JP5691133B2 - Ink supply device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink supply device including a cartridge mounting portion in which an ink cartridge having an ink storage chamber is mounted.

  2. Description of the Related Art An ink jet recording type image recording apparatus that records an image on recording paper using ink is widely known. This image recording apparatus includes an inkjet recording type recording head and an ink cartridge for storing ink supplied to the recording head. The ink cartridge includes an ink supply unit for causing the ink inside to flow out. Ink is supplied from the ink cartridge to the recording head through the ink supply unit. The ink supplied to the recording head is selectively ejected from the nozzle of the recording head toward the recording paper. Thereby, an image is recorded on the recording paper.

  The image recording apparatus is provided with a cartridge mounting portion in which an ink cartridge is mounted. The cartridge mounting portion is configured to be detachable from the ink cartridge. By mounting the ink cartridge in the cartridge mounting portion, the ink supply portion is opened, and the ink in the ink cartridge can be supplied to the recording head.

  The image recording apparatus described in Patent Document 1 is provided with a holding mechanism for holding the ink cartridge at a mounting position where ink can be supplied in the cartridge mounting portion. The holding mechanism includes a door lock member (62) and a press holding member (61) provided on a door that closes the opening of the cartridge mounting portion. The opening is closed by the door in a state where the ink cartridge is disposed at the mounting position of the cartridge mounting portion, and the door is fixed to the opening by the door lock member (62). At this time, the press holding member (61) is held in a state where it is positioned at the mounting position of the cartridge mounting portion while pressing the ink cartridge. Note that the numbers in parentheses described above are the numbers of the codes used in Patent Document 1.

  On the other hand, a holding mechanism 201 shown in FIG. 11 is known as another example of the holding mechanism. In the holding mechanism 201, the lock member 207 is pushed downward by a spring 208 when the ink cartridge 205 is mounted in the back of the cartridge mounting unit 203. As a result, the engaged portion 209 provided on the upper side of the ink cartridge 205 is engaged with the lock member 207, and the ink cartridge 205 is held at the mounting position (see FIG. 9C).

JP 2007-196647 A

  However, in the holding mechanism 201 described in Patent Document 2, when the ink cartridge 205 is inserted into the cartridge mounting portion 203, the lock member 207 protruding into the cartridge mounting portion 203 and the ink cartridge 205 collide with each other. Sometimes a load is generated (see FIG. 11A). Further, since the lock member 207 is biased by the spring 208, even if the lock member 207 is guided to the upper surface 206 of the ink cartridge 205 when the ink cartridge 205 is inserted, as shown in FIG. The lock member 207 is in sliding contact with the upper surface 206 while receiving the biasing force of the spring 208. Therefore, a sliding resistance generated between the lock member 207 and the upper surface 206 becomes a resistance when the ink cartridge 205 is inserted, and there is a problem that smooth insertion is hindered. In some cases, when the ink cartridge 205 is inserted, the lock member 207 engages with an unexpected part of the ink cartridge 205, and the user inserts the ink cartridge 205 as it is. May cause the ink cartridge 205 to bite into the ink cartridge 205.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an ink supply device capable of reliably and smoothly mounting an ink cartridge by reducing sliding resistance generated when the ink cartridge is mounted in the cartridge mounting portion. And

(1) The present invention is configured as an ink supply device including a cartridge mounting portion in which an ink cartridge having an ink storage chamber is mounted. The ink supply device includes a regulating member that can move between a first position that contacts the outer surface of the ink cartridge and a second position that is separated from the outer surface, and a biasing member that biases the regulating member toward the first position. The force member and the ink cartridge are interlocked according to the insertion / extraction operation of the ink cartridge with respect to the cartridge mounting portion, and until the ink cartridge is inserted along the insertion direction with respect to the cartridge mounting portion and reaches a predetermined mounting position. The regulating member is held at the second position against the urging force of the urging member, and the holding at the second position is released in a state where the ink cartridge has reached the mounting position, and the regulating member is moved. An interlocking member that moves to the first position. The mounting position is a position where ink can be supplied from the ink cartridge to the cartridge mounting portion.

  In the present specification, unless otherwise specified, the “direction” is represented by a straight line of double arrows having opposite directions such as + and −, for example. The direction is represented by an arrow having one arrow head, such as + or-.

  Due to such a configuration, when the ink cartridge is not mounted on the cartridge mounting portion, the regulating member is held at the second position by the interlocking member. In this state, even if the ink cartridge is inserted into the cartridge mounting portion, since the regulating member is separated from the ink cartridge, no sliding resistance is generated between the regulating member and the ink cartridge. When the ink cartridge is further inserted along the insertion direction, the interlocking member operates along with the insertion operation. That is, the interlocking member interlocks with the insertion operation of the ink cartridge. When the ink cartridge reaches the mounting position, the holding at the second position is released. Thereby, the restriction member moves from the second position to the first position by the urging force of the urging member. The restricting member that has moved to the first position comes into contact with the ink cartridge and restricts the ink cartridge from moving in the removal direction.

(2) The interlocking member moves the regulating member from the first position against the urging force of the urging member in the process of moving along the removal direction in which the ink cartridge is removed from the mounting position. Before moving to the second position.

  On the other hand, when the ink cartridge is extracted from the mounting position in the removal direction, the interlocking member operates in accordance with the removal operation. That is, the interlocking member is interlocked with the ink cartridge removal operation. When the ink cartridge is pulled out from the mounting position, the regulating member moves from the first position to the second position against the biasing force of the biasing member by the interlocking interlocking member. Thereby, the regulating member is separated from the ink cartridge. In this state, even if the ink cartridge is extracted, since the regulating member is separated from the ink cartridge, no sliding resistance is generated between the regulating member and the ink cartridge.

(3) The restricting member stops movement of the ink cartridge in a removal direction in which it is removed from the mounting position by contacting the outer surface of the ink cartridge.

(4) A wall portion is provided on the outer surface of the ink cartridge so as to extend in a direction crossing the insertion / extraction direction of the ink cartridge with respect to the cartridge mounting portion. In this case, the restricting member is disposed so as to come into contact with the rear wall surface of the wall portion in the insertion direction in a state where the ink cartridge has reached the mounting position.

  As a result, the movement of the ink cartridge in the removal direction is surely restrained.

(5) In the ink supply device of the present invention, the restriction member is provided at one end, the contacted portion is provided at the other end, and a rotation center is provided between the restriction member and the contacted portion. And a first elastic member that elastically biases the interlocking member in a removal direction in which the ink cartridge is removed from the mounting position. The interlocking member includes a pressed portion that is pressed by the ink cartridge in the process of inserting the ink cartridge, a main body that extends from the pressed portion toward the contacted portion, and the contacted portion of the main body. A contact portion that is provided at an end portion on the portion side and is capable of contacting the contacted portion. In this case, the interlock member has a third position in which the pressed portion is disposed in the insertion path of the ink cartridge and the contact portion is in contact with the contacted portion to hold the regulating member in the second position. And a fourth position that is disposed closer to the insertion direction than the third position and the contact portion is separated from the contacted portion and can move the regulating member to the first position. It is configured.

