JPH07137231A - Container and container holder and storage device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an ink container out of which ink can be sucked without leaving the last bit of it inside. CONSTITUTION:A container 1 has first and second quadrangular bases, 2 and 3, respectively. A passage hole 4, which is freely opened and closed, centers in the first base 2. Between both the bases which face each other is a flexible member 5, inside of which is an ink storage space 7. The relationships between the lengths of the two sides (a) and (b) of each base and the height (c) of the storage 5 stretching between both the bases are a>b and b>c. Matter to be stored is put in the container, and it is sucked from the inside of the container. Consequently, the second base 3 comes near to the first base 2 to make the capacity of the storage space 7 inside the container decrease, so that the stored matter is sucked from the opened passage hole. In spite of pressure reduction in the container, both the bases keep flat faces because they are rigid. Although the flexible member 5, forming the sides, is deformed due to the pressure reduction, the deformed flexible member 5 does not block the passage hole 4 completely.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a container, a container holder for holding the container, and an accommodating device for accommodating an item to be contained therein and supplying the container to the outside. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is particularly useful for accommodating and taking out highly viscous items.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Ink used as an image forming medium in an image forming apparatus such as a printing apparatus is generally stored in an ink container having a predetermined shape for use. For example, in FIG.
FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a conventional ink container.
On one end surface of the cylinder 100, which is the body of the cylindrical body,
A passage hole 101 for taking in and out ink is formed. The other end surface of the cylinder 100 is open, and a substantially circular piston 102 is provided in the cylinder 100 so as to be reciprocally movable in the axial direction of the cylinder 100. When the ink is stored in the space surrounded by the cylinder 100 and the piston 102 and the stored matter is sucked from the passage hole 101, the piston 102 moves in the direction of the passage hole 101 while keeping the inside of the cylinder 100 sealed, and Ink is supplied to the outside, or the inside is filled or replenished with ink from the outside.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing another example of a conventional ink container. This ink container has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole. As shown in the figure, the lower half 200, which is obtained by dividing the rectangular parallelepiped shape into two diagonal parts, is made of a hard resin member that holds the shape, and the upper half 201 is made of a flexible and soft resin member. It is configured. The ink suction port 202 is provided in the lower half portion 200, so that when the ink stored inside is supplied from the suction port 202 to the outside, the upper half portion 201 is deformed toward the lower half portion 200. Has become.

[0004]

According to the ink container having the structure shown in FIG. 8, by moving the piston 102 in the direction of the passage hole 101, the stored ink is pushed out to the outside without waste and can be used. It is possible to provide and reduce the remaining amount of stored items. However, if the inner diameter of the cylinder 100 and the outer shape of the piston 102 do not match with appropriate high accuracy, the fitting between the two becomes poor, and even if the piston 102 is pulled to fill the ink, a negative pressure in the cylinder 100 is sufficient. In some cases, ink may not be sucked into the cylinder 100. Further, when the ink is sent from the passage hole 101 and filled, the filled ink may leak from between the cylinder 100 and the piston 102 slidably inserted. In addition, since it is preferable that the cylinder 100 and the piston 102 be molded from resin, the product becomes a product that uses a large amount of resin, which is a material that is difficult to dispose, and thus there is a problem from the viewpoint of environmental protection.

According to the ink container having the structure shown in FIG.
When the ink is supplied to the outside, the upper half part 201 made of a flexible resin member may be deformed to block the suction port 202, which makes it difficult to supply the ink and the ink is stored in the container. There is a problem that it may remain.

[0006]

A container according to a first aspect of the present invention is provided with a first base body having a predetermined rigidity, in which a passage hole for stored items is provided, and a first base body, the first base body being opposed to the first base body. And a flexible base that is provided between the second base having a predetermined rigidity and the first and second bases to form a storage space for the stored items between the first and second bases. And a flexible member.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the container according to the first aspect, the first base body and the second base body are formed of members having substantially the same outer shape, and the passage hole is the first. It is characterized in that the deformed flexible member is formed substantially in the center of the base body so as not to block the passage hole.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the container according to the second aspect, the first base body and the second base body are formed by congruent rectangular plate-shaped members, and the first base body and the second base body are combined. A container in the shape of a quadrangular prism, in which corresponding outer peripheral edges of the second base body are connected by the flexible member,
The lengths a and b of the two sides of the base body and the second base body, and the distance c between the first base body and the second base body when the flexible member is not deformed. The relationship is a> c and b
> C.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the container according to the second aspect, the first base body and the second base body are formed of congruent circular plate-shaped members, and the first base body and the second base body are combined. A cylindrical container in which each outer peripheral edge of the second base is connected by the flexible member, wherein the diameter R of the first base and the second base and the flexible member are deformed. The relationship between the distance c between the first substrate and the second substrate when not in the state is R> c.

