Ink refill container

Abstract

Even if the ink refill container is not positioned in a specific orientation, the seal on the outlet opening will not be released due to internal pressure, preventing ink from spraying out of the outlet opening. [Solution] The ink supply container comprises an ink storage section which is a flexible bag, an outlet forming section which is liquid-tightly connected to the ink storage section and has an outlet opening for supplying ink from the ink storage section to the outside of the ink supply container, a container body which together with the outlet forming section forms a sealed space that houses the ink storage section, and a cap which can seal the outlet opening and is configured to be removable from the outlet opening. The container body is equipped with an on / off valve that opens and closes a flow path that connects the inside of the container body and the outside of the ink supply container. The on / off valve is configured to transition to an open state by sealing the outlet opening with the cap, and to a closed state by releasing the seal on the outlet opening with the cap.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been an ink supply container for supplying ink to an ink tank of a printer. The ink supply container of Patent Document 1 includes an outlet forming portion, an outlet valve unit, and a cap. The outlet forming portion includes an ink outlet through which ink in the ink supply container is sent out. The outlet valve unit is attached to the outlet forming portion. The outlet valve unit has a seal member, a valve body, and a spring member. The valve body is biased toward the seal member by the spring member. The biased valve body keeps the through hole in the outlet valve unit closed, and the outlet valve unit maintains a closed valve state.

[0003] When ink is supplied to the ink tank of the printer, the cap is removed from the outlet forming portion. The ink inlet flow path member provided in the ink tank of the printer is inserted into the outlet valve unit, pressing the spring member against the biasing force of the spring member and displacing the valve body. As a result, the through hole is opened in the outlet valve unit, and the outlet valve unit is in an open valve state. In that state, ink is supplied to the ink tank of the printer.

[0004] In the ink supply container, the cap is attached to the outlet forming portion. The cap has a protrusion. When the cap is attached to the outlet forming portion, the protrusion presses the valve body against the spring member of the outlet valve unit, displacing the valve body. As a result, the through hole is opened in the outlet valve unit, and the outlet valve unit is in an open valve state. However, in this state, the ink outlet of the outlet forming portion is blocked by the cap. Therefore, the space inside the cap of the ink supply container and the inside of the ink supply container are blocked.

[0005] As the cap begins to open, the area around the ink outlet and the inner surface of the cap separate, creating communication between the space inside the cap and the inside of the ink refill container. In this state, because the cap is partially open, the space inside the cap is in communication with the outside of the ink refill container. Therefore, the pressure inside the ink refill container becomes equal to atmospheric pressure through the space inside the cap.

[0006] When the cap is completely removed, the valve body is pressed against the sealing member by the spring member and moves, closing the through-hole in the outlet valve unit. As a result, the outlet valve unit is in a closed state. Therefore, when the cap is completely open, ink will not leak out of the ink supply container.

[0007] In the ink supply container of Patent Document 1, even if the internal pressure of the ink supply container with the cap closed is higher than atmospheric pressure due to temperature changes or changes in atmospheric pressure, the internal pressure of the ink supply container becomes equal to atmospheric pressure when the cap is removed. Therefore, as long as the ink supply container is positioned so that the outlet valve unit is at the top when the cap is removed, ink will not be ejected from the ink supply container to the outside. In addition, when supplying ink from the ink supply container to the printer, excessive ink will not be supplied to the printer due to the internal pressure of the ink supply container. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-43905 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0009] However, in the ink supply container of Patent Document 1, if the ink level inside the ink supply container reaches the outlet valve unit, specifically if the ink supply container is tilted beyond a certain point, the following problem may occur. That is, after starting to open the cap in that state, while the cap is not completely open, the ink inside the ink supply container may leak out to the outside through the space between the outlet valve unit and the cap. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] This disclosure is made to solve at least some of the problems described above and can be implemented in the following forms.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an ink supply container for supplying ink to a printer is provided. The ink supply container comprises an ink storage portion which is a flexible bag for containing ink; an outlet forming portion which is liquid-tightly connected to the ink storage portion and has an outlet opening for supplying the ink in the ink storage portion to the outside of the ink supply container; a container body which together with the outlet forming portion constitutes a sealed space for housing the ink storage portion; and a cap which can seal the outlet opening and is configured to be removable from the outlet opening. The container body includes a first on-off valve that opens and closes a first flow path which connects the inside of the container body to the outside of the ink supply container. The first on-off valve is configured to transition to an open state by sealing the outlet opening with the cap, and to transition to a closed state by releasing the seal on the outlet opening by the cap. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of Printer 100. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the process of replenishing ink into the ink tank 700 using the ink supply container 1000. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the ink refill container 1000. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view of the ink refill container 1000. [Figure 5] This is an exploded perspective view of the ink refill container 1000. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view of the ink supply container 1000 when the operation to release the seal of the outlet opening 460 by the cap 600 is being performed. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view of the ink supply container 1000b of the second embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view of the ink supply container 1000b when the operation to release the seal of the outlet opening 460 by the cap 600 is being performed. [Figure 9] This is a cross-sectional view of the ink supply container 1000c according to the third embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a cross-sectional view of the ink supply container 1000c when the operation to release the seal of the outlet opening 460 by the cap 600 is being performed. [Figure 11] This is a cross-sectional view of the ink supply container 1000d according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a plan view of the outlet valve unit 500e provided in the ink supply container of the fifth embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] A. First Embodiment: Figure 1 is a perspective view of printer 100. Printer 100 is an inkjet printer that prints by ejecting ink onto a printing medium. Figure 1 shows the X, Y, and Z axes, which are orthogonal to each other. The X axis corresponds to the width direction of printer 100, the Y axis corresponds to the depth direction of printer 100, and the Z axis corresponds to the height direction of printer 100. The X, Y, and Z axes form a right-handed system.

[0014] The printer 100 is installed on a horizontal mounting surface defined by the X-axis and Y-axis directions. The "X-axis direction" includes both the +X and -X directions. The "Y-axis direction" includes both the +Y and -Y directions. The "Z-axis direction" includes both the +Z and -Z directions.

[0015] The printer 100 has a housing 110. Inside the housing 110, a carriage that can move in the main scanning direction parallel to the X-axis direction is provided. A print head for ejecting ink onto a printing medium is provided on the carriage.

