阅读说明：本技术 液体容纳容器以及液体喷出系统 (Liquid container and liquid ejecting system ) 是由 唐泽政弘 平田和之 青木雄司 于 2020-03-24 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供一种液体容纳容器以及液体喷出系统,在液体容纳容器中,减少了在由于容纳在内部的液体而液体容纳袋的下部受到水位压力的情况下,液体容纳袋由于水位压力而破损的可能性。搭载在液体喷出装置上且向所述液体喷出装置供给液体的液体容纳容器具备：液体容纳箱,其形成液体容纳容器的外壳；以及液体容纳袋,其容纳在所述液体容纳箱内,该液体容纳袋具有挠性且在内部容纳液体,无论所述液体容纳箱的姿态如何,一个截面处的所述液体容纳袋的第一内周长都比所述一个截面处的所述液体容纳箱的第二内周长大。(The invention provides a liquid container and a liquid ejecting system, in the liquid container, the possibility that a liquid containing bag is damaged due to water level pressure when the lower part of the liquid containing bag receives the water level pressure due to liquid contained in the liquid containing container is reduced. A liquid container mounted on a liquid ejecting apparatus and supplying liquid to the liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a liquid containing tank forming an outer shell of the liquid containing container; and a liquid containing bag contained in the liquid containing tank, the liquid containing bag having flexibility and containing liquid therein, a first inner circumference of the liquid containing bag at one cross section being larger than a second inner circumference of the liquid containing tank at the one cross section regardless of a posture of the liquid containing tank.)

1. A liquid container that is mounted on a liquid ejecting apparatus and supplies liquid to the liquid ejecting apparatus, the liquid container comprising:

a liquid containing tank forming an outer shell of the liquid containing container; and

a liquid containing bag contained in the liquid containing box, the liquid containing bag having flexibility and containing liquid inside,

the first inner circumference of the liquid containing bag at one cross section is larger than the second inner circumference of the liquid containing tank at the one cross section regardless of the posture of the liquid containing tank.

2. Liquid containing vessel according to claim 1,

the first inner perimeter is at least 10mm longer than the second inner perimeter.

3. Liquid containing vessel according to claim 1 or 2,

the liquid containing bag is formed of two rectangular film members, and has a welded portion where the two rectangular film members are welded to each other.

4. Liquid containing vessel according to claim 1 or 2,

the liquid containing bag is formed of four rectangular film members having a welded portion where one film member is welded to another film member, and includes:

two main films that form main surfaces of the liquid containing bag and face each other; and

two side films, which are opposite to each other.

5. Liquid containing vessel according to claim 3,

the liquid containing tank has a rectangular parallelepiped inner space as a containing space for containing the liquid containing bag,

the liquid container may have a first wall surface that is one of six wall surfaces of the accommodating space and faces a part of the welded portion, and may be in a posture in which the first wall surface serves as a bottom surface.

6. Liquid containing vessel according to claim 4,

the liquid containing tank has a rectangular parallelepiped inner space as a containing space for containing the liquid containing bag,

the liquid container may have a first wall surface that is one of six wall surfaces of the accommodating space and faces a part of the welded portion, and may be in a posture in which the first wall surface serves as a bottom surface.

7. Liquid containing vessel according to any one of claims 1, 2, 5, 6,

the liquid containing box is formed of corrugated paper.

8. A liquid discharge system that discharges a liquid to a medium, the liquid discharge system comprising:

a liquid-containing container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7; and

and a liquid ejecting device that ejects the liquid supplied from the liquid container.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a liquid container and a liquid discharge system.

Background

Conventionally, as a container to be mounted on a printing apparatus, a container is known which includes a housing that is attachable to and detachable from the printing apparatus, and a liquid container that is contained in the housing and has flexibility (for example, patent document 1). The container is used as a liquid container for storing liquid such as ink. In this container, the size of the liquid container is determined in consideration of impact resistance. Specifically, the length of the liquid container in a direction from a front end portion of the liquid containing space containing the liquid to a rear end portion is longer than the length of the container containing space of the housing. The front end of the container is a region where a liquid supply unit for supplying liquid to the printing apparatus is provided. The rear end of the storage container is the end opposite to the front end.

