Ink container

Abstract

The invention provides an ink container using recycled plastic. The ink storage container includes: a liquid receiving portion which is made of a raw plastic material and is in contact with the stored ink; and a non-liquid-contact part which is made of a material containing recycled plastic and is not in contact with the ink.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a technology for an ink storage container. Background Art

[0002] An ink-replenishing type inkjet printer used to replenish ink into an ink tank is known. Patent Document 1 discloses an ink storage container used to replenish ink into an ink-replenishing type ink tank.

[0003] In recent years, the use of recycled plastics in ink containers has become increasingly popular, driven by the need to build a recycling-oriented society. However, understanding the composition of recycled plastics, generated from a mixture of multiple types of waste plastics, is difficult. Consequently, the inventors have discovered that ink containers made of recycled plastics can be dissolved by the ink they contain, potentially affecting the ink.

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-18712 Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an ink container is provided. The ink container includes a liquid-contacting portion made of virgin plastic material and in contact with contained ink, and a non-liquid-contacting portion made of a material containing recycled plastic and not in contact with the ink. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Figure 1 A three-dimensional diagram of the printer.

[0007] Figure 2 This is a perspective view showing a state in which ink is replenished into an ink tank using an ink storage container.

[0008] Figure 3 This is a front view of the ink container in an upright position.

[0009] Figure 4 A perspective view showing the inside of the cap.

[0010] Figure 5 It is a perspective view showing the ink outlet portion in the second embodiment.

[0011] Figure 6 It is a perspective view showing an ink outlet portion in a third embodiment.

[0012] Figure 7 It is a perspective view showing the inner side of the cap in the third embodiment.

[0013] Figure 8 It is a front view showing the main body portion in the fourth embodiment.

[0014] Figure 9 It is a perspective view showing the inside of the ink outlet portion in the fourth embodiment.

[0015] Figure 10 It is a cross-sectional view showing the main body portion in the fifth embodiment.

[0016] Figure 11 It is a cross-sectional view showing the main body portion in the sixth embodiment.

[0017] Figure 12 It is a perspective view showing an ink outlet portion in a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] A. First embodiment:

[0019] Figure 1 2 is a perspective view showing a printer 200 in this embodiment. The printer 200 is an inkjet printer that prints by ejecting ink onto a printing medium. Figure 1 In FIG, mutually orthogonal XYZ axes are depicted. The X axis corresponds to the width direction of the printer 200, the Y axis corresponds to the depth direction of the printer 200, and the Z axis corresponds to the height direction of the printer 200. The printer 200 is set on a horizontal installation surface defined by the X axis direction and the Y axis direction. These axes correspond to Figure 1 The axis shown below.

[0020] The printer 200 includes a housing 210. A carriage (not shown) is mounted within the housing 210, movable in the main scanning direction (X-axis direction). A print head is mounted on the carriage, which ejects ink onto a print medium. An ink tank storage unit 220 is located at one end of the front surface of the housing 210, housing a plurality of ink tanks 300. An openable and closable lid 221 is located above the ink tank storage unit 220. Each ink tank 300 is an ink replenishing type, which is replenished from the ink storage container 100 when the remaining ink level decreases.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a perspective view showing the state of replenishing ink into the ink tank 300 using the ink container 100. The front surface of each ink tank 300 is formed of a transparent member, so that the remaining amount of ink in each ink tank 300 can be visually observed from the outside. When the remaining amount of ink becomes low, as shown in FIG. Figure 2 As shown, by opening the cover 221 , ink can be replenished from the ink inlet flow path member 310 of the ink tank 300 .

[0022] Figure 3This is a front view of the ink container 100 in an upright position. The upright position of the ink container 100 refers to a state in which the ink container 100 is placed on a horizontal surface such as a table with the bottom portion 13 of the main body 10 facing downward. Figure 2 As shown, the ink tank 300 is replenished with ink in an inverted position with the top end of the ink container 100 facing downward. The ink container 100 stores the ink to be replenished to the ink tank 300 .

