Protection Member and Liquid Supply Unit Set

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016159101-A1
Application number	US-201514959357-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 4, 2015
Priority date	Dec 8, 2014
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cap attached to an ink supply unit that supplies ink to a liquid ejection apparatus is provided. The cap has a sealing portion adapted to seal a liquid supply portion of the ink supply unit and an engagement portion adapted to engage with the engaging portion of the ink supply unit. The cap also has an opening provided in a portion opposed to the terminal portion of the ink supply unit such that at least a part of the terminal portion is exposed through the opening in a state where the protection member is attached to the liquid supply unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A protection member, adapted to be attached to a liquid supply unit including: a liquid supply portion adapted to supply the liquid to a liquid ejection apparatus; a terminal portion adapted to be electrically connected to an electrical connection portion provided in the liquid ejection apparatus; and an engaging portion adapted to engage with the liquid ejection apparatus, the protection member comprising:
a sealing portion adapted to seal the liquid supply portion; an engagement portion adapted to engage with the engaging portion; and an opening provided in a portion opposed to the terminal portion such that at least a part of the terminal portion is exposed through the opening in a state where the protection member is attached to the liquid supply unit.

2 . The protection member according to claim 1 ,
wherein when the terminal portion is viewed via the opening in a state where the protection member is attached to the liquid supply unit, at least a part of the engagement portion is located within a region formed by extending the opening in a direction from the sealing portion toward the liquid supply portion.

3 . A protection member, adapted to be attached to a liquid supply unit including: a first partition wall having a supply hole adapted to supply a liquid to a liquid ejection apparatus; a second partition wall intersecting the first partition wall, the second partition wall having a terminal portion adapted to be electrically connected to an electrical connection portion provided in the liquid ejection apparatus and having a first engaging portion adapted to engage with the liquid ejection apparatus; and a third partition wall intersecting the first partition wall and opposed to the second partition wall, the third partition wall having a second and third engaging portions adapted to engage with the liquid ejection apparatus respectively, the protection member comprising:
a bottom wall having a sealing portion adapted to seal the supply hole; a first side wall intersecting the bottom wall, the first side wall having a first engagement portion adapted to engage with the first engaging portion, and having an opening provided in a portion opposed to the terminal portion so that at least a part of the terminal portion is exposed through the opening in a state where the protection member is attached to the liquid supply unit.

4 . The protection member according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a second side wall intersecting the bottom wall and opposed to the first side wall; a second engagement portion adapted to engage with the second engaging portion, the second engagement portion provided on the second side wall; and a third engagement portion adapted to engage with the third engaging portion, the third engagement portion provided on the second side wall.

5 . The protection member according to claim 3 ,
wherein when the protection member is viewed in a plan view in a direction extending from the first side wall toward the second partition wall in a state where the protection member is attached to the liquid supply unit, at least a part of the first engagement portion is located within a region formed by extending the opening in a direction extending from the sealing portion toward the supply hole.

6 . The protection member according to claim 5 ,
wherein the distance from the sealing portion to the first engagement portion is longer than the distance from the sealing portion to the opening.

7 . The protection member according to claim 3 ,
wherein the first engagement portion, the second engagement portion, and the third engagement portion are arranged such that at least a part of the terminal portion is located in a region formed by connecting, using straight lines, the first engagement portion, the second engagement portion, and the third engagement portion to one another when the protection member is viewed in a plan view in a direction extending from the supply hole toward the sealing portion in a state where the protection member is attached to the liquid supply unit.

8 . A liquid supply unit set comprising:
a liquid supply unit adapted to supply liquid to a liquid ejection apparatus, the liquid supply unit including:
a liquid containing portion adapted to contain the liquid;
a liquid supply portion adapted to supply the liquid in the liquid containing portion to a liquid ejection apparatus;
a terminal portion adapted to be electrically connected to an electrical connection portion provided in the liquid ejection apparatus;
an engaging portion adapted to engage with the liquid ejection apparatus; and
an atmosphere communication hole being in communication with the liquid containing portion;
a protection member adapted to be attached to the liquid supply unit, the protection member includes:
a sealing portion adapted to seal the liquid supply portion;
an engagement portion adapted to engage with the engaging portion;
an operation portion for operating to release the engagement portion from the engaging portion; and
an opening provided in a portion opposed to the terminal portion such that at least a part of the terminal portion is exposed through the opening in a state where the protection member is attached to the liquid supply unit; and
a film material joined to the liquid supply unit to seal the atmosphere communication hole of the liquid supply unit, the film material also joined to the operation portion of the protection member.

9 . The liquid supply unit set according to claim 8 ,
wherein when the terminal portion is viewed via the opening in the state where the protection member is attached to the liquid supply unit, at least a part of the engagement portion is located within a region formed by extending the opening in a direction from the sealing portion toward the liquid supply portion.

10 . The liquid supply unit set according to claim 8 ,
wherein the position at which the film material is joined to the protection member is the same as the position at which the film material is joined to the liquid supply unit in a direction extending from the sealing portion toward the engagement portion when the terminal portion is viewed via the opening in a state where the protection member is attached to the liquid supply unit.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Yamada Manabu

Classifications

• B41J29/13

  Cases or covers · CPC title

• B41J29/02

  Framework · CPC title

• B41J2/17553

  Outer structure · CPC title

• B41J2/1753

  Details of contacts on the cartridge, e.g. protection of contacts · CPC title

• B41J2/1752

  Mounting within the printer · CPC title