Patent Application
20250042164
This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-124419 filed on Jul. 31, 2023. The entire content of the priority application is incorporated herein by reference.
An ink cartridge in which ink is stored is known. An IC substrate having an electrode is positioned on an upper wall of the ink cartridge. In a state where the ink cartridge is attached to a cartridge attachment portion, the electrode of the IC substrate is electrically connected to a contact of the cartridge attachment portion.
An ink container is insertable into an attachment unit that includes a contact group having a plurality of contacts aligned in a left-right direction. The ink container includes a main body that includes a chamber configured to store ink; a supply portion that extends forward from the chamber in a front-rear direction and is configured to supply the ink stored in the chamber to an outside of the main body; and an electrical interface positioned apart from the supply portion upwardly in an up-down direction orthogonal to the left-right direction and front-rear direction. The electrical interface includes an electrode group that has a plurality of electrodes aligned in the left-right direction. The electrode group is electrically connected to the contact group in a state where the ink container is inserted in the attachment unit.
For example, foreign matter such as dust may adhere to a contact of a cartridge attachment portion. When the ink cartridge is attached to a cartridge attachment portion in a state where the foreign matter is attached to the contact, the foreign matter may be interposed between an electrode of an IC substrate and the contact of the cartridge attachment portion, and a connection failure may occur.
The present disclosure provides an ink container and a system each suppresses an occurrence of a connection failure between an electrode group of an electrical interface and a contact group of an attachment portion even when a foreign matter adheres to the contact of the attachment portion.
(1) The present disclosure relates to an ink container insertable into an attachment unit. The attachment unit includes a contact group that has a plurality of contacts aligned in a left-right direction; a first wall positioned rightward of the contact group; and a second wall positioned leftward of the contact group. The ink container includes: a main body that includes a chamber configured to store ink; a supply portion that extends forward from the chamber in a front-rear direction and is configured to supply the ink stored in the chamber to an outside of the main body; an electrical interface positioned apart from the supply portion upwardly in an up-down direction orthogonal to the left-right direction and front-rear direction; an upper wall that faces upward in the up-down direction and supports the electrical interface; and a front wall that faces frontward in the front-rear direction and connected to the upper wall. The electrical interface includes an electrode group that has a plurality of electrodes aligned in the left-right direction. The electrode group is electrically connected to the contact group in a state where the ink container is inserted in the attachment unit. The upper wall has: an upper surface portion that faces the first wall and the second wall in the state where the ink container is inserted in the attachment unit; and a front end portion that defines an upper end of the front wall and a front end of the upper surface portion and has a length in the left-right direction greater than a length of the electrode group in the left-right direction from a left end to a right end.
The front end portion has a length in the left-right direction greater than the length of the electrode group in the left-right direction from a left end to a right end. Therefore, when the ink container is inserted into the attachment space, the front end portion passes below the contact group of the attachment portion to be connected to the electrode group. Thus, even when foreign matter adheres to the contact group, the front end portion comes into contact with the foreign matter. Thus, the foreign matter is removed from the contact group. Therefore, the occurrence of a connection failure between the electrode group and the contact group is suppressed.
(2) The front end portion has an inclined surface adjacent to the front end of the upper surface portion, and inclined, with respect to the upper surface portion, so as to extend downward toward a front.
When the ink container is inserted into the attachment portion, the inclined surface increases the area in which the foreign matter adhering to the contact group of comes into contact with the front end portion, and thus the foreign matter is easily removed from the contact group. Even if the contact group comes into contact with the front end portion, the impact due to the contact is reduced by the inclined surface, and thus the ink container is easily attached to the mounting portion.
(3) The upper wall includes a recess positioned rearward of the front end portion and frontward of the electrical interface, and recessed downwardly from the upper surface portion.
When the ink container is attached to the attachment portion, the foreign matter adhering to the contact group is removed by the contact with the front end portion, and the foreign matter also falls into the recess to be collected therein by the contact with the inner surface of the recess. Therefore, the foreign matter adhering to the contact group is more reliably removed. In addition, when the ink container is attached to the attachment portion again, the configuration can suppress reattaching of the foreign matter to the contact group from the ink container.
(4) The ink container further includes: a first protrusion that is positioned rightward of the recess and protrudes upward of the upper surface portion; and a second protrusion that is positioned leftward of the recess and protrudes upward of the upper surface portion.
Even if the ink container falls, the first projection and the second projection are likely to contact with the floor surface, and therefore the configuration can suppress the displacement of the position of the electrical interface from the position before the falling due to the impact of the falling.
(5) The chamber is positioned rearward of a front end of the supply portion. Each of the front end portion and the electrical interface is positioned frontward of the front end of the supply portion.
Since the chamber is positioned rearward of the front end of the supply portion, the center of gravity of the ink container is positioned rearward. Therefore, the ink container is in a posture in which the front end portion and the electrical interface at the front of the ink container are positioned higher than the rear of the ink container in the process of being inserted into the attachment portion. Thus, the front end portion and the electrical interface are close to the contact group, and therefore the front end portion is likely to come into contact with the foreign matter adhering to the contact group.
(6) The present disclosure relates to a system. The system includes: an attachment unit that has an insertion space; and an ink container insertable into the insertion space. The attachment unit includes a contact group that has a plurality of contacts aligned in a left-right direction, a first wall positioned rightward of the contact group, and a second wall positioned leftward of the contact group. The ink container includes: a main body that includes a chamber configured to store ink; a supply portion that extends forward from the chamber in a front-rear direction and is configured to supply the ink stored in the chamber to an outside of the main body; an electrical interface positioned apart from the supply portion upwardly in an up-down direction orthogonal to the left-right direction and front-rear direction; an upper wall that faces upward in the up-down direction and supports the electrical interface; and a front wall that faces frontward in the front-rear direction and connected to the upper wall. The electrical interface includes an electrode group that has a plurality of electrodes aligned in the left-right direction. The electrode group is electrically connected to the contact group in a state where the ink container is inserted in the attachment unit. The upper wall has: an upper surface portion that faces the first wall and the second wall in the state where the ink container is inserted in the attachment unit; and a front end portion that defines an upper end of the front wall and a front end of the upper surface portion and has a length in the left-right direction greater than a length of the electrode group in the left-right direction from a left end to a right end.
When the ink container is inserted into the attachment portion, the front end portion of the ink container passes below the contact group, and therefore, even if foreign matter adheres to the contact group, the front end portion comes into contact with the foreign matter. Thus, the foreign matter is removed from the contact group. Therefore, the occurrence of a connection failure between the electrode group of the electrical interface and the contact group of the mounting portion is suppressed.
(7) The upper wall includes a recess positioned between the front end portion and the electrical interface and recessed downwardly from the upper surface portion. The attachment unit includes a third wall positioned upward of the recess in the state where the ink container is inserted in the attachment unit.
The third wall extends downward from a position further forward than the contact group, and therefore, when the ink container is inserted into the insertion space of the attachment portion, the third wall contacts the foreign matter adhering to the front end portion of the ink container from the contact group. Therefore, the foreign matter adhering to the front end portion is pushed rearward by the contact with the third wall and is collected in the recess. Even in a state where the foreign matter is attached to the third wall in a state where the ink container is inserted into the insertion space, the third wall is positioned above the recess, and thus the foreign matter is likely to fall by gravity and be collected in the recess.
