Patent ID: 7942509
Filing Date: 2011-05-17
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An ink cartridge attachment/detachment device that loads an ink cartridge into a main body of a recording apparatus, the ink cartridge attachment/detachment device comprising: an ejection lever that contacts the ink cartridge and urges the ink cartridge using an urging force of an urging device in an ejecting direction in which the ink cartridge is ejected when the ink cartridge is loaded or when the ink cartridge is ejected, wherein the ejection lever includes an elongated portion located at an opposite end of the ejection lever from a pivotal fulcrum of the ejection lever; a sliding plate contact portion that contacts the elongated portion of the ejection lever, wherein movement of the sliding plate contact portion causes the ejection lever to pivot; a power transmitting and converting mechanism that includes a lever arm that is different from the ejection lever, at least one gear operably coupled to the lever arm, and a sliding plate including the sliding plate contact portion, wherein the sliding plate is operably coupled to the at least one gear, the lever arm being configured to pivot from a first location to a second location when the ink cartridge is loaded into the main body of the recording apparatus and configured to pivot from the second location to the first location when the ink cartridge is removed from the main body of the recording apparatus, the power transmitting and converting mechanism ensuring that a pressing force required for loading the ink cartridge by using a leverage principle when the lever arm is pivoted, while the power transmitting and converting mechanism converts a pivotal movement of the lever arm into a movement required for loading the ink cartridge which is held by an ink cartridge holder; and an urging force adjustment device that changes a ratio of a force with which the urging device urges the ejection lever in a pivotal direction in which the ejection lever is pivoted to a force with which the urging device urges the ejection lever in a radial direction about the pivotal fulcrum of the ejection lever, wherein the urging force adjustment device reduces the force with which the urging device urges the ejection lever in the radial direction as the ejection lever is pivoted in the ejecting direction, and the urging force adjustment device increases the force by which the urging device urges the ejection lever in the radial direction as the ejection lever is pivoted in a loading direction in which the ink cartridge is loaded.