Patent ID: 6634738
Filing Date: 2003-10-21
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An ink cartridge for an ink jet printing apparatus having a printhead which ejects ink droplets onto a recording medium and an ink supply needle for introducing ink to the printhead, the ink cartridge comprising:a substantially rectangular housing for containing ink therein, said housing having a first outer wall and a second outer wall which is substantially perpendicular to said first outer wall; an ink supply port formed in said first wall for directing ink in said housing to the printhead; a valve mechanism arranged in said ink supply port comprising: a valve seat allowing the ink supply needle to pass therethrough; a valve body movable along the axis of said ink supply port; and an elastic member biasing said valve body against said valve seat, and a memory device for storing information relating to ink mounted on said second wall of said housing and substantially in parallel therewith, said memory device being arranged in the vicinity of said ink supply port, and said second wall extending between a top wall and the first wall and in a direction parallel to a direction along which the ink supply needle is insertable into said valve seat, said memory device comprising a substrate and a plurality of electrode terminals arranged on one surface of said substrate, wherein said electrode terminals are arranged on one surface of said substrate at a position where said terminal electrically connects to a contact member of the printing apparatus when the ink supply needle is inserted into said valve seat up to a regular position where the ink supply needle feeds ink, and further comprises a storage device secured on said substrate, said storage device communicates with the printing apparatus when the ink cartridge is mounted on the printing apparatus, and wherein the length of said terminal along the direction of insertion of the ink supply needle into said valve seat is longer than the maximum length of entry of the ink supply needle into said ink supply port from said valve seat, subtracted by a length that the ink supply needle is pushed back by a resilient force of said elastic member as a reactive force thereof generated by urging said valve body.