WO2007037529A1

WO2007037529A1 - Ink cartridge and ink-jet recording apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2007037529A1
Application number: PCT/JP2006/320005
Authority: WO
Inventors: Shingo Hattori; Tomohiro Kanbe; Toyonori Sasaki
Original assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Priority date: 2005-09-29
Filing date: 2006-09-29
Publication date: 2007-04-05
Also published as: WO2007037529A9; HK1116452A1; EP1772276B1; DE602006002796D1; EP1772276A3; EP1772276A2; ATE408513T1

Abstract

An ink cartridge (14) is for being mounted in the ink-jet recording apparatus (1). The ink cartridge (14) includes; (a) an ink chamber (111) accommodating ink; (b) a front wall (210b, 220b) that serves as a front-end wall; (c) a bottom wall (210a); (d) an ink supply part (120) provided at the front wall (210b, 220b), an ink supply opening (600) being formed in the ink supply part (120); (e) an ink supply path located in rear of the ink supply opening (600), the ink supply path communicating the ink supply opening (600) and the ink chamber (111); (f) a valve mechanism (500) provided in the ink supply path and capable of opening and closing the ink supply path; (g) a light-receiving part (141) provided at the front wall (210b, 220b) and above the ink supply part (120), an inner space being formed in the light receiving part (141) to communicate with the ink chamber (111); and (h) a pivot member (470). The pivot member (470) includes: (i) a light-blocking portion (473c) provided at one end of the pivot member (470) and located in the inner space of the light receiving part (141); (j) a float (471) provided at the other end of the pivot member (470) and movable in response to a change in an amount of ink in the ink chamber (111); and (k) a pivot center provided between the light-blocking portion (473c) and the float (471), the pivot center being located in rear of the ink supply path, the pivot member (470) being pivotable around the pivot center in response to the change in an amount of ink in the ink chamber (111).

Description

DESCRIPTION

INK CARTRIDGE AND INK- JET RECORDING APPARATUS Technical Field

The present invention is related to an ink cartridge, more spe ink cartridge which is inserted to an ink jet recording apparatus hor which enables the detection of an amount of residual ink in the ink ca little influence on the flow of the ink so that the ink flows smoothly Background Art

In a known ink jet printing apparatus, a float is provided in an i an ink cartridge, and it is detected that an amount of residual ink in the i less than a predetermined amount based on the movement of the float empty" is detected.

For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No 8-2 Document 1) discloses an ink cartridge having an ink supply openin surface of the ink cartridge and having a float therein which has a larger opening area of the ink supply opening The ink cartridge is inserted recording apparatus vertically When the amount of residual ink in the decreases, the float moves toward the ink supply opening in response t of the ink Electrodes are arranged on an inner side of the ink cartri supply opening so as to contact the float When the float contacts the e electrodes are electrically connected via the float Accordingly, the ink apparatus can detect ink empty when the electrodes are electrically conn

Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 8-108543 (Patent discloses an ink cartridge having a protruding portion which protrudes from a bottom surface of the ink cartridge The ink cartridge has a f within the protruding portion vertically. The ink cartridge is inserted apparatus has been known For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent P 2005-238815 (Patent Document 3) discloses an ink jet recording appa plurality of ink cartridges In the ink jet recording apparatus, the ink horizontally inserted to the ink jet recording apparatus so as to be arr side An ink supply needle provided in the apparatus extends horizont supply opening is formed on a front wall of the ink cartridge correspon supply needle Disclosure of the Invention

When the float is arranged in the ink cartridge which is inserte to the ink jet recording apparatus so as to detect ink empty, it may be co protruding portion having an inner space which is communicated with a is formed at the front wall where the ink supply opening is formed, an float is positioned within the protruding portion so as to move within t portion as a liquid surface is lowered In that case, the ink extracting m the residual ink amount detection sensor which detects a part of the flo arranged and the ink jet recording apparatus may be reduced in size

However, when the protruding portion accommodating a par therein is provided on the same plane where the ink supply opening is f be preferable that the protruding portion is positioned below the ink supp as to detect the ink surface at as a low position as possible Ho protruding portion is positioned below the ink supply opening, the ink s is away from the bottom surface and it is difficult to use ink completel ink is supplied to the outside of the cartridge only through the ink su Quite a large amount of ink may remain in the ink cartridge On the oth protruding portion is positioned above the ink supply part, the detecti relatively high Therefore, ink empty is erroneously detected when a possible in case of that the protruding portion is positioned above t opening However, in this case, the float may contact an ink suppl coupled to the ink supply opening when the float is lowered protruding portion cannot be positioned at a lower position (close posit supply opening) Especially, if the ink supply mechanism incl mechanism which opens and closes the ink supply opening, it is furth position the protruding portion at a lower position Even if the lowe not contact the ink supply mechanism, the float may obstacle the flow is closer to the ink supply opening It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink cartr inserted to an ink jet recording apparatus horizontally, and which enables of ink empty when an amount of residual ink is little with little influen ink so that ink flows smoothly

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, there is pro cartridge as claimed in claim 1

According to the ink cartridge of claim 1 , the ink supply pa opening is formed at the front wall in the mounting direction of the ink the extracting member is inserted into the opening The ink supply pat rear of the opening of the ink supply part sol as to communicate the ope ink chamber The opening of the ink supply part is open and closed mechanism

Further, the light-receiving part is positioned above the ink sup to be intersected with the light path of the light emitted from the optical light-receiving part includes the inner space .which is communicated chamber. The light-blocking portion provided at one end of the piv positioned in the inner space of the light-receiving part. The float is p ink cartridge Therefore, the float can be positioned at the same hei supply portion without interfering the ink supply part In the ink cart horizontally inserted to the ink jet recording apparatus, the ink suppl light-receiving part are provided on the same surface which is a front cartridge and the pivot member can be pivoted when the ink surface is l to the ink supply part Accordingly, the ink is used almost completely

In claim 2, the middle of the ink chamber is not necessarily position with respect to the direction of mounting but may mean a range including an rear side and a front side from the center p predetermined range may be a center area when the ink cartridge is divi with respect to the direction of mounting

According to the ink cartridge of claim 2, since the float is po middle of the ink chamber, the float is prevented from increasing i enough space for storing ink can be obtained and the influence is little o For example, if the float is provided at a front side of the ink chamber the mounting direction, the floating member is close to the ^"ink su vibration due to the movement of the float might obstacle the ink floating member is provided at a rear side with respect to the mounting pivot member becomes increased in size and the capacity of the ink storing ink is reduced When the float is provided in the middle of th with respect to the mounting direction, the pivot member is prevented fr in size and an enough space for storing ink is obtained and influence is li flow

According to the ink cartridge of claim 3, when the ink cartrid to the ink jet recording apparatus, the pivot center is provide light-receiving part and above the opening of the ink supply part since the pivot center is provided below the light-receiving portion a opening of the ink supply part, ink empty can be surely detected a amount can be obtained enough

In claim 4, restricting the movement of the light-blocking mem only that the light-blocking member is restricted by inner surface of th and the inner surface of the top wall but also may mean that the horizon of the rotation member is restricted by the inner surfaces of the pair of si

According to the ink cartridge of claim 4, each surface defi space of the light-receiving part restricts the movement of the light-blo of the pivot member This prevents that the light-blocking mem positioned within the inner space of the light-receiving part comes off f space The light-blocking member does not come off from the inner s ink cartridge is transferred This improves reliability of products According to the ink cartridge of claim 5, the float of the piv located between the opening of the ink supply part and the light-receivi the light-blocking member is restncted by the bottom surface of the inne light-receiving portion The float is located at the bottom surface of t chamber when the light-receiving portion is irestricted by the top surfac space Accordingly, ink empty is detected when the amount of residual chamber is little

According to the ink cartridge of claim 6, the partitioning wall ink supply path from the ink chamber The opening is formed at a p partitioning wall which is lower than the opening of the ink supply par ink supply path is a space which is defined by the partitioning wall, i from the opening of the partitioning wall while the inner space surro completely used

According to the ink cartridge of claim 8, the float moves up buoyancy which is greater than gravity when the entire float is located i the float moves downwardly as the ink surface is lowered after a part exposed above the ink At least the float is formed of a material gravity is smaller than that of ink When the amount of residual ink is predetermined amount and the position of the float is higher than the i float moves downwardly as the ink surface is lowered. Accordingly, s member is activated precisely in response to a change in the amount o ink empty can be surely detected The float may be formed of a massive

According to the ink cartridge of claim 10, the air introd arranged above the light-receiving part The ink supply part, the light- and the air introduction part are formed from the lower side of the front cartridge in this order As a result, an ink extraction member, an opti air introducing mechanism can be closely arranged in the ink jet recordi In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, there is als ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 11

Brief Description of Drawings

Further features and advantages will aπse from the following embodiments when taken in conjunction with the enclosed drawings, of

FIG 1 is an angled diagram showing the external appearance of the device of the present invention

FiG 2 is an angled diagram of the refill unit

FIG 3 is a side view showing the state in which the door of the refill opened

FIG 4 is a cross-sectional diagram showing the refill unit in Figur FiG 9 IS a diagram showing the protector, where (a) is a top-surface protector in Figure 8 as seen from the IXa perspective, cross-sectional diagram of the protector in Figure 9(a) along the FiG 10 IS an angled diagram showing the external appearance of cartridge

FiG 11 is an angled diagram showing the details of the black ink cartrid

FIG 12 IS an angled diagram showing the external appearance of the black ink cartridge

FiG 13 is an angled diagram showing the details of the large capac cartridge

FIG 14 IS a diagram showing the ink reservoir element, where (a) is a fro ink reservoir element and (b) is a side view of the ink reservoir el FiG 15 IS a diagram showing the supply path formation part, where (a) showing a summary of the supply path formation part (a sid frame part), (b) is a cross-sectional diagram showing the formation part in Figure 15 (a) along the XVb-XVb line, (c) showing the state in which the amount of ink has been reduced diagram showing the completion of the ink supply IG 16 is a diagram showing the ambient air path formation part, w angled diagram showing a summary of the ambient air path form is a diagram showing the ambient air path formation part in Figu the arrow XVIb perspective, and (c) is a diagram showing the a formation part in Figure 16(a) along the arrow XVIc perspective iG 17 IS a diagram showing the injection path, formation part, where (a showing a summary of the injection path formation part, cross-sectional diagram of the injection path formation part in arm and (b) is a diagram showing the sensor arm in Figure 1 arrow XIXb perspective FiG 20 is a diagram showing one part of the ink reservoir element, diagram showing the side of the ink reservoir element, (b) showing one side of the front of the ink reservoir element, cross-sectional diagram of Figure 20(a) along the XXc-XXc line FiG 21 is a diagram showing the details of the ink reservoir element FIG. 22 is an exploded diagram of the ink supply mechanism and th intake mechanism, where (a) is an exploded diagram of th mechanism and (b) is an exploded diagram of the ambie mechanism FIG 23 is a diagram showing the supply cap, where (a) is a diagram sh of the supply cap, (b) is a diagram showing the side surface of t in Figure 23 (a) along the arrow XXIIIb perspective, (c) is a dia the planar surface of the supply cap, (d) is a diagram showin surface of the supply cap, and (e) is a cross-sectional diagram cap in Figure 23 (c) along the XXIIIe-XXIIIe line IG 24 is a diagram showing the supply joint, where (a) is a diagram side of the supply joint, (b) is a diagram showing the planar s supply joint, (c) is a diagram showing the bottom surface of the and (d) is a cross-sectional diagram of the supply joint in Figur the XXIVd-XXIVd line. IG 25 is a diagram showing the supply valve, where (a) is a diagra side of the supply valve, (b) is a diagram showing the side of the in Figure 25(a) along the arrow XXVb perspective, (c) is a dia the planar surface of the supply valve, (d) is a diagram showi FiG 27 is a diagram showing the supply slider, where (a) is a diagra side of the supply slider, (b) is a diagram showing the side of th in Figure 27(a) along the arrow XXVIIb perspective, (c) is a dia the planar surface of the supply slider, (d) is a diagram showi surface of the supply slider, and (e) is a cross-sectional diagram slider in Figure 27(c) along the XXVIIe-XXVIIe line

FiG 28 is a diagram showing the valve seat, where (a) is a diagram sh of the valve seat, (b) is a diagram showing the planar surface of

(c) is a diagram showing the bottom surface of the valve seat cross-sectional diagram of the valve seat in Figure 28(

XXVIIId-XXVIIId line

FIG 29 is a diagram showing the check valve, where (a) is a diagra side of the check valve, (b) is a diagram showing the planar check valve, (c) is a diagram showing the bottom surface of th and (c) is a cross-sectional diagram of the check valve in Figu the XXIXd-XXIXd line

FIG 30 is a diagram showing the cover, where (a) is a diagram showi the cover, (b) is a diagram showing the planar surface of the diagram showing the bottom surface/ of the cover, and (d) is a c diagram of the cover in Figure 30(b) along the XXXd-XXXd lin

FiG. 31 IS a diagram showing the ambient air cap, where (a) is a diagra side of the ambient air cap, (b) is a diagram showing the side o air cap in Figure 31 (a) along the arrow XXXIb perspective, (c) showing the planar surface of the ambient air cap, (d) is a diagra bottom surface of the ambient air cap, and (e) is a cross-section the ambient air cap in Figure 31(c) along the XXXIe-XXXIe line surface of the ambient air valve FlG 34 is a partial cross-sectional diagram showing the state in w supply mechanism and the ambient air intake mechanism have b into the ink supply unit and the ambient air intake unit FiG 35 is a diagram showing the manufacturing processes prior to weld FiG 36 is a diagram showing the welding processes for the film, diagram showing the welding surface of the film onto the frame a diagram showing the welding process to weld the film onto the FiG 37 is a diagram showing the manufacturing processes that are pe the film welding, where (a) is a diagram showing the attachm attach the ink supply mechanism and the ambient air intake me the frame part, (b) is a diagram showing the pressure reducing pr is a diagram showing the ink injection process iG 38 is a diagram showing the attachment process for the case, diagram showing the process to sandwich the frame part by the c a diagram showing the welding process to weld the case iG 39 is a diagram showing the manufacturing processes that are perf shipment of the ink cartridge, where (a) is a diagram showing t attach the protective cap, and (b) is a. 'diagram showing the proce the ink cartridge using the packaging unit. IG 40 is a diagram showing the method of attaching the ink car multifunction device IG 41 is a diagram showing the state in which the ink cartridge has be the multifunction device iG 42 is a diagram showing the operation of the sensor arm corresp amount of ink remaining within the ink reservoir chamber, wh inkjet recording device FiG 46 is a diagram showing the front perspective of the ink cartridge a which it is removed from the multifunction device

FiG 47 is a diagram showing the structure to reduce adherence of th detection surface of the detection part of the ink cartridge, where state in which the ink cartridge has been removed from the refil diagram showing the surface on which the detection part is for cartridge, and (c) is an angled view of the ink cartridge

FIG 48 is a diagram showing the front of the case, where (a) is a front vi that can store either the large capacity blank ink cartridge or cartridge and the color ink cartridge, and (b) is a front view of th store the black ink cartridge and the color ink cartridge. FIG 49 is a cross-sectional diagram showing a summary of the cross case, where (a) is a cross-sectional diagram showing a summary Figure 48(a) along the XXXXIXa-XXXXIXa line, and (b) is a c diagram showing a summary of the case in Figure 48(

XXXXIXb-XXXXIXb line FIG 50 is a cross-sectional diagram showing the state in which each ink been attached within the case FIG 51 is a diagram showing the combination of the ca diagrammatically FlG 52 is a diagram showing the ink cartridge and refill unit according example of embodiment, where (a) is a diagram showing the si cartridge according to the second example of embodiment, diagram showing the cross-section of the state in which the ink been attached within the refill unit of embodiment. FIG 55 is a cross-sectional diagram showing the state in which the according to the fifth example of embodiment has been attach refill unit FiG 56 is a cross-sectional diagram showing the state in which the according to the sixth example of embodiment has been attach refill unit FIG 57 is a block diagram showing a summary of the electrical str multifunction device according to the sixth example of embodim FIG 58 is a flowchart showing the ink cartridge attachment detection executed by the CPU FIG 59 IS an angled diagram showing the external appearance of the according to the seventh and eighth examples of embodiment, angled diagram showing the external appearance of the ink cartri to the seventh example of embodiment, and (b) is an angled dia the external appearance of the ink cartridge according to the eigh embodiment FiG 60 is a diagram showing the ink cartridge and refill unit accordin example of embodiment I FiG 61 is an angled diagram showing the external appearance of the according to the tenth example of embodiment FiG 62 is an exploded perspective diagram showing the ink cartridge the tenth example of embodiment

FIG 63 is a diagram showing the interchange _^procedure for the ink res FlG 64 is a diagram showing the ink reservoir unit according to the elev of embodiment Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Preferable embodiments of the present invention will be described reference to the attached drawings Figure 1 is an oblique view appearance of multifunction device 1 in which ink cartridge 14 o invention is installed

Printer part 11 is provided on the lower part of multifunction scanner part 12 is provided on the upper part of this printer part 11 device 1 is an MFD (Multi Function Device) in which printer part 11 an 12 are provided as a unit, and it has¹ various functions such as a pri scanner function, copy function, and facsimile function

Multifunction device 1 is primarily connected to a computer (ext illustrated in the figure), and it records images or documents to recordi as a recording medium based on image data or document data sent from Multifunction device 1 can also be connected to an external device suc camera (not illustrated in the figure) such that it records image data outp digital camera to recording paper Moreover, by using receiver 2, multifu 1 can communicate with a device of another party and send image data of the other party Furthermore, multifunction device 1 is equipped wit which is described below, and by loading various types of recording memory cards into this slot part 23, the device can record data such recorded on the recording medium to recording paper

In multifunction device 1, pπnter part 11 is configured as an in device, and refill unit 13, which stores ink that is supplied to a record illustrated in the figure) that discharges ink drops in advance, is equipp of the front surface of multifunction device 1 Refill unit 13 has a compa is configured such that ink cartridge 14 can be easily replaced, and and closed by rotating in the direction of arrow A with respect to docum this embodiment, document bed 15 constitutes a portion of th multifunction device 1, and document cover 16 constitutes a portion of t of multifunction device 1 Document bed 15 is equipped with a contact glass sheet (not ill figure) between the document bed and document cover 16, and it is equ image reading unit (not illustrated in the figure) on the inside A docu between document cover 16 and the contact glass sheet, and the imag reads images from the document by moving along the contact glass s bottom of the contact glass sheet

Document cover 16 is equipped with ADF 17, and this ADF 17 is co that it can consecutively feed up to a prescribed number of documents fr tray 18 to paper ejection tray 19 Moreover, ADF 17 has a known st detailed description will be omitted In this embodiment, a configurati equipped with ADF 17 may also be used In this configuration, docume opened by the user, and documents are placed on the contact glass sheet

Printer part 11 is equipped with an image recording part that recording head (not illustrated in the figure), and this is configured recording device Printer part 11 is equipped with refill unit 13 on the multifunction device 1 (front side of Figure 1) and on the bottom side of device 1 (bottom side of Figure 1) In other words, refill unit 13 is built surface Ia side and the bottom surface Ib side of multifunction dev embodiment, refill unit 13 is configured such that it can house and cartridges 14, and black, yellow, magenta, and cyan colored ink is stor these ink cartridges 14 The ink of each color stored in ink cartridges 14 the recording head through ink tube 53 (see Figure 5) and a paper feed tray (not illustrated in the figure) is positioned inside t (in Figure 1, the state in which the paper feed tray is disengaged is illu the recording paper that is sent from the paper feed tray is sent to the sent to the top and finally fed to the front side, and images are reco recording paper while the recording paper is fed The recording discharged to a paper ejection tray (not illustrated in the figure) that is pr upper part of the paper feed tray inside opening 22

Operation panel 30 is attached to the top surface of the front s multifunction device 1 (upper part of the front surface in Figure 1) panel 30 is an operation part for the purpose of performing the operati part 11 and scanner part 12, and it is equipped with various operation k liquid crystal display part 35 The various operation keys 31-34 arrange panel 30 are connected to a control device (or a control circuit board, no the figure) used as a control means for controlling major functions throu not illustrated in the Figure In addition to processing commands fro operation keys 31-34, the control device processes commands fro described above and controls the operation of multifunction device 1 Fu in which a device such as a personal computer is connected to multifunc the control device controls the operation/ of multifunction device instructions sent from this personal computer in addition to the inst operation panel 30

Slot part 23 through which recording media such as various small can be loaded is equipped on the bottom of operation panel 30 (bottom Image data is stored on the small memory card, and the image data (o related to image data) that is read out from the small memory card is liquid crystal display part 35 The device is configured such that arb Figure 2, and the state in which ink cartridges 14 are installed is illustrat an exploded perspective view of door 41 of refill unit 13 Figures 3 and state in which needle forming member 48 is removed

As illustrated in Figure 2, refill unit 13 is primarily equipped with which ink cartridges 14 are inserted and removed, and door 41, which i this case 40 Case 40 is formed into a roughly rectangular parallelepiped and, as illustrated in Figure 4, accommodating chambers 50 (housing pa and hold ink cartridges 14 are partitioned and formed on the i embodiment, case 40 has four accommodating chambers 50, and four 14 are inserted into and removed from each accommodating chamber wall surface shape of each accommodating chamber 50 is formed demarcates space corresponding to the outside shape of ink cartridge each ink cartridge 14 is installed in case 40, it is held inside case 40 with

As illustrated in Figure 2, case 40 is equipped with bottom plate part parts 43 that are provided on the left and right sides of this bottom plate plate part 43 on the back left side is not illustrated in Figure 2), ^'and ceil 44 that is positioned such that it spans the space between each side plat the inside of accommodating chambers 50 is further equipped with partit 47 (see Figure 4) for partitioning each accommodating chamber 50 T these partition wall parts 47 arranged is determined by the number of ink housed in case 40, and the positions in which they are arranged are dete thicknesses of ink cartridges 14 in the width direction As illustrated partition walls 47 are formed in a rib shape provided from the top a bottom plate part 42 and ceiling plate part 44 Further, partition wall p need to completely partition each accommodating chamber 50, so they shape as long as the shape protrudes to the inside from at least one of case 40.

As illustrated in Figure 5, needle 49 extends along the direction of case 40 and in a roughly horizontal direction (ink cartridge installatio the state in which needle forming member 48 is engaged with cutout p an ink cartridge 14 is installed in an accommodating chamber 50, thi inserted into ink supply part 120 (see Figure 8) of ink cartridge 14, and path is formed as supply valve 620 (see Figure 22) of ink supply mecha Figure 22) is pressed Needle 49 communicates with ink extraction op projects upward on the back side of case 40 (right side of Figure 5), and connected to this ink extraction opening 52. Ink tube 53 is connecte recording head (not illustrated in the figure), and it is able to supply the cartridges 14 to the inkjet recording head

Passage 54, which introduces ambient air into ink cartridges 14, is side wall of case 40, which forms the top of needle 49 (top of Figure 5) inside ink cartridges 14 is extracted through needle 49, ambient air cor the extracted ink passes through passage 54 and is supplied into ink cartr

Further, protrusion 55 that projects to the ink cartridge 14 side (left 5) is formed on the top of passage 54 This protrusion 55 is a guide pro fitted into case fitting grooves 214b2 and ]224b2 described below (s Moreover, when an ink cartridge 14 is about to be installed upsi upside-down insertion of ink cartridge 14 is prevented by this prot detailed description of this prevention of the backwards insertion of ink given below A detailed description of the internal structure of ink cartri given below On the back side of case 40,, remaining ink detection sensor 57, whi height of the ink liquid level (remaining ink) inside ink cartridge 14 sandwich both sides of detection part 140 of ink cartridge 14 accommodating chamber 50 (See Figure 18(b)) Remaining ink detectio connected to a control device, and the amount of remaining ink store cartridge 14 is constantly monitored by this control device Rib 44a is provided on ceiling plate part 44, and this improves the ri

40 Further, ceiling plate part 44 is equipped with swing arm mech tension spring is attached between swing arm mechanism 44b and ceilin and swing arm mechanism 44b is always elastically biased in the directi (front left side of Figure 2, left side of Figures 3-5) Swing arm mec configured such that the ends that project into case 40 (accommodating engage with latch parts 217a and 227a (see Figure 8) of ink cartridge 14

in the state in which it is elastically biased It is therefore possible to rel cartridge 14 that is installed in case 40

Opening 45 is provided on the front surface of case 40 (insertion which ink cartridge 14 is installed) This opening 45 is provided o accommodating chambers 50 In other words, each accommodating c successively provided inside case 40 on each opening 45, and the four 14 are respectively inserted into and removed from each accommodatin through openings 45 i Door 41 opens and closes opemng 45, and is provided on each op position of door 41 switches between a position in which it close (blocked position) as with the 1^st, 3^rd and 4^th door 41 from the back in f position in which it opens opening 45 (open position), as with the 2^nd do back left in Figure 2, and opemng 45 can thereby be opened and close 41 is in the blocked position, ink cartridge 14 is reliably held inside ac chamber 50, and when door 41 is in the open position, ink cartridge 14 As illustrated in Figure 6, door main body 60 is roughly formed int shape of a long and thin rectangle The external shape of door main bod according to the shape of opening 45 of case 40 Rotating shaft part supported on the lower part of the front surface of case 40, is formed end of door main body 60 (bottom side end in Figure 6) Specifically, b is formed on the front end of bottom plate part 42 of case 40 (see Figur and rotating shaft part 64 is fitted into this bearing part 42a such tha freely As a result, door mam body 60 can close opening 45 by standi opening 45 by folding over Pullout member 65, which is formed as a unit with door main body on the bottom end of door mam body 60 This pullout member 65 is r into an L-shape, and it has extension part 65a and curved part 65b Exte is successively provided on the bottom end of door main body 60 (rota 64), and curved part 65b is successively provided forming an approxima with extension part 65a

When door 41 is m the blocked position (state illustrated in Figure curved part 65b projects even further upwards than installation s accommodating chamber 50 (bottom surface inside accommodating ch makes contact with the bottom surface of ink cartridge 14, see Figure body 60 rotates around rotating shaft part 64 as a rotational center, a pullout member 65 that is formed in an L-shape also rotates around rota 64 as a rotational center When door 41 changes to the open position (s in Figure 3), curved part 65b of pullout member 65 rotates around rota 64 as a rotational center At this time, as a result of the rotation of cu outer wall surface 65c changes from a state in which it stands roughly p (state illustrated in Figure 4) to a roughly honzontal state (state illustrate member for pulling ink cartridge 14 out of accommodating chamber 50 guiding member when inserting ink cartridge 14 into accommodating ch

In this embodiment, two pullout members 65 are provided on ea body 60 In other words, pullout members 65 are configured such positioned opposite the width direction of door main body 60 an cartridge 14 by sandwiching it in the width direction Moreover, in this the spacing between each of the pullout members 65 is set to be sm width direction of ink cartridge 14.

