Liquid storage container and inkjet recording device

Abstract

Liquid reservoir and inkjet recording device. A sealing member is applied to the surface of a liquid reservoir having a liquid supply port configured to open into a recessed space formed on said surface, with a gap between the applied sealing member and the liquid supply port to seal the recessed space. The liquid supply port has a profile adapted for insertion and connection to a connecting portion for supplying liquid to the liquid supply port. A cut portion is formed on the sealing member, the cut portion including a center point located on an extension line extending from the front end of the liquid supply port in the direction of connecting the liquid supply port to the connecting portion, the cut portion being torn when squeezed by the connecting portion moving toward the liquid supply port.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application filed on March 16, 2020, with application number 202010180599.7 and invention title "Liquid Storage Container". Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to a liquid storage container. Background Technology

[0003] A pipe supply system is known as a liquid supply system that can be used in the field of liquid dispensing devices, specifically for dispensing liquids such as ink. When a pipe supply system is used, a main tank and a liquid dispensing head arranged in the body of the liquid dispensing device are connected to each other via pipes. Liquid contained in the main tank is supplied through pipes to a reservoir of the liquid dispensing head for supplying liquid to the liquid dispensing head. When a pipe supply system is used, the reservoir of the liquid dispensing head is provided with multiple liquid supply ports, which are detachably connected to various pipes arranged on the side of the body. When the pipes are attached to the reservoir, the reservoir is already filled with liquid, which is typically ink. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-081078 discloses a technique in which a label member is applied to each liquid supply port of the reservoir to seal the liquid supply ports and prevent leakage and evaporation of liquid from the liquid supply ports of the reservoir before the pipes are installed. In the liquid discharge device described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-081078, liquid is supplied to the storage container through a pipe in an amount equal to the amount flowing out of the storage container, so as to be discharged from the liquid discharge head. Therefore, due to the above arrangement, the liquid discharge device can be operated continuously.

[0004] Using the technology described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-081078, when connecting a tube to a liquid storage container to supply liquid to the container, it is necessary to peel off a label applied to the liquid supply port to expose the liquid supply port. This label peeling operation is time-consuming and adversely affects the efficiency of using the liquid dispensing device. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to the present invention, a liquid storage container is capable of containing liquid inside the container and has a liquid supply port on the surface of the container for supplying liquid. The liquid supply port is arranged to lead to a recessed space formed on the surface of the container. A sealing member is applied to the surface of the container to close the recessed space, and the sealing member is spaced apart from the liquid supply port. The liquid supply port has a protruding profile for insertion into a connecting portion of a liquid supply path for supplying liquid to the liquid supply port, thereby connecting to the connecting portion. The sealing member is provided with a cut portion formed on the sealing member. The cut portion includes a center point located on the extension line of the connecting line connecting the front end of the liquid supply port to the connecting portion. The cut portion is an area that can be easily torn so that it can be opened by pressure applied by the connecting portion as the connecting portion moves toward the liquid supply port.

[0006] Other features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figure 1 This is a schematic perspective view of the liquid discharge device to which the present invention applies, showing the overall structure of the device.

[0008] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the liquid supply system of the liquid discharge device.

[0009] Figure 3A and Figure 3B This is a schematic top view of the liquid storage container according to the present invention.

[0010] Figure 4 It is along Figure 3B A schematic cross-sectional view of the liquid storage container taken from line 4-4.

[0011] Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 5C This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the liquid storage container, showing how each tube in the tubing is connected to the liquid storage container.

[0012] Figure 6 This is a schematic top view of a first embodiment of a liquid storage container according to the present invention.

[0013] Figure 7A , Figure 7B , Figure 7C , Figure 7D and Figure 7E This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the liquid storage container according to the present invention, showing how each of the connectors is connected to the liquid storage container.

[0014] Figure 8 This is a schematic top view of a second embodiment of the liquid storage container according to the present invention.

[0015] Figure 9A and Figure 9B This is a schematic diagram of a third embodiment of the liquid storage container according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The object of the present invention is to provide a liquid storage container having a sealing member applied to the surface of the container to minimize leakage and evaporation of liquid from the liquid supply port of the liquid storage container, which is designed such that a pipe for supplying liquid can be connected to the corresponding liquid supply port without removing the sealing member.

