JP5884307B2 - Liquid container, liquid container complex, and liquid supply system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid container that contains a liquid therein, and a technique for supplying the liquid in the liquid container to a liquid ejecting apparatus.

  As an example of a liquid ejecting apparatus, a so-called inkjet printer is widely known. In an ink jet printer, an image or the like can be printed by ejecting an accurate amount of ink from an ejection nozzle provided in an ejection head to an accurate position of an object such as paper.

  In such an ink jet printer, it has been proposed that an ink tank for containing ink is provided (Patent Document 1), and ink ejected from the ejection nozzle is supplied from the ink tank to the ejection head. The ink tank is provided with an injection port for injecting ink. When the ink in the ink tank becomes low (decreases below a predetermined amount), the ink in a separately prepared ink bottle is replenished from the injection port. Thus, it is possible to print continuously. Further, since ink is poured into the ink tank, the ink in the ink tank can be used without waste.

JP-A-2005-219383

  However, when an ink jet printer equipped with an ink tank is purchased and the first ink filling (initial filling) is performed, it takes time or a large amount of time to be able to print normally for the following reasons. There was a problem of using some ink. First, the ink tank is empty at the time of purchase, and it is necessary to move (pour) the ink in the ink bottle to the ink tank before starting printing. At this time, even if the ink in the ink bottle is degassed, a large amount of air (bubbles) is taken into the ink. When ink containing air is filled in the ejection head and air is ejected from the ejection nozzle instead of ink, printing failure (so-called dot dropout) occurs. Therefore, a waiting time (for example, 30 minutes) until the air in the ink floats is required, or a large amount of ink is used to suck out the air accumulated in the ejection head from the ejection nozzle and discharge it together with the ink. There is.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, and it is possible to add liquid to the liquid container while maintaining the degree of deaeration at the time of initial filling. It is an object of the present invention to provide a technique capable of filling the ejection head with the liquid.

In order to solve at least a part of the problems described above, the liquid container of the present invention employs the following configuration. That is,
A liquid ejecting apparatus including an ejecting head that ejects liquid, a liquid intake portion that communicates with the ejecting head, and a mounting portion provided with the liquid intake portion is configured independently and is supplied to the ejecting head. A liquid container for storing a liquid to be contained therein,
A liquid supply port that opens at the bottom of the liquid container and supplies the liquid in the liquid container by being airtightly joined to the liquid intake part when the liquid container is attached to the attachment part;
When the liquid intake portion and the liquid supply port are joined, an engaging portion that engages with a part of the liquid ejecting apparatus so that the liquid container cannot be detached from the mounting portion;
The gist is provided with a liquid injection port provided at a position above the liquid supply port of the liquid container and capable of injecting a liquid into the liquid container.

  Such a liquid container of the present invention is configured independently (separately) from the liquid ejecting apparatus, and by attaching the liquid container containing the liquid to the mounting part of the liquid ejecting apparatus, The provided liquid intake portion and the liquid supply port opened at the bottom of the liquid container are joined in an airtight manner, and the liquid in the liquid container is supplied to the ejection head. Further, the liquid container is provided with a portion (engagement portion) that engages with a part of the liquid ejecting apparatus. When the liquid intake portion and the liquid supply port are joined, the liquid container is detached from the mounting portion. Engage in an inseparable manner. Furthermore, a liquid inlet is provided at a position above the liquid supply port of the liquid container, so that the liquid can be replenished.

  According to the liquid container of the present invention having the above-described configuration, it is possible to add liquid to the liquid container, but when the liquid is first filled in the ejection head (at the initial filling), the liquid is deaerated. The ejection head can be filled with liquid without reducing the degree. That is, unlike the present invention, when a liquid container is integrally provided in advance in the liquid ejecting apparatus, liquid is poured from a separately prepared liquid bottle into an empty liquid container for initial filling. Depending on the condition, air may enter the liquid and foam. When the liquid containing such bubbles is filled in the ejection head, there is a problem that the liquid is not ejected properly. In contrast, if the liquid container is configured separately from the liquid ejecting apparatus as in the present invention, and the liquid container containing the liquid is mounted on the mounting portion of the liquid ejecting apparatus, the initial filling is performed. It is difficult for air to enter the liquid, and the ejection head can be filled with the liquid while maintaining the degree of deaeration of the liquid. As a result, there is no need to wait for air to escape from the liquid, so the time until the liquid can be ejected appropriately can be shortened. In addition, even when performing a process (so-called cleaning) in which the air in the ejection head is sucked and discharged together with the liquid (so-called cleaning), the amount of liquid to be discharged can be suppressed because only a slight cleaning is required.

  Further, once the liquid container is mounted on the mounting portion of the liquid ejecting apparatus, the liquid container is engaged with a part of the liquid ejecting apparatus and cannot be detached. When the liquid in the liquid container is reduced, the liquid can be added from the liquid inlet, so that the liquid can be continuously ejected from the ejection head and the liquid in the liquid container is wasted. It can be used without.

  In the liquid container of the present invention described above, a lid member that closes the liquid inlet is provided, and the lid member is opened by applying a force in a direction different from the direction in which the liquid container is removed from the mounting portion. May be.

  In this way, since the direction of the opening operation of the lid member is different from the direction of removing the liquid container from the mounting portion, no force is applied to the direction of removing the liquid container when opening the lid member, A problem that the joint between the liquid intake portion and the liquid supply port is loosened can be avoided.

  Further, in the liquid container of the present invention having the above-described lid member, the lid member is parallel to the direction in which the liquid container is removed from the mounting portion by providing a screw structure that fits into the liquid inlet and the lid member. You may make it open by rotating with a rotating shaft.

  If it carries out like this, the direction which rotates a cover member when opening and the direction which removes a liquid container from a mounting part will be orthogonal. Therefore, no force is applied in the direction of removing the liquid container due to the opening operation of the lid member, and a problem that the joint between the liquid intake portion and the liquid supply port is loosened can be avoided.

  When a plurality of liquid containers of the present invention are integrally connected to form a liquid container complex, the plurality of liquid containers are arranged in a direction crossing the direction in which each liquid container is mounted on the corresponding mounting portion. They may be connected side by side.

  In this way, by connecting a plurality of liquid containers together and handling them as a liquid container composite, it is possible to simultaneously mount the plurality of liquid containers on the corresponding mounting portions. Therefore, compared with the case where a plurality of liquid containers are individually mounted on the corresponding mounting portions, it is possible to save labor and time for mounting the liquid containers.

  Further, in the liquid container complex described above, the following may be performed. First, when an authentication code associated with the liquid in the liquid container is input, the liquid ejecting apparatus authenticates that the liquid is suitable for ejection from the ejection head based on the authentication code. A common authentication code may be associated with the liquid stored in each of the plurality of liquid containers before the liquid container complex is mounted on the liquid ejecting apparatus.

  In a liquid ejecting apparatus that stores different liquids in a plurality of liquid containers and is supplied to the ejection head for each type of liquid, when authenticating the liquid with an authentication code, the type of liquid should not be mistaken. In general, a different authentication code is associated with each liquid type, and as the number of liquid types increases, the input of the authentication code becomes complicated. However, if a plurality of liquid containers are connected together and handled as a liquid container complex, the type of liquid is not mistaken at the time of initial filling, so that a common authentication code can be associated with each liquid. As a result, it is not necessary to input an authentication code for each type of liquid, and it is only necessary to input one authentication code with the liquid container complex, so that the trouble of inputting the authentication code can be greatly reduced.

In addition, the liquid container of the present invention described above is mounted on the liquid ejecting apparatus, whereby the liquid contained therein is supplied to the ejecting head of the liquid ejecting apparatus. For this reason, this invention can also be grasped | ascertained with the aspect of the liquid supply system for supplying the liquid in a liquid container to a liquid ejecting apparatus. Therefore, the liquid supply system of the present invention employs the following configuration. That is,
A liquid supply system for supplying a liquid in a liquid container configured independently of the liquid ejecting apparatus to a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects liquid from an ejecting head,
In the liquid ejecting apparatus,
A liquid intake portion that communicates with the ejection head and takes in liquid ejected from the ejection head;
The liquid intake portion is provided, and a mounting portion to which the liquid container is mounted is provided.
In the liquid container,
A liquid supply port that opens at the bottom of the liquid container and supplies the liquid in the liquid container by being airtightly joined to the liquid intake part when the liquid container is attached to the attachment part;
When the liquid intake portion and the liquid supply port are joined, an engaging portion that engages with a part of the liquid ejecting apparatus so that the liquid container cannot be detached from the mounting portion;
The gist of the present invention is that the liquid container is provided at a position above the liquid supply port of the liquid container and capable of injecting liquid into the liquid container.

  In such a liquid supply system of the present invention, the liquid container is configured independently (separately) from the liquid ejecting apparatus, and the liquid container containing the liquid is mounted on the mounting portion of the liquid ejecting apparatus. As a result, the liquid intake section provided in the mounting section and the liquid supply port opened at the bottom of the liquid container are joined in an airtight manner, and the liquid in the liquid container is supplied to the ejection head. Further, the liquid container is provided with a portion (engagement portion) that engages with a part of the liquid ejecting apparatus. When the liquid intake portion and the liquid supply port are joined, the liquid container is detached from the mounting portion. Engage in an inseparable manner. Furthermore, a liquid inlet is provided at a position above the liquid supply port of the liquid container, so that the liquid can be replenished.

  According to such a liquid supply system of the present invention, the liquid container is configured separately from the liquid ejecting apparatus, and the ejecting head is configured by mounting the liquid container containing the liquid on the mounting portion of the liquid ejecting apparatus. In the first filling of the liquid (initial filling), it is difficult for air to enter the liquid, so that the ejection head can be filled with the liquid while maintaining the degree of deaeration of the liquid. Further, once the liquid container is mounted on the mounting portion of the liquid ejecting apparatus, the liquid container is engaged with a part of the liquid ejecting apparatus and cannot be detached. When the liquid in the liquid container is reduced, the liquid can be added from the liquid inlet, so that the liquid can be continuously ejected from the ejection head and the liquid in the liquid container is wasted. It can be used without.

It is explanatory drawing which illustrated the inkjet printer as a liquid consumption apparatus of a present Example. It is explanatory drawing which showed the rough internal structure of the inkjet printer. It is the perspective view which showed the structure of the tank case in which an ink tank is stored. It is explanatory drawing which showed a mode that the ink tank was inserted and installed in the insertion hole of a tank case. It is explanatory drawing which expanded and showed the periphery of the ink inlet of an ink tank, and a cover member. It is explanatory drawing which showed a mode that the ink inlet was opened and closed with the cover member of a 1st modification. It is explanatory drawing which showed a mode that the ink inlet was opened and closed with the cover member of a 2nd modification. It is explanatory drawing which showed a mode that the ink inlet was opened and closed with the cover member of a 3rd modification. It is explanatory drawing which showed a mode that the tank set to which the four ink tanks were integrally connected was mounted | worn in a tank case.

Hereinafter, in order to clarify the contents of the present invention described above, examples will be described in the following order.
A. Inkjet printer configuration:
B. Ink tank and tank case configuration:
C. Variations:
C-1. First modification:
C-2. Second modification:
C-3. Third modification:
C-4. Fourth modification:

A. Inkjet printer configuration:
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an ink jet printer 10 as a liquid ejecting apparatus according to the present embodiment. The illustrated ink jet printer 10 has a substantially box-like appearance, and a front cover 11 is provided in the approximate center of the front surface, and a plurality of operation buttons 15 are provided on the left side thereof. The front cover 11 is pivotally supported on the lower end side, and when the upper end side is tilted forward, an elongated discharge port 12 from which the printing paper 2 is discharged appears. Further, a paper feed tray (not shown) is provided on the back side of the ink jet printer 10. When the printing paper 2 is set in the paper feeding tray and the operation button 15 is operated, the printing paper 2 is sent from the paper feeding tray. Thus, after an image or the like is printed on the surface of the printing paper 2 inside, the printing paper 2 is discharged from the paper discharge port 12.

  A top cover 14 is provided on the upper surface side of the inkjet printer 10. The top cover 14 is pivotally supported on the back side. When the top cover 14 is opened by lifting the front side, the internal state of the ink jet printer 10 can be confirmed, or the ink jet printer 10 can be repaired. It is possible to do.

  Further, a box-shaped tank case 100 is provided on the left side of the inkjet printer 10 in the drawing. As will be described in detail later, a plurality of ink tanks for storing ink are stored inside the tank case 100, and ink used for printing is supplied from the ink tank.

  FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram roughly showing the internal structure of the ink jet printer 10. As illustrated, a carriage 20 that reciprocates on the printing paper 2 is provided inside the inkjet printer 10. An ejection head 22 in which a plurality of ejection nozzles are formed is mounted on the bottom side of the carriage 20 (the side facing the printing paper 2), and an image or the like is ejected from the ejection nozzles toward the printing paper 2. Print. In the inkjet printer 10 of the present embodiment, it is possible to print a color image using four types of inks of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, and this is mounted on the carriage 20 correspondingly. The ejection head 22 is provided with ejection nozzles for each type of ink.

  The carriage 20 is driven by a drive mechanism (not shown) and repeats reciprocating movement on the printing paper 2 while being guided by the guide rail 28. The ink jet printer 10 is also provided with a paper feeding mechanism (not shown) for feeding the printing paper 2, and the printing paper 2 is fed little by little according to the movement of the carriage 20 reciprocatingly. Then, in accordance with the movement in which the carriage 20 reciprocates and the movement in which the printing paper 2 is fed, an accurate amount of ink is ejected from the ejection nozzles of the ejection head 22 so that an image or the like is printed on the printing paper 2. Printed.

  Ink ejected from the ejection nozzles of the ejection head 22 is stored in an ink tank 150 stored in the tank case 100. In the inkjet printer 10 of the present embodiment, since four types of inks of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black are used, an ink tank 150 is prepared for each ink type. The ink in each ink tank 150 is supplied to the ejection head 22 of the carriage 20 via the supply path 200 for each type of ink configured by a tube or the like. In the inkjet printer 10 of the present embodiment, a supply pump 202 is provided in the middle of the supply passage 200, and the ink in the ink tank 150 is sucked and pumped to the ejection head 22 by the operation of the supply pump 202. Yes. The detailed configuration of the ink tank 150 and the tank case 100 will be described later with reference to another drawing. Further, the ink tank 150 of this embodiment corresponds to a “liquid container” of the present invention.

  In addition, a region called a home position is provided at a position where the carriage 20 is moved along the guide rail 28 to the outside of the printing paper 2. A cap 30 is provided at the home position, and the cap 30 can be moved in the vertical direction by a lifting mechanism (not shown). While the inkjet printer 10 is not printing an image or the like, when the carriage 20 is moved to the home position and the cap 30 is raised, the cap 30 is pressed against the bottom side of the ejection head 22 so as to cover the ejection nozzle. Since the closed space is formed, the ink in the ejection head 22 can be prevented from drying. In addition, a suction pump 34 is connected to the cap 30 via a suction tube 32. By operating the suction pump 34 with the cap 30 pressed against the bottom surface side of the ejection head 22, the inside of the ejection head 22 can be operated. The ink is sucked out (so-called cleaning).

  Furthermore, a control unit 40 that controls the overall operation of the inkjet printer 10 is mounted inside the inkjet printer 10. The control unit 40 controls all of the operations of reciprocating the carriage 20, the operation of feeding the printing paper 2, the operation of ejecting ink from the ejection nozzles, and the operation of performing maintenance so that printing can be performed normally. Has been.

B. Ink tank and tank case configuration:
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the tank case 100 in which the ink tank 150 is stored. As shown in the figure, in the box-shaped tank case 100 of this embodiment, an upper surface cover 102 that constitutes the upper surface is pivotally supported at one end, and the upper surface cover is lifted so that the other end is lifted. When 102 is opened, an ink tank 150 stored therein appears. The ink tank 150 is configured independently of the ink jet printer 10 (separately). When the ink jet printer 10 is purchased and printing is started, the ink tank 150 containing ink is attached to the tank case 100. In addition, although the illustrated ink tank 150 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, the shape of the ink tank 150 is not limited thereto, and may be, for example, a cylindrical shape.

  Inside the tank case 100, an insertion hole 104 for inserting the ink tank 150 is provided for each ink tank 150, and these insertion holes 104 are opened vertically upward. When the ink tank 150 is attached to the tank case 100, the ink tank 150 is inserted into the insertion hole 104 from vertically above and attached to the bottom. Note that the insertion hole 104 of the tank case 100 of this embodiment corresponds to the “mounting portion” of the present invention.

  Further, as shown in the figure, a confirmation window 106 is provided on the side surface of the tank case 100, and the lower part of the side surface of the ink tank 150 attached to the tank case 100 can be visually confirmed from the confirmation window 106. It has become. In addition, since the ink tank 150 of the present embodiment is formed of a transparent or translucent material, the remaining ink amount in the ink tank 150 can be confirmed visually through the confirmation window 106.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the ink tank 150 is inserted into the insertion hole 104 of the tank case 100 and attached. FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the tank case 100 and the ink tank 150 cut along a vertical plane from the near side to the far side of the ink jet printer 10. First, as shown in the drawing, an ink intake needle 108 for taking ink from the ink tank 150 is erected on the bottom surface of the insertion hole 104 vertically upward. An ink intake port 108 h is opened at the tip of the ink intake needle 108, and the ink intake port 108 h communicates with the ejection head 22 via the supply passage 200. The ink intake needle 108 of this embodiment corresponds to the “liquid intake portion” of the present invention.

  On the other hand, an ink supply port 152 is provided on the bottom surface of the ink tank 150 inserted into the insertion hole 104 of the tank case 100. In the ink tank 150 before being attached to the tank case 100, the ink supply port 152 is covered and closed by the sealing film 154. When the ink tank 150 is inserted into the insertion hole 104 and pushed down to the bottom, the ink intake needle 108 penetrates the sealing film 154 and is inserted into the ink supply port 152. A seal member 156 made of an elastic material such as rubber is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the ink supply port 152, and the ink leaks in close contact with the side surface of the inserted ink intake needle 108. It is preventing. The ink supply port 152 of this embodiment corresponds to the “liquid supply port” of the present invention.

  When the ink intake needle 108 is thus inserted into the ink supply port 152 and is airtightly joined, the ink in the ink tank 150 is sucked and pumped toward the ejection head 22 by the operation of the supply pump 202 as described above. Is done. In addition, in the ink tank 150 before being attached to the tank case 100, it is desirable that the ink in the ink tank 150 is deaerated. By deaeration of the ink, it is possible to suppress the ink component from reacting with air, so that deterioration of the ink can be suppressed.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a pair of flange portions 110 are provided on the upper end side of the insertion hole 104 of the tank case 100, and a pair of flange portions 110 are provided at the upper position on the side surface of the ink tank 150. A recess 158 is provided. The pair of collar portions 110 move so as to be pushed outward by contacting the side surface of the ink tank 150 inserted into the insertion hole 104. However, when the ink tank 150 is completely pushed down to the bottom of the insertion hole 104 (the ink tank 150 is attached to the tank case 100), the collar portion 110 returns to the original position and engages with the recess 158. It becomes impossible to remove the tank 150 from the tank case 100. The recess 158 of this embodiment corresponds to the “engagement portion” of the present invention.

  Further, a circular ink injection port 160 for injecting ink into the ink tank 150 is provided on the upper surface of the ink tank 150, and the ink injection port 160 is closed by a lid member 162. The lid member 162 of the ink tank 150 according to the present embodiment has a shape in which two cylinders having different diameters are overlapped, and the cylinder having the smaller diameter is fitted into the circular ink inlet 160. The ink injection port 160 in this embodiment corresponds to the “liquid injection port” of the present invention.

  FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the periphery of the ink inlet 160 and the lid member 162 of the ink tank 150 shown in FIG. As described above, the ink injection port 160 provided on the upper surface of the ink tank 150 is closed by the lid member 162. The lid member 162 of the ink tank 150 of the present embodiment is not a type that is pulled out above the ink inlet 160 like a cork stopper, but has a screw structure that fits with the ink inlet 160. That is, as shown in FIG. 5A, there are a groove spirally engraved on the inner peripheral surface of the circular ink inlet 160 and a groove engraved spirally on the side surface of the cylindrical lid member 162. It is formed to just fit. The lid member 162 having such a screw structure is opened by rotating it counterclockwise (in the direction of the white arrow in FIG. 4A) about a vertical rotation axis passing through the center of the ink injection port 160. Plug.

  In addition, an air release passage 164 for taking air into the ink tank 150 is formed inside the lid member 162 of this embodiment. One end of the air release passage 164 opens on the bottom surface of the lid member 162 (the surface facing the inside of the ink tank 150), and the other end opens on the side surface of the lid member 162 (the surface on which the screw groove is carved). doing. Hereinafter, the opening on the side surface of the lid member 162 may be referred to as a “side surface opening”.

  In the ink tank 150 before being attached to the tank case 100, as shown in FIG. 5A, the lid member 162 is injected with ink up to a depth where the side opening of the atmosphere opening passage 164 is blocked by the inner peripheral surface of the ink injection port 160. It is fitted in the inlet 160. For this reason, even if the ink tank 150 is tilted or tilted, the ink inside does not leak from the atmosphere opening passage 164. Further, when the ink in the ink tank 150 is deaerated, the deaerated state can be maintained.

  On the other hand, when the ink tank 150 is attached to the tank case 100, the lid member 162 is rotated in the opening direction, so that at least a part of the side opening of the atmosphere opening passage 164 is at the ink tank 150 as shown in FIG. In a state where it protrudes above the upper surface (a state in which at least a part of the side opening is not covered with the inner peripheral surface of the ink injection port 160).

  As described above, the ink in the ink tank 150 is sucked by the operation of the supply pump 202 and is pumped to the ejection head 22. At this time, since air is taken into the ink tank 150 through the air release passage 164, the inside of the ink tank 150 does not become negative pressure. Further, since it is not necessary to completely remove the lid member 162, foreign matters such as dust can be prevented from entering from the ink injection port 160, and volatilization of the ink components can be suppressed.

  Then, when the ink in the ink tank 150 is consumed and the remaining amount is reduced (decreases below a predetermined amount), the lid member 162 is rotated and removed in the opening direction, as shown in FIG. The prepared ink bottle 300 can be refilled by pouring ink from the ink inlet 160. Thus, by allowing the ink to be added to the ink tank 150, it is possible to perform continuous printing, and the ink in the ink tank 150 can be used without waste.

  As described above, the ink tank 150 of the present embodiment is configured separately from the ink jet printer 10, and when the ink jet printer 10 is purchased and printing is started, the ink tank 150 containing the ink is stored in the tank case. 100 is attached. Further, the ink tank 150 is provided with an ink inlet 160 so that ink can be replenished. By doing this, it is possible to add ink to the ink tank 150 and use it without waste, but when the ink is first filled in the ejection head 22 (at the time of initial filling), the degree of deaeration of the ink is reduced. It is possible to fill the ejection head 22 with ink without causing it to occur. Hereinafter, this point will be described in detail.

  First, unlike the present embodiment, in the conventional ink tank 400 provided integrally with the inkjet printer 10 in advance, the ink in the ink bottle 300 prepared separately is poured into the empty ink tank 400 for the initial filling. Doing so may cause air to enter the ink and cause bubbles. When ink containing such bubbles is filled in the ejection head 22, air (bubbles) is ejected from the ejection nozzles instead of ink, and a printing defect called “dot missing” occurs.

  In contrast, if the ink tank 150 is configured separately from the ink jet printer 10 and the ink tank 150 containing ink is attached to the tank case 100 as in this embodiment, the initial filling is performed. In this case, it is possible to prevent the ink from containing air and fill the ejection head 22 with ink while maintaining the degree of deaeration of the ink. As a result, since it is not necessary to wait for air to escape from the ink, it is possible to shorten the time required for normal printing. Even when cleaning is performed to discharge the air in the ejection head 22 (operation for sucking out the ink in the ejection head 22 from the ejection nozzle), the amount of ink to be ejected can be suppressed because light cleaning is sufficient. .

  In particular, if the ink inside the ink tank 150 before being attached to the tank case 100 is deaerated beforehand, it is possible to fill the ejection head 22 with ink having a high deaeration degree, which is more effective. That is, ink with a high degree of deaeration can dissolve even a very small amount of bubbles remaining on the inner wall of the ejection head 22, and as a result, the above-described dot drop is less likely to occur, which is more effective.

  In addition, once the ink tank 150 of this embodiment is attached to the tank case 100, the flange 110 on the tank case 100 side and the recess 158 on the ink tank 150 side are engaged and cannot be removed from the tank case 100. It becomes possible. When the ink in the ink tank 150 is low, the ink can be poured from the ink inlet 160 provided on the upper surface of the ink tank 150, so that continuous printing is possible and the ink tank 150 has Can be used without waste.

  If the ink is added while a predetermined amount of ink remains in the ink tank 150, even if air enters the ink when the ink is injected, the ink containing the bubbles is immediately ejected from the ejection head. 22 is not supplied, and is unlikely to affect printing. That is, one of the factors that causes ink containing bubbles to be supplied to the ejection head 22 is that bubbles are generated at the interface between the inner surface of the ink tank 150 that is not wet with ink and the injected ink. . Therefore, if the ink is added while ink remains in the ink tank 150, bubbles may be generated because the inner surface of the ink tank 150 exposed from the ink and the interface between the added ink Therefore, there is a low possibility that the liquid containing bubbles is supplied to the ejection head 22 and affects printing. Further, if the added ink is a highly degassed ink, bubbles can be dissolved between the time when the ink is added and the time when it is consumed (supplied to the ejection head 22). It is effective.

  Further, in the ink tank 150 of the present embodiment, the lid member 162 that closes the ink inlet 160 is a screw type, and the lid member 162 is rotated by a vertical rotation axis that passes through the center of the ink inlet 160. Open the plug. The direction in which the lid member 162 is opened is different from the direction in which the ink tank 150 is removed from the tank case 100 (vertically upward). Therefore, the opening operation of the lid member 162 does not apply a force in the direction in which the ink tank 150 is removed from the tank case 100, and it is possible to avoid the problem that the connection between the ink supply port 152 and the ink intake needle 108 is loosened. it can.

C. Modified example:
There are several variations of the ink tank 150 of the present embodiment described above. Hereinafter, these modified examples will be described. In the description of the modification, the same components as those of the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the above-described embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted.

C-1. First modification:
As described above, the direction in which the lid member 162 is opened is preferably different from the direction in which the ink tank 150 is removed from the tank case 100. In the above-described embodiment, the screw-type lid member 162 is employed. . However, the mode of the lid member that blocks the ink injection port 160 is not limited to this.

  FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the ink inlet 160 is opened and closed by the lid member 170 of the first modification. FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the ink tank 150 as viewed from above. First, as shown in FIG. 6A, the ink tank 150 of the first modified example is also provided with a circular ink inlet 160 on the upper surface, as in the above-described embodiment. However, the ink inlet 160 of the ink tank 150 of the first modification is not covered by the screw-type lid member 162 but is covered by a disk-shaped lid member 170 that is larger than the ink inlet 160.

  The lid member 170 of the first modification has a rotation shaft 172 at a position away from the ink injection port 160, and the disc-shaped lid member 170 is placed on the upper surface of the ink tank 150 around the rotation shaft 172. It can be rotated in parallel with. Then, when the lid member 170 is rotated, an ink injection port 160 appears as shown in FIG. 6B, so that ink can be injected into the ink tank 150 and replenished.

  Also in the ink tank 150 of the first modified example, the direction of the operation of opening the lid member 170 is different from the direction of removing the ink tank 150 from the tank case 100 (vertically upward) as in the above-described embodiment. Yes. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a problem that the connection between the ink supply port 152 and the ink intake needle 108 is loosened by the operation of opening the lid member 170.

C-2. Second modification:
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the ink injection port 160 is opened and closed by the lid member 174 of the second modified example. FIG. 7 shows a plan view of the ink tank 150 as viewed from above. As shown in FIG. 7A, in the ink tank 150 of the second modification, the ink injection port 160 is covered with a lid member 174 having a rectangular flat plate.

  On the upper surface of the ink tank 150 of the second modification, a pair of frame bodies 176 having grooves are provided on both sides of the ink inlet 160 with the grooves facing each other. Both ends of the rectangular flat lid member 174 are fitted into the grooves of the pair of frame bodies 176, and the lid member 174 can be slid along the frame body 176 in parallel with the upper surface of the ink tank 150. Then, by sliding the lid member 174, the ink injection port 160 appears as shown in FIG.

  In the ink tank 150 of the second modified example as well, the direction of opening the lid member 174 (horizontal direction) and the direction of removing the ink tank 150 from the tank case 100 (vertically upward) are the same as in the previous embodiment. Therefore, when the lid member 174 is opened, no force is applied in the direction in which the ink tank 150 is removed, and the problem of loose bonding between the ink supply port 152 and the ink intake needle 108 can be avoided.

C-3. Third modification:
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the ink injection port 160 is opened and closed by the lid member 178 of the third modification. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the ink tank 150 cut along a vertical plane passing through the center of the ink inlet 160. As shown in FIG. 8A, in the ink tank 150 of the third modified example, the ink injection port 160 is covered with a lid member 178 having an L-shaped cross section.

  The lid member 178 of the third modification has a covering portion 178a that covers the ink injection port 160 and an action portion 178b that is perpendicular to the covering portion 178a, and an intersection of the covering portion 178a and the action portion 178b. Is pivotally supported as a pivot shaft 180. Then, when the front end side of the action portion 178b is tilted toward the upper surface of the ink tank 150, the ink injection port 160 appears as shown in FIG. 8B, so that the ink can be replenished to the ink tank 150. Become.

  In the ink tank 150 of the third modified example, the operation of opening the lid member 178 does not apply a force in the direction of removing the ink tank 150 from the tank case 100 (vertically upward). A force is applied in a direction (vertically below) in which 100 is attached. Therefore, it is possible to avoid the problem that the joint between the ink supply port 152 and the ink intake needle 108 is loosened when the lid member 178 is opened.

C-4. Fourth modification:
In the embodiment described above, the ink tank 150 prepared for each of the four ink colors is individually inserted into the corresponding insertion holes 104 of the tank case 100 and attached. However, the four ink tanks 150 may be connected and configured integrally.

  FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a tank set 190 in which four ink tanks 150 are integrally connected is mounted on the tank case 100. As shown in the figure, in the fourth modification, a tank set 190 is configured by integrally connecting four ink tanks 150 prepared for each type of ink with a connecting member 192, and individual ink tanks are formed. It cannot be separated into 150. The tank set 190 of the fourth modified example corresponds to the “liquid container complex” of the present invention.

  In the tank set 190, the four ink tanks 150 are connected side by side in a direction that intersects the direction in which the ink tank 150 is inserted into the insertion hole 104 of the tank case 100. When mounting such a tank set 190 on the tank case 100, each ink tank 150 is mounted so as to be inserted vertically into the corresponding insertion hole 104 of the tank case 100 and pressed against the bottom.

