JP2015150704A - Liquid consuming device and liquid cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

A liquid consuming apparatus is provided that reduces a load for opening a gas channel and a liquid channel.
When the sealing member is in the first position, the apparatus positions the first sealing portion between the openings, and the second end is located on the distal end side of the cylindrical wall from the opening. When the sealing portion 73 is positioned and the sealing member 70 is in the second position on the proximal end side from the first position, the first sealing portion 72 is positioned between the openings 64 and 67, and the distal end from the opening 61 The second sealing portion 73 is positioned on the side. The ink needle 102 presses the valve 80 at the distal end of the narrow tube portion 102B that has entered the through hole through the distal end of the cylindrical wall 46, and thereby the first sealing portion 72, the second sealing portion 73, and the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 46 The valve body 80 is moved from the closed position to the open position with respect to the sealing member 70 in the first position against the biasing force of the coil spring 83 that is smaller than the frictional force between them, and sealed at the tip of the thick tube portion 102A. By pressing the member 70, the valve body 80 and the sealing member 70 are moved from the first position to the second position.
[Selection] Figure 5

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid consuming apparatus that consumes liquid stored in a liquid cartridge.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ink jet recording apparatus that records an image on a sheet by discharging ink stored in an ink cartridge from a nozzle of a recording head is known. As an ink cartridge to be mounted on such an ink jet recording apparatus, Patent Document 1 discloses an ink cartridge that can open and close both an ink flow path and an atmospheric flow path by a single valve mechanism. An ink jet recording apparatus is an example of a liquid consuming apparatus.

  In the ink cartridge described in Patent Document 1, the ink supply pipe inserted into the through hole of the cylindrical member is a valve element against the frictional force between the ink supply pipe and the cylindrical member and the biasing force of the coil spring. Is moved to open the ink flow path. The ink supply pipe opens the atmospheric flow path by moving the cylindrical member against the frictional force between the cylindrical member and the wall surface defining the large-diameter hole and the biasing force of the coil spring.

Japanese Patent No. 4506301

  When the ink supply pipe is removed from the ink cartridge described in Patent Document 1, the cylindrical member and the valve body are returned to the positions where the atmospheric flow path and the liquid flow path are closed by the biasing force of the coil spring. That is, the urging force of the coil spring needs to be large enough to push back the tubular member and the valve body. As a result, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, there is a problem that a load required to open the atmospheric flow path and the liquid flow path is large.

  This invention is made | formed in view of said situation, The objective is to provide the liquid consumption apparatus which reduced the load required in order to open | release a gas flow path and a liquid flow path.

  (1) A liquid consuming device according to the present invention consumes a liquid cartridge in which liquid is stored, a liquid extraction pipe that causes liquid to flow out of the liquid cartridge, and liquid that has flowed out of the liquid cartridge through the liquid extraction pipe. A liquid consumption unit. The liquid cartridge includes a liquid storage chamber in which liquid is stored, a side wall surface extending in a first direction outward and orthogonal to the first direction, and an upstream side wall surface in the first direction of the side wall surface. A valve chamber defined by a base wall surface provided at a first end on the side and having a second end on the downstream side in the first direction of the side wall surface opened, and a second direction opposite to the first direction The sealing member is disposed in the valve chamber so as to be movable, and has a through-hole penetrating in the first direction formed therein, and is annularly provided on the outer surface of the sealing member so as to be in close contact with the side wall surface The first sealing portion to be performed, the second sealing portion located on the second end side from the first sealing portion, the closed position in close contact with the peripheral portion of the through-hole, and closing the through-hole, It is possible to move between the open position where the through hole is opened apart from the peripheral edge in the second direction. And the valve chamber is disposed between the base end wall surface and the valve, and has a smaller frictional force between the first sealing portion, the second sealing portion, and the side wall surface. A biasing member that biases the valve in the first direction with a force, a first gas passage that communicates the valve chamber with the atmosphere through a first opening provided in the side wall surface, and a side wall surface. A second gas flow path for allowing a gas to flow between the valve chamber and the liquid storage chamber through the provided second opening, and the side wall surface on the first end side from the first opening and the second opening. Alternatively, a first liquid flow path for allowing liquid to flow between the valve chamber and the liquid storage chamber through a third opening provided in the base end wall surface, and the second end from the third opening through the through hole. Are provided in the second liquid flow path leading to the first gas flow path, And cut off the flow of the body and a semi-permeable membrane that allows the flow of gas. In the first position, the sealing member positions the first sealing portion between the first opening and the second opening, and is closer to the second end than the first opening and the second opening. The second sealing portion is positioned, and the first sealing portion is located between the first opening and the second opening and the third opening at a second position closer to the first end than the first position. And the second sealing portion is positioned closer to the second end than the first opening and the second opening. The liquid extraction tube has a thick tube portion projecting in the second direction, and a thin tube portion narrower than the thick tube portion and projecting in the second direction from the tip of the thick tube portion. The valve body is moved from the closed position to the open position with respect to the sealing member at the first position by pressing the valve at the tip of the thin tube portion that has entered the through hole through two ends, The sealing member is moved together with the valve body from the first position to the second position by pressing the sealing member at the tip of the thick tube portion.

  By adopting an urging member having a small urging force as in the above-described configuration, the load necessary for opening the gas channel and the liquid channel (hereinafter referred to as “mounting load”) is reduced. Can do. In the state where the sealing member is positioned at the second position, the first opening and the second opening and the second end of the valve chamber are blocked by the second sealing portion, and the first gas flow path Since a semipermeable membrane is provided in the liquid, it is possible to suppress leakage of the liquid that has entered the valve chamber through the second gas flow path.

  (2) Preferably, the first opening and the second opening are spaced apart in the first direction. The sealing member includes a first portion in which a wall surface defining the through hole is in close contact with the outer surface of the thin tube portion, and a second surface in which the wall surface defining the through hole is separated from the outer surface of the thin tube portion. Part. The length of the first portion in the first direction is shorter than the distance between the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion in the first direction.

