JP7243883B2 - Ink supply container - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an ink supply container for supplying ink to an ink tank that stores ink to be supplied to a recording apparatus, an ink supply system including such an ink supply container, and such an ink supply system. It relates to an ink supply adapter used in.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ink tank storing ink therein is connected in a state in which ink can be supplied to a printing apparatus that performs printing by ejecting ink onto a medium. In such a recording apparatus, when the remaining amount of ink in the ink tank becomes small, the ink is replenished from the outside using an ink replenishing container (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-100003). .

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-146021

By the way, the ink replenishment work for the ink tank must be performed appropriately while suppressing the ink replenishment failure, etc., and such replenishment work has conventionally been performed by the user of the printing apparatus. Therefore, in order for users to appropriately perform such ink replenishment work, there has been a demand for further improvements in, for example, ink replenishment containers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and its object is to provide an ink supply container capable of appropriately supplying ink to an ink tank, an ink supply system including such an ink supply container, and such an ink. To provide an ink supply adapter used in a supply system.

Means for solving the above problems and their effects will be described below.
An ink supply container for solving the above-mentioned problems is an ink supply container for supplying ink to an ink tank capable of storing ink therein, the container body having an ink storage chamber capable of storing ink to be supplied to the ink tank. an ink outlet forming portion provided at an end portion of the container main body and having an ink outlet for allowing the ink to flow out from the ink containing chamber; a valve that seals the outlet so that it can be opened and closed, wherein the ink outlet forming portion is located outside the ink outlet forming portion and closer to the container main body than the valve in the direction of the central axis of the ink outlet. A positioning portion is provided at a position where the valve is opened, and the positioning portion comes into contact with a portion of the ink tank side to position the valve with respect to the ink tank when the valve is opened.

According to this configuration, when ink is replenished from the ink replenishing container to the ink tank, the valve is opened while being positioned with respect to the ink tank. Problems such as ink leakage and ink replenishment failure can be suppressed, and ink can be appropriately replenished to the ink tank.

Further, in the ink supply container, the valve is provided with one or more slits in an elastic member that seals the ink outlet, and the valve is opened by expanding the slit from the outside to the inside of the ink outlet. It is preferable that the configuration is such that

According to this configuration, it is possible to provide an ink replenishing container having a simple structure with a small number of parts.
Moreover, in the ink supply container, it is preferable that the positioning portion is provided so as to be positioned radially outward of the ink outlet when the ink outlet is viewed in the direction of the central axis thereof.

According to this configuration, when ink is replenished from the ink replenishing container to the ink tank, the ink replenishing container comes into contact with the portion of the ink tank side with the positioning portion positioned radially outward of the ink outlet. Therefore, ink can be replenished in a stable posture.

Moreover, in the ink supply container, it is preferable that the positioning portion is formed of a separate member from the ink outlet forming portion.
With this configuration, the positioning portion can be optimized in accordance with the design aspects of the ink tank and the ink supply container.

On the other hand, an ink replenishment system for solving the above problems includes an ink storage chamber capable of storing ink; a receiving surface extending in a direction intersecting the direction in which the needle extends at a position outside the tip of the needle, the receiving surface forming the part on the ink tank side; and an ink supply container, wherein the positioning portion of the ink supply container contacts the receiving surface when the tip of the needle is inserted into the ink outlet to open the valve.

According to this configuration, when the valve is opened by inserting the needle of the ink tank into the ink outlet of the ink supply container, the positioning portion of the ink supply container comes into contact with the receiving surface of the ink tank, and the valve and the needle are positioned relative to each other. Since the relative positional relationship is determined, the valve can be appropriately opened by the needle, and the occurrence of ink replenishment failure can be suppressed.

Further, in the above ink supply system, the ink tank has, in a region outside the needle in a radial direction centered on the needle, a recess opening in a direction in which the needle extends, and the ink supply container includes: It is preferable that a region outside the ink outlet in a radial direction centered on the ink outlet has a convex portion that can be fitted into the concave portion when the tip of the needle is inserted into the ink outlet.

According to this configuration, the needle is not inserted into the ink outlet when the convex portion of the ink supply container does not fit into the concave portion of the ink tank, so it is possible to suppress improper connection between the ink tank and the ink supply container.

Further, in the above ink supply system, the ink supply container is positioned outside the ink outlet forming portion and at a position closer to the container main body than the convex portion in the direction of the central axis of the ink outlet. It is preferable to have a part.

According to this configuration, it is possible to suppress improper connection between the ink tank and the ink supply container, and to secure the insertion state of the needle of the ink tank with respect to the ink outlet of the ink supply container in an appropriate positioning state.

In the ink replenishing system, it is preferable that the tip of the needle of the ink tank is located closer to the ink storage chamber than the receiving surface.
According to this configuration, the tip of the needle of the ink tank does not protrude outside the receiving surface. Therefore, even if ink adheres to the tip of the needle, the ink may splash on the hands of the user performing the ink replenishment work. It is possible to reduce the risk of adhesion to the ink supply container.

Further, in the above ink supply system, the ink tank includes two channels in which the channel of the needle is arranged side by side in a radial direction with the tip opening of each channel centered on the needle, When one channel functions as an ink channel for circulating ink, the other channel preferably functions as an air channel for circulating air.

According to this configuration, when the ink supply container is connected to the ink tank in a state inclined along the radial direction in which the two flow paths are aligned from the direction in which the needle extends, the ink in the ink supply container of the two flow paths One of the channels on the side closer to the outlet functions as an ink channel, and the other channel functions as an air channel. Therefore, the user can use either of the two flow paths as the ink flow path, so that the user can quickly perform the ink replenishment work without hesitation in selecting the flow path to be used as the ink flow path. can.

Further, another ink replenishing system for solving the above problems includes an ink reservoir capable of storing ink, an ink inlet allowing ink to flow into the ink reservoir, and radial directions centering on the ink inlet. an ink storage chamber capable of storing ink to be replenished to the ink tank; and allowing the ink to flow out from the ink storage chamber. and an ink replenishing container having an ink outlet with the The ink tank has a first concave-convex portion at a position closer to the bottom than the opening edge of the concave portion on the inner surface of the concave portion. 2. Concavo-convex portions were provided on the convex portions.

According to this configuration, by fitting the convex portion of the ink supply container into the concave portion of the ink tank and engaging the first concave and convex portion on the inner surface of the concave portion with the second concave and convex portion on the outer surface of the convex portion, the ink is supplied. The user can recognize that the correct ink supply container has been connected to the tank. Therefore, it is possible to suppress improper connection between the ink tank and the ink replenishing container. The convex portion of the container can be easily guided from the opening side of the concave portion of the ink tank to the bottom side, and the insertion operation can be easily performed.

Further, in the ink replenishing system, the ink tank has the depth direction of the recess in the direction of the central axis of the ink inlet, and the first uneven portion extends along the depth direction of the recess on the inner surface of the recess. and the ink replenishing container is arranged such that when the convex portion is fitted in the concave portion and the second concave-convex portion is engaged with the first concave-convex portion, the ink outlet becomes the ink inlet. is preferably connected to

According to this configuration, the second concave-convex portion on the outer surface of the convex portion of the ink supply container is aligned with the first concave-convex portion provided on the inner surface of the concave portion of the ink tank so as to extend along the depth direction of the concave portion. By engaging the convex portion with the fitting, the connection direction of the ink outlet of the ink replenishing container with respect to the ink inlet of the ink tank can be easily recognized.

In the ink replenishing system, it is preferable that the depth direction of the recess in the ink tank is a direction that intersects the horizontal direction and extends from above to below when the ink outlet is connected to the ink inlet. .

According to this configuration, in a state where the ink outlet of the ink supply container is connected to the ink inlet of the ink tank, it is possible to suppress the return of the ink from the ink outlet of the ink supply container into the ink containing chamber. Ink replenishment work can be performed appropriately.

Further, still another ink replenishing system for solving the above problems comprises an ink storage chamber capable of storing ink, an ink inlet allowing ink to flow into the ink storage chamber, and an ink outlet centering on the ink inlet. an ink tank comprising: a plurality of first fitting portions formed point-symmetrically with respect to the ink inlet in an area outside the ink inlet in a direction; and ink to be supplied to the ink tank. an ink containing chamber that can accommodate an ink containing chamber; an ink outlet that allows the ink to flow out from the ink containing chamber; and an ink replenishing container including a second fitting portion formed to be fittable with the portion.

According to this configuration, the ink replenishing container can be fitted with any one of the plurality of first fittings formed point-symmetrically about the ink inlet in the ink tank. Since the ink outlet of the ink supply container can be connected to the ink inlet of the ink tank, it is possible to easily connect the ink supply container to the ink tank during ink supply.

