Patent ID: 7195346
Filing Date: 2007-03-27
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An ink cartridge configured to be detachably attached to a printer, said ink cartridge comprising: an ink reservoir in which an ink used for printing is kept; and a storage unit storing specific information in a readable, writable, and non-volatile manner, wherein the specific information comprises an ink quantity-relating information relating to a quantity of ink kept in said ink reservoir, wherein the storage unit is accessed in synchronism with a clock signal, and has an ink quantity information storage area storing the ink quantity-relating information, and wherein the ink quantity information storage area is located at a specific area that is the area located within the storage unit that is accessed for rewriting by said printer first before accessing for rewriting any other area within the storage unit. wherein said ink reservoir comprises a specific number of ink chambers corresponding to a number of different inks used for printing, and the ink quantity information storage area has a storage capacity according to the number of different inks.