Abstract: A liquid sensing apparatus includes a liquid sensing chamber 33 having a liquid inlet port that is in communication with an external liquid container in which a liquid is reserved, and a liquid outlet port that is in communication with a liquid consuming apparatus, a movable member 34 movable depending on a liquid level in the liquid sensing chamber 33, a recess portion 33b, 41a for cooperating with a wall surface of the movable member 34 to form a closed space when the movable member 34 is moved to a predetermined position depending the liquid level, and a piezoelectric sensing means 40 for applying a vibration to the recess portion and sensing a state of a free vibration following upon the vibration.

Abstract: A liquid sensing apparatus includes a liquid sensing chamber 33 having a liquid inlet port that is in communication with an external liquid container in which a liquid is reserved, and a liquid outlet port that is in communication with a liquid consuming apparatus, a movable member 34 movable depending on a liquid level in the liquid sensing chamber 33, a recess portion 33b, 41a for cooperating with a wall surface of the movable member 34 to form a closed space when the movable member 34 is moved to a predetermined position depending the liquid level, and a piezoelectric sensing means 40 for applying a vibration to the recess portion and sensing a state of a free vibration following upon the vibration.

Abstract: A liquid storage container is provided which is configured to be detachable from a liquid ejecting apparatus. The storage container includes a liquid storage body having a liquid storage portion for storing liquid therein, a liquid storage body-receiving member configured as a separate body from the liquid storage body and detachably receiving the liquid storage body, and a detection sensor provided to the liquid storage body-receiving member and used in detecting the liquid within the liquid storage body.

Abstract: A liquid sensing apparatus includes a liquid sensing chamber 33 having a liquid inlet port that is in communication with an external liquid container in which a liquid is reserved, and a liquid outlet port that is in communication with a liquid consuming apparatus, a movable member 34 movable depending on a liquid level in the liquid sensing chamber 33, a recess portion 33b, 41a for cooperating with a wall surface of the movable member 34 to form a closed space when the movable member 34 is moved to a predetermined position depending the liquid level, and a piezoelectric sensing means 40 for applying a vibration to the recess portion and sensing a state of a free vibration following upon the vibration.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a liquid storage bag and a liquid ejection apparatus for accurately setting the relative position between storage means of data of the liquid consumption amount, etc., and a data transfer section. A flexible bag main body 2 is provided with a liquid supply port 4, storage means 17 for storing data of the liquid type, the storage capacity, the consumption amount, etc., is provided in a part of the bag main body 2, an interface section 54 for making it possible to transfer data between a data transfer section 34 placed in a part of a case 5 or an apparatus main unit 12 and the storage means 17 is attached to a part of the bag main body 2, and position correction means 43 capable of correcting the position of the interface section 54 is provided. In doing so, the position of the interface section 54 relative to the data transfer section 34 is adjusted with the bag main body 2 housed in the case 5, and data transfer in the data transfer section 34 is established precisely.

Abstract: A liquid sensing apparatus includes a liquid sensing chamber 33 having a liquid inlet port that is in communication with an external liquid container in which a liquid is reserved, and a liquid outlet port that is in communication with a liquid consuming apparatus, a movable member 34 movable depending on a liquid level in the liquid sensing chamber 33, a recess portion 33b, 41a for cooperating with a wall surface of the movable member 34 to form a closed space when the movable member 34 is moved to a predetermined position depending the liquid level, and a piezoelectric sensing means 40 for applying a vibration to the recess portion and sensing a state of a free vibration following upon the vibration.

Abstract: A flexible ink bag in which ink consumed by a printer is stored is detachably mounted in the printer. A non-contact type memory IC is provided on the ink bag. A data communicator opposes to the memory IC to perform non-contact data communication. The memory IC stores data indicating an amount of ink remained therein. The ink bag is mounted such that the memory IC is substantially immovable with respect to the printer, regardless of the consumption of ink.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a liquid storage bag and a liquid ejection apparatus for accurately setting the relative position between storage means of data of the liquid consumption amount, etc., and a data transfer section. A flexible bag main body 2 is provided with a liquid supply port 4, storage means 17 for storing data of the liquid type, the storage capacity, the consumption amount, etc., is provided in a part of the bag main body 2, an interface section 54 for making it possible to transfer data between a data transfer section 34 placed in a part of a case 5 or an apparatus main unit 12 and the storage means 17 is attached to a part of the bag main body 2, and position correction means 43 capable of correcting the position of the interface section 54 is provided. In doing so, the position of the interface section 54 relative to the data transfer section 34 is adjusted with the bag main body 2 housed in the case 5, and data transfer in the data transfer section 34 is established precisely.

Abstract: An ink cartridge including: an ink chamber for retaining liquid ink; a foam chamber maintained in fluid communication with the ink chamber through a communication hole. An ink supply port for supplying ink from a porous body accommodated in the foam chamber to a recording head is provided. The portion of the foam body confronting the ink supply port is compressed by the ink supply port. The ratio between the amount of ink initially charged in the ink chamber and that of ink absorbed in the porous body is in the range from 1:1 to 1:3. When a cartridge uses more than one color of ink for printing in color, a plurality of foam and ink cartridges are used. The cartridge is filled under reduced pressure while the interior of the cartridge is further evacuated before filling with ink.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a technique that flexibly determines compatibility of an ink cartridge with a printing apparatus with high accuracy. The ink cartridge has a storage element that stores therein compatible driver information, which is used to specify a printer driver compatible with the ink cartridge. The printing apparatus collates information of a selected printer driver with the compatible driver information and determines compatibility of the ink cartridge with the printer driver. The printer driver changes over the method of generating print data, based on the compatible driver information.

