Liquid containing bottle

Abstract

To reduce a possibility of liquid leaking from a bottle body or splashing out of a nozzle opening when dropped or hit, thereby contributing to a realization of a sustainable society such as a carbon-free / recycling-based society.SOLUTION: A liquid containing bottle has a bottle body, a nozzle for supplying liquid to the outside, and a cap for covering the nozzle. The bottle body contains a recycled plastic material or a resin material mixed with the recycled plastic material. When a thickness of a bottom center of the bottle body is A and an average thickness of bottom end portions of the bottle body is B, then A>1 mm and A / B>1 are satisfied.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a liquid-containing bottle that contains a liquid therein. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, there has been a demand for recycling plastics in order to realize a sustainable society such as a carbon-free / circulation-based society. From the viewpoint of recycling plastic materials, a method is known in which waste plastic materials are pelletized and mixed with virgin material pellets during molding. Patent Document 1 discloses a method of manufacturing a molded product by mixing flakes made from used PET bottles with polyester resin pellets.

[0003] Some liquid tanks provided in liquid ejection devices such as inkjet recording devices have an inlet for injecting liquid, and can be refilled with liquid from a separately prepared liquid containing bottle through the inlet. For example, the liquid containing bottle shown in Patent Document 2 has a nozzle for injecting liquid into the inlet of the liquid tank, and a bottle body for containing the liquid. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2006 / 062075 [Patent Document 2] JP 2020-164230 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] If recycled plastic materials are used for the bottle body of a liquid-containing bottle, there is a risk that liquid will leak from the bottle body or splash out from the nozzle opening when the bottle is dropped and hit.

[0006] The present disclosure aims to provide a liquid storage bottle that reduces the possibility of liquid leaking from the bottle body or splashing out of the nozzle opening when dropped and hit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A liquid-containing bottle according to one embodiment of the present disclosure has a bottle body, a nozzle for supplying liquid to the outside, and a cap for covering the nozzle, wherein the bottle body contains recycled plastic material or a resin material mixed with recycled plastic material, and is characterized in that, where A is the thickness of the center of the bottom surface of the bottle body and B is the average thickness of the ends of the bottom surface of the bottle body, A > 1 mm and A / B > 1 are satisfied. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the possibility of liquid leaking from the bottle body or splashing out of the nozzle opening when dropped and hit. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a liquid ejection device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an internal configuration of a main part of the liquid ejection device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a liquid tank of the liquid ejection device. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a liquid containing bottle. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an exploded plan view of the liquid containing bottle. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating direct blow molding. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the bottom surface of the bottle body. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the bottom surface of the bottle body. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the side of the bottle body. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the results of an example and a comparative example. [Figure 11] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing examples of detailed components of a liquid containing bottle. [Figure 12] FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a slit valve type nozzle. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the nozzle and the cap. [Figure 15] 11A and 11B are diagrams showing the relationship between a slit valve and a protrusion. [Figure 16] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a nozzle having two holes. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the subject matter of the present disclosure, and not all combinations of features described in the following embodiments are necessarily essential to the solutions of the present disclosure. Note that the same components are given the same reference numbers. In this specification, the use of the liquid containing bottle will be described by taking as an example a case where a liquid ejection device (ink jet recording device) is refilled with liquid (ink), but the use of the liquid containing bottle is not limited to this.

[0011] <<First embodiment>> <Problems with recycled plastic materials> First, prior to explaining the specific configuration of the embodiment, it will be explained that when recycled plastic materials are used for the bottle body of a liquid-containing bottle, there is a possibility that liquid may leak from the bottle body or splash out from the nozzle opening when dropped and impacted.

[0012] Generally, the problems with using recycled plastic materials during molding include the occurrence of molding defects caused by contamination contained in the recycled plastic materials (hereinafter referred to as contamination) and the deterioration of the shock absorbing performance when the molded product is dropped and impacted. In particular, the impact is significant when the recycled plastic materials are used for liquid containing bottles for refilling ink in inkjet recording devices (liquid ejection devices).

[0013] First, the former type of molding defect will be explained. After being collected, recycled plastic materials are washed before being reused. However, depending on the washing method and the condition at the time of collection, it is possible that contaminants are not completely removed and minute amounts of contaminants may be mixed into the recycled plastic materials. When such recycled plastic materials are used in direct blow molding, which is one of the common bottle manufacturing methods, and the number of times the bottle body is molded increases, the frequency of molding defects increases in the center of the bottom surface of the bottle body.

[0014] The tip of the pinch-off part of the blow mold used in direct blow molding pinches the lower part of the parison containing recycled plastic material many times as the mold is closed. Therefore, contamination is likely to accumulate in the area corresponding to the tip of the pinch-off part of the blow mold, and when the contamination accumulates to a certain level, the contamination at the tip of the pinch-off part is transferred to the lower part of the parison when molding. Since this lower part of the parison constitutes the center of the bottom surface of the bottle after molding, a minute hole due to contamination may be formed near the center of this bottom surface. If the minute hole communicates with the inside and outside of the bottle, ink may leak over time and contaminate the surroundings or adhere to the user's fingers. In particular, a liquid-containing bottle that contains ink is refilled with ink at irregular times into a liquid ejection device. Therefore, a user who thinks that the previous refill was successful may not intend for the ink to leak, and may cause unexpected contamination. Even if the micro holes are not interconnected, they may become interconnected due to impact or the like, causing liquid to leak out. These are examples of molding defects.

[0015] Next, the deterioration of the latter shock absorption property will be described. The raw material of recycled plastic materials is one that has experienced some deterioration due to the thermal history during molding, stress during use, heat, light, solvents, etc. For these reasons, it is known that the physical properties of recycled plastic materials differ from those of virgin materials. For example, the shock absorption property, in which the molecular chains themselves inside the material flex to absorb the force when an impact is applied, tends to deteriorate. This tendency can be confirmed by Charpy impact tests, and molded materials containing recycled plastic materials show lower impact strength than virgin materials. Such deterioration of shock absorption property is due to the fact that the original molecular chains have been cut due to the above-mentioned deterioration, and the shock absorbing effect of the molecular chains themselves is reduced.

[0016] As a result, if the liquid-containing bottle is dropped and hit, the impact is not absorbed by the bottle body, and liquid inside the bottle may fly out of the nozzle and adhere to the surrounding area, potentially coming into contact with the user when in use.

[0017] Below, we will explain an example of how to reduce the possibility of liquid leaking from the bottle body or splashing out of the nozzle opening when dropped and impacted, when recycled plastic materials are used for the bottle body of a liquid-containing bottle.

