Ink replenishment container

Abstract

To provide an ink supply container whose cap is hardly opened by a child.SOLUTION: The ink refill container includes a container body and a composite cap including an inner cap and an outer cap. In a state where a second locking portion of the outer cap and a first locking portion of the inner cap are not locked to each other, when the outer cap is rotated in a loosening direction, the outer cap idles on the inner cap, and when the outer cap is rotated in the loosening direction in a state in which the second locking portion of the outer cap and the first locking portion of the inner cap are locked, the inner cap rotates in a direction in which screwing of the female thread and the ink outlet forming portion is released.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an ink supply container. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an ink supply container equipped with a cap. According to this document, the cap is attached to an ink outlet forming portion of the ink supply container by screw engagement. When refilling ink, the cap is unscrewed and removed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-140613 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, there was room for improvement in the ink supply container of Patent Document 1. More specifically, because the cap is a relatively simple operation of loosening the screw, there was a risk that a child or pet could accidentally open the cap and swallow the ink or cause ink contamination. In other words, there is a demand for an ink supply container whose cap is difficult for children to open. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] An ink supply container according to one aspect of the present application is an ink supply container for supplying ink to a printer, and comprises: an ink outlet forming portion having an ink outlet and a valve disposed in the ink outlet; a container body connected to the ink outlet forming portion and configured to be able to contain ink; and a cylindrical cap having a center line configured to be attachable to and detachable from the ink outlet forming portion, the cap comprising: an inner cap that screws onto the ink outlet forming portion; and an outer cap that covers the inner cap and is engageable with the inner cap, the inner cap comprising: an elastic portion disposed on a top surface and biasing the outer cap in a first direction along the center line to separate the outer cap from the inner cap; a first locking portion disposed on the top surface; and a locking portion formed on an inner peripheral surface of a cylindrical portion that screws onto the ink outlet forming portion. and a female screw that can be engaged with the ink outlet forming portion, and the outer cap has an inner top surface that faces the top surface of the inner cap, and a second locking portion that is arranged on the inner top surface opposite the first locking portion and that locks the first locking portion when the outer cap is pressed in a second direction opposite the first direction against the force of the elastic portion, and when the second locking portion of the outer cap and the first locking portion of the inner cap are not locked together and the outer cap is rotated in a loosening direction, the outer cap spins freely on the inner cap, and when the second locking portion of the outer cap and the first locking portion of the inner cap are locked together and the outer cap is rotated in a loosening direction, the inner cap rotates in a direction that releases the screw engagement between the female screw and the ink outlet forming portion.

[0006] An ink supply container according to one aspect of the present application is an ink supply container for supplying ink to a printer, and comprises an ink outlet forming section having an ink outlet and a valve disposed in the ink outlet, a container body connected to the ink outlet forming section and configured to be able to contain ink, and a cap configured to be detachable from the ink outlet forming section, wherein the ink outlet forming section has a male screw disposed on its outer circumferential surface, and a first engagement claw disposed on the outer circumferential surface and located below the male screw with the ink outlet facing upward, and the cap has a top wall, a cylindrical outer wall connected to the top wall, and a cylindrical inner wall provided inside the outer wall, The outer wall has a female screw arranged on the inner surface of the inner wall and capable of threading with the male screw, a second engagement claw arranged on the inner surface of the outer wall and located below the female screw when the top wall is facing upward, and engaging with the first engagement claw when the end of the female screw and the end of the male screw are threaded together, and a pressing portion located in the same phase as the second engagement claw on the outer wall and arranged at a different position in the circumferential direction from the second engagement claw, and capable of deforming radially inward when pressed from outside the outer wall, and the outer wall is configured so that when the pressing portion deforms radially inward, the second engagement claw deforms radially outward and is released from engagement with the first engagement claw. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along the bb section of FIG. 2. [Figure 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a front view of an ink supply container according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along the cc section of FIG. 7. [Figure 10] FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the dd section of FIG. 9 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Embodiment 1 ***Printing Device Overview*** FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a printing device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view of an ink supply container. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the ink supply container. FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line bb in FIG. 2. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0009] As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 100 of this embodiment is an inkjet printing device that prints by ejecting ink onto a print medium P. Note that each drawing illustrates three mutually perpendicular axes: an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis. In this embodiment, the direction in which the long sides of the rectangular printer 100 extend in a plan view is the X-positive direction, the direction in which the short sides extend is the Y-positive direction, and the thickness direction of the printer 100 is the Z-positive direction. The X-positive direction and the X-negative direction are collectively referred to as the X direction. The same applies to the Y-axis and Z-axis.

