The present application is based on, and claims priority from JP Application Serial Number 2020-209177, filed Dec. 17, 2020, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. cl BACKGROUND
The present disclosure relates to a technology for a cartridge, a printing device, and a printing system.
A related technology, in which an ink cartridge mounted on a printing device includes an ink supply valve capable of opening/closing an ink supply flow path for supplying ink, has been known (JP-A-2005-254734). The ink supply valve includes a valve seat portion, a valve body, and an urging portion that urges the valve body toward the valve seat portion. As an ink supply pipe of the printing device is inserted into the ink supply flow path of the ink cartridge, the valve body is pushed up against an urging force by the ink supply pipe, such that the valve body is separated from the valve seat portion. As a result, the ink supply valve is opened. Further, the valve body includes a breaking portion protruding toward an ink chamber of the ink cartridge. As the valve body is pushed up, the breaking portion breaks a thin film portion blocking the ink supply flow path. As a result, the ink can be supplied from the ink cartridge toward a printer.
In the related technology, the ink cartridge side supply flow path is opened and closed by the ink supply valve, but opening/closing of the ink supply pipe that receives the ink from the printing device have not been considered. Such a problem is not limited to the ink cartridge, but is common to cartridges containing a liquid and detachably mounted on the printing device.
According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cartridge detachably mounted in a cartridge mounting portion of a printing device including a liquid introduction portion that receives a liquid and a device side valve body that opens/closes an introduction portion flow path which is a flow path of the liquid introduction portion. The cartridge includes a liquid containing portion that contains the liquid, and a liquid supply portion that has a supply opening formed at a tip, communicates with the liquid containing portion, is coupled to the liquid introduction portion, and includes a cartridge side valve mechanism that opens/closes a supply portion flow path which is the flow path of the liquid supply portion, the cartridge side valve mechanism includes a cartridge side valve seat in which a cartridge side valve hole is formed, a cartridge side valve body that stops the cartridge side valve hole and has a tip surface positioned on a side of the supply opening, and a cartridge side urging member that urges the cartridge side valve body in a direction toward the cartridge side valve seat, and the cartridge side valve body has a protrusion that protrudes from the tip surface and pushes the device side valve body to open the device side valve body.
According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a printing device in which a cartridge is mounted. The cartridge includes a liquid supply portion and a cartridge side valve body for opening/closing a supply portion flow path which is a flow path of the liquid supply portion, the cartridge side valve body having a protrusion that protrudes from a tip surface. Further, the printing device includes an ejecting head that ejects a liquid, and a cartridge mounting portion in which the cartridge is mounted and which includes a liquid introduction portion coupled to the liquid supply portion and receiving the liquid, the liquid introduction portion has an introduction portion opening formed at a tip and an introduction portion flow path which is a flow path, and includes a device side valve body that opens/closes the introduction portion flow path, and the device side valve body is arranged at a position at which the device side valve body is pushed by the protrusion and is opened.
According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a printing system. The printing system includes the cartridge of the above aspect, and the printing device of the above aspect, as the cartridge is moved downward, the liquid introduction portion and the liquid supply portion are coupled to each other, and in a supply portion coupling process in which the liquid introduction portion and the liquid supply portion are coupled to each other, the device side valve body is opened earlier than the cartridge side valve body.
The printing system 1 includes a printing device 10 and a cartridge 4 that supplies ink, which is a liquid, to the printing device 10.
The printing device 10 of the present embodiment is an ink jet printer that ejects ink as a liquid, from an ejection head 22. The printing device 10 is a large-sized printer that performs printing on large-sized papers (A2 to A0 and the like) such as a poster. The printing device 10 includes a cartridge mounting portion 6, a control portion 31, a carriage 20, the ejection head 22, and a drive mechanism 30. In addition, the printing device 10 includes an operation button 15 for a user to operate an operation of the printing device 10.
A plurality of cartridges 4 are each detachably mounted in the cartridge mounting portion 6. In the present embodiment, four types of cartridges 4 corresponding to inks of four colors of black, yellow, magenta, and cyan, respectively, that is, a total of four cartridges 4 are mounted in the cartridge mounting portion 6. A cartridge 4 containing black ink is also referred to as a cartridge 4K, a cartridge 4 containing yellow ink is also referred to as a cartridge 4Y, a cartridge 4 containing magenta ink is also referred to as a cartridge 4M, and a cartridge 4 containing cyan ink is also referred to as a cartridge 4C. In the present embodiment, the cartridge 4K is configured to be able to contain a more liquid than the cartridges 4C, 4M, and 4Y. Therefore, the cartridge 4K is also referred to as a first type of cartridge 4A, and each of the cartridges 4C, 4M, and 4Y is also referred to as a second type of cartridge 4B.
The printing device 10 includes a replacement cover 13 on a front surface of a +Y direction side. When a +Z direction side of the replacement cover 13 is tilted toward a front side which is the +Y direction side, an opening of the cartridge mounting portion 6 appears, and attachment and detachment of the cartridge 4 becomes possible. When the cartridge 4 is mounted in the cartridge mounting portion 6, ink can be supplied to the ejection head 22 provided on the carriage 20 via tubes 24 as liquid flow pipes. In the present embodiment, the ink is supplied from the cartridge 4 to the ejection head 22 by using a head difference. Specifically, the ink is supplied to the ejection head 22 by a head difference between a liquid level of the ink in a liquid storage portion 699 and the ejection head 22. Note that, in another embodiment, the ink may be supplied to the ejection head 22 by sucking the ink in the cartridge 4 by a pump mechanism (not illustrated) of the printing device 10. Note that the tubes 24 are provided for each type of ink. Note that a state in which the cartridge 4 is mounted in the cartridge mounting portion 6 and the ink as the liquid can be supplied to the printing device 10 is also referred to as a “mounted state”.