  According to the said structure, the contact area of a sealing member and a thin tube part can be made small. As a result, the mounting load of the liquid cartridge can be further reduced.

  (3) Preferably, the second portion of the sealing member includes a cylindrical reinforcing member that is in close contact with the wall surface that defines the through hole. At least one of the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion is provided in the second portion of the sealing member.

  As in the above configuration, by reinforcing the inside of the sealing member with the reinforcing member, the sealing performance of the first sealing portion and / or the second sealing portion provided in the second portion is improved.

  (4) Preferably, the reinforcing member has a flange portion that protrudes from the end portion on the second end side toward the side wall surface and abuts on a tip end of the thick tube portion.

  Like the said structure, by making it contact | abut with the front-end | tip of a thick pipe part to the flange part of a reinforcement member, a deformation | transformation of the sealing member by being pressed by a thick pipe part can be suppressed. As a result, the sealing performance of the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion is further improved.

  (5) For example, the first portion is provided on the first end side. The second portion is provided on the second end side.

  (6) Preferably, the cross section orthogonal to the first direction of the side wall surface and the outer surface of the sealing member is circular. The first sealing portion and the second sealing portion have a flange shape that protrudes radially outward from the outer surface of the sealing member.

  By making the cross-sectional shape orthogonal to the first direction circular as in the above configuration, the adhesion between each sealing portion and the side wall surface in the circumferential direction is leveled. As a result, the sealing performance of each sealing portion is improved.

  (7) The liquid consuming device according to the present invention includes a liquid storage chamber in which liquid is stored, a side wall surface having an annular cross section extending in the first direction toward the outside and orthogonal to the first direction, and the side wall surface A valve chamber defined by a proximal end wall surface provided at a first end on the upstream side in the first direction and having a second end on the downstream side in the first direction on the side wall surface opened, and the first direction The sealing member is disposed in the valve chamber so as to be movable in the second direction opposite to the first direction, and has a through-hole penetrating in the first direction formed therein, and provided in an annular shape on the outer surface of the sealing member. The first sealing portion that is in close contact with the side wall surface, the second sealing portion that is located closer to the second end than the first sealing portion, and the through hole that is in close contact with the peripheral edge of the through hole. Between the closed position for closing and the open position spaced apart from the peripheral edge in the second direction to open the through hole. The movable valve is disposed between the proximal end wall surface and the valve in the valve chamber, and the friction force between the first sealing portion, the second sealing portion, and the side wall surface. A biasing member that biases the valve in the first direction with a small biasing force, a first gas passage that communicates the valve chamber with the atmosphere through a first opening provided in the side wall surface, and the side A second gas flow path for allowing gas to flow between the valve chamber and the liquid storage chamber through a second opening provided in the wall; and the first opening and the second opening on the first end side. Through a third opening provided in the side wall surface or the base end wall surface, a first liquid flow path for allowing liquid to flow between the valve chamber and the liquid storage chamber, and the third opening from the third opening through the through hole. Provided in the second liquid channel reaching the two ends and the first gas channel. And a semipermeable membrane that blocks the flow of liquid and allows the flow of gas. And the said sealing member positions the said 1st sealing part between the said 1st opening and the said 2nd opening in a 1st position, and it is the said 2nd end from the said 1st opening and the said 2nd opening. The second sealing portion is positioned on the side, and the first sealing is provided between the first opening and the second opening and the third opening at a second position closer to the first end than the first position. The stop portion is positioned, and the second sealing portion is positioned closer to the second end than the first opening and the second opening.

  According to the present invention, the load necessary to open the gas flow path and the liquid flow path is reduced by adopting a biasing member with a small biasing force that cannot push the sealing member back to the first position. A liquid consuming apparatus can be obtained.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view schematically illustrating an internal structure of a printer 10 including a cartridge mounting unit 110 according to the embodiment. 2A and 2B are perspective views showing the external configuration of the ink cartridge 30, wherein FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the ink cartridge 30 viewed from the upper right front, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the ink cartridge 30 viewed from the lower right rear. It is. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of each component for opening and closing the valve chamber 47 as viewed from the front side. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of each component for opening and closing the valve chamber 47 as viewed from the rear side. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the valve chamber 47 when the horizontal cross section of the ink cartridge 30 in the present embodiment is viewed from above. FIG. 5A shows the first position of the sealing member 70, and FIG. (C) shows the second position of the sealing member 70, and (D) shows the state where the ink needle 102 has been removed from the valve chamber 47.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings as appropriate. The embodiment described below is merely an example in which the present invention is embodied, and it is needless to say that the embodiment can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[Overview of Printer 10]
As shown in FIG. 1, a printer 10 (an example of a liquid consuming apparatus) records an image by selectively ejecting ink droplets onto a recording sheet based on an ink jet recording method. The printer 10 includes a recording head 21 (an example of a liquid consumption unit), an ink supply device 100, and an ink tube 20 that connects the recording head 21 and the ink supply device 100. The ink supply device 100 is provided with a cartridge mounting portion 110. An ink cartridge 30 (an example of a liquid cartridge) can be mounted on the cartridge mounting unit 110. An opening 112 is provided on one surface of the cartridge mounting portion 110. The ink cartridge 30 is inserted into the cartridge mounting part 110 through the opening 112 in the insertion direction 56 (an example of the first direction), or is extracted from the cartridge mounting part 110 in the removal direction 55 (an example of the second direction).

