Liquid supply unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11141985-B2
Application number	US-201916712616-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2019
Priority date	Dec 28, 2015
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid ejection system comprising:
a liquid ejection apparatus comprising:
a first apparatus-side engagement structure including a first apparatus-side engagement portion; and
a second apparatus-side engagement structure including a second apparatus-side engagement portion, the first apparatus-side engagement structure and the second apparatus-side engagement structure each being formed by a polygonal protrusion; and

an ink cartridge that is configured to be mounted into the liquid ejection apparatus, the ink cartridge comprising:
an outer shell;
a liquid supply port;
a first cartridge-side engagement structure including first cartridge-side receiving portions and a first cartridge-side engagement portion disposed between the first cartridge-side receiving portions, the first cartridge-side engagement portion being a first step that is configured to engage with the first apparatus-side engagement portion; and
a second cartridge-side engagement structure including second cartridge-side receiving portions and a second cartridge-side engagement portion disposed between the second cartridge-side receiving portions, the second cartridge-side engagement portion being a second step that is configured to engage with the second apparatus-side engagement portion, wherein:

the shape of the first cartridge-side engagement structure is the same as the shape of the second cartridge-side engagement structure;
the first cartridge-side engagement portion and the second cartridge-side engagement portion sandwich the liquid supply port;
a movement of the ink cartridge in a demounting direction opposite to a mounting direction is restricted by engaging the polygonal protrusion of the first apparatus-side engagement portion with the first step included in the first cartridge-side engagement structure, and by engaging the polygonal protrusion of the second apparatus-side engagement portion with second step included in the second cartridge-side engagement structure; and
the first cartridge-side engagement portion is located higher than the liquid supply port in the demounting direction and the second cartridge-side engagement portion is located higher than the liquid supply port in the demounting direction.

2. The liquid ejection system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first apparatus-side engagement portion and the second apparatus-side engagement portion further include an apparatus-side engagement surface facing the mounting direction, respectively;
the first cartridge-side engagement portion and the second cartridge-side engagement portion further include a cartridge-side engagement surface facing the demounting direction, respectively; and
the first cartridge-side engagement portion is configured to engage with the first apparatus-side engagement portion and the second cartridge-side engagement portion is configured to engage with the second apparatus-side engagement portion by contacting between each of the cartridge-side engagement surface of the first cartridge-side engagement portion and the second cartridge-side engagement portion and contacting between each of the apparatus-side engagement surface of the first cartridge-side engagement portion and the second cartridge-side engagement portion.

3. The liquid ejection system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first cartridge-side engagement structure and the second cartridge-side engagement structure further include a cartridge-side guiding surface that is formed along the mounting direction, respectively; and
the first apparatus-side engagement structure and the second apparatus-side engagement structure further include an apparatus-side guiding surface that is configured to contact with each of the cartridge-side guiding surface of the first cartridge-side engagement structure and the second cartridge-side engagement structure in a process of mounting the ink cartridge into the liquid ejection apparatus, respectively.

4. The liquid ejection system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the liquid ejection apparatus further comprises an apparatus-side operation unit that is configured to move the first apparatus-side engagement portion and the second apparatus-side engagement portion; and
the first cartridge-side engagement portion and the second cartridge-side engagement portion are released from an engagement with the first apparatus-side engagement portion and the second apparatus-side engagement portion as a result of the apparatus-side operation unit operated.

5. The liquid ejection system according to claim 1 , wherein the first cartridge-side engagement structure and the second cartridge-side engagement structure are polygonal.

6. The liquid ejection system according to claim 1 , wherein the first cartridge-side engagement portion and the second cartridge-side engagement portion are arranged further inward than an outer surface of the outer shell.

7. An ink cartridge that is configured to be mounted into a liquid ejection apparatus that comprises a first apparatus-side engagement structure including a first apparatus-side engagement portion and a second apparatus-side engagement structure including a second apparatus-side engagement portion, the ink cartridge comprising:
an outer shell;
a liquid supply port;
a first cartridge-side engagement structure including first cartridge-side receiving portions and a first cartridge-side engagement portion disposed between the first cartridge-side receiving portions, the first cartridge-side engagement portion being a first step that is configured to engage with the first apparatus-side engagement portion; and
a second cartridge-side engagement structure including second cartridge-side receiving portions and a second cartridge-side engagement portion disposed between the second cartridge-side receiving portions, the second cartridge-side engagement portion being a second step that is configured to engage with the second apparatus-side engagement portion, the first apparatus-side engagement structure and the second apparatus-side engagement structure each being formed by a polygonal protrusion, wherein:
the shape of the first cartridge-side engagement structure is the same as the shape of the second cartridge-side engagement structure;
the first cartridge-side engagement portion and the second cartridge-side engagement portion sandwich the liquid supply port;
a movement in a demounting direction opposite to a mounting direction is restricted by the polygonal protrusion of the first apparatus-side engagement portion with the first step included in the first cartridge-side engagement structure, and by engaging the polygonal protrusion of the second apparatus-side engagement portion with second step included in the second cartridge-side engagement structure; and
the first cartridge-side engagement portion is located higher than the liquid supply port in the demounting direction and the second cartridge-side engagement portion is located higher than the liquid supply port in the demounting direction.

8. The ink cartridge according to claim 7 , wherein:
the first cartridge-side engagement portion and the second cartridge-side engagement portion further include a cartridge-side engagement surface facing the demounting direction, respectively; and
the first cartridge-side engagement portion is configured to engage with the first apparatus-side engagement portion and the second cartridge-side engagement portion is configured to engage with the second apparatus-side engagement portion by contacting between each of the cartridge-side engagement surface of the first cartridge-side engagement portion and the second cartridge-side engagement portion and contacting between each of an apparatus-side engagement surface of the first cartridge

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Ishizawa Taku
• Shinada Satoshi
• Shimizu Yoshiaki
• FUKASAWA Noriyuki

Classifications

• B41J2/14

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

• B41J2002/17516

  comprising a collapsible ink holder, e.g. a flexible bag · CPC title

• B41J2/13

  for inclination of printed pattern · CPC title

• B41J2/01

  Ink jet · CPC title

• B41J2/17523

  Ink connection · CPC title