Ink cartridge for use with recording apparatus and ink jet recording apparatus

• US 6,834,945 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2002
• Issued: 12/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Atsushi, Ishizawa, Taku, Kimura, Hitotoshi, Aruga, Yoshiharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Anh T.N.
• Application Number:
  US09/937,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20030071874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 347/85, 347/86, 347/87, 347/19
• US Class Current: 347/86
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17509 Whilst mounted in the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1752 Mounting within the printer
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17556 Means for regulating the pressure in the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17566 Ink level or ink residue control
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/17573 using optical means for ink level indication
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/17576 using a floater for ink level indication

Abstract

An ink cartridge in which on one surface of a cartridge case, there are provided a positioning means used in case that the ink cartridge is attached to a recording apparatus, an ink outlet port from an ink pack, an inlet port of the pressurized air and a connection terminal of a circuit board having a data storage means that stores ink information of the cartridge therein, and an ink jet recording apparatus provided with its ink cartridge are provided.

According to the ink cartridge of this mode, since the cartridge is exactly positioned and fixed to a holder three-dimentionally by the positioning means, mechanical positional adjustment and electrical connection can be exactly performed, so that operation reliability of the recording apparatus can be improved. Further, in the recording apparatus of this mode, in a state where the cartridge has been mounted on the recording apparatus by the positioning means, the connection terminal of the board is located at the upper portion of the ink outlet port. Hereby, even if ink leaks from the ink outlet port, the connection terminal can be prevented from being stained with the ink.

Claims

1. An ink cartridge for use with a recording apparatus, which comprises an ink pack formed from flexible material and sealingly storing ink therein, and a cartridge case housing the ink pack and formed hermetically, and which is so constructed that pressurized air is introduced into the case in a mounted state to the recording apparatus, wherein

on one surface of the cartridge case, there are provided positioning means used when the cartridge is mounted to the recording apparatus, an ink outlet port from the ink pack, an inlet port for the pressurized air, and a connection terminal of a circuit board having data storage means;

the positioning means being constructed by an opening hole formed so as to surround a positioning pin arranged in the recording apparatus;

the opening hole constituting the positioning means arranged at each of two locations along a longitudinal direction on the one surface of the case; and

the connection terminal of the circuit board and the inlet port for the pressurized air being respectively arranged outside the opening holes arranged at the two locations.

2. An ink cartridge for use with a recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink outlet port from the ink pack is arranged substantially in a center between the opening holes arranged at the two locations.

3. An ink cartridge for use with a recording apparatus, the ink cartridge including:

an ink outlet port, an air inlet port, a circuit board having data-readable storage means in which ink information can be stored, and a contact for electrical connection between the storage means and the recording apparatus when the ink cartridge is removably mounted to the recording apparatus, wherein

said ink outlet port, said air inlet port, and said contact are disposed so as to create a substantially linear line along a lengthwise direction of a mounting surface of said cartridge.

4. An ink cartridge for use with a recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the circuit board is attached to the ink cartridge via heat welding.

5. An ink cartridge for use with a recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the heat welding forms projections in the ink cartridge to which the circuit board is mounted.

6. An ink cartridge for use with a recording apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 5, wherein an ink pack that is formed from flexible material and sealingly stores ink therein is housed in the cartridge case, and pressurized air can be introduced into the case in a mounted state to the recording apparatus.

7. An ink cartridge for use with a recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said ink outlet port, said air inlet port and said contact are disposed on said mounting surface of said cartridge.

8. An ink cartridge for use with a recording apparatus, which comprises an ink pack formed from flexible material and sealingly storing ink therein, and a cartridge case housing the ink pack and having an outer shell formed hermetically, and which is so constructed that pressurized air can be introduced into the case in a mounted state to the recording apparatus, wherein

after an interior of the ink pack is in fluid communication with the recording apparatus through an ink outlet port formed on the ink cartridge, an interior of the cartridge case is in fluid communication with the recording apparatus through a pressurized air inlet port formed on the ink cartridge, and further wherein

an electrical connection is complete between the recording apparatus and the ink cartridge when said ink cartridge is mounted on said recording apparatus, said electrical connection comprising an electrical circuit enabling a pressure pump that pressurizes said pressurized air.

9. An ink cartridge for use with a recording apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

positioning means provided to the cartridge case, which is used in case that the ink cartridge is mounted to the recording apparatus, and

wherein the ink outlet port and the pressurized air inlet port are sequentially connected to the recording apparatus in a state where, a positional relation of the ink cartridge with respect to the recording apparatus is determined by the positioning means.

10. An ink cartridge for use with a recording apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

data-readable storage means that can store therein information data relating to ink sealingly stored in the ink pack, and

wherein in case that the ink cartridge is mounted to the recording apparatus, after the pressurized air inlet port is connected to the recording apparatus, the storage means is electrically connected to a terminal mechanism on the recording apparatus.

11. An ink cartridge for use with a recording apparatus according to any of claims 8 to 10, wherein the pressurized air inlet port provided to the ink cartridge is formed in a shape of a hollow cylindrical member formed integrally with the cartridge case, and an axial length of a cylindrical surface of the cylindrical member constructing the inlet port is set to 2-20 mm.

