Ink container and recording apparatus

Abstract

The invention provides an ink container and a recording apparatus, deformation of the ink container is suppressed, and the recording apparatus uses the ink container. The ink container includes an ink storage portion for storing ink and an ink supply portion at one side of the ink storage portion for supplying the ink to the outside. A sealing portion between the two surfaces is provided at the one side. The sealing portion includes a rectangular first sealing portion parallel to the one side and a second sealing portion having a mountain shape toward the inside of the ink storage portion and provided between the first sealing portion and the ink supply portion, the second sealing portion being formed continuously with the first sealing portion in a direction parallel to the one side. When the mountain shape has a maximum width W1, a distance W2 from the ink supply portion to an apex of the mountain shape in the direction is less than W1 / 2.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an ink tank and a recording apparatus. Background Art

[0002] There is known an ink tank (ink pack) in which liquid (particularly ink) to be supplied to a recording device (eg, an inkjet printer) is contained in a flexible bag (eg, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2021-014091, etc.).

[0003] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2021-014091 discloses a configuration in which an ink supply member is attached to one end of a bag. In this configuration, an ink outlet tube is provided at the center of the bag and connected to the end of a spacing member extending toward the other end of the bag. Ink present in an inaccessible area of ​​the bag is discharged into the ink outlet member through the outlet of the ink outlet tube. According to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2021-014091, the spacing member prevents the end of the ink outlet tube from shifting. Even when the bag contracts due to liquid consumption, it prevents deformation of the bag around the ink outlet tube and spacing member, thereby reducing the possibility of occlusion of the liquid flow path.

[0004] Spouted bags are also known as liquid containers for storing liquids other than ink (e.g., detergent, shampoo, etc.). These spouted bags have been widely used in applications such as refill containers, which hold liquid contents to be replenished in another container. In such spouted bags used as refill containers, the shape of the mounting seal to which the spout is mounted is designed, for example, to improve the interruptibility of liquid discharge, the adjustability of the discharge force, and the ability to re-discharge the contents. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2018-079981 describes a method for improving the re-discharge ability of liquid contents by forming a pair of flow control seals on the left and right sides of an imaginary line extending the central axis of the spout body. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an ink container is configured to be detachable relative to a device body of a recording device, and the ink container includes: an ink storage portion having flexibility and configured to store ink therein, the ink storage portion including: (1) a first surface, (2) a second surface opposite to the first surface, and (3) a first side shared by the first surface and the second surface; and an ink supply portion provided at the first side of the ink storage portion and configured to supply the ink stored in the ink storage portion to the device body. A sealing portion between the first surface and the second surface is provided at the first side of the ink supply portion. The sealing portion includes: a first sealing portion having a rectangular shape and being parallel to the first side; and a second sealing portion provided between the first sealing portion and the ink supply portion and being formed continuously with the first sealing portion in a direction parallel to the first side, the second sealing portion having a mountain-like shape protruding toward the interior of the ink storage portion. When the maximum width of the mountain-like shape is represented by W1 [mm], the vertex of the mountain-like shape of the second sealing portion is positioned so that a distance W2 [mm] from the ink supply portion in a direction parallel to the first side is less than W1 / 2.

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

[0007] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional diagram of an ink container.

[0008] Figure 2 This is a plan view of the ink tank viewed from the positive T direction.

[0009] Figure 3 It is a perspective view of the ink supply member.

[0010] Figures 4A-4E Includes plan views of the ink supply member viewed from various directions.

[0011] Figure 5A 、 Figure 5B Included are diagrams each showing a state in which the flow path is blocked in a case where the ridge portion is not provided.

[0012] Figure 6A 、 Figure 6B Included are diagrams each showing a state in which flow path occlusion is suppressed by the ridge portion.

[0013] Figure 7 This is a transparent view of the ink tank viewed from the negative W direction.

[0014] Figures 8A-8G Included are diagrams showing variations of the cross-sectional shape of the ridge.

[0015] Figures 9A-9G Included are diagrams showing the shape of the ridge in plan view.

[0016] Figure 10 It is a diagram showing a sealing portion of an ink tank.

[0017] Figure 11A 、 Figure 11B Includes a perspective view of the ink inlet member and the ink outlet member.

[0018] Figure 12A 、 Figure 12B A plan view including an ink inlet member and an ink outlet member.

[0019] Figures 13A-13F Includes plan views of the ink inlet member viewed from various directions.

[0020] Figures 14A-14J Included are diagrams showing the configuration of the ink inlet member.

[0021] Figures 15A-15E Includes plan views of the ink outlet member viewed from various directions.

[0022] Figure 16 It is an enlarged view of the first protrusion.

[0023] Figure 17A 、 Figure 17B Includes an enlarged view of the second protrusion.

[0024] Figure 18 It is a perspective view showing the peripheral configuration of the ink outlet member end portion in the negative D direction.

[0025] Figure 19 It is an exploded perspective view of the ink outlet component.

[0026] Figures 20A-20F Included are diagrams showing the arrangement of pad electrodes.

[0027] Figure 21A 、 Figure 21B 2 is a diagram showing the arrangement of a liquid supply portion and an electrical connection portion.

[0028] Figures 22A-22F Included are diagrams showing the arrangement of the memory device substrate at the inner surface of the memory device substrate accommodating portion.

[0029] Figure 23 It is a three-dimensional diagram of the system.

[0030] Figure 24A 、 Figure 24B Includes a front view of the system and a diagram showing the internal structure of the system.

[0031] Figure 25 It is a partially exploded perspective view of the liquid supply device.

[0032] Figure 26 It is a perspective view of the ink tank and the support unit.

[0033] Figure 27 It is an enlarged perspective view of the supporting structure.

[0034] Figures 28A-28C Included are diagrams showing the manner in which the ink tank is placed on the supporting unit.

[0035] Figures 29A-29D Included are diagrams showing how the support unit, with the ink tank placed thereon, is mounted into the slot.

[0036] Figure 30 It is a diagram showing a sealing portion of an ink tank.

[0037] Figure 31 It is a diagram showing a sealing portion of an ink tank. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] From an environmental perspective, the inventors of the present disclosure considered it necessary to reduce the amount of plastic used in ink tanks. As one approach, instead of providing a spacer member to position the outlet of the ink outlet tube in the center of the bag, as in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2021-014091, they have investigated providing the ink outlet near the end of the bag. In other words, they have investigated supplying ink to the outside from the other end (the end facing the inside of the bag) of an ink supply member / ink supply portion provided at one end of the bag.

[0039] However, it was discovered that this configuration of the ink tank causes other new problems. More specifically, it was discovered that if the ink tank is dropped with the ink supply member facing downward, the ink supply member deforms due to the impact of the drop, causing it to become trapped in the bag. This deformation can cause the bag to rupture due to stress, leading to problems such as ink leakage.

[0040] The present disclosure provides an ink tank capable of suppressing deformation that may cause an ink supply portion to sink into a bag when the ink tank is dropped, etc., and a recording apparatus using the ink tank. The technology described in this specification can contribute to the realization of a sustainable society, such as a decarbonized society / recycling society.

[0041] As described above, the inventors of the present disclosure have discovered a problem. Specifically, when adopting a configuration in which an ink outlet is provided near the end of a flexible ink storage portion in order to reduce the amount of plastic used in an ink tank, if the ink tank is dropped with the ink outlet member facing downward, the ink outlet member may deform due to the impact of the drop, causing it to become trapped in the ink storage portion. To address this issue, the inventors have further studied in detail the shape and arrangement of the portion having a large seal width, resulting in the present disclosure.

