The present application is based on, and claims priority from JP Application Serial Number 2022-053040, filed Mar. 29, 2022, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The present disclosure relates to technologies of a liquid holding member, a cap, and a cartridge.
JP-A-2014-97577 discloses, as a related art, a technology for forming, on a cap detachably attached to the liquid supply portion of an ink cartridge, a liquid absorbing material for absorbing ink that has leaked from the liquid supply portion. In this technology, the liquid absorbing material is a porous body and is formed by a member separate from the cap body that forms the outer shape of the cap.
Since the liquid absorbing material and the cap body are formed as separate members in the related-art technology, various problems may occur. For example, the assembly of the cap may take a long time and many man-hours may be required. In addition, for example, when a liquid adheres to the liquid absorbing material and the liquid is absorbed by the liquid absorbing material, the liquid absorbing material may not be reusable, even when the liquid absorbing material is washed. Accordingly, a technology for solving various problems that may occur in the cap of the related art is desired.
1. According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a liquid holding member is provided. This liquid holding member includes a bottom surface; and a plurality of convex portions projecting from the bottom surface, each of the convex portions including a plurality of surfaces, and the plurality of convex portions are molded integrally with the bottom surface.
2. According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a liquid holding member is provided. This liquid holding member includes a bottom surface; a plurality of convex portions projecting from the bottom surface, each of the convex portions including a plurality of surfaces; a plurality of first edge portions formed by the bottom surface and the surfaces of the convex portions with ridge lines present therebetween; and a plurality of second edge portions formed by adjacent surfaces of the convex portions with ridge lines present therebetween.
3. According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a liquid holding member is provided. This liquid holding member includes a bottom surface; and a plurality of convex portions projecting from the bottom surface, each of the convex portions including a plurality of surfaces, in which, when a direction in which the convex portions project orthogonally to the bottom surface is a first direction and two directions that are orthogonal to the first direction and are orthogonal to each other are a second direction and a third direction, a plurality of convex portion sets each including two or more different convex portions of the convex portions are arranged in at least one of the second direction and the third direction.
4. According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a cap is provided. The cap to be detachably attached to a cartridge having a liquid supply portion includes a facing surface that faces the liquid supply portion; and the liquid holding member according to the first aspect, the liquid holding member being disposed on the facing surface.
5. According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, a cartridge is provided. This cartridge includes a liquid supply portion having a central axis; a cartridge bottom surface; and the liquid holding member according to the first aspect, in which the cartridge bottom surface has a bottom opening portion through which the liquid supply portion is exposed, and the liquid holding member is formed in at least part of a circumference around the central axis in a position on the cartridge bottom surface, the bottom opening portion being surrounded in the position.
The printing system 1 includes a printing device 10, a cartridge 4 that supplies a liquid ink to the printer 10, and a cap 7, illustrated in
The printing device 10 according to the embodiment is an ink jet printer that ejects a liquid ink from an ejection head 22. This printing device 10 is a large-format printer that performs printing on large A2 to A0 sheets, such as posters. The printing device 10 includes a cartridge installation portion 6, a control portion 31, a carriage 20, the ejection head 22, and a drive mechanism 30. In addition, the printing device 10 has an operation button 15 operated by the user to control the operation of the printing device 10.
The cartridge installation portion 6 has a first device wall 67 located in the +Y direction. The first device wall 67 has an insertion and removal opening portion 674 which is an opening for the cartridges 4 to be placed in an insertion chamber 61. Through this insertion and removal opening portion 674, the cartridge 4 is inserted into the insertion chamber 61 of the cartridge installation portion 6 or the cartridge 4 is removed from the insertion chamber 61. The plurality of cartridges 4 are detachably attached to the cartridge installation portion 6. In the embodiment, four types of cartridges 4 that correspond to the four colors of inks including black, yellow, magenta, and cyan, that is, a total of four cartridges 4 are attached to the cartridge installation portion 6. The cartridge 4 containing a black ink is also referred to as a cartridge 4K, and the cartridge 4 containing a yellow ink is also referred to as a cartridge 4Y. In addition, the cartridge 4 containing a magenta ink is also referred to as a cartridge 4M, and the cartridge 4 containing a cyan ink is also referred to as a cartridge 4C.
