Recording device

Abstract

To suppress leakage when a tube is pressed.SOLUTION: A recording device includes: a tube forming a flow path for supplying liquid to a liquid discharge part that discharges the liquid; holding means that holds the tube; and valve means capable of moving to a closed position where the tube held by the holding means is pressed by a pressing part to be closed and an open position where the tube held by the holding means is released. The valve means includes a rotational shaft for rotating and moving between the closed position and the open position. The extension direction of the rotational shaft is a direction of crossing with the extension direction of the tube held by the holding means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a recording apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a recording apparatus in which a tube connects between a recording head that discharges ink and an ink tank that stores ink to be supplied to the recording head. Patent Document 1 discloses an on-off valve capable of closing the tube by a pressing member linearly driving and pressing the tube between the recording head and the ink tank.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the recording apparatus described in Patent Document 1, when pressing a tube with a large diameter or when pressing a plurality of tubes integrally, there is a possibility that the tube pressing member cannot press the tube in parallel. As a result, in the tube pressing member or the tube support member that supports the tube, an inclination may occur in the width direction of the tube, and there is a possibility that the tube cannot be completely pressed and leaks.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to suppress leakage during tube pressing.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A recording apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes a first tube forming a flow path for supplying liquid to a liquid discharge unit that discharges liquid, a second tube forming a flow path different from the first tube for supplying liquid to the liquid discharge unit, holding means for holding the first tube and the second tube, and the first tube and the second tube held by the holding means are respectively pressed by a first pressing portion and a second pressing portion, so that the first tube and the second tube are closed and a valve means movable between a closed position and an open position for opening the first tube and the second tube held by the holding means. The holding means is configured to be rotatable by an independent rotation axis for each tube. The valve means has a rotation axis for rotating and moving between the closed position and the open position, and the extending direction of the rotation axis intersects the extending directions of the first tube and the second tube held by the holding means. The distance between the rotation axis and the first pressing portion in a first direction intersecting the axial direction of the rotation axis is smaller than the distance between the rotation axis and the second pressing portion.

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, leakage during tube pressing can be suppressed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the present invention, and not all combinations of the features described in this embodiment are essential. For the same configuration, the same reference numerals will be used for description.

[0010] In this specification, "recording" (which may also be referred to as "printing" or "printing") is not limited to forming significant information such as characters or figures, and includes both intentional and unintentional cases. Further, regardless of whether it is made apparent so that it can be perceived visually by humans, it also represents a case where an image, pattern, or pattern is formed on a recording medium, or a case where the recording medium is processed.

[0011] Also, "ink" (which may also be referred to as "liquid") should be interpreted broadly in the same manner as the above definition of "recording". Therefore, it represents a liquid that can be used for forming an image, pattern, or pattern, processing the recording medium, or treating the ink (for example, coagulating or insolubilizing a colorant in the ink applied to the recording medium) when applied to the recording medium.

[0012] Also, "recording medium" represents not only paper used in general recording devices, but also broadly includes cloth, plastic film, metal plate, glass, ceramics, wood, leather, etc., which can receive ink.

[0013] <<First Embodiment>> <Configuration of the Recording Device> FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a recording device 100 which is an example of a liquid ejection device in the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, a part of the configuration of the recording device 100 is shown. The recording device 100 includes an ink tank 11 that stores ink, a recording head 62 that ejects the ink supplied from the ink tank 11 through an ink supply path 51, and a carriage 61 that holds the recording head 62. The carriage 61 is configured to scan in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which a recording medium (not shown) is conveyed, and an image is recorded on the recording medium by combining the scanning of the carriage 61 and the ejection of the recording head 62.

[0014] Note that, in the present embodiment, the recording device is described as an example, but the same applies to the case of a liquid ejection device. For example, the liquid ejection device may include a liquid container that stores a liquid, a liquid ejection unit that ejects the liquid supplied from the liquid container through a liquid supply path, and a liquid ejection unit holding means that holds the liquid ejection unit. In the present embodiment, the recording device 100 is used as an example of the liquid ejection device for description.

[0015] The ink tank 11 may be the first ink tank 111 or the second ink tank 112. In this embodiment, assuming there are multiple types of inks to be used, an example of providing multiple first ink tanks 111 is shown. However, if there is only one type of ink to be used, only a single ink tank (for example, the first ink tank 111) may be provided. Also, when the amount of ink to be used is large, a second ink tank 112 with a larger capacity than the first ink tank 111 may be provided. Moreover, not limited to this, only the second ink tank 112 may be provided, or as in this embodiment, both the first ink tank 111 and the second ink tank 112 may be provided. When providing multiple ink tanks 11, depending on the size of the recording apparatus 100, they may be distributed left and right with respect to the center of the apparatus, or provided only on one side. In this embodiment, assume that there are a total of three color ink tanks 111 each capable of accommodating cyan ink, magenta ink, and yellow ink as the first ink tank 111. Also, assume that there is one black ink tank 112 capable of accommodating black ink as the second ink tank 112. Other configurations shown in FIG. 1 will be described later.

[0016] The recording apparatus 100 includes a feeding roller (not shown) for feeding a recording medium, a conveying roller (not shown) for conveying the recording medium, and a discharging roller (not shown) for discharging the recording medium. The recording head 62 is detachably mounted on the carriage 61, and records an image by discharging ink onto the surface of the recording medium conveyed by the conveying roller. Also, the recording apparatus 100 has an ink suction mechanism 64 (see FIG. 4(b)) including a suction cap 65. The recording apparatus 100 brings the suction cap 65 into contact with the recording head 62 in order to recover the discharging performance of the recording head 62, and sucks ink from the ink discharge port 63 (see FIG. 4(b)) of the recording head 62 by the ink suction mechanism 64. Note that the ink suction mechanism 64 has, for example, a tube connected to the suction cap 65 and a suction pump as a suction means.

[0017] In the present embodiment, an example will be described in which the recording head 62 discharges ink according to the movement by scanning of the carriage, but the present invention is not limited thereto. A so-called line type recording head may be used in which ink ejection ports are provided in a region corresponding to the width of the recording medium, and an image is recorded on the recording medium without relying on the scanning of the carriage.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the ink tank 11 and the recording head 62. A supply tube 17 that constitutes an ink supply path 51 for supplying ink to the recording head 62 is attached to the ink tank 11. Further, a tube that constitutes an air communication path 54 for communicating the inside of the ink tank 11 (buffer chamber 16) with the atmosphere is connected to the ink tank 11. The supply tube 17 is made of a flexible material such as an elastomer, for example. Valve units 53 that block the communication of liquid or air are provided between the ink tank 11 and the recording head 62 in the ink supply path 51, and between the ink tank 11 and the air communication port 52 in the air communication path 54, respectively.

