Tank and liquid discharge device

Abstract

To provide an ink tank capable of easily securing strength.SOLUTION: An ink tank 100 is fixed to a casing 8 of a compound machine 10 for discharging ink. The ink tank 100 includes: a tank body 120 that defines an ink chamber 111 in which ink is stored; and a lower wall 105 that covers at least a part of an opening 231 formed by the tank body 120. In a posture in which the ink tank 100 is fixed to the casing 8, the lower wall 105 is attached to the tank body 120 in a state of covering at least a part of the opening 231 from below. Strength of the lower wall 105 is higher than that of a film.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a tank to be installed in a liquid ejection device that ejects liquid, and the liquid ejection device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an ink tank that is fixed to a multifunction device. The ink tank described in Patent Document 1 includes a frame having an ink chamber and an inlet, and two films. The frame has openings on both the left and right sides. The two films are welded to the opening edges on both the left and right sides of the frame, thereby sealing the openings on both the left and right sides of the frame. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2024-36528 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When the ink tank is installed in the multifunction device, the ink tank may come into contact with the housing of the multifunction device or components installed in the multifunction device, or the film may be damaged or deformed by the load from the ink stored in the ink chamber when ink is injected into the ink tank, for example.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a tank and a liquid discharge device in which strength can be easily ensured. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) The present disclosure relates to a tank. The tank is fixed to a housing of a liquid ejection device that ejects liquid. The tank includes a frame that defines a storage chamber in which the liquid is stored and a lid that covers at least a portion of a first opening formed by the frame. When the tank is fixed to the housing, the lid is attached to the frame in a state in which it covers at least a portion of the first opening horizontally or from below. The strength of the lid is greater than the strength of a film.

[0007] Since the strength of the lid is greater than that of the film, the strength of the tank can be more easily ensured compared to a configuration in which the entire first opening is covered with a film. Therefore, when the tank is fixed to the housing of the liquid ejection device, even if the lid comes into contact with the housing of the liquid ejection device or components installed in the liquid ejection device, or is subjected to a load from the liquid stored in the storage chamber, the lid is prevented from being damaged or deformed.

[0008] (2) The lid may be attached to the frame by welding.

[0009] This prevents the liquid in the storage chamber from leaking between the lid and the frame.

[0010] (3) The lid may have a protrusion that protrudes outward.

[0011] When the tank is fixed to the housing of the liquid ejection device, the portion of the outer surface of the lid that does not protrude outward is less likely to come into contact with the housing of the liquid ejection device and components installed on the liquid ejection device, so the portion of the outer surface of the lid that does not protrude outward is less likely to be damaged.

[0012] (4) The lid may cover a portion of the first opening. The tank may further include a film that covers a portion of the first opening other than the portion covered by the lid.

[0013] Since the lid covers a portion of the first opening, the film is less likely to be damaged than in a configuration in which the film covers the entire first opening.

[0014] (5) The tank may further include an outlet through which the liquid stored in the storage chamber can flow out. The lid may cover at least a portion of the first opening that opens downward to define the storage chamber. The convex portion may have an internal space that protrudes downward and communicates with the storage chamber. The outlet may be located in the internal space.

[0015] When the amount of liquid remaining in the storage chamber becomes low, the liquid tends to collect in the internal space of the downwardly projecting convex portion, making it easier for the liquid to flow out through the outlet. Therefore, the convex portion of the lid can be used to improve the ease of using up the liquid.

[0016] (6) The tank may further include an outlet through which the liquid stored in the storage chamber can flow to the outside. The lid may have a bottom plate portion that covers at least a portion of the first opening that opens downward to define the storage chamber, and a flat plate portion that extends horizontally above the outlet and the bottom plate portion.

[0017] Components of the liquid that tend to settle tend to accumulate in the flat plate portion, so that the components of the liquid that tend to settle are prevented from accumulating near the outlet.

[0018] (7) The lid may cover the entire first opening.

[0019] Since no film is used to cover the first opening, the strength of the tank can be maximized.

[0020] (8) The lid may be attached to the frame by welding a film to the frame and the lid.

[0021] This prevents the liquid in the storage chamber from leaking between the lid and the frame.

[0022] (9) The lid may have at least a part of a liquid detection unit for detecting the liquid in the storage chamber.

[0023] At least a part of the liquid detection unit is installed by attaching the cover to the frame, which makes it easy to install the liquid detection unit.

[0024] (10) The liquid detection unit may include a first storage portion that protrudes upward from a bottom plate portion of the lid body and covers at least a portion of the first opening that opens downward, a second storage portion that is positioned at a distance from the first storage portion and protrudes upward from the bottom plate portion, and a sensor having a light-emitting portion installed in the first storage space defined by the first storage portion and a light-receiving portion installed in the second storage space defined by the second storage portion.

[0025] The horizontal cross-sectional area of ​​the liquid detected by the sensor is smaller than when the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit are disposed outside the frame, improving the accuracy of the sensor's detection of the remaining amount of liquid.

[0026] (11) The cover may have a liquid flow path through which the liquid flowing out of the storage chamber flows to the outside. The liquid flow path may cover at least a portion of the first opening that opens in the horizontal direction.

[0027] Since the liquid flow path that directs the liquid flowing out of the storage chamber to the outside covers at least a portion of the first opening, the liquid flow path can be formed simply by attaching the lid to the frame without requiring any extra space for the liquid flow path.

[0028] (12) The tank may include a first base and a pipe extending from the first base to connect the storage chamber to the outside. The pipe may cover at least a portion of a second opening formed by the frame. The first base may be attached to the frame. The pipe may extend obliquely upward when the tank is fixed to the housing of the liquid ejection device.

[0029] Compared to when the pipe is integrally attached to the tank body using a mold, the structure of the mold used to form the tank body is simpler. In other words, the tank body can be easily formed even in a shape that results in an undercut.

[0030] (13) The first base portion may cover at least a portion of the second opening that opens upward.

[0031] Even if the pipe extends obliquely upward from the first base portion, the first base portion is attached to the frame in the vertical direction, so that the pipe can be easily attached to the frame.

[0032] (14) The tank may further include a pipe that connects the storage chamber to the outside. The frame may be located within the storage chamber and have a first protrusion extending from a periphery of an opening of the pipe.

[0033] The first protruding piece prevents a meniscus from forming at the opening of the tube on the reservoir side, which helps ensure air movement between the reservoir and the outside, and therefore helps ensure a smooth supply of liquid to the reservoir.

[0034] (15) The frame may have an atmosphere communication port that connects the storage chamber with the outside, and a second protrusion located inside the storage chamber and extending from the periphery of the atmosphere communication port.

[0035] The second protruding piece prevents a meniscus of liquid from being formed at the atmosphere communication port, and as a result, air is less likely to be impeded from flowing into the storage chamber from outside the storage chamber through the atmosphere communication port.

[0036] (16) The tank may further include a second base portion and a valve. The second base portion may face a third opening formed by the frame. The second base portion may be attached to the frame. The valve may be sandwiched between the frame and the second base portion and attached so as to be able to open and close the third opening.

[0037] The valve can be incorporated between the frame and the second base portion, making it easy to install the valve.

[0038] (17) The frame may have a first protruding wall that protrudes from an inner surface of the frame and against which the lid abuts.

[0039] Since the strength of the frame is improved in the vicinity of the protruding wall against which the lid abuts, the frame is less likely to bend when the lid is attached to the frame by welding, thereby improving the accuracy of welding the lid to the frame.

[0040] (18) The frame may have a second protruding wall that protrudes from an inner surface of the frame to face the first protruding wall and against which the lid abuts.

[0041] When the lid body is attached to the frame by welding, the lid body is less likely to tilt relative to the frame.

[0042] (19) The present disclosure relates to a liquid ejection device including the tank, a liquid ejection unit that ejects liquid stored in the tank, and a cover that covers the tank. The cover has a positioning unit that positions a bottle connected to the tank and a covering unit that covers at least a portion of the lid.

[0043] This stabilizes the position of the bottle connected to the tank, and also prevents damage to the outer surface of the lid. [Effects of the Invention]

[0044] According to the present invention, strength can be easily ensured. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0045] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the appearance of a multifunction peripheral 10. As shown in FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a schematic internal structure of the printer unit 11. As shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the carriage 23 and the ink tank 100. As shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the ink tank set 51. As shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the ink tank 100. As shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the ink tank set 51 cut along a plane including the ink chamber 111D, viewed obliquely from above and in front. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the tank body 120. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the components of the ink tank 100. As shown in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the ink tank 100 as viewed from below. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the ink tank 100 taken along a horizontal plane above the lower wall 105, as viewed from above. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the ink tank 100 as seen from below. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the ink tank 100, in which the ink chamber 111 is viewed from the rear and diagonally below. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the ink tank set 51 cut along a plane including the ink chamber 111D. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the ink tank 100, showing the ink chamber 111 as viewed from the rear. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a top view of the tank cap 127. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a front view of the tank cap 127. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a right side view of the tank cap 127. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a rear view of the tank cap 127. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a bottom view of the tank cap 127. [Figure 20]FIG. 20 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the tank cap 127. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the ink bottle 80. As shown in FIG. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the ink tank set 51 and the ink bottle 80 connected to the ink tank set 51, taken along a plane including the ink chamber 111A. [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a part of an opening 231 that connects an ink chamber 111 to the outside according to a modified example is covered with a film 121. In FIG. [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view of the ink tank set 51, showing an upper plate 174 according to a modified example, cut along a plane including the ink chamber 111D. [Figure 25] FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of the ink tank set 51, showing an upper plate 174 according to a modified example, cut along a plane including the ink chamber 111D. [Figure 26] FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of the ink tank set 51, showing an upper plate 174 according to a modified example, cut along a plane including the ink chamber 111D. [Figure 27] FIG. 27 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a tank pipe 115 according to a modified example is welded to the horizontal surface 104B of the upper wall 104. [Figure 28] FIG. 28 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a tank pipe 115 according to a modified example is welded to the inclined surface 104A of the upper wall 104. [Figure 29] FIG. 29 is a schematic diagram showing that a right wall 102 and a film 121 are attached to a tank body 120 that opens to the right according to a modified example. [Figure 30] FIG. 30 is a schematic diagram showing that the right wall 102, which does not have a right-wall-side rib 189, is welded to the tank body 120, which does not have a main body-side rib 188, according to a modified example. [Figure 31] FIG. 31 is a cross-sectional view of the ink tank 100 showing a state in which a part of the opening 231 of the tank body 120 that opens to the right according to a modified example is covered by the outlet pipe 331 of the right wall 102. [Figure 32]FIG. 32 is a side view of the right wall 102 according to a modified example. [Figure 33] FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view of the ink tank 100 showing that the opening 231 of the tank body 120 that opens to the right according to a modified example is entirely covered by the outlet pipe 331 and the film 121. [Figure 34] FIG. 34 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a tank cap 127 according to a modified example is prevented from coming off by a retaining member 179. As shown in FIG. [Figure 35] FIG. 35 is a plan view showing a state in which a tank cap 127 according to a modified example is prevented from coming off by a retaining member 179. As shown in FIG. [Figure 36] FIG. 36 is another plan view showing a state in which the tank cap 127 according to the modified example is prevented from coming off by the retaining member 179. In FIG. [Figure 37] FIG. 37 is another plan view showing a state in which the tank cap 127 according to the modified example is prevented from coming off by the retaining member 179. In FIG. [Figure 38] FIG. 38 is a plan view showing a method for attaching a tank cap according to a modified example. [Figure 39] FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a valve 251 is incorporated between a cylindrical portion 104C of an upper wall 104 and a base portion 252 according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0046] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the embodiment described below is merely one example of the present invention, and it goes without saying that the embodiment of the present invention can be modified as appropriate without departing from the gist of the present invention. Furthermore, in the following description, the direction from the starting point to the end point of a single arrow is expressed as a direction, and the two directions of a double arrow are expressed as directions. In other words, a direction is one component of a direction. An upward direction and a downward direction are each one component of the up-down direction and are opposite to each other. A leftward direction and a rightward direction are each one component of the left-right direction and are opposite to each other. A forward direction and a backward direction are each one component of the front-rear direction and are opposite to each other. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the up-down direction corresponds to the vertical direction, and the front-rear direction and the left-right direction correspond to the horizontal direction.