The printing device 10 has a replacement cover 13 on the front surface located in the +Y direction. The replacement cover 13 is formed in an openable and closable manner. When the replacement cover 13 is opened, the opening of the cartridge installation portion 6 is exposed to enable the cartridges 4 to be attached and detached. When the cartridges 4 are attached to the cartridge installation portion 6, the inks can be supplied to the ejection head 22 provided in the carriages 20 via tubes 24 as liquid distribution pipes. The tube 24 is provided for each ink type. In the embodiment, a head difference enables the inks to be supplied from the cartridges 4 to the ejection head 22. Specifically, the inks are supplied to the ejection head 22 due to the head difference between the ink levels in the cartridge installation portion 6 and the ejection head 22. It should be noted that, in another embodiment, the inks may be supplied to the ejection head 22 by a pump mechanism, which is not illustrated, of the printing device 10 sucking the inks in the cartridges 4.
The ejection head 22 has nozzles for individual ink types. The ejection head 22 prints data such as characters and images by ejecting the inks onto the printing sheet 2 through the nozzles. In the embodiment, the printing device 10 is a so-called off-carriage-type printer, in which the cartridge installation portion 6 functions independently of the carriage 20. In contrast, the technology according to an aspect of the present disclosure is also applicable to a so-called on-carriage-type printer in which the cartridge installation portion 6 is provided in the carriage 20 and moves together with the carriages 20.
The control portion 31 controls individual portions of the printing device 10 and exchanges signals with the cartridge 4. The carriage 20 moves the ejection head 22 relative to the printing sheet 2.
The drive mechanism 30 reciprocates the carriage 20 based on a control signal from the control portion 31. The drive mechanism 30 includes a timing belt 32 and a drive motor 34. The drive mechanism 30 reciprocates the carriage 20 in the main scanning direction, which is the X direction, by transmitting the power of the drive motor 34 to the carriage 20 via the timing belt 32. In addition, the printing device 10 has a transport mechanism for moving the printing sheet 2 in the sub-scanning direction, which is the +Y direction. When printing is performed, the printing sheet 2 is moved in the sub-scanning direction by the transport mechanism, and after printing, the printing sheet 2 is output onto the front cover 11.
In the embodiment, in a use state of the printing system 1, it is assumed that the axis extending in the sub-scanning direction in which the printing sheet 2 is transported is the Y-axis, the axis extending in the direction of gravity is the Z-axis, and the axis extending in the direction in which the carriage 20 moves is the X-axis. Here, “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 embodiment, it is assumed that the sub-scanning direction is the +Y direction, the direction opposite to the +Y direction is the −Y direction, the direction of gravity is the −Z direction, and the direction opposite to the direction of gravity is the +Z direction. The X direction and the Y direction extend horizontally. In addition, it is assumed that, when the printing system 1 is viewed from the front side, the direction from the right side to the left side is the +X direction and the direction opposite to the +X direction is the −X direction. In addition, in the embodiment, it is assumed that an insertion direction D1 in which the cartridges 4 are inserted into the cartridge installation portion 6 for attachment is the −Y direction and a removal direction D4 in which the cartridges 4 are removed from the cartridge installation portion 6 for removal is the +Y direction. Accordingly, the −Y direction side of the cartridge installation portion 6 is also referred to as a back side, and the +Y direction side is also referred to as a front side. In addition, in the embodiment, the arrangement direction in which the plurality of cartridges 4 are arranged is the X direction.
As illustrated in
The cartridge installation portion 6 has six device walls 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, and 67 that form the insertion chamber 61. In the present disclosure, “wall” represents a single wall or a wall formed by a plurality of walls. The first device wall 67 forms the insertion and removal opening portion 674 through which the cartridge 4 passes when the cartridge 4 is inserted into or removed from the insertion chamber 61. The second device wall 62 forms a wall of the insertion chamber 61 located in the −Y direction. The second device wall 62 faces the first device wall 67 in the Y direction. The second device wall 62 is a substantially vertical wall extending in the Z direction in the use state of the printing device 10.
The device upper wall 63 forms a wall of the insertion chamber 61 located in the +Z direction. The device bottom wall 64 faces the device upper wall 63 in the Z direction and forms a wall of the insertion chamber 61 located in the −Z direction. The device bottom wall 64 is formed by a support member 610. The device bottom wall 64 has a plurality of device opening portions 614. In the embodiment, four device opening portions 614 that correspond to the slots 61C, 61M, 61Y, and 61K are formed. The device upper wall 63 and the device bottom wall 64 intersect the second device wall 62 and the first device wall 67. In the present disclosure, “cross” and “intersect” denote any of the following states (i) to (iii).
The first device side wall 65 forms a wall of the insertion chamber 61 located in the +X direction. The second device side wall 66 faces the first device side wall 65 in the X direction and forms a wall of the insertion chamber 61 located in the X direction. The first device side wall 65 and second device side wall 66 intersect the second device wall 62, the first device wall 67, the device upper wall 63, and the device bottom wall 64.
