Ink storage container

Abstract

To provide an ink storage container that secures convenience of injection with a simple structure while securing good visibility for various kinds of inks, thus contributing to realization of a sustainable society such as a decarbonization / recycling-oriented society.SOLUTION: An ink storage container includes: an ink storage portion for storing ink on the inside; and an ink injection portion communicating with the ink storage portion. The ink storage portion is an area in which a surface free energy of an inner wall is lower than a surface tension of the ink. The ink injection portion is an area in which a surface free energy of an inner wall part, which is contacted by the ink when the ink is poured from the ink storage portion, is higher than the surface tension of the ink.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an ink containment vessel. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, ink storage containers for replenishing ink to ink tanks of ink ejection devices such as inkjet printers are known. Functions required of ink storage containers include visibility of contents, ease of pouring ink, and storage reliability (see Patent Document 1, etc.). For example, if the visibility of the contents is poor, a user may mistakenly believe that there is more ink remaining than actually remains when visually inspecting a partially used ink storage container. For this reason, it is desirable to ensure the transparency of the container so that the amount of ink remaining can be seen at a glance.

[0003] At the same time, ease of pouring is also important. For example, there are various types of bottles with tapered nozzles that can be inserted into the printer tank, bottles with a pin at the tip for pouring that can be inserted into the printer tank, and bottles with a pin on the printer tank and an insertion port on the bottle.

[0004] Patent Document 1 also describes improvements in visibility of the remaining ink level and convenience in refilling ink. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 10-245080 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] A wide variety of inks have been developed recently, with a wide range of characteristics. For example, there are inks for printing on materials other than paper, and some are used on materials such as polyvinyl chloride, which does not easily absorb ink.

[0007] In order to ensure print fixation on materials that are difficult for water to penetrate, such inks may contain more organic solvents than inks intended for printing on ordinary paper. Inks that contain a large amount of organic solvents like this tend to have a lower surface tension. Therefore, in some cases, even if the ink container is made of the material described in Patent Document 1, the ink may spread over the inner wall.

[0008] Also, with regard to ease of pouring, the bellows structure described in Patent Document 1 has moving parts, and so there is a risk that repeated use will cause wear and damage.

[0009] In view of these problems, the present disclosure provides an ink storage container that ensures good visibility for various inks while having a simple structure and ensuring ease of filling. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The present disclosure provides an ink storage container having an ink storage section that stores ink therein and an ink injection section that communicates with the ink storage section, wherein the ink storage section is a region in which the surface free energy of the inner wall is lower than the surface tension of the ink, and the ink injection section is a region in which the surface free energy of the inner wall portion that comes into contact with the ink when the ink is poured from the ink storage section is higher than the surface tension of the ink. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an ink storage container that ensures good visibility for various types of ink while having a simple structure and ensuring ease of filling. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1A is an external view of an inkjet printer, FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of an ink tank, and FIG. 1C is a diagram showing a state in which ink is poured into the ink tank from an ink storage container according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] (a) shows an ink container suitable for the present disclosure and its exploded view. (b) shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line IIb-IIb' of an ink container suitable for the present disclosure. (c) shows a partially enlarged view of the ink container in (b). (d) shows a partially enlarged view of the ink injection section in (b). [Diagram 3] (a) shows the state of an ink droplet when the surface free energy of the substrate 101 is less than the surface tension of the ink 111. (b) shows the state of an ink droplet when the surface tension of the ink 111 is less than the surface free energy of the substrate 102. [Figure 4] 1A is a schematic diagram showing an ink containing container 150. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between haze value and visibility. [Figure 6] 13 is a cross-sectional view of an ink storage container according to a third embodiment. [Figure 7] 1A is an exploded view of the ink containing container 200, and FIG. [Figure 8] (a) A cross-sectional view and an enlarged view of the upper part of the ink containing container 200 with the cap part 30 attached to the ink injection part 20. (b) A cross-sectional view and an enlarged view of the upper part of the ink containing container 200 with the cap part 30 not attached. (c) A cross-sectional view and an enlarged view of the upper part of the ink containing container 200 with the cap part 30 beginning to open from the state shown in (a) with the cap 30 attached to the ink injection part 20. [Figure 9] 1A is a cross-sectional view of an ink injection section 20 of an ink containing container 300 provided with a slit valve as a valve mechanism, and FIG. 1B is a plan view of the slit valve provided in the ink injection section 20 of FIG. [Figure 10] 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an ink injection portion 20 and a cap portion 30 of an ink containing container 300. FIG. [Figure 11] (a) is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the slit valve and the protrusion when the cap is opened, (b) is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the slit valve and the protrusion when the cap is opened, (c) is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the slit valve and the protrusion when the cap is closed, and (d) is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the slit valve and the protrusion when the cap is closed. [Figure 12] 1A is a cross-sectional view of an ink injection section 420 of an ink containing container 400. FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of an ink injection section 520 of an ink containing container 500. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] The following examples are suitable for implementing the present disclosure. Note that in all of the following examples, the shapes and structures are not limited to those exemplified as examples, and designers may freely modify, add, or omit within the scope of the claims.

