Liquid storage container and liquid supply system

• US 9,561,664 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2013
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Hiroyuki, Kobayashi, Atsushi, Mizutani, Tadahiro, Nozawa, Izumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCMILLION, TRACEY M
• Application Number:
  US14/420,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20150224782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1752 Mounting within the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1754 with means attached to the cartridge, e.g. protective cap
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17556 Means for regulating the pressure in the cartridge

Abstract

A liquid storage container is provided with a liquid storage part capable of storing a liquid, and a liquid supply part for supplying the liquid to the outside. The liquid supply part has a porous member containing holes for circulating the liquid, and a biasing member which is disposed between the porous member and the liquid storage part and which biases the porous member from the liquid storage part towards the outside.

Claims

1. A liquid storage container configured and arranged to be mounted to a liquid consumption device having a liquid introduction part including a device-side filter, the liquid storage container comprising:

a liquid storage part configured and arranged to store liquid; and

a liquid supply part configured and arranged to be attached to the liquid introduction part to supply the liquid to the liquid consumption device via the device-side filter, the liquid supply part including

a foam configured and arranged to allow the liquid to pass therethrough,

a container-side filter contacting the foam and configured and arranged to allow the liquid, which has passed through the foam, to pass therethrough, the container-side filter being further configured and arranged to contact the device-side filter when the liquid storage container is mounted to the liquid consumption device, and

a biasing member biasing the foam toward the container-side filter from a side of the liquid storage part so that the foam contacts the container-side filter.

2. The liquid storage container according to claim 1, wherein

the foam is made of porous material, and

the container-side filter is made of porous material.

3. The liquid storage container according to claim 1, wherein

the foam is made of porous material, and

the container-side filter is made of fabric material.

4. The liquid storage container according to claim 1, wherein

the biasing member includes a support member supporting the foam, and

the support member includes a plurality of flow holes configured and arranged to flow the liquid from the liquid storage part.

5. The liquid storage container according to claim 1, wherein

the foam has a first capillary force, and

the container-side filter has a second capillary force greater than the first capillary force.

6. The liquid storage container according to claim 1, wherein

the biasing member is comprised of a spring.

7. The liquid storage container according to claim 1, wherein

the biasing member is comprised of a plate spring, and

the plate spring includes a support member supporting the first member.

8. The liquid storage container according to claim 1, wherein

the container-side filter includes a peripheral edge part, a central part and an inclined part disposed between the peripheral edge part and the central part, and

the central part is disposed further away from the liquid storage part than the peripheral edge part.