Liquid replenishment container

Abstract

To provide a liquid replenishment container capable of suppressing liquid leakage from the liquid replenishment container until the start of first liquid replenishment by the liquid replenishment container.SOLUTION: A liquid outlet forming part included in this liquid replenishment container includes a seal member disposed on a liquid outflow path, a valve disposed on the liquid outflow path, and a flow path closing member disposed on the liquid outflow path between an opening and the valve. The valve is a spring valve including a sprig member, a valve body pressed toward the seal member by the spring member in a valve closed state, and a contact connected to the valve body and brought into contact with the flow path closing member at least in a valve opened state. The flow path closing member is an inside plug detachably engaged with the liquid outlet forming part by pressing from the liquid outlet side and pressed through the valve by a liquid introduction needle to be detached from the liquid outlet forming part during first use of the liquid replenishment container.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a liquid refill container. [Background technology]

[0002] In the past, as an example of an ink ejection device, there has been known an inkjet printer that can print on a print medium such as printing paper by ejecting ink from a print head toward the print medium with the ink. Among such inkjet printers, there is an ink refill type that is used by refilling an ink tank with ink.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a liquid supply container for supplying ink to this type of inkjet printer. The liquid supply container described in Patent Document 1 includes a bottle, a nozzle, and a cap. It also includes two sealing parts as a structure for preventing ink leakage. The first sealing part is sealed by fitting the cap to the nozzle. The second sealing part is sealed by a valve structure in the nozzle. Then, in the process of removing the cap from the nozzle, the first sealing part and the second sealing part are simultaneously opened, the inside of the container is connected to the atmosphere, and the pressurized state inside the container is released. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-18712 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the above liquid supply container, the inside of the bottle approaches atmospheric pressure from the pressurized state during the process of removing the cap, and although the ink ejection is somewhat suppressed, it is difficult to completely prevent the ink from ejecting. Therefore, there is a risk that the ejected ink will adhere to the outside of the nozzle or leak out of the cap. Furthermore, when the bottle is used for the first time, there is a possibility that the ink will be contaminated before it is attached to the printer. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present disclosure can be realized in the following forms.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a liquid supply container, which supplies liquid to a liquid discharge device equipped with a liquid introduction needle via the liquid introduction needle, and includes a container body having an opening and capable of containing liquid, and a liquid outlet forming part connected to the container body, the liquid outlet forming part having a cylindrical part defining a liquid outflow path communicating with the opening, the liquid outlet forming part including a seal member disposed in the liquid outflow path, a valve disposed in the liquid outflow path, and a flow path closing member disposed in the liquid outflow path between the opening and the valve, the valve being a spring member and a valve-closed state. a valve body that is biased by the spring member to come into contact with the sealing member in an open state and that is pressed by the liquid introduction needle inserted into the liquid outflow path to move away from the sealing member in an open valve state, and a contact portion that works in conjunction with the valve body and comes into contact with the flow path closing member at least in the open valve state, wherein the flow path closing member is an inner plug that engages with the liquid outlet forming portion in a detachable manner when pressed from the liquid outlet side, and that detaches from the liquid outlet forming portion when pressed by the liquid introduction needle through the valve when the liquid supply container is used for the first time. According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a liquid supply container, which supplies liquid to a liquid discharge device equipped with a liquid introduction needle via the liquid introduction needle, and which comprises a container body having an opening and capable of containing liquid, and a liquid outlet forming part having a cylindrical part defining a liquid outflow path communicating with the opening, the liquid outlet forming part comprising a valve disposed in the liquid outflow path and opening when the liquid introduction needle is inserted into the liquid outflow path and closing when the liquid introduction needle is withdrawn from the liquid outflow path, and a flow path closing member disposed in the liquid outflow path, the flow path closing member being detachably fixed to the liquid outlet forming part, being located downstream of the valve in a liquid outflow direction of the liquid outflow path, and having a groove or recess facing the downstream side in the liquid outflow direction. According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a liquid supply container for supplying liquid to a liquid discharge device equipped with a liquid introduction needle via the liquid introduction needle, the liquid supply container comprising: a container body having an opening and capable of containing liquid, and a liquid outlet forming part having a cylindrical part defining a liquid outflow path communicating with the opening, the liquid outlet forming part comprising: a valve disposed in the liquid outflow path and opened by the liquid introduction needle inserted into the liquid outflow path, and a flow path closing member disposed in the liquid outflow path so as to be removable to the outside. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an oblique view of a printer according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which ink is refilled into the ink tank using an ink refill container. FIG. [Diagram 3] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of the ink supply container of the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion enclosed by a dashed line in FIG. 3. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the internal configuration of the ink supply container. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the assembled valve unit. [Figure 7]11 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of an ink supply container according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion enclosed by a dashed line in FIG. 6. FIG. [Figure 9] 4 is a perspective view of an ink outlet forming portion of the ink supply container with the cap removed, seen obliquely from above. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the internal configuration of the ink outlet forming portion. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of an ink supply container according to a third embodiment. [Figure 12] 11 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion enclosed by a dashed line in FIG. 10. FIG. [Figure 13] 4 is a perspective view of an ink outlet forming portion of the ink supply container with the cap removed, seen obliquely from above. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] A. First embodiment: A1. Printer 100 consists of: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a printer 100 in the first embodiment. The printer 100 is an inkjet printer that prints by ejecting ink onto a print medium. The printer 100 corresponds to a "liquid ejection device." FIG. 1 depicts X, Y, and Z axes that are perpendicular to each other. The X axis corresponds to the width direction of the printer 100, the Y axis corresponds to the depth direction of the printer 100, and the Z axis corresponds to the height direction of the printer 100. The printer 100 is installed on a horizontal installation surface defined by the X and Y directions. Note that the "X-axis direction" refers to a concept that combines the +X direction and the -X direction. Similarly, the "Y-axis direction" refers to a concept that combines the +Y direction and the -Y direction, and the "Z-axis direction" refers to a concept that combines the +Z direction and the -Z direction.