  In this configuration, the interlocking member is elastically biased toward the removal direction by the first elastic member. Therefore, in a state where no ink cartridge is inserted, the interlocking member is disposed at the third position in a state of receiving an elastic biasing force. In this state, the contact portion is in contact with the contacted portion and holds the regulating member in the second position. When the ink cartridge is inserted into the cartridge mounting portion, the ink cartridge comes into contact with the pressed portion disposed in the insertion path. When further inserted, the pressed portion is pressed in the insertion direction against the elastic biasing force of the first elastic member. Thereby, while a 1st elastic member is compressed, a to-be-pressed part moves to an insertion direction. As the pressed part moves, the main body and the contact part also move in the same direction. That is, the interlocking member moves in the insertion direction from the third position in response to the pressing force from the ink cartridge. When the interlocking member moves to the fourth position, the contact portion is separated from the contacted portion. Accordingly, the restricting member moves from the second position to the first position by the urging force of the urging member, and restricts the movement of the ink cartridge in the removal direction.

  On the other hand, when the ink cartridge is pulled out from the mounting position in the removal direction, the interlocking member moves from the fourth position to the third position by the elastic force of the first elastic member. In connection with this, a contact part contacts a to-be-contacted part. At this time, the contacted portion is pressed in the removal direction by the elastic biasing force of the first elastic member, and the regulating member moves from the first position to the second position against the biasing force of the biasing member. Thereby, the regulating member is separated from the ink cartridge.

(6) The ink cartridge includes a pressing portion that contacts the pressed portion and presses the pressed portion in the insertion direction, and an ink supply portion provided on the first wall on the front side in the insertion direction. . In this case, the pressing portion protrudes from the first wall in the insertion direction from the ink supply portion.

  According to this configuration, even when the ink cartridge falls from the first wall side, only the ground of the pressing unit collides with the floor surface, and no impact force is directly applied to the ink supply unit. For this reason, the ink supply unit is protected.

(7) The ink cartridge includes a slide member that is slidable in a direction toward and away from the first wall, which is the front side in the insertion direction, and elastically urges the slide member from the first wall in the insertion direction. A second elastic member. In the first elastic member and the second elastic member, the elastic force of the second elastic member in a state where the ink cartridge is not mounted is smaller than the elastic force of the first elastic member, and the ink cartridge is mounted. The elastic force of the second elastic member and the elastic force of the first elastic member are balanced in a state where the second elastic member is compressed by a predetermined amount in the process of being mounted at the position.

  Since such a slide member and a second elastic member are provided, the ink supply portion of the first wall is more reliably protected from an impact at the time of dropping. Further, in the process of mounting the ink cartridge at the mounting position, the interlocking member and the slide member are pressed against each other by the elastic members (the first elastic member and the second elastic member). Since the elastic force of the first elastic member and the elastic force of the second elastic member have the above-described relationship, only the second elastic member is compressed when the interlocking member and the slide member are pressed in the mounting process, The first elastic member is not compressed. When the second elastic member is compressed by a predetermined amount before the ink cartridge reaches the mounting position, the elastic force of each elastic member is balanced. Thereafter, when the ink cartridge is further moved toward the mounting position, each elastic member is compressed while maintaining a balance of elastic force, and the interlocking member moves in the insertion direction to move from the third position to the fourth position. Move on. As a result, it is possible to prevent the ink cartridge from being pulled out by the regulating member. Further, since the ink cartridge is mounted in such a state that the first elastic member and the second elastic member are compressed, when the restriction by the restriction member is released, each of the first elastic member and the second elastic member It is pushed out by the elastic force.

(8) The slide member covers the front side of the ink cartridge in the insertion direction.

(9) The ink supply unit is disposed on the inner side of a plane connecting at least the pressing unit and a portion of the outer shape of the ink cartridge that protrudes most in the insertion direction.

  As a result, even if the ink cartridge is dropped, the ink supply unit is reliably protected from the impact at the time of dropping.

(10) The pressing portion is provided below the ink supply portion in the mounting posture of the ink cartridge in the cartridge mounting portion.

  As a result, even if ink leaks from the ink supply unit when the ink cartridge is mounted, the leaked ink is received by the pressing unit, so that the cartridge mounting unit is not contaminated with ink.

(11) The ink cartridge includes a protruding portion that protrudes in the insertion direction from the ink supply portion from the first wall. The pressing part and the protruding part are arranged so as to sandwich the ink supply part.

  Thereby, the ink supply unit can be more reliably protected from the impact at the time of dropping.

(12) The ink supply device further includes an operation unit accessible from the outside of the ink supply device. The restricting member moves from the first position to the second position by an external force applied to the operation unit.

(13) The ink supply device is provided with the restriction member at one end, the operation portion at the other end, and a rotation having a rotation center provided between the restriction member and the operation portion. A member is further provided. The turning member moves around the turning center by an external force applied to the operation unit, thereby moving the regulating member from the first position to the second position.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to reliably and smoothly mount the ink cartridge by reducing the sliding resistance generated when the ink cartridge is mounted in the cartridge mounting portion.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view schematically showing the internal structure of the printer 10. 2A and 2B are schematic views showing the configuration of the ink cartridge 30. FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the ink cartridge 30, and FIG. 2B is a longitudinal sectional view of the ink cartridge 30. FIG. . FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a vertical cross-sectional structure of the ink supply device 100. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the process of mounting the ink cartridge 30 in the cartridge case 110 in time series. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state where the ink cartridge 30 is mounted at the ink supply position of the cartridge case 110. 6A and 6B are schematic views showing the configuration of the ink cartridge 150. FIG. 6A is a perspective view of the ink cartridge 150, and FIG. 6B is a longitudinal sectional view of the ink cartridge 150. FIG. . FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state before and after the ink cartridge 150 is attached to the cartridge case 155. 8A and 8B are schematic views showing the configuration of the ink cartridge 170. FIG. 8A is a perspective view of the ink cartridge 170, and FIG. 8B is a longitudinal sectional view of the ink cartridge 170. . FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the process of mounting the ink cartridge 170 in the cartridge case 110 in time series. FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the process of installing the ink cartridge 170 in the cartridge case 110 in time series. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a conventional holding mechanism 201.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings as appropriate. The embodiment described below is merely an example in which the present invention is embodied, and it is needless to say that the embodiment can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.

<< First Embodiment >>
First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view schematically showing an internal structure of a printer 10 (an example of an image recording apparatus of the present invention) according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[Overview of Printer 10]
The printer 10 records an image by selectively ejecting ink droplets onto a recording sheet based on an ink jet recording method. As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 includes an ink supply device 100 (an example of the ink supply device of the present invention). The ink supply device 100 is provided with a cartridge case 110 (an example of the cartridge mounting portion of the present invention), and the four ink cartridges 30 (an example of the ink cartridge of the present invention) can be held horizontally in the cartridge case 110. It is. A cover 19 is pivotally supported at the lower end of the opening 112 of the cartridge case 110 so as to be able to fall down. The cover 19 changes its posture between an opening posture for opening the opening 112 and a closing posture for closing the cover 112 by rotating around the lower end of the opening 112. The ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the cartridge case 110 through the opening 112.