[0042] The following describes in detail an ink container (ink pack, ink cartridge) and a recording device according to embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments are exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and are not limited to these configurations. Furthermore, the contents described in the embodiments may be partially combined.

[0043] (I) Ink container

[0044] Figure 1 : is a perspective view of an ink container according to the present embodiment. The ink container of the present disclosure includes: an ink storage portion 1, which has flexibility and is configured to store ink internally; and an ink supply member 2, which supplies the ink stored in the ink storage portion to the outside. Note that in this specification, the term "ink" includes any liquid that can be used to form an image on a recording medium or process a recording medium by applying to the recording medium. Therefore, the "ink" in this specification is a concept that covers all liquids that can be used for recording. In addition, the concept of recording is not particularly limited, and it can be applied to industrial applications, etc. For example, it can be used in applications such as biochip production, electronic circuit printing, semiconductor substrate production, etc.

[0045] In order to describe the present disclosure, directions will first be defined. The direction of gravity when the ink container is at rest will be referred to as the positive W direction. The downward surface of the ink container when the ink container is at rest is the same as the downward surface of the ink container when the ink container is mounted on the recording device. The horizontal direction when the ink container is at rest will be referred to as the positive T direction. The direction opposite to the positive W direction will be referred to as the negative W direction, and the direction opposite to the positive T direction will be referred to as the negative T direction. In addition, the direction perpendicular to both the positive W direction and the positive T direction and the direction from one end of the ink container on which the ink supply member is provided to the other end of the ink container will be referred to as the positive D direction. Therefore, the direction in which the ink container is connected to the recording device when the ink container is mounted on the recording device is the negative D direction. In other words, the negative D direction is the direction in which the accommodating unit (described later) to accommodate the ink container is pushed into the recording device, and the positive D direction is the direction in which the accommodating unit is pulled out from the inside of the recording device to a position in which the ink container becomes loadable and removable. Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the ink tank according to the present embodiment as viewed from the positive T direction.

[0046] (1) Ink storage unit

[0047] In the present disclosure, the ink storage portion 1 has flexibility and is configured to store ink therein. As long as the ink storage portion 1 can store ink, any known structure or shape may be employed.

[0048] In this embodiment, the ink storage portion has at least: (1) a first surface (P), and (2) a second surface (Q) opposite to the first surface. The side shared by the first and second surfaces will be referred to as (3) a first side (R), and the ink supply member 2 for supplying the ink stored in the ink storage portion to the outside is provided on the first side. Figure 3 1 is a perspective view of an ink supply member according to the present embodiment. The ink supply member includes a first end portion facing the interior of the ink storage portion and a second end portion facing outward from the ink storage portion and opposite to the first end portion. Figures 4A to 4E Each shows Figure 3 The ink supply component shown. Figure 4A This is a schematic diagram viewed from the negative D direction. Figure 4B This is a schematic diagram viewed from the negative W direction. Figure 4C This is a schematic diagram viewed from the positive W direction. Figure 4D This is a schematic diagram viewed from the positive T direction. Figure 4E This is a schematic diagram viewed from the negative T direction.

[0049] In this embodiment, in addition to the first side, the first and second surfaces also share a second side (S). The second side is the side opposite the first side, and the first and second surfaces are sandwiched between the first and second sides. The second side is formed by sealing the first and second surfaces together. However, the first and second surfaces may be connected to each other, for example, via a gusseted surface.

[0050] The ink storage portion according to this embodiment further has (3) a first gusset surface (U) provided in the positive T direction and (4) a second gusset surface (V) provided in the negative T direction, such that these gusset surfaces connect the first surface and the second surface to each other. In other words, the first gusset surface and the second gusset surface are surfaces facing each other, and the first surface and the second surface are sandwiched between these gusset surfaces. Note that, instead of connecting the first surface and the second surface to each other via the gusset surfaces, the first surface and the second surface may be directly connected to each other by sealing the first surface and the second surface together.

[0051] In this embodiment, the ink storage portion has a generally rectangular shape, with its longitudinal direction corresponding to the D direction and its transverse direction corresponding to the T direction. However, the ink storage portion may have other quadrilateral shapes, such as a trapezoid or a square, or may have a polygonal shape, such as a triangle or a pentagon. The ink storage portion may have a shape with rounded corners, for example.

[0052] As a method of manufacturing the ink storage portion having such a shape, a known method can be adopted. More specifically, the ink storage portion may have a pillow shape formed by stacking two films and bonding their peripheral portions together, or it may have a gusset shape.

[0053] In the present disclosure, the ink storage portion has flexibility. In the present disclosure, “having flexibility” means flexible and foldable.

[0054] As the material of the ink storage portion, any known material can be used as long as the ink storage portion can store ink internally and has flexibility. Specific examples of the material include resin films made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide (PA), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), etc. A film having a multilayer structure in which these resin films are stacked together can be used. Alternatively, a coating film or vapor-deposited film obtained by imparting gas barrier properties or moisture barrier properties to these resin films can be used. Alternatively, a film formed by stacking a sheet or aluminum foil onto a resin film can be used. In order to store ink, a material that can suppress the evaporation of moisture contained in the ink can be used. In particular, aluminum foil can be used. The thickness of the film used to form the ink storage portion can be greater than 100 μm and less than 220 μm.

[0055] The ink storage unit can have a bag size appropriate for its capacity. For example, if the ink storage unit has a capacity of 1.5 L, the long sides of the ink storage unit are approximately 374 mm, while the short sides are approximately 180 mm. The width of the gussets provided on the longitudinal side surfaces of the ink storage unit is approximately 46 mm. If the ink storage unit has a capacity of 3.0 L, the long sides of the ink storage unit are approximately 374 mm, while the short sides are approximately 240 mm. The width of the gussets provided on the longitudinal side surfaces of the ink storage unit is approximately 80 mm.

[0056] In the present disclosure, the ridge 3 can be provided on the surface of the ink storage portion. The ridge 3 can be formed by deforming the first surface of the ink storage portion using a compressed air method, a stamping method, a vacuum method, or the like. In the present disclosure, although the ink supply member is provided at the end of the ink storage portion, without a liquid outlet tube or a spacer member such as those described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2021-014091, for example, there is a problem that the passage (flow path) through which ink flows to the ink supply member becomes blocked due to deformation of the ink storage portion as the ink stored therein is consumed. Figure 5A and Figure 5B The figures show the blocked state of the flow path in the case where no ridge is provided in this embodiment. In particular, Figure 5B In order to suppress the blockage of the flow path and to use up all the ink stored in the ink storage portion, it is useful to provide a ridge on the surface of the ink storage portion to ensure the flow path of the ink ( Figure 6A and Figure 6B ). The ridges may be provided on both the first surface and the second surface. Although the ridges may be provided at any portion on the surface of the ink storage portion to achieve their effects, the ridges need to be provided so as to intersect with an imaginary line obtained by extending the central axis of the ink supply member. Figure 7 1 is a transparent view of the ink tank according to the present embodiment as viewed from the negative W direction. Figure 7The broken line W shown in corresponds to an imaginary line obtained by extending the central axis of the ink supply member. Figure 7 In FIG, the ridge 3 is indicated by a dotted line.

