Printing liquid container

Abstract

Provided is a printing liquid container for which the exterior is not easily contaminated by dripping printing liquid even when said liquid drips from a nozzle. An ink bottle 80 comprises: a bottle body 81 that has a body container 81A defining an ink storage chamber 147, and an opening 87 through which ink in the ink storage chamber 147 flows to the outside; and a bottle cap 82 that has an internal space 140 communicating with the ink storage chamber 147 and that extends upward from the opening 87. The bottle cap 82 has: a base part 86 and an inwardly-directed flange 94E that define an upper end 141 of the internal space 140; a front opening 96A that opens to the base part 86 and is positioned at a position shifted forward with respect to a center C1 of the opening 87; a nozzle 96 that extends upward from the front opening 96A; and an annular wall 75 that is positioned around the nozzle 96 and linearly extends upward from the inwardly-directed flange 94E to above an upper end 96B of the nozzle 96.

Description

Liquid container for printing

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a liquid container for printing that stores a liquid for printing.

[0002] As a liquid container for printing, for example, the liquid container described in Patent Document 1 is known. The liquid container of Patent Document 1 includes a bottle, a nozzle, and a cap. The bottle houses the liquid. The nozzle is connected to the bottle. The nozzle has a pouring outlet for pouring the liquid and a connecting portion where a male screw is located on the outer surface. The connecting portion is in an annular shape surrounding the pouring outlet. The cap is attached to the nozzle by screwing with the connecting portion. [[ID=..]]

[0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2024-174203

[0004] In the above liquid container, when the liquid container is removed from the liquid tank after the liquid in the liquid container is supplied to the liquid tank through the pouring outlet, the liquid may drip from the pouring outlet. When the liquid drips from the pouring outlet, the outside of the liquid container is contaminated by the liquid.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a liquid container for printing in which the outside is less likely to be contaminated by the liquid when the liquid container for printing is removed from the tank.

[0006] (1) The present disclosure relates to a liquid container for printing. The liquid container for printing includes a main body container that defines a storage chamber for storing a liquid for printing, and a main body having an opening through which the liquid in the storage chamber flows out of the storage chamber. The liquid container further includes a protrusion having an internal space communicating with the storage chamber and extending in a first direction opposite to the bottom of the storage chamber from the opening. The protrusion includes a ceiling that defines a first end of the internal space in the first direction, a first opening that communicates the internal space with the outside and opens in the ceiling, and the first opening is located at a position shifted in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction with respect to the center of the opening. The liquid container also includes a nozzle extending in the first direction from the first opening, and a wall located around the nozzle and extending in the first direction from the ceiling. The wall extends to a position that coincides with the second end of the nozzle in the first direction or to a position in the first direction beyond the second end in the first direction.

[0007] Since the first opening is positioned offset in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction relative to the center of the opening, the liquid supply rate is fast when the liquid from the storage chamber is supplied to the tank through the nozzle. On the other hand, when the printing liquid container is removed from the tank after the liquid from the storage chamber has been supplied to the tank through the nozzle, liquid is likely to drip from the second end of the nozzle in the first direction. In the above configuration, when liquid drips from the second end of the nozzle in the first direction, the liquid is likely to adhere to the wall. Therefore, the outside of the printing liquid container is less likely to be contaminated by the liquid.

[0008] (2) The wall may have a first wall located in the second direction that is closer to the nozzle than to the center of the opening.

[0009] Since the nozzle is positioned offset in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction from the center of the mouth, when attaching the nozzle cap to the projection, the inner surface of the nozzle cap is more likely to come into contact with the second end of the nozzle in the first direction. In the above configuration, when attaching the nozzle cap to the projection, the inner surface of the nozzle cap comes into contact with the first wall, which prevents the inner surface of the nozzle cap from coming into contact with the second end of the nozzle in the first direction. Therefore, contamination of the inner surface of the nozzle cap with liquid is suppressed. In addition, when liquid drips from the second end of the nozzle in the first direction, the liquid adheres more reliably to the first wall.

[0010] (3) The wall may have a second wall located closer to the center of the opening than the first wall in the second direction.

[0011] The first and second walls act as guides when the printing liquid container is connected to the tank, making it easier for the user to connect the printing liquid container to the tank.

[0012] (4) One of the first wall and the second wall may have a curved shape that bulges outward in the second direction relative to the center of the opening. The other of the first wall and the second wall may have a flat plate shape.

[0013] The user can easily understand the orientation of the printing liquid container when connecting it to the tank, making it easier to insert the nozzle into the tank's refill port.

[0014] (5) The first wall may have a curved shape that bulges outward in the second direction relative to the center of the opening.

[0015] Users will have a better understanding of the orientation in which to connect the printing liquid container to the tank.

[0016] (6) The wall may have a third wall located in one of the third directions perpendicular to the first and second directions of the nozzle, and a fourth wall located in the other of the third directions of the nozzle. The first wall, the second wall, the third wall, and the fourth wall may constitute an annular wall surrounding the nozzle.

[0017] When liquid drips from the second end in the first direction of the nozzle, it easily adheres to the annular wall. Therefore, the outside of the printing liquid container is less likely to be contaminated by the liquid.

[0018] (7) The projection may have a second opening that connects the internal space to the outside and opens into the ceiling, and the second opening is located in the opposite direction to the direction in which the first opening is shifted from the center of the opening in the second direction relative to the first opening. The annular wall may surround the periphery of the first opening and the second opening.

[0019] For example, when the nozzle of the printing liquid container is inserted into the tank's refill port, the tank's nozzle is inserted into the second opening. This causes the liquid in the storage chamber to flow into the tank through the nozzle of the printing liquid container. Simultaneously, the gas in the tank flows into the storage chamber of the printing liquid container through the tank's nozzle. In this way, liquid and gas are exchanged between the storage chamber of the printing liquid container and the tank, thereby replenishing the tank with liquid from the storage chamber.

[0020] (8) The length of the first wall and the second wall in the third direction may be shorter than the length of the third wall and the fourth wall in the second direction.

[0021] The annular wall surrounds the first and second openings while making it easier to shorten the distance in the third direction between the third and fourth walls.

[0022] (9) The present disclosure relates to a liquid container for printing. The liquid container for printing comprises a main body having a main body container defining a storage chamber for storing liquid for printing, and a mouth through which the liquid in the storage chamber flows out to the outside of the storage chamber, and a projection having an internal space communicating with the storage chamber and extending from the mouth in a first direction opposite to the bottom of the storage chamber. The projection has a ceiling defining the first end of the internal space in the first direction, a first opening communicating the internal space with the outside and opening to the ceiling, which is a first opening located at a position shifted in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction with respect to the center of the mouth, a nozzle extending from the first opening in the first direction, and a wall located around the nozzle and extending from the ceiling in the first direction. A gap exists between the wall and the outer surface of the nozzle through which liquid enters by capillary action.

[0023] Since the first opening is positioned offset in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction relative to the center of the opening, the liquid supply rate is fast when the liquid from the storage chamber is supplied to the tank through the nozzle. On the other hand, when the printing liquid container is removed from the tank after the liquid from the storage chamber has been supplied to the tank through the nozzle, liquid tends to drip from the second end of the nozzle in the first direction. In the above configuration, there is a gap between the wall and the outer surface of the nozzle into which liquid enters by capillary action. As a result, when the printing liquid container is removed from the tank, the liquid adhering to the second end of the nozzle in the first direction enters the gap between the wall and the outer surface of the nozzle by capillary action. Therefore, dripping of liquid from the second end of the nozzle in the first direction is suppressed. Consequently, when the printing liquid container is removed from the tank, the outside of the printing liquid container is less likely to be contaminated by the liquid.

[0024] (10) The gap may be located on the outer surface of the nozzle at the second end of the nozzle in the first direction.

[0025] When removing a printing liquid container from the tank, the liquid adhering to the second end in the first direction of the nozzle is prone to seeping into the gap between the wall and the outer surface of the nozzle due to capillary action.

[0026] (11) The length of the above gap may be 1 mm or less.

[0027] When removing the printing liquid container from the tank, the liquid adhering to the second end in the first direction of the nozzle is more reliably drawn into the gap between the wall and the outer surface of the nozzle by capillary action.

[0028] (12) The projection may have a second opening that connects the internal space to the outside and opens to the ceiling, and the second opening is located in the opposite direction to the direction in which the first opening is shifted from the center of the opening in the second direction relative to the first opening.

[0029] For example, when the nozzle of the printing liquid container is inserted into the tank's refill port, the tank's nozzle is inserted into the second opening. This causes the liquid in the storage chamber to flow into the tank through the nozzle of the printing liquid container. Simultaneously, the gas in the tank flows into the storage chamber of the printing liquid container through the tank's nozzle. In this way, liquid and gas are exchanged between the storage chamber of the printing liquid container and the tank, thereby replenishing the tank with liquid from the storage chamber.

[0030] (13) The wall may surround the second opening.

[0031] The user can easily determine the position of the second opening into which the tank nozzle is inserted.

[0032] (14) The wall may have an annular wall surrounding the second opening and the nozzle, and an extension wall extending from the annular wall toward the nozzle. The gap may be located between the extension wall and the outer surface of the nozzle.

