Liquid storage container

Abstract

A liquid storage container includes: a filling port from which a liquid is filled; an injection port from which the filled liquid is injected into an external device; a filling port providing surface in which the filling port is provided; and an injection port providing surface adjacent to the filling port providing surface, forming a liquid storage space together with the injection port providing surface, the injection port being provided in the injection port providing surface. In the posture of the liquid storage container when the liquid is injected into the external device from the injection port, the injection port is located at a position higher than the filling port.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a liquid storage container, and more particularly, to a liquid storage container configured to store liquid, which is capable of being replenished with liquid such as ink and supplying the replenished liquid to an external device. Background Art

[0002] As this type of liquid storage container, for example, there is an ink tank in an inkjet printing device, which is configured to store ink to be supplied to an inkjet head and to be replenished with ink when the stored ink is insufficient. As another type of liquid storage container, there is a liquid storage bottle, which is configured to store ink to be replenished in the ink tank as described above and to supply the ink to the ink tank. In some of these liquid storage containers, from the perspective of user work efficiency, an injection port for supplying liquid to an external device and a filling port for replenishing liquid are separately provided.

[0003] In the liquid storage container described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2013-949 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1), an injection port for supplying liquid to the ejection head of a liquid ejection device is provided at the bottom of the liquid storage container, and a filling port for replenishing liquid is provided at the top of the liquid storage container.

[0004] However, in the liquid storage container described in Patent Document 1, the ejection port for supplying ink to other predetermined parts (ejection heads) is located at the lowest position of the container during injection. Therefore, if foreign matter is mixed into the storage container when the liquid is filled into the storage container or if solidified ink particles or the like are generated, the foreign matter moves to the lowest position in the container when the liquid is injected, and then moves to the predetermined part together with the liquid supply. In this case, if the predetermined part is, for example, an ejection head, the moved foreign matter may impair the ejection function. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present disclosure provides a liquid storage container, comprising: a filling port, through which liquid is filled; an injection port, through which the filled liquid is injected into an external device; a filling port setting surface, in which the filling port is set; and an injection port setting surface, adjacent to the filling port setting surface and forming a liquid storage space together with the injection port setting surface, in which the injection port is set, wherein, in the posture of the liquid storage container when the liquid is injected from the injection port into the external device, the injection port is located at a higher position than the filling port.

[0006] Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1is a perspective view showing a liquid ejecting device;

[0008] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of the internal structure of a main part of the liquid ejecting device shown;

[0009] Figure 3A is a diagram for explaining a liquid storage bottle as a liquid storage container according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0010] Figure 3B is a diagram for explaining a liquid storage bottle as a liquid storage container according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0011] Figure 3C is a diagram for explaining a liquid storage bottle as a liquid storage container according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0012] Figure 4A is a diagram for explaining a liquid storage bottle as a liquid storage container according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0013] Figure 4B is a diagram for explaining a liquid storage bottle as a liquid storage container according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 5A is a diagram for explaining a liquid storage bottle as a liquid storage container according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0015] Figure 5B is a diagram for explaining a liquid storage bottle as a liquid storage container according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0016] Figure 5C is a diagram for explaining a liquid storage bottle as a liquid storage container according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0017] Fig. 6A is a diagram for explaining a liquid storage bottle as a liquid storage container according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 6B is a diagram for explaining a liquid storage bottle as a liquid storage container according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] Fig. 7A is a diagram for explaining a liquid storage bottle as a liquid storage container according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 7B is a diagram for explaining a liquid storage bottle as a liquid storage container according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Fig. 8Ais a diagram for explaining a liquid storage bottle as a liquid storage container according to a sixth embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0022] Figure 8B is a diagram for explaining a liquid storage bottle as a liquid storage container according to a sixth embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Hereinafter, embodiments for implementing the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the sizes, materials, shapes and relative positions of the components in the following embodiments may be appropriately changed according to the structure and various conditions of the liquid ejection head etc. to which the present disclosure is applied. The scope of the present disclosure should not be limited to the following embodiments.

[0024] Figure 1 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a liquid ejection device 1 that uses a liquid storage container according to an embodiment of the present disclosure as a replenishment container. The liquid ejection device 1 is a printing device configured to perform printing in a serial manner, and includes a housing 11 and a liquid tank 12 placed inside the housing 11. The liquid tank 12 stores ink as a liquid to be ejected from a print head onto a printing medium (not shown).

