Printed material storage container

Abstract

The present application provides a printing material storage container and a technique capable of recycling a printing material storage container including a liquid cartridge. The printing material storage container includes a substrate provided with a circuit having a terminal, a fixed portion capable of mounting the substrate by re-fixing, and a fixing member that fixes a non-terminal portion of the substrate other than the terminal and the fixed portion, the non-terminal portion including a re-fixing portion capable of being re-fixed to the fixed portion by the fixing member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a technology for a printing material storage container. Background Technology

[0002] It has been known that in a liquid container with an IC chip fixed on a mounting part, the wall is cut by pressing a blade into the wall of the outer edge of the mounting part, and the blade is inserted into the back side of the IC chip, so that the IC chip can be removed in a reusable state (Patent Document 1).

[0003] In existing technologies, the liquid cartridge after the IC chip is removed is recycled and used as a combustion aid. However, in existing technologies, because a portion of the mounting section is cut off when the IC chip is removed, it is difficult to reinstall the removed IC chip and reuse the liquid cartridge. This problem is not limited to liquid cartridge technology; it applies to containers for storing printing materials such as toners, in addition to liquids.

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-82313 Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a printing material storage container is provided. The printing material storage container includes: a substrate having a circuit with terminals; a fixing portion capable of mounting the substrate by re-fixing; and a fixing member that fixes a non-terminal portion of the substrate (excluding the terminals) and the fixing portion, the non-terminal portion including a re-fixing portion capable of being re-fixed to the fixing portion by the fixing member. Attached Figure Description

[0006] Figure 1 A perspective view showing the appearance of an example of a container for storing printed materials.

[0007] Figure 2 This is a plan view showing the surface of the substrate.

[0008] Figure 3 This is a plan view showing the side of the substrate.

[0009] Figure 4 This is a top view showing the state in which the substrate is mounted on the fixing part in the first embodiment.

[0010] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the substrate being mounted on the fixing part.

[0011] Figure 6 This is a top view showing the state in which the substrate is mounted on the fixing part in the second embodiment.

[0012] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the substrate being mounted on the fixing part.

[0013] Figure 8 This is a top view showing the state in which the substrate is mounted on the fixing part in the third embodiment.

[0014] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the substrate being mounted on the fixing part.

[0015] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the substrate being mounted on the fixing part in another embodiment 1.

[0016] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the substrate being mounted on the fixing part in another embodiment 3. Detailed Implementation

[0017] A. First implementation method:

[0018] Figure 1 A perspective view showing an example of the appearance of a printed material storage container 100. Figure 1 The housing 120 of the printing apparatus, which houses the printing material storage container 100, is also shown in the figure. The printing material storage container 100 supplies printing material to the print head of the printing apparatus (not shown). In this embodiment, the printing apparatus is an inkjet printer that ejects ink. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the printing material storage container 100 is an ink cartridge that stores ink as printing material. In other embodiments, the printing apparatus may be, for example, a printer that uses powder such as toner as printing material to perform printing. In this case, the printing material storage container 100 is a toner cartridge that stores powder as printing material. Moreover, instead of storing printing material supplied to the printing apparatus for printing, the printing material storage container 100 may also be used to collect and store printing material that has been discharged from the printing apparatus and has not been used. For example, the printing material storage container 100 may also be a waste liquid tank for collecting ink that has not been used for printing due to cleaning operations of the print head, etc.

[0019] The printing apparatus includes a device-side mounting portion (not shown) for detachably mounting a printing material storage container 100. The device-side mounting portion has a pull-out housing 120, in which the printing material storage container 100 is housed. The printing material storage container 100 is mounted in the printing apparatus by pressing the housing 120, in which it houses the printing material storage container 100, into place.

[0020] The printing material storage container 100 can be reused. For example, when the remaining amount of printing material in the printing material storage container 100 is zero or less, the printing material storage container 100 can be removed from the housing 120 and the printing material can be refilled inside, thereby enabling reuse. In this case, the substrate 5 (described later) of the printing material storage container 100 is removed, and a new substrate 5 is assembled onto the reused printing material storage container 100, or after performing predetermined processes such as initializing the memory of the removed substrate 5, it is assembled onto the reused printing material storage container 100. In this embodiment, the reused printing material storage container 100 is shown.

[0021] The printing material storage container 100 includes a printing material storage section 110 and a connecting member 130. The printing material storage section 110 stores ink, which is a printing material. The printing material storage section 110 is a so-called ink pouch and is formed of a flexible, pouch-shaped film. Furthermore, the material and shape of the printing material storage section 110 are not limited to the above, as long as it can store the printing material. When the printing material storage container 100 is to be installed in a printing apparatus, the printing material storage container 100 is placed in a pulled-out housing 120, and the housing 120 is pushed into the printing apparatus. Thus, the printing material storage container 100 is installed in the printing apparatus. Hereinafter, the portion of the printing apparatus that receives the printing material storage container 100 installed in the apparatus-side mounting section is referred to as the apparatus-side receiving section. Furthermore, hereafter, the state in which the printing material storage container 100 is installed in the apparatus-side receiving section is referred to as the installation state.

[0022] The connecting member 130 is formed of, for example, resin. The connecting member 130 includes a handle 170, a supply port 131, a base plate 5, a fixing part 7, and a fixing member 8.

[0023] The handle 170 is gripped when the printing material storage container 100 is moved. A gripping portion 171 for the user to hold is provided on the handle 170. The handle 170 is positioned outside the housing 120 when the printing material storage unit 110 is disposed within the housing 120. The handle 170 rotates about an axis perpendicular to the long side of the printing material storage container 100. That is, when the printing material storage unit 110 is attached to or detached from the housing 120, the handle 170 changes to a second position after rotating from a first position. The handle 170 is formed of resin such as polypropylene.