[0010] The printer 100 has a housing 110. Inside the housing 110, there is provided a carriage (not shown) that is movable in the main scanning direction (X-axis direction). A print head that ejects ink onto a print medium is mounted on the carriage. At one end of the front side of the housing 110, there is provided an ink tank housing unit 160 that houses a plurality of ink tanks 700S, 700L. The ink tank housing unit 160 has an openable and closable lid 162 at its top. Note that the ink tank 700S is a small-capacity tank, and the ink tank 700L is a large-capacity tank. However, in the following description, there is no distinction between the two, and they will simply be referred to as "ink tanks 700."

[0011] Each ink tank 700 is connected to the print head of the carriage by a tube (not shown). In other words, the ink tanks 700 are stationary ink tanks that are not mounted on the carriage of the printer 100. Also, each ink tank 700 is an ink refill type ink tank that is refilled with ink from an ink refill container 1 (described below) when the remaining ink level becomes low. Note that, although the ink tanks 700 are stationary ink tanks in this embodiment, they may also be mounted on the carriage of the printer 100.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which ink is refilled into an ink tank 700 using an ink supply container 1. The ink supply container 1 corresponds to a "liquid supply container." The front surface of each ink tank 700 is formed from a transparent or semi-transparent material, and the amount of ink remaining in each ink tank 700 can be visually observed from the outside. When the amount of ink remaining becomes low, as shown in FIG. 2, it is possible to open the lid 162 and refill ink through the liquid introduction needle 710 of the ink tank 700.

[0013] A cylindrical liquid introduction needle 710 for replenishing ink to the ink tank 700 is provided on the upper surface of each ink tank 700. The ink tank accommodating unit 160 is provided with a sealing cap member 164 having a sealing cap 165 for sealing the tip of the liquid introduction needle 710. When the ink tank 700 is not being refilled with ink, the tip of the liquid introduction needle 710 is sealed by the sealing cap 165 of the sealing cap member 164. When refilling the ink tank 700 with ink, the sealing cap 165 is removed from the liquid introduction needle 710, and the tip of the ink supply container 1 is inserted into the ink inlet provided with the liquid introduction needle 710 to refill the ink.

[0014] At this time, ink is supplied from the ink supply container 1 to the ink tank 700 through the liquid introduction needle 710. The liquid introduction needle 710 has a partition wall 710a that divides the inside into two flow paths. One of the two flow paths is used for the inflow of ink, and the other is used for the outflow of air from the ink tank 700 to the inside of the ink supply container 1. Regarding the tip surface of the liquid introduction needle 710 shown in FIG. 2, the tip surface of the partition wall 710a and the tip surface of the tubular portion 710b are located on the same horizontal plane, but the tip surface of the partition wall 710a may be formed higher than the tip surface of the tubular portion 710b.

[0015] In this specification, the term "ink refilling" refers to the operation of supplying ink to the ink tank 700 to increase the amount of remaining ink. However, "ink refilling" does not necessarily mean filling the ink tank 700 with ink. "Ink refilling" also includes the operation of filling an empty ink tank 700 with ink when using the printer 100 for the first time.

[0016] A2. Configuration of ink supply container 1: Next, the configuration of the ink supply container 1 will be described with reference to Figs. 3 to 6. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the ink supply container 1 of the first embodiment. Fig. 3 shows the ink outlet forming part 12 and its surrounding area in a state where the cap part 13 is attached to the ink supply container 1, and shows a cross section taken along a plane passing through the central axis C of the ink supply container 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the part enclosed by the dashed line in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the internal configuration of the ink supply container 1. Fig. 5 particularly shows the internal configuration of the ink outlet forming part 12 located inside the cap part 13. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing an assembled valve unit 300.

[0017] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the ink supply container 1 has a container body 11 having an opening 14 and capable of storing ink therein, an ink outlet forming part 12 connected to the container body 11, and a cap part 13 attached to the ink outlet forming part 12. The ink supply container 1 has an overall cylindrical bottle shape (see Figure 2). In the following description of the ink supply container 1, the up-down direction in a state in which the ink supply container 1 is placed alone upright on a horizontal surface is referred to as the height direction, and the up-down direction shown in Figure 3 is referred to as "up-down". In the ink supply container 1, the ink outlet forming part 12 and the cap part 13 are located on the upper side of the container body 11.

[0018] The ink outlet forming part 12 has an ink outlet 15 for pouring out the ink contained in the container body 11, and is a part for pouring out the ink from inside the container body 11 to the outside. The ink outlet forming part 12 is made of resin. The ink outlet forming part 12 corresponds to the "liquid outlet forming part". An ink outflow path 16 is formed in a cylindrical part 52 (described later) of the ink outlet forming part 12. The ink outflow path 16 corresponds to the "liquid outflow path", communicates with the opening 14, and includes the ink outlet 15 at the downstream end in the ink outflow direction. In other words, the ink outflow path 16 is an internal space defined by the cylindrical part 52, but also includes the internal space when a member defining the space is added to the tip of the cylindrical part 52 on the ink outlet 15 side. The ink outlet forming part 12 has a seal member 41, a spring valve 17, and an inner plug 42. The seal member 41, the spring valve 17, and the inside plug 42 are all arranged with their central axes C aligned.

[0019] The seal member 41 is made of an elastic material such as rubber or elastomer, and is disposed inside the ink outlet 15. The seal member 41 has a cylindrical seal member portion having a central axis C. The seal member 41 also has vane-shaped portions 41b that extend radially from an inner circumferential wall 41a of the cylindrical seal member portion toward the central axis C and have an arc-shaped cross section in the central axis direction. The vane-shaped portions 41b are in the form of elastic pieces partitioned by slits 43b that extend radially or in the direction from a through hole 43a formed in the center of the dome-shaped elastic membrane portion toward the inner circumferential wall 41a of the cylindrical seal member portion.