Further, still another ink replenishing system for solving the above problems comprises an ink storage chamber capable of storing ink, an ink inlet allowing ink to flow into the ink storage chamber, and an ink outlet centering on the ink inlet. a first fitting portion formed in a region outside the ink inlet in a direction; an ink containing chamber capable of containing ink to be replenished to the ink tank; an ink outlet for allowing the ink to flow out; and a second fitting portion formed to be fittable with the first fitting portion in a region outside the ink outlet in a radial direction centered on the ink outlet. and an ink supply container comprising: the ink tank has a first portion indicating information related to the ink stored in the ink storage chamber; and the ink supply container stores the ink storage chamber. It has a second portion indicating information related to the ink to be contained, and the first portion and the second portion connect the second fitting portion of the ink supply container to the first fitting portion of the ink tank. It is provided at a position where it can be visually recognized from the outside when it is fitted.

According to this configuration, when the ink replenishing container is connected to the ink tank and ink is replenished, whether or not the ink to be replenished is suitable can be easily checked by visually checking the first portion and the second portion. I can confirm.

Further, still another ink replenishing system for solving the above problems comprises an ink storage chamber capable of storing ink, an ink inlet allowing ink to flow into the ink storage chamber, and an ink outlet centering on the ink inlet. a concave portion formed in a region outside the ink inlet in a direction; an ink containing chamber capable of containing ink to be replenished to the ink tank; and the ink flowing out from the ink containing chamber. and an ink replenishing container comprising: an ink outlet that enables the ink outlet to be filled in; In the ink replenishing container, the projection protrudes from the ink outlet in a direction opposite to the ink containing chamber in the direction of the central axis of the ink outlet.

According to this configuration, when ink is replenished, the convex portion of the ink replenishing container protrudes more than the ink outlet. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the ink outlet will come into contact with the user's hand or the peripheral portion of the ink tank. Contamination due to adhesion can be suppressed.

Conversely, it is also possible to make the ink outlet protrude from the convex portion in the direction opposite to the ink containing chamber in the direction of the central axis. In that case, it becomes easier to visually recognize the ink outlet when ink is replenished.

Further, in the above ink supply system, the ink supply container has the protrusion projecting outwardly from the outer peripheral surface of the container body in which the ink containing chamber is provided in a radial direction centered on the ink outlet. is preferred.

According to this configuration, the user can easily see the convex portion when looking at the ink supply container, and can easily fit the convex portion of the ink supply container into the concave portion of the ink tank during ink supply. As a result, erroneous connection of the ink supply container to the ink tank can be reduced.

Further, in the above ink supply system, the ink supply container has the convex portion formed inside the outer peripheral surface of the container main body portion in which the ink containing chamber is provided in the radial direction centered on the ink outlet. is preferred.

According to this configuration, when the ink outlet of the ink supply container is connected to the ink inlet of the ink tank, the projection of the ink supply container can be prevented from becoming an obstacle.
Further, an ink supply adapter for solving the above problems is an ink supply adapter that connects between the ink supply container and the ink tank when ink is supplied from the ink supply container to the ink tank. A tank engaging portion that can be engaged with a plurality of ink tanks having ink storage chambers that can be stored in a state in which they are collectively engaged, and an ink flowing out from an ink outlet of the ink replenishing container to flow into the ink storage chamber. A plurality of ink inlets provided for each of the ink tanks to allow inflow and the ink supply container having the ink outlets provided for each of the plurality of ink inlets and connectable to the ink inlets are identifiable. and a plurality of identification units.

According to this configuration, the ink tank has a general-purpose common structure, and if the plurality of ink tanks are put together and the tank engaging portion of the replenishing adapter is engaged, the ink replenishing container can be replenished with ink. It is possible to easily realize a structure capable of suppressing erroneous mounting.

Further, another ink replenishment adapter for solving the above problem is an ink replenishment adapter mounted on the ink tank while replenishing the ink tank with ink from an ink replenishment container, wherein the ink is supplied to the ink tank. an inlet forming portion that can be inserted through an ink inlet channel portion provided in the ink tank so as to allow the ink to flow into the ink storage chamber provided in the tank, and that surrounds at least a portion of the circumference of the ink inlet channel portion; , an adapter-side positioning portion engageable with a tank-side positioning portion provided on the ink tank and for positioning the ink supply adapter with respect to the ink tank; and an ink connectable to the ink inlet channel portion. and an identification unit capable of identifying the ink supply container having an outlet.

According to this configuration, since the ink supply adapter is positioned with respect to the ink tank, misalignment between the ink inlet channel portion provided in the ink tank and the inlet formation portion provided in the ink supply adapter is suppressed. be done. Therefore, the ink can be appropriately replenished from the ink replenishing container to the ink tank via the ink replenishing adapter.

Further, in the ink supply adapter, it is preferable that the plurality of inlet forming portions, the identification portions corresponding to the plurality of inlet forming portions, and the plurality of adapter-side positioning portions are integrally formed. .

According to this configuration, since the entrance forming portion, the identification portion, and the adapter-side positioning portion are integrally formed, the ink supply adapter can be manufactured more easily than when they are formed separately.

1 is a perspective view schematically showing the schematic configuration of a first embodiment of a printing apparatus in a see-through state; FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an ink supply unit provided inside the housing of the printing apparatus; FIG. 4 is a plan view of the same ink supply unit; FIG. 4 is a partially broken cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3; 4 is a partially broken cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 3; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the ink supply container with the cap removed; FIG. FIG. 2 is a side view of the ink supply container; FIG. 2 is a front view of the ink supply container; FIG. 2 is a plan view of the ink supply container; 10-10 line arrow sectional view in FIG. 11-11 line arrow sectional view in FIG. FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway front view showing a state immediately before ink replenishment to the ink tank; FIG. 4 is a partially broken side view showing a state immediately before ink replenishment to the ink tank; FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway front view showing a state in which an ink tank is being replenished with ink; FIG. 4 is a partially broken side view showing a state in which an ink tank is being replenished with ink; FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway front view showing a state in which the positioning portion of the ink supply container is in contact with the receiving surface of the ink tank during ink supply; FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway side view showing a state in which the positioning portion of the ink supply container is in contact with the receiving surface of the ink tank during ink supply; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a multi-function peripheral including a recording device according to a second embodiment; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a multifunction device showing a state in which ink is replenished in an ink tank; FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the housing of the ink supply unit is removed; FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of an ink tank; FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of an ink tank; Partial perspective view of the ink supply unit. FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of the ink supply unit; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the ink replenishment adapter from the bottom side; The bottom view of the ink supply adapter. FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view taken along line F27-F27 in FIG. FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view taken along line F28-F28 in FIG. The side view of the ink supply container of a modification. The front view of the ink supply container of a modification. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an ink supply container of another modified example; The perspective view of the ink supply unit of a modification. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a modified ink supply adapter; FIG. 11 is a partial perspective view of an ink supply container of a modified example; The top view of the ink outlet of a modification, and a 2nd uneven|corrugated|grooved part. FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of an ink supply container and a cap of a modified example; FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an ink outlet and a sealing portion of a modification;

(First embodiment)
A first embodiment of the recording apparatus will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the recording apparatus of this embodiment is an inkjet printer that records (prints) an image or the like on a medium by ejecting ink onto the medium.

As shown in FIG. 1, the recording apparatus 21 includes a rectangular parallelepiped housing 22 whose longitudinal direction is the horizontal direction. 1 schematically illustrates the inside of a housing 22 of the recording apparatus 21 as seen through. A support base 23 whose longitudinal direction is the left-right direction is provided in the lower part of the housing 22 near the rear so that the upper surface of the support base 23 extends along the substantially horizontal direction. A sheet P, which is an example of a medium, is transported forward in the transport direction while being supported on the upper surface of the support base 23 . A guide shaft 24 extending in the left-right direction is provided above the support table 23 in the housing 22. The guide shaft 24 is provided with a carriage 26 having a recording head 25 for ejecting ink on its lower surface side. is supported. That is, the carriage 26 is supported so as to reciprocate in the left-right direction with respect to the guide shaft 24 in a state in which the guide shaft 24 is inserted through the support hole 27 penetrating in the left-right direction.

A drive pulley 28 and a driven pulley 29 are rotatably supported at positions near both ends of the guide shaft 24 in the housing 22 . An output shaft of a carriage motor 30 is connected to the drive pulley 28 , and an endless timing belt 31 partly connected to the carriage 26 is wound between the drive pulley 28 and the driven pulley 29 . . When the carriage 26 is driven by the carriage motor 30 and guided by the guide shaft 24 via the timing belt 31 to reciprocate along the horizontal direction, which is the scanning direction for the paper P, the carriage 26 is transported forward on the support base 23 . Ink is ejected onto the paper P from the recording head 25 on the lower surface side of the carriage 26 .