[ Prior art documents ]

[ patent document ]

[ patent document 1] Japanese patent laid-open No. 2016-37017

In the prior art, the load on the liquid container except for the impact is not fully considered. The load on the liquid container other than the impact is, for example, a water level pressure to which a lower portion of the liquid container is subjected due to the liquid contained therein. In addition, in the conventional technology, it is not sufficiently considered that the direction of the load applied to the liquid container changes to a direction other than the direction from the front end portion to the rear end portion of the liquid containing space due to the posture change of the container.

Disclosure of Invention

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a liquid container that is mounted on a liquid ejecting apparatus and supplies liquid to the liquid ejecting apparatus. The liquid container includes: a liquid containing tank forming an outer shell of the liquid containing container; and a liquid containing bag contained in the liquid containing tank, the liquid containing bag having flexibility and containing liquid therein, a first inner circumference of the liquid containing bag at one cross section being larger than a second inner circumference of the liquid containing tank at the one cross section regardless of a posture of the liquid containing tank.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a liquid discharge system according to a first embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the liquid container.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the liquid container.

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an external appearance of the liquid container in a non-mounted state where the liquid container is not mounted on the liquid ejecting apparatus.

Fig. 5 is a table for explaining the state of the liquid container in the non-attached state.

Fig. 6 is a schematic view showing a portion of a cross section taken along section 6-6 of fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a schematic sectional view of a liquid container in a comparative example.

Fig. 8 is a table for explaining the state of the liquid container in the non-attached state.

[ description of reference numerals ]

1: a liquid ejection system; 10: a liquid ejecting device; 12: a housing; 14: a liquid ejecting section; 16: a control unit; 17: an outlet port; 18: a sub-configuration rack; 18 a: an auxiliary tank; 19: a main configuration rack; 20: an installation part; 30: a liquid containing container; 30C: a liquid containing container; 31: a liquid containing tank; 32: a liquid containing bag; 35: a liquid containing body; 35C: a liquid containing body; 36: a first membrane element; 38: a second film member; 40: a linker; 98: a first tube; 99: a second tube; 230: a liquid containing container; 301: a first side; 302: a second face; 303: a third surface; 304: a fourth surface; 305: a fifth aspect; 306: a sixth side; 312: a bottom surface; 324: welding the part; 352: cover part

Detailed Description

A. First embodiment

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a liquid discharge system 1 as a first embodiment. In fig. 1, X, Y, and Z axes are drawn as three spatial axes orthogonal to each other. The direction along the X axis is taken as the X direction, the direction along the Y axis is taken as the Y direction, and the direction along the Z axis is taken as the Z direction. The Z direction is a vertical direction. the-Z direction is a vertically downward direction, and the + Z direction is a vertically upward direction. In fig. 1, the liquid ejection system 1 is disposed on an XY plane parallel to the X axis and the Y axis. The XY plane is a horizontal plane perpendicular to the Z direction.

The liquid discharge system 1 includes a liquid discharge device 10, a liquid container 30, a main arrangement rack 19, and a sub arrangement rack 18. The liquid ejecting apparatus 10 is an ink jet type impact printer that performs printing by ejecting ink as liquid onto a medium such as a cloth product. The liquid ejecting apparatus 10 may be a printer that performs printing by ejecting ink onto paper.

Eight liquid-containing containers 30 are provided. The eight liquid-containing containers 30 contain liquids of different colors, respectively. The colors of the liquids contained in the eight liquid-containing containers 30 are, for example, cyan, magenta, yellow, black, orange, and gray.

The main placement frame 19 is disposed outside the liquid ejecting apparatus 10, and eight liquid storage containers 30 are disposed. The main arrangement frame 19 has a two-layer structure, and four liquid storage containers 30 are arranged in the upper layer and the lower layer, respectively.

Eight sub tanks 18a are arranged on the sub arrangement frame 18. Eight sub tanks 18a are provided corresponding to the eight liquid accommodating containers 30. The liquid container 30 and the corresponding sub-tank 18a communicate with each other through a flexible first pipe 98.

The first pipe 98 has one end disposed on the main arrangement frame 19 and the other end disposed on the sub arrangement frame 18. Eight first tubes 98 are provided corresponding to the liquid container 30. The liquid contained in the liquid container 30 is supplied to the corresponding sub-tank 18a through the first pipe 98 by a suction mechanism, not shown, provided in the liquid discharge system 1.

