Inkjet recording apparatus and ink tank

Abstract

To reduce time during which ink is poured into an ink tank.SOLUTION: An inkjet recording device comprises a recording head that records an image by discharging ink, and an ink tank which stores ink to be supplied to the recording head and into which ink from an ink bottle is poured, which further comprises a pouring-in assist member which has a first flow path defined by a first upper end part that opens toward the outside of the ink tank and a first lower end part that opens toward the inside of the ink tank, and a second flow path defined by a second upper end part that opens toward the outside of the ink tank and protrudes upward more than the first upper end part and a second lower end part that opens toward the inside of the ink tank and is away from a bottom surface of the ink tank more than the first lower end part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus that ejects ink to record an image, and to an ink tank. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which multiple flow paths that pass through an opening in an ink tank and into the tank serve as ink flow paths and air flow paths, making it possible to replenish ink while performing gas-liquid exchange between an ink supply container and the ink tank. This allows a user to replenish ink into the ink tank without squeezing the ink supply container. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-161887 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with the configuration of Patent Document 1, if the opening area of ​​the flow path through which the ink flows is small, it may take a long time to inject the ink, which may lead to a decrease in usability.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and has an object to provide an inkjet recording apparatus in which the time required to fill an ink tank with ink is shortened. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, an inkjet recording apparatus according to the present invention is an inkjet recording apparatus including a recording head which discharges ink to record an image, and an ink tank which contains ink to be supplied to the recording head and into which ink is poured from an ink bottle, the ink tank including a first flow path defined by a first upper end portion which opens toward the outside of the ink tank and a first lower end portion which opens toward the inside of the ink tank, a second upper end portion which opens toward the outside of the ink tank and protrudes upward from the first upper end portion, and a third lower end portion which opens toward the inside of the ink tank. do and a second flow path defined by a second lower end. A tank cap capable of sealing an injection port including the first upper end and the second upper end is supported by a lever portion rotatably supported on the ink tank or the main body of the device. It is characterized by the above. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an inkjet recording apparatus in which the time required for filling ink into an ink tank is shortened. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of the appearance of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 1 is a perspective view showing an internal configuration of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the tank unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ink tank according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing details of a needle according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 5A to 5C are schematic diagrams illustrating an ink injection operation. [Figure 7] 2A to 2C are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating features of a needle according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a comparative example in which a bevel is not formed on the upper end of the needle. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an upper end portion of a needle according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing details of a needle according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] 13A and 13B are schematic diagrams illustrating a tapered shape of a needle according to a second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the needle according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] [First embodiment] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the following embodiments do not limit the present invention, and not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the present invention. Furthermore, the relative arrangements, shapes, etc. of the components described in the embodiments are merely examples, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to only those.

[0010] <Device configuration> Fig. 1(a) is an external perspective view showing an inkjet recording device (hereinafter, recording device) 1 in this embodiment. The recording device 1 includes a housing 5, a recording head 3 (see Fig. 2) that performs a recording operation on a recording medium, and an ink tank 11 as an ink storage container that contains ink to be supplied to the recording head 3. In this embodiment, the ink tank 11 is disposed on the front side of the housing 5 and fixed to the device body. Also on the front side of the housing 5 is an operation unit 4 that allows a user to perform operations such as inputting commands to the recording device 1. The operation unit 4 in this embodiment also includes a display panel that can display errors of the recording device 1, etc.

[0011] A paper feed cassette 6 that can be inserted or removed by a user into the housing 5 is provided on the front surface of the housing 5. A window 6a is provided in the paper feed cassette 6 so that the user can visually check the recording media loaded inside. The window 6a is desirably made of a transparent material such as glass or plastic.

[0012] A scanner unit 2 that reads an original is provided on the upper part of the housing 5 so as to be openable and closable relative to the housing 5. FIG. 1(b) is an external perspective view of the recording device 1 showing a state in which the scanner unit 2 is open relative to the housing 5. When the scanner unit 2 is opened, a tank cover 12 that can cover the top surface of the ink tank 11 is exposed. In FIG. 1(b), the tank cover 12 is in a closed state. Details of the tank cover 12 will be described later. Note that a main body cover that does not include the scanner unit 2 may be configured to be openable and closable relative to the housing 5.

