liquid container

Abstract

To provide a liquid storage body having a simple configuration and high storage efficiency of liquid.SOLUTION: Provided is a liquid storage body that can be attached to and detached from a liquid discharge device and supplies liquid to the liquid discharge device. The liquid storage body includes: a bag member 10 including a storage unit 10a that stores therein liquid and has flexibility, and a supply port 10b that supplies the liquid in the storage unit 10a to the liquid discharge device; and a positioning member 20 fixed to the bag member 10 and positioned with respect to the liquid discharge device. The bag member 10 further includes a handle part 10c.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid container that supplies liquid to a liquid ejection device.

Background Art

[0002] As one aspect of a liquid container that stores liquid to be supplied to a liquid ejection device, a so-called ink pack is known (for example, Patent Document 1 below). The ink pack stores liquid such as ink to be supplied to an inkjet printer (hereinafter also simply referred to as a "printer"), which is one aspect of a liquid ejection device, in a container such as a flexible bag-shaped member. Some printers to which the ink pack is attached include a case in which the ink pack is disposed. In such a printer, by placing the ink pack in a case such as a cassette and attaching the ink pack together with the case to the printer, an ink supply path and an electrical communication path between the ink pack and the printer are established.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration of a liquid container including a bag member that stores liquid such as ink and a connection member that is connected to the bag member and positioned with respect to the case. Further, the connection member is provided with a handle portion to improve the handleability when attaching the liquid container to the case.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in configurations where handles or other components are attached to the connecting member, the number of parts constituting the connecting member increases, resulting in a larger size for the connecting member. Consequently, in order to accommodate the liquid container within the case, the size of the bag-like component must be reduced in proportion to the increase in the size of the connecting member, thus reducing the liquid storage efficiency. Furthermore, since the connecting member is composed of many molded parts such as a rotating shaft and a handle, manufacturing costs increase.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a liquid container with a simple structure that has high liquid storage efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, the liquid container according to the present invention is A liquid container that is detachable from a liquid dispensing device and supplies liquid to the liquid dispensing device, A flexible containment section that holds liquid inside, and a supply port for supplying the liquid in the containment section to the liquid dispensing device. , take A bag member having a handle portion, A positioning member fixed to the bag member and positioned relative to the liquid dispensing device, Equipped with, The supply port is located at the first end of the bag member in the supply direction in which the liquid is supplied from the supply port to the liquid dispensing device. The bag member comprises a first sheet-like member and a second sheet-like member. The storage section is constructed by joining the first sheet-like member and the second sheet-like member so as to form a liquid storage space between them. The aforementioned handle portion is, (i) It is movable relative to the aforementioned housing section, (ii) Consists of a portion of the bag member that is folded relative to the storage portion, (iii) connected to the storage portion via a folded portion located at the first end, (iv) facing the outer surface of the storage portion, (v) extending from the first end toward the second end opposite to the first end in the supply direction, and (vi) gradually moving away from the storage portion from the first end toward the second end, The positioning member has a first opposing surface and a second opposing surface that face each other so as to sandwich the portion of the bag member from the folded portion to the storage portion and the portion of the bag member from the folded portion to the handle portion in the vicinity of the folded portion. The distance between the first opposing surface and the second opposing surface increases from the first end towards the second end. It is characterized by the following: [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a liquid container with a simple structure that has high liquid storage efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1]It is a perspective view of a liquid ejection device on which a liquid container according to the first embodiment is mounted. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view of a liquid container according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] It is an exploded perspective view of a bag member according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] It is an exploded view of a liquid container according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing the configuration of a handle portion and a clearance portion according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a top view of a state in which a liquid container according to the first embodiment is mounted in a cassette. [Figure 7] It is an exploded perspective view of a liquid container according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view showing the configuration of a sheet-like member according to the third embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a perspective view of a liquid container according to a modification.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, modes for carrying out this invention will be illustratively and specifically described based on examples. Note that dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, etc. of the constituent parts described in this embodiment should be appropriately changed according to the configuration of the apparatus to which the invention is applied and various conditions. That is, the scope of this invention is not intended to be limited to the following embodiments.

