| 摘要 |
A liquid cartridge includes: a valve chamber; a moving member; first and second sealing parts; and a second liquid channel. The valve chamber is defined by a side wall surface including central, first-end side, and second-end side regions. The central region defines a first space having a first cross-sectional area. The first-end side region defines a second space having a second cross-sectional area. The second-end side region defines a third space having a third cross-sectional area. The second and third cross-sectional areas are greater than the first cross-sectional area. The moving member moves from a first position where the first and second sealing parts are positioned within the first and third spaces, respectively, and the valve closes the second liquid channel, to a second position where the first and second sealing parts are positioned within the second and first spaces, respectively, and the valve opens the second liquid channel. |
| 主权项 |
1. A liquid cartridge comprising:
a liquid chamber configured to store liquid therein; a valve chamber defined by a side wall surface and a base wall surface, the side wall surface extending in a first direction away from the liquid chamber and having an annular shape in cross-section taken along a plane orthogonal to the first direction, the side wall surface having a first end at which the base wall surface is provided and a second end which is an open end and positioned downstream of the first end in the first direction, the side wall surface having a first opening and a second opening, one of the side wall surface and the base wall surface having a third opening at a position upstream of the first opening and the second opening in the first direction; a moving member disposed in the valve chamber and configured to move in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the moving member having an outer surface and a through-hole, the through-hole being configured to allow communication between a space in the valve chamber near the first end of the side wall surface and a space in the valve chamber near the second end of the side wall surface; a first sealing part having an annular shape and provided on the outer surface of the moving member; a second sealing part having an annular shape and provided on the outer surface of the moving member at a position downstream of the first sealing part in the first direction; a first air channel configured to provide communication between the valve chamber and an atmosphere through the first opening; a second air channel configured to allow air to flow between the valve chamber and the liquid chamber through the second opening; a first liquid channel configured to allow liquid to flow between the valve chamber and the liquid chamber through the third opening; and a second liquid channel extending from the third opening to the second end of the side wall surface through the through-hole formed in the moving member, wherein the side wall surface includes:
a central region in which the first opening is formed, the first sealing part and the second sealing part being configured to intimately contact the central region along its entire circumference to provide airtight seal, the central region defining a first internal space having a first cross-sectional area taken along a plane orthogonal to the first direction;a first-end side region in which the second opening is formed, the first-end side region being positioned upstream of the central region in the first direction, the first-end side region defining a second internal space having a second cross-sectional area taken along a plane orthogonal to the first direction; anda second-end side region positioned downstream of the central region in the first direction, the second-end side region defining a third internal space having a third cross-sectional area taken along a plane orthogonal to the first direction, the second cross-sectional area being greater than the first cross-sectional area, and the third cross-sectional area being greater than the first cross-sectional area, and wherein the moving member includes a valve configured to close and open the second liquid channel, the moving member being configured to move from a first position to a second position closer to the first end of the side wall surface than the first position to the first end of the side wall surface, wherein in the first position, the first sealing part is positioned within the first internal space surrounded by the central region at a position upstream of the first opening in the first direction, the second sealing part being positioned within the third internal space surrounded by the second-end side region, and the valve closing the second liquid channel; and in the second position, the first sealing part is positioned within the second internal space surrounded by the first-end side region to provide communication between the first opening and the second opening, the second sealing part being positioned within the first internal space surrounded by the central region at a position downstream of the first opening in the first direction, and the valve opening the second liquid channel. |