The ejection head 22 is provided with a nozzle for each type of ink. The ejection head 22 ejects the ink from the nozzle toward a printing paper 2 to print data such as characters or images. Note that a state of mounting the cartridge 4 in the cartridge mounting portion 6 or detailed configurations of the cartridge 4 and the cartridge mounting portion 6 will be described later. Note that in the present embodiment, the printing device 10 is a so-called “off-carriage type” printer in which the cartridge mounting portion 6 is not interlocked to movement of the carriage 20. The present disclosure can also be applied to a so-called “on-carriage type” printer in which the cartridge mounting portion 6 is provided on the carriage 20 and moves together with the carriage 20.
The control portion 31 performs control of each portion of the printing device 10 or transmission and reception of a signal to and from the cartridge 4. The carriage 20 moves the ejection head 22 relative to the printing paper 2.
The drive mechanism 30 reciprocates the carriage based on a control signal from the control portion 31. The drive mechanism 30 includes a timing belt 32 and a drive motor 34. By transmitting power of the drive motor 34 to the carriage 20 via the timing belt 32, the carriage 20 reciprocates in a main scanning direction, which is a direction along the X direction. In addition, the printing device 10 includes a transport mechanism for moving the printing paper 2 in a sub-scanning direction, which is the +Y direction. When printing is performed, the printing paper 2 is moved in the sub-scanning direction by the transport mechanism, and the printing paper 2 after printing is completed is output onto a front cover 11.
In addition, a region referred to as a home position is provided at a position outside a printing region where the carriage 20 is moved in the main scanning direction, and a maintenance mechanism that performs maintenance for normally executing the printing is mounted at the home position. The maintenance mechanism includes a cap member 8 that is pressed against a surface on which the nozzle is formed on a bottom surface side of the ejection head 22 to form a closed space so as to surround the nozzle, an elevating and lowering mechanism (not illustrated) that elevates and lowers the cap member 8 in order to press the cap member 8 against the nozzle surface of the ejection head 22, a suction pump (not illustrated) that introduces a negative pressure into the closed space formed by pressing the cap member 8 against the nozzle surface of the ejection head 22, or the like.
In the present embodiment, in a use state of the printing system 1, an axis along the sub-scanning direction in which the printing paper 2 is transported is the Y axis, an axis along a gravity direction is the Z axis, and an axis along a moving direction of the carriage 20 is the X axis. Here, the “use state of the printing system 1” refers to a state in which the printing system 1 is installed on a horizontal surface. In addition, in the present embodiment, the sub-scanning direction is the +Y direction, an opposite direction to the +Y direction is the −Y direction, the gravity direction is the −Z direction, and an antigravity direction is the +Z direction. The X direction and the Y direction are directions along a horizontal direction. In addition, when the printing system 1 is viewed from a front side, a direction from a right side to a left side is the +X direction, and an opposite direction to the +X direction is the −X direction. In addition, in the present embodiment, an insertion direction in which the cartridge 4 is inserted into the cartridge mounting portion 6 for mounting is the −Y direction, and a direction in which the cartridge 4 is removed from the cartridge mounting portion 6 is the +Y direction. Therefore, a −Y direction side of the cartridge mounting portion 6 is also referred to as a rear side, and a +Y direction side of the cartridge mounting portion 6 is also referred to as a front side. In addition, in the present embodiment, an arrangement direction of the plurality of cartridges 4 is the X direction.
As illustrated in
As a result, the accommodation chamber 61 accommodates the cartridge 4. The insertion/removal opening 674 is an entrance to the accommodation chamber 61 of the cartridge 4. In a state in which the cartridge 4 is inserted into the accommodation chamber 61 of the cartridge mounting portion 6, the cartridge 4 is supported from a −Z direction side by a support member 610 of the cartridge mounting portion 6. In addition, in the mounted state in which the cartridge 4 is mounted in the accommodation chamber 61 of the cartridge mounting portion 6, a liquid supply portion 442 of the cartridge 4 and a liquid introduction portion 642 of the cartridge mounting portion 6 are coupled to each other. As a result, the ink contained in a liquid containing portion 450 of the cartridge 4 is supplied to the liquid introduction portion 642 via the liquid supply portion 442. In addition, in the present embodiment, the ink is supplied from the liquid supply portion 442 to the liquid introduction portion 642, while air contained in the liquid storage portion 699 becomes air bubbles and flows through the liquid introduction portion 642 and the liquid supply portion 442 to flow to the liquid containing portion 450. As a result, air-liquid exchange of the liquid containing portion 450 is performed. Note that in another embodiment, the cartridge 4 may have an atmospheric communication path communicating the liquid containing portion 450 with the outside, and air-liquid exchange may be performed through the atmospheric communication path. The atmospheric communication path is arranged at a position different from that of the liquid supply portion 442, and is formed, for example, on a wall forming the liquid containing portion 450.
