Waste liquid storage container and liquid dispensing device
The waste liquid storage container effectively detects and collects leaks from multiple locations using a guided collection system, ensuring early notification and prevention of extensive leakage.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- BROTHER KOGYO KK
- Filing Date
- 2022-06-09
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-30
Smart Images
Figure 0007881999000001 
Figure 0007881999000002 
Figure 0007881999000003
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a waste liquid storage container and a liquid ejection device.
Background Art
[0002] Patent Document 1 below describes an ink tank including an ink container that stores ink and a waste ink container that is coupled to the outside of the ink container and stores waste ink. An air communication hole is formed in the upper surface of the waste ink container that faces the ink container. Further, an ink guide groove is formed in the upper surface of the waste ink container to guide the waste ink that has leaked from the air communication hole to a pair of electrodes. A configuration is described in which the waste ink that has leaked from the air communication hole contacts the pair of electrodes, and ink leakage is detected based on a change in the resistance value between the electrodes.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] In such an ink tank, although ink leakage from one location of the air communication hole in the waste ink container can be detected, there is a possibility that waste ink leaking from locations other than the air communication hole cannot be detected.
[0005] The present disclosure is made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to detect waste liquid leaking from a plurality of locations of a waste liquid storage container that stores waste liquid.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0006] To solve the above problems, a waste liquid storage container according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a bottom wall, side wall portions extending upward from each side of the bottom wall, a top surface portion provided opposite the bottom wall and having a first opening into which waste liquid can enter from above, a waste liquid absorbent packed inside to absorb waste liquid that enters through the first opening, a main guide extending downward from a first position on the periphery of the top surface portion to the bottom wall, capable of guiding waste liquid flowing from the first position downward, and a portion protruding outward from the lower end of the main guide and guiding the main guide downward The device comprises a waste liquid receiving section for receiving the waste liquid, and a side guide formed on the side wall so as to protrude outward by a predetermined first width, extending along a direction intersecting the main guide, with one end reaching the main guide. The upper surface of the side guide is inclined such that the side facing the main guide is lower, and the top surface is inclined such that, in the vertical direction, the first position of the periphery of the top surface is the lowest, and the second position of the periphery of the top surface, which is opposite the first position across the first opening, is the highest.
[0007] According to the above configuration, waste liquid that can no longer be absorbed by the waste liquid absorber and leaks from the periphery of the first opening on the top surface flows along the inclined top surface to the first position on the periphery and is guided to the main guide. Also, waste liquid that can no longer be absorbed by the waste liquid absorber and leaks from the upper side of the side wall is received by the side guide. Subsequently, the waste liquid received by the side guide flows along the upper surface of the side guide and is guided to the main guide. Then, the waste liquid that flows downwards along the main guide is received by a waste liquid receiving section that protrudes outward from the lower end of the main guide and spreads out on the waste liquid receiving section. Therefore, by detecting the presence or absence of waste liquid spread on the waste liquid receiving section, it is possible to detect waste liquid leaking from multiple locations between the first opening formed on the top surface of the waste liquid storage container and the side wall.
[0008] Furthermore, in a liquid storage container according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the main guide may have an auxiliary guide that extends downward from the edge of the side guide on the main guide side along the side edge of the main guide, and that protrudes outward from the side edge of the main guide by the first width. With the above configuration, it becomes possible to guide the waste liquid flowing on the side guide to the main guide via the auxiliary guide.
[0009] Furthermore, in a liquid storage container according to one aspect of this disclosure, the side guides may be configured to be arranged in multiples in the vertical direction of the side wall. With the above configuration, it becomes possible to provide multiple side guides according to the shape of the side wall, and it becomes possible to guide the waste liquid that has leaked from the side wall to the main guide.
[0010] Furthermore, in a liquid storage container according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the side wall portion may have a leak hole located below the first opening through which waste liquid that can no longer be absorbed by the waste liquid absorber leaks out, and the side guide may be positioned below the leak hole.
[0011] With the above configuration, even if waste liquid that can no longer be absorbed by the waste liquid absorber leaks out of the leak hole in the side wall, it can be caught by the side guide and guided to the main guide. Also, for example, if waste liquid leaks from the first opening, a considerable amount of waste liquid is stored inside the waste liquid storage container, and there is a possibility that a large amount of waste liquid will leak out. Therefore, by having the leak hole located below the first opening, it is possible to suppress the leakage of a large amount of waste liquid from the first opening.
[0012] Furthermore, in a liquid storage container according to one aspect of the present disclosure, one of the plurality of side guides may be positioned including the lower end of the side wall, and extend on both sides along the periphery of the bottom wall from a third position opposite the waste liquid receiving portion to the waste liquid receiving portion, and is inclined in the vertical direction such that the upper surface is highest at the third position and lowest at the edge on the waste liquid receiving portion side. With the above configuration, by providing a side guide on the periphery of the bottom wall, it becomes possible to reliably guide waste liquid leaking from the side wall to the waste liquid receiving portion, and it becomes possible to detect waste liquid leakage from the side wall of the waste liquid storage container at an early stage.
[0013] Furthermore, in a liquid storage container according to one aspect of this disclosure, the side guide may have a guide wall that protrudes upward to a predetermined height along its entire length from the outer edge. With this configuration, the side guide forms a groove-shaped guide groove with the guide wall and the side wall portion, so that waste liquid flowing on the side guide can be reliably guided to the main guide.
[0014] Furthermore, in a liquid storage container according to one aspect of this disclosure, the top surface may be configured such that, in a direction perpendicular to the top surface, it gradually slopes downward from the periphery towards the first opening along its entire circumference. With this configuration, waste liquid leaking from the periphery of the first opening can be smoothly collected toward the first position on the periphery of the top surface, and can be guided to the main guide at an early stage.
[0015] Furthermore, a liquid dispensing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a liquid dispensing head having a nozzle for dispensing liquid, a waste liquid storage container according to one aspect of the present disclosure having the above configuration and being insertable and removable from the main body housing for storing waste liquid discharged from the liquid dispensing head, a detection unit for detecting waste liquid flowing into the waste liquid receiving unit, a notification unit for notifying that waste liquid has leaked from the waste liquid storage container, and a control unit, wherein the control unit, when it detects waste liquid by the detection unit, notifies via the notification unit that waste liquid has leaked.
[0016] According to the above configuration, waste liquid discharged from the liquid discharge head is collected in a waste liquid storage container. Waste liquid that leaks from the top surface, the upper ends of the side walls, etc., of the waste liquid storage container flows to the main guide of the waste liquid storage container and spreads onto the waste liquid receiving section. If the waste liquid that has spread onto the waste liquid receiving section is detected by the detection unit, a notification is sent via the notification unit indicating that waste liquid has leaked. This allows the user of the liquid discharge device to be notified of waste liquid leakage from the waste liquid storage container at an early stage and to replace the waste liquid storage container.
