Patent ID: 7717548
Filing Date: 2010-05-18
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An ink container case containing ink having a case bottom portion with an ink outlet formed therein, wherein the ink is supplied to an ink jet type recording head with a number of nozzles from said ink container case through said ink outlet in the case bottom portion while said ink container case is connected as a unitary body through the ink outlet to said ink jet type recording head and the ink thus supplied to the ink jet type recording head is ejected through said nozzles to perform ink jet recording, said ink container case being further removable as the unitary body from the ink jet type recording head and comprising: a negative pressure generator chamber portion that has a negative pressure generator chamber bottom portion that forms a part of the case bottom portion that includes said ink outlet, the ink container case negative pressure generator portion holding a negative pressure generator that absorbs and holds the ink received from the ink outlet by capillary force, and keeps pressure inside said nozzles negative to atmospheric pressure while said ink outlet is connected to said recording head; a storage chamber portion that is separated from said negative pressure generator chamber portion by a partition wall and that has a storage chamber bottom portion that forms a part of the case bottom, the storage chamber holding an air-tight ink bag storing the ink; an ink port formed through said partition wall and joined to an ink spout of said ink bag to connect said ink bag to said negative pressure generator chamber; a first air introduction hole for introducing air into said negative pressure generator chamber as the ink in said negative pressure generator chamber decreases; and a second air introduction hole for introducing air into said storage chamber as the ink in said ink bag decreases, wherein said ink bag has accordion folds even in the state when the ink bag is completely filled with ink, said accordion folds each extending substantially horizontally, so that said ink bag is folded down along said accordion folds while keeping a top surface thereof substantially horizontal as the ink in said ink bag decreases from the completely filled state to a less than completely filled state and the air is introduced into said storage chamber through said second air introduction hole.