  The ink cartridge 30 stores ink (an example of a liquid) that can be used by the printer 10. In a state where the mounting of the ink cartridge 30 to the cartridge mounting unit 110 is completed, the ink cartridge 30 and the recording head 21 are connected by the ink tube 20. The recording head 21 is provided with a sub tank 28. The sub tank 28 temporarily stores the ink supplied through the ink tube 20. The recording head 21 selectively ejects the ink supplied from the sub tank 28 from the nozzles 29 by the ink jet recording method. Specifically, a drive voltage is selectively applied from the head control board 21A provided on the recording head 21 to the piezo elements 29A provided corresponding to the nozzles 29. Thereby, ink is selectively ejected from the nozzles 29.

  The printer 10 further includes a paper transport mechanism as described below. In other words, the recording paper fed from the paper feed tray 15 to the transport path 24 by the paper feed roller 23 is transported onto the platen 26 by the transport roller pair 25. The recording head 21 selectively ejects ink onto a recording sheet that passes over the platen 26. Thereby, an image is recorded on the recording paper. The recording paper that has passed through the platen 26 is discharged to a paper discharge tray 16 provided on the most downstream side of the transport path 24 by a discharge roller pair 27.

[Ink supply apparatus 100]
As shown in FIG. 1, the ink supply device 100 is provided in the printer 10. The ink supply device 100 supplies ink to the recording head 21 provided in the printer 10. The ink supply device 100 includes a cartridge mounting unit 110 in which the ink cartridge 30 can be mounted. The cartridge mounting unit 110 includes a case 101 and an ink needle 102 (an example of a liquid extraction tube). FIG. 1 shows a state where the ink cartridge 30 has been completely installed in the cartridge mounting unit 110. The cartridge mounting portion 110 can accommodate four ink cartridges 30 corresponding to each color of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.

[Ink needle 102]
An opening 112 is formed in the case 101. The case 101 includes a back surface located on the opposite side to the opening 112. As shown in FIG. 1, the ink needle 102 protrudes from the back surface of the case 101 in the removal direction 55. The ink needle 102 is disposed on the back surface of the case 101 at a position where it can face the cylindrical wall 46 of the ink cartridge 30. The ink needle 102 is a tubular resin needle in which a liquid flow path is formed. An opening is provided on the protruding end side of the ink needle 102, and the ink tube 20 is connected to the proximal end side. The ink needle 102 enters the inside of the cylindrical wall 46. As a result, the ink in the ink chamber 36 (an example of a liquid storage chamber) flows out to the ink tube 20 connected to the ink needle 102 through the valve chamber 47 formed inside the cylindrical wall 46. In addition, the ink needle (needle) in this specification does not necessarily indicate a pointed tip, but generally includes an elongated tubular shape.

[Ink cartridge 30]
As shown in FIG. 2, the ink cartridge 30 includes a frame 31 in which an ink chamber 36 is formed, and a cylindrical cylindrical wall 46 in which a valve chamber 47 (see FIG. 5) is formed. The ink cartridge 30 supplies the ink stored in the ink chamber 36 to the outside through the valve chamber 47. The ink cartridge 30 is in the upright state shown in FIG. 2, that is, the lower surface in FIG. 2 is the bottom surface and the upper surface in FIG. Inserted and removed. In the present embodiment, the insertion and removal direction 50 is a horizontal direction. Further, the width direction 51 and the depth direction 53 of the ink cartridge 30 in the standing state are also horizontal directions. Further, the height direction 52 of the ink cartridge 30 in the standing state is the gravity direction (vertical direction). The removal direction 55 and the insertion direction 56 are directions along the insertion and extraction directions 50, and are opposite to each other. Also, the insertion and removal direction 50 coincides with the depth direction 53.

[Frame 31]
The frame 31 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, is thin in the width direction (left and right direction) 51, and has a flat shape in which the height direction (up and down direction) 52 and the depth direction (front and rear direction) 53 are larger than the width direction 51. It is. The frame 31 includes a front wall 40 and a rear wall 41 that at least partially overlap when viewed in plan from the depth direction 53, and an upper wall 39 and a lower wall 42 that at least partially overlap when viewed from above in the height direction 52. The left wall 38 is arranged on one side of the width direction 51 (in the example of FIG. 2, the left side when the frame 31 is viewed in plan from the front wall 40 side). When the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 110, the front wall 40 is on the front side, and the rear wall 41 is on the rear side. The frame 31 is made of, for example, a resin material.

  The upper wall 39 connects the upper ends of the left wall 38, the front wall 40, and the rear wall 41. The lower wall 42 connects the lower ends of the left wall 38, the front wall 40, and the rear wall 41. The left wall 38 connects the left ends of the upper wall 39, the front wall 40, the rear wall 41, and the lower wall 42. On the other hand, the other side of the frame 31 in the width direction 51 (in the example of FIG. 3, the right side when the frame 31 is viewed in plan from the front wall 40 side) is open. The surface of the opened frame 31 is sealed with a film 43. The outer shape of the film 43 substantially coincides with the outer shape of the frame 31 when viewed in plan from the width direction 51. The film 43 is disposed on the other side (right side) in the width direction 51 of the frame 31 and constitutes the right wall 37 of the ink chamber 36 in the width direction 51. The film 43 is thermally welded to the right end surfaces of the upper wall 39, the front wall 40, the rear wall 41, and the lower wall 42. As a result, ink can be stored in the ink chamber 36 defined by the left wall 38, the upper wall 39, the front wall 40, the rear wall 41, the lower wall 42, and the film 43.