A container holder according to a fifth aspect is a container holder for holding the container according to the first aspect,
A first holding member for holding the first base; and the first holding member.
And a second holding member that holds the second base body while being movable relative to the holding member.

A container holder described in claim 6 is a container holder for holding the container described in claim 1,
A first holding member for holding the first base; and the first holding member.
A guide member provided on the holding member of the second holding member, and a second holding member for holding the second base body parallel to the first base body, the second base body being free to approach the first holding member along the guide member. And a holding member.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage device, wherein a first base body having a predetermined rigidity, in which a passage hole for the stored items is provided, and a relative movement with respect to the first base body along a predetermined path. A flexible second base having a predetermined rigidity, and a flexible member provided between the first and second bases to form a storage space for the stored object between the first and second bases. Flexible member.

[0013]

The first substrate of the container is held by the first holding member of the container holder, and the second substrate of the container is held by the second holding member of the container holder.
It is held by the holding member. When sucking the contents in the container,
The second holding member approaches the first holding member along the guide member provided on the first holding member. The inside of the container is decompressed, the flexible member of the container is deformed, and the stored items stored in the storage space go out through the passage holes of the first base body. Since the size of the flexible member and the size of each base are appropriately set, the contracted flexible member does not block the passage hole provided in the base.

[0014]

1 shows a container 1 according to the first embodiment. The container 1 includes, as first and second bases, first and second substrates 2 and 3 each having a substantially rectangular outer shape.
Both substrates 2 and 3 have a predetermined rigidity. In addition, a passage hole 4 that can be opened and closed by a lid member (not shown) is provided in the center of the first substrate 2 to take out a stored item from the main container 1.
Alternatively, the contents can be stored in the container 1.

Between the opposing surfaces of the two substrates 2 and 3,
A flexible member 5 having flexibility is attached. The flexible member 5 of the present embodiment is configured to form four surfaces of a rectangular parallelepiped that continues in an annular shape in the stretched and undeformed state shown in FIG. The open ends of the flexible member 5 are
Each of the substrates 2 and 3 is connected to the inner surface of each of the substrates 2 and 3 along the outer periphery of each of the substrates 2 and 3, but is attached to the outer periphery of each of the substrates 2 and 3 so as to project more outward than the flexible member. The edge 6 is left.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lengths of the two sides of the substrates 2 and 3 are a and b, and the height of the extended flexible member 5, that is, the flexible member 5 is extended. Assuming that the space between the two substrates 2 and 3 in the container 1 is c, the relationship between these numerical values is a> c and b> c.

A description will be given of a case where in the above-mentioned structure, the contents are stored in the container 1 and supplied from the passage hole 4 to the outside of the container 1. When the contents stored in the container 1 are sucked, the second substrate 3 approaches the first substrate 2, the volume of the storage space 7 inside the container 1 is reduced, and the contents are sucked out through the open passage hole 4. It

Here, the two substrates 2 having the passage holes 4
Since 3 has a predetermined rigidity, the planar shape is maintained even if the pressure inside the container 1 is reduced. The portion of the flexible member 5 forming the side surface is deformed and degenerated due to the reduced pressure. However, since the dimensional relationship between each of the substrates 2 and 3 and the flexible member 5 is a> c and b> c as described above, the flexible member 5 which is deformed when the pressure is reduced completely fills the passage hole 4. It will not be covered and closed.

FIG. 2 shows the container holder 10 of the first embodiment. The container holder 10 includes a first holding plate 11 that holds the first substrate 2 of the container 1, and a first holding plate 11 that is relatively parallel to the first holding plate 11 while maintaining a posture parallel to the first holding plate 11. It is movable and has a second holding plate 16 for holding the second substrate 3 of the container 1. The first holding plate 11, which is the first holding member, has a quadrangular shape, and the three sides of the first holding plate 11 facing the second holding plate 16 respectively have holding flanges 12 as holding means for holding the first substrate 2 of the container 1. Are formed. Further, the first holding plate 11 has a notch groove 1 as a holding means for holding the passage hole 4 of the container 1.
3 is formed.

On one side of the first holding plate 11 on which the holding flanges 12 are formed, one end of a guide rod 14 as a guide member is attached perpendicularly to the plate surface. An end plate 15 is fixed to the other end of each guide rod 14. The end plate 15 has substantially the same shape as the first holding plate 11, and is attached in parallel with each other so that the sides correspond to each other.