[0017] Furthermore, in a liquid dispensing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the side guide of the waste liquid storage container may have a guide wall that protrudes upward to a predetermined height along its entire length from the outer edge. With this configuration, the side guide forms a groove-shaped guide groove with the guide wall and the side wall portion, so that the waste liquid flowing on the side guide can be reliably guided to the main guide.
[0018] Furthermore, in a liquid discharge device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the top surface of the waste liquid storage container may be configured such that, in a direction perpendicular to the top surface, it gradually slopes downward from the periphery towards the first opening along its entire circumference. With this configuration, it becomes possible to smoothly collect the waste liquid leaking from the periphery of the first opening toward the first position on the periphery of the top surface, and to guide it to the main guide at an early stage. [Effects of the Invention]
[0019] According to one aspect of this disclosure, it is possible to detect waste liquid leaking from multiple locations in a waste liquid storage container that contains waste liquid. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0020] [Figure 1] This is an example of an external perspective view of an inkjet printer according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic of the internal structure of an inkjet printer. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view of an inkjet printer from above. [Figure 4]It is a cross-sectional view taken along the IV-IV arrow in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] It is an example of an external perspective view seen from the main guide side of the waste liquid storage container. [Figure 6] It is an example of an external perspective view seen from the side opposite to the main guide of the waste liquid storage container. [Figure 7] It is an external perspective view showing an example of leakage of waste ink from the waste liquid storage container. [Figure 8] It is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the inkjet printer. [Figure 9] It is a flowchart showing an example of the waste liquid leakage detection process executed by the control device. [Figure 10] It is a partially enlarged external perspective view showing an example of the main guide of the waste liquid storage container according to Embodiment 2.
Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
[0021] [[ID=2S]] 〔Embodiment 1〕 [Schematic Configuration of Inkjet Printer 1] Hereinafter, the schematic configuration of the inkjet printer 1 according to Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the inkjet printer 1. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the outline of the internal configuration of the inkjet printer 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view in a top view of the inkjet printer 1.
[0022] The inkjet printer 1 shown in FIG. 1 is an example of a liquid ejection device. In the following description, with reference to FIG. 1, the vertical direction is defined with the installation surface side as the bottom, based on the state where the inkjet printer 1 is installed for use. Also, the front-rear direction is defined with the side where the opening 20 is provided as the front, and the left-right direction is defined with the left side as the left when viewing the inkjet printer 1 from the front. Note that the left-right direction may be referred to as the scanning direction, which is the moving direction of the carriage 40 (see FIG. 2) described later.
[0023] As shown in Figure 1, the inkjet printer 1, consisting of the main body housing 11 and the scanner housing 12 stacked above the inkjet printer 1, forms a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape overall.
[0024] The front of the main body housing 11 is provided with an operation panel 13, a cartridge cover 14, and a storage container replacement section 15. The operation panel 13 has various operation buttons and a display 13A. The cartridge cover 14 is rotatably mounted on the main body housing 11. Inside the cartridge cover 14, as shown in Figure 3, is an ink cartridge 141 mounted in a cartridge case 140.
[0025] Returning to Figure 1, an opening 20 is formed on the front of the main housing 11, and a feeding tray 21 and an output tray 22, which are examples of sheet storage sections, are detachably attached to the inkjet printer 1 through the opening 20 formed on the front of the main housing 11. The scanner housing 12 has a scanner (not shown) that reads images recorded on a sheet P as an object.
[0026] The storage container replacement section 15 is provided on the left and right sides of the main housing 11. In this embodiment, it is provided on the left side. The storage container replacement section 15 consists of a rotatable lid member 151 and a storage section 152 (see Figure 3) that can accommodate the waste liquid storage container 60, which is exposed when the lid member 151 is opened. In other words, the storage container replacement section 15 is configured so that the waste liquid storage container 60 can be inserted into and removed from the main housing 11 by opening and closing the lid member 151.
[0027] The storage section 152 is configured to match the shape of the waste liquid storage container 60, and the inside of the main housing 11 in the insertion / removal direction is provided with a wall against which the side surface of the waste liquid storage container 60 abuts. This wall restricts the inward movement of the waste liquid storage container 60.
[0028] The storage container replacement section 15 is not limited to a configuration that opens and closes the lid member 151. For example, it may be configured to insert and remove a waste liquid storage container unit that is detachable from the main housing 11 by means of a waste liquid storage container 60 and a tank holding portion of the waste liquid storage container 60 having a lid member 151. In this case, when the waste liquid storage container unit is removed from the main housing 11, an opening corresponding to the shape of the waste liquid storage container unit is exposed in the storage container replacement section 15.
[0029] Furthermore, when the waste liquid storage container unit is inserted into the exposed opening, the exposed opening is closed by the lid member 151 of the waste liquid storage container unit. Note that the location where the storage container replacement section 15 is provided is not limited to the left-right side of the main body housing 11. For example, it may be provided on the front-rear surface of the main body housing 11, or on the top-down surface of the main body housing 11. Also, in the following description, the direction in which the waste liquid storage container 60 is inserted and removed may be referred to as the insertion / removal direction.
[0030] [Internal configuration of inkjet printer 1] Next, the internal configuration of the inkjet printer 1 will be explained using Figures 2 and 3. As shown in Figure 2, the inkjet printer 1 comprises a feeding unit 3, a recording unit 4, and a transport mechanism 5.
[0031] The feeding unit 3 includes a shaft 30, a feeding arm 31, and a feeding roller 32. The feeding unit 3 feeds the sheet P contained in the feeding tray 21 to the transport path R1, which is an example of a paper transport path, by the forward rotation of the feeding roller 32. The feeding roller 32 is rotatably supported at the tip of the feeding arm 31. The feeding arm 31 is rotatably supported on the shaft 30, which is supported on the frame of the inkjet printer 1. The feeding arm 31 is biased to rotate toward the feeding tray 21 by its own weight or by an elastic force such as a spring.
[0032] The transport path R1 extends upward from the rear end of the feed tray 21, curves in the area demarcated by the guide member 33, passes through the recording unit 4, and leads to the discharge tray 22. The feed roller 32 rotates in the forward direction when the feed motor 107 (see Figure 8) is driven by the control device 100 (see Figure 8), and takes out sheets P one by one from the feed tray 21. The sheets P taken out from the feed tray 21 are sent along the transport path R1 and supplied to the recording unit 4.
[0033] The recording unit 4 is positioned above the feeding unit 3. The recording unit 4 includes a carriage 40, a recording head 41 which is an example of a liquid discharge head, a plurality of nozzles 42, and a platen 43. The carriage 40 is supported by guide rails 9A and 9B which extend in the left-right direction. The carriage 40 moves back and forth in the scanning direction, which is the direction of movement from left to right, i.e., in the width direction of the sheet P being transported, by the driving force transmitted from the carriage motor 112 (see Figure 8).
