JP6268852B2 - Liquid cartridge, image recording device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid cartridge that holds a liquid pack that contains liquid in a case, and an image recording apparatus including the liquid cartridge.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, printers that perform printing using ink supplied from an ink cartridge are known. For example, the ink cartridge disclosed in Patent Document 1 holds an ink pack that contains ink in a cartridge case, and supplies the ink in the ink pack to a printer.

JP 2007-083680 A

  By the way, when the liquid cartridge that holds the liquid pack containing the liquid in this way is accidentally dropped, an impact is applied to the liquid pack in the case. In particular, a large impact is likely to be applied to the portion holding the liquid pack with respect to the case and the peripheral portion thereof. As a result, the liquid pack may be damaged at these portions. Such breakage of the liquid pack can cause the liquid to leak from the liquid pack.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of suppressing breakage of a liquid pack in a liquid cartridge even when the liquid cartridge is dropped.

  In order to achieve the above object, a liquid cartridge according to the present invention includes a case capable of containing a liquid pack having a liquid supply port, a holding unit capable of holding the liquid supply port with respect to the case, and the holding unit provided in the case. On the other hand, when holding the case with the liquid supply port held downward while holding the liquid supply port, a support portion capable of supporting the liquid pack from the lower side in the gravity direction is provided.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image recording apparatus according to the present invention includes a case that can store a liquid pack having a liquid supply port, a holding unit that can hold the liquid supply port with respect to the case, and the holding unit is a case. When holding the case with the liquid supply port held downward with respect to the gravitational direction, a support portion that can support the liquid pack from the lower side in the gravitational direction and the liquid supplied from the liquid pack A head unit that discharges water.

  In the present invention (liquid cartridge, image recording apparatus) configured as described above, the liquid supply port of the liquid pack is held with respect to the case. Therefore, when the liquid cartridge is dropped, a large impact is easily applied to the liquid supply port and its periphery. On the other hand, in this invention, the support part which can support a liquid pack is provided, and the impact applied to a liquid supply port and its periphery is eased. In particular, the support unit is configured to support the liquid pack from the lower side in the gravitational direction when holding the case with the liquid supply port facing downward in the gravitational direction while the holding unit holds the liquid supply port with respect to the case. Has been. Therefore, when the liquid cartridge falls with the liquid supply port facing downward in the direction of gravity, the support portion functions effectively, and the impact applied to the liquid supply port and its periphery can be effectively reduced. As a result, it is possible to suppress breakage of the liquid pack in the liquid cartridge.

  Further, the liquid cartridge may be configured such that the support portion is formed integrally with the holding portion. Thus, by forming the support part integrally with the holding part, the number of parts of the liquid cartridge can be reduced.

  In addition, the liquid cartridge may be configured such that a bottom portion that supports the liquid pack from the lower side in the direction of gravity is provided with the case mounted on the image recording apparatus, and the support portion is formed integrally with the bottom portion. In such a configuration, when the case is mounted on the image recording apparatus, the bottom portion supports the liquid pack from the lower side in the gravity direction. Therefore, the liquid stored in the liquid pack can be supplied while stabilizing the position of the liquid pack. Furthermore, the support part is formed integrally with the bottom part, and the number of parts of the liquid cartridge can be reduced.

  Further, the liquid cartridge may be configured such that the bottom portion supports the tilted liquid pack with the liquid supply port on the lower side with the case mounted on the image recording apparatus. In such a configuration, when the case is mounted on the image recording apparatus, the bottom portion supports the liquid pack by inclining the liquid supply port on the lower side. Therefore, the liquid stored in the liquid pack can be guided to the liquid supply port by its own weight, and the liquid can be smoothly supplied from the liquid supply port.

  In addition, when the holding unit holds the liquid supply port with respect to the case, the liquid is provided with a handle provided at the upper part of the case that faces upward when holding the case with the liquid supply port facing downward in the direction of gravity. A cartridge may be configured. In such a configuration, the operator can carry the liquid cartridge by holding the handle provided at the top. At this time, the liquid cartridge is transported with the liquid supply port facing downward in the direction of gravity. Therefore, even if the operator accidentally drops the liquid cartridge, the liquid supply port faces downward in the direction of gravity, so that the support portion functions effectively as described above, and the impact applied to the liquid supply port and its surroundings. Can be effectively mitigated. As a result, it is possible to suppress breakage of the liquid pack in the liquid cartridge.

  Further, the holding unit may constitute the liquid cartridge so as to hold members other than the liquid supply port provided in the liquid pack with respect to the case. In this configuration, the holding unit holds members other than the liquid supply port provided in the liquid pack with respect to the case. Therefore, in order to hold the member with respect to the case, it is not necessary to separately provide parts other than the holding part, and the number of parts of the liquid cartridge can be reduced.

  Note that various modes can be adopted for holding the liquid supply port with respect to the case. Therefore, the liquid cartridge may be configured so that the holding unit can sandwich at least the liquid supply port with the case.

1 is a front view schematically illustrating a schematic configuration of a printer to which the invention can be applied. The figure which illustrated typically the ink supply system and the discharge head of a head unit. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of a printer. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a cartridge holding unit that holds an ink cartridge. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an external configuration of an ink cartridge. FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating an ink pack stored in the ink cartridge of FIG. 5. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an ink cartridge in a state where an ink pack is removed. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an ink cartridge in a state where an ink pack is removed. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an ink cartridge in a state where an ink pack is removed. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an ink cartridge in a state where an ink pack is placed. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an ink cartridge in a state where an ink pack is placed. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an ink cartridge in a state where an ink pack is placed. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an ink cartridge in a state where an ink pack is fixed. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an ink cartridge in a state where an ink pack is fixed. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an ink cartridge in a state where an ink pack is fixed. The perspective view which illustrates the cartridge holding part partially. The perspective view which illustrates the cartridge holding part partially. The perspective view which illustrates the state which inserted the ink cartridge of the ink supply attitude | position FIG. 3 is an enlarged view illustrating a state where an ink cartridge in an ink supply posture is inserted. The perspective view which illustrates the state which inserted the ink cartridge of the ink supply attitude | position FIG. 3 is an enlarged view illustrating a state where an ink cartridge in an ink supply posture is inserted. FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a state where an ink cartridge in a reversed posture is held. FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating an operation mode for moving an ink cartridge. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a modification of the ink cartridge in a state where the ink pack is fixed.

  FIG. 1 is a front view schematically illustrating a schematic configuration of a printer to which the invention can be applied. In FIG. 1 and the following drawings, an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system corresponding to the left-right direction X, the front-rear direction Y, and the vertical direction Z of the printer 1 is displayed as necessary in order to clarify the arrangement relationship of each part of the apparatus. .

  As shown in FIG. 1, in the printer 1, one sheet S (web) whose both ends are wound around the feeding shaft 20 and the winding shaft 40 in a roll shape is stretched along the conveyance path Pc. The sheet S receives image recording while being conveyed in the conveyance direction Ds from the feeding shaft 20 toward the take-up shaft 40. The type of the sheet S is roughly classified into a paper type and a film type. Specific examples include high-quality paper, cast paper, art paper, coated paper, and the like for paper, and synthetic paper, PET (Polyethylene terephthalate), PP (polypropylene), and the like for film. Schematically, the printer 1 includes a feeding unit 2 (feeding region) that feeds the sheet S from the feeding shaft 20, a process unit 3 (process region) that records an image on the sheet S fed from the feeding unit 2, and a process. A winding unit 4 (winding region) that winds the sheet S on which an image is recorded in the unit 3 is wound around the winding shaft 40, and the functional units 2, 3, and 4 arranged in the X direction are accommodated in the housing 10. Further, the printer 1 has a control unit 100 configured with a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a memory built in the housing 10, and controls the functional units 2, 3, and 4 by the control unit 100. In the following description, of both surfaces of the sheet S, the surface on which an image is recorded is referred to as the front surface, and the opposite surface is referred to as the back surface.

