Patent ID: 7837308

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 main body, the guiding funnel and the elastic cap have a symmetrical shape with respect to an axis of the ink inlet.