JP7306058B2 - Printing liquid containers, systems and caps - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a printing liquid container in which printing liquid is stored, a system comprising a tank to which the printing liquid container is connected, and a cap connectable to the container in which the printing liquid is stored.

A so-called configuration that can keep the liquid level of the ink stored in the tank constant by sequentially supplying ink from a bottle connected to the tank to the tank each time the ink stored in the tank is consumed. An ink supply device is disclosed in which ink is supplied from a bottle to a tank using a chicken feed method (see Patent Document 1).

In the ink supply device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the bottle is connected to the tank from above. The tank has an air inlet 4 communicating with the atmosphere. The bottle has an ink outflow pipe 2 and an air inflow pipe 3 . When the bottle is connected to the tank, the bottle and the tank communicate with each other through the ink outflow pipe 2 and the air inflow pipe 3 . When the ink in the tank is consumed and the liquid level of the ink becomes lower than the tip 3a of the air inlet pipe 3, air enters the tank from the air inlet 4, and the air entering the tank passes through the air inlet pipe 3. get into the bottle. Ink corresponding to the volume of the air that has entered the bottle is supplied from the bottle to the tank through the ink outflow pipe 2 . When the ink surface reaches the tip 3a of the air inlet pipe 3, the supply of ink is stopped. In this way, the ink level in the tank is kept constant.

Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 56-133471

In the ink supply device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the ink outflow pipe 2 is longer than the air inflow pipe 3, and the projection length of the ink outflow pipe 2 from the lid portion 1a is equal to the lid portion of the air inflow pipe 3. It is longer than the projection length from 1a. As a result, the structure around the lid portion 1a of the bottle is complicated, and the periphery of the bottle lid portion 1a is easily damaged. Moreover, the structure for liquid-tightly and air-tightly sealing the gaps between the ink outflow pipe 2 and the air inflow pipe 3 and the tank is complicated when the bottle is connected to the tank.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a printing liquid container that can perform gas-liquid replacement simply by connecting it to a tank or the like, has a simple structure, and is hard to break. to do.

(1) A printing liquid container according to the present invention includes a main body having a storage chamber for storing printing liquid, and a nozzle projecting from the main body. The nozzle includes a first channel and a second channel. The first flow path communicates with the storage chamber through a first opening located at the base end of the nozzle, and communicates with the outside through a second opening located at the tip of the nozzle. The second flow path communicates with the storage chamber through a third opening located at the base end of the nozzle, and communicates with the outside through a fourth opening located at the tip of the nozzle. The second opening is at the same height as the fourth opening when the tip of the nozzle is oriented vertically downward.

A nozzle has a first flow path and a second flow path. Therefore, by simply connecting the printing liquid container to a tank or the like, air can be circulated through one of the first flow path and the second flow path, and the printing liquid can be circulated through the other of the first flow path and the second flow path. to perform gas-liquid replacement.

Moreover, when the tip of the nozzle is directed vertically downward, the second opening and the fourth opening are at the same height, so the structure of the tip of the nozzle can be simplified. As a result, the possibility of damage to the tip of the nozzle can be reduced.

(2) The first opening is at the same height as the third opening when the tip of the nozzle is oriented vertically downward.

The structure inside the main body can be simplified.

(3) The length of the first channel along the direction of circulation of the printing liquid is the same as the length of the second channel along the direction of circulation of the printing liquid.

Since the length of the first channel and the length of the second channel are the same, when the printing liquid container is connected to a tank or the like, gas-liquid replacement can be performed regardless of the orientation of the printing liquid container. can.

(4) The second opening and the fourth opening are formed on the same plane.

For example, the second opening and the fourth opening can be sealed by a simple means such as attaching a sheet of seal.

(5) The nozzle has a surface defining the storage chamber and having the first opening and the third opening. When the tip of the nozzle is directed vertically downward, the surface defines the lower end of the storage chamber.

Better exhaustion of the printing liquid in the reservoir.

(6) The cross-sectional shape and cross-sectional area of the first channel are the same as the cross-sectional shape and cross-sectional area of the second channel.

When the air-liquid replacement is performed, the flow rate of the printing liquid flowing through one of the first flow path and the second flow path is defined as the flow speed of the air flowing through the other of the first flow path and the second flow path. can be adjusted to Therefore, gas-liquid replacement can be performed smoothly.

(7) The nozzle has a recess on its outer peripheral surface.

When the printing liquid container is connected to a tank or the like, the internal space of the tank or the like and the outside can be communicated by the recess. As a result, by pumping the printing liquid container connected to the tank or the like, when the printing liquid is supplied from the printing liquid container to the tank or the like, gas-liquid replacement in the internal space of the tank or the like is smoothly performed. be able to.

In addition, the recess allows so-called lightening of the nozzle. In addition, the recess can form a gap between the nozzle and the through-hole when the printing liquid container is connected to the through-hole of a tank or the like. Due to this gap, when the printing liquid container is pumped, the air discharged from the printing liquid container to the tank, etc., can escape to the outside through the gap. can be prevented and pumping can be easily performed.

(8) The storage chamber and the outside of the main body are communicated with each other only through the first channel and the second channel.

The structure of the printing liquid container can be simplified because the number of channels is two, which is the minimum number for performing gas-liquid replacement.

(9) The first opening is circular.

(10) The third opening is circular.

It is easy to form a meniscus in the first opening and the third opening. When the first flow path and the second flow path become the gas flow path, the meniscus formed in the first opening and the third opening can prevent the printing liquid from flowing from the storage chamber into the gas flow path. can. Thereby, gas-liquid replacement can be stabilized.

(11) The second opening and the fourth opening are arcuate openings.

Since the second opening and the fourth opening are arcuate, the meniscus of the ink is less likely to stretch between the second opening and the fourth opening, and the ink can flow more easily. The circulation speed of the printing liquid can be increased.

(12) The second opening is circular.

(13) The fourth opening is circular.

It is easy to form a meniscus in the second opening and the fourth opening. The meniscus formed in the second opening and the fourth opening prevents the printing liquid from leaking out from the storage chamber, the first flow path, and the second flow path when the printing liquid container is extracted from the tank or the like. can be reduced by

(14) The first opening and the third opening are arcuate openings.

Since the first opening and the third opening are arcuate, the meniscus of the ink is less likely to stretch between the first opening and the third opening, and the ink can be easily circulated. The circulation speed of the printing liquid can be increased.

(15) The main body has a mark at a position opposite to the second flow path with respect to the first flow path in a line of sight along the projecting direction of the nozzle.

When the printing liquid container is connected to a tank or the like, the first flow path is positioned above the second flow path by being connected in such a manner that the mark is positioned above the first flow path and the second flow path. can be

(16) A system according to the present invention includes the printing liquid container, and a tank connectable to the printing liquid container and having an internal space for storing the printing liquid.

A printing liquid container can be connected to the tank to supply printing liquid from the printing liquid container to the tank.

(17) The tank extends along an inclined direction that is inclined with respect to the horizontal and vertical directions, and has a through hole that communicates the internal space with the outside. The printing liquid container is connected to the tank by inserting the nozzle into the through hole.

By connecting the printing liquid container to the tank along a direction inclined with respect to the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, it is easy to position one of the first channel and the second channel above the other. is. In addition, since it is obliquely inserted, a height difference is naturally formed in the two flow paths by the user's operation, and ink is discharged from one and air is taken in from the other, which can be achieved without making the user conscious of it.