[0011] (First Embodiment) The liquid container according to the present invention is applicable to a printer, a copying machine, and a facsimile apparatus as a liquid ejection device. In this embodiment, a liquid container used in an inkjet recording type liquid ejection device using ink as a liquid will be described as an example, but the liquid is not limited to ink in the application of the present invention.

[0012] Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a liquid ejection device 100 on which a liquid container 1 according to the first embodiment is mounted. The liquid ejection device 100 includes a recording head, a storage section for a recording medium, a conveyance mechanism for the recording medium (these are not shown), etc. The liquid ejection device 100 is mounted with a liquid container 1 as an ink pack housed in a cassette 2. The cassette 2 is a case detachable from the main body of the liquid ejection device 100. By attaching the cassette 2 with the liquid container 1 mounted thereto to the liquid ejection device 100, the liquid in the storage section of the liquid container 1 can be supplied to the liquid ejection device 100.

[0013] In the following description and drawings, the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction are defined as follows. The X direction is the longitudinal direction of the liquid container 1 and is the direction in which the liquid container 1 and the cassette 2 are inserted into and removed from the liquid ejection device 100 when the liquid container 1 is attached to and detached from the liquid ejection device 100. The Y direction is the width direction of the liquid container 1, and the Z direction is the thickness direction of the liquid container 1. In the present embodiment, the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction are orthogonal to each other. In the following description, the state in which the liquid container 1 is mounted on the liquid ejection device 100 is referred to as the mounted state. In the mounted state, the liquid container 1 is mounted on the liquid ejection device 100 with the thickness direction parallel to the vertical direction.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a liquid ejection device 100 on which a liquid container 1 according to the first embodiment is mounted. The liquid ejection device 100 includes a recording head, a storage section for a recording medium, a conveyance mechanism for the recording medium (these are not shown), etc., and the cassette 2 is provided detachably. With the liquid container 1 housed in the cassette 2, the cassette 2 is inserted in the X direction and attached to the liquid ejection device 100, whereby the liquid container 1 is mounted on the liquid ejection device 100.

[0015] The liquid container 1 stores ink ejected from the recording head of the liquid ejection device 100. In the present embodiment, four liquid containers 1 for storing inks of respective colors of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) are each housed in the cassette 2 for liquid ejection The four cassettes 2 are mounted on the device 100. The four cassettes 2 are mounted on the liquid dispensing device 100 adjacent to each other in the width direction (Y direction) of the liquid container 1. Although the four liquid containers 1 in this embodiment are the same size, in the application of the present invention, for example, the liquid container 1 for black ink may be larger than the liquid containers 1 for other colored inks. Furthermore, the present invention is also applicable to monochrome printers and the like that are equipped with liquid containers for only one color of ink.

[0016] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the liquid container 1 that is mounted on the cassette 2. The liquid container 1 in this embodiment consists of a bag member 10 that contains ink inside and an adapter 20 that is positioned relative to the cassette 2. The bag member 10 is fixed to the adapter 20, and the bag member 10 and the adapter 20 are provided adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction of the liquid container 1. When the cassette 2 is mounted on the liquid dispensing device 100 with the adapter 20 positioned relative to the cassette 2, the liquid container 1 is connected to the liquid dispensing device 100, and the liquid in the bag member 10 becomes available for supply to the liquid dispensing device 100. In other words, the adapter 20 is a component that improves handling when connecting the liquid container 1 to the cassette 2 and the liquid dispensing device 100, and is a positioning component that is positioned relative to the liquid dispensing device 100.

[0017] The bag member 10 has a flexible, bag-shaped storage section 10a, a supply port 10b provided at the longitudinal end of the storage section 10a, and a handle section 10c for the operator to grasp with their hand. In this embodiment, the storage section 10a contains ink in which pigment as a settling component is dispersed in a solvent, but the type of liquid contained in the storage section 10a is not limited to this when applying the present invention. Note that the storage section 10a shown in Figure 2 is in a state where it does not contain ink, and the storage section 10a expands when ink is supplied.

[0018] The ink contained in the storage section 10a is supplied to the liquid dispensing device 100 via the supply port 10b. The supply port 10b extends in the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the liquid storage body 1, that is, in the direction of attachment and detachment of the liquid storage body 1 and the cassette 2 to the liquid dispensing device 100, and the direction of ink supply from the bag member 10 to the liquid dispensing device 100 is parallel to this attachment and detachment direction.

