Liquid stirring device and its control method, liquid dispensing device

Abstract

The present invention provides a liquid stirring device that can reduce power consumption when stirring liquids containing sedimentary substances. [Solution] The system comprises a first storage device for storing containers containing liquid, a second storage device for storing containers containing liquid, a first stirring unit that performs a first stirring operation to stir the liquid in the containers stored in the first storage device every first hour, a second stirring unit that performs a second stirring operation to stir the liquid in the containers stored in the second storage device every second hour, and a control unit that controls the first stirring unit and the second stirring unit so that the second stirring operation is not performed while the first stirring operation is being performed.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid stirring technique.

Background Art

[0002] When using a liquid containing a sedimentable substance, it may be necessary to stir the liquid to disperse the sediment. For example, in a recording apparatus that ejects liquid ink onto a recording medium for recording, when using inks such as pigment ink or metallic ink, stirring may be required to disperse the sediment.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for simplifying the configuration of a support portion and also simplifying a stirring mechanism by mounting and supporting only the mounting portion of an ink pack on an apparatus.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in a recording apparatus that ejects liquid ink onto a recording medium for recording, since a large amount of power is consumed for liquid ejection, the mechanism for stirring the ink needs to suppress power consumption, but Patent Document 1 does not disclose control for reducing power consumption.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a liquid stirring apparatus capable of reducing power consumption when stirring a liquid containing a sedimentable substance.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The liquid stirring device according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: a first storage device for storing a container containing liquid; a second storage device for storing a container containing liquid; a first stirring means for performing a first stirring operation to stir the liquid in the container stored in the first storage device every first hour; a second stirring means for performing a second stirring operation to stir the liquid in the container stored in the second storage device every second hour; and a control means for controlling the first stirring means and the second stirring means so as not to perform the second stirring operation while the first stirring operation is being performed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a liquid stirring device that can reduce power consumption when stirring a liquid containing a substance that settles. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] A perspective view of a system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Front view of the system shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Diagram illustrating the internal structure of a liquid dispensing device. [Figure 4] Front view of the storage compartment. [Figure 5] A diagram showing the arrangement of containers in a liquid storage device. [Figure 6] Rear view of the liquid storage device. [Figure 7] Partially exploded perspective view of the liquid storage device. [Figure 8] Perspective view of the container and support unit. [Figure 9] (A) and (B) are diagrams illustrating the operation of the handle and locking mechanism. [Figure 10] Diagram illustrating the operation of the locking mechanism. [Figure 11] A diagram showing the mounting position and insertion / removal method of the support unit to the storage section. [Figure 12] Operational diagram of the pressing unit. [Figure 13] Operational diagram of the pressing unit. [Figure 14](A) and (B) are explanatory diagrams of a cam. [Figure 15] Perspective view of the case with a stirring function and the support unit in a separated state. [Figure 16] Perspective view of the case with a stirring function and the support unit in a mounted state. [Figure 17] (A) to (C) are explanatory diagrams of the stirring operation. [Figure 18] Perspective view of the separated liquid storage device. [Figure 19] Perspective view of the liquid stirring device. [Figure 20] Perspective view of the liquid stirring device. [Figure 21] Front view of the accommodation space. [Figure 22] Diagram showing the accommodation mode of the container support unit. [Figure 23] Front view of the liquid stirring device. [Figure 24] Perspective view of the rear part of the liquid stirring device. [Figure 25] Diagram showing an example of the stirring operation. [Figure 26] Explanatory diagram of the rotation restricting unit. [Figure 27] Diagram showing the rotation restricting mode. [Figure 28] Diagram showing the rotation restricting mode. [Figure 29] Explanatory diagram of the position detection operation. [Figure 30] Explanatory diagram of the flow path forming member and the valve unit. [Figure 31] Diagram showing an example of the change in the posture of the flow path forming member during rotation. [Figure 32] Explanatory diagram of the arrangement of the tube fixing members on the movable side and the fixed side. [Figure 33] Explanatory diagram of the holding member. [Figure 34] Diagram showing an example of the change in the form of the tube etc. during rotation. [Figure 35] Block diagram of the control circuit of the system of FIG. 1. [Figure 36] Explanatory diagram of the control example. [Figure 37] Explanatory diagram of the control example. [Figure 38]A schematic diagram showing the configuration of a circulation mechanism for circulating white ink. [Figure 39] A perspective view showing the arrangement of the circulatory system. [Figure 40] Timing chart for liquid agitation and circulation drives. [Figure 41] A flowchart illustrating the stirring process of colored inks. [Figure 42] A diagram showing the display on the control panel. [Figure 43] A flowchart illustrating the stirring process of colored inks. [Figure 44] A flowchart illustrating the stirring process of white ink. [Figure 45] A flowchart illustrating the stirring process of white ink. [Figure 46] A flowchart illustrating the stirring process of colored inks. [Figure 47] A flowchart illustrating the stirring process of colored inks. [Figure 48] A flowchart illustrating the stirring process of colored inks. [Figure 49] A diagram showing the periodicity of the stirring drive. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention to the claims. While the embodiments describe multiple features, not all of these features are essential to the invention, and the features may be combined in any way. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, the same or similar configurations are given the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0011] [First Embodiment] Figure 1 is a perspective view of system A according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a front view of system A. In each figure, arrows X, Y, and Z indicate directions in which they intersect, and in this embodiment, they are orthogonal. When system A is installed on a horizontal surface, the left-right direction is the X direction, the front-back direction is the Y direction, and the up-down direction is the Z direction. The X and Y directions can also be called the lateral directions.

[0012] System A of this embodiment is a recording system that includes a liquid dispensing device 1 and liquid storage devices (liquid supply devices) 20A and 20B, and records images by dispensing ink onto a recording medium such as paper. In this embodiment, two liquid storage devices 20A and 20B are provided. The liquid dispensing device 1 and the two liquid storage devices 20A and 20B are arranged side by side in the X direction. The liquid supplied to the liquid dispensing device 1 by the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B is mainly ink, and the liquid dispensing device 1 is a recording device that dispenses ink onto a recording medium. However, the present invention is not limited to recording systems and can be applied to various liquid dispensing systems whose purpose is to dispense liquid onto a medium.

[0013] Furthermore, "recording" includes not only cases where meaningful information such as characters and figures is formed, but also broadly cases where images, patterns, etc. are formed on a recording medium, or where the medium is processed, regardless of whether it is meaningful or not, and does not depend on whether or not it is manifested in a way that can be perceived visually by humans.In addition, in this embodiment, a sheet of paper is assumed as the "recording medium," but it may also be cloth, plastic film, etc.

[0014] <Liquid discharge device> The liquid dispensing device 1 will be described with reference to Figure 3 in addition to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of the internal structure of the liquid dispensing device 1. The liquid dispensing device 1 comprises a pair of left and right stands 2 and a main body 3 supported on the pair of stands 2. Each stand 2 is provided with casters 2a, allowing the liquid dispensing device 1 to be moved relatively easily on the floor (installation surface). Below the main body 3 are a feeding unit 4, a drying unit 14, and a winding unit 5. In this embodiment, the recording medium M is a roll of paper, and the feeding unit 4 has a shaft on which the recording medium M is wound. The winding unit 5 has a shaft for winding the recording medium M. In this embodiment, a roll of paper is used as an example of the recording medium M, but cut paper may also be used.

[0015] The main body 3 is equipped with a transport unit 6. The transport unit 6 has a drive roller and a driven roller, and the recording medium M, which is supplied from the supply unit 4, is held between the nip portions of these rollers. The recording medium M is transported onto the platen 7 by the rotation of the drive roller. An ejection head 8 is positioned opposite the platen 7. The ejection head 8 is a recording head that ejects ink to form an image. An image is recorded on the recording medium M by ejecting ink from the ejection head 8 onto the recording medium M transported onto the platen 7.

[0016] The ejection head 8 has an ejection energy generating element, such as an electrothermal conversion element (heater) or a piezoelectric element, and ejects ink from the ejection port. When an electrothermal conversion element is used, the heat generated causes the ink to foam, and the foaming energy is used to eject the ink from the ejection port. The recording method of the ejection head 8 may be a serial scan method or a full line method. In the case of the serial scan method, the ejection head 8 is mounted on a carriage and moves back and forth in the X direction. The ejection of ink while moving the ejection head 8 in the X direction is called recording scanning. The transport operation of the recording medium M and the recording scanning of the ejection head 8 are repeated alternately to record an image on the recording medium M. In this embodiment, the use of a serial scan method is assumed. In the case of the full line method, a long ejection head 8 extending in the X direction is used to record an image while continuously transporting the recording medium M.

[0017] The recording medium M on which the image is recorded passes through the drying unit 14 and is then wound up by the winding unit 5. The drying unit 14 reduces the liquid component contained in the ink applied to the recording medium M by the discharge head 8, thereby improving the adhesion between the recording medium M and the ink. The drying unit 14 has a heat source such as a heater and a blowing mechanism such as a fan, and dries the recording medium M by applying hot air to the recording medium M as it passes through, at least from the side where the ink is applied. To improve drying efficiency, the system may be configured to apply hot air not only to the side where the ink is applied but also to the side opposite to the side where the ink is applied. In addition to the method of applying hot air, the drying method may also be configured by combining a method of irradiating the surface of the recording medium M with electromagnetic waves (such as ultraviolet or infrared rays) or a conduction heat transfer method by contact with a heating element. Furthermore, the drying unit 14 may not have a heat source and only blow air. The recording medium M on which the image has been recorded is cut by the user with scissors or the like, or automatically cut by a cutter (not shown).

[0018] A recovery unit 9 is located on the main unit 3. The recovery unit 9 is located outside the recording area (outside the ejection area) of the ejection head 8 and performs processing related to the recovery and maintenance of the ejection performance of the ejection head 8. Examples of such processing include pre-ejection, which ejects a predetermined amount of ink before and after the recording operation, and processing to suck up any remaining ink from the ejection port of the ejection head 8. As shown in Figure 2, the ejection head 8 is moved onto the recovery unit 9 when recovery processing is required.

[0019] An operation panel 10 is provided on the front of the main unit 3. The operation panel 10 is, for example, a touch panel, and can accept input of various settings related to recording and display the status of recording jobs. The liquid dispensing device 1 is also provided with a waste liquid cartridge 11. The waste liquid cartridge 11 is located on the lower end of the main unit 3, on the opposite side in the X direction from the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B.

[0020] The waste liquid (waste ink, etc.) sucked up by the recovery unit 9 flows into the waste liquid cartridge 11 and is collected. The waste liquid cartridge 11 may be placed near the recovery unit 9. However, in this embodiment, the installation area of ​​the liquid dispensing device 1 is reduced by placing the waste liquid cartridge 11 in the empty space below the end of the main body 3.

[0021] <Liquid storage device> Refer to Figures 1 and 2. The liquid storage devices 20A and 20B are devices that store liquids such as ink dispensed from the discharge head 8 and supply liquids such as ink to the liquid discharge device 1. The liquid storage devices 20A and 20B each have a box-shaped body 22 that forms a plurality of storage sections 23A and a single storage section 23B. Casters 22a are provided on the bottom surface of the body 22, allowing the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B to be moved relatively easily on the floor (installation surface).

[0022] The liquid storage devices 20A and 20B are equipped with a plurality of storage compartments 23A arranged in the Z direction. Each storage compartment 23A has the form of a slot opening in the front wall portion 22b of the main body 22. A container support unit 24 is detachably inserted into each storage compartment 23A in the Y direction. The container support unit 24 replaceably supports a liquid container 200 (also simply called container 200), which will be described later.

[0023] The liquid storage device 20A has a storage section 23B. The storage section 23B has a larger space than the storage section 23A which opens into the front wall 22b of the main body 22, and is opened and closed by an opening / closing member 25 provided on the front wall 22b. Figure 4 is a front view of the storage section 23B, where state ST41 shows the state in which the opening / closing member 25 is closed, and state ST42 shows the state in which the opening / closing member 25 is open.

[0024] The opening / closing member 25 is a door whose one end in the X direction is supported by the front wall portion 22b via a plurality of hinges 25a, and a handle 25b that can be grasped by the user is provided at the other end in the X direction. When the user pulls the handle 25b towards them from the state ST41, the opening / closing member 25 rotates around the hinge 25a as the pivot point, as shown in state ST42, and the inside of the storage portion 23B is exposed. In this embodiment, the opening / closing member 25 is of the rotatable type, but it may also be of the sliding type.

[0025] The main body 22 is equipped with a sensor 26 that detects the open / closed state of the opening / closing member 25. The sensor 26 detects a detection piece 27 provided on the opening / closing member 25. The sensor 26 is, for example, an optical sensor, and is positioned to detect the detection piece 27 when the opening / closing member 25 is in the closed state, and not to detect the detection piece 27 when the opening / closing member 25 is in the open state.

[0026] A liquid stirring device 100 is built into the storage section 23B. Multiple container support units 24 are detachably inserted into the liquid stirring device 100 in the Y direction. In this embodiment, two container support units 24 can be attached to the liquid stirring device 100. The liquid stirring device 100 has the function of stirring the liquid in the container 200 supported by the container support units 24. Details of the liquid stirring device 100 will be described later. In this embodiment, common container support units 24 are used in storage sections 23A and 23B, but different container support units may be used.

[0027] Each storage section 23A and 23B is provided with a tube connecting the container 200 to the liquid dispensing device 1. Each tube is connected to the liquid dispensing device 1 through a single hose 21 that houses all the tubes. The ink from the container 200 is supplied to the dispensing head 8 via the tube.

[0028] System A of this embodiment is equipped with two liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, allowing for the use of more ink. When increasing the number of ink colors for the purpose of improving image quality, or when increasing the number of ink colors of the same color for the purpose of increasing productivity, it is advantageous to provide multiple liquid storage devices 20A and 20B in this manner.

[0029] (Agitation of liquid) Here, we will explain the characteristics of the liquids contained in the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, and the stirring performance required according to those characteristics.

[0030] Titanium dioxide, used as a pigment for white inks and other pigments with high water and light resistance, is insoluble and dispersed in the ink. Therefore, if left undisturbed for a long time, it may settle, accumulate, and aggregate at the bottom of the container 200 due to gravity. For this reason, in order to obtain the required color, stirring is necessary to evenly disperse the above components in the liquid while maintaining the specified particle size. Therefore, it is desirable to stir the liquid and the above components by generating movements in the liquid that exceed the sedimentation rate of the particles or movements that break up the aggregates of particles.

[0031] Incidentally, it is known that ink compositions have various specific gravities, resulting in differences in sedimentation rates. In other words, the faster the sedimentation rate, the greater the movement required for agitation. As a result, if the movement is too small, agitation will be insufficient, and if the movement is too large, it will cause the size of the equipment to increase. Furthermore, with the increasing number of colors and capacity of the equipment, the multi-stage design of the ink containers has become an essential requirement.

[0032] Therefore, in this embodiment, inks with a slow settling speed undergo a first stirring operation, which is a small stirring movement caused by pressing, while inks with a fast settling speed undergo a second stirring operation, which is a large stirring movement caused by rotation.

[0033] More specifically, for inks with a fast settling rate, such as white ink, the liquid agitator 100 built into the storage unit 23B is used to change the orientation of the container 200, agitating it with large movements that cause the ink inside the container 200 (ink in the storage means) to be turned upside down, thereby suppressing settling to the bottom of the container 200. On the other hand, for inks with a slower settling rate, such as normal colors, settling is suppressed with movements that do not require a large operating space that would deform the container 200. The mechanism for agitation by pressing the container 200 will be described in detail later.

[0034] In this embodiment, by arranging multiple stirring mechanisms in this manner, optimal stirring performance according to the ink characteristics can be achieved, and it is also possible to arrange ink containers in multiple stages within a limited space.

[0035] The pigments contained in commonly used inks such as cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (hereinafter referred to as C, M, Y, Bk) have particle sizes of several tens of nanometers and low specific gravity, so they can be stirred without giving the container 200 much movement. For this reason, the first stirring with small movements described above is performed. On the other hand, titanium dioxide used in white ink has a large particle size and specific gravity, so it will easily settle unless given large movements. For this reason, the liquid stirring device 100 built into the storage section 23B is used to perform a second stirring with large movements. The liquid being stirred by the liquid stirring device 100 may be a liquid containing metal powder or metallic colors such as gold or silver. For example, silver ink containing silver can be used.

[0036] Here, considering the number of ink packs (number of containers 200) arranged in multiple layers in the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, even with a conservative estimate, a seven-tiered ink supply system is required just for the combination of three standard colors, three spot colors, and one white color that tends to settle. In addition, there are printing methods that use a reaction liquid that promotes ink solidification through a chemical reaction on the paper surface to improve image fixation and water resistance. Furthermore, a cleaning solution is sometimes prepared and supplied in the same way as ink to keep the recovery unit, which maintains the ejection state of the recording head, in a clean state at all times. In addition, two packs of the same color ink may be provided for 24-hour automatic operation that consumes a large amount of ink without human intervention, or for stopless printing to prevent running out of ink during printing.

[0037] In this embodiment, a total of 19 bag packs (containers 200) are set up, consisting of 2 packs each for 8 colors including standard and special colors, 2 packs each for white ink to be placed in the liquid stirring device 100, and 1 pack of cleaning solution for cleaning the recovery system unit. When these are arranged in two rows in liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, 6 packs for 3 standard colors are placed in one tower (liquid storage device 20A), and 10 packs for 5 special colors are placed in the other tower (liquid storage device 20B). This allows for a better balance of the number of packs in each tower compared to when standard and special colors are placed together in one row. Furthermore, since inks that settle slowly, such as standard and special colors, use the first stirring control, dividing the number of packs per tower makes it possible to standardize the mechanical parts for the first stirring.

[0038] Furthermore, since one pack of the cleaning solution does not contain pigment or color-developing components, stirring control is unnecessary. One pack that does not require drive transmission for stirring is placed on the upper level of the liquid storage device 20B. Also, since the white liquid tends to settle, a second stirring control is used, so the liquid stirring device 100 is built into the storage section 23B of the liquid storage device 20A.

[0039] The arrangement of the containers 200 described above, with regular colors and special colors represented by A to H, white by W, and two packs of each represented by subscripts 1 and 2, and the cleaning solution represented by a1, is shown in Figure 5.

[0040] In this embodiment, the following arrangement of inks A to H shown in Figure 5 is assumed. Specifically, in the liquid storage device 20A, yellow (Y) ink is placed in A, magenta (M) ink in B, and cyan (C) ink in C. In the liquid storage device 20B, black (Bk) ink is placed in D, gray (Gy) ink in E, orange (Or) ink in F, red (Red) ink in G, and green (Gr) ink in H.