[0024] The supply port 131 is an opening for ejecting ink from the printing material storage section 110 to the outside. The supply port 131 is located at the center of the side surface 130a (not shown) of the connecting member 130, which engages with the device-side receiving section. Although not shown, the supply port 131 communicates with the printing material storage section 110 via a supply port member mounted on the side surface 130a of the connecting member 130 and a tubular member connected to the supply port member. Here, a supply needle (not shown) is provided in the device-side receiving section in communication with the ejector head. By inserting the supply needle into the supply port 131, the ink stored in the printing material storage section 110 is supplied to the ejector head. Furthermore, to prevent leakage of printing material from the printing material storage section 110, the supply port 131 is preferably configured to remain closed before the supply needle is inserted and open when the supply needle is inserted. For example, the supply port 131 includes: a sealing member; a supply valve that blocks the insertion port of the sealing member; and a force-applying member that applies force to the supply valve toward the sealing member.

[0025] The substrate 5 is an electrical connection portion on the printing material storage container 100 side, used for electrically connecting the printing material storage container 100 and the printing apparatus in the above-described mounting state. Although not shown, circuitry is provided on the substrate 5. The substrate 5 includes terminals 50, which will be described later. In contrast, although not shown, a device-side electrical connection portion for electrically connecting to the printing material storage container 100 is provided in the device-side receiving portion of the printing apparatus. In the above-described mounting state, the terminals 50 of the substrate 5 and the terminals of the device-side electrical connection portion (not shown) come into contact, thereby electrically connecting the printing apparatus and the printing material storage container 100. The terminals of the device-side electrical connection portion referred to here are, for example, conductive elastic members. In addition, the connecting member 130 may also be a positioning member used in the mounting state to ensure good connection between the device-side electrical connection portion and the terminals 50. The positioning member is, for example, a groove, a hole, or a protrusion, and positioning is facilitated by fitting into the positioning member provided in the device-side receiving portion. Details regarding the substrate 5 will be described below.

[0026] The fixing part 7 is the portion of the connecting member 130 that fixes the substrate 5. That is, the fixing part 7 is the portion where the substrate 5 can be mounted. The fixing part 7 is formed from the main body of the connecting member 130. In this embodiment, the fixing part 7 is a recess formed in the main body of the connecting member 130. The bottom surface of this recess is inclined at an angle relative to the mounting direction of the printing material storage container 100. The fixing part 7 is not limited to the above description, and may also be, for example, a portion that is perpendicular or horizontal relative to the mounting direction of the printing material storage container 100. Details regarding the fixing part 7 will be described below.

[0027] The fixing member 8 secures the non-terminal portion NT of the substrate 5 (excluding the terminal 50) and the fixing portion 7. The fixing member 8 consists of the rib 78 and the pin 81, which will be described later. In contrast, in this embodiment, the fixing member used for fixing in the initial fixing portion 910, which is the portion that is initially fixed, is designated as the initial fixing member. Furthermore, before the substrate 5 is re-fixed by the fixing member 8, which will be described later, the fixing member already used to fix the substrate 5 to the fixing portion 7 is designated as the fixed member. Details regarding the fixing member 8 will be described below.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a plan view showing the surface 5a of the substrate 5. The substrate 5 is rectangular in shape. The substrate 5 includes: a plurality of terminals 50 for electrically connecting the printing apparatus and the printing material receiving container 100; and a non-terminal portion NT, which is the portion other than the terminals 50. The terminals 50 are arranged on the surface 5a of the substrate 5 at positions corresponding to the terminals of the device-side electrical connection portion of the printing apparatus. Each terminal 50 is rectangular in shape. Furthermore, each terminal 50 is arranged along a straight line in the upper and lower layers of the surface 5a of the substrate 5. In the substrate 5, the upper layer consists of four terminals 50, and the lower layer consists of five terminals 50. In addition, the number and arrangement pattern of the terminals 50 are not limited to the above, and can be formed arbitrarily.

[0029] The substrate 5 also includes a through hole 53 and a cutout 55 for positioning. The through hole 53 and the cutout 55 are provided at the non-terminal portion NT. The through hole 53 is a hole for receiving the protrusion 79, which is described later as a primary fixing member and is provided on the fixing portion 7. Furthermore, the cutout 55 receives the rib 78, which is described later and is provided on the fixing portion 7. The through hole 53 is formed in the substrate 5 at one end 5c relative to the terminal forming portion where the terminal 50 is formed. The cutout 55 is formed in the substrate 5 at the other end 5d relative to the terminal forming portion. Furthermore, the positions of the through hole 53 and the cutout 55 are not limited to those described above. The through hole 53 can be located at a position corresponding to the protrusion 79, which will be described later. Similarly, the cutout 55 can be located at a position corresponding to the rib 78, which will be described later. The engagement method of the through hole 53 and the protrusion 79, and the engagement method of the cutout 55 and the rib 78, will be described below.

[0030] Figure 3This is a plan view showing the side of the substrate 5. A storage device 57 is provided on the back side 5b of the substrate 5. The storage device 57 is electrically connected to each terminal 50 via wiring (not shown). The storage device 57 stores information related to printing materials. Such information includes, for example, the manufacturing date of the printing material storage container 100, its service life, and the type and color of the printing material stored in the printing material storage container 100. The storage device 57 transmits various information stored in it to a printing material ejection device, such as a printer, via multiple terminals 50. Furthermore, the storage device 57 on the back side 5b of the substrate 5 is not essential; circuitry for detecting the connection of electrical connections on the device side can also be provided on the back side 5b.

[0031] Figure 4 This is a top view showing the state in the first embodiment where the substrate 5 is mounted on the fixing part 7. Furthermore, Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the substrate 5 mounted on the fixing part 7 in the first embodiment. Additionally, although... Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 The re-fixing method described later is shown, but since the structural elements and their formation positions are the same, they are used for illustration.

[0032] like Figure 5 As shown, the fixing part 7 includes: a recessed part 701 for receiving the substrate 5; an abutting part 705 for abutting against one end 5c and the other end 5d of the back surface 5b of the substrate 5; a rib 78; and a protrusion 79. The recessed part 701 is composed of a bottom 702 opposite to the storage device 57 and a wall part 703 forming the inner wall of the recessed part 701. The rib 78 and the protrusion 79 function as already fixed parts used to fix the substrate 5 to the fixing part 7 before the substrate 5 is re-fixed by the fixing member 8 described later.

