Seiko Epson Corporation

Seiko Epson Corporaition

Yoshiaki Shimizu

Taku Ishizawa

Tadahiro Mizutani

Noriyuki Fukasawa

Akihiro Toya

Hiroyuki Kawate

Yuki Takeda

Takumi Nagashima

Satoshi Shinada

Shuichi Koganehira

Ryoichi Tanaka

Koichi Toba

Masaru Takahashi

Manabu Akahane

Tadashi Watanabe

Hiroyoshi Ozeki

Manabu Yamaguchi

Mikinori Sawai

Atsushi Kobayashi

Hidetoshi Kodama

Shun Oya

Hitoshi Hayakawa

Tetsuya Takamoto

Norihiro Maruyama

Toshio Kumagai

Takeo Seino

Hidenori Usuda

Yuji Aoki

Nobuhito Takahashi

Takeshi Iwamuro

Naoki Naito

Tomoyuki Higuchi

Takaaki Ishikawa

Koji Harada

Shinji Hirata

A liquid container includes a storage portion configured to store the liquid and a connection member. The connection member is provided with a liquid outlet which is inserted with a liquid introduction portion, a container-side electrical connector which makes electrical contact with an apparatus-side electrical connection unit while receive at least +Z direction force from the apparatus-side electrical connection unit, a first receiver configured to receive a first positioning portion, a second receiver configured to receive a second positioning portion, and a recess which houses a protrusion of the case. The recess and the container-side electrical connector are formed at positions which at least partially overlap each other when viewed from a Z direction in a mounting state. In the mounting state, the width of the liquid container in the Z directions is larger than the width in the Y directions and the width in the X directions.

Liquid container and liquid ejection system

Convenience of an ink bottle and a bottle set is improved. An ink bottle includes: a container portion that contains ink; a guiding portion that is formed in one end portion of the container portion, and includes an outflow port from which the ink in the container portion flow out; and a cover that covers at least an end portion of the container portion on the opposite side of the guiding portion.

Ink bottle and bottle set

There is provided a technology which can improve the mounting posture of a liquid ejection apparatus when mounted to a liquid container. The liquid container is flexible and includes a storage portion configured to store the liquid and a connection member. The connection member is provided with a liquid outlet which is inserted with a liquid introduction portion, a container-side electrical connector which makes electrical contact with an apparatus-side electrical connection unit while receive at least +Z direction force from the apparatus-side electrical connection unit, a first receiver configured to receive a first positioning portion, a second receiver configured to receive a second positioning portion, and a recess which houses a protrusion of the case. The recess and the container-side electrical connector are formed at positions which at least partially overlap each other when viewed from a Z direction in a mounting state. In the mounting state, the width of the liquid container in the Z directions is larger than the width in the Y directions and the width in the X directions.

Packaging container

An ink container includes: a container body that contains ink; and an ink outlet forming portion that has an ink outlet. The container body includes a first connection portion provided around an opening. The ink outlet forming portion includes a second connection portion connectable to the first connection portion. The first connection portion includes a first screw forming portion provided on an outer surface. The second connection portion includes a second screw forming portion provided on an inner surface and configured to be brought into thread engagement with the first screw forming portion. The container body and the ink outlet forming portion include a stopper located inside an outer circumference of the second connection portion in a radial direction, the center of which is a center axis of the first connection portion and the second connection portion.

Ink container

A liquid supply unit includes an outer shell, a liquid supply portion that is arranged in the outer shell and can supply a liquid to the liquid ejection apparatus, and an engaged structure including an engaged portion that can engage with the engagement portion of the liquid ejection apparatus, and a first opening that is formed in the outer shell and through which the engagement structure can be inserted. The engaged portion is arranged further inward than an outer surface of the outer shell.

