Abstract: An image reading device includes a tray unit, a recording unit disposed above the tray unit, an outer guide defining a curved path extending from the tray unit to the recording unit, a sheet feeder configured to feed a sheet from the tray unit to the curved path, and a return guide disposed between the recording unit and the tray unit. The return guide pivots about a shaft and guides the sheet having an image recorded thereon back to the curved path. The tray unit includes at least one supporting portion. The return guide includes at least one supported portion. The at least one supporting portion of the tray unit engages the at least one supported portion of the return guide such that the return guide takes a guiding position in which the return guide defines a return path extending to the curved path.

Abstract: An image printing apparatus includes a printing unit and a supporting member opposing the printing unit and having a supporting surface for supporting the printing medium. The image printing apparatus further includes a first pair of rollers disposed upstream of the printing unit, a second pair of rollers and a third pair of rollers which are disposed downstream of the printing unit. The image printing apparatus further includes a guide member disposed between the second pair of rollers and the third pair of rollers. The guide member includes a guide portion which guides the printing medium transported by the second pair of rollers. The guide member is configured to pivot between a slanting position and a laying position.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus including: a first convey path; a support member which supports a first recording medium, a second recording medium, and a tray; a second convey path connected to the first convey path; a first guide member partly defining the second convey path; and a posture change mechanism which changes the support member and the first guide member between (a) a first posture in which the first convey path has a height allowing the first recording medium to pass therethrough, and the second convey path has a height allowing the first recording medium to pass therethrough and (b) a second posture in which the first convey path has a height larger than the first height and allowing the second recording medium or the tray to pass therethrough, and the second convey path has a height smaller than the second height.

Abstract: An image recording device is provided, having a recording unit configured to record an image on a sheet, and a tray disposed below the recording unit. The tray includes a sheet holding surface configured to hold the sheet. Additionally, the image recording device includes a sheet feeder disposed between the recording unit and the tray. The sheet feeder includes a roller for feeding the sheet from the tray. The roller is configured to move between a first roller position in which the roller contacts the sheet holding surface of the tray and a second roller position in which the roller is separated from the sheet holding surface. A return guide, disposed between the recording unit and the sheet feeder, defines a second conveying path to guide the sheet having an image recorded on one side thereof back to the feed guide. The return guide has a first opening configured to accommodate the roller of the sheet feeder when the roller is in the second roller position.

Abstract: An opening and closing assembly includes a first casing, a second casing pivotally coupled to the first casing, and a support stand configured to support the second casing. The support stand includes a proximal end portion pivotally connected to one of the first and second casings, and a distal end portion slidably connected to the other thereof. The other of the first and second casings includes a guide portion for guiding the distal end portion, and first and second wall portions. The distal end portion includes a gripped portion gripped between the first and second wall portions, the gripped portion has a cross section having a width which increases, from one end of the cross section, to a maximum width and decreases from the maximum width until the other end of the cross section. The maximum width causes the first and second wall portions to be spaced apart.

Abstract: An image recording device, including: a first sheet conveying path; a recording portion to record an image on a sheet; a first roller pair to convey the sheet in a first direction; a second sheet conveying path; a path changing portion; a second roller pair to convey the sheet in a second direction; a third roller pair to convey, to the first path, the sheet that has been conveyed to the second conveying path; and a control portion to control a sheet conveyance rate by the second roller pair to be higher than that by the third roller pair, whereby a part of the sheet between the second and third roller pairs is slacked for separating, from the second roller pair, a trailing end of the sheet before a leading end thereof reaches a position where the leading end is opposed to the recording portion in the first conveying path.

Abstract: An ink cartridge mounting device is presented including (1) a housing that forms a mounting space for mounting an ink cartridge, (2) a hollow ink drawing member that protrudes from an inner surface of the housing toward the mounting space, the ink drawing member being inserted into the ink cartridge to draw out an ink stored in the ink cartridge when the ink cartridge is mounted in the mounting space, and (3) an ink flow path forming portion that forms an ink flow path from the interior of the mounting space to the outside of the mounting space, along which ink from the ink drawing member flows when the ink cartridge is removed from the mounting space.