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a front side of the support stand 23 on the front side of the housing 22 is provided at a position where the ink from the recording head 25 when conveyed on the support stand 23 inside the housing 22 flows. A rectangular discharge port 32 is open for discharging the paper P on which recording has been performed by ejection to the front side. At the discharge port 32, a rectangular plate-shaped discharge tray 33 capable of supporting the paper P discharged from the housing 22 is provided so as to be retractable forward in the discharging direction. Further, in the discharge port 32 , a paper feed cassette 34 capable of accommodating a plurality of sheets P used for recording in a stacked state is attached to the lower side of the discharge tray 33 so as to be freely insertable and removable in the front-rear direction.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the front surface and the upper surface of the housing 22 are rectangular at a position on the front surface of the housing 22 and on the left-right end side (right end side in FIG. 1) of the discharge port 32. An opening/closing door 35 having a right-angled triangular right side surface is provided so as to be freely opened/closed in the front-rear direction about a rotating shaft 36 provided at the lower end thereof and extending in the left-right direction. A window portion 37 made of a rectangular transparent member is formed on the front surface of the opening/closing door 35 . ) is visible.

Ink is supplied to the recording head 25 at a position behind the opening/closing door 35 in the housing 22 of the recording apparatus 21, that is, at a position near the front and near the end (in this case, near the right end). An ink supply unit 40 is accommodated. The ink supply unit 40 is a structure that includes a plurality (five in this embodiment) of ink tanks 41 to 45 and can be handled integrally. ink can be replenished.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ink supply unit 40 includes five deformed box-shaped ink tanks 41 to 45 elongated in the front-rear direction, and five ink supply units pulled out from the rear side of each of the ink tanks 41 to 45. It comprises a tube 46 and a rectangular parallelepiped ink supply adapter 47 to which the ink tanks 41 to 45 are assembled together. The ink replenishing adapter 47 has a stepped portion formed by notching the front half of the upper portion of each of the ink tanks 41 to 45 in a state in which all the ink tanks 41 to 45 are arranged side by side with the thickness direction of the ink tanks 41 to 45 oriented horizontally. By being attached to 48, it is integrated with the ink tanks 41-45. Incidentally, as shown in FIG. 1, the ink supply tubes 46 pulled out from the ink tanks 41 to 45 are connected to ink flow paths (not shown) formed in the carriage 26, and recording is performed through the ink flow paths. It is connected to head 25 . The ink supply adapter 47 may constitute a part of the housing 22 covering the ink tanks 41-45, or may be integrally formed with the ink tanks 41-45.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each of the ink tanks 41 to 45 has an ink storage chamber 49 in which ink IK can be stored. In this embodiment, black ink is stored in the ink storage chamber 49 of the ink tank 41 located at the right end in the horizontal direction. Color inks other than black (cyan, magenta, yellow, etc.) are stored in the ink storage chambers 49 of the other ink tanks 42 to 45 arranged on the left side of the rightmost ink tank 41 in the horizontal direction. The front walls of the ink tanks 41 to 45, which are visible through the window 37 on the front surface of the housing 22, are made of transparent resin so that the liquid surface of the ink IK in the ink storage chamber 49 can be visually recognized. A formed viewing portion 50 is provided. The visible portion 50 indicates the upper limit of the liquid level of the ink IK stored in the ink storage chamber 49 (an example of the amount of ink that can be injected without overflowing from the ink inlet 53). An upper limit mark 51 and a lower limit mark 52 indicating a guideline for the lower limit (for example, a guideline for prompting ink replenishment) are provided.

As shown in FIG. 4, each of the ink tanks 41 to 45 is provided with an ink inlet 53 that allows ink to flow into the ink storage chamber 49 from the outside above the horizontal portion of the stepped portion 48 . The ink inlet 53 includes a needle 56 extending vertically upward and having channels 54 and 55 communicating between the inside and the outside of the ink storage chamber 49 . The channels 54, 55 of the needle 56 consist of two channels 54, 55 arranged radially side-by-side about the needle 56, each with a tip opening, one of the two channels 54, 55 The flow path 54 (on the right side in FIG. 4) has a lower tip opening and a larger cross-sectional area than the flow path 55 on the other side (on the left side in FIG. 4). A remaining amount sensor 57 for detecting the remaining amount of ink IK in the ink storage chamber 49 is provided at the lower rear portion of the ink storage chamber 49 . Note that the remaining amount sensor 57 may not be provided.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the ink replenishing adapter 47 has an upper surface 58 which is a horizontal surface along a direction orthogonal (intersecting) with the direction in which the needle 56 extends. A through hole 60 penetrating in the direction is formed as an ink inlet forming portion. This through-hole 60 comprises a circular ink inlet 53 in which a needle 56 is arranged in the center, and a pair of front and rear rectangular holes connected to the front and rear of the ink inlet 53. The lower openings are the ink tanks 41-45. At the end, the needle 56 is closed by the horizontal portion of the stepped portion 48 projecting upward.

Therefore, in the through-hole 60, a pair of front and rear rectangular holes whose lower openings are blocked are provided in a region outside the ink inlet 53 in the radial direction centered on the ink inlet 53, in the direction in which the needle 56 extends. A pair of front and rear recesses 61 opening upward are formed so as to be symmetrical about the ink inlet 53 with the vertically downward direction as the depth direction. That is, in the ink replenishing adapter 47 integrated with the ink tanks 41 to 45, a plurality of points (in this case, front and rear) are provided in a region outside the ink inlet 53 including the needle 56, which is symmetrical with respect to the ink inlet 53. A pair of recesses 61 are formed. In this case, the tip of the needle 56 arranged at the center of the circular ink inlet 53 is the upper surface of the ink replenishing adapter 47, which is the opening edge of the through hole 60 containing the ink inlet 53 and the recess 61. It is located closer to the ink storage chamber 49 than 58 . That is, the upper surface 58 of the ink supply adapter 47 extends in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the needle 56 at a position outside the tip of the needle 56 in the extending direction of the needle 56 . On the other hand, the lower surface 59 of the ink replenishment adapter 47 functions as a tank engaging portion that collectively engages the plurality of ink tanks 41 to 45 arranged side by side in the horizontal direction from above.

In addition, of the upper surface 58 of the ink supply adapter 47, the peripheral portion of the upper opening edge of each through-hole 60 is colored with a specific color. That is, it is colored in the same color as the ink stored in the ink storage chambers 49 of the ink tanks 41 to 45 into which the ink flows through the ink inlets 53 of the through holes 60 . In this regard, the ink tanks 41 to 45 that communicate with the ink inlet 53 of the through hole 60 and the ink storage chamber 49 are stored in the peripheral portion of the upper opening edge of each through hole 60 in the ink supply adapter 47. It functions as a first part that externally presents information related to the ink that is stored. Incidentally, the peripheral portion of the upper opening of the through-hole 60 where the ink inlet 53 communicating with the ink storage chamber 49 of the ink tank 41 storing black ink is arranged is colored black.

In addition, on the inner surface of the recess 61 (specifically, the inner surface along the vertical direction), a horizontal surface is provided at a position closer to the bottom surface than the upper opening edge of the recess 61 (that is, the horizontal portion side of the stepped portion 48). A first concave-convex portion (first key structure portion) 62 having a characteristic concave-convex shape in the direction is provided so as to extend along the depth direction of the concave portion 61 (in other words, along the direction of the central axis of the ink inlet 53). ing. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first uneven portion 62 is provided for each of the ink inlets 53 of the plurality (five in this embodiment) of the ink tanks 41 to 45 . Therefore, in the ink replenishing adapter 47, each through-hole 60 has a rectangular concave portion 61 in each through-hole 60 formed at a position corresponding to each of the ink tanks 41 to 45 in the vertical direction. A first concave-convex portion 62 different from the first concave-convex portion 62 provided on the inner surface of the concave portion 61 is formed. That is, these first concave-convex portions 62 are connected to the ink inlet 53 in the through-hole 60 in which the first concave-convex portions 62 are formed. 6, etc.) can be identified. In addition, "the position closer to the bottom surface than the upper opening edge of the recess 61" means that the position may be set back from the opening edge to the bottom surface side, even if only slightly.

Next, the ink supply container 63, which constitutes an ink supply system together with the ink tanks 41 to 45 and supplies ink to the ink tanks 41 to 45 when the remaining amount of ink is low, will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the ink supply container 63 is provided with a cylindrical container main body 64 as its main body and at the tip of the container main body 64. and an ink outlet forming portion 66 having an opening formed at the tip thereof, and a container adding portion 67 added to the ink outlet forming portion 66 so as to surround the ink outlet 65 . The ink outlet 65 of the ink outlet forming portion 66 is covered with a bottomed cylindrical cap 68 including the container addition portion 67 around it, so that the ink supply container 63 is hidden from the outside when it is stored. That is, a male screw portion 69 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical lower end portion of the container attachment portion 67 , and a female screw portion (not shown) is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cap 68 . By screwing the female threaded portion of the cap 68 onto the male threaded portion 69 , the cap 68 is attached to the tip of the ink supply container 63 so as to cover the ink outlet 65 .