Claw 61a is provided on both sides of pressing retaining member 6 protrudes to the outside from the side surface, and claw accommodatin which claw 61a is housed, is provided on door mam body 60 Claw

part 60a is configured from a groove that extends in a direction th perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of door main body 60 (vertic Figure 6) Claw 61a is fitted into claw accommodating part 60a such th freely, so pressing retaining member 61 is supported such that it can retreat in a direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction

body 60 In other words, pressing retaining member 61 can change posi a projected position in which it is raised from the inside surface of door (state illustrated in Figure 3) and a retreated position in which it has retre projected position to the side of door main body 60 (state illustrated Moreover, coil spring 66 is placed between pressing retaining member main body 60. Therefore, pressing retaining member 61 is elastically bi it is always in the projected position

When door 41 is in the blocked position, pressing retaining mem contact with the side surface of ink cartridge 14 and is displaced to position side as it is relatively pressed by ink cartridge 14 (state illustrate position) is formed into a flat surface, and a pair of projecting strips 61c this wall surface 61b Therefore, when door 41 is in the blocked positio 61c make contact with and press against the side surface of ink cartridge

Moreover, pressing retaining member 61 is configured such that, blocked position, it presses slightly downward from the center position direction of ink cartridge 14 (vertical direction in Figure 4) In other w retaining member 61 is provided in a position in which it makes conta downward from the center position in the vertical direction of ink cartrid for the purpose of improving the operationally in the case in which the door 41 For example, when pressing retaining member 61 is positione the center position in the vertical direction of ink cartridge 14, the user 41 by holding it in the vicinity of lock release lever 63, so the distanc part that is operated by the user and the pressing retaining member 61 b Therefore, the force induced by coil spring 66 of pressing retainin becomes large, and a force that is large enough to operate door 41 there necessary On the other hand, when pressing retaining member 6^*1 is pos the center position in the vertical direction of ink cartridge 14, the dist the part that is operated by the user and pressing retaining member 61 i user is able to operate door 41 with a small amount of force Moreover, retaining member 61 is positioned too far downward in the vertical di cartridge 14, it presses against the end of ink cartridge 14, so ink sometimes slopes inside accommodating chamber 50, making it unabl cartridge 14 correctly However, in this embodiment, pressing retaining positioned slightly below the center position in the vertical direction of 14, so ink cartridge 14 can be installed or held correctly and can be insta with a small amount of force. Further, slightly below the center position opposite the side surface that makes contact with pressing retaining m this ink supply part 120 and ambient air intake part 130 are equipp mechanisms having an elastic force In other words, they have a biasi and second supply springs 630 and 650 and first and second ambient a and 750) that presses the valves (supply valve 620 and ambient air valve such that they block communication between the interior and exterior o 14 Therefore, in order to reliably enable communication between ink ca the exterior, the elastic force of pressing retaining member 61 of this e set such that it is larger than the elastic force of the valve mechanisms part 120 and ambient air intake part 130 As a result, when ink cartridge inside accommodating chamber 50, the ink inside ink cartridge 14 is reli

and ambient air can be reliably introduced into ink cartridge 14 Moreov part 120 is on the bottom end and ambient air intake part 130 is on the t position in which ink cartridge 14 is installed in accommodating ch pressing retaining member 61 presses against a position that is relativel center position in the vertical direction of ink cartridge 14 Therefore, i to the case in which it presses against either the top or bottom end of ink the direction in which the momentum acts stabilizes, so ink cartrid stabilized and held \ , Door lock member 62 is attached to the top end of door main unit top side in Figure 6) Door lock member 62 has main shaft part 62a, key projects in the direction of the inside of case 40 continuing from the main shaft part 62a (upper side of Figure 6), and seat part 62c (cont projects in the direction of the outside of case 40 continuing from the main shaft part 62a (lower side of Figure 6)

Door lock member 62 is supported such that it can advance and shaft part 62a. When door lock member 62 is fitted into door main unit 6 housed in claw accommodating part 60c provided on door main body accommodating part 60c is configured from a groove that extends prescribed length in the vertical direction Therefore, when door loc slides upward or downward, claw 62e makes contact with the inside claw accommodating part 60c, and the sliding of door lock member 62 direction is thus restricted

The sliding range of door lock member 62 is defined as a result of the length of the groove that constitutes claw accommodating part 60c t dimension When door lock member 62 slides upward with respect to d 60 and claw 62e makes contact with the top edge of the inside wall s accommodating part 60c, door lock member 62 is in the position in wh upward from the upper end of door main body 60 When door lock me downward with respect to door main body 60 and claw 62e makes co bottom edge of the inside wall surface of claw accommodating part 6 member 62 is in the position in which it retreats to the inside of door ma

this specification, the position at which door lock member 62 makes co top edge of the inside wall surface of claw accommodating part 60c is "projected position", and the position at which door lock member 62 with the bottom edge of claw accommodating part 60c is defined as position".

Coil spring 67 (elastic member) is placed between door lock membe main body 60 Therefore, door lock member 62 is elastically biase always projects upward from door main body ₍60 - in other words, in th which it is displaced to the projection position

The top surface of key part 62b of door lock member 62 is a slope At this time, key part 62b of door lock member 62 is in a state in w into lock member fitting part 46 (see Figures 2 and 5), which is provi edge of opening 45 of case 40. Door lock member 62 is elastically bias always projects from door mam body 60 due to coil spring 67, so it is lock member fitting part 46, but the position of door lock mem intermediate position such that it retreats slightly more to the retreated than the projecting side Door lock member 62 is always elastically p lock member fitting part 46 when it is m the intermediate position, member 62 never easily deviates from lock member fitting part 46 Lock release lever 63 is formed into the shape of a rectangular p attached to the top of the outside of door main body 60 in a state i fastened to case 40 Door main body 60 is equipped with accommoda which houses lock release lever 63 This accommodating part 6Od concave part that is provided on door main body 60 This will be describ when lock release lever 63 changes positions, lock release lever 63 accommodating part 6Od .

Supporting pin 63 a is provided on the bottom end of lock release le same time, pin support hole 6Oe, into which supporting pin 63a is fitte on door mam body 60 Because supporting pin 63a is fitted into this pi 6Oe, lock release lever 63 is configured such that it can rotate freel rotational center of supporting pin 63 a Specifically, lock release configured such that it can be freely rotated and displaced between a p roughly parallel to the outer surface of door main body 60, a position inclined at approximately 45° (degrees) (state of door 41 on right side and a position in which it is folded over roughly horizontally (state of t from the right side of Figure 2) by moving the lever In this specificatio release lever 63 changes Because interlocking cam 63b is provide release lever 63 is rotated from the housed position, through the neutral to the folded position, door lock member 62 slides from the proje through the intermediate position, and to the retreated position Put t around, when door lock member 62 is in the projected position, lock re is placed in the housed position and door 41 is closed, and in the state i lock member 62 makes contact with lock member fitting part 46 of release lever 63 can be freely displaced between the housed position a position At this time, the central position of lock release lever 63 is s always moves to the neutral position due to its own weight Because loc 63 arrives in the neutral position due to its own weight, it is possible t operationality into the folded position.

Here, the outline of the operation of lock release lever 63 will Interlocking cam 63b of lock release lever 63 makes contact with seat pa lock member 62 In the state in which door 41 is closed (state illustrate lock release lever 63 attempts to further rotate door lock membe

interlocking cam 63b in a direction pressing downward However, door 62 is always elastically biased upward by coil spπng 67, so door lock not displaced by the action of the weight of lock release lever 63 alone, member 62 is maintained in the intermediate position

However, when lock release lever 63 is forcibly rotated - for exampl in which a user attempting to replace ink cartridge 14 operates and rotate lever 63 - lock release lever 63 is rotated and displaced to the folded p lock release lever 63 is displaced to the folded, position, interlocking ca and changes the position centered on supporting pin 63a and presses se door lock member 62 downward As a result, door lock member 62 mov arrives in a position in which it projects most from door main body release lever 63 is forcibly displaced to the housed position In other door 41 is in the open position, lock release lever 63 is in the position almost completely housed inside door main body 60. Therefore, when cartridge 14, because lock lever 92 is almost completely housed inside d 60, rotating is possible with rotating shaft part 64 as the center of rotati that door 41 is nearly horizontal, so the user can easily replace ink Moreover, the two strips 61c that are provided on wall surface 61 retaining member 61 also operate as guides when housing ink cartri accommodating chamber 50 in cooperation with a guide part between 65b In other words, when ink cartridge 14 is to be inserted into accom 50, the user may load the bottom surface of ink cartridge 14 onto strips tip part of ink cartridge 14 between curved parts 65b, and then press in in the direction of accommodating chamber 50 Further, when ink cartrid removed from accommodating chamber 50, the user should remove it un surface of ink cartridge 14 reaches the top of strips 61c from between 65b

When multifunction device 1 is in normal use, door 41 of refill unit and lock release lever 63 is placed in the neutral position Therefore, as Figure 1, when opening/closing cover 20 is opened when replacing ink lock release lever 63 slopes to the front surface side As a result, there is that the user can easily operate lock release lever 63 Incidentally, as Figure 1, refill unit 13 is placed on front surface Ia of multifunction d lock release lever 63 is placed in the neutral position (if it slopes to the side), then it is necessary for a space that is wide enough to accommod 13 to be secured inside multifunction device 1 Therefore, it is necessary opening/closing cover 20 is closed, and when opening/closing cover 20 closed, lock release lever 63 is displaced to the housed position as it opening/closing cover 20 Therefore, in this embodiment, a compa multifunction device 1 can be realized Next, ink cartridges 14 that are used in this embodiment will be reference to Figures 7 to 13 Ink c 1artridges 14 are for the purpose of advance, and cyan, magenta, yellow, and black colored ink is store cartridge 14. However, with regard to the structure of each ink cart cartridge 14 that stores black ink is formed such that it is slightly thick cartridges 14 that store the other colors of ink This is because the de ink is generally the highest and it is expended in large quantities and ink consists of pigmented inks, while colored inks consist of dyed inks, ink is mixed with colored ink, large quantities of colored ink must be ex recovery process Therefore, the external shape of the black ink is form shape such that colored ink and black ink can be visually confirmed. structures of ink cartridges 14 that store colored inks are all formed shapes

First, colored ink cartridges 14 for storing colored ink will be d reference to Figures 7 to 9 Figure 7 is ₍ an oblique view showing appearance of a colored ink cartridge 14 Figure 8 is an exploded obliq colored ink cartridge 14 Figure 9 is a diagram showing protector 300, a surface view of protector 300 from the perspective of IXa in Figure 8, cross-sectional view of protector 300 through line IXb-IXb in Figur following description, the X-direction indicates the longitudinal dir cartridge 14 (case 200, ink reservoir element 100), the Y-direction indic direction of ink cartridge 14 (case 200, ink reservoir element 10 which covers roughly the entire body of ink reservoir element 100 that Figure 8), and protector 300, which is attached to this case 200 an reservoir element 100 when ink cartridge 14 is fed. As is clear from Figu is formed into a rectangular parallelepiped that contains a pair of largest and 220a that oppose one another (cases 1200 and 2200 explained same) In this embodiment, ink reservoir element 100, case 200, protect of the members contained in ink cartridge 14 described below are form materials and do not contain metal materials, so they can be burned disposal For example, nylon, polyester, or polypropylene can be materials

As illustrated in Figure 8, ink reservoir element 100 is primarily e frame part 110, which forms ink reservoir chamber 111 that stores in and reservoir space including ink reservoir chamber 111), ink supply pa supplies ink stored in this frame part 110 to multifunction device 1 (s ambient air intake part 130, which introduces ambient air into fra detection part 140 (irradiated part), which is provided in order to detect remaining ink stored inside frame part 110, ink dispensing part 150, w ink into frame part 110, and film 160, which is welded to both sides of f (both top and bottom surfaces in Figure 8) in, order to form an ink reser on frame part 110 Descriptions of frame part 110, ink supply part 12 intake part 130, detection part 140, ink dispensing part 150, and film manufacturing process for ink reservoir element 100 will be given below

Case 200 comprises two case elements 210 and 220 that sandwich element 100 from above and below (top and bottom of Figure 8, Z-di case member 210 is a member that covers the bottom side surface of element 100 in Figure 8, and second case element 220 is a member that becomes small (the gap becomes narrow), so even if pressure were a from the outside of case 200, the amount of deformation of case 200 small, so it would be possible to reduce the damage of case 200

First case member 210 comprises a plate-shaped part that forms l 210a and vertical wall parts 210b-210e that are provided in rough directions (vertical directions and Z-direction in Figure 8) from t portions of the four sides of this plate-shaped part Regarding verti 210d-210e, the vertical wall that forms the protector 300 side of first 210 is 210b, the vertical wall that is placed opposite this vertical wal 210c, and the vertical walls that are respectively connected to vertical and 210b are vertical wall parts 21Od and 21Oe (the right side of Figur wall part 21Od, and the left side of Figure 8 is vertical wall part 21Od).

Two case cutout parts 211 and 212 for the purpose of exposing ink s and ambient air intake part 130 to the outside of case 200 are formed o part 210b of first case member 210 Case cutout parts 211 and 212 ar roughly semicircular shapes from the edges of vertical wall part 210b, a part 211 on the right front side of Figure 8 is a cutout corresponding to i 120, while case cutout part 212 on the left back side of Figure corresponding to ambient air intake part 130] _'Rectangular case cutout p is cut out into a rectangular shape, is formed between case cutout part cutout part 212, and this is a cutout for inserting remaining ink detect (see Figure 5) to the position at which it sandwiches detection part groove 211a, which makes contact with ink supply part 120, is formed surface connecting to case cutout part 211 of first case member 210 groove 212b, which makes contact with ambient air intake part 130, is inside surface connecting to case cutout part 212 of first case member of Figure 8) such that they sandwich case cutout parts 211 to 213, and part 120 side (right front side of Figure 8) is case projecting part 21 ambient air intake part 130 side (left back side of Figure 8) is case p 214b Case projecting part 214a has sloping surface 214a2, which direction of case cutout parts 211 to 213 (direction of the mside of first 210) towards the edge from the portion that connects to the outside surf wall part 21Od of the case member 210 (protector 300 direction, left fro Figure 8) When ink cartridge 14 is to be installed into multifunction Figure 1), it is installed such that case projecting part 214a is on the bott result, in the case in which ink cartridge 14 is installed_^ when sloping makes contact with bottom wall part 41 of refill unit 13, ink cartridge 1 led to the prescribed installation position due to its slope

On case projecting part 214a, case projecting cutout part 214al, w into a rectangular shape, is formed on the inside surface that forms th cutout parts 211 to 213 On case projecting part 214b, Case projecti 214bl, which is also cut out into a rectangular shape, is also formed surface that forms the side of case cutout parts 211 to 213 These c cutout parts 214al and 214bl are provided in order to prevent the natu of protector 300 in the state in which protector 300 is attached to c protruding parts 330al and 330bl of protector 300, which will be descri fitted into these parts (see Figure 9)

Further, case fitting groove 214b2, which is used as a fitting part in protector fitting part 320 of protector 300 (see Figure 9) described below, case projecting part 214b This case fitting groove 214b2 is formed acros vertical wall part 21Oe from the edge of case projecting part 214b protector 300 side) first case member 210 The position of ink reservoir element 100 is dete three locations of these rod members 215a to 215c, so they can prevent t of ink reservoir element 100 in mistaken directions

Second case member 220 comprises a plate-shaped part that forms l 220a and vertical wall parts 220b to 220e that are provided in rough directions (vertical directions and Z-direction in Figure 8) from th portions of the four sides of this plate-shaped part Regarding vertical w to 22Oe, the vertical wall that forms the protector 300 side of second cas is 220b, the vertical wall that is placed opposite this vertical wall part and the vertical walls that are respectively connected to vertical wall p 220b are vertical wall parts 22Od and 22Oe (the right side of Figure 8 i part 22Od, and the left side of Figure 8 is vertical wall part 22Od)

Second case member 220 has a symmetrical structure that is roughl to first case member 210 As with first case member 210, three case cu to 223 are formed on vertical wall part 220b, and contact groove 221a case cutout part 221 and contact groove 222a connected to case cutou also formed Case cutout parts 221 and 222 are formed into the same s cutout parts 211 and 212 of first case member 210 (roughly semicircula case cutout part 223 is formed into the same shape as case cutout part 21 member 210 (roughly rectangular shape) Moreover, case projecting p 224b are formed on both sides of case cutout parts 221 to 223, and c part 224a has sloping surface 224a2 that slopes in the direction of cas 221 to 223 towards the edge from the portion that connects to the outs vertical wall part 21Od of second case member 220 Case projecting cuto (not illustrated in the figure) is formed on case projecting part 22 projecting cutout part 224b 1 and case fitting groove 224b2 are for 200 are formed into roughly the same shapes, and when they are in the they hold ink reservoir element 100, roughly circular through-holes portion of ink supply part 120 to the outside are formed by case cutout 221, while roughly circular through-holes that expose a portion of amb part 130 to the outside are formed by case cutout parts 212 and 222 into which remaining ink detection sensor 57 (see Figure 5) can b formed on both sides of detection part 140 (both the top and bottom side both sides in the Z-direction) by case cutout holes 213 and 223 and th detection part 140 Further, a protrusion ("first projecting part", or "ot part") that contributes to the prevention of ink contamination of refil prevention of the installation of the cartridge into refill unit 13 m the w

and the prevention of the damage of ink supply part 120 and ambient 130 is formed by case projecting part 214a and case projecting part protrusion ("second projecting part", or "one projecting part") that cont prevention of the aforementioned installation in the wrong position tog protrusion that is formed from case projecting part 214a and case project and the prevention of the damage of parts such as ink supply part 120 case projecting part 214b and case projecting part 224b These protru described m detail below Moreover, as is clear from Figure 8, ink supp positioned closer to the protrusion formed from case projecting part 2 projecting part 224a than the protrusion formed by case projecting part projecting part 224b. A through-hole into which projecting part 330al of (see Figure 9) is loosely inserted is formed by case projecting cutout pa 224al, and a through-hole into which projecting part 330bl of prote Figure 9) is loosely inserted is formed by case projecting cutout par 224b 1, while a fitting groove in the shape of a roughly rectangular paral shapes are similar, so costs associated with die design can be reduced

Next, the external shape of case 200 will be described On first an members 210 and 220, vertical wall parts 21Od, 21Oe, 22Od, and 22Oe of both sides) in directions (Y-direction) that are orthogonal to longitu B (X-direction connecting the right back side of Figure 8 and the left Figure 8, arrow B in Figure 8) are formed into concave shapes, and ste with respect to largest surfaces 210a and 220a (surfaces) of first an members 210 and 220 First and second case members 210 and 220 these step portions, and ink reservoir element 110 is fastened to case 2 these step portions, the step portions on the side of ink supply part 1 side of Figure 8) are first case welded parts 216 and 226, and the step p side of ambient air intake part 130 (left back side in Figure 8) are secon parts 217 and 227

In the following explanation, longitudinal direction B of first an members 210 and 220 (direction parallel to the X-direction) refers to th direction of ink cartridge , 14, the longitudinal direction or ink reservoir and the longitudinal direction of case 200.

Here, first and second case welded parts 226 and 227 of second cas described First case welded part 226 is connected to case projecting pa same plane, and on the opposite side as case projecting part 224a, it has 226a, which is formed into a concave shape in the direction of the ins case member 220, and engagement part 226b that engages with pullout door 41 (see Figure 6) when ink cartridge 14 is removed from refill Figure 1) Concave part 226a is a region for securing the oscillatin pullout member 65 rotates Case welded part 227 has latch part 227a, w into a concave shape in roughly intermediate position of longitudinal Next, protector 300 will be described with reference to Figures 8 an a diagram that shows protector 300, and Figure 9(a) is a top view of from the perspective of IXa in Figure 8, while Figure 9(b) is a cross-sec protector 300 through line IXb-IXb in Figure 9(a) Protector 300 is protecting ink supply part 120 and ambient air intake part 130, in par reservoir element 100 when ink cartridge 14 is shipped Protector 300 i resin material and is manufactured using injection molding

As illustrated in Figure 8, protector through-hole 310 is formed on in a location corresponding to the side of ambient air intake part 130 (le Figure 8) on the bottom surface This is because valve open part 721a ambient air valve 720 (see Figure 33) projects outward from ambient 130, and protector through-hole 310 is formed in order to protect this v 721a

As illustrated in the top view of Figure 9(a), first protector fitting p is fitted into the fitting groove formed by case fitting grooves 214b2 a Figure 8), is formed in the vicinity of the end of the side of protector thr of protector 300 (left side in Figure 9(a)) Second protector fitting part 3 fitted into the through-hole formed by case projecting cutout parts 214 (see Figure 8) and fastens protector 300 to case 200, is formed in the end of the opposite side as the side on which first protector fitting part (right side in Figure 9(a)), and second protector fitting part 330b, whic the through-hole formed by case projecting cutout holes 214bl and 224 8) and fastens protector 300 to case 200, is provided between first pr part 320 and protector through-hole 310 Moreover, protector loose insertion parts 340a and 340b, whic inserted into the through-holes formed by case cutout parts 213 and 22 of protector 300

First protector fitting part 320 is positioned such that it extends parallel to a direction orthogonal to longitudinal direction C of protecto direction in Figure 9(a), X-direction), and consists of protector vert provided from the bottom wall of protector 300 and two protector verti that are connected to the side wall on the opposite side as protector thr from protector vertical wall 321 (left side in Figure 9(a)) As illustrated i each protector vertical wall 322 consists of a top part formed paralle vertical wall 321 from the top end of first protector fitting part 320 (to Figure 9(b)) and a bottom part connected to the side wall of protecto roughly intermediate position in the projecting direction of first protect

320 (upward in Figure 9(b), X-direction), and they have steps

As a result, when fitted into the fitting groove formed by case fi 214b2 and 224b2 (see Figure 8), protector vertical wall 321 and the to vertical wall 322 are inserted into the fitting groove. When first protect 320 is inserted into the fitting groove, it is inserted as it is restricted by protector vertical wall 321, which extends in the Z-direction o longitudinal direction C (Y-direction), and the end of protector vertica longitudinal direction C Here, if first protector fitting part 320 is formed the same shape as the fitting groove formed by case fitting grooves 214 (see Figure 8), the attachment of protector 300 takes time and effort, an fitting part 320 is extremely small in comparison to the fitting groove, t the attachment direction of protector 300 cannot be determined Howev is inserted as it is restricted by protector vertical walls 321 and 322 at on surface of protector vertical wall 321) and four points (ends of both side vertical wall 321 and two ends of protector vertical wall 322) th Shaft parts 330a2 and 330b2 have elasticity because protector 300 is f resin material, and protector 300 is attached and removed as second pr parts 330a and 330b are elastically deformed in the inside direction

Here, black ink cartridge 14 will be described with reference to Figu Figure 10 is an oblique view that shows the external appearance of blac 14 Figure 11 is an exploded oblique view of black ink cartridge 14

As illustrated in Figures 10 and 11, black ink cartridge 14 is config its external profile is larger (the thickness (length in the Z-direction) i that of colored ink cartridges 14 Specifically, second case membe constitutes case 1200, is identical to second case member 220 for col first case member 1210, which constitutes case 1200, is formed such th

(the length in the Z-direction is large) than first case member 210 for co

^" reservoir element 100 has sufficient capacity to store black ink, so it with the same shape as colored ink reservoir element 100 and uses th Moreover, protector 1300 is formed corresponding to case 1200, and it i that it is thicker in the vertical direction (Z-direction) than protector 30 black ink cartridge 14 will be described with regard to first case mem descriptions of second case member 220, ink reservoir element 100, 1300 will be omitted here Only the depth of) first case member 1210 (th vertical directions (length of Z-direction) in Figure 11) the differs fro case member 210, and the rest of' its configuration is the same, s description will be omitted here

As illustrated in Figure 11, first case member 1210 comprises a plat that forms largest surface 1210a and vertical wall parts 1210b to 1 provided in roughly orthogonal directions (vertical directions and Figure 11) from the outer edge portions of the four sides of this plate the vertical wall heights of vertical wall parts 210b to 21Oe of first cas for colored ink, and the thickness of ink cartridge 14 is accordingly incre

As with first case member 210, case cutout parts 1211 and 1212, whi into roughly semicircular shapes on vertical wall part 1210b, are forme member 1210 in order to expose ink supply part 120 and ambient air i to the outside of case 200, and case cutout part 1213, which is c rectangular shape, is formed between case cutout part 1211 and case cut Two case projecting parts 1214a and 1214b are formed on both side member 1210, and case projecting part 1214a has sloping surface members 1215a, 1215b and 1215c, which determine the position of element 100, are formed on first case member 1210

Further, rib 1218 is formed on roughly the entire inside surface member 1210 (roughly the entire largest surface 1210a) This rib 1218 Z-direction towards the side of ink reservoir element 100 to the de external profile of first case member 1210 is enlarged with respect member 210 (difference in heights of vertical wall parts 210b to 21O member 210 and vertical wall parts 1210b to 121Oe of first case m Because this rib 1218 is provided, the space (gap) formed between element 100 and first case 1210 can be filled It is therefore possible to strength of case 1200 against pressure from the outside

Moreover, by making the external profile of black ink cartridge 14 l of colored ink cartridge 14, it is possible to differentiate between black 14 and other ink cartridges 14 Black is a darker color than other color preferable for it to be mistakenly loaded into refill unit 13 and us because the external profile of black ink cartridge 14 is made lar differentiated from other ink cartridges 14, so mistaken installations ca Next, large-capacity black ink cartridge 14 will be described wit Figures 12 and 13 Figure 12 is an oblique view that shows the external large-capacity black ink cartridge 14 Figure 13 is an exploded obl large-capacity black ink cartridge 14. As illustrated in Figures 12 and 13, the external profile of large-capa cartridge 14 is configured such that it is larger (longer in the Z-direction and black ink cartridges 14 Specifically, the vertical wall heights of vert 2220b to 222Oe of second case member 2220 are formed such that the twice the vertical wall heights of vertical wall parts 220b to 22Oe o member 220, and second case member 2220, which constitutes case 2 made thicker than second case member 220 for colored and black ink.

first case member 2210, which constitutes case 2200, rib 1218 of first 1210 for black ink is simply removed Further, ink reservoir element 2 thickened such that the capacity increases with respect to colored a reservoir element 100 Therefore, detailed descriptions of large-capac cartridge 14 will be omitted here For the reference numerals

large-capacity black ink cartridge 14, the reference numeral 2000 is reference numerals attached to colored ink cartridge 14. The thicknesse member 2210 and second case member 2220 in the vertical direction (Z- roughly equivalent, so ink supply part 2120, ambient air supply pa detection part 2140 are positioned in the center position in the vertical di