[0047] Furthermore, the up-down direction is defined based on the state or posture of the multifunction device 10 installed so that it can be used, the front-rear direction is defined with the side of the multifunction device 10 where the opening 13 is provided as the front side, and the left-right direction is defined when viewing the multifunction device 10 from the front side. The state in Figure 1 is sometimes referred to as the "usage state." The posture in Figure 1 is sometimes referred to as the "usage posture." The front side of the multifunction device 10 where the opening 13 is provided is the front side.

[0048] [Overall configuration of the multifunction device 10] As shown in FIG. 1, the multifunction device 10 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped casing 8. The multifunction device 10 has a scanner unit 9 and a printer unit 11 in the internal space of the casing 8. The scanner unit 9 is located at the top of the internal space of the casing 8. The scanner unit 9 has a scanning function. The printer unit 11 is located below the scanner unit 9 in the internal space of the casing 8. The printer unit 11 has a printing function. The printer unit 11 records an image on paper 12 shown in FIG. 2 using an inkjet recording method. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the printer unit 11 includes a feed unit 15, a feed tray 20, a discharge tray 21, a transport path 65, a transport roller unit 54, a recording unit 24, a discharge roller unit 55, a platen 42, and an ink tank set 51. Note that the scanner unit 9 may be omitted from the multifunction device 10. The multifunction device 10 is an example of a liquid ejection device.

[0049] The casing 8 has an opening 8A to the right of the opening 13 that communicates with the internal space of the casing 8. An ink tank set 51 (described later) is fixed to the inner surface of the casing 8 through the opening 8A of the casing 8. The casing 8 is provided with a cover 70 that closes the opening 8A of the casing 8. The cover 70 is rotatable around a rotation axis extending in the left-right direction at the bottom end in the up-down direction. The cover 70 is rotatable from a covering position shown in FIG. 1 in which it covers the opening 8A of the casing 8 to an exposing position in which it exposes the opening 8A of the casing 8 to the outside of the multifunction device 10. In other words, the cover 70 is rotatable from the covering position shown in FIG. 1 in which it covers the ink tank set 51 to an exposing position in which it exposes the ink tank set 51 to the outside of the multifunction device 10. The cover 70 has an opening. Even when the cover 70 is in the covering position, a portion of the ink tank set 51 is exposed to the outside of the multifunction device 10 through the opening in the cover 70. Incidentally, when we say that a portion of the ink tank set 51 is exposed to the outside of the multifunction device 10 through the opening in the cover 70, we mean that a user can at least see a portion of the ink tank set 51 from outside the multifunction device 10 through the opening in the cover 70, and we do not mean that a portion of the ink tank set 51 is protruding outside the multifunction device 10 through the opening in the cover 70.

[0050] [Feed tray 20, output tray 21] As shown in FIG. 1, an opening 13 is located on the front surface of the multifunction device 10, in the center in the left-right direction. The feed tray 20 moves in the front-rear direction through the opening 13 by user operation. As shown in FIG. 2, the feed tray 20 supports a plurality of stacked sheets of paper 12. The discharge tray 21 is located above the feed tray 20. The discharge tray 21 moves in the front-rear direction together with the feed tray 20. The discharge tray 21 supports the sheets of paper 12 to be discharged by the discharge roller unit 55.

[0051] [Feeding section 15] The feed unit 15 feeds the paper 12 supported on the feed tray 20 to the transport path 65. As shown in FIG. 2, the feed unit 15 includes a feed roller 25, a feed arm 26, and a shaft 27. The feed roller 25 is rotatably supported at the tip of the feed arm 26. The feed roller 25 receives drive from a transport motor (not shown) and rotates in a direction to transport the paper 12 in the transport direction 16. Hereinafter, the rotation of the feed roller 25, transport roller 60, and discharge roller 62 in a direction to transport the paper 12 in the transport direction 16 will be referred to as "forward rotation." The feed arm 26 is rotatably supported on the shaft 27, which is supported on the frame of the printer unit 11. The feed arm 26 is biased to rotate toward the feed tray 20 by its own weight or the elastic force of a spring or the like.

[0052] [Transportation Route 65] As shown in FIG. 2, the transport path 65 refers to a space defined by, for example, an outer guide member 18 and an inner guide member 19 that face each other at a predetermined distance. The transport path 65 extends from the rear end of the feed tray 20 to the rear of the printer unit 11. The transport path 65 extends from below to above behind the printer unit 11, makes a U-turn, passes through the space between the recording unit 24 and the platen 42, and reaches the discharge tray 21. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the transport path 65 between the transport roller unit 54 and the discharge roller unit 55 is located approximately in the center of the multifunction device 10 in the left-right direction and extends in the front-to-rear direction. The transport direction 16 of the paper 12 in the transport path 65 is indicated by a dashed arrow in FIG. 2.

[0053] [Transport roller unit 54] As shown in FIG. 2, the transport roller unit 54 is located upstream of the recording unit 24 in the transport direction 16. The transport roller unit 54 has a transport roller 60 and a pinch roller 61. The transport roller 60 and the pinch roller 61 face each other in the vertical direction. The transport roller 60 rotates when the drive force of the transport motor is transmitted to it. The pinch roller 61 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the transport roller 60. When the transport roller 60 rotates forward due to the forward rotation of the transport motor, the paper 12 is sandwiched between the transport roller 60 and the pinch roller 61 and transported in the transport direction 16.

[0054] [Discharge roller part 55] As shown in FIG. 2 , the discharge roller unit 55 is located downstream of the recording unit 24 in the conveying direction 16. The discharge roller unit 55 has a discharge roller 62 and a spur 63. The discharge roller 62 and the spur 63 face each other in the vertical direction. The discharge roller 62 is rotated by the drive force transmitted from the conveying motor. The spur 63 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the discharge roller 62. When the discharge roller 62 rotates forward due to the forward rotation of the conveying motor, the paper 12 is sandwiched between the discharge roller 62 and the spur 63 and conveyed in the conveying direction 16.

[0055] [Records 24] 2, the recording unit 24 is located between the conveying roller unit 54 and the discharge roller unit 55 in the conveying direction 16. The recording unit 24 faces the platen 42 in the vertical direction, with the conveying path 65 in between. The recording unit 24 is located above the conveying path 65 in the vertical direction. The recording unit 24 includes a carriage 23 and a recording head 39.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 3, the carriage 23 is supported by guide rails 43 and 44. The guide rails 43 and 44 are supported by the frame of the printer unit 11. The guide rails 43 and 44 are spaced apart in the front-rear direction and extend in the left-right direction. The guide rails 43 and 44 extend outward in the left-right direction beyond the transport path 65. The carriage 23 is connected to a known belt mechanism provided on the guide rail 44. The belt mechanism rotates by receiving drive from a carriage motor (not shown). When the belt mechanism rotates, the carriage 23 moves left-right. The range of movement of the carriage 23 is indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 3. The carriage 23 moves to the right and left of the transport path 65 in the left-right direction.

[0057] The ink tank 100 and the recording head 39 are connected by an ink tube 32. A control board on which a control unit (not shown) is mounted and the recording head 39 are electrically connected by a flexible flat cable 33. The ink tube 32 and the flexible flat cable 33 each extend from the carriage 23. The ink tube 32 supplies ink stored in the ink tank 100 to the recording head 39. The flexible flat cable 33 transmits a control signal output from the control unit to the recording head 39.

[0058] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the carriage 23 carries a recording head 39. The recording head 39 can move left and right between a standby position P1 and a maintenance position P2 by moving the carriage 23. The standby position P1 is located to the left of the transport path 65. The maintenance position P2 is located to the right of the transport path 65. A plurality of nozzles 40 are located on the underside of the recording head 39. The recording head 39 ejects ink from the nozzles 40 as tiny ink droplets. As the carriage 23 moves, the recording head 39 ejects ink droplets toward the paper 12 supported by a platen 42. This records an image on the paper 12. The recording head 39 is an example of a liquid ejection unit.

[0059] [Platen 42] 2 and 3, the platen 42 is located between the transport roller unit 54 and the discharge roller unit 55 in the transport direction 16. The platen 42 faces the recording unit 24 in the vertical direction. The platen 42 supports the paper 12 transported by the transport roller unit 54 from below.

[0060] [Ink Tank Set 51] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the ink tank set 51 includes an ink tank 100, a tank cover 110, and a tank cap 127. That is, the multifunction device 10 includes the ink tank 100, the tank cover 110, and the tank cap 127. Note that the tank cap 127 is omitted from FIGS. 4 and 5. The tank cover 110 may also be omitted from the components of the multifunction device 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the ink tank set 51 is located in the internal space of the casing 8. The ink tank set 51 is fixed to the inner surface of the casing 8 through an opening 8A of the casing 8 so that the user cannot easily remove it from the multifunction device 10. Note that the front-to-rear, up-down, and left-to-right directions of the ink tank set 51 will be described based on the orientation of the ink tank set 51 fixed to the inner surface of the casing 8. The casing 8 is an example of a housing. The ink tank 100 is an example of a tank.

[0061] The ink tank 100 includes an ink chamber 111 that stores ink. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the ink tank 100 includes four ink chambers 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D. The four ink chambers 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D are aligned in the left-right direction from left to right. The three ink chambers 111A, 111B, and 111C store ink of different colors: yellow, cyan, or magenta. The ink chamber 111D stores black ink. Ink is an example of a liquid. Examples of types of ink include pigment ink containing a pigment and dye ink containing a dye. Each of the ink chambers 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D may store a cleaning liquid containing water instead of ink. The cleaning liquid is an example of a liquid. Each of the ink chambers 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D may store a pretreatment liquid, instead of ink, that is ejected from the recording head 39 onto the paper prior to the ink during printing. The pretreatment liquid is one example of a liquid. Another example of a liquid may be water that is sprayed near the nozzles 40 of the recording head 39 to prevent the nozzles 40 of the recording head 39 from drying out. Each of the ink chambers 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D is one example of a storage chamber.

[0062] As shown in Figures 4, 5, 7, and 8, the ink tank 100 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped outer shape. The ink tank 100 includes a tank body 120, a bottom wall 105, and a film 121. The tank body 120 includes a front wall 101, a right wall 102, a left wall 103, an upper wall 104, a rear wall 106, and four partition walls 131, 132, 133, and 134. The front wall 101, the right wall 102, the left wall 103, the upper wall 104, the rear wall 106, and the four partition walls 131, 132, 133, and 134 are integrally molded by injection molding a resin material. In this embodiment, the tank body 120 is integrally molded using a mold in which a core is removed vertically relative to a cavity, resulting in a downward opening. This downward opening is an opening 231, which will be described later. The tank body 120 is made of a resin that can be welded. For example, the tank body 120 is made of polypropylene. The tank body 120 is an example of a frame.

[0063] The front wall 101, right wall 102, left wall 103, top wall 104, and rear wall 106 are translucent enough to allow the ink level inside the ink tank 100 to be seen from the outside. The front surface 101B of the front wall 101 has a visible surface 233 that allows the four ink chambers 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D to be seen from the front.

[0064] The three partition walls 131, 132, and 133 are positioned at intervals in the left-right direction. Each partition wall 131, 132, and 133 is a flat plate extending in the front-rear and up-down directions. Partition wall 131 is positioned to the right of left wall 103 at an interval. Partition wall 132 is positioned to the right of partition wall 131 at an interval. Partition wall 133 is positioned to the right of partition wall 132 at an interval. The front ends of each of partition walls 131, 132, and 133 are connected to the rear surface of front wall 101. The upper ends of each of partition walls 131, 132, and 133 are connected to the lower surface of upper wall 104. The lower ends of each of partition walls 131, 132, and 133 are connected to the upper surface of lower wall 105.

[0065] The partition wall 134 is located behind the three partition walls 131, 132, and 133. The partition wall 134 is a flat plate that extends in the vertical and horizontal directions. The rear ends of the three partition walls 131, 132, and 133 are connected to the front surface of the partition wall 134. The rear end of the partition wall 133 is connected to the right surface of the left wall 103.

