Liquid container, method for manufacturing a liquid container, and liquid dispensing device

Abstract

The present invention provides a liquid storage container that suppresses the formation of unblocked spaces within the liquid storage container and also suppresses the occurrence of wrinkles during welding of the liquid supply unit. [Solution] The liquid container of the present disclosure includes a liquid container having a first surface and a second surface, and a liquid supply unit including a liquid suction section and a liquid supply section. The liquid supply section has first and second inclined surfaces on the first surface side that are inclined in opposite directions to each other, and third and fourth inclined surfaces on the second surface side that are inclined in opposite directions to each other, and at least one of the angles formed by the first and third inclined surfaces and the second and fourth inclined surfaces has an angle A. The liquid suction section has fifth and sixth inclined surfaces on the first surface side that are inclined in opposite directions to each other, and seventh and eighth inclined surfaces on the second surface side that are inclined in opposite directions to each other, and at least one of the angles formed by the fifth and seventh inclined surfaces and the sixth and eighth inclined surfaces has an angle B, and has an angle ratio (B / A) of 0.8 or more and 1.1 or less.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a liquid container, a method for manufacturing the liquid container, and a liquid ejection apparatus including the liquid container. BACKGROUND ART

[0002] A liquid container (e.g., an ink pack) that stores a liquid (particularly ink) to be supplied to a liquid ejection apparatus such as an inkjet printer in a flexible liquid storage portion is known in the art.

[0003] For example, Patent Literature 1 describes a flexible container for storing a liquid (particularly ink). In the liquid container of Patent Literature 1, a liquid lead-out member is attached to one end of the liquid storage portion. An ink lead-out pipe is connected to an end of a spacer member that extends toward the other end of the liquid storage portion in the liquid container. Ink is led out to the ink lead-out member from a deep region inside the liquid storage portion through an outlet of the ink lead-out pipe disposed at a central portion inside the liquid storage portion. According to Patent Literature 1, displacement of the end of the ink lead-out pipe is suppressed by the spacer member. In addition, when the liquid is consumed, the liquid storage portion easily contracts along the inclined surface shape of the spacer member from a contact portion with the spacer member, whereby blockage of the liquid flow path is more effectively suppressed. PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS PATENT LITERATURE

[0004] Patent Literature 1 Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2018-65373 SUMMARY OF INVENTION Problem to be Solved by Invention

[0005] Regarding containers made of plastic, such as liquid containers, there is a demand to reduce the amount of plastic used in liquid containers from an environmental perspective. One approach is to provide a liquid supply component near the end of the liquid container. However, with such a configuration, when the liquid, such as ink, contained in the liquid container is consumed and the container becomes blocked, a large unblocked space remains, which may reduce the efficiency of using up the liquid in the container. In addition, when welding the liquid supply component, distortion may occur at the welded area, resulting in welding wrinkles.

[0006] The object of this disclosure is to provide a liquid container that can suppress the reduction in the usability of the liquid and suppress welding wrinkles during welding in the liquid container. Another object of this disclosure is to provide a method for manufacturing the liquid container and a liquid dispensing device equipped with the liquid container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the liquid container of the present disclosure is a liquid container comprising a liquid storage section for storing liquid and a liquid supply unit section attached to the liquid storage section, wherein the liquid storage section has a first surface and a second surface, the liquid supply unit section includes a liquid suction section and a liquid supply section, the liquid supply section has a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface on the first surface side that are inclined in opposite directions to each other, and a third inclined surface and a fourth inclined surface on the second surface side that are inclined in opposite directions to each other, the angle formed by the first inclined surface and the third inclined surface, and the second inclined surface The liquid suction portion has a fifth and sixth inclined surface on the first side and a seventh and eighth inclined surface on the second side and at least one of the angles formed by the fifth and seventh inclined surfaces and the angles formed by the sixth and eighth inclined surfaces has an angle B, and the angle B has an angle ratio (B / A) of 0.8 to 1.1 with respect to the angle A. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a liquid container in which the unclosed space when the liquid container is closed is suppressed, and welding wrinkles in the liquid container are suppressed during welding. Furthermore, according to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a method for manufacturing the liquid container and a liquid dispensing device using the liquid container. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows an example of a liquid container according to the present disclosure, where (a) is a plan view of the liquid container, (b) is a cross-sectional view of Ib-Ib in Figure 1(a), and (c) is a view of the liquid container in Figure 1(a) from the liquid supply unit side. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the liquid container of this disclosure. [Figure 3]Figure 3 shows the liquid supply unit section, where (a) is a plan view and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the liquid supply unit section of Figure 3(a) when it is cut along IIIb-IIIb and viewed in the direction of the liquid suction section. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows different configuration examples of the adhesive portion of the liquid supply unit. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows the liquid suction section of the liquid supply unit, where (a) is a perspective view of the liquid suction section and (b) is a view from the side connected to the liquid supply section. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows different configuration examples as viewed from the connection side of the liquid suction section. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the liquid supply unit when it is installed in the liquid storage section. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a plan view of the liquid storage section before the liquid supply unit is installed. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a perspective view showing an example of a liquid dispensing device. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a flowchart showing a method for manufacturing a liquid container. [Figure 11] Figure 11 shows the steps involved in welding the liquid supply unit and the liquid storage unit. (a) to (c) are schematic diagrams showing an example of the operation of the first welding stage. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing examples of welded horns, where (a) is a top view of the first welded horn, (b) is a top view of the second welded horn, and (c) is a top view of the third welded horn. [Figure 13] This figure illustrates the welding process used in manufacturing the liquid containers of this disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Regarding containers that use plastic, such as liquid containers, there is a demand to reduce the amount of plastic used in liquid containers from an environmental perspective.

[0011] As one approach, the inventors considered a liquid container that does not use a spacer member to position the suction port of the liquid outlet tube in the center of the liquid container, as is done in known configurations (e.g., Patent Document 1). Specifically, they considered a configuration in which the liquid suction port is located near the end of the liquid container, for example, a configuration in which liquid is supplied to the outside from one end of a liquid supply unit provided in the liquid container (the end facing the inside of the liquid container).

[0012] However, it was found that such a configuration of the liquid container creates new and different problems. Specifically, when the liquid in the liquid container is consumed, the liquid container becomes blocked. If there is a difference in height between the liquid supply section and the liquid container, there will be a larger unblocked space within the liquid container, which may reduce the efficiency of using up the liquid. Also, depending on the shape of the liquid supply section and the liquid suction section, if there is a difference in height between them, distortion may occur at the opening of the liquid container when it is welded to the liquid supply unit, potentially leading to problems such as welding wrinkles at the welded joint.

