JP7305838B2 - Liquid ejector - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a liquid ejection device such as an inkjet recording device.

2. Description of the Related Art Inkjet recording apparatuses are known as liquid ejection apparatuses that perform recording by ejecting liquid. In this inkjet recording apparatus, ink is ejected from a recording head as a liquid ejection section to perform recording on a recording medium. Ink is supplied to the recording head from an ink tank as a liquid container provided in the inkjet recording apparatus.

In the ink jet recording apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-200010, when ink is refilled into an ink tank, ink is injected from an ink supply container, ie, a liquid supply container, into a liquid injection port provided in the ink tank. The liquid inlet is provided with an openable and closable lid member (opening and closing member) in order to prevent ink from leaking from the ink tank. When injecting ink into the ink tank, the lid member is pushed open by the tip of the nozzle provided in the liquid replenishing container.

JP 2017-205895 A

However, in the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the lid member is pushed open by the tip of the nozzle of the liquid supply container, there is a possibility that the ink adhering to the tip of the nozzle of the liquid supply container will adhere to the outer surface of the lid member. be. As a result, the ink may splatter outside the inkjet recording apparatus, and the ink may adhere to the lid member and affect the opening/closing operation of the lid member.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid ejection device capable of opening a lid member without bringing the tip of the nozzle of the liquid supply container into contact with the lid member when replenishing the liquid from the liquid supply container to the liquid storage container. .

According to one aspect of the present invention, a container body in which a liquid is stored, a liquid supply section communicating with the container body to supply the liquid, and a liquid outlet provided in the liquid supply section are configured to be openable and closable. and a valve mechanism having a spring that biases the valve body in a closing direction; an opening/closing member configured to open and close the opening; and a spring member that biases the opening/closing member in a closing direction; and the valve of the liquid supply portion of the liquid container. A liquid supply system comprising: a pressing portion that opens a mechanism, and a mounting portion configured to allow insertion and removal of the liquid container, wherein the liquid container is oriented in one direction with respect to the mounting portion. In the process of moving and mounting, a part of the liquid supply portion of the liquid container contacts the opening/closing member of the mounting portion to bring the opening/closing member to an open position, and the liquid container is moved in the same direction. provides a liquid supply system, wherein the valve body of the liquid container is set to an open position by the pressing portion, and the liquid is supplied from the liquid container.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a replenishment container body that stores liquid, a liquid supply section that supplies liquid from the replenishment container body, a valve body that regulates the outflow of liquid from the liquid supply section, and the valve a valve mechanism having a spring for biasing the body in a closing direction; a liquid receiving portion connected to the liquid supply portion; the liquid receiving portion includes an opening/closing mechanism including a spring member and an opening/closing member biased to a closed position by the spring member; and a pressing portion that opens the valve mechanism of the container, and in the process in which the liquid supply container is moved in one direction with respect to the loading portion and mounted , the liquid supplying portion of the liquid supply container is pressed. After the open/close member of the liquid receiving portion is set to the open position by the insertion of the portion, the liquid supply container is further moved in the same direction, and the valve body of the liquid supply container is pushed by the pressing portion of the loading portion. A liquid ejection device is provided characterized in that it is in an open position.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a container body that stores liquid, a liquid supply section that supplies liquid from the container body, and a valve that regulates outflow of liquid from a liquid outlet provided in the liquid supply section. a valve mechanism comprising a body and a spring biasing the valve body in a closed direction;
a liquid receiving portion configured to be loaded with the liquid supply container and connected to the liquid supply portion of the liquid supply container; a spring member; A method for mounting the liquid replenishment container on the liquid ejection device, comprising: a liquid ejection device having a loading portion including a member and a pressing portion that opens the valve mechanism, the method comprising: In the process of attaching the liquid supply container to the loading section, after the step of moving the liquid supply container in one direction with respect to the loading section to move the opening/closing member of the liquid receiving section to the open position, The mounting of the liquid supply container is completed through a step of moving the liquid supply container in the same direction and opening the valve mechanism of the liquid supply section by the pressing portion of the loading section. A method is provided .

According to the present invention, there is provided a liquid ejection device capable of opening the lid member without bringing the tip of the nozzle of the liquid supply container into contact with the lid member when replenishing the liquid from the liquid supply container to the liquid storage container.