[0010] The printer 100 includes a box-shaped housing 110, which is placed on a substantially horizontal installation surface (not shown) defined by an X direction and a Y direction. A carriage 120 that is movable in the X direction, which is the main scanning direction, is provided inside the housing 110. A print head 122 that ejects ink onto the print medium P is provided on the underside of the carriage 120. An openable and closable lid 112 is provided at one end of the front of the housing 110. A plurality of ink tanks 130 are provided inside the lid 112.

[0011] The multiple ink tanks 130 are connected to the print head 122 of the carriage 120 by tubes 134. The ink in each ink tank 130 is supplied to the print head 122 via the tubes 134. These ink tanks 130 are ink-replenishing type ink tanks. An ink inlet flow path member 132 for replenishing ink into the ink tanks 130 is provided on the top surface of the ink tanks 130. The ink tanks 130 are stationary ink tanks that are not mounted on the carriage 120. The front surface of the ink tank 130 is made of a transparent material, allowing the amount of ink remaining in the ink tank 130 to be visually checked from the outside. When the amount of ink remaining becomes low, the lid 112 can be opened and ink can be replenished into the ink tank 130 through the ink inlet flow path member 132. In a preferred example, ink is replenished from the ink supply container 50 shown in FIG. 2.

[0012] ***Ink supply container configuration*** FIG. 2 shows a front view of the ink supply container 50 in a normal position, where normal position refers to a position where the container body 1 is placed on a horizontal surface such as a desk with the bottom side facing downwards. 2, the ink supply container 50 is made up of a container body 1, an ink outlet forming portion 6, a composite cap 30, etc. In other words, the ink supply container 50 is an ink supply container for replenishing ink to the printer 100. Hereinafter, the bottom side of the container body 1 in the normal position will also be referred to as the rear end, and the ink outlet forming portion 6 side as the front end.

[0013] The ink outlet forming portion 6 is integrated with the container body 1, and the composite cap 30 is detachably attached to the ink outlet forming portion 6. The composite cap 30 is cylindrical, with a line segment passing through its center defined as a center line 60. The center line 60 is a line segment along the Z axis, and the composite cap 30 rotates around the center line 60 when attached or detached. The composite cap 30 is a safety cap that functions to prevent children and others from accidentally opening it. Details of the composite cap 30 will be described later. In a preferred embodiment, the container body 1 is a resin bottle made by blow molding PET resin. It may be made of synthetic resin such as PE or PP, or may be a metal bottle made of aluminum or the like. In a preferred embodiment, the ink outlet forming portion 6 is made of synthetic resin, but is not limited to this.

[0014] As shown in Figure 3, the container body 1 is a hollow cylindrical container having an opening 3 on the tip side. A male screw 4 for attaching an ink outlet forming part 6 is provided on the outer periphery of the small diameter part 2 on the tip side of the container body 1. A pair of engagement claws 4b are provided below the male screw 4. The engagement claws 4b are engagement claws of a ratchet mechanism, which will be described later, and two of them are provided at positions that are rotationally symmetrical by 180 degrees around the center line 60. The ink outlet forming part 6 is a member that forms the ink outlet 7 at the tip, and is also called a spout. A ring-shaped packing 5 is provided between the opening 3 of the container body 1 and the abutting part inside the ink outlet forming part 6, ensuring sealing between the two. An outlet valve 9 is incorporated inside the ink outlet 7. In Fig. 3, for convenience of drawing, the outlet valve 9 is shown above the ink outlet 7, but in reality, as shown in Fig. 4, the outlet valve 9 is inserted into the ink outlet 7 from the rear end side of the ink outlet forming part 6.

[0015] 3, a ring-shaped annular portion 6b is provided at the rear end of the ink outlet forming portion 6. The diameter of the annular portion 6b is approximately the same as the diameter of the cylindrical portion of the container body 1. 4, the ink outlet forming portion 6 has an internal thread 64 on its inner circumferential surface that screws into the external thread 4 of the small diameter portion 2 of the container body 1. The annular portion 6b has an internal circumferential surface that is provided with a plurality of wedge-shaped teeth 65 of a ratchet mechanism that correspond to the engaging claws 4b of the container body 1. When the ink outlet forming portion 6 is screwed onto the container body 1 via the packing 5 while the container body 1 is filled with ink, the wedge-shaped teeth 65 engage with the engaging pawl 4b, preventing reverse rotation, once the ink outlet forming portion 6 is fully tightened. Because the ratchet mechanism locks the container body 1 and the ink outlet forming portion 6 together, it is difficult for both children and adults to open, ensuring high safety. Furthermore, when the composite cap 30 is removed, the ink outlet forming portion 6 is prevented from rotating with the composite cap 30.