[0013] 2 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of the recording device 1. The recording device 1 feeds recording media loaded in a paper feed cassette 6 provided on the front side of a housing 5 or a paper feed tray 7 provided on the rear side by a feeding means (not shown). The recording media fed by the feeding means are transported by a transport roller (transport means) 40 onto a platen 42 arranged at a position facing the recording head 3. The platen 42 is a member for guiding and supporting the recording medium to be recorded by the recording head 3. The recording medium on which recording by the recording head 3 has been completed is discharged onto a paper discharge tray (discharge section) 43 by a discharge roller (discharge means) 41. The paper discharge tray 43 is arranged above the paper feed cassette 6.

[0014] The direction in which the recording medium is transported by the transport roller 40 (Y direction in FIG. 2) is referred to as the transport direction. In other words, the upstream side of the transport direction corresponds to the rear side of the housing 5, and the downstream side of the transport direction corresponds to the front side of the housing 5.

[0015] The recording head 3 is mounted on a carriage 31 that reciprocates in a main scanning direction (X direction shown in FIG. 2) that intersects with the transport direction. In this embodiment, the transport direction and the main scanning direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0016] The recording head 3 ejects ink droplets while moving in the main scanning direction together with the carriage 31, and records one band of image on the recording medium (recording operation). After one band of image has been recorded, the recording medium is transported a predetermined distance in the transport direction by the transport rollers 40 (intermittent transport operation). By repeating this one band of recording operation and the intermittent transport operation, an image is recorded on the entire recording medium based on the image data.

[0017] The recording device 1 is provided with a maintenance unit within the scanning area of ​​the carriage 31, outside the recording area where the recording operation is performed by the recording head 3. The maintenance unit is a unit that performs maintenance processing to maintain the ejection performance of the recording head 3, and is disposed at a position that can face the ejection port surface on which the ink ejection ports are arranged. The recording head 3 shown in FIG. 2 is located at a position (home position) where the maintenance processing by the maintenance unit can be performed. The maintenance unit includes a cap that can cap the ejection port surface, and a suction recovery mechanism that performs a suction operation to forcibly suck ink while capped, and remove residual air bubbles and thickened ink from the ejection ports.

[0018] In this embodiment, an example of a serial head in which the recording head 3 is mounted on a carriage 31 is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this and can also be applied to a line head in which multiple ejection ports are arranged in an area corresponding to the width of the recording medium.

[0019] An ink tank 11 is provided in the recording device 1 for each color of ink ejected by the recording head 3. In this embodiment, four ink tanks are provided: a black ink tank 11K, a cyan ink tank 11C, a magenta ink tank 11M, and a yellow ink tank 11Y, and these are collectively referred to as the ink tanks 11. Note that cyan, magenta, and yellow are merely examples of color inks, and the present invention is not limited to these.

[0020] 2, the black ink tank 11K is disposed to the left of the paper discharge tray 43 and paper feed cassette 6 when viewed from the front of the recording device 1. On the other hand, the cyan ink tank 11C, magenta ink tank 11M, and yellow ink tank 11Y are disposed to the right of the paper discharge tray 43 and paper feed cassette 6 when viewed from the front of the recording device 1. In other words, the paper discharge tray 43 and paper feed cassette 6 are provided between the black ink tank 11K and the color ink tanks. Each ink tank 11 is connected to the recording head 3 by a flexible tube 8 that forms a supply flow path for supplying ink to the recording head 3.

[0021] The recording device 1 is also provided with a black tank cover 12Bk and a color tank cover 12Cl. The black tank cover 12Bk covers the top surface of the black ink tank 11K. Meanwhile, the color tank cover 12Cl integrally covers the top surfaces of the cyan ink tank 11C, the magenta ink tank 11M, and the yellow ink tank 11Y. Hereinafter, the black tank cover 12Bk and the color tank cover 12Cl will be collectively referred to as tank cover 12.