Liquid supply unit

There is provided a technique of improving the mounting position of a liquid container relative to a liquid ejection device. The liquid container configured to be mountable to and dismountable from a case of the liquid ejection device includes a bag-like member that has flexibility and that includes a containing portion provided to contain a liquid inside thereof; and connection member that is located at an end of the bag-like member. The connection member includes a liquid outlet configured such that a liquid introducing element of the liquid ejection device is inserted in the liquid outlet; a container-side electrical connecting structure configured such that a device-side electrical connecting structure of the liquid ejection device is connected with the container-side electrical connecting structure; and two guided elements configured such that at least respective parts of two guide elements of the case are fitted in the two guided elements in a state that the liquid container is placed in the case. In a mounting state that the liquid container is mounted to the liquid ejection device, the liquid outlet is located between the two guided elements, and the container-side electrical connecting structure is located between one of the two guided elements and the liquid outlet.

Liquid container

A tube support member that puts a tube connected to an ink jet head and an ink tank in a bent state is provided. Accordingly, when a pulling force acts between the bent support member and the tube, a component force acting as contact force occurs at the surface that makes contact with the tube, and a high degree of friction is generated in response to this component force. The tube is thus strongly supported in a state in which the tube does not shift with the dimensions of the tube changing. Meanwhile, when the pulling force is released, the component force is also eliminated, and the tube is freed; the dimensions of the tube return to normal, and the tension is eliminated.An ink jet recording apparatus that prints using an ink jet head that is housed in a carriage is provided. The apparatus includes an ink tank that is provided outside of the carriage and is capable of being refilled. The apparatus includes an ink tube that is connected to the ink jet head and the ink tank and that has various flow paths that are arranged in a horizontal direction on a downstream side in a medium conveying direction. The ink tube has curved portion that forms a turn shape upward from the ink tank toward the ink head when the carriage reciprocates.

Ink jet recording apparatus

A liquid supply unit includes an outer shell; a contact portion that is disposed in the outer shell and that is configured to electronically connect to the apparatus-side terminal by making contact with the apparatus-side terminal; a liquid supply port that is disposed on the outer shell and used for inserting the liquid introducing portion; and a receiving portion that extends in a protruding direction in which the guide member protrudes outward in a mounting state in which the liquid supply unit is mounted onto the liquid ejection apparatus, and that is configured to receive the guide member. At least a part of the receiving portion is located between the liquid supply port and the contact portion in a predetermined direction orthogonal to a direction in which the receiving portion extends.

A liquid container comprises a liquid supply port provided in a bottom wall, a first chamber configured to contain a liquid, a second chamber configured to contain the liquid and to include at least one sub-chamber having a smaller dimension in the X direction than that of the first chamber, a partition wall configured to part the first chamber from the second chamber, and a connecting hole configured to connect the first chamber with the second chamber. The second chamber is connected with the liquid supply port, and the first chamber is connected with the liquid supply port via the connecting hole and the second chamber. The liquid contained in the first chamber is flowed from the connecting hole into the second chamber and is subsequently introduced through the sub-chamber to the liquid supply port.

An object is to identify an abnormal mounted state of a liquid supply unit to a liquid ejection apparatus. There is provided a liquid supply unit configured to supply a liquid to a liquid ejection apparatus that comprises a first electrode assembly including a first electrode and a second electrode; an engagement structure; and a mounting structure which the liquid supply unit is mounted to. The liquid supply unit comprises a liquid supply portion; an engaged structure configured to be engaged with the engagement structure in a mounted state and thereby restrict a motion of the liquid supply unit in a first direction that is a direction of dismounting the liquid supply unit; and an electrically conductive portion provided in the engaged structure. The electrically conductive portion is configured to come into contact with the first electrode and the second electrode in an engaged state that the engaged structure is engaged with the engagement structure, so as to provide electrical continuity between the first electrode and the second electrode and cause the liquid ejection apparatus to detect mounting of the liquid supply unit to the liquid ejection apparatus.

Growing community of inventors

Matsumoto, Japan

Yoshiaki Shimizu