Ink supply container

Abstract

To provide an ink supply container which is suitable for recycling which is performed assuming that different kinds of materials are mixed during recycling while using a recycled resin material to achieve reduction of environmental loads.SOLUTION: An ink supply container for supplying an ink to an ink discharge device includes: a container body which is formed so as to store the ink; an ink outlet part connected to the container body and having an ink outlet for flowing the ink out; and a cap attached to the ink outlet part and covering the ink outlet. At least one of the container body, the ink outlet part, and the cap are formed by a recycled resin material of a blackish color.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to ink supply containers. [Background technology]

[0002] Ink supply containers have been used to supply ink to ink ejection devices such as inkjet printers. Various proposals have been made regarding the recycling of such ink supply containers. Patent Document 1 proposes a liquid supply container including a liquid storage portion, a dispensing portion connected to the liquid storage portion, and a cap portion attached to the dispensing portion, in which the liquid storage portion is made of a metal suitable for recycling. Patent Document 1 also proposes coloring the cap portion a different color from the liquid storage portion and coloring the dispensing portion and ink storage portion the same color to prevent the dispensing portion from being accidentally removed from the liquid storage portion when removing the cap portion from the dispensing portion. Specifically, since metal liquid storage portions are generally gray, it is proposed that the dispensing portion be gray and the cap be white. Patent Document 2 proposes an ink supply bottle set including a container member, a nozzle member, and a lid member, in which at least a portion of the lid member is colored similar to the color of the ink stored in the container member. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-129862 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-034877 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the liquid refill container of Patent Document 1, in which recycled resin is used for the cap, various types of resin materials are mixed during the manufacturing process of the recycled resin, so coloring is necessary to obtain a white cap. In the ink refill bottle set of Patent Document 2, caps of various colors corresponding to the ink colors are used. Therefore, in a configuration in which caps are recycled and used as recycled materials, the caps must be collected separately by color in order to reduce coloring and prepare caps of colors corresponding to the ink colors. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the recycling of caps. For these reasons, it is desirable to provide an ink refill container that is suitable for recycling, using recycled resin to reduce environmental impact, and assuming that different materials will be mixed during recycling. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an ink supply container for supplying ink to an ink ejection device, the ink supply container comprising: a container body configured to store the ink, an ink outlet portion connected to the container body and having an ink outlet for discharging the ink, and a cap attached to the ink outlet portion to cover the ink outlet, wherein at least one of the container body, the ink outlet portion, and the cap is made of a recycled resin material of a dark red color. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an ink ejection device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which ink is being replenished into the ink tank using an ink supply container. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the ink supply container. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a front view of the ink supply container. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a front view schematically showing the ink supply container according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6]FIG. 10 is a front view schematically showing an ink supply container according to a second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a front view schematically showing an ink supply container according to a third embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a front view schematically showing an ink supply container according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a front view schematically showing an ink supply container according to a fifth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] A. First embodiment: A1. General configuration of the ink ejection device 100 and the ink supply container 200: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ink-discharging device 100 according to a first embodiment. In this embodiment, the ink-discharging device 100 is configured as an ink-jet printer that prints by discharging ink onto a printing medium. The ink-discharging device 100 is not limited to an ink-jet printer; it may be configured as any type of device capable of discharging ink onto a medium. FIG. 1 depicts mutually perpendicular X, Y, and Z axes. The X axis corresponds to the width direction of the ink-discharging device 100, the Y axis corresponds to the depth direction of the ink-discharging device 100, and the Z axis corresponds to the height direction of the ink-discharging device 100. The ink-discharging device 100 is installed on a horizontal installation surface defined by the X and Y axes. The "X-axis direction" refers to the combined concept of the +X direction and the -X direction. Similarly, the "Y-axis direction" refers to the combined concept of the +Y direction and the -Y direction, and the "Z-axis direction" refers to the combined concept of the +Z direction and the -Z direction.

