Pouch for ink replenishment

Abstract

To provide a pouch for ink replenishment, which can improve workability in work for replenishing ink.SOLUTION: A pouch 1 for ink replenishment, which replenishes a liquid discharge device 100 with ink, comprises a pouch part 2 for storing ink, and an exhaust-path forming part 4, provided on the pouch part 2, which comprises an exhaust path through which ink is exhausted from inside of the pouch part 2 to outside. The exhaust-path forming part 4 may include a first portion 3 where the exhaust path extends in a first direction and a second portion 5 where the exhaust path extends in a second direction crossing the first direction. A technique described in the specification can contribute to achieving a sustainable society such as a decarbonization / recycling-oriented society.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an ink refill pouch. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, recording devices (e.g., inkjet printers) have been known as ink ejection devices (liquid ejection devices) that eject ink as a recording liquid onto a recording medium to perform recording on the recording medium. In this type of ink ejection device, when the ink in a tank runs low, ink is injected from a container containing refill ink into a refill port to replenish the ink in the tank. The container for storing the refill ink may be a bottle-shaped container, or a refill pouch formed by joining the peripheral edges of a flexible film and provided with a spout for pouring the ink. In particular, ink refill pouches may be formed into a bag shape by, for example, heat-sealing the four sides of two films together (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-2262 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In recent years, social demands have called for technological development that can contribute to the realization of a sustainable society, such as a carbon-free, recycling-oriented society. From an environmental perspective, ink refill pouches are preferable as containers for holding refill ink because they use less material than ink bottles. However, unlike ink bottles, ink refill pouches are flexible, which can make it difficult to align the ink supply nozzle with the ink refill port. This has led to concerns about time-consuming alignment and possible leakage due to misalignment.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a technique that can improve the workability of refilling liquid into an ink refill pouch. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the ink refill pouch of the present invention comprises: An ink refill pouch for refilling a liquid ejection device with ink, a pouch portion for containing ink; a discharge path forming portion provided in the pouch portion and including a discharge path for discharging ink from the inside of the pouch portion to the outside; Equipped with The discharge path forming portion is characterized in that the discharge path includes a first portion where the discharge path extends in a first direction, and a second portion where the discharge path extends in a second direction that intersects with the first direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the workability of the ink refilling operation in the ink refill pouch. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram of an ink refill pouch according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is an explanatory diagram of an ink refill pouch according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an ink refill pouch according to a second embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an ink refill pouch according to a modified example of the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 10 is an explanatory diagram of an ink refill pouch according to a third embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] 10 is an explanatory diagram of an ink refill pouch according to a third embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an ink refill pouch according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an ink refill pouch according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 10 is an explanatory diagram of an ink refill pouch according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The following describes in detail exemplary embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative positions of the components described in these embodiments may be modified as appropriate depending on the configuration of the device to which the invention is applied and various conditions. In other words, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. Furthermore, although each embodiment described below describes multiple features, not all of these features are necessarily essential to the invention, and multiple features may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate identical or similar components within each embodiment, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0010] (First embodiment) Figure 1 shows a diagram illustrating an example in which ink is supplied directly from an ink refill pouch 1 (liquid refill pouch) according to the first embodiment of the present invention to an ink supply port 104 of a sub-ink tank 103 provided in an inkjet printer 100.

[0011] The inkjet printer 100 is a liquid ejection device comprising a recording mechanism 102 and a sub-ink tank 103. The recording mechanism 102 is equipped with an inkjet head (recording head), not shown, and performs recording by ejecting ink supplied from the sub-ink tank 103 onto a recording medium. Liquids of multiple colors are selectively ejected from the inkjet head and landed on the recording medium, forming characters, symbols, images, and the like. Any recording medium may be used as long as it is capable of forming images by depositing liquid droplets onto the recording medium. For example, various materials and shapes, such as paper, cloth, the label surface of an optical disc, a plastic sheet, an OHP sheet, and an envelope, can be used as the recording medium. The liquid contained in the liquid container to which the present invention is applicable is typically ink, but is not limited to this and may also be a reaction liquid or a pretreatment liquid that is replenished in the liquid ejection device.

[0012] The inkjet printer 100 is provided with an opening / closing cover 108, and when the opening / closing cover 108 is opened, the ink supply port 104 of the sub-ink tank 103 is exposed. A sub-ink tank 103 is provided for each type of ink (e.g., ink color) used for recording. When ink is consumed during recording and the amount of ink contained in the sub-ink tank 103 becomes low, the sub-ink tank 103 can be refilled with ink from the ink refill pouch 1.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, when refilling ink directly from the ink refill pouch 1 into the sub-ink tank 103 of the inkjet printer 100, the ink supply nozzle 4 is connected to the ink supply receptacle 104 to perform the ink refill. At this time, the ink supply nozzle 4 has a bent structure, so that the flexible ink containing bag 2, which is difficult to hold with the palm of the hand H, can be stably held in a horizontal position in the ink refill pouch 1. In the ink refill pouch 1 according to this embodiment, the ink supply nozzle 4 has a bent structure consisting of a piping section 3 (first section) that protrudes from the ink containing bag 2 and a tip piping section 5 (second section) that is bent from the tip of the piping section 3. The ink refill pouch 1 and the sub-ink tank 103 are connected by connecting the tip piping section 5, which extends vertically downward, to the ink containing bag 2, which is bent vertically upward. The ink supply nozzle 4 is inserted into the ink supply receptacle 104 that opens toward the ink supply nozzle 4. The ink supply nozzle 4 has the above-described bent structure, which makes it easy to align the ink supply nozzle 4 with the ink supply receptacle 104 when the ink containing bag 2, which is flexible and tends to be unstable when held by the hand H, is held stably in the palm of the hand H. The inkjet printer 100 shown in FIG. 1 is installed on a horizontal surface, which is the normally assumed installation state (normal usage state).