[0018] <Liquid discharge device> 1 is a perspective view of a liquid ejection device 1 in which a liquid containing bottle according to this embodiment is used. The liquid ejection device 1 is a serial type inkjet recording device, and has a housing 11 and a large-capacity liquid tank 12 arranged inside the housing 11. The liquid tank 12 contains ink, which is the liquid to be ejected onto a recording medium (not shown).

[0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an internal configuration of a main part of the liquid ejection device 1 shown in FIG. 1. The liquid ejection device 1 has a transport roller 13 for transporting a recording medium (not shown), a carriage 15 provided with a liquid ejection head 14 for ejecting liquid, and a carriage motor 16 for driving the carriage 15. The recording medium may be, for example, paper, but the type of the recording medium is not particularly limited as long as an image is formed by the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection head 14. The recording medium is transported intermittently by the transport roller 13 being intermittently rotated. As the carriage motor 16 is rotated, the carriage 15 reciprocates in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the recording medium, and during this reciprocating scan, liquid is ejected from the ejection openings provided in the liquid ejection head 14 onto the recording medium, thereby recording an image or the like on the recording medium.

[0020] The liquid is stored in the liquid tank 12 and is supplied to the liquid ejection head 14 through the liquid flow passage 17. In this embodiment, four colors of ink (for example, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) are used as the liquid, and four liquid tanks 12a to 12d, each storing an ink of a respective color, are provided as the liquid tank 12. The four liquid tanks 12a to 12d are each disposed at the front portion of the liquid ejection device 1 inside the housing 11.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the liquid tank 12 of the liquid ejection device shown in FIG. 1. Here, one of the four liquid tanks 12a to 12d is shown. The liquid tank 12 has a tank body 121 that contains liquid, an inlet 122 that communicates with a liquid storage chamber in the tank body 121, and a tank cover 123 that can be attached to the tank body 121 so as to cover the inlet 122. The liquid tank 12 is replenished with liquid by removing the tank cover 123 from the tank body 121 and through the inlet 122 that is exposed thereby. After refilling with liquid, in order to suppress evaporation of ink from the liquid storage chamber in the tank body 121, the tank cover 123 is attached to the tank body 121 and the liquid storage chamber in the tank body 121 is sealed.

[0022] <Liquid containing bottle> FIG. 4 is a plan view of the liquid-containing bottle 2 according to this embodiment. FIG. 5 is an exploded plan view of the liquid-containing bottle 2 shown in FIG. 4. The liquid-containing bottle 2 is a container for refilling the liquid tank 12 with liquid, and has a bottle body 21 that contains liquid, a nozzle 22, and a cap 23. The nozzle 22 is fixed to the bottle body 21 and has a function of injecting the liquid contained in the bottle body 21. The cap 23 can be attached to the nozzle 22 so as to open and close the injection port 22a of the nozzle 22, and has a function of sealing the liquid-containing bottle 2 by blocking the inside of the bottle body 21 from the outside air. In this embodiment, the bottle body 21 and the nozzle 22 are both resin parts and are fixed by welding, but the bottle body 21 and the nozzle 22 may be fixed by being sealed by sandwiching a flexible part.

[0023] A bottle welded part 21a is formed on the upper part of the bottle body 21, and a nozzle welded part 22c is formed on the lower part of the nozzle 22. The nozzle 22 is fixed to the bottle body 21 by welding the inner peripheral surface or bottom surface of the nozzle welded part 22c to the bottle welded part 21a. A nozzle threaded part 22b having a male thread formed on the outer peripheral surface is formed in the center of the nozzle 22, and a cap threaded part 23a having a female thread formed on the inner peripheral surface is formed in the lower part of the cap 23. The cap 23 is attached to the nozzle 22 by screwing the male thread of the nozzle threaded part 22b into the female thread of the cap threaded part 23a.

[0024] <Method of manufacturing the bottle body 21> FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining direct blow molding, which is an example of a method for manufacturing a bottle body 21. FIG. 6(a) to (c) show three steps of direct blow molding. FIG. 6(a) shows a parison forming step. In the parison forming step, a parison 4, which is a tubular, heated and melted resin, is extruded from the upper part of a mold 3. Next, in a pinch-off step shown in FIG. 6(b), the molds 3 on both sides of the parison 4 are closed. When the mold 3 is closed, the lower part 41 of the parison is sandwiched by the pinch-off part 31 of the mold, and the tip of the tube shape is closed. Furthermore, in a blow-up step shown in FIG. 6(c), compressed air is blown into the parison 4 from a blow pin 32 at the upper part of the mold 3, and the bottle body 21 is molded. On the bottom surface of the bottle body 21 molded by the direct blow method, a line is formed corresponding to the part sandwiched by the pinch-off part 31.

[0025] In this embodiment, the raw material of the parison 4 is a mixture of virgin resin pellets and pellets derived from recycled plastic material, which are melted and kneaded at high temperature and extruded into the mold 3. Here, the proportion of recycled plastic material used in the entire parison 4 is 5% by weight or more.

[0026] The recycled plastic material described in this embodiment is used in a broad sense, including post-consumer material (PCR material) and pre-consumer material. Post-consumer material (PCR material) is a material obtained by collecting and reusing plastic products after distribution to the market. For example, PCR material is plastic prepared from cleaned and crushed waste products. PCR material may be thermoplastic prepared from waste industrial plastic by a person other than the first processor. Pre-consumer material is a material obtained by collecting and reusing waste plastic generated in the manufacturing process before distribution to the market. For example, pre-consumer material is thermoplastic prepared from off-cuts or rejected molded products that have been previously processed by molding, extrusion, etc. in a processor's factory and then reprocessed in the same factory. In this embodiment, the recycled plastic material may be PCR material or pre-consumer material. It may also be a mixture of both.

[0027] The recycled plastic material used in this embodiment can be one that has been determined to be suitable for use based on the size of the contaminants. For example, a thin sample plate is molded, and if the size of the contaminants on its surface is less than a predetermined value, it is determined to be suitable for use. This predetermined value is a value related to the thickness of the bottom surface of the bottle body 21, as will be described later. In this embodiment, the predetermined value is 1 mm 2 The parison 4 is made by mixing such pellets derived from recycled plastic with virgin resin pellets.

[0028] The resin materials used for both virgin and recycled plastic materials are resin materials commonly used in blow molding. For example, any of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polystyrene (PS) may be used. However, without being limited to these, other resin materials may be used, or multiple materials may be used. In other words, the recycled plastic material may be one of PP, PE, PET, PVC, and PS, or a mixture of multiple types.