[0023] The ink container 100 includes a liquid-contacting portion that contacts the ink contained therein, and a non-liquid-contacting portion that does not contact the ink. The liquid-contacting portion is made of a virgin plastic material. Virgin plastic material is a new material produced without the presence of additives. The liquid-contacting portion is made of a virgin plastic material that is insoluble in the contained ink. The non-liquid-contacting portion is made of a material containing recycled plastic. Recycled plastic is a plastic produced from waste plastic and composed of a mixture of multiple plastics. Materials containing recycled plastic include not only materials composed solely of recycled plastic but also materials composed of a mixture of virgin plastic and recycled plastic. In this embodiment, the liquid-contacting portion is part of the main body 10, ink outlet 20, and cap 30, which will be described later. The non-liquid-contacting portion is another part of the cap 30, which will be described later.

[0024] In this embodiment, the ink container 100 is composed of a main body 10, an ink outlet 20, and a cap 30. The main body 10 is a component capable of storing ink. The main body 10 is a cylindrical bottle-shaped component and has an opening 11 communicating with the ink outlet 20, a bottom 13, and a side surface 12 connecting the opening 11 and the bottom 13.

[0025] The ink outlet portion 20 is connected to the main body 10 and is configured to allow ink to flow out of the ink container 100. The ink outlet portion 20 includes a barrel 21 having an internal ink outflow passage. An ink inlet flow channel component 310 is inserted into the barrel 21 when ink is replenished in the ink tank 300. A valve (not shown) is mounted inside the barrel 21. This valve is opened by inserting the ink inlet flow channel component 310 into the barrel 21 and closed by removing the ink inlet flow channel component 310 from the barrel 21. In this embodiment, the ink outlet portion 20 is a separate component from the main body 10. The ink outlet portion 20 is mounted on the main body 10. The cap 30 is mounted on the ink outlet portion 20. In this embodiment, the cap 30 is mounted to cover the ink outlet portion 20.

[0026] Figure 4This is a three-dimensional view showing the inside of the cap 30. The cap 30 has a first sealing portion 31 that seals the ink outlet. When the cap 30 is attached to the ink outlet 20, the ink outlet 20 and the first sealing portion 31 abut against each other, thereby preventing ink leakage. The first sealing portion 31 constitutes part of the liquid-contacting portion. Specifically, the first sealing portion 31 is formed from virgin plastic. The portion of the cap 30 other than the first sealing portion 31 constitutes the non-liquid-contacting portion. Specifically, the portion of the cap 30 other than the first sealing portion 31 is formed from a material containing recycled plastic.

[0027] According to the ink container 100 of the present embodiment described above, since the material containing recycled plastic that may be dissolved by the ink does not come into contact with the ink, the ink container 100 can be prevented from being dissolved by the ink. Therefore, the ink contained in the ink container 100 can be prevented from being affected.

[0028] Furthermore, in the ink container 100, the first sealing portion 31 forms part of the liquid-contacting portion, while the portion of the cap 30 other than the first sealing portion 31 forms the non-liquid-contacting portion. This prevents the material containing recycled plastic from coming into contact with the ink, thus preventing the cap 30 from being dissolved by the ink. This, in turn, minimizes any effects on the contained ink.

[0029] B. Second embodiment:

[0030] Figure 5 1 is a perspective view showing the ink outlet portion 20B in the second embodiment. The ink storage container 100 in the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the ink outlet portion 20B has an identification portion 40 , but the other structures are the same.

[0031] The identification portion 40 is located on the outer periphery of the ink outlet 20 and serves to identify the type of ink. In this embodiment, the identification portion 40 has a different shape depending on the type of ink. The difference in shape of the identification portion 40 corresponding to the type of ink is not limited to differences that can be easily perceived visually. For example, if the identification portion 40 has a shape that fits into a recessed portion provided around the ink inlet flow path component 310 of the corresponding ink tank 300, the difference in shape of the identification portion 40 corresponding to the type of ink need only be sufficient to prevent the identification portion 40 from fitting into a recessed portion provided around the ink inlet flow path component 310 of a non-corresponding ink tank 300. More specifically, the identification portion 40 has a shape such that an ink container 100 for replenishing yellow ink fits into the recessed portion corresponding to the ink tank 300, while an ink container 100 for replenishing other colors of ink, such as magenta or cyan, cannot fit into this recessed portion. Furthermore, the identification portion 40 constitutes a non-liquid contact portion. That is, the identification portion 40 is formed of a material containing recycled plastic.