  Each ink cartridge 30 stores ink that can be used by the printer 10. Specifically, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks are stored in the ink cartridges 30 corresponding to the respective colors. As shown in FIG. 2, the ink cartridge 30 and the recording head 21 are connected by an ink tube 20. The recording head 21 is provided with a sub tank 28, and ink is temporarily stored in the sub tank 28. The recording head 21 selectively ejects ink from the sub tank 28 from the nozzles 29 based on the ink jet recording method. When ink is ejected, the pressure in the sub tank 28 becomes negative with respect to the ink storage chamber 36 of the ink cartridge 30 (an example of the ink storage chamber of the present invention). Accordingly, ink is supplied from the ink cartridge 30 to the sub tank 28 of the recording head 21 through the ink tube 20.

  The recording paper fed to the transport path 24 by the paper feed roller 23 is transported onto the platen 26 by the transport roller pair 25. The recording head 21 ejects ink onto recording paper that passes over the platen 26. Thereby, an image is recorded on the recording paper. The recording sheet that has passed through the platen 26 is discharged by a discharge roller pair 22 to a discharge tray 16 provided on the most downstream side of the transport path 24.

[Ink cartridge 30]
2A and 2B are schematic views showing the configuration of the ink cartridge 30. FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the ink cartridge 30, and FIG. 2B is a longitudinal sectional view of the ink cartridge 30. FIG. .

  The ink cartridge 30 is a container that stores ink. An internal space of the ink cartridge 30 is an ink storage chamber 36. The ink cartridge 30 is in the standing posture shown in FIG. 2A, that is, the direction indicated by the arrow 50 with respect to the cartridge case 110 with the lower surface in the drawing as the bottom surface and the upper surface in the drawing as the upper surface. (Hereinafter referred to as “insertion direction 50”). The ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge case 110 in the above-mentioned standing posture. In other words, the standing posture is a mounting posture of the ink cartridge 30 with respect to the cartridge case 110.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the ink cartridge 30 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. Specifically, the ink cartridge 30 is thin in the width direction 51, and has a flat shape in which the height direction 52 and the depth direction 53 are larger than the width direction 51. The ink cartridge 30 is made of a transparent resin, for example. On the front wall 40 (an example of the first wall of the present invention) on the front side in the insertion direction 50 of the ink cartridge 30, an air communication port 71, a remaining amount detection unit 34, and an ink supply unit 72 (an ink supply unit of the present invention) Example) is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 2B, the remaining amount detector 34 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The remaining amount detector 34 protrudes outward (rightward in FIG. 2B) from near the middle of the front wall 40. A space 35 inside the remaining amount detection unit 34 is formed in a hollow shape so as to be continuous with the ink storage chamber 36. The space 35 is partitioned by a bottom wall 34A, a side wall 34B, an upper wall 34D, and a front wall 34E that constitute the remaining amount detection unit 34. A light shielding plate 62 provided in the sensor arm 60 described later is inserted into the space 35.

  The remaining amount detection unit 34 is for visually or optically detecting the amount of ink in the ink storage chamber 36. Therefore, the remaining amount detection unit 34 is configured by a transparent member. Therefore, the user can visually recognize the contents of the space 35 of the remaining amount detection unit 34 from the outside. The distance between the side walls 34 </ b> B (the dimension in the width direction 51), which is the width of the remaining amount detection unit 34, is smaller than the width of the front wall 40. Specifically, the remaining amount detection unit 34 is formed with a width that allows entry into a detection region 115 of an optical sensor 114 (see FIG. 3) described later.

  The sensor arm 60 is provided in the ink storage chamber 36. The sensor arm 60 is a synthetic resin member for detecting the amount of ink stored in the ink storage chamber 36. The sensor arm 60 is roughly divided into an arm main body 63, a light shielding plate 62, and a float portion 64.

  The arm main body 63 is rotatably supported by a support shaft 66 supported by the side wall 41 of the ink cartridge 30. As a result, the sensor arm 60 can swing in the directions of the arrows 67 and 68 inside the ink cartridge 30.

  The float part 64 is provided at one end of the arm body 63. For example, the float portion 64 is formed in a hollow shape and plays a role of a buoyancy body having buoyancy with respect to a liquid such as ink. Therefore, the float unit 64 moves up and down according to the increase and decrease of the ink amount. Thereby, the sensor arm 60 rotates according to the displacement of the float part 64. The float portion 64 may be formed of a material having a specific gravity smaller than the specific gravity of the ink, in a portion extending from the support shaft 66 to the float portion 64 or a part thereof, without forming the float portion 64 in a hollow shape.

  The light shielding plate 62 is provided at the other end of the arm main body 63 on the side opposite to the float portion 64. When the sensor arm 60 is rotated clockwise (in the direction of the arrow 67) in FIG. 2B, the light shielding plate 62 moves downward in the space 35. Then, the light shielding plate 62 contacts the bottom wall 34A of the remaining amount detection unit 34, and the lower posture (the posture in which the light shielding plate 62 contacts the bottom wall 34A of the remaining amount detection unit 34, the posture shown by the solid line in FIG. ). On the other hand, when the sensor arm 60 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction (the direction of the arrow 68) in FIG. 2B, the light shielding plate 62 moves upward and moves away from the bottom wall 34A. Then, the light shielding plate 62 abuts on the upper wall 34D, and maintains the upper posture (the posture in which the light shielding plate 62 moves away from the bottom wall 34A and abuts on the upper wall 34D, the posture shown by the broken line in FIG. 2B). . In FIG. 2B, the posture in which the light shielding plate 62 is in contact with the bottom wall 34A is indicated by a solid line, and the posture in which the light shielding plate 62 is separated from the bottom wall 34A is indicated by a broken line.

  When the light shielding plate 62 is in the lower position, the light shielding plate 62 is disposed to face the irradiation unit 34C below the side wall 34B. That is, the light shielding plate 62 and the irradiation unit 34 </ b> C overlap in the width direction 51. On the other hand, when the light shielding plate 62 is in the upper position, the light shielding plate 62 is disposed at a position shifted upward from the irradiation unit 34C. That is, in the upper position, the light shielding plate 62 and the irradiation unit 34 </ b> C do not overlap in the width direction 51.

  In the present embodiment, when there is a predetermined amount of ink in the ink storage chamber 36, the sensor arm 60 is rotated in the direction of the arrow 67 by the buoyancy of the float 64, and the light shielding plate 62 moves to the lower posture side. , Maintain a lower posture. On the other hand, when the ink amount in the ink storage chamber 36 becomes less than the predetermined amount, the sensor arm 60 is rotated in the direction of the arrow 68 by the float 64 moving downward as the liquid level drops, and the light shielding plate 62 moves to the upper posture side and maintains the upper posture. By moving the light shielding plate 62 in the vertical direction in this way, light of the optical sensor 114 described later is blocked by the light shielding plate 62 or can pass through the remaining amount detection unit 34 in the width direction 51.

