Patent Description:
The present disclosure relates to a technology for a liquid storage and a method of reusing an adapter.

<CIT> discloses a liquid cartridge which includes: a cartridge body having a liquid storage chamber, a liquid supply sleeve having a distal end portion, a seal portion disposed at the distal end portion of the liquid supply sleeve, a cap fixing the seal portion, and a snap-fit mechanism engaging the cap with one of the cartridge body and the liquid supply sleeve. The snap-fit mechanism includes engagement surfaces and a pair of projections. Each projection includes a pair of engagement pawls engaged with the corresponding engagement surfaces. The pair of engagement pawls of each projection includes a first engagement pawl protruding in a crossing direction, and a second engagement pawl protruding in a direction opposite to a direction in which the first engagement pawl protrudes in the crossing direction.

<CIT> discloses a liquid storing container for an ink jet recording apparatus which includes a housing, a porous ink absorbing member received in the housing, and a first filter coming in contact with the ink absorbing member. The liquid storing container is detachably connected to an ink jet recording head having a second filter disposed in a liquid flow path thereof.

A liquid storage including a bag-shaped member, a liquid supply port coupled to the bag-shaped member, and an adapter that fixes the liquid supply port inside is known. <CIT> is an example of the related art.

In the related art, the adapter is composed of two members: a first member and a second member. The first member and the second member are coupled with coupling members in a state of pinching the liquid supply port. In the related art, the liquid supply port is fixed by being pinched by the first member and the second member and is not directly engaged with the adapter. Hence, there is a possibility that the adapter detaches from the liquid supply port.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a liquid storage according to claim <NUM>.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method according to claim <NUM>.

<FIG> is a perspective view of a printing apparatus <NUM> according to the present embodiment. <FIG> illustrates arrows X, Y, and Z indicating three directions orthogonal to one another. The arrows X, Y, and Z are illustrated in other figures as necessary so as to indicate the same directions as in <FIG>.

The directions indicated by the arrows X, Y, and Z are based on the orientation of the printing apparatus <NUM> in normal use. Normal use of the printing apparatus <NUM> refers to a state in which the printing apparatus <NUM> is placed on a horizontal plane for use. In the following, the directions indicated by the arrows X, Y, and Z are referred to as "the X direction", "the Y direction", and "the Z direction", respectively. The Z direction is the vertical direction. One direction of the X direction is referred to as "the +X direction", and the other direction is referred to as "the -X direction". The same is true of the Y and Z directions. Hence, directions toward one side are referred to as "the +Y direction" and "the +Z direction", and the directions toward the other side are referred to as "the -Y direction" and "the -Z direction". In the following description, the -Y direction is also referred to as "the front direction", and the +Y direction is also referred to as "the rear direction". The -X direction is also referred to as "the right direction", and the +X direction is also referred to as "the left direction". The -Z direction is also referred to as "the upward direction", and the +Z direction is also referred to as "the downward direction".

The printing apparatus <NUM> is an ink jet printer. The liquid consumed through ejection by the printing apparatus <NUM> is ink. The printing apparatus <NUM> ejects ink droplets and forms a print image on a medium MP described later, as illustrated in <FIG>. The medium MP is, for example, a fabric or a printing sheet. The printing apparatus <NUM> of the present embodiment includes a housing 10c which is a resin hollow box serving as the casing of the printing apparatus <NUM>. The housing 10c has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The front face <NUM> of the housing 10c includes an operation unit <NUM>, a medium discharge opening <NUM>, a medium support portion <NUM>, and a cover member <NUM>.

The operation unit <NUM> includes a display unit that displays information presented to the user and a plurality of operation buttons that receive user input operations. The medium discharge opening <NUM> is the exit for the medium MP discharged from the printing apparatus <NUM>. The medium discharge opening <NUM> is an opening in the form of a slit having a wide width in the X direction. The medium support portion <NUM>, located on the lower side of the medium discharge opening <NUM>, extends in the form of a cantilever in the -Y direction and is configured to support the medium MP discharged from the medium discharge opening <NUM>.

The cover member <NUM> is a resin plate-shaped member serving as part of the casing of the printing apparatus <NUM>. The cover member <NUM> is detachably attached to the housing 10c. The cover member <NUM> covers and protects attachments <NUM> stored in the printing apparatus <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>.

<FIG> is a schematic configuration diagram of the printing apparatus <NUM> viewed from the front. As illustrated in <FIG>, the printing apparatus <NUM> includes a controller <NUM>, an ejection performing section <NUM>, a transportation roller <NUM>, a liquid supply section <NUM>, and a case storing section <NUM>.