[0022] <Ink injection operation> 3(a) to (d) are external perspective views of the tank unit 10 including the ink tank 11 and its peripheral configuration. Since the basic configuration of the tank unit 10 is common to all ink colors, the black tank unit will be described as an example.

[0023] 3(a) shows a state in which the tank cover 12 is closed, and FIG 3(b) shows a state in which the tank cover 12 is open. A user can access the tank cap 13 by opening the tank cover 12 in the S1 direction.

[0024] An inlet 14 for injecting ink is provided on the top surface of the ink tank 11, and the inlet 14 can be sealed by a tank cap 13. The tank cap 13 is composed of a cap portion 13a for sealing the inlet 14 and a lever portion 13b that supports the cap portion 13a and can be operated by the user, and the lever portion 13b is rotatably supported on a shaft relative to the main body of the recording device 1. The user can inject ink by removing the cap portion 13a from the inlet 14 while rotating the lever portion 13b in the S2 direction shown in FIG. 3(b) (see FIG. 3(c)). The lever portion 13b may be configured to be rotatably supported on a shaft relative to the ink tank 11 or the tank cover 12.

[0025] The cap portion 13a of the tank cap 13 is made of a member having rubber elasticity, and the lever portion 13b is made of plastic or the like. The lever portion 13b in this embodiment is color-coded to correspond to the color of the ink contained in the ink tank 11. That is, the lever portion 13b for black ink is color-coded to black or gray, the lever portion 13b for cyan ink is color-coded to cyan, the lever portion 13b for magenta ink is color-coded to magenta, and the lever portion 13b for yellow ink is color-coded to yellow. This makes it possible to prevent a user from filling the ink tank 11 with the wrong color of ink. It is to be noted that not only the lever portion 13b but also the cap portion 13a may be color-coded.

[0026] 3(d) shows a state in which ink is being injected by inserting an ink bottle 15, which is an ink refill container, into the injection port 14 with the tank cap 13 removed. In this embodiment, the ink in the ink bottle 15 is injected into the ink tank 11 by gas-liquid exchange with the air in the ink tank 11.

[0027] <Ink tank configuration> FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the ink tank 11. The ink tank 11 includes an ink storage chamber 16 that stores ink, an ink supply port 17 for supplying ink from the ink storage chamber 16 to the recording head 3, an air storage chamber 18 that stores air, and an air communication port 19 that connects the air storage chamber 18 to the atmosphere. The ink storage chamber 16 is disposed in the upper part of the ink tank 11 and opens on the first side surface side. FIG. 4(a) is a perspective view of the ink tank 11 as viewed from the first side surface side. One end of the ink supply port 17 is connected to the ink storage chamber 16, and the other end is connected to the tube 8 (see FIG. 2). The ink storage chamber 16 is capable of storing ink by covering the opening on the first side surface side with a flexible film (not shown).

[0028] The air chamber 18 is disposed below the ink chamber 16 and opens to a second side surface opposite the first side surface. FIG. 4(b) is a perspective view of the ink tank 11 as viewed from the second side surface. The second side surface of the air chamber 18 is partitioned into multiple chambers, and the chambers communicate with each other via communication channels 18a disposed on the first side surface. The second side surface on which the air chamber 18 opens is also covered by a flexible film (not shown). The chambers of the air chamber 18 do not communicate with each other on the second side surface, but communicate with each other via the communication channels 18a disposed on the first side surface.

[0029] The air chamber 18 and the ink chamber 16 are connected by a connection path 20 that extends downward from the bottom surface of the ink chamber 16, and the lower end of the connection path 20 serves as a gas-liquid exchange section between the ink and air. The connection path 20 is disposed on the first side surface side of the ink tank 11. The gas-liquid exchange section of the connection path 20 has a cross-sectional area large enough to maintain the meniscus of the ink. An atmosphere communication port 19 that communicates with the atmosphere is provided at the top of the air chamber 18, and the atmosphere communication port 19 and the connection path 20 are disposed apart.