  In the cartridge case 110, when the ink cartridge 30 is mounted at an ink supply position where ink can be supplied (an example of the mounting position of the present invention), the remaining amount from the light emitting element of the optical sensor 114 (see FIG. 3) described later. Light is emitted toward the irradiation unit 34 </ b> C on the side wall 34 </ b> B of the detection unit 34. At this time, when the light shielding plate 62 is in the lower position (the posture shown by the solid line in FIG. 2B), light that attempts to cross the space 35 is blocked by the light shielding plate 62. On the other hand, when the light shielding plate 62 is in the upper position (the posture indicated by the broken line in FIG. 2B), the light passes through the space 35 without being blocked by the light shielding plate 62 and the light sensor 114 It reaches the light receiving element. Therefore, by analyzing the waveform of the output signal of the light receiving element or detecting the attenuation amount or presence / absence of the output signal, it is possible to detect whether or not the ink in the ink storage chamber 36 exceeds a predetermined amount.

  The air communication port 71 is formed on the front wall 40 above the remaining amount detection unit 34 in the front wall 40. The atmosphere communication port 71 is a through hole for communicating the air layer of the ink storage chamber 36 and the atmosphere. Since the atmosphere communication port 71 is provided, the atmospheric pressure in the ink storage chamber 36 is always maintained at atmospheric pressure. The ink supply unit 72 is formed on the front wall 40 below the remaining amount detection unit 34 in the front wall 40. The ink supply unit 72 is configured by an annular member having elasticity, and protrudes outward (insertion direction 50 side) from the front wall 40. A through hole 73 is formed at the center of the ink supply unit 72, and the ink is led out from the ink storage chamber 36 through the ink needle 122 from the through hole 73.

  As shown in FIG. 2B, the ink supply unit 72 is from a virtual plane 56 that passes through a protruding end of a protruding member 76 (an example of a pressing unit of the present invention) described later and a protruding end of the remaining amount detecting unit 34. Is also provided so as to fit on the front wall 40 side. That is, the ink supply unit 72 does not cross the virtual plane 56 toward the insertion direction 50 side. For this reason, even if the ink cartridge 30 is dropped from the front wall 40 side, the impact at the time of dropping is not directly applied to the ink supply unit 72, so that the ink supply unit 72 is protected from the impact.

  The ink cartridge 30 has a rib 43 (an example of a wall portion of the present invention) extending in the depth direction 53. The rib 43 extends upward from the upper wall 39 of the ink cartridge 30. In other words, the ink cartridge 30 extends upward in the direction intersecting the insertion / extraction direction 105 of the ink cartridge 30 with respect to the cartridge case 110 (in this embodiment, the vertical direction orthogonal to the insertion / extraction direction 105). The rib 43 includes two side walls that extend upward from the upper wall 39 of the ink cartridge 30 and an upper wall that connects the tops of both side walls. The rib 43 has a side wall having a width smaller than the width of the upper wall 39. An end 44 on the front wall 40 side of the rib 43 has a wall surface that is flush with the front wall 40. An end 45 of the rib 43 on the side opposite to the end 44 (on the withdrawal direction 54 opposite to the insertion direction 50) is located near the center of the depth direction 53 on the upper wall 39. A wall surface 45A perpendicular to the vertical axis. The wall surface 45A is a portion with which an engagement end 146 of a lock lever 145, which will be described later, comes into contact when the ink cartridge 30 is mounted at the ink supply position in the cartridge case 110.

[Protruding member 76]
The ink cartridge 30 has a protruding member 76. The protruding member 76 contacts a link member 80 (an example of an interlocking member of the present invention) provided in the cartridge case 110 in the process of inserting the ink cartridge 30 into the cartridge case 110, as will be described later. The link member 80 is moved in the insertion direction 50 by the pressing force in the insertion direction 50 received from the ink cartridge 30 by the contact of the protruding member 76. The configuration of the link member 80 will be described later.

  The ink cartridge 30 includes an inner container made of a light-transmitting material constituting the ink storage chamber 36, and a cover member made of a non-light-transmitting material that covers the inner container from both sides. Yes. The protruding member 76 in the present embodiment and the protrusion 153 in the second embodiment to be described later are formed integrally with the cover member, and protrude from the cover member in the insertion direction 50. In each figure, since the ink cartridge 30 is schematically shown, the inner container and the cover member are not distinguished from each other.

  The protruding member 76 is provided at the lower end of the front wall 40 in the standing posture shown in FIG. Specifically, the projecting member 76 is provided below the ink supply unit 72 and projects outward (from the insertion direction 50 side) from the front wall 40. In the present embodiment, the width of the protruding member 76 is the same as the width of the front wall 40. The protruding member 76 protrudes outward from the ink supply unit 72. That is, the protruding amount of the protruding member 76 (distance from the front wall 40 to the protruding end) is larger than the protruding amount of the ink supply unit 72.

[Ink supply apparatus 100]
Next, the configuration of the ink supply device 100 to which the ink cartridge 30 is mounted will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a vertical cross-sectional structure of the ink supply device 100.

  The ink supply device 100 is provided in the printer 10. The ink supply device 100 supplies ink to the recording head 21 (see FIG. 2) provided in the printer 10. The ink supply device 100 includes a cartridge case 110 into which a plurality of ink cartridges 30 can be mounted. Hereinafter, the cartridge case 110 will be described in detail.

[Cartridge case 110]
As shown in FIG. 3, the ink cartridge 30 is accommodated in the cartridge case 110. The ink cartridge 30 is supported on the bottom wall 132 of the cartridge case 110 so as to be movable in the horizontal direction. The cartridge case 110 has an opening 112 on the front surface thereof. The ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the cartridge case 110 through the opening 112.

  A hole 119 penetrating from the inside of the cartridge case 110 to the back side of the cartridge case 110 is formed in the lower part of the back wall 117 located on the opposite side of the opening 112 of the cartridge case 110. A connecting part 121 connected to the ink supply part 72 is provided on the back wall 117 so as to surround the inside of the cartridge case 110 of the hole 119. A tubular ink needle 122 is attached to the connecting portion 121. An ink tube 20 (see FIG. 1) is connected to the back side of the hole 119. When the ink cartridge 30 is attached to the cartridge case 110, the ink supply part 72 and the connecting part 121 are connected. As a result, the ink needle 122 is inserted into the through hole 73 of the ink supply unit 72, and an ink passage extending from the through hole 73 to the ink tube 20 is formed. The hole 119, the connecting portion 121, the ink needle 122, and the ink tube 20 are provided for each ink cartridge 30. That is, when four ink cartridges 30 can be mounted on the cartridge case 110, four holes 119, four connecting portions 121, ink needles 122, and four ink tubes 20 are provided at positions corresponding to the four ink cartridges 30, respectively. Is provided.

