Liquid discharge device

Abstract

To improve operability of a cap for closing an injection port of a liquid storage container.SOLUTION: A liquid discharge device includes: a liquid discharge head for discharging liquid to a medium to be recorded; a liquid storage container which has an injection port capable of injecting a liquid, and stores a liquid supplied to the liquid discharge head; a cap which is held by a first operation part rotatable around a first rotation shaft, and is movable between a close position where the injection port is closed and an open position where the injection port is opened; and a second operation part for moving the first operation part from the close position to the open position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid ejection device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known an inkjet printer (image recording device) equipped with an ink tank capable of storing ink consumed by a recording head that ejects ink. In such an image recording device, when it is possible to replenish the ink by injecting ink into a storage container that stores the ink, an inlet is provided in the storage container, and the inlet is closed by a cap. Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration of a cap lever that can be opened and closed between a closed position that seals the inlet of the liquid storage container and an open position that opens the inlet. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-94789 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, the user must apply force from the front side of the device using his or her fingers to open the cap lever, which poses a problem that the user's operation range becomes large because the user must apply force until the cap lever is fully opened.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to improve the operability of a cap that closes an injection port of a liquid storage container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The recording device of the present invention is characterized by comprising a liquid ejection head for ejecting liquid onto a recording medium, a liquid storage container having an injection port through which liquid can be injected and for storing liquid to be supplied to the liquid ejection head, a cap held by a first operating part that can rotate around a first rotation axis and that can move between a closed position that closes the injection port and an open position that opens the injection port, and a second operating part that moves the first operating part from the closed position to the open position. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, the operability of the cap that closes the injection port of the liquid storage container can be improved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an inkjet recording apparatus according to the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the periphery of the ink tank according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the periphery of the cap lever in the closed position in the first embodiment, taken along the YZ plane. FIG. [Figure 4] 5 is a transition diagram of the cap lever moving from a closed position to an open position in the first embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a transition diagram of the cap lever from an open position to a closed position in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the ink tank and the holder member in the XZ plane in the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 7] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the configuration of a cap lever and a cover in the first embodiment. [Figure 8] 13 is a schematic diagram of a cap lever and an operating lever in a second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 9] 13 is a schematic diagram of a cap lever and an operating lever in a third embodiment. FIG. [Figure 10] 13 is a schematic diagram of a cap lever and an operating lever in a fourth embodiment. FIG. [Figure 11]13 is a schematic diagram of a cap lever and an operating lever in a fifth embodiment. FIG. [Figure 12] 13 is a schematic diagram of a cap lever and an operating lever in the sixth embodiment. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is an external view of a cap that closes an ink inlet in the first embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

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

[0010] In this disclosure, "recording" refers to forming meaningful information such as characters and figures. In addition, "recording" also broadly refers to forming an image, design, pattern, etc. on a recording medium, regardless of whether it is meaningful or insignificant, and regardless of whether it is visible to humans or not, or processing the medium. "Recording" can also be called "printing" or "printing".

[0011] In addition, the term "recording medium (sheet)" refers not only to the recording paper used in general image forming devices, but also broadly to any transportable medium, such as cloth, plastic film (OHP), metal plate, glass, ceramics, wood, leather, etc.

[0012] Additionally, "ink" should be interpreted broadly in the same way as the definition of "recording (printing)" above, and refers to a liquid that can be applied to a recording medium to form an image, design, pattern, etc., or to process the recording medium, or to treat the ink. Note that "ink" is sometimes referred to as "liquid." "Ink treatment" refers, for example, to the solidification or insolubilization of the coloring material in the ink applied to the recording medium.

[0013] In the following description, the main scanning direction axis of the carriage is defined as the X-axis, the conveying direction axis of the recording medium is defined as the Y-axis, and the normal direction axis of the recording apparatus installation surface is defined as the Z-axis.

