Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6793330?dq=%22robert+sheehan%22
Timestamp: 2015-04-21 19:44:40
Document Index: 609838905

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 26', 'art 26', 'art 60', 'arts 64', 'art 60', 'arts 64', 'art 5', 'art 22', 'art 5', 'art 70', 'art 71', 'art 65', 'art 65', 'arts 64', 'arts 64', 'art 73', 'arts 68', 'arts 68', 'art 69', 'art 69', 'art 68', 'arts 68', 'arts 68', 'art 69', 'art 69', 'arts 64', 'arts 64', 'arts 64', 'arts 65', 'arts 64', 'arts 64', 'art 106', 'art 105', 'art 106', 'art 107', 'art 105', 'art 105']

Patent US6793330 - Ink cartridge for ink-jet printing apparatus - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsAn ink cartridge for an ink jet printer having a housing having at least one wall. The ink cartridge further has at least two ink chambers for containing different ink accommodated in the housing. Ink supply ports are formed in one wall of the housing within each of the ink chambers. Each of the ink...http://www.google.com/patents/US6793330?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6793330 - Ink cartridge for ink-jet printing apparatusAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS6793330 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/044,281Publication dateSep 21, 2004Filing dateJan 9, 2002Priority dateMay 13, 1998Fee statusPaidAlso published asCN1138640C, CN1206107C, CN1206108C, CN1219648C, CN1241491A, CN1319745C, CN1429710A, CN1431100A, CN1448270A, CN1448271A, DE69938571D1, DE69938571T2, DE69940680D1, EP0956965A2, EP0956965A3, EP0956965B1, EP1527882A2, EP1527882A3, EP1527882B1, EP1527883A2, EP1527883A3, EP1527884A2, EP1527884A3, EP1527884B1, US6755515, US7300142, US7871156, US20020109759, US20020140788, US20080036834Publication number044281, 10044281, US 6793330 B2, US 6793330B2, US-B2-6793330, US6793330 B2, US6793330B2InventorsMinoru Usui, Satoshi Shinada, Takahiro Naka, Hisashi Miyazawa, Takeo Seino, Hisashi Koike, Takao KobayashiOriginal AssigneeSeiko Epson Corp.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (32), Non-Patent Citations (4), Referenced by (11), Classifications (15), Legal Events (2) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetInk cartridge for ink-jet printing apparatus
US 6793330 B2Abstract
What is claimed is: 1. An ink cartridge for an ink jet printer having a plurality of ink supply needles communicating with a print head, comprising:
a housing having at least a bottom wall, a front wall, and a back wall; a plurality of ink chambers arranged so that when the ink cartridge is seen in a top view the ink chambers are arranged in an M�N array, where M is an integer having a value of at least 3 and N is an integer having a value of 1, the ink chambers being arranged in succession along a widthwise direction that is parallel to the front wall for respectively containing different inks accommodated in said housing, each of said ink chambers extending from an inner surface of the front wall to an inner surface of the back wall of the housing; and a number of ink supply portions, where the number is M, formed in the bottom wall of said housing within respective said ink chambers and arrayed so that when the ink cartridge is seen in a front view the ink supply portions are arranged in the widthwise direction, each of said ink supply portions having an inner opening and an outer opening for receiving a respective one of the needles, wherein, when the ink cartridge is seen in the front view, a first center-to-center distance from said inner opening of a first ink supply portion to that of a second ink supply portion adjacent to said first ink supply portion is different from a second center-to-center distance from said outer opening of said first ink supply portion to that of said second ink supply portion. 2. The ink cartridge of claim 1, wherein said first center-to-center distance is greater than said center-to-center second distance.
a plurality of ink supply passages respectively at least partly defining said ink supply portions, each of said ink supply passages projecting inward into said housing from a bottom wall of said housing, said ink supply passages communicating with said respective ink chambers at an inner end thereof; and a plurality of porous members each impregnated with ink and respectively fitted in each of said ink chambers and engaging with said ink supply pardon through said ink supply passage. 4. The ink cartridge of claim 3, wherein each of said ink supply passages is disposed at substantially a center in a widthwise direction of said respective ink chamber when said ink cartridge is seen in a front view.
