Inkjet printer

Abstract

To provide an inkjet printer capable of being refilled with ink using a refilling container, which can suppress ink from scattering to a sensor that detects whether the refilling container is connected to an ink storage part or not and wiring connected to the sensor.SOLUTION: An inkjet printer comprises: an ink storage part that can store ink; a connection part 70, configured to be connected with a refilling container storing ink, which communicates with the ink storage part when at least the refilling container is connected thereto; an ink head, connected to the ink storage part, which discharges ink stored in the ink storage part; a sensor 83 that detects whether the refilling container is connected to the connection part 70 or not; and an isolation wall 60 provided to extend at least between the sensor 83 and the connection part 70.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to inkjet printers. [Background technology]

[0002] Inkjet printers that form images by ejecting ink contained in an ink tank from a print head are conventionally known. Some inkjet printers allow the ink tank to be refilled with ink by mounting an ink bottle containing ink in the ink tank. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an inkjet printer that has a liquid inlet for injecting ink from the ink bottle and an ink tank that allows the liquid level position to be visually confirmed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-172358 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Providing an inkjet printer with a sensor for checking whether a refill container such as a bottle is attached to an ink tank makes it possible, for example, to prevent the refill container from being attached incorrectly or to issue a warning if the user forgets to remove the refill container after refilling with ink. For this reason, the inkjet printer may be provided with a sensor for detecting whether a refill container is attached to an ink tank. However, when attaching or removing the refill container, there is a risk of ink scattering from the refill container or the connection between the ink tank and the refill container. If the sensor or the wiring connected to the sensor is exposed to the scattered ink, the sensor may break down or may not be able to correctly detect whether a refill container is attached.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of these points, and its object is to provide an inkjet printer that can be refilled with ink using a refill container, and that can prevent the sensor that detects whether the refill container is connected to the ink storage section and the wiring connected to the sensor from being exposed to ink. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The inkjet printer disclosed herein comprises an ink storage section capable of storing ink, a connection section configured to be connected to a refill container containing ink and communicating with the ink storage section at least when the refill container is connected, an ink head connected to the ink storage section and ejecting ink stored in the ink storage section, a sensor that detects whether the refill container is connected to the connection section, and a partition wall arranged to extend at least between the sensor and the connection section.

[0007] According to the inkjet printer, even if ink splashes from the connection part or the refill container, the splashed ink is blocked by a partition wall extending between the sensor and the connection part, and therefore the inkjet printer can prevent the sensor and the wiring connected to the sensor from being exposed to ink. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a printer according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of an ink supply system. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the top surface of the ink tank with the cover removed. [Diagram 5] FIG. [Figure 6] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the bottle mounting portion when the supply bottle is not mounted. FIG. [Figure 7]11 is a cross-sectional view of the bottle attachment portion, showing a procedure for assembling the stopper, the second spring, and the release button to the lid body. FIG. [Figure 8] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the bottle mounting portion with the supply bottle mounted thereon. FIG. [Figure 9] 11 is a schematic diagram showing detection of a supply bottle by a magnetic sensor. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing detection of a supply bottle by a capacitance sensor, the diagram showing the bottle mounting portion as viewed from the side. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing detection of a supply bottle by a capacitance sensor, the diagram showing the bottle mounting portion as viewed from above. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] An inkjet printer according to one embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the embodiment described here is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Also, the same reference numerals are used for members and parts that perform the same functions, and duplicated descriptions are omitted or simplified as appropriate. In the following description, when the inkjet printer is viewed from the front, the side away from the inkjet printer is the front, and the side approaching the inkjet printer is the rear. Also, the reference numerals F, Rr, L, R, U, and D in the drawings represent the front, rear, left, right, top, and bottom, respectively. However, these directions are merely provided for the sake of convenience in the description, and do not limit the installation mode of the inkjet printer, etc.

[0010] [First embodiment] 1 is a front view of a large-format inkjet printer (hereinafter, simply referred to as "printer") 10 according to one embodiment. The printer 10 prints an image on the recording medium 5 by moving a roll-shaped recording medium 5 in the front-to-rear direction and ejecting ink from multiple ink heads 21 mounted on a carriage 20 that moves in the left-to-right direction.

[0011] In this embodiment, the printer 10 is an inkjet printer. In this embodiment, the term "inkjet printer" refers to inkjet printers using various conventionally known methods, including various continuous methods such as a binary deflection method or a continuous deflection method, and various on-demand methods such as a thermal method or a piezoelectric element method.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the printer body 11 is provided with a platen 12 that supports the recording medium 5, a carriage 20, an ink head 21 that ejects ink, a carriage moving device 22 that moves the carriage 20 in the left-right direction, a transport device 23 that transports the recording medium 5 in the front-back direction, an ink supply system 30 (see FIG. 2) that supplies ink to the ink head 21, and a control device 100.

[0013] The carriage 20 is provided with a plurality of ink heads 21. The plurality of ink heads 21 are provided on the underside of the carriage 20. In this embodiment, the number of ink heads 21 is eight. The plurality of ink heads 21 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction on the carriage 20. Each ink head 21 has a nozzle surface in which a plurality of nozzles 21A (see FIG. 2) that eject ink are formed. The plurality of nozzles 21A are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction to form a nozzle row.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of an ink supply system 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the ink supply system 30 according to this embodiment includes a plurality of ink tanks 40 containing ink, a plurality of ink supply paths 31 connecting the ink tanks 40 and the ink heads 21, and a liquid feed pump 32 provided in each of the ink supply paths 31. As shown in FIG. 2, each ink head 21 is connected to an ink storage section 41 of one ink tank 40 via the ink supply path 31. Each ink head 21 ejects ink stored in the ink storage section 41 to which it is connected. As shown in FIG. 1, eight ink tanks 40 are provided here. The number of ink heads 21 is the same as the number of ink tanks 40 (however, in FIG. 2, only two systems are shown). In this embodiment, one ink head 21 is provided with one nozzle row and one ink tank 40 is connected, but the configuration of the ink head and the ink supply system is not limited thereto. One ink head may have a plurality of nozzle rows formed therein, and may be connected to the same number of ink tanks as the nozzle rows. In this case, ink stored in an ink tank connected to one nozzle row may be ejected from the nozzles of that nozzle row.

[0015] There are no limitations on the ink material, and various materials that have been used as ink materials for inkjet printers can be used. The ink may be, for example, a solvent-based pigment ink, a water-based pigment ink, or a water-based dye ink.