The liquid introduction portion 642 receives the liquid supplied from the cartridge 4. The liquid introduction portion 642 is a tubular member and has an internal flow path for making the liquid flow therein. The liquid introduction portion 642 has a base end 642a and a tip 642b. The tip 642b is formed with an opening communicating with an introduction portion flow path which is the internal flow path, and the ink of the liquid supply portion 442 flows to the introduction portion flow path through the opening. The base end 642a is coupled to the liquid storage portion 699, and makes the ink that has flowed through the introduction portion flow path flow to the liquid storage portion 699. The liquid storage portion 699 is positioned on a −Z direction side of the accommodation chamber 61. The liquid storage portion 699 communicates with the ejection head 22 via the tube 24 illustrated in
As illustrated in
The plurality of device side terminals 721 (nine device side terminals in the present embodiment) are provided. Each of the plurality of device side terminals 721 is a conductive metal plate member. The device side terminal 721 has a terminal rotation fulcrum Rp, and a portion in contact with a cartridge side terminal 521 of the circuit board 50, which is an end portion, can be elastically deformed using the terminal rotation fulcrum Rp as a fulcrum. A direction in which the portion is elastically deformed is a direction along the Y direction and the Z direction. The terminal holding portion 750 holds the plurality of device side terminals 721. The connector 739 is electrically coupled to the plurality of device side terminals 721. In addition, the connector 739 is electrically coupled to the control portion 31 of the printing device 10 by a wiring (not illustrated). As a result, the circuit board 50 and the control portion 31 can perform data communication therebetween.
The holding mechanism 73 includes an urging member 780 and an attaching member 782. The urging member 780 is formed of a coil spring. The urging member 780 is arranged inside the attaching member 782. In addition, the device side terminal portion 70 is attached to the attaching member 782. The urging member 780 is compressed in a state in which the insertion of the cartridge 4 into the cartridge mounting portion 6 has been completed. As a result, the urging member 780 applies an external force Fa in a direction toward a removal direction side of the cartridge 4, which is the first device wall 67 side, to the device side terminal portion 70 via the attaching member 782. Since the device side terminal portion 70 is pressed against the circuit board 50 by the external force Fa, contact between the device side terminal 721 and the cartridge side terminal 521 is maintained well.
As described above, the holding mechanism 73 holds the device side terminal portion 70 so as to be displaceable in a direction along the insertion direction of the cartridge 4. In addition, one end portion of the urging member 780 adjacent to the device side terminal portion 70 is configured to be slightly movable in the X direction and the Z direction intersecting the insertion direction. As a result, the device side terminal portion 70 is held by the holding mechanism 73 so as to be slightly movable in the X direction and the Z direction intersecting the insertion direction.
A mounting process of the cartridge 4 in the cartridge mounting portion 6 includes a terminal coupling process and a supply portion coupling process executed after the terminal coupling process. The terminal coupling process is a process of bringing and electrically coupling the device side terminal 721 and the cartridge side terminal 521 into contact with and to each other by moving the cartridge 4 in the −Y direction through the insertion/removal opening 674 of the first device wall 67 illustrated in
In the supply portion coupling process, a device side supply portion positioning portion 644, which is a projection included in the cartridge mounting portion 6, enters a supply portion positioning portion 448 included in the cartridge 4 and having a recessed shape, such that the movement of the liquid supply portion 442 in a direction intersecting the central axis CA2 of the liquid supply portion 442 is regulated. As a result, positioning of the liquid supply portion 442 with respect to the liquid introduction portion 642 is performed. The device side supply portion positioning portion 644 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The device side supply portion positioning portion 644 has one end portion 644a and the other end portion 644b. The one end portion 644a is positioned adjacent to the liquid storage portion 699. The one end portion 644a is positioned more adjacent to the accommodation chamber 61 than the other end portion 644b is.
In the mounted state of the cartridge 4, a main wall 613 forming a bottom portion of the support member 610 is inclined with respect to the Y direction. Specifically, the main wall 613 of the support member 610 is inclined so as to be positioned on the −Z direction side, which is a lower side, toward the +Y direction. The main wall 613 is parallel to the Y direction in an initial arrangement state of the cartridge mounting portion 6 in which the cartridge 4 is not mounted.
The cartridge mounting portion 6 includes an urging member 625 that applies an external force Ft1 to the support member 610 in order to return the support member 610 to a position when in the initial arrangement state, in the mounted state of the cartridge 4. The urging member 625 is a coil spring provided between the support member 610 and the liquid storage portion 699, and is in a compressed state in the mounted state. The urging member 625 in the compressed state applies the external force Ft1 having a +Z direction component to the support member 610. Meanwhile, in the mounted state of the cartridge 4, a cartridge engaging portion 497 of the cartridge 4 engages with a mounting engaging portion 697 of the cartridge mounting portion 6, such that the mounted state is maintained. The mounting engaging portion 697 is formed on an engagement forming body 677 of the cartridge mounting portion 6.
As illustrated in
The liquid supply portion 442 includes a flow path main body 480 and a cartridge side valve mechanism 481. The flow path main body 480 is inserted into a flow opening 432 formed in a container bottom wall 431 which is a bottom wall of the liquid containing portion 450. A supply portion flow path 482 is formed in the flow path main body 480. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The cartridge side valve seat 487 is arranged in the vicinity of the supply opening 442e1. The cartridge side valve seat 487 is a ring-shaped member. The cartridge side valve seat 487 is formed by an elastic member such as a synthetic rubber or an elastomer. An outer circumferential surface of the cartridge side valve seat 487 is air-tightly attached to an inner circumferential surface of the flow path main body 480. A cartridge side valve hole 489 penetrating in the direction along the central axis CA2 is formed in the cartridge side valve seat 487.
