Valve unit and liquid ejecting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10293617-B2
Application number	US-201815980574-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2018
Priority date	Nov 12, 2001
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

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 comprising:
an inlet configured for a fluid to flow in the inlet;
an outlet configured for the fluid to flow out of the outlet;
a pressure chamber partially formed by a container body and a flexible member; and
a valve configured to open and close a passage which communicates the pressure chamber and the inlet,
wherein the container body includes a protrusion, and
wherein the protrusion and an opening of the passage are provided at positions facing the flexible member.

2. The valve unit according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is provided at a position closer to the passage than an outer edge of the flexible member.

3. The valve unit according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusion has one or more notches.

4. The valve unit according to claim 1 , wherein the valve is configured to move by displacement of the flexible member.

5. The valve unit according to claim 1 , further comprising a plate member disposed adjacent to the flexible member.

6. The valve unit according to claim 1 , wherein the valve includes a rod portion inserted in the passage, and
wherein the passage comprises:
a guide part configured to guide the rod portion; and
a passage part configured for the fluid to flow through the passage part.

7. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
a liquid ejecting head configured to eject liquid;
a liquid supply passage configured to supply 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 pressure chamber partially formed by a container body and a flexible member; and
a valve configured to open and close a passage which communicates the pressure chamber and the liquid supply passage,

wherein the container body includes a protrusion, and
wherein the protrusion and an opening of the passage are provided at positions facing the flexible member.

8. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the protrusion is provided at a position closer to the passage than an outer edge of the flexible member.

9. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the protrusion has one or more notches.

10. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the valve is configured to move by displacement of the flexible member.

11. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising a plate member disposed adjacent to the flexible member.

12. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the valve includes a rod portion inserted in the passage, and
wherein the passage comprises:
a guide part configured to guide the rod portion; and
a passage part configured for the liquid to flow through the passage part.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Aruga Yoshiharu
• Kumagai Toshio
• Matsumoto Hitoshi

Classifications

• B41J2/17509

  Whilst mounted in the printer · CPC title

• B41J2/17596 Primary

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• B41J2/17523

  Ink connection · CPC title

• B41J2/17506

  Refilling of the cartridge · CPC title

• B41J2/17556

  Means for regulating the pressure in the cartridge · CPC title