According to the present disclosure, the ink container and the system each suppresses an occurrence of a connection failure between an electrode group of an electrical interface and a contact group of an attachment portion even when a foreign matter adheres to the contact of the attachment portion.
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings as appropriate.
In the following, an ink cartridge 30 is inserted into and removed from a cartridge case 110 in a horizontal direction (a direction orthogonal to the gravity direction). Further, whenever appropriate, a frontward direction and a rearward direction may be collectively referred to as a front-rear direction. An upward direction and a downward direction may be collectively referred to as an up-down direction. A rightward direction and a leftward direction may be collectively referred to as a right-left direction. The description will be made on the assumption that the front-rear direction and the right-left direction are horizontal directions. Further, a vertical direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction is defined as the up-down direction. A direction orthogonal to the up-down direction and the front-rear direction is defined as the right-left direction. The front-rear direction is also referred to as a first direction. Note that an attached state in which the ink cartridge 30 is attached to the cartridge case 110 is a state in which the ink cartridge 30 has been inserted to an attachment position in the cartridge case 110 and is ready to be used with the printer 10. The attachment position is a position at which a supply tube 102 provided in the cartridge case 110 is inserted into a supply port 34 provided in the ink cartridge 30 and is connected to the supply port 34.
Hereinafter, the posture of the ink cartridge 30 when the ink cartridge 30 is in the attached state and is ready to be used with the printer 10 is referred to as a usage posture or an upright posture. Unless otherwise specified, when the positional relations between the components of the ink cartridge 30 are described with the terms “up”, “down”, “left”, “right”, “front”, and “rear” and when the orientations or directions of the components of the ink cartridge 30 are described with the terms “up”, “down”, “left”, “right”, “front”, and “rear”, such descriptions are made based on when the ink cartridge 30 is in the usage posture. Moreover, when the positions, orientations or directions of the ink cartridge 30 itself is described with the terms “up”, “down”, “left”, “right”, “front”, and “rear”, such descriptions are made based on when the ink cartridge 30 is in the usage posture. The ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the cartridge case 110 in the frontward direction, which direction may be referred to as an attachment direction. The ink cartridge 30 is removed from the cartridge case 110 in the rearward direction. When it is described that a component of the ink cartridge 30 faces a certain direction, the direction in which the component faces is not strictly limited to that certain direction only. For example, when it is described that “a front surface faces frontward”, the front surface may face frontward and upward.
A front surface of the ink cartridge 30 is a surface appearing in the front view shown in
As shown in
The ink cartridge 30 stores ink that can be used in the printer 10. The ink may be a liquid containing a coloring material such as a pigment or a processing liquid not containing a coloring material, but containing an additive for improving the quality of image formed by the coloring material. In a state where the ink cartridge 30 is completely attached to the cartridge case 110, that is, when the ink cartridge 30 is in the attached state, the ink cartridge 30 and the recording head 21 are connected to each other via the ink tube 20. The recording head 21 discharges the ink supplied from the ink cartridge 30 from a plurality of nozzles 29. Specifically, a head control board included in the recording head 21 selectively applies a driving 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. That is, the recording head 21 consumes the ink stored in the ink cartridge 30 attached to the cartridge case 110.
The printer 10 includes a paper feed tray 15, a paper feed roller 23, a pair of conveyance rollers 25, a platen 26, a pair of discharge rollers 27, and a paper discharge tray 16. The paper feed roller 23 feeds a sheet on the paper feed tray 15 toward the conveyance path 24. The sheet fed to the conveyance path 24 reaches the pair of conveyance rollers 25. The pair of conveyance rollers 25 conveys the sheet that has reached the pair of conveyance rollers 25 onto the platen 26. The recording head 21 selectively ejects ink onto the sheet passing over the platen 26. Thus, an image is recorded on the sheet. The sheet having passed through the platen 26 reaches the pair of discharge rollers 27. The pair of discharge rollers 27 discharges the sheet that has reached the pair of discharge rollers 27 to the discharge tray 16 positioned at the most downstream end of the conveyance path 24.
As shown in
The case body 101 has a box shape. The case body 101 has an internal space to which the ink cartridge 30 is attached. The case body 101 has an end surface 103 that defines a front end in the attachment direction when the ink cartridge 30 is attached to the internal space, a left wall that defines a left end of the internal space, a right wall that defines a right end of the internal space, a lower wall, and a cover wall 171 that covers a pressing plate 134 described later. The cover wall 171 includes an upper wall 172 facing upward and a rear wall 173 extending downward from a rear end portion of the upper wall 172. The case body 101 has the opening 112 at its rear end. When the user opens the cover 126 to use the printer 10, the opening 112 is exposed.
The case body 101 has three partition walls 109 in its internal space. The three partition walls 109 are arranged at intervals in the left-right direction. The internal space of the case body 101 has four slots 108A, 108B, 108C, and 108D arranged in the left-right direction. The slot 108A is positioned on the rightmost side among the four slots 108A to 108D. The slot 108B is positioned to the left of the slot 108A. The slot 108C is positioned to the left of the slot 108B. The slot 108D is positioned on the left of the slot 108C and on the leftmost side among the four slots 108A to 108D. The internal space of the case body 101 is partitioned into slots 108A, 108B, 108C, and 108D by three partition walls 109 that partition the internal space of the case body 101 and by the inner surface of the case body 101. The internal space is an example of an attachment space.
The partition wall 109 extends upward from the upper surface of the upper wall 172 of the cover wall 171. Three partition walls 109 are positioned at equal intervals in the left-right direction. The partition wall 109 has a flat plate shape extending in the up-down direction and the left-right direction. The partition wall 109 extends from the front end to the rear end of the upper wall 172.
The case body 101 has a guide surface 161. The guide surface 161 is arranged in each of the slots 108A, 108B, 108C, and 108D. The guide surface 161 faces upward. The guide surface 161 is generally a semi-circumferential surface. When the ink cartridge 30 is attached to or detached from the case body 101, the guide surface 161 guides the ink cartridge 30 in the front-rear direction. The guide surface 161 supports the lower end of the ink cartridge 30 in the attached state where the ink cartridge 30 is attached to the case body 101. As shown in
As shown in
In each slot 108A, 108B, 108C, and 108D, the top wall 172 has a groove 113 and a groove 114. The groove 113 and the groove 114 in each of the slots 108A, 108B, 108C, and 108D have a common shape. The groove 113 is positioned at the left end of each of the slots 108A, 108B, 108C, and 108D, and the groove 114 is positioned at the right end of each of the slots 108A, 108B, 108C, and 108D. Both the groove 113 and the groove 114 are recessed downward from the upper wall 172 and extend along the front-rear direction so as to be open in the rear wall 173. The ink cartridge 30 includes a pair of walls 71 (described later) and each wall 71 is inserted into the corresponding one of the groove 113 and the groove 114.