[0033] When the printing liquid container is removed from the tank, the liquid adhering to the second end in the first direction of the nozzle enters the gap between the third end in the second direction of the extension wall and the outer surface of the nozzle by capillary action.

[0034] (15) The extended wall may have a continuous ring shape that extends over the entire circumference of the annular wall in the circumferential direction.

[0035] The user can more easily determine the position of the second opening into which the tank nozzle is inserted.

[0036] According to this disclosure, when removing the printing liquid container from the tank, the outside of the printing liquid container is less likely to be contaminated by the liquid.

[0037] Figure 1 is an external perspective view of the multifunction printer 10. Figure 2 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the printer unit 11. Figure 3 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the carriage 23 and the ink tank 100. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the ink tank set 51. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the ink tank 100. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the ink bottle 80. Figure 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the ink bottle 80. Figure 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the ink bottle 80 connected to the ink tank set 51. Figure 9 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the state when the nozzle cap 171 is attached to the bottle cap 82. Figure 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the state when the inner surface of the nozzle cap 171 is in contact with the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96. Figure 11 is a perspective view of a modified ink bottle 80. Figure 12 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a modified ink bottle 80. Figure 13 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a modified ink bottle 80. Figure 14 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the modified ink bottle 80 of Figure 13, cut by a plane perpendicular to the front-to-back direction and passing through the center of the inner surface of the nozzle 96. Figure 15 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the modified ink bottle 80 of Figure 13, cut by a plane perpendicular to the left-to-right direction and passing through the center of the rear opening 95 and the center of the inner surface of the nozzle 96. Figure 16 is a perspective view of the modified ink bottle 80. Figure 17 is a perspective view of the modified ink bottle 80. Figure 18 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the modified ink bottle 80 of Figure 17, cut by a plane perpendicular to the front-to-back direction and passing through the center of the inner surface of the nozzle 96. Figure 19 is a perspective view of the modified ink bottle 80. Figure 20 is a perspective view of the modified ink bottle 80. Figure 21 is a perspective view of the modified ink bottle 80. Figure 22 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the modified ink bottle 80 of Figure 21, cut by a plane perpendicular to the front-to-back direction and passing through the center of the inner surface of the nozzle 96. Figure 23 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a modified version of Figure 21 in which the ink bottle 80 is connected to the ink tank set 51.

[0038] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below. It goes without saying that the embodiments described below are merely examples of this disclosure, and the embodiments of this disclosure can be modified as appropriate without changing the gist of this disclosure. In the following description, the vertical direction is defined based on the state in which the multifunction printer 10 is installed and ready for use, as shown in Figure 1. The front-to-back direction is defined with the direction where the discharge port 13 is located being the front. The left-to-right direction is defined when viewing the multifunction printer 10 from the front. The front-to-back direction, the vertical direction, and the left-to-right direction are orthogonal to each other.

[0039] [Overall Configuration of the Multifunction Device 10] As shown in Figure 1, the multifunction device 10 has a roughly rectangular casing 8. The multifunction device 10 has a scanner unit 9 and a printer unit 11 in the internal space of the casing 8. The scanner unit 9 is located in the upper part of the internal space of the casing 8. The scanner unit 9 has a scanning function.

[0040] The printer unit 11 is located below the scanner unit 9 in the internal space of the casing 8. The printer unit 11 has a printing function. The printer unit 11 records images on the paper 12 shown in Figure 2 using an inkjet recording method. The printer unit 11 includes a feeding unit 15, a feeding tray 20, an output tray 21, a transport path 65, a transport roller unit 54, a recording unit 24, an output roller unit 55, and a platen 42. Furthermore, the printer unit 11 includes an ink tank set 51 as shown in Figure 1.

[0041] [Feeding tray 20, discharge tray 21] The discharge port 13 is located in the center of the front of the casing 8 in the left-right direction. The feeding tray 20 moves in the front-rear direction through the discharge port 13 by user operation. As shown in Figure 2, the feeding tray 20 supports a stack of multiple sheets of paper 12. The discharge tray 21 is located above the feeding tray 20. The discharge tray 21 moves in the front-rear direction together with the feeding tray 20. The discharge tray 21 supports the sheets of paper 12 that are discharged by the discharge roller section 55.

[0042] [Paper Feeding Unit 15] The paper feeding unit 15 feeds the paper 12 supported on the paper feeding tray 20 to the conveyance path 65. The paper feeding unit 15 includes a paper feeding roller 25, a paper feeding arm 26, and a shaft 27. The paper feeding roller 25 is rotatably supported at the tip portion of the paper feeding arm 26. The paper feeding roller 25 rotates in the direction of conveying the paper 12 in the conveying direction 16 when a driving force is transmitted from a conveying motor (not shown). Hereinafter, the fact that the paper feeding roller 25, the conveying roller 60, and the discharging roller 62 rotate in the direction of conveying the paper 12 in the conveying direction 16 is expressed as "forward rotation".

[0043] The paper feeding arm 26 is rotatably supported by a shaft 27 supported by the frame of the printer unit 11. The paper feeding arm 26 extends rearward and downward from the shaft 27. The paper feeding arm 26 is biased to rotate downward by its own weight or an elastic force such as a spring.

[0044] [Conveyance Path 65] The conveyance path 65 refers to, for example, a space defined by outer guide members 18 and inner guide members 19 facing each other at a predetermined interval. The conveyance path 65 extends rearward of the printer unit 11 from the rear end portion of the paper feeding tray 20. The conveyance path 65 extends upward from a position close to the rear end of the paper feeding tray 20 and makes a U-turn, and extends forward through the space between the recording unit 24 and the platen 4 too. The conveyance path 65 reaches the discharge tray 21 through the space between the recording unit 24 and the platen 42.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 3, the portion between the conveying roller portion 54 and the discharging roller portion 55 in the conveyance path 65 is located at the center in the left-right direction of the multifunction machine 10. The conveying direction 16 of the paper 12 in the conveyance path 65 is indicated by the arrow of the dashed line in FIG. 2.

[0046] [Transport Roller Unit 54] As shown in FIG. 2, the transport roller unit 54 is located upstream of the recording unit 24 in the transport direction 16. The transport roller unit 54 includes a transport roller 60 and a pinch roller 61. The transport roller 60 and the pinch roller 61 face each other in the vertical direction. The transport roller 60 rotates when the drive of the transport motor is transmitted. The pinch roller 61 rotates as the transport roller 60 rotates. When the transport roller 60 rotates forward due to the forward rotation of the transport motor, the sheet 12 is sandwiched between the transport roller 60 and the pinch roller 61 and transported in the transport direction 16.

[0047] [Discharge Roller Unit 55] The discharge roller unit 55 is located downstream of the recording unit 24 in the transport direction 16. The discharge roller unit 55 includes a discharge roller 62 and an accelerator 63. The discharge roller 62 and the accelerator 63 face each other in the vertical direction. The discharge roller 62 rotates when the drive is transmitted from the transport motor. The accelerator 63 rotates as the discharge roller 62 rotates. When the discharge roller 62 rotates forward due to the forward rotation of the transport motor, the sheet 12 is sandwiched between the discharge roller 62 and the accelerator 63 and transported in the transport direction 16.

[0048] [Recording Unit 24] The recording unit 24 is located between the transport roller unit 54 and the discharge roller unit 55 in the transport direction 16. The recording unit 24 faces the platen 42 in the vertical direction across the transport path 65. The recording unit 24 is located above the transport path 65 in the vertical direction. The recording unit 24 includes a carriage 23 and a recording head 39.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 3, the carriage 23 is supported by guide rails 43, 44. The guide rails 43, 44 are supported by the frame of the printer unit 11\. The guide rails 43, 44 are spaced apart in the front-rear direction and extend in the left-right direction. The guide rails 43, 44 extend outward from the transport path 65 in the left-right direction. The carriage 23 is connected to a known belt mechanism arranged on the guide rail 44. [[ID=***10]] [[ID=***11]]

[0050] The belt mechanism rotates, power transmitted from a carriage motor (not shown). As the belt mechanism rotates, the carriage 23 moves in the left-right direction. The range of movement of the carriage 23 is shown by the dashed line in Figure 3. The carriage 23 moves to the right and left in the left-right direction from the transport path 65.

[0051] The recording head 39 is mounted on the carriage 23. The recording head 39 moves left and right together with the carriage 23. The recording head 39 moves between a standby position P1 and a maintenance position P2. The standby position P1 is located to the left of the transport path 65. The maintenance position P2 is located to the right of the transport path 65.

[0052] As shown in Figure 2, the recording head 39 has a plurality of nozzles 40 located on its underside. As shown in Figure 3, the recording head 39 is connected to an ink tank 100, which will be described later, by an ink tube 32. The ink tube 32 supplies ink stored in the ink tank 100 to the recording head 39. As the carriage 23 moves from side to side, the recording head 39 ejects ink as tiny ink droplets toward the paper 12 supported by the platen 42. This records an image on the paper 12.

[0053] [Platen 42] As shown in Figure 2, the platen 42 is located between the transport roller section 54 and the discharge roller section 55 in the transport direction 16. The platen 42 faces the recording section 24 in the vertical direction. The platen 42 supports the paper 12 that is transported by the transport roller section 54 from below.