5. The ink cartridge of claim 3, wherein each of said ink supply portions protrudes inward into respective said ink chambers and compresses said respective porous members.
6. The ink cartridge of claim 5, wherein an inner surface of said ink supply portion is entirely angled.
7. The ink cartridge of claim 5, wherein at least one said ink supply portions has an angled surface that is arcuate.
8. The ink cartridge of claim 7, wherein the ink supply portion has a protrusion member and the height of said protrusion member is greater than a height of a projecting edge when a filter is secured onto said projecting edge.
9. The ink cartridge of claim 7, wherein the ink supply portion has a protrusion member that includes at least two elongated protrusions.
10. The ink cartridge of claim 1, wherein one of said ink chambers comprises three chambers separated from one another.
11. The ink cartridge of claim 1, wherein said ink chambers comprise five chambers separated from one another.
12. An ink cartridge for an ink jet printer having a plurality of ink supply needles communicating with a print head, the ink cartridge comprising:
an ink cartridge main body having a bottom wall, a front wall and a back wall; at least two inner partition walls dividing the ink cartridge main body into a plurality of ink chambers arranged so that when the ink cartridge is seen in a ton view the ink chambers are arranged in an M�N array, where M is an integer having a value of at least 3 and N is an integer having a value of 1, the ink chambers being arranged in succession along a widthwise direction that is parallel to the front wall, each of said ink chambers extending from an inner surface of the front wall to an inner surface of the back wall of the housing, the ink chambers having respective ink outflow ports; a number of ink supply ports, where the number is M, formed in the bottom wall and adapted to receive and connect to the respective ink supply needles, arrayed so that when the ink cartridge is seen in a front view the ink supply ports are arranged in the widthwise direction and disposed on the bottom surface of the ink cartridge main body so that ink in the ink chambers flaws from the ink outflow ports to the ink supply ports, respectively, wherein, when the ink cartridge is seen in the front view; each of the ink outflow ports is disposed substantially on a central line of the corresponding ink chamber in a widthwise direction thereof; the ink supply ports of the ink chambers are arrayed with an array pitch that is different from an array pitch of the corresponding ink outflow ports; and one of the ink supply ports, located at an end of the array, is disposed substantially on the central line of the corresponding ink chamber in the widthwise direction thereof. 13. An ink cartridge for an ink jet printer having a plurality of ink supply needles communicating with a print head, the ink cartridge comprising:
an ink cartridge main body having a bottom wall, a front wall and a back wall; at least two inner partition walls dividing the ink cartridge main body into a plurality of ink chambers arranged so that when the ink cartridge is seen in a top view the ink chambers are arranged in an M�N array, where M is an integer having a value of at least 3 and N is an integer having a value of 1, the ink chambers being arranged in succession along a widthwise direction that is parallel to the front wall, each of said ink chambers extending from an inner surface of the front wall to an inner surface of the back wall of the housing, the ink chambers having respective ink outflow ports; a number of ink supply ports, where the number is M, formed in the bottom wall and adapted to receive and connect to the respective ink supply needles, arrayed so that when the ink cartridge is seen in a front view the ink supply ports are arranged in the widthwise direction and disposed on the bottom surface of the ink cartridge main body so that ink in the ink chambers flows from the ink outflow ports to the ink supply ports, respectively, a plurality of through-holes, at least one of the through-holes including a plurality of recessed portions offset one from another to compensate for a difference in array pitch in the widthwise direction between the ink supply ports and the ink outflow ports when the ink cartridge is seen in the front view, wherein the ink outflow ports communicates via the through-holes with the ink supply ports, respectively. 14. The ink cartridge of claim 13, wherein in each of the through-holes, a central axis of the recessed portion closer to the ink chamber is offset from a central axis of the recessed portion closer to the ink supply port.
15. The ink cartridge of claim 13, wherein each one of said ink supply ports contacts adjacent said ink supply ports.
16. The ink cartridge of claim 15, wherein a frame member is formed around an outer periphery of the ink supply ports, and connected to the ink supply ports by ribs.
17. The ink cartridge of claim 13, wherein the though-holes are formed such that the plurality of recessed portion having respective different are arranged with their axes not coincident with one another, in order to compensate for the difference in array pitches between the ink supply ports and the ink outflow ports.
