Ink cartridge having retaining structure and recording apparatus for receiving the ink cartridge

• US 7,237,882 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2005
• Issued: 07/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Seino, Takeo, Kanaya, Munehide, Miyazawa, Hisashi, Shinada, Satoshi, Owaki, Hiroshige, Sakai, Yasuto, Shimomura, Masaki, Koizumi, Yoshihiro, Nakata, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Do; An H.
• Application Number:
  US11/058,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20050146581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 347/37, 347 85- 87, 347/86
• US Class Current: 347/86
• 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 2/17526 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
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17556 Means for regulating the pressure in the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17563 Ink filters
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves

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.

Claims

1. An ink cartridge detachably mountable on a carriage which is reciprocally movable in a recording apparatus and which has a carriage electrode, an engagement portion and an ink supply needle, the ink cartridge comprising:

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 cartridge into the carriage;

first and second walls opposing each other, the first wall being substantially parallel to the insertion direction of the cartridge into the carriage;

a cartridge electrode connectable to the carriage electrode, the cartridge electrode being disposed on the first wall of the cartridge; and

a retaining member disposed on the first wall of the cartridge, and having an engagement portion which is located at a trailing end side, with respect to the insertion direction, relative to the cartridge electrode such that an imaginary plane containing an axis of the ink supply port passes through both the cartridge electrode and the engagement portion of the retaining member and which is engageable with the engagement portion of the carriage, wherein the cartridge electrode is connected to the carriage electrode when the engagement portion of the retaining member is engaged with the engagement portion of the carriage.

2. An ink cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising:

a guide member disposed on the second wall and guidable by the carriage when the cartridge is inserted into the carriage.

3. An ink cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cartridge is fixable to the carriage exclusively using the retaining member disposed close to the cartridge electrode.

4. An ink cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the retaining member serves as a guide member when the cartridge is inserted into the carriage.

5. An ink cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the retaining member has at least two side surfaces, both being slidingly guided by the carriage to restrict a position of the first wall of the cartridge in a width direction when the cartridge is inserted into the carriage.

6. An ink cartridge according to claim 5, wherein at least one said side surface has a sidewards-extending projection which is received in a groove of the carriage to move the engagement portion of the retaining member toward the engagement portion of the carriage along a plane parallel to the insertion direction and perpendicular to the width direction when the cartridge is inserted into the carriage.

7. An ink cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cartridge electrode includes a plurality of electrodes arrayed in at least one row and the imaginary plane passes through at least a center of the at least one row.

8. An ink cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, farther comprising:

a guide recess located substantially in a central region of the cartridge and extending in the insertion direction.

9. An ink cartridge according to claim 8, wherein a leading end region of the guide recess in the insertion direction is opened to a front surface side of the cartridge.

10. An ink cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the engagement portion of the retaining member is substantially aligned with the cartridge electrode in the Y-axis direction.

11. An ink cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first wall has a recessed portion in which the cartridge electrode is located.

12. An ink cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first wall has a protruded portion on which the cartridge electrode is located.

13. An ink cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first wall has a first surface part on which the cartridge electrode is disposed, and a second surface part on which the retaining member having the engagement portion is disposed.

14. An ink cartridge according to claim 13, wherein the first surface part is defined by a surface of a circuit board attached to the cartridge, and the cartridge electrode is located on the surface of the circuit board.

15. An ink cartridge according to claim 13, wherein the first surface part is approximately flush with the second surface part.

16. An ink cartridge according to claim 13, wherein the first and second surface parts have a level difference therebetween.

17. An ink cartridge according to claim 13, wherein the first surface part is inclined relative to the second surface part.

18. An ink cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a main circuit component is disposed on the first wall and is electrically connected to the cartridge electrode.

19. An ink cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a main circuit component is disposed on a second wall other than the first wall and is electrically connected to the cartridge electrode.

20. An ink cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cartridge electrode has a width and a length that is larger than the width.