[0033] Rib 78 allows substrate 5 to slide in a direction from one end 5c to the other end 5d of substrate 5 relative to a cut 55 formed on substrate 5, and the cut 55 and rib 78 engage to position substrate 5. In this embodiment, rib 78 is polyhedral in shape and protrudes from the upper surface side of cut 55, i.e., surface 5a of substrate 5, when engaged with cut 55. Furthermore, the formation position and shape of rib 78 are not limited to this, as long as they correspond to the formation position and shape of cut 55. The shape of rib 78 can also be, for example, cylindrical.

[0034] The protrusion 79 is a component that is erected from the wall portion 703 and is inserted into the through hole 53 provided on the substrate 5 to position the substrate 5. As described above, the protrusion 79 functions as a fixed component. Conversely, the protrusion 79 also functions as a primary fixing component for initially fixing the substrate 5 to the fixing portion 7. In other words, the protrusion 79 is both a fixed component and a primary fixing component. In this embodiment, the protrusion 79 is cylindrical. During initial fixing, the protrusion 79, when inserted into the through hole 53, protrudes from the upper surface side of the through hole 53, i.e., the surface 5a of the substrate 5. Furthermore, the formation position and shape of the protrusion 79 are not limited to this, as long as they correspond to the formation position and shape of the through hole 53.

[0035] Ribs 78 and protrusions 79 are components that can be deformed by heating and pressure, and are made of the same material as connecting component 130. In this embodiment, when the substrate 5 is initially fixed to the fixing part 7, it is fixed by heat tightening the tip of the protrusion 79 protruding from the through hole 53. Specifically, with the rib 78 engaged with the notch 55 and the protrusion 79 inserted into the through hole 53, that is, with the substrate 5 placed on the fixing part 7 and positioned, the tip of the protrusion 79 is softened by heat and pressed towards the substrate 5, thereby fixing the substrate 5 to the fixing part 7. Hereinafter, the through hole 53 formed on the substrate 5 and its surrounding portion are referred to as the initial fixing portion 910. That is, the initial fixing portion 910 includes the heat-tightened protrusion 79. In addition, when the substrate 5 is fixed to the fixing part 7 again, the initial fixing portion 910 is removed, therefore, Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 The initial fixing portion 910 is indicated by a dashed line. Alternatively, the protrusion 79 can also be fixed to the substrate 5 and the fixing portion 7 by crushing and deforming its tip under pressure. Furthermore, this embodiment is not limited to this; for example, the protrusion 79 may be positioned simply by being inserted into the through hole 53, without fixing by heating and pressure.

[0036] Similarly, in this embodiment, when the substrate 5 is initially fixed to the fixing part 7 in the printing material storage container 100, it is fixed by heat-fastening the top end of the rib 78 that engages with the cutout 55. Alternatively, pressure can be applied to crush and deform the top end of the rib 78, thereby fixing the substrate 5 and the fixing part 7. Furthermore, when the substrate 5 is re-fixed to the fixing part 7, at least a portion of the portion of the rib 78 that was deformed due to heat-fastening is removed. However, this embodiment is not limited to this; for example, the rib 78 may be positioned simply by engaging with the cutout 55, without fixation by heating and pressure.

[0037] Next, the method for removing the initially fixed substrate 5 from the fixing part 7 will be described. First, at one end 5c of the substrate 5, the portion of the protrusion 79 that was heat-fastened in the initial fixing part 910 is removed, thereby allowing the substrate 5 to be removed from the fixing part 7. The removal of the heat-fastened portion is carried out, for example, by cutting or shaving it off. In this way, both the substrate 5 and the fixing part 7 can be reused by re-fixing, as described later.

[0038] Furthermore, at the other end 5d of the substrate 5, the substrate 5 is slid in a direction from the other end 5d toward one end 5c, thereby removing the rib 78 from the cut 55. When configured in this way, both the substrate 5 and the fixing part 7 can be reused by re-fixing as described later. In addition, if a portion of the heat-fastened rib 78 is fused to the surface 5a of the substrate 5, the fused portion can be removed, for example, by cutting or scraping off, similar to the protrusion 79.

[0039] Next, the method of fixing the substrate 5 to the fixing part 7 in this embodiment will be described.

[0040] The printing material storage container 100, as described above, allows for the reuse of the substrate 5 and the fixing part 7. That is, as... Figure 4 As shown, the substrate 5 includes a re-fixing portion 920 that can be re-fixed by the fixing member 8. The re-fixing portion 920, in its non-terminal portion NT, includes an unused portion 922 that is different from the already-fixed portion 921, which has already been used to fix the substrate 5 to the fixing portion 7. In this embodiment, the already-fixed portion 921 includes the periphery of the cutout 55 and the periphery of the through hole 53, which is the initial fixing portion 910. Furthermore, the re-fixing portion 920 includes a reused portion 923 that can be re-fixed by removing at least a portion of the rib 78, which is already used as a fixing member. The fixing member 8 may be integral with the fixing portion 7, such as the rib 78 and the protrusion 79, or it may be a different member from the fixing portion 7, such as the pin 81 described later.

[0041] Furthermore, either of the objects to be re-fixed in the printing material storage container 100 can be the substrate 5 and the fixing part 7, which were used for fixing for the first time without being used. For example, the combination of objects to be re-fixed can be the unused substrate 5 and the reusable fixing part 7, or it can be the reusable substrate 5 and the unused fixing part 7. In addition, the reusable substrate 5 and the reusable fixing part 7 can also be re-fixed. Here, when the unused substrate 5 and the unused fixing part 7 are used for re-fixing, it is preferable to remove the fixed portion 921, for example, by removing the protrusion 79 provided on the fixing part 7 in a way that does not interfere with the re-fixing, such as removing only a portion of the remaining protrusion 79. In addition, the fixing hole 71 described later can also be provided in advance on the unused fixing part 7.

[0042] exist Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 The diagram shows an example where the substrate 5 is re-secured to the fixing part 7 using pins 81 and ribs 78, which serve as fixing members 8. The pins 81 are formed of metal such as iron or resin. The pins 81 re-secure the unused portion 922 of the terminal 50. The ribs 78 re-secure the reused portion 923 of the terminal 50.

