Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes a first surface and a second surface facing a particular direction, with a liquid outlet through the first surface. A circuit board is mounted on the second surface, and a liquid detection mechanism including a light access portion extends above the second surface further than the circuit board in the particular direction.

Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes a liquid chamber with a liquid outlet configured to supply the liquid from an interior of the chamber to an exterior of the chamber. An actuator is movable between a first position in which the liquid outlet is closed, and a second position in which the liquid outlet is open. A detector is positioned in the chamber, and is movable from a restricted position to a released position in response to movement of the actuator from the first to the second position. The detector is movable from the released position to the restricted position in response to movement of the actuator from the second to the first position.

Abstract: A liquid cartridge is configured to be inserted into a liquid consuming apparatus in a first direction along a horizontal direction against an urging force directed in a second direction opposite the first direction, and thereby to be mounted to the liquid consuming apparatus. The liquid cartridge is configured to pivot about a pivot center in the liquid consuming apparatus. The liquid cartridge includes a lower face, and the lower face includes a first portion and a second portion which are positioned further in the second direction than the pivot center. The second portion is positioned further in the second direction than the first portion and is positioned further in the upward direction than the first portion.

Abstract: A liquid cartridge is configured to be inserted into a liquid consuming apparatus in a first direction along a horizontal direction against an urging force directed in a second direction opposite the first direction, and thereby to be mounted to the liquid consuming apparatus. The liquid cartridge is configured to pivot about a pivot center in the liquid consuming apparatus. The liquid cartridge includes a rear face, and the rear face includes a first portion and a second portion positioned further in an upward direction than the first portion. The first portion includes a portion positioned further in a downward direction than the pivot center, and the first portion is positioned further in the first direction than the second portion.

Abstract: A liquid supplying device includes a liquid cartridge and a cartridge mounting unit having a liquid extraction tube. The liquid cartridge includes a liquid chamber, a valve chamber extending in a first direction away from the liquid chamber, first and second air channels, a seal member having a through-hole, a valve element having a closing part, first and second sealing parts and a liquid channel. A third sealing part is provided on the closing part or the liquid extraction tube. The liquid extraction tube entering into the valve chamber through the through-hole contacts the closing part, moving the valve element in a second direction opposite to the first direction from a first state where the closing part closes the through-hole, to a second state where the third sealing part closes the through-hole, and to a third state where the valve chamber is communicated with inside of the liquid extraction tube.

Abstract: A liquid supplying device includes a liquid cartridge and a cartridge mounting unit having a liquid extraction tube. The liquid cartridge includes a liquid chamber, a valve chamber extending in a first direction away from the liquid chamber, first and second air channels, a seal member having a through-hole, a valve element having a closing part, first and second sealing parts and a liquid channel. A third sealing part is provided on the closing part or the liquid extraction tube. The liquid extraction tube entering into the valve chamber through the through-hole contacts the closing part, moving the valve element in a second direction opposite to the first direction from a first state where the closing part closes the through-hole, to a second state where the third sealing part closes the through-hole, and to a third state where the valve chamber is communicated with inside of the liquid extraction tube.

Abstract: An ink cartridge includes a cartridge body defining an ink chamber, an ink supply portion provided at the cartridge body, an air flow path provided in the cartridge body, a cover, and a memory chip disposed on the cover. The cartridge body has an outer surface oriented in a first direction and an air communication port opened on the outer surface. The air flow path communicates with the ink chamber through a communication hole and with ambient air through the air communication port to permit communication between the ink chamber and ambient air. The cover covers the outer surface of the cartridge body and has an opening at a position aligned with the air communication port in the first direction. The memory chip closes the opening and stores information. External access to the memory chip permits information to be electrically retrieved therefrom.

