Ink cartridge for ink jet printer

(54) INK CARTRIDGE FOR INK JET PRINTER

(75) Inventor: Yuji Iida, Nagano (JP)

(73) Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo (JP)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term ol this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 64 days.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

(21) Appl. No.: 10/273,552

(22) Filed: Oct. 17, 2002

(65) Prior Publication Data

US 2003/0058312 Al Mar. 27, 2003

Related U.S. Application Data

(63) Continuation of application No. 09/749,325, filed on Dec. 27, 2000, now Pat. No. 6,550,901, which is a continuation of application No. 09/460,363, filed on Dec. 13, 1999, now Pat. No. 6,193,364, which is a continuation of application No. 08/548,574, filed on Oct. 26, 1995, now Pat. No. 6,000,788.

(30) Foreign Application Priority Data

Oct. 26, 1994 (JP) 6-287292

Sep. 11, 1995 (JP) 7-258101

(51) Int. CI.7 B41J 2/175; F16K 15/14

(52) U.S. CI 347/86; 137/859

(58) Field of Search 347/85-87; 137/859,

137/845, 433; 251/354

(56) References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

2,526,019 A 10/1950 Fowler

2,646,063 A 7/1953 Hayes

3,073,339 A 1/1963 Stelzer

3,176,712 A 4/1965 Ramsden

3,270,771 A 9/1966 Morgan et al.

3,354,902 A 11/1967 Obermaier

3,779,274 A 12/1973 Kelly

An ink cartridge for an ink jet printer is provided with a container having at least a first wall. An ink supply port is formed through the first wall for supplying ink to the exterior of the container. An ink chamber and an ink supply chamber are formed by a membrane valve seat made of an elastic thin membrane and formed with a through hole therethrough. A valve body is positioned opposing the through hole formed in the membrane valve seat, the valve body and membrane valve seat adjacent said through hole formed therein being maintained selectively in contact by a pressure difference between said ink chamber and said ink supply chamber.

35 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets