JP6027926B2 - Liquid tank storage mechanism and liquid supply apparatus including the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid tank storage mechanism that stores a liquid tank that stores liquid, and a liquid supply apparatus that includes the liquid tank storage mechanism.

  A liquid supply apparatus for supplying a liquid is applied to various apparatuses. For example, in the case of an inkjet printing apparatus, a liquid supply apparatus for supplying ink to an inkjet head (nozzle) is provided. Hereinafter, for convenience, a liquid supply device applied to an ink jet printing apparatus will be described as an example.

  The liquid supply apparatus includes an ink tank (also referred to as a main tank or an ink cartridge) that stores ink, and a pipe that connects the ink tank and the inkjet head. In addition to valves and pumps, the piping is appropriately provided with a storage section such as a sub tank.

  The ink tank is stored in the ink tank storage unit. The ink tank includes an ink pack and a case or tray that holds the ink pack. For example, in a state where two rectangular laminated films are stacked, the ink pack forms a bag-like one by heat welding three sides including the ink supply port among the four sides of the laminated film, and the remaining one side After filling with ink, it is formed by sealing (for example, see Patent Document 1). In addition, the ink pack is provided with an IC chip that records ink information related to ink (see, for example, Patent Document 2). In the ink pack, for example, the ink supply port and the IC chip are fixed at predetermined positions on the side surface of the case.

  On the other hand, the ink tank storage section that stores the ink tank opens the entrance door, and the ink supply needle and the input / output terminal of the IC chip communication section are disposed opposite to the storage direction on the far side of the storage direction extending horizontally. An input / output terminal for reading and writing is provided.

  When, for example, a case in which the above-described ink pack is fixed is inserted into such an ink tank housing portion, the ink supply needle and the supply port of the ink pack are connected in communication, and the IC chip terminal of the ink pack and the read / write The terminal is connected.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-200971 JP 2009-279876 A

  A conventional ink pack has a capacity of about 3 liters, but it is required to use a 10 liter ink cartridge having a larger capacity. A 3 liter capacity can be handled with one hand, but a 10 liter capacity is not easy to handle because of increased weight and size. For this reason, there is a demand for a configuration in which the ink tank can be easily replaced and the ink tank can be reliably set in the ink tank housing portion.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and a liquid tank storage mechanism that can easily replace a liquid tank and can reliably set the liquid tank in the liquid tank storage mechanism, and a liquid supply apparatus including the same The purpose is to provide.

In order to achieve such an object, the present invention has the following configuration.
That is, the liquid tank storage mechanism according to the present invention includes an opening for inserting and removing the liquid tank with respect to a storage position for storing a liquid tank for storing liquid, a door for opening and closing the opening, and the door And an operation handle that transmits rotation to the storage position side when the opening is closed by the door, and rotates by receiving the rotation by the operation handle. The storage position side shaft provided on the storage position side and the supply port for supplying the liquid provided in the liquid tank when the liquid tank is positioned at the storage position are detachably provided. The liquid suction pipe for sucking the liquid and the opening so that the liquid tank can communicate with the storage provided in the liquid tank when the liquid tank is located at the storage position. The rotation of the storage position side input / output terminal provided on the storage position side and the storage position side shaft is converted into a linear movement, and the liquid suction pipe is moved in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the liquid tank is taken in and out. And a linear movement conversion unit to be provided.

  According to the liquid tank storage mechanism according to the present invention, the opening for taking the liquid tank in and out of the storage position for storing the liquid tank for storing the liquid is closed by the door. An operation handle is rotatably provided on the door, and the operation handle transmits the rotation to the storage position side when the opening is closed by the door. The storage position side shaft portion rotates upon receiving the rotation by the operation handle. The storage position side shaft portion is provided on the storage position side with respect to the opening. Further, when the liquid tank is located at the storage position, a liquid suction pipe is provided so as to be detachable from a supply port for supplying the liquid provided in the liquid tank. The liquid suction tube is for sucking liquid. In addition, when the liquid tank is located at the storage position, a storage position side input / output terminal is provided on the storage position side with respect to the opening so as to be able to communicate with the storage unit provided in the liquid tank. . The liquid suction tube is moved in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the liquid tank is taken in and out by converting the rotation of the storage position side shaft portion into a linear movement by the linear movement conversion unit. Thereby, the liquid suction pipe is connected to the supply port.

  That is, connection with the supply port of the liquid suction pipe and release of the connection can be performed by rotation by the operation handle, and the liquid tank can be easily replaced. The connection of the liquid suction pipe to the supply port is performed in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the liquid tank is taken in and out. Thereby, the liquid suction tube can be reliably connected to the supply port. When the liquid suction pipe is connected to the supply port, the liquid tank is fixed with respect to the liquid supply pipe. Therefore, a communication state between the storage unit provided in the liquid tank and the storage position side input / output terminal is ensured, and the storage position side input / output terminal can be reliably connected to the storage unit. Thus, the liquid tank can be reliably set in the liquid tank storage mechanism.

  Further, in the liquid tank storage mechanism according to the present invention, the storage position side shaft portion is formed by the rotation transmission portion provided between the operation handle when the opening portion is closed by the door portion. It is preferable to rotate in response to rotation by the operation handle. That is, when the opening is closed by the door, the rotation transmission unit can transmit the rotation between the operation handle and the storage position side shaft.

  Moreover, in the liquid tank storage mechanism according to the present invention, it is preferable that the rotation transmission portion receives the rotation by the operation handle and locks the opening and closing of the door portion and releases the lock. As a result, it is possible to lock the door to open and close and release the lock only by rotation with the operation handle, and to connect to the supply port of the liquid suction pipe and to release the connection. It can be done easily.

  Further, in the liquid tank storage mechanism according to the present invention, when the connection state detection sensor detects the state where the liquid suction pipe is connected to the supply port, the rotation lock unit locks the rotation of the storage position side shaft portion. It is preferable to provide. Thereby, the connection state of the liquid suction tube is maintained. Moreover, when the opening / closing of a door part is locked and the rotation transmission part which cancels | releases the lock is provided, the state which locked the opening / closing of the door part is hold | maintained. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the liquid tank from being exchanged during operation such as liquid supply.

  Further, in the liquid tank housing mechanism according to the present invention, an information projection portion indicating the type of liquid provided in the liquid tank, and an information groove portion that moves integrally with the liquid suction pipe and corresponds to the information projection portion It is preferable that the liquid suction pipe includes an erroneous insertion preventing portion connected to the supply port when the two are engaged with each other. Thereby, when the information projection part and the information groove part do not mesh with each other, it can be determined that the liquid tank stores different types of liquids. That is, it is possible to prevent erroneous insertion into a liquid tank in which different types of liquid are stored.

  Moreover, in the liquid tank storage mechanism according to the present invention, it is preferable that the liquid tank has an internal pipe that goes inward from the supply port. Since the liquid tank has the liquid suction pipe provided for sucking the liquid from a preset position of the liquid tank as the internal pipe, the length of the liquid suction pipe can be shortened. Therefore, the movement distance for attaching / detaching the liquid suction tube to / from the supply port can be suppressed, so that the mechanism can be configured compactly.

  Further, in the liquid tank storage mechanism according to the present invention, the mounting unit for mounting the liquid tank and the mounting unit for supporting the mounting unit movably between the storage position and the replacement position of the liquid tank. It is preferable to include a placement portion guide portion. Thereby, the liquid tank can be easily moved between the storage position and the replacement position. Therefore, with only the operation handle, connection to the supply port of the liquid suction pipe and release of the connection, and operation of pulling out and pushing in the liquid tank can be performed, and the liquid tank can be easily replaced. That is, the operation of changing the operation handle can be reduced, and the liquid tank whose weight and size are increased can be easily replaced.

  In the liquid tank storage mechanism according to the present invention, it is preferable that the door is provided integrally with the mounting portion. For example, when closing the opening at the door and moving the liquid tank to the storage position, if the door and the mounting are separate, move the liquid tank to the storage position, and then move the opening to the storage position. It will be closed at the door. On the other hand, when the door portion and the placement portion are integrated as in the present invention, the liquid tank can be moved to the storage position and the opening portion can be closed by the door portion. As a result, the operation of changing the operation handle can be reduced, and the liquid tank can be easily replaced.

  In the liquid tank storage mechanism according to the present invention, a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the liquid tank is taken in and out is a vertical direction, and the liquid suction part is provided detachably with respect to the upward supply port. Preferably it is. Since the supply port of the liquid tank faces upward, the risk of leakage during carrying of the liquid tank and leakage on the apparatus can be reduced. In particular, in a large-capacity liquid tank, when a supply port is provided on the side surface, it is necessary to provide a collection tray (pan) corresponding to the capacity, assuming that the liquid overflows. In this regard, in the present invention, the size of the collection tray can be suppressed and the configuration can be made compact.

  In the liquid tank storage mechanism according to the present invention, the storage section is provided in a cap section of the liquid tank provided with the supply port, and the liquid tank is moved when the liquid tank is moved to the storage position. It is preferable that a positioning guide portion for positioning the cap portion in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction perpendicular to a direction in which the tank is taken in and out is provided. The cap part of the liquid tank is provided with a supply port and a storage part. When using a large-capacity liquid tank, the container part is large and it is difficult to obtain position accuracy.Therefore, when moving the liquid tank to the storage position, the positioning guide part moves the vertical and horizontal directions perpendicular to the storage direction of the liquid tank. Position the cap. Further, the liquid suction pipe is connected to the supply port to position the liquid tank in and out. At this time, the storage part of the liquid tank and the storage position side input / output terminal can also be accurately positioned.

  In the liquid tank housing mechanism according to the present invention, it is preferable that the liquid is ink supplied to an inkjet head that ejects ink droplets. Ink sucked from the liquid suction tube can be supplied to the inkjet head.

  A liquid supply apparatus according to the present invention includes the above-described liquid tank housing mechanism, and supplies the liquid sucked from the liquid suction pipe to a liquid consumption unit that consumes the liquid. .

  According to the liquid supply apparatus of the present invention, since the liquid tank storage mechanism described above is provided, the liquid tank can be easily replaced and the liquid tank can be reliably set in the liquid tank storage mechanism. .

  According to the liquid tank storage mechanism of the present invention, the connection to the supply port of the liquid suction pipe and the connection can be released by rotation by the operation handle, and the liquid tank can be easily replaced. The connection of the liquid suction pipe to the supply port is performed in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the liquid tank is taken in and out. Thereby, the liquid suction tube can be reliably connected to the supply port. When the liquid suction pipe is connected to the supply port, the liquid tank is fixed with respect to the liquid supply pipe. Therefore, a communication state between the storage unit provided in the liquid tank and the storage position side input / output terminal is ensured, and the storage position side input / output terminal can be reliably connected to the storage unit. Thus, the liquid tank can be reliably set in the liquid tank storage mechanism.

  In addition, according to the liquid supply apparatus of the present invention, since the liquid tank storage mechanism described above is provided, the liquid tank can be easily replaced, and the liquid tank can be reliably and easily configured with a simple configuration. Can be set.

It is a schematic block diagram of the inkjet printing apparatus which concerns on an Example. It is a perspective view which illustrates the appearance of an ink tank storage mechanism. It is a top view of an ink tank storage mechanism. (A) is an enlarged side view of the ink tank storage mechanism in which the ink tank is located at the storage position, and (b) is a side view of the ink tank storage mechanism in which the ink tank is located at the replacement position. (A) is a front view showing a key member, (b) is a left side view showing the key member, (c) is a front view of the key hole member, and (d) is a key hole. It is a right view of a member, (e) is a side view including the longitudinal section which shows the state where a key member was settled in a key hole member, (f) is a door part by a key member and a key hole member. It is a figure which shows the locked state. (A) is a longitudinal sectional view when viewed from the front of the ink tank, and (b) is a longitudinal sectional view when viewed from the right side of the ink tank of (a). (A) is a figure which shows the state by which the connection of the ink suction tube and the ink supply port was cancelled | released, (b) is a figure which shows the state by which the ink suction tube and the ink supply port were connected. (A)-(c) is a figure explaining the connection of an IC chip communication part and a mechanism side input / output terminal. (A) is a top view which shows the erroneous insertion prevention part of the ink tank storage mechanism which concerns on a modification, (b) And (c) is a side view which shows the erroneous insertion prevention part of the ink tank storage mechanism which concerns on a modification. FIG. It is a top view of the ink tank storage mechanism which concerns on a modification.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ink jet printing apparatus according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, the ink jet printing apparatus 1 is shown as an example of a liquid consuming apparatus, and the ink jet head 2 is shown as an example of a liquid consuming unit.

  Please refer to FIG. The ink jet printing apparatus 1 includes an ink jet head 2 that ejects ink droplets and an ink tank 3 that stores ink to be supplied to the ink jet head 2. Between the inkjet head 2 and the ink tank 3, a pump 4 and a sub tank 5 are provided in order from the ink tank 3 side. The ink sucked by the pump 4 is supplied to the inkjet head 2 and the sub tank 5 through the pipe 6. The pipe 6 is appropriately provided with an on-off valve or the like.

  The ink jet printing apparatus 1 includes a control unit 7 and an operation unit 8. The control unit 7 comprehensively controls each component of the inkjet printing apparatus 1. The control unit 7 includes a central processing unit (CPU). The operation unit 8 is for operating the ink jet printing apparatus 1 and includes, for example, a touch panel and various switches. Further, the operation unit 8 may be configured by a personal computer and input an operation using a mouse, a keyboard, or the like.

  The ink tank 3 corresponds to the liquid tank of the present invention. The ink jet head 2, the ink tank 3, the pump 4, the sub tank 5, the pipe 6, the control unit 7, the operation unit 8, the ink tank storage mechanism 11 described later, and the like This corresponds to the liquid supply apparatus of the present invention.

  The inkjet head 2 ejects ink droplets onto a print medium 9 such as paper or a resin sheet. The print medium 9 can be moved relative to the inkjet head 2 by a moving mechanism (not shown), and printing is performed by ejecting ink droplets from the inkjet head 2 onto the relatively moving print medium 9. The ink jet printing apparatus 1 includes a drying unit that dries ink, an inspection unit that inspects dirt and omission, a paper feeding unit, a paper discharge unit, and the like (all not shown).

<Ink tank storage mechanism>
As shown in FIG. 1, the ink tank 3 is stored in an ink tank storage mechanism 11. The ink tank storage mechanism 11 can easily replace the ink tank 3 and can reliably set the ink tank 3 in the ink tank storage mechanism 11 with a simple configuration.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of the ink tank storage mechanism 11. The ink tank storage mechanism 11 is provided for each ink tank 3, and a plurality of ink tank storage mechanisms 11 are arranged in one or more stages.

  FIG. 3 is a plan view of the ink tank storage mechanism 11. 4A is an enlarged side view of the ink tank storage mechanism 11 in which the ink tank 3 is located at the storage position P1, and FIG. 4B is an ink tank storage mechanism in which the ink tank 3 is located at the replacement position P2. 11 is a side view of FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, the ink tank storage mechanism 11 is constructed as a drawer type. The ink tank storage mechanism 11 includes a placement portion 13 for placing the ink tank 3 and a placement portion guide portion 15 that supports the placement portion 13 so as to be movable in the horizontal direction. The placement portion guide portion 15 has the placement portion 13 between a storage position P1 for storing the ink tank 3 in the ink tank storage mechanism 11 and an exchange position P2 for replacing the ink tank 3 outside the ink tank storage mechanism 11. The ink tank 3 can be easily moved between them. The placement unit 13 is provided with a positioning block 13a for placing the ink tank 3 at a predetermined position.

  The ink tank storage mechanism 11 includes an opening 17 that allows the ink tank 3 to be taken in and out of the storage position P <b> 1 where the ink tank 3 is stored, and a door 19 that opens and closes the opening 17. The door part 19 is provided in the mounting part 13 and is integrated. A connection mechanism 21 including an operation handle 25 to be described later is provided above the storage position P1. Reference numeral 23 denotes a frame that supports each component.

≪Operation handle and rotation transmission part≫
Please refer to FIG. 3, FIG. 4 (a) and FIG. 4 (b) as appropriate. First, the configuration of the operation handle 25 and the rotation transmission unit 33 will be described. The door portion 19 is provided with an operation handle 25 so as to be rotatable. The operation handle 25 transmits rotation to the storage position P1 side when the opening 17 is closed by the door 19. The operation handle 25 includes a handle shaft portion 27 and a handle body 29 that rotates the handle shaft portion 27.

  The handle shaft portion 27 is configured to penetrate the door portion 19 and is rotatably supported by the door portion 19. The handle main body 29 is fixed to the handle shaft portion 27 on the opposite side of the storage position P1 with the door portion 19 in between.

  The rotation of the handle shaft portion 27 by the operation handle 25 is transmitted to the storage position side shaft portion 31. That is, the storage position side shaft portion 31 is rotated by receiving the rotation by the operation handle 25. This rotation is transmitted by the rotation transmission unit 33. The rotation transmission portion 33 is configured to transmit the rotation of the handle shaft portion 27 to the storage position side shaft portion 31 when the opening portion 17 is closed by the door portion 19. In addition, the rotation transmission unit 33 is configured to receive the rotation of the operation handle 25 and to lock the opening and closing of the door unit 19 and to release the lock.

  The rotation transmission unit 33 is provided with a bar-like key member 35 as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B and a storage position P1 side as shown in FIGS. 5C and 5D. It comprises a key hole member 37 as a receiving part. The key member 35 is fixed to the opposite side of the handle main body 29 of the handle shaft portion 27, and the key hole member 37 is provided at one end of the storage position side shaft portion 31. The key member 35 and the key hole member 37 may be provided in reverse. That is, the key member 35 may be provided on the storage position side shaft portion 31, and the key hole member 37 may be provided on the handle shaft portion 27.

  The keyhole member 37 includes a fixing member 39 and a rotating member 41 that can rotate with respect to the fixing member 39. The fixing member 39 is provided with a hole 39a, and the rotary member 41 is provided with a groove 41a. The key 39 is accommodated in the hole 39a and the groove 41a.

  FIG. 5E is a side view including a longitudinal section showing a state where the key member 35 is housed in the key hole member 37. The keyhole member 37 is shown in a longitudinal sectional view. When the opening 17 is closed by the door 19, the key member 35 is received in the hole 39 a and the groove 41 a of the key hole member 37. In this state, when the handle shaft portion 27 is rotated by the handle body 29, as shown in FIG. 5 (f), the key member 35 comes into contact with the groove portion 41a of the rotation member 41, and the handle shaft portion 27 rotates. It is transmitted to the storage position side shaft portion 31.

  Further, when the rotating member 41 rotates, as shown in FIG. 5 (f), the positions of the bar-like key member 35 and the hole 39 a of the fixing member 39 are not aligned, and the door 19 is locked. Further, as shown in FIG. 5C, when the groove 41 a of the rotating member 41 and the hole 39 a of the fixing member 39 are aligned by the rotation of the operation handle 25, the door 19 is unlocked.

≪Ink tank 3≫
Next, the configuration of the ink tank 3 will be described. 6A is a longitudinal sectional view when viewed from the front of the ink tank 3, and FIG. 6B is a longitudinal sectional view when viewed from the right side of the ink tank 3 of FIG. 6A. It is. Note that the cap portion 47 is shown in an outline view, not a sectional view.

  The ink tank 3 includes a soft bag (ink pack) 43 that stores ink, and a housing 45 that stores the soft bag 43. The flexible bag 43 is made of a flexible material that can be bent, and its shape can be easily deformed. Examples of the material of the flexible bag 43 include synthetic resins such as polyethylene. The housing 45 is made of cardboard or the like, for example.

  The soft bag 43 is provided with a cap portion 47 having an ink supply port 47a for supplying ink (which is an ink outlet port). The cap portion 47 is made of a material such as a synthetic resin harder than the soft bag 43. ing. An ink suction pipe 51 described later is detachably connected to the ink supply port 47a. The cap portion 47 has a cutout portion 47b that is combined with a positioning guide portion 65 described later. The ink tank 3 has an internal tube 49 provided from the ink supply port 47a toward the inside. The inner tube 49 is provided so as to reach the bottom of the soft bag 43. By sucking ink from the bottom, it can be used up without leaving ink (to realize low remaining amount).

  As a result, the ink suction tube 51 and the inner tube 49 are connected, and ink can be sucked from the tip of the inner tube 49. Further, since the ink tank 3 has the inner tube 49, the length of the ink suction tube 51 can be shortened. That is, the ink suction pipe 51 does not have to be long enough to reach the bottom of the soft bag 43. Therefore, the movement distance for attaching and detaching the ink suction tube 51 can be suppressed, and the height of the connection mechanism 21 can be suppressed. Therefore, the ink tank storage mechanism 11 can be configured compactly.

  Further, since the ink supply port 47a of the ink tank 3 faces upward, the risk of leakage during carrying of the ink tank 3 and leakage on the apparatus 1 can be reduced. In particular, in the large-capacity ink tank 3, it is necessary to provide a collection tray (pan) corresponding to the capacity assuming that the ink overflows when the ink supply port 47a is provided on the side surface as in the conventional apparatus. There is. In this respect, in this embodiment, the size of the collection tray can be suppressed and the structure can be made compact.

<< Ink Suction Tube 51, Linear Movement Conversion Unit 53, and Arm Locking Unit 63 >>
Returning to FIG. 3, FIG. 4 (a) and FIG. 4 (b). As described above, the ink tank storage mechanism 11 locks the opening and closing of the door portion 19 and releases the lock by the rotation of the operation handle 25. Further, the ink tank storage mechanism 11 connects the ink suction pipe 51 to the ink supply port 47a of the ink tank 3 by the rotation received by the storage position side shaft portion 31, and releases this connection.

  The ink suction pipe 51 is detachable from the ink supply port 47a for supplying ink stored in the ink tank 3 when the ink tank 3 is located at the storage position P1. The ink suction tube 51 sucks ink. The ink suction tube 51 is attached to and detached from the ink supply port 47 a by the linear movement conversion unit 53.

  The linear movement conversion unit 53 converts the rotation of the storage position side shaft unit 31 into a linear movement, and moves the ink suction pipe 51 in the vertical direction D2 orthogonal to the direction D1 in and out of the ink tank 3. The linear movement converting portion 53 includes an arm portion 55 fixed to the opposite side of the rotation transmission portion 33 in the storage position side shaft portion 31, a suction tube fixing portion 57 for fixing the ink suction tube 51, and a suction tube fixing portion 57. And a suction tube guide portion 59 that is supported so as to be movable in the vertical direction D2.

  As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the arm portion 55 has a slide hole portion 55a, and the suction tube fixing portion 57 is a projection portion 57a that is accommodated in and comes into contact with the slide hole portion 55a. have. Due to the rotation of the storage position side shaft portion 31, the arm portion 55 rotates around the storage position side shaft portion 31. At this time, the slide hole portion 55 a of the arm portion 55 is in contact with the protrusion portion 57 a, and the force due to the rotation of the arm portion 55 is transmitted to the suction tube fixing portion 57. The moving direction of the suction tube fixing portion 57 is determined by the suction tube guide portion 59 and the like, and moves linearly. As a result, the ink suction pipe 51 moves in the vertical direction D2 and operates so as to connect to and disconnect from the ink supply port 47a of the ink tank 3.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4A, the ink tank storage mechanism 11 includes a connection state detection sensor 61 that detects a state in which the ink suction pipe 51 is connected to the ink supply port 47a of the ink tank 3. When the connection state detection sensor 61 detects the connection state of the ink suction portion 35, the arm portion 55 is locked, and an arm lock portion 63 for releasing the lock is provided. When the arm portion 55 is locked, the rotation of the storage position side shaft portion 31 is also locked. The connection state detection sensor 61 includes, for example, a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and detects the connection state of the ink suction pipe 51 by determining whether an object is interposed between them. Moreover, the arm lock part 63 is corresponded to the rotation lock part of this invention.

  The configuration of the arm lock unit 63 will be specifically described. The arm portion 55 is provided with a locking hole portion 55b on the opposite side of the storage position side shaft portion 31 across the slide hole portion 55a (see FIG. 3). The arm lock portion 63 is constituted by, for example, a solenoid that pushes out or retracts the movable shaft portion 63a, and the arm portion 55 is fixed when the movable shaft portion 63a passes through the locking hole portion 55b. As a result, the arm portion 55 cannot be rotated, the state where the ink suction tube 51 is connected to the ink supply port 47a of the ink tank 3 is maintained, and the state where the door portion 19 by the rotation transmission portion 33 is closed is maintained. It is.

≪IC chip communication department≫
As shown in FIG. 6B, the ink tank 3 is provided with an IC chip communication unit 67 that stores ink information related to ink such as manufacturing information. The IC chip communication part 67 is provided in the cap part 47 of the ink tank 3 provided with the ink supply port 47a. The IC chip communication unit 67 has an input / output terminal 67a facing in the storage direction D1a in which the ink tank 3 is stored.

  On the other hand, the ink tank storage mechanism 11 (apparatus side) is provided with a mechanism side input / output terminal 69 for reading and writing information about ink stored in the IC chip communication unit 67, as shown in FIG. . When the ink tank 3 is moved in the storage direction D1a and the ink tank 3 is positioned at the storage position P1, the IC chip communication unit 67 and the mechanism-side input / output terminal 69 come into contact with each other to enable communication. . Each terminal of the mechanism side input / output terminal 69 has elasticity in the direction D1 in which the ink tank 3 is taken in and out.

  The IC chip communication unit 67 corresponds to a storage unit of the present invention, and the mechanism side input / output terminal 69 corresponds to a storage position side input / output terminal.

  With reference to FIG. 8A to FIG. 8C, it will be described that the ink suction portion 35 and the mechanism side input / output terminal 69 are securely connected. As shown in FIG. 8A, the ink tank 3 is moved toward the storage direction D1a. When the ink tank 3 is moved to the storage position P1, the ink tank storage mechanism 11 moves the ink supply unit 45 and the IC chip in the vertical (vertical) direction D2 and the horizontal direction D3 perpendicular to the direction D1 for inserting and removing the ink tank 3. A positioning guide portion 65 for positioning the cap portion 47 provided with the communication portion 67 is provided. The notch 47b of the cap part 47 is positioned in the vertical direction D2 and the horizontal direction D3 by being guided by the positioning guide part 65. Positioning to the positioning guide portion 65 is facilitated by providing an inclination to the positioning guide portion 65.

