Ink refilling container

Abstract

The utility model discloses an ink supplementing container, which is used for supplementing ink to an ink tank of ink-jet printing equipment, and the ink tank is provided with an ink supplementing inlet and comprises a container main body part used for accommodating ink and a valve mechanism arranged on an ink flowing path. The valve mechanism comprises a first valve component, a second valve component and a valve body which can move relatively, and one of the first valve component and the second valve component can move from a first position to a second position relative to the other one; the movement includes at least one of a relative movement of the first valve member and the second valve member in the direction of the ink flow path and a relative movement of the first valve member and the second valve member; at the first position, the valve body is closed, and the ink flowing path is cut off; at the second position, the first valve mechanism and the second valve mechanism relatively displace to open the valve body, and the ink flowing path is conducted; the ink supplementing container is good in sealing performance, and the situation that ink overflows or sprays out instantly when the ink supplementing container is combined with or separated from the imaging equipment is avoided.

Description

[0001] This utility model claims the priority of a Chinese prior application with an application date of April 28, 2023, an invention name of “Ink Refill Container” and an application number of CN2023210237925. All contents of the prior application are fully cited in this application. Technical Field

[0002] The utility model belongs to the field of inkjet printing, and in particular relates to an ink replenishing container for replenishing ink into an ink tank of an inkjet printing device. Background Art

[0003] European patent EP3470230 discloses a recording device having an ink supply unit 40, which is provided with a plurality of ink tanks 41-45 and an ink replenishing adapter 47 combined with the ink tanks. Through the ink replenishing adapter 47, a user can use the ink replenishing container 63 shown in FIG. 6 of the patent to replenish ink into the ink tanks.

[0004] An ink outlet with a valve structure is provided at the end of the ink outlet forming portion of the ink replenishing container 63. When using the ink replenishing container 63 to replenish ink, the ink replenishing container 63 needs to be inverted, the ink outlet forming portion is inserted into the ink replenishing adapter 47, and the valve mechanism is opened using the needle 56 provided in the ink replenishing adapter 47 to allow the ink in the ink replenishing container 63 to flow out.

[0005] However, when the ink replenishing container 63 having this structure is inverted, the ink will be concentrated at the ink outlet, which may cause the following problems:

[0006] First, when the amount of ink in the ink replenishing container 63 is large, the valve structure may open under the effect of the ink's own gravity and cause ink leakage;

[0007] Secondly, at the moment when the valve structure is opened by the needle 56, an effective seal has not yet been formed between the ink outlet and the ink inlet located in the ink replenishing adapter 47 or there is no time to seal, and the ink will leak;

[0008] On the third aspect, when the air pressure inside the ink replenishing container 63 is high or the air pressure outside the ink replenishing container 63 is low, ink may be ejected at the moment the valve is opened. Summary of the invention

[0009] In view of the problems existing in the prior art, the main purpose of the utility model is to provide an ink refilling container which will not cause ink splashing when refilling ink in an ink tank.

[0010] In order to achieve the above-mentioned main purpose, the utility model provides an ink replenishing container for replenishing ink into an ink tank of an inkjet printing device, wherein the ink tank has an ink replenishing inlet, includes a container body for containing ink and a valve mechanism arranged on a flow path of the ink, and the container body has an outlet for allowing the ink to flow out.

[0011] The valve mechanism includes a first valve member, a second valve member and a valve body which can move relative to each other, and one of the first valve member and the second valve member can move from a first position to a second position relative to the other; the movement includes at least one of the relative movement of the first valve member and the second valve member in the direction of the ink flow path and the relative movement of the first valve member and the second valve member.

[0012] In the first position, the valve body is closed and the ink flow path is cut off; in the second position, the first valve mechanism and the second valve mechanism are relatively displaced so that the valve body is opened and the ink flow path is connected.

[0013] The valve mechanism is connected to an ink inlet forming portion for receiving ink through one of a first valve member and a second valve member, and the valve mechanism is configured so that when the ink inlet forming portion needs to receive ink, the ink flow path is cut off before the valve mechanism is disengaged from the ink inlet forming portion.

[0014] Further, the second valve member has a second fluid passage, the first valve member is located upstream of the second fluid passage in the ink flow path direction, and the friction between the first valve member and the second valve member is smaller than the friction between the second valve member and the ink inlet forming portion.

[0015] Further, the outlet portion has a container fluid channel, the first valve component is arranged in the container fluid channel or the container body, and the second valve component is arranged on the outlet portion.

[0016] Furthermore, the second valve component also includes a sealing member, and when the ink inlet forming portion is combined with the valve mechanism, the sealing member abuts against the ink inlet forming portion, and the friction force between the sealing member and the ink inlet forming portion is greater than the friction force between the first valve component and the second valve component.

[0017] Furthermore, the first valve component has a first fluid channel, and the second valve component has a second fluid channel; the first fluid channel is located upstream of the second fluid channel; wherein, in the first position, the valve body is closed, and ink cannot enter the second fluid channel from the first fluid channel; in the second position, the first valve mechanism and the second valve mechanism are relatively displaced so that the valve body opens, and ink can enter the second fluid channel from the first fluid channel and enter the ink replenishment inlet.

