JP5853555B2 - Printing fluid cartridge, printing fluid supply device, recording device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing fluid cartridge, a printing fluid supply device, and a recording device that can be mounted on a cartridge mounting portion through an opening and in which the urging member urges the printing fluid cartridge toward the opening.

  Conventionally, an image recording apparatus that records an image on recording paper using ink is known. This image recording apparatus includes an ink jet recording head, and selectively ejects ink droplets from a nozzle of the recording head toward a recording sheet. The ink droplets land on the recording paper, whereby a desired image is recorded on the recording paper. This image recording apparatus is provided with a liquid container for storing ink to be supplied to the recording head. As this liquid container, one in which a cartridge type is adopted is known. The cartridge-type liquid container can be attached to and detached from a mounting portion provided in the image recording apparatus. Such a cartridge type liquid container is also referred to as an ink cartridge.

  When the ink in the ink cartridge runs out, the ink cartridge is removed from the mounting portion of the image recording apparatus, and a new ink cartridge for storing ink is mounted on the mounting portion. There is a known lock structure for positioning the ink cartridge in the mounting portion and for holding the mounting state of the ink cartridge. Also, a biasing member that biases the ink cartridge in a direction in which the ink cartridge is removed from the mounting portion in a state where the ink cartridge is locked by the lock structure is known. When the ink cartridge is removed from the mounting portion, the lock by the lock structure is released, and the ink cartridge moves toward the opening by the force received from the urging member. This makes it easy for the user to take out the ink cartridge from the mounting portion (Patent Document 1).

  Further, the ink cartridge may be stored with the air layer in the ink chamber being depressurized in order to prevent the gas from dissolving in the ink. Furthermore, in order to maintain the decompressed state of the ink chamber, the ink cartridge may be packaged with a packaging material whose interior space is decompressed. When the internal space of the packaging material is decompressed, the packaging material is pressure-bonded to the ink cartridge. If the corner of the ink cartridge is sharp, the packaging material crimped to the corner may be damaged. In order to prevent damage to the packaging material, the corners of the ink cartridge are chamfered into curved surfaces (Patent Documents 2 and 3).

JP 2011-152644 A JP 2008-137376 A JP 2005-288866 A

  As described above, from the viewpoint of preventing damage to the packaging material, it is desirable that the corners of the ink cartridge be chamfered with a curved surface called R processing. However, when the ink cartridge is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion and the portion having a relationship such as contact with the member of the cartridge mounting portion is chamfered, the contact area at that portion is reduced. As a result, it is necessary to accurately position the ink cartridge in the cartridge mounting portion. However, considering the ease of operation by the user, when the ink cartridge is inserted, there is a backlash (a margin of size) with respect to the cartridge mounting portion. ) Is desirable. For example, if there is variation in the contact position between the urging member for urging the ink cartridge and the ink cartridge as disclosed in Patent Document 1, the urging force applied to the ink cartridge becomes unstable, and the operation of the urging member The movement of the ink cartridge may become unstable. In particular, such a problem is conspicuous when the structure is such that the position where the force of the elastic member such as a spring is applied to the biasing member and the position where the ink cartridge contacts the biasing member do not match.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to be able to chamfer the corners of the printing fluid cartridge, and to operate the urging member of the cartridge mounting portion and the printing fluid cartridge. It is an object to provide means that can stably realize the movement.

The present invention relates to a printing fluid cartridge that can be attached to a cartridge attachment portion through an opening and is urged by an urging member toward the opening in a state where the cartridge attachment portion is attached in an insertion direction intersecting the vertical direction. . The printing fluid cartridge has a main body that is inserted into the opening, a protrusion that protrudes in the insertion direction from a lower side of the insertion direction of the main body in the mounting posture, and a protruding end that abuts the biasing member. Are provided. The protruding end of the protrusion has an abutting region that abuts the urging member at the center of the lower edge extending in the left-right direction orthogonal to the insertion direction and the vertical direction intersecting the insertion direction , both sides of the corner portions of the right and left direction of the contact area is on the body side than the contact region.

  In the printing fluid cartridge mounted on the cartridge mounting portion, the contact area of the protrusion contacts the urging member. Thereby, the urging force from the urging member acts on the contact area. Since the contact area is located at the center in the left-right direction of the protrusion, the urging force acts in a balanced manner with respect to the left-right direction of the protrusion. In addition, at the lower edge of the protrusion, it is not necessary to perform a large chamfering process at the center in the left-right direction, so that a wide contact area can be secured downward. On the other hand, since the corners on both sides of the contact area are on the main body side with respect to the contact area, chamfering can be performed.

The protrusion may be inserted into a groove provided in the cartridge mounting portion and guided in the insertion direction of the printing fluid cartridge. Since both sides in the left-right direction are on the main body side at the tip of the protrusion, it is easy to insert the protrusion into the groove in the left-right direction.