1 is a perspective view showing a mechanism section of an inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment; FIG. FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional side view schematically showing the main configuration of the recording apparatus; 2 is a perspective view showing how ink is replenished to an ink tank in the recording apparatus; FIG. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the tip of the nozzle of the ink replenishing container pushes open the cover member according to the prior art; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the peripheral configuration of the liquid inlet of the ink tank and the peripheral configuration of the ink outlet of the ink supply container in the first embodiment; FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a fitting portion between an ink tank and an ink supply container that differs for each type of liquid; FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a fitting portion between an ink tank and an ink supply container according to a second embodiment; FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a configuration around a liquid inlet of an ink tank and a configuration around an ink outlet of an ink supply container according to a second embodiment; FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration around an ink outlet of an ink tank and the configuration around an ink outlet of an ink supply container in a third embodiment; FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration around an ink outlet of an ink tank and the configuration around an ink outlet of an ink supply container according to a fourth embodiment;

[First embodiment]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a mechanical section of an inkjet printing apparatus 1000 (hereinafter also referred to as a "printing apparatus") according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. is. In this specification, the term "ink" is used as a general term for liquids such as recording liquid, fixing liquid, and resist.

The mechanism section is mainly composed of a first feeding section 1, a second feeding section 2, a recording section 3, and a liquid supply section 4. As shown in FIG. The first feeding unit 1 separates recording media one by one from a stack of recording media using a feeding roller 10 and supplies the recording media to the second feeding unit 2 . The second feeding unit 2 is provided on the downstream side of the first feeding unit 1 in the transport direction, and transports the recording medium fed from the feeding roller 10 using the transport rollers 11, the discharge rollers 12, and the like. A platen 13 for holding a recording medium is provided between the conveying roller 11 and the discharge roller 12 . The recording medium conveyed by the second feeding section is supported vertically by the platen 13 from below.

The recording unit 3 includes a carriage 14 that reciprocates in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the recording medium in FIG. The recording head 15 has an ink ejection section in which a plurality of ejection openings for ejecting ink are arranged. Ejection energy generating elements are provided in each of the plurality of ejection openings forming the ink ejection section. By driving the ejection energy generating elements based on print data, ink is ejected from the ejection openings onto the platen 13 . An image is recorded on the supported recording medium.

The liquid supply unit 4 includes an ink tank 160 as a liquid container, an ink channel 101 that guides ink from the ink tank 160 to the recording head 15 , and a flexible ink that connects the ink channel 101 and the recording head 15 . It is composed of the supply tube 107 and the like. When ink is ejected from the ejection openings of the print head 15 and a printing operation is performed, the negative pressure inside the print head 15 increases.

This increase in negative pressure causes the ink contained in the ink containing chamber 100 of the ink tank 160 to be supplied to the recording head 15 via the ink flow path 101 and the ink supply tube 107 . At this time, the same amount of air as the ink supplied to the recording head 15 flows into the ink tank 160 from the air communication port 102 provided vertically above the ink tank 160 .

The printing apparatus 1000 is a color printer that ejects a plurality of different color inks to print a color image on a printing medium. For this reason, the recording head 15 is provided with a plurality of ink ejection portions corresponding to each of the plurality of types of ink. In this embodiment, four ink ejection units for ejecting four colors of ink, yellow, cyan, magenta, and black, are provided. A tank 160 is provided. In the following description, the generic reference numeral 160 is used when referring to the four ink tanks collectively, and the following different reference numerals are used when referring to the four ink tanks individually. . That is, an ink tank containing cyan ink is designated as 160C, an ink tank containing magenta ink as 160M, an ink tank containing yellow ink as 160Ye, and an ink tank containing black ink as 160Bk. When the remaining amount of ink in any of the ink tanks 160C, 160M, 160Ye, and 160Bk is less than a predetermined amount, a message to that effect is displayed on the display unit 1001 of the printing apparatus, and the user is informed that the remaining amount is insufficient. prompts to replenish the ink tank 160 with ink.

Ink replenishment to the ink tank 160 is performed by the user using the ink replenishment container 200 as a liquid replenishment container containing ink. Therefore, the number of ink supply containers 200 corresponding to the number of colors of ink to be used (four colors in this example) is prepared. In the replenishing operation, based on the color information displayed on the ink tank 160 and the ink replenishing container 200, the user selects the ink replenishing container 200 and refills the ink tank 160 with ink. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the tank cover 1002 provided on the front surface of the recording apparatus 1000 is opened forward, the cap 26 provided on the ink tank 160 is removed, and the ink supply container 200 is placed on the ink tank. 160 is inserted and attached for replenishment.