[0018] Furthermore, the valve mechanism is connected to an ink inlet forming portion for receiving ink through one of a first valve member and a second valve member, and the valve mechanism is configured so that when the ink inlet forming portion needs to receive ink, the ink flow path is cut off before the valve mechanism is disengaged from the ink inlet forming portion.

[0019] Furthermore, the second valve component also includes a sealing member, and when the ink inlet forming portion is combined with the valve mechanism, the sealing member abuts against the ink inlet forming portion, and the friction force between the sealing member and the ink inlet forming portion is greater than the friction force between the first valve component and the second valve component.

[0020] Furthermore, the valve mechanism also includes an elastic member arranged between the first valve component and the second valve component; when in the second position, the elastic member is compressed; when the valve mechanism moves from the second position to the first position, the elastic member applies elastic force to the first valve component and the second valve component respectively.

[0021] Furthermore, a first guide mechanism is provided between the outlet portion and the second valve component, and the second valve component can move from a first position to a second position relative to the first valve component under the guidance of the first guide mechanism.

[0022] Furthermore, a limiting structure for limiting the relative movement between the first valve component and the second valve component is provided between the outlet portion and the second valve component; the limiting structure includes a second limiting portion provided on the first limiting portion and engageable with the first limiting portion, the first limiting portion is provided on the outlet portion, and the second limiting portion is provided on the second valve component; wherein, in the process of moving from the first position to the second position, the second limiting portion passes over the first limiting portion and engages with the first limiting portion.

[0023] In order to more clearly illustrate the above-mentioned objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 This is the ink container of the first embodiment of the utility model.

[0025] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure.

[0026] Figure 3 It is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the ink replenishing container of Example 1 of the utility model.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the ink replenishing container of Example 1 of the utility model.

[0028] Figure 5A This is a partial cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of the ink replenishing container of Example 1 of the utility model in the first position.

[0029] Figure 5B This is a partial cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of the ink replenishing container in Example 1 of the utility model in the second position.

[0030] Fig. 6A This is a partial front structural schematic diagram of the ink replenishing container of Example 1 of the utility model.

[0031] Figure 6B This is a partial side structural schematic diagram of the ink replenishing container of Example 1 of the utility model.

[0032] Fig. 7A This is a schematic diagram of the first cross-sectional structure of the top cover in Example 1 of the utility model.

[0033] Figure 7B This is a second cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of the top cover in Example 1 of the utility model.

[0034] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the ink refill container and the top cover in the locked position according to Example 1 of the utility model.

[0035] Fig.9A This is a partial cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of the ink replenishing container of Example 2 of the utility model in the first position.

[0036] Fig. 9B This is a partial cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of the ink replenishing container in Example 2 of the utility model in the second position.

[0037] Fig.10 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the first valve component of Example 2 of the utility model.

[0038] Fig.11 This is a partial cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of the ink replenishing container of Example 3 of the utility model.

[0039] Fig.12 This is a schematic diagram of the disassembly mechanism of the bottle body and the bottle cap of Example 4 of the utility model.

[0040] Fig.13 This is a schematic cross-sectional structural diagram of the bottle body and bottle cap in the locked position according to Example 4 of the utility model.

[0041] Fig.14A This is a partial front structural schematic diagram of the ink replenishing container of Example 4 of the utility model.

[0042] Fig. 14B It is a partial side structural schematic diagram of the ink replenishing container of Example 4 of the utility model.

[0043] Fig.15AThis is a schematic diagram of the first cross-sectional structure of the bottle cap in Example 4 of the utility model.

[0044] Fig. 15B This is a second cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of the bottle cap in Example 4 of the utility model. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present invention, but it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that the present invention can also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, other possible implementation methods that can be known by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments described in this application all belong to the protection scope of this application.

[0046] In the present invention, the container body of the ink refill container is taken as a reference object, the end of the container body close to the ink refill container is defined as the proximal end, and the end of the container body far from the ink refill container is defined as the distal end. Figure 1 The upper direction and the direction opposite to the upper direction are shown in FIG. The axial direction refers to the direction along or parallel to the rotation axis of the ink replenishing container and the valve mechanism.

[0047] Before describing the ink refill container involved in the present invention, the ink supply unit applicable to the ink refill container is described first.

[0048] Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of an ink supply unit applicable to the ink replenishing container involved in the utility model; Figure 2 It is a top view of the ink supply unit from top to bottom along the up-down direction.

[0049] The ink supply unit 40 includes ink tanks 41-45 and an ink replenishing adapter 47 (hereinafter referred to as the "adapter") that are combined with each other. The ink tanks 41-45 supply the ink contained therein to the outside through pipelines. The adapter 47 is fluidly connected to the ink tanks 41-45 and is used to receive the ink replenishing container 63 involved in the utility model, so that the ink in the ink replenishing container 63 can be replenished to the ink tanks 41-45 through the adapter 47.