[0016] 3, fitting portions 72 are provided around the ink outlet 7 to fit into recesses provided around the ink inlet flow path member 132 of the ink tank 130. In this embodiment, the fitting portions 72 are provided on both sides of the ink outlet 7. These two fitting portions 72 have shapes that are rotationally symmetrical by 180 degrees about the center line 60. The recess provided around the ink inlet flow path member 132 of the ink tank 130 also has a shape that is rotationally symmetrical by 180 degrees about the ink inlet flow path member 132. When refilling ink, the fitting portion 72 around the ink outlet 7 is fitted into a recess around the ink inlet flow path member 132 of the ink tank 130, thereby limiting the orientation of the container body 1 to two orientations that are rotationally symmetrical by 180 degrees. This makes it possible to maintain the container body 1 in a stable position when refilling ink. However, the fitting portion 72 may be omitted.

[0017] 4, the outlet valve 9 has a valve body 91 and a support ring 92 that holds the valve body 91. The valve body 91 and the support ring 92 are preferably formed from, for example, silicone rubber or an elastomer having rubber elasticity. The support ring 92 is a double-layered band-shaped member that fits tightly against the inner periphery of the ink outlet 7. The ink outlet 7 is a circular hole that is provided in the annular top plate portion that serves as a receiving portion for the support ring 92. The support ring 92 holds the periphery of the valve body 91 between the inner band-shaped portion and the top plate portion of the ink outlet 7. The valve body 91 is composed of a slit valve provided in the center and an annular peripheral portion that supports the slit valve. The slit valve is provided through the center line 60, and multiple slits are provided near the center. These slits have the function of opening to the outside when the internal pressure of the container body 1 is higher than atmospheric pressure, and closing by elastic action when the internal pressure is approximately equal to atmospheric pressure.

[0018] 4 shows the composite cap 30 attached to the ink outlet forming portion 6. In this case, the ink outlet 7 is sealed by the first annular protrusion 15 and the second annular protrusion 16 provided on the inner top surface 17 of the inner cap 10. As shown in FIG. 4, an annular groove 71 is provided around the ink outlet 7, surrounding the ink outlet 7. The first annular protrusion 15 is a ring-shaped protrusion provided on the inner top surface 17, and when the composite cap 30 is attached, the first annular protrusion 15 fits into the ink outlet 7. The second annular protrusion 16 is a ring-shaped protrusion that is one size larger than the first annular protrusion 15, and when the composite cap 30 is attached, the second annular protrusion 16 fits into the annular groove 71. In this way, the ink outlet 7 is sealed by the first annular protrusion 15, and the annular groove 71 surrounding the ink outlet 7 is sealed by the second annular protrusion 16, creating a double seal structure that improves sealing performance. In other words, the ink supply container 50 comprises an ink outlet forming portion 6 having an ink outlet 7 and an outlet valve 9 arranged in the ink outlet 7, a container body 1 connected to the ink outlet forming portion 6 and configured to be able to contain ink, and a cylindrical composite cap 30 configured to be attachable and detachable to the ink outlet forming portion 6 and having a center line 60.

[0019] ***Composite Cap Composition*** Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the inner cap and corresponds to Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the inside of the outer cap. Here, a configuration in which the composite cap 30 can function as a safety cap will be described.