At this time, according to the prior art, the user needs to push open the opening/closing member 31 of the ink tank 160 with the liquid outlet 230 (nozzle tip) of the ink supply container 200, as shown in FIG. Therefore, there is a possibility that the ink will splatter or stick as described above. In order to avoid such a phenomenon, the following ink tank 160 and ink supply container 200 are used in this embodiment.

FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of the ink tank 160 in which no nozzles are inserted in the first embodiment of the invention. The ink tank 160 has an ink storage chamber (liquid storage chamber) 100 and a nozzle insertion hole 167 . The nozzle insertion hole is a hole for inserting the nozzle of the ink supply container, and a liquid injection port ( 166, which may be simply referred to as an "injection port" hereinafter, is formed. The inlet 166 communicates with the ink containing chamber 100 . A wall forming the nozzle insertion hole 167 has a cylindrical shape, particularly a substantially cylindrical shape, and forms the mouth portion 164 of the ink tank. The mouth portion 164 protrudes from the outer surface of the ink tank 160 to the outside of the ink tank (in the upward direction on the plane of FIG. 5).

The ink tank 160 has a lid member 168 as an opening/closing member for closing and opening the inlet 166 . The cover member 168 can prevent leakage of ink in the ink tank 160 . The cover member 168 may be a circular plate as long as it can close the injection port 166 .

The ink tank 160 also has an opening/closing mechanism 171 connected to a lid member 168 on the side of the nozzle insertion hole 167 . The open/close mechanism 171 has a contact member 169 that contacts the side portion of the nozzle 222 during ink replenishment, and a spring 170 that is installed behind it (in the direction away from the nozzle insertion hole 167). The contact member 169 is positioned at the closed position by the spring 170 biasing the contact member 169 toward the nozzle insertion hole 167, the lid member 168 is closed, and the ink tank 160 is sealed. The lid member 168 and the contact member 169 are connected and integrated.

A gap portion 178 communicating with the nozzle insertion hole 167 is provided inside the mouth portion 164 . The gap 177 is, for example, a cylindrical hole (the end opposite to the nozzle insertion hole 167 is closed) extending from the nozzle insertion hole 167 in a direction away from the nozzle insertion hole 167 . A spring 170 is disposed within the cavity 178 . A contact member 169 of the opening/closing mechanism 171 protrudes into the nozzle insertion hole 167 from the gap 178 when the nozzle is not inserted. When inserting the nozzle, the contact member 169 moves substantially linearly toward the side of the nozzle insertion hole so as to leave the nozzle insertion hole 167 . At this time, at least part of the contact member 169 can be accommodated in the space 178 . One end of spring 170 is fixed to abutment member 169 and the other end is fixed to the closed end of cavity 178 .

As shown in FIG. 5(b), the ink supply container 200 has a supply container main body 221 for storing liquid, and a liquid outlet for pouring out the liquid (hereinafter simply referred to as "outlet"). ) 230 has a nozzle 222 formed therein. The nozzle 222 has a connecting portion 223 with the supply container main body 221 and a nozzle portion 224 protruding from the connecting portion. The connecting portion 223 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and the nozzle portion 224 is narrower than the connecting portion 223 and has a substantially truncated cone shape.

When replenishing ink, the nozzle 222 is inserted into the nozzle insertion hole 167 of the ink tank 160 with the ink replenishing container 200 turned upside down. Although not shown in FIG. 5, the ink tank 160 has a first fitting portion, and the ink supply container 200 has a second fitting portion, which can be fitted together. The first fitting portion can be formed by a recess provided around the nozzle insertion hole 167 . The second fitting portion can be formed by a convex portion protruding from the side surface of the nozzle 222 (particularly, the side surface of the connecting portion 223). For example, one convex portion (a convex portion similar to the second convex portion 213 shown in FIG. 8) protruding sideways from the connecting portion 223 is provided and used as a second fitting portion, and this convex portion can be fitted. A concave portion can be provided in the mouth portion 164 (the wall of the nozzle insertion hole 167) and used as a first fitting portion. The first fitting portion and the second fitting portion are provided such that the nozzle portion 224 is inserted into a predetermined position.