The case storing section <NUM> is located inside the cover member <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> and at a bottom portion of the printing apparatus <NUM>. The case storing section <NUM> stores four attachments <NUM>. Specifically, the four attachments <NUM> include three first attachments 105a and one second attachment 105b. The first attachment 105a and the second attachment 105b differ from each other in size. The second attachment 105b is larger than the first attachment 105a. Each attachment <NUM> includes a case <NUM> and a liquid storage <NUM> housed in the case <NUM>. The four cases <NUM> of the attachments <NUM> include three first cases 61a and one second case 61b. The four liquid storages <NUM> include three first liquid storages 100a and one second liquid storage 100b. In each first attachment 105a, the first case 61a houses the first liquid storage 100a. In the second attachment 105b, the second case 61b houses the second liquid storage 100b. The second liquid storage 100b differs from the first liquid storage 100a in that the second liquid storage 100b has a liquid storing portion, described later, wider than that of the first liquid storage 100a and thus has a larger capacity than the first liquid storage 100a. For example, the three first liquid storages 100a may store cyan, magenta, and yellow inks, and the second liquid storage 100b may store black ink.

The ejection performing section <NUM> includes a liquid ejecting unit <NUM>, a plurality of tubes <NUM>, and a carriage <NUM>. The bottom face of the liquid ejecting unit <NUM> has nozzles <NUM> open downward. The liquid ejecting unit <NUM> ejects liquid through the nozzles <NUM>, for example, by applying pressure to the ink by using piezo elements. The liquid ejecting unit <NUM> is mounted on the carriage <NUM>. The carriage <NUM> reciprocates linearly in the X direction. The transportation roller <NUM> is located below the liquid ejecting unit <NUM> and supported at both ends in the X direction. The transportation roller <NUM> transports the medium MP. The plurality of tubes <NUM> are aligned in the Y direction and coupled to the liquid ejecting unit <NUM>.

The liquid supply section <NUM> includes four supply pipes <NUM>, a joint portion <NUM>, and a suction unit <NUM>. Each of the four supply pipes <NUM> is coupled to the corresponding one of the four liquid storages <NUM>. The joint portion <NUM> couples each one of the four supply pipes <NUM> to the corresponding one of the tubes <NUM>. The liquid ejecting unit <NUM> is supplied with inks stored in the liquid storages <NUM> via the four supply pipes <NUM>, the joint portion <NUM>, and the plurality of tubes <NUM>. The suction unit <NUM> generates pressure for sending inks from the liquid storages <NUM> to the supply pipes <NUM>.

The controller <NUM> controls driving of each portion of the printing apparatus <NUM>. The controller <NUM> includes a microcomputer including at least a central processing unit and main memory and performs various functions by causing the central processing unit to load various programs into the main memory and execute the programs.

<FIG> is a schematic plan view of the liquid supply section <NUM> from above. <FIG> is a schematic perspective view of the liquid supply section <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the case storing section <NUM> receives the attachments <NUM> inserted in the +Y direction from the outside. The four attachments <NUM> housed in the case storing section <NUM> are aligned in the X direction. In <FIG>, placement areas LA where the attachments <NUM> are placed in the case storing section <NUM> are indicated by dashed dotted lines.

The liquid supply section <NUM> includes, besides the foregoing constituents, four switching mechanisms <NUM> and a pressure transfer pipe <NUM>. The four switching mechanisms <NUM> are located on the +Y direction side of the placement areas LA. The four switching mechanisms <NUM> are located so as to be associated with the four respective placement areas LA. The four switching mechanisms <NUM> include, specifically, three first switching mechanisms 50a and one second switching mechanism 50b. The three first switching mechanisms 50a are associated with the three respective first liquid storages 100a. The second switching mechanism 50b is associated with the second liquid storage 100b.

As illustrated in <FIG>, each switching mechanism <NUM> includes a liquid introduction portion <NUM> and an apparatus-side terminal <NUM>. The liquid introduction portion <NUM> is detachably coupled to a liquid storage <NUM>. The liquid introduction portion <NUM> has a tubular shape extending straight in the -Y direction. The liquid introduction portion <NUM> is coupled to the liquid storage <NUM> by the distal end portion 51t of the liquid introduction portion <NUM> being inserted into a liquid supply portion, described later, of the liquid storage <NUM>. Thus, the liquid stored in the liquid storage <NUM> flows through the liquid introduction portion <NUM>. The pressure transfer pipe <NUM> transfers the pressure generated by the suction unit <NUM>.