In each of the slots 108A, 108B, 108C, and 108D, two protruding pieces 117 protruding upward from the upper wall 172 of the cover wall 171 and spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction are provided between the groove 113 and the groove 114 in the left-right direction. The upper wall 172 of the cover wall 171 has a through hole 140A that is continuous with a space between the two protruding pieces 117. The rear wall 173 of the cover wall 171 has a through hole 140B. The lower end of the through hole 140A and the upper end of the through hole 140B are continuous with each other. A first key slot 115 is positioned between the two protruding pieces 117 in each of the slots 108A, 108B, 108C, and 108D. Specifically, the slot 108A has a first key slot 115A, the slot 108B has a first key slot 115B, the slot 108C has a first key slot 115C, and the slot 108D has a first key slot 115D. The first key slot 115 opens upward and rearward. A first key portion 77 (described later) of the ink cartridge 30 is insertable into the first key slot 115.
The first key slots 115A, 115B, 115C, and 115D have different positions in the left-right direction with respect to the groove 113 and the groove 114. Specifically, the first key slot 115A is closer to the groove 113 than the center of the slot 108A between the groove 113 and the groove 114 in the left-right direction. The first key slot 115B is closer to the groove 114 in the slot 108B than the first key slot 115A is to the groove 114 in the slot 108A in the left-right direction. The first key slot 115C is closer to the groove 114 in the slot 108C than the first key slot 115B is to the groove 114 in the slot 108B in the left-right direction. The first key slot 115D is closer to the groove 114 in the slot 108D than the first key slot 115C is to the groove 114 in the slot 108C in the left-right direction.
In each slot 108A, 108B, 108C, and 108D, a rib 118 is positioned above the groove 113 and a rib 119 is positioned above the groove 114. At the slot 108A, the rib 118 protrudes from the inner surface of the right wall 129. At the slot 108B, the rib 118 protrudes from the partition wall 109 defining the right end of the slot 108B. At the slot 108C, the rib 118 protrudes from the partition wall 109 defining the right end of the slot 108C. At the slot 108D, the rib 118 protrudes from the partition wall 109 defining the right end of the slot 108C. At the slot 108A, the rib 119 protrudes from the partition wall 109 defining the left end of the slot 108A. At the slot 108B, the rib 119 protrudes from the partition wall 109 defining the left end of the slot 108B. At the slot 108C, the rib 119 protrudes from the partition wall 109 defining the left end of the slot 108C. At the slot 108D, the rib 119 protrudes from the inner surface of the left wall 128. The ribs 118 and 119 face each other in the left-right direction in each of the slots 108A, 108B, 108C, and 108D.
The supply tube 102 is positioned in the internal space of each of the slots 108A, 108B, 108C, and 108D. The supply tube 102 is positioned below each of the first key slots 115A, 115B, 115C, and 115D. The supply tube 102 has a hollow circular pipe shape. The supply tube 102 extends along the front-rear direction from a sub-tank 120 toward the internal space of each of the slots 108A, 108B, 108C, and 108D. A rear end of the supply tube 102 is opened. The rear end of the supply tube 102 is positioned in the inner space of each of the slots 108A, 108B, 108C, and 108D. Although not described in detail, a valve is disposed in the inner space of the supply tube 102. The valve opens and closes an opening of the supply tube 102. The supply tube 102 is connectable to the supply port 34 of the ink cartridge 30.
As shown in
As shown in
A fitting piece 122 and a fitting piece 123 are positioned above each of the first key slots 115A, 115B, 115C, and 115D and below the rod 121. The fitting piece 122 is a plate-like member. The fitting piece 122 protrudes leftward from the inner surface of the right wall 129 in the slot 108A. The fitting piece 122 protrudes leftward from the partition wall 109 defining the right end of the slot 108B. The fitting piece 122 protrudes leftward from the partition wall 109 defining the right end of the slot 108C. The fitting piece 122 protrudes leftward from the partition wall 109 defining the right end of the slot 108D. The fitting piece 123 is a plate-like member. The fitting piece 123 protrudes rightward from the partition wall 109 defining the left end of the slot 108A. The fitting piece 123 protrudes rightward from the partition wall 109 defining the left end of the slot 108B. The fitting piece 123 protrudes rightward from the partition wall 109 defining the left end of the slot 108C. The fitting piece 123 protrudes rightward from the inner surface of the left wall 128 in the slot 108D. The fitting piece 122 and the fitting piece 123 face each other in the left-right direction in the slot 108.
As shown in
The contact group 191 is surrounded by a protective wall 611. The protective wall 611 suppresses adhesion of a foreign matter F such as dust to the contact group 191. Specifically, the protective wall 611 includes a right protective wall 612, a left protective wall 613, and a front protective wall 614.
The right protective wall 612 extends downward from the upper inner surface of the case body 101 with a space to the right of the contact group 191. The right protective wall 612 overlaps with the contact group 191 when viewed from the left-right direction. The right protective wall 612 has a flat plate shape extending in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction. The lower end of the right protective wall 612 is positioned below the contact group 191. The rear end of the right protective wall 612 is inclined forward as it extends downward. The right protective wall 612 is an example of a first wall.
The left protective wall 613 extends downward from the upper inner surface of the case body 101 with a space to the left of the contact group 191. The left protective wall 613 overlaps with the contact group 191 when viewed from the left-right direction. The left protective wall 613 has a flat plate shape extending in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction. The lower end of the left protective wall 613 is positioned below the contact group 191. The rear end of the left protective wall 613 is inclined forward as it extends downward. The left protective wall 613 is an example of a second wall.
The front protective wall 614 extends downward from the upper inner surface of the case body 101 with a space in front of the contact group 191. The front protective wall 614 overlaps with the contact group 191 when viewed from the front-rear direction. The front protective wall 614 has a flat plate shape extending in the up-down direction and the left-right direction. The right end of the front protective wall 614 is connected to the front end of the right protective wall 612. The left end of the front protective wall 614 is connected to the front end of the left wall. The lower end of the front protective wall 614 is positioned below the contact group 191. The front protective wall 614 is an example of a third wall.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Although details will be described later, when the first key portion 77 of the ink cartridge 30 enters the first key slot 115, the pressing plate 134 is pressed down by the first key portion 77 against the urging, i.e., pulling force of the coil spring 133. When the pressing plate 134 moves downward, the ink receiving member 130 is movable between the first position and the second position.
As shown in
A locking portion 139 is positioned in a space that defines the opening of each of the second key slots 138A, 138B, 138C, and 138D. The locking portion 139 is a rod-shaped member extending in the left-right direction. The locking portion 139 comes into contact with a locking surface 87 of the ink cartridge 30 when the ink cartridge 30 is attached to the cartridge case 110 in the attached state.
The ink cartridge 30 is a container in which ink as a liquid is stored. As shown in
The container body 31 has a substantially thin flat cubic shape in which the length in the left-right direction is smaller than the length in the up-down direction and the length in the front-rear direction. The container body 31 includes a supply portion 33, a first key portion 77, and a second key portion 78.
