# US 10,500,866 B2 · Liquid container > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,500,866 B2 - Document ID: US10500866B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/674,948 - Filed: 2017-08-11 - Published: 2018-02-15 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-12 - Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation - Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation - Inventors: Hiroyuki Kawate; Tadahiro Mizutani; Yoshiaki Shimizu; Takumi Nagashima; Akihiro Toya; Hiroyoshi Ozeki; Manabu Yamaguchi; Tetsuya Takamoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500866B2 ## CPC - B41J 2/17503: {Ink cartridges} - B41J 2/01: Ink jet - B41J 2/175: Ink supply systems {; Circuit parts therefor} - B41J 2/17509: {Whilst mounted in the printer} - B41J 2/17513: {Inner structure} - B41J 2/1752: {Mounting within the printer} - B41J 2/17523: {Ink connection} - B41J 2/1753: {Details of contacts on the cartridge, e.g. protection of contacts} - B41J 2/17553: {Outer structure} - B41J 2/17596: {Ink pumps, ink valves} - B41J 29/13: Cases or covers - B41J 25/34: Bodily-changeable print heads or carriages - B41J 2002/17516: {comprising a collapsible ink holder, e.g. a flexible bag} - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract The liquid container is detachable from a case of a liquid ejection apparatus. The liquid container has a bag-shaped member that is flexible and has a storage portion for storing a liquid therein, and a connection member attached to the bag-shaped member. The connection member has a liquid introducing outlet into which a liquid introducing portion of the liquid ejection apparatus is inserted, a container-side electrical connection unit to which an apparatus-side electrical connection unit of the liquid ejection apparatus is connected, and a handle that pivots with respect to the connection member. In a state where the liquid container is arranged in the case, the handle is provided at a position exposed to the outside of the case, and when the liquid container is mounted to/removed from the case, the handle is brought into a second orientation in which the handle is pivoted from a first orientation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A liquid container that is detachable from a case of a liquid ejection apparatus comprising: a housing provided with a case storage unit therein; the case that is configured to be inserted into the case storage unit by being moved in a +Y direction; a liquid introducing portion that is positioned at an end portion on the +Y direction side of the case storage unit; and an apparatus-side electrical connection unit that is positioned at the end portion on the +Y direction side of the case storage unit, wherein: an axis parallel to a gravity direction is referred to as a Z axis, a same direction along the Z axis as the gravity direction is referred to as a +Z direction, and an opposite direction along the Z axis to the gravity direction is referred to as a −Z direction, an axis orthogonal to the Z axis is referred to as a Y axis, one direction along the Y axis is referred to as the +Y direction, and the other direction along the Y axis is referred to as a −Y direction, and an axis orthogonal to the Z axis and the Y axis is referred to as an X axis, one direction along the X axis is referred to as a +X direction, and the other direction along the X axis is referred to as a −X direction, the liquid container comprises: a bag-shaped member that is flexible, and comprises a storage portion for storing a liquid therein; and a connection member that is mounted to the bag-shaped member so as to be positioned at the end portion on the +Y direction side in a mounted state in which the liquid container is mounted to the liquid ejection apparatus, the connection member comprises: a liquid introducing outlet into which the liquid introducing portion is inserted in the −Y direction in the mounted state; a container-side electrical connection unit to which the apparatus-side electrical connection unit is connected in the −Y direction in the mounted state; and a handle configured to pivot toward the connection member with respect to the X axis in the mounted state, the handle has a grip portion, a coupling portion that is coupled to the grip portion, and a base end portion that pivotably fixes the coupling portion to the connection member, the handle is configured such that in a state where the liquid container is arranged in the case, the handle is provided at a position exposed to the outside of the case, and when the liquid container is being mounted to or removed from the case the handle is in a second orientation in which the handle is pivoted from a first orientation in the mounted state, the case has a bottom face facing the −Z direction and comprises two guiding portions protruding from the bottom face in the −Z direction, in a state where the case is arranged in the case storage unit, the connection member comprises two guide portions into which the two guiding portions are respectively fitted in a state where the liquid container is arranged in the case, and the base end portion is provided between the two guide portions with respect to the X axis in the mounted state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The liquid container according to claim 1, wherein the grip portion is arranged at a position protruding from the connection member toward the bag-shaped member in the first orientation, and is arranged at a position protruding from the connection member in a direction opposite to the bag-shaped member in the second orientation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The liquid container according to claim 2, wherein the first orientation is an orientation in which the handle is arranged along a plane orthogonal to the Z axis in the mounted