Ink storage container and recording device

Abstract

To provide an ink storage container which inhibits clogging of a passage in an ink storage part, and to provide a recording device using the ink storage container.SOLUTION: An ink storage container has: a flexible ink storage part configured to store ink therein; and an ink supply part configured to supply the ink stored in the ink storage part to the outside. A ridge part is provided at a specific position of a surface of the ink storage part so as to intersect with a virtual line extended from a center axis of the ink supply part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an ink container and a recording device. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art There is known an ink storage container (ink pack) in which liquid (particularly, ink) to be supplied to a recording device such as an inkjet printer is stored in a flexible bag (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which an ink supply member is attached to one end of a bag, an ink outlet tube is connected to an end of a spacer member extending toward the other end of the bag, and ink is led from a recessed area in the bag to the ink supply member through an outlet of the ink outlet tube located in the center of the bag. According to Patent Document 1, the spacer member prevents the position of the end of the ink outlet pipe from moving, and also prevents the bag from collapsing around the liquid outlet tube or spacer member and blocking the liquid flow path even if the bag shrinks as the liquid is consumed. It also discloses that a radial guide flow path for guiding ink toward the spacer member is formed in the ink storage section, thereby making it possible to prevent the flow of ink in the bag from being obstructed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-107823 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present inventors have come to the realization that it is necessary to reduce the amount of plastic used in ink storage containers from the viewpoint of environmental considerations. As one approach, instead of a configuration in which a spacer member is provided to position the outlet of the ink outlet tube in the center of the bag as in Patent Document 1, a configuration in which an ink outlet is provided near the end of the bag, that is, a configuration in which ink is supplied to the outside from the other end (the end facing the inside of the bag) of an ink supply member provided at one end of the bag, was considered.

[0006] However, it was found that such an ink containing container configuration creates a new problem. Specifically, because the ink containing container does not have an ink outlet tube or a spacer member as in Patent Document 1, when the ink contained in the ink containing section is consumed, the ink containing section may collapse, causing a problem that the path (flow path) through which the ink flows to the ink supply member may be blocked.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide an ink containing container in which clogging of a flow path in an ink containing section is suppressed, and a recording device using the ink containing container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, a representative configuration of the invention of the present application is an ink containing container having a flexible ink containing section configured to be able to contain ink therein and having at least (1) a first surface, (2) a second surface facing the first surface and having a first side and a second side shared with the first surface, (3) a first gusset surface provided so as to connect the first surface and the second surface, and (4) a second gusset surface facing the first gusset surface and connected the first surface and the second surface, and an ink supply section provided on the first side of the ink containing section and configured to be able to supply ink contained in the ink containing section to an outside, an ink storage container characterized in that a ridge portion is provided so as to intersect with an imaginary line extending from the central axis of a supply portion, a ratio D / T1 of a distance D (mm) from a first end of the ink supply portion toward the inside of the ink storage portion to an intersection point between the ridge portion and the imaginary line and a thickness T1 (mm) of the first end of the ink supply portion is 5 / 8 or more and 40 / 8 or less, the first gusset surface and the second gusset portion each have a folded portion provided so as to be folded toward the inside of the ink storage portion, and the shortest distance from both ends of the rib portion to the apex of the folded portion of the first gusset surface and the second gusset portion adjacent to each end is 25 mm or less. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an ink containing container in which clogging of a flow path in an ink containing section is suppressed, and a recording device using the ink containing container. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ink containing container. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the ink containing container as viewed from the +T direction. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ink supply member. [Figure 4] 3A to 3C are plan views of the ink supply member as viewed from various directions. [Diagram 5]FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a state in which a flow path is blocked when no ridge portion is provided. [Figure 6] 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating how ridges prevent blockage of a flow path. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the ink containing container as seen from the -W direction. [Figure 8] 11A to 11C are diagrams for explaining variations in the cross-sectional shape of a ridge portion. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the shape of a ridge portion when viewed in a plane. [Figure 10] 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating a seal portion of an ink containing container. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ink injection member and an ink dispensing member. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the ink injection member and the ink extraction member. [Figure 13] 3A to 3C are plan views of the ink injection member as viewed from various directions. [Figure 14] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating a configuration of an ink injection member. [Figure 15] 3A to 3C are plan views of the ink dispensing member as viewed from various directions. [Figure 16] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a first protrusion. [Figure 17] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a second protrusion. [Figure 18] 11 is a perspective view showing a configuration around the end portion in the -D direction of the ink dispensing member. FIG. [Figure 19] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the ink dispensing member. [Figure 20] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the arrangement of pad electrodes. [Figure 21] FIG. 13 shows the arrangement of liquid supplies and electrical connections. [Figure 22] 13 is a diagram showing the arrangement of memory element substrates on the inner surface of a memory element substrate receiving portion; FIG. [Diagram 23] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the system. [Figure 24] FIG. 2 is a front view of the system and a diagram showing the internal configuration. [Diagram 25] FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the liquid supply device. [Figure 26] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ink containing container and a support unit. [Figure 27] FIG. [Figure 28] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating a state in which the ink containing container is placed on the support unit. [Figure 29] 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating a state in which a support unit on which an ink containing container is mounted is attached to a slot. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of an ink container (ink pack, ink cartridge) and a recording device according to the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. Note that each of the following embodiments is a suitable example for carrying out the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these configurations. Also, the contents described in each embodiment can be partially combined.

[0012] (I) Ink container FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ink storage container in this embodiment. The ink storage container of the present invention has a flexible ink storage section 1 configured to be able to store ink therein, and an ink supply member 2 for supplying the ink stored in the ink storage section to the outside. In this specification, the term "ink" includes any liquid that can be used to form an image or process a recording medium by being applied to the recording medium. Therefore, the term "ink" in this specification is a concept that includes any liquid that can be used for recording. The concept of recording is not particularly limited, and can be applied to industrial applications, etc. For example, it can be used for applications such as biochip production, electronic circuit printing, and semiconductor substrate production.

[0013] For the explanation of the present invention, the directions are defined first. First, the direction of gravity when the ink container is placed stationary is defined as the +W direction. The surface that is placed down when the ink container is placed stationary is aligned with the surface that is placed down when the ink container is mounted on the recording device. The horizontal direction when the ink container is placed stationary is defined as the +T direction. The opposite direction to the +W direction is defined as the -W direction, and the opposite direction to the +T direction is defined as the -T direction. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to the +W direction and the +T direction, from one end where the ink supply member of the ink container is provided to the other end, is defined as the +D direction. Therefore, when the ink container is mounted on the recording device, the direction in which the ink container is connected to the recording device is defined as the -D direction. Alternatively, the direction in which a container for storing the ink container is pushed into the recording device, as described later, is defined as the -D direction, and the direction in which the container is pulled out from the inside of the recording device to a position where the ink container can be attached and detached is defined as the +D direction. FIG. 2 is a view of the ink container in this embodiment as viewed from the +T direction.