[0020] The slit 43b may be a single slit extending in the diameter direction through the through hole 43a. In the closed valve state, the tip of a valve body 44 described later, which is biased in the closing direction (upward), is inserted into the through hole 43a. Furthermore, in the closed valve state, the upper surface of a disk portion 48 of the valve body 44 described later (part indicated by a circular dashed line in FIG. 5) is in close contact with an annular protrusion 41c formed on the lower end surface of the seal member 41. Therefore, in the ink outflow path 16, the space inside the inner circumferential wall 41a of the seal member 41 is blocked from the space upstream of that space in the ink outflow direction.

[0021] The spring valve 17 is disposed in the ink outflow path 16 of the ink outlet forming portion 12. In the spring valve 17, in a non-replenishment state where the ink tank 700 is not being replenished with ink, the spring member 45 presses the valve body 44 toward the seal member 41. As a result, the spring valve 17 is in a closed state where the valve body 44 contacts the seal member 41, making it difficult for ink to leak to the outside. In a refilling state where the ink tank 700 is being replenished with ink, the ink refill container 1 is connected to the liquid introduction needle 710 of the printer 100 in an upside-down position with the ink outlet 15 facing downward, as shown in FIG.

[0022] The liquid introduction needle 710 presses the valve body 44 against the biasing force of the spring member 45 of the spring valve 17, opening a gap between the valve body 44 and the seal member 41, thereby allowing ink to flow through the ink outflow path 16. At this time, the partition wall 710a of the liquid introduction needle 710 presses the truncated cone portion 47 of the valve body 44, and the tubular portion 710b presses the vane portion 41b, while opening the spring valve 17 while widening the through hole 43a and the slit 43b. This allows ink to flow from the ink outflow path 16 into the liquid introduction needle 710. The spring valve 17 is a normally closed valve.

[0023] In this embodiment, the spring valve 17 includes at least a valve body 44, a spring member 45, and a contact portion 51, and these members are held by a holder portion 46. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the holder portion 46 also holds a seal member 41, and the spring valve 17, the seal member 41, and the holder portion 46 form a valve unit 300. The valve unit 300 engages with a cylindrical portion 52. The valve body 44 includes a truncated cone portion 47, a disk portion 48, and a side wall portion 49, which are arranged in this order from the ink outlet 15 side. To facilitate assembly, the valve body 44 including the disk portion 48 and the side wall portion 49 may be separate members. Alternatively, the holder portion 46 may be divided into two portions, an upper portion and a lower portion.

[0024] When the ink outlet 15 faces upward, that is, in the +Z direction, the truncated cone portion 47 is a portion that is provided in a truncated cone shape protruding upward from the center of the upper surface of the disk portion 48, and in the closed state, its upper end protrudes upward from the through hole 43a of the seal member 41. When the valve is open, the tip of the partition wall 710a of the liquid introduction needle 710 of the printer 100 abuts against the tip surface of the truncated cone portion 47. In addition, in the closed state, the tip surface of the disk portion 48 is in close contact with the annular protrusion 41c formed on the lower end surface of the seal member 41 to close the ink outflow passage 16. The side wall portion 49 is a columnar member that is provided so that its cross section in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the central axis C forms a part of a circular ring shape (central angle of about 20°) and is provided to extend downward from the outer peripheral side surface of the disk portion 48. In this embodiment, there are four side wall portions 49, which are provided at approximately equal intervals of 90 degrees in the circumferential direction of the disk portion 48. The side wall portion 49 extends from the valve body 44 toward the container body 11 side, and is provided extending in a direction along the central axis C of the cylindrical portion 52.

[0025] In this embodiment, the valve unit 300 is configured by holding the spring valve 17 and the seal member 41 inside the holder portion 46. The valve unit is disposed inside the cylindrical portion 52 and is detachably engaged with the cylindrical portion 52. The valve unit 300 may be configured such that the seal member 41, the valve body 44, and the spring member 45 are engaged with the cylindrical portion 52 without using the holder portion 46, instead of the valve unit 300 in which the seal member 41, the valve body 44, and the spring member 45 are held by the holder portion 46. The seal member 41 may be individually engaged with the cylindrical portion 52, and the valve body 44 and the spring member 45 may be engaged with the cylindrical portion 52 while being held by the holder portion 46. Various combinations are included in this embodiment, such as the seal member 41 engaging with the cylindrical portion 52 while being held by the holder portion 46, and the valve body 44 and the spring member 45 engaging with the cylindrical portion 52 individually.

[0026] The spring member 45 is a cylindrical coil spring, and is provided on the lower surface of the disk portion 48 of the valve body 44 and radially inward of the four side wall portions 49. The spring member 45 biases the valve body 44 toward the seal member 41 in the valve closed state.

[0027] The contact portion 51 is a portion formed on the end surface (lower end surface) of the side wall portion 49 on the side of the inside plug 42 in the axial direction, that is, the end surface of the side wall portion 49 facing the inside plug 42. In this embodiment, the side wall portion 49 is formed integrally with the valve body 44. Therefore, the contact portion 51 is formed integrally with the valve body 44, and contacts the inside plug 42 at least when the valve 17 is in an open state. The contact portion 51 functions as a portion that moves toward the container body portion 11 side in conjunction with the valve body 44 when the valve is opened, and pushes the inside plug 42 toward the container body portion 11 side. The contact portion 51 may be in contact with the inside plug 42 not only in the open state, but also in the closed state. The holder portion 46 accommodates the seal member 41, the spring member 45, and the valve body 44 inside.