[0016] [Ink tank configuration] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the ink tank 40. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the top surface of the ink tank 40 with the cover 90 removed. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the ink tank 40 includes an ink storage section 41 capable of storing ink, a lid 42, a bottle mounting section 50 provided on the lid 42, and a cover 90. As will be described in detail later, the bottle mounting section 50 is a mechanism to which a supply bottle 200 (see FIG. 2) containing ink is attached. The supply bottle 200 is an example of a refill container that refills the ink storage section 41 of the ink tank 40 with ink. By mounting the supply bottle 200 to the bottle mounting section 50, the ink stored in the supply bottle 200 is moved to the ink storage section 41. In addition, by removing the supply bottle 200 from the bottle mounting section 50, the empty supply bottle 200 can be collected.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 3, the ink containing section 41 is configured in a flat shape that is longer in the front-rear direction than in the left-right direction. When viewed in the left-right direction, the ink containing section 41 has a generally trapezoidal shape whose front-rear length decreases toward the bottom. The ink supply path 31 (see FIG. 2) is connected to the back surface of the ink containing section 41 near the bottom. The ink containing section 41 is configured in a box shape with an open top. The cover 42 is configured in a flat plate shape, and is attached to the ink containing section 41 so as to cover the opening on the top surface of the ink containing section 41.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 4, the lid body 42 is provided with a bottle mounting part 50. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the bottle mounting part 50. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the bottle mounting part 50 when the supply bottle 200 is not attached. As shown in Figs. 4 to 6, the bottle mounting part 50 includes a separating wall 60, a connecting part 70, and a stopper mechanism 80.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 4, the partition wall 60 extends upward from the upper surface of the cover body 42. The partition wall 60 is a wall portion standing approximately vertically on the upper surface of the cover body 42. As shown in Fig. 5, the partition wall 60 has an insertion port side wall 61, a first partition wall 62, and a second partition wall 63. The insertion port side wall 61, the first partition wall 62, and the second partition wall 63 are connected to form the partition wall 60. Here, the insertion port side wall 61, the first partition wall 62, and the second partition wall 63 are integrally formed.

[0020] The insertion port side wall 61 is configured in a cylindrical shape with a part cut off. As shown in FIG. 5, the insertion port side wall 61 is annular with a part cut off on the left side when viewed from above. By cutting off a part of the cylinder, a discontinuous part 61a is formed in the insertion port side wall 61 that runs through in the vertical direction. The discontinuous part 61a is a flow path for discharging ink when ink spills into the insertion port side wall 61. For example, when the supply bottle 200 is removed while refilling the ink tank 40 with ink from the supply bottle 200, a large amount of ink may spill into the insertion port side wall 61. In this embodiment, the ink that flows out from the discontinuous part 61a flows over the lid 42 to the back of the ink tank 40 and flows out of the ink tank 40. An absorbing sheet (not shown) that absorbs ink is provided on the outside of the ink tank 40. The space inside the insertion port side wall 61 constitutes the insertion port 50a into which the supply bottle 200 is inserted. As will be described in detail later, the supply bottle 200 is a cylindrical member, and when mounted in the bottle mounting portion 50, it is inserted into the insertion port 50a.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 4, the socket side wall 61 has an opening 61b on the wall surface on the front side. The opening 61b penetrates the socket side wall 61 in the front-rear direction. The opening 61b is configured in a rectangular shape when viewed in the front-rear direction. Here, the opening 61b reaches the upper end of the socket side wall 61. The opening 61b has an upper cutout. However, the shape of the opening 61b is not particularly limited. The opening 61b may be, for example, a normal through hole without a cutout.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 5, the first partition wall 62 is provided on the left side of the plug side wall 61. More specifically, the first partition wall 62 is provided so as to connect to a rear edge portion (which may be called a front edge portion of the discontinuous portion 61a) of a wall portion on the left side of the plug side wall 61 that is located forward of the discontinuous portion 61a. The first partition wall 62 extends diagonally forward to the left from a connection portion with the plug side wall 61. In other words, the separation wall 60 is bent diagonally forward to the left at the connection portion between the plug side wall 61 and the first partition wall 62. As shown in FIG. 4, the height of the first partition wall 62 is configured to be lower than the height of the plug side wall 61.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 5, the second partition wall 63 is provided so as to connect to a front edge portion (which may be called a rear edge portion of the discontinuous portion 61a) of a wall portion on the left side of the plug side wall 61 that is located rearward of the discontinuous portion 61a. The second partition wall 63 extends diagonally forward to the left from a connection portion with the plug side wall 61. The second partition wall 63 is provided so as to face the first partition wall 62. In other words, the separation wall 60 is bent diagonally forward to the left at the connection portion between the plug side wall 61 and the second partition wall 63. As shown in FIG. 4, the height of the second partition wall 63 is also configured to be lower than the height of the plug side wall 61.

[0024] The first partition wall 62 and the second partition wall 63 extend forward to prevent light from entering the ink tank 40 behind the first partition wall 62 and the second partition wall 63 when the lid 96 of the cover 90 is opened. In addition, the first partition wall 62 and the second partition wall 63 are configured to have curved surfaces so that ink spilled inside the insertion port side wall 61 flows smoothly.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 5, the connection part 70 is provided inside the insertion port side wall 61 in plan view. As shown in Fig. 6, the connection part 70 is provided at the bottom of the insertion port 50a. The connection part 70 is a mechanism for connecting the supply bottle 200 inserted into the insertion port 50a. The connection part 70 includes a valve body 71 and a first spring 72. The valve body 71 is inserted into an attachment hole 50a1 provided at the bottom of the insertion port 50a. The valve body 71 is configured to be slidable in the up and down direction along the attachment hole 50a1.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 6, the valve body 71 has a tip portion 71a, a flow path 71b, and a seal portion 71c. The tip portion 71a is provided at the upper end of the valve body 71 and is formed in a substantially conical shape. As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the tip portion 71a has a shape in which plates having acute-angled upper ends are combined in a cross shape when viewed from above. As will be described in detail later, the ink inlet 212a of the supply bottle 200 is sealed by a sealing film 220 (see FIG. 2). The tip portion 71a of the valve body 71 breaks through the sealing film 220 when the supply bottle 200 is attached to the bottle attachment portion 50. The flow path 71b is provided below the tip portion 71a and extends in the vertical direction as shown in FIG. 6. The flow path 71b is a through hole that penetrates the valve body 71 in the vertical direction. The flow path 71b is a flow path through which the ink flows out of the supply bottle 200 passes. 6, the bottom surface of the insertion port 50a is also provided with a plurality of discharge holes 42c (only one is shown) through which a small amount of ink leaking from the supply bottle 200 passes.

[0027] The seal portion 71c is provided at the bottom of the valve body 71. As shown in FIG. 6, the seal portion 71c is disposed below the mounting hole 50a1. The seal portion 71c is configured in a disk shape and is larger than the mounting hole 50a1 in a plan view. The seal portion 71c seals the gap between the tank side seal portion 42a by coming into close contact with the tank side seal portion 42a provided outside the mounting hole 50a1. When the seal portion 71c and the tank side seal portion 42a are in close contact with each other, the flow path 71b and the ink containing portion 41 are blocked. When the seal portion 71c and the tank side seal portion 42a are separated from each other, the flow path 71b and the ink containing portion 41 are communicated with each other.

