Liquid discharge apparatus having liquid container and operating member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025340062-A1
Application number	US-202519265983-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 10, 2025
Priority date	Mar 8, 2022
Publication date	Nov 6, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid container and an operating member. The liquid container is configured to introduce liquid from a liquid introducing portion to an inside. The operating member is configured to rotate around a rotation shaft in a first direction from a first position for covering the liquid introducing portion to move to a second position for exposing the liquid introducing portion, and rotate in a second direction opposite to the first direction from the second position to move to the first position. The operating member includes a plug member and a covering portion. The plug member is retained to the operating member by a retaining member and configured to plug the liquid introducing portion at the first position. The covering portion is configured to cover the plug member in a direction intersecting with the first direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:
a liquid container configured to introduce liquid from a liquid introducing portion to an inside; an operating member, including a covering portion, configured to move from a first position for covering the liquid introducing portion to a second position for exposing the liquid introducing portion, and vice versa; and a plug member retained to the operating member, and configured to plug the liquid introducing portion at the first position, wherein the plug member includes a closing portion configured to come into contact with the liquid introducing portion in a state where the liquid introducing portion is covered, and wherein, in a state where the plug member is retained, the closing portion is surrounded by the covering portion.

2 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operating member is configured to rotate around a rotation shaft in a first direction from the first position to move to the second position and rotate in a second direction opposite to the first direction from the second position to move to the first position.

3 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein, in a case where the operating member is positioned at the second position, at least a part of an edge of the covering portion in the second direction protrudes in the second direction more than an edge of the plug member in the second direction.

4 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the liquid container is retained by a housing member, and the rotation shaft is disposed on the housing member.

5 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the covering portion includes a regulating portion configured to regulate a rotation motion of the plug member.

6 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plug member is made of an elastically deformable member, and a part of the operating member is made of a material having a higher rigidity than the plug member.

7 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the part of the operating member includes the covering member.

8 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plug member includes a first engaging portion configured to engage with a second engaging portion provided on the operating member, and the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion loosely fit each other in a case where the plug member is retained to the operating member.

9 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the plug member includes a retaining portion configured to maintain an engagement between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion, and a length of at least a part of an outer diameter of the retaining portion is larger than a length of at least a part of a width of the second engaging portion.

10 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the closing portion has a protruding portion configured to come into contact with the liquid introducing portion in a state where the liquid introducing portion is covered.

11 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein an edge portion of the closing portion inclines toward the inside of the closing portion.

12 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the liquid container includes a plug member engaging portion configured to engage with the closing portion of the plug member positioned at the first position.

13 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a lower edge of the covering portion is located below a lower edge of the plug member.

14 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the lower edge of the covering portion has a protruding shape.

15 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the lower edge of the covering portion has an arc shape.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Takeda Daiju
• Mori Yuri
• Saeki Tsuyoshi
• Matsumura Hideaki
• Tsutsumi Hiromasa
• Asada Shota
• Shimada Koki
• Takenaga Ken
• Tomie Mineyoshi

Classifications

• B41J2/1754

  with means attached to the cartridge, e.g. protective cap · CPC title

• B41J2/17509 Primary

  Whilst mounted in the printer · CPC title

• B41J29/13

  Cases or covers · CPC title

• B41J2/17513

  Inner structure · CPC title

• B41J2/17523

  Ink connection · CPC title