[0054] [Ink Tank Set 51] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the ink tank set 51 includes an ink tank 100 and a tank cover 110. As shown in Figure 1, the ink tank set 51 is located at the right end of the internal space of the casing 8. The ink tank set 51 is fixed to the frame of the printer unit 11 so that the user cannot easily remove it from the internal space of the casing 8.

[0055] An opening is located at the right end of the front surface of the casing 8. The ink tank set 51 is located behind the opening in the casing 8. A cover 70 is positioned to open and close the opening in the casing 8. The cover 70 is rotatable around a pivot axis that extends in the left-right direction. The pivot axis is located at the lower end of the casing 8. The cover 70 has a rectangular opening. This allows the user to see a portion of the ink tank set 51 from the front through the opening.

[0056] The cover 70 is rotatable between a closed position and an open position. The closed position is the position in which the cover 70 closes the opening of the casing 8. The open position is the position in which the cover 70 has rotated forward from the closed position. In the open position, the cover 70 opens the opening of the casing 8.

[0057] The ink tank 100 comprises four ink chambers 111 located in its internal space. The four ink chambers 111 are arranged in a left-to-right direction. The four ink chambers 111 store one of four different colored inks: yellow, cyan, magenta, and black. The leftmost of the four ink chambers 111 is shown in Figure 8. Ink is an example of a liquid used for printing. As shown in Figure 5, the ink tank 100 has a front wall 101, a right wall 102, a left wall 103, an upper wall 104, a lower wall 105, and a rear wall 106. The internal space of the ink tank 100 is divided into four ink chambers 111 by three partition walls that are spaced apart in a left-to-right direction.

[0058] The upper wall 104 has four air vents 112. The four air vents 112 penetrate the upper wall 104 in the vertical direction. The four air vents 112 are arranged at equal intervals in the left-right direction. The four air vents 112 are located in the center of the upper wall 104 in the front-to-back direction.

[0059] The leftmost air vent 112 communicates with the leftmost ink chamber 111. The second air vent 112 from the left communicates with the second ink chamber 111 from the left. The third air vent 112 from the left communicates with the third ink chamber 111 from the left. The rightmost air vent 112 communicates with the rightmost ink chamber 111.

[0060] The upper surface of the upper wall 104 has an inclined surface 104A. The inclined surface 104A is located at the front end of the upper surface of the upper wall 104. The inclined surface 104A is inclined in the front-to-back direction so that it slopes downward as it moves forward. The inclined surface 104A extends from the left end to the right end of the ink tank 100.

[0061] The upper wall 104 has four openings 113. The four openings 113 are located in front of the four atmospheric communication ports 112. The four openings 113 penetrate the upper wall 104 in the vertical direction. The four openings 113 are arranged at equal intervals in the horizontal direction.

[0062] The leftmost opening 113 communicates with the leftmost ink chamber 111. The second opening from the left 113 communicates with the second ink chamber 111 from the left. The third opening from the left 113 communicates with the third ink chamber 111 from the left. The rightmost opening 113 communicates with the rightmost ink chamber 111.

[0063] Outlet pipes are connected to the four openings 113. The outlet pipes are cylindrical tubes that extend downward from the openings 113. The lower end of the outlet pipe opens downward. The upper end of the outlet pipe is connected to the ink tube 32. As a result, the ink stored in the ink chamber 111 is supplied to the recording head 39 through the outlet pipes and the ink tube 32. When the ink in the ink chamber 111 is consumed by the ink being ejected from the recording head 39, air flows into the ink chamber 111 through the atmospheric communication port 112.

[0064] Four cylindrical annular contact walls 122 are located at the front end of the upper wall 104. The four annular contact walls 122 are positioned at equal intervals in the left-right direction. The four annular contact walls 122 extend upward and forward from the upper surface of the upper wall 104. Hereinafter, the upward and forward direction will be referred to as the extension direction.

[0065] The extensional length of the leftmost annular abutment wall 122 is shorter than the extensional lengths of the other three annular abutment walls 122. The extensional end of the leftmost annular abutment wall 122 is located in the opposite direction to the extensional direction from the inclined surface 104A. In other words, the extensional end of the leftmost annular abutment wall 122 does not protrude from the inclined surface 104A in the extensional direction. The extensional ends of the other three annular abutment walls 122 are located in the extensional direction from the inclined surface 104A. In other words, the extensional ends of the other three annular abutment walls 122 protrude from the inclined surface 104A.

[0066] Inside the four annular contact walls 122 are the tank tubes 115. The four tank tubes 115 are circular pipes that extend outward from a position behind the inclined surface 104A on the upper surface of the upper wall 104. The four tank tubes 115 extend outward from the ends of the four annular contact walls 122 in the direction of extension. The ends of the four tank tubes 115 in the direction of extension are open. The ends of the four tank tubes 115 in the direction of extension are bifurcated, splitting into left and right branches.

[0067] The leftmost tank tube 115 communicates with the leftmost ink chamber 111. The second tank tube 115 from the left communicates with the second ink chamber 111 from the left. The third tank tube 115 from the left communicates with the third ink chamber 111 from the left. The rightmost tank tube 115 communicates with the rightmost ink chamber 111.

[0068] Inside the four annular contact walls 122 are refill ports 119. The four refill ports 119 open into the inclined surface 104A. The leftmost refill port 119 communicates with the leftmost ink chamber 111. The second refill port 119 from the left communicates with the second ink chamber 111 from the left. The third refill port 119 from the left communicates with the third ink chamber 111 from the left. The rightmost refill port 119 communicates with the rightmost ink chamber 111.

[0069] When viewed from the direction of extension, the four supply ports 119 have a circular shape at the front and a rectangular shape at the rear. In other words, the four supply ports 119 have a shape in which one side of the front of the rectangle bulges forward in an arc shape.

[0070] As shown in Figure 4, the tank cover 110 holds the ink tank 100 in a state where it covers the ink tank 100 from the front. Specifically, the tank cover 110 has a front wall 201, an upper wall 202, a right wall 203, a left wall 204, a lower wall 205, and an inclined wall 206. The front wall 201 covers the front wall 101 of the ink tank 100 from the front. The front wall 201 has an opening 207. A portion of the front wall 101 of the ink tank 100 is visible through the opening 207.

[0071] The upper wall 202 covers a portion of the front end of the upper wall 104 of the ink tank 100 from above. The right wall 203 covers a portion of the right wall 102 of the ink tank 100 from the right. The left wall 204 covers a portion of the left wall 103 of the ink tank 100 from the left. The lower wall 205 covers a portion of the lower wall 105 of the ink tank 100 from below.

[0072] The inclined wall 206 connects the upper end of the front wall 201 and the front end of the upper wall 202. The inclined wall 206 is located in the extending direction of the four annular contact walls 122 of the ink tank 100. The inclined wall 206 has a flat plate shape that extends in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction. The outer and inner surfaces of the inclined wall 206 are inclined with respect to the front-rear direction so that they are inclined downward as they are directed forward.

[0073] The inclined wall 206 has four through holes 72 that are spaced equally apart in the left-right direction. The four through holes 72 penetrate the inclined wall 206 in the extending direction. When viewed from the extending direction, the front portion of the four through holes 72 is circular and the rear portion is square. In other words, the four through holes 72 have a shape in which one side of the front of the square bulges forward in an arc shape. Keyways 74 are located at the rear ends of the four through holes 72. The keyways 74 are continuous with the space of the through holes 72 and extend rearward from the rear ends of the through holes 72. Two keyways 74 are arranged spaced apart in the left-right direction.

[0074] The leftmost through-hole 72 surrounds the leftmost annular contact wall 122 when viewed from the extension direction. The second through-hole 72 from the left surrounds the second annular contact wall 122 from the left when viewed from the extension direction. The third through-hole 72 from the left surrounds the third annular contact wall 122 from the left when viewed from the extension direction. The rightmost through-hole 72 surrounds the rightmost annular contact wall 122 when viewed from the extension direction.

[0075] [Ink Bottle 80] The ink bottle 80 stores ink to be supplied to the ink tank 100. The ink is, for example, a pigment ink containing a pigment. The ink may also be a dye ink containing a dye. Alternatively, the ink bottle 80 may store a cleaning solution containing water instead of ink. The ink bottle 80 is an example of a liquid container for printing.

[0076] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the ink bottle 80 includes a bottle body 81, a bottle cap 82, a valve 161, a coil spring 165, and a nozzle cap 171. Note that the nozzle cap 171 is omitted in Figure 6. Furthermore, in the following, the vertical direction of the ink bottle 80 is defined based on the state in which the ink bottle 80 is placed on a horizontal plane.

[0077] The bottle body 81 is cylindrical in shape with a circular opening 87A at its upper end. Specifically, the bottle body 81 has a main container 81A and an opening 87. The main container 81A partitions an ink storage chamber 147 for storing ink. The ink storage chamber 147 is an example of a storage chamber. The upper end of the main container 81A is inclined in the vertical direction so as it moves upward, opposite to the bottom of the ink storage chamber 147, it moves radially inward. Upward is an example of a first direction. The diameter of the main container 81A may be the same from the upper end to the lower end. The main container 81A may also be flexible.