[0066] The tank body 120 has protruding walls 230 that protrude from the inner surface of the tank body 120. Specifically, the protruding walls 230 include a right outer protruding wall 235, a left outer protruding wall 236, a rear outer protruding wall 237, a right inner protruding wall 238, a right center protruding wall 239, a left inner protruding wall 240, and a rear inner protruding wall 241.

[0067] The right outward protruding wall 235 protrudes leftward from the left surface of the right wall 102. The right outward protruding wall 235 extends in the up-down direction from the lower end to the upper end of the right wall 102. In FIG. 7, four right outward protruding walls 235 are arranged at intervals in the front-to-rear direction. A protrusion 267 protruding leftward from the left surface of the right outward protruding wall 235 that is located furthest to the rear among the four right outward protruding walls 235 is provided. Each right outward protruding wall 235 is an example of a first protruding wall.

[0068] The left outward protruding wall 236 protrudes rightward from the right surface of the left wall 103. The left outward protruding wall 236 extends in the up-down direction from the lower end to the upper end of the left wall 103. In FIG. 7, four left outward protruding walls 236 are arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction. Each left outward protruding wall 236 is an example of a first protruding wall.

[0069] The rear outward protruding walls 237 protrude forward from the front surface of the rear wall 106. The rear outward protruding walls 237 extend in the up-down direction from the lower end to the upper end of the rear wall 106. In FIG. 7, three rear outward protruding walls 237 are arranged at intervals in the left-right direction. Each rear outward protruding wall 237 is an example of a first protruding wall.

[0070] The right inward protruding wall 238 protrudes rightward from the right surface of the partition wall 133. The right inward protruding wall 238 extends in the up-down direction from the lower end to the upper end of the partition wall 133. In FIG. 7 , three right inward protruding walls 238 are arranged at intervals in the front-to-rear direction. The right inward protruding wall 238 located at the forefront faces the right outer protruding wall 235 located second from the front in the left-right direction. The right inward protruding wall 238 located in the middle faces the right outer protruding wall 235 located third from the front in the left-right direction. The right inward protruding wall 238 located at the rearmost faces the right outer protruding wall 235 located at the rearmost in the left-right direction. Each right inward protruding wall 238 is an example of a second protruding wall.

[0071] The right central protruding wall 239 protrudes rightward from the right surface of the partition wall 132. The right central protruding wall 239 extends in the up-down direction from the lower end to the upper end of the partition wall 132. In Figure 7, three right central protruding walls 239 are arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction.

[0072] The left inward protruding wall 240 protrudes rightward from the right surface of the partition wall 131. The left inward protruding wall 240 extends in the up-down direction from the lower end to the upper end of the partition wall 131. In Figure 7, three left inward protruding walls 240 are arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction.

[0073] The rear inner protruding wall 241 protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the partition wall 134. The rear inner protruding wall 241 extends in the up-down direction from the lower end to the upper end of the partition wall 134. In FIG. 7, three rear inner protruding walls 241 are arranged at intervals in the left-right direction. The rightmost rear inner protruding wall 241 faces the middle rear outer protruding wall 237 in the front-rear direction. The rightmost rear inner protruding wall 241 is an example of a second protruding wall.

[0074] The rear surface of the front wall 101, the right surface of the left wall 103, the lower surface of the top wall 104, the left surface of the partition wall 131, and the front surface of the partition wall 134 define the ink chamber 111A. The rear surface of the front wall 101, the lower surface of the top wall 104, the right surface of the partition wall 131, the left surface of the partition wall 132, and the front surface of the partition wall 134 define the ink chamber 111B. The rear surface of the front wall 101, the lower surface of the top wall 104, the right surface of the partition wall 132, the left surface of the partition wall 133, and the front surface of the partition wall 134 define the ink chamber 111C.

[0075] The rear surface of the front wall 101, the left surface of the right wall 102, the lower surface of the top wall 104, the front surface of the rear wall 106, the right surface of the partition wall 133, and the rear surface of the partition wall 134 define an ink chamber 111D. The ink chamber 111D is L-shaped, extending rearward from the rear surface of the front wall 101 and bending leftward. The rear side of the ink chamber 111D is located rearward of the three ink chambers 111A, 111B, and 111C. The volume of the ink chamber 111D is larger than the volumes of each of the ink chambers 111A, 111B, and 111C. Note that the front wall 101, the right wall 102, the rear wall 106, the partition wall 133, and the partition wall 134 do not have to be perfectly parallel in the vertical direction.

[0076] 7, the tank body 120 has a body-side rib 211 at the lower end of the tank body 120. The body-side rib 211 has an outer rib 212 and an inner rib 213. The outer rib 212 protrudes slightly downward from the lower ends of the front wall 101, the right wall 102, the left wall 103, and the rear wall 106. The outer rib 212 has a ring shape that continues along the lower ends of the front wall 101, the right wall 102, the left wall 103, and the rear wall 106.

[0077] The inner ribs 213 protrude slightly downward from the lower ends of the partition walls 131, 132, 133, and 134. The inner ribs 213 include a rear inner rib 213A, a right inner rib 213B, a middle inner rib 213C, and a left inner rib 213D. The rear inner rib 213A is located at the lower end of the partition wall 134. The rear inner rib 213A extends from the left end to the right end at the lower end of the partition wall 134. The left end of the rear inner rib 213A is continuous with the outer rib 212. The right inner rib 213B is located at the lower end of the partition wall 133. The right inner rib 213B extends from the front end to the rear end at the lower end of the partition wall 133. The front end of the right inner rib 213B is continuous with the outer rib 212. The rear end of the right inner rib 213B is continuous with the rear inner rib 213A. The middle inner rib 213C is located at the lower end of the partition wall 132. The middle inner rib 213C extends from the front end to the rear end at the lower end of the partition wall 132. The front end of the middle inner rib 213C is continuous with the outer rib 212. The rear end of the middle inner rib 213C is continuous with the rear inner rib 213A. The left inner rib 213D is located at the lower end of the partition wall 131. The left inner rib 213D extends from the front end to the rear end at the lower end of the partition wall 131. The front end of the left inner rib 213D is continuous with the outer rib 212. The rear end of the left inner rib 213D is continuous with the rear inner rib 213A.

[0078] The outer rib 212, the left inner rib 213D, and the rear inner rib 213A form the periphery of an opening 231A that connects the ink chamber 111A to the outside. The outer rib 212, the left inner rib 213D, the middle inner rib 213C, and the rear inner rib 213A form the periphery of an opening 231B that connects the ink chamber 111B to the outside. The outer rib 212, the middle inner rib 213C, the right inner rib 213B, and the rear inner rib 213A form the periphery of an opening 231C that connects the ink chamber 111C to the outside. The outer rib 212, the right inner rib 213B, and the rear inner rib 213A form the periphery of an opening 231D that connects the ink chamber 111D to the outside. Each of the openings 231A, 231B, 231C, and 231D is an example of a first opening. When referring to the four openings 231A, 231B, 231C, and 231D as a whole, they will be collectively referred to as openings 231.

[0079] The lower wall 105 is located at the lower ends of the four ink chambers 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D. The lower wall 105 is formed from a resin that can be welded. For example, the lower wall 105 is formed from polypropylene. As shown in FIG. 9, the lower wall 105 has a first lower wall 151, a second lower wall 152, a third lower wall 153, and a fourth lower wall 154. The lower wall 105 is an example of a lid.

[0080] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 9 , the upper surface of the fourth lower wall 154 abuts against the front wall 101, the right wall 102, the rear wall 106, the partition wall 133, and the lower end of the partition wall 134 along the entire periphery. That is, the fourth lower wall 154 abuts against the entire periphery of the opening 231D. As a result, the fourth lower wall 154 entirely covers the opening 231D, which connects the ink chamber 111D to the outside. In this state, the upper surface of the fourth lower wall 154 abuts against the four right outer protruding walls 235, the three rear outer protruding walls 237, the three right inner protruding walls 238, and the three rear inner protruding walls 241. The fourth lower wall 154 is an example of a cover. As shown in FIG. 6 , the fourth lower wall 154 has a bottom plate 171, a protrusion 172, a lower-wall-side rib 173, and an upper plate 174.

[0081] The bottom plate 171 is flat and extends in the front-rear and left-right directions. The top surface of the bottom plate 171 has a horizontal surface 221 and an inclined surface 222. The horizontal surface 221 is located on the front side of the top surface of the bottom plate 171. The horizontal surface 221 is a horizontal surface that extends in the front-rear and left-right directions. The horizontal surface 221 extends from a position slightly forward of the center of the top surface of the bottom plate 171 in the front-rear direction to the front end of the top surface of the bottom plate 171. The inclined surface 222 extends from the rear end of the horizontal surface 221 to the rear end of the top surface of the bottom plate 171. The inclined surface 222 is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction so as to slope downward as it extends forward.

[0082] As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 , the convex portion 172 is located from the horizontal surface 221 to the inclined surface 222. The convex portion 172 is located at the boundary between the horizontal surface 221 and the inclined surface 222. The convex portion 172 protrudes downward from the horizontal surface 221 and the inclined surface 222 below the bottom surface of the bottom plate 171. The inner surface of the convex portion 172 defines a convex space 172A that is elongated in the front-rear direction and has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The convex space 172A opens upward at the horizontal surface 221 and the inclined surface 222. The convex space 172A is capable of storing ink. The horizontal surface 221, the inclined surface 222, and the bottom surface of the convex portion 172 define the lower end of the ink chamber 111A. The convex portion 172 is an example of a convex portion. The convex space 172A is an example of an internal space. The bottom plate 171 is an example of a bottom plate portion.

[0083] As shown in Figures 6 and 8, the lower wall rib 173 is located on the outer edge of the lower surface of the bottom plate 171. The lower wall rib 173 protrudes slightly downward from the lower surface of the bottom plate 171. The lower wall rib 173 is continuous along the outer edge of the lower surface of the bottom plate 171. The lower wall rib 173 has a ring shape. The lower wall rib 173 faces the outer rib 212, the right inner rib 213B, and the rear inner rib 213A of the main body rib 211 over the entire circumference. The lower wall rib 173 is located slightly spaced apart from the outer rib 212, the right inner rib 213B, and the rear inner rib 213A.

[0084] The upper plate 174 is located above the bottom plate 171. The upper plate 174 has a pair of standing plates 174A and a horizontal plate 174B. The pair of standing plates 174A are located at both ends in the front-to-rear direction on the upper surface of the bottom plate 171. The pair of standing plates 174A extend upward from the upper surface of the bottom plate 171. The pair of standing plates 174A are flat plates that extend in the up-down and left-to-right directions. The horizontal plate 174B is located at the upper ends of the pair of standing plates 174A. The horizontal plate 174B is flat plates that extend in the front-to-rear and left-to-right directions. The front and rear ends of the horizontal plate 174B are connected to the pair of standing plates 174A, respectively. The horizontal plate 174B has a through-hole 175 that penetrates in the up-down direction. The through-hole 175 is located slightly forward of the center of the horizontal plate 174B in the front-to-rear direction. The through-hole 175 faces the convex space 172A in the vertical direction. The horizontal plate 174B is an example of a flat plate portion.

[0085] The first lower wall 151 has the same structure as the fourth lower wall 154, except for its external shape. Therefore, elements of the first lower wall 151 corresponding to those of the fourth lower wall 154 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the fourth lower wall 154, and their description will be omitted. The upper surface of the first lower wall 151 abuts against the front wall 101, the left wall 103, the partition wall 131, and the lower ends of the partition wall 134 along the entire periphery. That is, the first lower wall 151 abuts against the entire periphery of the opening 231A. As a result, the first lower wall 151 covers the entire opening 231A, which connects the ink chamber 111A to the outside. In this state, the upper surface of the first lower wall 151 abuts against the four left outer protruding walls 236. The lower wall-side rib 173 of the first lower wall 151 faces the outer rib 212, the left inner rib 213D, and the rear inner rib 213A along the entire periphery. The lower wall rib 173 of the first lower wall 151 is positioned slightly spaced apart from the outer rib 212, the left inner rib 213D, and the rear inner rib 213A. The first lower wall 151 is an example of a lid.