  An optical sensor 114 is provided at the center of the back wall 117 of the cartridge case 110. The optical sensor 114 is for detecting the ink amount of the ink cartridge 30 attached to the cartridge case 110. In the present embodiment, a light transmission type photo interrupter having a light emitting element and a light receiving element (both not shown) is used as the optical sensor 114. The light emitting element emits light toward the light receiving element, and corresponds to, for example, a light emitting diode. The light receiving element can receive light, and corresponds to, for example, a phototransistor. The light emitting element and the light receiving element are arranged to face each other.

  The optical sensor 114 is connected to a control unit (not shown), and an electrical signal output from the light receiving element is input to the control unit as an output signal. In the present embodiment, when the ink cartridge 30 is mounted at the ink supply position of the cartridge case 110, the lower part of the remaining amount detection unit 34 enters the detection region 115 from the light emitting element to the light receiving element of the optical sensor 114. That is, the irradiation unit 34C (see FIG. 2) on the side wall 34B of the remaining amount detection unit 34 is located in the detection region 115. Based on the output signal (light reception amount) of the optical sensor 114 when the remaining amount detection unit 34 enters the detection region 115, the control unit determines whether or not the remaining amount of ink has reached a predetermined amount. Note that the optical sensor 114 is provided for each ink cartridge 30. That is, when four ink cartridges 30 can be attached to the cartridge case 110, the four optical sensors 114 are provided at positions corresponding to the four ink cartridges 30, respectively.

[Locking mechanism 144]
A lock mechanism 144 is provided in the cartridge case 110. The lock mechanism 144 regulates the movement of the ink cartridge 30 in the removal direction 54 opposite to the insertion direction 50 in a state where the ink cartridge 30 is disposed at the ink supply position, and at the ink supply position. It plays a role of stopping the ink cartridge 30. The lock mechanism 144 is provided on the opening 112 side of the upper part of the cartridge case 110. Note that the lock mechanism 144 is provided for each ink cartridge 30. That is, when four ink cartridges 30 can be mounted on the cartridge case 110, the four lock mechanisms 144 are provided at positions corresponding to the four ink cartridges 30, respectively.

  The lock mechanism 144 is roughly divided into a lock lever 145 (an example of a rotating member of the present invention) and a coil spring 148 (an example of an urging member of the present invention) that applies a biasing force to the lock lever 145. Yes. The lock lever 145 comes into contact with the wall surface 45A of the end portion 45 of the rib 43 and engages with the end portion 45 (an example of a regulating member of the present invention), and a contact portion 83 of the link member 80 described later. And an engagement piece 140 (an example of a contacted portion of the present invention) that engages with the contact portion 83. As shown in FIG. 3A, the engagement end 146 is provided at the end of the lock lever 145 on the insertion direction 50 side, and the engagement piece 140 is located on the lock lever 145 more than the support shaft 143. It is provided on the removal direction 54 side.

  A support shaft 143 is provided between the engagement end 146 and the engagement piece 140. The lock lever 145 is supported so as to be rotatable about the support shaft 143 as a rotation center. Thereby, the lock lever 145 is supported so as to be rotatable between the unlock position shown in FIG. 3A and the lock position shown in FIG. Here, the lock position is a position where the engagement end portion 146 contacts the wall surface 45A of the ink cartridge 30 in the cartridge case 110 and the ink cartridge 30 is fixed (held) at the ink supply position. Corresponds to the first position. The unlock position is a position where the engagement end 146 moves upward from the wall surface 45A of the ink cartridge 30 in the cartridge case 110 so that the ink cartridge 30 can be moved in the insertion / removal direction 105 without being fixed. Yes, corresponding to the second position of the present invention. That is, the lock lever 145 is disposed at a position where the engagement end 146 can contact the wall surface 45A in the unlock position. In this embodiment, the lock lever 145 is pivotally supported by the support shaft 143, so that the engagement end portion 146 can move between the lock position and the unlock position.

  One end of the coil spring 148 is supported by a support piece 148A that protrudes upward from the support shaft 143 of the lock lever 145. The other end of the coil spring 148 is fixed to a fixing portion 148B on the insertion direction 50 side with respect to the support piece 148A. The coil spring 148 is attached to the support piece 148A and the fixing portion 148B in a state of being extended from the natural length by a predetermined length so as to generate an elastic biasing force in the compression direction. As a result, the lock lever 145 is given an elastic biasing force to rotate in the clockwise direction of FIG. 3 by the coil spring 148. That is, the engagement end 146 is elastically biased toward the lock position by the coil spring 148. In the present embodiment, the lock lever 145 is always urged toward the lock position by the coil spring 148 when no external force is applied to the lock lever 145.

  An optical sensor 141 is provided in the vicinity of the lock mechanism 144. The optical sensor 141 is configured similarly to the optical sensor 114 described above, and includes a detection region 142. A detected portion 147 is provided on the opposite side of the lock lever 145 from the engagement end portion 146. The optical sensor 141 is arranged so that the detection region 142 is located in the rotation range of the detected portion 147. Therefore, the detected portion 147 can enter the detection area 142 according to the position of the lock lever 145. When the detected part 147 enters the detection area 142, the light of the optical sensor 141 is blocked. In the present embodiment, when the lock lever 145 is in the locked position, the detected portion 147 is disposed in the detection area 142, and when the lock lever 145 is in the unlock position, it is disposed in a position retracted from the detection area 142. The Based on the output signal (light reception amount) of the optical sensor 141 when the detected part 147 enters or exits the detection area 142, whether or not the lock lever 145 is in the locked position is determined by a control part (not shown). Detected. Note that the optical sensor 141 is provided for each ink cartridge 30. That is, when four ink cartridges 30 can be attached to the cartridge case 110, the four optical sensors 141 are provided at positions corresponding to the four ink cartridges 30, respectively.

  In the present embodiment, the detected part 147 blocks light or allows light to pass therethrough, but these do not necessarily block the amount of light reaching the light receiving element from the light emitting element in each optical sensor 141. It is not necessary to cut or reduce the amount of light reaching the light receiving element by changing the direction of the light, for example, reflecting or diffracting all or part of the light emitted from the light emitting element toward the light receiving element. The amount of light received by the light receiving element may be reduced to a certain level by attenuating light with a member such as glass or a diaphragm.

[Link member 80]
A link member 80 is provided in the cartridge case 110. The link member 80 is provided for each ink cartridge 30. That is, when four ink cartridges 30 can be attached to the cartridge case 110, four link members 80 corresponding to the four ink cartridges are provided.

  The link member 80 is configured to be interlocked according to the insertion / extraction operation of the ink cartridge 30 with respect to the cartridge case 110. The link member 80 is formed, for example, by bending a linear member having plasticity. A pressed part 81 (an example of the pressed part of the present invention) is provided at one end of the link member 80, and a contact part 83 (an example of the contact part of the present invention) is provided at the other end. A portion formed in an arm shape from the pressed portion 81 to the contact portion 83 is a link main body 82 (an example of the main body of the present invention). The pressed portion 81 is a portion that is pressed by the protruding member 76 in the process of inserting the ink cartridge 30. The link main body 82 extends from the pressed portion 81 to the engagement piece 140 side of the lock mechanism 144. The contact part 83 is a part that contacts the engagement piece 140.