[0034] In recording an image onto sheet P, the control device 100 of the inkjet printer 1 repeatedly performs a recording process to record one line of image onto sheet P, and a transport process to transport sheet P by a predetermined amount by driving the transport roller 50 and the discharge roller 52. In the recording process, while sheet P is stopped, the control device 100 moves the carriage 40 in the width direction of sheet P and ejects ink from the nozzle 42 of the recording head 41 to record one line of image onto sheet P.
[0035] A recording head 41 is mounted on the carriage 40. Multiple nozzles 42 are provided on the underside of the recording head 41. As shown in Figure 3, the multiple nozzles 42 are arranged in the front-to-back direction to form nozzle rows, and four nozzle rows are formed on the nozzle surface 421, arranged in the left-to-right direction. Black, yellow, cyan, and magenta inks are ejected from the multiple nozzles 42 in the order of the nozzle row located on the right. Note that the arrangement order of the nozzle rows is not limited to this and may be changed as appropriate for each product. The recording head 41 ejects ink droplets from the nozzles 42 by vibrating a vibrating element such as a piezoelectric element.
[0036] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the platen 43 is located below the recording head 41 and extends along the entire length of the sheet P in the left-right direction. The platen 43 supports the sheet P from below during the recording process. As the carriage 40 moves over the sheet P supported by the platen 43, the recording head 41 selectively ejects ink droplets, thereby recording an image on the sheet P.
[0037] The conveying mechanism 5 has a conveying roller 50 and a discharge roller 52, which are positioned front to back so as to sandwich the carriage 40 and platen 43 in the front-rear direction. Below the conveying roller 50, a pinch roller 51 is provided at a position opposite to the conveying roller 50. The conveying roller 50 is driven by a conveying motor 108 (see Figure 8). The pinch roller 51 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the conveying roller 50. As the conveying roller 50 and the pinch roller 51 rotate in the forward direction, the sheet P is held between the conveying roller 50 and the pinch roller 51 and conveyed along the conveying path R1 to the recording unit 4.
[0038] The discharge roller 52 is positioned downstream of the conveyor roller 50, with the carriage 40 and platen 43 in between. Above the discharge roller 52, a spur roller 53 is provided in a position opposite to the discharge roller 52. The discharge roller 52 is driven by the conveyor motor 108 (see Figure 8). The spur roller 53 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the discharge roller 52. As the discharge roller 52 and the spur roller 53 rotate in the forward direction, the sheet P is gripped by the discharge roller 52 and the spur roller 53 and discharged to the discharge tray 22.
[0039] In the above configuration, the inkjet printer 1 prints an image on the sheet P by transporting the sheet P in the transport direction with the transport mechanism 5, while simultaneously moving the recording head 41 in the scanning direction together with the carriage 40 and ejecting ink.
[0040] [Cartridge Case 140] Next, the cartridge case 140 will be described using Figure 3. As shown in Figure 3, the cartridge case 140 has four ink cartridges 141 arranged in a left-to-right direction. Each ink cartridge 141 is removable from the cartridge case 140. Each ink cartridge 141 stores black, yellow, cyan, and magenta ink, respectively. The ink stored in each ink cartridge 141 is supplied to the recording head 41 via the supply tube 142.
[0041] [Maintenance Unit 8] Next, the maintenance unit 8 will be described using Figure 3. As shown in Figure 3, the inkjet printer 1 is equipped with a maintenance unit 8. The maintenance unit 8 comprises a cap 80, a pump 81, and a tube 82. The maintenance unit 8 is located below the scanning path of the carriage 40 and is positioned outside the platen 43 in the scanning direction. In this embodiment, it is located on the right side in the left-right direction. However, the position of the maintenance unit 8 is not limited to the right side; it may also be located on the left side. In this case, the waste liquid storage container 60 and the flushing unit 70 will be located on the right side.
[0042] The cap 80 is made of rubber. The cap 80 is located below the recording head 41 and outside the platen 43 in the scanning direction. When the carriage 40 is moved to a maintenance position outside the platen 43, the cap 80 and the nozzle surface 421 face each other.
[0043] The cap 80 is configured to be movable vertically by, for example, a lifting mechanism (not shown). When the cap 80 moves upward in the maintenance position, it comes into close contact with the nozzle surface 421. The pump 81 is, for example, a rotary tube pump. Driven by a motor (not shown), the pump 81 sucks ink etc. from the nozzle 42 through the cap 80 and tube 82 and discharges it through tube 82 to the waste liquid box 83. The waste liquid box 83 is located outside the pump 81 in the left-right direction.
[0044] Tube 82 is a channel for transferring ink discharged from the maintenance unit 8, and connects the cap 80 and the waste ink box 83. Tube 82 is made of a flexible material and transfers ink from the cap 80 to the waste ink box 83 via the pump 81.
[0045] The maintenance unit 8 performs maintenance on the recording head 41 with the configuration described above. More specifically, the maintenance unit 8 performs a purging operation to suck up ink and air from inside the nozzle 42, and foreign matter adhering to the opening formed on the underside of the nozzle 42. Hereinafter, the ink and air inside the nozzle 42, and foreign matter adhering to the opening of the nozzle 42 will be referred to as "ink, etc." The ink, etc. removed by the maintenance unit 8 is stored in the waste liquid box 83.
[0046] [Waste liquid storage container 60 and flushing unit 70] Next, the waste liquid storage container 60 and flushing unit 70 according to Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in Figure 3, and is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the waste liquid storage container 60 and the flushing unit 70. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the waste liquid storage container 60 and the flushing unit 70 are located below the recording head 41 and are positioned outside the platen 43 in the scanning direction.
[0047] More specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the waste liquid storage container 60 and the flushing unit 70 are positioned opposite the maintenance unit 8 across the transport path R1 in the horizontal direction parallel to the nozzle surface 421. The waste liquid storage container 60 and the flushing unit 70 are positioned on the left side of the transport path R1, with the maintenance unit 8 positioned on the right side in the left-right direction. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the waste liquid storage container 60 is positioned below the flushing unit 70 in the vertical direction.
[0048] [Flushing Unit 70] As shown in Figure 4, the flushing unit 70 includes a waste liquid guide 71 and a guide fixing frame 72 for fixing the waste liquid guide 71. The flushing unit 70 is configured to prevent mist scattering of ink discharged from the nozzle 42 during the flushing process and to guide the waste liquid discharged as waste ink that was not used for printing to the waste liquid storage container 60.
[0049] The flushing process involves moving the carriage 40 to a position opposite the flushing unit 70 and then driving the recording head 41 to eject ink from multiple nozzles 42 toward the waste liquid guide 71. The waste liquid guide 71 has an inclined surface 710 that intersects the vertical direction, which is the direction of ink ejection, in order to prevent mist scattering of the ink ejected during the flushing process. The inclined surface 710 is configured to have an upward slope from left to right, for example, as shown in Figure 4.
