Ink supply container

Abstract

To provide an ink supply container in which, when a container body is slowly returned to an upright state from an inverted state, a constant amount of ink in a storage part does not return to the container body from a storage part side and the certain amount of ink can be surely stored in the storage part.SOLUTION: A storage part 4 includes an ink circulation hole 9 and an ink flow-out control part 8. The ink circulation hole is a hole penetrating in the radial direction on a storage part side wall for allowing supply ink 6 stored in the inside of a container body to flow inside the storage part, and the ink flow-out control part is a protrusion which protrudes inwardly from the storage part side wall inside surface and which controls the flow-out of the supply ink that has flowed inside the storage part to the container body, when returning the container body 2 to an upright state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an ink refill container. More specifically, it relates to an ink refill container for storing refill ink for an ink refill type writing instrument.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an ink reservoir and an ink bottle in which an ink reservoir (corresponding to the storage portion in the present invention) is mounted in an ink bottle (corresponding to the container body in the present invention), and the reduced ink in the ink bottle can be efficiently absorbed into a fountain pen. Specifically, when the ink bottle is rotated up and down to invert it and then returned to its original state, ink enters the ink reservoir side during the process, and the ink reservoir is filled with ink.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the ink bottle is slowly returned to its original state, all the ink in the ink reservoir may return to the ink bottle side, and there is a possibility that no ink remains in the ink reservoir.

[0005] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and when the container body is slowly returned from an inverted state to an upright state, a certain amount of ink in the storage portion does not return from the storage portion side to the container body, and an ink refill container that can surely store a certain amount of ink in the storage portion is provided.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The first invention of the present application comprises a container body for storing refill ink and a cap for closing the opening of the container body. Inside the container body, there is a bottomed storage portion that is arranged at the upper part of the container body and has an open top for temporarily storing the refill ink. The container body is inverted from the upright state, and the refill ink is allowed to flow into the storage portion. Then, the container body is inverted again from the inverted state to the upright state, and a certain amount of the refill ink is stored in the storage portion. The tip of an ink refillable writing instrument is immersed in the refill ink in the storage portion, and the ink stored in the storage portion is used to refill the writing instrument. In the ink refill container, the storage portion has an ink circulation hole and an ink outflow control portion. The ink circulation hole is a hole that penetrates radially through the side wall of the storage portion to allow the refill ink stored inside the container body to flow into the storage portion. The ink outflow control portion is a protrusion that protrudes inward from the inner surface of the side wall of the storage portion to control the outflow of the refill ink that has flowed into the storage portion back into the container body when the container body is returned to the upright state.

[0007] In the process of slowly returning the container body of the ink refill container of the first invention from the inverted state to the upright state, a certain amount of ink in the storage portion has its flow path to the ink circulation hole blocked by the ink outflow control portion and is stored near the ink outflow control portion. Then, in the upright state of the container body, the ink stored near the ink outflow control portion flows downward, enabling a certain amount of ink to be reliably stored in the storage portion.

[0008] The second invention of the present application is the ink refill container of the first invention, wherein the ink outflow control portion has a top surface facing upward, and the top surface is required to be located above the ink circulation hole.

[0009] In the ink refill container of the second invention, since the ink outflow control portion has a top surface and the top surface is located above the ink circulation hole, it is possible to effectively prevent the ink from flowing into the ink circulation hole from above. As a result, a certain amount of ink can be reliably stored in the storage portion.

[0010] The third invention of the present invention is an ink replenishing container of the second invention, wherein the ink outflow control portion has opposing side surfaces that are continuously provided downward from the top surface, and the ink flow hole is located between the opposing side surfaces.

[0011] In the ink replenishing container of the third invention, since the ink outflow control portion has opposing side surfaces, it is possible to prevent ink from flowing in from above and in the circumferential direction of the ink flow hole. With the above-described ink outflow control portion, the flow path of a certain amount of ink in the storage portion to the ink flow hole can be blocked more effectively, and the ink can be stored near the ink outflow control portion.

[0012] The fourth invention of the present invention is an ink replenishing container of the second invention, wherein the top surface of the ink outflow control portion is required to be located directly above the ink flow hole.

[0013] In the ink replenishing container of the fourth invention, since the top surface of the ink outflow control portion is directly above the ink flow hole, it is possible to reliably prevent the ink in the storage portion from flowing in from above the ink flow hole. As a result, a certain amount of ink can be reliably stored in the storage portion.

[0014] The fifth invention of the present invention is an ink replenishing container of the first and second inventions, wherein the ink flow hole is required to be provided between the circumferences of two or more of the ink outflow control portions.

[0015] In the ink replenishing container of the fifth invention, it is possible to prevent the ink in the storage portion from flowing in from the circumferential direction of the ink flow hole. With the above-described ink outflow control portion, the flow path of a certain amount of ink in the storage portion to the ink flow hole can be blocked effectively, and the ink can be stored near the ink outflow control portion.

Advantages of the Invention

[0016] Even when the container body of the ink replenishing container of the present invention is slowly returned from an inverted state to an upright state, a certain amount of ink can be reliably stored in the storage portion.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] <First Embodiment> The first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 to 12. The ink replenishing container 1 of the present embodiment includes a container body 2, a cap 3, a storage part 4, a support part 5, and replenishing ink 6. The replenishing ink 6 may simply be called ink.