[0014] (1) Ink storage section In the present invention, the ink containing section 1 has flexibility and is configured so as to be capable of containing ink therein. Any known structure or shape may be used as long as it is capable of containing ink.

[0015] In this embodiment, the ink storage section has at least (1) a first surface (P) and (2) a second surface (Q) that faces the first surface. Furthermore, the side shared by the first surface and the second surface is (3) a first side (R), and an ink supply member 2 for supplying the ink stored in the ink storage section to the outside is provided on this first side. FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the ink supply member in this embodiment. The ink supply member has a first end portion facing the inside of the ink storage section and a second end portion facing the outside of the ink storage section and being the other end of the first end portion. FIG. 4 shows the ink supply member in FIG. 3 as seen from the -D direction in FIG. 4(1), as seen from the -W direction in FIG. 4(2), as seen from the +W direction in FIG. 4(3), as seen from the +T direction in FIG. 4(4), and as seen from the -T direction in FIG. 4(5).

[0016] In this embodiment, in addition to the first side, the first and second sides share a second side (S). The second side is a side that faces the first side so as to sandwich the first and second sides. The second side is a side that is formed by sealing the first and second sides, but the first and second sides may be connected by a gusset surface.

[0017] In this embodiment, the fabric has a first gusset surface (U) (3) and a second gusset surface (V) (4) that are provided in the +T and -T directions, respectively, to connect the first and second surfaces. That is, the first and second gusset surfaces are surfaces that face each other to sandwich the first and second surfaces. Note that the first and second surfaces may be directly connected by sealing them, rather than being connected via the gusset surfaces.

[0018] In this embodiment, the ink storage section has a generally rectangular shape with the D direction as the longitudinal direction and the T direction as the lateral direction, but it may have another quadrangular shape such as a trapezoid or a square shape, or may have a polygonal shape such as a triangle or a pentagon. It may also have a shape with rounded corners.

[0019] Also, a known method can be used to manufacture an ink storage section of such a shape. Specifically, it may be a pillow type formed by overlapping two films and joining their peripheral parts together, or a gusset type.

[0020] In the present invention, the ink storage section has flexibility. In the present invention, "having flexibility" means that it is soft and can be bent.

[0021] The material used for the ink storage section may be any known material that can store ink inside and has flexibility. Specific examples include resin films such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide (PA), polyethylene (PE), and polypropylene (PP). A film having a laminated structure in which a plurality of these resin films are laminated may also be used. A coating film or a deposition film in which gas barrier properties or moisture barrier properties are imparted to these resin films may also be used. Furthermore, a film formed by laminating paper or aluminum foil on a resin film may also be used. For the purpose of storing ink, a material that can suppress evaporation of moisture in the ink is preferable. In particular, it is preferable to use aluminum foil. The thickness of the film used for the ink storage section is preferably 100 μm or more and 220 μm or less.

[0022] The ink container may be of an appropriate bag size according to the content. For example, in the case of an ink container with a content of 1.5 L, the long side is about 374 mm, the short side is about 180 mm, and the width of the gusset portion on the side in the longitudinal direction is about 46 mm. In the case of an ink container with a content of 3.0 mL, the long side is about 374 mm, the short side is about 240 mm, and the width of the gusset portion on the side in the longitudinal direction is about 80 mm.

[0023] In the present invention, it is necessary to provide a ridge portion 3 on the surface of the ink storage portion. The ridge portion is preferably formed by deforming the first surface of the ink storage portion by a compressed air method, a press method, a vacuum method, or the like. In the present invention, the ink supply member is provided at the end of the ink storage portion. However, since there is no liquid outlet tube or spacer member as described in, for example, Patent Document 1 or JP 2021-014091 A, when the ink stored in the ink storage portion is consumed, the ink storage portion may be crushed, causing a problem that the path (flow path) through which the ink flows to the ink supply member may be blocked. Figures 5(1) and (2) show how the flow path is blocked in this embodiment when the ridge portion is not provided. In particular, X in Figure 5(2) is the blocked portion. In order to suppress the blocking of this flow path and to use up the ink stored in the ink storage portion to the end, it is useful to secure the ink flow path by providing a ridge portion on the surface of the ink storage portion (Figures 6(1) and (2)). The ridges may be provided on both the first and second surfaces. If provided on only one of the surfaces, they are preferably provided on the top surface when the ink containing container is mounted on the recording device (the first surface of the ink containing section in the above-mentioned configuration). Also, the effect can be obtained regardless of where they are provided on the surface of the ink containing section, but they must be provided so as to intersect with an imaginary line extending from the central axis of the ink supply member. Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the ink containing container in this embodiment as seen from the -W direction. The dotted line W in Figure 7 corresponds to the imaginary line extending from the central axis of the ink supply member. The ridges 3 are shown by dotted lines in Figure 7.

[0024] In this case, when the distance from the first end of the ink supply member to the intersection of the ridge and the imaginary line is D1 (mm) and the thickness of the first end of the ink supply member is T1 (mm), the ratio D1 / T1 must be 5 / 8 or more and 40 / 8 or less. FIG. 7 shows the distance D1 to the intersection of the ridge and the imaginary line, and FIG. 4(4) shows the thickness T1 of the first end of the ink supply member. In this embodiment, in the case of an ink storage section with a capacity of 1.5 L (long side is about 374 mm, short side is about 180 mm, and the width of the gusset is about 46 mm), D1 (mm) of the ridge is 20 mm, and T1 (mm) is 8 mm. In addition, in the case of an ink storage section with a capacity of 3.0 mL (long side is about 374 mm, short side is about 240 mm, and the width of the gusset is about 80 mm), D1 (mm) of the ridge is 20 mm, and T1 (mm) is 8 mm.

[0025] In addition, it is preferable that the ratio T2 / T3 of the distance T2 (mm) from the first side of the ink storage section to the first end of the ink supply section and the distance T3 from the first side to the second side is 1 / 10 or more and 3 / 10 or less.