The nozzle portion 224 is provided at a position closer to the outer periphery than the center of the upper bottom surface (the upper bottom surface in the upright state) of the connecting portion 223 , particularly near the outer periphery on the side opposite to the opening/closing mechanism 171 . Therefore, when the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion are fitted together, the spout 230 is positioned farther from the opening/closing mechanism 171 than the central axis of the nozzle insertion hole 167 . This is effective for shortening the moving distance when the lid member 168 is opened and closed. The nozzle 222 is not inserted into the nozzle insertion hole 167 unless the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion are fitted. In other words, when the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion are not fitted, the nozzle 222 does not contact the opening/closing mechanism 171, and the tip of the nozzle portion 224 (spout 230) may come into contact with the lid member 168. do not have.

When the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion are fitted together, the nozzle 222 is inserted into the nozzle insertion hole 167 . When inserting the nozzle, the side portion of the nozzle 222 contacts and presses the contact member 169 of the opening/closing mechanism 171 . As a result, the lid member 168 is opened. At this time, the spout 230 does not contact the lid member 168 . A slope (surface oblique to the nozzle insertion direction) is provided on the contact member 169, and at least a part of the slope is brought into contact with the side portion of the nozzle 222, thereby enabling smooth opening and closing operations. The side portion of the nozzle 222 that contacts the contact member 169 may be a side surface of the nozzle 222 or a portion that protrudes from the side surface of the nozzle 222 . In this embodiment, the side surface 240 of the connection portion 223 of the nozzle 222, particularly the corner portion where the side surface 240 intersects the upper bottom surface (upright position) of the connection portion 223, is used as the nozzle side portion that contacts the contact member 169. there is

It is not necessary to open the entire inlet 166 at the time of inserting the nozzle, and it is sufficient that the nozzle portion 224 can pass through or the ink flowing out from the outlet 230 can pass through. When the nozzle is inserted, the nozzle part 224 passes through the open inlet 166, and the outlet 230 is located inside the ink tank 160 rather than the inlet 166, so that the ink adheres to the lid member 168. less likely to do so. The dimensions and arrangement of the contact member 169 and the nozzle portion 224 can be determined so that the tip of the nozzle portion 224 (outlet 230) does not come into contact with the lid member 168 when the nozzle is inserted.

When the nozzle of the ink supply container 200 is removed from the nozzle insertion port 167 of the ink tank 160, the open/close mechanism 171 is returned to the closed position by the bias of the spring 170, the lid member 168 is closed, and the ink tank 160 is closed. be stopped.

Insertion of the nozzle 222 into the nozzle insertion hole 167 can be stopped by the replenishment container main body 221, particularly the shoulder portion of the replenishment container main body 221 connected to the connecting portion 223, abutting against the mouth portion 164 when the nozzle is inserted.

Although not shown in the figure, the contact member 169 (in particular, the neck connecting the head having a trapezoidal cross section to the lid member 168) passes through the lower bottom surface of the mouth portion 164 (lower bottom surface in the upright state). A slit or cut may be provided in the portion for such passage. By forming the portion where the slit or the cut is made of rubber or the like, the sealing property of the slit or the cut can be improved.

The ink insertion hole 167 may also serve as the first fitting portion, and the nozzle 222, especially the connecting portion 223 may also serve as the second fitting portion. In this case, the nozzle 222 and the ink insertion hole 167 are shaped so that the nozzle 222 can be inserted into the ink insertion hole 167 only in a specific direction, that is, the nozzle part 224 can be inserted into the opening position of the injection port 166. can decide. In this case, the unevenness described above (the protrusion protruding from the connecting portion 223 and the recess provided at the mouth portion) can be omitted.

As described above, when the lid member 168 is opened and closed, the opening/closing mechanism 171 causes the side surface 240 of the nozzle to come into contact with the lid member 168 , but does not make contact with the portion near the ink outlet 230 , that is, the tip of the nozzle portion 224 . As a result, the possibility that the ink adhering to the tip of the nozzle portion 224 adheres to the opening/closing mechanism 171 or the lid member 168 is reduced, and problems such as the opening/closing operation are less likely to occur.

By arranging a member such as rubber around the cover member 168 or the inlet 166, the sealability of the ink inlet 166 can be improved, and a cap for sealing the inlet 166 can be omitted. is.

Other embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same reference numerals are given to the same or corresponding parts as in the first embodiment, and the description common to the first embodiment will be omitted.

