Liquid supply device and system

Abstract

To achieve reduction in the size of a device while enabling storage of multiple liquid containers.SOLUTION: A liquid supply device comprises: multiple storage parts which are arranged in a first direction and store liquid containers that store liquid to be supplied to a supply destination; state display means which is provided for each storage part and displays the state of the liquid containers stored in the storage parts; and type display means which is provided for each storage part and displays the type of liquid assigned to the storage part. The storage parts and the state display means corresponding to the storage parts are arranged so as to be arrayed in the second direction that intersects the first direction. The storage parts and the type display means corresponding to the storage parts are arranged so as to be arrayed in the second direction. The type display means is arranged on the side of the state display means relative to the storage parts.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 14

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to liquid supply devices and systems. [Background technology]

[0002] A liquid container is known as a method for storing liquid. Such a liquid container can be used as a liquid container for storing ink. Patent Document 1 discloses a device that supplies ink from a bag-shaped ink container to a recording device to record an image. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2017 / 217001 Brochure Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When an apparatus is configured so as to be able to use a plurality of liquid containers, the apparatus tends to become large in size, and an improvement in this regard is required.

[0005] The present invention provides a technique for reducing the size of an apparatus while allowing a plurality of liquid containers to be stored therein. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the present invention, A plurality of storage sections arranged in a first direction and housing liquid containers each for housing a liquid to be supplied to a supply destination; a status display means provided for each of the storage sections and displaying a status of the liquid container stored in the storage section; a type display means provided for each of the storage units and displaying a type of liquid assigned to the storage unit; the storage section and the state display means corresponding to the storage section are arranged to be aligned in a second direction intersecting the first direction, the storage section and the type display means corresponding to the storage section are arranged to be aligned in the second direction, and the type display means is arranged on the side of the state display means with respect to the storage section; A liquid supply device is provided. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the size of the device while making it possible to store a plurality of liquid containers. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2A is a front view of the system in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is an explanatory diagram showing the internal structure of the liquid ejection device. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] 13(A) and (B) are diagrams illustrating the operation of the handle and locking mechanism. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] 11A and 11B are diagrams showing the mounting posture and insertion / removal manner of the support unit relative to the slot. [Figure 8] FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] (A) and (B) are explanatory diagrams of the cam. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the case with agitation function and the support unit in a separated state. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the case with stirring function and the support unit in an attached state. [Figure 13] (A) to (C) are explanatory diagrams of the stirring operation. [Figure 14] 1A is a front view of a liquid supplying device, and FIG. 1B is a front view of a liquid supplying device of another example. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the control circuitry of the system of FIG. 1; [Figure 16] 5A and 5B are flowcharts illustrating an example of processing executed by a control unit of a liquid ejection device. [Figure 17] 5A and 5B are flowcharts illustrating an example of processing executed by a control unit of a liquid ejection device. [Figure 18] 6A and 6B are explanatory views of another example of a pressing member. [Figure 19] 6A to 6C are explanatory views of other examples of the pressing member. [Figure 20] 13A to 13C are explanatory views of pressing parts of a liquid container. [Figure 21] 2A and 2B are diagrams showing another example layout of the system of FIG. 1. [Figure 22] 13A and 13B are explanatory diagrams of another example of the handle configuration. [Diagram 23] 13A and 13B are explanatory diagrams of another example of the handle configuration. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Although the embodiments describe a number of features, not all of these features are essential to the invention, and the features may be combined in any manner. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, the same reference numbers are used for the same or similar configurations, and duplicated descriptions are omitted.

[0010] First Embodiment Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2(A) is a front view of the system 100. In each figure, arrows X, Y, and Z indicate directions that intersect with each other, and in this embodiment, are perpendicular to each other. When the system 100 is installed on a horizontal surface, the left-right direction is the X direction, the front-back direction is the Y direction, and the up-down direction is the Z direction. When the system 100 is viewed from the front, the right side is the +X direction, the left side is the -X direction, the front side is the +Y direction, the back side is the -Y direction, the lower side (downward in the direction of gravity) is the +Z direction, and the upper side is the -Z direction.

[0011] The system 100 of this embodiment is a recording system that includes a liquid supplying device 1 and a liquid ejecting device 101, and ejects ink onto a recording medium such as paper to record an image. In this embodiment, a plurality of (here, two) liquid supplying devices 1 are provided and connected to each other. The liquid ejecting device 101 and the two liquid supplying devices 1 are arranged to be aligned in the X direction. The liquid that the liquid supplying device 1 supplies to the liquid ejecting device 101 is ink, and the liquid ejecting device 101 is a recording device that ejects ink onto a recording medium. However, the present invention is not limited to recording systems, and can be applied to various liquid ejecting systems intended for the purpose of ejecting liquid onto a medium.

[0012] In addition, "recording" includes not only the formation of meaningful information such as characters and figures, but also the formation of images, patterns, and the like on a recording medium, whether meaningful or insignificant, or the processing of the medium, regardless of whether it is manifested in a way that can be visually perceived by humans. In addition, although a sheet of paper is assumed as the "recording medium" in this embodiment, it may also be cloth, plastic film, etc.

[0013] <Liquid discharge device> A liquid ejection device 101 will be described with reference to FIG. 2(B) in addition to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2(A). FIG. 2(B) is an explanatory diagram of the internal structure of the liquid ejection device 101. The liquid ejection device 101 includes a pair of left and right stands 102 and a main body 103 supported on the pair of stands 102. Each stand 102 is provided with casters 102a, so that the liquid ejection device 101 can be moved relatively easily on the floor. A feeding unit 104 and a winding unit 105 are disposed below the main body 103. In this embodiment, the recording medium M is roll paper, and the feeding unit 104 has a shaft around which the recording medium M is wound. The winding unit 105 has a shaft for winding up the recording medium M. In this embodiment, roll paper is exemplified as the recording medium M, but cut paper may also be used.

[0014] The main body 103 is provided with a transport unit 106. The transport unit 106 has a drive roller and a driven roller, and the recording medium M fed from the feeding unit 104 is sandwiched in the nip between these rollers. The recording medium M is transported onto a platen 107 by rotation of the drive roller. An ejection head 108 is disposed facing the platen 107. The ejection head 108 is a recording head that ejects ink to form an image. An image is recorded on the recording medium M by ejecting ink from the ejection head 108 onto the recording medium M transported onto the platen 107.

[0015] The ejection head 108 has an ejection energy generating element such as an electrothermal conversion element (heater) or a piezoelectric element, and ejects ink from the ejection orifice. When an electrothermal conversion element is used, the ink is bubbled by the heat generated by the element, and the ink can be ejected from the ejection orifice by utilizing the bubble-generating energy. The printing method of the ejection head 108 may be a serial scan method or a full line method. In the case of the serial scan method, the ejection head 108 is mounted on a carriage and moves back and forth in the X direction. The ejection of ink while moving the ejection head 108 in the X direction is called a printing scan. An image is printed on the printing medium M by alternately repeating the conveying operation of the printing medium M and the printing scan of the ejection head 108. In the case of the present embodiment, the serial scan method is assumed to be adopted. In the case of the full line method, an elongated ejection head 108 extending in the X direction is used to print an image while continuously conveying the printing medium M.

[0016] The recording medium M on which the image has been recorded is taken up by a take-up unit 105. The recording medium M on which the image has been recorded is cut by a user with scissors or the like, or is automatically cut by a cutter (not shown).

[0017] A recovery unit 109 is disposed in the main body 103. The recovery unit 109 is disposed outside the recording area (outside the ejection area) of the ejection head 108, and performs processing related to recovery and maintenance of the ejection performance of the ejection head 108. Examples of such processing include preliminary ejection that ejects a predetermined amount of ink before and after a recording operation, and processing that sucks remaining ink and the like from the ejection openings of the ejection head 108. As shown in FIG. 2(A), the ejection head 108 is moved onto the recovery unit 109 when a recovery processing is required.

[0018] In this embodiment, the stand 102 is disposed at a position slightly outside the width of the recording medium M in the ±X direction in order to support the main body 103 while also supporting the heavy feeding unit 104 and winding unit 105. The main body 103 has a portion that protrudes outward in the +X direction from the stand 102, and a recovery unit 109 is disposed (built-in) in this protruding portion. The main body 103 also has a portion that protrudes outward from the recording medium M on the opposite side in the -X direction. A mechanism for moving a carriage (not shown) carrying the ejection head 108 and the like are built-in here.

[0019] An operation panel 110 is provided on the front surface of the main body 103. The operation panel 110 is, for example, a touch panel, and is capable of accepting input of various settings related to recording, displaying the status of a recording job, and the like.

[0020] The liquid ejection device 101 is also provided with a waste liquid cartridge 111. The waste liquid cartridge 111 is disposed below the end of the main body 103 on the opposite side (-X side) to the liquid supply device 1. By disposing the waste liquid cartridge 111 below the part of the main body 103 that protrudes to the -X side, the installation area of ​​the liquid ejection device 101 can be reduced.

[0021] Waste liquid (waste ink, etc.) sucked by the recovery unit 109 flows into the waste liquid cartridge 111 and is collected. The waste liquid cartridge 111 may be disposed near the recovery unit 109. However, in the case of this embodiment, the waste liquid cartridge 111 is disposed in the empty space below the end of the main body 103, thereby reducing the installation area of ​​the liquid ejection device 101.

[0022] <Liquid supply device> Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2(A). The liquid supplying device 1 is a device that supplies ink to be discharged from a discharge head 108 to a liquid discharge device 101. The liquid supplying device 1 includes a box-shaped main body 2 that forms a plurality of slots 3. Casters 2a are provided on the bottom surface of the main body 2, and the liquid supplying device 1 can be moved relatively easily on the floor. A plurality of slots 3 are opened in an outer wall portion 2b on the front side of the main body 2, and the plurality of slots 3 are arranged in the Z direction. The outer wall portion 2b forms a housing for the main body 2. A support unit 4 is detachably inserted into each slot 3. The support unit 4 supports a liquid container 200 (also simply referred to as a container 200), which will be described later. Each slot 3 functions as a storage portion for the container 200.

