Abstract: An ink cartridge 1 is detachably connected to a head of a record apparatus and has a container main body 2 having an ink tank chamber 11 opened to the atmosphere in a state in which the head and the cartridge are connected and a first opening 85 through which ink can be injected into the ink tank chamber (second ink storage chamber 16, etc.,). Such an intermediate wall 301 partitioning the ink tank chamber 11 into two space parts 11a and 11b placed side by side in an ink injection direction is disposed in the ink tank chamber 11 and is formed with a through part 301a through which ink can be injected.

Abstract: The ink cartridge includes an ink supply port formed at a position, offset to one side, of a wall configuring an ink container body; a positioning projecting portion, formed on one wall out of two opposing walls adjacent the wall, whose upper surface and side portion are regulated in position when the cartridge has been mounted on a recording apparatus; a lever, formed on the other wall out of the two walls, maintaining a normal hinged-open state and having a projection that is forcibly displaced outward when the cartridge is mounted on the recording apparatus; and electrodes that are connected to a memory unit storing information on the ink in an ink container and formed on the positioning projecting portion.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, a remanufacturing method of a liquid container forms an inlet in a certain area, for example, a buffer chamber, other than a specific section including liquid reservoirs and flow paths adjoining to and directly communicating with a bubble trap flow path in the liquid container. In the state of closing a liquid feeder and opening an air open structure, the remanufacturing method injects a liquid through the inlet to fill a space in the upstream of the inlet with the liquid. In the state of opening the liquid feeder and closing the air open structure, the remanufacturing method injects the liquid through the inlet to fill a space in the downstream of the inlet with the liquid. The remanufacturing process seals the inlet after completion of the injection of the liquid. This arrangement enables the liquid to be refilled into the liquid container without damaging the functions of the liquid container.

Abstract: The present invention is a gas absorption device arranged in a liquid container storing a liquid fed to a liquid consumption apparatus. The device includes a decompressed container having an opening and a flexible film sealing the opening in the state that the decompressed container is internally decompressed. At least a part of a portion having an inner surface which receives the decompressed pressure in the decompressed container and an outer surface which is in contact with the liquid in the liquid container is formed by a gas permeable material through which gas dissolved in the liquid in the liquid container can permeate. According to the present invention, gas dissolved in the liquid stored in the liquid container can be absorbed using a decompressed space and the existence of a decompressed status necessary to absorb gas can be easily examined.

Abstract: The ink cartridge includes an ink supply port formed at a position, offset to one side, of a wall configuring an ink container body; a positioning projecting portion, formed on one wall out of two opposing walls adjacent the wall, whose upper surface and side portion are regulated in position when the cartridge has been mounted on a recording apparatus; a lever, formed on the other wall out of the two walls, maintaining a normal hinged-open state and having a projection that is forcibly displaced outward when the cartridge is mounted on the recording apparatus; and electrodes that are connected to a memory unit storing information on the ink in an ink container and formed on the positioning projecting portion.

Abstract: An ink jet type printing apparatus in which an ink supply needle is located near one side in a direction perpendicular to the reciprocated directions of a carriage, a circuit board is mounted on a wall of an ink cartridge in the vicinity of the side on which an ink supply port is formed and plural contacts for connecting to external control means are formed on the exposed surface of the circuit board.

Abstract: A differential pressure valve unit that is accommodated in a liquid cartridge main body having: a liquid containing portion containing liquid; and a liquid supply portion supplying the liquid in the liquid containing portion to the outside, the differential pressure value unit including: a membrane valve that is opened when a predetermined pressure difference between the liquid containing portion and the liquid supply portion occurs; and a first member that holds the membrane valve and forms a downstream pressure chamber together with the membrane valve, wherein, in the first member, an opposing surface forming the downstream pressure chamber and having a connection port connected to the liquid supply portion has a shape corresponding to a movable range of the membrane valve, and a groove portion is provided at the opposing surface in order to allow the liquid in the downstream pressure chamber to easily flow into the connection port.