As illustrated in
A plurality of support members 610 are provided in accordance with the number of cartridges 4 to be attached. In the embodiment, four of the support members 610 are provided. The support members 610 form the device bottom wall 64 located in the direction of gravity. The support members 610 support the cartridges 4 from the side in the −Z direction, which is the side in the direction of gravity. The support members 610 are concave members that extend in the Y direction.
Each of the support members 610 includes a main wall 613 that forms the device bottom wall 64, a first support side wall 611, and a second support side wall 612. The main wall 613 forms a concave bottom portion located in the direction of gravity. The device opening portion 614 is formed in the end portion of the main wall 613 close to the first device wall 67. The device opening portion 614 passes through the main wall 613 in the thickness direction of the main wall 613, which is the Z direction. The first support side wall 611 rises in the +Z direction, which is the direction opposite to the direction of gravity, from an end portion of the main wall 613 located in the +X direction. The second support side wall 612 rises in the +Z direction from an end portion of the main wall 613 located in the −X direction. The first support side wall 611 and the second support side wall 612 face each other in the X direction.
The liquid reservoir portions 699 communicate with the liquid inlet portions 642 and communicate with the ejection head 22 via the tubes 24 illustrated in
The liquid inlet portion 642 receives the liquid from the cartridge 4. The liquid inlet portion 642 has an inlet-side central axis CA1.
As illustrated in
The device-side terminal portions 70 are mechanisms provided to electrically couple the cartridges 4 to the printing device 10 with the cartridges 4 attached to the cartridge installation portion 6. Each of the device-side terminal portions 70 has a device-side terminal in contact with a cartridge-side terminal 89 of the cartridge 4.
The engagement formation body 677 is formed in the +Y direction with respect to the support member 610. In addition, the engagement formation body 677 is located in the −Z direction with respect to the insertion and removal opening portion 674. Although not illustrated, four elastic attachment engagement portions corresponding to the slots 61C to 61K are disposed in the engagement formation body 677.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The liquid container body 401 includes a body portion 41 that forms the outer shell, a liquid container portion 450, and the liquid supply portion 442. The body portion 41 includes the front wall 42, a rear wall 47, an upper wall 43, a bottom wall 44, a first side wall 45, and a second side wall 46. The front wall 42 and the rear wall 47 face away from each other in the Y direction. The front wall 42 is located in the −Y direction and the rear wall 47 is located in the +Y direction. The upper wall 43 and the bottom wall 44 face away from each other in the Z direction. In the insertion complete state, the upper wall 43 is located in the +Z direction, which is opposite to the position of the liquid inlet portion 642. The bottom wall 44 is located in the −Z direction. The first side wall 45 and the second side wall 46 face away from each other in the X direction. The first side wall 45 is located in the −X direction, and the second side wall 46 is located in the +X direction. The first side wall 45 and the second side wall 46 intersect the front wall 42, the rear wall 47, the upper wall 43, and bottom wall 44.
The liquid container portion 450 is a liquid container that contains the liquid ink. The liquid container portion 450 is formed in the internal space of the liquid container body 401.
As illustrated in
The adapter 402 includes an outer shell portion 41a that forms a shell, a supply portion disposition chamber 461, a cartridge-side supply portion positioning portion 448, a cartridge-side engagement portion 488, and a bottom opening portion 446.
The outer shell portion 41a includes a cartridge front surface 42a, a cartridge rear surface 47a, a cartridge bottom surface 44a, a first cartridge side surface 45a, and a second cartridge side surface 46a. The cartridge front surface 42a and the cartridge rear surface 47a face away from each other in the Y direction. In the attachment state in which the adapter 402 is attached to the liquid container body 401, the cartridge front surface 42a is located in the −Y direction, which is close to the front wall 42. The cartridge rear surface 47a is located in the +Y direction, which is close to the rear wall 47. In the attachment state, the cartridge bottom surface 44a faces the bottom wall 44 in the Z direction. The cartridge bottom surface 44a is located in the −Z direction and intersects the cartridge front surface 42a and the cartridge rear surface 47a. The first cartridge side surface 45a and the second cartridge side surface 46a face each other in the X direction. In the attachment state, the first cartridge side surface 45a is located on the side of the first side wall 45, and the second cartridge side surface 46a is located on the side of the second side wall 46. The first cartridge side surface 45a and the second cartridge side surface 46a intersect the cartridge front surface 42a, the cartridge rear surface 47a, and the cartridge bottom surface 44a.
The supply portion disposition chamber 461 is a space provided to house the liquid supply portion 442 in the attachment state. The supply portion disposition chamber 461 is located in the +Y direction, which is the insertion direction D1, in the adapter 402 and formed in the portion surrounded by the cartridge bottom surface 44a, the first cartridge side surface 45a, and the second cartridge side surface 46a.