[0028] The holder portion 46 has a protrusion 46a on which the seal member 41 is placed along the inner circumferential wall, and when the liquid introduction needle 710 is inserted into the inner space of the seal member 41, the protrusion 46a restricts the liquid introduction needle 710 from moving in the insertion direction. The holder portion 46 further has four pillars 46b that hold the valve body 44 movably along the central axis C, and a spring member support portion 46c that supports the spring member 45. The pillars 46b have an outer surface shaped along the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 52, and a gap space penetrating in the radial direction is formed between adjacent pillars 46b. In the open state, this gap space has a function of allowing air flowing in from the ink tank 700 from the central axis C side toward the inner wall of the cylindrical portion 52 on the radial outside, and allowing ink flowing out from the container main body portion 11 to flow from the inner wall side of the cylindrical portion 52 toward the central axis C side on the radial inside, so that the ink and air are easily separated. However, in this embodiment, the side wall portion 49 is disposed in this gap space by utilizing this gap space.

[0029] The ink outlet forming portion 12 is provided with a pair of identification structures 72 arranged to sandwich the cylindrical portion 52 in the radial direction. The identification structures 72 have different shapes depending on the type of ink contained in the ink supply container 1, and are used to appropriately supply the type of ink corresponding to the ink in the tank 700.

[0030] The cylindrical portion 52 is connected to the opening 14 of the container body 11. The inside plug 42 is located between the spring valve 17 and the opening 14 in the direction along the central axis C, and engages with the cylindrical portion 52 via a seal ring 53. The inside plug 42 is a cap-shaped member having a bottomed cylindrical shape, and corresponds to a flow path closing member that closes the ink outflow path 16. When the ink supply container 1 is used for the first time, it is connected to the liquid introduction needle 710 of the printer 100 as shown in FIG. 2. The liquid introduction needle 710 presses the valve body 44, so that the inside plug 42 is pressed against the contact portion 51. As a result, the inside plug 42 detaches from the ink outlet forming portion 12 and falls into the container body 11.

[0031] The cap portion 13 is attached to the outer periphery of the ink outlet forming portion 12 to cover the ink outlet forming portion 12 and seal off the inside of the container body portion 11 from the outside air. The cap portion 13 can be attached to and detached from the ink outlet forming portion 12 by screw engagement.

[0032] 2 and 3, the container body 11 has a cylindrical large diameter portion 18 with a bottom on the side opposite the opening 14 in the direction along the central axis C. The container body 11 occupies between ½ and ⅔ of the length of the ink supply container 1 in the direction along the central axis C, and forms the main body of the ink supply container 1.

[0033] An ink outlet forming part 12 is connected to the upper end of the container body 11. The ink outlet forming part 12 is made of resin. The container body 11 has, in order from the bottom side, a large diameter part 18 (see FIG. 2), a reduced diameter part 19 connected to the large diameter part 18 and gradually decreasing in diameter, and a small diameter part 20 connected to the reduced diameter upper end of the reduced diameter part 19 and having a constant diameter. The diameter of the small diameter part 20 is smaller than the diameter of the lower end of the ink outlet forming part 12, and the ink outlet forming part 12 is connected to the outside of the container body 11. A male screw part 63 protruding radially outward is formed on the outer periphery of the small diameter part 20 of the container body 11.

[0034] When assembling the ink outlet forming part 12 to the container body 11, the female screw part 64 of the ink outlet forming part 12 is engaged with the male screw part 63 of the container body 11 and screwed. This connects the ink outlet forming part 12 to the container body 11. Note that the connection and fixation between the ink outlet forming part 12 and the container body 11 is not limited to screw engagement, and may be a locking claw, a combination with a ratchet structure that restricts circumferential movement, fixing with a film, tape, adhesive, or the like, welding, or the like. For example, when the ink outlet forming part 12 and the container body 11 are fixed by a ratchet structure or the like, when the user rotates and removes the cap part 13, it is easy to prevent the ink outlet forming part 12 from rotating together with the cap part 13 and coming off the container body 11.

[0035] According to the ink supply container 1 of the first embodiment, the following effects can be achieved.

[0036] According to the first embodiment, in the ink supply container 1 having the spring valve 17, the spring valve 17 is provided with a contact portion 51 that presses the inner plug 42 when the valve body 44 is pressed from the ink outlet 15 side. Therefore, the inner plug 42 is detached by the pressure of the liquid introduction needle 710, allowing ink to flow through the ink outflow path 16. With this configuration, even if the ink supply container 1 is in an upside-down position, it is possible to prevent ink from leaking out of the container body 11 until the liquid introduction needle 710 is inserted into the ink outflow path 16.

[0037] Furthermore, compared to a slit valve, the spring valve 17 is less likely to open when subjected to an impact or when the inside of the container 1 becomes pressurized. Therefore, even when the ink supply container 1 is used for the second or subsequent ink injection operations using the remaining ink in the ink supply container 1 after the inner plug 42 has been detached during the first use of the ink supply container 1, ink leakage is less likely to occur.

[0038] According to the first embodiment, the contact portion 51 is formed integrally with the valve body 44, and is therefore biased by the spring member 45 towards the ink outlet 15. This makes it possible to achieve a configuration in which the inner plug 42 is unlikely to come off even if the ink supply container 1 receives some kind of impact before it is connected to the liquid introduction needle 710. Also, since the contact portion 51 is formed on the end surface of the side wall portion 49 formed along the axial direction that faces the inner plug 42, when the valve body 44 is pushed by the ink introduction needle, the inner plug 42 is guided by the cylindrical portion 52 and can be smoothly pushed out towards the container body 11 and removed.