[0041] This is because, by stirring inks with similar viscosities using a pressing unit 600 with the same drive source, as described later, the stirring time for high-viscosity inks can be increased, while the stirring time for low-viscosity inks can be decreased. High-viscosity inks are difficult to resolve due to sedimentation of the composition and require a long stirring time, while low-viscosity inks are easy to resolve due to sedimentation of the composition and therefore require a shorter stirring time. This makes it possible to perform optimal stirring for each ink. In this embodiment, low-viscosity inks are placed in the liquid storage device 20B, and higher-viscosity inks are placed in the liquid storage device 20A. The white ink with the highest viscosity is placed in the upper section of the liquid storage device 20A.

[0042] Furthermore, within the same liquid storage device, lower viscosity inks are placed in the lower section, and higher viscosity inks are placed in the upper section. Since higher viscosity inks have a greater pressure drop, placing them in the upper section where the head difference with the discharge head 8 is smaller reduces the capacity required of the pump that delivers the ink.

[0043] Each tower (each liquid storage unit 20A and 20B) is designed to be placed on the floor and is equipped with casters 22a to allow for movement during equipment transport or when a change of location is desired. Although the liquid storage units 20A and 20B are connected and configured to be moved as a single unit, they may also be configured separately.

[0044] In this configuration, as shown in Figure 5, by fitting the rotation trajectory of the liquid agitator 100 to the same height H as five packs of the aforementioned container 200, the heights of the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B become the same, which is desirable from the standpoint of space efficiency and design.

[0045] Figure 6 shows a rear view of each liquid storage device 20A and 20B, where a liquid supply unit 480 is installed to dispense ink from the container 200. Containers 200 containing the same type of liquid share a single liquid supply unit 480, and a switching valve (not shown) switches which container 200 the ink is supplied from. Furthermore, since each container 200 is positioned below the discharge head 8, a head difference is generated up to the discharge head 8, so the liquid supply unit 480 has pressurized supply capabilities. Each liquid supply unit 480 is connected to a tube 21a, which is bundled and piped within a flexible hose 21 on the rear side. Through these tubes in the hose 21, each color ink and reaction solution are supplied to the discharge head 8, and cleaning solution is supplied to the recovery unit.

[0046] Furthermore, in Figure 2, the height of the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B in this embodiment is set lower than the lower surface of the main body 3 that protrudes to the +X side of the liquid dispensing device 1. Therefore, as shown in Figure 2, the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B can be placed below the main body 3. The liquid storage devices 20A and 20B can be moved closer to the stand 2 in the X direction.

[0047] Figures 1, 2, 5, and 6 further describe the case where liquid storage devices 20A and 20B are arranged in the space below the main body 3. In Figure 28, the hose 21 bundling the tubes 21a connected to the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B is connected to the liquid discharge device 1 on the rear side. In addition, since casters 22a are provided on the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, they can be moved and installed to be close to the liquid discharge device 1.

[0048] In Figure 2, liquid storage devices 20A and 20B are installed so as to occupy the space below the main body 3. Furthermore, since the control panel is located on the main body 3 directly above, it is possible to replace the container 200 while viewing the information on the panel, resulting in excellent operability.

[0049] Furthermore, the container 200 for the white ink, which is used for the second stirring, is equipped with an opening / closing member 25 to prevent accidental operation during rotation for stirring. Unlike the containers 200 of the other colors, the container 200 for the white ink requires the opening / closing member 25 to be opened, so it is placed on the upper level for ease of operation. Also, the longer the vertical flow path of the ink, the more likely sediment is to accumulate at the bottom of the tube due to gravity. Therefore, it is desirable that the white ink, which is prone to settling, be placed on the upper level where the vertical flow path from the container 200 to the main body 3 is shortest. In addition, white ink is generally known to have high viscosity. Therefore, it is desirable that the container 200 for the white ink be placed on the upper level where the height difference (water head difference) with the discharge head 8 is small, taking into account the flow path resistance. Furthermore, if white ink is not used, for example, the device can be completed simply by removing the white ink container on the upper level, making it highly versatile.

[0050] Furthermore, the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B are connected to the liquid discharge device 1 by connecting members. This is to prevent the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B from being moved unintentionally and damaging the tube 21a inside the hose 21.

[0051] In this embodiment, two-tower liquid storage devices 20A and 20B have been described, but a single-tower liquid storage device including a first stirring mechanism and a second stirring mechanism may also be used. Alternatively, only the second stirring mechanism may be placed below the recovery unit 9, and the first stirring mechanism, which does not require thickness in the height direction, may be placed below the roll paper. Furthermore, the positions of the waste liquid cartridge 11 and the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B may be swapped.

[0052] Next, the first stirring mechanism in the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B will be described. The second stirring mechanism is implemented by the liquid stirring device 100, the configuration of which will be described in detail later.

[0053] <First mechanism for stirring> (Liquid container and support unit) Refer to Figures 7 to 9. Figure 7 is a partially exploded perspective view of the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, showing one container support unit 24 removed from the corresponding storage section 23A. Figure 7 also shows a state in which part of the side wall of the outer wall of the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B has been removed, exposing the internal mechanism. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the container 200 and the container support unit 24. Figures 9(A) and 9(B) are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the handle 45 and the locking mechanism 46. Figures 10(A) to 10(C) are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the locking mechanism 46, corresponding to the cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 9(A).

[0054] The container 200 has a bag 202 made of a flexible material. Gussets 202a are provided on both sides of the bag 202, which are folded inward to increase the liquid capacity. The bag 202 is formed into a bag shape by welding together the sheets that make up the top and bottom surfaces and the sheet that forms the gussets 202a, forming a flexible tank for holding liquid. When there is a large amount of liquid remaining inside, the gussets 202a expand, and when there is a small amount, the gussets 202a fold in, so the shape of the bag 202 changes according to the amount of liquid it holds. The material of the bag 202 is, for example, a material with a multi-layer structure such as PET. If there is a concern that the liquid inside will react with air and solidify, or that the concentration or remaining amount will change due to evaporation, a layered material including an aluminum layer is advantageous as the material of the bag 202.

[0055] The container 200 has one end 200a and the other end 200b in the longitudinal direction. When installed in the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, end 200a is located on the rear side of the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, and end 200b is located on the front side. An outlet member 201 is provided at end 200a. The outlet member 201 has a supply port 201a that communicates with the intake port 203 inside the bag 202. The liquid contained in the bag 202 flows out to the outside through the intake port 203 and the supply port 201a. Inside the outlet member 201 is a spring-driven supply port opening / closing valve that opens and closes the supply port 201a. The supply port opening / closing valve keeps the supply port 201a closed under normal conditions (when no external force is applied).

[0056] The container 200 has a side with the outlet member 201 that is approximately 180 mm long, and a side perpendicular to it (the side surface) that is approximately 400 mm long. The container 200 can hold approximately 1.5 L of liquid. The side with the outlet member 201 may be the long side instead of the short side. Also, the bag 202 may be a square instead of a rectangle in plan view.

[0057] The main body 53 of the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B is equipped with a needle-type flow path forming member 56 at the rear of the storage section 23A, which is inserted into the supply port 201a. A flow path forming member 56 is provided for each storage section 23A. When the flow path forming member 56 is inserted into the supply port 201a and connected, the supply port opening valve opens due to the insertion of the flow path forming member 56. The flow path forming member 56 is supported by a block-shaped support member 50 and is also connected to a tube 51. The flow path forming member 56 forms a flow path that allows the liquid contained in the bag 202 to flow out to the liquid discharge device 1, which is the supply destination, and the liquid that flows out into the flow path forming member 56 is supplied to the liquid discharge device 1 via the tube 51. An electric flow path valve 52 is provided in the middle of the tube 51. The tube 51 can be closed and opened by opening and closing the flow path valve 52. A reflective sensor 23C is also provided in the storage section 23A to detect whether or not a container 200 is installed in the storage section 23A. The flow path valve 52 may be configured to allow switching between opening and closing the flow path by the operation of a motor, and may be a solenoid type or a pinch type electromagnetic valve.

[0058] The container support unit 24 has a support portion 40 that supports the container 200, and as a whole, it has the form of a tray on which the container 200 is placed in a reclining position. The container support unit 24 is displaceable in the approximately Y direction between a storage position in which the container 200 is stored in the main body 53 and an retrieval position in which the container 200 is exposed to the outside of the main body 53. Figure 7 shows one container support unit 24 in the retrieval position, and all the other container support units 24 are in the storage position. The container 200 can be replaced in the retrieval position, and the liquid contained in the container 200 in the storage position can be supplied to the liquid dispensing device 1. In this embodiment, the container support unit 24 is separated from the storage portion 23A in the retrieval position. However, the retrieval position may also be a position in which the end of the container support unit 24 is held within the storage portion 23A, as long as it is a position in which the container 200 can be replaced relative to the container support unit 24.

[0059] The support section 40 has a mounting surface 41 on which the container 200 is placed, and the four sides of the mounting surface 41 are defined by left and right side plates 44, a front end 42, and a rear end 43. Notches 44a are formed in the side plates 44. A recess 43a is formed in the rear end 43 where the outlet member 201 is placed. Ribs 44b extending in the Y direction are provided on the side plates 44.

[0060] The front end portion 42 is provided with a handle 45 that is rotatable around an axis 45a extending in the X direction, allowing the user to rotate the handle 45 in the d1 direction. The handle 45 also serves as the operating handle for the engaging portion 48. The handle 45 is provided with an engaging portion 48, and the bottom of the case 230 forming the storage portion 23A has an engaging portion 231 that engages with the engaging portion 48. In this embodiment, the engaging portion 48 is a convex portion, and the engaging portion 231 is a concave portion into which the engaging portion 48 is inserted. The engagement between the engaging portion 48 and the engaging portion 231 prevents the container support unit 24, which is mounted in the storage portion 23A and located in the storage position, from falling out of the storage portion 23A even if vibrations are applied, for example, due to the movement of the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B. The handle 45 is constantly biased by an elastic member 421 toward the engagement position (position in Figure 9(A)) where the engaging portion 48 and the engaging portion 231 engage. The elastic member 421 is, for example, a coil spring. When the user grasps the handle 45 and rotates the handle 45 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 9(B), the engagement between the engaging part 45 and the engaging part 231 is released, and the container support unit 24 inserted into the storage part 23A can be removed from the storage part 23A.

[0061] To prevent the container support unit 24 mounted in the storage section 23A from being unintentionally removed, a locking mechanism 46 is provided for each storage section 23A to lock the container support unit 24 in the storage position (see Figure 7). The locking mechanism 46 includes a slide member 461 built into the front end 42. The slide member 461 has an operating part 461a exposed from the front end 42 so that it can be operated by the user. The slide member 461 is provided to be movable in the direction of arrow d2 (X direction) between a locked position that restricts the rotation of the handle 45 in the d1 direction and an unlocked position that allows the rotation of the handle 45.

[0062] Figures 9(A) and 10(A) show the state in which the slide member 461 is in the locked position. That is, the locking mechanism 46 is in the locked state. The slide member 461 has a contact portion 461b, which contacts a rib-shaped contact portion 451 provided on the handle 45. In the state shown in Figures 9(A) and 10(A), the slide member 461 obstructs the handle 45 from being rotated in the disengagement direction. Therefore, the container support unit 24 cannot be removed from the storage section 23A.

[0063] Figure 10(B) shows the slide member 461 in the unlocked position. That is, the locking mechanism 46 is in the unlocked state. The notch of the contact portion 461b and the contact portion 451 are in opposing positions. At this time, as shown in Figure 10(C), the contact portion 451 can move out of the notch of the contact portion 461b, so that the handle 45 can be rotated in the disengagement direction as shown in Figure 9(B). In this way, the user can slide the slide member 461 to the unlocked position and then operate the handle 45 to pull out the container support unit 24 from the storage section 23A.

[0064] The storage section 23A is provided with a sensor 58 for detecting the position of the slide member 461 (see Figures 7 and 8). The sensor 58 is, for example, an optical sensor (e.g., a photointerrupter) capable of detecting the detection piece 461c of the slide member 461. When the slide member 461 is in the locked position, the detection piece 461c is located at the detection position of the sensor 58, as shown in Figure 8, and is detected by the sensor 58. When the slide member 461 is in the unlocked position, the detection piece 461c is not located at the detection position of the sensor 58, and is not detected by the sensor 58. In this way, based on the detection result of the sensor 58, it is possible to determine whether the position of the slide member 461 is in the locked position or the unlocked position, that is, whether the locking mechanism 46 is in a locked state or an unlocked state.

[0065] The opening and closing of the flow valve 52 can be linked to the detection result of the sensor 58. For example, if the flow valve 52 is in the open state and the sensor 58 detects that the position of the slide member 461 is in the unlocked position, the flow valve 52 is immediately closed in conjunction with the detection. This prevents the container support unit 24 from being pulled out of the storage unit 23A while the flow valve 52 is open. If the container support unit 24 is pulled out of the storage unit 23A while the flow valve 52 is open, air may enter the tube 51 from the flow channel forming member 56. This can cause problems such as liquid solidification inside the tube 51 or poor discharge at the discharge head 8. When the position of the slide member 461 is detected to be in the unlocked position, the flow valve 52 is immediately closed by automatic control in conjunction with the detection, preventing air from entering the tube 51.

[0066] (Slot tilt) Figure 11 shows the mounting position and insertion / removal manner of the container support unit 24 to the storage section 23A, and is a diagram showing the portion of the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B below the storage section 23B.

[0067] As shown in Figure 11, the storage sections 23A of each stage in the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B are inclined, and they slope downward (+Z) as they move towards the rear side (back side, -Y side). Therefore, the container support unit 24 is held in an inclined position when installed. The effect of this will be described later, but the inclination angle is, for example, less than 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane, and especially less than 10 degrees. In the example in Figure 11, an inclination angle of 3 degrees is assumed.

[0068] (Mechanism for stirring liquids) Various types of liquids can be contained in container 200 and used for image recording, maintenance of the ejection head 8, etc. For example, water-based inks, latex inks, and solvent-based inks such as eco-solvents can be contained in container 200. Depending on the type of ink, particles such as colorants and resin components in the ink may settle over time. The particle size of the colorants and the type and amount of additives may differ for each ink color, and the settling rate may differ depending on the ink color. In addition, container 200 can also contain a reaction liquid that is ejected from the ejection head 8 and reacts with the ink to fix the ink to the surface of the recording medium M. For containers 200 containing liquids whose components tend to separate, uniformity can be improved by appropriately stirring the contained liquid. This contributes, for example, to preventing a decrease in the quality of the recorded image.

[0069] In the first stirring mechanism described above, the bag 202 of the container 200 is deformed by physically pressing it from the outside. As a result, the liquid contained in the bag 202 flows and is stirred.

[0070] The configuration of the pressing unit 600 that realizes the stirring function will be described with reference to Figures 7, 12, and 13. Figures 12 and 13 are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the pressing unit 600 as seen from the side of the main body 53. The pressing unit 600 includes a plurality of pressing members 60 and a moving mechanism 63 common to the plurality of pressing members 60. Each pressing member 60 is provided in a storage section 23A and is a stirring operation unit that performs a stirring operation on the corresponding container 200. The moving mechanism 63 is a drive unit that drives the pressing members 60. In this embodiment, each pressing member 60 is provided in a storage section 23A. The moving mechanism 63 rotates each pressing member 60 synchronously around the rotation axis 62 as the pivot point, so that the pressing part 61 provided on the pressing member 60 presses the container 200 from above and also relieves the pressure. Figure 12 shows the state in which the pressing portion 61 (and pressing member 60) is in the pressure relief position, and Figure 13 shows the state in which the pressing portion 61 (and pressing member 60) is in the pressure position.

[0071] The configuration of the moving mechanism 63 will now be described. The output of the motor 635, which is the drive source of the moving mechanism 63, is transmitted to the cam 633 via a plurality of gears 634. The axis of rotation of each of these components is in the X direction. The configuration of the cam 633 will now be described with reference to Figures 14(A) and 14(B). Figures 14(A) and 14(B) are explanatory diagrams of the cam 633, and Figure 14(B) shows the state in which the cam 633 has been rotated 180 degrees from the state in Figure 14(A).

[0072] The cam 633 is a disc-shaped member that can rotate around an axis 633b in the X direction, and gear teeth 633a are formed on its outer circumferential surface. The gear teeth 633a mesh with gear 634, and the rotation of gear 634 causes the cam 633 to rotate. A groove 633c is formed on the side surface of the cam 633, and the outer and inner sides of the groove 633c form an outer cam surface 633d and an inner cam surface 633e. A cam follower 637, which is connected to a drive transmission lever 632, is positioned in the groove 633c. The inner cam surface 633e is located inside the cam follower 637 in the radial direction of the cam 633, and when the cam 633 rotates, it contacts the cam follower 637 and lifts the cam follower 637. Furthermore, the outer cam surface 633d is located outside the cam follower 637 in the radial direction of the cam 633, and when the cam 633 rotates, it comes into contact with the cam follower 637 and pulls the cam follower 637 downward.

[0073] Refer again to Figures 7, 12, and 13. As the cam follower 637 moves up and down due to the rotation of the cam 633, the drive transmission lever 632 rotates around the rotation axis 632a. Since the drive transmission lever 632 is rotatably connected to the shaft portion 638 provided on the lifting member 631, the operation of the drive transmission lever 632 is converted into the lifting operation of the lifting member 631. When the cam 633 rotates once, the cam follower 637 reciprocates once in the Z direction, and similarly the lifting member 631 reciprocates once via the drive transmission lever 632.

[0074] The plate-shaped lifting member 631 is attached to the side plate 68 of the main body 53 so as to be able to move up and down in the Z direction. In addition, two U-shaped columns 47, one at the front and one at the back, extending in the Z direction, are fixed to the side plate 68. These columns 47 are also attached to the side plate on the -X side, and the main body 53 has structural strength ensured by a total of four columns 47. This allows it to support the weight of multiple containers 200.

[0075] While column 47 is strong, it is also thick. Therefore, if a moving mechanism 63 is added to the column 47 attached to the side plate 68, the dimensions in the X direction would increase. For this reason, in this embodiment, the lifting member 631 and the drive mechanism such as the cam 633 are distributed to the front and back in the Y direction, with one column 47 as the boundary. The drive transmission lever 632 is then passed through a through hole 47a provided in that one column 47.