The cartridge-side supply portion positioning portion 448 is a recess formed in the cartridge bottom surface 44a. The cartridge-side engagement portion 488 is an engagement mechanism formed to attach the cap 7 described later to the cartridge 4 when the cartridge 4 is in a pre-insertion state. The so-called pre-insertion state of the cartridge 4 refers to the state in which the cartridge 4 is not yet inserted into or attached to the cartridge installation portion 6. In the embodiment, the cartridge-side engagement portion 488 is formed in the recessed portion as the cartridge-side supply portion positioning portion 448. It should be noted that the formation position and the shape of the cartridge-side engagement portion 488 are not limited to those described above. The cartridge-side engagement portion 488 need only be provided so as to be engageable with cap-side engagement portions 721.
The bottom opening portion 446 exposes the liquid supply portion 442. The bottom opening portion 446 is a hole formed so as to pass through the inner surface and the outer surface of the cartridge bottom surface 44a. The bottom opening portion 446 is formed in a portion of the cartridge bottom surface 44a in which the supply portion disposition chamber 461 is located. In the embodiment, the bottom opening portion 446 is disposed in a portion of the cartridge bottom surface 44a close to the cartridge rear surface 47a. In the attachment state, a second end side 442a of the liquid supply portion 442 illustrated in
In the cartridge bottom surface 44a, an outer edge portion 499 is formed in the circumference around the supply-portion-side central axis CA2 so as to surround the bottom opening portion 446. The outer edge portion 499 is formed in a position in which the outer edge portion 499 is exposed to the outside of the cartridge 4.
As illustrated in
The cap 7 is a member detachably attached to the cartridge 4 having the liquid supply portion 442. The cap 7 covers the liquid supply portion 442 and at least part of the periphery of the liquid supply portion 442 in the pre-insertion state in which the cartridge 4 is not yet inserted into the cartridge installation portion 6. Accordingly, the cap 7 protects the liquid supply portion 442 and, when the liquid contained in the liquid container portion 450 leaks from the cartridge 442, prevents the liquid from leaking to the outside of the cap 7 and the cartridge 4. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The cap-side engagement portions 721 are engagement mechanisms formed to attach the cap 7 to the cartridge 4 in the pre-insertion state of the cartridge 4. As illustrated in
In the embodiment, the cap-side engagement portions 721 are projections that project from the facing surface 71s as illustrated in
The cap 7 according to the embodiment is attached to the cartridge 4 as described below. Specifically, as illustrated in
It should be noted that the shape and the formation position of the cap-side engagement portion 721 are not limited to those described above. The cap-side engagement portion 721 need only be provided so as to be engageable with the cartridge-side engagement portion 488. In addition, the number of the cap-side engagement portions 721 formed for one cap 7 is not limited to two, and may be one, or three or more. In addition, the method of engagement between the cap-side engagement portions 721 and the cartridge-side engagement portion 488 is not limited to this and may be engaged by a method other than press-fitting.
The cap-side engagement portions 721 are formed of a synthetic resin, such as polypropylene. It should be noted that the material of the cap-side engagement portions 721 and the material of the cap body portion 71 may be different or identical.
The liquid holding member 8 holds the liquid ink. As illustrated in
The liquid holding member 8 is formed of a material that can be reused by being washed. The material that can be reused by being washed is a synthetic resin, such as polypropylene. That is, the liquid holding member 8 is formed of a material or a structural body that can be reused more easily by being washed than a porous body formed of a synthetic resin, such as polyvinyl alcohol. It should be noted that the liquid holding member 8 may be made of the same material as the cap body portion 71 or may be made of a different material. Since the liquid holding member 8 is molded integrally with the cap body portion 71 at this time, the liquid holding member 8 may be formed of a material that is easily molded integrally with the cap body portion 71 in a manufacturing process.
As illustrated in
In the following description, in the liquid holding member 8, the direction in which the convex portions 83 project orthogonally to the bottom surface 81 is a first direction. The two directions that are orthogonal to the first direction and orthogonal to each other are a second direction and a third direction. In the embodiment, the first direction is the Z direction, which coincides with the thickness direction of the cap 7. The second direction is the X direction, which coincides with the lateral direction of the cap 7. The third direction is the Y direction, which coincides with the longitudinal direction of the cap 7.
The plurality of convex portions 83 are formed on the bottom surface 81 so as to project from the bottom surface 81. The convex portions 83 are molded integrally with the bottom surface 81. The convex portions 83 and the bottom surface 81 form polyhedrons.