The apparatus-side terminal <NUM> is formed of an elastic plate-shaped member. The apparatus-side terminal <NUM> is electrically coupled to the controller <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> via wiring or the like.

<FIG> is a schematic exploded perspective view of a first liquid storage 100a removed from a first case 61a. <FIG> is a schematic exploded perspective view of an adapter <NUM> removed from a liquid supply member <NUM>. The second attachment 105b has a configuration the same as or similar to that of the first attachment 105a. Accordingly, the first attachment 105a will be representatively described in the following, and description of the second attachment 105b will be omitted.

The case <NUM> is an open top container in the form of a tray. The case <NUM> is made of, for example, a resin material such as polypropylene. A liquid storage <NUM> is detachably placed into the case <NUM> from above. At end portions of the case <NUM> in the +Y direction, two columnar guide portions <NUM> are provided so as to stand upward from the lower face of the case <NUM>. The two guide portions <NUM> guide the adapter <NUM> described later when the liquid storage <NUM> is placed in the case <NUM>.

The liquid storage <NUM> includes a liquid storing portion <NUM> and the adapter <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> and also includes the liquid supply member <NUM> coupled to the liquid storing portion <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>. The liquid storing portion <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> is a bag for storing liquid. The liquid storing portion <NUM> is flexible. The liquid storing portion <NUM> is formed of a plurality of films attached together. The liquid storing portion <NUM> and the liquid supply member <NUM> are joined together by putting together the plurality of films composing the liquid storing portion <NUM>, joining portions of the peripheral edges of the films together by a method such as heat welding, and joining together other portions of the peripheral edges and the liquid supply member <NUM>. The liquid storing portion <NUM> in the present embodiment is a so-called gusset bag including a film of a first face <NUM> described later, a film of a second face <NUM> described later, and two films located at either end portion in the X direction and serving as gussets. Note that the liquid storing portion <NUM> is not limited to a gusset type and may be a bag of a so-called pillow type composed of two films. The films included in the liquid storing portion <NUM> are made of a flexible material having gas barrier properties. Examples of materials for the films include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), nylon, and polyethylene. Alternatively, a film having a stacked structure in which a plurality of films of any of the above materials are stacked may be used. In such a stacked structure, for example, the outer layer may be formed of PET or nylon, both of which have excellent impact resistance, and the inner layer may be formed of polyethylene, which has excellent ink resistance. In addition, the stacked structure may include a film having a vapor deposition layer of aluminum or the like as one constituent.

The liquid storing portion <NUM> includes a first face <NUM> forming the upper face and a second face <NUM> forming the bottom face. The first face <NUM> and the second face <NUM> are opposed in the Z direction. The first face <NUM> and the second face <NUM> are main faces which are the largest of the faces included in the liquid storing portion <NUM>. The liquid storing portion <NUM> has one end portion <NUM> and another end portion <NUM> opposed to the one end portion <NUM>. The one end portion <NUM> is an end portion in the +Y direction. The other end portion <NUM> is an end portion in the -Y direction. As the liquid in the liquid storing portion <NUM> is consumed, the liquid storing portion <NUM> deforms such that the first face <NUM> and the second face <NUM> come closer to each other, and the volume of the liquid storing portion <NUM> decreases.

Here, in the liquid storage <NUM>, the Z direction in which the first face <NUM> and the second face <NUM> are opposed corresponds to the thickness direction, the Y direction in which the end portion <NUM> and the other end portion <NUM> are opposed corresponds to the length direction, and the X direction orthogonal to the thickness direction and the length direction corresponds to the width direction. In the present embodiment, in a state in which the liquid storage <NUM> is attached to the printing apparatus <NUM> in normal use, the thickness direction corresponds to the up-down direction.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the liquid supply member <NUM> is attached to the one end portion <NUM> of the liquid storing portion <NUM>. The liquid supply member <NUM> includes a supply path <NUM> communicating with the inside of the liquid storing portion <NUM>, a coupling portion <NUM>, and an engaged member <NUM>.

The supply path <NUM> is a flow path for supplying the liquid stored in the liquid storing portion <NUM> to the printing apparatus <NUM>. In the liquid supply direction from the liquid storing portion <NUM> toward the printing apparatus <NUM>, the upstream end of the supply path <NUM> is located inside the liquid storing portion <NUM>, and the downstream end of the supply path <NUM> is located outside the liquid storing portion <NUM>.

The coupling portion <NUM> is coupled to the one end portion <NUM> of the liquid storing portion <NUM> by heat welding. The coupling portion <NUM> includes an upstream portion of the supply path <NUM>.