  An opening 129 that penetrates the back wall 117 is provided in the lower portion of the back wall 117 of the cartridge case 110, and the pressed portion 81 and the pressed portion 81 side of the link main body 82 pass through the back of the cartridge case 110 through the opening 129. It is inserted inside from the side. The link body 82 extends upward along the back wall 117 on the back side of the ink cartridge 110 from the opening 129, and further extends in the removal direction 54 along the upper surface of the cartridge case 110.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the link member 80 is configured to be movable between a holding position shown in FIG. 3 (A) and a release position shown in FIG. 3 (B). The holding position is a position where the lock lever 145 is held in the unlocked position against the elastic biasing force of the coil spring 148, and corresponds to the third position of the present invention. The release position is set to the insertion direction 50 side with respect to the holding position, is a position where the holding of the lock lever 145 in the unlock position is released, and the lock lever 145 can be moved to the lock position. This corresponds to the fourth position of the present invention.

  In the present embodiment, when the link member 80 is in the holding position, the pressed portion 81 is disposed in the insertion path of the protruding member 76 of the ink cartridge 30, and the contact portion 83 contacts the engagement piece 140. The engagement piece 140 is configured to be pressed against the removal direction 54. For this reason, the link member 80 is urged in the removal direction 54 by a coil spring 85 (an example of the first elastic member of the present invention) fixed to the frame 101 of the ink supply device 100 with a larger elastic biasing force than the coil spring 148. ing. Therefore, in a state where an external force other than the elastic biasing force of the coil spring 148 is not applied to the link member 80, the link member 80 is always placed in the holding position by being biased by the coil spring 85 in the removal direction 54.

  On the other hand, when the link member 80 is in the release position, the contact portion 83 is disposed at a position separated from the engagement piece 140 toward the insertion direction 50. When the link member 80 is in the release position, the lock lever 145 is released from the unlock position, and the lock lever 145 can be moved to the lock position.

[Installation operation of ink cartridge 30]
Hereinafter, the operation of mounting the ink cartridge 30 in the cartridge case 110 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 are schematic cross-sectional views showing the process in which the ink cartridge 30 is attached to the cartridge case 110 in time series.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, in a state where the ink cartridge 30 is not inserted into the cartridge case 110, the link member 80 is pressed toward the removal direction 54 by the coil spring 85. Therefore, the link member 80 is disposed at the holding position. Therefore, the lock lever 145 is disposed at the unlock position (see FIG. 3A), and the engagement end 146 is maintained in a state of being lifted upward. In the present embodiment, the lock lever 145 is held in the unlock position until the ink cartridge 30 reaches the ink supply position. In this state, the detected portion 147 of the lock lever 145 has left the detection area 142 of the optical sensor 141, and thus the light in the detection area 142 is not blocked. At this time, the optical sensor 141 outputs an HI level output signal.

  In the state where the engagement end 146 is lifted upward, the ink cartridge 30 and the engagement end 146 do not contact each other as shown in FIG. Therefore, when the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the cartridge case 110 in the insertion direction 50, the ink cartridge 30 is smoothly inserted without receiving the sliding resistance in the removal direction 54 from the engagement end 146. .

  When the ink cartridge 30 is further inserted, the tip of the protruding member 76 comes into contact with the pressed portion 81 (see FIG. 4B). When the ink cartridge 30 is further inserted, the link member 80 disposed at the holding position moves in the insertion direction 50 against the elastic biasing force of the coil spring 85 in conjunction with the insertion operation of the ink cartridge 30. To do.

  As shown in FIG. 5, when the ink cartridge 30 reaches the ink supply position, the link member 80 reaches the release position. Here, the ink supply position is a position where ink can be supplied from the ink cartridge 30 to the ink needle 122, and in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 73 is a position through which the ink needle 122 is inserted. When the link member 80 reaches the release position, the wall surface 45 </ b> A of the end 45 is disposed at a position that passes through the engagement end 146 of the lock lever 145 in the insertion direction 50. Then, in a state where the engagement end portion 146 and the wall surface 45 </ b> A are in such a positional relationship, the contact portion 83 is separated from the engagement piece 140 in the insertion direction 50. As a result, the holding of the lock lever 145 in the unlock position is released. The lock lever 145 receives the elastic biasing force of the coil spring 148 and moves in the clockwise direction in FIG. 5, and the engagement end 146 contacts the upper surface of the upper wall 39 and the wall surface 45 </ b> A of the ink cartridge 30. As a result, the movement of the ink cartridge 30 in the removal direction 54 is restricted by the lock lever 145.

  At this time, light in the detection region 142 is blocked by the detected portion 147 of the lock lever 145. Therefore, the level of the output signal of the optical sensor 141 changes from HI to LOW.

  When the ink cartridge 30 reaches the ink supply position, the irradiation unit 34C of the remaining amount detection unit 34 is disposed in the detection region 115 of the optical sensor 114. When the irradiation unit 34C enters the detection region 115, when the predetermined amount or more of ink is stored in the ink storage chamber 36, that is, when the light shielding plate 62 is in the lower posture (see the solid line), the light shielding plate 62 detects it. The light in the region 115 is blocked. In this case, a LOW level output signal is output from the optical sensor 114. On the other hand, when the amount of ink in the ink storage chamber 36 is less than a predetermined amount, that is, when the light shielding plate 62 is in the upper position (see the broken line), the light sensor 114 does not block the light in the detection region 115. To output an HI level output signal.

  On the other hand, when the ink cartridge 30 is removed from the cartridge case 110, the user pushes down the end of the lock lever 145 on the detected portion 147 side. Accordingly, the lock lever 145 is rotated so that the lock lever 145 is in the unlock position. With this rotation, the engagement end 146 moves upward from the rib 43 of the ink cartridge 30, and the engagement end 146 moves away from the end 45 of the rib 43. Accordingly, the lock of the ink cartridge 30 is released, and the link member 80 moves from the release position to the holding position while pressing the ink cartridge 30 in the removal direction 54. That is, the link member 80 moves from the release position to the holding position in conjunction with the removal / removal operation of the ink cartridge 30. When the link member 80 reaches the holding state, the contact portion 83 presses the engagement piece 140 in the removal direction 54, and the lock lever 145 is held in the unlocked position against the elastic biasing force of the coil spring 148. At this time, since the engagement end 146 is separated from the ink cartridge 30, even if the ink cartridge 30 is pulled out in this state, the ink cartridge 30 does not receive sliding resistance from the engagement end 146. It is extracted smoothly.

  As described above, in the printer 10 according to the present embodiment, the sliding resistance is not received from the engagement end portion 146 when the ink cartridge 30 is inserted and removed, so that the ink cartridge 30 is smoothly inserted into and removed from the cartridge case 110.