12. The ink cartridge of claim 8, wherein the ink outlet port comprises a valve member.

13. The ink cartridge of claim 8, further comprising an ink inlet port and a valve located upstream of the ink inlet port.

14. A recording apparatus, comprising:

a connectivity for attaching an ink cartridge to said recording apparatus, said connectivity including ink connectivity, pressurized air connectivity and electrical connectivity;

wherein

said electrical connectivity completes an electrical circuit when said ink cartridge is mounted to said recording apparatus, said electrical connectivity enabling a pressure pump that pressurizes pressurized air to be exchanged via said pressurized air connectivity between said recording apparatus and said ink cartridge, and wherein

said connectivity is substantially concurrently made.

15. An ink cartridge for use with a recording apparatus, comprising:

an ink pack formed from flexible material and sealingly storing ink therein;

a cartridge case which houses the ink pack and possesses a surface;

an ink outlet port that extends from the ink pack, said ink outlet port disposed on said surface;

a pair of positioning parts located opposite from one another with respect to the ink outlet port, said positioning parts disposed on said surface;

an air inlet port that is disposed on said surface;

a connection terminal of a circuit board having data memory, the terminal being located opposite from the air inlet port with respect to the ink outlet port, said connection terminal disposed on said surface; and

wherein

said ink outlet port, said air inlet port, and said connection terminal connect to said recording apparatus substantially concurrently.

16. The ink cartridge of claim 15, wherein a first of the positioning parts is located between the air inlet port and the ink outlet port;

and

a second of the positioning parts is located between the connection terminal and the ink outlet port.

17. The ink cartridge of claim 16, wherein each of the positioning parts includes at least one of a hole, a groove and a notch.

18. An ink cartridge, which comprises:

a flexible ink pack that stores ink; and

a cartridge case that houses the ink pack and has an outer shell formed hermetically,

wherein pressurized air can be introduced into the case while the case is mounted to a recording apparatus,

wherein, after an interior of the ink pack is in fluid communication with the recording apparatus through an ink outlet port, an interior of the cartridge case is in fluid communication through an air inlet port such that air is introduced to said cartridge interior in an intermittent manner after said ink cartridge is mounted to said recording apparatus.

19. An ink cartridge according to claim 18, wherein the cartridge case is shaped to ensure that the ink outlet port and the air inlet port are sequentially connected to the recording apparatus.

20. An ink cartridge for use with a recording apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising:

a memory that stores information data relating to ink stored in the ink pack,

wherein, when the ink cartridge is mounted to the recording apparatus, after the air inlet port is connected to the recording apparatus, the memory is electrically connected to a terminal on the recording apparatus.

21. An ink cartridge according to any of claims 18 to 20, wherein the air inlet port comprises a hollow cylindrical member formed integrally with the cartridge case,

wherein an axial length of a cylindrical surface of the cylindrical member is 2-20 mm.

22. The ink cartridge of claim 18, wherein the ink outlet port comprises a valve member.

23. The ink cartridge of claim 18, further comprising an ink inlet port and a valve located upstream of the ink inlet port.

24. A recording apparatus, comprising:

an air conduit that establishes an air flow path between the recording apparatus and an ink cartridge when the ink cartridge is attached to the recording apparatus,

an electrical circuit that completes at least part of an electrical circuit when the ink cartridge is attached to the recording apparatus,

wherein the electrical conduit that enables a pump to pump air via between the recording apparatus and the ink cartridge the air conduit, and

wherein the pump is not enabled when the at least part of the electrical circuit is not complete.

25. An ink cartridge, comprising:

a flexible ink pack that stores ink;

a cartridge case that houses the ink pack and comprises a surface;

an ink outlet port that extends from the ink pack and that is disposed on said surface;

a pair of positioning parts located on the surface and on opposite sides of the ink outlet port;

an air inlet port that is disposed on said surface;

a connection terminal that is disposed on the surface and that is electrically connected to a memory of the ink cartridge, wherein the connection terminal and the air outlet port are located on opposite sides of the ink outlet port,

wherein mounting said ink cartridge to a recording apparatus completes at least part of an electrical circuit between said connection terminal and said recording apparatus such that a pump is enabled only when the electrical circuit is completed to pump air to the air inlet port.

26. The ink cartridge of claim 25, wherein a first one of the positioning parts is located between the air inlet port and the ink outlet port, and

wherein a second one of the positioning parts is located between the connection terminal and the ink outlet port.

27. The ink cartridge of claim 25, wherein each of the positioning parts includes at least one of a hole, a groove and a notch.

28. An ink cartridge for use with a recording apparatus, comprising:

an ink pack formed from flexible material and sealingly storing ink therein;

a cartridge case which houses the ink pack and possesses a surface;

an ink outlet port that extends from the ink pack, said ink outlet port disposed on said surface;

a pair of positioning parts located opposite from one another with respect to the ink outlet port, said positioning parts disposed on said surface;

an air inlet port that is disposed on said surface; and

a connection terminal of a circuit board having data memory, the terminal being located opposite from the air inlet port with respect to the ink outlet port, said connection terminal disposed on said surface,

wherein said ink outlet port, said air inlet port, and said connection terminal are disposed so as to create a substantially linear line along a lengthwise direction of said surface.