[0014] First, an outline of the inkjet recording device according to the present embodiment will be described. First, an outline of the inkjet recording device according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the inkjet recording device as a liquid ejection device according to the present invention. The inkjet recording device 100 (hereinafter, the recording device 100) has a paper stacking unit 101 for stacking recording media on the front surface in the +Y direction. When recording on a recording medium, the recording media are fed one by one from the paper stacking unit 101 by a paper feed roller (not shown). The fed recording media are sandwiched between a conveying roller 1 and a pinch roller 2 driven by the conveying roller 1, and are conveyed in the Y direction while being guided and supported on a platen 3 by the rotation of the conveying roller 1. The conveying roller 1 is a metal roller processed to generate a large frictional force by forming fine irregularities on its surface, and the pinch roller 2 is elastically biased against the conveying roller 1 by a pressing means such as a spring (not shown).

[0015] The platen 3 supports the back surface of the recording medium so as to maintain a predetermined distance between the ink ejection surface, which is the bottom surface of the recording head (liquid ejection head) 4, and the surface of the recording medium facing it. An image is formed on the recording medium transported onto the platen 3 by the recording head 4, and the recording medium is then sandwiched between a discharge roller (not shown) and a spur, which is a rotating body driven by the discharge roller, and transported. The discharge roller is a rubber roller with a large friction coefficient. The spur is elastically biased against the discharge roller by a pressing means such as a spring (not shown). The recording medium sandwiched between the discharge roller and the spur is discharged outside the machine by the rotation of the discharge roller.

[0016] The recording head 4 has a plurality of nozzles formed on its ink ejection surface for ejecting ink, and forms an image by ejecting ink from the nozzles onto a recording medium. The recording head 4 is provided with a means (e.g., a heat generating resistor element) for generating thermal energy as the energy used for ink ejection, and achieves high density and high definition recording by using a method in which the thermal energy causes a change in the state of the ink (film boiling). Note that the method is not limited to this type of thermal energy method, and vibration energy may also be used.

[0017] The recording head 4 is detachably mounted on a carriage 7 with its ink ejection surface facing the platen 3. The carriage 7 can reciprocate along guide rails 5 and 6 arranged above and below by a driving means such as a motor (not shown), and the recording head 4 ejects ink while moving in conjunction with the reciprocating movement of the carriage 7. The movement direction of the carriage 7 is a direction that intersects with the recording medium transport direction (Y direction) and is called the main scanning direction. In contrast, the recording medium transport direction (Y direction) is called the sub-scanning direction. In this embodiment, the main scanning direction is the X direction.

[0018] A plurality of independent ink tanks (liquid storage containers) 8 corresponding to the colors of ink ejected from the recording head 4 are fixed to the front surface of the recording device 100. The plurality of ink tanks 8 are held together by a holder member 16 and installed inside the recording device 100. The ink tanks 8 and the recording head 4 are connected by a plurality of supply tubes 9 corresponding to the respective ink colors through joints (not shown). The supply tubes 9 enable the colors of ink stored in each ink tank 8 to be independently supplied to the nozzles of the recording head 4 corresponding to each ink color.

[0019] A recovery unit 10 is disposed facing the ink ejection surface of the recording head 4 in a non-recording area that is within the movement range of the recording head 4 in the X direction and outside the area through which the recording medium passes. The recovery unit 10 has a cap portion for covering the ink ejection surface of the recording head 4, a suction mechanism for sucking ink from the nozzles of the recording head 4 while covering the ink ejection surface, a cleaning blade for wiping dirt from the ink ejection surface, and the like. The ejection performance of the recording head 4 is maintained by periodically performing maintenance on the recording head 4 using the recovery unit 10. An ink tube valve 11 is provided on the path of the supply tube 9 between the carriage 7 and the ink tank 8, and the supply tube 9 can be closed and opened.

[0020] 2 shows a perspective view of the periphery of the ink tanks in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the recording device 100 has four ink tanks 8B, 8C, 8M, and 8Y, each of which contains a different color of ink. Specifically, the ink tank 8B contains black ink, the ink tank 8C contains cyan ink, the ink tank 8M contains magenta ink, and the ink tank 8Y contains yellow ink. The ink tanks 8B, 8C, 8M, and 8Y are disposed on the right side of the main scanning direction of the carriage 7 when viewed from the front side of the device. The number of ink tanks 8, the ink colors, and the configuration of the ink tanks 8 are not limited to the above example.