18. The ink cartridge of claim 17, wherein the though hole for communication between the ink supply port and the ink outflow port that is offset from the ink supply port includes the recess which is adjacent to the ink outflow port and which is oval in section having a major diameter in the offset direction.
19. The ink cartridge of claim 17, wherein the through-holes are formed by abutting an upper molding die and a lower molding die against each other.
20. The ink cartridge of claim 17, wherein at least one of the recesses increases in size at portions of the recess that are closer to the ink supply port.
21. An ink cartridge for an ink jet printer having a plurality of ink supply needles communicating with a print head, the ink cartridge comprising:
an ink cartridge main body having a bottom wall, a front wall and a back wall; at least two inner partition walls dividing the ink cartridge main body into a plurality ink chambers arranged so that when the ink cartridge is seen in a top view the ink chambers are arranged in an M�N array, where M is an integer having a value of at least 3 and N is an integer having a value of 1, the ink chambers being arranged in succession along a widthwise direction that is parallel to the front wall each of said ink chambers extending from an inner surface of the from wall to an inner surface of the back wall of the housing, the ink chambers having respective ink outflow ports; a number of ink supply ports, where the number is M, formed in the bottom wall and adapted to receive and connect to the respective ink supply needles, arrayed so that when the ink cartridge is seen in a front view the ink supply ports are arranged in the widthwise direction and disposed on the bottom surface of the ink cartridge main body so that ink in the ink chambers can flow from the ink outflow ports to the ink supply ports, respectively, wherein, when the ink cartridge is seen in the front view; an array pitch of the ink outflow ports is different from an array pitch of the ink supply parts; the ink chambers communicates with the ink supply ports via respective through-holes, each formed as continuous recessed portions; wherein the recessed portions are vertically arranged and are disposed so that their axes are offset in the widthwise direction from one another to compensate for a difference in array pitch in the widthwise direction between the ink supply port and the ink outflow port for at least one of the ink supply ports. 22. The ink cartridge of claim 13 or 21, wherein the axes of the recessed portion are offset in the my direction of the ink supply ports.
23. The ink cartridge of claim 12, 13 or 21, wherein a protruding portion is formed in each of the ink chambers, a porous member is accommodated within each of the ink chambers so as to contact corresponding one of the protruding portions, and each of the outflow ports is opened at an apex portion of corresponding one of the protruding portions.
24. The ink cartridge of claim 13 or 21, wherein each of the ink outflow ports is located substantially on a central line of corresponding one of the ink chambers in a width direction thereof.
25. The ink cartridge of claim 13 or 21, wherein the recessed portion located just below each of the ink chambers is located on a central line of the each ink chamber in a width direction thereof.
26. The ink cartridge of claim 12, 13 or 21, wherein the ink supply ports are arrayed in the same array pitch, and are offset toward an end of the array.
27. The ink cartridge of claim 26, wherein each one of said ink supply ports contacts adjacent said ink supply ports.
28. The ink cartridge of claim 27, wherein a frame member is formed around an outer periphery of the ink supply ports, and connected to the ink supply ports by ribs.
29. The ink cartridge of claim 21, wherein a positioning protrusion is formed on a side wall of the ink chambers.
30. An ink cartridge for an ink jet printer having a plurality of ink supply needles communicating with a print head, the ink cartridge comprising:
an ink cartridge main body having a bottom wall, a front wall and a back wall; at least two inner partition walls dividing the ink cartridge main body into a plurality of ink chambers arranged so that when the ink cartridge is seen in a to view the ink chambers are arranged in an M�N array, where M is an integer having a value of at least 3 and N is an integer having value of 1, the ink chambers being arranged in succession along a widthwise direction that is parallel to the front wall, each of said ink chamber extending from an inner surface of the front wall to an inner surface of the back wall of the housing, the ink chambers having respective ink outflow ports; a number of ink supply ports, where the number is M, formed in the bottom wall and adapted to receive and connect to the respective ink supply needles, arrayed so that when the ink cartridge is seen in a front view the ink supply ports are arranged in the widthwise direction and disposed on the bottom surface of the ink cartridge main body so that ink in the ink chambers can flow from the ink outflow ports to the ink supply ports, respectively, wherein when the ink cartridge is seen in the front view; each of the ink outflow ports is disposed substantially on a central line of the corresponding ink chamber in the widthwise direction thereof; one of the ink supply ports, located at an end of the array is disposed substantially on the central line of the corresponding ink chamber in the widthwise direction thereof; and at least another one of the ink supply ports is disposed offset from the central line of the corresponding ink chamber in the widthwise direction thereof.