[0020] As shown in Figure 3, the composite cap 30 is configured by covering a cylindrical inner cap 10 with a cylindrical outer cap 20 that is slightly larger than the inner cap 10. In a preferred example, the inner cap 10 and the outer cap 20 are made of synthetic resin, but are not limited to this. A male thread 8 is formed in the ink outlet forming portion 6 to which the composite cap 30 is attached. As shown in Figure 5, a female thread 18 is formed on the inner surface of the rear end of the inner cap 10, which screws onto the male thread 8 of the ink outlet forming portion 6. A top surface 11, which serves as a ceiling wall, is provided on the front end side of the inner cap 10. In other words, the composite cap 30 includes the inner cap 10, which screws onto the ink outlet forming portion 6, and the outer cap 20, which covers the inner cap 10 and is engageable with the inner cap 10.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 5, four elastic portions 12 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the peripheral edge of the top surface 11 of the inner cap 10. The elastic portions 12 are ratchet pawls formed by elongated rod members with rectangular cross sections that are provided along the circumferential direction. The tips of the elastic portions 12 protrude counterclockwise from the top surface 11 and protrude away from the top surface 11. The number of elastic portions 12 is not limited to four, and any number may be used. A circular base portion 13 is provided inside the four elastic portions 12 on the top surface 11 of the inner cap 10, and is one step higher than the top surface 11. Four first locking portions 14 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the peripheral edge of the base portion 13. The first locking portions 14 are rectangular notched grooves. The number of first locking portions 14 is not limited to four, and may be any number. In other words, the inner cap 10 has an elastic portion 12 that is disposed on the top surface 11 and biases the outer cap 20 in a first direction along the center line 60 to separate the outer cap 20 from the inner cap 10, a first locking portion 14 that is disposed on a base portion 13 of the top surface 11, and a female screw 18 that is formed on the inner surface of the tubular portion and can be threaded into the ink outlet forming portion 6. In the normal position, the first direction is the Z positive direction, and the second direction is the Z negative direction.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 6, the outer cap 20 has a cylindrical body portion and an inner top surface 21, which is a ceiling wall on the tip side of the body portion. The peripheral edge of the inner top surface 21 of the outer cap 20 is a ring portion that is one step higher than the inner top surface 21. Four ratchet grooves 23 are provided on the ring portion at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The ratchet grooves 23 are provided to correspond to the elastic portions 12, which are ratchet pawls of the inner cap 10. Four second locking portions 22 are provided on the inner top surface 21 inside the four ratchet grooves 23 of the outer cap 20 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The second locking portions 22 are rectangular protrusions that correspond to the first locking portions 14. An engaging portion 25 that protrudes slightly inward is provided around the entire periphery of the rear end of the body of the outer cap 20. In other words, the outer cap 20 has an inner top surface 21 that faces the top surface 11 of the inner cap 10, and a second locking portion 22 that is arranged on the inner top surface 21 opposite the first locking portion 14 and locks the first locking portion 14 when the outer cap 20 is pushed in a second direction opposite to the first direction against the force of the elastic portion 12.

[0023] ***Opening and closing of the composite cap*** Fig. 4 shows a vertical cross section of the ink supply container 50 in the normal installation state of Fig. 2, with the outer cap 20 being pushed up by the four elastic portions 12 (Fig. 5) of the inner cap 10, and the inner top surface 21 of the outer cap 20 being in a released state separated from the base portion 13, which is the upper surface of the inner cap 10. As shown in Fig. 4, in the normal installation state, the engagement portion 25 at the rear end of the body of the outer cap 20 engages with the rear end portion of the inner cap 10, thereby preventing the outer cap 20 from falling off.

[0024] When attaching the composite cap 30, the outer cap 20 is placed over the inner cap 10 in the normal position and then rotated clockwise. When the outer cap 20 is rotated clockwise, the elastic portion 12, which is the ratchet pawl of the inner cap 10, is inserted into the ratchet groove 23 of the outer cap 20, and the contact surface of the ratchet groove 23 comes into contact with the tip end of the elastic portion 12, causing the outer cap 20 and the inner cap 10 to rotate together. As a result, the female thread 18 of the inner cap 10 is screwed onto the male thread 8 of the ink outlet forming portion 6, and the composite cap 30 is attached.

[0025] To remove the composite cap 30, the outer cap 20 is pressed down toward the inner cap 10 in the upright position and then turned counterclockwise. When the outer cap 20 is pressed down toward the inner cap 10, the elastic portion 12 is elastically deformed, and the inner top surface 21 of the outer cap 20 and the base portion 13, which is the top surface of the inner cap 10, are placed on top of each other and engage with each other. In the engaged state, the second locking portion 22 of the outer cap 20 is inserted into the first locking portion 14, which is a rectangular groove in the inner cap 10, and when the outer cap 20 is turned, the outer cap 20 and the inner cap 10 rotate together. In other words, when the outer cap 20 is turned in a direction to loosen the outer cap 20 while the second locking portion 22 of the outer cap 20 and the first locking portion 14 of the inner cap 10 are engaged with each other, the inner cap 10 rotates in a direction to release the engagement between the female thread 18 and the ink outlet forming portion 6. This releases the male thread 8 of the ink outlet forming portion 6 from the female thread 18 of the inner cap 10, allowing the composite cap 30 to be removed.