Abstract: The liquid delivery system is equipped with a liquid container that is installable on the liquid jetting device, a liquid supply device, and a liquid flow passage member. The liquid container is equipped with a recess portion having an opening provided on a first surface, a container main unit having a liquid delivery portion for delivering liquid to the liquid jetting device, and a sealing film that seals the opening of the recess portion to define together with an inner surface of the recess portion a chamber and a inner flow passage at an upstream side of the liquid delivery portion. The liquid flow passage member is connected to at least one of the chamber and the inner flow passage via a hole provided on the sealing film.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, a remanufacturing method of a liquid container forms an inlet in a certain area, for example, a buffer chamber, other than a specific section including liquid reservoirs and flow paths adjoining to and directly communicating with a bubble trap flow path in the liquid container. In the state of closing a liquid feeder and opening an air open structure, the remanufacturing method injects a liquid through the inlet to fill a space in the upstream of the inlet with the liquid. In the state of opening the liquid feeder and closing the air open structure, the remanufacturing method injects the liquid through the inlet to fill a space in the downstream of the inlet with the liquid. The remanufacturing process seals the inlet after completion of the injection of the liquid. This arrangement enables the liquid to be refilled into the liquid container without damaging the functions of the liquid container.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention is directed to a remanufacturing method of a liquid container constructed to store a liquid, which is to be supplied to a liquid ejection device. The remanufacturing method provides the liquid container structured to include: a liquid reservoir assembly configured to store the liquid; a liquid feeder configured to supply the liquid stored in the liquid reservoir assembly to the liquid ejection device; a sensor unit located in the upstream of the liquid feeder and configured to detect a level of the liquid stored in the liquid container; and a bubble trap module located in the upstream of the sensor unit and in the downstream of the liquid reservoir assembly and configured to trap bubbles included in the liquid. The remanufacturing method forms an inlet to communicate either with the bubble trap module or with a pathway of the liquid in the downstream of the bubble trap module.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, a remanufacturing method of a liquid container forms an inlet in a downstream wall surface of a second chamber, which defines part of a bottom face of the liquid container. In the state of closing a liquid feeder and opening an air open structure, the remanufacturing method injects a liquid through the inlet to fill the second chamber with the liquid. In the state of opening the liquid feeder and closing the air open structure, the remanufacturing method injects the liquid through the inlet to fill a space from the second chamber to the liquid feeder with the liquid. The remanufacturing process seals the inlet after completion of the injection of the liquid. This arrangement enables the liquid to be efficiently refilled into the liquid container without damaging the functions of the liquid container.

Abstract: An ink cartridge 1 attachable to an ink jet printer, includes a liquid chamber 5 for accommodating an ink liquid 4, a liquid supply port 7 to be connected to a liquid receiving portion 2a on the ink jet printer side, a liquid passage 9 for causing the liquid chamber 5 to communicate with the liquid supply port 7, and an ink end sensor 13 forming a part of the liquid passage 9 and serving to detect a presence or absence of the ink liquid 4 in the liquid chamber 5, The liquid passage 9 on a downstream of the ink end sensor 13 is provided with a buffer chamber 15 capable of storing the ink liquid 4 to be supplied to the liquid supply port 7 and supplying the ink liquid in a constant amount after the ink end sensor 13 detects that the liquid is not present. An amount of storage of the liquid in the buffer chamber 15 is set to be substantially 10% of an effective amount of the ink liquid to be accommodated in the liquid cartridge 1.

Abstract: An ink cartridge having a container for storing ink therein and having an ink supply port formed at a leading end side in an insertion direction of the container, a memory device disposed on a first of two opposite surfaces parallel to the insertion direction of the container, the memory device having an electrode for electrical connection to the recording device; a retaining member disposed on the first surface and located at a trailing end side relative to the memory device in the insertion direction, the retaining member serving to selectively engage with the recording device; and another retaining member disposed on the second surface and which also serves to selectively engage with the recording device.