[0013] Therefore, the purpose of the liquid storage container of this disclosure is to provide a liquid storage container in which, when the liquid inside the liquid storage section is consumed or degassed, the space around the liquid outlet is not blocked, and welding wrinkles in the liquid storage section are suppressed. Furthermore, this disclosure aims to provide a method for manufacturing the liquid storage container and a liquid dispensing device using the liquid storage container.

[0014] As described above, the inventors of the present invention have found that when adopting a configuration in which a liquid suction port is provided near the end of a flexible liquid storage portion for the purpose of reducing the amount of plastic used in the liquid storage container, a large amount of unclosed spaces are formed in the liquid storage container. Furthermore, the inventors of the present invention have found that problems such as the occurrence of welding wrinkles may arise when welding the liquid storage portion and the liquid supply unit portion due to the influence of the height difference between the liquid storage portion and the liquid suction portion. In order to solve these problems, the inventors of the present invention have conducted more detailed studies on the shapes and arrangements of the liquid supply portion and the liquid suction portion of the liquid supply unit portion, and as a result, have arrived at the configuration of the present disclosure.

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of a liquid container (such as an ink pack, an ink cartridge, etc.) according to the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing the liquid container, and a liquid ejection apparatus including the liquid container will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the following embodiments are suitable examples for implementing the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited to these configurations. In addition, a part of the described content can be combined among the content described in each embodiment.

[0016] Regarding the liquid container of the present disclosure, directions may be defined by the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis in the description of the present specification. These axes are indicated by direction axes with arrows shown in each drawing. For each axis, when the axial direction is indicated by double-headed arrows, it indicates that the object can move in either the "+" or "-" direction of that axis.

[0017] In the present specification, when specifying the direction of each axis, the direction an arrow points on the X, Y, or Z axis is defined as the "+" direction of each axis. That is, for the "+" or "-" direction of each axis, the "+" direction is the direction the arrow points to, and the "-" direction is the direction opposite to the direction the arrow points to. Furthermore, when referring to the direction of an axis without specifying the "+" or "-" direction, it is simply referred to as the "X-axis direction", "Y-axis direction", or "Z-axis direction".

[0018] Furthermore, in this specification, the height direction of the liquid container (i.e., the direction of gravity) is defined as the Z-axis direction. The side on which gravity acts in the Z-axis direction (direction of gravity) (also referred to as the gravity side or downward side in this specification) is defined as the +Z direction, and the side opposite to the side on which gravity acts in the Z-axis direction (direction of gravity) (also referred to as the anti-gravity side or upward side in this specification) is defined as the -Z direction.

[0019] In this specification, "liquid" includes any liquid that can be applied to a recording medium to form an image, print an image, or process the recording medium. Therefore, "liquid" in this specification is a concept that encompasses all liquids that can be used for recording, printing, or processing. Furthermore, the concept of recording is not particularly limited and can be applied to industrial applications, etc. For example, it can be used for applications such as the manufacture of biochips, the printing of electronic circuits, and the manufacture of semiconductor substrates.

[0020] In this specification, the terms “liquid” and “ink” are used. These terms are used in this disclosure as concepts that encompass all liquids that can be used for recording. Furthermore, “liquid” and “ink” refer to any liquid medium that, when applied to a recording medium, can be used for image formation, printing, processing of the recording medium, etc. Therefore, in this specification, the terms “liquid” and “ink” are used interchangeably.

[0021] In this specification, “flexible” or “having flexibility” means being pliable and bendable, or having such properties.

[0022] (I) Full container of liquid A liquid container 50 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1(a) is a plan view of one embodiment of the liquid container of the present disclosure. Figure 1(b) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the liquid supply unit 12 of the liquid container (enlarged cross-sectional view of Ib-Ib in Figure 1(a)). Figure 1(c) is a schematic view of the liquid container 50 as seen from the side of the liquid supply unit 12 (viewed from the -Y direction).

[0023] As shown in Figure 1(a), the liquid container 50 of this disclosure has a flexible liquid storage section 13 and a liquid supply unit section 12. The liquid storage section 13 is configured to be able to contain a liquid such as ink inside. The liquid supply unit section 12 is for supplying the liquid contained in the liquid storage section 13 to the outside.

[0024] The liquid supply unit 12 is positioned on one side of the liquid storage section 13 and is bonded to the liquid storage section 13 by appropriate means such as welding.

[0025] In the liquid storage container 50, taking into account the adhesive properties (e.g., heat-weldability) between each component, it is preferable that the liquid storage section 13 and the liquid supply unit section 12 use the same material, at least at the bonding surfaces.

[0026] The liquid storage section 13 and the liquid supply unit section 12 will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 8.

[0027] (1) Liquid storage section In this disclosure, the liquid storage section 13 is flexible and configured to contain a liquid (e.g., ink) inside. The liquid storage section 13 may have any known structure and shape as long as it can contain a liquid. Specifically, it may be a pillow type in which a film is formed into a tube and the top and bottom of the tube are closed, a three-sided seal type or four-sided seal type formed by overlapping two films and joining their peripheral edges together, or a gusset type. Furthermore, known methods can be used to manufacture liquid storage sections of such shapes.

[0028] The specific configuration of the liquid storage section 13 of the liquid storage container 50, which is one embodiment of the present disclosure, will be explained with reference to Figure 1.

[0029] In this embodiment, the liquid storage section 13 preferably has a rectangular shape, such as a rectangle, as shown in Figure 1(a). In this embodiment, it may also have other quadrilateral shapes such as a trapezoid or a square. Alternatively, it may have polygonal shapes such as a triangle, quadrilateral, or pentagon. Furthermore, it may have a shape in which the corners of a polygon are rounded.

[0030] In this embodiment, the liquid storage section 13 has at least a first surface (P) and a second surface (Q) facing the first surface, as shown in Figures 1(b) and 1(c). The first surface (P) and the second surface (Q) have four sides (S1, S2, S3, and S4) of the liquid storage section 13, and these four sides are joined to each other. The joining can be done by known joining methods such as welding. Of the four sides, sides S2 and S3 that form the side surface of the liquid storage section 13 may be joined directly, or they may be joined in a manner that connects them via a gusset surface.

[0031] Furthermore, the liquid storage section 13 has one of the four sides, side S1 on which the liquid supply unit section 12, described later, is provided. In this embodiment, side S1 is also referred to as the first side. In this embodiment, the first surface (P) and the second surface (Q) are joined together with the liquid supply unit section 12 by a common first side (side S1). The liquid storage section 13 also has sides S2 and S3 that face each other on its side surface (in the X-axis direction in Figure 1), and side S4 that faces side S1. A portion of side S1 and the area around that portion have a region R (seal portion) as shown in Figure 1(a), and the liquid supply unit section 12, which is housed in the liquid storage section 13 and supplies liquid to the outside, is provided in region R (seal portion). In this specification, region R is also referred to as the seal portion.