  The main body may have a printing fluid supply port through which printing fluid flows out above the protrusion on the front surface. Thereby, since the printing fluid dripping from the printing fluid supply port is received by the protrusion, the inside of the cartridge mounting portion is suppressed from being soiled by the printing fluid.

According to the present invention, the printing fluid cartridge can be mounted on the cartridge mounting portion through the opening, and is biased by the biasing member toward the opening in a state where the printing fluid cartridge is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion in the insertion direction intersecting the vertical direction. It may be grasped as relating to a printing fluid supply device. The printing fluid cartridge comprises a body which is inserted into the opening, are projected to the insertion direction from the lower side of the front surface of the insertion direction in the body, a protrusion that projecting end abuts with the urging member, It comprises. Protruding end of the protrusion, the center of the lower edge portion extending in the lateral direction perpendicular to the respective upper and lower direction intersecting with the insertion direction and the insertion direction, has a contact area which abuts with the energizing member, those corresponding corners on both sides of the left-right direction bearing region is on the body side than the contact region.

Further, the biasing member is one having a contact piece which projects above the upper surface of the protrusion, the contact piece is closed the contact region and the first surface that abuts the protrusions on the lower side And you may have the 2nd surface dented in the said insertion direction from the 1st surface above the said 1st surface. As a result, even when the printing fluid cartridge is inserted into the cartridge mounting portion, the contact area of the protrusion is on the second surface of the contact piece of the urging member even when the print fluid cartridge is inclined with respect to the vertical direction. Contact is prevented. The abutment region of the protrusion stably contacts the first surface of the abutting piece of the urging member, so that the operation of the urging member of the cartridge mounting portion and the movement of the printing fluid cartridge are stabilized.

The present invention may be regarded as a printing fluid cartridge including a main body and a protrusion protruding in the insertion direction from the lower side of the front surface in the insertion direction of the main body in the mounting posture. Protruding end of the protrusion, the insertion direction and has an area in the center of the lower edge portion extending in the left upper and lower directions respectively orthogonal crossing the insertion direction, on both sides of the corner portions of the right and left direction of the region Is on the main body side from the region.

  According to the present invention, since a wide contact area can be secured, the operation of the urging member of the cartridge mounting portion and the movement of the printing fluid cartridge can be realized stably. Further, the corner portions that are both sides in the left-right direction of the protrusion of the printing fluid cartridge can be chamfered.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view schematically showing an internal structure of a printer 10 including an ink supply device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of the ink cartridge 30 packaged in the packaging material 13. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of the ink cartridge 30 taken out from the packaging material 13. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the ink cartridge 30. FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view of the ink cartridge 30 in the vicinity of the protrusion 86. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the cartridge mounting part 110. FIGS. 7A and 7B are cross-sectional views illustrating a process in which the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the cartridge mounting portion 110. 8A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state where the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 110, and FIG. 8B illustrates a process in which the ink cartridge 30 is removed from the cartridge mounting portion 110. It is sectional drawing. FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of the ink cartridge 30 in the vicinity of the protrusion 86 in the modified example.

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

[Overview of Printer 10]
As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 records an image by selectively ejecting ink droplets onto a recording sheet based on an ink jet recording method. The printer 10 includes an ink supply device 100. The ink supply device 100 is provided with a cartridge mounting portion 110. The ink cartridge 30 can be mounted on the cartridge mounting unit 110. The cartridge mounting portion 110 is provided with an opening 112 whose one surface is open to the outside. The ink cartridge 30 is inserted into or removed from the cartridge mounting part 110 through the opening 112.

  The ink cartridge 30 stores ink that can be used by the printer 10. The ink cartridge 30 and the recording head 21 are connected by the ink tube 20 in a state where the cartridge is mounted in the cartridge mounting unit 110. The recording head 21 is provided with a sub tank 28. The sub tank 28 temporarily stores the ink supplied through the ink tube 20. The recording head 21 selectively ejects the ink supplied from the sub tank 28 from the nozzles 29 by the ink jet recording method. The recording head 21 corresponds to a recording unit.

  The recording paper fed from the paper feed tray 15 to the transport path 24 by the paper feed roller 23 is transported onto the platen 26 by the transport roller pair 25. The recording head 21 selectively ejects ink onto a recording sheet that passes over the platen 26. Thereby, an image is recorded on the recording paper. The recording sheet that has passed through the platen 26 is discharged by a discharge roller pair 22 to a discharge tray 16 provided on the most downstream side of the transport path 24.

