Liquid ejecting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10005288-B2
Application number	US-201715677725-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2017
Priority date	Nov 12, 2001
Publication date	Jun 26, 2018
Grant date	Jun 26, 2018

Abstract

Provided is a liquid injecting apparatus equipped with a liquid injecting head, which is mounted on a carriage and moved reciprocally in a widthwise direction of a target, and a valve unit, which is mounted on the carriage to be supplied with liquid via a supply passage from a liquid retainer and to supply liquid to the liquid injecting head. The valve unit has a pressure chamber connected to the liquid retainer via the supply passage; a valve, which opens or closes the supply passage to supply liquid to the pressure chamber; and a flexible film member, which is displaced based on a negative pressure generated as liquid in the pressure chamber decreases to thereby operate the valve.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A valve unit including an inlet through which fluid flows in and an outlet through which the fluid flows out, the valve unit comprising:
a container body;
a pressure chamber partially formed by the container body, the pressure chamber including a flexible part formed by a flexible member; and
a valve configured to open and close a passage which communicates the pressure chamber and the inlet,
wherein the pressure chamber has a plurality of protrusions provided so as to surround an opening of the passage, which is located adjacent to the pressure chamber.

2. The valve unit according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protrusions form flow paths, each of which is located between adjacent pair of the protrusions.

3. The valve unit according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protrusions are composed of four protrusions.

4. The valve unit according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protrusions form an arc-shape.

5. The valve unit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the valve includes a rod portion inserted in the passage, and
wherein the plurality of protrusions are provided so as to surround the rod portion.

6. The valve unit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plate member disposed adjacent to the flexible member, wherein the plurality of protrusions are formed at positions facing the plate member in the pressure chamber.

7. A valve unit including an inlet through which fluid flows in and an outlet through which the fluid flows out, the valve unit comprising:
a container body;
a pressure chamber partially formed by the container body, the pressure chamber including a flexible part formed by a flexible member;
a valve configured to open and close a passage which communicates the pressure chamber and the inlet; and
a plate member disposed adjacent to the flexible member,
wherein the pressure chamber has a plurality of protrusions at positions facing the plate member.

8. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
a liquid ejecting head for ejecting liquid;
a liquid supply passage for supplying the liquid contained in a liquid containing portion to the liquid ejecting head; and
a valve unit provided in the liquid supply passage,
wherein the valve unit comprises:
a container body;
a pressure chamber partially formed by the container body, the pressure chamber including a flexible part formed by a flexible member; and
a valve configured to open and close a passage which communicates the pressure chamber and the liquid containing portion,
wherein the pressure chamber has a plurality of protrusions provided so as to surround an opening of the passage, which is located adjacent to the pressure chamber.

9. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 8 ,
wherein the plurality of protrusions form flow paths, each of which is located between adjacent pair of protrusions.

10. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 8 ,
wherein the plurality of protrusions are composed of four protrusions.

11. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 8 ,
wherein the plurality of protrusions form an arc-shape.

12. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 8 ,
wherein the valve includes a rod portion inserted in the passage, and
wherein the plurality of protrusions are provided so as to surround the rod portion.

13. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a plate member disposed adjacent to the flexible member, wherein the plurality of protrusions are formed at positions facing the plate member in the pressure chamber.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Aruga Yoshiharu
• Kumagai Toshio
• Matsumoto Hitoshi

Classifications

• B41J2/17523

  Ink connection · CPC title

• B41J2/17556

  Means for regulating the pressure in the cartridge · CPC title

• B41J2/17509

  Whilst mounted in the printer · CPC title

• B41J2/14

  Structure thereof {only for on-demand ink jet heads} · CPC title

• B41J2/17506

  Refilling of the cartridge · CPC title