[0019] The bag member 10 has a first end 10a1 in the longitudinal direction, where the supply port 10b of the storage section 10a is located, which is connected to the adapter 20. On the other hand, the second end 10a2, opposite to the first end 10a1, is not fixed to the adapter 20. The handle portion 10c faces the storage section 10a and extends from the first end 10a1 side to the second end 10a2 side of the storage section 10a. The operator can grasp the handle portion 10c when loading the liquid container 1 into or removing it from the cassette 2, thus improving work efficiency.

[0020] Furthermore, the handle portion 10c extends in a direction that gradually moves away from the storage portion 10a as it approaches the second end portion 10a2 from the first end portion 10a1 in the longitudinal direction of the liquid storage body 1. That is, one end of the handle portion 10c is fixed to the first end portion 10a1 of the storage portion 10a, and it is positioned to have a clearance with respect to the storage portion 10a. By configuring the handle portion 10c to have a clearance with respect to the storage portion 10a in this way, it is easy to put a hand between the handle portion 10c and the storage portion 10a, and the handle portion 10c is easy to grasp.

[0021] The adapter 20 has an electrical connection part (not shown) for electrically connecting to the liquid dispensing device 100. When the liquid container 1 is attached to the liquid dispensing device 100 together with the cassette 2, the adapter 20 is electrically connected to the liquid dispensing device 100, and ink can be supplied from the bag member 10 to the liquid dispensing device 100.

[0022] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the bag member 10. The storage section 10a of this embodiment is a pillow-type bag formed by overlapping a roughly rectangular upper film 12 and a lower film 13 and welding them together at welding sections 15 on their opposing surfaces. The welded portion 15 is the outer periphery of the upper film 12 and lower film 13, excluding the portion constituting the handle portion 10c. The containment area surrounded by the welded portion 15 forms a containment space for storing ink. In Figure 3, the welded portion 15 is hatched to clearly indicate its area. The shape of the containment portion of the bag member can be either a pillow type or a gusseted type with a gusset; as long as it can contain liquids such as ink and fits inside the cassette 2, its shape is not limited. Furthermore, although the bag member 10 of this embodiment is constructed using two sheet-like members, the lower film 13 as a first sheet-like member and the upper film 12 as a second sheet-like member, the application of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a single sheet-like member may be folded and its outer periphery joined to form a liquid containment space inside.

[0023] The lower film 13, which constitutes the first sheet-like member of the bag member 10, and the upper film 12, which constitutes the second sheet-like member, may be made of a material that has flexibility and gas barrier properties. Examples of materials that can be used for each sheet-like member include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), nylon, and polyethylene. The upper film 12 and the lower film 13 may also be laminated films formed by laminating multiple films made of these materials. When a laminated structure is adopted, for example, the outer layer may be made of PET or nylon which has excellent impact resistance, and the inner layer may be made of polyethylene which has excellent ink resistance. Furthermore, the laminated structure may also include a layer to which aluminum or the like has been vapor-deposited.

[0024] The bag member 10 is formed by joining a spout portion 14, which serves as a supply port member having a supply port 10b, between two sheet-like members, an upper film 12 and a lower film 13. In other words, the bag member 10 is manufactured by welding a welding portion 15 to the spout portion 14 while it is sandwiched between the upper film 12 and the lower film 13. At this time, the spout portion 14 is sandwiched between the upper film 12 and the lower film 13 so that the supply port 10b provided therein communicates between the storage space and the outside of the bag member 10. Also, the two spout holes 16 provided in the spout portion 14 and the two film holes 17 provided in the upper film 12 and the lower film 13 respectively overlap and penetrate through the bag member 10 in the thickness direction. The bag member 10 is fixed to the adapter 20 by the spout holes 16 and film holes 17 provided in the bag member 10. The diameter of the film hole 17 should be larger than the diameter of the spout hole 16, and should not interfere with the engagement of the bag member 10 and the adapter 20. In addition, although the spout portion 14 in this embodiment is made of plastic, the material of the spout portion 14 is not limited to this.

