Ink cartridge

Abstract

This ink cartridge for a recording device includes a container body formed by blow molding, wherein the container body, in a use posture, has: a first region having a U-shaped ink storage part therein; a second region and a third region communicating with a first end and a second end of the ink storage part, respectively, the second region and the third region including a first opening and a second opening in the front part of the container body; and a fourth region composed of a wall part having no space therein. At least a part of the fourth region is surrounded by the U-shape, and the lateral width of at least a part of the first region is narrower than lateral widths of the second region and the third region.

Description

Ink Cartridge

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an ink cartridge.

[0002] In recent years, blow molding has attracted attention as a manufacturing method for ink cartridge main bodies. Compared with ordinary injection molding, this blow molding does not require an internal mold, so cost reduction is expected.

[0003] On the other hand, since blow molding does not perform internal molding using a mold, it has disadvantages in forming complex shapes and ensuring surface accuracy.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which an air valve mechanism and a supply valve mechanism are inserted into a blow-molded tank to unitize portions having complex and precise shapes, thereby compensating for the above disadvantages.

[0005] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2025-20824

[0006] However, Patent Document 1 still has portions that have not been sufficiently improved with respect to reliability resulting from blow molding.

[0007] An object of the present disclosure is to improve various types of reliability of an ink cartridge manufactured by blow molding.

[0008] A first aspect of the present disclosure is an ink cartridge that can be mounted on a recording device, comprising a container body formed by blow molding, wherein, in the usage orientation when mounted on the recording device, if the front-to-back direction, left-to-right direction and up-to-down direction are defined, the container body comprises: a first region having a U-shaped ink storage portion inside; a second region including a first opening that communicates with the first end of the U-shaped ink storage portion and is located at the front of the container body in the front-to-back direction; a third region including a second opening that communicates with the second end of the U-shaped ink storage portion and is located at the front of the container body in the front-to-back direction; and having no space inside. An ink cartridge having a fourth region consisting of a wall portion, wherein at least a part of the fourth region is surrounded by the U-shape, and the U-shape includes a first portion extending in the front-rear direction from the first end and located above the fourth region in the vertical direction, a second portion extending in the front-rear direction from the second end and located below the fourth region in the vertical direction, and a third portion connecting the first portion and the second portion and extending in the vertical direction, wherein the width in the left-right direction of at least a part of the first region is narrower than the width in the left-right direction of the second and third regions.

[0009] This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the printer. This is a perspective view of the ink cartridge viewed from the front and above. This is a perspective view of the ink cartridge viewed from the rear and below. This is a right side view of the ink cartridge. This is a top view of the ink cartridge. This is a bottom view of the ink cartridge. This is a front view of the ink cartridge. This is a rear view of the ink cartridge. This is a left side view of the ink cartridge. This is a right side view of the ink cartridge. This is a left side view of the ink cartridge. This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area including the supply unit 33 in Figure 3. This is a perspective view of the upper support member. This is a diagram showing the manufacturing process of the ink cartridge container body 31. This is a diagram showing the manufacturing process of the ink cartridge container body 31. This is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the ink cartridge. This is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the ink cartridge. This is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the ink cartridge. This is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the ink cartridge. This is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the rear end of the container body 31. This is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the rear end of the container body 31. This is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the rear end of the container body 31. This is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the rear end of the container body 31. This is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the rear end of the container body 31. This is a schematic diagram showing the cross-section of the rear end of the container body 31. This is a schematic diagram showing the cross-section of the rear end of the container body 31. This is a schematic diagram showing the cross-section of the rear end of the container body 31. This is a schematic diagram showing the cross-section of the rear end of the container body 31. This is a diagram showing the left side view and front view of the medium-capacity ink container. This is a diagram showing the BA cross-section in Figure 27. This is a diagram showing the BB cross-section in Figure 27. This is a diagram showing the BC cross-section in Figure 27. This is a diagram showing the left side view and front view of the small-capacity ink container. This is a diagram showing the BD cross-section in Figure 31. This is a diagram showing the BE cross-section in Figure 31. This is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of the supply unit 33. This is a schematic diagram showing the AA' cross-section in Figure 34. This is a schematic cross-sectional diagram showing the AA' cross-section in Figure 34. This is a schematic cross-sectional diagram showing the AA' cross-section in Figure 34. This is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of the supply unit 33. This is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of the supply unit 33.

[0010] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings as appropriate. Note that the embodiments described below are merely examples of how this disclosure is concretized, and the embodiments may be modified as appropriate without altering the gist of this disclosure.

[0011] In the following, the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into and removed from the cartridge case 110 in a horizontal direction (a direction perpendicular to the direction of gravity). In this disclosure, forward and backward directions may be collectively referred to as the front-rear direction, upward and downward directions as the up-down direction, and right and left directions as the left-right direction. The explanation will be given on the premise that the front-rear direction and the left-right direction are horizontal directions. The vertical direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction is defined as the up-down direction. The direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-rear direction is defined as the left-right direction. The state in which the ink cartridge 30 is installed in the cartridge case 110 and used is the state in which the ink cartridge 30 is inserted to the installation position in the cartridge case 110. The installation position is the position in which the supply pipe 102 provided in the cartridge case 110 is inserted into the supply port 34 provided in the ink cartridge 30 and connected to each other. In the following, the orientation of the ink cartridge 30 in the state in which the ink cartridge 30 is installed in the cartridge case 110 and used will be referred to as the "usage position". Unless otherwise specified, the up / down, left / right, and front / back directions in the following explanation are based on the orientation of the ink cartridge 30 in use.

[0012] Furthermore, in the following explanation, "forward" refers to the direction in which the ink cartridge 30 moves toward the cartridge case 110 in the front-to-back direction (an example of mounting direction). "Backward" refers to the direction in which the ink cartridge 30 moves away from the cartridge case 110 in the front-to-back direction. When explaining that the elements constituting the ink cartridge 30 face a specific direction, the direction in which the elements face is not limited to that specific direction. For example, when "the front faces forward," the front may face both forward and upward.

[0013] The front surface of the ink cartridge 30 is the surface shown in the front view in Figure 7. The rear surface of the ink cartridge 30 is the surface shown in the rear view in Figure 8. The top surface of the ink cartridge 30 is the surface shown in the top view in Figure 5. The bottom surface of the ink cartridge 30 is the surface shown in the bottom view in Figure 6. The left surface of the ink cartridge 30 is the surface shown in the left side view in Figure 9. The right surface of the ink cartridge 30 is the surface shown in the right side view in Figure 4.

[0014] [Overview of Printer 10] As shown in Figure 1, the printer 10 includes a cartridge case 110, a sub-tank 120, an ink tube 20, a recording head 21, and an ink cartridge 30. The printer 10 is an inkjet recording device that records images by ejecting ink droplets from the recording head 21 onto paper based on an inkjet recording method, and is, for example, an inkjet printer. The printer 10 includes a cartridge case 110. The cartridge case 110 is an example of a mounting part. An ink cartridge 30 is mounted in the cartridge case 110. An ink cartridge 30 is an example of an ink container. The cartridge case 110 has an opening 112 at its rear end. The ink cartridge 30 is inserted forward into the cartridge case 110 through the opening 112. The ink cartridge 30 is removed backward from the cartridge case 110 through the opening 112. The opening 112 is opened and closed by a cover 126. Figure 1 shows the state in which the ink cartridge 30 has been mounted in the cartridge case 110. In other words, Figure 1 shows that the ink cartridge 30 is installed. The orientation of the installed ink cartridge 30 is the orientation for use.

