Patent ID: 7195345

Claim:
An ink cartridge for a printing apparatus providing ink to a print head through an ink supply needle and removably attached to the print head, comprising: an ink chamber for containing ink; an ink supply port for supplying ink from said ink chamber to the print head of the printing apparatus, said ink supply port comprising an external opening; a packing member provided in said ink supply port, forming an ink channel for allowing a flow of ink, said packing member sealing the ink supply needle of the printing apparatus by fitting therewith; and a valve device contained in said ink supply port elastically abutting against said packing member, said valve device selectively opening and closing said ink channel in conjunction with the ink supply needle, said valve device being urged by the ink supply needle of the printing apparatus to open said ink channel, at substantially the same time, when the ink supply needle is sealed by said packing member; wherein said packing member has a surface slanting at a certain angle substantially the same as a tapered angle of the ink supply needle, said slanting surface of said packing member being disposed in the vicinity of where said packing member contacts said valve device.