Patent ID: 6086193
Filing Date: 2000-07-11
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An ink cartridge containing differently colored inks for a printer, comprising:a plurality of exterior walls defining a body having an interior and including a first wall;a plurality of partitions joined to and extending from the first wall to define a plurality of ink chambers within the interior of said cartridge, each defining an inner volume configured to and separately storing inks of different colors, one ink chamber of the plurality of ink chambers having a different volume than the remaining ink chambers of the plurality of ink chambers; anda plurality of ink supply ports extending through the first wall, each of the plurality of ink supply ports separately in fluid communication with one of the plurality of ink chambers, the plurality of ink supply ports being equidistantly spaced and arranged in a straight line;wherein each of said ink supply ports includes an elastically deformable sealing member having a cylindrical fitting portion engaged with an inner surface of each of said ink supply ports, a thin, cylindrical flexible portion extending from and in part substantially parallel to said fitting portion toward said ink chamber associated therewith to define a channel between said flexible portion and said fitting portion, a first tapered guide surface formed below said channel between said fitting portion and said flexible portion and sloping inwardly toward said flexible portion, and a ring-like fitting portion extending from said flexible portion, said first tapered guide surface constructed and arranged to guide an ink supply needle toward the ink chamber and said ring-like fitting portion constructed and arranged to form a liquid-tight seal with said ink supply needle.