[0015] The ink cartridge 30 stores ink that can be used by the printer 10. The ink may be a liquid containing a colorant such as a pigment, or it may be a processing liquid containing additives for improving image quality instead of a colorant. When the ink cartridge 30 is installed in the cartridge case 110, the ink cartridge 30 and the recording head 21 are connected via the ink tube 20. The recording head 21 ejects the ink supplied from the ink cartridge 30 from a plurality of nozzles 29. Specifically, the head control board of the recording head 21 selectively applies a drive voltage to a plurality of piezoelectric elements 29A provided corresponding to the plurality of nozzles 29. As a result, ink is selectively ejected from the nozzles 29. In other words, the recording head 21 consumes the ink stored in the ink cartridge 30 installed in the cartridge case 110.

[0016] The printer 10 includes a paper feed tray 15, a paper feed roller 23, a transport roller pair 25, a platen 26, an output roller pair 27, and an output tray 16. The paper feed roller 23 feeds the paper on the paper feed tray 15 toward the transport path 24. The paper fed toward the transport path 24 reaches the transport roller pair 25. The transport roller pair 25 transports the paper that has reached the transport roller pair 25 toward the platen 26. The recording head 21 selectively ejects ink onto the paper as it passes over the platen 26. This records an image on the paper. The paper that has passed over the platen 26 reaches the output roller pair 27. The output roller pair 27 discharges the paper that has reached the output roller pair 27 to the output tray 16 located at the downstream end of the transport path 24.

[0017] [Ink Cartridge 30] The ink cartridge 30 is a container in which liquid ink is stored. As shown in Figures 2 to 9, the ink cartridge 30 has a container body 31, a cover 32, and an IC substrate 60. The container body 31 is an example of a first member and an ink frame. The cover 32 is an example of a second member. The cover 32 is located in front of the container body 31. The ink cartridge 30 is inserted forward with the cover 32 toward the slot 108 of the cartridge case 110.

[0018] The container body 31 has a thin, flat, cubic shape in which its length in the left-right direction is smaller than its length in the up-down direction and its length in the front-back direction. The container body 31 has a supply section 33 and a locking engagement section 78.

[0019] The container body 31 has a front wall 40, a rear wall 41, a left wall 42, a right wall 43, an upper wall 44, and a lower wall 45. With the front wall 40 as the reference, the rear wall 41 faces the front wall 40 in the front-to-back direction. The left wall 42 connects the front wall 40 and the rear wall 41. The right wall 43 faces the left wall 42 in the left-to-right direction. The upper wall 44 connects the front wall 40 and the rear wall 41. The lower wall 45 faces the upper wall 44 in the up-to-down direction. The container body 31 has an upper surface 80 which is the outer surface of the upper wall 44. The outer surface of the front wall 40 faces forward. The rear wall 41 has a rear surface 62 which faces backward. The outer surface of the left wall 42 faces left. The outer surface of the right wall 43 faces right. The outer surface of the upper wall 44 faces upward. The outer surface of the lower wall 45 faces downward.

[0020] As shown in Figure 2, the front wall 40, rear wall 41, left wall 42, right wall 43, upper wall 44, and lower wall 45 partition the storage chamber in the internal space of the container body 31. The front wall 40, rear wall 41, left wall 42, right wall 43, upper wall 44, and lower wall 45 are translucent enough that the liquid level of the ink stored in the storage chamber can be seen from the outside.

[0021] The container body 31 is integrally molded by blow molding. Specifically, first, as shown in Figure 14A, a molten cylindrical parison 211 is molded from a blow molding machine. Next, as shown in Figure 14B, with the blow pin 212 inserted into the parison 211, the parison 211 is sandwiched between the mold 213, and air is injected into the parison 211 from the blow pin 212. At this time, the upper end of the parison 211 is sandwiched between the outer circumferential surface 212A of the blow pin 212 and the inner surface of the mold 213. As a result, a supply unit 33 is formed which has a transfer surface 116 on which the shape of the outer circumferential surface 212A of the blow pin 212 is transferred as part of the inner circumferential surface 33A. The transfer surface 116 is located on the inner circumferential surface 33A of the supply unit 33 between the supply port 34 and the stepped surface 13. Note that in Figures 14A and 14B, only the portion of the mold 213 that forms the supply section 33 is shown, and the portion of the mold 213 that forms the storage chamber is omitted. The blow pin 212 is an example of an air nozzle.

[0022] The parison 211 is sandwiched between the mold 213, closing the opening at the lower end of the cylindrical parison 211. This closed portion is the pinch-off section. Although not shown in the figures, the pinch-off section is recognizable as fine, ridge-like protrusions on the outer surface of the container body 31. On the container body 31, the pinch-off section is located in the center of the rear surface 62 in the left-right direction.

[0023] The front wall 40 has an upper front wall located above and a lower front wall located below. The upper front wall is located further forward in the front-to-back direction than the lower front wall. The space behind the upper front wall in the front-to-back direction is also part of the storage chamber. In other words, the upper part of the storage chamber extends further forward than the lower part of the storage chamber. The lower front wall is continuous with the supply section 33.

[0024] As shown in Figure 9, the left wall 42 has a front left wall 42F located forward in the front-rear direction and a rear left wall 42R located backward. As shown in Figure 4, the right wall 43 has a front right wall 43F located forward in the front-rear direction and a rear right wall 43R located backward. The front left wall 42F and the front right wall 43F are continuous with the upper front wall. The rear left wall 42R and the rear right wall 43R are continuous with the rear wall 41. The space between the front left wall 42F and the front right wall 43F is part of the storage chamber. The lateral distance between the outer surface of the front left wall 42F and the outer surface of the front right wall 43F is smaller than the lateral distance between the outer surface of the rear left wall 42R and the outer surface of the rear right wall 43R.

[0025] As shown in Figure 11, the outer surface of the front left wall 42F is the left surface 42S facing left. As shown in Figure 10, the outer surface of the front right wall 43F is the right surface 43S facing right. Two protrusions 52R are located on the right surface 43S. The protrusions 52R project to the right from the right surface 43S. On the right surface 43S, the two protrusions 52R are aligned vertically. In a side view, the protrusions 52R are rectangles whose vertical length is longer than their front-to-back length. The protrusions 52R are rectangular prisms. The protrusions 52R engage with the through-holes 76R of the cover 32, which will be described later. The protrusions 52R are examples of the first engaging portion, the first protrusion, and the second protrusion.

[0026] The convex portion 52R located in the upper vertical direction has a front surface 521 facing forward, a rear surface 522 facing backward, an upper surface 523 facing upward, and a lower surface 524 facing downward. The front surface 521 and the rear surface 522 are aligned in the vertical direction. The front surface 521 is an example of a first front surface. The rear surface 522 is an example of a first rear surface.