(18) The tank is formed with a translucent wall that partitions the internal space, and the translucent wall. and a liquid level mark indicating. When the printing liquid container is in the connection posture connected to the tank, the upper one of the second opening and the fourth opening is at the same height as the liquid level mark.

By checking whether the liquid level of the printing liquid stored in the internal space matches the liquid level mark, it is possible to determine whether the printing liquid stored in the internal space is the maximum amount that can be stored. can be easily verified.

(19) The present invention is connectable to a main body having a storage chamber for storing printing liquid, and includes a first flow path and a second flow path, wherein the first flow path is connected to the main body. a first opening that communicates with the storage chamber and a second opening that communicates with the outside, wherein the second flow path has a third opening that communicates with the storage chamber when connected to the main body; It also has a fourth opening that communicates with the outside, and when the second opening faces vertically downward, the second opening can be regarded as a cap that is at the same height as the fourth opening.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a printing liquid container that can perform gas-liquid replacement simply by connecting it to a tank or the like, has a simple structure, and is resistant to breakage.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a multi-function device 10. FIG. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing the internal structure of the printer section 11. As shown in FIG. 3 is a front exploded perspective view of the tank set 99. FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of tank set 99 and bottle 130 . FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the bottle 130. FIG. FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the bottle 130. As shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the bottle cap 132. FIG. 8 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the bottle cap 132. FIG. 9 is a plan view of the bottle cap 132. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the nozzle cap 133. FIG. 11 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the nozzle cap 133. FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of the nozzle cap 133. FIG. FIG. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view of the front portion of the ink tank 100 and the bottle 130 in the attached state. FIG. 14A is a plan view of the bottle cap 132 in the modified example, and FIG. 14B is a bottom view of the bottle cap 132 in the modified example. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the bottle cap 132 in the modification as seen from the nozzle 161 side. FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the bottle cap 132 in the modification as seen from the cap main body 160 side.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. It should be noted that the embodiment described below is merely an example of the present invention, and it goes without saying that the embodiment of the present invention can be modified as appropriate without changing the gist of the present invention. Further, in the following description, progress from the starting point to the end point of the arrow is expressed as direction, and movement on the line connecting the starting point and the end point of the arrow is expressed as direction. In other words, orientation is a component of direction. Further, the vertical direction 7 is defined with reference to the attitude in which the multifunction machine 10 is installed on a horizontal plane so that it can be used (this is the attitude shown in FIG. 1 and may be referred to as the "usage attitude"). A front-rear direction 8 is defined with the surface on which the opening 13 is provided as the front surface, and a left-right direction 9 is defined when the multifunction device 10 is viewed from the front surface. In this embodiment, in the usage posture, the up-down direction 7 corresponds to the vertical direction, the front-rear direction 8 and the left-right direction 9 correspond to the horizontal direction, and the front-rear direction 8 and the left-right direction 9 are orthogonal to each other.

[Overall Configuration of MFP 10]
As shown in FIG. 1, the multifunction machine 10 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The multi-function device 10 has a printer section 11 at its lower portion for recording an image on a sheet of paper 12 (see FIG. 2) using an inkjet recording method. The printer section 11 has a housing 14 . The housing 14 includes a main body 34 having an opening 13 formed in a front wall 229 and an opening/closing lid 230 supported by the main body 34 .

As shown in FIG. 2, inside the main body 34 of the housing 14, there are a feeding section 15, a feeding tray 20, a discharge tray 21, a conveying roller section 54, a recording section 24, and a discharge roller section. 55, platen 42, and tank set 99 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). The MFP 10 has various functions such as a facsimile function and a print function.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the feed tray 20 containing the sheets 12 is inserted into and removed from the multifunction machine 10 by the user along the front-rear direction 8 through the opening 13 . The discharge tray 21 supports the discharged paper 12 . The feeding unit 15 feeds the paper 12 supported by the feeding tray 20 to the transport path 65 .

The transport path 65 is a path that extends upward at the rear of the printer section 11 , makes a U-turn forward, passes through the space between the recording section 24 and the platen 42 , and reaches the discharge tray 21 . The platen 42 supports the paper 12 from below. The conveying direction 16 of the paper 12 in the conveying path 65 is indicated by a dashed-dotted arrow in FIG.

The conveying roller unit 54 conveys the paper 12 fed to the conveying path 65 in the conveying direction 16 and sends it between the recording unit 24 and the platen 42 . The discharge roller unit 55 conveys the paper 12 on which the image is recorded by the recording unit 24 in the conveying direction 16 and sends it to the discharge tray 21 .

The recording unit 24 is arranged between the conveying roller unit 54 and the discharge roller unit 55 in the conveying direction 16 . The recording unit 24 is arranged to face the platen 42 in the vertical direction 7 with the transport path 65 interposed therebetween. The recording unit 24 includes a carriage 23 movable in the horizontal direction 9 and a recording head 39 .

An ink tube 32 (see FIG. 4) extends from the carriage 23 . The ink tube 32 connects the tank set 99 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) and the recording head 39 . The ink tube 32 supplies ink (an example of printing liquid) stored in each ink tank 100 of the tank set 99 to the recording head 39 . The ink tank 100 is an example of a tank. Four ink tubes 32 through which ink of each color (black, magenta, cyan, and yellow) circulate are provided corresponding to each ink tank 100 .

As shown in FIG. 2, the carriage 23 has a recording head 39 mounted thereon. A plurality of nozzles 40 are arranged on the lower surface of the recording head 39 . While the carriage 23 is moving, the recording head 39 ejects ink droplets onto the paper 12 supported by the platen 42 . An image is thus recorded on the paper 12 .

As shown in FIG. 1, an opening/closing lid 230 is attached to the main body 34 . A storage space is formed behind the opening/closing lid 230 in the main body 34 . The opening/closing lid 230 is rotatable between a closed position (the position shown in FIG. 1) that closes the accommodation space and an open position that opens the accommodation space. When the opening/closing lid 230 is in the open position, a part of each of the ink tank 100 and the holding member 110 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) is visible from the outside.

[Tank set 99]
The tank set 99 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is housed in the housing space of the main body 34 . The tank set 99 stores ink to be supplied to the recording head 39 . The tank set 99 includes four ink tanks 100 each storing ink of a different color, and a holding member 110 . Note that the tank set 99 may not include the holding member 110 .

[Ink tank 100]
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the ink tank 100 as a whole has a smaller dimension along the left-right direction 9 and a dimension along each of the up-down direction 7 and the front-back direction 8 than the dimension along the left-right direction 9 . It is also a long flat rectangular parallelepiped. Also, the dimension in the front-rear direction 8 is longer than the dimension in the vertical direction 7 . Although the side of the ink tank 100 is open, the open side is sealed with a film.

The ink tank 100 is made of a translucent resin such that the ink in a storage chamber 111 (an example of an internal space) that stores ink is visible from the outside of the ink tank 100 .

