CARTRIDGE AND LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS

Disclosed is a cartridge that includes a case including a storage portion for storing liquid and a flow path that communicates with the storage portion; an element substrate including an ejection port that communicates with the storage portion via the flow path and that ejects liquid contained in the storage portion; and an electric wiring substrate that is electrically connected to the element substrate. The case has a surface to which the element substrate and the electric wiring substrate are fixed. Viewed from a direction perpendicular to the surface, a slit is provided in at least one long side of an outer periphery of the surface.

BACKGROUND

Field

The present disclosure relates to a cartridge and a liquid ejection apparatus.

Description of the Related Art

Some liquid ejection apparatuses, such as inkjet printers, use a cartridge in which a liquid storage chamber and a liquid ejection portion are integrated and that is attachable to and removable from the apparatus.

To date, there is known a so-called serial liquid ejection apparatus that ejects liquid in a desired pattern onto a medium by scanning a cartridge in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the medium while transporting the medium, onto which the liquid is ejected, by a certain amount at a time. In particular, a configuration described in Japanese Patent No. 4708887 discusses the configuration of the cartridge. An ink absorber that holds ink is disposed inside of a body member, and a recording element substrate is attached to a lower part thereof in the gravitational direction. The ink held in the ink absorber is guided to the element substrate through a filter and an ink flow path, and an image or the like is formed on a medium as the ink is ejected from the element substrate.

SUMMARY

It is desirable to reduce the size of the liquid ejection apparatus including the cartridge described above in view of space saving.

Thus, an aspect of the present disclosure provides a cartridge including a case including a storage portion for storing liquid and a flow path that communicates with the storage portion; an element substrate including an ejection port that communicates with the storage portion via the flow path and that is configured to eject liquid contained in the storage portion; and an electric wiring substrate that is electrically connected to the element substrate. The case has a surface to which the element substrate and the electric wiring substrate are fixed. Viewed from a direction perpendicular to the surface, a slit is provided in at least one long side of an outer periphery of the surface.

Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a liquid ejection apparatus that includes a cartridge with a case that includes a storage portion for storing liquid and a flow path that communicates with the storage portion; an element substrate including an ejection port that communicates with the storage portion via the flow path and that is configured to eject liquid contained in the storage portion; and an electric wiring substrate that is electrically connected to the element substrate. The case has a surface to which the element substrate and the electric wiring substrate are fixed. Viewed from a direction perpendicular to the surface, a slit is provided in at least one long side of an outer periphery of the surface. Further features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

First Embodiment

FIG.1is a schematic view illustrating an inkjet printer as a liquid ejection apparatus10according to the present embodiment (hereafter, also referred to as an apparatus10). InFIG.1, the X direction is the scanning direction of a carriage (also referred to as the body-width direction), the Y direction the transport direction of a medium, and the Z direction is the vertical or upward direction.

Also in the following figures for describing the cartridge alone, the XYZ axes that are the same as those of this figure are shown based on a case where the cartridge is mounted on the apparatus10. The liquid ejection apparatus10is configured so that a cartridge100can be mounted on a carriage11. The liquid ejection apparatus10is an on-carriage-type serial liquid ejection apparatus that ejects liquid (also referred to as ink) while the cartridge100mounted on the carriage11moves relative to a medium12. In ejection, the cartridge100ejects liquid while the carriage11reciprocates in the X direction. An image is formed on the medium12by transporting, in synchronism with ejection of liquid from the cartridge100, the medium12in a direction (the Y direction) perpendicular to the direction in which the carriage11reciprocates.

FIG.2Ais an external perspective view of the cartridge100viewed from the +Z direction, andFIG.2Bis an exploded perspective view of the cartridge100viewed from the +Z direction.FIG.3is an external perspective view of the cartridge100viewed from the −Z direction.FIG.4is a sectional view of the cartridge100along the Y-Z plane. The cartridge100illustrated inFIGS.2A to4contains ink of a single color therein, for example, is a cartridge containing only black ink. The cartridge100includes an element substrate110for ejecting liquid, a case120in which a storage chamber (storage portion)121for storing liquid is formed, a rib plate140, and a cover150. In the storage chamber121, a filter160(FIG.4) and an absorber130that holds the contained liquid are accommodated. The liquid held by the absorber130is supplied to an ejection port of the element substrate110via a flow path portion (122,FIG.4) communicating with the storage chamber121. In the present embodiment, the absorber130is inserted into the storage chamber121as a negative pressure generator for holding liquid. However, a configuration using a negative pressure generator, such as a pressure controller or a circulator, can hold liquid in the same way.