Corresponding to ink cartridges with the three types of sizes describ desirable for refill unit 13 of multifunction device 1 to be configured equipped with multiple accommodating chambers 50 that house cored i 14 and a single accommodating chamber 50 that selectively houses black 14 and large-capacity black ink cartridge 14 (the inner space of this ac Next, ink reservoir element 100 will^' be descnbed with reference Figure 14 is a diagram that shows ink reservoir element 100, and Fig front view of ink reservoir element 100, while Figure 14(b) is a bac reservoir element 100 The state of ink reservoir element 100 illustrate is the position in which ink cartridge 14 is installed in multifunction Figure 1) As illustrated in Figure 14, this is a position in which th direction (X-direction) and the width direction (Z-direction) of ink car reservoir element 100) are horizontal directions, and it is a state in whi part 120, ambient air intake part 130, and detection part 140 are position surface, ink supply part 120 is positioned on the bottom part side, an intake part 130 is positioned on the ceiling side Ink reservoir elemen from ink reservoir element 100 only with regard to its thickness ( X-direction), so its detailed descnption will be omitted here

As described above, ink reservoir element 100 is primarily equipp part 110, ink supply part 120, ambient air intake part 130, detection dispensing part 150, and film 160 Moreover, ink reservoir element 100

roughly as a flat hexahedron The pair of surfaces that constitute the l this hexahedron is the front surface side and the back surface side of element 100 illustrated in Figure 14, and jit is configured with appr surfaces with the side surfaces (side walls) positioned in four direction this front surface side and the back surface side The pair of surfaces t the largest area of ink reservoir element 100 are parallel to the pair of la 210a and 220a of case 200 when loaded into case 200 Moreover, film to both the front surface side and the back surface side of frame pa thickness of ink reservoir element 100 (length in the Z-direction), wh into a flat shape, can be reduced in comparison to the case in which As illustrated in Figure 14(a), outer circumference welded part 400a film 160 to the vicinity of the outer edge part, and multiple inner welded parts 411a to 417a, which are provided on the inside circumference welded part 400a, are formed on the front surface side 110 Outer circumference welded part 400a is a vertical wall that demar space of frame part 100 (space on the side of first chamber Ilia of chamber 111) Moreover, the blackened edge portions of the inner welded parts (ribs or first ribs) 411a to 417a illustrated in Figure 14( surface parts (πb fixed' parts or first rib fixed parts), and the front sur (blackened portion) of outer circumference welded part 400a is the w part (fixed part) on the periphery of first opening 112a Film 160 is welded surface part by ultrasonic welding

As illustrated in Figure 14(b), outer circumference welded part 400b film 160 to the vicinity of the outer edge part, and multiple inner welded parts 411a to 417b, which are provided on the inside circumference welded part 400b, are formed on the back surface side 110 Outer circumference welded part 400b is a wall demarcating the int frame 100 Outer circumference welded part 400b is a vertical wall th the inner space of frame part 100 (space on,¹ the side of second chambe reservoir chamber 111) Moreover, the blackened edge portio circumference welded parts (ribs or second ribs) illustrated in Figure 14( surface parts (rib fixed parts or second rib fixed parts) 411b to 417b, surface side edge (blackened portion) of the outer circumference welde the welded surface part (fixed part) on the periphery of the opening welded to this welded part by ultrasonic welding

The inside of outer circumference welded parts 400a and 400b c Frame 110 is primarily equipped with^' supply path forming part 42 14(a) and 14(b)), which communicates with ink supply part 120 an stored inside ink reservoir chamber 111 to the outside, ambient air c passage forming part 430 (see Figure 14(a)), which communicates wit intake part 130 and introduces ambient air into ink reservoir plate-shaped link forming part 440 (see Figures 14(a) and 14(b)), whic roughly the center of frame part 110 (or ink reservoir chamber 111) an vicinity of ambient air intake part 130 to the vicinity of ink dispensing dispensing passage forming part 450 (see Figure 14(b)), which comm ink dispensing part 150 and dispenses ink into ink reservoir chamber 1 forming part 440 partitions first cliamber Ilia and second chamber reservoir chamber 111 in a state in which they communicate with one a is a linking plate that is between virtual plane R (not illustrated in the fig film 160 that is welded to outer circumference welded part 400a exten plane S (not illustrated in the figure), in which film 160 that is we circumference welded part 400b extends, and extends in a plane par virtual planes This link forming part 440 will be descnbed in detail in a Ambient air passage forming part 430 is formed such that it is positione front surface side of frame part 110 (side of first chamber Il ia of chamber 111), and it is roughly partitioned by plate part 438, which exte these planes between a portion of outer circumference welded part 4 circumference welded part 412a and virtual planes R and S This communicating passage forming part 430 will be described in detail in a In this embodiment, ink reservoir chamber 111 mside frame part 110 (i provided as the region containing supply path forming part 420, communicating passage forming part 430, link forming part 440, a are formed in one location on the bottom part (bottom part of Figure 14( part of Figure 14(b)) and in two locations on the top part (top part of Fi top part of Figure 14(b)), and through-holes 460a to 460c, into which 215a to 215c (see Figure 8) of first case member 210 described above ar formed on these protruding parts

First, inner circumference welded parts 411a to 417a will be d reference to Figure 14(a) Inner circumference welded parts 411a to 4 inner circumference welded part 411a, which is provided on supply pat 420, inner circumference welded part 412a, which is provided on communicating passage forming part 430, and inner circumference wel to 417a, which are provided on link forming part 440 Moreover, the parts of inner circumference welded parts 411a to 417a are positione virtual plane as the welded surface part of outer circumference welded film 160 can be welded on the same plane (virtual plane R) Inner circumference welded part 41 Ia is provided on supply path for and it consists of a downward-sloping vertical wall that slopes in a intersects with longitudinal direction B of frame part 110 (see Figur direction in Figure 14(a)) Inner circumference welded part 412a forms (vertical wall) of ambient air connection passage 433, which will be des in ambient air communicating passage forming part 430, and it downward-sloping vertical wall that slopes in a direction that in longitudinal direction B of frame part 110 (X-direction) Inner circumfe part 413a is provided in the vicinity of ambient air intake part 130, and i downward-sloping vertical wall that slopes in a direction that in longitudinal direction B of frame part 110, and a vertical wall that exte vertical wall in a direction that is roughly orthogonal to longitudinal Inner circumference welded part 415a consists of a vertical wall that longitudinal direction B of frame part 110, a vertical wall that c perpendicularly such that it faces the direction of the bottom part of f from this vertical wall, and a vertical wall that slopes downward fro wall in a direction that intersects with longitudinal direction B of fr (Y-direction) Inner circumference welded part 416a is provided, in the dispensing part 150, and it consists of a downward-sloping vertical wall a direction that intersects with longitudinal direction B of frame p circumference welded part 417a is provided in the vicinity of ink dispen and it consists of a vertical wall that extends in a direction that is rough to longitudinal direction B of frame part 110 and a downward-sloping that slopes from this vertical wall in a direction that intersects wit direction B of frame part 110

In other words, at least a portion of the vertical walls of inner welded parts 411a to 417a extends in a direction that slopes downward orthogonal to longitudinal direction B of frame part 110 (in other wor part side of ink reservoir chamber 111 in the position in which ink c installed), and the end of this bottom part side (bottom part side in Fig free end As a result, even when multiple inner circumference welded 417a are provided on the inside of outer circumference welded part 40 suppress the slackening of film 160 when film 160 is to be welded to fr these multiple inner circumference welded parts 411a to 417a do not inhibit the flow of ink facing ink supply part 120 Moreover, inner welded parts 411a to 417a are spread around the inside of outer circumfe part 400a (scattered in multiple units), so they efficiently prevent the slack in film 160 and avoid inhibiting the flow of ink circumference welded part 412a Moreover, the welded surface p circumference welded parts 411b to 417b are positioned on the same v that of the welded surface part of outer circumference welded part 400b can be welded on the same plane (virtual plane S) Inner circumference welded part 412b comprises inner circumferen

412bl, which consists of a vertical wall that extends from outer circumf part 400b in a direction that is roughly orthogonal to longitudinal directi part 110 (Y-direction), and inner circumference welded part 412b2, consists of a vertical wall that extends from outer circumference welded direction that is roughly orthogonal to longitudinal direction B [of fra Inner circumference welded part 412bl and inner circumference weld are provided from plate part 438, which demarcates ambient air c passage forming part 430 This is because ambient air communic forming part 430 is formed only on the front surface side of frame part circumference welded part 412bl and inner circumference welded p provided in order to suppress the generation of slack in film 160 i corresponding to the back surface side of this ambient air communic forming part 430 Moreover, as with the front surface side, inner welded parts 411b to 417b become free ends and are spread around surface side of frame part 110 as well (scattered in multiple units), so t reduce the inhibition of ink flow while suppressing the generation of 160

Because inner circumference welded parts 411a to 417a and 411 equipped in a spread-out orientation (scattered in multiple units), in the case 200 is formed from a flexible resin material, it is possible to deformation with inner circumference welded parts 411a to 417a and Next, supply path forming part 420 will be described with reference Figure 15 is a diagram that shows supply path forming part 420 Fig diagram that shows the outline of supply path forming part 420 (diagra surface side of frame part 110), Figure 15(b) is a diagram that shows a c view of supply path forming part 420 through line XVb-XVb in Figure 15(c) is a diagram that shows the state in which the amount of rema decreased, and Figure 15(d) is a diagram that shows the state in which ink has been completed

As illustrated in Figure 15(a), supply path forming part 420 is prim with first supply communicating hole 421, which communicates with i 120, supply partition wall 422, which is formed into a roughly triangula viewed from the direction perpendicular to the page in Figure 15 (a encloses this first supply communicating hole 421, plate part 427, whi region on the inside of supply partition wall 422 and extends parallel to R and S between the planes, second supply communicating hole 423, w as a portion of supply partition wall 422 is cut out, supply concave part formed by making a portion of the bottom part of ink reservoir chambe part of Figure 15(a), portion of wall part of part 400bl that forms the b ink reservoir chamber 111 in outer circumference welded part 400b) i shape (stepped shape), plate part 428, which extends from outer circumfe part 400b and supply partition wall 422 and extends parallel to virtual p between the planes, arm sandwiching part 425, which is provided on t plate part 428 and has sensor arm 470 ("displacement member", see Fig attached as a rotating member (described below), and inner circumferenc 411a, which is provided in the direction of detection part 140 (see Figur this arm sandwiching part 425 Moreover, film 160 is welded to supply direction (Y-direction) of cartridge 14, and it constitutes the portion o positioned on the bottommost side (lowest side) of ink reservoir cha illustrated in Figure 15(a), first supply communicating hole 421 is bottom part 400bl (same height as the top end of recessed space 424a supply communicating hole 423 is formed below bottom part 400bl I second supply communicating hole 423 is positioned on the lowe reservoir chamber 111 (bottom part side) that is lower than communicating hole 421 Arm sandwiching part 425 is formed leftward-facing C shape when viewed from the direction perpendicular Figure 15(a), and a portion of the side opposite ink supply part 120 (left 15(a)) is opened As illustrated in Figures 14(a) and 14(b), welded welded part 411a described above are provided such that they face the as one another from plate part 428

As illustrated in Figure 15(b), supply partition wall 422 is formed s film 160 is to be welded, it separates the inside of frame part 110 chamber 111) and first supply communicating hole 421 In other wor

chamber 426 that is enclosed by supply partition wall 422 communic inside of frame part 110 only through second supply communicating h result, ink that is stored inside frame part 110 is supplied into ink supply from second supply communicating passage 423, and it is then supplied part 120 from first supply communicating hole 421 (path illustrated b Figure 15(c) (ink flow path))

Next, ink flow path D, through which ink inside frame part 110 is s supply part 120, will be described with reference to Figures 15(c) a illustrated in Figure 15(c), when liquid surface I of ink that is stored ins is higher than supply concave part 424, the ink is supplied to ink su illustrated in Figure 8, and, as descπbed below, a portion of ink supp 500 and check valve 670 are housed inside ink supply element 116, w 672 of check valve 670 (see Figure 29) is inserted into first supply c hole 421 Therefore, taking into consideration the space occupied b mechanism 500 and check valve 670, there is a limit to the formation communicating hole 421 on the bottom side of ink reservoir chamber 1 110) In a configuration in which supply partition wall 422 is not pr liquid surface I of the ink drops below first supply communicating becomes impossible to supply the ink,¹ and the full use of the ink inside chamber 111 becomes poor However, by supplementing supply partitio forming second supply communicating hole 433 on the bottom part si first supply communicating hole 431, it is possible to supply ink until li of the ink falls below second supply communicating hole 433, so it facilitate the full use of the ink When ink is further supplied from the state illustrated in Figure 15 surface I of the ink drops below the upper end of supply concave becomes lower than second supply communicating hole 423, ambient ink supply chamber 426 enclosed by supply partition wall 422 through communicating hole 423, and as a result, additional ink can no longe (state illustrated in Figure 15(d))

As illustrated in Figure 15(d), a difference of distance tl is provided 400bl that forms the bottom part of ink reservoir chamber 111 in outer welded part 400b and the lower end of second supply communicating h if second supply communicating hole 423 is above part 400bl that for part of ink reservoir chamber 111, additional ink cannot be supplie surface I of the ink reaches second supply communicating hole 423, so t concave part 424 is formed on the bottommost part of ink reservoir cha Figure 14), so the ink inside reservoir chamber 111 flows into supply 424 and accumulates in supply concave part 424 when the amount o small Therefore, by establishing supply concave part 424, it is possibl the full use of the ink inside ink reservoir chamber 111.

Debris E remains inside the ink remaining inside supply concave pa because the difference of distance t2 is provided between se communicating hole 423 and the bottom part side wall of supply con (side wall on the lower side in Figure 15(d)) As described above, when I of the ink drops below second supply communicating hole 423, cannot be supplied, so the ink that is between second supply communic and supply concave part 424 remains inside supply concave part 424 supplied to ink supply part 120 Dust or plastic debris that is left over part 110 when ink cartridge 14 is manufactured sometimes remains msi the specific gravity of this dust or plastic debris is greater than that of remains in the vicinity of the bottom part of frame part 110 Therefore, a

Figure 15(d), debris E remains inside the ink remaining inside supply 424 When debris E is supplied to ink supply part 120 and supplied to device 1 (see Figure 1), there is a possibility that ink clogging will o accurate printing impossible However, as described above, because provided between second supply communicating hole 423 and the bot wall of supply concave part 424, debris E remains inside, supply concav the occurrence of ink clogging can be reduced

Next, ambient air communicating passage forming part 430 will be d reference to Figure 16 Figure 16 is a diagram that shows ambient air co passage forming part 430 Figure 16(a) is an oblique view that shows is formed into a roughly rectangular parallelepiped that communicates air intake part 130, second ambient air communicating chamber 432, w into a roughly rectangular parallelepiped that communicates with chamber 111, and ambient air connection passage 433, which communi ambient air communicating chamber 431 and second ambient air c chamber 432 on the side of first surface 437a on which film 160 is wel side of Figure 16, first surface 437a is a surface that is contained in vi The chambers and passage of first ambient air communicating cha second ambient air communicating chamber 432 and ambient air conn 433 are formed as film 160 is welded on the front side of Figure 16(a)

First ambient air communicating hole 434, which communicates wi intake part 130, is formed on the side of second surface 437b that oppos 437a of first ambient air communicating chamber 431 (second surfac surface of plate part 438 described above) In second ambient air c chamber 432, second ambient air communicating hole 435, which com first chamber Ilia of ink reservoir chamber 111, is formed on the side 437a, and third ambient air communicating hole 436, which comm second chamber 111b of ink reservoir chamber 111, is formed on secon (plate part 438) First ambient air communicating hole 434 is formed surface 431a of first ambient air communicating chamber 431 on the si air intake part 130 (left back side in Figure 16), and communicating op formed on side wall surface 432a of second ambient air communicating on the side of first ambient air communicating chamber 431 (left back 16) As described above, one of the side walls of ambient air connectio (side wall on the lower side in Figure 16(a)) is inner circumference weld

In ambient air connection passage 433, communicating openings 4 extremely small cross-sectional area (ambient air connection passage 43 (so-called labyrinth), the resistance of the flow path when ambient air becomes large As a result, it is possible to reduce the evaporation of necessary through ambient air connection passage 433 As is clear from Figure 14(a), ambient air connection passag downward in the direction of second ambient air communicating cha first ambient air communicating chamber 431. Because ambient a passage 433 slopes downward, the device is in the position in which in is installed in refill unit 13 of multifunction device 1, ink that has p ambient air connection passage 433 can be naturally returned to ink rese 111 due to gravity Moreover, because the cross-sectional area o connection passage 433 is made small, the penetration of ink stor reservoir chamber 111 into ambient air connection passage 433 can be r when ink penetrates into ambient air connection passage 433, a menis and it is sometimes impossible to introduce ambient air normally as described above, because ambient air connection passage 433 slopes do if ink penetrates into the passage, the ink is returned to ink reservoir ch the formation of meniscuses can be substantially prevented Further connection passage 433 is formed as a result of the welding of film 1 one of the surfaces is a side wall that can be deformed by bending. In ambient air connection passage 433 is configured such that its cross- changes easily Therefore, even if a meniscus forms, the meniscus broken due to the bending and deformation of this film 160, so ambi introduced normally. A portion of the surface of second ambient air c hole 435 is also formed by film 160, so the formation of a menisc ambient air communicating hole 435 can be substantially prevented hole 436

Next, the mechanism that prevents the leakage of ink from communicating passage forming part 430 will be described with refere 16(b) and 16(c) As described above, case 200 of ink cartridge 14 is cubic shape containing a pair of largest surfaces that oppose one another is loaded onto a flat bed, the device may assume one of two loadin which one of largest surfaces 210a and 220a forms the lower surface (bo At this time, ambient air intake part 130 is positioned on the side surfac but, as described below, it is difficult for ink to leak from ambient air c passage forming part 430 in either of the positions.

Figures 16(b) and 16(c) show the positions of ambient air communi forming part 430 corresponding to each of the two loading positions shows the case in which ink cartridge 14 is placed such that ambient passage 433 is positioned on the lower side (the side of first chamber part 110 is the lower side and first surface 437a is the lower side), an shows the case in which ink cartridge 14 is placed such that ambient passage 433 is positioned on the upper side (the side of second chamber part 110 is the lower side and second surface 437b is the lower side)

^■ As illustrated in Figure 16(b), when ink cartridge 14 is -placed such air connection passage 433 is positioned on the lower side during the tra ink cartridge 14, the ink stored inside ink reservoir chamber 111 p second ambient air communicating chamber 432 and ambient air c chamber 433 and penetrates into first ambient air communicating Moreover, as described above, ambient air connection passage 433 through communicating opening 433b, which has markedly smaller area surface of second ambient air communicating chamber 432, so there As illustrated in Figure 16(c), when ink cartridge 14 is placed such air connection passage 433 is positioned on the upper side during the cartridge 14, the ink stored inside ink reservoir chamber 111 flows ambient air communicating chamber 432, but liquid surface I of the ink the opening position of communicating opening 433b of ambient a passage 433 As a result, the ink does not flow into ambient air conne 433 from communicating opening 433b, so the ink does not flow into fir communicating chamber 431 Therefore, even if ink cartridge 14 is pla ambient air connection passage 433 is positioned on the upper side, the from ambient air intake part 130 to the outside can be prevented

As described above, by configuring first ambient air communicating second ambient air communicating chamber 432, and ambient air conne 433 as described above and establishing the opening position of firs communicating hole 434 and the opening position of communicating op positions that are symmetrical to ambient air connection passage 433, it prevent the leakage of ink from ambient air intake part 130 Further, b

cross-sectional area of ambient air connection part 433 small, it is possi the evaporation of ink and to prevent the flow of ink into first communicating chamber 431 ) < Here, link forming part 440 will be explained by returning to Fig forming part 440 connects the vicinity of ambient air intake part dispensing part 150 inside ink reservoir chamber 111, and it is formed i center position in ink reservoir chamber 111 Therefore, link form connects two locations that oppose frame part 110, so it is also a r member that maintains the strength of frame part 110 Link forming part divider plate that divides the chamber such that the side of first opemng dispensing part 150 (right side in Figure 14(a) or left side in Figu ambient air side linking part 441, inner circumference welded parts 413 and 414b are respectively provided on the sides of first and second open 112b (front side and back side when viewed in the direction perpendicul in Figure 14(a) and the front side and the back side when viewed m perpendicular to the page in Figure, 14(b), here, the direction perpendicul is parallel to the Z-direction) from this ambient air side linking part 44 upper end of the height direction (Y-direction) of ambient air side lin communicates with inner circumference welded part 412a of communicating passage forming part 430 Moreover, on dispensing si part 442, inner circumference welded parts 416a, 416b, 417a, a respectively provided on the sides of first and second openings 112a a side and back side when viewed in the direction perpendicular to the p 14(a) and the front side and the back side when viewed in the direction to the page in Figure 14(b), here, the direction perpendicular to the pag the Z-direction) from this dispensing side linking part 442

First linking communicating hole 443, which communicates chamber Ilia and second chamber 111b, is formed on ambient air sid 441, and second through fourth linking communicating holes 444-446, first chamber I l ia and second chamber 111b, are formed on dispensin part 442 Here, if linking communicating holes 443-446 are not form forming part 440, first chamber Il ia and second chamber 111b do not in the center region of ink reservoir chamber 111, so slight differenc arise in the amounts of ink in first chamber Ilia and second chamber are differences in the amounts of ink in first chamber Ilia and second c differences arise in the air pressure inside ink reservoir chamber 111 , s second chamber 111b, and the part enclosed by ambient air side lin dispensing side linking part 442, and supply path forming part 420 is se internal opening 114, which communicates between first chamber Ili chamber 111b. In other words, the part that introduces ambient air into chamber 111 and the part that supplies ink stored inside ink reservoir c the outside communicate in the absence of link forming part 440 an division of first chamber Ilia and second chamber 111b As a result, th of ambient air and the supply of ink can be performed in a stable space

Linking rib 418a, which connects multiple inner circumference 412a-417a provided on the side of first opening 112a from link forming linking rib 418b, which connects inner circumference welded part provided on the side of second opening 112b from link forming part 44 on link forming part 440 These linking ribs 418a and 418b are not ill figure, but they are formed into thm-walled shapes with vertical walls than inner circumference welded parts 412a-417a and inner circumfe parts 412b to 417b Further, most of these linking ribs 418a and 418b the edge of link forming part 440 As a result, linking ribs 418a and inner circumference welded parts 412a to 417a and 412b to 417b, and th on the edge of link forming part 440, so they can maintain the strength o part 440 Moreover, linking ribs 418a and 418b are formed into thin- and they are formed with vertical walls that are lower than inner welded parts 412a-417a and 412b-417b, so it becomes difficult to inhib

Next, dispensing passage forming part 450 will be explained wit Figure 17 Figure 17 is a diagram that shows dispensing passage for Figure 17(a) is a diagram that shows the outline of dispensing passage cylindrical shape into which ink dispensing plug 520 (see Figure 21), described below, is pressed, first dispensing communicating hole communicates between this dispensing cylinder part 451 and the reservoir chamber 111, roughly U-shaped dispensing partition wall provided from the outer surface of dispensing cylinder part 451, wherei edge forms the forms the welded surface part on which film 160 is partitions first dispensing communicating hole 452 with respect to chamber 111, and second dispensing communicating hole 454, whi opening part of dispensing partition wall 453 The opened part of dispe part 451 is opening 451a, which is formed on the outside end surface 110, and the surface that opposes this opening 451a is bottom part 451b

cylinder part 451. The region demarcated by dispensing partition wall 160 is dispensing partition wall flow path 453a

Dispensing partition wall 453 forms the inner circumference welded film 160 is welded, and dispensing partition wall flow path 453a dispensing communicating hole 454 are formed in the state m whic welded As with the welded end part of the other inner circumference 411b to 417b, the welded end part of dispensing partition wall 453 is pos same virtual plane as the welded end part of outer circumference welded A detailed description will be given below, but when ink is dispe reservoir chamber 111, ink is dispensed in a state in which secon communicating hole 454 is positioned on top and first dispensing comm 452 is positioned pn bottom (position in which the Y-direction is t direction in Figure 17(a)) Moreover, ink sequentially passes throug cylinder part 451, first dispensing communicating hole 452, dispensing flow path 453a and second dispensing communicating hole 454 a deforms, the volume inside ink reservoir chamber 111 changes, making to stably supply ink. Therefore, in order to prevent the damage and d film 160, ink is not dispensed to the degree that the inside of ink rese 111 becomes full In this embodiment, the air pressure inside ink reservoir chamber 1 dispensed is lower than the ambient pressure Therefore, a subsequent d process in which the pressure is reduced by aspirating the ambient reservoir chamber 111 from dispensing passage forming part 450 performed This is performed in order to reduce the amount of ambient reservoir chamber 111 to maintain the degree of deaeration of the ink the generation of air bubbles inside the ink. The deaeration of the i purpose of maintaining the viscosity of the ink at a roughly constant lev because, regarding the generation of air bubbles inside the ink, when a supplied to multifunction device 1 (see Figure 1), the pressure require the ink is not transmitted to the discharge opening (not illustrated in the ink cannot be correctly discharged

In the case in which a subsequent decompression process is perfor ambient air inside ink reservoir chamber 111 is aspirated from dispe forming part 450, the resulting amount of ink is not correct, regardless not an appropriate amount of ink was dispensed. If the amount of ink is causes losses to the user of ink cartridge 14, which is not preferable Th first dispensing communicating hole 452 is enclosed by roughly U-shap partition wall 453 and second dispensing communicating hole 454 is (upper side in Figure 17(a)) liquid surface I of the ink (or fir communicating hole 452), there is an amount of distance between liqui the ink and second dispensing communicating hole 454, even if the XVIIIb-XVIIIb in Figure 18(a), and Figure 18(c) is a cross-sectional d vicinity of detection part 140 through line XVIIIc-XVIIIc in Figure 18(a

