Liquid cartridge

Abstract

To provide a liquid cartridge whose attached state can be surely determined.SOLUTION: An ink cartridge 30 is provided with: a rea part cover 31 and a front part cover 32; an ink supply part 34 that supplies ink stored in a storage chamber 36 to the outside; an IC substrate 64, positioned on an upper surface 141 of the front part cover 32, which has an electrode group 65; a douser 62 positioned on an upper surface 39 of the rear part cover 31 to be closer to a rear side than the electrode group 65; and a protruding part 43 having a lock surface 151 positioned closer to the rear side than the douser 62. In an attached state of the ink cartridge, a sensing area 63 of the douser 62 is positioned closer to a rear side and an upper side than the electrode group 65 and is positioned closer to a front side and a lower side than the lock surface 151, which does not move to a position where an optical sensor 103 cannot sense.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid cartridge for storing a liquid.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, an inkjet recording apparatus that records an image on a recording medium by discharging ink stored in an ink cartridge from a nozzle is known. In some inkjet recording apparatuses, a new ink cartridge can be mounted each time the ink is consumed.

[0003] Some ink cartridges include an internal frame that partitions a storage chamber for storing ink and a cover that covers the internal frame. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an ink cartridge 30 in which a bracket 90 is assembled to a main body 31 that partitions an ink chamber for storing ink, and an outer shape is configured.

[0004] In the ink cartridge 30, an ink supply portion 34 is located on the front wall 40 of the main body 31. When the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the printer 10, an ink needle 122 provided in the printer 10 is inserted into the ink supply portion 34. Thereby, the ink cartridge 30 is positioned within the printer 10.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] To prevent the printer from recording images when no ink cartridge is installed, the printer may determine whether or not an ink cartridge is installed. Furthermore, since ink cartridges have a specific shape and ink storage capacity for the printer they are installed in, the printer may also determine if a compatible ink cartridge is installed.

[0007] One possible method for determining whether a printer has a compatible ink cartridge installed is to mount an electronic circuit board on the ink cartridge and read the electronic information stored on the circuit board of the installed ink cartridge to make the determination. However, the electronic circuit board may lose its electronic information due to static electricity or shock, or short circuits or electrical contact failures may occur due to ink adhesion, in which case the ink cartridge with that electronic circuit board would be unusable even if it is compatible with the printer.

[0008] Another approach is to equip the printer with an optical sensor to detect the element to be detected at a predetermined position on the ink cartridge. In this case, detection is possible by the optical sensor as long as the plate material is not physically damaged. However, the ink cartridge, once positioned in the installed state, may not be precisely positioned due to rattling or other factors, and if the position of the plate material changes, it may not be detected by the optical sensor.

[0009] This invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and its purpose is to provide a liquid cartridge that can reliably determine the state in which it is installed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] (1) The present invention relates to a liquid cartridge to be mounted in a cartridge case. The liquid cartridge comprises a main body having a liquid storage chamber, a liquid supply unit located on the front of the main body that supplies the liquid stored in the liquid storage chamber to the outside, an electronic substrate located on the upper surface of the main body and having an electrode group consisting of at least three electrodes facing upward, a plate material located on the upper surface of the main body behind the electrode group and extending upward from the electrodes, having an attenuation surface that attenuates light traveling in the left-right direction perpendicular to the front-back direction, and a positioning unit located on the upper surface of the main body behind the plate material and protruding upward, having a positioning surface for positioning in the front-back direction. The plate material is detected by an optical sensor that emits light traveling in the left-right direction when the liquid cartridge is mounted in the cartridge case. In the mounted state, the detection area of ​​the attenuation surface to which the light of the optical sensor strikes is located behind and above the electrodes and in front and below the positioning surface, and does not move to a position where the optical sensor cannot detect it.

[0011] Since the electrodes and damping surface are located on the top surface of the main body, liquid flowing from the liquid supply unit is less likely to adhere to the electrodes or damping surface. Since the detection area is located above the electrodes, the electrodes are less likely to come into contact with the optical sensor during the process of the liquid cartridge being installed in the cartridge case. Since the damping surface is closer to the liquid supply unit than the positioning surface, even if the main body rattles up, down, left, and right with the liquid supply unit as a pivot point in the installed state, the detection area of ​​the damping surface is reliably detected by the optical sensor. A component to be detected by the optical sensor during the process of the liquid cartridge being installed in the cartridge case can be placed between the electrodes and the plate material.

[0012] (2) The positioning surface may be a surface facing backward.

[0013] (3) The positioning surface may be a surface facing forward.

[0014] (4) The detection area is located within the region enclosed by a first virtual line that includes the center of the electrode group in the front-to-back direction and the center of the positioning surface in the vertical direction, viewed from the left and right directions, a second virtual line that includes the center of the liquid supply port of the liquid supply unit and the center of the electrode group in the front-to-back direction, and a third virtual line that includes the center of the liquid supply port and the center of the positioning surface in the vertical direction.

[0015] In the liquid cartridge, the detection area is located inside three points that physically contact the cartridge case components. Therefore, even if the main unit rattles up, down, left, or right while installed, the detection area of ​​the damping surface is reliably detected by the optical sensor.

[0016] (5) The left and right ends of the plate material may be located inward from the left and right ends of the electrode group.

[0017] (6) The plate material does not need to come into contact with the liquid stored in the liquid storage chamber.

[0018] (7) The plate material may be a resin molded product integrally molded with at least the upper surface of the main body.

[0019] (8) The device may further include a light-transmitting member that covers the damping surface and at least the front and top of the plate material.

[0020] The translucent material protects the plate material. When the object to be detected, which can be detected by the optical sensor, is positioned in front of the plate material, the translucent material ensures that a gap in the front-to-back direction is reliably formed between the object to be detected and the plate material. This ensures that both the object to be detected and the plate material are reliably detected by the optical sensor.

[0021] (9) A member to be detected that can attenuate the light of the optical sensor may be located on the upper surface of the main body, behind the electrode group and in front of the plate material.

[0022] (10) The upper end of the plate material may be located below the positioning surface.

[0023] In the process of mounting the liquid cartridge to the cartridge case, contact between the plate material and the member that contacts the positioning surface is suppressed.

[0024] (11) The electrode group includes a first electrode and a second electrode arranged in a left-right direction intersecting the vertical direction and the front-back direction, and a third electrode positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode are electrically connected to the cartridge case in the mounting posture, and the upper end of the plate material and the first electrode or the second electrode may intersect the same virtual plane parallel to the vertical direction and the front-back direction.

[0025] (12) The main body of the liquid cartridge may include a first cover that supports the electronic substrate and covers a part of the storage chamber, and a second cover that has the plate material and the positioning surface.

Advantages of the Invention

[0026] According to the present invention, the attenuation surface of the liquid cartridge in the mounted state is reliably detected by the optical sensor.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view schematically showing the internal structure of the printer 10 provided with the cartridge mounting portion 110. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the external configuration of the cartridge mounting portion 110. [Figure 3] FIG. 3(A) is a perspective view showing the external configuration of the ink cartridge 30 viewed from the front and above. FIG. 3(B) is a perspective view showing the external configuration of the ink cartridge 30 viewed from the front and below. [Figure 4] FIG. 4(A) is a perspective view showing the external configuration of the ink cartridge 30 viewed from the rear and above. FIG. 4(B) is a perspective view showing the external configuration of the ink cartridge 30 viewed from the rear and below. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a side view of the ink cartridge 30. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the ink cartridge 30. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the ink cartridge 30 and the cartridge mounting section 110, illustrating the state in which the ink cartridge 30 has begun to be inserted into the cartridge mounting section 110. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the ink cartridge 30 and the cartridge mounting section 110, showing the state in which the ink supply section 34 has begun to enter the guide section 105 and the rod 125 has begun to enter the recess 96 of the front cover 32. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the ink cartridge 30 and the cartridge mounting section 110, showing the state in which the ink needle 102 has entered the ink supply port 71 of the ink supply section 34. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the ink cartridge 30 and the cartridge mounting section 110, showing the state in which the ink cartridge 30 is positioned in the cartridge mounting section 110. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a plan view of the ink cartridge 30 as seen from below. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a side view of the ink cartridge 30 in a modified example. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a side view of the ink cartridge 30 in a modified example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0028] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings as appropriate. It should be noted that the embodiments described below are merely examples of how the present invention is concretized, and the embodiments can be modified as appropriate without changing the gist of the present invention.

