is located on the back side of the apparatus (on one side in the Y direction) than the gripping surface 416c. As a result, when replacing the waste ink tank 34, the user grips the gripping portion 416 by positioning the thumb on the gripping surface 416c side of the gripping portion 416 and positioning a plurality of fingers such as the index finger and middle finger on the gripping surface 416b side. Therefore, for example, the length of the gripping surface 416b in the X direction is longer than the length of the gripping surface 416c in the X direction.

The gripping portion 416 is designed so that the gripping area GS is located above (the other side in the Z direction) the center of gravity GP when the waste ink tank 34 is filled with waste ink and needs to be replaced. The gripping area GS is an area sandwiched between the gripping surfaces 416b and 416c. As described above, the waste ink tank 34 is moved by gripping the gripping surfaces 416b and 416c with the fingers of the operator, so that the upper surface 416a of the gripping portion 416 and the palm of the operator usually face each other when moving the waste ink tank 34. Therefore, when replacing the waste ink tank 34, the center of gravity GP of the waste ink tank 34 with the container portion 402 filled with waste ink is located directly under the palm of the operator holding the gripping portion 416. This makes it difficult for the operator to feel any imbalance in the weight of the waste ink tank 34 filled with waste ink, and allows the replacement work to be performed stably.

Further, the grip portion 416 is formed at a position where at least a portion thereof overlaps the insertion port 408 in the X direction. When the operator grips the grip portion 416 at a position away from the center of gravity GP in the X direction, a force is generated to rotate the grip portion 416 about an axis approximately parallel to the Y direction at the grip position, causing the waste ink tank 34 to rotate. There is a risk of it tipping over. When the waste ink tank 34 is tilted, the waste ink moves toward the end of the waste ink tank 34 located on one side (lower side) in the Z direction. However, in this embodiment, the insertion port 408 is formed in the side surface 402a at a position overlapping the grip portion 416 in the X direction. Therefore, even if the waste ink moves due to the inclination of the waste ink tank 34, leakage of ink from the insertion port 408 is unlikely to occur.

Note that the grip portion 416 is not limited to a configuration in which the grip portion 416 is gripped by pinching the grip surfaces 416b and 416c. That is, as shown in FIG. 13, the grip part may have a configuration in which a space is provided between the grip part and the surface of the lid part 404 so that the grip part can be gripped as if gripping. FIG. 13 is a configuration diagram showing a modified example of the gripping part, in which (a) is a perspective view and (b) is a plan view.

Specifically, the gripping portion 416' as a modified example is formed in a handle shape and includes standing portions 1302, 1304 spaced apart in the X direction on the upper surface 404b of the lid portion 404, and a connecting portion 1306 that connects the standing portions 1302 and 1304 at their upper ends. The operator holds the gripping portion 416' by inserting his/her fingers into the space formed between the gripping portion 416' and the lid portion 404 and gripping the connecting portion 1306. The connecting portion 1306 is formed to be located above the center of gravity GP of the waste ink tank 34 filled with waste ink. The gripping portion 416' is also formed at a position where at least a part of it overlaps with the insertion port 408 in the X direction. As a result, the gripping portion 416' has the same effect as the gripping portion 416. The grip portion 416' is designed so that it does not protrude from the cover member 36 in the Z direction, for example, when the waste ink tank 34 is housed in the housing portion 38.

<Waste ink tank housing section>
Next, the accommodating portion 38 will be explained. FIG. 14 is a plan view of the waste ink tank 34 and the recording head 22 at the opening 40. As shown in FIG. FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating the procedure for extracting the waste ink tank 34 from the storage portion 38, in which (a) shows the waste ink tank 34 in the connected position, and (b) shows the waste ink tank 34 in the insertion position. It shows the state in . FIG. 16(a) is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the regulating portion taken along line XVIa-XVIa in FIG. 15(a). FIG. 16(b) is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the restriction portion taken along line XVIb-XVIb in FIG. 16(b). FIG. 17 is a diagram schematically showing a cross section of the accommodating portion 38 that accommodates the waste ink tank, taken along the line XVII-XVII in FIG. 15(a).

