Ink-jet printing apparatus and ink cartridge therefor

• US 7,284,847 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2005
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Akahane, Fujio, Usui, Minoru, Kobayashi, Takao, Shinada, Satoshi, Matsuzaki, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Do; An H.
• Application Number:
  US11/114,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20050195255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 347 85- 87
• US Class Current: 347/86
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1752 Mounting within the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17523 Ink connection
• 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 2/17553 Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17559 Cartridge manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 25/304 Bodily-movable mechanisms for print heads or carriages movable towards or from paper surface
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/44 Oxides or hydroxides of elements of Groups 2 or 12 of the Periodic Table; Zincates; Cadmates
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 13/44 containing nitrogen and phosphorus
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 15/667 containing phosphorus in the main chain inorganic polyphosphates D06M11/72

Abstract

An ink jet type printing apparatus in which an ink supply needle is located near one side in a direction perpendicular to the reciprocated directions of a carriage, a circuit board is mounted on a wall of an ink cartridge in the vicinity of the side on which an ink supply port is formed and plural contacts for connecting to external control means are formed on the exposed surface of the circuit board.

Claims

1. An ink cartridge for mounting on an ink jet printing apparatus having a plurality of contact members and a printhead which ejects ink, the ink cartridge comprising:

a wall;

an ink supply port formed on the wall for receiving an ink supply needle of the printing apparatus;

a storage device disposed on said cartridge; and

a plurality of electrodes provided on the exterior of said cartridge, including an electrode for electrically connecting said storage device to the ink jet printing apparatus and an electrode for electrically connecting to at least two of the contact members of the printing apparatus, wherein the electrode which contacts to at least two of the contact members of the printing apparatus is a detection electrode which represents an existence of the ink cartridge mounted on the printing apparatus.

2. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said electrode which contacts to at least two contact members of the printing apparatus has an area larger than that of the other electrodes.

3. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said electrode which electrically connects to at least two contact members of the printing apparatus is grounded when the ink cartridge is mounted on the ink jet printing apparatus.

4. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein, viewing the ink cartridge in a direction perpendicular to a plane of said electrode which contacts to at least two contact members of the printing apparatus, said electrode which contacts to at least two contact members of the printing apparatus is intersected by a plane passing through the centerline of the ink supply port.

5. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said electrode which contacts to at least two contact members of the printing apparatus is located in the vicinity of said ink supply port.

6. An ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said electrode for electrically connecting to at least two of the contact members includes a first terminal contact region and a second contact region in electrical communication with the first contact region.

7. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising

a substrate on which said storage device is disposed on one surface thereof and said plurality of electrodes are arranged on an other surface thereof.

8. The ink cartridge according to claim 7, wherein said plurality of electrodes are separated from an edge of said substrate.

9. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising a substrate on which said storage device is disposed on a surface thereof, and said plurality of electrodes also are arranged on the surface of said substrate.

10. The ink cartridge according to claim 9, wherein said plurality of electrodes are separated from an edge of said substrate.

11. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said storage device is covered with an ink-resistant material.

12. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of electrodes are grouped into at least a first group and a second group.

13. The ink cartridge according to claim 12, wherein said first group and said second group of electrodes are arranged at an interval in a direction in which the ink cartridge is mounted on the printing apparatus.

14. The ink cartridge according to claim 12, wherein said first group and said second group of electrodes have different heights with respect to a direction in which the ink cartridge is mounted on the printing apparatus.

15. The ink cartridge according to claim 12, further comprising a conducting member which connects said first group to said second group of electrodes when ink adheres across the two groups of electrodes.

16. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said electrode which contacts to at least two contact members of the printing apparatus is located at substantially a center of the ink cartridge in the widthwise direction thereof.

17. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of electrodes come into engagement with an external control device at a time interval when the ink cartridge is mounted on the printing apparatus.

18. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said electrodes comprise six electrodes each having a different function.

19. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of electrodes is vertically rectangular in a direction in which the ink cartridge is mounted on the printing apparatus.

20. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein one of the electrodes is used for checking a content of said storage device.

21. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of electrodes are separated from a position where a contact member of the printing apparatus first comes into abutment when the ink cartridge is mounted on the printing apparatus.

22. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said electrodes physically contacts a contact member of the printing apparatus.

23. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein, viewing the ink cartridge in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the electrodes, the electrodes are symmetrically disposed about a centerline of the ink supply port.

24. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the electrodes are symmetrically disposed about a centerline of the ink supply port.

25. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said storage device is detachably mounted on said wall.

26. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said storage device is mounted on said wall by a spring and a mounting plate.

27. An ink cartridge assembly for mounting on an ink jet printing apparatus having a plurality of contact members and a printhead which ejects ink, the ink cartridge assembly comprising:

a wall;

an ink supply port formed on the wall for receiving an ink supply needle of the printing apparatus;

a storage device disposed on said ink cartridge assembly; and

a plurality of electrodes provided on the exterior of said ink cartridge assembly, including an electrode for electrically connecting said storage device to the ink jet printing apparatus and an electrode for electrically connecting to at least two of the contact members of the printing apparatus, wherein the electrode which contacts to at least two of the contact members of the printing apparatus is a detection electrode which represents an existence of the ink cartridge assembly mounted on the printing apparatus.

28. The ink cartridge assembly according to claim 27, wherein said electrode which contacts to at least two contact members of the printing apparatus has an area larger than that of the other electrodes.

29. The ink cartridge assembly according to claim 27, wherein said electrode which electrically connects to at least two contact members of the printing apparatus is grounded when the ink cartridge assembly is mounted on the ink jet printing apparatus.

30. The ink cartridge assembly according to claim 27, wherein, viewing the ink cartridge assembly in a direction perpendicular to a plane of said electrode which contacts to at least two contact members of the printing apparatus, said electrode which contacts to at least two contact members of the printing apparatus is intersected by a plane passing through the centerline of the ink supply port.

31. The ink cartridge assembly according to claim 27, wherein said electrode which contacts to at least two contact members of the printing apparatus is located in the vicinity of said ink supply port.

32. An ink cartridge assembly according to claim 27, wherein said electrode for electrically connecting to at least two of the contact members includes a first contact region and a second contact region in electrical communication with the first contact region.

33. The ink cartridge assembly according to claim 27, further comprising a substrate on which said storage device is disposed on one surface thereof and said plurality of electrodes are arranged on an other surface thereof.

34. The ink cartridge assembly according to claim 33, wherein said plurality of electrodes are separated from an edge of said substrate.

35. The ink cartridge assembly according to claim 27, further comprising a substrate on which said storage device is disposed on a surface thereof, and said plurality of electrodes also are arranged on the surface of said substrate.

36. The ink cartridge assembly according to claim 35, wherein said plurality of electrodes are separated from an edge of said substrate.

37. The ink cartridge assembly according to claim 27, wherein said plurality of electrodes are grouped into at least a first group and a second group.

38. The ink cartridge assembly according to claim 37, wherein said first group and said second group of electrodes are arranged at an interval in a direction in which the ink cartridge assembly is mounted on the printing apparatus.

39. The ink cartridge assembly according to claim 37, wherein said first group and said second group of electrodes have different heights with respect to a direction in which the ink cartridge assembly is mounted on the printing apparatus.

40. The ink cartridge assembly according to claim 27, wherein said electrode which contacts to at least two contact members of the printing apparatus is located at substantially a center of the ink cartridge assembly in the widthwise direction thereof.

41. The ink cartridge assembly according to claim 27, wherein said plurality of electrodes come into engagement with an external control device at a time interval when the ink cartridge assembly is mounted on the printing apparatus.

42. The ink cartridge assembly according to claim 27, wherein at least one of said plurality of electrodes is vertically rectangular in a direction in which the ink cartridge assembly is mounted on the printing apparatus.

43. The ink cartridge assembly according to claim 27, wherein at least one of said electrodes physically contacts a contact member of the printing apparatus.

44. The ink cartridge assembly according to claim 27, wherein, viewing the ink cartridge assembly in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the electrodes, the electrodes are symmetrically disposed about a centerline of the ink supply port.

45. The ink cartridge assembly according to claim 27, wherein at least some of the electrodes are symmetrically disposed about a centerline of the ink supply port.