[0027] Two protrusions 52L are located on the left surface 42S. The protrusions 52L project to the left from the left surface 42S. On the left surface 42S, the two protrusions 52L are aligned vertically. In a side view, the protrusions 52L are rectangles whose vertical length is longer than their front-to-back length. The protrusions 52L are rectangular prisms. The protrusions 52L engage with the through holes 76L of the cover 32, which will be described later. The protrusions 52L are examples of the second engaging portion, the third protrusion, and the fourth protrusion.

[0028] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the supply unit 33 is a cylindrical member. The supply unit 33 has an outer peripheral surface that extends rearward from the supply port 34. The outer peripheral surface is a curved surface that curves in the circumferential direction with the front-rear direction as the axis. The supply unit 33 is located at the lower end of the container body 31, and a part of the outer surface of the supply unit 33 constitutes the lower surface 47 of the container body 31. The supply unit 33 has a supply port 34 from which ink flows out. The supply port 34 opens forward in the front-rear direction. The supply port 34 is circular when viewed from the front.

[0029] The lower surface 47 includes the lower half of a circumferential surface with the front-rear direction as its axis. The lower surface 47 has a cylindrical first surface 48 in the front-rear direction and a second surface 49 located behind the first surface 48 in the front-rear direction. The outer diameter of the supply section 33 decreases from the first surface 48 to the second surface 49.

[0030] As shown in Figure 12, the supply unit 33 is substantially cylindrical and has an internal space. The internal space of the supply unit 33 communicates with the supply port 34 at the front in the front-rear direction and with the storage chamber at the rear in the front-rear direction. A unitized supply valve mechanism is inserted into the internal space of the supply unit 33, and the components of the supply valve mechanism, namely the sealing member 35, the valve 36, and the coil spring 37, are located within the internal space of the supply unit 33. The sealing member 35 is an annular member made of an elastic material, such as rubber, and is located around the supply port 34 within the internal space of the supply unit 33. The valve 36 is movable in the front-rear direction within the internal space of the supply unit 33. The supply port 34 is sealed when the valve 36 comes into contact with the sealing member 35. The coil spring 37 biases the valve 36 toward the sealing member 35.

[0031] When the supply pipe 102 is received into the supply port 34, the valve 36 moves backward against the biasing force of the coil spring 37. As the valve 36 moves backward, the internal space of the supply unit 33 and the internal space of the supply pipe 102 are connected, and the ink in the storage chamber flows into the internal space of the supply pipe 102 through the internal space of the supply unit 33. The sealing member 35 is in liquid-tight contact with the outer surface of the supply pipe 102.

[0032] As shown in Figure 3, a protrusion 59 projecting downward is located on the first surface 48 of the supply section 33. As shown in Figure 6, the contour of the portion where the protrusion 59 is continuous with the first surface 48 is roughly square when viewed from below upward in the vertical direction, and the length of the contour in the front-to-back direction is approximately equal to the length in the left-to-right direction. The protrusion 59 has downward-pointing triangles on both sides in the left-to-right direction. The left-to-right sides of the protrusion 59 are tapered surfaces that slope toward the center in the left-to-right direction as they are directed downward. In other words, the protrusion 59 has a tapered shape in which the length in the left-to-right direction gradually decreases as it is directed downward.

[0033] As shown in Figure 2, an atmospheric vent passage 38 connecting the upper end of the storage chamber to the outside is located on the upper front wall of the container body 31. The atmospheric vent passage 38 opens forward on the upper front wall. A valve 50 and a coil spring are located in the atmospheric vent passage 38. The front end of the coil spring is located above and in front of the supply port 34 of the supply unit 33. The front end of the coil spring is located in front of the locking engagement portion 78. The valve 50 is movable in the front-rear direction within the atmospheric vent passage 38. The coil spring biases the valve 50 forward. The valve 50, biased by the coil spring, seals the opening of the atmospheric vent passage 38. As will be described in detail later, when the valve 50 moves backward against the biasing force of the coil spring, the atmospheric vent passage 38 opens, allowing air to flow between the outside and the storage chamber.

[0034] The cover 32 is a rectangular parallelepiped shape that is shorter in length in the vertical and front-to-back directions than the container body 31, and is a box shape with an opening facing the rear. The cover 32 is attached to the container body 31 so as to generally cover the upper front wall, front left wall 42F, and front right wall 43F of the container body 31. When the container body 31 and the cover 32 are assembled, the protrusions 52R engage with the through holes 581 and 582, and the protrusions 52L engage with the through holes 583 and 584.

[0035] When the cover 32 is attached to the container body 31, it covers the upper front wall of the container body 31. The front wall 53 of the cover 32 is located in front of the supply port 34. The supply port 34 is located below the lower wall 57 of the cover 32.

[0036] An IC substrate 60 is located on the upper wall 56 of the cover 32. The IC substrate 60 is an example of an electrical interface. The IC substrate 60 extends in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions. The IC substrate 60 is located above the supply port 34. The IC substrate 60 is made of a substrate formed, for example, silicone or glass epoxy, on which an IC and three electrodes 61 are mounted. Note that the IC is not shown in each figure. The three electrodes 61 are facing upwards. Note that the IC substrate 60 may be a flexible substrate.

[0037] The IC substrate 60 is bonded to the upper wall 56 of the cover 32, for example, with a photocurable resin. Alternatively, the IC substrate 60 may be bonded to the cover 32 with an adhesive other than a photocurable resin, or it may be attached to the cover 32 by means other than bonding, such as fitting.

[0038] The electrodes 61 of the IC substrate 60 come into contact with the contacts 125 during the process of inserting the ink cartridge 30 into the cartridge case 110. Furthermore, when the ink cartridge 30 is installed in the cartridge case 110, the IC substrate 60 comes into contact with the contacts 125 and becomes electrically conductive.

[0039] An IC is a semiconductor integrated circuit. Information about the ink cartridge 30 is stored in the IC in a readable format. This information about the ink cartridge 30 includes data such as the lot number, manufacturing date, and ink color.

[0040] The electrode 61 is electrically connected to the IC. The electrode 61 extends in the front-to-back direction. The electrode 61 is arranged side by side on the upper surface of the IC substrate 60, spaced apart in the left-to-right direction. The electrode 61 is electrically accessible and exposed on the upper surface of the IC substrate 60.

[0041] As shown in Figure 2, the upper wall 56 of the cover 32 has a through hole 90 in front of the IC substrate 60. Below the through hole 90, an atmosphere communication path 38 is positioned. On the upper wall 56 of the cover 32, near both ends in the left-right direction, guide pieces 91 extending in the front-rear direction protrude upward. The IC substrate 60 is positioned between one guide piece 91 and the other guide piece 91 in the left-right direction. The guide pieces 91 function as guides for moving the cover 32 along the front-rear direction when the cover 32 is inserted into the cartridge case 110.

[0042] As shown in Figure 6, the lower surface 70, which is the outer surface of the lower wall 57 of the cover 32, is located above and ahead of the supply port 34. The lower surface 70 is a flat surface extending rearward from the lower end of the front wall 53, and is inclined so as to extend downward as it goes rearward.