[0023] Each slot 3 is provided with a tube that connects the container 200 to the liquid ejection device 101. Each tube is connected to the liquid ejection device 101 through a single hose 121 that accommodates all the tubes. The ink in the container 200 is supplied to the ejection head 108 through the tube.

[0024] The height of the liquid supplying device 1 is set lower than the lower surface of the end of the main body 103 of the liquid ejecting device 101 that protrudes in the +X direction. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2A, the liquid supplying device 1 can be stored adjacent to the stand 102 under the part of the main body 103 that protrudes in the +X direction (the part containing the recovery unit 109). This allows the system 100 to be made more compact. The liquid supplying device 1 can be moved to a position in the X direction where it contacts the stand 102. As shown in FIG. 2A, the liquid supplying device 1 can be fixed to the stand 102 by using a connecting member 120. When the system 100 is moved, the liquid ejecting device 101 and the liquid supplying device 1 can be moved as a unit.

[0025] In the system 100 of this embodiment, two liquid supply devices 1 are provided, so that more containers 200 can be used. When increasing the number of ink colors to improve image quality or increasing the number of ink colors of the same color to improve productivity, it is advantageous to provide a plurality of liquid supply devices 1 in this manner. In such a case, the installation area of ​​the system 100 can be reduced by adopting a layout in which a part or all of the liquid supply devices 1 overlap with the liquid ejection device 101 in the X direction, as in this embodiment. In this embodiment, one of the two liquid supply devices 1 fits within the size of the liquid ejection device 101 in the X direction. If there are two or more liquid supply devices, the size relationship is such that the liquid supply devices 1 slightly protrude from the system 100 in the X direction.

[0026] (Liquid container and support unit) Please refer to Figures 3 to 6. Figure 3 is a partially exploded perspective view of the liquid supplying device 1, showing a state in which one support unit 4 has been removed from the corresponding slot 3. Figure 3 also shows a state in which a part of the side wall of the outer wall of the liquid supplying device 1 has been removed to expose the internal mechanism. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the container 200 and the support unit 4. Figures 5(A) and 5(B) are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the handle 45 and the locking mechanism 46. Figures 6(A) to 6(C) are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the locking mechanism 46, and correspond to the cross-sectional views taken along line AA in Figure 5(A).

[0027] The container 200 has a bag 202 made of a flexible material. Both sides of the bag 202 are provided with gusseted portions 202a folded inward to increase the amount of liquid that can be contained. The bag 202 is formed into a bag shape by welding the sheets that form the top and bottom surfaces and the sheet that forms the gusseted portion 202a to each other, forming a flexible tank that contains liquid. When the amount of liquid remaining inside is large, the gusseted portion 202a expands, and when the amount of liquid remaining inside is small, the gusseted portion 202a is folded in, and the shape of the bag 202 changes depending on the amount of liquid contained. The material of the bag 202 is, for example, a material having a multi-layer structure such as PET. When the liquid inside has the property of reacting with air and solidifying, or when there is a concern that the concentration or remaining amount will change due to evaporation, a layered material containing an aluminum layer is advantageous as the material of the bag 202.

[0028] The container 200 has one end 200a and the other end 200b in the longitudinal direction. When attached to the liquid supplying device 1, the end 200a is located at the rear side of the liquid supplying device 1, and the end 200b is located at the front side. An outlet member 201 is provided at the end 200a. The outlet member 201 is formed with a supply port 201a that communicates with a water intake port 203 inside the bag 202. The liquid contained in the bag 202 flows out to the outside through the water intake port 203 and the supply port 201a. A spring-loaded supply port opening / closing valve that opens and closes the supply port 201a is provided inside the outlet member 201. The supply port opening / closing valve normally keeps the supply port 201a closed.

[0029] The container 200 has a side on which the outlet member 201 is provided that is, for example, about 180 mm long, and a side (side surface) perpendicular to the side that is, for example, about 400 mm long. The container 200 holds, for example, about 1.5 L of liquid. The side on which the outlet member 201 is provided may be a long side instead of a short side. Also, the bag 202 may be a square instead of a rectangular shape in a plan view.

[0030] The main body 2 is provided with a needle-type flow path forming member 5 at the back side of the slot 3, which is inserted into the supply port 201a. A flow path forming member 5 is provided for each slot 3. When the flow path forming member 5 is inserted into the supply port 201a and connected, the supply port opening and closing valve is opened by the insertion of the flow path forming member 5. The flow path forming member 5 is supported by a block-shaped support member 50, and is connected to a tube 51. The flow path forming member 5 forms a flow path for causing the liquid contained in the bag 202 to flow out to the liquid discharge device 101, which is the supply destination, and the liquid that has flowed out to the flow path forming member 5 is supplied to the liquid discharge device 101 via the tube 51. An electric flow path valve 52 is provided at a midpoint of the tube 51. The tube 51 can be closed and opened by opening and closing the flow path valve 52.

[0031] The support unit 4 has a support portion 40 that supports the container 200, and has the form of a tray on which the container 200 is placed as a whole. The support unit 4 can be displaced in the Y direction between a storage position where the container 200 is stored in the main body 2 and an ejection position where the container 200 is exposed to the outside of the main body 2. In FIG. 3, one support unit 4 is located at the ejection position, and the other support units 4 are all located at the storage positions. The container 200 can be replaced at the ejection position, and the liquid contained in the container 200 can be supplied to the liquid ejection device 101 at the storage position. In this embodiment, the support unit 4 is separated from the slot 3 at the ejection position. However, the ejection position may be a position where an end of the support unit 4 is held in the slot 3, and may be any position where the container 200 can be replaced with respect to the support unit 4.

[0032] The support portion 40 has a mounting surface 41 on which the container 200 is placed, and the four sides of the mounting surface 41 are defined by left and right side plates 44, a front end portion 42, and a rear end portion 43. A notch portion 44a is formed in the side plate 44. A recess portion 43a in which the outlet member 201 is disposed is formed in the rear end portion 43.

[0033] A handle 45 that can be operated by the user is provided at the front end 42. In the present embodiment, the handle 45 is rotatable about an axis 45a extending in the X direction, and the user can rotate the handle 45 in the d1 direction. The handle 45 also serves as an operating handle that can release the engagement of the engagement portion 48. The handle 45 is provided with the engagement portion 48. However, it is sufficient that the engagement portion 48 is displaced in conjunction with the handle 45, and the handle 45 and the engagement portion 48 may be provided separately.

[0034] An engagement portion 39 that engages with the engagement portion 48 is formed on the bottom of the case 30 that forms the slot 3. In the case of this embodiment, the engagement portion 48 is a convex portion, and the engagement portion 39 is a concave portion into which the engagement portion 48 is inserted. The engagement between the engagement portion 48 and the engagement portion 39 restricts the support unit 4 that is attached to the slot 3 and located at the storage position from being displaced from the storage position. For example, even if vibration is applied due to the movement of the liquid supply device 1, the support unit 4 can be prevented from falling off from the slot 3. The handle 45 is constantly biased by the elastic member 421 toward the engagement position (position in FIG. 5(A)) where the engagement portion 48 and the engagement portion 39 engage with each other. The elastic member 421 is, for example, a coil spring. When the user grips the handle 45 and rotates the handle 45 in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 5(B), the engagement between the engagement portion 48 and the engagement portion 39 is released, and the support unit 4 inserted in the slot 3 can be removed from the slot 3.

[0035] When inserting the support unit 4 into the slot 3, it is not necessary to lift up the support unit 4 to avoid interference between the engagement portion 48 and the case 30. This is because the end face on the -Y side of the engagement portion 48 is an inclined surface, and even if the inclined surface abuts against the case 30, the handle 45 will naturally rotate due to the load pushing the support unit 4 into the slot 3.

[0036] To prevent the support unit 4 attached to the slot 3 from being inadvertently removed, a lock mechanism 46 that locks the support unit 4 in the storage position is provided for each slot 3. The lock mechanism 46 has a slide member 461 built into the front end portion 42. A part of the slide member 461, an operation portion 461a, is exposed from the front end portion 42 so that the user can operate it. The slide member 461 is provided slidable in the direction of arrow d2 (X direction) between a locked position that restricts rotation of the handle 45 in the d1 direction and an unlocked position that allows rotation of the handle 45.

[0037] 5(A) and 6(A) show a state in which the slide member 461 is located at the locked position. That is, the lock mechanism 46 is in a locked state. The slide member 461 has an abutment portion 461b, which abuts against an abutment portion 451 provided in the handle 45 in the form of a rib. In the state shown in FIG. 5(A) and FIG. 6(A), the slide member 461 interferes with the handle 45, and the slide member 461 gets in the way, preventing the handle 45 from rotating in the disengagement direction. Therefore, the support unit 4 cannot be removed from the slot 3.

[0038] FIG. 6(B) shows a state where the slide member 461 is located at the unlocked position. That is, the lock mechanism 46 is in an unlocked state. The notch of the abutment portion 461b and the abutment portion 451 are in a position facing each other. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6(C), the abutment portion 451 can escape into the notch of the abutment portion 461b, so that the handle 45 can be rotated in the disengagement direction as shown in FIG. 5(B). In this way, the user can slide the slide member 461 to the unlocked position and then operate the handle 45 to pull out the support unit 4 from the slot 3.

[0039] A holding mechanism may be provided to hold the slide member 461 in the unlocked position when the support unit 4 is removed from the slot 3. This can prevent the slide member 461 from unnecessarily sliding to the locked position and interfering with the subsequent installation of the support unit 4 in the slot 3. The elastic member 421 may be a member that is integrally molded with the handle 45. The slide member 461 may be provided with a plurality of abutment portions 461b. This increases the number of points that restrict the rotation of the handle 45, thereby reducing rattling when locked. This lock mechanism 46 can also be applied to various storage structures other than the liquid supplying device 1.