[0008] The ink ejection device 100 has a housing 110. Inside the housing 110, a carriage (not shown) is provided that is movable in the X-axis direction, which corresponds to the main scanning direction. A print head (not shown) that ejects ink onto a print medium is mounted on the carriage. An ink tank housing unit 160 that houses multiple ink tanks 700S and 700L is provided at one end of the front of the housing 110. The ink tank housing unit 160 has an openable / closable lid 162 on top. The ink tank 700S is a small-capacity tank, while the ink tank 700L is a large-capacity tank. However, in the following description, the two will be simply referred to as "ink tanks 700" without distinction. Each ink tank 700 is connected to the print head of the carriage by a tube (not shown). In other words, the ink tanks 700 are stationary ink tanks that are not mounted on the carriage of the ink ejection device 100. Furthermore, each ink tank 700 is an ink tank of an ink supply type that is manually refilled with ink from an ink supply container 200 (described later) by the user when the remaining ink level becomes low. Note that, although the ink tank 700 is a stationary ink tank in this embodiment, it may also be one that is mounted on the carriage of the ink ejection device 100.

[0009] 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which ink is being refilled into an ink tank 700 using an ink refill container 200 (hereinafter also referred to as the "ink refill state"). The front of each ink tank 700 is made of a transparent member, making it possible to visually check the amount of ink remaining in each ink tank 700 from the outside. When the amount of ink remaining becomes low, the user can open the lid 162 as shown in FIG. 2 and refill ink through the ink inlet flow path member 710 of the ink tank 700.

[0010] A cylindrical ink inlet flow path member 710 for replenishing the ink tank 700 with ink is provided on the top surface of each ink tank 700. The ink tank containing unit 160 is provided with a sealing cap member 164 having a sealing cap 165 for sealing the tip of the ink inlet flow path member 710. When the ink tank 700 is not being refilled with ink, the tip of the ink inlet flow path member 710 is sealed by the sealing cap 165 of the sealing cap member 164. When refilling the ink tank 700 with ink, a user removes the sealing cap member 164 from the ink inlet flow path member 710 and inserts the tip of the ink supply container 200 into the position of the ink inlet flow path member 710 to refill the ink. Two recesses 750 are provided around the periphery of the ink inlet flow path member 710 to mate with mating portions (described below) provided on the ink supply container 200. These recesses 750 have a shape that is rotationally symmetrical at 180 degrees about the ink inlet flow path member 710.

[0011] In this specification, the term "ink refilling" refers to the operation of supplying ink to the ink tank 700 to increase the amount of ink remaining. However, "ink refilling" does not necessarily mean filling the ink tank 700 with ink. "Ink refilling" also includes the operation of filling an empty ink tank 700 with ink when using the ink ejection device 100 for the first time.

[0012] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the ink supply container 200 according to the first embodiment. The ink supply container 200 includes a container body 300 configured to contain ink, an ink outlet 400 connected to the container body 300 and having an ink outlet 460 for allowing ink to flow out, an outlet valve unit 500, and a cap 600. The upper end of the ink supply container 200, which faces the cap 600, is referred to as the "front end," and the lower end, which faces the container body 300, is referred to as the "rear end." The container body 300 is a hollow cylindrical container with an opening at its front end. The front end of the container body 300 is provided with a small-diameter portion 312, which has a smaller outer diameter than the rest of the container body 300. An external thread is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the small-diameter portion 312 for attaching the ink outlet 400. In this disclosure, the direction parallel to the central axis C of the ink supply container 200 is referred to as the "axial direction," and the direction extending outward from the central axis C is referred to as the "radial direction."

[0013] An ink outlet 460 is provided at the tip of the ink outlet portion 400. The ink outlet portion 400 is connected to the container body 300. The ink outlet portion 400 includes a tubular portion 420 having the ink outlet 460. An outlet valve unit 500 is attached inside the tubular portion 420. The outlet valve unit 500 is attached inside the tubular portion 420 so as to provide a radial gap with the inner circumferential surface of the tubular portion 420. When refilling the ink tank 700 with ink, an ink inlet flow path member 710 (FIG. 2) of the ink tank 700 is inserted into the ink outlet 460.

