LIQUID CONTAINER AND LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS

Abstract

To inhibit adherence of a liquid to a plug member.SOLUTION: A liquid storage container 16 includes: a storage chamber 100 in which a liquid is stored; a supply port 106 which has a hollow cylinder part 106a protruding from the storage chamber 100 and may supply the liquid to the storage chamber 100; and a plug member 105 detachably attached to the supply port 106. The plug member 105 has a plug part 105C which is inserted into the hollow cylinder part 106a to close the supply port 106. In the plug part 105C, a first water-repellent film S1 having water repellency is formed on at least an exposed surface 105F, exposed to the inner side of the storage chamber 100, of a portion inserted into the hollow cylinder part 106a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid storage container that can be refilled with liquid, and a liquid ejection device including the same. [Background technology]

[0002] In general, a liquid ejection device that ejects liquid such as ink includes a liquid storage container that stores liquid. Some liquid storage containers can be refilled with liquid. Patent Document 1 describes a liquid storage container into which liquid can be injected. The liquid storage container described in Patent Document 1 has a storage chamber for storing liquid, an injection port for injecting the liquid into the storage chamber, and a plug member for closing the injection port. The plug member is attached to the injection port and is detachable. When refilling with liquid, the plug member is removed from the injection port, and the liquid is injected into the storage chamber through the injection port. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-20497 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the liquid storage container described in Patent Document 1, the liquid may adhere to the plug member blocking the injection port. For example, the liquid may adhere to the plug member due to the vibration of the liquid in the storage chamber that occurs when the liquid ejection device is moved. For this reason, the liquid adhering to the plug member may be scattered to the outside due to the recoil or impact when the plug member is removed from the injection port, or the liquid adhering to the plug member may stain the hands and fingers after opening.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and has an object to suppress adhesion of liquid to a plug member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, a liquid storage container according to one aspect of the present invention is a liquid storage container that is connected to a liquid ejection head so as to supply liquid, and includes a storage member having a storage chamber for storing the liquid, a supply port capable of supplying the liquid to the storage chamber, and a hollow tubular portion protruding from the storage chamber, and a plug member detachably attached to the supply port. The plug member has a plug portion that is inserted into the hollow tubular portion to close the supply port. The plug portion has a portion of the plug portion that is inserted into the hollow tubular portion and is exposed to the inside of the storage chamber, at least the portion of the plug portion that is inserted into the hollow tubular portion. Tip A first water-repellent film having water repellency is formed on the surface of the The tip surface and the inner wall surface of the storage chamber are flush with each other. . A liquid storage container according to another aspect of the present invention is a liquid storage container connected to a liquid ejection head so as to supply liquid, and includes a storage member having a storage chamber for storing the liquid, a hollow tubular portion having a supply port capable of supplying the liquid to the storage chamber and protruding from the storage chamber, and a plug member detachably attached to the supply port. The plug member has a plug portion that is inserted into the hollow tubular portion to close the supply port, and a cover portion that is formed integrally with the plug portion and covers the supply port from outside the storage chamber when the plug portion is inserted into the hollow tubular portion. At least a portion of the plug portion that is inserted into the hollow tubular portion and exposed to the inside of the storage chamber is Tip The water repellency of the surface is greater than that of the covering portion. The tip surface and the inner wall surface of the storage chamber are flush with each other. . According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a liquid container is connected to a liquid ejection head so as to supply liquid thereto, and includes a container member having a storage chamber for storing the liquid, a supply port capable of supplying the liquid to the storage chamber, and a hollow tubular portion protruding from the storage chamber, and a plug member detachably attached to the supply port. The plug member is a member that is connected to a liquid ejection head so as to supply liquid thereto, and includes a storage chamber for storing the liquid, a supply port for supplying the liquid to the storage chamber, and a hollow tubular portion protruding from the storage chamber, and a plug member detachably attached to the supply port. Tip A water-repellent film is formed on at least a part of the surface. The tip surface and the inner wall surface of the storage chamber are flush with each other. . Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, adhesion of liquid to the plug member can be suppressed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a liquid ejection device to which a liquid storage container of the present invention can be applied; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining the configuration of the liquid ejection device shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams for explaining refilling of a liquid storage container with liquid. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a liquid storage container according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 2A to 2C are schematic diagrams illustrating the configuration of a plug member of a liquid storage container according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 6 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the plug member shown in FIG. 5 is removed from the supply port. FIG. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams illustrating the configuration of a plug member of a liquid storage container according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 13A and 13B are schematic diagrams illustrating modified examples of the plug member. [Figure 9] 13A and 13B are schematic diagrams illustrating another modified example of the plug member. [Figure 10] 13A and 13B are schematic diagrams illustrating still another modified example of the plug member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the components described in the embodiment are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0010] (First embodiment) First, a liquid ejection device to which a liquid storage container according to a first embodiment of the present invention can be applied will be described. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a liquid ejection device, Fig. 2 is a schematic view for explaining the configuration of the liquid ejection device shown in Fig. 1. 1 and 2, liquid ejection device 200 has a feed section 1, a transport section 2, an ejection section 3, a liquid supply section 4, a display section 5, and a liquid storage section 6. The feed section 1 includes a tray in which a plurality of sheets of recording paper are stored in a stack, and a feed roller 10 that separates the recording papers stored in the tray one by one and supplies them to the transport section 2.