The entire outer surface of the container addition portion 67 is colored in a specific color. That is, it is colored in the same color as the ink contained in the container main body 64 to which the container adding portion 67 is added. In this respect, the container addition portion 67 of the ink supply container 63 functions as a second portion that indicates to the outside information related to the ink contained inside the ink supply container 63 . Incidentally, the outer surface of the container addition portion 67 in the ink supply container 63 that stores black ink is colored black. A plurality of (four in this embodiment) protrusions 70 are formed at equal angular intervals (eg, at intervals of 90 degrees) on the outer peripheral surfaces of the base ends of the container body 64 and the cap 68 . Incidentally, these protrusions 70 are formed to prevent the cylindrical ink supply container 63 from rolling. Furthermore, for example, the container main body 64 of the ink supply container 63 that contains black ink may be formed thicker than the container main body 64 of the ink supply container 63 that contains other color inks. In that case, the ink outlet forming portion 66 may have the same thickness and shape for black ink and other color inks.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, above the cylindrical lower end of the container attachment portion 67 having a male threaded portion 69 formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof, ink is distributed radially from the ink outlet 65 as a center. A convex portion 71 is formed in a region outside the outlet 65 so as to protrude upward in the direction of the central axis of the ink outlet 65 and in the direction opposite to the container main body 64 from the ink outlet 65 . The convex portion 71 is a second fitting portion that can be fitted with the concave portion 61 of the upper surface 58 of the ink supply adapter 47 as a first fitting portion when inserting the tip of the needle 56 on the side of the ink inlet 53 into the ink outlet 65 . It functions as a fitting portion, and is provided so as to form a pair with the ink outlet 65 sandwiched therebetween in the same manner as the pair of recesses 61 sandwiching the ink inlet 53 from the front and rear. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the convex portion 71 is formed inside the outer peripheral surface of the container body portion 64 in the radial direction centering on the ink outlet 65 in the ink supply container 63 .

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 9, the outer surface of each convex portion 71 (right and left side surfaces in FIGS. 6 and 9) is provided with the first uneven portion (the first uneven portion) formed on the inner surface of the concave portion 61 of the ink supply adapter 47. As shown in FIGS. A second concave-convex portion (second key structure portion) 72 that can be engaged with the first key structure portion) 62 is formed. The second concave-convex portion 72 is provided so as to extend along the projecting direction of the convex portion 71 (in other words, the direction of the central axis of the ink outlet 65). When the second concave-convex portion 72 is engaged with the first concave-convex portion 62, the ink outlet 65 of the ink supply container 63 is connected to the ink inlet 53 of the ink tanks 41-45.

Moreover, between the cylindrical lower end portion of the container attachment portion 67 formed with the male threaded portion 69 and the convex portion 71 formed with the second concave-convex portion 72 , the center axis of the ink outlet 65 is orthogonal (intersects). A planar positioning portion 73 is provided so as to be positioned radially outward of the ink outlet 65 when the ink outlet 65 is viewed in the direction of its central axis. That is, the positioning portion 73 constitutes a part of the outer surface of the container addition portion 67 which is a part of the outer surface of the ink supply container 63, and is positioned closer to the main body of the container than the tip of the convex portion 71 in the direction of the central axis of the ink outlet 65. It is provided at a position on the part 64 side. Since the positioning portion 73 is provided in the container addition portion 67 added to the ink outlet forming portion 66 in the ink replenishing container 63, it is a separate member from the ink outlet forming portion 66, and the ink It can be said that it is a configuration provided outside the outlet forming portion 66 .

Further, as shown in FIG. 9, in the ink outlet 65 formed in the ink outlet forming portion 66, a valve 74 made of an elastic member such as a silicon film is provided for sealing the ink outlet 65 so as to be able to open and close. ing. The valve 74 is provided at a position where the positioning portion 73 is on the container body portion 64 side in the direction of the central axis of the ink outlet 65 (see FIG. 14, for example). The valve 74 is provided with a plurality of (three in this embodiment) slits 75 that intersect at equal angular intervals (for example, 120-degree intervals) with the center of the valve 74 as the point of intersection. It is configured to be opened by being pushed and spread from the outside of 65 to the inside. That is, when the tip of the needle 56 on the side of the ink inlet 53 is inserted into the ink outlet 65, the valve 74, which is a normally closed valve, is pushed inward by the tip of the needle 56 to open.

At this time, the positioning portion 73 abuts on the upper surface 58 of the ink supply adapter 47 in which the through hole 60 including the ink inlet 53 and the recess 61 is formed outside the ink outlet 65 in the radial direction. , the valve 74 is positioned with respect to the ink tanks 41 to 45 in the direction of the central axis. In this regard, the upper surface 58 of the ink supply adapter 47 positions the ink supply container 63 when the valve 74 of the ink outlet 65 of the ink supply container 63 is opened for ink supply to the ink tanks 41-45. It is a part of the ink tanks 41 to 45 with which the portion 73 abuts, and functions as a receiving surface for receiving the planar positioning portion 73 .

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the container main body 64 of the ink supply container 63 is a bottle-shaped member having an ink containing chamber 76 capable of containing the ink IK. A male threaded portion 78 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of 77 . On the other hand, the ink outlet forming portion 66 provided at the upper end portion of the container body portion 64 includes a large diameter portion 79 located on the outer peripheral side of the neck portion 77 of the container body portion 64 and a position farthest away from the container body portion 64 . It has a small diameter portion 80 forming the outlet 65 and an intermediate portion 81 connecting between the large diameter portion 79 and the small diameter portion 80 . A female threaded portion 82 formed on the inner peripheral surface of the large-diameter portion 79 is screwed into a male threaded portion 78 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the neck portion 77 of the container main body portion 64, whereby the ink outlet forming portion 66 is formed. It is attached to the upper end of the container body 64 .

A container addition portion 67 attached to the ink outlet forming portion 66 of the ink supply container 63 so as to surround the ink outlet 65 has a cylindrical lower end portion having a male screw portion 69 formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof. constitutes a joint portion 83 that is joined to the upper end surface of the large diameter portion 79 of the ink outlet forming portion 66 . The surface regions of the inner peripheral surface of the joint portion 83 facing each other in the front-rear direction are in surface contact with the front and rear outer surfaces of the intermediate portion 81 of the ink outlet forming portion 66 . It is joined to the large diameter portion 79 .

Next, the operation of the ink replenishment system configured as described above will be described below, focusing on the operation when ink is supplied to the ink tanks 41 to 45 of the ink supply unit 40 using the ink supply container 63. .

As a premise, as shown in FIG. , the ink tank 41 is replenished with ink. It is also assumed that the ink supply container 63 used for ink supply contains a sufficient amount of black ink, and that the cap 68 has been removed from the ink supply container 63 in advance. Further, the shape of the second uneven portion 72 formed on the outer surface of the convex portion 71 of the ink supply container 63 is the same as the shape of the first uneven portion 72 formed on the inner surface of the concave portion 61 located in front of and behind the ink inlet 53 to the ink tank 41 . It corresponds to the shape of the concave and convex portion 62 and can be engaged with the concave portion 61 as the convex portion 71 is inserted.

When replenishing the ink tank 41 with ink, the user first rotates the opening/closing door 35 of the housing 22 forward about the rotating shaft 36 from the closed state shown in FIG. 1 to open it. Then, in the ink supply unit 40, the upper surface 58 of the ink supply adapter 47, in which the ink inlets 53 to the ink tanks 41 to 45 are formed, is exposed to the outside of the housing 22, and the user can select the desired ink inlet 53. In contrast, the ink outlet 65 of the ink supply container 63 can be connected from above.

Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the user turns the ink supply container 63 containing the black ink used for ink supply upside down so that the ink outlet 65 is the rightmost through hole in the ink supply adapter 47. It is held so as to be positioned above 60 . That is, the central axis of the ink outlet 65 of the ink supply container 63 is aligned with the central axis of the ink inlet 53 of the ink tank 41 to be replenished with ink. At this time, the user can identify the color (second portion) colored in the container addition portion 67 of the ink supply container 63 held by the hand and the ink inlet 53 of the ink tank 41 to be supplied with ink at that time. Compare with the color (first portion) colored around the upper opening edge of the provided through-hole 60 . Then, if the colors are the same (black in this case), it is confirmed that the user is holding the ink replenishment container 63 suitable for the current ink replenishment, and the subsequent work for ink replenishment is started.

Then, the ink supply container 63 is lowered from the state shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, and the projection 71 of the ink supply container 63 is inserted into the recess 61 of the ink supply adapter 47 integrated with the ink tank 41 . Then, by realizing the insertion state of the convex portion 71 into the concave portion 61, the coincidence state of the central axis of the ink outlet 65 with the central axis of the ink inlet 53 is ensured. In this case, since the concave portion 61 is positioned symmetrically with respect to the needle 56 which is the center of the ink inlet 53 , the convex portion 71 can be inserted into any of the concave portions 61 . Therefore, the user does not have to rotate the ink replenishing container 63 about the central axis of the ink outlet 65 many times to confirm the appropriate positional relationship between the concave portion 61 and the convex portion 71 . can be easily inserted.