The liquid ejection device 10 has a housing 12, a liquid ejection section 14, a control section 16, a first tube 98, a mounting section 20, and a second tube 99. The outer shape of the housing 12 is substantially a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The housing 12 forms an outer surface of the liquid ejection device 10.

The liquid ejecting section 14 is disposed inside the housing 12. The liquid ejection device 10 communicates with the sub-tanks 18a through flexible second tubes 99 provided in the sub-tanks 18 a. The liquid passing through the second pipe 99 is supplied to the liquid ejecting section 14. In the present embodiment, the liquid in the sub tank 18a is supplied to the liquid ejecting section 14 through the second pipe 99 by a not-shown pressurizing mechanism provided in the liquid ejecting apparatus 10. The liquid ejecting section 14 is reciprocated in the Y direction by a drive mechanism not shown. The liquid ejecting section 14 reciprocates in the Y direction while ejecting liquid, and moves in the X direction inside the housing 12 by a conveying mechanism not shown. Thereby, the liquid is ejected to the medium. The medium sprayed with the liquid is discharged to the outside of the housing 12 from a discharge port 17 provided on the surface on the-X direction side of the housing 12. The liquid ejecting section 14 may be a line head whose position is fixed without reciprocating in the Y direction.

The control unit 16 is disposed inside the housing 12. The control unit 16 controls the operation of the liquid ejecting apparatus 10. For example, the control unit 16 controls the operations of the drive mechanism and the transport mechanism. The controller 16 is electrically connected to the liquid container 30, and can exchange various information with the liquid container 30. Examples of the various information include information on the color of the liquid in the liquid container 30, and information indicating whether or not the liquid container 30 is attached to the liquid ejecting apparatus 10.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the liquid container 30. Fig. 2 shows the liquid container 30 in an installation posture when installed in the liquid ejection system 1 shown in fig. 1. As shown in fig. 2, the liquid container 30 includes a liquid container 31 and a liquid container 35.

The liquid container 31 forms an outer shell of the liquid container 30, and contains the liquid container 35 so that the liquid container 35 can be taken out. The liquid storage tank 31 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. Further, the liquid containing tank 31 defines a rectangular parallelepiped internal space as a containing space for containing the liquid containing body 35. The liquid storage tank 31 can be formed using various materials such as paper and resin. In the present embodiment, the liquid containing box 31 is formed of corrugated paper. This reduces the manufacturing cost of the liquid container 30.

The liquid containing tank 31 forms a first surface 301, a second surface 302, a third surface 303, a fourth surface 304, a fifth surface 305, and a sixth surface 306. Hereinafter, the respective surfaces 301 to 306 in the set state will be described. The first surface 301 is the front surface of the liquid container 30, and is the + Y direction side outer wall surface of the outer wall surfaces extending along the XZ plane. The connecting body 40 is provided on the first surface 301. The second surface 302 is a rear surface of the liquid container 30, and is an outer wall surface opposite to the first surface 301 among outer wall surfaces extending along the XZ plane. The third face 303 and the fourth face 304 are side faces of the liquid containing container 30. The third surface 303 is an outer wall surface on the-X direction side of the outer wall surfaces extending along the YZ plane. The fourth surface 304 is an outer wall surface on the opposite side of the third surface 303 among outer wall surfaces extending along the YZ plane. The fifth surface 305 is the top surface of the liquid container 30, and is the + Z direction side outer wall surface of the outer wall surfaces extending along the XY plane. The sixth surface 306 is a bottom surface of the liquid container 30, and is an outer wall surface opposite to the fifth surface 305 among outer wall surfaces extending along the XY plane. In the mounted state, the sixth face 306 faces the main arrangement rack 19 of fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the liquid container 35. The liquid container 35 is a bag-like member forming an internal space for containing liquid. The liquid container 35 includes a liquid container bag 32, a connector 40 to which the first tube 98 of fig. 1 is connected, and a mounting portion 20 that communicates the liquid container bag 32 with the connector 40. The liquid containing bag 32 is a bag body, and is filled with liquid inside. The liquid in the liquid containing bag 32 is supplied from the liquid containing bag 32 to the liquid ejecting apparatus 10 via the mounting portion 20. The liquid containing bag 32 decreases in volume as the liquid is consumed. When the liquid in the liquid containing bag 32 is consumed and the remaining amount is zero or almost used up, the liquid containing body 35 is replaced again. The liquid container 30 is used in a horizontal posture. The horizontal position is a position in which the dimension in the Z direction is smaller than at least one of the dimension in the X direction and the dimension in the Y direction. In the present embodiment, the volume of the liquid contained in the liquid container 35 is smaller than the volume of the liquid container 31. In the present embodiment, the volume of the liquid container 35 at the time of liquid filling is 3 liters. The volume of the liquid container 35 is not limited to this, and the volume of the liquid container 35 may be less than 3 liters or may be larger than 3 liters.

