LIQUID STORING CARTRIDGE AND PRINTER

There is provided a liquid storing cartridge including: a casing which has a bottom surface and which is configured to store a liquid, the casing having a supply port configured to supply the liquid from the casing to an outside of the casing; a circuit board having an electric contact: and a circuit board holder which is provided on the casing and which is configured to hold the circuit board. The circuit board is provided at a position being more apart from the bottom surface of the casing than the supply port is.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-61240 filed on Mar. 31, 2022. The entire content of the priority application is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND ART

A printer provided with a detachable ink cartridge is known. In such printers, the ink cartridge may accommodate an ink container, and the ink container may be provided with an ink-leading out part and a circuit board.

DESCRIPTION

In the printer described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-193093, the circuit board is provided on a location which is obliquely below the ink leading out part. An ink in the ink container is supplied to the printer from the ink leading out part.

In the printer described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-193093, since the circuit board is provided at the location obliquely below the ink leading out part, there is such a possibility that, in a case that the ink cartridge is inserted or removed with respect to the printer, the ink might scatter from the ink leading out part and might dirty the circuit board. In a case that the circuit board is dirtied with the ink, there is such a problem that there might be any conduction failure of an electric contact of the circuit board.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a liquid storing cartridge and a printer each of which is capable of lowering a possibility that a liquid might adhere to an electric contact of a circuit board of a liquid container and of improving reliability of conduction of the electric contact of the circuit board.

A liquid storing cartridge according to a first aspect of the present disclosure includes:a casing which has a bottom surface and which is configured to store a liquid, the casing having a supply port configured to supply the liquid from the casing to an outside of the casing;a circuit board having an electric contact; anda circuit board holder which is provided on the casing and which is configured to hold the circuit board,wherein the circuit board is provided at a position being more apart from the bottom surface of the casing than the supply port is.

According to the first aspect, since the circuit board is provided at the position which is more apart from the bottom surface than the supply port is, the possibility that a liquid scattered from the supply port might adhere to the electric contact of the circuit board is lowered. Accordingly, the reliability of the conduction of the electric contact of the circuit board is improved.

A printer according to a second aspect of the present disclosure includes the above-described liquid storing cartridge. According to the second aspect, in a case that the liquid storing cartridge is inserted or removed with respect to the printer, the possibility that a liquid scattered from the supply port of the liquid container might adhere to the electric contact of the circuit board is lowered. Accordingly, the reliability of the conduction of the electric contact of the circuit board is improved.

A printer1according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be explained, sequentially with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a mechanical element in the drawings indicates an actual scale in each of the drawings. The drawings which are referred to are used for explaining a technical feature which may be adopted by the present disclosure, and the configuration of an apparatus which is described is not meant to be limited only thereto, and is a mere example for explanation. In the explanation of the present embodiment, a left lower side, a right upper side, a right lower side, a left upper side, an upper side and a lower side ofFIG.1are, respectively, a front side, a rear side, a right side, a left side, an upper side and a lower side of the printer1. A left lower side, a right upper side, a right lower side, a left upper side, an upper side and a lower side ofFIG.7are, respectively, a front side, a rear side, a right side, a left side, an upper side and a lower side of the cartridge30.FIGS.1to5andFIGS.9to11are drawings with the directions of the printer1, whereasFIGS.6to8are drawings with the directions of the cartridge30, and the cartridge30is installed in the printer1in a state that the front surface of the cartridge30is oriented to face the rear surface of the printer1.

CONFIGURATION OF PRINTER 1

The configuration of the printer1will be explained, with reference toFIG.1. The printer1is an ink-jet printer which performs printing on a medium having an elongated shape. In a case that print data is inputted to an input terminal (omitted in the drawings), the printer1prints the print data on the medium by a printing mechanism (omitted in the drawings) built in the printer1, and discharges the medium from a discharge port21(to be described later on). As depicted inFIG.1, the printer1is provided with a casing2. The casing2has a shape of rectangular parallelepiped having a size placeable or arrangeable on a table or desk, and has a front wall24, a right wall25, a rear wall26, a left wall29, a bottom wall27, an upper wall28and a front cover23.