[0021] Each of the ink tanks 8B, 8C, 8M, and 8Y is provided with a supply needle 13, and each supply needle 13 has an ink inlet 12 that opens upward in the Z direction. A user inserts an ink supply container (not shown) into the supply needle 13 to inject ink into the ink tank 8 through the ink inlet 12, thereby refilling the ink. The ink inlet 12 is closed by a cap 14 that seals the outer diameter of the supply needle 13, and the ink inlet 12 is closed except when the ink tank 8 is refilled with ink. The cap 14 is flexible and fits tightly against the outer diameter of the supply needle 13 to seal the ink inlet 12. This prevents the ink contained in the ink tank 8 from leaking out of the ink tank 8 through the ink inlet 12.

[0022] FIG. 13 shows an external view of the cap that closes the ink inlet 12 in this embodiment. The ink inlet 12 is closed by the cap 14 made of a flexible material except when the ink tank 8 is refilled with ink. The cap 14 is held by the cap lever 15 as shown in FIG. 13(a) and moves with the movement of the cap lever 15. The cap lever can rotate about the shaft 32 by engaging the shaft engagement portion 130 with the shaft (rotation shaft) 32 (see FIG. 3) attached to the holder member 16. Hereinafter, the position of the cap lever 15 when the cap 14 closes the ink inlet 12 is referred to as the closed position, and the position in which the cap lever 15 stands upright as shown in FIG. 13(a) is referred to as the open position. The cap lever 15 has a rib 22 that can come into contact with a rib 23 of the operation lever 18 described later, and a spring hook portion 30 for hooking the spring 17 (see FIG. 3). The spring 17 in this embodiment is a tension spring.

[0023] In this embodiment, the cap lever 15 is moved from the closed position to the open position by the user operating the operation lever 18 provided closer to the front side of the device than the cap lever 15, i.e., on the +Y direction side. As shown in FIG. 13(b), the operation lever 18 has an axis engagement portion 131 that engages with an axis (rotation axis) 33 journaled by the holder member 16, and is rotatable about the axis 33 by engaging with the axis 33. The operation lever 18 has an operation surface 26 on which the user places his / her finger to rotate the operation lever 18, and a rib 23. The operation lever 18 also has an abutment portion 19 that abuts against the cap lever 15 when the user operates the operation lever 18, and a spring hook portion 34 for hooking a spring 24 (see FIG. 3).

[0024] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the periphery of the cap lever 15 in the closed position, cut along the YZ plane. The cap lever 15 is constantly biased in the direction B1 (clockwise) in the figure, i.e., in the direction from the closed position to the open position, by the spring 17, the both ends of which are connected to the spring hook portion 30 and the spring hook portion 31 of the holder member 16. When the cap lever 15 is in the closed position, the supply needle 13 is sealed by the cap 14, and the cap lever 15 remains in the closed position due to the holding force caused by friction generated by this. When the cap lever 15 moves to the open position and the holding force between the cap 14 and the supply needle 13 becomes smaller than the biasing force of the spring 17, the cap lever 15 moves to the open position due to the biasing force of the spring 17. That is, in a certain range where the cap lever 15 moves from the closed position to the open position, the holding force between the cap 14 and the supply needle 13 is larger than the biasing force of the spring 17, so that the cap 14 and the supply needle 13 maintain their contact state. On the other hand, when the position of the cap lever 15 moves toward the open position beyond a certain range, the biasing force of the spring 17 becomes greater than the holding force between the cap 14 and the supply needle 13, and the cap lever 15 moves to the open position.