[0019] The definition of the directions used in the present embodiment will be described. For the ink replenishing container 1, the direction in which the central axis of the container body 2 extends is defined as the axial direction. In the present embodiment, the central axes of the storage part 4, the support part 5, and the cap 3 are coaxial with the central axis of the container body 2. In the present invention, "up" refers to the opening 23 side of the container body 2. On the other hand, "down" refers to the bottom surface 21 side of the container body 2. For up and down, even when the container body 2 is rotated up and down, "up" refers to the opening 23 side of the container body 2, and "down" refers to the bottom surface 21 side of the container body 2, and it remains unchanged. In the present invention, the "upright state" refers to the state in which the bottom surface 21 of the container body 2 is placed perpendicular to a horizontal surface such as a desk (see Fig. 1). The "inverted state" refers to the state in which the head 31 of the cap 3 is placed perpendicular to a horizontal surface such as a desk (see Fig. 2). That is, the inverted state is the state obtained by turning the upright state upside down. In other words, the inverted state is the state obtained by rotating the upright state by 180°. In addition, the state of the container body 2 during the rotation from the upright state to the inverted state is defined as the inclined state (intermediate state). Among the inclined states, the state in which the central axis of the ink replenishing container 1 is parallel to a desk or the like is defined as the "sideways state" (see Fig. 3). That is, the sideways state is the state obtained by rotating 90 degrees from the upright state.

[0020] ·Container body 2 The container body 2 for storing the replenishing ink 6 has a bottom surface 21 and a side surface 22 above the bottom surface 21 in the axial direction. The inside of the container body 2 has a cavity 23 that opens upward in the axial direction, and the replenishing ink 6 is stored in the cavity 23. An opening 23 is provided above the cavity 23, and the ink replenishing writing instrument 7 is inserted and removed through the opening 23.

[0021] The shape of the container body 2 may be a bottomed cylindrical shape or a pot shape. Also, as the material of the container body 2, resin, particularly polypropylene, etc. may be selected for ease of production, glass may be selected for good appearance, or metal, particularly aluminum, may be selected for good performance. In order to improve the water repellency, oil repellency, and solvent resistance inside the container body 2, a coating or the like may be applied inside the container body 2.

[0022] In this embodiment, the shape of the container body 2 has a circular bottom surface 21 and a cylindrical side surface 22, that is, it is a substantially bottomed cylindrical shape. The lower part of the container body 2 is provided with a frustum cone shape between the bottom surface 21 and the side surface 22, where the outer and inner shapes expand in diameter as they go upward from the container body 2. By having a frustum cone shape at the lower part of the container body 2, the amount of ink remaining on the bottom surface 21 can be reduced, and the ink can be used up to the last drop. Also, in order to stably place the container body 2 on a desk or the like, the bottom surface 21 of the container body 2 and three legs protruding downward from the conical shape are provided. In this embodiment, the material of the container body 2 is selected as resin (polypropylene) for ease of manufacturing, and the container body 2 is formed by injection molding.

[0023] · Cap 3 The cap 3 closes the opening of the container body 2. The cap 3 is inserted into any one of the container body 2, the storage part 4, and the support part 5. Structures in which the cap 3 is inserted include step-over fitting, concavo-convex fitting, screw fitting, and the like. Due to these structures, the cap 3 can be easily inserted into and removed from the container body 2 and the like.

[0024] The cap 3 has a head 31 and an insertion part 32 radially outward and downward of the head 31. The insertion part 32 is provided with a structure (such as step-over fitting, concavo-convex fitting, screw fitting, etc.) for inserting the cap 3 into the container body 2 and the like.

[0025] The cap 3 has a sealing part 33 on the inner surface of the cap 3. When the cap 3 is inserted into the container body 2 and the like, the sealing part 33 is in close contact with any one of the container body 2, the storage part 4, and the support part 5, so that a sealing property is obtained between the sealing part 33 and the container body 2 and the like. Thereby, even when the ink refill container 1 is in an inclined state and an inverted state, it is possible to prevent the refill ink 6 from leaking from the ink refill container 1.

[0026] Examples of methods for having a sealing property include step-over fitting, surface fitting, etc. In order to improve the sealing property, the sealing part 33 may have a structure having an O-ring, packing, or the like. Examples of methods for attaching an O-ring, packing, or the like to the sealing part 33 include step-over fitting, surface fitting, two-color molding, and the like.

[0027] The shape of the cap 3 may be a bottomed cylindrical shape or a bottomed polygonal shape (for example, an 18-sided polygon). Also, the material of the cap 3 is preferably resin, particularly polypropylene or polyacetal, from the viewpoints of moldability and good appearance. The sealing portion 33 and the insertion portion 32 may be made of different materials.

[0028] In the present embodiment, the head portion 31 has a bottomed cylindrical shape with the bottom surface, and an internal thread is formed of the same material on the inside of the insertion portion 32. A sealing portion 33 having a cylindrical shape and made of the same material as the head portion 31 is connected to the inner side in the radial direction and the lower side of the head portion 31. This sealing portion 33 is surface-fitted to a support portion 5 described later, and the inside of the ink refill container 1 is sealed. In the present embodiment, the sealing portion 33 has a cylindrical shape, but it may have a truncated conical shape whose diameter decreases toward the lower side.

[0029] · Storage portion 4 The storage portion 4 is configured to invert the ink refill container 1 from an upright state to an inverted state, and store the refill ink 6 in the container body 2 inside the storage portion 4 through the ink circulation hole 9. When the ink refill container 1 is inverted from the inverted state to the upright state, the refill ink 6 is stored in the storage portion 4 between the lower end of the ink circulation hole 9 and the bottom surface 41 of the storage portion. At this time, even if an excessive amount of the refill ink 6 flows into the storage portion 4, since it returns to the container body 2 again from the ink circulation hole 9, only the necessary amount is stored in the storage portion 4. As a result, a fixed amount of ink can be reliably stored inside the storage portion 4. This stored fixed amount of the refill ink 6 is replenished without excess or deficiency from the pen tip 71 of the ink refill type writing instrument 7 to an ink tank (not shown) inside the writing instrument.