[0086] The second lower wall 152 has the same structure as the fourth lower wall 154 except for its external shape. Therefore, elements of the second lower wall 152 corresponding to those of the fourth lower wall 154 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the fourth lower wall 154, and their description will be omitted. The upper surface of the second lower wall 152 abuts against the entire periphery of the front wall 101, the partition wall 131, the partition wall 132, and the lower end of the partition wall 134. In other words, the second lower wall 152 abuts against the entire periphery of the opening 231B. As a result, the second lower wall 152 entirely covers the opening 231B, which connects the ink chamber 111B to the outside. In this state, the upper surface of the second lower wall 152 abuts against the three left inward protruding walls 240. The lower-wall rib 173 of the second lower wall 152 faces the outer rib 212, the left inner rib 213D, the middle inner rib 213C, and the rear inner rib 213A around the entire periphery. The lower-wall rib 173 of the second lower wall 152 is positioned slightly spaced apart from the outer rib 212, the left inner rib 213D, the middle inner rib 213C, and the rear inner rib 213A. The second lower wall 152 is an example of a lid.

[0087] The third lower wall 153 has the same structure as the fourth lower wall 154. Therefore, elements of the third lower wall 153 corresponding to those of the fourth lower wall 154 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the fourth lower wall 154, and their description will be omitted. The upper surface of the third lower wall 153 abuts against the entire periphery of the front wall 101, the partition wall 132, the partition wall 133, and the lower end of the partition wall 134. In other words, the third lower wall 153 abuts against the entire periphery of the opening 231C. As a result, the third lower wall 153 entirely covers the opening 231C, which connects the ink chamber 111C to the outside. In this state, the upper surface of the third lower wall 153 abuts against the three right-center protruding walls 239. The lower-wall rib 173 of the third lower wall 153 faces the outer rib 212, the middle inner rib 213C, the right inner rib 213B, and the rear inner rib 213A around the entire periphery. The lower-wall rib 173 of the second lower wall 152 is positioned slightly spaced apart from the outer rib 212, the middle inner rib 213C, the right inner rib 213B, and the rear inner rib 213A. The third lower wall 153 is an example of a lid.

[0088] As shown in Figures 9, 10, and 13, the front storage section 225 and the rear storage section 226 are located behind the convex space 172A of the fourth lower wall 154. The rear storage section 226 is located rearward from the front storage section 225 with a gap therebetween. The rear storage section 226 faces the front storage section 225 in the front-to-rear direction. The front storage section 225 and the rear storage section 226 define a substantially cubic front storage space 225A and a rear storage space 226A, respectively, by a portion of the bottom plate 171 of the fourth lower wall 154 protruding upward. The front storage section 225 and the rear storage section 226 are examples of a liquid detection section.

[0089] As shown in FIGS. 11 and 13, the sensor 311 is located behind the protrusion 172 of the fourth lower wall 154. The sensor 311 detects the position of the ink surface in the ink chamber 111D. The sensor 311 has a light-emitting portion 311A ​​and a light-receiving portion 311B. The light-emitting portion 311A ​​is inserted into the front accommodating space 225A from below the fourth lower wall 154, and is thereby positioned in the front accommodating space 225A. The light-receiving portion 311B is inserted into the rear accommodating space 226A from below the fourth lower wall 154, and is thereby positioned in the rear accommodating space 226A.

[0090] The light-projecting unit 311A ​​and the light-receiving unit 311B are fixed to a base plate 313. The base plate 313 is flat and extends in the front-rear and left-right directions. The base plate 313 is fixed with bolts and nuts to a protrusion 312 that protrudes downward from the lower surface of the fourth lower wall 154. As a result, the light-projecting unit 311A ​​and the light-receiving unit 311B are held in the front housing space 225A and the rear housing space 226A, respectively.

[0091] The light-projecting unit 311A ​​projects light backward toward the light-receiving unit 311B. When the liquid level in the ink chamber 111D is located above the optical path of the light projected from the light-projecting unit 311A ​​to the light-receiving unit 311B, the light projected from the light-projecting unit 311A ​​passes backward through the front housing unit 225, then passes backward through the ink, and reaches the rear housing unit 226. The light that reaches the rear housing unit 226 passes backward through the rear housing unit 226 and is received by the light-receiving unit 311B. On the other hand, when the liquid level in the ink chamber 111D is located below the optical path of the light projected from the light-projecting unit 311A ​​to the light-receiving unit 311B, the light projected from the light-projecting unit 311A ​​is refracted in the front housing unit 225 and does not reach the light-receiving unit 311B.

[0092] Light receiving unit 311B is capable of receiving light projected from light projecting unit 311A. When light receiving unit 311B receives light projected from light projecting unit 311A, it outputs a detection signal to substrate 313. When light receiving unit 311B does not receive light projected from light projecting unit 311A, it outputs a non-detection signal of a level different from the level of the detection signal to substrate 313. Light receiving unit 311B and light projecting unit 311A ​​are an example of a liquid detection unit. Sensor 311 is an example of a liquid detection unit.

[0093] As shown in Fig. 8, film 121 is located on the lower surface of bottom wall 105. The outer edge of film 121 has a generally rectangular shape that follows the outer edge of the lower end of tank body 120. Film 121 has four through holes 121A through which four protrusions 172 are inserted, and one through hole through which substrate 313 is inserted. Film 121 covers the entire lower surface of bottom wall 105 from below, except for the four protrusions 172 and substrate 313.

[0094] The film 121 is made of a resin that can be welded. For example, the film 121 is made of polyethylene terephthalate. The film 121 is welded to the entire body-side rib 211 and the bottom-wall-side rib 173. This attaches the bottom wall 105 to the tank body 120. As a result, ink is prevented from leaking from the ink chamber 111 through the gap between the body-side rib 211 and the bottom-wall-side rib 173.

[0095] 5, the upper surface of the upper wall 104 is composed of multiple surfaces extending in the front-rear and left-right directions. The upper wall 104 has four atmosphere communication sections 155 that connect the ink chambers 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D to the outside. Each atmosphere communication section 155 has an atmosphere communication port 112, a semipermeable membrane 156, a labyrinth 157, and a film 158.

[0096] Each atmosphere communication port 112 penetrates the upper wall 104 in the vertical direction. Each atmosphere communication port 112 communicates with a corresponding ink chamber 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D. Each semipermeable membrane 156 covers each atmosphere communication port 112. Each semipermeable membrane 156 is attached to the upper end of each atmosphere communication port 112 in a state where it covers the entire atmosphere communication port 112 from above. Each semipermeable membrane 156 is a porous membrane with minute pores that block the passage of ink but allow the passage of air. Each semipermeable membrane 156 is made of a fluororesin such as polytetrafluoroethylene.

[0097] The labyrinth 157 is located behind the atmosphere communication port 112. The labyrinth 157 has a groove shape that is recessed downward from the upper surface of the upper wall 104. The labyrinth 157 has a portion that extends in the front-to-rear direction. The labyrinth 157 makes at least two U-turns in the front-to-rear direction. More specifically, the labyrinth 157 makes five or more U-turns in the front-to-rear direction.

[0098] Film 158 is welded to the upper surface of top wall 104, covering the four atmosphere vent ports 112 and the four labyrinths 157 entirely from above. Film 158 has four atmosphere-opening ports 158A that connect each labyrinth 157 to the outside. The four atmosphere-opening ports 158A are positioned at intervals in the left-right direction. Each front space defined by film 158 and top wall 104 around each atmosphere vent port 112 communicates with each rear space defined by film 158 and each labyrinth 157.

[0099] Each of the ink chambers 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D communicates with the atmosphere via each of the atmosphere communication ports 112, each of the semipermeable membranes 156, each of the front spaces, each of the rear spaces, and each of the atmosphere opening ports 158A. As a result, each of the atmosphere communication sections 155 allows air to flow in and out between each of the ink chambers 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D and the outside of the ink tank 100.

[0100] The cross-sectional area of ​​each space when one rear space is cut along a plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction in which labyrinth 157 extends is, for example, 1 square millimeter. Therefore, the rear space defined by film 158 and labyrinth 157 plays a role in suppressing ink evaporation and ink leakage through atmosphere-opening port 158A even in the absence of semipermeable membrane 156.

[0101] The thickness of the lower wall 105, in other words, the thickness of the bottom plate 171 of the lower wall 105, is greater than the thickness of the films welded to the ink tank 100, such as the films 121 and 158. This makes it easier to make the strength of the lower wall 105 greater than the strength of the films. In other words, the lower wall 105 is less susceptible to damage and deformation than a film. The thickness of the films 121 and 158 is, for example, 0.1 mm. The thickness of the lower wall 105 is, for example, 1.2 mm. The thickness of the film 121 may be greater than the thickness of the film 158, or conversely, it may be less than the thickness of the film 158. The film 121 is an example of a film. The film 158 is an example of a film.

[0102] As shown in FIG. 12 , protrusions 271 extend downward from the periphery of each air vent port 112 on the inner surface of the upper wall 104. Each protrusion 271 is located in front of the corresponding air vent port 112. Each protrusion 271 is flat and extends in the up-down and left-right directions. The left-right length of each protrusion 271 is slightly longer than the left-right length of each air vent port 112. Two grooves 272 are located on the rear surface of each protrusion 271, recessed forward from the rear surface. The two grooves 272 are located with a gap between them in the left-right direction. Each groove 272 extends from the upper end to the lower end of the protrusion 271. The lower end of each groove 272 opens downward. The protrusions 271 are an example of a second protrusion.

[0103] As shown in FIG. 5, the upper surface of the top wall 104 has an inclined surface 104A and a horizontal surface 104B. The inclined surface 104A is located at the front end of the upper surface of the top wall 104. The inclined surface 104A is inclined with respect to the front-to-rear direction so as to extend downward as it extends forward. The inclined surface 104A is located from the left end to the right end of the ink tank 100. The horizontal surface 104B is located behind the inclined surface 104A. The horizontal surface 104B extends along the horizontal direction. The horizontal surface 104B extends from the left end to the right end of the ink tank 100.

[0104] Four openings 113 are located between the horizontal surface 104B of the upper wall 104 and each of the atmosphere communication ports 112 in the front-rear direction. The four openings 113 are located at equal intervals in the left-right direction. Each opening 113 connects each of the ink chambers 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D to the outside.

[0105] As shown in Figures 5, 6, and 13, an outlet pipe 124 is connected to each opening 113. Each outlet pipe 124 is a tubular body that extends downward in the vertical direction from the corresponding opening 113 in a circular tubular shape. The lower end of each outlet pipe 124 has an outlet port 114 that opens downward. Each outlet pipe 124 defines an outlet path 150 that extends in the vertical direction from the outlet port 114 through a through-hole 175 in the horizontal plate 174B to the opening 113. Each outlet port 114 is located in each convex space 172A. Each outlet port 114 is spaced from the inner surface of each convex portion 172. Each outlet port 114 is located below the vertical center of each convex space 172A. Each outlet port 114 is located slightly above the lower end of each convex space 172A.

[0106] A rubber seal member 160 is press-fitted into each outlet pipe 124 through each opening 113. The seal member 160 has a through-hole extending in the vertical direction.

[0107] As shown in FIG. 6, each outflow tube 124 is connected to a connection portion 170 disposed on the upper surface of the upper wall 104. The connection portion 170 is connected to the four outflow tubes 124 via a seal member 160. The connection portion 170 has four ink flow paths 191 that communicate with the outflow channels 150 of each outflow tube 124. The four ink flow paths 191 are covered from above with a film. Note that the film is omitted in FIG. 6. Each ink flow path 191 is connected to an ink tube 32 that is connected to the recording head 39. As a result, ink stored in each ink chamber 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D flows to the recording head 39 through each outflow tube 124, each ink flow path 191, and the ink tube 32. When ink is discharged from the recording head 39 and ink is consumed in the ink chambers 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D, air flows into the ink chambers 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D through the air communication ports 112.