[0050] The adapter 47 includes a plurality of ink inlet forming portions 60 and a plurality of recesses 61 formed therein, wherein an ink inlet forming portion is adjacent to a recess 61, and preferably, the two are interconnected to form a downwardly recessed whole, and one downwardly recessed whole corresponds to an ink tank, and a concave-convex portion 62 is formed in each recess 61, and the position / shape of the forming portion 62 in each recess 61 is different, and the ink color that can be accommodated in the ink replenishing container 63 / ink tank 41-45 can be distinguished by this difference, and along the up and down direction shown in Figure 1, the concave-convex portion 62 does not extend beyond the upper surface of the adapter 47, that is, along the up and down direction, a height difference / step is formed between the upper surface of the adapter 47 and the upper end of the concave-convex portion 62; further, a needle 56 is provided in each ink inlet forming portion 60, and the needle 56 is in the shape of a cylindrical tube, which is used to form a fluid connection with the ink replenishing container 63, so that the ink from the ink replenishing container 63 can enter the ink tank through the needle 56.

[0051] Example 1

[0052] like Figure 3-Figure 8 As shown, an ink replenishing container provided in this embodiment is used to replenish ink to an ink tank of an inkjet printing device. The ink tank has an ink replenishing inlet, includes a container body 10a for containing ink and a valve mechanism arranged on a flow path of the ink, the container body 10a has an outlet portion 11a for ink to flow out, and the valve mechanism is arranged on the outlet portion 11a to control the on-off of the ink flow path.

[0053] The valve mechanism has an open state and a closed state. Before the ink replenishment container is used, the valve mechanism is in a closed state, and the ink can be sealed in the container body 10a. When the ink replenishment container needs to be used, the valve mechanism is adjusted to an open state, and the ink in the container body 10a can flow out along the ink replenishment container. Figure 4 The ink flow path shown in d is supplied to the outside. Commonly, the container body 10a can be a bottle body, a bag body, or a syringe-type filling body.

[0054] See also Figure 5A and 5B The valve mechanism includes a first valve member 21a, a second valve member 22a and a valve body 23a which can move relative to each other, and one of the first valve member 21a and the second valve member 22a can move from a first position to a second position relative to the other; the movement includes at least one of the relative movement of the first valve member 21a and the second valve member 22a in the direction of the ink flow path and the relative movement of the first valve member 21a and the second valve member 22a.

[0055] Among them, in the first position, the valve body 23a is closed, the ink flow path is cut off, and the valve mechanism is in a closed state; in the second position, the relative displacement of the first valve mechanism and the second valve mechanism causes the valve body 23a to open, the ink flow path is connected, and the valve mechanism is in an open state.

[0056] Furthermore, the valve mechanism is connected to the ink inlet forming portion 60 for receiving ink through one of the first valve member 21a and the second valve member 22a, and the valve mechanism is configured so that when the ink inlet forming portion needs to receive ink, the ink flow path is cut off before the valve mechanism is separated from the ink inlet forming portion. In this way, it is prevented that the valve mechanism is still in an open state when the ink replenishing container is separated from the ink inlet forming portion, causing ink leakage and pollution.

[0057] Further, the outlet portion 11a has a container fluid channel 12a, and the second valve component 22a is installed on the outlet portion 11a of the container body 10a; the second valve component 22a has a second fluid channel 24a, and the first valve component 21a is located upstream of the second fluid channel 24a in the direction of the ink flow path; the second fluid channel 24a is connected to the container fluid channel 12a of the outlet portion 11a, that is, the second fluid channel 24a is connected to the container body 10a; when the valve mechanism is in an open state and ink is supplied to the ink supply unit, the direction of the ink flow path is the direction from the container fluid channel 12a to the second fluid channel 24a; in other words, the ink flow path is the container body 10a-container fluid channel 12a-second fluid channel 24a.

[0058] The first valve member may be disposed in the container fluid channel 12a or in the container body 10a. Figure 5A and 5B As shown, the first valve member 21a is arranged on the container fluid channel 12a, and the first valve member 21a is located upstream of the second fluid channel 24a in the direction of the ink flow path; the valve body is arranged on the second fluid channel 24a, and the valve body is located upstream of the first valve member 21a in the direction of the ink flow path. Furthermore, a first mounting groove for setting the valve body 23a is provided on the inner wall of the second fluid channel 24a; a support portion 231a for fixing the valve body 23a is also provided in the second fluid channel 24a, and the outer wall of the support portion 231a abuts against the inner wall of the second fluid channel 24a, thereby limiting the ink body in the first mounting groove. Wherein, the valve body 23a is made of elastic material, and at least one slit is provided on the valve body 23a, thereby dividing the valve body 23a into at least two parts. In this embodiment, two orthogonal slits are provided on the valve body 23a, dividing the valve body 23a into four equal parts. In this embodiment, as Figure 5BWhen located at the second position, the first valve member 21a passes through the valve body 23a through the slit and pushes open the various parts of the valve body 23a, so that the ends of the various parts of the valve body 23a are arranged toward the ink inlet forming portion 60. In this way, the various parts of the valve body 23a that are pushed open can guide the ink, thereby guiding the ink to enter the ink inlet forming portion 60 through the second fluid channel 24a.

[0059] Furthermore, the friction between the first valve member and the second valve member is smaller than the friction between the second valve member and the ink inlet forming portion 60; when the valve mechanism is combined with the ink inlet forming portion 60, the outer wall of the ink inlet forming portion 60 abuts against the inner wall of the second fluid channel 24a. According to the above arrangement, when the valve mechanism is in the first position, there is a gap between the first valve member 21a and the valve body 23a in the direction of the ink flow path, at which time the valve mechanism is in a closed state and the ink flow path is cut off; when the valve mechanism is in the second position, the first valve member 21a moves along the ink flow path toward the valve body 23a until the first valve member 21a pushes the valve body 23a and opens the valve body 23a, at which time the valve mechanism is in an open state and the ink flow path is open.

