Patent Publication Number: US-8123343-B2

Title: Printing apparatus and ink cartridge therefor

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of copending application Ser. No. 10/400,107, filed on Mar. 26, 2003, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     This patent application claims priority from Japanese patent applications No. 2002-093838 filed on Mar. 29, 2002, No. 2002-099211 filed on Apr. 1, 2002 and No. 2003-077849 filed on Mar. 20, 2003, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a printing apparatus including an ink cartridge for supplying the printing apparatus with ink, a carriage on and from which the ink cartridge is installed and detached and a print head mounted on the carriage. More particularly, the present invention relates to an ink cartridge precisely installed on a printing apparatus for supplying the printing apparatus with ink. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Generally, an ink-jet printer, one of the printing apparatus, prints texts or images by ejecting ink droplets onto print media by a print head mounted on a carriage moving back and forth in direction of a horizontal scanning, while a paper feeder supplies the print media, such as papers, set in a paper feeding tray one at a time, and a paper carriage mechanism intermittently sends the print media in direction of a vertical scanning a predetermined quantity at a time. Usually, an ink cartridge containing black ink and an ink cartridge containing ink of various colors, such as yellow, cyan and magenta etc. are separately installed in a carriage of a full-colored ink-jet printer. 
     The carriage is made up to be divided into a head-mounted unit, on which the print head is mounted, and a cartridge mounting section, in which the ink cartridge is installed, in order to enhance maintenance efficiency of the print head. Further, a memory for storing information about a production date, a product number, the quantity of ink remained etc. is installed on the ink cartridge and a circuit board, which is coupled to the memory with a connector and coupled to the print head, is placed in the head-mounted unit of the carriage. The circuit board is designed to transmit and receive the information about ink etc. to and from the printing apparatus. As an example of the memory for storing the information, there is a contact type memory unit including a coupling terminal member, which includes a coupling terminal exposed to the outside and a memory unit, which is electrically coupled to the coupling terminal. The coupling terminal is electrically coupled to a coupling terminal of the printing apparatus. The memory unit stores the information about ink etc. 
     The above usual ink-jet printer has a problem that it may be damaged in case of maintenance handling of the print head, because the circuit board is placed in the head-mounted unit of the carriage. 
     In addition, transmitting and receiving the information cannot be properly done, unless the coupling terminal member of the memory unit of the ink cartridge certainly contacts to the coupling terminal of the print head. Particularly, when a plurality of the coupling terminal with a small coupling terminal area is closely arranged, the coupling terminal member needs to be very exactly coupled to the coupling terminal of the printing apparatus. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus for protecting a board in which a device for reading and writing information about ink of an ink cartridge is installed during maintenance work on a print head, which is capable of overcoming the above drawbacks accompanying the conventional art. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an ink cartridge enabling a coupling terminal member of a memory of the ink cartridge and a coupling terminal of the printing apparatus to be in certain contact with each other, which is capable of overcoming the above drawbacks accompanying the conventional art. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an ink cartridge having a degree of freedom on installation position of a coupling terminal member of an ink cartridge and a coupling terminal of a printing apparatus, which is capable of overcoming the above drawbacks accompanying the conventional art. 
     The above and other objects can be achieved by combinations described in the independent claims. The dependent claims define further advantageous and exemplary combinations of the present invention. 
     According to the first aspect of the present invention, an ink cartridge installed in a printing apparatus for supplying the printing apparatus with ink includes an ink cartridge body for containing ink therein and including a first and a second sidewalls, the second sidewalls opposite to the first sidewall, an ink supply section on which an ink supply opening placed on or near the first sidewall of the ink cartridge body is formed, a memory for storing information on ink contained in the ink cartridge body, a contact terminal member placed on the second sidewall of the ink cartridge body and coupled to the memory and a positioning member, which protrudes from the second sidewall of the ink cartridge body, for deciding position of the ink cartridge with respect to the printing apparatus when the ink cartridge is installed in the printing apparatus. 
     With respect to the ink cartridge, the ink supply opening may be provided to be close to the first sidewall of the ink cartridge body on a bottom crossing the first and second sidewalls. 
     With respect to the ink cartridge, the positioning member may include a positioning rib protruding in a direction toward the bottom of the cartridge body. 
     The ink cartridge may further include a projecting part provided over the contact terminal member of the memory and the positioning rib. 
     With respect to the ink cartridge, the projecting part may include a surface which protrudes over the positioning rib and substantially parallel to the second sidewall. 
