1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to liquid supply systems configured to supply liquid.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known liquid supply system has a liquid cartridge that stores liquid, and a cartridge mounting portion. The liquid cartridge is configured to be mounted to the cartridge mounting portion in a mounting direction. Liquid is supplied to a supply destination from the liquid cartridge positioned in a mounted position in the cartridge mounting portion. The cartridge mounting portion or the liquid cartridge has an urging member configured to urge the liquid cartridge in a demounting direction, which is opposite to the mounting direction.
For example, another known liquid cartridge has a supply portion having a supply path formed therethrough, and liquid stored in the liquid cartridge is supplied to the outside of the liquid cartridge through the supply path. If the supply path always communicates with the outside of the liquid cartridge, then the liquid flows out through the supply path even when it is not intended. Therefore, in order to allow the liquid to be supplied to the outside of the liquid cartridge only when the liquid cartridge is positioned in the mounted position in the cartridge mounting portion, the known supply portion has a valve mechanism including a valve capable of selectively opening and closing the supply path and a spring urging the valve in a direction for the valve to close the supply path. When the liquid cartridge is mounted to the cartridge mounting portion in the mounting direction, the valve is moved against the urging force applied by the spring of the valve mechanism, such that the spring contracts and the valve opens the supply path, the supply path is brought into communication with a liquid path formed in the cartridge mounting portion, and the liquid can be supplied from the supply path into the liquid path. Thus, when the liquid cartridge is in the mounted position of the cartridge mounting portion, the liquid cartridge is urged in the demounting direction, opposite to the mounting direction, by the force of the contracted spring.
Hence, the cartridge mounting portion has a locking mechanism configured to retain the liquid cartridge in the mounted position against the urging force of the spring. When the liquid cartridge retained by the locking mechanism is released, the liquid cartridge ejects out of the cartridge mounting portion due to a kinetic energy produced by the urging force of the spring and transferred to the liquid cartridge. If the liquid cartridge that has jumped out of the cartridge mounting portion falls over, liquid may splash out of the liquid cartridge.
In another known liquid supply system, to allow a user to readily remove a liquid cartridge from a cartridge mounting portion, an urging member configured to urge the liquid cartridge in the demounting direction is positioned in the cartridge mounting portion. When a plurality of liquid cartridges are placed side by side in the cartridge mounting portion, it may be difficult to demount only one of those liquid cartridges from the cartridge mounting portion because the presence of the cartridges adjacent thereto hinders the demounting. With the urging member urging the liquid cartridge in the demounting direction, however, only the liquid cartridge that the user intends to demount can be moved in the demounting direction, such that the liquid cartridge becomes offset from the other liquid cartridges in the demounting direction. Nevertheless, if the liquid cartridge is moved and completely comes out of the cartridge mounting portion, the liquid cartridge that has come out may fall over and liquid may splash out of the liquid cartridge and taint the environment.
In a known inkjet recording apparatus, e.g., the inkjet recording apparatus described in Patent Application Publication No. JP 2005-288866 A, an elastic member is provided in a bottom plate of a cartridge mounting portion. The elastic member has a hook and is bendable. During mounting of an ink cartridge to the cartridge mounting portion, the bottom surface of the ink cartridge comes into contact with the hook, and the elastic member bends. When the ink cartridge is locked or retained at a mounted position, the elastic member has returned to its original position from the bended position, and the hook is positioned in a recess provided in the bottom surface of the ink cartridge. When the demounting of the ink cartridge from the cartridge mounting portion is attempted, the ink cartridge moves to jump out of the cartridge mounting portion by being urged by an urging member in the demounting direction. Nevertheless, because the hook comes into contact with an end of the recess of the ink cartridge, the movement of the ink cartridge is restricted, which prevents the ink cartridge from jumping out of the cartridge mounting portion.
Nevertheless, when the ink cartridges are mounted to and demounted from the cartridge mounting portion repeatedly, the elastic member may become fatigued and may not return to its original position from the bended position. If the elastic member remains in the bended position, the hook may not be able to come into contact with the end of the recess of the ink cartridge even if the ink cartridge is moved in the demounting direction by the urging force of the urging member. Consequently, the movement of the ink cartridge may not be restricted, and the ink cartridge may jump out of the cartridge mounting portion.
In another known liquid supply system, e.g., the ink supply system described in Patent Application Publication No. US 2009/0135237 A1, a cartridge mounting portion has a locking arm configured to retain an ink cartridge by coming into contact with the ink cartridge placed in a mounted position in the cartridge mounting portion. When a user presses down an operation lever of the locking arm, the locking arm pivots in a direction, such that the ink cartridge becomes released, and a stopper of the locking arm is moved to such a position as to come into contact with the ink cartridge moved by an urging member and thus to restrict the movement of the ink cartridge. Nevertheless, if the lever of the locking arm is not sufficiently pressed down by the user, the locked ink cartridge may be released, but the stopper of the locking arm may not reach such a position as to contact the ink cartridge being moved by the urging member. In such a case, the movement of the ink cartridge may not be restricted, and the ink cartridge may jump out of the cartridge mounting portion.