[0057] In this case, when the distance from the first end portion of the ink supply member to the intersection of the ridge and the imaginary line is represented by D1 [mm] and the thickness of the first end portion of the ink supply member is represented by T1 [mm], the ratio D1 / T1 may be 5 / 8 or more and 40 / 8 or less. Figure 7 As shown, the thickness T1 of the first end portion of the ink supply member is as shown in FIG. Figure 4D In this embodiment, when the ink storage unit has a capacity of 1.5 L (each long side is approximately 374 mm, each short side is approximately 180 mm, and the width of each gusset is approximately 46 mm), the D1 [mm] of the spine is 20 mm, and the T1 [mm] is 8 mm. When the ink storage unit has a capacity of 3.0 L (each long side is approximately 374 mm, each short side is approximately 240 mm, and the width of each gusset is approximately 80 mm), the D1 [mm] of the spine is 20 mm, and the T1 [mm] is 8 mm.

[0058] In the case where the ink storage portion has (3) first gusseted surfaces and (4) second gusseted surfaces arranged in the positive T direction and the negative T direction, respectively, to connect the first surface and the second surface to each other as in the present embodiment, the first gusseted surface and the second gusseted surface each include a folded portion, the folded portion is arranged to be folded toward the inside of the ink storage portion, and the shortest distance from the vertex of the folded portion to both ends of the ridge portion can be 25 mm or less. Figure 7 , the apex of the folded portion of the gusset in this embodiment is indicated by dotted lines Y1 and Y2. In this embodiment, the distance from the apex of the folded portion of the first gusset surface to the corresponding end of the ridge and the distance from the apex of the folded portion of the second gusset surface to the corresponding end of the ridge are both 0 mm.

[0059] The length of the ridge portion may be 80 mm or longer. Forming the ridge portion longer helps to use up the ink present at the ends of the ink storage portion in the positive T direction and the negative T direction.

[0060] Furthermore, the width of the ridge portion may be 2 mm or greater, and preferably 8 mm or less. The height of the ridge portion may be 0.5 mm or greater, and preferably 4.0 mm or less. By setting the width and height of the ridge portion within the above ranges, the deviation between the first surface (upper surface) and the second surface (lower surface) of the ink storage portion can be reduced, and the welding of the welded portion can be improved.

[0061] like Figures 8A-8G As shown in FIG, the cross-sectional shape of the ridge portion can be any shape as long as the ink flows. Figure 8A As shown, the cross-sectional shape of the ridge may be semi-elliptical.

[0062] like Figures 9A-9G As shown, the shape of the ridge in the plan view can be any shape as long as the effect of the present disclosure can be obtained. For example, a plurality of ridges substantially parallel to each other ( Figure 9D ), or the ridge may be locally widened ( Figure 9E In the case where multiple ridges are provided, one ridge may be provided on the first side and another ridge may be provided on the second side ( Figure 9G ).

[0063] In the present embodiment, as described above, a structure is adopted in which the ink outlet is provided near the end of the flexible ink storage portion. However, if the ink container falls with the ink supply member facing downward, a problem arises in that the ink supply member is deformed due to the impact generated by the ink container falling, thereby sinking into the ink storage portion. In order to solve this problem, for example, a method of increasing the sealing width of the sealing portion (the sealing portion between the first surface and the second surface) provided at the end of the ink storage portion over the entire side of the ink storage portion where the ink supply member is provided can be considered. This method suppresses the above-mentioned deformation. However, the amount of ink that can be stored is reduced, which is disadvantageous. Therefore, a method of providing a portion with a large sealing width only near the ink supply member is considered. However, it has been found that when the portion with a large sealing width has a rectangular shape, although the ease of sealing can be ensured, stress tends to concentrate on the corners, so that sometimes rupture occurs starting from the corners. In view of the above, the inventors of the present disclosure have further studied the shape and arrangement of the portion with a large sealing width. As a result, it was found that, as Figure 10 As shown, the sealing portion between the first and second surfaces needs to include: a first sealing portion 6 having a rectangular shape and being parallel to the first side; and a second sealing portion 7, which is provided between the first sealing portion and the ink supply member, is formed continuously with the first sealing portion in a direction parallel to the first side, and has a mountain-like shape that protrudes toward the interior of the ink storage portion. The sealing portions can be provided on both sides of the first side of the ink storage portion so that the ink supply portion is sandwiched between the sealing portions.

[0064] Furthermore, when the maximum width of the mountain-like shape is represented by W1 [mm], the mountain-like apex 8 of the second sealing portion should be positioned so that the distance W2 [mm] from the ink supply member in a direction parallel to the first side is less than W1 / 2. Furthermore, when the height of the mountain-like apex from the first side is represented by H1 [mm], the ratio of H1 to W2 (H1 / W2) should be 1.5 or greater, and preferably 1.8 or greater and 2.2 or less. As H1 increases relative to W2, the effect of suppressing the ink supply member from sinking when dropped increases.

[0065] Furthermore, when the height of the first sealing portion from the first side is represented by H2 [mm], 0.83≦(H1−H2) / H2≦1.5 may be satisfied.

[0066] Although the seal portion may be shaped like a mountain, a curved portion having a radius of curvature R of 10 mm or greater may be provided from the peak of the mountain to the outer edge of the second seal portion of the ink supply member. Preferably, the curved portion has a radius of curvature R of 10 mm or greater and 15 mm or less. Providing the curved portion further disperses the stress generated when the ink supply member is dropped.

[0067] Furthermore, an outer edge of the second sealing portion from an apex of the mountain-like shape to a connection portion where the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion are connected to each other may include a straight line portion.

[0068] As described above, the sealing portions may be provided on both sides of the ink supply member on the first side of the ink reservoir, such that the ink supply member is sandwiched between the sealing portions. In this case, the distance between the apexes of the mountain-like shape of the sealing portions provided on both sides of the ink supply member may be 70 mm to 90 mm, and preferably 75 mm to 85 mm. Furthermore, the distance between the ends of the mountain-like shape (each end closest to the ink supply portion) may be 40 mm to 70 mm, and preferably 45 mm to 60 mm.

[0069] The specific method for forming the second seal in the ink tank will now be described. The ink tank has a structure in which an ink supply member is connected to an ink storage portion formed by stacking two films and joining their peripheral portions. While the peripheral portions are being joined to form the ink storage portion, the first seal 6 is also joined. After the ink supply member is connected between the first seals, the second seal 7 is joined to complete the ink tank.

[0070] When trying to Figure 10 When the entire second sealing portion 7 shown is joined at once, if the joining area is large, sufficient joining pressure cannot be applied. If the joining pressure is insufficient, sometimes joining is performed with bubbles trapped in the joining portion. In particular, when heat is used to join films (thermal welding), bubbles expand due to the heat, causing the range of the bubbles to increase. If bubbles are generated in the joining portion, the adhesion between the films becomes insufficient. Even if each bubble is small, the generation of multiple bubbles can cause ink to leak from the ink container because the bubbles can connect to each other, allowing communication between the inside and outside of the container. In order to reduce such bubbles in the joining portion, for example, the pressing force of the weld head or the like can be increased during joining. However, when this method is adopted, the size of the device for joining is increased, or the manufacturing cost is increased.

[0071] As an alternative to avoid increasing the size or manufacturing cost of the device, e.g. Figure 30 As shown, for example, a method of bonding only the outer edge portion 71 of the second seal portion shape can be adopted. By setting the bonding area of ​​the outer edge portion 71 to be 2 mm or more from the outer edge of the mountain shape, bonding can be performed without increasing the bonding area, thereby ensuring sufficient pressure per unit area, thereby suppressing the generation of bubbles. In this embodiment, it has been found that by setting the bonding pressure per unit area to 18 N / cm 2 Note that it has been found that when the entire second seal portion 7 is bonded at once, the bonding pressure per unit area needs to be approximately doubled in order to suppress the generation of bubbles in a similar manner to the above method.