[Valve chamber 47]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the valve chamber 47 is a space defined by the front surface of the base end wall 45 and the inner surface of the cylindrical tube wall 46. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the valve chamber 47 is provided at the lower portion of the ink cartridge 30 in the height direction 52 and at the front portion of the ink cartridge 30 in the depth direction 53. The base end wall 45 and the cylindrical wall 46 are made of, for example, a resin material. A first gas channel 60, a second gas channel 63, and a first liquid channel 66 are connected to the valve chamber 47. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a second liquid channel 69 is formed inside the cylindrical wall 46. In addition, a sealing member 70, a reinforcing member 76, a valve 80, and a coil spring 83 (an example of an urging member) are accommodated in the cylindrical wall 46. Further, a cap 84 is attached to the tip of the cylindrical wall 46.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the base end wall 45 is disposed between the ink chamber 36 and the valve chamber 47 adjacent in the depth direction 53. The cylindrical wall 46 extends forward from the front surface of the base end wall 45. In other words, the cylindrical wall 46 extends in the insertion direction 56 from the front surface of the base end wall 45 toward the outside of the ink cartridge 30. The cylindrical wall 46 has a front portion protruding outward from the front wall 40 and a rear portion positioned on the rear side of the front wall 40. The base end of the cylindrical wall 46 (the end on the upstream side in the insertion direction 56, which is an example of the first end) is connected to the base end wall 45, and the tip (the end on the downstream side in the insertion direction 56) An example of the second end is opened. The inner surface of the cylindrical wall 46 continuously extends in a cross section orthogonal to the insertion direction 56, that is, has an annular shape. The annular shape is not limited to a circular shape, and may be an elliptical shape or a rectangular shape. The inner surface of the cylindrical wall 46 is an example of an annular side wall surface. The front surface of the base end wall 45 is an example of a base end wall surface. Therefore, the base end of the cylindrical wall 46 as an example of the first end refers to the upstream end of the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 46 in the insertion direction 56. Further, the tip of the cylindrical wall 46 as an example of the second end refers to the downstream end of the insertion direction 56 of the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 46.

  The first gas flow path 60 is a flow path for allowing gas to flow between the valve chamber 47 and the outside of the ink cartridge 30. That is, the first gas flow path 60 allows the valve chamber 47 to communicate with the atmosphere. The first gas channel 60 includes a groove 60A that extends in the height direction 52 on the right end surface of the front wall 40, and a groove 60B that extends in the depth direction 53 on the right end surface of the upper wall 39 from the upper end of the groove 60A. Further, the lower end of the groove 60 </ b> A communicates with the valve chamber 47 through the opening 61 (an example of the first opening, see FIG. 5) provided on the inner surface (that is, the side wall surface) of the cylindrical wall 46. Has been. Further, the rear end of the groove 60 </ b> B communicates with the outside of the ink cartridge 30 through the opening 62 provided on the right end surface of the upper wall 39.

  The second gas flow path 63 is a flow path for allowing a gas to flow between the valve chamber 47 and the ink chamber 36. The second gas channel 63 is a groove extending in the height direction 52 on the right end surface of the front wall 40. The lower end of the second gas flow path 63 communicates with the valve chamber 47 through an opening 64 (an example of the second opening, see FIG. 5) provided on the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 46. Further, the upper end of the second gas channel 63 communicates with the ink chamber 36 through an opening 65 provided on the rear surface of the front wall 40 (the surface on the ink chamber 36 side). As shown in FIG. 5, the opening 64 is located closer to the proximal end side of the cylindrical wall 46 than the opening 61. The opening 65 is located above the liquid level of the ink stored in the ink chamber 36 of the unused ink cartridge 30.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the first gas channel 60 and the second gas channel 63 are hermetically sealed by a film 43 that forms the right wall 37 of the ink cartridge 30. The opening 62 is sealed with the semipermeable membrane 44. That is, the film 43 is cut out at a position corresponding to the opening 62. The semipermeable membrane 44 is a porous membrane having fine pores that block the passage of ink and allow the passage of gas. For example, polytetrafluoroethylene, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene It consists of fluororesins, such as a copolymer, a tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer, and a tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the first liquid channel 66 is a channel through which ink flows between the valve chamber 47 and the ink chamber 36. The first liquid channel 66 in the present embodiment is a through-hole that penetrates the base end wall 45 in the thickness direction (that is, the depth direction 53 or the insertion and extraction direction 50). The first liquid channel 66 communicates with the valve chamber 47 through an opening 67 (an example of a third opening) provided on the front surface (surface on the valve chamber 47 side) of the base end wall 45. That is, the opening 67 is located closer to the base end side of the cylindrical wall 46 than the openings 61 and 64. Further, the first liquid channel 66 is communicated with the ink chamber 36 through an opening 68 provided on the rear surface (surface on the ink chamber 36 side) of the base end wall 45.

  The sealing member 70 includes a cylindrical cylindrical portion 71, and a flange-shaped first sealing portion 72 and a second sealing portion 73 that protrude radially outward from the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 71. The sealing member 70 is formed of an elastic material such as rubber, for example. The first sealing portion 72 and the second sealing portion 73 are provided apart from each other in the depth direction 53. Specifically, the first sealing portion 72 is disposed closer to the proximal end side of the cylindrical wall 46 than the second sealing portion 73. In other words, the second sealing portion 73 is disposed closer to the distal end side of the cylindrical wall 46 than the first sealing portion 72. The sealing member 70 moves in the depth direction 53 in the valve chamber 47. The 1st sealing part 72 and the 2nd sealing part 73 slide with respect to the inner surface of the cylinder wall 46, when the sealing member 70 moves.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the first sealing portion 72 and the second sealing portion 73 are in airtight contact with the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 46 over the entire area in the circumferential direction. In a state where the sealing member 70 is not inserted into the valve chamber 47, the outer diameter size of the first sealing portion 72 and the second sealing portion 73 is larger than the inner diameter size of the cylindrical wall 46. That is, the first sealing portion 72 and the second sealing portion 73 that are in close contact with the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 46 are elastically deformed in a direction that reduces the outer diameter. As a result, the space on the proximal end side of the valve chamber 47 and the space on the distal end side of the valve chamber 47 are blocked off outside the sealing member 70.