The ink tank 100 has an upright wall 102 and an inclined wall 106 . The vertical wall 102 and the inclined wall 106 are part of the above-described resin and partition the front side of the storage chamber 111 . The standing wall 102 is an example of a translucent wall. The vertical wall 102 extends in the vertical direction 7 and the horizontal direction 9 . The inclined wall 106 extends rearward as it goes upward from the upper end of the standing wall 102 . Of the walls constituting the ink tank 100, at least the upright wall 102 needs to be made of translucent resin, and the walls other than the upright wall 102 do not have to be translucent. .

The upright wall 102 of each ink tank 100 is exposed to the outside of the multifunction machine 10 through the opening 81 (see FIG. 3) of the holding member 110 and the opening 232 (see FIG. 1) of the opening/closing cover 230 . With such a configuration, the vertical wall 102 of each ink tank 100 is visible from the outside of the multifunction machine 10 even when the opening/closing cover 230 is in the closed position, and the user can see the ink stored in each ink tank 100. It is possible to check the remaining amount of ink.

As shown in FIG. 3, on the vertical wall 102 of each ink tank 100, a first mark 146 (an example of a liquid level mark) and a second mark 147 are formed.

The first mark 146 extends in the left-right direction 9 . The position of the first mark 146 in the vertical direction 7 corresponds to the maximum amount of ink allowed to be stored (an example of a predetermined amount) of ink stored in the storage chamber 111 when the MFP 10 is in the use posture. the same height as the surface. That is, the first mark 146 indicates the liquid level and height of the ink when the maximum amount of ink that is allowed to be stored is stored in the storage chamber 111 .

The second mark 147 extends in the left-right direction 9 . The second mark 147 is positioned below the first mark 146 . The position of the second mark 147 in the vertical direction 7 is the same height as the liquid level of the ink when the minimum amount of ink required to be replenished is stored in the storage chamber 111 when the MFP 10 is in the use posture. It is.

Note that the heights of the first mark 146 and the second mark 147 are not limited to the heights described above. Also, the ink tank 100 may not have the first mark 146 and the second mark 147 .

The ink tank 100 has an atmosphere communication hole 98 . The atmosphere communication hole 98 communicates the storage chamber 111 with the outside of the ink tank 100 . That is, the atmosphere communication hole 98 communicates the storage chamber 111 with the atmosphere.

As shown in FIG. 3, the inclined wall 106 of the ink tank 100 is formed with a through hole 112 for injecting ink into the storage chamber 111 . When the opening/closing lid 230 is at the open position, the through hole 112 is exposed to the outside of the multifunction device 10 through the opening 22 .

A through hole 112 passes through the inclined wall 106 . The through-hole 112 extends along the direction of inclination so as to go downward toward the rear. The tilt direction is a direction tilted with respect to the vertical direction 7 , the front-rear direction 8 , and the horizontal direction 9 . One end of through hole 112 communicates with storage chamber 111 . The other end of the through hole 112 communicates with the outside of the ink tank 100 . In other words, the through hole 112 communicates the storage chamber 111 with the outside of the ink tank 100 .

The through-hole 112 has a circular shape when viewed in the direction of inclination, and is defined by a circular inner peripheral surface 114 of an annular rib 109 formed in the inclined wall 106 and protruding from the outer surface of the inclined wall 106 . (See FIG. 13). The shape of the through hole 112 is determined according to the shape of the nozzle 161, which will be described later.

As will be described later, by inserting the nozzle 161 of the bottle 130 (an example of a printing liquid container, see FIG. 4) into the through hole 112, the bottle 130 is connected to the ink tank 100 (see FIGS. 4 and 13). ). A system 5 is configured by the bottle 130 and the ink tank 100 . By connecting the bottle 130 to the ink tank 100 , the ink in the bottle 130 is refilled into the storage chamber 111 of the ink tank 100 . The timing at which this replenishment is performed is, for example, when the remaining amount of ink stored in the storage chamber 111 of the ink tank 100 is low. This is when the height is 147 or less. Of course, replenishment of ink from the bottle 130 to the ink tank 100 may be executed at a timing other than the above.

[Holding member 110]
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the holding member 110 holds the four ink tanks 100 in a row along the left-right direction 9 from the front in the front-rear direction 8 . The holding member 110 covers the front portion of the ink tank 100 while holding the ink tank 100 .

The holding member 110 has openings 81 and 82 . A first mark 146 and a second mark 147 formed on the standing wall 102 of each ink tank 100 can be exposed to the outside of the printer section 11 through the opening 81 of the holding member 110 and the opening 232 of the opening/closing cover 230 . The through hole 112 of each ink tank 100 can be exposed to the outside of the holding member 110 through the opening 82 .

[Bottle 130]
A bottle 130 shown in FIG. 5 stores ink. As shown in FIG. 5 , the bottle 130 includes a bottle body 131 , a bottle cap 132 detachable from the bottle body 131 , and a nozzle cap 133 detachable from the bottle cap 132 .

In the following description, the bottle cap 132 is attached to the bottle main body 131 and the nozzle cap 133 is attached to the bottle cap 132, that is, in the attached state shown in FIGS. The projecting direction is defined as a first direction 134 (see FIG. 6). Also, in the mounted state, the opposite direction to the first direction 134 is defined as a second direction 135 (see FIG. 6). In addition, a circumferential direction 136 is defined as a direction around the axial direction (a direction along the first direction 134 and the second direction 135 ) of the bottle 130 , which is substantially cylindrical in the mounted state. Bottle cap 132 is an example of a cap.

[Bottle body 131]
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the bottle body 131 has a bottom wall 150, a first side wall 151, a second side wall 152 and a third side wall 153. As shown in FIGS.

The bottom wall 150 is a generally circular wall. First side wall 151 is a cylindrical wall extending in first direction 134 from the outer edge of bottom wall 150 . The second side wall 152 extends in the first direction 134 from the end of the first side wall 151 in the first direction 134 while being inclined in the direction of reducing the diameter of the bottle body 131 . The third side wall 153 is a cylindrical wall extending in the first direction 134 from the end of the second side wall 152 in the first direction 134 .

As shown in FIG. 6, a storage chamber 154 is a space defined by the bottom wall 150, first side wall 151, second side wall 152, and third side wall 153. As shown in FIG. Ink is stored in the storage chamber 154 .

The third sidewall 153 has an opening 155 at the end in the first orientation 134 . The storage chamber 154 communicates with the outside of the bottle body 131 through an opening 155 .

The third side wall 153 has a male thread 156 on its outer peripheral surface. The third side wall 153 has an annular rib 157 extending along the inner peripheral surface at the end of the inner peripheral surface facing the first direction 134 .

In this embodiment, the bottle body 131 has a substantially cylindrical shape, but may have another shape (for example, a quadrangular prism shape). At least the first side wall 151 of the bottle body 131 has flexibility. Thereby, the first side wall 151 can be deformed. The volume of the storage chamber 154 changes due to the deformation of the first side wall 151 .

[bottle cap 132]
As shown in FIG. 7, bottle cap 132 is a unitary member. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the bottle cap 132 is attachable to and detachable from the bottle body 131 . Note that the bottle cap 132 may be configured integrally with the bottle body 131 .

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the bottle cap 132 includes a cap body 160, a nozzle 161, an annular projection 162 and ribs 163. As shown in FIGS.

[Cap body 160]
Cap body 160 includes a bottom wall 164 and side walls 165 . The bottom wall 164 is a generally circular wall. Side wall 165 is a generally cylindrical wall extending in second direction 135 from the outer edge of bottom wall 164 .