[0072] When only the outer edge portion 71 is joined as described above, a portion of the shape of the second seal portion (the inner edge portion 72 of the shape of the second seal portion) remains unjoined. In order to improve the stability of the product in use, the inner edge portion 72 may be further joined. In other words, Figure 31 As shown, it is more useful to divide the joining of the entire second sealing portion 7 into the joining of the outer edge portion 71 and the joining of the inner edge portion 72. More specifically, in the first stage, the outer edge portion 71 of the second sealing portion shape is joined, and in the second stage, the inner edge portion 72 of the second sealing portion shape is joined. When joining the inner edge portion 72, a pressure head or the like that can ensure that the joining area is equal to or slightly larger than the actual joining area can be used. Regarding the above-mentioned two-stage joining of the second sealing portion, the order of the first stage and the second stage can be reversed. In other words, the inner edge portion 72 of the second sealing portion can be joined in the first stage, and the outer edge portion 71 of the second sealing portion can be joined in the second stage.

[0073] (2) Ink supply component

[0074] In the present disclosure, the ink supply member may have any structure or shape as long as it is configured to supply the ink stored in the ink storage portion to the outside. In the present disclosure, as described above, in order to reduce the amount of plastic used in the ink tank, the ink supply member is provided on the first side of the ink storage portion. Figure 3 This is a perspective view of the ink supply member according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the ink supply member is divided into two components: an ink inlet member 4 (also called a filter housing) at the first end and an ink outlet member 5 at the second end. While the ink inlet member 4 and the ink outlet member 5 are attachable to and detachable from each other, they may be integrally formed. Figure 11A 、 Figure 11B including a perspective view showing a case where the ink supply member is divided into two members, the ink inlet member 4 and the ink outlet member 5, Figure 12A 、 Figure 12BThe present invention includes a plan view showing a case where the ink supply member is divided into two members, namely, the ink inlet member 4 and the ink outlet member 5. In particular, Figure 12A is a plan view viewed from the negative W direction (top view of the operating position), Figure 12B This is a plan view viewed from the positive W direction (bottom view in the operating position).

[0075] (2-1) Ink inlet component, filter housing

[0076] The ink inlet member serving as a member of the ink supply member may be configured at least so that the ink stored in the ink storage portion is introduced into the ink inlet member, and may have at least the inlet 9 . 13A to 13F Each figure shows the ink inlet member 4 . Figure 13A This is a schematic diagram viewed from the negative D direction. Figure 13B This is a schematic diagram viewed from the positive D direction. Figure 13C This is a schematic diagram viewed from the negative W direction. Figure 13D This is a schematic diagram viewed from the positive W direction. Figure 13E This is a schematic diagram viewed from the positive T direction. Figure 13F This is a schematic diagram viewed from the negative T direction.

[0077] In particular, when the ink container is left standing, the concentration of the ink in the ink storage portion may become uneven. In this case, if the ink with a high concentration is supplied to the recording device, there is a possibility of problems such as reduced discharge stability. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the increase in the ink concentration near the ink inlet member. For example, it is possible to provide a mechanism for stirring the inside of the ink container. However, in this case, the container becomes complicated, which is disadvantageous. Figures 14A-14J Modifications of the ink inlet member in this embodiment will be described.

[0078] Please note that Figure 14A 、 Figure 14C 、 Figure 14E 、 Figure 14G and Figure 14I is a schematic plan view of the ink inlet member viewed from the negative W direction, Figure 14B 、 Figure 14D 、 Figure 14F 、 Figure 14H and Figure 14J It is a transparent schematic diagram of the ink inlet member viewed from the positive T direction.

[0079] First, if Figure 14A and Figure 14B As shown, the ink inlet member may have a first wall 10 that is located above the inlet in the direction of gravity (negative W direction) and protrudes in the positive D direction. The ink inlet member may also have a side wall 11 that is arranged so that a portion of the side wall 11 sandwiches the first wall from the positive T direction and the negative T direction. In addition, as Figure 14C and Figure 14D As shown, the ink supply member may have a second wall 12 provided at a position opposite to the inlet. In this case, a gap 13 is formed between the first wall and the second wall in the positive D direction, and as a result, ink can be injected through the gap.

[0080] like Figure 14E and Figure 14F or Figure 14G and Figure 14H As shown, the second wall end in the positive W direction and / or the second wall end in the negative W direction may have a cutout 14. Providing the cutout ensures a flow path for ink between the ink inlet member and the ink storage portion even when the ink storage portion deforms due to consumption of ink stored therein, and the upper surface (first surface) and lower surface (second surface) of the ink storage portion subsequently come into close contact with each other. In this case, the area of ​​the cutout formed at the positive W direction end may be larger than the area of ​​the cutout formed at the negative W direction end. When the ink container is left standing, the ink concentration sometimes becomes higher in the positive W direction, which is the direction of gravity, than in the negative W direction. In this case, ink with a higher concentration becomes more viscous and, therefore, more difficult to aspirate. Therefore, by increasing the size of the cutout in the positive W direction, where ink is less easily aspirated, ink can be aspirated in a ratio close to 1:1 via the cutouts in the positive and negative directions.

[0081] In addition, if Figure 14I and Figure 14J As shown, a third wall 15 may be provided that protrudes from the second wall in the negative D direction. In this case, a gap may be formed between the first wall and the third wall in the positive W direction. In addition, the third wall may be provided at a position offset in the positive W direction relative to the first wall. In this case, a configuration may also be adopted in which the end portion of the second wall in the positive W direction and / or the end portion of the second wall in the negative W direction may have a cutout. Note that Figure 14I and Figure 14J It is a schematic representation Figures 13A-13F Schematic diagram of the illustrated embodiment.

[0082] While the ink within the ink storage unit is obviously processed to prevent foreign matter such as dust from mixing with it, the ink storage unit can function as a filter to prevent foreign matter accidentally mixed in during the manufacturing process from moving to the recording device. As described above, by narrowing the gap between the walls, the ink storage unit can function as a filter. Alternatively, a wire mesh filter or the like can be installed as the actual filter. More specifically, a filter can be provided to connect the second wall and the wall having the inlet to each other. Although the filter can be provided on only one side, by providing a filter in both the positive W direction and the negative W direction, the incorporation of foreign matter can be more effectively suppressed.

[0083] In a direction perpendicular to the first side of the ink storage portion, the end of the ink inlet member (the first end of the ink supply member) may be located within 60 mm of the first side, preferably within 52 mm of the first side, and more preferably at least 40 mm from the first side. Furthermore, when the distance from the first side of the ink storage portion to the first end of the ink supply member is represented by T2 [mm], and the distance from the first side to the second side is represented by T3 [mm], the ratio T2 / T3 may be 1 / 10 or more and 3 / 10 or less.

[0084] (2-2) Ink outlet component

[0085] Figures 15A to 15E The ink outlet members 5 are shown separately. Figure 15A This is a schematic diagram viewed from the negative D direction. Figure 15B This is a schematic diagram viewed from the negative W direction. Figure 15C This is a schematic diagram viewed from the positive W direction. Figure 15D This is a schematic diagram viewed from the positive T direction. Figure 15E This is a schematic diagram viewed from the negative T direction.

