Abstract: The liquid container has a first storage section in which ink to be supplied to an ink jet recording head is stored; a second storage section in which waste ink collected from the ink jet recording head is stored, and an information holding portion capable of recording information. The second storage section includes a waste ink absorption member which absorbs the waste ink. Moreover, in the information holding portion, information is recorded, the information including the total amount of the waste ink absorption by the ink absorption member, including an initial value of zero, the shortest time period X of continuous waste ink absorption, having a value which changes with the total amount of the waste ink absorption, and the previous collection time of the waste ink.

Abstract: A liquid container detachably mountable to a recording apparatus, wherein the recording apparatus includes a feeding passage for feeding a recording material, a carriage for scanningly moving a recording head in a direction crossing with a feeding direction of the recording material, and a mounting portion to which the liquid container is mountable, the liquid container includes light reflection means capable of reflecting light from a light emitting portion of the recording apparatus to a first light receiving portion provided in the carriage and to a second light receiving portion provided in a feeding passage of recording material.

Abstract: A joint member is made of an elastic member whose cross sectional shape is an almost M-character shape and which has: an inserting portion formed with an opening portion and a slit; an outer edge portion as an outer peripheral portion of the joint member; and a supporting fixing portion for coupling the inserting portion and the outer edge portion on the upper portion side. A cross sectional shape of an opening of the opening portion is a shape of a circular cone frustum in which the opening and a bottom surface are coupled via an inclined surface. The slit is formed in the rectangular bottom surface. The joint member is sandwiched between a casing and a pressing plate. The inserting portion and the supporting fixing portion exist in planes which are different in the inserting direction of a liquid supply needle.

Abstract: An ink cartridge which is detachably mountable to an ink cartridge mounting portion of a recording device, the recording device having an ink jet recording head which is provided with a head side connecting portion which functions upon intermittent ink filling, the ink cartridge being provided with a cartridge side connecting portion which is connectable with the head side connecting portion, and the ink cartridge being capable of containing ink to be supplied through the cartridge side connecting portion, the ink cartridge includes a power receiving portion, wherein an intermittent connection between the head side connecting portion and the cartridge side connecting portion is effected using rotation, the receiving portion being effective to receive power for the rotation; wherein the power receiving portion and the cartridge side connecting portion are disposed in a region adjacent one end portion of the ink cartridge.

Abstract: A liquid container detachably mountable to a recording apparatus, wherein the recording apparatus includes a feeding passage for feeding a recording material, a carriage for scanningly moving a recording head in a direction crossing with a feeding direction of the recording material, and a mounting portion to which the liquid container is mountable, the liquid container includes light reflection means capable of reflecting light from a light emitting portion of the recording apparatus to a first light receiving portion provided in the carriage and to a second light receiving portion provided in a feeding passage of recording material.

Abstract: An ink cartridge which is detachably mountable to a liquid ejection type recording device including a liquid ejecting head for ejecting liquid onto a recording material while scanning the recording material in a direction crossing with a feeding direction of the recording material, and a recovery unit for sucking the liquid through a nozzle of the liquid ejecting head. The ink cartridge includes a receiving portion for receiving the liquid discharged from the liquid ejecting head by the recovery unit; a liquid containing portion for accommodating the liquid to be supplied to the liquid ejecting head; and a connecting portion for connecting the receiving portion and the suction recovery unit, wherein the connecting portion is disposed at a position upstream of a front end surface portion of the ink cartridge with respect to an inserting direction in which the ink cartridge is inserted into the liquid ejection type recording device.

Abstract: The liquid container has a first storage section in which ink to be supplied to an ink jet recording head is stored; a second storage section in which waste ink collected from the ink jet recording head is stored, and an information holding portion capable of recording information. The second storage section includes a waste ink absorption member which absorbs the waste ink. Moreover, in the information holding portion, information is recorded, the information including the total amount of the waste ink absorption by the ink absorption member, including an initial value of zero, the shortest time period X of continuous waste ink absorption, having a value which changes with the total amount of the waste ink absorption, and the previous collection time of the waste ink.

Abstract: A joint member is made of an elastic member whose cross sectional shape is an almost M-character shape and which has: an inserting portion formed with an opening portion and a slit; an outer edge portion as an outer peripheral portion of the joint member; and a supporting fixing portion for coupling the inserting portion and the outer edge portion on the upper portion side. A cross sectional shape of an opening of the opening portion is a shape of a circular cone frustum in which the opening and a bottom surface are coupled via an inclined surface. The slit is formed in the rectangular bottom surface. The joint member is sandwiched between a casing and a pressing plate. The inserting portion and the supporting fixing portion exist in planes which are different in the inserting direction of a liquid supply needle.

Abstract: A joint member is made of an elastic member whose cross sectional shape is an almost M-character shape and which has: an inserting portion formed with an opening portion and a slit; an outer edge portion as an outer peripheral portion of the joint member; and a supporting fixing portion for coupling the inserting portion and the outer edge portion on the upper portion side. A cross sectional shape of an opening of the opening portion is a shape of a circular cone frustum in which the opening and a bottom surface are coupled via an inclined surface. The slit is formed in the rectangular bottom surface. The joint member is sandwiched between a casing and a pressing plate. The inserting portion and the supporting fixing portion exist in planes which are different in the inserting direction of a liquid supply needle.