[Ink cartridge 30]
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the ink cartridge 30 is a container for storing ink. As shown in FIG. 2, the ink cartridge 30 is packaged in the packaging material 13 during storage and transportation after manufacture. The packaging material 13 is obtained by processing a sheet material having low gas permeability into a bag shape, such as a synthetic resin film deposited with aluminum. The ink cartridge 30 is sealed when the packaging material 13 is in close contact with the outer surface thereof. Further, the air existing between the packaging material 13 and the ink cartridge 30 is decompressed. Here, it is preferable that the space between the packaging material 13 and the ink cartridge 30 is in a vacuum state, but it is not always necessary to be in a vacuum, and may be a pressure sufficiently lower than the atmospheric pressure. Such pressure reduction is performed for the purpose of preventing ink from being blown out from the ink chamber 36 when the ink cartridge 30 is placed at a high place where the atmospheric pressure is low. The degree of decompression is preferably about −40 kPa or less assuming that the pressure is set at an altitude of 4000 m, for example. The ink cartridge 30 is taken out from the packaging material 13 in use.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a space formed inside the ink cartridge 30 is an ink chamber 36 that stores ink. The ink chamber 36 may be formed by an internal frame that is a member different from the casing of the main body 31 that forms the appearance of the ink cartridge 30, or may be formed by the casing of the main body 31.

  3 and 4, the ink cartridge 30 is indicated by an arrow 50 with respect to the cartridge mounting portion 110 with the lower surface in the drawing as the bottom surface and the upper surface in the drawing as the top surface. (See FIG. 6, hereinafter referred to as “insertion and removal direction 50”). The insertion and removal direction 50 is along the horizontal direction. The ink cartridge 30 is inserted into and removed from the cartridge mounting portion 110 while standing. This standing state corresponds to the mounting posture. The direction in which the ink cartridge 30 is mounted in the cartridge mounting unit 110 is the insertion direction 56 along the horizontal direction, and the direction in which the ink cartridge 30 is removed is the extraction direction 55. Further, the vertical direction 52 in the standing state corresponds to the gravity direction (vertical direction). In other words, the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the cartridge mounting portion 110 along the insertion / removal direction 50 and is removed from the cartridge mounting portion 110 along the insertion / removal direction 50. In the present embodiment, the insertion and removal direction 50 is along the horizontal direction, but the insertion and removal direction 50 may be a gravity direction or a direction that intersects the horizontal direction and the gravity direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the ink cartridge 30 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped main body 31. The ink cartridge 30 is generally thin in the left-right direction 51 and has a flat shape in which the up-down direction 52 and the front-rear direction 53 are larger than the left-right direction 51. The wall on the front side of the insertion direction 56 when the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 110 is the front wall 40, and the wall on the rear side of the insertion direction 56 is the rear wall 42. The front wall 40 and the rear wall 42 face each other in the insertion and extraction direction 50. The front wall 40 and the rear wall 42 connect a pair of left and right side walls 37, 38 extending in the insertion and extraction direction 50, the side walls 37, 38 and the front wall 40 and the rear wall 42. The upper wall 39 extends toward the upper end of the front wall 42, and the lower wall 41 extends from the lower end of the front wall 40 toward the lower end of the rear wall 42. The insertion and removal direction 50 is parallel to the front-rear direction 53. The outer surface of the front wall 40 corresponds to the front surface. The outer surface of the rear wall 42 corresponds to the rear surface. The outer surface of the upper wall 39 corresponds to the upper surface. The outer surface of the lower wall 41 corresponds to the bottom surface.

[Main unit 31]
An ink supply unit 34 is provided below the front wall 40 of the main body 31. The ink supply unit 34 has a cylindrical outer shape, and projects outward from the front wall 40 along the insertion and extraction direction 50. An ink supply port 71 is formed at the protruding end of the ink supply unit 34. The ink supply port 71 corresponds to a printing fluid supply port.

  An ink flow path 72 extending from the ink supply port 71 through the internal space of the ink supply unit 34 in the insertion and extraction direction 50 to the ink chamber 36 is formed. The ink supply port 71 is configured to be opened and closed by an ink supply valve 70. When the ink cartridge 30 is mounted in the cartridge mounting portion 110, the ink needle 122 (see FIG. 6) provided in the cartridge mounting portion 110 is inserted into the ink supply port 71 and the ink supply valve 70 is opened. As a result, the ink flows out from the ink chamber 36 through the ink flow path 72 to the ink needle 122 provided in the cartridge mounting portion 110.