[0086] The ink outlet member may include first protrusions 16, one of which protrudes in the positive T-direction and the other in the negative T-direction. Each first protrusion 16 may be located at an end of the ink outlet member in the negative W-direction (the end located on the upper side when the ink container is at rest, the end facing the first surface of the ink storage portion). By providing these first protrusions, each of these first protrusions can function as a handle when a user grips the ink container. This simple mechanism allows the user to grip the ink container, thereby reducing the amount of plastic used in the ink container. From this perspective, the width (protrusion width, protrusion amount) of each first protrusion in the T-direction can be 3.0 mm or less. Furthermore, the width (thickness) of each first protrusion in the W-direction can be 3.0 mm or less. To ensure grip strength, the lower limit of each first protrusion can be 1.0 mm or greater. Figure 16 This is an enlarged plan view of one of the first protrusions 16 as viewed from the negative D direction. Figure 16 , the width (protrusion width, protrusion amount) of the first protrusion in the T direction is represented by L3, and the thickness of the first protrusion in the W direction is represented by T3.

[0087] The ink supply member may further include second protrusions 17, one of which protrudes in the positive T-direction and the other in the negative T-direction. Each second protrusion 17 may be provided at an end of the ink supply member in the positive W-direction (the end located on the lower side when the ink tank is at rest, the end facing the second surface of the ink storage portion). Providing these second protrusions facilitates positioning the ink tank relative to the recording device when it is mounted on the recording device. The width (protrusion width, amount) of each second protrusion in the T-direction may be 3.0 mm to 10.0 mm, preferably 5.0 mm to 9.0 mm. Furthermore, the width (thickness) of each second protrusion in the W-direction may be 3.0 mm to 20.0 mm, preferably 5.0 mm to 16.0 mm. Furthermore, the width of each second protrusion in the D-direction may be 3.0 mm to 10.0 mm, preferably 5.0 mm to 10.0 mm. Figure 17A FIG is an enlarged perspective view of the second protrusion 17. Figure 17A In FIG, the width (protrusion width, protrusion amount) of the second protrusion in the T direction is represented by L4. The width (thickness) of the second protrusion in the W direction is represented by T4. The width of the second protrusion in the D direction is represented by W4. Figure 17B This is an enlarged plan view of one of the first protrusions 16 and one of the second protrusions 17 as viewed from the negative W direction (a plan view of the use position). Figure 17B , the width of the first protrusion in the D direction is represented by W3.

[0088] In particular, the amount of protrusion of each second protrusion in the positive T-direction (and the negative T-direction) can be greater than the amount of protrusion of each first protrusion, that is, L3 < L4 can be satisfied. This relationship allows the user to visually check the ends of the second protrusions from above for positioning while gripping the first protrusions when mounting the ink tank on the recording device, thus facilitating the installation process (improving visibility during installation). Furthermore, in the positive D-direction, the width W3 of each first protrusion can be greater than the width W4 of each second protrusion, that is, W4 < W3 can be satisfied, making it easier for the user to grip the ink tank when mounting it on the recording device.

[0089] The ratio (L3 / L4) of the protrusion amount L3 of each first protrusion in the T direction to the protrusion amount L4 of each second protrusion in the T direction may be 1 / 10 or more and less than 1, and preferably 1 / 10 or more and 1 / 3 or less.

[0090] The ratio (W4 / W3) of the width W4 of each second protrusion in the D direction to the width W3 of each first protrusion in the D direction may be 3 / 22 or more and less than 1, and preferably 5 / 22 or more and 10 / 22 or less.

[0091] Furthermore, in the W direction, a ratio (T3 / T4) of the width (thickness) T3 of each first protrusion to the width (thickness) T4 of each second protrusion may be 1 / 16 or more and 3 / 5 or less.

[0092] Although each of the first protrusion and the second protrusion may have any shape when viewed from the negative W direction, the shape of each of the first protrusions when viewed from the negative W direction may be a shape tapering toward the positive D direction, such as Figure 17B The shape of each second protrusion when viewed from the negative W direction may be a shape without corners.

[0093] Furthermore, the shape of each first protrusion when viewed from the negative D direction may be a shape that tapers toward the negative W direction (the direction toward the upper surface in the use position), such as Figure 16 This is to make it easier for the user's fingers to grip the first protrusion when taking it from the negative W direction.

[0094] Liquid supply part, electrical connection part

[0095] like Figure 18 As shown, the ink outlet member includes a liquid supply portion (ink supply portion) 18, which is configured to supply liquid when connected to a liquid inlet portion 1005 included in the device body described later. The liquid supply portion can be provided at an end of the ink outlet member in the negative D direction, that is, at an end of the ink tank in the negative D direction.

[0096] The liquid supply portion may have any configuration as long as it has the opening 19 and can supply liquid by inserting the liquid inlet portion of the device body into the opening. Although the opening may have any shape, it may have a circular shape (including an elliptical shape).

[0097] When the liquid inlet portion of the apparatus body is not inserted (i.e., before the ink tank is used), the liquid supply portion may be provided with a seal, a valve, or the like to prevent ink from leaking to the outside. The seal and the valve may have any known structure, examples of which include a valve spring structure and a slit valve. Figure 19 2 is an exploded perspective view of the ink outlet assembly. In this embodiment, the ink outlet assembly includes a valve mechanism 23 that opens and closes in response to the installation of the ink outlet assembly to the apparatus body. More specifically, the opening and closing mechanism is provided by using an urging member 25, such as a spring, to press a valve 26 against an elastic sealing member 24.

[0098] Alternatively, a mechanism may be employed in which the opening is covered with a film 27 or the like before use by the user, and the film is torn by inserting the liquid inlet portion of the device body into the opening, thereby establishing fluid communication between the device body and the interior of the ink storage portion. With such a mechanism, it is possible to effectively suppress ink leakage to the outside before use.

[0099] like Figure 18 As shown, the ink outlet member includes an electrical connection portion 20 configured to be functionally connected to an electrical contact 1010 included in the device body and described later. More specifically, the electrical connection portion is a memory device substrate accommodating portion 22 that accommodates a memory device substrate 21. A memory device substrate is a chip-like substrate containing a memory device (storage element) that stores information regarding ink color, remaining ink level, and so on. The memory device substrate is provided with a plurality of pad electrodes 28, each of which contacts an electrical contact of the device body, thereby enabling electrical connection to the electrical contact. Note that the pad electrodes and the memory device substrate can be arranged spaced apart from each other, in which case they can be electrically connected to each other via wiring, etc. In practice, the electrical contacts of the device body are directly connected to the pad electrodes. Therefore, the electrical contacts of the device body are inserted into the memory device substrate accommodating portion and contact the pad electrodes to achieve electrical connection. Although four pad electrodes are provided in this embodiment, the number of pad electrodes is not limited to four, and any necessary number of pad electrodes can be provided. Furthermore, for the arrangement of the plurality of pad electrodes and the shape of each pad electrode, any known configuration may be employed. Figures 20A-20F Schematically shows an example of arrangement of a plurality of pad electrodes when the pad electrodes are viewed from a direction perpendicular to the substrate. Figure 20B and Figure 20C As shown in FIG, the arrangement of the pad electrodes can be left-right asymmetric. Figure 20D As shown, the pad electrodes can be arranged in two rows, for example in the vertical direction. Figure 20E and Figure 20F As shown, each pad electrode may have a shape other than a rectangle. Figure 20B As shown in , the plurality of pad electrodes may be arranged such that the center of gravity of the plurality of pad electrodes as a whole does not coincide with the center of gravity of the memory device substrate.