[0029] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the bottom surface of the bottle body 21. FIGS. 7(a) to 7(c) are cross-sectional views of the bottom surface 21b when the bottle body is formed into a cylindrical shape. FIG. 7(a) shows an XY cross section seen from above the bottle. FIG. 7(b) shows a VIIb-VIIb cross section (YZ cross section). FIG. 7(c) shows a VIIc-VIIc cross section (XZ cross section). Here, the direction in which the parison lower part 41 is sandwiched by the pinch-off parts 31 is taken as the Y axis. That is, the parison lower part 41 is molded in a state in which it is sandwiched and crushed in the X direction and stretched. Region 21d in FIG. 7(a) shows the region in which the parison lower part 41 is directly sandwiched by the pinch-off parts 31.

[0030] Here, the thickness of the center of the bottle bottom is A1, and the thicknesses of the bottle bottom ends are B11 to B14. B11 to B14 are set so that the 12 o'clock position on the paper surface on the circumference of the bottle bottom in Fig. 7(a) is B11, and thereafter, B12 to B14 are set every 90° clockwise. In other words, the thickness of the bottle bottom end in the direction in which the area 21d sandwiched by the pinch-off portion 31 extends (X direction) is specified to be B12 and B14.

[0031] The thickness A1 of the center of the bottom of the bottle is defined as the average thickness of the inner region when the diameter of a circle whose center coincides with the center of the bottom of the bottle is 1 / 5 of the bottle diameter. The thickness A1 is the thickness in the Z direction. The thicknesses B11 to B14 of the bottom end of the bottle are the thicknesses of the corners consisting of the bottom end of the bottle and the lower side of the bottle, which have the greatest curvature. That is, the thicknesses B11 to B14 of the bottom end of the bottle are the thicknesses of the corners consisting of the Z axis and the axis in the bottle radial direction (YZ cross section and XZ cross section), which have the greatest curvature. The thicknesses B11 to B14 are each the thicknesses in the direction of the radius of curvature in the cross section. The thicknesses B11 to B14 of the bottom end of the bottle are each the average value within the following region on the circumference of the bottom end of the bottle. An example will be used to explain B11. The region to be averaged for calculating B11 is the region inside a square as seen from the top of the bottle, as shown by the dotted line frame in FIG. 7(a). The center of the square is the position where the Y coordinate is maximum on the circumference of the bottom end of the bottle. The length of one side is 1 / 5 of the bottle diameter, and two of the four sides constituting the square are arranged so as to be almost perpendicular to the circumference of the bottom end of the bottle. The average thickness of the area inside this square is B11. B12 to B14 are also areas inside the square, and their centers are arranged every 90° clockwise from the center of the bottom of the bottle, and are configured in the same way as B11. B12 is the position where the center of the square is the position where the X coordinate is maximum on the circumference of the bottom end of the bottle. B13 is the position where the center of the square is the position where the Y coordinate is minimum on the circumference of the bottom end of the bottle. B14 is the position where the center of the square is the position where the X coordinate is minimum on the circumference of the bottom end of the bottle. Note that this definition of thickness is merely an example and is not limited to this example. The length of the side of the square may be changed, and it may be defined as the thickness inside a rectangle. In addition, it may be defined as a circle, not limited to a rectangle.

[0032] As an example of a specific value, A1 is set to be larger than 1 mm and larger than the average value of B11 to B14. As described above, in the recycled plastic material used in this embodiment, the size of contamination allowed in the sample plate is set to 1 mm. 2Here, the thickness of the contamination is also assumed to be 1 mm, and A1 is set to a value greater than 1 mm in relation to the allowable size of the contamination.

[0033] Also, among B11 to B14, B11 and B13 along the Y axis have a smaller thickness than B12 and B14 along the X axis. With this configuration, localized deflection is more likely to occur in the bottle body 21 upon impact due to a drop, improving shock absorption. The drop impact surface may be any surface of the liquid-containing bottle 2, and whichever surface serves as the impact surface, localized deflection is more likely to occur in the bottle body 21 upon impact due to a drop.

[0034] An example of a manufacturing method that can provide such a thickness difference is direct blow molding. In direct blow molding, the parison lower portion 41 is sandwiched in the Y direction by the pinch-off portion 31. When blown in this state, the amount of stretching to the mold wall surface is greater in the Y direction than in the X direction. Specifically, when blown, the bottle bottom surface is formed by being stretched concentrically starting from the region 21d sandwiched by the pinch-off portion 31. Here, the distance from the center of the region 21d sandwiched by the pinch-off portion 31 to the mold wall surface (B11, B13) in the Y direction is defined as L1. Also, the distance from both ends of the region 21d to the mold wall surface (B12, B14) in the X direction is defined as L2. At this time, L1 is greater than L2. As a result, the amount of stretching is greater in the Y direction than in the X direction. As a result, the thickness of the bottom surface end portion located in the Y direction becomes thinner. In this way, the thicknesses B11 and B13 of the ends of the first axis of the bottle bottom can be made smaller than the thicknesses B12 and B14 of the ends of the second axis. The first axis is an axis along the direction in which the bottle is pinched by the pinch-off portion 31, and the second axis is an axis that intersects (almost perpendicular to) the first axis. From the viewpoint of strength, it is preferable that B11 and B13, which are the minimum thicknesses, are 0.1 times or more of A1. It is also preferable that the thickness A1 of the center of the bottle bottom is greater than B11 and B13, which are the minimum thicknesses of the ends of the bottle bottom. In other words, if the thickness of the bottom of the bottle body at the center of the bottom is A and the minimum thickness at the ends of the bottom is Bmin, then 1

[0035] ​Next, a method for making the thickness A1 of the center of the bottle bottom larger than the average value of B11 to B14 will be described. As described above, when the bottle is blown, the bottom of the bottle is formed by being stretched concentrically starting from the region 21d sandwiched by the pinch-off portion 31. At this time, the region 21d sandwiched by the pinch-off portion 31, i.e., the region at the center of the bottle bottom, becomes thicker than the region at the end side to be stretched. In this way, the center and the end of the bottle bottom have different stretch ratios when the parison 4 is inflated by direct blowing, so the thickness of the center becomes thicker. For this reason, for example, by using a mold 3 in which the end is located farther away, it is also possible to make the thickness of the center of the bottle bottom thicker than the thickness of the end. In addition, by making the shape of the pinch-off portion 31 into a shape that pinches the center of the bottle bottom more upward, the amount of parison 4 in the center can be increased, and the thickness of the center of the bottle bottom can be made thicker than the thickness of the end.