[0032] Any known material that can contain liquid and is flexible can be used as the material for the liquid containment section 13. Specifically, examples include resin films such as polyester (PET), polyamide (PA), polyethylene (PE), and polyolefin (PP). The film used as the material for the liquid containment section 13 is a film containing the above-mentioned resin and may have a single-layer structure or a laminated structure consisting of multiple layers. Furthermore, these resin films may include a coating film or a vapor-deposited film to impart gas barrier or moisture barrier properties to the film. In addition, the film constituting the liquid containment section 13 may also have paper or aluminum foil laminated onto it. For the purpose of containing liquid, a material that can suppress the evaporation of water in the liquid is preferred. In particular, a film using aluminum foil is preferred. Furthermore, the film thickness of the film used for the liquid containment section 13 is preferably 100 μm or more and 220 μm or less.

[0033] As shown in Figures 1(b) and 1(c), the liquid storage section 13 is joined to the liquid supply unit section 12, which will be described later, at region R (sealing section). The liquid storage section 13 can be joined to the liquid supply unit section 12 at region R (sealing section) of side S1, over a portion of the liquid supply section 10 and liquid suction section 11 of the liquid supply unit section 12. As shown in Figures 1(b), 1(c), and 2, the liquid supply unit section 12 is arranged such that the liquid supply section 10 faces outward from the liquid storage section 13 (the liquid supply port 15 of the liquid supply section 10 faces outward from the liquid storage section 13), and the liquid suction section 11 is arranged inside the liquid storage section 13. In this embodiment, the portion of the liquid supply section 10 that is bonded to the liquid storage section 13 is the bonding section 40, which will be described later as a specific example, and the portion of the liquid supply section that is located outside the liquid storage container is the portion of the liquid supply section excluding the bonding section 40.

[0034] (2) Liquid supply unit The liquid supply unit 12 of the liquid container 50 of this disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 4.

[0035] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the liquid container 50 of this embodiment, and Figure 3 is a plan view of the liquid supply unit 12 in this embodiment.

[0036] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the liquid supply unit 12 consists of a liquid supply unit 10 and a liquid suction unit 11.

[0037] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3(a), the liquid supply unit 10 and the liquid suction unit 11 are connected along the Y-axis direction of the liquid supply unit 12. As shown in Figure 3, this Y-axis direction is along the longitudinal direction of the liquid supply unit 12. In this specification, the axis along this Y-axis direction (longitudinal direction of the liquid supply unit 12) is referred to as the "central axis of the liquid supply unit 12" (also simply referred to as the "central axis" in this specification). Furthermore, the direction of this central axis (Y-axis direction, longitudinal direction) is referred to as the "central axis direction" of the liquid supply unit. The central axis direction of the liquid supply unit 12 (longitudinal direction of the liquid supply unit 12) is perpendicular to the gravity direction (Z-axis direction) defined earlier. Furthermore, the plane containing the above central axis and perpendicular to the gravity direction (XY plane) is referred to as the "central axis plane". Furthermore, the plane perpendicular to the central axis plane is referred to as the gravity direction plane (YZ plane).

[0038] In this disclosure, the liquid supply unit 12 may have any structure and shape as long as it is configured to supply the liquid contained in the liquid storage unit 13 to the outside. However, it is preferable that the liquid supply unit 12 is composed of a liquid supply unit 10 and a liquid suction unit 11 as described below. In this disclosure, as described above, in order to reduce the amount of plastic used in the liquid storage container 50, the liquid supply unit 12 is provided in the area R (sealing portion) of the liquid storage unit 13.

[0039] As shown in Figures 2 to 6, the liquid supply unit 12 of this embodiment includes a liquid supply unit 10 and a liquid suction unit 11, which are detachable from each other. However, in the liquid supply unit 12 of this disclosure, the liquid supply unit 10 and the liquid suction unit 11 may be integrally formed.

[0040] In the liquid container 50 of this disclosure, the liquid supply unit 12 is arranged such that the liquid supply unit 10 faces outwards from the liquid container 13 (the liquid supply port 15 of the liquid supply unit 10 faces outwards from the liquid container 13), and the liquid suction unit 11 is arranged inside the liquid container 13.

[0041] The liquid supply unit 12 shown in Figure 3 is configured to supply liquid when connected to the liquid delivery unit 106 provided in the liquid discharge device 100, which will be described later. For this reason, it is preferable that it be provided on one side of the liquid storage portion of the liquid storage container 50 (specifically, the side S1 having the region R (seal portion) shown in Figure 1).

[0042] Next, the liquid supply unit 10 and the liquid suction unit 11, which are components of the liquid supply unit 12, will be described.

[0043] As described above and as shown in Figure 1(a), the liquid supply unit 10 is sandwiched between a first surface (P) and a second surface (Q) in region R (sealing portion) and has an adhesive portion 40 having a first portion T, as shown in Figure 3(a). The liquid suction portion 11 of the liquid supply unit 12 has a second portion U, which is the terminal end of the liquid suction portion 11, as shown in Figure 3(a). The second portion U is located inside the liquid storage portion 13 and is the end portion located in the +Y direction of the liquid storage portion 13 from the first portion T. The first portion T has two inclined surfaces (V) sandwiched between a first surface (P) and a second surface (Q), as shown in Figure 3(b). These inclined surfaces (V) consist of a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface (on the first surface (P) side), and a third inclined surface and a fourth inclined surface (on the second surface (Q) side). Specifically, the two inclined surfaces (V) consist of two inclined surfaces (V) that are inclined in opposite directions on the side of the first surface (P) (the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface) and two inclined surfaces (the third inclined surface and the fourth inclined surface) that are inclined in opposite directions on the side of the second surface (Q), as shown in Figure 3(b). In the liquid supply unit 10 of this embodiment, at least one of the angles formed by the first inclined surface and the third inclined surface, and the angles formed by the second inclined surface and the fourth inclined surface, has angle A. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the angle formed by the first inclined surface and the third inclined surface has angle A, and the angle formed by the second inclined surface and the fourth inclined surface also has angle A. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the inclined surface on the first surface side, consisting of the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface, and the inclined surface on the second surface side, consisting of the third inclined surface and the fourth inclined surface, are symmetrical with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction of gravity (XY plane, central axis plane), as shown in Figure 3(b).

[0044] Figures 4(a) and 4(b) show different examples of the shape of the first part T of the liquid supply unit 10 (the shape formed from the two slopes (V) described above). The shape of the first part T is the shape viewed from the side (Y-axis direction) of the adhesive part 40, which will be described later, and both ends (X-axis direction) may be notched (Figure 4(a)) or sharp (Figure 4(b)).

[0045] The liquid suction unit 11 will be described with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5(a) is a perspective view of the liquid suction unit 11, and Figure 5(b) is a view of the liquid suction unit 11 from the side connected to the liquid supply unit 10 (connection surface (M)). As shown in Figure 5(a), the liquid suction unit 11 only needs to be configured to dispense the liquid contained inside the liquid storage unit 13, and it is preferable that it has at least a suction port 4 (first suction port 5 and second suction port 6).