This application is a division of copending application Ser. No. 09/312,073, filed on May 13, 1999.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink cartridge capable of fitting onto one or more ink supply needles communicating with a print head only when the cartridge is in a proper position with respect to an inkjet printing apparatus.
FIG. 5(a) is a top plan view showing the cartridge holder in a state where a print head and a sealing plate are detached therefrom;
FIG. 5(b) is a top plan view showing the sealing plate;
FIGS. 6(a) to 6(c) are perspective views of a color ink cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention respectively showing the structure of the upper surface of a lid in a state in which a film is detached, the structure on the side of an ink supply port and the structure of the upper surface of the lid in a state in which the film is present;
FIGS. 7(a) to 7(c) are perspective views of a black ink cartridge according to another embodiment of the present invention respectively showing the structure of the upper surface of a lid in a state in which a film is detached, the structure on the side of an ink supply port, and the structure of the upper surface of the lid in a state in which the film is present;
FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b) are side sectional views demonstrating installation of the ink cartridge in the cartridge holder;
FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b) are side sectional views of an improperly mounted ink cartridge within the cartridge holder respectively showing a state in which the ink cartridge is installed with the film of the ink cartridge not peeled off and a state in which the ink cartridge is installed in a reverse direction;
FIGS. 11(a) to 11(c) show other methods of sticking a sealing film for sealing the lid according to the present invention;
FIGS. 14(a) and 14(b) are respectively a perspective view and a top plan view showing another embodiment of the ink cartridge;
FIGS. 15(a) and 15(b) are respectively a perspective view and a bottom plan view showing a further embodiment of the ink cartridge;
FIGS. 16(a) and 16(b) are respectively a top view plan showing a structure in which recessed parts are arranged and a top view plan showing the structure of a convex part in the vicinity of an ink supply needle and corresponding to the recessed parts respectively in accordance with another embodiment of the color ink cartridge according to the present invention;
FIGS. 17(a) and 17(b) are respectively a top view plan showing structure in which recessed parts are arranged and a top plan view showing the structure of a convex part in the vicinity of an ink supply needle and corresponding to the recessed parts respectively in still another embodiment of the color ink cartridge according to the present invention;
FIGS. 18(a) and 18(b), FIGS. 19(a) and 19(b), FIGS. 20(a) and 20(b), and FIGS. 21(a) and 21(b) are respectively top plan view showing structure in which recessed parts are arranged and top plan view showing the structure of a convex part in the vicinity of an ink supply needle and corresponding to the recessed parts respectively in still other embodiments of the black ink cartridge according to the present invention;
FIGS. 22(a) to 22(c) are side sectional view showing other embodiments of the ink cartridge constructed in accordance with the invention;
FIGS. 23(a) and 23(b) are respectively a top plan view showing a state in which a lid is detached in the other embodiment of the ink cartridge and a side sectional view viewed along a line A�A of FIG. 23(a);
FIGS. 24(a) to 24(c) are respectively an enlarged top plan view showing the area of a cartridge in the vicinity of an ink supply port in accordance with the other embodiment of the ink cartridge and sectional views viewed along lines B�B of FIG. 24(b) and C�C of FIG. 24(c);
FIG. 25(a) is a side sectional view of an ink cartridge showing a state in which one ink housing chamber of the above ink cartridge is filled with ink, and FIG. 25(b) is a front sectional view showing the ink cartridge cut along a line E�E in FIG. 25(a);
FIG. 26 is a top plan view showing the structure of a lid suitable for the ink cartridge shown in FIGS. 25(a) and 25(b) in a state in which a film is peeled;
FIGS. 28(a) to 28(d) respectively show the structure of the upper surface of the ink cartridge, sectional structure viewed along lines D�D and E�E and the structure of the rear of the lid;
FIGS. 4(a), 5(a) and 5(b) show the structure of the rear side of cartridge holder 6. A passage forming part 26 is formed on bottom 202 defines the recessed sections 21, 22 within cartridge 6 communicating passages 24 and 25 for connecting each of the ink supply needles 10 and 11 and the print head 23 protrude from bottom 202. The upper surface of bottom 202 is sealed by a sealing plate 27 and the print head 23 is laminated and fixed on the upper surface of bottom 202.