21. An ink cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ink supply port has the axis extending in a Y-axis direction and defining a first side and a second side opposite from the first side in an X-axis direction.

22. An ink cartridge according to claim 21, wherein the cartridge electrode and the engagement portion of the retaining member are located in the first side.

23. An ink cartridge according to claim 22, wherein the cartridge electrode and the engagement portion of the retaining member are located on the axis of the ink supply port as viewed in a Y-Z plane.

24. An ink cartridge according to claim 23, wherein a center of the cartridge electrode and a center of the engagement portion of the retaining member are located on the axis of the ink supply port as viewed in the Y-Z plane.

25. An ink cartridge according to claim 23, wherein the cartridge electrode includes a plurality of electrodes arrayed in at least one row, and the at least one row and the engagement portion of the retaining member are located on the axis of the ink supply port as viewed in the Y-Z plane.

26. An ink cartridge according to claim 23, wherein a center of the at least one row and a center of the engagement portion of the retaining member are located on the axis of the ink supply port as viewed in the Y-Z plane.

27. An ink cartridge according to claim 23, wherein the axis of the ink supply port is located at a central position with respect to the cartridge in a Z-axis direction.

28. An ink cartridge according to claim 23, wherein the axis of the ink supply port is located at an offset position with respect to the cartridge in a Z-axis direction.

29. An ink cartridge according to claim 23, wherein the ink supply port has the axis extending in the Y-axis direction, and

wherein at least one of the first and second surface parts are inclined relative to the axis of the ink supply port to present at least in part a tapered configuration of the first wall.

30. A set of ink cartridges according to claim 1, respectively storing ink of different kinds, mountable to an ink jet recording device, and each said ink cartridge comprising a container body having an ink supply port and a cover member sealing an opened surface of the container body,

wherein the ink supply ports, and members, which are disposed on the respective ink cartridges to cooperate with the ink jet recording device, are located at positions equidistant from side surfaces of the container bodies of the respective ink cartridges.

31. A set of ink cartridges according to claim 30, wherein the member that cooperates with the ink jet recording device includes at least one of a cartridge identifying block for judging a kind of the ink stored in the associated container, the cartridge electrode, an air release valve for allowing an ink storage chamber to communicate with the atmosphere, and the retaining member for fixing the ink cartridge to the ink inject recording device.

32. A set of ink cartridges according to claim 30, wherein at least one of the ink cartridges has a larger capacity by way of a greater depth of the container body than the other ink cartridges.

33. A set of ink cartridges according to claim 32, wherein a depth of the container body of at least one of the ink cartridges, as measured from the side surface of the container body, is set larger than that of the other ink cartridges.

34. An ink jet recording device that can receive ink from an ink cartridge having an ink supply port located in a leading end side in an insertion direction of the cartridge into the ink jet recording device, first and second walls opposing each other, the first wall being substantially parallel to the insertion direction, a cartridge electrode disposed on the first wall of the cartridge and a retaining member disposed on the first wall of the cartridge, and having an engagement portion which is located at a trailing end side, with respect to the insertion direction, relative to the cartridge electrode such that an imaginary plane containing an axis of the ink supply port passes through both the cartridge electrode and the engagement portion of the retaining member, the recording device comprising:

a carriage which detachably mounts the ink cartridge thereon, and which is reciprocally movable in the recording apparatus, the carriage including;

a carriage electrode disposed in a side corresponding to a region where the retaining member of the cartridge is provided when the cartridge is mounted in the carriage, and connected to the cartridge electrode;

a carriage engagement portion disposed in the same side and connected to the engagement portion of the retaining member of the cartridge when the cartridge is mounted in the carriage;

an ink supply needle connected to the ink supply port of the cartridge when the cartridge is mounted; and

an elastic member for applying an urging force substantially parallel to the insertion direction of the ink cartridge into the carriage.

35. An ink jet recording device according to claim 34, further comprising:

a recess formed in a region opposite to the retaining member, extending in the insertion direction of the ink cartridge, and engageable with a side surface of the retaining member.