     With respect to the ink cartridge, the positioning rib may be provided to a place outside of an area defined by vertically extending lines along a left and right side edges of the contact terminal member. 
     With respect to the ink cartridge, the contact terminal member is placed to be close to a sidewall positioned next to another ink cartridge when at least two ink cartridges are installed in the printing apparatus. 
     The ink cartridge may further include an inverse mounting preventing rib for being engaged with the carriage of the printing apparatus when the ink cartridge is installed in a proper orientation on the printing apparatus. 
     The ink cartridge may further include an inverse mounting preventing rib which is engaged with the printing apparatus when the ink cartridge is installed in a proper orientation on the printing apparatus. 
     The ink cartridge may further include an inverse mounting preventing rib formed on a first side wall facing a second side wall, both said first and said second side walls intersecting the bottom and the front walls, said second side wall being located next to another ink cartridge when at least two ink cartridges are installed in the printing apparatus, whereas the contact terminal member is located near the second side wall. 
     According to the second aspect of the present invention, an ink cartridge installed in a printing apparatus for supplying the printing apparatus with ink includes an ink cartridge body for containing different ink including a first sidewall, a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall, partitioning walls placed in the ink cartridge body and a plurality of ink chamber separated by the partitioning walls, an ink supply section on which ink supply openings placed on or near the first sidewall of the ink cartridge body corresponding to the a plurality of ink chamber are formed, an memory for storing information on ink contained in the ink cartridge body and a contact terminal member coupled to the memory and placed to corresponds to the partitioning walls on the second wall of the ink cartridge body. 
     With respect to the ink cartridge, the ink supply openings may be placed to be close to the first sidewall of the ink cartridge body on the bottom crossing the first and the second sidewall. 
     With respect to the ink cartridge, the contact terminal member may be placed at a place corresponding to the partitioning walls close to a sidewall positioned next to another ink cartridge when at least two ink cartridges are installed in the printing apparatus. 
     The ink cartridge may further include an inverse mounting preventing rib for being engaged with the printing apparatus when the ink cartridge is installed in a proper orientation on the printing apparatus. 
     The ink cartridge may further include an inverse mounting preventing rib for being engaged with the printing apparatus when the ink cartridge is installed in a proper orientation on the printing apparatus. 
     The ink cartridge may further include an inverse mounting preventing rib, which is placed on a sidewall facing a crossing sidewall, which crosses the bottom and the second sidewall, wherein the contact terminal member is placed to be close to the crossing sidewall, for being engaged with the printing apparatus when the ink cartridge is installed in a proper orientation on the printing apparatus. 
     With respect to the ink cartridge, a center of the contact terminal member may be placed at a place from which a center axis of the ink supply openings is away. 
     According to the third aspect of the present invention, a printing apparatus includes a head-mounted unit on which a print head is mounted and a carriage including a cartridge mounting section in which an ink cartridge is installed, wherein a board including a device for reading and writing information on ink of the ink cartridge is placed in the cartridge mounting section. Consequently, although the head-mounted unit is removed from the apparatus body during maintenance work on the print head, the board including the device for reading and writing information about ink of the ink cartridge is protected because the board can remains in the apparatus body. 
     According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a printing apparatus includes a carriage in and from which an ink cartridge is installed and uninstalled and a print head mounted on the carriage, wherein a board including a device for reading and writing information about ink of the ink cartridge is placed on an inside of a front wall of the carriage. Consequently, the board including the device for reading and writing information about ink of the ink cartridge is protected because the board can be away from the print head placed at the back of the carriage. 
     The summary of the invention does not necessarily describe all necessary features of the present invention. The present invention may also be a sub-combination of the features described above. The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an overall external structure of an ink-jet printer, one of the printing apparatus, with respect to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing an overall internal structure of the ink-jet printer shown in  FIG. 1  from which the upper housing is removed. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of main units of the ink-jet printer shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the carriage of the ink-jet printer shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of the carriage shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the carriage partly removed shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an ink cartridge, one of the embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing the bottom of the ink cartridge. 
         FIG. 9A  is a side view showing the second sidewall of the ink cartridge, and  FIG. 9B  is a side view showing the third sidewall of the ink cartridge. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an ink cartridge, another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing the bottom of the ink cartridge shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective exploded view of the ink cartridge shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 13A  is a front elevational view showing the second sidewall of the ink cartridge according to the embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 13B  is a side elevational plan view showing the fourth sidewall of the ink cartridge. 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a carriage, in which two ink cartridges are installed. 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view showing the relation of the two ink cartridges installed in the carriage. 