  The feeding unit 2 includes a feeding shaft 20 around which the end of the sheet S is wound, and a driven roller 21 around which the sheet S drawn from the feeding shaft 20 is wound. The feeding shaft 20 supports the end of the sheet S by winding the end thereof with the surface of the sheet S facing outward. Then, when the feeding shaft 20 rotates clockwise on the paper surface of FIG. 1, the sheet S wound around the feeding shaft 20 is fed to the process unit 3 via the driven roller 21. Incidentally, the sheet S is wound around the feeding shaft 20 via a core tube (not shown) that can be attached to and detached from the feeding shaft 20. Therefore, when the sheet S of the feeding shaft 20 is used up, a new core tube around which the roll-shaped sheet S is wound can be mounted on the feeding shaft 20 and the sheet S of the feeding shaft 20 can be replaced. It has become.

  The process unit 3 appropriately performs processing by the process unit PU disposed along the outer peripheral surface of the rotating drum 30 while supporting the sheet S fed out from the feeding unit 2 by the rotating drum 30, and forms the sheet S. The image is printed. In the process unit 3, a front driving roller 31 and a rear driving roller 32 are provided on both sides of the rotating drum 30, and the sheet S conveyed from the front driving roller 31 to the rear driving roller 32 is rotated by the rotating drum 30. To receive an image print.

  The front drive roller 31 has a plurality of minute protrusions formed by thermal spraying on the outer peripheral surface, and winds the sheet S fed from the feeding unit 2 from the back side. And the front drive roller 31 conveys the sheet | seat S fed out from the feeding part 2 to the downstream of a conveyance path | route by rotating clockwise on the paper surface of FIG. A nip roller 31n is provided for the front drive roller 31. The nip roller 31 n is in contact with the surface of the sheet S while being urged toward the front drive roller 31, and sandwiches the sheet S between the front drive roller 31. Thereby, the frictional force between the front drive roller 31 and the sheet S is ensured, and the sheet S can be reliably conveyed by the front drive roller 31.

  The rotating drum 30 is a cylindrical drum having a center line parallel to the Y direction, and the sheet S is wound around the outer peripheral surface thereof. Further, the rotating drum 30 has a rotating shaft 300 extending in the axial direction through the cylindrical center line. The rotation shaft 300 is rotatably supported by a support mechanism (not shown), and the rotation drum 30 rotates about the rotation shaft 300.

  The sheet S conveyed from the front driving roller 31 to the rear driving roller 32 is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the rotating drum 30 from the back surface side. Then, the rotating drum 30 supports the sheet S from the back side while receiving the frictional force with the sheet S and rotating in accordance with the conveyance direction Ds of the sheet S. Incidentally, the process section 3 is provided with driven rollers 33 and 34 for folding the sheet S on both sides of the winding section around the rotating drum 30. Among these, the driven roller 33 wraps the surface of the sheet S between the front drive roller 31 and the rotating drum 30 and folds the sheet S. On the other hand, the driven roller 34 wraps the surface of the sheet S between the rotating drum 30 and the rear drive roller 32 and folds the sheet S. In this way, by folding the sheet S on the upstream and downstream sides in the transport direction Ds with respect to the rotating drum 30, a long winding portion of the sheet S around the rotating drum 30 can be secured.

  The rear driving roller 32 has a plurality of minute protrusions formed by thermal spraying on the outer peripheral surface, and winds the sheet S conveyed from the rotating drum 30 via the driven roller 34 from the back surface side. Then, the rear drive roller 32 conveys the sheet S to the winding unit 4 by rotating clockwise on the paper surface of FIG. A nip roller 32n is provided for the rear drive roller 32. The nip roller 32 n is in contact with the surface of the sheet S while being urged toward the rear drive roller 32, and sandwiches the sheet S between the rear drive roller 32. Accordingly, a frictional force between the rear drive roller 32 and the sheet S is ensured, and the sheet S can be reliably conveyed by the rear drive roller 32.

  Thus, the sheet S conveyed from the front drive roller 31 to the rear drive roller 32 is supported on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating drum 30. In the process unit 3, a process unit PU is provided for printing a color image on the surface of the sheet S supported by the rotating drum 30. The process unit PU has a configuration in which the head units 36a to 36f, the UV irradiators 37a to 37e, and the ink supply system 7 are supported by the carriage 51.

  The six head units 36a to 36f arranged in order in the transport direction Ds correspond to white, yellow, cyan, magenta, black, and clear (transparent), and eject ink of the corresponding color from the nozzles by an inkjet method. Each of the head units 36a to 36f has a configuration in which a discharge head 360, which will be described later with reference to FIG. In the ejection head 360 (FIG. 2) of each of the head units 36a to 36f, a nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged in the Y direction over the width of the sheet S is provided, and ink is ejected from each nozzle of the nozzle row. The These six head units 36 a to 36 f are arranged radially from the rotating shaft 300 of the rotating drum 30 and are arranged along the outer peripheral surface of the rotating drum 30. The head units 36a to 36f are positioned with respect to the rotating drum 30 by the carriage 51 and face the rotating drum 30 with a slight clearance (paper gap). Accordingly, each of the head units 36a to 36f is opposed to the surface of the sheet S wound around the rotating drum 30 with a predetermined paper gap. When the paper gap is thus defined by the carriage 51, each head unit 36a to 36f ejects ink, so that the ink lands at a desired position on the surface of the sheet S, and a color image is formed on the surface of the sheet S. The

  Incidentally, the head unit 36 a that discharges white ink is used to form a white background on the sheet S when an image is printed on the transparent sheet S. Specifically, the head unit 36a forms a background by discharging white ink so as to fill the entire area of the image formation target area. Then, the head units 36b to 36e that discharge yellow, cyan, magenta, and black inks form a color image on the white background. Further, the head unit 36f discharges clear ink on the color image, and covers the color image with the clear ink. As a result, a texture such as gloss or matte is given to the color image.

  As the ink used in the head units 36a to 36f, UV (ultraviolet) ink (photo-curable ink) that is cured by irradiating ultraviolet rays (light) is used. In order to cure the ink and fix it on the sheet S, UV irradiators 37a to 37e are provided. Note that this ink curing is performed using both main curing and temporary curing. Here, the main curing is a process in which the ink is cured to such an extent that the wetting and spreading of the ink is stopped by irradiating the ink with an ultraviolet ray having a relatively strong irradiation intensity, and the temporary curing is an ultraviolet ray having a relatively weak irradiation intensity. Is a process of curing the ink to such an extent that the method of wetting and spreading the ink is sufficiently slow compared with the case of not irradiating with ultraviolet rays, and does not fully cure the ink.

  Specifically, a UV irradiator 37a for main curing is disposed between the white head unit 36a and the cyan head unit 36b. Therefore, the white background formed by the head unit 36a is hardened by receiving the ultraviolet rays from the UV irradiator 37a before the ink from the head units 36b to 36f is overlaid. Temporary curing UV irradiators 37b to 37d are arranged between the yellow, cyan, magenta and black head units 36b to 36e. Therefore, the ink ejected by each of the head units 36b to 36d is temporarily cured by receiving the ultraviolet rays from the UV irradiators 37b to 37d before the ink from the head units 36c to 36e on the downstream side in the transport direction Ds is overlaid. . As a result, the occurrence of color mixing such as mixing of the ink ejected from each of the head units 36b to 36e is suppressed. A UV irradiator 37e for main curing is disposed between the black head unit 36e and the clear head unit 36f. Accordingly, the color images formed by the head units 36b to 36e are cured by receiving ultraviolet rays from the UV irradiator 37e before the ink from the head unit 36f is overlaid.