state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The liquid container according to claim 2, wherein, in the first orientation, the grip portion is held at a position separated from the bag-shaped member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The liquid container according to claim 1, wherein the connection member has an upper face portion facing the −Z direction in the mounted state, the handle has an upper face portion facing the −Z direction in the mounted state, and in the mounted state, the upper face portion of the handle is positioned at the same position as the upper face portion of the connection member with respect to the Z axis or at a position on the +Z direction side relative to the upper face portion of the connection member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The liquid container according to claim 1, wherein the connection member has a restriction portion that comes into contact with the handle in the second orientation, and restricts a pivot range of the handle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The liquid container according to claim 1, wherein the connection member has an upper face portion facing the −Z direction in the mounted state, the two guiding portions have upper end faces positioned at an end in the −Z direction in the mounted state and facing the −Z direction, and in the mounted state, the upper end faces of the two guiding portions and the upper face portion of the connection member are positioned at substantially the same position with respect to the Z axis relative to the bottom face of the case. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The liquid container according to claim 1, wherein the two guide portions are each constituted by a through hole passing through the connection member along the Z axis in the mounted state, and in the mounted state, the maximum value of an opening width with respect to the X axis at an end portion on the +Z direction side of each of the two guide portions is larger than the maximum value of an opening width with respect to the X axis at an end portion on the −Z direction side of each of the two guide portions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The liquid container according to claim 1, wherein, in the mounted state, a distance with respect to the Y axis from an end portion on the +Y direction side of the connection member to an end portion on the −Y direction side of the handle in the first orientation is within one third of a distance with respect to the Y axis from the end portion on the +Y direction side of the connection member to an end portion on the −Y direction side of the bag-shaped member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The liquid container according to claim 1, wherein the grip portion extends along the X axis in the mounted state, the coupling portion includes a first coupling portion and a second coupling portion that are respectively coupled with two ends of the grip portion with respect to the X axis in the mounted state, and the base end portion includes a first base end portion that pivotably fixes the first coupling portion to the connection member and a second base end portion that pivotably fixes the second coupling portion to the connection member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The liquid container according to claim 10, wherein a length of the grip portion with respect to the X axis in the mounted state is longer than a distance between the first base end portion and the second base end portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The liquid container according to claim 1, wherein the handle is held at a position overlapping the container-side electrical connection unit with respect to the Z axis in the mounted state, and separated from the container-side electrical connection unit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The liquid container according to claim 1, wherein, in the mounted state, the handle, the container-side electrical connection unit, and the liquid introducing portion are arranged at positions not overlapping with respect to the Z axis in the mounted state. ### Claim 14 A liquid container that is detachable from a case of a liquid ejection apparatus comprising: a housing provided with a case storage unit therein; the case configured to be inserted into the case storage unit by being moved in a +Y direction; and a liquid introducing portion that is positioned at an end portion on the +Y direction side of the case storage unit, wherein: an axis parallel to a gravity direction is referred to as a Z axis, a same direction along the Z axis as the gravity direction is referred to as a +Z direction, and an opposite direction along the Z axis to the gravity direction is referred to as a −Z direction, an axis orthogonal to the Z axis is referred to as a Y axis, one direction along the Y axis is referred to as the +Y direction, and the other direction along the Y direction is referred to as a −Y direction, and an axis orthogonal to the Z axis and the Y axis is referred to as an X axis, one direction along the X axis is referred to as a +X direction, and the other direction along the X axis is referred to as a −X direction, the liquid container comprises: a bag-shaped member that is flexible, and comprises a storage portion for storing a liquid therein; a liquid introducing outlet into which the liquid introducing portion is inserted in the −Y direction in a mounted state in which the liquid container is mounted to the liquid ejection apparatus; and a sheet member that comprises a pivotable handle, the handle is provided at a position exposed to the outside of the case in a state where the liquid container is arranged in the case, the handle comprises a base end portion that pivotably fixes the handle, the case has a bottom face facing the −Z direction and comprises two