Ink-jet recording apparatus and ink tank cartridge therefor

An ink-jet type recording apparatus for outputting ink onto a recording medium, comprising:

• a recording head for ejecting ink;
• an ink supply needle coupled to said recording head and having at least one through hole to allow ink to pass therethrough;
• and
• an ink tank cartridge being removably mountable onto said ink supply needle of said ink-jet type recording apparatus, the ink tank cartridge, comprising:
• a plurality of walls forming at least one chamber within said ink tank cartridge;
• an ink supply port extending through at least one of said walls of said at least one chamber to permit ink to pass out of said at least one chamber;
• and
• a funnel-shaped packing member provided within said ink supply port, said packing member having a wide end dimensioned to engage said ink supply port, a narrow end dimensioned to be smaller than said ink supply port, and an opening therethrough having a wide end and a narrow end, said wide end of said opening being dimensioned to be larger than the ink supply needle, said narrow end of said opening dimensioned to receive an ink supply needle of an ink-jet type recording apparatus and to resiliently abut against an outer periphery of said ink supply needle, said packing member permitting ink to pass from said ink supply port only to said ink supply needle when said needle is positioned in said ink supply port.

A system for mounting an ink tank cartridge onto an ink supply needle of an ink-jet type recording apparatus, the ink tank cartridge comprising:

• a plurality of walls forming at least one chamber within said ink tank cartridge;
• an ink supply port extending through at least one of said walls of said at least one chamber to permit ink to pass out of said at least one chamber;
• and
• a funnel-shaped packing member provided within said ink supply port, said packing member having a wide end dimensioned to engage said ink supply port, a narrow end dimensioned to be smaller than said ink supply port, and an opening therethrough having a wide end and a narrow end, said wide end of said opening being dimensioned to be larger than the ink supply needle, said narrow end of said opening dimensioned to receive an ink supply needle of an ink-jet type recording apparatus and to resiliently abut against an outer periphery of said ink supply needle, said packing member permitting ink to pass from said ink supply port only to said ink supply needle when said needle is positioned in said ink supply port.

A method for removably mounting an ink tank cartridge for an ink-jet type recording apparatus onto an ink supply needle of said ink jet type recording apparatus, said ink tank cartridge including a plurality of walls forming at least one chamber within said ink tank cartridge, the method for comprising the steps of:

• storing ink in said at least one chamber;
• extending an ink supply port through at least one of said walls of said at least one chamber in said ink tank cartridge to supply ink to the ink-jet recording apparatus;
• inserting said ink supply needle of the ink jet type recording apparatus into a funnel-shaped packing member provided within said ink supply port, said packing member having a wide end dimensioned to engage said ink supply port, a narrow end dimensioned to be smaller than said ink supply port and an opening therethrough having a wide end and a narrow end, said wide of said opening being dimensioned to receive said ink supply needle, said narrow end being dimensioned to receive said ink supply needle;
• and
• abutting said narrow end of said opening resiliently against an outer periphery of said ink supply needle of the ink jet type recording apparatus for permitting ink to pass from said ink supply port said only to ink supply needle when said needle is positioned in said ink supply port.

An ink tank cartridge for an ink-jet type recording apparatus, comprising:

• a housing formed with a chamber therein;
• an ink supply port extending through a wall of said housing, said ink supply port having a first opening directed toward said chamber of said housing and a second opening directed away from said wall of said housing;
• and
• a funnel-shaped packing member provided within said ink supply port, said packing member having a wide end dimensioned to engage said ink supple port, a narrow end dimensioned to be smaller than said ink supply port, and an opening therethrough having a wide end and a narrow end, said wide end of said opening being dimensioned to be larger than the ink supply needle, said narrow end of said opening dimensioned to receive an ink supply needle of an ink-jet type recording apparatus and to resiliently abut against an outer periphery of said ink supply needle, said packing member permitting ink to pass from said ink supply port only to said ink supply needle when said needle is positioned in said ink supply port.

An ink-jet type recording apparatus for outputting ink onto a recording medium, comprising:

• a recording head for ejecting ink;
• an ink supply needle coupled to said recording head and having at least one through hole;
• and
• an ink tank cartridge being removably mountable onto the ink supply needle, said ink tank cartridge comprising;
• a housing formed with a chamber therein;
• an ink supply port extending from a wall of said housing, said ink supply port having first opening directed towards said chamber of said housing and a second opening directed away from said wall of said housing;
• and
• a funnel-shaped packing member provided within said ink supply port, said packing member having a wide end dimensioned to engage said ink supply port, a narrow end dimensioned to be smaller than said ink supply port, and an opening therethrough having a wide end and a narrow end, said wide end of said opening being dimensioned to be larger than the ink supply needle, said narrow end of said opening dimensioned to receive an ink supply needle of an ink-jet type recording apparatus and to resiliently abut against an outer periphery of said ink supply needle, said packing member permitting ink to pass from said ink supply port only to said ink supply needle when said needle is positioned in said ink supply port.