[0026] In addition, when the ink storage section has (3) a first gusset surface and (4) a second gusset surface that are provided in the +T and -T directions, respectively, to connect the first and second surfaces, as in this embodiment, the shortest distance from the apex of the folded portion of the first gusset surface and the second gusset portion that are provided to be folded toward the inside of the ink storage section to both ends of the ridge portion must be 25 mm or less. In Figure 7, the apex of the folded portion of the gusset portion in this embodiment is indicated by dotted lines Y1 and Y2. In this embodiment, the distance from the apex of the folded portion of the first gusset surface and the second gusset portion to both ends of the ridge portion is 0 mm.

[0027] The length of the ridge is preferably 80 mm or more. The long ridge improves the ease of using up the ink at the ends of the ink storage section in the +T direction and the -T direction.

[0028] Furthermore, the width of the ridge portion is preferably 2 mm or more, and more preferably 8 mm or less. Furthermore, the width of the ridge portion is more preferably 2 mm or more and 8 mm or less. Furthermore, the height of the ridge portion is preferably 0.5 mm or more, and more preferably 4.0 mm or less. Furthermore, the height of the ridge portion is more preferably 0.5 mm or more and 4.0 mm or less. By keeping the width in this range, it is possible to reduce the misalignment between the first surface (upper surface) and the second surface (lower surface) of the ink storage portion and improve the welding of the welding portion.

[0029] The cross-sectional shape of the ridges may be any shape as long as the ink flows as shown in Fig. 8. In particular, it is preferable that the cross-sectional shape of the ridges is a semi-ellipse as shown in Fig. 8(1).

[0030] The shape of the ridge portion when viewed in plan may be any shape as long as the effects of the present invention can be obtained as shown in Fig. 9. For example, a plurality of ridge portions may be provided substantially parallel to one another (Fig. 9(4)), or a portion of the ridge portion may be made wider (Fig. 9(5)). When a plurality of ridge portions are provided, one ridge portion may be provided on the first side and another ridge portion may be provided on the second side (Fig. 9(7)).

[0031] In this embodiment, as described above, a configuration is adopted in which an ink outlet is provided near the end of the flexible ink storage portion. However, if the ink storage container is dropped with the ink supply member facing downward, the ink supply member may be deformed by the impact of the drop so that it bites into the inside of the ink storage portion. In order to solve this problem, for example, a method of providing a wide seal width of the seal portion (seal portion between the first surface and the second surface) at the end over one side of the ink storage portion on the side where the ink supply member is provided can be considered. However, although this method suppresses the above-mentioned deformation, it is not preferable because it reduces the amount of ink that can be stored. Therefore, a method of providing a wide seal width only in the vicinity of the ink supply member was considered, but it was found that if the shape of the wide seal width portion is rectangular, while it is possible to ensure ease of sealing, stress is likely to concentrate at the corners, causing the corners to tear. In light of the above, the inventors have studied in more detail the shape and arrangement of the portion with a wide seal width, and have found that it is preferable for the seal portion between the first surface and the second surface to have a rectangular first seal portion 6 parallel to the first side, and a second seal portion 7 that is arranged between the first seal portion and the ink supply member, is formed continuously with the first seal portion in a direction parallel to the first side, and includes a mountain shape facing the inside of the ink containing portion, as shown in Figure 10. It is preferable for these seal portions to be provided on both sides of the first side of the ink containing portion that sandwich the ink supply portion.

[0032] When the maximum width of the mountain shape is W1 (mm), the apex 8 of the mountain shape of the second seal portion is preferably disposed such that the distance W2 (mm) from the ink supply member in the direction parallel to the first side is less than W1 / 2. When the height of the apex of the mountain shape from the first side is H1 (mm), the ratio of H1 to W2 (H1 / W2) is preferably 1.5 or more, and more preferably 1.8 to 2.2. The larger H1 is relative to W2, the greater the effect of suppressing the ink supply member from being bitten when dropped.

[0033] Furthermore, when the height of the first seal portion from the first side is H2 (mm), it is preferable that the relationship 0.83≦(H1−H2) / H2≦1.5 is satisfied.

[0034] The shape of this seal portion may be a mountain shape, but it is particularly preferable that the outer edge from the apex of the mountain shape of the second seal portion to the ink supply member includes a curved portion with a curve radius R of 10 mm or more. It is even more preferable that the outer edge includes a curved portion with a curve radius R of 10 mm or more and 15 mm or less. The presence of the curved portion allows stress during a drop to be better dispersed.

[0035] It is also preferable that the outer edge of the second seal portion from the apex of the mountain shape to the connection portion between the first seal portion and the second seal portion includes a straight line portion.

[0036] As described above, it is preferable that the seal portions are provided on both sides of the first side of the ink storage portion that sandwich the ink supply member, in which case the distance between the apexes of the mountain shapes of the seal portions on both sides is preferably 70 mm to 90 mm, more preferably 75 mm to 85 mm. Also, the distance between the ends of the mountain shapes on the ink supply portion side is preferably 40 mm to 70 mm, more preferably 45 mm to 60 mm.

[0037] (2) Ink supply component In the present invention, the ink supply member may have any structure or shape as long as it is configured to supply the ink contained in the ink storage section to the outside. In the present invention, as described above, the ink supply member is provided on the first side of the ink storage section in order to reduce the amount of plastic used in the ink storage container. FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the ink supply member of this embodiment. In this embodiment, the ink supply member is divided into two members, an ink injection member 4 (also called a filter case) on the first end side and an ink extraction member 5 on the second end side, which are detachable from each other, but may be formed as one piece. FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of the ink injection member 4 and the ink extraction member 5 when they are divided into two members, and FIG. 12 shows a plan view of the ink injection member 4 and the ink extraction member 5 when they are divided into two members. In particular, FIG. 12(1) is a plan view (top view in the usage position) as viewed from the -W direction, and FIG. 12(2) is a plan view (bottom view in the usage position) as viewed from the +W direction.

[0038] (2-1) Ink injection parts, filter case The ink injection member, which is one component of the ink supply member, only needs to be configured to introduce the ink contained inside the ink container, and preferably has at least an inlet 9. Figure 13 shows ink injection member 4 as seen from the -D direction in Figure 13(1), as seen from the +D direction in Figure 13(2), as seen from the -W direction in Figure 13(3), as seen from the +W direction in Figure 13(4), as seen from the +T direction in Figure 13(5), and as seen from the -T direction in Figure 13(6).

[0039] In particular, when the ink container is left unused, the ink concentration in the ink container may become non-uniform. In such a case, if high-concentration ink is supplied to the recording device, problems such as a decrease in ejection stability may occur, so it is preferable to suppress the increase in the ink concentration near the ink injection member. For example, it is possible to provide a mechanism for stirring the inside of the ink container, but this is not preferable because it makes the container more complicated. Below, variations of the ink injection member in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 14. Note that (1), (3), (5), (7), and (9) are plan schematic diagrams of each ink injection member viewed from the -W direction, and (2), (4), (6), (8), and (10) are see-through schematic diagrams of each ink injection member viewed from the +T direction.