[0046] The liquid suction portion 11 has a connecting surface (M), as shown in Figure 5(b). The liquid suction portion 11 has a second portion U at the end opposite to the connecting surface (M). Preferably, the connecting surface (M) and the second portion U have the same shape when viewed from the +Y direction.

[0047] As described above and as shown in Figure 1(b), the liquid suction section 11 of the liquid supply unit section 12 is sandwiched between the first surface (P) and the second surface (Q) in region R (seal section) and adheres to the liquid storage section 13 near the connecting surface (M). The liquid supply / suction section 11 also has a second portion U, which is the terminal end of the liquid suction section 11. The connecting surface (M), as shown in Figure 5(b), has two inclined surfaces (W) sandwiched between the first surface (P) and the second surface (Q). These inclined surfaces (W) consist of a fifth inclined surface and a sixth inclined surface (on the first surface (P) side), and a seventh inclined surface and an eighth inclined surface (on the second surface (Q) side). Specifically, the two inclined surfaces (W) have two inclined surfaces (W) as shown in Figure 5(b): a fifth inclined surface and a sixth inclined surface on the side of the first surface (P) that are inclined in opposite directions to each other, and a seventh inclined surface and an eighth inclined surface on the side of the second surface (Q) that are inclined in opposite directions to each other. In the liquid suction section 11 of this embodiment, at least one of the angles formed by the fifth inclined surface and the seventh inclined surface, and the angles formed by the sixth inclined surface and the eighth inclined surface, has angle B. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the angle formed by the fifth inclined surface and the seventh inclined surface has angle B, and the angle formed by the sixth inclined surface and the eighth inclined surface also has angle B.

[0048] In this embodiment, the connecting surface is preferably hexagonal, as shown in Figure 5(b), but is not limited to this shape. For example, the shapes of the connecting surface (M) can be exemplified by the shapes shown in Figures 6(a) to 6(c). As shown in Figures 6(a) to 6(c), the shape of the connecting surface (M) may have sharp or notched ends (both ends in the X-axis direction). Also, the upper and lower sides of the hexagon may be long or short, as shown in Figures 6(a) to 6(c). In this embodiment, the angle between the two inclined surfaces (W) is defined as angle B. Angle B corresponds to the angle θ where the extensions of the fifth and seventh inclined surfaces intersect, and the angle θ' where the extensions of the sixth and eighth inclined surfaces intersect, as shown in Figure 5(b). In this embodiment, it is preferable that the two inclined surfaces (W) are symmetrical with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction of gravity (XY plane, central axis plane), as shown in Figure 5(b).

[0049] In this embodiment, the relationship between angle A and angle B is preferably such that angle B is between 0.8 and 1.1 with respect to angle A (angle ratio B / A), and more preferably between 0.9 and 1.1. The reason for this relationship between angle A and angle B is as follows: When bonding the liquid supply unit 12 and the liquid storage unit 13, if the ratio of angle B to angle A is less than 0.8 or greater than 1.1, there is a concern that welding wrinkles will occur. For example, consider the case where the second welding part 301 (see Figure 13) is performed after the first welding part 300 (see Figure 13). When welding the first welding part 300, if angle A is smaller than angle B (angle A < angle B), a large height difference will occur at the bonded part when welding the liquid supply unit 12 and the liquid storage unit 13 if angle B is within the above range with respect to angle A. In this case, after welding the first welded portion 300 (see Figure 13), the opening 14 of the liquid storage portion 13 (see Figure 8) is pulled towards the two slopes (V), causing a wavy deflection in the first welded portion 300. If welding the second welded portion 301 is performed in this state, there is a concern that welding wrinkles will occur. In this embodiment, the angle A of the slope (V) is set to 60 degrees, and the angle B of the slope (W) is set to 60 degrees. However, any desired angle is acceptable as long as the relationship between angles A and B is within the range described above (angle B is such that it is 0.8 or more and 1.1 or less with respect to angle A). Preferably, angle A is in the range of 60 ± 1 degrees, and angle B is in the range of 60 - 2 degrees or more and 60 + 1 degrees or less. However, it is desirable that the magnitude of the inclination of the third and fourth slopes (W) does not exceed the magnitude of the inclination of the two slopes (V) described above. Furthermore, it is preferable that the second part U has the same shape as the connection surface (M) and the same slope as the two slopes (W). Therefore, it is preferable that the relationship between the angle ratio of angle A and angle B is the same between the connection surface (M) and the second part U. Also, in the liquid supply unit 12, if the external shapes of the liquid supply section 10 and the liquid suction section 11 are different, it is preferable that when viewed from the +Y direction, the external shape of the liquid suction section 11 falls within the range of the external shape of the liquid supply section 10.

[0050] Next, with reference to Figure 7, the relationship between the height of the liquid supply unit 10 and the liquid suction unit 11 in the direction of gravity (the Z-axis direction in Figure 7) will be explained.

[0051] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, it is preferable that the components constituting the liquid supply unit 10 have no difference in height and have the same height from the central axis upward and downward (in the Z-axis direction). It is also preferable that the width of each component is the same in the lateral direction (in the X-axis direction) of the liquid supply unit 10. Similarly, it is preferable that the components constituting the liquid suction unit 11 also have no difference in height and have the same height from the central axis upward and downward (in the Z-axis direction). It is also preferable that the width of each component is the same in the lateral direction (in the X-axis direction) of the liquid suction unit 11. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, it is preferable that the height (maximum height) (H1) of the liquid supply unit 10 in the direction of gravity is equivalent to the height (maximum height) (H2) of the liquid suction unit 11 in the direction of gravity.

[0052] In this embodiment, the height (maximum height) (H1) of the liquid supply unit 10 in the direction of gravity may be between -0.2 mm and +1.0 mm from the liquid suction unit 11 (i.e., H1 is a height in the range of -1.0 mm and +0.2 mm from H2). To give a more specific example, if the maximum height portion of the liquid supply unit 10 in the direction of gravity is located at the adhesive unit 40, it is preferable that the height of the first adhesive surface 18 and the second adhesive surface 19 shown in Figure 1(b) in the direction of gravity (Z-axis direction) in the plan view of Figure 1(a) is the same as the maximum height of the liquid suction unit 11. However, the height between the first adhesive surface 18 and the second adhesive surface 19 may be between -0.2 mm and +1.0 mm from the liquid suction unit 11. If the first adhesive surface 18 and the second adhesive surface 19 are lower than the liquid suction unit 11 beyond this range, adhesion will be difficult. In other words, if the first adhesive surface 18 and the second adhesive surface 19 become lower than the liquid suction portion 11, stress is generated in a direction that causes the sealing portion (region R) of the liquid containment portion 13 to peel off from the adhesive portion 40, and there is a risk that the reliability of the adhesive will be impaired.