  As shown in FIG. 9, a male part 194 that is a protrusion facing downward is provided on the bottom surface of the connecting member 192 that connects the ink tanks 150. On the other hand, a female portion 196 that receives the male portion 194 of the connecting member 192 is provided on the upper end side of the insertion hole 104 of the tank case 100. When the tank set 190 is attached to the tank case 100, the male portion 194 is It is inserted into the knife part 196 and engaged so as not to be detached.

  Furthermore, one ID number is associated with the tank set 190. This ID number is used to authenticate that the ink in the ink tank 150 is appropriate for being ejected from the ejection head 22, and the tank set 190 is attached to the tank case 100 to start printing. In this case, the ID number is input to an input device (not shown). When the control unit 40 that controls the overall operation of the inkjet printer 10 authenticates that the ink in the ink tank 150 is an appropriate ink based on the input ID number, it starts to start printing. Yes. The ID number of the fourth modification corresponds to the “authentication code” of the present invention. The control unit 40 of the fourth modification corresponds to “authentication means” of the present invention.

  As described above, the plurality of ink tanks 150 are integrally connected and handled as the tank set 190, so that the plurality of ink tanks 150 can be attached to the tank case 100 at the same time. Therefore, compared with the case where a plurality of ink tanks 150 are individually attached to the tank case 100, it is possible to save labor and time for installing the ink tanks 150.

  Further, in the inkjet printer 10 that performs printing using a plurality of types of ink, when performing the process of authenticating the ink by the ID number, the ID number that is different for each ink type so as not to mix the ink types. Are generally associated with each other, and the input of the ID number becomes complicated as the type of ink increases. However, as in the fourth modification, if the ink tanks 150 for each ink type are connected together and handled as the tank set 190, the ink types will not be mistaken, and a common ID number is associated with each ink. be able to. As a result, it is not necessary to input an ID number for each type of ink, and it is only necessary to input one ID number in the tank set 190, so that the labor of inputting the ID number can be greatly reduced.

  Although various embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to all the above embodiments, and can be implemented in various modes without departing from the scope of the invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment and modification, the ink injection port 160 is provided on the upper surface of the ink tank 150. However, the position of the ink injection port 160 is not limited to the upper surface of the ink tank 150 as long as it is above the ink supply port 152, and may be, for example, the upper position of the side surface of the ink tank 150. Even in this case, it is preferable that the direction of the operation of opening the lid member 162 that closes the ink injection port 160 is different from the direction of removing the ink tank 150 from the tank case 100.

10 ... Inkjet printer, 20 ... Carriage, 22 ... Ejection head,
40 ... control unit, 100 ... tank case, 104 ... insertion hole,
108: Ink intake needle 110: Buttocks 150 ... Ink tank
152 ... Ink supply port, 160 ... Ink injection port, 162 ... Lid member,
164 ... Air release passageway, 200 ... Supply passageway, 202 ... Supply pump

Claims (5)

A liquid container capable of containing a liquid to be supplied to an ejection head of a liquid ejection apparatus and stored in a case,
The case is
A mounting portion to which the liquid container is mounted;
A case side engaging portion engageable with the liquid container;
A liquid intake portion located in the mounting portion and communicating with the ejection head;
A window through which the amount of liquid in the liquid container can be seen from the outside through the case;
With
The liquid container is
An engaging portion that engages with the case-side engaging portion so as not to be detached so that it cannot be removed from the case in a state of being attached to the attaching portion of the case;
A liquid supply port located at the bottom of the liquid container and connected to the liquid intake section in a state in which the liquid container is mounted on the mounting section, and supplies the liquid in the liquid container to the ejection head;
A liquid injection port provided at a position above the liquid supply port of the liquid container and capable of injecting the liquid into the liquid container;
A lid member for closing the liquid inlet, wherein the lid member is opened by applying a force in a direction different from an axial direction passing through the center of the liquid inlet;
Comprising
Liquid container. The liquid container according to claim 1 ,
The lid member has a screw structure that fits with the liquid inlet,
Liquid container. The liquid container according to claim 1 ,
The lid member is attached to the liquid container so as to be slidable on the liquid inlet. A claim 1 liquid container complexes formed integrally with the liquid container and plural connection according to any one of claims 3,
The plurality of liquid containers are liquid container composites arranged side by side in a direction intersecting with a direction in which each of the liquid containers is mounted on the corresponding mounting portion. And a liquid container or the liquid container composite according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A supply passage for supplying the liquid contained in the liquid container to the ejection head;
Comprising
Liquid supply system.

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