  The sealing member 70 is provided with a through hole 74 that penetrates in the depth direction 53. The space on the proximal end side of the valve chamber 47 and the space on the distal end side of the valve chamber 47 are communicated with each other through the through hole 74. The flow path from the opening 67 to the tip of the cylindrical wall 46 through the through hole 74 constitutes a second liquid flow path 69 through which ink flows in the valve chamber 47. Further, the sealing member 70 includes a small diameter portion 70A (an example of a first portion) and a large diameter portion 70B (an example of a second portion). The inner diameter of the small diameter portion 70A (the diameter of the through hole 74 in the small diameter portion 70A) is smaller than the inner diameter of the large diameter portion 70B (the diameter of the through hole 74 in the large diameter portion 70B). In the depth direction 53, the length of the small diameter portion 70 </ b> A is shorter than the separation distance between the first sealing portion 72 and the second sealing portion 73. The sealing member 70 is disposed in the valve chamber 47 with the small diameter portion 70 </ b> A facing the proximal end side of the cylindrical wall 46 and the large diameter portion 70 </ b> B facing the distal end side of the cylindrical wall 46.

  The reinforcing member 76 includes a cylindrical cylindrical portion 77 and a flange portion 78 that protrudes radially outward from the end portion of the cylindrical portion 77. The reinforcing member 76 is formed of a material (for example, a resin material) that is higher in rigidity than the sealing member 70. The reinforcing member 76 is disposed in the valve chamber 47 with the cylindrical portion 77 facing the proximal end side of the cylindrical wall 46 and the flange portion 78 facing the distal end side of the cylindrical wall 46. The reinforcing member 76 moves integrally with the sealing member 70 in the depth direction 53 in the valve chamber 47.

  The outer diameter size of the cylindrical portion 77 substantially matches the inner diameter size of the cylindrical portion 71 in the large diameter portion 70B. The cylindrical portion 77 is in close contact with the inner surface of the large diameter portion 70 </ b> B that defines the through hole 74. The outer diameter dimension of the flange portion 78 is larger than the inner diameter dimension of the cylindrical portion 71 of the sealing member 70. The flange portion 78 is brought into contact with the end surface of the sealing member 70 facing the distal end side of the cylindrical wall 46. The reinforcing member 76 is formed with a through hole 79 that penetrates the cylindrical portion 77 and the flange portion 78 in the depth direction 53. The diameter of the through hole 79 is larger than the diameter of the through hole 74 in the small diameter portion 70A. By inserting the reinforcing member 76 into the sealing member 70, the through holes 74 and 79 are communicated.

  The valve 80 includes a disc-shaped contact portion 81 and a restriction portion 82 that projects from one surface (rear surface) of the contact portion 81. The valve 80 is made of, for example, a resin material. The valve 80 is disposed in the valve chamber 47 with the contact portion 81 facing the distal end side of the cylindrical wall 46 and the regulating portion 82 facing the proximal end side of the cylindrical wall 46. The valve 80 moves in the depth direction 53 in the valve chamber 47. The abutting portion 81 contacts and separates from the peripheral edge portion of the opening of the through hole 74 on the small diameter portion 70A side (that is, the opening facing the base end wall 45). The restricting portion 82 is inserted into the coil spring 83 to restrict the positional deviation between the valve 80 and the coil spring 83. The valve 80 has a closed position (see FIGS. 5A and 5D) in which the front surface of the contact portion 81 is in liquid-tight contact with the peripheral edge of the opening of the small diameter portion 70A to close the through hole 74. Further, it is configured to be movable in the depth direction 53 with respect to the sealing member 70 between an open position (see FIGS. 5B and 5C) that is spaced apart from the small diameter portion 70A and opens the through hole 74. Has been.

  The coil spring 83 is disposed between the proximal end wall 45 and the valve 80. Specifically, the coil spring 83 has one end in contact with the front surface of the base end wall 45 and the other end in contact with the rear surface of the contact portion 81 at a position surrounding the restriction portion 82. The coil spring 83 urges the valve 80 toward the distal end side of the cylindrical wall 46. However, instead of the coil spring 83, another urging member such as a leaf spring may be used. The biasing force of the coil spring 83 is smaller than the frictional force between the first sealing portion 72 and the second sealing portion 73 and the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 46.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the cap 84 protrudes from a disk-shaped lid 85 and a wall surface on one side in the thickness direction of the lid 85 (that is, the depth direction 53 or the insertion and removal direction 50). The cylindrical portion 86 is configured to include an engaging portion 87 that protrudes from the protruding end of the cylindrical portion 86 in the direction opposite to the lid portion 85. The cap 84 is made of, for example, a resin material. The cylindrical portion 86 covers a part of the outer surface of the cylindrical wall 46 as shown in FIG. The engaging portion 87 is engaged with an engaged portion 40A (see FIG. 2) provided on the front wall 40. In addition, a through-hole 88 that penetrates the center portion in the thickness direction is formed in the lid portion 85. The diameter of the through hole 88 is smaller than the outer diameter of the flange portion 78 of the reinforcing member 76. The cylindrical portion 86 is provided at a position surrounding the through hole 88.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the ink needle 102 includes a thick tube portion 102 </ b> A protruding from the back surface of the case 101 in the removal direction 55, and a thin tube protruding in the removal direction 55 from the tip of the thick tube portion 102 </ b> A. Part 102B. The outer diameter of the thin tube portion 102B is smaller than the outer diameter of the thick tube portion 102A. As shown in FIG. 5, the outer diameter of the thick tube portion 102 </ b> A is smaller than the diameter of the through hole 88 of the cap 84 and larger than the diameter of the through hole 79 of the reinforcing member 76. That is, the distal end of the thick tube portion 102 </ b> A contacts the flange portion 78 of the reinforcing member 76. The outer diameter of the thin tube portion 102B is smaller than the diameter of the through hole 88 of the cap 84 and the diameter of the through hole 79 of the reinforcing member 76, and slightly larger than the inner diameter of the small diameter portion 70A. That is, the thin tube portion 102B enters the inside of the sealing member 70 through the through holes 88 and 79 and is press-fitted into the small diameter portion 70A. More specifically, the narrow tube portion 102 </ b> B contacts the peripheral wall surface of the small diameter portion 70 </ b> A that defines the through hole 74, elastically deforms the peripheral wall surface in the radial direction, and the tip thereof contacts the front surface of the valve 80. .