In the passage forming part 26, caulking ribs 26 a are formed together with the communicating passages 24, 25 by injection molding and the like as shown in FIGS. 5(a), 5(b). Through holes 28 and 29 respectively connecting to the print head and caulking holes 28 a are also formed on the sealing plate 27 and both are fixed to carriage 6 in a fluid-tight state by caulking. The print head 23 is mounted on the sealing plate in a state in which its ink inlets respectively communicate with the through holes 28 and 29 of the sealing plate.
FIGS. 6(a) to 6(c) are perspective views showing an embodiment of a color ink cartridge. The color ink cartridge 206 is formed as a container 32 on one side of which ink supply ports 30 where the ink supply needles 10 of the printing apparatus are respectively inserted are formed. The opposite open face container 32 is sealed by a lid 31, and a porous body impregnated with ink is housed inside the color ink cartridge 206.
As shown in FIG. 6(c), the sealing film 35 has a size which is equal to or slightly smaller than an area defined by a rectangular recess 231 formed in the edge of the lid 31, so that the four edges of the sealing film 35 are bent down into the recess 231. Owing to the design, the sealing film 35 is hardly peeled off when a user touches the ink cartridge when mounted on the printer.
A black ink cartridge 208 includes a container 52 on one side of which an ink supply port 50, where the ink supply needle 10 of the printing apparatus is inserted, is formed. The opposite open face of container 52 is sealed by a lid 51 as shown in FIGS. 7(a)-(c). A porous body impregnated with ink is housed inside the black ink cartridge 208.
When an ink cartridge K is taken out of a package which maintains the cartridge under negative pressure in the process of distribution, and the film 62 which can be peeled off is removed, the air communicating opening 59 becomes open to the air and the recessed part 60 is also exposed. If the black ink cartridge K is installed in a proper direction of the cartridge holder 6, the recessed parts 64 and 65, formed on the bottom 63, are opposed to the projections 18 to 20 of the holder 6 as shown in FIG. 9a. When the lever 5 attached to the holder 6 is operated in this state, the projection 5 a of the lever 5 is received by the recessed part 60 of the lid 51. Lever 5 pushes down the cartridge K. In the process of push down, the projections 18, 19 and 20 of the holder 6 are respectively first fitted into the recessed parts 64 and 65 of the cartridge K and the cartridge K is guided to a normal position by a slant face of tip 18 a formed at the end and a tapered part of tip 20 a. When the cartridge K is further pushed down, the ink supply needle 11 pierces the film 66 sealing the ink supply port 50 and is inserted into the ink supply port 50 as shown in FIG. 9b. The lever 5 is pivoted to a normal position and a fitting part 5 b slides past and is fixed to a hook 3 a of the carriage 3. As the convex portion 67, in which the ink supply port 50 is formed, is fitted into the recessed part 22 of the cartridge holder 6 and caught, the printing apparatus is prevented from rattling due to vibration and the like when the cartridge K is installed in a proper position, and the leakage of ink and the application of unnecessary external force to the ink supply needle are securely prevented.
As the projection 5 a of the lever 5 comes into abutment against the film 62 and lifted, as shown in FIG. 10a, even if the ink cartridge K is installed in a proper posture when film 62 has not been peeled projection 5 a is stopped and the fitting part 5 b does not reach the hook 3 a of the carriage 3 and the lever 5 cannot be fixed to the carriage 3. If a user notices it, he or she peels off the left film 62 and reinstalls the ink cartridge K. Therefore, a failure of ink supply during printing caused because a user forgets to peel the film 62 can be prevented beforehand.