         FIG. 16A  and  FIG. 16B  are partly cross-sectional views showing that the ink cartridge is installed in the carriage. 
         FIG. 17A  and  FIG. 17B  are another partly cross-sectional views showing that the ink cartridge is installed in the carriage. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention will now be described based on the preferred embodiments, which do not intend to limit the scope of the present invention, but exemplify the invention. All of the features and the combinations thereof described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the invention. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an overall external structure of an ink-jet printer, one of the printing apparatus, with respect to an embodiment of the present invention. The ink-jet printer  100 , which is hexahedron-shaped and extends in the widthwise direction, includes an upper housing and a lower housing. The upper housing and the lower housing are combined with snap fits. 
     At the back of the upper housing  101 , a paper feed entry  103  is formed. In the paper feed entry  103 , a paper feed tray  110  on which papers fed are stacked up, and a paper feed guide  111 , with which the papers are in order, located at one end of the paper feed tray  110 , are placed. The paper feed tray  110  is placed to tilt from the paper feed guide  111  toward upper direction so that the paper feed tray  110  keeps the papers sloping. 
     At the front of the upper housing  101 , a paper discharge opening  104  is formed. In the paper discharge opening  104 , a paper discharge stacker  120 , on which the papers ejected are piled up, is placed. The paper discharge stacker  120  is placed to store the papers on the back of the lower housing  102  from the paper discharge opening  104  in use and provide papers sloping from the paper discharge opening  104  out of use so that the papers are received in the sloping state. 
     In addition, the paper discharge opening  104  includes a stacker holding unit  121  for holding the paper discharge stacker  120  at the opposite end to the paper ejection side along the widthwise direction, when the paper discharge stacker  120  is pulled out. Moreover,  FIG. 1  shows the state that the paper discharge stacker  120  is in the internal side of the lower housing  102 . 
     All over the surface of the upper housing  101 , a window  105  is formed. The window  105  is covered with a transparent or semitransparent cover  106 , which slightly curves, capable of being opened and closed. With opening the cover  106 , exchanging the ink cartridge or maintenance work can be easily done. And, on the left back of the upper housing  101 , a power switch  131  and an operation switch  132 , each of which is a button type, are placed. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing an overall internal structure of the ink-jet printer  100  shown in  FIG. 1 , from which the upper housing  101  is removed, and  FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of main units thereof. In the lower housing  102 , a main board  130 , of which a printer controller is composed, shown in  FIG. 2 , is vertically placed, and a printing mechanism  140 , shown in  FIG. 2 , a paper feed mechanism  150  and a paper feed mechanism  160 , shown in  FIG. 3 , of which a print engine is compose, is placed. 
     On the main board  130 , control devices, memory devices or/and other various circuit devices, such as CPU, ROM, RAM and ASIC etc., not shown in drawings, are installed, and light emitting diodes  133 ,  134  with which a user can check if the power switch  131  or the operation switch  132  is properly operated when the user pushes the switches, are placed at the edge of the main board  130 . 
     The printing mechanism  140  includes a carriage  141 , a print head  142 , a carriage motor  143 , a timing belt  144 , a suction pump  145  and a detection unit  2  etc. On papers carried by a paper feed mechanism  160 , the print head  142 , mounted on the carriage  141 , prints an image by scanning by the timing belt  144  driven by the carriage motor  143 . This print head  142  is supplied with ink by the ink cartridge  146 , installed in the carriage  141 , and the colors of the ink may be, for example, yellow, magenta, cyan and black. 
     The paper feed mechanism  150  includes a paper feed tray  110 , a paper feed guide  111 , a paper feed roller  151 , a hopper  152  and a separation pad etc. Papers P piled up on the paper tray  110  and put in order by the paper guide  111  are pressed to be on the separation pad  153  by the raised hopper  152  according to rotation of the paper feed roller  151 , so that the paper P are fed into the paper feed mechanism  160  a piece at a time from the top of the papers P. 
     The paper feed mechanism  160  includes a paper feed roller  161 , a driven roller  162 , a paper discharge roller  163 , a jagged roller  164 , a paper feed motor  165  and a paper discharge stacker  120  etc. The paper P fed by the paper feed mechanism  150  is inserted within the paper feed roller  161  and the driven roller  162  driven by the paper feed motor  165  and conveyed to the printing mechanism  140 . Next, the paper P is inserted within the paper discharge roller  163  and the jagged roller  164  driven by the paper feed motor  165 , and conveyed to the paper discharge stacker  120 . 