[0028] The first spring 72 biases the valve body 71 upward. The biasing force of the first spring 72 presses the seal portion 71c against the tank side seal portion 42a. When the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection portion 70, the valve body 71 is pressed downward by the supply bottle 200, and moves downward against the biasing force of the first spring 72. This causes the seal portion 71c and the tank side seal portion 42a to separate, and the flow path 71b and the ink containing portion 41 communicate with each other. The connection portion 70 is configured to communicate with the ink containing portion 41 when the supply bottle 200 is connected. This configuration prevents the ink from volatilizing from the ink containing portion 41, and prevents dust and light from entering the ink containing portion 41. However, the connection portion 70 is not limited to any particular configuration as long as it communicates with the ink containing portion 41 at least when the supply bottle 200 is connected. For example, the connection portion 70 may be in communication with the ink containing portion 41 even when the supply bottle 200 is not connected.

[0029] Partition wall 60 divides an area where connection portion 70 is provided and supply bottle 200 is inserted (hereinafter, first area A1) from an area outside first area A1 (hereinafter, second area A2). As shown in Fig. 5, first area A1 is composed of an inner side of insertion port side wall 61 (insertion port 50a) and a portion sandwiched in the front-rear direction between first partition wall 62 and second partition wall 63. Opening 61b penetrates partition wall 60 and connects first area A1 to second area A2.

[0030] Stopper mechanism 80 is a mechanism that holds supply bottle 200 so as to maintain a state in which supply bottle 200 is connected to connection portion 70. As shown in Fig. 5, stopper mechanism 80 includes a stopper 81, a second spring 82, an optical sensor 83, and a release button 84.

[0031] Stopper 81 is a member that holds supply bottle 200 to maintain the state of being connected to connection part 70, and at the same time, is a detection body that detects that supply bottle 200 has been connected to connection part 70. As shown in Fig. 6, stopper 81 is inserted through opening 61b of partition wall 60. As shown in Fig. 5, stopper 81 has a stopper main body 81a, an arm portion 81b, a detected portion 81c, and an engagement shaft 81d.

[0032] The stopper body 81a is configured in a square tube shape extending in the penetrating direction of the opening 61b (here, the front-rear direction), and is inserted into the opening 61b of the partition wall 60. A rear end portion (hereinafter, referred to as the abutment portion) 81a1 of the stopper body 81a is disposed in the first area A1. More specifically, the abutment portion 81a1 of the stopper body 81a is disposed in the insertion port 50a (inside the insertion port side wall 61) in the first area A1. The abutment portion 81a1 protrudes into the insertion port 50a. As shown in FIG. 6, the abutment portion 81a1 has an inclined surface that slopes downward toward the radially inner side of the insertion port side wall 61. As will be described in detail later, the abutment portion 81a1 is a portion that abuts against the supply bottle 200 when the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection portion 70, and is pressed by the supply bottle 200. The front end of the stopper body 81 a is disposed outside the insertion port side wall 61 , in this case, forward of the insertion port side wall 61 .

[0033] Stopper 81 is configured so that when supply bottle 200 is connected to connection portion 70, contact portion 81a1 comes into contact with supply bottle 200, causing stopper 81 to move in the penetration direction (here, the front-to-rear direction) of opening 61b. Lid 42 is provided with guide member 42b that guides movement of stopper main body 81a in the front-to-rear direction. Guide member 42b is provided above stopper 81 and restricts upward movement of stopper 81.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 5, the arm portion 81b extends rightward from the front end of the stopper body 81a. The detected portion 81c extends rearward from the right end of the arm portion 81b. The arm portion 81b and the detected portion 81c are disposed in the second area A2. The detected portion 81c is a portion that is detected by the optical sensor 83. The detected portion 81c is brought rightward by the arm portion 81b, and is disposed in a position in the second area A2 that does not overlap with the opening 61b when viewed in the penetration direction of the opening 61b. Here, the detected portion 81c is located to the right of the opening 61b when viewed in the penetration direction of the opening 61b (when viewed in the front-rear direction). When the stopper 81 moves in the front-rear direction, the detected portion 81c moves in the front-rear direction accordingly.

[0035] The engagement shaft 81d is cylindrical and extends in the left-right direction. The engagement shaft 81d is disposed radially outside the insertion port side wall 61, in this case, forward of the insertion port side wall 61. As shown in FIG. 6, the engagement shaft 81d is engaged with the release button 84.

[0036] The second spring 82 biases the stopper 81 from the outside toward the inside (from the front to the rear) in the radial direction of the insertion port side wall 61. The stopper 81 is held at a predetermined position in the penetration direction of the opening 61b (hereinafter referred to as the unlocked position P1, see FIGS. 5 and 6) by the biasing force of the second spring 82.

[0037] The optical sensor 83 is a sensor that detects whether the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection part 70. The optical sensor 83 detects the movement of the detection target part 81c of the stopper 81, and thereby detects whether the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection part 70. The optical sensor 83 is provided in the second area A2. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the optical sensor 83 is disposed at a position that overlaps with the detection target part 81c of the stopper 81 in a plan view. The position of the optical sensor 83 in the second area A2 is also at a position that does not overlap with the opening 61b when viewed in the penetration direction of the opening 61b. The optical sensor 83 is disposed on the opposite side of the stopper body 81a from the discontinuous part 61a of the insertion port side wall 61. Therefore, even if ink flows out from the discontinuous part 61a, the optical sensor 83 is less likely to be splashed.

[0038] The optical sensor 83 is, for example, a photointerrupter. The optical sensor 83 includes a light projector 83a and a light receiver 83b. The light projector 83a is configured to emit light for object detection. Here, the light projector 83a emits light toward the right. The light receiver 83b is provided to the right of the light projector 83a and faces the light projector 83a. When there is no obstruction between the light projector 83a and the light receiver 83b, the light emitted from the light projector 83a reaches the light receiver 83b. When there is an obstruction between the light projector 83a and the light receiver 83b, the light is blocked by the obstruction and the light emitted from the light projector 83a does not reach the light receiver 83b. The optical sensor 83 is configured to detect the presence or absence of an object based on whether the light emitted from the light projector 83a reaches the light receiver 83b. The positions of the light projector 83a and the light receiver 83b may be reversed.

[0039] 5, when the stopper 81 is located at the unlocked position P1, the detected portion 81c of the stopper 81 is located between the light projector 83a and the light receiver 83b. When the stopper 81 is located at the unlocked position P1, the light from the light projector 83a of the optical sensor 83 is blocked by the detected portion 81c and does not reach the light receiver 83b.