[0011] The transport unit 2 has a transport roller 11, a paper discharge roller 12, and a platen 13. The platen 13 is disposed between the transport roller 11 and the paper discharge roller 12. The transport roller 11 transports the recording paper supplied from the feeding unit 1 onto the platen 13. The platen 13 holds the recording paper. The paper discharge roller 12 discharges the recording paper transported onto the platen 13. The liquid ejection head 15 includes an ejection unit 3 that ejects liquid such as ink. The carriage 14 is located above the platen 13 and is movable in a direction (sub-scanning direction) that intersects with the transport direction (main scanning direction) of the recording paper. The liquid ejection head 15 is mounted on the carriage 14, and the ejection unit 3 ejects liquid toward the recording paper on the platen 13. This makes it possible to form an image on the recording paper based on image information.

[0012] The liquid storage container 16 is a liquid storage container according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The liquid storage container 16 includes a storage chamber 100 for storing liquid, an air communication port 102, a plug member 105, and a supply port 106. The supply port 106 is configured to be able to supply liquid to the storage chamber 100. The plug member 105 is detachably attached to the supply port 106. The storage chamber 100 is fluidly connected to the liquid ejection head 15 via a liquid supply unit 4. The liquid supply unit 4 has a flow path 101 and a flexible supply tube 17. Depending on the amount of liquid ejected by the ejection unit 3, the liquid is supplied from the storage chamber 100 to the liquid ejection head 15 via the flow path 101 and the supply tube 17. Here, four colors of liquid (for example, black, magenta, cyan, and yellow) are used, and a liquid storage container 16, a flow path 101, and a supply tube 17 are provided for each color of liquid. Note that the colors of the liquid are merely an example, and the liquids used are not limited to four colors. A single color of liquid may be used, or two or more colors of liquid may be used.

[0013] The display unit 5 displays information (operating state, operation items, menus, etc.) necessary to operate the liquid ejection device 200. The liquid storage unit 6 stores a liquid storage container 16. The liquid storage unit 6 includes an openable and closable cover 7. With the cover 7 open, the liquid storage container 16 stored in the liquid storage unit 6 can be refilled with liquid.

[0014] 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining the refilling of liquid into the liquid storage container 16 housed in the liquid storage section 6. As shown in FIG. 3, when refilling with liquid, the cover 7 is opened, the plug member 105 is removed from the supply port 106, and liquid is supplied from the supply port 106 to the storage chamber 100 using a liquid refill container 201. In this embodiment, the liquid storage container 16 is housed in the liquid storage section 6 of the apparatus body, but this is not limiting. As long as the liquid can be supplied to the liquid ejection head 15, the liquid storage container 16 may be provided outside the apparatus body.

[0015] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the liquid storage container 16 of this embodiment. Referring to FIG. 4, the liquid storage container 16 is molded from a synthetic resin such as polypropylene and has a generally rectangular parallelepiped outer shape. The liquid storage container 16 has a front wall 1010, a right wall 1020, a left wall 1030, an upper wall 1040, and a lower wall 1050. The front wall 1010 has a standing wall 1010A and an inclined wall 1010B. The standing wall 1010A extends generally in the vertical direction from the lower wall 1050. The inclined wall 1010B extends from the upper end of the standing wall 1010A toward the upper wall 1040 and is inclined with respect to the upper wall 1040. The inclined wall 1010B is inclined in the front-rear direction so that the front side is lower and the rear side is higher. A supply port 106 is formed in the inclined wall 1010B.