[0014] Two mating portions 450 are provided around the ink outlet 460 of the ink outlet unit 400. These mating portions 450 are positioning members that position the ink supply container 200 by mating with recesses 750 (FIG. 2) provided around the ink inlet flow path member 710 of the ink tank 700. Positioning refers to at least one of the following functions: preventing erroneous ink injection; for example, the ink supply container 200 for replenishing yellow ink is mated with the recess 750 corresponding to the ink tank 700 containing yellow ink, but preventing ink supply containers 200 for replenishing other colors of ink, such as magenta ink or cyan ink, from mating; and stabilizing the ink injection position of the ink supply container. The ink injection prevention function is not limited to ink color; for example, it also functions to prevent erroneous injection of dye ink and pigment ink in the case of black ink. In this embodiment, the two mating portions 450 have shapes that are rotationally symmetrical at 180 degrees about the central axis C of the ink supply container 200. Similarly, the recess 750 provided around the ink inlet flow path member 710 of the ink tank 700 has a shape that is rotationally symmetrical by 180 degrees around the ink inlet flow path member 710. In the ink refill state, by fitting the fitting portion 450 of the ink supply container 200 into the recess 750 around the ink inlet flow path member 710, the orientation of the ink supply container 200 is limited to two orientations that are rotationally symmetrical by 180 degrees. As a result, it is possible to maintain the ink supply container 200 in a stable position during ink refill. However, the fitting portion 450 may be omitted.

[0015] The outlet valve unit 500 is configured to seal the ink outlet 460 to prevent ink from leaking to the outside when the ink tank 700 is not being replenished with ink, and to release the seal when the ink tank 700 is being replenished with ink, allowing ink to flow into the ink inlet flow path member 710.

[0016] 3, the outlet valve unit 500 has a valve housing 517, a seal member 510, and a spring valve 535. The valve housing 517 engages with the cylindrical portion 420. The valve housing 517 houses the seal member 510 in the cylindrical portion on the tip side so that it does not come off. The valve housing 517 also houses the spring member 530, which will be described later, on the rear end side.

[0017] The spring valve 535 has a valve element 520 and a spring member 530. The spring member 530 axially biases the valve element 520 toward the ink outlet 460. The spring member 530 can be made of, for example, metal. In this embodiment, the spring member 530 is a coil spring. The valve element 520 is mounted within the valve housing 517 so as to be movable in the axial direction. In the non-replenishment state, the valve element 520 is biased toward the seal member 510 by the spring member 530. This bias causes the valve element 520 to come into contact with the seal member 510, thereby blocking an ink flow path (not shown) within the ink outlet section 400. In contrast, in the ink refill state, the ink inlet flow path member 710 is inserted into the ink outlet 460, and the ink inlet flow path member 710 presses and moves the valve element 520 in the direction opposite to the biasing direction of the spring member 530, i.e., toward the rear end along the axial direction. This movement of the valve body 520 opens the blocked ink flow path in the ink outlet portion 400, and ink in the container body 300 is supplied to the ink tank 700 through the ink outlet 460 and the ink inlet flow path member 710.

[0018] The cap 600 is removably attached to the ink outlet portion 400 and covers the ink outlet 460. As shown in Fig. 2, in the ink refill state, the cap 600 is removed from the ink outlet portion 400. On the other hand, in the non-refill state, the cap 600 is generally attached to the ink outlet portion 400.

[0019] A2. Color and material of each part of the ink supply container 200: FIG. 4 is a front view of the ink supply container 200. FIG. 4 shows the ink supply container 200 in a normal position with the cap 600 attached to the ink outlet port 400. The "normal position of the ink supply container 200" refers to a position where the ink supply container 200 is placed with the bottom of the container body 300 facing downwards on a horizontal surface such as a desk. As shown in FIG. 2, ink is replenished into the ink tank 700 by placing the ink supply container 200 in an inverted position with the tip of the ink supply container 200 facing downwards. The ink supply container 200 is configured so that the container body 300, the ink outlet port 400, and the cap 600 are primarily visible from the outside. In this embodiment, even when the cap 600 is attached to the ink outlet port 400, the ink outlet port 400 can be seen through the cap 600, as shown in FIG. 4. The colors and materials of the container body 300, the ink outlet port 400, and the cap 600 are described below.

[0020] FIG. 5 is a front view schematically illustrating the ink supply container 200 according to the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the ink outlet 400 is made of a dark, non-light-transmitting recycled resin material. Also, in this embodiment, the cap 600 is made of a dark, light-transmitting recycled resin material. In FIG. 5 and subsequent figures, the dark, non-light-transmitting recycled resin material is indicated by fine cross-hatching, and the dark, light-transmitting recycled resin material is indicated by widely spaced single hatching.