[0032] In the ink container 100 of the second embodiment described above, the identification portion 40, which does not come into contact with ink, is made of a material containing recycled plastic. This prevents the recycled plastic material from coming into contact with the ink and dissolving. This prevents the ink contained in the container from being affected.

[0033] C. Third embodiment:

[0034] Figure 6 It is a perspective view showing an ink outlet portion 20C in the third embodiment. Figure 7 The ink container 100 of the third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the ink outlet portion 20C has a first engaging portion 22 and the cap 30C has a second engaging portion 32, but the other structures are the same.

[0035] The first engaging portion 22 is provided on the outer periphery of the ink outlet portion 20C. The first engaging portion 22 is a portion that engages with the second engaging portion 32. That is, the ink outlet portion 20C engages with the cap 30C via the first engaging portion 22 and the second engaging portion 32. In this application, the concept of "engaging" includes not only the situation where a certain component engages with other components, but also the situation where they are engaged together, for example, by screwing. In this embodiment, the ink outlet portion 20C engages with the cap 30C by screwing the first engaging portion 22 and the second engaging portion 32 together. In addition, the first engaging portion 22 and the second engaging portion 32 constitute a non-liquid contact portion. That is, the first engaging portion 22 and the second engaging portion 32 are formed of a material containing recycled plastic.

[0036] In addition, in this embodiment, the wall portion 23 of the ink outlet portion 20C where the first engaging portion 22 is formed is also a part of the first engaging portion 22 and constitutes a non-liquid contact portion. Figure 6 The grid hatched areas are marked in the figure.

[0037] In addition, in this embodiment, the cap wall portion 33 of the cap 30C where the second engaging portion 32 is formed is also a part of the second engaging portion 32 and constitutes a non-liquid contact portion. Figure 7 Furthermore, although the threads of the second engaging portion 32 are formed intermittently in the circumferential direction, they may be formed continuously in the circumferential direction.

[0038] In the ink container 100 of the third embodiment described above, the first engaging portion 22 and the second engaging portion 32, which do not come into contact with the ink, are formed from a material containing recycled plastic. This prevents the recycled plastic material from coming into contact with the ink and dissolving. Consequently, it is possible to minimize any effects on the contained ink.

[0039] D. Fourth embodiment:

[0040] Figure 8 It is a front view showing a main body 10D in the fourth embodiment. Figure 9 This is a perspective view showing the inside of the ink outlet portion 20D in the fourth embodiment. The ink container 100 in the fourth embodiment differs from the third embodiment in that it includes a fixing mechanism 50, and that the main body 10D includes a third engaging portion 14, and the ink outlet portion 20D includes a fourth engaging portion 24 and a second sealing portion 26. The other structures are identical.

[0041] In this embodiment, the third engaging portion 14 is provided on the outer periphery of the main body 10D, between the opening 11 and the first engaging portion 51. The fourth engaging portion 24 is provided on the inner periphery of the ink outlet 20D, between the cylindrical portion 21 and the second engaging portion 52. The third engaging portion 14 is the portion that engages with the fourth engaging portion 24. Specifically, the main body 10D engages with the ink outlet 20D via the third and fourth engaging portions 14, 24. In this embodiment, the main body 10D engages with the ink outlet 20D by threading the third and fourth engaging portions 14, 24 together. The third and fourth engaging portions 14, 24 constitute the non-liquid-contacting portion. Specifically, the third and fourth engaging portions 14, 24 are formed from a material containing recycled plastic.

[0042] In addition, in this embodiment, the tubular wall portion 25 at the location where the fourth engaging portion 24 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the ink outlet portion 20D is also a part of the fourth engaging portion 24 and constitutes a non-liquid contact portion. Figure 9 The outer peripheral surface of the tubular wall portion 25 in this embodiment is the same as that of the tubular wall portion 25. Figure 6 The wall portion 23 of a portion of the first engaging portion 22 shown is identical, and both the inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the tubular wall portion 25 constitute a non-liquid contact portion.

[0043] The second sealing portion 26 seals the opening 11 when the third engaging portion 14 and the fourth engaging portion 24 are engaged. The second sealing portion 26 is an annular convex portion that is in close contact with the inner circumference of the opening 11, thereby sealing the opening 11. Therefore, since the second sealing portion 26 can suppress the leakage of ink, it is possible to avoid the third engaging portion 14 and the fourth engaging portion 24 from contacting the ink. In addition, the second sealing portion 26 can also be in close contact with the outer circumference of the opening 11 instead of in close contact with the inner circumference of the opening 11, or can be in close contact with the inner and outer circumference of the opening 11 by sandwiching the top end of the opening 11, thereby sealing. In addition, the second sealing portion 26 can also be a gasket that contacts the top end of the opening 11 instead of an annular convex portion.