[0053] In this embodiment, the height of the liquid suction unit 11 in the direction of gravity (maximum height) may be -1.0 mm or more and +0.2 mm or less than that of the liquid supply unit 10 (i.e., H2 is a height in the range of -1.0 mm or more and +0.2 mm or less relative to H1). If the maximum height of the liquid supply unit 10 in the direction of gravity is higher than that of the liquid suction unit 11 (for example, if there is a height difference of +0.5 mm or more), the amount of space that cannot be sealed increases as the liquid is consumed, making it difficult to use up the liquid completely or to maintain a stable degassed state in the liquid storage unit 13.

[0054] The following describes the individual components of the liquid supply unit 10 and the liquid suction unit 11.

[0055] (2-1)Liquid supply section The liquid supply section 10 of the liquid supply unit section 12 has a liquid supply port 15 facing outward (in the -Y direction in Figure 1(a)). The liquid supply port 15 can be of any shape as long as it can supply liquid when inserted into a liquid supply port nozzle provided on the liquid discharge device. The shape of the liquid supply port 15 is not particularly limited, but it is preferably circular (including elliptical). The shape of the liquid supply port 15 can also be a square or polygon. In this case, it is preferable to match the shape of the liquid supply port nozzle with the shape of the liquid supply port 15. This is because matching the shapes of the liquid supply port nozzle and the liquid supply port 15 reduces the risk of liquid leakage when the liquid supply port nozzle is inserted into the liquid supply port.

[0056] The liquid supply unit 10 of the liquid supply unit 12 of this disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. As shown in Figure 1(b), after assembling the components, the liquid supply unit 10 is airtightly bonded to the liquid storage unit 13 by bonding means such as thermocompression bonding. The portion of the liquid supply unit 10 shown in Figure 3 is provided with an adhesive portion 40 that adheres to the liquid storage unit 13. Bonding is performed by welding such as thermocompression bonding. As shown in Figure 3, the adhesive portion 40 has adhesive ribs 41 that protrude from the bonding surface (protruding in the Z-axis direction) and are actively melted during welding such as thermocompression bonding. The adhesive portion 40 also has welding blades 42 at its end (in the X-axis direction in the figure). The welding blades 42 can fill the step between the liquid storage unit 13 and the adhesive portion 40 by being melted by welding or the like. Specifically, when the liquid storage section 13 and the adhesive section 40 are bonded together, a gap is created in region R (sealed section) between the liquid storage section 13 and the end of the adhesive section 40 (the end of the adhesive section 40 in the X-axis direction). The welding blades 42 can fill these gaps by being melted by welding. As a result, the liquid supply section 10 can ensure high airtightness at the adhesive section 40 with the liquid storage section 13. Here, the liquid supply section 10 is made of a material that can be molded into a part, and it is preferable that the material has good contact with liquids, adhesive properties (especially weldability), and moldability. For example, olefin resins such as polyethylene and polypropylene are desirable.

[0057] As shown in Figures 1(b) and 2, the liquid supply unit 10 may be equipped with a compression spring 1, a valve 2, and a joint seal (sealing member) 3 in the liquid flow hole on the liquid supply port 15 side. These members, as described above, preferably have good contact with liquid, adhesive properties (especially weldability), and moldability. The compression spring 1 is preferably made of stainless steel. The valve 2 is preferably made of an olefin resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene, and is preferably a molded part. The joint seal (sealing member) 3 is also preferably made of rubber (elastomer) or thermoplastic elastomer from the viewpoint of contact with liquid (e.g., ink) and corrosion resistance. For example, elastomer materials can include ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM), hydrogenated nitrile rubber (H-NBR), and others.

[0058] Valve 2 is constantly biased against and in contact with joint seal 3 by compression spring 1. Joint seal 3 is fixed to the liquid flow hole of liquid supply unit 10 by known means such as rubber lining, adhesive, or welding a retaining component to its outer circumference. By fixing joint seal 3 in this way, valve 2 is installed so that it does not come off even when biased by compression spring 1. With this configuration, when a force moving compression spring 1 in the +Y direction acts on valve 2, the liquid (ink W) flow path opens. On the other hand, when a force moving in the -Y direction acts on valve 2, the liquid (ink) flow path is closed, preventing air from entering the liquid storage unit 13 and preventing liquid (ink) from leaking. Here, in order to further reduce the risk of air inflow or unexpected liquid leakage or backflow, a configuration can be added to prevent liquid from entering the liquid storage unit 13 from outside the liquid storage container 50. For example, a configuration can be added in which a check valve is provided on the liquid storage unit 13 side in addition to valve 2 at the liquid flow hole. Furthermore, the following configuration may be adopted to improve the gas barrier properties before the liquid container 50 is installed and to prevent foreign matter from entering from the outside. Specifically, a separate component such as a film (for example, a mouth film) is welded to the mouth of the liquid flow hole, and a configuration can be adopted in which an ink needle or the like pierces the film when the liquid container is installed on the liquid dispensing device.

[0059] (2-2)Liquid suction part If the liquid container 50 is left standing, the concentration of the liquid inside the liquid container may become uneven. In such a case, if a highly concentrated liquid is supplied to the liquid dispensing device, the dispensing stability may decrease. For this reason, it is preferable to configure the liquid container 50 of this disclosure to suppress the increase in the concentration of the liquid near the liquid suction section 11.

[0060] The liquid suction unit 11 has at least the configuration shown in Figure 5. Specifically, the liquid suction unit 11 includes a liquid suction port 4 that is open to allow liquid to be drawn from inside the liquid storage unit 13. Also, as shown in Figure 5, the liquid suction port 4 is provided in the direction of gravity (Z-axis direction).

[0061] According to the above configuration, when the sedimentary components in the liquid (ink) inside the liquid storage section 13 settle, the low-concentration portion of the sedimentary components (the side in the -Z direction) of the liquid (ink) is drawn in from the first liquid suction port 5. In addition, the high-concentration portion of the sedimentary components (the side in the +Z direction) is drawn in from the second liquid suction port 6. During these suctions, the low-concentration and high-concentration portions of the sedimentary components are drawn in simultaneously and supplied to the liquid dispensing device 100 as a liquid (ink) of uniform concentration. This makes it possible to suppress variations in the density of characters, symbols, images, etc. formed on the recording sheet, which can occur when extremely high-concentration or low-concentration liquids are supplied to the liquid dispensing device.

[0062] By using the above configuration, the concentration or viscosity of the liquid increases due to the settling of sediment, making it more difficult to aspirate certain parts of the liquid. This allows for more active aspiration of these areas. As a result, it becomes possible to make the concentration of the liquid (ink) supplied to the liquid discharge head more uniform.