  In addition, two ink supply systems 7 are attached side by side in the X direction on the rear side (−Y side) of the carriage 51. The ink supply system 7 on the left side (+ X side) includes a mechanism (ink flow control mechanism) that supplies white, yellow, and cyan inks for each color and is housed in a housing 70. Corresponding color ink is supplied to each of the head units 36a, 36b, 36c. The right (+ X side) ink supply system 7 includes a mechanism (ink flow control mechanism) for supplying magenta, black, and clear ink for each color, and is housed in the housing 70. Ink of a corresponding color is supplied to each of the head units 36d, 36e, and 36f.

  Here, details of a configuration in which the ink supply system supplies ink to the head unit will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the ink supply system and the ejection head of the head unit. The ink supply system 7 includes an ink flow control mechanism 71 for each color. Since the configuration of the ink flow control mechanism 71 is the same for each color, only one ink flow control mechanism 71 is schematically illustrated in FIG. Has been. Further, since the configuration of the ejection head 360 provided at the tip of each of the head units 36a to 36f is the same for each color, only one ejection head 360 is schematically illustrated in the drawing.

  The discharge head 360 includes a nozzle N that opens to the nozzle formation surface NS, a reservoir RS that temporarily stores ink, and a cavity CV that allows the nozzle N and the reservoir RS to communicate with each other, and from the reservoir RS via the cavity CV. Ink is supplied to the nozzle N. The cavity CV applies pressure to the ink, so that the ink is ejected from the nozzle N.

  On the other hand, the ink flow control mechanism 71 built in the ink supply system 7 circulates ink between the tank 710 (sub tank) for storing ink and the ejection head 360. Specifically, the ink flow control mechanism 71 includes, in addition to the tank 710, a supply channel 711 (supply pipe) that connects the reservoir RS and the tank 710, a circulation pump 712 provided in the supply channel 711, and a reservoir. A recovery flow path 713 (recovery pipe) that connects the RS and the tank 710 is provided. Thus, a circulation path 71C through which ink flows in this order is formed in the tank 710, the supply channel 711, the reservoir RS, the recovery channel 713, and the tank 710, and the circulation pump 712 rotates in the forward direction to circulate the ink. It circulates through the path 71C. That is, by rotating the circulation pump 712 forward, ink can be supplied from the tank 710 to the reservoir RS via the supply flow path 711 (outward path), and from the reservoir RS to the tank 710 via the recovery flow path 713 (return path). Ink can be collected.

  In the supply flow path 711, the supply flow path 711 is constituted by a flexible pipe 711 a until it reaches the head unit 36 from the housing 70 of the ink supply system 7. The recovery flow path 713 includes a flexible pipe 713 a from the head unit 36 to the housing 70 of the ink supply system 7.

  Further, the ink flow control mechanism 71 has a valve 714 that opens and closes the supply flow path 711. The valve 714 is provided on the way from the circulation pump 712 to the reservoir RS along the circulation path 71C. Accordingly, ink can be supplied from the tank 710 to the reservoir RS by opening the valve 714, and ink supply from the tank 710 to the reservoir RS can be stopped by closing the valve 714.

  Further, the ink flow control mechanism 71 includes an ink supply path 715 (ink supply pipe) that supplies ink (UV ink) to the tank 710 and a pressure adjustment path 716 (pressure adjustment pipe) that adjusts the pressure in the tank 710. ). The ink supply channel 715 is connected to the cartridge holding unit 8 and supplies ink to the tank 710 from the ink pack in the ink cartridge attached to the cartridge holding unit. Incidentally, the ink supplied to the tank 710 has a viscosity of 15 [mPa · s] at 28 ° C. to 40 ° C., for example. The pressure adjusting channel 716 is connected to a pump, and adjusts the pressure in the tank 710 by rotating the pump. Thereby, the pressure of the tank 710 can be adjusted to each of negative pressure, atmospheric pressure, and positive pressure.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the description will be continued. As described above, the six head units 36a to 36f, the five UV irradiators 37a to 37e, and the two ink supply systems 7 are mounted on the carriage 51 to constitute the process unit PU. A guide rail 52 extending in the Y direction is disposed opposite to both ends of the carriage 51 in the X direction (conveying direction Ds), and the carriage 51 is bridged between the two rails 52. Therefore, the carriage 51 is movable in the Y direction on the guide rail 52 with the head units 36a to 36f, the UV irradiators 37a to 37e, and the ink supply system 7.

  In the process unit 3, a UV irradiator 38 for main curing is provided on the downstream side in the transport direction Ds with respect to the head unit 36f. Therefore, the clear ink ejected by being superimposed on the color image by the head unit 36f receives the ultraviolet rays from the UV irradiator 38 and is fully cured. The UV irradiator 38 is not mounted on the carriage 51.

  The sheet S on which the color image is formed by the process unit 3 is conveyed to the winding unit 4 by the rear drive roller 32. The winding unit 4 has a driven roller 41 that winds the sheet S from the back surface side between the winding shaft 40 and the rear drive roller 32 in addition to the winding shaft 40 around which the end of the sheet S is wound. The winding shaft 40 winds and supports the end of the sheet S with the surface of the sheet S facing outward. That is, when the winding shaft 40 rotates clockwise on the paper surface of FIG. 1, the sheet S conveyed from the rear drive roller 32 is wound around the winding shaft 40 via the driven roller 41. Incidentally, the sheet S is wound around the winding shaft 40 via a core tube (not shown) that can be attached to and detached from the winding shaft 40. Therefore, when the sheet S wound around the winding shaft 40 becomes full, it is possible to remove the sheet S together with the core tube.

  By the way, as will be described next with reference to FIGS. 3, 4, etc., the above-described printer 1 is provided with a cartridge holding portion 8, and each cartridge holding portion 8 holds the ink cartridge 9 in a detachable manner. Then, the ink stored in the ink cartridge 9 is supplied to the sub tank 710. In particular, there are two postures of the ink cartridge 9 that can be held by the cartridge holding unit 8, an ink supply posture (first posture) in which ink can be supplied from the ink cartridge 9, and a reverse posture that is inverted upside down with respect to the ink supply posture. The cartridge holder 8 can hold the ink cartridge 9 in any posture (second posture). Next, details of the cartridge holding unit 8 and the ink cartridge 9 will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of the printer 1. FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the cartridge holding unit 8 that holds the ink cartridge 9, and particularly illustrates a state in which the ink cartridge 9 is held in an ink supply posture. As shown in FIG. 3, on the right (−X) side surface of the housing 10 of the printer 1, 12 cartridge holding portions 8 are arranged in a matrix of 6 rows in the Z direction and 2 columns in the Y direction. Yes. The cartridge holders 8 belonging to different rows hold ink cartridges 9 that store different color inks. On the other hand, two cartridge holding portions 8 that belong to the same row and are adjacent in the Y direction hold ink cartridges 9 that store ink of the same color. That is, the printer 1 can hold a plurality (specifically, two) of ink cartridges 9 for each color. Therefore, for example, for one color, while one of the ink cartridges 9 performs operations such as agitation described later, the ink can be supplied to the sub tank 710 with the other ink cartridge 9 and printing can be continued (that is, hot swap can be performed). Is).

