CARTRIDGE

• US 20130314476A1
• Filed: 05/22/2013
• Published: 11/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: KODAMA, Hidetoshi, NOZAWA, Izumi, MIZUTANI, Tadahiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,851,646 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/86
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17566 Ink level or ink residue control

Abstract

The object of the invention is to provide a cartridge in which the remaining amount of liquid in a liquid chamber can be accurately detected. The air introducing port is provided in a position closer to an upper end of the largest outer surface in a vertical direction and in a position closer to a left end of the largest outer surface relative in a horizontal direction. The liquid detecting section is provided in a position closer to a lower end of the largest outer surface in the vertical direction and in a position closer to a right end of the largest outer surface in the horizontal direction.

Claims

1. A cartridge for storing liquid to be supplied to a printing device comprising:

a liquid chamber formed with an inner wall of a reservoir main body member and a flexible sheet member attached to the reservoir main body member;

a pressure receiving plate provided in the liquid chamber such that the surface thereof contacts the sheet member;

a first biasing member biasing the pressure receiving plate in a direction for enlarging an inner space of the liquid chamber;

a liquid supply port supplying liquid stored in the liquid chamber to the printing device;

an air introducing port introducing outer air to the inside of the liquid chamber;

a valve mechanism including a valve body and a second biasing member biasing the valve body in a direction for closing the air introducing port, the valve mechanism adjusting introduction of air to the liquid chamber by opening or closing the air introducing port; and

a liquid detecting section provided inside the liquid chamber to optically detect liquid,

wherein, when the cartridge is viewed in a direction perpendicular to a largest outer surface whose area is the largest among a plurality of outer surfaces of the cartridge in a state in which the cartridge is installed in the printing device,

the air introducing port is provided in a position closer to an upper end of the largest outer surface relative to a center of the largest outer surface in a vertical direction and in a position closer to one end of a left end and a right end of the largest outer surface relative to a center of the largest outer surface in a horizontal direction, and

the liquid detecting section is provided in a position closer to a lower end of the largest outer surface relative to the center of the largest outer surface in the vertical direction and in a position closer to the other end, that is opposite to the one end, of the largest outer surface relative to the center of the largest outer surface in the horizontal direction.

2. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein

the valve mechanism further comprises a lever member in which one end portion of the lever member adapted to contact with a back surface of the pressure receiving plate and the valve body is provided in the other end portion of the lever member, so that the air introducing port is opened or closed in accordance with movement of the lever member transmitted by motion of the pressure receiving plate, and

the pressure receiving plate further comprises a rim projecting toward the back surface side of the pressure receiving plate, the rim is provided in an outer periphery of the pressure receiving plate at least other than a portion thereof that overlaps with the lever member when the cartridge is viewed in the direction perpendicular to the largest outer surface.

3. The cartridge according to claim 2, wherein, when the liquid chamber is viewed in the direction perpendicular to the largest outer surface in a state in which the cartridge is installed in the printing device,

the inner wall comprises a first wall descending from a position below the air introducing port on a side of the one end of the liquid chamber toward the liquid detecting section, the first wall having an end point in a position in front of the liquid detecting section, a second wall descending from a position above the liquid detecting section on a side of the other end of the liquid chamber toward the liquid detecting section, the second wall having an end point in a position in front of the liquid detecting section, and a partition wall provided so as to cover other than the upper side of the liquid detecting section, and

the liquid detecting section is provided below the end point of the first wall and the end point of the second wall.

4. The cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the end point of the second wall is located above the end point of the first wall when the cartridge is viewed in the direction perpendicular to the largest outer surface in a state in which the cartridge is installed in the printing device.

5. The cartridge according to claim 4, wherein a slope of a line connecting the end point of the first wall and the end point of the second wall is larger than the slope of the first wall, when the cartridge is viewed in the direction perpendicular to the largest outer surface in a state in which the cartridge is installed in the printing device.

6. The cartridge according to claim 2, wherein the rim is not provided in a part of a portion thereof facing the second wall.

7. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a projecting portion is provided in a position of a third wall facing the back surface of the pressure receiving plate among the inner wall close to the other end, and the projecting section serves as a rotation fulcrum of the pressure receiving plate when the back surface of the pressure receiving plate approaches the third wall, when the cartridge is viewed in the direction perpendicular to the largest outer surface in a state in which the cartridge is installed in the printing device.