Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus wherein sub-ink-tanks 26ST1 to 26ST6, and a connection end 24SW of a sub-ink-tank accommodation unit 24 are connected through a fixation portion 26Tb and a connection pin 24P, and wherein the sub-ink-tanks 26ST1 to 26ST6 are fixed to a tank accommodation portion 24A byway of small screws 32A and 32B being respectively screwed, through through-holes 26Tc and 26Td of the sub-ink-tanks 26ST1 to 26ST6, into threaded apertures 24c and 24d.

Abstract: An ink reservoir mechanism includes a ink reservioring portion for directly reservoiring ink to be supplied to an ink jet recording head, the ink reservoiring portion having a reservoiring volume which reduces with consumption of the ink and being provided with an air-liquid separation device; a negative pressure source, having a variable inner volume, for normally applying a negative pressure to the ink reservoiring portion through the air-liquid separation device; and a connection path for connecting the negative pressure source and the ink reservoiring portion through the air-liquid separation device.

Abstract: An ink cartridge includes an ink storage bag, a spout for ink supply and an agitation member individually attached to the ink storage bag, and a cartridge case containing the ink storage bag. The agitation member includes an agitation portion arranged in the ink storage bag and configured to agitate ink, and an operation portion connected to the agitation portion, positioned outside the ink storage bag, and configured to operate the agitation portion. The spout and the operation portion of the agitation member are arranged to one side of the cartridge case, the spout is fixed to the cartridge case, the ink storage bag is extended toward the other side of the cartridge case opposite to the one side thereof, and the ink storage bag has a free end without being fixed to the cartridge case.

Abstract: An ink cartridge adopts a construction in which an air seal and an ink seal are arranged on the cartridge side and in which sealing between the ink cartridge and the recording apparatus is performed with a radial seal.

Abstract: An ink container detachably mountable to an ink jet recording apparatus includes an ink accommodating portion accommodating ink; a casing accommodating the ink accommodating portion; an ink supplying portion for supplying the ink from the ink reservoir portion; a displaceable member which is provided in the casing and which is displaceable between an insertable position where the ink container is insertable into and extractable from the ink jet recording apparatus and a non-insertable position where the ink container is not insertable into and is not extractable from the ink jet recording apparatus, wherein the displaceable member is non-self-restorable with respect to the displacement.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid housing container that enables an increase in the channel cross section of a connection portion of a liquid channel that allows a liquid housing chamber to communicate with an exterior, allowing pressure loss to be minimized. A supply needle 107 is pushed into a liquid housing container to move, to an open position, a valve 102A. With the valve 102A remaining in the open position, the supply needle 107 is pushed back and held separate from the valve 102A. Subsequently, the supply needle 107 is pushed into the liquid container again to move the valve 102A to a closed position. Even when the supply needle 107 is removed from the liquid housing container, the valve 102A is held in the closed position.

Abstract: An ink container detachably mountable to an ink jet recording apparatus includes an ink accommodating portion accommodating ink; a casing accommodating the ink accommodating portion; an ink supplying portion for supplying the ink from the ink reservoir portion; a displaceable member which is provided in the casing and which is displaceable between an insertable position where the ink container is insertable into and extractable from the ink jet recording apparatus and a non-insertable position where the ink container is not insertable into and is not extractable from the ink jet recording apparatus, wherein the displaceable member is non-self-restorable with respect to the displacement.

Abstract: In an intermittent ink supplying system, an ink supply base 3 forming a supply-path forming member is made capable of moving along with the movement for joining a sub-joint (4) with a sub-tank. In addition, an ink-supply-port forming member 8 of a main tank (2) connected to a main joint (8) is also made capable of moving in order to allow the ink supply base (3) to move. This prevents unpreferable stresses from acting on various parts of the supply-path forming member and the main tank, and the preferable joining condition can be obtained even when an inflexible ink-supply-path forming member with a relatively high stiffness is adopted. In addition, this increases a degree of freedom of material selection for the supply-path forming member, and improves the liquid resistance property, durability and gas barrier property.

Abstract: An ink reservoir mechanism includes a ink reservioring portion for directly reservoiring link to be supplied to an ink jet recording head, the ink reservoiring portion having a reservoiring volum which reduces with consumption of the ink and being provided with an air-liquid separation device; a negative pressure source, having a variable inner volume, for normally applying a negative pressure to the ink reservoiring portion through the air-liquid separation device; and a connection path for connecting the negative pressure source and the ink reservoiring portion through the air-liquid separation device.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head comprises: a discharge element substrate including a discharge port for discharging liquid and a discharge energy generating element; an electrical wiring substrate for inputting an electrical signal to the discharge energy generating element; a supporting mechanism for supporting the discharge element substrate and the electrical wiring substrate; an electrical connection portion for electrically connecting the discharge element substrate with the electrical wiring substrate; a sealant coated on the electrical connection portion; and a film-like member coating the electrical connection portion along the shape of the electrical connection portion through the sealant. Thus, the liquid discharge head resultingly includes the electrical connection portion on which the height of the sealant is suppressed and lowered sufficiently so as to prevent a problem that the electrical connection portion is damaged and/or exposed due to its height.

Abstract: A liquid container includes a liquid containing portion for containing ink; a liquid introduction portion for introducing the ink into the liquid containing portion; a liquid discharge portion for discharging the ink to an outside from an inside of the liquid containing portion; a gas-liquid separation film; a gas-liquid blocking portion disposed adjacent to the gas-liquid separation film; wherein the gas-liquid separation film and the gas-liquid blocking portion are constructed such that when the ink is introduced into the liquid containing portion by discharging gas in the liquid containing portion through the gas-liquid separation film, a contact line where a gas-liquid interface between the ink and the gas contacts the gas-liquid separation film moves toward a boundary between the gas-liquid separation film and the gas-liquid blocking portion.