However, at this point, the protrusion 71 is only slightly inserted into the recess 61, and the tip of the needle 56 positioned at the center of the ink inlet 53 is also slightly protruding from the tip of the protrusion 71, thus opening the ink outlet 65. Although it is inserted inside, it does not reach the valve 74 positioned deep inside the ink outlet 65 . The reason for this is that, as shown in FIG. 13, the tip of the projection 71 is located closer to the top surface 58 of the ink supply adapter 47 on which the opening edge of the recess 61 is located than the distance L1 between the upper end of the first recess 62 in the recess 61 and the tip of the projection 71 . and the valve 74 in the ink outlet 65 is longer. Therefore, when the protrusion 71 is further inserted downward in the depth direction of the recess 61 from this state, the second protrusion 72 on the outer surface of the protrusion 71 engages the first protrusion 62 on the inner surface of the recess 61 . match. Then, while maintaining the engaged state, when the convex portion 71 is further inserted toward the bottom side in the depth direction of the concave portion 61 , the tip of the needle 56 of the ink inlet 53 reaches the position of the valve 74 of the ink outlet 65 . Finally, the valve 74 is opened.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the tip of the needle 56 pushes the slit 75 upward from the bottom of the valve 74 (that is, from the outside to the inside of the ink outlet 65), thereby opening the valve 74. Open the valve. As a result, the ink outlet 65 of the ink supply container 63 and the needle 56 of the ink inlet 53 of the ink tank 41 are connected, and black ink is supplied from the ink supply container 63 to the ink tank 41 . At this time, one of the two flow paths 54 and 55 of the needle 56 of the ink inlet 53 is opened by opening the valve 74 so that the ink flowed out from the ink outlet 65 is first touched by the tip opening. It functions as an ink channel for circulating ink, and the other channel functions as an air channel for circulating air. For example, if the user attempts to connect the ink outlet 65 to the ink inlet 53 with the ink replenishing container 63 tilted, the ink flow path 54 or 55 will become one of the two flow paths 54 and 55 due to the difference in tilting direction. The flow path will also change.

If the second concave-convex portion 72 does not engage with the first concave-convex portion 62 after the convex portion 71 is inserted into the concave portion 61, the user may use the ink supply container 63 of a color other than black at that point. You can recognize that you are trying to insert it incorrectly. In this case, if the upper end of the first concave-convex portion 62 is positioned at the same height as the opening edge of the concave portion 61, the engagement of the second concave-convex portion 72 with the first concave-convex portion 62 is rejected. In addition, since the insertion of the projection 71 into the recess 61 is also rejected, the user may try to insert the projection 71 into the recess 61 many times, wasting work time. be. In this regard, in the present embodiment, since the height of the first uneven portion 62 is lower than the opening edge of the recess 61 , the protrusion 71 is guided toward the bottom surface side in the depth direction of the recess 61 when inserted into the recess 61 . This makes it easier to do so, and wastefully lengthening the work time is also suppressed.

14, 16 and 17, when the needle 56 of the ink inlet 53 on the side of the ink tank 41 opens the valve 74 in the ink outlet 65 of the ink supply container 63, the ink supply container 63 is The positioning portion 73 abuts on the upper surface 58 of the ink supply adapter 47 which is a part of the ink tank 41 side. That is, the ink supply container 63 is positioned in the direction of the central axis of the ink outlet 65 with respect to the needle 56 on the side of the ink tank 41 by the contact between the positioning portion 73 and the upper surface 58 of the ink supply adapter 47 . The valve is opened in a closed state.

In this case, since the positioning portion 73 is positioned radially outward of the ink outlet 65 , the ink supply container 63 is stably held in a posture in which the ink outlet 65 is connected to the ink inlet 53 . 14 and 15, when the positioning portion 73 of the ink supply container 63 abuts against the upper surface 58 of the ink supply adapter 47, the ink inlet 53 where the base end of the needle 56 in the ink inlet 53 is located A gap exists between the bottom surface of the ink supply container 63 and the tip of the ink outlet 65 of the ink supply container 63 . Therefore, although ink tends to accumulate on the bottom surface of the ink inlet 53 where the base end of the needle 56 is located, it is also possible to prevent the accumulated ink from adhering to the tip of the ink outlet 65 and staining the ink supply container 63 . be.

14 and 16, when the ink supply from the ink supply container 63 to the ink tank 41 is completed, the liquid level of the ink in the ink tank 41 is higher than the upper limit mark 51 of the visual recognition portion 50. If it is still low, the same black ink supply container 63 may be used to supply ink up to the upper limit mark 51 . The ink replenishing operation as described above is performed in the same manner for the ink tanks 42 to 45 of other colors than the ink tank 41 for black ink.

According to the said 1st Embodiment, the following effects can be acquired.
(1) When ink is supplied from the ink supply container 63 to the ink tanks 41-45, the valve 74 is opened while being positioned with respect to the ink tanks 41-45. Therefore, problems such as ink leakage and ink replenishment failure that may occur when the valve 74 is displaced when the valve is opened can be suppressed, and the ink can be appropriately replenished to the ink tanks 41 to 45 .

(2) Since the valve 74 is a slit valve in which one or more slits 75 are provided in an elastic member made of a silicon film or the like, the ink supply container 63 can be provided with a simple structure with a small number of parts.

(3) When ink is supplied from the ink supply container 63 to the ink tanks 41 to 45, the positioning portion 73 of the ink supply container 63 is positioned radially outside the ink outlet 65 with respect to a portion of the ink tanks 41 to 45 side. Ink replenishment can be performed in a stable posture because the contact is made in this state.

(4) In the ink supply container 63, the positioning portion 73 is provided in the container addition portion 67, which is a separate member from the ink outlet forming portion 66. Part 73 can be optimized.

(5) When the needle 56 of each of the ink tanks 41 to 45 is inserted into the ink outlet 65 of the ink supply container 63 to open the valve 74, the ink supply surface of the ink tank 41 to 45 functions as a receiving surface of the ink supply container 63. The positioning portion 73 of the ink replenishing container 63 abuts against the upper surface 58 of the adapter 47 to determine the relative positional relationship between the valve 74 and the needle 56 . Therefore, the valve 74 can be appropriately opened by the needle 56, and the occurrence of ink replenishment failure can be suppressed.

(6) During ink replenishment, the needle 56 cannot be inserted into the ink outlet 65 unless the convex portion 71 of the ink replenishing container 63 is fitted into the concave portion 61 of the ink tanks 41-45. Incompatible connections with the container 63 can be suppressed.

(7) The ink supply container 63 is provided with a positioning portion 73 outside the ink outlet forming portion 66 and at a position closer to the container body portion 64 than the convex portion 71 in the central axis direction of the ink outlet 65 . Therefore, the improper connection between the ink tanks 41 to 45 and the ink supply container 63 is suppressed, and the insertion condition of the needle 56 of the ink tanks 41 to 45 into the ink outlet 65 of the ink supply container 63 is ensured in an appropriate positioning state. can.

(8) The tip of the needle 56 of each of the ink tanks 41 to 45 does not protrude beyond the upper surface 58 of the ink supply adapter 47, which serves as the receiving surface of the positioning portion 73 of the ink supply container 63. Even if ink adheres to the tip, it is possible to reduce the risk of the ink adhering to the hand of the user performing the ink replenishment work or to the ink replenishment container 63 .

(9) When the ink supply container 63 is connected to the ink tanks 41 to 45 from the direction in which the needle 56 extends along the radial direction in which the two flow paths 54 and 55 are aligned, the two flow paths 54, One of the channels 55 on the side closer to the ink outlet 65 of the ink supply container 63 functions as an ink channel, and the other channel functions as an air channel. Therefore, the user can use either of the two flow paths 54 and 55 as the ink flow path, so that the user can quickly perform the ink replenishment work without hesitation in selecting the flow path to be used as the ink flow path. It can be carried out.

(10) Fitting the convex portion 71 of the ink supply container 63 into the concave portion 61 of each of the ink tanks 41 to 45, and fitting the second concave/convex portion 72 on the outer surface of the convex portion 71 to the first concave/convex portion 62 on the inner surface of the concave portion 61. By engaging the ink tanks 41-45, the user can recognize that the appropriate ink supply container 63 is connected. Therefore, improper connection between the ink tanks 41 to 45 and the ink supply container 63 can be suppressed. Further, since the first concave-convex portion 62 is located on the inner surface of the concave portion 61 of each of the ink tanks 41 to 45 at a position closer to the bottom surface than the opening edge of the concave portion 61, the ink supply container 63 has the convex portion 71 which is located between the ink tanks 41 to 45. It is easy to guide from the opening side of the recess 61 of 45 to the bottom side, and the insertion work can be easily performed.

(11) The projection of the ink replenishing container 63 relative to the first concave-convex portion (first key structure portion) 62 provided on the inner surface of the concave portion 61 of the ink tanks 41 to 45 so as to extend along the depth direction of the concave portion 61. A second concave-convex portion 72 (second key structure portion) on the outer surface of the portion 71 can be engaged with the concave portion 61 when the convex portion 71 is fitted. As a result, the connection direction of the ink outlet 65 of the ink supply container 63 with respect to the ink inlets 53 of the ink tanks 41 to 45 can be easily recognized.