[0014] The ink refill pouch 1 will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of the ink refill pouch 1 according to this embodiment, where (a) shows the cross-sectional configuration of the ink refill pouch 1 and the configuration of the lid portion 301, and (b) is an enlarged view of the mechanism 300 indicated by the dashed-dotted circle in (a).

[0015] As shown in FIG. 2, the ink refill pouch 1 includes a flexible ink containing bag 2 serving as a pouch portion for containing ink, and an ink supply nozzle 4 serving as a discharge path forming portion that forms a discharge path for discharging ink from the inside of the ink containing bag 2 to the outside. The outer periphery of the ink containing bag 2 is formed into a flat shape and sealed by heat fusion or the like to prevent liquid leakage. The ink containing bag 2 is integrally provided with an ink supply nozzle 4 at one end in the longitudinal direction L (a portion corresponding to one of the short sides of a substantially rectangular shape in plan view). The ink supply nozzle 4 is provided so as to protrude from one end in the longitudinal direction L of the ink containing bag 2 substantially along the longitudinal direction L.

[0016] The ink containing bag 2 is a flexible portion of the ink refill pouch 1 that can be deformed by the pressure it receives from the ink it contains. On the other hand, the ink supply nozzle 4 is a rigid portion of the ink refill pouch 1 that can maintain a constant shape against the pressure it receives from the liquid it contains. In other words, it can be said that the ink refill pouch 1 is mostly made up of flexible portions. The ink refill pouch 1 according to this embodiment can, for example, apply a pressing force to the flexible ink containing bag 2 to discharge ink from inside the ink containing bag 2 to the outside of the ink refill pouch 1 (ink containing bag 2) via the ink supply nozzle 4.

[0017] The ink containing bag 2 is formed from a first material that is flexible, gas-barrier, and liquid-impermeable. For example, it may be formed from a film-like material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), nylon, or polyethylene. It may also be formed by laminating multiple film-like materials made from the above-mentioned materials. In this case, for example, the outer layer may be formed from a PET or nylon film that has excellent impact resistance, and the inner layer may be formed from a polyethylene film that has excellent ink resistance. Furthermore, a layer on which aluminum or the like is vapor-deposited may be added to the laminated structure.

[0018] The material (second material) constituting the ink supply nozzle 4 is plastic, and more specifically, for example, a resin such as polypropylene. The ink supply nozzle 4 is formed with a through flow path 304 (discharge path) for supplying liquid (discharging liquid from the inside of the ink containing bag 2). The through flow path 304 has an inlet 311 that opens inside the ink containing bag 2 to introduce ink inside the ink containing bag 2 into the through flow path 304, and an outlet 312 that discharges ink flowing through the through flow path 304 to the outside of the ink refill pouch 1 (ink containing bag 2).

[0019] The ink supply nozzle 4 of the ink refill pouch 1 according to this embodiment has the following bent structure. That is, the ink supply nozzle 4 has a piping portion 3 as a first portion and a tip piping portion 5 as a second portion that extend in directions intersecting each other. The piping portion 3 is a portion that is connected to the ink containing bag 2 and extends along the longitudinal direction L of the ink containing bag 2. The tip piping portion 5 is a portion that bends and extends from the tip of the piping portion 3 that extends from the ink containing bag 2, and extends in a direction that intersects with the longitudinal direction L of the ink containing bag 2, in a direction V that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L of the ink containing bag 2 in this embodiment. That is, in this embodiment, the piping portion 3 and the tip piping portion 5 are arranged to form a substantial L shape. The through flow path 304 is formed along the extension direction of the piping portion 3 and the tip piping portion 5.

[0020] When the ink refill pouch 1 is held so that the longitudinal direction L of the ink containing bag 2 is aligned horizontally, in this embodiment, the direction in which the piping portion 3 extends (first direction) is horizontal, and the direction V in which the tip piping portion 5 extends (second direction) is vertical. The through flow path 304 includes a first flow path 341 (first discharge path) provided in the piping portion 3 and a second flow path 342 (second discharge path) provided in the tip piping portion 5. The first flow path 341 extends in the direction in which the piping portion 3 extends (first direction), and the second flow path 342 extends in the direction in which the tip piping portion 5 extends (second direction). The inlet 311 is provided in the first flow path 341 and opens in the longitudinal direction L, and the outlet 312 is provided in the second flow path 342 and opens in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction L, which in this embodiment is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L.

[0021] The ink refill pouch 1 according to this embodiment also includes a removable plastic lid 301, more specifically, a resin such as polypropylene, to prevent ink leakage when not in use. An O-ring 303 for preventing liquid leakage is formed near the tip of the tip piping 5 of the ink supply nozzle 4, and an O-ring 302 for preventing liquid leakage is formed on the lid 301. When the ink refill pouch 1 is not in use, the lid 301 is connected to the tip of the tip piping 5 of the ink supply nozzle 4, and an outlet 312 opening at the tip of the tip piping 5 is sealed to prevent ink leakage.

[0022] A mechanism 300 is formed near the base of the ink supply nozzle 4 (first portion 41) to stop the supply of ink when the ink containing bag 2 is not pressed. The mechanism 300 for stopping the supply of liquid is made of a resin such as polypropylene, and is composed of a valve body 306 having a valve stem 308, a spring 307, a bearing portion 310, and a valve body stopper portion 309. The bearing portion 310 and the valve body stopper portion 309 are formed by reducing the diameter of a portion of the first flow path 341 of the through flow path 304.

[0023] The valve element 306 and valve stem 308 serving as sealing members are disposed in the first flow path 341 of the through flow path 304, and come into contact with the wall surface (valve element stopper portion 309) of the first flow path 341 so as to block the inlet 311 from the inside of the through flow path 304, thereby creating a state in which liquid transfer is stopped. The valve element 306 is held in a sealing position in which it blocks the inlet 311 by the biasing force of a spring 307 serving as a biasing member. The biasing force applied to the valve element 306 by the spring 307 is set to be greater than the pressure force that would be applied to the valve element 306 if only the weight of ink contained inside the ink containing bag 2 were to act on the valve element 306.