  The ink supply port 71 is not necessarily limited to a configuration that can be opened and closed by the ink supply valve 70. For example, the ink supply port 71 is closed with a film or the like, and the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting unit 110. The ink supply port 71 may be opened by the ink needle 122 breaking through the film.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a protrusion 86 is provided on the lower end of the front wall 40 of the main body 31. Accordingly, the protrusion 86 is disposed below the ink supply unit 34. The width of the protrusion 86 is the same as the width of the front wall 40. The protrusion 86 protrudes from the front wall 40 in a direction away from the rear wall 42 (insertion direction 56). The tip of the protrusion 86 protrudes to the front side of the ink supply port 71 that is the tip of the ink supply unit 34 in a direction away from the rear wall 42 (insertion direction 56). When the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 110, the protruding end 87 of the protrusion 86 contacts the slider 135 (see FIG. 6) of the cartridge mounting portion 110. Further, when the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 110, the protrusion 86 is fitted into the guide groove 109 (see FIG. 6), and the ink cartridge 30 is guided in the insertion direction 56 by this fitting.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the protruding end 87 of the protrusion 86 has a contact area 88 which is a plane extending in the left-right direction 51 and the up-down direction 52. When viewed from the front side in the front-rear direction 53, the contact region 88 has a shape in which both corners 90 and 91 of the lower edge 89 of the rectangle are missing. In other words, the contact area 88 has a downwardly convex shape. Both corners 90 and 91 at the projecting end 87 are chamfered by round (R) processing of the connecting portion between the contact area 88 and the bottom surface which is the outer surface of the lower wall 41. Therefore, both corners 90 and 91 form a curved surface from the contact area 88 to the bottom surface. As shown in FIG. 5, due to this chamfering, both corners 90, 91 are on the front surface 40 side of the main body 31 from the contact region 88, and the center in the left-right direction 51 of the edge 89 is It protrudes forward from 91. The edge portion 89 has a curvature smaller than the curvature of both corner portions 90 and 91 and connects the bottom surface and the contact region 88. As a result, the area of the contact region 88 is larger than when the entire corner of the protrusion 86 is subjected to R machining with the same curvature as the corner portions 90 and 91.

  A locking portion 45 is formed near the center of the upper wall 39 of the main body 31 in the front-rear direction 53. The locking portion 45 has a locking surface 46 that extends in the left-right direction 51 and the vertical direction 52 of the ink cartridge 30 and is formed to be recessed downward from the upper wall 39. An engagement member 145 described later is engaged with the locking surface 46 in a state where the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 110. The locking portion 45 receives a biasing force that pushes the ink cartridge 30 in the removal direction 55.

  A release lever 80 is provided on the locking portion 45 of the main body 31. The release lever 80 has, for example, a bent flat plate shape, and is arranged such that its longitudinal direction is along the front-rear direction 53. The release lever 80 has a shaft 83 at the bent position. The shaft 83 is rotatably supported at a position spaced from the locking surface 46 of the main body 31 toward the rear wall 42. The release lever 80 can rotate around the shaft 83. In the release lever 80, the front end portion 81 on the front wall 40 side extends from the shaft 83 to the locking surface 46 side. The rear end portion 82 of the release lever 80 extends from the shaft 83 to the rear wall 42 side.

  In a state where no external force is applied to the release lever 80, the release lever 80 is positioned so that the tip 81 is located on the uppermost side with respect to the upper wall 39 (the position where the tip 81 is farthest from the upper wall 39). In this state, the rear end portion 82 is located above the upper wall 39 of the main body 31. The distal end portion 81 is positioned so as to protrude outward from the outer shape of the main body 31. When the distal end portion 81 of the release lever 80 is pushed downward, the release lever 80 rotates, for example, clockwise in FIG. 7 against its own weight. In a state where the release lever 80 is rotated most clockwise, the distal end portion 81 is located below the locking surface 46. Note that the release lever 80 may be integrated with the main body 31. Further, the release lever 80 may be urged clockwise by a coil spring. In this case, the release lever 80 is rotated counterclockwise against the urging force of the coil spring when the rear end portion 82 is pushed downward.

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

[Cartridge mounting part 110]
As shown in FIG. 6, the case 101 forming the housing of the cartridge mounting unit 110 has an opening 112 on the front side of the printer 10. The ink cartridge 30 is inserted into and removed from the case 101 through the opening 112. The ink cartridge 30 is provided on the bottom surface defining the bottom of the internal space of the case 101 by inserting the upper wall 39 side into the guide groove 108 provided on the top surface defining the top of the internal space of the case 101. By inserting the lower wall 41 side into the guide groove 109 thus formed, the guide groove 109 is guided in the insertion and removal direction 50. Each of the guide grooves 108 and 109 is recessed from the top surface and the bottom surface in the vertical direction, and extends linearly along the insertion and extraction directions 50. The widths of the guide grooves 108 and 109 are slightly wider than the width of the main body 31 of the ink cartridge 30 (outside dimension in the left-right direction 51), and are substantially constant in the insertion and extraction directions 50.

  As shown in FIG. 6, a connection portion 103 is provided below the end surface 102 of the case 101. The connection portion 103 is disposed at a position corresponding to the ink supply portion 34 of each ink cartridge 30 attached to the case 101 on the final surface.

  The connection unit 103 includes an ink needle 122 and a holding unit 121. The ink needle 122 is made of a tubular resin needle. The ink needle 122 is connected to the ink tube 20 on the outer surface side that forms the front and back surfaces of the case 101. Each ink tube 20 drawn out from each ink needle 122 to the outer surface side that is the front and back of the case 101 is extended to the recording head 21 of the printer 10 so that ink can flow. In FIG. 6, the ink tube 20 is omitted.

