US 2004/0201652 A1Published application

Inkjet recording apparatus and ink cartridge

AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorNaoki Katayama

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

An inkjet recording apparatus having a main body, a recording head, and an ink cartridge. The ink cartridge includes: (a-1) an ink reservoir having a spout portion; and (a-2) a case which has a case wall spaced apart from a reservoir wall of the ink reservoir, with a space being formed between the case wall and the reservoir wall. The case has a case opening such that the space is open to an exterior of the case through the case opening. The main body includes: (b-1) a contact member having a recess formed in its contact surface, and held in contact at the contact surface with of the case wall such that the recess is opposed to the case opening and the spout portion; (b-2) a gas supplier for supplying a positively pressurized gas into the recess; and (b-3) an ink drawing member connected to the spout portion so that the ink can be supplied from the ink reservoir toward the recording head through the ink drawing member.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An inkjet recording apparatus comprising a main body, a recording head held by said main body, and an ink cartridge removably mounted on said main body,

wherein said ink cartridge includes:
an ink reservoir which has a reservoir wall including a flexible portion provided by a flexible sheet, and which has a spout portion through which an ink reserved in said ink reservoir is supplied to an exterior of said ink reservoir;
and
a case which has a case wall spaced apart from said reservoir wall of said ink reservoir, with a space being formed between said case wall and said reservoir wall, said case having a case opening which is formed through said case wall such that said space is open to an exterior of said case through said case opening,
wherein said main body includes:
a contact member which has a recess formed in a contact surface thereof, and which is to be held in contact at said contact surface with an outside surface of said case wall such that said recess is opposed to said case opening and said spout portion which is positioned in a vicinity of said case opening;
a pressurized-gas supplier which is operable to supply a positively pressurized gas into said recess;
and
an ink drawing member which is to be connected to said spout portion of said ink reservoir and through which the ink is supplied from said ink reservoir toward said recording head,
and wherein said ink drawing member is held by said contact member such that said ink drawing member passes though said recess, and is connected to said spout portion of said ink reservoir.

7 more elements

An ink cartridge comprising:

an ink reservoir which has a reservoir wall including a flexible portion provided by a flexible sheet, and which has a spout portion through which an ink reserved in said ink reservoir is supplied to an exterior of said ink reservoir;
and
a case which has a case wall spaced apart from said reservoir wall of said ink reservoir, with a space being formed between said case wall and said reservoir wall, said case having a case opening which is formed through said case wall such that said space is open to an exterior of said case through said case opening,
wherein said spout portion of said ink reservoir is positioned relative to said case opening of said case in such a position that permits said spout portion to be exposed to the exterior of said case through said case opening and that permits said space to be held in communication with the exterior of said case through said case opening.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.