The engaged member <NUM> is coupled to an end portion in the +Y direction of the coupling portion <NUM>. The engaged member <NUM> includes a tubular liquid supply portion <NUM> and an engagement forming portion <NUM> located on both sides of the liquid supply portion <NUM> in the width direction of the liquid storage <NUM>. The liquid supply portion <NUM> includes a downstream portion of the supply path <NUM> and is configured to be coupled to the liquid introduction portion <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>. The distal-end opening of the liquid supply portion <NUM> is sealed by a film FM in the initial state before being attached to the printing apparatus <NUM>.

The engagement forming portion <NUM> is a substantially plate-shaped member. The engagement forming portion <NUM> has two positioning holes <NUM> extending in the Z direction, which is the thickness direction. The two positioning holes <NUM> enable the adapter <NUM> to be positioned relative to the liquid supply member <NUM> when the adapter <NUM> is engaged with and attached to the liquid supply member <NUM>. The two positioning holes <NUM> are located on either side of the liquid supply portion <NUM> in the width direction of the liquid storing portion <NUM>. The engagement forming portion <NUM> is configured to engage the adapter <NUM>. The engagement with the adapter <NUM> will be described in detail later.

The adapter <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> includes an adapter first side 130fa having a recess <NUM> configured to receive the liquid supply portion <NUM> of the liquid supply member <NUM> and an adapter second side 130fb located on the side opposite to the adapter first side 130fa. The recess <NUM> is open in the +Y direction and the +Z direction.

The adapter <NUM> engages the liquid supply member <NUM> by being moved relative to and toward the liquid supply member <NUM> with the adapter first side 130fa facing the liquid supply member <NUM>. The adapter <NUM> has a circuit substrate <NUM>. The circuit substrate <NUM> is located in a recess <NUM> formed at a corner portion of the adapter <NUM> at which the adapter second side 130fb intersects the front face. The front surface of the circuit substrate <NUM> has a storage terminal configured to be in contact with the apparatus-side terminal <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> in a state in which the liquid storage <NUM> is attached to the printing apparatus <NUM>. The back surface of the circuit substrate <NUM> has memory for storing various kinds of information on the liquid storage <NUM>. The memory is electrically coupled to the storage terminal by wiring. The various kinds of information stored in the memory include, for example, information on the type of the liquid storage <NUM>, the liquid capacity, and an identification number. In the attached state, the memory and the controller <NUM> of the printing apparatus <NUM> can exchange various kinds of information.

<FIG> is a perspective view of the adapter <NUM> and the liquid supply member <NUM> engaged with each other. <FIG> is the same view as in <FIG> but with the coupling portion <NUM> of the liquid supply member <NUM> removed. <FIG> also illustrates a first protrusion 324A to a third protrusion 324C of a disengagement tool. The first protrusion 324A is used to disengage a first engaging portion 134A described later, the second protrusion 324B is used to disengage a second engaging portion 134B described later, and the third protrusion 324C is used to disengage a third engaging portion 134C described later. The first protrusion 324A to the third protrusion 324C are referred to as the protrusions <NUM> when referred to without being distinguished from each other.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the coupling portion <NUM> has two leading portions <NUM>. The leading portions <NUM> are located inside the liquid storing portion <NUM>. The leading portions <NUM> are upstream end portions of the supply path <NUM>. The liquid that flows into the leading portions <NUM> from the liquid storing portion <NUM> is supplied through the liquid supply portion <NUM> to the printing apparatus <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the adapter first side 130fa of the adapter <NUM> has two positioning protrusions <NUM> extending in the Z direction, which is the attachment direction in which the adapter <NUM> is attached to the liquid supply member <NUM>. The two positioning protrusions <NUM> are inserted into the two respective positioning holes <NUM>. This configuration restricts the movement of the adapter <NUM> relative to the liquid supply member <NUM> in the directions intersecting the attachment direction, and accordingly, the adapter <NUM> is positioned in the directions intersecting the attachment direction.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the adapter <NUM> further includes a plurality of engaging portions 134A, 134B, and 134C configured to face the engagement forming portion <NUM> of the liquid supply member <NUM> in the Z direction and engage the engagement forming portion <NUM>. The plurality of engaging portions 134A, 134B, and 134C are the first engaging portion 134A, the second engaging portion 134B, and the third engaging portion 134C. The plurality of engaging portions 134A to 134C are simply referred to as the engaging portions <NUM> when referred to without being distinguished from each other. The engaging portions <NUM> are snap-fit portions capable of engaging and disengaging through elastic deformation. The first engaging portion 134A faces the engaged member <NUM> in the Z direction at an end portion in the +Y direction of the engaged member <NUM> and engages the engaged member <NUM>. The second engaging portion 134B and the third engaging portion 134C face the engaged member <NUM> in the Z direction at either end portion of the engaged member <NUM> in the X direction, which is the width direction, and engage the engaged member <NUM>. Detailed configuration of the engaging portions <NUM> will be described later.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the engagement forming portion <NUM> of the liquid supply member <NUM> has a plurality of engaged portions 124A, 124B, and 124C. The plurality of engaged portions 124A, 124B, and 124C are referred to as a first engaged portion 124A, a second engaged portion 124B, and a third engaged portion 124C. The plurality of engaged portions 124A to 124C are simply referred to as the engaged portions <NUM> when referred to without being distinguished from each other.