[0078] The opening 87 extends upward from the upper end of the main container 81A. The opening 87 defines the opening 87A. The center C1 of the opening 87 coincides with the center of the main container 81A. However, the center C1 of the opening 87 does not necessarily coincide with the center of the main container 81A. The opening 87 allows the ink from the ink storage chamber 147 to flow out to the outside through the opening 87A. The opening 87 is an example of a mouth. The bottle body 81 is an example of a main body.

[0079] The bottle cap 82 is detachably attached to the opening 87. The bottle cap 82 may also be made indestructible by, for example, welding, to prevent removal from the opening 87. The bottle cap 82 extends upward from the bottle body 81. The bottle cap 82 has a lower side wall 93, a lower bottom wall 71, an annular portion 73, an upper bottom wall 92, an annular rib 91, a projection 94, a support member 84, a rubber 83, and an annular wall 75. The bottle cap 82 is an example of a projection.

[0080] The lower wall 93 is a cylindrical wall extending in the vertical direction. The inner circumferential surface of the lower wall 93 is screw-connected to the outer circumferential surface of the opening 87. The lower bottom wall 71 is an annular wall extending radially inward from the upper end of the lower wall 93. The annular portion 73 has an annular shape extending upward from the inner circumferential portion on the upper surface of the lower bottom wall 71. The upper bottom wall 92 has an annular shape extending radially inward from the upper end of the annular portion 73.

[0081] The annular rib 91 has an annular shape that extends upward from the outer circumference of the upper surface of the upper bottom wall 92. The upper end of the annular rib 91 is inclined with respect to the vertical direction so as it extends upward, it is slightly outward in the radial direction.

[0082] The projection 94 has an annular shape extending upward from the inner circumference of the upper surface of the upper bottom wall 92. The center of the upper part of the projection 94 is eccentric with respect to the center C1 of the opening 87. Hereinafter, the direction in which the center of the projection 94 is eccentric with respect to the center C1 of the opening 87 is defined as the front. The direction opposite to the front is defined as the rear. The left and right directions are defined when viewing the ink bottle 80 from the front.

[0083] The projection 94 has a lower front wall 94A, a lower rear wall 94B, a lower left wall 94C, a lower right wall 94D, and an inward-facing flange 94E. The lower front wall 94A is located at the front end of the upper surface of the upper bottom wall 92. The lower front wall 94A has an arc shape that bulges forward when viewed from above. The lower rear wall 94B is located at the rear end of the upper surface of the upper bottom wall 92. The lower rear wall 94B has an arc-shaped portion 121, a left flat portion 123, and a right flat portion. The arc-shaped portion 121 is located in the center of the lower rear wall 94B in the left-right direction. The arc-shaped portion 121 has a lower arc-shaped portion 121A, an inclined portion 121B, and an upper arc-shaped portion 121C.

[0084] The lower arc-shaped portion 121A extends upward from the rear end of the upper surface of the upper bottom wall 92. The lower arc-shaped portion 121A has an arc shape that bulges backward when viewed from above. The inclined portion 121B extends upward from the upper end of the lower arc-shaped portion 121A. The inclined portion 121B is located in the center of the arc direction of the lower arc-shaped portion 121A. The inclined portion 121B is inclined with respect to the vertical direction so that it bulges radially inward as it extends upward. The rear surface and inner surface of the inclined portion 121B have an arc shape that bulges backward when viewed from above. The length of the inclined portion 121B in the arc direction is shorter than the length of the lower arc-shaped portion 121A in the arc direction.

[0085] The upper arc-shaped portion 121C extends upward from the upper end of the inclined portion 121B. The upper arc-shaped portion 121C has an arc shape that bulges backward when viewed from above. The length of the upper arc-shaped portion 121C in the arc direction is shorter than the length of the lower arc-shaped portion 121A in the arc direction. The left flat portion 123 is located to the left of the inclined portion 121B and the upper arc-shaped portion 121C, and above the lower arc-shaped portion 121A. The left flat portion 123 has a flat plate shape that expands in the vertical and horizontal directions. The right flat portion is located to the right of the inclined portion 121B and the upper arc-shaped portion 121C, and above the lower arc-shaped portion 121A. The right flat portion has a flat plate shape that expands in the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0086] The lower left wall 94C extends upward from the left end of the upper surface of the upper bottom wall 92. The lower left wall 94C has a flat plate shape that extends in the front-rear and up-down directions. The front end of the lower left wall 94C is continuous with the left end of the lower front wall 94A. The rear end of the lower left wall 94C is continuous with the left end of the lower rear wall 94B. The lower right wall 94D extends upward from the right end of the upper surface of the upper bottom wall 92. The lower right wall 94D has a flat plate shape that extends in the front-rear and up-down directions. The front end of the lower right wall 94D is continuous with the right end of the lower front wall 94A. The rear end of the lower left wall 94C is continuous with the right end of the lower rear wall 94B.

[0087] The inward-facing flange 94E has an annular shape that extends slightly radially inward from the upper ends of the lower front wall 94A, lower rear wall 94B, lower left wall 94C, and lower right wall 94D.

[0088] The internal space 140 of the projection 94 widens towards the rear as it moves from the upper end to the lower end of the inclined portion 121B. In other words, the center of the portion of the projection 94 above the upper end of the inclined portion 121B is shifted forward relative to the center C1 of the opening 87. The internal space 140 of the projection 94 is an example of the internal space of a projection.

[0089] The support member 84 is located in the internal space 140 of the projection 94. The support member 84 has a cylindrical shape that extends in the vertical direction. The upper end of the support member 84 is close to the lower surface of the inward-facing flange 94E. The lower end of the support member 84 is located below the upper end of the lower side wall 93. The outer and inner surfaces of the support member 84 have a shape that conforms to the inner surface of the projection 94. The outer surface of the support member 84 abuts against the inner surface of the projection 94.

[0090] The support member 84 has a disc 84A that extends radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the support member 84. The disc 84A is sandwiched vertically between the upper end of the lower wall 93 and the lower surface of the upper bottom wall 92. As a result, the support member 84 is fixed in the internal space 140 of the projection 94.

[0091] The rubber 83 is located above the internal space 140 of the projection 94. The rubber 83 is made of rubber. The rubber 83 has a base portion 86, a front opening 96A, a rear opening 95, a nozzle 96, an upper lip 109, a lower lip 108, and a contact piece 89.

[0092] The base portion 86 has a flat plate shape that extends in the front-rear and left-right directions. The base portion 86 abuts against the radially inward end of the inward flange 94E. As a result, the base portion 86 defines the upper end 141 of the internal space 140 of the projection 94 between itself and the inward flange 94E. The base portion 86 and the inward flange 94E are an example of a ceiling. The base portion 86 and the inward flange 94E may be a single unit. The upper end 141 is an example of a first end.

[0093] The front opening 96A penetrates the base portion 86 in the vertical direction. The front opening 96A connects the internal space 140 of the projection 94 to the outside. The front opening 96A is circular. The center of the front opening 96A is located in a position shifted forward from the center of the opening 87. "Forward" is an example of a second direction. The front opening 96A is an example of a first opening.

[0094] The rear opening 95 penetrates the base portion 86 in the vertical direction. The rear opening 95 connects the internal space 140 of the projection 94 to the outside. The rear opening 95 is circular. The rear opening 95 is located behind the front opening 96A. The center of the rear opening 95 is located slightly behind the center of the opening 87. The rear opening 95 is an example of a second opening.

[0095] The nozzle 96 has a cylindrical shape that extends upward from the front opening 96A. The upper end 96B of the nozzle 96 opens upward. The upper end 96B is an example of a second end. The nozzle 96 communicates the internal space of the projection with the outside of the bottle body 81. The cross-section of the internal space of the nozzle 96 is circular. The outer shape of the nozzle 96 is a polygon that matches the shape of the refill port 119 of the ink tank 100. That is, the outer shape of the nozzle 96 has a shape in which one side of the front of the rectangle bulges forward in an arc shape. The nozzle 96 is an example of a nozzle.

[0096] The upper lip 109 extends downward from the periphery of the front opening 96A on the lower surface of the base portion 86. The upper lip 109 is circular. The lower lip 108 extends downward from the outer periphery on the lower surface of the base portion 86. The lower lip 108 is circular. The lower lip 108 is located radially outward from the upper lip 109. The lower end of the lower lip 108 is located lower than the lower end of the upper lip 109.

[0097] The contact piece 89 has an annular shape that extends radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the lower lip 108. The contact piece 89 is sandwiched between the upper end of the support member 84 and the lower surface of the inward flange 94E. As a result, the rubber 83 is fixed in the internal space 140 of the projection 94.

[0098] The annular wall 75 is positioned at intervals perpendicular to the vertical direction. The annular wall 75 has a cylindrical shape that extends linearly upward from the outer circumference of the upper surface of the inward flange 94E to above the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96. The annular wall 75 surrounds the rear opening 95 and the front opening 96A. In other words, the annular wall 75 surrounds the rear opening 95 and the nozzle 96.