[0040] Although the detailed movement will be described later, when the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection part 70 and the abutting part 81a1 of the stopper 81 is pressed by the supply bottle 200, the stopper 81 moves forward against the biasing force of the second spring 82. This causes the stopper 81 to move to the locked position P2 (see FIG. 8) in the penetrating direction of the opening 61b. As the stopper 81 moves from the unlocked position P1 to the locked position P2, the detected part 81c of the stopper 81 is released from between the light projector 83a and the light receiver 83b. When the stopper 81 is in the locked position P2, the light receiver 83b of the optical sensor 83 receives light from the light projector 83a. The optical sensor 83 detects whether the stopper 81 is in the locked position P2 based on the difference in the light receiving state depending on the position of the detected part 81c. This allows the optical sensor 83 to detect whether or not the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection portion 70 .

[0041] The release button 84 is configured so that, when pressed, the stopper 81 can be moved radially outward from the insertion port side wall 61. As shown in FIG. 6, the release button 84 is a rod-shaped member extending in the vertical direction. The release button 84 is provided radially outward from the insertion port side wall 61, more specifically, forward of most of the stopper 81. The release button 84 is configured so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. The release button 84 includes a slide groove 84a formed in a lower portion and a push-down portion 84b formed in an upper end portion.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 6, the slide groove 84a is a groove formed to have a constant width when viewed in the left-right direction and to incline downward as it approaches the insertion port side wall 61. An engagement shaft 81d of the stopper 81 is engaged with the slide groove 84a. The engagement shaft 81d is inserted into the slide groove 84a to prevent the release button 84 from coming off the stopper 81. The release button 84 is configured to stand upright by the engagement shaft 81d pushing the slide groove 84a backward under the urging force of the second spring 82, and not to come off the stopper 81. For example, when the supply bottle 200 is inserted into the insertion port 50a and the stopper 81 moves forward, the engagement shaft 81d and the slide groove 84a slide, and the release button 84 moves downward (see FIG. 8).

[0043] With this structure, the stopper 81, the second spring 82, and the release button 84 can be easily assembled to the lid body 42. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the bottle mounting portion 50, showing the procedure for assembling the stopper 81, the second spring 82, and the release button 84 to the lid body 42. As shown in FIG. 7(a), when assembling the stopper 81 and the release button 84 to the lid body 42, first, the stopper 81 is placed on the base portion 42d of the stopper 81 from above. This operation is possible because the stopper 81 can pass through the portion above the base portion 42d where the guide member 42b is not provided. Next, as shown in FIG. 7(b), the slide groove 84a of the release button 84 is hooked onto the engagement shaft 81d of the stopper 81. Then, as shown in FIG. 7(c), the release button 84 is raised upward, and the second spring 82 in a contracted state is inserted between the front wall of the abutting portion 81a1 of the stopper 81 and the wall portion 42e (the internal space of the stopper 81). Then, as described above, the release button 84 receives the urging force of the second spring 82 and the engagement shaft 81d pushes the slide groove 84a backward, thereby standing upright. This operation is possible because the guide member 42b restricts the upward movement of the stopper 81. Thus, in this embodiment, the stopper 81, the second spring 82, and the release button 84 are configured to be easily assembled to the cover body 42.

[0044] As shown in Fig. 3, the release button 84 is inserted into a button insertion hole 95b formed in the cover 90. The push-down portion 84b protrudes upward from the cover 90. The push-down portion 84b is configured to be capable of being pressed even when the cover 90 is attached. As can be seen from Fig. 6, when the push-down portion 84b is pressed downward, the stopper 81 is moved radially outward from the insertion port side wall 61 due to the sliding of the engagement shaft 81d and the slide groove 84a.

[0045] The cover 90 is attached above the ink storage section 41 and the lid body 42, and covers the bottle mounting section 50. The cover 90 is formed in a bottomless box shape. As shown in FIG. 3, the cover 90 includes a front wall 91, a left wall 92, a right wall 93, a rear wall 94, a top plate 95, and a lid 96. The front wall 91 extends in the left-right direction. The left wall 92 extends rearward from the left end of the front wall 91. The right wall 93 extends rearward from the right end of the front wall 91. The rear wall 94 is connected to the rear end of the left wall 92 and the rear end of the right wall 93, and extends in the left-right direction. The top plate 95 is connected to the upper ends of the front wall 91, the left wall 92, the right wall 93, and the rear wall 94, and extends in the horizontal direction. The cover 90 is attached to the lid body 42.

[0046] The top plate 95 is provided with a bottle insertion hole 95a and a button insertion hole 95b. As described above, the release button 84 is inserted into the button insertion hole 95b. As shown in FIG. 6, the bottle insertion hole 95a is disposed above the insertion port 50a. The bottle insertion hole 95a passes through the top plate 95 in the up-down direction. The bottle insertion hole 95a is a through hole through which the supply bottle 200 is inserted when the supply bottle 200 is attached to the bottle mounting portion 50.

[0047] As shown in Fig. 6, bottle insertion hole 95a has tapered surface 95a1 formed to widen toward the top. As will be described later, supply bottle 200 has connecting portion 213 (see Fig. 2) formed to narrow toward the bottom when inlet 212a (see Fig. 2) faces downward. Tapered surface 95a1 is a portion that supports connecting portion 213 of supply bottle 200 when supply bottle 200 is attached to bottle attachment portion 50.

[0048] When the cover 90 is attached to the lid body 42, as shown in FIG. 6, the lower edge of the tapered surface 95a1 is attached to the opening at the upper end of the insertion port side wall 61. This connects the cover 90 to the insertion port side wall 61 of the partition wall 60. The cover 90, together with the partition wall 60, surrounds the second area A2 in which the optical sensor 83 is provided. The partition wall 60 defines the rear boundary of the second area A2. When the cover 90 is attached to the lid body 42, it surrounds the front side, left side, right side, and upper side of the second area A2.

[0049] 3, the cover 90 is provided with a lid 96 that opens and closes the bottle insertion hole 95a. The lid 96 has a rotating shaft at its rear end, and is opened and closed in the front-rear direction. When the supply bottle 200 is not attached to the bottle attachment portion 50, it is recommended that the lid 96 be closed.