  As shown in FIG. 4, each cartridge holding portion 8 has a holding portion main body 81 that opens in the −X direction, and a door 82 that opens and closes the opening A81 of the holding portion main body 81. The ink cartridge 9 is detachably accommodated in the space 80. A hinge 831 is attached to the holding portion main body 81 on the −Y side of the opening A81, and an end of the door 82 (an end on the −Y side in the closed state) is connected to the holding portion main body 81 via the hinge 831. Therefore, the door 82 can be rotated in the range of 180 degrees around the hinge 831. Thus, the door 82 is attached to the holding portion main body 81 so as to be opened and closed by the function of the hinge 831. Incidentally, the door 82 is opened toward the inside in the Y direction with respect to the housing 10, and the door 82 in the open state is configured not to protrude from the housing 10 in the Y direction. As a result, the door 82 can be opened without obstructing the worker who works on the + Y side of the housing 10.

  In addition, on the + Y side of the opening A81, a magnet switch 832 (electromagnetic switch) is attached to the holding portion main body 81, and the door 82 can be kept closed by the magnetic force of the magnet switch 832. Further, the magnet switch 832 outputs an open / close signal indicating the open / close state of the door 82 to the control unit 100 (FIG. 1), and the control unit 100 can grasp the state of the door 82 based on the open / close signal. By opening the door 82, the ink cartridge 9 can be attached to and detached from the accommodation space 80 of the holding portion main body 81, and by closing the door 82, the operator can access the accommodation space 80 of the holding portion main body 81. It is possible to limit or limit the incidence of light into the accommodation space 80. In particular, by limiting the incidence of light into the storage space 80, the ink cartridge 9 is prevented from being exposed to light, and the photocurable ink stored in the ink cartridge 9 due to light leaking into the ink cartridge 9 Can be cured.

  Incidentally, in the printer 1, two cartridge holding portions 8 are provided for each color. On the other hand, a common door 82 is not provided for the two cartridge holding portions 8 corresponding to a common color, but one door 82 is provided for each cartridge holding portion 8. . Therefore, it is possible to open only the door 82 of the cartridge holding portion 8 that requires an operation such as agitation, which will be described later, with respect to the ink cartridge 9, and to suppress the ink cartridge 9 from being exposed to light unnecessarily.

  FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the external configuration of the ink cartridge, and illustrates the external appearance of the ink cartridge 9 in the ink supply posture. The ink cartridge 9 includes a main body case 91 on the lower side (−Z side) and a door 92 that is provided on the upper side (+ Z side) of the main body case 91 and can open and close the main body case 91. 92 constitutes a cartridge case C9. The body case 91 and the door 92 are made of aluminum. Specifically, the −Z side bottom, + Y side, and −Y side of the main body case 91 are each made of aluminum. In addition, the + Z side upper part, the + Y side part, and the −Y side part of the door 92 in the closed state are each made of aluminum. However, a resin member 91p (plastic) is fastened to the + X side and −X side of the main body case 91, and the + X side and −X side of the door 92 in the closed state. A resin member 92p (plastic) is fastened to the portion. Thus, the corners at both ends in the X direction are protected by the resin members 91p and 92p.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the main body case 91 and the door 92 are connected to each other by two hinges 931 provided on the + Y side, and the door 92 is opened and closed by the function of the hinge 931. It is attached as possible. A fastener 932 is attached to the −Y side of the main body case 91, and the door 92 can be kept closed by engaging the fastener 932 with the door 92. A concave handle 933 is provided on the upper surface (+ Z side) of the door 92, and the operator can easily open and close the door 92 by operating the handle 933. Further, a handle 934 is attached to the surface of the main body case 91 on the −X side, and the operator can easily perform stirring or the like of the ink cartridge 9 described later by operating the handle 934. The ink cartridge 9 can also be transported horizontally by placing a hand on the handle 933 and the handle 934. In this case, the probability of dropping the ink cartridge 9 can be reduced as compared with the case of holding the ink cartridge 9 with one hand.

  FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating an ink pack accommodated in the ink cartridge of FIG. The ink pack 6 has a schematic configuration in which ink is accommodated in a pack body 61 made of a flexible material. The pack body 61 includes a thick body 61a in the Z direction, a shoulder 61b extending in the + X direction from the trunk 61a while constricting in the Z direction, and a thin neck in the Z direction provided at the tip of the shoulder 61b in the + X direction. 61c. In addition to the pack body 61, the ink pack 6 has an ink supply port 62, an identification member 63, and an erroneous attachment prevention member 64 attached to the neck portion 61c in the + X direction of the pack body 61. The ink supply port 62 is disposed at the center in the Y direction and protrudes from the pack body 61 in the + X direction.

  The identification member 63 includes an identification IC (Integrated Circuit) 631, an attachment 632 for attaching the identification IC 631 to the pack body 61, and two pins 633 projecting downward from the attachment 632 (−Z side). Have The identification IC 631 includes a memory circuit that stores the amount of ink stored in the ink pack 6 and an ink usage history, an interface circuit that controls access to the memory circuit, and the like.

  The erroneous mounting preventing member 64 includes a fitting portion 641, a fitting 642 for attaching the fitting portion 641 to the pack body 61, and two pins 643 protruding downward from the fitting 642 (−Z side). . The fitting portion 641 has a shape unique to the color of ink stored in the ink pack 6, and the ink pack 6 that stores ink of a color different from the color corresponding to the cartridge holding portion 8 is a cartridge as will be described later. It is used to prevent the holder 8 from being attached.

  The ink pack 6 shown in FIG. 6 is detachably held on the ink cartridge 9 shown in FIG. Subsequently, the configuration of the ink cartridge and the ink pack will be described in detail through the description of the procedure for the operator to mount the ink pack on the ink cartridge 9.

  7, 8 and 9 are diagrams illustrating the ink cartridge in a state where the ink pack is removed. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the ink cartridge 9 with the door 92 open, FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the internal configuration of the ink cartridge 9 as viewed from the + X side, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating an ink cartridge 9 closed. Note that the directions indicated by the coordinates in these drawings correspond to the case where the ink cartridge 9 is mounted on the cartridge holding unit 8 in the ink supply posture.

  The ink cartridge 9 includes a cartridge case C <b> 9 including a main body case 91 and a door 92, and the ink pack 6 is held in a storage space 90 formed inside the main body case 91 and the door 92 by closing the door 92. Thus, by covering the ink pack 6 with the cartridge case C9, the ink pack can be protected from external light and the ink pack 6 can be easily handled. The main body case 91 of the ink cartridge 9 surrounds the accommodation space 90 from below by the bottom portion 91a and the side portions 91b to 91e. The bottom portion 91a is made of an aluminum metal member having a flat plate shape, and forms the bottom surface of the ink cartridge 9 on the −Z side. The side portion 91b and the side portion 91c are opposed to each other from the X direction, and constitute the + X side and −X side surfaces of the ink cartridge 9, respectively. In the side portion 91b, a slit-shaped opening 935 and a circular opening 936 extending in the Y direction penetrate in the X direction while being aligned in the Z direction. Further, in the side portion 91b, an opening A63 arranged at the end on the + Y side and an opening A64 arranged at the end on the −Y side penetrate each in the X direction. The side portion 91d and the side portion 91e are metal members made of aluminum, and face each other from the Y direction to constitute the + Y side and −Y side surfaces of the ink cartridge 9, respectively.