A tip side portion of the cartridge side valve body 485 abuts on the cartridge side valve seat 487 and stops the cartridge side valve hole 489 in a state in which the liquid introduction portion 642 is not coupled to the liquid supply portion 442. On the other hand, the cartridge side valve body 485 is opened by being separated from the cartridge side valve seat 487 in the mounted state of the cartridge 4 in which the liquid introduction portion 642 is coupled to the liquid supply portion 442. That is, the cartridge side valve body 485 is displaced in the direction along the central axis CA2 to open/close the supply portion flow path 482. The cartridge side valve body 485 is a rod-shaped member extending in the direction along the central axis CA2.
The cartridge side valve body 485 has a tip surface 486 positioned adjacent to the supply opening 442e1. The tip surface 486 faces the supply opening 442e1. In addition, the cartridge side valve body 485 has a protrusion 488 protruding from the tip surface 486 toward the supply opening 442e1. The protrusion 488 has a cylindrical shape. Note that in another embodiment, the protrusion 488 may have a prism shape whose cross section has a polygonal shape such as a quadrangular shape or pentagonal shape. The protrusion 488 is arranged at a position passing the central axis CA2. The protrusion 488 is positioned in the cartridge side valve hole 489 of the cartridge side valve seat 487 when the cartridge side valve mechanism 481 is in a closed state. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
In the mounted state of the cartridge 4, the liquid introduction portion 642 is coupled to the liquid supply portion 442 and receives the liquid from the liquid supply portion 442. The liquid introduction portion 642 has an introduction portion flow path 682 through which the liquid supplied from the liquid supply portion 442 flows. In addition, the liquid introduction portion 642 has the central axis CA1. The central axis CA1 is inclined with respect to the gravity direction. In the present embodiment, the central axis CA1 is inclined by 5° with respect to the gravity direction.
The liquid introduction portion 642 includes an introduction portion main body 680 whose cross section has a ring shape, and a device side valve mechanism 681. The introduction portion flow path 682 is formed in the introduction portion main body 680. The introduction portion main body 680 forms the tip 642b of the liquid introduction portion 642. The tip 642b forms an upstream end of the introduction portion flow path 682 in a direction in which the liquid flows from the liquid supply portion 442 to the liquid introduction portion 642. The tip 642b has an introduction portion opening 645 forming the upstream end of the introduction portion flow path 682.
As illustrated in
The device side valve seat 687 is a portion of the introduction portion main body 680 that is inclined with respect to the central axis CA1. In the present embodiment, the device side valve seat 687 is a portion of the introduction portion main body 680, of which an inner diameter increases from the tip 642b side toward the base end 642a side. The device side valve seat 687 has a device side valve hole 689 which is a part of the introduction portion flow path 682. Note that the device side valve seat 687 is not limited thereto, and in another embodiment, the introduction portion main body 680 may have a portion whose diameter increases in a direction orthogonal to the central axis CA1, and the device side valve seat 687 may be formed by the portion with the increasing diameter.
The device side valve body 685 is a rod-shaped member extending in the direction along the central axis CA1. The device side valve body 685 is positioned in the introduction portion flow path 682, and opens/closes the introduction portion flow path 682. The device side valve body 685 is arranged at a position at which the device side valve body 685 is opened by being pushed by the protrusion 488 of the cartridge side valve body 485. Specifically, a tip 685b of the device side valve body 685 pushed by the protrusion 488 is positioned on a trajectory along which the protrusion 488 moves in the supply portion coupling process. In the present embodiment, the tip 685b is arranged at a position passing the central axis CA1. As described above, the device side valve body 685 is arranged at the position at which the device side valve body 685 is opened by being pushed by the protrusion 488, such that it is possible to easily open the device side valve body 685 by using the protrusion 488.
The device side valve body 685 is positioned in the introduction portion flow path 682 without protruding from the introduction portion opening 645, regardless of an opened state or a closed state. In the present embodiment, the tip 685b of the device side valve body 685 is positioned at the same height position as that of the introduction portion opening 645 when in the closed state. Further, the tip 685b of the device side valve body 685 is positioned on the base end 642a side, which is a side deeper than the introduction portion opening 645, when in the opened state. As a result, it is possible to reduce a possibility that the liquid attached to the device side valve body 685 will leak to the outside. Further, since the tip 685b of the device side valve body 685 does not protrude from the introduction portion opening 645, it is possible to reduce a possibility that the device side valve body 685 will be unintentionally opened due to a collision between the device side valve body 685 and another object or the like in a state in which the cartridge 4 is not mounted. In addition, since the tip 685b of the device side valve body 685 does not protrude from the introduction portion opening 645, it is possible to reduce a possibility that the cartridge 4 will collide with a portion other than the device side valve body 685 in the mounting process of the cartridge 4.