[0040] Next, the slot 3 is provided with a sensor 38 that detects the position of the slide member 461. The sensor 38 is provided for each slot 3 (each storage section). The sensor 38 is, for example, an optical sensor (for example, a photointerrupter) that can detect the detection piece 461c of the slide member 461. When the slide member 461 is in the locked position, the detection piece 461c is located at the detection position of the sensor 38 as shown in FIG. 4 and is detected by the sensor 38. When the slide member 461 is in the unlocked position, the detection piece 461c is not located at the detection position of the sensor 38 and is not detected by the sensor 38. In this way, based on the detection result of the sensor 38, it can be determined whether the slide member 461 is in the locked position or the unlocked position, i.e., whether the lock mechanism 46 is in the locked state or the unlocked state.

[0041] The opening and closing of the flow passage valve 52 can be linked to the detection result of the sensor 38. For example, when the flow passage valve 52 is in the released state, if the sensor 38 detects that the position of the slide member 461 is in the unlocked position, the flow passage valve 52 is immediately closed in response to the detection. This makes it possible to prevent the support unit 4 from being pulled out of the slot 3 with the flow passage valve 52 in the released state. If the support unit 4 is pulled out of the slot 3 with the flow passage valve 52 in the released state, air may enter the tube 51 from the flow passage forming member 5. This may cause problems such as solidification of the liquid in the tube 51 and poor ejection in the ejection head 108. When the slide member 461 is detected to be in the unlocked position, the flow passage valve 52 is immediately closed by automatic control in response to the detection, thereby preventing air from entering the tube 51.

[0042] (Slot inclination) FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the mounting posture of the support unit 4 relative to the slot 3 and the manner of insertion and removal.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 7, the slots 3 of each stage provided in the liquid supplying device 1 are inclined, and the closer they are to the rear side (the back side, -Y side), the lower (+Z) they are. Therefore, the support unit 4 is held in an inclined position when attached. The effect of this will be described later, but the angle of inclination is, for example, less than 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane, and in particular 10 degrees or less. In the example of Fig. 7, the angle of inclination is assumed to be 3 degrees.

[0044] (Liquid mixing mechanism) The container 200 can store various kinds of liquids and can be used for recording images and maintaining the ejection head 108. For example, the container 200 can store solvent-based inks such as water-based inks, latex inks, and eco-solvent inks. Depending on the type of ink, the coloring material (pigment components, etc.) in the ink may settle over time. The particle size of the coloring material and the type and amount of additives may differ depending on the color of the ink, and the settling speed may differ depending on the color of the ink. The container 200 can also store a reaction liquid that is ejected from the ejection head 108 and reacts with the ink to fix the ink to the surface of the recording medium M. For the container 200 that stores a liquid whose components have the property of separating, the uniformity can be improved by appropriately stirring the stored liquid. This contributes to preventing a decrease in the quality of the recorded image, for example.

[0045] In this embodiment, the liquid supplying device 1 is provided with an agitation mechanism that agitates the liquid contained in the container 200. As an example, in this embodiment, the bag 202 of the container 200 is deformed by physically pressing from the outside. This causes the contained liquid to flow and be agitated within the bag 202. Some types of liquid may not require agitation depending on the type of liquid contained in the container 200. Therefore, in this embodiment, slots 3 provided with an agitation function and slots 3 without an agitation function are provided. Specifically, the upper slots 3 are not provided with an agitation function, and the middle to lower slots 3 are provided with an agitation function. Of course, all slots 3 may be provided with an agitation function.

[0046] The configuration of the pressing unit 6 functioning as an agitation mechanism will be described with reference to Figs. 3, 8, and 9. Figs. 8 and 9 are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the pressing unit 6 when the main body 2 is viewed from the side. The pressing unit 6 includes a plurality of pressing members 60 and a moving mechanism 63 common to the plurality of pressing members 60. The pressing members 60 are provided for each slot 3, and are agitation operation units that perform an agitation operation of the liquid for the corresponding containers 200. The moving mechanism 63 is a driving unit that drives the pressing members 60. In the case of this embodiment, the moving mechanism 63 rotates each pressing member 60 synchronously around the rotation shaft 62 as the rotation center, so that the pressing unit 61 provided on the pressing member 60 presses the container 200 from above and also relieves the pressure. Fig. 8 shows a state in which the pressing unit 61 (and the pressing member 60) is in a pressure-relaxing position, and Fig. 9 shows a state in which the pressing unit 61 (and the pressing member 60) is in a pressing position.

[0047] The configuration of the moving mechanism 63 will be described. The output of a motor 635, which is the drive source of the moving mechanism 63, is transmitted to a cam 633 via multiple gears 634. The rotation axis of each of these components is in the X direction. The configuration of the cam 633 will now be described with reference to Figures 10(A) and 10(B). Figures 10(A) and 10(B) are explanatory diagrams of the cam 633, and Figure 10(B) shows a state in which the cam 633 has been rotated 180 degrees from the state in Figure 10(A).

[0048] The cam 633 is a disk-shaped member that can rotate around an axis 633b in the X direction, and has gear teeth 633a formed on its outer circumferential surface. The gear teeth 633a mesh with the gear 634, and the rotation of the gear 634 rotates the cam 633. A groove 633c is formed on the side of the cam 633, and the outer and inner side surfaces of the groove 633c form an outer cam surface 633d and an inner cam surface 633e. A cam follower 637 connected to the drive transmission lever 632 is disposed in the groove 633c. The inner cam surface 633e is located inside the cam follower 637 in the radial direction of the cam 633, and when the cam 633 rotates, it comes into contact with the cam follower 637 and acts to lift the cam follower 637. Furthermore, the outer cam surface 633d is located outside the cam follower 637 in the radial direction of the cam 633, and when the cam 633 rotates, it comes into contact with the cam follower 637 and acts to pull the cam follower 637 down.

[0049] 3, 8 and 9 again. When the cam follower 637 moves up and down due to the rotation of the cam 633, the drive transmission lever 632 rotates around the rotation shaft 62. Since the drive transmission lever 632 is rotatably connected to a shaft portion 638 provided on the lifting member 631, the movement of the drive transmission lever 632 is converted into the lifting and lowering movement of the lifting member 631. When the cam 633 rotates once, the cam follower 637 makes one reciprocating movement in the Z direction, and the lifting member 631 similarly makes one reciprocating lifting movement via the drive transmission lever 632.

[0050] The plate-like lifting member 631 is attached to the side plate 28 of the main body 2 so that it can be raised and lowered in the Z direction. In addition, two pillars 27 with a U-shaped cross section, one at the front and one at the back, are fixed to the side plate 28 and extend in the Z direction. These pillars 27 are also attached to the side plate on the -X side, and the main body 2 ensures its strength as a structure with a total of four pillars 27. This allows it to support the weight of a large number of containers 200.

[0051] Although the pillar 27 has high strength, it is also thick, so if the moving mechanism 63 is provided further outward in the X direction from the pillar 27 attached to the side plate 28, the dimension in the X direction will become large. For this reason, in this embodiment, the driving mechanism such as the lifting member 631 and the cam 633 is distributed in the Y direction to the front and rear of one of the pillars 27. A drive transmission lever 632 is passed through a through hole 27a provided in the one of the pillars 27.

[0052] This makes it possible to arrange the moving mechanism 63 of the pressing unit 6 while ensuring strength and suppressing the increase in size of the main body 2 in the X direction. Furthermore, the drive transmission lever 632 is attached to a plate-shaped support member 29 that supports the moving mechanism 63. By removing fixing elements such as fastening screws, most of the configuration of the moving mechanism 63 can be removed together with the support member 29 as an integrated unit to the rear side of the main body 2. This allows a service technician to easily replace parts. Note that if the fixing elements such as fastening screws are designed to be fastened from the rear side of the main body 2, they can be easily fastened and released.

[0053] Each pressing member 60 is subjected to a biasing force by two springs 64 and 65. One end of the spring 64 is attached to the pressing member 60, and the other end is attached to the slot 3 (case 30). Furthermore, one end of the spring 65 is attached to the pressing member 60, and the other end is attached to the lifting member 631. The pressing member 60 is a movable member (particularly a rotating member) attached to be rotatable relative to the slot 3 (case 30) around a rotation shaft 62 as the rotation center. The rotation shaft 62 is an axis in a direction intersecting with the moving direction (Z direction) of the pressing portion 61. Both of the two springs 64 and 65 bias the pressing member 60 in a direction to rotate it clockwise as viewed in Figures 8 and 9.

[0054] When the pressing member 60 is in the pressure release position (FIG. 8), the lifting member 631 is in contact with the pressing member 60 and lifts it up, so the biasing force of the spring 65 acts between the lifting member 631 and the pressing member 60. Therefore, the biasing force of the spring 65 acts only between the lifting member 631 and the pressing member 60 and does not become a load on the motor 635. In other words, the load on the moving mechanism 63 in the pressure release position is only the biasing force of the spring 64 and the weight of each part.

[0055] Also, when the pressing member 60 is in the pressing position (FIG. 9), the cam 633 is in the opposite phase to the pressing relaxation position by 180 degrees, and the pressing portion 61 of the pressing member 60 contacts the container 200 and presses it downward. The pressing distance of the pressing portion 61, that is, the rotation amount of the pressing member 60, varies depending on the remaining amount of the container 200. In FIG. 9, the pressing members 60 in the upper four stages are shown pressing the container 200 that is full, and the pressing members 60 in the lower four stages are shown pressing the container 200 that is deflated with almost no remaining amount. The biasing forces of both the springs 64 and 65, and the weight of each part act on the container 200. Since the springs 64 and 65 are arranged in each slot 3, the optimal pressing force can be applied to each container 200 even if the remaining amount of the container 200 in each slot 3 is different.