[0024] When the ink containing bag 2 is pressed, the valve element 306 is pushed out toward the nozzle tip together with the ink, and the ink is supplied through the through flow path 304. That is, when an external force is applied to the ink containing bag 2 and the pressure acting on the valve element 306 from inside the ink containing bag 2 becomes greater than the biasing force of the spring 307, the valve element 306 moves to the unsealed position away from the valve element stopper 309. As a result, ink inside the ink containing bag 2 is introduced into the through flow path 304 through the inlet 311 and discharged to the outside of the ink refill pouch 1 through the outlet 312. When the pressure on the ink containing bag 2 is weak or absent, the spring 307 presses the valve element 306 against the valve element stopper 309, preventing the liquid from flowing. This stops the ink flow and prevents unwanted ink leakage, etc.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the bend angle of the bent structure of the ink supply nozzle 4 is When the containing bag 2 is held horizontally (holding the longitudinal direction L of the ink containing bag 2 horizontally), it is configured to be in the following range. That is, it is preferable that the angle formed by the axis 11 of the tip piping portion 5 and the axis 12 of the ink supply receptacle 104 of the sub-ink tank 103 is in the range of 0° to 15°, with the parallel state being 0°. The axis 11 is, for example, an imaginary axis passing through the center of the outlet 312, and the axis 12 is, for example, an imaginary axis passing through the center of the ink supply receptacle 104.

[0026] (Second embodiment) 3 is a diagram illustrating a second embodiment, which is a modification of the first embodiment. Here, only the configuration of the second embodiment that is different from the first embodiment will be described, and a description of the configuration that is common to the first embodiment will be omitted. The configuration of the second embodiment that is not specifically described here is the same as the configuration of the first embodiment.

[0027] In the second embodiment, the ink in the ink refill pouch 1 is refilled into the inkjet printer 100 via an ink refill bottle 105, rather than directly from the ink refill pouch 1 to the inkjet printer 100.

[0028] 3(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a situation in which ink is refilled into the inkjet printer 100 via an ink refill bottle 105, rather than directly from the ink refill pouch 1 of this embodiment. When ink is consumed during recording and the amount of ink contained in the sub-ink tank 103 becomes low, ink can be refilled from the ink refill bottle 105 into the sub-ink tank 103. When refilling ink, by connecting the ink supply nozzle 106 of the ink refill bottle 105 to the ink supply receptacle 104 of the sub-ink tank 103, ink is supplied by its own weight or by a suction mechanism (not shown).

[0029] FIG. 3(b) is an explanatory diagram showing a situation in which ink is refilled from an ink refill pouch 1 serving as a first liquid refill container to an ink refill bottle 105 serving as a second liquid refill container. When the ink level in the ink refill bottle 105 is low, as shown in FIG. 3(b), ink is refilled using the ink refill pouch 1. That is, the ink refill bottle 105 is placed on a horizontal surface, and the tip piping portion 5 of the ink supply nozzle 4 of the ink refill pouch 1 is inserted from above into the opening of the ink supply nozzle 106 facing vertically upward, thereby refilling the ink. The ink refill pouch 1 of this embodiment is configured similarly to the ink refill pouch 1 of Embodiment 1. That is, the ink supply nozzle 4 is configured in a substantially L-shape with the piping portion 3 (first portion) and the tip piping portion 5 (second portion) intersecting at substantially right angles. A reference line 21 extending perpendicularly to the opening surface of the ink supply nozzle 106 of the ink refill bottle 105 extends vertically. In contrast, when the ink containing bag 2 is held horizontally in the longitudinal direction, the reference line 22 extends vertically to the cross section of the piping portion 3 of the ink supply nozzle 4 of the ink refill pouch 1. Therefore, the angle 23 formed by the reference line 21 and the reference line 22 is 90°.

[0030] When refilling the ink refill bottle 105 with ink from the ink refill pouch 1, first, the tip piping portion 5 of the ink supply nozzle 4 is inserted into or connected to the ink supply nozzle 106 of the ink refill bottle 105. Then, after stabilizing the support state of the ink refill pouch 1 by, for example, placing the side of the ink containing bag 2 downwards on the palm of the hand H, pressure is applied to the ink containing bag 2 to push out the ink inside. This allows the ink contained in the ink containing bag 2 to be stably injected into the ink supply nozzle 106 of the ink refill bottle 105.

[0031] The bent structure of the ink supply nozzle 4 makes it difficult to hold in the palm of the hand H and requires a flexible This allows the ink refill pouch 1 to be stably held in a horizontal position, making it easy to align the ink supply nozzle 4 of the ink refill pouch 1 with the ink supply nozzle 106 of the ink refill bottle 105.

[0032] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which ink is being refilled from an ink refill pouch 1b serving as a first liquid refill container to an ink refill bottle 105 serving as a second liquid refill container according to a modified example of the second embodiment. The ink refill pouch 1b is configured so that the angle between the piping portion 3 (first direction) of the ink supply nozzle 4 and the tip piping portion 5 (second direction) is 120°, rather than 90° as in the ink refill pouch 1. Therefore, a reference line 21 extending perpendicular to the opening surface of the ink supply nozzle 106 of the ink refill bottle 105 extends in the vertical direction. In contrast, a reference line 22 extending perpendicular to the piping cross section of the tip piping portion 5 of the ink supply nozzle 4 of the ink refill pouch 1b, whose tip piping portion 5 is connected to the ink supply nozzle 106, extends in a direction that forms an angle of 120° with the vertical direction. Therefore, an angle 24 formed by the reference lines 21 and 22 is 120°. By having such a bent portion in the ink supply nozzle 4, the ink filled in the ink refill pouch 1 is refilled into the ink refill bottle 105 more efficiently due to the effect of the ink's own weight.

