Liquid ejecting device and liquid reservoir to increase volume ratio of stored liquid

1 . A liquid ejecting device comprising:

a head having a nozzle configured to eject liquid;

a container connected with the head, the container being configured to store the liquid;

a communication section configured to communicate an internal space of the container with atmosphere; and

a liquid reservoir located outside the head and configured to store the liquid and to be removably attached to the container, wherein an internal space of the liquid reservoir is communicated with the internal space of the container through a liquid flow path and a gas flow path in an attached state where the liquid reservoir is attached to the container, and

wherein in the attached state, when a first liquid-filled region in the internal space of the container is in communication with a second liquid-filled region in the internal space of the liquid reservoir via the liquid flow path, a second gas-filled region in the internal space of the liquid reservoir is in communication with a first gas-filled region in the internal space of the container via the gas flow path and in communication with the atmosphere via the communication section of the container, without any liquid-filled regions interposed between the second gas-filled region and the atmosphere, and wherein the first gas-filled region directly contacts the first liquid-filled region and the second gas-filled region directly contacts the second liquid-filled region.

2 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the container comprises:

the communication section;

a first valve disposed at the liquid flow path; and

a second valve disposed at the gas flow path, and

wherein the first valve and the second valve are configured to:

change from a closed state into an open state in response to a transition from a separated state where the liquid reservoir is not attached to the container to the attached state; and

change from the open state into the closed state in response to a transition from the attached state to the separated state.

3 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 2 ,

wherein the liquid reservoir comprises:

a third valve disposed at the liquid flow path; and

a fourth valve disposed at the gas flow path, and

wherein the third valve and the fourth valve are configured to:

change from a closed state into an open state in response to the transition from the separated state to the attached state; and

change from the open state into the closed state in response to the transition from the attached state to the separated state.

4 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein in the attached state, the container and the liquid reservoir are brought from a state where gas moves through the gas flow path from the internal space of the container to the internal space of the liquid reservoir, and the liquid moves through the liquid flow path from the internal space of the liquid reservoir to the internal space of the container, into an equilibrium state where the movements of the gas and the liquid are stopped.

5 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the communication section comprises a communication valve configured to switch between an open state and a closed state, the communication valve being further configured to be closed in a separated state where the liquid reservoir is not attached to the container.

6 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 5 , further comprising:

a carriage configured to move along a particular direction with the head mounted thereon; and

a controller configured to move the carriage to a liquid reservoir replacement position in response to receiving a command to replace the liquid reservoir,

wherein the communication valve is further configured to change from the open state to the closed state in response to the carriage moving to the liquid reservoir replacement position, and

wherein the communication valve is further configured to change from the closed state to the open state in response to the carriage moving away from the liquid reservoir replacement position.

7 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 5 , further comprising a controller configured to switch the communication valve from the open state to the closed state in response to receiving a command to replace the liquid reservoir.

8 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 5 , further comprising a cover movable between a first position where the cover covers the liquid reservoir and a second position where the cover is away from the liquid reservoir,

wherein the communication valve is further configured to:

change from the open state to the closed state in response to the cover moving from the first position to the second position where the cover is away from the liquid reservoir; and

change from the closed state to the open state in response to the cover moving from the second position to the first position.

9 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 5 ,

wherein the communication valve is further configured to:

change from the open state into the closed state in response to a transition from the attached state to the separated state where the liquid reservoir is not attached to the container; and

change from the closed state into the open state in response to a transition from the separated state to the attached state.

10 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the communication section comprises a semipermeable membrane that is positioned above a surface level of the liquid stored in the container after the surface level of the liquid stored in the container and a surface level of the liquid stored in the liquid reservoir are brought into an equilibrium state.

11 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the communication section is further configured to:

change from a closed state into an open state in response to a transition from a separated state where the liquid reservoir is not attached to the container to the attached state, and

change from the open state into the closed state in response to a transition from the attached state to the separated state.

12 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the liquid reservoir is further configured to be horizontally attached to the container.

13 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the liquid reservoir is further configured to be vertically attached to the container.

14 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the liquid reservoir is further configured to be obliquely attached to the container.

15 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 1 , further comprising a detector configured to detect a surface of the liquid stored in the container, wherein a part of the detector is positioned in the container.

16 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the container has a first base section, and a first extending section that extends from an upper portion of the first base section, and

wherein the liquid reservoir has a second base section, and a second extending section that extends from a lower portion of the second base section.

17 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the container has a first base section, and a first extending section that extends from a lower portion of the first base section, and

wherein the liquid reservoir has a second base section, and a second extending section that extends from an upper portion of the second base section.

18 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the container has an outflow port configured to let the liquid stored in the container flow out therethrough, the outflow port being positioned below the liquid flow path.

19 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the gas flow path is further configured to, when the liquid reservoir is attached to the container, come into a communicable state at a same time as or earlier than the liquid flow path.

20 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the gas flow path is further configured to, when the liquid reservoir is attached to the container, come into a communicable state later than the liquid flow path.

21 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the gas flow path is further configured to, when the liquid reservoir is removed from the container, come into an incommunicable state at a same time as or later than the liquid flow path.

22 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the gas flow path is further configured to, when the liquid reservoir is removed from the container, come into an incommunicable state earlier than the liquid flow path.

23 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the communication section comprises:

a semipermeable membrane; and

a labyrinth structure disposed between the internal space of the container and the semipermeable membrane.

24 . The liquid ejecting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the liquid reservoir has the communication section configured to communicate the internal space of the liquid reservoir with the atmosphere, the internal space of the container being communicated with the atmosphere through the communication section and the gas flow path.

25 . A liquid reservoir comprising:

a first reservoir valve disposed at a liquid flow path in an attached state where the liquid reservoir is removably attached to a container of a liquid ejecting device; and

a second reservoir valve disposed at a gas flow path in the attached state, the liquid flow path and the gas flow path being configured to, in the attached state, communicate an internal space of the container with an internal space of the liquid reservoir,

wherein the first reservoir valve and the second reservoir valve are configured to:

change from a closed state into an open state in response to a transition from a separated state where the liquid reservoir is not attached to the container to the attached state; and

change from the open state into the closed state in response to a transition from the attached state to the separated state, and

wherein in the attached state, when a first liquid-filled region in the internal space of the container is in communication with a second liquid-filled region in the internal space of the liquid reservoir via the liquid flow path, a second gas-filled region in the internal space of the liquid reservoir is in communication with a first gas-filled region in the internal space of the container via the gas flow path and in communication with atmosphere via a communication section of the container, without any liquid-filled region interposed between the second gas-filled region and the atmosphere, and wherein the first gas-filled region directly contacts the first liquid-filled region and the second gas-filled region directly contacts the second liquid-filled region.

26 . The liquid reservoir according to claim 25 ,

wherein the communication section comprises a semipermeable membrane, the communication section being configured to communicate the internal space of the liquid reservoir with the atmosphere.

27 . The liquid reservoir according to claim 25 , further comprising an identification chip.