Method for manufacturing liquid container and liquid container

Abstract

The invention provides a manufacturing method of a liquid storage container and the liquid storage container, which are used for simply judging whether the liquid storage container can be reused or not. In a method for manufacturing a liquid storage container, the liquid storage container is provided with a memory, and the method comprises: an acquisition step of acquiring a value determined according to the type of liquid stored in the liquid storage container; and a recording step in which the acquired value is recorded in a memory as the number of reuses of the liquid storage container using a manufacturing device for manufacturing the liquid storage container.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a liquid storage container and a liquid storage container. Background Art

[0002] Regarding liquid storage containers, in Patent Document 1, a technique is disclosed in which the number of times of regeneration processing that has been performed in the past is stored in a non-volatile memory provided in a cartridge that can be regenerated. In this technique, when performing regeneration processing on a liquid storage container, it is possible to compare the stored number of times of regeneration processing with a preset upper limit number of times of regeneration processing.

[0003] Sometimes, depending on the type of liquid stored in the liquid storage container, the upper limit of the number of times of regeneration processing performed on the liquid storage container may vary. In such a case, a technique that can simply determine whether a liquid storage container can be regenerated is desired.

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-64451 Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing a liquid storage container is provided, the liquid storage container including a memory. The manufacturing method includes: an acquisition step of acquiring a value determined according to the type of liquid stored in the liquid storage container; and a recording step of using a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing the liquid storage container to record the acquired value as the number of times of reuse of the liquid storage container in the memory.

[0006] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a liquid storage container is provided. The liquid storage container includes: a liquid storage unit that stores a liquid; and a memory that records a value corresponding to the type of the liquid as the number of times of reuse of the liquid storage container at the time of factory shipment. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007] Figure 1 An explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a liquid consumption device.

[0008] Figure 2 A perspective view of a cartridge as a liquid storage container.

[0009] Figure 3 A diagram for explaining a storage area of a storage unit.

[0010] Figure 4 A block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a manufacturing apparatus in a first embodiment.

[0011] Figure 5 A diagram for explaining count data.

[0012] Figure 6 Process chart of the manufacturing method of the liquid storage container in the first embodiment.

[0013] Figure 7 Diagram for explaining the verification step.

[0014] Figure 8 Block diagram showing the schematic structure of the manufacturing apparatus in the second embodiment.

[0015] Figure 9 Process chart of the manufacturing method of the liquid storage container in the second embodiment. Detailed implementation mode

[0016] A. First embodiment:

[0017] Figure 1 Explanation diagram showing the schematic structure of the liquid consumption device 20 in the present embodiment. Figure 2 Perspective view of the cartridge 100 as the liquid storage container. The cartridge 100 is detachably mounted on the liquid consumption device 20 as the liquid storage container. The liquid consumption device 20 consumes the liquid stored in the mounted liquid storage container. The liquid consumption device 20 in the present embodiment is a liquid ejection device that ejects liquid. More specifically, the liquid consumption device 20 is an inkjet printer that ejects ink as the liquid onto a printing medium to perform printing.

[0018] The liquid consumption device 20 includes a consumption control unit 30, a conveyance unit 32, a print head 34, and a device interface 36. The conveyance unit 32 conveys the printing medium. The print head 34 ejects ink onto the printing medium conveyed by the conveyance unit 32. The device interface 36 has a terminal (not shown) that contacts the terminal 121 of the cartridge 100. Hereinafter, the interface is referred to as "I / F". The consumption control unit 30 controls each part of the liquid consumption device 20 such as the conveyance unit 32 and the print head 34. The consumption control unit 30 is configured as a computer including a processor (not shown), a storage device, and an input / output I / F. The consumption control unit 30 communicates with the circuit board 120 of the cartridge 100 via the device I / F 36.

[0019] As Figure 1 and Figure 2 shown, the cartridge 100 includes a main body portion 101 that forms the outer shell of the cartridge 100, and a circuit board 120 mounted on the main body portion 101. As Figure 2As shown, the main body 101 is configured as a box-shaped frame. In the present embodiment, the circuit board 120 is mounted on the outer surface of the main body 101. The main body 101 has a liquid storage portion 150 for storing ink as a liquid. The liquid storage portion 150 is provided inside the main body 101. The ink stored in the liquid storage portion 150 is supplied to the liquid consumption device 20 through a flow path (not shown). Hereinafter, the circuit board 120 will also be simply referred to as the "board".

[0020] As Figure 1 and Figure 2 shown, the circuit board 120 has a memory 130 configured as a non-volatile storage device and a terminal group composed of a plurality of terminals 121.

[0021] As Figure 2 shown, in the present embodiment, the memory 130 is provided on the first surface 128 of the circuit board 120. Each terminal 121 is formed on the second surface 129 of the circuit board 120. The second surface 129 is the surface opposite to the first surface 128, and is the surface located on the side away from the main body 101 and exposed to the outside of the cartridge 100 among the first surface 128 and the second surface 129. Each terminal 121 and the memory 130 are electrically connected to each other through printed wiring and vias, etc.

[0022] When the cartridge 100 is installed on the liquid consumption device 20, each terminal 121 comes into contact with the terminals of the device I / F 36 of the liquid consumption device 20. Through this contact, the consumption control unit 30 can supply a power supply voltage to the circuit board 120 or transmit and receive electrical signals to and from the circuit board 120 to communicate with each other.

[0023] In the present embodiment, the memory 130 is configured as a semiconductor memory implemented by an integrated circuit (IC). In addition, the memory 130 is a NAND type flash memory. The NAND type flash memory may also be a MONOS (Metal-Oxide-Nitride-Oxide-Silicon) type memory. Further, in other embodiments, the memory 130 may also be a NOR type flash memory or a memory such as an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only-Memory).

[0024] The memory 130 has a memory control unit 132 and a storage unit 140.