[0033] The angles 23 and 24 are preferably in the range of 90° or more and 150° or less, taking into consideration the stability of the support state when the ink containing bag 2 is held in the hand H and the effect of refilling ink under its own weight. Also, the ink containing bag 2 of this embodiment as shown in Figure 4 can be suitably used in a configuration as shown in Figure 1 in which ink is directly refilled into the sub-ink tank 103 of the inkjet printer 100.

[0034] (Third embodiment) A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Here, only the configuration of the third embodiment that is different from the first and second embodiments will be described, and a description of the configuration that is common to the first and second embodiments will be omitted. The configuration of the third embodiment that is not specifically described here is the same as the configuration of the first and second embodiments.

[0035] In this embodiment, the tip portion as the second portion of the ink supply nozzle is configured to be able to change its position relative to the ink containing bag, and when the extension direction of the tip portion is in a predetermined direction (second direction), ink refilling is permitted. The method of refilling the sub-ink tank 103 of the inkjet printer 100 with ink using the ink refill pouch and the method of refilling the ink refill bottle 105 with ink are the same as those in the first and second embodiments, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 5, the ink refill pouch 1c according to this embodiment includes an ink supply nozzle 400 with a movable bent structure. The ink supply nozzle 400 has a base portion 401 as a first portion integrally formed with the ink containing bag 2 and a tip portion 407 as a second portion having an outlet 312, which are connected via a movable shaft 404 so as to be relatively rotatable. FIG. 5(a) is a schematic diagram of the ink refill pouch 1c when the ink supply nozzle 400 assumes a bent shape in which the base portion 401 and the tip portion 407 extend in mutually intersecting directions (ink supply enabled state). FIG. 5(b) is a schematic diagram of the ink refill pouch 1c when the ink supply nozzle 400 assumes a linear shape in which the base portion 401 and the tip portion 407 extend in the same direction (ink supply disabled state).

[0037] 6(a) is a schematic diagram showing only the tip portion 407 and the movable shaft 404 of the ink supply nozzle 400, FIG. 6(b) is a view taken along the arrow B in FIG. 6(a), and FIG. 6(c) is a view taken along the arrow C in FIG. 6(a). FIG. 6(d) is a view taken along the arrow C in FIG. 6(a). 6(e) is a view taken along the arrow E in FIG. 6(d), and FIG. 6(f) is a view taken along the arrow F in FIG. 6(a). The movable shaft 404 is, for example, a bolt made of resin such as polypropylene, or a bolt made of metal such as aluminum. As shown in FIG. 6, the movable shafts 404 are provided in pairs on both sides of the hollow space between the base portion 401 and the tip portion 407 so as not to intersect with the hollow spaces of the base portion 401 and the tip portion 407, and connect the base portion 401 and the tip portion 407.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 5, a flexible resin pipe 402, which is a tube, is connected as a third section to an area including the movable shaft 404 between the base portion 401 and the tip portion 407. The resin pipe 402 is a soft material made of a plasticizer-added vinyl chloride or the like. The through flow path 304 of the ink supply nozzle 400 is made up of a first flow path 341 (first discharge path) at the base portion 401, a second flow path 342 (second discharge path) at the tip portion 407, and a third flow path 343 (third discharge path) formed by the inner cylindrical portion of the resin pipe 402. The third flow path 343 is a flow path connecting the first flow path 341 and the second flow path 342.

[0039] 5 and 6, protrusion 406 (first pressing portion) is formed on the inside of base portion 401, and protrusion 403 (second pressing portion) is formed on the inside of tip portion 407. Protrusion 406 and protrusion 403 are each configured to be able to come into contact with the outer surface of resin pipe 402, and the contact positions are on opposite sides of resin pipe 402, with protrusions 406 and 403 disposed opposite each other with resin pipe 402 sandwiched between them. Protrusions 406 and 403 are disposed so that their relative positions can be changed such that the distance (gap) between protrusion 406 and protrusion 403 changes as the relative positions of base portion 401 and tip portion 407 change.

[0040] 5(a), when the tip portion 407 is bent in an L-shape relative to the base portion 401, the protrusions 403 and 406 are spaced apart from each other to leave a predetermined gap between them. At this time, the third flow path 343 of the resin pipe 402 is in a state where ink can flow therethrough, and ink can be sent from the inside of the ink containing bag 2 to the outside of the ink refill pouch 1c (ink containing bag 2).

[0041] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5( b), when the tip portion 407 is arranged in a straight line with respect to the base portion 401 (when not bent), the gap between the protrusions 403 and 406 narrows. As a result, the resin pipe 402 is pinched and crushed between the protrusions 403 and 406, blocking the third flow path 343 and stopping the ink supply. In other words, when the ink supply nozzle 400 is bent in an L-shape, the relative positions of the protrusions 403 and 406 are in an open position, opening the third flow path 343 and enabling the ink supply. When the ink supply nozzle 400 is in a straight line, the relative positions of the protrusions 403 and 406 are in a closed position, blocking the third flow path 343 and stopping the ink supply.

[0042] As described above, by making the ink supply nozzle 400 movable so that it can be switched between a bent and a straight shape, and by configuring it so that the ink delivery pipe can be opened and closed by changing its shape, it is possible to eliminate the need for a lid as in the first embodiment.

[0043] (Fourth embodiment) A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Here, only the configuration of the fourth embodiment that is different from the first to third embodiments will be described, and a description of the configuration that is common to the first to third embodiments will be omitted. The configuration of the fourth embodiment that is not specifically described here is the same as the configuration of the first to third embodiments.

