Ink cartridges

#The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. JP-2005-284646, which was filed on Sep. 29, 2005, Japanese Patent Application No. JP-2005-342694, which was filed on Nov. 28, 2005, and Japanese Patent Application No. JP-2006-081806, which was filed on Mar. 23, 2006, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates generally to ink cartridges. In particular, the present invention is directed towards ink cartridges which may be used in combination with ink jet printers.

#For a more complete understanding of the present invention, the needs satisfied thereby, and the features and technical advantages thereof, reference now is made to the following descriptions taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of multifunction device, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is perspective view a refill unit, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

#Embodiments of the present invention and their features and technical advantages may be understood by referring to FIGS. 1-67(d), like numerals being used for like corresponding portions in the various drawings.

#FIG. 1 depicts a multifunction device 1 in which an ink cartridge 14 may be installed, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Multifunction device 1 may comprise a printer portion 11 disposed on a lower portion of multifunction device 1, and a scanner portion 12 disposed on an upper portion of printer portion 11. Multifunction device 1 may be a Multi Function Device (“MFD”) in which printer portion 11 and scanner portion 12 are a single unit, and may be configured to perform various functions, such as a printer function, a scanner function, a copy function, or a facsimile function, or a combination thereof.

#Multifunction device may be connected to a computer (not shown), and may record images or documents on a recording medium (not shown), e.g., a recording paper, based on image data or document data transmitted by the computer to multifunction device 1. Multifunction device 1 also may be connected to an external device (not shown), e.g., a digital camera, such that multifunction device 1 may record image data outputted from the digital camera to the recording medium. Moreover, multifunction device 1 may be coupled to a receiver, e.g., a telephone, and multifunction device 1 may communicate with another multifunction device and send image data to the other multifunction device. Multifunction device 1 also may comprise a slot portion 23, and recording media (not shown), such as a memory card, may be loaded into slot portion 23, and multifunction device 1 may record data, such as image data recorded on the recording media, to the recording medium.