[0076] This allows for the placement of the moving mechanism 63 of the pressing unit 600 while ensuring strength and minimizing the size increase of the main body 53 in the X direction. Furthermore, the drive transmission lever 632 is attached to a plate-shaped support member 639 that supports the moving mechanism 63. By removing fastening screws and other fixing elements, most of the components of the moving mechanism 63 can be removed as a single unit together with the support member 639 to the rear side of the main body 53. Therefore, parts replacement by service personnel can be easily performed. Note that fastening screws and other fixing elements can be tightened from the rear side of the main body 53 to facilitate fastening and unfastening.

[0077] Each pressing member 60 is subjected to a biasing force from two springs 64 and 65. One end of spring 64 is attached to the pressing member 60, and the other end is attached to the storage section 23A (case 230). One end of spring 65 is attached to the pressing member 60, and the other end is attached to the lifting member 631. The pressing member 60 is a movable member (particularly a rotating member) that is rotatably mounted relative to the storage section 23A (case 230) with the rotation axis 62 as the pivot point. The rotation axis 62 is an axis in a direction intersecting the direction of movement of the pressing part 61 (Z direction). Both springs 64 and 65 bias the pressing member 60 in a direction that rotates it clockwise in Figures 12 and 13.

[0078] When the pressing member 60 is in the pressure release position (Figure 12), the lifting member 631 is in contact with the pressing member 60 and lifts itself up, so the biasing force of the spring 65 acts between the lifting member 631 and the pressing member 60. Therefore, the biasing force of the spring 65 acts only between the lifting member 631 and the pressing member 60 and does not become a load on the motor 635. In other words, the load on the moving mechanism 63 in the pressure release position is only the biasing force of the spring 64 and the weight of each component.

[0079] Furthermore, when the pressing member 60 is in the pressing position (Figure 13), the cam 633 is in the opposite phase to the pressure release position by 180 degrees, and the pressing portion 61 of the pressing member 60 is in contact with the container 200 and pressing it downward. Depending on the remaining amount in the container 200, the pressing distance of the pressing portion 61, that is, the amount of rotation of the pressing member 60, will differ. In Figure 13, the upper three stages of pressing members 60 show the configuration pressing a full container 200, while the lower three stages of pressing members 60 show the configuration pressing a deflated container 200 with almost no remaining amount. The biasing force of both springs 64 and 65, as well as the weight of each component, acts on the container 200. Since springs 64 and 65 are arranged in each storage section 23A, the optimal pressing force can be applied to each container 200 even if the remaining amount of container 200 in each storage section 23A is different.

[0080] At this time, the biasing force of spring 64 acts on the container 200 but not on the lifting member 631. The biasing force of spring 65 acts between the container 200 and the lifting member 631, which are in contact via the pressing member 60. The cam 633 works to pull the lifting member 631 downwards from the container 200. In this way, the load on the moving mechanism 63 during operation is reduced by using two springs 64 and 65 with different mounting positions and a cam 633 that can both lift and lower.

[0081] Furthermore, at the pressing position, the less liquid remaining in the container 200 and the more it is deflated, the less the springs 64 and 65 extend, and therefore the less pressing force acting on the container 200. When there is a lot of liquid remaining in the container 200, it is easier to receive a reaction force from the container 200 when pressed, and a greater pressing force is required to press it deeply. Conversely, when there is little liquid remaining, the reaction force from the container 200 is small, so even with a small pressing force, it is easier to deform the container 200 and move the liquid inside. For this reason, the springs 64 and 65 are positioned so that the pressing force becomes lower as the container 200 deflates. This eliminates the need to increase the biasing force of the springs unnecessarily. In this embodiment, the load applied to the pressing part 61 is adjusted to be, for example, about 500 gf when the container 200 is full and about 300 gf when there is almost no liquid remaining.

[0082] The configuration of the pressing member 60 will be described with reference to Figures 15 and 16. Figure 15 is a perspective view of the case with stirring function and the support unit in the separated state, and Figure 16 is a perspective view of the case with stirring function and the support unit in the mounted state.

[0083] The pressing member 60 has a pair of side plates 60a located on each side of the case 230 in the X direction, and a top plate 60b connected between the pair of side plates 60a so as to straddle the case 230 in the X direction. The pressing member 60 is rotatably supported on the case 230 via a rotating shaft 62 at each side plate 60a, and a pressing portion 61 is formed at the tip of the top plate 60b.

[0084] Each side plate 60a has a locking portion 60c into which the end of the spring 64 is locked, and a contact portion 60d into which the end of the spring 65 is locked, and which contacts the lifting member 631 when the lifting member 631 is raised, causing the pressing member 60 to rotate. Both the locking portion 60c and the contact portion 60d are formed in the form of a protruding piece that protrudes in the X direction.

[0085] A remaining volume detection sensor 230A is provided on the side of the case 230. The remaining volume detection sensor 230A is, for example, an optical sensor. The remaining volume detection sensor 230A is a position detection sensor that detects the side plate 60a and the position of the pressing part 61, and is a sensor that detects the remaining volume of the container 200 based on the position detection result. Specifically, the detection position of the remaining volume detection sensor 230A is positioned to detect the side plate 60a when the container 200, which has shrunk due to a decrease in remaining volume, is pressed. This utilizes the fact that the amount of pressure applied when pressing changes depending on the degree of shrunkness of the container 200. In this embodiment, since the pressing part 61 is in contact with the container 200, the position of the side plate 60a reflects the remaining volume of the container 200, so the accuracy of remaining volume detection is high. The detection position of the remaining volume detection sensor 230A is designed so that, for example, the side plate 60a is detected when the container 200 with a remaining volume of approximately 100 ml is pressed.

[0086] The pressing member 60 can be made from, for example, a metal plate (such as a steel plate). Because it is thinner but stronger than resin or other materials, the height of the storage section 23A can be reduced. The rotation axis 62 of the pressing member 60 is positioned outside the container 200 in the X direction, and is located in a position where the rotation axis 62 and the container 200 overlap in the X direction when the container 200 is full. By making these efforts to reduce the size in the Z direction, even if a pressing member 60 is installed in each storage section 23A to provide a stirring function, multiple containers 200 can be accommodated in the limited space below the housing of system B.

[0087] Furthermore, the width of the pressing member 60 in the X direction is shorter near the pressing portion 61 than near the rotation axis 62. This prevents parts other than the pressing portion 61 from coming into contact with the container 200 when the pressing portion 61 presses against the tank, thereby preventing damage to the container 200.

[0088] By making the width of the pressing member 60 in the X direction shorter at the pressing portion 61 than near the rotation axis 62, the following advantages are also obtained. As mentioned above, the container 200 is provided with a gusset portion 202a on its side. This gusset portion 202a includes a welded portion between flexible members and is more rigid than other parts. A considerable pressing force is required to fold the gusset portion 202a inward and deflate the container 200 as the remaining amount decreases. When the container 200 has a large amount of remaining contents, the gusset portion 202a is spread out in the vertical direction, and in some cases the gusset portion 202a may be bulging outward rather than inward. A considerable pressing force is required to crush the gusset portion 202a.

[0089] By positioning the pressing portion 61 inward in the X direction from the gusset portion 202a, the container 200 can be efficiently pressed and deformed for stirring. Specifically, the pressing portion 61 is positioned to press the container 200 closer to the center than the gusset portion 202a, and the most bulging part of the container 200 is pressed. The height of the gusset portion 202a is, for example, about 20 mm on both sides, and because the pressing portion 61 is inward from the gusset portion 202a on both sides, it is less affected by the reaction force of the gusset portion 202a and can efficiently press the container 200. Designing the width of the pressing portion 61 in the X direction to be, for example, 10 mm or more inward from the gusset portion 202a will result in even better pressing efficiency. This is because the further the pressing portion 61 is from the gusset portion 202a in the X direction, the less the effect of the reaction force of the gusset portion 202a becomes.

[0090] To minimize the width of the pressing portion 61 in the X direction, for example, the pressing portion 61 may be shaped to make point contact with the container 200. However, in the case of a container 200 that is elongated in the Y direction, as in this embodiment, if the pressing portion 61 is shaped to make point contact with the container 200, the fluidity of the liquid inside the container 200 may decrease. Specifically, if the width of the pressing portion 61 in the X direction is too small, the liquid flow that is pushed in by pressing the container 200 will be dispersed outward in the X direction, so the amount of liquid flowing in the Y direction will be reduced accordingly.

[0091] Therefore, for example, if the width of the pressing portion 61 in the X direction is set to be at least one-third of the width of the bag 202 of the container 200 in the X direction, the fluidity of the liquid in the Y direction within the bag 202 during pressing can be improved. For example, if the width of the bag 202 in the X direction is 180 mm, setting the width of the pressing portion 61 in the X direction to 60 mm or more can improve the fluidity of the liquid in the Y direction within the bag 202 during pressing.

[0092] In summary, if the bag 202 has a width of 180 mm in the X direction and a gusset portion 202a with a height of 20 mm, then the width of the pressing portion 61 in the X direction is suitable to be between 60 mm and 120 mm, and may be 90 mm in particular.

[0093] (stirring operation) Referring to Figures 17(A) to 17(C), the stirring operation of the liquid inside the container 200 due to the pressing of the pressing part 61 against the container 200 will be explained. Figures 17(A) to 17(C) are explanatory diagrams of the stirring operation. As shown in Figure 11, in this embodiment, the mounting position of the container support unit 24 is inclined. In Figures 17(A) to 17(C), the direction parallel to the inclination angle of this mounting position is defined as the Y' direction. In the following explanation, the side of the outlet member 201 of the container 200 may be referred to as the -Y' direction, and the opposite side as the +Y' direction. Note that the arrows in Figures 17(A) to 17(C) represent the flow direction of the liquid generated inside the bag 202 of the container 200.

[0094] In this embodiment, the stirring operation consists of a pressing operation and a pressure release operation. The pressing part 61 is positioned opposite the mounting surface 41 of the container support unit 24. The pressing part 61 is moved back and forth between the pressure release position and the pressing position. This causes deformation of the bag 202, generating fluidity in the liquid inside and stirring it.

[0095] Figure 17(A) shows the state in which the pressing portion 61 (and pressing member 60) is in the pressure relief position. In this embodiment, in the pressure relief position, the pressing portion 61 is spaced apart from the mounting surface 41 and is at a height that does not come into contact with the bag 202, and is not pressing the bag 202. Therefore, the pressure relief position can also be called the pressure release position.

[0096] From the state shown in Figure 17(A), the moving mechanism 63 is driven to perform a pressing operation as shown in Figure 17(B). During the pressing operation, the pressing member 60 rotates, causing the pressing part 61 to move to a position closer to the mounting surface 41 than the pressure release position, pressing the bag 202 toward the mounting surface 41. This deforms the bag 202, causing the liquid inside to flow and be agitated.

[0097] In this embodiment, the container 200 is mounted in the storage section 23A in a position inclined with the outlet member 201 facing downward in the Z direction. Therefore, at the stage shown in Figure 17(A), the liquid inside the container 200 tends to be distributed unevenly towards the outlet member 201 due to its own weight, and the bag 202 bulges more on the side of the outlet member 201 than in the center in the Y' direction. The pressing part 61 is designed to press the end 43 of the container 200 where the outlet member 201 is provided. Since the pressing part 61 presses the bulging part of the bag 202 or a part close to it, the flow of the liquid inside the bag 202 can be promoted.

[0098] The pressing portion 61 presses the side of the bag 202 facing the outlet member 201, so when the liquid flows to the opposite side, agitation can be effectively achieved. The rotation axis 62 of the pressing member 60 is located on the opposite side of the container 200 from the outlet member 201 when viewed from the pressing portion 61 in the Y' direction. In the pressing operation, the rotation direction of the pressing member 60 is clockwise in Figure 17(B). This rotation direction generates a vector directed towards the +Y' direction, making it easier for the liquid to flow in the +Y' direction. In other words, the liquid is more likely to flow to the side of the bag 202 opposite to the side facing the outlet member 201.

[0099] As described above, in this embodiment, the pressing part 61 is designed to press the end 43 of the container 200, where the outlet member 201 is provided, out of the two ends 42 and 43. The area of ​​the bag 202 near the water intake 203 of the container 200 is pressed, and the agitation of the fluid in this area is particularly promoted. During recording, the liquid in the container 200 flows out into the tube 51 from the area close to the water intake 203. By pressing and agitating the area near the water intake 203, a liquid with a more uniform concentration can be sent into the tube 51.

[0100] From the state shown in Figure 17(B), the moving mechanism 63 is driven to perform a pressure release operation as shown in Figure 17(C). During the pressure release operation, the pressing part 61 returns from the pressing position to the pressure release position due to the rotation of the pressing member 60. As the pressure is released, the liquid inside the bag 202 flows, and the bag 202 attempts to return to its original shape. After that, the pressing operation can be performed again.

[0101] By repeatedly performing pressing and releasing actions, the liquid inside the bag 202 is agitated. That is, as shown in Figure 17(B), when the pressing part 61 is in the pressed position, the area around the pressing part 61 of the container 200 is indented, the liquid flows in the +Y' direction, and the side of the container 200 opposite the outlet member 201 bulges. Then, as shown in Figure 17(C), when the pressure is released, the ink that flowed due to the pressure flows in the -Y' direction due to its own weight. By repeatedly performing pressing and releasing actions, the liquid inside the bag 202 oscillates back and forth in the Y' direction and is agitated. The liquid flow caused by the pressure release action utilizes its own weight. By utilizing its own weight, the mechanism required for agitating the liquid can be made simple.

[0102] The stirring performance of the liquid can be adjusted by changing the cycle of the stirring operation. During the pressure release operation, the liquid in the bag 202 flows slightly after the rotation of the pressing member 60. The higher the fluidity of the liquid during the pressure release operation, the greater the stirring effect. Furthermore, if the pressing operation is performed after the liquid has flowed sufficiently, the amount of liquid contained in the bag 202 increases near the pressing part 61, causing the bag 202 to expand. Pressing this point further enhances the stirring performance. The cycle of the stirring operation is, for example, slower than a few Hz, and especially slower than 1 Hz. If the cycle of the stirring operation is too slow, the total time of the stirring operation increases, which may increase the amount of power consumed by the motor 635. Therefore, the cycle of the stirring operation may be, for example, in the range of 0.5 to 0.7 Hz, especially 0.6 Hz.

[0103] Furthermore, as the remaining amount decreases and container 200 shrinks, the ink flows from the upper side (+Y' side) of the tilted container 200 to the -Y' side due to its own weight, reducing the capacity in this area. Conversely, liquid accumulates on the lower side (-Y' side). In this state, the flow distance of the liquid in the +Y' direction during the pressing action becomes shorter, and the time it takes for the liquid to return during the release action is also shorter. Therefore, the cycle of the stirring action may be shortened in accordance with the decrease in the remaining amount in container 200.

[0104] In the stirring operation, the pressing and releasing operations may be repeated with a time interval between the releasing and subsequent pressing operations. After the releasing operation, the time for the liquid to flow within the bag 202 until the next pressing operation begins can be extended, further promoting the flow of the liquid due to its own gravity.

[0105] There are several methods for adjusting the period of the stirring operation. First, one method utilizes the stationary angle, which is the range in which the cam follower 637, which is in contact with the inner cam surface 633e or the outer cam surface 633d, does not displace even when the cam 633 rotates. For example, the stationary angle at the highest point of the cam follower 637 can be set to 40 degrees, and the stationary angle at the lowest point can also be set to 40 degrees. In particular, by ensuring a stationary angle of 40 degrees at the highest point, the pressure relief position can be maintained.

[0106] Furthermore, the allocation angle, which is the angle range for raising or lowering the cam follower 637, may be set to a large 140-degree range. This reduces the load on the cam 633 during rotation and allows the connecting pressing member 60 to slowly transition from the pressed state to the release position, thereby ensuring that there is time for the ink to move to the vicinity of the pressing part 61. As a result, sufficient ink movement occurs when the pressure is released, and the stirring effect is enhanced.

[0107] Another method involves temporarily stopping the motor 635 at the pressure release position. By stopping the motor for the duration of the aforementioned 40-degree stationary angle, the stationary angle can be made smaller, allowing for a larger allocation angle, which in turn reduces the load during cam rotation.

[0108] The stirring operation can be performed at any time, such as during the liquid supply operation to the liquid discharge device 1, during the recovery operation of the discharge head 8 in the liquid discharge device 1, or while the recording operation is in standby mode. The timing of the stirring operation is basically not affected by the operation of the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B or the liquid discharge device 1.

[0109] The stirring period, during which the stirring operation is repeated, may be based on time or on the number of operations. For example, one cycle may consist of several tens of minutes, and the stirring operation may be repeated only once a day. Alternatively, one cycle may consist of several dozen operations, and the stirring operation may be repeated only once a day. The required stirring period and timing may be set considering the settling rate of the colorant in the liquid.

[0110] Referring to Figure 11, the container 200 and the container support unit 24 are mounted in the storage section 23A as described above, and are tilted with respect to the horizontal plane. In terms of the liquid stirring effect, a tilt angle less than 45 degrees is advantageous, and an angle of 10 degrees or less is even more advantageous. In the example in Figure 11, a tilt angle of 3 degrees is assumed.

[0111] Even when the inclination angle approaches 90 degrees, stirring by pressing is still possible, but the weight of the ink acts in a direction that resists the flow of the liquid caused by the pressing. Therefore, a stronger pressing force is required to allow the liquid to flow sufficiently. When the inclination angle is less than 45 degrees, the flow vector of the liquid in the -Y direction becomes relatively small due to the weight of the liquid. When the inclination angle is 10 degrees or less, a larger amount of expansion of the -Y side of the bag 202 during the pressing operation can be obtained with less pressing force. A larger expansion of the bag 202 during pressing indicates a larger flow rate of the liquid inside. In other words, the pressing is more efficient.

[0112] Figure 18 is a perspective view showing the liquid storage device 20A and the liquid storage device 20B separately. As shown in Figure 18, both the liquid storage device 20A and the liquid storage device 20B are equipped with a pressing unit 600, which is a first stirring mechanism with a similar configuration. However, the liquid storage device 20B has 10 stages of features that require stirring, and above that, one stage of cleaning liquid that does not require stirring. Therefore, while Figures 12 and 13 show 6 stages of pressing members 60 and springs 64, the liquid storage device 20B has 10 stages of these components. Otherwise, the configuration of the pressing unit 600 is common to both the liquid storage device 20A and the liquid storage device 20B.

