Abstract: An ink cartridge includes a cartridge case; an ink chamber situated within the cartridge case; an ink supply opening formed in the cartridge case for supplying ink from the ink chamber to an exterior of the cartridge; and a lever mechanism provided in the ink chamber, the lever mechanism including a light blocking member at a first end of the lever mechanism, the lever mechanism being rotatable about a rotation point on the lever mechanism, and the light blocking member being movable in association with rotation of the lever mechanism.

Abstract: An ink-cartridge ink injection system has: an ink cartridge to be injected with predetermined ink which is one of a plurality of kinds of inks, the ink cartridge including a display portion for displaying the kind of the predetermined ink to be injected, and a to-be-detected portion to be detected for identifying the predetermined ink to be injected, the to-be-detected portion being provided in a position corresponding to the predetermined ink displayed by the display portion, the position being one of a plurality of different positions corresponding to the plurality of kinds of inks; and an ink injector for injecting the predetermined ink into the ink cartridge, the ink injector including an ink identifying unit for detecting the to-be-detected portion to thereby identify the kind of ink to be injected into the ink cartridge before injecting ink into the ink cartridge.

Abstract: An ink cartridge which is to be mounted on an ink-jet printer and from which ink is supplied to at least one nozzle of an ink-jet printing head of the ink-jet printer, the ink cartridge including: an ink tank in which ink is stored; an ink outlet hole which is formed in a wall of the ink cartridge that defines the ink tank and through which the ink flows out of the ink tank; and an air inlet hole which is formed in the wall of the ink cartridge that defines the ink tank and through which air flows into the ink tank. The air inlet hole is formed within an area of the wall in which the air inlet hole contacts the ink stored in the ink tank.

Abstract: An ink-jet head includes a channel unit and a piezoelectric actuator. The channel unit has a plurality of plates made of metal and including a cavity plate which is made of metal and in which a plurality of pressure chambers are formed and a supply plate which is made of metal and in which holes communicating with the pressure chambers respectively are formed, and the plates are diffusion-bonded with each other. The piezoelectric actuator has a vibration plate which is diffusion-bonded with the cavity plate. A groove is formed in a partition wall defining the pressure chambers or in an area overlapping the partition wall of the vibration plate, the cavity plate, and the supply plate. There is provided a liquid jetting head in which air hardly remains in the pressure chambers, and deterioration of jetting performance by the air is suppressed.

Abstract: A recording apparatus comprising: a printing head which has a plurality of recording elements and performs recording on the recording medium; a head holder which holds the printing head; a flexible wiring board comprising a flexible insulating band and a plurality of conductive wires and a driver element for actuating the printing head, which are provided on the flexible insulating band; and a heatsink for releasing heat generated by the driver element, wherein the heatsink is disposed between the flexible wiring board and the head holder.

Abstract: An ink cartridge includes at least one wall; an ink chamber capable of storing ink, the ink chamber being bounded, at least in part, by the at least one wall; an ink supply opening configured to permit communication between the ink chamber and an area outside of the ink chamber; and a detection portion. The detection portion extends away from the ink chamber relative to portions of the ink cartridge adjacent to the detection portion, at least when the ink cartridge is installed in an image forming apparatus; and at least one part of the detection portion is capable of obstructing at least a portion of a light beam directed through the detection portion.

Abstract: An ink cartridge includes a cartridge case; an ink chamber situated within the cartridge case; an ink supply opening formed in the cartridge case for supplying ink from the ink chamber to an exterior of the cartridge; and a lever mechanism provided in the ink chamber, the lever mechanism including a light blocking member at a first end of the lever mechanism, the lever mechanism being rotatable about a rotation point on the lever mechanism, and the light blocking member being movable in association with rotation of the lever mechanism.