[0025] The memory control unit 132 controls the operation of the memory 130. Specifically, the memory control unit 132 performs a write operation of writing information to the storage unit 140 and a read operation of reading information from the storage unit 140 according to an instruction sent from the liquid consumption device 20.

[0026] The storage unit 140 includes a plurality of storage elements for storing data. Each storage element can store 1 bit of data respectively. The storage unit 140 has a plurality of storage areas implemented by the plurality of storage elements. An address for uniquely identifying each storage area is assigned to each storage area.

[0027] Figure 3 It is a diagram for explaining the storage areas of the storage unit 140. The storage unit 140 has storage areas specified by addresses A0 to An. Here, "n" in "address An" represents a natural number. In the present embodiment, at least the storage areas of addresses A0 to A12 in each storage area are rewritable areas where rewriting to new data can be performed. In the rewritable area, in addition to reading data, it is also set that data rewriting can be performed by deleting the already stored data and writing new data.

[0028] As Figure 3 shown, in the present embodiment, the storage area specified by the address A12 stores the identification information of the cartridge 100, the type information related to the type of ink stored in the cartridge 100, the capacity information related to the capacity of the ink stored in the cartridge 100, the initial manufacturing timing information of the cartridge 100, the disassembly and assembly history of the cartridge 100, and the number of reuse times of the cartridge 100. Each of these pieces of information is stored by 1 or more bits among the plurality of bits corresponding to the storage area specified by the address A12. In addition, in other embodiments, it may be set that in the memory 130, in addition to or instead of storing the above-mentioned pieces of information, other information is stored.

[0029] The identification information of the cartridge 100 is, for example, information indicating the model of the cartridge 100. The type information is, for example, information indicating the color of the ink stored in the cartridge 100. The initial manufacturing timing information is information related to the time when the new cartridge 100 is manufactured. The initial manufacturing timing information can be, for example, the manufacturing date or shipping date of the new cartridge 100, or the manufacturing lot of the new cartridge 100. The disassembly / assembly history is information indicating the disassembly / assembly history of the cartridge 100 with respect to the liquid consumption device 20. The disassembly / assembly history is, for example, information indicating the number of times or frequency of disassembly / assembly of the cartridge 100 with respect to the liquid consumption device 20. For example, each time the cartridge 100 is disassembled / assembled with respect to the liquid consumption device 20, the disassembly / assembly history is updated by the consumption control unit 30 of the liquid consumption device 20. The number of reuse times is a value related to the number of times the liquid storage container has been reused. In the present embodiment, the number of reuse times recorded in the memory 130 of the cartridge 100 is incremented by one each time the cartridge 100 is reused. In addition, as will be described later, the number of reuse times recorded in the memory 130 of the cartridge 100 may be different from the actual number of reuse times of the cartridge 100. The details of the reuse of the cartridge 100 will be described later.

[0030] In addition, in the present embodiment, the area specified by the addresses A0 to A11 is used to record the actual consumption amount of the ink in the cartridge 100. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the first area SC1 to the sixth area SC6 are used according to the number of reuse times described later. The first area SC1 is composed of a storage area specified by using the addresses A0 and A1. The second area SC2 is composed of a storage area specified by using the addresses A2 and A3. The third area SC3 is composed of a storage area specified by using the addresses A4 and A5. The fourth area SC4 is composed of a storage area specified by using the addresses A6 and A7. The fifth area SC5 is composed of a storage area specified by using the addresses A8 and A9. The sixth area SC6 is composed of a storage area specified by using the addresses A10 and A11.

[0031] More specifically, for example, when the number of reuse times stored in the storage area specified by the address A12 is 0 times, among the first area SC1 to the sixth area SC6, only the first area SC1 is used to record the consumption amount of the ink. Similarly, when the number of reuse times is 1 time, among the first area SC1 to the sixth area SC6, only the second area SC2 is used to record the consumption amount of the ink. Similarly, when the number of reuse times is 2 to 4 times, the third area SC3 to the sixth area SC6 are respectively used to record the consumption amount of the ink.

[0032] Using the results of each region as described above, for example, when the number of reuse times is 1, generally, the first region SC1 and the second region SC2 are used regions where data has been written or read, and the third region SC3 to the sixth region SC6 are unused regions where data has never been written or read. In the present embodiment, data representing "0" is stored in the unused regions. Specifically, in the unused regions, only bits representing "0" are included. In addition, in the used regions, data other than "0" is stored according to the consumption amount of the ink. Specifically, in the used regions, at least one bit representing "1" is included according to the usage amount of the ink. Therefore, in the present embodiment, by verifying whether each bit in the first region SC1 to the sixth region SC6 is 0, it is possible to verify whether each region is an unused region.

[0033] Figure 4 FIG. is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the manufacturing apparatus 200 in the present embodiment. The manufacturing apparatus 200 is an apparatus for manufacturing a liquid storage container. The manufacturing apparatus 200 is used in a factory for manufacturing a liquid storage container. In the factory, at least a part of the processes for manufacturing a liquid storage container is carried out.

[0034] In the present disclosure, "manufacturing" includes the case of newly manufacturing a new liquid storage container and the case of remanufacturing a used liquid storage container. The remanufacturing of a liquid storage container means that by performing various processes such as replacement of various consumables, refilling of ink as a liquid, and cleaning on a used liquid storage container, the liquid storage container is brought into a state where it can be used. The case of remanufacturing a liquid storage container is also referred to as the reuse of the liquid storage container. In addition, the remanufactured liquid storage container is also referred to as a reused product. In the present embodiment, the manufacturing objects targeted by the manufacturing apparatus 200 include a new liquid storage container and a liquid storage container as a reused product.