[0030] During normal use, ink is supplied from the ink chamber 16 to the recording head 3 as ink is ejected from the recording head 3, and air of the same volume as the supplied ink is supplied from the air chamber 18 to the ink chamber 16 via the air-liquid exchanger. However, if the air in the ink chamber 16 expands due to fluctuations in temperature or air pressure and the meniscus of the air-liquid exchanger is destroyed, the ink in the ink chamber 16 falls into the air chamber 18 due to the head difference. Therefore, the air chamber 18 has a volume capable of containing the ink that is fully contained in the ink chamber 16. In this way, the air chamber 18 also serves as a buffer chamber that prevents ink from leaking into the device through the air vent 19.

[0031] Even if the recording device 1 is in a position different from that during normal use with ink contained in the air chamber 18, the air communication port 19 and the connection path 20 are disposed apart from each other, so that ink leakage from the air communication port 19 is suppressed. In addition, the air chamber 18 is partitioned into a plurality of chambers between the connection path 20 and the air communication port 19, which has the effect of impeding the flow of ink and further suppressing ink leakage. Furthermore, the side on which the partitioned air chamber 18 opens and the side on which the communication flow path 18a is provided are different, so that ink does not easily move between adjacent partitioned chambers, thereby preventing ink leakage from the air communication port 19.

[0032] <Needle configuration> The ink tank 11 is further provided with a needle 22 as an injection auxiliary member that assists the injection of ink. Fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing details of the needle 22 of this embodiment. The needle 22 is composed of a first flow path 24a and a second flow path 24b that is shorter than the first flow path 24a, and connects the inside and outside of the ink tank 11. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the first flow path 24a is configured to be larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the second flow path 24b.

[0033] The first flow path 24a is defined by a first upper end 23a exposed above the upper end of the injection port 14 and opening toward the outside of the ink tank 11, and a first lower end 25a opening toward the inside of the ink tank 11 (ink containing chamber 16). The second flow path 24b is defined by a second upper end 23b exposed from the injection port 14 and opening toward the outside of the ink tank 11, and a second lower end 25b opening toward the inside of the ink tank 11 (ink containing chamber 16).

[0034] The first upper end 23a of the first flow passage 24a is formed higher in the direction of gravity so as to protrude upward than the second upper end 23b of the second flow passage 24b. In addition, both the first upper end 23a and the second upper end 23b open obliquely with respect to the direction in which the flow passages extend, and form a high inclined surface toward the center where they contact each other. Furthermore, the first lower end 25a is formed lower in the direction of gravity so as to protrude downward than the second lower end 25b.

[0035] 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the ink injection operation utilizing gas-liquid exchange according to this embodiment. Fig. 6(a) shows the ink tank 11 in an empty state. Of the first flow path 24a and the second flow path 24b forming the needle 22, one functions as an ink flow path and the other functions as an air flow path during the ink injection operation. The opening of the ink bottle 15 is sealed with a sealing member (not shown), and the ink does not drip even if the opening is facing downward as shown in Fig. 6(a).

[0036] As shown in FIG. 6(b), when the ink bottle 15 is inserted into the ink tank 11, the needle 22 opens the sealing member of the ink bottle 15. As a result, the ink in the ink bottle 15 flows into the ink tank 11 through the first flow path 24a, and the air in the ink tank 11 flows into the ink bottle 15 through the second flow path 24b. In other words, the first flow path 24a functions as an ink flow path, and the second flow path 24b functions as an air flow path. In this way, ink is injected into the ink tank 11 by utilizing air-liquid exchange, in which ink and air move back and forth between the ink tank 11 and the ink bottle 15.