The housing portion 38 is provided on the other side in the Y direction of the movement area of the recording head 22 . Here, on the other side in the Y direction of the carriage 26 on which the recording head 22 is mounted, a supply section 1402 is provided for supplying ink supplied through the tube 30 to the recording head 22. This supply section 1402 is configured to be able to hold the end side of the tube 30 to which it is connected so as to extend in the X direction. Therefore, in the recording apparatus 10, the recording head 22, the supply section 1402, and the housing section 38 are arranged in this order in the Y direction. From the opening 40, the waste ink tank 34, the recording head 22, the supply section 1402, and the tube 30 housed in the housing section 38 are exposed. In this way, the recording head 22 and the supply unit 1402 move in the X direction via the carriage 26. In this embodiment, the carriage 26, the recording head 22 that moves in the ±X direction due to the movement of the carriage 26, and the supply section 1402 are collectively referred to as a recording unit U.

In the recording apparatus 10, the storage section 38 is provided at a position where the stored waste ink tank 34 does not overlap the recording unit U in the Y direction. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 14, the position of the end of the recording unit U on the other side in the Y direction (see the two-dot chain line) and the end of the waste ink tank 34 accommodated in the storage section 38 on the one side in the Y direction A gap G is provided between the position (see broken line). Thereby, when the recording unit U and the waste ink tank 34 overlap in the X direction due to the movement of the carriage 26, the recording unit U and the waste ink tank 34 do not come into contact with each other.

When removing the waste ink tank 34 housed in the housing section 38, it is necessary to open the reading section 12 and expose the cover member 36 to the outside. The recording device 10 is provided with a sensor (not shown) that can detect whether the reading section 12 is opened or closed, and the MPU 302 detects whether the reading section 12 is opened or closed based on the detection result of this sensor. When the MPU 302 detects that the reading section 12 has been opened, it retracts the recording unit U to the retracted position (see FIG. 15(a)). The retracted position is a position where the waste ink tank 34 and the operator do not come into contact with the recording unit U when the waste ink tank 34 is housed in the storage section 38 and removed. Note that the retracted position and the standby position where the recording head 22 (recording unit U) is located when not recording may coincide.

Next, the operator grips the grip part 416 of the waste ink tank 34 housed in the housing part 38, and moves the waste ink tank 34 in the connection position in the -Y direction to the insertion position (Fig. 15 (see (b)). A part of the waste ink tank 34 in the insertion position is located on one side in the Y direction from the end position of the recording unit U on the other side in the Y direction (see the two-dot chain line in FIG. 15(b)). (See the hatched part in FIG. 15(b)). However, at this point, since the recording unit U has moved to the retracted position, each component of the recording unit U does not interfere with the movement of the waste ink tank 34 from the connection position to the insertion position. In this manner, in this embodiment, a portion of the moving area of the waste ink tank 34 overlaps with the moving area of the recording unit U when the waste ink tank 34 is housed and removed. Note that the tube 30 that moves following the movement of the recording unit U is arranged so as not to come into contact with the waste ink tank 34 at the insertion position when the recording unit U is at the retracted position. Thereafter, the operator moves the waste ink tank 34 in the Z direction and pulls out the waste ink tank 34 from the storage section 38.

Furthermore, when storing the waste ink tank 34 in the storage section 38, the above procedure is reversed. Specifically, with the reading section 12 opened and the recording unit U positioned at the retracted position, the operator holds the waste ink tank 34 held by the gripping section 416 from the upper side of the opening 40 -Z. direction to the insertion position (see FIG. 15(b)). A portion of the waste ink tank 34 at the insertion position is located within the movement area of the recording unit U. However, since the recording unit U is in the retracted position, the waste ink tank 34 in the insertion position is not in contact with the recording unit U and the tube 30. Thereafter, the waste ink tank 34 is moved from the insertion position in the Y direction to the connection position (see FIG. 15(a)). As a result, the waste ink tank 34 is housed in the housing section 38.