       FIG. 4  to  FIG. 6  are a side view, a top view and a perspective and partly exploded view of the carriage  141 , respectively. The carriage  141  includes a body  141   a  and a cover  141   b  ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ). The print head  142  is mounted on the bottom of the body  141   a  of the carriage  141  (FIG.  4 , 5 ), and the ink cartridge  146 B containing black ink and the ink cartridge  146 C containing ink of various colors, such as yellow, cyan and magenta etc., are installed in the inside of the body  141   a  of the carriage  141  ( FIG. 6 ). 
     And, carriage guide section  41  separated each other at a predetermined distance, are wholly formed at both sides of the back of the body  141   a  of the carriage  141  (FIG.  4 , 5 ). And, a guide member  43  ( FIG. 4 ) sliding with being enfolded by the carriage guide section  41  is formed in a mainframe  107  ( FIG. 4 ) placed to be a vertical state and perpendicular to a direction of conveying the paper. This guide member  43  is placed like the main frame  107  and is bent so that the cross-section of the end of the guide member  43  is Z-shaped. Further, in a bent area of the guide member  43 , a pair of projection  41   a ,  41   b  holding a horizontal part  43   a  of the guide member  43  and a pair of projection  41   c ,  41   d  holding a vertical part  43   b  of the guide member  43  are formed at the carriage guide section  41 . In addition, a slide unit  42  is wholly formed at the mid-front of the bottom of the body  141   a  of the carriage  141 . The guide section  44  ( FIG. 4 ) on which the slide unit  42  slides is formed at a paper ejection frame  108  placed to be a horizontal state and perpendicular to a direction of conveying the paper. 
     As usual, the carriage  141  is made up to be divided into a head-mounted unit  141 A, on which the print head is mounted, and a cartridge mounting section  141 B, in which the ink cartridges  146 B and  146 C are installed, in order to enhance a maintenance efficiency of the print head  142 . A circuit board  148  ( FIG. 6 ) including connectors  147   b  and  147   c  ( FIG. 6 ) is set on the inside of the wall of the front of the cartridge mounting section  141 B. 
     The circuit board  148  is coupled to memories  149   b  and  149   c  ( FIG. 6 ) installed for storing information about a production date, a product number, the quantity of ink remained etc. on the front of the ink cartridges  146 B and  146 C, which includes a connector, with the connector  147   b  and  147   c . In addition, a board coupled to the print head  142  is placed to be separated from the circuit board  148  on the inside wall of the back of the head-mounted unit  141 A. 
     According to the above structure, the print head  142  is mounted on the head-mounted unit  141 A and the circuit board  148  is placed in the cartridge mounting section  141 B so that the circuit board  148  can be protected during maintenance work of the print head  142  because the circuit board  148  and the print head  142  are separated. 
     Positioning ribs  146 B a  and  146 C a  for deciding the position when the memories  149   b  and  149   c  including connectors and the connector  147   b  and  147   c  of the circuit board  148  are coupled are formed on the front of the ink cartridges  146 B and  146 C. That is, the positioning ribs  146 B a  and  146 C a  decide the position of the memories  149   b  and  149   c  including connectors and the connector  147   b  and  147   c  of the circuit board  148 , when the ink cartridges  146 B and  146 C are installed in the cartridge mounting section  141 B of the carriage  141  by being engaged with grooves  141 B a  and  141 B b  placed on the front of the cartridge mounting section  141 B. 
     And, error mounting preventing ribs  146 B b  and  146 C b  are formed to prevent the ink cartridge  146 B and  146 C from being installed in other kinds of the carriage on the sides of the ink cartridge  146 B and  146 C. That is, when the ink cartridges  146 B and  146 C are installed in the cartridge mounting section  141 B of the carriage  141 , the error mounting is protected because the cover  141   b  is closed properly if the error mounting preventing ribs  146 B b  and  146 C b  engaged with grooves  141 B c  and  141 B d  placed on the sides of the cartridge mounting section  141 B, but the ink cartridges  146 B and  146 C cannot be installed properly in other kinds of the carriage by collision. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an ink cartridge, one of the embodiments of the present invention. And,  FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing the bottom of the ink cartridge shown in  FIG. 7 . The ink cartridge  210  includes an ink cartridge body  220 , an ink supply section  240 , a memory  260  and a positioning member  280 . 