[0035] The manufacturing apparatus 200 in the present embodiment is configured as a recording apparatus for recording predetermined initial information in the memory 130 included in the cartridge 100 to be manufactured. The initial information is various information recorded in the memory 130 of the cartridge 100 at the time of shipment from the factory. The meaning of "shipment from the factory" includes the case of shipping a new cartridge 100 from the factory and the case of shipping a reusable cartridge 100 from the factory. In the present embodiment, when the object to be manufactured is new, the cartridge 100 after various manufacturing processes such as assembly of each part of the cartridge 100, filling of ink into the cartridge 100, and installation of the circuit board 120 in the main body 101 is conveyed to the manufacturing apparatus 200. Further, when the object to be manufactured is a reusable product, the cartridge 100 after various manufacturing processes such as replacement of each consumable of the cartridge 100, various cleaning, and refilling of ink into the cartridge 100 is conveyed to the manufacturing apparatus 200.

[0036] The manufacturing apparatus 200 includes a control device 202 and an arm 210 having contact terminals 211.

[0037] The control device 202 is configured by a computer including a processor 203, a storage device 204 including a RAM (Random-Access Memory) and a ROM (Read-Only Memory), an input / output I / F 205, and an internal bus 206. The processor 203, the storage device 204, and the input / output I / F 205 are connected to each other via the internal bus 206 so as to be able to communicate bidirectionally. The arm 210 is connected to the input / output I / F 205. The processor 203 realizes various functions including the function as the control unit 250 by executing a program 230 stored in the storage device 204.

[0038] The arm 210 is configured as a robotic arm that operates under the control of the control unit 250. A contact terminal 211 is disposed at the tip of the arm 210. The contact terminal 211 is configured to be able to contact the circuit board 120. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the control unit 250 causes the arm 210 to operate, thereby bringing the circuit board 120 of the cartridge 100 conveyed by a conveyance device (not shown) into contact with the contact terminal 211. The conveyance device is constituted by, for example, a belt conveyor, a roller conveyor, or a conveyance robot. By bringing the contact terminal 211 into contact with the circuit board 120, the control unit 250 can conduct or disconnect the memory 130 via the contact terminal 211, or access the memory 130 via the contact terminal 211. By accessing the memory 130, the control unit 250 can obtain various information from the memory 130 or record various information in the memory 130.

[0039] The control unit 250 executes an acquisition step and a recording step. The acquisition step is a step of acquiring a set value that is preset according to the type of ink stored in the liquid storage container. Specifically, in the acquisition step, a set value regarding the liquid storage container to be manufactured is acquired. The recording step is a step of recording the set value acquired in the acquisition step in the memory 130 of the liquid storage container as the number of times of reuse of the liquid storage container. Specifically, in the recording step, the set value acquired in the acquisition step is recorded as the number of times of reuse of the liquid storage container to be manufactured.

[0040] In the recording step in the present embodiment, initial information including the set value and the specification information described later is recorded in the memory 130. That is, it can be said that the program 230 in the present embodiment is a program for causing a computer to implement a function of recording initial information including a set value in the memory 130.

[0041] In addition, the control unit 250 in the present embodiment executes a determination step for the liquid storage container as a reused item. The determination step is a step of determining whether the liquid storage container can be reused based on the number of times the liquid storage container has been reused. In the present embodiment, in the determination step, when the number of times of reuse recorded in the memory 130 of the liquid storage container is equal to or greater than a preset threshold value, it is determined that the liquid storage container cannot be reused. That is, in the present embodiment, the number of times of reuse is used as a determination value for comparing with the threshold value in order to determine whether the liquid storage container can be reused in the determination step. In addition, the threshold value in the present embodiment is "5".

[0042] In the storage device 204 in the present embodiment, specification data 220 including specification information, a program 230, and count data 235 are stored.

[0043] The specification information included in the specification data 220 is information related to the specifications of the liquid storage container. The specification information includes, for example, identification information, type information, capacity information, initial manufacturing timing information, etc. Additionally, in other embodiments, it may be set such that, in the specification information, in addition to or instead of the above-mentioned respective information, other information is stored. The specification data 220 in the present embodiment is data associating the type of ink with the specification information. The specification data 220 is defined as, for example, tabular data.

[0044] Figure 5 FIG. for explaining the count data 235 in the present embodiment. As Figure 5 shown, the count data 235 is data associating the type of liquid, i.e., ink, with a set value. Specifically, Figure 5 the count data 235 in is data associating the type of ink with the set value for a new liquid storage container. The count data 235 is defined as, for example, tabular data. In Figure 5 an example is shown in which set values are respectively associated with different ink types LA, LB, LC, and LD in the count data 235.

[0045] As Figure 5 shown, in the count data 235 in the present embodiment, a "target upper limit" is also associated with the type of ink. The target upper limit for a certain type of ink represents a preferred upper limit value for the actual number of times the liquid storage container for storing that type of ink is reused. The set value can also be determined based on the target upper limit. Additionally, in other embodiments, the count data 235 may not include the target upper limit. By adopting this method, the data capacity of the count data 235 can be reduced.

[0046] The set value is set such that in the determination step, by comparing only the reuse count with a threshold independent of the type of ink, it is possible to determine whether the liquid storage container can be reused in such a way that the actual upper limit of the reuse count varies according to the type of ink. For example, as Figure 5As shown, when the cartridge 100 for manufacturing an object is new and the type of ink stored in the cartridge 100 is type LD, the value "5" identical to the threshold value is recorded in the memory 130 of the cartridge 100 as a set value. That is, in the present embodiment, the cartridge 100 storing the type LD ink has never been reused. On the other hand, for example, when the cartridge 100 for manufacturing an object is new and the type of ink stored in the cartridge 100 is type LB, the value "2" smaller than the threshold value is recorded in the memory 130 of the cartridge 100 as a set value. That is, in the present embodiment, the cartridge 100 storing the type LB ink can be reused up to three times, which is equivalent to the target upper limit value.