The container body 31 includes a front wall 40, a rear wall 41 opposed to the front wall 40 in the front-rear direction, a left wall 42 connecting the front wall 40 and the rear wall 41, a right wall 43 opposed to the left wall 42 in the left-right direction, an upper wall 44 connecting the front wall 40 and the rear wall 41, and a lower wall 45 opposed to the upper wall 44 in the up-down direction. The container body 31 has an upper surface 80 which is an outer surface of the upper wall 44. The outer surface of the front wall 40 faces frontward. The rear wall 41 has a rear surface 62 facing rearward. The outer surface of the left wall 42 faces leftward. The outer surface of the right wall 43 faces rightward. The outer surface of the upper wall 44, i.e., the upper surface 80 faces upward. The outer surface of the lower wall 45 faces downward.
As shown in
The front wall 40 has an upper front wall 40U positioned on the upper side and a lower front wall 40L positioned on the lower side. The upper front wall 40U is positioned frontward of the lower front wall 40L in the front-rear direction. An upper end of the upper front wall 40U is continuous with a front end of the upper wall 44. A space behind the upper front wall 40U in the front-rear direction is also a part of the chamber 46. In other words, the upper portion of the chamber 46 extends further frontward than the lower portion of the chamber 46. The lower front wall 40L is continuous with the supply portion 33.
As shown in
Two protrusions 52 are positioned on the front left wall 42F. Two protrusions 52 are positioned on the front right wall 43F. On the front left wall 42F, the two protrusions 52 are separated from each other in the up-down direction. On the front right wall 43F, the two protrusions 52 are separated from each other in the up-down direction. The protrusion 52 has a substantially quadrangular shape in a side view. The protrusion 52 passes through a through hole 76 of the cover 32 described later.
As shown in
The lower surface 47 includes a lower half of a circumferential surface having an axis in the front-rear direction. The lower surface 47 includes a first surface 48 having a cylindrical shape in the front-rear direction and a second surface 49 positioned rearward of the first surface 48 in the front-rear direction. The outer diameter of the supply portion 33 decreases from the first surface 48 toward the second surface 49.
As shown in
A seal member 35, a valve 36, and a coil spring 37 are positioned in the internal space of the supply portion 33. The seal member 35 is an annular member made of an elastic member, for example, rubber, and is positioned around the supply port 34 in the internal space of the supply portion 33. The valve 36 is movable in the front-rear direction in the internal space of the supply portion 33. The supply port 34 is sealed by the valve 36 coming into contact with the seal member 35. The coil spring 37 biases the valve 36 toward the seal member 35.
When the supply tube 102 is received in the supply port 34, the supply tube 102 moves the valve 36 rearward against the urging force of the coil spring 37. When the valve 36 moves rearward, the internal space of the supply portion 33 and the internal space of the supply tube 102 communicate with each other, and the ink in the chamber 46 flows into the internal space of the supply tube 102 through the internal space of the supply portion 33. The seal member 35 is in liquid-tight contact with the outer surface of the supply tube 102.
As shown in
As shown in
The upper support member 38 having a substantially cylindrical shape is positioned in the atmosphere communication portion 502. The upper support member 38 is inserted into the internal space of the atmosphere communication portion 502 through the atmosphere communication port 501. The support member 38 is in pressure contact with the inner circumferential surface of the atmosphere communication portion 502. As shown in
The valve mechanism 504 is positioned in the internal space of the support member 38. The support member 38 supports the valve mechanism 504. The valve mechanism 504 includes a valve seat 17, a valve 50, and a coil spring 51.
The valve seat 17 is positioned at the atmosphere communication port 501. The valve seat 17 is fitted into the inner circumferential surface of the atmosphere communication portion 502. The valve seat 17 has an annular shape and defines a through hole 17A extending in the front-rear direction. The rear end of the valve seat 17 is in contact with the front end of the support member 38.
The valve 50 includes a columnar portion 50A having a cylindrical shape and an extending portion 50B. The columnar portion 50A is inserted into the through hole 17A of the valve seat 17 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction. The extending portion 50B extends outward in the radial direction from the outer peripheral surface of the columnar portion 50A. The outer diameter of the columnar portion 50A is smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole 17A. Thus, a gap through which air can flow is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the columnar portion 50A and the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 17A. The front end of the columnar portion 50A is positioned forward of the through hole 17A. The rear end of the columnar portion 50A is positioned rearward of the through hole 17A. The extending portion 50B has an annular shape extending over the entire circumference of the outer peripheral surface of the columnar portion 50A in the circumferential direction. The front surface of the extending portion 50B is in contact with the rear end of the valve seat 17.
The coil spring 51 is positioned in the internal space of the support member 38. The front end of the coil spring 51 is positioned above and forward of the supply port 34 of the supply portion 33. The front end of the coil spring 51 is positioned forward of the second key portion 78. The coil spring 51 biases the valve 50 forward. The front end of the coil spring 51 is in contact with the rear surface of the extending portion 50B of the valve 50. The rear end of the coil spring 51 is supported by the inner circumferential surface of the support member 38. Thus, the front surface of the extending portion 50B is pressed against the rear end of the valve seat 17. As a result, the atmosphere communication port 501 is sealed. As will be described in detail later, when the valve 50 moves rearward against the urging force of the coil spring 51, the atmosphere communication port 501 is opened, and air can flow between the outside and the chamber 46.
The cover 32 has a substantially quadrangular parallelepiped shape whose length in the up-down direction and length in the front-rear direction are smaller than a length in the up-down direction and a length in the front-rear direction of the container body 31. The cover 32 has a box shape having an opening facing rearward. The cover 32 is attached to the container body 31 so as to substantially cover the upper front wall 40U, the front side of the upper wall 44, the front left wall 42F, and the front right wall 43F. Thus, the cover 32 is positioned frontward of the center of the ink cartridge 30 in the front-rear direction.
The cover 32 includes a front wall 53, a left wall 54 extending rearward from a left end of the front wall 53, a right wall 55 opposed to the left wall 54 in the left-right direction, an upper wall 56 extending rearward from an upper end of the front wall 53, and a lower wall 57 opposed to the upper wall 56 in the up-down direction. The front wall 53, the left wall 54, the right wall 55, the upper wall 56, and the lower wall 57 define an internal space of the cover 32. The opening of the cover 32 is defined by rear ends of the front wall 53, the left wall 54, the right wall 55, the upper wall 56, and the lower wall 57.
As shown in
The front wall 53 is a part of the front wall of the ink cartridge 30. The front wall 53 of the cover 32 is an example of a front wall. The left wall 54 is a part of a left wall of the ink cartridge 30. The right wall 55 is a part of the right wall of the ink cartridge 30. The upper wall 56 is a part of an upper wall of the ink cartridge 30. The upper wall 56 of the cover 32 is an example of an upper wall. The upper wall 56 is a part of an upper wall of the ink cartridge 30.
The length of the cover 32 in the up-down direction is smaller than the length of the container body 31 in the up-down direction. The length of the cover 32 in the front-rear direction is smaller than the length of the container body 31 in the front-rear direction. The distance of the cover 32 in the left-right direction is slightly greater than the distance between the outer surface of the front left wall 42F and the outer surface of the front right wall 43F of the container body 31 in the left-right direction, and is substantially the same as the distance between the outer surface of the rear left wall 42R and the outer surface of the rear right wall 43R in the left-right direction.