36. An ink jet recording device according to claim 34 or 35, wherein a plurality of regions for respectively mounting a plurality of the ink cartridges are defined, and plural said carriage electrodes are respectively brought into contact with plural said cartridge electrodes, and are located at positions equidistanced from one side surface of the respective ink cartridges in the respective regions.

37. An ink jet recording device according to claim 34, wherein the carriage further includes:

a guide portion which slidingly guides a side surface of the retaining member to restrict a position of the first wall of the cartridge in a width direction when the ink cartridge is inserted into the carriage.

38. An ink jet recording device according to claim 37, wherein the carriage further includes:

a groove which receives a sidewards-extending projection of the side surface of the retaining member to move the engagement portion of the retaining member toward the engagement portion of the carriage along a plane parallel to the insertion direction and perpendicular to the width direction when the ink cartridge is inserted into the carriage.

39. An ink jet recording device that can receive ink from an ink cartridge having an ink supply port located in a leading end side in an insertion direction of the cartridge into the ink jet recording device, first and second walls opposing each other, the first wall being substantially parallel to the insertion direction, a cartridge electrode disposed on the first wall of the cartridge and a retaining member disposed on the first wall of the cartridge, and having an engagement portion which is located at a trailing end side, with respect to the insertion direction, relative to the cartridge electrode such that an imaginary plane containing an axis of the ink supply port passes through both the cartridge electrode and the engagement portion of the retaining member, and a guide recess located substantially in a central region of the cartridge and extending in the insertion direction, said recording device comprising:

a carriage which detachably mounts the ink cartridge thereon, and which is reciprocally movable in the recording apparatus, the carriage including;

a carriage electrode disposed in a side corresponding to a region where the retaining member of the cartridge is provided when the cartridge is mounted in the carriage, and connected to the cartridge electrode;

a carriage engagement portion disposed in the same side and connected to the engagement portion of the retaining member of the cartridge when the cartridge is mounted in the carriage;

an ink supply needle connected to the ink supply port of the cartridge when the cartridge is mounted;

an elastic member for applying an urging force substantially parallel to the insertion direction of the ink cartridge into the carriage a guide protrusion engageable with the guide recess;

wherein

the elastic member is disposed in a side opposite to the retaining member with respect to the guide protrusion.

40. An ink jet recording device according to claim 39, wherein a leading end region of the guide protrusion in the insertion direction of the ink cartridge has an L-shaped cross-section.

41. An ink cartridge detachably mountable on a carriage which is reciprocally movable in a recording apparatus and which has a carriage electrode, an engagement portion, a projection, and an ink supply needle, the ink cartridge comprising:

a first surface lying in a plane, the first surface having a recess for receiving the projection and an ink supply port connectable to the ink supply needle;

first and second walls opposing each other, at least a portion of the first wall being substantially parallel to an insertion direction of the cartridge into the carriage and lying in a plane that intersects the plane of the first surface, the ink supply port being located in the first surface at a leading end side in the insertion direction and between the recess and a position where the plane of the first surface intersects the plane in which the portion of the first wall lies;

a cartridge electrode connectable to the carriage electrode, the cartridge electrode being disposed on the first wall of the cartridge; and

a retaining member disposed on the first wall of the cartridge, and having an engagement portion which is located at a trailing end side, with respect to the insertion direction, relative to the cartridge electrode and which is engageable with the engagement portion of the carriage, wherein the cartridge electrode is connected to the carriage electrode when the engagement portion of the retaining member is engaged with the engagement portion of the carriage.

42. An ink cartridge according to claim 41, further comprising:

a guide member disposed on the second wall and guidable by the carriage when the cartridge is inserted into the carriage.

43. An ink cartridge according to claim 41 or 42, wherein the cartridge is fixable to the carriage exclusively using the retaining member disposed close to the cartridge electrode.

44. An ink cartridge according to claim 41 or 42, wherein the retaining member serves as a guide member when the cartridge is inserted into the carriage.