[0044] The fixing mechanism 50 is a mechanism for fixing the ink outlet portion 20 to the main body 10D. The fixing mechanism 50 includes a first latching portion 51 disposed on the outside of the main body 10D and a second latching portion 52 disposed on the ink outlet portion 20. In this embodiment, a ratchet mechanism is used as the fixing mechanism 50. The first latching portion 51 is the pawl portion of the ratchet mechanism. The second latching portion 52 is the tooth portion of the ratchet mechanism. When the outlet opening side of the barrel 21 of the ink outlet portion 20 is facing upward, the second latching portion 52 is located below the second sealing portion 26 and the fourth engaging portion 24 and is formed along the entire inner circumference of the ink outlet portion 20. The second latching portion 52 also includes a peripheral wall having a tooth portion formed thereon, and may also include not only the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall but also the outer peripheral surface.

[0045] In this embodiment, when the third engaging portion 14 and the fourth engaging portion 24 are engaged by threaded fastening, the ink outlet portion 20D is engaged with the main body 10D. Thus, since the first latching portion 51 and the second latching portion 52 engage, rotation in the reverse direction of loosening the thread is restricted, and the ink outlet portion 20 is fixed to the main body 10D. In this fixed state, the first latching portion 51 and the second latching portion 52 are located outside the main body 10D. That is, when the ink outlet portion 20 is fixed to the main body 10D by the fixing mechanism 50, the fixing mechanism 50 is located outside the main body 10D. Therefore, the fixing mechanism 50 constitutes a non-liquid-contacting portion. Therefore, the fixing mechanism 50 is formed of a material containing recycled plastic. Furthermore, the fixing mechanism 50 is not limited to a ratchet mechanism and may also be a riveted mechanism.

[0046] In the ink container 100 of the fourth embodiment described above, the fixing mechanism 50, which does not come into contact with the ink, is made of a material containing recycled plastic. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the recycled plastic material from coming into contact with the ink and dissolving. This can also suppress any effects on the contained ink.

[0047] Furthermore, the third and fourth engaging portions 14 and 24, which do not come into contact with ink, are made of a material containing recycled plastic. This prevents the recycled plastic material from coming into contact with the ink and dissolving. This also prevents the ink from being affected.

[0048] E. Fifth embodiment:

[0049] Figure 10This is a cross-sectional view of the main body 10E in the fifth embodiment. The ink container 100 in the fifth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the surface layer 12b of the side surface portion 12 constitutes the non-liquid-contacting portion; otherwise, the structure is the same. The "surface layer" refers to the outer layer facing the exterior. The "inner layer" refers to the layer facing the interior of the ink container 100.

[0050] In this embodiment, the side surface portion 12 has a double-layer structure in which the inner layer 12 a is formed of virgin plastic material, and the surface layer 12 b is formed of a material containing recycled plastic.

[0051] The ink container 100 of the fifth embodiment described above has a double-layer structure on the side surface 12, resulting in greater strength than a single-layer structure. Consequently, when the ink container is gripped by a user, deformation of the ink container or ink spraying due to force applied to the side surface 12 can be suppressed. Furthermore, compared to a multi-layer structure constructed solely of virgin plastic, a greater amount of material containing recycled plastic can be used.

[0052] F. Sixth embodiment:

[0053] Figure 11 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a main body 10F in the sixth embodiment. The ink storage container 100 in the sixth embodiment differs from the fifth embodiment in that the surface layer 13b of the bottom surface portion 13 constitutes a non-liquid contact portion, but the other structures are the same.

[0054] In this embodiment, the bottom portion 13 has a double-layer structure with an inner layer 13a formed of virgin plastic and a surface layer 13b formed of a material containing recycled plastic. The surface layer 13b of the bottom portion 13 is continuous with the surface layer 13b of the side portion 12.