[0025] Ink is supplied into the containment section 10a formed by the upper film 12 and the lower film 13 after the upper film 12 and the lower film 13 have been welded together. The supply port 10b of the spout section 14 is equipped with a valve so that ink flows only in the direction of supply from the containment section 10a to the liquid discharge device 100. Therefore, when injecting ink into the containment section 10a, the ink is injected through the injection port (not shown) provided in the spout section 14, and then the injection port is sealed.

[0026] A handle portion 10c extends from the first end 10a1 of the lower film 13 in the longitudinal direction of the bag member 10, and the handle portion 10c is integrally provided with the lower film 13. The lower film 13 is a single flat film, and when not connected to the adapter 20, the handle portion 10c extends from the first end 10a1 of the storage portion 10a in a direction that gradually moves away from the storage portion 10a. The handle portion 10c has a rectangular opening formed in the thickness direction of the rectangular film, making it easy for the worker to grasp by hand. The shape of the handle portion 10c is not limited to this, and for example, it may have a shape with rounded corners or a shape without a hole. In addition, although the handle portion 10c in this embodiment is provided on the lower film 13, the handle portion 10c may also be provided on the upper film 12.

[0027] Figure 4(a) is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the liquid container 1, and Figure 4(b) shows the liquid container 1 This is an exploded rear view showing the configuration. The adapter 20, which serves as a positioning member, is composed of two members: an upper adapter 21 and a lower adapter 22.

[0028] In the direction adjacent to the bag member 10 and the adapter 20 (the longitudinal direction of the liquid container 1), the upper adapter 21 is provided with two recesses 21a that extend from the end on the bag member side toward the adapter side. In this embodiment, the recesses 21a are semicircular when viewed from the thickness direction and are grooves that extend through in the thickness direction. Similarly, the lower adapter 22 is provided with two recesses 22a. When the upper adapter 21 and the lower adapter 22 are engaged, the recesses 21a and 22a are arranged to overlap when viewed from the thickness direction, and the recesses 21a and 22a are used for positioning the liquid container 1 relative to the cassette 2. In this embodiment, the upper adapter 21 and the lower adapter 22 are made of plastic material, but the material is not limited to this.

[0029] The bag member 10 is fixed to the adapter 20 by being sandwiched between the upper adapter 21 and the lower adapter 22. At this time, the bag member 10 is sandwiched between the upper adapter 21 and the lower adapter 22 with the lower film 13 folded so that the handle portion 10c faces the surface of the upper film 12 that forms the outer surface of the storage portion 10a. In other words, the handle portion 10c is provided on the lower film 13, connected to the storage portion 10a via the folded portion 10e.

[0030] The bag member 10 is fixed to the adapter 20 by the engagement hole 10d, which is formed by a spout hole 16 and a film hole 17, engaging with a projection 22b that extends in the thickness direction and is provided on the lower adapter 22. With the handle portion 10c of the bag member 10 bent, the projection 22b is inserted through the spout hole 16 and the film hole 17, and the bag member 10 is sandwiched between the upper adapter 21 and the lower adapter 22 to form the liquid container 1. The upper adapter 21 and the lower adapter 22 are connected to each other by the engagement of an engaging portion and an engaged portion (not shown). The engaging portion and the engaged portion can be, for example, a claw portion and a recess into which the claw portion fits.

[0031] Figure 5(a) is a top view of the liquid container 1. Figure 5(b) is a cross-sectional view AA of Figure 5(a), showing the detailed configuration of the handle portion 10c. Figure 5(c) is a cross-sectional view of the adapter 20, excluding the liquid container 1 from Figure 5(b), showing the detailed configuration of the adapter 20.

[0032] The adapter 20 is provided with a recess 20a formed by the recess 21a of the upper adapter 21 and the recess 22a of the lower adapter 22. In the direction of ink supply from the liquid container 1 to the liquid dispensing device 100 (the longitudinal direction of the liquid container 1), the recess 20a is provided at the upstream end of the adapter 20 and is groove-shaped, extending in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction.

[0033] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5(c), the adapter 20 has a clearance portion 20b formed between the upper adapter 21 and the lower adapter 22, which is the space in which the folded portion 10e of the bag member 10 is positioned. When the bag member 10 is engaged with the adapter 20, the folded portion 10e and a part of the handle portion 10c of the bag member 10 are positioned in the clearance portion 20b.