[0026] On the other hand, if the outer cap 20 is rotated counterclockwise without being pressed down toward the inner cap 10, that is, if it is rotated counterclockwise in the released state, the outer cap 20 alone rotates, resulting in an idling state. More specifically, in the released state, the outer cap 20 is pushed up by the four elastic portions 12 of the inner cap 10, and the inner top surface 21 of the outer cap 20 is separated from the base portion 13 of the inner cap 10, so the second locking portion 22 and the first locking portion 14 are not engaged, and only the outer cap 20 rotates idly. In other words, if the outer cap 20 is rotated in the loosening direction in a state in which the second locking portion 22 of the outer cap 20 and the first locking portion 14 of the inner cap 10 are not locked, the outer cap 20 will rotate idly on the inner cap 10. In this way, when opening the composite cap 30, it is necessary to consciously press down the outer cap 20, and since it will not open by simply turning the outer cap 20, it functions as a safety cap that prevents children and others from opening it carelessly.

[0027] As described above, the ink supply container 50 of this embodiment can provide the following effects. The ink supply container 50 is an ink supply container for supplying ink to the printer 100, and comprises an ink outlet forming section 6 having an ink outlet 7 and an outlet valve 9 arranged in the ink outlet 7, a container body 1 connected to the ink outlet forming section 6 and configured to be able to contain ink, and a cylindrical composite cap 30 configured to be attachable to and detachable from the ink outlet forming section 6 and having a center line 60, the composite cap 30 comprising an inner cap 10 that screws into the ink outlet forming section 6, and an outer cap 20 that covers the inner cap 10 and can be engaged with the inner cap 10, the inner cap 10 being arranged on a top surface 11 and having an elastic section 12 that urges the outer cap 20 in a first direction along the center line 60 to separate the outer cap 20 from the inner cap 10, a first locking section 14 arranged on a base section 13 of the top surface 11, and a locking member 15 formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical section The outer cap 20 has an inner top surface 21 facing the top surface 11 of the inner cap 10, and a second locking portion 22 arranged on the inner top surface 21 facing the first locking portion 14, and locks the first locking portion 14 when the outer cap 20 is pressed in a second direction opposite to the first direction against the force of the elastic portion 12. When the second locking portion 22 of the outer cap 20 and the first locking portion 14 of the inner cap 10 are not locked together, if the outer cap 20 is rotated in a loosening direction, the outer cap 20 will spin freely on the inner cap 10, and when the second locking portion 22 of the outer cap 20 and the first locking portion 14 of the inner cap 10 are locked together, if the outer cap 20 is rotated in a loosening direction, the inner cap 10 will rotate in a direction that releases the locking of the female screw 18 with the ink outlet forming portion 6.

[0028] This prevents children from easily opening the composite cap 30 because the inner cap 10 cannot be unscrewed unless the outer cap 20 is pushed down to engage with the inner cap 10. In other words, the composite cap 30 requires careful depressing of the outer cap 20 to open it, and will not open simply by turning the outer cap 20, so it functions as a safety cap that prevents children and others from inadvertently opening it. This prevents accidental ingestion or ink contamination caused by children or pets accidentally opening the cap. Therefore, it is possible to provide an ink supply container 50 whose cap is difficult for children to open.

[0029] Embodiment 2 ***Different forms of ink supply container*** Fig. 7 is a front view of the ink supply container according to the second embodiment, and corresponds to Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the ink supply container, and corresponds to Fig. 3. In the above embodiment, the safety cap function is realized by the composite cap 30 consisting of two parts, the inner cap 10 and the outer cap 20, but this is not limited to this and the safety cap may be composed of one part. Hereinafter, the same parts as in the above embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0030] As shown in Figure 7, the ink supply container 52 of this embodiment is made up of a container body 31, a cap 40, etc. Figure 7 shows the ink supply container 52 in the upright position. The container body 31 is a hollow cylindrical container made of the same material as the container body 1. A pair of pressing portions 45 are provided on the rear end side of the cap 40. The two pressing portions 45 are provided at positions that are rotationally symmetrical by 180 degrees about the center line 60. In other words, the ink supply container 52 is an ink supply container for replenishing the printer 100 with ink.