[0017] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The liquid storage container according to the invention is typically arranged in a liquid discharge head to be installed in a liquid discharge device, thereby containing the liquid to be ejected from the liquid discharge head, and also supplying liquid from the body of the liquid discharge device via a pipe. Although throughout the following description of the invention, the liquid storage container according to the invention is arranged in a liquid discharge head, the liquid storage container according to the invention may not necessarily be arranged in a liquid discharge head. In other words, the liquid storage container according to the invention is not limited to a liquid storage container arranged in a liquid discharge head.

[0018] Before describing the liquid storage container according to the present invention, the liquid discharge device to which the present invention is applicable will be described first. Figure 1 This is a schematic perspective view of the liquid discharge device 1 to which the present invention applies, showing the overall structure of the device. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the liquid supply system of the liquid discharge device 1 shown. Figure 1 As shown, the liquid discharge device 1 includes: a main container 2 for storing liquids such as ink; tubes 3, one end of each tube being connected to the main container 2; and a carriage 4 that can reciprocate along the body of the liquid discharge device 1. A liquid discharge head 5 (see...) Figure 2 The main tank 2 is mounted on the slide 4, and liquid is supplied from the main tank 2 to the liquid outlet 5 via pipe 3. Pipe 3 is made of flexible material, allowing it to follow the reciprocating motion of the slide 4. The slide 4 is equipped with a connector 8 (see...). Figure 2 The connectors are used to connect these connectors themselves to the liquid discharge head, and the operating control connecting rod 20 is arranged on the top surface of the carriage 4. (Reference) Figure 2 When the connecting rod 20 is pushed downwards, the connector 8 is forced to move downwards to connect with the liquid discharge head 5. When the connector 8 is connected to the liquid discharge head 5, the liquid discharge head 5 is tightly mounted on the carriage 4. Figure 2As shown, the other end of each tube in pipe 3 is connected to a corresponding connector in connector 8 of carriage 4. Therefore, when liquid discharge head 5 is installed on carriage 4, liquid discharge head 5 is connected to main tank 2 through connector 8 and pipe 3. Figure 2 The diagram shows the liquid discharge head 5 mounted on the carriage 4 and connected to the main tank 2 via the pipe 3.

[0019] The liquid discharge head 5 includes: a recording element plate 6, which is typically used as a liquid discharge section for discharging liquid to record an image on a recording medium; and a liquid storage container 7, which is a liquid storage section for storing the liquid to be sprayed. In the illustrated case, the recording element plate 6 and the liquid storage container 7 are formed as a single unit such that when the liquid discharge head 5 is mounted on the carriage 4, the recording element plate 6 is located below the liquid storage container 7 in the direction of gravity. For the purposes of this specification, the direction of gravity refers to the direction of gravity of the liquid storage container during use (and therefore when the liquid storage container is installed in the liquid discharge device). In other words, the liquid storage container 7 includes the recording element plate 6. Liquid is supplied from the liquid storage container 7 to the recording element plate 6, and in the recording element plate 6, jetting energy is applied to the liquid to be sprayed according to the recording signal assigned to it. When jetting energy is applied to the liquid, the liquid is sprayed from the liquid discharge head 5. As the liquid is sprayed, a negative pressure is generated inside the liquid storage container 7. As described above, the liquid discharge head 5 is connected to the main tank 2 via a connector 8 and a pipe 3. The main tank 2 stores the liquid to be supplied to the liquid discharge head 5 and remains open to the atmosphere. Therefore, when the negative pressure inside the liquid storage container 7 rises due to the discharge of liquid from the recording element plate 6 of the liquid discharge head 5, air is correspondingly introduced into the main tank 2. Then, due to the introduction of air, the liquid in the main tank 2 is supplied to the liquid storage container 7 through the pipe 3 and the connector 8. In this way, during image recording operations performed by the liquid ejected from the liquid discharge head 5, the liquid in the main tank 2 can be continuously supplied to the liquid storage container 7.