(12) Since the depth direction of the recessed portion 61 provided radially outwardly of the ink inlet 53 is directed vertically downward, the ink outlet 65 of the ink supply container 63 is connected to the ink inlet 53 of the ink tanks 41 to 45. In the connected state, the return of ink from the ink outlet 65 of the ink supply container 63 to the ink containing chamber 76 can be suppressed. As a result, the ink replenishment operation from the ink replenishing container 63 to the ink tanks 41 to 45 can be performed appropriately.

(13) The ink replenishing container 63 has a convex portion (second fitting portion) 71 formed in a plurality of concave portions (first fitting portion) 61 formed symmetrically about the ink inlet 53 in the ink tanks 41-45. The ink outlet 65 of the ink replenishing container 63 can be connected to the ink inlets 53 of the ink tanks 41 to 45 regardless of the fitting. Therefore, it is possible to easily connect the ink supply container 63 to the ink tanks 41 to 45 at the time of ink supply.

(14) The color around the ink inlet 53 of the ink replenishment adapter 47 in the ink tanks 41 to 45 functions as a first portion indicating information related to the ink stored in the ink storage chamber 49, and the ink The color added to the container addition portion 67 of the supply container 63 functions as a second portion indicating information related to the ink contained in the ink containing chamber 76 . Therefore, when the ink replenishing container 63 is connected to the ink tanks 41 to 45 to replenish the ink, the first part on the side of the ink tanks 41 to 45 and the ink replenishing container 63 check whether or not the ink to be replenished is suitable. It can be easily confirmed by visually recognizing the second portion on the side.

(15) In the ink supply container 63, since the convex portion 71 is formed inside the outer peripheral surface of the container body portion 64 in which the ink containing chamber 76 is provided in the radial direction about the ink outlet 65, the ink tank When the ink outlets 65 of the ink supply container 63 are connected to the ink inlets 53 of 41 to 45, the convex portion 71 of the ink supply container 63 can be prevented from becoming an obstacle.

(16) The ink replenishing adapter 47 engages the lower surface (tank engaging portion) 59 side of the plurality of ink tanks 41 to 45 together, and then A plurality of first concave/convex portions (identifying portions) 62 are provided for identifying an ink supply container 63 having an ink outlet 65 connectable to the ink inlet 53 of the second embodiment. Therefore, the ink tanks 41 to 45 have a general-purpose common structure, and the plurality of ink tanks 41 to 45 are collectively arranged so that the lower surface 59 of the ink supply adapter 47, which is the tank engaging portion, is engaged. Thus, a structure capable of suppressing erroneous attachment of the ink supply container 63 during ink supply can be easily realized.

(Second embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the recording apparatus will be described with reference to the drawings. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the positioning of the ink tank and the ink supply adapter. Since other points are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted.

As shown in FIG. 18, the multifunction machine 14 includes a recording device 21 and an image reading device 15 arranged on the recording device 21 and covering the recording device 21, and has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole. On the front side (front side) of the recording device 21, an operation unit 16 such as buttons for performing various operations of the multifunction device 14 and a display unit 17 for displaying information about the recording device 21 and the multifunction device 14 are provided. An operation panel 18 is provided. Furthermore, an ink supply unit 40 is provided on the right side of the operation panel 18 .

As shown in FIG. 19, the image reading device 15 is attached via a rotating mechanism 19 such as a hinge provided on the rear side (rear side). The image reading device 15 can be opened and closed with respect to the recording device 21, and rotates between a closed position shown in FIG. 18 and an open position shown in FIG. When the image reading device 15 is positioned at the open position, the unit cover 100 and elastic cap 92 of the ink supply unit 40 can be opened and closed. When ink is to be supplied to the ink tanks 41 to 45 (see FIG. 20), as shown in FIG. are connected to the ink supply adapter 47 and the ink tanks 41-45. That is, the ink replenishing adapter 47 is mounted so as to be positioned above the ink tanks 41 to 45 in a state in which ink is replenished from the ink replenishing container 63 to the ink tanks 41 to 45 . In other words, the ink supply adapter 47 connects the ink supply container 63 and the ink tanks 41 to 45 when ink is supplied from the ink supply container 63 to the ink tanks 41 to 45 .

As shown in FIG. 20, in the ink supply unit 40, two types of ink tanks 41 to 45 having different capacities of ink are arranged side by side with the thickness direction being the horizontal direction. The ink tank 41 with a large storage capacity and the ink tanks 42 to 45 with a small storage capacity have different thicknesses, but have the same configuration. Therefore, in the ink tanks 41 to 45, common components are denoted by the same reference numerals to omit redundant description.

The needles 56 are formed to protrude upward from the top surfaces 111 of the ink tanks 41-45. A tank-side positioning portion 113 is provided on a side surface 112 on the side of the visual recognition portion 50 (front side) that intersects with the top surface 111 so as to protrude forward. The tank-side positioning portions 113 of the respective ink tanks 41-45 are located at approximately the same position in the vertical direction, and the intervals between the tank-side positioning portions 113 of the adjacent ink tanks 41-45 are approximately the same.

The top surface 111 of each of the ink tanks 41 to 45 is provided with an absorbent material 123 which has a substantially rectangular shape in plan view and is capable of absorbing ink. The absorber 123 is formed with a plurality of (six in this embodiment) circular holes 123a. The absorber 123 has the needles 56 inserted through the circular holes 123a, and the portion of the film 124 that seals the openings of the ink tanks 41 to 45 and extends above the top surface 111 is folded. are attached to the ink tanks 41-45. Also, the absorbent 123 may have a size that covers the entire top surface 111 (see FIG. 28).

As shown in FIGS. 21 and 22 , the tank-side positioning portion 113 includes a bottom wall 114 provided at a position below the top surface 111 so as to protrude from the side surface 112 , and a bottom wall 114 extending upward from the bottom wall 114 . a pair of sidewalls 115; The tank-side positioning portion 113 is provided so as to open forward and upward.

Also, on the top surface 111 of each of the ink tanks 41 to 45, a projecting portion 116 for supporting the ink supply adapter 47 is provided at the front end position adjacent to the tank-side positioning portion 113 . The projecting portion 116 is also provided at the rear end of the top surface 111 . In other words, a pair of protrusions 116 are provided at both ends of the top surface 111 in the front-rear direction with the needle 56 interposed therebetween.

As shown in FIG. 22 , a dividing wall 117 extending vertically is formed in the cylindrical needle 56 at the central position in the front-rear direction. The partition wall 117 partitions the flow paths 54 and 55 . Therefore, the flow paths 54 and 55 of this embodiment are formed so that the height and cross-sectional area of the tip openings are substantially equal. Further, this needle 56 is provided in each of the ink tanks 41-45 so as to allow the ink to flow into the ink storage chamber 49 provided in each of the ink tanks 41-45.

Next, the ink supply adapter 47 will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, the ink supply adapter 47 includes an inlet forming portion 119 that surrounds at least a portion of the needle 56, which is an example of an ink inlet channel portion. A plurality of inlet forming portions 119 (in this embodiment, five, which is the same number as the ink tanks 41 to 45) are arranged in the horizontal direction on the upper surface 58 of the ink supply adapter 47 . The entrance forming portion 119 of the present embodiment is a recessed portion with a bottom, and has substantially the same shape as the through hole 60 (see FIG. 3) in plan view. Further, the ink replenishment adapter 47 has a first concave-convex portion 62 that is an example of an identification portion that enables identification of the ink replenishment container 63 having an ink outlet 65 connectable to the needle 56 . The first concave-convex portion 62 of the present embodiment is provided such that a convex portion is erected from the bottom surface of the inlet forming portion 119 .

As shown in FIG. 24 , an insertion hole 120 through which the needle 56 can be inserted is formed in the bottom surface of each inlet forming portion 119 . The diameter of the insertion hole 120 is larger than the diameter of the needle 56 and a gap is provided between the needle 56 and the insertion hole 120 . Therefore, when ink leaks from the ink supply container 63 or the needle 56 , the leaked ink is absorbed by the absorbent 123 through the gap between the insertion hole 120 and the needle 56 .

As shown in FIGS. 25 and 26, the lower surface 59 of the ink supply adapter 47 is provided with an adapter-side positioning portion 121 for positioning the ink supply adapter 47 with respect to the ink tanks 41-45. The adapter-side positioning portions 121 are engageable with the tank-side positioning portions 113 provided on the ink tanks 41 to 45, and are arranged in a plurality in the left-right direction at positions forward of the insertion holes 120 (in this embodiment, the ink tank 41 5), which is the same number as 45), are provided side by side. Further, the horizontal spacing between the plurality of adapter-side positioning portions 121 is substantially equal to the horizontal spacing between the tank-side positioning portions 113 of the ink tanks 41 to 45 .