[0099] The annular wall 75 is insertable into the through-hole 72 of the tank cover 110. The shape and size of the outer surface of the annular wall 75 are approximately equal to the shape and size of the inner surface of the through-hole 72. The outer surface of the annular wall 75 has a shape in which one of the front sides of a rectangle bulges forward in an arc when viewed from above. However, the annular wall 75 is not limited to having a shape in which one of the front sides of a rectangle bulges forward in an arc when viewed from above. For example, the annular wall 75 may be circular when viewed from above. The annular wall 75 has an upper front wall 75A, an upper rear wall 75B, an upper left wall 75C, and an upper right wall 75D. The annular wall 75 is an example of a wall.

[0100] The upper front wall 75A is located closer to the nozzle 96 than the center of the opening 87 in the front-rear direction. The upper front wall 75A is located in front of the nozzle 96. The upper front wall 75A extends linearly upward from the front end of the inward flange 94E above the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96. When viewed from above, the upper front wall 75A has an arc shape that bulges forward relative to the center of the opening 87. The front and rear surfaces of the upper front wall 75A are flush with the front and rear surfaces of the lower front wall 94A. The upper front wall 75A is an example of a first wall. The arc shape is an example of a curved shape.

[0101] The upper rear wall 75B is located closer to the center of the opening 87 than the upper front wall 75A in the front-rear direction. The upper rear wall 75B is located at the rear end of the inward-facing flange 94E. The upper rear wall 75B extends linearly upward from the rear end of the inward-facing flange 94E above the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96. The upper rear wall 75B has a flat plate shape that expands in the vertical and horizontal directions. The front and rear surfaces of the upper rear wall 75B are flush with the front and rear surfaces of the left planar portion 123 of the lower rear wall 94B. The front and rear surfaces of the upper rear wall 75B are flush with the front and rear surfaces of the right planar portion of the lower rear wall 94B. The upper rear wall 75B is an example of a second wall.

[0102] The upper left wall 75C is located to the left of the nozzle 96. The left side is one example of a third direction. The upper left wall 75C extends linearly upward from the left end of the inward flange 94E beyond the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96. The upper left wall 75C has a flat plate shape that expands in the front-rear and up-down directions. The front end of the upper left wall 75C is continuous with the left end of the upper front wall 75A. The rear end of the upper left wall 75C is continuous with the left end of the upper rear wall 75B. The left and right surfaces of the upper left wall 75C are flush with the left and right surfaces of the lower left wall 94C.

[0103] The front-to-back length L1 of the upper left wall 75C is longer than the left-to-right length L2 of the upper front wall 75A and the upper rear wall 75B. In other words, the left-to-right length L2 of the upper front wall 75A and the upper rear wall 75B is shorter than the front-to-back length L1 of the upper left wall 75C. The left-to-right length L2 of the upper front wall 75A is the length of the straight line connecting the left and right ends of the upper front wall 75A. The upper left wall 75C is an example of a third wall.

[0104] The upper right wall 75D is located to the right of the nozzle 96. The right side is an example of the other third direction. The upper right wall 75D extends linearly upward from the right end of the inward flange 94E beyond the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96. The upper right wall 75D has a flat plate shape that expands in the front-rear and up-down directions. The front end of the upper right wall 75D is continuous with the right end of the upper front wall 75A. The rear end of the upper right wall 75D is continuous with the right end of the upper rear wall 75B. The left and right surfaces of the upper right wall 75D are flush with the left and right surfaces of the lower right wall 94D.

[0105] The length L1 in the front-to-back direction of the upper right wall 75D is longer than the length L2 in the left-to-right direction of the upper front wall 75A and the upper rear wall 75B. In other words, the length L2 in the left-to-right direction of the upper front wall 75A and the upper rear wall 75B is shorter than the length L1 in the front-to-back direction of the upper right wall 75D. The upper right wall 75D is an example of a fourth wall.

[0106] A key member 99 extends rearward from the rear surfaces of the lower rear wall 94B and the upper rear wall 75B. The key member 99 has a left key portion 99A and a right key portion 99B.

[0107] The left key portion 99A is located to the left of the arc-shaped portion 121 of the lower rear wall 94B. The left key portion 99A extends rearward from the left surface of the lower rear wall 94B and the rear surface of the upper rear wall 75B. The left key portion 99A has a flat plate shape that expands in the front-rear and up-down directions. The left key portion 99A extends from the upper end of the upper rear wall 75B to the upper end of the lower arc-shaped portion 121A of the lower rear wall 94B. The left key portion 99A is inserted into the right-hand keyway 74 when the annular wall 75 is inserted into the through hole 72 of the tank cover 110.

[0108] The right key portion 99B is located to the right of the arc-shaped portion 121 of the lower rear wall 94B. The right key portion 99B extends rearward from the right surface of the lower rear wall 94B and the rear surface of the upper rear wall 75B. The right key portion 99B has a flat plate shape that expands in the front-rear and up-down directions. The right key portion 99B extends from the upper end of the upper rear wall 75B to the upper end of the lower arc-shaped portion 121A of the lower rear wall 94B. The right key portion 99B is inserted into the left keyway 74 when the annular wall 75 is inserted into the through hole 72 of the tank cover 110.

[0109] The valve 161 is located in the internal space of the projection 94. The valve 161 has a flat plate shape that extends in the front-rear and left-right directions. The outer circumferential surface of the valve 161 has a shape that conforms to the inner circumferential surface of the support member 84. The distance in the front-rear direction between the rear end of the outer circumferential surface of the valve 161 and the inner circumferential surface of the support member 84 is greater than the distance in the front-rear direction between the front end of the outer circumferential surface of the valve 161 and the inner circumferential surface of the support member 84.

[0110] The ink flow path is defined by the left and right ends of the valve 161 and the inner circumferential surface of the support member 84. The ink flow path connects the ink storage chamber 147 and the front opening 96A. An air flow path 135 is defined between the rear end of the valve 161 and the inner circumferential surface of the support member 84.

[0111] Valve 161 is movable vertically between a closed position and an open position. The closed position is when valve 161 contacts the entire circumference of the upper lip 109 and the lower lip 108. In the closed position, valve 161 closes the rear opening 95 and the front opening 96A. The open position is when valve 161 has moved downward from the closed position. In the open position, valve 161 opens the rear opening 95 and the front opening 96A. In the open position, valve 161 connects the ink storage chamber 147 and the rear opening 95 through the air passage 135.

[0112] The coil spring 165 is located below the valve 161. The coil spring 165 is compressible in the vertical direction. The upper end of the coil spring 165 abuts against the lower surface of the valve 161. The lower end of the coil spring 165 abuts against the spring seat 164. The spring seat 164 is fixed to the support member 84. The coil spring 165 biases the valve 161 upward toward the closed position.

[0113] The nozzle cap 171 has a cylindrical shape that opens downwards. The upper end of the nozzle cap 171 is closed. The nozzle cap 171 has an internal space into which the bottle cap 82 is inserted. The nozzle cap 171 has an outer wall 171A and an inner wall 171B.

[0114] The outer wall 171A is cylindrical in shape and extends downward from the base wall 171C that defines the upper part of the internal space of the nozzle cap 171. The lower end of the outer wall 171A is in close proximity to the upper surface of the lower bottom wall 71 around its entire circumference. The lower end of the outer wall 171A bulges slightly inward in the radial direction of the nozzle cap 171. As a result, the inner circumferential surface at the lower end of the outer wall 171A receives a force from the outer circumferential surface at the upper end of the annular rib 91 that is directed radially outward of the nozzle cap 171. Consequently, the nozzle cap 171 is prevented from easily coming off upward from the bottle cap 82.

[0115] The inner wall 171B is located radially inward of the outer wall 171A, with a gap between them. The inner wall 171B is cylindrical in shape and extends downward from the base wall 171C. The outer circumferential surface at the lower end of the inner wall 171B abuts against the entire inner circumferential surface of the annular rib 91.

[0116] [Connection between ink bottle 80 and ink tank set 51] The ink bottle 80 can be connected to the ink tank 100 through the leftmost through-hole 72 of the tank cover 110. Therefore, the following describes an example in which the ink bottle 80 is connected to the ink tank 100 through the leftmost through-hole 72 of the tank cover 110.

[0117] First, the user opens the cover 70 of the multifunction printer 10. This exposes the ink tank set 51 to the front through the opening in the casing 8. Next, the user removes the nozzle cap 171 from the bottle body 81 of the ink bottle 80.

[0118] Next, the user determines the orientation in which the annular wall 75 of the ink bottle 80 can be inserted into the through hole 72 of the tank cover 110. At this time, since the upper front wall 75A of the annular wall 75 is arc-shaped and the upper rear wall 75B is flat, the user can easily determine the orientation in which the annular wall 75 can be inserted into the through hole 72. Then, the user inserts the annular wall 75 of the ink bottle 80 into the through hole 72 until it contacts the annular contact wall 122 of the ink tank 100. At the same time, the user inserts the key member 99 into the keyway 74.

[0119] At this time, the upper front wall 75A of the annular wall 75 abuts against the front end on the inner surface of the through hole 72, and the upper rear wall 75B abuts against the rear end on the inner surface of the through hole 72. This positions the annular wall 75 in the front-rear direction relative to the through hole 72. Simultaneously, the upper left wall 75C abuts against the left end on the inner surface of the through hole 72, and the upper right wall 75D abuts against the right end on the inner surface of the through hole 72. This positions the annular wall 75 in the left-right direction relative to the through hole 72. In other words, the upper front wall 75A, the upper rear wall 75B, the upper left wall 75C, and the upper right wall 75D act as guides when inserting the annular wall 75 into the through hole 72.