[0043] First, the re-fixation of part 923 is performed as follows. First, the substrate 5 is positioned by sliding the substrate 5 relative to the rib 78 of the fixing part 7 in a direction from one end 5c of the substrate 5 toward the other end 5d, and the cutout 55 of the substrate 5 and the rib 78 are engaged. Next, with the rib 78 engaged with the cutout 55, the top end of the rib 78 is deformed by heat fastening or the like, thereby fixing one end 5c of the substrate 5 to the fixing part 7. In addition, if the top end of the rib 78 provided on the fixing part 7 is deformed by heat fastening or the like during the initial fixing, the deformed top end of the rib 78 can be used to prevent the substrate 5 from floating up, so it is not necessary to perform fixing by heat fastening or the like again.

[0044] Next, the substrate 5 is re-fixed in the unused portion 922 of the substrate 5. For example... Figure 5As shown, the fixing part 7 also has a fixing hole 71 through which a pin 81, which serves as a fixing member 8, is inserted. The fixing hole 71 is provided around the substrate 5 in the fixing part 7. The pin 81 has: a shaft portion 81a, which is inserted into the fixing hole 71 of the fixing part 7; and a top 81b, which is provided on the base end portion 81s side of the shaft portion 81a and fixes the non-terminal portion NT of the substrate 5 to the fixing part 7. The shaft portion 81a of the pin 81 is provided so as to be inserted into the fixing hole 71. The top 81b is set to be larger in shape than the size of the fixing hole 71. When it is set in this way, with the substrate 5 placed on the fixing part 7, the shaft portion 81a of the pin 81 is inserted into the fixing hole 71 from above the substrate 5, and when the pin 81 is pressed further down, the top 81b of the pin 81 abuts against the surface 5a of the substrate 5. As a result, one end portion 5c of the substrate 5 is further fixed to the fixing part 7 by the pin 81, which serves as a fixing member 8. Furthermore, the shape of the pin 81 and the shape of the fixing hole 71 are not limited to these, and can also be, for example, the shape of a bolt and nut.

[0045] Furthermore, the substrate 5 of this disclosure has a protrusion 79 on one end 5c side of the substrate 5. When initially fixed, the protrusion 79 is fixed as an initial fixing portion 910 by heat fastening. Since the protrusion 79 included in the initial fixing portion 910 is damaged and removed by cutting or the like, it cannot be used as a positioning or re-fixing portion 920 in subsequent re-fixing. Therefore, the re-fixing portion 920 is preferably provided on the one end 5c side of the substrate 5 where the initial fixing portion 910 is located in the unused portion 922. When this is provided, positioning and re-fixing can be performed well on the one end 5c side of the substrate 5. In addition, it is not necessary to provide the re-fixing portion 920 on the one end 5c side of the substrate 5 where the initial fixing portion 910 is located.

[0046] Here, the method of removing the substrate 5, which will be re-fixed, from the fixing part 7 in this embodiment, and the re-fixing of the substrate 5 and the fixing part 7 will be described.

[0047] First, one end 5c of the substrate 5 can be removed from the fixing part 7 by pulling the pin 81 inserted during re-fixation upward and removing it from the fixing hole 71. In this case, only the reused part 923 needs to be fixed to one end 5c of the substrate 5, which is the part that can be re-fixed by removing the pin 81, which is the fixing member 8. Furthermore, as described above, the rib 78 can be removed from the cut 55 by sliding the substrate 5 from the other end 5d of the substrate 5 toward one end 5c. In this way, by re-fixing, both the substrate 5 and the fixing part 7 can be reused repeatedly. Alternatively, if the rib 78 is heat-fastened at the other end 5d of the substrate 5, the heat-fastened part can be removed by cutting or other means.

[0048] According to the above embodiment, by replacing the pin 81, which serves as the fixing member 8, the substrate 5 can be repeatedly attached to and detached from the fixing part 7 without damaging it. That is, the substrate 5 has a re-fixing portion 920. Therefore, by using the fixing member 8 to re-fix the substrate 5 to the fixing part 7, the printing material storage container 100 can be reused. This reduces environmental impact.

[0049] Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, it can be used for re-fixing in a manner that does not damage the fixing member 8, similar to rib 78 and pin 81. Additionally, according to the above embodiment, since the substrate 5 and the fixing part 7 use a common structure before and after re-fixing, it is easy to position the substrate 5. Therefore, the possibility that the terminals 50 of the substrate 5 and the terminals of the device-side electrical connection part are not electrically connected can be reduced.

[0050] In the case where the fixing part is detachably mounted on the printing material storage container 100, it is necessary to provide a part for fixing the fixing part on the printing material storage container 100. On the other hand, according to the above embodiment, the fixing part 7 is integrally formed with the connecting member 130 as part of the printing material storage container 100. Therefore, in the printing material storage container 100, it is not necessary to ensure space for mounting the separate fixing part, thus increasing the printing material storage capacity of the printing material storage part 110 or making the printing material storage container 100 smaller.

[0051] B. Second implementation method:

[0052] Figure 6 This is a top view showing the state in the second embodiment where the substrate 5 is mounted on the fixing part 7. Furthermore, Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the substrate 5 mounted on the fixing part 7 in the second embodiment. Figure 6as well as Figure 7 The diagram shows an example where the substrate 5 is re-fixed to the fixing portion 7 using a thin film member 85, which serves as a fixing member 8. The thin film member 85 is formed of, for example, resin and is thermally fused or bonded by heating and pressurizing. Here, in this embodiment, the other end 5d of the substrate 5 is re-fixed to the reused portion 923, which can be re-fixed by removing the rib 78, which serves as a fixing member. Furthermore, the unused portion 922, which is different from the fixed portion 921, is re-fixed to one end 5c of the substrate 5. In addition, since the positioning and re-fixation of the other end 5d of the substrate 5 are the same as in the first embodiment described above, the description is omitted.