In addition, a plurality of convex portion sets 830, each of which includes two or more different convex portions 83, are arranged in at least one of the second direction and the third direction. In the embodiment, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
The first side surface 833 and the second side surface 834 are substantially orthogonal to the bottom surface 81. The first side surface 833 and the second side surface 834 are parallel to the X-Z plane, which is parallel to the X direction and the Z direction, or parallel to the YZ plane, which is parallel to the Y direction and the Z direction. The first side surface 833 and the second side surface 834 face each other in parallel either in the X direction as the second direction or in the Y direction as the third direction. In the embodiment, the first side surface 833a of the first convex portion 83a and the second side surface 834a of the first convex portion 83a face away from each other in the Y direction. The first side surface 833b of the second convex portion 83b and the second side surface 834b of the second convex portion 83b face away from each other in the X direction.
The first top surface 831 is coupled to the second top surface 832, the first side surface 833, and the second side surface 834. The second top surface 832 is coupled to the first top surface 831, the first side surface 833, and the second side surface 834. The top edge 83m that is the coupling portion between the first top surface 831 and the second top surface 832 and the top edge 83n that is the coupling portion between the first top surface 831 and the second top surface 832 form lines extending in the X direction or the Y direction. In the embodiment, the first top edge 83m as the top edge 83m of the first convex portion 83a extends in the Y direction. The second top edge 83n as the top edge 83n of the second convex portion 83b extends in the X direction. The top edges 83m and 83n form the vertexes of the convex portion 83.
The first top surface 831 and the second top surface 832 extend so as to be oblique to the bottom surface 81 instead of parallel to the bottom surface 81. The first top surface 831 is inclined so as to be closer to the bottom surface 81 with distance from the first top edge 83m. The second top surface 832 extends so as to be inclined toward the bottom surface 81 with distance from the second top edge 83n. In the embodiment, the first top surface 831 and the second top surface 832 are inclined such that an inner angle 837 formed by the top edges 83m and 83n, that is, the inner angle 837 formed by the first top surface 831 and the second top surface 832 is 120 degrees. It should be noted that the top edges 83m and 83n are the coupling portions formed by two faces 831 and 832 of a single convex portion 83, so the top edges 83m and 83n are not the edge portions 85 to 88, which will be described in detail later.
In addition, the first top surface 831a of the first convex portion 83a is coupled to the first side surface 833b of the second convex portions 83b adjacent to the first convex portion 83a while forming a ridge line 850. The second top surface 832a of the first convex portion 83a is coupled to the second side surface 834b of the second convex portion 83b adjacent to the first convex portion 83a while forming a ridge line 850. In addition, the first top surface 831b of the second convex portion 83b is coupled to the first side surface 833a of the first convex portion 83a adjacent to the second convex portion 83b while forming a ridge line 850. The second top surface 832b of the second convex portion 83b is coupled to the second side surface 834a of the first convex portion 83a adjacent to the second convex portion 83b while forming a ridge line 850. That is, the adjacent convex portions 83a and 83b are in contact with each other without gaps.
The plurality of edge portions 85 to 88 hold the liquid due to a capillary force. As illustrated in
Each of the plurality of edge portions 85 to 88 is one of the first edge portion 851 and the second edge portion 852. The first edge portion 851 is formed by the bottom surface 81 and the surfaces 833 and 834 of the convex portions 83 that are adjacent to each other with the ridge line 850 present therebetween. The first edge portion 851 is the fourth representative edge portion 88 formed by, for example, the bottom surface 81 and the first side surface 833a of the first convex portion 83a that are adjacent to each other with the ridge line 850 present therebetween. In addition, the first edge portion 851 is the second representative edge portion 86 formed by, for example, the bottom surface 81 and the first side surface 833b of the second convex portion 83b that are adjacent to each other with the ridge line 850 present therebetween. The second edge portions 852 are formed by the surfaces 831a to 834a of the first convex portion 83a and the surfaces 831b to 834b of the second convex portion 83b that are adjacent to each other with the ridge lines 850 present therebetween. The second edge portion 852 is the first representative edge portion 85 formed by, for example, the first top surface 831a of the first convex portion 83a and the first side surface 833b of the second convex portion 83b that are adjacent to each other with the ridge line 850 present therebetween. The second edge portion 852 is the third representative edge portion 87 formed by, for example, the first side surface 833a of the first convex portion 83a and the first side surface 833b of the second convex portion 83b that are adjacent to each other with the ridge line 850 present therebetween.
Angles 867 and 887 formed by at least one of the first edge portions 851 and the angles 857 and 877 formed by at least one of the second edge portions 852 are equal to or less than 90 degrees. In the embodiment, the angles 867 and 887 formed by the first edge portion 851 and the angles 857 and 877 formed by the second edge portion 852 are both equal to or less than 90 degrees. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this example.