[0020] Figure 3A and Figure 3B These are schematic top views of the liquid discharge head 5, and therefore, schematic top views of the liquid storage container 7 arranged on the liquid discharge head 5. Figure 3A A liquid storage container 7 with a sealing member 10 applied thereon is shown. Figure 3B The image shows a liquid storage container from which the sealing member 10 has been removed. Note that... Figure 3A and Figure 3B The prior art liquid discharge head 5 is shown, so when the liquid discharge head 5 is mounted on the carriage 4, the sealing member 10 needs to be peeled off. Figure 4 It is along Figure 3B A schematic cross-sectional view of the liquid discharge head 5, taken from line 4-4. (See figure.) Figure 3A , Figure 3B and Figure 4As shown, the liquid discharge head 5 includes a housing member 13, a cover member 9 (the housing member 13 and the cover member 9 belong to the liquid storage container 7), a recording element plate 6, and a filter 14. The housing member 13 is a box-shaped member with an open top, and the cover member 9 is welded to the top edge of the housing member 13 to close the open top of the housing member 13. Inside the liquid storage container 7, an absorber, which acts as a capillary member and absorbs and retains the liquid, and a filter 14 are disposed. The filter 14 is configured to minimize foreign matter, including waste debris (which is contained in the liquid in the liquid storage container 7), that attempts to enter the recording element plate 6. The absorber is typically a fiber absorber. In the illustrated example, when viewed along the direction of gravity while the liquid storage container 7 is in use, the recording element plate 6 is arranged at the bottom of the housing member 13.

[0021] A liquid supply port 12 is formed on the surface of the cover member 9, and thus on the top surface of the liquid storage container 7, so as to be detachably fitted to the corresponding connection portion 8a of the connector 8 arranged on the carriage 4 (see Figures 5A to 5C The connector 8 is used to supply liquid from the main tank 2 to the interior of the storage container 7. A positioning member 11 is also provided on the surface of the cover member 9 to align the connector 8 with the corresponding liquid supply port 12 when the connector 8 is connected to the storage container 7. The connector 8, arranged on the carriage 4, is equipped with a corresponding protruding connecting portion 8a. Each connecting portion 8a has a tubular cylindrical tip to accommodate a corresponding liquid supply port 12. Each liquid supply port 12 is a tubular member with a profile capable of being inserted into and connected to a corresponding connecting portion 8a. Each liquid supply port 12 has a recess 15 with a circular opening around its periphery, which receives the tubular cylindrical tip of the corresponding connecting portion 8a when the liquid supply port 12 is inserted into the interior of the corresponding connector 8. Inside the recess 15 of each liquid supply port 12, the liquid supply port 12 is formed to extend in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the cover member 9, and the front end of the liquid supply port 12 is located at a step below the top surface of the cover member 9 (located below in the direction of gravity). With this arrangement, the liquid supply port 12 does not protrude from the top surface of the cover member 9, but opens into the space inside the recess 15. In addition, a connecting groove 16 is formed on the top surface of the cover member 9, which starts from the recess 15, meanders around the recess 15, and communicates with the recess 15.

[0022] When the liquid discharge head 5 of the type under consideration is transported and distributed as a finished product, its liquid storage container 7 has been manufactured to contain the liquid. More specifically, when the liquid discharge head is transported and distributed, as... Figure 3AAs shown, a sealing member 10 has been applied to the top surface of the cap member 9 of each of the liquid storage containers 7 to minimize the risk of leakage and evaporation of the liquid in the liquid storage container 7 due to environmental changes such as temperature variations before the liquid storage container 7 is installed onto the carriage 4. Since the sealing member 10 is used to minimize the risk of leakage and evaporation of liquid from the liquid supply port 12, it is applied to the top surface of the cap member 9 to at least cover the liquid supply port 12 and the recess 15 formed around the corresponding liquid supply port 12 and seal the recess 15. The sealing member 10 is preferably applied to cover almost all of the top surface of the cap member 9 except for one end of the connecting groove 16 to prevent the sealing member 10 from being accidentally and unintentionally peeled off during delivery of the liquid discharge head 5. Additionally, since the opening at the top of each liquid supply port 12 is located below the top surface of the cap member 9, a gap is created between the sealing member 10 and the opening of the liquid supply port 12 surrounded by the recess 15. Therefore, the sealing member 10 cooperates with the connecting groove 16 to establish an atmospheric communication path, which allows the interior of the liquid storage container 7 to communicate with the atmosphere, thereby enabling appropriate regulation of changes in the internal pressure of the liquid storage container 7 that may be caused by changes in ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure.