The front wall24is provided on a front surface of the casing2, and has, from the upper side toward the lower side, a first front wall241and a second front wall242. Each of the first front wall241and the second front wall242is rectangular which is long in a left-right direction as seen from the front side. The first front wall241is provided on an upper part on the front side of the casing2, and the second front wall242is provided at a location which is below the first front wall241and which is at the center on the front side of the casing2. Each of the right wall25, the rear wall26and the left wall29is rectangular which is long in an up-down direction. Further, each of the bottom wall27and the upper wall28is rectangular which is long in a front-rear direction.

The discharge port21is provided on a boundary between the first front wall241and the second front wall242. The discharge port21is a rectangular opening which is long in the left-right direction as seen from the front side, and discharges a medium having printing performed thereon. The first front wall241is provided with a displaying part3and an operating part4. The displaying part3displays a letter, an image, etc. The operating part4is provided on the right side with respect to the displaying part3. The operating part4is provided with a touch panel or a plurality of buttons via which a variety of kinds of instructions are inputted.

The front cover23is provided on the front surface of the casing2and below the second front wall242. The front cover23is a rectangular lid as seen from the front side, and is provided with a pair of hinges231on a lower end part of the front cover23. By the pair of hinges231, the front cover23is rotatable to a close position (seeFIG.1) at which the front cover23closes an opening part11and an opening part12of an accommodating part6, depicted inFIG.3, and to an open position at which the front cover23releases (that is, does not cover) the opening part11and the opening part12.

As depicted inFIG.2, the printer1accommodates, in the inside of the casing2, an ink-jet head8, a cartridge30, an ink tube48, a conveying device45, a partition wall55and a fixing unit143.

The ink-jet head8prints an image on a medium M supplied from a supplying part5. The ink-jet head8is provided with a plurality of nozzles70which discharges or ejects an ink G in a discharge direction. The ink-jet head8prints the image on the medium M by discharging ink G from the plurality of nozzles70. The discharge direction is downward, and the ink-jet head8is provided at a location above a conveying route Q of the medium M, while the ink jet head8assumes a posture in which the plurality of nozzles70is oriented downward. The conveying route Q is a route or path along which the medium M is conveyed since the medium M is fed out from the supplying part5and until the medium M is discharged from the discharge port21to the outside of the casing2.

The cartridge30is accommodated in the opening part11. The cartridge30accommodates a liquid container100which stores the ink in the inside thereof, and is installed in an installment part7of the opening part11. The details of this will be described later on. The ink tube48is arranged in the inside of the casing2and connects the installment part7and the ink-jet head8. The ink G in the inside of the cartridge30is supplied, via the ink tube48, from the cartridge30to the ink-jet head8.

The conveying device45is provided with the supplying part5, conveying parts270,10,15and19, a supporting part80, a tension applying part60and a rotary body75. The supplying part5is provided on a space which is located on the left side of a side cover251at the close position and which is located at a rear lower part of the printer1and surrounded by the partition wall55and the rear wall26. The supplying part5holds a roll R. The supplying part5is provided with a shaft part51and a magazine52. The shaft part51extends in the left-right direction, and is inserted into a paper tube K of the roll R. The magazine52is a supporting stand which has a shape of a letter “U” as seen from the front side. The magazine52supports both of left and right end parts of the shaft part51so that the shaft part51is rotatable about an axis extending in the left-right direction. The shaft part51is supported by the magazine52in a state that the shaft part51is detachable from the magazine52. The magazine52is supported by the printer1in a state that the magazine is detachable from the printer1.

An operator who replaces the roll R arranges the side cover251at the open position, takes out the magazine52from the inside of the casing2and performs a replacing operation of the roll R.

The conveying part270conveys the medium M in a conveying direction F in which the medium M is conveyed from the supplying part5toward the ink-jet head8and to a retuning direction B which is opposite or reverse direction to the conveying direction F. The conveying direction F is a direction along the conveying route Q which is from the supplying part5toward the ink-jet head8. A part, of the conveying direction F, from the suppling part5up to the tension applying part60is a direction which changes depending on a remaining amount of the medium M, and is generally upward. A part, of the conveying direction F, from the tension applying part60up to the discharge port21is generally frontward.