The liquid storage bag 32 is a bag body formed of a flexible film, and is filled with liquid. Since the liquid containing bag 32 has flexibility, the liquid containing body 35 can be freely deformed in outer shape in accordance with an external force. Thus, in the state of being accommodated in the liquid accommodating box 31, the liquid accommodating body 35 can change its outer shape in accordance with the shape of the accommodating space of the liquid accommodating box 31. In the present embodiment, the liquid container 35 contained in the liquid container 31 is deformed into a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape in accordance with the containing space of the liquid container 31 shown by the broken line in fig. 3.

The liquid storage bag 32 is a so-called pillow-shaped bag body formed of two rectangular film members 36 and 38. The fluid-containing bag 32 has a weld 324 where the two membrane parts 36, 38 are welded. In the present embodiment, the two film members 36, 38 are welded to each other at four sides. The welding portion 324 is formed on the outer periphery of the liquid containing bag 32, and in the attached state shown in fig. 3, a part thereof is located on the bottom surface 312 of the containing space of the liquid containing tank 31.

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an external appearance of the liquid container 30 in a non-mounted state where the liquid ejecting apparatus 10 is not mounted. In the non-attached state, the liquid container 30 accommodates the attachment portion 20 in the liquid accommodating tank 31. The first surface 301 of the liquid containing case 31 has a lid portion 352. A perforated line for facilitating tearing is formed at the boundary between the lid portion 352 and the other region of the first surface 301. When the user mounts the liquid container 30 to the liquid ejection device 10, the cover portion 352 is opened. At this time, the user inserts his or her hand into the liquid storage tank 31 and pulls out the connecting body 40, thereby exposing the connecting body 40 stored inside to the outside of the liquid storage tank 31. Since the volume of the liquid in the liquid container 35 is smaller than the volume of the liquid container 31, the liquid container 31 has a space margin for deformation of the liquid container 35. Therefore, the liquid container 35 can be deformed so as to form a space in the vicinity of the lid portion 352. This allows the user to easily pull out the connecting body 40.

In the non-mounted state, specifically, for example, in the transport state and the storage state, the liquid container 30 can be in a posture other than the mounting posture with the sixth surface 306 as the bottom surface. When not mounted on the liquid ejecting apparatus 10, the liquid container 30 may be in a posture having the first to fifth surfaces 301 to 305 other than the sixth surface 306 as the bottom surface. When the liquid container 30 is in a posture different from the attachment posture, the liquid containing bag 32 is deformed inside the liquid containing tank 31 by gravity because of its flexibility. Therefore, the liquid containing bag 32 can be deformed according to the posture.

Fig. 5 is a table for explaining the state of the liquid container 30 in the non-attached state. In fig. 5, three postures, i.e., a first posture in which the fourth surface 304 is a bottom surface, a second posture in which the sixth surface 306 is a bottom surface, and a third posture in which the second surface 302 is a bottom surface, are shown as examples. The upper half of the table shown in fig. 5 schematically shows the appearance of the liquid container 30 in each posture. Further, the lower half of the table shown in fig. 5 schematically shows the state of the liquid container 35 contained in the liquid container 30. Fig. 5 shows a Z direction as a vertical direction. Although the liquid container 35 is shown in a flat surface in fig. 5, the liquid container 35 is filled with liquid and then contained in the liquid container 31. The volume of the liquid container 35 shown in fig. 5 is 3 liters, but the volume is not limited to this volume.