[0047] More specifically, in the number data 235 in the present embodiment, a larger set value is set for the ink that is more likely to settle. For a liquid storage container storing the ink that is more likely to settle, in order to suppress the deterioration of the quality of the ink ejected from the liquid ejection device, it may be necessary to perform stirring more frequently during its use period compared to a liquid storage container storing the ink that is less likely to settle. In this case, usually, the liquid storage container is removed from the liquid ejection device, the ink in the removed liquid storage container is stirred, and then the liquid storage container after the stirring is completed is reinstalled on the liquid ejection device. As a result, the liquid storage container storing the ink that is more likely to settle has a tendency to increase the number and frequency of disassembly and assembly compared to the liquid storage container storing the ink that is less likely to settle, and thus the possibility of wear of the terminal 121 is relatively high. Therefore, by setting a larger set value for the ink that is more likely to settle, it is possible to more appropriately determine whether reuse is possible in the determination step, and thus it is possible to more effectively reuse the liquid storage container. The ink that is more likely to settle is, for example, white pigment ink.

[0048] Figure 6 is a process chart of the manufacturing method of the liquid storage container in the present embodiment. Figure 6 The manufacturing method is executed each time the cartridge 100 is conveyed to the manufacturing apparatus 200. When the cartridge 100 for manufacturing an object is a reused product, it can also be said that Figure 6 the manufacturing method represents the reuse method of the cartridge 100.

[0049] In step S210, the control unit 250 turns on (energizes) the power supply of the memory 130 of the cartridge 100 to be manufactured. Specifically, in step S210, the control unit 250 controls the arm 210 to bring the contact terminal 211 into contact with the circuit board 120, and turns on the power supply of the memory 130 via the contact terminal 211. In the present embodiment, the cartridge 100 to be manufactured is the cartridge 100 that has been conveyed with respect to the manufacturing apparatus 200.

[0050] In step S215, the control unit 250 determines whether the cartridge 100 to be manufactured is a new product. In step S215 of the present embodiment, the control unit 250 accesses the memory 130 via the contact terminal 211, and determines whether the cartridge 100 is a new product by determining whether the type information is stored in the memory 130. Specifically, the control unit 250 determines that the cartridge 100 is a new product when the type information is not stored in the storage unit 140 of the memory 130. In the present embodiment, "not storing the type information" means that all bits included in the storage area specified by the address A12 of the storage unit 140 represent "0". On the contrary, the control unit 250 determines that the cartridge 100 is not a new product when the type information is stored in the storage unit 140 of the memory 130. In the present embodiment, "storing the type information" means that at least one bit among the respective bits included in the storage area specified by the address A12 of the storage unit 140 represents "1". In addition, the case where the cartridge 100 is determined not to be a new product corresponds to the case where the cartridge 100 is determined to be a recycled product.

[0051] When the cartridge 100 to be manufactured is a new product in step S215, in step S220, the control unit 250 acquires the initial information recorded in the memory 130 of the cartridge 100 to be manufactured. Specifically, the control unit 250 acquires the set value corresponding to the type of the ink by referring to the number data 235 based on the type of the ink stored in the cartridge 100 to be manufactured. In addition, the control unit 250 acquires the specification information corresponding to the type of the ink by referring to the specification data 220 based on the type of the ink stored in the cartridge 100 to be manufactured. Step S220 corresponds to the above-described acquisition step. In addition, in the present embodiment, since the specification information is not pre-recorded in the new cartridge 100, the specification information is not recorded in the cartridge 100 at the start time of the above step S215.

[0052] In step S220 of the present embodiment, the type of ink stored in the new cartridge 100 is determined based on, for example, the manufacturing information of the cartridge 100. In this case, the manufacturing information only needs to include information capable of determining the type of ink stored in the cartridge 100 to be manufactured. The information capable of determining the type of ink can be information indicating the type of ink, or can also be the identification information of the cartridge 100 in the case where the type of ink corresponds to the identification information of the cartridge 100. The manufacturing information of the cartridge 100 can be stored, for example, in the storage device 204, or can also be stored in a computer or a recording medium outside the manufacturing device 200.

[0053] In step S225, the control unit 250 records the initial information obtained in step S220 in the memory 130 of the cartridge 100 to be manufactured. In step S225, the control unit 250 records the initial information in the memory 130 via the contact terminal 211. Step S225 corresponds to the recording step.

[0054] When the cartridge 100 to be manufactured in step S215 is not new, that is, when the cartridge 100 to be manufactured is a reusable item, the control unit 250 executes steps S230 to S250.

[0055] In step S230, the control unit 250 obtains the initial manufacturing timing information of the cartridge 100. In the present embodiment, the control unit 250 accesses the memory 130 via the contact terminal 211 to obtain the initial manufacturing timing information from the memory 130.

[0056] In step S235, the control unit 250 uses the initial manufacturing timing information obtained in step S230 to determine whether the usage period of the cartridge 100 to be manufactured is within a preset expiration date. When the usage period has exceeded the expiration date in step S235, in step S252, the control unit 250 decides to abort the remanufacture of the cartridge 100.

[0057] When the usage period is within the expiration date in step S235, in step S240, the control unit 250 obtains the number of times of reuse of the cartridge 100 to be manufactured. In step S240 of the present embodiment, the control unit 250 accesses the memory 130 via the contact terminal 211 to obtain the number of times of reuse from the memory 130.

[0058] In step S245, the control unit 250 executes a judgment step. In step S245, the control unit 250 judges whether the number of reuse times obtained in step S240 is equal to or greater than the above-mentioned threshold value. When the number of reuse times in step S245 is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the control unit 250 advances the process to step S252. Therefore, when it is judged in step S245 that the number of reuse times is equal to or greater than the threshold value, it is equivalent to the case where the cartridge 100 as the manufacturing object cannot be reused.

[0059] When the number of reuse times in step S245 is less than the threshold value, in step S250, the control unit 250 executes a verification step. The verification step is a step of verifying whether the storage area of the memory 130 of the cartridge 100 as the manufacturing object is normal.