[0029] Furthermore, in the following description, the direction in which the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the cartridge mounting section 110 is defined as the forward direction 51. Also, the direction opposite to the forward direction 51, in which the ink cartridge 30 is removed from the cartridge mounting section 110, is defined as the rearward direction 52. In this embodiment, the forward direction 51 and the rearward direction 52 are horizontal directions, but the forward direction 51 and the rearward direction 52 do not have to be horizontal. Also, the direction of gravity is defined as the downward direction 53, and the direction opposite to the direction of gravity is defined as the upward direction 54. Also, the directions perpendicular to the forward direction 51 and the downward direction 53 are defined as the rightward direction 55 and the leftward direction 56. More specifically, when the ink cartridge 30 is inserted to the mounting position in the cartridge mounting section 110, that is, when the ink cartridge 30 is viewed from the front to the rear, the direction extending to the right is defined as the rightward direction 55, and the direction extending to the left is defined as the leftward direction 56.

[0030] Furthermore, the forward direction 51 and the rear direction 52 are defined as the front-rear direction 51 and 52. Also, the upward direction 54 and the downward direction 53 are defined as the up-down direction 53 and 54. Furthermore, the right direction 55 and the left direction 56 are defined as the left-right direction 55 and 56.

[0031] Furthermore, in this specification, "facing forward" includes facing a direction that includes a forward component, "facing backward" includes facing a direction that includes a backward component, "facing downward" includes facing a direction that includes a downward component, and "facing upward" includes facing a direction that includes an upward component. For example, "the front is facing forward" means that the front is facing forward, or the front is facing in a direction that is inclined relative to the front.

[0032] [Overview of Printer 10] As shown in Figure 1, the printer 10 records images by selectively ejecting ink droplets onto paper based on an inkjet recording method. The printer 10 includes a recording head 21, an ink supply device 100, and an ink tube 20 connecting the recording head 21 and the ink supply device 100. The ink supply device 100 is provided with a cartridge mounting section 110. An ink cartridge 30 (an example of a liquid cartridge) can be mounted in the cartridge mounting section 110. The cartridge mounting section 110 has an opening 112 on one side. The ink cartridge 30 is inserted forward into the cartridge mounting section 110 through the opening 112, or pulled out backward from the cartridge mounting section 110.

[0033] The ink cartridge 30 contains ink (an example of liquid) that can be used by the printer 10. When the ink cartridge 30 is installed in the cartridge mounting section 110, the ink cartridge 30 and the recording head 21 are connected by an ink tube 20. The recording head 21 is provided with a sub-tank 28. The sub-tank 28 temporarily stores the ink supplied through the ink tube 20. The recording head 21 selectively ejects the ink supplied from the sub-tank 28 from the nozzles 29 using an inkjet recording method. Specifically, a drive voltage is selectively applied from a head control board provided in the recording head 21 to a piezoelectric element 29A corresponding to each nozzle 29. As a result, ink is selectively ejected from the nozzles 29. In other words, the recording head 21 consumes the ink stored in the ink cartridge 30 installed in the cartridge mounting section 110.

[0034] The printer 10 includes a paper feed tray 15, a paper feed roller 23, a transport roller pair 25, a platen 26, an output roller pair 27, and an output tray 16. Paper fed from the paper feed tray 15 to the transport path 24 by the paper feed roller 23 is transported onto the platen 26 by the transport roller pair 25. The recording head 21 selectively ejects ink onto the paper as it passes over the platen 26. This records an image on the paper. The paper that has passed over the platen 26 is discharged by the output roller pair 27 into the output tray 16 located at the downstream end of the transport path 24.

[0035] [Ink supply device 100] As shown in Figure 1, the ink supply device 100 is installed in the printer 10. The ink supply device 100 supplies ink to the recording head 21 of the printer 10. The ink supply device 100 has a cartridge mounting section 110 into which an ink cartridge 30 can be installed. In Figure 1, the state in which the ink cartridge 30 has been installed in the cartridge mounting section 110 is shown. In other words, in Figure 1, the ink cartridge 30 is installed.

[0036] [Cartridge mounting section 110] As shown in Figures 2 and 7, the cartridge mounting section 110 comprises a case 101 (an example of a cartridge case), an ink needle 102, an optical sensor 103, an optical sensor 113, four contacts 106, and a locking section 145. The cartridge mounting section 110 can accommodate four ink cartridges 30, each corresponding to cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. In addition, four ink needles 102, four optical sensors 103, four optical sensors 113, four contacts 106, and four locking sections 145 are provided, corresponding to each of the four ink cartridges 30.

[0037] [Case 101] As shown in Figures 2 and 7, the case 101 forming the housing of the cartridge mounting section 110 is a box shape having a top surface that defines the top of the internal space of the case 101, a bottom surface that defines the bottom, an end surface that connects the top and bottom, and an opening 112 provided at a position opposite the end surface in the front-rear direction 51, 52. The opening 112 may be exposed to the user interface surface of the printer 10, which is the surface that the user faces when using the printer 10.

[0038] The ink cartridge 30 is inserted into and removed from the case 101 through the opening 112. The ink cartridge 30 is guided in the front-to-back direction 51 and 52 in Figure 7 by inserting its upper and lower ends into guide grooves 109 provided on the top and bottom surfaces of the case 101. The case 101 is provided with three plates 104 that divide the internal space into four spaces that are long in the vertical direction 53 and 54. An ink cartridge 30 is housed in each of the spaces divided by these plates 104.

[0039] [Ink Needle 102] As shown in Figure 7, the ink needle 102 is made of tubular resin and is located at the bottom of the end surface of the case 101. The ink needle 102 is positioned on the end surface of the case 101 to correspond to the ink supply section 34 (an example of a liquid supply section) of the ink cartridge 30 installed in the cartridge mounting section 110. The ink needle 102 protrudes rearward from the end surface of the case 101.

[0040] A cylindrical guide portion 105 is provided around the ink needle 102. The guide portion 105 protrudes rearward from the end surface of the case 101, and its protruding end is open. The ink needle 102 is positioned in the center of the guide portion 105. The guide portion 105 is shaped so that the ink supply portion 34 of the ink cartridge enters into it.

[0041] As the ink cartridge 30 is inserted forward into the cartridge mounting section 110, that is, as the ink cartridge 30 moves to the mounting position, the ink supply section 34 of the ink cartridge 30 enters the guide section 105 (see Figure 9). Further, as the ink cartridge 30 is inserted forward into the cartridge mounting section 110, the ink needle 102 is inserted into the ink supply port 71 formed in the ink supply section 34. This connects the ink needle 102 and the ink supply section 34, and positions the ink supply section 34. The ink stored in the storage chamber 36 formed inside the ink cartridge 30 then flows out through the internal space of the cylindrical wall 73 formed inside the ink supply section 34 and the internal space of the ink needle 102 into the ink tube 20 connected to the ink needle 102. The tip of the ink needle 102 may be flat or pointed.