45. An ink cartridge according to claim 41 or 42, wherein the retaining member has at least two side surfaces, both being slidingly guided by the carriage to restrict a position of the first wall of the cartridge in a width direction when the cartridge is inserted into the carriage.

46. An ink cartridge according to claim 45, wherein at least one said side surface has a sidewards-extending projection which is received in a groove of the carriage to move the engagement portion of the retaining member toward the engagement portion of the carriage along a plane parallel to the insertion direction and perpendicular to the width direction when the cartridge is inserted into the carriage.

47. An ink cartridge according to claim 41 or 42, wherein the cartridge electrode includes a plurality of electrodes arrayed in at least one row and the imaginary plane passes through at least a center of the at least one row.

48. An ink cartridge according to claim 41 or 42, further comprising:

a guide recess located substantially in a central region of the cartridge and extending in the insertion direction.

49. An ink cartridge according to claim 48, wherein a leading end region of the guide recess in the insertion direction is opened to a front surface side of the cartridge.

50. An ink cartridge according to claim 41 or 42, wherein the engagement portion of the retaining member is substantially aligned with the cartridge electrode in the Y-axis direction.

51. An ink cartridge according to claim 41 or 42, wherein the first wall has a recessed portion in which the cartridge electrode is located.

52. An ink cartridge according to claim 41 or 42, wherein the first wall has a protruded portion on which the cartridge electrode is located.

53. An ink cartridge according to claim 41 or 42, wherein the first wall has a first surface part on which the cartridge electrode is disposed, and a second surface part on which the retaining member having the engagement portion is disposed.

54. An ink cartridge according to claim 53, wherein the first surface part is defined by a surface of a circuit board attached to the cartridge, and the cartridge electrode is located on the surface of the circuit board.

55. An ink cartridge according to claim 53, wherein the first surface part is approximately flush with the second surface part.

56. An ink cartridge according to claim 53, wherein the first and second surface parts have a level difference therebetween.

57. An ink cartridge according to claim 53, wherein the first surface part is inclined relative to the second surface part.

58. An ink cartridge according to claim 41 or 42, wherein a main circuit component is disposed on the first wall and is electrically connected to the cartridge electrode.

59. An ink cartridge according to claim 41 or 42, wherein a main circuit component is disposed on a second wall other than the first wall and is electrically connected to the cartridge electrode.

60. An ink cartridge according to claim 41 or 42, wherein the cartridge electrode has a width and a length that is larger than the width.

61. An ink cartridge according to claim 41 or 42, wherein the ink supply port has an axis extending in a Y-axis direction and defining a first side and a second side opposite from the first side in an X-axis direction.

62. An ink cartridge according to claim 61, wherein the cartridge electrode and the engagement portion of the retaining member are located in the first side.

63. An ink cartridge according to claim 62, wherein the cartridge electrode and the engagement portion of the retaining member are located on the axis of the ink supply port as viewed in a Y-Z plane.

64. An ink cartridge according to claim 63, wherein a center of the cartridge electrode and a center of the engagement portion of the retaining member are located on the axis of the ink supply port as viewed in the Y-Z plane.

65. An ink cartridge according to claim 63, wherein the cartridge electrode includes a plurality of electrodes arrayed in at least one row, and the at least one row and the engagement portion of the retaining member are located on the axis of the ink supply port as viewed in the Y-Z plane.

66. An ink cartridge according to claim 63, wherein a center of the at least one row and a center of the engagement portion of the retaining member are located on the axis of the ink supply port as viewed in the Y-Z plane.

67. An ink cartridge according to claim 63, wherein the axis of the ink supply port is located at a central position with respect to the cartridge in a Z-axis direction.

68. An ink cartridge according to claim 63, wherein the axis of the ink supply port is located at an offset position with respect to the cartridge in a Z-axis direction.

69. An ink cartridge according to claim 63, wherein the ink supply port has the axis extending in the Y-axis direction, and

wherein at least one of the first and second surface parts are inclined relative to the axis of the ink supply port to present at least in part a tapered configuration of the first wall.