[0016] At one end of the front surface of the housing 110, an ink tank accommodating unit 160 for accommodating a plurality of ink tanks 700S and 700L is provided (see the lower right part of FIG. 1). The ink tank accommodating unit 160 has an openable / closable lid 162 on its upper part. Note that the ink tank 700S is a small-capacity tank and the ink tank 700L is a large-capacity tank. In the following description, both are simply referred to as "ink tank 700" without distinction. Each ink tank 700 is connected to the print head of the carriage by a tube. That is, the ink tank 700 is a stationary ink tank that is not placed on the carriage of the printer 100. Also, each ink tank 700 is an ink replenishment type ink tank that is replenished with ink from an ink replenishment container 1000 when the remaining ink amount decreases.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which ink is replenished to the ink tank 700 using the ink replenishment container 1000. The front surface of each ink tank 700 is formed of a transparent member, and the remaining ink amount of each ink tank 700 can be visually confirmed from the outside (see the lower left part of FIG. 2). When the remaining ink amount decreases, as shown in FIG. 2, the lid 162 is opened, and ink can be replenished to the ink tank 700 from a cylindrical ink inlet flow path member 710 provided on the upper surface of each ink tank 700.

[0018] The ink inlet channel member 710 is a component of the printer 100 at the point where the ink supply container 1000 is connected (see the middle right section of Figure 2). The ink inlet channel member 710 consists of a channel through which ink flows into the printer 100 and a channel through which air flows into the ink storage section 200 of the ink supply container 1000. Through the ink inlet channel member 710, the ink in the ink storage section 200 of the ink supply container 1000 is supplied into the printer 100. Also, through the ink inlet channel member 710, air from inside the printer 100 is supplied into the ink storage section 200 of the ink supply container 1000. As a result, the ink storage section 200 containing the ink in the ink supply container 1000 maintains almost the same size as before the ink supply, even after the ink has been supplied to the printer 100. The mutual flow of ink and air between the printer 100 and the ink storage section 200 is also called "liquid-gas exchange".

[0019] The ink tank housing unit 160 is equipped with a sealing cap member 164 having a sealing cap 165 for sealing the tip of the ink inlet channel member 710 (see upper right of Figure 2). When ink is not supplied to the ink tank 700, the tip of the ink inlet channel member 710 is sealed by the sealing cap 165 of the sealing cap member 164 (see middle left of Figure 2). When ink is supplied to the ink tank 700, the sealing cap member 164 is removed from the ink inlet channel member 710, and the tip of the ink supply container 1000 is inserted into the position of the ink inlet channel member 710 to supply ink (see middle left of Figure 2).

[0020] In this specification, the term "ink replenishment" means the action of supplying ink to the ink tank 700 to increase the ink level in the ink tank 700. However, "ink replenishment" does not require the ink tank 700 to be completely filled with ink. Furthermore, "ink replenishment" also includes the action of filling an empty ink tank 700 with ink when the printer 100 is first used.

[0021] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the ink supply container 1000. The ink supply container 1000 is a container for supplying ink to the printer 100 (see Figure 2). The ink supply container 1000 comprises an ink storage section 200, a container body 300, an outlet forming section 400, and a cap 600. In Figure 3, the ink supply container 1000 is shown with the cap 600 removed to facilitate understanding of the technology.

[0022] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the ink supply container 1000. In Figure 4, the ink supply container 1000 is shown with the cap 600 attached. In Figure 4, the cap 600 seals the outlet opening 460 of the outlet forming section 400 (see the upper center of Figure 4). To facilitate understanding of the technology, in Figure 4 and the cross-sectional views of Figures 6-11, the container body 300 and the outlet forming section 400 are shown as a single unit.

[0023] The ink storage section 200 contains ink (see the lower center of Figure 4). The ink storage section 200 also contains gas along with the ink. In this embodiment, the gas is air. The ink storage section 200 is a flexible bag. For ease of understanding the technology, the ink is not shown in Figure 4 and the cross-sectional views of Figures 6-11.

[0024] The outlet forming section 400 is configured to supply ink from the ink storage section 200 to the outside of the ink supply container 1000 (see upper center of Figure 4). The outlet forming section 400 is liquid-tightly connected to the ink storage section 200. The outlet forming section 400 includes an outlet opening 460. The ink from the ink storage section 200 is supplied to the outside of the ink supply container 1000 through the outlet opening 460.

[0025] The container body 300, together with the outlet forming section 400, constitutes a sealed space Sa that houses the ink storage section 200 (see the middle section of Figure 4). The container body 300 is a cylindrical container with an opening at the front end. The container body 300 and the outlet forming section 400 have higher rigidity than the ink storage section 200. Therefore, the volume of the space Sa formed by the container body 300 and the outlet forming section 400 is kept approximately constant.

[0026] In this configuration, when ink is supplied from the ink supply container 1000 to the printer 100, the ink supply is stopped as follows (see Figure 2). When the ink level in the printer 100 rises and the outlet opening 460 is blocked by the ink level in the printer 100, and air supply from the printer 100 to the ink storage section 200 via the outlet opening 460 is stopped, the following situation occurs. That is, when the ink in the ink storage section 200 tries to move into the printer 100 due to gravity, the ink storage section 200 contracts. When the ink storage section 200 contracts, the volume of the space Sa other than the part occupied by the ink storage section 200 increases. As a result, the pressure in that part decreases, and a force acts to inhibit the contraction of the ink storage section 200. Consequently, no more ink from the ink storage section 200 is supplied to the printer 100.

[0027] When the cap 600 is removed, if the gas contained in the space Sa inside the container body 300 expands, for example due to heat, the ink storage section 200 is compressed and contracted until the pressure in the space Sa becomes equal to the pressure in the ink storage section 200. As a result, the pressure in the ink storage section 200 also increases.

[0028] The cap 600 is attached to the outlet forming portion 400 by fitting the inner surface of the cap to an external thread provided on the outer circumference of the outlet forming portion 400 (see upper part of Figure 4 and upper left part of Figure 5). The cap 600 is configured to seal the outlet opening 460 of the outlet forming portion 400 (see upper part of Figure 4). In Figure 4, the cap 600 seals the outlet opening 460 by tightly fitting to the annular end face 462 that defines the outlet opening 460 from both the inside and outside of the ring. The cap 600 is configured to be removable from the outlet opening 460 of the outlet forming portion 400. In this specification, "X is removed from A" means that X can take on any position relative to A.

[0029] In an ink refill container 1000 to which a cap 600 is attached, the side of the container body 300 to which the cap 600 is located is called the "front end." In an ink refill container 1000 to which a cap 600 is attached, the side of the container body 300 to which the cap 600 is located is called the "rear end." The direction parallel to the central axis C of the ink refill container 1000 is called the "axial direction." The direction outward from the central axis C is called the "radial direction."

[0030] Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the ink supply container 1000. The following describes the more detailed configuration of the ink supply container 1000. An external thread 302 for attaching the outlet forming part 400 is provided at the small diameter portion at the tip of the container body 300 (see the lower center of Figure 5).