[0040] First, as shown in Figures 14(1) and (2), it is preferable to have a first wall 10 that protrudes in the +D direction at a position above the inlet (-W direction) with respect to the direction of gravity. It is more preferable to have side walls 11 that are provided so as to sandwich the first wall from the +T and -T directions. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 14(3) and (4), it is preferable that the ink supply member has a second wall 12 at a position facing the inlet. In this case, a gap 13 is provided between the first wall and the second wall in the +D direction, so that ink can be injected through this gap.

[0041] As shown in Figs. 14(5) and (6) or Figs. 14(7) and (8), the second wall is preferably provided with a notch 14 at the end in the +W direction and / or the -W direction. Even if the ink contained in the ink container is consumed, the ink container is crushed, and the upper surface (first surface) and the lower surface (second surface) of the ink container are in close contact with each other, the presence of the notch ensures a flow path for the ink to flow between the ink injection member and the ink container. In this case, it is preferable that the area of ​​the notch at the end in the +W direction is larger than the area of ​​the notch at the end in the -W direction. When the ink container is left stationary, the ink may become denser in the +W direction, which is the direction of gravity, than in the -W direction. In this case, the ink with a denser concentration has a higher viscosity, making it difficult to absorb the ink. Therefore, by making the notch in the +W direction, where it becomes difficult to absorb, larger, it becomes possible to absorb the ink from each of the notches in the +W direction and the -W direction at a ratio close to 1:1.

[0042] Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 14(9) and (10), a third wall 15 protruding from the second wall in the -D direction may be provided. In this case, it is preferable that a gap is provided between the first wall and the third wall in the +W direction. Furthermore, it is preferable that the third wall is disposed at a position shifted in the +W direction with respect to the first wall. In this case, it is also preferable that a notch is provided at the end of the second wall in the +W direction and / or the -W direction. Note that Fig. 14(9) and (10) are schematic diagrams showing the embodiment shown in Fig. 13.

[0043] The ink inside the ink storage section is naturally treated to prevent foreign matter such as dust from entering, but it is preferable that the ink storage section has a function as a filter so that foreign matter unintentionally mixed in during the manufacturing process does not move to the recording device. As described above, it is possible to provide the filter function by narrowing the gap between the walls. Alternatively, a mesh filter or the like may actually be attached as a filter. Specifically, it is preferable that the filter is provided so as to connect the second wall and the wall provided with the inlet. This filter may be provided on only one side, but by providing the filter in both the +W direction and the -W direction, the intrusion of foreign matter can be more effectively suppressed.

[0044] Furthermore, it is preferable that the end of the ink injection member (first end of the ink supply member) is located within 60 mm from the first side of the ink containing section in a direction perpendicular to the first side, more preferably within 52 mm, and even more preferably 40 mm or more. Furthermore, it is preferable that the ratio T2 / T3 of the distance T2 (mm) from the first side of the ink containing section to the first end of the ink supply member to the distance T3 (mm) from the first side to the second side is 1 / 10 or more and 3 / 10 or less.

[0045] (2-2) Ink dispensing member Figure 15 shows the ink dispensing member 5 as viewed from the -D direction (Figure 15(1)), as viewed from the -W direction (Figure 15(2)), as viewed from the +W direction (Figure 15(3)), as viewed from the +T direction (Figure 15(4)), and as viewed from the -T direction (Figure 15(5)).

[0046] The ink dispensing member preferably has a first protrusion 16 protruding in the +T direction and the -T direction at the end in the -W direction (the end on the upper side when the ink container is placed still, the end on the first surface side of the ink container). The first protrusion can serve as a handle when the user holds the ink container. In particular, in order to reduce the amount of plastic used in the ink container, it is preferable that the user can hold the ink container with such a simple mechanism. From this perspective, the width (protrusion width, protrusion amount) of the first protrusion in the T direction is preferably 3.0 mm or less. Also, the width (wall thickness) of the first protrusion in the W direction is preferably 3.0 mm or less. The lower limit of each is preferably 1.0 mm or more from the viewpoint of strength as a gripping part. FIG. 16 shows an enlarged plan view of the first protrusion 16 as seen from the -D direction. In the figure, L3 is the width (protrusion width, protrusion amount) of the first protrusion in the T direction, and T3 is the width (wall thickness) of the first protrusion in the W direction.

[0047] Further, the ink supply member preferably has second protrusions 17 protruding in the +T direction and -T direction respectively at the end in the +W direction (the lower end when the ink storage container is stationary, the end on the second surface side of the ink storage portion). By providing the second protrusions, when mounting the ink storage container on the recording device, positioning with respect to the recording device becomes easier. The width (protrusion width, protrusion amount) of the second protrusion in the T direction is preferably 3.0 mm or more and 10.0 mm or less, more preferably 5.0 mm or more and 9.0 mm or less. Also, the width (wall thickness) of the second protrusion in the W direction is preferably 3.0 mm or more and 20.0 mm or less, more preferably 5.0 mm or more and 16.0 mm or less. Further, the width of the second protrusion in the D direction is preferably 3.0 mm or more and 10.0 mm or less, more preferably 5.0 mm or more and 10.0 mm or less. Fig. 17(1) shows an enlarged perspective view of the second protrusion 17. In the figure, L4 is the width (protrusion width, protrusion amount) of the second protrusion in the T direction, T4 is the width (wall thickness) of the second protrusion in the W direction, and W4 is the width of the second protrusion in the D direction. Also, Fig. 17(2) shows an enlarged plan view (top view in the use posture) of the first protrusion 16 and the second protrusion 17 as viewed from the -W direction. In the figure, W3 is the width of the first protrusion in the D direction.

[0048] In particular, it is preferable that the second protrusion has a larger protrusion amount in the +T direction (and -T direction) than the first protrusion, that is, L3 < L4. With such a relationship, when the user mounts the ink storage container on the recording device, while gripping the first discharge portion, the end of the second protrusion for positioning can be visually observed from above, so that the mounting is easily performed (the visibility during mounting is high). Further, it is more preferable that the width W3 of the first protrusion in the +D direction is wider than the width W4 of the second protrusion, that is, W4 < W3, because it is easier for the user to grip the ink storage container when mounting the ink storage container on the recording device.