[0030] The storage part 4 has a bottom surface 41, a side wall 42, an ink circulation hole 9, and an ink outflow control part 8. Further, it may have a first fitting part 44, a second fitting part 45, and a step 43. The storage part 4 may be integrally formed of the same material as the container body 2, or may be formed by two-color molding with a material different from the container body 2, or may be formed separately and then fixed. From the viewpoint of ease of manufacturing and assembly, the storage part 4 is preferably formed separately from the container body 2. The storage part 4 is formed of a resin material, particularly polypropylene, polyacetal, or the like.

[0031] · Bottom surface 41 The storage part 4 has a bottom surface 41. The shape of the bottom surface 41 is preferably disk-shaped.

[0032] · Side wall 42 The storage part 4 has a side wall 42 continuously provided upward in the axial direction from the bottom surface 41. Inside the side wall 42, that is, the inside of the storage part 4 is open upward in the axial direction. The ink circulation hole 9 described later penetrates the side wall 42 in the radial direction.

[0033] · Step 43 The storage part 4 may be provided with a step 43 extending radially outward from the upper end of the side wall 42. The lower surface 431 on the outer side of the step is preferably an inclined surface that slopes upward in the axial direction as it approaches radially inward. More preferably, the angle θ2 of the inclined surface is 0.5° to 60° from the horizontal plane. In this embodiment, the inclination angle θ2 is 3°. Thereby, in the inverted state, the ink can be surely made to flow into the storage part 4.

[0034] The upper surface 432 on the inner side of the step may be the same as the top surface 81 of the ink outflow control part 8 described later. Thereby, the outflow of the replenishing ink 6 flowing into the storage part 4 can be more effectively suppressed.

[0035] · First fitting part 44 The storage part 4 may have a first fitting part 44 that fits with the container body 2 above the side wall 42 in the axial direction. The first fitting part 44 may be continuously provided upward in the axial direction from the side wall 42. The radially inner end of the step 43 may be continuously provided at the upper end of the side wall 42, and the radially outer end of the step 43 may be continuously provided with the lower end of the first fitting part 44. The methods for fixing the container body 2 and the first fitting part 44 of the storage part include step-over fitting, surface fitting, ultrasonic welding, adhesion with an adhesive, etc. Any method may be used as long as it can fix while having a sealing property. From the viewpoint of manufacturability and good sealing property, ultrasonic welding is preferable.

[0036] · The second fitting part 45 The storage part 4 may have a second fitting part 45 that fits with the support part 5 described later. The second fitting part 45 may be continuously provided upward in the axial direction from the first fitting part 44, or may be provided inside the first fitting part 44. The methods for fixing the support part 5 and the second fitting part 45 include step-over fitting, surface fitting, ultrasonic welding, adhesion with an adhesive, etc. Any method may be used as long as it can fix while having a sealing property with the support part 5. From the viewpoint of manufacturability and good sealing property, ultrasonic welding is preferable.

[0037] In this embodiment, the storage part 4 has a bottomed cylindrical shape with a disc-shaped bottom surface 41, has a step 43, the first fitting part 44 is continuously provided upward in the axial direction from the radially outer end of the step 43, and the second fitting part 45 is continuously provided upward in the axial direction from the upper end of the first fitting part 44. In other words, the storage part 4 has a multi-stage bottomed cylindrical shape.

[0038] · The ink circulation hole 9 The ink circulation hole 9 penetrates the side wall 42 of the storage part in the radial direction on the inner and outer surfaces, and may have any shape as long as ink can flow through it. For example, a cylindrical shape or a rectangular parallelepiped shape can be mentioned. The storage part 4 preferably has a plurality of ink circulation holes 9. The plurality of ink circulation holes 9 are preferably arranged at different positions, and more preferably arranged at equal intervals. The position of the ink circulation hole 9 is preferably set appropriately according to the amount of ink replenished to the ink refillable writing instrument 7.

[0039] In this embodiment, the storage portion 4 has two ink flow holes 9. When ink flows in from one of the ink flow holes 9, air flows out from the other ink flow hole 9, so that it is possible to surely cause the ink to flow into the storage portion 4. By arranging the two ink flow holes 9 at positions shifted by 180° in the circumferential direction, the ink and air can flow more effectively.

[0040] When the storage portion 4 has a step 43, it is preferable that the axial positions of the lower surface 431 outside the step and the upper end of the ink flow hole 9 are the same. Thereby, the ink flowing in from the container body 2 can be surely caused to flow into the storage portion 4.

[0041] · Ink outflow control portion 8 The storage portion 4 of the present invention has an ink outflow control portion 8 that protrudes inward from the inner surface of the side wall 42. The ink outflow control portion 8 is an inward protrusion for preventing all the ink from returning from the ink flow hole 9 to the container body 2 when the container body 2 is rotated from an inverted state to an upright state. That is, the ink outflow control portion 8 is an inward protrusion for the purpose of preventing the smooth flow of ink when the ink replenishing container 1 is in an inclined state.

[0042] · Top surface 81 The ink outflow control portion 8 has a top surface 81 facing upward. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the ink from flowing into the ink flow hole 9 and store a certain amount of ink.

