Ink refill container

Abstract

This invention provides a technology that can prevent ink from leaking out of an ink refill container when it is removed. [Solution] The ink supply container comprises a container body, an ink outlet forming section, and an outlet valve unit. The outlet valve unit comprises a valve housing, a spring member, a valve body, and a sealing member. The valve body has a spring arrangement section, a sealing surface that can contact a first sealing section in the closed valve state, and a projection that protrudes from the sealing surface in a first direction. The projection has a first outer peripheral surface that extends along the central axis and faces the first sealing section in the closed valve state in a radial direction perpendicular to the central axis, a second outer peripheral surface that extends along the central axis and faces the second sealing section in the closed valve state in a radial direction, a top surface that contacts the partition wall of the ink introduction member in the open valve state, and a plurality of groove passages formed between the top surface and the sealing surface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an ink supply container.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as an example of an inkjet device, a printer that can perform printing on a printing medium such as printing paper by ejecting ink from a print head toward the printing medium is known. Such a printer includes an ink supply type that replenishes ink in an ink tank for use. Patent Document 1 discloses an ink supply container used for replenishing ink in an ink supply type ink tank.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In conventional technology, an ink supply container comprises an ink outlet forming section and an outlet valve unit. The ink outlet forming section has a valve housing, a sealing member, and a spring valve. The ink inlet flow path member of the printer pushes the valve body, creating a gap between the sealing member and the valve body. Ink and air flow through this gap, allowing ink to flow from the ink supply container into the ink inlet flow path member. This supplies ink to the ink tank via the ink inlet flow path member. The sealing position between the ink inlet flow path member and the sealing projection of the sealing member is positioned apart in the central axis direction and radial direction from the sealing position between the valve body and the sealing end of the sealing member. Therefore, when the ink inlet flow path member is removed from the ink outlet forming section after ink replenishment, a space is formed between the valve body, the sealing member, and the ink inlet flow path member. Ink may remain in this space. If ink remains in this space, at least some of the ink may leak out. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an ink supply container is provided that supplies ink to an ink tank of a printer via an ink introduction member having a plurality of channels separated by partition walls, which communicate with the ink tank. The ink supply container comprises a container body configured to contain the ink, an ink outlet forming section connected to the container body and forming an outlet on the opposite side of the container body, and an outlet valve unit mounted within the ink outlet forming section, which opens when the ink introduction member is inserted from the outlet and closes when the ink introduction member is removed from the outlet. The outlet valve unit comprises a valve housing extending in a direction along the central axis of the ink outlet forming section, a spring member supported by the valve housing within the valve housing and biased in a first direction toward the outlet along the central axis, a valve body movably disposed within the valve housing and located on the outlet side of the spring member in the first direction and receiving the bias of the spring member, and a seal member located on the outlet side of the valve body in the first direction and having a through hole through which the ink introduction member is inserted and removed in a direction along the central axis. In the open state, the ink introduction member is inserted through the outlet and the through hole. The valve body is pressed in a second direction opposite to the first direction by the ink introduction member, forming a gap between the valve body and the sealing member that communicates with the flow path of the ink introduction member, and in the closed valve state, the valve body comes into contact with the sealing member due to the withdrawal of the ink introduction member from the outlet, and the sealing member has an annular first sealing portion that seals with the valve body in the closed valve state and an annular second sealing portion that contacts the side surface of the ink introduction member and seals with the ink introduction member in the open valve state The valve body has a spring arrangement portion, a sealing surface connected to the end of the spring arrangement portion in the first direction and capable of contacting the first sealing portion in the closed valve state, and a projection portion projecting from the sealing surface in the first direction, wherein the projection portion extends in the direction along the central axis and has a first outer peripheral surface that faces the first sealing portion in the radial direction in the closed valve state,The material has a second outer peripheral surface extending in a direction along the central axis and facing the second seal portion in the radial direction when the valve is closed, a top surface that contacts the partition wall of the ink introduction member when the valve is open, and a plurality of groove passages formed between the top surface and the seal surface, wherein in the open valve state, the groove passages communicate with the gap. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] A perspective view of the printer in the embodiment. [Figure 2] A perspective view showing the process of refilling the ink tank with ink. [Figure 3] An exploded perspective view of the ink supply container in the embodiment. [Figure 4] First perspective view of the outlet valve unit. [Figure 5] Second perspective view of the outlet valve unit. [Figure 6] Front view of the ink refill container in its upright position. [Figure 7] Plan view of the ink refill container. [Figure 8] A perspective view of the ink tank of the embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the section between IX and IX. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view of the valve body. [Figure 11] This is a side view of the valve body. [Figure 12] Figure 11 shows the cross-sectional view between XII and XII. [Figure 13] A diagram showing an ink refill container with the valve open. [Figure 14] A magnified view of a section of Figure 13. [Figure 15] A perspective view of the valve body in another embodiment 1 of the valve body. [Figure 16] Side view of the valve body. [Figure 17] Figure 16 shows the cross-sectional view between section XVII and section XVII. [Figure 18] A perspective view of the valve body in another embodiment 2 of the valve body. [Figure 19]A perspective view of the valve body in another embodiment 3 of the valve body. [Figure 20] A perspective view of the valve body of another embodiment 4 of the valve body. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] A. Embodiments: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the printer 100 in an embodiment. This printer 100 is an inkjet printer that prints by ejecting ink onto a printing medium. Figure 1 shows mutually orthogonal XYZ axes. The X axis corresponds to the width direction of the printer 100, the Y axis corresponds to the depth direction of the printer 100, and the Z axis corresponds to the height direction of the printer 100. The printer 100 is installed on a horizontal mounting surface defined by the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. Note that "X direction" refers to the combined concept of the +X direction and the -X direction. Similarly, "Y direction" refers to the combined concept of the +Y direction and the -Y direction, and "Z direction" refers to the combined concept of the +Z direction and the -Z direction.

