Abstract: An ink jet unit includes an ink jet head for ejecting ink; an ink cartridge for containing ink to be supplied to the ink jet head; an ink supply member for introducing the ink from the ink cartridge, provided in the ink jet head; a negative pressure generating material in the ink cartridge; an opening for permitting contact between the negative pressure generating material and in the ink supply member; wherein a gap is formed in the opening when the ink supply member is in contact with the negative pressure generating material.

Abstract: A replaceable ink cartridge has a body for storing the ink; an ink outlet for supplying the ink into a recording head; an air communicating port for communicating with an atmosphere; a peripheral portion around the ink outlet; a peripheral portion around the air communicating port; a seal member for removably sealing the peripheral portion around the ink outlet and the peripheral portion around the air communicating port. The replaceable ink cartridge has a structure that is formed so as to strip the seal member off from the peripheral portions of the ink outlet and the air communicating port in a manner that the air communicating port is opened at first and the ink outlet is opened at second.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an ink tank comprises the steps of supplying an container having an opening, inserting a porous member into the opening of the container in a state of being compressed, and holding the porous member in the compressed state by fixing a plate member to the opening of the container, and the porous member being in a compressed shape more in the direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of the insertion when the porous member is compressed in the inserting direction into the opening.

Abstract: An ink filling method for filling an ink cartridge with ink to be supplied to a recording head for ejecting ink includes providing an ink cartridge having a negative pressure producing material accommodating portion and an ink accommodating portion, the negative pressure producing material accommodating portion accommodating a negative pressure producing material and being provided with an air vent, and the ink accommodating portion being substantially hermetically sealed except for fluid communication with the negative pressure producing material accommodating portion, and accommodating directly the ink to be supplied to the recording head, the ink cartridge further includes a partition wall between the negative pressure producing material accommodating portion and the ink accommodating portion, the partition wall being provided with a gap for permitting formation of meniscus of the ink; and directly injecting the ink into the ink accommodating portion.

Abstract: A substrate for liquid ejection includes a built-in energy generating element for generating thermal energy, a built-in electrode wiring portion for supplying an electric signal to the energy generating element, and a built-in temperature detecting element for detecting a temperature of the substrate.

Abstract: Recording means having integrally a recording head unit having discharge ports for discharging the ink and ink channels communicating to said discharge ports and leading the ink thereto, and an ink tank unit for storing the ink to be supplied to said recording head unit, wherein said recording head unit comprises a device for storing the parameter information concerning the ink discharge characteristics, and a protective member disposed on a side face area adjacent to said discharge port formation face for preventing the ink from flowing around.

Abstract: The present invention involves recording apparatus having such a recording head that records using thermal energy. The recording head has a substrate which includes plural thermal energy generating elements for generating thermal energy, plural wiring lines electrically connected with associated said thermal energy generating elements, and a temperature detecting element built in the substrate. This temperature detecting element is either a diode or a transistor.

Abstract: A liquid container for a liquid jet recording apparatus includes a first chamber containing negative pressure producing material and having a liquid outlet. At a lower part of the cartridge and contactable to the liquid jet head, the liquid container supplies liquid from the cartridge to the liquid jet head. An air vent allows ambient air into the cartridge. A second chamber communicates with the first chamber by means of a communication part, except for which the second chamber is substantially hermetically sealed. The second chamber is disposed at the lower part of the cartridge and provides a liquid reservoir for the first chamber.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a recording head having a discharge portion, the discharge portion having discharge ports arranged for discharging ink to a recording medium, an absorbing member provided in the vicinity of the discharge portion, and a wiping member engageable with the discharge portion and the absorbing member, wherein a range of the discharge port array<a width of the wiping member≦a width of the absorbing member.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method and apparatus for recovering an ink jet head having an opening communicating with a discharge port, the opening being provided on a same planar surface on which the discharge port for discharging ink is provided. An area of the opening is larger than an area of the discharge port. The method includes the steps of forcibly introducing gas into the ink jet head simultaneously through the discharge port and the opening, and exhausting the gas introduced into the ink jet head in the introducing step with ink through the discharge port. The gas introduced into the ink jet head enables the ink to be exhausted at an increased velocity in the exhausting step.

Abstract: An ink cartridge includes a negative pressure producing material; an accommodating portion for accommodating the negative pressure producing material, the accommodating portion is provided with an opening for receiving an ink supply tube of an ink jet recording head; wherein the material is sandwiched between surfaces in the accommodating portion, and a distance between the surfaces smaller than twice an outer diameter of the ink supply tube.

Abstract: An ink-tank cartridge has a first storage chamber housing a negative pressure generating member and having an atmosphere communicating portion communicated with the atmosphere, a second storage chamber in substantially enclosed condition and communicated with the first storage chamber only through a fine communicating portion located remote from said atmosphere communicating portion, and directly storing an ink to be supplied to the first storage chamber, the second storage chamber being arranged adjacent the first storage chamber; and an enclosed ink storage portion only communicated with the second storage chamber and located at respective side surfaces of the first and second storage chambers. The bottom surface of the enclosed ink storage portion is located at higher position than the bottom surface of the first and second storage chambers.