[0049] The ratio (L3 / L4) of the protrusion amount L3 of the first protrusion in the T direction to the protrusion amount L4 of the second protrusion in the T direction is preferably 1 / 10 or more and less than 1, more preferably 1 / 10 or more and 1 / 3 or less.

[0050] The ratio (W4 / W3) of the width W3 in the D direction of the first protrusion to the width W4 in the D direction of the second protrusion is preferably 3 / 22 or more and less than 1, and more preferably 5 / 22 or more and 10 / 22 or less.

[0051] Furthermore, the ratio (T3 / T4) of the width (thickness) T3 of the first protrusion to the width (thickness) T4 of the second protrusion in the W direction is preferably 1 / 16 or more and 3 / 5 or less.

[0052] Although the first and second protrusions may have any shape when viewed from the -W direction, it is preferable that the shape of the first protrusion when viewed from the -W direction is tapered toward the +D direction as shown in Fig. 17(2). It is also preferable that the shape of the second protrusion when viewed from the -W direction is a shape without corners.

[0053] Furthermore, it is preferable that the shape of the first protrusion when viewed from the -D direction tapers toward the -W direction (the upper surface direction in the usage position) as shown in Fig. 16. This is to make it easier for the user's fingers to grasp when accessing from the -W direction.

[0054] (liquid supply, electrical connection) 18, the ink dispensing member has a liquid supply unit (ink supply unit) 18 configured to be able to supply liquid when connected to a liquid injection unit 1005 provided in the device body described below. The liquid supply unit is preferably provided at the end of the ink dispensing member in the -D direction, i.e., the end of the ink containing vessel in the -D direction.

[0055] The liquid supply unit may have any configuration as long as it has an opening 19 and can supply liquid by inserting a liquid injection unit provided in the device body into the opening. The shape of the opening may be any shape, but is preferably a circular shape (including an ellipse).

[0056] In order to prevent ink from leaking to the outside when the liquid injection section provided in the device body is not inserted (i.e., before the ink container is used), the liquid supply section may have a seal section, a valve section, etc. The seal section and the valve section may have any known structure, such as a valve spring structure or a slit valve. FIG. 19 shows an exploded perspective view of the ink extracting member, and in this embodiment, the ink extracting member is provided with a valve mechanism 23 that opens and closes in accordance with the attachment to the device body. Specifically, it is possible to provide an opening and closing mechanism by pressing a valve 26 against an elastic seal member 24 with a biasing member 25 such as a spring.

[0057] Alternatively, a film 27 or the like may be attached to the opening before use by a user, and when a liquid injection section provided in the device body is inserted into the opening, the film is torn, thereby establishing fluid communication between the device body and the inside of the ink storage section. With such a mechanism, it is possible to effectively prevent ink from leaking to the outside before use.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 18, the ink dispensing member has an electrical connection section 20 that is configured to be functionally connectable to an electrical contact 1010 provided in the device body, which will be described later. More specifically, the electrical connection section is a memory element substrate housing section 22 that houses a memory element substrate 21. The memory element substrate is a chip-shaped substrate having a memory element (memory element) that stores information such as ink color information and remaining amount information. The memory element substrate is provided with a plurality of pad electrodes 28 that come into contact with electrical contacts provided in the device body and are electrically connectable to the electrical contacts. The pad electrodes and the memory element substrate may be provided at separate positions, and in that case, they may be electrically connected by wiring or the like. In reality, it is the pad electrodes that are directly connected to the electrical contacts of the device body. Therefore, the electrical contacts of the device body are electrically connected by being inserted into the memory element substrate housing section and contacting the pad electrodes. In this embodiment, the plurality of pad electrodes are provided in four numbers, but the number is not limited to four and may be any number as long as necessary. In addition, any known configuration may be used for the arrangement of the plurality of pad electrodes and the shape of each pad electrode. Figure 20 shows a schematic example of the arrangement of the pad electrodes when the pad electrodes are viewed from a direction perpendicular to the substrate. For example, the pad electrodes may have an asymmetric shape as shown in Figures 20(2) and (3). The pad electrodes may be arranged in two rows, one above the other, as shown in Figure 20(4). The pad electrodes may have a shape other than a rectangle, as shown in Figures 20(5) and (6). The pad electrodes may also be arranged such that the center of gravity of the entire pad electrodes does not coincide with the center of gravity of the memory element substrate, as shown in Figure 20(2) and the like.

[0059] The electrical connection portion, or the memory element substrate and the memory element substrate accommodating portion, are preferably provided at the end of the ink dispensing member in the -D direction, i.e., the end of the ink containing vessel in the -D direction. The electrical connection portion or the memory element substrate accommodating portion may be of any shape, but is preferably a quadrilateral, and is particularly preferably a rectangle having long and short sides. The memory element substrate only needs to be configured to be accommodated in the memory element substrate accommodating portion, and is similarly preferably a quadrilateral, and is preferably a rectangle or a square.

[0060] In this case, it is preferable that the electrical connection parts are arranged so that when the electrical connection parts are projected onto a plane perpendicular to the mounting direction (-D direction) of the ink container, the longer side of the projected portion of the electrical connection parts intersects at an angle of less than 90° with the direction of gravity (-W direction) in the mounting position when the ink container is mounted on the main device. Also, it is preferable that the memory element substrate accommodating part is arranged so that the longer side of the memory element substrate accommodating part on the end face in the -D direction of the ink dispensing member intersects at an angle of less than 90° with the direction of gravity (-W direction) in the mounting position when the ink container is mounted on the main device.

[0061] This means that the electrical connection part or the memory element substrate accommodating part is arranged at an angle when viewed from the mounting direction (-D direction) of the ink container (hereinafter, also referred to as "diagonal arrangement"). In conventional ink containers, such an oblique arrangement is not adopted (hereinafter, such conventional arrangement is also referred to as "horizontal arrangement"), and the projection part of the electrical connection part or the long side of the memory element substrate accommodating part does not intersect with the direction of gravity (-W direction) in the mounting position, or intersects at 90°. By arranging the electrical connection part or the memory element substrate accommodating part at an angle, in the unlikely event that ink leaks from the liquid supply part, the ink is less likely to flow into the electrical connection part or the memory element substrate. In addition, by arranging the electrical connection part or the memory element substrate accommodating part at an angle, the ink ejection member can be made small, which is also preferable from the viewpoint of reducing the amount of plastic. Specifically, in the case of a horizontal arrangement as in the conventional case, if a larger memory element substrate is used, the ink ejection member must also be made large, but if the ink ejection member is arranged at an angle, it can be arranged without changing the size.

