Liquid dispensing device

Abstract

To reliably close an injection port in a liquid storage container.SOLUTION: A liquid storage unit includes: a liquid storage container to store liquid and capable of introducing liquid into it from a liquid introduction part; and an operation part movable to a first position for covering the liquid introduction part and a second position for exposing the liquid introduction part to the outside. The operation part includes: a plug member coming into contact with the liquid introduction part in the first position to close the liquid introduction part; and a holding member holding the plug member and rotating about a rotation shaft to allow the plug member to be movable to the first position and the second position. The plug member includes a first engagement part and is held to the holding member by the engagement between a second engagement part provided in the holding member and the first engagement part. The first engagement part engages the second engagement part while being loosely fitted thereto.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to liquid discharge device .

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a liquid ejection device having an ink tank capable of storing ink supplied to a liquid ejection head that ejects ink is known. Some such liquid ejection devices allow a user to inject ink into the ink tank to replenish the ink, and the user injects ink into the ink tank through an injection port provided in the ink tank. The injection port is configured to be opened and closed by attaching and detaching a plug member. Patent Document 1 describes a configuration in which an elastically deformable plug body that covers the injection port is attached to a highly rigid holding member, and the injection port is opened and closed by rotating the holding member.

Prior Technical Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, due to rotation of the holding member, there is a possibility that the positional relationship between the plug body and the injection port may shift, and even if an attempt is made to attach the plug body to the injection port in a shifted state, the injection port may not be sufficiently closed.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to more reliably close an injection port in a liquid storage container.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a liquid dispensing device comprising: a dispensing head for dispensing liquid; a liquid container into which liquid can be introduced from a liquid introduction section; and an operating section movable to a first position covering the liquid introduction section and a second position exposing the liquid introduction section, wherein the operating section comprises a stopper member having a closing section that contacts the liquid introduction section and closes the liquid introduction section in the first position, and a covering section. The operating unit is capable of rotating around the pivot axis from the first position in a first direction to move to the second position, and rotating from the second position in a second direction opposite to the first direction to move back to the first position. The stopper member is configured to be movable integrally with the operating part, and the covering part is It has a rotation restricting part that restricts the rotational movement of the plug member, The plug member is provided on the operating section and covers the area around the closing section. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] With the above configuration, the inlet of the liquid container can be closed more securely. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing an overview of the liquid dispensing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows the configuration including the housing of the liquid dispensing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of the liquid containment unit in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram of the plug member in the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram of the retaining member and stopper member that constitute the operating section in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view of the retaining member and the stopper member cut along section AA in Figure 5, when the operating section of the first embodiment is in the open position. [Figure 7] This is a top view of the liquid storage unit in the first embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view of the liquid containment unit in the first embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram of the plug member in the second embodiment. [Figure 10]This is a schematic diagram of the retaining member and stopper member that constitute the operating section in the second embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a cross-sectional view of the retaining member and the stopper member that constitute the operating section in the second embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a cross-sectional view of the liquid containment unit in the second embodiment. [Figure 13] This is a top view of the ink tank and operating section in the second embodiment. [Figure 14] This is a diagram of the ink tank and operating section in the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] (First Embodiment) First, we will describe the outline of an inkjet recording apparatus as an example of a liquid ejection apparatus according to the present invention. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the inkjet recording apparatus according to this embodiment.

[0010] The inkjet recording device 1 (hereinafter referred to as recording device 1) is equipped with a paper feed roller (not shown), and the recording media loaded in the paper feed tray A are fed one by one by the paper feed roller. The fed recording media are placed between the transport roller 7 and the pinch roller 8 and transported in the +Y direction in the figure. The back surface of the transported recording media is supported by the platen 3, and the distance between the nozzle (not shown) of the recording head 4, which is the liquid ejection head, and the recording media, which is the liquid ejection medium, is maintained at a constant or predetermined distance. In this state, ink, which is a liquid containing a colorant, is ejected from the nozzle of the recording head 4 onto the recording media, thereby recording onto the non-recording medium.