[0043] The cover 32 has walls 71 extending downward from both ends of the lower surface 70 in the left-right direction. One wall 71 and the other wall 71 are positioned apart from each other in the left-right direction. The walls 71 are plate-shaped members extending in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction, and having a thickness in the left-right direction. The length of the wall 71 in the front-rear direction is greater than the length of the wall 71 in the left-right direction and the length in the up-down direction. The length of the wall 71 in the up-down direction is greater than the length in the left-right direction. As shown in Figure 4, the front surface of the wall 71 has a first front surface 72 located at the upper part thereof, and a second front surface 73 located at the lower part thereof. The front end of the first front surface 72 is inclined so as to extend downward as it goes forward from the upper surface of the wall 71. The second front surface 73 is inclined so as to face downward as it goes rearward.

[0044] As shown in Figure 6, the rear ends of the two walls 71 extend forward from the sub front wall 88. The sub front wall 88 extends downward from the rear end of the lower surface 70. The sub front wall 88 is a plate-shaped member extending in the up-down direction and the left-right direction, and having a thickness in the front-rear direction. The length of the sub front wall 88 in the left-right direction is greater than the length in the up-down direction. The outer surface facing forward on the sub front wall 88 is a part of the front surface of the cover 32.

[0045] A groove 74 extending in the front-rear direction is located on the left wall 54 of the cover 32, above the wall 71. A groove 74 extending in the front-rear direction is located on the right wall 55 of the cover 32, above the wall 71. The groove 74 has its longitudinal direction in the front-rear direction. As shown in Figure 7, the recess of the groove 74 is composed of an upward-facing surface 74L, a surface 74U that is vertically opposite to surface 74L, and a surface 74M that connects surface 74L and surface 74U. Surface 74L is an example of a second contact surface. Surface 74U is an example of a third contact surface. The front end of the groove 74 is open in the front wall 53 of the cover 32. As shown in Figures 2 to 9, the first front surface 72 of one wall 71 is a guide for guiding the rib 118 of the cartridge case 110 into one of the grooves 74. The first front surface 72 of the other wall 71 is a guide for guiding the ribs 119 of the cartridge case 110 into one of the grooves 74. One groove 74 has a length that can accommodate the ribs 118 of the case body 101, and the other groove 74 has a length that can accommodate the ribs 119 of the case body 101. Specifically, the vertical distance between surfaces 74L and 74U of the groove 74 is greater than the vertical length of the ribs 118 and 119 of the case body 101. The cover 32 is positioned in the vertical direction by the contact between surfaces 74U and 74L with the ribs 118 and 119.

[0046] The outer surface of the front wall 53 of the cover 32 is the front surface 75. The front surface 75 is located in front of the supply port 34. The front surface 75 has an upper front surface 75U located above it and a lower front surface 75L located below it. The upper end of the lower front surface 75L is continuous with the upper front surface 75U. The lower front surface 75L has its lower end behind its upper end and slopes upward as it moves forward. The lower front surface 75L is a guide for guiding the ribs 118 and ribs 119 into the groove 74. Specifically, during the process of inserting the ink cartridge 30 into the cartridge case 110, the lower front surface 75L contacts the front ends of the ribs 118 and ribs 119, guiding the ribs 118 and ribs 119 into the groove 74.

[0047] The upper front surface 75U of the front wall 53 of the cover 32 has a through hole 76. The valve 50 of the container main body 31 is exposed to the outside through the through hole 76. The front end of the through hole 76 is located forward of the supply port 34 of the supply portion 33.

[0048] The lower surface 70 of the cover 32 has a mounting guide portion 77. The mounting guide portion 77 is located above the supply port 34 and below the upper surface of the electrode 61 of the IC substrate 60. The front end of the mounting guide portion 77 is located forward of the front end of the electrode 61. The mounting guide portion 77 is located below the through hole 76. In other words, the opening of the atmosphere communication path 38 is located between the mounting guide portion 77 and the electrode 61 in the vertical direction. The mounting guide portion 77 is located in front of the ink cartridge 30.

[0049] The cover 32 has a guide groove 79. The guide groove 79 is defined by a combination of two or more of four members: a recess recessed in the left wall 54 of the cover 32, a recess recessed in the right wall 55, a protrusion protruding leftward from the left wall 54, and a protrusion protruding rightward from the right wall 55. In the present embodiment, the guide groove 79 has a recess recessed in the left wall 54 of the cover 32 and a recess recessed in the right wall 55. In FIG. 7, the guide groove 79 is a combination of the recess in the left wall 54 and the recess in the right wall 55. The guide groove 79 is located above the mounting guide portion 77 and below the upper surface of the electrode 61 of the IC substrate 60. In the present embodiment, the guide groove 79 is located below the through hole 76. The guide grooves 79 are located at both ends of the upper front surface 75U in the left-right direction. The front end of the guide groove 79 opens forward on the upper front surface 75U of the cover 32.

[0050] As shown in Figure 8, the container body 31 has a rear surface 62 as the outer surface of the rear wall 41 of the container body 31. The rear surface 62 has a first rear surface 63, a second rear surface 64, and a third rear surface 65. The second rear surface 64 is to the left of the first rear surface 63. The third rear surface 65 is to the right of the first rear surface 63. The first rear surface 63 is a plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction. The second rear surface 64 is a plane that intersects the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. The right end of the second rear surface 64 is continuous with the first rear surface 63. The left end of the second rear surface 64 is to the left and rearward of the first rear surface 63. The third rear surface 65 is a plane that intersects the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. The left end of the third rear surface 65 is continuous with the first rear surface 63. The right end of the third rear surface 65 is to the right and rearward of the first rear surface 63. The length of the first rear surface 63 in the left-right direction is constant in the up-down direction.

[0051] As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 8, the lower wall 45 of the container body 31 has a first lower wall 45A and a second lower wall 45B extending downward from the first lower wall 45A. The rear end of the first lower wall 45A is continuous with the lower end of the rear wall 41. The front part of the first lower wall 45A extends in the front-rear direction. The front end of the first lower wall 45A is continuous with the front wall 40. The curved surface of the supply section 33, including the rear end of the supply section 33, protrudes downward from the first lower wall 45A.

[0052] The second lower wall 45B is continuous with the lower end of the rear wall 41. The second lower wall 45B is an inclined wall that is tilted in the front-rear direction. The second lower wall 45B is tilted in the front-rear and up-down directions such that its upper end is located behind and above its lower end. The lower end of the second lower wall 45B is continuous with the rear end of the lower surface 47 of the supply section 33. The lower end of the second lower wall 45B is continuous with the rear end of the supply section 33 below the first lower wall 45A. The length of the second lower wall 45B in the left-right direction is smaller than the length of the first lower wall 45A in the left-right direction.

[0053] Since the supply unit 33 is located below the first lower wall 45A, as shown in Figure 8, the lower surface 47 of the supply unit 33 is visible when the ink cartridge 30 is viewed from the rear. Therefore, the user can recognize the location of the supply unit 33 when viewed from the rear, making it easier to install the ink cartridge 30 in the correct orientation when inserting it into the slot. In addition, the lower wall 45 is continuous with the rear end of the supply unit 33, reinforcing the rear end of the supply unit 33. This prevents the supply unit 33 from deforming even if the lower end of the ink cartridge 30 is subjected to an impact. Note that the lower wall 45 may have only the first lower wall 45A, with the second lower wall 45B being omitted.