The liquid container 35 is accommodated in the liquid container 31 such that the first film member 36 provided with the connecting body 40 of the two film members faces the third surface 303 of the liquid container 31. Further, the liquid containing body 35 is contained in the liquid containing tank 31 such that the connecting body 40 is positioned close to the first surface 301 and the sixth surface 306. In the present embodiment, the connected body 40 is provided in the first film member 36 at a position close to a corner where the welding portions 324 on both sides meet. By accommodating the liquid containing body 35 in the liquid containing tank 31 in this way, the connection body 40 is suppressed from being accommodated at a position away from the lid portion 352.

The size of the internal space of the liquid containing tank 31 will be described. In the second posture, which is a posture corresponding to the mounting posture, the length in the Z direction is the height H. A length in a direction along the first face 301 in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the Z direction is a width W. The length in the horizontal direction along the direction of the third face 303 is the depth D. In the present embodiment, the depth D is larger than both the width W and the height H.

The size of the internal space of the liquid containing body 35 will be described. The first and second membrane parts 36 and 38 have the same size as each other. The length of the first and second film members 36 and 38 in one direction along the weld portion 324 defining the region of the internal space is a first dimension D2. The length of the first and second film members 36 and 38 in the other direction along the weld portion 324 defining the region of the internal space is the second dimension W2. In the present embodiment, the first dimension D2 is smaller than the second dimension W2.

The first dimension D2 and the second dimension W2 satisfy all three conditions shown in the following formulas (1) to (3).

First dimension D2 × 2> Width W × 2+ height H × 2 … (1)

Second dimension W2X 2> depth D X2 + width W X2 … (2)

First dimension D2 × 2+ second dimension W2 × 2> height H × 2+ depth D × 2 … (3)

The liquid storage bag 32 has low stretchability, and the inner circumference does not change even when filled with a liquid. Here, the first dimension D2 × 2 is the inner circumference of the liquid containing bag 32 at one cross section perpendicular to the Z axis in the third posture. Further, the width W × 2+ the height H × 2 is the inner circumference of the liquid containing tank 31 at one cross section perpendicular to the Z axis in the third posture. The second dimension W2 × 2 is the inner circumference of the liquid containing bag 32 at a cross section perpendicular to the Z axis in the second posture. Further, the depth D × 2+ the width W × 2 is the inner circumference of the liquid containing tank 31 at one cross section perpendicular to the Z axis in the second posture. The first dimension D2 × 2+ the second dimension W2 × 2 is the inner circumference of the liquid-containing bag 32 at one cross section perpendicular to the Z axis in the first posture. Further, the height H × 2+ depth D × 2 is the inner circumference of the liquid containing tank 31 at one cross section perpendicular to the Z axis in the first posture. The conditions of the formulae (1) to (3) are preferably larger by 10mm or more on the left side than on the right side, and more preferably larger by 30mm or more. In the present embodiment, the conditions of expressions (1) to (3) are that the left side is 30mm or more larger than the right side.

By satisfying the formula (1), in the third posture, the inner circumference of the liquid container 35 is larger than the inner circumference of the liquid container 31. The inner circumference is a length in the horizontal direction in each posture out of lengths of the inner surface defining the internal space. That is, the inner circumference is a circumference defining a cross section of the internal space when the object is cut in one horizontal cross section in each posture. Further, satisfying equation (2) allows the inner circumference of the liquid container 35 to be larger than the inner circumference of the liquid container 31 in the second posture. Further, by satisfying equation (3), in the third posture, the inner circumference of the liquid container 35 is larger than the inner circumference of the liquid container 31.

As described above, in each posture, the inner circumference of the liquid container 35 is larger than the inner circumference of the liquid container 31. Specifically, in any posture, the inner circumference of the liquid container 35 is larger than the inner circumference of the liquid container 31 by 30mm or more. Therefore, the liquid container 35 is in contact with the inner wall surface of the liquid storage tank 31 without a gap over the entire range from the first position P1, which is the lower end of the liquid container 35 in the Z direction, to the second position P2 on the + Z direction side of the first position P1. In the upper half of fig. 5, the range in which the liquid container 35 contacts the inner wall surface of the liquid container 31 is indicated by oblique lines. In addition, in a region where the connecting body 40 is provided in the liquid containing body 35, the connecting body 40 may be sandwiched between the liquid containing bag 32 and the liquid containing tank 31. Specifically, in a posture other than the third posture in which the connected unit 40 is positioned on the top surface side, a state can be assumed in which the connected unit 40 is sandwiched between the liquid containing bag 32 and the liquid containing tank 31. Even in this case, since the liquid storage bag 32 can be changed in accordance with the shape of the connecting body 40, the liquid storage body 35 is in contact with the inner wall surface of the liquid storage tank 31 without a gap.