[0011] The recording head 4 has nozzles for ejecting ink which is a liquid, and is mounted on the carriage 2. The carriage 2 reciprocates in the X direction by drive means such as a motor along the carriage rail 201. While moving in the main scanning direction together with the carriage 2, the recording head 4 ejects ink droplets to record an image for one band on the recording medium on the platen 3. When an image for one band is recorded, the recording medium is conveyed in the conveyance direction by a predetermined amount by the conveyance roller 7 (intermittent conveyance operation). By repeating this recording operation for one band and the intermittent conveyance operation, an image is recorded on the recording medium based on the image data. The recording medium on which the recording by the recording head 4 is completed is fed between a paper discharge roller (not shown) and a platen, and is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 9.

[0012] [[ID=![CDATA[4]]]

[0013] [[ID=![CDATA[7]]] [[ID=![CDATA[8]]]

[0014] [[ID=![CDATA[9]]] [[ID=![CDATA

[10] ]]]The recording apparatus 1 includes a cap portion 10 that covers the surface on which the nozzles of the recording head 4 are formed. The cap portion 10 is formed of a flexible material and is configured to be movable between a capping position that covers the ink ejection portion 81 of the recording head 4 and a separation position that does not cover the ink ejection portion 81. The cap portion 10 is connected to a pump (not shown). When the pump is driven in a state where the cap portion 10 is in the capping position, the inside of the cap portion 10 becomes negative pressure and ink is sucked from the recording head 4. Thereby, the ink ejection performance of the recording head 4 is restored. Also, by positioning the cap portion 10 in the capping position in a standby state where the recording head 4 is not performing a recording operation, the time during which the nozzles of the recording head 4 are exposed to the atmosphere is reduced, and it also serves to suppress poor ink ejection due to drying of the nozzles.​As shown in FIG. 2, the recording apparatus 1 is covered by a housing 200. Open windows 203a, 203b, 203c, and 203d are provided in the housing 200 corresponding to the arrangement positions of the ink tanks 6, and a user can visually recognize the ink tanks 6 from the front through each open window. Thereby, a user can visually confirm the remaining amount of ink stored in the ink tanks 6. The ink tank 6 in the present embodiment can be filled with ink (introduced) from an injection port 17 (see FIG. 4) which is a liquid introduction part, and the injection port 17 is closed by a plug member 102. The plug member 102 is configured to be movable between a closed position covering the injection port 17 and an open position opening the injection port 17. Further, the ink tank 6 and the recording head 4 are connected by a tube as a supply path for supplying the ink in the ink tank 6 to the recording head 4.

[0015] The recording apparatus 1 is provided with a cover 200, and the cover 200 is configured to be rotatable between a closed position covering the inside of the apparatus and an open position opening the inside of the apparatus. When a user injects ink into the ink tank 6, the cover 200 and the plug member 102 are moved to the open position, and the ink is injected with the injection port 17 being open.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a liquid storage unit. As shown in FIG. 3(a), the ink tank 6 is positioned by a housing 201b. The operation unit 100 is attached to a rotation shaft 301 provided on a housing 201a which is a housing part positioned by the housing 201b so as to be rotatable in the 300 direction. Thus, the ink tank 6 is integrally held by the housings 201a and 201b. In the present embodiment, the rotation shaft 301 is provided in the X direction, and the 300 direction is a direction intersecting the axial direction of the rotation shaft 301. In the present embodiment, particularly, the ink tank 6 and the operation unit 100 are collectively referred to as a liquid storage unit.

[0017] Figure 3(b) shows the ink tank 6 and operating unit 100 in the state shown in Figure 3(a) with the housings 201a and 201b removed. In this embodiment, one operating unit 100 is provided corresponding to one ink tank 6. The operating unit 100 consists of a stopper member 102 and a retaining member 101.

[0018] The structure of the operating section 100 will be explained using Figures 4 and 5. As mentioned above, the operating section 100 consists of a stopper member 102 and a holding member 101, and the stopper member 102 is held by the holding member 101 so that the operating section 100 can operate as a single unit. As shown in Figure 4, the stopper member 102 has a closing portion 401, an engaging portion 105, and a locking portion 402. The engaging portion 105 is a recess with a length i, starting from the upper part 108 of the inlet closing portion and ending at the bulge 109 of the locking portion, and a width of D4. The bulge of the locking portion 402 has a width of D3.