[0113] This configuration allows the liquid storage device 20A and the liquid storage device 20B to independently perform ink stirring operations. Furthermore, since each pressing unit 600 has a similar configuration, parts can be shared, which helps to reduce the cost of the device.

[0114] In this embodiment, the pressing portion 61 is positioned at a height that does not contact the bag 202 in the pressure relief position, but it may be in contact with the bag 202, or the pressing portion 61 may be positioned to press the bag 202 with a smaller amount of pressure than in the pressing position. In this way, if the pressure relief position is a small pressing state, the upper limit position of the pressing member 60 in the Z direction can be kept low, and the dimensions of the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B in the Z direction can be reduced.

[0115] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the pressing member 60 is provided on the case 230 of the storage unit 23A, but the pressing member 60 may also be provided on the container support unit 24. In this case, if the container support unit 24 is attached to the storage unit 23A, a configuration that enables drive transmission between the moving mechanism 63 and the pressing member 60 should be added.

[0116] Furthermore, although this embodiment has described a configuration in which the container 200 is pressed by the pressing part 61, the container 200 may also be deformed by repeatedly applying and stopping compressed air. Alternatively, the container 200 may be deformed by pressurizing and depressurizing the space around the container 200.

[0117] <Second stirring mechanism> The container 200 can hold various types of liquids and can be used for recording images, maintaining the ejection head 8, etc. Depending on the type of ink, the colorants (pigment components, etc.) in the ink may settle over time. For example, pigments with high water and light resistance, especially titanium dioxide used in white ink, do not dissolve in water, so if left standing for a long time, they will settle, accumulate, and aggregate at the bottom of the container due to gravity. Therefore, in order to obtain the required color, it is necessary to evenly disperse the above components in the liquid while maintaining a predetermined particle size. In this embodiment, by providing a second liquid stirring device 100 for stirring, such liquids can be stirred to disperse the particles and improve their uniformity. In particular, automating the stirring of the liquid can reduce the burden on the user.

[0118] <Device Overview> Figures 19 and 20 are perspective views of the liquid stirring device 100. Figure 19 is a perspective view of the liquid stirring device 100 from the front, and Figure 20 is a perspective view of the liquid stirring device 100 from the rear.

[0119] The liquid stirring device 100 comprises a storage unit 110 for containing liquid, a support unit 120 for rotatably supporting the storage unit 110, and a drive unit 130 for rotating the storage unit 110 supported by the support unit 120. These components are supported on the main body 22 of the liquid storage device 20A by a frame including frames 101 to 103.

[0120] In this embodiment, the liquid contained in the containment unit 110 is agitated by rotating the containment unit 110 around the rotation centerline CL, which is shown as a virtual line. By rotating the containment unit 110, the liquid can be agitated more effectively. The rotation centerline CL is a line that passes through the containment unit 110, and in this embodiment, its direction is the Y direction.

[0121] In this embodiment, two container support units 24 are configured to be insertable and removable from the front of the storage unit 110. This allows for simultaneous stirring of the liquids in the two containers 200. The two container support units 24 are mounted on the storage unit 110 in two stacked positions, one above the other. The number of container support units 24 that can be mounted may be three or more, or it may be just one.

[0122] The drive unit 130 is positioned at the rear of the housing unit 110, providing a relatively large space in front of the housing unit 110. This improves the ease with which the user can insert and remove the container support unit 24 from the housing unit 110. Furthermore, by making the liquid agitator 100 extend in the Y direction as a whole, the liquid agitator 100 can be made smaller in the X direction.

[0123] <Containment Unit> Refer to Figures 19 and 20. The housing unit 110 comprises a housing member 111 connected in the direction of the rotation centerline CL and an axis fixing member 118.

[0124] The housing member 111 is a hollow member that houses the container 200. The housing member 111 has a front end 111a, which is one end in the direction of the rotation centerline CL (Y direction), and a rear end 111b, which is the other end. Between the front end 111a and the rear end 111b, the outer wall portion 111c of the housing member 111 is formed by a cylindrical portion 112 and a rectangular tubular portion 113. The cylindrical portion 112 is formed on the side of the front end 111a rather than the rear end 111b, and the rectangular tubular portion 113 is formed from the cylindrical portion 112 on the side of the front end 111a and the side of the rear end 111b, respectively. The cylindrical portion 112 forms a cylindrical outer surface. The rectangular tubular portion 113 has a substantially square tubular shape. A fan-shaped cover member 111d is attached to the front end 111a, which covers the components from the front end 111a to the rear when the liquid stirring device 100 is viewed from the front.

[0125] Refer to Figures 21 and 22 in addition to Figures 19 and 20. Figure 21 is a front view of the upper and lower storage spaces 114 formed by the storage member 111, showing the state with the container support unit 24 removed from the storage space 114. Figure 22 also shows a front view of the upper and lower storage spaces 114, and in particular shows the configuration (cross-sectional shape) in which the container support unit 24 is housed in the storage space 114. The storage space 114 is formed over the entire area of ​​the cylindrical portion 112 and the rectangular tube portion 113. Unless otherwise specified, matters concerning direction in the following description assume that the storage unit 110 is in its initial position.

[0126] The internal space of the housing member 111 is divided into two levels, upper and lower, by a partition wall 114b extending in the XY direction, and housing spaces 114 are formed on the upper and lower sides of the partition wall 114b, respectively, along the rotational centerline CL. An opening 114a, which serves as an entrance and exit to the housing space 114, is provided at the front end 111a of the housing member 111.

[0127] The container support unit 24 is displaceable in the Y direction between a storage position in which the container 200 is housed in the storage space 114 and an retrieval position in which the container 200 is exposed to the outside of the storage unit 110. The container 200 can be replaced in the retrieval position. Because the container 200 can be replaced, liquid replenishment can be carried out quickly and the container support unit 24 can be reused. In addition, in this embodiment, there are almost no structures near the opening 114a that would interfere with the replacement work, so the ease of replacing the container 200 is also high.

[0128] In this embodiment, the container support unit 24 is separated from the storage space 114 at the removal position. However, the removal position may also be a position in which the end of the container support unit 24 is held within the storage space 114, as long as it is a position in which the container 200 can be replaced with the container support unit 24.

[0129] The rear side of the containment space 114 (the end 111b side of the containment member 111) is closed, and a needle member 110a protrudes in the Y direction from its wall. When the container support unit 24 is inserted into the containment space 114, the needle member 110a is inserted into the supply port 201a of the container support unit 24. When the needle member 110a is inserted into the supply port 201a, a flow path is formed that allows the liquid contained in the bag 202 supported by the container support unit 24 to flow out to the liquid discharge device 1, which is the destination.

[0130] In this embodiment, the storage space 114 is a flat rectangular parallelepiped-shaped space whose height in the Z direction is shorter than its width in the X direction and which extends in the Y direction. Alternatively, the storage space 114 may be a flat rectangular parallelepiped-shaped space whose height in the Z direction is longer than its width in the X direction and which extends in the Y direction.

[0131] The upper storage space 114 is defined by the top wall 114c, the left and right side walls 114d, and the partition wall 114b which serves as the bottom wall, while the lower storage space 114 is defined by the bottom wall 114e, the left and right side walls 114f, and the partition wall 114b which serves as the top wall. The partition wall 114b which serves as the bottom wall of the upper storage space 114 and the bottom wall 114e of the lower storage space 114 can be provided with engaging parts corresponding to the engaging parts 234 that hold the container support unit 24 in the storage position as described with reference to Figure 8.

[0132] Guide portions 114g are formed on the left and right side walls 114d of the upper storage space 114. The guide portions 114g have a stepped or inclined shoulder-shaped cross-section and extend in the Y direction. When inserting or removing the container support unit 24 from the storage space 114, the guide portions 114g function as rails that slide against the ribs 44b of the container support unit 24, guiding the displacement of the container support unit 24 in the insertion and removal direction. In addition, the guide portions 114g abut against the ribs 44b in a direction intersecting the direction of the rotation center line CL (the Z direction in the initial position), restricting the displacement of the container support unit 24 in this intersecting direction. This suppresses rattling of the container support unit 24 within the storage space 114 when the storage unit 110 rotates.

[0133] Similarly, guide portions 114h are formed on the left and right side walls 114f of the lower storage space 114. The guide portions 114h have a convex shape that protrudes downward from the partition wall 114b and extend in the Y direction. When inserting or removing the container support unit 24 from the storage space 114, the guide portions 114h function as rails that slide against the ribs 44b of the container support unit 24, guiding the displacement of the container support unit 24 in the insertion and removal direction. In addition, the guide portions 114h abut against the ribs 44b in a direction intersecting the direction of the rotation center line CL (the Z direction in the initial position), restricting the displacement of the container support unit 24 in this intersecting direction. This suppresses rattling of the container support unit 24 within the storage space 114 when the storage unit 110 rotates.

[0134] The pivot point PC of the storage unit 110 is located on the partition wall 114b. The pivot point PC is any point on the pivot center line CL. According to the configuration of this embodiment, since the pivot center line CL passes between the two storage spaces 114, the storage unit 110 can more evenly agitate the liquids in the two containers 200.

[0135] <Rotating support structure> The structure for rotatably supporting the housing unit 110 will be described with reference to Figures 19, 20, 23, and 24. Figure 23 is a front view of the liquid stirring device 100, mainly showing the rotatable support structure of the housing unit 110. Figure 24 is a perspective view showing the rear of the housing unit 110 with the drive unit 130 removed.

[0136] This section describes the challenges of a structure that rotatably supports the storage unit 110. If shafts are provided on the storage unit 110 at both ends of the rotation centerline CL, the presence of shafts and bearings may reduce the design flexibility or decrease user convenience. For example, in a structure in which the container support unit 24 is inserted into and removed from the storage unit 110, as in this embodiment, there may be constraints on the insertion / removal location and direction. Furthermore, in a structure that stores and agitates a large volume of liquid, it is necessary to strengthen the rigidity of the shafts and bearings considering the weight of the liquid.

[0137] In this embodiment, these problems are solved by combining a support unit 120, which is a shaftless support structure, with a support structure with a shaft (shaft member 117 and bearing member 103a, which will be described later).

[0138] The support unit 120 is a mechanism that abuts against the outer wall portion 111c of the housing unit 110 and supports the housing unit 110 so that it can rotate. In this embodiment, the support unit 120 supports the housing unit 110 so that it can rotate around the rotation center line CL by having multiple abutment portions 121 abut against the cylindrical portion 112 of the housing member 111. In this embodiment, the support unit 120 has two abutment portions 121, and these two abutment portions 121 abut against the cylindrical portion 112 at a contact position 112a that is spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion 112.

[0139] Each contact portion 121 in this embodiment is a roller supported by a bearing 122 around an axis parallel to the rotation centerline CL (Y direction). The bearing 122 is supported by the frame 101. The circumferential surface of the contact portion (roller) 121 contacts the cylindrical portion 112, and the storage unit 110 is placed between the two contact portions (rollers) 121 and can roll freely in place in the direction of arrow DR in Figure 23. Because the storage unit 110 is supported from below by the two contact portions 121, structural stability can be obtained without requiring significant rigidity reinforcement, even when the storage unit 110 contains a large volume of liquid and its weight increases.

[0140] The cylindrical portion 112 is formed on the front end 111a side of the housing member 111 rather than the rear end 111b, and the support unit 120 rotatably supports the housing unit 110 at a position on the front end 111a side rather than the rear end 111b. Near the opening 114a, which is the entrance and exit for inserting and removing the container support unit 24 into the housing space 114, the housing unit 110 is supported by the shaftless support unit 120. Since there are no shafts or bearings in front of the liquid stirring device 100, the convenience of inserting and removing the container support unit 24 by the user can be improved. In addition, the insertion and removal of the container support unit 24 may cause a load in the direction of gravity to act near the opening 114a. However, since the two contact portions 121 support the housing unit 110 from below near the opening 114a, these loads can be stably absorbed.

[0141] Furthermore, by making the housing member 111 a structure having a cylindrical portion 112 and a rectangular tube portion 113, it is possible to reduce the weight and decrease the moment of inertia of rotation compared to when the entire structure is formed from the cylindrical portion 112. The rectangular tube portion 113 has a long side portion 113a and a short side portion 113b that form its rectangular outline. In this embodiment, the relationship between the width WL of the long side portion 113a, the width WS of the short side portion 113b, and the radius R of the cylindrical portion 112 is WL > WS and WS < 2 × R. By making the width WS of the rectangular tube portion 113 smaller than the diameter (2 × R) of the cylindrical portion 112, it is possible to reduce the weight and decrease the moment of inertia of rotation.

[0142] On the other hand, the relationship WL > 2 × R holds, and the cylindrical portion 112 and the contact position 112a are located inside a virtual circle VC centered on the rotation center PC, passing through the outermost part of the housing unit 110. Therefore, the liquid agitator 100 can be miniaturized. The side wall 22c of the storage section 23B can be brought closer to the housing unit 110, allowing for miniaturization of the liquid agitator 100 in the X direction.

[0143] A shaft member 117 is provided at the rear of the housing unit 110 (on the side of the rear end 111b). The shaft member 117 is fixed to the end of the shaft fixing member 118 and extends along the rotation centerline CL. The shaft fixing member 118 is a hollow body having a flange portion 118a fixed to the rear end 111b of the housing unit 111 and a body portion 118b extending rearward from the flange portion 118a, and the shaft member 117 is fixed to the end of the body portion 118b. The frame 103 includes a plate-shaped bearing member 103a, and the shaft member 117 is supported by being inserted through the shaft hole 103b. By supporting the housing unit 110 rotatably not only with the support unit 120 but also with the shaft member 117 and the bearing member 103a, the wobble of the rotation center PC of the housing unit 110 can be prevented, and more stable rotation can be achieved. Since the shaft member 117 and the bearing member 103a are located on the opposite side of the housing unit 110 from the opening 114a, the convenience of inserting and removing the container support unit 24 by the user is not diminished.

[0144] The liquid stirring device 100 also includes a restricting unit 150 that restricts the displacement of the housing member 111 in a direction intersecting the rotation centerline CL. In this embodiment, the restricting unit 150 restricts the displacement of the housing member 111 upward in the Z direction. When the container support unit 24 is inserted or removed, an upward force acts on the front side of the housing unit 110, causing its posture to become oblique, which in turn applies a bending load to the shaft member 117. By providing the restricting unit 150, such changes in posture can be prevented.

[0145] The regulating unit 150 of this embodiment includes a plurality of contact portions 151 that are positioned above the rotation centerline CL and facing the cylindrical portion 112 in the Z direction. When the housing member 111 attempts to displace upward, the plurality of contact portions 151 come into contact with the cylindrical portion 112, physically preventing this displacement. The plurality of contact portions 151 may be in constant contact with the cylindrical portion 112, or they may be positioned slightly apart in the Z direction under normal circumstances.

[0146] In this embodiment, the regulating unit 150 is provided with two contact portions 151, which are spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion 112. Each contact portion 151 in this embodiment is a roller supported by a bearing 152 around an axis parallel to the rotation center line CL (Y direction). The bearing 152 is supported by the frame 102.

[0147] The two contact points 151 are positioned in the same X and Y directions as the two contact points 121 of the support unit 120. The set of two contact points 151 and bearing 152 and the set of two contact points 121 and bearing 122 of the support unit 120 can use the same parts. By sharing parts, the number of parts can be reduced.

[0148] <Drive Unit> The structure of the drive unit 130 will be described with reference to Figures 19 and 20. The drive unit 130 is positioned on the outside (rear side) of the rear end 111b of the housing member 111 in the direction of the rotation centerline CL. By positioning the drive unit 130 on the opposite side of the housing unit 110 from the opening 114a, the number of mechanisms present around the opening 114a can be reduced, improving the convenience of inserting and removing the container support unit 24 by the user.

[0149] The drive unit 130 is equipped with a motor 131 as a drive source. The motor 131 is fixed to a frame (not shown). A gear 132 is attached to the output shaft of the motor 131. In this embodiment, the motor 131 is a stepper motor. The amount of rotation of the housing unit 110 can be controlled by the amount of rotation of the motor 131. The motor 131 may be a DC motor, in which case a rotation amount sensor such as a rotary encoder may be provided to control its amount of rotation.

[0150] The drive unit 130 includes gears 133, 134, and 135. Gears 133 and 134 are rotatably supported on a frame (not shown). Gears 133 and 134 are each two-stage gears, with the larger gear of gear 133 meshing with gear 132, and the larger gear of gear 134 meshing with the smaller gear of gear 133. Also, gear 135 meshes with the smaller gear of gear 134. A torque limiter 133a is provided between the smaller and larger gears of gear 133, which can interrupt the transmission of drive between them. The torque limiter 133a prevents the motor 131 from being overloaded. Furthermore, if a user accidentally touches the housing unit 110 while it is rotating, the torque limiter 133a will interrupt the transmission of drive force, preventing a high load from being applied to the user's hand.

[0151] The gear 135 is fixed to the shaft member 117. When the motor 131 is driven, the driving force is transmitted to the shaft member 117, causing the housing unit 110 to rotate. The bearing member 103a is located between the gear 135 and the shaft fixing member 118, and these are used to position the housing unit 110 in the direction of its rotational centerline CL. In this embodiment, a gear mechanism is used as the mechanism for transmitting the driving force from the motor 131 to the shaft member 117, but other types of transmission mechanisms, such as a belt drive mechanism, may also be used.

[0152] <Example of stirring operation> Figure 25 shows an example of stirring operation (rotation of the storage unit 110) driven by the drive unit 130. State ST141 indicates that the storage unit 110 is in its initial position. In the initial position, the storage member 111 is in a horizontal position with its long side portion 113a horizontal. The support portion 40 of the container support unit 24 and the container 200 in the storage space 114 are also in a horizontal position, and the gusset portions 202a on both sides of the container 200 are at the same height.

[0153] State ST142 indicates an inclined state in which the storage unit 110 has rotated counterclockwise by an angle θ1 from its initial position. The position of the storage unit 110 in this state is called the left inclined position. The gussets 202a on both sides of the container 200 are such that the right gusset 202a is higher than the left gusset 202a in the figure. The liquid inside the container 200 flows from the right gusset 202a side to the left gusset 202a side.

[0154] State ST143 indicates an inclined state in which the storage unit 110 has rotated clockwise by an angle θ2 from its initial position. The position of the storage unit 110 in this state is called the right-tilted position. The gussets 202a on both sides of the container 200 are such that the left gusset 202a is higher than the right gusset 202a in the figure. The liquid inside the container 200 flows from the right gusset 202a side to the left gusset 202a side.