[0050] [Control device] As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 includes a control device 100 and an operation panel 120. The control device 100 performs various controls related to printing, including notifying the user that the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection unit 70. The operation panel 120 also functions as a notification device that notifies the user that the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection unit 70. The control device 100 is connected to an optical sensor 83 and receives a signal from the optical sensor 83. When the control device 100 recognizes that the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection unit 70 based on a signal from the optical sensor 83, it causes the operation panel 120 to display this fact. The control device 100 also measures time from the point in time when the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection unit 70. If the measured time is less than a predetermined time, the control device 100 causes the operation panel 120 to display a message indicating that ink is being transferred from the supply bottle 200 to the ink tank 40. When the measured time exceeds a predetermined time, the control device 100 causes the operation panel 120 to display a message indicating that the transfer of ink from the supply bottle 200 to the ink tank 40 has been completed. The control device 100 is configured so that printing can be started even when the supply bottle 200 is attached to the ink tank. However, the control device 100 may also be configured so that printing cannot be started while the supply bottle 200 is attached to the ink tank, thereby preventing the supply bottle 200 from being forgotten to be removed.

[0051] The control device 100 may be, for example, a computer, and may include a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as CPU), a ROM in which programs executed by the CPU are stored, and a RAM. Each unit of the control device 100 may be configured by software or hardware. The configuration of the control device 100 is not particularly limited. In addition, the notification device that notifies the ink refill status upon receiving a command from the control device 100 is not limited to the operation panel 120. The notification device may be, for example, a computer connected to the main body of the printer 10, or may be a dedicated notification device equipped with, for example, an LED lamp, a buzzer, or the like.

[0052] [Supply bottle composition] 2, supply bottle 200 includes a main body 210 and a sealing film 220 that seals an inlet 212a formed at one end of main body 210. The directions used in the following description of supply bottle 200 are directions when inlet 212a faces downward. The orientation of supply bottle 200 with inlet 212a facing downward is the orientation when supply bottle 200 is attached to ink tank 40.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 2, the main body 210 includes a large diameter portion 211, a small diameter portion 212 that is provided below the large diameter portion 211 and has a smaller diameter than the large diameter portion 211, and a connecting portion 213 that connects the large diameter portion 211 and the small diameter portion 212. The large diameter portion 211 is configured in a cylindrical shape. The connecting portion 213 is connected to the lower end of the large diameter portion 211 and is formed in a tapered shape that narrows downward. The small diameter portion 212 is connected to the lower end of the connecting portion 213.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 2, the small diameter portion 212 includes a ring portion 212b having a larger diameter than the other portions. The ring portion 212b is provided at the vertical middle portion of the small diameter portion 212. The portion of the small diameter portion 212 above the ring portion 212b and the portion below the ring portion 212b have a smaller diameter than the ring portion 212b. However, the portion of the main body 210 below the ring portion 212b does not have to have a smaller diameter than the ring portion 212b. As will be described later, the stopper 81 locks the supply bottle 200 by being engaged with the upper surface of the ring portion 212b. Therefore, the diameter of the portion of the main body 210 below the ring portion 212b is not particularly limited. In addition, the shape of the portion of the main body 210 below the ring portion 212b is not limited to a cylindrical shape. The lower end of the small diameter portion 212 of the main body 210 is open and forms an inlet 212a through which ink is injected. The inlet 212a is sealed by a sealing film 220. The sealing film 220 is made of, for example, a resin.

[0055] [Supply bottle installation and removal procedure] The following describes the procedure for mounting the supply bottle 200 to the ink tank 40 and removing it from the ink tank 40. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the bottle mounting portion 50 with the supply bottle 200 mounted. As shown in Fig. 8, when mounting the supply bottle 200 to the ink tank 40, the supply bottle 200 is inserted from above downward into the insertion port 50a. In other words, the supply bottle 200 is inserted into the first area A1 in which the connection portion 70 is provided.

[0056] Although the illustration of the state between FIG. 6 and FIG. 8 is omitted, when the small diameter portion 212 of the supply bottle 200 is inserted into the insertion port 50a, the portion 212c of the small diameter portion 212 below the ring portion 212b abuts against the abutment portion 81a1 of the stopper 81. When the supply bottle 200 is pushed further downward, the inclined surface of the abutment portion 81a1 of the stopper 81 converts part of the force pushing the supply bottle 200 into a force pushing the stopper 81 forward. As a result, the stopper 81 moves forward against the biasing force of the second spring 82. In other words, the protruding distance of the stopper 81 into the insertion port side wall 61 becomes smaller. When the supply bottle 200 is pushed further downward, the abutment portion 81a1 of the stopper 81 abuts against the ring portion 212b, and further abuts against the portion 212d above the ring portion 212b of the small diameter portion 212 as shown in FIG. 8. The position of stopper 81 in the front-rear direction in the state shown in FIG. 8 is locked position P2, and at this time supply bottle 200 is connected to connection part 70.

[0057] At this time, the insertion port side wall 61 of the separating wall 60 supports the supply bottle 200 together with the tapered surface 95a1 of the cover 90. The inner diameter of the insertion port side wall 61 is set to be approximately the same as the outer diameter of the ring portion 212b of the supply bottle 200, and the insertion port side wall 61 supports the ring portion 212b of the supply bottle 200. The separating wall 60 is configured to be able to support the supply bottle 200 in a state where it is connected to the connection portion 70.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 8, when the stopper 81 is in contact with the upper portion 212d of the small diameter portion 212 than the ring portion 212b, the inlet 212a of the supply bottle 200 reaches the connection portion 70. At this time, the sealing film 220 (not shown in FIG. 8, see FIG. 2) is broken by the tip portion 71a of the valve body 71. In addition, the supply bottle 200 presses the valve body 71 downward, so that the seal portion 71c and the tank side seal portion 42a are separated against the biasing force of the first spring 72. As a result, the flow path 71b and the ink containing portion 41 are in communication. The ink in the supply bottle 200 leaks into the insertion port 50a due to the sealing film 220 being broken, and flows into the flow path 71b of the valve body 71. The ink moves into the ink containing portion 41 through the flow path 71b and the gap between the seal portion 71c and the tank side seal portion 42a. Furthermore, as a result of supply bottle 200 pressing valve body 71 downward, discharge hole 42c also communicates with ink containing section 41. Therefore, a small amount of ink that leaks from supply bottle 200 moves to ink containing section 41 through discharge hole 42c.

[0059] If the downward pushing of the supply bottle 200 is stopped in this state, the supply bottle 200 will attempt to move upward due to the biasing force of the first spring 72 of the connection part 70. As shown in Fig. 8, this movement of the supply bottle 200 is stopped when the upper surface of the ring part 212b of the supply bottle 200 abuts against a stopper 81 that protrudes into the insertion port side wall 61. In this way, the stopper mechanism 80 maintains the state in which the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection part 70.

[0060] With the supply bottle 200 connected to the connection part 70, the stopper 81 is positioned in the locked position P2, and the detected part 81c is removed from between the light projector 83a and the light receiver 83b of the optical sensor 83. As a result, the light from the light projector 83a reaches the light receiver 83b. This causes the printer 10 to detect that the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection part 70.