[0056] At this time, the biasing force of spring 64 acts on container 200, but not on lifting member 631. The biasing force of spring 65 acts between container 200 and lifting member 631, which are in contact via pressing member 60. Cam 633 acts to pull lifting member 631 downward from container 200. In this way, by using two springs 64 and 65 attached at different positions, and cam 633 which can both lift and lower, the load on movement mechanism 63 during operation is reduced.

[0057] In addition, in the pressing position, the springs 64 and 65 are stretched less when the container 200 is deflated with less remaining amount, so the pressing force acting on the container 200 is also smaller. When the container 200 has a large remaining amount, it is more likely to receive a reaction force from the container 200 when pressed, and a larger pressing force is required to press it deeply. On the other hand, when the remaining amount is small, the reaction force from the container 200 is small, so even a small pressing force can easily deform the container 200 and move the liquid inside. Therefore, the springs 64 and 65 are arranged at a position where the pressing force becomes lower as the container 200 deflates. In this way, it is not necessary to make the spring force larger than necessary. In this embodiment, the load applied to the pressing portion 61 is adjusted to, for example, about 500 gf when the container 200 is full and about 300 gf when there is almost no remaining amount.

[0058] The configuration of the pressing member 60 will be described with reference to Figures 11 and 12. Figure 11 is a perspective view of the case with agitation function and the support unit in a separated state, and Figure 12 is a perspective view of the case with agitation function and the support unit in an attached state.

[0059] The pressing member 60 has a pair of side plates 60a located on each side of the case 30 in the X direction, and a top plate 60b connected between the pair of side plates 60a so as to straddle the case 30 in the X direction. The pressing member 60 is rotatably supported by the case 30 via a rotation shaft 62 at each side plate 60a, and a pressing portion 60b is formed at the tip of the top plate 60b.

[0060] Each side plate 60a is formed with a locking portion 60c to which an end of a spring 64 is locked, and a contact portion 60d to which an end of a spring 65 is locked and which contacts the lifting member 631 when the lifting member 631 is raised to cause rotation of the pressing member 60. The locking portion 60c and the contact portion 60d are both formed in the form of a protruding piece protruding in the X direction.

[0061] A remaining amount detection sensor 31 is provided on the side of the case 30. The remaining amount detection sensor 31 is, for example, an optical sensor. The remaining amount detection sensor 31 is a position detection sensor that detects the position of the pressing part 61 by detecting the side plate 60a, and is also a sensor that detects the remaining amount of the container 200 based on the position detection result. Specifically, the detection position of the remaining amount detection sensor 31 is arranged at a position where the side plate 60a is detected when the container 200 that has shrunk due to a decrease in the remaining amount is pressed. This utilizes the fact that the amount of pressing when pressing changes depending on the degree of shrunk of the container 200. In this embodiment, since the pressing part 61 is brought into contact with the container 200, the position of the side plate 60a reflects the remaining amount of the container 200, so the accuracy of remaining amount detection is high. The detection position of the remaining amount detection sensor 31 is designed so that the side plate 60a is detected when the container 200 with a remaining amount of about 100 ml is pressed.

[0062] The pressing member 60 can be made of, for example, a metal plate (steel plate, etc.). Compared to materials such as resin, it is thin but strong, so the height of the slots 3 can be reduced. The rotation axis 62 of the pressing member 60 is disposed outside the container 200 in the X direction, and is provided at a position where the rotation axis 62 and the container 200 overlap in the X direction when the container 200 is full. By taking these measures to reduce the size in the Z direction, it is possible to fit multiple containers 200 in the limited space below the housing of the system 100, even if a pressing member 60 is provided in the slots 3 of each stage to provide a stirring function.

[0063] Furthermore, the width of the pressing member 60 in the X direction is shorter at the pressing portion 61 than in the vicinity of the rotation shaft 62. This prevents portions other than the pressing portion 61 from coming into contact with the container 200 when the pressing portion 61 presses the tank, thereby preventing the container 200 from being damaged.

[0064] The width of the pressing member 60 in the X direction is shorter at the pressing portion 61 than near the rotation axis 62, which provides the following advantages. As described above, the container 200 is provided with the gusset portion 202a on the side. This gusset portion 202a includes a welded portion between flexible members, and is more rigid than other portions. In order to fold the gusset portion 202a inward and collapse the container 200 as the remaining amount decreases, a suitable pressing force is required. When the remaining amount of the container 200 is large, the gusset portion 202a is expanded in the vertical direction, and the gusset portion 202a may bulge outward instead of inward. In order to crush the gusset portion 202a, a suitable pressing force is required.

[0065] By arranging the pressing portion 61 on the inside of the gusset portion 202a in the X direction, the container 200 can be efficiently pressed and deformed for stirring. The height of the gusset portion 202a is, for example, about 20 mm on both sides, and by arranging the pressing portion 61 on the inside of the gusset portion 202a on both sides, the container 200 can be efficiently pressed without being subjected to the reaction force of the gusset portion 202a. More efficient pressing is achieved by designing the width of the pressing portion 61 in the X direction to a size that is, for example, 10 mm or more inside the gusset portion 202a. This is because the influence of the reaction force of the gusset portion 202a is reduced by moving the pressing portion 61 away from the gusset portion 202a in the X direction.

[0066] As a form for minimizing the width of the pressing portion 61 in the X direction, for example, the pressing portion 61 may be shaped to contact the container 200 at a point. However, in the case where the container 200 is long in the Y direction as in this embodiment, the fluidity of the liquid inside the container 200 may decrease if the pressing portion 61 is shaped to contact the container 200 at a point. Specifically, if the width of the pressing portion 61 in the X direction is too small, the flow of the liquid pushed in by pressing the container 200 is also dispersed outward in the X direction, and the amount of liquid flowing in the Y direction decreases accordingly.

[0067] Therefore, for example, when the width in the X direction of pressing part 61 is set to be one-third or more of the width in the X direction of bag 202 of container 200, the fluidity in the Y direction of the liquid in bag 202 when pressed can be improved. For example, when the width in the X direction of bag 202 is 180 mm, the width in the X direction of pressing part 61 can be set to be 60 mm or more to improve the fluidity in the Y direction of the liquid in bag 202 when pressed.

[0068] In summary, when bag 202 has a width of 180 mm in the X direction and gusset portion 202a with a height of 20 mm, the width of pressing portion 61 in the X direction is suitably between 60 mm and 120 mm, and may in particular be 90 mm.

[0069] (stirring operation) With reference to Fig. 13(A) to Fig. 13(C), the stirring operation of the liquid in the container 200 by pressing the pressing part 61 against the container 200 will be described. Fig. 13(A) to Fig. 13(C) are explanatory diagrams of the stirring operation. As shown in Fig. 7, in this embodiment, the mounting posture of the support unit 4 is inclined. In Fig. 13(A) to Fig. 13(C), the direction parallel to the inclination angle direction of this mounting posture is defined as the Y' direction. In the following description, the outlet member 201 side of the container 200 may be referred to as the -Y' direction, and the opposite side as the +Y' direction. It is defined as such. Note that the arrows in Fig. 13(A) to Fig. 13(C) indicate the flow direction of the liquid generated inside the bag 202 of the container 200.

[0070] In this embodiment, the stirring operation consists of a pressing operation and a pressure releasing operation. The pressing part 61 is disposed so as to face the mounting surface 41 of the support unit 4. The pressing part 61 is caused to reciprocate between a pressure releasing position and a pressing position. This causes deformation of the bag 202, causing the liquid inside to flow and stir.

[0071] 13A shows a state in which the pressing portion 61 (and the pressing member 60) is in the pressure relief position. In the case of this embodiment, in the pressure relief position, the pressing portion 61 is separated from the placement surface 41, and is located at a height where it does not contact the bag 202, and is not pressing the bag 202. Therefore, the pressure relief position can also be called a pressure release position.

[0072] From the state shown in Fig. 13(A), the moving mechanism 63 is driven to perform a pressing operation as shown in Fig. 13(B). In the pressing operation, the pressing part 61 moves to a position closer to the placement surface 41 than the pressure relaxation position due to the rotation of the pressing member 60, and presses the bag 202 toward the placement surface 41. This causes the bag 202 to deform, and the liquid inside flows and is agitated.

[0073] In this embodiment, the container 200 is attached to the slot 3 in a position in which the outlet member 201 is tilted downward in the Z direction. Therefore, at the stage of Fig. 13(A), the liquid in the container 200 tends to be distributed unevenly toward the outlet member 201 side due to its own weight, and the bag 202 bulges more on the outlet member 201 side than on the center part in the Y' direction. The pressing part 61 is designed to press the end 43 side where the outlet member 201 is provided, out of the ends 42, 43 of the container 200. Since the pressing part 61 presses the bulging part of the bag 202 or a part close to the bulging part, the flow of the liquid in the bag 202 can be promoted.

[0074] Since the pressing unit 61 presses the side of the outlet member 201 of the bag 202, when the liquid flows to the opposite side, stirring can be performed effectively. The rotation axis 62 of the pressing member 60 is located on the opposite side of the outlet member 201 as seen from the pressing unit 61 in the Y' direction of the container 200. In the pressing operation, the rotation direction of the pressing member 60 is clockwise in FIG. 13(B). By setting the rotation direction in this way, a vector toward the +Y' direction is generated, making it easier for the liquid to flow in the +Y' direction. In other words, the liquid tends to flow to the opposite side of the bag 202 from the outlet member 201 side.

[0075] As described above, in this embodiment, the pressing unit 61 is designed to press the end 43 side where the outlet member 201 is provided, out of the end 42 and end 43 of the container 200. The vicinity of the water intake 203 of the container 200 in the bag 202 is pressed, and agitation of the fluid in this vicinity is particularly promoted. During recording, the liquid in the container 200 flows out from the area close to the water intake 203 into the tube 51. By pressing the vicinity of the water intake 203 for agitation, it is possible to send liquid with a more uniform concentration into the tube 51.