[0155] The liquid inside the container 200 can be stirred by repeatedly changing the orientation of the containment unit 110, for example, from state ST141 → state ST142 → state ST141 → state ST143 → state ST141 →...

[0156] When changing the orientation of the housing unit 110 from state ST142 to state ST143, the rotation may be temporarily stopped in the intermediate state ST141. Conversely, the orientation of the housing unit 110 may be continuously changed from state ST141 to state ST143 without stopping the rotation in the intermediate state ST141. The same applies when changing the orientation of the housing unit 110 from state ST143 to state ST142.

[0157] Alternatively, between state ST142 and state ST143, the orientation of the housing unit 110 may be changed multiple times in succession without stopping rotation in the intermediate state ST141, and then rotation may be stopped for a predetermined time in state ST141. This operation may then be repeated. By stopping rotation for a predetermined time in state ST141, the power consumption of the motor 131 can be reduced, while the uniformity of the liquid can be maintained by restarting rotation before the sedimentation of particles in the liquid progresses.

[0158] Angles θ1 and θ2 may be the same or different. Angles θ1 and θ2 may be the same when stirring is performed under certain conditions, and different when stirring is performed under different conditions. When angles θ1 and θ2 are different, their relative positions may be alternated between θ1 > θ2 and θ1 < θ2.

[0159] If angles θ1 and θ2 are too small, the stirring effect will decrease, and if they are too large, the container 200 may twist. Therefore, angles θ1 and θ2 may be selected from, for example, a range of 20 degrees or more and less than 90 degrees, or from a range of 60 degrees or more and 80 degrees or less. A specific angle, for example, may be 70 degrees.

[0160] The angles θ1 and θ2 may differ depending on the conditions under which the stirring operation is initiated. For example, a larger angle may be used under conditions where sedimentation is presumed to be occurring, and a smaller angle may be used under conditions where sedimentation is not presumed to be occurring.

[0161] The rotation control of the containment unit 110 involves accelerating from a stationary state, rotating at a constant speed, and then decelerating to a stop. If the rotation speed at the constant speed (the rotation speed of the motor 131) is too fast, it may place too much load on the container 200, and if it is too slow, it will take too long to stir. Therefore, the rotation speed at the constant speed may be selected from a range of, for example, 20 deg / sec to 160 deg / sec, or from a range of 30 deg / sec to 140 deg / sec. A relationship may be established between the rotation speed at the constant speed and angles θ1 and θ2. For example, if angles θ1 and θ2 are θα, the rotation speed may be set to V1, and if angles θ1 and θ2 are greater than θα (θβ), the rotation speed may be set to V2, which is slower than V1. This allows for a balance between reducing the load on the container 200 and maintaining the fluidity of the liquid.

[0162] <Restrictive structure for rotation range> If the containment unit 110 rotates too much, it can cause problems such as failure in the drive system or twisting in the tube that discharges the liquid, obstructing the flow of the liquid. One possible cause of over-rotation is that when a user inserts or removes the container support unit 24 into or from the containment unit 110, the user may accidentally rotate the containment unit 110 by hand. The liquid stirring device 100 of this embodiment is provided with a structure that physically restricts the range of rotation of the containment unit 110.

[0163] Refer to Figures 19, 20, 23, and 26-28. Figure 26 is an explanatory diagram of the rotation restricting unit 140, and Figures 27-28 show the rotation restricting behavior by the rotation restricting unit 140.

[0164] The liquid stirring device 100 includes a rotation restricting unit 140 that restricts the rotation range of the housing unit 110. The rotation restricting unit 140 includes stoppers 141 and 142 that physically restrict the rotation of the housing unit 110 by contacting it. By directly restricting the rotation of the housing unit 110 by contacting it, over-rotation of the housing unit 110 can be reliably prevented.

[0165] The stoppers 141 and 142 are block-shaped members fixed to the frame 101 and have inclined contact surfaces 141a and 142a. The stopper 141 contacts a contact portion 115 formed on the outer wall portion 111c of the housing unit 110, thereby defining the upper limit of the range of rotation of the housing unit 110 in one direction (rotation from state ST141 to state ST142 in Figure 25). The stopper 142 contacts a contact portion 116 formed on the outer wall portion 111c of the housing unit 110, thereby defining the upper limit of the range of rotation of the housing unit 110 in the other direction (rotation from state ST141 to state ST143 in Figure 25). In this embodiment, the angles of the upper limits of the rotation range defined by the stoppers 141 and 142 are the same.

[0166] The contact portions 115 and 116 are formed on the rectangular tubular portion 113, and in particular, on the long side portion 113a rather than the short side portion 113b. If the contact portions protrude from the short side portion 113b, their presence tends to increase the diameter of the virtual circle VC illustrated in Figure 23. This can lead to an increase in the size of the liquid stirring device 100 in the X and Z directions. By forming the contact portions 115 and 116 on a part of the long side portion 113a, the liquid stirring device 100 can be made smaller.

[0167] As shown in Figure 12, the contact surfaces 141a and 142a of the stoppers 141 and 142 are located inside the virtual circle VC. In other words, the contact positions of the stoppers 141 and 142 and the contact portions 115 and 116 in the radial direction of rotation of the housing unit 110 (radial direction of the virtual circle VC) are located inside the virtual circle VC. The positions of the stoppers 141 and 142 in the X and Z directions can be contained within a narrow range, and the liquid stirring device 100 can be made smaller in the X and Z directions.

[0168] As shown in Figure 26, when viewed in the direction of the rotation center line CL, the contact portion 115 and the contact portion 116 are separated by a distance W1 in the X direction relative to the contact position, and the stopper 141 and the stopper 142 are separated by a distance W2 in the X direction, so the relationship W1 > W2. Since the arrangement range of the stopper 141 and the stopper 142 in the X direction is contained within the width of the housing member 111, the liquid stirring device 100 can be made smaller in the X direction.

[0169] Furthermore, the contact portions 115 and 116 are formed at the X-direction end of the long side portion 113a (the boundary with the short side portion 113b). Because they are located relatively far from the rotation center PC, the rotation of the housing unit 110 can be more reliably restricted even if the rigidity of the stoppers 141 and 142 is relatively low.

[0170] Stoppers 141 and 142 are positioned spaced apart in the direction of the rotation centerline CL (Y direction). Corresponding to this arrangement of stoppers 141 and 142, contact portions 115 and 116 are also positioned spaced apart in the direction of the rotation centerline CL (Y direction). By offsetting stoppers 141 and 142 in the direction of the rotation centerline CL, the separation distance between stoppers 141 and 142 in the X direction can be shortened even if the rotation range of the housing unit 110 is increased. This makes it possible to miniaturize the liquid stirring device 100 in the X direction.

[0171] Figure 27 is a perspective view showing from two directions the state in which the rotation of the housing unit 110 is restricted by the stopper 141 contacting the contact portion 115. Further rotation of the housing unit 110 is physically restricted by the contact portion 115 contacting the contact surface 141a of the stopper 141. The housing member 111 has an interference avoidance portion 115' formed adjacent to the contact portion 115. In this embodiment, the interference avoidance portion 115' is a recess, which prevents interference between the stopper 142 and the housing member 111.

[0172] Figure 28 is a perspective view from two directions showing the state in which the rotation of the housing unit 110 is restricted by the stopper 142 contacting the contact portion 116. Further rotation of the housing unit 110 is physically restricted by the contact portion 116 contacting the contact surface 142a of the stopper 142. The housing member 111 has an interference avoidance portion 116' formed adjacent to the contact portion 116. In this embodiment, the interference avoidance portion 116' is a recess, which prevents interference between the stopper 141 and the housing member 111.

[0173] In this embodiment, the rotation range of the housing unit 110 is restricted by the contact between the stoppers 141 and 142 and the housing member 111, but the rotation range may be restricted using other parts. For example, the rotation range of the housing unit 110 may be restricted by bringing the stoppers into contact with the gears 133, 134, or 135 of the drive unit 130 to restrict their rotation.

[0174] <Rotation position detection> The housing unit 110 is accessible to the user, and its position may shift when the liquid agitator 100 is turned off. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a torque limiter 133a is provided in the drive transmission path of the drive unit 130, which may cause an error between the rotation amount of the motor 131 and the rotational position of the housing unit 110. If the recognition error of the rotational position of the housing unit 110 is large, the rotational control of the housing unit 110 may not be performed accurately during the agitation operation. In this embodiment, the recognition accuracy of the rotational position of the housing unit 110 is improved by providing a sensor that detects the position of the housing unit 110.

[0175] Refer to Figures 20, 27, 28, and 29. Figure 29 is an explanatory diagram of the position detection operation of the housing unit 110.

[0176] The housing unit 110 is provided with a detection piece 181 that rotates together with the housing unit 110 around the rotation centerline CL. In this embodiment, the detection piece 181 is integrally formed with a gear 135 and is fixed to the shaft member 117 using the gear 135. A sensor 180 that detects the detection piece 181 is fixed to the frame 103. The sensor 180 is, for example, an optical sensor, and detects whether or not the detection piece 181 is present at the detection position of the sensor 180. When the housing unit 110 is viewed from the rear, the detection position is the 3 o'clock position if likened to the face of a clock with the rotation center PC at the center (see Figure 29).

[0177] The detection piece 181 includes a portion extending around the rotation centerline CL, and the sensor 180 detects the detection piece 181 when the rotational position of the housing unit 110 is within a certain rotational range. In this embodiment, the detection piece 181 has an arc shape (or sector shape) centered on the rotation center CL, and in particular, in this embodiment, it has an arc shape that is half a circle.

[0178] In this embodiment, the reference position is defined as the position where the edge of the detection piece 181 crosses the sensor 180 (the position where the detection result changes, for example, from non-detection to detection). In this embodiment, the reference position corresponds to the initial position of the housing unit 110 (state ST141 in Figure 25). State ST182 in Figure 29 shows the positional relationship between the detection piece 181 and the sensor 180 when the housing unit 110 is in its initial position.

[0179] The detection piece 181 is provided so that it is detected by the sensor 180 while the housing unit 110 moves from its initial position to the left-tilted position shown in state ST142 in Figure 25. State ST183 in Figure 29 shows the position of the housing unit 110 during its rotation from its initial position to the left-tilted position (state ST142) in Figure 25.

[0180] The detection piece 181 is provided so that it is not detected by the sensor 180 while the housing unit 110 moves from its initial position to the rightward tilted position shown in state ST143 in Figure 25. State ST181 in Figure 29 shows the position of the housing unit 110 during its rotation from its initial position to the rightward tilted position (state ST143) in Figure 25.

[0181] An example of processing using the detection results of sensor 180 will be described. This processing can be executed by the control unit 32, which will be described later. First, an example of initialization processing to rotate the housing unit 110 to its initial position will be described with reference to Figure 29. Initialization processing can be performed, for example, when the liquid agitator 100 is powered on. Alternatively, initialization processing can be performed periodically after the liquid agitator 100 is powered on.

[0182] During the initialization process, the detection result from the sensor 180 is first obtained, and it is determined whether or not the detection piece 181 has been detected. If the detection piece 181 is not detected, as illustrated in state ST181 in Figure 29, it can be determined that the housing unit 110 has rotated to a position tilted to the right of its initial position (towards state ST143 in Figure 25). Therefore, the drive unit 130 rotates the housing unit 110 in the direction of arrow RL, and stops rotating the housing unit 110 at the position where the detection result from the sensor 180 changes from not detected to detected. The housing unit 110 then returns to its initial position.

[0183] As illustrated in state ST183 in Figure 29, when the detection piece 181 is detected, it can be determined that the housing unit 110 is rotated to the left of its initial position (towards state ST142 in Figure 25). Therefore, the drive unit 130 rotates the housing unit 110 in the direction of arrow RR. After passing the position where the sensor 180's detection result changes from detected to not detected, the rotation direction of the housing unit 110 is reversed, and the housing unit 110 is stopped at the position where the sensor 180's detection result changes from not detected to detected. The housing unit 110 will then be in its initial position.

[0184] In this embodiment, by making the shape of the detection piece 181 correspond to the rotational position of the housing unit 110, it is possible to determine from the detection result of the sensor 180 whether or not the unit has rotated in either direction relative to its initial position. As a result, the initialization process can be completed quickly.

[0185] Next, an example of error handling for rotation errors in the housing unit 110 during stirring will be described. In the stirring operation illustrated in Figure 25, each time the housing unit 110 passes through its initial position (state ST141), the detection result of the sensor 180 switches from non-detection to detection, or from detection to non-detection. If the detection result of the sensor 180 does not switch even when the rotation amount of the motor 131 reaches a predetermined amount, it can be determined that a foreign object has interfered with the drive unit 130 or the housing unit 110, making rotation impossible.

[0186] If the control unit 32 determines that rotation is impossible, it can perform error processing such as stopping the motor 131 and notifying the user. For example, it can display a message via the operation panel 10 or host computer 300 instructing the user to turn off the power to the liquid dispensing device 1 or the liquid stirring device 100 and initialize it, or it can announce this message by voice or other means. Alternatively, it can display an error code via the operation panel 10 or host computer 300, or announce the error code by voice or other means to guide the user to a service call.

[0187] In this embodiment, the detection piece 181 is integrally formed with the gear 135, but the location of the detection piece 181 is not limited to the gear 135. For example, the detection piece 181 may be provided on the housing member 111, or on the cylindrical portion 112.

[0188] <Liquid discharge structure> A structure for discharging liquid from a container 200 via a needle member 110a will be described. Between the rear end 111b of the housing member 111 and the shaft fixing member 118, a flow path forming member 119 is provided at the rear end 111b. Figure 30 shows the flow path forming member 119 and valve unit 170 at the rear end 111b of the housing member 111, and shows the state in which the shaft fixing member 118 has been removed from the rear end 111b. Figure 31 shows the flow path formed by the flow path forming member 119 and an example of the change in the posture of the flow path forming member 119 due to the rotation of the housing unit 110.

[0189] First, refer to Figure 31. The flow path forming member 119 forms a liquid flow path 119b and two liquid flow paths 119a that branch off from flow path 119b. An outlet hole 1903 is formed at the end of flow path 119b. A communication hole 1901 is formed at the end of each flow path 119a, which communicates with the needle members 110a of the upper and lower two-tiered storage space 114. A check valve 1902 is formed in the middle of flow path 119a. The liquid in the container 200 flows out to the outside of the storage unit 110 in the following order: needle member 110a → communication hole 1901 → flow path 119a → flow path 119b → outlet hole 1903.

[0190] State ST201 shows the orientation of the flow path forming member 119 when the housing unit 110 is in its initial position. State ST202 shows the orientation of the flow path forming member 119 when the housing unit 110 is in a left-tilted position (state ST142 in Figure 25). State ST203 shows the orientation of the flow path forming member 119 when the housing unit 110 is in a right-tilted position (state ST143 in Figure 25).

[0191] If the liquid agitator 100 does not operate for a long time while the containment unit 110 is in its initial position, particles contained in the liquid may settle around each branching point of the flow path 119b and the two flow paths 119a. However, in this embodiment, when the containment unit 110 rotates due to the agitation operation, the flow path forming member 119 also rotates, and its orientation changes. As the inclination of the flow paths 119a and 119b changes, the particles that had settled around each branching point can flow more easily with the liquid, preventing the flow paths 119a and 119b from becoming blocked by particles.

[0192] The valve unit 170 shown in Figure 30 is an electrically operated valve that switches between closing and opening the flow path 119a at positions 171' near each branching point of the flow path 119b and the two flow paths 119a. The valve unit 170 comprises two valve bodies 171 corresponding to the two positions 171', a motor 172 which is the drive source, and a position sensor 173 which detects the positions of the two valve bodies 171. The motor 172 drives the valve bodies 171 by a cam mechanism (not shown) built into the valve unit 170, switching between closing and opening the flow path 119a.

[0193] The valve unit 170 allows for the selection of blocking both of the two flow paths 119a or opening one of them. For example, if containers 200 containing the same type of liquid are housed in each of the two storage spaces 114, liquid can be supplied from one container 200 and the supply from the other container 200 can be stopped. When the liquid in one container 200 runs out, liquid can be supplied from the other container 200 and the supply from the first container 200 can be stopped. The empty container 200 can then be replaced with a new container 200.

[0194] <Tube routing structure> A flexible tube is connected to the outlet hole 1903, and the liquid is supplied to the liquid discharge device 1 through the tube. As shown in Figure 31, the flow path forming member 119 rotates as the housing unit 110 rotates, and the position of the outlet hole 1903 changes. It is necessary to prevent the tube from twisting or behaving unintentionally, causing it to come into contact with and damage surrounding structures due to this change in position. In this embodiment, this problem is solved by employing a structure that controls the behavior of the tube as the housing unit 110 rotates.

[0195] Refer to Figures 20, 24, 27, 28, and 32-34. Figure 32 is a rear view showing the rear of the housing unit 110, with the drive unit 130 removed except for the gear 135. Figure 33 is an explanatory diagram of the retaining member 165. Figure 34 is a diagram showing an example of the change in shape of the tube 160, etc., when the housing unit 110 rotates.

[0196] Tube 160 extends from the housing unit 110, with its end 160a connected to the outlet hole 1903. Tube 160 forms a discharge channel for the liquid (i.e., the liquid in container 200) discharged from the housing unit 110. A fixing member 161 is provided around the body 118b of the shaft fixing member 118. The fixing member 161 is a clip-type member that clamps an intermediate portion of tube 160, fixing that intermediate portion of tube 160 to the housing unit 110. The fixing member 161 rotates together with the housing unit 110 around the rotation centerline CL.

[0197] A fixing member 162 is provided on the frame 103. The fixing member 162 is a clip-type member that fixes an intermediate portion of the tube 160 downstream of the fixing member 161 in the direction of liquid outflow. Since the fixing member 162 is fixed to the frame 103, it is a stationary member that does not rotate with the housing unit 110. As shown in Figure 20, the fixing members 161 and 162 are arranged on a virtual plane VF perpendicular to the rotation center line CL. In this embodiment, the fixing members 161 and 162 are arranged on a common virtual plane, but the virtual plane VF on which the fixing member 161 is arranged and the virtual plane VF on which the fixing member 162 is arranged may be offset in the direction of the rotation center line CL. In that case, the tube 160 may be arranged in a spiral shape extending in the direction of the rotation center CL.