[0031] As described above, an outlet opening 460 is provided at the tip of the outlet forming section 400 (see upper left of Figure 5). The outlet forming section 400 includes a cylindrical section 420 having the outlet opening 460. An outlet valve unit 500 is installed inside the cylindrical section 420 (see middle center of Figure 5). Therefore, the outlet valve unit 500 can also be considered as a component of the outlet forming section 400. When replenishing ink to the ink tank 700, as described above, the ink inlet flow path member 710 of the ink tank 700 is inserted into the outlet opening 460 (see Figure 2).

[0032] The outlet valve unit 500 is configured to seal the outlet opening 460 to prevent ink from leaking to the outside when the ink tank 700 is not being supplied with ink. When the ink tank 700 is being supplied with ink, the outlet valve unit 500 is configured to release the seal so that ink can flow into the ink inlet flow path member 710. Specifically, the outlet valve unit 500 opens and closes the gas-liquid flow path 410 that communicates with the outlet opening 460 within the outlet forming section 400 (see the upper center of Figure 4).

[0033] In the ink refill container 1000, the outlet valve unit 500 is detachable on its own. Therefore, when reusing the ink refill container 1000, the outlet valve unit 500 can be replaced. The outlet valve unit 500 comprises a valve housing 517, a sealing member 510, a valve body 520, and a spring member 530.

[0034] The valve housing 517 houses the spring member 530, the sealing member 510, and the valve body 520 (see the middle section of Figure 5). The valve housing 517 has a substantially cylindrical shape with an open end in the axial direction and a closed end at the other end. The valve housing 517 is configured so that the ink inlet flow path member 710 of the printer 100 can be inserted into and removed from the opening at the end. The valve housing 517 is installed inside the cylindrical portion 420, with a radial gap between it and the cylindrical portion 420. The valve housing 517 has a total of four through holes Ho that penetrate in a direction intersecting the axial direction (see the middle section of Figure 5). The through holes Ho communicate with the radial gap between the valve housing 517 and the cylindrical portion 420. The through holes Ho also extend in the axial direction.

[0035] The spring member 530 presses against the valve body 520 (see the middle section of Figure 5). The spring member 530 is housed within the valve housing 517. Within the valve housing 517, the spring member 530 is housed at the rear end in the axial direction and is supported by the valve housing 517. The spring member 530 can be made of, for example, metal. In this embodiment, the spring member 530 is a coil spring.

[0036] The sealing member 510 is installed inside the valve housing 517 (see the middle left of Figure 5). The sealing member 510 is located axially closer to the outlet opening 460 than the spring member 530. The sealing member 510 has a substantially ring shape. The sealing member 510 can be made of, for example, an elastic rubber material. The sealing member 510 has an opening through which the ink inlet flow path member 710 of the printer 100 can be inserted and removed.

[0037] The valve body 520 is mounted within the valve housing 517 so as to be axially movable (see the middle section of Figure 5). The valve body 520 has a cylindrical portion 524 and a convex portion 526. The valve body 520 has a configuration in which the convex portion 526 is positioned on the end face of the cylindrical portion 524, which is a substantially cylindrical member. The cylindrical portion 524 faces the inner surface of the valve housing 517. The cylindrical portion 524 is configured to be slidable by being guided by the inner surface of the valve housing 517. As a result, the opening and closing operation of the valve body 520 is performed smoothly. The valve body 520 can be made of a thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene.

[0038] The valve body 520 can be in a "closed state" and an "open state". Specifically, the valve body 520 is biased toward the seal member 510 by the spring member 530. This biasing causes the cylindrical portion 524 to come into contact with the seal member 510, resulting in a "closed state". In this "closed state", the axial opening is closed by the contact of the cylindrical portion 524 with the seal member 510. The valve body 520 is also pressed by the ink inlet flow path member 710 of the printer 100 in the opposite direction to the biasing direction of the spring member 530. This pressing causes the cylindrical portion 524 to separate from the seal member 510, resulting in an "open state". In this "open state", an axial opening is created as the cylindrical portion 524 separates from the seal member 510.

[0039] In other words, when the outlet valve unit 500 is not subjected to any external force, the valve body 520, pushed by the spring member 530, blocks the gas-liquid passage 410, resulting in a closed valve state. The outlet valve unit 500 opens when the ink inlet passage member 710 is inserted into the outlet valve unit 500 through the outlet opening 460, pushing and displacing the valve body 520 against the spring member 530.

[0040] This configuration prevents ink from leaking out of the ink supply container 1000 through the outlet opening 460 when the cap 600 is removed from the ink supply container 1000. When ink is supplied from the ink supply container 1000 to the printer 100, the ink inlet flow path member 710 is inserted into the outlet valve unit 500 through the outlet opening 460, and the valve body 520 is pushed and displaced against the spring member 530, thereby supplying ink from the inside of the ink supply container 1000 to the printer 100 through the outlet opening 460.

[0041] Furthermore, with this configuration, even if the ink supply container 1000 is shaken, ink is less likely to leak out from inside the ink supply container 1000 through the outlet opening 460 compared to a configuration in which a slit valve is provided as the outlet valve unit.

[0042] The container body 300 is equipped with an atmospheric release valve 310 (see the upper left of Figure 3 and the middle left of Figure 4). The atmospheric release valve 310 is provided on the end face of the cylindrical container body 300, facing the outlet forming portion 400 and the end face of the cap 600 attached to the container body 300.

[0043] The atmospheric release valve 310 opens and closes a flow path 311 that connects the inside of the container body 300 to the outside of the ink supply container 1000 (see the middle left of Figure 4). The atmospheric release valve 310 is configured to transition to the open state OS1 by sealing the outlet opening 460 with the cap 600.

[0044] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the ink supply container 1000 when the operation to release the seal of the outlet opening 460 by the cap 600 is being performed. The cap 600 is removed from the ink supply container 1000, going from the state in Figure 4 to the state in Figure 6. The atmospheric release valve 310 is configured to transition to the closed state CS1 when the seal of the outlet opening 460 by the cap 600 is released (see the middle left of Figure 6). The configuration and operation of the atmospheric release valve 310 will be described below. The atmospheric release valve 310 comprises a valve body 312 and a spring 313.

[0045] The spring 313 pushes the valve body 312 (see the middle left of Figure 4 and the middle left of Figure 6). More specifically, the spring 313 pushes the valve body 312 toward the tip of the ink supply container 1000. The spring 313 is a coil spring. For ease of understanding the technology, the spring 313 is shown as a dashed line in Figures 4, 6, 9, and 10.

[0046] The valve body 312 is made of elastomer. The valve body 312 comprises a substantially disc-shaped portion, a rod-shaped portion projecting in one direction from the central axis of the substantially disc-shaped portion, and an outer peripheral convex portion projecting in the same direction as the rod-shaped portion on the outer circumference of the substantially disc-shaped portion (see the middle left of Figure 4).