[0025] In the state shown in FIG. 3 (initial state), the operating lever 18 is biased in the C1 direction (-Z direction) by a spring 24 whose both ends are connected to a spring hook portion 34 of the operating lever 18 and a spring hook portion 35 provided on the holder member 16. When a user places his / her finger on the operating surface 26 and applies force in the A1 direction (counterclockwise), the operating lever 18 rotates in the A1 direction about the shaft 33. The spring 24 is a tension spring. At this time, due to the bias of the spring 24, the operating lever 18 has a rotational moment that rotates in the A2 direction (clockwise), and when the user stops applying force to the operating surface 26, the operating lever 18 rotates in the A2 direction and returns to the initial position.

[0026] FIG. 4 shows a transition diagram when the cap lever 15 moves from the closed position to the open position. FIG. 4(a) shows the state in which the cap lever 15 is in the closed position. In this embodiment, the user operates the operation lever 18 to rotate the cap lever 15 from the closed position in FIG. 4(a) to the open position in FIG. 4(e). In the closed position in FIG. 4(a), the rib 22 provided on the cap lever 15 and the rib 23 provided on the operation lever 18 are in contact with each other, and the position of the cap lever 15 is fixed. At this time, the inner diameter of the cap 14 is in close contact with the outer diameter of the supply needle 13, thereby closing the ink inlet 12. When the operation lever 18 rotates in the A1 direction, the abutment portion 19 of the operation lever 18 abuts against the sliding surface 20 of the cap lever 15 as shown in FIG. 4(b), and the cap lever 15 starts to rotate to the open position with the rotation of the operation lever 18. Here, the sliding surface 20 of the cap lever 15 is the surface of the cap lever 15 that faces the abutment portion 19 of the operating lever 18. Since the rib 23 moves in the A1 direction together with the rotation of the operating lever 18, the restriction of the position of the cap lever 15 by the abutment of the rib 23 and the rib 22 is released by the rotation of the operating lever 18.

[0027] As described above, in the closed position, the inner diameter of the cap 14 is in close contact with the outer diameter of the supply needle 13, and even when moving to the open position, a part of the inner diameter of the cap 14 is in contact with the outer diameter of the supply needle 13, and a holding force due to friction is generated. This holding force is a force that restricts the movement of the cap lever 15 in the B1 direction and keeps it in the closed position. As the operating lever 18 is further rotated in the A1 direction from FIG. 4(b) to the state shown in FIG. 4(c), the area where the inner diameter of the cap 14 contacts the outer diameter of the supply needle 13 decreases, and the holding force due to friction decreases. When the holding force falls below the biasing force of the spring 17, the cap lever moves in the B1 direction due to the biasing force of the spring 17, and the cap 14 moves away from the supply needle 13 as shown in FIG. 4(d). The cap lever 15 moves in the B1 direction due to the biasing force of the spring 17, and the abutment surface 400 of the cap lever 15 abuts against the abutment surface 401 of the holder member 16, and the cap lever 15 is in the open position. Here, in order to move the cap lever 15 to the open position by the bias of the spring 17, it is desirable that the spring hook portion 31 is positioned below the abutment surface 401. By positioning the spring hook portion below the abutment surface 401, it is possible to generate a rotational moment sufficient to move the cap lever 15 to the open position.

[0028] In this embodiment, rotation of the operating lever 18 causes the abutment portion 19 to come into contact with and slide against the sliding surface 20 of the cap lever 15, pushing up the cap lever 15. The abutment portion 19 is configured to push up the cap lever 15 to a position where the holding force caused by friction between the cap 14 and the supply needle 13 falls below the biasing force of the spring 17, and the user can move the cap lever 15 from the closed position to the open position by operating the operating lever 18.

[0029] As described above, the user can move the cap lever 15 from the closed position to the open position by rotating the operating lever 18. Since the cap lever 15 is biased by the spring 17, the range in which the operating lever 18 needs to be rotated is from the closed position to a position where the holding force due to friction between the cap 14 and the refill needle 13 falls below the biasing force of the spring 17, so the range of operations requiring user operation can be made small.