  Next, the movement of the sealing member 70 and the valve 80 in the process of mounting the ink cartridge 30 to the cartridge mounting part 110 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5A shows a state in the valve chamber 47 before the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 110. FIG. 5B shows a state in the valve chamber 47 during the mounting of the ink cartridge 30 to the cartridge mounting portion 110 (the ink needle 102 is inserted partway). FIG. 5C shows a state in the valve chamber 47 when the ink cartridge 30 is completely attached to the cartridge attachment portion 110 (a state where ink can flow out from the ink cartridge 30). FIG. 5D shows a state in the valve chamber 47 after the ink cartridge 30 is removed from the cartridge mounting portion 110.

  In the state shown in FIG. 5A, the sealing member 70 is located at the first position. The valve 80 is located at the closed position by the biasing force of the coil spring 83. That is, the second liquid channel 69 indicated by the arrow in FIG. 5A is closed at the position of the opening on the small diameter portion 70 </ b> A side of the through hole 74. The position of the sealing member 70 shown in FIG. 5A is an example of the first position. Further, the front surface of the flange portion 78 of the reinforcing member 76 is in contact with the rear surface of the lid portion 85 of the cap 84. As a result, the sealing member 70 is prevented from moving from the position shown in FIG.

  Further, the first sealing portion 72 is located between the openings 61 and 64. Specifically, the first sealing portion 72 is disposed on the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 46 over the entire circumference in the circumferential direction on the proximal end side of the cylindrical wall 46 from the opening 61 and on the distal end side of the cylindrical wall 46 from the opening 64. Adhering tightly. Thereby, the communication between the first gas channel 60 and the second gas channel 63 is blocked. Note that the first sealing portion 72 may overlap a part of the openings 61 and 64 as long as the communication between the first gas channel 60 and the second gas channel 63 is blocked. Further, the second sealing portion 73 is in airtight contact with the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 46 over the entire region in the circumferential direction on the distal end side of the cylindrical wall 46 from the opening 61. Thereby, the communication between the first gas flow path 60 and the tip of the opened cylindrical wall 46 is blocked. The second sealing portion 73 may overlap a part of the opening 61 as long as the communication between the first gas flow path 60 and the tip opening of the cylindrical wall 46 is blocked.

  Next, in the state shown in FIG. 5B, the thin tube portion 102B of the ink needle 102 enters the sealing member 70 through the through holes 88 and 79, passes through the small diameter portion 70A, and connects the valve 80 to the cylindrical wall. 46 to the base end side. The valve 80 pressed against the tip of the thin tube portion 102B moves from the closed position to the open position with respect to the sealing member 70 at the first position against the biasing force of the coil spring 83. As a result, the second liquid channel 69 is opened. As a result, the ink in the ink chamber 36 can flow out of the ink cartridge 30 through the first liquid channel 66, the second liquid channel 69, and the ink needle 102. On the other hand, the thick tube portion 102 </ b> A of the ink needle 102 is separated from the flange portion 78 of the reinforcing member 76.

  The thin tube portion 102B is press-fitted into the small diameter portion 70A. That is, the small diameter portion 70A that has entered the narrow tube portion 102B is elastically deformed in the direction of expanding the diameter. As a result, the outer surface of the thin tube portion 102B and the inner surface of the small diameter portion 70A are in close contact with each other in a liquid-tight manner. However, in the present embodiment, the sealing member 70 is not moved in the depth direction 53 due to the frictional force between the outer surface of the narrow tube portion 102B and the inner surface of the small diameter portion 70A. That is, the frictional force between the outer surface of the thin tube portion 102B and the inner surface of the small diameter portion 70A is smaller than the frictional force between the first sealing portion 72 and the second sealing portion 73 and the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 46.

  Next, in the state shown in FIG. 5C, the distal end of the thick tube portion 102 </ b> A of the ink needle 102 presses the flange portion 78 of the reinforcing member 76 toward the proximal end side of the cylindrical wall 46. The sealing member 70 and the reinforcing member 76 pressed against the distal end of the thick tube portion 102 </ b> A are cylindrical against the friction force between the first sealing portion 72 and the second sealing portion 73 and the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 46. Move to the base end side of the wall 46. Further, the distal end of the narrow tube portion 102B further presses the valve 80 toward the proximal end side of the cylindrical wall 46. The valve 80 pressed against the distal end of the thin tube portion 102 </ b> B moves to the proximal end side of the cylindrical wall 46 together with the sealing member 70 against the urging force of the coil spring 83. As a result, the valve 80 shown in FIG. 5C is located in the open position. The position of the sealing member 70 shown in FIG. 5C is an example of a second position on the proximal end side of the cylindrical wall 46 from the first position.

  Further, the first sealing portion 72 is located between the openings 64 and 67. Specifically, the first sealing portion 72 is in airtight contact with the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 46 on the proximal end side of the cylindrical wall 46 from the opening 64 and on the distal end side of the cylindrical wall 46 from the opening 67. As a result, the first gas channel 60 and the second gas channel 63 are communicated, and the communication between the second gas channel 63 and the first liquid channel 66 is blocked. As a result, the ink chamber 36 is communicated with the atmosphere through the first gas channel 60, the valve chamber 47, and the second gas channel 63. Further, the second sealing portion 73 is in airtight contact with the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 46 on the distal end side of the cylindrical wall 46 from the opening 61. Thereby, the communication between the first gas flow path 60 and the second gas flow path 63 and the tip opening of the cylindrical wall 46 is blocked.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 5D, when the ink needle 102 is removed from the valve chamber 47, the valve 80 is opened with respect to the sealing member 70 in the second position by the biasing force of the coil spring 83. Move from position to closed position. As a result, the second liquid channel 69 is closed at the position of the opening on the small diameter portion 70 </ b> A side of the through hole 74. On the other hand, since the coil spring 83 having a biasing force smaller than the friction force between the first sealing portion 72 and the second sealing portion 73 and the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 46 is employed, the sealing member 70 is interposed via the valve 80. Even when the biasing force from the coil spring 83 is received, the tube wall 46 does not move toward the distal end side. That is, the sealing member 70 remains in the second position.

