INK CARTRIDGE AND RECORDING APPARATUS

• US 20070103515A1
• Filed: 01/03/2007
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kazuaki Aoki, Kazuhiro Hashii, Kazumasa Harada, Satoshi Shinada, Yasuto Sakai
• Original Assignee: Kazuaki Aoki, Kazuhiro Hashii, Kazumasa Harada, Satoshi Shinada, Yasuto Sakai
• Inventors: Shinada, Satoshi, Sakai, Yasuto, Hashii, Kazuhiro, Aoki, Kazuaki, Harada, Kazumasa
• Granted Patent: US 7,802,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/58
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1752 Mounting within the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17526 Electrical contacts to the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1753 Details of contacts on the cartridge, e.g. protection of contacts
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1755 mechanically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure

Abstract

The ink cartridge includes an ink supply port formed at a position, offset to one side, of a wall configuring an ink container body; a positioning projecting portion, formed on one wall out of two opposing walls adjacent the wall, whose upper surface and side portion are regulated in position when the cartridge has been mounted on a recording apparatus; a lever, formed on the other wall out of the two walls, maintaining a normal hinged-open state and having a projection that is forcibly displaced outward when the cartridge is mounted on the recording apparatus; and electrodes that are connected to a memory unit storing information on the ink in an ink container and formed on the positioning projecting portion.

Claims

1. A member for maintaining contact between a plurality of electrodes of a circuit board and a plurality of elastic contacts of an ink jet recording apparatus, the member comprising:

a body having a first side and a second side opposite from the first side;

a first projecting portion projecting from the first side away from the second side, the first projecting portion configured to be restricted by the ink jet recording apparatus in a vertical direction; and

a second projecting portion projecting from the first side away from the second side, the second projecting portion being disposed below the first projecting portion in the vertical direction and having a surface on which the circuit board is disposed.

2. A member according to claim 1, wherein the body is configured to be restricted by the ink jet recording apparatus from moving in a widthwise direction that is perpendicular to the vertical direction.

3. A member according to claim 2, wherein the second projecting portion has side surfaces configured to be restricted by the ink jet recording apparatus in the widthwise direction.

4. A member according to claim 2, wherein the body has a first edge and a second edge, and the separation of the first and second edges prevents movement of the circuit board in the widthwise direction.

5. A member for maintaining contact between a plurality of electrodes of a circuit board and a plurality of elastic contacts of an ink jet recording apparatus, the ink jet recording apparatus including a cartridge holder having a bottom portion, a first wall surface extending from the bottom portion, a second wall surface extending from the bottom portion and opposing the first wall surface;

and, a groove formed in the first wall surface;

a pair of ribs disposed on the second wall surface;

the plurality of elastic contacts being disposed on the second wall surface and between the ribs, the member comprising;

a first portion configured to be received by and engaged with the groove to prevent shifting in a widthwise direction when the member is mounted and disposed at a predetermined position in the cartridge holder;

a second portion disposed between and restricted by the ribs in the width direction,

wherein the circuit board is disposed on the second portion so that the electrodes of the circuit board are in electrical contact with the elastic contact when the member is mounted and disposed at the predetermined position in the cartridge holder.

6. A member for maintaining contact between a plurality of electrodes of a circuit board and a plurality of elastic contacts of an ink jet recording apparatus, the ink jet recording apparatus including a cartridge holder having a bottom portion, a first wall surface extending from the bottom portion, a second wall surface extending from the bottom portion and opposing the first wall surface;

and, a pair of ribs disposed on the second wall surface;

the plurality of elastic contacts being disposed on the second wall surface and between the ribs, the member comprising;

a first portion configured to contact a region of the first wall to prevent shifting in a widthwise direction when the member is mounted and disposed at a predetermined position in the cartridge holder;

a second portion disposed between and restricted by the ribs in the width direction,

wherein the circuit board is disposed on the second portion so that the electrodes of the circuit board are in electrical contact with the elastic contact when the member is mounted and disposed at the predetermined position in the cartridge holder.