Patent ID: 7434923

Claim:
An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising: a print head unit; an ink supply needle an ink cartridge for detachable mounting to the ink supply needle, and having an ink storage chamber and an ink supply port that receives the ink supply needle when the ink cartridge is mounted; and a flow controller contained within the ink cartridge, the flow controller comprising: a housing having a floor having an inner side and an outer side, an inlet opening in the floor running between the inner and outer sides and which is in fluid communication with the ink storage chamber, a perimeter wall extending from inner side of the floor, a projection extending from the inner side of the floor, the projection having an outlet therethrough, and a groove formed in the outer side that is in fluid communication with both the outlet and the ink supply; a cover contacting the perimeter wall; an elastic member disposed between the cover and the inner side of the floor; and an urging member located between the cover and the elastic member, the urging member applying force to the elastic member to press the elastic member toward the projection, wherein said print head unit is in fluid communication with said ink cartridge, so that ink in the ink storage chamber can flow through the flow controller and the ink supply needle to the print head unit.