[0043] Also, in the inclined state and the horizontal state, ink temporarily accumulates between the top surface 81 and the inner surface of the storage portion 4, and in the upright state, this accumulated ink flows down to the bottom surface 41 of the storage portion 4, and it is possible to surely store a certain amount of ink inside the storage portion 4.

[0044] It is preferable that the top surface 81 of the ink outflow control portion is located above the ink flow hole 9. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the ink from flowing in from above the ink flow hole 9 and store a certain amount of ink. Thereby, it is possible to replenish the storage portion 4 with an appropriate amount of ink.

[0045] It is preferable that the top surface 81 of the ink outflow control portion is located directly above the ink flow hole 9. This prevents ink from flowing into the ink flow hole 9 from above, enabling a certain amount of ink to be stored in the storage portion 4. As a result, it is possible to replenish the storage portion 4 with ink without excess or deficiency.

[0046] The top surface 81 of the ink outflow control portion is preferably an inclined surface that slopes downward in the axial direction as it approaches the inner side in the radial direction. More preferably, the inclination angle θ1 of the top surface 81 is from 0.5° to 60° with respect to the horizontal plane. In this embodiment, the inclination angle θ1 is 3°. This ensures that in the upright state, all the ink stored above the top surface 81 of the ink outflow control portion flows downward and is stored on the bottom surface 41 of the storage portion, effectively enabling the replenishing ink 6 to be used up completely.

[0047] Alternatively, the top surface 81 of the ink outflow control portion may be an inclined surface that slopes upward in the axial direction as it approaches the inner side in the radial direction. More preferably, the inclination angle θ3 (not shown) of the top surface 81 is from 0.5° to 60° with respect to the horizontal plane. In this case, in the upright state, the ink stored above the top surface 81 of the ink outflow control portion flows along the top surface 81 of the ink control portion in the radial outward direction and downward in the axial direction. That is, the stored ink cannot pass through the shortest path to the ink flow hole 9 and instead detours. This is effective for storing the ink on the bottom surface 41 of the storage portion and using up the replenishing ink 6 completely.

[0048] · Side surface 82 The ink flow control portion may have opposing side surfaces 82 that are continuously provided from the top surface 81. Thereby, in the inclined state and the horizontal state, ink temporarily accumulates between the side surface 82 and the inner surface of the storage portion 4, and in the upright state, this accumulated ink flows down to the bottom surface 41 of the storage portion, ensuring that a certain amount of ink is reliably stored inside the storage portion 4. Also, the side surface 82 can prevent ink from flowing into the ink outflow hole from the circumferential direction. The side surface 82 may be linear or curved.

[0049] Further, the opposing side surface 82 of the ink flow control section may be linear or curved in a longitudinal section (see FIG. 11). The opposing side surface 82 may approach upward, that is, the ink outflow control section 8 may be tapered radially from the lower part in the axial direction toward the upper part.

[0050] There may be a plurality of ink outflow control sections 8 in the storage section 4. The ink outflow control sections 8 may be randomly arranged in the storage section 4, but are preferably arranged at equal intervals. Thereby, it is possible to surely inhibit the outflow of the ink.

[0051] The shape of the ink outflow control section 8 as viewed from above in the axial direction may be any shape. For example, a rectangular shape, an arc shape, etc. may be mentioned.

[0052] In this embodiment, the upper surface 432 inside the step constitutes the top surface 81 of the ink outflow control section 8. Further, it has an ink outflow control section 8 protruding in a rectangular parallelepiped shape inward from the side wall 42. The ink outflow control section 8 in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped has a top surface 81 and an opposing side surface 82, and the above-mentioned top surface 81 is continuously provided from the upper surface 432 inside the step. Thereby, it is possible to surely inhibit the outflow of the ink in the storage section 4 to the container body 2.

[0053] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, even when the ink refill container 1 is in a horizontal state, the top surface 81 and the side surface 82 of the ink outflow control section prevent the ink from flowing out into the container body 2. That is, the ink temporarily accumulates between the top surface 81 and the side surface 82 of the ink outflow control section and the inner surfaces of the storage section side wall 42 and the bottom surface 41. When the ink refill container 1 is set upright, the ink stored on the top surface 81 and the side surface 82 of the ink outflow control section flows downwards and is stored on the storage section bottom surface 41. Thereby, it is possible to store a certain amount of replenishing ink 6 in the storage section 4 without all the ink flowing out into the container body 2.

[0054] If it is assumed that the ink outflow control unit 8 is not provided in the storage unit 4, when the ink circulation hole 9 is in a horizontal state where the opening faces downward due to gravity, for example, the state shown in FIG. 4, all the ink in the storage unit 4 will flow from the ink circulation hole 9 into the container body 2. Even if the ink refill container 1 is then set upright, there is a risk that the necessary amount of ink cannot be left in the storage unit 4.

[0055] · Support portion 5 The ink refill container 1 may have a support portion 5. An ink refillable writing instrument 7 is inserted into the support portion 5. Examples of the method of inserting the ink refillable writing instrument 7 into the support portion 5 include step-over fitting and surface fitting. This eliminates the need for a person to support the writing instrument while refilling the ink.

[0056] The support portion 5 is set to grip at a position where the pen tip 71 of the ink refillable writing instrument 7 does not contact the bottom surface 41 of the storage unit. This prevents the pen tip 71 from being damaged. Also, by ensuring close contact between the support portion 5 and the ink refillable writing instrument 7, a sealing property is obtained between the ink refill container 1 and the ink refillable writing instrument 7. This ensures that even if the ink refill container 1 is accidentally tipped over during ink refilling, there is no risk of ink leakage.