The left wall 54 has two through holes 58 spaced apart in the up-down direction. The right wall 55 has two through holes 58 spaced apart in the up-down direction. The protrusions 52 on the front left wall 42F are positioned in the through holes 58 of the left wall 54, and the protrusions 52 on the front right wall 43F are positioned in the through holes 58 of the right wall 55. The through hole 58 has a substantially quadrangular shape. Specifically, the length of each through hole 58 in the up-down direction is greater than the length thereof in the front-rear direction. The through hole 58 is sufficiently larger than the outer shape of the protrusion 52. That is, the length of each through hole 58 in the up-down direction is greater than the length of each protrusion 52 in the up-down direction. The length of each through hole 58 in the front-rear direction is greater than the length of each protrusion 52 in the front-rear direction. The container body 31 and the cover 32 are assembled by inserting the protrusions 52 into the corresponding through holes 58. Since the through hole 58 is larger than the outer shape of the protrusion 52, the cover 32 is relatively movable in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction with respect to the container body 31 in a state where the container body 31 and the cover 32 are assembled. Since the through hole 58 is sufficiently larger than the outer shape of the protrusion 52, the cover 32 can move relative to the container body 31 not only in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction, but also in a direction in which the cover 32 rotates relative to the container body 31 along a plane extending in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction.
The cover 32 covers the upper front wall 40U of the container body 31, the front side of the upper wall 44, the front left wall 42F, and the front right wall 43F of the container body 31 in the state in which the cover 32 is attached to the container body 31. The front wall 53 of the cover 32 is positioned frontward of the supply port 34. The supply port 34 is positioned below the lower wall 57 of the cover 32.
The cover 32 covers the upper front wall 40U, the front side of the upper 42F 44, the front left 43F side, and the front right wall side of the container body 31 in a state of being attached to the container body 31. The front wall 53 of the cover 32 is positioned frontward of the supply port 34. The supply port 34 is positioned below the lower wall 57 of the cover 32.
As shown in
The IC board 60 is bonded to the upper wall 56 of the cover 32 by, for example, a photocurable resin. The IC board 60 may be bonded to the cover 32 by an adhesive other than the photocurable resin, or may be attached to the cover 32 by fitting or the like other than bonding.
The electrodes 61 of the IC board 60 come into contact with the contacts 125 in the process in which the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the cartridge case 110. In the attached state where the ink cartridge 30 is attached to the cartridge case 110, the IC board 60 is in contact with and electrically connected to the contacts 125.
The IC is a semiconductor integrated circuit. Information related to the ink cartridge 30 is readably stored in the IC. The information related to the ink cartridge 30 is, for example, data indicating information such as a lot number, a manufacturing date, and an ink color.
The electrode 61 is electrically connected to the IC. The electrode 61 extends in the front-rear direction. The electrodes 61 are arranged on the upper surface of the IC board 60 so as to be spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. In the present embodiment, the electrode group 18 is configured such that three electrodes 61 are arranged side by side and spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. The distance L4 of the electrode group 18 in the left-right direction is slightly greater than the distance of the contact group 191 in the left-right direction. As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The cover 32 has walls 71 extending downward from both ends of the lower surface 70 in the left-right direction. The one wall 71 and the other wall 71 are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. The wall 71 is a plate-like member 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 of the wall 71 in the up-down direction. The length of the wall 71 in the up-down direction is greater than the length thereof in the left-right direction. As shown in
As shown in
In the left wall 54 of the cover 32, a groove 74 (also referred to as a first groove 74) extending in the front-rear direction is positioned above the wall 71. The first groove 74 is positioned leftward and upward of the first key portion 77 and extends in the front-rear direction. In the right wall 55 of the cover 32, a groove 74 (also referred to as a second groove 74) extending in the front-rear direction is positioned above the wall 71. The second groove 74 is positioned rightward and upward of the first key portion 77 and extends in the front-rear direction. A longitudinal direction of the groove 74 is the front-rear direction. As shown in
The outer surface of the front wall 53 of the cover 32 is a front surface 75. The front surface 75 is positioned frontward of the supply port 34. The front surface 75 has an upper front surface 75U positioned at an upper portion thereof and a lower front surface 75L positioned at a lower portion thereof. The upper end of the lower front surface 75L is continuous with the upper front surface 75U. The lower end of the lower front surface 75L is positioned rearward of the upper end of the lower front surface 75L, and the lower front surface 75L is inclined upward as the lower front surface 75L extends toward the front. The lower front surface 75L is a guide for guiding the rib 118 and the rib 119 into the groove 74. Specifically, in the process in which the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the case 110, the lower front surface 75L comes into contact with the front end of the rib 118 and the front end of the rib 119. In this configuration, the lower front surface 75L guides each of the rib 118 and the rib 119 to the groove 74.
The upper front surface 75U of the front wall 53 of the cover 32 has a through hole 76. The front end of the through hole 76 is positioned forward of the supply port 34 of the supply portion 33. The upper end of the through hole 76 is close to the upper end of the front wall 53. The through hole 76 faces the atmosphere communication port 501 of the container body 31 in the front-rear direction. The front end of the valve seat 17 of the container body 31 is positioned in the through hole 76. The valve seat 17 and the valve 50 of the container body 31 are exposed to the outside through the through hole 76.
The lower surface 70 of the cover 32 has a first key portion 77. The first key portion 77 is positioned above the supply port 34 and below the upper surface of the electrode 61 of the IC board 60. The front end of the first key portion 77 is positioned frontward of the front end of the electrode 61. The first key portion 77 is positioned below the through hole 76. In other words, the atmosphere communication port 501 of the atmosphere communication portion 502 is positioned between the first key portion 77 and the electrode 61 in the up-down direction. The first key portion 77 is positioned at a front part of the ink cartridge 30.
