Ink cartridge and recording apparatus

• US 20030085970A1
• Filed: 11/08/2002
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Toba, Koichi, Shinada, Satoshi, Sakai, Yasuto
• Granted Patent: US 7,029,104 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/86
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically

Abstract

An ink cartridge which supplies ink to a recording apparatus, comprises an ink cartridge body for storing ink therein, a supply system for supplying the ink stored in the ink cartridge body to the recording apparatus, and an identification system that is provided for the ink cartridge body and includes data regarding the supply system for supplying the ink to the recording apparatus.

Claims

1. An ink cartridge which supplies ink to a recording apparatus, comprising:

an ink cartridge body for storing said ink therein;

a supply system for supplying said ink stored in said ink cartridge body to said recording apparatus; and

an identification system that is provided for said ink cartridge body and includes data regarding said supply system for supplying said ink to said recording apparatus.

2. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said supply system includes either an ink holding system or a differential pressure system, and said identification system includes data of whether said supply system is said ink holding system or said differential pressure system.

3. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said identification system includes an IC mounted on said ink cartridge body.

4. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said identification system includes an outline of said ink cartridge body.

11. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the data of the identification system specifies ink supply performance of the ink cartridge.

12. The ink cartridge according to claim 11, wherein the data of the identification system specifies at least one of a flow rate of ink per unit time from the ink cartridge, an ink flow resistance caused during ink flow and a threshold negative pressure value by which ink begins to flow from the ink cartridge.

13. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the data of the identification system specifies classification of the ink cartridge corresponding to the ink supply performance.

5. A recording apparatus in which ink is supplied by an ink supply system of an ink cartridge from said ink cartridge, comprising:

a carriage housing said ink cartridge therein, and

a judgment system for judging said ink supply system of said ink cartridge housed in said carriage.

6. The recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said judgment system includes a reading system for reading out data from an IC provided for said ink cartridge.

7. The recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said judgment system includes an outline judging system for judging an outline of said ink cartridge.

8. An ink cartridge which supplies ink to a recording apparatus, comprising:

a container storing the ink therein, and having an ink supply port and an air vent port;

an IC chip attached to the container, and storing data indicative of whether a differential pressure valve or a foam is disposed between the ink supply port and the air vent port.

9. An ink cartridge compatible with a first recording apparatus optimized for a foam type ink cartridge and a second recording apparatus optimized for a differential pressure valve type ink cartridge, comprising:

a container storing the ink therein; and

an IC chip attached to the container, and storing control parameter to be supplied to the first recording apparatus for controlling the first recording apparatus and control parameter to be supplied to the second recording apparatus for controlling the second recording apparatus.

10. An ink cartridge, which supplies ink to a recording apparatus, comprising:

a container storing the ink therein, and having an ink supply port;

an IC chip attached to the container, and storing data indicative of characteristic of a condition where ink is discharged from the ink supply port.

14. The ink cartridge according to claim 10, wherein the data includes at least one of a flow rate of ink per unit time from the ink cartridge, an ink flow resistance caused during ink flow and a threshold negative pressure value by which ink begins to flow from the ink cartridge.

15. The ink cartridge according to claim 10, wherein the data includes classification data of the ink cartridge corresponding to the characteristic.