As illustrated in Figure 18 (a), detection part 140 projects outward fr 110 (right side in Figure 18(a)). Detection part 140 is equipped with 141, which encloses the end of sensor arm 470 (see Figure 19) (shiel 473c) by sandwiching it with a pair of wall surfaces and forms a pa which sensor arm 470 can be displaced Enclosure part 141 is formed i box-shaped passage by a bottom surface, which is formed by bottom w enclosure part 141 (lower side in Figure 18(a)), a pair of side surfac formed by both side walls 141b that are provided on both sides from bot an inner side surface, which is formed by inner side wall 141c that is bottom wall 141a and connects to both side walls 141b, and a ceiling sur formed by ceiling wall 141d that connects to the top edges of both si and the top edge of inner side wall 141c and is positioned opposite bott Detection part 140 is also equipped with arm supporting part 142, whic such that it projects upward from the bottom surface formed by bottom supports sensor arm 470 from below, and vertical wall 143, which is the inside wall of frame part 110 (outer circumference welded part 400 connects to arm supporting part 142 and extends in the direction o forming part 420, is provided in the vicinity of detection part 140 As Figure 18(b), arm supporting part 142 is formed in the center of the widt the passage inside detection part 140, and it is arranged such that the arm 470 (shielding arm part 473 c) is also positioned in the center of the detection part 140. The details will be described below, but sensor ar according to the amount of ink inside ink reservoir chamber 111, and it that is used to detect that ink cartridge 14 has been installed in ac by light receiving part 57b, so it has hght÷blocking properties As a resu in accordance with the amount of ink inside ink reservoir chamber space), sensor arm 470 can change the amount of light received by light 57b and detect the presence or absence of remaining ink In Figu positions of light emitting part 57a and light receiving part 57b of r detection sensor 57 when ink cartridge 14 is housed inside accommod 50 of multifunction device 1 are illustrated, but, as illustrated m th emitting part 57a and light receiving part 57b are positioned in t detection part 140 As illustrated in Figure 18(b), the thickness of arm supporting part such that second gap t4 between the inside walls of enclosure part 141 surfaces, inside surfaces of both side walls 141b) and the outside supporting part 142 is narrower than first gap t3 between the inside wall 141 (pair of wall surfaces, inside surfaces of both side walls 141b) and sensor arm 470. Here, the ink stored inside detection part 140 is reduc liquid surface I of the ink drops in step with this reduction of ink and li of the ink falls below detection part 140, the ink inside detection part 14 but because first gap t3 between sensor arm 470 and enclosure 141 i remains inside detection part 140 due to the surface tension of the ink, a 470 sometimes does not rotate normally due to this surface tensio Incidentally, the reason that first gap t3 is provided with minute spacing this spacing is made wide, the spacing between light emitting part receiving part 57b also widens, and the detection sensitivity of r detection sensor 57 thus deteriorates Therefore, by forming arm suppo such that first gap t3 > second gap t4, it is ensured that the ink surface t generated between arm supporting part 142 and enclosure part 141 is gr 141 (lower side in Figure 18(a)) slopes downward in the direction of chamber 111, so the bottom surface formed by bottom wall 141a inside also slopes downward Therefore, ink that is drawn between enclosure arm supporting part 142 flows downward in the direction of ink rese 111 (or supply path forming part 420) Further, as illustrated in the c view in Figure 18(b), the junction part (edge) of bottom wall 141a of and arm supporting part 142 is formed angularly from a cross-section (roughly a right angle), so the capillary force of this junction part of 141 and arm supporting part 142 becomes strong, and this forms a conducive to guiding ink to the side of ink reservoir chamber 111 (o forming part 420). In other words, the junction part of enclosure part supporting part 142 forms a fluid guiding path (guide) for guiding the in it is possible to efficiently make the ink remaining inside enclosure downward As illustrated in Figure 18(a), vertical wall 143 that connects to ar part 141 is formed on sloping surface 143 a, which slopes downward in of supply path forming part 420 from arm supporting part 141 Sloping constitutes a portion of the inside wall of frame part 110 (outer circumf part 400b) Further, as illustrated in the cross-sectional view in Fig junction part of vertical wall 143 and the inside wall of frame part 1 angularly from a cross-sectional perspective (roughly a right angle), an such that its thickness is roughly equivalent to that of arm support Therefore, vertical wall 143 slopes downward in the direction of supply part 420, and the junction part with the inside wall of frame part 110 is roughly right angle, so ink can be efficiently guided in the direction o forming part 420 by this slope and the capillary force In other words, contact with the ceiling surface formed by ceiling wall 141b, which o wall 141a of detection part 140, and the rotation of sensor arm 470 is th is therefore possible to prevent sensor arm 470 from jumping out of 140, and the behavior of sensor arm 470 becomes accurate, so it i accurately detect the amount of remaining ink

Here, sensor arm 470 will be descπbed.with reference to Figure 19 diagram that shows sensor arm 470. Figure 19(a) is a diagram that sh side of sensor arm 470, and Figure 19(b) is a diagram that shows sensor the perspective of arrow XiXb in Figure 19(a) Sensor arm 470 is detecting the amount of remaining ink inside ink reservoir chamber 11 470 is manufactured by injection molding using a resin material (poly example), and it has light-blocking properties because it is formed to be

Sensor arm 470 is a rotating member that rotates according to t remaining ink inside ink reservoir chamber 111, and a portion is remaimng ink detection sensor 57 (see Figure 5), which detects t remaining ink stored inside ink reservoir chamber 111 Sensor ^"arm 47 equipped with balance part 471, which is formed from a material with a l gravity than that of the ink, attachment part 472, which is attached to f such that it can oscillate, and arm part 473, iwhich extends from this at 472 in a direction that is roughly orthogonal to balance part 471 (upw 19(a)), further extends sloping upward, and blocks the range of possibl remaining ink detection sensor 57 Attachment part 472 is a linking part balance part 471 and arm part 473

Roughly cylindrical attachment shaft 472a,, which is attached to arm part 425 (see Figure 14) of frame part 110, is formed on attachment p attachment shaft 472a is formed with a diameter that is smaller th part 473c, which is used as a light-blocking part that blocks the ran detection of remaining ink detection sensor 57.

As illustrated in Figure 19(b), arm part 473 is formed such that it i thinner than balance part 471 and attachment part 472 This is because, 473 is formed with a thick profile, the scale of detection part 140 is incre result, ink cartridge 14 becomes large and the resistance when sensor ar increases, which sometimes makes it impossible to detect the accura remaining ink. Further, as described above, when the thickness of dete increases, the range of detection of remaining ink detection sens accordingly and the detection sensitivity deteriorates, so a high-performance remaining ink detection sensor with favorable detect becomes necessary. Therefore, arm part 473 is formed with a thin profi prevent increases in the scale of ink cartridge 14 and to detect the accur remaining ink Ribs 473d are formed on vertical arm part 473a and slo 473b, and the strength is maintained by these ribs

Roughly semispheπcal arm protruding parts 473 el and 473 e2 a shielding arm part 473c in two locations on the top and bottom of th inside detection part 140 (upper side end and lower side end in Figur these arm protruding parts 473el and 473e2 reduce the likelihood of part 473c adhering to the mside wall of detection part 140 due to the s of the ink and becoming unable to rotate In other words, because ar parts 473el and 473e2 are formed into semispherical shapes, the only p contact with the inside wall of detection part 140 is the end of arm pr 473 el and 473 e2, so the effects of the surface tension of the ink are redu Balance part 471 is made of a resin material with a specific gravity than that of the ink, so when liquid surface I of the ink drops in step wit be detected

With a conventional balance part, the inside of the balance part wa order to make the balance part float on liquid surface I of the ink, configuration, the working (or molding) of the balance part become contrast to this, in this embodiment, the materials of sensor arm 4 materials with specific gravities that are less than that of the ink, so a w is not required, and it is not necessary to manufacture complex manufacturing cost of sensor arm 470 can be reduced

Next, the positional relationships and shapes of ink supply part 12 intake part 130, and detection part 140 will be described with reference Figure 20 is a diagram that shows a portion of ink reservoir element 100 is a diagram that shows the side surface of ink reservoir element 100, Fi diagram that shows a partial front view of ink reservoir element 100, an is a cross-sectional view through line XXc-XXc in Figure 20(a) As illustrated in Figures 20(a) and 20(b), ink supply part 120, ambi part 130, and detection part 140 are provided on one of the side surfaces 110 (one end surface, the side surface in the front direction of installat cartridge 14 is installed) As described above, the position illustrated in and 20(b) is the position in which ink cartridge 14 is installed inside ac chamber 50 of refill unit 13 (see Figure 1) Therefore, in the state cartridge 14 is installed inside refill unit 13, ambient air intake part 130, 140, and ink supply part 120 are sequentially aligned from top (top of Fi bottom (bottom of _^Figure 20(a)) In other words, the elements are a height direction (Y-direction) of ink cartridge 14. As illustrated in Figure 20(a), width t5 of detection part 140 is form is shorter than diameter t6 of the opening of ink supply part 120 (ope rotation of arm part 473, and the amount of remaining ink can be detect On remaining ink detection sensor 57, light receiving part 57b and ligh 57a are positioned on both sides of detection part 140 (both left and Figure 20(a)), so both side surfaces of detection part 140 (surfaces o right sides in Figure 20(a), front and back side surfaces in Figure detection surfaces 140a and 140b As is clear from Figure 20(a), t surfaces 140a and 140b are parallel to the height direction (Y-dire cartridge 14 when in the position in which ink cartridge 14 is installed i - in other words, the surfaces are vertical When ink adheres to the fro these detection surfaces 140a and 140b, it is sometimes impossible accurate amount of remaining ink.

For example, at the time of the transportation of multifunction devi necessaπly transported such that multifunction device 1 is horizontal supply part 120 is sometimes positioned on top, but ink sometimes leak supply part 120 at this time and adheres to detection pat 140 Moreo cartridge 144 is temporarily removed from refill unit 13, ink that adhere of multifunction device 1 is likely to adhere to the vicinity of the o supply part 120, but after it is removed, the ink that adheres to the opening of ink supply part 120 sometimes adheres to detection part 140 the position in which the user handles ink cartridge 14 When ink cartri again installed in refill unit 13 m the state in which ink has adhered to 140, because ink detection part 140 (detection surfaces 140a and 14 receiving part 57b and light emitting part 57a of remaining ink detection in close proximity in the installed state, as described above, there is a ri that has adhered to detection part 140 will transfer to light receiving part emitting part 57a of remaining ink detection sensor 57 In this way, ink t maintains ink cartridge 14 in a position in which ink supply part 120 detection part 140 and the end surface of ink supply part 120 (end sur opening 600a of supply cap 600 is formed) is vertical, ink that has vicinity of the opening of ink supply part 120 is most susceptible to gravity and likely to drop, but because detection part 140 is withdrawn ink reservoir chamber 111 with respect to ink supply part 120, the ink t not head towards detection part 140, so it does not adhere to detection pa

Because detection surfaces 140a and 140b are vertical when in t which ink cartridge 14 is installed in refill unit 13, the ink is most sus effects of gravity when ink cartridge 14 is installed in refill unit 13 w adhered to detection surfaces 140a and 140b, so it drops quickly I possible to substantially avoid the transfer of ink to light receiving part emitting part 57a of remaining ink detection sensor 57 Furthermore drops does not adhere to the end surface of ink supply part 120 Further, as illustrated in Figure 20(c), side walls that form detecti and 140b from the side surface of frame part 110 are formed on detec Therefore, edge part 140c where the side surface of frame part 110 surfaces 140a and 140b intersect is formed at a roughly perpendicular ink adheres to the vicinity of edge 140c, the capillary force of edge 140c ink because edge 140c is formed at a roughly perpendicular angle, a likely to flow to the side of ink supply part 120 through edge 140c. possible to reduce the adherence of ink to detection surfaces 140a and 14

Next, the configuration of the parts of ink reservoir element 100 wil with reference to Figure 21. Figure 21 is an exploded front view of element 100.

As illustrated in Figure 21, ink reservoir element 100 is primarily blocked

Ink supply element 116, which is formed in a roughly cylindrical sh a portion of ink supply mechanism 500 is inserted, and ambient air intak which is formed in a roughly cylindrical shape in which a portion o intake mechanism 510 is inserted, are formed as a unit on frame part protruding parts 116a and 116b (protruding part 116b is not illustrated which protrude in the direction of the outer circumference of ink suppl in order to fasten ink supply mechanism 500, are symmetrically arr supply element 116 centered on the axial center of ink supply element on the front and back sides in directions perpendicular to the page i Likewise, protruding parts 117a and 117b (protruding part 117b is not the figure), which protrude in the direction of the outer circumference intake element 117 in order to fasten ambient intake mechani symmetrically arranged on ambient air intake element 117 centered on t of ambient air intake element 117 (arranged on the front and back side perpendicular to the page in Figure 21) Protruding parts 116a, 116b, 1 are formed such that the end surface on the side of ink reservoir protrudes m a direction that is perpendicular to the outer circumferential supply element 116 or the outer circumferential surface of ambient air i 117 (Z-direction), and they slope from this protruding edge part tow circumferential surface of ink supply element 116 or the outer circumf ambient air intake element 117 In other words, when ink supply mecha ambient air intake mechanism 510 are attached to ink supply element 11 air intake element 117, the easy desorption of ink supply mechanism 50 air intake mechanism 510 can be prevented.

Next, the components of ink supply mechanism 500 and ambie multifunction device 1 (see Figure 1) is inserted, supply valve 620, wh flow path of ink when this supply joint 610 and the bottom wall mak supply spring 630, which is housed inside this supply valve 620 and resinous elastic material, supply slider 640, which covers the open sur valve 620 and can be operated in a uniaxial direction, which is t direction of supply valve 620 that is pressed into needle 49 (direction o Figure 22(a), hereafter called the "axial direction Ol of ink supply me regarding this direction, as is clear from Figure 14, ink supply mechanis parallel to the X-direction when ink cartridge 14 is loaded), second supp which is housed inside this supply slider 640 and is formed with the and into the same shape as those of first supply spring 630, valve se makes contact with this second supply slider 650 and receives check v cover 680, which covers check valve 670 between the valve and this v Supply valve 620, first supply spring 630, supply slider 640, and second 650 constitute supply valve mechanism 501 that actually operates.

As illustrated in Figure 22(b), ambient air intake mechanism 510 is ambient air cap 700, which is installed on ambient air intake element 11 joint 710, which is made of an elastic resm material such as rubber, am 720, which blocks the flow path of ink when this ambient air joint 710 a wall make contact and makes contact with back side 56 of multifunction Figure 5) and opens the flow path (passage) of ambient air when ink c installed in multifunction device 1 (refill unit 13, see Figure 1), firs spring 730, which is housed inside this ambient air valve 720 and resinous elastic material, ambient air slider 740, which covers the op ambient air valve 720 and can be operated in a uniaxial direction, movement direction of ambient air valve 720 that is pressed (direction o Below, supply cap 600, supply joint 610, supply valve 620, fir supply springs 630 and 650, supply slider 640, valve seat 660, check va

680, ambient air cap 700, ambient air joint 710, ambient air valve second ambient air springs 730 and 750, and ambient air slider 740 wil with reference to Figures 23 through 33

Figure 23 is a diagram that shows supply cap 600 Figure 23 (a) is shows a side view of supply cap 600, Figure 23 (b) is a diagram that sho of supply cap 600 from the perspective of arrow XXIIIb in Figure 23 (a) is a diagram that shows a plan view of supply cap 600, Figure 23 (d) is shows a bottom view of supply cap 600, and Figure 23 (e) is a cross-sec supply cap 600 through line XXIIIe-XXIIIe in Figure 23(c)

As illustrated in Figure 23 (a), supply cap 600 is formed with a t from a side view perspective (perspective of the direction perpendicular Figure 23(a)), and the upper side part in Figure 23(a) is supply secu which is fastened to the outer circumferential surface of ink supply elem formed into a roughly cylindrical shape, while the lower side part in F ink storage part 602, which has an ink storage space for preventing ink to the outside of ink cartridge 14

Engagement holes 603a and 603b (see Figure 23 (b) for engageme which are formed from the linking part of ink storage part 602 to t vicinity of the top (vicinity of the upper side end in Figure 23 (a)) and protruding parts 116a and 116b (see Figure 21) of ink supply eleme supply cap 600 is secured to ink supply element 116 (see Figure 21), a supply securing part 601 As illustrated in Figure 23(b), a pair of supply cap cutout parts 604a

Figure 23 (c) for supply cap cutout part 604b), which are formed in a str below), is formed in roughly the center position of ink storage part 602 600 As illustrated in Figure 23 (c), the region from the circle that forms 605 to the circle one step outward is first upper wall 606a, which forms surface of ink storage part 602, and the region from the circle of the forms first upper wall 606a to the circle one step outward is sloping wal forms a sloping surface that slopes downward in the direction of the bott ink storage part 602 The region from the circle of the outer side t sloping wall 606b to the circle one step outward is lower wall 606c, w lower end surface of ink storage part 602, and the region from the circl side that forms lower wall 606c to the circle one step outward is seco 606d, which forms the lower end surface of supply securing part 601 upper end surface of ink storage part 602 The part that connects lower second upper wall 606d is outer circumferential wall 606e, which fo circumferential surface of ink storage part 602 Sloping wall 60 cylindrical part inside ink storage part 602, and outer circumferenti which is connected to this sloping wall 606b by lower wall 606c, forms t part of the outside that encloses sloping wall 606b (cylindrical part of the

In Figure 23 (d), sloping wall 606b slopes downward, so the inserti needle 49 is formed into a tapered shape as 'illustrated in the cross-sect Figure 23 (e) such that it decreases in diameter towards insertion hol maximum diameter of that of opening '600a, which forms the final exit o result, the inner circumferential surface on the side of axial center Ol o 606b becomes the insertion path into which needle 49 (see Figure 2) is space of range t7 illustrated in Figures 23(φand 23(c) (in other wor formed by sloping wall 606b, lower wall 606c, and outer circumferenti forms ink storing part 607, in which ink can be stored (accumulated) so it is possible to improve the installation efficiency while reduci supply cap 600

Figure 24 is a diagram that shows supply joint 610 Figure 24(a) is shows a side view of supply joint 610, Figure 24(b) is a diagram that view of supply joint 610, Figure 24(c) is a diagram that shows a bo supply joint 610, and Figure 24(d) is a xross-sectional view of sup through line XXIVd-XXIVd in Figure 24(b)

As illustrated in Figure 24(a), supply joint 610 is formed in three ste view perspective (perspective of the direction perpendicular to the p 24(a)). The part illustrated in the bottommost step (lower side in Figure outer circumference part 611, which is the part that makes contact with wall 606d of ink storage part 602 of supply cap 600 (see Figure 23) circumferential surface of supply securing part 601 and forms the outer part of supply joint 610 This joint outer circumference part 611 is t sandwiched between second upper wall 606d of supply cap 600 and th surface of ink supply element 116 when in the state in which suppl secured to ink supply element 116 The part illustrated at the top step circumference part 611 is joint inner circumference part 612, which i and arranged mside ink supply element 116 (see Figure 21) and fo circumference part of supply joint 610, and the upper portion o circumference part 612 is illustrated in Figure 24(a) Further, the part ill top step of joint inner circumference part 612 is joint contact part 613, contact with supply valve 620 (see Figure 25) Supply joint 610 is mad material such as a resin rubber As illustrated in Figure 24(b), the axial center of supply joint 610 is axial center Ol of ink supply mechanism 500, and joint contact part 61 protruding part 614, which protrudes from the inner circumferential s axial center 01, opening 612c, which forms the insertion opening of Figure 2) formed on bottom surface 612b of joint inner circumference p side in Figure 24(d)), and stepped insertion passage 612d, which is fo opening 612c and joint protruding part 614, are formed on joint inner part 612 As illustrated in Figure 24(c), the portion of insertion passag formed in a stepped shape is formed with roughly equivalent spaci center Ol m the outer circumferential direction Inner circumferential s joint protruding part 614 is provided parallel to the direction of axial ce supply mechanism 500, and stepped surface 614b is provided in a di orthogonal to the direction of axial center ,01

As illustrated in Figure 24(d), ink flow path 615, which passes bottom surface 612b of joint inner circumference part 612 to tip 613a o part 613 (from the upper side to the lower side in Figure 24(d)), is for joint 610. This ink flow path 615 consists of opening 612c, which bottom surface 612b, step part flow path 615a, which is demarcate insertion passage 612d connected to opening 612c, protruding part flo which is demarcated by inner circumferential surface 614a of joint p 614 connected to insertion passage 612d, arid contact part flow path 6 demarcated by stepped surface 614b connected to inner circumferential of joint protruding part 614 and inner circumferential surface 613b of part 613 connected to this stepped surface 614b

The lower half of step part flow path 615a is formed in a stepped direction of axial center 01, and the upper half of step part flow path 6 in a tapered shape towards protruding part flow path 615b Moreover, path 615a is formed in a stepped shape such that the diameter gradu 49 In this embodiment, supply cap 600 is equipped with ink storage p portion of the lower half of step part flow path 615a that is formed m a may alternatively be formed in a tapered shape

Protruding part flow path 615b is the flow path with the smallest di flow path 615, and it is formed into a roughly hollow cylindrical sha diameter of this protruding part flow path 615b is formed such that smaller than the diameter of needle 49 (see Figure 2) Contact part flo formed into a roughly hollow cylindrical shape having an inside diamete than that of protruding part flow path 615b, and this inside diameter larger than the^' diameter of needle 49 Because stepped surface 614b is border of protruding part flow path 615b and contact part flow path 61 diameter in the direction of axial center Ol from protruding part flow contact part flow path 615c drastically changes As a result, as illustr 24(d), joint contact part 613 assumes a structure that is cut out into shape by its inner circumferential surface 613b and stepped surface 614b of joint contact part 613 is positioned in the periphery of this cutout part

Needle 49, which is inserted from opening 612c, is guided to the up step part flow path 615a that is formed in a tapered shape and is protruding part flow path 615b At this time, because the inside diameter part flow path 615b is slightly smaller than the diameter of needle elastically adheres to inner circumferential surface 614a of joint protru that forms protruding part flow path 615b and is pressed inside such t protruding part flow path 615b In other words, joint protruding part 61 the periphery of needle 49 that is pressed into protruding part flo Moreover, if the area of the part of supply joint 610 that elastically a periphery of needle 49 becomes large, the resistance when ink cartridge part flow path 615c is formed into a countersunk shape, the displace joint 610 in the direction of axial center Ol when needle 49 is in reduced

Figure 25 is a diagram that shows supply valve 620 Figure 25(a) is shows a side view of supply valve 620, Figure 25(b) is a diagram that view of supply valve 620 from the perspective of arrow XXVb in Figure 25(c) is a diagram that shows a plan view of supply valve 620, Fig diagram that shows a bottom view of supply valve 620, and Figu cross-sectional view of supply valve 620 through line XXVe-XXVe in Fi As illustrated in Figure 25(a), supply valve 620 is equipped with wall 621, which forms the bottom surface of supply valve 620 (lower s Figure 25(a)), and valve outer circumferential wall 622, which is provi direction of axial center Ol of ink supply mechanism 500 (see Figure valve bottom wall 621 A pair of valve guide grooves 623, into which slider loose insertio supply slider 640 (see Figure 27) is loosely inserted, is formed o circumferential wall 622 As illustrated in Figure 25 (c), the pair o grooves 623 is symmetrically formed with respect to axial center Ol mechanism 500 Moreover, as illustrated in 'Figure 25(c), valve project which projects in the opposite direction as valve bottom wall 621 fro valve outer circumferential wall 622 in the direction of axial center 01, valve outer circumferential wall 622, and valve guide grooves 623 are the vicinity of the bottom of valve outer circumferential wall 622 from valve projecting wall 624 As a result, because the distance of valve 623 is secured as a long distance, the deviation of slider loose insertion valve guide grooves 623 can be prevented the outer circumferential direction and are formed from the top to the b outer circumferential wall 622, are formed on valve outer circumfere with equal spacing along valve outer circumferential wall 622 These val parts 622a are provided in order to smoothly perform the operations o 620 when supply valve 620 is inserted into ink supply element 116 (s When there are no valve protruding parts .622a, the inner circumferent ink supply element 116 and valve outer circumferential surface 622 so contact, so the contact surface with ink supply element 116 becomes resistance at the time ' of operation also becomes large Therefore, protruding parts 622a formed in semicircular shapes are provided protruding parts 622a make contact with the inner circumferential s supply element 116, and the operations of supply valve 620 mside ink s 116 become smooth

Valve constraimng parts 625 and valve projecting wall are formed extend upward from valve outer circumferential wall 622 As misalignment of supply slider 640 in the direction orthogonal to the dire center Ol can be prevented Further, the operation of supply slider 640 i of axial center Ol is restricted by valve constraining part 625, so first 630 can be reliably housed and operated As illustrated in Figure 25 flow paths 627, which communicate in the vertical direction of valve bo (direction perpendicular to the page in Figure 25(c)), are formed on valv 621 in positions corresponding to valve guides 623 and valve constraini the direction of axial center Ol of ink supply mechanism 500 (direction to the page in Figure 25(c)) Valve bottom wall 621 projects upward fr surface and is equipped with valve bearing part 628, which is a platform spring top part 632 of first supply spring 630 (see Figure 26) Valve be the ink flow path is blocked and ink no longer flows. Therefore, valv 628 is provided in order to secure the ink flow path, and the part is acce as first supply spring 630 does not make contact with valve bottom wa formed to the minimum required height, and this prevents increases in t size in the direction of axial center Ol of ink supply mechanism 500

Valve inner circumferential wall 629, which is formed in a roughl that covers the outer circumferential surface of spring top part 632 spring 630, is provided on the outside of valve bearing part 628 and o ink flow path 627 This valve inner circumferential wall 629 is provid restrict the movement of first supply spring 630 in a direction that is axial center 01, and first supply spring 630 is accurately bent in the dir center Ol by restricting the movement of first supply spring 630 in a di orthogonal to axial center Ol

Figure 26 is a diagram that shows first supply spring 630 Fig diagram that shows a side view of first supply spring 630, Figure 26(b that shows a plan view of first supply spring 630, Figure 26(c) is^* a diagr a bottom view of first supply spring 630, and Figure 26(d) is a cross-sec first supply spring 630 through line XXVId-XXVId in Figure 26(b)

First supply spring 630 is formed in a roughly reversed bowl shape hollow cone), and it is primarily equipped with ring-shaped spring bot which forms the bottom surface of first supply spring 630 (end of the larger diameter), ring-shaped spring top part 632, which is formed wi that is smaller than the diameter of this spring bottom part 631 and for of the upper surface of first supply spring 630 (end of the side wit diameter), and spring plastic part 633, which is connected between this s 632 and spring bottom part 631 and bends and deforms when a load is when spring plastic part 633 is elastically deformed