The element substrate110is an ejection portion that ejects ink and includes an element (such as a heater or a piezoelectric element) that provides liquid with energy to eject the liquid. The element substrate110has an ejection port row111(FIG.6) in which ejection ports are arranged. The element substrate110is disposed on a support surface127that is the bottom surface of the case120on the lower side in the gravitational direction. That is, the element substrate110is disposed on the bottom surface of the entirety of the cartridge100, and, when ejecting liquid, ejects the liquid in a state in which the element substrate110is close to the medium12. The support surface127will be described below.

The absorber according to the present embodiment is constituted by, for example, a fibrous body or a porous body, and can hold ink therein by capillary action. The absorber130is contained in the storage chamber121of the case120to be in contact with the filter160, which can trap foreign substances such as dust in ink. Ink in the absorber130is supplied to the element substrate110via the filter160and a flow path122.

The absorber130desirably has a substantially cubic shape in view of liquid supplying performance. However, in a case where the width of the cartridge is to be reduced or the size of the absorber130is to be changed in consideration of liquid storing capacity as in the present embodiment, the absorber130may be extended in the gravitational direction (the Z direction). If the size of the absorber130is increased in the scanning direction (the X direction), the width of the cartridge100widens, and the size of the entirety of the apparatus increases. If the size of the absorber130is increased in the direction (the Y direction) in which the ejection ports are arranged, the length of the flow path from the absorber130to the element substrate110increases, and flow resistance when supplying liquid might increase.

The cover150is disposed so as to close the opening of the case120at a top of the storage chamber121. An air communication port151is provided in the cover150, and it is possible to take air to the inside by the amount of liquid in the absorber130consumed by ejection. The rib plate140is disposed between the absorber130and the cover150, and immovably holds the absorber130.

The cartridge100further includes an electric wiring substrate170that includes a wiring portion electrically connected to the element substrate110and that supplies a drive signal and the like to the element (FIG.3).

The relationship between a cartridge and the size of a liquid ejection apparatus will be described.FIGS.5A and5Bare each a schematic view illustrating the respective sizes of the cartridge and the liquid ejection apparatus in the body-width direction. In each ofFIGS.5A and5B, a state in which a carriage on which a cartridge is mounted is located at one end of the scanning range and a state in which the carriage is located at the other end of the scanning range are simultaneously illustrated in one figure.FIG.5Ais a schematic view for describing a cartridge and an apparatus10according to a related art, andFIG.5Bis a schematic view for describing the cartridge and the apparatus10according to the present embodiment. The width in the carriage scanning direction of the cartridge100according to the present embodiment illustrated inFIG.5Bis small, compared with that of a head-integrated cartridge1000ofFIG.5A.

The scanning range of the carriage is determined so that the scanning range exceeds the width of the medium12and so that the carriage and the medium12do not overlap when the carriage is positioned at both ends of the scanning range, and the body-width is also determined in accordance with this. Thus, the width of the liquid ejection apparatus body is approximately determined by the width of the medium12, such as a paper sheet, and the width of the cartridge. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the body width by reducing the width of the cartridge (FIG.5B). Reduction of the scanning distance of the carriage leads to reduction of the scanning time per reciprocation of the carriage and provides an advantageous effect in that throughput is improved.

The cartridge may have a large size in the scanning direction when mounted on the carriage, and has, for example, a size of 29.5 mm in the X direction and a size (height) of 42.0 mm in the Z direction. In contrast, the cartridge100according to the present embodiment has, for example, a size of 22 mm in the X direction and a size of 56.5 mm (excluding a projecting portion) in the Z direction. That is, compared with the cartridge according to the related art, the cartridge100has a size in the X direction (horizontal width dimension) that is smaller by 7.5 mm and oppositely has a size in the Z direction (height dimension) that is larger by 14.5 mm. The ratio of the size of the cartridge in the X direction and the size of the cartridge in the Z direction is 1.4 in the related-art example and 2.6 in the present embodiment. As described below, the present disclosure is more suitably applicable to a thin cartridge whose ratio of the size in the Z direction to the size in the X direction is large as in the present embodiment. To be specific, the ratio of the size in the Z direction to the size in the X direction is greater than or equal to 2.0 and less than or equal to 3.0, and may be greater than or equal to 2.4 and less than or equal to 2.8, in view of the balance between the rigidity of the cartridge and the liquid storing capacity. In other words, when a first direction is a direction in which a plurality of ejection ports are arranged, a second direction is a direction that is parallel to the support surface127and perpendicular to the first direction, and a third direction is a direction that is perpendicular to both of the first direction and the second direction, the ratio of the length of the cartridge in the third direction to the length of the cartridge the second direction may be greater than or equal to 2.0 and less than or equal to 3.0, and may be greater than or equal to,2.4and less than or equal to 2.8. When the length of the case120in the second direction is less than or equal to 25 mm, the cartridge100is configured to be capable of obtaining greater advantageous effects of the present disclosure.