[0030] The operation surface 26 of the operation lever 18 is configured to be angled in the +Y direction with respect to the vertical direction (Z direction). That is, the operation surface 26 is configured to be inclined toward the front surface of the recording device 100. In other words, the operation surface 26 is a surface that is angled in the A1 direction with respect to the XZ plane. It is desirable for the angle to be greater than 0° and equal to or less than 90°. With this configuration, the user can visually recognize the operation surface 26 from the +Z direction, making it easier to recognize the operation lever 18. Even if the user applies force to the operation surface 26 in the -Z direction, a component force is generated in the A1 direction, so the operation lever 18 can be rotated.

[0031] The operation lever 18 is colored in a different color for each ink color contained in the ink tank 8. For example, the operation lever 18 is colored in a color corresponding to the ink color contained in the ink tank 8, and the operation lever 18 for opening and closing the ink inlet 12 of the ink tank 8B is colored black. This allows the user to predict the color contained in the ink tank 8 from the color of the operation lever 18, and can prevent the user from opening the cap 14 of the ink tank 8 containing a different color when injecting ink into the ink tank 8. In addition, the cap lever 15 is not color-coded for each ink tank 8, and only the operation lever 18 is color-coded, making it easier to recognize that the member operated by the user to open the cap lever 15 is the operation lever 18. Note that the color of the operation lever 18 is not limited to being changed, and the operation lever 18 may be marked according to the ink color, or a combination of these may be used.

[0032] The rib 23 provided on the operating lever 18 is provided near the operating surface 26, on the end side of the operating lever 18 in the X direction, and has a shape that protrudes in the -Y direction, i.e., toward the cap lever 15. When a user places a finger on the operating surface 26 to rotate the operating lever 18, the rib 23 can prevent the finger from slipping in the X direction and falling off, making it possible to stably operate the operating lever 18. In addition, since the rib 23 prevents the finger from slipping in the X direction, it can prevent the user from touching an adjacent operating lever 18 when operating a certain operating lever 18, thereby unintentionally opening the cap lever 15. The rib 23 may be provided on both ends of the operating lever 18 in the X direction.

[0033] The transition of the cap lever 15 from the open position to the closed position will be described with reference to FIG. 5. In the open position of FIG. 5(a), the user presses the cap lever 15 in the B2 direction opposite to the B1 direction, and rotates it as shown in FIG. 5(b). When the cap lever 15 is rotated to the position of FIG. 5(c), the rib 22 of the cap lever 15 and the rib 23 of the operation lever come into contact with each other. As described above, the operation lever 18 is biased by the spring 24 so as to remain in the initial state. When the cap lever 15 is further pressed in the B2 direction with the rib 22 and the rib 23 in contact with each other, the rib 23 and the operation lever 18, which receive the pressing force via the rib 22, rotate in the A direction (FIG. 5(d)), and the rib 22 enters under the rib 23. The operation lever 18 and the rib 23 rotated in the A direction in FIG. 5(d) return to their initial states due to the bias of the spring 24, so that the rib 22 receives a force from the rib 23 in the -Z direction. The cap lever 15 moves to the closed position as shown in Fig. 5(e) due to the pressing force from the rib 23 in the -Z direction and the pressing force from the user. When the cap lever 15 moves from the state shown in Fig. 5(d) to the state shown in Fig. 5(e), the user feels a clicking sensation and recognizes that the ink inlet 12 has been closed by the cap 14.

[0034] The cap lever 15 has an operation surface 21 on the opposite side of the shaft 32, i.e., the end in the +Y direction, which is configured to have an inclined surface that is gently curved. The operation surface 21 is a curved surface that inclines in the -Z direction (vertically downward) toward the end in the +Y direction when the cap lever 15 is in the closed position. When the user rotates the cap lever 15 from the open position to the closed position, this inclination causes the user's finger to move from the end of the cap lever 15 in the -Y direction along the curved surface of the operation surface 21. As a result, during the process of operating the cap to the closed position, the user's finger naturally moves the operation position from the end of the cap lever 15 to just above the cap 14, making it possible to efficiently transmit force when attaching the cap 14 to the refill needle 13. This allows the cap 14 to be attached to the refill needle 13 against the frictional force between the cap 14 and the refill needle 13.

