Abstract: A plurality of cylindrical port defining portions project from a passage defining member defining a plurality of passages. A supply line defining body defining a plurality of supply lines is formed of an elastic member. The supply line defining body includes a plurality of openings each communicating with a corresponding one of the liquid supply lines. Each of the port defining portions extends perpendicularly to the direction in which each of the passages extends. Each of the openings extends perpendicular to the direction in which each of the liquid supply lines extends. A securing member fastens the port defining portions with respect to the corresponding openings collectively, by applying fastening force to the passage defining member and the supply line defining body in the axial direction of each port defining portion. Accordingly, improved seal performance is reliably obtained.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus of the present invention has a translationally movable member configured to be connected to a liquid container inserted in a container mounting unit, in link motion with a straight operation of the liquid container when inserting a liquid feed needle through a liquid feed port of the liquid container, translationally advance in the direction parallel with the straight operation, an apparatus side fixing structure for releasably restricting the movement of the liquid container in the mounting state in the pull-out direction, having a stopper pin to be stopped in a guide groove of a container side fixing structure formed in the liquid container, and apparatus side positioning structures installed in the translationally movable member, in cooperation with a container side positioning structure formed in the liquid container, for positioning the liquid container in a predetermined position to the translationally movable member.

Abstract: In a liquid supplying member, for supplying liquid from a liquid container to a liquid ejection head which are provided in a liquid ejection apparatus, a plurality of elastic members, each of which is elongated in a first direction so as to have a first face and a second face, are arrayed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A first film member is joined to the first face of each of the elastic members. A second film member is joined to the second face of each of the elastic members, such that a passage, through which the liquid is supplied from the liquid container to the liquid ejection heads extending in the first direction is hermetically defined between the adjacent elastic members by inner faces of the first film member and the second film member.

Abstract: Ink type information is read by a read and write system (62) from a semiconductor storage system mounted on ink cartridges (9a to 9d) attached to a cartridge holder (8). A decision control system (61) decides whether or not ink type information has already been stored in ink type storage system (63), and stores the ink type information thus read when the ink type information is not stored. In the case in which the ink cartridge is exchanged, the ink type information is similarly read and it is decided whether or not the same ink type information is identical to the ink type information stored in the ink type storage system (63). If they are not identical to each other, the operation of the recording apparatus is inhibited and a display system (68) is caused to display an error message thereon.

Abstract: In a liquid supplying member, for supplying liquid from a liquid container to a liquid ejection head which are provided in a liquid ejection apparatus, a plurality of elastic members, each of which is elongated in a first direction so as to have a first face and a second face, are arrayed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A first film member is joined to the first face of each of the elastic members. A second film member is joined to the second face of each of the elastic members, such that a passage, through which the liquid is supplied from the liquid container to the liquid ejection head, extending in the first direction is hermetically defined between the adjacent elastic members by inner faces of the first film member and the second film member.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid injecting apparatus equipped with a liquid injecting head, which is mounted on a carriage and moved reciprocally in a widthwise direction of a target, and a valve unit, which is mounted on the carriage to be supplied with liquid via a supply passage from a liquid retainer and to supply liquid to the liquid injecting head. The valve unit has a pressure chamber connected to the liquid retainer via the supply passage; a valve, which opens or closes the supply passage to supply liquid to the pressure chamber; and a flexible film member, which is displaced based on a negative pressure generated as liquid in the pressure chamber decreases to thereby operate the valve.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus comprises a liquid cartridge for storing a liquid, a liquid ejection head for ejecting the liquid toward a target, a liquid supply path for guiding the liquid to the liquid ejection head from the liquid cartridge, and a capping device for drawing the liquid from the liquid ejection head. The liquid supply path comprises a plurality of wall surfaces, and a part of the wall surface is formed of a flexible member that is flexed by the inside-and-outside pressure difference of the liquid supply path. A pressure pump for adjusting the pressure of a fluid within the liquid supply path in the upstream side of the flexible member is provided.

Abstract: Ink from an ink cartridge is supplied along an ink supply tube to a sub-tank mounted on a carriage. Provided for the sub-tank is an ink level detector constituted by a float member on which a permanent magnet is mounted, and Hall devices. Further, a ink consumption counter is also included for calculating the quantity of ink ejected or discharged by a recording head. When a low ink state is detected by the ink level detector and when the value held by the ink consumption counter has reached a predetermined ink quantity total, the supply of ink from the ink cartridge to the sub-tank is initiated.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus of the present invention has a translationally movable member configured to be connected to a liquid container inserted in a container mounting unit, in link motion with a straight operation of the liquid container when inserting a liquid feed needle through a liquid feed port of the liquid container, translationally advance in the direction parallel with the straight operation, an apparatus side fixing structure for releasably restricting the movement of the liquid container in the mounting state in the pull-out direction, having a stopper pin to be stopped in a guide groove of a container side fixing structure formed in the liquid container, and apparatus side positioning structures installed in the translationally movable member, in cooperation with a container side positioning structure formed in the liquid container, for positioning the liquid container in a predetermined position to the translationally movable member.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus has a liquid cartridge including a liquid container that has a flexible portion and stores liquid therein and a pressure chamber for applying pressure to the flexible portion of the liquid container; a liquid ejection head for ejecting liquid; a liquid flow path for guiding liquid from the liquid container to the liquid ejection head; a pressure pump for generating pressurized air; and an air flow path for guiding the pressurized air to the pressure chamber. The pressure pump includes an air chamber that communicates with the air flow path and a pressing member for pressing the air chamber so as to decrease the capacity of the air chamber. The capacity of the air chamber is decreased by the pressing member so as to increase the pressure in the air chamber to an upper limit value of a liquid supply pressure range where a prescribed liquid ejection characteristic is obtained, before a liquid ejecting operation is performed on an ejection target member.