[0054] The second rear surface 64 has a recess 66 near its upper end. The recess 66 is composed of a space recessed forward from the second rear surface 64 and a surface defining the space. The third rear surface 65 has a recess 67 near its upper end. The recess 67 is composed of a space recessed forward from the third rear surface 65 and a surface defining the space. As shown in Figure 1, the recesses 66 and 67 accommodate the projection 127 that protrudes from the cover 126 that opens and closes the opening 112 of the cartridge case 110. In the closed state, the projection 127 of the cover 126 abuts against the surfaces that form the upper ends of the recesses 66 and 67. The contact of the projection 127 of the closed cover 126 with the recesses 66 and 67 prevents the ink cartridge 30 installed in the cartridge case 110 from coming off the cartridge case 110 due to impact or the like. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, the length of the first rear surface 63 sandwiched between the recesses 66 and 67 in the left-right direction is greater than the length of the recess 66 in the left-right direction and greater than the length of the recess 67 in the left-right direction. As a result, the first rear surface 63 is easily visible when viewed from the rear of the ink cartridge 30, making it easier for the user to press the area around the first rear surface 63, which is the upper part of the rear surface, when installing the ink cartridge 30 into the cartridge case 110.

[0055] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the rear end of the upper surface 80 of the upper wall 44 of the container body 31 includes an operating surface 68. The operating surface 68 is an inclined surface that slopes upward and backward. The operating surface 68 is continuous with the upper end of the rear surface 62. The operating surface 68 has a plurality of protrusions 69 that project upward and extend along the left-right direction. As shown in Figure 12, the protrusions 69 extend downward from both ends of the operating surface 68 in the left-right direction to the outer surfaces of the left wall 42 and the right wall 43. From the left end of the operating surface 68 to the left wall 42, three protrusions 69 are positioned at intervals in the front-rear direction. From the right end of the operating surface 68 to the right wall 43, three protrusions 69 are positioned at intervals in the front-rear direction. The protrusions 69 function as anti-slip surfaces when the user operates the operating surface 68. In addition, the anti-slip structure may be a recess that is indented downward from the operating surface 68, for example, instead of the protrusion 69.

[0056] The upper surface 80 of the container body 31 has a first upper surface 81, a second upper surface 82, a third upper surface 83, an upper end surface 86, and an operating surface 68.

[0057] The first upper surface 81 is located furthest forward on the upper surface 80. As shown in Figure 21, the first upper surface 81 has a surface 81A located in the center in the left-right direction, a surface 81B located on the left, and a surface 81C located on the right. Surface 81A is a plane perpendicular to the up-down direction. Surface 81B is continuous with the left end of surface 81A. Surface 81C is continuous with the right end of surface 81A. Surface 81B is a surface facing upward and to the left. Surface 81C is a surface facing upward and to the right. The left-right length of surface 81A is smaller than the left-right length of surface 81B. The left-right length of surface 81A is smaller than the left-right length of surface 81C.

[0058] The second upper surface 82 is continuous with the rear end of the first upper surface 81. The rear end of the second upper surface 82 is positioned higher than the front end. The second upper surface 82 has a surface 82A located in the center in the left-right direction, a surface 82B located to the left of surface 82A, and a surface 82C located to the right of surface 82A. As shown in Figures 4 and 9, surface 82A is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction so as to face forward and upward. Surface 82A is a plane that extends in the front-rear and left-right directions. Surface 82A extends to the left as it moves towards the rear. Specifically, surface 82A has a surface that extends towards the rear and a surface that extends to the left as it moves towards the rear. Surface 82B is continuous with the left end of surface 82A and faces to the left. Surface 82C is continuous with the right end of surface 82A and faces to the right. The length of face 82A in the left-right direction is less than the length of face 82B in the left-right direction. The length of face 82A in the left-right direction is less than the length of face 82C in the left-right direction. The length of face 82A in the left-right direction is equal to the length of face 81A in the left-right direction. The length of face 82A in the front-back direction is greater than the length of face 81A in the front-back direction.

[0059] The third upper surface 83 is continuous with the rear end of surface 82C of the second upper surface 82. The third upper surface 83 is a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction. The third upper surface 83 is located above the first upper surface 81. The rear end of the third upper surface 83 is continuous with the operating surface 68. The third upper surface 83 has a contact surface 92. The contact surface 92 extends rearward from the lower end of the locking surface 87 of the locking engagement portion 78, which will be described later.

[0060] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, a locking engagement portion 78 is located on the third upper surface 83 of the container body 31. The locking engagement portion 78 protrudes upward from the third upper surface 83. The locking engagement portion 78 is located above the supply port 34. The upper end of the locking engagement portion 78 is located above the upper surface of the electrodes 61 of the IC substrate 60. The locking engagement portion 78 is located in front of the operating surface 68. When the protrusion 52 of the container body 31 is located at the upper end of the through hole 58 of the cover 32, the cover 32 is in its lowest position relative to the container body 31. In the lowest position relative to the container body 31, the upper end of the locking engagement portion 78 is located above the IC substrate 60.

[0061] The locking engagement portion 78 has a first front inclined surface 84A, a second front inclined surface 84B, a left inclined surface 85A, a right inclined surface 85B, an upper end surface 86, and a locking surface 87. The first front inclined surface 84A is a plane that is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction so as to face upward and forward. The first front inclined surface 84A is continuous with the rear end of surface 82B of the second upper surface 82. The front end of the second front inclined surface 84B is continuous with the rear end of surface 82A. The second front inclined surface 84B extends to the left as it moves from the front end toward the rear. The rear end of the second front inclined surface 84B is continuous with the upper end surface 86. The lower end of the second front inclined surface 84B is continuous with the third upper surface 83. The left end of the second front inclined surface 84B is continuous with the right end of the first front inclined surface 84A. The boundary line between the first front inclined surface 84A and the second front inclined surface 84B extends to the left as it moves from the front end toward the rear. The upper end of the boundary line between the first front inclined surface 84A and the second front inclined surface 84B is continuous with the upper end surface 86.

[0062] The upper end surface 86 is a plane facing upward. The upper end of the locking surface 87 is continuous with the rear end of the upper end surface 86. In other words, the upper end surface 86 is located between the second front inclined surface 84B and the locking surface 87 in the front-rear direction. The locking surface 87 is a plane facing rearward. When the ink cartridge 30 is installed in the cartridge case 110, the locking surface 87 and the contact surface 92 are configured to contact the locking portion of the cartridge case 110. The locking surface 87 is an example of a first contact surface.

[0063] The left inclined surface 85A is a plane that inclins in the left-right direction so that it slopes upward from the left end to the right end. The left inclined surface 85A is continuous with the left end of the first front inclined surface 84A. The boundary line between the left inclined surface 85A and the first front inclined surface 84A extends to the right as it approaches the front or rear end. The rear end of the boundary line between the left inclined surface 85A and the first front inclined surface 84A is continuous with the lock surface 87. The right inclined surface 85B is a plane that inclins in the left-right direction so that it slopes upward from the right end to the left end. The right inclined surface 85B is continuous with the right end of the second front inclined surface 84B. The boundary line between the right inclined surface 85B and the second front inclined surface 84B extends to the left as it approaches the front or rear end. The rear end of the boundary line between the right inclined surface 85B and the second front inclined surface 84B is continuous with the upper end surface 86. The rear end of the right-sloping surface 85B is continuous with the locking surface 87. Because the locking engagement portion 78 has a first front-sloping surface 84A, a second front-sloping surface 84B, a left-sloping surface 85A, and a right-sloping surface 85B, it is stronger than when the locking engagement portion 78 has a surface that extends perpendicular to the horizontal direction. Therefore, the locking engagement portion 78 is less likely to deform when subjected to impact from the left or right direction.