Abstract: An ink reservoir (166) has a plurality of thin bodies (164) provided in a housing (161) at gaps from each other. Ink in the housing (161) is held by a capillary force generated by the thin bodies (164). An ink guide portion (167) which is set at a gap between one end of the liquid ink (166) and an inner wall of the housing (161) is provided so that a capillary force in the vicinity of an ink supply port (165) is larger than that of the liquid reservoir (166).

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a sub tank unit mounted to a carriage, and an ink supply recovery unit. In the sub tank unit, a recording head and a sub tank are mounted to the carriage. The ink recovery unit has a main tank, and is connected with the sub tank unit via a supply joint, so as to be capable of supplying ink from the main tank to the sub tank. The sub tank houses an ink absorber having a lot of cavities for holding the ink, and an average distance between cavities is 0.12 mm to 0.25 mm.

Abstract: An ink cartridge which is detachably mountable to a liquid ejection type recording device including a liquid ejecting head for ejecting liquid onto a recording material while scanning the recording material in a direction crossing with a feeding direction of the recording material, and a recoverying unit for sucking the liquid through a nozzle of the liquid ejecting head, the ink cartridge includes a receiving portion for receiving the liquid discharged from the liquid ejecting head by the recoverying unit; a liquid containing portion for accommodating the liquid to be supplied to the liquid ejecting head; and a connecting portion for connecting the receiving portion and the suction recoverying means, wherein the connecting portion is disposed at a position upstream of a front end surface portion of the ink cartridge with respect to an inserting direction in which the ink cartridge is inserted into the liquid ejection type recording device.

Abstract: An ink cartridge which is detachably mountable to an ink cartridge mounting portion of a recording device, the recording device having an ink jet recording head which is provided with a head side connecting portion which functions upon intermittent ink filling, the ink cartridge being provided with a cartridge side connecting portion which is connectable with the head side connecting portion, and the ink cartridge being capable of containing ink to be supplied through the cartridge side connecting portion, the ink cartridge includes a power receiving portion, wherein an intermittent connection between the head side connecting portion and the cartridge side connecting portion is effected using rotation, the receiving portion being effective to receive power for the rotation; wherein the power receiving portion and the cartridge side connecting portion are disposed in a region adjacent one end portion of the ink cartridge.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid storing device which can be manufactured inexpensively, which allows various liquids such as ink to be used in a chemically stable manner, and which can stably supply a liquid by reducing channel resistance irrespective of changes in position during operation to generate a predetermined negative pressure. To achieve this object, in one preferred mode, a plurality of thin plates are disposed at predetermined intervals to form a storing portion in which predetermined capillary force is generated. Furthermore, a predetermined gap is formed between the storing portion and a liquid outlet to form a guiding portion in which capillary force is generated which is stronger than the capillary force of the storing portion.

Abstract: An ink reservoir (166) has a plurality of thin bodies (164) provided in a housing (161) at gaps from each other. Ink in the housing (161) is held by a capillary force generated by the thin bodies (164). An ink guide portion (167) which is set at a gap between one end of the liquid ink (166) and an inner wall of the housing (161) is provided so that a capillary force in the vicinity of an ink supply port (165) is larger than that of the liquid reservoir (166).

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a sub tank unit mounted to a carriage, and an ink supply recovery unit. In the sub tank unit, a recording head and a sub tank are mounted to the carriage. The ink recovery unit has a main tank, and is connected with the sub tank unit via a supply joint, so as to be capable of supplying ink from the main tank to the sub tank. The sub tank houses an ink absorber having a lot of cavities for holding the ink, and an average distance between cavities is 0.12 mm to 0.25 mm.

Abstract: A gas-liquid separation membrane is provided with high reliability and performance while having gas-permeable pores formed independently of each other in even pore size and in uniform distribution. The gas-liquid separation membrane has a plurality of gas-permeable pores that permit permeation of gas and that prevent permeation of liquid by capillary force, and the plurality of gas-permeable pores are formed independently of each other and in even pore size by laser machining.

Abstract: The present invention to provide a liquid reserving device which can be manufactured inexpensively, which allows various liquids such as ink to be used chemically stably, and which can stably supply a liquid by reducing channel resistance irrespective of changes in position during operation to generate a predetermined negative pressure. To achieve this object, in one preferred mode, a plurality of thin plates are disposed at predetermined intervals to form reserving portions in which predetermined capillary force is generated. Furthermore, a predetermined gap is formed between the reserving portion and a liquid outlet to form a guiding portion in which capillary force is generated which is stronger than the capillary force of the reserving portion.

Abstract: A gas-liquid separation membrane is provided with high reliability and performance while having gas-permeable pores formed independently of each other in even pore size and in uniform distribution. The gas-liquid separation membrane has a plurality of gas-permeable pores that permit permeation of gas and that prevent permeation of liquid by capillary force, and the plurality of gas-permeable pores are formed independently of each other and in even pore size by laser machining.

Abstract: In a print head of this invention, electricity-to-heat converters and a driver circuit for driving these electricity-to-heat converters in accordance with print data are formed on a single board. The board further includes an input/output interface circuit for receiving print data from an external apparatus, a CPU for controlling a printer apparatus, a ROM, a RAM, an A/D converter, a D/A converter, a timer, and the like, and also includes an external element driver for driving a mechanism portion of the printer apparatus.