[0023] When a known liquid storage container 7 of the type considered in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-081078 is put into use, during the operation of mounting the liquid storage container 7 on the carriage 4, it is necessary to peel the sealing member 10 from the cover member 9 to expose the liquid supply port 12, such as... Figure 3B As shown. Figures 5A to 5C The schematic and sequential illustration shows how... Figure 3A , Figure 3B and Figure 4 The process of connecting the liquid storage container 7 to the connector 8 is shown. Figures 5A to 5C It is along Figure 3B A schematic cross-sectional view of the liquid storage container 7, taken from line 4-4. First, refer to... Figure 5A The liquid discharge head 5 is positioned so that the cover component 9 directly faces the liquid discharge head 5. Figure 5A The connector 8 is shown. Then, when the connecting rod 20 is operated, the connector 8 begins to descend toward the cover member 9. After the connector 8 begins to descend, as shown... Figure 5B As shown, it then begins to contact the positioning portion 11, gradually restricting the position of the connector 8 relative to the cover member 9. Thereafter, the connector 8 continues to descend until its position relative to the liquid discharge head 5 is finally determined. Then, the liquid discharge head 5 is thus connected to the connector 8, and the connector 8 enters a state where its connecting portion 8a is inserted into the corresponding liquid supply port 12 of the liquid discharge head 5, as shown. Figure 5CAs shown. In this way, a liquid flow channel is established from pipe 3 to liquid storage container 7 through connector 8 and liquid supply port 12.

[0024] (First Embodiment)

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic top view of a first embodiment of the liquid storage container 7 according to the present invention. When the connector 8 is to be connected to the aforementioned known liquid storage container 7, the sealing member 10 applied to the top surface of the liquid storage container 7 must be peeled off before the connector 8 is actually connected to the liquid storage container 7. Instead, the connector 8 can be connected to Figure 6 The liquid storage container 7 of the first embodiment shown does not require the removal of the sealing member 10.

[0026] like Figure 6 As shown, a sealing member 10 is also applied to the front surface of the cap member 9 of the liquid storage container 7 in the first embodiment. However, the liquid storage container of this embodiment is different from... Figure 3A , Figures 3B to 5A to Figure 5C The difference between the known liquid storage container 7 shown is that, in this embodiment, a cut portion 17 is formed in a given region of the sealing member 10. As described above, the sealing member 10 is applied to cover a recess (recessed space) 15, in which liquid supply ports 12 are formed respectively, and a cut portion 17 is formed in the region of the sealing member 10 covering the recess 15. The cut portion 17 is positioned relative to the front end of the corresponding liquid supply port 12. More specifically, each cut portion 17 is formed such that its center is located on an extension extending from the center of the corresponding liquid supply port 12 and in the direction in which the liquid supply port 12 connects to the corresponding connecting portion 8a, and the cut portion 17 includes the center specified above. The term "cut portion" refers to an area of ​​the sealing member 10 where a groove, slit, or cut is formed, making the sealing member 10 susceptible to tearing. The cut portion 17 can be configured as a linear groove extending in a direction parallel to the front surface of the sealing member 10, but not allowing the front and rear surfaces of the sealing member 10 to communicate with each other through them; in other words, it is configured as a cut segment 17a. Figure 6In the cut portion 17, each cut portion shows a cross formed by two intersecting cut line segments 17a, and the center of the cross formed by the two cut line segments 17a of the cut portion 17 is located on the extension line of the center line of the corresponding tubular liquid supply port 12 extending in the longitudinal direction of the tubular liquid supply port 12. Since the cut portion 17 is formed in the sealing member 10 at a position directly above the corresponding liquid supply port 12, the sealing member 10 is easily torn along the cut line segments 17a when the connecting portion 8a moves toward the liquid supply port 12 and the sealing member 10 is squeezed by the connecting portion 8a. Then, the connecting portion 8a of the connector 8 can pass through the sealing member 10, and the liquid supply port 12 and the connecting portion 8a can be easily connected to each other.