     The ink cartridge body  220  contains ink, for example black ink, thereof. As one of the examples of the ink cartridge body  220 , a container, which is substantially rectangular in cross section, is filled with a porous material holding ink. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, so for example, a hollow container may directly contain ink and selectively supply ink to a printing apparatus by an open and close means, such as a valve and the like, in the ink supply section. 
     The ink supply section  240  has an ink supply opening  242 , placed on the bottom  222  of the ink cartridge body  220 . The ink supply opening  242  is placed to be close to the first wall  224  crossing the bottom  222  of the ink cartridge body  220 . Here, the bottom  222  of the ink cartridge body  220  is defined as the surface, on which the ink supply section  240  is placed, and the bottom is not always towards a lower position in use of the ink cartridge. 
     The memory  260  has a memory device storing information about ink, such as the kind of ink cartridge, the kind of ink, the ink cartridge contains, the color of ink and the current quantity of ink etc. As an example of the memory  26 , there is a contact type IC chip. The contact type IC chip has a board, a contact terminal member including contact terminals exposed on the surface of the board and a memory device placed on the back of the board so that the information data of the memory device is read or written as the contact terminals and the exterior are in contact and are electrically coupled. 
     According to the present embodiment, the memory  260  is a contact type and has a contact terminal member  262  including seven contact terminals exposed to the exterior. The contact terminal member  262  is placed on the second sidewall  226 , which is opposite to the first sidewall  224  and crosses the bottom  222  of the ink cartridge body  220 . Here, the number of the contact terminals of the contact terminal member is not limited to seven. It may be a possible construction that the contact terminal member  262  is placed alone on the second sidewall  226 , while the memory device of the memory  260  is placed on the suitable position of the ink cartridge body  220 , such as other sidewall of the ink cartridge body  220  so that the contact terminal member  262  and the memory of the memory is electrically coupled by, for example, a flexible print circuit (FPC). And, not limited to a contact type, the terminal member may be none contact type, using magnetism or optics. 
       FIG. 9A  is a side view showing the second sidewall  226  of the ink cartridge  210  according to the embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 9B  is a side view showing the third sidewall  227  of the ink cartridge  210 . A positioning member  280  is placed for enabling the ink cartridge  210  to be properly installed in the printing apparatus on the second sidewall  226 . The positioning member  280  has a positioning rib  282 , which protrudes from the second sidewall  226  and is extended towards the bottom  222 . As shown in  FIG. 9A , the positioning rib  282  is located out of the range of the width W 1  of the contact terminal member  262 . That is, the centerline (the single-dotted and dashed line) of the positioning rib  282  is in the outside of the width W 1  (the distance between the dashed lines) of the contact terminal member  262 . 
     The ink cartridge  210  further includes a projecting part  290  more closely placed to the to p of the ink cartridge  210  than the contact terminal member  262  of the memory  260  and the positioning rib  282  is. The projecting part  290  has a surface  292 , which protrudes above the positioning rib  282  and is nearly parallel to the second sidewall  226 . That is, referring to  FIG. 9B , the position (the broken line) of the surface  292  of the projecting part  290  is beyond either the position (the dotted and dashed line) of the positioning rib  282  or the position (the double-dotted and dashed lines) of the contact terminal member  262 . Consequently, in the case of being handled the ink cartridge by a user, the projecting part  290  is in contact with the exterior so that the contact terminal member  262  and the positioning rib  282  can be protected from an impact of the exterior. Especially, even though a user drops the ink cartridge  210  onto the floor by mistake, the contact terminal member  262  is safe because the contact terminal member  262  is not in contact with the floor. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9A , the center of the contact terminal member  262 , that is, the lengthwise center axis of the middle one of the contact terminals in the upper row, is placed at a different position from the center axis (the double-dotted and dashed line) of the ink supply opening  242 . The contact terminal member  262  is placed to be close to the third sidewall  227  crossing both the second sidewall  226  and the bottom  222  on the second sidewall  226 . In addition, the ink cartridge  210  further includes an inverse mounting preventing rib  229  placed on the fourth sidewall  228  opposite to the third sidewall  227 . 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an ink cartridge, another embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing the bottom of the ink cartridge shown in  FIG. 10 . The ink cartridge  310  includes an ink cartridge body  320 , an ink supply section  340 , a memory  360  and a positioning member  380 . 