[0047] When the atmospheric release valve 310 is not subjected to any external force, the tip 312t of the rod-shaped portion of the valve body 312, which is pushed by the spring 313, is exposed to the outside of the container body 300 (see the middle left of Figure 6). In this state, the outer peripheral protrusion of the valve body 312 is in close contact with the inner surface of the container body 300 around its entire circumference. In this state, the flow path 311 is blocked, and the atmospheric release valve 310 is in the closed state CS1. When the valve body 312 is pushed against the spring 313 and displaced, the outer peripheral protrusion of the valve body 312 is separated from the inner surface of the container body 300. In this state, the atmospheric release valve 310 is in the open state OS1 (see the middle left of Figure 4).

[0048] When the cap 600 is sealing the outlet opening 460, it pushes the tip 312t of the valve body 312 toward the inside of the container body 300, displacing the valve body 312 and opening the atmospheric release valve 310 to state OS1 (see the middle left of Figure 4). On the other hand, in the ink supply container 1000, when the cap 600 is removed, the atmospheric release valve 310 is in state CS1 (see the middle left of Figure 6).

[0049] In other words, the atmospheric release valve 310 transitions to the open state OS1 by sealing the outlet opening 460 with the cap 600 (see Figure 4). The atmospheric release valve 310 transitions to the closed state CS1 by releasing the seal on the outlet opening 460 by the cap 600 (see Figure 6).

[0050] In the ink supply container 1000, the cap 600, which seals the outlet opening 460, causes the atmospheric release valve 310 to be in an open state (see the middle left of Figure 4). Therefore, in this embodiment, the cap 600 does not need to have a configuration to press the valve body 520 of the outlet valve unit 500 to maintain the open state of the outlet valve unit 500, as in the technology of Patent Document 1.

[0051] In this embodiment, when the cap 600 seals the outlet opening 460, the inside of the container body 300 and the outside of the ink supply container 1000 are in communication via the atmospheric release valve 310 (see Figure 4). That is, the pressure inside the container body 300 is equal to the pressure outside the ink supply container 1000. Therefore, even if the ink supply container 1000 is not positioned with the outlet forming section 400 at its uppermost position, when the seal on the outlet opening 460 by the cap 600 is released, it is unlikely that the ink in the ink storage section 200 will be ejected from the outlet opening 460 due to the pressure inside the container body 300.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the valve is in an open state OS1 when the cap 600 is sealing the outlet opening 460 (see Figure 4). In other words, an atmospheric release valve 310 that is in a closed state CS1 when the cap 600 is removed is realized with a simple configuration.

[0053] In this embodiment, the ink inlet flow path member 710 is also called the "pressing member". The outlet valve unit 500 is also called the "second on-off valve". The gas-liquid flow path 410 is also called the "second flow path". The valve body 520 is also called the "second valve body". The spring member 530 is also called the "second elastic member". The atmospheric release valve 310 is also called the "first on-off valve". The flow path 311 is also called the "first flow path". The spring 313 is also called the "first elastic member". The tip 312t of the rod-shaped portion of the valve body 312 is also called "part of the first valve body".

[0054] B. Second Embodiment: Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the ink supply container 1000b of the second embodiment. In Figure 7, the ink supply container 1000b is shown with the cap 600 attached. In Figure 7, the cap 600 seals the outlet opening 460 of the outlet forming section 400 (see the upper center of Figure 7). Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the ink supply container 1000b when the operation to release the seal of the outlet opening 460 by the cap 600 is being performed (see the upper center of Figure 8).

[0055] The ink supply container 1000b of the second embodiment is equipped with a one-way valve 330 instead of an atmospheric release valve 310 (see the middle left of Figure 4 and the middle right of Figure 7). Other aspects of the ink supply container 1000b of the second embodiment are the same as those of the ink supply container 1000 of the first embodiment. The configuration of the printer of the second embodiment is the same as that of the printer 100 of the first embodiment (see Figures 1 and 2). In the ink supply container 1000b of the second embodiment, components having the same configuration and function as those of the ink supply container 1000 of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as the corresponding components of the ink supply container 1000.

[0056] The container body 300b is equipped with a one-way valve 330 (see the middle right of Figure 7 and the middle right of Figure 8). The one-way valve 330 is located on the side of the container body 300b. The one-way valve 330 opens and closes a flow path 331 that connects the inside of the container body 300b to the outside of the ink supply container 1000b. More specifically, the one-way valve 330 does not allow flow from the outside of the ink supply container 1000b to the inside of the container body 300b via the flow path 331. The one-way valve 330 allows flow from the inside of the container body 300b to the outside of the ink supply container 1000b via the flow path 331.

[0057] The one-way valve 330 is an umbrella valve. The one-way valve 330 comprises a frustoconical or dome-shaped umbrella portion 332 and a shaft portion 333 that protrudes along the central axis of the umbrella portion 332 on the concave side of the umbrella portion 332. The one-way valve 330 is fixed to the container body 300b at the shaft portion 333. The umbrella portion 332 can be elastically deformed. The openings on the outer surface of the container body 300b of the multiple flow channels 331 provided in the container body 300b are covered by the umbrella portion 332. The outer circumferential surface of the umbrella portion 332 is in close contact with the outer surface of the container body 300b. As a result, the one-way valve 330 blocks the multiple flow channels 331 when no external force is being applied. In this state, the one-way valve 330 is in a closed state.

[0058] When the internal pressure of the container body 300b becomes higher than the external pressure of the container body 300b, and the difference between them exceeds a predetermined value, the pressure in the space between the umbrella portion 332 and the container body 300b, which communicates with the inside of the container body 300b via the flow path 331, also becomes higher than the external pressure of the container body 300b, and the difference between them exceeds a predetermined value. Due to this pressure difference, the umbrella portion 332 undergoes elastic deformation, and the outer surface of the umbrella portion 332 is lifted. That is, the outer surface of the umbrella portion 332 no longer adheres tightly to the outer surface of the container body 300b. As a result, multiple flow paths 331 open, and gas flows out from the inside of the container body 300b. In this state, the one-way valve 330 is in the open state. That is, when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the container body 300b exceeds a certain value, the one-way valve 330 opens. The predetermined pressure difference value at which the one-way valve 330 opens is preferably greater than 0 and less than 3 kPa.

[0059] In the second embodiment of the ink supply container 1000b, the one-way valve 330 makes it possible to set the internal pressure of the container body 300b to approximately equal to the external pressure of the ink supply container 1000b. Therefore, when the seal of the outlet opening 460 by the cap 600 is released, it is less likely that the ink in the ink storage section 200 will be ejected from the outlet opening 460 due to the internal pressure of the container body 300b.