[0042] [Lock section 145] As shown in Figure 7, the locking portion 145 extends in the left-right directions 55 and 56 of the case 101 near the top surface and near the opening 112. The locking portion 145 is a rod-shaped member that extends along the left-right directions 55 and 56. The locking portion 145 is, for example, a metal cylinder. Both ends of the locking portion 145 in the left-right directions 55 and 56 are fixed to the walls that define both ends of the case 101 in the left-right directions 55 and 56. Therefore, the locking portion 145 does not move relative to the case 101, such as by rotation. The locking portion 145 extends in the left-right directions 55 and 56 across four spaces that can accommodate four ink cartridges 30. In each space where an ink cartridge 30 is housed, there is space around the locking portion 145. Therefore, the locking portion 145 can be accessed upwards and backwards.

[0043] The locking part 145 is for holding the ink cartridge 30, which is mounted in the cartridge mounting part 110, in the mounted position. When the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the cartridge mounting part 110 and rotated into the mounted position, it engages with the locking part 145, and the locking part 145 holds the ink cartridge 30 inside the cartridge mounting part 110 against the force exerted by the coil spring 78 of the ink cartridge 30 pushing the ink cartridge 30 backward.

[0044] [Contact point 106] As shown in Figures 2 and 7, four contacts 106 are provided near the end surface of the top of the case 101. Although not shown in detail in each figure, the four contacts 106 are spaced apart in the left-right direction 55, 56. The arrangement of the four contacts 106 corresponds to the arrangement of the electrode group 65 of the ink cartridge 30, which will be described later (see Figures 3 and 4). Each contact 106 is made of a conductive and elastic material and is elastically deformable upward. Four sets of four contacts 106 are provided, corresponding to the four ink cartridges 30 that can be housed in the case 101. Note that the number of contacts 106 and the number of electrode groups 65 are arbitrary.

[0045] Each contact 106 is electrically connected to the arithmetic unit via an electrical circuit. The arithmetic unit consists of, for example, a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and may be configured as the control unit of the printer 10. When a contact 106 is electrically connected to the corresponding electrode group 65, a voltage Vc is applied to one of the electrode group 65, one of the electrode group 65 is grounded, or power is supplied to one of the electrode group 65. Electrical connection between the contact 106 and the corresponding electrode group 65 makes it possible to access the data stored in the IC of the ink cartridge 30. The output from the electrical circuit is input to the arithmetic unit.

[0046] [Rod 125] As shown in Figures 2 and 7, a rod 125 is formed above the ink needle 102 on the end surface of the case 101. The rod 125 protrudes rearward from the end surface of the case 101. The rod 125 has a cross-sectional shape that is inverted U-shape, perpendicular to the front-rear directions 51 and 52, like the upper half of a cylindrical shape, and protrudes upward from its uppermost part. This rib extends in the front-rear directions 51 and 52. The rod 125 is inserted into the recess 96 below the IC substrate 64 of the ink cartridge 30 when the ink cartridge 30 is mounted in the cartridge mounting section 110, that is, when the ink cartridge 30 is in the mounting position.

[0047] [Optical sensor 103] As shown in Figures 2 and 7, an optical sensor 103 is located on the top surface of the case 101. The optical sensor 103 comprises a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit. The light-emitting unit is located to the right or left of the light-receiving unit, with a gap between them. The light-shielding plate 62 of the ink cartridge 30, once installed in the cartridge mounting unit 110, is located between the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit. In other words, the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit are located opposite each other, with the light-shielding plate 62 of the ink cartridge 30, once installed in the cartridge mounting unit 110, in between.

[0048] The optical sensor 103 outputs different detection signals depending on whether or not the light emitted from the light-emitting unit has been received by the light-receiving unit. For example, the optical sensor 103 outputs a low-level signal ("a signal with a signal level below a threshold level") on the condition that the light emitted from the light-emitting unit cannot be received by the light-receiving unit (i.e., the received light intensity is below a predetermined intensity). On the other hand, the optical sensor 103 outputs a high-level signal ("a signal with a signal level above a threshold level") on the condition that the light emitted from the light-emitting unit has been received by the light-receiving unit (i.e., the received light intensity is above a predetermined intensity).

[0049] [Optical sensor 113] As shown in Figure 7, an optical sensor 113 is located on the top surface of case 101. The optical sensor 113 is located in front of the optical sensor 103 and behind the contact 106. The optical sensor 113 includes a light-emitting part and a light-receiving part. The light-emitting part is located to the right or left of the light-receiving part, with a gap between them. The light-shielding plate 67 of the ink cartridge 30, which will be described later, after it has been installed in the cartridge mounting section 110, is located between the light-emitting part and the light-receiving part. In other words, the light-emitting part and the light-receiving part are located opposite each other with the light-shielding plate 67 of the ink cartridge 30, which has been installed in the cartridge mounting section 110, in between.

[0050] The optical sensor 113 outputs different detection signals depending on whether or not the light emitted from the light-emitting unit along the left and right directions 55 and 56 has been received by the light-receiving unit. For example, the optical sensor 113 outputs a low-level signal if the light emitted from the light-emitting unit cannot be received by the light-receiving unit (i.e., the received light intensity is below a predetermined intensity). On the other hand, the optical sensor 113 outputs a high-level signal if the light emitted from the light-emitting unit has been received by the light-receiving unit (i.e., the received light intensity is above a predetermined intensity).

[0051] [Ink Cartridge 30] The ink cartridge 30 shown in Figures 3 to 6 is a container in which ink is stored. The space formed inside the ink cartridge 30 is the storage chamber 36 (an example of a liquid storage chamber) in which the ink is stored. The storage chamber 36 is formed by an internal frame 35 (an example of the main body) housed in the rear cover 31 (an example of the main body and second cover) and the front cover 32 (an example of the main body and first cover) that form the exterior of the ink cartridge 30, but it may also be formed by the rear cover 31 and the front cover 32, etc.

[0052] The orientation of the ink cartridge 30 shown in Figures 3 to 6 and Figure 11 is the orientation when the ink cartridge 30 is installed. That is, as will be described later, the ink cartridge 30 has a front surface 140, a rear surface 41, upper surfaces 39, 141 and lower surfaces 42, 142. The orientation of the ink cartridge 30 shown in Figures 3 to 6 is such that the direction from the rear surface 41 toward the front surface 140 coincides with the forward direction 51, the direction from the front surface 140 toward the rear surface 41 coincides with the rear direction 52, the direction from the upper surfaces 39, 141 toward the lower surfaces 42, 142 coincides with the downward direction 53, and the direction from the lower surfaces 42, 142 toward the upper surfaces 39, 141 coincides with the upward direction 54. Furthermore, when the ink cartridge 30 is installed in the cartridge mounting section 110, the front surface 140 faces forward, the rear surface 41 faces backward, the bottom surfaces 42 and 142 face downward, and the top surfaces 39 and 141 face upward.

[0053] As shown in Figures 3 to 6, the ink cartridge 30 consists of a roughly rectangular rear cover 31, a front cover 32 that forms the front surface 140, and an internal frame 35 that partitions the storage chamber 36. The front cover 32 is assembled to the rear cover 31 to form the outer shape of the ink cartridge 30. The internal frame 35 is housed inside the assembled rear cover 31 and front cover 32. The ink cartridge 30 as a whole has a flattened shape, with narrow dimensions along the left-right directions 55 and 56, and larger dimensions along the up-down directions 53 and 54 and the front-back directions 51 and 52 than the dimensions along the left-right directions 55 and 56. The surface of the front cover 32 that faces forward when the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the cartridge mounting section 110 is the front surface 140, and the surface of the rear cover 31 that faces backward is the rear surface 41. That is, the rear surface 41 is positioned between the front surface 140 of the front cover 32 and the storage chamber 36.