  An inclined member 94 made of aluminum is attached to the bottom 91a of the ink cartridge 9 from the upper side (+ Z side). The inclined member 94 includes a placement plate 941 on which the ink pack 6 is placed from above, and a protruding plate 942 that suppresses the displacement of the placed ink pack 6 in the Y direction. The mounting plate 941 is inclined with respect to the bottom portion 91a so as to be lowered toward the + X side. The protruding plates 942 are provided perpendicular to the mounting plate 941 at both ends in the Y direction, and protrude from the mounting plate 941 toward the side on which the ink pack 6 is mounted.

  Further, an aluminum bending member 95 that is connected to the inclined member 94 from the + X side and is integrally formed with the inclined member 94 is attached to the bottom 91 a of the ink cartridge 9. The bending member 95 includes an inclined plate 951 that is erected from the bottom 91a and is inclined toward the + X side, and a flat plate 952 that extends horizontally from the upper end (+ Z side) of the inclined plate 951 to the + X side. The bending member 95 has a shape bent along the shape from the shoulder portion 61b of the ink pack 6 to the neck portion 61c, and the shoulder portion 61b of the ink pack 6 is lowered (−Z side) by the inclined plate 951. And the flat portion 952 supports the neck 61c of the ink pack from the lower side (−Z side).

  Further, the bottom portion 91a of the ink cartridge 9 is provided with a mounting portion 96 adjacent to the bending member 95 from the + X side while partially overlapping in the X direction. The attachment portion 96 is provided to hold the neck portion 61 c of the ink pack 6 with respect to the main body case 91. The attachment portion 96 includes a support flat plate 961 extending in the + X direction from the flat plate 952 of the bending member 95, and a fixture 962 that fixes the support flat plate 961 to the bottom portion 91a. The support flat plate 961 has a long shape in the Y direction, and is provided over substantially the entire Y direction of the accommodation space 90. The support flat plate 961 has a hole 961a in which a pin 633 provided on the identification member 63 can be engaged, and a hole 961b in which a pin 643 provided on the erroneous mounting preventing member 64 can be engaged. Vacant. The support flat plate 961 is provided with a pin 961c and a screw hole 961d protruding upward (+ Z side). Specifically, on the upper surface (+ Z side) of the flat plate 961, two pins 961c are arranged in the Y direction, and two screw holes 961d are arranged in the Y direction.

  Furthermore, the attachment portion 96 includes a supply port engagement plate 963 that is disposed on the + X side of the support flat plate 961 and stands in the Z direction, and a fixture 964 that fixes the supply port engagement plate 963 to the main body case 91. The supply port engagement plate 963 has an elongated shape in the Y direction, and is provided over substantially the entire Y direction of the accommodation space 90. The supply port engagement plate 963 has an engagement recess 963a that opens upward (+ Z side) at the approximate center in the Y direction. The engagement recess 963a faces the opening 936 provided in the side portion 91b of the main body case 91 from the X direction. The ink supply port 62 of the ink pack 6 engages with the engagement recess 963a from the upper side (+ Z side) and is supported from the lower side (−Z side) by the supply port engagement plate 963. Incidentally, the two pins 961c described above are arranged with the engaging recess 963a interposed in the center in the X direction, and the two screw holes 961d are arranged with the engaging recess 963a interposed in the center in the X direction. .

  10, FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 are diagrams illustrating the ink cartridge in a state where the ink pack is placed. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the ink cartridge 9 with the door 92 opened, FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the internal configuration of the ink cartridge 9 as viewed from the + X side, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating an ink cartridge 9 closed. Note that the directions indicated by the coordinates in these drawings correspond to the case where the ink cartridge 9 is mounted on the cartridge holding unit 8 in the ink supply posture.

  As shown in these drawings, when the ink pack 6 is accommodated in the ink cartridge 9, the pack body 61 of the ink pack 6 is placed on the placement plate 941 of the inclined member 94. As described above, since the mounting plate 941 is inclined, the pack body 61 is inclined with respect to the bottom portion 91a so as to be lowered toward the + X side. Thus, the ink pack 6 is supported with the ink supply port 62 facing downward, and the ink in the ink pack 6 can be guided to the ink supply port 62 by its own weight.

  Further, the ink supply port 62 of the ink pack 6 engages with the engagement recess 963 a of the supply port engagement plate 963. As a result, the ink supply port 62 is positioned with respect to the main body case 91. As described above, since the engaging recess 963a faces the opening 936 provided in the side portion 91b of the main body case 91 from the X direction, the ink supply port 62 faces the opening 936 from the X direction so that the opening 936 is formed. And exposed to the outside of the main body case 91.

  Further, the pin 633 provided for the identification member 63 of the ink pack 6 engages with the hole 961 a of the support flat plate 961. Thus, the identification member 63 is positioned with respect to the main body case 91 and faces the opening A63 penetrating the side portion 91b from the X direction. Similarly, the pin 643 provided for the erroneous mounting preventing member 64 of the ink pack 6 engages with the hole 961 b of the support flat plate 961. As a result, the erroneous mounting preventing member 64 is positioned with respect to the main body case 91 and faces A64 penetrating the side portion 91b from the X direction.

  The operator places the ink pack 6 in the ink cartridge as shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, and then fixes the ink pack 6 to the main body case 9. 13, FIG. 14 and FIG. 15 are diagrams illustrating the ink cartridge in a state where the ink pack is fixed. In particular, FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating the ink cartridge 9 with the door 92 open, FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating the internal configuration of the ink cartridge 9 viewed from the + X side, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating an ink cartridge 9 closed. Note that the directions indicated by the coordinates in these drawings correspond to the case where the ink cartridge 9 is mounted on the cartridge holding unit 8 in the ink supply posture.

  As shown in these drawings, when fixing the ink pack 6 to the ink cartridge 9, an ink pack holding member 97 made of aluminum is used. The ink pack holding member 97 is used by being placed on the pack body 61 from the upper side (+ Z side). At this time, the ink pack holding member 97 is mounted on the pack main body 61 in a state of being positioned on the main body case 91 by engaging the hole 971a penetrating the ink pack holding member 97 with the tip of the pin 961c of the support flat plate 961. Placed. Further, when the screw 98 is screwed into the screw hole 961d provided in the support flat plate 961, the ink pack holding portion 97 is pressed downward (−Z side) by the screw head of the screw 98, while being lowered by the pin 961c ( -Z side). In this way, the ink pack holding part 97 is fixed to the main body case 91.

  The ink pack holding member 97 includes a clamping plate 971 that is disposed on the upper side (+ Z side) of the neck portion 61 c of the pack body 61. The clamping plate 971 includes a fixing portion 9710, a first clamping portion 9711 provided at the center of the fixing portion 9710 in the Y direction, a second clamping portion 9712 provided on the −Y side of the fixing portion 9710, and a fixing portion. The third sandwiching portion 9713 provided on the + Y side of 9710 is integrally formed. The fixing portion 9710 has a flat plate shape and is supported by the pins 961c and the screw 98 while being in contact with the screw heads. That is, the ink pack holding member 97 is fixed to the main body case 91 by the fixing portion 9710.

  The first clamping portion 9711 is located on the upper side (+ Z side) of the engaging recess 963a, and slightly protrudes below the fixing portion 9710 (−Z side) to function as a leaf spring. The first clamping portion 9711 clamps the ink supply port 62 that engages with the engaging recess 963a between the engaging recess 963a. As a result, the ink supply port 62 is fixed to the main body case 91.

  The second sandwiching portion 9712 is positioned above the attachment 632 (+ Z side) of the identification member 63 and protrudes below the fixing portion 9710 (−Z side) through a step between the fixing portion 9710 and the second clamping portion 9712. It functions as a leaf spring. The second sandwiching portion 9712 sandwiches the identification member 63 engaged with the support flat plate 961 with the support flat plate 961. As a result, the identification member 63 is fixed to the main body case 91.