[0019] The valve unit 53 includes a black-side valve unit and a color-side valve unit. The black-side valve unit closes an ink supply path 51 and an air communication path 54 that are connected to the black ink tank 112, respectively. The color-side valve unit closes an ink supply path 51 and an air communication path 54 that are respectively connected to each color ink tank 111. Also, an on-off valve mechanism 160 for blocking the communication of liquid or air is provided in the ink supply path 51 between the valve unit 53 and the recording head 62. The on-off valve mechanism 160 includes a black-side on-off valve mechanism and a color-side on-off valve mechanism. The black-side on-off valve mechanism closes the ink supply path 51 connected to the black ink tank 112. The color-side on-off valve mechanism closes the ink supply path 51 connected to each color ink tank 111. Note that the on-off valve mechanism 160 includes various members, and common members may be used for the black on-off valve mechanism and the color-side on-off valve mechanism, or different members may be used for each. Details of the on-off valve mechanism will be described later. The difference in the roles of the on-off valve mechanism 160 and the valve unit 53 will also be described later.

[0020] In the recording apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, in order to prevent ink from leaking out of the ink ejection port 63 of the recording head 62, the gas-liquid exchange portion 15 of the ink tank 11 is provided at a position H lower in the height direction than the ink ejection port 63 of the recording head 62. That is, a configuration is adopted in which a negative pressure due to a head difference of height H is applied to the ink ejection port 63. Also, a buffer chamber 16 is provided below the ink tank 11. The buffer chamber 16 can accommodate the ink extruded when the air in the ink tank 11 that stores the ink expands due to a change in atmospheric pressure or temperature and the meniscus at the gas-liquid exchange portion 15 is broken. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the ink from leaking out of the ink tank 11 through the air communication path 54. Note that in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 described later, a state in which the valve unit 53 and the on-off valve mechanism 160 are open is represented by a broken line, and a state in which they are closed is represented by a solid line.

[0021] Next, with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5, the configuration of the ink supply system in the present embodiment and the flow from ink injection to becoming able to perform image recording will be described. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a recording apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the process of transitioning from the state of (a) to the state of (d) in which a user can inject ink into the ink tank 11. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the states of the ink tank 11 and the recording head 62 according to the present embodiment.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 3(a), the recording apparatus 100 is provided with a third cover member 41 having a mechanism for reading an image of a loaded document, which is pivotally supported on the recording apparatus 100 so as to be openable and closable. Note that the third cover member 41 may be a reading mechanism for reading an image of a document, or may be an access cover that forms an outer top surface for exposing a part inside the recording apparatus 100 in order to remove a recording medium that has caused a conveyance failure during image recording. The ink tank 11 is provided on the front side (+Y direction side) of the recording apparatus 100 so that a user can easily inject ink into the ink tank 11. In the present embodiment, as described above, four ink tanks 11 including three color ink tanks 111 and a black ink tank 112 are provided. Note that the types and numbers of the ink tanks 11 are not limited to this example. For example, in order to improve the image quality of image recording on a recording medium, four or more ink tanks 11 may be provided.

[0023] When the user injects ink into the ink tank 11, first, the user rotates the third cover member 41 upward to open the third cover member 41 as shown in Fig. 3(b). When the third cover member 41 is rotated by a predetermined amount, the third cover member 41 can be maintained in an open state by a lock mechanism (not shown). A cover sensor 18 is arranged on the housing 19 and can detect the open / closed state of the third cover member 41. The cover sensor 18 is not limited to a mechanical sensor that detects mechanical contact, and may be, for example, an optical sensor or the like. It is possible to release the lock mechanism by further rotating the third cover member 41 upward, whereby the third cover member 41 can be closed. By opening the third cover member 41, the inside of the recording apparatus 100 is exposed, and the user can operate the second cover member 21 (see Fig. 3(b) and Fig. 1).

[0024] The second cover member 21 is pivotally supported so as to be movable between a position where it falls forward (closed lid position) and a position where it is lifted (open lid position). Each ink tank 11 is provided with a second cover member 21 respectively. More specifically, the black ink tank 112 is covered by the second cover member 212 for black, and the three color ink tanks 111 are integrally covered by one second cover member 211 for color. The second cover member 212 for black and the second cover member 211 for color are collectively referred to as the second cover member 21. In the present embodiment, the second cover member 211 for color and the second cover member 212 for black have different shapes, but they may be the same.

[0025] When the user operates the second cover member 21 from the closed position to the open position, the first cover member 12 that closes the ink tank 11 appears (see FIGS. 1, 3(c), and 4(b)). The first cover member 12 is pivotally supported so as to be movable between the position where it closes the ink tank 11 (closed position) and the lifted position (open position). When the user operates the first cover member 12 from the closed position to the open position, an injection port 14 for injecting ink, provided at the upper part of the ink tank 11, appears (see FIGS. 3(d) and 4(a)).

[0026] The first cover member 12 is provided with a seal member 13 made of an elastic body such as rubber. By operating the first cover member 12 to the closed position, the seal member 13 closes the injection port 14, preventing the ink stored in the ink tank 11 from leaking. In this embodiment, the valve unit 53 operates in conjunction with the operation of lifting the first cover member 12, and the ink supply passage 51 and the atmosphere communication passage 54 are each blocked (FIG. 4(a)).

[0027] The user can insert a container (not shown) containing ink into the inlet 14 to inject the ink into the ink tank 11. After the ink injection is completed, the user operates the first cover member 12 to the closed position again. In conjunction with this operation, the valve unit 53 acts, and the ink supply path 51 and the atmosphere communication path 54 are opened respectively (see Fig. 4(b)). Then, the user operates the second cover member 21 to the closed position and closes the third cover member 41. The recording apparatus 100 can detect that the third cover member 41 has been closed by the cover sensor 18 that detects the position of the third cover member 41. When it detects that the third cover member 41 has been closed, the recording apparatus 100 causes the suction cap 65 to abut against the recording head 62 as shown in Fig. 4(b) in order to fill the ink supply path 51 with the ink L in the ink tank 11. Then, a suction operation is performed to suck the ink L from the ink discharge port 63 by the ink suction mechanism 64. By this suction operation, the supply tube 17 constituting the ink supply path 51 is filled with ink. Also, during this suction operation, by also performing the opening and closing control of the opening and closing valve mechanism 160, a suction operation in which a strong negative pressure is applied to the ink discharge port 63 can be performed. Specifically, with the opening and closing valve mechanism 160 closed and the recording head 62 capped by the suction cap 65, the suction pump of the ink suction mechanism 64 is driven. Thereby, a negative pressure is charged between the opening and closing valve mechanism 160 and the ink discharge port 63 of the recording head 62. Then, when the suction pump is stopped and the opening and closing valve mechanism 160 is opened, the ink is filled into the recording head 62 by the charged negative pressure. Also, the opening and closing valve mechanism 160 also plays a role of closing the ink supply path 51 so that ink does not leak out when the recording apparatus 100 is moved.