[0054] [Rear cover 31] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the rear cover 31 is a box shape with an opening facing forward, and is constructed by extending forward from the rear surface 41, with side surfaces 37 and 38 separated from each other in the left and right directions 55 and 56, an upper surface 39 located at the upper end of the rear cover 31 and facing upward, and a lower surface 42 (an example of a first surface) located at the lower end of the rear cover 31 and facing downward. The internal frame 35 is inserted into the interior of the rear cover 31 through the opening. That is, the rear cover 31 covers the rear of the internal frame 35. In addition, the lower surface 42 is positioned between the upper surface 39 and the storage chamber 36 when the internal frame 35 is inserted.

[0055] As shown in Figure 5, the rear cover 31 is positioned behind the front cover 32 in the mounted position. Furthermore, the length L1 along the front-rear direction 51, 52 from the rear end of the rear cover 31 to the boundary with the front cover 32 is longer than the length L2 along the front-rear direction 51, 52 from the front end of the rear cover 31 to the boundary with the front cover 32. In this embodiment, the boundary from the rear end of the rear cover 31 to the front cover 32 is positioned behind the light-shielding plate 67 and IC substrate 64 of the front cover 32.

[0056] Note that lengths L1 and L2 may be the same. In other words, length L1 only needs to be greater than or equal to length L2. Note that L1 and L2 are compared by looking at the longest lengths along the front-to-back direction 51 and 52 from the boundary to the ends of each cover 31 and 32.

[0057] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the boundary between the front cover 32 and the rear cover 31 is formed on the side surface of the ink cartridge 30 by the rear end portion of the front cover 32 overlapping the outer surface of the front portion of the rear cover 31. However, the boundary between the front cover 32 and the rear cover 31 may also be formed on the side surface of the ink cartridge 30 by the front end portion of the rear cover 31 overlapping the outer surface of the rear end portion of the front cover 32, or the boundary may be formed by the front end of the rear cover 31 and the rear end of the front cover 32 facing each other in the front-rear direction 51, 52.

[0058] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the rear surface 41 has an upper portion 41U and a lower portion 41L. The upper portion 41U is located above the lower portion 41L. The lower portion 41L is located in front of the upper portion 41U. Both the upper portion 41U and the lower portion 41L are planar and intersect each other without being perpendicular to one another. The lower portion 41L is inclined with respect to the vertical directions 53 and 54 such that it approaches the front surface 140 as it approaches the bottom surface 42.

[0059] As shown in Figure 5, the lower surface 42 is an inclined surface that is tilted with respect to the front-rear directions 51 and 52 such that its front end is located below its rear end. In Figure 5, the front-rear directions 51 and 52 are also shown as dashed lines to make it easier to identify the inclination of the lower surface 42 with respect to the front-rear directions 51 and 52. The front end of the lower surface 42 (inclined surface) is located at the front end of the rear cover 31. The front end of the lower surface 42 (inclined surface) is located in front of the lock surface 151, which will be described later. The rear end of the lower surface 42 (inclined surface) is connected to the lower end of the lower portion 41L of the rear surface 41.

[0060] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a protrusion 43 (an example of a positioning portion) is provided on the upper surface 39 of the rear cover 31. The protrusion 43 extends along the front-rear directions 51 and 52 at the center of the left-right directions 55 and 56 on the upper surface 39. The rearward-facing surface of the protrusion 43 is the locking surface 151 (an example of a positioning surface). The locking surface 151 is located above the lower surface 42 of the rear cover 31. The locking surface 151 extends along the up-down directions 53 and 54. The locking surface 151 is a surface that can contact the locking portion 145 toward the rear when the ink cartridge 30 is installed in the cartridge mounting portion 110. By the locking surface 151 contacting the locking portion 145 toward the rear, the ink cartridge 30 is held in the cartridge mounting portion 110 against the biasing force of the coil spring 78.

[0061] In the convex portion 43, a horizontal surface 154 is provided in a continuous manner with the lock surface 151 in front of the lock surface 151. The horizontal surface 154 is a surface that extends along the left-right directions 55, 56 and the front-back directions 51, 52. In front of the horizontal surface 154, an inclined surface 155 is provided in a continuous manner with the horizontal surface 154. The inclined surface 155 faces upward and forward. Since the lock surface 151 and the inclined surface 155 are continuous via the horizontal surface 154, the boundary between the lock surface 151 and the inclined surface 155 does not form a sharp mountain shape. Due to the inclined surface 155 and the horizontal surface 154, the lock portion 145 is smoothly guided behind the lock surface 151 while contacting the inclined surface 155 and the horizontal surface 154 during the process of inserting the ink cartridge 30 into the cartridge mounting portion 110.

[0062] On the upper surface 39 of the rear cover 31, an operating section 90 is provided behind the locking surface 151. At the rear end of the upper surface 39 of the rear cover 31, a sub-upper surface 91 is formed, located below the rest of the upper surface 39. The operating section 90 is positioned above the sub-upper surface 91, separated by a space. The operating section 90 is a flat plate shape that protrudes upward from near the boundary between the rest of the upper surface 39 and the sub-upper surface 91, up to above the convex portion 43, and then bends diagonally downward and rearward. Between the operating section 90 and the sub-upper surface 91, there is a rib 94 that is continuous with the operating section 90 and the sub-upper surface 91 and extends rearward. As shown in Figure 11, the dimensions of the rib 94 along the left-right directions 55 and 56 are smaller than the dimensions of the operating section 90 and the sub-upper surface 91 along the left-right directions 55 and 56, respectively.

[0063] In the operating section 90, the surface facing upward and backward is the operating surface 92. The operating surface 92 and the sub-upper surface 91 overlap in position along the front-to-back directions 51 and 52. In other words, when the ink cartridge 30 is viewed from below, the operating surface 92 and the sub-upper surface 91 are in overlapping positions. Multiple protrusions, for example, multiple ridges 93 extending along the left-to-right directions 55 and 56, are formed on the operating surface 92 at intervals along the front-to-back directions 51 and 52. The multiple ridges 93 make it easier for the user to recognize the operating surface 92, and also make it less likely for the user's fingers to slip when operating the operating surface 92 with their fingers.

[0064] The operating surface 92 is visible when the ink cartridge 30 is viewed from below, and is also visible when the ink cartridge 30 is viewed from the front. The operating surface 92 is a surface for the user to operate in order to remove the ink cartridge 30 from the state in which the ink cartridge 30 is installed in the cartridge mounting section 110. The operating section 90 is fixed to the rear cover 31, for example by being molded integrally with the rear cover 31, and is configured not to rotate or move relative to the rear cover 31. Therefore, the force applied by the user to the operating surface 92 is transmitted directly to the rear cover 31 without changing direction. In addition, in this embodiment, the operating section 90 is configured not to rotate or move relative to the internal frame 35 or the storage chamber 36.

[0065] A light-shielding plate 62 (an example of a plate material) is formed on the upper surface 39 of the rear cover 31, projecting upward. The light-shielding plate 62 extends in the front-rear direction 51, 52. The light-shielding plate 62 is located in front of the protrusion 43. The light-shielding plate 62 is located behind the electrode group 65, which will be described later, and extends upward above the electrode group 65. The left side 62L or the right side 62R of the light-shielding plate 62 is an attenuating surface that attenuates light. The light-shielding plate 62 is a resin molded product molded integrally with the upper surface 39 of the rear cover 31. The light-shielding plate 62 does not come into contact with the ink stored in the storage chamber 36 formed by the internal frame 35. The upper end of the light-shielding plate 62 is located below the locking surface 151 of the protrusion 43. In other words, the locking surface 151 protrudes upward above the light-shielding plate 62.