[0027] Figures 7A to 7E This is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of the liquid storage container 7 in the first embodiment, showing how each of the connectors 8 is connected to the liquid storage container 7. Figures 7A to 7E The diagram shows a connecting portion 8a of a connector in a connector 8 and a corresponding liquid supply port 12 of a cover member 9 of a liquid storage container 7, including their peripheries. A sealing member 10 is applied to the top surface of the cover member 9, thereby covering and sealing a recess 15 formed on the cover member 9. The sealing member 10 is provided with cut portions 17, each of the cut portions 17 having its own cut line segment 17a. Figure 7A As shown, when the connector 8 is correctly positioned relative to the liquid storage container 7 and moves downward, the front end of the connecting portion 8a descends to contact and press against the sealing member 10. When the sealing member 10 is under pressure, the sealing member 10 is torn from the cut line segment 17a of the cut portion 17 and deformed due to the tear. Therefore, the connecting portion 8a of each connector in the connector 8 can then enter a corresponding recess in the recess 15, as shown. Figures 7C to 7E As shown. At this point, each of the small tear portions of the sealing member 10 is accommodated in the gap created between the inner circumferential surface of the corresponding recess in the recess 15 and the outer circumferential surface of the connecting portion 8a of the corresponding connector in the connector 8 in the recess 15. The connecting portion 8a eventually enters the innermost part of the recess 15, and the liquid supply port 12 is inserted into the connecting portion 8a to establish a connection between the liquid reservoir 7 and the connector 8.

[0028] To allow each of the small tear portions of the sealing member 10 to be accommodated in a corresponding recess in the recess 15, a relationship Z > X / 2 is preferably established, where X is the diameter of the recess 15 and Z is the depth of the recess 15. In other words, the depth Z of the recess 15 is greater than half the diameter X of the recess 15. Additionally, the length of the cut portion 17 is preferably not less than 80% of the diameter X of the recess 15 (not less than 0.8 times the diameter X of the recess). This arrangement prevents the tip of each small tear portion of the sealing member 10 from reaching the bottom surface of the corresponding recess in the recess 15 and ensures that the tear portion is tightly accommodated within the recess 15. On the other hand, when the Z > X / 2 relationship requirement is not met, the tip of each small tear portion of the sealing member 10 can reach the bottom surface of the corresponding recess in the recess 15 and will generally become bent. Due to this bending, unnecessary external forces may be applied to the connecting portion 8a and the liquid supply port 12. Preferably, the thickness of the sealing member 10 is not greater than the gap formed between the inner peripheral surface of each recess in the recess 15 and the outer peripheral surface of the connecting portion 8a of the corresponding connector in the connector 8.

[0029] To forcefully tear and deform the sealing member 10, pressure needs to be applied to the sealing member 10 through the connecting portion 8a of the connector 8. To minimize the pressure required to be applied to the sealing member 10, the cut segment 17a of the cut portion 17 formed in the sealing member 10 preferably has a large length. Furthermore, the length of the cut segment 17a is preferably greater than the outer diameter of the front end of the connecting portion 8a of the connector 8. The sealing member 10 is preferably made of a material that is difficult to expand but easy to tear. When the sealing member 10 is made of a material that is easy to expand but difficult to tear, such as rubber, the sealing member 10 will expand before being torn apart in the cut portion 17. Additionally, when the sealing member 10 is made of a less smooth material, such as rubber, the pressure required to compress the sealing member 10 by the connecting portion 8a of the connector 8 will increase due to friction. Therefore, it is preferable that the sealing member 10 is made of a material with a smooth surface. In view of the above considerations, synthetic paper is a suitable material for the sealing member 10 because it possesses both the properties of paper and plastic, and it hardly expands but is easy to tear, and has a smooth surface. From the viewpoint of minimizing the pressure applied to the sealing member 10 to cause it to tear and deform, the sealing member 10, as a flexible member, is preferably not strong but prone to breakage. For the same reason, the sealing member 10 preferably has a small thickness. When the sealing member 10 is made of a tearable material, the length of the cut portion 17 can be less than the outer diameter of the front end of the connecting portion 8a.