[0060] Figure 7 It is a diagram for explaining the verification step. Figure 7 It shows the correspondence between the number of reuse times stored in the memory 130 of the cartridge 100 and the storage area verified in the verification step. In Figure 7 , the object area whose unused status is verified in the verification step is indicated as "Yes". When it is verified in the verification step that the object area is an unused area, it is judged that the storage area of the memory 130 is normal.

[0061] As Figure 7 shown, for example, when the number of reuse times is 0, in the verification step, it is verified whether the storage areas corresponding to the second area SC2 to the sixth area SC6, that is, the storage areas specified by the addresses A2 to A11, are unused areas. When the number of reuse times is 0, as described above, usually the second area SC2 to the sixth area SC6 are equivalent to unused areas. Therefore, when the number of reuse times is 0 and all of the second area SC2 to the sixth area SC6 are unused areas, it is judged that the storage area of the memory 130 is normal. On the other hand, when the number of reuse times is 0 and at least any one of the second area SC2 to the sixth area SC6 is a used area, it is judged that the storage area of the memory 130 is abnormal.

[0062] When the storage area is abnormal in step S250, the control unit 250 advances the process to step S252.

[0063] In the case where the storage area is normal in step S250, in step S255, the control unit 250 obtains initial information including specification information and set values by referring to the specification data 220 and the number data 235 based on the type information stored in the memory 130. In step S250 of the present embodiment, the control unit 250 obtains the type information from the memory 130 by accessing the memory 130 via the contact terminal 211, and obtains the initial information by referring to the specification data 220 and the number data 235 based on the obtained type information. Specifically, in step S255, the set value included in the initial information is a value obtained by increasing the set value included in the number data 235 according to the actual reuse times of the liquid storage container. The actual reuse times of the liquid storage container are determined based on, for example, the used area and the unused area in the storage unit 140 described above. Step S255 corresponds to an acquisition step. In addition, in other embodiments, the type information may be obtained, for example, before step S255, or may be obtained in step S215, for example.

[0064] In step S260, the control unit 250 records the initial information obtained in step S255 in the memory 130. In step S260, the control unit 250 records the initial information in the memory 130 via the contact terminal 211. Step S260 corresponds to a recording step. In addition, step S255 and step S260 correspond to steps for remanufacturing the liquid storage container and steps for reusing the liquid storage container.

[0065] In step S265, the control unit 250 performs a function check of the memory 130. In the function check, for example, it is checked whether data recording to the memory 130 and data acquisition from the memory 130 can be performed normally. For example, in the case where the memory 130 has a locking function that appropriately restricts its own function, in the function check, it may also be checked whether the locking function functions normally. In step S270, the control unit 250 turns off the power of the memory 130. Subsequently, the cartridge 100 is shipped from the factory.

[0066] According to the manufacturing method of the liquid storage container in the present embodiment described above, a set value corresponding to the type of liquid stored in the liquid storage container to be manufactured is recorded in the memory 130 using the manufacturing apparatus 200 as the number of times of reuse of the liquid storage container. According to this method, in the determination step, by simply comparing the stored set value with a threshold value independent of the type of liquid, it is possible to determine whether the liquid storage container can be reused in such a manner that the actual upper limit of the number of times of reuse varies according to the type of liquid. Therefore, even when the actual upper limit of the number of times of reuse of the liquid storage container varies according to the type of liquid, it is possible to simply determine whether the liquid storage container can be recycled.

[0067] In addition, as in the present embodiment, whether a set value corresponding to the type of liquid is recorded in the memory 130 during the manufacture of the liquid storage container can be verified, for example, by comparing the number of times of reuse recorded in the memory 130 with the actual number of times of reuse determined based on the used area and the unused area in the storage unit 140.

[0068] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, when the control unit 250 of the manufacturing apparatus 200 executes the acquisition step and the recording step, by accessing the memory 130 via the contact terminal 211, it is possible to simply execute the acquisition of information from the memory 130 and the recording of information into the memory 130.

[0069] Moreover, in the present embodiment, in the acquisition step and the recording step, the control unit 250 uses the number data 235 and the program 230 stored in the storage device 204, thereby being able to simply execute the acquisition and recording of the set value.

[0070] In addition, in the present embodiment, the initial information recorded in the memory 130 by the function implemented by the program 230 includes, in addition to the set value, the specification data 220. Therefore, in the recording step, it is possible to record the specification information together with the set value in the memory 130.

[0071] Moreover, in the present embodiment, the control unit 250 determines the type of liquid stored in the liquid storage container by accessing the memory 130 via the contact terminal 211. Therefore, by accessing the memory 130 via the contact terminal 211, it is possible to simply determine the type of liquid.

[0072] In addition, in the present embodiment, it is determined whether the liquid storage container to be manufactured is new by accessing the memory 130 via the contact terminal 211, and when the liquid storage container is new, the set value is stored in the memory 130 using the usage times data 235 and via the contact terminal 211. Therefore, when the liquid storage container to be manufactured is new, the set value can be simply recorded as the number of reuse times.