[0008] Printer 100 has a housing 110. Inside the housing 110, a carriage (not shown) that can move in the main scanning direction (X-axis direction) is provided. A print head for ejecting ink onto a print medium is installed on the carriage. At one end of the front surface of the housing 110, an ink tank accommodating unit 160 for accommodating a plurality of ink tanks 700S and 700L is provided. The ink tank accommodating unit 160 has an openable / closable lid 162 at its upper part. Note that the ink tank 700S is a small-capacity tank, and the ink tank 700L is a large-capacity tank. However, in the following description, both are referred to simply as "ink tank 700" without distinction. Each ink tank 700 is connected to the print head of the carriage by a tube (not shown). That is, the ink tank 700 is a stationary ink tank that is not placed on the carriage of the printer 100. Also, each ink tank 700 is an ink replenishment type ink tank in which ink is replenished from an ink replenishment container when the remaining ink amount decreases. In the present embodiment, the ink tank 700 is a stationary ink tank, but it may be mounted on the carriage of the printer 100.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which ink is replenished to the ink tank 700 using the ink replenishment container 200. The front surface of each ink tank 700 is formed of a transparent member, and the remaining ink amount of each ink tank 700 is visible from the outside. When the remaining ink amount decreases, as shown in FIG. 2, it is possible to open the lid 162 and replenish ink from an ink introduction member 710 having a flow path communicating with the ink tank 700.

[0010] On the upper surface of each ink tank 700, a cylindrical ink introduction member 710 for replenishing ink to the ink tank 700 is provided. The ink tank housing unit 160 includes a sealing cap member 164 having a sealing cap 165 for sealing the tip of the ink introduction member 710. When the ink tank 700 is not replenished with ink, the tip of the ink introduction member 710 is sealed by the sealing cap 165 of the sealing cap member 164. When replenishing the ink tank 700 with ink, the sealing cap member 164 is removed from the ink introduction member 710, and the tip of the ink replenishment container 200 is inserted into the position of the ink introduction member 710 to replenish the ink. Two recesses 750 that fit with the fitting portion of the ink replenishment container 200 are provided around the ink introduction member 710. These recesses 750 have a shape that is rotationally symmetric by 180 degrees around the ink introduction member 710.

[0011] In this specification, the term "ink replenishment" means an operation of supplying ink to the ink tank 700 to increase the remaining ink amount. However, it is not necessary to fill the ink tank 700 completely with ink by "ink replenishment". Also, "ink replenishment" includes an operation of filling an empty ink tank 700 with ink at the first use of the printer 100. As described above, the ink replenishment container 200 replenishes the ink tank 700 via the ink introduction member 710 having a flow path communicating with the ink tank 700 of the printer 100.

[0012] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the ink replenishment container 200 in the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a first perspective view of the outlet valve unit 500. FIG. 5 is a second perspective view of the outlet valve unit 500. As shown in FIG. 3, the ink replenishment container 200 includes a container body 300, an ink outlet forming portion 400, an outlet valve unit 500, and a cap 600.

[0013] The container body 300 is configured to hold ink. The ink outlet forming section 400 is connected to the container body 300. The ink outlet forming section 400 forms an ink outlet 460 on the side opposite to the container body 300. The ink outlet forming section 400 has the same central axis C as the ink supply container 200. The outlet valve unit 500 is installed inside the ink outlet forming section 400. The outlet valve unit 500 opens when the ink introduction member 710 is inserted from the outlet 460, and closes when the ink introduction member 710 is removed from the outlet 460. The cap 600 is detachably attached to the ink outlet forming section 400.

[0014] The upper end of the ink supply container 200, which is the cap 600 side, is called the "tip side," and the lower end, which is the container body 300 side, is called the "rear end side." The container body 300 is a hollow cylindrical container with an opening at the tip side. An external thread 312 for attaching the ink outlet forming part 400 is provided at the small diameter portion at the tip of the container body 300. In this disclosure, the direction along the central axis C of the ink supply container 200, that is, the direction parallel to the central axis C, is called the "axial direction," and the direction perpendicular to the axial direction is called the "radial direction." The direction from the rear end side of the container body 300 toward the outlet 460 located at the tip side is also called the first direction D1. The direction opposite to the first direction D1 is called the second direction D2.

[0015] An outlet 460 is provided at the tip of the ink outlet forming section 400. The ink outlet forming section 400 is connected to the container body 300 and includes a cylindrical section 420 having the outlet 460. An outlet valve unit 500 is installed inside the cylindrical section 420. Therefore, the outlet valve unit 500 can also be considered as a component that constitutes part of the ink outlet forming section 400. The valve housing 517 is installed inside the cylindrical section 420, with a radial gap between it and the cylindrical section 420. When replenishing ink to the ink tank 700, the ink introduction member 710 of the ink tank 700, shown in Figure 2, is inserted into the outlet 460.

[0016] The outlet valve unit 500 includes a valve housing 517, a spring member 530, a valve body 520, and a sealing member 510. The valve housing 517 shown in Figure 3 allows the ink introduction member 710 to be inserted and removed. The valve housing 517 extends in a direction along the central axis C. The valve housing 517 houses the spring member 530, the valve body 520, and the sealing member 510 internally. As shown in Figure 4, the valve housing 517 has a retaining portion 517A at its tip to prevent the sealing member 510 from coming out of the valve housing 517, and an engaging portion 517B with the cylindrical portion 420. Therefore, the outlet valve unit 500 can be attached and detached as an element of the ink supply container 200 on its own, making it easy to manufacture.

[0017] The spring member 530 shown in Figure 3 is supported by the valve housing 517 within the valve housing 517. The spring member 530 is housed at the rear end in the axial direction within the valve housing 517. The spring member 530 can be made of, for example, metal. In this embodiment, the spring member 530 is a coil spring. The spring member 530 biases the valve body 520 in a first direction D1 toward the outlet 460 in the axial direction along the central axis C.

[0018] The valve body 520 is positioned within the valve housing 517 so as to be movable in the axial direction. The valve body 520 opens and closes the flow path that connects the container body 300 and the through hole 510h of the sealing member 510, which will be described later. In the first direction D1, the valve body 520 is located on the outlet 460 side of the spring member 530. The valve body 520 is biased by the spring member 530 toward the first direction D1. The detailed configuration of the valve body 520 will be described later.