Next, a mount portion123and the support surface127will be described.FIG.6is a bottom view of the cartridge100viewed from the element substrate110side, andFIG.7is a view in which the electric wiring substrate170is omitted fromFIG.6. The mount portion123is a portion partially protruding from the case120having a substantially rectangular-parallelepiped shape, and, as illustrated inFIG.4, the flow path122is provided inside of the mount portion123.

A flow path wall124(FIG.2A), a front surface125, and a mount portion rear surface126form the mount portion123. The element substrate110and the electric wiring substrate170are each fixed to the support surface127by using an adhesive. As illustrated inFIG.4, in the present embodiment, the support surface127includes a first surface1271that supports the element substrate110and a second surface1272that supports the electric wiring substrate170. The electric wiring substrate170serves to electrically connect the element substrate110and the liquid ejection apparatus10, and is electrically connected to the element substrate110. The cartridge according to the present embodiment illustrated inFIGS.6and7has a configuration such that the electric wiring substrate170, which is a flexible wiring substrate, has an opening that exposes the element substrate110and that has an electric connection portion with the element substrate110. However, this configuration is not a limitation, and the present disclosure is also applicable to, for example, a cartridge having a configuration such that one edge of the electric wiring substrate is close to and electrically connected to one edge of the element substrate.

In the present embodiment, for example, when seen in a plan view in a direction perpendicular to the support surface127, the percentage of the area that the element substrate110occupies in the support surface127is about 10%, and the percentage of the area that the electric wiring substrate170occupies in the support surface127is about 53%. That is, the element substrate110and the electric wiring substrate170occupy 60% or more of the region of the support surface127.

In the present embodiment, the support surface127has, for example, a size (width) of about 16 mm in the X direction, a size (depth) of about 35 mm in the Y direction, and a size (thickness) of about 2 mm in the Z direction. The element substrate110has a size of about 2.5 mm in the X direction, a size of about 23 mm in the Y direction, and a size of about 1 mm in the Z direction. The support surface127and the element substrate110each have an elongated substantially rectangular shape such that the size in the Y direction is twice or more of the size in the X direction. When the aspect ratio of the planar shape of the support surface127and the element substrate110is large in this way, deformation due to a dropping impact may easily occur as described below in detail. When a first direction is a direction in which a plurality of ejection ports are arranged and a second direction is a direction that is parallel to the support surface127and perpendicular to the first direction, if the ratio of the length of the element substrate110in the first direction to the length of the element substrate110in the second direction is greater than or equal to 5, advantageous effects of the present disclosure can be more easily obtained. Moreover, also if the length of the element substrate110in the first direction is greater than or equal to 15 mm, advantageous effects of the present disclosure can be more easily obtained.

Reduction in size in the body-width direction (cartridge scanning direction) is required.FIGS.5A and5Bprovide schematic views illustrating the relationship between the size of a cartridge and the size of a liquid ejection apparatus in the body-width direction. InFIGS.5A and5B, a state in which a carriage on which a cartridge is mounted is located at one end of the scanning range and a state in which the carriage is located at the other end of the scanning range are simultaneously illustrated in one figure. The scanning range of the carriage and the body width are determined so that the scanning range exceeds the width of a medium12and so that the carriage and the medium12do not overlap when the carriage is positioned at both ends of the scanning range. Thus, the width of the liquid ejection apparatus body (hereafter, also referred to as apparatus body or body) is approximately determined by the width of the medium12, such as a paper sheet, and the width of the cartridge. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the body-width of the liquid ejection apparatus by reducing the width of the cartridge (FIG.5B). Reduction of the scanning region of the carriage leads to reduction of the scanning time of the carriage, and also provides another advantage in that throughput is improved.