A second holding plate 16 which is a second holding member is movably attached to the guide rod 14. The second holding plate 16 has substantially the same shape as the first holding plate 11. Protrusions 18 each having a guide hole 17 are formed on three sides of the second holding plate 16, and each of the guide rods 1
4 is inserted through the guide hole 17 of each protrusion 18 so as to be relatively movable, and both holding plates 11 and 16 are parallel to each other so that their sides correspond to each other. In addition, the first holding plate 1 is provided on the side of the second holding plate 16 facing the first holding plate 11.
A holding flange 19 corresponding to the first holding flange 12 is formed so that the second substrate 3 of the container 1 can be held.

The container 1 shown in FIG. 1 is mounted on the container holder 10 shown in FIG. That is, the first and second substrates 2, 2 of the container 1
3 are attached to the first and second holding plates 11 and 16 of the container holder 10, respectively. The mounting edge portion 6 left on the outer periphery of each of the substrates 2 and 3 is the holding flange 1 of each of the holding plates 11 and 16.
In this state, the substrates 2 and 3 of the container 1 are securely held in parallel with each other when they are smoothly inserted into the plates 2 and 19.

When the contents are sucked through the passage hole 4 in this state, as shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b), the container 1 held by the second holding plate 16 of the container holder 10 is moved to the first position. 2 substrate 3
Is approached to the first substrate 2 while being kept parallel to the first substrate 2 by being guided by the guide rod 14. The storage space 7 in the container 1 decreases in volume, and the flexible member 5 deforms. As a result, the stored items in the container 1 are sucked out of the container 1 through the passage holes 4.

Here, there is no possibility that the deformed flexible member 5 will block the passage hole 4 of the first substrate 2, and the stored items in the container 1 are reliably supplied to the outside, and the stored items remaining in the container 1 are ensured. The amount is much smaller than in the past.

In the first embodiment described above, if a sensor for detecting the position of the second holding plate 16 of the container holder 10 is provided, the position of the second substrate 3 of the container 1 is detected and the crushed condition of the container 1 is detected. It is possible to know this, and by this, the remaining amount of the stored items in the container 1 can be detected and notified to the user.

FIG. 4 shows a container 21 of the second embodiment, which is entirely cylindrical. First substrate 22 having passage hole 24
The second substrate 23 facing this and the second substrate 23 have a predetermined rigidity, maintain a planar shape even if the pressure inside the container 21 is reduced, and have a ring-shaped flexibility member 25 forming a side surface portion. Is deformed by decompression. Further, the diameter R of the first substrate 22 having the passage hole 24 for the stored items and the height of the flexible member 25 which is not deformed, that is, the first and second substrates 22 in a state where the main container 21 is not deformed. , 23 has a dimensional relationship with the interval c, R> c, and the flexible member 2 on the side surface portion during decompression
5 does not completely block the passage hole 24.

FIG. 5 shows a container 31 of the third embodiment. A flexible member 35, which is a bag-shaped flexible member, is attached to the inner surface of the first substrate 32 having the passage hole 34 for the stored items, and a storage space is formed between the first substrate 32 and the inner surface of the first substrate 32. 37. The first substrate 32 has a predetermined rigidity. The flexible member 35 is made of a flexible sheet or film, and its shape is deformed by the reduced pressure when sucking the stored items. In addition, the first substrate 32 having a passage hole 34 for the stored items
The relationship between the dimensions a and b of the two sides of the above and the depth dimension c of the flexible member 35 on the side surface is a> c and b> c, and the main container 31 is mounted on the container holder and the stored items are Even when the pressure in the container 31 is reduced by suction, the flexible member 35 on the side surface portion
However, it does not completely block the passage hole 34.

6 and 7 show a container 41 of the fourth embodiment. The first base 42 of the container 41 is made of a hard material having a predetermined rigidity, and has a structure in which a frame member 42b perpendicular to the plate surface is provided on each of three sides of a rectangular plate portion 42a. Then, the plate portion 42 not provided with the frame member 42b
A passage hole 44 for the stored item is formed in the vicinity of the other side facing the one side of a.

The second substrate 43, which faces the first substrate 42, is a rectangular plate member having a predetermined rigidity, like the second substrate in each of the above-mentioned embodiments, and its outer shape is the first. The size is set so that it can be stored along the inside of the frame member 42b of the base body 42. A fixing projection 48 is provided on the rear surface of the container 41 of the second base body 43, that is, on the outer surface side of the container 41, and the second base body 43 is attached to and detached from a second holding member of a container holder (not shown). It is configured to be freely attached.

The outer peripheral edge of the first base 42 and the second base 43
The outer peripheral edge is connected by a flexible member 45 made of a flexible material, and the bases 42, 43 and the flexible member 45 form a storage space 47.

Even with the container 41 of the fourth embodiment, similar to the containers 1, 21, 31 of the above-described embodiments, the stored items can be reliably filled and supplied, and there is little effect that the stored items remain in the container. can get.