[0050] When the waste ink ejected by the flushing process hits the inclined surface 710 of the waste liquid guide 71, it is guided along the inclined surface 710 to a first opening 63 (see Figure 5), which is roughly rectangular in plan view and is provided on the top surface 62 of the waste liquid storage container 60. The guide fixing frame 72 is a frame that fixes the waste liquid guide 71 and is configured to be roughly rectangular in shape when viewed from above. The guide fixing frame 72 is fixed to the main body housing 11, for example, by fastening screws to the main body housing 11.
[0051] [Waste liquid storage container 60] Next, the waste liquid storage container 60 will be explained using Figures 3 to 7. Figure 5 is an external perspective view of the waste liquid storage container 60 when it is installed in the housing section 152 of the inkjet printer 1, viewed from the left front. Figure 6 is an external perspective view of the waste liquid storage container 60 when it is installed in the housing section 152 of the inkjet printer 1, viewed from the right rear. Figure 7 is an external perspective view showing an example of waste liquid (waste ink) leaking from the waste liquid storage container 60.
[0052] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the resin waste liquid storage container 60 has a roughly rectangular shape in plan view and has a waste liquid storage chamber 61 inside that can store waste liquid. The waste liquid storage chamber 61 is filled with a waste liquid absorbent 65 that absorbs waste liquid that enters through a roughly rectangular first opening 63 formed in the top surface 62. The waste liquid absorbent 65 is made of, for example, a nonwoven fabric, sponge, or cotton that can absorb waste liquid.
[0053] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the waste liquid storage container 60 has a first storage section 60A located above in the vertical direction, and a second storage section 60B located below the first storage section 60A, through which the first storage section 60A and the internal waste liquid storage chamber 61 are in communication. Furthermore, the right and rear sides of the waste liquid storage container 60, and the portion above the second storage section 60B, are formed as stepped sections 64 that are roughly L-shaped in plan view. Due to the presence of these stepped sections 64, the second storage section 60B is formed to be larger than the first storage section 60A in plan view.
[0054] Specifically, as shown in Figures 4 to 6, the waste liquid storage container 60 consists of a main body case portion 91 and a lid portion 92 that closes the main body case portion 91 from above. The main body case portion 91 has a bottom wall portion 66 that is substantially rectangular in plan view and forms the bottom surface of the second storage portion 60B. The main body case portion 91 also has side wall portions 67A to 67D that extend upward from the front, rear, left, and right sides of the bottom wall portion 66 to a predetermined height (for example, a height of approximately 30 mm). Therefore, each of the side wall portions 67A to 67D constitutes the side walls around the box-shaped second storage portion 60B.
[0055] Furthermore, the main body case portion 91 has a side wall portion 68A that extends upward to a predetermined height (for example, a height of approximately 50 mm) from the upper edge of the front side wall portion 67A, from the corner where the side wall portion 67A and the side wall portion 67C intersect to approximately two-thirds of the way to the right. Therefore, the side wall portion 68A constitutes the front side wall of the first storage portion 60A that protrudes upward from the second storage portion 60B.
[0056] Furthermore, the main body case portion 91 has a side wall portion 68B that extends upward to a predetermined height (for example, a height of approximately 50 mm) from the upper edge of the left side wall portion 67C, from the corner where the side wall portions 67A and 67C intersect to approximately 3 / 5 of the rear portion. The upper end of the side wall portion 68B is formed at the same height as the upper end of the side wall portion 68A. Therefore, the side wall portion 68B constitutes the left side wall of the first storage portion 60A that protrudes upward from the second storage portion 60B.
[0057] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, at the corners where the front side walls 67A and 68A of the main case 91 intersect with the left side walls 67C and 68B, a narrow, elongated, and planar main guide 93 is formed, connected by a plane of a predetermined width (for example, approximately 3 mm to 5 mm in width). The main guide 93 extends downward from the upper end of the corner where the front side walls 67A and 68A intersect with the left side walls 67C and 68B down to the bottom wall 66.
[0058] A waste liquid receiving section 95, which is roughly rectangular in shape when viewed from above, is formed at the lower end of the main guide 93. The waste liquid receiving section 95 has approximately the same thickness as the bottom wall section 66 and extends outward from the lower end of the main guide 93 at a nearly right angle to the front and left, with a predetermined first width W1 (for example, W1 = 5 mm to 10 mm). As shown in Figures 3 and 5, a media sensor 94 is arranged in the main body housing 11 of the inkjet printer 1 to detect waste liquid that has flowed onto the waste liquid receiving section 95. The media sensor 94 functions as an example of a detection unit.
[0059] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 to 6, the lid portion 92 is provided opposite the bottom wall portion 66 and has a substantially rectangular top surface portion 62 in a plan view of the first storage portion 60A. The lid portion 92 also has a side wall portion 68C that extends downward from the right side edge of the top surface portion 62 to the left side wall portion 68B for a predetermined height (for example, a height of approximately 50 mm). The lid portion 92 also has a side wall portion 68D that extends downward from the rear side edge of the top surface portion 62 to the front side wall portion 68A for a predetermined height (for example, a height of approximately 50 mm).
[0060] Furthermore, the lid portion 92 has flange portions 69 that extend outward from the lower edges of each side wall portion 68C, 68D. The flange portions 69 extend from the lower edges of each side wall portion 68C, 68D in the rightward and rearward directions at approximately right angles to each side wall portion 68C, 68D, and close the upper end of the main body case portion 91. The flange portions 69 are formed in an approximately L-shape in plan view. Therefore, a stepped portion 64 is formed by the lower edges of each side wall portion 68A, 68B and the flange portions 69. Multiple locking claws 69A that protrude outward to a predetermined height (for example, a height of approximately 2 mm to 3 mm) are provided on the left, rear, and right peripheral portions of the flange portions 69.
[0061] Furthermore, on the upper edge of each side wall portion 67C, 67B, and 67D of the main case portion 91, a plurality of locking holes 96 are formed at positions opposite to each locking claw 69A, into which each locking claw 69A engages. The lid portion 92 is pressed against the upper edge of each side wall portion 68A and 68B of the main case portion 91, with the front and left side edges of the top surface portion 62 pressed against it. Then, with the top surface portion 62 pressed against it, the lid portion 92 is attached to the main case portion 91 by engaging each locking claw 69A formed on the periphery of the flange portion 69 with each locking claw into the locking hole 96 opposite to the 69A.
[0062] Furthermore, the top surface 62 is inclined such that, in the vertical direction, the first corner 62A that abuts the upper end of the main guide 93 is the lowest, and the second corner 62B that is opposite the first corner 62A across the first opening 63 is the highest. The first corner 62A is connected by a plane of a predetermined width (for example, a width of approximately 3 mm to 5 mm) to form a plane that is continuous with the upper end of the main guide 93. The first corner 62A functions as an example of a first position. The second corner 62B functions as an example of a second position.