[0061] When removing the supply bottle 200 from the ink tank 40, the release button 84 is pressed. Pressing the release button 84 causes the stopper 81 to move forward. When the contact portion 81a1 of the stopper 81 moves forward of the outer periphery of the ring portion 212b, the supply bottle 200 is moved upward by the biasing force of the first spring 72. When the ring portion 212b moves above the stopper 81, the attachment of the supply bottle 200 to the ink tank 40 is released. Note that the supply bottle 200 moves due to the biasing force of the first spring 72, and when the release button 84 is released immediately after the ring portion 212b moves above the stopper 81, the stopper 81 laterally comes into contact with a portion 212c of the supply bottle 200 below the ring portion 212b. Since the stopper 81 is pressed inwardly of the insertion port 50a by the second spring 82, the supply bottle 200 is held down by the biasing force of the second spring 82. This prevents the supply bottle 200 from jumping out of the insertion port 50a with force. The force with which the stopper 81 holds down the supply bottle 200 at this time is preferably set to a force that prevents the supply bottle 200 from moving upward and allows the supply bottle 200 to come out of the insertion port 50a by the user pulling on the supply bottle 200.

[0062] When the supply bottle 200 is disconnected from the connection part 70, the stopper 81 is positioned at the unlocked position P1. This causes the detected part 81c to move between the light projector 83a and the light receiver 83b of the optical sensor 83. As a result, the light from the light projector 83a does not reach the light receiver 83b. This allows the printer 10 to detect that the supply bottle 200 has been removed from the connection part 70. When the release button 84 is pressed all the way down until the bottom end of the release button 84 abuts against the lid 42, the stopper 81 retreats to the farthest position outside the insertion port 50a, but the guide member 42b is configured not to allow the stopper 81 to be released even in this case. Specifically, the front end of the guide member 42b is provided to be located forward of the abutment part 81a1 of the stopper 81 when the stopper 81 moves to the farthest position (outside the insertion port 50a).

[0063] [Effects of the first embodiment] In this embodiment, the supply bottle 200 is attached to and detached from the ink tank 40 as described above. However, when attaching and detaching the supply bottle 200, there is a risk that ink may splash from the connection 70 between the ink tank 40 and the supply bottle 200 and from the supply bottle 200. In this embodiment, the supply bottle 200 is detached while being quickly moved upward by the biasing force of the first spring 72. Therefore, ink remaining in the supply bottle 200 is likely to splash, especially when the supply bottle 200 is detached. If splashed ink is sprayed on the optical sensor 83 that detects whether the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection 70 or the wiring of the optical sensor 83, there is a risk that the optical sensor 83 will break down or will be unable to correctly detect whether the supply bottle 200 is attached.

[0064] The printer 10 according to this embodiment has been devised in view of this point, and is configured to prevent the optical sensor 83 and its wiring from being exposed to ink. The printer 10 according to this embodiment includes a partition wall 60 that extends at least between the optical sensor 83 and the connection part 70 to which the supply bottle 200 is connected. With this printer 10, even if ink splashes from the connection part 70 or the supply bottle 200, the partition wall 60, which is provided so as to extend between the optical sensor 83 and the connection part 70, blocks the splashed ink. This makes it possible to prevent the optical sensor 83 and its wiring from being exposed to ink.

[0065] In this embodiment, the partition wall 60 divides the first area A1 where the connection part 70 is provided and the second area A2 where the optical sensor 83 is provided. The partition wall 60 is provided with an opening 61b that communicates the first area A1 with the second area A2. A stopper 81 having a contact part 81a1 arranged in the first area A1 and a detected part 81c arranged in the second area A2 is inserted into the opening 61b. The stopper 81 as a detection body is configured to move when the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection part 70 by the contact part 81a1 coming into contact with the supply bottle 200. The optical sensor 83 detects that the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection part 70 by detecting the movement of the detected part 81c. This makes it possible to detect that the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection part 70 even when the partition wall 60 is provided. Since the optical sensor 83 is inexpensive, such a configuration can be realized at low cost.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the detection target portion 81c and the optical sensor 83 are disposed at positions that do not overlap with the opening 61b when viewed in the penetrating direction of the opening 61b. With this arrangement, even if ink scattered in the first area A1 reaches the second area A2 through the gap between the opening 61b and the stopper 81, the detection target portion 81c and the optical sensor 83 are disposed at positions that avoid the opening 61b when viewed in the penetrating direction of the opening 61b, so that the ink rarely reaches the detection target portion 81c and the optical sensor 83.

[0067] Additionally, in this embodiment, the cover 90 surrounds the second area A2 together with the separating wall 60. Therefore, for example, even if the ink remaining in the supply bottle 200 falls when the supply bottle 200 is removed from the bottle mounting portion 50 after transferring ink to the ink containing portion 41, the ink is prevented from falling by the cover 90 and does not reach the optical sensor 83. In addition, the cover 90 reduces various possibilities of the optical sensor 83 being exposed to ink.

[0068] In this embodiment, separating wall 60 is configured to be capable of supporting supply bottle 200 while it is connected to connecting portion 70. With this configuration, separating wall 60, which protects optical sensor 83, can also serve as a support member for supply bottle 200, thereby reducing the number of components required for printer 10.

[0069] In this embodiment, an optical sensor is used as the sensor that detects that supply bottle 200 is connected to connection part 70, but a contact sensor, such as a limit switch, may also be used. Contact sensors such as limit switches are also inexpensive, so the use of such a sensor can also inexpensively realize a configuration that detects that supply bottle 200 is connected to connection part 70.

[0070] [Second embodiment] In the second embodiment, a magnetic sensor is used as a sensor that detects that the supply bottle is connected to the connection part. In this embodiment, the configurations corresponding to the arm part 81b and the detected part 81c of the first embodiment may not be present. In the following description of the second embodiment, members having the same functions as the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals as the first embodiment, and duplicated descriptions are omitted or simplified. The same applies to the third embodiment.

[0071] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing detection of the supply bottle 200 by the magnetic sensor 86. As shown in FIG. 9, the supply bottle 200 has a magnetic body part 230. The magnetic body part 230 contains a magnetic material such as iron and has magnetism. The magnetic body part 230 may be, for example, a magnetic seal attached to the outer periphery of the supply bottle 200. However, the material of the magnetic body part 230 is not particularly limited except that it contains a magnetic material. The magnetic body part 230 may be formed on the entire circumference of the supply bottle 200 in the circumferential direction so as to generate a magnetic field in the same direction regardless of the position in the circumferential direction of the supply bottle 200. However, the position of the magnetic body part 230 on the supply bottle 200 is not limited.

[0072] 9, in this embodiment, magnetic material part 230 is formed in upper portion 212d of ring portion 212b of small diameter portion 212 of supply bottle 200. Therefore, magnetic material part 230 is located in first area A1 when supply bottle 200 is connected to connection part 70.