[0014] <Example 1> (Ink ejection device) First, the configuration of an ink ejection device to which the ink containing container according to this embodiment can be applied will be described. In this embodiment, the ink ejection device will be described as an inkjet printer, but the ink containing container according to this embodiment may be used in other ink ejection devices. FIG. 1(a) shows a typical inkjet printer 1. Reference numeral 2 denotes an ink tank provided in the printer, from which ink is supplied via a tube 3 to an inkjet print head (not shown) stored in 4 to perform printing. Hereinafter, 4 will be referred to as the head unit, and the inkjet print head will be referred to as the print head.

[0015] The inkjet printer 1 repeats the reciprocating movement (main scanning) of the print head described above and the transport (sub-scanning) of a recording sheet such as general recording paper, special paper, or OHP film at a predetermined pitch. The inkjet printer 1 of this embodiment is a serial type inkjet printer that selectively ejects ink, for example, ink, from the print head in synchronization with these movements and deposits it on the recording sheet to form characters, symbols, images, and the like.

[0016] 1(a), a head unit 4 is slidably supported on a guide rail 5, and moves back and forth along the guide rail 5 by a driving means such as a motor (not shown). A recording sheet is opposed to the ink ejection surface of the print head by a transport roller, and is transported in a direction intersecting the moving direction of the head unit 4 while the distance from the ink ejection surface is maintained constant.

[0017] The print head has multiple rows of ejection ports, each of which ejects ink of a different color. The print head is equipped with a recording element section. The recording element section has multiple electrothermal conversion elements (heaters) or piezoelectric elements arranged as ejection energy generating elements that eject ink. The ejection energy generating elements eject ink supplied through an ink supply path (tube 3, etc.) from the ejection ports. For example, when electrothermal conversion elements are used as the ejection energy generating elements, the heater generates heat to cause the ink to foam, and this foaming energy is used to eject ink from the ejection ports.

[0018] Figure 1(b) shows a simplified cross section of ink tank 2. After opening tank lid 2-1 and removing plug 6, the user inserts injection part 20 of the ink storage container into joint 8 as shown in Figure 1(c) to inject ink into ink tank 2. Generally, when the ink in ink tank 2 is running low, the user can replenish the ink from the ink storage container at any time by any amount.

[0019] The ink tank 2 has a gas-liquid exchange membrane 7, and the air pressure inside the ink tank 2 can be kept equal to atmospheric pressure even if the ink inside the tank is consumed with the tank plug 6 closed.

[0020] (Ink storage container) Next, the configuration of the ink storage container 100 will be described. FIG. 2(a) shows an ink storage container suitable for the present disclosure and its exploded view. The ink storage container 100 is a storage container for injecting ink into the ink tank 2. The ink storage container 100 includes an ink storage section 10 capable of storing and storing ink therein during storage and distribution, and an ink injection section 20 that protrudes from the ink storage section 10 and serves as an ink ejection means. The ink storage section 10 and the ink injection section 20 are in fluid communication, and when ink is injected into the ink tank 2 as shown in FIG. 1(c), the ink flows from the ink storage section 10 through the ink injection section 20 to the ink tank 2. In another embodiment, the ink storage container 100 may be used to refill ink into an ink ejection device other than an inkjet printer.

[0021] The ink containing container 100 may include a cap portion 30 to prevent ink leakage or drying. Furthermore, a packing or the like (not shown) may be sandwiched between the ink containing portion 10 and the ink injection portion 20 to improve the sealing performance, if necessary.

[0022] In addition, in this embodiment, the ink storage section 10 and the ink injection section 20 are plugged with a screw structure, and the cap section 30 and the ink injection section 20 are plugged with a fitting structure, but this is not limited to these, and any form or combination may be used as long as the ink does not spill.

[0023] Fig. 2(b) shows a cross section taken along line IIb-IIb' in Fig. 2(a), Fig. 2(c) shows a partially enlarged view of the ink storage section 10 in Fig. 2(b), and Fig. 2(d) shows a partially enlarged view of the ink injection section 20 in Fig. 2(b).

[0024] In this embodiment, the entire inner surface area of ​​the ink containing section 10 is referred to as the ink containing section inner wall, and is indicated by 11 in Fig. 2(c). Additionally, the entire inner area of ​​the ink injection section 20 that may come into contact with ink when ink is injected is referred to as the ink injection section inner wall, and is indicated by 21 in Fig. 2(d). In addition, in the shape of the ink injection section 20 shown in Fig. 2, the threaded section 22 does not come into contact with ink when ink is injected, and is therefore not included in the ink injection section inner wall 21.

[0025] In this embodiment, the surface free energy of the ink storage section inner wall 11 is lower than the surface tension of the ink contained therein. Also, the surface free energy of the ink injection section inner wall 21 is higher than the surface tension of the ink contained therein. There is no particular restriction on the threaded section 22, but it may have the same surface free energy as the injection section inner wall 21 or may have a different surface free energy.

[0026] For example, when using ink with a surface tension of approximately 25 mN / m, it is preferable to make the ink storage section inner wall 11 from a material with a surface free energy of approximately 18 mN / m or less, and the ink injection section inner wall 21 from a material with a surface free energy of approximately 29 mN / m or more.

[0027] Here, we will explain the relationship between the surface tension of the ink and the surface free energy of the solid in contact with the ink. Figure 3 shows that when a tiny droplet is dropped onto a solid surface to the extent that the effect of gravity can be ignored, the state of the droplet changes depending on the relationship between the surface tension of the ink and the surface free energy of the solid in contact with the ink.