As illustrated in Figure 26(d), ink flow path 634, which communic tip of spring top part 632 (right end surface in Figure 26(d)) to the bott spring bottom part 631 (left end surface in Figure 26(d)), is formed o spring 630 This ink flow path 634 consists of top part flow path 6 demarcated by the inner circumferential surface of spring top part 63 flow path 634b, which is demarcated by the inner circumferential sur plastic part 633, and bottom part flow path 634c, which is demarcated circumferential surface of spring bottom part 631 As illustrated in Fig area of the opening of this ink flow path 634 gradually increases from th top part 632 towards the bottom surface of spring bottom part 631. illustrated in Figures 26(b) and 26(c), top part flow path 634a of spring t formed in a circular shape from the perspective of the direction perpen page When spring plastic part 633 is curved and formed into a roughly shape that is convex on the side moving away from axial center 01, spri 633 can be more easily deformed than in the case in which spring plasti roughly conic shape

The cross-sectional shape of top part flow path 634a of spring top also be formed into a roughly quadrilateral shape When the opening of 634a is formed into a roughly quadrilateral shape, the effects of air bubb in the ink can be reduced Here, the air bubbles contained in the ink are when the flow path is blocked by air bubbles that grow larger than the in of top part flow path 634a, the ink flow path (passage) is eliminated, possible to send ink to multifunction device 1 (see Figure 1) normally A quality of printing by multifunction device 1 decreases However, whe of top part flow path 634a is formed into a quadrilateral shape, the four c As illustrated in Figure 26(d), spring top part 632 is formed into a r cylindrical shape that extends in the direction of axial center 01, and it i that the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the direction of axial cen direction of first supply spring 630) is uniform Similarly, spring botto also formed into a relatively thick cylindrical shape that extends in th axial center 01, and it is formed such that the cross-sectional shape pe the direction of axial center Ol is uniform

As illustrated in Figure 26(d), spring plastic part 633 is formed i reversed bowl shape (or roughly conical shape) that curves (or slopes) angle in the direction of axial center Ol As a result, the strength w loading in the direction of axial center Ol become weak in compari bottom part 631 and spring top part 632 Furthermore, spring plasti formed such that it has a thinner profile than spring bottom part 631 a part 632, so this also reduces the strength Accordingly, when first sup elastically deforms, spring plastic 633 plastically deforms

Second supply spring 650 is formed with the same shape as that spring 630, and the composition of second supply spring 650 cons bottom part 651, spring top part 652, spring plastic part 653, and ink (top part flow path 654a, plastic part flow path 654b, and bottom part flo Further, first ambient air spring 730 and second supply spring 750 ar with the same shape as that of first supply spring 630, and they respecti spnng bottom parts 731 and 751, spring top parts 732 and 752, sprin 733 and 753, ink flow paths 734 and 754 (top part flow paths 734a and part flow paths 734b and 754b, and bottom part flow paths 734c and 754 Figure 27 is a diagram that shows supply slider 640 Figure 27(a) is shows a side view of supply slider 640, Figure 27(b) is a diagram that primarily equipped with slider outer circumferential wall 641, which f periphery of supply slider 640, a pair of slider projecting walls 642a an project from this slider outer circumferential wall 641 in the direction Ol of ink supply mechanism 500, a pair of slider loose insertion par extend from slider outer circumferential wall 641 to the upper tip of sli wall 642a (upper side end in Figure 27(a)) and are loosely inserted int grooves 623 of supply valve 620 (see Figure 25), slider platform part 6 on which first and second supply springs 630 and 650 are arranged, w on the inside of slider outer circumferential wall 641 and makes conta bottom parts 631 and 651 of first and second springs 630 and 65 through-hole 645, which is formed in the center position of slider plat and connects the top and bottom of slider platform part 644 As is clea 27(c), slider projecting walls 642a and 642b are positioned [symmetric they sandwich axial center 01, and the pair of slider loose insertion pa positioned [symmetrically] such that they sandwich axial center Ol

The inside diameter of slider outer circumferential wall 641 is form is roughly equivalent to the outside diameter spring lower parts 631 an and second supply springs 630 and 650, and slider projecting walls 642a formed such that they project from this slider outer circumferential w direction of axial center 01, so when first and second supply springs 63 arranged, the movement of first and second springs 630 and 650 in orthogonal to axial center Ol is restricted As a result, first and secon and 650 are elastically deformed in the direction of axial center Ol

Slider loose insertion parts 643 are formed such that they extend m of axial center Ol of supply slider 640 (formed across slider outer ci wall 641 and slider protruding part 642), so when they are loosely inser XXVIIId-XXVIIId in Figure 28(b)

As illustrated in Figure 28(a), valve seat 660 is equipped with val part 661, which forms the bottom surface of this valve seat 660 and with spring top part 632 of second supply spring 650, and valve seat bea which are placed on the top surface of this valve seat bottom part 661 Figure 28(a)) Each valve seat bearing part 662 is equipped with valv surface 662a, which slopes downward as it approaches the center of v and check valve 670, which will be described below, is received by t sloping surface 662a As illustrated in Figure 28(b), six valve seat bearing parts 662 ar prescribed spacing in the circumferential direction of valve seat 660 F through-holes 662b, which pass through the front and back of valve formed on three of the six valve seat bearing parts These fir through-holes 662b are formed on a portion other than valve seat slopin of valve seat bearing part 662 (horizontal portion of valve seat beari Therefore, because first valve seat through-holes 662b are formed on differs from the portion that receives check valve 670, the blockage o path can be prevented

Moreover, second valve seat through-holes 663, which pass throu bottom part 661, are formed between valve seat bearing parts 662 of v Six of these second valve seat through-holes 663 are formed with left-ri based on the center line (center line Q illustrated in Figure 28) that p axial center Ol of ink supply mechanism 500 (see Figure 22) in Figu second valve seat through-holes 663 form an ink flow path through whic As illustrated in Figure 28(c), concave valve seat communicating which connect each of the second valve seat through-holes 663, are f they make contact with the outer circumferential surface of spring to second spring 650, so the movement of second supply spring 650 in orthogonal to axial center Ol is restricted.

As illustrated in Figure 28(d), a gap is formed between valve seat s 662a of valve seat bearing parts 662 and second valve seat through-ho direction of axial center Ol As a result, even if check valve 670 is supp seat sloping surface 662a, the flow path of the ink is secured Moreov end surface of spring top part 632 of second supply spring 650 makes c bottom surfaces of second valve seat through-holes 663, secon through-holes 663 are positioned to the outside of the virtual circumfe seat projecting part 664 (virtual line R in Figure 28(c)), so the flow pat secured by valve seat communicating grooves 664 Valve seat communi 664 connect all of the second valve seat through-holes 663, so even if th valve seat through-holes 663 that are enclosed by valve seat projecting ink flow path can be reliably secured

Figure 29 is a figure that shows check valve 670 Figure 29(a) is shows a side view of check valve 670, Figure 29(b) is a diagram that view of check valve 670, Figure 29(c) is a diagram that shows a bottom valve 670, and Figure 29(c) is a cross-sectional view of check valve 67 XXIXd-XXIXd in Figure 29(a)

Check valve 670 is roughly formed into an umbrella shape fro perspective (perspective in the direction perpendicular to the page in and it consists of umbrella part 671 and shaft part 672 Umbrella part 6 flow path of the ink by making contact with cover 680 (see Figure illustrated in Figures 29(b) and 29(d), it is equipped with linking part connected to shaft part 672, and wing part 671b, which extends roughl Figure 28), so the flow path of the ink is opened in the state in which 671 is supported by valve seat bearings 662 of valve seat 660, while th the ink is blocked in the state in which umbrella part 671 of check val contact with cover 680 Shaft part 672 is a part that is inserted into second cover through-

Figure 30) of cover 680, which will be -described below This sha positioned in the vicimty of cover 680 in the state in which it is attached and it has ball part 672a, which is formed into a roughly spherical sh part 672a is formed with a diameter that is greater than that of through-hole 684 of cover 680, and it prevents check valve 670 from f it is attached to cover 680 As a result, it is possible to reduce the loss 670 when manufacturing ink cartridge 14, and operationahty is improve

Figure 30 is a diagram that shows cover 680 Figure 30(a) is a diagr a side view of cover 680, Figure 30(b) is a diagram that shows a plan 680, Figure 30(c) is a diagram that shows a bottom view of cover 68

30(d) is a cross-sectional view of cover 680 through line XXXd-XX

30(b)

Cover 680 is formed into a roughly cylindrical shape in which the b side (side of valve seat 660 (see Figure 28)) is opened Cover 680 is cover outer circumferential wall 681, which forms the outer periphery, part 682, which forms the top surface of cover 680 (upper side in Figure is formed such that the bottom surface side is opened Valve seat 660 is opening of the bottom surface of cover 680 (lower side in Figure 30(a valve 670 is housed between valve seat 660 and cover 680 In other wo that houses check valve 670 is formed by cover 680 and valve seat 660

As illustrated in Figures 30(b) and 30(c), six first cover through-hol through axial center Ol of ink supply mechanism 500) Shaft part 672 670 is inserted into this second cover through-hole 684, and check thereby attached Even in the state in which check valve 670 is inserte cover through-hole 684, the flow path of the ink is formed on a portio circumferential surface However, when umbrella part 671 of check val contact with cover top part 682, the entire- first cover through-hole is b ink flow path of second cover through-hole 684 formed in the center is s blocked

Figure 31 is a diagram that shows ambient air cap 700 Figure 31 (a that shows a side view of ambient air cap 700, Figure 3 l(b) is a diagra side view of ambient air cap 700 from the perspective of arrow XX 31 (a), Figure 31(c) is a diagram that shows a plan view of ambient air c 31(d) is a diagram that shows a bottom view of ambient air cap 700, an is a cross-sectional view of ambient air cap 700 through line XXXIe-X 31(c)

As illustrated in Figure 31 (a), ambient air cap 700 is equipped cylindrical ambient air securing part 701, which forms the side wall of th cap 700 and is fastened to ambient air intake element 117 (see Fi ambient air cap bottom wall 702, which forms the bottom wall of ambie Engagement holes 703a and 703b (see Figure 3 l(b) for engagement hole are formed from the bottom part of ambient air securing part 701 (lower 31 (a)) to the vicinity of the top part (vicinity of the end of the upper 31 (a)) and are engaged with protruding parts 117a and 117b of ambi element 117 described above when ambient air cap 700 is fastened t intake element 117, are formed on ambient air securing part 701

As illustrated in Figure 31(b), ambient air cap cutout parts 70 Figure 32) of ambient air joint 710, which will be described below, a part 721a (see Figure 33) of ambient air valve 720 are inserted, is forme central position on ambient air cap bottom wall 702 Ambient air joint 7 32) is housed such that it makes contact with the inside surface of a bottom wall 702 and the inner circumferential surface of ambient air 701

When ambient air cap 700 is attached to ambient air intake protruding parts 117a and 117b of ambient air intake element 117 protru circumferential direction, as with supply cap 600, so ambient air cap 7 as it increases in diameter in the outer circumferential direction Th ambient air cap 700 is to be attached, it can be attached without a pressure, so it is possible to improve the installation efficiency while red to ambient air cap 700

Figure 32 is a diagram that shows ambient air joint 710 Figure 32(a that shows a side view of ambient air joint 710, Figure 32(b) is a diagra plan view of ambient air joint 710, Figure 32(c) is a diagram that sh view of ambient air joint 710, and Figure 32(d) is a cross-sectional vie air joint 710 through line XXXIId-XXXIId in Figure 32(b)

As illustrated in Figure 32(a), ambient air joint 710 is formed in fou side view perspective (perspective of the direction perpendicular to the 32(a)) The part illustrated in the second step from the bottom (lower 32(a)) is joint outer circumference part 711, which is the part that make the inner circumferential surface of ambient air securing part 701 (see ambient air cap 700 and ambient air cap bottom wall 702 and for circumference part of ambient air joint 710 The part illustrated at the t joint outer circumference part 711 is joint inner circumference part outside from ambient air cap 700

As illustrated in Figure 32(b), the axial center of joint outer circu

711, joint inner circumference part 712, joint contact part 713, and joint is positioned on the same axial center as in the direction of axial center air intake mechanism 510 Moreover, ambient air joint 710 is made material such as a resin rubber, so when ink cartridge 14 is installed in device 1 (see Figure 1), joint skirt part 714, which is formed with a thin contact with the end surface of multifunction device 1 and is elastically

As illustrated in Figure 32(d), joint contact part 713 projects fro 712a of joint inner circumference part 712 (surface on the side that with ambient air valve 720) Joint contact part 713 is formed such t toward tip 713a (upper end part in Figure 32(d)), and this tip 713a make the bottom surface of ambient air valve 720 and blocks the ambient ai Moreover, as illustrated in Figure 32(d), joint passage 715, which pa bottom surface of joint inner circumference part 712 to tip 713a of joi 713 (upper side to lower side in Figure 32(d)), is formed on ambient air valve open part 721a of ambient air valve 720 is inserted into this joint p

Figure 33 is a diagram that shows ambient air valve 720 Figure 33 (a that shows a side view of ambient air valve 720, and Figure 33(b) is a shows a bottom view of ambient air valve 720 Ambient air valv configuration in which valve open part 721a, which projects from the b of valve bottom wall 721 and opens the ambient air intake path by m with the side of multifunction device 1 (see Figure 1), is added to supp Therefore, detailed descriptions of valve bottom wall 721, valve outer ci wall 722, valve protruding part 722a, valve guide groove 723, valve p 724, valve constraining part 725, valve hook part 726, ambient air int shape Roughly semicircular convex part 721b, which projects from th (lower end surface in Figure 22) to valve bottom wall 721 in the outer c direction, is formed on the outer circumferential surface of valve open p valve open part 721a passes into joint passage 715 (see Figure 32) of a 710 described above, and a portion of it is exposed to the outside of a 700 (see Figure 31) When ink cartridge 14 is installed in multifunction Figure 1), valve open part 721a makes contact with the end surface of device 1, and the contact with joint contact part 713 (tip 713a) of ambie is broken, thus forming an ambient air intake path When ink cartridge 14 is installed in multifunction device 1 and v

721a operates, joint skirt part 714 of ambient air joint 710 also makes co end surface of multifunction device 1 and elastically deforms, an communication between the ambient air intake path and the outside of j 714 As a result, ambient air that is introduced from the side of multifun can be introduced smoothly Moreover, even if joint skirt part 714 elasti toward axial center 02 and makes contact with valve open part 721a, t intake path can be secured by convex part 721b of valve open part 721a possible to prevent the ambient air intake path from being blocked a ambient air is introduced into ink reservoir chamber 111 (see Figure 14) Next, the state in which ink supply mechanism 500 and ambi mechanism 510 are installed into ink supply element 116 and ambi element 117 will be described with reference to Figure 34 Figure 3 cross-sectional view that shows the state in which ink supply mecha ambient air intake mechanism 510 are installed into ink supply ele ambient air intake element 117.

As illustrated in Figure 34, ink supply mechanism 500 is inse 421 of supply path forming part 420, and this projecting wall 801 is stepped shape that can house cover 680. Cover 680 is inserted such contact with stepped surface 801a of this projecting wall 801, which is stepped shape, and the position on the side of first supply communicati ink supply mechanism 500 is thus determined

Shaft part 672 of check valve 670 is inserted into second cover thr of cover 680, and valve seat 660 is arranged such that it houses this ch inside cover 680 Second supply spring 650 is arranged on the bottom s this valve seat 660 (left side in Figure 34), and supply slider 640 is arra it houses this second supply spring 650 First supply spring 630 is hou slider 640 on the opposite side of second supply spring 650, and first 630 is arranged between supply slider 640 and supply valve 620. Mor joint 610 is arranged such that it makes contact with the bottom surf valve 620, and supply cap 600 is fastened to the outside of ink suppl such that it makes contact with the bottom surface of this supply joint 61 600 is fastened as it engages with protruding parts 116a and 116b element 116, so the position on the outside of ink supply mech determined Therefore, the position of the direction of axial center Ol mechanism 500 is determined by supply cap 600 and stepped surface circumferential surface 800 of ink supply element 116

The mside diameter of inner circumferential surface 800 of ink su 116 is formed such that it is slightly larger than the outside diameter of 620, and it is configured such that the operation of supply valve 620 in th axial center Ol can be performed smoothly inside ink supply ele described above, four valve protruding parts 622a are formed circumferential surface of supply valve 620, and it is configured such th circumferential surface 800 of ink supply element 116 is the space that flow path chamber

As described above, slider platform part 644 is in a state in which it by spring bottom part 631 of first supply spring 630 and spring bottom second spring member 650 On the contact side of spring platform spring bottom part 631 of second supply spring 650, it is engaged by t parts 626 of supply valve 620, and movement in the direction of axia thus restricted The space formed between supply valve 620 and suppl shorter than the length of first supply spring 630 in the direction of axial first supply spring 630 is already plastically deformed in the position attached to ink supply element 116.

Next, ambient air intake mechanism 510, which is attached to amb element 117, will be described On inner circumferential surface 810 intake element 117, protruding part 811, which protrudes in the directi air intake mechanism 510 (left direction in Figure 34), is formed on the ambient air intake passage forming part 430 on the side of first communicating chamber This protruding part 811 is configured plate-shaped member, and it makes contact with the end surface of spπn of second ambient air spring 750 As a result, an ambient air intake p between protruding part 811 and spring top part 752 of second ambient Moreover, the position of ambient air intake mechanism 510 on the ambient air communicating hole 434 is determined as a result of seco spring 750 making contact with protruding part 811

As with the ink supply mechanism 500 side, ambient air slider 740 i ambient air intake mechanism 510 such that it houses second ambient a and first ambient air spring 730 is housed by ambient air slider 740 o intake element 117, so the position on the outside of ambient air inta 510 is determined Therefore, the position of the direction of axial ambient air intake mechanism 510 is determined by ambient air protruding part 811 of inner circumferential surface 810 of ambient air i 117

Moreover, the space formed between ambient air valve 720 and am 740 is shorter than the length of first ambient air spring 730 in the dir center 02, so, as with ink supply mechanism 500, first ambient air already plastically deformed in the position in which it is attached t intake element 117

Next, the manufacturing process of ink cartridge 14 will be d reference to Figures 35 through 39 Figure 35 is a diagram that manufacturing process before film 160 is welded Figure 36 is a diagra the welding process of film 160 Figure 36(a) is a diagram that explain surface of frame part 110 onto which film 160 is welded, and Figu diagram that explains the welding process in which film 160 is^" welded 110 Figure 37 is a diagram that explains the manufacturing process p film 160 is welded Figure 37(a) is a diagram that explains the attachm which ink supply mechanism 500 and ambient air intake mechanism 51 to frame part 110, Figure 37(b) is a diagram that explains the decompre and Figure 37(c) is a diagram that explains the ink dispensing process diagram that explains the installation process of case 200 Figure 38(a) that explains the process in which case 200 sandwiches frame part 11 38(b) is a diagram that explains the welding process in which case 2 Figure 39 is a diagram that explains the manufacturing process perform cartridge 14 is shipped Figure 39(a) is a diagram that explains the pro (preparatory process) in which sensor arm 470 is injection-molded

In sensor arm 470, attachment shaft 472a, which is provided on a 472 of sensor arm 470 is attached to arm sandwiching part 425, which the vicinity of supply path forming part 420 of frame part 110 (se attachment process, preparatory process) Arm sandwiching part 425 opposite side as the side of ink supply element 116 (top of Figure 35) I the opening of arm sandwiching part 425 opens on the side of se chamber opening 114 As a result, sensor arm 470 can be attached i which first chamber Ilia and second chamber 111b communicate, so s can be efficiently attached with little interference Moreover, shielding of arm part 473 is attached such that it is housed on the inside of dete (inside enclosure part 141) When sensor arm 470 is attached to arm sa 425, the vertical and horizontal range of movement of shielding ar restricted by each wall 141a to 141d of enclosure part 141 of detectio other words, once the attachment of sensor arm 470 is complete, se cannot be easily detached, so it is possible to prevent the manufacturing cartridge 14 from becoming complicated and to prevent sensor a detaching from detection part 140 when the ink cartridge is transporte when ink cartridge 14 is installed in multifunction device 1, the empty i reliably detected, so the reliability of the product can be improved

In this embodiment, a supporting¹ part that forms the axis of rotation sensor arm 470 is configured as attachment part 472 (attachment shaft 4 arm 470 is supported on arm sandwiching part 425 of frame pa configuration in which an attachment shaft is, provided on the side of f and a sandwiching part is provided on the side of sensor arm 470 may and a configuration in which sensor arm 470 and frame part 110 are att the same plane as the outside surface of frame part 110, and it is no position such that it makes contact with bottom part 451b of dispensin 451 This is because, as described above, first dispensing communicati dispensing passage forming part 450 is formed on the side surface cylinder part 451, and when ink dispensing plug 520 is pressed t dispensing cylinder part 451 , first dispensing communicating hole 452 making it impossible to dispense ink Moreover, ink dispensing plu attached before sensor arm 470 is attached

As illustrated in Figure 36(a), when the attachment of sensor ar dispensing plug 520 is complete, film 160 is then welded (film 160 sec Film 160 is welded to frame part 110 such that it covers both the op opening 112a and second opening 112b In other words, film 160 is sides of frame part 110 in two securing processes - a first securing pro film 160 is welded to first opening 112a (preparatory process), and a se process in which film 160 is welded to second opening 112b.

As illustrated in Figure 36(b), film 160 is cut such that it is larger th outline of frame part 110 and it covers frame part 110 At this tim arranged on first opening 112a and second opening 112b without aspirating film 160 with an aspirator (not illustrated in the figure) fro frame part 110 Ultrasound welded surface 900 of an ultrasonic weldi illustrated in the figure) is then place on film 160 such that it co circumference parts of first and second openings 112a and 112b (outer welded parts 400a and 400b) from the top of film 160, and film 160 frame part 110 When film 160 is welded to each welded part, the parts in Figure 37(a) (outer circumference welded parts 400a and 40 circumference welded parts 411a to 417a and 411b to 417b) are welded circumference welded parts), so it is possible to reduce increases in the cost of the welding process of film 160

Moreover, film 160 is made of a double-layered film comprising a a polyethylene film (called "nylon polyethylene" hereafter), and the si contact with frame part 110 is the polyethylene film layer This nylo completely blocks liquids, but it is relatively gas permeable, so a small circulation is possible between ink reservoir chamber 111, which is rou film 160, and packaging bag 930 (see Figure 39(b)), which will be de As a result, gas that is present in the ink inside ink reservoir cha gradually pass through film 160 and move into the space formed betw element 930 and case 200, so the generation of air bubbles inside t prevented. Accordingly, the occurrence decreases in printing quality due inside the ink can be prevented. Moreover, as long as it can maintain s relatively gas permeable, film 160 may be made of any type of s example, a film in which a nylon film and a polypropylene film are fo layers or a film formed by mixing nylon and polyethylene or nylon and could be used

Frame part 110 is formed from a polyethylene resm, and it is mad type of substance as the film of film 160 on /the side of frame part 110 160 and frame part 110 are formed from the same material, both fil welded parts can be fused and welded reliably at the time of ultrasoni this embodiment, film 160 has a double-layer structure Nylon films a polyethylene films from the perspective of strength, but their melting po they are deficient from the perspective of welding operationally Th film 160 is formed with a double-layer structure made of nylon and pol strength is secured, and by using the polyethylene layer as the layer tha part 110 Ink supply mechanism 500 is attached to ink supply element 1 mechanism 500 attachment process, preparatory process), and ambi mechanism 510 is attached to ambient air intake element 117 (ambi mechanism [500] attachment process, preparatory process) In the atta supply mechanism 500 (attachment process), a component in which co valve 670, and valve seat 660 are formed as a unit is inserted insi element 116 (position that makes contact with stepped surface 801a) A tip of check valve 670 is inserted into first supply communicating Figure 34), and it is attached such that it projects into the space enclo partition wall 422 A component in which supply joint 610, supply v supply spring 630, supply slider 640, and second supply spring 650 ar unit inside supply cap 600 is inserted inside inner circumferential surf supply element 116, and supply cap 600 is secured to the outer circumfe of ink supply element 116 At this time, supply cap 600 is pushed in t ink supply element 116, and engagement holes 603a and 603b of suppl engaged with protruding . parts 116a and 116b of ink supply element 1 joint 610, joint inner circumference part 612 is pressed inside inner c surface 800 of ink supply element 116, and joint outer circumferen sandwiched between ink supply element; 116 and supply cap 60 attachment of supply cap 600 to ink supply element 116 is complete, t of ink supply mechanism 500 is complete, and ink supply part 120 is co

As with the attachment of ink supply mechanism 500 to ink supply the attachment of ambient air intake mechanism 510 to ambient air intak (attachment process) is performed in a process in which a compo ambient air joint 710, ambient air valve 720, first ambient air spring 73 slider 740, and second ambient air spring 750 are formed as a unit in a outer circumference part 711 is sandwiched between ambient air intak and ambient air cap 700 When the attachment of ambient air cap 700 intake element 117 is complete, the attachment of ambient air intake is complete, and ambient air intake part 130 is completed As illustrated in Figure 37(b), when the attachment of ink supply and ambient air intake mechanism 510 to supply element 116 and amb element 117 (each attachment process) is complete, a decompression pr the inside of frame part 110 (ink reservoir chamber 111) is decompresse In this embodiment, the decompression of the inside of frame part 11 from the side of ink supply part 120 In the decompression of the inside 110, suction tube 911 of pressure reducing device 910 is first inserted in 610 of ink supply mechanism 500and supply valve 620 is pressed by su thus opening the ink flow path Suction pump (Pl) 912 is then acti ambient air inside frame part 110 is aspirated The ambient air inside fra aspirated by pressure reducing device 910, and when it reaches a presc (pressure that is at least lower than the ambient pressure), suction stopped, and suction tube 911 is removed from ink supply part 120 tube 911 is removed from ink supply part 120, supply valve 620 make joint contact part 613 of supply joint 610 due to the elastic force of fir supply springs 630 and 650, and the flow path of the ink is thus bl decompressed state is maintained

As illustrated in Figure 37(c), when the decompression inside fra complete after the decompression process, ink dispensing needle 920 i ink dispensing plug 520, and ink is dispensed into frame part 110 chamber 111) (ink dispensing process) The inside of ink reservoir c depressuπzed, so the ink is swiftly dispensed into ink reservoir cha penetration of ink into ambient air connection passage 433 can be purpose for not dispensing ink inside ink reservoir chamber 111 u space is left inside ink reservoir chamber 111 is to, as described abo damage or deformation of film 160 Moreover, the region below liquid ink illustrated in Figure 37(c) is the ink space where ink is stored, and t liquid surface I of the ink and the space containing ambient air c passage forming part 430 is the ambient air communicating space ( space), but the ink space and the ambient air communicating space ch and size depending on the state in which ink cartridge 14 is placed and remaining ink