[0073] In this embodiment, a magnetic sensor 86 is provided as a sensor that detects that the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection part 70. The magnetic sensor 86 is a sensor that detects a magnetic body, and is configured to be able to detect the magnetic body part 230 through the partition wall 60 when the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection part 70. As shown in FIG. 9, the magnetic sensor 86 is provided on the side of the magnetic body part 230 when the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection part 70. When the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection part 70, the magnetic sensor 86 faces the magnetic body part 230 through the partition wall 60. Therefore, when the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection part 70, the magnetic sensor 86 can detect the magnetic body part 230 through the partition wall 60. Also, here, the partition wall 60 divides the first area A1 where the connection part 70 is provided and the second area A2 where the magnetic sensor 86 is provided. The isolation wall 60 prevents ink scattered in the first area A1 from reaching the magnetic sensor 86.

[0074] In this embodiment, the magnetic sensor 86 is disposed at a position different from the stopper mechanism 80 in the circumferential direction of the insertion port side wall 61. With this configuration, the position of the magnetic sensor 86 does not overlap with the opening 61b when viewed in the penetration direction of the opening 61b through which the stopper 81 is inserted. Therefore, ink scattered in the first area A1 rarely reaches the magnetic sensor 86.

[0075] [Third embodiment] In the third embodiment, a capacitance sensor 87 is used as a sensor that detects that the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection part 70. FIGS. 10 and 11 are schematic diagrams showing detection of the supply bottle 200 by the capacitance sensor 87. FIG. 10 is a side view of the bottle mounting part 50. FIG. 11 is a top view of the bottle mounting part 50. Again, the partition wall 60 divides a first area A1 in which the connection part 70 is provided and a second area A2 in which the capacitance sensor 87 is provided. As shown in FIG. 10, the capacitance sensor 87 is disposed on the side of the small diameter part 212 of the supply bottle 200 in a state in which the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection part 70. For reasons that will be described later, the capacitance sensor 87 is preferably disposed in a vertical position close to the lower end (the inlet 212a) of the supply bottle 200 in a state in which the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection part 70. As shown in FIG. 11, the capacitance sensor 87 has a structure in which a positive electrode 87P and a negative electrode 87N are aligned in the left-right direction. 10 and 11 indicates a measurement area of ​​the capacitance sensor 87. As shown in Fig. 10 and 11, the capacitance sensor 87 measures the capacitance of a cylindrical portion between the positive electrode 87P and the negative electrode 87N in the first area A1 through the partition wall 60. However, the configuration of the capacitance sensor 87 is not particularly limited. The capacitance sensor 87 may be configured to be provided on both sides of the partition wall 60 so as to sandwich the first area A1 therebetween, so as to be able to measure the capacitance of the entire first area A1 through the partition wall 60, for example.

[0076] As shown in Fig. 10, the control device 100 according to this embodiment includes a determination unit 110 that determines whether or not the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection unit 70 based on the measurement result of the capacitance sensor 87. However, the device that determines whether or not the supply bottle 200 is connected to the connection unit 70 based on the measurement result of the capacitance sensor 87 may be a determination device separate from the control device 100. The configuration of the determination device is not particularly limited. As shown in Fig. 10, the determination unit 110 includes a first registration unit 111, a first determination unit 112, a second registration unit 113, a second determination unit 114, and a third determination unit 115.

[0077] A first threshold value for the capacitance measured by the capacitance sensor 87 is registered in the first registration unit 111. A first determination unit 112 determines that a supply bottle 200 containing ink is connected to the connection unit 70 when the capacitance measured by the capacitance sensor 87 exceeds the first threshold value. The first threshold value will be described later.

[0078] A second threshold value for the capacitance measured by capacitance sensor 87, which is smaller than the first threshold value, is registered in second registration unit 113. When the capacitance measured by capacitance sensor 87 is equal to or greater than the second threshold value and equal to or less than the first threshold value, second determination unit 114 determines that supply bottle 200 is connected to connection unit 70 and that no ink is contained in supply bottle 200. Note that the determination by second determination unit 114 is merely a determination and does not guarantee that no ink remains in supply bottle 200, even if it is a small amount. Furthermore, third determination unit 115 determines that supply bottle 200 is not connected to connection unit 70 when the capacitance measured by capacitance sensor 87 is smaller than the second threshold value.

[0079] 10(a) shows a state in which supply bottle 200 is not inserted into insertion port side wall 61. At this time, capacitance sensor 87 mainly measures the capacitance of the air present between positive electrode 87P and negative electrode 87N. The relative dielectric constant of air (the ratio in which the dielectric constant of a vacuum is 1) is approximately 1, which is very small. At this time, the capacitance measured by capacitance sensor 87 is significantly smaller than the first threshold value and the second threshold value.

[0080] FIG. 10(b) shows a state in which the supply bottle 200 containing ink is connected to the connection portion 70. At this time, the capacitance sensor 87 mainly measures the capacitance of the supply bottle 200 and the ink present between the positive electrode 87P and the negative electrode 87N. The relative dielectric constant of the material of the supply bottle 200, for example, the resin, and the relative dielectric constant of the ink are greater than the relative dielectric constant of air. Therefore, when the supply bottle 200 is inserted into the bottle mounting portion 50, the capacitance measured by the capacitance sensor 87 becomes greater than the first threshold value. The first threshold value is a threshold value set so that it is possible to determine that the supply bottle 200 containing ink is connected to the connection portion 70.

[0081] FIG. 10C shows a state after the supply bottle 200 containing ink is connected to the connection portion 70 and almost all of the ink has moved from the supply bottle 200 to the ink tank 40. At this time, the capacitance sensor 87 mainly measures the capacitance of the supply bottle 200 that exists between the positive electrode 87P and the negative electrode 87N. When the ink runs out of the supply bottle 200, the portion that was ink up until that point is replaced with air, so the capacitance measured by the capacitance sensor 87 becomes smaller than when the ink was in the supply bottle 200. At this time, the capacitance measured by the capacitance sensor 87 becomes larger than the second threshold value and smaller than the first threshold value. The second threshold value is a lower limit threshold value that is set so that it is possible to determine that a supply bottle 200 containing no ink is connected to the connection portion 70. The first threshold value is also an upper limit threshold value that is set so that it is possible to determine that a supply bottle 200 containing no ink is connected to the connection portion 70. In order to make this determination when the amount of ink in supply bottle 200 is as low as possible, in this embodiment, capacitance sensor 87 is disposed in a vertical position close to the bottom end (filling port 212a) of supply bottle 200. If the capacitance measured by capacitance sensor 87 is smaller than the second threshold value, it is determined that supply bottle 200 is not connected to connection portion 70.