[0120] As a result, as shown in Figure 8, the nozzle 96 is inserted into the refill port 119 of the ink tank 100, and the tank tube 115 is inserted into the rear opening 95 of the ink bottle 80. This causes the valve 161 to move from the closed position to the open position against the biasing force of the coil spring 165 as it is pressed in the extending direction by the tank tube 115. As a result, the ink bottle 80 is connected to the ink tank set 51.

[0121] When the ink bottle 80 is connected to the ink tank set 51, the ink in the ink storage chamber 147 flows into the ink chamber 111 through the ink channel and nozzle 96. At the same time, outside air enters the ink chamber 111 through the atmospheric communication port 112, and the air in the ink chamber 111 flows into the ink storage chamber 147 through the tank tube 115 and air channel 135. In this way, so-called gas-liquid displacement occurs, and the ink in the ink storage chamber 147 is replenished to the ink chamber 111.

[0122] Once the ink replenishment is complete, the user removes the ink bottle 80 from the ink tank set 51. At this time, ink may drip from the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96. However, since the upper end 131 of the annular wall 75 is located above the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96, the dripped ink is likely to adhere to the inner surface of the upper front wall 75A of the annular wall 75. Therefore, the outside of the ink bottle 80 is less likely to be contaminated with ink. Furthermore, when the ink bottle 80 is placed on a desk or the like, the nozzle 96 will be facing upwards. As a result, the ink that has adhered to the inner surface of the upper front wall 75A will move downwards by gravity to the upper surface of the base 86.

[0123] Next, as shown in Figure 9, the user inserts the bottle cap 82 into the internal space of the nozzle cap 171. At this time, the inner surface of the nozzle cap 171 abuts against the upper end of the annular wall 75, thereby preventing the inner surface of the nozzle cap 171 from contacting the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96. As a result, contamination of the inner surface of the nozzle cap 171 with ink is suppressed.

[0124] Next, the user presses the nozzle cap 171 downwards with the lower end of the outer wall 171A of the nozzle cap 171 in contact with the upper end of the annular rib 91. This causes the annular rib 91 to elastically deform inward in the radial direction, pushing the nozzle cap 171 downwards. As a result, the nozzle cap 171 is prevented from coming off upwards from the bottle cap 82.

[0125] [Effects of the Embodiment] In the above embodiment, the front opening 96A is positioned offset forward from the center C1 of the opening 87. Therefore, when the ink from the ink storage chamber 147 is supplied to the ink chamber 111 through the nozzle 96, the ink supply speed is fast. On the other hand, when the ink bottle 80 is removed from the ink tank set 51 after the ink has been supplied, ink tends to drip from the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96. In the above embodiment, when ink drips from the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96, it tends to adhere to the inner surface of the upper front wall 75A of the annular wall 75. Therefore, the outside of the ink bottle 80 is less likely to be contaminated with ink.

[0126] In the above embodiment, the nozzle 96 is positioned offset forward from the center C1 of the opening 87. As a result, as shown in Figure 10, the inner surface of the nozzle cap 171 is more likely to come into contact with the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96. Figure 10 shows an ink bottle 80 in which the upper end 131 of the annular wall 75 is located below the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96. In the above embodiment, when the nozzle cap 171 is attached to the bottle cap 82, the inner surface of the nozzle cap 171 comes into contact with the upper end of the annular wall 75. This prevents the inner surface of the nozzle cap 171 from coming into contact with the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96. As a result, contamination of the inner surface of the nozzle cap 171 with ink is suppressed. Also, when ink drips from the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96, the ink is more likely to adhere to the inner surface of the upper front wall 75A of the annular wall 75.

[0127] In the above embodiment, the upper front wall 75A and the upper rear wall 75B serve as guides when the annular wall 75 is inserted into the through hole 72 of the tank cover 110. This makes it easier for the user to connect the ink bottle 80 to the ink tank set 51.

[0128] In the above embodiment, the upper front wall 75A has an arc shape that bulges forward relative to the center C1 of the opening 87 when viewed from above. The upper rear wall 75B has a flat plate shape that expands in the vertical and horizontal directions. Therefore, the user can easily grasp the orientation of the annular wall 75 when inserting it into the through hole 72. Consequently, the user can easily insert the nozzle 96 into the refill port 119 of the ink tank 100.

[0129] In the above embodiment, the upper front wall 75A has an arc shape that bulges forward relative to the center C1 of the opening 87 when viewed from above. Therefore, compared to the case where the upper rear wall 75B has an arc shape that bulges backward, it is easier for the user to understand the orientation of the annular wall 75 when inserting it into the through hole 72.

[0130] In the above embodiment, the upper front wall 75A, upper rear wall 75B, upper left wall 75C, and upper right wall 75D constitute an annular wall 75 surrounding the nozzle 96. Therefore, when ink drips from the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96, the ink is likely to adhere to the inner surface of the annular wall 75. Consequently, the outside of the ink bottle 80 is less likely to be contaminated with ink.

[0131] In the above embodiment, when the nozzle 96 is inserted into the refill port 119 of the ink tank 100, the tank tube 115 is inserted into the rear opening 95 of the ink bottle 80. As a result, ink from the ink storage chamber 147 flows into the ink chamber 111 through the ink channel and the nozzle 96. At the same time, air from the ink chamber 111 flows into the ink storage chamber 147 through the tank tube 115 and the air channel 135. In this way, ink and air are exchanged between the ink storage chamber 147 and the ink chamber 111, thereby replenishing the ink in the ink storage chamber 147 to the ink chamber 111.

[0132] In the above embodiment, the length L2 in the left-right direction of the upper front wall 75A and the upper rear wall 75B is shorter than the length L1 in the front-rear direction of the upper left wall 75C and the upper right wall 75D. Therefore, the annular wall 75 surrounds the front opening 96A and the rear opening 95, while shortening the left-right distance between the upper left wall 75C and the upper right wall 75D. This makes it easier to reduce the left-right space in the ink tank set 51 when the ink bottle 80 is connected to the ink tank set 51. In other words, it is not necessary to make the four ink chambers 111 large in the left-right direction in order to secure space when the ink bottle 80 is connected to the ink tank set 51.

[0133] [Modification] In the above embodiment, the upper end 131 of the annular wall 75 is located above the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96. However, the upper end 131 of the annular wall 75 may be located at a position that coincides with the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96 in the vertical direction. Even in this case, ink dripping from the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96 is likely to adhere to the inner surface of the upper front wall 75A of the annular wall 75. This suppresses contamination of the outside of the ink bottle 80 with ink.

[0134] In the above embodiment, the annular wall 75 has an upper front wall 75A, an upper rear wall 75B, an upper left wall 75C, and an upper right wall 75D. However, two of the upper front wall 75A, upper rear wall 75B, upper left wall 75C, and upper right wall 75D may be omitted. For example, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, the upper left wall 75C and the upper right wall 75D may be omitted. In the modified form shown in Figures 11 and 12, the user can connect the ink bottle 80 to the ink tank 100 through the leftmost through-hole 72 of the tank cover 110. Also, one of the upper rear wall 75B, upper left wall 75C, and upper right wall 75D may be omitted. Also, three of the upper rear wall 75B, upper left wall 75C, and upper right wall 75D may be omitted.

[0135] In the above embodiment, the upper front wall 75A has an arc shape that bulges forward relative to the center C1 of the opening 87 when viewed from above. The upper rear wall 75B has a flat plate shape that expands in the vertical and horizontal directions. However, the shapes of the upper front wall 75A and the upper rear wall 75B are not limited. For example, the upper front wall 75A may have a flat plate shape that expands in the vertical and horizontal directions. The upper rear wall 75B may have an arc shape that bulges backward relative to the center C1 of the opening 87 when viewed from above. In this case, the through hole 72 has a shape in which one side of the rear of a rectangle bulges backward in an arc shape.

[0136] In the above embodiment, the upper front wall 75A, upper rear wall 75B, upper left wall 75C, and upper right wall 75D constitute an annular wall 75 surrounding the nozzle 96. However, the upper front wall 75A, upper rear wall 75B, upper left wall 75C, and upper right wall 75D do not have to be continuous in a way that surrounds the nozzle 96.

[0137] In the above embodiment, the rubber 83 has a rear opening 95. However, the rear opening 95 may be omitted. In this case, the tank tube 115 may be omitted. When the ink bottle 80 is connected to the ink tank set 51, air from the ink chamber 111 flows into the ink storage chamber 147 through the nozzle 96 and the air passage 135.

[0138] In the above embodiment, the length L2 in the left-right direction of the upper front wall 75A and the upper rear wall 75B is shorter than the length L1 in the front-rear direction of the upper left wall 75C and the upper right wall 75D. However, the length L2 in the left-right direction of the upper front wall 75A and the upper rear wall 75B may be longer than or equal to the length L1 in the front-rear direction of the upper left wall 75C and the upper right wall 75D.