<< Second Embodiment >>
Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the ink cartridge 150 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6A is a perspective view of the ink cartridge 150, and FIG. A longitudinal sectional view of the ink cartridge 150 is shown. FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state before and after the ink cartridge 150 is attached to the cartridge case 155. In addition, about the component which is common in the above-mentioned 1st Embodiment, the code | symbol same as the code | symbol used in 1st Embodiment is attached | subjected, and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the ink cartridge 150 is provided with a protrusion 153 (an example of the protrusion of the present invention) that protrudes from the end 44 of the rib 43 in the insertion direction 50. As shown in FIG. 7, the difference from the first embodiment described above is that a link member 180 (an example of an interlocking member of the present invention) is provided in the cartridge case 155 instead of the link member 80.

  The protrusion 153 is disposed on the upper portion of the front wall 40 of the ink cartridge 150. That is, it is disposed above the ink supply unit 72. The ink supply unit 72 is disposed so as to be sandwiched between the protrusion 153 and the protruding member 76. The dimension of the protrusion 153 in the width direction is smaller than the dimension of the rib 43 in the width direction 51. The protrusion 153 protrudes outward from the ink supply unit 72. In the present embodiment, the protrusion 153 is formed to have the same protruding length as the protruding member 76.

  In the ink cartridge 150 configured as described above, since the protrusion 153 is provided in addition to the protruding member 76, the ink supply unit 72 can be more reliably protected from an impact when the ink cartridge 150 is dropped.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the link member 180 is configured to be interlocked according to the insertion / extraction operation of the ink cartridge 150 with respect to the cartridge case 155, and is configured in substantially the same manner as the link member 80 of the first embodiment described above. Has been. That is, the link member 180 is provided with a pressed portion 181 (an example of the pressed portion of the present invention) at one end and a contact portion 183 (an example of the contact portion of the present invention) at the other end. . In this embodiment, the link main body 182 extending from the pressed portion 181 to the contact portion 183 is formed short in the vertical direction. In addition, an opening 189 that penetrates the back wall 117 is provided in the upper part of the back wall 117 of the cartridge case 155, and the pressed part 181 side of the pressed part 181 and the link main body 182 passes through the opening 189 and the ink cartridge 155. It is inserted inside from the back side. The pressed portion 181 is disposed in a path through which the protrusion 153 passes when the ink cartridge 150 is inserted into the cartridge case 155.

  Even when the link member 180 configured as described above is employed, the ink cartridge 150 is smoothly inserted into and removed from the cartridge case 155 because it does not receive sliding resistance from the engagement end 146 when the ink cartridge 150 is inserted or removed. The In this embodiment, the engagement point between the engagement end 146 of the lock lever 145 and the wall surface 45 and the pressing point between the pressed portion 181 and the protrusion 153 are both at the top of the cartridge case 155. Therefore, in the state where the ink cartridge 150 is disposed at the ink supply position, the force applied at the engagement point and the pressing point balances in the insertion / extraction direction 105, so that the rotational force is applied to the ink cartridge 150 within the cartridge case 155. Does not occur. Therefore, the ink cartridge 150 does not twist or tilt in the cartridge case 155.

<< Third Embodiment >>
Hereinafter, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the ink cartridge 170 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8A is a perspective view of the ink cartridge 170, and FIG. A longitudinal sectional view of the ink cartridge 170 is shown. 9 and 10 are schematic cross-sectional views showing the process of mounting the ink cartridge 170 to the cartridge case 110 in time series.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the ink cartridge 170 includes a cartridge main body 31 having an ink storage chamber 36, a cover 32 (an example of a slide member of the present invention) that covers the front side of the insertion direction 50 in the cartridge main body 31, It is composed of The cover 32 protects the ink supply unit 72 and the remaining amount detection unit 34 provided on the front wall 40. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, in this embodiment, a cartridge case 110 is employed as in the first embodiment described above.

  The cartridge body 31 has the same configuration as the ink cartridge 30 of the above-described embodiment except that the protruding member 76 is not provided. Therefore, the outer shape has a thin and substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that is thin in the width direction 51 and has an ink storage chamber 36 in the internal space. In addition, on the front side of the insertion direction 50 of the cartridge main body 31, a remaining amount detection unit 34, an air communication port 71, and an ink supply unit 72 that are continuous with the ink storage chamber 36 are provided. Since these configurations are the same as those in the above-described embodiment, detailed description thereof is omitted here.

  The cover 32 has a hollow box shape that covers the front portion of the cartridge body 31 in the insertion direction 50. The cover 32 is slidable along the outer wall of the cartridge body 31 from the front wall 40 in the direction along the insertion direction 50. In other words, the cover 32 is slidable in a direction in which the cover 32 approaches and separates from the front wall 40. Although not shown in each figure, the cover 32 is locked to the cartridge main body 31 at a position away from the cartridge main body 31 in the insertion direction 50 by a predetermined distance, and its slide range is restricted.

  Coil springs 37 and 38 (an example of the second elastic member of the present invention) are interposed between the cartridge body 31 and the cover 32. The coil springs 37 and 38 elastically bias the cover 32 in a direction away from the cartridge main body 31 (insertion direction 50). In the present embodiment, the coil springs 37 and 38 and the coil spring 85 are configured such that the elastic biasing force of the two coil springs 37 and 38 and the elastic biasing force of the coil spring 85 have the following relationship. That is, when the ink cartridge 170 is not mounted, the elastic biasing force of the coil springs 37 and 38 is smaller than the elastic biasing force of the coil spring 85. When the coil springs 37 and 38 are compressed by a predetermined amount in the process of mounting the ink cartridge 170 at the ink supply position, the elastic biasing force of the coil springs 37 and 38 and the elastic biasing force of the coil spring 85 are balanced. In the present embodiment, the coil springs 37 and 38 and the coil spring 85 designed to have such a force relationship are employed.

  A projecting member 76 similar to that described above is provided on the front side of the cover 32 in the insertion direction 50. Since these are the same as those in the above-described embodiment, detailed description thereof is omitted here. A window 33 penetrating in the width direction 51 is formed near the center of the front side of the insertion direction 50 in the cover 32. When the cover 32 is closest to the cartridge main body 31, the remaining amount detection unit 34 enters a position corresponding to the window 33. When the cover 32 is separated from the cartridge main body 31, the remaining amount detection unit 34 is removed from the position corresponding to the window 33. The window 33 transmits the light from the optical sensor 114.

  Although not shown in each drawing, a through hole through which the connecting portion 121 and the ink needle 122 can be inserted is formed at a position corresponding to the ink supply portion 72 on the front side of the insertion direction 50 in the cover 32. The connecting part 121 and the ink needle 122 are accessed to the ink supply part 72 through these through holes.

[Installation operation of ink cartridge 170]
Hereinafter, the operation of mounting the ink cartridge 170 in the cartridge case 110 will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are schematic cross-sectional views showing the process of mounting the ink cartridge 170 to the cartridge case 110 in time series.

  As shown in FIG. 9A, when the ink cartridge 170 is inserted in the insertion direction 50 with respect to the cartridge case 110, the ink cartridge 170 has a sliding resistance in the removal direction 54 from the engagement end portion 146. It smoothly moves to the insertion direction 50 without receiving it.