[0064] As shown in Figures 4 and 7, the first angle θ1 of the second front inclined surface 84B with respect to the horizontal plane is smaller than the second angle θ2 of the left inclined surface 85A with respect to the horizontal plane. The third angle θ3 of the right inclined surface 85B with respect to the horizontal plane may be different from the second angle θ2 of the left inclined surface 85A. The first angle θ1 is, for example, in the range of 5° to 10°, and in this embodiment it is 7°. The second angle θ2 is, for example, in the range of 30° to 40°. The third angle θ3 is, for example, in the range of 30° to 40°.

[0065] Next, the ink storage section and housing wall of the container body 31 will be described. Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional state of the ink container in cross-section AA of Figure 10.

[0066] In this embodiment, the container body 31 has a flat, roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape with the side surface having the largest surface area, and the front, rear, top, and bottom surfaces surrounding it. The left wall 42 and the right wall 43, which are the surfaces with the largest surface area of ​​the container body 31, are designed such that the thickness W600 of the central part 600 is thicker than the thickness W601 of the front end 601 and the thickness W602 of the rear end 602 of the outer periphery.

[0067] Let Q be the length of the shorter sides of the left wall 42 and the right wall 43, and R be the thickness of the container. When Q:R = 2:1 or greater, it is clear that the deformation of the largest surface area will be greater than the deformation of other surfaces, so it is desirable to implement the above-mentioned wall deformation countermeasures. In the case of a thin shape with a Q:R ratio of about 5:1, it is conceivable to make the overall container wall thickness thinner in order to balance with the internal volume, so the effect of the above-mentioned wall deformation countermeasures becomes even greater.

[0068] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 16, if the left wall 42 and the right wall 43 are made convex outwards, the entire wall will attempt to absorb the deformation force in response to wall deformation, thereby further enhancing the deformation suppression effect. In this case, increasing the size of the convex shape will increase the size of the container body 31 in the left-right direction. Therefore, it is desirable to set the amount of convexity considering the volume efficiency when multiple ink cartridges 30 are installed in the cartridge case 110.

[0069] From another perspective, as shown in Figure 17, if the left wall 42 and the right wall 43 are concave inward, the user's fingers are less likely to slip when gripping the largest surface area. In other words, handling during tank operation is improved. Since the overall volume decreases with a concave shape, it is desirable to set the shape while considering both user operability and the required volume.

[0070] As described above, in this embodiment, it is important to reduce wall deformation by increasing the thickness in the center of the largest surface area compared to its periphery, while maintaining a balance with the ink storage volume. The thinnest areas do not necessarily have to be at the edges of the surface; the effect can also be obtained if the thickness distribution is not thick → thin → thick from the center of the wall towards the edges, but rather thick → thin → thick.

[0071] Furthermore, although the wall thickness was explained using a horizontal cross-sectional view in this embodiment, similar effects can naturally be obtained in other directions, including the vertical direction.

[0072] Next, the thickness of the rear end portion 604 of the ink container cross-section in Figure 15 will be explained using Figures 18 to 26. Figures 18 to 26 are schematic diagrams showing the cross-section of the rear end portion of the container body 31.

[0073] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 18, the thickness W605 of the central rear end portion 605 is thinner than the thickness W606 of the left and right regions 606. Also, the thickness W607 of the end region 607, which is outside the left and right regions 606, is thinner than the thickness W606 of the left and right regions 606.

[0074] During the process of installing the ink cartridge 30 into the cartridge case 110, it is assumed that the user will push in the rear end 604 to install it. At this time, even though the ink cartridge 30 has been installed, the user may not realize that it has been installed and may push it in too far. Given the thickness of the material described above, when the user pushes the ink cartridge 30 in too far, the pressure can be absorbed by the deformation of the rear end of the container.

[0075] Figure 19 illustrates how excessive pressure is absorbed by the deformation of the container. The thin-walled central section 605 deforms to open inward, allowing the force to be effectively absorbed at the center, where it is most likely to be pressed by the user.

[0076] In Figure 20, the thickness of the central part 605 at the rear end of the ink container is greater than the thickness of the end region 607. That is, the wall thickness is in the relationship "left and right regions 606 > central part 605 > end region 607". With this configuration, the deformation of the end region is greater than the deformation of the central part 605, so in addition to the deformation of the thin-walled central part, the overall deflection rigidity near the outer wall can be actively utilized. If a label is attached to the central part 605, this configuration is desirable because the deformation of the central part 605 will affect the sealability of the label.

[0077] In Figure 21, the thickness of the central part 605 at the rear end of the ink container is thinner than the thickness of the end region 607. In other words, the wall thickness follows the relationship "left and right regions 606 > end region 607 > central part 605". With this configuration, sufficient thickness can be ensured in the end region 607, thus ensuring resistance to drops and other impacts.

[0078] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 22, providing a protruding shape 608 in the central portion 605 is desirable because it prevents the user's fingers from slipping during operation. In addition, since force is actively applied to the thin-walled portion, the aforementioned wall deformation effect can be generated more efficiently.

[0079] Figures 23 and 24 show a configuration in which the central portion 605 is offset from the center of the container. The thickness of the left and right regions 606 at both ends of the thin-walled portion 609 is thicker than that of the thin-walled portion 609, and the thickness is further reduced towards the outer edge region 607. Thus, it is not necessarily required that the center of the container be thin-walled, and the effects of this proposal can be obtained even if the position is shifted from the center.

[0080] Although the rear end portion 604 was shown as flat in the above description, as shown in Figure 25, the central portion 605 of the rear end portion 604 is flat, and it is also acceptable for the area from both sides to the left wall 42 and the right wall 43 to be composed of curved surfaces. Naturally, the effects of this proposal can also be obtained even if the entire area is composed of curved surfaces, as shown in Figure 26.

[0081] Furthermore, the configuration of the ink storage section and the housing wall of the container body 31 described above is effective regardless of the molding method, as the desired configuration can be achieved by adopting it.

[0082] Next, we will describe a suitable form for small and medium-capacity ink cartridges with compatible specifications that can be used interchangeably with the ink cartridge 30 described above.

[0083] Because recording devices are used in various ways by different users, it is desirable to provide multiple ink cartridges with different capacities and sell cartridges with ink amounts that match the user's printing frequency. However, if only a small amount of ink is injected into a large-capacity cartridge, a large amount of air will be trapped inside. This air's pressure can change due to temperature and atmospheric pressure changes during transportation, which can lead to deformation of the ink cartridge or ink leakage. Therefore, it is necessary to minimize the amount of air inside the ink cartridge, and thus it is necessary to provide ink cartridges according to the required ink capacity.