When the width of the cartridge is reduced, the rigidity of the cartridge itself decreases, and breakage of the carriage may easily occur due to a strong impact such as dropping. In particular, breakage of the recording element substrate may occur. When the cartridge drops and the vicinity of the element substrate collides with a floor surface or the like, a mount portion to which the element substrate is fixed deforms so as to bend instantaneously. In a case where the cartridge width is narrow, since the flexural rigidity is low compared with a case where the width is wide, deformation amount when the cartridge is dropped is large. As a result, deformation of the mount portion may cause breakage of the element substrate and may lead to ejection failure.

An impact that the cartridge receives may deform the cartridge, for example when the cartridge is dropped onto a floor surface or the like.FIG.8is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the cartridge100has collided with a floor surface500, illustrating a state in which the cartridge100has collided with the floor surface500from a support surface corner129bat an angle such that the largest-area surface (Y-Z surface) of the case120is inclined by 0 to 45° with respect to the floor surface500. Dropping hen the cartridge may cause a corner of the support surface127to first collide with the floor surface500, which may cause breakage of the element substrate110.

When the cartridge collides with the floor surface, the impact may be instantaneously applied to the support surface127in such a way that the entire support surface127deforms, resulting in bending in the direction of a dotted line D (FIG.8). Since the support surface127has an elongated substantially rectangular shape as described above, a long side127a(FIG.7) that forms an outer periphery of the support surface127deforms in such a way as to bend. In a case of a thin cartridge as in the present embodiment, compared with a cartridge according to the related art, the ratio of the width (length in the X direction) of the support surface127, that is, the length of a short side127b, to the length of the support surface127in the depth direction (the Y direction), that is, the length of the long side127a, is small. Therefore, the rigidity of the cartridge in the direction of the dotted line D is low compared with that of a cartridge according to the related art, and the bending deformation amount tends to be large. If the support surface127bends by a large amount, the element substrate110, which is fixed to the support surface127, also receives a stress, and may deform by a large amount as with the support surface127. The element substrate110has a comparatively small thickness, and, in particular, if the aspect ratio of the planar shape of the element substrate110is large as in the present embodiment, the element substrate110may break due to bending of the support surface127when dropped.

In order to suppress the bending of the support surface127and the element substrate110due to an impact on the cartridge when the cartridge drops or the like, a plurality of slits are formed in sides that form the outer periphery of the support surface127viewed from a direction perpendicular to the support surface127. In the present embodiment illustrated inFIGS.6and7, the plurality of slits128(128a,128b,128c, and128d) are formed in the long sides127aof the support surface127. In the present embodiment, on the flow path122side, which is the +Z side, of the support surface127, a space is formed between the support surface127and the storage chamber121(FIGS.2A,2B, and3). Therefore, the plurality of slits are formed so as to extend through the support surface127in the Z direction. InFIGS.6and7, the slits128aand128bare disposed at positions that face each other in the X direction with the support surface127therebetween, and, likewise, the slits128cand128dare disposed at positions that face each other in the X direction with the support surface127therebetween.

Viewed from a direction perpendicular to the support surface127, the distance from the front surface125to the slits128aand128bin a direction along the long side127ais about 8 mm, and the distance from the mount portion rear surface126to the slits128cand128din a direction along the long side127ais about 6 mm. That is, each of the slits128is provided in the vicinity of a corresponding one of the four corners129a,129b,129c,129dof the support surface127in the mount portion123. As described below, when the cartridge drops and any of the corners of the support surface127collides with a floor surface or the like, the slit128functions as a bending point of a side that forms an outer periphery of the support surface127, and thereby suppresses deformation of the support surface127. Therefore, in order that the slit128can function as a bending point before the support surface127, to which the element substrate110is fixed, deforms, the slit128is provided in the vicinity of each of the four corners of the support surface127, and may be provided at a position separated from the center of the long side127a.