As means for fixing the container and the container holder of the present invention to each other, for example, as in the container 1 of FIG. 1 and the container holder 10 of FIG.
Although the method of inserting and fixing by the slide fitting structure by 2, 19 has been illustrated, this is merely an example, and any other detachable attachment holding structure and instruments can be used.

For example, in the case of a container 31 composed of one substrate 32 and a bag-shaped flexible member 35 as shown in FIG. 5, the bag-shaped flexible member 35 corresponding to the bottom surface of the container 31 and the container holder are It may be peelably adhered or fixed by a holding means such as a velcro tape.

Further, in each of the embodiments described above, if the second holding member of the container holder for holding the bottom side of the container is provided with a predetermined weight by making the passage hole face downward, the flexible member is caused by its own weight. It is also possible to push out the stored items more reliably while surely pickling.

Further, the second holding member of the container holder, or the second base or flexible member on the bottom side (moving side) of the container is forcibly moved by the drive means to externally move the contents. It may be supplied. In this way, the supply of stored items becomes even more reliable.

In the above description, the container and the container holder are regarded as separate articles to be used in combination, but the combined container and container holder can be regarded as a storage device.

In each of the embodiments described above, the case where the contents are sucked in or pushed out from the container has been described. vice versa,
If the contents are supplied from the passage hole to the inside of the container while the flexible member is deformed, the deformed flexible member gradually expands to increase the volume of the container and Is filled.

In the above description, the contents stored in the container are not particularly limited, but this includes not only fluids such as liquid and gas but also powder and granules. Storage of relatively viscous fluids such as ink among liquids
The present invention is useful for supply, and has an effect of significantly improving the function of a printing device or the like.

[0039]

According to the container and the container holder of the present invention, and the storage device composed of these combinations, the bottom surface side of the container held by the second holding member moves toward the first base body side. It is possible to reliably discharge the stored items in the container and reduce the amount of the stored items left in the container. In addition, the high accuracy such as the cylinder and the piston of the cylinder bottle described above is not required between the members constituting the present invention, and the problems of defective filling and sucking due to insufficient accuracy can be avoided. Furthermore, in that the amount of resin used in the container can be reduced, it is possible to deal with environmental problems and the like. Further, since the flexible member on the side surface of the container does not block the passage hole of the stored items, all the stored items in the container can be taken out without remaining.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a container according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a container holder according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a view showing the operation of the container and the container holder in the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a container of a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a container of a third embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a container of a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the operation of the container of the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a conventional container.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing another example of a conventional container.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 21, 31, 41 Containers 2, 22, 32 First substrate as first substrate 42 First substrate 3,23 Second substrate as second substrate 43 Second substrate 4, 24, 34, 44 passage hole 5, 25, 35, 45 flexible member 7, 27, 37, 47 storage space 10 container holder 11 first holding plate as first holding member 14 guide rod 16 as guide member 16 second Second holding plate as holding member

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A rigid first base provided with a passage hole for stored items, a rigid second base provided opposite to the first base, and the first and second bases. A container provided between the bases and having a storage space formed by a flexible member between the first and second bases. 2. The flexible body, wherein the first base body and the second base body are formed of members having substantially the same outer shape, and the passage hole is formed in a substantially central portion of the first base body and is deformed. The container according to claim 1, wherein the member is configured so as not to block the passage hole. 3. The first base and the second base are constituted by congruent rectangular plate-shaped members, and the respective outer peripheral edges of the first base and the second base corresponding to each other are the flexible. A container in the shape of a quadrangular prism connected by members, wherein the lengths a and b of the two sides of the first base and the second base and the flexible member are not deformed. The relationship between the distance c between the first substrate and the second substrate is a> c and b> c
The container according to claim 2, wherein 4. The first base and the second base are constituted by congruent circular plate-shaped members, and the outer peripheral edges of the first base and the second base are formed by the flexible member. A cylindrical container connected to the first base and the second base.
The diameter R of the base body and the distance c between the first base body and the second base body when the flexible member is not deformed.
The container according to claim 2, wherein the relationship with R is c> c. 5. A container holder for holding a container according to claim 1, wherein the container holder is movable relative to the first holding member holding the first base body and the first holding member. And a second holding member for holding the second base body. 6. The container holder for holding the container according to claim 1, wherein a first holding member that holds the first base body, a guide member provided on the first holding member, and A container holder comprising: a second holding member that can be brought close to the first holding member along a guide member and holds the second base body in parallel with the first base body. 7. A rigid first base body provided with a passage hole for stored items, and a rigid second base body relatively movable with respect to the first base body along a predetermined path. When,
A storage device which is provided between the first and second bases and in which a storage space for the stored items is formed by a flexible member between the first and second bases.