[0016] The rear face of the liquid storage container 16 is open, and a film 1060 is welded to this opening face. The storage chamber 100 is formed by this film 1060, the front wall 1010, the right wall 1020, the left wall 1030, the upper wall 1040, and the lower wall 1050. In this embodiment, three color partition walls 1021, 1022, and 1023 are provided to accommodate four color liquids in the accommodation chamber 100. In other words, the accommodation chamber 100 is divided into four liquid chambers by the color partition walls 1021, 1022, and 102. A supply port 106 and a plug member 105 are provided for each liquid chamber.

[0017] Fig. 5 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the plug member 105 of the liquid storage container 16 of this embodiment. Fig. 5(a) is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the plug member 105 has been removed from the supply port 106. Fig. 5(b) is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the plug member 105 has been attached to the supply port 106. Fig. 5(c) is a diagram of the plug member 105 attached to the supply port 106, as viewed from above. Figs. 5(a) and 5(b) correspond to the cross section taken along line VV in Fig. 4.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 5(a) and FIG. 5(b), the plug member 105 has a main body portion 105E and a plug portion 105C. The main body portion 105E has a protruding portion 105A, a supporting portion 105B, and a covering portion 105D. The plug portion 105C is inserted into the supply port 106 to close the supply port 106. Here, the plug portion 105C is press-fitted into the supply port 106 so as to be detachable. The supply port 106 has a hollow tube portion 106a protruding from the storage chamber 100, and the entire plug portion 105C is inserted into the hollow tube portion 106a. Here, the hollow tube portion 106a is a hollow cylindrical portion having a circular cross-sectional shape. However, the supply port 106 is not limited to being cylindrical, and may have a hollow tube portion of another shape. In order to obtain a sealing property capable of preventing leakage of liquid from supply port 106, it is preferable that the entire plug member 105 or at least plug portion 105C is formed from a flexible material such as rubber. Plug portion 105C has a lip portion 105C1 at the tip (portion forming the bottom surface) of the portion inserted into supply port 106. Supply port 106 is sealed by elastic deformation of lip portion 105C1, thereby preventing liquid leakage. The height and width of lip portion 105C1 can be set arbitrarily.

[0019] The cover portion 105D is formed integrally with the plug portion 105C. The cover portion 105D covers the supply port 106 from the outside of the storage chamber 100 in a state where the entire plug portion 105c is inserted into the hollow tube portion 106a. The support portion 105B supports a part of the cover portion 105D in a state where the plug member 105 is removed from the supply port 106. Here, the support portion 105B is made of a string-like member, one end of which is attached to the upper part of the cover portion 105D, and the other end of which is attached to a fixing portion provided on the upper wall 1040. Note that the support portion 105B may be attached to any part as long as it can support the plug member 105. For example, the other end of the support portion 105B may be attached to a part other than the liquid storage container 16, such as the liquid ejection device 200 main body.

[0020] The protrusion 105A protrudes from the upper surface of the cover 105D. By pinching and pulling the protrusion 105A, the plug member 105 can be removed from the supply port 106. The shape of the protrusion 105A is not limited to the shape shown in the figure. For example, the protrusion 105A may be a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped portion protruding from the upper surface of the cover 105D. Furthermore, the tip of the protrusion 105A may have a protruding shape such as a rectangular parallelepiped, an uneven shape, a spherical shape, or the like. As shown in FIG. 5(c), the shape of the upper surface of the cover portion 105D is circular. The plug portion 105C has a center line 105CP that coincides with the center line of the hollow tube portion 106a when the plug member 105 is attached. The center line 105CP passes through the center of the upper surface of the cover portion 105D. The protruding portion 105A is located on the opposite side of the support portion 105B across the center line 105CP (or center). For example, a virtual line X that is perpendicular to the center line 105CP (or passes through the center) may be set, and the protruding portion 105A and the support portion 105B may be disposed at both ends of the virtual line X. Also, a virtual line Y that passes through the center line 105CP and is perpendicular to the virtual line X may be set, and the protruding portion 105A may be disposed on one side of the virtual line Y, and the support portion 105B may be disposed on the other side.

[0021] 6 shows a schematic diagram of the state of the plug member 105 when it is removed from the supply port 106. When the convex portion 105A is pinched with fingers and pulled in the direction of the arrow A, the plug member 105 is deformed while tilting at an angle θ. The base of the convex portion 105A is defined as a force point P1, the portion (fixed point) where the plug member 105 abuts against the upper part of the supply port 106 is defined as a fulcrum P2, and the portion opposite to the fulcrum P2 where the plug member 105 abuts against the inner wall surface of the supply port 106 is defined as a point of action P3. Because the plug member 105 rotates around the fulcrum P2, the plug member 105 can be easily removed from the supply port 106 by the principle of leverage. The distance from the force point P1 to the fulcrum P2 is L1, and the distance from the action point P3 to the fulcrum P2 is L2. By making the distance L1 greater than the distance L2, a small motion applied to the force point P1 can be converted into a larger motion at the action point P3. Therefore, from the viewpoint of utilizing the principle of leverage, it is preferable to provide the convex portion 105A at a position that satisfies L1>L2, for example, at a position opposite to the support portion 105B.