[0028] 3(a) shows the shape of a droplet when the surface free energy of the substrate 101 is smaller than the surface tension of the ink droplet 111, and θ is defined as the angle between the tangent of the droplet near the solid surface and the solid. This θ is what is called the contact angle, and in this disclosure it is defined as the measured dynamic receding contact angle θ with the ink using a microcontact angle meter (product name: DropMeasure, manufactured by Microjet Co., Ltd.). In this disclosure, a state in which this angle θ is approximately 70 degrees or more is defined as a state in which the droplets tend to gather together (liquid repellency). Desirably, an angle of 90 degrees or more will give the droplets an even greater tendency to gather together.

[0029] 3(b) is an image diagram of the state of the droplet when the surface free energy of the substrate 102 is approximately equal to or greater than the surface tension of the ink droplet 111. In this disclosure, this refers to a state in which θ is less than approximately 70 degrees, and is defined as a state in which the droplet spreads easily (lyophilic).

[0030] For example, if the ink dries while still spreading on the wall surface 11 of the ink storage section 10, the ink components will remain on the wall surface, deteriorating visibility. Therefore, it is preferable for the ink to have a tendency to gather in the ink storage section 10, as this allows the user to accurately visually confirm the contents. On the other hand, when ink is injected, the ink flows into the ink tank along the inner wall 21 of the ink injection section, so it is better for the ink to have a tendency to spread as much as possible to make the injection smoother.

[0031] The method for measuring the surface free energy of a solid is generally defined as the measurement value obtained by a method called the OWRK method, which uses two or more ink reagents with known physical properties, measures the contact angle between each reagent and the solid, and calculates the surface free energy from the ink's physical properties and the measured contact angle.

[0032] The surface tension of ink is defined as the value measured by the Wilhelmy method (also known as the plate method). The Wilhelmy method is a method for calculating the surface tension by inserting a solid platinum plate into the ink to be measured and measuring the force generated by the ink in the direction that pulls the plate in.

[0033] In addition, there are generally a wide variety of means for adjusting the surface tension of the ink, but the present disclosure does not limit the adjustment method. For example, there is a method for adjusting the surface tension by the amount of surfactant in the ink, and examples of the surfactant include acetylene glycol surfactants and polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers.

[0034] In this embodiment, the surface tension of the ink (approximately 25 mN / m) exceeds the surface free energy of the ink containing section inner wall 11 (approximately 18 mN / m), so the force that holds the ink together on the inner wall surface of the ink containing section 10 becomes dominant and the ink does not spread. It is important that the surface free energy of the ink containing section inner wall 11 is lower than the surface tension of the ink, and it is preferable to select a material such that the surface free energy of the ink containing section inner wall 11 is at least 5 mN / m lower than the surface tension of the ink, as described above.

[0035] Furthermore, since the surface free energy (approximately 29 mN / m) of the inner wall 21 of the ink injection portion exceeds the surface tension (approximately 25 mN / m) of the ink, the ink tends to spread out.

[0036] Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to suppress the spread of wetting on the ink containing section inner wall 11, and to maintain good visibility while promoting smooth ink injection into the printer. If the ink is less likely to spread on the ink containing section inner wall 11 and ink can be smoothly injected into the printer, the amount of ink remaining inside the ink containing container 100 that is used up and discarded or reused is reduced. In other words, the amount of ink that is discarded while remaining in the ink containing container 100 can be reduced. Furthermore, even when the inside of the used ink containing container 100 is washed and the ink containing container 100 is reused, if the amount of ink remaining in the ink containing container 100 is reduced, the amount of liquid such as water required for washing can also be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the cost of reusing the ink containing container 100, and the reuse of the ink containing container 100 can be promoted. In other words, the technology described in this specification can contribute to the realization of a sustainable society such as a carbon-free / recycling society.

[0037] The materials forming the ink storage portion 10 and the ink injection portion 20 may each be any material that satisfies the above-mentioned surface free energy.

[0038] An example of a material having a surface free energy of about 18 mN / m is a resin having a perfluoroalkyl group in its molecular structure, such as PTFE. A perfluoroalkyl group is also called a fluorocarbon alkyl group, and is a group in which all hydrogen atoms in an alkyl chain are replaced with fluorine atoms. It is characterized by extremely small intermolecular forces. An example of a material having a surface free energy of about 29 mN / m is PP. Furthermore, these materials may be surface-modified using plasma irradiation, light irradiation, a surface modifier, coating, or other means. For example, in an ink containing container made of a single material, a region A having a surface free energy higher than the surface tension of the ink contained in the spout portion may be provided as the ink injection portion 20. In the ink containing container 150 shown in FIG. 4(a), the region A is provided in the neck portion of the bottle, so that the neck portion becomes the ink injection portion 20. On the other hand, in the ink containing container 155 shown in FIG. 4(b), the region A is provided not only in the neck portion of the bottle but also in the shoulder portion, so that the neck portion and the shoulder portion become the ink injection portion 20.

[0039] Furthermore, in the ink containing container 100 of this embodiment, it is preferable to adjust the thickness so that the haze value of the base material forming the ink containing portion 10 is 30% or less, and more preferably, the haze value is 10% or less.