The device side valve body 685 includes an arrangement portion 686 and a seal member 688 which is a ring-shaped elastic member. The arrangement portion 686 is a portion of a main body of the device side valve body 685, of which a size in a direction orthogonal to the central axis CA1 is larger than that of other portions. The arrangement portion 686 faces the device side valve seat 687. The seal member 688 is formed of an elastomer or a rubber. The seal member 688 is attached to the arrangement portion 686 of the device side valve body 685, and interlocked to the main body of the device side valve body 685. In a state in which the liquid introduction portion 642 and the liquid supply portion 442 are not coupled to each other, the seal member 688 air-tightly abuts on the device side valve seat 687, such that the device side valve hole 689 of the device side valve seat 687 is stopped by the device side valve body 685. As a result, the device side valve body 685 is closed. On the other hand, the device side valve body 685 is closed by being separated from the device side valve seat 687 of the introduction portion main body 680 in the mounted state of the cartridge 4 in which the liquid introduction portion 642 is coupled to the liquid supply portion 442. Specifically, as illustrated in
The device side urging member 683 urges the device side valve body 685 in a direction toward the device side valve seat 687. The device side urging member 683 is, for example, a compressed coil spring. One end of the device side urging member 683 abuts on the arrangement portion 686, and the other end of the device side urging member 683 abuts on a pedestal 684. The pedestal 684 is a member forming the base end 642a of the liquid introduction portion 642, and is attached to the introduction portion main body 680. In a state before the coupling between the liquid introduction portion 642 and the liquid supply portion 442 is started, that is, when the device side valve mechanism 681 is in the closed state, an urging force of the device side urging member 683 with respect to the device side valve body 685 is a second urging force Fs2.
As the rear surface 47 side of the cartridge 4 is rotationally moved in the coupling direction D2 as illustrated in
As described above, a magnitude relationship between the first urging force Fs1 and the second urging force Fs2 is set, such that it is possible to easily perform setting so that the device side valve body 685 is opened earlier than the cartridge side valve body 485.
In the supply portion coupling process, the protrusion 488 of the cartridge side valve body 485 abuts on the tip 685b of the device side valve body 685. In addition, the cartridge 4 is rotationally moved in the coupling direction D2, such that the liquid supply portion 442 is moved downward along the rotation trajectory. As a result, the protrusion 488 pushes the device side valve body 685 toward the base end 642a (that is, in a direction away from the device side valve seat 687) against the urging force of the device side urging member 683. As the device side valve body 685 is pushed, the seal member 688 of the device side valve body 685 is separated from the device side valve seat 687. As a result, the device side valve body 685 is opened. As the device side valve body 685 is opened, the introduction portion flow path 682 is opened. The supply portion coupling process further proceeds, and the cartridge 4 is further rotationally moved in the coupling direction D2, such that the cartridge side valve body 485 is pushed against the urging force of the cartridge side urging member 483 by a reaction force from the device side valve body 685. As a result, the cartridge side valve body 485 is separated from the cartridge side valve seat 487, such that the cartridge side valve body 485 is opened. As the cartridge side valve body 485 is opened, the supply portion flow path 482 is opened.
As described above, in the supply portion coupling process, it is possible to easily open the device side valve body 685 of the liquid introduction portion 642 by using the protrusion 488 of the cartridge side valve body 485. Further, since the protrusion 488 has a cylindrical shape or a prism shape, the protrusion 488 can be formed in a simple shape. In addition, when the liquid is attached to the protrusion 488, since the protrusion 488 comes into contact with the tip 685b of the device side valve body 685, the attached liquid can be moved to the device side valve body 685 side. As a result, it is possible to reduce a possibility that the liquid will leak from the liquid supply portion 442 to the outside after the cartridge 4 is removed from the cartridge mounting portion 6. Further, in the supply portion coupling process, the device side valve body 685 is opened earlier than the cartridge side valve body 485, such that the introduction portion flow path 682 is opened. Therefore, it is possible to reduce a possibility that air will remain between the device side valve body 685 and the cartridge side valve body 485. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress the remaining air from being compressed in the supply portion coupling process, such that it is possible to suppress an external force, which is to be applied to the cartridge 4 in order to couple the liquid supply portion 442 and the liquid introduction portion 642 to each other, from being excessively large. Therefore, the user can smoothly mount the cartridge 4 in the cartridge mounting portion 6.
Further, in the decoupling process in which the liquid introduction portion 642 and the liquid supply portion 442 are decoupled from each other, the rear wall 47 side of the cartridge 4 is lifted to rotationally move the cartridge 4 in the decoupling direction D3, which is a direction opposite to the coupling direction D2, as illustrated in
As described above, in the decoupling process, the cartridge side valve body 485 is closed earlier than the device side valve body 685, such that the liquid remaining in the liquid supply portion 442 can be made to flow to the liquid introduction portion 642 of which the device side valve body 685 is open. As a result, it is possible to reduce a possibility that the liquid will leak from the liquid supply portion 442 to the outside in the decoupling process.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The first device wall 67 faces the second device wall 62 in the Y direction. In the first device wall 67, the insertion/removal opening 674 through which the cartridge 4 passes when it is inserted into or removed from the accommodation chamber 61 is formed.
A device top wall 63 forms a wall of the accommodation chamber 61 on the +Z direction side. A device bottom wall 64 faces the device top wall 63 in the Z direction, and forms a wall of the accommodation chamber 61 on the −Z direction side. The device bottom wall 64 is formed by the support member 610. The device bottom wall 64 has a plurality of openings 614. In the present embodiment, four openings 614 are formed corresponding to the slots 61C, 61M, 61Y, and 61K. The device top wall 63 and the device bottom wall 64 intersect the second device wall 62 and the first device wall 67. In the present disclosure, the term “cross” or “intersect” means any one of (i) a state in which two elements intersect or actually cross each other, (ii) a state in which one element crosses the other element when one element has extended, and (iii) a state in which mutual elements intersect each other when the mutual elements have extended.
A first device side wall 65 forms a wall of the accommodation chamber 61 on the +X direction side. A second device side wall 66 faces the first device side wall 65 in the X direction, and forms a wall of the accommodation chamber 61 on the −X direction side. The first device side wall 65 and the second device side wall 66 intersect the second device wall 62, the first device wall 67, the device top wall 63, and the device bottom wall 64.