Abstract: Liquid ejection chips 101, each having a ejection port 103, a supply port 104 communicating with the ejection port 103 by way of a flow channel 108 and a heater arranged in the flow channel 108, are bonded to a single chip plate 102 to form a two-dimensional array. As a result, a liquid ejection unit having a plurality of ejection ports 103 and a plurality of supply ports 104 is formed. As the heaters are driven while probe solutions are supplied to the respective supply ports 104, the probe solutions are ejected from the ejection ports 103 to the outside under the pressure of bubbles. The probe solutions of mutually different types are ejected respectively from the ejection ports 103 and made to adhere to a solid-phase substrate. Thus, a desired probe array can be manufactured.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid housing container that enables an increase in the channel cross section of a connection portion of a liquid channel that allows a liquid housing chamber to communicate with an exterior, allowing pressure loss to be minimized. A supply needle 107 is pushed into a liquid housing container to move, to an open position, a valve 102A. With the valve 102A remaining in the open position, the supply needle 107 is pushed back and held separate from the valve 102A. Subsequently, the supply needle 107 is pushed into the liquid container again to move the valve 102A to a closed position. Even when the supply needle 107 is removed from the liquid housing container, the valve 102A is held in the closed position.

Abstract: In a recording apparatus in which ink is supplied to a head from a main tank via a sub-tank, when ink is supplied to the sub tank from the main tank, the ink is first supplied to a flow path connected to the sub-tank, and then ink is supplied into an ink absorber accommodated within the sub-tank via a filter being in contact with the absorber. The flow path is located between the ink absorber and the head. The ink is supplied into the sub-tank from the main tank in the reverse direction of the flow path for supplying ink to the recording head from the absorber during ink ejection. As a result, after ink is supplied to the sub-tank from the main tank, ink portions contained in the ink absorber and the filter are united into one continuous portion, so that a recording apparatus preventing the failure of ink supply due to ink discontinuity can be provided.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head comprises: a discharge element substrate including a discharge port for discharging liquid and a discharge energy generating element; an electrical wiring substrate for inputting an electrical signal to the discharge energy generating element; a supporting mechanism for supporting the discharge element substrate and the electrical wiring substrate; an electrical connection portion for electrically connecting the discharge element substrate with the electrical wiring substrate; a sealant coated on the electrical connection portion; and a film-like member coating the electrical connection portion along the shape of the electrical connection portion through the sealant. Thus, the liquid discharge head resultingly includes the electrical connection portion on which the height of the sealant is suppressed and lowered sufficiently so as to prevent a problem that the electrical connection portion is damaged and/or exposed due to its height.

Abstract: A liquid container includes a liquid containing portion for containing ink; a liquid introduction portion for introducing the ink into the liquid containing portion; a liquid discharge portion for discharging the ink to an outside from an inside of the liquid containing portion; a gas-liquid separation film; a gas-liquid blocking portion disposed adjacent to the gas-liquid separation film; wherein the gas-liquid separation film and the gas-liquid blocking portion are constructed such that when the ink is introduced into the liquid containing portion by discharging gas in the liquid containing portion through the gas-liquid separation film, a contact line where a gas-liquid interface between the ink and the gas contacts the gas-liquid separation film moves toward a boundary between the gas-liquid separation film and the gas-liquid blocking portion.

Abstract: In a recording apparatus in which ink is supplied to a head from a main tank via a sub-tank, when ink is supplied to the sub tank from the main tank, the ink is first supplied to a flow path connected to the sub-tank, and then ink is supplied into an ink absorber accommodated within the sub-tank via a filter being in contact with the absorber. The flow path is located between the ink absorber and the head. The ink is supplied into the sub-tank from the main tank in the reverse direction of the flow path for supplying ink to the recording head from the absorber during ink ejection. As a result, after ink is supplied to the sub-tank from the main tank, ink portions contained in the ink absorber and the filter are united into one continuous portion, so that a recording apparatus preventing the failure of ink supply due to ink discontinuity can be provided.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head cartridge includes a recording element unit having a plate member with liquid supply paths for supplying liquid to a recording element base plate for recording by discharging the liquid; a liquid supply unit portion having a communication passage for conducting liquid from a liquid supply source; and an elastic sealing member that forms a seal between one end portion of the liquid supply paths of the plate member and an end portion of the communication passage facing the one end portion of the liquid supply paths. The elastic sealing member is provided with liquid flow paths communicating with the liquid supply paths and the communication passage. The liquid supply unit portion and the recording element unit are adhesively bonded with each other at locations other than those having the elastic sealing member arranged thereon.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head has a plurality of discharge energy generating devices for discharging recording liquid; a recording element base plate arranged on the face opposite the surface where the devices are arranged, having a plurality of recording liquid supply ports for supplying recording liquid to the devices; and a supporting member that holds and fixes the recording element base plate. For the supporting member, a plurality of recording liquid supply paths are arranged to supply recording liquid to the supply ports of the recording element base plate, respectively, and the width of the supply paths is formed to be smaller than the opening width of the inlet portions of the supply ports. Further, stepped portions created between the respective supply paths and supply ports are buried by a bonding agent forced out from the bonding face of the recording element base plate and the supporting member.