46. The ink cartridge assembly according to claim 27, wherein said storage device is detachably mounted on said wall.

47. The ink cartridge assembly according to claim 27, wherein said storage device is mounted on said wall by a spring and a mounting plate.

48. An ink cartridge for mounting on an ink jet printing apparatus having a plurality of contact members and a printhead which ejects ink, the ink cartridge comprising:

a wall;

an ink supply port formed on the wall for receiving an ink supply needle of the printing apparatus;

a storage device disposed on said cartridge; and

a plurality of electrodes provided on the exterior of said cartridge, including an electrode for electrically connecting said storage device to the ink jet printing apparatus and an electrode for electrically connecting to at least two of the contact members of the printing apparatus,

wherein the electrode which contacts to at least two of the contact members of the printing apparatus is a detection electrode dimensioned and disposed so as to be electrically connected to the at least two contacts members of the printing apparatus when the printing apparatus detects if the ink cartridge is installed.

49. The ink cartridge according to claim 48, wherein said electrode which contacts to at least two contact members of the printing apparatus has an area larger than that of the other electrodes.

50. The ink cartridge according to claim 48, wherein said electrode which electrically connects to at least two contact members of the printing apparatus is grounded when the ink cartridge is mounted on the ink jet printing apparatus.

51. The ink cartridge according to claim 48, wherein, viewing the ink cartridge in a direction perpendicular to a plane of said electrode which contacts to at least two contact members of the printing apparatus, said electrode which contacts to at least two contact members of the printing apparatus is intersected by a plane passing through the centerline of the ink supply port.

52. The ink cartridge according to claim 48, wherein said electrode which contacts to at least two contact members of the printing apparatus is located in the vicinity of said ink supply port.

53. An ink cartridge according to claim 48, wherein said electrode for electrically connecting to at least two of the contact members includes a first contact region and a second contact region in electrical communication with the first contact region.

54. The ink cartridge according to claim 48, further comprising a substrate on which said storage device is disposed on one surface thereof and said plurality of electrodes are arranged on an other surface thereof.

55. The ink cartridge according to claim 54, wherein said plurality of electrodes are separated from an edge of said substrate.

56. The ink cartridge according to claim 48, further comprising a substrate on which said storage device is disposed on a surface thereof, and said plurality of electrodes also are arranged on the surface of said substrate.

57. The ink cartridge according to claim 56, wherein said plurality of electrodes are separated from an edge of said substrate.

58. The ink cartridge according to claim 48, wherein said storage device is covered with an ink-resistant material.

59. The ink cartridge according to claim 48, wherein said plurality of electrodes are grouped into at least a first group and a second group.

60. The ink cartridge according to claim 59, wherein said first group and said second group of electrodes are arranged at an interval in a direction in which the ink cartridge is mounted on the printing apparatus.

61. The ink cartridge according to claim 59, wherein said first group and said second group of electrodes have different heights with respect to a direction in which the ink cartridge is mounted on the printing apparatus.

62. The ink cartridge according to claim 59, further comprising a conducting member which connects said first group to said second group of electrodes when ink adheres across the two groups of electrodes.

63. The ink cartridge according to claim 48, wherein said electrode which contacts to at least two contact members of the printing apparatus is a detection electrode which represents an existence of the ink cartridge mounted on the printing apparatus.

64. The ink cartridge according to claim 48, wherein said electrode which contacts to at least two contact members of the printing apparatus is located at substantially a center of the ink cartridge in the widthwise direction thereof.

65. The ink cartridge according to claim 48, wherein said plurality of electrodes come into engagement with an external control device at a time interval when the ink cartridge is mounted on the printing apparatus.

66. The ink cartridge according to claim 48, wherein said electrodes comprise six electrodes each having a different function.

67. The ink cartridge according to claim 48, wherein at least one of said plurality of electrodes is vertically rectangular in a direction in which the ink cartridge is mounted on the printing apparatus.

68. The ink cartridge according to claim 48, wherein one of the electrodes is used for checking a content of said storage device.

69. The ink cartridge according to claim 48, wherein said plurality of electrodes are separated from a position where a contact member of the printing apparatus first comes into abutment when the ink cartridge is mounted on the printing apparatus.

70. The ink cartridge according to claim 48, wherein at least one of said electrodes physically contacts a contact member of the printing apparatus.