  The holding part 121 is formed in a cylindrical shape. An ink needle 122 is disposed at the center of the holding part 121. As shown in FIG. 8A, when the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting unit 110, the ink supply unit 34 is inserted inside the cylinder of the holding unit 121. At this time, the ink supply unit 34 is inserted while being positioned with respect to the holding unit 121 by the outer peripheral surface of the ink supply unit 34 coming into contact with the cylindrical inner peripheral surface of the holding unit 121. When the ink supply unit 34 is inserted into the holding unit 121, the ink needle 122 is inserted into the ink supply port 71 of the ink supply unit 34. As a result, the ink stored in the ink chamber 36 can flow out. The ink that has flowed out of the ink chamber 36 flows into the ink needle 122. The ink needle 122 corresponds to a printing fluid supply pipe.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the slider 135 is disposed in a space 130 formed on the lower end side of the end surface of the cartridge mounting portion 110. The space 130 is continuous with the internal space of the cartridge mounting unit 110. The slider 135 is slidable along the insertion and removal direction 50 in the space 130. The slider 135 corresponds to an urging member.

  The slider 135 has a contact piece 137 that protrudes upward from the upper surface of a base portion 136 that forms a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The base 136 is located below the bottom surface of the guide groove 109 and does not contact the protrusion 86 of the ink cartridge 30. The contact piece 137 protrudes to the upper side from the guide groove 109 and can contact the protrusion 86. The contact piece 137 protrudes to the upper side of the upper surface of the protrusion 86 inserted into the guide groove 109. Further, the contact piece 137 does not reach the connection portion 103. In the contact piece 137, the surface facing the opening 112 is partitioned into a lower first surface 138 and an upper second surface 139. The first surface 138 is closer to the opening 112 than the second surface 139. That is, the first surface 138 and the second surface 139 are stepped with respect to the insertion and extraction direction 50, and the second surface 139 is on the back side (opposite to the opening 112) with respect to the first surface 138. Recessed. The first surface 138 can contact the contact region 88 of the protrusion 86. The second surface 139 does not contact the contact area 88 of the protrusion 86.

  A coil spring 140 is provided in the space 130. The coil spring 140 is connected to the base portion 136 of the slider 135 and the end surface of the bottom portion of the case 101 in the insertion direction 56. The coil spring 140 elastically biases the ink cartridge 30 toward the opening 112, that is, in a direction in which the ink cartridge 30 is extracted from the cartridge mounting portion 110, that is, toward the opening 112. When the coil spring 140 has a natural length, that is, when no external force is applied to the slider 135, the slider 135 is disposed at a predetermined position on the opening 112 side. In the process of inserting the ink cartridge 30 into the cartridge mounting portion 110, the protrusion 86 of the ink cartridge 30 contacts the slider 135, and the slider 135 is pressed toward the end wall of the space 130. As a result, the coil spring 140 is extended and the slider 135 is slid to the position on the end wall side. The extended coil spring 140 urges the ink cartridge 30 toward the removal direction 55 via the slider 135. The coil spring 140 corresponds to an elastic member.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the engaging member 145 is provided in the case 101. The engaging member 145 is for holding the ink cartridge 30 mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 110 in a mounted state. The engaging member 145 is provided above the opening 112 of the case 101.

  For example, the engaging member 145 is formed to be swingable about the support shaft 147. The support shaft 147 is provided, for example, at the end of the engagement member 145 on the opening 112 side. For example, the support shaft 147 is attached to the case 101. As a result, the engaging member 145 is rotatably supported on the upper side of the case 101 near the opening 112 so as to approach / separate from the opening 112 side around the support shaft 147. The engagement end 146 is disposed on the other end side of the support shaft 147 of the engagement member 145. The engagement end 146 can be engaged with the locking portion 45 of the ink cartridge 30. When the engaging end 146 engages with the locking portion 45, the ink cartridge 30 is held at the mounting position against the case 101 against the urging force of the slider 135. The rotation position (see FIG. 8A) of the engagement member 145 where the engagement end 146 is engageable with the engagement portion 45 is referred to as a lock position, and the engagement end 146 is the engagement portion. A position that does not engage with 45 (see FIG. 8B) is referred to as an unlock position.

  The engaging member 145 rotates downward in the gravity direction by its own weight or a coil spring (not shown). When the distal end portion 81 of the release lever 80 moves upward, the engaging member 145 rotates upward about the support shaft 147 and moves from the locked position to the unlocked position. Although not shown in each drawing, for example, the movable range of the engagement member 145 is restricted so as not to move downward from the unlock position.

[Installation operation of ink cartridge 30]
The operation of mounting the ink cartridge 30 on the cartridge mounting unit 110 will be described below with reference to FIGS.

