Ink cartridge, ink jet type printing apparatus using the same, and ink cartridge change control method in the apparatus

A method of installing an ink cartridge into an ink jet type printing apparatus which has an ink cartridge holder constructed to hold the ink cartridge in a first position in which ink intake means is not coupled to the ink cartridge and a second position in which the ink intake means is coupled to the ink cartridge comprising:

• an inspection step of allowing the printing apparatus to inspect whether or not installation of the ink cartridge is appropriate at the first position;
• and
• a cartridge installing step of installing the cartridge at the second position when it is determined in the inspection step that installation of the ink cartridge is appropriate
• wherein the first position is spaced apart from the second position.

An ink cartridge change control method in an ink-jet type printing apparatus which has an ink-jet printing head for injecting ink droplets in association with print data and in which an ink cartridge for feeding ink to the printing head and having a storage medium capable of storing cartridge information is installable in a detachable manner, which sequentially executes:

• an information readout step of reading the cartridge information from the storage medium in the installed ink cartridge;
• a cartridge information analysis step of analyzing the cartridge information read in the information readout step;
• and
• an ink-intake-means drive step of driving ink intake means for taking the ink out from the ink cartridge upon reception of a control signal generated as a result of analysis in the cartridge information analysis step;
• wherein the ink cartridge is so constructed as to be mounted on a reciprocatable carriage in a detachable manner and the ink intake means is provided with hollow ink feeding needles to be inserted into an ink feeding port of the ink cartridge when driven by the control signal.

An ink cartridge system, comprising:

• an ink cartridge mounted with a storage medium for holding information about the ink cartridge;
• and
• an ink cartridge holder,
• wherein, when the ink cartridge installed in at least a first position with respect to the ink cartridge holder, the information in the storage medium is capable of being transmitted to a printing apparatus to determine propriety of installation of the ink cartridge,
• wherein, when the ink cartridge installed in at least a second position with respect to the ink cartridge holder, ink is capable of being supplied to the printing apparatus, and
• wherein the ink cartridge is sequentially moved to the first position and the second position when the ink cartridge is installed in the printing apparatus.

An ink cartridge system, comprising:

• an ink cartridge mounted with a storage medium or an access terminal to a storage medium, wherein the storage medium contains information relating to the ink cartridge;
• and
• a printing apparatus with an ink cartridge holder for holding the ink cartridge,
• wherein, when the ink cartridge is located at a first position with respect to the ink cartridge holder, the printing apparatus accesses the storage medium or the access terminal to the storage medium to analyze the information and determine the propriety of installation of the ink cartridge based on the information, and
• wherein, when the ink cartridge is located at a second position with respect to the ink cartridge holder, the ink cartridge supplies ink to the printing apparatus.