[0031] As shown in Figure 8, the tip side of the container body 31 is a small-diameter ink outlet forming portion 32. An ink outlet 7 is formed at the tip of the ink outlet forming portion 32. An outlet valve 9 is incorporated inside the ink outlet forming portion 32. For convenience of drawing in Figure 8, the outlet valve 9 is shown above the ink outlet 7, but in reality, as shown in Figure 9, the outlet valve 9 is inserted inside the ink outlet 7. Because the ink outlet forming portion 32 is molded integrally with the container body 31 in this way, there is no need to worry about the ink outlet forming portion 32 becoming separated from the container body 31, and it is safe. A male screw 34 for attaching a cap 40 is provided on the outer periphery of the ink outlet forming portion 32. A ring-shaped annular portion 33 is provided below the male screw 34. The diameter of the annular portion 33 is slightly larger than that of the ink outlet forming portion 32. A pair of first engagement pawls 36 are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the annular portion 33. The first engagement pawls 36 are engagement pawls of a ratchet mechanism, which will be described later, and two first engagement pawls 36 are provided at positions that are rotationally symmetrical by 180 degrees about the center line 60.

[0032] In other words, the ink supply container 52 comprises an ink outlet forming part 32 having an ink outlet 7 and an outlet valve 9 disposed in the ink outlet 7, a container body 31 connected to the ink outlet forming part 32 and configured to be able to contain ink, and a cap 40 configured to be detachable from the ink outlet forming part 32. The ink outlet forming part 32 has a male screw 34 disposed on its outer circumferential surface, and a first engagement claw 36 disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the annular part 33 and located below the male screw with the ink outlet 7 facing upward.

[0033] Fig. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line cc in Fig. 7, and corresponds to Fig. 4. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the inside of the cap. Fig. 11 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along the line dd in Fig. 9. 9, the cap 40 includes a top wall 43, a cylindrical outer wall 41 connected to the top wall 43, and a cylindrical inner wall 42 provided inside the outer wall 41. The inner wall 42 is a concentric annular portion provided inside the outer wall 41, and has an internal thread 44 on its inner circumferential surface that screws onto the external thread 34 of the ink outlet forming portion 32. 9, a first annular protrusion 15 is provided on the top wall 43 inside the cap 40. When the cap 40 is attached to the ink outlet forming portion 32, the ink outlet 7 is sealed by the first annular protrusion 15 provided on the top wall 43. However, this is not limited to this, and a double sealing structure may be adopted as described above.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 10, the pressing portion 45 is a portion of the outer wall 41 where the wall is thickened. A pair of second engagement claws 46 are provided on the inner peripheral surface of the rear end side of the outer wall 41. The second engagement claws 46 are engagement claws that correspond to the first engagement claws 36 of the ink outlet forming portion 32, and the two second engagement claws 46 are provided at positions that are rotationally symmetrical by 180 degrees about the center line 60. Fig. 11 shows the engagement state between the first engagement claw 36 and the second engagement claw 46 when the cap 40 is attached. As shown in Fig. 11, the first engagement claw 36 is a wedge-shaped claw that protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the annular portion 33, gently rising up in a clockwise direction and then steeply descending. The second engagement claw 46 is a wedge-shaped claw that protrudes from the inner peripheral surface of the outer wall 41, gently rising up in a counterclockwise direction and then steeply descending.

[0035] As shown in Figure 11, when the cap 40 is rotated clockwise to fully tighten the screw, the second engagement claw 46 moves over the first engagement claw 36, and their steeply inclined surfaces engage with each other, thereby engaging the first engagement claw 36 and the second engagement claw 46. In this engaged state, the engagement between the first engagement claw 36 and the second engagement claw 46 is strong, so even if an adult turns the cap 40 counterclockwise with normal force, the engagement will not be released. This prevents children and others from accidentally opening the cap. In other words, the cap 40 has a top wall 43, a cylindrical outer wall 41 connected to the top wall 43, a cylindrical inner wall 42 provided inside the outer wall 41, a female screw 44 arranged on the inner surface of the inner wall 42 and capable of threading with the male screw 34, and a second engagement claw 46 arranged on the inner surface of the outer wall 41 and positioned below the female screw 44 when the top wall 43 is facing upward, and which engages with the first engagement claw 36 when the end of the female screw 44 and the end of the male screw 34 are threaded together.