[0035] 6 is a cross-sectional view of the ink tank 8 and the holder member 16 in the XZ plane. The supply needle 13 is surrounded by a standing wall 25 formed by the holder member 16 and having a height in the +Z direction (vertically upward). The tip position of the supply needle 13 is located at a position lower than the standing wall 25 in the Z direction. As a result, even if ink droplets are scattered near the supply needle 13 when the cap lever 15 is opened or closed or when ink is injected into the ink tank 8, the ink droplets are blocked by the standing wall 25 and can be prevented from adhering to the supply needle 13, cap lever 15, or operation lever 18 of the adjacent ink tank 8.

[0036] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of the cap lever 15 and the cover 27. The recording device 100 of this embodiment includes a cover 27 that covers the cap lever 15 and the operation lever 18 in a closed state, and a rib 28 is provided on the inside (the side on the cap lever side) of the cover 27. FIG. 6(a) shows the cover 27 and the cap lever 15 in an open state. When the user moves the cap lever 15 to the open position, the user opens the cover 27 and operates the operation lever 18. When the user closes the cover 27 with the cap lever 15 in the open position, the rib 28 comes into contact with the cap lever 15 to rotate the cap lever 15 to the closed position. Therefore, when the user applies a force to close the cover 27, the force is transmitted to the cap lever 15 via the rib 28, and the cap lever 15 can be pushed into the closed position.

[0037] As described above, when opening the ink inlet, the user can rotate the cap lever to the open position by operating the operating lever. In addition, when rotating the cap lever from the open position to the closed position, the user can feel a click, which allows the user to recognize that the ink inlet is closed. These configurations improve the operability of the cap.

[0038] Second embodiment The second embodiment will be described below, but the description of the same configuration as the first embodiment will be omitted. Figure 8 shows a schematic diagram of the cap lever 15 and the operating lever 18 in the second embodiment. In the first embodiment, the contact portion 19 of the operating lever 18 is U-shaped and folded back with respect to the operating lever 18, but as shown in Figure 8(a), the lower end of the operating lever 18 may simply be the contact portion 19. As shown in Figure 8(b), by rotating the operating lever 18 to a position where the contact portion 19 contacts the sliding surface 20 of the cap lever 15, the contact portion 19 lifts the sliding surface 20, and the cap lever 15 can be rotated. With this configuration, the user can rotate the cap lever 15 to the open position by operating the operating lever 18, improving the operability of the cap.

[0039] Third embodiment The third embodiment will be described below, but the description of the same configuration as the first embodiment will be omitted. FIG. 9 shows a schematic diagram of the cap lever 15 and the operation lever 18 in the third embodiment. In this embodiment, the contact portion 19 of the operation lever 18 is configured to incline in the -Z direction as it moves in the -Y direction. When the user translates the operation lever 18 in the -Y direction from the closed position in FIG. 9(a), the sliding surface 20 of the cap lever 15 is raised in the +Z direction along the inclination of the contact portion 19 as shown in FIG. 9(b). Then, as in the first embodiment, the cap lever 15 moves to the open position due to the bias of the spring 17. When the cap lever 15 is moved from the open position to the closed position, the sliding surface 20 of the cap lever 15 comes into contact with the contact portion 19 of the operation lever 18, and the operation lever 18 moves in the +Y direction. With this configuration, the user can rotate the cap lever 15 to the open position by operating the operation lever 18, improving the operability of the cap.