[0019] The sealing member 510 shown in Figure 3 is supported by the valve housing 517 inside the valve housing 517. In other words, the sealing member 510 is installed inside the valve housing 517. The sealing member 510 is made of an elastic material. For example, the sealing member 510 is made of a rubber material such as an elastomer with rubber elasticity. The elements of the ink supply container 200 other than the spring member 530 and the sealing member 510 can be made of synthetic resins such as polyethylene or polypropylene. The sealing member 510 is located on the outlet 460 side of the valve body 520 in the first direction D1. The sealing member 510 is annular in shape and has a through hole 510h that penetrates in the axial direction. The ink introduction member 710 is inserted into and removed from the through hole 510h in the axial direction.

[0020] As shown in Figure 3, two fitting portions 450 are provided around the outlet 460. These fitting portions 450 are projections extending upward in the axial direction and are positioning members that position the ink supply container 200 by being inserted into or fitted into recesses 750, which are holes shown in Figure 2, provided around the ink introduction member 710 of the ink tank 700. Positioning is a function that prevents accidental ink injection, for example, by fitting the ink supply container 200 for supplying yellow ink into the recess 750 corresponding to the ink tank 700 that contains yellow ink, and preventing the fitting of ink supply containers 200 for supplying other colored inks such as magenta ink or cyan ink, and a function that stabilizes the ink injection posture of the ink supply container, as will be described later. The function of preventing accidental ink injection is not limited to the color of the ink, but also prevents accidental injection of dye ink and pigment ink, for example, black ink. In this embodiment, the two fitting portions 450 have a shape that is rotationally symmetrical by 180 degrees around the central axis C of the ink supply container 200. Similarly, the recess 750 provided around the ink introduction member 710 of the ink tank 700 also has a shape that is rotationally symmetrical by 180 degrees around the ink introduction member 710. When replenishing ink, the orientation of the ink supply container 200 is limited to two orientations that are rotationally symmetrical by 180 degrees by fitting the fitting portions 450 of the ink supply container 200 into the recess 750 around the ink introduction member 710 of the ink tank 700. As a result, it is possible to maintain the ink supply container 200 in a stable position when replenishing ink. However, the fitting portions 450 are optional. Note that "fitting" includes loose fitting with a small gap between them.

[0021] As shown in Figure 5, the valve housing 517 has a total of four through-holes Ho that penetrate radially. The through-holes Ho communicate with the radial gap between the valve housing 517 and the valve body 520. The through-holes Ho are also formed to extend axially. When the valve is open, the through-holes Ho communicate with a flow path formed inside the ink introduction member 710 (described later), thereby facilitating gas-liquid exchange between the ink introduction member 710 and the ink supply container 200. This allows ink to be supplied from the ink supply container 200 to the ink tank 700.

[0022] Figure 6 is a front view of the ink supply container 200 in its upright position, and Figure 7 is a top view of the ink supply container 200. Note that Figures 6 and 7 show the container with the cap 600 removed. "Upright position of the ink supply container 200" means that the container body 300 is placed on a horizontal surface such as a desk with the bottom facing downwards. As shown in Figure 2 above, ink is supplied to the ink tank 700 in an inverted position with the tip of the ink supply container 200 facing downwards.

[0023] Figure 8 is a perspective view of the ink tank 700 of the embodiment. The ink introduction member 710 of the ink tank 700 protrudes upward from the ink tank 700. The ink introduction member 710 is a columnar member and has a side surface 717 and a tip 715.

[0024] The ink introduction member 710 has two flow paths 711 and 712. The two flow paths 711 and 712 are separated by a partition wall 714. When replenishing ink, one of the flow paths 711 and 712 constitutes the flow path for ink from the ink replenishment container 200, and the other constitutes the flow path for air from the ink tank 700 to the ink replenishment container 200. Note that the number of flow paths 711 and 712 in the ink introduction member 710 is not limited to two; there may be three or more.

[0025] The tip 715 of the ink introduction member 710 is flat, and the two flow paths 711 and 712 open at the tip 715 of the ink introduction member 710. Also, a portion of the tip 715 of the ink introduction member 710 corresponds to the end of the partition wall 714. When replenishing ink, the fitting portion 450 of the ink replenishment container 200 shown in Figure 7 is fitted into the recess 750 around the ink introduction member 710 of the ink tank 700 shown in Figure 2, thereby positioning the ink replenishment container 200 in the circumferential direction. As a result, the two flow paths 711 and 712 communicate with two internal tank flow paths 721 and 722 that protrude into the ink storage chamber 760 below. The lower ends of these internal tank flow paths 721 and 722 extend to a position below the ceiling wall of the ink storage chamber 760. The reason for this is that when replenishing ink from the ink supply container 200 to the ink tank 700, the gas-liquid exchange stops when the liquid level in the ink storage chamber 760 reaches the lower end of the internal flow paths 721 and 722 in the tank, and consequently the ink supply also stops, making the ink replenishment process easy.

[0026] Figure 9 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX of Figure 7. Figure 10 is a perspective view of the valve body 520. Figure 11 is a side view of the valve body 520. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII of Figure 11. Figure 13 shows the ink supply container 200 in the open valve state. Figure 14 is a partially enlarged view of Figure 13. The detailed configuration of the valve body 520 and the sealing member 510 will be explained using Figures 9 to 14. Figures 9, 13, and 14 also show the configuration of the ink tank 700 side for ease of understanding. The state shown in Figure 9 is the state immediately after the ink introduction member 710 is inserted into the outlet valve unit 500 via the outlet 460 and the tip 715 of the ink introduction member 710 contacts the valve body 520. Note that the state shown in Figure 9 is also the state just before the ink introduction member 710 begins to detach from the ink outlet forming part 400 and separates from the valve body 520. In the state shown in Figure 9, the outlet valve unit 500 is in the closed state.

[0027] As shown in Figure 9, the sealing member 510 has a sealing body 513, a first sealing portion 511, and a second sealing portion 512. The sealing body 513 is cylindrical and extends in the axial direction, and constitutes the main body of the sealing member 510. The outer circumferential surface of the sealing body 513 has a portion that faces and is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the valve housing 517.