Abstract: Ink cartridges 10a to 10d have different patterns from each other in positional relationship between projections 12a to 12d and insertion parts 16a to 16d, respectively, and cartridge holders 20a to 20d have different patterns from each other in positional relationship between slits 22a to 22d and ink introducing tubes 21a to 21d, as seen from the direction on which the ink cartridges 10a to 10d are mounted on the cartridge holders 20a to 20d, respectively. At the same time, the respective patterns of the positional relationships in the ink cartridges and the cartridge holders coincide with each other per each of the four colors of black, cyan, yellow and magenta. Thus, any one of ink cartridges is prevented from inadvertently joined to any one of the cartridge holders to which the ink cartridge does not correspond to.

Abstract: A bottom of a buffer tank of an ink-jet recording apparatus is formed to have a substantially stepped structure. Ink contained in an ink cartridge is supplied to a lower step side of the stepped structure through an ink-introducing tube. The outside air is introduced into the ink cartridge through an outside air-introducing tube. The height of ink liquid surface is maintained slightly lower than in an upper step surface section of the buffer tank. The water evaporation from the ink liquid surface is suppressed by decreasing the ink liquid surface area while securing a large space on the upper side of the buffer tank. The lowering speed of the height is increased for a certain amount of the ink consumption, rapidly separating the ink liquid surface from the air-introducing tube to suppress erroneous judgment on the ink remaining amount due to fluctuation of the ink liquid surface.

Abstract: An ink-jet head includes a channel unit in which a plurality of pressure chambers are formed; and a piezoelectric actuator which includes a vibration plate, a piezoelectric layer formed on an upper surface of the vibration plate, and an electroconductive layer formed on an upper surface of the piezoelectric layer. On an upper surface of the piezoelectric actuator, there are formed outer grooves each extended along an area overlapping with the periphery of each of the pressure chambers, and inner grooves each extended along one of the outer grooves at a portion inside of one of the outer grooves. Further, recesses deeper than the thickness of the electroconductive layer is formed in the piezoelectric actuator at portions each located inside of the one of the inner grooves. Accordingly, it is possible to improve a drive efficiency of the piezoelectric actuator.

Abstract: An ink cartridge includes a cartridge case; an ink chamber situated within the cartridge case; an ink supply opening formed in the cartridge case for supplying ink from the ink chamber to an exterior of the cartridge; and a lever mechanism provided in the ink chamber, the lever mechanism including a light blocking member at a first end of the lever mechanism, the lever mechanism being rotatable about a rotation point on the lever mechanism, and the light blocking member being movable in association with rotation of the lever mechanism.

Abstract: There is disclosed a buffer tank for an ink jet printer, comprising: a main body having a top plate; an air intake through which outside air is taken into the tank; an air outlet passage comprising at least a part extending in the main body downward from the top plate, to flow the air in the tank out into an ink cartridge; and an ink inlet passage comprising at least a part extending in the main body downward from the top plate, to draw the ink in the cartridge into the tank. Each of the air outlet and ink inlet passages comprises a hollow needle disposed at the top plate and vertically extends, and at least one of the air outlet and ink inlet passages comprises a hollow tubular member extending downward from the top plate, whose inner space is in communication with an inner space of the corresponding needle.

Abstract: An ink-jet head includes a head main body including a channel unit in which a pressure chamber is formed, and a piezoelectric actuator having a piezoelectric deformation portion facing the pressure chamber, and an FPC which has a substrate and a plurality of wires, and which is arrange on an upper side of the piezoelectric actuator. A plurality of projections bent to form a projection toward the head main body is formed in the FPC. A front end of the projections is in contact with an area not facing the pressure chamber, on a surface of the piezoelectric actuator. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress hindering of a deformation of the piezoelectric deformation portion accompanied by a liquid discharge, due to a contact with a flexible flat cable.

Abstract: A head, for an ink-jet printer, includes a channel unit having a plurality of elongated pressure chambers arranged in a plurality of pressure-chamber rows; an actuator unit having individual surface electrodes corresponding to the pressure chambers respectively, and land portions each of which is conducted to one of the individual surface electrodes; and a flexible cable having connection terminals and signal lines. The land portions are electrically connected to the connection terminals. In each of the pressure-chamber rows, the land portions are arranged such that a certain land portion of the land portions is shifted, in the longitudinal direction of the pressure chamber, from another land portion adjacent to the certain land portion. Accordingly, it is possible to easily connect the flexible cable and the actuator unit easily even when the pressure chambers are arranged highly densely.