[0040] The haze value is defined as a value measured by a method conforming to JIS K7136. The test piece is cut to an appropriate size (e.g., 3 x 3 cm) and fixed to a movable measuring table, and the measurement can be performed using a measuring device such as a haze meter NDH4000 manufactured by Nippon Denshoku Industries Co., Ltd. This haze value is a value related to the visibility of the contents, and indicates the degree of scattering when light passes through a certain material. In principle, the haze value is measured by shining light in a straight line onto the test piece, detecting the scattered light with a photodetector installed at a position off the line of incidence of the light, and measuring the proportion of the scattered light to define the degree of scattering. Even with the same material, the thicker the thickness through which light passes, the higher the probability of collision with molecules, and the higher the haze value tends to be.

[0041] Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between haze value and visibility. In the case of the ink storage container 100, as shown in Fig. 5, in a container with a high haze value, the interface of the contents looks blurred, or in some cases, the interface cannot be accurately identified. Specifically, it is desirable for the haze value of the storage section to be 30% or less, since this allows the amount of the contents to be correctly grasped. More preferably, it is 10% or less, and visibility is expected to be sufficient to roughly grasp the color of the contents.

[0042] <Example 2> As a second embodiment, ink having a surface tension of about 35 mN / m is used, the ink container inner surface 11 is made of a resin having a surface free energy of about 29 mN / m or less, and the ink injection portion inner wall 21 is made of a resin having a surface free energy of about 42 mN / m. Furthermore, the thickness of the ink container 10 is adjusted so that the haze value is 30% or less. Even in the case of the second embodiment, the relationship between the surface free energy of the ink container inner wall 11, the surface tension of the ink contained therein, and the surface free energy of the ink injection portion inner wall 21 increases in the order of the ink container inner wall 11, the ink, and the ink injection portion inner wall 21.

[0043] An example of a resin having a surface free energy of about 29 mN / m is PP, and an example of a resin having a surface free energy of about 42 mN / m is ABS resin.

[0044] The major difference between Example 1 and Example 2 is the surface tension of the ink contained therein, which is 35 mN / m, which is higher than 25 mN / m in Example 1. Therefore, when the ink in Example 1 and the ink in Example 2 are dropped onto PP, which has a surface free energy of approximately 29 mN / m, the ink in Example 1 spreads out, whereas the ink in Example 2 shows a tendency to clump together.

[0045] Therefore, while PP was exemplified as a material suitable for the injection part in Example 1, PP is more suitable as a material for the storage part than as a material for the injection part for the ink in Example 2. In this way, even with the same resin material, the preferred form differs depending on the physical properties of the ink to be stored.

[0046] Naturally, the use of PTFE in the storage section in Example 2, as in Example 1, does not contradict the intent of this disclosure, and there is no problem in using ABS resin in the injection section in Example 1. Furthermore, metals such as SUS may be used in the injection section. Since the surface free energy of metals is generally 400 mN / m or more, the ink tends to spread when wet.

[0047] Materials that can be used for the ink containing container 100 of the present disclosure, including substances not listed in the examples, can be used in any suitable combination as long as it does not contradict the claims of the present disclosure.

[0048] <Example 3> In the ink storage container of the present disclosure, the ink storage section 10 and the ink injection section 20 may be composed of a plurality of members. In this case, as in the first and second embodiments, the relationship between the surface free energy of the ink storage section inner wall 11, the surface tension of the stored ink, and the surface free energy of the ink injection section inner wall 21 increases in the order of the ink storage section inner wall 11, the ink, and the ink injection section inner wall 21. Even when composed of a plurality of members, it is preferable that the haze value of the ink storage container is 30% or less.

[0049] 6(a), the ink containing container 110 has an ink containing section 10 that is composed of an inner containing section 41 and an outer containing section 43. This has the advantage that the inside and outside of the ink containing section 10 can have different functions.

[0050] For example, a combination of a material with low surface free energy for the inner storage portion 41 and a material with excellent impact resistance for the outer storage portion 43 is conceivable. In this case, even if the material to be used for 41 has concerns about its impact resistance, a reinforcing effect can be expected from the material 43, and since the material 43 does not directly contact the ink, there is an advantage in that the surface free energy is not an issue.

[0051] In the ink containing container 120 shown in Fig. 6(b), the ink containing section 10 is composed of an inner containing section 41 and an outer containing section 43, and the ink injection section 20 is composed of an inner injection section 42 and an outer injection section 44. The ink containing section 10 may have the same configuration as that shown in Fig. 6(a).

[0052] One possible combination for the ink injection part 20 of the ink storage container 120 is to use a material with high surface free energy for the inner injection part 42, and a porous member into which ink easily penetrates for the outer injection part 44. In the case of such a structure, the surface free energy of the inner injection part 42 is increased to maintain ease of pouring ink, and even if ink leaks from the tip of the injection part when the user has finished pouring ink into the ink tank 2, the porous material is expected to absorb the ink and minimize the extent of contamination.

[0053] 6(c) has a configuration in which the ink containing section 10 and the ink injection section 20 are each covered with a common member 45 made of a common material. In the case of such a structure, it is possible to ensure impact resistance with the common member 45 while using materials with suitable surface free energy for the inner containing section 41 and the inner injection section 42. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the types of materials used in the ink containing container 100 while sharing functions.