[0044] In this embodiment, the tip portion as the second portion of the ink supply nozzle is configured so that its relative position with respect to the ink containing bag can be changed, and the extending direction of the tip portion is a predetermined direction (second direction). This is an example of a configuration in which ink refilling is permitted when the ink refill pouch is opened. The method of refilling ink into the sub-ink tank 103 of the inkjet printer 100 using the ink refill pouch and the method of refilling ink into the ink refill bottle 105 are the same as those in the first and second embodiments, and therefore detailed explanations thereof will be omitted.

[0045] 7(a) and 7(b) are diagrams showing the configuration of a portion of an L-shaped bent ink supply nozzle 501, which includes a longitudinal portion 531 as a first portion and a tip portion 532 as a second portion, and FIG. 7(b) is a view taken along arrow G in FIG. 7(a). The longitudinal portion 531 and tip portion 532 of the ink supply nozzle 501 are integrally configured and arranged in a substantially L-shape. An outlet 542 opens at the tip surface of the tip of the tip portion 532, and an O-ring 505 is provided around the tip portion to improve sealing when connected to the ink supply receptacle 104. A first flow path 521 (first discharge path) is provided in the longitudinal portion 531, and a second flow path 522 (second discharge path) is provided in the tip portion 532. Together with a third flow path (third discharge path) 512 provided in a base portion 514 (described later), these form a through-flow path 502 capable of transporting ink. An inner peripheral connection part 504 is formed on the upstream side of the longitudinal part 531 in the ink feeding direction of the first flow path 521, and is connectable to a base part 514 that is integrally provided at one end (a part corresponding to one of the short sides of the approximately rectangular shape in plan view) in the longitudinal direction L of the ink containing bag 2. In addition, a fan-shaped through hole 503 is formed on the downstream side of the inner peripheral connection part 504 in the ink feeding direction of the first flow path 521 so that the flow path area for the ink is locally narrowed.

[0046] 7(c) and 7(d) are diagrams showing the configuration of the ink containing bag 2 and a base portion 514 as a third portion of the ink supply nozzle 501, and FIG. 7(d) is a view seen from the arrow I in FIG. 7(c). The base portion 514 is provided integrally with the ink containing bag 2 at one longitudinal end of the ink containing bag 2. The base portion 514 includes an inlet 541 that opens into the ink containing bag 2, a third flow path 512 that extends from the inlet 541 along the longitudinal direction L, and an outer peripheral connecting portion 513 that mates with the inner peripheral connecting portion 504 of the longitudinal portion 531. In addition, a fan-shaped through hole 511 is formed at the downstream end of the third flow path 512 in the ink delivery direction so that the flow path area for the ink is locally narrowed.

[0047] The inner peripheral connection portion 504 of the longitudinal portion 531 and the outer peripheral connection portion 513 of the base portion 514 are configured to be concentrically connectable and rotatable relative to each other, and are configured to rotatably connect the longitudinal portion 531 and the base portion 514 while maintaining ink sealing. By connecting the longitudinal portion 531 and the base portion 514, the surface where the through hole 503 of the longitudinal portion 531 opens and the surface where the through hole 511 of the base portion 514 opens come into contact with each other.

[0048] The through hole 503 and the through hole 511 are arranged at positions that do not intersect with the rotation axis of the relative rotation of the longitudinal portion 531 and the root portion 514. Therefore, the relative positions of the through hole 503 and the through hole 511 are configured to be changeable by the relative rotation of the longitudinal portion 531 and the root portion 514. The relative rotation phase of the longitudinal portion 531 and the root portion 514 includes an open phase (open position) in which the through hole 503 and the through hole 511 overlap with each other and the first flow path 521 and the third flow path 512 communicate with each other. The rotation phase of the longitudinal portion 531 and the root portion 514 also includes a closed phase (closed position) in which the through hole 503 and the through hole 511 do not overlap with each other and the first flow path 521 and the third flow path 512 do not communicate with each other.

[0049] FIG. 8(a) is a diagram showing the configuration of an ink refill pouch 1d according to this embodiment, showing the state when the through-hole 503 and the through-hole 511 are in an open phase where they overlap each other. FIG. 8(b) shows the arrangement of the through-hole 503 when viewed in the longitudinal direction L, and FIG. 8(c) shows the arrangement of the through-hole 511 when viewed in the longitudinal direction L. When the through-hole 503 and the through-hole 511 are in an open phase where they overlap each other, for example, by pressing the ink containing bag 2, it is possible to discharge ink inside the ink containing bag 2 from the outlet 542 via the through-flow path 502 (ink delivery). This allows ink to be supplied to the ink supply port 104, etc.

[0050] Fig. 8(d) is a diagram showing the configuration of an ink refill pouch 1d according to this embodiment, showing a state in which the through-hole 503 and the through-hole 511 are in a closed phase and do not overlap each other. Fig. 8(e) shows the arrangement of the through-hole 503 when viewed in the longitudinal direction L, and Fig. 8(f) shows the arrangement of the through-hole 511 when viewed in the longitudinal direction L. In this state, the through-flow path 502 is closed at the locations where the through-hole 503 and the through-hole 511 are provided, so that even if the ink containing bag 2 is pressed, ink is not sent downstream of the through-flow path 502.

[0051] 8(a), when the open phase is formed, the extension direction of the tip 532 of the ink supply nozzle 501 is configured to face vertically downward when the ink containing bag 2 is held in a position where its longitudinal direction L is aligned horizontally. This makes it possible to easily align and insert the tip 532 of the ink supply nozzle 501 with the ink supply receptacle 104 of the sub-ink tank 103, which opens vertically upward, as in the first embodiment.

[0052] 8(b), the extension direction of the tip 532 of the ink supply nozzle 501 when the closed phase is formed is configured to face vertically upward when the ink containing bag 2 is held in a position where its longitudinal direction L is aligned horizontally. This prevents ink leakage when the tip 532 extends in a direction that makes it difficult to insert the tip 532 into the ink supply receptacle 104, which opens vertically upward.

