Inkjet recording apparatus and ink cartridge

An inkjet recording apparatus having a recording head that receives a supply of ink from an ink cartridge installed in a cartridge accommodation region, the ink cartridge having a first fixing member formed on the ink cartridge, the inkjet recording apparatus comprising:

• a second fixing member capable of engaging with the first fixing member to fix the cartridge in the cartridge accommodation region, and that is formed in a position facing a plane that is substantially parallel to an insertion direction in which the ink cartridge is inserted into the cartridge accommodation region, wherein in operation, after being inserted, the ink cartridge is held in a predetermined position in a state in which the ink cartridge is resiliently urged by a resiliently urging structure in a direction opposite to the insertion direction;
• wherein the first fixing member comprises a protrusion whose range of motion is restricted;
• and
• wherein the second fixing member comprises a combination of an engagement guide path, a holding portion for engaging the protrusion, and a disengagement guide path distinct from the engagement guide path, wherein the engagement guide path is arranged to guide the protrusion during insertion of the ink cartridge and the disengagement guide path is arranged to guide the protrusion during removal of the ink cartridge from the inkjet recording apparatus.

An ink cartridge having an ink storing portion storing ink, therein and an ink supply port communicating with the ink storing portion, the ink cartridge being adapted to be removably mounted on a cartridge mounting portion of a recording apparatus to supply the ink in the ink storing portion via the ink supply port to a recording head provided on the recording apparatus, the ink cartridge comprising:

• a first fixing member that is formed on a plane substantially parallel to an insertion direction in which the ink cartridge is inserted into the cartridge mounting portion, and that is capable of engaging with a second fixing member of the recording apparatus to fix the cartridge in the cartridge accommodation region;
• wherein the first fixing member comprises a protrusion whose range of motion is restricted;
• wherein the second fixing member comprises a combination of an engagement guide path, a holding portion for engaging the protrusion, and a disengagement guide path distinct from the engagement guide path, wherein the engagement guide path is arranged to guide the protrusion during insertion of the ink cartridge and the disengagement guide path is arranged to guide the protrusion during removal of the ink cartridge from the recording apparatus;
• and
• wherein the first fixing member is disposed on a wall surface lying in a plane intersecting a plane in which lies a wall surface on which the ink supply port is disposed, and the first fixing member is located at a position offset toward the wall surface on which the ink supply port is disposed.

A method for attaching an ink cartridge having a first fixing member to an inkjet recording apparatus having a second fixing member capable of engaging with the first fixing member to attach the ink cartridge to the inkjet recording apparatus, wherein the second fixing member comprises a protrusion whose range of motion is restricted, and wherein the first fixing member comprises a combination of an engagement guide path, a holding portion for engaging the protrusion, and a disengagement guide path distinct from the engagement guide path, comprising the steps of:

• positioning the cartridge in a cartridge accommodation region of the recording apparatus;
• applying a first force to the cartridge in an insertion direction relative to the recording apparatus, whereby the protrusion is led by the engagement guide path towards the holding portion;
• and
• removing the first force from the cartridge, the cartridge being urged by a resilient urging structure in a direction opposite to the insertion direction such that the protrusion engages the holding portion, thereby holding the cartridge in a predetermined position.

A method for attaching an ink cartridge having a first fixing member to an inkjet recording apparatus having a second fixing member capable of engaging with the first fixing member to attach the ink cartridge to the inkjet recording apparatus, wherein the first fixing member comprises a protrusion whose range of motion is restricted, and wherein the second fixing member comprises a combination of an engagement guide path, a holding portion for engaging the protrusion, and a disengagement guide path distinct from the engagement guide path, comprising the steps of:

• positioning the cartridge in a cartridge accommodation region of the recording apparatus;
• applying a first force to the cartridge in an insertion direction relative to the recording apparatus, whereby the protrusion moves through the engagement guide path to the holding portion;
• and
• removing the first force from the cartridge, the cartridge being urged by a resilient urging structure in a direction opposite to the insertion direction such that the protrusion engages the holding portion, thereby holding the cartridge in a predetermined position.

An ink cartridge the adapted to be mounted on a cartridge mounting portion of a recording apparatus against an urging force of an urging member, the recording apparatus including a cartridge fixing member that is movable and that cooperates with a fixing member of the ink cartridge to fix the ink cartridge to the cartridge mounting portion, the fixing member of the recording apparatus having a protrusion whose range of motion is restricted, the ink cartridge comprising:

• an ink storing portion storing an ink therein;
• an ink supply port communicating with the ink storing portion;
• and
• a fixing member formed on a plane substantially parallel to an insertion direction in which the ink cartridge is inserted into the cartridge mounting portion,
• wherein the ink cartridge, when mounted on the cartridge mounting portion, supplies the ink in the ink storing portion via the ink supply port to a recording head provided on the recording apparatus, and the ink cartridge is removable from the cartridge mounting portion at least partly using the urging force of the urging member,
• wherein the fixing member of the ink cartridge includes a combination of a holding portion for engagement with the protrusion to hold the ink cartridge in a predetermined position on the cartridge mounting portion in a state in which the ink cartridge is urged by the urging force of the urging member, a first guide path for guiding the protrusion to the holding portion when the ink cartridge is inserted into the cartridge mounting portion and a second guide path, different from the first guide path, for guiding the protrusion disengaged from the holding portion when the ink cartridge is removed from the cartridge mounting portion.