[0055] According to the ink container 100 of the sixth embodiment described above, the bottom portion 13 has a double-layer structure, resulting in higher strength than a single-layer bottom portion 13. Furthermore, the connection between the bottom portion 13 and the side portions 12, which tends to become thinner when the main body 10 is formed by blow molding, can be particularly reinforced, i.e., the corners of the main body 10. Furthermore, compared to a multi-layer structure composed solely of virgin plastic, a greater amount of material containing recycled plastic can be used.

[0056] G. Other implementation methods:

[0057] (G1) In the above-described embodiment, the ink storing container 100 may include a label constituting a part of the non-liquid contact portion on the outer periphery of the main body 10 .

[0058] (G2) In the above-described embodiment, the liquid contact portion and the non-liquid contact portion may be integrally formed, or the liquid contact portion and the non-liquid contact portion may be formed by combining them with other components. Furthermore, when the liquid contact portion and the non-liquid contact portion are combined with other components, the combination is preferably performed without using an adhesive.

[0059] (G3) In the first, second, third, fifth, and sixth embodiments described above, the main body 10 and the ink outlet portion 20 may be integrated.

[0060] (G4) In the second embodiment, the fourth embodiment, the fifth embodiment, and the sixth embodiment described above, the ink storing container 100 may not include the cap 30 .

[0061] (G5) In the second embodiment described above, the identification portion 40 has different shapes depending on the type of ink. This is not limiting, and the identification portion 40 may also be colored differently depending on the type of ink. For example, the identification portion 40 may be colored the same color as the ink being contained. In this case, the color of the contained ink can be easily visually confirmed.

[0062] (G6) In the second embodiment described above, it may also be set as follows: Figure 12 As shown, the identification portion 40G is provided over a portion or the entire periphery of the ink outlet portion 20G. In addition, the identification portion 40G may also include a fifth engaging portion 41 that engages with the cap 30. Figure 6 The first engaging portion 22 shown is established in a corresponding relationship.

[0063] (G7) In the fourth embodiment described above, the ink container 100 includes the fixing mechanism 50, the third engaging portion 14, the fourth engaging portion 24, and the second sealing portion 26. This is not limiting, and the ink container 100 may include only the fixing mechanism 50 and not include the third engaging portion 14 and the fourth engaging portion 24. Furthermore, the ink container 100 may not include the fixing mechanism 50.

[0064] (G8) In the fifth and sixth embodiments described above, the side surface portion 12 has a two-layer structure. This is not limiting, and the side surface portion 12 may also have a multi-layer structure with three or more layers. Furthermore, in the sixth embodiment described above, the bottom surface portion 13 has a two-layer structure. This is not limiting, and the bottom surface portion 13 may also have a multi-layer structure with three or more layers. Furthermore, only the bottom surface portion 13 may have a multi-layer structure.

[0065] (G9) In the fifth and sixth embodiments described above, the entire surface layer 12b of the side surface portion 12 constitutes the non-liquid-contact portion. However, this is not limiting, and at least a portion of the surface layer 12b of the side surface portion 12 may constitute the non-liquid-contact portion.

[0066] (G10) In the first, second, third, fifth, and sixth embodiments described above, the entire wall of the ink outlet portion 20 may be constructed as a multilayer structure having an inner layer and a surface layer. Furthermore, a portion of the ink outlet portion 20, such as the wall of the cylindrical portion 21 having an internal ink outflow passage, may be constructed as a multilayer structure having an inner layer and a surface layer. In these cases, different materials may be used for manufacturing, such as by two-color molding. Alternatively, the inner layer constituting the liquid-contacting portion may be constructed as virgin polypropylene, while the surface layer constituting the non-liquid-contacting portion may be constructed as a recycled plastic material other than polypropylene. In the fifth and sixth embodiments, the inner layer of the main body 10E and 10F may be constructed as virgin polypropylene, while the surface layer may be constructed as a material containing recycled plastic material other than polypropylene, and these may be constructed by two-color molding. Furthermore, the same manufacturing method may be employed when the ink outlet portion 20 and the main body 10 are integrally formed.

[0067] H. Other methods:

[0068] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, but can be implemented in various structures within the scope of its main purpose. For example, in order to solve part or all of the above-mentioned problems, or to achieve part or all of the above-mentioned effects, the technical features of the embodiments corresponding to the technical features in the various modes described in the invention content can be appropriately replaced or combined. In addition, as long as the technical features are not described as necessary technical features in this specification, they can be appropriately deleted.

