Ink cartridge for ink jet printer

An ink jet recording apparatus for an ink jet printer, comprising:

• a print head for emitting ink droplets in accordance with print signals;
• an ink supply member engaging said print head;
• and
• an ink cartridge maintained in fluid communication with said print head through said ink supply member, said ink cartridge comprising:
• a container for storing ink having an interior area and a first wall an opposite second wall, said first wall having an inside surface and an outside surface, said first wall being formed with an atmosphere communicating hole formed therein;
• an elastic membrane fixed to the inside surface of said first wall, said elastic membrane separating from said atmosphere communicating hole when ink does not impart pressure on said elastic membrane and contact said atmosphere communicating hole when ink in said interior area imparts pressure on said elastic membrane to close said atmosphere communicating hole;
• and
• a capillary channel formed in the inside surface of said first wall, said capillary channel selectively in fluid communication with said atmosphere communicating hole to selectively maintain fluid communication between said interior area of said container and said ambient air.

An ink cartridge for an ink jet recording apparatus, comprising:

• a container having a first wall, an opposite second wall, an ink chamber, and an ink supply chamber;
• an ink supply port formed through said first wall for supplying ink outside of said container;
• a valve assembly positioned within said container and positioned between said ink chamber and said ink supply chamber, said valve assembly having a first surface and a second surface, said ink supply chamber bounded by at least said first surface and said first wall, said ink chamber bounded by at least said second surface and said second wall;
• an ink passage extended through said valve assembly from said first surface to said second surface;
• a valve body support member, at least a portion thereof, being made of an elastic member, attached to said valve assembly;
• a membrane valve seat made of an elastic thin membrane formed with a through hole therethrough and having distal ends attached to the first surface;
• and
• a valve body supported by said valve body support member and extending from said valve body support member to said membrane valve seat, said valve body being moveable between at least a first position and a second position while being supported by said valve body support member;
• said valve body and said membrane valve seat through hole being selectively maintained in contact by a pressure difference between said ink chamber and said ink supply chamber;
• and a positioning piece maintained in contact with said second surface and periphery of said valve body for positioning said valve body essentially perpendicularly to said membrane valve seat at said membrane valve seat through hole.

An ink cartridge for an ink jet recording apparatus, comprising:

• a container having a first wall, an opposite second wall, an ink chamber and an ink supply chamber;
• an ink supply port formed through said at least first wall for supplying ink outside of said container;
• a valve assembly positioned within said container and positioned between said ink chamber and said ink supply chamber, said valve assembly having a first surface and a second surface, said ink supply chamber bounded by at least said first surface and said first wall;
• said ink chamber bounded by at least said second surface and said second wall,
• an ink passage extending through said valve assembly from said first surface to said second surface;
• a valve body support member made of an elastic thin membrane formed with a through hole therethrough and having distal ends attached to said second surface;
• a membrane valve seat made of an elastic thin membrane having a through hole therethrough and having distal ends attached to said first surface and
• a valve body supported by said valve body support member and extended from said valve body support member through said ink passage to said membrane valve seat, said valve body being moveable between at least a first position and a second position while being supported by said valve body support member, said valve body and said membrane valve seat through hole being selectively maintained in contact by a pressure difference between said ink chamber and said ink supply chamber;
• and a level stabilizing membrane made of an ink transmissible material located in proximity to said membrane valve seat and moves in conjunction with said membrane valve seat, said valve body extending through said level stabilizing membrane.

An ink cartridge for an ink jet printer, comprising:

• a container for storing ink having an interior area and a first wall, an opposite second wall, said first wall having an inside surface and an outside surface, said first wall being formed with an atmosphere communicating hole formed therein;
• an elastic membrane fixed to the inside surface of said first wall, said elastic membrane separating from said atmosphere communicating hole when ink stored in said interior area does not impart pressure on said elastic membrane and contacting said atmosphere communicating hole when ink stored in said interior area imparts pressure on said elastic membrane, to close said atmosphere communicating hole;
• and
• a capillary channel formed in the inside surface of said first wall, said capillary channel selectively in fluid communication with said atmosphere communicating hole to selectively maintain fluid communication between said interior area of said container and said ambient air.

An ink jet recording apparatus including a recording head having an ink supply needle for an ink jet printer, comprising:

• a print head for emitting ink droplets in accordance with print signals;
• an ink supply member engaging said print head;
• and
• an ink cartridge detachably maintained in fluid communication with said print head through said ink supply member, said ink cartridge comprising:
• a container for storing ink having a first wall an opposite second wall and an ink supply chamber enclosed by at least said first wall and said second wall;
• an ink supply port formed through said first wall for supplying ink out of said container;
• a sealing valve retained in said ink supply port, said sealing valve being formed with a communicating hole therein, said sealing valve being telescopically displaceable between a first position at which said sealing valve closes said ink supply port and a second position at which said ink supply port is placed in fluid communication with an interior area of said container to permit flow of ink from the interior area of said container, said sealing valve being positioned to telescope from said first position to said second position when said ink cartridge is mounted on said ink jet recording apparatus.

An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising:

• a print head for emitting ink droplets in accordance with print signals;
• an ink supply member engaging said print head;
• and
• an ink cartridge maintained in fluid communication with said print head through said ink supply member, said ink cartridge comprising:
• a container having a first wall;
• an opposite second wall;
• an ink supply port formed through said at least first wall for supplying said ink outside of said container, an ink chamber and ink supply chamber;
• a valve assembly positioned within said container and positioned between said ink chamber and said ink supply chamber, said valve assembly having a first surface and a second surface;
• said ink supply chamber bounded by at least said first surface and said first wall, said ink chamber bounded by at least said second surface and said second wall;
• an ink passage extending through said valve assembly from said first surface to said second surface;
• a valve body support member, at least a portion thereof being, made of an elastic member attached to said valve assembly;
• a membrane valve seat made of an elastic thin membrane and formed with a through hole therethrough and having distal ends attached to said first surface;
• and
• a valve body supported by said valve body support member and extending from said valve body support member to said valve membrane, said valve body being moveable between at least a first position and a second position while being supported by said valve body supporting member, so that said valve body and said membrane valve seat through hole are selectively maintained in contact by a pressure difference between said ink chamber and said ink supply chamber.