Ink package

An ink package comprising:

• an ink accommodating bag in which ink is accommodated and which is formed of a first flexible sheet;
• an outer bag which is formed of a second flexible sheet and which encloses the ink accommodating bag such that a space is defined by and between the ink accommodating bag and the outer bag and;
• an ink delivering member including a fixing portion to which the outer bag is fixed at an opening thereof and an extending portion which is formed adjacent to the fixing portion so as to extend therefrom toward an inside of the outer bag and to which the ink accommodating bag is fixed at an opening thereof,
• and wherein the ink delivering member further includes an ink outlet passage through which the ink in the ink accommodating bag is delivered to an exterior of the ink package, and the space which is defined by and between the ink accommodating bag and the outer bag is in a state, upon shipment of the ink package, in which the space is evacuated to a reduced pressure.

An ink-jet recording apparatus comprising:

• an ink package which includes (a) an ink accommodating bag in which ink is accommodated and which is formed of a first flexible sheet, (b) an outer bag which is formed of a second flexible sheet and which encloses the ink accommodating bag such that a space is defined by and between the ink accommodating bag and the outer bag, and (c) an ink delivering member including a fixing portion to which the outer bag is fixed at an opening thereof and an extending portion which is formed adjacent to the fixing portion so as to extend toward an inside of the outer bag and to which the ink accommodating bag is fixed at an opening thereof, the ink delivering member further including an ink outlet passage through which the ink in the ink accommodating bag is delivered to an exterior of the ink package and a communication passage through which the space is held in communication with the exterior of the ink package;
• and
• a main portion which includes (a) an ink-jet printing head, (b) an ink supply passage for supplying the ink delivered from the ink package to the ink-jet printing head, (c) a positive pressure generating source for generating positively pressurized air, and (d) a positively pressurized air delivering passage through which the positively pressurized air generated by the positive pressure generating source is delivered,
• and wherein the ink package is constructed to be removably mounted on the main portion such that the ink outlet passage of the ink package is connected to the ink supply passage of the main portion while the communication passage of the ink package is connected to the positively pressurized air delivering passage.

An ink package removably mounted on an ink-jet recording apparatus which includes a main portion including (a) an ink-jet printing head, (b) an ink supply passage for supplying the ink delivered from the ink package to the ink-jet printing head, (c) a positive pressure generating source for generating positively pressurized air, and (d) a positively pressurized air delivering passage through which the positively pressurized air generated by the positive pressure generating source is delivered, the ink package comprising:

• an ink accommodating bag in which ink is accommodated and which is formed of a first flexible sheet;
• an outer bag which is formed of a second flexible sheet and which encloses the ink accommodating bag such that a space is defined by and between the ink accommodating bag and the outer bag;
• and
• an ink delivering member including a fixing portion to which the outer bag is fixed at an opening thereof and an extending portion which is formed adjacent to the fixing portion so as to extend toward an inside of the outer bag and to which the ink accommodating bag is fixed at an opening thereof;
• wherein the ink delivering member further includes an ink outlet passage through which the ink in the ink accommodating bag is delivered to an exterior of the ink package and a communication passage through which the space is held in communication with the exterior of the ink package,
• and wherein the ink package is constructed to be removably mounted on the main portion such that the ink outlet passage of the ink package is connected to the ink supply passage of the main portion while the communication passage of the ink package is connected to the positively pressurized air delivering passage.