[0036] <Recovery History> The recycled plastic material used in this embodiment is described as an example with a collection history of only one time. For example, the recycled plastic material is described as an example in which a PCR material that was collected for the first time after being manufactured as a new product is used. However, the collection history is not limited to one time, and recycled plastic material that has already been collected multiple times may be used. In this case, as the collection history increases, there is a concern that the amount of contained contaminants will increase and the impact absorption will deteriorate. Therefore, it is preferable to change the allowable thickness according to the collection history. Here, the thickness of the center of the bottom surface of the bottle when the collection history is n times is AHn, the average value of the thickness of the bottom surface end is BHn_ave, and the minimum value of the bottom surface end is BHn_min. At this time, AHn is larger than r1^(n-1) mm, and AHn / BHn_ave is larger than r2^(n-1). Furthermore, it is preferable to change the thickness according to the collection history so that AHn / BHn_min is within a range smaller than 10×r2^(n-1). Here, r1 and r2 are constants determined by the quality of the recycled plastic material, the contamination content, the recycled material usage rate, etc. It is preferable that r1 and r2 each have a value of 1.01 to 2.00.

[0037] For example, if r1 and r2 are 1.25, in the case of two retrieval histories, AH2 is greater than 1.25 mm, BH2_ave is less than 0.8 times AH2, and BH2_min is greater than 0.08 times AH2. In the case of three retrieval histories, AH3 is greater than 1.56 mm, BH3_ave is less than 0.64 times AH3, and BH3_min is greater than 0.06 times AH3.

[0038] In the above example, recycled plastic materials with the same number of collection histories, such as 1 time, 2 times, and 3 times, are used, but recycled plastic materials with different collection histories may be used. When collection histories are mixed, they can be handled as follows. Assume that recycled plastic materials with n1 collection histories and recycled plastic materials with n2 collection histories are mixed at ratios of x1 and x2 (satisfying x1+x2=1). In this case, it is possible to replace the collection history n=x1×n1+x2×n2 times. Then, the replaced value should satisfy the above relationship. For example, when recycled plastic materials with 1 and 2 collection histories are mixed in half, it can be treated as a material with a collection history of 1.5 times (=0.5×1+0.5×2). Even if there are three or more types, the recovery history n1, n2, ..., nm times can be mixed in proportions of x1, x2, ..., xm (the total is 1), and the recovery history n = x1 × n1 + x2 × n2 + ... + xm × nm times.

[0039] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the possibility of liquid leaking from the bottom of the bottle body due to contaminants contained in the recycled plastic material, and liquid splashing out of the nozzle opening when dropped. For example, in this embodiment, the thickness A of the center of the bottom of the bottle body is made thicker than 1 mm. This reduces the possibility of a hole being formed that leads to communication between the inside and outside, even if contaminants adhere to the center of the bottom of the bottle body during molding.

[0040] The liquid-containing bottle of the present embodiment can reduce the possibility of liquid leaking from the bottom of the bottle body and liquid splashing out of the nozzle opening when dropped, even when recycled plastic materials are used, and therefore can promote the use of recycled plastic materials in liquid-containing bottles. The use of recycled plastic materials in liquid-containing bottles can reduce the amount of virgin materials used, which can contribute to the realization of a sustainable society such as a decarbonized / recycling society. In other words, the technology described in this specification can contribute to the realization of a sustainable society such as a decarbonized / recycling society.

[0041] In addition, by making A / B>1 (the thickness B of the bottom end of the bottle body is smaller than the thickness A of the center of the bottom of the bottle body), the bottle is more likely to bend from the bottom end when dropped, thereby improving shock absorption.

[0042] As a result, it is possible to provide a liquid storage bottle that reduces the possibility of liquid leaking from the bottle body 21 and liquid splashing out from the nozzle opening (inlet 22a) when dropped and hit.

[0043] <<Second embodiment>> In the first embodiment, an example has been described in which the shape of the bottom surface of the bottle body 21 is circular. In the present embodiment, an example will be described in which the shape of the bottom surface of the bottle body 21 is substantially square.

[0044] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the bottom surface of the bottle body 21. FIGS. 8(a) to 8(d) are cross-sectional views of the bottom surface 21b when the bottle body is square. FIG. 8(a) shows an XY cross section from above the bottle. FIG. 8(b) shows a VIIIb-VIIIb cross section (YZ cross section). FIG. 8(c) shows a VIIIc-VIIIc cross section (XY 45° cross section). FIG. 8(d) shows a VIIId-VIIId cross section (XZ cross section). As in the first embodiment, the direction in which the parison lower part 41 is sandwiched by the pinch-off portion 31 is the Y axis, and the region sandwiched by the pinch-off portion 31 is shown as 21d.

[0045] In the example of FIG. 8, the thickness of the center of the bottom of the bottle is A2, and the thicknesses of the bottom ends of the bottle are B21 to B28. B21 to B28 are set on the ridge line formed by the bottom and side of the bottle, with B21 being the 12 o'clock position on the paper surface of FIG. 8(a), and thereafter B22 to B28 are set at every 45° clockwise. That is, B21 to B28 are positions set as described above on the ridge line formed by the bottom and side of the bottle in the XY cross section (transverse cross section) as shown in FIG. 8(a). That is, the thickness of the bottom end of the bottle in the direction in which the area 21d sandwiched by the pinch-off portion 31 extends (X direction) is specified to be B23 and B27.

[0046] The thickness A2 of the center of the bottom of the bottle is defined as the average thickness of the inner region when the length of the distance between two opposing faces that constitute the side of the bottle is taken as the diameter of a circle whose center coincides with the center of the bottom of the bottle. The thicknesses B21 to B28 of the bottom end of the bottle are the thicknesses of the corners (corners in a cross section formed by the Z-axis and the axis in the bottle diameter direction) that are formed by the end of the bottom of the bottle and the lower part of the side of the bottle that have the greatest curvature. The thicknesses B21 to B28 of the bottom end of the bottle are each the average value within the following region on the ridge line formed by the side of the bottle and the bottom of the bottle. An explanation will be given using B21 as an example. The region in which the averaging process is performed to calculate B21 is the region inside a square. The center of this square is the position where a straight line extending from the center of the bottom of the bottle in the positive direction of the Y-axis intersects with the ridge line formed by the side of the bottle and the bottom of the bottle. The length of one side of this square is 1 / 5 of the distance between two opposing faces that constitute the side of the bottle. Moreover, of the four sides constituting this square, two opposing sides are arranged so as to be parallel to a straight line extending from the center of the bottle bottom in the Y-axis positive direction. Similarly, B22 to B28 are areas inside the square, and their centers are positions where a straight line extending from the center of the bottle bottom in the Y-axis positive direction intersects with the ridge line formed by the bottle side and the bottle bottom by rotating the straight line clockwise around the bottle bottom center by 45° each time. The rest are configured in the same way as B22. Note that this definition of thickness is merely an example and is not limited to this example. The length of the side of the square may be changed, or it may be defined as the thickness inside a rectangle. It is also not limited to a rectangle, and it may be defined as a circle.

