Abstract: A liquid tank includes a liquid chamber for holding liquid and an absorption chamber containing an absorber for absorbing and holding the liquid. The liquid chamber and the absorption chamber are separated by a partition. The partition has a communication part allowing communication between the liquid chamber and the absorption chamber. The liquid chamber is substantially sealed except at the communication part. The absorption chamber has a liquid outlet and an air inlet. A liquid-guiding path is disposed on the bottom surface of the liquid tank. The liquid-guiding path extends from the communication part to a point a predetermined distance away from the liquid outlet.

Abstract: A liquid tank includes a liquid chamber for holding liquid and an absorption chamber containing an absorber for absorbing and holding the liquid. The liquid chamber and the absorption chamber are separated by a partition. The partition has a communication part allowing communication between the liquid chamber and the absorption chamber. The liquid chamber is substantially sealed except at the communication part. The absorption chamber has a liquid outlet and an air inlet. A liquid-guiding path is disposed on the bottom surface of the liquid tank. The liquid-guiding path extends from the communication part to a point a predetermined distance away from the liquid outlet.

Abstract: A packaging structure for a liquid container including a liquid containing portion accommodating liquid, a liquid supply portion for supplying the liquid to an outside and an air vent for fluid communication with an ambience, the packing structure includes a covering member for covering and sealing the liquid supply portion and the air vent; the covering member including; an air vent sealing portion for sealing the air vent and a liquid supply portion sealing portion for sealing the liquid supply portion and a connecting region for covering a connecting side of the liquid container which connects the air vent sealing portion and the liquid supply portion sealing portion, wherein the liquid supply portion sealing portion effects non-adhering sealing for the liquid supply portion, and the connecting region provides a resistance against unsealing of the liquid supply portion.

Abstract: An unsealing method for unsealing a packaging structure for a liquid container in which the packaging structure includes a covering member having an air vent sealing portion, a liquid supply sealing portion, and a connecting region which covers a connecting side of the liquid container and which connects the air vent and liquid supply scaling portions. The liquid supply sealing portion effects non-adhering sealing, and the connecting portion provides resistance against unsealing of the liquid supply portion. The covering member also has first and second regions which respectively include first and second resistance generation portions for generating resistance against unsealing. According to the unsealing method, the air vent is unsealed, the first resistance generating portion is separated from the liquid container, the liquid supply portion is unsealed, and the second resistance generating portion is separated.

Abstract: This invention provides a liquid container capable of stably supplying a liquid contained therein, a liquid using device, a printing apparatus, and a method of manufacturing the liquid container. In one preferred embodiment of this invention, a one-way valve used in an ink tank is constructed of a flexible sheet. In an area of the flexible sheet, an undulated portion is formed whose undulated form is maintained in an operation range of the one-way valve.

Abstract: A liquid container is provided which can prevent a leakage of liquid from an air introduction portion under any environment of use and storage and which can maintain a stable negative pressure characteristic irrespective of a degree of liquid consumption. The liquid container includes a liquid containing portion, a liquid supply portion to supply liquid from the liquid containing portion to a liquid using portion, a valve chamber having a one-way valve which permits a gas introduction into the liquid containing portion and prevents the liquid and gas from getting out of the liquid containing portion, a communication path to communicate the liquid containing portion with the valve chamber, a mechanism having a function of maintaining a volume of the liquid containing space, and a communication path closing member capable of enabling or disabling a communication between the liquid containing portion and the valve chamber through the communication path.

Abstract: A side rib provided on an inner wall of a housing creates space, which extends to reach an air hole, between a second ink retainer and the inner wall of the housing. A contact area where a first ink retainer and the second ink retainer are in contact with each other is provided with grooves that communicate with the space provided on the inner wall of the housing.

Abstract: A liquid container is provided with an atmospheric air communicating port communicated with atmospheric air in an upper portion thereof, and a liquid supply port for supplying ink contained in the liquid container to a recording head in a lower portion thereof. A negative pressure producing member for retaining ink and imparting a negative pressure to the recording head is contained in the liquid container. On an upper wall in the liquid container on which the atmospheric air communicating port is provided, a plurality of ribs are integrally formed to protrude to the inside of the liquid container. A space portion is formed between the upper wall of the liquid container on which the ribs are disposed and an upper surface of the negative pressure producing member. A capillary channel for generating a capillary force is provided on the upper wall and side walls of the liquid container which form the space portion.

Abstract: A hollow tubular member 170 is provided in the interior of the container 100 having a liquid-supply port 106 underside thereof as seen in the vertical direction, which tubular member is connected at one end to the liquid-supply port 106 and has a float 180 at the other end. Liquid-supply holes 190 and 191 are provided in the tubular member at positions in the vicinity of the float and in the vicinity of the liquid-supply port, respectively. The tubular member is raised vertically upward by the buoyancy of the float. Since the position of the float descends as the surface level of liquid stored in the container descends, the tubular member deforms therewith so that the liquid-supply holes are always located in specific concentration layers, respectively, to be capable of taking the liquid having specific concentrations into the tubular member.

Abstract: A liquid tank includes a liquid chamber for holding liquid and an absorption chamber containing an absorber for absorbing and holding the liquid. The liquid chamber and the absorption chamber are separated by a partition. The partition has a communication part allowing communication between the liquid chamber and the absorption chamber. The liquid chamber is substantially sealed except at the communication part. The absorption chamber has a liquid outlet and an air inlet. A liquid-guiding path is disposed on the bottom surface of the liquid tank. The liquid-guiding path extends from the communication part to a point a predetermined distance away from the liquid outlet.