[0021] The "blackish color" mentioned above refers to an achromatic color having an L* value of 0 or greater but less than 50 in the L*a*b* color system of the CIE color system. By providing the ink outlet portion 400 and the cap 600 with such a color, even if at least one of the ink outlet portion 400 and the cap 600 is mixed with a different material when recycled, the resulting component can be reused without coloring, or, if colored, by adding a small amount of colorant. Furthermore, because blackish colors are achromatic, the color is easily stable, reducing color variation when recycled. This also helps to reduce coloring in the recycled material.

[0022] The "black-based color" may be an achromatic color having an L* value of 0 or more but less than 10 in the L*a*b* color system of the CIE color system. By using such a color, at least one of the ink outlet portion 400 and the cap 600 can be made of a recycled resin material that is black or a dark gray color close to black. Therefore, even if at least one of the ink outlet portion 400 and the cap 600 is recycled by mixing it with a different material, the resulting component can be reused without coloring, or if it is colored, by adding a small amount of colorant.

[0023] The colors of the ink outlet portion 400 and the cap 600 can be identified by measuring the L* value of the L*a*b* color system using a colorimeter such as the i1 Basic Pro 2 by X-Rite, Inc. At this time, a relatively flat surface of the ink outlet portion 400 and the cap 600 that has a size equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold may be cut out, and the cut piece may be used for color measurement.

[0024] The term "recycled resin material" as used above refers to a resin material at least partially made from recycled materials. For example, this refers to a material made by recycling and mixing various resin materials, such as polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide (PA), nylon, and polystyrene (PS). Whether the ink outlet portion 400 and the cap 600 are made from recycled resin material can be determined, for example, as follows. Specifically, a known component analyzer is used to analyze the ink outlet portion 400 and the cap 600. If the result shows the presence of multiple types of resin, the ink outlet portion 400 and the cap 600 are determined to be recycled resin material. If only a single resin is detected, the ink outlet portion 400 and the cap 600 are determined to be non-recycled resin material.

[0025] Because the resin material that makes up cap 600 is optically transparent, the inner surface of cap 600 and ink outlet portion 400 are visible from the outside even when cap 600 is attached, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. This allows the user to know in advance whether ink is attached to the inner surface of cap 600 or ink outlet portion 400, and allows the user to remove cap 600 carefully so as not to let ink drip or get their hands dirty with ink.

[0026] In this embodiment, the container body 300 is made of a light-transmitting resin material that is colored a similar color to the ink. Therefore, when the ink supply container 200 is placed upright, the user can visually check the remaining ink level from the outside. In order to visually check the remaining ink level, the container body 300 only needs to be made of a light-transmitting resin material. However, because at least one of the cap 600 and the ink outlet portion 400 is a blackish color, if the container body 300 is colored a similar color to the ink, the user can easily recognize the ink color, improving convenience.

[0027] According to the ink supply container 200 of the first embodiment described above, the ink outlet portion 400 and the cap 600 are made of recycled resin material, which contributes to reducing the environmental impact. Furthermore, because the ink outlet portion 400 and the cap 600 are made of a black-based recycled resin material, even if these components are mixed with different materials during recycling, the resulting components are more likely to be reusable without being discolored. Therefore, the ink supply container 200 of the first embodiment can be configured to reduce the environmental impact by using recycled resin material, while also being suitable for recycling, assuming that different materials will be mixed during recycling.

[0028] Furthermore, according to the ink supply container 200 of the first embodiment, the ink outlet section 400 and the cap 600 are achromatic, having an L* value of 0 or more and less than 50 in the L*a*b* color system of the CIE color system, and therefore the ink outlet section 400 and the cap 600 can be made of black or gray recycled resin material. Therefore, even if a member made of recycled resin material is mixed with a different material when being recycled, the resulting member can be reused without being colored, or, if colored, by adding a small amount of colorant, which increases the likelihood of reuse.

[0029] Furthermore, according to the ink supply container 200 of the first embodiment, the cap 600, which is easy to separate from the ink supply container 200 and can be easily recycled, is made of recycled resin material of a black color, which reduces the need for sorting and coloring, making the cap 600 easier to recycle.

[0030] Furthermore, according to the ink supply container 200 of the first embodiment, the cap 600 is made of a dark, light-transmitting recycled resin material, so that the user can easily see through the cap 600 that ink is adhering to the outer surface of the ink outlet portion 400. This makes it easy to draw attention to ink contamination when opening the cap 600. In particular, highly saturated ink is easily visible from the outside, even through a dark, translucent cap.