[0073] B. Second Embodiment:

[0074] Figure 8 FIG. is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the manufacturing apparatus 200 in the second embodiment. In the present embodiment, the difference from the first embodiment is that correction data 240 is stored in the storage device 204b. In addition, in the recording step in the present embodiment, a set value corresponding to the initial manufacturing timing of the liquid storage container and the disassembly / assembly history of the liquid storage container is recorded in the memory 130 as the number of reuse times. Regarding parts not particularly described in the structures of the manufacturing apparatus 200 and the cartridge 100 in the second embodiment, they are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0075] The correction data 240 is data that associates at least one of the initial manufacturing timing of the liquid storage container and the disassembly / assembly history with a correction value for correcting the set value. The correction data 240 in the present embodiment is data that associates the initial manufacturing timing and the disassembly / assembly history with the correction value. The correction data 240 is set, for example, to reflect the progress of deterioration of the cartridge 100. The longer the elapsed time since the initial manufacturing timing, or the greater the number of disassembly / assembly times or disassembly / assembly frequency, the more the deterioration of the cartridge 100 progresses. Therefore, in the correction data 240, for example, it is preferable to set a larger correction value for a longer elapsed time since the manufacturing timing. Specifically, it is preferable to make settings such as setting the correction value to "+1" when three years have elapsed since the manufacturing timing, and setting the correction value to "+2" when five years have elapsed since the manufacturing timing. In addition, in the correction data 240, it is preferable to set a larger correction value for a greater number of disassembly / assembly times or disassembly / assembly frequency. Specifically, it is preferable to make settings such as setting the correction value to "+1" when the number of disassembly / assembly times after the most recent factory shipment is 5 or more and less than 10, and setting the correction value to "+2" when the number of disassembly / assembly times after the most recent factory shipment is 10 or more. In addition, the correction value can also be a negative value, for example. Specifically, it can also be set such that the correction value is set to "-1" when the number of disassembly / assembly times after the most recent factory shipment is less than 3.

[0076] Figure 9 FIG. is a process chart of the manufacturing method of the liquid storage container in the second embodiment. In Figure 9 In, forFigure 6 the same steps and label with Figure 6 the same symbol.

[0077] In step S240b, the control unit 250 obtains the disassembly / assembly history of the cartridge 100 of the object to be manufactured in addition to the number of times of reuse of the cartridge 100 of the object to be manufactured. In addition, the disassembly / assembly history may be obtained as long as it is obtained before step S255b. For example, it may also be obtained in step S230 or other steps.

[0078] In step S255b, the control unit 250 obtains initial information by based on the type information stored in the memory 130, referring to the specification data 220 and the number data 235, and based on the initial manufacturing timing information obtained in step S230 and the disassembly / assembly history obtained in step S240b and referring to the correction data 240. Specifically, in step S255b, the control unit 250 corrects the set value obtained by based on the type information and referring to the number data 235 according to the correction value obtained by based on the initial manufacturing timing information and the disassembly / assembly history and referring to the correction data 240, and obtains the corrected value as the set value included in the initial information.

[0079] In step S260b, the control unit 250 records the initial information obtained in step S255b in the memory 130. That is, in step S260b, when the cartridge 100 of the object to be manufactured is not a new product, the initial information including the set value corresponding to the initial manufacturing timing and the disassembly / assembly history of the cartridge 100 of the object to be manufactured is recorded in the memory 130.

[0080] According to the manufacturing method of the liquid storage container in the present embodiment described above, it is determined whether the liquid storage container of the object to be manufactured is a new product by accessing the memory 130 via the contact terminal 211, and when the liquid storage container is not a new product, the set value corresponding to the initial manufacturing timing and the disassembly / assembly history of the liquid storage container is recorded in the memory 130 as the number of times of reuse. According to this method, when the liquid storage container of the object to be manufactured is not a new product, the set value considering the deterioration due to the passage of time or the deterioration caused by disassembly / assembly of the liquid storage container can be recorded as the number of times of reuse. Therefore, in addition to the type of liquid, it is possible to additionally consider the deterioration due to the passage of time or the deterioration caused by disassembly / assembly of the liquid storage container to determine whether the liquid storage container can be reused. In particular, in the present embodiment, since the set value corresponding to the disassembly / assembly history is recorded in the memory 130 as the number of times of reuse, it is possible to determine whether the liquid storage container can be reused in consideration of the deterioration of the terminal 121 caused by the disassembly / assembly of the liquid storage container.

[0081] In addition, in other embodiments, when the liquid storage container is not new, a set value corresponding to at least one of the initial manufacturing timing and the disassembly / assembly history may be recorded in the memory 130 as the number of reuse times. Even in this case, similarly to the second embodiment, when the liquid storage container to be manufactured is not new, a set value taking into account the age-related deterioration of the liquid storage container or the deterioration caused by disassembly / assembly can be recorded as the number of reuse times.

[0082] C. Other Embodiments:

[0083] (C-1) In each of the above embodiments, the manufacturing apparatus 200 includes the contact terminal 211. In contrast, for example, the manufacturing apparatus 200 may not include the contact terminal 211. In this case, the manufacturing apparatus 200 may be configured to be able to transmit and receive data in a non-contact manner with the memory 130. For example, it may also be configured to be able to transmit and receive data with the memory 130 via wireless communication. In this case, the manufacturing apparatus 200 may also record data in the memory 130 or obtain data from the memory 130 by transmitting and receiving data in a non-contact manner.

[0084] (C-2) In each of the above embodiments, the storage device 204 stores the frequency data 235 associating the type of liquid and the set value. In contrast, the storage device 204 may not store the frequency data 235. For example, the frequency data 235 may also be stored in a computer or a recording medium external to the storage device 204. In addition, the control unit 250 may not obtain the set value according to the type of liquid and use the frequency data 235. For example, the set value may also be obtained by calculating the set value based on a pre-specified mathematical formula.

[0085] (C-3) Although in each of the above embodiments, the initial information recorded in the memory 130 includes the specification information, it may not include the specification information.

[0086] (C-4) Although in the above-described embodiments, the control unit 250 determines the type of the liquid stored in the liquid storage container by accessing the memory 130 via the contact terminal 211, this method may not be adopted. For example, the control unit 250 may also determine the type of the liquid by accessing the memory 130 via wireless communication. In addition, for example, the control unit 250 may also determine the type of the liquid by reading an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag, a two-dimensional code, or a bar code attached to the liquid storage container. In addition, for example, the control unit 250 may also determine the type of the liquid based on the manufacturing information of the liquid storage container.