[0037] 6(c), when the ink level L reaches the second bottom end 25b of the second flow path 24b, which functions as an air flow path, air cannot flow out from the second bottom end 25b to the ink bottle 15, and so air-liquid exchange stops. In other words, injection of ink from the ink bottle 15 to the ink tank 11 stops based on the position of the second bottom end 25b when the ink bottle 15 is inserted into the ink tank 11. This is the principle of the ink injection operation that utilizes air-liquid exchange.

[0038] Next, the features of the needle 22 of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view when the user starts the ink injection operation. FIG. 7(a) shows the state immediately after the ink bottle 15 is inserted into the injection port 14. When the needle 22 is inserted into the ink bottle 15, the first upper end 23a of the first flow path 24a protrudes upward compared to the second upper end 23b of the second flow path 24b, so that the first flow path 24a comes into contact with the ink contained in the ink bottle 15 first. As a result, the needle 22 of this embodiment is configured such that the first flow path 24a is easily determined as the flow path of the ink.

[0039] 7(b) shows the state after ink injection from the ink bottle 15 into the ink tank 11 (ink containing chamber 16) has started. Ink injection using air-liquid exchange is configured so that ink flows from the ink bottle 15 into the ink tank 11 in an amount equal to the amount of air that flows from the ink tank 11 into the ink bottle 15. Therefore, the more easily air can form bubbles and separate from the needle 22, the smoother the ink can flow in.

[0040] As described above, the first upper end 23a and the second upper end 23b have a slope, which makes it easier for air to move away from the needle 22 and promotes the inflow of air. Details will be described with reference to Figs. 8 and 9.

[0041] Fig. 8 is a comparative example showing a configuration in which no slope is formed on the first upper end 23a and the second upper end 23b, and Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the first upper end 23a and the second upper end 23b having slopes as in this embodiment. When air flows into the ink of the ink bottle 15 from the second upper end 23b, air bubbles are formed and need to be separated from the second upper end 23b, as shown in Figs. 8(a) to 8(d) and 9(a) to 9(d).

[0042] At this time, if a slope is not formed as in the comparative example shown in Fig. 8, the air bubbles need to leave the entire opening surface of second upper end 23b when transitioning from Fig. 8(b) to Fig. 8(c), which takes time. That is, the air bubbles are in surface contact with second upper end 23b, and the contact area is large, so the air bubbles are difficult to leave.

[0043] On the other hand, when the inclined surface is formed as in this embodiment, the air bubble is easily formed because it separates from the top 23bb of the second upper end 23b when the state transitions from FIG. 9(b) to FIG. 9(c). That is, the air bubble is in line contact with the top 23bb, and the contact area is smaller than that in the case of FIG. 8, so the air bubble is easily separated. Therefore, air flows smoothly from the ink tank 11 to the ink bottle 15, and the inflow speed of ink from the ink bottle 15 to the ink tank 11 is also improved. Furthermore, the inclined surface is formed higher toward the portion where the first upper end 23a and the second upper end 23b contact each other, so that the air bubble rises while contacting the side surface of the first upper end 23a, making it even easier to separate (see FIG. 9(c)).

[0044] 7(a) has been used to explain the configuration in which the first flow path 24a easily functions as an ink flow path, but in reality, there are cases in which ink does not flow through the first flow path 24a. In that case, air bubbles will flow in from the first upper end 23a, so in this embodiment, a slope is also formed on the first upper end 23a.

[0045] Next, FIG. 7(c) shows a state where the ink level L of the ink tank 11 has reached the first lower end 25a of the first flow path 24a. The distance between the first lower end 25a and the bottom surface of the ink chamber 16 is smaller than the distance between the second lower end 25b and the bottom surface of the ink chamber 16. When the ink level L reaches the first lower end 25a, the first lower end 25a is blocked by ink, so that air cannot flow in from the first lower end 25a. As a result, even if air flows through the first flow path 24a and ink flows through the second flow path 24b, it is determined that the first flow path 24a functions as an ink flow path and the second flow path 24b functions as an air flow path. In this way, by making the distance between the first lower end 25a of the first flow path 24a, which functions as an ink flow path, and the bottom surface of the ink chamber 16 as small as possible, it is quickly determined whether the ink flows through the first flow path 24a or the second flow path 24b. This makes it possible to further reduce the time required for ink injection.