Abstract: An ink cartridge including: an ink chamber for retaining liquid ink; a foam chamber maintained in fluid communication with the ink chamber through a communication hole. An ink supply port for supplying ink from a porous body accommodated in the foam chamber to a recording head is provided. The portion of the foam body confronting the ink supply port is compressed by the ink supply port. The ratio between the amount of ink initially charged in the ink chamber and that of ink absorbed in the porous body is in the range from 1:1 to 1:3. When a cartridge uses more than one color of ink for printing in color, a plurality of foam and ink cartridges are used. The cartridge is filled under reduced pressure while the interior of the cartridge is further evacuated before filling with ink.

Abstract: An ink tank cartridge for an ink-jet type recording apparatus is provided. The ink tank cartridge comprises a first chamber and a second chamber formed adjacent the first chamber. A porous member is housed in the second chamber. A partition wall separates the first chamber from second chamber, which communicate through a communication hole therethrough which extends along a portion of the width of the partition wall. An ink supply port extends through a wall of the first chamber and supplies ink to the exterior of the cartridge from the porous member. An air vent is spaced from the ink supply port provides ambient air to the second chamber. The pressure in the first chamber and the second chamber is at a value less than normal atmospheric pressure, and a pressure difference which retains the ink in the first chamber is also maintained between the first and second chambers by the surface tension of the porous member in the vicinity of the communicating hole.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a technique that flexibly determines compatibility of an ink cartridge with a printing apparatus with high accuracy.

Abstract: A flexible ink bag in which ink consumed by a printer is stored is detachably mounted in the printer. A non-contact type memory IC is provided on the ink bag. A data communicator opposes to the memory IC to perform non-contact data communication. The memory IC stores data indicating an amount of ink remained therein. The ink bag is mounted such that the memory IC is substantially immovable with respect to the printer, regardless of the consumption of ink.

Abstract: An ink cartridge including: an ink chamber for retaining liquid ink; a foam chamber maintained in fluid communication with the ink chamber through a communication hole. An ink supply port for supplying ink from a porous body accommodated in the foam chamber to a recording head is provided. The portion of the foam body confronting the ink supply port is compressed by the ink supply port. The ratio between the amount of ink initially charged in the ink chamber and that of ink absorbed in the porous body is in the range from 1:1 to 1:3. When a cartridge uses more than one color of ink for printing in color, a plurality of foam and ink cartridges are used. The cartridge is filled under reduced pressure while the interior of the cartridge is further evacuated before filling with ink.

Abstract: An ink cartridge for an ink-jet recording apparatus, comprises: a tank housing containing ink, the ink being visible from an outside; and indications, marked along a depth direction of the tank housing, for displaying the number and size of record sheets which can be subjected to printing, corresponding to a quantity of remaining ink. Alternately, at least an ink consumption state and enablement or disablement of printing are displayed on a cathode ray tube (CRT) screen.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus has an ink jet print head mounted on a carriage reciprocally movable relative to a print medium, an ink cartridge for supplying ink to the ink jet print head, a print control apparatus for outputting a drive signal to the ink jet print head in accordance with print data, flushing control apparatus for discharging ink, not contributing to print, in order to secure a normal ink discharge from the ink jet print head, and a control data storing apparatus for storing control data for the flushing control apparatus. A control mode of either of the print control apparatus and the head maintenance control apparatus may be altered by data from an ink characteristic data storing apparatus, provided on the ink cartridge, for storing control data based on the nature of ink.

Abstract: An ink cartridge and an ink cartridge identifying apparatus are provided which reliably allow only standard, proper ink cartridges to be loaded. An ink cartridge to be loaded into a printer is provided which has a predetermined projected and recessed pattern portion formed on an outer surface thereof and which has a first electrode portion arranged on the projected and recessed pattern portion. The first electrode portion is positioned to be selectively engageable with a second electrode portion, which is arranged on a pattern matching portion which is fixed to a press rod arranged on the printer main body. First and second electrode portions are arranged on the projected and recessed pattern portion and the pattern matching portion to be selectively engageable, and an identification signal is generated when matching first and second electrode portions are engaged. The projected and recessed pattern portion and the pattern matching portion may be shaped into characters/symbols, graphics, or the like.

Abstract: In an ink jet type recording head, nozzles 190 to 197 for jetting droplets of ink are arranged in such a manner that these nozzles are located along two line segments L1 and L2 which are inclined mutually in opposite directions with respect to a main scanning direction, and the two line segments constitute a substantially V-shape, so that problems such as a printing quality deterioration phenomenon and ink chamber interference can be solved, and higher printing qualities can be realized at high printing density.

Abstract: An ink jet print head including a flow path forming member having pressure generating chambers, ink supply paths, and reservoirs, a nozzle plate for covering one side of the flow path forming member, the nozzle plate having nozzle openings communicated with the pressure generating chambers, a flexible wall member for varying the volumes of the pressure generating chambers, the flexible wall member covering the other side of the flow path forming member, and piezoelectric vibrating elements for elastically deforming the flexible wall member, the piezoelectric vibrating element being in contact with the flexible wall member. The flexible wall member includes low elasticity portions and high elasticity portions for transmitting expanding and contracting motions of the piezoelectric vibrating elements to the pressure generating chambers, one end of each high elasticity portion being extended to a region of the ink supply path.