Further, on the lower surface 59 of the ink supply adapter 47, a plurality of sets (five sets in this embodiment) of a pair of ribs 122 spaced apart in the front-rear direction are provided side by side in the left-right direction. The distance between the pair of ribs 122 in the front-rear direction is substantially equal to the size of the top surfaces 111 of the ink tanks 41-45. One adapter-side positioning portion 121 and one rib 122 are provided on both sides of one insertion hole 120 in the left-right direction. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 26, the distance B between the center line A extending in the longitudinal direction through the center of the insertion hole 120 and the adapter-side positioning portion 121 is equal to the distance C between the center line A and the rib 122. Almost equal. Also, the corners of the adapter-side positioning portion 121 and the rib 122 are chamfered.

As shown in FIGS. 24 and 25, the ink supply adapter 47 includes a plurality of inlet forming portions 119, first uneven portions 62 corresponding to the plurality of inlet forming portions 119, a plurality of adapter-side positioning portions 121, A plurality of sets of ribs 122 are integrally formed.

Next, the operation of the ink supply adapter 47 configured as described above will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 27 and 28, when the ink supply adapter 47 is attached to the ink tanks 41 to 45 so that the needle 56 is inserted through the insertion hole 120 of the ink supply adapter 47, the adapter-side positioning portion 121 is positioned in the tank. It engages with the side positioning part 113 . Specifically, the adapter-side positioning portion 121 is positioned in the left-right direction by entering between the side walls 115 of the tank-side positioning portion 113 . Further, the ink supply adapter 47 is positioned in the front-rear direction by sandwiching the ink tanks 41 to 45 with the ribs 122 from both front-rear sides. The ink supply adapter 47 positioned with respect to the ink tanks 41 to 45 is fixed to the housing 22 with screws (not shown).

Also, the absorbent 123 provided between the ink supply adapter 47 and the top surface 111 of the ink tanks 41-45 may be provided for each of the ink tanks 41-45. Also, the absorbent 123 may be provided extending from the top surface 111 to the side surface 112 of the ink tanks 41 to 45 (only the portion corresponding to the ink tank 45 is shown in FIG. 27).

According to the second embodiment, the following effects can be obtained in addition to the effects (1) to (16) of the first embodiment.
(17) Since the ink replenishment adapter 47 is positioned with respect to the ink tanks 41 to 45, the positions of the needles 56 provided in the ink tanks 41 to 45 and the inlet forming portion 119 provided in the ink replenishment adapter 47 Displacement is suppressed. Therefore, ink can be appropriately supplied from the ink supply container 63 to the ink tanks 41 to 45 via the ink supply adapter 47 .

(18) Since the entrance forming portion 119, the first concave-convex portion 62, and the adapter-side positioning portion 121 are integrally formed, the ink supply adapter 47 can be manufactured more easily than when they are formed separately. .

Note that the above embodiment may be modified as follows.
As shown in FIGS. 29 and 30, the ink replenishing container 63 is arranged so that the tip of the projection 71 protrudes in the direction of the central axis of the ink outlet 65 from the ink outlet 65 to the opposite side of the container main body 64. good. According to this configuration, when ink is replenished, the projection 71 of the ink replenishing container 63 protrudes more than the ink outlet 65 . can be reduced, and the occurrence of contamination due to ink adhesion can be suppressed.

As shown in FIG. 31, the ink replenishment container 63 is positioned closer to the container main body 64 than the valve 74 in the direction of the central axis of the ink outlet 65. 45 side to position the valve with respect to the ink tanks 41 to 45, the projection 71 may be omitted. In this case, it is not necessary to provide the concave portion 61 on the side of the ink tanks 41 to 45 as well.

- As in the modification shown in FIG. 32, the ink supply unit 40 may have a structure in which the ink inlet 53 is normally closed. That is, the ink supply unit 40 of this modification includes a lever-shaped cap support member 90 for each of the plurality of ink inlets 53 . The base end of the cap support member 90 is rotatably supported by a rotation shaft 91 provided on the upper surface 58 of the ink supply adapter 47 so as to extend in a direction (horizontal direction) crossing the central axis of the ink inlet 53 . It is An elastic cap 92 having a shape that can be fitted into the ink inlet 53 is provided on the tip side of each cap support member 90 relative to the center in the longitudinal direction. is in a closed state fitted to the At the time of ink replenishment, the cap support member 90, which is in a closed state with the elastic cap 92 fitted into the ink inlet 53, is pushed by the user who puts his or her hand on the bent handle portion 93 at the tip of the elastic cap 92 to open the ink inlet. 53 is tilted to an open position. In addition, as shown in FIG. 32, a unit cover 100 that collectively covers the upper portions of the plurality of cap support members 90 may be provided so as to be openable and closable. The elastic cap 92 is made of an elastic material such as elastomer, and the cap supporting member 90 is made of a material having higher rigidity than the elastic cap 92, such as polystyrene or ABS resin.

- As in the modification shown in FIG. 33, the ink supply adapter 47 may be attached to the ink supply unit 40 so as to be movable with respect to the ink tanks 41-44. That is, the ink supply adapter 47 includes a fixed portion 125 fixed to the housing 22, a displaceable portion 126 displaceable with respect to the ink tanks 41 to 44, and a connecting portion connecting the fixed portion 125 and the displaceable portion 126. 127. The connecting portion 127 is deformable, and the displacement portion 126 is displaceable in a direction intersecting the vertical direction in which the needle 56 extends. Therefore, the displacement portion 126 is displaced while the ink supply container 63 is engaged with the entrance forming portion 119, and the ink supply container 63 and the needle 56 can be moved relative to each other. Therefore, since the ink outlet 65 of the ink supply container 63 and the needle 56 can be easily aligned, the risk of ink leakage can be reduced.

- A groove portion 129 may be formed at the tip of the ink outlet 65 as in the modification shown in FIG. Furthermore, at least one (two in this modified example) annular convex portion 130 may be formed along the outer periphery of the small diameter portion 80 between the tip of the ink outlet 65 and the positioning portion 73 . By providing the groove portion 129, it is possible to reduce the risk of ink dripping from the ink outlet 65 when the ink supply container 63 that supplies ink to the ink tanks 41 to 45 is erected. Further, by providing the annular convex portion 130, even if the ink drips from the ink outlet 65, the ink can be blocked.

35, a pair of convex portions 71 formed along a straight line D passing through the center of the ink outlet 65 is divided into a plurality of (six in this modified example) regions E, and each region E The second concave-convex portion 72 may be configured by the identification convex portions 132a to 132c provided. In addition, in this modified example, the second concave-convex portion 72 is composed of three types of identification convex portions 132a to 132c. Specifically, a first identification convex portion 132a having a long length from the straight line D to the side surface of the convex portion 71, a second identification convex portion 132b shorter than the first identification convex portion 132a, and a second identification convex portion 132b. The second concave-convex portion 72 may be configured by arbitrarily combining with the third identification convex portion 132c that is shorter than the length. By increasing the number of regions E and the types of identification convex portions 132a to 132c, it is possible to increase the number of patterns of the second concave and convex portions 72 and correspond to the amount and type of ink.

- As in the modification shown in FIG. 36, the small-diameter portion 80 may be made of a transparent or translucent material. Furthermore, the inner surface of the small-diameter portion 80, which is closer to the ink containing chamber 76 than the valve 74, may be a rough surface 80a that is textured, for example. Since the rough surface 80 a has high wettability and ink tends to remain, the color of the ink can be easily recognized from the outside of the small diameter portion 80 .

36 and 37, the cap 68 is attached so as to come into contact with the attachment surface 134 of the ink supply container 63, and is in the attached state. Furthermore, the cap 68 has an annular sealing portion 135 that seals the ink outlet 65 in the attached state. An inner surface 135a of the sealing portion 135 is formed obliquely so as to widen toward the tip. In the attached state, the cap 68 seals the ink outlet 65 by contacting the corner 136 of the ink outlet 65 with the inner surface 135a. Therefore, even when the cap 68 is loosely engaged with the mounting surface 134 and mounted, the risk of ink leaking from the ink outlet 65 due to contact between the inner surface 135a and the corner 136 can be reduced. Note that the corner 136 is a portion where two surfaces facing in different directions intersect and may be curved.

- At least one of the first uneven portion 62, the adapter-side positioning portion 121, and the rib 122 of the ink supply adapter 47 may be formed separately. In addition, of the ribs 122 provided on both the front and rear sides, the rib 122 on the front side may not be provided. At least one rib 122 on the rear side may be provided, and the ink supply adapter 47 may be positioned in the front-rear direction by the rib 122 on the rear side and the adapter-side positioning portion 121 . Furthermore, a configuration in which the rib 122 is not provided may be adopted.

The shape of the tank-side positioning portion 113 and the adapter-side positioning portion 121 can be arbitrarily changed as long as they can engage with each other to position the ink supply adapter 47 in the ink tanks 41 to 45 . For example, the tank-side positioning portion 113 may be a stepped portion formed around the needle 56, and the adapter-side positioning portion 121 may be a recess or hole surrounding the stepped portion. By providing the tank-side positioning portion 113 and the adapter-side positioning portion 121 at positions close to the needle 56 , the positional accuracy of the inlet forming portion 119 with respect to the needle 56 can be improved.