[0025] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of the internal structure of the main part of the liquid ejection device 1 is shown. Figure 2 As shown, the liquid ejection device 1 includes: a conveying roller 13 for conveying a printing medium (not shown); a carriage 15 on which a print head 14 for ejecting ink is detachably mounted; and a carriage motor 16 for driving the carriage 15. The printing medium is, for example, paper or the like, and may be any medium on which an image can be formed using liquid ejected from the print head 14.

[0026] The conveying roller 13 is intermittently driven to rotate, thereby intermittently conveying the printing medium. The carriage 15 is driven to rotate by the carriage motor 16 to reciprocate in a direction intersecting the direction in which the printing medium is conveyed by the conveying roller 13. An image or the like is printed on the printing medium by repeating the steps of ejecting ink from the ejection ports of the print head 14 on the carriage 15 onto the printing medium during the above-mentioned reciprocating scanning and the step of conveying the printing medium by a predetermined amount.

[0027] The ink is stored in the liquid tank 12, supplied to the print head 14 via the liquid flow path 17, and ejected from the print head 14. In the present embodiment, inks of four colors (e.g., cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) are used as liquids, and four color-specific liquid tanks 12a to 12d for storing the inks of the respective colors are provided as the liquid tank 12. The color-specific liquid tanks 12a to 12d are arranged at the front side portion of the liquid ejecting apparatus 1 inside the housing 11.

[0028] In this embodiment, these liquid tanks 12a to 12d are filled and replenished with ink from respective corresponding liquid storage bottles (not shown).

[0029] (First embodiment)

[0030] FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C 1 is a diagram for explaining a liquid storage bottle as a liquid storage container according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 3A The upright state of the liquid storage bottle 100 is shown. The liquid storage bottle 100 in the upright state has the following respective surfaces as outer surfaces: a top surface 112; a first side surface 114, which is an inclined surface of a truncated cone portion adjacent to the top surface; a second side surface 115, which is a side surface of a cylindrical portion adjacent to the first side surface 114; and a bottom surface 116, which is opposite to the top surface 112 and adjacent to the second side surface 115. The top surface 112 is a filling port setting surface of the liquid storage bottle 100, and is provided with a filling port 120, which is an opening for filling and replenishing the liquid storage bottle 100 with ink.

[0032] The top surface 112 forms a liquid storage space of the liquid storage bottle 100 together with the first side surface 114. More specifically, the top surface 112 forms a liquid storage space of the liquid storage bottle 100 together with the first side surface 114 and the second side surface 115.

[0033] The filling port 120 can be closed with a cap 120a. The first side surface 114 is a surface for setting the injection port of the liquid storage bottle 100 and is provided with a Figure 1 The liquid storage bottle 100 is provided with an injection port 130 for replenishing ink in the above-mentioned liquid tank 12. A nozzle pipe 130a is provided to be connected to the injection port 130. The nozzle pipe 130a is a cylindrical pipe extending in an outward direction substantially perpendicular to the first side surface 114, and enables easy injection of ink from the injection port 130 into the liquid tank 12. After the liquid storage bottle 100 consumes or runs out of stored ink due to the injection of ink into the liquid tank 12, the liquid storage bottle 100 is reusable by being filled with ink again.

[0034] Regarding the positional relationship between the filling port 120 and the injection port 130 according to the first embodiment, in the upright state of the liquid storage bottle 100 ( Figure 3A), the filling port 120 is arranged at the highest point of the liquid storage bottle 100, and the injection port 130 is arranged in the first side surface 114 located below the highest point. The first side surface 114 has a shape that tapers toward the filling port 120. As a result, firstly, since the injection port 130 is provided in the first side surface 114, the injection port 130 can be oriented to face upward from the horizontal plane, and leakage of ink through the injection port 130 can be prevented in the upright state of the liquid storage bottle 100. Secondly, as Figure 3B As shown in FIG. 1 , when ink is injected into the liquid tank 12, the filling port 120 is located at the lowest point of the liquid storage bottle 100, and the injection port 130 is located above the lowest point. Therefore, even if there is a foreign object 200 in the liquid storage bottle 100, the foreign object 200 will stay between the injection port 130 and the filling port 120 (such as Figure 3B ), and prevents the foreign matter 200 from moving into the liquid tank 12 via the injection port 130.

[0035] like Figure 3C As shown in the example shown, when injecting into the liquid tank 12, there may be a situation where the filling port 120 is not located at the lowest position. Even in this injection state, the injection port 130 only needs to be located at a higher position than the filling port 120.