[0076] From the state shown in Fig. 13(B), the moving mechanism 63 is driven to perform a pressure relief operation as shown in Fig. 13(C). In the pressure relief operation, the pressing member 60 rotates to return the pressing part 61 from the pressing position to the pressure relief position. As the pressure is relieved, the liquid in the bag 202 flows, and the bag 202 tries to return to its original shape. After that, the pressing operation can be performed again.

[0077] By repeatedly performing the pressing operation and the pressure releasing operation, the liquid in the bag 202 is agitated. That is, when the pressing portion 61 is in the pressing position as shown in FIG. 13(B), the vicinity of the pressing portion 61 of the container 200 is depressed, the liquid flows in the +Y' direction, and the opposite side of the container 200 from the outlet member 201 bulges. After that, when the pressure is released as shown in FIG. 13(C), the ink that flowed due to the pressure flows in the -Y' direction due to its own weight. By repeatedly performing the pressing operation and the pressure releasing operation, the liquid reciprocates in the Y' direction within the bag 202 and is agitated. The flow of the liquid caused by the pressure releasing operation utilizes its own weight. By utilizing its own weight, the mechanism required for agitating the liquid can be configured in a simple manner.

[0078] When the stirring operation is repeated, the stirring performance of the liquid can be adjusted by the cycle. During the pressure release operation, the liquid in the bag 202 flows slightly after the rotation of the pressing member 60. The higher the fluidity of the liquid during the pressure release operation, the higher the stirring effect. Furthermore, when the pressing operation is performed after the liquid has flowed sufficiently, the liquid storage amount of the bag 202 increases near the pressing portion 61, and the bag 202 expands, so that pressing this area further improves the stirring performance. The cycle of the stirring operation is, for example, slower than several Hz, and particularly slower than 1 Hz. If the cycle of the stirring operation is too slow, the total time of the stirring operation increases, and the amount of power consumed by the motor 635 may increase. Therefore, the cycle of the stirring operation may be, for example, in the range of 0.5 to 0.7 Hz, particularly 0.6 Hz.

[0079] Furthermore, as the remaining amount decreases and the container 200 deflates, the ink liquid on the upper side (+Y' side) of the tilted container 200 flows to the -Y' side due to its own weight, and the amount of ink contained in this portion decreases. Conversely, liquid accumulates on the lower side (-Y' side). In this state, the flow distance of the liquid in the +Y' direction during the pressing operation becomes shorter, and the time it takes for the liquid to return during the pressing pressure release operation is also shorter. Therefore, the cycle of the stirring operation may be shortened according to the decrease in the remaining amount of the container 200.

[0080] In the stirring operation, the pressing operation and the pressure relief operation may be repeated with a time interval between each pressing operation. After the pressure relief operation, the time for the liquid to flow in the bag 202 can be extended until the next pressing operation is started, and the flow of the liquid due to its own weight can be further promoted.

[0081] There are several methods for adjusting the period of the stirring operation. The first method is to use the dwell angle, which is the range in which the cam follower 637 in contact with the inner cam surface 633e or the outer cam surface 633d does not displace even when the cam 633 rotates. For example, the dwell angle at the position where the cam follower 637 is at its highest point is set to 40 degrees, and the dwell angle at the lowest point is also set to 40 degrees. In particular, by ensuring a dwell angle of 40 degrees at the highest point, the pressure relaxation position can be maintained.

[0082] Also, the allocation angle, which is the angle range for raising or lowering the cam follower 637, may be set large, at 140 degrees. This reduces the load on the cam 633 when it rotates, and has the effect of slowly transitioning the connected pressing member 60 from the pressing state to the pressure relief position, thereby ensuring time for the ink to move to the vicinity of the pressing portion 61. This allows sufficient ink movement when pressure is released, improving the stirring effect.

[0083] Another method is to temporarily stop the motor 635 at the pressure relief position. If the motor is stopped for the time equivalent to the dwell angle of 40 degrees, the dwell angle can be made smaller, and the allocation angle can be made larger, thereby further reducing the load when the cam rotates.

[0084] The timing of the stirring operation may be any time, such as during the operation of supplying liquid to the liquid ejection device 101, during the recovery operation of the ejection head 108 in the liquid ejection device 101, during standby for a recording operation, etc. The timing of the stirring operation is basically not affected by the operation of the liquid supplying device 1 or the liquid ejection device 101.

[0085] The stirring period during which the stirring operation is repeated may be based on time or the number of operations. For example, the stirring operation may be repeated once a day, with one cycle being several tens of minutes. Also, the stirring operation may be repeated once a day, with one cycle being several tens of times. The required stirring period and the execution timing may be set in consideration of the settling speed of the coloring material in the liquid.

[0086] As described above with reference to Fig. 7, the container 200 and the support unit 4 are inclined with respect to the horizontal plane while being attached to the slot 3. From the viewpoint of the liquid stirring effect, it is advantageous for the inclination angle to be less than 45 degrees, and more advantageous for it to be 10 degrees or less. In the example of Fig. 7, the inclination angle is assumed to be 3 degrees.

[0087] Although stirring by pressing is possible even if the inclination angle is close to 90 degrees, the weight of the ink acts in a direction that resists the flow of the liquid caused by pressing. Therefore, a stronger pressing force is required to make the liquid flow sufficiently. If the inclination angle is less than 45 degrees, the weight of the liquid makes the vector of the liquid flowing in the -Y direction relatively small. In terms of the amount of expansion of the -Y side portion of the bag 202 during pressing, a smaller pressing force can be obtained with a smaller inclination angle of 10 degrees or less. If the amount of expansion of the bag 202 when pressed is larger, this means that the amount of flow of the liquid inside is larger. In other words, the efficiency of stirring by pressing is good.

[0088] In this embodiment, the pressing portion 61 is located at a height where it does not come into contact with the bag 202 in the pressure relief position, but it may be in contact with the bag 202 and may be in a position where the pressing portion 61 presses the bag 202 with a smaller amount of pressure than in the pressing position. In this way, if the pressing portion 61 is in a small pressed state in the pressure relief position, the upper limit position of the pressing member 60 in the Z direction can be kept low, and the dimension of the liquid supplying device 1 in the Z direction can be reduced.

[0089] In addition, in this embodiment, the pressing member 60 is provided on the case 30 of the slot 3, but the pressing member 60 may be provided on the support unit 4. In this case, a configuration that enables drive transmission between the moving mechanism 63 and the pressing member 60 when the support unit 4 is attached to the slot 3 may be added.

[0090] In addition, in this embodiment, the configuration in which container 200 is pressed by pressing portion 61 has been described, but for example, container 200 may be deformed by repeatedly pressing and stopping compressed air. Also, container 200 may be deformed by increasing and decreasing pressure in the space around container 200.

[0091] (display device) The display device provided in the liquid supplying device 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 3 and Fig. 14(A). Fig. 14(A) is a front view of the liquid supplying device 1. The main body 2 is provided with a status display section 21 and a type display section 22 for each slot 3 (each storage section). The status display section 21 and the type display section 22 are disposed on the outer wall section 2b adjacent to the opening of the corresponding slot 3.

[0092] In this embodiment, the status display unit 21 is an electronic display and notifies the user of the status of the container 200 attached to the corresponding slot 3. Specifically, the status display unit 21 is composed of two light-emitting elements 21a and 21b. The light-emitting elements 21a and 21b are, for example, LEDs that emit light in different colors. The light-emitting elements 21a and 21b are driven independently and can be switched between driving modes such as on, blinking, and off. The status of the corresponding container 200 can be conveyed to the user by a combination of driving modes (for example, on and blinking, on and off, blinking and on, etc.).

[0093] The status of the container 200 to be communicated to the user is, for example, the remaining amount of liquid in the container 200. The consumption (ejection amount) of the liquid contained in the container 200 can be estimated from the ejection control amount of the ejection head 108, and the remaining amount of liquid in the container 200 can be estimated from the estimated consumption amount. In addition, the remaining amount of liquid in the container 200 can be detected by the remaining amount detection sensor 31. Then, based on the remaining amount of the container 200 liquid contained in each slot 3, the display of the status display unit 21 corresponding to that slot 3 can be changed. Specifically, for example, when the remaining amount falls below a threshold value, one of the two light-emitting elements 21a and 21b is caused to blink. This makes it possible to notify the user of the time to replace the container 200, and to encourage the user to prepare a container 200 full of liquid.

[0094] The type display unit 22 displays information regarding the type of liquid assigned to the corresponding slot 3. The type display unit 22 may be an electronic display, but in this embodiment, it is a non-electronic display, and is a plate or sheet (color label) of paper, plastic, or the like colored to the color of the liquid to indicate the type of liquid. The type display unit 22 allows the user to visually understand which container 200 containing which type of liquid should be attached to which slot 3.

[0095] In this embodiment, the opening of the slot 3 and the status display unit 21 corresponding to that slot 3 are arranged on the outer wall portion 2b so as to be aligned in the X direction. Also, the opening of the slot 3 and the type display unit 22 corresponding to that slot 3 are arranged on the outer wall portion 2b so as to be aligned in the X direction. Since there are no status display units 21 and type display units 22 between the slots 3 adjacent in the Z direction, the distance between the slots 3 adjacent in the Z direction can be narrowed. Therefore, the height of the liquid supplying device 1 can be reduced, and the liquid supplying device 1 can be made more compact.

[0096] The type display unit 22 is disposed on the side of the status display unit 21 in the X direction with respect to the corresponding slot 3. In other words, a set of the status display unit 21 and the type display unit 22 corresponding to each slot 3 is disposed together in an area of ​​the end of the outer wall portion 2b on the X direction side with respect to the opening of the slot 3. The side portion of the main body 2 in the -X direction can be made thin, and the liquid supplying device 1 can be made compact. Since the status display unit 21 and the type display unit 22 are located on the opposite side to the liquid ejecting device 101 in the X direction, it is also possible to prevent the visibility of the display from decreasing due to the presence of the liquid ejecting device 101.