[0060] Preferably, referring to 5A and 5B, a sealing ring member 31a for improving sealing performance is further provided between the outlet portion 11a and the second valve member 22a in this embodiment; the second valve member 22a also includes a sealing member 3a, when the ink inlet forming portion is combined with the valve mechanism, the inner wall of the sealing member 3a abuts against the ink inlet forming portion, and the sealing member 3a undergoes elastic deformation to seal the ink inlet forming portion; the above arrangement, by respectively providing the sealing ring member 31a and the sealing member 3a, can not only improve the sealing performance of the valve mechanism, but also ensure that the friction between the sealing member 3a and the ink inlet forming portion is greater than the friction between the first valve member 21a and the second valve member 22a. Among them, the sealing member 3a can be made of elastic sealing materials commonly used in the prior art, such as rubber and silicone.

[0061] More preferably, a sealing protrusion 111a is provided on the outer wall of the outlet portion 11a, and a fixing portion is provided on the outer wall of the sealing member 3a. The fixing portion is fixedly connected to the sealing member 3a at one end away from the container body, and there is a gap between the fixing portion and the sealing member 3a. A sealing groove matching the sealing protrusion is provided on the inner wall of the fixing portion. When the sealing member 3a is installed on the outlet portion 11a, the outer wall of the sealing member 3a abuts against the inner wall of the outlet portion 11a, the inner wall of the fixing portion abuts against the outer wall of the outlet portion 11a, and the sealing protrusion is stuck in the sealing groove. With the above arrangement, the sealing portion can improve the sealing performance when the ink replenishing container is combined with the ink inlet forming portion, and prevent the ink from leaking from the outer wall of the ink inlet forming portion 60 and between the second fluid channel 24a.

[0062] In this embodiment, a protrusion abutting against the outer wall of the ink inlet forming portion is provided on the inner wall of the sealing member 3a, and the protrusion extends from the inner wall of the sealing member 3a toward the axial direction of the second fluid channel 24a and toward the direction of the container fluid. When the ink inlet forming portion is combined with the second valve member 22a, the protrusion abuts against the outer wall of the ink outlet forming portion. At this time, a gap is provided between the protrusion and the inner wall of the sealing member 3a, so that the gap can accommodate the ink attached to the outer wall of the ink inlet forming portion when the second valve member is separated from the ink outlet forming portion; in addition, the protrusion can increase the friction between the second valve member 22a and the ink inlet forming portion, ensuring that the friction between the second valve member and the ink inlet forming portion is greater than the friction between the container body and the second valve member, so as to ensure that the ink flow path can be cut off before the valve mechanism is separated from the ink inlet forming portion.

[0063] See also Figure 5A and 5B In this embodiment, the first valve member 21a is arranged on the inner wall of the container fluid channel 12a. In other words, as long as the first valve member 21a is fixedly installed on the container fluid channel 12a / the outlet portion 11a / the container body portion 10a, and the other end of the first valve member 21a can open the valve body 23a when in the second position, there is no limitation here; specifically, the shape of the first valve member 21a can be a plate-like structure, a U-shaped structure or other structures. In this embodiment, the shape of the first valve member 21a is a plate-like structure, and the cross section is T-shaped.

[0064] Further, a first guide mechanism is provided between the outlet portion 11a and the second valve member, and the second valve member 22a can move from the first position to the second position relative to the first valve member 21a under the guiding action of the first guide mechanism. Specifically, the first guide mechanism includes a first guide protrusion 51a and a first guide groove 52a. In this embodiment, the first guide protrusion 51a is provided on the outer wall of the outlet portion 11a, and the first guide groove 52a is provided through the side wall of the second valve member 22a. The second valve member 22a can move along the ink flow path under the guiding action of the first guide mechanism. In this embodiment, the ink flow path is parallel to the axial direction of the second fluid channel 24a.

[0065] Furthermore, a limiting structure for limiting the relative movement of the first valve member 21a and the second valve member 22a is provided between the outlet portion 11a and the second valve member 22a. The limiting mechanism is used to prevent the ink flow path from being opened due to the relative movement between the first valve member 21a and the second valve member 22a in the case of non-human operation, so as to avoid the valve mechanism accidentally opening during the transportation of the ink replenishing container and ink leakage causing pollution.

[0066] In some embodiments (not shown in the figures), the limiting structure can be a snap ring structure detachably connected to the outlet portion 11a, and when the snap ring structure is installed on the outlet portion 11a, the valve mechanism cannot move from the first position to the second position, thereby preventing the ink replenishing container from being accidentally opened and causing contamination during transportation; wherein, the snap ring interface has an opening at one end of the snap ring structure, and when the snap ring structure is installed on the outlet portion 11a, the opening portion of the snap ring structure undergoes elastic deformation to allow the outlet portion 11a to pass over the opening portion, thereby allowing the outlet portion 11a to be located as a whole within the snap ring structure.