The conveying part270is provided at a location on an upstream side in the conveying direction F with respect to the ink-jet head8, and on a downstream side in the conveying direction F with respect to the supplying part5. Namely, the conveying part270is provided between the ink-jet head8and the supplying part5in the conveying route Q of the medium M. The conveying part270has a conveying roller271which rotates about an axis extending in the left-right direction and a pinch roller272which rotates about an axis extending in the left-right direction. The conveying part270performs a nip conveyance, by the conveying roller271and the pinch roller272, of conveying the medium M in the conveying direction F which is from the supplying part5toward the ink-jet head8.

The conveying part10is provided on the upstream side in the conveying direction F with respect to the conveying part270, and conveys the medium in the conveying direction F and the retuning direction B. The conveying part10rotates the roll R held by the supplying part5, conveys the medium M in the returning direction B, and takes (winds) the medium M on the roll R. The conveying part10detachably engages with the shaft part51of the supplying part5. The conveying part10rotates the roll R held by the supplying part5, conveys the medium M in the conveying direction F, and feeds the medium M from the roll R toward the ink-jet head8.

The supporting part80is provided on the upstream side in the conveying direction F with respect to the conveying part270and on the downstream side in the conveying direction F with respect to the conveying part10, and supports the tension applying part60and the rotary body75. The tension applying part60is provided between the conveying part270and the conveying part10in the conveying route Q. The tension applying part60is arranged at a location above the supplying part5, and is supported on the upstream side in the conveying direction F with respect to the conveying part270, in a state that the tension applying part60is capable of rocking about an axis extending in the left-right direction. The tension applying part60makes contact with the medium M and bends the medium M. With this, the tension applying part60imparts a tension to the medium M. The tension is a tension acting in a direction opposite to an advancing direction of the medium M.

The rotary body75is supported to be rotatable about an axis extending in the left-right direction, on the upstream side in the conveying direction F with respect to the conveying part270and on the downstream side in the conveying direction F with respect to at an end part, of the tension applying part60, on the upstream side in the conveying direction F, namely a lower end part of the tension applying part60.

The conveying part15is provided on a location below the ink-jet head8and on the downstream side in the conveying direction F with respect to the conveying part270, and conveys the medium M in the conveying direction F. The conveying part15is provided with a driving roller113, a driven roller14and an endless belt16. The driving roller113and the driven roller14are separated from each other in the front-rear direction. The endless belt16is stretched over the driving roller113and the driven roller14. Accompanying with the rotation of the endless belt16, the driven roller14is rotated. A position in the up-down direction of an upper end of an outer circumferential surface of the endless belt16is substantially same with a position in the up-down direction of a nip point89at which the medium M is nipped by the conveying part270. The upper end of the outer circumferential surface of the endless belt16faces or is opposed to the plurality of nozzles70of the ink-jet head8. The upper end of the outer circumferential surface of the endless belt16conveys the medium M in the conveying direction F in a state that the medium M which is (being) conveyed between the conveying part270and the conveying part19is attracted, by suction from a position below the medium M by a static electricity or a negative pressure, to the endless belt16.

The fixing unit143is arranged on the downstream side in the conveying direction F with respect to the ink-jet head8and on the upstream side in the conveying direction F with respect to the conveying part19. Further, the fixing unit143is provided on a location below the conveying route Q. The fixing unit143is provided with a heat source144which is capable of performing conduction heating and a heating plate (hot plate)142which is heated by the heat source144. The heating plate142supports the medium M which passes the conveying route Q from a position below the medium M. The medium M is heated by the heating plate142, thereby causing the ink G discharged onto the medium M by the ink-jet head8to be fixed on the medium M.

The conveying part19is provided on the downstream side in the conveying direction F with respect to the ink-jet head8and the fixing unit143and on the upstream side in the conveying direction F with respect to the discharge port21, and conveys the medium M in the conveying direction F and in the returning direction B. The conveying part19has a conveying roller17and a pinch roller18each of which rotates about an axis extending in the left-right direction, and performs a nip conveyance, by the conveying roller17and the pinch roller18, of conveying the medium M while nipping the medium M between the conveying roller17and the pinch roller18in the up-down direction.