[0062] As shown in Fig. 21, when viewed from the mounting direction (-D direction) of the ink container, the liquid supply unit is preferably positioned so as to be shifted in the +W direction with respect to the electrical connection portion, or the memory element substrate and memory element substrate accommodating portion. Here, "positioned so as to be shifted" refers to a positional relationship in which the center of gravity 29 of the liquid supply unit (the center of the circle if the opening is circular) is positioned closer to the +W direction than the center of gravity 30 of the electrical connection portion or the memory element substrate accommodating portion (the intersection of the diagonals if the memory element substrate accommodating portion is rectangular). By adopting such a positional relationship, in the unlikely event that ink leaks from the liquid supply unit, the ink is less likely to flow into the electrical connection portion or the memory element substrate.

[0063] As described above, the electrical connection portion or the memory element substrate accommodating portion is disposed at an angle. When the electrical connection portion or the memory element substrate accommodating portion is rectangular, there are two possible patterns of the oblique direction in terms of the relationship with the liquid supply portion. The first is a case where the electrical connection portion or the memory element substrate accommodating portion is disposed at an angle so that the long side of the electrical connection portion or the memory element substrate accommodating portion is disposed closer to the liquid supply portion, as shown in FIG. 21(1). The second is a case where the electrical connection portion or the memory element substrate accommodating portion is disposed at an angle so that the short side of the electrical connection portion or the memory element substrate accommodating portion is disposed closer to the liquid supply portion, as shown in FIG. 21(2). According to the inventors' study, any oblique arrangement can provide sufficient effects, but the first case is more preferable. That is, it is preferable that the electrical connection portion and the liquid supply portion are disposed at an angle so that the distance between the long side of the projection portion of the electrical connection portion and the liquid supply portion is shorter than the distance between the short side of the projection portion of the electrical connection portion and the liquid supply portion. This is because the lower end of the -W direction of the long side of the electrical connection portion or the memory element substrate accommodating portion is positioned so as to escape from the liquid supply portion, thereby achieving a higher level of the effect of preventing ink from flowing into the electrical connection portion or the memory element substrate.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 19, the memory element substrate accommodating section 22 is preferably a rectangular parallelepiped (including cubic) space having an opening at the end in the -D direction of the ink dispensing member and drilled toward the +D direction (opposite to the mounting direction). The opening at the end in the -D direction is an opening for inserting an electrical contact of the device body. The memory element substrate is disposed on the inner surface of the memory element substrate accommodating section as a rectangular parallelepiped space. In this case, the inner surface of the rectangular parallelepiped space has five surfaces, namely, one bottom surface facing the opening and four side surfaces surrounding the bottom surface. As shown in FIG. 22, the memory element substrate may be disposed on any of the five surfaces. In particular, it is preferable to dispose the memory element substrate on any of the four side surfaces as shown in FIG. 22(1) to (4), and it is particularly preferable to dispose the memory element substrate on the side surface farthest from the liquid supply section 18 as shown in FIG. 22(1).

[0065] The memory element substrate may be directly bonded to the inner surface of the memory element substrate housing portion, or may be provided via another member. As an example of another member, as shown in FIG. 22(6), a memory element substrate holder 31 (memory element substrate support member) may be mentioned. That is, the memory element substrate is provided in the memory element substrate holder, and the memory element substrate holder is provided in the memory element substrate housing portion. In this case, it is preferable that the memory element substrate holder is movably attached in the memory element substrate housing portion. With such a configuration, when the electrical contacts (members on which the electrical contacts are provided) of the device body are inserted into the memory element substrate housing portion, the memory element substrate holder moves to an appropriate position so as to follow the members of the device body, so that the electrical connection between the memory element substrate and the electrical contacts can be more reliably achieved. On the other hand, without such a configuration, depending on the way the user inserts it, the electrical contacts (members on which the electrical contacts are provided) of the device body may be damaged, or the memory element substrate may be scratched. Also, with such a configuration, it is possible to absorb the manufacturing tolerances of the members of the device body or the memory element substrate housing portion. Furthermore, the memory element substrate holder may be biased in a specific direction by an elastic member such as a spring, etc. In this case, the biasing direction is preferably a direction in which the memory element substrate is pressed against the electrical contacts of the device body when the electrical contacts are inserted.

[0066] (II) Recording device As described above, the ink containing container according to the present invention is used by being contained inside a recording device. The recording device may be a commonly used inkjet printer (inkjet recording device), or may be a commercial recording device or an industrial recording device. When the ink containing container is an ink pack, the ink volume can be flexibly adjusted. For commercial or industrial recording devices intended for mass printing / mass recording, it is useful to use an ink pack with a large ink volume.

[0067] Fig. 23 is a perspective view of a system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 24(1) is a front view of the system 100. In each figure, the left-right direction when the system 100 is installed on a horizontal surface is the X direction, the front-rear direction is the Y direction, and the up-down direction is the Z direction. When the system 100 is viewed from the front, the right side is the +X direction, the left side is the -X direction, the front side is the +Y direction, the back side is the -Y direction, the lower side (lower in the direction of gravity) is the +Z direction, and the upper side is the -Z direction. The +X direction corresponds to the -T direction described above, the +Y direction corresponds to the +D direction described above, and the +Z direction corresponds to the +W direction described above.

[0068] The system 100 of this embodiment is a recording system that includes a liquid supplying device 1001 and a recording device (liquid ejection device) 101, and ejects ink onto a recording medium such as paper to record an image. In this embodiment, two liquid supplying devices 1001 are provided and connected to each other. The liquid that the liquid supplying device 1001 supplies to the liquid ejection device 101 is ink, and the liquid ejection device 101 is a recording device that ejects ink onto a recording medium. However, the present invention is not limited to recording systems, and can also be applied to various liquid ejection systems intended for ejecting liquid onto a medium.

[0069] In addition, "recording" includes not only the formation of meaningful information such as characters and figures, but also the formation of images, patterns, and the like on a recording medium, whether meaningful or insignificant, or the processing of the medium, regardless of whether it is manifested in a way that can be visually perceived by humans. In addition, although a sheet of paper is assumed as the "recording medium" in this embodiment, it may also be cloth, plastic film, etc.

[0070] <Liquid discharge device> The liquid ejection device 101 will be described. FIG. 24(2) is an explanatory diagram of the internal structure of the liquid ejection device 101. In the liquid ejection device 101, a main body 103 is supported by left and right stands 102. Each stand 102 is provided with casters 102a, allowing the liquid ejection device 101 to be moved relatively easily on the floor. A feeding unit 104 and a winding unit 105 are disposed below the main body 103. In this embodiment, the recording medium M is roll paper, and the feeding unit 104 has a shaft around which the recording medium M is wound. The winding unit 105 has a shaft for winding up the recording medium M. In this embodiment, roll paper is exemplified as the recording medium M, but cut paper may also be used.