[0053] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to control the opening and closing of ink supply by changing the orientation of the bent portion of the ink supply nozzle 501. Furthermore, the bent shape of the ink supply nozzle 501 can help make the ink supply nozzle 501 easier to rotate.

[0054] (Fifth embodiment) A fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Here, only the configuration of the fifth embodiment that is different from the first to fourth embodiments will be described, and a description of the configuration common to the first to fourth embodiments will be omitted. The configuration of the fifth embodiment that is not specifically described here is the same as the configuration of the first to fourth embodiments.

[0055] The method of refilling ink into the sub-ink tank 103 of the inkjet printer 100 using an ink refill pouch and the method of refilling ink into the ink refill bottle 105 are the same as those in the first and second embodiments, so detailed explanations will be omitted.

[0056] FIG. 9A shows the configuration of an ink refill pouch 1e according to this embodiment, which includes an ink supply nozzle 600 having a bent shape. The ink refill pouch 1e according to this embodiment has a configuration in which the ink supply nozzle 600, which is unique to this embodiment, is attached to the ink containing bag 2 and base portion 514 (third portion) similar to those shown in FIGS. 7C(c) and 7D of the fourth embodiment. The ink supply nozzle 600 has a tip nozzle 601 formed by connecting a longitudinal portion 631 as a first portion and a tip portion 632 as a second portion via a bellows portion 633 so that the relative positions of these portions can be arbitrarily changed. The bellows portion 633 of the ink supply nozzle 600 facilitates alignment of the outlet 642 of the ink supply nozzle 4 with the ink supply receptacle.

[0057] The tip of the tip portion 632 has an outlet 642 opening on the tip surface, and an O-ring 605 is provided on the outer periphery of the tip portion to improve sealing when connected to the ink supply port 104. A first flow path 621 (first discharge path) is provided in the longitudinal portion 631, and a second flow path 622 (second discharge path) is provided in the tip portion 632. The ink supply direction of the first flow path 621 is At the upstream end of the ink supply passage, a fan-shaped through-hole 606 is formed so that the area of ​​the ink flow passage is locally narrowed.

[0058] The ink supply nozzle 600 also has a connection part 610 that is connected to a base part 514 that is integrally formed with the ink containing bag 2. The connection part 610 is a substantially cylindrical member, and has an inner peripheral connection part 604 that is fixedly connected to an outer peripheral connection part 513 of the base part 514 in a liquid-tight manner, and a fan-shaped through hole 611.

[0059] The ink supply nozzle 600 also has a coupling part 607 as a fourth part connected between the longitudinal part 631 and the connecting part 610. The coupling part 607 is rotatably connected to both the longitudinal part 631 and the connecting part 610 while maintaining ink sealing. The coupling part 607 is a substantially cylindrical member and has a fourth flow path 624 (fourth discharge path) extending in the longitudinal direction L. Fan-shaped through holes 603 are formed at both ends of the fourth flow path 624 in the longitudinal direction L so that the flow path area for ink is locally narrowed. The surface of the coupling part 607 where the through hole 603 opens on the upstream side in the ink feed direction is configured to contact the surface of the connecting part 610 where the through hole 611 opens. The surface of the coupling part 607 where the through hole 603 opens on the downstream side in the ink feed direction is configured to contact the surface of the longitudinal part 631 where the through hole 606 opens.

[0060] The ink supply nozzle 600 has a through flow path 602 that can transport ink from the inside to the outside of the ink storage bag 2, including a first flow path 621 in the longitudinal portion 631, a second flow path 622 in the tip portion 632, a third flow path 512 in the base portion 514, and a fourth flow path 624 in the joint part 607.

[0061] The joint part 607 is rotatable relative to both the longitudinal part 631 and the connecting part 610 around a rotation axis along the longitudinal direction L. The through hole 606 of the longitudinal part 631 and the through hole 611 of the connecting part 610 are arranged and shaped to overlap each other when viewed in the direction of the rotation axis, at positions that do not intersect with the rotation axis of the joint part 607. The through holes 603 at both longitudinal ends of the joint part 607 are also arranged and shaped to overlap each other when viewed in the direction of the rotation axis, at positions that do not intersect with the rotation axis of the joint part 607. Therefore, the relative positions of the through hole 603 of the joint part 607, the through hole 606 of the longitudinal part 631, and the through hole 611 of the connecting part 610 are changeable by relative rotation between the joint part 607 and the longitudinal part 631 and the connecting part 610. The rotation phases of this relative rotation include an open phase (open position) in which the through-holes 603, 606, and 611 at both longitudinal ends overlap with each other, and the first flow path 621, the fourth flow path 624, and the third flow path 512 communicate in sequence. The rotation phases of the relative rotation also include a closed phase (closed position) in which the through-holes 603 at both longitudinal ends do not overlap with either the through-holes 606 or the through-holes 611, and the first flow path 621 and the third flow path 512 do not communicate with each other.

[0062] 9(b) shows the arrangement of the through holes 606 and 611 as viewed in the longitudinal direction L when the relative positions of the joint part 607, the longitudinal part 631, and the connection part 610 are in the open phase, and FIG. 9(c) shows the arrangement of the through hole 603 as viewed in the longitudinal direction L. When the through holes 603, 606, and 611 at both longitudinal ends are in the open phase and overlap, for example, by pressing the ink containing bag 2, it becomes possible to discharge ink from the ink containing bag 2 through the through flow path 602 and the outlet 642 (ink delivery). This makes it possible to supply ink to the ink supply receptacle 104.

[0063] 9(d) shows the arrangement of the through holes 606 and 611 as viewed in the longitudinal direction L when the relative positions of the joint part 607, the longitudinal part 631, and the connecting part 610 are in the closed phase, and FIG. 9(e) shows the arrangement of the through hole 603 as viewed in the longitudinal direction L. In this state, the through flow path 602 is closed between the first flow path 621 and the third flow path 512, so that the ink Even if the containing bag 2 is pressed, the ink is not sent downstream of the through-flow passage 602.