Here, the waste ink tank 34 is provided with a protrusion 1502 that protrudes in the X direction at the end on the other side in the Z direction and the end on the other side in the X direction when stored in the storage section 38. There is. Further, the storage portion 38 is provided with a restriction portion 1504 extending in the Y direction into which the convex portion 1502 of the waste ink tank 34 can be fitted when the waste ink tank 34 is stored. The convex portion 1502 includes a convex portion 420 provided on a side surface 402c provided approximately parallel to the YZ plane of the container portion 402, and a convex portion 422 provided on the other side of the lid portion 404 in the X direction ( (See Figure 7). The convex portion 420 has a predetermined thickness in the Z direction. Furthermore, a position indicator 1508 is provided on the surface of the protrusion 422 to allow the operator to recognize the position of the protrusion 1502 using an indicator 1506 (described later).

The restricting portion 1504 has a concave shape into which the convex portion 1502 can fit, and is configured to restrict movement of the waste ink tank 34 in the Y direction via the convex portion 1502 into which it fits. Specifically, one end of the regulating portion 1504 on one side in the Y direction regulates movement of the waste ink tank 34 in the −Y direction from the insertion position (see FIG. 16(b)). This makes it possible to prevent the waste ink tank 34 moved in the -Y direction from coming into contact with the tube 30. Furthermore, the other end of the regulating portion 1504 on the other side in the Y direction regulates movement in the Y direction from the connection position of the waste ink tank 34 (see FIG. 16(a)). That is, in the accommodating portion 38, the waste ink tank 34 is regulated by the regulating portion 1504 via the convex portion 1502 at the insertion position on one side in the Y direction of its movement area, and at the connection position on the other side in the Y direction.

Note that in the housing section 38, an indicator 1506 is provided at a position adjacent to the regulating section 1504. Specifically, a first indicator 1506a indicating that the waste ink tank 34 can be removed is provided at a position corresponding to the position indicator 1508 when the convex part 1502 is in the insertion position in the regulating part 1504. There is. Further, a second indicator 1506b indicating that the waste ink tank 34 is connected (fixed) is provided in the regulating portion 1504 at a position corresponding to the position indicator 1508 when the convex portion 1502 is in the connection position.

Therefore, when the waste ink tank 34 in the storage portion 38 is in the connection position, the convex portion 1502 is located at the other end of the regulating portion 1504, and the position indicator 1508 is located at a position corresponding to the second indicator 1506b. (See FIG. 15(a)). Specifically, the position index 1508 and the second index 1506b are aligned in the X direction. Further, when the waste ink tank 34 in the storage portion 38 is at the insertion position, the convex portion 1502 is located at one end of the regulating portion 1504, and the position indicator 1508 is located at a position corresponding to the first indicator 1506a. (See FIG. 15(b)). Specifically, the position index 1508 and the first index 1506a are aligned in the X direction. As a result, the operator can easily determine whether the waste ink tank 34 in the storage section 38 is in the connection position or the insertion position, and whether the waste ink tank 34 can be extracted from the storage section 38 or not. This makes it easier to judge. Further, since the position index 1508 is provided on the convex portion 1502, the waste ink tank 34 can be made smaller compared to the case where the position index 1508 is provided separately.

The configuration for restricting the movement of the waste ink tank 34 in the Y direction is not limited to the configuration using the restricting portion 1504 and the protruding portion 1502, and various known techniques can be used. In addition, the protruding portion 1502, the restricting portion 1504, and the indicator 1506 are provided on the other side in the X direction of the waste ink tank 34 contained in the storage portion 38, but they may be provided on one side in the X direction of the waste ink tank 34.

The accommodating portion 38 is equipped with a latch mechanism 1702 that can pull the waste ink tank 34 that has been moved close to the connection position into the connection position and fix it. This makes it easier for the operator to move the waste ink tank 34 to the connection position, and also prevents the waste ink tank 34 from moving from the connection position inadvertently. In this embodiment, the latch mechanism 1702 functions as a fixing mechanism that fixes the waste ink tank 34 housed in the housing section 38. Note that such a fixing mechanism is not limited to the latch mechanism 1702, and various known techniques can be used.

