Patent ID: 7556366
Filing Date: 2009-07-07
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An ink cartridge for use with a liquid discharge head having a liquid supply needle, the cartridge comprising: a liquid tank adapted to enclose a liquid in a casing; a pressing plate comprising a funnel-shape guide surface; and at least one elastic member sandwiched between the casing and the pressing plate, said elastic member being formed with a slit configured to permit communication between said liquid supply needle and the liquid tank, wherein said elastic member comprises a concave portion adapted to guide said liquid supply needle into said slit, and defining an opening portion and a bottom portion, the opening portion, seen in an inserting/pulling-out direction of said liquid supply needle into/from said slit, being larger than a needle projection shape as a projection shape of an exterior of said liquid supply needle seen in said inserting/pulling-out direction and the bottom portion being smaller than said needle projection shape, wherein said elastic member is fixed by a sandwiching force in a direction which is substantially parallel with a penetrating direction of said slit formed by penetrating said elastic member, wherein a portion of the guide surface corresponding to the opening portion contracts toward said inserting/pulling-out direction, and wherein a top end of the funnel-shape guide member of the pressing plate is not in contact with said elastic member, and there is a gap between a lower surface of said elastic member and a bottom surface of a housing.