[0053] The method of re-fixing one end 5c side of the substrate 5 in this embodiment is shown below. The other end 5d side of the substrate 5 is in a state where the cutout 55 and the rib 78 are engaged, that is, the substrate 5 is positioned. Here, the film member 85 covers the non-terminal portion NT of one end 5c side of the substrate 5 and the area around one end 5c side of the substrate 5 in the fixing part 7 from the surface 5a side of the substrate 5. Similarly, the film member 85 covers the non-terminal portion NT of the other end 5d side of the substrate 5 and the area around the other end 5d side of the substrate 5 in the fixing part 7 from the surface 5a side of the substrate 5. At this time, the film member 85 only needs to be placed on the other end 5d side of the substrate 5 in the fixing part 7 in a manner that covers it from above the rib 78. In this state, for example, the surface 5a side of the substrate 5 and the fixing part 7 are heat-sealed together by heat. Specifically, by heating the surface 5a side of the substrate 5 on which the film member 85 is placed and the fixing part 7, and further applying pressure, the film member 85 is heat-fused onto the substrate 5 and the fixing part 7. Thus, the substrate 5 is re-fixed to the fixing part 7 by the thin film member 85, which serves as the fixing member 8. The area where the thin film member 85 is heat-sealed by heat sealing or the like can be a part of the thin film member 85 or the whole, as long as it is within the range that can re-fix the substrate 5 and the fixing part 7.

[0054] Here, the method of removing the substrate 5, which will be re-fixed, from the fixing part 7 in this embodiment, and the re-fixing of the substrate 5 and the fixing part 7 will be described.

[0055] First, the thin film component 85 is removed by cutting or scraping. In removing the thin film component 85, it is sufficient to cut away the boundary portion between the substrate 5 and the fixing portion 7 of the heat-fused thin film component 85 by cutting or the like. That is, after removing the thin film component 85, some of the heat-fused thin film component 85 may remain on the non-terminal portion NT and the fixing portion 7. Additionally, the rib 78 that engages with the cut 55 is removed. At this time, the rib 78 can be removed by breaking it off, or it can be removed by sliding it in a direction from one end 5d of the substrate 5 toward one end 5c. Thus, the substrate 5 is removed from the fixing portion 7. In this case, at least one of the reusable portion 923, which can be re-fixed by removing the thin film component 85 which serves as the fixing member 8, and the unused portion 922, which is different from the fixed portion 921 to which it is fixed, can be used for re-fixing.

[0056] As an example of re-fixing, for instance, a strip-shaped film member 85 is placed on one end 5c side of the substrate 5, connecting the periphery of the left end side and the periphery of the right end side of the substrate 5 in the fixing part 7. Here, when re-fixing is performed after the film member 85 has been removed by cutting or scraping off the aforementioned boundary portion, it can be done as follows: For example, the re-fixing portion 920 for re-fixing can be positioned parallel to either one end 5c side or the other end 5d side of the substrate 5, relative to the previous re-fixing portion 920. Furthermore, since the film member 85 in the boundary portion of the previous re-fixing portion 920 is removed, the re-fixing portion 920 for re-fixing can also be provided at a position overlapping with the previous re-fixing portion 920. In this way, both the substrate 5 and the fixing part 7 can be repeatedly reused through re-fixing.

[0057] Furthermore, regarding the re-fixing portion 920, the location and number of re-fixing operations are not limited to those described above. For example, if the rib 78 is preserved undamaged, the positioning and re-fixing of the substrate 5 and the fixing portion 7 can be performed by fitting the cutout 55 and the rib 78 together. In such a case, it is sufficient to re-fix only one location on one end 5c side of the substrate 5 using the thin film member 85. Moreover, the re-fixing portion 920, as the portion on which re-fixing is performed, can be any non-terminal portion NT, or it can be, for example, a corner or bend in the surface 5a of the substrate 5. In such a case, it is preferable that the re-fixing portion 920 is arranged diagonally relative to the shape of the substrate 5, for example, by using the thin film member 85 to re-fix the left end side of one end 5c of the substrate 5 and the right end side of the other end 5d of the substrate 5.

[0058] In the above embodiment, by changing the positions of the welding surface and the adhesive surface of the thin film component 85, the substrate 5 can be repeatedly attached to and detached from the fixing part 7. That is, the substrate 5 has a re-fixing part 920. Therefore, by using the fixing part 8 to re-fix the substrate 5 to the fixing part 7, the printing material storage container 100 can be reused. As a result, the environmental impact can be reduced.

[0059] C. Third implementation method:

[0060] Figure 8 This is a top view showing the state in the third embodiment where the substrate 5 is mounted on the fixing part 7. Furthermore, Figure 9 This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state in the third embodiment where the substrate 5 is mounted on the fixing part 7. Figure 8 as well as Figure 9 The diagram shows an example where the substrate 5 is re-fixed to the fixing portion 7 using an adhesive material 87 serving as a fixing member 8. The adhesive material 87 is preferably non-conductive to prevent electrical faults such as short circuits in the terminals 50; for example, a resin-based adhesive material is used. In this embodiment, the reused portion 923, which can be re-fixed by removing the rib 78 serving as the fixing member 8, is re-fixed at the other end 5d side of the substrate 5. Furthermore, at least one of the unused portion 922 and the reused portion 923 is re-fixed at at least one location on the other end 5c side of the substrate 5. Since the positioning and re-fixation of the other end 5d side of the substrate 5 are the same as in the first embodiment described above, further explanation is omitted.

[0061] The method of re-fixing one end 5c side of the substrate 5 in this embodiment is shown below. The other end 5d side of the substrate 5 is in a state where the cutout 55 and the rib 78 are engaged, that is, the substrate 5 is positioned. Here, adhesive material 87 is applied from the surface 5a side of the substrate 5 to cover the non-terminal portion NT of one end 5c side of the substrate 5 and the outer peripheral portion O of one end 5c side of the substrate 5 in the fixing part 7. At this time, if the adhesive material 87 is, for example, a solvent-evaporating adhesive material that cures by the evaporation of the solvent contained in the adhesive material 87, or a moisture-curing adhesive material that cures by reacting with moisture in the air, the adhesive material 87 is cured by air drying over time after application. In addition, if the adhesive material 87 is, for example, an ultraviolet-curing adhesive material that cures by irradiation with ultraviolet light, the adhesive material 87 is cured by an ultraviolet irradiation device (not shown). Thus, the substrate 5 is re-fixed to the fixing part 7 by the adhesive material 87, which serves as the fixing member 8.