In addition, in the embodiment, the ridge lines 850 that form the first edge portion 851 and the second edge portion 852 include different components among a component in the first direction, a component in the second direction component, and a component in the third direction component. In other words, the plurality of ridge lines 850 include any of the first direction component, the second direction component, and the third direction component and extend in different directions. Then, the plurality of ridge lines 850 are coupled continuously. Accordingly, in the embodiment, the plurality of edge portions 85 to 88 can be classified into a class 1 edge portion 861, a class 2 edge portion 862, and a class 3 edge portion 863. The class 1 edge portion 861 extends in a direction having the first direction component. In the example illustrated in
Furthermore, in the embodiment, as illustrated in
Here, when the cartridge 4 in the engagement state is impacted by a drop or the like, the liquid held in the front surface side edge portion 872 is more likely to leak or splash to the outside of the liquid holding member 8 than the liquid held in the bottom surface side edge portion 871. When, for example, the liquid leaks to the outside of the liquid holding member 8, even if the cap 7 is attached to the cartridge 4, the liquid may leak to the outside of the cartridge 4 and the cap 7 through, for example, the gap between the facing surface 71s and the cartridge bottom surface 44a. Accordingly, the front surface side edge portion 872 may have a larger holding force for holding the liquid than the bottom surface side edge portion 871. At this time, generally, the holding force of the liquid can be improved by reducing the contact angle between the liquid and the surfaces 831 to 834 that form the edge portions 85 to 88 to increase the surface tensions of the edge portions 85 to 88. Accordingly, the more acute the angles 857, 867, 877, and 887 formed by the edge portions 85 to 88, the greater the force for holding the liquid due to a capillary force.
Therefore, in the embodiment, the plurality of edge portions 85 to 88 are formed such that at least one of the angles 857 formed by the front surface side edge portions 872 is smaller than the angles 867, 877, and 887 formed by the bottom surface side edge portions 871. In
In the first embodiment, as illustrated in
In addition, in the first embodiment described above, as illustrated in
In addition, in the first embodiment, it is possible to restore the holding force of a liquid of the liquid holding member 8 to the state before the liquid is held, by being washed. This enables the liquid holding member 8 to be used repeatedly.
In addition, in the liquid holding member 8 according to the first embodiment described above, as illustrated in
In addition, in the first embodiment, the time and man-hours required to assemble the cap 7 can be reduced and the liquid holding member 8 can be reused by being washed. This can resolve various troubles that occur in the cap 7.
In addition, in the first embodiment described above, as illustrated in
In addition, in the first embodiment, some of the plurality of edge portions 85 to 88 extend in the first direction. Accordingly, in the depth direction that coincides with the first direction and in the depth direction with respect to the surface side of the liquid holding member 8 to the side of the bottom surface 81, the liquid holding region can be acquired with greater certainty. Therefore, the liquid the holding force of the liquid in the liquid holding member 8 can be further improved.
In the first embodiment described above, as illustrated in
In the first embodiment described above, as described in
In addition, in the first embodiment described above, as illustrated in
The liquid holding member 8 is formed in at least part of the circumference around the supply-portion-side central axis CA2 in a position on the cartridge bottom surface 44a in which the bottom opening portion 446 is surrounded. The supply-portion-side central axis CA2 extends in the Z direction in which the liquid supply portion 442 extends, as in
In the embodiment, the liquid holding member 8 is formed on the outer edge portion 499. In
In the second embodiment described above, the liquid holding member 8 is formed on the outer edge portion 499 formed in the circumference around the supply-portion-side central axis CA2 at a position on the cartridge bottom surface 44a at which the bottom opening portion 446 is surrounded. In this structure, the liquid leaked through the discharge opening portion 432 can be held in the vicinity of the liquid supply portion 442. This can reduce the possibility of adherence of the liquid to the periphery of the liquid supply portion 442 when the liquid leaks through the discharge opening portion 432 in the insertion complete state illustrated in
In addition, in the second embodiment described above, if the liquid leaks through the discharge opening portion 432 when the cap 7 is not attached to the cartridge 4 as illustrated in
It should be noted that the shape of the liquid holding member 8 formed on the cartridge bottom surface 44a is not limited to this shape and may be another shape. The liquid holding member 8 need not be formed in the circumference around the supply-portion-side central axis CA2 in a position on the cartridge bottom surface 44a in which the bottom opening portion 446 is surrounded and need only be formed at least part of the circumference.