In the recording section 14 , the recording head 22 in the recording unit U is replaced by using the storage area in the storage section 38 that accommodates the waste ink tank 34 . FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating the procedure for replacing the print head 22, in which (a) shows a state in which the printing unit U is located at the replacement position, and (b) shows a state in which the supply unit 1402 is removed from the print head 22. FIG.

When replacing the recording head 22 in the recording unit U, the accommodation space of the waste ink tank 34 in the accommodation section 38 is used. Therefore, the recording head 22 is replaced while the reading section 12 is opened and the waste ink tank 34 is removed from the storage section 38. When replacing the recording head 22, for example, the user operates the operation unit 16 or the like to input an instruction to start replacing the recording head 22. When the start of the recording head 22 replacement work is input, the MPU 302 moves the recording unit U to the replacement position. The replacement position is a position where the supply unit 1402 fits within the accommodation space Sp in the X direction (see FIG. 18(a)).

Next, the supply section 1402 is removed from the recording head 22 in the recording unit U at the replacement position. Here, in the recording unit U, the supply section 1402 is configured such that the needle 1802 can be inserted into and removed from the recording head 22. The tube 30 is communicated with the needle 1802, and ink supplied from the tube 30 flows into the needle 1802. Therefore, the recording head 22 is configured to be supplied with ink via the needle 1802. Further, the needle 1802 is configured to be inserted into or removed from the recording head 22 by the opening/closing operation of the lever portion 1804.

When removing the supply section 1402 from the recording head 22, it is necessary to open the lever section 1804. When the lever section 1804 is opened, the supply section 1402 moves in the Y direction, and the needle 1802 is removed from the recording head 22 mounted on the carriage 26 (see FIG. 18(b)). At this time, a part of the supply section 1402 is located within the accommodation space Sp of the accommodation section 38. Thereafter, the recording head 22 is taken out from the carriage 26, and a new recording head 22 is mounted on the carriage 26. Then, the lever section 1804 is closed and the supply section 1402 is moved in the -Y direction. As a result, the needle 1802 is inserted into the replaced recording head 22 mounted on the carriage 26.

In this way, when replacing the recording head 22, by using the storage space Sp of the waste ink tank 34 in the storage section 38, the space in the recording section 14 can be used effectively, and the device can be made smaller. will be able to contribute to

(Other embodiments)
Note that the above embodiment may be modified as shown in (1) to (6) below.

(1) In the above embodiment, the waste ink tank 34 is provided with two insertion ports 408, but the invention is not limited to this, and depending on the type of ink used, etc. Three or more may be provided. Although not specifically described in the above embodiment, the length (thickness) of the insertion parts 502 and 502' in the Y direction is a function of reducing the load generated on the needle part in the reducing part, and the waste ink when the needle part is removed. It is set taking into account the effect of suppressing the leakage of water.

(2) In the above embodiment, the shielding part 414 is biased in the −Z direction by the spring 714, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the shielding part 414, for example, instead of the spring 714, an elastic member that generates a reaction force in the −Z direction when a force in the Z direction is applied may be used. Alternatively, the shielding portion 414 may not be configured to be biased in the -Z direction. In this case, when removing the waste ink tank 34, the shielding part 414 moves in the -Z direction due to its own weight, and moves from the open position to the shielding position.

(3) In the above embodiment, the cut 508 as a reducing portion is formed in each buckling portion 506, and the second opening 604 as a reducing portion is formed at a position corresponding to each side of the first opening 602. However, it is not limited to this. For example, when the cross section of the needle portion 950 is approximately elliptical or rectangular, it may be formed only at positions where the load generated by insertion of the needle portion 950 is large.

(4) In the insertion portion 502, the plurality of cuts 504 are formed so as to pass through the center position P1 of the opening region S1, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the positions where the plurality of cuts 504 intersect may be anywhere within the opening area (within the opening area S1).

