US 9,308,735 B2 · Cartridge · patentgrep

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Abstract

A cartridge includes a printing material containing section, a plurality of printing material supply ports, and a branch communicating section. The printing material containing section is configured and arranged to contain a printing material. A detection region is configured as a part of the printing material containing section to detect the printing material in the printing material containing section. The plurality of printing material supply ports are configured and arranged to supply the printing material from the printing material containing section. The branch communicating section branches into the plurality of printing material supply ports respectively and communicates the detection region and the plurality of printing material supply ports to distribute the printing material to the plurality of printing material supply ports respectively.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A cartridge configured and arranged to be mounted on a printer that has a first ink supply pipe and a second ink supply pipe, the cartridge comprising:

a main ink chamber configured and arranged to contain a printing material;
a first printing material supply port configured and arranged to be contacted to the first ink supply pipe in a first direction to supply the printing material from the main ink chamber to the first ink supply pipe;
a second printing material supply port configured and arranged to be contacted to the second ink supply pipe in the first direction to supply the printing material from the main ink chamber to the second ink supply pipe;
and
a branch communicating section arranged between the main ink chamber and the first and second printing material supply ports in a supplying direction in which the printing material is supplied from the main ink chamber to the first and second printing material supply ports, the branch communicating section being configured and arranged to branch a flow of the printing material from the main ink chamber into the first and second printing material supply ports respectively, and communicate the main ink chamber and the first and second printing material supply ports to distribute the printing material from the main ink chamber to the first and second printing material supply ports respectively,
the branch communicating section including a wall extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction so as to block flow of the printing material in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, and including two supplying areas such that the printing material flows through the two supplying areas in the third direction, the two supplying areas being arranged apart from each other in the second direction at the same position in the third direction and having the same width in the second direction.

3 more elements

A cartridge configured and arranged to be mounted on a printer that has a first ink supply pipe and a second ink supply pipe, the cartridge comprising:

a main ink chamber configured and arranged to contain a printing material;
a first printing material supply port configured and arranged to be contacted to the first ink supply pipe in a first direction to supply the printing material from the main ink chamber to the first ink supply pipe;
a second printing material supply port configured and arranged to be contacted to the second ink supply pipe in the first direction to supply the printing material from the main ink chamber to the second ink supply pipe;
a sub ink chamber configured and arranged to contain the printing material and arranged between the main ink chamber and the first and second printing material supply ports in a supplying direction in which the printing material is supplied from the main ink chamber to the first and second printing material supply ports;
the sub ink chamber having
a wall extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction so as to block flow of the printing material in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, and
two supplying areas such that the printing material flows through the two supplying areas in the third direction, the two supplying areas being arranged apart from each other in the second direction at the same position in the third direction and having the same width in the second direction,
a first region and a second region, the first region communicating the main ink chamber through one of the supplying areas and communicating the first printing material supply port to supply the printing material from the main ink chamber to the first printing material supply port, and the second region communicating the main ink chamber through the other of the supplying areas and communicating the second printing material supply port to supply the printing material from the main ink chamber to the second printing material supply port.

5 more elements

A cartridge configured and arranged to be mounted on a printer that has a first ink supply pipe and a second ink supply pipe, the cartridge comprising:

a main ink chamber configured and arranged to contain a printing material;
a first printing material supply port configured and arranged to be contacted to the first ink supply pipe to supply the printing material from the main ink chamber to the first ink supply pipe;
a second printing material supply port configured and arranged to be contacted to the second ink supply pipe to supply the printing material from the main ink chamber to the second ink supply pipe;
a branch communicating section arranged between the main ink chamber and the first and second printing material supply ports in a supplying direction in which the printing material is supplied from the main ink chamber to the first and second printing material supply ports, the branch communicating section being configured and arranged to branch a flow of the printing material from the main ink chamber into the first and second printing material supply ports respectively, and communicate the main ink chamber and the first and second printing material supply ports to distribute the printing material from the main ink chamber to the first and second printing material supply ports respectively;
p1 a wall section on which the first and second printing material supply ports are provided to protrude in a −Z axial direction;
and
a groove section provided between the first and second printing material supply ports to be recessed to a +Z axial direction side with respect to the wall section, with the +Z axial direction being opposite to the −Z axial direction along a Z axial direction,
the branch communicating section including
an upstream side reservoir chamber configured and arranged to reserve the printing material from the main ink chamber,
a first flow path communicated with the upstream side reservoir chamber, and configured and arranged to distribute the printing material in the upstream side reservoir chamber to the first printing material supply port,
a first downstream side reservoir chamber communicated with the first flow path and configured and arranged to reserve the printing material from the first flow path,
a first communicating hole communicating the first downstream side reservoir chamber and the first printing material supply port to supply the printing material in the first downstream side reservoir chamber to the first printing material supply port,
a second flow path communicated with the upstream side reservoir chamber, and configured and arranged to distribute the printing material in the upstream side reservoir chamber to the second printing material supply port different from the first printing material supply port,
a second downstream side reservoir chamber communicated with the second flow path, and configured and arranged to reserve the printing material from the second flow path, and ’a second communicating hole communicating the second downstream side reservoir chamber and the second printing material supply port to supply the printing material in the second downstream side reservoir chamber to the second printing material supply port,
the first flow path, the first downstream side reservoir chamber, the first communicating hole, the second flow path, the second downstream side reservoir chamber, and the second communicating hole being arranged in a plane symmetrical manner with respect to the groove section.