The formation position of the liquid holding member 8 is not limited to this. The liquid holding member 8 need only be formed at a position at which the liquid that has leaked from the discharge opening portion 432 is easily held and may be formed on, for example, the peripheral edge portion 470 illustrated in
In the embodiment, the formation position of the liquid holding member 8 differs from that in the first embodiment illustrated in
The liquid inlet portion 642 includes a tip portion 651 to be inserted into the liquid supply portion 442 and a base end portion 652 located in the −Z direction with respect to the tip portion 651, which is the side in the direction of gravity. At this time, in the insertion complete state of the cartridge 4, the side of the base end portion 652 is the side in the direction of gravity, and the side of the tip portion 651 is the side in the direction opposite to the direction of gravity. In the example illustrated in
The base end portion 652 includes an inclined portion 91, a body portion 92, and an end portion 93. The inclined portion 91 is located on the side in the +Z direction of the base end portion 652 closest to the tip portion 651. The end portion 93 is located on the side in the −Z direction of the base end portion 652 farthest from the tip portion 651. The body portion 92 is located between the inclined portion 91 and the end portion 93 and couples the inclined portion 91 and the end portion 93 to each other. In the example illustrated in
The liquid holding member 8 is formed on the surface of the base end portion 652 of the liquid inlet portion 642. The surface here refers to a surface formed on the outside of the liquid inlet portion 642 in which the side closer to the inlet-side central axis CA1 is the inside and the side away from the inlet-side central axis CA1 is the outside. In the embodiment, the liquid holding member 8 is formed on each of the inclined portion 91 and the end portion 93 of the base end portion 652. In
In the third embodiment described above, the liquid holding member 8 is formed on the surface of the base end portion 652 of the liquid inlet portion 642. In this structure, in the insertion complete state illustrated in
In addition, in the third embodiment described above, the liquid holding member 8 is formed on the inclined portion 91 on the side of the surface of the base end portion 652 of the liquid inlet portion 642 close to in the coupling portion 542 between the liquid supply portion 442 and the liquid inlet portion 642. In this structure, the liquid holding member 8 on the inclined portion 91 quickly holds the liquid leaked through the discharge opening portion 432 in the insertion complete state and the liquid that has leaked from the coupling portion 542 in the attachment complete state.
In the third embodiment described above, the liquid holding member 8 is formed on the end portion 93 on the side in the direction of gravity of the inclined portion 91 on the surface of the base end portion 652 of the liquid inlet portion 642. In this structure, for example, the liquid leaked through the discharge opening portion 432 in the insertion complete state or the liquid that has leaked from the coupling portion 542 in the attachment complete state can be held, like a saucer, by the liquid holding member 8 formed in the end portion 93. This can further reduce the possibility of leakage of the liquid to the outside as the portion other than the liquid supply portion 442 and the liquid inlet portion 642.
In addition, in the third embodiment, the liquid holding member 8 is formed in each of the inclined portion 91 and the end portion 93. In this structure, when the liquid that could not be held by the inclined portion 91 flows to the end portion 93, the end portion 93 can hold the liquid. This can further reduce the possibility of leakage of the liquid to the outside as the portion other than the liquid supply portion 442 and the liquid inlet portion 642.
In the first embodiment described above, as illustrated in
The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above and may be achieved in various structures without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. For example, the technical features of the embodiments corresponding to the technical features of the aspects described in Summary may be replaced or combined as appropriate to achieve to solve some or all of the problems described above or achieve some or all of the effects described above. In addition, the technical features can be deleted as appropriate unless the technical features are described as essential in this specification.
1. According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a liquid holding member is provided. This liquid holding member includes a bottom surface; and a plurality of convex portions projecting from the bottom surface, each of the convex portions including a plurality of surfaces, in which the plurality of convex portions are molded integrally with the bottom surface. In the aspect, the liquid holding member has a plurality of continuously formed edge portions molded integrally with the bottom surface. In the aspect, part of a formed member such as a cap can be used as the bottom surface to form the liquid holding member. That is, the liquid holding member can be molded integrally with the formed member. This can reduce the time and man-hours required to form the liquid holding member in the formed member.
2. According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a liquid holding member is provided. This liquid holding member includes a bottom surface; a plurality of convex portions projecting from the bottom surface, each of the convex portions including a plurality of surfaces; a plurality of first edge portions formed by the bottom surface and the surfaces of the convex portions with ridge lines present therebetween; and a plurality of second edge portions formed by adjacent surfaces of the convex portions with ridge lines present therebetween. In the aspect, the liquid holding member can hold liquid by using a capillary force acting the plurality of first edge portions and the plurality of second edge portions. That is, the liquid holding member can acquire the ability to hold liquid due to structural features even though the material itself does not have the property of absorbing liquid. Since this can reduce restrictions on the types of materials included in the liquid holding member, it is possible to use the materials that can be molded integrally with the formed member included in the liquid holding member and that can be reused by being washed. In addition, when liquid is held in the liquid holding member, the liquid holding member can be reused by being washed. As described above, various problems that occur in conventional formed member such as the related-art cap can be solved.
