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

• US 6,874,876 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2002
• Issued: 04/05/2005
• 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:
  US10/228,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20020196312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 347/85, 347/86, 347/87, 401/40
• 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 comprising:

an ink outlet tube that can be removably attached to an ink inlet tube for connection to a recording apparatus head through an ink passage;

an ink pack that is connected to the ink outlet tube and sealingly stores ink therein;

a first valve body that is opened or closed by attachment and detachment of the ink inlet tube, and that is provided in the ink outlet tube; and

a second valve body that is provided on an ink supplying side of the first valve body, the second valve body capable of unattachedly migrating so as to stop a flow of in or air attempting to flow from the ink outlet tube to the ink pack.

2. An ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the second valve body is constructed as a thin plate.

3. An ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the second valve body is a valve body that can move in an axial direction of the tube passage.

4. An ink cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the second valve body is constructed as a spherical member.

5. An ink cartridge according to claim 4, wherein the specific gravity of the second valve body is the same as the specific gravity of ink.

6. An ink cartridge according to claim 3, wherein a stopper is provided between the first valve body and the second valve body.

7. An ink cartridge according to claim 3, wherein a movement-regulating piece is provided sideward of the second valve body.

8. An ink cartridge according to claim 7, wherein a recess that opens to an ink supplied side is formed in the ink outlet tube, and a leading end portion of the movement-regulating piece is arranged in the recess.

9. An inkjet recording apparatus including a head mounting carriage that can reciprocate between a printing region and a non-printing region, characterized in that the ink cartridge according to any of claims 1 to 8 is used.

10. An ink cartridge according to claim 3, wherein a valve seat corresponding to the second valve body is formed projectingly to an ink supply side.

11. An ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the second valve body is formed from elastically deformable material.

12. An ink cartridge comprising:

an ink tank storing ink therein;

an ink outlet port having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, wherein the ink stored in the ink tank flows via the inlet opening out of the outlet opening;

a first valve body disposed between the inlet opening and the outlet opening and biased to close the exit opening; and

a second valve body disposed between the inlet opening and the first valve body, the second valve body capable of unattachedly migrating in the ink flowing between the inlet opening and the outlet opening to selectively open and close the inlet opening.

13. The ink cartridge of claim 12, wherein the second valve body has a planar surface for closing the inlet opening.

14. The ink cartridge of claim 13, wherein the planar surface is circular.

15. The ink cartridge of claim 14, wherein the second valve body includes a planar circular thin plate.

16. The ink cartridge of claim 12, wherein the second valve body includes a spherical member.

17. The ink cartridge of claim 12, wherein the second valve body is linearly reciprocatable along an axial path of the flow of ink.

18. The ink cartridge of claim 17, further comprising a movement-regulating member that guides the linearly reciprocating movement of the second valve body.

19. The ink cartridge of claim 18, further comprising a stopper disposed between the first valve body and the second valve body.

20. The ink cartridge of claim 12, wherein the specific gravity of the second valve body is the same as the specific gravity of the ink stored in the in tank.

21. The ink cartridge of claim 12, wherein the specific gravity of the second valve body is approximately 1.06×

10<sup>−

3</sup> g/mm³.

22. The ink cartridge of claim 12, wherein:

the ink tank includes an ink pack that seals the ink therein and a case that stores the ink pack therein.