[0028] Thus, in this embodiment, the ink supply path 51 is provided with two types of valves each having an independent and different role between the valve unit 53 and the on-off valve mechanism 160. That is, when replenishing the ink tank 11 with ink, the valve unit 53 closes the ink supply path 51, and in other cases, it opens the ink supply path 51. On the other hand, the on-off valve mechanism 160 closes the ink supply path 51 when suppressing ink leakage or performing efficient suction during ink filling. Details of the on-off valve mechanism 160 will be described later.

[0029] In the state where the ink is filled in this way, when the ink is discharged from the ink discharge port 63 when recording an image on the recording medium or the like, the ink is supplied from the ink tank 11 to the recording head 62 by the amount by which the ink in the recording head 62 decreases. The ink is continuously supplied from the ink tank 11 to the recording head 62 until the ink in the ink tank 11 becomes less than a predetermined amount.

[0030] In addition, in the above example, an example in which the user operates the first cover member 12, the second cover member 21, and the third cover member 41 to perform an opening and closing operation has been described, but the opening and closing operation may be automatically performed by the control within the recording apparatus 100.

[0031] <Ink filling sequence> FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the ink filling sequence. When the ink filling sequence is started, first, in S51, the recording apparatus 100 moves the carriage 61 holding the recording head 62 to the suction position facing the suction cap 65. In S52, the recording apparatus 100 causes the suction cap 65 to abut against the recording head 62. In S53, the recording apparatus 100 performs a suction operation of sucking ink from the ink ejection port 63 of the recording head 62 by the suction cap 65. At this time, as described above, a suction operation accompanied by the opening / closing control of the opening / closing valve mechanism 160 may be performed. After the suction operation is completed, in S54, the recording apparatus 100 separates the suction cap 65 from the recording head 62. Then, in S55, the recording apparatus 100 moves the carriage 61 from the suction position to the standby position, and the operations of the series of ink filling sequences are completed.

[0032] <Block Diagram> FIG. 6 is a block diagram including the configuration of the recording apparatus 100 in the present embodiment. The recording apparatus 100 includes a recording head 62, an MPU 601, a ROM 602, a RAM 603, a carriage motor 604, a conveyance motor 605, a recording head driver 607, a carriage motor driver 608, a conveyance motor driver 609, and an I / F unit 613. The ROM 602 stores a program that functions as an image processing unit 6021.

[0033] The MPU 601 controls operations of each part and data processing. The ROM 602 stores programs and data to be executed by the MPU 601. The RAM 603 temporarily stores processing data executed by the MPU 601 and data received from the host computer 600. The recording head 62 is controlled by the recording head driver 607. The carriage 61 is driven by the carriage motor 604. The carriage motor 604 is controlled by the carriage motor driver 608. The feed roller, conveyance roller, and discharge roller are driven by the conveyance motor 605. The conveyance motor 605 is controlled by the conveyance motor driver 609. The host computer 600 has a printer driver 610 for processing recording information such as a recording image and image quality and communicating with the recording apparatus 100 when a user instructs execution of a recording operation. The MPU 601 exchanges recording images and the like with the host computer 600 via the I / F unit 613.

[0034] <Configuration of the on-off valve mechanism> Next, the configuration and operation of the on-off valve mechanism 160 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the operation unit 161 in the on-off valve mechanism 160 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an outline of the on-off valve mechanism 160 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of the on-off valve mechanism 160 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the IX cross-sectional line in FIG. 8. FIG. 9(a) shows the on-off valve mechanism 160 in an open state, and FIG. 9(b) shows the on-off valve mechanism 160 in a closed state. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the on-off valve mechanism 160 in a closed state similar to FIG. 9(b). FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the on-off valve mechanism 160 from a different viewpoint from FIG. 8. FIG. 12 is a side view of the on-off valve mechanism 160. FIG. 12(a) shows the on-off valve mechanism 160 in an open state, and FIG. 12(b) shows the on-off valve mechanism 160 in a closed state. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of the on-off valve mechanism 160. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along the XIII cross-sectional line in FIG. 8. Hereinafter, the description will be mainly made with appropriate reference to FIGS. 7 to 13.

[0035] As described above, the on-off valve mechanism 160 is a valve for closing and opening (communicating) the ink supply path 51 formed by the supply tube 17. As shown in FIGS. 1, 7, and 8, the on-off valve mechanism 160 includes an operation unit 161 that can also be manually operated by the user. The operation unit 161 is configured to enable the user to perform a rotational operation using the operation surface 161a. The on-off valve mechanism 160 is disposed in the ink supply path 51 and can be switched between an open state in which the ink tank 11 and the recording head 62 are communicated with each other and a closed state in which they are not communicated with each other by operating the operation unit 161. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, a printing mark 166 and a maintenance mark 167 are marked at the operation position of the operation unit 161 so that the user can intuitively recognize the open / closed state of the valve of the on-off valve mechanism 160. When the operation surface 161a of the operation unit 161 is at the position of the printing mark 166, the on-off valve mechanism 160 does not block the ink supply path 51, and the ink can be supplied from the ink tank 11 to the recording head 62. That is, the recording apparatus 100 is in a state where recording on the recording medium is possible. On the other hand, when the operation unit 161 rotates from the position of the printing mark 166 to the maintenance mark 167 and the operation surface 161a is on the side indicated by the maintenance mark 167, the on-off valve mechanism 160 blocks the ink supply path 51. As a result, ink is not supplied from the ink tank 11 to the recording head 62. Therefore, the user can perform the replacement work of the recording head 62 or the transportation work of the recording apparatus 100 or the like in a state where the movement of the ink in the ink supply path 51 is suppressed. Further, by performing the above-described suction operation with the ink supply path 51 blocked by the on-off valve mechanism 160, the initial filling of the recording head 62 with ink or the degassing operation of the ink supply path 51 can be efficiently performed.

