Ink cartridge

• US 20020158948A1
• Filed: 04/03/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kanaya, Munehide, Miyazawa, Hisashi, Owaki, Hiroshige, Sakai, Yasuto, Shimomura, Masaki, Koizumi, Yoshihiro, Nakata, Satoshi
• Granted Patent: US 6,955,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 comprising;

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 a recording device, the at least one electrode being disposed on a first of two opposite surfaces substantially parallel to the insertion direction of the container; and

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, for engaging with a recording device.

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

a guide member disposed on the second of the opposite surfaces and which is guided by the recording device.

3. An ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein, when mounted, the container is fixed to the recording device only by the retaining member disposed by the memory device.

4. An ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the retaining member also serves as a guide member when the container is inserted into the recording device.

5. An ink jet recording device supplied with ink from an ink cartridge including a container that stores ink therein and having 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 disposed on a first of two opposite surfaces substantially parallel to the insertion direction of the container; and

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, for engaging with the recording device, the recording device comprising

at least one contact disposed at a position corresponding to a region where the retaining member is provided, and for electrical connection to the electrode of the memory device; and

an elastic member that applies an urging force in a direction substantially parallel to the insertion direction of the ink cartridge.

6. An ink jet recording device according to claim 5, further comprising;

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

7. An ink jet recording device according to claim 5, further comprising a plurality of regions for mounting a plurality of the ink cartridges, and a plurality of the contacts that electrically connect with the respective electrodes of a plurality of the memory devices that are located at positions equidistant from the side surfaces of the respective ink cartridges in the respective regions.

8. An ink cartridge comprising:

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 a recording device, the at least one electode being disposed on a first of two opposite surfaces substantially parallel to 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, for engagement with the recording device; and

a guide recess located substantially at the center of the container 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 container.

10. An ink jet recording device supplied with ink from an ink cartridge including 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 disposed on a first of two opposite surfaces substantially parallel to 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, for engaging with the recording device; and

a guide recess located substantially at the center of the container and extending in the insertion direction, said recording device comprising;

a guide protrusion for engaging the guide recess; and

an elastic member that resists insertion of the ink cartridge and which said elastic member is disposed at a side opposite to the retaining member with respect to the guide protrusion.

11. An ink jet recording device according to claim 10, wherein a leading end region of the guide protrusion in the insertion direction of the ink cartridge has an L-shaped cross-section.

13. An ink cartridge set according to claim 12, wherein each member that cooperates with the inkjet recording device includes at least one of a cartridge identifying block identifying the kind of the ink contained therein, the memory device, a valve allowing an ink storage chamber to communicate with the atmosphere, and a retaining member for fixing the ink cartridge on the ink jet recording device.

14. An ink cartridge set according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the ink cartridges has a different capacity than the other ink cartridges because of a different container body depth.

16. An ink cartridge set according to claim 15, wherein each member that cooperates with the ink jet recording device includes at least one of a cartridge identifying block for identifying the kind of the ink contained therein, the memory device, a valve for allowing an ink storage chamber to communicate with the atmosphere, and a retaining member for fixing the ink cartridge on the ink jet recording device

18. An ink cartridge according to claim 17, wherein the engagement portion is substantially aligned with the at least one electrode in the Y-axis direction.

19. An ink cartridge according to claim 17, wherein the wall has a recessed portion in which the at least one electrode is located.

20. An ink cartridge according to claim 17, wherein the wall has a protruded portion onto which the at least one electrode is located.

21. An ink cartridge according to claim 17, wherein the wall has a first surface part on which at least one electrode is disposed, and a second surface part on which a pivotable lever having the engagement portion is disposed.

22. An ink cartridge according to claim 21, wherein the first surface part is flush with the second surface part.

23. An ink cartridge according to claim 21, wherein the first and second surface parts has a level difference therebetween.

24. An ink cartridge according to claim 21, wherein the first surface part is inclined relative to the second surface part.

25. An ink cartridge according to claim 17, wherein the main circuit components of the memory device are disposed on the first wall.

26. An ink cartridge according to claim 17, wherein the main circuit components of the memory device are disposed on a second wall other than the first wall.

27. An ink cartridge according to claim 17, wherein the at least one electrode has a width and a length larger than the width.

28. An ink cartridge according to claim 17, further comprising:

an ink supply port having an axis extending in the Y-axis direction and defining a first side and a second side opposite from the first side in an X-axis direction.

29. An ink cartridge according to claim 28, wherein the at least one electrode and the engagement portion are located in the first side.

30. An ink cartridge according to claim 28, wherein the at least one electrode and the engagement portion are located on the axis of the ink supply port as viewed in a Y-Z plane.

31. An ink cartridge according to claim 30, wherein a center of the at least one electrode and a center of the engagement portion are located on the axis of the ink supply port as viewed in the Y-Z plane.

32. An ink cartridge according to claim 28, wherein the at least one electrode includes plural electrodes arrayed into at least one row, and the at least one row and the engagement portion are located on the axis of the ink supply port as viewed in a Y-Z plane.

33. An ink cartridge according to claim 32, wherein a center of the at least one row and a center of the engagement portion are located on the axis of the ink supply port as viewed in the Y-Z plane.

34. An ink cartridge according to claim 28, wherein the axis of the ink supply port is located at a central position with respect to the container body in a Z-axis direction.

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

36. An ink cartridge according to claim 21, further comprising:

an ink supply port having an axis extending in the Y-axis direction, 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.

37. An ink cartridge according to claim 28, further comprising;

a slot extending substantially parallel to the axis of the ink supply port and located in the second side.

38. An ink cartridge according to claim 17, further comprising:

an ink supply port; and

a slot extending in the Y-axis direction, and being located in the vicinity of the ink supply port.

12. An ink cartridge set comprising:

a plurality of ink cartridges respectively storing inks of different kinds, for mounting on an ink jet recording device, each of the ink cartridges 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 side surfaces of the container bodies of the respective ink cartridges.

15. An ink cartridge set comprising:

a plurality of ink cartridges respectively storing inks of different kinds, for mounting on an ink jet recording device, each of the ink cartridges 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, and

wherein a depth of at least one of the ink cartridge'"'"'s container body, as measured from the side surface of that container body, is larger than that of the other container bodies.

17. An ink cartridge comprising:

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

an engagement portion movable relative to the first wall and being higher in a Y-axis direction than the at least one electrode.