[0039] B. Second embodiment: Next, an ink supply container 2 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figs. 7 to 10. In the following embodiments, the same reference numerals are used for configurations that are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment, and description thereof will be omitted. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the ink supply container 2 according to the second embodiment. Fig. 7 shows the main part of the ink outlet forming part 22 and its surrounding area in a state where the cap part 23 of the ink supply container 2 is attached, and shows a cross section taken along a plane passing through the central axis C. Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the area enclosed by the dashed line in Fig. 7.

[0040] The ink supply container 2 of the second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment in that it has a container body 21, an ink outlet forming portion 22, and a cap portion 23, but the internal configuration of the ink outlet forming portion 22 is different from that of the first embodiment. The ink supply container 2 of the second embodiment does not have an inner plug 42, and is provided with a semi-slit part 61 as a flow path closing member. This will be described in detail below. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the semi-slit part 61 is provided via a pressing member 62 at the upper part near the ink outlet 15 inside the ink outlet forming portion 22.

[0041] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the ink outlet forming part 22 from diagonally above in the ink supply container 2 with the cap part 23 removed and the ink outlet 15 facing upward, i.e., in the +Z direction. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the internal configuration of the ink outlet forming part 22. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the semi-slit part 61 is disk-shaped. A recess 65 that is recessed downward and has a circular shape in plan view is formed on the upper surface of the semi-slit part 61. A liquid introduction needle 710 is inserted into the "upper surface" during ink supply. Six slit-shaped grooves 66 are formed on the bottom of the recess 65. The grooves 66 are thin-walled parts that are thinner than other parts of the bottom of the recess 65, and do not penetrate the bottom in the thickness direction.

[0042] The groove 66 does not have to be slit-shaped, and may simply be a recess. That is, the entire area radially inward of the area surrounded by the dotted line as the thin recess area 69 in Fig. 8 may be formed thin. The thin recess area 69 is inside a circle having the groove 66 as its radius in a plan view. The groove 66 and the thin recess area 69 face downstream in the ink outflow direction, and the thickness of the bottom of the groove 66 and the thin recess area 69 is thinner than other parts.

[0043] The "thickness" here refers to the direction along the ink outflow direction, that is, the thickness in the direction along the central axis C of the ink supply container 2. The "ink outflow direction" refers to the direction in which ink flows from the container body 21 to the ink tank 700 through the ink outlet forming part 22 during ink supply. The grooves 66 are formed extending radially outward from the center of the bottom of the recess 65, and six grooves are arranged radially at approximately equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The grooves 66 are not limited to multiple grooves in the diameter direction with the center as the intersection point, as in this embodiment, but may be one groove extending in the diameter direction through the center. The semi-slit part 61 is broken when the liquid introduction needle 710 is inserted from above in Figures 7 to 10 near the center of the recess 65, and the ink outflow path 16 of the ink outlet forming part 22 and the flow path inside the liquid introduction needle 710 on the printer 100 side are in a communication state.

[0044] The semi-slit part 61 is detachably attached to the ink outlet forming part 22 by being covered with the pressing member 62 from above. The pressing member 62 has a cylindrical shape. The pressing member 62 has a flange part 67 extending inward (toward the central axis C) on the outflow side, i.e., the upper end edge in Figs. 7 to 10. The radially inner side of the flange part 67 is open, and the part where the groove 66 of the semi-slit part 61 is formed is exposed at the opening. The semi-slit part 61 is located downstream of the spring valve 27 (see Fig. 7) in the ink outflow direction. Note that the shapes of the valve body 44 and the holder part 46 of the spring valve 27 are partially different from those of the spring valve 27 in the first embodiment, but since they are members that perform substantially the same function, they are given the same reference numerals.

[0045] The semi-slit part 61 is detachably fixed to the ink outlet forming part 22 via a pressing member 62. A recess 65 is formed in the semi-slit part 61, thereby forming a ring-shaped protrusion on the outer periphery. The ring-shaped protrusion is fixed by being pinched and pressed from above by a flange part 67 of the pressing member 62 (see FIG. 8).

[0046] The pressing member 62 is a member fixed to the ink outflow side end of the ink outlet forming portion 22 as a separate member from the semi-slit part 61. The semi-slit part 61 can be removed from the ink outlet forming portion 22 by removing the pressing member 62 by hooking it onto the ink outflow side. The connection between the container body part 21 and the ink outlet forming portion 22, and the connection between the ink outlet forming portion 22 and the cap part 23 are the same as in the first embodiment. The pressing member 62 corresponds to the "fixing member".

[0047] According to the second embodiment, the same effects as those of the ink supply container 1 of the first embodiment are achieved. In addition, even when the ink supply container 2 is in an upside-down position, the half-slit part 61 can prevent ink leakage until the liquid introduction needle 710 penetrates the half-slit part 61. Furthermore, since the half-slit part 61 is detachably fixed to the ink outlet forming part 22 via the pressing member 62, it is easy to reuse the ink supply container 2 and replace the half-slit part 61. Furthermore, when reusing the ink supply container 2, the pressing member 62 can be reused, and only the penetrated half-slit part 61 can be replaced. Furthermore, since the half-slit part 61 has each groove 66 formed therein, it is easy for the liquid introduction needle 710 to penetrate the half-slit part 61.

[0048] C. Third embodiment: Next, an ink supply container 3 according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figs. 11 to 13. Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the ink supply container 3 according to the third embodiment. Fig. 11 shows a main part of the ink outlet forming part 32 to which the cap part 33 of the ink supply container 3 is attached and the surrounding area, and shows a cross section taken along a plane passing through the central axis C. Fig. 12 is an enlarged perspective view showing the part enclosed by the dashed line in Fig. 11.