As shown in
The lower surface 77L of the first key portion 77 extends along the front-rear direction and left-right direction. The lower surface 77L defines the width of the first key portion 77 in the left-right direction. In the present embodiment, the first key portion 77 has a plate shape in which the length in the front-rear direction is greater than the length in each of the left-right direction and the length in the up-down direction, however the shape of the first key portion 77 is not limited thereto. For example, the length of the first key portion 77 in the front-rear direction may be smaller than the length thereof in the up-down direction. The lower surface 77L is a position overlapping at least one of the electrodes 61 in the up-down direction. In other words, the lower surface 77L is positioned directly below at least one of the electrodes 61 in the up-down direction. As shown in
As shown in
The cover 32 includes a third key portion 79. The third key portion 79 is defined by a recessed portion recessed from the left wall 54 of the cover 32, a recessed portion recessed from the right wall 55, a convex portion protruding leftward from the left wall 54, or a convex portion protruding rightward from the right wall 55. In the present embodiment, the third key portion 79 includes a recessed portion that is recessed from the left wall 54 of the cover 32 and a recessed portion that is recessed from the right wall 55. As shown in
Depending on the characteristic of each ink cartridge 30, the mechanical characteristic such as the position and shape of the third key portion 79 is different. The characteristic of the ink cartridge 30 indicated by the third key portion 79 may be the same as or different from the characteristic of the ink cartridge 30 indicated by the first key portion 77. In the present embodiment, the characteristic of the ink cartridge 30 indicated by the first key portion 77 is the color of the ink, and the characteristic of the ink cartridge 30 indicated by the third key portion 79 is the type of contract that a user will enter into when using a printer in which the ink cartridge 30 is used. The type of contract may include a contract in which a user is charged in accordance with the number of pages on which image recording is performed regardless of the amount of ink used. As long as this contract is concluded, a new ink cartridge 30 is delivered when the ink in the chamber 46 of the ink cartridge 30 is consumed, but the user does not have to pay for the ink cartridge 30 itself. Alternatively, the characteristic of the ink cartridge 30 indicated by the third key portion 79 is a sales area of the printer in which the ink cartridge 30 is used. The shape of the third key portion 79 of the ink cartridge 30 used in a certain sales area is different from the shape of the third key portion 79 of the ink cartridge 30 used in another sales area. For example, the third key portion 79 may be disposed only on one of the left and right sides, or the shape of the third key portion 79 opening frontward may be different depending on the contract type or the sales area. The presence or absence and the shape of the fitting piece 122 and the fitting piece 123 of the cartridge case 110 are different in accordance with the presence or absence and the shape of the third key portion 79.
As shown in
As shown in
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 inclined with respect to the front-rear direction. The second lower wall 45B is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction and the up-down direction such that an upper end of the second lower wall 45B is positioned rearward and upward of a lower end thereof. The lower end of the second lower wall 45B is continuous with the rear end of the lower surface 47 of the supply portion 33. The lower end of the second lower wall 45B is continuous with the rear end 33A of the supply portion 33 in a position below the first lower wall 45A. The second lower wall 45B is shorter than the first lower wall 45A in the left-right direction.
Since the supply portion 33 is positioned below the first lower wall 45A, as shown in
The second rear surface 64 has a recess 66 near the upper end. The recess 66 is constituted by a space recessed frontward from the second rear surface 64 and a surface defining the space. The third rear surface 65 has a recess 67 near the upper end. The recess 67 is constituted by a space recessed frontward from the third rear surface 65 and a surface defining the space. As shown in
As shown in
The upper surface 80 of the container body 31 includes a first upper surface 81, a second upper surface 82, a third upper surface 83, an upper end surface 86, and the operation surface 68.
The first upper surface 81 is positioned at a front end of the upper surface 80. As shown in
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 thereof. The second upper surface 82 has a surface 82A positioned at the center in the left-right direction, a surface 82B positioned on the left of the surface 82A, and a surface 82C positioned on the right of the surface 82A. As shown in
The third upper surface 83 is continuous with the rear end of the surface 82C of the second upper surface 82. The third upper surface 83 is a plane orthogonal to the up-down direction. The third upper surface 83 is positioned above the first upper surface 81. A rear end of the third upper surface 83 is continuous with the operation surface 68. The third upper surface 83 has a contact surface 92. The contact surface 92 extends rearward from a lower end of a locking surface 87 of a second key portion 78 described later.
As shown in
The second key portion 78 has a first frontward inclined surface 84A, a second frontward 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 frontward inclined surface 84A is a flat surface and is inclined such that a distance with regard to the supply port 34 in the up-down direction gradually increases from a front end of the second key portion 78 toward a rear end of the second key portion 78. The first frontward inclined surface 84A is continuous with the rear end of the surface 82B of the second upper surface 82. The second frontward inclined surface 84B is a flat surface inclined with respect to the front-rear direction so as to face upward and frontward. The second frontward inclined surface 84B extends leftward as the second frontward inclined surface 84B extends rearward from the front end thereof. The rear end of the second frontward inclined surface 84B is continuous with the upper end surface 86. The front end of the second frontward inclined surface 84B is continuous with the rear end of the surface 82A of the second upper surface 82. The lower end of the second frontward inclined surface 84B is continuous with the third upper surface 83. The left end of the second frontward inclined surface 84B is continuous with the right end of the first frontward inclined surface 84A. A boundary between the first frontward inclined surface 84A and the second frontward inclined surface 84B extends leftward from the front end toward the rear. An upper end of the boundary between the first frontward inclined surface 84A and the second frontward inclined surface 84B is continuous with the upper end surface 86.
The upper end surface 86 is a flat surface facing upward. An upper end of the locking surface 87 is continuous with a rear end of the upper end surface 86. In other words, the upper end surface 86 is positioned between the second frontward inclined surface 84B and the locking surface 87 in the front-rear direction. The locking surface 87 is a flat surface facing rearward. In the attached state where the ink cartridge 30 is attached to the cartridge case 110, the locking surface 87 and the contact surface 92 are in contact with the locking portion 139 of the cartridge case 110.
The left inclined surface 85A is a flat surface inclined with respect to the left-right direction so as to extend upward from the left end toward the right end. The left inclined surface 85A is continuous with a left end of the first frontward inclined surface 84A. A boundary between the left inclined surface 85A and the first frontward inclined surface 84A extends rightward from the front end toward the rear end. A rear end of the boundary between the left inclined surface 85A and the first frontward inclined surface 84A is continuous with the upper end surface 86. The upper end of the left inclined surface 85A is continuous with the upper end surface 86. The rear end of the left inclined surface 85A is continuous with the locking surface 87. The right inclined surface 85B is a flat surface that is inclined with respect to the left-right direction so as to extend upward from the right end toward the left end. The right inclined surface 85B is continuous with the right end of the second frontward inclined surface 84B. A boundary between the right inclined surface 85B and the second frontward inclined surface 84B extends leftward from the front end toward the rear end. A rear end of the boundary between the right inclined surface 85B and the second frontward inclined surface 84B is continuous with the upper end surface 86. The rear end of the right inclined surface 85B is continuous with the locking surface 87. Since the second key portion 78 has the first frontward inclined surface 84A, the second frontward inclined surface 84B, the left inclined surface 85A, and the right inclined surface 85B, the strength of the second key portion 78 is higher than in a case where the second key portion 78 has a surface extending in the up-down direction. Therefore, the second key portion 78 is not easily deformed by an impact from the right and left direction.
