Patent ID: 7431438
Filing Date: 2008-10-07
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An ink cartridge for an ink jet recording apparatus, wherein said ink jet recording apparatus includes an ink jet head carried on a carriage for ejecting ink onto a recording material while scanning the recording material in a direction crossing with a feeding direction of the recording material, recovery means for discharging ink from said ink jet head for not effecting recording, and a mounting portion for detachably mounting said ink cartridge, wherein said mounting portion is provided in a region interposing a feeding path for the recording material with a carriage scanning region in which said carriage is scanningly movable, wherein said ink cartridge comprises: an ink accommodating container for accommodating ink to be supplied to said ink jet head, wherein said ink cartridge has a length covering a full width of a scanning range of said carriage; an absorbing material for absorbing and retaining the ink not used for recording; a casing for accommodating said ink accommodating container and said absorbing material; a joint portion for discharging the ink from said ink accommodating container to an outside thereof, said joint portion being disposed on a longitudinal side of said ink cartridge, wherein said longitudinal side is a side which opposes said ink jet head when said ink cartridge is mounted to said mounting portion, and wherein said joint portion is disposed at a position on said longitudinal side which opposes a home position of said carriage when said ink cartridge is mounted to said mounting portion; a first opening which is provided in said longitudinal side and which has a dimension larger than a width of the recording material; and a second opening provided in a portion intermediate longitudinal ends of another side continuing with said longitudinal side, wherein a first absorbing material for collecting the ink which has been ejected, for effecting recording, from said ink jet head and which has been ejected to an outside of the recording material is disposed in said first opening, and wherein a second absorbing material for collecting the ink which has been discharged from said recovery means is disposed in said second opening.