[0067] In some embodiments, the limiting structure may be a connector detachably connected to the second valve member 22a and the container body 10a, and connecting columns are provided between the connector and the second valve member 22a and the container body 10a, respectively. When ink is needed to replenish the container, the connector is pulled to break the connecting columns between the connector and the second valve member 22a and the container body 10a, and then the connector is disassembled to release the restriction of the limiting structure on the valve mechanism. At this time, one of the first valve member 21a and the second valve member 22a can move from the first position to the second position relative to the other.

[0068] In this example, see Figure 6B The limiting structure includes a first limiting portion 53a and a second limiting portion 54a that can be engaged with the first limiting portion 53a. The first limiting portion 53a is arranged on the outlet portion 11a, and the second limiting portion 54a is arranged on the second valve member 22a; wherein, as shown in FIG6 , when the second valve member moves from the first position to the second position along the direction M, the second limiting portion 54a passes over the first limiting portion 53a and engages with the first limiting portion 53a. Specifically, when the first position moves to the second position, the second limiting portion 54a undergoes elastic deformation and passes over the first limiting portion 53a and engages with the first limiting portion 53a. For more details, please refer to Figure 6B , the first limiting portion 53a is a protrusion provided on the outer wall of the outlet portion 11a, and the second limiting portion 54a is a through groove structure provided through the side wall of the second valve member 22a. With the above arrangement, when the ink replenishing container is used, a certain force is required to act on the second valve member 22a to drive the second limiting portion 54a to undergo elastic deformation and pass over the first limiting portion 53a, and the second limiting portion 54a is engaged with the first limiting portion 53a, so that the valve mechanism cannot move from the first position to the second position without artificial force, thereby preventing the ink replenishing container from being accidentally opened during transportation to cause contamination.

[0069] For further information, see Figures 6A-7B, and also includes a top cover 4a detachably connected to the valve mechanism, the valve mechanism is provided with an abutting portion 26a for abutting against the top cover 4a; the top cover 4a is provided with a first blocking member 41a on a side close to the valve mechanism, when the top cover 4a is installed on the valve mechanism, the first blocking member 41a cuts off the ink flow path; so as to improve the sealing performance of the ink replenishing container during transportation.

[0070] Specifically, see Figure 7B The inner wall of the top cover 4a is provided with an abutting groove 43a for abutting the abutting portion 26a. When the top cover 4a is installed on the valve mechanism, the abutting portion 26a abuts against the abutting groove 43a; the diameter of the abutting portion 26a is larger than the diameter of the second valve component 22a.

[0071] The first blocking member 41a may be a protrusion extending downward from the top cover 4a, or a sealing member disposed on the top cover 4a. The material of the sealing member may be a commonly used elastic sealing material in the prior art, such as rubber, silicone, etc. In this embodiment, the first blocking member 41a is a cylindrical protrusion extending from the top cover 4a toward the container body 10a. When the top cover 4a is mounted on the valve mechanism, the cylindrical protrusion abuts against the inner wall of the sealing member 3a to improve the sealing of the ink flow path and prevent leakage of the ink replenishing container during transportation.

[0072] Furthermore, the top cover 4a is provided with a second blocking member 42a on the radially outer side of the first blocking member 41a, and when the top cover 4a is installed on the valve mechanism, the second blocking member 42a abuts against the valve mechanism. In this embodiment, the second blocking member 42a is an annular protrusion extending from the top cover 4a to the container body 10a, and the width of the second blocking member 42a gradually decreases from the top cover 4a to the container body 10a. When the top cover 4a is installed on the valve mechanism, the second blocking member 42a abuts against the end face of the sealing member 3a and causes the sealing member 3a to undergo elastic deformation. In this way, since the width of the second blocking member 42a gradually decreases from the top cover 4a to the container body 10a, the second blocking member 42a can generate a greater pressure on the sealing member 3a, so as to further improve the sealing performance of the ink replenishing container.

[0073] Furthermore, the present embodiment also provides a locking structure between the valve mechanism and the top cover 4a, when the top cover 4a is in contact with the abutment portion 26a, one of the top cover 4a and the valve mechanism can be relatively displaced from the free position to the locking position relative to the other; wherein, in the free position, the top cover 4a can be separated from the valve mechanism; in the locking position, the valve mechanism and the top cover 4a are mutually locked; thereby improving the stability of the connection between the top cover 4a and the valve mechanism, preventing the top cover 4a from being separated from the valve mechanism during transportation and reducing the sealing of the ink replenishment container. wherein, in the free position, the top cover 4a can be separated from the valve mechanism along the axial direction of the top cover 4a.

[0074] Specifically, the container body 10a is provided with a step portion 25a on one side of the outlet portion 11a, and the outlet portion 11a is arranged on a side surface of the step portion 25a away from the container body 10a, and the outlet portion 11a extends from the side surface of the step portion 25a away from the container body 10a in a direction away from the container body 10a.

[0075] The locking mechanism includes a first locking protrusion 71a provided on the inner side wall of the top cover 4a, a second locking protrusion 72a provided on the container body 10a or the step portion 25a, and a locking groove 73a provided on the top cover 4a and capable of locking with the second locking protrusion 72a; in this embodiment, the second locking protrusion is provided on the side wall of the step portion 25a and extends away from the container body 10a. The second valve member 22 is provided with an avoidance groove corresponding to the position of the second locking protrusion 72a on a side close to the container body 10a, and when the valve mechanism is in the second position, the second locking protrusion 72a is located in the locking groove.