[0069] (1) According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an ink container is provided. The ink container includes: a liquid-contacting portion formed of a virgin plastic material and in contact with the ink contained therein; and a non-liquid-contacting portion formed of a material containing recycled plastic and not in contact with the ink. According to this aspect, since the material containing recycled plastic, which may be dissolved by the ink, does not come into contact with the ink, dissolution of the ink container by the ink can be suppressed.

[0070] (2) In the above-described embodiment, the ink container may include: a main body capable of storing ink; an ink outlet portion communicating with the main body and configured to allow ink to flow out of the ink container; and a cap having a first sealing portion that closes the ink outlet portion, the first sealing portion constituting a portion of the liquid-contacting portion, and portions of the cap other than the first sealing portion constituting a portion or all of the non-liquid-contacting portion. According to this embodiment of the ink container, since the first sealing portion constitutes a portion of the liquid-contacting portion, and portions of the cap other than the first sealing portion constitute the non-liquid-contacting portion, the material containing recycled plastic does not come into contact with the ink, thereby preventing the cap from being dissolved by the ink. Consequently, it is possible to prevent the ink contained from being affected.

[0071] (3) In the above-described embodiment, the ink container may include: a main body capable of storing ink; an ink outlet portion connected to the main body and configured to allow the ink to flow out of the ink container; and an identification portion provided at at least a portion of the outer surface of the ink outlet portion, configured to identify the type of ink and constituting a portion or the entirety of the non-liquid contact portion. According to this embodiment of the ink container, the identification portion that does not come into contact with the ink is formed of a material containing recycled plastic. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the material containing recycled plastic from coming into contact with the ink and dissolving it. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the situation in which the contained ink is affected.

[0072] (4) In the above-mentioned embodiment, the ink container may include: a main body capable of storing ink; an ink outlet portion connected to the main body and configured to allow the ink to flow out of the ink container; and a cap mounted on the ink outlet portion, wherein the ink outlet portion includes a first engaging portion, the first engaging portion being arranged at least partially at the periphery of the ink outlet portion and constituting a portion or the entirety of the non-liquid-contacting portion; and the cap includes a second engaging portion, the second engaging portion engaging with the first engaging portion and constituting a portion or the entirety of the non-liquid-contacting portion. According to this embodiment of the ink container, the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion, which do not come into contact with the ink, are formed of a material containing recycled plastic. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the material containing recycled plastic from coming into contact with the ink and dissolving. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the material from affecting the contained ink.

[0073] (5) In the above-mentioned embodiment, the ink container may include: a main body capable of storing ink; an ink outlet portion, which is a separate body from the main body and communicates with the main body and is configured to allow ink to flow out of the ink container; a fixing mechanism that fixes the ink outlet portion to the main body, the fixing mechanism including: a first latching portion, which is arranged on the outside of the main body; and a second latching portion, which is arranged on the ink outlet portion and can be engaged with the first latching portion. When the second latching portion is engaged with the first latching portion to fix the ink outlet portion to the main body, the fixing mechanism is located on the outside of the main body, and the fixing mechanism constitutes part or all of the non-liquid contact portion. According to the ink container of this embodiment, the fixing mechanism that does not come into contact with the ink is formed of a material containing recycled plastic. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the material containing recycled plastic from coming into contact with the ink and dissolving. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the situation in which the contained ink is affected.

[0074] (6) In the above-mentioned embodiment, the ink container may include: a main body capable of storing ink; an ink outlet portion, which is a separate ink outlet portion that is detachable from the main body and communicates with the main body and is configured to allow ink to flow out of the ink container; the main body having an opening communicated with the ink outlet portion; a third engaging portion located outside the main body and constituting a portion or all of the non-liquid-contacting portion; the ink outlet portion having a fourth engaging portion engaged with the third engaging portion and constituting a portion or all of the non-liquid-contacting portion; and a second sealing portion that seals the opening when the third engaging portion and the fourth engaging portion are engaged. According to this embodiment of the ink container, the third engaging portion and the fourth engaging portion, which do not come into contact with the ink, are made of a material containing recycled plastic. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the material containing recycled plastic from coming into contact with the ink and dissolving. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the ink contained from being affected.