[0063] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the top surface 62 is recessed in the axial direction of the axis 62C perpendicular to the top surface 62, gradually sloping downward from the periphery of the top surface 62 all the way towards the first opening 63. This makes it possible to smoothly collect waste liquid leaking from the periphery of the first opening 63 toward the first corner 62A of the top surface 62, and to guide it to the main guide 93 at an early stage.
[0064] As a result, as shown in Figure 7, the waste liquid leaking from the periphery of the first opening 63 formed in the top surface 62 flows from the first corner 62A to the main guide 93, as indicated by the thick black line. Subsequently, the waste liquid that flows into the main guide 93 flows downward and reaches the waste liquid receiving section 95. The waste liquid that flows into the waste liquid receiving section 95 then spreads out on the waste liquid receiving section 95 and becomes detectable by the media sensor 94.
[0065] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 to 6, the main body case portion 91 has a first side guide 97 with a substantially rectangular cross-section that is formed to protrude outward along the periphery of the bottom wall portion 66 with a predetermined first width W1 (for example, W1 = 5 mm to 10 mm). As shown in Figure 6, the first side guide 97 extends on both sides along the periphery of the bottom wall portion 66 to the waste liquid receiving portion 95, from the third corner portion 66A where the right side wall portion 67D and the rear side wall portion 67B intersect, which are opposite the waste liquid receiving portion 95.
[0066] In other words, the first side guide 97 is formed around the entire circumference of the bottom wall portion 66 and is connected to the waste liquid receiving portion 95 at both side edges of the lower end of the main guide 93. Therefore, the first side guide 97 is positioned to include the lower ends of each side wall portion 67A to 67D. The third corner portion 66A functions as an example of the third position.
[0067] Furthermore, the upper surface portion 97A of the first side guide 97 is inclined such that, in the vertical direction, the corner protruding outward from the third corner portion 66A facing the waste liquid receiving portion 95 is the highest point, and the edge on the waste liquid receiving portion 95 side is the lowest point. The inclination angle is, for example, about 5 to 15 degrees. This allows waste liquid leaking from the locking holes 96 etc. formed in each side wall portion 67A to 67D of the main body case portion 91 to be received by the upper surface portion 97A of the first side guide 97 and reliably guided to the waste liquid receiving portion 95.
[0068] Therefore, as shown in Figure 7, waste liquid leaking from the locking holes 96 etc. formed in each side wall portion 67A to 67D of the main body case portion 91 flows onto the upper surface portion 97A of the first side guide 97, as shown by the thick black line. Subsequently, the waste liquid that has flowed onto the upper surface portion 97A of the first side guide 97 flows along the slope of the upper surface portion 97A and reaches the waste liquid receiving portion 95. The waste liquid that has flowed into the waste liquid receiving portion 95 then spreads out on the waste liquid receiving portion 95 and becomes detectable by the media sensor 94.
[0069] In Figure 5, a step is provided between each end of the first side guide 97 on the waste liquid receiving portion 95 side and the waste liquid receiving portion 95, but this step may be omitted. In other words, the ends of the first side guide 97 on the waste liquid receiving portion 95 side and the side edges of the waste liquid receiving portion 95 may be formed to be continuous with the same thickness.
[0070] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, multiple (e.g., three) waste liquid leakage holes 75 of a predetermined diameter (e.g., approximately 1 mm to 2 mm in diameter) penetrate the upper end of the side wall portion 68A, at a position below the first opening 63. The multiple waste liquid leakage holes 75 are arranged to converge approximately in the center of the side wall portion 68A in the left-right direction, so that waste liquid that can no longer be absorbed by the waste liquid absorber 65 leaks out before it leaks from the first opening 63.
[0071] Furthermore, a rib-shaped second side guide 98 is positioned below the waste liquid leak hole 75, projecting outward at approximately a right angle from the side wall portion 68A with a predetermined first width W1 (for example, W1 = 5 mm to 10 mm). The second side guide 98 extends in a direction intersecting the main guide 93, that is, along the left-right direction, with one end on the left reaching the main guide 93 and the other end on the right reaching the right side edge of the side wall portion 68A. The upper surface portion 98A of the second side guide 98 is inclined such that the side facing the main guide 93 is lower, that is, from the other end on the right to the one end on the left. The inclination angle is, for example, about 5 to 15 degrees.
[0072] Furthermore, the second side guide 98 has a guide wall 98B that protrudes from its outer edge. The guide wall 98B is formed to protrude upward at approximately a right angle to a predetermined height (for example, a height of about 3 mm to 5 mm) along the entire length of the outer edge of the second side guide 98. In addition, a rib-shaped auxiliary guide 76 is formed that extends downward from the edge of the second side guide 98 on the main guide 93 side, along the right side edge of the main guide 93.
[0073] The auxiliary guide 76 protrudes outward from the right side edge of the main guide 93 with a predetermined first width W1 (for example, W1 = 5 mm to 10 mm). In addition, a gap of a predetermined height (for example, a height of approximately 3 mm to 5 mm) is formed between the lower end of the auxiliary guide 76 and the end of the first side guide 97 on the main guide 93 side.
[0074] As a result, the second side guide 98 forms a groove-shaped guide groove with its guide wall 98B and side wall portion 68A. Therefore, waste liquid leaking from multiple waste liquid leakage holes 75, etc., and flowing onto the upper surface portion 98A of the second side guide 98 can be reliably guided towards the main guide 93. In addition, waste liquid flowing on the upper surface portion 98A of the second side guide 98 can be guided to the main guide 93 via the auxiliary guide 76.
[0075] Therefore, as shown in Figure 7, waste liquid leaking from the multiple waste liquid leakage holes 75 etc. formed above the side wall portion 68A flows onto the upper surface portion 98A of the second side guide 98, as shown by the thick black line. Subsequently, the waste liquid that has flowed onto the upper surface portion 98A of the second side guide 98 flows along the slope of the upper surface portion 98A and reaches the right side edge of the main guide 93 and the upper end of the auxiliary guide 76. Then, the waste liquid flows downward from the right side edge of the main guide 93 and the upper end of the auxiliary guide 76 and reaches the waste liquid receiving portion 95. The waste liquid that has flowed into the waste liquid receiving portion 95 spreads out on the waste liquid receiving portion 95 and becomes detectable by the media sensor 94.
[0076] Furthermore, the first side guide 97 and the second side guide 98 are positioned vertically on the respective side walls 67A and 68A of the main body case 91. This allows the waste liquid leaking from the waste liquid leakage holes 75, etc., to be guided to the main guide 93 at the respective side walls 67A and 68A of the main body case 91.
[0077] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 to 6, a rib-shaped third side guide 99 is positioned slightly below the upper end of the side wall portion 68B, for example, about 5 mm to 10 mm below. The third side guide 99 is formed to protrude outward at approximately a right angle from the side wall portion 68B with a predetermined first width W1 (for example, W1 = 5 mm to 10 mm).