[0066] The light-shielding plate 62 blocks the light from the optical sensor 103 traveling in the left-right directions 55 and 56. More specifically, the light emitted from the light-emitting part of the optical sensor 103 hits the light-shielding plate 62 before reaching the light-receiving part, so that the intensity of the light reaching the light-receiving part becomes less than a predetermined intensity, for example, zero. The light-shielding plate 62 may completely block the light from traveling in the left-right directions 55 and 56, partially attenuate the light, bend the direction of light propagation, or cause total internal reflection of the light.

[0067] [Front cover 32] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the front cover 32 is a box shape with an opening towards the rear, formed by side surfaces 143 and 144 separated from each other in the left-right direction 55 and 56, and upper surfaces 141 and lower surfaces 142 separated from each other in the up-down direction 53 and 54. The inner frame 35 is inserted into the front cover 32 through the opening. In other words, the front cover 32 covers the front part of the inner frame 35 that is not covered by the rear cover 31.

[0068] When the front cover 32 and the rear cover 31 are assembled, that is, when the ink cartridge 30 is assembled, the upper surface 141 of the front cover 32, together with the upper surface 39 of the rear cover 31, constitutes the upper surface of the ink cartridge 30. The lower surface 142 of the front cover 32, together with the lower surface 42 of the rear cover 31, constitutes the lower surface of the ink cartridge 30.

[0069] In detail, when the ink cartridge 30 is in the installed position, the lower surface 142 of the front cover 32 extends along the front-rear direction 51, 52, and the lower surface 42 of the rear cover 31 is inclined downward and towards the rear. The sides 143, 144 of the front cover 32, together with the sides 37, 38 of the rear cover 31, form the sides of the ink cartridge 30.

[0070] Furthermore, when the ink cartridge 30 is assembled, the front surface 140 of the front cover 32, which constitutes the front of the ink cartridge 30, and the rear surface 41 of the rear cover 31, which constitutes the rear of the ink cartridge 30, are separated from each other in the front-to-back directions 51 and 52.

[0071] Note that the front, rear, top, bottom, and sides of the ink cartridge 30 do not necessarily have to form a single plane. That is, the front is the surface that can be seen when the installed ink cartridge 30 is viewed from the rear, and is located in front of the center of the front-to-back direction 51, 52 of the installed ink cartridge 30. The rear is the surface that can be seen when the installed ink cartridge 30 is viewed from the front, and is located behind the center of the front-to-back direction 51, 52 of the installed ink cartridge 30. The top is the surface that can be seen when the installed ink cartridge 30 is viewed from below, and is located above the center of the vertical direction of the installed ink cartridge 30. The bottom is the surface that can be seen when the installed ink cartridge 30 is viewed from above, and is located below the center of the vertical direction 53, 54 of the installed ink cartridge 30. The same applies to the sides.

[0072] A recess 96 that curves backward is formed at the upper part of the front surface 140 of the front cover 32. The rod 125 enters the recess 96 when the ink cartridge 30 is installed in the cartridge mounting section 110. Therefore, the cross-section of the recess 96 perpendicular to the front-rear directions 51 and 52 corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the rod 125.

[0073] A hole 97 is formed at the lower part of the front surface 140 of the front cover 32, extending to the rear. The hole 97 is for exposing the ink supply section 34 of the internal frame 35 to the outside when the internal frame 35 is inserted into the front cover 32. Therefore, the hole 97 is formed in a position, size, and shape that corresponds to the ink supply section 34 of the internal frame 35.

[0074] A first projection 85 and a second projection 86 are formed on the front surface 140 of the front cover 32. The first projection 85 protrudes forward from the upper end of the front cover 32. The recess 96 is provided at the tip of the first projection 85. The tip of the first projection 85 forms part of the front surface 140.

[0075] The second projection 86 protrudes forward from the front surface 140 of the front cover 32, that is, below the ink supply section 34, at the lower end of the front surface 140. A recess 87 is formed on the lower surface of the second projection 86, opening forward and downward. A portion of the recess 87 protrudes downward from the lower surface 142 of the front cover 32.

[0076] A light-shielding plate 67 (an example of a detected member) is formed on the upper surface 141 of the front cover 32, projecting upward. The light-shielding plate 67 extends in the front-rear direction 51, 52. The light-shielding plate 67 is located in front of the light-shielding plate 62 of the rear cover 31. A space 61 is formed between the light-shielding plate 67 and the light-shielding plate 62 in the front-rear direction 51, 52. Light from the optical sensor 103 is transmitted through the space 61. The light-shielding plate 67 is located behind the electrode group 65, which will be described later.

[0077] The light-shielding plate 67 blocks the light from the optical sensor 113 traveling in the left-right directions 55 and 56. More specifically, the light emitted from the light-emitting part of the optical sensor 113 hits the light-shielding plate 67 before reaching the light-receiving part, so that the intensity of the light reaching the light-receiving part becomes less than a predetermined intensity, for example, zero. The light-shielding plate 67 may completely block the light from traveling in the left-right directions 55 and 56, partially attenuate the light, bend the direction of light propagation, or cause total internal reflection of the light. In addition, the light-shielding plate 67 blocks the light from the optical sensor 103 traveling in the left-right directions 55 and 56 while the ink cartridge 30 is being installed in the cartridge mounting part 110.

[0078] An IC board 64 (an example of an electronic circuit board) is provided on the upper surface 141 of the front cover 32, above the first protrusion 85, that is, above the ink supply unit 34. The IC board 64 is electrically connected to four contacts 106 (see Figure 2) arranged along the left-right directions 55, 56 while the ink cartridge 30 is being installed in the cartridge mounting unit 110, and is also electrically connected to the contacts 106 when the ink cartridge 30 is installed in the cartridge mounting unit 110.

[0079] As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 11, the IC substrate 64 is equipped with an IC (not shown in each figure) and a first electrode 65A, a second electrode 65B, and a third electrode 65C (hereinafter, these may be collectively referred to as the electrode group 65). The electrode group 65 is arranged along the left-right directions 55 and 56. The IC is a semiconductor integrated circuit and stores readable data related to the ink cartridge 30, such as the lot number, manufacturing date, and ink color.

[0080] Each of the electrode groups 65 is electrically connected to the IC. Each of the electrode groups 65 extends along the front-to-back directions 51 and 52 and is spaced apart in the left-to-right directions 55 and 56. The first electrode 65A is located at the left end 56, and the second electrode 65B is located at the right end 55. The third electrode 65C is located between the first electrode 65A and the second electrode 65B in the left-to-right directions 55 and 56. The electrode groups 65 are oriented upward so as to be electrically accessible to the upper surface of the IC substrate 64. Note that the electrode groups 65 only need to have at least three electrodes.

[0081] [Internal frame 35] Although not shown in each figure, the internal frame 35 is configured in an annular shape with a pair of open end faces 55 and 56 in the left-right direction. In the internal frame 35, the pair of open faces are sealed by a film (not shown), forming a storage chamber 36 capable of storing ink inside. The front surface 40 that partitions the storage chamber 36 is the surface that faces the back surface of the front surface 140 of the front cover 32 when the internal frame 35 is inserted into the front cover 32, and an ink supply unit 34 is provided on this surface.

[0082] The rear cover 31 is fixed to the internal frame 35. The front cover 32 is movable relative to the internal frame 35 in the front-rear direction 51, 52 and the up-down direction 53, 54.

