Liquid container and ink jet recording apparatus employing liquid container

• US 20030071868A1
• Filed: 09/27/2002
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Koshikawa, Hiroshi, Hatasa, Nobuyuki, Shimizu, Eiichiro
• Granted Patent: US 6,742,857 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/19
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17523 Ink connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17526 Electrical contacts to the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure

Abstract

A liquid container includes a liquid containing portion having an opening; a liquid supply portion, fixed in the liquid containing portion, for introducing the liquid from the liquid containing portion; an information memory medium accommodating portion, provided in the liquid containing portion, for holding an information memory medium storing information relating to the liquid container, wherein the information memory medium accommodating portion is adapted such that contact surface of the information memory medium held by the information memory medium accommodating portion is opposed to the liquid supply portion and that space is provided between the contact surface and a surface of the liquid containing portion.

Claims

1. A liquid container comprising:

a liquid containing portion having an opening;

a liquid supply portion, fixed in said liquid containing portion, for introducing the liquid from said liquid containing portion;

an information memory medium accommodating portion, provided in said liquid containing portion, for holding an information memory medium storing information relating to said liquid container,

wherein said information memory medium accommodating portion is adapted such that contact surface of the information memory medium held by said information memory medium accommodating portion is opposed to said liquid supply portion and that space is provided between the contact surface and a surface of said liquid containing portion.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the space provides a portion for receiving a connector.

3. A container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the space is formed by a recess or a cavity provided in said information memory medium accommodating portion.

4. A container according to claim 3, wherein said information memory medium accommodating portion has a recess or a cavity for fixing the information memory medium on an inner side opposite said liquid supply portion.

5. A container according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the space functions to trap the liquid.

6. A container according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein a liquid trap portion is provided between said information memory medium accommodating portion and said liquid containing portion.

7. A container according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein said information memory medium accommodating portion is disposed above said liquid supply portion.

8. A container according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein said information memory medium accommodating portion is disposed at a longitudinal end portion of said liquid containing portion.

9. A container according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein said information memory medium accommodating portion and said liquid containing portion are separate members.

10. A container according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein the liquid is ink.

11. A container according to any one of claims 1-10, wherein said liquid supply portion has a connecting portion for introducing air into said liquid containing portion.

12. A container according to any one of claims 1-11, wherein a hollow needle for introducing the liquid is inserted into said liquid supply portion.

13. A container according to any one of claims 1-12, wherein said liquid containing portion is a hollow container provided by blow molding.

14. A container according to any one of claims 1-13, wherein said liquid container is detachably mountable to an ink jet recording apparatus which effects recording by ejecting the liquid which is ink onto a recording material from recording means.

15. An ink jet recording apparatus for effecting recording by ejecting ink onto recording means comprising a mounting portion on which said liquid container as defined in any one of claims 1-14 is detachably mountable.