As shown in FIG. 8, sidewall 165 has internal threads 167 on its inner peripheral surface 166 . The female thread 167 can be screwed with the male thread 156 of the bottle body 131 (see FIG. 6). The bottle cap 132 is attached to the bottle body 131 by screwing the male screw 156 and the female screw 167 together (see FIGS. 6 and 7).

As shown in FIG. 7, the bottom wall 164 has a protrusion 169 projecting in the first direction 134 from its outer surface 168 . The convex portion 169 is positioned around the outer peripheral surface 191 of the annular protrusion 162 and is in contact with the outer peripheral surface 191 .

The convex portion 169 has a generally triangular shape when viewed from the side, and has inclined surfaces 170 and 171 that are inclined with respect to the circumferential direction 136 . The inclined surface 170 is a surface that extends toward the first direction 134 toward one side of the circumferential direction 136 . The inclined surface 171 is a surface extending in the first direction 134 toward the other circumferential direction 136 .

As shown in FIG. 8, bottom wall 164 has an annular projection 173 projecting in second direction 135 from inner surface 172 thereof. As shown in FIG. 6, the annular protrusion 173 is inserted into the bottle body 131 through the opening 155 in the attached state and abuts against the annular rib 157 of the third side wall 153 in a liquid-tight manner. This prevents the ink in the storage chamber 154 from flowing out through the opening 155 .

As shown in FIG. 7, sidewall 165 has markings 175 on its outer peripheral surface 174 . As shown in FIG. 9, when the bottle cap 132 is viewed along the second direction 135, the mark 175 is opposite to the second flow path 182 described below with respect to the first flow path 181 described below. and a position opposite to the first channel 181 with respect to the second channel 182 . In this embodiment, when the bottle cap 132 is viewed along the second direction 135, the two marks 175, the first channel 181, and the second channel 182 are positioned on a straight line, Also, two marks 175 sandwich the first channel 181 and the second channel 182 .

Note that the two marks 175, the first channel 181, and the second channel 182 do not have to be aligned. Also, in the present embodiment, the mark 175 has an arrow shape pointing in the first direction 137, but the shape of the mark 175 is not limited to the arrow shape. Also, the bottle cap 132 may not have the mark 175 .

As shown in FIG. 7, sidewall 165 has a plurality of ribs 176 extending along first direction 134 on its outer peripheral surface 174 . The ribs 176 are provided at locations other than the locations where the marks 175 are provided and their peripheral portions. The provision of the ribs 176 prevents the user's hand from slipping when the user grips the outer peripheral surface 174 .

[Nozzle 161]
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, nozzle 161 protrudes in first direction 134 from outer surface 168 of bottom wall 164 of cap body 160 . That is, in the attached state, the nozzle 161 protrudes in the first direction 134 from the bottle body 131 through the cap body 160 .

The nozzle 161 may protrude from the bottom wall 164 in a first direction 134 and protrude from the bottom wall 164 in a second direction 135 . In this case, the nozzle 161 is provided so as to penetrate the bottom wall 164 . In addition, in this embodiment, the nozzle 161 has a portion 159 that slightly protrudes from the bottom wall 164 in the second direction 135 (see FIGS. 6 and 8).

Nozzle 161 is generally cylindrical in shape. The nozzle 161 has an outer circumferential surface 177 that is circumferential. As shown in FIG. 8 , an outer peripheral surface 178 that is part of the outer peripheral surface 177 extends in a first direction 134 while being inclined in a direction in which the diameter of the nozzle 161 is reduced. In addition, the nozzle 161 may have, for example, a quadrangular prism shape other than the cylindrical shape.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the nozzle 161 has a first channel 181 and a second channel 182 .

The first flow path 181 and the second flow path 182 pass through the nozzle 161 along the first direction 134 . In addition, in the present embodiment, the first flow path 181 and the second flow path 182 extend along the first direction 134, but the present invention is not limited to this. You may have The length of the first channel 181 along the ink circulation direction is the same as the length of the second channel 182 along the ink circulation direction. In this embodiment, the direction of ink flow is the direction in which the first channel 181 and the second channel 182 penetrate, that is, the first direction 134 . The length of the first channel 181 along the ink circulation direction may be different from the length of the second channel 182 along the ink circulation direction.

The first channel 181 and the second channel 182 have the same shape and size. In other words, the cross-sectional shape and cross-sectional area of the first channel 181 are the same as the cross-sectional shape and cross-sectional area of the second channel 182 . In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shapes of the first channel 181 and the second channel 182 are both circular, and the areas of the circles are the same. The cross-sectional shapes of the first channel 181 and the second channel 182 may be shapes other than circular. Further, the cross-sectional shape of the first channel 181 may be different from the cross-sectional shape of the second channel 182, and the cross-sectional area of the first channel 181 may be different from the cross-sectional area of the second channel 182. good.

In the attached state, one end of the first flow path 181 communicates with the storage chamber 154 through the opening 183 (an example of the first opening). The other end of the first channel 181 communicates with the outside of the nozzle 161 through an opening 184 (an example of a second opening). In the mounted state, one end of the second channel 182 communicates with the storage chamber 154 through an opening 185 (an example of a third opening). The other end of the second channel 182 communicates with the outside of the nozzle 161 through an opening 186 (an example of a fourth opening). In this embodiment, the storage chamber 154 and the outside of the bottle main body 131 communicate with each other only through the first channel 181 and the second channel 182 .

The openings 183 and 185 are formed in a base end surface 180 (an example of a surface) that constitutes the end of the nozzle 161 in the second direction 135 . The proximal surface 180 defines the end of the reservoir chamber 154 in the first orientation 134 with the inner surface 172 of the bottom wall 164 of the cap body 160 in the installed state. Note that the opening 183 and the opening 185 may be formed on different surfaces.

The openings 183, 185 are circular. Note that the openings 183 and 185 may have a shape other than a circular shape. Also, the openings 183 and 185 may be formed at the base end portion of the nozzle 161 and are not limited to the base end surface 180 .

If the nozzle 161 has a portion 159 projecting from the inner surface 172 of the bottom wall 164 in the second direction 135 , the proximal end of the nozzle 161 is the projecting portion 159 . In this case, it is the proximal surface 180 that constitutes the end of the projecting portion 159 in the second orientation 135 . Also, in this case, the openings 183 and 185 may be formed in the side surfaces of the projecting portion 159 (surfaces extending from the inner surface 172 to the base end surface 180).

The proximal end of nozzle 161 is proximal surface 180 when nozzle 161 does not protrude from bottom wall 164 in second direction 135 . In this case, proximal surface 180 is flush with inner surface 172 of bottom wall 164 . In other words, proximal surface 180 forms part of inner surface 172 . When the base end surface 180 is flush with the inner surface 172, the base end surface 180 defines the lower end of the storage chamber 154 when the tip of the nozzle 161 faces vertically downward in the attached state. The posture in which the tip portion of the nozzle 161 faces vertically downward is the posture of the nozzle 161 in which the first direction 134 is vertically downward in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, openings 184 and 186 are formed in a tip surface 179 forming an end portion of nozzle 161 in first direction 134 . That is, the openings 184 and 186 are formed on the same plane.