[0036] The on-off valve mechanism 160 in the present embodiment is connected to a drive unit that can be electrically driven by an external power source, and is configured to enable both manual and automatic opening and closing operations. That is, the operation unit 161 can switch between an open state and a closed state not only by manual operation by the user but also by driving from an external drive unit. As shown in FIG. 3(b), the recording apparatus 100 has a housing 19. Then, as shown in FIG. 7, the housing 19 is provided with an opening 190. The operation unit 161 is disposed within the opening 190. Further, in the present embodiment, since a cover sensor 18 (FIG. 3(b)) is provided, the recording apparatus 100 can detect whether the user can operate the operation unit 161 using the cover sensor 18.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 8 to 13, the on-off valve mechanism 160 includes an operation unit 161, a cover member 162, a receiving member 163, a displacement member 164, a cam 165, a holding member 169, a biasing member 170, and a drive mechanism 260.

[0038] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the cover member 162 and the holding member 169 each have a shape that defines the laying path of the supply tube 17, and hold the supply tube 17 in the vicinity of the on-off valve mechanism 160. In the present embodiment, one end of the supply tube 17 is connected to the recording head 62 and the other end is connected to the ink tank 11. Further, the supply tube 17 of the present embodiment is composed of supply tubes 17a, 17b, 17c, and 17d. The supply tube 17 includes a bending region that can be bent as the recording head 62 moves. The on-off valve mechanism 160 is disposed such that the bending region is between the recording head 62 and the cover member 162. That is, the on-off valve mechanism 160 is disposed in a region of the supply tube 17 that does not move as the carriage 61 moves.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 9 to 13, the displacement member 164 includes pressing portions 164a and 164b that press the supply tube 17 and a first pivot shaft 164c. The displacement member 164 is biased in the direction of a cam 165, which will be described later, by a biasing member (not shown) about the first pivot shaft 164c. Further, the displacement member 164 is rotatable about the first pivot shaft 164c and is a member displaceable in a direction interfering with the supply tube 17. In other words, the displacement member 164 is provided so as to be able to move forward and backward toward the supply tube 17.

[0040] The receiving member 163 is a member for receiving the displacement member 164 that can be displaced in a direction interfering with the supply tube 17, and includes contact portions 163a, 163b, 163c, 163d, and second rotation shafts 163e, 163h. The second rotation shafts 163e, 163h are fitted to the bearing portions provided on the holding member 169, and the receiving member 163 is rotatable about the second rotation shafts 163e, 163h. The receiving member 163 is provided corresponding to each of the supply tubes 17 on the side opposite to the side where the displacement member 164 is provided with respect to the supply tube 17. The receiving member 163 is biased in a direction approaching the displacement member 164 by the biasing member 170. The receiving member 163 is biased against the rotation restricting portion 169a of the holding member 169 by the biasing member 170, and the amount of rotation toward the side holding the supply tube 17 is restricted. The receiving member 163 is provided for each tube, and each is biased against the rotation restricting portion 169a of the holding member 169 by the biasing member 170. Further, the receiving member 163 has a rotation shaft respectively. In the present embodiment, the rotation shaft of the receiving member 163 corresponding to the contact portions 163a, 163b, 163c is the second rotation shaft 163e. FIG. 9 shows the second rotation shaft 163e corresponding to the contact portion 163a, but the second rotation shaft 163e of the receiving member 163 corresponding to the contact portions 163b, 163c is also included on the back side of the paper surface. The rotation shaft of the receiving member 163 corresponding to the contact portion 163d is the second rotation shaft 163h (see FIG. 13). Here, an example in which a rotation shaft is provided for each receiving member 163 has been described, but it is sufficient that rotation shafts are provided independently for two or more receiving members 163. Therefore, for example, the rotation shafts of the receiving members 163 corresponding to the contact portions 163a, 163b, 163c may be a common and identical second rotation shaft 163e.

[0041] In this embodiment, there are a pressing portion 164a of the displacement member 164 acting on the first tube and corresponding abutting portions 163a, 163b, 163c of the receiving member 163 (see FIG. 12). Further, there are a pressing portion 164b of the displacement member 164 acting on the second tube and an abutting portion 163d of the receiving member. The first tubes are, for example, supply tubes 17a, 17b, 17c for cyan, magenta, and yellow. The second tube is a supply tube 17d for black. Thus, in this embodiment, the supply tubes are configured to be pressed by the two pressing portions 164a and 164b.

[0042] Next, the description will be continued with reference to FIG. 9. Note that in FIG. 9, the supply tube 17a is shown as an example. Therefore, hereinafter, the pressing portion 164a and the abutting portion 163a acting on the supply tube 17a will be described as examples. Unless otherwise specified, the same description applies to the pressing portions 164a, 164b of the displacement member 164 and the abutting portions 163b, 163c, 163d of the receiving member 163 acting on the other supply tubes 17b, 17c, 17d. The displacement member 164 and the receiving member 163 are rotatably supported so as to be able to approach and separate from each other, and the direction in which the rotation axis extends is provided in the paper surface direction (Y direction) of FIG. 9 and intersects (orthogonal in this example) the tube longitudinal direction (X direction in the figure). Thereby, even if there are variations in the tube diameter or the wall thickness of the tube and there are differences in the reaction force of the tube in the Y direction, the inclination in the YZ cross section between the pressing portion 164a and the abutting portion 163a is restricted by the rotation axis, so that leakage can be suppressed. In this embodiment, an example including a first rotation axis 164c and second rotation axes 163e, 163h is described, but leakage can be similarly suppressed by either one of the rotation axes.

[0043] As shown in FIGS. 8 to 11, the cam 165 includes a cam surface 165a and a cam shaft 165b, rotates by engaging with the operation portion 161, and displaces the displacement member 164. The cam 165 may be provided separately from or integrally with the operation portion 161. As shown in FIG. 9, the cam 165 is configured to contact the displacement member 164 on the cam surface 165a. When the operation portion 161 is rotated manually or automatically, the cam 165 rotates about the cam shaft 165b accordingly, and the displacement member 164 pressed by the cam surface 165a is displaced. Then, the pressing portion 164a of the displacement member 164 crushes while pressing the supply tube 17a against the contact portion 163a of the receiving member 163, thereby closing the ink supply passage 51. That is, the on-off valve mechanism 160 is in a closed state. Hereinafter, the displacement member 164 including the pressing portions 164a and 164b is also referred to as a valve mechanism or simply a valve. Thus, the displacement member 164 is configured to be movable between a closed position where the supply tube 17 is closed and an open position where the supply tube 17 is opened.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 8, the drive mechanism 260 includes a drive mechanism holding portion 261, a drive transmission gear 262 which is a drive transmission portion that transmits drive to the operation portion 161, an intermediate gear train 263, and a motor 265. The drive mechanism holding portion 261 holds the drive transmission gear 262, the intermediate gear train 263, and the motor 265. The motor 265 includes a motor gear 264. The drive transmission gear 262 engages with the operation portion 161, and a driving force is transmitted from the motor 265 connected to an external power source (not shown) to the drive transmission gear 262 via the intermediate gear train 263, rotating the engaged operation portion 161. Thereby, the cam 165 displaces the displacement member, so that the ink supply passage 51 can be automatically closed and communicated. By using a worm gear for the motor gear 264 as in the present embodiment, the driving transmission direction can be restricted to one direction from the motor 265 side to the operation portion 161 side, but not limited to the worm gear, and other well-known gears may be used.