[0075] (7) In the above embodiment, the ink container may include a main body portion capable of storing ink; an ink outlet portion communicating with the main body portion and configured to allow the ink to flow out of the ink container; the main body portion including a bottom portion; and a side portion connecting the ink outlet portion and the bottom portion; at least a portion of the side portion including a plurality of layers including a double layer, one of the plurality of layers being a first surface layer facing the outside, the first surface layer constituting a portion or the entirety of the non-liquid contact portion. According to this embodiment, the ink container has a double-layer structure, and thus, strength can be improved compared to a case of a single-layer structure.

[0076] (8) In the above embodiment, the ink container may include a main body portion capable of storing ink; an ink outlet portion communicating with the main body portion and configured to allow the ink to flow out of the ink container; the main body portion including a bottom portion; and a side portion connecting the ink outlet portion and the bottom portion; at least a portion of the bottom portion including a plurality of layers including a double layer, one of the plurality of layers being a second surface layer facing the outside, the second surface layer constituting a portion or the entirety of the non-liquid contact portion. According to this embodiment, the bottom portion of the ink container has a double-layer structure, thereby increasing strength compared to a single-layer structure.

[0077] (9) In the above-mentioned embodiment, the ink storage container may include: a main body portion capable of storing ink; an ink outlet portion connected to the main body portion and configured to allow the ink to flow out of the ink storage container; the main body portion includes: a bottom portion; a side portion connecting the ink outlet portion and the bottom portion; at least a portion of the side portion includes a plurality of layers including a double layer, and one of the plurality of layers is a first surface layer facing the outside; at least a portion of the bottom portion includes a plurality of layers including a double layer, and one of the plurality of layers is a second surface layer facing the outside; the first surface layer and the second surface layer are continuous and constitute a part or all of the non-liquid contact portion.

[0078] (10) In the above-mentioned embodiment, the liquid contact portion and the non-liquid contact portion may be formed integrally in the ink container, or the liquid contact portion and the non-liquid contact portion may be formed in combination with another component. According to the ink container of this embodiment, the liquid contact portion and the non-liquid contact portion may be formed integrally, or may be formed in combination with another component. In the case of integral formation, for example, they may be formed by two-color molding. In the case of combination with another component, the components may be combined with each other by means of bonding, riveting, fitting, etc. In addition, in the case of combination with another component, if a detachable means such as riveting or fitting is adopted, the components may be replaced and reused. In the case of replacement of components, for example, a component of a fixing mechanism that has deteriorated may be replaced to restore the fixing function.

[0079] The multiple structural elements of each embodiment of the present disclosure described above are not all essential elements. In order to solve part or all of the above-mentioned problems, or to achieve part or all of the effects described in this specification, some of the structural elements can be appropriately changed, deleted, replaced with new structural elements, or have their limited contents partially deleted. In addition, in order to solve part or all of the above-mentioned problems, or to achieve part or all of the effects described in this specification, some or all of the technical features included in one embodiment of the present disclosure described above can be combined with some or all of the technical features included in other embodiments of the present disclosure described above, thereby forming an independent embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0080] In addition to the above-described aspects, the present disclosure can also be implemented in aspects such as a method for manufacturing an ink storage container.

[0081] Explanation of symbols

[0082] 10, 10D, 10E, 10F…main body; 11…opening; 12…side surface; 12a, 13a…inner layer; 12b, 13b…surface layer; 13…bottom surface; 14…third engaging portion; 20, 20B, 20C, 20D, 20G…ink outlet; 21…cylinder; 22…first engaging portion; 23…wall; 24…fourth engaging portion; 25…tubular wall; 26…second sealing portion; 30 , 30C…cap; 31…first sealing portion; 32…second engaging portion; 33…cap wall portion; 40, 40G…identification portion; 41…fifth engaging portion; 50…fixing mechanism; 51…first stopping portion; 52…second stopping portion; 100…ink storage container; 200…printer; 210…frame; 220…ink tank storage unit; 221…cover; 300…ink tank; 310…ink inlet flow channel component.

Claims

1. An ink storage container, comprising: A liquid contact portion, which is made of a virgin plastic material and contacts the contained ink; The non-liquid contact portion is made of a material containing recycled plastic and does not come into contact with the ink.

