US 11,938,739 B2
Ink refill container, ink refill system, and ink refill adapter
Tadahiro Mizutani, Shiojiri (JP); Ryoichi Tanaka, Shiojiri (JP); Manabu Akahane, Tatsuno-machi (JP); Makoto Kobayashi, Shiojiri (JP); Naomi Kimura, Okaya (JP); Hideki Okumura, Shiojiri (JP); Shoma Kudo, Shiojiri (JP); Tetsuya Takamoto, Matsumoto (JP); and Hiroaki Sakai, Shiojiri (JP)
Assigned to SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Mar. 15, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/121,895.
Application 18/121,895 is a continuation of application No. 17/504,984, filed on Oct. 19, 2021, granted, now 11,639,060.
Application 17/504,984 is a continuation of application No. 17/070,064, filed on Oct. 14, 2020, granted, now 11,179,944, issued on Nov. 23, 2021.
Application 17/070,064 is a continuation of application No. 16/857,065, filed on Apr. 23, 2020, granted, now 10,889,123, issued on Jan. 12, 2021.
Application 16/857,065 is a continuation of application No. 16/307,625, granted, now 10,717,287, previously published as PCT/JP2017/021057, filed on Jun. 7, 2017.
Claims priority of application No. 2016-116155 (JP), filed on Jun. 10, 2016; application No. 2016-203332 (JP), filed on Oct. 17, 2016; and application No. 2016-208864 (JP), filed on Oct. 25, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2023/0219349 A1, Jul. 13, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B41J 2/175 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 2/17553 (2013.01) [B41J 2/17503 (2013.01); B41J 2/17509 (2013.01); B41J 2/17513 (2013.01); B41J 2/1752 (2013.01); B41J 2/17523 (2013.01); B41J 2/1753 (2013.01); B41J 2/17533 (2013.01); B41J 2/17536 (2013.01); B41J 2/1754 (2013.01); B41J 2/17596 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ink refill container configured to refill ink to an ink tank provided with a needle having a flow passage,
the ink refill container comprising:
a container main body comprising an ink storage chamber configured to store ink to be refilled to the ink tank;
an ink outlet-forming portion, the ink outlet-forming portion having an ink outlet that allows the ink to flow out from the ink storage chamber;
a valve disposed in the ink outlet, the valve being configured to be opened by the needle inserted into the ink outlet and closed by removal of the needle from the ink outlet;
a cap; and
an attachment surface located lower than the ink outlet in a state that the ink outlet is directed upward,
wherein the cap is configured to be in contact with the attachment surface in a capping state that the cap covers the ink outlet.