[Second embodiment]
In the present embodiment, it is possible to more reliably prevent color mixture of ink caused by replenishing the ink tank 160 with ink of a color that does not match. For this purpose, ink tanks and ink replenishing containers having different fitting shapes (shapes of the first and second fitting portions) are used for each type (color) of ink. Only the second fitting portion of the ink supply container, which stores the same type of ink as the ink contained in the ink tank, fits with the first fitting portion of the ink tank. The first fitting portion has a shape determined according to the type of liquid contained in the ink tank, and the second fitting portion has a shape determined according to the type of liquid stored in the ink supply container. have a shape.

First, examples of fitting shapes that differ for each type of liquid will be described with reference to FIG. 4(a) and 4(b) are plan views showing the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion, which are different for each color. However, in the figure, an opening/closing mechanism, a nozzle portion (spout), etc. are omitted. A mouth portion 164 of the ink tank 160 (especially the upper bottom surface in the upright position) has a first concave portion (first shape portion) 162 and a second concave portion (second shape portion) 163 as first fitting portions. is provided. A first convex portion (third shape portion) 212 and a second convex portion (fourth shape portion) 213 are provided as second fitting portions on the side surface of the connecting portion 223 of the ink tank 200 . The first concave portion 162 and the first convex portion 212 are provided at positions common to each color, and the positions of the second concave portion 163 and the second convex portion 213 differ according to the color of the ink to be accommodated. The first protrusion 212 can fit in the first recess 162 but does not fit in the second recess 163 . The second protrusion 213 can fit with the second recess 163 but does not fit with the first recess 162 . In this manner, a different fitting shape can be formed for each liquid type.

In the second embodiment, a different fitting shape is applied for each type of liquid as described above. FIGS. 7A and 7B show the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion according to the present embodiment, respectively. FIG. 8(a) is a cross-sectional view (cross section AA in FIG. 7(b)) schematically showing the configuration of the ink tank 160, and FIG. 8(b) shows the nozzle 222 inserted into the nozzle insertion hole 167. The state is shown schematically.

The ink supply container 200 has projections (a first projection 212 and a second projection 213 ) formed on the nozzle 222 , and the ink tank 160 has a recess (a first recess 162 and a second projection 213 ) near the nozzle insertion hole 167 . 163) are formed. As long as these projections do not fit into the recesses, the opening/closing mechanism 171 will not operate and ink will not be injected into the ink tank 160 .

The first and second recesses 162 and 163 extend from the outer bottom surface of the mouth portion 164 (the upper bottom surface in the upright position) toward the inside of the ink tank (downward on the page of FIG. 8). At the same time, the first and second recesses 162 and 163 extend outward (to the left in FIG. 8) from the side surface of the nozzle insertion hole 167 in a direction perpendicular to the nozzle insertion direction, that is, in the radial direction of the nozzle insertion hole. exist. The second recess 163 communicates with the side surface of the nozzle insertion hole 167 but does not reach the outer circumference of the mouth portion 164 . The first concave portion 162 reaches from the side surface of the nozzle insertion hole 167 to the outer periphery of the mouth portion 164 .

A first convex portion 212 and a second convex portion 213 are provided as a second fitting portion on the side surface of the nozzle of the ink supply container 200, particularly the side surface 240 of the connecting portion 223. As shown in FIG. The first and second protrusions extend from the side surface 240 of the connecting portion 223 in a direction perpendicular to the nozzle insertion direction (the central axis direction of the connecting portion 223). Incidentally, by providing four notches 215 in the connecting portion 223 and fitting a plate-shaped member in one of them for fixing, the second convex portion 213 can be provided, but the convex portion is integrated with the nozzle. It can be molded.

The first recessed portions 162 are provided at two locations on the outer bottom surface of the mouth portion 164 on the same diameter, and the second recessed portion 163 is provided at one location on the bottom surface. Two first protrusions 212 are provided at positions corresponding to the first recesses 162 , and one second protrusion 213 is provided at a position corresponding to the second recesses 163 . This point is different from FIG.