[0031] Furthermore, according to the ink supply container 200 of the first embodiment, the ink outlet section 400 is made of a recycled resin material of a blackish color, so that the ink outlet section 400 can be configured to be suitable for recycling and regeneration.

[0032] B. Second embodiment: 6 is a front view schematically showing an ink supply container 200a according to the second embodiment. The ink supply container 200a according to the second embodiment differs from the ink supply container 200 according to the first embodiment only in that it includes a container body 300a instead of the container body 300. In the ink supply container 200a according to the second embodiment, the same components as those in the ink supply container 200 according to the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0033] The container body 300a of the ink supply container 200a of the second embodiment is made of a dark-colored recycled resin material that is optically transparent, similar to the cap 600. The "dark-colored color" and "recycled resin material" are the same as the "dark-colored color" and "recycled resin material" described in the first embodiment. However, the color of the container body 300a and the color of the cap 600 do not have to be exactly the same color, or they may be exactly the same color. Furthermore, the container body 300a and the cap 600 may or may not be made of recycled resin materials with the same components.

[0034] The ink supply container 200a of the second embodiment described above has the same effects as the ink supply container 200 of the first embodiment. In addition, because the container body 300a is made of a dark-colored recycled resin material, it is easy to suppress deterioration of the ink contained in the container body 300a due to light such as ultraviolet rays. Furthermore, because the container body 300a, which generally accounts for a relatively large proportion of the entire ink supply container 200a, is made of a dark-colored recycled resin material, it is possible to improve the utilization rate of recycled materials. Furthermore, when recycling, it is easy to increase the amount of recycled material, and the dark color makes it suitable for recycling.

[0035] Furthermore, according to the ink supply container 200a of the second embodiment, the container body 300a is made of a light-transmitting recycled resin material, making it easy to visually check from the outside the amount of ink remaining in the container body 300a. Also, when the ink supply container 200a is in an inverted state during ink filling, it is easy to visually check that the liquid level in the container body 300a has stopped changing, making it easy to recognize that the ink filling is complete.

[0036] C. Third embodiment: 7 is a front view schematically showing an ink supply container 200b according to the third embodiment. The ink supply container 200b according to the third embodiment differs from the ink supply container 200a according to the second embodiment in that it includes an ink outlet 400b instead of the ink outlet 400, and a cap 600b instead of the cap 600. In the ink supply container 200b according to the third embodiment, the same components as those in the ink supply container 200a according to the second embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0037] The ink outlet portion 400b of the ink supply container 200b of the second embodiment is made of a dark-colored recycled resin material that is optically transparent, similar to the container body 300a. The "dark-colored color" and "recycled resin material" are the same as the "dark-colored color" and "recycled resin material" described in the first embodiment. However, the color of the container body 300a and the color of the ink outlet portion 400b do not have to be exactly the same color, or they may be exactly the same color. Furthermore, the container body 300a and the ink outlet portion 400b may be made of recycled resin materials with the same components, or they may not be made of recycled resin materials with the same components.

[0038] The cap 600b of the third embodiment, like the container body 300 of the first embodiment, is made of a light-transmitting resin material colored in a color similar to the color of the ink contained in the container body 300a.

[0039] Since the cap 600b and the ink outlet portion 400b are made of a light-transmitting resin material, as shown in FIG. 7, the user can see the small diameter portion 312 of the container body 300a from the outside in the normal position.

[0040] The ink supply container 200b of the third embodiment described above has the same effects as the ink supply container 200 of the first embodiment and the ink supply container 200a of the second embodiment. In addition, because the ink outlet 400b is made of a light-transmitting resin material, even when the ink level drops to the ink outlet 400b in the ink supply state, the ink level can be seen from the outside. This allows the user to easily check the remaining ink level.