In a case that a printing processing is executed, a controller of the printer1drives the conveying parts270,10,15and19so as to convey the medium M. The printer1adjusts a driving amount of each of the conveying parts270and10so that the tension is applied to the medium M by the tension applying part60. The controller of the printer1drives the ink-jet head8synchronizing with the conveyance of the medium M, thereby discharging, onto the medium M, the ink G supplied from the cartridge30via the ink tube48. The controller of the printer1drives the heat source144so as to fix, to the medium M, the ink G on the medium M. The medium M is discharged from the discharge port21to the outside of the casing2.

CONFIGURATION OF ACCOMMODATING PART 6

With reference toFIGS.3to5, an explanation will be given about the configuration of the accommodating part6provided on the inside of the printer1.FIGS.3to5depict only the accommodating part6, and omits other configurations of the printer1. The accommodating part6is provided on the inside of the front cover23of the printer1. The accommodating part6has a shape of a rectangular parallelepiped which extends in the left-right direction, and is provided with, from the left side toward the right side, a first accommodating part61and a second accommodating part62. The first accommodating part61and the second accommodating part62are each a space having a shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, and provided, respectively, with an opening part11and an opening part12which are opened frontward. In a case that the front cover23is turned from the close state to the open state, the opening parts11and12of the accommodating part6are exposed. Each of the opening parts11and12is a rectangular opening. The first accommodating part61accommodates a cartridge30(to be described later on).

As depicted inFIGS.3and5, the first accommodating part61is provided with a rear wall610. The rear wall610is a rectangular wall which is provided on the rearmost side in the first accommodating part61, and extends in the up-down direction and the left-right direction. The rear wall610is provided with the installment part7. The installment part7is provided on a location below a center in the up-down direction of the rear wall610. In a case that the cartridge30is accommodated in the first accommodating part61, a tap (tap unit, mouth stopper, mouth plug)105of the liquid container100accommodated in the cartridge30is installed in the installment part7. The installment part7is provided with a supply needle9which projects frontward. The supply needle9is hollow inside. In a case that the cartridge30is accommodated in the first accommodating part61and that the tap105is installed in the installment part7, the supply needle9enters into the inside of a supply port109of a connecting part107of the liquid container100. Accordingly, the ink inside the liquid container100is supplied to the ink-jet head8of the printer1.

Further, as depicted inFIG.3, a pair of positioning (alignment) projections611and612is provided on the rear wall610of the first accommodating part61. The positioning projection611and the positioning projection612are provided, respectively, on positions which are symmetrical in the left-right direction with respect to the supply needle9. The positioning projection611and the positioning projection612project frontward. A front end of each of the positioning projection611and the positioning projection612protrude frontward farther than a front end of the supply needle9. In a case that the cartridge30is inserted into the first accommodating part61, the positioning projection612fits into a circular hole72of a first positioning part71(to be described later on) and the positioning projection611fits into an elongated hole (slot)74of a second positioning part73(to be described later on).

A maintenance box (omitted in the drawings) is accommodated in the second accommodating part62. The maintenance box has a shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, similarly to the cartridge30. The maintenance box is fixed in a state that the maintenance box is accommodated in the second accommodating part62. An accommodating body accommodating a nozzle cleaning liquid for maintenance is accommodated in the maintenance box. At a time of performing maintenance, the nozzle cleaning liquid is supplied to the ink-jet head8from the maintenance box.

CONFIGURATION OF CARTRIDGE 30

As depicted inFIG.7, the cartridge30has a shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, and is provided with a lower case37and a cover36. As depicted inFIG.8, the cartridge30accommodates or stores the liquid container100in the inside of the lower case37. The liquid container100is a container which accommodates or stores a liquid. The liquid container100is a pouch made of a synthetic resin. In the following, an example that the ink is stored in the liquid container100will be explained.

As depicted inFIGS.7and8, the lower case37is provided with a front wall31, a rear wall32, a right wall33, a left wall34and a bottom wall35. The bottom wall35is a rectangular plate which is long in the front-rear direction. The front wall31extends upward from a front end of the bottom wall35. A tap engaging part41is provided on a left lower part of the front wall31. The tap engaging part41is an opening part which penetrates the front wall31in the front-rear direction and which is opened upwardly. As depicted inFIG.8, the tap105of the liquid container100engages with the tap engaging part41from a position above the tap engaging part41. The front wall31supports the tap105of the liquid container100. An opening39which is opened upward is defined by the front wall31, the right wall33, the left wall34and the rear wall32. The liquid container100is accommodated in the inside of the opening39.