[0036] To remove the cap 40, as shown in Fig. 11, the cap 40 is rotated counterclockwise while pressing the two pressing portions 45 on both sides of the cap 40. The pair of pressing portions 45 on the outer wall 41 are located at positions rotated 90 degrees from the pair of second engagement claws 46 around the center line 60. As a result, as shown by the outline arrows, when the two pressing portions 45 are pressed, the outer wall 41 elastically deforms, and the two second engagement claws 46 move radially outward, disengaging from the first engagement claws 36, making it possible to rotate the cap 40 counterclockwise. In other words, the outer wall 41 is configured such that radially inward deformation of the pressing portions 45 causes the second engagement claws 46 to deform radially outward, thereby disengaging from the first engagement claws 36. The cap 40 has pressing portions 45 that are positioned in the same phase as the second engagement claws 46 of the outer wall 41 and disposed at positions different from the second engagement claws 46 in the circumferential direction, and are capable of deforming radially inward when pressed from outside the outer wall 41. The second engagement claws 46 are a pair of second engagement claws 46 that are arranged symmetrically at 180 degrees about a point, and the pressing portions 45 are a pair of pressing portions 45 that are arranged symmetrically at 180 degrees about a point, and the pair of second engagement claws 46 and the pair of pressing portions 45 are arranged such that an imaginary line 61 connecting the vertices of the pair of second engagement claws 46 and an imaginary line 62 connecting the circumferential centers of the pair of pressing portions 45 are perpendicular to each other.

[0037] As described above, the ink supply container 52 of this embodiment can provide the following effects. The ink supply container 52 is an ink supply container for replenishing ink in the printer 100, and comprises an ink outlet forming section 32 having an ink outlet 7 and an outlet valve 9 arranged in the ink outlet 7, a container body 31 connected to the ink outlet forming section 32 and configured to be able to contain ink, and a cap 40 configured to be attachable and detachable to the ink outlet forming section 32, the ink outlet forming section 32 having a male screw 34 arranged on its outer circumferential surface, and a first engagement claw 36 arranged on the outer circumferential surface of the annular section 33, which is located below the male screw 34 with the ink outlet 7 facing upward, and the cap 40 having a top wall 43, a cylindrical outer wall 41 connected to the top wall 43, and a cylindrical outer wall 41 arranged inside the outer wall 41. the outer wall 41 has an inner wall 42, a female screw 44 arranged on the inner peripheral surface of the inner wall 42 and capable of threading with the male screw 34, a second engagement claw 46 arranged on the inner peripheral surface of the outer wall 41 and located below the female screw 44 when the top wall 43 is facing upward, and engaging with the first engagement claw 36 when the end of the female screw 44 and the end of the male screw 34 are threaded together, and a pressing portion 45 located in the same phase as the second engagement claw 46 of the outer wall 41 and arranged at a different position in the circumferential direction from the second engagement claw 46, and capable of deforming radially inward when pressed from outside the outer wall 41, and the outer wall 41 is configured such that when the pressing portion 45 deforms radially inward, the second engagement claw 46 deforms radially outward and is disengaged from the first engagement claw 36.

[0038] According to this, when the cap 40 is attached, the first engagement claw 36 and the second engagement claw 46 are firmly engaged with each other, so even if an adult turns the cap 40 counterclockwise with normal force, the engagement will not be released. This prevents children and others from opening the cap inadvertently. When removing the cap 40, it is necessary to consciously press down the pressure sections 45 on both sides, so it functions as a safety cap that prevents children and others from accidentally opening the cap, thereby preventing accidental ingestion or ink contamination caused by children or pets accidentally opening the cap. Furthermore, the cap 40 is made up of a single part, so the number of parts is small and the structure is simple. Therefore, it is possible to provide an ink supply container 52 with a simple structure and a cap that is difficult for children to open.

[0039] In addition, the second engagement claws 46 are a pair of second engagement claws 46 arranged symmetrically at 180 degrees, and the pressing portions 45 are a pair of pressing portions 45 arranged symmetrically at 180 degrees, and the pair of second engagement claws 46 and the pair of pressing portions 45 are arranged so that an imaginary line 61 connecting the vertices of the pair of second engagement claws 46 and an imaginary line 62 connecting the circumferential centers of the pair of pressing portions 45 are perpendicular to each other.