[Operational effects of this embodiment]
By adopting the coil spring 83 with a small urging force as in the above embodiment, when the ink cartridge 30 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 110, the gas flow path and the liquid flow path are reliably opened with a small mounting load. be able to. In the state where the sealing member 70 is positioned at the second position, the openings 61 and 64 and the opening at the tip end of the cylindrical wall 46 are blocked by the second sealing portion 73, and the first gas flow channel 60. Is provided with the semipermeable membrane 44, it is possible to prevent the ink that has entered the valve chamber 47 through the second gas flow path 63 from leaking outside the ink cartridge 30.

  The attachment position of the semipermeable membrane 44 is not limited to the opening 62 and may be an arbitrary position on the path of the first gas flow path 60. In addition, by providing a labyrinth structure at an arbitrary position of the first gas flow path 60 from the opening 61 to the semipermeable membrane 44, it is possible to prevent the flow of gas from being obstructed by the ink adhering to the semipermeable membrane 44. can do.

  In the above embodiment, the cross section orthogonal to the depth direction 53 of the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 46, the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 71, and the outer surfaces of the first sealing portion 72 and the second sealing portion 73 is circular. Yes. Thereby, the contact | adhesion power with the 1st sealing part 72 and the 2nd sealing part 73 in the circumferential direction, and the inner surface of the cylinder wall 46 is equalized. As a result, the sealing performance of the first sealing portion 72 and the second sealing portion 73 is improved. However, the cross section is not limited to a circular shape, and may be an elliptical shape, a rectangular shape, or the like. Similarly, the cross-sectional shape of the outer surface of the cylindrical wall 46 and other components is not limited to a circular shape.

  Further, the first liquid channel 66 in the above embodiment is provided in the base end wall 45. As a result, the ink chamber 36 and the valve chamber 47 communicate with each other at the shortest distance. As a result, a simple and compact ink cartridge 30 can be obtained. However, the position of the first liquid channel 66 is not limited to the above position. For example, the opening 67 may be provided on the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 46 on the proximal end side of the cylindrical wall 46 with respect to the openings 61 and 64. That is, the opening 67 only needs to be provided on the front surface of the base wall 45 or the inner surface of the tube wall 46 on the base end side of the tube wall 46 with respect to the openings 61 and 64.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the sealing member 70 is externally fitted to the highly rigid reinforcing member 76 so that the first sealing portion 72 and the second sealing portion 73 are securely adhered to the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 46. Can be made. That is, the sealing performance of the first sealing portion 72 and the second sealing portion 73 is improved. Therefore, it is desirable that at least one of the first sealing portion 72 and the second sealing portion 73 is provided in the large diameter portion 70 </ b> B of the sealing member 70 reinforced by the reinforcing member 76. In addition, the 1st sealing part 72 and the 2nd sealing part 73 may be an O-ring etc. which fit in the circumferential groove provided in the cylindrical part 71, for example.

  Further, the openings 61 and 64 in the above embodiment are provided at the same position in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical wall 46 and separated in the depth direction 53. However, the positional relationship between the openings 61 and 64 is not limited to this. For example, the openings 61 and 64 may be provided at the same position in the depth direction 53 and at positions separated in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical wall 46. Further, it may be provided at a position separated in the depth direction 53 and the circumferential direction of the cylindrical wall 46. In this case, if the first sealing portion 72 can block between the openings 61 and 64 when the sealing member 70 is located at the first position (that is, if the first sealing portion 72 is an annular shape that goes around the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 71). ), Any shape is acceptable.

  For example, the first sealing portion 72 may make one round of the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 71 along a plane that intersects (in the above embodiment, orthogonal) in the depth direction 53. That is, the tangent line of the cylindrical portion 71 on the plane intersects the depth direction 53. Moreover, the 1st sealing part 84 does not need to be provided along the single plane, and may meander or bend in the middle. In this case, a part of the first sealing portion 72 may extend along the depth direction 53. The same applies to the second sealing portion 73.

  Further, the position of the valve chamber 47 is not limited to the example of the above embodiment. For example, the cylindrical wall 46 may protrude from the front surface of the front wall 40. In this case, the base wall 45 also serves as the front wall 40. Or the inside of the through-hole which penetrates the front wall 40 in the thickness direction (namely, the depth direction 53 or the insertion and extraction direction 50) is good also as the valve chamber 47. FIG. In this case, the inner surface of the front wall 40 that defines the through hole is a side wall surface, and the cylindrical wall 46 is omitted.

  In the above embodiment, the ink is described as an example of the liquid, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, instead of ink, pretreatment liquid discharged onto the recording paper prior to ink at the time of printing, water sprayed in the vicinity of the nozzle 29 of the recording head 21 in order to prevent the nozzle 29 of the recording head 21 from drying, etc. May be a liquid.

  Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the insertion and removal directions 50 of the ink cartridge 30 with respect to the cartridge mounting portion 110 are horizontal, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the insertion and removal direction 50 may be a direction that intersects the horizontal direction.