In this embodiment, an opening/closing mechanism 171 is provided inside the second recess 163 . ink tank 16
When ink is replenished using the ink replenishing container 200 storing ink to be replenished to 0, the first and second convex portions 212 and 213 are fitted into the first and second concave portions 162 and 163, respectively. At this time, as shown in FIG. 8B, the tip of the second convex portion 213 of the ink supply container abuts against the opening/closing mechanism 171 provided inside the first concave portion 163 and presses the contact member 169. . As a result, the lid member 168 is opened. At the same time, the ink outlet 230 formed at the tip of the nozzle portion 224 is located inside the ink tank 160 , particularly inside the lid member 168 . As a result, the ink in the ink supply container 200 can be supplied from the ink outlet 230 into the ink tank 160 .

On the other hand, if the ink replenishing container 200 storing ink that is not compatible with the ink tank 160 is used, the second convex portion 213 does not fit into the second concave portion 163 . Therefore, the tip of the second protrusion 213 does not contact the opening/closing mechanism 171 , the lid member 168 is kept closed, and ink is not supplied to the ink tank 160 . Therefore, it is possible to more reliably prevent different types of ink from being mixed in the ink tank 160 .

When the first and second fitting portions are not fitted, the second protrusion 213 does not contact the contact member 169, and when they are fitted, the tip of the second protrusion 213 contacts the contact member 169. The lengths of the nozzle portion 224 and the second convex portion 213 can be appropriately determined so that the lid member 168 can be opened by pressing.

It should be noted that the first protrusion 212 can be provided on the side surface 240 of the connecting portion 223 in the same manner as the second protrusion 213 shown in FIG. 8B. However, the distance d1 from the first protrusion 212 to the ink outlet 230 can be made longer than the distance d2 from the second protrusion 213 to the ink outlet 230 in the nozzle insertion direction. That is, the second projecting portion 213 can be provided at a position farther from the ink outlet 230 than the first projecting portion 212 . As a result, the fitting between the first protrusion 212 and the first recess 162 is started first, and the fitting between the second protrusion 213 and the second recess 163 (opening operation of the lid member) is started later. can be done. This is effective for more reliably preventing replenishment of incompatible ink.

[Third Embodiment]
In the first embodiment, the side surface of the connecting portion 223 of the nozzle 222, particularly the side surface is connected as a member (side portion of the nozzle 222) with which the contact member 169 of the opening/closing mechanism 171 contacts when the lid member 168 is opened. A corner portion that intersects with the upper bottom surface of the portion 223 is used. In the second embodiment, the second convex portion 213 provided on the connecting portion 223, particularly the side end thereof, is used. In this embodiment, the side surface 241 of the nozzle portion 224 is brought into contact with the contact member 169 to open the lid member.

FIG. 9A schematically shows the ink tank 160 and the ink supply container 200 before ink supply, and FIG. 9B schematically shows the ink supply. The nozzle portion 224 has an inclined surface (flat surface) at a position facing the opening/closing mechanism 171 that is inclined with respect to the nozzle insertion direction. This inclined surface is used as a side surface 241 with which the contact member 169 contacts. The nozzle part 224 can have a shape obtained by cutting a cylindrical body with a plane oblique to its central axis.

The configuration of the ink tank 160 may be basically the same as that of the first embodiment. However, the following configuration is adopted so that the distance between the inclined surface 241 and the opening/closing mechanism 171 is not long. That is, the mouth portion 164 is provided with a protruding portion 179 that protrudes in the direction toward the inclined surface 241 (rightward in FIG. 9) when the nozzle is inserted. Further, the gap 178 and the contact member 169 extend longer in this direction than in the first embodiment.

Further, in this embodiment, the insertion of the nozzle 222 into the nozzle insertion hole 167 is stopped when the upper bottom surface of the nozzle connecting portion 223 (the upper bottom surface in the upright state) abuts against the protruding portion 179 . Except for the above points, this embodiment may be the same as the first embodiment.

[Fourth Embodiment]
In the first to third embodiments, even when the lid member 168 is kept closed, if the user presses the ink supply container 200, the ink flowing out of the ink supply container is discharged into the ink tank. 160 may get dirty. Therefore, in the fourth embodiment, a valve 220 as shown in FIG. The valve 220 closes the spout 230 to prevent the liquid stored in the ink supply container 200 from flowing out, and opens the spout 230 by being pressed by the pressing member (the pin 172).

The valve 220 is provided inside a nozzle portion 224 having an ink outlet 230 formed therein. It is constituted by a biasing spring 219 . As shown in FIG. 10A, when the valve body 218 is separated from the ink tank 160 , the valve body 218 closes the spout 230 by the biasing force of the spring 219 . Therefore, even if the user presses the ink supply container 200, the ink inside the ink supply container 200 will not flow out.