Upon cartridge drop and collision, the width of the slit128deforms in a direction such that the width opens or closes in a direction parallel to the side127ahaving the slit128. In order that the slit128can sufficiently function as a bending point of a side of the support surface127, the length of the slit128may be greater than or equal to 2.0 mm and may be greater than or equal to 2.5 mm. The length of the slit128according to the present embodiment is 2.5 mm. When the slit width has a sufficient length, viewed from a direction perpendicular to the support surface127, at least a part of the slit128may overlap the electric wiring substrate170as illustrated inFIGS.6and7. As described above, the cartridge according to the present embodiment illustrated inFIGS.6and7has a configuration such that the electric wiring substrate170, which is a flexible wiring substrate, has an opening1701that exposes the element substrate110and that has an electric connection portion with the element substrate110. Therefore, the slit128formed in the long side127ais provided in the second surface1272of the support surface127. Moreover, in a configuration such that the element substrate110is disposed in the opening1701of the electric wiring substrate170, the electric wiring substrate170may contact a suction of the apparatus10that is configured for cleaning for allowing stable ejection by suctioning ink from the element substrate110. Therefore, since the lower surface of the electric wiring substrate170on the support surface127may be a flat surface, and thus the slit width may be narrower. For this reason, in the present embodiment, viewed from a direction perpendicular to the support surface127, the width of the slit128is changed in such a way that the width of a portion located below the electric wiring substrate170is about 0.5 mm and the width of a portion that does not overlap the electric wiring substrate170is about 2.5 mm. Thus, the electric wiring substrate170on the support surface127is sufficiently smooth so as not to affect contact with the suction. Such a shape of the slit128, in that the width decreases from the outer peripheral side toward the center of the support surface127, is desirable in view of improvement of the durability of a die that is used in the process of manufacturing the case120including the slit128. The case120according to the present embodiment is formed from a thermoplastic resin by using a die. To form the slit shape, the die needs to have the same shape as the slit. However, for example, a die shape having a width of about 0.5 mm and a length about 2.5 mm has low strength and may lack durability. Therefore, the slit has a two-step-width shape such that the width is about 0.5 mm and the length is a minimum length of about 1 mm below the electric wiring substrate170and the width is about 1.5 mm and a length is about 1.5 mm in the other regions to be thicker and to have a higher strength. Thus, the slit128according to the present embodiment has both of the function of suppressing deformation of the support surface and the function of improving the durability of a die when forming the case120. However, the shape of the slit128according to the present disclosure is not limited to the two-step-width shape. For example, a width shape having three or more steps or a tapering shape may be used.

<Function of Slit when Cartridge Drops>

Next, the function of the slit128when the cartridge drops will be described. As described above, when the cartridge drops and collides with a floor surface or the like, if the support surface127deforms in such a way as to bend, the element substrate110may break.

Therefore, the cartridge100according to the present disclosure has the slits128provided in the support surface127. As illustrated inFIG.8, when the dropped cartridge collides with the floor surface500at the corner129b, a stress acts on the support surface127so as to generate bending deformation. At this time, among the slits128aand128blocated in the vicinity of the collided part, the slit128adeforms so that the width narrows and the slit128bdeforms so that the width widens. That is, the support surface127deforms with the slits128aand128bas bending points. At this time, when L1 is a region of the long side127afrom the corner129bto the slit128band L2 is a region of the long side127afrom the slit128bto the corner129d, although L1 and L2 deform relative to each other due to the bending points of the slits128aand128b, deformation in the regions L1 and L2 is suppressed to be small. That is, since the long side127aand the entirety of the support surface127deform in a V-shape with the slits128aand128bas the bending points, bending deformation in the regions L1 and L2 is suppressed. Since most of the element substrate110is disposed in the region L2, the element substrate110does not deform severely, and, as a result, it is possible to suppress breakage of the element substrate110even if dropping as illustrated inFIG.8occurs.

FIG.9is another perspective view illustrating a state in which the cartridge100has collided with the floor surface500, illustrating a state in which the cartridge100has collided with the floor surface500from the corner129bat an angle such that the largest-area surface (Y-Z surface) of the case120is inclined by 45 to 90° with respect to the floor surface500. The advantageous effects of the present disclosure occur also when the cartridge100drops and collides in the posture illustrated inFIG.9. In this case, opposite to the case ofFIG.8, the slit128adeforms so that the width widens and the slit128bdeforms so that the width narrows, and thereby it is possible to suppress breakage of the element substrate110.

FIG.10is another view illustrating a state in which the cartridge100has collided with the floor surface500, illustrating a state in which the cartridge100has collided with the floor surface500from the corner129dat an angle such that the largest-area surface (Y-Z surface) of the case120is inclined by 45 to 90° with respect to the floor surface500. The advantageous effects of the present disclosure occur also when the cartridge100drops and collides in the posture illustrated inFIG.10. In this case, the slit128ddeforms so that the width widens and the slit128cdeforms so that the width narrows. At this time, when L3 is a region of the long side127afrom the corner129dto the slit128dand LA is a region of the long side127afrom the slit128dto the corner129b, since the long side127aand the entirety of the support surface127deform in a V-shape with the slits128dand128cas the bending points, bending deformation in the regions L3 and LA is suppressed. Since most of the element substrate110is disposed in the region L4, the element substrate110does not deform severely, and, as a result, it is possible to suppress breakage of the element substrate110even if dropping as illustrated inFIG.10occurs.