71. The ink cartridge according to claim 48, wherein, viewing the ink cartridge in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the electrodes, the electrodes are symmetrically disposed about a centerline of the ink supply port.

72. The ink cartridge according to claim 48, wherein at least some of the electrodes are symmetrically disposed about a centerline of the ink supply port.

73. The ink cartridge according to claim 48, wherein said storage device is detachably mounted on said wall.

74. The ink cartridge according to claim 48, wherein said storage device is mounted on said wall by a spring and a mounting plate.

75. An ink cartridge for mounting on an ink jet printing apparatus having a plurality of contact members and a printhead which ejects ink, the ink cartridge comprising:

a wall;

an ink supply port formed on the wall for directing ink in the cartridge to the printhead;

a storage device storing information of ink and disposed on the cartridge; and

a plurality of electrodes provided on the exterior of the cartridge, including an electrode for electrically connecting said storage device to the ink jet printing apparatus and an electrode for electrically connecting to at least two of the contact members of the printing apparatus,

wherein said electrode which contacts to at least two contact members of the printing apparatus has an area larger than that of the other electrodes.

76. An ink cartridge for mounting on an ink jet printing apparatus having a plurality of contact members and a printhead which ejects ink, the ink cartridge comprising:

a wall;

an ink supply port formed on the wall for directing ink in the cartridge to the printhead;

a storage device storing information of ink disposed on the cartridge; and

a plurality of electrodes provided on the exterior of the cartridge, including an electrode for electrically connecting said storage device to the ink jet printing apparatus and an electrode for electrically connecting to at least two of the contact members of the printing apparatus,

wherein said electrode for electrically connecting to at least two of the contact members includes a first contact region and a second contact region in electrical communication with the first contact region.

77. An ink cartridge for mounting on an ink jet printing apparatus having a plurality of contact members and a printhead which ejects ink, the ink cartridge comprising:

a wall;

an ink supply port formed on the wall for directing ink in the cartridge to the printhead;

a storage device storing information of ink disposed on the cartridge;

a plurality of electrodes provided on the exterior of the cartridge, including an electrode for electrically connecting said storage device to the ink jet printing apparatus and an electrode for electrically connecting to at least two of the contact members of the printing apparatus; and

a substrate on which said storage device is disposed on one surface thereof and said plurality of electrodes are arranged on an other surface thereof.

78. An ink cartridge for mounting on an ink jet printing apparatus having a plurality of contact members and a printhead which ejects ink, the ink cartridge comprising:

a wall;

an ink supply port formed on the wall for directing ink in the cartridge to the printhead;

a storage device storing information of ink disposed on the cartridge;

a plurality of electrodes provided on the exterior of the cartridge, including an electrode for electrically connecting said storage device to the ink jet printing apparatus and an electrode for electrically connecting to at least two of the contact members of the printing apparatus; and

a substrate on which said storage device is disposed on a surface thereof, and said plurality of electrodes also are arranged on the surface of said substrate.

79. An ink cartridge for mounting on an ink jet printing apparatus having a plurality of contact members and a printhead which ejects ink, the ink cartridge comprising:

a wall;

an ink supply port formed on the wall for directing ink in the cartridge to the printhead;

a storage device storing information of ink disposed on the cartridge; and

a plurality of electrodes provided on the exterior of the cartridge, including an electrode for electrically connecting said storage device to the ink jet printing apparatus and an electrode for electrically connecting to at least two of the contact members of the printing apparatus,

wherein said plurality of electrodes are grouped into at least a first group and a second group, and

wherein said first group and said second group of electrodes have different heights with respect to a direction in which the ink cartridge is mounted on the printing apparatus.

80. An ink cartridge assembly for mounting on an ink jet printing apparatus having a plurality of contact members and a printhead which ejects ink, the ink cartridge assembly comprising:

a wall;

an ink supply port formed on the wall of the ink cartridge assembly for receiving an ink supply needle of the printing apparatus;

a circuit board having a plurality of electrodes and a storage device disposed on said ink cartridge assembly,

wherein said plurality of electrodes includes electrode for electrically connecting said storage device to the ink jet printing apparatus and an electrode for electrically connecting to at least two of the contact members of the printing apparatus.