[0036] In order to more reliably prevent foreign matter from mixing in, filters can be provided at the filling port 120 and the injection port 130. In addition, in order to prevent the user from confusing the injection port 130 and the filling port 120, their functions can be indicated on the outer surface of the liquid storage bottle 100 near the injection port 130 and the filling port 120, respectively.

[0037] As described above, even if the structure of the liquid storage bottle 100 according to the present embodiment includes the filling port 120 in addition to the injection port 130, the risk of foreign matter entering the liquid tank 12 from the injection port during liquid filling can be reduced. In other words, the liquid storage bottle 100 according to the present embodiment has a structure that can promote the reuse of the liquid storage bottle 100, because the liquid storage bottle 100 ensures the work efficiency of the user and is easy to reuse by replenishing the liquid. In summary, the technology described herein can contribute to the realization of a sustainable society, such as a decarbonization / circular society.

[0038] (Second embodiment)

[0039] Figure 4A and Figure 4B1 is a diagram for explaining a liquid storage bottle as a liquid storage container according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. The liquid storage bottle in this embodiment has the positional relationship between the filling port 120 and the injection port 130 according to the first embodiment described above, and is further defined as having the following relationship between the vertical distance between the filling port 120 and the injection port 130 and the opening width of the injection port 130.

[0040] like Figure 4A As shown in FIG. 1 , the distance 27 between the top surface 112 where the filling port 120 is opened and the uppermost end of the injection port 130 in the first side surface 114 (the distance between the injection port and the filling port in a direction perpendicular to the surface where the filling port is set) is determined to be equal to or greater than the opening width 28 of the injection port 130 (the diameter of the opening in this embodiment). Therefore, even if there is a foreign object 200 larger than the opening width 28 of the injection port 130 in the liquid storage bottle 100, Figure 4B The foreign matter 200 can also be confined below the injection port 130 in the injection state shown. As a result, it is possible to prevent a large foreign matter 200 from, for example, clogging the injection port 130 and preventing injection.

[0041] On the other hand, if the above distance 27 is too large, the amount of ink remaining in the bottle 100 without being injected will increase, which is undesirable. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the distance 27 is set to be 1 / 20 or more and 1 / 5 or less of the height 29 of the liquid storage bottle 100 (the distance between the top surface 112 of the liquid storage bottle and the surface (bottom surface 116) opposite to the top surface 112). For example, if the height 29 of the liquid storage bottle 100 is 100 mm, the distance 27 between the injection port 130 and the filling port 120 can be set to 6 mm. As a result, a liquid storage bottle can be obtained in which the foreign matter 200 can be restricted between the injection port 130 and the filling port 120 during ink injection, and the amount of residual ink can be reduced.

[0042] (Third Embodiment)

[0043] FIG. 5A to FIG. 5C 1 is a diagram for explaining a liquid storage bottle as a liquid storage container according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. The liquid storage bottle in this embodiment has the above-mentioned structure according to the first embodiment, and is further defined to have the following relationship between the horizontal distance between the filling port 120 and the injection port 130 and the opening width 28 of the injection port 130.

[0044] like Figure 5AAs shown in FIG. 1 , in the horizontal direction, the distance 32 between the end of the filling port 120 closest to the injection port 130 and the end of the injection port 130 closest to the filling port 120 (the distance between the injection port and the filling port in a direction perpendicular to the direction perpendicular to the surface on which the injection port is provided) is determined to be larger than the opening width 28 of the injection port 130. Therefore, even if there is a foreign object 200 larger than the opening width 28 of the injection port 130 in the liquid storage bottle 100 when the ink is filled or replenished into the liquid storage bottle 100 via the filling port 120, Figure 5B In the injection state shown, foreign matter 200 can also be kept away from injection port 130. As a result, it is possible to prevent large foreign matter 200 from, for example, blocking injection port 130 and preventing injection. In the present embodiment, for example, when opening width 28 is 5 mm, minimum horizontal distance 32 between filling port 120 and injection port 130 is 6 mm.

[0045] (Fourth embodiment)

[0046] Fig. 6A and Figure 6B 1 is a diagram for explaining a liquid storage bottle as a liquid storage container according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. In addition to the above-mentioned structure according to the first embodiment, the liquid storage bottle in this embodiment further involves a structure for determining the angle of the nozzle pipe 130a extending from the injection port 130. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 for the first to third embodiments, the nozzle pipe 130a extends in an oblique upward direction in the upright state of the liquid storage bottle. As a result, due to the effect of gravity, foreign matter can be prevented from entering the nozzle pipe 130a via the injection port 130.

