Abstract: A cartridge comprises an ink supply structure, a terminal bearing structure, and a first restriction portion. The terminal bearing structure has terminals arranged in a terminal plane which is neither parallel nor perpendicular to a plane defined by a mounting direction leading edge of the ink supply structure, so that the contact portions of the terminals receive a force in a direction opposite from the mounting direction. An engagement portion of the first restriction portion is provided at a position adjacent to the terminal bearing structure.

Abstract: A cartridge comprises an ink supply structure, a terminal bearing structure, and a first restriction portion. The terminal bearing structure has terminals arranged in a terminal plane which is neither parallel nor perpendicular to a plane defined by a mounting direction leading edge of the ink supply structure, so that the contact portions of the terminals receive a force in a direction opposite from the mounting direction. An engagement portion of the first restriction portion is provided at a position adjacent to the terminal bearing structure.

Abstract: Provided is a holder to which a liquid accommodation container can be attached or detached. The holder includes an apparatus side engagement portion, and an opposite wall surface portion. The opposite wall surface portion has a hole portion for inserting a protrusion portion provided in the back surface portion, and a guide groove for guiding the protrusion portion to the hole portion while restricting the movement of the protrusion portion relative to the width direction of the liquid accommodation container when the liquid accommodation container is mounted, the guide groove being extended upward from the hole portion in a usage posture of the holder.

Abstract: A printing apparatus has a cartridge attachment section including a terminal block having apparatus-side terminals disposed on its inclined surface, and a printing material supply pipe. Among the apparatus-side terminals, one apparatus-side ground terminal located on their center in Y direction is protruded to a greater height than the other plural apparatus-side terminals. A printing material cartridge has a circuit board, a printing material supply port, and a board mount portion that is inclined at an acute angle relative to a plane extended from an opening face of the printing material supply port. The circuit board is arranged such that one cartridge-side terminal on the circuit board comes into contact with the apparatus-side ground terminal prior to the other cartridge-side terminals in the process of attachment of the printing material cartridge to the cartridge attachment section.

Abstract: A liquid container which contains liquid to be supplied to a liquid ejecting apparatus, includes: a containing section which contains liquid and includes a liquid delivery section, an air introduction section, and a deformation section, wherein the deformation section includes a rigid body section and a flexible section, the liquid container further includes a stop section which at least blocks the displacement equal to or greater than a predetermined amount with respect to a portion of the rigid body section, and in displacement of the rigid body section accompanying a reduction in the pressure, in the displacement of the rigid body section accompanying a reduction in the pressure, the air introduction section introduces the air into the containing section by transmission of displacement of the other portion of the rigid body section, the displacement of the portion of which has been blocked.

Abstract: An electronic instrument is adapted to communicate with another electronic instrument. The electronic instrument includes an acquisition section, a storage section, an inquiry section and a processing section. The acquisition section is configured to acquire identification information from a managed article used by the electronic instrument, the identification information being read-only information uniquely assigned to the managed article. The storage section is configured to store the identification information acquired by the acquisition section. The inquiry section is configured to inquire another electronic instrument as to whether the identification information acquired by the acquisition section is already stored in another electronic instrument. The processing section is configured to perform processing in response to a result of inquiry by the inquiry section.

Abstract: A liquid container including a liquid chamber formed to have a flexible member as its one part enables highly accurate detection of the remaining volume of a liquid contained in the liquid chamber. An ink cartridge 100 as one embodiment of the liquid container has an ink chamber 101 configured to contain ink, formed to have a film 120 as its one part and subjected to reduction of inner capacity caused by deformation of the film 120 associated with a decrease in internal pressure of the ink chamber 101. The ink cartridge 100 also has an ink supply hole 130 configured to feed the ink out of the liquid chamber, a conical spring 155 configured to maintain negative pressure in the ink chamber 101, and a prism 150 involved in detection of the remaining volume of the ink in the ink chamber 101. The prism 150 is located in an unaffected area inside the ink cartridge 100, which is not subjected to a capacity change caused by deformation of the film 120.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid container containing a liquid which is to be supplied to a liquid ejecting apparatus, including: a containing portion containing the liquid and including a liquid out-flowing hole for out-flowing the liquid to an external portion and an air introducing hole for introducing external air into the containing portion, and a deforming portion being deformed in such a direction that a volume of the containing portion is reduced according to a decrease in an internal pressure of the containing portion; wherein the air introducing portion includes: a first sealing portion disposed in a circumference of the air introducing hole inside the containing portion; a second sealing portion displaceably disposed inside the containing portion and capable of closing the air introducing hole by pressing the first sealing portion outwards; and a biasing portion pressing the second sealing portion toward the first sealing portion.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus which includes a cylindrical image carrier, on which at least an electrostatic latent image is formed, and a charge roller for non-contact charging the image carrier with a predetermined charge gap, and applies at least an alternating current (AC) voltage to the charge roller to non-contact charge the image carrier, wherein a predetermined number of partition members for partitioning an internal space of the image carrier into a plurality of sub-spaces are arranged at a central position of an axial direction of the image carrier or in the vicinity of the central position of the axial direction of the image carrier, in the image carrier.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus which includes a cylindrical image carrier, on which at least an electrostatic latent image is formed, and a charge roller for non-contact charging the image carrier with a predetermined charge gap, and applies at least an alternating current (AC) voltage to the charge roller to non-contact charge the image carrier, wherein a predetermined number of partition members for partitioning an internal space of the image carrier into a plurality of sub-spaces are arranged at a central position of an axial direction of the image carrier or in the vicinity of the central position of the axial direction of the image carrier, in the image carrier.