The openings 184, 186 are circular. Note that the openings 184 and 186 may have a shape other than a circular shape. Moreover, the openings 184 and 186 may be formed at the tip portion of the nozzle 161 and are not limited to the tip surface 179 . The tip portion of the nozzle 161 is, for example, a portion of the nozzle 161 that is configured by the tip surface 179 and the outer peripheral surface 177 .

When the tip of the nozzle 161 faces vertically downward (when the openings 184 and 186 face vertically downward), the opening 183 is at the same height as the opening 185, and the opening 184 and the opening 186 are at the same height. at the same height. In this posture, the openings 183 and 185 may have different heights, and the openings 184 and 186 may have different heights.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, the nozzle 161 has a recess 187 on its outer peripheral surface 177. As shown in FIG. The recessed portion 187 extends in the first direction 134 from near the proximal end of the nozzle 161 to near the distal end thereof. In this embodiment, the recesses 187 are formed at two locations (see FIG. 9), but the recesses 187 may be formed at one location or at three or more locations. Further, in the present embodiment, the recess 187 extends from the vicinity of the base end portion of the nozzle 161 to the vicinity of the tip end thereof, but the recess 187 is at least in a state where the nozzle 161 is inserted into the through hole 112 of the ink tank 100. In the state shown in FIG. 13, the ink tank 100 may extend from the inside (storage chamber 111) to the outside. Note that the nozzle 161 may not have the recess 187 .

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the nozzle 161 has a recess 188 at its tip. The recessed portion 188 is defined by a tip surface 179 and an inner peripheral surface 190 of an annular rib 189 protruding in the first direction 134 from the outer edge of the tip surface 179 . That is, the tip surface 179 is recessed from the tip of the nozzle 161 (the tip of the annular rib 189). The inner peripheral surface 190 extends from the distal end surface 179 toward the outer edge of the distal end surface 179 in the first direction 134 . That is, the inner peripheral surface 190 extends in the first direction 134 while being inclined in the direction in which the diameter of the recessed portion 188 is increased.

Note that the inner peripheral surface 190 may extend along the first direction 134 without being inclined. Also, the nozzle 161 may not have the recess 188 . In other words, the tip of the nozzle 161 does not have to be recessed.

[Annular projection 162]
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, annular projection 162 projects from outer surface 168 of bottom wall 164 in first direction 134 . An annular protrusion 162 protrudes from the periphery of the nozzle 161 . That is, when the bottle cap 132 is viewed along the second direction 135 , the annular projection 162 surrounds the nozzle 161 . Thus, a groove 193 extending in the circumferential direction 136 is formed by the annular protrusion 162, the nozzle 161, and the bottom wall 164. As shown in FIG.

The protrusion length of the annular protrusion 162 is shorter than the protrusion length of the nozzle 161 . That is, the end of the annular projection 162 in the first direction 134 is in the second direction 135 relative to the end of the nozzle 161 in the first direction 134 .

The annular protrusion 162 has a protrusion 192 on its outer peripheral surface 191 . The protrusion 192 protrudes from the tip of the annular protrusion 162 . The convex portion 192 extends over the entire circumference of the outer peripheral surface 191 . That is, the convex portion 192 has an annular shape. As shown in FIG. 6, the protrusion 192 engages with the protrusion 125 of the nozzle cap 133 in the mounted state.

[Rib 163]
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, ribs 163 protrude from outer peripheral surface 177 of nozzle 161 . Rib 163 extends along first direction 134 from the proximal end of nozzle 161 toward the distal end. As shown in FIG. 6, the ends of the ribs 163 in the second orientation 135 abut the outer surface 168 of the bottom wall 164 . The ends of the ribs 163 in the first orientation 134 are in the first orientation 134 relative to the annular projection 162 . In other words, the rib 163 extends closer to the tip of the nozzle 161 than the annular protrusion 162 does. In this embodiment, the ends of the ribs 163 in the first orientation 134 are in the second orientation 135 relative to the outer peripheral surface 178 of the nozzle 161, as shown in FIG.

A plurality of ribs 163 are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction 136 . That is, as shown in FIG. 9, the plurality of ribs 163 protrude radially with respect to the center of the nozzle 161 (the center of the columnar shaft).

Contrary to the above, the annular projection 162 may extend closer to the tip of the nozzle 161 than the rib 163, or even if the ends of the annular projection 162 and the rib 163 in the first direction 134 are at the same position. good. Also, the rib 163 may not be provided in plural, and may be provided only one. Also, the bottle cap 132 may not have the rib 163 .

[Nozzle cap 133]
As shown in FIG. 10, the nozzle cap 133 is a unitary member and has a generally cylindrical shape. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the nozzle cap 133 is attachable to and detachable from the bottle cap 132 . The nozzle cap 133 is detachable from the bottle body 131 via the bottle cap 132 .

As shown in FIGS. 10-12, the nozzle cap 133 comprises a bottom wall 115, a first side wall 116 and a second side wall 117. As shown in FIG.

The bottom wall 115 is a circular wall. First side wall 116 is a cylindrical wall extending in second direction 135 from the outer edge of bottom wall 115 . The second side wall 117 extends in the second direction 135 from the end of the first side wall 116 in the second direction 135 while being inclined in the direction of expanding the diameter of the nozzle cap 133 . It extends generally along the second direction 135 from the end. The outer diameter of second side wall 117 is greater than the outer diameter of first side wall 116 . That is, the outer diameter of the nozzle cap 133 on the end side in the second direction 135 (opening 122 side described later) is larger than the outer diameter of the nozzle cap 133 on the end side in the first direction 134 (bottom wall 115 side). The outer diameter of the nozzle cap 133 on the opening 122 side may be equal to or smaller than the outer diameter of the nozzle cap 133 on the bottom wall 115 side.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the inner space 121 of the nozzle cap 133 is defined by the inner surface 118 of the bottom wall 115, the inner surface 119 of the first side wall 116, and the inner surface 120 of the second side wall 117. . The edge of the inner surface 120 in the second orientation 135 defines an opening 122 that communicates with the interior space 121 from the outside.

As shown in FIG. 6, the nozzle 161 and the annular projection 162 of the bottle cap 132 are in the interior space 121 in the mounted state. That is, in the attached state, the nozzle cap 133 accommodates the nozzle 161 and the annular projection 162 in the internal space 121 .

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, bottom wall 115 has recess 123 in inner surface 118 . As shown in FIG. 6, the tip of the nozzle 161 is inserted into the recess 123 in the mounted state. A side surface 124 that defines the recess 123 is in liquid-tight contact with an outer peripheral surface 177 of the tip of the nozzle 161 . As a result, it is possible to prevent the ink flowing out of the storage chamber 154 through the openings 184 and 186 from dripping onto the outer peripheral surface 177 of the nozzle 161 . In other words, ink outflow can be reduced.