[0071] The main body 103 is provided with a transport unit 106. The transport unit 106 has a drive roller and a driven roller, and the recording medium M fed from the feeding unit 104 is sandwiched in the nip between these rollers. The recording medium M is transported onto a platen 107 by rotation of the drive roller. An ejection head 108 is disposed facing the platen 107. The ejection head 108 is a recording head that ejects ink to form an image. An image is recorded on the recording medium M by ejecting ink from the ejection head 108 onto the recording medium M transported onto the platen 107.

[0072] The ejection head 108 has an ejection energy generating element such as an electrothermal conversion element (heater) or a piezoelectric element, and ejects ink from the ejection orifice. When an electrothermal conversion element is used, the ink is bubbled by the heat generated by the element, and the ink can be ejected from the ejection orifice by utilizing the bubble-generating energy. The printing method of the ejection head 108 may be a serial scan method or a full line method (page wide method). In the case of the serial scan method, the ejection head 108 is mounted on a carriage and moves back and forth in the X direction. The ejection of ink while moving the ejection head 108 in the X direction is called a printing scan. An image is printed on the printing medium M by alternately repeating the conveying operation of the printing medium M and the printing scan of the ejection head 108. In the case of the present embodiment, the serial scan method is assumed to be adopted. In the case of the full line method, an elongated ejection head 108 extending in the X direction is used to print an image while continuously conveying the printing medium M.

[0073] The recording medium M on which the image has been recorded is taken up by a take-up unit 105. The recording medium M on which the image has been recorded is cut by a user with scissors or the like, or is automatically cut by a cutter (not shown).

[0074] A recovery unit 109 is disposed in the main body 103. The recovery unit 109 is disposed outside the recording area (outside the ejection area) of the ejection head 108, and performs processing related to recovery and maintenance of the ejection performance of the ejection head 108. Examples of such processing include preliminary ejection and processing for sucking remaining ink and the like from the ejection ports of the ejection head 108. As shown in FIG. 24(1), the ejection head 108 is moved onto the recovery unit 109 when recovery processing is required.

[0075] In this embodiment, the stand 102 is disposed at a position slightly outside in the ±X direction from the width of the recording medium M in order to support the main body 103 while also supporting the heavy feeding unit 104 and winding unit 105. The main body 103 incorporating the recovery unit 109 protrudes outward in the +X direction from the stand 102. The main body 103 also protrudes outward from the recording medium M on the opposite side in the -X direction. A mechanism for moving a carriage (not shown) carrying the ejection head 108 and the like are incorporated here.

[0076] An operation panel 110 is provided on the front surface of the main body 103. The operation panel 110 is, for example, a touch panel, and is capable of accepting input of various settings related to recording, displaying the status of a recording job, and the like.

[0077] The liquid ejection device 101 is also provided with a waste liquid cartridge 111. The waste liquid cartridge 111 is disposed below the end of the main body 103 on the opposite side (-X side) to the liquid supply device 1. By disposing the waste liquid cartridge 111 below the part of the main body 103 that protrudes to the -X side, the installation area of ​​the liquid ejection device 101 can be reduced.

[0078] Waste liquid (waste ink, etc.) sucked by the recovery unit 109 flows into the waste liquid cartridge 111 and is collected. The waste liquid cartridge 111 may be disposed near the recovery unit 109. However, in the case of this embodiment, the waste liquid cartridge 111 is disposed in the empty space below the end of the main body 103, thereby reducing the installation area of ​​the liquid ejection device 101.

[0079] <Liquid supply device> The liquid supplying device 1001 is a device that supplies ink to be discharged from the discharge head 108 to the liquid discharge device 101. The liquid supplying device has a box-shaped main body 1002 that forms a plurality of slots 1003. Casters 1002a are provided on the bottom surface of the main body 1002, allowing the liquid supplying device 1001 to be moved relatively easily on the floor. The plurality of slots 1003 are arranged in the Z direction on the front side of the main body 1002. A support unit 1004 is inserted into each slot 1003 so as to be detachable in the Y direction. The support unit 1004 supports the ink containing container 200.

[0080] Each slot 1003 is provided with a tube that connects the ink containing container 200 and the liquid ejection device 101. Each tube is connected to the liquid ejection device 101 through a single hose 121 that accommodates all the tubes. Ink in the ink containing container 200 is supplied to the ejection head 108 through the tube.

[0081] The height of the liquid supplying device 1001 is set lower than the underside of the end of the main body 103 of the liquid ejecting device 101 that protrudes on the +X side. Therefore, the liquid supplying device 1001 can be stored under the main body 103 as shown in FIG. 24(1). The liquid supplying device 1001 can be moved in the X direction to a position where it contacts the stand 1008. As shown in FIG. 24(1), the liquid supplying device 1001 can be fixed to the main body stand 1008 by using a connecting member 120. When the system 100 is moved, the entire system can be moved as a single unit.

[0082] In the system 100 of this embodiment, two liquid supply devices 1001 are provided, so that more ink storage containers 200 can be used. When increasing the number of ink colors to improve image quality or increasing the number of ink colors of the same color to improve productivity, it is advantageous to provide a plurality of liquid supply devices 1001 in this manner. In such a case, the installation area of ​​the system 100 can be reduced by adopting a layout in which a part or all of the liquid supply devices 1001 overlap with the liquid ejection device 101 in the X direction, as in this embodiment. Note that, in this embodiment, one of the two liquid supply devices 1001 is completely contained within the size of the liquid ejection device 101 in the X direction. If there are two or more buildings, the size relationship is such that the liquid supply devices 1001 slightly protrude from the system 100 in the X direction.

[0083] (Ink container and support unit) FIG. 25 is a partially exploded perspective view of the liquid supplying device 1001, showing a state where one of the support units 1004 is removed from the corresponding slot 1003. FIG. 25 also shows a state where some of the side walls of the outer wall of the liquid supplying device 1001 are removed to expose the internal mechanism. FIG. 26 is a perspective view of the ink containing container 200 and the support unit 1004. As shown in FIG. 28 and FIG. 29, in this embodiment, the ink containing container 200 is placed on the support unit 1004 (FIG. 28(1)→(2)→(3)), and the support unit 1004 on which the ink containing container 200 is placed is attached in the slot 1003 (FIG. 29(1)→(2)→(3)→(4)), so that the ink containing container 200 is stored in the liquid supplying device 1001. Then, as described above, an image can be recorded by supplying ink from the liquid supplying device 1001 to the liquid ejecting device 101. The method for supplying ink from the ink container to the liquid ejection device is not limited to this embodiment, and may be, for example, a system in which the ink container is directly mounted on the liquid ejection device without using a support unit or the like.