30 ... Ink cartridge 36 ... Ink chamber 44 ... Semipermeable membrane 45 ... Base end wall 46 ... Tube wall 47 ... Valve chamber 48 ... Second tube wall 60 ... First gas channel 61, 64, 67 ... Opening 63 ... Second gas channel 66 ... First liquid channel 69 ... Second liquid channel 70 ... Sealing member 72- First seal 73 ... Second seal 74 ... Through hole 75 ... First cylinder wall 76 ... Reinforcement member 78 ... Flange 80 ... Valve 83 ...・ Coil spring

Claims (7)

A liquid cartridge in which liquid is stored;
A liquid extraction tube for allowing liquid to flow out of the liquid cartridge;
A liquid consuming unit that consumes the liquid that has flowed out of the liquid cartridge through the liquid extraction pipe, and
The liquid cartridge is
A liquid storage chamber in which liquid is stored;
A section extending in the first direction toward the outside and orthogonal to the first direction is defined by an annular side wall surface and a base wall surface provided at the first end of the side wall surface on the upstream side in the first direction. A valve chamber in which a second end of the side wall surface on the downstream side in the first direction is opened;
A sealing member which is disposed in the valve chamber so as to be movable in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and in which a through-hole penetrating in the first direction is formed;
A first sealing portion that is annularly provided on the outer surface of the sealing member and is in close contact with the side wall surface; a second sealing portion that is positioned on the second end side from the first sealing portion;
A valve that is movable between a closed position that closes the through-hole in close contact with the peripheral edge of the through-hole, and an open position that is spaced apart from the peripheral edge in the second direction to open the through-hole
The valve chamber is disposed between the base end wall surface and the valve, and has a biasing force smaller than a frictional force between the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion and the side wall surface, and A biasing member that biases the valve in the first direction;
A first gas flow path for communicating the valve chamber with the atmosphere through a first opening provided in the side wall surface;
A second gas flow path for allowing gas to flow between the valve chamber and the liquid storage chamber through a second opening provided in the side wall surface;
A liquid is circulated between the valve chamber and the liquid storage chamber through a third opening provided on the side wall surface or the base end wall surface on the first end side from the first opening and the second opening. One liquid flow path;
A second liquid channel from the third opening to the second end through the through hole;
A semipermeable membrane that is provided in the first gas flow path and blocks liquid flow and allows gas flow;
The sealing member is
In the first position, the first sealing portion is positioned between the first opening and the second opening, and the second sealing portion is located closer to the second end than the first opening and the second opening. Position
In the second position closer to the first end than the first position, the first sealing portion is positioned between the first opening and the second opening and the third opening, and the first opening and the The second sealing portion is positioned on the second end side from the second opening,
The liquid extraction tube is
A thick tube portion projecting in the second direction, and a thin tube portion narrower than the thick tube portion and projecting in the second direction from the tip of the thick tube portion,
The valve body is moved from the closed position to the open position with respect to the sealing member at the first position by pressing the valve with the tip of the thin tube portion that has entered the through-hole through the second end. Let
A liquid consuming apparatus that moves the sealing member together with the valve body from the first position to the second position by pressing the sealing member at a tip of the thick tube portion. The first opening and the second opening are spaced apart in the first direction,
The sealing member is
A first portion in which the wall surface defining the through hole is in close contact with the outer surface of the thin tube portion, and the entire circumference;
A wall portion defining the through hole includes a second portion spaced from the outer surface of the narrow tube portion, and
2. The liquid consuming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a length of the first portion in the first direction is shorter than a separation distance between the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion in the first direction. In the second part of the sealing member, a cylindrical reinforcing member that is in close contact with the wall surface that defines the through hole is provided,
The liquid consuming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion is provided in the second portion of the sealing member.   4. The liquid consuming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the reinforcing member has a flange portion that protrudes from the end portion on the second end side toward the side wall surface and abuts against a tip end of the thick tube portion. The first portion is provided on the first end side,
The liquid consuming device according to claim 2, wherein the second portion is provided on the second end side. The cross section orthogonal to the first direction of the side wall surface and the outer surface of the sealing member is circular,
6. The liquid consuming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion have a flange shape protruding radially outward from an outer surface of the sealing member. A liquid storage chamber in which liquid is stored;
A section extending in the first direction toward the outside and orthogonal to the first direction is defined by an annular side wall surface and a base wall surface provided at the first end of the side wall surface on the upstream side in the first direction. A valve chamber in which a second end of the side wall surface on the downstream side in the first direction is opened;
A sealing member which is disposed in the valve chamber so as to be movable in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and in which a through-hole penetrating in the first direction is formed;
A first sealing portion that is annularly provided on the outer surface of the sealing member and is in close contact with the side wall surface; a second sealing portion that is positioned on the second end side from the first sealing portion;
A valve that is movable between a closed position that closes the through-hole in close contact with the peripheral edge of the through-hole, and an open position that is spaced apart from the peripheral edge in the second direction and opens the through-hole;
The valve chamber is disposed between the base end wall surface and the valve, and has a biasing force smaller than a frictional force between the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion and the side wall surface, and A biasing member that biases the valve in the first direction;
A first gas flow path for communicating the valve chamber with the atmosphere through a first opening provided in the side wall surface;
A second gas flow path for allowing gas to flow between the valve chamber and the liquid storage chamber through a second opening provided in the side wall surface;
A liquid is circulated between the valve chamber and the liquid storage chamber through a third opening provided on the side wall surface or the base end wall surface on the first end side from the first opening and the second opening. One liquid flow path;
A second liquid channel from the third opening to the second end through the through hole;
A semipermeable membrane that is provided in the first gas flow path and blocks liquid flow and allows gas flow;
The sealing member is
In the first position, the first sealing portion is positioned between the first opening and the second opening, and the second sealing portion is located closer to the second end than the first opening and the second opening. Position
In the second position closer to the first end than the first position, the first sealing portion is positioned between the first opening and the second opening and the third opening, and the first opening and the A liquid cartridge that positions the second sealing portion closer to the second end than the second opening.

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