[0041] D. Fourth embodiment: 8 is a front view schematically showing an ink supply container 201b according to the fourth embodiment. The ink supply container 201b according to the fourth embodiment differs from the ink supply container 200b according to the third embodiment only in that it includes a seal member 10. In the ink supply container 201b according to the fourth embodiment, the same components as those in the ink supply container 200b according to the third embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0042] The seal member 10 is made of a film-like resin material. The seal member 10 is positioned so as to close the opening at the tip end of the small diameter portion 312 when the ink supply container 201b is in an unused state. For this reason, in this state, ink cannot be poured even when the ink supply container 201b is in the pouring position. Therefore, the user must remove the seal member 10 or make a slit in the seal member 10 before using the ink supply container 201b for the first time. Specifically, the user must remove the cap 600b and detach the ink outlet portion 400b from the container body 300a to expose the seal member 10 and the small diameter portion 312, and then either grab and peel off the end of the seal member 10 or make a slit in the seal member 10.

[0043] Here, because ink outlet 400b is made of a light-transmitting resin material, the user can visually confirm the presence of seal member 10 from the outside through ink outlet 400b when cap 600b is removed. Therefore, the user can understand that ink cannot be replenished in this state and that seal member 10 must be removed or cut.

[0044] The ink supply container 201b of the fourth embodiment described above has the same effects as the ink supply container 200b of the third embodiment. In addition, since the seal member 10 is attached to close the opening of the small diameter portion 312, evaporation of ink can be suppressed when the container is unused. Furthermore, since the seal member 10 is attached to the opening of the small diameter portion 312 of the container body 300b in the ink supply container 201b of the fourth embodiment, the seal member 10 must be removed before first use. Furthermore, according to the ink supply container 201b of the fourth embodiment, the ink outlet portion 400b is made of a recycled resin material having optical transparency, so that the presence of the seal member 10 can be easily seen from the outside, making it easier to alert the user.

[0045] E. Fifth embodiment: 9 is a front view schematically showing an ink supply container 200c according to the fifth embodiment. The ink supply container 200c according to the fifth embodiment differs from the ink supply container 200 according to the first embodiment in that it has an ink outlet portion 400c instead of the ink outlet portion 400, and in that it has a container body 300c instead of the container body 300. In the ink supply container 200c according to the fifth embodiment, the same components as those in the ink supply container 200 according to the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0046] The ink outlet 400c in the fifth embodiment is made of a blackish recycled resin material that is not optically transparent. The "blackish color" of the ink outlet 400c in the fifth embodiment is a color that corresponds to so-called "gray." For example, the color may be a color having an L* value of 40 or more and less than 50 in the L*a*b* color system of the CIE color system.

[0047] The container body 300c of the fifth embodiment differs from the container body 300 of the first embodiment only in that it is made of metal. For example, the container body 300c may be made of metal such as aluminum alloy or stainless steel. Because the container body 300c is made of metal, it is easy to suppress deterioration of the ink contained in the container body 300c due to light such as ultraviolet rays. Furthermore, because the ink outlet portion 400 is also gray, it is even easier to suppress deterioration of the ink due to light such as ultraviolet rays together with the container body 300c. Furthermore, as a metal material, the container body 300c can be easily recycled.

[0048] As described above, the ink outlet 400c is gray. The container body 300c is made of metal, and its outer surface is generally gray. Therefore, the ink outlet 400c and the container body 300c are similar in color, making it easy for users to recognize that they are components that do not need to be removed from each other.

[0049] The ink supply container 200c of the fifth embodiment described above provides the same effects as the ink supply container 200 of the first embodiment. Additionally, because the ink outlet 400c is gray, a black-based color, it can be a color similar to the color of the metal container body 300c, making it easy to distinguish between the cap 600 that needs to be removed from the container body 300c and the ink outlet 400c that does not need to be removed. Furthermore, because the ink outlet 400c is gray, it is easier to visually recognize highly saturated ink adhering to the ink outlet 400c than if the ink outlet 400c were black. Furthermore, because the ink outlet 400c is gray, a color similar to the color of typical recycled resin (before coloring), the ink outlet 400c can be constructed without coloring and can be easily reused.

[0050] F. Other Embodiments: (F1) In the first embodiment, the cap 600 may be made of a recycled resin material that is dark in color but does not have optical transparency. Also, in the first embodiment, the ink outlet portion 400 may be made of a recycled resin material that is dark in color but has optical transparency.

[0051] (F2) In the second embodiment, at least one of the cap 600 and the container body 300a may be made of a recycled resin material that is black in color and does not have optical transparency.

[0052] (F3) In the third embodiment, at least one of the ink outlet 400b and the container body 300a may be made of a dark, non-light-transmitting recycled resin material. In the fourth embodiment, the container body 300a may be made of a dark, non-light-transmitting recycled resin material.