Note that the configuration for reducing the outflow of ink from the storage chamber 154 is not limited to the configuration in which the side surface 124 contacts the outer peripheral surface 177, and the inner surface of the bottle cap 132 contacts the nozzle 161 liquid-tightly around the openings 184 and 186. It's fine as long as they're in contact. For example, the inner surface 118 of the bottom wall 115 (part of the inner surface of the bottle cap 132, see FIGS. 11 and 12) contacts the tip surface 179 (see FIG. 7) of the nozzle 161 in the second direction 135 in a liquid-tight manner, By blocking the openings 184 , 186 , the outflow of ink within the reservoir chamber 154 may be reduced.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the second side wall 117 has a protrusion 125 on its inner surface 120. As shown in FIGS. A plurality of protrusions 125 are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction 136 . In the present embodiment, the projection 125 is located at a position that is not point-symmetrical with respect to the axis of the other projection 125 and the annular projection 162 (the line along the first direction 134 and passing through the center of the ring of the annular projection 162). be. In this embodiment, three protrusions 125 are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction 136 . As a result, the two protrusions 125 are not symmetrical with respect to the axis.

In the process of attaching the nozzle cap 133 to the bottle cap 132 , the projection 125 presses the projection 192 (see FIG. 7) of the annular projection 162 of the bottle cap 132 to elastically deform it, and climbs over the projection 192 . Thereby, as shown in FIG. 6, the protrusion 125 and the protrusion 192 are engaged with each other in the mounted state. This engagement maintains the attached state.

Note that only one protrusion 125 may be formed instead of a plurality of protrusions 125 . Also, the convex portion 125 may be located point-symmetrically with respect to the axis of the other convex portion 125 and the annular projection 162 . Moreover, the convex portion 125 may be provided over the entire circumference of the inner surface 120 in the circumferential direction 136 .

11 and 12, in the internal space 121, the annular rib 126 extends from the end of the inner surface 119 of the first side wall 116 in the second direction 135 (the boundary with the inner surface 120 of the second side wall 117). It projects in a second direction 135 toward the opening 122 . As shown in FIG. 12, annular rib 126 is in first orientation 134 from projection 125 . In other words, the protrusion 125 is closer to the opening 122 than the annular rib 126 is.

As shown in FIG. 6, the tip of the annular rib 126 is inserted into the groove 193 in the mounted state. That is, in the attached state, the tip of the annular rib 126 is between the nozzle 161 and the annular projection 162 . In the installed state, the annular rib 126 abuts against the annular projection 162 in a liquid-tight manner. As a result, it is possible to prevent the flow of ink from the groove 193 to the outside of the annular protrusion 162 (the side on which the outer peripheral surface 191 (see FIG. 7) of the annular protrusion 162 and the second side wall 117 are located).

Note that the nozzle cap 133 may not have the annular rib 126 .

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the nozzle cap 133 has ribs 127,128.

Ribs 127 , 128 project from inner surface 119 of first sidewall 116 and extend in second direction 135 from the bottom of inner surface 119 toward opening 122 . The bottom of inner surface 119 is the portion of bottom wall 115 near inner surface 118 . One ends of ribs 127 and 128 are in contact with inner surface 118 . Note that there may be a gap between one end of the ribs 127 and 128 and the inner surface 118 .

A plurality of ribs 127 are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction 136 . A plurality of ribs 128 are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction 136 . The ribs 127 and 128 are alternately arranged one by one in the circumferential direction 136 . The arrangement of the ribs 127 and 128 is not limited to the arrangement described above. For example, two ribs 127 and one rib 128 may be alternately arranged in the circumferential direction 136 . Also, each of the ribs 127 and 128 may be provided only one.

The other end of rib 128 is in a second orientation 135 from the other end of rib 127 . In other words, rib 128 extends to a position closer to opening 122 than rib 127 does. Contrary to the above, the rib 127 may extend to a position closer to the opening 122 than the rib 128, or the other end of the rib 128 and the other end of the rib 127 may be at the same position in the second direction 135. may

A projecting tip surface 140 of the rib 127 is a surface continuous with the side surface 124 .

An end surface 141 at the other end of the rib 127 is a horizontal surface (horizontally extending surface) in the posture in which the opening 122 faces vertically downward (the posture shown in FIG. 12).

An end face 142 at the other end of the rib 128 extends toward the inner surface 119 in the second direction 135 when the opening 122 faces vertically downward (the posture shown in FIG. 12). That is, in the posture shown in FIG. 12, the end surface 142 is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction.

Note that the end surface 141 of the rib 127 is not limited to the horizontal plane, and may be inclined with respect to the horizontal direction, for example. Also, the end surface 142 of the rib 128 may be a horizontal surface. Also, the nozzle cap 133 may not have the rib 128 .

The second side wall 117 has a protrusion 143 protruding from the inner surface 120 . The convex portion 143 is formed at a position where it can come into contact with the convex portion 169 in the mounted state. The convex portion 143 has inclined surfaces 144 and 145 that are inclined with respect to the circumferential direction 136 . The inclined surface 144 is a surface extending in the second direction 135 toward one side of the circumferential direction 136 . The inclined surface 145 is a surface extending in the second direction 135 toward the other circumferential direction 136 .

A plurality of protrusions 143 (three in this embodiment) are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction 136 . The convex portion 143 is formed at the same position as the convex portion 125 in the circumferential direction 136 . That is, the protrusion 143 is at the same position in the circumferential direction 136 as the position where the protrusion 192 and the protrusion 125 are engaged.

In the mounted state, when the nozzle cap 133 is pulled in the first direction 134 , the projection 125 presses the projection 192 of the annular projection 162 of the bottle cap 132 to elastically deform it, and climbs over the projection 192 . Thereby, the engagement between the protrusion 125 and the protrusion 192 is released. As a result, the nozzle cap 133 can be removed from the bottle cap 132 .

In addition, when the nozzle cap 133 is rotated in the circumferential direction 136 in the attached state, the convex portion 143 comes into contact with the convex portion 169 (see FIG. 7) of the bottle cap 132 . At this time, one of the inclined surfaces 144 and 145 of the convex portion 143 is guided to one of the inclined surfaces 170 and 171 of the convex portion 169 . As a result, a force in the first direction 134 acts on the nozzle cap 133 to move the nozzle cap 133 in the first direction 134 . As a result, similarly to the case where the nozzle cap 133 is pulled in the first direction 134 , the protrusions 125 and 192 are disengaged, and the nozzle cap 133 is removed from the bottle cap 132 . As described above, by rotating the nozzle cap 133 in the circumferential direction 136, a force in the first direction 134 can be applied to the nozzle cap 133. , the nozzle cap 133 can be easily removed from the bottle cap 132 .

In this embodiment, the convex portion 143 has the inclined surfaces 144 and 145 and the convex portion 169 has the inclined surfaces 170 and 171, but only one of the convex portion 143 and the convex portion 169 has the inclined surfaces. may have Moreover, the convex portion 143 may be formed at a position different from that of the convex portion 125 in the circumferential direction 136 . Moreover, the convex portion 143 and the convex portion 169 may not be provided.

As shown in FIG. 10, the nozzle cap 133 has projections 138 projecting from the outer peripheral surface 139 of the first side wall 116 . The end of the protrusion 138 in the second orientation 135 abuts the second side wall 117 . Note that the nozzle cap 133 may not have the protrusion 138 .

[Connection of Bottle 130 to Ink Tank 100]
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 13, the bottle 130 is connected to the ink tank 100 by inserting the nozzle 161 of the bottle 130 into the through hole 112 of the ink tank 100 . Hereinafter, the orientation of the bottle 130 when the bottle 130 is connected to the ink tank 100 is also referred to as the connection orientation.