  First, when the ink cartridge 30 is used, the packaging material 13 is broken and the ink cartridge 30 is taken out from the packaging material 13. Then, the ink cartridge 30 in the mounted posture is inserted into the case 101. At the time of insertion, the protruding end 87 of the protrusion 86 on the foremost side of the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the opening 112. As shown in FIG. 7A, the protrusion 86 is inserted into the guide groove 109 by inserting the protruding end 87 into the guide groove 109 that opens to the opening 112. By inserting the protrusion 86 into the guide groove 109, the ink cartridge 30 is positioned in the left-right direction in the case 101 (direction perpendicular to the paper surface with respect to FIGS. 7 and 8). By supporting the bottom surface of the protrusion 86 on the bottom surface of the guide groove 109, the ink cartridge 30 is positioned in the case 101 in the downward direction. Since both corners 90 and 91 of the projection 86 are rounded, even if the edge of the guide groove 109 and the corners 90 and 91 come into contact with each other when the projection 86 is inserted into the guide groove 109, The protrusion 86 is guided into the guide groove 109 by the curved surface 91.

  When the ink cartridge 30 is further inserted to the end surface side of the case 101, the engagement end portion 146 of the engagement member 145 rides on the upper wall 39 of the main body 31. As a result, the engaging member 145 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 7 and moves from the locked position to the unlocked position. Further, when the ink cartridge 30 is inserted to the end surface side of the case 101, the engaging member 145 slides on the upper wall 39 toward the locking portion 45.

  As shown in FIG. 7B, the protrusion 86 contacts the contact piece 137 of the slider 135 in the process of mounting the ink cartridge 30 to the cartridge mounting portion 110. Specifically, the contact region 88 of the protrusion 86 contacts the first surface 138 of the contact piece 137. Further, when the ink cartridge 30 is further inserted to the end surface 102 side, the first surface 138 of the contact piece 137 is pressed to the back side. Thereby, the slider 135 moves to the back side while the coil spring 140 is elastically extended. When the coil spring 140 is elastically extended, a biasing force in the take-out direction 55 is applied to the contact region 88 of the protrusion 86 via the contact piece 137.

  The ink supply unit 34 of the ink cartridge 30 is in contact with the holding unit 121, and the ink needle 122 is inserted into the ink supply port 71 of the ink supply unit 34. When the ink needle 122 is inserted into the ink supply port 71 to contact the valve 70 and the ink cartridge 30 is moved in the insertion direction 56, the valve 70 is pushed by the ink needle 122 and is separated from the ink supply port 71. Then, when the ink supply unit 34 is inserted into the holding unit 121 and the ink needle 122 is inserted into the ink supply port 71, the main body 31 of the ink cartridge 30 is attached to the case 101 at a predetermined position. The Although not shown in each figure, since the ink introduction port is provided at the tip of the ink needle 122, the ink flows from the ink chamber 36 into the ink needle 122 through the ink introduction port.

  Further, when the ink cartridge 30 reaches the mounting position, as shown in FIG. 8A, the locking surface 46 of the locking portion 45 of the main body 31 is inserted into the engaging end 146 of the engaging member 145 in the insertion direction. Pass to 56. Thereby, the engaging member 145 rotates clockwise in FIG. 8 and is positioned at the engaging portion 45, and the engaging end portion 146 contacts the locking surface 46. When the engaging member 145 is engaged with the locking portion 45, the ink cartridge 30 is held at the mounting position against the bias of the coil spring 140. In this way, the mounting of the ink cartridge 30 to the cartridge mounting unit 110 is completed.

  In a state where the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 110, the distal end portion 81 of the release lever 80 is positioned below the engagement end portion 146 of the engagement member 145. Further, the rear end portion 82 of the release lever 80 is spaced apart from the bottom surface of the locking portion 45 and is positioned above the upper wall 39 of the main body 31.

  When the ink in the ink chamber 36 of the ink cartridge 30 is consumed, the used ink cartridge 30 is removed from the cartridge mounting portion 110 and a new ink cartridge 30 is mounted.

  When the ink cartridge 30 is removed from the cartridge mounting portion 110, the rear end portion 82 of the release lever 80 is pushed downward by the user. As a result, the distal end portion 81 of the release lever 80 moves upward and is separated from the bottom surface of the locking portion 45. As the tip 81 moves, the engaging member 145 is pushed upward by the tip 81 of the release lever 80. As a result, the engagement member 145 is rotated until the engagement end 146 of the engagement member 145 is above the locking surface 46, that is, until the engagement end 146 is separated from the locking surface 46. That is, the engagement member 145 is rotated from the lock position to the unlock position, and the holding of the ink cartridge 30 by the engagement member 145 is released.

  When the engagement end 146 of the engagement member 145 is separated from the locking surface 46, the external force applied to the main body 31 via the protrusion 86, that is, the urging force by the coil spring 140 causes the main body 31 to move in the take-out direction. Try to move to 55. On the other hand, since the user pushes down the release lever 80 downward, the urging force by the coil spring 126 or the like is received by the user's hand through the release lever 80. Then, when the user takes out the main body 31 in the removal direction 55, the ink cartridge 30 is removed from the cartridge mounting portion 110.