[0054] There are various manufacturing methods and techniques for realizing the configuration of this embodiment, but the means are not limited to these. A technique may be used in which parts are individually created and fitted together or combined, regardless of whether they are inside or outside the component. A film may also be formed by coating, or a technique may be used in which a separately created film or thin film is attached. An example of a coating technique is a technique in which a solvent containing a desired resin is sprayed or applied, and then the solvent is volatilized.

[0055] Coating methods and methods of applying films or thin films have the advantage that the thickness of the components can be reduced, and the reduction in thickness is expected to have the effect of reducing material costs. Furthermore, with regard to the ink storage section 10, there is also the advantage that thinner components are easier to design with a lower haze value. The reason why thinner components can be designed with a lower haze value has already been explained in the first embodiment.

[0056] (Valve mechanism) The ink containing container of this embodiment may further include a valve mechanism in the ink injection section 20 .

[0057] 7 shows an ink containing container 200 in which a valve mechanism with a valve spring structure is provided inside the ink injection section 20. Inside the ink injection section 20, there are provided a seal 24 having an opening, a valve 25 that opens and closes the opening of the seal 24, a spring 26 that biases the valve 25, and a holder 27 that fixes the spring 26.

[0058] When ink is supplied from the ink containing container 200 to the ink tank 2, the communicating flow passage of the ink tank 2 is inserted into the opening of the ink injection part 20 of the ink containing container 200. The ink injection part 20 of the ink containing container 200 is provided with a recess that engages with a protrusion of the socket of the inkjet printer 1, and the ink containing container 2 is positioned when the communicating flow passage is inserted into the opening of the ink injection part 20. Then, the ink in the ink containing container 200 is supplied to the storage chamber of the ink tank main body through the communicating flow passage by the water head difference.

[0059] The ink containing container 200 has two sealable portions (hereinafter referred to as sealing portions). FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the sealing portions of the ink containing container 200. At the first sealing portion, sealing is achieved by fitting the cap portion 30 and the ink injection portion 20 together, as shown in FIG. 7(a). At the second sealing portion, sealing is achieved by a valve structure within the ink injection portion 20, as shown in FIG. 7(b). Each sealing portion will be described below.

[0060] The first sealing portion will be described with reference to FIG. 8(a). FIG. 8(a) is a cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the ink storage container 200 with the cap portion 30 attached to the ink injection portion 20, and also shows an enlarged view of the same. The first sealing portion is a portion where the cap seal portion 30b of the cap portion 30 is fitted to the seal portion 20d, which is a part of the outlet 10a of the ink injection portion 20, by attaching the cap portion 30 to the ink injection portion 20. An example of a method of attaching the cap portion 30 to the ink injection portion 20 is a method of screwing the ink injection portion 20 and the cap portion 30 together. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7(a), FIG. 7(b), and FIG. 8(a), a method of screwing the ink injection portion 20 and the cap portion 30 together using a screw portion 20b having a male screw structure formed on the outside of the ink injection portion 20 and a cap screw portion 30a having a female screw structure formed on the inside of the lower portion of the cap portion 30 is used. Conversely, a cap portion 30 having a male thread and an ink injection portion 20 having a female thread may be used.

[0061] The second sealing portion will be described with reference to FIG. 8(b). FIG. 8(b) is a cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the ink containing container 200 without the cap portion 30 attached, and also shows an enlarged view of the same. The second sealing portion is a liquid stop valve structure (valve structure) disposed inside the ink injection portion 20 of the ink containing container 200. As shown in FIG. 8(b), the ink injection portion 20 is provided with a seal 24, which is an orifice portion having an opening at its tip (upper end) into which a communication flow path is inserted. Then, the gap between the seal 24 and the valve 25 is closed by biasing the valve body of the liquid stop valve, ie, the valve 25, toward the opening side with a spring 26, thereby sealing the ink containing container 200. In this embodiment, the spring 26 is used as a biasing mechanism, and the spring 26 is held by a holder 27 fixed in the internal space of the ink injection portion 20. The seal 24 is made of a flexible material such as rubber or elastomer. With this liquid stop valve structure, the valve 25 is biased by the spring 26 against the opening of the seal 24, so that the inside of the ink containing container 200 can be kept sealed even when the cap portion 30 is removed from the ink injection portion 20. When ink is supplied from the ink containing container 200 to the ink tank 2, the communicating flow path is inserted into the ink injection portion 20 through the opening of the seal 24, thereby opening the valve 25. Then, as described above, the ink in the ink containing container 200 is supplied to the storage chamber of the ink tank body through the communicating flow path due to the hydraulic head difference.

[0062] In this embodiment, these two sealing parts are configured to be temporarily open simultaneously when the cap part 30 is opened from the ink injection part 20 and when the cap part 30 is closed on the ink injection part 20. This allows the inside of the ink containing container 200 to communicate with the atmosphere, and makes it possible to equalize the pressure inside the ink containing container 200 and the external atmospheric pressure. This will be described in detail below.