[0045] FIG. 12 is a side view of the configuration of the on-off valve mechanism 160 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 12(a) shows the open state of the on-off valve mechanism 160, and FIG. 12(b) shows the closed state of the on-off valve mechanism 160. The pressing portions 164a and 164b of the displacement member 164 are formed to integrally press a plurality of supply tubes 17. The receiving member 163 is provided with auxiliary support portions 163i, 163j, 163k, and 163l at positions where they can contact the displacement member 164. The receiving member 163 and the biasing member 170 that biases the receiving member are provided in the same number as the number of supply tubes 17 so as to individually contact and support each of the plurality of supply tubes 17. The auxiliary support portions 163i, 163j, 163k, and 163l support the supply tube 17 in the vicinity of the pressing position P (see FIG. 9) where the supply tube 17 is blocked by the pressing portions 164a, 164b and the contact portions 163a, 163b, 163c, and 163d. That is, the auxiliary support portions 163i, 163j, 163k, and 163l are provided at positions different from the contact portions 163a, 163b, 163c, and 163d and in the vicinity of the contact portions 163a, 163b, 163c, and 163d. The contact surfaces of the auxiliary support portions 163i, 163j, 163k, and 163l with the tube are each provided within the width in the Y direction of the contact portions 163a, 163b, 163c, and 163d. That is, each of the auxiliary support portions 163i, 163j, 163k, and 163l includes a substantially U-shaped groove portion, and is configured to dispose the tube in the groove portion. Since the position of the auxiliary support portion is different from the pressing position P, the position regulation in the Y direction of the supply tube 17 can be performed without interfering with the closing of the supply tube 17 at the pressing position P and without increasing the size of the on-off valve mechanism 160 in the Y direction.

[0046] <Closing operation of supply tube> Next, the closing operation of the supply tube 17 by the on-off valve mechanism 160 in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 9.

[0047] As described above, FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of the opening / closing valve mechanism 160 at the location where the supply tube 17a is blocked. FIG. 9(a) shows a state (open state) in which the pressing portion 164a of the displacement member 164 does not crush the supply tube 17a and the ink supply path 51 is in communication. In this state, the ink in the supply tube 17a can be supplied from the ink tank 11 to the recording head 62 via the ink supply path 51. When the operation unit 161 is rotated manually or automatically from this state, the cam surface 165a of the cam 165 also rotates, and the cam surface 165a displaces the displacement member 164 in a direction interfering with the supply tube 17a.

[0048] FIG. 9(b) shows a state (closed state) in which the pressing portion 164a of the displacement member 164 crushes the supply tube 17a and the ink supply path 51 is blocked. In this state, the supply tube 17a is crushed between the pressing portion 164a of the displacement member 164 and the contact portion 163a of the receiving member 163, and the ink supply path 51 of the supply tube 17a is blocked. In the state of FIG. 9(b), the supply tube 17a is in a state where it cannot supply the ink of the ink tank 11 to the recording head 62, and also does not allow the passage of air. In the state where the ink supply path 51 is blocked, there is a gap Ls between the auxiliary support portion 163i provided on the receiving member 163 and the displacement member 164, as shown in FIG. 9(b). The receiving member 163 is in a state where the reaction force at the time of blocking the supply tube 17a and the biasing force of the biasing member 170 are balanced, so that it can be pressed constantly with the force required for blocking while absorbing the tolerances of the supply tube 17a and the components. When the cam 165 rotates and displaces the cam surface 165a from the state of FIG. 9(b), the displacement member 164 retracts toward the cam 165 by a biasing member (not shown) and returns to the state of FIG. 9(a). The supply tube 17a releases the closed state by its own restoring force.

[0049] Further, it is desirable that the first rotating shaft 164c is provided at substantially the same height as the contact portion 163a in the Z-direction height in the closed state shown in FIG. 9(b). This is because when closing the tube, the sliding in the X-direction between the pressing portion 164a and the contact portion 163a and the supply tube 17a can be reduced, and wear can be suppressed. In other words, it is desirable that the difference in the Z-direction height between the first rotating shaft 164c and the contact portion 163a is less than a predetermined value. The predetermined value can be appropriately determined according to the size of the member etc., but it is preferably a value that can suppress wear. For example, the predetermined value may be the total value of the thickness of the pressing portion 164a in the displacement member 164 and the thickness of the contact portion 163a in the receiving member 163.

[0050] FIG. 10 shows a state in which the recording apparatus 100 is stored for a long period in the posture where the ink supply path 51 shown in FIG. 9(b) is closed. For the purpose of transportation work etc. of the recording apparatus 100, the ink supply path 51 may be in a closed state for a long period. In the present embodiment, when the supply tube 17a is stored in a closed state for a long period, the receiving member 163 biased by the biasing member 170 rotates upward, and the gap Ls disappears. Then, as shown in FIG. 10, since the auxiliary support portion 163i and the displacement member 164 come into contact with each other, the displacement member 164 receives the pressing force from the receiving member 163, so that the pressing force applied to the supply tube 17a is reduced. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the deformation (creep) of the supply tube 17a from progressing due to long-term storage.

[0051] Next, the closing operation of the supply tube 17 will be described with reference to FIG. 12. As described above, FIG. 12(a) is a side view showing the open state of the on-off valve mechanism 160. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12(a), the supply tubes 17a, 17b, 17c and the supply tube 17d have different tube outer diameters and tube wall thicknesses. FIG. 12(b) is a side view showing the closed state of the on-off valve mechanism 160 as described above. By the displacement of the displacement member 164, the ink supply paths 51 of the supply tubes 17 for all ink colors are integrally closed. In the closed state of FIG. 12(b), the supply tubes 17a, 17b, 17c and the supply tube 17d have different tube outer shapes and tube wall thicknesses, so the reaction forces at the time of tube closing are different. Here, in the present embodiment, the extending direction of the rotation axis of the displacement member 164 and the receiving member 163 is the direction (Y direction) orthogonal to the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the supply tube 17. Therefore, even when pressing the tubes with different reaction forces at the time of closing in this way, the inclination in the YZ plane of the pressing portions 164a, 164b and the contact portions 163a, 163b, 163c, 163d can be minimized. Therefore, when integrally closing a plurality of tubes having different tube outer shapes and tube wall thicknesses, stable closing can be achieved. Here, the supply tubes 17a, 17b, 17c and the supply tube 17d have been described as an example in which the tube outer diameter and the tube wall thickness are different, but the present invention is not limited to this. The supply tubes 17a, 17b, 17c and the supply tube 17d can obtain the same effect even if at least one of the tube outer diameter and the tube wall thickness is different.