[0034] As surfaces forming the clearance portion 20b, the adapter 20 has an upper surface 20b1 and a lower surface 20b2 as opposing surfaces that sandwich the folded portion 10e and the area near it in the opposing direction of the housing portion 10a and the handle portion 10c. The upper surface 20b1 is the surface that abuts the area near the folded portion 10e of the handle portion 10c, and the lower surface 20b2 is the surface that abuts the area near the folded portion 10e of the lower film 13. In this embodiment, the lower surface 20b2 extends horizontally, and the upper surface 20b1 is inclined at an angle θ with respect to the lower surface 20b2. The distance between the opposing surfaces 20b1 and 20b2 increases from the first end 10a1 to the second end 10a2. The handle portion 10c is biased to contact the upper surface 20b1 by the force of the folded portion 10e of the bag member 10 returning to its straight position, and is positioned along the upper surface 20b1, with the folding angle of the handle portion 10c defined by the inclination angle θ. This configuration allows the handle portion 10c to maintain a posture in which it gradually moves away from the storage portion 10a as it moves from the first end 10a1 to the second end 10a2 when the bag member 10 is fixed to the adapter 20. Therefore, by positioning the bent portion 10e in the clearance portion 20b, the handle portion 10c is not crushed by the upper adapter 21 and the lower adapter 22, and the handle portion 10c is provided to have a gap with respect to the storage portion 10a. In other words, the handle portion 10c is positioned to float slightly in the thickness direction (Z direction) relative to the storage portion 10a, making it easy for the worker to put their hand between the handle portion 10c and the storage portion 10a and to grasp the handle portion 10c, resulting in a configuration with excellent handling properties.

[0035] As described above, the clearance portion 20b of the adapter 20 is formed to match the folded portion 10e of the bag member 10. As shown in Figure 5(c), when viewed in a cross-section perpendicular to the width direction (Y direction) of the liquid container 1, the cross-sectional shape of the clearance portion 20b is approximately trapezoidal, and the width of the clearance portion 20b in the thickness direction of the bag member 10 increases as it approaches the opening side (bag member 10 side). That is, if the width of the clearance portion 20b on the opening side is D1 and the width on the inner side furthest from the opening is D2, then it is desirable that the cross-sectional shape of the clearance portion 20b be a trapezoid with D1 > D2. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the clearance portion 20b is set to a trapezoid considering the difficulty of manufacturing and functionality, but it may also be a triangle with D2 = 0, and the surface forming the clearance portion 20b does not necessarily have to be a plane.

[0036] Furthermore, if the handle portion 10c is excessively long or excessively far from the storage portion 10a, the handle portion 10c may protrude from the cassette 2, potentially interfering with the liquid dispensing device 100 and causing malfunctions. Therefore, if the length of the handle portion 10c is L, the height from the lower surface 20b2 of the clearance portion 20b (the insertion position of the bag member 10) to the upper end of the upper adapter 21 is H, and the inclination angle of the clearance portion is θ, then θ is sin -1 It is good to make it smaller than (H / L). <sin -1 By configuring the system to satisfy (H / L), the end of the handle portion 10c does not protrude above the upper surface of the upper adapter 21, thus avoiding interference of the handle portion 10c when the liquid container 1 is mounted on the cassette 2 and inserted into or removed from the liquid dispensing device 100.

[0037] Figure 6 is a top view showing the liquid container 1 mounted on the cassette 2. The liquid container 1 is mounted on the cassette 2 such that the handle portion 10c is on the upper vertical side and faces the opening side of the cassette 2, and the contact surface of the liquid container 1 with respect to the cassette 2 is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the liquid container 1. Therefore, when mounting or removing the liquid container 1 from the cassette 2, the operator can set it on the cassette 2 while grasping the handle portion 10c, resulting in good operability. In this configuration, the cassette 2 has two cylindrical positioning portions 2a that protrude from the bottom surface in the thickness direction (Z direction), and the liquid container 1 is housed in the portion surrounded by the inner wall 2b. Positioning of the liquid container 1 in the width direction (Y direction) relative to the cassette 2 is performed by the engagement of the recess 20a of the liquid container 1 with the positioning portion 2a of the cassette 2. Furthermore, the longitudinal (X-direction) positioning of the liquid container 1 relative to the cassette 2 is achieved by sandwiching the adapter 20 between the positioned portion 2a and the inner wall 2b of the cassette 2. In this embodiment, since the recess 20a is formed in a semicircular shape at the end of the adapter 20, the adapter can be made smaller compared to the case where the positioning portion is formed in a circular shape near the center, leading to space savings. Note that the configuration of the positioning portion and the positioned portion is not limited to this, and for example, the cross-sectional shapes of the positioning portion and the positioned portion may be polygonal instead of circular.