[0064] When refilling the ink refill bottle 105 with ink from the ink refill pouch 1e, the tip nozzle 601 of the ink supply nozzle 600 is connected to the ink supply receptacle 104 of the ink refill bottle 105 with the ink supply path (through flow path 602) closed. Then, by rotating the joint part 607 to open the ink supply path, it becomes possible to refill the ink refill bottle 105 with ink without ink leakage while holding the ink refill pouch 1e stably in one's hand.

[0065] The above-described embodiment and each modification can be combined with each other in their respective configurations.

[0066] The disclosure of the embodiments of the present invention includes the following configurations. (Configuration 1) An ink refill pouch for refilling a liquid ejection device with ink, a pouch portion for containing ink; a discharge path forming portion provided in the pouch portion and including a discharge path for discharging ink from the inside of the pouch portion to the outside; Equipped with An ink refill pouch characterized in that the discharge path forming portion includes a first portion in which the discharge path extends in a first direction and a second portion in which the discharge path extends in a second direction that intersects the first direction. (Configuration 2) the discharge path forming portion has a discharge port at a tip of the second portion through which ink is discharged to the outside of the pouch portion, 2. The ink refill pouch according to claim 1, wherein the second direction is a direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction of the pouch portion. (Configuration 3) 3. The ink refill pouch according to claim 1, wherein the first direction is a direction along the longitudinal direction of the pouch portion. (Configuration 4) The discharge path forming portion is an inlet opening into the pouch portion and configured to introduce ink from the pouch portion into the discharge path; a sealing member that is disposed inside the discharge path and is configured to be capable of taking a sealing position in contact with a wall surface of the discharge path so as to block the inlet from the inside of the discharge path, and an unsealing position in which it is separated from the wall surface; a biasing member that applies a biasing force to the sealing member to position the sealing member at the sealing position; 4. The ink refill pouch according to any one of configurations 1 to 3, comprising: (Configuration 5) 5. The ink refill pouch according to claim 4, wherein the biasing force is greater than a pressure force that would be applied to the biasing member if only the weight of the ink contained inside the pouch portion were to act on the biasing member. (Configuration 6) 6. The ink refill pouch according to claim 4, wherein the inlet, the sealing member, and the biasing member are provided in the first portion. (Configuration 7) 7. The ink refill pouch according to any one of configurations 1 to 6, wherein the discharge path forming portion is arranged so that the first portion and the second portion form a substantial L-shape. (Configuration 8) The second portion is configured to be able to change its relative position with respect to the pouch portion, An ink refill pouch according to any one of configurations 1 to 7, wherein, at the relative position where the direction in which the second portion extends is the second direction, the inside of the pouch portion is configured to be able to communicate with the outside of the pouch portion through the outlet. (Configuration 9) the discharge path includes a first discharge path provided in the first portion and a second discharge path provided in the second portion; the discharge path forming portion includes a flexible tube connected between the first portion and the second portion and forming a third discharge path connecting the first discharge path and the second discharge path; the first portion has a first pressing portion that can come into contact with the outer surface of the tube; the second portion has a second pressing portion that is capable of contacting the outer surface at a position opposite to the first pressing portion, The ink refill pouch according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, wherein the first portion and the second portion are configured to be able to change their relative positions to each other, and can take a blocked position in which the first pressing portion and the second pressing portion clamp the tube to block the third discharge path, and an open position in which the first pressing portion and the second pressing portion move away from each other to open the third discharge path. (Configuration 10) 10. The ink refill pouch according to claim 9, wherein when the relative position is the open position, the direction in which the second portion extends is the second direction. (Configuration 11) 11. The ink refill pouch according to claim 9, wherein when the relative position is the closed position, the direction in which the second portion extends is the first direction. (Configuration 12) the discharge path forming portion includes a third portion having an inlet that opens into the pouch portion and introduces ink inside the pouch portion into the discharge path, the first portion is connected to the third portion so that a relative position of the first portion can be changed; the discharge path includes a first discharge path provided in the first portion and a third discharge path provided in the third portion; An ink refill pouch according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, wherein the first portion can take the relative position with respect to the third portion between an open position in which the first discharge path is connected to the third discharge path and a closed position in which the first discharge path is not connected to the third discharge path. (Configuration 13) The second part is integral with the first part, 13. The ink refill pouch according to claim 12, wherein when the relative position is the open position, the direction in which the second portion extends is the second direction. (Configuration 14) The discharge path forming portion is a third portion having an inlet opening into the pouch portion and configured to introduce ink from the pouch portion into the discharge path; a fourth portion connecting the first portion and the third portion, the fourth portion being configured to be able to change its relative position with respect to the first portion and the third portion; Preparation, the discharge path includes a first discharge path provided in the first portion, a third discharge path provided in the third portion, and a fourth discharge path provided in the fourth portion; An ink refill pouch according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, wherein the fourth portion can take, as its relative position with respect to the first portion and the third portion, an open position in which the fourth discharge path is in communication with the first discharge path and the third discharge path, and a closed position in which the fourth discharge path is not in communication with the first discharge path and the third discharge path. (Configuration 15) 15. The ink refill pouch according to claim 14, wherein the first portion and the second portion are connected by a bellows portion that allows the relative positions of the first portion and the second portion to be changed. (Configuration 16) An ink refill pouch according to any one of configurations 1 to 15, wherein the second direction forms an angle in the range of 0° or more and 15° or less with respect to an imaginary axis passing through the center of a receiving port provided at the destination of ink refill by the ink refill pouch when the pouch portion is held so that the longitudinal direction of the pouch portion is along the horizontal direction. (Configuration 17) 17. The ink refill pouch according to any one of configurations 1 to 16, wherein the angle formed between the first direction and the second direction is in the range of 90° or more and 150° or less. (Configuration 18) The pouch portion is flexible, An ink refill pouch according to any one of configurations 1 to 17, wherein the discharge path forming portion has a rigidity that enables it to maintain a constant shape against pressure from the ink contained inside the pouch portion. (Configuration 19) 19. The ink refill pouch according to any one of configurations 1 to 18, wherein the discharge channel forming portion is provided at one end of the pouch portion in the longitudinal direction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 1: Ink refill pouch, 2: Ink storage bag, 3: Pipe section, 4: Ink supply nozzle, 5: Tip pipe section