[0028] The first seal portion 511 is a projection that protrudes in the second direction from the end face 513u on the second direction D2 side of the seal body 513. The first seal portion 511 is formed circumferentially. In other words, the first seal portion 511 is annular. In the closed valve state, the first seal portion 511 is in airtight contact with the valve body 520 circumferentially. As a result, in the closed valve state, the first seal portion 511 seals with the valve body 520, preventing the ink from the container body 300 from flowing out of the ink supply container 200.

[0029] The second seal portion 512 is a portion that protrudes radially inward from the inner circumferential surface of the seal body 513. The second seal portion 512 is arranged circumferentially on the inner circumferential surface of the seal body 513. In other words, the second seal portion 512 is annular. The second seal portion 512 is located on the first direction D1 side than the first seal portion 511. Also, the second seal portion 512 is located radially inward than the first seal portion 511. In other words, the first seal portion 511 and the second seal portion 512 are positioned spaced apart in the axial and radial directions. As shown in Figure 13, in the open state, the second seal portion 512 is in airtight contact with the side surface 717 of the ink introduction member 710 in the circumferential direction. As a result, in the open state, the second seal portion 512 seals with the ink introduction member 710, preventing the ink from the container body 300 from leaking out between the seal body 513 and the side surface 717.

[0030] As shown in Figure 10, the valve body 520 has a spring mounting portion 521, a sealing surface 524, and a protruding portion 522. As shown in Figure 9, the spring mounting portion 521 has a recess that is indented in the first direction D1. The portion of the spring member 530 that is on the side of the first direction D1 is placed within the recess of the spring mounting portion 521. As shown in Figure 10, the outer circumferential surface 523 of the spring mounting portion 521 is cylindrical in shape.

[0031] The sealing surface 524 is connected to the end portion 521e of the spring arrangement portion 521 in the first direction D1. Specifically, it extends radially inward from the end portion 521e of the outer peripheral surface 523. The sealing surface 524 is an annular shape with a certain width. The sealing surface 524 is a plane facing the first direction D1. More specifically, the normal direction of the sealing surface 524 is the first direction D1. The normal direction of the sealing surface 524 may be slightly inclined with respect to the first direction D1. In the closed valve state, the sealing surface 524 can contact the first sealing portion 511. Specifically, in the closed valve state, the sealing surface 524 is in airtight contact with the first sealing portion 511 over the circumferential direction.

[0032] As shown in Figure 10, the projection 522 protrudes radially from the inner portion 524e of the sealing surface 524 in the first direction D1. When the valve body 520 is viewed from the first direction D1, the projection 522 is located inside the outer edge of the spring arrangement portion 521. The projection 522 has a shape formed by stacking two cylindrical members 529a and 529b with different outer diameters in the axial direction, and has a plurality of groove passages 528 formed on its outer circumference. The two cylindrical members 529a and 529b are the first cylindrical member 529a and the second cylindrical member 529b. The first cylindrical member 529a is the member that protrudes radially from the inner portion 524e in the first direction D1. The second cylindrical member 529b has a smaller outer diameter than the first cylindrical member 529a. When the valve body 520 is viewed from the first direction D1, the second cylindrical member 529b is located inside the outer edge of the first cylindrical member 529a. The second cylindrical member 529b is a member that protrudes from the first cylindrical member 529a in the first direction D1.

[0033] The protruding portion 522 comprises a first outer surface 525 which is the outer surface of the first cylindrical member 529a, a second outer surface 526 which is the outer surface of the second cylindrical member 529b, a top surface 527 which is the end face in the first direction D1, and a plurality of groove flow channels 528.

[0034] The first outer peripheral surface 525 extends axially and faces the first seal portion 511 shown in Figure 9 in the closed valve state in the radial direction. The second outer peripheral surface 526 extends axially and faces the second seal portion 512 shown in Figure 9 in the closed valve state in the radial direction. As shown in Figure 10, the top surface 527 is the end face of the first cylindrical member 529a in the first direction D1. The top surface 527 contacts the partition wall 714 of the ink introduction member 710 shown in Figure 13 in the open valve state.

[0035] The multiple grooved channels 528 shown in Figure 10 are formed between the top surface 527 and the sealing surface 524. In this embodiment, the multiple grooved channels 528 extend from the top surface 527 to a position close to the sealing surface 524. The multiple grooved channels 528 are formed across the first outer peripheral surface 525 and the second outer peripheral surface 526. In this embodiment, there are three multiple grooved channels 528. As shown in Figure 12, each of the multiple grooved channels 528 is defined by a curved surface. In this embodiment, in each of the multiple grooved channels 528, the cross section perpendicular to the central axis C is arc-shaped. The multiple grooved channels 528 have the same inclination angle with respect to the axial direction from the top surface 527 to the sealing surface 524, and are inclined to be radially outward as they move from the top surface 527 to the sealing surface 524. In this embodiment, the inclination angle is the angle between the axial direction and the straight line connecting the deepest part of the grooved channel 528 from the top surface 529 side to the sealing surface 524 side. In this embodiment, the deepest portion of the grooved channel 528 is located in the center of the width direction of the grooved channel 528. Also, as shown in Figure 10, the multiple grooved channels 528 are formed at equal intervals along the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the set of open end faces 528V on the top surface 527 of the multiple grooved channels 528 are arranged rotationally symmetrically about the central axis C when viewed from the top surface 527 in the direction along the central axis C. In the multiple grooved channels 528 shown in Figure 10, rotating them by 120° about the central axis C results in a set of grooved channels of the same shape. This makes it easy to form multiple grooved channels 528.

[0036] As shown in Figure 13, when the ink supply container 200 is pushed down in the first direction D1, the ink introduction member 710 is pushed relatively in the second direction D2. As a result, the valve body 520 is displaced in the second direction D2 so as to move away from the seal member 510, and the outlet valve unit 500 opens. In other words, the outlet 460 and the ink introduction member 710 inserted through the through hole 510h of the seal member 510 press the valve body 520 in the second direction D2, opposite to the first direction D1, causing the outlet valve unit 500 to open. As shown in Figure 14, in this open state, the ink supply container 200 forms a gap 922 between the valve body 520 and the seal member 510, communicating with the flow paths 711, 712 of the ink introduction member and the groove flow path 528.