  In FIG. 8B, the cutout portion 47b of the ink supply portion 47 is guided by the positioning guide portion 65 and positioned in the vertical direction D2 and the horizontal direction D3. Thereby, the ink suction tube 51 and the ink supply port 47a can be positioned, and the input / output terminal 67a and the mechanism side input / output terminal 69 of the IC chip communication unit 67 can be positioned.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 8C, the ink suction pipe 51 is connected to the ink supply port 47a. At this time, the ink suction pipe 51 is connected to the ink supply port 47a from the vertical direction D2 orthogonal to the direction D1 in which the ink tank 3 is taken in and out. Since the ink suction tube 51 is pressed not on the direction D1 but on the positioning guide portion 65 side (or the placement surface 13 side) orthogonal to the direction D1, the ink suction tube 51 can be reliably connected to the ink supply port 47a. In addition, since the ink tank 3 is fixed, the movement of the ink suction pipe 51 in the direction perpendicular to the vertical direction D2 (for example, the direction D1 in and out of the ink tank 3) is suppressed. At this time, the position of the input / output terminal 67a of the IC chip communication unit 67 is fixed, and communication with the IC chip communication unit 67 can be ensured.

<Operation of Ink Tank Storage Mechanism 11>
Next, the operation of the ink tank storage mechanism 11 will be described. In the present embodiment, the operator can easily replace the ink tank 3 with less changeover operation of the operation handle 25. We will explain in order.

  When the remaining amount of ink stored in the ink tank 3 reaches a preset amount (for example, an empty state), the controller 7 controls the LED 7 or the like attached to each ink tank storage mechanism 11. The notification unit 79 (see FIG. 2) is controlled to notify the operator of the replacement time of the ink tank 3, and the arm lock unit 63 locks the arm unit 55 of the linear movement conversion unit 53, that is, the storage position. The lock of the side shaft part 31 is released.

  The operator holds the operation handle 25 and rotates it counterclockwise. As a result of the rotation by the operation handle 25, the keyhole member 37 of the rotation transmission portion 33 is changed from the state of FIG. 5 (f) to the state of FIG. 5 (c), and the door 19 is unlocked. Further, the door 19 is unlocked, and the rotation by the operation handle 25 is transmitted to the storage position side shaft 31 fixed to the keyhole member 37. When the storage position side shaft 31 rotates, the linear movement conversion unit 53 converts the rotation of the storage position side shaft 31 into a linear movement in the upward direction D2a of the ink suction pipe 51. That is, the state shown in FIG. 7B is changed to the state shown in FIG. 7A, and the ink suction pipe 51 is removed from the ink supply port 47a.

  After the door 19 is unlocked, the operator pulls out the ink tank 3 by pulling the operation handle 25 while holding the operation handle 25 (see FIG. 4B). At this time, the door portion 19 changes from a closed state to an open state. Since the ink tank storage mechanism 11 is a drawer type, the ink tank 3 can be easily moved to the replacement position P2. The operator replaces the ink tank 3.

  Thereafter, the operator holds the operation handle 25 and pushes the operation handle 25 to move the ink tank 3 to the storage position P1. At this time, the door portion 19 changes from an open state to a closed state. When the door portion 19 is closed, that is, when the ink tank 3 is located at the storage position P1, the ink supply port 47a of the ink tank 3 is positioned by the cap portion 47 as shown in FIG. Positioned by the portion 65. As a result, the input / output terminal 67a of the IC chip communication unit 67 for storing ink information provided in the ink tank 3 and the mechanism-side input / output terminal 69 provided on the ink tank storage mechanism 11 side can contact and communicate. It becomes a state. However, this state is a state where the ink tank 3 is not securely fixed. That is, depending on the position of the ink tank 3, there is a possibility that communication is not possible.

  After moving the ink tank 3 to the storage position P1, the operator rotates the operation handle 25 clockwise while holding the operation handle 25. The keyhole member 37 of the rotation transmission part 33 is changed from the state of FIG. 5C to the state of FIG. 5F by the rotation by the operation handle 25, and the door part 19 is locked. Further, the door portion 19 is locked, and the rotation by the operation handle 25 is transmitted to the storage position side shaft portion 31 fixed to the key hole member 37. When the storage position side shaft portion 31 rotates, the linear movement conversion portion 53 converts the rotation of the storage position side shaft portion 31 into a linear movement in the downward direction D2b of the ink suction portion 51. That is, the state of FIG. 7A changes to the state of FIG. 7B, and the ink suction tube 51 is connected to the ink supply port 47a.

  With respect to the connection direction of the ink suction pipe 51, the method of connecting the ink tank 3 to the ink supply port 47a from the opposite side of the storage direction D1a of the ink tank 3, which is a conventional method, can reliably suck ink depending on the position of the ink tank 3. The tube 51 may not be connected to the ink supply port 47a. However, since the ink suction tube 51 is connected from the up-down direction D2 orthogonal to the direction D1 in and out of the ink tank 3, the ink suction tube 51 can be reliably connected to the ink supply port 47a.

  When the ink suction pipe 51 is connected to the ink supply port 47a, the ink tank 3 is fixed with the ink suction pipe 51 as a reference. Therefore, a communication state between the input / output terminal 67a of the IC chip communication unit 67 provided in the ink tank 3 and the mechanism side input / output terminal 69 provided on the ink tank storage mechanism 11 side is secured, and the IC chip communication unit 67 is secured. And can be securely connected.