[0019] As shown in Figure 5(a), when the stopper member 102 is not being held, the retaining member 101 has an elongated hole-shaped engaging portion (opening) 103, where the length of the width D1 in the longitudinal direction of the retaining member 101 is longer than the length of the width D2 in the short direction of the retaining member 101. When the stopper member 102 is attached to the retaining member 101 so that the engaging portion 105 of the stopper member 102 and the engaging portion 103 of the retaining member 101 engage, the retaining member 101 is able to hold the stopper member 102, as shown in Figure 5(b). In this embodiment, the locking portion 402 has a shape that bulges from the top to the bulging portion 109, and the length D3 of the outer diameter of the bulging portion 109 is longer than the length D2 of the width of the engaging portion 103. When attaching the stopper member 102 to the retaining member 101, the upper part of the locking portion 402 is inserted into the engaging portion 103 and then inserted up to the engaging portion 105, thereby engaging the engaging portion 103 and the engaging portion 105. The width D4 of the engaging portion 105 is set to be shorter than D1 and D2, and the plug member 102 is held by the retaining member 101 by being locked by the locking portion 402 as described later.

[0020] As mentioned above, the outer diameter of the bulge 109 of the locking portion 402 is longer than the width D2 of the engaging portion 103 in the X direction. However, the plug member 102 is made of an elastically deformable material, and the retaining member 101 is made of a material with higher rigidity than the plug member 102. Therefore, when inserting the locking portion 402 into the engaging portion 103, the locking portion 402 elastically deforms along the engaging portion 103. This makes it possible to insert the entire locking portion 402 into the engaging portion 105. Here, D2 is the narrow diameter when the elongated hole shape of the engaging portion 103 is defined as having a wide diameter D1 and a narrow diameter D2.

[0021] Once the locking portion 402 has been inserted into the engaging portion 103 and the engaging portion 103 is engaged with the engaging portion 105, the elastically deformed bulge 109 of the locking portion 402 returns to its original shape, preventing the locking portion 402 from falling out of the engaging portion 103. This maintains the engagement between the engaging portion 103 and the engaging portion 105. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the locking portion 402 has a shape that bulges from the top towards the bulge 109, and by configuring it so that the length of the outer diameter of the top is shorter than the length of the width D2 of the engaging portion 103, the locking portion 402 can be inserted into the engaging portion 103 smoothly. Note that the shape of the locking portion 402 does not have to be a shape that bulges towards the bulge 109; for example, it may be a stepped shape or a wave shape, as long as it can hold the plug member 102 in the holding member 101.

[0022] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the retaining member and the stopper member cut along the AA section in Figure 5 when the operating section is in the open position. Figure 6(a) is a cross-sectional view of the retaining member 101 only, and Figure 6(b) is a cross-sectional view of the retaining member 101 with the stopper member 102 attached. Figure 6(c) is an enlarged view of the area around the stopper member 102 in Figure 6(b). As shown in Figure 6(c), the length h of the width of the engaging portion 103 in the 300 direction is set to be shorter than the length i of the engaging portion 105. As a result, the stopper member 102, when attached to the retaining member 101, is in a state of loose fit in the 300 direction. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the width D4 of the engaging portion 105 of the stopper member 102 is set to be shorter than the widths D1 and D2 of the engaging portion 103, so the stopper member 102 is configured to be loosely fitted to the retaining member 101 so that it can move in any of the X, Y, and Z directions (in the figure). This remains the same even if the position of the operating section 100 changes. The dimensions of the engaging portion 103 and the engaging portion 105 should be set according to the degree of loose fitting, that is, the amount of play to be provided in the engagement between the engaging portion 103 and the engaging portion 105. However, the range in which the plug member 102 can operate due to the loose fitting of the engaging portion 103 is limited to the range restricted by the upper part 108 of the locking portion 402 and the closing portion 401, and the covering portion 104 described later. In Figure 6, the lower side of the plug member 102 is in contact with one side of the inner wall of the covering portion 104 (the side in the -Z direction in the figure), but the upper side of the plug member 102 is not in contact with the other side of the inner wall of the covering portion 104 (the side in the +Z direction in the figure), and there is a gap b. The length of b can be appropriately determined considering the dimensions of the operating portion 100, the range of movement of the loosely fitted plug member 102, etc., but it can be, for example, about 1.0 mm to 3.0 mm.

