Abstract: A cleaning device mounted on a liquid jet apparatus having a liquid jet head for ejecting liquid in order to clean the liquid jet head is provided. The cleaning device includes: a capping unit having a function of sealing a nozzle forming surface of the liquid jet head and a function of receiving waste liquid discharged from the liquid jet head; a lifting unit raising and lowering the capping unit so as to attach and detach the capping unit to and from the liquid jet head; an urging unit urging the capping unit toward the liquid jet head; and a locking unit locking the urging unit in a state that the capping,unit makes contact with the liquid jet head and seals the nozzle forming surface.

Abstract: An ink cartridge (1) for supplying the ink in an ink reserving chamber (3) via an ink supply port (4) into a recording head (21) has a differential pressure valve mechanism (5) disposed between an ink flow port (7) and the ink supply port (4) in the ink reserving chamber (3), whereby the ink is supplied an adequate amount to the recording head (21) by opening or closing the differential pressure valve mechanism (5) in accordance with an ink pressure of the recording head (21). As a result, it is possible to supply the ink at a substantially constant pressure to the recording head without regard to the variation in the amount of ink or the movement of the carriage.

Abstract: An ink cartridge has pivotable levers connected to walls of a container, and both pawls and protruded guide portions formed on the levers. The pawls are engageable with an ink cartridge holder. The protruded guide portions contact the ink cartridge holder to move the levers in the opening direction. Further, protruded stopper portions are formed to permit pivoting movement of the levers to such a degree as to disengage the pawls from the ink cartridge holder.

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: Ink maintained at a negative pressure state is supplied to an ink-jet recording head via an ink supply mechanism constructed as a differential pressure valve having a coil spring 51 and a movable membrane 54 normally contacted elastically with a valve seat by the coil spring 51.

Abstract: A valve unit 36 is placed in an ink flow passage 35 between an ink cartridge 8 and a recording head 7 and can be controlled in association with the cleaning operation of the recording head 7. Under the control of a drive controller, the valve unit 36 holds for a predetermined time a state in which negative pressure produced by a suction pump is accumulated, and is opened after the expiration of the predetermined time or is opened with the negative pressure accumulated and driving the suction pump is continued. The air bubbles remaining in a stuck state in the ink flow passage can be peeled from the ink flow passage together with an instantaneous fast ink flow produced as the valve unit 36 is opened, and the peeled air bubbles can be discharged effectively from the ink flow passage following the subsequent ink flow.

Abstract: A valve unit 36 is placed in an ink flow passage 35 between an ink cartridge 8 and a recording head 7 and can be controlled in association with the cleaning operation of the recording head 7. Under the control of a drive controller, the valve unit 36 holds for a predetermined time a state in which negative pressure produced by a suction pump is accumulated, and is opened after the expiration of the predetermined time or is opened with the negative pressure accumulated and driving the suction pump is continued. The air bubbles remaining in a stuck state in the ink flow passage can be peeled from the ink flow passage together with an instantaneous fast ink flow produced as the valve unit 36 is opened, and the peeled air bubbles can be discharged, effectively from the ink flow passage following the subsequent ink flow.

Abstract: Ink maintained at a negative pressure state is supplied to an ink-jet recording head via an ink supply mechanism constructed as a differential pressure valve having a coil spring 51 and a movable membrane 54 normally contacted elastically with a valve seat by the coil spring 51.

Abstract: An ink cartridge for an ink jet recording device, includes: a container having an ink supply port; at least two ink chambers partitioned in the container, one being located substantially in an upper section and the other being located substantially in a lower section; an ink suction passage connecting a bottom region of the lower section ink chamber to a bottom region of the upper section ink chamber; and a negative pressure generating mechanism provided to a flow passage connecting the upper section ink chamber to the ink supply port.

Abstract: Ink maintained at a negative pressure state is supplied to an ink-jet recording head via an ink supply mechanism constructed as a differential pressure valve having a coil spring and a movable membrane normally contacted elastically with a valve seat by the coil spring.