[Operational effects of this embodiment]
According to the present embodiment, in the ink cartridge 30 mounted on the cartridge mounting unit 110, the contact area 88 of the protrusion 86 contacts the contact piece 137. At this time, since the first surface 138 on the side close to the coil spring 140 is arranged closer to the opening 112 than the second surface 139 on the far side, the contact region 88 is formed on the first surface 138. Contact preferentially. Thereby, the urging force from the coil spring 140 acts on the contact area 88. Since the contact region 88 is located at the center of the projection 86 in the left-right direction 51, the urging force acts on the projection 86 in the left-right direction 51 with a good balance. In addition, since the contact region 88 is located on the lowermost side of the protrusion 86, the vertical offset of the ink cartridge 30 with respect to the urging force of the coil spring 140 acting on the base 136 below the contact piece 137. Can be minimized. In other words, regarding the slider 135, the slider 135 receives a pressing force from the ink cartridge 30 on the first surface 138 on the side close to the coil spring 140, and thus is less inclined with respect to the bottom of the case 101. Accordingly, the slider 135 can be smoothly slid in the insertion direction 56. Accordingly, there is an advantage that the operation of the slider 135 and the movement of the ink cartridge 30 in the cartridge mounting unit 110 are stabilized.

  Further, in the lower edge 89 of the protrusion 86, the center in the left-right direction 51 does not need to be chamfered, so that the contact area 88 can be widely secured downward. On the other hand, since the corners 90 and 91 on both sides of the contact area 88 are on the front wall 40 side of the main body 31 from the contact area 88, chamfering can be performed. When the ink cartridge 30 is packaged in the packaging material 13 and the space between the packaging material 13 and the ink cartridge 30 is depressurized, the packaging material 13 comes into close contact with the outer shape of the ink cartridge 30. Since the portions 90 and 91 are chamfered, the risk of the packaging material 13 being broken by the corner portions 90 and 91 is reduced.

  Further, the projection 86 is inserted into the guide groove 109 provided in the cartridge mounting portion 110 so that the ink cartridge 30 is guided in the insertion direction 56, but both corners 90 and 91 of the projection 86 are formed on the main body 31 from the contact area 88. Since it is on the front wall 40 side, the protrusion 86 can be easily inserted into the guide groove 109 in the left-right direction.

  In addition, since the ink supply unit 34 is provided above the protrusion 86 on the front wall 40 of the main body 31 of the ink cartridge 30, the ink dripping from the ink supply unit 34 is received on the upper surface of the protrusion 86. Thus, when the ink cartridge 30 is attached to or removed from the cartridge attachment portion 110, the inside of the cartridge attachment portion 110 is suppressed from being stained with ink even if ink drips from the ink supply portion 34.

  Further, the contact piece 137 of the slider 135 has the first surface 138 on the lower side and the second surface 139 recessed on the insertion direction 56 from the first surface 138 on the upper side. Even if the posture is inclined with respect to the vertical direction when inserted into 110, the contact region 88 of the protrusion 86 is prevented from contacting the second surface 139 of the contact piece 137. Since the contact area 88 of the protrusion 86 stably contacts the first surface 138 of the contact piece 137, the operation of the slider 135 and the movement of the ink cartridge 30 in the cartridge mounting portion 110 are stabilized. Further, since the contact piece 137 is in contact with the contact area 88 of the protrusion 86 and protrudes to the upper side from the upper surface of the protrusion 867, the ink dripping on the upper surface of the protrusion 86 causes the contact piece 137 to fall. The entry into the inside of the cartridge mounting part 110 beyond is suppressed.

[Modification]
In the above-described embodiment, the corners 90 and 91 of the protrusion 86 are chamfered so that the corners 90 and 91 are closer to the front wall 40 side of the main body 31 than the contact region 88. However, at the projecting end 87 of the projection 86, a contact area 92 that is a hemispherical surface that bulges in the insertion direction 56 is formed, so that both corners 90 and 91 are located at the front wall 40 of the main body 31 from the contact area 92. You may make it the shape used as a side.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the protruding end 87 of the protrusion 86 has a contact region 92 that bulges outward from an end surface 93 that is a plane extending in the left-right direction 51 and the up-down direction 52. When viewed from the front side in the front-rear direction 53, the contact region 92 has a hemispherical shape disposed at the center of the lower edge 89 of the rectangle. In the edge portion 89 at the protruding end 87, the connecting portion between the end surface 93 and the bottom surface which is the outer surface of the lower wall 41 is rounded (R) processed at both corners 90 and 91 except for the contact region 92. Being chamfered by Accordingly, portions other than the contact region 92 in the edge portion 89 form a curved surface from the end surface 93 to the bottom surface. By providing such a contact area 92, both corners 90, 91 are closer to the front surface 40 side of the main body 31 than the contact area 92, and in the center in the left-right direction 51 of the edge 89. 92 projects forward from both corners 90, 91. Even if such a contact region 92 is provided, the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained. A plurality of contact regions 92 may be formed between the corner portions 90 and 91.