[0022] Referring again to FIG. 5(a) and FIG. 5(b), the plug portion 105C has a first water-repellent film S1 having water repellency formed on an exposed surface 105F, which is at least exposed to the inside of the storage chamber 100, of the portion inserted into the hollow tube portion 106a. The exposed surface 105F includes the tip surface of the plug portion 105C. Here, the first water-repellent film S1 is formed on the entire surface of the portion of the plug portion 105C inserted into the hollow tube portion 106a. For example, the first water-repellent film S1 is formed by performing a water-repellent treatment to form (coat) a water-repellent coating made of a silicone compound, a fluorine compound, or the like on the surface. Specifically, the first water-repellent film S1 is formed by masking the portion of the plug member 105 other than the plug portion 105C and selectively performing a water-repellent treatment on the surface of the plug portion 105C. It is preferable that the first water-repellent film S1 is formed on a portion of the plug portion 105C inserted into the hollow tubular portion 106a where liquid may adhere. The smaller the surface tension of the solid is and the higher the surface tension of the liquid is, the greater the surface tension of the liquid will be when the liquid adheres to the solid surface, and the liquid will be pulled inward and become more spherical on the solid surface. Generally, the surface tension of a liquid such as ink is lower than that of water, but by subjecting the surface on the solid side to a water-repellent treatment to reduce the surface tension significantly below that of the liquid, the solid surface can be endowed with the ability to repel liquids (water repellency). In this embodiment, by forming the first water-repellent film S1 on the plug portion 105C on the solid side, adhesion of liquid to the plug member 105 can be suppressed.

[0023] The water-repellent second water-repellent film S2 is formed by selectively performing the water-repellent treatment on the inner wall surface of the hollow tubular portion 106a and the area adjacent to the supply port 106 on the inner wall surface of the storage chamber 100. In this manner, by forming the second water-repellent film S2 on the inner wall surface of the hollow tubular portion 106a and the adjacent area of ​​the inner wall surface of the storage chamber 100, it is possible to prevent liquid from remaining in the supply port 106 or its surroundings when refilling or opening the container. From the viewpoint of suppressing liquid from remaining, the water repellency of the second water-repellent film S2 should be relatively higher than that of other regions of the inner wall surface of the storage chamber 100. However, in order to prioritize suppressing adhesion of liquid to the plug member 105, for example, the relationship between the water repellency levels (water repellency) of the first water-repellent film S1 and the second water-repellent film S2 is S1≧S2. Here, the water repellency level (water repellency level) can be evaluated, for example, using the contact angle of the liquid with the solid surface. The "contact angle" is defined as the angle between the solid and the liquid on the side that contains the liquid, and the higher this angle, the higher the water repellency.

[0024] In general, water-repellent treatment may be performed multiple times to form a water-repellent film with a coating that is highly smooth and has little roughness. It is possible to adjust the water-repellent level (water-repellency) of the first water-repellent film S1 and the second water-repellent film S2 as desired. Compared to the case where the water-repellent relationship is S1=S2, it is easier to manufacture when S1>S2, so it is preferable to make S1>S2. In this embodiment, the water-repellent film is formed on both the inner wall surface of the hollow tubular portion 106a and the side surface of the plug portion 105C (the surface facing the inner wall surface of the hollow tubular portion 106a), but the water-repellent film may be formed on either one of the surfaces. However, from the viewpoint of suppressing adhesion of liquid to the plug member 105, it is preferable to always form the first water-repellent film S1 on the tip portion of the plug portion 105C (the portion exposed to the inside of the storage chamber 100).