The first engaged portion 124A is engaged by the first engaging portion 134A. The second engaged portion 124B is engaged by the second engaging portion 134B. The third engaged portion 124C is engaged by the third engaging portion 134C. The first engaged portion 124A is an extension portion extending in the +Z direction from a +Y direction end portion of an engaging-portion main body <NUM>. The first engaging portion 134A hooks and engages the distal end face in the +Z direction of the first engaged portion 124A, which is an extension portion. The second engaged portion 124B includes a protrusion protruding from a +Z direction-side face 127fa of the engaging-portion main body <NUM> and the engaging-portion main body <NUM> to which the protrusion is coupled. The protrusion included in the second engaged portion 124B protrudes from a -X direction peripheral-edge portion of the face 127fa. The second engaging portion 134B hooks and engages the +Z direction distal end face of the protrusion of the second engaged portion 124B. The third engaged portion 124C is part of the plate-shaped engaging-portion main body <NUM> of the engagement forming portion <NUM>. Specifically, the third engaged portion 124C is a +X direction peripheral-edge portion of the engaging-portion main body <NUM>. The third engaging portion 134C hooks and engages the face 127fa, which is the +Z direction side of the engaging-portion main body <NUM>.

In the Z direction in which the engaging portions <NUM> engage the engaged member <NUM>, the first engaged portion 124A is the longest, and the third engaged portion 124C is the shortest.

<FIG> is a diagram for explaining details of the engaging portions <NUM> and the engaged portions <NUM>. Each engaging portion <NUM> has a main body <NUM> extending in the Z direction, which is the thickness direction of the liquid storage <NUM>, and a hook portion <NUM> coupled to a +Z direction end portion of the main body <NUM>. The main body <NUM> deforms elastically in the directions of the arrows RrA to RrC with the proximal end portion, which is the end portion in the -Z direction and is coupled to the adapter main body of the adapter <NUM>, as the support point, so that the hook portion <NUM> is displaced. The hook portion <NUM> is a claw-like portion protruding from the main body <NUM> in a direction intersecting the thickness direction.

Each hook portion <NUM> has an engagement face <NUM> configured to face and engage the engaged portion 124A, 124B, or 124C of the engagement forming portion <NUM> in the Z direction. In other words, each of the engaging portions 134A to 134B engages the corresponding one of the engaged portions 124A to 124C of the engagement forming portion <NUM> of the liquid supply member <NUM> with the engagement face <NUM> facing the engaged portion. The engagement faces <NUM> restrict the movement in the +Z direction of the liquid supply member <NUM> by being in contact with the engaged portions <NUM> of the liquid supply member <NUM>. The direction normal to the engagement face <NUM> is the -Z direction and is the engagement direction in which each of the first engaging portion 134A to the third engaging portion 134C engages the corresponding one of the first engaged portion 124A to the third engaged portion 124C. In other words, the direction from each of the engaging portions 134A to 134C toward the corresponding one of the first engaged portion 124A to the third engaged portion 124C of the liquid supply member <NUM> is the engagement direction. In the present embodiment, the engagement direction is the downward direction of the up-down direction in the state in which the liquid storage <NUM> is attached to the printing apparatus <NUM>. The engagement direction in which each of the first engaging portion 134A to the third engaging portion 134C engages the engaged member <NUM> of the liquid supply member <NUM> is the same direction, which is the -Z direction in the present embodiment. Since the engagement directions of the plurality of engaging portions 134A to 134C are the same, it is easy to engage and disengage the engaging portions <NUM> with and from the liquid supply member <NUM>. Note that the engagement face <NUM> does not have to be a planar surface as in the present embodiment and may be, for example, a curved surface. In this case, the direction normal to the plane tangent to the engagement face <NUM> at the point that comes into contact with the engaged portion <NUM> of the liquid supply member <NUM> is regarded as the direction normal to the engagement face <NUM>.