The position of the nozzle portion 224 and the position of the pin 172 can be determined so that only proper ink is supplied from the ink supply container 200 to the ink tank 160 . A structure (boss) fixed to the ink tank 160 can be used instead of the pin (typically a metal rod).

A case where the type of ink stored in the ink supply container 200 and the type of ink to be supplied to the ink tank 160 match will be described. During ink replenishment, the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion are fitted together, the nozzle portion 224 is inserted into the open inlet 166 , and the ink outlet 230 is pushed into the ink tank 160 . Then, as shown in FIG. 10B, the pin 172 fixed to the ink tank 160 presses the valve body 218 to separate it from the ink outlet 230 . As a result, the ink in the ink replenishing container 200 is replenished into the ink tank 160 through the ink outlet 230 .

Next, when the type of ink to be stored in the ink tank 160 and the type of ink stored in the ink supply container 200 do not match, or when the insertion of the nozzle 222 into the nozzle insertion hole 167 is insufficient. will be explained. At this time, the valve body 218 does not reach the contact position with the pin 172 . As a result, the valve body 218 keeps the ink outlet 230 closed, and ink is not supplied from the ink supply container 200 to the ink tank 160 .

In this embodiment, the valve 220 functions as a sealing material that closes the ink outlet 230 . A pin 172 is provided inside the ink outlet 230 (inside the ink tank) and functions as a pressing member capable of pressing the sealing material. Although not shown, a film can be used as a sealing material to close the ink outlet 230 (when not in use). In this case, pin 172 penetrates the encapsulant or film and opens ink outlet 230 . Other configurations may be the same as those of the first embodiment.

[Fifth Embodiment]
In a recording apparatus that supplies ink to the recording head 15 by pressurizing the inside of the ink tank 160, the ink tank 160 is not provided with the air communication hole 102 because the inside of the ink tank 160 needs to be pressurized when ink is replenished. . In such a case, in order to replenish the ink more smoothly, a gap can be provided between the nozzle insertion hole 167 and the nozzle 222 , and the gap can promote air communication inside the ink tank 160 . For example, a protrusion is provided on the side surface of the nozzle 222 and a recess is provided on the mouth portion 164. When the protrusion fits into the recess and hits against the recess, a gap is formed between the nozzle insertion hole 167 and the nozzle 222. It is possible to adopt a configuration such as

In each of the embodiments described above, a label describing the type of ink may be attached to the bottom surface of the ink supply container 200 . According to this, when replenishing ink, the user can be made aware in advance of the type of ink to be replenished by the label attached to the bottom facing upward. Therefore, the time required for ink replenishment can be further reduced, and the possibility of incorrect injection of ink into the ink tank can be reduced.

As described above, according to the present invention, the lid member can be opened and closed by pressing the side portion of the nozzle against the lid member without bringing the tip of the nozzle provided with the spout into contact with the lid member. . As a result, it is possible to avoid problems in opening and closing the lid member due to ink splattering and ink sticking.

15 recording head (liquid ejector)
160 ink tank (liquid container)
162 First concave portion 163 Second concave portion 164 Mouth portion 166 Inlet 167 Nozzle insertion hole 168 Lid member (opening/closing member)
169 contact member 170 spring 171 opening/closing mechanism 172 pin 200 ink supply container (liquid supply container)
212 first convex portion 213 second convex portion 218 valve body 219 spring 220 valve 221 supply container main body 222 nozzle 223 connecting portion 224 nozzle portion 230 liquid outlet 240 side surface of connecting portion 1000 inkjet recording apparatus