As depicted inFIG.8, the cover36is provided with an upper wall365, a front wall361, a rear wall (omitted in the drawings), a right wall364and a left wall363. A pair of bearing parts367of the cover36is rotatably supported, respectively, by a pair of shafts321of the lower case37, thereby causing the cover36to rotate to a close state in which the cover39covers the opening39and to an open state in which the cover39does not cover the opening39. In the open state depicted inFIG.8, the operator is capable of attaching and detaching the liquid container100with respect to the cartridge30. In a case that the cover36is in the closed state, the cartridge30is accommodatable in the accommodating part6of the printer1.

CONFIGURATION OF LIQUID CONTAINER 100

With reference toFIGS.5and8, the configuration of the liquid container100will be explained. The liquid container100stores, as an example, an ink. An example of the ink is a black ink. The liquid container100is provided with a case110, and the case110is formed of a pouch made of a synthetic resin. The case110has a shape of a rectangular parallelepiped which is long in the front-rear direction. As depicted inFIG.8, the case110is provided with a front surface101, a rear surface102, a right side surface103, a left side surface104, a bottom surface106(seeFIG.5) and an upper surface108. The bottom surface106and the upper surface108are each a rectangle which is long in the front-rear direction. The front surface101is a rectangle which extends upward from a front end of the bottom surface106. The right side surface103is a rectangle which extends upward from a right end of the bottom surface106and which is long in the front-rear direction. The left side surface104is a rectangle which extends upward from a left end of the bottom surface106and which is long in the front-rear direction. The rear surface102is a rectangle which extends upward from a rear end of the bottom surface106.

As depicted inFIG.8, the tap105is provided on a left lower part of the front surface101. The tap105is provided with a connecting part107, the first positioning (alignment) part71, the second positioning (alignment) part73and a circuit board holder130. The connecting part107is a cylinder which extends, with respect to the front surface101, in the front direction which is orthogonal to the front surface101. The connecting part107has the supply port109opened in the front direction at a center of the connecting part107. The supply port109of the connecting part107is a supply port via which the ink is supplied from the liquid container100to the outside of the liquid container100. The connecting part107extends from the front surface101in an opening direction of the supply port109. Further, a sealing member (omitted in the drawings) is provided on a part which is located on the back side (on the rear side) of the supply port109. In a case, for example, that the cartridge30is detached from the installment part7and connection between the supply port109of the connecting part107and the supply needle9is released, any leaking of the ink from the supply port109is suppressed by the sealing member.

The first positioning part71is provided on a position which is obliquely lower left with respect to the supply port109, in a crossing direction which crosses the opening direction (front direction) of the supply port109. The circular hole72of which opening is circular is provided on a front end part of the first positioning part71. The second positioning part73is provided on a position which is obliquely lower right with respect to the supply port109, in the crossing direction which crosses the opening direction (front direction) of the supply port109. The elongated hole74of which opening is elongated in a lateral direction is provided on a front end part of the second positioning part73.

Further, the first positioning part71extends from the front surface101in the opening direction of the supply port109. Furthermore, the second positioning part73extends from the front surface101in the opening direction of the supply port109. Moreover, the positional relationship among the supply port109of the connecting part107, the first positioning part71and the second positioning part73is same as the positional relationship among the supply needle9, the positioning projection611and the positioning projection612which are provided on the first accommodating part61. In a case that the cartridge30is inserted into the first accommodating part61, the supply port109, the first positioning part71and the second positioning part73are provided on positions, respectively, facing the supply needle9, the positioning projection612and the positioning projection611.

