INK CARTRIDGE

• US 20070182793A1
• Filed: 02/21/2007
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hiroshige Owaki, Hisashi Miyazawa, Masaki Shimomura, Munehide Kanaya, Satoshi Nakata, Satoshi Shinada, Takeo Seino, Yasuto Sakai, Yoshihiro Koizumi
• Original Assignee: Hiroshige Owaki, Hisashi Miyazawa, Masaki Shimomura, Munehide Kanaya, Satoshi Nakata, Satoshi Shinada, Takeo Seino, Yasuto Sakai, Yoshihiro Koizumi
• Inventors: Seino, Takeo, Miyazawa, Hisashi, Shinada, Satoshi, Owaki, Hiroshige, Sakai, Yasuto, Shimomura, Masaki, Koizumi, Yoshihiro, Nakata, Satoshi, Kanaya, Munehide
• Granted Patent: US 7,614,732 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 for detachable mounting on a carriage which is reciprocally movable in a recording apparatus and which has a carriage electrode, a carriage engagement portion, and an ink supply needle, the ink cartridge carrying ink, the ink cartridge comprising:

an ink supply port adapted for conducting ink out from the ink cartridge through the ink supply needle;

a memory device having an electrode provided on the ink cartridge, the electrode being connect able to the carriage electrode; and

a cartridge engagement portion, which is engageable with the carriage engagement portion of the carriage,

wherein the electrode contacts the carriage electrode when the cartridge engagement portion is engaged with the carriage engagement portion as the ink cartridge is inserted into the carriage.

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

a container body having a first wall;

wherein the electrode is fixed relative to the first wall; and

wherein the cartridge engagement portion is provided on the first wall, is movable relative to the first wall, and is higher in an insertion direction of the cartridge than the electrode.

3. An ink cartridge according to claim 2, wherein the cartridge engagement portion is substantially aligned with the electrode in the insertion direction.

4. An ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein:

the ink supply port is positioned in a leading end side in an insertion direction of the cartridge; and

the cartridge engagement portion is located at a trailing end side relative to the electrode in the insertion direction.

5. An ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the ink cartridge is fixable to the recording device exclusively using the cartridge engagement portion disposed close to the memory device.

6. An ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge engagement portion serves as a guide member when the container is inserted.