(5) In the above embodiment, the insertion port 408 is provided on the side surface 402a on the other side in the Y direction, which is substantially parallel to the However, the present invention is not limited to this. The insertion port 408 is provided, for example, on one side or the other side in the X direction that is substantially parallel to the YZ plane, and in the housing section 38, the insertion position and the connection position can be changed by moving the waste ink tank 34 in the ±X direction. It may also be configured to be displaced between.

(6) The embodiments described above and the various forms shown in (1) to (5) above may be combined as appropriate.

The disclosure of the above embodiments includes the following configurations and methods.

(Configuration 1)
a container portion provided with an insertion port into which a discharge member for discharging waste ink can be inserted and removed;
an insertion portion into which the ejection member inserted into the insertion port can be inserted in a first direction at a position corresponding to an opening area in which the ejection member can be inserted and removed in the insertion port; and an ejection portion inserted into the insertion portion. an absorbent body, comprising a reducing part capable of reducing a force applied to the member in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and housed in the container part and absorbing waste ink discharged from the discharge member. A waste ink tank comprising:

(Configuration 2)
The insertion portion includes a plurality of first cuts that intersect within the opening area,
The waste ink according to configuration 1, wherein the reducing portion includes a second cut formed at a position where the region formed by the first cut is buckled when the discharge member is inserted. tank.

(Configuration 3)
The waste ink tank according to configuration 2, wherein the second cut is located at a position in contact with the opening area or outside the opening area.

(Configuration 4)
The insertion portion includes a first opening having a substantially polygonal shape whose center position substantially coincides with the center of the opening region,
The waste ink tank according to configuration 1, wherein the reducing portion includes a second opening provided at a position corresponding to a side of the first opening.

(Configuration 5)
The waste ink tank according to configuration 4, wherein each side of the first opening is at least partially located within the opening area.

(Configuration 6)
The length of the second opening in the direction in which the corresponding side of the first opening is deformed when the discharge member is inserted is determined by the deformation of the gap between the first opening and the second opening. The waste ink tank according to configuration 4 or 5, characterized in that the waste ink tank is larger than or equal to the amount.

(Configuration 7)
a recording means for recording by ejecting ink;
a recovery means for maintaining and recovering good ink ejection performance in the recording means;
A recording apparatus comprising: a waste ink tank according to any one of claims 1 to 6, into which the waste ink received by the recovery means is discharged.

34 Waste ink tank 402 Container portion 406 Absorber 408 Insertion port 502 Insertion portion 508 Cut 604 Second opening

Claims (7)

a container portion provided with an insertion port into which a discharge member for discharging waste ink can be inserted and removed;
an insertion portion into which the ejection member inserted into the insertion port can be inserted in a first direction at a position corresponding to an opening area in the insertion port into which the ejection member can be inserted and removed; and the ejection portion inserted into the insertion portion. an absorbent body that includes a reducing part capable of reducing a force applied to the member in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and is housed in the container part and absorbs waste ink discharged from the discharge member. A waste ink tank comprising: The insertion portion includes a plurality of first cuts that intersect within the opening area,
The waste material according to claim 1, wherein the reducing part includes a second cut formed at a position where the region formed by the first cut buckles when the discharge member is inserted. ink tank. The waste ink tank according to claim 2, wherein the second cut is located at a position adjacent to the opening area or outside the opening area. The insertion portion includes a first opening having a substantially polygonal shape whose center position substantially coincides with the center of the opening region,
The waste ink tank according to claim 1, wherein the reducing portion includes a second opening provided at a position corresponding to a side of the first opening. The waste ink tank according to claim 4, wherein each side of the first opening is at least partially located within the opening area. The length of the second opening in the direction in which the corresponding side of the first opening is deformed when the discharge member is inserted is determined by the deformation of the gap between the first opening and the second opening. 5. The waste ink tank according to claim 4, wherein the waste ink tank is equal to or larger than the amount of waste ink. a recording means for recording by ejecting ink;
a recovery means for maintaining and recovering good ink ejection performance in the recording means;
A recording apparatus comprising: a waste ink tank according to any one of claims 1 to 6, into which the waste ink received by the recovery means is discharged.

Images