[0060] In the second embodiment, the one-way valve 330 does not allow flow from the outside of the ink supply container 1000b to the inside of the container body 300b via the flow path 331. Therefore, in the ink supply container 1000b of the second embodiment, similar to the ink supply container 1000 of the first embodiment, when replenishing ink to the printer 100, the ink level inside the printer 100 rises, and the outlet opening 460 is blocked by the ink level inside the printer 100, so that no more ink in the ink storage section 200 is supplied to the printer 100.

[0061] In this embodiment, the one-way valve is also referred to as the "third on-off valve" or "on-off valve." The flow path 331 is also referred to as the "third flow path."

[0062] C. Third Embodiment: Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the ink supply container 1000c according to the third embodiment. In Figure 9, the ink supply container 1000c is shown with the cap 600 attached. In Figure 9, the cap 600 seals the outlet opening 460 of the outlet forming section 400 (see the upper center of Figure 9). Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the ink supply container 1000c when the operation to release the seal of the outlet opening 460 by the cap 600 is being performed (see the upper center of Figure 10).

[0063] The ink supply container 1000c of the third embodiment includes both an atmospheric release valve 310 and a one-way valve 330 in the container body 300c. The configuration and function of the one-way valve 330 in the ink supply container 1000c are the same as those of the one-way valve 330 in the ink supply container 1000b of the second embodiment. In addition, other aspects of the ink supply container 1000c of the third embodiment are the same as those of the ink supply container 1000 of the first embodiment. The configuration of the printer of the third embodiment is the same as that of the printer 100 of the first embodiment (see Figures 1 and 2).

[0064] In the third embodiment of the ink supply container 1000c, components having the same configuration and function as those of the ink supply container 1000 in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as the corresponding components of the ink supply container 1000. In the one-way valve 330 of the third embodiment of the ink supply container 1000c, components having the same configuration and function as those of the one-way valve 330 of the ink supply container 1000b in the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as the corresponding components of the ink supply container 1000.

[0065] In the third embodiment of the ink supply container 1000c, as with the second embodiment of the ink supply container 1000b, the one-way valve 330 prevents the internal pressure of the container body 300b from becoming significantly higher than the external pressure of the ink supply container 1000, even when the cap 600 is removed. Therefore, even if temperature or pressure changes occur in the environment surrounding the ink supply container 1000 after the seal of the outlet opening 460 by the cap 600 is released, it is less likely that the ink in the ink storage section 200 will be ejected from the outlet opening 460 due to the internal pressure of the container body 300c when supplying ink to the printer 100.

[0066] On the other hand, when the cap 600 is sealing the outlet opening 460, the inside of the container body 300 and the outside of the ink supply container 1000 are in communication via the atmospheric release valve 310 (see the middle left of Figure 9). In other words, the pressure inside the container body 300 is equal to the pressure outside the ink supply container 1000. Therefore, even if the ink supply container 1000 is not positioned with the outlet forming section 400 at its uppermost position, when the seal on the outlet opening 460 by the cap 600 is released, it is unlikely that the ink in the ink storage section 200 will be ejected from the outlet opening 460 due to the pressure inside the container body 300.

[0067] D. Fourth Embodiment: Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the ink supply container 1000d according to the fourth embodiment. In Figure 11, the ink supply container 1000d is shown with the cap 600d attached. In Figure 11, the cap 600d seals the outlet opening 460 of the outlet forming portion 400 (see the upper center of Figure 11).

[0068] The cap 600d of the fourth embodiment has a skirt portion 602. Other aspects of the ink supply container 1000d of the fourth embodiment are the same as those of the ink supply container 1000b of the second embodiment. The configuration of the printer of the fourth embodiment is the same as that of the printer 100 of the first embodiment (see Figures 1 and 2). In the ink supply container 1000d of the fourth embodiment, components having the same configuration and function as those of the ink supply container 1000b of the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as the corresponding components of the ink supply container 1000b.

[0069] The skirt portion 602 is provided at the end of the opening of the cap 600d (see the middle section of Figure 11). The skirt portion 602 has a wall-like structure that extends further in the direction of the central axis of the cap 600 from the end of the opening of the cap 600 in the second embodiment. When the cap 600d is attached to the container body 300b, the skirt portion 602 covers a part of the outer circumference of the container body 300b. When the cap 600d is attached to the container body 300b, the skirt portion 602 reaches the umbrella portion 332 of the one-way valve 330 (see the right middle section of Figure 11).

[0070] With the cap 600d attached to the container body 300b, the umbrella portion 332 of the one-way valve 330 is elastically deformed by the skirt portion 602. That is, a part of the outer surface of the umbrella portion 332 no longer adheres to the outer surface of the container body 300b. As a result, multiple flow paths 331 open up, and the internal pressure of the container body 300b and the external pressure of the ink supply container 1000d become equal. In this state, the one-way valve 330 is in the open state.

[0071] During the operation of removing the cap 600d from the ink supply container 1000d, the cap 600d moves toward the tip of the ink supply container 1000d, causing the skirt portion 602 to no longer come into contact with the umbrella portion 332. As a result, multiple flow paths 331 are closed. In this state, the one-way valve 330 is in a closed state.

[0072] In other words, in the fourth embodiment, the one-way valve 330 is configured to transition to an open state OS1 by sealing the outlet opening 460 with the cap 600d. The one-way valve 330 is configured to transition to a closed state CS3 by releasing the seal on the outlet opening 460 by the cap 600d. In the fourth embodiment, the one-way valve 330 performs the same function as the atmospheric release valve 310 in the first embodiment.

[0073] In the fourth embodiment, the one-way valve 330, similar to the one-way valve 330 in the second embodiment, does not allow flow from the outside of the ink supply container 1000 to the inside of the container body 300b via the flow path 331. The one-way valve 330 allows flow from the inside of the container body 300b to the outside of the ink supply container 1000 via the flow path 331.

[0074] With the above configuration, the fourth embodiment can achieve the following functions with a simple configuration. That is, when the cap 600 is sealing the outlet opening 460, the internal pressure of the container body 300b is kept equal to the external pressure of the ink supply container 1000. Even when the cap 600 is removed, the internal pressure of the container body 300b can be made approximately equal to the external pressure of the ink supply container 1000. Therefore, even if temperature changes or atmospheric pressure changes occur in the environment around the ink supply container 1000 after the cap 600 is removed, when replenishing ink to the printer 100, the internal pressure of the container body 300b makes it less likely that the ink in the ink storage section 200 will be ejected from the outlet opening 460.

[0075] E. Fifth Embodiment: Figure 12 is a plan view of the outlet valve unit 500e included in the ink supply container of the fifth embodiment. The ink supply container of the fifth embodiment includes an outlet valve unit 500e instead of an outlet valve unit 500. Other aspects of the ink supply container of the fifth embodiment are the same as those of the ink supply container 1000 of the first embodiment. The configuration of the printer of the fifth embodiment is the same as that of the printer 100 of the first embodiment (see Figures 1 and 2).