The hook portion <NUM> also has an inclined surface <NUM> inclined relative to the -Z direction, which is the engagement direction. The inclined surface <NUM> is inclined relative to the engagement direction such that the position on the inclined surface <NUM>, in the -Z direction, which is the engagement direction, is in the protruding direction of the hook portion <NUM>.

The hooking direction in which the engaging portion <NUM> hooks the engaged portion <NUM> is a direction intersecting the engagement direction, which is the -Z direction, and also the protruding direction in which the engagement face <NUM> protrudes from the main body <NUM>. Specifically, the hooking direction of the first engaging portion 134A is the -Y direction. The hooking direction of the second engaging portion 134B is the +X direction. The hooking direction of the third engaging portion 134C is the -X direction. As described above, the hooking directions in which the first engaging portion 134A to the third engaging portion 134C, which are snap-fit portions, hook the engaged portions 124A to 124C of the liquid supply member <NUM> differ from one another. Since the hooking directions differ from one another, even if an external force acts on the engaging portions <NUM> due to a shock caused by dropping or the like, it is less likely that all of the engaging portions 134A to 134C unintentionally disengage from the liquid supply member <NUM>.

The position at which the first engaging portion 134A engages the first engaged portion 124A is referred to as the first engagement position EP1. The position at which the second engaging portion 134B engages the second engaged portion 124B is referred to as the second engagement position EP2. The position at which the third engaging portion 134C engages the third engaged portion 124C is referred to as the third engagement position EP3. The first engagement position EP1 to the third engagement position EP3 are referred to as the engagement positions EP when referred to without being distinguished from each other. In the -Z direction, which is the engagement direction, the first engagement position EP1 to the third engagement position EP3 of the first engaging portion 134A to the third engaging portion 134C, which are snap-fit portions, differ from one another. Specifically, the first engagement position EP1 is at the +Z direction end of all of the engagement positions, and the third engagement position EP3 is at the -Z direction end of all of the engagement positions. Since the first engagement position EP1 to the third engagement position EP3 differ from one another in the - Z direction, which is the engagement direction, even if a force acts on one engaging portion <NUM> unintentionally, it is possible to prevent the force from acting on the other engaging portions <NUM>. This configuration makes it less likely that the plurality of engaging portions 134A to 134C unintentionally disengage from the liquid supply member <NUM>.

The adapter <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> is reusable by disengaging and removing the adapter <NUM> from the liquid supply member <NUM>. The following describes a method of reusing the adapter <NUM>.

The disengagement tool has the first protrusion 324A to the third protrusion 324C having different protruding heights so that the first engaging portion 134A to the third engaging portion 134C, which are snap-fit portions, are disengaged from the respective first to third engaged portions 124A to 124C at the same timing. Specifically, the protruding height of the first protrusion 324A is lowest, and the protruding height of the third protrusion is highest. Regarding the heights in the +Z direction of the hook portions <NUM> of the first engaging portion 134A to the third engaging portion 134C with respect to a specified reference surface, as illustrated in <FIG>, the first engaging portion 134A is highest, and the third engaging portion 134C is lowest. Accordingly, the heights of the first protrusion 324A to the third protrusion 324C are determined so as to have a relationship opposite to the above height relationship. With this configuration, in a disengagement process, each of the first protrusion 324A to the third protrusion 324C come into contact with the corresponding one of the hook portions <NUM> of the first engaging portion 134A to the third engaging portion 134C to release the engagements at the same timing.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a method of reusing the adapter <NUM>. <FIG> is a diagram for explaining the process in which an engaging portion <NUM> of the adapter <NUM> is detached and removed from the liquid supply member <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, in the method of reusing the adapter <NUM>, first, the liquid storage <NUM> and a disengagement tool (not illustrated) are prepared in step S10. Next, in step S20, the protrusions <NUM> of the disengagement tool are moved relative to and toward the respective engaging portions <NUM> of the adapter <NUM>. For example, the protrusions <NUM> of the disengagement tool are moved in the -Z direction, which is the engagement direction, with the adapter first side 130fa illustrated in <FIG> facing the -Z direction.