[0047] The thickness A2 at the center of the bottom surface of the bottle is greater than 1 mm, and A2 is greater than the average value of the thicknesses B21 to B28 at the ends of the bottom surface of the bottle. Furthermore, for the same reason as in the first embodiment, thickness differences are set for B21 to B28. Specifically, the thicknesses B22, B24, B26, and B28 near the corners of the bottom surface are configured to be the smallest. Next, the thicknesses B21 and B25, and then B23 and B27 are configured to be the largest in this order. An example of a manufacturing method that can provide such thicknesses is direct blow molding, as described in the first embodiment. As described in the first embodiment, the direct blow molding is formed so that the thickness becomes thinner as the distance from the region 21d sandwiched by the pinch-off portion 31 increases. In this case, it is preferable that B22, B24, B26, and B28, which are the minimum thicknesses, are 0.1 times or more the thickness A2 at the center of the bottom surface of the bottle from the viewpoint of strength.

[0048] In this embodiment, the shape of the bottom surface of the bottle body 21 is a square, but the shape is not limited to this example. The shape of the bottom surface of the bottle body 21 may be a rectangle or another polygon. Even in this case, the thickness of the center of the bottle bottom surface is required to be greater than 1 mm and greater than the average thickness of the bottle bottom surface ends. As described above, the thickness of the bottle bottom surface ends can be varied depending on the distance from the region 21d pinched by the pinch-off portion 31.

[0049] <<Third embodiment>> In the first and second embodiments, the relationship between the thickness of the center of the bottle bottom and the thickness of the bottle bottom end is described. In this embodiment, the relationship between the thickness of the bottle side at the center in the height direction and the thickness of the bottle bottom end is described. The shape of the bottle bottom is arbitrary, but here, it is described as being circular like the first embodiment.

[0050] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the side surface 21c of the bottle body. The cross-section of FIG. 9 is a YZ cross-section. The Y-axis is in the direction in which the lower part 41 of the parison is pinched by the pinch-off part 31, similar to the example described in the first embodiment. Also, let the thickness at the bottom end of the bottle be B31, and the thickness at the center in the height direction of the bottle side surface be C31. The thickness B31 of the bottom end of the bottle along the Y-axis is the minimum thickness at the bottom end of the bottle, as described in the first embodiment. The definition of the thickness B31 of the bottom end of the bottle is the same as the example described in the first embodiment or the second embodiment. The definition of the thickness C31 at the center in the height direction of the bottle side surface also conforms to the definition described in the first embodiment or the second embodiment. That is, when looking at the longitudinal cross-section (XZ cross-section), similar to the example described in the first embodiment or the second embodiment, it can be the average value of the thickness within a predetermined square shape.

[0051] In this embodiment, the thickness B31 of the bottom end of the bottle is configured to be 0.2 to 1.0 times the thickness C31 at the center in the height direction of the bottle side surface. That is, on the side surface of the bottle body, if the minimum thickness at the bottom end is Bmin, and the thickness at the center in the height direction located at the bottom end of the bottle body and on the side surface of the bottle body is C, it is configured to satisfy 1 < C / Bmin < 5. Preferably, the thickness B31 of the bottom end of the bottle is 0.4 to 1.0 times the thickness C31 at the center in the height direction of the bottle side surface. By setting such a thickness range, when there is a drop collision, the side surface of the bottle is likely to bend starting from the bottom end 21e of the bottle. As a result, the impact during the collision is easily absorbed by the bottle body 21. Also, since the thickness C31 at the center in the height direction of the bottle side surface is larger than the thickness B31 of the bottom end of the bottle, sufficient bottle strength can be obtained against buckling deformation for the vertical load of the bottle.

[0052] <Example> FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the results of the examples and the comparative examples. The examples will be described below. In Examples 1 to 4 of the bottle body 21 with different volumes corresponding to the first embodiment, and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 independent of the embodiment, the measurement results of the thickness, the thickness ratio, and the evaluation results of leakage and drop collision are shown in FIG. 10.

[0053] The thickness was measured at the bottle side center C11 and C13 in addition to the bottle bottom center A1 and bottle bottom ends B11 to B14 shown in Fig. 7. The bottle side centers C11 and C13 are located above the bottle bottom ends B11 and B13, respectively, and the thickness was measured at the center in the height direction of the bottle side. Bave was the average value of B11 to B14. Bmin was the minimum value of B11 to B14.

[0054] The leak and drop impact evaluations were performed on the liquid-containing bottle 2 using each bottle body 21, with a predetermined amount of liquid filled inside. The leak evaluation was NG if even a small amount of liquid oozed from the bottom center of the bottle after a certain period of storage in a high-temperature environment. In addition, the drop impact evaluation was NG if even a small amount of the internal liquid was attached to the periphery of the nozzle tip when the cap was opened after the bottle was dropped from a height of 160 cm.

[0055] Examples 1 to 4 were OK for both leakage and drop impact. On the other hand, Comparative Example 1, in which the bottle bottom center A1 was 1 mm or less and A / Bave was 1 or less, was NG for both leakage and drop impact. Comparative Example 2, in which the bottle bottom center A1 was greater than 1 mm and A / Bave was 1 or less, was OK for leakage but NG for drop impact. Comparative Example 3, in which the bottle bottom center A1 was 1 mm or less and A / Bave was greater than 1, was NG for leakage but OK for drop impact.

[0056] <<Other embodiments>> <Configuration of liquid supply unit (nozzle)> In the first to third embodiments, the configuration of the bottle body 21 has been described with a focus on the thickness. Below, an example of the configuration of the nozzle 22, which is the liquid supply portion of the liquid containing bottle 2, will be described.

[0057] <Valve spring configuration> Fig. 11 is a diagram showing an example of more detailed components of the liquid containing bottle 2. Fig. 11(a) is a diagram showing an example of a components diagram of the liquid containing bottle 2 shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 11(b) is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the components diagram of the liquid containing bottle 2 shown in Fig. 11(a) is combined. Inside the nozzle 22, 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 supplying liquid from the liquid containing bottle 2 to the liquid tank 12, the injection port 122 of the liquid tank 12 is inserted into the opening of the nozzle 22 of the liquid containing bottle 2. The nozzle 22 of the liquid containing bottle 2 is provided with a recess that engages with a protrusion provided on the liquid discharge device 1, and the liquid containing bottle 2 is positioned when the injection port 122 is inserted into the opening of the nozzle 22. Then, the liquid in the liquid containing bottle 2 is supplied to the storage chamber of the tank body 121 through the injection port 122 due to the head difference.