[0038] When the ink in the bag component 10 is empty, the cassette 2 is removed from the liquid ejection device 100, and the liquid container 1 is removed from the cassette 2. When removing the liquid container 1, the operator can grasp the handle portion 10c that extends in the thickness direction, making the operation easy. As a new liquid container 1 to be installed in the cassette 2, it is also possible to use one obtained by disassembling the adapter 20 and replacing only the bag component 10 with a new bag component 10 that has been injected with ink, or the adapter 20 A new liquid container 1, which was replaced entirely, may also be used.

[0039] As described above, with the configuration of this embodiment, by forming the handle portion 10c on the bag member 10 so as to be integrated with the storage portion 10a, the liquid container 1 can be manufactured with a simpler configuration compared to the case where the handle portion is provided on the adapter 20. In other words, since it is not necessary to manufacture the adapter 20 of the liquid container 1 by combining a large number of molded parts, manufacturing costs can be reduced. Furthermore, since the adapter 20 of the liquid container 1 can be made smaller, the size of the storage portion 10a can be increased, and consequently, the ink storage efficiency can be improved.

[0040] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the handle portion is composed of an upper film 32 and a lower film 13. In the following description, the parts that differ from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and the same or similar components as in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0041] Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of a liquid container according to the second embodiment. The adapter 20 of the liquid container in this embodiment is composed of an upper adapter 21 and a lower adapter 22, similar to the first embodiment. On the other hand, the bag member 30 of the liquid container is composed of an upper film 32, a lower film 13 and a spout portion 14, and the shape of the upper film 32 differs from that of the first embodiment.

[0042] In this embodiment, the upper film 32 has the same shape as the lower film 13, and the first handle forming portion and the second handle forming portion that constitute the handle portion 10c are formed on the upper film 32 and the lower film 13, respectively. That is, the handle portion in this embodiment is constructed by overlapping and joining two sheet-like members. With this configuration, the rigidity of the handle portion can be increased compared to the first embodiment, and the handling when attaching and detaching from the cassette 2 can be improved. This embodiment is particularly effective when it is desired to increase the rigidity of the handle portion, for example, when the material used for the sheet-like member is excessively soft and it is not possible to create a gap between the handle portion and the storage portion even if the handle portion is formed with a single film.

[0043] (Third embodiment) Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the lower film 43 is folded so that the handle portion is doubled. In the following description, the parts that differ from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and the same or similar components as in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0044] Figure 8 is a perspective view of the lower film 43 according to the third embodiment. The portion constituting the handle of the lower film 43 in this embodiment includes a base portion 43a, a folding portion 43b that protrudes in the width direction from both ends in the width direction relative to the base portion 43a, and a fold line 43c that is the boundary between the base portion 43a and the folding portion 43b and extends in the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, in order to improve the rigidity of the handle portion 10c, the folding portion 43b is folded relative to the base portion 43a with the fold line 43c as the baseline, and the base portion 43a and the folding portion 43b are joined together. In this embodiment, the folded and overlapped base portion 43a and folding portion 43b become a folded portion that is folded back relative to the storage portion 10a, and this folded portion constitutes the handle portion 10c. With this configuration, the rigidity of the handle portion can be increased compared to the first embodiment, similar to the second embodiment.

[0045] It should be noted that the application of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible. For example, by combining Embodiment 2 and Embodiment 3, the handle portion may be configured so that the sheet-like material is layered three or four times. Also, in the embodiments described above, the bag member was manufactured using a film in which the handle portion and the storage portion were integrated, but if the goal is simply to improve the efficiency of liquid storage, the handle portion can be modified. The part may be joined to the storage part by means of welding or other means. That is, by providing the handle part so as to face the surface of the storage part opposite to the surface that contacts the cassette, it is possible to create a configuration that improves the efficiency of liquid storage while also providing superior handling when removing the liquid container from the cassette, compared to the case where the handle part is provided on the adapter.