[0076] When the valve mechanism is in the first position, a gap is provided between the second valve component 22a and the step portion 25a, and the position of the first locking protrusion 71a is set corresponding to the gap; therefore, when the valve mechanism is in the first position, the first locking protrusion 71a can be moved into the gap, and at this time the first locking protrusion 71a is located between the step portion 25a and the second valve component, and thus the top cover 4a cannot be separated from the valve mechanism along the direction of the ink flow path; then the top cover 4a is further moved until the second locking protrusion 72a and the locking groove 73a are engaged and locked with each other, thereby limiting the top cover 4a from rotating without human intervention.

[0077] like Figure 8 As shown, at this time, the top cover 4a and the valve mechanism are in a locked position. Figure 8 The direction of the middle arrow is the direction in which the top cover 4a rotates from the locked position to the free position relative to the valve mechanism. When the top cover 4a rotates from the locked position to the free position, the second locking protrusion 72a and the locking groove 73a are disengaged, and then continue to rotate until the first locking protrusion is disengaged from the gap between the second valve member 22a and the step portion 25a. At this time, the top cover 4a is in the free position relative to the valve mechanism and can be disengaged from the valve mechanism.

[0078] Furthermore, a second guiding structure is provided between the valve mechanism and the top cover 4a, and the second guiding structure is used to guide the top cover 4a to a free position when the top cover 4a is installed on the valve mechanism.

[0079] Specifically, the second guide structure includes a second guide groove 62a that can cooperate with the first locking protrusion 71a. In this embodiment, the second guide groove 62a is formed by being recessed from the outer wall of the second valve member toward the axial direction of the second valve member. When the first locking protrusion 71a enters the second guide groove 62a, the second guide groove 62a cooperates with the first locking protrusion 71a to limit the axial rotation of the top cover 4a, and prevents the first locking protrusion 71a from being separated from the second guide groove 62a; in the process of installing the top cover 4 on the valve mechanism, the first locking protrusion 71a and the second guide groove 62a cooperate to guide the top cover 4a, so that the top cover 4a can be correctly moved to the free position.

[0080] With the above arrangement, when the top cover 4a is installed on the valve mechanism, the top cover 4a can be moved to a free position under the guidance of the second guide mechanism, and then one of the top cover 4a and the valve mechanism can be rotated to a relative displacement from the free position to the locking position relative to the other, thereby completing the locking.

[0081] Example 2

[0082] See also Fig.9A and Fig. 9B The ink replenishing container provided in this embodiment is different from that in Embodiment 1 in that: it includes a container body 10a for containing ink and a valve mechanism arranged on the flow path of the ink, the container body 10a has an outlet portion 11a for ink to flow out, and the outlet portion 11a has a container fluid channel 12a; the second valve member 22a is arranged on the outlet portion 11a, and the first valve member 21b is arranged in the container fluid channel 12a; the first valve member 21b has a first fluid channel 211b, and the second valve member 22a has a second fluid channel 24a, the first fluid channel 211b is located upstream of the second fluid channel 24a, and the second fluid channel 24b is connected with the container body 10b through the first fluid channel 211b; in other words, the ink flow path is the container body 10b-container fluid channel 12b-second fluid channel 24b.

[0083] Specifically, the first valve member 21b is arranged on the container fluid channel 12a; the first valve member 21b includes a large diameter portion 212b and a small diameter portion 213b arranged above the large diameter portion 212b; a second mounting groove is arranged on the inner wall of the container fluid channel 12a; the first valve member 21b is fixedly mounted on the second mounting groove through the large diameter portion 212b, and the outer periphery of the large diameter portion 212b matches the shape of the second mounting groove. More specifically, at least one flow-assisting channel 214b is also arranged on the first valve member, and the flow-assisting channel 214b can be connected to the first fluid channel 211b or not; the flow-assisting channels 214b can be connected to each other or not.

[0084] In this example, see Fig.10 Four flow-aiding channels 214b are equidistantly arranged on the large diameter portion 212b and the small diameter portion 213b, respectively. Each flow-aiding channel 214b on the large diameter portion 212b is communicated with a flow-aiding channel 214b on the small diameter portion, and the flow-aiding channels 214b on the large diameter portion 212b and the small diameter portion 213b are communicated with the first fluid channel 211b.

[0085] Example 3

[0086] See also Fig.11 , this embodiment provides an ink replenishing container, which is different from Embodiment 1 in that: the valve mechanism also includes an elastic member 4d arranged between the first valve member 21d and the second valve member 22d, and one of the first valve member 21d and the second valve member 22d can move from the first position to the second position relative to the other; the movement includes at least one of the relative movement of the first valve member 21d and the second valve member 22d in the direction of the ink flow path and the relative movement of the first valve member 21d and the second valve member 22d; in the second position, the elastic member 4d is compressed; when the valve mechanism moves from the second position to the first position, the elastic member 4d applies elastic force to the first valve member 21d and the second valve member 22d respectively.

