Patent ID: 7237882

Claim:
An ink cartridge detachably mountable on a carriage which is reciprocally movable in a recording apparatus and which has a carriage electrode, an engagement portion and an ink supply needle, the ink cartridge comprising: an ink supply port connectable to the ink supply needle, the ink supply port being located in a leading end side in an insertion direction of the cartridge into the carriage; first and second walls opposing each other, the first wall being substantially parallel to the insertion direction of the cartridge into the carriage; a cartridge electrode connectable to the carriage electrode, the cartridge electrode being disposed on the first wall of the cartridge; and a retaining member disposed on the first wall of the cartridge, and having an engagement portion which is located at a trailing end side, with respect to the insertion direction, relative to the cartridge electrode such that an imaginary plane containing an axis of the ink supply port passes through both the cartridge electrode and the engagement portion of the retaining member and which is engageable with the engagement portion of the carriage, wherein the cartridge electrode is connected to the carriage electrode when the engagement portion of the retaining member is engaged with the engagement portion of the carriage.