[0053] (F4) In the fifth embodiment, the cap 600 may be made of a recycled resin material that is dark and not optically transparent. The container body 300c may be made of a recycled resin material that is dark, or more specifically, gray. In this configuration, the container body 300c may be made of a gray, optically transparent recycled resin material.

[0054] (F5) In each embodiment, the caps 600, 600b, the ink outlet portions 400, 400b, 400c, and the container bodies 300, 300a, 300c may all be made of a recycled resin material that is dark blue and does not transmit light. Also, in each embodiment, the caps 600, 600b, the ink outlet portions 400, 400b, 400c, and the container bodies 300, 300a, 300c may all be made of a recycled resin material that is dark blue and does not transmit light. Also, in each embodiment, the caps 600, 600b, and the ink outlet portions 400, 400b, 400c may all be made of a recycled resin material that is dark blue and does not transmit light, and the container bodies 300, 300a, 300c may all be made of a recycled resin material that is dark blue and does not transmit light. In each embodiment, any one of the cap 600, 600b, the ink outlet portion 400, 400b, 400c, and the container body 300, 300a, 300c may be made of a blackish recycled resin material that is not optically transparent or a blackish recycled resin material that is optically transparent, while the other two may be made of any color and material. In other words, generally, an ink supply container in which at least one of the container body 300, 300a, 300c, the ink outlet portion 400, 400b, 400c, and the cap 600, 600b is made of a blackish recycled resin material can be applied to the ink supply container of the present disclosure.

[0055] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be realized in various forms without departing from the spirit thereof. For example, the present disclosure can also be realized in the following forms. The technical features in the above-described embodiments corresponding to the technical features in each form described below can be appropriately replaced or combined to solve some or all of the problems of the present disclosure or to achieve some or all of the effects of the present disclosure. Furthermore, if a technical feature is not described as essential in this specification, it can be appropriately deleted.

[0056] G. Other forms: (1) According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an ink supply container for supplying ink to an ink ejection device, the ink supply container including: a container body configured to store the ink; an ink outlet portion connected to the container body and having an ink outlet through which the ink flows; and a cap attached to the ink outlet portion to cover the ink outlet, wherein at least one of the container body, the ink outlet portion, and the cap may be made of a recycled resin material having a black or similar color. According to this ink supply container, at least one of the container body, ink outlet, and cap is made of recycled resin, which contributes to reducing the environmental impact. Furthermore, because at least one of the container body, ink outlet, and cap is made of a black-based recycled resin, components made of recycled resin are more likely to be reusable without discoloration, even if they are mixed with different materials during recycling. Therefore, this ink supply container can be configured to reduce the environmental impact by using recycled resin, while also being suitable for recycling, assuming that different materials will be mixed during recycling.

[0057] (2) In the ink supply container of the above embodiment, the black color may be an achromatic color having an L* value of 0 or more and less than 50 in the L*a*b* color system of the CIE color system. With this type of ink supply container, at least one of the container body, ink outlet, and cap can be made from black or gray recycled resin material, so even if a component made from recycled resin material is mixed with a different material when being recycled, the resulting component can be reused without being colored, or even if it is colored, the possibility of it being reused can be increased by adding a small amount of colorant.

[0058] (3) In the ink supply container of the above embodiment, the black color may be an achromatic color having an L* value of 0 or more and less than 10 in the L*a*b* color system of the CIE color system. With this type of ink supply container, at least one of the container body, ink outlet portion, and cap can be made from recycled resin material that is black or dark gray close to black. Therefore, even if a component made from recycled resin material is mixed with a different material when being recycled, the resulting component can be reused without being colored, or, if it is colored, the possibility of it being reused can be increased by adding a small amount of colorant.

[0059] (4) In the ink supply container of the above aspect, the cap may be made of the black-colored recycled resin material. According to this type of ink supply container, the cap, which is easy to separate from the ink supply container and to use as recycled material, is made of recycled resin material of a black color, which reduces the need for sorting and coloring, making the cap easier to recycle.

[0060] (5) In the ink supply container of the above aspect, the cap may be made of the black-colored recycled resin material that is optically transparent. In this ink supply container, the cap is made of a dark, translucent recycled resin material, making it easy for users to see through the cap if ink is adhering to the outer surface of the ink outlet. This makes it easy to alert users to ink contamination when opening the cap. Highly saturated ink is particularly easy to see from the outside, even through the dark, translucent cap.