[0037] As shown in Figure 14, in the open state, each of the multiple grooved passages 528 communicates with the gap 922. Furthermore, passage 711 communicates with a portion of the multiple grooved passages 528. Also, passage 712 communicates with another portion of the multiple grooved passages 528. As a result, gas-liquid exchange occurs between the ink tank 700 and the ink supply container 200 via the passages 711 and 712 of the ink introduction member 710 and the passage section 410 formed in the outlet valve unit 500. The passage section 410 includes the space formed between the inner circumferential surface of the ink outlet forming section 400 and the valve housing 517, as well as the through hole Ho shown in Figure 5, and connects the container body 300 and the passages 711 and 712 via the gap 922. During gas-liquid exchange, the multiple grooved passages 528 of the valve body 520 function as passages for ink and air. In Figure 14, solid arrows indicate ink flow, and dotted arrows indicate air flow.

[0038] In this embodiment, the two flow paths 711 and 712 can have different flow resistances by having different flow path cross-sectional areas or by being partially blocked by the top surface 527 of the valve body 520. As a result, one of the two flow paths 711 and 712, more specifically flow path 711 with low flow resistance, can be used to promote ink flow, while the other, more specifically flow path 712 with high flow resistance, can be used to promote air flow. This allows for smooth gas-liquid exchange by separating the types of fluids flowing through the two flow paths 711 and 712 during gas-liquid exchange. Furthermore, as described above, when replenishing ink, one of the two flow paths 711 and 712 is used as an ink flow path, and the other is used as an air flow path. As a result, the ink replenishment container 200 can replenish ink while performing gas-liquid exchange with the ink tank 700. When replenishing ink using gas-liquid exchange, it is not necessary to compress the container body 300. In this way, ink refill containers that allow ink to be replenished without compressing the container body 300 are also called "non-compression type" containers.

[0039] When the valve is open as shown in Figure 13, the ink supply container 200 is pulled up in the second direction D2, causing the ink introduction member 710 to detach from the outlet 460. The detachment of the ink introduction member 710 causes the valve body 520 to be displaced in the first direction D1 toward the seal member 510 by the biasing force of the spring member 530. As a result, as shown in Figure 9, the valve body 520 comes into contact with the first seal portion 511 of the seal member 510, resulting in a closed valve state. Thus, in the closed valve state, the detachment of the ink introduction member 710 from the outlet 460 causes the valve body 520 to come into contact with the seal member 510, eliminating the gap 922 shown in Figure 14.

[0040] According to the above embodiment, as shown in Figure 10, the protruding portion 522 of the valve body 520 has a shape that combines a first cylindrical member 529a and a second cylindrical member 529b with different outer diameters, and has a plurality of groove passages 528 on its outer circumferential surface for the flow of air and ink. As a result, as shown in Figure 9, when the ink introduction member 710 is removed, the space between the first outer circumferential surface 525 and the first seal portion 511, and the space between the second outer circumferential surface 526 and the second seal portion 512 can be reduced. Therefore, when the ink introduction member 710 is removed from the ink supply container 200, the volume of the specific space surrounded by the valve body 520, the seal member 510 and the ink introduction member 710 can be reduced. As a result, when the ink introduction member 710 is removed from the ink supply container 200, the amount of ink remaining in the specific space can be reduced, thus suppressing ink from leaking out of the ink supply container. In other words, when the ink introduction member 710 is removed from the ink supply container 200, it is possible to prevent ink from dripping from the outlet 460 of the ink supply container 200.

[0041] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, as shown in Figure 10, the protruding portion 522 of the valve body 520 has multiple grooved passages 528 formed therein for the flow of gas or ink for gas-liquid exchange. This makes it possible to secure passages for the smooth flow of fluid for gas-liquid exchange while reducing the volume of a specific space.

[0042] Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, as shown in Figures 10 and 12, each of the multiple grooved passages 528 is defined by a curved surface. As a result, since the multiple grooved passages 528 do not have corners, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of air bubbles and ink in the grooved passages during gas-liquid exchange, so that air and ink can flow smoothly through the grooved passages 528. Therefore, gas-liquid exchange between the ink supply container 200 and the ink tank 700 can be performed smoothly, and the ink replenishment time can be shortened.

[0043] B. Other embodiments of the valve body: In the above embodiment, as shown in Figure 10, the valve body 520 has three grooved passages 528, each of which is defined by a curved surface; however, the grooved passages 528 are not limited to the above embodiment. Other embodiments of the valve body will be described below.

[0044] B-1. Other embodiments of the valve body 1: Figure 15 is a perspective view of valve body 520a in another embodiment 1 of the valve body. Figure 16 is a side view of valve body 520a. Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XVII-XVII of Figure 16. The difference between valve body 520 and valve body 520a in the above embodiments shown in Figures 11 and 12 is the shape of the groove flow path 528a of the protruding portion 522a. Other components are the same for valve body 520 and valve body 520a, so the same reference numerals are used for similar components and their descriptions are omitted as appropriate.

[0045] The protruding portion 522a of the valve body 520a has three grooved passages 528a. As shown in Figures 16 and 17, each of the three grooved passages 528a is defined by a plurality of planes. Specifically, each of the three grooved passages 528a is defined by a rectangular plane that constitutes the bottom surface of the groove and two rectangular planes that form two sides rising from the bottom surface. As shown in Figure 16, in another embodiment 1 of the valve body, the cross-section perpendicular to the central axis C in each of the plurality of grooved passages 528a is rectangular. Also, similar to the above embodiment, the set of opening end faces 528V on the top surface 527 of the plurality of grooved passages 528a is arranged rotationally symmetrically about the central axis C when the top surface 527 is viewed in the direction along the central axis C.