<CONFIGURATIONS OF CIRCUIT BOARD140AND CIRCUIT BOARD HOLDER 130>

As depicted inFIGS.5to8, the tap105is provided with the circuit board holder130at a location above the supply port109. Namely, the circuit board holder130is provided at a position being more apart (farther) from the bottom surface106of the liquid container100than the supply port109is (that is, a position higher than the supply port109with reference to the bottom surface106). Specifically, the circuit board holder130is provided at a farther (higher) position such that a height of the circuit board holder130from the bottom surface106of the liquid container100is larger than a height of the supply port109from the bottom surface106of the liquid container100. The circuit board holder130holds a circuit board140detachably. The circuit board140has an electronic circuit built therein, and the electric contact (electric contact point)141is exposed from the circuit board140. The circuit board140stores information regarding a remaining amount of the liquid stored in the liquid container100. An example of the circuit board140is an IC chip. The circuit boards140is held by the circuit board holder130in a state that a surface, of the circuit board140, on which the electric contact141is provided faces (is oriented) upward. Note that the electric contact141of the circuit board140makes contact with an electric contact613(seeFIG.3) provided on the first accommodating part61.

As depicted inFIG.6, the circuit board holder130is provided with a first holding member131, a second holding member132and an urging member170. An example of the urging member170is a coil spring. The first holding member131has a shape of a tube of which upper end part is closed, and holds the circuit board140at the upper end part the tube. The second holding member132is held movably in the up-down direction in the inside of a tube of the first holding member131, and is provided with a projecting part132A which projects downward and arranged at a lower end part of the second holding member132. The projecting part132A is provided, respectively on a front part and a rear part thereof, with an inclined surface132AA and an inclined surface132AB. Further, the urging member170is provided on the inside of the second holding member132; the first holding member131is connected or linked to one end171of the urging member170; and the second holding member132is connected or linked to the other end172of the urging member170. Accordingly, the first holding member131holds the urging member170together with the second holding member132in a state that the urging member170is interposed (pinched or sandwiched) between the first holding member131and the second holding member132.

As depicted inFIG.5, the first accommodating part61is provided with a projecting part150which projects from the upper side to the lower side. The projecting part150is provided, in the front-rear direction of the printer1, with an inclined surface150A and an inclined surface150B. In a case that the cartridge30is installed in the printer1, the projecting part150makes contact with an upper end of the first holding member131. Further, the first accommodating part61is provided with an inclined part161. The inclined part161is provided with an inclined surface161A which is inclined upward with respect to an installing direction of the cartridge30with respect to the printer1. The inclined part161is provided with a horizontal surface161B which is connected to an upper part of the inclined surface161A. In the case that the cartridge30is installed in the printer1, the projecting part132A of the second holding member132makes contact with the inclined surface161A of the inclined part161. In a state that installment of the cartridge30with respect to the first accommodating part61is completed, the projecting part132A of the second holding member132is held by the horizontal surface161B. As depicted inFIG.3, the first accommodating part61is provided with the electric contact613. In the state that the installment of the cartridge30with respect to the first accommodating part61is completed, the electric contact141of the circuit board140contacts the electric contact613.

<INSTALLMENT AND DETACHMENT OF CARTRIDGE30AND EFFECT OF EMBODIMENT>

In a case that the cartridge30is to be installed in the printer1, an user opens the front cover23of the printer1, and inserts the cartridge30into the first accommodating part61as depicted inFIG.4. Further, in a case that the ink becomes insufficient during usage of the printer1and that an instruction of replacing the cartridge30is displayed on the displaying part3, the user opens the front cover23of the printer1and exchanges the cartridge30. In these cases, the position of the supply port109is positioned (aligned) with respect to the supply needle9by the first positioning part71and the second positioning part73, and the cartridge30is installed in the first accommodating part61. Further, the electric contact141of the circuit board140held by the circuit board holder130contacts the electric contact613on the side of the printer1. Accordingly, the printer1is capable of obtaining the information regarding the remaining amount of the ink stored in the cartridge30, and the printer1is also capable of writing information regarding an used amount of the ink to the circuit board140.

With reference toFIGS.5and9to11, an operation of the circuit board holder130in a case of installing the cartridge30with respect to the first accommodating part61will be explained.FIG.5depicts a state that the installment of the cartridge30with respect to the first accommodating part61is completed, andFIGS.9to11depict, sequentially, a state that the installment of the cartridge30with respect to the first accommodating part61is being progressed. First, as depicted inFIG.9, at a position of the cartridge30that the supply needle9is not inserted into the supply port109, the first holding member131of the circuit board holder130does not make contact with the projecting part150of the first accommodating part61. Further, the projecting part132A of the second holding member132does not make contact with the inclined part161of the first accommodating part61.