[0046] If the first lower end 25a were formed at the same height as the second lower end 25b, the ink liquid level L would not reach the first lower end 25a easily, and it would take time for the first flow path 24a to be established as an ink flow path. Furthermore, if ink and air are mixed in the first flow path 24a and the second flow path 24b and a pressure balance occurs during the time until the flow path is established, the inflow of ink may stop before the ink is filled to the full. In contrast, by extending the first lower end 25a to the vicinity of the bottom surface of the ink storage chamber 16 as in this embodiment, the flow path can be established quickly and ink can be filled until the ink storage chamber 16 is full.

[0047] Here, because the flow resistance of ink is greater than that of air, the cross-sectional area of ​​the first flow path 24a is made larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the second flow path 24b. This makes it possible to increase the amount of ink flowing in per unit time. For example, the cross-sectional area of ​​the first flow path 24a is 9.6 mm 2 , the cross-sectional area of ​​the second flow path is 5.4 mm 2 It is.

[0048] As described above, the needle 22 of the present embodiment is composed of two flow paths having upper ends with different heights, which makes it easier to determine the flow path of the ink flowing out of the ink bottle 15. Furthermore, by forming a slope at the upper end, the inflow of air into the ink bottle 15 is made smooth. Furthermore, by reducing the distance between the lower end of the first flow path 24a and the bottom surface of the ink storage chamber 16, the flow path of the ink is made easier to determine. The first flow path 24a, which is determined as the flow path of the ink, has a larger cross-sectional area than the second flow path 24b, which is determined as the flow path of the air, which increases the amount of ink injected per unit time. These configurations make it possible to shorten the time required for ink injection and improve the user's usability.

[0049] In this embodiment, the ink tank 11 is fixed to the recording device 1, and ink is supplied through the tube 8, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can also be applied to a so-called on-carriage configuration in which the ink tank is mounted on the carriage 31 together with the recording head 3. In other words, the ink tank mounted on the carriage 31 may be provided with an inlet and a needle, and the user may inject ink from an ink bottle.

[0050] Second Embodiment A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the basic configuration of this embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment, so only the characteristic configuration will be described below.

[0051] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the needle 22 in the second embodiment. FIG. 10(a) shows how ink is injected from the ink bottle 15 using the needle 22 of the second embodiment, and FIG. 10(b) shows a detailed configuration of the needle 22 of the second embodiment. Unlike the first embodiment, the first flow path 24a has a tapered shape such that the cross-sectional area of ​​the first flow path 24a increases toward the first lower end 25a. In addition, the inside of the first flow path 24a is composed of a smooth surface without any unevenness. In this way, by making the flow path shape smooth such that the cross-sectional area increases from the first upper end 23a toward the first lower end 25a, the ink flow rate can be further improved compared to the first embodiment.

[0052] The effect of the tapered shape will be described with reference to Fig. 11. Fig. 11(a) is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the first flow path 24a of the second embodiment, and Fig. 11(b) is a schematic diagram showing a comparative example in which the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path suddenly expands. In Fig. 11(a) and Fig. 11(b), ink flows in the S3 direction.

[0053] When the cross-sectional area expands suddenly as shown in FIG. 11(b), a vortex V is generated in the expanded portion, causing a pressure loss. This reduces the ink injection speed. In contrast, when the cross-sectional area expands gradually as shown in FIG. 11(a), no pressure loss occurs, and the ink flow speed does not decrease. In this way, by configuring the first flow path 24a in a tapered shape that expands gradually, the ink flow speed can be improved and the ink injection time can be further shortened.