[0084] The main body 1002 is provided with a needle-type liquid injection part 1005 that is inserted into the liquid supply part 18 of the ink storage container 200, and an electrical contact 1010 that is configured to be connectable by being inserted into the electrical connection part 20 of the ink storage container 200, at the back side of the slot 1003. FIG. 27 is a diagram showing a part of the support member 50 where the liquid injection part 1005 and the electrical contact 1010 are provided. When the liquid injection part 1005 is inserted into the liquid supply part 18 and connected, the valve mechanism 23 is opened by the insertion of the liquid injection part 1005. The liquid injection part 1005 is supported by the block-shaped support member 50, and is connected to a tube 51. The liquid injection part 1005 forms a flow path that allows the liquid contained in the ink storage part 1 to flow out to the liquid ejection device 101, which is the supply destination, and the liquid that flows out to the liquid injection part 1005 is supplied to the liquid ejection device 101 through the tube 51. An electric flow path valve 52 is provided in the middle of the tube 51. The tube 51 can be closed or opened by opening or closing the flow path valve 52. In order to supply the ink in the ink containing container 200 to the ejection head 108 through the tube 51, the liquid supply unit 18 may be provided with a pump, a pressure control mechanism, or the like.

[0085] The support unit 4 has a support portion 40 that supports the ink containing container 200, and has the form of a tray on which the ink containing container 200 is placed in a lying position as a whole. The support unit 4 can be displaced in the Y direction between a storage position where the ink containing container 200 is stored in the main body 1002 and a removal position where the ink containing container 200 is exposed to the outside of the main body 1002. In FIG. 26, one support unit 1004 is located at the removal position, and the other support units 1004 are all located at the storage position. In the removal position, the ink containing container 200 can be replaced, and in the storage position, the liquid contained in the ink containing container 200 can be supplied to the liquid ejection device 101. In this embodiment, the support unit 1004 is separated from the slot 1003 in the removal position. However, the removal position may be a position where an end of the support unit 1004 is held in the slot 1003, and may be any position where the ink containing container 200 can be replaced with respect to the support unit 1004. Moreover, it is preferable that the slot 1003 has a plurality of sets of linear guide rails each having one or more convex or concave shapes extending in the Y direction in order to guide the movement of the support unit 1004. Figure 29 is a diagram showing how the support unit 1004, on which the ink containing container 200 is placed, moves along the guide rails provided inside the slot 1003, thereby moving from the removal position to the storage position.

[0086] The support part 40 has a mounting surface 41 on which the ink containing container 200 is placed, and the four sides of the mounting surface 41 are defined by left and right side plates 44, a front end 42, and a rear end 43. A notch 44a is formed in the side plate 44. A recess 43a in which the outlet member 201 is disposed is formed in the rear end 43. The support part 40 may have a positioning member configured to be engageable with a positioning portion provided on the ink dispensing member 5 of the ink containing container 200. Specifically, the support part 40 has a recess shape that can be engaged with the second protrusion provided on the ink supply member of the ink containing container described above. Figures 28(2) and (3) are diagrams showing how the second protrusion provided on the ink dispensing member 5 engages with the recess of the support part 40. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 200 Ink storage container 1 Ink storage section 2 Ink supply member 3 ridges 4 Ink injection parts 5 Ink ejection member 6 First seal part 7 Second seal part 8 Apex of the second seal 9 Introduction 10 1st wall 11 Side wall 12 Second wall 13. Gap 14 Notch 15 Third wall 16 First protrusion 17 Second protrusion 18 Liquid supply section 19 Aperture 20 Electrical Connections 21 Memory element substrate 22 Memory element substrate housing 23 Valve mechanism 24 Sealing material 25 Pressing member 26 Spring 27 Film 28 Pad Electrode 29 Center of gravity of liquid supply section 30 Center of gravity of electrical connection 31 Memory element board holder 1005 Liquid injection part 1010 Electrical contacts P page 1 Q 2nd page R 1st side S 2nd side U First gusset surface V Second gusset surface W Virtual Line X Occlusion Y1, Y2 Gusset section fold-in

Claims

1. The ink cartridge is configured to be capable of storing ink therein, and (1) First page, (2) a second surface facing the first surface and having a first side and a second side shared with the first surface; (3) a first gusset surface provided to connect the first surface and the second surface; and (4) A second gusset surface that faces the first gusset surface and is provided so as to connect the first surface and the second surface. A flexible ink storage section having at least an ink supply section provided on the first side of the ink containing section and configured to be able to supply the ink contained in the ink containing section to an outside; An ink containing container having: a ridge portion is provided on the first surface of the ink storage portion so as to intersect with an imaginary line extending from a central axis of the ink supply portion; A distance D from a first end of the ink supply portion toward the inside of the ink storage portion to an intersection point between the ridge portion and the virtual line. １ (mm), and the thickness T of the first end of the ink supply portion １ Ratio D to (mm) １ / T １ is 5 / 8 or more and 40 / 8 or less, the first gusset surface and the second gusset portion each have a folded portion that is folded toward the inside of the ink containing portion, An ink container, characterized in that the shortest distance from both ends of the ridge portion to the apexes of the folded portions of the first gusset surface and the second gusset portion adjacent to each end is 25 mm or less.

2. 2. The ink container according to claim 1, wherein the height of the ridge portion is 0.5 mm or more and 4.0 mm or less.

3. 2. The ink container according to claim 1, wherein the ridge portion has a length of 80 mm or more.

4. 2. The ink container according to claim 1, wherein the ridge portion has a width of 2 mm or more and 8 mm or less.

5. 2. The ink container according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the ridge portion is a semi-ellipse.

6. The ink container according to claim 1 , wherein the ridge portion is provided parallel to the first side.

7. A distance T from the first side of the ink storage portion to the first end of the ink supply portion ２ (mm) and the distance T from the first side to the second side ３ Ratio to T ２ / T ３ 2. The ink container according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the surface area to the surface area is 1 / 10 or more and 3 / 10 or less.

8. 2. A recording apparatus comprising: an apparatus main body; and an ink containing container configured to be detachably attached to said apparatus main body, said ink containing container being the ink containing container according to claim 1.

Images