[0087] In this embodiment, the elastic member 4d is disposed in the second fluid channel 24d of the second valve member 22d, one end of the elastic member 4d abuts against the first valve member 21d, and the other end of the elastic member 4d abuts against the second valve member 22d.

[0088] In other embodiments, the elastic member may also be disposed on the outer side of the second valve member 22d, and both ends of the elastic member are respectively in contact with the first valve member 21d and the second valve member 22d.

[0089] Among them, in the first position, the valve body 23d is closed and the ink flow path is cut off; in the second position, the first valve mechanism and the second valve mechanism are relatively displaced so that the valve body 23d is opened and the ink flow path is connected.

[0090] When one of the first valve member 21d and the second valve member 22d moves from the second position to the first position relative to the other, the elastic member 4d has a tendency to return to its original state and applies elastic force to one of the first valve member 21d and the second valve member 22d to offset at least part of the friction force generated when the first valve member 21d and the second valve member 22d move relative to each other. In this way, when the valve mechanism is disengaged from the ink inlet forming portion 60, the elastic force generated by the elastic member 4d on one of the first valve member 21d and the second valve member 22d can reduce the force required for the user to remove the ink replenishing container from the ink supply unit, thereby alleviating the burden.

[0091] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, when the ink replenishing container is combined with the ink inlet forming portion 60 and needs to be detached from the ink inlet forming portion 60, the user applies a force F1 to the container body away from the ink inlet forming portion 60, the friction force between the container body and the second valve member is F2, and the friction force between the second valve member and the ink inlet forming portion 60 is F3; when the container body does not contain ink, the gravity of the container body itself is G1, and the gravity of the ink in the container body is G2; the elastic force generated by the elastic member on the container body is F4. Since the ink in the container body gradually decreases during the process of replenishing ink to the ink supply unit, when the ink in the container body is completely injected into the ink supply unit, the gravity of the ink in the container body at this time G2 can be regarded as 0.

[0092] Therefore, if the user needs to take out the ink refill container from the ink supply unit, the force F1 must at least satisfy the following relationship: F1>F3+G1;

[0093] In order to prevent the ink from leaking and causing pollution when the valve mechanism is still in an open state when the ink replenishing container is separated from the ink inlet forming portion, F2 and F3 need to satisfy the following relationship: F2 <F3;

[0094] At this time, the resultant force acting on the first valve member is greater than the resultant force acting on the second valve member, and thus the displacement speed of the first valve member is greater than the displacement speed of the second valve member, thereby ensuring that the valve mechanism is in a closed state when the ink replenishing container is separated from the ink inlet forming portion.

[0095] Based on the above relationship, in order to reduce the force F1 required for the user to remove the ink refilling container from the ink supply unit, an elastic member capable of reducing the friction F2 between the container body and the second valve member is provided. When the user removes the ink refilling container from the ink supply unit, the elastic member tends to return to its original state and generates an elastic force F4 on the container body to offset at least part of the friction F2 exerted on the container body. Therefore, the friction F3 can be reduced by reducing the contact area between the second valve member and the ink inlet forming portion 60, changing the material of the contact portion between the second valve member and the ink inlet forming portion 60, and then reducing the force F1, thereby reducing the burden on the user when removing the ink refilling container from the ink supply unit.

[0096] In some embodiments, the elastic force F4 generated by the elastic member on the container body is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the friction force F2 between the container body and the second valve member. The friction force F3 between the second valve member and the ink inlet forming portion 60 is greater than the gravity G1 of the container body itself; at this time, the force F1 satisfies the following relationship: F1>F3+G1. In this way, the user can remove the ink replenishing container from the ink supply unit with less force, and the valve mechanism of the ink replenishing container is in a closed state when the ink replenishing container is separated from the ink inlet forming portion. In this way, the burden of the user when removing the ink replenishing container from the ink supply unit is reduced, and the situation that the valve mechanism is still in an open state when the ink replenishing container is separated from the ink inlet forming portion, resulting in ink leakage and pollution, can be avoided.

[0097] Example 4

[0098] See also Figure 12-15B The present embodiment provides an ink replenishing container for replenishing ink to an ink tank of an inkjet printing device, comprising a bottle body 1c for containing ink, an ink outlet forming portion 2c arranged outside a bottle mouth 11c of the bottle body 1c, and a bottle cap 3c arranged on the ink outlet forming portion 2c, wherein an opening 21c is arranged at the upper portion of the ink outlet forming portion 2c, and a first blocking member 31c is arranged in the middle of the inner portion of the bottle cap 3c, and the first blocking member 31c can seal the opening 21c.

[0099] Furthermore, the ink outlet forming part 2c is provided with an abutting part 4c for abutting against the bottle cap 3c, and a locking structure is provided between the ink outlet forming part 2c and the bottle cap 3c. When the bottle cap 3c abuts against the abutting part 4c, one of the bottle cap 3c and the ink outlet forming part 2c can be relatively displaced from the free position to the locking position relative to the other; the diameter of the abutting part 4c is larger than the diameter of the ink outlet forming part 2c. In the free position, the bottle cap 3c can be separated from the ink outlet forming part 2c; in the locking position, the ink outlet forming part 2c and the bottle cap 3c are mutually locked; thereby improving the stability of the connection between the bottle cap 3c and the ink outlet forming part 2c, preventing the bottle cap 3c from being separated from the ink outlet forming part 2c during transportation and reducing the sealing of the ink replenishing container. In this embodiment, in the free position, the bottle cap 3c can be separated from the ink outlet forming part 2c along the axial direction of the bottle cap 3c.

