US 12,377,657 B2
Liquid cartridge and liquid supply system
Itta Yamada, Nagoya (JP); Hideki Hayashi, Nagoya (JP); and Genki Hoshino, Nagoya (JP)
Assigned to BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed by BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed on Mar. 30, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/192,887.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-057908 (JP), filed on Mar. 31, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0311531 A1, Oct. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. B41J 2/175 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 2/17553 (2013.01) [B41J 2/1752 (2013.01)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A liquid supply system comprising:
a liquid cartridge; and
a cartridge installing unit in which the liquid cartridge is moved in one orientation of a front-rear direction so that the liquid cartridge is installed thereto, wherein
the liquid cartridge includes:
a casing including:
a front surface;
a lower surface;
a storage chamber formed in the casing; and
a supply port arranged on the front surface and communicated with the storage chamber, and
a groove recessed upward and arranged on the lower surface of the casing, the groove includes:
an entrance port being opened on the front surface; and
a right surface and a left surface defining the groove in a left-right direction intersecting the front-rear direction,
at least one of the right surface and the left surface includes a first surface and a second surface, a normal vector of the first surface being directed in the one orientation of the front-rear direction and in one orientation of the left-right direction, and
the second surface being positioned in the other orientation of the front-rear direction as compared with the first surface, a normal vector of the second surface being directed in the other orientation of the front-rear direction and in the one orientation of the left-right direction,
the cartridge installing unit includes:
a case defining an internal space for inserting the liquid cartridge thereinto, the case being opened in the other orientation of the front-rear direction;
a needle extending in the other orientation of the front-rear direction in the internal space of the case;
a latch configured to move in the left-right direction on a bottom surface for comparting the internal space of the case; and
an elastic member configured to urge the latch in the other orientation of the left-right direction,
the latch enters the groove via the opening in a case that the liquid cartridge is inserted into the case, and
the needle enters the supply port in a case that the liquid cartridge is inserted into the case.