[0059] The liquid-containing bottle 2 has two sealable portions (hereinafter referred to as sealing portions). FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating the sealing portions. At the first sealing portion, sealing is achieved by fitting the cap 23 with the nozzle 22, as shown in FIG. 12(a). At the second sealing portion, sealing is achieved by a valve structure within the nozzle 22, as shown in FIG. 12(b). Each sealing portion will be described below.

[0060] The first sealing portion will be described with reference to FIG. 12(a). FIG. 12(a) is a cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the liquid-containing bottle 2 with the cap 23 attached to the nozzle 22, and an enlarged view of the same is also shown. The first sealing portion is a portion where the cap seal portion 23b of the cap 23 is fitted to the nozzle 22, and the nozzle seal portion 22d, which is a part of the spout 22a of the nozzle 22, is fitted to the nozzle 22. An example of a method for attaching the cap 23 to the nozzle 22 is a method of screwing the nozzle 22 and the cap 23 together. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11(a), FIG. 11(b), and FIG. 12(a), a method of screwing the nozzle 22 and the cap 23 together using the nozzle screw portion 22b having a male screw structure formed on the outside of the nozzle 22 and the cap screw portion 23a having a female screw structure formed on the inside of the lower portion of the cap 23 may be used. Conversely, the cap 23 having a male screw portion and the nozzle 22 having a female screw portion may be used.

[0061] Alternatively, the cap 23 may be attached to the nozzle 22 by providing a fitting portion other than the sealed portion, rather than by screwing. For example, the cap 23 may be configured as an external fitting lid that fits on the outside of the nozzle 22, or an internal fitting lid that fits on the inside.

[0062] The second sealing portion will be described with reference to FIG. 12(b). FIG. 12(b) is a cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the liquid-containing bottle 2 without the cap 23 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 nozzle 22 of the liquid-containing bottle 2. As shown in FIG. 12(b), the nozzle 22 is provided with a seal 24, which is an orifice portion having an opening at its tip (upper end) into which the injection port 122 is inserted. 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 liquid-containing bottle 2. In this example, the spring 26 is used as a biasing mechanism, and the spring 26 is held by a holder 27 fixed to the inner space of the nozzle 22. The seal 24 is made of a flexible member such as rubber or elastomer.

[0063] 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 interior of the liquid containing bottle 2 can be kept sealed even when the cap 23 is removed from the nozzle 22. When supplying liquid from the liquid containing bottle 2 to the liquid tank 12, the valve 25 is opened by inserting the injection port 122 into the nozzle 22 through the opening of the seal 24. Then, as described above, the liquid in the liquid containing bottle 2 is supplied to the storage chamber of the tank body 121 through the injection port 122 due to the head difference.

[0064] In this embodiment, these two sealing parts are configured to be temporarily open simultaneously when the cap 23 is removed from the nozzle 22 and when the cap 23 is attached to the nozzle. This allows the inside of the liquid containing bottle 2 to communicate with the atmosphere, making the pressure inside the liquid containing bottle 2 equal to the outside air pressure. This will be described in detail below.

[0065] First, when the cap 23 is in the closed state, the first sealed portion is in a sealed state as shown in Fig. 12(a). On the other hand, in the second sealed portion, the protrusion 23f arranged on the cap 23 is pushed in the opposite direction to the direction in which the valve 25 is biased when the cap 23 is closed, so that a gap is formed between the seal 24 and the valve 25. Thus, in Fig. 12(a), the second sealed portion is in an open state. That is, when the cap 23 is in the closed state, the first sealed portion is sealed and the second sealed portion is open.

[0066] FIG. 12(c) is a cross-sectional view of the upper part of the liquid-containing bottle 2 in a state where the cap 23 is attached to the nozzle 22 as shown in FIG. 12(a) and the cap 23 starts to be opened, and an enlarged view of the cross-sectional view is also shown. The cap 23 moves upward from the closed state shown in FIG. 12(a) as the cap is opened as shown in FIG. 12(c). With this movement of the cap 23, the cap seal portion 23b and the nozzle seal portion 22d are separated, and the first sealed portion is opened. When the first sealed portion is opened, the protrusion 23f arranged on the cap 23 is still in a position to push the valve 25 as shown in FIG. 12(c). That is, the second sealed portion maintains an open state. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 12(c), when the first sealed portion is opened, the second sealed portion can also be opened at the same time. After that, when the cap 23 is further moved upward, the projection 23f moves away completely from the valve 25 as the cap 23 moves, and the second sealed portion is sealed as shown in FIG. 12(b). When the cap 23 is closed from the open state, the projection 23f of the cap 23 pushes the valve 25 as the cap 23 moves, and the second sealed portion is opened. At this time, the first sealed portion is in the state before sealing, and therefore maintains the open state. After that, the cap 23 is closed, and the first sealed portion is sealed. The first sealed portion and the second sealed portion being opened simultaneously means that they are opened substantially at the same time. When the second sealed portion is opened in conjunction with the opening of the first sealed portion, both are opened at the same time.

[0067] With the above-described configuration, when the cap 23 is opened, the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion are temporarily opened at the same time, so that the inside of the liquid containing bottle 2 is in communication with the atmosphere, and the pressure inside the liquid containing bottle 2 can be made equal to the outside air pressure. Therefore, when the cap 23 is opened and the liquid is refilled from the liquid containing bottle 2 to the tank body 121, the liquid can be prevented from spouting out due to an increase in the internal pressure of the liquid containing bottle 2. In addition, the liquid can be prevented from overflowing from the tank body 121. Even when the cap 23 is opened, the inside of the liquid containing bottle 2 is kept sealed by the second sealing portion, so that the liquid can be prevented from leaking out even if the liquid containing bottle 2 is turned upside down.

[0068] <Slit valve configuration> Fig. 13 is a diagram illustrating a slit valve type nozzle 22. Fig. 13(a) is a cross-sectional view of the nozzle of this example, and Fig. 13(b) is a plan view of a slit valve provided in the nozzle of this example. Fig. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the nozzle 22 and the cap of this example.

[0069] The nozzle 22 has an inlet 122c for injecting liquid, and a nozzle seal portion 122d made of an annular rib provided along the periphery of the inlet 122c. The inlet 122c is provided with a slit valve 124 that opens and closes according to the internal pressure of the liquid-containing bottle 2. 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 inlet 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, as shown in the figure, when the number of slits is n. This allows the divided pieces 124c to be opened evenly, and the liquid in the liquid-containing bottle 2 to be smoothly injected.

