Ink cartridge
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. An ink cartridge detachably mountable on a carriage which is reciprocally movable in a recording apparatus and which has a electrode, an engagement portion and an ink supply needle, the ink cartridge comprising:
- a container that stores ink therein and has an ink supply port connectable to the ink supply needle, the ink supply port being located in a leading end side in an insertion direction of the container into the carriage, the container further having first and second surfaces opposite each other, the first surface being substantially parallel to the insertion direction of the container into the carriage;
a memory device having at least one electrode for electrical connection to the electrode of the carriage, the at least one electrode of the memory device being fixed relative to the first surface of the container; and
a retaining member disposed on the first surface of the container, and having a movable engagement portion that can shift position relative to the first surface of the container and which is located at a trailing end side relative to the at least one electrode of the memory device in the insertion direction of the container into the carriage, and which is engageable with the engagement portion of the carriage.
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Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
An ink cartridge having a container for storing ink therein and having an ink supply port formed at a leading end side in an insertion direction of the container, a memory device disposed on a first of two opposite surfaces parallel to the insertion direction of the container, the memory device having an electrode for electrical connection to the recording device; a retaining member disposed on the first surface and located at a trailing end side relative to the memory device in the insertion direction, the retaining member serving to selectively engage with the recording device; and another retaining member disposed on the second surface and which also serves to selectively engage with the recording device.
188 Citations
62 Claims
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1. An ink cartridge detachably mountable on a carriage which is reciprocally movable in a recording apparatus and which has a electrode, an engagement portion and an ink supply needle, the ink cartridge comprising:
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a container that stores ink therein and has an ink supply port connectable to the ink supply needle, the ink supply port being located in a leading end side in an insertion direction of the container into the carriage, the container further having first and second surfaces opposite each other, the first surface being substantially parallel to the insertion direction of the container into the carriage;
a memory device having at least one electrode for electrical connection to the electrode of the carriage, the at least one electrode of the memory device being fixed relative to the first surface of the container; and
a retaining member disposed on the first surface of the container, and having a movable engagement portion that can shift position relative to the first surface of the container and which is located at a trailing end side relative to the at least one electrode of the memory device in the insertion direction of the container into the carriage, and which is engageable with the engagement portion of the carriage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 43, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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10. An ink cartridge detachably mountable on a carriage which is reciprocally movable in a recording apparatus and which has a electrode and an engagement portion, comprising:
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a container that stores ink therein and has an ink supply port in a leading end side in an insertion direction of the container;
a memory device having at least one electrode for electrical connection to the recording device, the at least one electrode being fixed relative to a first of two opposite surfaces substantially parallel with the insertion direction of the container;
a retaining member disposed on the first surface and located at a trailing end side relative to the at least one electrode in the insertion direction, the retaining member being movable and engageable with the engagement portion of the carriage; and
a guide recess located substantially at the center of the container and extending in the insertion direction. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. An ink cartridge comprising:
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a container body having a first wall;
at least one electrode connected to main circuit components of a memory device, the at least one electrode being fixed relative to the first wall; and
a movable engagement portion, which is engageable with the engagement portion of a carriage, the cartridge'"'"'s engagement portion being movable relative to the first wall and being higher in a Y-axis direction than the at least one electrode, wherein the at least one electrode contacts the at least one electrode of the carriage when the engagement portion of the ink cartridge is engaged with the engagement portion of the carriage. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. An ink cartridge, comprising:
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a container that stores ink therein and has an ink supply port connectable to an ink supply needle, the ink supply port being located in a leading end side of the container when viewed in an insertion direction defined by the intended direction of the container when it is to be inserted into a carriage, the container further having first and second surfaces opposite each other, the first surface being substantially parallel to the insertion direction of the container;
a memory device having at least one electrode for electrical connection to the electrode of the carriage, the at least one electrode of the memory device being fixed relative to the first surface of the container, and a retaining member disposed on the first surface of the container, and having a movable engagement portion that can shift position relative to the first surface of the container and which is located at a trailing end side of said first surface relative to the at least one electrode of the memory device as viewed in said insertion direction of the container, and which is engageable with an engagement portion of the carriage when mounted therein. - View Dependent Claims (42, 44)
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45. An ink cartridge, comprising:
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a container that stores ink therein and has, viewed in an insertion direction defined by an intended direction of the container when it is to be inserted into a carriage, a front surface, a rear surface, and a stepped bottom surface having an upper step portion and a flat lower step portion;
a memory device having at least one electrode lying in a plane, the plane being substantially even with the front surface of the container;
an ink supply port connectable to an ink supply needle and located at the bottom surface, the ink supply port extending outward away from the bottom surface and having a length such that an exposed end of the ink supply part and the flat lower stepped portion lie in a single plane; and
a retaining member disposed on the front surface of the container, and having a movable engagement portion that can shift position relative to the front surface of the container and which is located at a trailing end side of said front surface relative to the at least one electrode of the memory device as viewed in the insertion direction. - View Dependent Claims (46, 51)
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52. An ink cartridge, comprising:
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a container that stores ink therein and has, viewed in an insertion direction defined by an intended direction of the container when it is to be inserted into a carriage, a front surface, a rear surface, a top surface and a bottom surface;
a memory device having at least one electrode fixed relative to the front surface of the container;
a retaining member disposed on the front surface of the container, and having a movable engagement portion that can shift position relative to the front surface of the container and which is located at a trailing end side of said front surface relative to the at least one electrode of the memory device as viewed in the insertion direction, the movable engagement portion having a first contoured grasping portion; and
a second contoured grasping portion located at a corner where the rear surface intersects the top surface, wherein the first and second contoured grasping portions are shaped so that when a user holds the first and second contoured grasping portions, the movable engagement portion is urged toward the rear surface. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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55. An ink cartridge, comprising:
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a container that stores ink therein and has, viewed in an insertion direction defined by an intended direction of the container when it is to be inserted into a carriage, a front surface, a rear surface, a side surface and a bottom surface;
a memory device having at least one electrode fixed relative to the front surface of the container;
an ink supply port connectable to an ink supply needle and located at the bottom surface, the ink supply port extending outward away from the bottom surface; and
a retaining member disposed on the front surface of the container and having at least one aide edge, the retaining member having at least one projection extending outward in a direction perpendicular to the side wall, the retaining member having a movable engagement portion that can shift position relative to the front surface of the container and which is located at a trailing end side of said front surface relative to the at least one electrode of the memory device as viewed in the insertion direction. - View Dependent Claims (56, 62)
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Specification