# US 10,766,260 B2 · Recording apparatus

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- Number: US 10,766,260 B2
- Document ID: US10766260B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/282,915
- Filed: 2019-02-22
- Published: 2019-08-29
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2018-02-23
- Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Inventors: Yoshiyuki Tanaka; Atsuya Hirabayashi; Nobuhisa Nomoto; Masahide Nakagawa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766260B2

## CPC

- B41J 2/17566: {Ink level or ink residue control}
- B41J 2/16508: {connected with the printer frame}
- B41J 2/17509: {Whilst mounted in the printer}
- B41J 2/185: Ink-collectors; Ink-catchers
- B41J 29/13: Cases or covers
- B41J 2002/17573: {using optical means for ink level indication}
- B41J 2002/1856: {waste ink containers}
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

A recording apparatus includes: a recording unit that performs a recording by ejecting a liquid on a medium; a carriage that includes the recording unit and is movable in a width direction; a casing that has the carriage therein and constitutes an external appearance of the apparatus; an adapter that is mounted on an upper portion of the recording unit and accommodates the liquid to be supplied to the recording unit; at least one liquid accommodating unit that supplies the liquid to the adapter through a tube and includes a filling port into which the liquid can be filled; and a waste liquid receiving unit that receives the liquid discharged as a waste liquid during a maintenance operation of the recording unit, in which the casing has a cover for covering both the liquid accommodating unit and the waste liquid receiving unit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A recording apparatus comprising:
a recording unit that performs a recording by ejecting a liquid on a medium;
a carriage that includes the recording unit in a bottom portion and is movable in a width direction intersecting a medium transporting direction;
a casing that has the carriage therein and constitutes an external appearance of the apparatus;
an adapter that is mounted on an upper portion of the recording unit and accommodates the liquid to be supplied to the recording unit;
at least one liquid accommodating unit that supplies the liquid to the adapter through a tube and includes a filling port into which the liquid can be filled; and
a waste liquid receiving unit that receives the liquid discharged as a waste liquid during a maintenance operation of the recording unit, the waste liquid receiving unit comprising a protruding portion that protrudes vertically;
wherein the casing has a cover for covering both the liquid accommodating unit and the waste liquid receiving unit, the cover being configured to rotate to open or close,
wherein when the cover opens,
both the liquid accommodating unit and the waste liquid receiving unit are accessible to a user, and
the protruding portion is configured to be gripped by a user, such that the waste liquid receiving unit can be taken out or inserted into the recording apparatus, and
wherein the cover is provided with a first visual recognition unit and a second visual recognition unit, the first visual recognition unit being capable of checking a remaining amount of the liquid accommodating unit, and the second visual recognition unit being capable of checking a state of the waste liquid receiving unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The recording apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the waste liquid receiving unit is provided below the liquid accommodating unit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The recording apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the first visual recognition unit or the second visual recognition unit is made of a light transmitting member capable of transmitting a visible light.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The recording apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the first visual recognition unit or the second visual recognition unit is provided at a position where the liquid accommodating unit can be visually recognized and at a position where the waste liquid receiving unit can be visually recognized.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The recording apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the cover has a switching mechanism capable of switching a state of the first visual recognition unit or the second visual recognition unit between a first state which is a visually recognizable state and a second state which has a low visibility.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The recording apparatus according to claim 5,
wherein the switching mechanism has a configuration in which the visual recognition unit can be attached/detached.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The recording apparatus according to claim 5,
wherein the switching mechanism has a configuration that can be electrically switched.