[0198] When the housing unit 110 is in its initial position, as shown in Figure 32, if we liken it to the face of a clock with the rotation center PC at the 2 o'clock position, the fixing member 161 is at the 2 o'clock position and the fixing member 162 is at the 10 o'clock position. The tube 160 extends clockwise from the end 160a, passing over the body portion 118b to the fixing member 161, and then clockwise again, passing under the body portion 118b to the fixing member 162. The tube 160 then extends further from the fixing member 162 (Figure 24). In Figures 32 and 33, only the section of the tube 160 from the end 160a to the fixing member 162 is shown. When viewed from the Y direction, the fixing members 161 and 162 are positioned at least inside the cylindrical portion 112. This makes it possible to reduce the range of movement of the tube 160 in the X direction as it rotates with the rotation of the housing unit 110.

[0199] The fixing member 161 fixes an intermediate portion of the tube 160 so as to be oriented in the tangential direction L1 rather than the radial direction L2 of a virtual circle on the XZ plane centered on the rotation center PC. In this embodiment, this intermediate portion is oriented in the tangential direction L1. Similarly, the fixing member 162 fixes an intermediate portion of the tube 160 so as to be oriented in the tangential direction L3 rather than the radial direction L4 of a virtual circle on the XZ plane centered on the rotation center PC. In this embodiment, this intermediate portion is oriented in the tangential direction L3. Therefore, in the tube section from the end 160a of the tube 160 to the fixing member 161, and in the tube section from the fixing member 161 to the fixing member 162, the tube 160 is arranged in an arc or spiral shape around the rotation center line CL. The fixing members 161 and 162 are configured to fix the tube 160 approximately parallel to the tangential directions L1 and L3, respectively. This allows the expanding direction of the tube 160, which rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the housing unit 110, to be guided in the direction of gravity, thereby reducing the load on the tube 160 and suppressing damage to the tube 160. As a result, the expansion of the tube 160 in the X direction is also reduced, making it possible to miniaturize the space in the X direction around which the tube 160 runs.

[0200] In this embodiment, the tube 160 is routed together with an electrical cable (e.g., a flexible flat cable) 163 and a flexible band member 164 in the tube section from fixing member 161 to fixing member 162.

[0201] The electrical cable 163 includes wiring for electrical components in the housing unit 110, such as the electrical wiring for the motor 172 and the sensor 173. Similar to the tube 160, the electrical cable 163 is fixed in place by a fixing member 161 at one point, and further downstream by a fixing member 162 at another point. In the cable section from fixing member 161 to fixing member 162, the electrical cable 163 is routed in an arc or spiral shape around the rotation centerline CL. The tube 160, electrical cable 163, fixing member 161, and fixing member 162 are arranged on the side of the housing member 111 closer to the rear end 111b than to the front end 111a, and in this embodiment, particularly further back than the rear end 111b. These configurations do not interfere with the user's insertion and removal of the container support unit 24 at the front end 111a, thereby improving user convenience.

[0202] The strip member 164 is, for example, a polyester film. The strip member 164 supports the tube 160 and the electrical cable 163, and further stabilizes the behavior of the tube 160 and the electrical cable 163 when the housing unit 110 rotates. The strip member 164 extends from the fixing member 161 to the fixing member 162.

[0203] Multiple holding members 165 are used to secure the tube 160 and electrical cable 163 together with the band member 164 for integrated routing. The multiple holding members 165 are positioned between fixing member 161 and fixing member 162 and are bundling members that securely bundle the tube 160, electrical cable 163, and band member 164 together. Figure 33 is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of the holding member 165, which has a configuration that clamps each intermediate part of the tube 160, electrical cable 163, and band member 164 with a gap 165a. The holding members 165 prevent the tube 160, electrical cable 163, and band member 164 from coming apart.

[0204] Referring to Figure 34, the behavior of the tube 160, electrical cable 163, and band member 164 (hereinafter referred to as "tube 160, etc.") when the housing unit 110 is rotated will be explained. State ST221 indicates the state in which the housing unit 110 is in its initial position. In the space between fixing member 161 and fixing member 162, the tube 160, etc. has a moderate amount of play or slack.

[0205] State ST222 shows the configuration of the tube 160, etc., when the housing unit 110 is in a left-tilting position (state ST142 in Figure 25). Compared to state ST221, in state ST222 the length of the section between fixing member 161 and fixing member 162 in the clockwise direction of the figure is shorter, and the two are closer together. The amount of play or slack in the tube 160, etc., in the section from fixing member 161 to fixing member 162 increases, and the radius of the arc traced by this section becomes larger.

[0206] State ST223 shows the configuration of the tube 160, etc., when the housing unit 110 is in a rightward tilt position (state ST143 in Figure 25). Compared to state ST221, in state ST223 the length of the section between fixing member 161 and fixing member 162 in the clockwise direction of the figure is longer, and the two are separated. The amount of play or slack in the tube 160, etc., in the section from fixing member 161 to fixing member 162 is reduced, and the radius of the arc drawn by this section becomes smaller. The tube 160, etc., is close to the circumferential surface of the body 118b, but does not come into contact with it, and the tube 160, etc., does not come into contact with the valve unit 170.

[0207] In this embodiment, the routing configuration is such that the radius of the arc traced by the tube 160 changes depending on the direction of rotation of the housing unit 110, thereby controlling the behavior of the tube as the housing unit 110 rotates. As a result, twisting and unintended behavior of the tube 160 can be prevented. Furthermore, similar to the first stirring mechanism described above, an electrically operated flow valve is provided at an intermediate point in the tube 160. With this configuration, the tube 160 can be closed and opened by opening and closing the flow valve.

[0208] <Control circuit> The configuration of the control circuit of System A will be described with reference to Figure 35. Figure 35 is a block diagram of the control circuit of System A. The main control unit 30 controls the entire System A in response to instructions from the host computer 300 and the operation panel 10. Control unit 31 controls the liquid dispensing device 1 based on instructions from the main control unit 30, and control unit 32 controls the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B based on instructions from the main control unit 30. The main control unit 30, control units 31 and 32 each include, for example, at least one processor, at least one storage device, and at least one input / output interface. The storage device is, for example, a semiconductor memory such as RAM or ROM. The input / output interface performs signal input and output between the processor and external devices (sensors, motors, etc.).

[0209] The discharge control unit 35 controls the discharge head 8, particularly the discharge of liquid. The actuator group 34 includes a transport motor, which is the drive source for the transport unit 6; a carriage motor, which is the drive source for the carriage (not shown) movement mechanism; a winding motor, which is the drive source for the winding unit 5; and a recovery motor, which is the drive source for the recovery unit 9. Furthermore, the actuator group 34 includes a cutter motor, which is the drive source for a cutter (not shown) that cuts the recording medium M after image recording. The sensor group 33 includes various sensors provided by the liquid discharge device 1.

[0210] The clock unit 38 is a counter that outputs the elapsed time count result to the control unit 32. When the stirring period of the liquid is managed by time, the count result of the clock unit 38 can be used. Furthermore, the stirring timing can also be determined using the count result of the clock unit 38.

[0211] The actuator group 37 includes the motor 635 of the pressing unit 600, which is the mechanism for the first stirring, the motors 131 and 172 of the liquid stirring device 100, which is the mechanism for the second stirring, and the flow valve 52, etc. The sensor group 36 includes the sensor 23C, the sensor 58, the remaining amount detection sensor 230A, and the sensors 26 and 180 of the liquid stirring device 100, etc.

[0212] <Example of control circuit processing> This section describes an example of processing performed by the control unit 32 regarding the stirring operation of the liquid stirring device 100. Here, we will describe stirring operation using the rotation restricting unit 140. As described above, the rotation restricting unit 140 has a structure that physically restricts the rotation range of the housing unit 110. On the other hand, by intentionally causing the contact parts 115 and 116 to collide with the stoppers 141 and 142, it is possible to apply an impact to the housing unit 110 and improve the stirring effect of the liquid. However, when the contact parts 115 and 116 come into contact with the stoppers 141 and 142, a knocking sound may be produced. Therefore, operating conditions are predetermined, and one of the following rotation operations, in which the rotation range of the housing unit 110 differs depending on whether the operating conditions are met or not, is performed.

[0213] Figure 36 shows an example of the rotational operation of the housing unit 110 when normal stirring action is produced. State ST251 shows the state in which the housing unit 110 is in its initial position. State ST252 shows the state in which the housing unit 110 has been rotated to a leftward tilt position. At this time, the rotational direction of the housing unit 110 is switched to the reverse direction before the contact portion 115 contacts the stopper 141. As an example, the amount of rotation of the motor 131 is controlled so that the rotation of the housing unit 110 stops before the contact portion 115 contacts the stopper 141, and then the motor 131 is rotated in the reverse direction. Since the contact portion 115 does not contact the stopper 141, the generation of knocking noise can be prevented.

[0214] State ST253 indicates that the housing unit 110 has been rotated to a rightward tilt position. Similarly, the rotation direction of the housing unit 110 is reversed before the contact portion 116 contacts the stopper 142. For example, the amount of rotation of the motor 131 is controlled so that the rotation of the housing unit 110 stops before the contact portion 116 contacts the stopper 142, and then the motor 131 is rotated in the reverse direction. Since the contact portion 116 does not contact the stopper 142, the generation of a knocking sound can be prevented.

[0215] Figure 37 shows an example of the rotational movement of the containment unit 110 when a high stirring action is generated. This rotational movement is performed, for example, when the power to system A is turned on, when the power to the liquid stirring device 100 is turned on, when the container 200 is replaced, or when using a container 200 that has been stored at rest for a long period of time.

[0216] State ST261 indicates the state in which the housing unit 110 is in its initial position. State ST262 indicates the state in which the housing unit 110 has been rotated to a leftward tilt position. At this time, after the contact portion 115 contacts the stopper 141, the rotation direction of the housing unit 110 is switched to the reverse direction. For example, the amount of rotation of the motor 131 is controlled so that the rotation of the housing unit 110 continues until the contact portion 115 contacts the stopper 141, and then the motor 131 is stopped and rotated in the reverse direction. As the contact portion 115 contacts the stopper 141, an impact is applied to the housing unit 110, improving the stirring performance of the liquid in the container 200. Even if an impact is applied to the housing unit 110, the transmission of the impact to the motor 131 is cut off by the torque limiter 133a, so the impact on the drive system can be suppressed.

[0217] State ST263 shows the state in which the housing unit 110 has been rotated to a rightward tilt position. Similarly, after the contact portion 116 contacts the stopper 142, the rotation direction of the housing unit 110 is reversed. For example, the amount of rotation of the motor 131 is controlled so that the rotation of the housing unit 110 continues until the contact portion 116 contacts the stopper 142, and then the motor 131 is stopped and rotated in the reverse direction. As the contact portion 116 contacts the stopper 142, an impact is applied to the housing unit 110, improving the stirring performance of the liquid in the container 200.

[0218] In addition, in the rotational movement shown in Figure 37, the impact may be controlled to act only at one of the tilted positions. Specifically, at the left tilted position, the rotational direction of the housing unit 110 is reversed after the contact portion 115 contacts the stopper 141. However, at the right tilted position, the rotational direction of the housing unit 110 is reversed before the contact portion 116 contacts the stopper 142, so that the contact portion 116 does not contact the stopper 142.

[0219] Conversely, in the rightward tilt position, the rotation direction of the housing unit 110 is reversed after the contact portion 116 contacts the stopper 142. However, in the leftward tilt position, the rotation direction of the housing unit 110 is reversed before the contact portion 115 contacts the stopper 141, so that the contact portion 115 does not contact the stopper 141.

[0220] In this manner, when controlling the impact to act only on one side of the tilt position, the combination of the contact part and the stopper that collide may be changed under predetermined conditions. For example, after a predetermined number of rotational movements causing the contact part 115 and the stopper 141 to collide, the combination of the contact part and the stopper that collide is changed to the contact part 116 and the stopper 142. Then, after a predetermined number of rotational movements causing the contact part 116 and the stopper 142 to collide, the combination of the contact part and the stopper that collide is changed again to the contact part 115 and the stopper 141. The conditions for changing the combination may be the number of rotational movements, as well as the time or duration of the rotational movements.

[0221] <Eliminating sedimentation through liquid circulation> In the above description, the white ink was described in a configuration in which the liquid inside the container is stirred by rotating the white ink container 200. In this embodiment, in addition to that, a configuration is provided in which the white ink is circulated in the liquid flow path between the container 200 and the discharge head 8 to eliminate the settling of particles in the liquid. This is because white ink is prone to settling, and therefore this configuration makes it less likely for particles to settle compared to other colored inks.

[0222] Figure 38 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the circulation mechanism 700 for circulating white ink. Figure 39 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of the circulation mechanism 700 as seen from the rear side of the liquid storage device 20A.

[0223] In Figures 38 and 39, as previously described, a liquid stirring device 100 is provided in the liquid storage device 20A for stirring the white ink. A tube 21a forming a supply channel 701 is connected to a container 200 attached to the liquid stirring device 100, and the liquid in the container 200 is supplied to the discharge head 8 via the supply channel 701. A flow channel valve 52 is provided near the container 200 in the supply channel 701, which can switch between a state where the liquid can flow through the supply channel 701 and a state where it is blocked.

[0224] Downstream of the flow valve 52 in the supply channel 701, a pressurizing unit 702 equipped with a pump is located. The pressurizing unit 702 is driven when the liquid is initially filled into the discharge head 8. Alternatively, if the pressure in the supply channel 701 decreases due to ink consumption caused by liquid discharge or the recovery operation of the discharge head 8, it is driven to increase the pressure in the supply channel 701. A pressurizing unit 702 is also located in the storage section 23A where the color ink containers 200 are located, and performs the same function as in the case of white ink.

[0225] The supply channel 701 branches into a circulation channel 706 connecting branch points 701a and 701b at branch point 701a, located upstream in the supply direction, and branch point 701b, located immediately before the discharge head 8 downstream. A circulation unit 704 with a pump is located near branch point 701a in the circulation channel 706.

[0226] In the circulation mechanism 700 configured in this way, by driving the pump of the circulation unit 704 with the flow valve 52 closed, the liquid flows in the direction indicated by arrow A in Figure 38, circulating through the supply channel 701 and the circulation channel 706. This eliminates and suppresses sedimentation in the liquid within the supply channel 701.

[0227] <Power consumption of System A> In recording devices that record by ejecting liquid ink onto a recording medium, the permissible power consumption is generally around 3KW to 5KW. Recording devices that eject liquid include methods such as those that eject liquid using the pressure of bubbles generated by heating the liquid with a heater, and those that eject liquid using a piezoelectric element, but in either case, power is consumed for liquid ejection. Therefore, of the above-mentioned permissible power consumption, about 2KW to 3KW is consumed by the liquid ejection operation. In addition, there is power consumed by various drive units in the recording device, and in the liquid ejection device 1 and liquid supply device (liquid storage devices 20A, 20B) of this embodiment, the breakdown is as follows, for example. (1) Power consumed for the dispensing operation As mentioned above, 2KW to 3KW is required. (2) Power consumed to open and close the flow valve 52 Each flow path valve 52 is provided for each liquid color, and it takes 0.2 seconds to open and close each valve. Furthermore, each valve requires, for example, 4.5W to operate. In this embodiment, since four colors of ink, including white ink, are stored in liquid storage device 20A, and five colors of ink are stored in liquid storage device 20B, if the flow path valves 52 are driven simultaneously, a total power consumption of 4.5 × 9 colors = 40.5W will be consumed. While it is considered rare for these to be driven simultaneously, they may occur in conjunction with ink ejection and suction operations, as well as spontaneously by the user, such as when replacing the container 200. (3) Power consumed to drive the pressurizing unit 702 As already explained, the pressurizing unit 702 is activated when ink is consumed during initial ink filling, ink ejection, or when the suction of the ejection head 8 recovers, causing a pressure drop in the supply channel. When the pressurizing unit 702 is activated in response to ink ejection, approximately 5 seconds of operation is required. When the pressurizing unit 702 is activated in response to the suction recovery of the ejection head 8, approximately 100 seconds of operation is required. The power consumption due to the operation of the pressurizing unit 702 is, for example, 15W. (4) Power consumed for stirring the color inks The color inks in the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B are stirred by the pressing units 600. Since color inks are less prone to sedimentation than white inks, in this embodiment, the pressing units 600 of the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B only need to stir for 25 minutes once a day, for example. The power consumption of each pressing unit 600 is, for example, 20W. When both pressing units 600 are driven simultaneously, the power consumption becomes 40W. (5) Power consumed for stirring the white ink The white ink stored in the liquid storage device 20A is stirred by the liquid stirring device 100. Because the white ink is prone to sedimentation, the liquid stirring device 100 repeats a periodic operation, for example, 10 minutes of operation followed by 25 minutes of rest, and then 10 minutes of operation. The power consumption of the liquid stirring device 100 is, for example, 10W. (6) Power consumed for the circulation of white ink The circulation of the white ink stored in the liquid storage device 20A is performed by the circulation mechanism 700. Because the white ink is prone to sedimentation, the circulation operation repeats a periodic cycle, for example, 3 minutes of circulation → 15 minutes of rest → 3 minutes of circulation. The power consumption of the circulation mechanism 700 is, for example, 8W.

[0228] The actions and times described in (4) to (6) above for eliminating sedimentation are examples only and can be modified to ensure appropriate sedimentation elimination depending on the ink composition, the condition of the equipment, etc.

[0229] <Power consumption reduction operation> As described above, in the recording device, a large amount of power is consumed by the liquid ejection operation, so the power that can be consumed by the liquid supply device (liquid storage devices 20A and 20B) is relatively small, for example, around 300W to 400W. In this embodiment, after ejecting ink onto the recording medium, a fixing operation is performed in which the ink is fixed to the recording medium 101 by heating and drying. Since power is also consumed for this heating, the power that can be consumed by the liquid supply device is further reduced. In addition, the operation of the pressurizing unit 702 and the flow path valve 52 may occur suddenly during the ejection operation or the fixing operation. For this reason, it is desirable to reduce the power consumption due to the liquid stirring and circulation operations as much as possible.

[0230] On the other hand, since the liquid agitation and circulation operations in a liquid supply device are performed at different cycles, multiple drive units may be driven simultaneously. In such cases, it is possible that the power consumption may momentarily exceed the allowable limit.

[0231] Therefore, in this embodiment, when power consumption is high, such as during liquid discharge or fixing operations, at least a portion of the liquid stirring and circulation drives are distributed over time. Similarly, in modes where power consumption needs to be suppressed, such as sleep mode, at least a portion of the liquid stirring and circulation drives are also distributed. This operation makes it possible to suppress the power consumption of the entire system.