[0040] This makes it easier for the second engagement claw 46 to disengage from the first engagement claw 36 when the pair of pressing portions 45 is pressed, and an adult can easily open the cap 40 by pressing the pair of pressing portions 45. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1...container body, 2...small diameter portion, 3...opening, 4...male screw, 4b...engagement claw, 5...packing, 6...ink outlet forming portion, 6b...annular portion, 7...ink outlet, 8...male screw, 9...outlet valve, 10...inner cap, 11...top surface, 12...elastic portion, 13...base portion, 14...first locking portion, 15...first annular convex portion, 16...second annular convex portion, 17...inner top surface, 18...female screw, 20...outer cap, 21...inner top surface, 22...second locking portion, 23...ratchet groove, 25...engagement portion, 30...composite cap, 31...container body, 32...ink outlet forming portion, 33...annular shaped portion, 34...male thread, 36...first engaging claw, 40...cap, 41...outer wall, 42...inner wall, 43...top wall, 44...female thread, 45...pressing portion, 46...second engaging claw, 50...ink supply container, 52...ink supply container, 60...center line, 61...imaginary line, 62...imaginary line, 65...wedge-shaped tooth, 71...annular groove, 72...fitting portion, 91...valve body, 92...support ring, 100...printer, 110...casing, 112...lid, 120...carriage, 122...print head, 130...ink tank, 132...ink inlet flow path member, 134...tube.

Claims

1. An ink supply container for supplying ink to a printer, an ink outlet forming portion including an ink outlet and a valve disposed in the ink outlet; a container body connected to the ink outlet forming portion and configured to be able to contain ink; a cylindrical cap having a center line, the cap being detachably attached to the ink outlet forming portion, The cap is an inner cap that is screwed onto the ink outlet forming portion; an outer cap that covers the inner cap and is engageable with the inner cap; The inner cap is an elastic portion disposed on the top surface and biasing the outer cap in a first direction along the center line so as to separate the outer cap from the inner cap; a first locking portion disposed on the top surface; a female screw formed on an inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion and capable of being screwed into the ink outlet forming portion; The outer cap is an inner top surface facing the top surface of the inner cap; a second locking portion disposed on the inner top surface opposite to the first locking portion, and locking the first locking portion when the outer cap is pressed in a second direction opposite to the first direction against the bias of the elastic portion, When the second locking portion of the outer cap and the first locking portion of the inner cap are not locked together, if the outer cap is rotated in a direction to loosen the outer cap, the outer cap will rotate freely on the inner cap, When the outer cap is rotated in a direction to loosen the outer cap while the second locking portion of the outer cap and the first locking portion of the inner cap are locked together, the inner cap rotates in a direction to release the female screw from the ink outlet forming portion. Ink refill container.

2. An ink supply container for supplying ink to a printer, an ink outlet forming portion including an ink outlet and a valve disposed in the ink outlet; a container body connected to the ink outlet forming portion and configured to be able to contain ink; a cap configured to be detachable from the ink outlet forming portion, The ink outlet forming portion is A male screw disposed on the outer peripheral surface; a first engaging claw disposed on the outer circumferential surface and located below the male screw with the ink outlet facing upward, The cap is The ceiling wall and a cylindrical outer wall connected to the top wall; a cylindrical inner wall provided inside the outer wall; a female screw disposed on an inner peripheral surface of the inner wall and capable of being threadedly engaged with the male screw; a second engaging claw that is disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the outer wall and is located below the female screw when the top wall is facing upward, and that engages with the first engaging claw when an end of the female screw and an end of the male screw are threadedly engaged with each other; a pressing portion that is positioned in the same phase as the second engagement claws of the outer wall and is disposed at a position different from the second engagement claws in the circumferential direction, and that is deformable radially inward by pressure from the outside of the outer wall, The outer wall is configured such that, when the pressing portion is deformed inward in the radial direction, the second engagement claw is deformed outward in the radial direction and is released from engagement with the first engagement claw. Ink refill container.

3. the second engagement claws are a pair of second engagement claws arranged symmetrically at 180 degrees from one another, The pressing portions are a pair of pressing portions arranged symmetrically at 180 degrees from one another, The pair of second engagement claws and the pair of pressing portions are arranged so that an imaginary line connecting the vertices of the pair of second engagement claws and an imaginary line connecting the circumferential centers of the pair of pressing portions are perpendicular to each other.

3. The ink supply container according to claim 2.

Images