[0030] (Second Embodiment)

[0031] Figure 8 This is a schematic top view of a second embodiment of the liquid storage container 7 according to the present invention. A cross-shaped cut portion 17 is formed on the sealing member 10 of the liquid storage container 7 of the first embodiment described above. However, the cut portion 17 formed on the sealing member 10 is not limited to a cross shape. Figure 8 In the liquid storage container 7 of the second embodiment shown, each cut portion 17 formed directly above each liquid supply port 12 has six radially extending cut segments spaced at equal angles, the centers of which are located directly above the corresponding liquid supply port 12. For the purposes of this specification, the expression "equal angles" includes substantially equal angles. In other words, manufacturing errors relative to the angles dividing the radially extending cut segments are acceptable. More specifically, Figure 8 The angle between any two adjacent positioned cut line segments shown can be 60° ± 1°. Figure 6 In the second embodiment, each of the cut portions 17 has four radially extending cut segments 17a spaced at equal angles, the centers of which are located directly above a corresponding cut portion in the liquid supply port 12. Therefore, the number of cut segments 17a (the centers of which are located directly above a corresponding liquid supply port 12) in each cut portion 17 of the second embodiment is increased compared to the first embodiment. As the number of cut segments increases to six or more in each cut portion 17, the profile of the opening created by these cut segments changes from a square to a hexagon, and becomes closer to a circle than a square, when these cut segments are squeezed and bent by the connecting portion 8a of a corresponding connector in the connector 8. In other words, as the number of cut segments 17a increases, the pressure applied by the connecting portion 8a of the connector 8 to press down the sealing member 10 can be dispersed, thus reducing the required pressure. However, when the number of cut segments 17a becomes excessive, the strength of the sealing member located at the center of the cut portion 17 where the cut segments 17a are concentrated will be unnecessarily reduced. Consequently, the sealing member 10 can be unintentionally and accidentally torn and easily partially flipped. For the reasons described above, the number of cut segments 17a in each cut portion 17 of the sealing member 10 is preferably about six. When multiple cut segments 17a are arranged radially to create cut portions 17 on the sealing member 10, the cut segments 17a are preferably arranged at equal angles around the center.

[0032] (Third Embodiment)

[0033] Figure 9A and Figure 9B This is a schematic diagram of a third embodiment of the liquid storage container according to the present invention. Figure 9AThis is a schematic top view of the liquid storage container 7. Figure 9B This is an enlarged schematic top view of one of the cut portions 17 of the sealing member. In each of the above embodiments of the liquid storage container 7 according to the invention, each cut portion 17 formed on the sealing member 10 has a plurality of cut line segments 17a that extend linearly and intersect each other at a single point, which is the center of the cut portion 17. However, the outline of the cut portion 17 formed on the sealing member 10 is not necessarily limited to this. Figure 9A and Figure 9B In the liquid storage container 7 of the third embodiment shown, although the cut line segments 17a extend linearly and are arranged radially in each cut portion 17, no cut line segments 17a are formed in the central region of the cut portion 17. More specifically, the cut portion 17 formed on the sealing member 10 in this embodiment is similar to... Figure 6 The first embodiment of the cut portion is shown, but in each cut portion 17 of this embodiment, no cut segment is formed in a given region including the center of the cut line segment 17, for example, in a circular region of a given radius measured from the center of the cut portion 17.

[0034] Using the aforementioned cut portion 17 of the sealing member 10 in this embodiment, it is now assumed that the sealing member 10 is compressed by the connecting portion 8a of the connector 8 at its position corresponding to the connecting portion 8a of the connector 8. The portion of the sealing member 10 with the cut line segments 17a densely arranged in the cut portion 17 is structurally fragile, making the sealing member 10 vulnerable to... Figure 9B The seal 10 is torn at the location indicated by the dotted line 22 of each of the cut portions 17, and then further torn along the cut line segment 17a. As the connecting portion 8a is further pushed into the corresponding recess 15, the torn portion of the seal 10 is flipped into the recess 15, allowing the connecting portion 8a to be connected to the corresponding liquid supply port 12. In this embodiment, no cut line segment 17a is formed in the central portion of each of the cut portions 17. In other words, in this embodiment, there is no front end that would be generated when the cut line segment 17a is formed to extend in the central portion, and the imaginary front end is rigidly fixed in place. Therefore, with the liquid storage container 7 of this embodiment, the risk of the seal 10 being accidentally and unintentionally torn and the torn portion of the seal 10 being flipped is minimized, and thus, if the liquid discharge heads 5 of this type are exposed to temperature and / or humidity fluctuations during the manufacturing and / or distribution process, their seal 10 can resolutely withstand such fluctuations. Figure 9A and Figure 9BIn the accompanying drawings, reference numeral 18 denotes a given area located at the center of each cut portion 17 in the cut portion 17 where no cut line segment 17a is formed. The size of the given area 18 is preferably as small as possible, for example, with respect to the radius of the center, as long as the given area provides the required level of strength for the sealing member 10. Because the given area 18 is minimized, the pressure required to connect the connector 8 to the reservoir 7 is also minimized.

