Liquid storage container and liquid ejection apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9278540-B2
Application number	US-201514744973-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2015
Priority date	Jun 27, 2014
Publication date	Mar 8, 2016
Grant date	Mar 8, 2016

Abstract

There is provided a liquid storage container capable of efficiently using a liquid stored therein. An ink cartridge has a flexible member having flexibility attached to a wall surface inside a housing to define a space inside the housing. In a position during use, an angle between the wall surface inside the housing and the flexible member in a lower attachment position of the flexible member to the housing is greater than an angle between the wall surface inside the housing and the flexible member in an upper attachment position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid storage container comprising:
a housing member having a space therein;
a defining member attached to a wall surface inside the housing member to define the space and including a flexible member having flexibility;
a liquid storage chamber provided in the space defined and capable of storing a liquid therein; and
an urging unit configured to urge the defining member in a direction in which a volume of the liquid storage chamber expands,
wherein in a position during use, an angle, on the liquid storage chamber side, as between the wall surface inside the housing member and the defining member in a lower attachment position of the defining member to the housing member, is greater than an angle, on the liquid storage chamber side, as between the wall surface inside the housing member and the defining member in an upper attachment position of the defining member to the housing member.

2. The liquid storage container according to claim 1 , wherein in the position during use, a liquid supply port for supplying a liquid stored in the liquid storage chamber to the outside is provided on a bottom surface of the liquid storage chamber.

3. The liquid storage container according to claim 2 , wherein in the position during use, the bottom surface is inclined to be gradually lower as the distance to the liquid supply port decreases.

4. The liquid storage container according to claim 1 , wherein in the position during use, the defining member is attached to one side surface of the housing member so as to protrude toward the other side surface opposite to the side surface.

5. The liquid storage container according to claim 1 , comprising a moving member attached to the urging unit and configured to cause the defining member to move when the moving member is moved by the urging unit.

6. The liquid storage container according to claim 5 ,
wherein the lower attachment position of the defining member to the housing member is lower than the moving member, and
wherein the upper attachment position of the defining member to the housing member is higher than the moving member.

7. The liquid storage container according to claim 5 ,
wherein in the position during use, the liquid supply port for supplying the liquid stored in the liquid storage chamber to the outside is provided on the bottom surface of the liquid storage chamber, and
wherein a wall surface of the moving member formed opposite to the liquid supply port is inclined to be gradually higher as the distance to the liquid supply port decreases.

8. The liquid storage container according to claim 5 , wherein in the liquid storage chamber, the moving member pushes and moves the defining member at a position nearer an upper surface than a bottom surface, the bottom surface being surface located at lower side of the liquid storage chamber, the upper surface being surface located at upper side of the liquid storage chamber and opposite to the bottom surface.

9. The liquid storage container according to claim 1 , wherein the urging unit is a spring.

10. The liquid storage container according to claim 1 , wherein the defining member bends in a direction in which the angle between the wall surface inside the housing member and the defining member in the lower attachment position of the defining member to the housing member increases.

11. The liquid storage container according to claim 10 , wherein the thickness of the flexible member varies depending on a position, and the flexible member bends in a position where the thickness of the flexible member changes.

12. The liquid storage container according to claim 11 , wherein the flexible member is formed to be thick in the lower attachment position of the defining member to the housing member, and above a bending part in which the flexible member bends, the flexible member is formed to be thin as compared to the thickness in the lower attachment position of the defining member to the housing member.

13. A liquid ejection apparatus mounting a liquid storage container thereon,
the liquid storage container comprising:
a housing member having a space therein;
a defining member attached to a wall surface inside the housing member to define the space and including a flexible member having flexibility;
a liquid storage chamber provided in the space defined and capable of storing a liquid therein; and
an urging unit configured to urge the defining member in a direction in which a volume of the liquid storage chamber expands,
wherein in a position during use, an angle, on the liquid storage chamber side, as between the wall surface inside the housing member and the defining member in a lower attachment position of the defining member to the housing member, is greater than an angle, on the liquid storage chamber side, as between the wall surface inside the housing member and the defining member in an upper attachment position of the defining member to the housing member, and
wherein a liquid stored in the liquid storage container can be ejected.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Seki Masafumi
• Nabeshima Naozumi
• Kubo Koichi
• Yoshii Kazuya

Classifications

• B41J2/17523 Primary

  Ink connection · CPC title

• B41J2/1753

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

• B41J2/17553

  Outer structure · CPC title

• B41J2/1752

  Mounting within the printer · CPC title

• B41J2/17513 Primary

  Inner structure · CPC title