[0087] (C-5) In the above-described embodiments, at the time point when step S215 Figure 6 starts, no specification information is recorded in the memory 130 of the new cartridge 100. In contrast, at least a part of the specification information may be recorded in the memory 130 of the new cartridge 100 at the time point when step S215 starts. For example, at the time point when step S215 starts, the identification information or the type information may be stored in the memory 130 of the new cartridge 100. In this case, the control unit 250 may also obtain the identification information or the type information from the memory 130 in step S220, determine the type of the liquid stored in the cartridge 100 based on the obtained type information, and record the initial information in the memory 130 according to the determined type of the liquid.

[0088] (C-6) Although in the above-described embodiments, in Figure 6 and Figure 9 in step S215, the control unit 250 determines whether the cartridge 100 is new by determining whether the type information is stored in the memory 130, this method may not be adopted. For example, the control unit 250 may also determine whether the cartridge 100 is new by determining whether the initial manufacturing timing information is stored in the memory 130 or by determining whether the information indicating that the cartridge 100 is new is stored in the memory 130.

[0089] (C-7) Although in the above-described embodiments, in Figure 6 and Figure 9In step S230, the control unit 250 acquires the initial manufacturing timing information by accessing the memory 130 via the contact terminal 211, but this method may not be adopted. For example, the control unit 250 may also acquire the initial manufacturing timing by referring to a database (not shown) stored in the storage device 204, an external computer, a recording medium, etc. based on the identification information of the cartridge 100. In this case, the database may be configured, for example, as a database that stores data associating the identification information of the cartridge 100 and the initial manufacturing timing.

[0090] (C-8) In each of the above embodiments, the liquid storage container is configured as the cartridge 100 having a box-shaped frame. In contrast, as long as the liquid storage container has the memory 130, it may not be configured as the cartridge 100 having a frame. For example, the liquid storage container may be configured as a bag-shaped container, and the bag-shaped container as a whole has a bag-shaped main body portion. The liquid storage container that stores ink as a liquid in such a bag-shaped liquid storage container is also referred to as an ink pack. In addition, the liquid storage container may be circulated and provided in a state where the main body portion and the memory 130 are separated.

[0091] (C-9) Although in each of the above embodiments, the manufacturing apparatus 200 manufactures both new cartridges 100 and reused cartridges 100, it may also manufacture only either the new cartridges 100 or the reused cartridges 100. When the manufacturing apparatus 200 manufactures only new cartridges 100, in the process of reusing the cartridges 100 manufactured by the manufacturing apparatus 200, the set value corresponding to the type of liquid may not be recorded as the number of reuse times in the memory 130. In this case, in the process of reusing the cartridge 100, for example, a process of increasing the number of reuse times stored in the memory 130 by only one time may be executed. In addition, for example, a process of increasing or decreasing the number of reuse times stored in the memory 130 according to the initial manufacturing timing or the disassembly and assembly history may be executed. In this case, the number of reuse times may be increased, decreased, or maintained according to the initial manufacturing timing or the disassembly and assembly history.

[0092] (C-10) The present disclosure is not limited to an inkjet printer and its ink cartridge, and can also be applied to any printing apparatus that ejects other liquids than ink and its cartridge. For example, it can be applied to the following various printing apparatuses and their cartridges.

[0093] (1) An image recording apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus.

[0094] (2) A printing apparatus that ejects color materials used in the manufacture of color filters for image display devices such as liquid crystal displays.

[0095] (3) A printing device that ejects electrode materials used in the formation of electrodes for organic EL (Electro Luminescence) displays, field emission displays (FEDs), or the like.

[0096] (4) A printing device that ejects a liquid containing biological organic substances used in the manufacture of biochips.

[0097] (5) A sample printing device as a precision cleaning liquid tube.

[0098] (6) A printing device for lubricating oil.

[0099] (7) A printing device for resin liquid.

[0100] (8) A printing device that uses a needle to eject lubricating oil into precision machinery such as watches or cameras.

[0101] (9) A printing device that ejects a transparent resin liquid such as an ultraviolet curable resin liquid onto a substrate to form a micro hemispherical lens (optical lens) or the like used in optical communication components or the like.

[0102] (10) A printing device that ejects an acidic or alkaline etching solution for etching a substrate or the like.

[0103] (11) A printing device equipped with a liquid ejection head that ejects other arbitrary minute droplets.

[0104] In addition, "droplet" refers to the state of the liquid ejected from the printing device and is set to a granular, teardrop-shaped, or filamentous state with a trailing tail. Furthermore, the "liquid" here only needs to be a material that can be ejected by the printing device. For example, the "liquid" only needs to be a material in a liquid phase state. Among the "liquids", there are also included materials with higher or lower viscosities, as well as liquid materials such as sols, gels, water, other inorganic solvents, organic solvents, solutions, liquid resins, and liquid metals. In addition, among the "liquids", not only the liquid as a state of matter, but also liquids containing solid particles of functional materials such as pigments or metal particles dissolved, dispersed, or mixed in a solvent. In addition, as an example of the representative form of the liquid, there can be cited the ink or liquid crystal described in the above embodiments. Here, the ink includes various liquid compositions such as general water-based inks and oil-based inks, as well as gel inks and hot melt inks.

[0105] In the present disclosure, part or all of the functions and processes implemented software-wise can also be implemented hardware-wise. In addition, part or all of the functions and processes implemented hardware-wise can also be implemented software-wise. As the hardware for implementing various functions in the above-described embodiments, for example, various circuits such as integrated circuits or discrete circuits can also be used.

[0106] D. Other methods:

[0107] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be implemented in various ways without departing from its gist. For example, the present disclosure can also be implemented in the following ways. To solve part or all of the problems of the present disclosure or to achieve part or all of the effects of the present disclosure, the technical features in the above-described embodiments corresponding to the technical features in each of the following methods can be appropriately replaced or combined. In addition, as long as the technical feature is not described as an essential technical feature in this specification, it can be appropriately deleted.