Abstract: A liquid supplying device includes a liquid cartridge and a cartridge mounting unit having a liquid extraction tube. The liquid cartridge includes a liquid chamber, a valve chamber extending in a first direction away from the liquid chamber, first and second air channels, a seal member having a through-hole, a valve element having a closing part, first and second sealing parts and a liquid channel. A third sealing part is provided on the closing part or the liquid extraction tube. The liquid extraction tube entering into the valve chamber through the through-hole contacts the closing part, moving the valve element in a second direction opposite to the first direction from a first state where the closing part closes the through-hole, to a second state where the third sealing part closes the through-hole, and to a third state where the valve chamber is communicated with inside of the liquid extraction tube.

Abstract: An ink cartridge includes a cartridge body defining an ink chamber, an ink supply portion provided at the cartridge body, an air flow path provided in the cartridge body, a cover, and a memory chip disposed on the cover. The cartridge body has an outer surface oriented in a first direction and an air communication port opened on the outer surface. The air flow path communicates with the ink chamber through a communication hole and with ambient air through the air communication port to permit communication between the ink chamber and ambient air. The cover covers the outer surface of the cartridge body and has an opening at a position aligned with the air communication port in the first direction. The memory chip closes the opening, external access to the memory chip permitting information to be electrically retrieved therefrom.

Abstract: A liquid jetting apparatus includes: a head unit which includes a liquid jetting head which jets liquid and a liquid storage tank in which the liquid to be supplied to the liquid jetting head is stored; a guide member which extends in a first direction; a carriage which has a connection portion, carries the head unit, and is supported by the guide member to be movable in the first direction; and a movement mechanism which is connected to the connection portion of the carriage to move the carriage in the first direction, and the liquid jetting head and the liquid storage tank are arranged to sandwich the connection portion of the carriage therebetween.

Abstract: A liquid droplet jetting apparatus which jets liquid droplets of a liquid onto a recording medium includes: a jetting head having a channel unit in which a plurality of nozzles for jetting the liquid droplets and a plurality of pressure chambers communicating with the nozzles respectively are formed, and a pressure applying section which applies a pressure to the liquid inside the pressure chambers; and a controller having a pressure calculating section which calculates a pressure in the channel unit, and controlling the pressure applying section to execute: a duty limiting in which a jetting amount of the jetting head for a predetermined time period is limited to a first jetting amount when the pressure in the channel unit calculated by the pressure calculating section satisfied a predetermined condition; and a flushing in which the pressure applying section is driven irrespective of a jetting operation onto the recording medium.

Abstract: A liquid droplet jetting apparatus includes a jetting head unit which jets liquid droplet from nozzles, and which is displaced in a jetting direction in which the liquid droplets are jetted and in an opposite direction opposite to the jetting direction, a capping mechanism including a cap covering a nozzle opening surface in which the nozzles of the jetting head unit open, and performing a capping operation in which the cap is moved in the opposite direction from a stand-by position, which is away from the nozzle opening surface, to a capping position at which the cap covers the nozzle opening surface, a stopper which is arranged with a spacing distance from the jetting head unit, and which regulates a displacement of the jetting head unit in the opposite direction, and a first buffer which is arranged between the jetting head unit and the stopper.

Abstract: A liquid jetting apparatus includes: a head unit which includes a liquid jetting head which jets liquid and a liquid storage tank in which the liquid to be supplied to the liquid jetting head is stored; a guide member which extends in a first direction; a carriage which has a connection portion, carries the head unit, and is supported by the guide member to be movable in the first direction; and a movement mechanism which is connected to the connection portion of the carriage to move the carriage in the first direction, and the liquid jetting head and the liquid storage tank are arranged to sandwich the connection portion of the carriage therebetween.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming portion that forms an image on a surface of a sheet, a feeding device that feeds the sheet in a sheet feeding direction, a sheet receiving portion, and an engagement portion selectively moves between a first position and a second position. When the engagement portion is in the first position, the engagement portion engages the leading end of the sheet. When the engagement portion is in the second position, the engagement portion does not engage the sheet. When the engagement portion is in the first position, the engagement portion engages a leading end of the sheet before a trailing end of the sheet passes the feeding device. The sheet receiving portion receives the sheet after the engagement portion engages the leading end of the sheet.