[0063] First, when the cap 30 is in a closed state, the first sealed portion is in a sealed state as shown in Fig. 8(a). On the other hand, in the second sealed portion, the protrusion 23f arranged on the cap 30 is pushed in the opposite direction to the direction in which the valve 25 is biased when the cap 30 is closed, so that a gap is formed between the seal 24 and the valve 25. Thus, in Fig. 8(a), the second sealed portion is in an open state. That is, when the cap 30 is in a closed state, the first sealed portion is sealed and the second sealed portion is open. FIG. 8(c) is a cross-sectional view of the upper part of the ink containing container 200 in a state where the cap part 30 is beginning to be opened from the state where the cap part 30 is attached to the ink injection part 20 shown in FIG. 8(a), and an enlarged view of the same is also shown. The cap part 30 moves upward from the closed state shown in FIG. 8(a) as the cap part 30 is opened as shown in FIG. 8(c). With this movement of the cap part 30, the cap seal part 30b and the seal part 20d are separated, and the first sealed part is opened. When the first sealed part is opened, the protrusion 30f arranged on the cap part 30 is still in a position to push the valve 25 as shown in FIG. 8(c). In other words, the second sealed part is maintained in an open state. Therefore, when the first sealed part is opened, the second sealed part can be opened at the same time as shown in FIG. 8(c). After that, when the cap part 30 is further moved upward, the protrusion 30f moves away completely from the valve 25 as the cap part 30 moves, and the second sealed part is sealed as shown in FIG. 8(b). When the cap part 30 is closed from the open state, the protrusion 30f of the cap 30 pushes the valve 25 as the cap part 30 moves, and the second sealed part is opened. At this time, the first sealed part is in the state before sealing, so it maintains the open state. After that, the cap part 30 is closed, and the first sealed part is sealed. The first sealed part and the second sealed part are opened simultaneously means that they are opened substantially at the same time. When the second sealed part is opened in conjunction with the opening of the first sealed part, both are opened at the same time.

[0064] With the above-described configuration, when the cap unit 30 is opened, the first sealing unit and the second sealing unit are temporarily opened at the same time, so that the inside of the ink containing container 200 communicates with the atmosphere, and the pressure inside the ink containing container 200 can be made equal to the outside air pressure. Therefore, when the cap unit 30 is opened and ink is refilled from the ink containing container 200 to the ink tank body, ink spouting due to an increase in the internal pressure of the ink containing container 200 can be suppressed. In addition, overflow of ink from the ink tank body can be suppressed. In addition, even when the cap 30 is opened, the inside of the ink containing container 200 is kept sealed by the second sealing unit, so that ink leakage can be suppressed even when the ink containing container 200 is turned upside down.

[0065] Fig. 9 shows an ink containing container 300 provided with a slit valve as a valve mechanism. Fig. 9(a) is a cross-sectional view of the ink injection section 20 of this embodiment, and Fig. 9(b) is a plan view of the slit valve provided in the ink injection section 20 of this embodiment. Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the ink injection section 20 and cap section 30 of this embodiment.

[0066] The ink injection section 20 has an injection port 122c for injecting ink, and a seal section 122d made of an annular rib provided along the periphery of the injection port 122c. The injection port 122c is provided with a slit valve 124 that opens and closes according to the internal pressure of the ink storage container 300. The slit valve 124 has a valve body 124a made of a flexible material and three intersecting slits 124b formed in the valve body 124a, and can seal the injection port 122c in a closed state. The valve body 124a has six divided pieces 124c formed by the three slits 124b. The number of slits 124b is not limited to this, and may be two or four or more. In this case, it is preferable that the multiple slits 124b are formed so as to be 2n-fold symmetrical with respect to the center of the circular valve body 124a, where n is the number of slits. This allows the split pieces 124c to be opened evenly, and the ink in the ink containing container 300 can be poured smoothly.

[0067] The bottom surface of the cap portion 30 (the surface facing the inlet 122c) is provided with a cap seal portion 123b consisting of an annular rib and a protrusion 123c protruding toward the slit valve 124. The cap seal portion 123b fits into the seal portion 122d when the cap portion 30 is attached to the ink injection portion 20, and thus functions as a sealing means for sealing the inlet 122c together with the seal portion 122d. When the inlet 122c is sealed by the cap seal portion 123b and the seal portion 122d, the tip of the protrusion 123c faces the valve body 124a of the slit valve 124 at a position separated horizontally (in the radial direction of the ink injection portion 20) from the intersection 124d of the multiple slits 124b. With this configuration of the protrusion 123c, when the internal pressure of the ink containing container 300 is higher than the external air pressure when the cap portion 30 is opened, the internal pressure can be released, as described later. In this embodiment, the protrusion 123c is provided integrally with the cap portion 30, but may be provided separately from the cap portion 30.

[0068] 11(a) and 11(b) are cross-sectional views showing the relationship between the slit valve and the protrusion when the cap is opened.

[0069] When the cap unit 30 is attached to the ink injection unit 20 and the injection port 122c is sealed, as described above, the protrusion 123c faces the valve body 124a at a position laterally spaced from the intersection 124d of the slit 124b, and does not contact the valve body 124a. When the cap unit 30 starts to be opened (starts to be moved in the direction of the arrow), the engagement between the cap seal part 123b and the seal part 122d is released, and the sealing of the injection port 122c is released. At this time, if the internal pressure of the ink containing container 300 is higher than the external air pressure, the valve body 24a of the slit valve 124 is deformed by being bulged outward due to the internal pressure of the ink containing container 300, as shown in FIG. 11(a). Then, when the bulged valve body 124a comes into contact with the protrusion 123c, the slit 124b opens, the pressure inside the ink containing container 300 is released, and the bulge of the valve body 124a is eliminated. Thereafter, when the cap portion 30 is removed, the slit 124b closes and the injection port 122c is sealed again, as shown in Fig. 11(b). When ink is injected from the ink containing container 300 into the ink tank 2, the air pressure difference between the inside and outside of the ink containing container 300 is eliminated, and the injection port 122c is in a sealed state. Therefore, simply tilting the bottle body prevents the pressure required to open the slit 124b from acting on the slit valve 124, and prevents ink from leaking from the injection port 122c.

