# US 10,870,286 B2 · Ink cartridge having a swing body adapted to pivotally move smoothly even if ink is consumed

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- Number: US 10,870,286 B2
- Document ID: US10870286B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/380,889
- Filed: 2019-04-10
- Published: 2019-10-24
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2018-04-23
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Ryo Shimamura
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870286B2

## CPC

- B41J 2/17513: {Inner structure}
- B41J 2/17566: {Ink level or ink residue control}
- B41J 2/17553: {Outer structure}
- B41J 2002/17573: {using optical means for ink level indication}
- B41J 2002/17576: {using a floater for ink level indication}
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

An ink cartridge includes an ink chamber that stores ink. A protruding chamber protrudes upward from the ink chamber in a gravitational direction when the ink cartridge is used. A swing body has a float and a detection portion, and a detection chamber in which the detection portion moves and with which an amount of ink stored in the ink chamber is detected in accordance with a position of the detection portion. In the ink cartridge, a pivot center of the swing body that pivotally moves is disposed inside the protruding chamber.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An ink cartridge comprising:
an ink chamber configured to store ink;
a protruding chamber that protrudes upward from the ink chamber in a gravitational direction when the ink cartridge is used;
a swing body having a float and a detection portion; and
a detection chamber in which the detection portion is configured to move, wherein the detection chamber is configured to detect an amount of ink stored in the ink chamber in accordance with a position of the detection portion,
wherein a pivot center of the swing body configured to pivotally move is disposed inside the protruding chamber,
wherein the protruding chamber is in communication with the ink chamber through an opening provided in a member that forms the ink chamber, and
wherein, in a direction intersecting the gravitational direction, a width of the member opening is equal to four-fifths of a width of the ink chamber or smaller than four-fifths of the width of the ink chamber.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein in the direction intersecting the gravitational direction, the width of the member opening is equal to one-fifth of the width of the ink chamber or larger than one-fifth of the width of the ink chamber.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the detection chamber protrudes upward from the ink chamber in the gravitational direction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a width h1 of the protruding chamber in the gravitational direction and a width h2 of the detection chamber in the gravitational direction satisfy 0.3≤h1/h2≤1.1.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a width h1 of the protruding chamber in the gravitational direction and a width h2 of the detection chamber in the gravitational direction satisfy 0.5≤h1/h2≤1.0.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a width h1 of the protruding chamber in the gravitational direction and a width h2 of the detection chamber in the gravitational direction satisfy 0.6≤h1/h2≤0.9.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the detection chamber protrudes from the ink chamber in the direction intersecting the gravitational direction.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the pivot center is a portion in which a supporting shaft of the swing body is fitted into a shaft hole.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the protruding chamber is formed integrally with a main body frame.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the protruding chamber and the detection chamber are formed integrally with a main body frame.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the pivot center inside the protruding chamber is not in contact with ink when the ink cartridge is used.