[0046] Furthermore, other modifications to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to Figure 9. Figure 9 is a perspective view showing a liquid container according to a modification. As another modification, for example, the handle portion 10g may be provided at the end opposite to the supply port 10b in the longitudinal direction of the bag member 10, as shown in Figure 9(a). In such a configuration, the handle portion 10g is provided with a gap between it and the container portion 10a by strongly bending it or by providing a joining member so that the bent portion does not return to its straight state.

[0047] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 9(b), the handle portion 10h may be provided near the center of the longitudinal direction of the storage portion 10a, extending across the width direction. In this configuration, the portion that will become the handle portion 10h can be formed on either the upper film 12 or the lower film 13, and then folded and joined to the storage portion. As described above, various modifications are possible as long as they do not lose identity with the invention embodied in the above embodiment, and in any of these methods, the volume of connecting members such as adapters can be kept to a minimum, thereby improving the liquid storage efficiency.

[0048] This embodiment includes the following configuration. (Composition 1) A liquid container that is detachable from a liquid dispensing device and supplies liquid to the liquid dispensing device, A bag member having a flexible containment section that holds liquid inside, and a supply port for supplying the liquid in the containment section to the liquid dispensing device, The system includes a positioning member that is fixed to the bag member and positioned relative to the liquid dispensing device, The aforementioned bag member is a liquid container characterized by further having a handle portion. (Configuration 2) The storage section is composed of a first sheet-like member and a second sheet-like member joined to the first sheet-like member so as to form a liquid storage space between them. The liquid container according to configuration 1, characterized in that the handle portion is integrally provided with the first sheet-like member. (Composition 3) The liquid container according to configuration 2, characterized in that the handle portion is provided connected to the storage portion via a bent portion so as to face the surface of the second sheet-like member that forms the outer surface of the storage portion. (Composition 4) The liquid container according to configuration 3, characterized in that the bag member has a supply port and a supply port member that is sandwiched and joined between the first sheet-like member and the second sheet-like member. (Composition 5) The liquid container according to configuration 4, characterized in that the first sheet-like member includes, on its surface facing the second sheet-like member, a joining region that is joined to the second sheet-like member and the supply port member, and a storage region surrounded by the joining region that forms the storage space between itself and the second sheet-like member. (Composition 6) The bent portion is provided at the first end of the bag member on which the supply port is located, in the supply direction in which the liquid is supplied from the supply port to the liquid dispensing device. The liquid container according to configuration 5, characterized in that the handle portion extends from the first end toward the second end opposite to the first end. (Composition 7) The bag member has an engaging portion that engages with the positioning member, The liquid container according to configuration 6, characterized in that the engaging portion is provided at the first end. (Composition 8) The liquid container according to configuration 7, characterized in that the handle portion extends so as to gradually move away from the storage portion from the first end to the second end. (Composition 9) The positioning member has opposing surfaces that, in the direction of opposition between the handle portion and the surface of the second sheet-like member, sandwich the bent portion, the region of the first sheet-like member near the bent portion, and the region of the handle portion near the bent portion. The liquid container according to configuration 8, wherein the distance between the opposing surfaces increases from the first end to the second end. (Composition 10) The liquid container according to configuration 8, characterized in that the first opposing surface that abuts the handle portion is inclined with respect to the second opposing surface that abuts the first sheet-like member at an angle that defines the folding angle of the handle portion with respect to the first sheet-like member. (Composition 11) The liquid container according to any one of the configurations 7 to 10, characterized in that the handle portion has an opening formed therein in a direction facing the storage portion. (Composition 12) The storage section is composed of a first sheet-like member and a second sheet-like member joined to the first sheet-like member so as to form a liquid storage space between them. The first sheet-like member includes a first handle forming portion, The second sheet-like member includes a second handle forming portion, The handle portion is a liquid container according to any one of configurations 1 to 11, wherein the first handle forming portion and the second handle forming portion are stacked on top of each other. (Composition 13) The first sheet-like member includes a folded portion that is folded back with respect to the portion forming the storage space, The handle portion is formed by the folded portion, The liquid container according to configuration 2, characterized in that the aforementioned folded portion includes a folded and overlapped portion. (Composition 14) A liquid container mounted in a case that is detachable from the main body of the liquid dispensing device, The liquid container according to any one of configurations 7 to 13, characterized in that the handle portion is positioned so as to face the surface of the storage portion opposite to the surface of the storage portion that contacts the case. (Composition 15) The liquid container according to configuration 14, wherein the positioning member is a recess that engages with a projection of the case, and in the supply direction in which the liquid is supplied from the supply port to the liquid dispensing device, the upstream end of the positioning member has a groove-shaped recess that extends in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 1…Liquid container, 10…Bag component, 10a…Storage section, 10b…Supply port, 10c…Handle section, 20…Adapter (connecting component)

