Waste ink tank and inkjet printer

摘要

The case 22 of a waste ink tank 13 has ribs 51, 52 that partition the space between a waste ink inlet 36 and an air vent 33. Air passages 65, 66 that connect the waste ink storage spaces S1, S2, S3 partitioned by the ribs are formed at the top ends of the ribs 51, 52. Waste ink permeates all of a sponge 21 through the space between the ribs 51, 52 and the bottom wall 24. Because a path for air to flow to the air vent 33 is constantly maintained inside the case 22 by the air passages 65, 66, air is discharged from the air vent 33 as waste ink is introduced to the case 22. The strength of the case can therefore be increased without interfering with introducing waste ink to the case and absorption of introduced waste ink by the sponge.

主权项

1. A waste ink tank, comprising:
a case having a waste ink inlet and an air vent that are disposed at the top part of the case; a waste ink storage space that stores waste ink introduced to the case from the waste ink inlet; a sponge that absorbs the waste ink inside the case; a rib that partitions the waste ink storage space inside the case; and an air passage formed at the top part of the rib and connecting the plural waste ink storage spaces that are separated by the rib, wherein: the case has a ceiling panel, a floor panel, a front panel that extends vertically and connects the end part on one side of the ceiling panel with the end part on the same one side of the floor panel, a back panel that is opposite the front panel and connects the end part on the other side of the ceiling panel with the end part on the other side of the floor panel, and has the waste ink inlet formed in the front panel; the rib includes two ribs extending from the ceiling panel of the case toward the floor panel opposite the ceiling panel; and the bottom end of the rear rib, which of the two ribs is the rib on the air vent side, is positioned lower than the bottom end of the front rib, which is the rib on the waste ink inlet side.