Liquid container and printing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12434480-B2
Application number	US-202318324095-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 25, 2023
Priority date	Jun 1, 2022
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

Provided is a liquid container attachable to a printing apparatus and configured to contain a liquid to be supplied to the printing apparatus, including: a container chamber configured to contain the liquid; a supply unit provided on a tip end side in a direction of attachment to be attached to the printing apparatus and configured to connect the container chamber to the printing apparatus; and a liquid holding unit provided to an inner peripheral surface of the supply unit and capable of holding the liquid by using a capillary force, the liquid leaking out in a case of attaching and detaching the liquid container to and from the printing apparatus, in which a length of the liquid holding unit in the direction of attachment of the liquid container is larger than a length of the liquid holding unit in a direction intersecting with the direction of attachment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid container attachable to a printing apparatus and configured to contain a liquid to be supplied to the printing apparatus, comprising:
a container chamber configured to contain the liquid; and
a flow passage unit which is configured to supply the liquid contained in the container chamber to the printing apparatus, wherein the flow passage unit is located on a tip end side of the liquid container in a direction of attachment to the printing apparatus,
wherein the flow passage unit includes:
a supply member which has a cylindrical shape and which comprises a first opening formed inside the container chamber and a second opening formed outside the container chamber for supplying the liquid;
a sealing member which has a through hole and is press-fitted between the first opening and the second opening inside the supply member;
a valve body configured to open and close the through hole, wherein the valve body is located between the first opening and the sealing member; and
a liquid holding unit disposed on an inner surface of the supply member between the sealing member and the second opening, and further disposed at least on a direction of gravity in a case where the liquid container is attached to the printing apparatus,
wherein an extension length of the liquid holding unit in a direction in which the liquid is supplied is larger than a thickness of the liquid holding unit in an inner diameter direction of the second opening.

2. The liquid container according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid holding unit is disposed around an entire circumference of the inner surface of the supply member between the sealing member and the second opening.

3. The liquid container according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid holding unit includes a fibrous body.

4. The liquid container according to claim 3 , wherein an amount of the liquid holdable with the fibrous body is substantially equal to or above 0.015 ml.

5. The liquid container according to claim 3 , wherein a volume of the fibrous body is substantially equal to above 24 mm3.

6. The liquid container according to claim 3 , wherein the capillary force of the liquid holding unit on a back side in the direction of attaching and detaching of the liquid container is set larger than the capillary force of the liquid holding unit on the tip end side in the direction of attaching and detaching.

7. The liquid container according to claim 3 , wherein
the liquid holding unit includes
a first region provided with a first fibrous body, and
a second region provided with a second fibrous body having a fibrous body density different from a fibrous body density of the first fibrous body.

8. The liquid container according to claim 7 , wherein
the first fibrous body has a higher density than the second fibrous body, and
the first fibrous body is provided on a base end side in the direction of attachment relative to the second fibrous body.

9. The liquid container according to claim 7 , wherein
fineness of the first fibrous body is equal to or below 2.5 dtex, and
fineness of the second fibrous body is equal to or above 5.0 dtex.

10. The liquid container according to claim 7 , wherein
number of crimps of the first fibrous body is substantially equal to 16 crimps per 25 mm, and
number of crimps of the second fibrous body is substantially equal to 15 crimps per 25 mm.

11. The liquid container according to claim 7 , wherein
a percentage of crimps of the first fibrous body is substantially equal to 12%, and
a percentage of crimps of the second fibrous body is substantially equal to 13%.

12. The liquid container according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid holding unit includes at least one groove extending between the sealing member and the second opening in the supply member.

13. The liquid container according to claim 12 , wherein an amount of the liquid holdable with the groove unit is substantially equal to or above 0.015 ml.

14. The liquid container according to claim 12 , wherein
a width of the groove on a tip end side in the direction of attachment is different from a width of the groove on a base end side in the direction of attachment, and
the width on the tip end side is larger than the width on the base end side.

15. A printing apparatus comprising:
an attachment unit for attaching a liquid container;
a liquid supply tube equipped with the attachment unit; and
a printing unit configured to perform printing by using a liquid supplied from the liquid supply tube,
wherein the liquid container comprises:
a container chamber configured to contain the liquid; and
a flow passage unit which is configured to supply the liquid contained in the container chamber to the printing apparatus, wherein the flow passage unit is located on a tip end side of the liquid container in a direction of attachment to the printing apparatus,
wherein the flow passage unit include
a supply member which has a cylindrical shape and which comprises a first opening formed inside the container chamber and a second opening formed outside the container chamber for supplying the liquid;
a sealing member which has a through hole and is press-fitted between the first opening and the second opening inside the supply member;
a valve body configured to open and close the through hole, wherein the valve body is located between the first opening and the sealing member; and
a liquid holding unit disposed on an inner surface of the supply member between the sealing member and the second opening, and further disposed at least on a lower side in a direction of gravity in a case where the liquid container is attached to the printing apparatus,
wherein an extension length of the liquid holding unit in a direction in which the liquid is supplied is larger than a thickness of the liquid holding unit in an inner diameter direction of the second opening, and
wherein in a state where the liquid container is attached to the attachment unit, the liquid holding unit and the liquid supply tube do not contact each other.

16. A liquid container attachable to a printing apparatus and configured to contain a liquid to be supplied to the printing apparatus, comprising:
a container chamber configured to contain the liquid; and
a flow passage unit which is configured to supply the liquid contained in the container chamber to the printing apparatus, wherein the flow passage unit is located on a tip end side of the liquid container in the direction of attachment to the printing apparatus,
wherein the flow passage unit includes:
a supply member which has a cylindrical shape and which comprises a first opening formed inside the container chamber and a second opening formed outside the container chamber for supplying the liquid;
a sealing member which has a through hole and is press-fitted between the first opening and the second opening inside the supply member
a valve body configured to open and close the through hole, wherein the valve body is located between the first opening and the sealing member; and
a liquid holding unit disposed on an inner surface of the supply member between the sealing member and the second opening, and further disposed at least on a lower side in a direction of gravity in a case where the liquid container is attached to the printing apparatus,
wherein a capillary force in a from the second opening to the sealing member is greater than a capillary force in a direction of a thickness of the liquid holding unit.

17. The liquid container according to claim 16 , wherein
the liquid holding unit is formed from an ab

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Nojo Naruyuki
• Iri Junichiro
• Watanabe Makoto
• Takahashi Satoru
• Otani Isao
• Kusano Hiroaki

Classifications

• B41J2/1752 Primary

  Mounting within the printer · CPC title

• B41J2/17509

  Whilst mounted in the printer · CPC title

• B41J2/17553

  Outer structure · CPC title

• B41J2/17523

  Ink connection · CPC title

• B41J2/17513 Primary

  Inner structure · CPC title