Fig. 6 is a schematic view showing a portion of a cross section taken along section 6-6 of fig. 5. The liquid containing body 35 is urged from the inside toward the outside due to the water level pressure received from the liquid contained inside. As described above, the liquid container 35 is contained in a state of being in contact with the inner wall surface of the liquid container 31. For example, as shown in fig. 6, the welding portion 324 is pressed against the liquid storage tank 31. Therefore, the risk of breakage of the welding portion 324 due to the water level pressure is small. Therefore, the risk of breakage of the liquid accommodating container 30 due to the water level pressure is reduced. In fig. 5, the liquid container 30 in the second posture is shown as an example, but the risk of breakage of the liquid container 30 due to the water level pressure is similarly reduced even in any posture including the first posture or the third posture. Although not described in fig. 4 and 5, even in the posture in which the first surface 301, the third surface 303, and the fifth surface 305 are the bottom surfaces, the risk of damage to the liquid container 30 due to the water level pressure is reduced as in the case of the second posture.

Fig. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a liquid container 30C in a comparative example. The liquid container 30C of the comparative example is different from the liquid container 30 of the first embodiment in that the inner circumference of the liquid container 35C is smaller than the inner circumference of the liquid container tank 31. As shown in fig. 7, in the liquid container 30C of the comparative example, a gap is formed between the liquid container 35 and the inner wall surface of the liquid container 31. The gap is easily generated at the corner where the two sides meet. When a gap is generated between the liquid container 35C and the liquid container tank 31, a load due to the water level pressure in the range in which the gap is generated is supported only by the liquid container 35C. In this case, when the welded portion 324 is located within the range in which the gap is formed, a load in a direction of separating the first and second film members 36 and 38 is applied to the welded portion 324. Therefore, in the comparative example, the risk of breakage of the liquid container 30 due to the water level pressure is larger than that in the first embodiment.

According to the first embodiment described above, the liquid container 35 is in contact with the wall surface of the liquid container box 31 at the lower end portion including the first position P1 which is the Z-direction lower end regardless of the posture of the liquid container 30 during transportation or the like. Therefore, the liquid container 30 can reduce the possibility of breakage of the liquid container 35 due to the water level pressure when the lower portion of the liquid container 35 receives the water level pressure due to the liquid contained therein. Therefore, the liquid container 30 can be stored or transported in any posture, and therefore, handling of the liquid container 30 becomes easy. Further, even in the case where the water level pressure increases due to an increase in the capacity of the liquid containing vessel 30, the risk of breakage is reduced. Therefore, a design change for increasing the capacity of the liquid container 30 becomes easy.

In addition, according to the first embodiment described above, in any posture, the liquid storage body 35 is in a state of contacting the inner wall surface of the liquid storage tank 31 without a gap over the entire range from the first position P1 to the second position P2, which is the lower end. Therefore, the movement of the liquid container 35 inside the liquid container 31 is restricted regardless of the posture. This reduces the change in the position of the liquid container 35 inside the liquid container box 31 during transportation or storage. Therefore, the position of the liquid container 30 where the connecting body 40 is provided is not limited to a specific position such as a position where fixing is easy, and thus the degree of freedom in designing the liquid container 30 is improved. Further, since it is not necessary to separately provide a member for fixing the connection body 40, the manufacturing cost of the liquid container 30 is reduced.

B. Second embodiment

Fig. 8 is a table for explaining the state of the liquid container 230 in the non-attached state. The liquid container 230 of the second embodiment is different in external shape from the liquid container 30 of the first embodiment. Further, in the second embodiment, the liquid-containing bag 32 has a capacity of 10 liters, but is not limited to this capacity. That is, it may be larger than 10 liters or smaller than 10 liters. Hereinafter, the same components as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

Fig. 8 shows three postures, i.e., a first posture in which the fourth surface 304 is a bottom surface, a second posture in which the sixth surface 306 is a bottom surface, and a third posture in which the second surface 302 is a bottom surface. In the upper half of the table shown in fig. 8, the appearance of the liquid container 230 in each posture is schematically shown. In addition, in the lower half of the table shown in fig. 8, the state of the liquid container 35 accommodated in the liquid container 230 is schematically shown. Fig. 8 shows a Z direction as a vertical direction. In fig. 8, the liquid container 35 is also shown in a flat surface similar to fig. 5.