[0035] In each of the above embodiments, the liquid storage container is integrally formed with the liquid discharge head having a recording element plate. However, the present invention can also be applied to cases where the liquid storage container is detachably mounted on the liquid discharge head. Furthermore, the application scope of the liquid storage container according to the present invention is not limited to liquid discharge devices, and various applications beyond liquid discharge devices can be found.

[0036] Although the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims should be given the broadest interpretation in order to cover all such variations and equivalent structures and functions.

Claims

1. A liquid storage container for storing liquid and receiving liquid from a main tank via a pipe, the pipe having an end having a connection portion for connection to the liquid storage container, the liquid storage container comprising: Shell components; as well as A cover member that covers the top opening of a housing member, wherein the cover member has a recessed space as a concave portion that protrudes into the interior of the housing member; A liquid supply port, which will be inserted into the connecting portion to receive liquid from the main tank, the liquid supply port being formed in a recessed space to extend in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface of the recessed space and having a front end located at a height below the top surface of the cover member; and A sealing member, which is applied to the top surface of the cover member to cover a recessed space containing the liquid supply port, the sealing member having a cut portion formed in the area covering the recessed space. The cut portion includes cut line segments, which are configured to extend radially from the center point corresponding to the liquid supply port. Wherein, the cut line segment has a length greater than the outer diameter of the front end of the connecting portion, and The recessed space has a depth greater than half the opening diameter of the recessed space to accommodate the connecting portion when the liquid supply port is connected to the connecting portion, and the sealing member has a thickness not greater than the gap formed between the outer peripheral surface of the connecting portion and the inner peripheral surface of the recessed space to be able to receive fragments of the sealing member.

2. The liquid storage container according to claim 1, wherein... The cut line segments are divided into at least four segments at equal angular intervals, extending radially from the liquid supply port at the center.

3. The liquid storage container according to claim 1, wherein... The sealing member is formed of synthetic paper.

4. The liquid storage container according to claim 1 further includes a recording element board, the recording element board being used to impart discharge energy to the liquid to be supplied from the liquid storage container.

5. The liquid storage container according to claim 1, wherein the liquid supply ports are provided in a plurality of positions and the sealing member has a plurality of cut portions at positions corresponding to the plurality of liquid supply ports.

6. The liquid storage container of claim 1, wherein a communicating groove is formed on the top surface of the cover member, such that the communicating groove meanders around the recessed space and communicates with the recessed space from the recessed space, and wherein the sealing member is applied to cover the entire top surface of the cover member except for one end of the communicating groove.

7. The liquid storage container according to claim 2, wherein the cut line segment is divided into six.

8. The liquid storage container according to claim 1, wherein the recessed space is formed as a recess with a circular opening.

9. An inkjet recording device, comprising: Head unit, which is used for inkjet printing; The main tank is used to store the ink to be supplied to the head unit; A liquid supply path for supplying ink stored in the main tank; A connecting portion, which is located at the end of the liquid supply path; and A liquid storage container, integrally formed with the head unit, is configured to receive ink supplied from the main tank when the connecting portion is connected to the liquid storage container; The liquid storage container includes: Shell components; and A cover member that covers the top opening of a housing member, wherein the cover member has a recessed space as a concave portion that protrudes into the interior of the housing member; A liquid supply port, which will be inserted into the connecting portion to receive ink from the main container, the liquid supply port being formed in a recessed space to extend in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface of the recessed space and having a front end located at a height below the top surface of the cap member; and A sealing member, which is applied to the top surface of the cover member to cover a recessed space containing the liquid supply port, the sealing member having a cut portion formed in the area covering the recessed space. The cut portion includes cut line segments, which are configured to extend radially from the center point corresponding to the liquid supply port. Wherein, the cut line segment has a length greater than the outer diameter of the front end of the connecting portion, and The recessed space has a depth greater than half the opening diameter of the recessed space to accommodate the connecting portion when the liquid supply port is connected to the connecting portion, and the sealing member has a thickness not greater than the gap formed between the outer peripheral surface of the connecting portion and the inner peripheral surface of the recessed space to be able to receive fragments of the sealing member.

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