[0023] The loose fit between the engaging portion 105 and the engaging portion 103 allows the stopper member 102 to move in accordance with the rotational movement of the retaining member 101 and the insertion movement into the inlet 21. Furthermore, the tip portion 601 of the closing portion 401 is shaped to be inclined so that the opening narrows from the tip portion 601 toward the center side of the stopper member 102, that is, toward the back side (-Y direction) of the stopper member 102. As a result, when the inlet 21 and the tip portion 601 of the closing portion 401 come into contact, the inlet 21 is guided toward the center of the closing portion 401, as shown in Figure 8(a), allowing for smooth closing.

[0024] The retaining member 101 is longer than the stopper member 102 in the 300 direction and has a covering portion 104 that covers the closing portion 401 of the stopper member 102 when it is held by the retaining member 101. Ink 110 transferred from the injection port 21 when the injection port 21 is closed may adhere to the tip and inside of the closing portion 401 of the stopper member 102. If the user touches the tip or inside of the closing portion 401 while the operating unit 100 is in the open position, there is a risk that the ink 110 will come into contact with the user.

[0025] In this embodiment, the tip of the covering portion 104 protrudes in the 300 direction more than the tip of the closing portion 401. As a result, the user will touch the covering portion 104 before touching the tip of the closing portion 401, thus preventing ink from adhering to the user's hands or other body parts.

[0026] Figure 7 is a top view of the liquid storage unit in this embodiment. Figure 7(a) is a view from above in the Z direction with the operating section 100 rotated to open the stopper member 102, and Figure 7(b) is a view from above in the Z direction with the ink bottle 114 inserted into the inlet 21 of the ink tank 6 in the state shown in Figure 7(a). Figure 7(c) is a view of the state shown in Figure 7(b) from the X direction. The amount of opening of the operating section 100 relative to the ink tank 6 can be appropriately determined considering the dimensions and weight of the operating section 100, but in this embodiment, it is set to approximately 90 to 100 degrees. As a result, even if the cover 200 is moved to the closed position while the operating section 100 is in the open position, the operating section 100 will move from the open position to the closed position by being pushed by the cover 200.

[0027] When refilling the ink tank 6, the ink bottle 114 is inserted into the inlet 21 in the Z direction, thereby injecting the ink from the ink bottle 114 into the ink tank 6. Since the opening of the operating section 100 is set to approximately 90 degrees, when the ink bottle 114 is inserted, the outer surface of the ink bottle 114 and the covering section 104 are in a positional relationship that may interfere with each other, and there is a possibility that the ink bottle 114 will come into contact with the covering section 104. As mentioned above, the tip of the covering section 104 protrudes outward from the closing section 401 of the stopper member 102, so it is suppressed that ink adhering to the tip of the closing section 401 will adhere to the ink bottle 114. However, if ink does adhere to the tip of the covering section 104, the ink may adhere from the covering section 104 to the ink bottle 114, and there is a possibility that ink may also adhere to the user refilling the ink.

[0028] Therefore, at the tip of the covering portion 104, a pair of protrusions 113 are provided at the positions furthest apart in the X direction from the extension line in the Y direction of the center O of the injection port 21. Since the ink bottle 114 in this embodiment is cylindrical, when inserted into the injection port 21, the position on the extension line in the Y direction of the center O of the injection port 21 is the position where the ink bottle 114 and the covering portion 104 are closest. Therefore, as described above, by providing the protrusions 113, even if the ink bottle 114 comes into contact with the protrusions 113, the protrusions 113 will move the covering portion 104 away from the ink bottle 114. As a result, even if the ink bottle 114 comes into contact with the tip of the covering portion 104, the ink bottle 114 can avoid contact with the part of the tip of the covering portion 104 where the protrusions 113 are not provided.