[0139] In the above embodiment, the extending ends of the annular contact walls 122 other than the leftmost annular contact wall 122 are located further out in the extending direction than the extending end of the leftmost annular contact wall 122. However, the extending ends of the annular contact walls 122 other than the leftmost annular contact wall 122 may coincide with the extending end of the leftmost annular contact wall 122 in the extending direction.

[0140] In the above embodiment, the upper end 131 of the annular wall 75 is located above the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96. However, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, the upper end 131 of the annular wall 75 may coincide with the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96 in the vertical direction. In this case, an extension wall 181, a left-sloping wall 182, and a right-sloping wall 183 may be further arranged on the inner circumferential surface of the annular wall 75.

[0141] The extension wall 181 is located at the upper end of the inner circumferential surface of the upper front wall 75A. The extension wall 181 has an L-shape that extends downward from the inner circumferential surface of the upper front wall 75A toward the nozzle 96 in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. When viewed from above, the extension wall 181 has an arc shape that bulges forward. The extension wall 181 extends over the entire circumferential surface of the upper front wall 75A.

[0142] The extended surface 181A of the extended wall 181 has an arc shape that follows the arc of the nozzle 96. The extended surface 181A is in close proximity to the entire circumference of the arc of the nozzle 96. In this way, the extended wall 181 surrounds the nozzle 96 in close proximity, so that the rubber nozzle 96 is less likely to bend when the ink bottle 80 is connected to the ink tank set 51.

[0143] A small gap 184 exists between the extended surface 181A and the arcuate surface of the nozzle 96. The gap 184 is located around the entire circumference of the arcuate surface. The gap 184 extends downward from the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96 to the lower end of the extended surface 181A. In the longitudinal section shown in Figure 15, the length of the gap 184 in the front-to-back direction is 1 mm or less. As a result, when ink adheres to the front end at the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96, the ink enters the gap 184 by capillary action. The extended surface 181A is an example of a third end.

[0144] The extension wall 181 has a recess 185 that is recessed downward from the upper surface of the extension wall 181. The recess 185 is located at the front end of the extension wall 181. The rear end of the recess 185 opens to the rear. The rear end of the recess 185 is adjacent to the gap 184. As a result, ink adhering to the inner surface of the recess 185 enters the gap 184 by capillary action. The extension wall 181 and the annular wall 75 are examples of walls.

[0145] The left inclined wall 182 is continuous with the upper surface of the inward-facing flange 94E from the left end of the extension wall 181. The left inclined wall 182 has a flat plate shape that extends in the vertical and horizontal directions. The left inclined wall 182 is inclined with respect to the vertical direction so that it moves backward as it goes downward.

[0146] The right-sloping wall 183 is continuous with the upper surface of the inward-facing flange 94E from the right end of the extension wall 181. The right-sloping wall 183 has a flat plate shape that extends in the vertical and horizontal directions. The right-sloping wall 183 is inclined with respect to the vertical direction so that it moves backward as it goes downward.

[0147] As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the portion of the nozzle 96 below the gap 184 on its outer surface is in contact with the inner surface of the annular wall 75. In other words, the thickness of the nozzle 96 is greater in the portion below the gap 184.

[0148] In the modified example shown in Figure 13, when the ink bottle 80 is removed from the ink tank set 51, ink is likely to adhere to the front end of the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96. When ink adheres to the front end of the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96, the ink is received by the inner surface of the recess 185 of the extension wall 181. The ink received by the inner surface of the recess 185 enters the gap 184 by capillary action. This prevents ink from dripping from the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96. The ink that enters the gap 184 by capillary action moves to the lower end of the gap 184 by capillary action. As a result, contamination of the outside of the ink bottle 80 with ink is suppressed.

[0149] In the modified example shown in Figure 13, the extension wall 181 is located on the inner circumferential surface of the upper front wall 75A. However, as shown in Figure 16, the extension wall 181 may have a continuous ring shape extending around the entire circumference of the annular wall 75. In other words, the extension surface 181A of the extension wall 181 forms an oval-shaped inner surface that is elongated in the front-to-back direction. The extension surface 181A surrounds the nozzle 96 and the rear opening 95 when viewed from above. In this case, the left inclined wall 182 and the right inclined wall 183 are omitted.

[0150] In the modified example shown in Figure 16, the position of the rear opening 95 is emphasized by the extended surface 181A of the extended wall 181. Therefore, it is easy for the user to realize that they just need to insert the tank pipe 115 into the rear opening 95 via the extended surface 181A. And since the tank pipe 115 is guided to the rear opening 95 by the extended surface 181A, it is easy for the user to insert the tank pipe 115 into the rear opening 95.

[0151] In the above embodiment, the annular wall 75 extends upward from the outer circumference of the upper surface of the inward flange 94E. However, as shown in Figures 17 and 18, the annular wall 75 may extend upward from the inner circumference of the upper surface of the inward flange 94E. The upper end 131 of the annular wall 75 coincides with the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96 in the vertical direction. The annular wall 75 has a U-shape that opens upward and forward when viewed from above. In other words, the upper front wall 75A is omitted. The annular wall 75 has an upper rear wall 75B, an upper left wall 75C, and an upper right wall 75D.

[0152] The upper rear wall 75B is located at the rear end of the upper surface of the base portion 86. The upper rear wall 75B has a flat plate shape that extends in the vertical and horizontal directions. The upper left wall 75C is located at the left end of the upper surface of the base portion 86. The upper left wall 75C has a flat plate shape that extends in the front-rear and vertical directions. The upper left wall 75C extends in the front-rear direction from the left end of the upper rear wall 75B to the front end of the left surface of the nozzle 96.

[0153] The right surface of the upper left wall 75C is close to the left surface of the nozzle 96. A tiny gap 191 exists between the right surface of the upper left wall 75C and the left surface of the nozzle 96. In the vertical cross-section shown in Figure 18, the length of the left gap 191 in the left-right direction is 1 mm or less. As a result, when ink adheres to the left end of the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96, the ink enters the left gap 191 due to capillary action.

[0154] The upper right wall 75D is located at the rightmost end of the upper surface of the base portion 86. The upper right wall 75D has a flat plate shape that extends in the front-rear and up-down directions. The upper right wall 75D extends in the front-rear direction from the right end of the upper rear wall 75B to the front end of the right surface of the nozzle 96.

[0155] The left surface of the upper right wall 75D is close to the right surface of the nozzle 96. A minute right gap 192 exists between the left surface of the upper right wall 75D and the right surface of the nozzle 96. In the vertical cross-section shown in Figure 18, the length of the right gap 192 in the left-right direction is 1 mm or less. As a result, when ink adheres to the right end of the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96, the ink enters the right gap 192 by capillary action.

[0156] The front surface of the upper rear wall 75B, the right surface of the upper left wall 75C, and the left surface of the upper right wall 75D form a circular inner surface from the top to the bottom. This makes it easy for the user to find the position of the rear opening 95 into which the tank pipe 115 is inserted. When the tank pipe 115 is inserted into the rear opening 95, the tank pipe 115 is guided into the rear opening 95 by the circular inner surface. Therefore, it is easy for the user to insert the tank pipe 115 into the rear opening 95.

[0157] In the modified example shown in Figure 17, when the ink bottle 80 is removed from the ink tank set 51, ink is likely to adhere to the front end of the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96. At this time, because the front edge of the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96 has an arc shape that bulges forward, the ink moves to the left or to the right.

[0158] The ink that has moved to the left enters the left gap 191 by capillary action. This prevents ink from dripping from the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96. The ink that has entered the left gap 191 is collected in the internal space 140 of the projection 94 through the gap between the base portion 86 and the inward flange 94E. As a result, contamination of the outside of the ink bottle 80 with ink is prevented.

[0159] The ink that has moved to the right enters the right gap 192 by capillary action. This prevents ink from dripping from the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96. The ink that has entered the right gap 192 is collected in the internal space 140 of the projection 94 through the gap between the base portion 86 and the inward flange 94E. As a result, contamination of the outside of the ink bottle 80 with ink is prevented.

[0160] In the modified example shown in Figure 17, the right surface of the upper left wall 75C is close to the left surface of the nozzle 96. The left surface of the upper right wall 75D is close to the right surface of the nozzle 96. Therefore, when the ink bottle 80 is connected to the ink tank set 51, the rubber nozzle 96 is less likely to bend.

[0161] In the modified example shown in Figure 17, the upper end 131 of the annular wall 75 coincides with the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96 in the vertical direction. However, as shown in Figure 19, the upper end 131 of the annular wall 75 may be located below the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96 in the vertical direction. In the modified example shown in Figure 19, the user can connect the ink bottle 80 to the ink tank 100 through the through holes 72 other than the leftmost through hole 72 of the tank cover 110. In this case, the extending end of the leftmost annular contact wall 122 may coincide in the extending end of the annular contact wall 122 other than the leftmost annular contact wall 122 in the extending direction.

[0162] In the modified example shown in Figure 19, the ink adhering to the front end of the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96 moves to the left due to surface tension, and then moves downward on the left side of the nozzle 96 due to gravity. The ink that moves downward on the left side of the nozzle 96 enters the left gap 191 by capillary action. The ink that enters the left gap 191 is collected in the internal space 140 of the projection 94 through the gap between the base portion 86 and the inward flange 94E, etc. As a result, contamination of the outside of the ink bottle 80 with ink is suppressed. The left gap 191 is an example of a gap.