       FIG. 12  is a perspective and exploded view of the ink cartridge  310 . The ink cartridge body  320  has partitioning walls  333  and  335  placed therein. In addition, the ink cartridge body  320  has a plurality of ink chamber  332 ,  334  and  336 , which are separated by the partitioning walls  333  and  335  and contain different ink. As shown in  FIG. 12 , the ink cartridge body  320  has 3 ink chambers, the ink chamber  332  made up of an outside wall  331  and the partitioning wall  333 , the ink chamber  334  made up of the partitioning wall  333  and the partitioning wall  335  and the ink chamber  336  made up of the partitioning wall  335  and an outside wall  337 . For example, cyan ink is contained in the ink chamber  332 , magenta ink is contained in the chamber  334  and yellow ink is contained in the chamber  336 . Moreover, the ink cartridge body  320  has a whole lid  339  nearly parallel to the bottom  322 . In addition,  FIG. 12  is a perspective view to describe the partitioning walls and the ink chambers, and other components such as a substance, which has lots of holes, keeping ink etc., are omitted. 
     The ink supply section  340  has ink supply openings  342 ,  344  and  346  placed to be close to the first sidewall  324  crossing the bottom  322  of the ink cartridge body  320  on the bottom  322  of the ink cartridge body  320  corresponding to the a plurality of the ink chamber  332 ,  334  and  336 . 
     The memory  360  has a contact terminal member  362 . The contact terminal member  362  is placed on the second sidewall  326  opposite to the first sidewall  324  crossing the bottom  322  of the ink cartridge body  320  and located at the position corresponding to the partitioning wall  333 . The memory  360  has the same composition and function as the memory  260  of the ink cartridge  210  does so the description of them is omitted. 
       FIG. 13A  is a top view showing the second sidewall  326  of the ink cartridge  310  according to the embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 13B  is a top view showing the fourth sidewall  328  of the ink cartridge  310 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 13A , the center of the contact terminal member  362  is placed at the position different from the center axis (the double-dotted and dashed line) of the ink supply openings. The contact terminal member  362  is placed to be close to the third sidewall  327  crossing the bottom  322  and the second sidewall  326  on the second sidewall  326 . The contact terminal member  362 , as described above, is placed at the position corresponding to the partitioning wall  333  near the third sidewall  327 . The centerline (the dotted and dashed line) of the position corresponding to the partitioning wall  333  is located within the range of the width W 2  (the distance between the 2 broken line) of the contact terminal member  362  of the memory  360 . In addition, in the ink cartridge  310  according to the embodiment of the present invention, the centerline of the contact terminal member  362  is at the nearly same position as the centerline corresponding to the partitioning wall  333 . 
     The ink cartridge  310 , like the ink cartridge  210 , has a positioning rib  382 , which protrudes from the second sidewall  326  and is extended towards the bottom  322 . The positioning rib  382  is located out of the range of the width W 2  of the contact terminal member  362 . That is, the centerline (the dashed and dotted line) of the positioning rib  382  is in the outside of the width W 2  of the contact terminal member  362 . 
     The ink cartridge  310 , like the ink cartridge  210 , further includes a projecting part  390  more closely placed to the top of the ink cartridge  310  than the contact terminal member  362  of the memory  360  and the positioning rib  382  is. The projecting part  390  has a surface  392 , which protrudes above the positioning rib  382  and is nearly parallel to the second sidewall  326 . That is, referring to  FIG. 13B , the position (the broken line) of the surface  392  of the projecting part  390  is beyond either the position (the dotted and dashed line) of the positioning rib  382  or the position (the double-dotted and dashed line) of the contact terminal member  362 . 
     The ink cartridge  310  further includes an inverse mounting preventing rib  329  placed on the fourth sidewall  328  opposite to the third sidewall  227  near the contact terminal member  329 . 
       FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a carriage, in which two ink cartridges are installed. The carriage  400  has the first cartridge holding section  410 , in which the ink cartridge  210  containing black ink is installed and the second cartridge holding section  450 , in which the ink cartridge  310  containing cyan, magenta and yellow ink is installed. 
     A contact terminal member  420  is placed at the position, which is in the first cartridge holding section  410  and corresponds to the contact terminal member  262  of the memory  260 , when the ink cartridge  210  is installed in the first cartridge holding section  410 . In addition, the first cartridge holding section  410  has a position decision groove  430 , which is placed at the same sidewall as the contact terminal member  420  is on, is away from the second cartridge holding section  450  more than the contact terminal member  420  is and is engaged with the positioning rib  282  of the ink cartridge  210 . Moreover, the first cartridge holding section  410  has a gap  440 , which is placed at the sidewall opposite to the second cartridge holding section  450  and is engaged with the inverse mounting preventing rib  282  of the ink cartridge  210 . 