Abstract: A liquid jetting apparatus includes: a head; an ink storage chamber communicating with the head; a gas distributing chamber in which a gas introducing hole is formed; a buffer chamber in which a communicating hole for communicating with the gas distributing chamber, and an atmosphere opening hole for opening to the atmosphere are formed; a combination valve which is capable of opening and closing the gas introducing hole and the communicating hole; a gas introducing mechanism which introduces the compressed air through the gas introducing hole to the head to jet the ink forcibly, and a positive-pressure control valve which opens the atmosphere opening hole when a pressure in the buffer chamber exceeds a predetermined value. It is possible to operate a positive-pressure purge while suppressing an excessive increase in the pressure inside the liquid storage chamber, without increasing a size and a cost of the apparatus.

Abstract: A print liquid cartridge comprises an ink chamber, a liquid supply portion, and a translucent portion. The ink chamber which accumulates ink therein is positioned between a front side in an insertion direction and a rear side in an opposite direction to the insertion direction. The liquid supply portion which supplies ink stored in the ink chamber to an exterior of the ink chamber is positioned at the front side. The translucent portion which is in fluid communication with an interior of the ink chamber is positioned at the front side. A light-transmitting state of the translucent portion changes in response to a change in the amount of the ink accumulated in the ink chamber. The ink supply portion projects farther forward from the rear side than the translucent portion.

Abstract: An ink storage chamber has a middle wall and a damper wall, which are in parallel to a flow direction of ink and which face each other vertically with a distance therebetween, and a surrounding wall surrounding a circumference of a space between the middle wall and the damper wall. On the middle wall, there is formed a pair of flow regulating ribs projecting toward the damper wall and extending substantially in parallel to the flow direction in a state of having a distance from the damper wall. A space sandwiched by the pair of flow regulating ribs is a main flow region, and spaces between the flow regulating ribs and the surrounding wall is sub-flow regions. A distance between the middle wall and the damper wall in the sub-flow regions is smaller than that in the main flow region. Accordingly, a wasted ink amount during purging can be reduced.

Abstract: A volume of an ink-deliver chamber is efficiently utilized to dampen pressure changes of ink within the chamber, and prevent air bubbles produced in the chamber from flowing into an ink-jet recording head. In addition, an ink-jet recording apparatus having a plurality of ink-deliver chambers in a small space, is provided. Two ink cases are stacked on each other, which include two ink-deliver chambers that accommodate different inks. Open sides of the four ink-deliver chambers are closed by flexible films. An ink-deliver chamber has an ink-flow inlet through which ink is introduced, and an ink-flow outlet through which ink flows to the ink-jet recording head, and the ink-flow inlet and outlet are provided at respective positions that are substantially most distant from each other such that almost all portions of an inner space of the ink-deliver chamber, where ink flows, are located between the ink-flow inlet and outlet.

Abstract: A sealing structure includes a first and a second passage-forming member, and an elastic member interposed between the surfaces and including: a plate-like body which has an inlet-side and an outlet-side surface and through which through-holes are perpendicularly formed, a first protruding portion protruding from one of the inlet-side and outlet-side surfaces in an axial direction of the through-holes to contact the first passage-forming member and a second protruding portion axially protruding from the other surfaces toward the second passage-forming member. The inner circumferential surface of one of the first protruding portion and those of the corresponding second protruding portion and through-hole are continuous to form a smooth surface.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a discharge head which discharges a liquid from a discharge port onto a recording medium to form an image, a sub tank which is movable together with the discharge head and which stores the liquid to be supplied to the discharge head, a liquid supplement section which supplements the sub tank with the liquid, a purge section which performs a purge operation in which the liquid in the sub tank is pressurized to be fed to the discharge head, and the liquid in the discharge head is forcibly discharged from the discharge ports, a judging mechanism which judges whether or not an amount of the liquid in the sub tank is not more than a predetermined amount V1, and a controller which controls the liquid supplement section and the purge section.