[0070] On the other hand, FIGS. 11(c) and 11(d) are cross-sectional views showing the relationship between the slit valve and the protrusion when the cap is closed.

[0071] When the internal pressure of the ink containing container 300 rises while the cap unit 30 is not attached to the ink injection unit 20, the valve body 124a of the slit valve 124 bulges outward and deforms, as shown in FIG. 11(c). When the cap unit 30 starts to be closed, the protrusion 123c comes into contact with the bulged valve body 124a before the cap seal portion 123b and the seal portion 122d are fitted together, as shown in FIG. 11(d). This causes the slit 124b to open, releasing the pressure inside the ink containing container 300, and after the bulge of the valve body 124a is eliminated, the slit 124b closes and the injection port 122c is sealed. When the cap unit 30 is further closed, the cap seal portion 123b and the seal portion 122d are fitted together, sealing the injection port 122c. At this time, since the bulge of the valve body 124a has disappeared, the protrusion 123c faces the valve body 124a at a position laterally spaced from the intersection 124d of the slit 124b, and is not in contact with the valve body 124a.

[0072] With this configuration, even if the internal pressure of the ink containing container 300 rises, the protrusion 123c comes into contact with the slit valve 124 when the cap portion 30 is opened or closed, and the internal pressure can be released to the outside. The length of the protrusion 123c is not particularly limited, and can be set to an optimal length depending on the amount of deformation of the valve body 124a that actually occurs due to an increase in the internal pressure of the ink containing container 300. Therefore, for example, when the amount of deformation of the valve body 124a is relatively small, the tip of the protrusion 123c may come into contact with the valve body 124a to an extent that does not deform the valve body 124a when the filler port 122c is sealed by the cap seal portion 123b and the seal portion 122d.

[0073] If the projection 123c is simply to be brought into contact with the swollen valve body 124a, it is also possible to make the tip of the projection 123c face the intersection 124d of the slit 124b when the cap 30 is attached to the ink injection section 20 (the injection port 122c is sealed) as shown in FIG. 10. However, in this case, depending on the thinness of the projection 123c, when the valve body 124a swells, the projection 123c may be inserted into the slit 124b near the intersection 124d, and even if the projection 123c is inserted in this way, the slit 124b may remain closed. As a result, even if the projection 123c comes into contact with the swollen valve body 124a, the pressure inside the ink containing container 300 may not be released. From this viewpoint, it is preferable that the tip of projection 123c faces valve element 124a of slit valve 124 at a position laterally spaced from intersection 124d of multiple slits 124b when injection port 122c is sealed.

[0074] Furthermore, the ink injection section 20 may have one flow path or may have two flow paths. FIG. 12(a) is a cross-sectional view of the ink injection section 420 of the ink containing container 400. As shown in FIG. 12(a), the injection section tip (nozzle) 410 protrudes in a first direction 434 from the outer surface of the bottom wall 411 of the ink injection section 420. That is, in a state where the ink injection section 420 is attached to an ink containing section (not shown), the nozzle 410 protrudes in the first direction 434 from the ink containing section via the ink injection section 420. The nozzle 410 may protrude from the bottom wall 411 in the first direction 434 and also protrude from the bottom wall 411 in a second direction 435. In this case, the nozzle 410 is provided so as to penetrate the bottom wall 411.

[0075] The nozzle 410 is generally cylindrical. The nozzle 410 has an outer peripheral surface 412 with a cross section in the shape of a circumferential surface. An outer peripheral surface 413, which is a part of the outer peripheral surface 412, is tapered and inclined in a direction in which the diameter of the outer peripheral circle becomes smaller from the bottom wall 411 toward the first direction 434. This shape enables the nozzle 410 to operate smoothly when it is inserted into the tank in order from the distal end side away from the ink storage section. However, the nozzle 410 may have an outer peripheral surface that extends in a vertical direction with the same diameter of the outer peripheral circle from the bottom wall 411 to the tip. Also, the nozzle 410 may have a shape other than a cylindrical shape, for example, a rectangular prism shape.