Abstract: A liquid supplying member supplies liquid from a liquid container to a liquid ejection head which are provided in a liquid ejection apparatus. In the liquid supplying member, a flexible base member has a face formed with at least one groove. A flexible first plate member is joined to the face of the base member so as to seal at least a part of the at least one groove to form at least one liquid supplying passage, through which the liquid is supplied from the liquid container to the liquid ejection head. A first connector is monolithically formed with a longitudinal end portion of the base member to connect the at least one groove to one of the liquid container and the liquid ejection head.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes liquid cartridges, each of which includes a liquid container and a pressure chamber, the liquid container having a flexible portion and storing liquid therein, and the pressure chamber applying pressure to the flexible portion of the liquid container; a liquid ejection head, which ejects the liquid; liquid flow paths, which communicate the liquid containers with the liquid ejection head; and an air supply member, which supplies pressurized air to the pressure chambers for compressing the flexible portions so as to supply the liquid from the liquid containers to the liquid flow paths. The air supply member includes: a distribution member, which has an air intake portion for introducing the pressurized air, and air outlet portions for distributing the pressurized air to the liquid cartridges, and branch flow paths, which respectively communicate the air outlet portions with the pressure chambers of the liquid cartridges.

Abstract: The invention provides a liquid container for storing liquid to be supplied to a liquid consuming apparatus. The liquid container is constructed such that pressurized fluid is sent to its inside so that the liquid in the inside is delivered to the outside. The liquid container includes a container body which stores the liquid in its inside. The container body includes a pressurized fluid introduction port for introducing the pressurized fluid to the inside and a liquid delivery port for delivering the liquid to the outside. A detection unit is provided in the container body and outputs an output signal which is changed in accordance with a change in pressure of the liquid in the inside of the container body.

Abstract: In an ink jet recording apparatus, a recording head is mounted on a carriage which reciprocately moves in a widthwise direction of recording paper. A subtank is mounted on the carriage for supplying ink. A main tank stores ink which is replenished to the subtank. An ink amount detector detects an amount of ink stored in the subtank. A replenishment controller controls replenishment of ink stored in the main tank to the subtank, in accordance with the ink amount detected by the ink amount detector.

Abstract: There is provided an ink cartridge which is formed from an ink-filled ink pack and a hermetic outer shell case for housing the ink pack and which supplies ink to a recording head by means of application of air pressure to a space between the outer shell case and the ink pack. The outer shell case is formed by coupling an upper case and a lower case together. The ink-filled ink pack is housed in the lower case, and the upper case is laid on the lower case from above. The upper and lower cases are hermetically sealed by vibratory welding or heat welding, thus constituting the ink cartridge.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus, includes a main tank storing liquid, a liquid ejecting head ejecting the liquid toward a target, a liquid supply passage connecting the main tank with the liquid ejecting head for supplying the liquid, a subtank storing the liquid and supplying the liquid to the liquid ejecting head, and the subtank provided on the liquid supply passage, and a pressurizing unit supplying pressurized air to the liquid supply passage from the side of the main tank so that liquid in a liquid supply passage is evacuated to the subtank.

Abstract: A liquid collection unit (33) is placed on a movement path of a liquid jet head mounted on a carriage. An opening portion (40) for receiving liquid, which are jetted from a liquid jet head, by performing a flushing operation is formed in the movement path of the liquid jet head. Liquid mist generated by performing a flushing operation is sucked by a fan (55) having blades (55b), and then caught and collected by the centrifugation action of a rotor portion (47) having a large number of flat fins (47b) on the internal surface of a cylindrical body (47a). A filter member (59) is disposed at an air outlet (58), from which air is caused by a fan (55) to flow out. A small amount of liquid mist, which is not collected by the roller part (47), is effectively collected by this filter member (59).

Abstract: An ink cartridge for supplying ink to a recording head is detachably mounted on a cartridge holder. A calculator performs calculation of an ink amount consumed by the recording head. A counter updates a residual ink amount in the mounted ink cartridge based on the consumed ink amount calculated by the calculator. A monitor monitors an ink amount contained in the mounted ink cartridge to judge at least an ink-end state in which the ink amount in the ink cartridge is a predetermined amount or less. A corrector corrects the way of calculation in the calculator based on the residual ink amount indicated by the counter, when the monitor judges that the mounted ink cartridge is in the ink-end state.

Abstract: The ink-jet recording apparatus according to the invention is provided with a recording head for jetting an ink droplet corresponding to print data, a main tank for supplying ink to the recording head and a subtank composed of upper and lower two tanks respectively connected to the main tank and the recording head and mutually communicating, the upper tank of the subtank is formed by an ink tank having an ink outlet for leading ink to the recording head, and the lower tank is formed by an ink tank having an ink inlet for leading ink from the main tank by pressure of a pump and elastically deformable according to the variation of internal pressure.

Abstract: A liquid supplying tube for supplying liquid from a liquid tank to a liquid jet head mounted on a carriage includes at least one long elastic member, having a first face and a second face which are extended in a longitudinal direction thereof and at least one film member, hermetically joined to the first face and the second face of the elastic member so as to form a liquid supplying passage.