[0049] The ink supply container 3 of the third embodiment is similar to the first embodiment in that it has a container body portion 31, an ink outlet forming portion 32, and a cap portion 33, but the internal configuration of the ink outlet forming portion 32 is different from that of the first embodiment. The ink supply container 3 of the third embodiment does not have an inner plug 42, and is provided with a partition part 70 as a flow path closing member. Also, in the third embodiment, a well-known slit valve 71 is provided at the ink outlet 15 instead of the spring valve 17. This will be explained in detail below.

[0050] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the ink outlet forming portion 32 in the ink supply container 3 with the cap portion 33 removed, viewed obliquely from above. As shown in FIG. 13, the ink outlet forming portion 32 is provided with a pair of identification structures 72 for identifying the type of ink, which are arranged to sandwich the cylindrical portion 52 in which the ink outflow path 16 is formed in the radial direction. The radial direction means a direction perpendicular to the central axis C of the ink outflow path 16. Each of the pair of identification structures 72 is inserted into an identification recess 720 provided in the adapter portion of the ink tank 700. A linear identification groove 73 is formed on the side surface of the identification structure 72 from the front end side to the rear end side. The location where the identification groove 73 is formed varies for each ink supply container 3.

[0051] As shown in Figs. 11 to 13, inside the ink outlet forming portion 32, a rectangular plate-shaped partition part 70 is disposed above the opening 14 of the container body 31 to close the opening 14. The partition part 70 is a plate material made of resin such as plastic. The partition part 70 is fixed to the cylindrical part 52 in a state where it is sandwiched from above and below by two O-rings 74 (see Figs. 11 and 12) disposed in the ink outflow passage 16. The O-rings 74 correspond to an "elastic seal member." The radial end of the partition part 70 protrudes radially outward from the cylindrical part 52. The radial end of the partition part 70 is located at a position that does not overlap in the circumferential direction with the portion where the pair of identification structures 72 are located. In this embodiment, the line where the pair of identification structures 72 are aligned in the radial direction and the longitudinal line along which the partition part 70 extends in the radial direction are substantially perpendicular to each other in a plan view. It should be noted that these lines may intersect at an angle other than 90°.

[0052] The clamping force of the O-ring 74 is such that the partition part 70 can be removed to the outside by pulling the radial end of the partition part 70 radially outward. Therefore, when the ink supply container 3 is attached to the printer 100 in the ink supply state shown in FIG. 2, i.e., in the open valve state, the user of the printer 100 can remove the partition part 70 to the outside by pulling the radial end of the partition part 70 radially outward.

[0053] 13, the ink outlet forming part 32 has a positioning part 75. The positioning part 75 is a plate-like part having an arc-shaped part in a plan view located on the radially outer side of the cylindrical part 52 and a linear part in a plan view located on both the left and right sides of the identification structure part 72 and parallel to the diameter of the cylindrical part 52. The positioning part 75 has a plane perpendicular to the central axis C. When the identification structure part 72 of the ink supply container 3 is properly engaged with the corresponding identification recess 720, the liquid introduction needle 710 is inserted into the cylindrical part 52. In the ink supply state shown in FIG. 2, when the identification recess 720 of the printer 100 and the identification structure part 72 of the ink supply container 3 are properly engaged, the ink outlet forming part 32 is connected to the liquid introduction needle 710, and the positioning part 75 is supported in contact with a receiving plane 730 that extends in a direction intersecting with the liquid introduction needle 710 at a position slightly above the liquid introduction needle 710, and is positioned in the insertion direction, i.e., the Z direction.

[0054] 11 to 13, the partition part 70 is located below the positioning part 75 in the direction along the ink outflow direction, i.e., on the container main body 31 side. Therefore, after the ink supply container 3 is mounted on the printer 100 as shown in Fig. 2, the liquid introduction needle 710 is inserted into the cylindrical part 52, and the positioning part 75 comes into contact with the receiving flat surface 730 to position the ink supply container 3, the partition part 70 can be slid and removed.

[0055] According to the third embodiment, the same effects as those of the ink supply container 1 of the first embodiment are achieved. In addition, when the ink supply container 3 is used for the first time, the ink outflow path 16 can be closed until the partition part 70 is removed, which makes it easy to prevent ink leakage. Also, for example, after the ink supply container 3 is installed in the printer 100 upside down, the ink outflow path 16 can be opened at any timing of the user's choice, which is convenient for the user.

[0056] Furthermore, when reusing the ink supply container 3, there is no need to remove the partition part 70 from inside the ink supply container 3, making it easy to reuse. The partition part 70 is located below the positioning part 75 in the state shown in Fig. 11. That is, in the ink refill state shown in Fig. 2, the partition part 70 is located above the positioning part 75, so that when the ink supply container 3 is turned upside down and attached to the printer 100, the partition part 70 does not get in the way, and the protruding radial end part can be easily removed by the user.

[0057] D. Other forms: (D1) In the first embodiment, the contact portion 51 is a portion formed on the end surface of the inside plug side in the axial direction of the four side wall portions 49 that extend from the valve body 44 toward the container body 11 and are formed along the axial direction of the cylindrical portion 52. Alternatively, the four side wall portions 49 may be configured as peripheral wall portions that are continuous in the circumferential direction. That is, the contact portion 51 may be formed on the end surface of a portion that is not connected in the circumferential direction and is columnar in the central axis direction as in the first embodiment, or may be formed on the end surface of a peripheral wall portion that is connected in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the contact portion 51 may be capable of interlocking with the valve body 44, and may not be configured integrally with the valve body 44. In addition, when the side wall portion 49 having the contact portion 51 is configured as a separate body from the valve body 44, the side wall portion 49 may be interlocked with the valve body 44 at least in the open valve state, and may not be interlocked with the valve body 44 in the closed valve state. However, in the open valve state, when the valve body 44 is pushed by the liquid introduction needle 710, the side wall portion 49 needs to press the inner plug 42 in conjunction with the valve body 44.

