LIQUID CONTAINER

• US 20160016412A1
• Filed: 07/16/2015
• Published: 01/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: MIZUTANI, Tadahiro, Okazawa, Noriaki, Kobayashi, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,399,352 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1752 Mounting within the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1753 Details of contacts on the cartridge, e.g. protection of contacts
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17533 Storage or packaging of ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/36 one sheet or blank being recessed and the other formed of relatively stiff flat sheet material, e.g. blister packages , the recess or recesses being preformed B65D73/0057, B65D73/0092 take precedence

Abstract

A technique that can restrict an arrangement angle of a liquid cartridge before use in a packaged state is provided. A packaging body 10 of a cartridge 100 includes a bag-shaped member 20 and a box-shaped member 30. The bag-shaped member 20 houses the cartridge 100. The box-shaped member 30 houses the cartridge 100 housed in the bag-shaped member 20. The cartridge 100 has an atmosphere introduction hole 125b capable of introducing the atmosphere to the inside, and the box-shaped member 30 has a first side wall portion 36 located at a position opposed to the atmosphere introduction hole 125b. The first side wall portion 36 has a first and second outer wall surfaces 36a and 36b that intersect each other to constitute a projecting portion that projects outward. A third end side portion 23 of the bag-shaped member 20 is housed at a corner portion between the first and second outer wall surfaces 36a and 36b.

Claims

1. A liquid container comprising:

a liquid cartridge that contains liquid;

a housing member that is constituted by a sheet-shaped member and houses the liquid cartridge; and

a box-shaped exterior member that houses the liquid cartridge housed in the housing member,

wherein the liquid cartridge has an atmosphere introduction hole with which an atmosphere is configured to be introduced to an inside of the liquid cartridge,

the exterior member has at least a wall portion located at a position opposed to the atmosphere introduction hole,

the wall portion has a projecting portion that projects in a direction extending from the atmosphere introduction hole toward the wall portion, and

the housing member has an end portion located between the wall portion and the liquid cartridge.

2. The liquid container according to claim 1,

wherein the end portion of the housing member is housed in a space formed within the projecting portion.

3. The liquid container according to claim 1,

wherein the projecting portion is formed by projecting a surface of the wall portion, and has two or more flat surfaces inclining with respect to a direction extending from the atmosphere introduction hole toward the wall portion, and

when at least one of the flat surfaces of the projecting portion is oriented vertically downward, the center of gravity of the exterior member is located at a position that is out of the flat surface as viewed in a direction parallel with a vertical direction.

4. The liquid container according to claim 1,

wherein the projecting portion is constituted by a curved surface formed by projecting a surface of the wall portion.

5. The liquid container according to claim 1,

wherein the housing member has a bent portion that is bent between the wall portion and the liquid cartridge.

6. The liquid container according to claim 1,

wherein the liquid contains a dispersoid component,

the liquid cartridge houses a liquid holding member configured to hold the liquid, and has a liquid supply port with which the liquid is configured to be supplied to the outside,

the exterior member has, in addition to a first wall portion that is the wall portion, a second wall portion located at a position opposed to the liquid supply port when the liquid cartridge is housed, and has, in addition to a first projecting portion that is the projecting portion, a second projecting portion that projects in a direction extending from the liquid supply port toward the second wall portion, and

the housing member has, in addition to a first end portion that is the end portion, a second end portion located between the second wall portion and the liquid cartridge.

15. The liquid container according to claim 1,

wherein the atmosphere introduction hole is formed at a position close to an end portion of the liquid cartridge,

the exterior member has an atmosphere introduction hole side wall portion that is arranged at a position adjacent to the end portion of the liquid cartridge and intersects the wall portion, and

the atmosphere introduction hole side wall portion has a projection portion that projects in a direction extending from the atmosphere introduction hole toward the end portion of the liquid cartridge.

16. The liquid container according to claim 1,

wherein the atmosphere introduction hole is formed at a position close to an end portion of the liquid cartridge,

the exterior member has an atmosphere introduction hole side wall portion that is arranged at a position adjacent to the end portion of the liquid cartridge and intersects the wall portion, and

the exterior member has an extending portion that further extends than an outer wall surface of the atmosphere introduction hole side wall portion in a direction extending from the atmosphere introduction hole toward the end portion of the liquid cartridge.