The liquid container 230 of the second embodiment is mounted on the liquid ejection device 10 in a standing posture shown as a second posture. The upright position refers to a posture in which the dimension in the Z direction is larger than the dimension in the X direction and the dimension in the Y direction.

The size of the internal space of the liquid containing tank 31 will be described. In the second posture, which is a posture corresponding to the mounting posture, the length in the Z direction is a height H3. A length in a direction along the first face 301 in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the Z direction is a width W3. The length in the horizontal direction along the direction of the third face 303 is the depth D3. In the present embodiment, the height H3 is larger than any of the width W3 and the depth D3.

The size of the internal space of the liquid containing body 35 will be described. The first and second membrane parts 36 and 38 have the same size as each other. The length of the first and second film members 36 and 38 in one direction along the weld portion 324 defining the region of the internal space is a first dimension D4. The length of the first and second film members 36 and 38 in the other direction along the weld portion 324 defining the region of the internal space is the second dimension W4. In the present embodiment, the first dimension D4 is smaller than the second dimension W4.

The first dimension D4 and the second dimension W4 satisfy all three conditions shown in the following expressions (4) to (6).

First dimension D4X 2> Width W3X 2+ height H3X 2 … (4)

Second dimension W4X 2> depth D3X 2+ width W3X 2 … (5)

First dimension D4X 2+ second dimension W4X 2> height H3X 2+ depth D3X 2 … (6)

The conditions of the expressions (4) to (6) are preferably larger by 10mm or more on the left side than on the right side, and more preferably larger by 30mm or more. In the present embodiment, the conditions of expressions (4) to (6) are that the left side is 30mm or more larger than the right side.

As described above, in each posture, the inner circumference of the liquid container 35 is larger than the inner circumference of the liquid container 31. Specifically, in any posture, the inner circumference of the liquid container 35 is larger than the inner circumference of the liquid container 31 by 30mm or more. Therefore, the liquid container 35 is in contact with the inner wall surface of the liquid storage tank 31 without a gap over the entire range from the first position P1, which is the lower end of the liquid container 35 in the Z direction, to the second position P2 on the + Z direction side of the first position P1. In the upper half of fig. 8, the range where the liquid container 35 and the inner wall surface of the liquid container 31 are in contact with each other is indicated by oblique lines.

C. Other embodiments

C1. First other embodiment

In the above embodiment, the liquid container 35 is a pillow-shaped bag, but is not limited thereto. For example, the liquid container 35 may be a bag of a gusset type or a standing bag type. For example, a liquid container of a gusset type is formed of four rectangular-shaped film members including two main films and two side films. The two main films form main surfaces of the liquid container and face each other. The two side films are opposed to each other. The liquid container of the gusset type has a welded portion where one of the four film members is welded to the other film member.

C2. Second other embodiment

In the above embodiment, the liquid storage tank 31 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, but is not limited thereto. For example, the liquid containing tank 31 may be polygonal in shape. The shape of the internal space of the liquid storage tank 31 may be other than a rectangular parallelepiped.

The first and second other embodiments also provide the same effects in the same configuration as the above embodiment.

C3. Third other embodiment

The present invention is not limited to an ink jet printer and an ink tank for supplying ink to the ink jet printer, and can be applied to any liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects various liquids including ink and a liquid tank for storing the liquid. For example, the present invention can be applied to various liquid ejecting apparatuses and liquid tanks thereof as follows.

(1) Image recording apparatuses such as facsimile apparatuses;

(2) a color material ejection device used for manufacturing a color filter for an image display device such as a liquid crystal display;

(3) an electrode material discharge device used for forming electrodes of an organic el (electro luminescence) display, a Field Emission Display (FED), or the like;

(4) a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects a liquid containing a biological organic substance used for manufacturing a biochip;

(5) a sample ejecting device as a precision pipette;

(6) a lubricating oil discharge device;

(7) a resin liquid ejecting device;

(8) a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects lubricating oil accurately to a precision machine such as a clock, a camera, or the like;

(9) a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects a transparent resin liquid such as an ultraviolet curing resin liquid onto a substrate in order to form a micro hemispherical lens (optical lens) or the like used in an optical communication element or the like;

(10) a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects an acidic or alkaline etching liquid for etching a substrate or the like;

(11) other liquid ejecting apparatuses are provided with a liquid ejecting head that ejects an arbitrary minute amount of liquid droplets.