[0232] Furthermore, if the recording system is neither in discharge operation, fixing operation, nor sleep mode, there is no need to deliberately stagger the stirring and circulation drives over time. This is because staggering them may necessitate extending the stirring time when restarting an interrupted stirring drive, potentially increasing overall power consumption.

[0233] Furthermore, since the fixing process may also require a significant amount of power, the liquid may be agitated, circulated, or both may be disabled during the fixing process.

[0234] Figure 40 is a timing chart showing the operating timings for the liquid agitation drive and circulation drive.

[0235] Figure 40(a) shows an example where the stirring and circulation of the liquid are not dispersed over time. For the white ink, the stirring and circulation are repeated periodically and continuously. Therefore, when the stirring and circulation of the liquid are not dispersed over time as shown in Figure 40(a), a timing occurs where the circulation of the white ink, the stirring of the white ink, and the stirring of the color ink all occur simultaneously, as shown at time T0. In this case, 8W is consumed for the circulation of the white ink, 10W for the stirring of the white ink, and 20W each for the stirring of the color ink in liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, for a total power consumption of 58W.

[0236] On the other hand, Figure 40(b) shows an example where the drive is distributed over time. Figure 40(b) shows an example where priority is given to the execution of particle sedimentation elimination operations depending on the ink color. When prioritizing, for example, white ink is given a higher priority than the stirring of colored inks because particle sedimentation is more likely to occur. Also, regarding the circulation and stirring of white ink, priority is given to eliminating sedimentation by circulation. This is because the white ink in the supply channel 701 is supplied to the discharge head 8 before the white ink contained in the container 200, so the sedimentation of the white ink just before the discharge head 8 is eliminated and the concentration of the discharged ink is made uniform. Furthermore, as already explained, the colored ink stored in the liquid storage device 20A (called the R tower) has a higher viscosity than the colored ink stored in the liquid storage device 20B (called the L tower). In other words, the colored ink stored in the liquid storage device 20A is more likely to sedimentation. Therefore, stirring the color ink stored in liquid storage device 20A is given priority over stirring the color ink stored in liquid storage device 20B.

[0237] When stirring liquids in this order of priority, for example, if the cycle of the white ink circulation 804 comes around while stirring 802 of the white ink in Figure 40(a) is in progress, stirring 802 is interrupted and circulation 804 is executed. The interrupted stirring 802 is then divided into stirring 802A and stirring 802B, as shown in Figure 40(b), and executed.

[0238] Furthermore, for colored inks, the agitation 806 of the colored ink in liquid storage device 20A is given priority over the agitation 807 of the colored ink in liquid storage device 20B. If the cycle of the circulation 808 of the white ink comes around during the agitation 806 of the colored ink, agitation 806 is interrupted and circulation 808 is executed. Also, in Figure 40(a), the timing of the circulation 810 of the white ink and the agitation 812 of the white ink overlap with the agitation 806 of the colored ink. In this case as well, the agitation 806 of the colored ink is interrupted and the circulation 810 and agitation 812 of the white ink are given priority. As a result, the agitation 806 of the colored ink is divided and executed as agitation 806A, 806B, and 806C. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 40(b), the stirring of the color ink 807 in the liquid storage device 20B is performed in sections as shown in 807A to 807C, after the stirring of the color ink 806 (806A, 806B, 806C) in the liquid storage device 20A is completed, while avoiding the circulation and stirring of the white ink.

[0239] In this manner, if a higher-priority drive coincides with a drive in the middle of the process, the lower-priority drive is interrupted and the higher-priority drive is executed first. By following this procedure and distributing the stirring and circulation drives over time, the power consumed by stirring and circulation can be reduced to 20W or less, as shown in Figure 40(b). This reduces power consumption to about one-third of the 58W consumed when the drives are not distributed.

[0240] The priority order for the liquid particle sedimentation and dispersal operations described above is just one example, and the operations do not necessarily have to be performed in this order. For example, stirring the white ink may be given priority over circulating the white ink.

[0241] Furthermore, in this embodiment, while the liquid is being supplied from the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B to the discharge head 8, no agitation of the liquid is performed.

[0242] <Control of liquid stirring> Next, we will explain the control of operations that distribute the stirring drive over time. In the above explanation, we described the case in which the liquid storage device 20A is equipped with a liquid stirring device 100 for white ink. However, from here on, we will explain assuming that only color inks are installed in the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, and that the liquid stirring device for white ink is located as a separate unit from the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B.

[0243] Figure 41 is a flowchart showing the stirring operation of the color ink in the liquid storage device 20A or 20B. The operations in this flowchart are performed when power consumption is high, such as during liquid dispensing or fixing operations, or in modes where power consumption needs to be suppressed, such as sleep mode. This also applies to the operations in subsequent flowcharts.

[0244] The operation of this flowchart is realized by the control unit 32 shown in Figure 35 executing the control program stored internally. This is also true for the operation of the flowcharts shown later. Also, "S" indicates the step number.

[0245] In Figure 41, when the power to the liquid dispensing device 1 is turned on, in S101, the control unit 32 determines whether 24 hours or more have passed since the end of the previous stirring drive of the color ink. In this embodiment, the stirring of the color ink is performed once a day for 25 minutes, so here, it is determined whether one day has passed since the previous stirring. If 24 hours or more have passed, the control unit 32 proceeds to S102; otherwise, it repeats the process in S101.

[0246] In S102, the control unit 32 determines whether or not other liquid agitation or circulation drives are currently in operation. If no other drives are in operation, the control unit 32 proceeds to S103; otherwise, it repeats the process in S102.

[0247] In S103, the control unit 32 sets the remaining execution time T of the color ink stirring drive to 25 minutes, which is the scheduled stirring time.

[0248] In S104, the control unit 32 starts the stirring drive of the color ink and counts down the remaining stirring time T from 25 minutes.

[0249] In S105, the control unit 32 determines whether it has reached the start timing of a drive with a higher priority than the color ink stirring drive. If the control unit 32 has reached the start timing of a drive with a higher priority, it proceeds to S106; otherwise, it proceeds to S107.

[0250] In S106, the control unit 32 stops the stirring of the color ink and executes another drive with a higher priority. The control unit 32 repeats S105 and S106 to wait for the completion of another drive with a higher priority.

[0251] In S107, the control unit 32 determines whether the remaining execution time T of the color ink stirring drive has become 0 minutes. If the remaining execution time T has become 0 minutes, the control unit 32 ends this flow, assuming that the once-a-day stirring drive of the color ink has been completed. If the remaining execution time T has not become 0 minutes, it returns the process to S104 and repeats the processes of S104 to S107.

[0252] By performing the operations as described above, when it is the timing for executing another drive with a higher priority, the stirring drive of the color ink is stopped and the drive with a higher priority is executed. The stirring drive of the color ink is restarted after the drive with a higher priority is completed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a plurality of drives from overlapping and increasing the power consumption. As a result, when the power consumption increases during the liquid ejection operation or the fixing operation of the liquid ejection device 1, or in a mode where power consumption suppression is required, such as the sleep mode, the overall power consumption of the system can be suppressed.

[0253] The above describes a case where the stirring of the color ink is automatically interrupted when a high-priority drive is performed, and the stirring of the color ink is resumed when the high-priority drive is completed. However, in addition to this, for example, if the user performs an action such as replacing the liquid container 200, the stirring operation is automatically interrupted and resumed after the replacement work is completed.

[0254] Furthermore, if there are concerns about overlapping agitation drives, the user may be allowed to set the start time of agitation for the color inks using the control panel 10, as shown in Figure 42. This makes it possible to intentionally set the ink agitation drive to a time when power is not strained.

[0255] Furthermore, there may be cases where the agitation drive pause time becomes too long due to prioritizing other higher-priority drives. In such cases, when agitation is resumed, the control after resuming agitation may be changed from the normal agitation drive, such as by extending the drive time or increasing the drive speed.

[0256] [Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of control that distributes the stirring drive over time will be described. In the second embodiment, if the stirring drive of the color ink is interrupted, a threshold is set for the remaining execution time of the stirring drive, and if the remaining execution time exceeds the threshold, the remaining execution time of the stirring drive is reset to the initial value. In addition, if the interruption time of stirring is longer than a predetermined time, the drive time when the stirring drive is resumed is set to be longer.

[0257] Figure 43 is a flowchart showing the stirring operation of the color ink in the liquid storage device 20A or 20B.

[0258] In Figure 43, when the power to the liquid dispensing device 1 is turned on, in S121, the control unit 32 determines whether 24 hours or more have passed since the end of the previous stirring drive of the color ink. In this embodiment, the stirring of the color ink is performed once a day for 25 minutes, so here, it is determined whether one day has passed since the previous stirring. If 24 hours or more have passed, the control unit 32 proceeds to S122; otherwise, it repeats the process in S121.

[0259] In S122, the control unit 32 determines whether or not other liquid agitation or circulation drives are currently in operation. If no other drives are in operation, the control unit 32 proceeds to S123; otherwise, it repeats the process in S122.

[0260] In S123, the control unit 32 determines whether 36 hours or more have passed since the end of the previous stirring drive of the color ink. If 36 hours or more have passed, the control unit 32 proceeds to S124; otherwise, it proceeds to S125. Since a long pause in stirring of the color ink leads to the sedimentation of particles in the ink, the stirring control is changed depending on whether the pause is the normal time (24 hours) or longer than normal (36 hours or more in this example).

[0261] In S124, the control unit 32 sets time Y, which is used to set the remaining execution time for stirring the color inks, to 50 minutes, which is longer than usual. It also sets time Z, which is the threshold for the remaining execution time for stirring if stirring is interrupted, to 30 minutes.

[0262] In S125, the control unit 32 sets time Y, which is the remaining execution time for stirring the color ink, to the normal 25 minutes. It also sets time Z, which is the threshold for the remaining execution time for stirring if stirring is interrupted, to 15 minutes.

[0263] In S126, the control unit 32 sets the remaining execution time T for color ink stirring to the value of Y set in S124 or S125.

[0264] In S127, the control unit 32 starts stirring the color ink and counts down time T.

[0265] In S128, the control unit 32 determines whether it is time to start a drive with a higher priority than the color ink stirring drive. If it is time to start a higher-priority drive, the control unit 32 proceeds to S130; otherwise, it proceeds to S129.

[0266] In S129, the control unit 32 determines whether the remaining execution time T for the color ink stirring drive has reached 0 minutes. If the remaining execution time T has reached 0 minutes, the control unit 32 considers the daily stirring drive of the color ink to be complete and terminates this flow. If time T has not reached 0 minutes, the process returns to S127 and repeats the processes from S127 to S135.

[0267] In S130, the control unit 32 determines whether the remaining execution time T for the stirring drive is less than 1 minute. If it is less than 1 minute, the control unit 32 proceeds to S131; otherwise, it proceeds to S133.

[0268] In step S131, the control unit 32, because the remaining time for stirring the color ink is short (less than 1 minute), puts high-priority drives on hold for a short time and then performs stirring the color ink in order to complete the stirring process.

[0269] In S132, the control unit 32 determines whether the remaining execution time T for the color ink stirring drive has reached 0 minutes. If the remaining execution time T has reached 0 minutes, the control unit 32 considers the daily stirring drive of the color ink to be complete and terminates this flow. If time T is not yet 0 minutes, the process returns to S131 and the processes of S131 and S132 are repeated.

[0270] In step S133, the control unit 32 stops the agitation drive of the color ink in order to execute a higher-priority drive.

[0271] In S134, the control unit 32 determines whether a drive with a high priority is being executed. The control unit 32 repeats the process of S134 until the drive with a high priority ends.

[0272] In S135, the control unit 32 determines whether the remaining execution time T when the stirring drive of the color ink is interrupted and then restarted is longer than Z. If the remaining execution time T is longer than the threshold value Z, the control unit 32 determines that the stirring of the color ink has been interrupted while the stirring has not been carried out very much yet, returns the process to S126, and resets the remaining execution time T of the stirring to Y. As a result, when the stirring of the color ink is interrupted at the initial stage of the start, the operation is to restart the stirring from the beginning. On the other hand, if the remaining execution time T is less than or equal to the threshold value Z, the process proceeds to S127, and the stirring is continued according to the current remaining execution time T.

[0273] As described above, according to the present embodiment, based on the pause time of the stirring of the color ink, the stirring time when the stirring of the color ink is restarted is changed. Specifically, when the pause time of the stirring of the color ink becomes longer, the stirring time when the stirring of the color ink is restarted is made longer. As a result, even when the pause time is long, it is possible to sufficiently stir the color ink. Further, when the stirring is interrupted at the initial stage of the start of the stirring of the color ink and the stirring is restarted, by resetting the stirring time and restarting from the beginning, it is also possible to sufficiently stir the color ink.

[0274] [Third Embodiment] Next, a third embodiment of the control for performing the stirring drive in a time - dispersed manner will be described. In the third embodiment, as described in the first half of the first embodiment, the case where the liquid storage device 20A is provided with the white ink liquid stirring device 100 will be described, but it is also applicable when the white ink stirring device is a separate unit from the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B.

[0275] FIG. 44 is a flowchart showing the stirring operation of the white ink in the liquid stirring device 100.

[0276] In Figure 44, when the power to the liquid dispensing device 1 is turned on, in S151, the control unit 32 determines whether 25 minutes or more have passed since the end of the previous stirring drive of the white ink. In this embodiment, the stirring of the white ink is performed in a cycle of 10 minutes of operation → 25 minutes of rest → 10 minutes of operation, so here it determines whether 25 minutes have passed since the previous stirring. If 25 minutes or more have passed, the control unit 32 proceeds to S152; otherwise, it repeats the process in S151.

[0277] In S152, the control unit 32 determines whether a drive with a higher priority than the agitation drive of the white ink is currently being executed. In this embodiment, the drive with a higher priority than the agitation drive of the white ink is the circulation drive of the white ink. The control unit 32 repeats the process in S152 until the high-priority circulation drive is completed.

[0278] In S153, the control unit 32 sets the remaining execution time T for the white ink stirring drive to 10 minutes, which is the scheduled stirring time.

[0279] In S154, the control unit 32 starts the stirring drive for the white ink and counts down the remaining stirring time T from 10 minutes.

[0280] In S155, the control unit 32 determines whether it is time to start the circulation drive, which has a higher priority than the stirring drive of the white ink. If it is time to start the circulation drive with higher priority, the control unit 32 proceeds to S156; otherwise, it proceeds to S157.

[0281] In S156, the control unit 32 stops stirring the white ink and executes a higher-priority circulation drive. The control unit 32 waits for the higher-priority circulation drive to finish by repeating S155 and S156.

[0282] In S157, the control unit 32 determines whether the remaining execution time T for the agitation drive of the white ink has reached 0 minutes. If the remaining execution time T has reached 0 minutes, the control unit 32 considers that one cycle of agitation drive of the white ink is complete and terminates this flow. If time T has not reached 0 minutes, the process returns to S154 and repeats the process from S154 to S157.

[0283] By performing the above operations, when other higher-priority drives are executed, the agitation drive for the white ink is stopped and the higher-priority drives are executed. The agitation drive for the white ink is restarted after the higher-priority drives are completed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent power consumption from increasing due to multiple drives overlapping. As a result, the power consumption of the entire system can be reduced when the liquid ejection device 1 consumes a lot of power, such as during liquid ejection or fixing operations, or in modes where power consumption must be suppressed, such as sleep mode.

[0284] [Fourth Embodiment] Next, a fourth embodiment of control in which the stirring drive is distributed over time will be described. In the fourth embodiment, if the stirring drive of the white ink is interrupted, a threshold is set for the remaining execution time of the stirring drive, and if the remaining execution time exceeds the threshold, the remaining execution time of the stirring drive is reset to the initial value. In addition, if the interruption time of stirring is longer than a predetermined time, the drive time when the stirring drive is resumed is set to be longer.

[0285] Figure 45 is a flowchart showing the stirring operation of the white ink in the liquid stirring device 100.

[0286] In Figure 45, when the power to the liquid dispensing device 1 is turned on, in S171, the control unit 32 determines whether 25 minutes or more have passed since the end of the previous stirring drive of the white ink. In this embodiment, the stirring of the white ink is performed in a cycle of 10 minutes of operation → 25 minutes of rest → 10 minutes of operation, so here it determines whether 25 minutes have passed since the previous stirring. If 25 minutes or more have passed, the control unit 32 proceeds to S172; otherwise, it repeats the process in S171.

[0287] In S172, the control unit 32 determines whether a drive with a higher priority than the agitation drive of the white ink is currently being executed. In this embodiment, the drive with a higher priority than the agitation drive of the white ink is the circulation drive of the white ink. The control unit 32 repeats the process in S172 until the high-priority circulation drive is completed.

[0288] In S173, the control unit 32 determines whether 40 minutes or more have elapsed since the end of the previous white ink stirring drive. If 40 minutes or more have elapsed, the control unit 32 proceeds to S175; otherwise, it proceeds to S174. Since a long pause in the stirring of the white ink causes the particles in the ink to settle, the stirring control is changed depending on whether the pause is the normal time (25 minutes) or longer than normal (40 minutes or more in this example).

[0289] In S175, the control unit 32 sets time Y, which is the remaining time for stirring the white ink, to 20 minutes, which is longer than usual. It also sets time Z, which is the threshold for the remaining time for stirring if stirring is interrupted, to 15 minutes.

[0290] In S174, the control unit 32 sets time Y, which is the remaining execution time for stirring the white ink, to the normal 10 minutes. It also sets time Z, which is the threshold for the remaining execution time for stirring if stirring is interrupted, to 7 minutes.

[0291] In S176, the control unit 32 sets the remaining execution time T for white ink stirring to the value of Y set in S174 or S175.

[0292] In S177, the control unit 32 starts stirring the white ink and counts down time T.

[0293] In S178, the control unit 32 determines whether it is time to start a drive with a higher priority than the agitation drive of the white ink. If it is time to start a higher-priority drive, the control unit 32 proceeds to S180; otherwise, it proceeds to S179.

[0294] In S179, the control unit 32 determines whether the remaining execution time T for the agitation drive of the white ink has reached 0 minutes. If the remaining execution time T has reached 0 minutes, the control unit 32 considers that one cycle of agitation drive of the white ink is complete and terminates this flow. If time T has not reached 0 minutes, the process returns to S177 and repeats the process from S177 to S185.

[0295] In S180, the control unit 32 determines whether the remaining execution time T for the stirring drive is less than 1 minute. If it is less than 1 minute, the control unit 32 proceeds to S181; otherwise, it proceeds to S183.