[0097] Moreover, in this embodiment, a set of the status display unit 21 and the type display unit 22 is arranged on the side of the slot 3 in the +X direction, and the moving mechanism 63 is also arranged on the side of the main body 2 in the +X direction as described above. The moving mechanism 63 is disposed at a position behind the arrangement space of the set of the status display unit 21 and the type display unit 22 when viewed from the front of the outer wall portion 2b. Furthermore, the status display unit 21 and the type display unit 22 of the same set are arranged side by side in the Z direction. By concentrating these configurations on the side of the main body 2 in the +X direction and overlapping each other in the X direction, the side of the main body 2 in the -X direction can be made thin. Overall, the liquid supplying device 1 can be made compact.

[0098] Furthermore, the operation unit 461a of the lock mechanism 46 is also disposed at the end of the support unit 4 in the +X direction, adjacent to the status display unit 21 and the type display unit 22, and arranged to be aligned in the X direction with them. By consolidating the configuration related to the user's operation and the display for the user at the end of the exterior wall 2b forming the front of the main body 2 in the +X direction, usability can also be improved. Note that, in this embodiment, the operation unit 461a is arranged adjacent to the status display unit 21 and the type display unit 22, but this is not limited to this. For example, when the status display unit 21 and the type display unit 22 are arranged offset from each other, the operation unit 461a may be arranged adjacent to either one of them.

[0099] Furthermore, sensor 38, which detects the position of slide member 461, is located behind the arrangement space for the pair of status display unit 21 and type display unit 22. Lock mechanism 46 itself is provided in support unit 4, and sensor 38, which is relatively small, is arranged outside support unit 4 to the side in the +X direction, thereby making it possible to reduce the size of liquid supplying device 1.

[0100] As an example of the arrangement of the operation unit 461a, the example in FIG. 14(B) can also be used. The difference between FIG. 14(A) and FIG. 14(B) is mainly the position of the operation unit 461a, where the operation unit 461a is arranged on the outer wall 2b of the main body 2, not on the support unit 4. In other words, when the support unit 4 is removed from the slot 3, the operation unit 461a remains on the main body 2 side. This simplifies the configuration of the support unit 4. In the example in FIG. 14(B), the operation unit 461a is arranged to be aligned with the type display unit 22 in the X direction, and aligned with the status display unit 21 in the Z direction.

[0101] <Control circuit> The configuration of the control circuit of the system 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 15. Fig. 15 is a block diagram of the control circuit of the system 100. The main control unit 317 controls the entire system 100 in response to instructions from the host computer 918 or the operation panel 110. The control unit 915 controls the liquid ejection device 101 based on instructions from the main control unit 317, and the control unit 916 controls the liquid supplying device 1 based on instructions from the main control unit 317. The main control unit 917 and the control units 915 and 916 each include, for example, at least one processor, at least one storage device, and at least one input / output interface. The storage device is, for example, a semiconductor memory such as a RAM or a ROM. The input / output interface inputs and outputs signals between the processor and an external device (such as a sensor or a motor).

[0102] The ejection control unit 901 controls the ejection head 108, particularly the ejection of liquid. The transport motor 902 drives the transport unit 106. The carriage motor 903 is the drive source for the moving mechanism of the carriage (not shown). The winding motor 904 is the drive source for the winding unit 105. The cutter motor 905 is the drive source for the cutter (not shown) that cuts the recording medium M after an image is recorded. The recovery motor 906 is the drive source for the recovery unit 109. These are controlled by the control unit 915.

[0103] The clock unit 909 is a counter that outputs the count result of the elapsed time to the control unit 916. When the agitation period is managed by time, the count result of the clock unit 909 can be used. In addition, the agitation timing can also be determined by using the count result of the clock unit 909.

[0104] As described above, the sensor 31 and the sensor 38 respectively detect the remaining amount in the container 200 and the position of the slide member 461, and the detection results are acquired by the control unit 916. The motor 635 drives the movement mechanism 63, and the flow path valve switching motor 913 switches the flow path valve 52 between closed and open. The liquid supply motor 911 is a drive source that sends liquid from the container 200 to the liquid discharger 101, and by driving the liquid supply motor 911 when the flow path valve 52 is in the open state, the liquid is sucked out of the container 200 and supplied to the liquid discharger 101. These motors are controlled by the control unit 916. The control unit 916 also controls the driving of the status display unit 21.

[0105] <Example of control circuit processing> An example of processing executed by the control unit 916 for the stirring operation will be described. FIG. 16(A) is a flowchart thereof. In S1, it is determined whether or not the stirring start condition (pressure start condition) is satisfied. If the stirring start condition is satisfied, the process proceeds to S2. The stirring start condition is, for example, the arrival of a predetermined time in a day. Alternatively, it is a case where the elapsed time since the end of the previous stirring operation reaches a predetermined time. Alternatively, it is a case where the user instructs stirring via the touch panel 110 or the like. When the liquid supplying device 1 is initially installed or the container 200 is replaced, the coloring material may have settled, so the start condition may be easily satisfied. For example, when the stirring operation is performed only once a day, it may be performed twice a day.

[0106] In S2, the stirring operation is started. Specifically, the motor 635 is driven to drive the moving mechanism 63, and the pressing member 60 is rotated. The pressing portion 61 reciprocates between the pressure release position and the pressing position, and the pressing operation and the pressure release operation are repeated.

[0107] In S3, it is determined whether or not the termination condition is satisfied. If the termination condition is satisfied, the process proceeds to S4. The termination condition is, for example, the passage of a predetermined time. Alternatively, the number of times the stirring operation has been performed reaches a predetermined number. Alternatively, the amount of rotation of the motor 635 reaches a predetermined amount of rotation. Alternatively, the user issues an instruction to end stirring via the touch panel 110 or the like. The termination condition may be made less likely to be satisfied at the time of initial installation of the liquid supplying device 1 or when the container 200 has been replaced. For example, if the termination condition is the passage of a predetermined time, the predetermined time may be lengthened. If the termination condition is the number of times the stirring operation has been performed reaches a predetermined number, the predetermined number may be increased.

[0108] In S4, the stirring operation is ended. Specifically, the driving of the motor 635 is stopped to stop the moving mechanism 63. The motor 635 may be stopped at a timing when the pressing portion 61 (pressing member 60) is in the pressure relaxation position, in which case the pressing member 60 will not get in the way even if the support unit 4 is subsequently inserted or removed. This ends the process.

[0109] FIG. 16B shows an example of processing related to unlocking the locking mechanism 46. In S11, the detection result of the sensor 38 of each slot 3 is acquired, and it is determined whether or not there is a support unit 4 whose locking mechanism 46 has been unlocked. If there is a support unit 4 whose locking mechanism 46 has been unlocked, the processing proceeds to S12. In S12, the flow passage valve switching motor 912 of the flow passage valve 52 corresponding to the unlocked support unit 4 is driven, and the flow passage valve 52 is closed. In S13, regardless of whether the stirring operation is in progress, the motor 635 is driven to move the pressing part 61 (pressing member 60) to the pressing relaxation position. This ends the processing. Even if the support unit 4 is removed from the slot 3, it is possible to prevent air from entering the tube 51, and to prevent the pressing member 60 from interfering with the insertion and removal of the support unit 4.

[0110] 17(A) shows an example of changing the operation settings of the stirring operation when a change condition is met, and in particular shows an example of processing based on the result of detecting the remaining amount of liquid in the container 200 as the change condition. This processing example can be performed in parallel during the stirring operation.

[0111] In S21, the detection result of the sensor 31 of each slot 3 is acquired, and it is determined whether or not there is a container 200 with a low remaining amount (a container 200 whose side plate 60a of the pressing member 60 has been detected by the sensor 31). If there is a container 200 with a low remaining amount, the process proceeds to S22.

[0112] In S22, the operation settings for the next cycle of agitation operation are changed. For example, the agitation period is shortened. If the agitation period is based on time, the time is shortened. If the agitation period is based on the number of operations, the number of operations is reduced. In addition, for example, the cycle of the agitation operation is shortened. In addition, for example, the interval from the pressure release operation to the next pressing operation is shortened.

[0113] Also, for example, the stirring start condition (pressing start condition) determined in S1 is changed so as to occur less frequently. Specifically, if one course of stirring operation is performed once a day, one course of stirring operation may be performed once every two days. In the case of this embodiment, since the moving mechanism 63 is shared by all the pressing members 60, the change in the operation settings affects the stirring operations of all the containers 200. When the remaining amount in some of the containers 200 decreases, the change in the operation settings also affects the stirring operations of the containers 200 that are almost full, but this is done by giving priority to the containers 200 with a decreasing remaining amount and performing the operation settings.

[0114] In S23, the display on the status display unit 21 corresponding to the container 200 with the low remaining amount is updated, and the user is notified of the low remaining amount. This ends the process.

[0115] Second Embodiment In the first embodiment, the moving mechanism 63 is shared by all the pressing members 60, but while sharing the moving mechanism 63, a mechanism for switching between transmitting and blocking the driving force to each pressing member 60 may be provided for each pressing member 60, and each pressing member 60 may be rotated individually. Alternatively, an independent moving mechanism may be provided for each pressing member 60, and each pressing member 60 may be rotated independently. Furthermore, the movement of the pressing members 60 during the stirring operation may be a translational movement rather than a rotational movement.

[0116] <Third embodiment> As an example of processing executed by the control unit 916 for the stirring operation, the example of processing shown in Fig. 17(B) may be adopted instead of the example of processing shown in Fig. 16(A). The example in Fig. 17 is a control example in which the motor 635 is temporarily stopped when the pressing unit 61 (pressing member 60) is at the pressure relaxation position.