[0076] The outlet valve unit 500e opens and closes a gas-liquid flow path 410 that communicates with the outlet opening 460 within the outlet forming section 400. The outlet valve unit 500e comprises an outer peripheral portion 525e and six displacement pieces 520e.

[0077] The outer periphery 525e is a cylindrical portion that surrounds six displacement pieces 520e. Each of the six displacement pieces 520e has one end 521e fixed to the inner surface of the cylindrical outer periphery 525e. The outer contour of each of the six displacement pieces 520e is composed of two radii passing through the center of the same circle and an arc between them. In the displacement piece 520e, the angle between the two radii is 60°. In the outlet valve unit 500e, the other ends 522e of the six displacement pieces 520e are positioned inward, and the end 521e fixed to the outer periphery 525e is positioned outward so as to surround the other end 522e. The other end 522e of the displacement piece 520e is displaceable in the thickness direction of the displacement piece 520e due to the elastic deformation of the displacement piece 520e.

[0078] In other words, the six displacement pieces 520e are six slits extending from the center of the disk toward the outer circumference, separated from each other by slits that form an angle of 60° between adjacent slits.

[0079] When no external force is being applied, the outlet valve unit 500e closes by the contact of the side ends of a plurality of adjacent displacement pieces 520e with each other, thereby blocking the gas-liquid passage 410 (see Figure 12).

[0080] On the other hand, when ink is supplied to the printer 100 from the ink supply container, the ink inlet flow path member 710 of the printer 100 is inserted into the outlet valve unit 500 through the outlet opening 460. The ink inlet flow path member 710 pushes the other ends 522e of the multiple displacement pieces 520e, displacing them in the thickness direction and in the direction of the outer circumference 525e. As a result, the outlet valve unit 500e opens.

[0081] In the fifth embodiment as well, when the cap 600 is removed from the ink supply container 1000, it is possible to prevent ink from flowing out from inside the ink supply container 1000 through the outlet opening 460. When ink is supplied from the ink supply container 1000 to the printer 100, the ink inlet flow path member 710 is inserted into the outlet valve unit 500e through the outlet opening 460, and the other ends 522e of the plurality of displacement pieces 520e are pushed and displaced, thereby supplying ink from inside the ink supply container 1000 to the printer 100 through the outlet opening 460.

[0082] In this embodiment, the atmospheric release valve 310 is in an open state due to the cap 600 sealing the outlet opening 460 of the ink supply container (see the middle left of Figure 4). Therefore, in this embodiment, the cap 600 does not need to have a configuration to press the valve body 520 of the outlet valve unit 500 to maintain the open state of the outlet valve unit 500, as in the technology of Patent Document 1. As a result, even if the ink supply container is stored for a long period of time with the cap 600 attached, the shape of the displacement piece 520e of the outlet valve unit 500e will not be fixed in a deformed state, preventing the outlet valve unit 500e from closing.

[0083] The outlet valve unit 500e of this embodiment is also referred to as the "second on-off valve".

[0084] F. Other embodiments: F1. Other Embodiments 1: (1) In the above embodiment, the spring 313 is a coil spring. However, the elastic member that presses the valve body 312 may be of another type, such as a leaf spring or a disc spring.

[0085] (2) In the outlet valve unit 500e of the fifth embodiment described above, the six displacement pieces 520e are six slits extending from the center of the disc toward the outer circumference, and are separated from each other by slits where the angle between adjacent slits is 60° (see Figure 12). However, the multiple displacement pieces may be two displacement pieces separated by one slit, or more than six displacement pieces separated by more than six slits, such as eight or ten.

[0086] (3) In the above embodiment, the cap 600 is attached to the outlet forming portion 400 by being combined with an external thread provided on the outer circumference of the outlet forming portion 400 (see the upper part of Figure 4 and the upper left part of Figure 5). However, the cap may be attached to the outlet forming portion by other means, such as fitting a recess and a convex part together. The ink supply container may also be configured such that the cap is attached to the container body by these methods.

[0087] (4) In the above embodiment, the container body 300, together with the outlet forming portion 400, constitutes a sealed space Sa that houses the ink storage portion 200 (see the middle section of Figure 4). However, the container body and the outlet forming portion may be integrally molded.

[0088] (5) In the above embodiment, the ink tank 700 is a stationary ink tank (see Figures 1 and 2). However, the object to which ink is supplied from the ink supply container 1000 may be a tank mounted on the printer carriage.

[0089] F2. Other Embodiments 2: In the first embodiment described above, the cap 600, while sealing the outlet opening 460, pushes the tip 312t of the valve body 312 toward the inside of the container body 300, displacing the valve body 312 and opening the atmospheric release valve 310 to state OS1 (see the middle left of Figure 4). However, the ink supply container may, instead of such a configuration, have a skirt portion 602 that reaches the umbrella portion 332 of the one-way valve 330 when the cap 600d is attached to the container body 300b, as described in the fourth embodiment (see the middle right of Figure 11). In other words, the ink supply container only needs to be configured such that the first on-off valve moves to the open state when the outlet opening is sealed by the cap.

[0090] F3. Other Embodiments 3: In the first embodiment described above, the outlet valve unit 500 is opened when the ink inlet flow path member 710 is inserted into the outlet valve unit 500 through the outlet opening 460 and the valve body 520 is displaced by pushing against the spring member 530 (see the upper center of Figures 2 and 4). However, the ink supply container can also be configured to include a slit valve as the outlet valve unit 500e, as described in the fifth embodiment, instead of such a configuration.

[0091] F4. Other Embodiments 4: In the fifth embodiment described above, the outlet valve unit 500e is a slit valve comprising an outer circumference 525e and six displacement pieces 520e (see Figure 12). However, the ink supply container may instead be equipped with a so-called spring valve, as described in the first embodiment, in which the ink inlet flow path member 710 is inserted into the outlet valve unit 500 through the outlet opening 460 and opens by pushing and displacing the valve body 520 against the spring member 530 (see the upper center of Figures 2 and 4).

[0092] F5. Other Embodiments 5: In the third embodiment described above, the ink supply container 1000c is equipped with both an atmospheric release valve 310 and a one-way valve 330 in the container body 300c (see Figures 9 and 10). However, the ink supply container can also be configured to be equipped with only one of the atmospheric release valve 310 and the one-way valve 330, as described in the first and second embodiments.

[0093] F6. Other Embodiments 6: In the four embodiments described above, the one-way valve 330 performs the same function as the atmospheric release valve 310 in the first embodiment (see the middle right section of Figure 11). However, instead of such a configuration, the ink supply container can also be provided with the atmospheric release valve 310 and the one-way valve 330 separately, as described in the third embodiment.