Abstract: An opening and closing assembly includes: (a) a first casing body; (b) a second casing body pivotable to be selectively placed in open and closed positions relative to the first casing body; and (c) a support stand for supporting the second casing body to maintain the open position. The support stand includes (c-1) a proximal end portion pivotably connected to one of the first and second casing bodies and (c-2) a distal end portion slidably connected to the other of the first and second casing bodies. The other of the first and second casing bodies includes (i) a guide portion for guiding the distal end portion of the support stand, and (ii) first and second wall portions cooperating with each other for gripping the distal end portion of the support stand. The distal end portion of the support stand includes a gripped portion having a thickness that is increased in a direction away from the distal end portion of the support stand toward the proximal end portion of the support stand.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a particular tray, a sheet feeder configured to feed a sheet from the particular tray to a first conveying path in a feed direction, a recording unit positioned along the first conveying path, and a driving roller positioned along a second conveying path and configured to convey the sheet, after the sheet passes the recording unit, along the second conveying path and back to the first conveying path. The particular tray includes a side guide configured to position the sheets in a widthwise direction perpendicular to the feeding direction. The side guide includes a guide member that defines at least a portion of the second conveying path and is configured to guide the sheet along the second conveying path, and a driven roller rotatably supported on the guide member and configured to pinch the sheet against the driving roller as the sheet is conveyed along the second conveying path.

Abstract: An opening and closing assembly includes a first casing, a second casing pivotally coupled to the first casing, and a support stand configured to support the second casing. The support stand includes a proximal end portion pivotally connected to one of the first and second casings, and a distal end portion slidably connected to the other thereof. The other of the first and second casings includes a guide portion for guiding the distal end portion, and first and second wall portions. The distal end portion includes a gripped portion gripped between the first and second wall portions, the gripped portion has a cross section having a width which increases, from one end of the cross section, to a maximum width and decreases from the maximum width until the other end of the cross section. The maximum width causes the first and second wall portions to be spaced apart.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a reading mechanism having an original placement portion on which an original document is placed for reading an image; a recording mechanism having a medium supply tray on which a recording medium is set, the recording mechanism being disposed in such a manner that a longitudinal direction of the medium supply tray is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the original placement portion; an angular casing that houses the reading mechanism and the recording mechanism while stacking the reading mechanism and the recording mechanism vertically; and a cartridge holder that houses an ink cartridge and is disposed in a space located at a corner position of the casing below the reading mechanism and surrounded by a circumferential wall of the casing and a side wall of the medium supply tray.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a reading mechanism having an original placement portion on which an original document is placed for reading an image; a recording mechanism having a medium supply tray on which a recording medium is set, the recording mechanism being disposed in such a manner that a longitudinal direction of the medium supply tray is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the original placement portion; an angular casing that houses the reading mechanism and the recording mechanism while stacking the reading mechanism and the recording mechanism vertically; and a cartridge holder that houses an ink cartridge and is disposed in a space located at a corner position of the casing below the reading mechanism and surrounded by a circumferential wall of the casing and a side wall of the medium supply tray.

Abstract: An ink cartridge includes a case defining an ink chamber therein, in which the ink chamber is configured to store ink therein, and the case comprises a particular wall having an opening formed therethough. The ink cartridge also includes an ink supply portion configured to dispense ink from an interior of the ink chamber to an exterior of the ink chamber, and a sealing portion positioned at the particular wall. A predetermined portion of the sealing portion is configured to selectively cover a first portion of the opening. Moreover, the ink cartridge includes a protrusion positioned at the particular wall, in which the protrusion is configured to selectively cover a second portion of the opening, and a predetermined portion of the protrusion is configured to be selectively connected to the predetermined portion of the sealing portion.