[0040] (Fourth embodiment) The fourth embodiment will be described below, but the description of the same configuration as the first embodiment will be omitted. FIG. 10 shows a schematic diagram of the cap lever 15 and the operation lever 18 in the fourth embodiment. In this embodiment, the abutment portion 19 has a configuration in which it inclines in the +Z direction as it moves in the -Y direction. The abutment portion 19 and the sliding surface 20 on the inside of the cap lever 15 come into contact with each other, and when the user translates the operation lever 18 in the +Y direction from FIG. 10(a), the sliding surface 20 rises in the +Z direction along the inclination of the abutment portion 19 as shown in FIG. 10(b). Then, as in the first embodiment, the cap lever 15 moves to the open position due to the bias of the spring 17. Since the abutment portion 19 is formed of a curved surface that is convex toward the sliding surface 20, the abutment portion 19 slides smoothly without getting caught on the sliding surface 20 during the opening and closing operation of the cap lever 15.

[0041] With this configuration, the user can rotate the cap lever 15 to the open position by operating the operating lever 18, improving the operability of the cap.

[0042] Fifth embodiment The fifth embodiment will be described below, but the description of the same configuration as the first embodiment will be omitted. Fig. 11 shows a schematic diagram of the cap lever 15 and the operating lever 18 in the fifth embodiment. A user can move the operating lever 18 in parallel in the -Z direction to transition from the cap closed position to the open position. The operation of the operating lever 18 causes the link member 29 to rotate, and the cap lever 15 can be rotated. With this configuration, the user can rotate the cap lever 15 to the open position via the link member 29 by operating the operating lever 18, improving the operability of the cap.

[0043] Sixth embodiment The sixth embodiment will be described below, but the description of the same configuration as the first embodiment will be omitted. Fig. 12 shows a schematic diagram of a cap lever 218 in the sixth embodiment. In this embodiment, the cap 14 that closes the ink inlet 12 of the ink tank 8 is held by the cap lever 218, and the user moves the cap lever 218 to the open position by lifting the cap lever 218. A finger hook 201 is provided at the end of the cap lever 218 in the +Y direction, and the user hooks his finger on the finger hook 201 from the -Z direction and applies force in the C1 direction to rotate the cap lever 218 to the open position.

[0044] A rib 223 is provided on the end of the finger hook 201 in the X direction, which extends in the -Z direction when the cap lever 218 is in the closed position. The rib 223 can prevent the user's finger from slipping off in the +X direction even when the user hooks his / her finger on the finger hook 201 and applies force in the C1 direction. Even when multiple cap levers 218 are adjacent to each other as shown in Fig. 12(b) and the cap lever 218 is operated, the rib 223 can prevent the adjacent cap lever 218 from being operated by mistake. The above configuration improves the operability of the cap.

[0045] The present invention can also have the following configurations (1) to (15).

[0046] (1) A liquid ejection head that ejects liquid onto a recording medium; a liquid container having an inlet through which liquid can be injected and configured to contain liquid to be supplied to the recording head; a cap that is held by a first operating part that is rotatable around a first rotation axis and that is movable between a closed position that closes the injection port and an open position that opens the injection port; a second operating part that moves the first operating part from the closed position to the open position.

[0047] (2) 2. The liquid ejection device according to configuration 1, wherein the first operation portion is biased in a direction from the closed position toward the open position by a first biasing means.

[0048] (3) 2. The liquid ejection device according to configuration 1, wherein the second operation portion is rotatable about a second rotation axis different from the first rotation axis.

[0049] (4) 4. The liquid ejection device according to configuration 3, wherein the first rotation shaft and the second rotation shaft extend in the same direction.

[0050] (5) The liquid ejection device described in configuration 3 or 4, characterized in that when the first operating part is in the closed position, a first rib provided on the first operating part abuts against a second rib provided on the second operating part, thereby maintaining the first operating part in the closed position.

[0051] (6) The liquid ejection device according to configuration 5, wherein the second operation portion has an inclined portion that is inclined toward the front surface of the liquid ejection device.

[0052] (7) The liquid ejection device described in configuration 5, characterized in that the second operating part is rotatable between a first position in which the position of the first operating part is maintained in the closed position by the second rib, and a second position in which the maintenance of the position of the first operating part is released.

[0053] (8) The liquid ejection device described in configuration 7, characterized in that the second rib is provided on the inclined portion and is provided at an end of the inclined portion in a direction that intersects with the direction in which the inclined portion of the second operating portion is inclined.