[0108] As shown in Figure 5, the tank body 120 includes, at the front end of the upper wall 104, four tank pipes 115, four communication ports 119, and four cylindrical annular walls 122 that surround the tank pipes 115 and communication ports 119. The four annular walls 122 are positioned at equal intervals in the left-right direction. Each annular wall 122 extends diagonally upward and forward from the front end of the upper wall 104 in an extension direction that intersects the vertical and horizontal directions and is parallel to the tank pipes 115. The tank pipes 115 protrude upward beyond the tips of the annular walls 122.

[0109] A tank pipe 115 is located inside each annular wall 122. Each tank pipe 115 is located rearward of the center of the annular wall 122. In other words, an imaginary line passing through the center of each tank pipe 115 is located rearward of an imaginary line passing through the center of each annular wall 122 when viewed from the extension direction of each tank pipe 115. Each tank pipe 115 is a circular pipe that extends obliquely upward and forward from the upper wall 104 along an extension direction that intersects the vertical and horizontal directions. Each tank pipe 115 connects each ink chamber 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D to the outside. The upper end of each tank pipe 115 opens upward. The tip of each tank pipe 115 is bifurcated in the left and right directions. The tip of each tank pipe 115 is bifurcated in the left and right directions, so that gaps are located above and below the tip of each tank pipe 115. The lower end of each tank pipe 115 opens downward.

[0110] As shown in Figure 14, two protrusions 181 extend downward from the lower end of each tank pipe 115. The two protrusions 181 are located on the left and right sides of the lower end of each tank pipe 115. Each protrusion 181 is a flat plate that extends in the up-down and front-to-rear directions. Each protrusion 181 is an example of a first protrusion.

[0111] As shown in FIG. 5, communication ports 119 are located inside each annular wall 122 on the inclined surface 104A. Each communication port 119 penetrates the upper wall 104 in the up-down direction. Each communication port 119 has a circular front side and a rectangular rear side. In other words, each communication port 119 has a rectangular shape with one front side bulging in an arc shape. Each communication port 119 connects the outside and inside of each ink chamber 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D. Each communication port 119 is located in front of each tank pipe 115. Each communication port 119 is located below each tank pipe 115. In other words, a line extending in the extension direction that passes through the center of each communication port 119 when viewed from the extension direction of each tank pipe 115 is located forward of an imaginary line passing through the center of each tank pipe 115 when viewed from the extension direction of each tank pipe 115. Each communication port 119 is located forward of the center of each annular wall 122. In other words, a line extending in the extension direction that passes through the center of each communication port 119 when viewed from the extension direction of each annular wall 122 is located forward of an imaginary line passing through the center of each annular wall 122 when viewed from the extension direction of each annular wall 122.

[0112] As shown in FIG. 4 , the tank cover 110 holds the ink tank 100 while covering the front side of the ink tank 100 from the front. The tank cover 110 has a front wall 201, an upper wall 202, a right wall 203, a left wall 204, a lower wall 205, and an inclined wall 206. The front wall 201 covers the front of the ink tank 100. The front wall 201 has an opening 207. A portion of the front wall 101 of the ink tank 100 is exposed to the front of the tank cover 110 through the opening 207. Note that "a portion of the front wall 101 of the ink tank 100 is exposed to the front of the tank cover 110 through the opening 207" means that a user can at least see a portion of the front wall 101 of the ink tank 100 from the front of the tank cover 110 through the opening 207, but does not mean that a portion of the front wall 101 of the ink tank 100 protrudes to the front of the tank cover 110 through the opening 207. The tank cover 110 may have a light-transmitting cover that covers the opening 207 in a state where the front wall 101 of the ink tank 100 can be seen from the front of the tank cover 110 .

[0113] The top wall 202 covers a portion of the front side of the top wall 104 of the ink tank 100. The right wall 203 covers a portion of the right wall 102 of the ink tank 100. The left wall 204 covers a portion of the left wall 103 of the ink tank 100. The bottom wall 205 covers a portion of the bottom wall 105 of the ink tank 100. The bottom wall 205 is an example of a covering portion. The tank cover 110 is an example of a cover.

[0114] The inclined wall 206 is connected to the upper end of the front wall 201 and to the front end of the top wall 202. The inclined wall 206 is located above the four annular walls 122 of the ink tank 100. The inclined wall 206 is located in front of the four annular walls 122 of the ink tank 100. In other words, the inclined wall 206 is located relative to the annular walls 122 so that the annular walls 122 extend from the front end of the top wall 104 along the extension direction. The outer surface of the inclined wall 206 intersects with the vertical and horizontal directions. The outer surface of the inclined wall 206 is inclined with respect to the front-to-rear direction so as to extend downward as it extends forward. The inclined wall 206 covers a portion of the inclined surface 104A of the top wall 104 of the ink tank 100. The inclined wall 206 is located slightly spaced apart in the extension direction from the inclined surface 104A of the top wall 104 of the ink tank 100.

[0115] The inclined wall 206 has four through holes 72 spaced apart in the left-right direction. Each through hole 72 penetrates the inclined wall 206 in the up-down direction. The inner circumferential surface of each through hole 72 is cylindrical and extends in a direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the inclined wall 206, i.e., diagonally upward toward the front. That is, each through hole 72 is cylindrical. Note that the term "cylindrical" here refers to a shape in which the inner circumferential surface forms a closed space. The shape of the opening formed by the inner circumferential surface is not necessarily circular. Furthermore, the cylindrical shape is defined regardless of the length of the inner circumferential surface extending in the direction of the opening formed by the inner circumferential surface, in other words, regardless of the thickness of the through hole 72. The inner circumferential surface of each through hole 72 surrounds a corresponding annular wall 122 when viewed diagonally upward toward the front. The four through holes 72 are positioned to correspond to one of the four ink chambers 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D. That is, when viewed from diagonally above the front, the four through holes 72 overlap with the four ink chambers 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D, respectively. Through each through hole 72, the annular walls 122 and the communication ports 119 are exposed to the outside of the tank cover 110. Each tank pipe 115 protrudes to the outside of the tank cover 110 through each through hole 72. Each tank pipe 115 and each communication port 119 can be seen through each through hole 72.

[0116] Each through hole 72 has a circular front side and a rectangular rear side. In other words, each through hole 72 has a rectangular shape with one front side bulging out in an arc. Each through hole 72 has a shape that allows a protrusion 94 of a bottle cap 82 of an ink bottle 80 (described below) to be inserted therein. The shape of the inner circumferential surface of each through hole 72 is substantially the same as the shape of the outer circumferential surface of the protrusion 94. As a result, the inner circumferential surface of each through hole 72 positions the bottle cap 82 when inserted into the respective through hole 72. The inner circumferential surface of each through hole 72 is an example of a positioning portion. A slit 73 extends rearward from the through hole 72. The slit 73 is located in the center of the through hole 72 in the left-right direction. The slit 73 is continuous with the through hole 72.

[0117] 15 to 20, the tank cap 127 is a cylindrical member with one end closed. The tank cap 127 is detachable from the annular wall 122. When the tank cap 127 is removed from the annular wall 122, it is not connected to the ink tank 100 or the tank cover 110 and is completely separated from them. In other words, the ink tank set 51 does not have a holding member such as an arm that holds the tank cap 127, which has been removed from the annular wall 122, in a state where it is connected to the ink tank 100 or the tank cover 110.

[0118] Tank cap 127 has a main body 128 and rubber 129. Main body 128 is a molded product made of synthetic resin. Rubber 129 is made of rubber. Main body 128 has a cylindrical portion 130, a protruding piece 145, a flat plate portion 146, and a knob portion 148.

[0119] The tubular portion 130 has a cylindrical shape that opens downward when the tank cap 127 is attached to the annular wall 122. The inner diameter of the internal space of the tubular portion 130 is larger than the outer diameter of the tank pipe body 115.

[0120] A protrusion 145 protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion 130 to the left in the left-right direction in the mounted posture. In addition, a protrusion 145 protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion 130 to the right in the left-right direction in the mounted posture. In other words, a pair of protrusions 145 protrude in opposite directions from the outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion 130. The protrusions 145 are flat, and the protruding ends are linear in the front-to-rear direction in the mounted posture.

[0121] As shown in Figures 17 and 18, a flat plate portion 146 protrudes rearward in the front-to-rear direction from the outer peripheral surface of the tube portion 130 in the mounted position. The flat plate portion 146 has a generally flat plate shape that extends in the up-down and front-to-rear directions. The flat plate portion 146 has a bulging portion 141 that bulges rightward from the right surface of the flat plate portion 146. The outer surface of the bulging portion 141 has a vertical surface 141A, an upper inclined surface 141B, and a lower inclined surface 141C. The vertical surface 141A is located approximately in the center of the right surface of the flat plate portion 146 in the up-down direction. The vertical surface 141A is located at the front end of the right surface of the flat plate portion 146. The vertical surface 141A is a vertical surface that extends in the front-to-rear and up-down directions. The vertical surface 141A has a right-angled triangle when viewed from the right. The upper inclined surface 141B is located above and behind the vertical surface 141A. Upper inclined surface 141B extends upward from the hypotenuse of the right triangle of vertical surface 141A. Upper inclined surface 141B is inclined with respect to vertical surface 141A so as to extend leftward as it extends upward. Lower inclined surface 141C is located below vertical surface 141A and upper inclined surface 141B. Lower inclined surface 141C extends downward from the lower ends of vertical surface 141A and upper inclined surface 141B. Lower inclined surface 141C is inclined with respect to vertical surface 141A so as to extend leftward as it extends downward.

[0122] The length L1 of the flat plate portion 146 along the left-right direction between the left surface and the vertical surface 141A is slightly longer than the length of the slit 73 of the tank cover 110 along the left-right direction. As a result, when the flat plate portion 146 is fitted into the slit 73 from above, the vertical surface 141A and the left surface of the flat plate portion 146 press the inner surface of the slit 73 outward in the left-right direction. As a result, the tank cap 127 is prevented from coming off the through-hole 72 of the tank cover 110.

[0123] The knob portion 148 is located above the tubular portion 130 and the flat plate portion 146. The knob portion 148 has a semicircular shape that protrudes upward from the tubular portion 130 and the flat plate portion 146. The diameter of the semicircular shape is approximately the same as the length of the tubular portion 130 and the flat plate portion 146 in the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, the knob portion 148 extends across the tubular portion 130 and the flat plate portion 146, and has an elongated shape in the left-to-right direction.

[0124] The edge of the gripping portion 148, which forms the circumference of the semicircular plate, is a thick portion 149 extending in the left-right direction. A protrusion 135 is located extending in the up-down direction from the lower end of the gripping portion 148 toward the thick portion 149. The multiple protrusions 135 are arranged at intervals in the front-to-rear direction. The left-to-right length of the protrusions 135 gradually increases from the lower end of the gripping portion 148 toward the thick portion 149. Near the thick portion 149, the left-to-right length of the protrusion 135 is the same as the left-to-right length of the thick portion 149. The left-to-right length of the gripping portion 148 other than the thick portion 149 and the protrusion 135 is shorter than the length of the thick portion 149.

[0125] Rubber 129 is located on the outer circumferential surface of tubular portion 130 below protruding piece 145. Rubber 129 has a cylindrical shape. Rubber 129 covers the outer circumferential surface of tubular portion 130 below protruding piece 145. The upper end of rubber 129 abuts against protruding piece 145.

[0126] The rubber 129 has an abutment portion 136 extending inward from the opening of the tubular portion 130. The abutment portion 136 abuts against the end face of the opening of the tubular portion 130. The end face of the opening of the tubular portion 130 is the lower end face 130A in the axial direction of the tubular portion 130 (the vertical direction in FIG. 20). The lower end face 130A has a protrusion 130B located on the radially outer side of the tubular portion 130 and a surface 130C located on the radially inner side of the tubular portion 130. The protrusion 130B protrudes downward from the surface 130C. This creates a vertical step between the protrusion 130B and the surface 130C. The abutment portion 136 abuts against the protrusion 130B and the surface 130C. The abutment portion 136 may also be in contact with the inner circumferential surface 137 of the tubular portion 130 inside the opening of the tubular portion 130.