  The third sandwiching portion 9713 is positioned above (+ Z side) the fixture 642 of the erroneous mounting preventing member 64, and below the fixing portion 9710 (−Z side) through a step with the fixing portion 9710. Projects and functions as a leaf spring. The third clamping unit clamps the erroneous mounting preventing member 64 that engages with the support flat plate 961 between the support flat plate 961. As a result, the erroneous mounting preventing member 64 is fixed to the main body case 91.

  Further, the ink pack holding member 97 has a support plate 972 formed integrally with the sandwiching plate 971. The support plate 972 extends obliquely upward (+ Z side) while projecting from the clamping plate 971 to the −X side, and contacts the upper side (+ Z side) of the shoulder portion 61b of the pack body 61 from the + X side. The support plate 972 functions effectively when an operator carries the ink cartridge 9 or the like. That is, the handle 934 is attached to the −X side portion 91c of the ink cartridge. Therefore, when the operator holds the handle 934 and transports the ink cartridge 9, the −X side shown in FIGS. 13 to 15 faces upward, and the + X side faces downward. Accordingly, if the support plate 972 that contacts the ink pack 6 from the + X side is provided, the ink pack 6 can be supported from the lower side, and the ink pack 6 accommodated in the ink cartridge 9 being transported can be stabilized. Can do.

  Further, the inclined plate 951 of the bending member 95 can also exhibit the same function as the support plate 972. That is, the inclined plate 951 faces the lower side (−Z side) of the shoulder portion 61b of the pack body 61 from the + X side. Therefore, when the operator grips the handle 934 and transports the ink cartridge 9, the ink pack 6 can be supported from the lower side by the inclined plate 951, and the ink stored in the ink cartridge 9 being transported. The pack 6 can be stabilized.

  Thus, when the ink pack 6 is mounted on the ink cartridge 9, the ink pack 6 is placed in the ink cartridge 9. Subsequently, by placing the ink pack holding member 9 on the ink pack 6 and screwing, the ink supply port 62, the identification member 63, and the erroneous mounting preventing member 64 of the ink pack 6 are sandwiched, and the ink pack 6 Is held in the ink cartridge 9. On the other hand, the ink pack 6 can be removed from the ink cartridge 9 by removing the screw and removing the ink pack holding member 9.

  As described above with reference to FIG. 4, the cartridge holding unit 8 holds such an ink cartridge 9 in a detachable manner. Subsequently, the details of the mechanism for holding the ink cartridge 9 by the cartridge holding unit 8 and the relationship between the cartridge holding unit 8 and the ink cartridge 9 will be described. FIGS. 16 and 17 are perspective views partially illustrating the cartridge holding portion 8. FIG. 17 shows a state in which the side walls 81b and 81c are removed. The holding part main body 81 of the cartridge holding part 8 surrounds the accommodating space 80 from the side by the inner wall 81a on the + X side and the side walls 81b and 81c facing each other from the Y direction. In addition, the cartridge holding unit 8 has a tray 84 disposed in the lower part of the accommodation space 80. The tray 84 can hold the placed ink cartridge 9 and can move in the X direction with respect to the holding portion main body 81 by a rail 85 attached to the inside of the side walls 81b and 81c. Therefore, the operator places the ink cartridge 9 on the tray 84 drawn to the −X side from the holding unit main body 81 and then moves the tray 84 to the + X side with the ink cartridge 9 to thereby move the cartridge holding unit. The ink cartridge 9 can be stored in the eight storage spaces 80. The tray 84 serves not only to hold the ink cartridge 9 but also to serve as an ink receiver (oil pan) that receives ink that has flowed out of the ink cartridge 9 for some reason.

  An ink supply needle 861, an IC reader 863, an erroneous attachment preventing member 864, a pin 865, and a stopper 866 protrude on the −X side on the back wall 81 a of the cartridge holding unit 8. The ink supply needle 861 is a hollow needle connected to the ink tank 710 (FIG. 2) and faces the opening 936 of the ink cartridge 9 placed on the tray 84 in the ink supply posture from the X direction. The IC reader 863 can read and write information by accessing the identification IC 63 of the ink pack 6 and faces the opening A63 of the ink cartridge 9 placed on the tray 84 in the ink supply posture from the X direction. . The erroneous mounting preventing member 864 (holding portion side erroneous mounting preventing member) has a shape unique to the ink color, and can be fitted only to the erroneous mounting preventing member 64 having a shape corresponding to the corresponding color. The ink supply posture faces the opening A64 of the ink cartridge 9 placed on the tray 84 from the X direction. The pin 865 is used to engage the ink cartridge 9 placed on the tray 84 in an ink supply posture and position the ink cartridge 9 with respect to the cartridge holding unit 8. The stopper 866 is longer than the ink supply needle 861, the IC reader 863, the erroneous mounting prevention member 864, and the pin 865 in the −X direction starting from the back wall 81a (in other words, protrudes most to the −X side). The stopper 866 is opposed to the opening 935 of the ink cartridge 9 placed on the tray 84 in the ink supply posture from the X direction, and on the opening 935 of the ink cartridge 9 placed on the tray 84 in the reversed posture. Without moving in the Z direction.

  The ink can be supplied from the ink cartridge 9 by inserting the ink cartridge 9 in the ink supply posture to the ink supply position into the cartridge holding unit 8 having such a configuration. FIG. 18 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which an ink cartridge in an ink supply posture is inserted to the cartridge holding portion just before the ink supply position, and FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an ink cartridge in an ink supply posture with respect to the cartridge holding portion. FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged perspective view illustrating a state where the ink supply position is inserted just before the ink supply position. FIG. 20 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the ink cartridge in the ink supply posture is inserted to the ink supply position with respect to the cartridge holding unit. FIG. 21 is a partially enlarged perspective view illustrating a state in which the ink cartridge in the ink supply posture is inserted to the ink supply position with respect to the cartridge holding portion.

  When the ink cartridge 9 is moved to the + X side by the tray 84, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, the ink supply needle 861, the IC reader 863, and the erroneous mounting preventing member 864 are respectively opened through the openings 936, A63, and A64. The ink cartridge 9 enters. In parallel with this, the stopper 866 enters the ink cartridge 9 through the opening 935. Further, when the ink cartridge 9 is moved to the + X side by the tray 84, the ink cartridge 9 can be positioned at the ink supply position Ps (FIGS. 20 and 21).

  In a state where the ink cartridge 9 is located at the ink supply position Ps, the pin 865 engages with the ink cartridge 9 and positions the ink cartridge 9 with respect to the cartridge holding portion 8. Further, the ink supply needle 861 that has entered through the opening 936 can be inserted into the ink supply port 62 of the ink pack 6 to supply the ink in the ink pack 6 to the sub tank 710 (FIG. 2).

  The IC reader 863 that has entered through the opening A63 is connected to the identification IC 631 of the identification member 63 and performs reading or writing on the memory of the identification IC 631. At this time, the IC reader 863 outputs information read from the memory to the control unit 100 (FIG. 1). Therefore, the control unit 100 knows that the ink cartridge 9 has been set at the ink supply position Ps based on information from the IC reader 863, and the amount and usage history of the ink stored in the ink cartridge 9. Can do. Incidentally, the control unit 100 confirms the setting of the ink cartridge 9 to the ink supply position Ps based on the information from the IC reader 863 and confirms the closed state of the door 82 based on the information from the magnet switch 832. Ink supply from the ink cartridge 9 to the sub tank 710 is permitted.