In the meantime, if the black ink cartridge K is installed in the improper way as shown in FIG. 10b, the bottom 63 is opposed to the wide projection 19 and is supported in a position higher than the end of the ink supply needle 11 in an approximately horizontal posture. As the ink cartridge K does not lower due to the projection 19 even if the lever 5 is turned in this state, the ink supply needle 11 is prevented from being broken.
In the above embodiments, the films 35 and 55 forming a capillary together with the fine groove 56 and the films 42 and 62 which are peeled to provide communication with the air during use are respectively independently stuck on the lids 31 and 51. However, even if an integrated film 70 in which an area 70 a forming a capillary and an area 70 b to be removed in use are connected via a narrow part 70 c which can be torn off as shown in FIG. 11a, or a film 71 forming a capillary and a film 72 to be peeled off overlapping with the film 71 in a part 71 a as shown in FIG. 11b are respectively stuck, the similar action is produced. Further, if a second film 71′ is affixed as shown in FIG. 11c so that the surface of the lid is at least covered in the area 70 a forming a capillary, ink can be securely prevented from being evaporated.
As shown in FIG. 13, in a second embodiment, the recessed part 65 for fitting to the projection 19 is integrated with the recessed part for fitting to the projection 20 to install or detach the cartridge K in or from the carriage or the cartridge holder 6 by a mechanism in which a lifter 176 connects to the lever 105 via an operating rod 175 as shown in FIG. 13. In the present embodiment, the lifter 176 is guided up and down along a guide groove 177 by the operation of the lever 105, so that the ink cartridge is attached to or detached from the cartridge holder 106. In the operation, the projection 19 engages with and disengages from one recessed part 65 a of the ink cartridge so that the ink cartridge can be accurately positioned as mentioned above. However, in the case of an ink cartridge mounted or detached by a lever not provided with the lifter 176, even if recessed parts 64 and 65 are formed as shown in FIGS. 14(a), 14(b), so that a convex portion 67, in which the ink supply port 50 is formed, is located between the recessed parts 64, 65 and a recessed part 73 is independently formed in a position opposite to the convex portion 20 of the cartridge holder, the similar action is produced.
Reference is now made to FIGS. 15(a) and 15(b) in which another embodiment of the invention is provided. Ink cartridge 212 paired with such a black ink container, it is desirable that recessed parts 68 are formed along one wall of a convex portion 48 in which the ink supply port 30 is formed and on the side of the cartridge so that as a large interval as possible is provided between recessed parts 68. A recessed part 69 is formed on the other side, across the convex portion 48, so that the recessed part 69 is opposite to at least one recessed part 68.
As described above, if the relationship between another member and the recessed part is not required to be considered, recessed parts 68 and 69 are located at the diagonal points of a convex portion 48 as shown in FIG. 16(a), and formed so that they are close to the wall of the convex portion 48 in a color ink cartridge. Convex portions 12′ and 15′ may also be formed in the color ink cartridge housing chamber 7 of the holder 6 so that the convex portions 12′, 15′ respectively correspond to the recessed parts 68 and 69. If necessary, in yet another embodiment a recessed part 69′ may be also formed at a center position along the wall, on which no recessed part exists, of the convex portion 48 where the ink supply port 30 is formed with the recessed part 69′ close to the wall of the convex portion 48 as shown in FIG. 17(a).
The above embodiment relates to the color ink cartridge, however, as for a black ink cartridge paired with it, embodiments shown in FIGS. 18(a) to 21(b) are also desirable.
That is, in an embodiment shown in FIG. 18(a), recessed parts 64 and 65 are located at the diagonal points of a convex portion 67 and formed so that they are close to the wall of the convex portion 67, while convex portions 18′ and 19′ are formed corresponding to these recessed parts 64 and 65 in the ink cartridge housing chamber 8 of the holder 6 as shown in FIG. 18(b). A pair of adjacent recessed parts 64 and a pair of adjacent recessed parts 65 are located at diagonal points as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 19(a), while convex portions 18′ are formed adjacently and convex portions 19′ are formed adjacently respectively corresponding to the recessed parts 64 and 65 as shown in FIG. 19(b) in the ink cartridge housing chamber 8 of the holder 6. Further, as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 20(a), recessed parts 64 and 65 may be also formed in the shape of a hook so that they surround the corners of a convex portion 67 and convex portions 18′ and 19′ may be also formed in the shape of a hook as shown in FIG. 20(b).
