Liquid container and liquid consumption apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9440755-B2
Application number	US-201313736482-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 8, 2013
Priority date	Jan 13, 2012
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

A liquid container includes a liquid containing bag and a case member. The liquid containing bag includes a flat end portion extending in a first direction. The case member defines an opening at one end and accommodates the liquid containing bag inserted from the opening in the first direction. The case member has an end portion accommodating section extending in the first direction and accommodating at least the end portion of the liquid containing bag, a main portion accommodating section accommodating a main portion of the liquid containing bag, and a partition wall that partitions the end portion accommodating section and the main portion accommodating section. The partition wall includes a slit extending along the first direction, with the end portion of the liquid containing bag being inserted through the slit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A liquid container comprising:
a liquid containing bag including a flat end portion extending in a first direction, the flat end portion of the liquid containing bag being formed by bonding a flexible film member;
a liquid flow path member supplying liquid in the liquid containing bag to a liquid consumption apparatus, the liquid flow path member being fixed to the liquid containing bag; and
a case member defining an opening at one end and accommodating the liquid containing bag inserted from the opening in the first direction, the case member having
an end portion accommodating section extending in the first direction and accommodating at least the end portion of the liquid containing bag,
a main portion accommodating section accommodating a main portion of the liquid containing bag, and
a partition wall partitioning the flat end portion accommodating section and the main portion accommodating section, the partition wall including a slit extending along the first direction, with the end portion of the liquid containing bag being inserted through the slit,

the flat end portion being provided in the liquid containing bag which is a separate member from the liquid flow path member.

2. The liquid container according to claim 1 , wherein
an end portion of at the one end of the slit and an end portion at the one end of the end portion accommodating section communicate with the opening, and
the end portion at the one end of the end portion accommodating section is widened toward the opening.

3. The liquid container according to claim 1 , wherein
a portion of the partition wall where the slit is formed is chamfered.

4. The liquid container according to claim 1 , wherein
a length of an inner circumference along a second direction of the liquid containing bag and a length of an inner circumference along the second direction of the main portion accommodating section are substantially the same.

5. The liquid container according to claim 1 , wherein
liquid is injected into the liquid containing bag in a state where the end portion is accommodated in the end portion accommodating section and the main portion is accommodated in the main portion accommodating section.

6. A liquid consumption apparatus comprising:
the liquid container according to claim 1 ,
the liquid consumption apparatus being configured and arranged to consume liquid contained in the liquid container.

7. A liquid container adapted to be mounted in a liquid consumption apparatus and to accommodate a liquid containing bag including a main portion filled with liquid and an end portion other than the main portion, and a liquid flow path member supplying liquid in the liquid containing bag to the liquid consumption apparatus, the end portion of the liquid containing bag being formed by bonding a flexible film member and the liquid flow path member being fixed to the liquid containing bag, the liquid container comprising:
a case including
an end portion accommodating section configured and arranged to accommodate the end portion of the liquid containing bag;
a main portion accommodating section configured and arranged to accommodate the main portion of the liquid containing bag; and
a slit through which the end portion of the liquid containing bag is inserted, the slit extending along a first direction which is a mounting direction in which the liquid container is mounted to the liquid consumption apparatus,

the end portion being provided in the liquid containing bag which is a separate member from the liquid flow path member.

8. The liquid container according to claim 7 , wherein
one side of the case is opened, and
the end portion accommodating section is widened toward the opening.

9. The liquid container according to claim 7 , wherein
a portion of a wall of the case where the slit is formed is chamfered.

10. The liquid container according to claim 7 , wherein
a length of the liquid containing bag and a length of the main portion accommodating section are substantially the same in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

11. The liquid container according to claim 7 , wherein
liquid is injected into the liquid containing bag in a state where the end portion of the liquid containing bag is accommodated in the end portion accommodating section and the main portion of the liquid containing bag is accommodated in the main portion accommodating section.

12. A liquid consumption apparatus comprising: liquid container according to claim 7 ,
the liquid consumption apparatus being configured to consume liquid contained in the liquid container.

13. The liquid container according to claim 1 , wherein
the case member includes a first case and a second case, and
the opening is defined between the first case and the second case at one end of the case member to accommodate the liquid containing bag inserted from the opening in the first direction in a state where the first case and the case are assembled.

14. The liquid container according to claim 7 , wherein
the case includes a first case and a second case, and
the case has an opening defined between the first case and the second case at one end of the case to accommodate the liquid containing bag inserted from the opening in a state where the first case and the case are assembled.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Aoki Yuji
• Takahashi Masaru
• Yamamoto Yoshikatsu
• Tanaka Hisao

Classifications

• B41J2/1752

  Mounting within the printer · CPC title

• B65B3/027

  Making containers from separate body and end-parts · CPC title

• B65B3/045 Primary

  for filling flexible containers having a filling and dispensing spout, e.g. containers of the "bag-in-box"-type · CPC title

• B41J2/17559

  Cartridge manufacturing · CPC title

• B41J2/17553

  Outer structure · CPC title