guiding portions protruding from the bottom face in the −Z direction, in a state where the case is arranged in the case storage unit, the liquid container comprises two guide portions into which the two guiding portions are respectively fitted in a state where the liquid container is arranged in the case, and the base end portion is provided between the two guide portions with respect to the X axis in the mounted state. ### Claim 15 A liquid container that is detachable from a case of a apparatus comprising: a housing provided with a case storage unit therein; the case that is configured to be inserted into the case storage unit by being moved in a +Y direction; a liquid introducing portion that is positioned at an end portion on the +Y direction side of the case storage unit; and an apparatus-side electrical connection unit that is positioned at the end portion on the +Y direction side of the case storage unit, wherein: an axis parallel to a gravity direction is referred to as a Z axis, a same direction along the Z axis as the gravity direction is referred to as a +Z direction, and an opposite direction along the Z axis to the gravity direction is referred to as a −Z direction, an axis orthogonal to the Z axis is referred to as a Y axis, one direction along the Y axis is referred to as the +Y direction, and the other direction along the Y axis is referred to as a −Y direction, and an axis orthogonal to the Z axis and the Y axis is referred to as an X axis, one direction along the X axis is referred to as a +X direction, and the other direction along the X axis is referred to as a −X direction, the liquid container comprises: a bag-shaped member that is flexible, and comprises a storage portion for storing a liquid therein; and a connection member that is mounted to the bag-shaped member so as to be positioned at the end portion on the +Y direction side in a mounted state in which the liquid container is mounted to the liquid ejection apparatus, the connection member comprises: a liquid introducing outlet into which the liquid introducing portion is inserted in the −Y direction in the mounted state; a container-side electrical connection unit to which the apparatus-side electrical connection unit is connected in the −Y direction in the mounted state; and a handle configured to pivot toward the connection member with respect to the X axis in the mounted state, the handle has a grip portion, a coupling portion that is coupled to the grip portion, and a base end portion that pivotably fixes the coupling portion to the connection member, the handle is configured such that in a state where the liquid container is arranged in the case, the handle is provided at a position exposed to the outside of the case, and when the liquid container is being mounted to or removed from the case the handle is in a second orientation in which the handle is pivoted from a first orientation in the mounted state, and the handle is held at a position overlapping the container-side electrical connection unit with respect to the Z axis in the mounted state, and separated from the container-side electrical connection unit. ### Claim 16 A liquid container that is detachable from a case of a liquid ejection apparatus comprising: a housing provided with a case storage unit therein; the case that is configured to be inserted into the case storage unit by being moved in a +Y direction; a liquid introducing portion that is positioned at an end portion on the +Y direction side of the case storage unit; and an apparatus-side electrical connection unit that is positioned at the end portion on the +Y direction side of the case storage unit, wherein: an axis parallel to a gravity direction is referred to as a Z axis, a same direction along the Z axis as the gravity direction is referred to as a +Z direction, and an opposite direction along the Z axis to the gravity direction is referred to as a −Z direction, an axis orthogonal to the Z axis is referred to as a Y axis, one direction along the Y axis is referred to as the +Y direction, and the other direction along the Y axis is referred to as a −Y direction, and an axis orthogonal to the Z axis and the Y axis is referred to as an X axis, one direction along the X axis is referred to as a +X direction, and the other direction along the X axis is referred to as a −X direction, the liquid container comprises: a bag-shaped member that is flexible, and comprises a storage portion for storing a liquid therein; and a connection member that is mounted to the bag-shaped member so as to be positioned at the end portion on the +Y direction side in a mounted state in which the liquid container is mounted to the liquid ejection apparatus, the connection member comprises: a liquid introducing outlet into which the liquid introducing portion is inserted in the −Y direction in the mounted state; a container-side electrical connection unit to which the apparatus-side electrical connection unit is connected in the −Y direction in the mounted state; and a handle configured to pivot toward the connection member with respect to the X axis in the mounted state, the handle has a grip portion, a coupling portion that is coupled to the grip portion, and a base end portion that pivotably fixes the coupling portion to the connection member, the handle is configured such that in a state where the liquid container is arranged in the case, the handle is provided at a position exposed to the outside of the case, and when the liquid container is being mounted to or removed from the case the handle is in a second orientation in which the handle is pivoted from a first orientation in the mounted state, and in the mounted state, the handle, the container-side electrical connection unit, and the liquid introducing portion are arranged at positions not overlapping with respect to the Z axis in the mounted state.