[0127] As shown in FIG. 19 , a flange 140 extends from the abutment portion 136 toward the inside of the tube portion 130. The abutment portion 136 and the flange 140 define an opening 138 facing downward. The flange 140 extends to the right from the left end of the abutment portion 136 in the left-right direction. The flange 140 extends to the left from the right end of the abutment portion 136 in the left-right direction. The flange 140 is not located at the upper or lower end of the abutment portion 136. The length of the opening 138 in the front-to-rear direction is longer than its length in the left-to-right direction. In other words, the opening 138 is oval in shape, with some of the left-to-right portions of a circle being straight. The left-to-right length of the opening 138 is longer than the outer diameter of the tank pipe body 115 of the ink tank 100.

[0128] The rubber 129 has a protrusion 139 that protrudes in an annular shape from its outer peripheral surface. The outer diameter of the protrusion 139 is larger than the inner diameter of the annular wall 122 of the ink tank 100. The rubber 129 attached to the tubular portion 130 can be inserted into the internal space of the annular wall 122 by press-fitting. When inserted into the internal space of the annular wall 122, the tubular portion 130 and the rubber 129 cover the communication port 119 and the upper part of the tank pipe body 115. The protrusion 139 abuts against the inner peripheral surface 123 of the annular wall 122 in a liquid-tight manner.

[0129] [80 ink bottles] As shown in Figures 21 and 22, the ink bottle 80 is connected to the ink tank set 51. The ink bottle 80 has a bottle body 81, a bottle cap 82, and a valve 161. The bottle body 81 is cylindrical and open at the top. The bottle body 81 has an ink storage chamber 147 that stores ink. The bottle cap 82 is cylindrical and removably attached to the top end of the bottle body 81. The internal space of the bottle cap 82 and the ink storage chamber 147 are in communication.

[0130] The bottle cap 82 has a protrusion 94, an opening 95, and a bottle tube 96. The protrusion 94 is a cylindrical wall that extends upward. The protrusion 94 can be inserted into the through-hole 72 of the tank cover 110. The shape of the outer circumferential surface of the protrusion 94 is substantially the same as the shape of the inner circumferential surface of the through-hole 72. The opening 95 and the bottle tube 96 are located at the upper end of the protrusion 94. The opening 95 connects the inside and outside of the ink bottle 80. The bottle tube 96 is located in front of the opening 95. The bottle tube 96 extends upward from the upper end of the protrusion 94. The bottle tube 96 connects the inside and outside of the ink bottle 80. A valve 161 is disposed in the internal space of the bottle cap 82. The valve 161 closes the opening 95 and the opening of the bottle tube 96 on the ink storage chamber 147 side. The valve 161 is movable in the vertical direction shown in Figure 21 between a closed position that closes the opening 95 and the opening of the bottle tube body 96 on the ink storage chamber 147 side, and an open position that opens the opening 95 and the opening of the bottle tube body 96 on the ink storage chamber 147 side.

[0131] [Connection between ink bottle 80 and ink tank 100] The following describes an example in which the ink bottle 80 is connected to the ink chamber 111A, as shown in FIG. 22. Note that the connection portion 170 is omitted from FIG. 22 for simplicity. The user inserts the protrusion 94 of the ink bottle 80 into the through-hole 72 of the tank cover 110. The bottle tube 96 of the ink bottle 80 is connected to the communication port 119 of the ink tank 100, and the tank tube 115 of the ink tank 100 is inserted into the opening 95 of the ink bottle 80. At this time, the tank tube 115 inserted into the opening 95 moves the valve 161 from the closed position to the open position. This completes the connection between the ink bottle 80 and the ink tank 100.

[0132] When the ink bottle 80 is connected to the ink tank 100, ink in the ink storage chamber 147 flows into the ink chamber 111A of the ink tank 100 through the bottle pipe 96 and the communication port 119. At the same time, air in the ink chamber 111A flows into the ink storage chamber 147 through the tank pipe 115 and the opening 95. In this way, so-called gas-liquid substitution occurs, and ink in the ink bottle 80 is supplied to the ink chamber 111A.

[0133] When the ink bottle 80 is connected to the ink tank 100, ink may flow from the ink storage chamber 147 into the ink chamber 111A through the internal space of the tank pipe 115. In this embodiment, two protrusions 181 extending downward from the lower end of the tank pipe 115 are provided, so even if ink adheres to the lower end of the tank pipe 115, the ink tends to fall along the two protrusions 181. This prevents a meniscus from forming at the opening 195 at the lower end of the tank pipe 115, making it easier to ensure air movement between the ink chamber 111A and the ink storage chamber 147.

[0134] [Effects of the embodiment] In the ink tank 100, the strength of the bottom wall 105 is greater than that of the film, making the ink tank 100 stronger than a configuration in which the entire opening 231 is covered with a film. Therefore, when the ink tank 100 is fixed to the inner surface of the casing 8 of the multifunction device 10, even if the bottom wall 105 comes into contact with the inner surface of the casing 8 or components installed in the multifunction device 10, or is subjected to a load from the ink stored in the ink chamber 111, the bottom wall 105 is prevented from being damaged or deformed. As a result, ink leakage from the ink tank 100 and a decrease in the volumetric accuracy of the ink chamber 111 are prevented. Because the bottom wall 105 covers the opening 231 of the tank body 120, the use of film to cover the opening 231 can be reduced. This reduces the environmental impact caused by using film.

[0135] In the ink tank 100, the bottom wall 105 is attached to the tank body 120 by welding, so that ink in the ink chamber 111 is prevented from leaking between the body-side rib 211 of the tank body 120 and the bottom-wall-side rib 173 of the bottom wall 105.

[0136] In ink tank 100, bottom wall 105 has a convex portion 172 that protrudes downward below the underside of bottom plate 171. Therefore, when ink tank 100 is fixed to the inner surface of casing 8, the underside of bottom plate 171 is less likely to come into contact with the inner surface of casing 8, and therefore the underside of bottom plate 171 is less likely to be damaged.

[0137] In the ink tank 100, the convex portion 172 of the bottom wall 105 protrudes downward from the horizontal surface 221 and the inclined surface 222 to define a convex space 172A capable of storing ink. When the ink level in each ink chamber 111A, 111B, 111C, or 111D becomes low, the ink tends to collect in each convex space 172A. Since each outlet 114 is located in each convex space 172A, the ink in each ink chamber 111A, 111B, 111C, or 111D tends to flow out through each outlet 114. This allows for easy use of the ink.

[0138] In the ink tank 100, the lower wall 105 has a horizontal plate 174B above the outlet 114 and the bottom plate 171. The horizontal plate 174B is flat and extends in the front-to-rear and left-to-right directions. Therefore, particularly when the ink is a pigment ink, components of the ink that tend to settle accumulate on the upper surface of the horizontal plate 174B. As a result, the accumulation of components of the ink that tend to settle in the convex space 172A near the outlet 114 is suppressed. The tank body 120 is integrally molded with a core by a mold that is removed in the vertical direction relative to the cavity, and the horizontal plate 174B is provided on the lower wall 105 attached to the tank body 120, which opens downward. This makes it easy to install a structure that suppresses the accumulation of components of the ink that tend to settle in the convex space 172A near the outlet 114.

[0139] In the ink tank 100, the bottom wall 105 completely covers the opening 231 that connects the ink chamber 111 to the outside. In other words, the film 121 is not used to cover the opening 231. This maximizes the strength of the ink tank 100.

[0140] In the ink tank 100, the bottom wall 105 is attached to the tank body 120 by welding the film 121 to the body-side rib 211 of the tank body 120 and the bottom-wall-side rib 173 of the bottom wall 105. Therefore, the gap between the bottom-wall-side rib 173 and the body-side rib 211 is blocked from below by the film 121, so that ink in the ink chamber 111 is prevented from leaking from between the bottom-wall-side rib 173 and the body-side rib 211.

[0141] In the ink tank 100, the fourth lower wall 154 has a front storage section 225 and a rear storage section 226, which are formed by a portion of the bottom plate 171 protruding upward. A light-emitting unit 311A ​​is installed in a front storage space 225A defined by the front storage section 225. A light-receiving unit 311B is installed in a rear storage space 226A defined by the rear storage section 226. For this reason, the light-emitting unit 311A ​​and the light-receiving unit 311B are installed by attaching the fourth lower wall 154 to the tank body 120, and therefore, since the core is integrally molded using a mold that is removed in the vertical direction relative to the cavity, it is easy to install a liquid detection unit in the tank body 120, which opens downward.

[0142] In the ink tank 100, the light-projecting unit 311A ​​and the light-receiving unit 311B are respectively installed in the front storage space 225A and the rear storage space 226A, which are spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction on the bottom plate 171 of the fourth bottom wall 154. Therefore, the horizontal cross-sectional area of ​​the ink detected by the sensor 311 is smaller than when the light-projecting unit 311A ​​and the light-receiving unit 311B are respectively located outside the tank body 120. This allows the sensor 311 to detect the remaining amount of ink with high accuracy.

[0143] The ink tank 100 is provided with two protrusions 181 extending downward from the lower end of the tank pipe body 115. Therefore, when the ink bottle 80 is connected to the ink tank 100, ink flows from the ink storage chamber 147 of the ink bottle 80 into the ink chamber 111 through the internal space of the tank pipe body 115. Even if ink adheres to the lower end of the tank pipe body 115, the ink tends to fall along the two protrusions 181. This prevents an ink meniscus from forming at the opening 195 at the lower end of the tank pipe body 115, ensuring air movement between the ink chamber 111 and the ink storage chamber 147. As a result, ink is smoothly supplied from the ink storage chamber 147 to the ink chamber 111.

[0144] In the ink tank 100, protrusions 271 are provided on the inner surface of the top wall 104, extending downward from the periphery of each atmosphere communication port 112. Therefore, the protrusions 271 prevent the formation of an ink meniscus at each atmosphere communication port 112. As a result, air is less likely to be prevented from flowing into the ink chamber 111 from the outside through each atmosphere communication port 112.

[0145] The ink tank 100 has a protruding wall 230 that protrudes from the inner surface of the tank body 120 and abuts against the bottom wall 105. Therefore, the strength of the tank body 120 is high, and when the bottom wall 105 is attached to the tank body 120 by welding, the tank body 120 is less likely to bend. This results in high welding accuracy of the bottom wall 105 to the tank body 120. Furthermore, because the abutting area between the bottom wall 105 and the tank body 120 is large, even if the gap between the bottom wall 105 and the body-side rib 211 is large, the bottom wall 105 is less likely to tilt when the bottom wall 105 is attached to the tank body 120 by welding. Furthermore, because the protruding wall 230 protrudes from the inner surface of the tank body 120, it is easy to position an ejector pin for removing the tank body 120 from a mold away from the body-side rib 211. This prevents a decrease in welding accuracy due to damage to the body-side rib 211 by the ejector pin. This also reduces warping that occurs when the tank body 120 cools during injection molding. Furthermore, since the protrusion 267 that protrudes leftward from the left surface of the right outer protruding wall 235 is provided, warping that occurs when the tank body 120 cools during injection molding is more likely to be reduced.

[0146] In the ink tank 100, the right outer protruding wall 235 and the right inner protruding wall 238 face each other in the left-right direction, and the rear outer protruding wall 237 and the rear inner protruding wall 241 face each other in the front-rear direction. Therefore, when the fourth lower wall 154 is attached to the tank body 120 by welding, the fourth lower wall 154 is less likely to tilt with respect to the tank body 120.

[0147] In the multifunction device 10, the shape of the inner circumferential surface of the through-hole 72 in the tank cover 110 is approximately the same as the shape of the outer circumferential surface of the protrusion 94 of the ink bottle 80 inserted into the through-hole 72. This stabilizes the position of the ink bottle 80 with the protrusion 94 inserted into the through-hole 72. The bottom wall 205 of the tank cover 110 covers part of the bottom wall 105 of the ink tank 100 from below. This makes it less likely that the outer surface of the bottom wall 105 will be damaged.

[0148] [Variations] In the ink tank 100, the thickness of the lower wall 105 is made greater than the thickness of the film, thereby making the strength of the lower wall 105 greater than the strength of the film 121; however, the strength of the lower wall 105 may be made greater than the strength of the film 121 by forming the lower wall 105 from a resin material that is more rigid than the film 121.