10 ... Printer (image recording device)
21: Recording head (recording unit)
30 ... Ink cartridge (printing fluid cartridge)
31 ... Main body 34 ... Ink supply part (printing fluid supply port)
40 ... Front wall (front)
86 ... Projection 87 ... Projection end 88, 92 ... Contact area 89 ... Edge 90, 91 ... Corner 100 ... Ink supply device
109 ... guide groove (groove)
110 ... cartridge mounting part 112 ... opening 122 ... ink needle (printing fluid supply pipe)
135 ... Slider (biasing member)
137: Contact piece 138: First surface 139: Second surface 140: Coil spring (elastic member)

Claims (17)

A printing fluid cartridge that can be attached to the cartridge attachment portion through the opening and is urged by the urging member toward the opening in a state where the cartridge attachment portion is attached in an insertion direction intersecting the vertical direction.
The printing fluid cartridge is
A body inserted into the opening;
Are projected from the lower side of the front surface of the insertion direction into the insertion direction in the body in the installed attitude, comprising projections and that the projecting end abuts with the biasing member,
Protruding end of the protrusion, the center of the lower edge portion extending in the lateral direction perpendicular to the respective upper and lower direction intersecting with the insertion direction and the insertion direction, has a contact area which abuts with the energizing member, those corresponding corners of both sides of the lateral direction of the bearing region is on the body side than the contact area printing fluid cartridge. The contact area, the printing fluid cartridge according to claim 1 is a plane which extends into the vertical and the horizontal direction. The contact area, the printing fluid cartridge according to claim 1 is a hemispherical surface which bulges into said insertion direction.   The printing fluid cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the corner is a curved surface. 5. The printing fluid cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is inserted into a groove provided in the cartridge mounting portion and guided in the insertion direction of the printing fluid cartridge.   The printing fluid cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the main body has a printing fluid supply port for allowing the printing fluid to flow out above the protrusion on the front surface. A printing fluid supply device in which a printing fluid cartridge can be mounted to a cartridge mounting portion through an opening, and is biased by a biasing member toward the opening in a state where the cartridge is mounted in an insertion direction intersecting the vertical direction with the cartridge mounting portion. Because
The printing fluid cartridge is
A body inserted into the opening;
Are projected from the lower side of the front surface of the insertion direction into the insertion direction in the body, comprising projections and that the projecting end abuts with the biasing member,
Protruding end of the protrusion, the center of the lower edge portion extending in the lateral direction perpendicular to the respective upper and lower direction intersecting with the insertion direction and the insertion direction, has a contact area which abuts with the energizing member, those corresponding corners on both sides of the left-right direction bearing region is on the body side than the contact area printing fluid supply device. The contact area, the printing fluid supply device according to claim 7 which is a plane that extends into the vertical and the horizontal direction. The contact area, the printing fluid supply device according to claim 7 is a hemispherical surface which bulges into said insertion direction.   The printing fluid supply apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the corner portion is a curved surface. The cartridge mounting portion has a groove extending in the insertion direction on the bottom surface of the internal space,
The printing fluid supply apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the protrusion is a guide that fits into a groove of the cartridge mounting portion and guides the insertion direction of the printing fluid cartridge. The main body has a printing fluid supply port for flowing a printing fluid above the protrusion on the front surface,
The printing fluid supply apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the cartridge mounting portion includes a printing fluid supply pipe that is inserted into an opening of the printing fluid cartridge and into which ink flows. The urging member has a contact piece protruding upward from the upper surface of the protrusion,
The contact piece has the lower the contact region and the first surface that abuts the projection, those having the second surface recessed to the insertion direction than the first surface on the upper side of the first surface The printing fluid supply apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 12. It said biasing member is a printing fluid supply device according to claim 13 in which receiving biasing force in the opposite direction and the insertion direction of an elastic member in the lower side of the contact piece. A printing fluid supply device according to any one of claims 7 to 14,
An image recording apparatus comprising: a recording unit that records an image by attaching a printing fluid supplied from the liquid supply apparatus to a recording medium. The body,
A protrusion projecting in the insertion direction from the lower side of the front surface of the body in the mounting orientation in the mounting orientation;
Protruding end of the protrusion, a vertical direction and has an area in the center of the lower edge portion extending in the lateral direction perpendicular to each, on both sides of the corner of the left-right direction of the region intersecting with the insertion direction and the insertion direction A printing fluid cartridge having a portion closer to the main body than the region. The printing fluid cartridge according to claim 16, wherein the region is a plane, and the corner is a curved surface.

Images