  The erroneous insertion preventing member 864 that has entered through the opening A64 is fitted and connected to the fitting portion 641 of the erroneous insertion preventing member 64. However, the erroneous insertion preventing members 864 and 64 are connected to each other only when they correspond to the same color, and are not connected otherwise. That is, the erroneous insertion preventing members 864 and 64 are connected to each other only when the ink cartridge 9 that stores the ink of the color corresponding to the cartridge holding unit 8 is inserted into the cartridge holding unit 8. On the other hand, when the ink cartridge 9 that stores ink of a color that does not correspond to the cartridge holding portion 8 is inserted into the cartridge holding portion 8, the erroneous insertion preventing members 864 and 64 are not connected to each other, and the ink cartridge 9 cannot be inserted to the ink supply position Ps. Therefore, an operator who installs the ink cartridge 9 in the cartridge holding unit 8 can easily notice that the color of the ink stored in the ink cartridge 9 is incorrect.

  Incidentally, as described above, the cartridge holding portion 8 has an ink supply posture (that is, a posture in which the door 92 is located on the upper side (+ Z side) and the main body case 91 is located on the lower side (−Z side)), and a reverse posture. In other words, the ink cartridge 9 can be held with the main body case 91 positioned on the upper side (+ Z side) and the door 92 positioned on the lower side (−Z side). FIG. 22 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the ink cartridge in the reversed posture is held by the cartridge holding unit. As described above, in a state where the ink cartridge 9 is in the inverted posture, the stopper 866 is not opposed to the opening 935 of the ink cartridge 9 and is released in the Z direction. Therefore, the ink cartridge 9 inserted toward the + X side comes into contact with the stopper 866 at the side portion 91b. That is, the stopper 866 contacts the ink cartridge 9 that has moved to the ink supply position Ps, and separates the ink cartridge 9 from the ink supply needle 861, the IC reader 863, and the erroneous mounting prevention member 864 in the X direction.

  As described above, the ink cartridge 9 can be held in the cartridge holding portion 8 in two postures having different ink supply postures and reverse postures. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 23, the ink cartridge 9 can be moved while the ink cartridge 9 is held by the cartridge holding portion in each posture. FIG. 23 is a schematic view illustrating an operation mode of moving the ink cartridge relative to the cartridge holding unit. 2A and 2B show the ink cartridge 9 held by the cartridge holding unit 8 in the ink supply posture, and FIGS. 2C and 2D show the ink cartridge 9 held by the cartridge holding unit 8 in the inverted posture. An ink cartridge is shown.

  As shown in FIG. 23A, the ink cartridge 9 in the ink supply posture can be attached to and detached from the tray 84 drawn from the holding portion main body 81 to the −X side. Since the ink cartridge 9 placed on the tray 84 at the attachment / detachment position Pa assumes the ink supply posture, the ink cartridge 9 can move to the ink supply position Ps on the + X side without being restricted by the stopper 866 (see FIG. 23 (B)). Further, as described above, the stopper 866 enters the ink cartridge 9 positioned at the ink supply position Ps in the ink supply posture, and the ink supply needle 861, the IC reader 863, and the erroneous attachment preventing member 864 enter. Access the ink pack 6.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 23C, the ink cartridge 9 in the reversed posture can be attached to and detached from the tray 84 drawn out from the holding portion main body 81 to the −X side. However, since the ink cartridge 9 placed on the tray 84 at the attachment / detachment position Pa is in the reverse orientation, it contacts the stopper 866 on the way to the ink supply position Ps on the + X side (FIG. 23D). . Thus, the ink cartridge 9 cannot move to the + X side from the regulation position Pe, and is separated from the ink supply needle 861, the IC reader 863, and the erroneous attachment preventing member 864 in the X direction. However, the ink cartridge 9 held in the cartridge holder 8 in the inverted posture is also movable in the range on the −X side from the regulation position Pe.

  As described above, the ink cartridge 9 held in the cartridge holding unit 8 can be moved in the X direction in both the ink supply posture and the reverse posture. Therefore, the operator can perform the operation of stirring the ink contained in the ink pack 6 in the ink cartridge 9 by reciprocating the ink cartridge 9 in the X direction in each of the ink supply posture and the reverse posture. As described above, since the stirring can be performed in the postures that are mutually inverted up and down, the precipitation of the pigment contained in the ink can be effectively eliminated. In particular, the white ink pigment tends to precipitate, but according to such a configuration, the precipitation of the white pigment can also be effectively eliminated. Moreover, since the ink cartridge 9 can be moved in each posture while holding the ink cartridge 9 in the cartridge holding portion 8, there is an advantage that the agitation operation can be performed stably.

  As described above, in the present embodiment configured as described above, the ink supply port 62 of the ink pack 6 is held with respect to the ink cartridge 9. Therefore, when the ink cartridge 9 is dropped, a large impact is easily applied to the ink supply port 62 and its periphery. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, a support plate 972 capable of supporting the ink pack 6 is provided, and the impact applied to the ink supply port 62 and its periphery is reduced. In particular, when the holding plate 971 holds the ink supply port 62 with respect to the main body case 91 and holds the ink cartridge 9 with the ink supply port 62 directed downward in the direction of gravity, the support plate 972 holds the ink pack 6. It can be supported from below in the direction of gravity. Accordingly, when the ink cartridge 9 falls with the ink supply port 62 directed downward in the direction of gravity, the support plate 972 functions effectively to effectively reduce the impact applied to the ink supply port 62 and its periphery. be able to. As a result, damage to the ink pack 6 in the ink cartridge 9 can be suppressed.

  Further, the inclined plate 951 of the bending member 95 can also exhibit the same function as the support plate 972. That is, the inclined plate 951 faces the lower side (−Z side) of the shoulder portion 61b of the pack body 61 from the + X side. Therefore, the inclined plate 951 holds the ink pack 6 when the ink cartridge 9 is held with the ink supply port 62 facing downward in the direction of gravity while the clamping plate 971 holds the ink supply port 62 with respect to the main body case 91. It can be supported from below in the direction of gravity. Thus, when the ink cartridge 9 falls with the ink supply port 62 directed downward in the direction of gravity, the inclined plate 951 functions effectively to effectively reduce the impact applied to the ink supply port 62 and its periphery. be able to. As a result, damage to the ink pack 6 in the ink cartridge 9 can be suppressed.

  In the present embodiment, the sandwiching plate 971 and the support plate 972 are integrally formed. Thus, the number of parts of the ink cartridge 9 is reduced by forming the sandwiching plate 971 and the support plate 972 integrally.

  In the present embodiment, an inclined member 94 is provided that supports the ink pack 6 from the lower side in the gravity direction in a state where the ink cartridge 9 is mounted on the printer 1 in an ink supply posture. Accordingly, it is possible to supply the ink stored in the ink pack 6 while stabilizing the position of the ink pack 6. Further, the inclined member 94 is formed integrally with the inclined plate 951, and the number of parts of the ink cartridge 9 can be reduced.

  Further, the inclined member 4 inclines the liquid pack 6 with the ink supply port 62 on the lower side in a state where the ink cartridge 9 is mounted on the printer 1. In such a configuration, the ink stored in the ink pack 6 can be guided to the ink supply port 62 by its own weight, and the ink can be smoothly supplied from the ink supply port 62.