  When the ink suction pipe 51 is connected to the ink supply port 47a, the connection state detection sensor 61 detects this state. When the connection state detection sensor 61 detects that the ink suction pipe 51 is connected, the arm lock portion 63 is controlled, and the movable shaft portion 63a of the arm lock portion 63 is placed in the lock hole portion 55b of the arm portion 55. Let it pass. Therefore, the arm portion 55 and the storage position side shaft portion 31 fixed to the arm portion 55 are locked. As a result, the ink suction pipe 51 and the door portion 19 are locked so that the ink tank 3 cannot be pulled out to the replacement position P2 during the operation of the ink jet printing apparatus 1 such as during ink supply.

  The pump 4 operates under the control of the control unit 7, and the ink stored in the ink tank 3 is sucked by the internal pipe 49 and the ink suction pipe 51 and supplied to the inkjet head 2 and the sub tank 5. The operator can connect to the ink supply port 47a and release the connection, lock and release the door 19 and release it, and pull out and push in the ink tank 3 with the operation handle 25 alone. Therefore, if the operator holds the operation handle 25, a series of ink tank 3 replacement operations can be performed there, and the number of changeover operations can be reduced, and the ink tank 3 having increased weight and size can be replaced. It can be done easily. Further, since the ink suction tube 51 is operated to connect to the ink supply port 47a from the vertical direction D2 orthogonal to the direction D1 in and out of the ink tank 3, the ink suction tube 51 is reliably connected to the ink supply port 47a. By this connection, the communication state of the IC chip communication unit 67 can be ensured.

  According to the present embodiment, the rotation of the operation handle 27 enables the connection of the ink suction pipe 51 to the ink supply port 47a and the release of the connection, and the setting of the ink tank 3 in the ink tank storage mechanism 11 and the ink tank 3 Can be easily exchanged. In addition, the ink tank 3 can be reliably set in the ink tank storage mechanism 11. That is, the ink suction pipe 51 is connected to the ink supply port 47a in the vertical direction D2 orthogonal to the direction D1 in which the ink tank 3 is taken in and out. Thereby, the ink suction pipe 51 can be reliably connected to the ink supply port 47a. When the ink suction pipe 51 is connected to the ink supply port 47a, the ink tank 3 is fixed with the ink supply pipe 51 as a reference. Therefore, a communication state between the IC chip communication unit 67 provided in the ink tank 3 and the mechanism side input / output terminal 69 is ensured, and the mechanism side input / output terminal 69 can be reliably connected to the IC chip communication unit 67. .

  Further, the storage position side shaft portion 31 is rotated by the rotation of the operation handle 25 by the rotation transmission portion 33 provided between the opening portion 17 and the operation handle 25 when the opening portion 17 is closed by the door portion 19. . That is, when the opening portion 17 is closed by the door portion 19, the rotation transmission portion 33 can transmit rotation between the operation handle 25 and the storage position side shaft portion 31.

  Further, the rotation transmission unit 33 receives the rotation by the operation handle 25 and locks the opening and closing of the door unit 19 and releases the lock. As a result, the opening / closing of the door 19 can be locked and unlocked by the rotation of the operation handle 25, and the connection of the ink suction pipe 51 to the ink supply port 51 and the cancellation of the connection can be performed. The ink tank 3 can be easily replaced.

  The ink tank storage mechanism 11 also has an arm lock portion 63 that locks the rotation of the storage position side shaft portion 31 when the connection state detection sensor 61 detects that the ink suction pipe 51 is connected to the ink supply port 47a. It has. Thereby, the connection state of the ink suction pipe 51 is maintained. Moreover, the state which locked the opening / closing of the door part 19 is hold | maintained. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the ink tank 3 from being replaced during the operation of the apparatus 1 such as the ink supply.

  Further, since the container portion is large and the positional accuracy is difficult to be obtained when the large-capacity ink tank 3 is used, when the ink tank 3 is moved to the storage position P1, the direction D1 in which the ink tank 3 is taken in and out by the positioning guide portion 65. The cap portion 47 is positioned in the up-down direction D2 and the horizontal direction D3 orthogonal to each other. Further, the ink suction pipe 51 is connected to the ink supply port 47a, thereby positioning in the direction D1 in which the ink tank 3 is taken in and out. At this time, the IC chip communication unit 67 and the mechanism side input / output terminal 69 of the ink tank 3 can also be accurately positioned.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be modified as follows.

  (1) In the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 9A to 9C, the ink suction pipe 51 is erroneously connected to the ink supply port 47a of the ink tank 3 storing ink of different colors. In order to prevent this, an erroneous insertion preventing portion 81 is provided.

  That is, the ink tank housing mechanism 11 moves integrally with the color information projection 81a indicating the color of ink provided in the ink tank 3 and the ink suction pipe 51, and color information corresponding to the color information projection 81a. The ink suction tube 51 includes an erroneous insertion preventing portion 81 that is connected to the ink supply port 47a when the groove portion 81b is engaged. Thereby, when the color information protrusion 81a and the color information groove 81b do not mesh with each other, it can be determined that the ink tank 3 stores inks of different colors. That is, it is possible to prevent erroneous insertion into the ink tank 3 in which different color inks are stored.