[0063] The liquid suction port 4 is preferably a simple round hole shape (circular shape). In addition, it is preferable that the centers of the first liquid suction port 5 and the second liquid suction port 6 coincide when viewed from the Z-axis direction. This simplifies the flow path structure of the liquid suction port 4, so that the opening area A1 of the first liquid suction port 5 and the opening area A2 of the second liquid suction port 6 can be easily changed at the design stage to match the characteristics of the liquid. Therefore, by changing the opening areas A1 and A2, the flow resistance R1 at the first liquid suction port 5 and the flow resistance R2 at the second liquid suction port 6 can be greatly changed. This makes it easy to adjust R1 and R2 according to the liquid. By adjusting R1 and R2 according to the liquid, for example, by making R1 higher than R2, the concentration or viscosity of the liquid increases due to the settling of sedimentary components, making it difficult to suction parts of the liquid, which have become difficult to suction, can be more actively suctioned.

[0064] In this embodiment, it is preferable to arrange suffocation prevention ribs 7 around the liquid suction port 4. When liquid is sucked in, the flexible film constituting the liquid storage section 13 shrinks and deforms, which may cause it to adhere tightly to the liquid supply unit section 12 and block the liquid suction port 4, thereby hindering the supply of liquid. In such cases, the suffocation prevention ribs 7 can suppress suffocation of the liquid suction port 4.

[0065] One possible way to eliminate the above-mentioned concentration variations is to incorporate a mechanism that agitates the inside of the liquid container, but this is undesirable because it complicates the container.

[0066] The second portion U of the liquid suction section (the end portion located inside the liquid container of the liquid supply unit) is preferably located within 60 mm of the side S1 of the liquid container 13 in the direction perpendicular to side S1 (+Y direction). Furthermore, the second portion U is more preferably located within 52 mm of the side S1 in the direction perpendicular to side S1 (+Y direction), and particularly preferably within 40 mm.

[0067] (II) Liquid discharge device As described above, the liquid container 50 relating to this disclosure is used by being housed inside a liquid dispensing device. The liquid dispensing device may be a commonly used inkjet printer (inkjet-type liquid dispensing device), or it may be a commercial or industrial liquid dispensing device. When the liquid container is an ink pack, the ink capacity can be flexibly adjusted. For commercial or industrial liquid dispensing devices intended for high-volume printing or high-volume recording, it is useful to use a liquid container with a large liquid capacity (e.g., an ink pack).

[0068] In this specification, as shown in Figure 9, the direction in which the liquid container 50 is attached to and detached from the liquid supply unit 106 is defined as the Y-axis direction. The side of the liquid container 50 that is attached to the liquid supply unit 106 is in the -Y direction. The width direction of the liquid container 50 is defined as the X-axis direction.

[0069] Figure 9 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a liquid dispensing device 100 according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. The liquid dispensing device 100 shown in Figure 9 repeatedly performs reciprocating movement of the liquid dispensing head 101 (main scanning direction (X-axis direction)) and transport of the recording sheet 108, which is the recording medium, at predetermined pitch intervals (sub-scanning direction (Y-axis direction)). The liquid dispensing device 100 of this embodiment selectively dispenses liquids of multiple colors from the liquid dispensing head 101 in synchronization with the above movement, and deposits them onto the recording sheet 108, which is the recording medium, to form characters, symbols, images, etc. Any recording medium can be used as long as it can deposit small droplets of liquid to form images, etc. For example, various materials and forms such as paper, cloth, optical disc label surfaces, plastic sheets, OHP sheets, and envelopes can be used as recording media.

[0070] The liquid dispensing head 101 is detachably mounted on a carriage 102, which is slidably supported by two guide rails and moves back and forth in a straight line along the guide rails by a drive means such as a motor (not shown). The recording sheet 108 that receives the liquid dispensed from the liquid dispensing section of the liquid dispensing head 101 is transported by a transport roller 103, which is a transport means, in a direction facing the liquid dispensing surface of the liquid dispensing head 101 and intersecting the direction of movement of the carriage 102. The liquid dispensing head 101 has multiple nozzle rows for dispensing liquids of different colors, each serving as a liquid dispensing section. Multiple independent liquid containers 50, each having a liquid supply port 15, are detachably attached to the liquid supply unit 106, corresponding to the color of the liquid dispensed from the liquid dispensing head 101. The liquid supply unit 106 and the liquid dispensing head 101 are connected by multiple liquid supply tubes 107, each corresponding to the color of the liquid. By attaching the liquid container 50 to the liquid supply unit 106, it becomes possible to independently supply the liquids of each color stored in the liquid container 50 to each nozzle row of the liquid discharge head 101. In the non-recording area, which is within the reciprocating movement range of the liquid discharge head 101 and outside the passage range of the recording sheet 108, the recovery unit 104 is positioned facing the liquid discharge surface of the liquid discharge head 101. The recovery unit 104 has a cap for capping the liquid discharge surface of the liquid discharge head 101, a suction mechanism for forcibly sucking out the liquid while the liquid discharge port surface is capped, a cleaning blade for wiping away dirt from the liquid discharge surface, etc. The aforementioned suction operation is performed by the recovery unit 104 prior to the recording operation of this liquid discharge device. As a result, even if this liquid discharge device is operated after being left unused for a long period of time, the recovery process performed by the recovery unit 104 can remove residual air bubbles in the discharge section of the liquid discharge head 101 and the viscous liquid near the discharge port. This maintains the discharge characteristics of the liquid discharge head 101.

[0071] (III) Method for manufacturing a liquid container 50 The manufacturing method of the liquid container of this disclosure will be described below with reference to Figures 10 to 13. The liquid container of this disclosure is manufactured by a manufacturing method having the following steps. In the following description, the configuration shown in the drawings of the ink container 50 of this disclosure described earlier will be referred to as necessary. In the following description of the manufacturing method, the case in which the area of ​​the adhesive portion 40 of the liquid supply portion 10 and the area of ​​the liquid suction portion 11 adjacent to the adhesive portion 40 (both areas correspond to the adhesive portion 30 in Figure 7) are welded to the liquid container 13 by thermocompression will be used as an example. The welding in this manufacturing method is performed in the seal portion (area R) of the liquid container 50, and the seal portion (area R) corresponds to the adhesive portion 30. For example, as shown in Figures 1(b) and 7, the welding is preferably performed on the welding portion 40 of the liquid supply portion 10 and the area of ​​the liquid suction portion 11 adjacent thereto (adhesive portion 30 in Figure 7). However, in the welding of the liquid containment section 13 and the liquid supply unit section 12, the liquid supply section 10 and the liquid suction section 11 may be welded to the seal section (region R) at any position between the liquid supply port 15 of the liquid supply section 10 and the terminal end (U) of the liquid suction section 11.