[0117] In S31, it is determined whether or not the stirring start condition (pressure start condition) is satisfied. This is the same process as S1 in Fig. 16(A). If the stirring start condition is satisfied, the process proceeds to S32.

[0118] In S32, the stirring operation is performed once. Specifically, from a state in which the pressing unit 61 (pressing member 60) is in the pressure relief position, the motor 635 is driven, and the cam 633 rotates once and is stopped. The moving mechanism 63 is driven, and the pressing unit 61 (pressing member 60) reciprocates once between the pressure relief position and the pressing position. The amount of rotation of the cam 633 may be detected and managed by a sensor (not shown).

[0119] In S33, it is determined whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed. If the predetermined time has elapsed, the process proceeds to S34. After the predetermined time has elapsed, the liquid in the container 200 flows back to the pressing portion of the pressing portion 61.

[0120] In S34, it is determined whether the termination condition is satisfied. This is the same process as S3 in Fig. 16(A). If it is determined that the termination condition is not satisfied, the process returns to S32. If it is determined that the termination condition is satisfied, the process ends.

[0121] <Fourth embodiment> The pressing portion may be an elastically deforming portion that elastically deforms along the surface shape of the container 200. For example, the pressing portion may be made of a flexible sheet. Figures 18(A) and 18(B) are diagrams showing an example of this.

[0122] 18(A) shows a state in which the pressing member 60 is located at the pressure relaxation position. The pressing member 60 has a base member 60A and a pressing portion 61A supported by the base member 60A. The base member 60A corresponds to the pressing member 60 in the first embodiment, and in this embodiment, a sheet-shaped pressing portion 61A is fixed to the base member 60A. The pressing portion 61A can be formed of a flexible resin film or the like, and constitutes an elastically deformable portion. When located at the pressure relaxation position, the pressing portion 61A is in a substantially flat form.

[0123] 18(B) shows a state in which pressing portion 61A is located at the pressing position. Pressing portion 61A elastically deforms to conform to the surface shape of bag 202, and contacts bag 202 over a wide surface. Because pressing portion 61A curves and contacts bag 202 over a surface, it can press bag 202 over a wide area, and can improve the fluidity of the liquid even when the remaining amount of container 200 is small and bag 202 is deflated. In particular, pressing portion 61A can easily penetrate deep into bag 202, improving the fluidity of the liquid and improving the stirring performance.

[0124] In container 200 with little remaining amount, the upper and lower surfaces of bag 202 are almost in contact with each other, but a certain amount of space is created near intake port 203. Therefore, triangular liquid pool 202b may be formed in cross section. By pressing pool 202b, the fluidity of the liquid pooled there can be improved. For this reason, the size of pressing part 61A is designed so that it reaches above pool 202b. The size of base member 60A is designed so that it does not reach above pool 202b. If pressing part 61A is made of a material with good sliding properties such as PET, it is possible to prevent bag 202 from being scratched when it comes into contact with bag 202.

[0125] <Fifth embodiment> The pressing portion may be supported so as to be freely movable so as to conform to the surface shape of the container 200. For example, the pressing portion may be supported so as to be freely rotatable. Figs. 19(A) to 19(C) are diagrams showing an example. Figs. 20(A) to 20(C) are explanatory diagrams of pressing portions on the container 200, with Figs. 20(A) and 20(B) showing a case where the container 200 is almost full, and Fig. 20(C) showing a case where the container 200 has only a small amount of liquid remaining.

[0126] FIG. 19(A) shows a state in which the remaining amount of liquid in the container 200 is almost full as shown in FIG. 20(A) and the pressing member 60 is located at the pressing relaxation position. The pressing member 60 has a base member 60B and a pressing portion 61B supported by the base member 60B. The base member 60B corresponds to the pressing member 60 in the first embodiment, and in this embodiment, the pressing portion 61B is rotatably supported by the base member 60B via a rotation shaft 610a in the X direction. The pressing portion 61B is composed of a movable member 610 and a flexible sheet 611 supported by the movable member 610. The movable member 610 is rotatably supported by the base member 60B via the rotation shaft 610a, and the sheet 611 is a member corresponding to the pressing portion 61A in the fourth embodiment.

[0127] Fig. 19(B) shows a state in which pressing part 61B is in the pressing position with the remaining amount of liquid in container 200 reduced as shown in Fig. 20(C). Sheet 611 of pressing part 61B elastically deforms along the surface shape of bag 202 and contacts bag 202 over a wide surface. In addition, since movable member 610 rotates according to the surface shape of bag 202, the frictional force acting on bag 202 when sheet 611 contacts the surface of bag 202 is reduced, and bag 202 can be prevented from being damaged.

[0128] 19(C) shows a state in which the pressing portion 61B has returned to the pressure relaxation position with the remaining amount of liquid reduced in the container 200. The shape of the sheet 611 has been restored.

[0129] Sixth Embodiment Another layout example of system 100 will be described. Fig. 21(A) is a front view of system 100 showing another layout example. In the illustrated example, one liquid supplying device 1 is provided. Also, a waste liquid cartridge 111 is provided on the side of the liquid supplying device 1. The liquid supplying device 1 and the multiple waste liquid cartridges 111 are both disposed below a portion of main body 103 that protrudes to the +X side (a portion that incorporates recovery unit 109), and are contained within the range of main body 103 in the X direction.

[0130] 21(B) also provides one liquid supply device 1. In this example, the liquid supply device 1 is disposed below a portion of the main body 103 that protrudes towards the -X side. All of the multiple waste liquid cartridges 111 are disposed below a portion of the main body 103 that protrudes towards the +X side (a portion that incorporates the recovery unit 109). Note that the configurations of the liquid supply device 1 described in the first to fifth embodiments are applicable to layout examples such as that of the sixth embodiment.

[0131] Seventh Embodiment Another structural example around the handle 45 will be described. Figures 22(A) and 22(B) show one example. The handle 45A in these figures differs from the example in Figures 5(A) and 5(B) in that an elastic member 421 constantly urges the handle 45A toward the disengagement side, not toward the engagement position where the engagement portion 48 and the engagement portion 39 are engaged. Therefore, when the lock mechanism 46 is set to the unlocked state, the engagement between the engagement portion 48 and the engagement portion 39 is automatically released by the urging force of the elastic member 421.

[0132] 22(A), the locking mechanism 46 is in a locked state, and the abutment portion 461b abuts against the abutment portion 451, locking the handle 45A in the engaged position. The elastic member 421 is in a compressed state. When the user slides the slide member 461 to the unlocked position, as shown in FIG. 22(B), the biasing force of the elastic member 421 automatically rotates the handle 45A around the shaft 45a, lifting the engagement portion 48 and releasing the engagement between the engagement portion 48 and the engagement portion 39. A space SP that allows the user to easily grip the handle 45A is formed, and the user can pull out the support unit 4 from the slot 3.

[0133] When mounting the support unit 4 in the slot 3, the user mounts the support unit 4 in the slot 3 and then slides the slide member 461 to the lock position with a somewhat strong force. This causes the abutment portion 461b to abut against the abutment portion 451 from the side and pushes down the handle 45A. The engagement portion 48 and the engagement portion 39 are engaged, and the abutment portion 461b abuts against the abutment portion 451 to enter the locked state.

[0134] The example of Figures 23(A) and 23(B) is a modified example of the example of Figures 22(A) and 22(B). The basic configuration and operation of the example of Figures 23(A) and 23(B) are similar to those of the example of Figures 22(A) and 22(B), but the handle 45B has a front wall portion 45b, making it difficult for the user to grasp the handle 45B. That is, in the locked state shown in Figure 23(A), it is difficult for the user to grasp the handle 45B in the first place, making it difficult to pull out the support unit 4 from the slot 3.

[0135] When the user slides the slide member 461 to the unlocked position, as shown in Fig. 23(B), the urging force of the elastic member 421 automatically rotates the handle 45B around the shaft 45a, lifting the engagement portion 48 and disengaging the engagement portion 48 from the engagement portion 39. A space SP that allows the user to easily grip the handle 45B is formed, and the user can pull out the support unit 4 from the slot 3. Thus, in this embodiment, in the locked state, the front wall portion 45b functions to hide the space SP from the user, so that in addition to the locking by the locking mechanism 46, the restriction on the user's gripping of the handle 45B can prevent the support unit 4 from being inadvertently pulled out.

[0136] <Disclosure of the embodiment> The above embodiment discloses the following inventions.