[0100] The electrical connection portion or the memory device substrate and the memory device substrate accommodating portion may be provided at the end of the ink outlet member in the negative D direction, i.e., at the end of the ink container in the negative D direction. Although the electrical connection portion or the memory device substrate accommodating portion may have any shape, it may be a quadrilateral shape, and in particular, it may be a rectangular shape having long sides and short sides. The memory device substrate may be configured to be accommodated in at least the memory device substrate accommodating portion, and may have a quadrilateral shape similar to the electrical connection portion or the memory device substrate accommodating portion. The memory device substrate may have a rectangular shape or a square shape.

[0101] In this case, the electrical connection portion may be arranged so that, when the electrical connection portion is projected onto a plane orthogonal to the ink tank mounting direction (negative D direction), the long side of the projected portion of the electrical connection portion intersects the direction of gravity (negative W direction) when the ink tank is mounted on the apparatus main body and in the mounted position at an angle of less than 90 degrees. Furthermore, the storage device substrate accommodating portion may be arranged so that the long side of the storage device substrate accommodating portion at the end surface of the ink outlet member (i.e., the end surface facing the negative D direction) intersects the direction of gravity (negative W direction) when the ink tank is mounted on the apparatus main body and in the mounted position at an angle of less than 90 degrees.

[0102] In other words, when viewed from the ink tank installation direction (negative D direction), the electrical connection portion or the storage device substrate accommodating portion is arranged at an angle (hereinafter referred to as an "inclined arrangement"). Conventional ink tanks do not employ this inclined arrangement (hereinafter referred to as a "horizontal arrangement"), and the projection of the electrical connection portion or the long side of the storage device substrate accommodating portion does not intersect the direction of gravity (negative W direction) at the installation location, or intersect at 90 degrees with the direction of gravity at the installation location. This inclined arrangement prevents ink from leaking from the liquid supply portion and flowing into the electrical connection portion or the storage device substrate. Furthermore, the inclined arrangement of the electrical connection portion or the storage device substrate accommodating portion reduces the size of the ink outlet member, which is advantageous from the perspective of reducing the amount of plastic used. More specifically, with the conventional horizontal arrangement, the ink outlet member must also increase in size as the size of the storage device substrate used increases. However, the inclined arrangement allows the ink outlet member to be arranged while maintaining the same size.

[0103] like Figure 21A 、 Figure 21BAs shown schematically, when viewed from the ink tank installation direction (negative D direction), the liquid supply portion can be arranged offset in the positive W direction relative to the electrical connection portion or the storage device substrate and storage device substrate accommodating portion, as a positional relationship in the direction of gravity (negative W direction). Here, the phrase "offset" can refer to a positional relationship in which the center of gravity 29 of the liquid supply portion (the center of the circle if the opening is circular) is positioned further in the positive W direction than the center of gravity 30 of the electrical connection portion or the storage device substrate accommodating portion (the intersection of the diagonals if the storage device substrate accommodating portion is rectangular). This arrangement prevents ink from leaking from the liquid supply portion, even if it leaks into the electrical connection portion or the storage device substrate.

[0104] Furthermore, although the electrical connection portion or the storage device substrate receiving portion is arranged obliquely as described above, in the case where the electrical connection portion or the storage device substrate receiving portion is rectangular, there are two possible styles of oblique arrangement relative to the liquid supply portion. The first style is as follows Figure 21A The second style is as follows: Figure 21B The electrical connection part or the storage device substrate accommodating part may be arranged tilted so that one of the short sides of the electrical connection part or the storage device substrate accommodating part is closer to the liquid supply part. According to the research conducted by the inventors of the present disclosure, a sufficient effect can be obtained by using any of these tilted arrangements. However, the first tilted arrangement can be adopted. In other words, the electrical connection part and the liquid supply part may be arranged tilted so that the distance between the long side of the projection of the electrical connection part and the liquid supply part is shorter than the distance between the short side of the projection of the electrical connection part and the liquid supply part. This is because, in this case, the lower end of the long side of the electrical connection part or the storage device substrate accommodating part in the negative W direction is positioned to be spaced apart from the liquid supply part, and therefore, the above-mentioned effect of making it difficult for ink to flow into the electrical connection part or the storage device substrate can be obtained at a higher level.

[0105] like Figure 19 As shown, the memory device substrate accommodating portion 22 may have an opening formed at the end of the ink outlet member in the negative D direction, and may be a space having a rectangular parallelepiped shape (including a cube shape) extending in the positive D direction (the direction opposite to the installation direction). The opening at the end in the negative D direction is an opening into which the electrical contacts of the device body are inserted. The memory device substrate is provided on the inner surface of the memory device substrate accommodating portion which is a rectangular parallelepiped space. In this case, the rectangular parallelepiped space has five inner surfaces, namely, a bottom surface facing the opening and four side surfaces surrounding the bottom surface. As shown in FIG. Figures 22A-22F As shown, the memory device substrate can be provided on any one of the five surfaces. 22A to 22D As shown, the memory device substrate can be provided on any one of the four side surfaces. Figure 22AAs shown, the storage device substrate may be disposed on a side surface farthest from the liquid supply portion 18 .

[0106] The memory device substrate may be directly bonded to one of the inner surfaces of the memory device substrate receiving portion, or may be disposed on the inner surface with another member interposed therebetween. Figure 22F As shown, an example of another component may be a memory device substrate holder 31 (memory device substrate supporting member). In other words, the memory device substrate is mounted on the memory device substrate holder, which is then mounted on the memory device substrate accommodating portion. In this case, the memory device substrate holder can be mounted so that it can move within the memory device substrate accommodating portion. With this configuration, when the device body's electrical contacts (the member provided with the electrical contacts) are inserted into the memory device substrate accommodating portion, the memory device substrate holder moves along the device body's member to the appropriate position, thereby more reliably achieving electrical connection between the memory device substrate and the electrical contacts. On the other hand, without this configuration, the device body's electrical contacts (the member provided with the electrical contacts) could be damaged or the memory device substrate could be scratched, depending on how the user inserts the device. This configuration also accommodates manufacturing tolerances within the device body's components, the memory device substrate accommodating portion, and the like. Furthermore, the memory device substrate holder can be biased in a specific direction by a resilient member such as a spring. In this case, the biasing direction of the memory device substrate holder can be such that the memory device substrate is pressed against the device body's electrical contacts when the electrical contacts are inserted.

[0107] (II) Recording device

[0108] As described above, the ink container according to the present disclosure is configured to be used by being housed in a recording device. The recording device may be a commonly used inkjet printer (inkjet recording device), a commercial recording device, or an industrial recording device. If the ink container is an ink pack, its ink capacity can be flexibly adjusted. Using an ink pack with a large ink capacity is beneficial for commercial or industrial recording devices used for high-volume printing or recording.

[0109] Figure 23 is a perspective view of a system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 24A is a front view of the system 100. Figure 23 and Figure 24AIn the diagram, when system 100 is placed on a horizontal surface, the left and right directions will be referred to as the X direction. The forward and backward directions will be referred to as the Y direction, and the upward and downward directions will be referred to as the Z direction. When viewing system 100 from the front, the right side corresponds to the positive X direction. The left side corresponds to the negative X direction. The front side corresponds to the positive Y direction. The rear side corresponds to the negative Y direction. The lower side (in the direction of gravity) corresponds to the positive Z direction. The upper side corresponds to the negative Z direction. Note that the positive X direction corresponds to the negative T direction mentioned above. The positive Y direction corresponds to the positive D direction mentioned above. The positive Z direction corresponds to the positive W direction mentioned above.