[0061] (6) In the ink supply container of the above aspect, the ink outlet may be made of the black-colored recycled resin material. In this ink supply container, the ink outlet is made of a recycled resin material with a blackish color, making it suitable for recycling. If the ink outlet is gray, it can be a color similar to the color of the metal container body, for example, making it easy to distinguish between the cap that needs to be removed and the ink outlet that does not need to be removed.

[0062] (7) In the ink supply container of the above aspect, the ink outlet may be made of the black-colored recycled resin material that is optically transparent. For example, in a configuration in which a sealing member such as a film is attached to the opening of the container body, the sealing member must be removed or a notch must be made in the sealing member before use. With this type of ink supply container, the ink outlet portion is made of a recycled resin material that is optically transparent, making it easy to see from the outside that a sealing member is attached, making it easy to alert the user.

[0063] (8) In the ink supply container of the above configuration, the container body may be made of the black-colored recycled resin material. According to this type of ink supply container, the container body is made of a dark-colored recycled resin material, which makes it easy to prevent the ink contained in the container body from deteriorating due to light such as ultraviolet light. Furthermore, since the container body, which generally accounts for a relatively large proportion of the entire ink supply container, is made of a dark-colored recycled resin material, the utilization rate of recycled materials can be improved. Furthermore, when recycling, it is easy to increase the amount of recycled material, and the dark color makes it suitable for recycling.

[0064] (9) In the ink supply container of the above configuration, the container body may be made of the black-colored recycled resin material that is optically transparent. In this type of ink supply container, the container body is made of a dark, light-transmitting recycled resin material, which prevents deterioration of the ink contained in the container body due to light such as ultraviolet rays, and makes it easy to visually check the remaining ink level from the outside.In addition, since it is easy to visually check when the liquid level in the container body stops changing during the ink filling operation, it is easy to know when the ink filling operation is complete.

[0065] In addition to the above aspects, the present disclosure can be realized in other aspects such as a method for manufacturing an ink supply container. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 10...sealing member, 100...ink discharge device, 110...casing, 160...ink tank accommodating unit, 162...lid, 164...sealing cap member, 165...sealing cap, 200...ink supply container, 200a...ink supply container, 200b...ink supply container, 200c...ink supply container, 201b...ink supply container, 300...container body, 300a...container body, 300c...container body, 312...small diameter portion, 400...ink outlet portion, 400b...ink outlet portion, 400c...ink outlet portion, 420...tubular portion, 450...fitting portion, 460...ink outlet, 500...outlet valve unit, 510...sealing member, 517...valve housing, 520...valve body, 530...spring member, 535...spring valve, 600...cap, 600b...cap, 700...ink tank, 700L...ink tank, 700S...ink tank, 710...ink inlet flow path member, 750...recess, C...central axis

Claims

1. An ink supply container for supplying ink to an ink ejection device, a container body configured to be able to contain the ink; an ink outlet portion connected to the container body and having an ink outlet through which the ink flows out; a cap attached to the ink outlet portion to cover the ink outlet; Equipped with At least one of the container body, the ink outlet portion, and the cap is made of a recycled resin material of a black or similar color. Ink refill container.

2. 2. The ink supply container according to claim 1, The black-based color is an achromatic color having an L* value of 0 or more and less than 50 in the L*a*b* color system of the CIE color system.

3. 3. The ink supply container according to claim 2, The black-based color is an achromatic color having an L* value of 0 or more and less than 10 in the L*a*b* color system of the CIE color system.

4. 4. The ink supply container according to claim 1, The ink supply container has a cap made of the black-based recycled resin material.

5. 4. The ink supply container according to claim 1, The ink supply container has a cap made of the black-colored recycled resin material that is optically transparent.

6. 4. The ink supply container according to claim 1, The ink supply container has an ink outlet portion made of the black-based recycled resin material.

7. 7. The ink supply container according to claim 6, The ink outlet portion is made of the black-colored recycled resin material and is optically transparent.

8. 4. The ink supply container according to claim 1, The ink supply container has a container body made of the recycled resin material of the black color.

9. 9. The ink supply container according to claim 8, The ink supply container has a container body made of the black-colored recycled resin material that is optically transparent.

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