[0057] The support portion 5 may be integrally formed of the same material as the container body 2 or the storage unit 4, may be two-color molded of a material different from the container body 2 or the storage unit 4, or may be formed separately from the container body 2 or the storage unit 4. For ease of manufacturing and assembly, it is preferable that the support portion 5 is formed separately from the container body 2 or the storage unit 4. The storage unit 4 is formed of a resin material, particularly polypropylene or the like.

[0058] In this embodiment, the support portion 5 has a bottomed cylindrical shape. A male thread into which the cap 3 is inserted is formed on the outer surface of the cylinder (outer cylinder 51). The inside of the cylinder further has a cylinder (inner cylinder 52), and the inside of the inner cylinder 52 penetrates in the axial direction. By the close contact between the inner surface of the lower part of the inner cylinder 52 and the close contact portion of the cap 3, the ink refill container 1 is sealed. Further, by the close contact between the inner surface of the lower part of the inner cylinder 52 and the ink refill writing instrument 7, the ink refill writing instrument 7 is firmly held, and a sealing property is obtained between the ink refill container 1 and the ink refill writing instrument 7.

[0059] This embodiment includes a container body 2 for storing the refill ink 6 and a cap 3 for closing the opening of the container body 2. Inside the container body 2, there is a bottomed storage portion 4 that is arranged at the upper part of the container body 2 and has an open top for temporarily storing the refill ink 6. The container body 2 is inverted from the upright state, and the refill ink 6 is allowed to flow into the storage portion 4. Then, the container body 2 is inverted again from the inverted state to the upright state, and a certain amount of the refill ink 6 is stored in the storage portion 4. The pen tip 71 of the ink refill writing instrument 7 is immersed in the refill ink 6 in the storage portion 4, and the ink stored in the storage portion 4 is replenished to the writing instrument. In the ink refill container 1, the storage portion 4 has an ink circulation hole 9 and an ink outflow control portion 8. The ink circulation hole 9 is a hole that penetrates radially through the side wall 42 of the storage portion for allowing the refill ink 6 accommodated inside the container body 2 to flow into the inside of the storage portion 4. The ink outflow control portion 8 is a protrusion that protrudes inward from the inner surface of the side wall 42 of the storage portion for controlling the outflow of the refill ink 6 that has flowed into the storage portion 4 back into the container body 2 when the container body 2 is returned to the upright state. In the process of slowly returning the container body 2 from the inverted state to the upright state, a certain amount of ink in the storage portion 4 has its flow path to the ink circulation hole 9 blocked by the ink outflow control portion 8, and then, in the upright state of the container body 2, it is stored near the ink outflow control portion 8. Thereby, a certain amount of ink can be reliably stored in the storage portion 4.

[0060] In this embodiment, the ink outflow control unit 8 has a top surface 81 facing upward, and the top surface 81 is located above the ink flow-through hole 9. Since the ink outflow control unit 8 has the top surface 81 and the top surface 81 is located above the ink flow-through hole 9, it is possible to effectively prevent ink from flowing into the ink flow-through hole 9 from above. As a result, a certain amount of ink can be reliably stored in the storage unit 4.

[0061] In this embodiment, the ink outflow control unit 8 has opposing side surfaces 82 that are continuously provided downward from the top surface 81, and the ink flow-through hole 9 is located between the opposing side surfaces 82. By having the opposing side surfaces 82 in the ink outflow control unit 8, it is possible to prevent ink from flowing into the ink flow-through hole 9 from above and in the circumferential direction. As a result, the flow path of a certain amount of ink in the storage unit 4 to the ink flow-through hole 9 can be more effectively blocked, and the ink can be stored near the ink outflow control unit 8.

[0062] In this embodiment, the top surface 81 of the ink outflow control unit 8 is located directly above the ink flow-through hole 9. Since the top surface 81 of the ink outflow control unit is directly above the ink flow-through hole 9, it is possible to reliably prevent the ink in the storage unit 4 from flowing into the ink flow-through hole 9 from above. As a result, a certain amount of ink can be reliably stored in the storage unit 4.

[0063] In this embodiment, the ink flow-through hole 9 is provided between two or more of the ink outflow control units 8 in the circumferential direction. In the ink refill container 1 of the fifth invention, it is possible to prevent the ink in the storage unit 4 from flowing into the ink flow-through hole 9 from the circumferential direction. As a result, the flow path of a certain amount of ink in the storage unit 4 to the ink flow-through hole 9 can be effectively blocked, and the ink can be stored near the ink outflow control unit 8.

[0064] <Second Embodiment> FIG. 13 shows a second form (form 2) of the storage unit 4 used in the ink refill container 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention. Since the container body 2, the cap 3, the support unit 5, and the refill ink 6 have the same structure as those in the first embodiment, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0065] · Reservoir 4 The reservoir 4 of the second form has a bottomed cylindrical shape with a disc-shaped bottom surface 41, has a step 43, and a first fitting portion 44 is continuously provided upward in the axial direction from the radially outer end of the step 43, and a second fitting portion 45 is continuously provided upward in the axial direction from the upper end of the first fitting portion 44. In other words, the reservoir 4 has a multi-stage bottomed cylindrical shape.