Ink is dispensed in the state in which the inside of ink reservoir c decompressed by pressure reducing device 910, so even after the dispe complete, the air pressure inside ink reservoir chamber 111 is in the state (air pressure pi) Therefore, there are cases in which decompression process is not required after the ink dispensing subsequent decompression process were not performed, the manufac could be simplified However, the air pressure pi inside ink reservoir after the ink is dispensed is not necessarily within a prescribed ran embodiment, a subsequent decompression process is performed in orde air pressure to a level withm the prescribed range (in order to confir pressure is within the prescribed range)

Here, although it is not illustrated in the figures, the subsequent process that is performed after the ink is dispensed will be described T decompression process is performed using ink dispensing needle 92 inserted into ink dispensing plug 520 In other words, a supply devic ink (not illustrated in the figure) and a pressure reducing device th decompression process, so the generation of air bubbles inside th prevented, and the deterioration of printing quality due to air bubbles c Moreover, the ink that flows in at the time of the ink dispensing proces the inside surface inside ink reservoir chamber 111 , so air bubbles are generate, but the air bubbles generated at this time can be remove device may also be configured such that a decompression needle (not ill figure) for performing subsequent decompression is provided separ dispensing needle 920, and decompression is performed by decompression needle after removing ink dispensing needle 920 As illustrated m Figure 17, m dispensing passage forming part 450, second dispensing communicating hole 454 is positioned above liquid s ink (top of Figure 17(a)), so even if subsequent decompression is per pressure reducing device, the ink is never aspirated to the outsid dispensing path Therefore, the amount of ink that is dispensed never c subsequent decompression, so it is possible to reliably dispense a pres of ink ^*

Although it is not illustrated in the figures, when the d decompression) of the ink is complete, in dispensing plug 520 is p makes contact with bottom part 451b of dispensing cylinder part 451 ( the side of ink reservoir chamber 111) Therefore, after ink dispensin pressed to bottom part 451b of dispensing cylinder part 451, fi communicating hole 452 is blocked by the outer circumferential s dispensing plug 520, so even if the dispensing needle is mistakenly again, the ink is not dispensed In other words, in the manufacturing cartridge 14, it is possible to prevent the dispensing process from be twice and to prevent the occurrence of defective products 14 for through-holes 460b and 460c), which are formed on the outer part of frame part 100, and ink reservoir element 110 is thus installe member 210 At this time, ink supply part 120 (supply cap 600) and am part 130 (ambient air cap 700) are respectively engaged with case cutou 212, and the outer wall of ink supply part 120 (outer circumferential sur cap 600) and the outer wall of ambient air intake element 130 (outer c surface of ambient air cap 700) make contact with contact grooves 2 Second case member 220 is then attached such that case fitting hole 225c (not illustrated in the figure) of second case member 220 en members 215a to 215c of first case member 210 At this time, ink s (supply cap 600) and ambient air intake part 130 (ambient air respectively engaged with case cutout parts 221 and 222 of second case and the outer wall of ink supply part 120 (outer circumferential surface 600) and the outer wall of ambient air intake element 130 (outer cir ambient air cap 700) make contact with contact grooves 221a and 222a

As illustrated m Figure 38(b), when the assembly of first and sec and 220 (assembly process) is complete, first and second case member are welded to one another (case 200 welding process) In the welding p and second case members 210 and 220, first case welded part 216 member 210 and first case welded part 226 of second case member 2 together, and second case welded part 217 of first case member 210 an welded part 227 of second case member 220 are welded together indicated by the diagonal lines in Figure 38(b) are welded) In this em entire first and second welded parts 226 and 227 are welded in the cas process, but several spots may be partially welded instead In other wor the parts are welded such that case 200 does not peel during transport vibration accompanying the welding of case 200 Moreover, when the first and second case members 210 and 220 are partially welded, the vibration due to ultrasonic welding is reduced, so the damage of ea peeling of film 160 can be further reduced As illustrated in Figure 38(b), case projecting parts 214a and 224a ( part 214a is not illustrated in the figure) and case projecting parts 214b projecting part 214b is not illustrated in the figure) project outward fr part 120 and ambient air intake part 130 Therefore, when ink cartrid installed m inkjet recording device 1, even if ink cartridge 14 is projecting parts 214a, 214b, 224a, and 224b make impact with the damage of ink supply part 120 and ambient air intake part 130 can Further, the opening of the ambient air intake path or the ink supply p prevented, so the leakage of ink can be prevented

As illustrated in Figure 39(a), when the welding process of case 20 protector 300 is attached to case 200 (protector 300 attachment protector 300 is removed when ink cartridge 14 is attached to multifun (see Figure 1), so it is configured such that it can be freely attached an described above, protruding parts 330al and 330bl of protector 30 through-holes formed by case projecting cutout parts 214a and 224a (se first and second case members 210 and 220 and through-holes fo projecting cutout parts 214b and 224b of first and second case member and protector 300 is thus attached to case 200 Because second protect 330a and 330b of protector 300 elastically deform in directions facing a another, protector 300 can be easily attached and detached As illustrated in Figure 39(b), when the attachment of protector 30 process) is complete, ink cartridge 14 is housed inside packaging bag 9 aspirated and reduced by activating suction pump (P2) 942 The a packaging bag 930 due to this decompression is at a level lower tha pressure, but it is reduced such that it becomes air pressure p2 (sec which is lower than air pressure p3 that is reduced inside ink reservoi (or air pressure pi when a subsequent decompression process is n When decompression by pressure reducing device 940 is complete, su is removed and opening 931 is welded, resulting in a state in which in can be shipped The relationship between air pressures pi to p3 is the r < p3 < pl Because the air pressure inside packaging bag 930 is made lowe pressure inside ink reservoir chamber 111 as a result of the pa decompression process, film 160 of ink cartridge 14 can be plasticall the side of packaging bag 930 (side of case 200) If the air pressure ins bag 930 is higher than the air pressure inside ink reservoir chamber sometimes hardens and loses flexibility, , or is damaged in the state inside of ink reservoir chamber 111 is decompressed when ink cartri without being used for a long period of time When film 160 loses shape of ink reservoir chamber 111 do not change, and the air pres nonuniform, so ink cannot be accurately ' supplied Moreover, whe damaged, the ink inside ink reservoir chamber 111 flows to the o cartridge 14 However, in this embodiment, the inside of packagin decompressed such that the air pressure is lower than the air press reservoir chamber 111, so film 160 is can be deformed on the side of 930 (revertible). Therefore, even in cases in which it is not used for l time, it is possible to reduce situations in which it becomes impossible supply ink due to the solidification of film 160, and it is possible t inside ink reservoir chamber 111 and the air pressure of the space ins bag 930 and outside ink reservoir chamber 111 attempt to transition to t state, and the gas therefore moves to the outside from inside ink rese 111 Accordingly, the deaeration of the ink stored in ink reservoir c promoted, and it becomes more difficult for air bubbles to generate, quality can be favorably maintained

In this embodiment, ink cartridge 14 is packaged in packaging decompressed in the state in which protector 300 is attached to case 2 makes direct contact with ambient air intake part 130 (or ink suppl packaging bag 930 deforms due to decompression Valve open part 7 the outside of ambient air intake part 130, so if packaging bag 930 contact with valve open part 721a, valve open part 721a operates and t intake path is sometimes opened If the ambient air intake path is o inside ink reservoir chamber 111 leaks out Moreover, ambient air intak ink supply part 120 are sometimes damaged in step with the deformatio bag 930 However, in this embodiment, protector 300 is attached to ca damage of ambient air intake part 130 and ink supply part 120 can be the opening of the ambient air intake path can be prevented

As described above, ink cartridge 14 is 'manufactured in a process 200 is welded over ink reservoir element 100 after ink is dispens reservoir chamber 111 of frame part 110 With some conventional ink was dispensed from outside the case after the ink reservoir element wa the case (after the assembly of the ink cartridge is completely finished conventional ink cartridge, it was necessary to prepare a frame and a cas the amount of ink stored and the color of the ink However, in this emb 200 is covered after ink is dispensed into ink reservoir chamber 111 o dispensing plug 520 can be prevented

Next, the installation method of ink cartridge 14 into multifunctio be described with reference to Figure 40 Figure 40 is a diagram t method in which ink cartridge 14 is installed into multifunction device 1 When ink cartridge 14 is to be attached to multifunction device 1,

930 is first broken, and ink cartridge 14 is^ removed from the inside of 930 Then protector 300 is removed from case 200 The direction in cartridge 14 (for color, for black, and for large-capacity black) is multifunction device 1 is the same First, the internal structure of refill unit 13 of multifunction de described with reference to Figure 40(a) In refill unit 13, as described 49 is provided at a lower portion of the side of back surface 56 of case 49 projects along installation direction F (arrow F in Figure 40(a)) of in As is clear from Figure 40(c), this installation direction F is parallel to t direction (direction of arrow B, X-direction) of ink cartridge 14, whi into refill unit 13 Remaining ink detection sensor 57 is provided abo Remaining ink detection sensor 57 is roughly formed into a left-fac shape, and the open end of the horseshoe shape is light emitting part 57 light, while the other end is light receiving part 57b (not illustrated which receives light. This light emitting part 57a and light receiving respectively inserted into through-holes formed by case cutout parts 21 detection part 140, and are attached such that they project from bac Remaimng ink detection sensor 57 is configured such that it does outputs) a signal to a control unit provided on multifunction device receiving part 57b receives light that is emitted from light emitting outputs (or does not output) a signal to the control device when light t sequentially arranged from bottom to top, and ink supply part 120, dete and ambient air intake part 130 are formed on a single end surface A Figure 40(b), this single end surface is the one side surface of case 20 the front in installation direction F when ink cartridge 14 is in the regu position Therefore, because ink supply part 120, detection part 140, a intake part 130 are provided such that they are focused (located close on a single end surface, remaining ink detection sensor 57, needle 49, a which are required on the side of multifunction device 1 , can be consoli close to each other) onto a single surface (back surface 56) If ink s were provided on the bottom surface of ink cartridge 14 and detectio ambient air intake part 130 were provided on the side surface of ink c would become necessary to establish needle 49 on the bottom surface s of refill unit 13 and establish remaining ink detection sensor 57 and pas side of the side surface (back surface 56) of case 40, and the scale of device 1 would increase as these were provided, being diversified (loc far away from each other) However, in this embodiment, these parts ar (located close to each other), so the scale of multifunction device 1 can

Ink supply part 120 and detection part 140 are sequentially provide end surface from top to bottom, and by usingsensor arm 470 for detect ink, the full use of the ink can be improved This is due to the following

When the amount of remaining ink is detected by irradiating a port cartridge (corresponding to detection part 140 in this embodim photodetector (corresponding to remaining ink detection sensor embodiment), if a method in which the presence of ink is detected dir for detecting the amount of remaining ink based on whether or not in the light path of the photodetector) were used, the ink could not be full positioned above the ink supply opening, the position of the irradiate relatively high, so a significant quantity of ink is left over when the detects the absence of ink, and when the user is notified of the absenc on the detection results of the photodetector, the amount of ink th becomes large However, in this embodiment, sensor arm 470 is used, irradiated part is provided in a relatively high position, the absence detected in step with the timing in which the actual amount of remaimn low, and the ink supply opemng is provided in a low position, so there i ink (The description is given out of place, but a remaining ink detectio sensor arm 470 will be described in detail below )

As long as the configuration of the ink cartridge is such that t opening is provided on the bottom surface of the ink cartridge and the is provided on the side surface of the ink cartridge, ink will be fully method that directly detects the presence of ink is used However, in thi the separate problem that multifunction device 1 increases in size I only with the invention described in this embodiment can both the re scale of multifunction device 1 and the improvement of the full use of i

As described in Figure 40(a), ink cartridge 14 is installed in a pro case protruding parts 214a and 224a (first case welded parts 216 and 22 are inserted to slide on door main body 60, and the back surface of ink pushed in installation direction F until most of ink cartridge 14 is inse unit 13 Moreover, as described above, sloping surfaces 214a2 and 224 on case projecting parts 214a and 224a, so ink cartridge 14 can be sm due to these sloping surfaces 214a2 and 224a2. As illustrated in F portion of the back surface of ink cartridge 14 is push part 200a, and thi is pushed such that it makes contact with pressing retaining member 61 and ceiling plate part 44 of refill unit 13, so it is possible to prevent i from being inserted diagonally and prevent remaining ink detection needle 49 from being damaged

When the door member 60 is rotated from the state of Figure direction of the arrow illustrated in Figure 40 (b), the pushing retaining the door member 60 contacts the push part 200a forming a portion of th of the ink cartridge 14, pushing the ink cartridge 14 in the installation the door member 60 is rotated further, the door lock member 62 of the

60 fits into the lock member fitting part 46 of the refill unit 13, c installation of the ink cartridge 14 (the state of Figure 40 (c)) The illustrated in Figure 40 (c) is the central position in the vertical dir direction) of the ink cartridge 14 The position where the pushing ret

61 pushes the push part 200a is a position including the middle poi cartridge 14 and extending below the middle point p In other words, 200a is provided at a position above the ink supply part 120 and below t intake part 130 in the vertical direction Although illustration and des will be omitted, when the state of Figure 40 (c) is reached, the tip of mechanism 44b fits into the latch parts 217a and 227a and retains the in

Once installation of the ink cartridge lft is completed, the needle into the ink supply part 120 and ink supply is enabled, the valve openin the ambient air intake part 130 contacts the back surface 56 of the cas intake of ambient air, and the remaining ink detection sensor 57 is in the through-hole formed by the case cutout parts 213 and 223 and the 140, enabling detection of the remaining quantity of ink The details described later

Furthermore, since the remaining ink sensor 57 is inserted 66 as described above, it can stably retain the ink cartridge 14 When th 14 has been installed (or is being installed) m the refill unit 13, the elas spring members 630, 650, 730 and 750 of the ink supply mechanis ambient air intake mechanism 510 act in the direction away from the needle 49 is arranged (leftward in Figure 40, in the direction o installation direction) As described above, the pushing retaining configured to have a greater elastic force than the elastic force generate members 630, 650, 730 and 750, and is thus able to stably retain the i once it has been installed Furthermore, the push part 200a that is de pushing retaining member 61 is located substantially in the middle b supply part 120 and the ambient air intake part 130, allowing a substa elastic force to be applied to the ink supply part 120 and the ambient 130 This is because the ink cartridge 14 is retained at three points in direction of the ink cartridge 14 - one point at the front of the refi pushing retaining member 61) and two points at the back of the refill u supply part 120 and the ambient air intake part 130), with the imagina these three points forming substantially an isosceles triangle shape Thu ink cartridge 14 by three points allows the ink cartridge 14 to be r Furthermore, since the elastic force of the, pushing retaining member retain the ink cartridge 14, the load on the surface of the ink cartridge 1 compared to the case of a mechanical structure where the ink cartridge by engagement with its surface Thus, it becomes possible to prevent ink cartridge 14 through excessive loads being applied thereto

Furthermore, since the pushing retaining member 61 pushes bel position (midpoint p) in the height direction of the ink cartridge 14, a lar needed to operate the door member 60, making it possible to stably member On the other hand, if the push part 200a is arranged at the extr of the back surface, for instance below the ink supply part 120, the user close the door member with minimum force, but since a point at the lo ink cartridge 14 is pushed, the ink cartridge 14 may sometimes rotate in tilted, so the needle 49 may not be inserted accurately into the ink s However, according to the present embodiment, since the push part 2 below the middle position of the ink cartridge 14 in the height direction position corresponding to the ink supply part 120, a large force is operate the door member, making it possible to stably install the ink prescribed location

Here, referring to Figure 41, the operation of the ink supply mech the ambient air intake mechanism 510 when the ink cartridge 14 is i multifunction device 1 will be descπbed Figure 41 is a drawing illust with the ink cartridge 14 having been installed in the multifunction d Figure 41 is drawing for the purpose of explaining the operation of mechanism 500 and ambient air intake mechanism 510, the case 200, 55 of the multifunction device 1 and the like have been omitted from th

As illustrated in Figure 41, when the ink cartridge 14 is in multifunction device 1 (inside the refill unit 13), the light- emitting pa light receiving part 57b (not illustrated) of the remaining ink detection arranged at positions sandwiching the detection part 140 The dete consists of translucent or transparent resin material, allowing the ligh the light emitting part 57a of the remaining ink detection sensor 57 to p detection part 140 and be received by the light receiving part 57b Sinc arm part 473 c of the sensor arm 470 is arranged in the enclosure p detection part 140, as described above, the remaining ink quantity can depressing the supply valve 620 As a result, the supply valve 620 mo the joint contact part 613 of the supply joint 610, forming an ink f needle 49 communicates with a discharge opening (not illust multifunction device 1 via ink extraction opening 52 and ink tube 53 F the tip of the needle 49, a cutout 49a is formed for securing an ink flo an ink flow path is secured by the cutout 49a even if the tip of the nee the valve bottom wall 621 of the supply valve 620.

Here, the operation of the ink supply mechanism 500 when the supp depressed by the needle 49 will be described The first supply sprin inside the supply valve 620 (and supply slider 640), as described above flexed spring flexible part 633 On the other hand, there is no flexin flexible part 653 of the second supply spring 650 arranged on the oppo supply slider 640 from the first supply spring 630 This serves to flexing order of the first and second supply springs 630 and 650 In ot first supply spring 630 with the flexed spring flexible part 633 flexes m the second supply spring 650, so that when the needle 49 is inserted, t spring 630 flexes first, and the second supply spring 650 ilexes thereafte

Here, the height of the ink supply mechanism 500 in the directi comprises dimensional error from the manufacturing of the various c the more components there are, the more likely that dimensional err However, since the supply slider 640 is brought into contact with the v 626 of the valve member 610, at least the error in the dimensions of t spring 630 becomes irrelevant Thus, dimensional error of the ink supp 500 is reduced and the telescoping operation of the ink supply m becomes more stable

Furthermore, the mside diameter of the valve outer circumferential becomes possible to reduce misalignment in the direction orthogonal t up-down direction in Figure 41) when the first and second spring me 650 are arranged on the slider pedestal part 644 of the supply slider 640 while the external shape of the valve outer circumferential wall 622 valve 620 is formed slightly smaller than the inside diameter of t element 116, since the valve protruding part 622a is formed outward outer circumferential wall 622 of the supply valve 620, it becomes poss misalignment in the direction of displacement when the supply valve 6 the direction of axis Ol Therefore, telescoping operation in the direct becomes more stable

Furthermore, when the valve bottom wall 621 of the supply valve 6 by the needle 49 and moves in the direction of valve seat 660 (nghtwar accompanying this movement, the first supply spring 630 is flexibly def become compressed, whereupon the supply slider 640 moves in the dir seat 660 (the direction opposite to the impelling direction of the first 630 and second supply spring 650), and the second supply spring und deformation This state is the state illustrated in Figure 41

Once the ink cartridge 14 has been installed in the case 40 of the device 1, the first and second supply springs 630 and 650 also u deformation, forming an ink flow path K indicated by arrow K The ink a flow path formed between the ink reservoir chamber 111 (see Figu supply communicating hole 423, first supply communicating hole 4 through-hole 683 (and second cover through-hole 684) of cover 680, through-hole 662b and second valve seat through-hole 663 of valve s seat communicating groove 664 of valve seat 660, ink flow path 654 of spring 650, slider through-hole 645 of supply slider 640, ink flow pa protruding part flow path 615b through the step part flow path 6 protruding part 614 is pulled by the needle 49 due to the friction be inner circumferential surface 614a and the outer circumferential surfac 49 and is displaced in the direction of insertion (to the right in Figure 41 49 (displaced into the contact part flow path 615c) Here, the joint co has a structure cut out into a countersunk shape, so the displaceme protruding part 614 in the direction of insertion of the needle 49 is directly to the tip 613a of the joint contact part 613 In other words, the joint contact part 613 is hardly displaced in the direction of insertion, displaced in a direction away from the needle 49 Thus, the shape supply joint 610 accompanying insertion of the needle 49 is such that th parts 613 are displaced away from each other. Assuming the joint conta a shape with a gently sloping surface going from the inner circumfe 614a of the joint protruding part 614 to the tip 613a of the joint conta the needle 49 was inserted, the joint protruding part 614 would defor displaced in the direction of insertion of the needle 49, the deformati protruding part 614 would be directly transmitted to the joint contact pa joint contact part 613 would be displaced in the direction of insertion the joint protruding part 614 As a result, _;the insertion stroke of the forming an ink flow path between the supply valve 620 and the joint c would become longer, so the needle 49 would have to be made longer as the needle 49 becomes longer, it becomes more likely to be dama with other members, and the length of the ink supply mechanism 500 i of axis Ol becomes longer, thus increasing its size However, i embodiment, since the joint contact part 613 is displaced in a directio orthogonal to the direction of insertion of the needle 49, the stroke for a slightly flexed deformed state

When the ink cartridge 14 is removed form the multifunction d needle 49 is withdrawn, the ink present in the vicinity of the ink flow supply joint 610 (the contact part flow path 615c and the protruding 615b) flows toward the ink cap 600 (leftward in Figure 41) and flows o part flow path 615a However, since the quantity of ink which flows o part flow path 615a is minute, the ink is retained by the capillary force of the step part flow path 615a, so that its outflow to the outside of th 14 can be reduced Furthermore, even if it flows out from the step part since the opening part of the ink storage part 602 of the supply cap 60 the opening 612c of the step part flow path 615a, the ink flowing out ink storing part 607 of the ink supply cap 600 Therefore, it becom reliably prevent ink from flowing out of the ink cartridge 14

Next, the ambient air intake mechanism 510 side will be described air intake mechanism 510, when the ink cartridge 14 is installed in the device 1, the valve opening part 721a of the ambient air valve -720 co surface 56 of the case 40, depressing the ambient air valve 720 A ambient air valve 720 is moved away from the joint contact part 713 air joint 710, forming an ambient air intake path L as illustrated by drawings Furthermore, when the valve opening part 721a of the am 720 contacts and is depressed by the back surface 56, the joint stroke ambient air joint 710 contacts the back surface 56, and the joint undergoes flexible deformation so as to expand (or contract) in diamet it becomes tightly held against the back surface 56, blocking the outsid the joint skirt part 714 In the back surface 56 on the inside of the joint there is formed a passage 54 which serves as a passage for taking i Furthermore, the inside diameter of the valve outer circumferential ambient air valve 720 and the inside diameter of the slider outer circu 741 of the ambient air valve 720 are formed to be substantially eq occurrence of misalignment in the direction of displacement when t slider 740 operates in the direction of axis 02 of the ambient air inta 510 can be prevented Furthermore, the inside diameter of th circumferential wall 741 and the outside diameters of the spring botto 751 of the first and second ambient air spring members 730 and 750 ar substantially equal Thus, it becomes possible to prevent misalignment i orthogonal to axis 02 (the up-down direction in Figure 41) when the fi ambient air springs 730 and 750 are arranged on the slider pedestal ambient air slider 740

Furthermore, while the outside shape of the valve outer circumfer of the ambient air valve 720 is formed slightly smaller than the inside ambient air intake element 117, since valve protruding part 722a is f from the valve outer circumferential wall 722 of the ambient a misalignment in the direction of displacement when the ambient operates in the direction of axis 02 can be prevented Therefore, telesco in the direction of axis 02 of the ambient air, intake mechanism 510 is st Furthermore, when the ambient air valve 720 is depressed by the part 721a and moves in the direction of protruding part 811 (rightward along with the movement, the first ambient air spring 730 unde deformation so as to become compressed, and when the ambient ai depressed, the ambient air slider 740 moves in the direction of protrudin the second ambient air spring 750 undergoes flexible deformation T state illustrated in Figure 41 through-hole 745 of the ambient air slider 740, the ink flow path 754 ambient air spnng 750, the spring top part 752 of the second ambient and the protruding part 811; and the first ambient air communicating flow path is the main flow path through which the majority of the am Furthermore, the space between the valve outer circumferential w ambient air valve 720 and the inner circumferential surface 810 of t intake element 117 also forms part of the ambient air intake path S illustrated in Figure 16, ambient air passes through the first communicating chamber 431, communicating opening 433a, ambient passage 433, communicating opening 433b, second ambient air c chamber 432, second ambient air communicating hole 435 and thi communicating hole 436, and is admitted mside the ink reservoir cham the ambient air intake path L is opened, air is taken in such that the in reservoir chamber 111 is brought to ambient air pressure As described above, the ink flow path K and the ambient air int formed when the ink cartridge 14 is installed in the multifunct Furthermore, the operation of the ink supply mechanism 500 and t intake mechanism 510 is such that they operate smoothly and without relative to the axes Ol and 02 Thus, installation of the ink cartridge 14 while allowing the supply of ink and the intake of ambient air to reliably

Next, referring to Figure 42 and Figure 43, the method of detecting ink remaining in the ink reservoir chamber 111 will be described drawing illustrating the operation of the sensor arm 470 according to t ink remaining in the ink reservoir chamber 111 Figure 42 (a) illustrates remaining ink, while Figure 42 (b) illustrates the state with no rema in

balance part 471 That is, in this description, the buoyancies and the g act on the portions of the sensor arm 470 other than the balance neglected. Instead, it is considered that the buoyancies and the gravi received by the entire sensor arm 470, act on the balance part 471 On t the rotation of the sensor arm 470 is determined by the buoyancy a acting on the balance part 471 As illustrated in Figure 42 (a), in the large amount of ink is stored in the ink reservoir chamber 111 (in the s ink stored is at least above the level of the lower ends of the inner welded parts 415a, 415b, 416a and 416b), since the balance part 471 of 470 is formed from resm material with lower specific gravity than the s of the ink, the buoyancy generated on the balance part 471 increases, a part 471 floats in the ink. When the balance part 471 is inside the ink, a Figure 42 (a), the combined force of the gravity and buoyancy ge balance part 471 cause a rotating force to be received in the clockwise direction of arrow Gl in Figure 43), but the shielding arm part 47 contact with the arm supporting part 143 which rises from the bottom w detection part 140 (enclosure part 141) and is thus placed in a positio optical path between the light emitting part 57a and the light receiving remaining ink detection sensor 57 This is the state when ink is presen controller (not illustrated) of the multifunction device 1 discriminates t ink

As the ink inside the ink reservoir chamber 111 passes through the i and decreases in quantity, the liquid surface I of the ink drops As the li of the ink drops, the blocking arm part 473c emerges on the liquid surfa and subsequently, the balance part 471 also emerges on the liquid surfa When the balance part 471 emerges on the liquid surface I of the ink, operation causes the shielding arm part 473 c to move upward away supporting part 143, and an optical path is created between the light e and light receiving part 57 of the remaining ink detection sensor 57 T out-of-ink state, in which the controller (not illustrated) of the multifu discriminates that the ink cartridge is out of ink

In the foregoing description, as illustrated in Figure 42 (b), the bala positioned near the bottom part 400bl (see Figure 15) of the ink rese 111 when almost no ink remains Thus, when the quantity of ink remai reservoir chamber 111 has become low, an out-of-ink discrimination c made

