# US 10,118,396 B2 · Printing apparatus and liquid storage member > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,396 B2 - Document ID: US10118396B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/643,225 - Filed: 2017-07-06 - Published: 2017-10-26 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-30 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Yukimichi Kimura; Takahiro Kiuchi; Junichi Kubokawa; Kyohei Sato; Koki Shimada; Masaya Shimmachi; Yusuke Tanaka; Hideaki Matsumura; Keiichiro Tsukuda; Tatsuo Nanjo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118396B2 ## CPC - B41J 2/17509: {Whilst mounted in the printer} - B41J 2/175: Ink supply systems {; Circuit parts therefor} - B41J 2/17513: {Inner structure} - B41J 2/17523: {Ink connection} - B41J 2/17553: {Outer structure} - B41J 2/17556: {Means for regulating the pressure in the cartridge} - B41J 2/17596: {Ink pumps, ink valves} - B41J 29/02: Framework - B41J 29/13: Cases or covers - B41J 29/377: Cooling or ventilating arrangements - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract The printing apparatus of the present invention includes: a print head; and a liquid storage container in which a liquid storage chamber that stores a liquid to be supplied to the print head, an atmosphere communication chamber that communicates with the atmosphere, and a communication flow path that causes the liquid storage chamber and the atmosphere communication chamber to communicate are formed integrally. The liquid storage container can take a first posture in which the atmosphere communication chamber is located under the liquid storage chamber in the direction of gravity and a second posture in which the atmosphere communication chamber and the liquid storage chamber are located side by side in the horizontal direction. In the case where the liquid storage container is in the second posture, the liquid injection portion and the communication flow path are located on the upper side of the liquid storage container. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A printing apparatus comprising: a print head having an ejection port surface on which an ejection port which ejects a liquid is formed; and a liquid storage container including: a liquid storage chamber configured to store the liquid to be supplied to the print head; a liquid injection portion configured for injection of the liquid into the liquid storage chamber from the outside; an atmosphere communication chamber configured to communicate with the atmosphere, the atmosphere communication chamber being arranged under the liquid storage chamber in a direction of gravity; and a communication flow path configured to allow communication between the liquid storage chamber and the atmosphere communication chamber, the communication flow path having an opening in the atmosphere communication chamber, the opening being arranged under the ejection port surface in the direction of gravity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a liquid supply path that connects the liquid storage chamber and the print head; a second valve provided on the liquid supply path and configured to switch a second open state in which the liquid is supplied to the print head from the liquid storage chamber and a second closed state in which the liquid is not supplied to the print head from the liquid storage chamber. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second valve is in the second closed state when the liquid is injected into the liquid storage chamber from the liquid injection portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid storage container further includes an atmosphere communication flow path that is connected to the atmosphere communication chamber and an atmosphere opening that opens into the atmosphere, and the printing apparatus further comprising a first valve provided on the atmosphere communication flow path and configured to switch a first open state in which the atmosphere communication chamber communicates with the atmosphere through the atmosphere opening and a first closed state in which the atmosphere communication chamber does not communicate with the atmosphere. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first valve is in the first closed state when the liquid is injected into the liquid storage chamber from the liquid injection portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the atmosphere opening is arranged in the vicinity of a top of the liquid storage container. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one end of the communication flow path is connected to a bottom surface side of the liquid storage chamber and the other end is connected to a bottom surface side of the atmosphere communication chamber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid storage container is installed in the printing apparatus. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid storage chamber and the atmosphere communication chamber are formed by being defined by a partition wall arranged within the liquid storage container. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening in the atmosphere communication chamber of the communication flow path is formed on a bottom surface side of the atmosphere communication chamber, and a bottom surface of the atmosphere communication chamber is arranged so as to be under an ejection port surface on which an ejection port through which the liquid is ejected is formed in the print head. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage container has a liquid supply portion from which the liquid in the liquid storage chamber is supplied to the print head, and the liquid supply portion is located on a lower side of the liquid storage container. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The printing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a bottom surface of the atmosphere communication chamber is arranged so as to be under the lowest position of a flow path that connects the liquid supply portion and the print head. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a top surface of the atmosphere communication chamber is arranged under the ejection port surface in the direction of gravity. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid injection portion is arranged above the ejection port surface in the direction of gravity. ### Claim 15 A liquid storage container comprising: a liquid storage chamber configured to store a liquid to be supplied to a print head of the printing apparatus; a liquid injection portion configured for injection of the liquid into the liquid storage chamber from the outside; an atmosphere communication chamber configured to communicate with the atmosphere, the atmosphere communication chamber being arranged under the liquid storage chamber in a direction of gravity; and a communication flow path configured to allow communication between the liquid storage chamber and the atmosphere communication chamber, the communication flow path having an opening in the atmosphere communication chamber, the opening being arranged under an ejection port surface of the print head in the direction of gravity. ### Claim 16 A printing apparatus comprising: a print head having an ejection port surface on which an ejection port which ejects a liquid is formed; a liquid storage container including: a liquid storage chamber configured to store the liquid to be supplied to the print head; a liquid injection portion configured for injection of the liquid into the liquid storage chamber from the outside; an atmosphere communication chamber configured to communicate with the atmosphere, the atmosphere communication chamber being arranged under the liquid storage chamber in a direction of gravity; a communication flow path having an opening in the atmosphere communication chamber and configured to allow communication between the liquid storage chamber and the atmosphere communication chamber, the opening being arranged under the ejection port surface in the direction of gravity; and an atmosphere communication flow path that is connected to the atmosphere communication chamber and an atmosphere opening that opens into the atmosphere; and wherein the printing apparatus further comprises a first valve provided on the atmosphere communication flow path and configured to switch a first open state in which the atmosphere communication chamber communicates with the atmosphere through the atmosphere opening and a first closed state in which the atmosphere communication chamber does not communicate with the atmosphere. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The printing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the first valve is in the first closed state when the liquid is injected into the liquid storage chamber from the liquid injection portion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The printing apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising: a liquid supply path that connects the liquid storage chamber and the print head; a second valve provided on the liquid supply path and configured to switch a second open state in which the liquid is supplied to the print head from the liquid storage chamber and a second closed state in which the liquid is not supplied to the print head from the liquid storage chamber. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The printing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the second valve is in the second closed state when the liquid is injected into the liquid storage chamber from the liquid injection portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The printing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein one end of the communication flow path is connected to a bottom surface side of the liquid storage chamber and the other end is connected to a bottom surface side of the atmosphere communication chamber. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The printing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the liquid storage container is installed in the printing apparatus. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The printing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the storage container has a liquid supply portion from which the liquid in the liquid storage chamber is supplied to the print head, and the liquid supply portion is located on a lower side of the liquid storage container. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The printing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a top surface of the atmosphere communication chamber is arranged under the ejection port surface in the direction of gravity. ### Claim 24 (depends on 16) The printing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the liquid injection portion is arranged above the ejection port surface in the direction of gravity.