  In the present embodiment, the main body case that faces upward when the ink supply port 62 is held downward with respect to the main body case 91 while the ink supply port 62 is held downward with respect to the main body case 91. A handle 934 is provided on the upper portion 91c of 91. In such a configuration, the operator can carry the ink cartridge 9 by holding the handle 934 provided at the top. At this time, the ink cartridge 9 is transported with the ink supply port 92 facing downward in the direction of gravity. Therefore, even if the operator accidentally drops the ink cartridge 9, since the ink supply port 62 faces downward in the gravity direction, the support plate 972 and the inclined plate 951 function effectively as described above to supply ink. The impact applied to the mouth 62 and its periphery can be effectively reduced. As a result, breakage of the liquid pack 6 in the ink cartridge 9 can be suppressed.

  The sandwiching plate 971 holds members (the identification member 63 and the erroneous attachment preventing member 64) other than the ink supply port 62 provided in the ink pack 6 with respect to the main body case 91. In such a configuration, in order to hold these members (the identification member 63 and the erroneous mounting preventing member 64) with respect to the main body case 91, it is not necessary to separately provide components other than the clamping plate 971, and the number of components of the ink cartridge 9 is reduced. Can be reduced.

  Thus, in this embodiment, the printer 1 corresponds to an example of the “image recording apparatus” of the present invention, the ink cartridge 9 corresponds to an example of the “liquid cartridge” of the present invention, and the ink pack 6 corresponds to the present invention. It corresponds to an example of “liquid pack”, the ink supply port 62 corresponds to an example of “liquid supply port” of the present invention, and the ink corresponds to an example of “liquid” of the present invention. The constructed cartridge case C9 corresponds to an example of the “case” of the present invention, the clamping plate 971 corresponds to an example of the “holding portion” of the present invention, and the support plate 972 or the inclined plate 951 corresponds to the “supporting portion of the present invention. "And the inclined member 4 corresponds to an example of the" bottom part "of the present invention.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made to the above-described one without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, an ink cartridge may be configured as shown in FIG. FIG. 24 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the ink cartridge in a state where the ink pack is fixed. Note that the direction indicated by the coordinates in the figure corresponds to the case where the ink cartridge 9 is mounted in the cartridge holding portion 8 in the ink supply posture. Here, the difference between the modified example and the above example will be mainly described, and the common points will be denoted by the corresponding reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. As shown in the drawing, in the ink cartridge 9, a support plate 921 is attached to the inside of the door 92. In a state where the door 92 is closed, the support plate 921 extends obliquely downward (−Z side) while projecting from the door 92 to the −X side, and the trunk portion 61 a of the pack body 61 placed on the inclined member 94. From the -X side to the upper side (+ Z side). Therefore, for example, when the ink cartridge 9 is dropped with the side portion 91c on the -X side facing down, the support plate 921 supports the ink pack 6 from below and the impact applied to the ink pack 6 is reduced. There is an advantage that can be relaxed.

  Furthermore, in the modification of FIG. 24, the ink discharge hole A91 penetrates the bottom 91a of the ink cartridge 9. Therefore, when ink flows out from the ink pack 6 for some reason, it is possible to discharge this ink from the ink discharge port A91 to the outside of the ink cartridge 9. At this time, the ink discharged in this way may be collected by the waste ink collection unit via the tray 84 of the cartridge holding unit 8. Incidentally, although the position of the ink discharge hole A91 can be changed as appropriate, in this modified example, the ink discharge hole A91 is provided slightly on the + X side at the lower end of the mounting plate 941, and flows out of the ink pack 6, for example. It is provided at a position where ink flowing along the plate 941 gathers.

  The material constituting the ink cartridge 9 is not limited to the light metal such as aluminum described above, and may be other metal such as iron, or other material such as resin. The size, shape, and the like of the ink cartridge 9 can be changed as appropriate, and the position, size, shape, and the like of the handle 934 provided on the ink cartridge 9 can be changed as appropriate. Alternatively, the handle 934 may be removed from the ink cartridge 9.

  The configuration aspect of each part constituting the ink cartridge 9 is not limited to the above. For example, the clamping plate 971 that holds the ink pack 6 is configured separately from the main body case so that it can be completely removed from the main body case 91, but the clamping plate 971 may be integrally formed with the main body case 91. Alternatively, the parts formed integrally in the above embodiment may be formed separately, or the parts formed separately in the above embodiment may be formed integrally.

  The specific configuration of the cartridge holding unit 8 that holds the ink cartridge 9 can be changed as appropriate. Accordingly, the specific configuration that enables the ink cartridge 9 to move relative to the cartridge holding unit 9 is not limited to the configuration in which the tray 84 on which the ink cartridge 9 is placed is moved by the rail 85 as described above.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, the case where this invention was applied to the printer 1 which supports the sheet | seat S with a cylindrical drum (rotating drum 30) was illustrated. However, the specific configuration for supporting the sheet S is not limited to this. Therefore, you may comprise so that the sheet | seat S may be supported in a plane.

  Further, the number, arrangement, and discharge color of the print heads 36a to 36f can be changed as appropriate. The number, arrangement, ultraviolet intensity, and the like of the UV lamps 37a to 37e and 38 can be appropriately changed. Furthermore, the conveyance mode of the sheet S can be changed as appropriate, and the sheet S may be conveyed in a mode other than the roll-to-roll mode as described above.

  In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to the printer 1 including the print heads 36a to 36f that discharge UV ink. However, the present invention may be applied to a printer having a print head that discharges ink other than UV ink, for example, water-based ink such as resin ink. Alternatively, the present invention may be applied to a printer that performs printing using something other than ink.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Printer, 9 ... Ink cartridge, 6 ... Ink pack, 62 ... Ink supply port, 91 ... Main body case, 92 ... Door, C9 ... Cartridge case, 971 ... Nipping plate, 972 ... Support plate 972, 951 ... Inclined plate 951 4 ... Inclined member

Claims (7)

A case capable of accommodating a liquid pack having a liquid supply port;
A holding part capable of holding the liquid supply port with respect to the case;
The liquid pack can be supported from the lower side in the gravitational direction when holding the case with the liquid supply port facing downward in the gravitational direction with the holding unit holding the liquid supply port with respect to the case. A support part ;
A bottom portion for supporting the liquid pack from the lower side in the direction of gravity in a state where the case is attached to the image recording apparatus ;
The support part is formed integrally with the bottom part,
The bottom portion is a liquid cartridge that supports the liquid pack by inclining the liquid supply port downward with the case mounted horizontally on the image recording apparatus .   The liquid cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the support portion is formed integrally with the holding portion. In the state where the holding portion holds the liquid supply port with respect to the case, a grip is provided on an upper portion of the case that faces upward when the case is held with the liquid supply port facing downward in the direction of gravity. liquid cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 2. Holding unit, the liquid cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3 for holding a member other than the liquid supply port provided in the liquid pack relative to said case. The holding unit, the liquid cartridge according to at least any one of the liquid supply claims 1 capable sandwiching the opening 4 between said casing. A case capable of accommodating a liquid pack having a liquid supply port;
A holding part capable of holding the liquid supply port with respect to the case;
The liquid pack can be supported from the lower side in the gravitational direction when holding the case with the liquid supply port facing downward in the gravitational direction with the holding unit holding the liquid supply port with respect to the case. A support part;
A bottom portion for supporting the liquid pack from the lower side in the direction of gravity in a state where the case is attached to the image recording apparatus, and a head unit for discharging the liquid supplied from the liquid pack ,
The support part is formed integrally with the bottom part,
The bottom portion is an image recording apparatus that supports the liquid pack by inclining the liquid supply port downward with the case horizontally mounted on the image recording apparatus.   In the state where the holding portion holds the liquid supply port with respect to the case, a grip is provided on an upper portion of the case that faces upward when the case is held with the liquid supply port facing downward in the direction of gravity. The image recording apparatus according to claim 6.

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