[0046] Another embodiment 1 of the valve body has the same effects as the above embodiment in that it has the same configuration as the above embodiment. For example, when removing the ink introduction member, the space between the first outer peripheral surface 525 and the first seal portion 511, and the space between the second outer peripheral surface 526 and the second seal portion 512 can be reduced. Therefore, when the ink introduction member 710 is removed from the ink supply container 200, the volume of the specific space surrounded by the valve body 520a, the seal member 510 and the ink introduction member 710 can be reduced. As a result, when the ink introduction member 710 is removed from the ink supply container 200, the amount of ink remaining in the specific space can be reduced, so that ink does not leak out of the ink supply container 200. In addition, according to this other embodiment 1 of the valve body, groove channels 528a of various shapes can be easily formed by combining multiple planes. Furthermore, this configuration makes it easier to increase the cross-sectional area of ​​the groove channel 528a compared to the groove channel 528 defined by a curved surface, thereby increasing the flow rate of the fluid circulating through the groove channel 528a. This allows for smoother gas-liquid exchange between the ink supply container 200 and the ink tank 700.

[0047] B-2. Other embodiments of the valve body 2: Figure 18 is a perspective view of valve body 520b in another embodiment 2 of the valve body. The difference between valve body 520 shown in Figure 10 and valve body 520b is the number of groove passages 528. Other components are the same for valve body 520 and valve body 520b, so the same reference numerals are used for similar components and their descriptions are omitted as appropriate. The protruding portion 522b of valve body 520b has five groove passages 528. The five groove passages 528 are formed at regular intervals in the circumferential direction. Also, similar to the above embodiment, the set of open end faces 528V on the top surface 527 of the multiple groove passages 528 is arranged rotationally symmetrically about the central axis C when viewing the top surface 527 in the direction along the central axis C.

[0048] Another embodiment 2 of the valve body has the same configuration as the valve body 520 of the above embodiment and thus achieves similar effects. For example, when the ink introduction member 710 is removed from the ink supply container 200, the volume of the specific space surrounded by the valve body 520b, the sealing member 510, and the ink introduction member 710 can be reduced. As a result, when the ink introduction member 710 is removed from the ink supply container 200, the amount of ink remaining in the specific space can be reduced, thereby suppressing ink leakage to the outside of the ink supply container. In addition, according to another embodiment 2 of the valve body, the number of grooved passages 528 is five. As a result, the valve body 520b can have a larger volume of grooved passages 528 compared to the valve body 520 shown in Figure 10, which has three grooved passages 528. As a result, gas-liquid exchange between the ink tank 700 and the ink supply container 200 via the grooved passages 528 can be made smoother. The number of grooved passages 528 is preferably three or more and five or less. This allows for a certain volume to be secured for the grooved flow path for gas-liquid exchange while suppressing an increase in the volume of a specific space.

[0049] B-3. ​​Other embodiments of the valve body 3: Figure 19 is a perspective view of valve body 520c in another embodiment 3 of the valve body. The difference between valve body 520a shown in Figure 15 and valve body 520c is the number of grooved passages 528a. Other components are the same for valve body 520a and valve body 520c, so the same reference numerals are used for similar components and their descriptions are omitted as appropriate. The protruding portion 522c of valve body 520c has five grooved passages 528a. The five grooved passages 528a are formed at regular intervals in the circumferential direction. Also, similar to valve body 520a shown in Figure 15, the set of open end faces 528V of the multiple grooved passages 528a on the top surface 527 is arranged rotationally symmetrically about the central axis C when viewing the top surface 527 in the direction along the central axis C.

[0050] Another embodiment of the valve body 3 has the same configuration as the valve body 520a shown in Figure 15, and thus achieves similar effects. In addition, in another embodiment of the valve body 3, the number of grooved passages 528a is five. As a result, the valve body 520c can have a larger volume of grooved passages 528a compared to the valve body 520a shown in Figure 15, which has three grooved passages 528a. This allows for smoother gas-liquid exchange between the ink tank 700 and the ink supply container 200 via the grooved passages 528a. It is preferable that the number of grooved passages 528a be between three and five. This allows for securing a certain volume of grooved passages for gas-liquid exchange while suppressing an increase in the volume of specific spaces.

[0051] B-4. Other embodiments of the valve body 4: Figure 20 is a perspective view of valve body 520d of another embodiment 4 of the valve body. The difference between valve body 520 shown in Figure 10 and valve body 520d is the shape of the protrusion 522d. Since the other components are the same for valve body 520 and valve body 520d, the same reference numerals are used for similar components and their descriptions are omitted as appropriate.

[0052] The protruding portion 522d of the valve body 520d has three grooved passages 528d. Each of the three grooved passages 528d is defined by a plurality of planes. In this embodiment, the grooved passage 528d is defined by two planes. Also, similar to the above embodiment, the set of open end faces 528V on the top surface 527 of the plurality of grooved passages 528d is arranged rotationally symmetrically about the central axis C when the top surface 527 is viewed in the direction along the central axis C. This other embodiment 4 of the valve body has the same effects as the above embodiments in that it has the same configuration. For example, when the ink introduction member 710 is removed from the ink supply container 200, the volume of the specific space surrounded by the valve body 520d, the sealing member 510 and the ink introduction member 710 can be reduced. As a result, when the ink introduction member 710 is removed from the ink supply container 200, the amount of ink remaining in the specific space can be reduced, so that ink does not leak out of the ink supply container 200.

[0053] C. Other embodiments: C-1. Other Embodiments 1: In each of the embodiments described above, all of the multiple groove channels 528, 528a to 528d were defined by curved surfaces or by multiple planes. However, some of the multiple groove channels 528, 528a to 528d may be defined by curved surfaces or by multiple planes. For example, at least some of the multiple groove channels 528 shown in Figure 10, for example, one groove channel 528, may be defined by multiple planes, while the remaining groove channels 528 are defined by curved surfaces.

[0054] C-2. Other Embodiments 2: In each of the embodiments described above, the inclination angles of the multiple grooved passages 528, 528a to 528d from the top surface 527 toward the sealing surface 524 were the same. However, the inclination angles of some of the grooved passages 528, 528a to 528d may differ from the inclination angles of the other grooved passages 528, 528a to 528d. For example, the inclination angle of one of the three grooved passages 528 shown in Figure 10 may be the first inclination angle, and the inclination angles of the remaining two grooved passages 528 may be the second inclination angles. Here, the first inclination angle and the second inclination angle are different.