[0066] · Ink flow hole 9 The reservoir 4 of the second form has two ink flow holes 9. Ink flows in from one ink flow hole 9 and air flows out from the other ink flow hole 9, so it is possible to surely allow ink to flow into the reservoir 4. By arranging the two ink flow holes 9 at positions shifted by 180° in the circumferential direction, the ink and air can flow more effectively.

[0067] · Ink outflow control portion 8 The reservoir 4 of the second form has an ink outflow control portion 8. In the reservoir 4 of the second shape, the upper surface 432 inside the step constitutes the top surface 81 of the ink outflow control portion. Thereby, it is possible to prevent ink from flowing into the ink flow hole 9 and to store a certain amount of ink.

[0068] Also, in the inclined state and the horizontal state, ink temporarily accumulates between the top surface 81 and the inner surface of the reservoir 4, and in the process of shifting to the upright state, the accumulated ink flows down to the bottom surface 41 of the reservoir, and it is possible to surely store a certain amount of ink inside the reservoir 4 in the upright state.

[0069] In the reservoir 4 of the second shape, the top surface 81 of the ink outflow control portion is located above and directly above the ink flow hole 9. Thereby, it is possible to prevent ink from flowing in from above the ink flow hole 9 and to store ink in the reservoir 4. Thereby, it is possible to replenish the reservoir 4 with ink without excess or deficiency.

[0070] Since the storage part 4 of the second form has a simple shape without the side surface 82 of the ink outflow control part 8, it is easy to manufacture. Also, since the amount of resin used can be small, it can be said that it is excellent in terms of the environment.

[0071] <Third Embodiment> Figs. 14 and 15 show the second embodiment of the present invention (the storage part 4 is in form 3). The ink refill container 1 of the present embodiment includes a container body 2, a cap 3, a storage part 4, a support part 5, and refill ink 6. Since the cap 3, the support part 5, and the refill ink 6 have the same structure as those in the first embodiment, detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0072] · Container body 2 In the present embodiment, the shape of the container body 2 is a circular bottom surface 21 and a stepped cylindrical shape in which the outer diameter in the axial direction upward is smaller than the outer diameter in the axial direction downward. In other words, it is a multi-stage bottomed cylindrical shape. By making the upper part of the container body 2 have a smaller diameter in the axial direction, the center of gravity of the ink refill container 1 is on the lower side in the axial direction, so the stability when the ink refill container 1 is placed on a desk or the like is improved. In the present embodiment, the material of the container body 2 is selected as resin (polypropylene) for ease of manufacture, and the container body 2 is formed by blow molding.

[0073] · Storage part 4 The storage part 4 of the third form has a bottomed cylindrical shape having a disk-shaped bottom surface 41, and a first fitting part 44 is provided on the outer side above the side wall 42, and a second fitting part 45 is provided on the inner side above the side wall 42.

[0074] · Ink circulation hole 9 The storage part 4 of the third form has two ink circulation holes 9. When ink flows in from one ink circulation hole 9, air flows out from the other ink circulation hole 9, so it is possible to surely cause the ink to flow into the storage part 4. By arranging the two ink circulation holes 9 at positions shifted by 180° in the circumferential direction, the circulation of ink and air becomes more effective.

[0075] · Ink outflow control part 8 The storage portion 4 of the present invention has an ink outflow control portion 8 that protrudes inward from the inner surface of the side wall 42. The ink outflow control portion 8 is an inward protrusion for preventing all the ink from returning to the container body 2 through the ink circulation hole 9 when the container body 2 is rotated from an inverted state to an upright state. That is, the ink outflow control portion 8 is an inward protrusion that aims to prevent the smooth flow of ink when the ink replenishing container 1 is in an inclined state.

[0076] · Top surface 81 The ink outflow control portion 8 has a top surface 81 that faces upward. Thereby, when the container body 2 is changed from an inverted state to an upright state, it is possible to suppress the ink from immediately flowing into the ink circulation hole 9 and to store a certain amount of ink.

[0077] Also, in the inclined state and the horizontal state, ink temporarily accumulates between the top surface 81 and the inner surface of the storage portion 4, and in the process of transitioning to the upright state, the accumulated ink flows down to the bottom surface 41 of the storage portion 4. In the upright state, it is possible to reliably store a certain amount of ink inside the storage portion 4.

[0078] The top surface 81 of the ink outflow control portion is preferably located above the ink circulation hole 9. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the ink from flowing in from above the ink circulation hole 9 and to store a certain amount of ink. Thereby, it is possible to replenish the storage portion 4 with ink without excess or deficiency.

[0079] It is more preferable that the top surface 81 of the ink outflow control portion is directly above the ink circulation hole 9. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the ink from flowing in from above the ink circulation hole 9 and to store a certain amount of ink in the storage portion 4. Thereby, it is possible to replenish the storage portion 4 with ink without excess or deficiency.

[0080] The top surface 81 of the ink outflow control portion is preferably an inclined surface that slopes downward in the axial direction as it approaches the inner side in the radial direction. More preferably, the inclination angle θ1 of the top surface 81 is from 0.5° to 60° with respect to the horizontal plane. Thereby, in the upright state, all the ink stored above the top surface 81 of the ink outflow control portion flows downward and is stored on the bottom surface 41 of the storage portion, which is effective for using up the replenishing ink 6 completely.

[0081] The top surface 81 of the ink outflow control portion may be an inclined surface that slopes upward in the axial direction as it approaches the inner side in the radial direction. More preferably, the inclination angle θ3 (not shown) of the top surface 81 is from 0.5° to 60° with respect to the horizontal plane. Thereby, in the upright state, the ink stored above the top surface 81 of the ink outflow control portion flows downward along the top surface 81 of the ink control portion in the radial outward and axial downward directions. That is, the stored ink cannot pass through the shortest path to the ink flow-through hole 9 and detours. This is effective for storing the ink on the bottom surface 41 of the storage portion and using up the replenishing ink 6 completely.