When the nozzle 161 of the bottle 130 is inserted into the through-hole 112 of the ink tank 100, the orientation of the bottle 130 is adjusted so that the mark 175 faces vertically upward, thereby positioning the openings 184 and 186 in the storage chamber 111. Sometimes one of the openings 184, 186 can be higher than the other. In this embodiment, the opening 186 is above the opening 184 in the connected posture.

As shown in FIG. 13, the outer peripheral surface 177 of the nozzle 161 is in contact with the inner peripheral surface 114 of the through hole 112 when the bottle 130 is in the connected posture. Also, when the bottle 130 is in the connected posture, the rib 163 is in contact with the annular rib 109 of the ink tank 100 .

The openings 184 and 186 are below the air vent 98 when the bottle 130 is in the connected position.

The opening 186 at the tip of the nozzle 161 and the first mark 146 are both at the height of the position P when the bottle 130 is in the connected posture. That is, when the bottle 130 is in the connected posture, the upper opening 186 of the openings 184 and 186 is at the same height as the first mark 146 .

The inner diameter of the through hole 112 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the portion of the nozzle 161 that is inside the through hole 112 in the connected posture. As a result, in the connected posture, the bottle 130 rotates by its own weight so that the bottle body 131 moves downward and the tip of the nozzle 161 moves upward (in other words, clockwise in FIG. 13). The nozzle 161 of the rotated bottle 130 comes into contact with the inner peripheral surface 114 of the through hole 112 at two positions, the first position P1 and the second position P2.

The first position P1 is the edge of the inner peripheral surface 114 on the storage chamber 111 side. An outer peripheral surface 177 of the nozzle 161 contacts the edge from below. The second position P2 is the outer edge of the inner peripheral surface 114 . An outer peripheral surface 177 of the nozzle 161 contacts the edge from above. This causes the nozzle 161 to engage with the through hole 112 . As a result, the bottle 130 is maintained in the connected posture.

When the bottle 130 is in the connected posture, the first side wall 151 is located above the first position P1 and the second position P2.

As described above, nozzle 161 has recess 187 (see FIG. 7). When the bottle 130 is in the connected posture, the end of the recess 187 on the tip side of the nozzle 161 is inside the storage chamber 111 , and the end of the recess 187 on the base end of the nozzle 161 is outside the ink tank 100 . As a result, the storage chamber 111 and the outside of the ink tank 100 communicate with each other via the recess 187 . That is, in the connected posture, the ink tank 100 communicates with the atmosphere not only through the air communication hole 98 but also through the recess 187 .

The supply of ink from the bottle 130 to the ink tank 100 when the bottle 130 is in the connected posture will be described below. In the following description, ink is supplied from the bottle 130 to the ink tank 100 by a so-called chicken feed method.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 13, when bottle 130 is connected to ink tank 100 and openings 184 and 186 are positioned within reservoir chamber 111 of ink tank 100, reservoir chamber 154 and reservoir chamber 111 are formed. communicate through the first channel 181 and the second channel 182 . As a result, the ink stored in the storage chamber 154 flows through the opening 183 to the first flow path 181 and from the opening 184 to the storage chamber 111 . Also, when the ink is distributed, air enters the storage chamber 111 through the air communication hole 98 and flows into the storage chamber 154 via the second flow path 182 . Here, the volume of ink flowing from the storage chamber 154 to the storage chamber 111 and the volume of air flowing from the storage chamber 111 to the storage chamber 154 are substantially the same. In this manner, so-called gas-liquid replacement is performed.

As the ink flows into the storage chamber 111 , the ink level in the storage chamber 111 rises and reaches the opening 186 , that is, reaches the same height as the first mark 146 . Air communication between chamber 111 and storage chamber 154 is blocked. Therefore, the flow of ink from the storage chamber 154 to the storage chamber 111 is stopped.

Ink can be supplied from the bottle 130 to the ink tank 100 by so-called pumping that deforms the first side wall 151 of the bottle main body 131 of the bottle 130 in addition to the chicken feed method described above.

[Effect of this embodiment]
According to this embodiment, the nozzle 161 has a first channel 181 and a second channel 182 . Therefore, simply connecting the bottle 130 to the ink tank 100 circulates air through one of the first flow path 181 and the second flow path 182 and circulates ink through the other of the first flow path 181 and the second flow path 182 . gas-liquid replacement can be performed.

Moreover, when the tip of the nozzle 161 is directed vertically downward, the openings 184 and 186 are at the same height, so the structure of the tip of the nozzle 161 can be simplified. As a result, the possibility of damage to the tip of the nozzle 161 can be reduced.

In addition, when the tip of the nozzle 161 is directed vertically downward, the openings 183 and 185 are at the same height, so the structure inside the bottle body 131 can be simplified.

Further, according to the present embodiment, since the lengths of the first flow path 181 and the length of the second flow path 182 are the same, when the bottle 130 is connected to the ink tank 100, regardless of the orientation of the bottle 130, Gas-liquid replacement can be performed.

Further, according to this embodiment, since the openings 184 and 186 are formed on the same plane, the openings 184 and 186 can be sealed by a simple means such as sticking one sheet of seal.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the base end surface 180 constitutes the end of the nozzle 160 in the second direction 135, so that the ink in the storage chamber 154 can be used up more efficiently.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the cross-sectional shape and cross-sectional area of the first channel 181 are the same as the cross-sectional shape and cross-sectional area of the second channel 182 . Therefore, when the gas-liquid replacement is performed, the flow rate of the ink flowing through one of the first flow path 181 and the second flow path 182 is set to It can be adjusted to the speed of air flow. Therefore, gas-liquid replacement can be performed smoothly.

Further, according to this embodiment, when the bottle 130 is connected to the ink tank 100 , the reservoir chamber 111 of the ink tank 100 can be communicated with the outside through the recess 187 . As a result, by pumping the bottle 130 connected to the ink tank 100 , the gas-liquid replacement in the storage chamber 111 can be performed smoothly when ink is supplied from the bottle 130 to the ink tank 100 .

In addition, the recess 187 allows so-called lightening of the nozzle 161 . Further, the recess 187 can form a gap between the nozzle 161 and the through hole 112 when the bottle 130 is connected to the through hole 112 of the ink tank 100 . With this gap, the air discharged from the bottle 130 into the ink tank 100 when the bottle 130 is pumped can escape to the outside through the gap. and pumping can be carried out easily.

Further, according to this embodiment, the number of flow paths is two, which is the minimum number for performing gas-liquid replacement, so the structure of the bottle 130 can be simplified.

Also, according to this embodiment, the openings 183 and 185 are circular. Therefore, meniscus formation at the openings 183 and 185 is easy. When the first flow path 181 and the second flow path 182 become gas flow paths, the inflow of ink from the storage chamber 154 to the gas flow path can be prevented by the meniscus formed in the openings 183 and 185. . Thereby, gas-liquid replacement can be stabilized.

In addition, according to this embodiment, it is easy to form a meniscus at the openings 184 and 186 . When the bottle 130 is extracted from the ink tank 100, the meniscus formed in the opening 184 and the opening 186 reduces the leakage of ink from the storage chamber 154, the first channel 181 and the second channel 182 to the outside. can do.