As shown in
The mechanical characteristics of the second key portion 78, such as the arrangement and shape, differ depending on the characteristics of each ink cartridge 30. The characteristics indicated by the second key portion 78 may be the same as or different from the characteristics indicated by the first key portion 77 and the third key portion 79. In the present embodiment, the characteristic of the ink cartridge 30 indicated by the second key portion 78 is the composition of the ink. The position of the second key portion 78 in the left-right direction on the second upper surface 82 varies depending on the composition of the ink. The composition of the ink means a material contained in the ink, for example, whether a coloring material contained in the ink is a black dye or a black pigment.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The position of the first key portion 77 in the left-right direction corresponds to the position of the first key slot 115 of the cartridge case 110. The first key portion 77 of the ink cartridge 77A, which is positioned on the rightmost side in
The positions in the left-right direction of the second key portions 78A, 78B, 78C, and 78D of the ink cartridges 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D correspond to the positions of the respective second key slots 138 of the cartridge case 110. Each of the second key portions 78A, 78B, and 78C of the ink cartridges 30A, 30B, and 30C is positioned further leftward than the center of the second upper surface 82 in the left-right direction. The second key portion 78D of the ink cartridge 30D is positioned to the right of the center of the second upper surface 82 in the left-right direction. In the present embodiment, since the four ink cartridges 30 shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Before the supply port 34 of the ink cartridge 30A reaches the supply tube 102, the second key portion 78A reaches a position directly below the second key slot 138A of the case body 101. The second key portion 78A of the ink cartridge 30A is positioned on the left with respect to the center of the second upper surface 82 in the left-right direction. On the other hand, the second key slot 138A is positioned on the left with respect to the center of the slot 108A in the left-right direction. Therefore, when the ink cartridge 30A is further inserted frontward, as shown in
At this time, as shown in
Further, the first key portion 77A enters the first key slot 115A in a state where the supply portion 33 is in contact with the guide surface 161 of the case body 101 and the second frontward inclined surface 84B of the second key portion 78A is in contact with the locking portion 139.
Further, one of the pair of walls 71 enters the groove 113. The other one of the pair of walls 71 enters the groove 114. Further, the rib 118 enters one of the two grooves 74. The rib 119 enters the other one of the two grooves 74. One of the pair of walls 71 enters the groove 113, and the other enters the groove 114, whereby the cover 32 is guided frontward. When the rib 118 enters one of the two grooves 74 and the rib 119 enters the other one of the two grooves 74, the cover 32 is positioned with respect to the cartridge case 110 in the up-down direction. In other words, the position of the cover 32 with respect to the cartridge case 110 in the up-down direction is determined.
The second front surface 73 of the one of the pair of walls 71 moves frontward while being in contact with the lower surface of the groove 113 and the second front surface 73 of the other one of the pair of walls 71 moves frontward while being in contact with the lower surface of the groove 114, whereby one of the walls 71 is guided into the groove 113 and the other is guided into the groove 114 in the up-down direction. Further, when the first front surface 72 of one of the walls 71 or the lower front surface 75L of the cover 32 comes in contact with the rib 118 as the ink cartridge 30A moves frontward, the rib 118 is guided into the groove 74 in the up-down direction. When the first front surface 72 of the other one of the walls 71 or the lower front surface 75L of the cover 32 comes in contact with the rib 119 as the ink cartridge 30A moves frontward, the rib 119 is guided into the groove 74 in the up-down direction. In addition, when the first key portion 77A of the ink cartridge 30A enters the first key slot 115A, the side surfaces 77S of the first key portion 77A shown in
While the first key portion 77A of the ink cartridge 30A enters the first key slot 115A, the second key portion 78A enters the second key slot 138A. In addition, while the second key portion 78A enters the second key slot 138A, the second frontward inclined surface 84B and the upper end surface 86 sequentially come into contact with the locking portion 139. As shown in
When the first key portion 77A of the ink cartridge 30A enters the first key slot 115A, the lower surface 77L of the first key portion 77A comes into contact with the upper end 136 of the pressing plate 134. When the first key portion 77A of the ink cartridge 30A enters the first key slot 115A, the lower surface 77L of the first key portion 77A presses the pressing plate 134 downward to move the ink receiving member 130 from the first position to the second position. When this occurs, an upward force originated from the urging, i.e., pulling force of the coil spring 133 acts on the cover 32 via the ink receiving member 130 and the pressing plate 134, but the surfaces 74L and 74U of the groove 74 shown in
When the ink receiving member 130 is in the second position, the supply port 34 is connected to the supply tube 102 as the ink cartridge 30A moves forward. The supply tube 102 pushes the valve 36, and the valve 36 moves rearward against the biasing force of the coil spring 37. The outer peripheral surface of the supply tube 102 connected to the supply portion 33 is in liquid-tight contact with the seal member 35.
As shown in
The contacts 125 are elastically deformable like a leaf spring, the contacts 125 apply a downward contact pressure to the electrodes 61 when the electrodes 61 contact the contacts 125. Further, the biasing force of the coil spring 133 indirectly acting upward on the cover 32. Although the contacts 125 apply the downward contact pressure to the electrodes 61 and the coil spring 133 applies the upward pressure to the first key portion 77A, the surface 74L or 74U of the grooves 74 absorbs the upward or downward pressure by the rib 118 and the rib 119 coming into contact with the surface 74L or 74U of the grooves 74. Accordingly, the force acting upward to the cover 32 and the force acting downward to the cover 32 are balanced.
Further, as shown in
As shown in
In the state shown in
In a state where the ink cartridge 30A is held in the cartridge case 110, the internal space of the ink cartridge 30A communicates with the outside through the atmosphere communication port 501. As a result, the ink in the chamber 46 flows into the internal space of the supply tube 102 through the internal space of the supply portion 33 and is supplied to the sub-tank 120.
In addition, although the ink cartridge 30A is urged rearward by the coil spring 37 and the coil spring 51, the locking surface 87 of the ink cartridge 30A and the locking portion 139 of the cartridge case 110 come into contact with each other, and thus the rearward movement of the ink cartridge 30A is suppressed. As a result, the ink cartridge 30A is held in the cartridge case 110.
In addition, in the attached state where the ink cartridge 30A is held in the cartridge case 110, the electrodes 61 of the IC board 60 are in contact with the contacts 125. Further, the electrodes 61 are electrically connected to the contacts 125 so that the IC can communicate with the control unit of the printer 10 via the electrodes 61 and the contacts 125.
In addition, in the attached state of the ink cartridge 30A, the downward force which the electrodes 61 of the ink cartridge 30A receive from the contacts 125 is transmitted to the supply tube 102 which is inserted into the internal space of the supply portion 33. Since the downward force transmitted to the supply tube 102 is weakened by the upward counteracting force by the biasing force of the coil spring 133 via the pressing plate 134, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the supply tube 102 is deformed.
It is assumed that an ink cartridge 30 having the first key portion 77 at the same position as the ink cartridge 30A and the second key portion 78 at the same position as the ink cartridge 30D is inserted into the rightmost slot 108A of the cartridge case 110 shown in
It is assumed that an ink cartridge 30 having the first key portion 77 at the same position as the ink cartridge 30A and the second key portion 78 at the same position as the ink cartridge 30D is inserted into the rightmost slot 108A of the cartridge case 110 shown in
Further, as shown in
Next, the movement of the ink cartridge 30A, which is in the attached state where the ink cartridge 30A attached to the cartridge case 110, is detached and removed from the cartridge case 110 will be described. As shown in
In the attached state, when the user presses down the operation surface 68 of the container body 31 with a finger, the rear end side of the container body 31 moves downward. Thus, the locking surface 87 and the locking portion 139 are separated from each other in the up-down direction. When the user removes his/her finger from the operation surface 68, the ink cartridge 30 is moved rearward in the slot 108A by the urging forces of the coil spring 37 and the coil spring 51.