[0062] Furthermore, it is preferable that the adhesive material 87 is not applied to the abutment portion 705 located on the back side 5b of the substrate 5, but rather to the surface side 5a of the substrate 5. If the adhesive material 87 is applied to the abutment portion 705 where the substrate 5 and the fixing portion 7 abut, and then cured and re-fixed, one end 5c of the substrate 5 may become suspended from the fixing portion 7 by the thickness of the adhesive material 87. When this is the case, in the installed state, there is a possibility of poor contact between the terminals of the device-side electrical connection portion and each terminal 50 of the substrate 5. Therefore, even when the adhesive material 87 is applied to the outer periphery O of the substrate 5 and re-fixed, the adhesive material 87 can also be applied to the surface side 5a of the substrate 5.

[0063] Here, the method of removing the substrate 5, which will be re-fixed, from the fixing part 7 in this embodiment, and the re-fixing of the substrate 5 and the fixing part 7 will be described.

[0064] First, the adhesive material 87 is removed by cutting off or melting / dissolving it. Specifically, if the adhesive material 87 is thermoplastic, the substrate 5 can be removed from the fixing part 7 by changing the temperature of the adhesive material 87 using heating or the like, thereby melting the adhesive material 87. Furthermore, if the adhesive material 87 has the property of dissolving in a specific solvent, the substrate 5 can be removed from the fixing part 7 by dissolving the adhesive material 87 using a solvent that dissolves the adhesive material 87, such as an organic solvent like toluene. Additionally, if there is a fusible portion of the fixing part 7 remaining with the re-fixed portion 920, the fusible portion of the fixing part 7 can be melted using heating or the like, and the substrate 5 can be removed from the fixing part 7. Next, the rib 78 that engages with the cutout 55 is removed. At this time, the rib 78 can either be broken and removed, or it can be removed by sliding it in a direction from one end 5d of the substrate 5 towards one end 5c. Thus, the substrate 5 can be removed from the fixing part 7. In this case, after removing the adhesive material 87 that serves as the fixing component 8, the unused portion 922, which is different from the already fixed portion 921, can be used for a second fixation. That is, the second fixation portion 920 in the second fixation can be formed at any position as long as it is a non-terminal portion NT and an unused portion 922.

[0065] Furthermore, the location and number of re-fixed portions 920 are not limited to those described above. For example, if the rib 78 is intact and preserved, the positioning and re-fixation of the substrate 5 and the fixing portion 7 can be performed by fitting the cutout 55 and the rib 78 together. In this case, it is sufficient to re-fix one location of the re-fixed portion 920 on one end 5c side of the substrate 5 using the adhesive material 87. At this time, the re-fixed portion 920 can be any non-terminal portion NT, or it can be, for example, a corner or bend in the outer periphery O of the substrate 5. In this case, it is preferable that the re-fixed portion 920 is arranged diagonally relative to the shape of the substrate 5, for example, by using the adhesive material 87 to re-fix the left end side of one end 5c of the substrate 5 and the right end side of the other end 5d of the substrate 5.

[0066] In the above embodiment, the substrate 5 can be repeatedly attached to and detached from the fixing part 7 by removing the adhesive material 87. That is, the substrate 5 has a re-fixing part 920. Therefore, the substrate 5 can be re-fixed to the fixing part 7 by using the fixing member 8, thereby reusing the printing material storage container 100. As a result, the environmental impact can be reduced.

[0067] D-1. Other implementation methods 1:

[0068] In the first embodiment described above, such as Figure 5 As shown, the fixing member 8 is a pin 81 having a shaft portion 81a and a top portion 81b. The shaft portion 81a is inserted into the fixing hole 71 of the fixing part 7, and the top portion 81b is provided on the base end portion 81s side of the shaft portion 81a, fixing the non-terminal portion NT to the fixing part 7. However, the fixing member 8 is not limited to the above; it can also be a pin 82 with a retraction member 82a on the pin 81. Hereinafter, using... Figure 10 Let me explain.

[0069] Figure 10 This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state in which the substrate 5 is mounted on the fixing part 7 in another embodiment 1. Regarding... Figure 5 The printed material storage container 100 shown has the same structure marked with the same symbols, and descriptions of the same structure are appropriately omitted. Figure 10The pin 82 shown, in addition to the structural basis of the pin 81, also has a retraction member 82a on the end portion 81t side opposite to the top 81b. The retraction member 82a is configured to be larger in shape than the size of the fixing hole 71. Here, with the substrate 5 mounted on the fixing part 7, the shaft portion 81a of the retraction pin 82 is inserted into the fixing hole 71 from above the substrate 5. At this time, when the retraction pin 82 is pressed further downward with a predetermined force, the retraction member 82a reaches the cavity portion 709 through the end portion 71a of the fixing hole 71. The cavity portion 709 referred to here is the space in the connecting member 130 that is provided in the connecting member body (not shown) below the insertion direction of the fixing hole 71 and accommodates the end portion 81t side of the shaft portion 81a. When the folding member 82a protrudes from the fixing hole 71 and reaches the cavity 709, since the folding member 82a is larger in shape than the fixing hole 71, it becomes an obstacle when force is applied to the folded pin 82 in the direction of removal from the fixing hole 71. Therefore, the folded pin 82 can more securely fix the substrate 5 to the fixing part 7 compared to the pin 81.

[0070] The retraction member 82a is formed of, for example, an elastic member. When configured this way, if the retraction pin 82 is removed and the substrate 5 and the fixing part 7 are reused by re-fixing, the retraction pin 82 can be easily removed from the fixing part 7 by pulling it out with a predetermined force. Alternatively, the retraction member 82a may not be formed of an elastic member, but can be formed of any material. The retraction pin 82 may also be a member such as a rivet or a split pin, and may also be configured such that the end portion 81t is deformed or bent while the retraction member 82a is protruding from the fixing hole 71, so that the shape of the retraction member 82a is larger than the shape of the fixing hole 71. If the retraction member 82a is not an elastic member, the retraction pin 82 can be removed from the fixing part 7 by, for example, cutting the retraction member 82a in the cavity 709.