[0025] As shown in FIG. 5(b), when the entire plug portion 105C is inserted into the hollow tube portion 106a, a continuous water-repellent surface is formed along the inner wall surface of the storage chamber 100. Specifically, a first water-repellent film S1 formed on the surface of the plug portion 105C exposed to the inside of the storage chamber 100 and a second water-repellent film S2 formed on the inner wall surface of the storage chamber 100 form a water-repellent surface that is continuous along the inner wall surface. If a recess exists at the boundary between the first water-repellent film S1 and the second water-repellent film S2 on this water-repellent surface, liquid may remain in the recess. From the viewpoint of suppressing adhesion of liquid to the plug member 105, it is not preferable that such a recess exists on the water-repellent surface. In this embodiment, the exposed surface 105F (tip surface) exposed to the inside of the storage chamber 100 of the plug portion 105C and the inner wall surface of the storage chamber 100 are configured to be flush with each other. In this case, since the exposed surface 105F (tip surface) of the plug 105C and the inner wall surface of the storage chamber 100 are both flat, the water-repellent surface formed by the first water-repellent film S1 formed on the exposed surface 105F and the second water-repellent film S2 formed on the inner wall surface is substantially flat. This makes it possible to prevent the formation of recesses, where liquid may remain, at the boundary between the first water-repellent film S1 and the second water-repellent film S2 on the water-repellent surface. Incidentally, exposed surface 105F (tip surface) of plug portion 105C exposed to the inside of storage chamber 100 may protrude inward beyond the inner wall surface of storage chamber 100. This configuration can reliably prevent the formation of recesses in which liquid may remain at the boundary between first water-repellent film S1 and second water-repellent film S2 on the water-repellent surface.

[0026] In the liquid storage container 16 of the present embodiment described above, the plug portion 105C has a first water-repellent film S1 formed on at least the surface (tip) of the portion inserted into the hollow tubular portion 106a that is exposed to the inside of the storage chamber 100. Even if the liquid in the storage chamber 100 touches the plug portion 105C due to the fluctuation of the liquid, the liquid is repelled by the first water-repellent film S1. In this way, adhesion of the liquid to the plug member 105 can be suppressed. Therefore, splashing of the liquid when opening the plug can be suppressed, and also, staining of the fingers, etc. by the liquid after opening can be suppressed.

[0027] The portion on which the first water-repellent film S1 is formed and the portion on which the second water-repellent film S2 is formed may be combined in the following variations. (Variation 1) The first water-repellent film S1 is formed only on the tip portion of the plug portion 105C (exposed surface 105F exposed to the inside of the storage chamber 100). (Variation 2) Combine the above Variation 1 with one or more of the following configurations (2a) to (2c): (2a) A first water-repellent film S1 is formed on the side surface of the plug portion 105c (the surface facing the inner wall surface of the hollow tube portion 106a); (2b) forming a second water-repellent film S2 on the inner wall surface of the hollow cylinder portion 106a; (2c) A second water-repellent film S2 is formed on the inner wall surface of the storage chamber 100 in an area adjacent to the supply port 106. The above combination not only prevents adhesion of liquid to plug member 105, but also prevents liquid from remaining in supply port 106 or its surrounding area when refilling with liquid or opening the plug.

[0028] In this embodiment, the supply port 106 is provided on an inclined surface inclined with respect to the liquid surface (or the horizontal surface), but is not limited thereto. The surface forming the supply port 106 may be a surface parallel to the liquid surface (or the horizontal surface). Here, the inclined surface is, for example, an inclined surface inclined with respect to the horizontal direction when the liquid ejection device 200 containing the liquid storage container 16 is placed on a horizontal surface. Furthermore, plug member 105 may be configured such that the water repellency of at least exposed surface 105F, which is exposed to the inside of storage chamber 100, among the portion inserted into hollow tubular portion 106a of plug portion 105C, is greater than the water repellency of covering portion 105D. This configuration also makes it possible to suppress adhesion of liquid to plug member 105.