As illustrated in Figure 42 (b), in the out-of-ink state, there is still inside the ink reservoir chamber 111 The ink surface I at this time is

than the part 400bl forming the bottom of the ink reservoir chamber 11 as discussed above, the ink reservoir chamber 111 and the ink su communicate via the ink supply chamber 426 (see Figure 15) delimited partition wall 422, and the ink reservoir chamber 111 and the ink suppl communicate via the second supply communicating hole 423 positio bottom part 400bl provided on the supply partition wall 422 When the I of the ink becomes lower than the second, supply communicating hol air enters the area inside the supply partition wall 422, making it impos ink Thus, in the present embodiment, to detect the state immediat supply becomes impossible as "ink empty", the sensor arm 470 is desi so that the out-of-ink state is detected when the liquid surface I of the in second supply communicating hole 423 In this way, positioning the communicating hole 423 below the part 400bl forming the bottom p reservoir chamber 111, it becomes possible to reliably prevent ink fro device is out of ink, the out-of-ink lamp is illuminated or audio is use user that the device is out of ink It is also possible to use a counter controller to remember the number of times ink has been discharged an quantity of ink remaining by additionally employing a software hypothetically determines that the device is out of ink

As illustrated in Figure 42 (a) and Figure 42 (b), the attachment attachment shaft 472a of the sensor arm 470 and of the arm sandwichi the frame part 110, i e the position of the center (pivot) about which 470 rotates, is arranged below the detection part 140 and above the i 120, and is positioned to the rear (to the left in Figure 42 (a) and Figur supply path forming part 420 in the direction of installation of the ink c the present embodiment, the ink supply part 120, ambient air intake detection part 140 are arranged together on one side surface of the in This allows the various mechanisms (ink supply mechanism, ambi mechanism and remaining ink detection mechanism) to be arranged t refill unit 13 of the multifunction device 1, preventing the shape of th from becoming complicated, and also reducing its size Furthermore, part 120, being a part which supplies ink by causing it to flow out to the device 1, is preferably arranged at the lower side of the ink cartridg provide for more complete utilization of the ink, while the ambient air i being a part which takes in ambient air into the ink cartridge 14, arranged at the upper side of the ink cartridge 14 Thus, from the stand efficiency, the detection part 140 is preferably arranged between the i 120 and the ambient air intake part 130 In the ink cartridge 14 embodiment configured in this manner, if the position of the center of sensor arm 470 is arranged above (or at the same position as) the dete arranged above the ink supply part 120 and below the detecti Consequently, as described above, ink-empty is reliably detected and r ink reservoir capacity due to increased size of the sensor arm 470 is avo

Furthermore, in the ink cartridge 14 of the present embodiment, if t 471 is arranged in the vicinity of the supply partition wall 422, the ba will be near the second supply communicating hole 423 and the vibra operation of the balance part 471 will be transmitted to the ink, interf flow In particular, if the liquid surface I of the ink becomes wavy, a enter inside the supply partition wall 422 through the second supply c hole 423, hindering the supply of ink Conversely, placing the bal extremely far from the supply partition wall 422 will make the arm part the balance part 471 will also have to become larger to ensure bu balance part 471 Consequently, the amount of ink, which can be sto reservoir chamber 111, will decrease Thus, in the present embodiment, the center of rotation of the sensor arm 470 is placed in the vicinity partition wall 422 and the balance part 471 is positioned at the mid reservoir chamber 111 in the Y direction, avoiding the aforementioned the sensor arm and adverse effects on ink flow

When the sensor arm 470 is attached to, the arm sandwiching part ink is available, as illustrated in Figure 42 (a), the top end surface of the part 473c (the upper end surface in Figure 42) is positioned substanti the liquid surface of the ink In this state, when the liquid surface of the reaches the same position as the top end surface of the shielding arm 47 tension of the ink acts as a force to retain the shielding arm 473 If the f the surface tension of the ink retains the shielding arm 473c is gr buoyancy of the balance part 473a, the sensor arm 470 will not operate wrong orientation will be discussed Figure 44 is a cross-sectional view state where the ink cartridge 14 is installed in the multifunction devic orientation

As illustrated in Figure 44, when the ink cartridge 14 is inserted i the top and bottom are reversed relative to the proper installation orien of the case protruding parts 214a and 224a will collide with the tip of 55. When installed with the top and bottom reversed from the prop orientation, the ink supply part 120 will be located above the ambient 130, resulting in an incorrect orientation (or a second orientation) with proper installation orientation

As illustrated in Figure 44, the total projection distance t9 including distance of the protrusion 55 from the back surface 56 of the cas projection distance of the case protruding parts 214a and 224a from t longer than the projection distance t8 of the needle 49 from the n member 48 Providing a difference between projection distance t8 distance t9 prevents contact between the tip of the valve opening part 7 outward from the ambient air intake part 130 and the tip of the needle 49 is a member for extracting the ink inside the ink cartridge 14 and sup to the ink jet recording head (not illustrated), so if there are cases wher damaged or deformed, ink is not accurately supplied and printing is accurately Thus, it is not desirable for the needle 49 to be damaged o collision of the needle 49 and the valve opening part 721a However, difference between projection distance t8 and projection distance t9, above, collision between the needle 49 and the valve opening part prevented, thus making it possible to prevent damage or deformation of and allowing the ink to be reliably supplied becomes possible to prevent damage to the remaining ink detection se collision with the outer wall of the case 200, making it possible to ac the remaining quantity of ink

Next, referring to Figure 45, the method of removing the ink cartrid installed state in multifunction device 1 will be described Figure 4 illustrating the method of removing the ink cartridge 14 from the multif 1

As illustrated in Figure 45 (a), to remove the ink cartridge multifunction device 1 (refill unit 13), the lock release lever 63 of rotated forward (to the left in Figure 45 (a)) (rotated in the direction Figure 45 (a)). As discussed above, when the lock release lever 63 engagement between the door lock member 62 and the lock member fi disengaged, and as a result, the door 41 can be rotated forward

A portion of the curved part 65b of the pullout member 65 of t arranged inside the concave parts 216a and 226a (concave part 226a i

Figure 45 (a) and is thus not illustrated) of case 200, so when rotat release lever 63, the tip of the curved part 65b of the pullout member contacts the latch parts 216b and 226b (latch part 226b is to the rear i and is thus not illustrated) of the case 200 (the state of Figure 45 (b)). 41 is rotated further forward (in the direction of the arrow in Figure 4 state of Figure 45 (b), the latch parts 216b and 226b of the case 200 ar the curved part 65b of the pullout member 65, and a portion of the in projects from inside the case 40 as a result (the state of Figure 45 (c)) F the user can easily remove the ink cartridge 14 Thus, the operabil cartridge 14 replacement operation is improved

Here, referring to Figure 46, the mechanism for preventing drippin mechanism 500 includes a valve mechanism impelled by a first supply a second supply spring 650, so when removing the ink cartridge multifunction device 1 (when going from the state of Figure 46 (a) Figure 46 (b)), ink may adhere to the protruding tip of the needle 49, case, ink may flow out from the ink supply part 120 Since the valve 62 direction such that it contacts with the joint contact part 613 due to the i of the first supply spring 630 and the second supply spring 650 when t removed from the supply joint 610, ink is pushed out in the direction su out from the protruding part flow path 615b to the step part flow path ink may stick to the protruding tip 49 of the needle or flow outside the i 120 Consequently, when the ink cartridge 14 is removed, the ink adh of the needle 49 may drip down in the form of ink drops, or ink may fl the ink supply part 120

However, in the present embodiment, as illustrated in Figure 46 projection (first protruding part) consisting of the case projecting parts projects further outward (πghtward in Figure 46 (b)) than the projectin supply part 120, even if the ink adhering to the tip of the needle 49 dri form of ink drops or if ink flows down from the ink supply part 120, t can be made to adhere to the ink supply part 120 side surface of the parts 214a and 224a Furthermore, since the case projecting parts 214a the ink supply part 120 are positioned relatively close to each other, it i the ink dripping from the ink supply part 120 adhere to the case project and 224a

As illustrated in Figure 46 (c), the insertion hole 605 of the supply ink supply opening into which the needle 49 is inserted and through w out, and the thickness til in the widthwise direction (the left-right dire dripped ink can be caught by the case projecting parts 214a and 224a since the case projecting parts 214a and 224a project horizontally (i direction of Figure 46 (a) and (b)) in the installation orientation of in and the surface on the ink supply part 120 side is formed to be substa ink adhering to the case projecting parts 214a and 224a can be p dripping further down As a result, it is possible to prevent ink from into and dirtying the inside of the refill unit 13 If the inside of the r dirtied, the ink cartridge 14 may be dirtied during installation or r cartridge 14, thus making the user's hands dirty However, such pr avoided by preventing the ink from adhering to the inside of the refill u as possible.

While the configuration described above is desirable for preventi the configuration is not limited thereto, so long as, as illustrated in Fig case projecting parts 214a and 224a are at least partially located over t through the center of communicating hole 605 (line p in Figure 46 (c), t through the center of the opening 600a of the supply cap 600) in the ve of ink cartridge 14 (the up-down direction in Figure 46 (c)) This is be the ink dripping down from the ink supply part 120 and needle 49 will a downward path along line p Therefore, ιeven if the length of the c parts 214a and 224a in the widthwise direction of the ink cartridge 14 i than the length tlO in the widthwise direction of the insertion configuration of this sort can contribute to the prevention of dirtying o

13 In this case, the ink retaining force of the case projecting parts 21 weakened, so it can be assumed that ink which has been caught by the parts 214a and 224a may drip down into the refill unit 13 However, th

14 to be replaced is hardly ever left for a long time mside the refill un catch the ink dripping down from the ink supply part 120 to some ex possible to prevent dirtying of the inside of the refill unit 13 to a greate the case projecting parts 214a and 224a were not provided

Next, referring to Figure 47, the structure, which reduces the adh the detection surfaces 140a and 140b of the detection unit 140 of the in will be described Figure 47 is a drawing illustrating the structure, whi adhesion of ink to the detection surfaces 140a and 140b of the detecti the ink cartridge 14 Figure 47 (a) illustrates the state of installing or re cartridge 14 in/from the refill unit 13 (multifunction device 1), Fig drawing which illustrates the surface where the detection part 140 of th 14 is formed, and Figure 47 (c) is a perspective view of ink cartrid cartridge 14 of Figure 47 (a) is illustrated in simplified fashion witho detailed structure, as this figure serves to illustrate the outer shape of th 14 and its positional relationship to the detection part 140 As illustrated m Figure 47 (a), when the ink cartridge 14 is installed from the refill unit 13, ink may spatter from the projecting tip of the i 120 or the projecting tip of the needle 49 This is due to the fact that mechanism 500 of the ink supply part 120 opens and closes with t elastic force of the first and second supply springs 630 and 650, and th of the ink changes rapidly upon installation and removal of the in causing the ink held inside the ink supply mechanism 500 to fly out for fact that when the needle 49 is suddenly exposed to the outside from th positioned inside the ink supply part 120 (from the state where the ink installed), the ink may flow back and spatter Now, the spattering o occur every time the ink cartridge 14 is installed or removed, and most ink may spatter the ink supply part 120 Furthermore, the detection surfaces 140a and 1 in a plane parallel to the line jointing the center of the detection part 1 insertion hole 605 (see Figure 47 (b)) The majority of the ink spatterin insertion hole 605 spatters in substantially linear fashion, so even if ink from the cap insertion hole 605, not much ink will adhere to the det 140a and 140b, making it possible to reduce the adhesion of ink to surfaces 140a and 140b.

Furthermore, as illustrated in Figure 47 (b), if the ink cartridge during use and placed such that the positional relationship of the ink s and ambient air intake part 130 is upside down relative to the installat of the ink cartridge 14 (the orientation of Figure 47 (a)), ink may drip insertion hole 605 of the supply cap 600 of the ink supply part 120 dripping form the insertion hole 605 flows under its own weight, it w substantially linear fashion in the direction of the detection part 140 an detection surfaces 140a and 140b of the detection part 140

However, when the detection part 140 is in a state arranged -below t intake part 130 and above the ink supply part 120 (the state of Figu detection surfaces 140a and 140b of the detection part 140 will be arra (the up-down direction with reference to the direction of the symbol in so the ink adhering to the detection surfaces 140a and 140b will dri ambient air intake part 130 side under its own weight Furthermore, si of the detection surfaces 140a and 140b is formed out of a resin smooth plane, adhering ink can flow down easily Thus, it becomes pos the adhesion of ink to the side surface of detection part 140 Further ink cartridge 14 is installed, the ink supply part 120 is located at the low ambient air intake part 130 is located at the upper part (the orientatio Therefore, adhesion of ink to the detection surfaces 140a and 140b can

Furthermore, as illustrated in Figure 47 (c), the detection part 1 inside the case 200 and a space into which the light emitting part receiving part 57b of the remaining ink detection sensor 57 enter is f sides of the detection surfaces 140a and 140b by the case cutouts 213 the detection part 140 is covered by the case 200, so even if ink adhesion of the spattered ink to the detection surfaces 140a and 140b c Moreover, since a portion of the ink supply part 120 projects outward 200, in the installation onentation of ink cartridge 14 (the state of Fig distance to the detection part 140 becomes farther Thus, the majority ink does not reach the detection part 140, making it possible to reduce t ink to the detection surfaces 140a and 140b Furthermore, the case p 214a and 224a and the case projecting parts 214b and 224b are formed ink supply part 120 and ambient air intake part 130 are located bet projecting parts 214a and 224a and the case projecting parts 214b and case projecting parts 214a and 224a and the case projecting -parts 2 extend further outward than the ink supply part 120 Thus, if the ink inadvertently dropped, the ink supply part 120 can be prevented from surface, which the ink cartridge 14 is dropped on, making it poss outflow of ink from the ink supply part 120 due to the shock of conta the adhesion of the ink to the detection surfaces 140a and 140b can be r

Next, referring to Figure 48 and Figure 49, the case 40 (see Figure unit 13 will be described Figure 48 is a drawing showing the front vi 40 Figure 48 (a) is a front view of case 40, which can accommodate black or a black ink cartridges 14 and color ink cartridges 14, and Fig front view of case 2040, which can accommodate black ink cartridge Figure 49 shows a cross-section of needle forming member 48 and in with the other elements making up the cases 40 and 2040 being o illustration Furthermore, in Figures 48 to 50, a color ink cartridge is ill cartridge 14c, a black ink cartridge is show as ink cartridge 14kl, and a black ink cartridge is illustrated as ink cartridge 14k2

As illustrated m Figure 48 (a), case 40 is configured to accomm cartridges so that they are aligned in case 40 Regarding the arrangem ink cartridges, three color ink cartridges 14c are arranged side by si capacity black ink cartridge 14k2 or a black ink cartridge 14kl is arr thereto In other words, the large capacity black ink cartridge 14k2 o cartridge 14kl is selectively accommodated at an end position in t alignment of the ink cartridges (the left-right direction in Figure 48 (a) illustrated in Figure 48 (a) accommodates a large capacity black ink car

As illustrated m Figure 48 (b), case 2040 is configured to acco arranged ink cartridges Regarding the arrangement of the four ink c color ink cartridges 14c are arranged side by side, and a black ink ca arranged adjacent thereto In other words, just as in case 40, the blac 14kl is accommodated at an end position in the direction of alignm cartridges (the left-right direction in Figure 48 (b)) Since case 40 allows both a large capacity black ink cartridge 14 ink cartridge 14kl to be installed, it is formed to accommodate the t large capacity black ink cartridge 14k2 Thus, the lateral width tl4 (th direction of alignment of the ink cartridges 14c and 14k2, the left-rig Figure 48 (a)) of case 40 is longer than the lateral width tl5 (the width i of alignment of the ink cartridges 14c and 14kl, the left-right directio (b)) The difference between the lateral width tl4 of case 40 and the la multifunction device 1 As already discussed above, since users whos text printing is low do not need a large capacity black ink cartrid preferable to provide such users with a smaller multifunction device allow installation of a large capacity black ink cartridge 14k2 Furtherm 2040 for installing black ink cartridges 14kl and case 40 for installing black ink cartridge 14k2 differ only slightly m external shape, the maj used can be shared between the two, providing for a cost reduction

As illustrated in Figure 49 (a), when the ink cartridges 14c accommodated in case '40, a needle 49 penetrates into the ink supply of each of the ink cartridges 14c and 14k2 The gaps tl6 between t penetrating the color ink cartridges 14c are equal, while the gap tl needle 49 penetrating into the large capacity black ink cartridge 14k2 49 penetrating the adjacent color ink cartridge 14c is formed to have a l than gap tl6 The difference between gap tl6 and gap tl7 corre difference between the height of the vertical wall parts 210b to 21Oe o member 210 illustrated in Figure 8 and the height of the vertical wall 221Oe of the first case member 2210 illustrated in Figure 13

As illustrated in Figure 49 (b), when the ink cartridges 14c accommodated inside the case 2040, a needle 49 penetrates inside t mechanism 500 of each of the ink cartridges 14c and 14kl The ga needles 49 penetrating into color ink cartridges 14c and the gap tl needle 49 penetrating into the black ink cartridge 14kl and the needle into the adjacent color ink cartridge 14c are of the same length as gaps case 40 This is because the state of accommodation (accommodation the black ink cartridge 14kl in case 2040 involves arranging the first 1210 of the black ink cartridge 14kl on the color ink cartridge 14c cartridge 14c As a result, identical needle forming members 48 can case 40 and case 2040 even through the lateral widths tl4 and tl5 o 2040 may differ, making the needle forming member 48 a common c making it possible to reduce costs when fabricating two cases - cas 2040

Furthermore, as discussed above, the ink supply mechanism 5 mechanism impelled by the first supply spring 630 and second supply when the ink cartridge 14 is removed from the multifunction device 1, out from the ink supply part 120 or, in the worst case, ink may spatt needles 49 are arranged continuously, without any partition plates b between the needles 49, so when ink spatters from the ink supply spattered ink ends up adhering to the adjacent needles 49 The needle which supply ink to the multifunction device 1 , so when a different ink into a needle 49, color change will occur during printing and printi decline In the present embodiment, the black ink is a pigment type color inks consist of dye type inks. This is because black ink is used pri printing, and is thus made from a pigment type ink with low permeabi in order to make the edges of the characters clear, while color ink is use image printing, so it is made from a dye type ink with high permeabilit order to make the granularity of dots less apparent and improve the app coloration Although there is little effect of color change when color i together, when black ink mixes with another color ink, the effect o becomes greater, so it is not desirable for black ink to be mixed with ot Furthermore, when mixing with other ink colors has been confir recovery processing (purging) involving forced ejection of the ink is c since ink is wasted for the recovery processing, the ink utilization eff wasting of large amounts of ink for recovery processing

Next, referring to Figure 50, the state of installation of the large cap cartridge 14k2 or black ink cartridge 14kl and color ink cartridges 14c be described Figure 50 is a simplified cross-section illustrating in sim the state of installation of ink cartridges 14c, 14kl and 14k2 mside cas (a) illustrates the state of ink cartridges 14kl and 14c installed in case 50 (b) illustrates the state of ink cartridges 14k2 and 14c installed in cas

As illustrated in Figure 50 (a), in the bottom plate part 42 and ceilin of the refill unit 13 (case 40), there are formed accommodating groove and 44c 1 to 44c4 capable respectively of accommodating the case wel 226 and 1216 and the case welded parts 217, 227 and 1217 of case 20 Accommodating grooves 42c 1 to 42c4 and 44c 1 to 44c4 are all form shape

Furthermore, the space between accommodating grooves 42c 1 an space between accommodating grooves 42c2 and 42c3 provide a sepa tl2, while the space between accommodating grooves 42c3 and 42 separation distance tl3 longer than distance tl2 This is because, as di the black ink cartridge 14kl is formed with a larger outer shape than t ink cartridges 14c, so the ink supply part 120 and ambient air intake black ink cartridge 14kl are at a position shifted by the difference bet tl2 and distance tl3 m the direction away from the ink supply part 12 air intake part 130 of the other color ink cartridges 14c (the left-rig Figure 50) The difference between distance tl2 and distance tl3 is t difference between gap tl6 and gap tl7 between needles 49 describ corresponds to the difference between the higher of verticals wall parts of the first case member 210 illustrated in Figure 8 and the height o cartridge 14k2 Namely, as illustrated in Figure 50 (b), it serves to allo 13 to be used for both the black ink cartridge 14kl and the large cap cartridge 14k2

As illustrated in Figure 50 (b), when a large capacity black ink ca installed in the refill unit 13, the space that would be formed whe cartridge 14kl is installed becomes occupied Furthermore, the positi supply part 120 and ambient air intake part 130 are the same when ink is installed and when ink cartridge 14k2 is installed Thus, the same used with black ink cartridges 14kl and 14k2, making it possible to red costs

Next, referring to Figure 51 , the combination of components makin 1200 and 2200 will be described Figure 51 is a schematic dr schematically illustrates the combination of case members 210, 220, 1 2220 Figure 51 (a) is a schematic drawing of case 200. According embodiment, case 200 comprises first and second case members 210 the thicknesses of the first and second case members 210 and 220 vertical wall parts 210b to 21Oe and 220b to 22Oe of the first an members 210 and 220, the left-right direction in Figure 51 (a)) being res Figure 51 (b) is a schematic drawing of case 2200. Case 2200 com second case members 2210 and 2220, with the thicknesses of the first a members 2210 and 2220 (the height of vertical wall parts 2210b to 22 to 222Oe of the first and second case members 2210 and 2220, the left- in Figure 51(b)) being respectively tl9, which is approximately twice t tl8

Figure 51 (c) is a schematic drawing of case 1200 Case 1200 com from two first case members of different thickness and two second ca different thickness In the present embodiment, the thicknesses of the fi case members 210 and 220 forming case 200 are equal, and the thickne and second case members 2110 and 2220 forming case 2200 are a making the thicknesses equal in this manner is not an indispensable forming three types of cases - 200, 1200 and 2200 - of different outer s

Namely, so long as the thickness of one side (the first case memb case members making up the largest first ink cartridge (case 2200) is g thickness of one side (the first case member 210) of the case members smaller third ink cartridge (case 200), and the thickness of the other si case member 2220) of the case members making up the largest first i greater than the thickness of the other side (the second case member 2 members making up the smaller third ink cartridge, three types of cases outer shape sizes can be fabricated from four case members The condit above will be referred to as the first conditions By adding further con first conditions, four types of cases can be fabricated from four case will be described in detail later

Cases 200, 1200 and 2200 consist of resin material and are ma injection molding Thus, a die corresponding to each case 200, 120 necessary, with six types of dies being necessary if dies are fabricated fo Namely, since cases 200, 1200 and 2200 have a space inside them members are necessary to construct each of them, for instance, a ves open on one surface and a lid member, which closes that opening T cases 200, 1200 and 2200 of different size, six types of members are ne However, since dies are expensive, it is desirable to share the possible In the present embodiment, the second case member 220 for 1210 and 210 can be manufactured by using a common die for the mai first case members 1201 and 210, and changing between a member co the first case member 210 and a member corresponding to the first case Thus, costs can be reduced as compared to when two types of molds ar Furthermore, since the first case member 2210 for large capacity blac shape as the first case member 1210 for black but without the rib 1218, can be used for the main portion of the first case members 210, 1201 a way, even when there are multiple types of ink cartridges 144c, 14kl a reduction can be achieved by using common dies as much as possible Furthermore, in cases 200, 1200 and 2200 of different size from ea through-holes that allow the ink supply part 120 and ambient air inta project to the outside are made the same shape, and substantially se cutout parts 211, 212, 221, 222, 1211, 1212, 2211, 2212, 22 corresponding to one half of these through-holes are formed in the sam semi-circular shape in the first case member 210, second case member member 1210 for black, first case member 2210 for large capacity bla case member 2220 for large capacity black, a partially common structu for each of the dies, reducing the costs of designing the dies

In the present embodiment, case 1200 ,was made from the secon 220 of case 200 and a first case member 1210 formed to substantially t as the first case member of case 2200. However, as illustrated in Figu also possible to fashion a case 1200α from the first case member 210 o a second case member 1220 formed to substantially the same shape as t member of case 2200 Since the vertical wall parts 210b to 21Oe and 2 case members 210 and 220 are formed to be substantially equal in he the vertical wall parts 210b to 21Oe and 220b to 22Oe of case members medium sized case for black - any sort of combination may be used

Next, referring to Figure 52, a second embodiment will be describe a drawing illustrating the ink cartridge 3014 and refill unit 3013 embodiment Figure 52 (a) is a drawing illustrating the side surfa cartridge 3014 of the second embodiment, and Figure 52 (b) shows th in the state with the ink cartridge 3014 installed in refill unit 3013

As illustrated in Figure 52 (a), the ink cartridge 3014 of the second configured with a different location of the ambient air intake part 130 a the ink cartridge 14 of the first embodiment In the ink cartridge 3014 embodiment, ambient air is taken into the ink cartridge 3014 through intake passage 3131 formed in a labyrinth shape going from a thro formed on the top surface of the case 3200

As illustrated in Figure 52 (b), the refill unit 3013 of the second configured with the position of the pushing retaining member 3061 pr door 41 being lower than the position of the pushing retaining member the door 41 of the first embodiment This is because there is no air inta side surface opposite the pushing retaining member 3061 of the ink car the second embodiment, and thus the elastic force acting when the ink is installed in the refill unit 3OK3 (the elastic force due to the first sup and second supply spring 650) acts only on the lower part of the ink c Thus, in order to stably install the ink cartridge 3014 inside the refill pushing retaining member 3061 and the ink supply part 120 are co substantially on the same line in the horizontal direction (the left-rig Figure 52 (b)) Being positioned substantially on the same line, the dire the elastic force acts is also substantially on the same line, reducing til cartridge 3014 and allowing it to be stably installed embodiment, and Figure 53 (b) is a perspective view illustratin appearance of ink cartridge 5014 of the fourth embodiment.

As illustrated in Figure 53 (a), the ink cartridge 4014 of the third e a through-hole 4130 for admitting ambient air into the ink cartridge 40 portion of its top surface (the top surface in Figure 53 (a)) The air ad this through-hole 4130 passes through a labyrinth shaped air intake p relatively long passage with a small inside diameter) and is admitted cartridge 4014 A seal member 4132 is glued to the ink cartridge 4 deaeration and outflow of the ink inside the ink cartridge 4014 before ink cartridge 4014, the seal member 4132 is peeled off, and then t installed in the multifunction device 1.