12 more elements

A cartridge configured and arranged to be mounted on a printer that has a first ink supply pipe and a second ink supply pipe, the cartridge comprising:

a main ink chamber configured and arranged to contain a printing material;
a first printing material supply port configured and arranged to be contacted to the first ink supply pipe to supply the printing material from the main ink chamber to the first ink supply pipe;
a second printing material supply port configured and arranged to be contacted to the second ink supply pipe to supply the printing material from the main ink chamber to the second ink supply pipe;
a branch communicating section arranged between the main ink chamber and the first and second printing material supply ports in a supplying direction in which the printing material is supplied from the main ink chamber to the first and second printing material supply ports, the branch communicating section being configured and arranged to branch a flow of the printing material from the main ink chamber into the first and second printing material supply ports respectively, and communicate the main ink chamber and the first and second printing material supply ports to distribute the printing material from the main ink chamber to the first and second printing material supply ports respectively;
and
a wall section on which the first and second printing material supply ports are provided to protrude in a −Z axial direction along a Z axial direction,
the branch communicating section including
an upstream side reservoir chamber configured and arranged to reserve the printing material from the main ink chamber,
a first downstream side reservoir chamber communicated with the upstream side reservoir chamber and arranged to reserve the printing material from the first flow path,
a first communicating hole communicating the first downstream side reservoir chamber and the first printing material supply port to supply the printing material in the first downstream side reservoir chamber to the first printing material supply port,
a second downstream side reservoir chamber communicated with the upstream side reservoir chamber, and arranged to reserve the printing material from the second flow path, and
a second communicating hole communicating the second downstream side reservoir chamber and the second printing material supply port to supply the printing material in the second downstream side reservoir chamber to the second printing material supply port,
the first downstream side reservoir chamber and the first communicating hole, and the second downstream side reservoir chamber and the second communicating hole being arranged in a plane symmetrical manner as viewed in the third direction.

10 more elements

A cartridge configured and arranged to be mounted on a printer that has a first ink supply pipe and a second ink supply pipe, the cartridge comprising:

a printing material containing section configured and arranged to contain a printing material;
a first printing material supply port configured and arranged to be contacted to the first ink supply pipe to supply the printing material from the printing material containing section to the first ink supply pipe;
a second printing material supply port configured and arranged to be contacted to the second ink supply pipe to supply the printing material from the printing material containing section to the second ink supply pipe;
a branch communicating section branching a flow of the printing material into the first and second printing material supply ports respectively, and communicating the printing material containing section and the first and second printing material supply ports to distribute the printing material to the first and second printing material supply ports respectively,
a wall section on which the first and second printing material supply ports are provided to protrude in a −Z axial direction;
and
a groove section provided between the first and second printing material supply ports to be recessed to a +Z axial direction side with respect to the wall section, with the +Z axial direction being opposite to the -z axial direction,
the branch communicating section including
an upstream side reservoir chamber configured and arranged to reserve the printing material from the printing material containing section,
a first flow path communicated with the upstream side reservoir chamber, and configured and arranged to distribute the printing material in the upstream side reservoir chamber to the first printing material supply port,
a first downstream side reservoir chamber communicated with the first flow path and configured and arranged to reserve the printing material from the first flow path,
a first communicating hole communicating the first downstream side reservoir chamber and the first printing material supply port to supply the printing material in the first downstream side reservoir chamber to the first printing material supply port,
a second flow path communicated with the upstream side reservoir chamber, and configured and arranged to distribute the printing material in the upstream side reservoir chamber to the second printing material supply port different from the first printing material supply port,
a second downstream side reservoir chamber communicated with the second flow path, and configured and arranged to reserve the printing material from the second flow path, and
a second communicating hole communicating the second downstream side reservoir chamber and the second printing material supply port to supply the printing material in the second downstream side reservoir chamber to the second printing material supply port,
the first flow path, the first downstream side reservoir chamber, the first communicating hole, the second flow path, the second downstream side reservoir chamber, and the second communicating hole being arranged in a plane symmetrical manner with respect to the groove section.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.