[0071] Even in this manner, the substrate 5 has a re-fixing portion 920. Therefore, the substrate 5 can be re-fixed to the fixing portion 7 by using the fixing member 8, thereby reusing the printing material storage container 100.

[0072] D-2. Other implementation methods 2:

[0073] Although in the first embodiment described above, such as Figure 5As shown, the fixing member 8 is a pin 81, but it can also be a screw. The screw has threads on the shaft portion 81a and a recess on the top 81b for inserting tools such as screwdrivers when the screw is rotated. In this case, it is sufficient to form a screw hole in the fixing hole 71 to engage with the screw. Thus, the substrate 5 and the fixing part 7 can be re-fixed and removed by changing the rotation direction of the screw. Even in this way, the substrate 5 has a re-fixing portion 920. Therefore, the printing material storage container 100 can be reused by re-fixing the substrate 5 to the fixing part 7 using the fixing member 8.

[0074] D-3. Other implementation methods 3:

[0075] like Figure 8 as well as Figure 9 As shown, in the third embodiment described above, the re-fixing portion 920 covers both the non-terminal portion NT on one end 5c side of the substrate 5 and the outer peripheral edge O on one end 5c side of the substrate 5 in the fixing portion 7, and the adhesive material 87 is applied from the surface 5a side of the substrate 5. This re-fixes the substrate 5 and the fixing portion 7. Alternatively, the re-fixing portion 920 can also be the back side 5b side of the substrate 5. That is, the adhesive material 87 in this embodiment is the same as the adhesive material 87 in the third embodiment, but the position of the re-fixing portion 920 in this embodiment and the third embodiment differs. Hereinafter, using... Figure 11 Please provide an explanation.

[0076] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the substrate 5 mounted on the fixing part 7 in another embodiment 3. Regarding... Figure 9 The printed material storage container 100 shown has the same structure, is marked with the same symbols, and appropriate descriptions of the same structure are omitted. First, adhesive material 87 is applied to the bottom 702 of the fixing part 7. Then, the substrate 5 is slid from one end 5c of the substrate 5 toward the other end 5d, and the substrate 5 is placed on the fixing part 7 with the cutout 55 and rib 78 engaged. At this time, the printed material storage container 100 of this embodiment is provided in the shape of a storage device 57 protruding to the back surface 5b of the substrate 5. Therefore, the storage device 57 abuts against the adhesive material 87 applied to the bottom 702 of the fixing part 7. Here, by curing the adhesive material 87 in the same way as in the third embodiment described above, the substrate 5 is re-fixed to the fixing part 7 by the adhesive material 87, which serves as a fixing member 8. In addition, if the adhesive material 87 used for re-fixing is removed, and the substrate 5 and the fixing part 7 are reused by re-fixing, the adhesive material 87 can be removed in the same way as in the third embodiment described above.

[0077] Even in this manner, the substrate 5 has a re-fixing portion 920. Therefore, by using the fixing member 8 to re-fix the substrate 5 to the fixing portion 7, the printing material storage container 100 can be reused.

[0078] D-4. Other implementation methods 4:

[0079] In the above embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the fixing part 7 is formed integrally with the connecting member 130. Alternatively, the fixing part 7 can be configured to be detachable from a portion of the surface of the connecting member 130. Even in this configuration, the substrate 5 has a re-fixing portion 920. Therefore, the substrate 5 can be re-fixed to the fixing part 7 by means of the fixing member 8, thereby enabling the reuse of both the substrate 5 and the fixing part 7.

[0080] According to all the embodiments described above, there are multiple fixing methods for fixing the substrate 5 to the fixing part 7. That is, when the substrate 5 and the fixing part 7 are reused and the substrate 5 is re-fixed to the fixing part 7, a fixing method corresponding to the purpose can be selected. In addition, according to all the embodiments described above, as a re-fixing part 920 that can be re-fixed to the fixing part 7 by the fixing member 8, the substrate 5 includes an unused part and a reused part. That is, when the substrate 5 and the fixing part 7 are reused and the substrate 5 is re-fixed to the fixing part 7, any location can be selected in the re-fixing part 920 for re-fixing. As a result, a printing material storage container 100 with high convenience and reusability can be provided.

[0081] Alternatively, the printing material storage container 100 can use a pre-sold fixing component 8. In this case, the shape of the fixing hole 71 only needs to be set to fit with the pre-sold fixing component 8. As such, the substrate 5 can be easily attached to and detached from the fixing part 7 without using a dedicated component as the fixing component 8.

[0082] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various structures without departing from its spirit. For example, regarding the technical features of the embodiments corresponding to the technical features in the various aspects described in the Summary of the Invention section, appropriate substitutions and combinations can be implemented to solve some or all of the above-mentioned problems, or to achieve some or all of the above-mentioned effects. Furthermore, any technical feature that is not described as an essential feature in this specification can be appropriately deleted.

[0083] (1) According to one aspect of this disclosure, a printing material storage container is provided. The printing material storage container includes: a substrate having a circuit with terminals; a fixing portion capable of mounting the substrate by re-fixing; and a fixing member that fixes a non-terminal portion of the substrate (excluding the terminals) and the fixing portion, the non-terminal portion including a re-fixing portion capable of being re-fixed to the fixing portion by the fixing member. According to this method, the substrate has a re-fixing portion. Therefore, by re-fixing the substrate to the fixing portion using the fixing member, the printing material storage container can be reused.

[0084] (2) Alternatively, in the above-described manner, the re-fixing portion includes at least one of an unused portion and a reused portion. The unused portion is different from the already fixed portion that has been used to fix the substrate to the fixing part. The reused portion is the portion that can be re-fixed by removing at least a portion of the already fixed part that has been used for fixing. According to this method, the substrate has an unused portion and a reused portion as the re-fixing portion. Therefore, when the substrate and the fixing part are reused and the substrate is re-fixed to the fixing part, more potential re-fixable portions can be obtained.

[0085] (3) Alternatively, in the above-described manner, the substrate has an initial fixing portion at one end side, which is initially fixed by an initial fixing member, and the portion of the unused portion that has been re-fixed by the fixing member is located at that one end side. According to this method, the unused portion at one end side of the substrate is re-fixed. Thus, by re-fixing the substrate to the fixing portion using a fixing member, the printing material storage container can be reused.