[0083] More specifically, as shown in Figures 3 to 5, openings 115 are formed on the sides 143 and 144 of the front cover 32. Also, as shown in Figure 5, protrusions 116 are formed on the internal frame 35 at positions corresponding to the openings 115, projecting in the left-right directions 55 and 56. The protrusions 116 enter the openings 115. The lengths of the openings 115 in the front-rear direction 51 and 52 and in the up-down direction 53 and 54 are longer than the lengths of the protrusions 116 in the front-rear direction 51 and 52 and in the up-down direction 53 and 54, respectively. As the protrusions 116 move within the openings 115 in the front-rear direction 51 and 52, the front cover 32 moves relative to the internal frame 35 in the front-rear direction 51 and 52. As the protrusions 116 move within the openings 115 in the up-down direction 53 and 54, the front cover 32 moves relative to the internal frame 35 in the up-down direction 53 and 54.

[0084] [Ink supply unit 34] As shown in Figure 6, the ink supply unit 34 protrudes forward from the front surface 40 of the internal frame 35 at the lower part of the front surface 140. The ink supply unit 34 has a cylindrical outer shape. The ink supply unit 34 protrudes outward through a hole 97 provided in the front surface 140 of the front cover 32. The ink supply unit 34 comprises a cylindrical wall 73 having an internal space, and a sealing member 76 and a cap 79 attached to the cylindrical wall 73.

[0085] The cylindrical wall 73 extends from the inside to the outside of the storage chamber 36. The rear end of the cylindrical wall 73 is open in the storage chamber 36. The front end of the cylindrical wall 73 is open to the outside of the ink cartridge 30. As a result, the cylindrical wall 73 communicates with the storage chamber 36 and the outside of the ink cartridge 30 through its internal space. In other words, the ink supply unit 34 supplies the ink stored in the storage chamber 36 to the outside of the ink cartridge 30 through the internal space of the cylindrical wall 73. A sealing member 76 and a cap 79 are attached to the front end of the cylindrical wall 73.

[0086] The internal space of the cylindrical wall 73 houses a valve body 77 and a coil spring 78. The valve body 77 and coil spring 78 selectively switch the state of the ink supply unit 34 between a state in which ink flows out of the storage chamber 36 to the outside of the ink cartridge 30 through the internal space of the cylindrical wall 73 (see Figure 10) and a state in which ink does not flow out of the internal space of the cylindrical wall 73 to the outside of the ink cartridge 30 (see Figure 6).

[0087] The valve body 77 moves along the front-rear directions 51 and 52, thereby opening and closing the ink supply port 71 that penetrates the center of the sealing member 76. The coil spring 78 biases the valve body 77 forward. Therefore, when no external force is applied, the valve body 77 closes the ink supply port 71 of the sealing member 76.

[0088] The sealing member 76 is positioned at the tip of the cylindrical wall 73. The sealing member 76 is a disc-shaped member with a through hole formed in the center. The sealing member 76 is made of an elastic material such as rubber or elastomer. The center of the sealing member 76 is penetrated in the front-to-back direction 51, 52 to form a cylindrical inner surface, and this inner surface forms the ink supply port 71. The inner diameter of the ink supply port 71 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the ink needle 102. The sealing member 76 is in liquid-tight contact with the tip of the cylindrical wall 73 by a cap 79 fitted to the outside of the cylindrical wall 73.

[0089] When the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the cartridge mounting section 110 with the valve body 77 closed to the ink supply port 71, the ink needle 102 enters the ink supply port 71. The ink needle 102 makes liquid-tight contact with the inner surface defining the ink supply port 71, while the sealing member 76 is elastically deformed. When the tip of the ink needle 102 passes through the sealing member 76 and enters the internal space of the cylindrical wall 73, it comes into contact with the valve body 77. Furthermore, as the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the cartridge mounting section 110, the ink needle 102 moves the valve body 77 backward against the biasing force of the coil spring 78. This allows the ink stored in the storage chamber 36 to flow through the internal space of the cylindrical wall 73 to the tip of the ink needle 102. Although not shown in the figures, ink flows from the internal space of the cylindrical wall 73 to the internal space of the ink needle 102 through a through hole formed at the tip of the ink needle 102. This allows the ink stored in the storage chamber 36 to flow out to the outside through the internal space of the cylinder wall 73 and the ink needle 102.

[0090] Furthermore, the ink supply unit 34 does not necessarily require a valve body 77 to close the ink supply port 71. For example, the ink supply port 71 may be blocked by a film or the like, and when the ink cartridge 30 is installed in the cartridge mounting unit 110, the ink needle 102 may pierce the film, causing the tip of the ink needle 102 to enter the internal space of the cylindrical wall 73 through the ink supply port 71. Alternatively, the ink supply port 71 may be closed by the elasticity of the sealing member 76 and formed to expand only when the ink needle 102 is inserted.

[0091] [Arrangement of light-shielding plate 62] The left side 62L or right side 62R of the light shielding plate 62 is an attenuation surface, but here the arrangement of the light shielding plate 62 is described assuming that the right side 62R is the attenuation surface. As shown by the dashed line in Figure 5, the right side 62R of the light shielding plate 62 has a detection area 63 that is hit by light from the optical sensor 103 when it is installed. The detection area 63 is located behind and above the electrode group 65, and in front and below the locking surface 151. Furthermore, the detection area 63 does not move to a position where the optical sensor 103 cannot detect it. Not moving the detection area 63 means that when it is installed, the detection area 63 does not move relative to the rear cover 31.

[0092] As shown in Figure 6, the detection area 63 is located within the region enclosed by a first virtual line S1, which includes the centers of the electrode group 65 in the front-to-back directions 51, 52 and the centers of the lock surface 151 in the up-to-down directions 53, 54 when viewed from the left direction 56; a second virtual line S2, which includes the center of the ink supply port 70 of the ink supply unit 34 and the centers of the electrode group 65 in the front-to-back directions 51, 52; and a third virtual line S3, which includes the center of the ink supply port 70 and the centers of the lock surface 151 in the up-to-down directions 53, 54.

[0093] As shown in Figure 11, both ends of the light-shielding plate 62 in the left-right direction 55, 56, i.e., the left surface 62L and the right surface 62R, are located inward from both ends of the electrode group 65 in the left-right direction 55, 56, i.e., the left end of the first electrode 65A and the right end of the second electrode 65B. Furthermore, the upper end 62H of the light-shielding plate 62 and the first electrode 65A intersect the same virtual plane F parallel to the vertical direction 53, 54 and the front-back direction 51, 52.

[0094] [The operation in which the ink cartridge 30 is installed into the cartridge mounting section 110] The process by which the ink cartridge 30 is installed in the cartridge mounting section 110 is described below.

[0095] As shown in Figure 7, in the ink cartridge 30 before it is installed in the cartridge mounting section 110, the valve body 77 closes the ink supply port 71 of the sealing member 76. This blocks the flow of ink from the storage chamber 36 to the outside of the ink cartridge 30.

[0096] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, in the ink cartridge 30 before it is installed in the cartridge mounting section 110, no other components are located between the light-emitting and light-receiving sections of the optical sensor 103, so a high-level signal is output from the optical sensor 103 to the control unit of the printer 10. Similarly, since no other components are located between the light-emitting and light-receiving sections of the optical sensor 113, a high-level signal is output from the optical sensor 113 to the control unit of the printer 10.