As depicted inFIG.10, in a case that the cartridge30is inserted, in the inside of the first accommodating part61, deeply (to the rear side) toward the rear wall610, the inclined surface132AA of the projecting part132A of the second holding member132makes contact with the inclined surface161A of the inclined part161. In this situation, an upper end part of the first holding member131makes contact with the inclined surface150A of the projecting part150. Accordingly, by the contact made by the first holding member131with respect to the projecting part150and the contact made by the second holding member132with respect to the inclined part161, the urging member170is pinched (sandwiched) between the first holding member131and the second holding member132, which in turn causes the urging member170to contract.

Next, as depicted inFIG.11, in a case that the cartridge30is inserted, in the inside of the first accommodating part61, further deeply (to the rear side) toward the rear wall610, the projecting part132A of the second holding member132is guided up to an upper end of the inclined part161. In this situation, the upper end part of the first holding member131is started to be released from the contact with respect to the projecting part150.

Next, as depicted inFIG.5, in a case that the cartridge30is inserted, in the inside of the first accommodating part61, furthermore deeply (to the rear side) toward the rear wall610, the projecting part132A of the second holding member132has finished climbing the inclined surface161A of the inclined part161, makes contact with and is held by the horizontal surface161B. In this situation, the upper end part of the first holding member131does not make contact with the projecting part150. The contact made by the first holding member131with respect to the projecting part150is released and the urging member170expands (is elongated) upward, thereby causing the electric contact141of the circuit board140to make contact with the electric contact613(seeFIG.3), of the printer1, which is positioned above the electric contact141. The horizontal surface161B of the inclined part161supports the circuit board holder130which has been moved upward. Accordingly, the circuit board140is held at a farther position (higher position) at which the circuit board140is more apart or away from the bottom surface106than the supply port109is). Thus, a possibility that a liquid scattered from the supply port109might adhere to the electric contact141of the circuit board140is further lowered. Accordingly, the reliability of the conduction of the electric contact141of the circuit board140is improved.

The printer1is capable of causing the cartridge30configured as described above to be installed therein. Accordingly, the printer1makes such a possibility that, in a case that the cartridge is inserted or removed in the printer1, the liquid scattered from the supply port109of the liquid container100might adhere to the electric contact141of the circuit board140, to be lowered. Accordingly, the reliability of the conduction of the electric contact141of the circuit board140is improved.

In the above-described embodiment, the cartridge30is an example of a “liquid storing cartridge”. The case110is an example of a “casing”.

The liquid container100is not limited to being box-shaped. Although the liquid container100stores the ink, the liquid container100is not limited to this. For example, the liquid container100may store a liquid different from the ink. For example, the liquid container100may store a preservative liquid (storage liquid, shipping liquid) which is introduced to the ink tube48connecting the cartridge30and the ink-jet head8for a purpose of suppressing any solidification of the ink inside the ink tube48, in a case that the printer1is shipped or in a case that the printer1is stored for a long period of time. Further, it is also allowable to omit the lower case37and the cover36of the cartridge30, and to install the liquid container100directly in the printer1.

In the above-described embodiment, although the ink is, for example, the black ink, the ink is not limited to or restricted by this. For example, the ink may be an ink such as a cyan ink, a magenta ink, a yellow ink, a white ink or a clear ink, etc.

In the above-described embodiment, although the liquid container100has the shape of rectangular parallelepiped, the liquid container100is not limited to this. For example, the shape of the liquid container100may be a shape of another polyhedron, or may be cylindrical. Further, it is allowable that the liquid container100does not have a shape which is symmetrical in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, the urging member170is not limited to the coil spring, and may be an elastic body which is made of a rubber, a synthetic resin, etc.

In the above-described embodiment, although the tap105is provided on a position which is biased toward the left side surface104in the left-right direction, the arrangement of the tap105is not limited to this. For example, the tap105may be provided on a position which is biased toward the right side surface103. In such a case, the installment part7of the first accommodating part61may be provided on a position corresponding to the arrangement position of the tap105. In the above described embodiment, the first holding member131is provided in the tap (tap unit)105such that the holding member131is capable of moving in the up-down direction relative to the liquid container100. However, the first holding member131may be fixed with respect to the container100such that the first holding member131is not capable of moving in the up-down direction relative to the liquid container100.