[0094] F7. Other Embodiments 7: In the second embodiment described above, the container body 300b does not have an atmospheric release valve 310, but it does have a one-way valve 330 (see the middle right of Figure 7 and the middle right of Figure 8). However, the ink supply container can also be configured to include both an atmospheric release valve 310 and a one-way valve 330, as described in the third embodiment, instead of such a configuration.

[0095] G. Other forms: This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from its spirit. For example, this disclosure can also be implemented in the following forms. The technical features in the embodiments described below that correspond to the technical features in each of the forms described below can be replaced or combined as appropriate in order to solve some or all of the problems of this disclosure, or to achieve some or all of the effects of this disclosure. Furthermore, if such technical features are not described as essential in this specification, they can be deleted as appropriate.

[0096] (1) According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an ink supply container for supplying ink to a printer is provided. The ink supply container comprises an ink storage portion which is a flexible bag for storing ink; an outlet forming portion which is liquid-tightly connected to the ink storage portion and has an outlet opening for supplying the ink in the ink storage portion to the outside of the ink supply container; a container body which together with the outlet forming portion constitutes a sealed space for housing the ink storage portion; and a cap which can seal the outlet opening and is configured to be removable from the outlet opening. The container body includes a first on-off valve that opens and closes a first flow path which communicates the inside of the container body with the outside of the ink supply container. The first on-off valve is configured to transition to an open state by sealing the outlet opening with the cap and to transition to a closed state by releasing the seal on the outlet opening by the cap. In this configuration, when the cap seals the outlet opening, the inside of the container body and the outside of the ink refill container are in communication via the first on-off valve. That is, the pressure inside the container body is equal to the pressure outside the ink refill container. Therefore, even when the ink refill container is not positioned with the outlet forming part at the top, when the seal on the outlet opening by the cap is released, the ink in the ink storage part is less likely to spray out from the outlet opening due to the pressure inside the container body. Furthermore, the container body, along with the outlet forming section, constitutes a sealed space that houses the ink storage section. Therefore, if the outlet opening is blocked by the ink level inside the printer, and gas-liquid exchange between the ink storage section and the inside of the printer via the outlet opening ceases, no more ink will be supplied to the printer from the ink storage section.

[0097] (2) In the ink supply container of the above form, the first on-off valve comprises a first valve body and a first elastic member that pushes the first valve body, and the first on-off valve is configured such that when no external force is being applied, a part of the first valve body that is pushed by the first elastic member is exposed to the outside of the container body, and the first on-off valve is in a closed state, and when the first valve body is pushed against the first elastic member and displaced, the first on-off valve is in an open state, and the cap is configured such that when the outlet opening is sealed, it pushes the part of the first valve body toward the inside of the container body, displacing the first valve body and opening the first on-off valve. In this embodiment, the valve is in an open state due to the cap sealing the outlet opening. Therefore, a first on-off valve that is in a closed state when the cap is removed can be realized with a simple configuration.

[0098] (3) In the above-described form of ink supply container, a second on-off valve is provided within the outlet forming section for opening and closing a second flow path communicating with the outlet opening, the second on-off valve comprising a second valve body and a second elastic member for pushing the second valve body, wherein, when not subjected to external force, the second valve body, pushed by the second elastic member, blocks the second flow path, resulting in a closed valve state, and a pressing member provided in the printer at the part to which the ink supply container is connected, comprising a flow path through which ink flows toward the printer and a flow path through which air flows toward the ink storage section, is inserted into the second on-off valve through the outlet opening, and pushes the second valve body against the second elastic member, displacing it and resulting in an open valve state. This configuration prevents ink from leaking out of the ink supply container through the outlet opening when the cap is removed from the ink supply container. When supplying ink from the ink supply container to the printer, the pressing member is inserted into the second on-off valve through the outlet opening, and by pushing and displacing the second valve body against the second elastic member, ink can be supplied from the inside of the ink supply container to the printer through the outlet opening. Furthermore, even if the ink supply container vibrates, ink is less likely to leak out from the inside of the ink supply container through the outlet opening compared to the configuration in which a slit valve is provided.

[0099] (4) In the above-described form of ink supply container, the second on-off valve is provided for opening and closing a second flow path communicating with the outlet opening within the outlet forming section, and comprises a plurality of displacement pieces, each elastically deformable, with one end fixed and the other end displaceable, wherein the other ends of the plurality of displacement pieces are arranged inward and the one end of the plurality of displacement pieces is arranged outward so as to surround the other end, wherein the second on-off valve is in a closed state when no external force is applied, by the side ends of the plurality of displacement pieces arranged adjacent to each other coming into contact with each other, thereby blocking the second flow path, and the pressing member provided in the printer at the part to which the ink supply container is connected, comprising a flow path through which ink flows toward the printer and a flow path through which air flows toward the ink storage section, is inserted into the second on-off valve through the outlet opening, and the pressing member is configured to open the valve by pressing and displacing the other ends of the plurality of displacement pieces. This configuration prevents ink from leaking out of the ink supply container through the outlet opening when the cap is removed from the ink supply container. When supplying ink from the ink supply container to the printer, the pressing member is inserted into the second on-off valve through the outlet opening, and by pressing and displacing the other ends of the plurality of displacement pieces, ink can be supplied from the inside of the ink supply container to the printer through the outlet opening.

[0100] (5) In the above-described form of ink supply container, the container body may also be provided with a third on-off valve that opens and closes a third flow path communicating the inside of the container body with the outside of the ink supply container, wherein the third on-off valve is a one-way valve that does not allow flow from the outside of the ink supply container to the inside of the container body via the third flow path, but allows flow from the inside of the container body to the outside of the ink supply container via the third flow path. This configuration prevents the internal pressure of the container from becoming significantly higher than the external pressure of the ink refill container, even when the cap is removed. Therefore, even if temperature or pressure changes occur in the environment surrounding the ink refill container after the seal of the outlet opening by the cap is released, it is less likely that the ink in the ink storage area will be ejected from the outlet opening due to the internal pressure of the container when refilling the printer.

[0101] (6) In the above-described form of ink supply container, the first on-off valve may also be a valve that does not allow flow from the outside of the ink supply container to the inside of the container body via the third flow path, but allows flow from the inside of the container body to the outside of the ink supply container via the third flow path. This configuration allows for the following functions to be achieved with a simple design. Specifically, when the cap seals the outlet opening, the internal pressure of the container body is kept equal to the external pressure of the ink supply container. Even when the cap is removed, the internal pressure of the container body can be made approximately equal to the external pressure of the ink supply container. Therefore, even if temperature or atmospheric pressure changes occur in the environment surrounding the ink supply container after the cap has been removed, the internal pressure of the container body makes it less likely for ink in the ink storage area to spray out of the outlet opening when replenishing ink to the printer.

