Patent ID: 8182077

Claim:
An ink cartridge assembly comprising: an ink cartridge with a front side, a rear side, and at least one other side defining an ink chamber therein, wherein the ink chamber is configured to store ink therein; and an adapter configured to be coupled to the front side of the ink cartridge and inserted into a case of a recording apparatus in an insertion direction, wherein the adapter and the ink cartridge are separate members, and the adapter comprises: a main body with a front face and at least one other face, wherein the front face of the main body corresponds to the front side of the ink cartridge when the front side of the ink cartridge is coupled to the adapter; an operation portion extending from the main body in a particular direction, opposite the insertion direction, such that, when the adapter is coupled to the ink cartridge, the operation portion extends from the front side of the ink cartridge to the rear side of the ink cartridge along the at least one other side of the ink cartridge and further in the particular direction than the rear side of the ink cartridge; and a plate shaped portion positioned at the front face of the main body, the plate shaped portion being configured to block light emitted from a light emitting portion in the case of the recording apparatus when the adapter is inserted into the case of the recording apparatus so as to provide an indication of at least one characteristic of the ink that the ink chamber is configured to store.