     Though not shown in  FIG. 14 , an ink supply needle  412  is placed at the position, which is on the bottom of the first cartridge holding section  410  and corresponds to the ink supply section  240  of the ink cartridge. The ink supply needle  412  is hollow, and an end surface of the ink supply needle  412  is placed in the inside of the bottom of the carriage  400 . 
     Like the first cartridge holding section  410 , a contact terminal member  460  is placed at the position, which is in the second cartridge holding section  450  and corresponds to the contact terminal member  362  of the memory  360  when the ink cartridge  310  is installed in the second cartridge holding section  450 . In addition, the second cartridge holding section  450  has an ink cartridge position regulating groove  470 , which is placed at the same sidewall as the contact terminal member  460  is on, is away from the first cartridge holding section  410  more than the contact terminal member  450  is and is engaged with the positioning rib  382  of the ink cartridge  310 . Moreover, the second cartridge holding section  450  has a gap  480 , which is placed at the sidewall opposite to the first cartridge holding section  410  and is engaged with the inverse mounting preventing rib  382  of the ink cartridge  310 . An ink supply needle  452 , like the first cartridge holding section  410 , is placed at the position, which is on the bottom of the first cartridge holding section  410  and corresponds to the ink supply section  240  of the ink cartridge. The construction of the ink supply needle  452  is similar to the that of the ink supply needle  412  of the first cartridge holding section  410 , but since there are three ink supply openings  342 ,  344  and  346  of the ink cartridge  210 , the ink supply needle  452  has three ink supply needles  452 . 
       FIG. 15  is a perspective view showing the relation of the two ink cartridges installed in the carriage. As shown in  FIG. 15 , the ink cartridge  210  and the ink cartridge  310  are side-by-side installed in the carriage  400 . In that case, the third sidewall  227  of the ink cartridge  210  and the third sidewall  327  of the ink cartridge  310  face each other. 
     As described above, the contact terminal member  262  of the ink cartridge  210  is placed to be close to the third sidewall  227 , while the contact terminal member  362  of the ink cartridge  310  is placed to be close to the third sidewall  327 . That is, the contact terminal member  262  of the ink cartridge  210  and the contact terminal member  362  of the ink cartridge  310  is positioned next to each other, while the 2 ink cartridge  210  and  310  are installed in the carriage  400 . Accordingly, like the carriage  400  shown in  FIG. 14 , the contact terminal member  420  of the first cartridge holding section  410  and the contact terminal member  460  of the second cartridge holding section  450  can be closely placed each other so that wires of, for example, FPC do not need to be long. 
     In addition, as described above, the inverse mounting preventing rib  229  of the ink cartridge  210  is placed on the fourth sidewall  228  opposite to the third sidewall  227 , while the inverse mounting preventing rib  329  of the ink cartridge  310  is placed on the fourth sidewall  328  opposite to the third sidewall  327 . That is, the inverse mounting preventing rib  229  of the ink cartridge  210  and the inverse mounting preventing rib  329  of the ink cartridge  310  is not located facing each other. Consequently, the third sidewall  227  and the third sidewall  327  can be closely positioned so that the size of the whole carriage  400  can be small. 
       FIG. 16A  and  FIG. 16B  are partly cross-sectional views showing that the ink cartridge  310  is installed in the carriage  400 .  FIG. 16A  and  FIG. 16B  are cross-sectional views of the second cartridge holding section  450  of the carriage  400  with respect to a plane including the position regulating groove  470 . Although it is described that the ink cartridge  310  is installed in the second cartridge holding section  450  of the carriage  400  as an example here, it is the same case that the ink cartridge  210  is installed in the first cartridge holding section  410  of the carriage  400 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 16A , the ink cartridge  310  is positioned in normal direction to the second cartridge holding section  420  of the carriage  400 . Here, the normal direction means that the ink supply section  340  of the ink cartridge  310  faces the ink supply needle  452  of the second cartridge holding section  450  and the contact terminal member  362  of the ink cartridge  310  faces the contact terminal member  460  of the second cartridge holding section  450 . The ink cartridge positioned in the normal direction is inserted into the second cartridge holding section  450  of the carriage  400 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 16B , the ink cartridge  310  being inserted, the positioning rib  382  is guided by the ink cartridge position regulating groove  470  of the second cartridge holding section  450 . The inverse mounting preventing rib  329  is engaged with the gap  480  of the second cartridge holding section  450 . 