Claims

1. An ink refill pouch for refilling a liquid ejection device with ink, a pouch portion for containing ink; a discharge path forming portion provided in the pouch portion and including a discharge path for discharging ink from the inside of the pouch portion to the outside; Equipped with An ink refill pouch characterized in that the discharge path forming portion includes a first portion in which the discharge path extends in a first direction and a second portion in which the discharge path extends in a second direction that intersects the first direction.

2. the discharge path forming portion has a discharge port at a tip of the second portion through which ink is discharged to the outside of the pouch portion, 2. The ink refill pouch according to claim 1, wherein the second direction is a direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction of the pouch portion.

3. 3. The ink refill pouch according to claim 2, wherein the first direction is a direction along the longitudinal direction of the pouch portion.

4. The discharge path forming portion is an inlet opening into the pouch portion and configured to introduce ink from the pouch portion into the discharge path; a sealing member that is disposed inside the discharge path and is configured to be capable of taking a sealing position in contact with a wall surface of the discharge path so as to block the inlet from the inside of the discharge path, and an unsealing position in which it is separated from the wall surface; a biasing member that applies a biasing force to the sealing member to position the sealing member at the sealing position; The ink refill pouch of claim 2 , comprising:

5. 5. The ink refill pouch according to claim 4, wherein the biasing force is greater than a pressure force that would be applied to the biasing member if only the weight of the ink contained inside the pouch portion were to act on the biasing member.

6. 5. The ink refill pouch according to claim 4, wherein the inlet, the sealing member, and the biasing member are provided in the first portion.

7. 2. The ink refill pouch according to claim 1, wherein the discharge path forming portion is arranged so that the first portion and the second portion form a substantially L-shape.

8. The second portion is configured to be able to change its relative position with respect to the pouch portion, 3. The ink refill pouch according to claim 2, wherein the inside of the pouch portion is configured to be able to communicate with the outside of the pouch portion through the outlet when the extension direction of the second portion is the second direction.

9. the discharge path includes a first discharge path provided in the first portion and a second discharge path provided in the second portion, the discharge path forming portion includes a flexible tube connected between the first portion and the second portion and forming a third discharge path connecting the first discharge path and the second discharge path; the first portion has a first pressing portion that can come into contact with the outer surface of the tube; the second portion has a second pressing portion that is capable of contacting the outer surface at a position opposite to the first pressing portion, 3. The ink refill pouch according to claim 2, wherein the first portion and the second portion are configured to be able to change their relative positions to each other and can take a closed position in which the first pressing portion and the second pressing portion sandwich the tube to block the third discharge path, and an open position in which the first pressing portion and the second pressing portion move away from each other to open the third discharge path.

10. 10. The ink refill pouch according to claim 9, wherein when the relative position is the open position, the direction in which the second portion extends is the second direction.

11. 10. The ink refill pouch according to claim 9, wherein when the relative position is the closed position, the direction in which the second portion extends is the first direction.

12. the discharge path forming portion includes a third portion having an inlet that opens to the inside of the pouch portion and introduces ink inside the pouch portion into the discharge path, the first portion is connected to the third portion so that a relative position of the first portion can be changed; the discharge path includes a first discharge path provided in the first portion and a third discharge path provided in the third portion, 3. The ink refill pouch according to claim 2, wherein the first portion can take, as the relative position with respect to the third portion, an open position in which the first discharge path communicates with the third discharge path, and a closed position in which the first discharge path does not communicate with the third discharge path.

13. The second portion is integral with the first portion, 13. The ink refill pouch according to claim 12, wherein when the relative position is the open position, the direction in which the second portion extends is the second direction.

14. The discharge path forming portion is a third portion having an inlet opening into the pouch portion and configured to introduce ink from the pouch portion into the discharge path; a fourth part connecting the first part and the third part, the fourth part being configured to be able to change its relative position with respect to the first part and the third part; Preparation, the discharge path includes a first discharge path provided in the first portion, a third discharge path provided in the third portion, and a fourth discharge path provided in the fourth portion, 3. The ink refill pouch according to claim 2, wherein the fourth portion can take, as the relative position with respect to the first portion and the third portion, an open position in which the fourth discharge path communicates with the first discharge path and the third discharge path, and a closed position in which the fourth discharge path does not communicate with the first discharge path and the third discharge path.

15. 15. The ink refill pouch according to claim 14, wherein the first portion and the second portion are connected by a bellows portion that allows the relative positions of the first portion and the second portion to be changed.

16. 2. The ink refill pouch according to claim 1, wherein the second direction forms an angle in the range of 0° or more and 15° or less with respect to an imaginary axis passing through the center of a receiving port provided at a destination for refilling ink by the ink refill pouch when the pouch portion is held so that the longitudinal direction of the pouch portion is along the horizontal direction.

17. 2. The ink refill pouch according to claim 1, wherein the angle between the first direction and the second direction is in the range of 90 degrees or more and 150 degrees or less.

18. The pouch portion is flexible, The discharge path forming portion is configured to be resistant to pressure from the ink contained inside the pouch portion.

2. The ink refill pouch according to claim 1, which has a rigidity that enables it to maintain a constant shape.

19. 2. The ink refill pouch according to claim 1, wherein the discharge path forming portion is provided at one end of the pouch portion in the longitudinal direction.

Images