[0058] (D2) In the second embodiment, it is not necessary to provide the pressing member 62 that fixes the semi-slit part 61. In this configuration, for example, the pressing member 62 may be integrated with the semi-slit part 61, and it is sufficient that the semi-slit part 61 is separable from the ink outlet forming portion 22.

[0059] (D3) In the second embodiment, the spring valve 17 may be replaced with a slit valve 71 as shown in Fig. 11. In the third embodiment, the slit valve 71 may be replaced with a spring valve 17.

[0060] (D4) In the third embodiment, the partition component 70 does not have to be sandwiched by the O-ring 74 serving as an elastic seal member. In addition, the partition component 70 may be provided downstream of the positioning portion 75 in the direction along the ink outflow direction.

[0061] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be realized in various configurations without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. For example, the technical features in the embodiments corresponding to the technical features in each aspect described in the Summary of the Invention column can be appropriately replaced or combined to solve some or all of the above-mentioned problems or to achieve some or all of the above-mentioned effects. Furthermore, if the technical feature is not described as essential in this specification, it can be appropriately deleted.

[0062] (1) According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a liquid supply container, which supplies liquid to a liquid discharge device equipped with a liquid introduction needle via the liquid introduction needle, and which comprises: a container body having an opening and capable of containing liquid; and a liquid outlet forming part connected to the container body, the liquid outlet forming part having a cylindrical part defining a liquid outflow path communicating with the opening, the liquid outlet forming part comprising a seal member disposed in the liquid outflow path, a valve disposed in the liquid outflow path, and a flow path closing member disposed in the liquid outflow path between the opening and the valve, the valve being a spring member and a valve-closed state. a valve body that is biased by the spring member to come into contact with the sealing member in an open state and that is pressed by the liquid introduction needle inserted into the liquid outflow path to move away from the sealing member in an open valve state, and a contact portion that works in conjunction with the valve body and comes into contact with the flow path closing member at least in the open valve state, wherein the flow path closing member is an inner plug that engages with the liquid outlet forming portion in a detachable manner when pressed from the liquid outlet side, and that detaches from the liquid outlet forming portion when pressed by the liquid introduction needle through the valve when the liquid supply container is used for the first time. According to this embodiment, even in a liquid supply container equipped with a spring valve having a spring member, the spring valve has a contact part that works with the valve body and contacts the flow path closing member, so that the inner plug is detached by pressing with the liquid introduction needle to open the liquid outflow path. Therefore, even if the liquid supply container is in an upside-down position where the liquid outlet forming part is below the container body part or in an oblique position, leakage of liquid is prevented until the liquid introduction needle is inserted. Furthermore, compared to slit valves, spring valves are less likely to open when subjected to impact or when the container is pressurized, so after the flow path closure member detaches during the first use of the liquid supply container, liquid leakage is less likely to occur when a second or subsequent liquid injection operation is performed using the remaining liquid in the liquid supply container.

[0063] (2) In the liquid supply container of the above form, the valve body may have a side wall portion formed integrally with the valve body and extending along the axial direction of the cylindrical portion, and the contact portion may be formed on an end surface of the side wall portion in the axial direction. According to this embodiment, since the contact portion is formed integrally with the valve body, it is biased toward the liquid outlet by the spring member. Therefore, even if the liquid supply container receives some kind of impact before it is connected to the liquid introduction needle, it is difficult for the flow path closing member to be detached. In addition, since the contact portion is formed on the axial end surface of the side wall portion formed along the axial direction, when the valve body is pushed by the liquid introduction needle, it is guided by the cylindrical portion, and it is possible to easily push and detach the flow path closing member.

[0064] (3) According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a liquid supply container, which supplies liquid to a liquid discharge device equipped with a liquid introduction needle via the liquid introduction needle, and which comprises a container body having an opening and capable of containing liquid, and a liquid outlet forming part having a cylindrical part defining a liquid outflow path communicating with the opening, the liquid outlet forming part comprising a valve disposed in the liquid outflow path and opening when the liquid introduction needle is inserted into the liquid outflow path and closing when the liquid introduction needle is withdrawn from the liquid outflow path, and a flow path closing member disposed in the liquid outflow path, the flow path closing member being detachably fixed to the liquid outlet forming part, being located downstream of the valve in the liquid outflow direction of the liquid outflow path, and having a groove or recess facing the downstream side in the liquid outflow direction. According to this embodiment, even if the liquid supply container is in an upside-down or tilted position, leakage of liquid is prevented until the liquid introduction needle is inserted. Furthermore, since the flow path closing member is detachably fixed to the liquid outlet forming portion, it is possible to easily reuse the liquid supply container and replace the flow path closing member.

[0065] (4) In the liquid supply container of the above aspect, the flow path closing member may be removably attached to the downstream end of the liquid outlet forming portion in the liquid outflow direction by a separate fixing member. According to this aspect, when reusing the liquid supply container, the fixing member can be reused and only the penetrating flow path closing member can be replaced.

[0066] (5) According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a liquid supply container for supplying liquid to a liquid discharge device equipped with a liquid introduction needle via the liquid introduction needle, the liquid supply container comprising: a container body having an opening and capable of containing liquid, and a liquid outlet forming part having a cylindrical part defining a liquid outflow path communicating with the opening, the liquid outlet forming part comprising: a valve disposed in the liquid outflow path and opened by the liquid introduction needle inserted into the liquid outflow path, and a flow path closing member disposed in the liquid outflow path so as to be removable to the outside. According to this embodiment, when the liquid supply container is used for the first time, the liquid flow path can be closed until the flow path closing member is removed, so that liquid leakage can be easily avoided. Also, since the flow path closing member is disposed so as to be removable to the outside, the liquid flow path can be opened at any time of the user's choice, for example, after the liquid supply container is inverted and attached to the liquid ejection device, so that it is convenient for the user. Furthermore, when reusing the liquid refill container, there is no need to remove the flow path closing member from inside the liquid refill container, making it easy to reuse.