As illustrated in
The main wall 613 forms a bottom portion positioned on the gravity direction side and having a recessed shape. The openings 614 are formed at an end portion of the main wall 613 adjacent to the first device wall 67. The openings 614 penetrate through the main wall 613 in a thickness direction of the main wall 613.
As illustrated in
The device guide portions 602 guide the cartridge 4 in the insertion direction and a removal direction. The device guide portion 602 is provided for each support member 610. The device guide portions 602 are provided on each of the first support side wall 611 and the second support side wall 612. The device guide portions 602 are projections provided on the first support side wall 611 and the second support side wall 612. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The device side supply portion positioning portion 644 illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Two device side terminal positioning portions 756 are provided for each of the slots 61C to 61K. One of the two device side terminal positioning portions 756 is also referred to as a first device side terminal positioning portion 756t, and the other of the two device side terminal positioning portions 756 is also referred to as a second device side terminal positioning portion 756w. The first device side terminal positioning portion 756t and the second device side terminal positioning portion 756w are columnar members each extending along the Y direction. The first device side terminal positioning portion 756t is provided on the first holding portion side wall 750ft. The second device side terminal positioning portion 756w is provided on the second holding portion side wall 750fw.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
An outer shape of the first type of cartridge 4A is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The first type of cartridge 4A includes a main body 41 forming an outer shell and a circuit board 50 attached to the main body 41. The main body 41 is formed by the liquid container 401 and the adapter 402 described above. The main body 41 of the first type of cartridge 4A has a front wall 42, a rear wall 47, the top wall 43, the bottom wall 44, a first side wall 45, a second side wall 46, and a corner portion 89. Each wall 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, or 47 is also referred to as each surface 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, or 47. The front wall 42 and the rear wall 47 face each other in the Y direction along the insertion direction. The top wall 43 and the bottom wall 44 face each other in the Z direction. The Z direction is parallel to the central axis CA2 along the direction in which the liquid supply portion 442 extends. The first side wall 45 and the second side wall 46 face each other in the X direction. The X direction is a direction orthogonal to the Y direction and the Z direction.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The first type of cartridge 4A further includes the liquid containing portion 450 containing a liquid, the liquid supply portion 442, a cartridge side identification member 430, the supply portion positioning portion 448, the circuit board 50, and a cartridge guide portion 447 that are illustrated in
The liquid supply portion 442 is a tubular member that protrudes from the container bottom wall 431, which is a bottom wall of the liquid container 401, toward the adapter 402. The liquid supply portion 442 is arranged in a recess-shaped supply portion arrangement chamber 461 of the adapter 402. The insertion opening 446 illustrated in
The cartridge side identification member 430 illustrated in
The supply portion positioning portion 448 performs positioning of the liquid supply portion 442 with respect to the liquid introduction portion 642 by receiving the device side supply portion positioning portion 644. Specifically, in the supply portion coupling process, the supply portion positioning portion 448 performs positioning of the liquid supply portion 442 with respect to the liquid introduction portion 642 by receiving the device side supply portion positioning portion 644 to regulate the movement of the supply portion positioning portion 448 in a direction intersecting the coupling direction D2. The supply portion positioning portion 448 is a recess portion formed in the bottom wall 44 and recessed from an outer surface of the bottom wall 44. Note that in another embodiment, the supply portion positioning portion 448 may be a hole penetrating through the bottom wall 44. The supply portion positioning portion 448 is a recess portion having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and an opening area of an entrance portion formed on an outer surface side of the bottom wall 44 is greater than an opening area on a bottom portion side of the recess portion, which is a side deeper than the entrance portion. As a result, in the supply portion coupling process, the supply portion positioning portion 448 can easily receive the device side supply portion positioning portion 644. The supply portion positioning portion 448 is positioned opposite to the cartridge side terminal 521 of the circuit board 50 with the liquid supply portion 442 or the insertion opening 446 interposed therebetween, in the insertion direction. In the present embodiment, the supply portion positioning portion 448 is formed in the bottom wall 44 in the vicinity of the rear wall 47.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The recess portion bottom wall 988 has a portion inclined with respect to the Y direction. In the present embodiment, the inclined portion is inclined with respect to the Y direction so as to be positioned on the +Z direction side toward the recess portion front wall 982. The circuit board 50 is arranged on this inclined portion.
The pair of recess portion side walls 902t and 902w are walls coupled to the recess portion bottom wall 988. The pair of recess portion side walls 902t and 902w face each other in the X direction. A first recess portion side wall 902t is coupled to a −X direction side end portion of the recess portion bottom wall 988. A second recess portion side wall 902w is coupled to a +X direction side end portion of the recess portion bottom wall 988. When the first recess portion side wall 902t and the second recess portion side wall 902w are used without distinction, the first recess portion side wall 902t and the second recess portion side wall 902w are referred to as a recess portion side wall 902. An entrance opening, which is an opening formed in the recess portion front wall 982, becomes an entrance when the device side terminal portion 70 is inserted into the recess portion 90.