At this time, as shown in
In the attached state, the convex portion 59 of the ink cartridge 30A is positioned in the space 162 of the case body 101. As the ink cartridge 30A moves rearward in the slot 108A, the convex portion 59 also moves rearward in the space 162, and the convex portion 59 comes into contact with the front end of the guide surface 161. As a result, the rearward movement of the ink cartridge 30A is restricted, and as shown in
In the ink cartridge 30 and the system 1, the length of the front end portion 56B of the upper wall 56 of the cover 32 in the left-right direction is greater than the length of the electrodes 18 in the left-right direction. When the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the case body 101, the front end portion 56B of the cover 32 passes through a position close to the lower end of the contact group 191, which is electrically connected to the electrodes group 18, in the frontward direction. Therefore, even if a foreign matter F adheres to the contact group 191, the front end portion 56B comes into contact with the foreign matter F, and thus the foreign matter F is removed from the contact group 191. Therefore, the occurrence of a connection failure between the electrode group 18 and the contact group 191 is suppressed.
The front end portion 56B of the upper wall 56 of the cover 32 has an inclined surface 152 that is inclined with respect to the upper surface 151 so as to extend downward toward the front. Therefore, when the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the case body 101 in the frontward direction, the front end portion 56B of the ink cartridge 30 comes into contact with the foreign matter F attached to the contact group 191 in a larger size than when the inclined surface 152 faces upward. Therefore, the foreign matter F is easily removed from the contact group 191. Even if the front end portion 56B of the ink cartridge 30 contacts the contact group 191, the inclined surface 152 reduces the impact of the contact, and thus the ink cartridge 30 is easily attached to the case 110.
The guide pieces 91 protrude upward from the vicinities of both ends in the left-right direction of the upper surface 151 of the upper surface portion 56A of the upper wall 56 of the cover 32. Therefore, for example, when the ink cartridge 30 falls on a floor surface, the left and right guide pieces 91 are likely to contact the floor surface, and thus the configuration can reduce the possibility that the IC board 60 is deformed by direct impact from the floor surface. Therefore, even if the ink cartridge 30 falls, the configuration can reduce the possibility that the IC board 60 is displaced from the position before the ink cartridge 30 falls.
The upper wall 56 of the cover 32 has a through hole 90 rearward of the front end portion 56B and frontward of the IC board 60. Therefore, when the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the inner space of the case body 101 in the frontward direction, not only the front end portion 56B but also the inner surface of the through hole 90 comes into contact with the foreign matter F attached to the contact group 191. With this configuration, the foreign matter F falls into the through hole 90. As a result, the foreign matter F is removed from the contact group 191, and thus the foreign matter F is more reliably removed. Since the foreign matter F falls into the through hole 90, the configuration can reduce the possibility that the foreign matter F adheres again to the contact group 191 from the ink cartridge 30 when the ink cartridge 30 is reattached to the cartridge case 110.
In the system 1, the front protective wall 614 of the case body 101 extends downward from the upper inner surface of the case body 101 with a space forward of the contact group 191. Therefore, when the ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the case body 101 in the frontward direction, the foreign matter F attached to the front end portion 56B from the contact group 191 comes into contact with the front protection wall 614 in the frontward direction. Thus, the foreign matter F is pushed rearward by the front protective wall 614 and falls into the through hole 90. Further, even if the foreign matter F is attached to the front protective wall 614 in the state where the ink cartridge 30 is mounted in the cartridge case 110, the front protective wall 614 is positioned above the through hole 90. Therefore, the configuration can reduce the possibility that the foreign matter F falls into the through hole 90 due to the gravity g and is attached again to the contact group 191 from the ink cartridge 30.
The inclined surface 152 of the front end portion 56B of the cover 32 of the ink cartridge 30 contacts with the foreign matter F adhering to the contact group 191 by passing through a position close to the lower end of the contact group 191 in the up-down direction. However, the inclined surface 152 of the front end portion 56B may contact with the foreign matter F adhering to the contact group 191 by contacting the contact group 191 in the forward direction.
The front end portion 56B of the ink cartridge 30 includes the inclined surface 152 that is inclined with respect to the upper surface 151 so as to extend downward toward the front. However, the inclined surface 152 may be parallel to the upper surface 151.
The upper surface portion 56A of the upper wall 56 has the through hole 90 that penetrates in the up-down direction, but the through hole 90 may not penetrate through the upper surface portion 56A in the up-down direction. The through hole 90 may be provided by a recess recessed downward from the upper surface 151 of the upper surface portion 56A. The through hole 90 may be omitted.
The guide pieces 91 are provided on the upper surface portion 56A of the upper wall 56 of the cover 32 of the ink cartridge 30.
The front end portion 56B of the cover 32 and the IC board 60 are positioned frontward of the front end 33B of the supply portion 33, but may be positioned rearward of the front end 33B of the supply portion 33.
In the system 1, the front protective wall 614 is positioned above the through hole 90 in the attached state of the ink cartridge 30. However, the position of the front protective wall 614 is not limited thereto. For example, the front protection wall 614 may be positioned frontward of the through hole 90 in the front-rear direction in the attached state of the ink cartridge 30. The front protective wall 614 may be omitted. Further, one or both of the right protective wall 612 and the left protective wall 613 may be omitted.
The front end of the upper wall 56 of the cover 32 of the ink cartridge 30 is connected to the upper end of the front wall 53, but may not be connected to the upper end of the front wall 53. In this case, the upper end of the front wall 53 may be lower than the upper wall 56, for example.
The ink cartridge 30 includes the container body 31 and the cover 32, but the container body 31 and the cover 32 may be integrally formed. In this case, the through hole 90 of the upper wall of the ink cartridge 30 may be closed by a semipermeable membrane that blocks the passage of ink and allows the passage of air. In this case, the atmosphere communication port 501, the through hole 76, and the valve mechanism 504 may be omitted.
The container body 31 of the ink cartridge 30 is movable in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction with respect to the cover 32. However, the container body 31 may be movable only in the up-down direction.
In the above-described embodiment, the ink cartridge 30 includes the container body 31 and the cover 32. Alternatively, as shown in
In the above-described embodiment, the atmosphere communication port 501 is positioned on the upper front wall 40U of the container body 31, however the atmosphere communication port 501 may be positioned on a wall other than the front wall 40 of the container body 31, for example, on the upper wall 44.
In the above-described embodiment, the pressing plate 134 and the ink receiving member 130 are arranged in the cartridge case 110. However, the pressing plate 134 and the ink receiving member 130 may also be omitted. In other words, the first key portion 77 may realize only the function of identifying the characteristic of the ink cartridge 30.
Further, the second key portion 78 may not have the locking surface 87. In other words, the second key portion 78 may realize only the function of identifying the characteristic of the ink cartridge 30.
In the above-described embodiment, the ink cartridge 30 is shown as an example of the ink container. However, the ink container may not be a cartridge attached to the printer 10, but may be a bottle for replenishing ink to a tank or the like of the printer.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-124419 | Jul 2023 | JP | national |