[0110] The system 100 according to this embodiment includes a liquid supply device 1001 and a recording device (liquid discharge device) 101, and is a recording system that records an image onto a recording medium such as a sheet by discharging ink. In this embodiment, two liquid supply devices 1001 are provided in a connected manner.

[0111] The liquid supplied from each liquid supply device 1001 to the liquid discharge device 101 is ink, and the liquid discharge device 101 is a recording device that discharges ink onto a recording medium. However, the present disclosure is not limited to recording systems and can also be applied to various liquid discharge systems that aim to discharge liquid onto a medium.

[0112] Note that the term "recording" encompasses not only the formation of meaningful information such as characters and graphics, but also includes the formation of images, designs, patterns, and the like on a recording medium, whether meaningful or meaningless, and the processing of the medium. Whether or not the information is manifested in a human-perceivable manner is unimportant. Furthermore, in this embodiment, while the "recording medium" is assumed to be a sheet of paper, it could also be cloth, plastic film, or the like.

[0113] Liquid discharge device

[0114] The liquid discharge device 101 will now be described. Figure 24B is a diagram showing the internal structure of the liquid discharge device 101. In the liquid discharge device 101, a main body 103 is supported by left and right brackets 102. Each bracket 102 is provided with a caster 102a, so that the liquid discharge device 101 can be moved on the floor relatively easily. The feeding unit 104 and the winding unit 105 are arranged below the main body 103. In the case of the present embodiment, the recording medium M is roll paper, and the feeding unit 104 has a shaft for winding the recording medium M. The winding unit 105 has a shaft for winding the recording medium M. In the case of the present embodiment, although the recording medium M is a roll sheet as an example, the recording medium M may be a cut sheet.

[0115] The main body 103 includes a transport unit 106. The transport unit 106 includes a drive roller and a driven roller. The recording medium M fed by the feed unit 104 is clamped at a nip defined between these rollers. Due to the rotation of the drive roller, the recording medium M is transported to the platen 107. The discharge head 108 is arranged to face the platen 107. The discharge head 108 is a recording head that discharges ink to form an image. Ink is discharged from the discharge head 108 onto the recording medium M that has been transported to the platen 107, so that an image is recorded on the recording medium M.

[0116] The discharge head 108 includes, for example, a discharge energy generating element, such as an electrothermal transducer element (heater) or a piezoelectric element, and discharges ink from the discharge port. In the case of an electrothermal transducer element, the heat generated by the electrothermal transducer element causes the ink to foam, and the foaming energy is utilized to discharge the ink from the discharge port. The recording method of the discharge head 108 can be either a serial scanning method or a full-line method (page width method). In the serial scanning method, the discharge head 108 is mounted on a carriage and reciprocates in the X direction. The discharge head 108 discharges ink while moving in the X direction, which is referred to as a scanning and recording operation. By alternating the transport of the recording medium M and the scanning and recording operations of the discharge head 108, an image is recorded on the recording medium M. In this embodiment, the serial scanning method is assumed. In the full-line method, the discharge head 108 extends in the X direction and records the image while continuously transporting the recording medium M.

[0117] The recording medium M on which the image has been recorded is wound by the winding unit 105. The recording medium M on which the image has been recorded is cut by a user using scissors or the like, or is automatically cut by a cutter (not shown).

[0118] The recovery unit 109 is provided at the main body 103. The recovery unit 109 is provided outside the recording area of ​​the discharge head 108 (outside the discharge area) and performs processing related to recovery and maintenance of the discharge performance of the discharge head 108. Examples of such processing include processing for preliminary discharge or suction of residual ink from the discharge port of the discharge head 108. When recovery processing is required, the discharge head 108 is moved to a position above the recovery unit 109, such as Figure 24A shown.

[0119] In this embodiment, the brackets 102 are positioned slightly outside the width of the recording medium M in both the positive and negative X directions. This allows them to support the heavier feed unit 104 and take-up unit 105 in addition to the main body 103. The main body 103 protrudes so that a first portion, including a built-in recovery unit 109, is positioned outside one of the brackets 102 in the positive X direction. The main body 103 also protrudes so that a second portion, on the opposite side of the main body 103, is positioned outside the other bracket 102 in the negative X direction. The second portion of the main body 103 houses a mechanism for moving the carriage (not shown) on which the discharge head 108 is mounted.

[0120] The operation panel 110 is provided at the front surface of the main body 103. The operation panel 110 is, for example, a touch panel, and can receive input of various settings related to recording, display the status of a recording job, and perform other operations.

[0121] The liquid discharge device 101 further includes a waste liquid box 111. The waste liquid box 111 is disposed below the end of the main body 103 on the side opposite to the side where the liquid supply device 1001 is disposed (the negative X-side). By positioning the waste liquid box 111 below the portion of the main body 103 that protrudes toward the negative X-side, the installation area of ​​the liquid discharge device 101 can be reduced.

[0122] The waste liquid (waste ink, etc.) sucked by the recovery unit 109 flows into the waste liquid box 111 and is recovered by the waste liquid box 111. The waste liquid box 111 can be arranged near the recovery unit 109. However, in the case of this embodiment, the waste liquid box 111 is arranged in the empty space below the end of the main body 103, thereby reducing the installation area of ​​the liquid discharge device 101.

[0123] Liquid supply device

[0124] Each liquid supply device 1001 is a device that supplies ink discharged from the discharge head 108 to the liquid discharge device 101. Each liquid supply device includes a box-shaped main body 1002 defining a plurality of slots 1003. The bottom surface of the main body 1002 is provided with casters 1002a, so that the liquid supply device 1001 can be moved relatively easily on the floor. The plurality of slots 1003 are arranged in the Z direction on the front surface of the main body 1002. A support unit 1004 is inserted into the slot 1003 so as to be detachable relative to the slot 1003 in the Y direction. Each support unit 1004 supports one ink tank 200.

[0125] Each slot 1003 is provided with a tube that connects a corresponding ink tank 200 and the liquid discharge device 101. These tubes are connected to the liquid discharge device 101 through a single hose 121 that encloses all the tubes. The ink contained in each ink tank 200 is supplied to the discharge head 108 via the corresponding tube.

[0126] The height of each liquid supply device 1001 is set to be lower than the lower surface of the end portion protruding toward the positive X side of the main body 103 of the liquid discharge device 101. Figure 24A As shown, the liquid supply device 1001 can be placed below the main body 103. The liquid supply device 1001 can be positioned so that the liquid supply device contacts one of the brackets 102 in the negative X direction. Figure 24A As shown, the liquid supply device 1001 can be fixed to one bracket 102 by using a connecting member 120. In the case of moving the system 100, the entire system 100 can be moved integrally as a single unit.

[0127] Because the system 100 of this embodiment includes two liquid supply devices 1001, a greater number of ink tanks 200 can be used. Providing multiple liquid supply devices 1001, as in this embodiment, is advantageous when increasing the number of ink colors for higher image quality, or when increasing the number of inks of the same color for higher productivity. In this case, by adopting a layout in which the liquid supply devices 1001 partially or completely overlap with the liquid discharge device 101 in the X direction, as in this embodiment, the installation area of ​​the system 100 can be reduced. Note that in this embodiment, one of the two liquid supply devices 1001 is completely contained within the dimensions of the liquid discharge device 101 in the X direction. Their dimensions are designed so that when two or more liquid supply devices 1001 are present, they protrude slightly from the system 100 in the positive X direction.