Further, as shown in FIG. 21(a), recessed parts may also be formed on a center line passing an ink supply port 66 so that they surround the four sides of a convex portion 67 and corresponding to these, convex portions 18′ and 19′ may be also arranged on a center line passing the ink supply needle 11 in the cartridge housing chamber 8.
A cartridge 80 for applying the different types of ink is now described in FIGS. 22(a)�22(c). Ink cartridge 80 includes ink housing chambers 81-85. A respective ink supply port 86-90 is provided in a respective ink housing chamber 81-85. As ink of each color is consumed differently in color printing, the volume of each ink housing chambers 81 to 85 of a cartridge 80 shown in FIG. 22a are not equal. More specifically, the width w1 to w5 of each housing chamber is designed to be different from one another to fix the ink consumption rate of the whole ink cartridge. In the meantime, each print head to which ink is supplied from each chamber is arranged at fixed pitch in consideration of control and others in printing and therefore, the arrangement pitch of ink supply needles integrated with each print head is also fixed.
FIG. 22a shows an embodiment of an ink cartridge to solve these problems and although ink output ports 86 to 90 of ink housing chambers 81 to 85 are arranged on each center line c1 to c5 of the ink housing chambers 81 to 85, ink supply ports 91 to 95 are arranged according to the arrangement pitch S of ink supply needles, and the ink output ports and the ink supply ports are respectively connected via passages 96 to 100 in the shape of a crank. According to this embodiment, the ink consumption rate of each ink housing chamber of the cartridge can be adjusted so that it is approximately equal and in addition, fitting to or detaching from the ink supply needle can be smoothly executed.
In the above embodiment, an ink consumption rate in the ink cartridge 80 is approximately equalized, however, if an ink consumption rate may be uneven, ink supply ports 91 to 95 are arranged according to the arrangement pitch S of ink supply needles and ink housing chambers 81′ to 85′ are formed so that each center is located on each center line of the ink supply ports 91 to 95, while a gap made between the cartridge and the cartridge holder 6 may also be adjusted by projections 101 and 102 provided on the side (FIG. 22(b)) and may also be adjusted by adjusting the thickness d of at least one side wall 103 of the ink cartridge (FIG. 22(c)).
Reference is now made to FIGS. 23(a), 23(b) in which an embodiment of the invention to solve the above problems is provided. An ink cartridge 280 includes a plurality of ink housing chambers 81-85. A respective ink supply port 91-95 is provided in each housing chamber 81-85. It is desirable that a slant part 106 wider on the side of the ink housing chamber from the side of the ink supply port 93 is formed in a protruding part 105 which protrudes toward the ink housing chamber 83. A filter 104 is affixed to projection 105 as shown in FIG. 23(b). The slant part 106 may be arcuate if desired, so that air bubbles may be guided more effectively to the ink supply port 93.
Further, when an elongated convex portion 108 is formed on a recessed part 107 formed between the protruding part 105 and the filter 104 as shown in FIGS. 24(a)-(c), where protruding part 105 is relatively narrow as shown in FIG. 23(b), the filter 104 can be prevented from being bent by the pressure of a porous body housed in the ink housing chamber 83 and ink can be made to flow smoothly to the ink supply port 92 by the capillary force of a fine groove generated by the convex portion 108.
A porous body 109 impregnated with ink as shown in FIG. 25(a) is originally disposed in each ink housing chamber 81 to 85 (the ink housing chamber 82 is represented in FIG. 25(a) of such an ink cartridge so that the porous body is touched to the filter 104 as shown in FIG. 25(b) and is sealed by a lid 110.
If the lid 124 is formed by injection molding, a so-called shrink is easily caused in an area where the fine groove 113 is formed. In the meantime, as for the ink cartridge, a porous body 121 impregnated with ink is housed in an ink housing chamber 120 as shown in FIG. 28b so that the porous body 121 is touched to a filter 123 of an ink supply port 122. In this case, slight space 126 is secured by a rib 125 on the rear of a cap 124 to prevent ink from leaking due to the rapid change of temperature.
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