[0054] (9) 9. The liquid ejection device according to configuration 7 or 8, further comprising a second biasing means for biasing the second operation portion so as to maintain it in the first position.

[0055] (10) 10. The liquid ejection device according to configuration 9, wherein the second operation portion is rotated from the second position to the first position by being biased by the second biasing means.

[0056] (11) The liquid ejection device described in configuration 1, characterized in that the second operating unit has an abutment portion that abuts against the first operating unit and moves the first operating unit in a direction from the closed position toward the open position when the first operating unit is in a closed position and the second operating unit rotates around the second rotation axis.

[0057] (12) 2. The liquid ejection device according to configuration 1, wherein the second operation section is located closer to the front side of the recording device than the first operation section.

[0058] (13) 2. The liquid ejection device according to configuration 1, wherein the first operation portion has an inclined surface that is inclined vertically downward toward the front surface of the recording device when the first operation portion is in the closed position.

[0059] (14) The liquid ejection device according to configuration 1, wherein the recording device includes a plurality of the liquid storage containers, and the first operation unit and the second operation unit correspond to each of the plurality of liquid storage containers.

[0060] (15) The liquid ejection device according to configuration 1, wherein the recording device includes a standing wall that is provided around the injection port and has a height vertically above the injection port. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 8 Ink Tank 13 Supply needle 14 Cap 15 Cap lever 16 Holder member 18 Operating lever 23 Ribs 27 Cover

Claims

1. A liquid ejection head that ejects liquid onto a recording medium; a liquid container having an inlet through which liquid can be injected and configured to contain liquid to be supplied to the liquid ejection head; a cap that is held by a first operating part that is rotatable about a first rotation axis and that is movable between a closed position that closes the injection port and an open position that opens the injection port; a second operating portion that moves the first operating portion from the closed position to the open position.

2. 2. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the first operation portion is biased in a direction from the closed position toward the open position by a first biasing means.

3. 2. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the second operation portion is rotatable about a second rotation axis different from the first rotation axis.

4. 4. The liquid ejection device according to claim 3, wherein the first rotation shaft and the second rotation shaft extend in the same direction.

5. A liquid ejection device as described in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that when the first operating part is in the closed position, a first rib provided on the first operating part abuts against a second rib provided on the second operating part, thereby maintaining the first operating part in the closed position.

6. 6. The liquid ejection device according to claim 5, wherein the second operation portion has an inclined portion that is inclined toward the front surface of the liquid ejection device.

7. The liquid ejection device according to claim 5, characterized in that the second operating part is rotatable between a first position in which the second rib maintains the position of the first operating part in the closed position, and a second position in which the second rib releases the maintenance of the position of the first operating part.

8. The liquid ejection device according to claim 7, characterized in that the second rib is provided on the inclined portion and is provided at an end of the inclined portion in a direction intersecting with a direction in which the inclined portion of the second operating portion is inclined.

9. 9. The liquid ejection device according to claim 7, further comprising a second biasing means for biasing the second operation portion so as to maintain the second operation portion in the first position.

10. 10. The liquid ejection device according to claim 9, wherein the second operation portion is rotated from the second position to the first position by the biasing force of the second biasing means.

11. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the second operating unit has an abutment portion that abuts against the first operating unit and moves the first operating unit in a direction from the closed position toward the open position when the first operating unit is in a closed position and the second operating unit rotates around the second rotation axis.

12. 2. The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second operation section is located closer to the front side of the recording apparatus than the first operation section.

13. 2. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the first operation portion has an inclined surface that is inclined vertically downward toward the front surface of the recording apparatus when the first operation portion is in the closed position.

14. The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the recording apparatus comprises a plurality of the liquid storage containers, and the first operation unit and the second operation unit each corresponding to the plurality of liquid storage containers.

15. 2. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the recording device further comprises a standing wall that is provided around the injection port and has a height vertically above the injection port.

Images