[0086] (4) Alternatively, in the above-described manner, the initial fixing portion is formed by a through hole formed in the substrate and its peripheral portion, and the initial fixing member is inserted into the through hole. According to this method, in the initial fixing portion, by inserting the initial fixing member of the fixing portion into the through hole of the substrate, the substrate is initially fixed to the fixing portion. Therefore, positioning and re-fixing can be effectively performed at one end of the substrate where the initial fixing portion is located.

[0087] (5) Alternatively, in the above-described manner, the fixing part has a fixing hole through which the fixing member is inserted, and the fixing member includes: a shaft portion that is inserted into the fixing hole of the fixing part; and a top portion disposed at the base end of the shaft portion, which fixes the non-terminal portion to the fixing part. According to this method, by inserting the fixing member into the fixing hole of the fixing part, the substrate is re-fixed to the fixing part. Therefore, when reusing the substrate and the fixing part and re-fixing the substrate to the fixing part, by pulling the fixing member inserted into the fixing hole upwards and removing it from the fixing hole, and removing the fixing member from the fixing part, the fixing hole and the fixing member can be reused.

[0088] (6) Alternatively, in the above embodiment, the fixing member may further include a retraction member, which is provided on the end portion opposite to the top and has a larger outer shape than the fixing hole. According to this embodiment, since the retraction member is larger than the fixing hole, it will act as an obstacle when force is applied to the fixing member in the direction of removal from the fixing hole. Thus, the substrate can be firmly fixed to the fixing portion.

[0089] (7) Alternatively, in the above-described manner, the fixing member is a thin-film member that fixes the fixing portion and the non-terminal portion by covering them. According to this method, the fixing member can be formed from a thin film. Therefore, by changing the position of the welded or adhesive surface of the thin-film member, the substrate can be repeatedly attached to and detached from the fixing portion.

[0090] (8) Alternatively, in the above method, the fixing component is an adhesive material, and the re-fixing portion includes at least one of the outer peripheral portion of the substrate and the back surface of the substrate. According to this method, an adhesive material can be used as the fixing component. Thus, by changing the position where the adhesive material is applied, the substrate can be repeatedly attached to and detached from the fixing portion.

[0091] Not all of the structural elements in the various embodiments of this disclosure described above are essential technical features. To solve some or all of the aforementioned problems, or to achieve some or all of the effects described in this specification, some of the structural elements can be appropriately modified, deleted, replaced with new structural elements, or have a portion of the limiting content deleted. Furthermore, to solve some or all of the aforementioned problems, or to achieve some or all of the effects described in this specification, some or all of the technical features included in one embodiment of this disclosure can be combined with some or all of the technical features included in other embodiments of this disclosure to create an independent embodiment of this disclosure.

[0092] This disclosure can also be achieved through various means other than printing material storage containers. It can be achieved through, for example, manufacturing methods of printing apparatus and printing material storage containers, manufacturing methods of printing apparatus, and methods for assembling and disassembling substrates in printing material storage containers.

[0093] Symbol Explanation

[0094] 5…substrate; 5a…surface; 5b…back side; 5c…one end; 5d…the other end; 7…fixing part; 8…fixing component; 50…terminal; 53…through hole; 55…cutout; 57…storage device; 71…fixing hole; 71a…end; 78…rib; 79…protrusion; 81…pin; 81a…shaft; 81b…top; 81s…base end; 81t…end; 82…pin with fold; 82a…fold component; 85…film component; 87…adhesive material; 100…print 110… Printing material storage container; 120… Housing; 130… Connecting component; 130a… Side; 131… Supply port; 170… Handle; 171… Holding part; 701… Recessed part; 702… Bottom; 703… Wall; 705… Abutting part; 709… Hollow part; 910… Initial fixing part; 920… Re-fixing part; 921… Fixed part; 922… Unused part; 923… Reusable part; NT… Non-terminal part; O… Outer perimeter.

Claims

1. A printed material storage container, comprising: a substrate provided with a circuit having a terminal and having a through-hole; a fixing portion to be reused; the fixing portion having a protrusion with a tip portion of which deformation is removed and a recess portion having a bottom portion to which an adhesive material is applied, the substrate having a back surface facing the fixing portion and a surface facing a direction opposite to the fixing portion, and the protrusion being inserted into the through-hole from the back surface side, and the non-terminal portion of the back surface of the substrate facing the bottom portion and being refixed to the fixing portion by the adhesive material.

2. The printed material storage container according to claim 1, wherein a rib is provided on the fixing portion, and the substrate further has a cutout, the substrate being refixed to the fixing portion in a state where the cutout is engaged with the rib.

3. The printed material storage container according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a storage device of the substrate is fixed to the fixing portion by the adhesive material.

4. The printed material storage container according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the adhesive material is an adhesive material selected from a solvent evaporation type adhesive material, a moisture curing type adhesive material, and an ultraviolet curing type adhesive material.

5. A printed material storage container, comprising: a substrate provided with a circuit having a terminal and having a through-hole; a fixing portion capable of mounting the substrate by refixing, the fixing portion having a protrusion with a tip portion removed and a fixing hole through which a fixing member is inserted, the substrate having a back surface facing the fixing portion and a surface facing a direction opposite to the fixing portion, and the protrusion being inserted into the through-hole from the back surface side, and at least a portion of a non-terminal portion other than the terminal at the surface side being refixed to the fixing portion by the fixing member, the fixing member having a shaft portion inserted into the fixing hole of the fixing portion and a top portion provided at a base end portion side of the shaft portion, and the substrate being refixed to the fixing portion in a state where the shaft portion of the fixing member is inserted into the fixing hole and the top portion is located at the non-terminal portion of the surface side of the substrate.

6. The printed material storage container according to claim 5, wherein the fixing member further has a turn-back member provided at a tip end portion side opposite to the top portion, and the substrate is refixed to the fixing portion in a state where an outer shape of the turn-back member of the fixing member is larger than a size of the fixing hole.

7. The printed material storage container according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the fixing member is a screw, and the fixing hole of the fixing portion is a screw hole. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

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