70. A set of ink cartridges according to claim 41, respectively storing ink of different kinds, mountable to an ink jet recording device, and each said ink cartridge comprising an ink supply port and a cover member sealing an opened surface of the cartridge,

wherein the ink supply ports, and members, which are disposed on the respective ink cartridges to cooperate with the ink jet recording device, are located at positions equidistant from side surfaces of the respective ink cartridges.

71. A set of ink cartridges according to claim 70, wherein the member that cooperates with the ink jet recording device includes at least one of a cartridge identifying block for judging a kind of the ink stored in the associated cartridge, the cartridge electrode, an air release valve for allowing an ink storage chamber to communicate with the atmosphere, and the retaining member for fixing the ink cartridge to the ink inject recording device.

72. A set of ink cartridges according to claim 70, wherein at least one of the ink cartridges has a larger capacity by way of a greater depth of the cartridge than the other ink cartridges.

73. A set of ink cartridges according to claim 72, wherein a depth of at least one of the ink cartridges, as measured from the side surface of the cartridge, is set larger than that of the other ink cartridges.

74. An ink jet recording device that can receive ink from an ink cartridge having a first surface lying in a plane, the first surface having a recess for receiving a projection and an ink supply port, first and second walls opposing each other, at least a portion of the first wall being substantially parallel to an insertion direction of the cartridge into the ink jet recording device and lying in a plane that intersects the plane of the first surface, the ink supply port being located in the first surface at a leading end side in the insertion direction and between the recess and a position where the plane of the first surface intersects the plane in which the portion of the first wall lies, a cartridge electrode disposed on the first wall of the cartridge and a retaining member disposed on the first wall of the cartridge, and having an engagement portion which is located at a trailing end side, with respect to the insertion direction, relative to the cartridge electrode, the recording device comprising:

a carriage which detachably mounts the ink cartridge thereon, and which is reciprocally movable in the recording apparatus, the carriage including;

a carriage electrode disposed in a side corresponding to a region where the retaining member of the cartridge is provided when the cartridge is mounted in the carriage, and connected to the cartridge electrode;

the projection;

a carriage engagement portion disposed in the same side and connected to the engagement portion of the retaining member of the cartridge when the cartridge is mounted in the carriage;

an ink supply needle connected to the ink supply port of the cartridge when the cartridge is mounted; and

an elastic member for applying an urging force substantially parallel to the insertion direction of the ink cartridge into the carriage.

75. An ink jet recording device that can receive ink from an ink cartridge having a first surface lying in a plane, the first surface having a recess for receiving a projection and an ink supply port, first and second walls opposing each other, at least a portion of the first wall being substantially parallel to an insertion direction of the cartridge into the ink jet recording device and lying in a plane that intersects the plane of the first surface, the ink supply port being located in the first surface at a leading end side in the insertion direction and between the recess and a position where the plane of the first surface intersects the plane in which the portion of the first wall lies, a cartridge electrode disposed on the first wall of the cartridge and a retaining member disposed on the first wall of the cartridge, having an engagement portion which is located at a trailing end side, with respect to the insertion direction, relative to the cartridge electrode, said recording device comprising:

a carriage which detachably mounts the ink cartridge thereon, and which is reciprocally movable in the recording apparatus, the carriage including;

a carriage electrode disposed in a side corresponding to a region where the retaining member of the cartridge is provided when the cartridge is mounted in the carriage, and connected to the cartridge electrode;

the projection;

a carriage engagement portion disposed in the same side and connected to the engagement portion of the retaining member of the cartridge when the cartridge is mounted in the carriage;

an ink supply needle connected to the ink supply port of the cartridge when the cartridge is mounted;

an elastic member for applying an urging force substantially parallel to the insertion direction of the ink cartridge into the carriage

a guide protrusion engageable with the guide recess;

wherein

the elastic member is disposed in a side opposite to the retaining member with respect to the guide protrusion.