As illustrated in <FIG>, in step S30, the protrusions <NUM> of the disengagement tool are used to apply external forces to the hook portions <NUM> to displace the hook portions <NUM> in the disengaging directions. As illustrated in the left diagram in <FIG>, in step S30, each protrusion <NUM> is pushed toward the inclined surface <NUM> of the corresponding hook portion <NUM> in the -Z direction, which is the engagement direction, and comes into contact with the inclined surface <NUM>. From this state, the protrusion <NUM> is further pushed in the -Z direction, which is the engagement direction, to displace the hook portion <NUM> in the disengaging direction Dd. The disengaging direction Dd is the direction opposite to the protruding direction Pd of the hook portion <NUM>, specifically, the engagement face <NUM>. The hook portion <NUM> is displaced in the disengaging direction Dd such that the main body <NUM> elastically deforms in the arrow Rr direction with the proximal end of the main body <NUM> as the support point as illustrated in the central diagram in <FIG>. Note that the arrow Rr direction collectively expresses the arrows RrA to RrC illustrated in <FIG>. The central diagram in <FIG> illustrates a time point at which the hook portion <NUM> has just been disengaged from the engaged portion <NUM> and the engagement has been released. The hook portions <NUM> of the first engaging portion 134A to the third engaging portion 134C are disengaged from the first engaged portion 124A to the third engaged portion 124C at the same time.

As illustrated in <FIG>, after the hook portions <NUM> of the engaging portions <NUM> are disengaged from the engaged portions <NUM>, the adapter <NUM> is moved relative to the liquid supply member <NUM> in step S40 to be removed from the liquid supply member <NUM>. Specifically, as illustrated in the right diagram in <FIG>, the adapter <NUM> is moved in the -Z direction, which is the engagement direction, relative to the liquid supply member <NUM> in the state in which the hook portions <NUM> are disengaged from the engaged portions <NUM>. It can be said that the -Z direction is also the removal direction of the adapter <NUM>. With this operation, the plurality of engaging portions 134A to 134C, which are a plurality of snap-fit portions, move along the sides of the respective engaged portions <NUM> and then detach from the engaged portions 124A to 124C of the liquid supply member <NUM>. Here, the timings at which the plurality of engaging portions 134A to 134C detach from the engaged portions 124A to 124C of the liquid supply member differ from one another. Specifically, of the engaged portions 124A to 124C, the longer the portion of an engaged portion <NUM> extending in the -Z direction, which is the removal direction, the later the engaging portion <NUM> detaches from the engaged portion <NUM> of the liquid supply member <NUM>. In the present embodiment, the timing at which the third engaging portion 134C detaches from the third engaged portion 124C is earliest, and the timing at which the first engaging portion 134A detaches from the first engaged portion 124A is latest.

The adapter <NUM> removed from the liquid supply member <NUM> is reused. For example, to reuse the adapter <NUM>, the adapter <NUM> is attached by engagement to a newly produced liquid supply member <NUM> or a liquid supply member <NUM> attached to a liquid storing portion <NUM> refilled with liquid.

In the above embodiment, since the plurality of engaging portions 134A to 134C are engaged with the liquid supply member <NUM> in the liquid storage <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>, it is less likely that the adapter <NUM> disengages from the liquid supply member <NUM>. In the above embodiment, it is easy to displace the hook portions <NUM> in the disengaging directions Dd and remove the adapter <NUM> from the liquid supply member <NUM> by applying external forces to the hook portions <NUM> with a disengagement tool, as illustrated in <FIG>. In contrast, it is not easy to apply external forces to the hook portions <NUM> of the plurality of engaging portions <NUM> without a disengagement tool to displace the hook portions <NUM> in the disengaging directions Dd. Hence, it is less likely that the adapter <NUM> is unintentionally removed from the liquid supply member <NUM>. In addition, since the timings at which the plurality of hook portions <NUM> detach from the engaged portions <NUM> of the liquid supply member <NUM> differ in the above embodiment, when one of the hook portions <NUM> has detached from the engaged portion <NUM>, the remaining hook portions <NUM> have not detached from the engaged portions <NUM>. Hence, while this configuration makes it easy to disengage the adapter <NUM> from the engaged portions <NUM> of the liquid supply member <NUM> by using a disengagement tool, the configuration makes it further less likely that the adapter <NUM> is unintentionally removed from the liquid supply member <NUM> without using the disengagement tool.

Although the engagement directions of the first engaging portion 134A to the third engaging portion 134C are all the -Z direction in the above embodiment, at least two engagement directions may differ. Although the first engagement position EP1 to the third engagement position EP3 of the plurality of engaging portions 134A to 134C differ from one another in the Z direction, which is the engagement direction, in the above embodiment, at least two engagement positions EP may be the same. In addition, a configuration in which the engagement directions of the first engaging portion 134A to the third engaging portion 134C are directions other than the -Z direction is not out of the scope of the present disclosure. Although the hooking directions in which the plurality of engaging portions 134A to 134C hook the engagement forming portion <NUM> of the liquid supply member <NUM> differ from one another in the above embodiment as illustrated in <FIG>, at least two hooking directions may be the same. In addition, although the timings at which the first engaging portion 134A to the third engaging portion 134C detach from the first engaged portion 124A to the third engaged portion 124C of the liquid supply member <NUM> differ from one another in the above embodiment, the timings at which at least two of the first engaging portion 134A to the third engaging portion 134C detach may be the same.