[0054] Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a needle 22 in a modified example of the second embodiment. Ink flows in the first flow path 24a in the S4 direction. As shown in Fig. 12, even if the cross-sectional area of ​​the first flow path 24a is configured to have a trumpet shape that expands in a curved manner, the same effect as that of a tapered shape can be obtained. In this way, by configuring the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path through which ink flows to smoothly expand toward the first lower end 25a, the time required for ink injection can be shortened. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 1 Inkjet recording device (recording device) 3 Recording head 11 Ink tank 22 Needle (injection auxiliary part) 23a First upper end 23b Second upper end 24a First flow path 24b Second flow path 25a 1st lower end 25b 2nd lower end

Claims

1. An inkjet recording apparatus comprising: a recording head that ejects ink to record an image; and an ink tank that contains ink to be supplied to the recording head and into which ink is poured from an ink bottle, a first flow path defined by a first upper end portion opening toward the outside of the ink tank and a first lower end portion opening toward the inside of the ink tank; a second flow path defined by a second upper end portion that opens toward the outside of the ink tank and protrudes upward from the first upper end portion, and a second lower end portion that opens toward the inside of the ink tank, an ink jet recording apparatus, characterized in that a tank cap capable of sealing an injection port including the first upper end and the second upper end is supported by a lever portion rotatably supported on the ink tank or the main body of the apparatus;

2. An inkjet recording device comprising a recording head which ejects ink to record an image, and an ink tank which contains ink of one color supplied to the recording head and into which ink is injected from an ink bottle, a first flow path defined by a first upper end portion opening toward the outside of the ink tank and a first lower end portion opening toward the inside of the ink tank; an ink jet recording apparatus further comprising an injection auxiliary member having a second flow path defined by a second upper end portion that opens toward the outside of the ink tank and protrudes upward from the first upper end portion, and a second lower end portion that opens toward the inside of the ink tank.

3. The inkjet recording device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ink tank is an ink tank containing one color of ink.

4. An inkjet recording device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second lower end is closer to the bottom surface of the ink tank than the first lower end.

5. An inkjet recording device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second lower end protrudes downward further than the first lower end.

6. 3. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a tank cap capable of sealing an injection port including the first upper end and the second upper end.

7. 7. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the tank cap is supported by a lever portion rotatably supported on the ink tank or on a main body of the apparatus.

8. 8. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lever portion is colored to correspond to the color of the ink contained in the ink tank.

9. A discharge section that discharges a recording medium on which an image has been recorded by the recording head, 9. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lever portion is inclined upward from the upstream side to the downstream side in the discharge direction of the recording medium in the discharge portion.

10. An inkjet recording device as described in Claim 9, characterized in that the injection port including the first upper end and the second upper end is sealed by rotating the lever portion from upstream to downstream in the discharge direction of the recording medium in the discharge portion.

11. An inkjet recording device as described in claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the first flow path is arranged downstream of the second flow path in the discharge direction of the recording medium.

12. A tank cover for covering an upper surface of the ink tank, the tank cover is configured to be movable between a first position where the tank cover covers a top surface of the ink tank and a second position where the tank cover does not cover a top surface of the ink tank; 12. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, 3, or 6 to 11, wherein when the tank cover is in the first position, a user cannot access the tank cap.

13. A cover for covering an upper surface of the inkjet recording device, the cover is configured to be movable between a first position where the cover covers an upper surface of the inkjet recording device and a second position where the cover does not cover an upper surface of the inkjet recording device; 13. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the tank cover is inaccessible to a user when the cover is in the first position.

14. 14. The inkjet recording apparatus of claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area at the first lower end is larger than a cross-sectional area at the first upper end.

15. 15. The ink jet recording apparatus of claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area of ​​the first flow path is larger than a cross-sectional area of ​​the second flow path.

16. A printer comprising a plurality of the ink tanks, 16. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising one ink tank for each color of ink ejected by the recording head.

17. a discharge unit that discharges the recording medium on which the image is recorded by the recording head, the ink tanks include a black ink tank for storing black ink and color ink tanks for storing color inks, 17. The ink jet recording apparatus of claim 1, wherein the discharge portion is provided between the black ink tank and the color ink tanks.

18. An inkjet recording device described in any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the ink tank has an air storage chamber that stores air divided into multiple compartments.

Images