[0149] In the ink tank 100, the bottom wall 105 is attached to the tank body 120 by welding the film 121, which is welded to the bottom-wall-side ribs 173 of the bottom wall 105, to the body-side ribs 211 of the tank body 120. However, the attachment method is not particularly limited as long as the bottom wall 105 is attached to the tank body 120 by welding. For example, the bottom wall 105 may be attached to the tank body 120 by pouring molten resin between the body-side ribs 211 and the bottom-wall-side ribs 173. In this case, the film 121 may be further welded to the body-side ribs 211 and the bottom-wall-side ribs 173. Alternatively, the film 121 may not be used. Alternatively, the bottom wall 105 may be attached to the tank body 120 by melting the body-side ribs 211 and the bottom-wall-side ribs 173 and bonding them to each other. In this case, the film 121 may be further welded to the body-side ribs 211 and the bottom-wall-side ribs 173. Alternatively, the film 121 may not be used. The welding method is not particularly limited as long as it can attach the bottom wall 105 to the tank body 120. For example, the welding method can be heat welding, which applies heat from the outside, high-frequency welding, which heats with high frequency, ultrasonic welding, which heats with ultrasonic waves, or laser welding, which heats with the heat of a laser beam.

[0150] In the ink tank 100, the bottom wall 105 is attached to the tank body 120 by welding, but it may be attached to the tank body 120 by a method other than welding as long as it can be attached to the tank body 120. For example, the bottom wall 105 may be attached to the tank body 120 by screws or press-fitting. In this case, the bottom wall 105 may have a rubber sealing member that prevents ink leakage. The sealing member may prevent ink leakage by, for example, adhering closely to the periphery of the opening 231 and the bottom wall 105.

[0151] In the ink tank 100, the bottom wall 105 covers the entire opening 231, but as shown in Fig. 23, it may cover only a part of the opening 231. In this case, the part of the opening 231 other than the part covered by the bottom wall 105 may be covered by the film 121.

[0152] In the ink tank 100, the standing plate 174A of the upper plate 174 of the bottom wall 105 extends in the left-right direction at both ends of the top surface of the bottom plate 171 in the front-rear direction. However, as shown in FIG. 24 , it may extend in the front-rear direction at the center of the top surface of the bottom plate 171 in the left-right direction. The standing plate 174A has a flat plate shape that extends in the front-rear and up-down directions. A notch 176 is located in the standing plate 174A below the through-hole 175 of the horizontal plate 174B, cutting through the standing plate 174A in the left-right direction. The notch 176 extends from the lower end to the upper end of the standing plate 174A. The notch 176 communicates with the through-hole 175. The outflow pipe 124 reaches the convex space 172A through the notch 176 and the through-hole 175.

[0153] 25, upper plate 174 of lower wall 105 may have two stages. In other words, an additional upper plate 174 having the same structure as upper plate 174 is provided above upper plate 174. Also, vertical plate 174A and horizontal plate 174B of fourth lower wall 154 may extend further to the left from the rear end portion, as shown in FIG.

[0154] In the ink tank 100, the four tank pipes 115 are formed integrally with the tank body 120 by injection molding, but they may also be welded to the injection-molded tank body 120. In this case, four openings 125 are formed in the top wall 104, connecting each of the ink chambers 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D to the outside. As shown in FIG. 27, each opening 125 faces upward in the horizontal plane 104B. Each opening 125 is circular. Each opening 125 is an example of a second opening.

[0155] Each tank pipe 115 has a pipe 115A and a base portion 115B. The pipe 115A is a circular pipe extending in the extension direction. The upper end of the pipe 115A opens upward. The lower end of the pipe 115A opens downward. The outer diameter of the pipe 115A is smaller than the inner diameter of the opening 125. The pipe 115A covers a portion of the opening 125.

[0156] The base portion 115B is located at the lower end of the outer circumferential surface of the tube 115A. The base portion 115B protrudes in an annular shape from the outer circumferential surface of the tube 115A. The base portion 115B covers a portion of the opening 125. An imaginary plane A including the lower end surface of the base portion 115B intersects with an imaginary line B passing through the center of the tube 115A at an acute angle. The lower end surface of the base portion 115B is ultrasonically heated and welded to the periphery of the opening 125 on the horizontal surface 104B of the upper wall 104. Note that the welding method for the base portion 115B is not limited to ultrasonic welding. In this way, each tank tube 115 is attached to the horizontal surface 104B of the upper wall 104. The internal space of each tank tube 115 communicates with each of the ink chambers 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D and the outside through each opening 125. The base portion 115B is an example of a first base portion.

[0157] 27, the base portion 115B of the tank pipe 115 is attached to the horizontal surface 104B of the upper wall 104 by welding. Therefore, the structure of the mold for forming the tank body 120 is simpler than when the tank pipe 115 is formed integrally with the tank body 120 by a mold. In other words, even when the tank body 120 has an undercut shape because the pipe 115A of the tank pipe 115 extends obliquely upward and forward from the base portion 115B, the tank body 120 can be easily formed.

[0158] 27, the base portion 115B of the tank pipe 115 is welded to the horizontal surface 104B, and is therefore attached vertically to the horizontal surface 104B. Therefore, even if the pipe 115A extends obliquely upward and forward from the base portion 115B, the tank pipe 115 can be easily attached to the tank body 120.

[0159] In the ink tank 100, the tube 115A of the tank tube 115 covers part of the opening 125, but it may cover the entire opening 125. In this case, the outer diameter of the tube 115A is made larger than the inner diameter of the opening 125. In this case, the protruding piece 181 may extend downward from the periphery of the opening 125 on the inner surface of the top wall 104.

[0160] In the modification shown in Fig. 27, base portion 115B of tank pipe body 115 is welded to horizontal surface 104B where opening 125 opens upward, but it may also be welded to inclined surface 104A as shown in Fig. 28. In this case, imaginary plane A including the lower end surface of base portion 115B and imaginary line B passing through the center of pipe body 115A are perpendicular to each other.

[0161] In the ink tank 100, the tank body 120 is opened downward by being integrally molded using a mold in which the core is removed vertically relative to the cavity, but it may also be opened horizontally by being integrally molded using a mold in which the core is removed horizontally relative to the cavity. In Figure 29, the tank body 120 is opened to the right in the left-right direction. Note that the tank body 120 may also be opened to the left or rear, etc., as long as it is opened horizontally. Also, in Figure 29, only one ink chamber 111 is provided.

[0162] In this case, the tank body 120 has a body-side rib 188 at the right end of the tank body 120. The body-side rib 188 protrudes slightly to the right from the right ends of the front wall 101, upper wall 104, lower wall 105, and rear wall 106. The body-side rib 188 has a ring shape that continues along the right ends of the front wall 101, upper wall 104, lower wall 105, and rear wall 106. The body-side rib 188 forms the periphery of an opening 231 that connects the ink chamber 111 to the outside.

[0163] The right wall 102 abuts against the entire periphery of the right ends of the front wall 101, the upper wall 104, the lower wall 105, and the rear wall 106. In other words, the right wall 102 abuts against the entire periphery of the opening 231. As a result, the right wall 102 covers the entire opening 231, which connects the ink chamber 111 to the outside.

[0164] The right wall 102 has a right wall rib 189. The right wall rib 189 is located on the outer edge of the right surface of the right wall 102. The right wall rib 189 protrudes slightly to the right from the right surface of the right wall 102. The right wall rib 189 is continuous along the outer edge of the right surface of the right wall 102. The right wall rib 189 has a ring shape. The right wall rib 189 faces the main body rib 188 over the entire circumference. The right wall rib 189 is located with a slight gap between it and the main body rib 188.

[0165] The right wall 102 is attached to the tank body 120 by welding a film 121, which covers the entire right surface of the right wall 102, to the right-wall rib 189 and the body rib 188. The right wall 102 is an example of a lid. The body rib 188 and the right-wall rib 189 may be omitted. In this case, as shown in FIG. 30 , the left surface of the right wall 102 may be welded to the right end of the tank body 120 using a method such as ultrasonic welding.

[0166] When the right wall 102 is attached to the tank body 120, a portion of the opening 231 of the tank body 120 may be covered by an outflow pipe 331, as shown in Fig. 31. In this case, the outflow pipe 124 of the above embodiment is omitted. Note that although the body-side rib 188 and the right-wall-side rib 189 are omitted in Fig. 31, the body-side rib 188 and the right-wall-side rib 189 may be provided.

[0167] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 32 , the right wall 102 has a right plate 332 and an outflow pipe 331. The right plate 332 is flat and extends in the front-to-rear and up-down directions. The outflow pipe 331 is attached to the rear end of the right plate 332. The outflow pipe 331 defines an ink flow path 333 that allows ink from the ink chamber 111 to flow to the outside. The ink flow path 333 is an example of a liquid flow path. The outflow pipe 331 has a pipe main body 331A and a connecting pipe 331B. The pipe main body 331A extends upward from the lower end to the upper end at the rear end of the right plate 332. An inflow port 334 opens leftward on the left surface of the pipe main body 331A. The inflow port 334 is located at the lower end of the pipe main body 331A. The connecting pipe 331B extends leftward from the left surface of the pipe main body 331A. The connecting pipe 331B is located at the upper end of the pipe main body 331A.

[0168] The tank body 120 has a connection portion 335 to which the ink tube 32 and the outflow pipe 331 are connected. The connection portion 335 is located at the rear end of the upper end portion of the left wall 103. The connection portion 335 defines a connection flow path 336 that connects the ink chamber 111 and the ink tube 32. The connection portion 335 has a tube connection port 335A and a tube connection port 335B. The tube connection port 335A protrudes leftward from the left surface of the left wall 103. The tube connection port 335A is connected to the ink tube 32. The tube connection port 335B is located at the right end of the tube connection port 335A. The tube connection port 335B is located in the ink chamber 111. The tube connection port 335B opens to the right.

[0169] In the modification shown in Figures 31 and 32, when the right wall 102 is attached to the tank body 120, the connecting tube 331B is inserted into the tube connection port 335B. This brings the outer circumferential surface of the connecting tube 331B into tight contact with a seal member (not shown) provided at the tube connection port 335B. As a result, ink in the ink chamber 111 can be supplied to the recording head 39 through the outlet tube 331, the connection portion 335, and the ink tube 32. In this state, the right plate 332 of the right wall 102 and the outlet tube 331 entirely cover the opening 231 of the tank body 120.

[0170] 31 and 32, the outflow pipe 331 is installed by attaching the right wall 102 to the tank body 120, so the core is molded integrally with the cavity using a mold that is removed horizontally, making it easy to install the outflow pipe 331 in the tank body 120 that opens horizontally. Also, because the outflow pipe 331 covers part of the opening 231 of the tank body 120, the ink flow path 333 can be formed simply by attaching the right wall 102 to the tank body 120, without requiring any additional space for the outflow pipe 331.

[0171] In the modified example shown in Figures 31 and 32, the right plate 332 and the outflow pipe 331 entirely cover the opening 231 of the tank body 120. However, as shown in Figure 33, the outflow pipe 331 and the film 121 may entirely cover the opening 231 of the tank body 120. In the modified example shown in Figure 33, the outflow pipe 331 is fitted into the left end of the tank body 120 via the opening 231 facing left, and the film 121 is welded to the left end of the tank body 120 and the left surface of the outflow pipe 331. The strength of the outflow pipe 331 is made greater than that of the film 121, for example, by making the thickness of the film 121 greater than that of the film 121. The outflow pipe 331 is an example of a lid. Note that the left surface of the outflow pipe 331 may be open, and the film 121 may be welded to the left surface of the outflow pipe 331 so as to seal the opening. In this case, the space defined by the outflow pipe 331 and the film 121 is an example of a liquid flow path.

[0172] In the ink tank set 51, the rubber 129 of the tank cap 127 has a protrusion 139 that liquid-tightly contacts the inner circumferential surface 123 of the annular wall 122 when inserted into the internal space of the annular wall 122, but as shown in Figures 34 and 35, the outer circumferential surface of the rubber 129 may further have a protrusion 178 above the protrusion 139 that prevents the tank cap 127 from coming off the annular wall 122. In this case, a retaining member 179 is provided above the annular wall 122.