[0052] In addition, in the present embodiment, the thicknesses of the supply tubes 17a, 17b, 17c and the supply tube 17d are different when the tubes are blocked. Therefore, when the distance between the pressing portion 164b and the contact portion 163d is set to a distance capable of blocking the thick-walled supply tube 17d, the blocking of the thin-walled supply tubes 17a, 17b, 17c becomes incomplete. Conversely, when the distances between the pressing portion 164a and the contact portions 163a, 163b, 163c are set to distances capable of blocking the supply tubes 17a, 17b, 17c, the reaction force at the time of blocking the supply tube 17d significantly increases. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the receiving member 163 and the biasing member 170 that biases the receiving member 163 are configured to individually contact and support the supply tubes 17a, 17b, 17c and 17d. Thereby, the biasing force required for blocking can be appropriately provided for each wall thickness of the tube, and the driving load of the cam 165 at the time of tube blocking can be reduced without unnecessarily increasing the biasing force.

[0053] FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the on-off valve mechanism 160, showing the first rotation shaft 164c of the displacement member 164, the pressing portions 164a, 164b, and the second rotation shafts 163e, 163h of the receiving member 163. As shown in FIG. 12(a), the supply tubes 17a, 17b, 17c and the supply tube 17d have different outer tube diameters. The pressing portions 164a, 164b both rotate about the first rotation shaft 164c. Therefore, the separation distances La between the pressing portion 164a and the supply tubes 17a, 17b, 17c and the separation distance Lb between the pressing portion 164b and the supply tube 17d in the state where the tube is open are different, and La < Lb. Let the distances from the first rotation shaft 164c of the displacement member 164 to the pressing portions 164a, 164b be Lm and Ln, respectively. In the present embodiment, the pressing portions 164a, 164b are provided independently with respect to the integral displacement member 164, and the displacement member 164 is configured such that Lm < Ln with respect to the first rotation shaft 164c of the displacement member 164. Thereby, while ensuring the necessary separation distance for each outer diameter of the supply tube 17, the supply tubes 17a, 17b, 17c and 17d can be blocked integrally.

[0054] As described above, even when a plurality of tubes are integrally pressed, regardless of the wall thickness or component dimensions of the tubes, it is possible to reduce the inclination in the width direction of the tubes in the displacement member 164 and the receiving member 163, and suppress the occurrence of an incomplete occlusion state of the tubes.

[0055] In addition, in the recording apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, an example including a plurality of supply tubes 17 has been described, but an apparatus using one supply tube 17 may also be used. Even when pressing a tube with a large diameter, according to the configuration described in the present embodiment, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of leakage.

[0056] <Configuration of the cover member 162 and the holding member 169> Next, the configurations of the cover member 162 and the holding member 169 will be described. Generally, it is ideal for the on-off valve mechanism to press the tube from a direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the tube. However, even in such a pressing configuration, due to the influence of component tolerances and the like, a force may be generated in the extending direction of the tube, and the tube may move in the extending direction. When the tube moves, the extra length of the tube disappears, and there is a risk that the tube may be pulled out from the joint portion to which the tube is connected, or conversely, the extra length may become long and the tube may not be accommodated within the space where the tube is disposed and may buckle.

[0057] Here, in the on-off valve mechanism 160 shown in the present embodiment, the displacement member 164 and the receiving member 163 are configured to rotate. If the positions of the pressing portion 164a or the abutting portion 163b are displaced due to component tolerances, a force applied in the extending direction of the tube may be generated. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the cover member 162 and the holding member 169 are provided with a tube arrangement configuration for suppressing the movement of the supply tube 17 even when a force is applied in the extending direction of the supply tube 17.

[0058] Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 9, the arrangement path and configuration of the supply tube 17 near the on-off valve mechanism 160 will be described. The holding member 169 has a first tube restricting portion 169b, an opposing portion 169c, and a tube supporting portion 169d. The cover member 162 has a second tube restricting portion 162a, an auxiliary contact surface 162b, and a third tube restricting portion 162d. These respective portions form the arrangement path of the supply tube 17.

[0059] The tube supporting portion 169d of the holding member 169 has a shape in which the tip protrudes above the contact portion 163a when the supply tube 17a is blocked in the on-off valve mechanism 160, and supports the supply tube 17a in the vicinity of the pressing position P. The contact surface with the tube in the tube supporting portion 169d is provided within the width of the tube supporting portion 169d in the Y direction. That is, the tube supporting portion 169d is provided with a substantially U-shaped groove portion, and the supply tube 17a is disposed in the groove portion. The contact portion of the tube supporting portion 169d with the tube is configured such that, as shown in FIG. 9(b), in a state where the tube is blocked, the height in the Z direction (vertical direction) is substantially the same as that of the pressing position P.

[0060] The first tube restricting portion 169b has a shape in which the tip protrudes to a position below the tube supporting portion 169d from the side where the supply tube 17a is supported by the receiving member 163.

[0061] The second tube regulating portion 162a is provided at a position farther from the pressing position P than the first tube regulating portion 169b in the extending direction of the tube from the pressing position P. The second tube regulating portion 162a has a shape protruding in the direction opposite to the protruding direction (+Z direction) of the first tube regulating portion 169b (-Z direction). The second tube regulating portion 162a has a shape in which the tip protrudes to a position below the tip of the first tube regulating portion 169b. That is, the first tube regulating portion 169b and the second tube regulating portion 162a have a shape in which the tip portions protrude until they overlap in the direction of the protruding axis (vertical direction). The first tube regulating portion 169b and the second tube regulating portion 162a form a first gap W1 that serves as a path for the supply tube 17a. The first tube regulating portion 169b and the second tube regulating portion 162a protrude from opposite directions from a direction substantially orthogonal to the extending direction (X direction) of the supply tube 17a at the pressing position P, forming an arrangement path that curves the supply tube 17a in an S shape. Further, the tip of the second tube regulating portion 162a and the opposing portion 169c of the holding member 169 facing this tip portion form a second gap W2 that serves as a path for the supply tube 17a. The supply tube 17a passed through the second gap W2 is arranged in a direction opposite to the proximity side with the opposing portion 169c (upward), and is arranged so as not to drop from the cover member 162 by the third tube regulating portion 162d. By regulating the supply tube 17a in the X direction by the third tube regulating portion 162d, when the extra length of the tube becomes long due to tolerances or the like, it is possible to suppress the supply tube 17a from spreading outside the cover member 162 due to the reaction force of the tube.