[0072] The method for manufacturing the liquid container 50 of this disclosure includes a welding step of welding a liquid supply unit 12 to the liquid storage portion 13 of the liquid container 50 of this disclosure. This welding step includes a first welding step and a second welding step for welding the liquid supply unit 12 to the liquid storage portion 13. In the manufacturing method of this disclosure, the first welding step includes inserting the liquid supply unit 12 into the opening 14 of the liquid storage portion 13 and welding the liquid storage portion 13 and the liquid supply unit 12. The second welding step includes welding the unwelded portion of the opening 14 of the liquid storage portion 13. The method for manufacturing the liquid container 50 of this disclosure may further include a third welding step as an optional step.

[0073] The welding process will be described below. Figure 10 is a flowchart showing a method for manufacturing a liquid container 50 (see Figure 1(a), etc.) that can be applied to this embodiment. In the description of each process, the symbol "S" indicates the step in that flowchart.

[0074] The first welding process is shown in S301 to S305. First, as shown in S301, the opening 14 (see Figure 8) of the liquid storage section 13 (see Figure 8, etc.) is widened, and the liquid supply unit section 12 (see Figure 3(a), etc.) is inserted into the liquid storage section through the opening 14. The opening 14 corresponds to the region R (seal section) shown in Figure 1(a). Next, as shown in S302, the liquid storage section 13 into which the liquid supply unit section 12 is inserted is positioned relative to the welding device (see Figure 11(a)). Positioning is performed to align the opening 14, including the liquid supply unit section 12, with the first welding section 300 shown in Figure 13. Preferably, the first welding section 300 is positioned to match the shape of the liquid supply unit section 12 (especially the shape of the adhesive section 40 of the liquid supply section).

[0075] As shown in S303, the liquid supply unit 12 and the liquid storage unit 13 are first welded together. The first welding is performed using the first welding horn 60 to weld the liquid supply unit 12 at the opening 14 [seal area (region R)] of the liquid storage unit 13 (Figure 11(b)). Specifically, the first welding horn 60 (shape shown in Figure 12) is advanced to approach the opening 14 of the liquid storage unit 13 and the liquid supply unit 12. The first welding horn 60 is brought into contact with the liquid storage unit 13 and the liquid supply unit 12 and welded together. In the first welding step, the first welding portion 300 shown in Figure 13 of the opening 14 is welded. In this embodiment, the first welding horn 60 has the shape shown in Figure 12(a), but it is preferable to match the shape to the first welding portion 300. In addition, various conditions such as temperature and pressure during welding can be appropriately selected by those skilled in the art depending on the materials to be welded.

[0076] Next, as shown in S304 to S305 and Figure 11(c), the first welding portion 300 is cooled and the first welding horn is retracted.

[0077] S306 to S308 represent the second welding process. In these processes, the second welding horn 61 is used to weld the first surface (P) and the second surface (Q) of the liquid container 50 to the unwelded portion (second welding portion 301) of the opening 14 of the liquid container 13. Specifically, using the second welding horn 61 shown in Figure 12(b), the unwelded portion of the opening 14 of the liquid container 13 is welded to the liquid supply unit 12, as shown in Figures 11(a) to 11(c). In the second welding process, the second welding portion 301 shown in Figure 13 is welded. In the second welding process, both the first welding portion 300 and the second welding portion 301 are subjected to heat compression bonding. In this embodiment, the second welding horn 61 has the shape shown in Figure 12(b), but it is preferable to match the shape of the first welding portion 300 and the second welding portion 301. Furthermore, various conditions such as temperature and pressure during welding can be appropriately selected by those skilled in the art depending on the materials being welded.

[0078] We will examine the occurrence of wrinkles in the welded area when process S304 is performed. For example, consider the case where the angle B between the two slopes (W) of the liquid suction section 11 is greater than the angle A between the two slopes (V) of the adhesive section 40 of the liquid supply unit section 12 (angle ratio: angle B > angle A). That is, consider the case where angle B > angle A. In the case of such an angle ratio relationship, the first surface (P) and the second surface (Q) of the liquid containment section 13 will be lifted by the slopes (W). This creates a difference in height in the opening 14 between the part where the adhesive section 40 of the liquid supply section 10 is located and the part where the adhesive section 40 is not located, and the opening 14 may become significantly wavy. That is, the first surface (P) and the second surface (Q) of the opening 14 may be welded while in a wavy state, and wrinkles may occur.

[0079] Therefore, in this embodiment, it is preferable that the angle A between the two slopes (V) of the adhesive portion 40 of the liquid supply portion 10 and the angle B between the two slopes (W) of the liquid suction portion 11 are the same angle, or that angle B is 0.8 or more and 1.1 or less with respect to angle A. In this embodiment, it is preferable to form the liquid supply unit portion 12 such that the above-mentioned relationship between angles A and B is achieved. With this structure, when the first welding portion 300 is welded, the waviness of the opening 14 of the liquid storage portion can be eliminated, and when the second welding portion 301 is welded, the occurrence of welding wrinkles can be suppressed.

[0080] S309 to S311 show the third welding process. In this embodiment, the third welding process is an optional process and may not be performed depending on the configuration of the liquid container 13 to be welded. It may be performed if it is preferable to perform further welding in addition to the first and second welding processes described above. For example, the third welding process can be performed to reinforce the welding of the first welded portion 300 and the second welded portion 301 to make it stronger. In the third welding process, the first welded portion 300 and the second welded portion 301 (third welded portion 302 in Figure 13) are welded using the third welding horn 62 shown in Figure 12(c). The third welding process can be performed in the same procedure as described above for the first welded portion 300, following the steps shown in Figures 11(a) to 11(c). In this embodiment, the third welding horn 62 has the shape shown in Figure 12(c), but it is preferable to match the shape to the third welded portion 302.

[0081] Finally, as shown in S312, the liquid container 50, with the first welded portion 300, the second welded portion 301, and the third welded portion 302 welded to it, is removed from the positioning of the welding device.

[0082] After the above steps, the liquid container 50 of this embodiment is completed. Subsequently, by filling the inside of the liquid container 50 with a predetermined liquid (for example, ink) from the liquid supply port 15, it becomes a liquid container (ink pack) that can be used with a liquid dispensing device.

[0083] As described above, in this embodiment, by forming the slope (V) of the adhesive portion 40 of the liquid supply portion and the slope (W) of the connecting surface (M) of the liquid suction portion 11 to have the same inclination, the waviness of the opening 14 of the liquid storage portion can be eliminated when the first welding portion is welded. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of adhesive wrinkles when the second welding portion is bonded. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0084] 10 Liquid supply section 11 Liquid suction part 12 Liquid supply unit 13 Liquid storage section 50 liquid storage containers

[0085] <<Other Embodiments>> The disclosures described in each of the above embodiments include configurations represented by the following example of a liquid dispensing head.