Claims

1. A liquid container that is detachable from a liquid dispensing device and supplies liquid to the liquid dispensing device, A bag member having a flexible containment section that holds liquid inside, a supply port for supplying the liquid in the containment section to the liquid dispensing device, and a handle section, A positioning member fixed to the bag member and positioned relative to the liquid dispensing device, Equipped with, The supply port is located at the first end of the bag member in the supply direction in which the liquid is supplied from the supply port to the liquid dispensing device. The bag member comprises a first sheet-like member and a second sheet-like member. The storage section is constructed by joining the first sheet-like member and the second sheet-like member so as to form a liquid storage space between them. The handle portion is (i) movable relative to the storage portion, (ii) composed of a part of the bag member that is bent relative to the storage portion, (iii) connected to the storage portion via a bent portion located at the first end, (iv) facing the outer surface of the storage portion, (v) extending from the first end toward the second end opposite to the first end in the supply direction, and (vi) gradually moving away from the storage portion from the first end toward the second end. The positioning member has a first opposing surface and a second opposing surface that face each other so as to sandwich the portion of the bag member from the folded portion to the storage portion and the portion of the bag member from the folded portion to the handle portion in the vicinity of the folded portion. A liquid container characterized in that the distance between the first opposing surface and the second opposing surface increases from the first end toward the second end.

2. The liquid container according to claim 1, characterized in that the handle portion has a portion of the first sheet-like member that is folded relative to the storage portion at the folding portion.

3. The liquid storage according to claim 2, characterized in that the bag member has a supply port and a supply port member that is sandwiched and joined between the first sheet-like member and the second sheet-like member. condition.

4. The liquid container according to claim 3, characterized in that the first sheet-like member includes, on the surface facing the second sheet-like member, a joining region that is joined to the second sheet-like member and the supply port member, and a storage region surrounded by the joining region that forms the storage space between itself and the second sheet-like member.

5. The bag member has an engaging portion that engages with the positioning member, The liquid container according to claim 4, characterized in that the engaging portion is provided at the first end.

6. The first opposing surface abuts against the portion of the bag member connecting the folded portion to the handle portion, and the second opposing surface abuts against the portion of the bag member connecting the folded portion to the storage portion, The liquid container according to claim 1, characterized in that the first opposing surface is inclined with respect to the second opposing surface at an angle that defines the angle of folding of the bag member in the folded portion.

7. The liquid container according to claim 1, characterized in that the handle portion has an opening formed therein in a direction facing the storage portion.

8. The first sheet-like member includes a first handle forming portion, The second sheet-like member includes a second handle forming portion, The liquid container according to claim 1, characterized in that the handle portion is formed by overlapping the first handle forming portion and the second handle forming portion.

9. The liquid container according to claim 2, characterized in that the handle portion includes a portion formed by further folding and overlapping the portion of the first sheet-like member that has been folded at the folded portion.

10. A liquid container mounted in a case that is detachable from the main body of the liquid dispensing device, The liquid container according to claim 5, characterized in that the handle portion is positioned with respect to the storage portion, facing the surface of the storage portion opposite to the surface of the storage portion that contacts the case.

11. The liquid container according to claim 10, wherein the positioning member is a recess that engages with a projection of the case, and in the supply direction in which the liquid is supplied from the supply port to the liquid dispensing device, the upstream end of the positioning member has a groove-shaped recess that extends in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface.

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