[0029] Second embodiment A liquid storage container according to the second embodiment of the present invention differs from that of the first embodiment in the configuration of the water-repellent film. Other than the configuration of the water-repellent film, the liquid storage container according to the second embodiment of the present invention is the same as that of the first embodiment. The same components are designated by the same reference numerals as in the first embodiment, and detailed description thereof will be omitted here. Fig. 7 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the plug member 105 of the liquid storage container 16 according to this embodiment. Fig. 7(a) is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the plug member 105 has been removed from the supply port 106. Fig. 7(b) is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the plug member 105 has been attached to the supply port 106. Fig. 7(c) is a plan view showing the periphery of the supply port 106 on the inner wall surface of the liquid storage container 16 shown in Fig. 7(b) as viewed from the direction of arrow A. Figs. 7(a) and 7(b) correspond to the cross section taken along line VV in Fig. 4.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 7(a) and FIG. 7(b), the inner wall surface of the storage chamber 100 includes an inclined surface 100a inclined with respect to the liquid surface (or horizontal surface). The supply port 106 is provided on the inclined surface 100a. A first water-repellent film S1 is formed on a portion of the plug portion 105C that is inserted into the hollow tube portion 106a. A second water-repellent film S2 is formed on the inner wall surface of the hollow tube portion 106a. A second water-repellent film S2 and a third water-repellent film S3 are formed on an area of ​​the inclined surface 100a adjacent to the supply port 106. The water-repellent treatment described in the first embodiment can be applied to the formation of the first water-repellent film S1, the second water-repellent film S2, and the third water-repellent film S3.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 7(c), the inclined surface 100a is defined such that the upper side of the lowermost end of the supply port 106 is defined as a first region R1, and the lower side of the lowermost end is defined as a second region R2. The second water-repellent film S2 is formed in the first region R1. The third water-repellent film S3 is formed in the second region R2. When the entire plug portion 105C is inserted into the hollow tube portion 106a, the first water-repellent film S1, the second water-repellent film S2, and the third water-repellent film S3 form a water-repellent surface R that is continuous along the inner wall surface of the storage chamber 100. As in the first embodiment, in this embodiment, priority is given to suppressing adhesion of liquid to the plug member 105, so the relationship of water repellency (water repellency) between the first water-repellent film S1, the second water-repellent film S2, and the third water-repellent film S3 is S1≧S2 and S1≧S3. From the viewpoint of ease of manufacture, the relationship of water repellency is preferably S1>S2 and S1>S3. The relationship of water repellency (water repellency) between the second water-repellent film S2 and the third water-repellent film S3 is set to S2≧S3 (preferably S2>S3), in order to actively make the liquid on the water-repellent surface R fall (or slide) in the direction of gravity (downward).

[0032] In addition to the effects described in the first embodiment, the liquid storage container 16 of this embodiment has the following advantages. If the water repellency of the second water repellent film S2 and the third water repellent film S3 is too low, liquid may accumulate on the water repellent surface R. In this embodiment, the water repellency of the second water repellent film S2 located above the lowest end of the supply port 106 on the inclined surface 100a is increased, so that the liquid can be actively made to fall (or slide down) in the direction of gravity (downward). In addition, the water repellency of the third water repellent film S3 located below the lowest end of the supply port 106 is reduced. This allows the liquid on the water repellent surface R to be actively made to fall (or slide down) in the direction of gravity (downward), and ensures that the liquid is prevented from accumulating in the periphery of the supply port 106.

[0033] The configurations and variations described in the first embodiment can also be applied to the liquid storage container 16 of this embodiment.

[0034] (Modification) Below, modified examples of the liquid storage container 16 of the above-mentioned first and second embodiments will be described. FIG. 8(a) is a diagram showing the configuration of a first modified example of the plug member 105. The plug portion 105C has a lip portion 105C2 on the outer periphery of the portion inserted into the supply port 106. The lip portion 105C2 is a protrusion protruding from the side surface and extends along the circumferential direction. Three rows of the lip portions 105C2 are provided at a predetermined interval from the tip side of the plug portion 105C. Each lip portion 105C2 abuts against the inner wall surface of the supply port 106 and elastically deforms to seal the supply port 106. Each lip portion 105C2 has the same width and height. The first water-repellent film S1 is formed on the side surface of the plug portion 105C including the lip portion 105C2. The number of rows of the lip portions 105C2 is not limited to three, and may be one, two or more as long as sealing is possible.

[0035] FIG. 8(b) is a diagram showing the configuration of the second modified example of the plug member 105. The plug portion 105C has two lip portions 105C2 and 105C3 provided at a predetermined interval along the circumferential direction on the outer periphery of the portion inserted into the supply port 106. The lip portion 105C2 is the same as that of the first modified example. The lip portion 105C3 is located on the tip side of the plug portion 105C than the lip portion 105C2. The lip portion 105C3 is higher and wider than the lip portion 105C2. The wider the lip, the larger the contact surface with the inner wall surface of the supply port 106, and the better the sealing performance. The higher the lip, the larger the amount of crushing, and the better the sealing performance. In this modified example, the lip portion 105C3 located on the tip side of the plug portion 105C has a higher sealing performance than the lip portion 105C2. The first water-repellent film S1 is formed on the side surface of the plug portion 105C including the lip portion 105C2 and the lip portion 105C3.