[0173] The retaining member 179 has a base 179A and an abutment portion 179B. The base 179A is located on the upper surface 122A of the annular wall 122. The base 179A has an annular shape with an inner diameter larger than the inner diameter of the annular wall 122. The center of the base 179A coincides with the center line C passing through the center of the annular wall 122. The lower surface 143 of the base 179A is welded to the upper surface 122A of the annular wall 122. The abutment portion 179B has an annular shape extending radially inward from an upper portion of the inner circumferential surface of the base 179A. The inner diameter of the abutment portion 179B is larger than the inner diameter of the annular wall 122. The center of the abutment portion 179B coincides with the center line C passing through the center of the annular wall 122. The lower surface 144 of the abutment portion 179B is located above the upper surface 122A of the annular wall 122.

[0174] The protrusions 178 extend outward from the outer peripheral surface of the rubber 129. In FIG. 35, four protrusions 178 are provided at 90-degree intervals with respect to the center of the rubber 129. As shown in FIG. 36, the protrusions 178 may protrude in an annular shape from the outer peripheral surface of the rubber 129. The extending end of each protrusion 178 is located radially outward from the inner diameter surface of the abutting portion 179B. The extending end of each protrusion 178 is located between the lower surface of the abutting portion 179B and the upper surface of the annular wall 122. The vertical length of each protrusion 178 is slightly shorter than the vertical length between the lower surface 144 of the abutting portion 179B and the upper surface 122A of the annular wall 122.

[0175] 34 and 35, the four protrusions 178 are positioned between the lower surface 144 of the abutment portion 179B and the upper surface 122A of the annular wall 122, and the four protrusions 178 abut against the lower surface 144 of the abutment portion 179B, thereby preventing the tank cap 127 from coming off the annular wall 122. The retaining member 179 is attached to the tank body 120 by welding the lower surface 143 of the base 179A to the upper surface 122A of the annular wall 122. Therefore, even in cases where the tank body 120 has an undercut shape due to the provision of the retaining member 179 on the tank body 120, the tank body 120 can be easily formed.

[0176] In the modified example shown in FIG. 35, the contact portion 179B of the retaining member 179 has an annular shape. However, as shown in FIG. 37, the contact portion 179B may have a convex shape that protrudes radially inward from the inner diameter surface of the base portion 179A. The contact portion 179B has a convex shape that extends radially inward from the inner peripheral surface of the base portion 179A. In FIG. 37, two contact portions 179B are provided on the inner peripheral surface of the base portion 179A at positions 180 degrees apart from the center of the base portion 179A. Two protrusions 178 are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the rubber 129 at positions 180 degrees apart from the center of the rubber 129. Each protrusion 178 is located between the lower surface of the corresponding contact portion 179B and the upper surface of the annular wall 122.

[0177] In the modified example shown in FIG. 37 , the user inserts the rubber 129 into the internal space of the annular wall 122 so that the protrusions 178 of the rubber 129 do not overlap the abutment portions 179B of the retaining member 179 in the vertical direction. Then, as shown in FIG. 38 , the user rotates the rubber 129 to position each protrusion 178 between the lower surface 144 of the abutment portions 179B and the upper surface 122A of the annular wall 122. This prevents the tank cap 127 from coming off the annular wall 122. In the modified example shown in FIG. 37 , the tank cap 127 can be easily inserted into the internal space of the annular wall 122 while being prevented from coming off the annular wall 122. Note that the annular wall 122 is omitted from FIGS. 37 and 38 for simplicity of illustration.

[0178] As shown in Fig. 39, the ink tank 100 may further include a valve 251 that opens and closes the communication port 119, and a base portion 252 that supports the valve 251. The communication port 119 is an example of a third opening. Note that, in Fig. 39, the tank pipe body 115 is omitted for simplicity of illustration. Also, in Fig. 39, the upper wall 104 has a cylindrical portion 104C that protrudes upward at the portion where the communication port 119 is located.

[0179] The base portion 252 is located below the cylindrical portion 104C. The base portion 252 has a generally U-shape in which a portion of a flat plate extending along an imaginary plane perpendicular to the direction in which a valve body 251B (described later) can move is bent downward. A bottom surface 252B of the base portion 252 faces the communication port 119 in the up-down direction. An upper end portion 252A of the base portion 252 is welded to the inner surface 104D of the upper wall 104.

[0180] Valve 251 has a sealing member 251A, a valve body 251B, and a biasing member 251C. Sealing member 251A is fixed to the inner surface at the upper end of cylindrical portion 104C. Sealing member 251A has a ring shape that surrounds the periphery of communication port 119. Sealing member 251A is made of rubber.

[0181] The valve element 251B is located between the base portion 252 and the upper wall 104. The valve element 251B has a flat plate shape that extends along an imaginary plane perpendicular to the movement direction of the valve element 251B. The shape of the outer peripheral surface of the valve element 251B is substantially the same as the shape of the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 104C. The valve element 251B is movable along the axial direction of the cylindrical portion 104C. The valve element 251B is movable between a closed position in which it abuts against the seal member 251A and an open position in which it is separated from the seal member 251A. In the closed position, the valve element 251B abuts against the seal member 251A to close the communication port 119. In the open position, the valve element 251B opens the communication port 119. The communication port 119 is an example of a third opening.

[0182] The biasing member 251C is a coil spring that can expand and contract in the movement direction of the valve body 251B. One end of the biasing member 251C in the expansion and contraction direction is supported by the bottom surface 252B of the base portion 252. The other end of the biasing member 251C in the expansion and contraction direction abuts against the valve body 251B. The biasing member 251C biases the valve body 251B in a direction toward the closed position. As a result, the valve 251 is sandwiched between the tube portion 104C and the base portion 252 and is attached so as to be able to open and close the communication port 119. The base portion 252 is an example of a second base portion. The valve 251 is an example of a valve.

[0183] 39, when the ink bottle 80 is connected to the ink tank 100, the valve element 251B is pressed by the bottle tube 96 of the ink bottle 80 inserted into the communication port 119, and moves from the closed position to the open position against the biasing force of the biasing member 251C. As a result, the ink storage chamber 147 of the ink bottle 80 communicates with the ink chamber 111 through the internal space of the bottle tube 96.

[0184] In the modified example shown in Figure 39, the valve 251 can be incorporated between the upper wall 104 and the base portion 252, so that the core is integrally molded using a mold that is removed in the vertical direction relative to the cavity, and the valve 251 can be easily installed in the tank body 120 that opens downward.

[0185] In the ink tank 100, the tank pipe 115 and the communication port 119 are located at the front end of the top wall 104, but they may also be located on the horizontal surface 104B of the top wall 104. Also, one of the tank pipe 115 and the communication port 119 may be omitted. If the tank pipe 115 is omitted, the opening 95 in the ink bottle 80 through which the tank pipe 115 is inserted is also omitted. In this case, the valve 161 of the ink bottle 80 may also be omitted. Furthermore, the bottle pipe 96 of the ink bottle 80 may have two flow paths, one for ink flow and one for air flow. On the other hand, if the communication port 119 is omitted, the bottle pipe 96 of the ink bottle 80 is omitted. In this case, the tank pipe 115 may have two flow paths, one for ink flow and one for air flow. [Explanation of symbols]

[0186] 10...Multifunction device (liquid discharge device) 39 Recording head (liquid ejection unit) 72...Through hole (positioning part) 80···Ink bottle (bottle) 100···Ink tank (tank) 105 Bottom wall (lid) 110 Tank cover (cover) 111 Ink chamber (storage chamber) 112 Atmospheric vent 114...outlet 115 Tank pipe body 115A... Tube 115B···Base part (first base part) 119...Communication port (3rd opening) 120···Tank body (frame) 121···Film 125··· opening (second opening) 171...bottom plate 172···Convex part 172A...Convex space (inner space) 174B...Horizontal plate (flat plate part) 181 Projection piece (first projection piece) 225 Front storage section (liquid detection section) 226 Rear storage section (liquid detection section) 231··· opening (first opening) 235... Right outer protruding wall (first protruding wall) 238...Right inner protruding wall (second protruding wall) 251 Valve 252···Base part (second base part) 271 Projection piece (second projection piece) 311···Sensor 311A···Light emitter (liquid detector) 311B···Light receiving unit (liquid detection unit) 333 Ink flow path (liquid flow path)

Claims

1. A tank fixed to a housing of a liquid ejection device that ejects liquid, a frame defining a reservoir chamber in which a liquid is stored; a cover that covers at least a portion of the first opening formed by the frame, When the tank is fixed to the housing, the lid is attached to the frame in a state where it covers at least a part of the first opening from a horizontal direction or from below, The strength of the lid is greater than the strength of the film.

2. 2. The tank according to claim 1, wherein the lid is attached to the frame by welding.

3. The tank according to claim 1, wherein the lid has a protrusion that protrudes outward.

4. the lid covers a portion of the first opening, The tank according to claim 2 , further comprising a film that covers a portion of the first opening other than the portion covered by the lid.

5. The liquid storage chamber further includes an outlet through which the liquid stored in the storage chamber can flow out, The lid covers at least a portion of the first opening that opens downward to define the storage chamber, The protrusion has an internal space that protrudes downward and communicates with the storage chamber, 4. The tank of claim 3, wherein the outlet is located in the interior space.

6. The liquid storage chamber further includes an outlet through which the liquid stored in the storage chamber can flow out, The lid body is a bottom plate portion that covers at least a portion of the first opening that opens downward to define the storage chamber; 2. The tank according to claim 1, further comprising a flat plate portion extending horizontally above the outlet and the bottom plate portion.

7. The tank according to claim 1 , wherein the lid covers the entire first opening.

8. 3. The tank of claim 2, wherein the lid is attached to the frame by welding a film to the frame and the lid.

9. 2. The tank according to claim 1, wherein the lid has at least a part of a liquid detection unit for detecting the liquid in the storage chamber.

10. The liquid detection unit is a first storage portion that protrudes upward from a bottom plate portion of the lid body and covers at least a portion of the first opening that opens downward; a second storage portion located at an interval from the first storage portion and projecting upward from the bottom plate portion; The tank described in claim 9, further comprising: a sensor having a light-emitting unit installed in a first storage space defined by the first storage section and a light-receiving unit installed in a second storage space defined by the second storage section.

11. the lid has a liquid flow path through which the liquid flowing out of the storage chamber flows to the outside, The tank according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid flow path covers at least a portion of the first opening that opens in the horizontal direction.

12. The device includes a first base portion and a pipe extending from the first base portion to connect the storage chamber to the outside, the pipe covers at least a portion of a second opening formed by the frame; the first base portion is attached to the frame, 2. The tank according to claim 1, wherein the pipe extends obliquely upward when the tank is fixed to the housing of the liquid discharge device.

13. The tank according to claim 12 , wherein the first base portion covers at least a portion of the second opening that opens upward.

14. Further provided is a pipe that connects the storage chamber to the outside, 2. The tank according to claim 1, wherein the frame is located within the storage chamber and has a first protrusion extending from a peripheral edge of the opening of the pipe.

15. The above frame is An atmosphere communication port that communicates the storage chamber with the outside; 2. The tank according to claim 1, further comprising: a second protrusion located inside the storage chamber and extending from a peripheral edge of the atmosphere vent port.

16. further comprising a second base portion and a valve; the second base portion faces a third opening formed by the frame, the second base portion is attached to the frame, The tank according to claim 1, wherein the valve is sandwiched between the frame and the second base portion and attached so as to be able to open and close the third opening.

17. 3. The tank according to claim 2, wherein the frame has a first protruding wall that protrudes from an inner surface of the frame and against which the lid abuts.

18. 18. The tank according to claim 17, wherein the frame has a second protruding wall that protrudes from the inner surface of the frame to face the first protruding wall and against which the lid abuts.

19. The tank according to claim 1; a liquid discharge unit that discharges the liquid stored in the tank; a cover for covering the tank, The above cover is a positioning unit for positioning a bottle connected to the tank; a cover portion that covers at least a portion of the lid body.

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