[0296] In S181, the control unit 32, because the remaining time for stirring the white ink is short (less than 1 minute), puts high-priority drives on hold for a short time and then performs stirring the white ink in order to complete the stirring process.

[0297] In S182, the control unit 32 determines whether the remaining execution time T for the agitation drive of the white ink has reached 0 minutes. If the remaining execution time T has reached 0 minutes, the control unit 32 considers that one cycle of agitation drive of the white ink is complete and terminates this flow. If time T is not yet 0 minutes, the process returns to S181 and the processes of S181 and S182 are repeated.

[0298] In S183, the control unit 32 stops the stirring drive of the white ink in order to execute a higher-priority drive.

[0299] In S184, the control unit 32 determines whether or not a high-priority drive is currently being executed. The control unit 32 repeats the process in S184 until the high-priority drive is completed.

[0300] In S185, the control unit 32 determines whether the remaining execution time T for restarting the agitation drive of the white ink is longer than Z. If the remaining execution time T is longer than the threshold Z, the control unit 32 determines that the agitation was interrupted before much agitation of the white ink had occurred, and returns to S176 to reset the remaining execution time T for agitation to Y. This means that if the agitation of the white ink is interrupted at the beginning, the agitation will be restarted from the beginning. On the other hand, if the remaining execution time T is less than or equal to the threshold Z, the process proceeds to S177, and agitation continues according to the current remaining execution time T.

[0301] As described above, according to this embodiment, the stirring time when stirring of the white ink is resumed is changed based on the pause time for stirring the white ink. Specifically, if the pause time for stirring the white ink is long, the stirring time when stirring of the white ink is resumed is increased. This makes it possible to sufficiently stir the white ink even if the pause time is long. Also, if stirring is interrupted at the beginning of stirring the white ink and then resumed, the stirring time is reset and the process is restarted from the beginning, which also makes it possible to sufficiently stir the white ink.

[0302] [Fifth Embodiment] In the first embodiment, when starting the stirring operation of the color ink, if another drive was being performed, the stirring operation of the color ink was unconditionally put on hold until the other drive was completed. In contrast, in this embodiment, the stirring operation of the color ink is put on hold only if a drive with a higher priority than the stirring operation of the color ink is being performed.

[0303] Figure 46 is a flowchart showing the stirring operation of the color ink in the liquid storage device 20A or 20B.

[0304] In Figure 46, when the power to the liquid dispensing device 1 is turned on, in S201, the control unit 32 determines whether 24 hours or more have passed since the end of the previous stirring drive of the color ink. In this embodiment, the stirring of the color ink is performed once a day for 25 minutes, so here, it is determined whether one day has passed since the previous stirring. If 24 hours or more have passed, the control unit 32 proceeds to S202; otherwise, it repeats the process in S201.

[0305] In S202, the control unit 32 determines whether a drive with a higher priority than the color ink stirring drive is currently being executed. In this embodiment, the drives with a higher priority than the color ink stirring are the white ink circulation drive and the white ink stirring drive. The control unit 32 repeats the process in S202 until the higher priority drive is completed.

[0306] In S203, the control unit 32 sets the remaining execution time T for the color ink stirring drive to 25 minutes, which is the scheduled stirring time.

[0307] In S204, the control unit 32 starts the stirring drive for the color ink and counts down the remaining stirring time T from 25 minutes.

[0308] In S205, the control unit 32 determines whether it is time to start a drive with a higher priority than the color ink stirring drive. If it is time to start a higher-priority drive, the control unit 32 proceeds to S206; otherwise, it proceeds to S207.

[0309] In S206, the control unit 32 stops stirring the color ink and performs other higher-priority operations. The control unit 32 waits for the other higher-priority operations to finish by repeating S205 and S206.

[0310] In S207, the control unit 32 determines whether the remaining execution time T for the color ink stirring drive has become 0 minutes. If the remaining execution time T has become 0 minutes, the control unit 32 considers the daily stirring drive of the color ink to be complete and terminates this flow. If the remaining execution time T has not become 0 minutes, the process returns to S204 and repeats the process from S204 to S207.

[0311] By performing the above operations, the agitation drive for the color ink can be immediately executed unless a drive with a higher priority than the color ink is being performed. Furthermore, when other higher-priority drives are being executed, the agitation drive for the color ink is stopped, the higher-priority drive is executed, and the agitation drive for the color ink is resumed after the higher-priority drive is completed. This prevents power consumption from increasing due to multiple drives overlapping. As a result, the power consumption of the entire system can be reduced when the liquid dispensing device 1 is consuming a lot of power, such as during liquid dispensing or fixing operations, or in modes where power consumption needs to be suppressed, such as sleep mode.

[0312] [Sixth Embodiment] In this sixth embodiment, the stirring of the color ink will be described separately as the stirring operation of the liquid storage device 20A (R tower) and the stirring operation of the liquid storage device 20B (L tower). As already explained, since the liquid storage device 20A contains color ink that is more prone to particle sedimentation than the liquid storage device 20B, the stirring operation of the liquid storage device 20A takes precedence over the stirring operation of the liquid storage device 20B.

[0313] Figure 47 is a flowchart showing the stirring operation of the color ink in the liquid storage device 20A.

[0314] In Figure 47, when the power to the liquid dispensing device 1 is turned on, in S221, the control unit 32 determines whether 24 hours or more have passed since the end of the previous stirring drive of the color ink in the liquid storage device 20A. In this embodiment, the stirring of the color ink is performed once a day for 25 minutes, so here, it is determined whether one day has passed since the previous stirring. If 24 hours or more have passed, the control unit 32 proceeds to S222; otherwise, it repeats the process in S221.

[0315] In S222, the control unit 32 determines whether a drive with a higher priority than the agitation drive of the color ink in the liquid storage device 20A is currently being executed. In this embodiment, the drives with a higher priority than the agitation of the color ink in the liquid storage device 20A are the circulation drive of the white ink and the agitation drive of the white ink. The control unit 32 repeats the process in S222 until the higher priority drive is completed.

[0316] In S223, the control unit 32 sets the remaining execution time T for the color ink stirring drive of the liquid storage device 20A to 25 minutes, which is the scheduled stirring time.

[0317] In S224, the control unit 32 starts the stirring drive for the color ink in the liquid storage device 20A and counts down the remaining stirring time T from 25 minutes.

[0318] In S225, the control unit 32 determines whether it is time to start a drive with a higher priority than the stirring drive of the color ink in the liquid storage device 20A. If it is time to start a drive with a higher priority, the control unit 32 proceeds to S226; otherwise, it proceeds to S227.

[0319] In S226, the control unit 32 stops stirring the color ink in the liquid storage device 20A and performs other higher-priority operations. The control unit 32 waits for the other higher-priority operations to finish by repeating S225 and S226.

[0320] In S227, the control unit 32 determines whether the remaining execution time T for stirring the color ink in the liquid storage device 20A has become 0 minutes. If the remaining execution time T has become 0 minutes, the control unit 32 considers the daily stirring of the color ink in the liquid storage device 20A to be complete and terminates this flow. If the remaining execution time T has not become 0 minutes, the process returns to S224 and repeats the process from S224 to S227.

[0321] Figure 48 is a flowchart showing the stirring operation of the color ink in the liquid storage device 20B.

[0322] In Figure 48, when the power to the liquid dispensing device 1 is turned on, in S241, the control unit 32 determines whether 24 hours or more have passed since the last stirring drive of the color ink in the liquid storage device 20B. If 24 hours or more have passed, the control unit 32 proceeds to S242; otherwise, it repeats the process in S241.

[0323] In S242, the control unit 32 determines whether a drive with a higher priority than the agitation drive of the color ink in the liquid storage device 20B is currently being executed. In this embodiment, the drives with a higher priority than the agitation of the color ink in the liquid storage device 20B are the agitation drive of the color ink in the liquid storage device 20A, the circulation drive of the white ink, and the agitation drive of the white ink. The control unit 32 repeats the process in S242 until the higher priority drive is completed.

[0324] In S243, the control unit 32 sets the remaining execution time T for the color ink stirring drive of the liquid storage device 20B to 25 minutes, which is the scheduled stirring time.

[0325] In S244, the control unit 32 starts the stirring drive for the color ink in the liquid storage device 20B and counts down the remaining stirring time T from 25 minutes.

[0326] In S245, the control unit 32 determines whether it is time to start a drive with a higher priority than the stirring drive of the color ink in the liquid storage device 20B. If it is time to start a higher-priority drive, the control unit 32 proceeds to S246; otherwise, it proceeds to S247.

[0327] In S246, the control unit 32 stops stirring the color ink in the liquid storage device 20B and performs other higher-priority operations. The control unit 32 waits for the other higher-priority operations to finish by repeating S245 and S246.

[0328] In S247, the control unit 32 determines whether the remaining execution time T for the agitation drive of the color ink in the liquid storage device 20B has become 0 minutes. If the remaining execution time T has become 0 minutes, the control unit 32 considers the once-a-day agitation drive of the color ink in the liquid storage device 20B to be complete and terminates this flow. If the remaining execution time T has not become 0 minutes, the process returns to S244 and the process from S244 to S247 is repeated.

[0329] By performing the operations described above, even when there are two color ink storage devices, such as liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, it is possible to prevent multiple drives from overlapping and increasing power consumption. This makes it possible to reduce the overall power consumption of the system when the liquid ejection device 1 consumes a lot of power, such as during liquid ejection or fixing operations, or in modes where power consumption needs to be suppressed, such as sleep mode.

[0330] [Seventh Embodiment] In this seventh embodiment, an example is described in which the cycles of the white ink circulation drive and the white ink stirring drive are set in advance so that the operations of each drive are distributed over time.

[0331] Figure 49(a) shows an example in which the cycles of the white ink circulation drive and the white ink stirring drive are set so that they are distributed over time.

[0332] Figure 49(a) shows an example where the white ink circulation drive is performed for 3 minutes at 18-minute intervals, and the white ink stirring drive is performed for 10 minutes every two cycles of the circulation drive, at 36-minute intervals. By performing the white ink circulation drive and stirring drive at such intervals, the white ink circulation drive and stirring drive do not overlap in time, and instantaneous increases in power consumption can be suppressed.

[0333] As previously explained, the agitation of the color ink is performed for 25 minutes once a day, for example, so it should be inserted as needed between the cycles of the white ink circulation and agitation. For example, it can be inserted during cycle 902 of the circulation drive, which does not involve agitation of the white ink. In addition, the agitation of the color ink may be performed in advance during times when the device is not in use, at the user's instruction. The time to perform the agitation may be selected by the user or determined through learning.

[0334] Figure 49(b) shows a case where, while liquid circulation and agitation are being performed at the cycle shown in Figure 49(a), another agitation drive is instructed by the user. In Figure 49(b), the user instructs the agitation drive for the white ink at the timing when the circulation drive for the white ink should be performed. In such a case, the agitation drive 904 for the white ink is performed according to the user's instruction, and the circulation drive 905 is inserted in between.

[0335] When such an interrupt occurs, the cycles of each subsequent drive are shifted. Therefore, as shown in Figure 49(b), the circulation drive 906 is performed after the lower-priority stirring drive 904 has finished, and the cycles of each subsequent drive are synchronized again. In this way, even if a user interrupt occurs, the cycles of the circulation drive and stirring drive will not become longer than usual, and the cycles of each drive can be synchronized again.

[0336] (Other embodiments) Furthermore, the present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0337] <Summary of Embodiments> The disclosures herein include the following liquid stirring apparatus and control methods thereof.

[0338] (Item 1) A first storage device for storing containers containing liquid, A second storage device for storing containers containing liquid, A first stirring means performs a first stirring operation to agitate the liquid in the container stored in the first storage device at first intervals, A second stirring means performs a second stirring operation every two hours to stir the liquid in the container stored in the second storage device, During the execution of the first stirring operation, a control means controls the first stirring means and the second stirring means so as not to perform the second stirring operation. A liquid stirring device characterized by comprising the following features.

[0339] (Item 2) The liquid stirring apparatus according to item 1, characterized in that the control means controls the first stirring means and the second stirring means so that when the first stirring operation and the second stirring operation overlap in time, the first stirring operation is given priority and the second stirring operation is performed after the first stirring operation is completed.

[0340] (Item 3) The liquid stirring apparatus according to item 1 or 2, characterized in that the first storage device stores a container containing a liquid of a first color, and the second storage device stores a container containing a liquid of a second color.

[0341] (Item 4) The liquid stirring device according to any one of items 1 to 3, characterized in that the first storage device stores a container containing a white liquid, and the second storage device stores a container containing a liquid of a color other than white.

[0342] (Item 5) A liquid stirring device according to any one of items 1 to 4, characterized in that the first stirring operation and the second stirring operation are different stirring operations.

[0343] (Item 6) The liquid stirring device according to item 5, characterized in that the first stirring operation is an operation to stir the liquid by rotating the container, and the second stirring operation is an operation to stir the liquid by pressing the container.

[0344] (Item 7) A liquid stirring device according to any one of items 1 to 4, characterized in that the first stirring operation and the second stirring operation are the same stirring operation.

[0345] (Item 8) The liquid stirring device according to item 7, characterized in that the first stirring operation and the second stirring operation are operations that stir the liquid by pressing the container.

[0346] (Item 9) A liquid stirring device according to any one of items 1 to 8, further comprising a supply means for supplying the liquid in the container to a discharge head for discharging the liquid, wherein the control means controls the first stirring means and the second stirring means so as not to perform the first stirring operation and the second stirring operation while the supply means is operating.

[0347] (Item 10) A liquid stirring device according to any one of items 1 to 9, further comprising a circulation means for circulating the liquid in the container in a flow path that supplies the liquid to a discharge head, wherein the control means controls the first stirring means and the second stirring means so as not to perform the first stirring operation and the second stirring operation while the circulation means is operating.

[0348] (Item 11) The liquid stirring apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 10, characterized in that the control means controls the first stirring means and the second stirring means so as not to perform the first stirring operation and the second stirring operation while the fixing operation of the liquid discharged from the discharge head that discharges the liquid to the recording medium is being performed.

[0349] (Item 12) The liquid stirring apparatus according to item 10, characterized in that the control means controls the circulation means not to operate while the fixing operation of the liquid discharged from the discharge head that discharges the liquid onto the recording medium is being performed.

[0350] (Item 13) A first storage device for storing containers containing liquid, A supply means for supplying the liquid in the container to the discharge head, A second storage device for storing containers containing liquid, A first stirring means performs a first stirring operation to agitate the liquid in the container stored in the first storage device at first intervals, A second stirring means performs a second stirring operation every two hours to stir the liquid in the container stored in the second storage device, During the execution of the first stirring operation, a control means controls the first stirring means and the second stirring means so as not to perform the second stirring operation. A liquid dispensing device characterized by comprising the following features.

[0351] (Item 14) A method for controlling a liquid stirring apparatus comprising a first storage device for storing containers containing liquid, and a second storage device for storing containers containing liquid, A first stirring step is performed every hour to stir the liquid in the container stored in the first storage device, A second stirring step is performed every two hours to stir the liquid in the container stored in the second storage device, A control step controls the first stirring step and the second stirring step so that the second stirring step is not performed while the first stirring step is being executed. A method for controlling a liquid stirring device, characterized by having the following features.

[0352] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, claims are attached to disclose the scope of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0353] 100 Liquid stirring device, 110 Storage unit, 130 Drive unit, 600 Pressing unit

Claims

1. A first storage device for storing containers containing liquid, A second storage device for storing containers containing liquid, A first stirring means performs a first stirring operation to agitate the liquid in the container stored in the first storage device at first intervals, A second stirring means performs a second stirring operation every two hours to stir the liquid in the container stored in the second storage device, During the execution of the first stirring operation, a control means controls the first stirring means and the second stirring means so as not to perform the second stirring operation. A liquid stirring device characterized by comprising the following features.

2. The liquid stirring apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the control means controls the first stirring means and the second stirring means so that when the first stirring operation and the second stirring operation overlap in time, the first stirring operation is given priority and the second stirring operation is performed after the first stirring operation is completed.

3. The liquid stirring apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first storage device stores a container containing a liquid of a first color, and the second storage device stores a container containing a liquid of a second color.

4. The liquid stirring apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first storage device stores a container containing a white liquid, and the second storage device stores a container containing a liquid of a color other than white.

5. The liquid stirring apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first stirring operation and the second stirring operation are different stirring operations.

6. The liquid stirring device according to claim 5, characterized in that the first stirring operation is an operation to stir the liquid by rotating the container, and the second stirring operation is an operation to stir the liquid by pressing the container.

7. The liquid stirring apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first stirring operation and the second stirring operation are the same stirring operation.

8. The liquid stirring device according to claim 7, characterized in that the first stirring operation and the second stirring operation are operations that stir the liquid by pressing the container.

9. The liquid stirring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a supply means for supplying the liquid in the container to a discharge head for discharging the liquid, wherein the control means controls the first stirring means and the second stirring means so as not to perform the first stirring operation and the second stirring operation while the supply means is operating.

10. The liquid stirring device according to claim 1, further comprising a circulation means for circulating the liquid in the container in a flow path that supplies the liquid to a discharge head, wherein the control means controls the first stirring means and the second stirring means so as not to perform the first stirring operation and the second stirring operation while the circulation means is operating.

11. The liquid stirring apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the control means controls the first stirring means and the second stirring means so as not to perform the first stirring operation and the second stirring operation while the fixing operation of the liquid discharged from the discharge head that discharges the liquid onto the recording medium is being performed.

12. The liquid stirring apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the control means controls the circulation means not to operate while the fixing operation of the liquid discharged from the discharge head that discharges the liquid onto the recording medium is being performed.

13. A first storage device for storing containers containing liquid, A supply means for supplying the liquid in the container to the discharge head, A second storage device for storing containers containing liquid, A first stirring means performs a first stirring operation to agitate the liquid in the container stored in the first storage device at first intervals, A second stirring means performs a second stirring operation every two hours to stir the liquid in the container stored in the second storage device, During the execution of the first stirring operation, a control means controls the first stirring means and the second stirring means so as not to perform the second stirring operation. A liquid dispensing device characterized by comprising the following features.

14. A method for controlling a liquid stirring apparatus comprising a first storage device for storing containers containing liquid, and a second storage device for storing containers containing liquid, A first stirring step is performed every hour to stir the liquid in the container stored in the first storage device, A second stirring step is performed every two hours to stir the liquid in the container stored in the second storage device, A control step controls the first stirring step and the second stirring step so that the second stirring step is not performed while the first stirring step is being executed. A method for controlling a liquid stirring device, characterized by having the following features.

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