3. In the aspect described above, the angle formed by at least one of the first edge portions and the angle formed by at least one of the second edge portions may be 90 degrees or less. In the aspect, by setting the angle formed by at least one of the first edge portions and the angle formed by at least one of the second edge portions to 90 degrees or less, a capillary force acting on the first edge portion and the second edge portion can be increased. Accordingly, when liquid adheres to the liquid holding member, the liquid holding member can hold the liquid with greater certainty.
4. In the aspect, when the direction in which the convex portions project from the bottom surface is the first direction and the two directions orthogonal to the first direction and are orthogonal to each other are the second direction and the third direction, the ridge lines of the first edge portion and the ridge lines of the second edge portion may include different components among a component in the first direction, a component in the second direction component, and a component in the third direction component. In the aspect, the liquid holding member can form the plurality of first edge portions and the plurality of second edge portions that extend in different directions among the three-dimensional directions. Accordingly, when the liquid adheres to the liquid holding member, the liquid holding member can hold the liquid with greater certainty.
5. In the aspect described above, the angle formed by at least one of the second edge portions may be smaller than the angles formed by the first edge portions. In the aspect, a capillary force acting on the second edge portion for which the formed angle is smaller than that of the first edge portion can be larger than the capillary force acting on the first edge portion. This can further improve the holding force of the liquid in the second edge portion from which the held liquid is more likely to leak to the outside than the first edge portion.
6. According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a liquid holding member is provided. This liquid holding member includes a bottom surface; and a plurality of convex portions projecting from the bottom surface, each of the convex portions including a plurality of surfaces, in which, when a direction orthogonally to the bottom surface is a first direction and two directions that are orthogonal to the first direction and orthogonal to each other are a second direction and a third direction, a plurality of convex portion sets, each of which includes two or more different convex portions of the convex portions, are arranged in at least one of the second direction and the third direction. In the aspect, the plurality of first convex portions and the plurality of second convex portions can be formed by arranging the plurality of convex portion sets, each of which includes two or more different convex portions, side by side in the second direction and the third direction on the bottom surface.
7. According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a cap is provided. The cap to be detachably attached to a cartridge having a liquid supply portion includes a facing surface that faces the liquid supply portion; and the liquid holding member according to the first aspect, the liquid holding member being disposed on the facing surface. In the aspect, by attaching the cap in which the liquid holding member is formed to the cartridge, the liquid holding member can hold the liquid that has leaked from the liquid supply portion. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the possibility of the leakage of the liquid from the liquid supply portion to the outside of the cartridge and the outside of the cap or the splashing of the liquid.
8. In the aspect described above, the liquid supply portion has the discharge opening portion through which the liquid contained in the cartridge is discharged to the outside, and the liquid holding member may be formed at a position on the facing surface at which the liquid holding member faces the discharge opening portion. In the aspect, when the cap in which the liquid holding member has been formed is attached to the cartridge, the liquid holding member can be formed at a position at which the liquid holding member faces the discharge opening portion from which the liquid is suppled. This can cause the liquid holding member to hold the liquid leaked through the discharge opening portion with greater certainty.
9. According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, a cartridge is provided. This cartridge includes a liquid supply portion having a central axis; a cartridge bottom surface; and the liquid holding member according to the first aspect, in which the cartridge bottom surface has a bottom opening portion through which the liquid supply portion is exposed, and the liquid holding member is formed in at least part of a circumference around the central axis in a position on the cartridge bottom surface, the bottom opening portion being surrounded in the position. In the aspect, when the liquid contained in the cartridge leaks from the liquid supply portion, the liquid holding member formed closer to the bottom opening portion can hold the liquid. This can reduce the possibility of adherence of the liquid to the periphery of the cartridge or splashing of the liquid.
Not all of the plurality of components in the aspects of the present disclosure described above are essential, some of the plurality of components described above may be changed, deleted, replaced with new components, and some of restrictions may be deleted as appropriate to achieve to solve some or all of the problems described above or achieve some or all of the effects described above. In addition, to solve some or all of the problems described above or achieve some or all of the effects described in this specification, some or all of the technical features included in one aspect of the present disclosure may be combined with some or all of the technical features included in another aspect of the present disclosure to form an independent one aspect.
The present disclosure may also be achieved in various aspects other than the liquid holding member, the cartridge, and the printing device. For example, the present disclosure may be achieved in forms of manufacturing methods of the liquid holding member, the cartridge, and the printing device.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2022-053040 | Mar 2022 | JP | national |