[0078] The third side guide 99 extends in a direction intersecting the main guide 93, that is, along the front-to-back direction, with one front end reaching the main guide 93 and the other rear end reaching the rear side edge of the side wall portion 68B. The upper surface portion 99A of the third side guide 99 is inclined such that the side facing the main guide 93 is lower, that is, from the other rear end towards the front end. The inclination angle is, for example, about 5 to 15 degrees.
[0079] Furthermore, the third side guide 99 has a guide wall 99B that protrudes from its outer edge. The guide wall 99B is formed to protrude upward at approximately a right angle to a predetermined height (for example, a height of about 3 mm to 5 mm) along the entire length of the outer edge of the third side guide 99. In addition, a rib-shaped auxiliary guide 77 is formed from the edge of the third side guide 99 on the main guide 93 side, extending downward along the left side edge of the main guide 93.
[0080] The auxiliary guide 77 protrudes outward from the left side edge of the main guide 93 by a predetermined first width W1 (for example, W1 = 5 mm to 10 mm). In addition, a gap of a predetermined height (for example, a height of approximately 3 mm to 5 mm) is formed between the lower end of the auxiliary guide 77 and the end of the first side guide 97 on the main guide 93 side.
[0081] As a result, the third side guide 99 forms a groove-shaped guide groove with its guide wall 99B and side wall portion 68B. Therefore, waste liquid that leaks from the upper edge of the side wall portion 68B and flows onto the upper surface portion 99A of the third side guide 99 can be reliably guided towards the main guide 93. In addition, waste liquid flowing on the upper surface portion 99A of the third side guide 99 can be guided to the main guide 93 via the auxiliary guide 77.
[0082] Therefore, as shown in Figure 7, the waste liquid leaking from the upper edge of the side wall portion 68B flows onto the upper surface portion 99A of the third side guide 99, as indicated by the thick black line. Subsequently, the waste liquid that has flowed onto the upper surface portion 99A of the third side guide 99 flows along the slope of the upper surface portion 99A and reaches the left side edge of the main guide 93 and the upper end of the auxiliary guide 77. Then, the waste liquid flows downward from the left side edge of the main guide 93 and the upper end of the auxiliary guide 77 and reaches the waste liquid receiving portion 95. The waste liquid that has flowed into the waste liquid receiving portion 95 spreads out on the waste liquid receiving portion 95 and becomes detectable by the media sensor 94.
[0083] Furthermore, the first side guide 97 and the third side guide 99 are positioned vertically on the respective side walls 67C and 68B of the main body case 91. This allows the waste liquid leaking from the upper end of the side wall 68B, the locking hole 96, etc., of the main body case 91 to be guided to the main guide 93.
[0084] [Electrical configuration of inkjet printer 1] Figure 8 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the inkjet printer 1. As shown in Figure 8, in addition to the parts described above, the inkjet printer 1 includes a control device 100, a feed motor 107, a transport motor 108, a carriage motor 112, and a communication interface (I / F) 130.
[0085] The control device 100 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 102, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 103, an EEPROM (registered trademark) 104, and an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 105, which are connected by an internal bus 106.
[0086] ROM 102 stores programs and other information for the CPU 101 to control various operations. RAM 103 is used as a storage area for temporarily recording data and signals used by the CPU 101 when executing the above programs, or as a work area for data processing. EEPROM 104 stores setting information that should be retained even after the power is turned off. The control device 100 controls the feed motor 107, transport motor 108, carriage motor 112, recording head 41, etc., based on the control program read from ROM 102.
[0087] The ASIC105 is connected to a feed motor 107, a transport motor 108, a carriage motor 112, a recording head 41, an operation panel 13, a media sensor 94, a display 13A, and a communication interface 130, among others.
[0088] The ASIC 105 supplies drive current to the feed motor 107, the transport motor 108, and the carriage motor 112. The control device 100 controls the rotation of the feed motor 107, the transport motor 108, and the carriage motor 112, for example, by PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control. The control device 100 also causes ink droplets to be ejected from the nozzle 42 by applying a drive voltage to the vibrating element of the recording head 41. The communication I / F 130 is connected to a network such as a LAN and enables connection to an external device such as a PC with a driver for the inkjet printer 1 installed. The inkjet printer 1 can receive print jobs via the communication I / F 130.
[0089] When recording onto sheet P, the control device 100 transports sheet P in the transport direction using the transport mechanism 5, and while moving the recording head 41 in the scanning direction together with the carriage 40, ejects ink to record an image onto sheet P. The control device 100 also displays various information on the display 13A to inform the user. Furthermore, as described later, the control device 100 detects waste liquid that has flowed into the waste liquid receiving section 95 of the waste liquid storage container 60 via the media sensor 94 and warns the user via the display 13A. The control device 100 functions as an example of a control unit. The display 13A functions as an example of a notification unit. The media sensor 94 functions as an example of a detection unit.
[0090] The media sensor 94 is a reflective type light sensor. The reflective type light sensor is equipped with a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, and its focal length (distance to the detection target) and the emission angle of the light-emitting element are set so that light emitted from the light-emitting element is incident on the light-receiving element when it is reflected from the detection target (for example, the waste liquid receiving section 94). As a result, the media sensor 94 can detect the color density on the waste liquid receiving section 94, which is the detection target. Therefore, it is preferable that the main body case 91 be made of white resin. This allows the media sensor 94 to effectively detect the change in color density when the waste liquid receiving section 95 changes from white to ink color.
[0091] [Example of wastewater leak detection process] Next, an example of waste liquid leak detection processing performed by the control device 100 of the inkjet printer 1 configured as described above will be explained with reference to Figure 9. Figure 9 is a flowchart showing an example of waste liquid leak detection processing performed by the control device 100. The processing shown in Figure 9 is performed by the control device 100 at predetermined intervals after the power switch is set to ON (as shown in the diagram). The predetermined interval is, for example, between one hour and several hours.
[0092] As shown in Figure 9, the control device 100 first emits light from the light-emitting element of the media sensor 94 and irradiates the waste liquid receiving section 95 of the waste liquid storage container 60, which is the target of detection, and receives the reflected light reflected from the waste liquid receiving section 95 with the light-receiving element of the media sensor 94 (S11). Subsequently, the control device 100 stores the output value of the electrical signal output from the media sensor 94 (hereinafter referred to as the "sensor output value") in the RAM 103 (S12).
[0093] Next, the control device 100 compares the sensor output value stored in the RAM 103 with a predetermined threshold value to determine whether the sensor output value is equal to or greater than the threshold value (S13). This threshold value is density value information used to identify when the color density of the waste liquid receiving section 95 has changed from, for example, white to ink color, and is stored in the ROM 102 in advance. If the sensor output value is equal to or greater than the threshold value, it means that the waste liquid receiving section 95 has changed to ink color, that is, that waste liquid leakage has occurred. If the sensor output value is less than the threshold value, it means that the waste liquid receiving section 95 has not yet reached the threshold density, that is, that waste liquid leakage has not occurred.