[0070] The bottom surface of the cap 23 (the surface facing the injection port 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 nozzle seal portion 122d when the cap 23 is attached to the nozzle 22, and thus functions as a sealing means for sealing the injection port 122c together with the nozzle seal portion 122d. When the injection port 122c is sealed by the cap seal portion 123b and the nozzle seal portion 122d, the tip of the protrusion 123c faces the valve body 124a of the slit valve 124 at a position laterally spaced from the intersection 124d of the multiple slits 124b. The lateral direction corresponds to the radial direction of the nozzle 22. With such a configuration of the protrusion 123c, when the internal pressure of the liquid-containing bottle 2 is higher than the external air pressure when the cap 23 is opened, the internal pressure can be released, as described later. In this example, the protrusion 123c is provided integrally with the cap 23, but may be provided separately from the cap 23.

[0071] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the relationship between the slit valve 124 and the protrusion 123c. FIG. 15(a) and FIG. 15(b) are cross-sectional views showing the relationship between the slit valve 124 and the protrusion when the cap is opened. When the cap 23 is attached to the nozzle 22 and the injection port 122c is sealed, as described above, the protrusion 123c faces the valve body 124a at a position laterally separated from the intersection 124d of the slit 124b, and does not contact the valve body 124a. When the cap 23 starts to be opened, the engagement between the cap seal portion 123b and the nozzle seal portion 122d is released, and the sealing of the injection port 122c is released. At this time, if the internal pressure of the liquid-containing bottle 2 is higher than the external air pressure, the valve body 124a of the slit valve 124 is bulged outward and deformed by the internal pressure of the liquid-containing bottle 2, as shown in FIG. 15(a). When the expanded valve body 124a comes into contact with the protrusion 123c, the slit 124b opens, the pressure inside the liquid containing bottle 2 is released, and the expansion of the valve body 124a is eliminated. When the cap 23 is subsequently removed, the slit 124b closes and the injection port 122c is sealed again, as shown in FIG. 15(b). When liquid is injected from the liquid containing bottle 2 into the liquid tank 12, the air pressure difference between the inside and outside of the liquid containing bottle 2 is eliminated, and the injection port 122c is in a sealed state. Therefore, simply tilting the bottle body 21 prevents the pressure required to open the slit 124b from acting on the slit valve 124, and thus prevents the liquid from leaking from the injection port 122c.

[0072] On the other hand, Fig. 15(c) and Fig. 15(d) are cross-sectional views showing the relationship between the slit valve and the protrusion when the cap is closed. When the internal pressure of the liquid-containing bottle 2 rises while the cap 23 is not attached to the nozzle 22, the valve body 124a of the slit valve 124 bulges outward and deforms, as shown in Fig. 15(c). When the cap 23 starts to be closed, the protrusion 123c comes into contact with the bulged valve body 124a before the cap seal part 123b and the nozzle seal part 122d are fitted together, as shown in Fig. 15(d). As a result, the slit 124b opens to release the pressure in the liquid-containing bottle 2, 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 23 is further closed, the cap seal part 123b and the nozzle seal part 122d are fitted together to seal 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.

[0073] With this configuration, even if the internal pressure of the liquid-containing bottle 2 rises, the projection 123c comes into contact with the slit valve 124 when the cap 23 is opened or closed, and the internal pressure can be released to the outside. The length of the projection 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 liquid-containing bottle 2. For example, when the amount of deformation of the valve body 124a is relatively small, the tip of the projection 123c may come into contact with the valve body 124a to an extent that does not deform the valve body 124a when the injection port 122c is sealed by the cap seal portion 123b and the nozzle seal portion 122d.

[0074] If the projection 123c is simply to be brought into contact with the swollen valve body 124a, a configuration as shown in FIG. 14 may be used. That is, when the cap 23 is attached to the nozzle 22 (when the inlet 122c is sealed), the tip of the projection 123c may be made to face the intersection 124d of the slit 124b. However, in this case, depending on the thinness of the projection 123c, when the valve body 124a is swollen, the projection 123c may be inserted into the slit 124b near the intersection 124d. 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 liquid containing bottle 2 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 in a sealed state.

[0075] <Two-hole configuration> FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining a nozzle having two holes. FIG. 16(a) and FIG. 16(b) are cross-sectional views of the nozzle 22. As shown in FIG. 16(a), the nozzle portion 110 protrudes in a first direction 134 from the outer surface of the bottom wall 111 of the nozzle 22. That is, in a state in which the nozzle 22 is attached to the bottle body 21, the nozzle portion 110 protrudes in the first direction 134 from the bottle body 21 via the nozzle 22. The nozzle portion 110 may protrude from the bottom wall 111 in the first direction 134 and also in a second direction 135 from the bottom wall 111. In this case, the nozzle is provided so as to penetrate the bottom wall 111.

[0076] The nozzle part 110 is generally cylindrical. The nozzle part 110 has an outer peripheral surface 112 with a cross section in the shape of a circumferential surface. An outer peripheral surface 113, which is a part of the outer peripheral surface 112, is tapered and inclined in a direction in which the diameter of the outer peripheral circle becomes smaller from the bottom wall 111 toward the first direction 134. This shape enables the nozzle part 110 to move smoothly when it is inserted into the tank in order from the distal end side far from the bottle body 21. However, the nozzle part 110 may have an outer peripheral surface that extends vertically with the same diameter of the outer peripheral circle from the bottom wall 111 to the tip. In addition, the nozzle part 110 may have a shape other than a cylindrical shape, for example, a rectangular prism shape.

[0077] The nozzle portion 110 has a flow path 90 for the flow of ink or gas. The flow path 90 penetrates the nozzle 22 along the first direction 134. The flow path 90 extends along the first direction 134, but is not limited to this, and may be curved. The cross-sectional shape of the flow path 90 may be circular or a shape other than circular. In a state in which the nozzle 22 is attached to the bottle body 21, one end of the flow path 90 communicates with the bottle body 21 through an opening 93. The other end of the flow path communicates with the outside of the nozzle 22 through an opening 94 at the distal end side of the nozzle. The opening 93 is circular. The opening 93 may be a shape other than circular. In addition, the opening 93 may be formed at the base end of the nozzle portion 110, and is not limited to the base end surface 114. The opening 94 is formed at the tip surface 115 that constitutes the end of the nozzle portion 110 in the first direction 134. The opening 94 is circular. It should be noted that the opening 94 may have a shape other than a circular shape.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 16(b), the nozzle section 110 may have two flow paths 190, a first flow path 191 and a second flow path 192. The first flow path 191 and the second flow path 192 may have the same length along the ink flow direction or may be different. The cross-sectional shape and cross-sectional area of ​​the first flow path 191 and the second flow path 192 may be the same or different. Furthermore, the number of the multiple flow paths 190 may be more than two. When the nozzle section 110 has multiple flow paths 190, the length and shape of each flow path 190 may be the same or different. When the nozzle section 110 has two flow paths 190, the openings 193 and 195 formed at the base end are formed on the same surface. However, they may be formed on different surfaces. The first opening 194 and the second opening 196 are formed in the tip surface 115 constituting the end of the nozzle section 110 in the first direction 134. However, the first opening 194 and the second opening 196 may be formed anywhere as long as it is at the tip of the nozzle portion 110, and is not limited to the tip surface 115. The first opening 194 and the second opening 196 are circular. However, the first opening 194 and the second opening 196 may be a shape other than a circular shape.