[0082] · Side surface 82 In the storage portion 4 of the third form, the ink flow control portion has opposing side surfaces 82 that are continuously provided downward from the top surface 81. In the inclined state and the horizontal state, ink temporarily accumulates between the side surface 82 and the inner surface of the storage portion 4, and in the process of transitioning to the upright state, the accumulated ink flows down to the bottom surface 41 of the storage portion. In the upright state, it is possible to reliably store a certain amount of ink inside the storage portion 4. Also, it is possible to prevent ink from flowing into the ink outflow hole from the circumferential direction.

[0083] In this embodiment, it has an ink outflow control portion 8 that protrudes in a rectangular parallelepiped shape inward from the side wall 42. The rectangular parallelepiped-shaped ink outflow control portion 8 has a side surface 82 that faces the top surface 81. The rectangular parallelepiped-shaped ink outflow control portion 8 can suppress ink from flowing into the ink flow-through hole 9 from above and in the circumferential direction of the ink flow-through hole 9. Thereby, ink can be reliably stored in the storage portion 4.

[0084] Since the storage part 4 of the third form has a simple shape, it is easy to manufacture. Because it has a structure with a first fitting part 44 and a second fitting part 45 above the side wall 42, the assemblability is high. Also, since the ink outflow control part 8 has a side surface 82 facing the top surface 81, it can be said to be effective in preventing the outflow of ink. Further, by positioning the ink circulation hole 9 of the storage part 4 of the third form above the step 43 of the container body 2, it is possible to use up all the ink in the container body 2.

[0085] <Fourth Embodiment> Fig. 16 shows a fourth form (Form 4) of the storage part 4 used in the ink replenishing container 1 of the second embodiment of the present invention. Since the container body 2, the cap 3, the support part 5, and the replenishing ink 6 have the same structure as in the second embodiment, detailed description thereof is omitted.

[0086] · Storage part 4 The storage part 4 of the fourth form has a bottomed cylindrical shape having a disc-shaped bottom surface 41, and a first fitting part 44 is provided on the outer side above the side wall 42, and a second fitting part 45 is provided on the inner side above the side wall 42.

[0087] · Ink circulation hole 9 The storage part 4 of the fourth form has two ink circulation holes 9. When ink flows in from one ink circulation hole 9, air flows out from the other ink circulation hole 9, so it is possible to reliably let the ink flow into the storage part 4. By arranging the two ink circulation holes 9 at positions shifted by 180° in the circumferential direction, the ink and air can circulate more effectively.

[0088] · Ink outflow control part 8 The storage part 4 of the present invention has an ink outflow control part 8 protruding inward from the inner surface of the side wall 42. The ink outflow control part 8 is an inward protrusion for preventing all the ink from returning from the ink circulation hole 9 to the container body 2 when the container body 2 is rotated from an inverted state to an upright state. That is, the ink outflow control part 8 is an inward protrusion for the purpose of preventing the smooth flow of ink when the ink replenishing container 1 is in an inclined state.

[0089] · Top surface 81 The ink outflow control part 8 has a top surface 81 facing upward. Thereby, it is possible to prevent ink from flowing into the ink circulation hole 9 and store a certain amount of ink.

[0090] In the storage part 4 of the fourth form, the top surface 81 of the ink outflow control part is located above the ink circulation hole 9. Thereby, it is possible to prevent ink from flowing into the ink circulation hole 9 from above the ink circulation hole 9, and it is possible to store a certain amount of ink in the storage part 4. Thereby, it is possible to replenish the ink in the storage part 4 without excess or deficiency.

[0091] · Side surface 82 In the storage part 4 of the fourth form, the ink circulation control part is composed of a plurality of plate-shaped ribs, and each rib has opposing side surfaces 82 continuously provided downward from the top surface 81. In the inclined state and the horizontal state, ink temporarily accumulates between the side surface 82 and the inner surface of the storage part 4, and in the process of transitioning to the upright state, the accumulated ink flows down to the bottom surface 41 of the storage part, and it is possible to surely store a certain amount of ink inside the storage part 4 in the upright state. Further, it is possible to prevent ink from flowing into the ink outflow hole from the circumferential direction.

[0092] In this embodiment, there are four ink outflow control parts 8 protruding in a rib shape inward from the side wall 42. The rib-shaped ink outflow control part 8 has a side surface 82 facing the top surface 81. In this embodiment, there is a structure in which two ink circulation holes 9 are located between the four ink outflow control parts 8. The rib-shaped ink outflow control part 8 can prevent ink from flowing into the upper part and the circumferential direction of the ink circulation hole 9. Thereby, it is possible to surely store ink in the storage part 4.

[0093] The storage part 4 of the fourth shape has four rib-shaped ink outflow control parts 8. The storage part 4 of the fourth shape is excellent in terms of the environment because it can surely store ink with a small amount of resin used. Further, by positioning the ink circulation hole 9 of the storage part 4 of the fourth shape above the step 43 of the container body 2, it is possible to use up all the ink in the container body 2.

[0094] <Fifth Embodiment> FIG. 17 shows a fifth form (Form 5) of the storage section 4 used in the ink replenishing container 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Since the container body 2, the cap 3, the support section 5, and the replenishing ink 6 have the same structure as those in the second embodiment, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0095] ·Storage section 4 The storage section 4 of the fifth form has a bottomed cylindrical shape having a disk-shaped bottom surface 41, and is provided with a first fitting portion 44 on the outer side above the side wall 42 and a second fitting portion 45 on the inner side above the side wall 42.