[0055] According to another embodiment 2, the shape of the top surface 527 can be easily made to be rotationally symmetric about the central axis C. Therefore, when the top surface 527 contacts the end faces of the multiple flow paths 711, 712 of the ink introduction member 710, the area blocked by the top surface 527 for each of the multiple flow paths 711, 712 can be made uneven, making it easier to create differences in the flow resistance of the multiple flow paths 711, 712. As a result, the flow path through which air flows and the flow path through which ink flows can be separated in a shorter time among the multiple flow paths 711, 712 of the ink introduction member 710, so that gas-liquid exchange can be made even smoother. Thus, the ink replenishment time can be further shortened.

[0056] C-3. Other Embodiments 3: In each of the embodiments described above, the open end faces 528V of the top surface 527 of the multiple grooved channels 528, 528a to 528d were arranged rotationally symmetrically about the central axis C when viewed on the top surface 527 in a direction along the central axis C, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, some of the multiple grooved channels 528, 528a to 528d may be arranged so as not to be rotationally symmetrical about the central axis C. For example, the open end faces 528V of the top surface 527 of the multiple grooved channels 528, 528a to 528d may be arranged so as not to be rotationally symmetrical about the central axis C when viewed on the top surface 527 in a direction along the central axis C.

[0057] According to another embodiment 3, when the top surface 527 contacts the end faces of the multiple flow paths 711, 712 of the ink introduction member 710, the area blocked by the top surface 527 for each of the multiple flow paths 711, 712 can be made uneven, making it easier to create differences in the flow resistance of the multiple flow paths 711, 712. As a result, the flow path through which air flows and the flow path through which ink flows can be separated from the multiple flow paths 711, 712 of the ink introduction member 710 in a shorter amount of time, so that gas-liquid exchange can be made even smoother. Therefore, the ink replenishment time can be further shortened.

[0058] D. Other forms: This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from its spirit. For example, this disclosure can also be implemented in the following forms. The technical features in the embodiments described below that correspond to the technical features in each of the forms described below can be replaced or combined as appropriate in order to solve some or all of the problems of this disclosure, or to achieve some or all of the effects of this disclosure. Furthermore, if such technical features are not described as essential in this specification, they can be deleted as appropriate.

[0059] (1) According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an ink supply container is provided that supplies ink to an ink tank of a printer via an ink introduction member having a plurality of channels separated by partition walls, which communicate with the ink tank of the printer. The ink supply container comprises a container body configured to contain the ink, an ink outlet forming section connected to the container body and forming an outlet on the opposite side of the container body, and an outlet valve unit mounted within the ink outlet forming section, which opens when the ink introduction member is inserted from the outlet and closes when the ink introduction member is removed from the outlet. The outlet valve unit comprises a valve housing extending in a direction along the central axis of the ink outlet forming section, a spring member supported by the valve housing within the valve housing and biased in a first direction toward the outlet along the central axis, a valve body movably disposed within the valve housing and located on the outlet side of the spring member in the first direction and receiving the bias of the spring member, and a seal member located on the outlet side of the valve body in the first direction and having a through hole through which the ink introduction member is inserted and removed in a direction along the central axis. In the open state, the ink introduction member is inserted through the outlet and the through hole. The valve body is pressed in a second direction opposite to the first direction by the ink introduction member, forming a gap between the valve body and the sealing member that communicates with the flow path of the ink introduction member, and in the closed valve state, the valve body comes into contact with the sealing member due to the withdrawal of the ink introduction member from the outlet, and the sealing member has an annular first sealing portion that seals with the valve body in the closed valve state and an annular second sealing portion that contacts the side surface of the ink introduction member and seals with the ink introduction member in the open valve state The valve body has a spring arrangement portion, a sealing surface connected to the end of the spring arrangement portion in the first direction and capable of contacting the first sealing portion in the closed valve state, and a projection portion projecting from the sealing surface in the first direction, wherein the projection portion extends in the direction along the central axis and has a first outer peripheral surface that faces the first sealing portion in the radial direction in the closed valve state,The material has a second outer peripheral surface extending in a direction along the central axis and facing the second seal portion in the radial direction when the valve is closed, a top surface that contacts the partition wall of the ink introduction member when the valve is open, and a plurality of groove passages formed between the top surface and the seal surface, wherein in the open valve state, the groove passages communicate with the gap. This configuration allows for a reduction in the space between the first outer surface and the first sealing portion, and the space between the second outer surface and the second sealing portion. As a result, when the ink introduction member is removed from the ink supply container, the volume of the specific space surrounded by the valve body, the sealing member, and the ink introduction member can be reduced. This reduces the amount of ink remaining in the specific space when the ink introduction member is removed from the ink supply container, thereby preventing ink from leaking out of the ink supply container.

[0060] (2) In the above configuration, at least some of the grooved passages may be defined by curved surfaces. With this configuration, since the grooved passages do not have corners, air bubbles and ink can flow smoothly through the grooved passages, and thus gas-liquid exchange between the ink supply container and the ink tank can be performed smoothly. Therefore, the ink replenishment time can be shortened.

[0061] (3) In the above embodiment, at least some of the groove channels among the plurality of groove channels may be defined by a plurality of planes. According to this embodiment, groove channels of various shapes can be easily formed by combinations of a plurality of planes.

[0062] (4) In the above embodiment, at least some of the plurality of groove channels may have a rectangular cross-section perpendicular to the central axis. With this embodiment, it is easier to make the cross-sectional area of ​​the groove channel larger compared to groove channels defined by curved surfaces, and thus the flow rate of the fluid flowing through the groove channel can be increased. This makes it possible to perform gas-liquid exchange between the ink supply container and the ink tank more smoothly.

[0063] (5) In the above embodiment, the set of open end faces on the top surface of the plurality of grooved channels may be arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to the central axis when the top surface is viewed in a direction along the central axis. This embodiment allows for the easy formation of a plurality of grooved channels.