  The color information protrusion 81a has a different protrusion pattern for each color. The color information groove 81b can connect the ink suction tube 51 to the ink supply port 47a when meshing with the color information projection 81a, and can connect the ink suction tube 51 when meshing with the color information projection 81a. The ink supply port 47a cannot be connected.

  (2) In the embodiment and the modification example (1) described above, the door portion 19 is provided on the mounting portion 13 and integrally configured as a drawer type. In this regard, as shown in FIG. 10, the door portion 19 may be provided on the outer edge portion of the opening portion 17 with a hinge interposed therebetween. In this case, after the door portion 19 is opened, the placement portion 13 is pulled out to replace the ink tank 3, and after the placement portion 13 is pushed in, the door portion 19 is closed.

  The configuration of the present modification increases the number of operations for changing the operation handle 25 compared to the configuration of the embodiment. In this regard, in the embodiment, when the door portion 19 and the placement portion 13 are integrated, for example, the ink tank 3 can be moved to the storage position P1, and at the same time, the opening portion can be closed by the door portion. Thereby, the change-over operation of the operation handle 25 can be reduced, and the ink tank 3 can be easily replaced.

  (3) In the above-described embodiments and modifications, as shown in FIG. 3, the handle body 29 is configured as a lever. In this regard, the handle main body 29 may be configured as a knob, for example. Further, a mechanism for converting linear movement into rotation may be used for the handle main body 29 as long as the handle shaft 27 is rotated.

  (4) In the above-described embodiments and modifications, the ink used in the ink jet printing apparatus is exemplified as the liquid stored in the liquid tank. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the chemical | medical solution etc. which are used for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus may be sufficient.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 ... Inkjet head 3 ... Ink tank 7 ... Control part 11 ... Ink tank storage mechanism 13 ... Mounting part 15 ... Mounting part guide part 17 ... Opening part 19 ... Door part 25 ... Operation handle 31 ... Storage position side axial part 33 ... Rotation transmission part 47 ... Cap part 47a ... Ink supply port 49 ... Inner pipe 51 ... Ink suction pipe 53 ... Linear movement converting part 61 ... Connection state detection sensor 63 ... Arm lock part 65 ... Positioning guide part 67 ... IC chip communication part 69 ... Mechanism side input / output terminal 81 ... Incorrect insertion prevention part 81a ... Information projection part 81b ... Information groove part P1 ... Storage position P2 ... Exchange position D1 ... Direction to put in and out ink tank D2 ... Vertical direction

Claims (12)

An opening for taking the liquid tank in and out of the storage position for storing the liquid tank for storing the liquid;
A door for opening and closing the opening;
An operation handle that is rotatably provided in the door portion, and transmits rotation to the storage position side when the opening is closed by the door portion;
A storage position side shaft provided on the storage position side with reference to the opening, and rotated by receiving the rotation by the operation handle;
A liquid suction pipe for sucking the liquid, which is detachably provided to a supply port for supplying the liquid provided in the liquid tank when the liquid tank is located at the storage position;
When the liquid tank is located at the storage position, the storage position side input / output provided on the storage position side with respect to the opening so as to be able to communicate with the storage unit provided at the liquid tank. A terminal,
A linear movement conversion unit that converts the rotation of the storage position side shaft part into a linear movement and moves the liquid suction pipe in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the liquid tank is taken in and out;
A liquid tank storage mechanism comprising: The liquid tank storage mechanism according to claim 1,
The storage position side shaft portion is rotated by the rotation of the operation handle by a rotation transmission portion provided between the opening portion and the operation handle when the opening portion is closed by the door portion. Liquid tank storage mechanism. The liquid tank storage mechanism according to claim 2,
The rotation transmission part receives the rotation by the operation handle, and locks the opening / closing of the door part and releases the lock. The liquid tank storage mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A liquid tank storage comprising a rotation lock portion that locks the rotation of the storage position side shaft when the connection state detection sensor detects a state in which the liquid suction pipe is connected to the supply port. mechanism. The liquid tank storage mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
When the information projection portion indicating the type of liquid provided in the liquid tank moves together with the liquid suction tube and the information groove portion corresponding to the information projection portion meshes, the liquid suction tube is A liquid tank storage mechanism comprising an erroneous insertion prevention unit connected to a supply port. The liquid tank storage mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The liquid tank storage mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the liquid tank has an internal pipe extending from the supply port to the inside. The liquid tank storage mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
A mounting section for mounting the liquid tank;
A liquid tank storage mechanism comprising: a mounting portion guide portion that supports the mounting portion so as to be movable between the storage position and the replacement position of the liquid tank. The liquid tank storage mechanism according to claim 7,
The liquid tank storage mechanism, wherein the door portion is provided in the mounting portion and integrated. The liquid tank storage mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
The direction perpendicular to the direction of taking in and out the liquid tank is the up and down direction,
The liquid tank storage mechanism, wherein the liquid suction tube is detachably attached to the upward supply port. The liquid tank storage mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
The storage unit is provided in a cap part of the liquid tank provided with the supply port,
A liquid tank storage comprising a positioning guide portion for positioning the cap portion in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction perpendicular to a direction in which the liquid tank is taken in and out when the liquid tank is moved to the storage position. mechanism. The liquid tank storage mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
The liquid tank storage mechanism, wherein the liquid is ink supplied to an ink jet head that discharges ink droplets. A liquid tank storage mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising:
A liquid supply apparatus that supplies the liquid sucked from the liquid suction pipe to a liquid consumption unit that consumes the liquid.

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