[0086] <Configuration 1> A liquid storage container comprising a liquid storage section for storing liquid and a liquid supply unit section attached to the liquid storage section, The liquid containment section has a first surface and a second surface, The liquid supply unit includes a liquid suction unit and a liquid supply unit. The liquid supply unit has a first and second inclined surface on the first side that are inclined in opposite directions to each other, and a third and fourth inclined surface on the second side that are inclined in opposite directions to each other, and at least one of the angles formed by the first and third inclined surfaces and the angles formed by the second and fourth inclined surfaces has an angle A. The liquid suction portion has a fifth and sixth inclined surface on the first side that are inclined in opposite directions to each other, and a seventh and eighth inclined surface on the second side that are inclined in opposite directions to each other, and at least one of the angles formed by the fifth and seventh inclined surfaces and the angles formed by the sixth and eighth inclined surfaces has an angle B. A liquid container characterized in that angle B has an angle ratio (B / A) of 0.8 or more and 1.1 or less with respect to angle A.

[0087] (Configuration 2) The liquid supply section is connected to the liquid suction section so as to have a common central axis in the longitudinal direction, the liquid supply section has a maximum height H1 in the direction of gravity perpendicular to the longitudinal direction when viewed from the longitudinal direction, the liquid suction section has a maximum height H2 in the direction of gravity perpendicular to the longitudinal direction when viewed from the longitudinal direction, and the height of H1 is in the range of -2.0 mm to +0.1 mm relative to H2, as described in Configuration 1.

[0088] (Composition 3) The liquid supply section has an adhesive section at a position where it is joined to the liquid supply unit section, the maximum height H1 is the height of the adhesive section, and the maximum height H2 is the height of the end of the liquid suction section, as described in configuration 2.

[0089] (Composition 4) The liquid suction section is connected to the liquid supply section so as to have a common central axis in the longitudinal direction, the liquid suction section has a maximum height H2 in the direction of gravity perpendicular to the longitudinal direction when viewed from the longitudinal direction, the liquid supply section has a maximum height H1 in the direction of gravity perpendicular to the longitudinal direction when viewed from the longitudinal direction, and H2 is a height in the range of -1.0 mm to +0.2 mm relative to H1, as described in Configuration 1.

[0090] (Composition 5) The liquid supply section has an adhesive section at a position where it is joined to the liquid supply unit section, the maximum height H1 is the height of the adhesive section, and the maximum height H2 is the height of the end of the liquid suction section, as described in configuration 4.

[0091] (Composition 6) A liquid container according to any one of configurations 1 to 5, wherein the liquid supply section and the liquid suction section have a common central axis in the longitudinal direction, and when viewed from the direction of the central axis, they are at the same height in the direction of gravity perpendicular to the central axis.

[0092] (Composition 7) A method for manufacturing a liquid container according to any one of the six components, This includes a first welding step and a second welding step for welding the liquid supply unit to the liquid storage portion, The first welding step includes inserting the liquid supply unit into the opening of the liquid storage section and welding the liquid storage section and the liquid supply unit section together. The second welding step includes welding the unwelded portion of the opening of the liquid storage section. A method for manufacturing a liquid container.

[0093] (Composition 8) The manufacturing method according to configuration 7, further comprising a third welding step of further welding the portion welded in the first welding step and the portion welded in the second welding step.

[0094] (Composition 9) A liquid dispensing device comprising a liquid dispensing head and a liquid supply unit for supplying liquid to the liquid dispensing head, wherein the liquid supply unit includes a liquid container as described in any one of configurations 1 to 6.

Claims

1. A liquid storage container comprising a liquid storage section for storing liquid and a liquid supply unit section attached to the liquid storage section, The liquid storage section has a first surface and a second surface, The liquid supply unit includes a liquid suction unit and a liquid supply unit. The liquid supply unit has a first and second inclined surface on the first side that are inclined in opposite directions to each other, and a third and fourth inclined surface on the second side that are inclined in opposite directions to each other, and at least one of the angles formed by the first and third inclined surfaces and the angles formed by the second and fourth inclined surfaces has an angle A. The liquid suction portion has a fifth and sixth inclined surface on the first side that are inclined in opposite directions to each other, and a seventh and eighth inclined surface on the second side that are inclined in opposite directions to each other, and at least one of the angles formed by the fifth and seventh inclined surfaces and the angles formed by the sixth and eighth inclined surfaces has an angle B. A liquid container characterized in that the angle B has an angle ratio (B / A) of 0.8 or more and 1.1 or less with respect to the angle A.

2. The liquid supply unit is connected to the liquid suction unit so as to have a common central axis in the longitudinal direction, and when viewed from the longitudinal direction, the liquid supply unit has a maximum height H in the direction of gravity perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. 1 The liquid suction section has a maximum height H in the direction of gravity perpendicular to the longitudinal direction when viewed from the longitudinal direction. 2 It has H 1 H 2 A liquid container according to claim 1, wherein the height is in the range of -2.0 mm or more and +0.1 mm or less.

3. The liquid supply section has an adhesive section at a position where it is joined to the liquid supply unit section, and the maximum height H 1 However, this is the height of the adhesive portion, and the maximum height H 2 The liquid container according to claim 2, wherein the height of the end portion of the liquid suction section is the same as the height of the end portion of the liquid suction section.

4. The liquid suction part is connected to the liquid supply part so as to share a common central axis in the longitudinal direction, and when viewed from the longitudinal direction, the liquid suction part has a maximum height H in the gravity direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction 2 , and when viewed from the longitudinal direction, the liquid supply part has a maximum height H in the gravity direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction 1 , and H 2 is, relative to H 1 , a height in a range of not less than -1.0 mm and not more than +0.2 mm, the liquid container according to claim 1.

5. The liquid supply section has an adhesive section at a position where it is joined to the liquid supply unit section, and the maximum height H 1 However, this is the height of the adhesive portion, and the maximum height H 2 The liquid container according to claim 4, wherein the height of the end portion of the liquid suction section is the same as the height of the end portion of the liquid suction section.

6. The liquid container according to claim 1, wherein the liquid supply section and the liquid suction section have a common central axis in the longitudinal direction, and when viewed from the direction of the central axis, they have the same height in the direction of gravity perpendicular to the central axis.

7. A method for manufacturing a liquid container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, This includes a first welding step and a second welding step for welding the liquid supply unit to the liquid storage portion, The first welding step includes inserting the liquid supply unit into the opening of the liquid storage section and welding the liquid storage section and the liquid supply unit section together. The second welding step includes welding the unwelded portion of the opening of the liquid storage section. A method for manufacturing a liquid container.

8. The manufacturing method according to claim 7, further comprising a third welding step of further welding the portion welded in the first welding step and the portion welded in the second welding step.

9. A liquid dispensing device comprising a liquid dispensing head and a liquid supply unit for supplying liquid to the liquid dispensing head, wherein the liquid supply unit includes a liquid container according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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