As described above, for the slit128to function as a bending point when the cartridge drops, in a direction parallel to the support surface127, the slit128may be formed so as to extend in a direction that intersects a side (long side) of an outer periphery of the support surface127in which the slit is formed at an angle greater than or equal to 45° and less than or equal to 90°.

The cartridge100described above has a configuration such that the slits128are provided in each of two long sides127athat form the outer periphery of the support surface127, and one of the long sides127aincludes at least two of the slits that are disposed with the center of the long side therebetween. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration. With at least one slit, an advantageous effect of cushioning an impact on the element substrate110can be obtained.

Individual packaging950, in which the cartridge100is contained in an individual packaging box when the cartridge100is stored for retail sale in a store or the like, will be described. Also when the individual packaging950is dropped in a posture such that the cartridge100collides with a floor surface or the like from a portion in the vicinity of the support surface127, advantageous effects of the present disclosure can be obtained.FIG.11is a perspective view of the individual packaging950(perspective view of an individual packaging box900) in a state in which the cartridge100is contained in the individual packaging box900.FIG.12is a view illustrating elements included in the individual packaging950.FIG.13is a view viewed from an opening902of the individual packaging box900, and is a view illustrating the individual packaging950in a state in which a flap is not folded.FIG.14is a perspective view of the individual packaging box900viewed from the opening902(FIG.13) side of the individual packaging box900.

As illustrated inFIG.12, the individual packaging950includes the cartridge100, a blister container600, a film700, a cushioning member800, and the individual packaging box900. The cartridge100is accommodated in the blister container600made of a resin, and further, is hermetically accommodated in the blister container600as an opening601of the blister container600is sealed with the film700having flexibility. The cartridge100is hermetically accommodated in the blister container600in order to suppress evaporation of liquid in the cartridge100. Thus, failure of smooth ejection of liquid from the element substrate110, which may occur when the viscosity of the liquid increases due to evaporation of a large amount of the liquid during transportation or during storage, is prevented. In the present embodiment, the film700is welded. A resin layer made of the same material as the blister container600is provided on a welding surface of the film700, and hermeticity is maintained as the resin of the blister container600and the resin of the film700melt and become mixed. A blister pack650, in which the cartridge100is accommodated in the blister container600and to which the film700is welded, and the cushioning member800are accommodated in the individual packaging box900, and thus the individual packaging950is formed. The individual packaging box900is made of, for example, paper. After the blister pack650and the cushioning member800have been accommodated in the individual packaging box900, the flaps (901a,901b,901c1,901c2,901d) are folded. First, flaps901aand901bare folded inside. Next, flap901clis folded so as to close the opening902of the individual packaging box. Next, flaps901c2and901dare affixed to each other to close the opening902of the individual packaging box900, and the individual packaging950illustrated inFIG.11is completed.

Next, a configuration of the individual packaging950for cushioning an impact of dropping will be described. The blister container600also functions as a protective member for protecting the cartridge100from an impact. The blister container600is made of a rigid resin. Since an impact of dropping or the like is not directly transmitted to the cartridge100but is indirectly transmitted via the blister container600, the impact is alleviated. Moreover, since the cushioning member800made of rigid a resin is disposed on a surface on the blister container opening601side to which the flexible film700is welded, an impact transmitted to the cartridge100is alleviated in the same way.