[0047] As in the present embodiment, in the case where the side surface 114 is a surface extending in the vertical direction and being orthogonal to the top surface 112, the angle in the oblique upward direction can be expressed as an angle θ1, such as Fig. 6A More specifically, in the upright state, the angle θ1 formed between the extension direction D1 of the spout tube 130a and the bottom surface 116 of the liquid storage bottle 100 is a value in the range of greater than 0° to less than 90°. Preferably, the angle θ1 is a value in the range of greater than 70° to less than 90°. In the case where the angle θ1 is within this range, as described above, foreign matter can be more effectively prevented from entering the spout tube 130a.

[0048] In addition, when the nozzle tube 130a is facing upward from the horizontal plane as described above, ink can be prevented from leaking through the injection port 130, and because the injection port 130 is facing downward from the horizontal plane when the ink is injected into the liquid tank 12, it is easier to inject ink into the liquid tank 12 from the injection port 130.

[0049] (Fifth Embodiment)

[0050] Fig. 7A and Figure 7B 1 is a diagram for explaining a liquid storage bottle as a liquid storage container according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. In addition to the above-mentioned structure according to the first embodiment, the liquid storage bottle in this embodiment has a structure in which the area of ​​the top surface 112 is reduced compared with the liquid storage bottles in the first to third embodiments. Therefore, the opening area of ​​the filling port 120 is reduced.

[0051] As a result, the volume of the space formed between the injection port 130 and the filling port 120 may be reduced, and thus the amount of ink that may remain in the space may be reduced.

[0052] (Sixth Embodiment)

[0053] Fig. 8A and Figure 8B is a diagram for explaining a liquid storage bottle as a liquid storage container according to a sixth embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0054] In addition to the above-described structure according to the first embodiment, the liquid storage bottle in the present embodiment has a structure in which the top surface 112 and the first side surface 114 are curved surfaces.

[0055] Since the liquid storage bottle in this embodiment has such a structure, Figure 8B As shown, foreign matter that may exist when ink is injected into the liquid tank 12 from the injection port 130 is gathered by gravity and stays near the lowest position of the liquid storage bottle 100. As a result, foreign matter can be prevented from remaining and adhering near the injection port 130, for example.

[0056] (Other embodiments)

[0057] As is clear from the above description, any combination of the above-mentioned first to sixth embodiments is included in the embodiments of the present invention as long as it does not contradict the gist of the present invention.

[0058] Furthermore, the shape of the liquid storage container is not limited to the bottle shape, but the liquid storage container may be any container including a filling port setting surface provided with a filling port and an injection port setting surface provided with an injection port and satisfying the above-mentioned features in each embodiment.

[0059] While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments.The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

Claims

1. A liquid storage container, comprising: A filling port, from which liquid is filled; An injection port, from which the filled liquid is injected into an external device; a filling port setting surface, in which the filling port is set; and The injection port setting surface is adjacent to the filling port setting surface and forms a liquid storage space together with the injection port setting surface, and the injection port is set in the injection port setting surface. However, in the posture of the liquid storage container when the liquid is injected from the injection port into the external device, the injection port is located at a higher position than the filling port.

2. The liquid storage container according to claim 1, wherein: The distance between the injection port and the filling port in a direction perpendicular to the surface on which the filling port is provided is greater than the opening width of the injection port.

3. The liquid storage container according to claim 2, wherein: The distance between the injection port and the filling port in a direction perpendicular to the filling port provided surface is 1 / 20 or more and 1 / 5 or less of the distance between the filling port provided surface and a surface of the liquid storage container opposite to the filling port provided surface.

4. The liquid storage container according to claim 1, wherein: A distance between the injection port and the filling port in a direction orthogonal to a direction perpendicular to a surface on which the filling port is provided is greater than an opening width of the injection port.

5. The liquid storage container according to claim 1, further comprising a spout pipe connected to the injection port, wherein: An angle formed between an extending direction of the spout tube and a surface of the liquid storage container opposite to a surface where the filling port is provided is a value within a range of greater than 0° to less than 90°.

6. The liquid storage container according to claim 5, wherein: An angle formed between the extending direction of the spout tube and a surface of the liquid storage container opposite to a surface on which the filling port is provided is a value within a range of 70° or more and less than 90°.

7. The liquid storage container according to claim 1, wherein: The injection port setting surface has a shape that tapers toward the filling port.

8. The liquid storage container according to claim 1, wherein: The filling port setting surface and the injection port setting surface are curved surfaces.

9. The liquid storage container according to claim 1, wherein: Indicia indicating the injection port and the filling port are provided on the liquid storage container.

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