Abstract: A membrane valve having a membrane portion is used. The membrane valve can be formed using an elastomer. Also, the membrane valve can include N (N is an integer of 2 or greater) engaging portions that engage with the membrane support portion. Also, the membrane portion can also be affixed at a position closer to the first seal surface than the second seal surface in the seal portion. Here, the contact area of the first seal surface and the first member can be larger than the contact surface of the second seal surface and the second member. Also, in a first case where the end of the projecting portion is faced to a first plane and the membrane valve placed on the first plane, the end of the first support portion contacts the first plane and supports the membrane valve, and the end of the projecting portion can contact the first plane in a state with the membrane portion not deformed.

Abstract: Provided is a differential pressure regulating valve having a first chamber, a second chamber, a communication flow path, and a movable membrane. The first chamber has a first inflow port for receiving the fluid flowed into the differential pressure regulating valve, and a first outflow port. The second chamber has a second inflow port and a second outflow port for transmitting the fluid. The communication flow path links the first outflow port and the second inflow port. The movable membrane is provided between the first chamber and the second chamber. Also, the movable membrane is able to open and close the first outflow port by deforming according to the difference (differential pressure) between the first pressure of the first chamber and the second pressure of the second chamber.

Abstract: A charging roller, adapted to face an image carrier at a predetermined charging gap and charge the image carrier in a non-contact state, including: a conductive shaft, provided with a pair of annular concave portions formed on an outer circumferential surface at both ends thereof; a conductive layer, formed on the outer circumference surface at a center portion of the conductive shaft defined between the pair of concave portions; and an insulating layer, formed on the outer circumferential surface at outer portions of the conductive shaft from the pair of annular concave portions.

Abstract: A charging roller is provided. The charging roller is configured to face an image carrier at a predetermined charging gap and charge the image carrier in a non-contact state. A conductive shaft is provided with a pair of annular concave portions formed on an outer circumferential surface at both ends thereof. A conductive layer is formed on the outer circumference surface at a center portion of the conductive shaft defined between the pair of concave portions. An insulating layer is formed on the outer circumferential surface at outer portions of the conductive shaft from the pair of annular concave portions. A depth of the concave portions is larger than a thickness of the conductive layer.

Abstract: A liquid container is for supplying a liquid to a liquid jetting apparatus. The liquid container includes a liquid reservoir section, a sensor and an electrostatic capacitance. The liquid reservoir section stores electrically conductive liquid. The sensor is disposed at a location in the liquid reservoir section, for electrically detecting a condition of the conductive liquid at the location. The electrostatic capacitance is provided between a fixed potential and the conductive liquid, the electrostatic capacitance reducing extrinsic noise.

Abstract: A liquid container for supplying a liquid to a liquid jetting apparatus includes a liquid reservoir section and a sensor. The liquid reservoir section stores electrically conductive liquid. The sensor is disposed at a location in the liquid reservoir section, for electrically detecting a condition of the conductive liquid at the location. A fixed potential is applied to the conductive liquid.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image carrier with rotary shafts extending from both ends that are rotatably supported on an apparatus body by bearings. Gap members fixed to both end portions of a charging roller are brought in contact with the peripheral surface of the image carrier with some pressure to form a charge gap between the image carrier and the charging roller so that the charging roller charges the image carrier in a non-contact state with the charge gap. The gap members have a small-diameter portion on the inside thereof and a large-diameter portion on the outside thereof such that the small-diameter portions face each other.

Abstract: A charge roller includes a core, a resistive layer disposed on a circumferential surface of the core to charge an image-bearing member without contact, and gap members formed of tape-shaped films. These films are fixed to both ends of the charge roller by winding each of the films in a direction opposite a rotational direction of the charge roller in use and perpendicular to the axial direction thereof to form n layers (wherein n?2) extending in the axial direction at every position in the circumferential direction of the charge roller. The gap members are pressed against a circumferential surface of an image-bearing member to define a charge gap between the image-bearing member and the charge roller.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus which includes a cylindrical image carrier, on which at least an electrostatic latent image is formed, and a charge roller for non-contact charging the image carrier with a predetermined charge gap, and applies at least an alternating current (AC) voltage to the charge roller to non-contact charge the image carrier, wherein a predetermined number of partition members for partitioning an internal space of the image carrier into a plurality of sub-spaces are arranged at a central position of an axial direction of the image carrier or in the vicinity of the central position of the axial direction of the image carrier, in the image carrier.

Abstract: A rotary drive device is configured to be reduced in size while still delivering a prescribed torque. The rotary drive device has a base part with a vibrating body and a rotating body attached to the base part. The vibrating body has at least one piezoelectric element that vibrates an abutting part, which rotates the rotating body. Specifically, the rotating body has a contact part that is positioned at a prescribed distance from the rotational center and that is abutted against by the abutting part. When voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element, the vibrating body vibrates to repetitively press the abutting part against the contact part to rotate the rotating body. The vibrating body is positioned in a plane that intersects the rotational axis of the rotating body, and is disposed at least as close to the rotational axis of the rotating body as that of the contact part.