The pair of recess portion side walls 902t and 902w are provided with a pair of terminal positioning portions 906t and 906w, respectively. The pair of terminal positioning portions 906t and 906w are provided so as to face each other in the X direction. When the pair of terminal positioning portions 906t and 906w are used with distinction, the pair of terminal positioning portions 906t and 906w are also referred to as a first terminal positioning portion 906t and a second terminal positioning portion 906w, and when the pair of terminal positioning portions 906t and 906w are used without distinction, the pair of terminal positioning portions 906t and 906w are also referred to as a terminal positioning portion 906. The terminal positioning portion 906 is a groove formed in the recess portion side wall 902. The first terminal positioning portion 906t is a groove having a shape recessed from a surface of the first recess portion side wall 902t. The second terminal positioning portion 906w is a groove having a shape recessed from a surface of the second recess portion side wall 902w.
The first terminal positioning portion 906t receives the first device side terminal positioning portion 756t illustrated in
The device side terminal positioning portion 756 is received by the terminal positioning portion 906, such that the device side terminal positioning portion 756 and the terminal positioning portion 906 come into contact with each other. As a result, the movement of the cartridge side terminal 521 with respect to the device side terminal 721 in the Z direction and the X direction, which are the directions intersecting the insertion direction, is regulated. The movement is regulated, such that positioning of the cartridge side terminal 521 with respect to the device side terminal 721 in the Z direction and the X direction, which are the directions intersecting the insertion direction, is performed. The terminal positioning portion 906 has an end wall 916 on the +Y direction side. The cartridge 4 is further pushed toward the insertion direction from an abutting position where a tip portion of the device side terminal positioning portion 756 abuts on the end wall 916, such that the terminal coupling process is completed. The cartridge 4 is further pushed toward the insertion direction from the abutting position, such that the holding mechanism 73 is pushed toward the insertion direction. As a result, the device side terminal portion 70 moves toward the insertion direction following the movement of the cartridge 4. In a state in which the terminal coupling process is completed, the urging member 780 illustrated in
As illustrated in
When the cartridge 4 is inserted into the cartridge mounting portion 6, a surface of the device guide portion 602 on the +Z direction side and the cartridge guide portion 447 come into contact with each other, such that the movement of the cartridge 4 in the insertion direction is guided in a state in which a posture of the cartridge 4 is maintained. A surface of the first device guide portion 602a on the +Z direction side comes into contact with the first cartridge guide portion 447a, and a surface of the second device guide portion 602b on the +Z direction side comes into contact with the second cartridge guide portion 447b.
As illustrated in
An adapter 402 of the second type of cartridge 4B has the same configuration as the adapter 402 of the first type of cartridge 4A except for a pattern shape formed by a cartridge side identification member 430. As a result, the adapter 402 can be commonly used for the cartridges 4A and 4B having different capacities.
As illustrated in
When the cartridge 4 is further pushed in the insertion direction D1 in a state illustrated in
When the cartridge 4 rotationally moves in the coupling direction D2, the reception of the device side supply portion positioning portion 644 by the supply portion positioning portion 448 is started before the coupling between the liquid introduction portion 642 and the liquid supply portion 442 is started. Thereafter, the positioning of the liquid supply portion 442 with respect to the liquid introduction portion 642 is started. That is, the movement of the liquid supply portion 442 in a direction intersecting the central axis CA2 of the liquid supply portion 442 is regulated. In the supply portion coupling process, when the device side supply portion positioning portion 644 is inserted into the liquid introduction portion 642, a case where the cartridge 4 moves minutely in the Y direction can occur. In this case, the urging member 780 expands and contracts, such that the device side terminal portion 70 moves so as to follow the movement of the cartridge side terminal 521. As a result, contact between the cartridge side terminal 521 and the device side terminal 721 can be maintained well.
As illustrated in
In addition, in the mounted state, the mounted state of the cartridge 4 is maintained by engaging the mounting engaging portion 697 with the cartridge engaging portion 497. In a decoupling process in which the liquid introduction portion 642 and the liquid supply portion 442 are decoupled from each other, the user rotationally moves the cartridge 4 in a decoupling direction D3, which is a direction opposite to the coupling direction D2, with the rotation fulcrum 698 as the fulcrum by lifting the rear wall 47 side of the cartridge 4. As a result, the mounting engaging portion 697 is displaced by being pushed by the main body of the cartridge 4, such that the engagement between the mounting engaging portion 697 and the cartridge engaging portion 497 is released.
According to the above embodiment, as illustrated in
In addition, according to the above embodiment, as illustrated in
In addition, according to the above embodiment, as illustrated in
In addition, according to the above embodiment, as illustrated in
In addition, in the present embodiment, the adapter 402 that can be commonly used for different types of liquid containers 401 and 401B is provided with the terminal positioning portion 906, the supply portion positioning portion 448, the cartridge side identification member 430, the cartridge engaging portion 497, and the cartridge guide portion 447, which are elements cooperating with the cartridge mounting portion 6. As a result, even though the types of liquid containers 401 are different from each other, the same type of adapter 402 can be used, and a manufacturing cost of the cartridge 4 can thus be reduced. In addition, as a result, a structure of the liquid containers 401 and 401B can be simplified.
In addition, according to the above embodiment, as illustrated in
In the above embodiment, as illustrated in
In the above embodiment, as illustrated in
In the above embodiment, as illustrated in
The present disclosure is not limited to an ink jet printer and an ink cartridge thereof, but can be applied to any printing device that ejects a liquid other than ink, and a cartridge thereof. For example, the present disclosure can be applied to the following various printing devices and cartridges thereof.