Abstract: A packaging structure for a liquid container including a liquid containing portion accommodating liquid, a liquid supply portion for supplying the liquid to an outside and an air vent for fluid communication with an ambience, the packing structure includes a covering member for covering and sealing the liquid supply portion and the air vent; the covering member including; an air vent sealing portion for sealing the air vent and a liquid supply portion sealing portion for sealing the liquid supply portion and a connecting region for covering a connecting side of the liquid container which connects the air vent sealing portion and the liquid supply portion sealing portion, wherein the liquid supply portion sealing portion effects non-adhering sealing for the liquid supply portion, and the connecting region provides a resistance against unsealing of the liquid supply portion.

Abstract: A packaging structure for a liquid container including a liquid containing portion accommodating liquid, a liquid supply portion for supplying the liquid to an outside and an air vent for fluid communication with an ambience, the packing structure includes a covering member for covering and sealing the liquid supply portion and the air vent; the covering member including; an air vent sealing portion for sealing the air vent and a liquid supply portion sealing portion for sealing the liquid supply portion, and a connecting region for covering a connecting side of the liquid container which connects the air vent sealing portion and the liquid supply portion sealing portion, wherein the liquid supply portion sealing portion effects non-adhering sealing for the liquid supply portion, and the connecting region provides a resistance against unsealing of the liquid supply portion.

Abstract: A packaging structure of a liquid container, which is provided with a liquid containing portion for containing liquid and a liquid supply port for supplying liquid, comprises a covering member for covering the liquid supply port. For this packaging structure, the covering member is a circular member formed by a first part and a second part to cover the outer circumference of the liquid container, and the first part is provided with means for sealing the liquid supply port, and the second part is made detachable from the first part, and the circular form of the covering member is broken by the detachment of the second part. With the packaging structure thus arranged, when the user detaches the first part from the second part of the covering member, the covering member is broken to separate the first part and the second part, thus unsealing the liquid supply port. Therefore, unsealing is possible at a constant impetus irrespective of the impetus of unsealing carried out by each individual user.

Abstract: A hollow tubular member 170 is provided in the interior of the container 100 having a liquid-supply port 106 underside thereof as seen in the vertical direction, which tubular member is connected at one end to the liquid-supply port 106 and has a float 180 at the other end. Liquid-supply holes 190 and 191 are provided in the tubular member at positions in the vicinity of the float and in the vicinity of the liquid-supply port, respectively. The tubular member is raised vertically upward by the buoyancy of the float. Since the position of the float descends as the surface level of liquid stored in the container descends, the tubular member deforms therewith so that the liquid-supply holes are always located in specific concentration layers, respectively, to be capable of taking the liquid having specific concentrations into the tubular member.

Abstract: A liquid-feeding system efficiently transferring liquid from a liquid storage to a liquid chamber and efficiently transferring gas from the liquid chamber to the liquid storage. The liquid-feeding system includes a liquid-using unit, the liquid storage, the liquid chamber in communication with the liquid-using unit, a plurality of communication paths facilitating communication between the liquid chamber and the liquid storage, the liquid chamber having a substantially enclosed space except where the space communicates with the plurality of communication paths and with the liquid-using unit, a pressure regulator disposed in the liquid storage and regulating the internal pressure of the liquid storage, and means for changing an internal pressure of the liquid chamber relatively higher than an internal pressure of the liquid storage.

Abstract: A liquid container which supplies ink to its exterior until the ink is almost depleted and allows simple detection of the remaining ink amount, is constructed to distribute components of the ink even after a prolonged standing. The liquid container is provided with a connecting portion for connection to an ink deriving tube and an air introduction tube of an ink jet printer. Both the ink deriving tube and the air introduction tube are positioned for connection to the connecting portion at a position deviated from a center of the bottom of the liquid container. The deviation facilitates mixing of ink components as ink is supplied from the container.

Abstract: This invention provides a liquid container capable of stably supplying a liquid contained therein, a liquid using device, a printing apparatus, and a method of manufacturing the liquid container. In one preferred embodiment of this invention, a one-way valve used in an ink tank is constructed of a flexible sheet. In an area of the flexible sheet, an undulated portion is formed whose undulated form is maintained in an operation range of the one-way valve.

Abstract: A liquid container is provided which can prevent a leakage of liquid from an air introduction portion under any environment of use and storage and which can maintain a stable negative pressure characteristic irrespective of a degree of liquid consumption. The liquid container includes a liquid containing portion, a liquid supply portion to supply liquid from the liquid containing portion to a liquid using portion, a valve chamber having a one-way valve which permits a gas introduction into the liquid containing portion and prevents the liquid and gas from getting out of the liquid containing portion, a communication path to communicate the liquid containing portion with the valve chamber, a mechanism having a function of maintaining a volume of the liquid containing space, and a communication path closing member capable of enabling or disabling a communication between the liquid containing portion and the valve chamber through the communication path.

Abstract: A liquid container for an ink jet recording apparatus includes a connection opening connectable with an outside; an elastic member provided in the connection opening, the elastic member being adapted to be penetrated by a cylindrical member for fluid communication with the outside; the elastic member including a compressed region and a substantially non-compressed region in a state without the cylindrical member penetrated, disposed in this order in a direction of insertion of the cylindrical member, wherein the compressed region and the non-compressed region are capable of being compressed when they are penetrated by the cylindrical member.

Abstract: The invention is to connect a liquid container, having a fluid connecting portion and an information memory medium, to the main body of a recording apparatus without generating stress in both connecting portions. An information memory medium is fixed on the internal wall of a connection aperture of an information memory medium holder, which is contained in a space defined by an information memory medium holder containing portion and a bottom cover. The space is of a size capable of containing the information memory medium holder without contact thereto, and the information memory medium holder can change its position and direction in the space.