[0096] ·Ink flow hole 9 The storage section 4 of the fifth form has two ink flow holes 9. When ink flows in from one ink flow hole 9, air flows out from the other ink flow hole 9, so that it is possible to reliably cause the ink to flow into the storage section 4. The two ink flow holes 9 are arranged at positions shifted by 180° in the circumferential direction, so that the ink and air can flow more effectively.

[0097] ·Ink outflow control section 8 The storage section 4 of the present invention has an ink outflow control section 8 that protrudes inward from the inner surface of the side wall 42. The ink outflow control section 8 is an inward protrusion for preventing all the ink from returning from the ink flow hole 9 to the container body 2 when the container body 2 is rotated from an inverted state to an upright state. That is, the ink outflow control section 8 is an inward protrusion for the purpose of preventing the smooth flow of the ink when the ink replenishing container 1 is in an inclined state.

[0098] ·Top surface 81 The ink outflow control section 8 has a top surface 81 facing upward. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the ink from flowing into the ink flow hole 9 and store a certain amount of ink.

[0099] In the storage section 4 of the fifth embodiment, the top surface 81 of the ink outflow control section is positioned above the ink flow hole 9. As a result, it is possible to prevent ink from flowing into the ink flow hole 9 from above, and to store a certain amount of ink in the storage section 4. Accordingly, it is possible to replenish the storage section 4 with an appropriate amount of ink without excess or deficiency.

[0100] · Side surface 82 In the storage section 4 of the fifth embodiment, the ink flow control section is composed of a plurality of plate-like ribs, and each rib has opposing side surfaces 82 that are continuously provided downward from the top surface 81. In the inclined state and the horizontal state, ink temporarily accumulates between the side surface 82 and the inner surface of the storage section 4, and in the process of transitioning to the upright state, the accumulated ink flows down to the bottom surface 41 of the storage section, making it possible to reliably store a certain amount of ink inside the storage section 4 in the upright state. Further, it is possible to prevent ink from flowing into the ink outflow hole from the circumferential direction.

[0101] In this embodiment, there are six ink outflow control sections 8 protruding in a rib shape inward from the side wall 42. Each rib-shaped ink outflow control section 8 has a side surface 82 facing the top surface 81. In other words, it has six radially extending rib-shaped ink outflow control sections 8 arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the structure is such that two ink flow holes 9 are positioned between the six ink outflow control sections 8. The rib-shaped ink outflow control section 8 can suppress ink from flowing into the area above and from the circumferential direction of the ink flow hole 9. As a result, it is possible to reliably store ink in the storage section 4.

[0102] The storage part 4 of the fifth form has six rectangular ink outflow control parts 8. Since the storage part 4 of the fifth form can surely store ink with a small amount of resin to be used, it is excellent in terms of the environment. Further, since the rib projects inward in the radial direction, when the ink refill container 1 is in a horizontal state, the ink easily flows into the space between the rib and the inner surface of the storage part 4. Thereby, the storage part 4 can more surely store the ink. Further, by positioning the ink flow hole 9 of the storage part 4 of the fourth shape above the step 43 of the container body 2, it is possible to use up all the ink in the container body 2.

Explanation of reference numerals

[0103] 1 Ink refill container 2 Container body 21 Bottom surface 22 Side surface 23 Hollow part 24 Opening 3 Cap 31 Head part 32 Insertion part 33 Sealing part 4 Storage part 41 Bottom surface 42 Side wall 43 Step 431 Lower surface outside the step 432 Upper surface inside the step 44 First fitting part 45 Second fitting part 5 Support part 51 Outer cylinder 52 Inner cylinder 6 Refill ink 7 Ink refill type writing instrument 71 Pen tip 8 Ink outflow control part 81 Top surface 82 Side surface 9 Ink flow hole

Claims

1. It consists of a container body for storing refill ink and a cap for closing the opening of the container body, inside the container body, there is a bottomed storage part that is arranged at the upper part of the container body and has an open upper part for temporarily storing the refill ink, in an ink refill container that inverts the container body from an upright state to an inverted state to allow the refill ink to flow into the storage part, then inverts the container body again from the inverted state to the upright state to store a certain amount of the refill ink in the storage part, immerses the pen tip of an ink refill type writing instrument in the refill ink in the storage part, and refills the writing instrument with the ink stored in the storage part, the storage part has an ink flow hole and an ink outflow control part, the ink flow hole is a hole that penetrates radially through the side wall of the storage part to allow the refill ink contained inside the container body to flow into the storage part, the ink outflow control part is a protrusion that protrudes inward from the inner surface of the side wall of the storage part to control the outflow of the refill ink flowing into the storage part back to the container body when the container body is returned to the upright state An ink container characterized by this.

2. The ink outflow control part has a top surface facing upward, and the top surface is located above the ink flow hole. The ink container according to Claim 1, characterized by this.

3. The ink outflow control part has opposing side surfaces that are continuously provided downward from the top surface, and the ink flow hole is located between the opposing side surfaces. The ink container according to Claim 2, characterized by this.

4. The top surface of the ink outflow control part is located directly above the ink flow hole. The ink container according to Claim 2, characterized by this.

5. The ink flow hole is provided between the circumferential directions of two or more of the ink outflow control parts. The ink container according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized by this.

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