[0082] Printer 10 according to this embodiment is capable of detecting that supply bottle 200 has been connected to connection portion 70, and is also able to prevent capacitance sensor 87 from being covered in ink for the same reasons as in the second embodiment. Furthermore, determination portion 110 of printer 10 according to this embodiment is capable of detecting that ink is no longer contained in supply bottle 200. This makes it possible to know that movement of ink to ink containing portion 41 has been completed. After determination portion 110 has determined that movement of ink to ink containing portion 41 has been completed, printer 10 may notify this fact via a notification device such as operation panel 120 (see FIG. 1).

[0083] [Other embodiments] Although some preferred embodiments have been described above, the inkjet printer disclosed herein is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

[0084] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the partition wall 60 includes a substantially cylindrical insertion port side wall 61, and generally surrounds the periphery of the connection portion 70 while also serving the function of supporting the supply bottle 200. However, the partition wall need only be provided so as to extend at least between the sensor and the connection portion, and need not be provided so as to surround the connection portion. For example, the partition wall may be a flat wall portion provided between the sensor and the connection portion. The partition wall may be configured so as to surround the sensor. The partition wall may also not be configured so as to support an ink refill container such as a supply bottle.

[0085] The configuration of the connection part to which the refill container is connected is not limited to the above. The connection part does not have to be configured to open a hole in the sealing member of the refill container to remove the ink. The refill container is also not particularly limited. The refill container does not have to be a bottle, and may be, for example, in the form of a pouch.

[0086] In the above embodiment, the ink containing section 41 and the connection section 70 are provided in a common ink tank 40, but the connection section may be separate from the ink tank. In that case, the connection section may be connected to the ink containing section by a member such as a tube.

[0087] In the above embodiment, the detection body having an abutting portion that abuts against the refill container and a detected portion that is detected by a sensor is the stopper 81, and the detection body also serves as a member that holds the refill container in a connected state to the connection portion. However, the detection body does not have to also serve as a member that holds the refill container in a connected state to the connection portion. For example, the detection body and the member that holds the refill container in a connected state to the connection portion may be different members. Alternatively, if the refill container can be held by the connection portion, the printer does not need to have a special member that holds the refill container in a connected state to the connection portion. In that case, the detection body may be a member only for detecting the connection of the refill container to the connection portion. In the above embodiment, the stopper 81 as the detection body is moved in the penetrating direction of the opening 61b, but the manner of movement of the detection body is not limited. The detection body may be configured to rotate when it abuts against the refill container, for example.

[0088] There are no particular limitations on the location, orientation, or method of installation of a sensor capable of detecting a refill container through a partition wall, such as a magnetic sensor or a capacitance sensor. For example, these sensors do not have to be located to the side of the refill container, and may be provided, for example, below the bottom of the insertion port into which the refill container is inserted.

[0089] In the above embodiment, the printer 10 is a roll-to-roll type inkjet printer, but the configuration of the printer is not particularly limited. For example, the technology disclosed herein may be applied to a flatbed type inkjet printer. The printer may also be combined with other devices. The device to which the technology disclosed herein is applied may be, for example, an inkjet printer with a cutting head.

[0090] Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments do not limit the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0091] 10. Inkjet Printer 41 Ink storage section 60 Isolation Wall 61b opening 70 Connection 81 Stopper (detection object) 81c Detected part 83 Optical sensor (sensor: first embodiment) 86 Magnetic sensor (sensor: second embodiment) 87 Capacitive sensor (sensor: third embodiment) 90 Cover 110 Judgment unit (judgment device) 200 Supply Bottle (Refill Container) A1 1st area A2 2nd area

Claims

1. an ink storage section capable of storing ink; a connection portion configured to be connected to a refill container containing ink and communicating with the ink containing portion at least when the refill container is connected; an ink head connected to the ink container and configured to eject ink contained in the ink container; a sensor for detecting whether the refill container is connected to the connection portion; a partition wall extending at least between the sensor and the connection portion and dividing a first area in which the connection portion is provided and a second area in which the sensor is provided; an opening penetrating the partition wall and connecting the first area to the second area; A detection body is inserted into the opening, the detection body includes an abutment portion disposed in the first region and a detected portion disposed in the second region, and is configured to move when the refill container is connected to the connection portion by the abutment portion abutting against the refill container, The sensor is disposed in a position in the second region that does not overlap with the opening when viewed in a penetration direction of the opening, and detects movement of the detection portion. Inkjet printer.

2. An ink storage section capable of storing ink; a connection portion configured to be connected to a refill container containing ink and communicating with the ink containing portion at least when the refill container is connected; an ink head connected to the ink container and configured to eject ink contained in the ink container; a sensor for detecting whether the refill container is connected to the connection portion; a partition wall extending at least between the sensor and the connection portion and partitioning a first area in which the connection portion is provided and a second area in which the sensor is provided; The refill container has a magnetic body portion including a magnetic body, the magnetic material portion is provided so as to be located in the first area when the refill container is connected to the connection portion, the sensor is a sensor for detecting a magnetic material, and is configured to be able to detect the magnetic material part through the partition wall when the refill container is connected to the connection part. Inkjet printer.

3. An ink storage section capable of storing ink; a connection portion configured to be connected to a refill container containing ink and communicating with the ink containing portion at least when the refill container is connected; an ink head connected to the ink container and configured to eject ink contained in the ink container; a sensor for detecting whether the refill container is connected to the connection portion; a partition wall extending at least between the sensor and the connection portion and dividing a first area in which the connection portion is provided and a second area in which the sensor is provided; a determination device that determines whether the refill container is connected to the connection part based on the measurement result of the sensor, the sensor is a sensor that measures a capacitance of at least a part of the first area through the isolation wall; The determination device includes: a first registration unit in which a first threshold value for the capacitance measured by the sensor is registered; a first determination unit that determines that the refill container containing ink is connected to the connection unit when the capacitance measured by the sensor exceeds the first threshold value; Equipped with Inkjet printer.

4. The determination device includes: a second registration unit in which a second threshold value for the capacitance measured by the sensor, the second threshold value being smaller than the first threshold value, is registered; a second determination unit that determines that the refill container is connected to the connection unit and that no ink is contained in the refill container when the capacitance measured by the sensor is equal to or greater than the second threshold value and equal to or less than the first threshold value; Equipped with 4. The inkjet printer according to claim 3.

5. the determining device includes a third determining unit that determines that the refill container is not connected to the connecting unit when the capacitance measured by the sensor is smaller than the second threshold value; Equipped with 5. The inkjet printer according to claim 4.

6. The partition wall is configured to be capable of supporting the refill container in a state where the refill container is connected to the connection portion.

6. The inkjet printer according to claim 1.

7. Further comprising a cover that encloses the second area together with the isolation wall.

7. The inkjet printer according to claim 1.

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