[0108] (1) According to the first method of the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing a liquid storage container having a memory can be provided. The method for manufacturing the liquid storage container includes: an acquisition step of acquiring a value determined according to the type of liquid stored in the liquid storage container; and a recording step of using a manufacturing device for manufacturing the liquid storage container to record the acquired value as the number of times of reuse of the liquid storage container in the memory.

[0109] According to this method, by simply comparing the set value stored in the memory with a threshold value independent of the type of liquid, it is possible to determine whether the liquid storage container can be reused in such a way that the upper limit of the number of times of reuse varies according to the type of liquid. Therefore, even when the upper limit of the number of times of reuse of the liquid storage container varies according to the type of liquid, it is possible to simply determine whether the liquid storage container can be recycled.

[0110] (2) In the above method, it can also be set that the manufacturing device includes: a storage device; a control unit that executes the acquisition step and the recording step; and a contact terminal configured to be able to contact a substrate, the substrate being provided in the liquid storage container and having the memory. According to this method, when executing the acquisition step or the recording step, by accessing the memory via the contact terminal, it is possible to simply execute the acquisition of information from the memory and the recording of information into the memory.

[0111] (3) In the above method, it may also be set that the storage device stores the number data and the program, where the number data is data associating the type of liquid with the value, and the program is a program for enabling a computer to implement the function of recording information including the value in the memory. According to this method, in the acquisition step or the recording step, the number data or the program stored in the storage device can be used to simply execute the acquisition and recording of the value recorded as the reuse number.

[0112] (4) In the above method, it may also be set that the information further includes information related to the specification of the liquid storage container. According to this method, the specification information can be recorded in the memory together with the value as the reuse number.

[0113] (5) In the above method, it may also be set that the control unit determines the type of the liquid stored in the liquid storage container by accessing the memory via the contact terminal. According to this method, by accessing the memory via the contact terminal, the type of the liquid can be simply determined.

[0114] (6) In the above method, it may also be set that the control unit determines whether the liquid storage container is new by accessing the memory via the contact terminal. When the liquid storage container is new, the control unit uses the number data stored by associating the type of liquid with the value and records the value in the memory via the contact terminal. According to this method, when the liquid storage container to be manufactured is new, the value as the reuse number can be simply recorded.

[0115] (7) In the above method, it may also be set that by accessing the memory via the contact terminal, it is determined whether the liquid storage container is new. When the liquid storage container is not new, the value corresponding to at least any one of the initial manufacturing timing of the liquid storage container and the disassembly and assembly history of the liquid storage container to the liquid consumption device is recorded in the memory as the reuse number. According to this method, when the liquid storage container to be manufactured is not new, the value considering the aging deterioration of the liquid storage container or the deterioration caused by disassembly and assembly can be recorded as the reuse number. Therefore, in addition to the type of the liquid, the aging deterioration of the liquid storage container or the deterioration caused by disassembly and assembly can be considered to determine whether the liquid storage container can be reused.

[0116] (8)According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a liquid storage container can be provided. The liquid storage container includes: a liquid storage unit that stores a liquid; and a memory that records a value corresponding to the type of the liquid as the number of times of reuse of the liquid storage container at the time of factory shipment.

[0117] In addition to the above aspects, the present disclosure can also be implemented in the form of a manufacturing apparatus for a liquid storage container, a method for reusing a liquid storage container, and the like.

[0118] Reference Signs

[0119] 20... liquid consumption device; 30... consumption control unit; 32... conveying unit; 34... ejection head; 36... device interface (I / F); 100... cartridge; 101... main body unit; 120... circuit board; 121... terminal; 128... first surface; 129... second surface; 130... memory; 132... memory control unit; 140... storage unit; 150... liquid storage unit; 200... manufacturing apparatus; 202... control device; 203... processor; 204, 204b... storage devices; 205... input / output interface (I / F); 206... internal bus; 210... contact terminal; 211... arm; 220... specification data; 230... program; 235... count data; 240... correction data; 250... control unit.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a liquid storage container, the liquid storage container comprising a storage device, wherein: The method for manufacturing the liquid storage container comprises: an acquisition step of acquiring a value determined according to the type of liquid contained in the liquid containing container; The recording step is to record the acquired value in the memory as the number of times the liquid storage container is reused using a manufacturing device for manufacturing the liquid storage container.

2. The method for manufacturing a liquid storage container according to claim 1, wherein: The manufacturing device comprises: Storage device; a control unit that executes the obtaining step and the recording step; The contact terminal is configured to be contactable with a substrate that is provided in the liquid storage container and has the memory.

3. The method for manufacturing a liquid storage container according to claim 2, wherein: The storage device stores frequency data which is data associating the type of liquid with the value, and a program for causing a computer to realize a function of recording information including the value in the memory.

4. The method for manufacturing a liquid storage container according to claim 3, wherein: The information also includes information related to the specifications of the liquid storage container.

5. The method for manufacturing a liquid storage container according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein: The control unit determines the type of the liquid contained in the liquid storage container by accessing the memory through the contact terminal.

6. The method for manufacturing a liquid storage container according to claim 5, wherein: The control unit accesses the memory via the contact terminal to determine whether the liquid storage container is new. When the liquid storage container is new, the control unit uses the frequency data in which the type of liquid and the value are stored in association with each other, and records the value in the memory via the contact terminal.

7. The method for manufacturing a liquid storage container according to claim 5, wherein: By accessing the memory via the contact terminal, it is determined whether the liquid storage container is new. When the liquid storage container is not new, the value corresponding to at least one of the initial manufacturing timing of the liquid storage container and the history of attaching and detaching the liquid storage container to the liquid consuming device is further recorded in the memory as the number of reuses.

8. A liquid storage container, comprising: A liquid storage part for storing liquid; A memory records a value corresponding to the type of the liquid as the number of times the liquid storage container is reused when shipped from a factory.

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