[0029] Furthermore, the tip of the covering portion 104 may not only have a projection 113, but may also be an arc shape that protrudes from the extension line in the Y direction of the center O of the injection port 21 toward the position furthest away in the X direction.

[0030] Figure 8 is a YZ cross-sectional view of the liquid storage unit. Figure 8(a) shows the moment when the stopper member 102 and the inlet 21 begin to make contact during the closing operation of the inlet 21 by the operating unit 100. Figure 8(b) shows the state when the closing of the inlet 21 by the operating unit 100 is complete. The closing portion 401 of the stopper member 102 has a projection 106 on the inside. The inner diameter of the projection 106 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the inlet fitting portion 107 of the inlet 21, and when the projection 106 and the inlet 21 engage during the closing operation of the inlet 21 by the operating unit 100, the projection 106 elastically deforms to match the outer diameter of the inlet 21. This ensures that the inlet 21 is closed more reliably.

[0031] When the operation unit 100 closes the inlet 21, the stopper member 102 attached to the holding member 101 also rotates in the 300 direction as the operation unit 100 rotates from the open position to the closed position. In this embodiment, the stopper member 102 performs the closing operation by engaging with the inlet 21 in the approximate Z direction from the time contact with the inlet 21 is initiated until the inlet 21 is completely closed. At this time, the position of the engaging portion 105 of the stopper member 102 within the engaging portion 103 moves in accordance with the closing operation of the inlet 21, but in particular, the stopper member 102 moves in the Y direction in the figure due to rotation in the 300 direction.

[0032] As mentioned above, the stopper member 102 is held in a state where it is loosely fitted to the retaining member 101 in all directions (XYZ directions). Furthermore, since the engaging portion 103 has an elongated hole shape with a long width D1 in the longitudinal direction (Y direction in Figure 8) of the retaining member 101, the retaining member 101 continues to hold the stopper member 102 while allowing it to move in the Y direction.

[0033] As a result, even if a misalignment occurs in the contact between the inlet 21 and the stopper member 102 when the operating unit 100 is closed, the stopper member 102 moves along the engaging portion 103 so that the inlet 21 is guided to the center of the stopper member 102, thereby absorbing the misalignment.

[0034] With the above configuration, when the operating unit 100 closes the inlet 21, any misalignment of the stopper member 102 relative to the inlet 21 is absorbed by the loose fit of the stopper member 102, thus ensuring that the inlet 21 is closed stably. This allows for more reliable closing of the inlet 21. In this embodiment, the operating unit 100 rotates around the pivot axis 301, but the inlet 21 may be closed by a sliding or other operation. Also, although the shape of the engaging portion 103 is an elongated hole, it may be a horizontal hole, a round hole, or an engaging portion of another shape depending on the direction and type of operation of the operating unit 100.

[0035] (Second Embodiment) The following describes a second embodiment, but the same configuration as in the previously described embodiment will be omitted from the explanation.

[0036] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the plug member in this embodiment. Figure 9(a) is an external perspective view of the plug member 122, and Figure 9(b) is a view of the plug member 122 from the X direction in Figure 9(a). The plug member 122 has a plug member rotation axis 128 and a plug member restricting portion 129. When the plug member 122 is held by the retaining member 121 as described later, it is locked to the retaining member 121 by the plug member rotation axis 128. When held by the retaining member 121, the plug member 122 can rotate in the 130 direction around the plug member rotation axis 128.

[0037] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the retaining member and plug member that constitute the operating section. Figure 10(a) is a schematic diagram of the retaining member 121, and Figure 10(b) shows the state in which the plug member 122 is held by the retaining member 121. The retaining member 121 is provided with a plug member restricting rib 131, and when the plug member 122 is held by the retaining member 121 as shown in Figure 10(b), the upper surface of the plug member restricting portion 129 of the plug member 122 comes into contact with the plug member restricting rib 131. This restricts the rotation of the plug member 122 in the 901 direction (see Figure 9(a)) which is perpendicular to the 130 direction.