[0064] (6) In the above configuration, some of the multiple grooved channels may be arranged such that they are not rotationally symmetrical with respect to the central axis when the top surface is viewed in the direction along the central axis. With this configuration, when the top surface contacts the end faces of the multiple channels of the ink introduction member, the area blocked by the top surface can be made uneven for each of the multiple channels, making it easier to create differences in the flow resistance of the multiple channels. As a result, the channels through which air flows and the channels through which ink flows can be separated in a shorter time, so that gas-liquid exchange can be made even smoother. Therefore, the ink replenishment time can be shortened.

[0065] (7) In the above embodiment, the inclination angle of some of the grooved passages from the top surface toward the sealing surface may differ from the inclination angle of the other grooved passages. With this embodiment, the shape of the top surface can be easily made to be rotationally symmetric about the central axis, so when the top surface comes into contact with the end faces of the multiple passages of the ink introduction member, the area blocked by the top surface can be made uneven for each of the multiple passages, making it easier to create differences in the flow resistance of the multiple passages. As a result, the passage through which air flows and the passage through which ink flows can be separated in a shorter time among the multiple passages of the ink introduction member, so that gas-liquid exchange can be made even smoother. Therefore, the ink replenishment time can be shortened.

[0066] This disclosure can also be implemented in various forms other than those described above. For example, it can be implemented in the form of a method for manufacturing an ink supply container. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0067] 100...Printer, 110...Housing, 160...Ink tank housing unit, 162...Lid, 164...Sealing cap member, 165...Sealing cap, 200...Ink refill container, 300...Container body, 312...External thread, 400...Ink outlet forming part, 410...Flow path part, 411...Flow path, 420...Cylinder part, 450...Fitting part, 460...Outlet, 500...Outlet valve unit, 510...Seal member, 510h...Through hole, 511...First seal part, 512...Second seal part, 513...Seal body, 513u...End face, 517...Valve housing, 517A...Retaining part, 517B...Engaging part, 520, 520a~520d...Valve body, 521...Spring arrangement part, 521e...End, 5 22, 522a~522d…Protruding part, 523…Outer peripheral surface, 524…Sealing surface, 524e…Inner part, 525…First outer peripheral surface, 526…Second outer peripheral surface, 527…Top surface, 528, 528a, 528d…Groove flow path, 528V…Open end surface, 529a…First cylindrical member, 529b…Second cylindrical member, 530…Spring member, 600…Cap, 700, 700L, 700S…Ink tank, 710…Ink introduction member, 711, 712…Flow path, 714…Partition wall, 715…Tip, 717…Side surface, 721…Inner flow path of the tank, 750…Recess, 760…Ink storage chamber, 922…Gap, C…Central axis, CA…Axis of symmetry, D1…First direction, D2…Second direction, Ho…Through hole

Claims

1. An ink supply container that supplies ink to a printer's ink tank via an ink introduction member having multiple channels separated by partition walls, wherein the ink supply container communicates with the printer's ink tank and supplies ink to the ink tank, A container body configured to contain the aforementioned ink, An ink outlet forming section connected to the container body and forming an outlet on the opposite side from the container body, The outlet valve unit is installed in the ink outlet forming section and is in an open state when the ink introduction member is inserted from the outlet, and in a closed state when the ink introduction member is removed from the outlet, The aforementioned outlet valve unit is A valve housing extending in a direction along the central axis of the ink outlet forming portion, A spring member is supported by the valve housing within the valve housing and biases in a first direction toward the outlet along the central axis, A valve body is movably disposed within the valve housing, located on the outlet side of the spring member in the first direction, and receives biasing force from the spring member, The device comprises a sealing member located on the outlet side of the valve body in the first direction, having a through hole through which the ink introduction member is inserted and removed in a direction along the central axis, In the open valve state, the valve body is pressed in a second direction opposite to the first direction by the ink introduction member inserted through the outlet and the through hole, forming a gap between the valve body and the sealing member that communicates with the flow path of the ink introduction member. In the closed valve state, the valve body comes into contact with the sealing member due to the ink introduction member being removed from the outlet. The sealing member has an annular first sealing portion that seals with the valve body in the closed state, and an annular second sealing portion that contacts the side surface of the ink introduction member and seals with the ink introduction member in the open state, wherein the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion are spaced apart in the direction along the central axis and in the radial direction perpendicular to the central axis. The valve body has a spring arrangement portion, a sealing surface connected to the end of the spring arrangement portion in the first direction and capable of contacting the first sealing portion in the closed valve state, and a projection extending from the sealing surface in the first direction. The protruding portion has a first outer peripheral surface extending in a direction along the central axis and facing the first sealing portion in the radial direction when the valve is closed, a second outer peripheral surface extending in a direction along the central axis and facing the second sealing portion in the radial direction when the valve is closed, a top surface that contacts the partition wall of the ink introduction member when the valve is open, and a plurality of groove passages formed between the top surface and the sealing surface. In the valve-open state, the grooved passage is in communication with the gap, and the ink supply container.

2. An ink supply container according to claim 1, An ink supply container in which at least some of the plurality of grooved channels are defined by a curved surface.

3. An ink supply container according to claim 1, An ink supply container in which at least some of the grooved flow channels are defined by a plurality of planes.

4. An ink supply container according to claim 1, An ink supply container in which at least some of the plurality of grooved channels have a rectangular cross-section perpendicular to the central axis.

5. An ink supply container according to claim 1, An ink supply container in which the set of open end faces of the plurality of groove channels on the top surface are arranged in a rotationally symmetric manner about the central axis when the top surface is viewed in a direction along the central axis.

6. An ink supply container according to claim 1, An ink supply container in which some of the multiple groove channels are arranged such that the top surface is not rotationally symmetrical with respect to the central axis when viewed in a direction along the central axis.

7. An ink supply container according to claim 1, An ink supply container wherein, among the plurality of grooved channels, the inclination angle of some of the grooved channels toward the sealing surface is different from the inclination angle of the other grooved channels.

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