Abstract: The ink cartridge includes an ink supply port formed at a position, offset to one side, of a wall configuring an ink container body; a positioning projecting portion, formed on one wall out of two opposing walls adjacent the wall, whose upper surface and side portion are regulated in position when the cartridge has been mounted on a recording apparatus; a lever, formed on the other wall out of the two walls, maintaining a normal hinged-open state and having a projection that is forcibly displaced outward when the cartridge is mounted on the recording apparatus; and electrodes that are connected to a memory unit storing information on the ink in an ink container and formed on the positioning projecting portion.

Abstract: An ink cartridge having a container for storing ink therein and having an ink supply port formed at a leading end side in an insertion direction of the container, a memory device disposed on a first of two opposite surfaces parallel to the insertion direction of the container, the memory device having an electrode for electrical connection to the recording device; a retaining member disposed on the first surface and located at a trailing end side relative to the memory device in the insertion direction, the retaining member serving to selectively engage with the recording device; and another retaining member disposed on the second surface and which also serves to selectively engage with the recording device.

Abstract: A liquid container adapted for installation in a liquid jetting device includes an installation status notifier portion. The installation status notifier portion, in an installed state wherein the liquid container is installed in the liquid jetting device, is able to make the liquid jetting device determine that there exists the installed state, and alternatively to make the liquid jetting device determine, even in the installed state, that there exists a non-installed state wherein the liquid container is not installed in the liquid jetting device.

Abstract: To enable a coupling terminal member of an ink cartridge and a coupling terminal of a printing apparatus to be in certain and increase a degree of freedom on installation position of a coupling terminal member of the cartridge, a cartridge installed in a printing apparatus for supplying the printing apparatus with ink includes an ink cartridge body for containing ink, an ink supply section on which an ink supply opening placed on or near a first sidewall of the ink cartridge body is formed, a memory for storing information on ink in the ink cartridge body, a contact terminal member on a second sidewall of the ink cartridge body coupled to the memory and a positioning member, which protrudes from the second sidewall, for positioning the ink cartridge properly with respect to the printing apparatus when the ink cartridge is installed in the printing apparatus.

Abstract: A liquid container adapted for installation in a liquid jetting device includes a container body that contains a liquid, a memory, a detector, and an information rewriting portion. The memory allows the liquid jetting device to read and write liquid information relating to the contained liquid while the liquid container is in an installed state installed in the liquid jetting device. The sensing portion detects installation of the liquid container in the liquid jetting device, or detachment of the liquid container from the liquid jetting device. The information rewriting portion rewrites the liquid information in the memory, responsive to detection of the installation or detachment.

Abstract: Liquid packs 34 provided with liquid leading members 42 are stored in a container case 31 that is constituted by fitting a case main body portion 32 and a lid case 33 in fitting portions 27 and 28, support portions 13, which positions the liquid leading members 42 so as to be opposed to liquid introducing members 71 attached to a cartridge inserting portion 13, are provided on a front surface 32a of the container case 31, the fitting portions 27 and 28 are arranged in a state in which the fitting portions 27 and 28 traverses the support portions 43, and space portions 29 and 30 having a gap larger than a gap formed in the fitting portions 27 and 28 are formed near the support portions 43 in the fitting portions 27 and 28. In this way, liquid flowing through the fitting portions 27 and 28 due to the capillarity is retained by the space portions 29 and 30 and never flows to the fitting portions 27 and 28 further extending from the space portions 29 and 30.

Abstract: The liquid delivery system includes a liquid receptacle (1) installable on the liquid jetting device, a liquid supply device (900), and a liquid flow passage member (910). The liquid receptacle (1) has a liquid storage chamber for storing liquid, an air flow passage connecting the liquid storage chamber to the outside air, a liquid delivery port for delivering the liquid to the liquid jetting device, an intermediate flow passage leading from the liquid storage chamber to the liquid delivery port, and a sensor disposed in the intermediate flow passage to sense whether the liquid is present or not. The liquid storage chamber includes a top storage chamber that is located at an uppermost position in the liquid storage chamber. The intermediate flow passage has a buffer chamber disposed downstream of the sensor, at a location adjacent to the top storage chamber.