Patent ID: 8025359

Claim:
A protector for an ink cartridge container, the ink cartridge container including a containing case body, an ink inlet for a recording head, a cartridge containing part into which an ink cartridge connectable to and disconnectable from the ink inlet is removably insertable, and a door body capable of opening and closing an opening opposed to the ink inlet with the cartridge containing part sandwiched therebetween, the protector comprising: a protective cap unit that closes the ink inlet, the protective cap unit comprising: a main body; a supporting rod protruded toward the ink inlet from the main body; a guiding funnel formed at a front edge of the supporting rod; and an elastic cap provided at an inner diametrical portion of the guiding funnel and capable of coming into close contact with the ink inlet, wherein the protective cap unit is removable from and insertable into a containing case body, and the protective cap unit is formed as a different shape than that of the ink cartridge, and wherein a position of the protective cap unit contained in the containing case body is maintained in a state where the elastic cap is brought into close contact with the ink inlet and the main body is pressed by the closed door body.