17. The liquid container according to claim 1,

wherein the atmosphere introduction hole is formed at a position close to an end portion of the liquid cartridge,

the exterior member has an atmosphere introduction hole-separate wall portion that is arranged in a direction opposite to a direction extending from the atmosphere introduction hole toward the end portion of the liquid cartridge and intersects the wall portion, and

the atmosphere introduction hole-separate wall portion has a flat wall surface parallel with a direction extending from the atmosphere introduction hole toward the wall portion.

20. The liquid container according to claim 6,

wherein the liquid cartridge is equipped with a cover member that covers the liquid supply port.

21. The liquid container according to claim 1,

wherein the end portion is an adhered portion formed by adhering end portions of the sheet-shaped member to each other.

7. A liquid container comprising:

a liquid cartridge that contains liquid;

a housing member that is constituted by a sheet-shaped member and houses the liquid cartridge; and

a box-shaped exterior member that houses the liquid cartridge housed in the housing member,

wherein the liquid cartridge has an atmosphere introduction hole with which an atmosphere can be introduced to an inside of the liquid cartridge,

the exterior member has at least a wall portion located at a position opposed to the atmosphere introduction hole,

an outer wall surface of the wall portion is constituted by one or more flat surfaces inclining with respect to a direction extending from the atmosphere introduction hole toward the wall portion, and

the housing member has an end portion located between the wall portion and the liquid cartridge.

8. The liquid container according to claim 7,

wherein when at least one of the flat surfaces constituting the outer wall surface of the wall portion is oriented vertically downward, the center of gravity of the exterior member is located at a position that is out of the flat surface as viewed in a direction parallel with a vertical direction.

9. The liquid container according to claim 7,

wherein the liquid contains a dispersoid component,

the liquid cartridge houses a liquid holding member configured to hold the liquid, and has a liquid supply port with which the liquid is configured to be supplied to the outside,

the exterior member has, in addition to a first wall portion that is the wall portion, a second wall portion located at a position opposed to the liquid supply port of the liquid cartridge that is housed,

an outer wall surface of the second wall portion is constituted by one or more flat surfaces inclining with respect to a direction extending from the liquid supply port toward the wall portion, and

the housing member has, in addition to a first end portion that is the end portion, a second end portion located between the second wall portion and the liquid cartridge.

10. The liquid container according to claim 9,

wherein the atmosphere introduction hole and the liquid supply port of the liquid cartridge are formed so as to open in opposite directions,

the exterior member has a third wall portion that intersects the first wall portion and the second wall portion, and a fourth wall portion that intersects the first wall portion and the second wall portion and faces the third wall portion, and

a space surrounded by the first wall portion, the second wall portion, the third wall portion, and the fourth wall portion of the exterior member has a polygonal cross-section.

11. The liquid container according to claim 10,

wherein the space has a hexagonal cross-section.

12. The liquid container according to claim 10,

wherein the space has a trapezoidal cross-section.

13. A liquid container comprising:

a liquid cartridge that contains liquid;

a housing member that is constituted by a sheet-shaped member and houses the liquid cartridge; and

a box-shaped exterior member that houses the liquid cartridge housed in the housing member,

wherein the liquid cartridge has an atmosphere introduction hole with which an atmosphere is configured to be introduced to an inside of the liquid cartridge,

the exterior member has at least a wall portion located at a position opposed to the atmosphere introduction hole, and a protruding portion that extends so as to further projects than an outer wall surface of the wall portion in a direction extending from the atmosphere introduction hole toward the wall portion, and

the housing member has an end portion located between the wall portion and the liquid cartridge.