[0094] In step S13, if the control device 100 determines that the sensor output value is below the threshold (S13: NO), it determines that no waste liquid leak has occurred and terminates the waste liquid leak detection process. On the other hand, in step S13, if the control device 100 determines that the sensor output value is above the threshold (S13: YES), it determines that a waste liquid leak has occurred and displays a warning on the display 13A indicating that waste ink has leaked from the waste liquid storage container 60 (S14). For example, the control device 100 displays a message on the display 13A prompting the replacement of the waste liquid storage container 60, such as "Ink is leaking from the waste liquid storage container. Please replace it." After that, the control device 100 terminates the waste liquid leak detection process.
[0095] The control device 100 may also display a message on the display 13A prompting the user to replace the waste liquid storage container 60 before the recording head 41 starts printing on the sheet P. Furthermore, if the control device 100 displays a message on the display 13A prompting the user to replace the waste liquid storage container 60, it may cancel the printing on the sheet P by the recording head 41.
[0096] [Effects of Embodiment 1] In the waste liquid storage container 60 of the inkjet printer 1 of Embodiment 1 described above, waste liquid that can no longer be absorbed by the waste liquid absorber 65 and leaks from the periphery of the first opening 63 of the top surface 62 flows along the inclined top surface 62 to the first corner 62A and is guided to the main guide 93. In addition, waste liquid that can no longer be absorbed by the waste liquid absorber 65 and leaks from the upper side of the side wall 68B is received by the third side guide 99. Furthermore, waste liquid that leaks from the multiple waste liquid leakage holes 75 is received by the second side guide 98.
[0097] Next, the waste liquid received by each side guide 98, 99 flows along the upper surfaces 98A, 99A of each side guide 98, 99 and is guided to the main guide 93. Then, the waste liquid that flows downward through the main guide 93 is received by a waste liquid receiving section 95 that protrudes outward from the lower end of the main guide 93 and spreads out on the waste liquid receiving section 95. Therefore, by detecting the presence or absence of waste liquid spread on the waste liquid receiving section 95, it is possible to detect waste liquid leaking from multiple locations between the first opening 63 formed in the top surface 62 of the waste liquid storage container 60 and each side wall section 68A, 68B.
[0098] Furthermore, the main guide 93 has auxiliary guides 76 and 77 that extend downward from the edge of each side guide 98 and 99 on the main guide 93 side along the left and right side edges of the main guide 93, and that project outward from the side edges of the main guide 93 with a first width W1. This makes it possible to guide the waste liquid flowing over each side guide 98 and 99 to the main guide 93 via the auxiliary guides 76 and 77.
[0099] Furthermore, even if waste liquid that can no longer be absorbed by the waste liquid absorber 65 leaks out of the multiple leak holes 75 in the side wall portion 68A, it can be caught by the second side guide 98 and guided to the main guide 93. Also, for example, if waste liquid leaks from the first opening 63, a considerable amount of waste liquid is stored inside the waste liquid storage container 60, and there is a possibility that a large amount of waste liquid will leak out. Therefore, by having each leak hole 75 located below the first opening 63, it is possible to suppress the leakage of a large amount of waste liquid from the first opening 63.
[0100] Furthermore, by providing a first side guide 97 on the periphery of the bottom wall portion 66, it becomes possible to reliably guide the waste liquid leaking from the locking holes 96 etc. provided in each side wall portion 67B to 67D to the waste liquid receiving portion 95. This makes it possible to detect waste liquid leakage from each side wall portion 67A to 67D of the waste liquid storage container 60 at an early stage.
[0101] Furthermore, the second side guide 98 and the third side guide 99 form groove-shaped guide grooves with their respective guide walls 98B, 99B and side wall portions 68A, 68B, thereby reliably guiding the waste liquid flowing over each side guide 98, 99 to the main guide 93.
[0102] Furthermore, the top surface 62 is recessed in a direction perpendicular to the top surface 62, gradually sloping downward from the periphery towards the first opening 63 along its entire circumference. This allows waste liquid leaking from the periphery of the first opening 63 to be smoothly collected toward the first corner 62A of the periphery of the top surface 62, enabling it to be guided to the main guide 93 at an early stage.
[0103] Furthermore, the flushing process causes the waste liquid discharged from the recording head 41 to be collected in the waste liquid storage container 60. Then, any waste liquid leaking from the top surface 62, the multiple leak holes 75 on the side wall 68A, the upper end of the side wall 68B, and the various locking holes 96 of the waste liquid storage container 60 flows to the main guide 93 of the waste liquid storage container 60 and spreads onto the waste liquid receiving section 95. If the waste liquid spread on the waste liquid receiving section 95 is detected by the media sensor 94, a notification that waste liquid has leaked is sent via the display 13A. This allows the user of the inkjet printer 1 to be notified of waste liquid leakage from the waste liquid storage container 60 early and to replace the waste liquid storage container 60.
[0104] [Embodiment 2] [Waste liquid storage container 160] Next, the waste liquid storage container 160 according to Embodiment 2 will be described with reference to Figure 10. For the sake of convenience, components having the same function as those described in Embodiment 1 will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will not be repeated. Figure 10 is a partially enlarged external perspective view showing an example of the main guide 162 of the waste liquid storage container 160 according to Embodiment 2.
[0105] The waste liquid storage container 160 according to Embodiment 2 differs from Embodiment 1 in that, as shown in Figure 10, a main guide 162 is formed at the corner where the side walls 67A, 68A and the side walls 67C, 68B intersect, instead of the main guide 93 according to Embodiment 1.
[0106] As shown in Figure 10, the main guide 162 is formed as a narrow, elongated groove that curves inward in a roughly semicircular or arc shape, with the same predetermined width as the main guide 93 (for example, a width of approximately 3 mm to 5 mm). The main guide 162 extends downward from the upper end of the corner where each side wall portion 67A, 68A and the left side wall portions 67C, 68B intersect, down to the bottom wall portion 66. At the lower end of the main guide 162, a waste liquid receiving portion 95, which is roughly rectangular in plan view, is formed. The waste liquid receiving portion 95 is formed with approximately the same thickness as the bottom wall portion 66, with a predetermined first width W1 (for example, W1 = 5 mm to 10 mm) in the forward and left directions, extending outward at a roughly right angle from the lower end of the main guide 162.
[0107] The top surface portion 62 of the lid portion 92 is formed such that the first corner portion 62A, which is the lowest in the vertical direction, is recessed inward in a roughly semicircular or arc shape with the same predetermined width as the main guide 162 (for example, a width of about 3 mm to 5 mm), forming a groove that is continuous with the upper end of the main guide 162.
[0108] The waste liquid storage container 160 according to Embodiment 2 described above can achieve the same effects as the waste liquid storage container 60 according to Embodiment 1. Furthermore, the first corner 62A of the top surface 62 and the main guide 162 are formed to be recessed inward in a substantially semicircular or arc shape. As a result, the waste liquid that leaks from the periphery of the first opening 63 and is collected at the first corner 62A of the top surface 62 is guided to flow downward while being collected at the bottom surface at the back of the first corner 62A and the main guide 162, which are recessed inward in a substantially semicircular or arc shape. Therefore, it is possible to increase the speed of the waste liquid flowing downward through the main guide 162, making it possible to detect waste liquid leakage at an earlier stage.