[0038] Figure 10(c) is a YZ cross-sectional view of the operating section. The plug member 122, held by the retaining member 121, has a plug member rotation shaft 128 mounted within a shaft mounting portion 123 provided on the retaining member 121. The plug member rotation shaft 128 is loosely fitted with the shaft mounting portion 123 and is rotatable in the 130 direction, which is the rotation direction of the plug member.

[0039] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the retaining member and the stopper member that constitute the operating section. Figure 11(a) is a partial cross-sectional view cut at BB in Figure 10(b), and Figure 11(b) is a partial cross-sectional view cut at BB in Figure 10(b). The retaining member 121 is provided with a covering portion 124 that covers the periphery of the stopper member 122. Inside the covering portion 124, there is a rotation restricting portion 132 that restricts the rotation of the stopper member 122 beyond a certain point when it rotates in the 130 direction. When the stopper member 122 rotates in the 130 direction inside the covering portion 124, the side surface of the stopper member 122 comes into contact with the rotation restricting portion 132, thereby restricting the rotation of the stopper member 122.

[0040] Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid storage unit. Figure 12(a) shows the moment when the stopper member 122 and the inlet 21 begin to make contact when the inlet 21 is closed by the operating unit 120. Figure 12(b) shows the state when the inlet 21 has been completely closed by the operating unit 120. In this embodiment, a projection 126 is provided on the outer surface of the closing portion 1221 of the stopper member 122. In addition, a stopper member engagement portion 127 is provided around the inlet 21. When the operating unit 120 moves from the open position to the closed position, the stopper member 122 also rotates inside the covering portion 124 in accordance with the operation of the operating unit 120. However, as mentioned above, a rotation restricting portion 132 is provided inside the covering portion 124, so the stopper member 122 does not rotate beyond the state in contact with the rotation restricting portion 132. As a result, as shown in Figure 12(a), the closing portion 1221 of the stopper member 122 and the inlet 21 begin to come into contact with each other, with the center of the stopper member 122 being approximately coaxial with the center of the inlet 21.

[0041] As the operating unit 120 is further rotated to the closed position from the state shown in Figure 12(a), the stopper member engaging portion 127 guides the movement of the stopper member 122, preventing the stopper member 122 from contacting the rotation restricting portion 132 inside the covering portion 124. This allows the stopper member 102 to move along the mounting portion 123, so that even if the position of the operating unit 120 shifts relative to the inlet 21 during the closing operation, the stopper member 122 can properly close the inlet 21. Therefore, the inlet 21 can be closed more reliably.

[0042] Figure 13 is a diagram of the ink tank and operating section in this embodiment. Figure 13(a) is a view from above in the Z direction with the operating section 120 rotated to open the stopper member 122, and Figure 13(b) is a view from above in the Z direction with the ink bottle 114 inserted into the inlet 21 of the ink tank 6 in the state shown in Figure 13(a). Figure 14(a) is a view from the X direction of the state shown in Figure 13(b), and Figure 14(b) is a cross-sectional view of the CC in Figure 14(a). In this embodiment as well, the opening amount of the operating section 120 relative to the ink tank 6 is set to about 90 degrees, and there is a possibility that the outer surface of the ink bottle 114 and the covering part 104 will interfere with each other when the ink bottle 114 is inserted. This may cause the ink bottle 114 to come into contact with the covering part 104.

[0043] In this embodiment, the tip 133 of the covering portion 124 of the holding member 121 protrudes outward more than the tip of the stopper member 122. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, when the operating portion 120 is in the open position, the tip 133 of the covering portion 124, as viewed from above in the Z direction, has an arc shape. Specifically, it has an arc shape that gradually protrudes in the 144a and 144b directions, which are directions away from the extension of the center O of the injection port 21 in the Y direction, in the X direction. As a result, even in situations where the outer surface of the ink bottle 114 is close to the covering portion 124, as shown in Figures 13(b) and 14(b), contact between the outer surface of the ink bottle 114 and the covering portion 124 can be suppressed. In addition, contact between the ink bottle 114 and the tip of the closing portion 1221, which is located inside the covering portion 124, can be suppressed, and ink adhesion to the ink bottle 114 can be suppressed.