  When the ink cartridge 170 is further inserted, the tip of the protruding member 76 comes into contact with the pressed portion 81 (see FIG. 9B). From this state, when the ink cartridge 170 is pressed in the insertion direction 50, only the coil springs 37 and 38 are compressed, and the cartridge body 31 moves in the insertion direction 50. At this time, since the elastic biasing force of the coil spring 85 is larger than the elastic biasing force of the coil springs 37 and 38 combined, the coil spring 85 is not compressed. That is, the link member 80 maintains the holding position.

  Then, the ink cartridge 170 is further pressed toward the insertion direction 50, and as shown in FIG. 10C, the ink supply unit 72 is exposed from the cover 32, and the window 33 is an irradiation unit of the remaining amount detection unit 34. When the cover 32 and the cartridge body 31 are relatively close to each other until they are arranged at positions facing the 34C, the elastic biasing forces of the coil springs 37 and 38 and the elastic biasing force of the coil spring 85 are balanced. Thereafter, the coil springs 37 and 38 and the coil spring 85 are compressed while maintaining the balance of the elastic biasing force until the ink cartridge 170 is further pressed in the insertion direction 50 and reaches the ink supply position. As a result, the link member 80 moves in the insertion direction 50.

  As shown in FIG. 10D, when the ink cartridge 170 reaches the ink supply position, the link member 80 reaches the release position. When the link member 80 reaches the release position, the wall surface 45 </ b> A of the end 45 is disposed at a position that passes through the engagement end 146 of the lock lever 145 in the insertion direction 50. That is, the engagement end 146 is not supported by the rib 43. Then, in a state where the engagement end portion 146 and the wall surface 45 </ b> A are in such a positional relationship, the contact portion 83 is separated from the engagement piece 140 in the insertion direction 50. As a result, the holding of the lock lever 145 in the unlock position is released. The lock lever 145 receives the elastic biasing force of the coil spring 148 and moves in the clockwise direction in FIG. 10, and the engagement end portion 146 contacts the upper surface of the upper wall 39 and the wall surface 45 </ b> A of the ink cartridge 30. As a result, the movement of the ink cartridge 30 in the removal direction 54 is restricted by the lock lever 145.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Printer 30 ... Ink cartridge 31 ... Cartridge main body 32 ... Cover 37, 38 ... Coil spring 56 ... Virtual plane 72 ... Ink supply part 76 ... Projection member 80- .... Link member 85 ... Coil spring 100 ... Ink supply device 110 ... Cartridge case 141 ... Optical sensor 150 ... Ink cartridge 153 ... Protrusion 155 ... Cartridge case 170 ... Ink cartridge

Claims (12)

An ink supply device including a cartridge mounting portion to which an ink cartridge having an ink storage chamber is mounted,
A restricting member movable to a first position contacting the outer surface of the ink cartridge and a second position spaced from the outer surface;
A biasing member that biases the restriction member toward the first position;
The biasing member is interlocked according to the insertion / extraction operation of the ink cartridge with respect to the cartridge mounting portion, and is inserted in the insertion direction with respect to the cartridge mounting portion until reaching the predetermined mounting position. The restriction member is held at the second position against the urging force, and the holding at the second position is released in a state where the ink cartridge has reached the mounting position, and the restriction member is moved to the first position. An interlocking member to be moved to,
An operation unit accessible from the outside of the ink supply device ,
The mounting position, Ri position der capable of supplying ink to the cartridge mounting portion from the ink cartridge,
The ink supply device , wherein the restriction member moves from the first position to the second position by an external force applied to the operation unit .   The interlock member moves the restricting member from the first position to the second position against the urging force of the urging member in the process of moving along the removal direction in which the ink cartridge is removed from the mounting position. The ink supply device according to claim 1, wherein the ink supply device is moved to a position.   3. The ink supply device according to claim 1, wherein the regulating member is configured to stop the movement of the ink cartridge in a removal direction in which the restriction member is removed from the mounting position by contacting an outer surface of the ink cartridge. . A wall portion extending in a direction intersecting the insertion / extraction direction of the ink cartridge with respect to the cartridge mounting portion is provided on the outer surface of the ink cartridge;
4. The control member according to claim 1, wherein the regulating member is disposed so as to come into contact with a rear wall surface of the wall portion in the insertion direction in a state where the ink cartridge has reached the mounting position. 5. Ink supply device. A rotation member provided with a regulating center at one end, a contacted portion at the other end, and a rotation center provided between the regulating member and the contacted portion;
A first elastic member that elastically biases the interlocking member in a removal direction in which the ink cartridge is removed from the mounting position;
The interlocking member includes a pressed portion that is pressed by the ink cartridge in the process of inserting the ink cartridge, a main body that extends from the pressed portion toward the contacted portion, and the contacted portion side of the main body. A contact portion provided at an end of the ink cartridge and capable of contacting the contacted portion, wherein the pressed portion is disposed in an insertion path of the ink cartridge, and the contact portion is in contact with the contacted portion. A third position at which the restriction member can be held at the second position; and the contact member is disposed closer to the insertion direction than the third position, and the contact portion is separated from the contacted portion, and the restriction member is moved to the first position. The ink supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the ink supply device is movable between a fourth position and a fourth position. The ink cartridge is
A pressing portion that contacts the pressed portion and presses the pressed portion in the insertion direction; and
An ink supply section provided on the first wall on the front side in the insertion direction,
The ink supply device according to claim 5, wherein the pressing portion protrudes from the first wall in the insertion direction with respect to the ink supply portion. The ink cartridge is
A slide member slidable in a direction approaching and separating from the first wall which is the front side in the insertion direction;
A second elastic member that elastically urges the slide member from the first wall in the insertion direction,
The first elastic member and the second elastic member are
The elastic force of the second elastic member in a state where the ink cartridge is not mounted is smaller than the elastic force of the first elastic member, and the second elastic member moves in the process of mounting the ink cartridge at the mounting position. The ink supply device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein an elastic force of the second elastic member and an elastic force of the first elastic member are balanced in a state compressed by a predetermined amount.   The ink supply device according to claim 7, wherein the slide member covers a front side of the ink cartridge in the insertion direction.   The said ink supply part is arrange | positioned inside the plane which connects at least the said press part and the part which protrudes most with respect to the said insertion direction among the external shapes of the said ink cartridge. The ink supply device described.   The ink supply device according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the pressing portion is provided below the ink supply portion in the mounting posture of the ink cartridge in the cartridge mounting portion. The ink cartridge includes a protruding portion that protrudes from the first wall in the insertion direction than the ink supply portion,
The ink supply device according to claim 6, wherein the pressing portion and the protruding portion are arranged so as to sandwich the ink supply portion. The regulation member is provided at one end, the operation unit is provided at the other end, and further includes a rotation member having a rotation center provided between the regulation member and the operation unit,
It said rotating member, by turning to the rotation around the center by an external force applied to the operating unit, one of the regulating member claims 1 to move to the second position from the first position 11 of the the ink supply device according to any.

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