[0109] Furthermore, the first corner 62A of the top surface 62 and the main guide 162 may be formed to be recessed inward in a roughly V-shape or a roughly U-shape. As a result, the waste liquid that leaks from the periphery of the first opening 63 and is collected at the first corner 62A of the top surface 62 is guided to flow downward while being collected at the bottom surface at the back of the first corner 62A and the main guide 162, which are recessed inward in a roughly V-shape or a roughly U-shape. Therefore, it is possible to increase the speed at which the waste liquid flows downward through the main guide 162, making it possible to detect waste liquid leakage at an earlier stage.
[0110] [Example 1] In the embodiments 1 and 2 described above, the liquid ejection device is assumed to be an inkjet printer 1. However, it is not limited to this, and may also be an MFP (Multi-Function Peripheral) equipped with multiple functions such as printing, scanning, copying, and faxing.
[0111] [Differentiation 2] For example, the tube 82 of the maintenance unit 8 may be arranged to transfer waste liquid from the cap 80 to the waste liquid storage container 60 via the pump 81. The discharge end of the tube 82 may be connected in a detachable manner, for example, to the upper end of the front side wall portion 68A of the waste liquid storage container 60, at a position below the first opening 63 and above the second side guide 98. Alternatively, the discharge end of the tube 82 may be connected in a manner that allows the waste liquid to be discharged into the waste liquid storage container 60.
[0112] As a result, waste liquids such as ink that are removed by suction during the purging operation of the maintenance unit 8 can be stored in the waste liquid storage container 60. This makes it possible to reduce the waste liquid box 83 and thus reduce the number of parts. Furthermore, even if waste liquid leaks from the connection point between the front side wall 68A and the tube 82 of the waste liquid storage container 60, it can be received by the second side guide 98 located below and guided to the waste liquid receiving section 95. As a result, it becomes possible to detect waste liquid leaks from the connection point between the front side wall 68A and the tube 82 at an early stage.
[0113] [Difference 3] For example, the tube 82 of the maintenance unit 8 may be arranged to transfer waste liquid from the cap 80 through the pump 81 to the flushing unit 70. The discharge end of the tube 82 may be connected in a manner that allows it to be detachably attached to, for example, the guide fixing frame 72. Alternatively, the discharge end of the tube 82 may be connected in a manner that allows waste liquid to be discharged when it is in contact with the surface of the waste liquid guide 71 opposite to the inclined surface 710 that faces the nozzle surface 421.
[0114] As a result, the waste liquid such as ink that is sucked out and removed by the purging operation of the maintenance unit 8 is guided to the first opening 63 of the waste liquid storage container 60 by the back surface of the waste liquid guide 71, which is the surface opposite to the surface facing the nozzle surface 421 of the waste liquid guide 71. Therefore, the waste liquid such as ink that is sucked out and removed by the purging operation of the maintenance unit 8 can be stored in the waste liquid storage container 60. As a result, the waste liquid box 83 can be reduced, and the number of parts can be reduced.
[0115] [Additional Notes] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of this disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]
[0116] 1 Inkjet printer, 60, 160 Waste liquid storage container, 62 Top surface, 62A First corner, 62B Second corner, 63 First opening, 65 Waste liquid absorbent, 66 Bottom wall, 66A Third corner, 67A~67D, 68A, 68B Side wall, 75 Waste liquid leak hole, 76, 77 Auxiliary guide, 93, 162 Main guide, 94 Media sensor, 95 Waste liquid receiving section, 97 First side guide, 97A, 98A, 99A Top surface, 98 Second side guide, 98B, 99B Guide wall, 99 Third side guide,
Claims
1. The bottom wall and, Side wall portions extending upward from each side of the bottom wall portion, A top surface portion is provided opposite the bottom wall portion and has a first opening formed therein that allows waste liquid to enter from above, A waste liquid absorbent packed inside to absorb the waste liquid that enters through the first opening, A planar or grooved main guide extends downward from a first position on the periphery of the top surface and is capable of guiding the waste liquid flowing from the first position downward, A waste liquid receiving portion protrudes outward from the lower end of the main guide and receives the waste liquid that has flowed downward through the main guide, In the side wall portion, a side guide is formed to protrude outward with a predetermined first width, extending along a direction intersecting the main guide, with one end reaching the main guide. Equipped with, The upper surface of the side guide is inclined such that the main guide side is lower. The top surface is inclined such that, in the vertical direction, the first position of the periphery of the top surface is the lowest, and the second position of the periphery of the top surface that is opposite to the first position across the first opening is the highest. The side wall portion has a leak hole located below the first opening through which waste liquid that can no longer be absorbed by the waste liquid absorber can leak out. The side guide is positioned below the liquid leakage hole. Waste liquid storage container.
2. The side guide further comprises an auxiliary guide that extends downward from the edge of the side guide on the main guide side along the side edge of the main guide and protrudes outward from the side edge of the main guide by the first width, A waste liquid storage container according to claim 1.
3. The aforementioned side guides are arranged in multiple locations in the vertical direction of the side wall portion. A waste liquid storage container according to claim 1.
4. One of the multiple side guides is It is positioned including the lower end of the side wall portion, In the periphery of the bottom wall portion as viewed from the above and below, the third position, which is opposite to the waste liquid receiving portion, extends on both sides along the periphery of the bottom wall portion to the waste liquid receiving portion. In the vertical direction, the upper surface of the side guide is inclined such that it is highest at the third position and lowest at the edge on the waste liquid receiving side. A waste liquid storage container according to claim 3.
5. The side guide has a guide wall that protrudes upward to a predetermined height along its entire length from the outer edge. A waste liquid storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
6. The top surface is recessed in a direction perpendicular to the top surface, so as to gradually slope downward from the peripheral edge to the first opening along its entire circumference. A waste liquid storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
7. A liquid dispensing head having a nozzle for dispensing liquid, A waste liquid storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which is detachably mounted in the main housing and stores waste liquid discharged from the liquid discharge head, A detection unit for detecting waste liquid that has flowed into the waste liquid receiving section, A notification unit that notifies that waste liquid has leaked from the aforementioned waste liquid storage container, Control unit and Equipped with, When the control unit detects waste liquid using the detection unit, it notifies the notification unit that waste liquid has leaked. Liquid discharge device.
8. The side guide of the waste liquid storage container has a guide wall that protrudes upward to a predetermined height along its entire length from the outer edge. The liquid dispensing device according to claim 7.
9. The top surface of the waste liquid storage container is recessed in a direction perpendicular to the top surface, so as to gradually slope downward from the periphery to the first opening along its entire circumference. The liquid dispensing device according to claim 7.