[0163] On the other hand, if the ink adhering to the front end of the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96 moves to the right due to surface tension, gravity will cause it to move downwards along the right surface of the nozzle 96. The ink that moves downwards along the right surface of the nozzle 96 enters the right gap 192 by capillary action. The ink that enters the right gap 192 is collected in the internal space 140 of the projection 94 through gaps such as the gap between the base portion 86 and the inward flange 94E. As a result, contamination of the outside of the ink bottle 80 with ink is suppressed. The right gap 192 is an example of a gap.

[0164] In the modified example shown in Figure 19, the right surface of the upper left wall 75C is close to the left surface of the nozzle 96. The left surface of the upper right wall 75D is close to the right surface of the nozzle 96. As a result, the rubber nozzle 96 is less likely to bend when the ink bottle 80 is connected to the ink tank set 51.

[0165] In the modified example shown in Figure 19, the upper rear wall 75B has a flat plate shape that extends in the vertical and horizontal directions. However, as shown in Figure 20, the upper rear wall 75B may have an arc shape that bulges towards the rear when viewed from above. This makes it easier for the user to grasp the position of the rear opening 95 into which the tank tube 115 is inserted. In the modified example shown in Figure 20, the user can connect the ink bottle 80 to the ink tank 100 through the through holes 72 other than the leftmost through hole 72 of the tank cover 110. In this case, the extending end of the leftmost annular contact wall 122 may coincide in the extending direction with the extending end of the annular contact walls 122 other than the leftmost annular contact wall 122.

[0166] In the modified example shown in Figure 17, the vertical position of the upper end 131 of the annular wall 75 is constant along the entire circumference of the annular wall 75. However, the vertical position of the upper end 131 of the annular wall 75 does not have to be constant along the circumference of the annular wall 75. For example, as shown in Figure 21, the portion of the annular wall 75 at the upper end 131 that is behind the nozzle 96 may open upward and backward. The portion of the annular wall 75 at the upper end 131 that is not behind the nozzle 96 coincides with the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96 in the vertical direction.

[0167] Specifically, the upper end of the upper rear wall 75B is located below the vertical center of the nozzle 96 in the vertical direction. The portion of the upper left wall 75C that is behind the rear end of the nozzle 96 is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction so as it moves towards the rear.

[0168] As shown in Figures 21 and 22, the upper left wall 75C has a left stepped surface 195. The left stepped surface 195 is located at the upper end and front end of the upper left wall 75C. In other words, the thickness of the upper left wall 75C is reduced at the upper end and front end. The left stepped surface 195 extends from the rear end to the front end of the nozzle 96 in the front-rear direction. The left stepped surface 195 is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction so as it is directed forward, it is directed downward.

[0169] The portion of the upper right wall 75D, from the rear end of the nozzle 96 to the rear, is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction so as it approaches the rear. The upper right wall 75D has a right stepped surface 196. In other words, the thickness of the upper right wall 75D is reduced at both the upper and front ends. The right stepped surface 196 is located from the rear end to the front end of the nozzle 96 in the front-rear direction. The right stepped surface 196 is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction so as it approaches the front.

[0170] In the modified example shown in Figure 21, the user can connect the ink bottle 80 to the ink tank 100 through through-holes 72 other than the leftmost through-hole 72 of the tank cover 110. For example, as shown in Figure 23, the ink bottle 80 is connected to the ink tank 100 through the rightmost through-hole 72. In this case, the extending end of the leftmost annular contact wall 122 may coincide in the extending direction with the extending ends of the annular contact walls 122 other than the leftmost annular contact wall 122.

[0171] In the modified example shown in Figure 21, the portion of the nozzle 96 from the rear end at the upper left wall 75C is inclined in the front-rear direction so as it approaches the rear. The portion of the nozzle 96 from the rear end at the upper right wall 75D is also inclined in the front-rear direction so as it approaches the rear. In other words, the inclined portions at the upper ends of the upper left wall 75C and the upper right wall 75D are continuous with the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96. Therefore, when the user inserts the nozzle 96 into the supply port 119, their eyes are drawn to the upper end 96B of the nozzle 96, and at the same time, they are drawn to the rear opening 95 through the annular wall 75. Thus, the user easily realizes that they should insert the tank pipe 115 into the rear opening 95 via the annular wall 75. Since the tank pipe 115 is guided to the rear opening 95 by the inner surface of the annular wall 75, the user can easily insert the tank pipe 115 into the rear opening 95.

[0172] In the modified example shown in Figure 21, the right surface of the upper left wall 75C is close to the left surface of the nozzle 96. The left surface of the upper right wall 75D is close to the right surface of the nozzle 96. Therefore, when the ink bottle 80 is connected to the ink tank set 51, the rubber nozzle 96 is less likely to bend.

[0173] 75... Annular wall (an example of a wall) 75A... Upper front wall (an example of the first wall) 75B... Upper rear wall (an example of the second wall) 75C... Upper left wall (an example of the third wall) 75D... Upper right wall (an example of the fourth wall) 80... Ink bottle (an example of a liquid container for printing) 81... Bottle body (an example of the body) 81A... Main container 82... Bottle cap (an example of a projection) 86... Base part (an example of the ceiling) 87... Opening (an example of the mouth) 94E... Inward flange (an example of the ceiling) 95... Rear opening (an example of the second opening) 96... Nozzle 96A... Front opening (an example of the first opening) 96B... Upper end (an example of the second end) 140... Internal space 141... Upper end (an example of the first end) 147... Ink storage chamber (an example of a storage chamber) 181... Extension wall 184... Gap C1... Center

Claims

1. A printing liquid container comprising: a main body having a storage chamber for storing a liquid for printing, and a mouth through which the liquid in the storage chamber flows out to the outside of the storage chamber; and a projection having an internal space communicating with the storage chamber, and extending from the mouth in a first direction opposite to the bottom of the storage chamber, wherein the projection comprises: a ceiling defining the first end of the internal space in the first direction; a first opening connecting the internal space to the outside, opening to the ceiling, and located at a position shifted in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction with respect to the center of the mouth; a nozzle extending from the first opening in the first direction; and a wall located around the nozzle and extending from the ceiling in the first direction, wherein the wall extends in the first direction to a position that coincides with the second end of the nozzle in the first direction or to a position in the first direction beyond the second end.

2. The printing liquid container according to claim 1, wherein the wall has a first wall located closer to the nozzle than the center of the opening in the second direction.

3. The printing liquid container according to claim 2, wherein the wall has a second wall located closer to the center of the opening than the first wall in the second direction.

4. The printing liquid container according to claim 3, wherein one of the first wall and the second wall has a curved shape that bulges outward in the second direction relative to the center of the opening, and the other of the first wall and the second wall has a flat plate shape.

5. The printing liquid container according to claim 4, wherein the first wall has a curved shape that bulges outward in the second direction relative to the center of the opening.

6. The printing liquid container according to claim 3, wherein the wall has a third wall located in one of the third directions perpendicular to the first and second directions of the nozzle, and a fourth wall located in the other of the third directions of the nozzle, and the first wall, the second wall, the third wall, and the fourth wall constitute an annular wall surrounding the nozzle.

7. The printing liquid container according to claim 6, wherein the projection communicates the internal space with the outside and has a second opening that opens into the ceiling, and the second opening is located in the opposite direction to the direction in which the first opening is shifted from the center of the mouth in the second direction relative to the first opening, and the annular wall surrounds the periphery of the first opening and the second opening.

8. The printing liquid container according to claim 7, wherein the length of the first wall and the second wall in the third direction is shorter than the length of the third wall and the fourth wall in the second direction.

9. A printing liquid container comprising: a main body having a storage chamber for storing a liquid for printing, and a mouth through which the liquid from the storage chamber flows out to the outside of the storage chamber; and a projection having an internal space communicating with the storage chamber, and extending from the mouth in a first direction opposite to the bottom of the storage chamber, wherein the projection comprises: a ceiling defining the first end of the internal space in the first direction; a first opening connecting the internal space to the outside, opening to the ceiling, and positioned at a location offset in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction with respect to the center of the mouth; a nozzle extending from the first opening in the first direction; and a wall located around the nozzle and extending from the ceiling in the first direction, wherein there is a gap between the wall and the outer surface of the nozzle through which the liquid enters by capillary action.

10. The printing liquid container according to claim 9, wherein the gap is located at the second end of the nozzle in the first direction on the outer circumferential surface of the nozzle.

11. The printing liquid container according to claim 9, wherein the length of the above gap is 1 mm or less.

12. The printing liquid container according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the projection communicates the internal space with the outside and has a second opening that opens into the ceiling, the second opening being located in the opposite direction to the direction in which the first opening is shifted from the center of the mouth in the second direction relative to the first opening.

13. The printing liquid container according to claim 12, wherein the wall surrounds the periphery of the second opening.

14. The printing liquid container according to claim 13, wherein the wall comprises an annular wall surrounding the second opening and the nozzle, and an extended wall extending from the annular wall toward the nozzle, and the gap is located between the extended wall and the outer surface of the nozzle.

15. The printing liquid container according to claim 14, wherein the extended wall has a continuous ring shape over the entire circumference in the circumferential direction of the annular wall.

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