[0067] (6) In the liquid supply container of the above aspect, the flow path closing member may be sandwiched by an elastic seal member disposed in the liquid outlet path. According to this aspect, after the flow path closing member is removed, the gap can be sealed by the elastic seal member, making it difficult for liquid to leak.

[0068] (7) In the liquid supply container of the above form, the liquid outlet forming portion has a positioning portion disposed on an outer surface of the liquid outlet forming portion and contacts the liquid ejection device when the valve is opened by the liquid introduction needle, and in the liquid outflow direction of the liquid outflow path, the flow path closure member may be located on the container body side of the positioning portion. According to this embodiment, when the liquid supply container is attached upside down to the liquid ejection device and the valve is opened by the liquid introduction needle, the flow path closing member is located above the positioning part, which makes it easy for the user to remove the flow path closing member after attaching the liquid supply container to the printer.

[0069] Furthermore, the present disclosure is not limited to application to inkjet systems, but can also be applied to liquid supply containers that supply liquid to any liquid ejection device that ejects liquid other than ink. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] Reference Signs List 1,2,3...ink supply container (liquid supply container), 11,21,31...container main body portion, 12,22,32...ink outlet forming portion (liquid outlet forming portion), 13,23,33...cap portion, 14...opening, 15...ink outlet, 16...ink outflow path (liquid outflow path), 17...spring valve, 18...large diameter portion, 19...reduced diameter portion, 20...small diameter portion, 27...spring valve, 41...sealing member, 42...inner plug (flow path closing member), 43...opening, 44...valve body, 45...spring member, 46...holder portion, 47...frustum portion, 48...disk portion, 49...side wall portion, 51...contact portion, 52...cylindrical portion, 53...seal Ring, 61...semi-slit part (flow path closing member), 62...pressing member (fixing member), 63...male threaded portion, 64...female threaded portion, 65...recess, 66...groove, 67...flange portion, 70...partition part (flow path closing member), 71...slit valve, 72...identification structure portion, 73...identification groove portion, 74...O-ring (elastic sealing member), 75...positioning portion, 100...printer (liquid ejection device), 110...casing, 160...ink tank accommodating unit, 162...lid, 164...sealing cap member, 165...sealing cap, 700...ink tank, 710...liquid introduction needle, C...center axis

Claims

1. A liquid supply container that supplies liquid to a liquid ejection device having a liquid introduction needle through the liquid introduction needle, A container body having an opening and capable of containing a liquid; a liquid outlet forming part connected to the container body part, the liquid outlet forming part having a cylindrical part defining a liquid outlet path communicating with the opening; Equipped with The liquid outlet forming portion is A seal member disposed in the liquid outlet passage; a valve disposed in the liquid outlet passage; a flow path closing member disposed in the liquid outlet path between the opening and the valve; Equipped with The valve is A spring member; a valve body that is biased by the spring member to come into contact with the seal member in a valve closed state, and that is pressed by the liquid introduction needle inserted into the liquid outflow path to separate from the seal member in a valve open state; a contact portion that is linked with the valve body and contacts the flow path closing member at least in the open valve state, A liquid supply container, wherein the flow path closure member engages with the liquid outlet forming portion in a detachable manner when pressed from the liquid outlet side, and is an inner plug that detaches from the liquid outlet forming portion when pressed by the liquid introduction needle through the valve during initial use of the liquid supply container.

2. 2. The liquid refill container according to claim 1, the valve body has a side wall portion formed integrally with the valve body and extending along an axial direction of the cylindrical portion, The contact portion is formed on an end surface of the side wall portion in the axial direction.

3. A liquid supply container that supplies liquid to a liquid ejection device having a liquid introduction needle through the liquid introduction needle, A container body portion having an opening and capable of containing a liquid; a liquid outlet forming portion having a cylindrical portion defining a liquid outlet passage communicating with the opening; Equipped with The liquid outlet forming portion is a valve disposed in the liquid outlet passage, the valve opening when the liquid introduction needle is inserted into the liquid outlet passage and closing when the liquid introduction needle is removed from the liquid outlet passage; a flow path closing member disposed in the liquid outlet path; Equipped with The flow path closing member is a liquid outlet forming portion that is detachably fixed to the liquid outlet forming portion; a valve disposed downstream of the liquid outlet passage in a liquid outflow direction; A liquid supply container having a groove or recess formed therein facing downstream in the liquid outflow direction.

4. 4. The liquid supply container according to claim 3, A liquid supply container, wherein the flow path closing member is removably attached to a downstream end portion in the liquid outflow direction of the liquid outlet forming portion by a fixing member which is a separate member.

5. A liquid supply container that supplies liquid to a liquid ejection device having a liquid introduction needle through the liquid introduction needle, A container body portion having an opening and capable of containing a liquid; a liquid outlet forming portion having a cylindrical portion defining a liquid outlet passage communicating with the opening; Equipped with The liquid outlet forming portion is a valve disposed in the liquid outlet passage and opened by the liquid introduction needle inserted into the liquid outlet passage; a flow path closing member disposed in the liquid outlet path so as to be removable to the outside; A liquid supply container comprising:

6. 6. A liquid supply container according to claim 5, The flow path closing member is sandwiched between an elastic seal member disposed in the liquid outlet path.

7. 6. A liquid supply container according to claim 5, the liquid outlet forming portion has a positioning portion that is disposed on an outer surface of the liquid outlet forming portion and that comes into contact with the liquid ejection device when the valve is opened by the liquid introduction needle; A liquid supply container, wherein the flow path closing member is located closer to the container body portion than the positioning portion in a liquid outflow direction of the liquid outflow path.

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