[0076] The nozzle 410 has a flow path 490 for the flow of ink or gas. The flow path 490 penetrates the ink injection section 420 along the first direction 434. The flow path 490 extends along the first direction 434, but is not limited to this, and may be curved. The cross-sectional shape of the flow path 490 may be circular or a shape other than circular. In a state in which the ink injection section 420 is attached to the ink storage section, one end of the flow path 490 communicates with the ink storage section through an opening 493. The other end of the flow path communicates with the outside of the ink injection section 420 through an opening 494 at the distal end side of the nozzle. The opening 493 is circular. Note that the opening 493 may be a shape other than circular. In addition, the opening 493 may be formed at the base end of the nozzle 410, and is not limited to the base end surface 414. The opening 494 is formed at the tip surface 415 that constitutes the end of the nozzle 410 in the first direction direction 434. The opening 494 has a circular shape. However, the opening 494 may have a shape other than a circular shape.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 12(b), in another embodiment, the nozzle 510 of the ink containing container 500 may have two flow paths 590, a first flow path 591 and a second flow path 592. The first flow path 591 and the second flow path 592 may have the same or different lengths along the ink flow direction. The first flow path 591 and the second flow path 592 may have the same or different cross-sectional shapes and cross-sectional areas. Furthermore, the number of the multiple flow paths 590 may be more than two. When the nozzle 510 has multiple flow paths 590, the length and shape of each flow path 590 may be the same or different. When the nozzle 510 has two flow paths 590, the openings 593 and 595 formed at the base end are formed on the same surface. However, they may be formed on different surfaces. The first opening 594 and the second opening 596 are formed at the tip surface 515 constituting the end of the nozzle 510 in the first direction 534. However, the first opening 594 and the second opening 596 may be formed at any part of the tip of the nozzle 510, and are not limited to the tip surface 515. The first opening 594 and the second opening 596 are circular. However, the first opening 594 and the second opening 596 may be formed in a shape other than a circular shape.

[0078] The tip of the nozzle 510 is, for example, a portion of the nozzle 510 that is configured by a tip surface 515 and an outer peripheral surface 512. The nozzle 510 has a recess 516 in its outer peripheral surface 112. The recess 516 is defined by the tip surface 515 and an inner peripheral surface 518 (one surface of the side surface) of an annular rib 517 that protrudes from the outer edge of the tip surface 515 in the first direction 534. That is, the tip surface 515 is recessed from the tip of the nozzle 510 (the tip of the annular rib 517). The inner peripheral surface 518 extends toward the outer edge of the tip surface 515 as it moves from the tip surface 515 toward the first direction 534. That is, the inner peripheral surface 518 extends in the first direction 134 while inclining in a direction that expands the diameter of the recess 516. Note that the inner peripheral surface 118 may extend along the first direction 534 without inclining. The nozzle 510 may not have the recess 516. In other words, the tip of the nozzle 510 does not need to be recessed.

[0079] <<Other embodiments>> The present disclosure includes configurations typified by the following recording apparatus example and recording apparatus control method example.

[0080] <Configuration 1> An ink container having an ink storage section for storing ink therein, and an ink injection section communicating with the ink storage section, the ink storage section is a region in which the surface free energy of an inner wall is lower than the surface tension of the ink, The ink container according to claim 1, wherein the ink injection section is a region in which the surface free energy of an inner wall portion that comes into contact with the ink when the ink is poured from the ink container is higher than the surface tension of the ink. <Configuration 2> 2. The ink container according to claim 1, wherein the ink is ink for an inkjet printer, and the ink container is for injecting the ink into an inkjet printer. <Configuration 3> 3. The ink container according to claim 1, wherein a contact angle of the ink with an inner wall of the ink container is 70 degrees or more. <Configuration 4> 4. The ink container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a contact angle of the ink with an inner wall of the ink injection portion is 40 degrees or less. <Component 5> 5. The ink container according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, wherein the surface tension of the ink is 25 mN / m to 40 mN / m. <Component 6> 6. The ink container according to any one of configurations 1 to 5, wherein a member constituting the ink container portion has a haze value of 30% or less. <Component 7> 7. The ink container according to any one of configurations 1 to 6, wherein the material of the inner wall of the ink container portion contains a compound having a perfluoroalkyl group. <Component 8> 8. The ink container according to claim 1, wherein a difference between a surface free energy of an inner wall of the ink container and a surface tension of the ink is 5 mN / m or more. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 1: Inkjet printer appearance 2: Ink tank 2-1: Ink tank cover 3: Tube 4: Head section 5: Guide rail 6: Stopper 7: Gas-liquid exchange membrane 8: Joint 10: Ink storage section 11: Ink storage compartment inner surface 20: Ink injection section 21: Ink injection section inner wall 22: Ink injection screw part 30: Cap section 100: Ink container

Claims

1. An ink container having an ink storage section for storing ink therein, and an ink injection section communicating with the ink storage section, the ink storage section is a region in which the surface free energy of an inner wall is lower than the surface tension of the ink, The ink container according to claim 1, wherein the ink injection section is a region in which the surface free energy of an inner wall portion that comes into contact with the ink when the ink is poured from the ink container is higher than the surface tension of the ink.

2. 2. The ink container according to claim 1, wherein the ink is ink for an inkjet printer, and the ink container is for injecting the ink into an inkjet printer.

3. 2. The ink container according to claim 1, wherein a contact angle of the ink with respect to an inner wall of the ink container is equal to or greater than 70 degrees.

4. 2. The ink containing container according to claim 1, wherein a contact angle of the ink with an inner wall of the ink injection portion is 40 degrees or less.

5. 2. The ink container according to claim 1, wherein the ink has a surface tension of 25 mN / m to 40 mN / m.

6. 2. The ink container according to claim 1, wherein a haze value of a member constituting said ink container portion is 30% or less.

7. 2. The ink container according to claim 1, wherein the material of the inner wall of the ink container portion contains a compound having a perfluoroalkyl group.

8. 2. The ink container according to claim 1, wherein a difference between a surface free energy of an inner wall of the ink container and a surface tension of the ink is 5 mN / m or more.

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