[0137] Item 1. A plurality of storage sections arranged in a first direction and housing liquid containers each for housing a liquid to be supplied to a supply destination; a status display means provided for each of the storage sections and displaying a status of the liquid container stored in the storage section; a type display means provided for each of the storage units and displaying a type of liquid assigned to the storage unit; the storage section and the state display means corresponding to the storage section are arranged to be aligned in a second direction intersecting the first direction, the storage section and the type display means corresponding to the storage section are arranged to be aligned in the second direction, and the type display means is arranged on the side of the state display means with respect to the storage section; A liquid supply device comprising:

[0138] Item 2. Item 1. A liquid supply device according to item 1, an outer wall portion into which the plurality of storage portions are open; the state display means and the type display means are disposed on the outer wall portion so as to be aligned in the second direction with respect to the opening of the corresponding storage portion; A liquid supply device comprising:

[0139] Item 3. Item 2. The liquid supply device according to claim 1, the status indication means and the type indication means are disposed at an end of the outer wall portion in the second direction; A liquid supply device comprising:

[0140] Item 4. The liquid supply device according to item 2 or 3, The state display means and the type display means are arranged in the first direction. A liquid supply device comprising:

[0141] Item 5. The liquid supplying apparatus according to any one of items 2 to 4, a stirring unit having an agitation unit that stirs the liquid in the liquid container and a drive unit that drives the agitation unit; The drive unit is disposed behind the state display means and the type display means when viewed from the front of the outer wall portion. A liquid supply device comprising:

[0142] Item 6. The liquid supplying apparatus according to any one of items 2 to 5, a support means provided for each of the storage sections, for supporting the liquid container, the support means being provided so as to be displaceable between a storage position where the liquid container is stored in the storage section and a removal position where the liquid container can be removed from the storage section; a locking unit provided for each of the storage units and including an operation unit capable of locking and unlocking the support unit with respect to the storage position; The operation unit is adjacent to at least one of the state display means and the type display means. A liquid supply device comprising:

[0143] Item 7. Item 7. The liquid supply device according to item 6, The operation unit is provided on the support means. A liquid supply device comprising:

[0144] Item 8. Item 7. The liquid supply device according to item 6, The operation unit is provided on the outer wall. A liquid supply device comprising:

[0145] Item 9. The liquid supply device according to any one of items 6 to 8, a detection means provided for each of the storage units to detect whether the corresponding locking means is in a locked state or an unlocked state; A liquid supply device comprising:

[0146] Item 10. The liquid supply device according to any one of items 1 to 9, the indication of the state indication means changes based on the remaining amount of liquid in the liquid container contained in the corresponding container section; A liquid supply device comprising:

[0147] Item 11. The liquid supplying apparatus according to any one of items 2 to 5, a support means provided for each of the storage sections, for supporting the liquid container, the support means being provided so as to be displaceable between a storage position where the liquid container is stored in the storage section and a removal position where the liquid container can be removed from the storage section; a locking means provided for each of the storage sections, The support means includes a first engagement portion and a handle that can be operated by a user. The storage portion includes a second engagement portion that engages with the first engagement portion, When the support member is in the storage position, the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are engaged with each other, thereby restricting the support member from being displaced from the storage position, The first engagement portion and the second engagement portion can be disengaged by displacement of the handle, The locking means changes its state between a locked state in which the handle is restricted from being displaced and an unlocked state in which the handle is permitted to be displaced. A liquid supply device comprising:

[0148] Item 12. Item 12. A liquid supply apparatus according to item 11, the locking means includes a sliding member that is slidable by a user between a first position and a second position; When the slide member is in the first position, the slide member comes into contact with the handle to be in the locked state, When the sliding member is in the second position, the sliding member is in the unlocked state. A liquid supply device comprising:

[0149] Item 13. The liquid supply device according to any one of items 1 to 12, the type display means displays a color as a type of liquid; A liquid supply device comprising:

[0150] Item 14. The liquid supply device according to any one of items 1 to 13, The status display means is an electronic display, The type indicating means is a label. A liquid supply device comprising:

[0151] Item 15. A system including a liquid ejection device that ejects liquid onto a medium and a liquid supply device, The liquid supply device includes: A plurality of storage sections arranged in a first direction and housing liquid containers each for housing a liquid to be supplied to a supply destination; a status display means provided for each of the storage sections and displaying a status of the liquid container stored in the storage section; a type display means provided for each of the storage units and displaying a type of liquid assigned to the storage unit; the storage section and the state display means corresponding to the storage section are arranged to be aligned in a second direction intersecting the first direction, the storage section and the type display means corresponding to the storage section are arranged to be aligned in the second direction, and the type display means is arranged on the side of the state display means with respect to the storage section; A system characterized by:

[0152] Item 16. Item 16. The system according to item 15, The liquid ejection device includes: A pair of stands, An apparatus main body supported on the pair of stands, the device body has a portion that protrudes outward from the pair of stands, the liquid ejection device is disposed adjacent to the stand and below the portion of the device body; A system characterized by:

[0153] Item 17. Item 17. The system according to item 16, The liquid ejection device includes: A discharge means for discharging a liquid; A recovery means for recovering the discharge performance of the discharge means, The recovery means is disposed on the portion. A system characterized by:

[0154] Item 18. The system according to any one of items 15 to 17, A liquid supply system comprising: the first direction is an up-down direction, the second direction is a left-right direction, the liquid ejection device and the plurality of liquid supply devices are arranged so as to be aligned in the second direction; A system characterized by:

[0155] Item 19. The system according to any one of items 15 to 17, the first direction is an up-down direction, the second direction is a left-right direction, the liquid ejection device and the liquid supply device are arranged to be aligned in the second direction, and the state display means and the type display means are positioned on an opposite side to the liquid ejection device in the second direction; A system characterized by:

[0156] The present invention can also be realized by a process in which a program for realizing one or more functions of the above-mentioned embodiments is supplied to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or device read and execute the program. The present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) for realizing one or more functions.

[0157] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following claims are appended to apprise the public of the scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0158] 1 Liquid supply device, 3 Slot, 21 Status display section, 22 Type display section

Claims

1. A plurality of storage sections arranged in a first direction and housing liquid containers each for housing a liquid to be supplied to a supply destination; a status display means provided for each of the storage sections and displaying a status of the liquid container stored in the storage section; a type display means provided for each of the storage units and displaying a type of liquid assigned to the storage unit; the storage section and the state display means corresponding to the storage section are arranged to be aligned in a second direction intersecting the first direction, the storage section and the type display means corresponding to the storage section are arranged to be aligned in the second direction, and the type display means is arranged on the side of the state display means with respect to the storage section; A liquid supply device comprising:

2. 2. The liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1, an outer wall portion into which the plurality of storage portions are open; the state display means and the type display means are disposed on the outer wall portion so as to be aligned in the second direction with respect to the opening of the corresponding storage portion; A liquid supply device comprising:

3. 3. The liquid supply device according to claim 2, the status indication means and the type indication means are disposed at an end of the outer wall portion in the second direction; A liquid supply device comprising:

4. 3. The liquid supply device according to claim 2, The state display means and the type display means are arranged in the first direction. A liquid supply device comprising:

5. 3. The liquid supply device according to claim 2, a stirring unit having an agitation unit that stirs the liquid in the liquid container and a drive unit that drives the agitation unit; The drive unit is disposed behind the state display means and the type display means when viewed from the front of the outer wall portion. A liquid supply device comprising:

6. 3. The liquid supply device according to claim 2, a support means provided for each of the storage sections, for supporting the liquid container, the support means being provided so as to be displaceable between a storage position where the liquid container is stored in the storage section and a removal position where the liquid container can be removed from the storage section; a locking unit provided for each of the storage units and including an operation unit capable of locking and unlocking the support unit with respect to the storage position; The operation unit is adjacent to at least one of the state display means and the type display means. A liquid supply device comprising:

7. 7. The liquid supply device according to claim 6, The operation unit is provided on the support means. A liquid supply device comprising:

8. 7. The liquid supply device according to claim 6, The operation unit is provided on the outer wall. A liquid supply device comprising:

9. 9. The liquid supply device according to claim 6, a detection means provided for each of the storage units to detect whether the corresponding locking means is in a locked state or an unlocked state; A liquid supply device comprising:

10. 2. The liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1, the indication of the state indication means changes based on the remaining amount of liquid in the liquid container contained in the corresponding container section; A liquid supply device comprising:

11. 3. The liquid supply device according to claim 2, a support means provided for each of the storage sections, for supporting the liquid container, the support means being provided so as to be displaceable between a storage position where the liquid container is stored in the storage section and a removal position where the liquid container can be removed from the storage section; a locking means provided for each of the storage sections, The support means includes a first engagement portion and a handle that can be operated by a user. The storage portion includes a second engagement portion that engages with the first engagement portion, When the support member is in the storage position, the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are engaged with each other, thereby restricting the support member from being displaced from the storage position, The first engagement portion and the second engagement portion can be disengaged by displacement of the handle, The locking means changes its state between a locked state in which the handle is restricted from being displaced and an unlocked state in which the handle is permitted to be displaced. A liquid supply device comprising:

12. 12. A liquid supply apparatus according to claim 11, the locking means includes a sliding member that is slidable by a user between a first position and a second position; When the slide member is in the first position, the slide member comes into contact with the handle to be in the locked state, When the sliding member is in the second position, the sliding member is in the unlocked state. A liquid supply device comprising:

13. 2. The liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1, the type display means displays a color as a type of liquid; A liquid supply device comprising:

14. 2. The liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1, The status display means is an electronic display, The type indicating means is a label. A liquid supply device comprising:

15. A system including a liquid ejection device that ejects liquid onto a medium and a liquid supply device, The liquid supply device includes: A plurality of storage sections arranged in a first direction and housing liquid containers each for housing a liquid to be supplied to a supply destination; a status display means provided for each of the storage sections and displaying a status of the liquid container stored in the storage section; a type display means provided for each of the storage units and displaying a type of liquid assigned to the storage unit; the storage section and the state display means corresponding to the storage section are arranged to be aligned in a second direction intersecting the first direction, the storage section and the type display means corresponding to the storage section are arranged to be aligned in the second direction, and the type display means is arranged on the side of the state display means with respect to the storage section; A system characterized by:

16. 16. The system of claim 15, The liquid ejection device includes: A pair of stands, An apparatus main body supported on the pair of stands, the device body has a portion that protrudes outward from the pair of stands, the liquid ejection device is disposed adjacent to the stand and below the portion of the device body; A system characterized by:

17. 17. The system of claim 16, The liquid ejection device includes: A discharge means for discharging a liquid; A recovery means for recovering the discharge performance of the discharge means, The recovery means is disposed on the portion. A system characterized by:

18. 16. The system of claim 15, A liquid supply system comprising: the first direction is an up-down direction, the second direction is a left-right direction, the liquid ejection device and the plurality of liquid supply devices are arranged so as to be aligned in the second direction; A system characterized by:

19. 16. The system of claim 15, the first direction is an up-down direction, the second direction is a left-right direction, the liquid ejection device and the liquid supply device are arranged to be aligned in the second direction, and the state display means and the type display means are positioned on an opposite side to the liquid ejection device in the second direction; A system characterized by:

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