Liquid container, cap used with the liquid container, and cap-equipped liquid container

• US 6,623,104 B1
• Filed: 10/04/2000
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ogawa, Masashi, Abe, Tsutomu, Kotaki, Yasuo, Nakayama, Shigeyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Judy
• Application Number:
  US09/678,024
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 347/84-87, 347/49
• US Class Current: 347/49
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1752 Mounting within the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17536 Protection of cartridges or parts thereof, e.g. tape
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure

Abstract

A liquid container includes a lever having one end supported to an outer wall of a housing containing a liquid therein and the other end as a free end, the lever being elastically deformable. The liquid container further includes a projection provided in an area of the housing which is opposite to and away from the supported one end of the lever, the projection covering at least a part of a space between the free end of the lever and the housing in the above area. By virtue of the projection, the lever can be protected against accidental external forces. In a cap-equipped liquid container, a straight line connecting a projected end of the projection of the liquid container and a distal end of a tab of a cap is set to cross a movable range of the lever provided on the liquid container in which the lever is allowed to angularly move with elastic deformation thereof. In a cap, an elastic sealing member for sealing off the surroundings of the supply port of the liquid container is provided on a bottom wall portion connecting first and second latch members to each other, and a part of the bottom wall portion is able to elastically deform upon application of an operating force.

Claims

1. A liquid container comprising:

a housing for containing a liquid therein;

a lever having one end supported to an outer wall of said housing and the other end as a free end, said lever being elastically deformable; and

a projection provided in an area of said housing which is opposite to and away from the supported one end of said lever, said projection covering at least a part of a space between the free end of said lever and said housing in said area;

wherein said projection extends from the upper surface of said housing and exists above the free end of said lever.

3. A liquid container according to claim 1, wherein said liquid container is detachably attachable to a holder for said liquid container in a state that the free end of said lever is elastically deformed toward said housing;

and

wherein a distance between a projected end of said projection and said housing is not smaller than a distance between the free end of said lever and said housing in a state that said liquid container is attached to said holder.

4. A cap-equipped liquid container comprising a liquid container according to claim 1 and a cap fitted to said liquid container, wherein said cap comprises:

an elastic sealing member for sealing off a supply port formed in said liquid container, said supply port for introducing a liquid in said liquid container out of said liquid container, and a cap body on which said elastic sealing member is provided,

wherein said cap body includes an engagement member engaging with said liquid container to hold said cap in place, and a tab disposed near said engagement member and used for removing said cap from said liquid container; and

wherein a straight line connecting a projected end of a projection of said liquid container and a distal end of said tab is set to cross a movable range of a lever provided on said liquid container in which said lever is allowed to angularly move with elastic deformation thereof.

5. A cap-equipped liquid container according to claim 4, wherein said tab is provided to lie in a direction of extension of a surface of said cap body on which said elastic sealing member is provided, and a part of the surface of said cap body is elastically deformable with application of an operating force for removing and fitting said cap.

2. A liquid container comprising:

a housing for containing a liquid therein;

a lever having one end supported to an outer wall of said housing and the other end as a free end, said lever being elastically deformable; and

a projection provided in an area of said housing which is opposite to and away from the supported one end of said lever, said projection covering at least a part of a space between the free end of said lever and said housing in said area;

wherein a projected end of said projection is bent toward the free end of said lever.

6. A liquid container according to claim 2, wherein said liquid container is detachably attachable to a holder for said liquid container in a state that the free end of said lever is elastically deformed toward said housing;

and

wherein a distance between a projected end of said projection and said housing is not smaller than a distance between the free end of said lever and said housing in a state that said liquid container is attached to said holder.