The present disclosure is not limited to the foregoing embodiments and can be implemented in various aspects within the scope of the present invention. For example, the present disclosure may be implemented in the following aspects. The technical features in the foregoing embodiments corresponding to the technical features of the aspects presented below can be replaced or combined as appropriate to solve some or all of the issues in the present disclosure or to achieve some of all of the effects of the present disclosure. In addition, unless technical features are described in the present specification as essential ones, they can be omitted as appropriate.

According to the invention, a liquid storage configured to be detachably attached to a printing apparatus is disclosed. The liquid storage includes: a liquid supply member coupled to the liquid storing portion and having a supply path for supplying the liquid stored in the liquid storing portion to the printing apparatus; and an adapter having a plurality of engaging portions configured to engage the liquid supply member. In this configuration, since the adapter engages the liquid supply member with the plurality of engaging portions, it is less likely that the adapter disengages from the liquid supply member.

According to the invention, each of the engaging portions has an engagement face to restrict movement of the liquid supply member, each of the engaging portions engages the liquid supply member with the engagement face facing the liquid supply member, an engagement direction in which each of the engaging portions engages the liquid supply member, the engagement direction being from the engagement face of each of the engaging portions toward the liquid supply member, is a direction normal to each engagement face, and the engagement direction of each of the engaging portions is the same. In this configuration, since the engagement direction of each of the engaging portions is the same, it is easy to engage and disengage the engaging portions with and from the liquid supply member.

According to the invention, each of the engaging portions is a snap-fit portion, and an engagement position of each of the snap-fit portions in the engagement direction differs from the engagement positions of other snap-fit portions. In this configuration, since the positions of the hook portions in the engagement direction differ from one another, it is less likely that the plurality of engaging portions unintentionally disengage from the liquid supply member.

(<NUM>) In the above aspect, a hooking direction in which each of the snap-fit portions hooks the liquid supply member may be a direction intersecting the engagement direction and may differ from the hooking directions of the other snap-fit portions. In this configuration, since the hooking directions intersect the engagement direction and differ from one another, it is less likely that the plurality of engaging portions unintentionally disengage from the liquid supply member.

According to the invention, a method of reusing an adapter configured to engage a liquid supply member of a liquid storage is provided. The reuse method applies an external force to the plurality of engaging portions of the liquid storage of the above aspect by using a tool having protrusions adapted to the plurality of snap-fit portions to elastically deform and displace the snap-fit portions so as to release engagements of the snap-fit portions. This configuration makes it possible to remove the adapter from the liquid supply member by applying an external force to the hook portions with a tool and easily displacing the snap-fit portions in the disengaging directions, and this configuration also reduces the possibility that the adapter is unintentionally removed from the liquid supply member without using a tool.

(<NUM>) In the above aspect, timings at which the engagements of the plurality of snap-fit portions are released may be the same, and timings at which the plurality of snap-fit portions detach from the liquid supply member may differ from one another. In this configuration, since the plurality of snap-fit portions detach from the liquid supply member at different timings, it is further less likely that the adapter is unintentionally removed from the liquid supply member without using a tool, while it is easy to disengage the adapter from the liquid supply member with the tool.

Claim 1:
A liquid storage (<NUM>) configured to be detachably attached to a printing apparatus (<NUM>), comprising:
a liquid storing portion (<NUM>) for storing liquid;
a liquid supply member (<NUM>) coupled to the liquid storing portion and having a supply path for supplying the liquid stored in the liquid storing portion to the printing apparatus; and
an adapter (<NUM>) having a plurality of engaging portions (<NUM>) configured to engage the liquid supply member, wherein
each of the engaging portions (<NUM>) has an engagement face (<NUM>) to restrict movement of the liquid supply member (<NUM>),
each of the engaging portions engages the liquid supply member with the engagement face facing the liquid supply member,
an engagement direction in which each of the engaging portions engages the liquid supply member, the engagement direction being from the engagement face of each of the engaging portions toward the liquid supply member, is a direction normal to each engagement face,
the engagement direction of each of the engaging portions is the same,
each of the engaging portions (<NUM>) is a snap-fit portion, and
an engagement position (EP1, EP2, EP3) of each of the snap-fit portions in the engagement direction differs from the engagement positions of other snap-fit portions.