Patent ID: 7552997

Claim:
An ink cartridge which is detachably mountable to an ink cartridge mounting portion of an ink jet recording apparatus having an ink jet head, wherein the ink cartridge mounting portion defines a rotational center adjacent one end portion thereof and is provided with an operation mechanism for causing a rotation of the ink cartridge about the rotational center, wherein the ink cartridge is brought into fluid communication with the ink jet head by the rotation and is kept in fluid communication when ink is to be supplied to the ink jet head, and is brought out of fluid communication with the ink jet head by the rotation and is kept out of fluid communication otherwise, wherein the ink cartridge comprises: a casing having a substantially rectangular parallelopiped shape including a first end portion; a force receiving portion, provided at the first end portion of the ink cartridge, for receiving a force from the operation mechanism of the ink cartridge mounting portion; and a joint portion for supplying the ink, wherein the joint portion is connectable with a connecting portion of said ink jet recording apparatus which is in fluid communication with the ink jet head, wherein the joint portion is provided at the first end portion of the ink cartridge having the force receiving portion.