Claims (12)

a container body in which liquid is stored;
a liquid supply unit that communicates with the container body and supplies a liquid;
a valve mechanism including a valve body configured to be able to open and close a liquid outlet provided in the liquid supply section; and a spring biasing the valve body in a closing direction;
a liquid container comprising
a connecting portion fitted with the liquid supply portion of the liquid container and provided with an opening communicating with the liquid;
an opening/closing mechanism comprising an opening/closing member capable of opening/closing the opening and a spring member biasing the opening/closing member in a closing direction;
a pressing portion that opens the valve mechanism of the liquid supply portion of the liquid container;
a mounting portion configured to allow insertion and removal of the liquid container;
A liquid supply system comprising:
In the process of moving the liquid container in one direction and mounting it on the mounting portion, a part of the liquid supply portion of the liquid container comes into contact with the opening/closing member of the mounting portion to open the opening/closing member. and further, by moving the liquid container in the same direction , the valve body of the liquid container is brought to the open position by the pressing portion. The valve mechanism of the liquid container maintains the closed position by urging the valve element against the liquid outlet by the spring when the valve mechanism is not attached to the attachment part. Item 1. The liquid supply system according to item 1. 2. The opening/ closing member constituting the opening/closing mechanism of the mounting portion protrudes into the mounting movement path of the liquid supply portion of the liquid container when the liquid container is not mounted. A liquid supply system as described in . The mounting portion is configured to be capable of mounting a plurality of liquid containers containing different liquids,
The plurality of mounting portions are provided with a mounting portion-side erroneous mounting prevention mechanism to prevent the mounting position of the liquid container from being mistaken,
The liquid container is provided with a liquid container side erroneous mounting prevention mechanism corresponding to the mounting portion side erroneous mounting prevention mechanism,
2. The liquid supply system according to claim 1, wherein the liquid container can be attached to the attachment portion when the erroneous attachment prevention mechanisms of both are matched. 2. The liquid supply system according to claim 1, wherein the liquid outlet of the liquid container is sealed with a film before mounting. 2. The liquid supply system according to claim 1, wherein the liquid container has a label indicating the type of liquid. 7. The liquid supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the liquid is ink used for image formation. a replenishment container body that stores liquid; a liquid supply unit that supplies the liquid from the replenishment container body;
A liquid discharger provided with a loading section into which a liquid replenishing container is inserted and removed, and a valve mechanism including a valve body for regulating the outflow of liquid from the liquid supply section and a spring for urging the valve body in a closing direction. a device,
The loading section includes a liquid receiving section connected to the liquid supply section of the liquid supply container,
an opening/closing mechanism including a spring member and an opening/closing member biased to a closed position by the spring member;
a pressing portion that opens the valve mechanism of the liquid supply container,
In the process in which the liquid supply container is moved in one direction with respect to the loading unit and mounted , the opening/closing member of the liquid receiving unit is opened by inserting the liquid supply unit of the liquid supply container. After that, the liquid supply container is further moved in the same direction, and the valve body of the liquid supply container is set to the open position by the pressing portion of the loading section. 9. The liquid according to claim 8, wherein the opening/closing member of the loading section protrudes into a mounting movement path of the liquid supply section of the liquid replenishing container when the liquid replenishing container is not mounted. discharge device. The loading unit is provided with a plurality of liquid replenishing containers that store different liquids so that they can be attached,
In each of the plurality of loading sections, a liquid replenishing container side erroneous mounting prevention mechanism provided in each of the plurality of liquid replenishing containers and a corresponding loading section side erroneous mounting prevention mechanism are provided in each of the plurality of liquid replenishing containers so that the mounting position of the liquid replenishing container is not erroneous. and
9. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the liquid replenishing container can be attached to the loading section when the erroneous attachment prevention mechanisms of both are matched. A container body for storing liquid, a liquid supply section for supplying liquid from the container body, a valve body for regulating the outflow of the liquid from a liquid outlet provided in the liquid supply section, and the valve body attached in a closing direction. a valve mechanism with a biasing spring; and
a liquid receiving portion configured to be loaded with the liquid supply container and connected to the liquid supply portion of the liquid supply container; a spring member; a liquid ejection device having a loading section including a member and a pressing section that opens the valve mechanism;
A method for mounting the liquid replenishment container on the liquid ejection device,
In the process of attaching the liquid supply container to the loading unit,
After a step of moving the liquid supply container in one direction with respect to the loading section to move the opening/closing member of the liquid receiving section to an open position,
Further, the liquid supply container is moved in the same direction, and the mounting is completed through the step of opening the valve mechanism of the liquid supply section by the pressing section of the loading section. How to wear The loading section is provided with a plurality of liquid replenishing containers that contain different liquids so that they can be mounted. Each replenishing container is provided with an erroneous attachment prevention mechanism on the liquid replenishing container side and a corresponding erroneous attachment prevention mechanism on the loading section side. 12. A method of mounting a liquid supply container according to claim 11, wherein mounting is possible.

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