[0062] The supply tube 17a is arranged in an S shape by the first tube regulating portion 169b and the second tube regulating portion 162a. The tube reaction force of the supply tube 17a arranged in this S shape is generated in a direction that causes the supply tube 17a to contact along the periphery of the tip of the first tube regulating portion 169b or the second tube regulating portion 162a. Since this tube reaction force is constantly generated, the contact force with the first tube regulating portion 169b or the second tube regulating portion 162a is in a stable state. Thereby, even if a force is generated in the tube extending direction (X direction) from the pressing position P on the supply tube 17a, a static frictional force that resists that force is generated, and movement of the tube in the extending direction can be suppressed.

[0063] Specifically, when a force acts in the direction (-X direction) in which the supply tube 17a is drawn into the pressing position P, the contact force between the side surface portion of the first tube regulating portion 169b and the supply tube 17a increases. Thereby, the frictional force that resists the drawing force increases, and the drawing movement of the supply tube 17a can be suppressed.

[0064] Conversely, when a force acts on the supply tube 17a in the pushing direction (+X direction) from the pressing position P, the contact force between the side surface portion of the second tube regulating portion 162a and the supply tube 17a increases. Thereby, the frictional force that resists the pushing force increases, and the pushing movement of the supply tube 17a can be suppressed.

[0065] In this way, the direction in which the contact force with the tube regulating portion is generated by the tube reaction force is substantially orthogonal to the extending direction from the pressing position P of the supply tube 17. Thereby, even if a drawing or pushing force of the supply tube 17a is generated, the reduction of the contact force between the supply tube 17a and the tube regulating member is small, the reduction of the frictional force is suppressed, and the movement of the tube can be suppressed.

[0066] Further, the opposing portion 169c is provided in a shape that blocks the extending direction (in this portion, the Z direction) of the supply tube 17a bent by the first tube restricting portion 169b and the second tube restricting portion 162a. Thereby, even if the supply tube 17a is pushed toward the opposing portion 169c, as the contact force between the supply tube 17a and the opposing portion 169c increases, the frictional force increases, and the movement of the tube can be suppressed.

[0067] Also, the supply tube 17a can be pressed against the contact portion of the tube support portion 169d during the tube closing operation to increase the contact force, and the frictional force also increases, so that the movement of the supply tube 17a can be suppressed.

[0068] As described above, it is possible to suppress the movement of the tube when the supply tube 17a is pulled into or pushed out from the pressing position P from the pressing position.

[0069] In the arrangement path of the supply tube 17a, it is preferable to provide an arc shape at the portions that contact and bend the supply tube 17a in the first tube restricting portion 169b, the tube support portion 169d, and the second tube restricting portion 162a. Since the supply tube 17a bends along the arc shape and is path-restricted, the contact area is effectively increased, and the effect of suppressing the movement of the tube is enhanced.

[0070] Further, in the present embodiment, the gap W1 is formed with a width that contacts the tube restricting portion by the tube reaction force of the supply tube 17a bent in an S shape, but it may be made narrower than the outer diameter so as not to crush the inner diameter of the supply tube 17a. By sandwiching the supply tube 17a at the gap W1 portion, the frictional force applied between the supply tube 17a and the tube restricting portions 162a and 169b can be surely provided, and the movement of the tube can be suppressed.

[0071] In this embodiment, the gap W2 is set to a width at which the supply tube 17a contacts the opposing portion 169c due to the tube reaction force, but it may be made narrower than the outer diameter to such an extent that the inner diameter of the supply tube 17a is not crushed. By sandwiching the supply tube 17a at the gap W2 portion, a frictional force applied between the tube regulating portions 162a and 169b of the supply tube 17a can be surely obtained, thereby suppressing the movement of the tube.

[0072] In addition, in the on-off valve mechanism 160 of this embodiment, the rotatable displacement member 164 and the receiving member 163 are brought into contact with each other to close and open the supply tube 17. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the movement of the tube in the extending direction can be suppressed. That is, also in an on-off valve mechanism that closes the tube by linear motion, by using the configuration described with respect to the cover member 162 and the holding member 169, the movement of the tube in the extending direction can be suppressed.

[0073] Further, the supply tube 17a that has passed through the gap W2 is disposed via the auxiliary contact surface 162b in a direction opposite to the side close to the opposing portion 169c, reducing the radius of curvature of the curvature of the supply tube 17a. Thereby, the contact force between the supply tube 17a and the tube regulating portion due to the tube reaction force is increased, and the movement of the tube can be further suppressed. The auxiliary contact surface 162b is an arcuate curved surface portion having a radius of curvature such that the supply tube 17a around the second tube regulating portion 162a does not buckle. And the supply tube 17a is restricted from moving in the X direction by the third tube regulating portion 162d and is disposed above the cover member 162.

[0074] As described above, according to the present embodiment, when pressing a tube with a large diameter or when pressing a plurality of tubes integrally, the displacement member 164 that presses the tube can press in parallel along the tube width. That is, the displacement member 164 is configured to be rotatable about the first rotation axis 164c, and the receiving member 163 that holds the supply tube 17a is also configured to be rotatable about the second rotation axes 163e and 163h. And the extending direction of the rotation axis is configured to be an intersecting direction (the width direction of the tube) that intersects the extending direction of the tube. For this reason, for example, even when a plurality of tubes are pressed integrally, regardless of the outer diameter, wall thickness, or component dimensions of the tube, the inclination in the width direction of the tube of the displacement member 164 and the receiving member 163 can be reduced. For this reason, leakage when pressing the tube can be suppressed.

[0075] Further, in the present embodiment, even if the supply tube 17 receives a force in the extending direction at the tube pressing position due to the opening and closing operation of the on-off valve mechanism 160, the tube path is regulated so that a frictional force that resists the force is stably generated. For this reason, even when the opening and closing operation in the on-off valve mechanism 160 is performed, the movement of the supply tube 17 can be suppressed.

[0076] <<Other Embodiments>> In the above embodiment, the example in which the displacement member 164 presses the supply tube 17 has been described. However, any form can be applied as long as the flow path is blocked by pressing the tube with the pressing portion. For example, it can also be implemented in a form in which a tube connected to a pump used during the recovery operation is pressed by the pressing portion. That is, the valve mechanism described in the present embodiment can be applied to tubes of various flow paths.