[0036] FIG. 8(c) is a diagram showing the configuration of a third modified example of the plug member 105. The plug portion 105C has two rows of lip portions 105C2 and one row of lip portions 105C3 provided along the circumferential direction on the outer periphery of the portion inserted into the supply port 106. The lip portion 105C2 is the same as that of the first modified example. The lip portion 105C3 is the same as that of the second modified example. In this modified example, the lip portion 105C3 located on the tip side of the plug portion 105C also has high sealing properties. The first water-repellent film S1 is formed on the side surface of the plug portion 105C including the lip portions 105C2 and 105C3. In the above-mentioned first to third modified examples, as long as the supply port 106 can be sealed, the width of the lip portion and the number of rows of the lip portions can be changed as appropriate.

[0037] 9(a) is a diagram showing the configuration of a fourth modified example of plug member 105. Plug member 105 has protrusion 205A instead of protrusion 105A. Protrusion 205A protrudes from side surface 207 of covering portion 105D. Protrusion 205A is located on the opposite side to support portion 105B across center line 105CP.

[0038] FIG. 9(b) is a diagram showing the configuration of a fifth modified example of the plug member 105. The plug member 105 has a protrusion 305A instead of the protrusion 105A. The protrusion 305A is formed on a side surface 307 of the cover portion 105D and consists of a plurality of ridges extending parallel to each other in the circumferential direction. The protrusion 305A is located on the opposite side of the support portion 105B across the center line 105CP. When removing the plug member 105 from the supply port 106, the user places his / her finger on the side surface 307. The protrusion 305A acts to increase the frictional force between the finger and the side surface 307, so that the plug member 105 can be easily removed from the supply port 106.

[0039] FIG. 9(c) is a diagram showing the configuration of a sixth modified example of the plug member 105. The plug member 105 has a protrusion 405A instead of the protrusion 105A. The protrusion 405A is formed by providing a notch 408 on a side surface 407 of the cover portion 105D. The protrusion 405A is located on the opposite side of the support portion 105B across the center line 105CP. When removing the plug member 105 from the supply port 106, the user places his / her finger on the side surface 407. The protrusion 405A acts to increase the frictional force between the finger and the side surface 407, so that the plug member 105 can be easily removed from the supply port 106.

[0040] FIG. 10(a) is a diagram showing the configuration of a seventh modified example of the plug member 105. The plug member 105 has a protruding portion 505A instead of the protruding portion 105A, and does not have the support portion 105B. The protruding portion 505A is located on the center line 105CP of the plug member 105, and protrudes upward from the upper surface of the covering portion 105D. The protruding portion 505A may have any shape as long as it can be pinched. For example, the tip of the protruding portion 505A may have a protruding shape such as a rectangular parallelepiped, an uneven shape, a spherical shape, or the like.

[0041] FIG. 10(b) is a diagram showing the configuration of an eighth modified example of the plug member 105. The plug member 105 has two protrusions 605A instead of the protrusion 105A, and does not have the support portion 105B. Each protrusion 605A is formed on a side surface 607 of the cover portion 105D and consists of a plurality of protrusions extending parallel to each other in the circumferential direction. The protrusions 605A are located on opposite sides of the center line 105CP. When removing the plug member 105 from the supply port 106, the user pinches the side surface 607 from both sides. The protrusions 605A act to increase the friction between the fingers and the side surface 607, so that the plug member 105 can be easily removed from the supply port 106.

[0042] FIG. 10(c) is a diagram showing the configuration of a ninth modified example of the plug member 105. The plug member 105 has two protrusions 705A instead of the protrusion 105A, and does not have the support portion 105B. Each protrusion 705A is formed by providing a notch 708 on a side surface 707 of the cover portion 105D. The protrusions 705A are located on opposite sides of the center line 105CP. When removing the plug member 105 from the supply port 106, the user pinches the side surfaces 707 from both sides. The protrusions 705A act to increase the friction between the fingers and the side surfaces 707, so that the plug member 105 can be easily removed from the supply port 106. In the first to ninth modified examples, the side surface of the cover portion 105D is substantially perpendicular to the opening surface of the supply port 106 when the plug member 105 is attached to the supply port 106.

[0043] According to the above-mentioned first to ninth modified examples, plug member 105 can be removed from supply port 106 with a smaller force, so that the reaction and impact generated when opening the plug are smaller. Therefore, even if liquid adheres to plug member 105, the liquid can be prevented from scattering to the outside. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 16 Liquid storage container 100 Containment Room 105 Plug member 105C Plug part 105F Exposed surface 106 Supply port 106a Hollow tube S1 First water-repellent film

Claims

1. A liquid container connected to a liquid ejection head so as to supply liquid thereto, a container member including a container chamber for containing the liquid, a supply port capable of supplying the liquid to the container chamber, and a hollow tubular portion protruding from the container chamber; A plug member removably attached to the supply port, the plug member has a plug portion that is inserted into the hollow tubular portion to close the supply port, and the plug portion has a first water-repellent film formed on at least a tip surface of the portion inserted into the hollow tubular portion that is exposed to the inside of the storage chamber, A liquid storage container, wherein the tip surface and an inner wall surface of the storage chamber are flush with each other.