Further, according to the present embodiment, when the bottle 130 is connected to the ink tank 100, the mark 175 is connected in a position above the first flow path 181 and the second flow path 182. One of channel 181 or second channel 182 can be positioned above the other.

Further, according to the present embodiment, by simply connecting the bottle 130 to the ink tank 100, ink can be supplied from the bottle 130 to the ink tank 100 by a so-called chicken feed method.

Further, according to the present embodiment, by connecting the bottle 130 to the ink tank 100 along a direction inclined with respect to the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, one of the first channel 181 and the second channel 182 can be It is easy to position one above the other. In addition, since it is obliquely inserted, a height difference is naturally formed in the two flow paths by the user's operation, and ink is discharged from one and air is taken in from the other, which can be achieved without making the user conscious of it.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the ink stored in the storage chamber 111 can be stored by confirming whether or not the liquid surface of the ink stored in the storage chamber 111 is aligned with the first mark 146. It is possible to easily confirm whether or not the amount is the maximum amount.

[Modification]
In the above embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the first channel 181 and the second channel 182 is circular, and the openings 183, 184, 185, 186 are also circular. However, the shapes of the first channel 181, the second channel 182, and the respective openings 183, 184, 185, 186 may be different shapes from the above embodiment.

For example, as shown in FIG. 14, the nozzle 161 has a first circular opening 195 provided at its distal end and having a circular cross-sectional shape, and a second circular opening 195 provided at its proximal end having a circular cross-sectional shape. 196 and may have a partition 197 that divides one flow path into two with a first circular opening 195 and a second circular opening 196 at both ends. Each of the openings 183 , 184 , 185 , 186 may be configured in a substantially semicircular shape by dividing the first circular opening 195 and the second circular opening 196 by the partition wall 197 . That is, each opening 183, 184, 185, 186 may be an arcuate opening. A part of the openings 183, 184, 185, 186 may be arcuate openings. For example, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the openings 184 and 186 provided at the tip of the nozzle 161 are arcuate openings (see FIG. 15), and the opening 183 provided at the proximal end of the nozzle 161, 185 may be a circular aperture (see FIG. 16).

According to the configuration shown in FIG. 14, since the openings 183, 184, 185, and 186 are arcuate, the meniscus of the ink is less likely to stretch in the openings 183, 184, 185, and 186, and the ink can easily flow. Therefore, the flow speed of ink in the first channel 181 and the second channel 182 can be increased.

In the above embodiment, the nozzle 161 has two flow paths (the first flow path 181 and the second flow path 182), but the nozzle 161 may have three or more flow paths. .

In the ink tank 100 , the through hole 112 may be formed in a place other than the inclined wall 106 . For example, the through hole 112 may be formed in the upper wall of the ink tank 100 and extend in the vertical direction. In this case, the nozzle 161 is inserted into the through hole 112 from above.

Although ink has been described as an example of liquid in the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to this. That is, instead of ink, a pretreatment liquid is ejected onto the recording paper prior to ink during printing, or water is sprayed near the nozzles 40 of the recording head 39 to prevent the nozzles 40 of the recording head 39 from drying. may be an example of the printing liquid.

130 Bottle (liquid container for printing)
131 Bottle main body (main body)
154... Storage chamber 161... Nozzle 181... First channel 182... Second channel 183... Opening (first opening)
184 ... opening (second opening)
185... Opening (third opening)
186... Opening (fourth opening)

Claims (21)

a main body having a storage chamber for storing the printing liquid;
a nozzle protruding from the main body,
The nozzle has a first flow path and a second flow path,
The first flow path communicates with the storage chamber through a first opening located at the base end of the nozzle, and communicates with the outside through a second opening located at the tip of the nozzle,
The cross-sectional area of the first flow path is configured to increase from the second opening toward the first opening,
The second flow path communicates with the storage chamber through a third opening located at the base end of the nozzle, and communicates with the outside through a fourth opening located at the tip of the nozzle,
The cross-sectional area of the second flow path is configured to increase from the fourth opening toward the third opening,
The outer peripheral surface of the nozzle has a tapered shape that tapers toward the tip,
The second opening is at the same height as the fourth opening when the tip of the nozzle is directed vertically downward. 2. The printing liquid container according to claim 1, wherein the first opening is at the same height as the third opening when the tip of the nozzle is oriented vertically downward. 3. The printing liquid according to claim 1, wherein the length of the first flow path along the circulation direction of the printing liquid is the same as the length of the second flow path along the circulation direction of the printing liquid. container. 4. The printing liquid container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second opening and the fourth opening are formed on the same plane. The nozzle has a surface defining the storage chamber and having the first opening and the third opening,
5. The printing liquid container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the surface defines a lower end of the storage chamber when the tip of the nozzle is directed vertically downward. 6. The printing liquid container according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape and cross-sectional area of the first channel are the same as the cross-sectional shape and cross-sectional area of the second channel. 7. The printing liquid container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the nozzle has a concave portion on its outer peripheral surface. 8. The printing liquid container according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said storage chamber and the outside of said main body are communicated with each other only through said first channel and said second channel. 9. The printing liquid container according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said first opening is circular. 10. The printing liquid container according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said third opening is circular. 9. A printing liquid container according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , wherein said first opening and said third opening are arcuate openings. 12. A printing liquid container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second opening and the fourth opening are arcuate openings. 12. The printing liquid container according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein said second opening is circular. 14. The printing liquid container according to any one of claims 1 to 11, 13 , wherein said fourth opening is circular. 15. Printing according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the main body has a mark at a position opposite the second flow path with respect to the first flow path in a line of sight along the projection direction of the nozzle. container for liquids. The nozzle is a recess defined by a tip end surface in which the second opening and the fourth opening are opened, and an inner peripheral surface of a rib projecting annularly in a direction in which the nozzle protrudes from an outer edge portion of the tip end surface. The printing liquid container of claim 1, comprising: 17. The printing liquid container of claim 16, further comprising a nozzle cap that has a space for accommodating the nozzle and is attachable to and detachable from the nozzle. a printing liquid container according to any one of claims 1 to 17 ;
and a tank connectable to the printing liquid container and having an internal space for storing the printing liquid. The tank extends along an inclined direction that is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, and has a through hole that communicates the internal space with the outside,
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the printing liquid container is connected with the tank by inserting the nozzle into the through hole. The tank above
a translucent wall that partitions the internal space;
a liquid level mark formed on the translucent wall and indicating the height of the liquid level when a predetermined amount of the printing liquid is stored in the internal space;
19. When the printing liquid container is in the connection position connected to the tank, the upper one of the second opening and the fourth opening is at the same height as the liquid level mark. 20. The system according to 19 . A cap connectable to a main body having a storage chamber for storing a printing liquid,
The cap has a first channel and a second channel,
The first flow path has a first opening that communicates with the storage chamber when connected to the main body, and a second opening that communicates with the outside,
The cross-sectional area of the first flow path is configured to increase from the second opening toward the first opening,
The second flow path has a third opening that communicates with the storage chamber when connected to the main body, and a fourth opening that communicates with the outside,
The cross-sectional area of the second flow path is configured to increase from the fourth opening toward the third opening,
an outer peripheral surface of the cap has a tapered shape that tapers toward the second opening and the fourth opening;
A cap in which the second opening is at the same height as the fourth opening when the second opening is oriented vertically downward.

Images