[0077] Further, in the above embodiment, a recording apparatus that performs recording using ink has been described as an example. However, in a flow path opening and closing apparatus that opens and closes a flow path through which a liquid or a gas communicates, it may be an apparatus provided with the on-off valve mechanism as described above. Of course, it may be a recording apparatus having such a flow path opening and closing apparatus (flow path opening and closing mechanism).

[0078] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the receiving member 163 is biased by the biasing member 170 in a direction approaching the displacement member 164 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this example. In a configuration in which either the receiving member 163 or the displacement member 164 is biased in a direction approaching each other, the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained. That is, the displacement member 164 may not be biased by a biasing member (not shown) in the direction of the cam 165, and may be biased by another biasing member (not shown) in a direction approaching the receiving member 163. Even in this case, as described above, the displacement member 164 can be moved by the cam 165 between a position where the tube is pressed and closed and a position where the tube is separated from the tube and opened. In this example, the receiving member 163 may be similarly biased by the biasing member 170 in a direction approaching the displacement member 164. Alternatively, the receiving member 163 may be fixed to the holding member 169.

[0079] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the arrangement path of the tube is provided by the holding member 169 and the cover member 162 has been described. However, the arrangement path of the tube may not be divided into a plurality of members, and the same arrangement path of the tube may be provided by a single member. In addition, in the above-described embodiment, since the case where there are a plurality of tubes has been described as an example, an example in which the tube restricting portions protrude from opposite directions in the height direction has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In the case where the number of tubes is small, the tube restricting portions may be shaped so as to protrude from opposite directions in the width direction intersecting (for example, orthogonal to) the extending direction of the tube.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0080] 17 Supply tube 162 Cover member 162a Tube restricting portion 163 Receiving member 163e, 163h Second rotation axis 164 Displacement member 164c First rotation axis 169 Holding member 169b Tube regulating section 169c Opposing section 170 Biasing member

Claims

1. A first tube forming a flow path for supplying liquid to a liquid discharge unit that discharges liquid, a second tube forming a flow path different from the first tube for supplying liquid to the liquid discharge unit, holding means for holding the first tube and the second tube, valve means that can move between a closed position where the first tube and the second tube are blocked by pressing the first tube and the second tube held by the holding means with a first pressing part and a second pressing part respectively, and an open position where the first tube and the second tube held by the holding means are released, the holding means is configured to be rotatable about an independent rotation axis for each tube, the valve means has a rotation axis for rotating and moving between the closed position and the open position, the extending direction of the rotation axis is a direction intersecting the extending directions of the first tube and the second tube held by the holding means, A recording apparatus, characterized in that the distance between the rotation axis and the first pressing part in a first direction intersecting the axial direction of the rotation axis is smaller than the distance between the rotation axis and the second pressing part.

2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the valve means is configured to be able to integrally block the first tube and the second tube in the closed position.

3. Biasing means for biasing either the valve means or the holding means in a direction approaching each other, the holding means is provided for each tube, The recording apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the biasing means is provided for each holding means so as to bias the holding means in a direction approaching the valve means.

4. The holding means has a first contact part that contacts the first tube at a position facing the first pressing part in the closed position, and a second contact part that contacts the second tube at a position facing the second pressing part in the closed position, The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rotation axis of the valve means is arranged at substantially the same height as the first contact part and the second contact part of the holding means.

5. The holding means has an auxiliary support part that restricts movement of the tube in the width direction of the tube, the auxiliary support part is provided for each tube, The auxiliary support portion is provided at a position where it can contact the valve means when the valve means is in the closed position. In a state where the valve means is in the closed position, the first pressing portion and the second pressing portion each press the first tube and the second tube, and a gap is formed between the valve means and the auxiliary support portion. The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that.

6. The recording apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the auxiliary support portion does not face the first pressing portion and the second pressing portion in a state where the valve means is in the closed position.

7. The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the wall thickness of the second tube is larger than the wall thickness of the first tube.

8. The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the outer diameter of the second tube is larger than the outer diameter of the first tube.

9. The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the liquid flowing through the flow path formed by the first tube is different from the liquid flowing through the flow path formed by the second tube.

10. A first tube forming a flow path for supplying liquid to a liquid discharge portion that discharges liquid, A second tube forming a flow path different from the first tube for supplying liquid to the liquid discharge portion, Holding means for holding the first tube and the second tube, A valve means that can move between a closed position where the first tube and the second tube held by the holding means are closed and an open position where the first tube and the second tube held by the holding means are opened by pressing the first tube and the second tube held by the holding means with a first pressing portion and a second pressing portion, respectively. The valve means has a rotation axis for rotating and moving between the closed position and the open position. The extending direction of the rotation axis is a direction intersecting the extending direction of the first tube and the second tube held by the holding means. The liquid flowing through the flow path formed by the first tube is different from the liquid flowing through the flow path formed by the second tube. The recording apparatus, characterized in that the distance between the rotation axis and the first pressing portion in a first direction intersecting the axial direction of the rotation axis is smaller than the distance between the rotation axis and the second pressing portion.

11. The recording apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the valve means is configured to integrally close the first tube and the second tube in the closed position.

12. The recording apparatus is provided with biasing means for biasing either the valve means or the holding means in a direction approaching each other. The holding means is provided for each tube.

13. The recording apparatus according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the biasing means is provided for each holding means so as to bias the holding means in a direction approaching the valve means.

14. The holding means has a first contact portion that contacts the first tube at a position facing the first pressing portion in the closed position, and a second contact portion that contacts the second tube at a position facing the second pressing portion in the closed position.

15. The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the rotation axis of the valve means is disposed at substantially the same height as the first contact portion and the second contact portion of the holding means.

16. The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the holding means has auxiliary support portions that restrict movement of the tubes in the width direction. The auxiliary support portions are provided for each tube. The auxiliary support portions are provided at positions where they can contact the valve means when the valve means is in the closed position.

17. The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 16, wherein in a state where the valve means is in the closed position, the first pressing portion and the second pressing portion press the first tube and the second tube, respectively, and a gap is formed between the valve means and the auxiliary support portions.

18. The recording apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the auxiliary support portions do not face the first pressing portion and the second pressing portion in a state where the valve means is in the closed position.

19. The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 18, wherein the wall thickness of the second tube is larger than the wall thickness of the first tube.

20. The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 18, wherein the outer diameter of the second tube is larger than the outer diameter of the first tube.

Images