The term "droplet" refers to a state of a liquid discharged from a liquid discharge device, and includes a granular state, a tear-like state, and a state in which a tail is formed into a thread-like shape. The term "liquid" as used herein may be any material that can be ejected by the liquid ejecting apparatus. For example, the "liquid" may be any material in a state where a substance is in a liquid phase, and materials in a liquid state such as a sol, a gel, another inorganic solvent, an organic solvent, a solution, a liquid resin, and a liquid metal (metal solution) and materials in a liquid state having a relatively high or low viscosity are also included in the "liquid". In addition, not only a liquid as one state of a substance, but also a substance in which particles of a functional material composed of a solid material such as a pigment or metal particles are dissolved, dispersed, or mixed in a solvent, or the like is included in the "liquid". Further, as typical examples of the liquid, the ink, the liquid crystal, and the like described in the above embodiments can be given. Here, the ink includes various liquid compositions such as general aqueous ink, oil-based ink, gel ink, and hot-melt ink.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be realized in various configurations without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, in order to solve part or all of the problems described above or to achieve part or all of the effects described above, the technical features of the embodiments corresponding to the technical features of the respective embodiments described in the summary of the invention may be appropriately replaced or combined. Note that, if this feature is not described as an essential feature in the present specification, it can be deleted as appropriate.

(1) According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a liquid container that is mounted on a liquid ejecting apparatus and supplies liquid to the liquid ejecting apparatus. The liquid container includes: a liquid containing tank forming an outer shell of the liquid containing container; and a liquid containing bag contained in the liquid containing tank, the liquid containing bag having flexibility and containing liquid therein, a first inner circumference of the liquid containing bag at one cross section being larger than a second inner circumference of the liquid containing tank at the one cross section regardless of a posture of the liquid containing tank. According to the liquid container of this aspect, the liquid containing bag is in contact with the wall surface of the liquid containing tank at the lower end portion including the lower end in the vertical direction regardless of the posture of the liquid containing tank. Therefore, the liquid container can reduce the possibility of breakage of the liquid containing bag due to the water level pressure in the case where the lower portion of the liquid containing bag receives the water level pressure due to the liquid contained therein.

(2) In the liquid container according to the above aspect, the first inner circumference may be longer than the second inner circumference by at least 10 mm. The liquid container of this aspect can further reduce the possibility of breakage of the liquid containing bag due to water level pressure.

(3) In the liquid container according to the above aspect, the liquid containing bag may be formed of two rectangular film members, and the two rectangular film members may have a welded portion to which the two rectangular film members are welded. Since the liquid container of this aspect includes the pillow-shaped liquid container, the manufacturing cost of the liquid container can be reduced.

(4) In the liquid container according to the above aspect, the liquid containing bag may be formed of four rectangular film members, and may have a welded portion where one film member of the four rectangular film members is welded to another film member, the four rectangular film members including: two main films that form main surfaces of the liquid containing bag and face each other; and two side films which are opposed to each other. According to this aspect, a liquid container provided with a pillow-shaped liquid containing bag is provided.

(5) In the above aspect, the liquid storage tank may have a rectangular parallelepiped internal space as a storage space for storing the liquid storage bag, and the liquid storage container may have a first wall surface that is one of six wall surfaces of the storage space and faces a part of the welded portion and may be capable of being in a posture with the first wall surface as a bottom surface. In the liquid container according to this aspect, when the liquid container is attached to the liquid ejecting apparatus in the posture, the welding portion can be positioned on the bottom surface. Therefore, when the lower end portion of the liquid container including the welded portion receives the water level pressure, the welded portion can be supported by the bottom surface of the liquid container. This can reduce the load on the welded portion.

In the above aspect, the liquid container may be formed of corrugated paper. The liquid container of this aspect can reduce the manufacturing cost of the liquid container box.

The present invention can be implemented in various ways other than the liquid container. For example, the present invention can be realized as a method of manufacturing a liquid container, a liquid discharge system including a liquid container and a liquid discharge device, and the like.