[0102] (7) In another embodiment of the present disclosure, an ink supply container for supplying ink to a printer is provided. The ink supply container comprises an ink storage section which is a flexible bag for storing ink; an outlet forming section which is liquid-tightly connected to the ink storage section and has an outlet opening for supplying the ink in the ink storage section to the outside of the ink supply container; a container body which together with the outlet forming section constitutes a sealed space for housing the ink storage section; and a cap which can seal the outlet opening and is configured to be removable from the outlet opening. The container body may also be provided with an on / off valve for opening and closing a flow path that communicates the inside of the container body with the outside of the ink supply container, wherein the on / off valve is a one-way valve that does not allow flow from the outside of the ink supply container to the inside of the container body via the flow path, but allows flow from the inside of the container body to the outside of the ink supply container via the flow path. By adopting this configuration, the internal pressure of the container body can be made approximately equal to the external pressure of the ink refill container. Therefore, when the seal of the outlet opening by the cap is released, the internal pressure of the container body makes it difficult for the ink in the ink storage section to spray out of the outlet opening.

[0103] This disclosure can also be implemented in various forms other than ink supply containers. For example, it can be implemented in the form of toner containers or printing tape containers. [Explanation of symbols]

[0104] 100...Printer, 110...Housing, 160...Ink tank housing unit, 162...Lid, 164...Sealing cap member, 165...Sealing cap, 200...Ink storage section, 300...Container body, 300b...Container body, 302...External thread, 310...Atmospheric release valve, 311...Flow path, 312...Valve body, 312t...Tip, 313...Spring, 330...One-way valve, 331...Flow path, 332...Umbrella part, 333...Shaft part, 400...Outlet forming part, 410...Gas-liquid flow path, 420...Cylinder part, 460...Outlet opening, 462...End face of the part defining the outlet opening, 500...Outlet valve unit, 500e...Outlet valve unit, 510...Seal member, 517...Valve housing ,520...valve body, 520e...displacement piece, 521e...one end of displacement piece, 522e...other end of displacement piece, 524...cylindrical part, 525e...outer circumference, 526...protrusion, 530...spring member, 600...cap, 600d...cap, 602...skirt part, 700...ink tank, 700L...ink tank, 700S...ink tank, 710...ink inlet flow path member, 1000...ink supply container, 1000b...ink supply container, 1000c...ink supply container, 1000d...ink supply container, C...central axis, CS1...closed valve state, CS3...closed valve state, Ho...through hole, OS1...open valve state, OS3...open valve state, Sa...space inside the container body.

Claims

1. An ink supply container for replenishing ink in a printer, The ink storage section is a flexible bag that contains ink, An outlet forming section, which is liquid-tightly connected to the ink storage section, and which has an outlet opening for supplying the ink in the ink storage section to the outside of the ink supply container, A container body comprising a sealed space containing the ink storage section, together with the outlet forming section, The system includes a cap that can seal the outlet opening and is configured to be removable from the outlet opening, The container body is equipped with a first on / off valve that opens and closes a first flow path that connects the inside of the container body to the outside of the ink supply container. The first on-off valve is, By sealing the outlet opening with the aforementioned cap, the valve transitions to an open state. An ink supply container configured to transition to a closed valve state by releasing the seal on the outlet opening by the cap.

2. An ink supply container according to claim 1, The first on-off valve is, The first valve body and, The system comprises a first elastic member that pushes the first valve body, The first on-off valve is, When no external force is being applied, a portion of the first valve body, pressed by the first elastic member, is exposed to the outside of the container body, and the first on-off valve is in a closed state. The first valve is configured to open when the first valve body is pushed against the first elastic member and displaced, An ink supply container, wherein the cap is configured such that, while sealing the outlet opening, it pushes a portion of the first valve body inward toward the container body, displacing the first valve body and opening the first on / off valve.

3. An ink supply container according to claim 1 or 2, Within the outlet forming section, a second on / off valve opens and closes a second flow path communicating with the outlet opening, The second on-off valve comprises a second valve body and a second elastic member that pushes the second valve body. The second shut-off valve is, When no external force is being applied, the second valve body, pressed by the second elastic member, blocks the second flow path, resulting in a closed valve state. An ink supply container is provided in the printer at the part to which the ink supply container is connected, wherein the pressing member, which constitutes a flow path through which ink flows toward the printer and a flow path through which air flows toward the ink storage section, is inserted into the second on-off valve through the outlet opening, and is configured to open by pressing and displacing the second valve body against the second elastic member.

4. An ink supply container according to claim 1 or 2, A second on / off valve that opens and closes a second flow path communicating with the outlet opening within the outlet forming section, A second on / off valve comprises a plurality of displacement pieces, each capable of elastic deformation, with one end fixed and the other end displaceable, wherein the other ends of the plurality of displacement pieces are arranged inward, and the one end of the plurality of displacement pieces is arranged outward so as to surround the other end. The second shut-off valve is, When no external force is being applied, the side ends of the plurality of displacement pieces, which are arranged adjacent to each other, come into contact with each other, blocking the second flow path and resulting in a closed valve state. An ink supply container is provided in the printer at the part to which the ink supply container is connected, wherein the pressing member, which constitutes a flow path through which ink flows toward the printer and a flow path through which air flows toward the ink storage section, is inserted into the second on-off valve through the outlet opening, and is configured to open by pressing and displacing the other end of the plurality of displacement pieces.

5. An ink supply container according to claim 1, The container body is equipped with a third on / off valve that opens and closes a third flow path that connects the inside of the container body to the outside of the ink supply container. The third on-off valve is, This does not allow the flow of ink from the outside of the ink supply container to the inside of the container body via the third channel. An ink supply container, which is a one-way valve that allows flow from the inside of the container body to the outside of the ink supply container via the third flow path.

6. An ink supply container according to claim 5, The first on-off valve is, This does not allow the flow of ink from the outside of the ink supply container to the inside of the container body via the third channel. An ink supply container, which is a valve that allows flow from the inside of the container body to the outside of the ink supply container via the third flow path.

7. An ink supply container for replenishing ink in a printer, The ink storage section is a flexible bag that contains ink, An outlet forming section, which is liquid-tightly connected to the ink storage section, and which has an outlet opening for supplying the ink in the ink storage section to the outside of the ink supply container, A container body comprising a sealed space containing the ink storage section, together with the outlet forming section, The system includes a cap that can seal the outlet opening and is configured to be removable from the outlet opening, The container body is equipped with an on / off valve that opens and closes a flow path connecting the inside of the container body and the outside of the ink supply container. The aforementioned on / off valve is This does not allow the flow of ink from the outside of the ink supply container to the inside of the container body via the aforementioned flow path. An ink supply container, which is a one-way valve that allows flow from the inside of the container body to the outside of the ink supply container via the aforementioned flow path.

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