[0128] Ink tank and support unit

[0129] Figure 25 100 is a partially exploded perspective view of the liquid supply device 1001 , showing a state in which one of the support units 1004 is removed from the corresponding slot 1003 . Figure 25 Also shown is a state in which some side walls of the outer wall of the liquid supply device 1001 are removed to expose the internal mechanism.

[0130] Figure 26 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one of the ink containers 200 and the corresponding support unit 1004. Figures 28A-28C and Figures 29A-29D As shown, in this embodiment, each ink container 200 is placed on a corresponding support unit 1004 (according to Figure 28A 、 Figure 28B and Figure 28C ), and the supporting unit 1004 on which the ink tank 200 is placed is installed into a corresponding one of the slots 1003 (in order Figure 29A 、 Figure 29B 、 Figure 29C and Figure 29D ) so that the ink tank 200 is housed in a corresponding one of the liquid supply devices 1001. Then, as described above, ink is supplied from the liquid supply device 1001 to the liquid discharge device 101, thereby enabling image recording. The method of supplying ink from the ink tank to the liquid discharge device is not limited to that of this embodiment. For example, a system may be employed in which the ink tank is directly mounted on the liquid discharge device without using a support unit or the like.

[0131] Each slot 1003 of the main body 1002 is provided with a needle-type liquid inlet portion 1005 that is inserted into the liquid supply portion 18 of a corresponding one of the ink tanks 200, and an electrical contact 1010 that is configured to be connectable by being inserted into the electrical connection portion 20 of the corresponding ink tank 200. The needle-type liquid inlet portion 1005 and the electrical contact 1010 are provided on the rear side of the slot 1003. Figure 27 1005 and the electrical contacts 1010 are shown in a diagram of the support member 50. When the liquid inlet 1005 is inserted into the liquid supply unit 18 and connected, the valve mechanism 23 is opened due to the insertion of the liquid inlet 1005. The liquid inlet 1005 is supported by the block-shaped support member 50 and connected to the tube 51. The liquid inlet 1005 forms a flow path for the liquid stored in the ink storage unit 1 to flow to the liquid discharge device 101, which is the supply destination. The liquid flowing into the liquid inlet 1005 is supplied to the liquid discharge device 101 via the tube 51. An electric flow path valve 52 is provided in the middle portion of the tube 51. The opening and closing of the flow path valve 52 can close and open the tube 51. The liquid supply unit 18 may be provided with a pump, a pressure control mechanism, etc., to supply the ink contained in the ink tank 200 to the discharge head 108 via the tube 51.

[0132] Each support unit 1004 includes a support portion 40 for supporting a corresponding one of the ink tanks 200, and when viewed as a whole, the support unit 1004 is in the form of a tray on which the ink tank 200 in a horizontal position is placed. Each support unit 1004 can move approximately in the Y direction between a retracted position, in which the corresponding ink tank 200 is accommodated in the corresponding one of the main bodies 1002, and a removal position, in which the ink tank 200 is exposed to the outside of the main body 1002. Figure 25In the embodiment, one of the support units 1004 is located in the removal position, and the other support units 1004 are located in the retracted position. Each ink tank 200 can be replaced at the removal position, and the liquid contained in each ink tank 200 can be supplied to the liquid discharge device 101 at the retracted position. In the present embodiment, each support unit 1004 is separated from the slot 1003 at the removal position. However, the removal position may be a position where the end of the support unit 1004 remains in the corresponding slot 1003, and may at least be a position where each ink tank 200 can be replaced relative to the corresponding support unit 1004. In addition, each slot 1003 may be provided with a plurality of pairs of linear guides formed of one or more convex or concave shapes extending in the Y direction to guide the movement of the corresponding support unit 1004. Figures 29A-29D 1003 is a diagram showing a state in which one of the supporting units 1004 in which the corresponding ink tank 200 is placed moves from the removal position to the retracted position along the guide rail provided inside the corresponding slot 1003 .

[0133] In each support unit 1004, the support portion 40 has a placement surface 41 on which the corresponding ink tank 200 is placed. The four sides of the placement surface 41 are defined by left and right side plates 44, a front end portion 42, and a rear end portion 43. A notch portion 44a is formed in each side plate 44. The rear end portion 43 has a recessed portion 43a for arranging the outlet member 201. The support portion 40 may include a positioning member configured to engage with a positioning portion included in the ink outlet member 5 of the ink tank 200. More specifically, the positioning member has a concave shape that can engage with the second protrusion of the ink supply member of the ink tank, as described above. Figure 28A and Figure 28B 4 is a diagram showing the engagement of the second protrusion of the ink outlet member 5 with the recess of the support portion 40 .

[0134] While the present disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the present disclosure 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. An ink container, configured to be detachable relative to a device body of a recording device, the ink container comprising: An ink storage portion having flexibility and configured to store ink therein, the ink storage portion comprising: (1) First surface, (2) a second surface opposite to the first surface, and (3) a first edge shared by the first surface and the second surface; and an ink supply portion disposed on a first side of the ink storage portion and configured to supply the ink stored in the ink storage portion to the apparatus body, wherein the sealing portion between the first surface and the second surface is disposed on a first side of the ink supply portion, The sealing part includes: a first sealing portion having a rectangular shape and parallel to the first side, and a second sealing portion provided between the first sealing portion and the ink supply portion and formed continuously with the first sealing portion in a direction parallel to the first side, the second sealing portion having a mountain-like shape protruding toward the inside of the ink storage portion, and Here, when the maximum width of the mountain shape is represented by W1 [mm], the vertex of the mountain shape of the second sealing portion is positioned so that the distance W2 [mm] from the ink supply portion in the direction parallel to the first side is less than W1 / 2.

2. The ink container according to claim 1, in, The ink supply portion includes a first end portion facing the inside of the ink storage portion and a second end portion facing the outside of the ink storage portion and opposite to the first end portion, and The first end of the ink supply portion is positioned within 60 mm of the first side of the ink storage portion in a direction perpendicular to the first side.

3. The ink container according to claim 1, in, When the height of the vertex of the mountain-like shape from the first side is represented by H1 [mm], the ratio H1 / W2 is 1.8 or more and 2.2 or less.

4. The ink container according to claim 1, in, When the height of the first seal portion from the first side is represented by H2 [mm] and the height of the vertex of the mountain-like shape of the second seal portion from the first side is represented by H1 [mm], 0.83≤(H1−H2) / H2≤1.5 is satisfied.

5. The ink container according to claim 1, in, A curved portion having a curvature radius R of 10 mm or more and 15 mm or less is included from the vertex of the mountain-like shape to the outer edge of the second sealing portion of the ink supply portion.

6. The ink container according to claim 5, in, The outer edge of the second sealing portion from the vertex of the mountain-like shape to the connecting portion where the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion are connected to each other includes a straight line portion.

7. The ink container according to claim 1, in, The at least one sealing portion includes a plurality of sealing portions provided on both sides of the ink supply portion at a first side of the ink storage portion so as to sandwich the ink supply portion therebetween.

8. A recording device comprising: Device body; and The ink container is configured to be detachable relative to the device body, The ink tank is the ink tank according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

Images