2. The ink storage container according to claim 1, wherein: have: A main body, which can contain the ink; an ink outlet portion, which is communicated with the main body portion and is configured to allow the ink to flow out of the ink storage container; a cap having a first sealing portion for closing the ink outlet portion, The first sealing portion constitutes a part of the liquid contact portion, A portion of the cap other than the first sealing portion constitutes a part or the entirety of the non-liquid-contacting portion.

3. The ink storage container according to claim 1, wherein: have: A main body, which can contain the ink; an ink outlet portion, which is communicated with the main body portion and is configured to allow the ink to flow out of the ink storage container; The identification portion is provided at least partially on the periphery of the ink outlet portion and is used to identify the type of the ink, and constitutes a part or the whole of the non-liquid contact portion.

4. The ink storage container according to claim 1, wherein: have: A main body, which can contain the ink; an ink outlet portion, which is communicated with the main body portion and is configured to allow the ink to flow out of the ink storage container; a cap mounted on the ink outlet portion, The ink outlet portion has a first engaging portion, the first engaging portion is arranged at least at a portion of an outer surface of the ink outlet portion and constitutes a portion or the entirety of the non-liquid contact portion, The cap has a second engaging portion that engages with the first engaging portion and constitutes a part or the entirety of the non-liquid contact portion.

5. The ink storage container according to claim 1, wherein: have: A main body, which can contain the ink; an ink outlet portion which is separate from the main body portion and communicates with the main body portion and is configured to allow the ink to flow out of the ink storage container; a fixing mechanism, which fixes the ink outlet portion to the main body portion, The fixing mechanism comprises: A first locking portion, which is arranged at the outer side of the main body; a second stopper, which is arranged on the ink outlet portion and can be engaged with the first stopper, and is located outside the main body portion in a fixed state where the ink outlet portion is engaged with the first stopper to fix the ink outlet portion to the main body portion, The fixing mechanism constitutes a part or the whole of the non-liquid-contacting portion.

6. The ink storage container according to claim 1, wherein: have: A main body, which can contain the ink; an ink outlet portion which is a separate ink outlet portion that can be attached to and detached from the main body portion, is communicated with the main body portion, and is configured to allow the ink to flow out of the ink storage container; The main body has: an opening portion, which is communicated with the ink outlet portion; a third engaging portion, which is located outside the main body and constitutes a part or the whole of the non-liquid contact portion; The ink outlet portion has: a fourth engaging portion engaged with the third engaging portion and constituting a part or the whole of the non-liquid contact portion; The second sealing portion closes the opening in a state where the third engaging portion and the fourth engaging portion are engaged.

7. The ink storage container according to claim 1, wherein: have: A main body, which can contain the ink; an ink outlet portion which is communicated with the main body portion and is configured to allow the ink to flow out of the ink storage container, The main body has: Bottom face; a side surface portion connecting the ink outlet portion and the bottom surface portion, At least a portion of the side surface portion has a plurality of layers including a double layer, and one of the plurality of layers is a first surface layer facing outward. The first surface layer constitutes a part or the entirety of the non-liquid-contacting portion.

8. The ink storage container according to claim 1, wherein: have: A main body, which can contain the ink; an ink outlet portion which is communicated with the main body portion and is configured to allow the ink to flow out of the ink storage container, The main body has: Bottom face; a side surface portion connecting the ink outlet portion and the bottom surface portion, At least a portion of the bottom surface portion has a plurality of layers including a double layer, and one of the plurality of layers is a second surface layer facing outward. The second surface layer constitutes a part or the entirety of the non-liquid-contacting portion.

9. The ink storage container according to claim 1, wherein: have: A main body, which can contain the ink; an ink outlet portion which is communicated with the main body portion and is configured to allow the ink to flow out of the ink storage container, The main body has: Bottom face; a side surface portion connecting the ink outlet portion and the bottom surface portion, At least a portion of the side surface portion has a plurality of layers including a double layer, and one of the plurality of layers is a first surface layer facing outward. At least a portion of the bottom surface portion has a plurality of layers including a double layer, and one of the plurality of layers is a second surface layer facing outward. The first surface layer is continuous with the second surface layer, and constitutes a part or the whole of the non-liquid-contacting portion.

10. The ink storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein: The liquid contact portion and the non-liquid contact portion are formed integrally or in combination with another member.

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