     As the ink cartridge  310  is further inserted, the ink supply needle  452  of the second cartridge holding section  450  enters the inside of the ink supply section  340  of the ink cartridge  310 . As the bottom of the ink supply section  340  of the ink cartridge  310  comes in contact with the end surface of the ink supply needle  452  of the second cartridge holding section  450 , the installation of the ink cartridge  310  is over. Accordingly, the ink cartridge  310  supplies the printing apparatus with ink through the ink supply needle. 
       FIG. 17A  and  FIG. 17B  are another partly cross-sectional views showing that the ink cartridge  310  is installed in the carriage  400 .  FIG. 17A  and  FIG. 17B  are cross-sectional views of the second cartridge holding section  450  of the carriage  400  with respect to a plane not including the position regulating groove  470 . 
       FIG. 17A , which corresponds to  FIG. 16A , shows that ink cartridge  310  is positioned in the normal direction to the second cartridge holding section  420  of the carriage  400 .  FIG. 17B , which corresponds to  FIG. 16B , shows a state of the ink cartridge  310  being installed in the second cartridge holding section  450  of the carriage  400 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 17B , when the bottom of the ink supply section  340  of the ink cartridge  310  comes in contact with the ink supply needle  452  of the second cartridge holding section, the lower surface of the projection part  390  of the ink cartridge  310  comes in contact with a surface  472  of the second cartridge holding section  450 . 
     The position of the ink cartridge  310  is decided not only by the penetration of the ink supply needle  452  into the ink supply section  340 , but also by the engagement of the positioning rib  382  and the ink cartridge position regulating groove  470 . Accordingly, the contact terminal member  362  of the ink cartridge  310  is coupled to the contact terminal member  460  of the second cartridge holding section  450  with a degree of precision, even if the contact terminal member  362  of the ink cartridge  310  is positioned far away from the ink supply section  340 , because the ink cartridge  310  is positioned in the direction to the same second sidewall  326  by the positioning rib  382 . Consequently, the information obtained by the coupling of the contact terminal member  460  and the contact terminal member  262  of the ink cartridge  310  can be certainly transmitted to the printing apparatus through wires  462  of, for example, FPC. 
     It is possible to prevent the positioning rib  382  from damaging the contact terminal member  460  of the second cartridge holding section  450 , when the ink cartridge  310  is installed in the second cartridge holding section  450 , because the positioning rib  382  of the ink cartridge  310  is located in the outside of the width W 2  of the contact terminal member  460 . 
     Here, when the ink cartridge  210  is already installed, the ink cartridge  310  is positioned in the inverse direction. That is, it means that the ink cartridge is positioned as the first sidewall  324  faces the contact terminal member  460  of the second cartridge holding section  450  or the second sidewall  326  faces the ink supply needle  452 . If the ink cartridge  310  is mounted in the second cartridge holding section  450  in this condition, the inverse mounting preventing rib  329  of the ink cartridge  310  will be blocked by the ink cartridge  210 . Accordingly, the ink cartridge  310  will not be inserted any more. Consequently, the ink cartridge  310  is prevented from being installed in the second cartridge holding section  450  in the inverse direction. 
     According to the above embodiments of the present invention, the contact terminal member can be certainly coupled to the contact terminal member of the carriage, though the contact terminal member is placed far away from the ink supply section, because the ink cartridge is positioned in the direction to the same second sidewall by the positioning rib. Accordingly, the degree of freedom of the space where the contact terminal member of the ink cartridge is placed can be increased. 
     In addition, in the case that the contact terminal member is placed at the position corresponding to the partitioning wall of the ink cartridge, it is hard for the ink cartridge body to be transformed by the fabrication or the decrease of pressure in manufacturing the ink cartridge, and the contact terminal member can be further certainly coupled to the contact terminal member of the carriage. 
     Although the present invention has been described by way of exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that those skilled in the art might make many changes and substitutions without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention, which is defined only by the appended claims. 
     For example, though an ink-jet printer as a printing apparatus has been described by way of exemplary embodiments, the present invention can also be applied to such a facsimile apparatus or copying apparatus of ink-jet type, if these printing apparatuses include a carriage.