Abstract: There are disclosed a multi-color injection molding process for producing an ink-jet printer member comprising a plastics substrate and an elastic material layer that are integrally composited, which comprises melt-injecting into a mold in turn, a material for a plastics substrate and an elastic material composed of a thermoplastic elastomer; and an insert molding process for producing the ink-jet printer member mentioned above, which comprises placing in advance, a plastics substrate of a prescribed form in a mold, and melt-injecting an elastic material composed of a thermoplastic elastomer into said plastics substrate. The above processes are well suited for the production of the ink-jet printer member such as an ink tank valve for supplying a recording head with an ink to be filled in an ink chamber, also of a sealing member which is installed at an ink supply port or on the main body of an ink-jet printer and prevents an ink from leaking through the ink supply port or through the recording head.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus ejects liquid retained in a liquid container from a liquid ejection head. The apparatus includes a liquid supply needle having an outlet line that can be connected to the interior of the liquid container, a liquid supply line connecting the outlet line of the liquid supply needle to the recording head, and a control valve provided in the liquid supply line. The control valve closes the liquid supply line when negative pressure is applied to the liquid ejection head. A seal valve is arranged between the control valve and the liquid supply needle in the liquid supply line. The seal valve seals the liquid supply line using liquid pressure applied from the control valve to the outlet line. Accordingly, the liquid is prevented from leaking from the liquid supply needle when the liquid container is separated from the liquid supply needle.

Abstract: An ink cartridge has pivotable levers connected to walls of a container, and both pawls and protruded guide portions formed on the levers. The pawls are engageable with an ink cartridge holder. The protruded guide portions contact the ink cartridge holder to move the levers in the opening direction. Further, protruded stopper portions are formed to permit pivoting movement of the levers to such a degree as to disengage the pawls from the ink cartridge holder.

Abstract: In an ink cartridge, a negative pressure generating mechanism is disposed between an ink storage region and an ink supply port, and has a wall surface having two through-holes for ink flow, and a valve member contacted with and separated from the through-hole by receiving a pressure in an ink supply port side. Ink flowing via the through-hole is supplied via the through-hole to the ink supply port.

Abstract: A valve unit in an ink supply channel of an ink-jet recording apparatus, the ink supply channel having an upstream side and a downstream side, the valve unit comprising a diaphragm valve having a thin elastic diaphragm operating in response to pressure difference between an upstream side and a downstream side of the diaphragm, a valve body formed on the surface of the thin elastic diaphragm and having an opening therein, and an elastic support portion integrally formed with the valve body for urging the valve body toward the upstream direction, a valve seat disposed in the ink supply channel upstream of the diaphragm and kept in elastic contact with the opening, and a flow-channel forming plate for forming a flow channel disposed on the downstream side of the valve seat, the flow channel, extending in a longitudinal direction of the elastic portion and the flow channel forming plate having an end portion side extending in an upstream direction to form a flow channel whose sectional area decreases in the longi

Abstract: An ink cartridge has an ink storage chamber, an ink supply port and a negative pressure generating mechanism which selectively blocks and opens fluid communication between the ink storage chamber and the ink supply port as a consequence of ink consumption. The negative pressure generating mechanism includes an elastic member having first and second surfaces and a sealing portion, the sealing portion having a through-hole, an ink flow path communicating with the ink supply port and having an opening portion at a position where the sealing portion of the elastic member contacts with and separates from the opening portion, the opening portion facing the through-hole, and a communicating portion facing the first surface of the elastic member and communicating with the ink storage chamber. A space portion faces the second surface of the elastic member and communicates with the ink supply port.

Abstract: An ink cartridge has a container main body [2] having a through hole [60] for making an ink storage chamber and an atmospheric open chamber [501] to communicate with each other, and an atmospheric open valve [601] having a valve body [65] capable of opening and closing the through hole [60] of the container main body [2] and an elastic member [62] capable of pressing the valve body [65] in a closed direction. In an assembling structure of the atmospheric open valve [601] in the atmospheric open chamber [501], the valve body [65] is placed at such a position blocking the opening of the through hole [60], the elastic member [62] is positioned in the atmospheric open chamber [501] as a bend piece shaped like < is expanded, and the elastic member [62] in the positioned state presses at one end part the valve body [65] in the closed direction and is fixed at an opposite end part to the inside of the atmospheric open chamber [501].

Abstract: In an ink cartridge, a negative pressure generating mechanism is disposed between an ink storage region and an ink supply port, and has a wall surface having two through-holes for ink flow, and a valve member contacted with and separated from the through-hole by receiving a pressure in an ink supply port side. Ink flowing via the through-hole is supplied via the through-hole to the ink supply port.

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: An ink cartridge may have an ink accommodating portion shaped to contain ink, an k supply hole disposed at a bottom of the ink accommodating portion, and a valve unit including a movable valve portion and a fixed valve portion, the movable valve portion being oriented such that a flow of ink is regulated by a horizontal motion of the movable valve portion The valve unit may further include a main portion and an auxiliary portion, the movable valve portion being disposed on the main portion and the fixed valve portion being disposed on the auxiliary portion, wherein the auxiliary portion is selectively detachable from the main portion. The ink cartridge may further comprise a supply hole attachment located at the bottom of the ink accommodating portion, the supply hole being defined in a selectively detachable supply hole attachment.