14. The liquid container according to claim 13,

wherein the liquid contains a dispersoid component,

the liquid cartridge houses a liquid holding member configured to hold the liquid, and has a liquid supply port that opens in a direction opposite to an opening direction of the atmosphere introduction hole,

the exterior member has, in addition to a first wall portion that is the wall portion, a second wall portion that is located at a position opposed to the liquid supply port and opposed to the first wall portion, and has, in addition to a first protruding portion that is the protruding portion, a second protruding portion extending in a direction extending from the liquid supply port toward the second wall portion, so as to further project than an outer wall surface of the second wall portion, and

the housing member has, in addition to a first end portion that is the end portion, a second end portion located between the second wall portion and the liquid cartridge.

18. A liquid container comprising:

a liquid cartridge that contains liquid; and

a housing member that is constituted by a sheet-shaped member and houses the liquid cartridge,

wherein the liquid cartridge has an atmosphere introduction hole with which an atmosphere is configured to be introduced to an inside of the liquid cartridge, and

the housing member has an end portion that projects toward a side in an opening direction of the atmosphere introduction hole.

19. The liquid container according to claim 18,

wherein the liquid contains a dispersoid component,

the liquid cartridge houses a liquid holding member configured to hold the liquid, and has a liquid supply port with which the liquid is configured to be supplied to the outside, and

the housing member has, in addition to a first end portion that is the end portion, a second end portion that projects toward a side in an opening direction of the liquid supply port.

22. A liquid container comprising:

a liquid cartridge that houses liquid containing a dispersoid component, and a liquid holding member configured to hold the liquid;

a housing member that is constituted by a sheet-shaped member and houses the liquid cartridge; and

a box-shaped exterior member that houses the liquid cartridge housed in the housing member,

the liquid cartridge has a liquid supply port with which the liquid is configured to be supplied to the outside,

the exterior member has at least a wall portion located at a position opposed to the liquid supply port,

the wall portion has a projecting portion that projects in a direction extending from the liquid supply port toward the wall portion, and

the housing member has an end portion located between the wall portion and the liquid cartridge.

23. A liquid container comprising:

a liquid cartridge that houses liquid containing a dispersoid component, and a liquid holding member configured to hold the liquid;

a housing member that is constituted by a sheet-shaped member and houses the liquid cartridge; and

a box-shaped exterior member that houses the liquid cartridge housed in the housing member,

wherein the liquid cartridge has a liquid supply port with which the liquid is configured to be supplied to an outside of the liquid cartridge,

the exterior member has at least a wall portion located at a position opposed to the liquid supply port;

an outer wall surface of the wall portion is constituted by one or more flat surfaces inclining with respect to a direction extending from the liquid supply port toward the wall portion, and

the housing member has an end portion located between the wall portion and the liquid cartridge.

24. A liquid container comprising:

a liquid cartridge that houses liquid containing a dispersoid component, and a liquid holding member configured to hold the liquid;

a housing member that is constituted by a sheet-shaped member and houses the liquid cartridge; and

a box-shaped exterior member that houses the liquid cartridge housed in the housing member,

wherein the liquid cartridge has a liquid supply port with which the liquid can be supplied to the outside,

the exterior member has at least a wall portion located at a position opposed to the liquid supply port, and a protruding portion that extends so as to further project than a wall surface of the wall portion in a direction extending from the liquid supply port toward the wall portion, and

the housing member has an end portion located between the wall portion and the liquid cartridge.

25. A liquid container comprising:

a liquid cartridge that houses liquid containing a dispersoid component, and a liquid holding member configured to hold the liquid; and

a housing member that is constituted by a sheet-shaped member and houses the liquid cartridge,

wherein the liquid cartridge has a liquid supply port with which the liquid is configured to be supplied to the outside, and

the housing member has an end portion that projects toward a side in an opening direction of the liquid supply port.

26. A liquid container comprising:

a liquid cartridge that contains liquid;

a housing member that is constituted by a sheet-shaped member and houses the liquid cartridge; and

a box-shaped exterior member that houses the liquid cartridge housed in the housing member,

wherein the liquid cartridge has a communication hole that is in communication with an inside of the liquid cartridge,

the exterior member has at least a wall portion located at a position opposed to the communication hole;

the wall portion has a structure that guides the exterior member in a direction of falling down when the liquid container is about to be arranged with the wall portion as a bottom face that is oriented vertically downward, and

the housing member has an end portion located between the wall portion and the liquid cartridge.