[0079] The tip of the nozzle part 110 is, for example, a part of the nozzle part 110 that is configured by the tip surface 115 and the outer peripheral surface 112. The nozzle part 110 has a recess 116 on its outer peripheral surface 112. The recess 116 is defined by the tip surface 115 and an inner peripheral surface 118 (one surface of the side surface) of an annular rib 117 that protrudes from the outer edge of the tip surface 115 in the first direction 134. That is, the tip surface 115 is recessed from the tip of the nozzle part 110 (the tip of the annular rib 117). The inner peripheral surface 118 extends toward the outer edge of the tip surface 115 as it moves from the tip surface 115 toward the first direction 134. That is, the inner peripheral surface 118 extends in the first direction 134 while inclining in a direction that expands the diameter of the recess 116. The inner peripheral surface 118 may extend along the first direction 134 without inclining. Furthermore, the nozzle portion 110 does not necessarily have to have the recess 116. In other words, the tip portion of the nozzle portion 110 does not necessarily have to be recessed.

[0080] <<Other embodiments>> In the examples described in the above-mentioned embodiments, the liquid ejection device in which the liquid containing bottle is used is a serial type liquid ejection device that ejects liquid from a liquid ejection head in response to the reciprocating movement of a carriage. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and the liquid containing bottle may be used in a so-called full-line type liquid ejection device that is equipped with a liquid ejection head in which ejection ports are formed across the width of a recording medium.

[0081] The disclosure of the present embodiment includes configurations typified by the following liquid-containing bottle examples and liquid-containing bottle manufacturing method examples.

[0082] <Configuration 1> A liquid-containing bottle having a bottle body, a nozzle for supplying liquid to the outside, and a cap for covering the nozzle, The bottle body contains recycled plastic material or a resin material mixed with recycled plastic material, A liquid-containing bottle, characterized in that, when the thickness of the center of the bottom surface of the bottle body is A and the average thickness of the end portions of the bottom surface of the bottle body is B, A>1 mm and A / B>1 are satisfied.

[0083] <Configuration 2> 2. The liquid-containing bottle according to claim 1, wherein the recycled plastic material is one or a mixture of PP, PE, PET, PVC, and PS.

[0084] <Configuration 3> 3. The liquid-containing bottle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a single line is molded on the bottom surface of the bottle body.

[0085] <Configuration 4> In the thickness of the bottom surface of the bottle body, if the minimum thickness of the bottom surface end is Bmin, then 1

[0086] <Component 5> ​On the side surface of the bottle body, located in the height direction at the bottom end of the minimum thickness, and assuming the thickness at the center in the height direction on the side surface of the bottle body is C, a liquid storage bottle according to Configuration 4, satisfying 1 < C / Bmin < 5.

[0087] <Configuration 6> A liquid storage bottle according to any one of Configurations 1 to 5, wherein a cross-section parallel to the bottom surface of the bottle body is a circle or a polygon.

[0088] <Configuration 7> A liquid storage bottle according to any one of Configurations 1 to 6, wherein the bottle body contains 5 wt% or more of a recycled plastic material.

[0089] <Configuration 8> A liquid storage bottle according to any one of Configurations 1 to 7, wherein the recycled plastic material is a post-consumer material.

[0090] <Configuration 9> A liquid storage bottle according to any one of Configurations 1 to 8, wherein the recycled plastic material is a pre-consumer material.

[0091] <Configuration 10> A method for manufacturing a liquid storage bottle having a bottle body, a nozzle for supplying liquid to the outside, and a cap for covering the nozzle, a step of sandwiching a parison containing a recycled plastic material or a resin material mixed with a recycled plastic material, a step of forming the bottle body by blowing air into the parison, including a method for manufacturing a liquid storage bottle, wherein assuming the thickness at the center of the bottom surface of the formed bottle body is A and the average thickness of the bottom end of the bottle body is B, A > 1 mm and A / B > 1 are satisfied.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0092] 2 Liquid storage bottle 21 Bottle body 22 Nozzle 23 Cap

Claims

1. A liquid-containing bottle having a bottle body, a nozzle for supplying liquid to the outside, and a cap for covering the nozzle, The bottle body contains recycled plastic material or a resin material mixed with recycled plastic material, A liquid-containing bottle, characterized in that, when the thickness of the center of the bottom surface of the bottle body is A and the average thickness of the end portions of the bottom surface of the bottle body is B, A > 1 mm and A / B > 1 are satisfied.

2. 2. The liquid containing bottle according to claim 1, wherein the recycled plastic material is one or a mixture of two or more of PP, PE, PET, PVC, and PS.

3. 2. The liquid containing bottle according to claim 1, wherein a single line is formed on the bottom surface of the bottle body.

4. 4. The liquid storage bottle according to claim 1, wherein, in a thickness of the bottom surface of the bottle body, a minimum thickness at an end of the bottom surface is defined as Bmin, and 1<A / Bmin<10 is satisfied.

5. 5. The liquid storage bottle according to claim 4, wherein, when the thickness of the side surface of the bottle body at the height direction of the bottom end portion at which the thickness is minimum and at the center of the side surface of the bottle body in the height direction is C, 1<C / Bmin<5 is satisfied.

6. 4. The liquid storage bottle according to claim 1, wherein a cross section of the bottle body parallel to a bottom surface thereof is circular or polygonal.

7. 4. The liquid storage bottle according to claim 1, wherein the bottle body contains 5 wt % or more of recycled plastic material.

8. 4. The liquid-containing bottle of claim 1, wherein the recycled plastic material is post-consumer material.

9. 4. The liquid-containing bottle of claim 1, wherein the recycled plastic material is pre-consumer material.

10. A method for manufacturing a liquid-containing bottle having a bottle body, a nozzle for supplying liquid to an outside, and a cap for covering the nozzle, comprising the steps of: sandwiching a parison containing recycled plastic material or a resin material mixed with recycled plastic material; blowing air into the parison to form the bottle body; Including, A method for manufacturing a liquid-containing bottle, wherein A is a thickness at the center of the bottom surface of the molded bottle body, and B is an average thickness at the end portions of the bottom surface of the bottle body, and A>1 mm and A / B>1 are satisfied.

Images