[0044] In this embodiment, the inlet 21 is closed by the projection 126 on the outer surface of the closing portion 1221 of the stopper member 122 and the stopper member engaging portion 127. However, similar to the first embodiment, the inlet 21 may be closed by providing the projection on the inside of the closing portion.

[0045] In any embodiment, the stopper member may be configured without a protrusion at the closing portion. Also, the shape of the tip of the covering portion may be flat rather than partially protruding. Even in this case, by making the tip of the covering portion protrude more than the tip of the closing portion, it is possible to suppress ink from adhering to the user or ink bottle from the closing portion.

[0046] With the above configuration, when the inlet is closed, any misalignment of the operating part can be absorbed by the loose fit of the stopper member, ensuring that the stopper member is inserted into the inlet in the correct position and that the inlet is closed more securely. Furthermore, because the closing part of the stopper member is covered by the covering part, even when the operating part is in the open position, it is possible to prevent the user or ink bottle from coming into contact with the closing part and getting ink on them. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0047] 6 ink tanks 100 Operation section 101 Retaining member 102 Plug member 103, 105 Engaging parts 401 Closing part 402 Locking part

Claims

1. A dispensing head that dispenses liquid, A liquid container into which liquid can be introduced from a liquid introduction port, A liquid dispensing device comprising an operating section movable to a first position covering the liquid introduction section and a second position exposing the liquid introduction section, The operating section comprises a stopper member having a closing portion that contacts the liquid introduction section at the first position and closes the liquid introduction section, and a covering portion. The operating unit is capable of rotating from the first position in a first direction around a pivot axis to the second position, and rotating from the second position in a second direction opposite to the first direction to the first position. The stopper member is configured to be movable together with the operating part. The liquid dispensing device is characterized in that the covering portion has a rotation restricting portion that restricts the rotational movement of the stopper member, and covers the area around the closing portion when the stopper member is attached to the operating portion.

2. The liquid dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein when the operating portion is in the second position, at least a portion of the tip of the covering portion on the second direction side protrudes in the second direction more than the tip of the stopper member on the second direction side.

3. The liquid dispensing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the stopper member is made of an elastically deformable material, and at least a portion of the operating part is made of a material with higher rigidity than the stopper member.

4. The liquid dispensing device according to claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the operating section includes the covering portion.

5. The stopper member has a first engaging portion, and is held in the operating portion by the engagement of the second engaging portion provided on the operating portion and the first engaging portion. The liquid dispensing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, when the stopper member is held in the operating section, the first engaging portion engages with the second engaging portion in a loosely fitted state.

6. The liquid dispensing device according to claim 5, wherein the stopper member comprises a locking portion that maintains the engagement of the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion, and the length of the outer diameter of at least a portion of the locking portion is longer than the length of the width of at least a portion of the second engagement portion.

7. The liquid dispensing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the closing portion has a projection that contacts the liquid introduction portion when the operating portion is in the first position.

8. The liquid dispensing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the tip of the closing portion is inclined such that the inner wall of the closing portion narrows toward the back of the closing portion.

9. The liquid dispensing device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the liquid container is provided with a stopper member engaging portion that engages with the closing portion when the stopper member is in the first position.

10. The liquid dispensing device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the liquid container is held by a housing portion arranged inside the liquid dispensing device, and the pivot shaft is provided in the housing portion.

11. The liquid dispensing device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein when the operating part is in the first position, the lower end of the covering part is located below the lower end of the stopper member.

12. The liquid dispensing device according to claim 11, wherein the tip portion including the lower end of the covering portion is shaped to protrude further in the insertion direction when at least a part of it is inserted into the liquid introduction portion.

13. The liquid dispensing device according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the tip portion including the lower end of the covering portion has an arc shape.

Images