Patent ID: 7029103

Claim:
An ink cartridge for detachable mounting to an ink jet recording apparatus, comprising: a container for supplying ink to the ink jet recording apparatus, the container having a plurality of outer walls and an internal divider having an opening therethrough, the internal divider dividing the container into an ink chamber and an ink supply chamber, the internal divider having (i) a first side facing toward the ink chamber and (ii) a second side facing toward the ink supply chamber, and an ink supply port through which ink flows to the ink jet recording apparatus; and an elastically deformable valve seat having therein a movable central portion having a through hole having a perimeter and an outer portion surrounding the central portion, the outer portion contacting and being fixed to a portion of the container, the valve seat being mounted relative to the internal divider so that the perimeter of the through hole contacts and is urged against, and the through hole is obstructed by, a portion of the internal divider, the obstructed through hole being offset from the outer portion of the valve seat, wherein the mounted valve seat is deformed because of contact with the portion of the internal divider, and wherein the valve seat only contacts the internal divider at the through hole and the outer portion.