Ink cartridge having retaining structure and memory

An ink cartridge to be mounted on a recording apparatus, the ink cartridge comprising:

• a front, a back, a top and a bottom;
• an ink supply port formed in the bottom, the ink supply port having an axis;
• a retaining member that is spaced apart from the front;
• a first projection having a surface lying in a plane that is parallel to the axis;
• a memory unit disposed on the ink cartridge;
• and
• a plurality of electrodes disposed on the surface and being in electrical communication with the memory unit;
• characterized in that:
• the ink supply port is disposed closer to the front than to the back;
• and
• the first projection is disposed on the back and located adjacent to the bottom, the first projection extending away from the front.

An ink cartridge detachably mountable on a recording apparatus having an ink supply needle, comprising:

• a front, a back, a top, and a bottom;
• an ink supply port formed in the bottom and disposed closer to the front than to the back;
• the ink supply port having an axis,
• a retaining member that is spaced apart from the front;
• a circuit board having a memory unit and a plurality of electrodes;
• a circuit board disposing portion provided at a lower location on the back;
• and having two opposite sides for regulating an ink cartridge with respect to the recording apparatus.

An ink cartridge detachably mountable on a recording apparatus having an ink supply needle, comprising:

• an ink container having an upper wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall intersecting the bottom wall and a second side wall intersecting the bottom wall and facing the first side wall;
• an ink supply port disposed on the bottom wall at an offset position closer to the first side wall than to the second side wall;
• a circuit board disposing portion provided at a lower location on the second side wall, said circuit board disposing portion being adapted to support a circuit board with a memory unit and a plurality of electrodes thereon, and having two opposite sides for regulating a horizontal position of the ink cartridge with respect to the recording apparatus;
• and
• a retaining member having an engagement portion provided at an upper location on the first side wall adapted to regulate a vertical position of the ink cartridge with respect to the recording apparatus,
• wherein the plurality of electrodes are in electrical communication with the memory unit on the circuit board, and
• wherein by such arrangement, the ink cartridge is held diagonally by the circuit board disposing portion at the lower location on the second side wall and the retaining member at the upper location on the first side wall, and so can be held at a predetermined position on the recording apparatus.