Abstract: A cavity unit of an ink-jet printer head includes elongated pressure chambers, a manifold, and communicating channels between pressure chambers and the manifold. Each of the communicating channels has a first straight portion and a second straight portion which are recesses extending in a longitudinal direction of the pressure chambers, and a bent portion which communicates the first straight portions and the second straight portions. In a plan view, each of the communicating channels overlaps entirely with a pressure chamber communicating with the communicating channel. Accordingly, there is provided an ink-jet printer head having a substantial throttle resistance and a long communicating channel, in which there is no effect of a cross-talk between the pressure chambers.

Abstract: The ink-jet printer head includes a cavity unit which has a plurality of pressure chambers arranged in a plurality of pressure-chamber rows; an actuator unit which has individual surface electrodes corresponding to the pressure chambers respectively, and land portions conducted to the individual surface electrodes respectively; and a flexible cable which has connection terminals and signal lines. The land portions and the connection terminals are electrically connected. In each of the pressure-chamber rows, the land portions are arranged such that a certain land portion is shifted from another land portion adjacent to the certain land portion in a longitudinal direction of the pressure chambers. Accordingly, even when the pressure chambers are arranged highly densely, it is possible to electrically connect the flexible cable and the actuator unit easily.

Abstract: An ink cartridge for reserving an ink in an inner space defined therein, including: (a) an ink supplying portion provided to face a lower portion of the inner space so as to allow supply of the ink from the inner space therethrough; (b) an air introducing portion provided to face the lower portion of the inner space so as to allow introduction of an air into the inner space therethrough; (c) at least one electrode receiver for receiving first and second electrodes, such that the first and second electrodes face the inner space; and (d) a bubble-path-formation restrainer restraining an electrical path allowing a continuity between the first and second electrodes, from being formed of a bubble which is generated as a result of the introduction of the air into the inner space. Also disclosed is an inkjet recording apparatus including the above-described ink cartridge and a detector which detects an electrical characteristic between the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: Ink cartridges have different patterns from each other in positional relationship between projections and insertion parts, respectively, and cartridge holders have different patterns from each other in positional relationship between slits and ink introducing tubes, as seen from the direction on which the ink cartridges are mounted on the cartridge holders, respectively. At the same time, the respective patterns of the positional relationships in the ink cartridges and the cartridge holders coincide with each other per each of the four colors of black, cyan, yellow and magenta. Thus, any one of ink cartridges is prevented from inadvertently joined to any one of the cartridge holders to which the ink cartridge does not correspond to.

Abstract: An ink jet head is provided with a passage unit, an actuator unit, and a conductive adhesion layer. The passage unit comprises a nozzle and a pressure chamber communicating with the nozzle. The actuator unit comprises a piezoelectric layer, a first electrode connected with a front surface of the piezoelectric layer, a second electrode connected with a back surface of the piezoelectric layer, and a first insulating layer located between the second electrode and the passage unit. The conductive adhesion layer adheres to both a front surface of the passage unit and a back surface of the actuator unit. The conductive adhesion layer is electrically connected with the second electrode.

Abstract: An ink jet head is provided with a passage unit and an actuator unit. The passage unit comprises a nozzle and a pressure chamber communicating with the nozzle. The actuator unit comprises a piezoelectric layer, a first electrode connected with a front surface of the piezoelectric layer, a second electrode connected with a back surface of the piezoelectric layer, a first insulating layer located between the second electrode and the passage unit, and a first conductive member. The first insulating layer comprises a first through hole. At least a part of the first conductive member is located in the first through hole. The passage unit comprises a concave portion located at a position facing the first through hole, and a protruding portion which protrudes from an inner surface of the concave portion. One end of the first conductive member is electrically connected with the second electrode. The other end of the first conductive member makes contact with the protruding portion.