[0097] As shown in Figure 7, the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the case 101 through the opening 112 of the cartridge mounting section 110. The upper portion 41U of the rear surface 41 of the rear cover 31 is located behind the lower portion 41L, that is, it is located closer to the user, so the user pushes the upper portion 41U while inserting the ink cartridge 30 forward into the cartridge mounting section 110. The lower part of the ink cartridge 30, that is, the lower parts of the front cover 32 and the rear cover 31, respectively, enter the guide groove 109 at the bottom of the case 101. The lower part of the front cover 32 is provided with a second projection 86, and a part of the recess 87 that protrudes downward from the lower surface 142 of the front cover 32 comes into contact with the lower surface of the guide groove 109, causing the front part of the front cover 32 to be lifted and the lower surface 142 to tilt forward. In other words, a portion of the recess 87 of the front cover 32 and a portion of the area near the rear end of the lower surface 142 are in contact with the lower surface 109.

[0098] As shown in Figure 8, when the ink cartridge 30 is inserted further forward, the cap 79 of the ink supply unit 34 begins to enter the guide unit 105. Also, the recess 96 of the front cover 32 faces the rod 125, and the rod 125 begins to enter the recess 96.

[0099] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, when the ink cartridge 30 is inserted further forward, the light-shielding plate 67 is positioned between the light-emitting and light-receiving parts of the optical sensor 103, causing the signal output from the optical sensor 103 to the control unit of the printer 10 to change from a high level to a low level. The signal output from the optical sensor 113 to the control unit of the printer 10 remains at a high level.

[0100] As shown in Figure 9, when the ink cartridge 30 is inserted further forward, the cap 79 of the ink supply unit 34 enters the guide unit 105, and the ink needle 102 enters the ink supply port 71, causing the valve body 77 to move away from the sealing member 76 against the biasing force of the coil spring 78. This positions the ink supply unit 34. The biasing force of the coil spring 78 is applied to the ink cartridge 30 in a rearward direction.

[0101] Furthermore, the downward-facing lower surface 85A of the first protrusion 85 is supported by the upward-facing surface 170 located above the guide portion 105 of the cartridge mounting portion 110. This positions the ink cartridge 30 in the vertical directions 53 and 54. The lower surface 85A is positioned so as to overlap with the IC substrate 64 when viewed from above. Alternatively, in addition to the surface 170, for example, a rod 125 may support the ink cartridge 30 and position it in the vertical directions 53 and 54.

[0102] Furthermore, the rod 125 enters the recess 96 of the front cover 32 and supports the front cover 32 from below. As the IC substrate 64 reaches below the contact 106, the electrode group 65 electrically connects with the corresponding contact 106 while elastically deforming the contact 106 upward. At this time, the IC substrate 64 is biased downward by the elastic deformation of the contact 106, but because the rod 125 supports the front cover 32 from below, the positioning of the IC substrate 64 with respect to the contact 106 is accurately achieved. Note that the rod 125 does not necessarily have to support the front cover 32 from below; for example, the front cover 32 may be supported by contact between the annular member around the ink needle 102 and the front cover 32.

[0103] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, when the ink cartridge 30 is inserted further forward, the light-shielding plate 67 and space 61 pass between the light-emitting and light-receiving parts of the optical sensor 103, and then the light-shielding plate 62 is positioned between the light-emitting and light-receiving parts of the optical sensor 103. As a result, the signal output from the optical sensor 103 to the control unit of the printer 10 changes from a low level to a high level and then remains at a low level. Also, because the light-shielding plate 67 is positioned between the light-emitting and light-receiving parts of the optical sensor 113, the signal output from the optical sensor 113 to the control unit of the printer 10 changes from a high level to a low level. As a result, the control unit of the printer 10 recognizes that the ink cartridge 30 has been installed in the cartridge mounting section 110.

[0104] Furthermore, the protrusion 43 of the rear cover 31 reaches the locking portion 145, and the inclined surface 155 slides against the locking portion 145. When the user pushes the upper portion 41U of the rear surface 41 forward, a rotational moment is applied to the ink cartridge 30 in a counterclockwise direction as shown in Figure 9. However, due to the contact between the inclined surface 155 and the locking portion 145, contrary to this rotational moment, the ink cartridge 30 rotates clockwise as shown in Figure 9, with the center of rotation being the center of the ink supply port 71 of the sealing member 76 into which the ink needle 102 is inserted, or in other words, with the center of rotation being the center of the portion of the ink needle 102 that is in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the sealing member 76 defining the ink supply port 71.

[0105] As shown in Figure 8, the lower surface 42 of the rear cover 31 is an inclined surface that is tilted with respect to the front-rear directions 51 and 52, so there is space between the lower surface 42 of the rear cover 31 and the bottom surface of the cartridge mounting section 110 for the rotation described above (clockwise rotation in Figure 9).

[0106] As shown in Figure 10, when the ink cartridge 30 is further inserted forward against the biasing force of the coil spring 78, the inclined surface 155 and the horizontal surface 154 of the protrusion 43 of the rear cover 31 are positioned closer to the end surface of the case 101 than the locking portion 145. A rotational moment is applied to the ink cartridge 30 in a counterclockwise direction in Figure 10 when the user pushes the upper portion 41U of the rear surface 41 forward. As a result, the inclined surface 155 and the horizontal surface 154 no longer come into contact with the locking portion 145, and the ink cartridge 30 rotates counterclockwise in Figure 10 with the center of the ink supply port 71 of the sealing member 76 into which the ink needle 102 is inserted as the pivot point.

[0107] When the ink cartridge 30 is in the position shown in Figure 10, the locking surface 151 faces the locking portion 145 towards the rear. When the user stops pushing the ink cartridge 30 forward, the ink cartridge 30 moves backward due to the biasing force of the coil spring 78. Since the locking surface 151 faces the locking portion 145 towards the rear, when the ink cartridge 30 moves backward, the locking surface 151 comes into contact with the locking portion 145. This restricts the ink cartridge 30 from moving backward. In other words, the ink cartridge 30 is positioned within the cartridge mounting portion 110 and the mounting is completed.

[0108] When the ink cartridge 30 is removed from the cartridge mounting section 110, the user pushes the operating surface 92 downward. When the ink cartridge 30 is in the position shown in Figure 10, the operating surface 92 is facing upward and backward. Therefore, when the user operates the operating surface 92 to release the ink cartridge 30 from its position relative to the cartridge mounting section 110, downward and forward forces act on the ink cartridge 30. The forward force causes the locking surface 151 to separate from the locking section 145. The downward force causes the ink cartridge 30 to rotate clockwise in Figure 10.

[0109] As the ink cartridge 30 rotates clockwise in Figure 10, the locking surface 151 is positioned below the locking portion 145. This causes the ink cartridge 30 to move backward relative to the cartridge mounting portion 110 due to the biasing force of the coil spring 78. This allows the user to remove the ink cartridge 30 from the cartridge mounting portion 110 by gripping the rear cover 31.

[0110] As the ink cartridge 30 moves backward, the light-shielding plate 67 separates from the light-emitting and light-receiving parts of the optical sensor 113. As a result, the signal output from the optical sensor 113 to the control unit of the printer 10 changes from a low level to a high level. Also, the light-shielding plate 62 separates from the light-emitting and light-receiving parts of the optical sensor 103. Furthermore, the space 61 and the light-shielding plate 67 pass between the light-emitting and light-receiving parts of the optical sensor 103. As a result, the signal output from the optical sensor 103 to the control unit of the printer 10 changes from a low level to a high level, then becomes low again, and then becomes high again. This allows the control unit of the printer 10 to recognize that the ink cartridge 30 has been removed from the cartridge mounting section 110.

[0111] [Effects of this embodiment] In the ink cartridge 30, the electrode group 65 is located on the upper surface 141 of the front cover 32, and the light shielding plate 62 is located on the upper surface 39 of the rear cover 31, so that ink flowing out from the ink supply unit 34 is less likely to adhere to the electrode group 65 or the light shielding plate 62.