In the ink supply container 63, the protrusion 71 may protrude radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the container body 64 in which the ink containing chamber 76 is provided. According to this configuration, the user can easily visually recognize the convex portion 71 when looking at the ink supply container 63, and when ink is supplied, the convex portion 71 of the ink supply container 63 is positioned relative to the concave portion 61 on the side of the ink tanks 41 to 45. It becomes easier to fit together. As a result, erroneous connection of the ink supply container 63 to the ink tanks 41 to 45 can be reduced.

A first portion provided for each of the ink tanks 41 to 45 as information related to the ink stored in the ink tanks 41 to 45, and an ink supply container as information related to the ink contained in the ink supply container 63. The second part provided every 63 may be character information, shape information, or the like other than coloring information. Moreover, the configuration relating to the first portion and the second portion may be omitted.

If a plurality of concave portions 61 are provided on the ink tanks 41 to 45 side, the convex portion 71 on the ink supply container 63 side may have a single structure. Also, as long as there are a plurality of recesses 61, they do not necessarily have to be arranged point-symmetrically about the ink inlet 53. FIG.

If the plurality of recesses 61 on the ink tanks 41 to 45 side are point symmetrical, in addition to the pair of recesses 61 symmetrical by 180 degrees, there are three recesses symmetrical by 120 degrees, and four recesses symmetrical by 90 degrees. , etc., may be used.

・Of the concave portion 61 and the convex portion 71 that are engaged when ink is replenished, the convex portion 71 is provided on the side of the ink tanks 41 to 45 as a first fitting portion, and the concave portion 61 is provided on the side of the ink supply container 63 as a second fitting portion. may be provided.

As long as the depth direction of the recess 61 on the side of the ink tanks 41 to 45 is along the direction in which the needle 56 positioned at the center of the ink inlet 53 extends, it is not necessarily directed vertically downward, but obliquely to the vertical direction. may be in a direction that intersects the However, in order to suppress ink leakage, it is not preferable to set the direction along the horizontal direction as the depth direction of the concave portion 61 .

- The height of the tip of the first concave-convex portion 62 on the inner surface of the concave portion 61 may be equal to or higher than the height of the opening edge of the concave portion 61 .
If an identification portion is separately provided for identifying the ink supply container 63 having the ink outlet 65 connectable to the ink inlets 53 of the ink tanks 41 to 45, the first uneven portion 62 on the inner surface of the recess 61 The second uneven portion 72 on the outer surface of the convex portion 71 may not necessarily be present.

The two flow paths 54 and 55 of the needle 56 of the ink inlet 53 may have the same height at both tip openings, or may have a plurality of flow path configurations other than two.
- The ink supply container 63 may have the protrusion 71 and the positioning portion 73 formed directly on the ink outlet forming portion 66 instead of on the container addition portion 67 attached to the ink outlet forming portion 66 . That is, the container addition portion 67 may be integrally formed with the ink outlet forming portion 66 instead of being attached to the ink outlet forming portion 66 .

If the positioning portion 73 in the ink replenishing container 63 is a region outside the ink outlet 65 in the radial direction centering on the ink outlet 65, the ink outlet 65 is positioned radially outside in one radial direction instead of in a plurality of radial directions. may be provided.

The valve of the ink outlet 65 of the ink replenishing container 63 is not limited to three slits 75 but may be provided with a plurality of slits 75 such as two slits or four slits 75 as long as the number of slits 75 is one or more. In addition, the slit valve is not limited to the slit valve provided with the slit 75, and a valve without the slit 75 that is pushed from below by the needle 56 and displaced in the valve opening direction may be used.

The positioning part 73 of the ink replenishing container 63 is not limited to a planar shape, and may have one or more protrusions or ribs as long as it abuts on the upper surface (receiving surface) 58 of the ink replenishing adapter 47 when ink is replenished. It's okay.

40... Ink supply unit, 41 to 45... Ink tank, 46... Ink supply tube, 47... Ink supply adapter, 48... Stepped portion, 49... Ink storage chamber, 50... Visible portion, 53... Ink inlet, 54, 55 Flow path 56 Needle (ink inlet flow path portion) 57 Remaining amount sensor 58 Top surface (receiving surface) 59 Bottom surface (tank engaging portion) 60 Through hole 61 Concave portion (first Fitting portion), 62 First uneven portion (identification portion), 63 Ink supply container, 64 Container body portion, 65 Ink outlet, 66 Ink outlet forming portion, 67 Container addition portion, 69 Male screw portion , 70...Protrusion 71...Convex part (second fitting part) 72...Second uneven part 73...Positioning part 74...Valve 75...Slit 76...Ink storage chamber 113...Tank side positioning part 119... Inlet formation part, 121... Adapter side positioning part, IK... Ink.

Claims (12)

An ink supply container for supplying ink to an ink tank of a printer having a needle for introducing ink,
a container body having an ink containing chamber capable of containing ink;
an ink outlet forming portion provided in the container main body and having an ink outlet on the side opposite to the container main body;
a cap detachably attached to the ink outlet forming portion so as to cover the ink outlet;
with
The ink outlet forming portion is
a large-diameter portion connected to the container main body;
a small-diameter portion having an outer circumference smaller than the outer circumference of the large-diameter portion and having the ink outlet;
a mounting surface that contacts when the cap is mounted, and
The cap seals the ink outlet in the attached state,
At least one annular protrusion is provided on the outer periphery of the small-diameter portion,
In the attached state, the annular protrusion and the cap are spaced apart in a radial direction,
Ink supply container. An ink supply container for supplying ink to an ink tank of a printer having a needle for introducing ink,
a container body having an ink containing chamber capable of containing ink;
an ink outlet forming portion provided in the container main body and having an ink outlet on the side opposite to the container main body;
a cap detachably attached to the ink outlet forming portion so as to cover the ink outlet;
with
The ink outlet forming portion is
a large-diameter portion connected to the container main body;
a small-diameter portion having an outer circumference smaller than the outer circumference of the large-diameter portion and having the ink outlet;
a mounting surface that contacts when the cap is mounted, and
The cap seals the ink outlet in the attached state,
At least one annular protrusion is provided on the outer periphery of the small-diameter portion,
The large-diameter portion has a connection portion that connects to the neck portion of the container body,
The mounting surface is located on the ink containing chamber side of the connecting portion in the central axis direction of the ink outlet, and is formed to protrude outward in the radial direction from the outer periphery of the connecting portion.
Ink supply container. The ink supply container according to claim 1 or claim 2,
the ink outlet forming portion has a male threaded portion that engages with the cap in the attached state;
The mounting surface is located closer to the ink containing chamber than the male screw portion in the direction of the central axis of the ink outlet.
Ink supply container. The ink supply container according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The ink replenishing container, wherein the small-diameter portion is made of a transparent or translucent material, or has a rough inner surface. The ink supply container according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The ink replenishing container, wherein the cap has a cylindrical portion, and a plurality of protrusions extending in the central axis direction of the cylinder are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion. The ink supply container according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The ink supply container, wherein the cap has a flat portion on the top surface. Assuming that the vertical direction is the up-down direction, one direction perpendicular to the up-down direction is the front-rear direction, and the direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-rear direction is the left-right direction,
an ink storage chamber, a needle extending upward from below and having a flow path communicating with the ink storage chamber, and a receiving surface above the tip of the needle and extending in a direction intersecting the direction in which the needle extends and a circular ink inlet in which the needle is arranged, and a pair of rectangular holes connected to the ink inlet and extending in the front-rear direction are formed downwardly to open the receiving surface. against,
An ink supply container for supplying ink,
a container body;
an ink outlet forming section connected to the container main body and having an ink outlet;
with
The ink outlet forming portion is
A pair of horizontal surfaces provided at a position below the position of the ink outlet and arranged on both sides of the ink outlet in the front-rear direction, each horizontal surface having two ends in the left-right direction; One end has a positioning portion extending linearly in the front-rear direction,
the ink outlet is inserted into the ink inlet and the needle is inserted into the ink outlet, the positioning section is configured to contact the receiving surface having the opening edge of the rectangular hole,
Ink supply container. The ink supply container according to claim 7,
The ink outlet forming portion has a small diameter portion having the ink outlet, and a large diameter portion having an outer circumference larger than that of the small diameter portion and connected to the container main body,
The ink replenishing container, wherein the small diameter portion has at least one annular projection on the outer circumference of the small diameter portion between the tip of the ink outlet and the pair of horizontal surfaces in the vertical direction. The ink supply container according to claim 7 or claim 8,
a cap covering the ink outlet and the pair of horizontal surfaces and having a cylindrical portion;
The ink supply container, wherein the cap is detachably attached to the ink outlet forming portion below the horizontal plane. The ink supply container according to claim 9,
The ink supply container, wherein the cap is provided with a plurality of projections extending in the axial direction of the cylindrical portion on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion. The ink supply container according to any one of claims 7 to 10,
An ink replenishing container, wherein the pair of horizontal surfaces have arcuate ends in the front-rear direction when viewed from above. The ink supply container according to any one of claims 7 to 11,
An ink supply container, wherein a groove is formed at the tip of the ink outlet.

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