[0084] When installing ink cartridges with different internal volumes in the same recording device, the positions of the supply unit and the atmospheric communication passage must be the same. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the IC board 60 is provided on the upper wall 56 of the ink cartridge 30, the vertical configuration of the ink cartridge 30 must be almost identical. Moreover, it is desirable not to change the length of the ink cartridge 30 in the front-to-back direction for different capacities. This is because the front-to-back position of the rear surface that the user operates when inserting or removing the ink cartridge 30 will differ, reducing operability. Therefore, adjusting the capacity of the ink cartridge in the left-to-right direction is the most effective. However, since the supply unit 33 and atmospheric vent passage 38 are located on the front of the ink cartridge 30, adjustment in the left-to-right direction is difficult. Since it is desirable to reduce costs by standardizing parts as much as possible, it is necessary to adjust the internal volume in the left-to-right direction of the blow-molded container body 31.

[0085] Figure 27 shows the left side view and rear view of the medium-capacity container body formed by blow molding for use in medium-capacity cartridges. Figures 28, 29, and 30 show the BA, BB, and BC cross-sectional views of Figure 27.

[0086] The medium-capacity container body 700 has a recess 701 in the center of its side surface, and as shown in Figures 29 and 30, the recess 701 has no internal space when both sides are joined together. The wall portion 702 divides the inside of the medium-capacity container body 700 in the vertical direction, but the connecting portion 704 connects the upper and lower regions.

[0087] The wall portion 702 of the recess 701 is thicker than the wall thickness of the sides other than the recess 701. Since such a vertically divided structure reduces strength, when forming the container by injection molding, the tip portion 703 of the wall portion 702 is generally made T-shaped. However, forming a T-shape requires creating a space inside the container, which is difficult with blow molding. Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to ensure strength, the housing walls of the container body are partially bonded together by bonding molding. As a result, the wall portion 702 is thicker than the wall portion of the other sides, ensuring strength. It is desirable that the wall portion 702 be about twice as thick as the wall portion of the other sides.

[0088] As shown in Figure 28, in this embodiment, the wall portion 702 formed by bonding is provided between the supply valve mechanism area 705 and the air valve mechanism area 706, extending from the front side to the rear side of the container body 31. As a result, the shape of the ink storage portion 707 is U-shaped, connecting the air valve mechanism to the supply valve mechanism.

[0089] This configuration makes it possible to improve the mechanical strength in the vicinity of the supply valve mechanism area 705 and the air valve mechanism area 706.

[0090] In blow molding, a container is formed by drawing down a tubular parison, closing the mold with the parison in between, and then blowing air into the parison from a blow pin to press it against the mold. However, in areas where both sides are joined and there is no internal space, such as the wall portion 702, the timing may be delayed after closing the mold to push only the recess. This is because the mold forming the recess has a large convex shape, which can cause the parison to be dragged, altering the wall thickness distribution or resulting in an irregular shape. Also, if the recess is pushed after blow molding, the temperature of the inner surface of the parison may drop, preventing the two sides from joining. It is desirable to move the mold for the recess before or simultaneously with blow molding.

[0091] Figure 31 shows the left side view and front view of a small-capacity container body 710 formed by blow molding, which is used for a small-capacity cartridge with an even smaller capacity. Figures 32 and 33 show the BD cross-sectional view and BE cross-sectional view in Figure 31.

[0092] The small-capacity container body 710 has a recess 711, similar to the medium-capacity container body 700, and also has a narrow section 712 that is narrower in the left-right direction of the ink container. The narrow section 712 allows the contents to be made even smaller than those of the medium-capacity container body 700. In addition, the thickness of the recess 711 in the small-capacity container body 710 is thicker than the other side sections, being approximately twice as thick as the other side sections.

[0093] In the small-capacity container body 710, the parts into which the atmospheric communication passage and supply section components are inserted are the same as those in the medium-capacity and large-capacity container bodies, so they can be mounted on the same recording device. In this embodiment, the narrow section 712 has a stepped structure. This creates a ridge line, which improves strength.

[0094] However, since the aforementioned steps can create corners where ink residue may remain, it is also possible to create a smooth slope in the stepped area.

[0095] The configurations of the medium-capacity container body 700 and the small-capacity container body 710 described above are preferably used for the cyan ink cartridge in the printer 10.

[0096] Next, we will describe the configuration of the ink supply unit, taking into account long-term reliability. Figure 34 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the supply unit 33. Figures 35A, 35B, 36A, and 36B are schematic diagrams showing the AA' cross-section of Figure 34. Figures 37 to 39 are schematic cross-sectional views of the supply unit 33.

[0097] As described above, in this embodiment, the supply valve mechanism is inserted into the supply section 33. At this time, the bottom of the supply section 33 on the inner side in the direction of supply valve insertion may have a tapered shape as shown in Figure 12, and a contact surface 14 that comes into contact with the supply valve mechanism may be created.

[0098] If a minute gap occurs near the contact surface 14, the ink colorant is more likely to aggregate in this gap during long-term storage or use. Since this aggregated component will form from the contact surface 14 to the supply port 34, there is a risk that it may enter the supply valve mechanism or recording device via the ink supply flow.

[0099] Therefore, in this embodiment, an ink flow gap is provided between the supply valve mechanism and the housing wall at the bottom of the container body, allowing sufficient ink flow. As shown in Figure 34 (valve, coil spring, etc. not shown), the ink in the ink communication section 801 loses moisture through the housing wall as indicated by the arrow in the figure, but since moisture can be supplied from outside the supply port via the ink communication section 801, pigment adhesion does not occur.

[0100] As shown in Figures 35A and 35B, this ink flow gap can be formed by providing a groove 802 on the lower surface of the ink communication portion 801. This groove 802 may be formed by the resin parting line that occurs at the mold fitting portion of blow molding.

[0101] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 36A and 36B, a protrusion 803 may be provided on the lower surface of the ink communication portion 801 for forming an ink flow gap. This protrusion 803 allows for the formation of a gap between the supply valve mechanism and the housing wall at the bottom of the container body, allowing sufficient ink flow. The protrusion 803 may be formed by a bulge of resin that occurs at the mold fitting portion during blow molding.

[0102] Furthermore, the ink flow gap may be configured such that the thickness of the supply section 33 in the container body 31 increases toward the supply port 34, as shown in Figure 37. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 38, the lower support member 11 may be inserted diagonally into the supply section 33 so that the gap on the opposite side of the supply port 34 widens. As shown in Figure 39, the lower support member 11 may have an inclined portion 804 on the opposite side of the supply port 34.

[0103] Furthermore, the configuration for forming the ink flow gap described above is preferably used in the cyan ink cartridge of the printer 10.

[0104] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following claims are attached to make the scope of the invention public.

[0105] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-068338, filed on 17 April 2025, and all of its contents are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. An ink cartridge that can be installed in a recording device, comprising a container body formed by blow molding, wherein, when the container body is installed in the recording device and the orientation for use is defined in the front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-and-down directions, the container body comprises: a first region having a U-shaped ink storage portion inside; a second region including a first opening that communicates with the first end of the U-shaped ink storage portion and is located at the front of the container body in the front-to-back direction; a third region including a second opening that communicates with the second end of the U-shaped ink storage portion and is located at the front of the container body in the front-to-back direction; and a fourth region consisting of a wall portion that does not have an internal space, wherein at least a part of the fourth region is surrounded by the U-shape. The U-shape includes a first portion extending in the front-rear direction from the first end and located above the fourth region in the vertical direction, a second portion extending in the front-rear direction from the second end and located below the fourth region in the vertical direction, and a third portion connecting the first portion and the second portion and extending in the vertical direction, wherein the width in the left-right direction of at least a part of the first region is narrower than the width in the left-right direction of the second and third regions.

2. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the first opening is located in front of the second opening in the front-rear direction.

3. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the ink cartridge comprises an air valve unit extending from the first opening of the container body into the interior of the container body and a supply valve unit extending from the second opening of the container body into the interior of the container body, and the air valve unit and the supply valve unit each comprise a valve and a coil spring.

4. The ink cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the air valve unit is arranged inside the container body in the second region, and the supply valve unit is arranged inside the container body in the third region.

5. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the plane of the first region perpendicular to the left-right direction and the plane of the second region perpendicular to the left-right direction are connected by an inclined plane.

6. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the second region includes a protrusion that extends outward from the container body along the left-right direction.

7. The ink cartridge according to claim 6, wherein the second region includes a plurality of the protrusions.

8. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the wall portion of the fourth region is greater than the thickness of the portion of the side wall in the first region that is perpendicular to the left-right direction and corresponds to the first portion.

9. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein, in the portion of the side wall perpendicular to the left-right direction in the first region, the thickness of the central portion in the front-rear direction is greater than the thickness of the ends in the front-rear direction.

10. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein, at the rear portion of the container body opposite to the front portion, the thickness of at least one left-right region adjacent to the central portion in the left-right direction of the container body is greater than the thickness of the central portion and the thickness of at least one end region in the left-right direction.

11. An ink cartridge that can be mounted on a recording device, comprising a container body formed by blow molding, wherein, when the container body is mounted on the recording device and its orientation for use is defined in the front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-to-down directions, the container body has an ink storage section and a first opening that communicates with the ink storage section and is located at the front of the container body in the front-to-back direction, and the thickness of at least one side wall of the container body perpendicular to the left-to-right direction is greater in the central part in the front-to-back direction than in the thickness of the ends in the front-to-back direction.

12. The ink cartridge according to claim 11, wherein in at least one side wall, the thickness of the central portion in the front-rear direction is greater than the thickness of the rear end portion located at the rear in the front-rear direction.

13. The ink cartridge according to claim 11, further comprising a second opening that communicates with the ink storage section and is located at the front of the container body in the front-to-back direction.

14. The ink cartridge according to claim 13, wherein the container body comprises a first region having a U-shaped ink storage portion inside; a second region communicating with the first end of the U-shaped ink storage portion and including the first opening; a third region communicating with the second end of the U-shaped ink storage portion and including the second opening; and a fourth region consisting of a wall portion that does not have an internal space, wherein at least a part of the fourth region is surrounded by the U-shape, and the U-shape comprises a first portion extending from the first end in the front-rear direction and located above the fourth region in the vertical direction; a second portion extending from the second end in the front-rear direction and located below the fourth region in the vertical direction; and a third portion connecting the first portion and the second portion and extending in the vertical direction.

15. The ink cartridge according to claim 14, wherein the width in the left-right direction in at least a portion of the first region is narrower than the width in the left-right direction of the second and third regions.

16. The ink cartridge according to claim 13, wherein the first opening is located in front of the second opening in the front-rear direction.

17. The ink cartridge according to claim 14, wherein the ink cartridge comprises an air valve unit extending from a first opening of the container body into the interior of the container body and a supply valve unit extending from a second opening of the container body into the interior of the container body, and the air valve unit and the supply valve unit each comprise a valve and a coil spring.

18. The ink cartridge according to claim 17, wherein the air valve unit is arranged inside the container body in the second region, and the supply valve unit is arranged inside the container body in the third region.

19. The ink cartridge according to claim 15, wherein the plane of the first region perpendicular to the left-right direction and the plane of the second region perpendicular to the left-right direction are connected by an inclined plane.

20. The ink cartridge according to claim 15, wherein the second region includes a protrusion projecting outward from the container body along the left-right direction.

21. The ink cartridge according to claim 20, wherein the second region includes a plurality of the protrusions.

22. The ink cartridge according to claim 15, wherein the thickness of the wall portion of the fourth region is greater than the thickness of the portion of the side wall in the first region that is perpendicular to the left-right direction and corresponds to the first portion.

23. The ink cartridge according to claim 11, wherein, at the rear portion of the container body opposite to the front portion, the thickness of at least one left-right region adjacent to the central portion of the container body in the left-right direction is greater than the thickness of the central portion and the thickness of at least one end region in the left-right direction.

24. An ink cartridge that can be mounted on a recording device, comprising a container body formed by blow molding, wherein, when the container body is mounted on the recording device and its orientation for use is defined in the front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-to-down directions, the container body has an ink storage section and a first opening that communicates with the ink storage section and is located at the front of the container body in the front-to-back direction, and the thickness of at least one left-to-right region adjacent to the central part of the container body in the left-to-right direction at the rear of the container body opposite to the front is greater than the thickness of the central part and the thickness of at least one end region in the left-to-right direction.

25. The ink cartridge according to claim 24, further comprising a second opening that communicates with the ink storage section and is located at the front of the container body in the front-to-back direction.

26. The ink cartridge according to claim 25, wherein the container body comprises a first region having a U-shaped ink storage portion inside; a second region communicating with the first end of the U-shaped ink storage portion and including the first opening; a third region communicating with the second end of the U-shaped ink storage portion and including the second opening; and a fourth region consisting of a wall portion that does not have space inside, wherein at least a part of the fourth region is surrounded by the U-shape, and the U-shape comprises a first portion extending from the first end in the front-rear direction and located above the fourth region in the vertical direction; a second portion extending from the second end in the front-rear direction and located below the fourth region in the vertical direction; and a third portion connecting the first portion and the second portion and extending in the vertical direction.

27. The ink cartridge according to claim 26, wherein the width in the left-right direction in at least a portion of the first region is narrower than the width in the left-right direction of the second and third regions.

28. The ink cartridge according to claim 25, wherein the first opening is located in front of the second opening in the front-rear direction.

29. The ink cartridge according to claim 26, wherein the ink cartridge comprises an air valve unit extending from the first opening of the container body into the interior of the container body and a supply valve unit extending from the second opening of the container body into the interior of the container body, and the air valve unit and the supply valve unit each comprise a valve and a coil spring.

30. The ink cartridge according to claim 29, wherein the air valve unit is arranged inside the container body in the second region, and the supply valve unit is arranged inside the container body in the third region.

31. The ink cartridge according to claim 27, wherein the plane of the first region perpendicular to the left-right direction and the plane of the second region perpendicular to the left-right direction are connected by an inclined plane.

32. The ink cartridge according to claim 27, wherein the second region includes a protrusion projecting outward from the container body along the left-right direction.

33. The ink cartridge according to claim 32, wherein the second region includes a plurality of the protrusions.

34. The ink cartridge according to claim 27, wherein the thickness of the wall portion of the fourth region is greater than the thickness of the portion of the side wall in the first region that is perpendicular to the left-right direction and corresponds to the first portion.

35. The ink cartridge according to claim 24, wherein in at least one side wall of the container body perpendicular to the left-right direction, the thickness of the central portion in the front-rear direction is greater than the thickness of the ends in the front-rear direction.

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