The individual packaging box900also serves to alleviate an impact of dropping. As illustrated inFIG.13, an inner wall920is provided inside of an outer wall910cthat is continuously connected with the flap901c1. There is a clearance930between the outer wall910cand the inner wall920, and the distance L5 is 4 mm in the present embodiment. The blister pack650and the cushioning member800are accommodated in a space surrounded by the inner wall920, outer walls910b,910c,910d,910e, and the flap901c1. Breakage of the element substrate110may occur when dropped, particularly in the posture illustrated inFIG.8, and the inner wall920has an impact-cushioning structure specialized for the dropping posture. As described above, there is a clearance between the outer wall910cand the inner wall920, and the inner wall920is elastically displaceable relative to the outer wall910c. When the cartridge100of the individual packaging950drops in the posture illustrated inFIG.8, the floor surface500and the outer wall910ccollide with each other. If dropped from a low elevation, due to the clearance930, the inner wall920does not collide with the outer wall910c, and the dropping impact is not directly transmitted to the cartridge100. Even if the dropping height is high and the inner wall920collides with the outer wall910c, the impact is absorbed as the inner wall920elastically displaces, and it is possible to minimize the impact transmitted to the cartridge100. The width of the clearance930(the distance between the outer wall910cand the inner wall920) may be greater than or equal to 0.5 mm. Moreover, in the present embodiment, a cutout921is provided in the inner wall920. When the cutout921is provided, insertion failure, which may occur if the film700that has been bent and the inner wall920interference with each other while the blister pack650is being inserted into the individual packaging box900, is prevented. If the cutout921is not provided, an end portion of the film700and an end portion of the inner wall920make surface-to-surface contact, and may cause insertion failure. By providing the cutout921, it is possible to avoid surface-to-surface contact between an inclined surface portion922and an end portion of the film700, and thus insertion failure described above does not occur. Also when the cutout921is provided, the impact-cushioning function due to the presence of the inner wall920described above can be sufficiently performed. Note that a cartridge according to the present disclosure is not limited to a cartridge contained in the individual packaging box.

Second Embodiment

Referring toFIG.15, a second embodiment will be described. Hereafter, differences from the first embodiment described above will be mainly described, and descriptions of portions similar to those of the configuration described above not being repeated, for conciseness.FIG.15is an exploded perspective view of a cartridge100according to the second embodiment. The cartridge100includes a plurality of liquid storage portions and contains a plurality of types of liquids (inks). In the present embodiment, inks of three colors (cyan, magenta, yellow) are contained. In the present embodiment, a configuration of a color ink cartridge including three storage chambers121will be described as an example. However, the number of storage chambers may be two, or four or more. For example, a four-color integrated cartridge for four colors including black in addition to the three colors described above is conceivable.

The element substrate110according to the present embodiment includes three ejection port rows111respectively corresponding to the three types of inks. Therefore, the size of the element substrate110in the X direction is about 5 mm, the size of the element substrate110in the Y direction is about 22 mm, and the size of the element substrate110in the Z direction is about 1 mm. Since flow paths122and ejection ports corresponding to three color inks are formed in the element substrate110according to the present embodiment, even though the length (width) in the X direction is about twice that of the first embodiment, the strength is not necessarily increased. For example, regarding an element substrate in which a plurality of flow paths122corresponding to three or more color inks are formed or flow paths and ejection ports are provided near an end portion in the width direction, strength against an external stress tends to be low.

Therefore, the present disclosure is suitably applicable also to the cartridge100including the element substrate110that can eject a plurality of types of liquids (i.e., a plurality of ink types) as in the present embodiment.FIG.16is a view illustrating the cartridge100according to the second embodiment viewed from the element substrate110side. Slits128a,128b,128c,128dare provided near respective corners129a,129b,129c,129dof the support surface127having a substantially rectangular shape. The shape of each of the slits128is the same as that in the first embodiment. Also with the cartridge100according to the second embodiment, even when the cartridge100drops and collides with a floor surface or the like in any of the postures illustrated inFIGS.8to10, the cartridge100deforms in a direction such that the slit128opens or closes, and thereby the element substrate110does not deform considerably, and it is possible to suppress breakage of the element substrate110.

Additional Embodiments

In the embodiments described above, the cartridge100, which is attachable to and removable from the liquid ejection apparatus, is a disposable-type liquid ejection head that is thrown away when contained liquid is depleted. However, the present disclosure is not limited to a disposable-type cartridge and a liquid ejection apparatus that is used by mounting the cartridge. For example, the present disclosure is suitably applicable to a liquid ejection apparatus that includes a tank having a replenishing port that allows the tank to be replenished with externally supplied liquid and that is configured to supply liquid to the cartridge. A cartridge400illustrated inFIG.17has a supply port410through which liquid is supplied from the tank described above. It is possible to continuously eject ink by a large amount by connecting a tube communicating with the tank to the supply port410and continuously supplying liquid.

With the configuration described above, a cartridge with which breakage of an element substrate suppressed is provided.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-133942, filed Aug. 21, 2023, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.