[0100] Further, please refer to 15B, an abutment groove 33c for guiding the bottle cap 3c to abut against the abutment portion 4c is also provided between the ink outlet forming portion 2c and the bottle cap 3c. When the bottle cap 3c is installed on the ink outlet forming portion 2c, the abutment portion 4c abuts against the abutment groove 33c; the diameter of the abutment portion 4c is larger than the diameter of the ink outlet forming portion 2c.

[0101] Specifically, the second guide structure includes a second guide protrusion 61a and a second guide groove 62a. In this embodiment, the second guide protrusion 61a extends from the inner wall of the top cover toward the axis of the top cover, and the second guide groove 62a is recessed from the outer wall of the ink outlet forming part 2c toward the axis of the ink outlet forming part 2c.

[0102] With the above arrangement, when the top cover is installed on the bottle body 1c, the top cover can be moved to a free position under the guidance of the second guide mechanism, and then one of the top cover and the bottle body 1c can be rotated to a relative displacement from the free position to the locking position relative to the other, thereby completing the locking.

[0103] Furthermore, the bottle cap 3c is further provided with a second blocking piece 32c on the radially outer side of the first blocking piece 31c. When the bottle cap 3c is mounted on the ink outlet forming portion 2c, the second blocking piece 32c abuts against the ink outlet forming portion 2c.

[0104] Although the present invention is disclosed as above with preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make some improvements without departing from the scope of the present invention, that is, any changes or improvements made according to the present invention should be covered by the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ink refill container, used for refilling ink into an ink tank of an inkjet printing device, wherein the ink tank has an ink refill inlet, characterized in that: The invention comprises a container body for containing ink and a valve mechanism arranged on a flow path of the ink, wherein the container body has an outlet for the ink to flow out; The valve mechanism comprises a first valve member, a second valve member and a valve body which can move relative to each other, one of the first valve member and the second valve member can move relative to the other from a first position to a second position; the movement comprises at least one of a relative movement of the first valve member and the second valve member in a direction of an ink flow path and a relative movement of the first valve member and the second valve member; Wherein, in the first position, the valve body is closed and the ink flow path is cut off; in the second position, the first valve mechanism and the second valve mechanism are relatively displaced so that the valve body is opened and the ink flow path is connected; The valve mechanism is connected to an ink inlet forming portion for receiving ink through one of a first valve member and a second valve member, and the valve mechanism is configured so that when the ink inlet forming portion needs to receive ink, the ink flow path is cut off before the valve mechanism is disengaged from the ink inlet forming portion.

2. The ink refill container according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second valve member has a second fluid passage, the first valve member is located upstream of the second fluid passage in the ink flow path direction, and the friction between the first valve member and the second valve member is smaller than the friction between the second valve member and the ink inlet forming portion.

3. The ink refill container according to claim 2, characterized in that: The outlet portion has a container fluid passage, the first valve member is disposed in the container fluid passage or the container main body, and the second valve member is disposed on the outlet portion.

4. The ink refill container according to claim 2, characterized in that: The second valve member further includes a sealing member, and when the ink inlet forming portion is combined with the valve mechanism, the sealing member abuts against the ink inlet forming portion, and the friction force between the sealing member and the ink inlet forming portion is greater than the friction force between the first valve member and the second valve member.

5. The ink refill container according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first valve component has a first fluid channel, and the second valve component has a second fluid channel; the first fluid channel is located upstream of the second fluid channel; wherein, in the first position, the valve body is closed, and ink cannot enter the second fluid channel from the first fluid channel; in the second position, the first valve mechanism and the second valve mechanism are relatively displaced so that the valve body opens, and ink can enter the second fluid channel from the first fluid channel and enter the ink replenishment inlet.

6. The ink refill container according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second valve member further includes a sealing member, and when the ink inlet forming portion is combined with the valve mechanism, the sealing member abuts against the ink inlet forming portion, and the friction force between the sealing member and the ink inlet forming portion is greater than the friction force between the first valve member and the second valve member.

7. The ink refill container according to claim 1, characterized in that: The valve mechanism further comprises an elastic member arranged between the first valve member and the second valve member; when in the second position, the elastic member is compressed; when the valve mechanism moves from the second position to the first position, the elastic member applies elastic force to the first valve member and the second valve member respectively.

8. The ink refill container according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: A first guide mechanism is provided between the outlet portion and the second valve component. The second valve component can move from a first position to a second position relative to the first valve component under the guiding action of the first guide mechanism.

9. The ink refill container according to claim 8, characterized in that: A limiting structure for limiting the relative movement between the first valve component and the second valve component is provided between the outlet portion and the second valve component; the limiting structure includes a first limiting portion and a second limiting portion that can be engaged with the first limiting portion, the first limiting portion is provided on the outlet portion, and the second limiting portion is provided on the second valve component; wherein, in the process of moving from the first position to the second position, the second limiting portion passes over the first limiting portion and engages with the first limiting portion.

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