2. 2. The liquid container according to claim 1, wherein the first water-repellent film is formed on the entire portion of the plug that is inserted into the hollow tubular portion.

3. 3. The liquid storage container according to claim 1, further comprising a second water-repellent film formed on an inner wall surface of the storage chamber at least in an area adjacent to the supply port.

4. 4. The liquid storage container according to claim 3, wherein the second water-repellent film is formed on an inner wall surface of the hollow cylindrical portion.

5. 5. A liquid storage container as described in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that when the entire stopper portion is inserted into the hollow tubular portion, the first water-repellent film formed on the tip surface and the second water-repellent film formed on the inner wall surface form a continuous water-repellent surface.

6. 6. The liquid storage container according to claim 3, wherein the second water-repellent film has a water-repellency equal to or lower than that of the first water-repellent film.

7. an inner wall surface of the storage chamber includes an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to a horizontal direction when a liquid ejection device in which the liquid storage container is stored is placed on a horizontal surface; The supply port is provided on the inclined surface, With respect to the inclined surface, a first region is defined above a lowest end of the supply port, and a second region is defined below the lowest end of the supply port, The second water-repellent film is formed in the first region, 4. The liquid storage container according to claim 3, further comprising a third water-repellent film formed in the second region.

8. 8. The liquid storage container according to claim 7, characterized in that when the entire stopper portion is inserted into the hollow tubular portion, the first water-repellent film formed on the tip surface, the second water-repellent film formed in the first region, and the third water-repellent film formed in the second region form a continuous water-repellent surface.

9. 9. The liquid storage container according to claim 7, wherein the second water-repellent film has a water-repellency equal to or lower than that of the first water-repellent film.

10. 10. The liquid storage container according to claim 7, wherein the water repellency of the third water-repellent film is the same as or lower than that of the second water-repellent film.

11. The plug member is a cover portion that is formed integrally with the plug portion and that covers the supply port from outside the storage chamber in a state in which the plug portion is inserted into the hollow cylindrical portion; a support portion that supports a portion of the cover portion in a state in which the plug member is removed from the supply port; The liquid storage container according to claim 1 , further comprising a protrusion protruding from the cover.

12. The liquid storage container according to claim 11, characterized in that the plug portion has a center line that coincides with the center line of the hollow tubular portion when the plug member is attached, and the convex portion is located on the opposite side of the center line of the plug portion from the support portion.

13. A liquid container connected to a liquid ejection head so as to supply liquid thereto, a container member including a container chamber for containing the liquid, a supply port capable of supplying the liquid to the container chamber, and a hollow tubular portion protruding from the container chamber; A plug member removably attached to the supply port, the plug member has a plug portion that is inserted into the hollow tubular portion to close the supply port, and a cover portion that is formed integrally with the plug portion and that covers the supply port from outside the storage chamber when the plug portion is inserted into the hollow tubular portion, the water repellency of at least a tip surface of the plug portion that is inserted into the hollow tubular portion and is exposed to the inside of the storage chamber is greater than the water repellency of the cover portion; A liquid storage container, wherein the tip surface and an inner wall surface of the storage chamber are flush with each other.

14. A liquid container connected to a liquid ejection head so as to supply liquid thereto, a container member including a container chamber for containing the liquid, a supply port capable of supplying the liquid to the container chamber, and a hollow tubular portion protruding from the container chamber; A plug member removably attached to the supply port, a water-repellent film is formed on at least a part of a tip surface of the plug member that is exposed to an inside of the storage chamber when the plug member seals the supply port, A liquid storage container, wherein the tip surface and an inner wall surface of the storage chamber are flush with each other.

15. A liquid storage container as described in any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the stopper portion has a lip portion protruding from the side of the stopper portion at the outer periphery and tip of the portion inserted into the supply port.

16. The liquid container according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid is ink.

17. A liquid storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 16, A liquid ejection head that ejects liquid, A liquid ejection apparatus, wherein the liquid is supplied from the liquid container to the liquid ejection head.

18. The liquid storage device further includes a storage section having an openable / closable cover for storing the liquid storage container, 18. The liquid ejection device according to claim 17, wherein the liquid container accommodated in the container portion is capable of supplying the liquid to the container chamber from the supply port with the cover open.

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