Note that the “droplet” refers to a state of the liquid discharged from the printing device, and includes those leaving a trail in a granular shape, a tear shape, or a thread shape. In addition, the “liquid” mentioned here may be any material that can be ejected by the printing device. For example, the “liquid” may be a material in a state when a substance is in a liquid phase, and materials in a liquid state in which viscosity is high or low and materials in a liquid state such as sol, gel water, other inorganic solvents, organic solvents, solutions, liquid resins, and liquid metals are also included in the “liquid”. In addition, not only a liquid as one state of a substance, but also a liquid in which particles of a functional material formed of a solid substance such as a pigment or a metal particle are dissolved, dispersed, or mixed in a solvent is included in the “liquid”. In addition, typical examples of the liquid can include the ink as described in the above embodiment, liquid crystal, or the like. Here, the ink includes general water-based inks, oil-based inks, and various liquid compositions such as gel inks and hot melt inks.
The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be realized by various configurations without deviating from the spirit thereof. For example, technical features of an embodiment corresponding to technical features in each of aspects described below can be appropriately replaced or combined in order to solve some or all of the problems described above or achieve some or all of the effects described above. In addition, when the technical feature is not described as essential in the present specification, the technical feature can be appropriately deleted.
(1) According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cartridge detachably mounted in a cartridge mounting portion of a printing device including a liquid introduction portion that receives a liquid and a device side valve body that opens/closes an introduction portion flow path which is a flow path of the liquid introduction portion. The cartridge includes a liquid containing portion that contains the liquid, and a liquid supply portion that has a supply opening formed at a tip, communicates with the liquid containing portion, is coupled to the liquid introduction portion, and includes a cartridge side valve mechanism that opens/closes a supply portion flow path which is the flow path of the liquid supply portion, the cartridge side valve mechanism includes a cartridge side valve seat in which a cartridge side valve hole is formed, a cartridge side valve body that stops the cartridge side valve hole and has a tip surface positioned on a side of the supply opening, and a cartridge side urging member that urges the cartridge side valve body in a direction toward the cartridge side valve seat, and the cartridge side valve body has a protrusion that protrudes from the tip surface and pushes the device side valve body to open the device side valve body. According to this aspect, it is possible to easily open the device side valve body of the liquid introduction portion by using the protrusion of the cartridge side valve body.
(2) In the above aspect, the protrusion may have any one of a cylindrical shape and a prism shape. According to this aspect, the protrusion can be formed in a simple shape.
(3) According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a printing device in which a cartridge is mounted. The cartridge includes a liquid supply portion and a cartridge side valve body for opening/closing a supply portion flow path which is a flow path of the liquid supply portion, the cartridge side valve body having a protrusion that protrudes from a tip surface. Further, the printing device includes an ejecting head that ejects a liquid, and a cartridge mounting portion in which the cartridge is mounted and which includes a liquid introduction portion coupled to the liquid supply portion and receiving the liquid, the liquid introduction portion has an introduction portion opening formed at a tip, an introduction portion flow path which is a flow path, and a device side valve body that opens/closes the introduction portion flow path, and the device side valve body is arranged at a position at which the device side valve body is pushed by the protrusion to be opened. According to this aspect, it is possible to easily open the device side valve body by using the protrusion.
(4) In the above aspect, the device side valve body may be positioned in the introduction portion flow path without protruding from the introduction portion opening. According to this aspect, it is possible to reduce a possibility that the liquid attached to the device side valve body will leak to the outside.
(5) According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a printing system. The printing system includes the cartridge of the above aspect, and the printing device of the above aspect, as the cartridge is moved downward, the liquid introduction portion and the liquid supply portion are coupled to each other, and in a supply portion coupling process in which the liquid introduction portion and the liquid supply portion are coupled to each other, the device side valve body is opened earlier than the cartridge side valve body. According to this aspect, in the supply portion coupling process, the device side valve body is opened earlier than the cartridge side valve body, such that it is possible to reduce a possibility that air will remain between the device side valve body and the cartridge side valve body. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress the remaining air from being compressed in the supply portion coupling process, such that it is possible to suppress an external force, which is to be applied to the cartridge in order to couple the liquid supply portion and the liquid introduction portion each other, from being excessively large.
(6) In the above embodiment, the liquid introduction portion further has a device side valve seat that is positioned in the introduction portion flow path and has a device side valve hole, and a device side urging member that is positioned in the introduction portion flow path and urges the device side valve body in a direction toward the device side valve seat, and a first urging force, which is an urging force of the cartridge side urging member with respect to the cartridge side valve body, may be set to be larger than a second urging force, which is an urging force of the device side urging member with respect to the device side valve body, in a state before coupling between the liquid introduction portion and the liquid supply portion is started, such that the device side valve body is opened earlier than the cartridge side valve body in the process in which the liquid introduction portion and the liquid supply portion are coupled to each other. According to this aspect, a magnitude relationship between the first urging force and the second urging force is set, such that it is possible to easily perform setting so that the device side valve body is opened earlier than the cartridge side valve body.
(7) In the above aspect, in a decoupling process in which the liquid introduction portion and the liquid supply portion are decoupled from each other, the cartridge side valve body may be closed earlier than the device side valve body. According to this aspect, in the decoupling process, when the cartridge side valve body is in the opened state, the liquid of the liquid supply portion can be made to flow to the liquid introduction portion. As a result, it is possible to reduce a possibility that the liquid will leak from the liquid supply portion to the outside in the decoupling process.
The present disclosure can be realized in an aspect such a method of manufacturing a cartridge, a cartridge side valve mechanism, a device side valve mechanism, or the like, in addition to the above aspects.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2020-209177 | Dec 2020 | JP | national |