Abstract: An ink supply structure for supplying ink flowing out from an ink cartridge including an ink supply port via an ink transporting tube to a recording portion, including: an ink cartridge base having; a cartridge connecting portion which makes the ink flowing out from the ink cartridge, when the cartridge connecting portion connects to the ink supply port upon loading of the ink cartridge on the ink cartridge base; an ink flow path which connects to the cartridge connecting portion; and a tube connecting portion connected to the ink transporting tube, wherein the ink cartridge base is configured by a base main body and a supplemental member fitted in the base main body, and wherein the ink flow path is formed on joint faces between the base main body and the supplemental member.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus comprises a recording head ejecting ink droplets to perform recording, an ink cartridge, and a mounting portion on which the ink cartridge is detachably mountable. The cartridge has an ink chamber for storing ink, an ink supply port for supplying the ink to the head, and an air introducing port for introducing an atmospheric air into the ink chamber. The mounting portion has an ink supply portion for supplying the ink from the cartridge to the head, and an air introduction portion for supplying the air into the ink chamber. The air introduction portion comprises an air supply port positionally corresponding to the air introducing port of the cartridge as mounted on the mounting portion, an air intake port for taking in the air, and an air supply passage extending between the air supply port and the air intake port and comprising a turn.

Abstract: An ink cartridge has a cartridge body to which an ink supply pipe extending from an inkjet printer is detachably attached, and which has an ink storing space for storing an ink to be supplied to the inkjet printer via the ink supply pipe, and a valve mechanism that opens and closes both an ink path which, when the ink supply pipe is attached to the cartridge body, communicates with the ink supply pipe, and an atmospheric air path through which atmospheric air is introduced into the ink storing space, the valve mechanism including a valve member having a first opening-closing portion which is relatively movable with respect to the cartridge body, and which opens and closes the ink path and a second opening-closing portion which is relatively movable with respect to the cartridge body, and which opens and closes the atmospheric air path.

Abstract: An opening and closing assembly includes: (a) a first casing body; (b) a second casing body pivotable to be selectively placed in open and closed positions relative to the first casing body; and (c) a support stand for supporting the second casing body to maintain the open position. The support stand includes (c-1) a proximal end portion pivotably connected to one of the first and second casing bodies and (c-2) a distal end portion slidably connected to the other of the first and second casing bodies. The other of the first and second casing bodies includes (i) a guide portion for guiding the distal end portion of the support stand, and (ii) first and second wall portions cooperating with each other for gripping the distal end portion of the support stand. The distal end portion of the support stand includes a gripped portion having a thickness that is increased in a direction away from the distal end portion of the support stand toward the proximal end portion of the support stand.

Abstract: An ink cartridge is used mounted in a recording device with a hollow needle, a lever, a protruding wall, and an optical sensor. The lever and the optical sensor are located on either side of the hollow needle, but closer to the opening through which the ink cartridge is mounted. The ink cartridge is formed with two grooves open to the front and lower surfaces of the ink cartridge at positions that correspond to the protruding wall and the optical sensor. A light blocking member is disposed in the groove that corresponds to the optical sensor. When the ink cartridge is mounted into the recording device, one groove accommodates and is guided by the protruding wall. The other groove accommodates the sensor so that the light blocking member protrudes into the optical sensor. Also, the front surface of the ink cartridge abuts the lever, which uncovers the hollow needle so that ink supply hole in the front surface of the ink cartridge is inserted with the hollow needle.

Abstract: An image printing device including (1) a first tray that holds a print medium on which an image is to be printed, (2) a first opening disposed at a front of the image printing device, in which the first tray is disposed, (3) a second opening disposed at the front of the image printing device, through which an ink cartridge is inserted and from which the ink cartridge is removed, and (4) a card slot disposed at the front of the image printing device, the card slot electrically connecting a memory card that stores image data to the image printing device. Wherein an insertion direction of the first tray into the first opening, an insertion direction of the ink cartridge into the second opening, and an insertion direction of the memory card into the card slot are made to be a first single direction.

Abstract: An ink cartridge mounting device is presented including (1) a housing that forms a mounting space for mounting an ink cartridge, (2) a hollow ink drawing member that protrudes from an inner surface of the housing toward the mounting space, the ink drawing member being inserted into the ink cartridge to draw out an ink stored in the ink cartridge when the ink cartridge is mounted in the mounting space, and (3) an ink flow path forming portion that forms an ink flow path from the interior of the mounting space to the outside of the mounting space, along which ink from the ink drawing member flows when the ink cartridge is removed from the mounting space.