Ink cartridge and recording apparatus

• US 7,249,821 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2006
• Issued: 07/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Toba, Koichi, Shinada, Satoshi, Sakai, Yasuto
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Anh T. N.
• Application Number:
  US11/356,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20060139423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 347/19, 347/49, 347/85, 347/86, 347/87, 141/2, 141/18
• US Class Current: 347/19
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically

Abstract

An ink cartridge which supplies ink to a recording apparatus, comprises an ink cartridge body for storing ink therein, a supply system for supplying the ink stored in the ink cartridge body to the recording apparatus, and an identification system that is provided for the ink cartridge body and includes data regarding the supply system for supplying the ink to the recording apparatus.

Claims

1. A recording apparatus in which ink is supplied by an ink supply system of an ink cartridge from said ink cartridge, said ink cartridge comprising one of an ink holding system and a differential pressure system, the recording apparatus comprising:

a carriage adapted to house said ink cartridge therein, and

a judgment system for judging which one of the ink holding system and the differential pressure system is included in said ink supply system,

wherein the judgment system comprises at least one of a recording system for reading out data from an IC provided for said ink cartridge and an outline judging system for judging an outline of said ink cartridge.

2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said judgment system includes a reading system for reading out data from an IC provided for said ink cartridge.

3. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said judgment system includes an outline judging system for judging an outline of said ink cartridge.

4. A recording apparatus that can mount an ink cartridge comprising:

an ink cartridge body for storing said ink therein;

one of an ink holding system and a differential pressure system, which is disposed in the ink cartridge body; and

an IC chip mounted on the ink cartridge body, the IC chip storing data indicative of whether the ink holding system or the differential pressure system is disposed in the ink cartridge,

wherein the recording apparatus comprises a judgment system that judges which one of the ink holding system and the differential pressure system that is included in an ink supply system and is based on the data of the IC chip.