Liquid supply unit
AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation
InventorsTaku Ishizawa, Satoshi Shinada, Yoshiaki Shimizu, Noriyuki Fukasawa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A liquid supply unit includes an outer shell, a liquid supply portion that is arranged in the outer shell and can supply a liquid to the liquid ejection apparatus, and an engaged structure including an engaged portion that can engage with the engagement portion of the liquid ejection apparatus, and a first opening that is formed in the outer shell and through which the engagement structure can be inserted. The engaged portion is arranged further inward than an outer surface of the outer shell.
Claims12
A liquid ejection system comprising:
- a liquid ejection apparatus comprising:
- a first apparatus-side engagement structure including a first apparatus-side engagement portion;
- and
- a second apparatus-side engagement structure including a second apparatus-side engagement portion, the first apparatus-side engagement structure and the second apparatus-side engagement structure each being formed by a polygonal protrusion;
- and
- an ink cartridge that is configured to be mounted into the liquid ejection apparatus, the ink cartridge comprising:
- an outer shell;
- a liquid supply port;
- a first cartridge-side engagement structure including first cartridge-side receiving portions and a first cartridge-side engagement portion disposed between the first cartridge-side receiving portions, the first cartridge-side engagement portion being a first step that is configured to engage with the first apparatus-side engagement portion;
- and
- a second cartridge-side engagement structure including second cartridge-side receiving portions and a second cartridge-side engagement portion disposed between the second cartridge-side receiving portions, the second cartridge-side engagement portion being a second step that is configured to engage with the second apparatus-side engagement portion, wherein:
- the shape of the first cartridge-side engagement structure is the same as the shape of the second cartridge-side engagement structure;
- the first cartridge-side engagement portion and the second cartridge-side engagement portion sandwich the liquid supply port;
- a movement of the ink cartridge in a demounting direction opposite to a mounting direction is restricted by engaging the polygonal protrusion of the first apparatus-side engagement portion with the first step included in the first cartridge-side engagement structure, and by engaging the polygonal protrusion of the second apparatus-side engagement portion with second step included in the second cartridge-side engagement structure;
- and
- the first cartridge-side engagement portion is located higher than the liquid supply port in the demounting direction and the second cartridge-side engagement portion is located higher than the liquid supply port in the demounting direction.
An ink cartridge that is configured to be mounted into a liquid ejection apparatus that comprises a first apparatus-side engagement structure including a first apparatus-side engagement portion and a second apparatus-side engagement structure including a second apparatus-side engagement portion, the ink cartridge comprising:
- an outer shell;
- a liquid supply port;
- a first cartridge-side engagement structure including first cartridge-side receiving portions and a first cartridge-side engagement portion disposed between the first cartridge-side receiving portions, the first cartridge-side engagement portion being a first step that is configured to engage with the first apparatus-side engagement portion;
- and
- a second cartridge-side engagement structure including second cartridge-side receiving portions and a second cartridge-side engagement portion disposed between the second cartridge-side receiving portions, the second cartridge-side engagement portion being a second step that is configured to engage with the second apparatus-side engagement portion, the first apparatus-side engagement structure and the second apparatus-side engagement structure each being formed by a polygonal protrusion, wherein:
- the shape of the first cartridge-side engagement structure is the same as the shape of the second cartridge-side engagement structure;
- the first cartridge-side engagement portion and the second cartridge-side engagement portion sandwich the liquid supply port;
- a movement in a demounting direction opposite to a mounting direction is restricted by the polygonal protrusion of the first apparatus-side engagement portion with the first step included in the first cartridge-side engagement structure, and by engaging the polygonal protrusion of the second apparatus-side engagement portion with second step included in the second cartridge-side engagement structure;
- and
- the first cartridge-side engagement portion is located higher than the liquid supply port in the demounting direction and the second cartridge-side engagement portion is located higher than the liquid supply port in the demounting direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.