The detection part 4140 (irradiated part) is formed projecting out end surface extending substantially in the vertical direction of the ink (the up-down direction in Figure 53 (a)), and below that is formed the i 4120 An ink supply opening 4121 into which needle 49 is inserted is projecting tip of the ink supply part 4120 The ink cartridge 401 embodiment does not have a structure corresponding to ink reservoir el stores the ink directly inside the case

On the right side of Figure 53(a), there is a cross-sectional diagra dashed line within the figure As illustrated in this figure, within the i 4120, there is a joint 4122 that forms the insertion part into which th inserted, a valve 4123 which fills the opening of the joint 4122 and whi in the direction on the inner side of the ink cartridge 4014 of this joi spring component 4124 which biases this valve 4123 in the direction of a result, the valve mechanism that opens and closed the ink supply the similarly shaped ink supply part 5120 The remaining structure is t ink cartridge in the third example of embodiment, and therefore explanation of this will be omitted.

The detection part 4140 of the third and fourth examples of e contain the sensor arm 470 inside it, as in the first example of em contains the sensor arm 470, then in the state where the ink cartridges have been attached to the multifunction device 1, it is possible to accur amount of ink remaining Also, in the third and fourth examples of e protrusion (first protrusion part) formed from the case protruding parts and the protrusion (first protrusion part) formed from the case protrud and 224b have been omitted, but it is acceptable to include these

Next, the fifth example of embodiment will be described whil Figures 54 and 55 Figure 54 is an angled view of the case 200 of the i

in the fifth example of embodiment, and Figure 55 is a cross-sect showing the state in which the ink cartridge 14 of the fifth example has been attached within the refill unit 13 The case 200 of the fi embodiment is constructed such that its edge shape will be different in case protruding parts 214a and 224a of the, first example of embodim the structure other than the edge part of the case protruding parts 214a a fifth example of embodiment is the same as that of the ink cartridge example of embodiment, and using the same references for the parts th to the first example of embodiment, the explanation of these will be omi

The case 200 of the fifth example of embodiment forms the sec parts 214a3 and 224a3 which protrude in the direction of the case p 214b and 224b (the left direction in Figure 54) towards the case protrud protruding parts 214a3 and 224a3 is attached to the refill unit 13 upsi wrong orientation), the leading edge of the protrusion 55 on the case into the steps 214a4 and 224a4 (the step 224a4 is not illustrated Therefore, when attaching the ink cartridge 14 upside down, because 55 will correctly match the steps 214a4 and 224a4, for instance, it consistently prevent problems in which the protrusion 55 passes the parts 214a and 224a and goes to the upper side of the case 200 in Fig lower side of the case protruding parts 214a and 224a in Figure 55, a cartridge 14 is further inserted toward the back side of the case 40(t Figure 55) Therefore, it is possible to consistently prevent the ink cart the needle 49 and thus prevent destruction or deformation of the nee remaining ink detection sensor 57.

The steps 214a4 and 224a4 of the fifth example of embodiment ar L-shape (or V or U-shape) as seen from the side, but it is also acceptabl corresponding to the edge shape of the protrusion 55 In other words, for it to be any shape desired as long as it is a shape that will not co attaching it in the wrong orientation and the edge of the protrusion is Steps 214a4 and 224a4

Next, the sixth example of embodiment will be described whi Figures 56-58. Figure 56 is a cross-sectional diagram showing the sta ink cartridge 14 of the sixth example of embodiment has been inserte unit 13 Figure 57 is a block diagram showing a summary of the electri the multifunction device 1 in the sixth example of embodiment Figu chart showing the ink cartridge attachment detection process that is e CPU 971 The sixth example of embodiment has an additional attachment detection sensor 960 in relation to the multifunction devic cartridge 14 has been attached to the correct attachment position, the e protruding parts 214a and 224a will press a protruding piece of th attachment detection sensor 960 and by pressing this protruding cartridge attachment detection sensor 960 will send a signal to the con The control board 970 is a control device to perform the main multifunction device 1

As illustrated in Figure 57, the control board 970 includes a CP the calculation means, a ROM 972 which is the memory that cannot and which stores the control program and the fixed value data, a RA the memory that can be overwritten and which is used as the wor EEPROM 974 which is the non-volatile memory that can be overwrit stores data even after the power source is turned off, the PC interf performs electrical connections between the external PC 980 and the 970, the lnkjet printer 976 which performs printing by discharging ink a the CPU 971, the liquid crystal display part 35 which performs each t the remaining ink detection sensor 57 which detects the amount of in the ink cartridge 14, and ink cartridge attachment detection sensor 9 whether the ink cartridge 14 has been attached or not, and the interf that performs input and output of each type; of signal While it is not ill figure, there are also various counters and timers included, the updating values and timer values will be performed according to the process within the CPU 971

Within the EEPROM 974, there is an ink cartridge attachment flag cartridge attachment flag 974 will not only go on when the ink cartrid correctly attached, it is a flag that will go off when the ink cartridg removed Further, once the ink cartridge attachment flag 974a has bee protruding piece of the ink cartridge attachment sensor is pressed, an when the protruding piece is not pressed Also, the remaining ink dete will go on when the amount of light received by the light receiving part certain level (when the light path between the light emitting part 57 receiving part 57b is obstructed), and it will go off when the amount o by the light receiving part 57b has exceeded a certain level (when th from the light emitting part 57a is received by the light receiving part 5

When the ink cartridge attachment detection process is execute confirm whether the ink cartridge attachment detection sensor 960 is on and if the ink cartridge attachment detection sensor 960 is off (SlOl is no ink cartridge 14 attached to the multifunction device 1, so setting t ink cartridge attachment flag 974a to be 0 (S 102), the ink cartridge wi the liquid crystal display part 35 that the ink cartridge 14 has not been a and this process will end In the event that a new multifunction device for the first time after shipping from factory, the value of the ink cartri flag 974a has been set to 0 .

As the result of confirmation by the SlOl process, if the ink cartri detection sensor 960 is on (SlOl Yes), it means that the ink cartridg attached, and then this process will confirm whether the value of th attachment flag 974a is 1 or not (S 104) In the event that the ink c attached from the state of not being attached, the value of the ink cartri flag 974a should be 0 (S 104^* No), and then this process will confir remaining ink detection sensor 57 is on or not based on the timing in cartridge 14 is attached (S 105) If the remaining ink detection sensor 5 No), it means that the ink cartridge 14 which is in the state where the part 473 c has been removed from between the light emitting part 57a longer than the specific time (S 105 Yes), it means that the remainin sensor 57 has been already on for longer than the specific time at the ti ink cartridge 14 is attached, so it is considered that there are impurities surface of the light emitting part 57a and the light receiving part 57b o ink detection sensor 57, where these impurities are obstructing the ligh these surfaces, or it is considered that the sensor 960 malfunctions T S 106 process is Yes, then a remaining ink detection sensor abnor displayed on the liquid crystal display part 35 (S 107), and this process

Within the S 106 process, if the remaining ink detection sensor 57 h for longer than the specific time (S 106 No), next, this process will dete or not the ink cartridge attachment detection sensor 960 has been on the specific time (for instance, 10 s) (S 108) As described above, after "S 104 is No" is a process to be performed in the event that the ink attached from the state of not being attached, and so if the ink cartri detection sensor 960 has already been on for longer than the specific ti be damage in the ink cartridge attachment detection sensor 960 There cartridge attachment detection sensor 960 has been on for longer th time (S 108 Yes), then an ink cartridge attachment detection sensor ab be displayed on the liquid crystal display part 35 (S 109), and this proces Within the S 108 process, unless the ink cartridge attachment detecti is on for longer than the specific time (S 108 No), when because this ink cartridge 14 has been correctly attached, the value of the ink cartri flag 974a will be set to 1 (SIlO), and this process will end In other cartridge attachment detection sensor 960 and the remaining ink detec will change in approximately the same timing, and when the value of th attachment flag 974a is set to 1, by detecting attachment of the ink cartr is, and if the remaining ink detection sensor 57 is off (Sill No), the display will be displayed on the liquid crystal display 35 (S 112), and t end

When the value of the ink cartridge attachment flag 974a is 1, in ot error has been detected, the multifunction device 1 will allow ex printing process (not illustrated in the figure), and therefore, it is po execution of the printing process m the state in which it is unclear cartridge 14 has been attached or not

When each of the errors has been displayed, and if there is an ab operation executed, such as an operation of the abnormal deletion cartridge attachment flag 974a will be initialized to 0.

As described above, in the sixth example of embodiment, it is not distinguish and detect the unattached state of the ink cartridge 14 and empty, it is also possible to detect any abnormalities in each sens replacing the ink cartridge 14, as the ink cartridge attachment detect will be turned off, the value of the ink cartridge attachment flag 974a and therefore, it is always possible to accurately detect whether the ink attached or whether the ink is empty Also, when removing the ink cart ink is adhered to the light emitting part 57a or the light receiving p remaining ink detection sensor 57, it is possible to accurately detect an of the remaining ink detection sensor 57 when attaching the ink cartr when removing the ink cartridge 14, if the ink cartridge attachment d 960 is already broken, an ink empty display will be displayed even cartridge 14 is not attached Therefore, it is possible for the user to there has been some sort of abnormal occurrence If an abnormal deleti performed, then because the value of the ink cartridge attachment flag 9 that an ink cartridge with an enough amount of remaining ink has be the remaining ink detection sensor 57 changed from off to on It is acce the execution of printing processes when the remaining ink detec detects that the ink cartridge 14 is attached Next, referring to Figure 59, the seventh and eighth examples of e be described Figure 59 is an angled view showing the external appear cartridges 6014 and 7014 of the seventh and eighth examples of embo 59(a) is an angled view showing the external appearance of the ink ca the seventh example of embodiment, and Figure 59(b) is an angled vie external appearance of the ink cartridge 7014 of the eighth example o The ink cartridges 6014 and 7014 of the seventh and eighth examples are constructed such that the shapes of the side surfaces on which the i 4120 and 5120 are formed will be different in relation to the ink cartri 5014 of the third and fourth examples of embodiment Therefore, the than the side surfaces on which the ink supply parts 4120 and 5120 of t eighth examples of embodiment are formed is the same as the ink cartri 5014 of the third and fourth examples of embodiment, and there references for the parts that are the same as in the third and fourt embodiment will be used, and the explanation of these is omitted As illustrated in Figure 59(a), there is a concave part 6100 formed supply part 4120 (above the ink supply part 4120 in the attached st cartridge 4120 (the state in Figure 59(a)) There is a detection part 614 central position of this concave part 6100 Therefore, on both sides o part 6140, there is a space formed in which the light emitting part 57 receiving part 57b of the remaining ink detection sensor 57 can be inser

As illustrated in Figure 59(b), there is a concave part 7100 formed 6100 and 7100 formed on the side surfaces, so it is possible to reduce of ink that has flown from the ink supply parts 4120 and 5120 onto the 6140 and 7140

It is acceptable to construct the surface of the concave parts 6100 a ink supply parts 4120 and 5120 side as a sloped surface that is sloped i of the ink supply parts 4120 and 5120 By using this structure, if any onto the detection parts 6140 and 7140, the ink will not accumul concave parts 6100 and 7100, making it possible to reduce any adhere the detection parts 6140 and 7140 The detection parts 6140 and 7140 of the seventh and eight embodiment can also contain sensor arms inside as in the firs embodiment By using a sensor arm 470, it is possible to accurately det of ink remaining when the ink cartridges 4014 and 5014 are att multifunction device 1 Next, referring to Figure 60, we will explain the ninth embodiment Figure 60 is a diagram showing the ink cartridge 8014 an of the ninth example of embodiment The same parts as in the fir embodiment have the same references attached and the explanation o omitted Also, while the structure of the pullout member 65 of the door in the ninth example of embodiment is different to that in the fir embodiment, the explanation of this will be omitted

As illustrated in Figure 60, the ink cartridge 8014 of the nint embodiment has a pushing part 8200a that is configured to contac retaining member 61 of the door main body 60 and that protrudes towa from the side surface 1 of the ink cartridge 8014 In other words, th 200a of the first example of embodiment was one part of a specific ra Next, referring to Figures 61-63, the tenth example of embod described Figure 61 is an angled diagram showing the external appear cartridge 9014 of the tenth example of embodiment. Figure 62 i perspective view showing the ink cartridge 9014 of the tenth example o Figure 63 is a diagram to explain the procedure for replacing the ink res The ink cartridge 14 of the first example of embodiment had a structur ink reservoir element 100 was not replaceable because it was welded in second case members 210 and 220, but in contrast, this ink cartridge 90 example of embodiment is constructed such that the ink reservoir e replaceable

Further, the ink cartridge 9014 of the tenth example of embodiment same structure as the ink cartridge 14 of the first example of em therefore, only the structure that is different in relation to the ink cartr first example of embodiment will be described, and using the same ref same parts as in the first example of embodiment, the explanation o omitted

As illustrated in Figure 61, the ink cartridge 9014 of the tent embodiment has a seal 9100 attached to the outer surface of the case 9100 is attached onto the maximum surface, 220a and the vertical wall p second case member 220 and the vertical wall part 210c and the ma 210a of the first case member 210. In other words, the seal 9100 is attac surface opposing the protector 300 (opposing the edge surface on supply part 120, the ambient air intake part 130 and the detection part 1 The seal 9100 not only has the model of the ink cartridge 9014 listed o has imprinted on it the color corresponding to the ink color such that i visually recognize the color of the ink that is stored within the ink c second case member 220, there are engagement holes 9201a and 9201b engage with the edges of the engagement parts 9200a and 9200b respec

Therefore, when manufacturing the ink cartridge 9014, first, th element 100 is placed within the first case member 210, and fitting t parts 9200a and 9200b of the first case member 210 with the engageme and 9201b of the second case member 920, the first case member 210 case member 220 are joined Then, the seal 9100 is adhered along surface 210a and the vertical wall part 210c of the first case memb maximum surface 220a and the vertical wall part 210c of the second ca Then, by attaching the protector 300, the ink cartridge 9014 is manufact

The ink cartridge 9014 of the tenth example of embodiment has joining of the first case member 210 and the second case member 220, t the seal 9100 onto the first and second case members 210 and 220, an the engagement parts 9200a and 9200b with the engagement holes 920 Therefore, by undoing the union of the engagement parts 9200a and engagement holes 9201a and 9201b, it is possible to undo the connecti

first case member 210 and the second case member 220 It is poss perform the undoing of the connection between the engagement pa 9200b and the engagement holes 9201a and 9201b by pressing th engagement parts 9200a and 9200b via the engagement holes 9201a a the outer side of the vertical wall part 210b on which the case cutout p have been formed

Also, as illustrated in Figure 63, because one edge surface of the fi case members 210 and 220 are connected via the seal 9100, it is possi opening and closing operations using the edge of the vertical wall parts as an axis (an opening and closing operation in the arrow direction in F first and second case members 210 and 220 are connected In the example of embodiment, while the ink reservoir element 100 is replace it is also acceptable to use a product in which ink has been re-inject reservoir element 100. As described above, the ink cartridge 9014 of the tenth example can easily undergo the replacement of the ink reservoir element 100 example of embodiment, because detection of the remaining ink (c attachment detection of the ink cartridge) is performed by the remainin sensor 57 that is placed on both sides of the detection part 140 of th element 100, if an ink cartridge 9104 with no ink reservoir element 1 attached, then the determination will be made that there is no remaini there is no ink cartridge attached). Therefore, as there will be no pr performed by the multifunction device 1 in the state in which an ink with no ink reservoir element 100 contained has been attached, it is pos the possibility of generating printing problems

Next, referring to Figure 64, the eleventh example of embod described Figure 64 is a diagram showing the ink reservoir eleme eleventh example of embodiment The ink reservoir element 9300 o example of embodiment is fixed within the first and second case me will omit a detailed explanation and description of the first and second c

As illustrated in Figure 64, the ink reservoir element 9300 of the ele of embodiment is constructed of a hard part 9301 that is formed thr moldemg using a resin material, and a bag element 9302 that has flexibi forms a reservoir space to store the ink inside, _^and which is connected t 9301 The hard part 9301 has a detection part (irradiation part) 930 placed between the light emitting part 57a and the light receiving p element 9300, making it possible to achieve a reduction in manufacturi

The ink reservoir element 9300 of the eleventh example of embodi using the bag part 9302 which forms the reservoir space to store the in the ink within the bag part 9302 is reduced, the bag part 9302 will shri this reduction, and when the ink is depleted, the reservoir space depleted as well Therefore, it is not possible to place a sensor arm (rot to detect the amount of ink remaining within the bag part 9302

However, the hard part 9301 in the ink reservoir element 9300 is light barrier properties; and because it is placed between the light em and the light receiving part 57b of the remaining ink detection sen always block the emitted light that is emitted from the light emit Therefore, while it is not possible to detect the amount of ink remain bag part 9302, it is possible to detect whether there is an ink reservoir contained within the first and second case members, and therefore, it prevent any printing processes from being performed by the multifun while the ink reservoir element 9300 is not contained within the first a members

Above, the present invention was described based on the examples o but the present invention is not limited to these examples of embodi easy to reason that it would be possible to make various imp modifications within a scope that does not diverge from the claims invention

Now, referring to Figures 65 to 67, the modified examples of the c the case members will be described Figures 65 to 67 are diagrams shape from four case members (where the internal capacity is different) an explanation will be made while referring to Figure 65 As illustr 65(a), case Cl is formed of a case member 120 and a case member r21 of the case member 120 is t20 and the thickness of the case member r2 is thicker than the thickness t20 As illustrated in Figure 65 (b), case C the case member 121 and the case member r22 The thickness of the ca is t21 and the thickness of the case member r22 is t 22, which is t thickness t21 Further, the difference between the thickness t22 of th r22 and the thickness t21 of the case member r21 is different than between the thickness t21 of the case member 121 and the thickness t member 120

By changing the combination of the case members 121 and r22 case C2 and the case members 120 and r21 which form the case Cl, t illustrated in Figure 65(c) and the case C4 as illustrated in Figure 65( More specifically, case C3 is formed of the case member 120 and the ca and case C4 is formed of the case member 121 and the case member r21

Therefore, using the four case members 120 and r21 which form th the case members 121 and r22 which form the case C2, the small scal large scale case C2 and the two types of midsized cases C3 and C4 are the size (thickness) of the outer shape of cases Cl to C4 are all diff relationship C1<C4<C3<C2 Therefore, it is possible to form four cases outer shapes according to the amount of ink to be stored using the four 120, i21, 121 and r22

In this way, in the manufacture of four types of cases with differin using the four case members requires a further second condition to b above first condition This second condition is that the difference (t22 condition was not, then the thicknesses would be t20=10 mm, t21=25 m mm (t22 - 121=15 mm, t21 - t20=15 mm), and the thicknesses of eac would be C 1=35 mm, C2=65 mm, C3=50 mm, and C4=50 mm, mean with three types of sizes could be manufactured, and if both the fir condition is met, then the thicknesses would be t20=10 mm, t21=20 m mm (t22 - t21=20 mm, t21 - t20=10 mm), and the thicknesses of eac would be Cl=30 mm, C2=60 mm, C3=50 mm, and C4=40 mm, makin manufacture cases with four types of sizes

Next, an explanation will be made while referring to Figure 66 A Figure 66, the case C5 is formed of the case member 120 and the cas The thicknesses of the case members 120 and r20 are formed of t20 illustrated in Figure 66(b) is the same as the case C2 in Figure 65( explanation of this will be omitted

By changing the combination of the case members 120 and r20 case C5 and the case members 121 and r22 which form the case C2 illustrated in Figure 66(c),and the case C6 illustrated in Figure 66(d) are specifically, the case C3 is formed of the case member 120 and the cas and the case C6 is formed of the case member 121 and the case membe the difference between the thickness t20 of the case member r20 and th of the case member r22 is different than the difference between the th the case member 121 and the thickness t20 of the case member 120, fulf first and second conditions described above

Therefore, using the four case members 120 and r20 which form th the case members 121 and r22 which form the case C2, the small scal large scale case C2 and the two types of mid-sized cases C3 and C6 are the size (thickness) of the outer shape of cases C2, C3, C5, and C6 ar members 122 and r22 are formed of t22

By changing the combination of the case members 120 and r21 case Cl and the case members 122 and r22 which form the case C illustrated in Figure 67(c) and the case C8 illustrated in Figure 67(d) are specifically, the case C3 is formed of the case member 120 and the cas and the case C8 is formed of the case member 122 and the case memb the difference between the thickness t22 of the case member r22 and th of the case member r21 is different than the difference between the t the case member 122 and the thickness t20 of the case member 120, ful first and second conditions described above

Therefore, using the four case members 120 and r21 which form th the case members 122 and r22 which form the case C7, the small scal large scale case C7 and the two types of mid-sized cases C3 and C8 are the size (thickness) of the outer shape of cases Cl, C3, C7, and C8 ar with the relationship C1<C3<C8<C7 Therefore, it is possible to form different outer shapes according to the amount of ink to be stored usin members 120, r21, 122 and r22

As described above, within the case members that form each c thickness of the case members that are placed on one side are diff thicknesses of the case members that are placed on the other side, it form four cases with different outer sizes (different internal capacities) case members

Next, another modified example of the present example of embo explained In the above example of embodiment, by using the elastic and second supply springs 630 and 650 and the first and second ambi 730 and 750, the supply valve 620 and the ambient air valve 720 ar the ambient air intake mechanism Also, without using the supply slid ambient air slider 740, it is acceptable to construct the first supply spri second supply spring 650 and the first ambient air spring 730 and the s air spring 750 such that they are directly adjacent to each other, simplify the structure such that the supply valve and ambient air inta the bottom plane By using this type of structure, it is possible to si supply mechanism and the ambient air intake mechanism, making achieve a reduction in manufacturing costs Further, it is also accept structure in which the first supply (ambient air) spring and the second s air) spring are connected as one unit Also, without using a valve hook the supply valve 620 and the ambient air valve 720, it is acceptable supply (ambient air) slider 640 (740) and the first and second suppl springs 630 and 650 (730 and 750) as one unit, and to have a constru the unified supply (ambient air) slider and the first and second suppl springs can move freely

Also, while the check valve 670 was constructed of the umbrella p shaft part 672, it is acceptable to construct it of only the umbrella part valve 670 is used to prevent backflow of the ink, and therefore, it i construct it such that it can block the connection of the first cover thr and the second cover through-hole 684 of the cover 680. Also, it is construct the cover 680 without the second cover through-hole 684

Also, in the above example of embodiment, while the space bet protruding part 614 and the joint contact part 613 of the supply joint 6 in a circular base form, it is also acceptable to form a groove around t the joint contact part of the supply joint Because any displaceme protruding part will be absorbed by this groove, it is possible to reduc only the other opening In this case, the second opening 112b side is clo wall, and by having the construction in which the film 160 is wel opening 112a, it is possible to form a film 160 on the side wall of t connection passage 433, making it possible to reduce the formation of the ambient air connection passage 433 Also, in the case of closi opening 112b with the side wall, that side wall will become a support s this will provide the strength of the frame part, it is acceptable to have in which the connection formation part (partition plate), which is conne ink reservoir chamber, is not used In this case, it is acceptable to h weld part only from one surface side of the support substrate

Also, in the above example of embodiment, the film 160 that is frame 110 was constructed of a nylon layer on the frame part 110 sid acceptable to apply a water-resistant coating onto this nylon layer By of construction, it is possible to prevent the formation of a meniscus air connection passage 433

Also, in the above example of embodiment, the ambient air passage forming part 430 was constructed such that it sloped downwar second ambient air communicating chamber 432 from the firs communicating chamber 431, but because one surface of the communicating passage 433 is constructed of a film 160, it is possible formation of a meniscus within the ambient air communicating Therefore, it is acceptable to have a construction in which th communicating passage forming part 430 does not necessarily slope d it is acceptable to have a construction in which it is horizontal in the ink cartridge 14 is attached.

Also, in the above example of embodiment, while all of the wel Industrial Applicability

The ink cartridge, and the ink jet recording apparatus of the presen widely used for home and office uses.

Claims

1 An ink cartridge (14) for being mounted in the ink-jet recordin comprising an ink chamber (111) accommodating ink, a front wall (210b, 220b) that serves as a front-end wall, a bottom wall (210a), an ink supply part (120) provided at the front wall (210b, supply opening (600) being formed in the ink supply part (120), an ink supply path located in rear of the ink supply opening supply path communicating the ink supply opening (600) and the ink ch a valve mechanism (500) provided in the ink supply path a opening and closing the ink supply path; a light-receiving part (141) provided at the front wall (210b, 22 the ink supply part (120), an inner space being formed in the light recei to communicate with the ink chamber (111), and a pivot member (470) including a light-blocking portion (473 c) provided at one en member (470) and located in the inner space of the light receiving part ( a float (471) provided at ,the other end of the pivot and movable in response to a change in an amount of ink in the ink c and a pivot center provided between the light-blocking and the float (471), the pivot center being located in rear of the ink su pivot member (470) being pivotable around the pivot center in response in an amount of ink in the ink chamber (111)

2 The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the float (471 the inner space of the light-receiving part (141) is defined by of the bottom wall (141a), the side walls (141b) and the top wall (14Id) movement of the light-blocking portion (473 c) is restricted in of the light-receiving part (141) by the light blocking member (473c least one of the inner surfaces

5 The ink cartridge according to claim 4, wherein downward movement of the light-blocking portion (473 c) is r inner surface of the bottom wall (141a) when an amount of the ink in t (111) is larger than a predetermined amount, upward movement of the light-blocking portion (473 c) is re inner surface of the top wall (14Id) when the amount of the ink is not predetermined amount, the float (471) is located above the ink supply opening (421) light-receiving part (141) when the movement of the light-blocking po restricted by the inner surface of the bottom wall (141a); and the float (471) is located at a bottom portion of the ink cham the movement of the light-blocking portion (473 c) is restricted by the i the top wall (14Id)

6 The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherei the ink supply path and the ink chamber (111) are par partitioning wall (422), an opening (423) is formed in the partitioning wall (422), and the opening (423) of the partitioning wall (422) is located supply opening (600) 7 The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherei the valve mechanism compπses a valve (620) for opening and ink surface

9 The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 8, w gravity of the float (471) is smaller than that of the ink

10 The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further air introduction part (130) provided at the front wall (210b, 220b) for atmospheric air into the ink chamber (111), the air introduction pa located above the light-receiving part

11 An ink-j et recording apparatus ( 1 ) comprising. an ink cartridge (14) for being mounted in the ink-jet recordin having an accommodation portion, an extraction member (48) and an

(57), the accommodation portion defining a space (50) for accomm cartridge (14) into which the ink cartridge (14) can be mounted h extraction member (48) being provided at a horizontal closed end of the being inserted into the ink cartridge (14) and extracting ink in the ink the optical sensor (57) being provided at the hoπzontal closed end of and including a light-emitting part (57a) and a light-receiving part (57 an amount of ink in the ink cartridge (14), the ink cartridge (14) features of claim 1