[0112] Since the detection area 63 of the light-shielding plate 62 is located above the electrode group 65, the electrode group 65 is less likely to come into contact with the optical sensors 103 and 113 during the process of the ink cartridge 30 being installed in the cartridge mounting section 110.

[0113] Since the light-shielding plate 62 is closer to the ink supply unit 34 than the locking surface 151, even if the rear cover 31 and front cover 32 rattle up, down, left, and right with the ink supply unit 34 as a pivot point when installed, the detection area 63 of the light-shielding plate 62 is reliably detected by the optical sensor 103. A light-shielding plate 67 that can be detected by the optical sensor 113 during the process of installing the ink cartridge 30 into the cartridge mounting unit 110 can be positioned between the electrode group 65 and the light-shielding plate 62 in the front-rear direction 51, 52.

[0114] The detection area 63 of the light shielding plate 62 is located within the region enclosed by the first virtual line S1, the second virtual line S2, and the third virtual line S3 when viewed from the left and right directions 55 and 56. In other words, the detection area 63 is located inside the three places where the ink cartridge 30 physically contacts the components of the cartridge mounting part 110, namely the ink supply part 34, the electrode group 65, and the locking surface 151. Therefore, even if the rear cover 31 and the front cover 32 rattle up, down, left, and right when mounted, the detection area 63 of the light shielding plate 62 is reliably detected by the optical sensor 103.

[0115] Since the upper end 62H of the light-shielding plate 62 is located below the locking surface 151, contact between the light-shielding plate 62 and the locking surface 145 is suppressed during the process of the ink cartridge 30 being installed in the cartridge mounting section 110.

[0116] [Differentiation] As shown in Figure 12, the ink cartridge 30 may have a light-transmitting member 60 that covers the light-shielding plate 62. The light-transmitting member 60 is made of a material that transmits light from the optical sensor 103 and is preferably transparent. The light-transmitting member 60 is box-shaped with an internal space into which the light-shielding plate 62 can enter. By being placed over the light-shielding plate 62, the light-transmitting member 60 covers the left side 62L, the right side 62R, the upper end 62H, and the front surface 62F of the light-shielding plate 62. The light-transmitting member 60 is located in the space 61 between the light-shielding plate 62 and the light-shielding plate 67, and light from the optical sensor 103 is transmitted through the space 61 via the light-transmitting member 60.

[0117] In the modified version, the light-transmitting member 60 protects the light-shielding plate 62. Furthermore, the light-transmitting member 60 ensures that a space 61 is reliably formed between the light-shielding plates 62 and 67 in the front-rear directions 51, 52. For example, even if an external force is applied to the light-shielding plate 67, it will not deform in a way that blocks the space 61. As a result, both the light-shielding plate 62 and the light-shielding plate 67 are reliably detected by the optical sensor 103.

[0118] The light-transmitting member 60 may also be formed by an internal frame 35. In that case, a part of the internal frame 35 protrudes above the upper surface 39 of the rear cover 31. The light-shielding plate 62 is located in the internal space of the light-transmitting member 60 as a separate component from the rear cover 31.

[0119] In the embodiment described above, the locking surface 151 was a rearward-facing surface, but as shown in Figure 13, the locking surface 151 may be a forward-facing surface. The forward-facing locking surface 151 contacts the locking portion 145 during the insertion process, thereby positioning the ink cartridge 30 in its mounting position.

[0120] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the light-shielding plate 67 blocked the light from the optical sensor 113. In other words, the light-shielding plate 67 was positioned for the purpose of detecting whether or not the ink cartridge 30 was installed in the cartridge mounting section 110. However, the light-shielding plate 67 may be positioned for a purpose other than the above. For example, the light-shielding plate 67 may be positioned for the purpose of identifying the type of ink cartridge 30 installed in the cartridge mounting section 110 (for example, the color of the stored ink). Also, the light-shielding plate 67 does not have to be provided on the ink cartridge 30.

[0121] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the upper end 62H of the light-shielding plate 62 and the first electrode 65A intersect with the virtual plane F, but the upper end 62H of the light-shielding plate 62 and the second electrode 65B may intersect with the virtual plane F.

[0122] Furthermore, although ink is described as an example of a liquid in the embodiments described above, for example, instead of ink, a pre-treatment liquid that is dispensed onto paper or the like before the ink during printing may be stored in the liquid cartridge. Also, water for cleaning the recording head 21 may be stored in the liquid cartridge. [Explanation of symbols]

[0123] 30... Ink cartridges (liquid cartridges) 31. Rear cover (second cover) 32. Front cover (first cover) 34. Ink supply unit (liquid supply unit) 35...Internal frame (main body) 36...Storage chamber 43...Convex part (locking part) 60...Translucent member 62... Light shielding plate (plate material) 63...Detection area 64. IC board (electronic circuit board) 65A...1st electrode 65B...Second electrode 65C...Third electrode 67. Light-shielding plate (detected component) 101... Case (Cartridge Case) 103...Optical Sensor

Claims

1. A liquid cartridge that is fitted into a cartridge case, A main body having a liquid storage chamber, A liquid supply unit located on the front of the main body, which supplies the liquid stored in the liquid storage chamber to the outside, An electronic substrate having an electrode group consisting of at least three electrodes facing upward, located on the upper surface of the main body, A plate material having an attenuation surface that is located on the upper surface of the main body, behind the electrode group, and extending upward from the electrodes, and that attenuates light traveling in the left-right direction perpendicular to the front-back direction, The above-mentioned main body is provided with a positioning portion that is located on the upper surface of the main body, behind the plate material, and protrudes upward, and has a positioning surface for positioning in the front-rear direction, The above-mentioned plate material is detected by an optical sensor that emits light traveling in the left-right direction when the liquid cartridge is installed in the cartridge case, and is a resin molded product integrally molded with at least the upper surface of the main body. In the above mounting state, the detection area of ​​the attenuation surface to which the light of the optical sensor shines is located behind and above the electrode, and in front and below the positioning surface, and the liquid cartridge does not move to a position where the optical sensor cannot be detected.

2. The liquid cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the positioning surface is a surface facing backward.

3. The liquid cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the positioning surface is a surface facing forward.

4. The liquid cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the detection area is located within the region enclosed by a first virtual line that includes the center of the electrode group in the front-to-back direction and the center of the positioning surface in the vertical direction, viewed from the left and right directions, a second virtual line that includes the center of the liquid supply port of the liquid supply unit and the center of the electrode group in the front-to-back direction, and a third virtual line that includes the center of the liquid supply port and the center of the positioning surface in the vertical direction.

5. The liquid cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein both ends of the plate material in the left-right direction are located inward from both ends of the electrode group in the left-right direction.

6. The liquid cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the plate material does not come into contact with the liquid stored in the liquid storage chamber.

7. The liquid cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a light-transmitting member that covers the damping surface and at least the front and top of the plate material.

8. A member to be detected, capable of attenuating the light from the optical sensor, is located on the upper surface of the main body, behind the electrode group and in front of the plate material. The liquid cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein there is a space between the plate material and the detected member that allows light from the optical sensor to pass through.

9. The liquid cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the upper end of the plate material is located below the positioning surface.

10. The electrode group described above consists of a first electrode and a second electrode arranged in a left-right direction intersecting the vertical and front-back directions, and a third electrode located between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode are electrically connected to the cartridge case in the mounting position. The liquid cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the upper end of the plate material and the first electrode or the second electrode intersect with the same virtual plane that is parallel to the vertical and front-to-back directions.

11. The main body of the above liquid cartridge is A first cover supports the above-mentioned electronic circuit board and covers a portion of the above-mentioned liquid storage chamber, A liquid cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising a second cover having the plate material and the positioning surface.

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