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An ink-jet printer includes an ink cartridge and a carriage. The ink cartridge includes an ink reservoir storing ink, a housing to cover the ink reservoir, a panel-shaped spring disposed between the ink reservoir and the housing, and a strip connected to the panel-shaped spring having sides exposed

An ink-jet printer includes an ink cartridge and a carriage. The ink cartridge includes an ink reservoir storing ink, a housing to cover the ink reservoir, a panel-shaped spring disposed between the ink reservoir and the housing, and a strip connected to the panel-shaped spring having sides exposed to an outside of the housing movable when the panel-shaped spring is deformed. Indicator patterns are formed at ends of the sides of the strip to indicate an amount of ink remaining. The ink cartridge also includes strip covers to detect the amount of ink remaining in the ink reservoir; and a carriage on which the ink cartridge is mounted. The carriage includes a detecting unit optically detecting a movement of the strip through an indicator window formed on the strip cover.

대표청구항 ▼

An ink-jet printer includes an ink cartridge and a carriage. The ink cartridge includes an ink reservoir storing ink, a housing to cover the ink reservoir, a panel-shaped spring disposed between the ink reservoir and the housing, and a strip connected to the panel-shaped spring having sides exposed

An ink-jet printer includes an ink cartridge and a carriage. The ink cartridge includes an ink reservoir storing ink, a housing to cover the ink reservoir, a panel-shaped spring disposed between the ink reservoir and the housing, and a strip connected to the panel-shaped spring having sides exposed to an outside of the housing movable when the panel-shaped spring is deformed. Indicator patterns are formed at ends of the sides of the strip to indicate an amount of ink remaining. The ink cartridge also includes strip covers to detect the amount of ink remaining in the ink reservoir; and a carriage on which the ink cartridge is mounted. The carriage includes a detecting unit optically detecting a movement of the strip through an indicator window formed on the strip cover. pressure chamber and is narrower than a cross-sectional area of the pressure chamber, wherein the narrowed portion, the pressure chamber and the nozzle form an ink passage, and a percentage of an ink-flow resistance of the narrowed portion is 50% or more with respect to an ink-flow resistance of the ink passage. 10. The ink-jet print head according to claim 9, wherein the percentage of the ink-flow resistance of the narrowed portion is between 50% to 70% with respect to the ink-flow resistance of the ink passage.11. The ink-jet print head according to claim 10, wherein a cross-sectional area of the narrowed portion is 10% to 20% with respect to the cross-sectional area of the pressure chamber.12. The ink-jet print head according to claim 9, wherein the narrowed portion is recessed in a bottom surface of a top one of the said plurality of plates.13. The ink-jet print head according to claim 12, wherein the narrowed portion has a semi-elliptical shape in cross-section.14. The ink-jet print head according to claim 12, wherein the narrowed portion has a rectangular shape in cross-section.15. The ink-jet print head according to claim 9, wherein the nozzle is located within a bottom one of said plurality of plates.16. The ink-jet print head according to claim 9, wherein the actuator is located above a top surface of a top one of said plurality of plates.17. The ink-jet print head according to claim 9, wherein the piezoelectric actuator includes a plurality of piezoelectric sheets.18. The ink-jet print head according to claim 9, further comprising a flexible flat cable.19. The ink-jet print head according to claim 9, wherein the first ink chamber is recessed in a top surface of said first one of said plurality of plates.20. The ink-jet print head according to claim 9, wherein said pressure chamber includes a plurality of pressure chambers and said narrowed portion includes a plurality of narrowed portions.21. The ink-jet print head according to claim 20, wherein said first one of said plurality of plates includes first through-holes longitudinally staggered in two rows.22. The ink-jet print head according to claim 21, wherein said second one of said plurality of plates includes second through-holes longitudinally staggered in two rows and communicating with said first through-holes.23. The ink-jet print head according to claim 22, wherein said nozzle includes a plurality of nozzles communicating with said first through-holes and said second through-holes.24. The ink-jet print head according to claim 23, wherein a third one of said plurality of plates includes first ink supply ports.25. The ink-jet print head according to claim 24, wherein a top one of said plurality of plates includes second ink supply ports.26. The ink-jet print head according to claim 25, wherein each of the pressure chambers includes a narrow end portion and another end portion.27. The ink-jet print head according to claim 26, wherein said narrow end portions communicate with said first through-holes and said second through-holes.28. The ink-jet print head according to claim 27, wherein said pressure chambers are connected via said narrowed portions to a plurality of another end portions which communicate via said first ink chamber and said second ink chamber with said first and second ink supply ports of said third one of said plurality of plates and said top one of said plurality of plates.29. An ink-jet print head including a base plate, spacer plate, a first manifold plate, a second manifold plate and a nozzle plate laminated onto each other, comprising: a first ink chamber that stores ink and is located within the second manifold plate; a second ink chamber that stores the ink and is located within the first manifold plate which is above the second manifold plate; a pressure chamber that is to be supplied with the ink from the first ink chamber and the second ink chamber, and is located within the base plate; a nozzle that communicates with the p ressure chamber and is located within the nozzle plate which is located below the second manifold plate; an actuator that causes pressure change in the pressure chamber; and a narrowed portion that is provided between the first ink chamber and the pressure chamber and is narrower than a cross-sectional area of the pressure chamber, wherein the narrowed portion, the pressure chamber and the nozzle form an ink passage, and a percentage of a resistance of an ink-flow resistance of the narrowed portion is 50% or more with respect to an ink-flow resistance of the ink passage. 30. The ink-jet print head according to claim 29, wherein the percentage of the ink-flow resistance of the narrowed portion is between 50% to 70% with respect to the ink-flow resistance of the ink passage.31. The ink-jet print head according to claim 30, wherein a cross-sectional area of the narrowed portion is 10% to 20% with respect to the cross-sectional area of the pressure chamber.32. The ink-jet print head according to claim 29, wherein the narrowed portion is recessed in a bottom surface of a base plate.33. The ink-jet print head according to claim 32, wherein the narrowed portion has a semi-elliptical shape in cross-section.34. The ink-jet print head according to claim 32, wherein the narrowed portion has a rectangular shape in cross-section.35. The ink-jet print head according to claim 29, wherein the nozzle is located within a nozzle plate.36. The ink-jet print head according to claim 29, wherein the actuator is located above a top surface of said base plate.37. The ink-jet print head according to claim 29, wherein the piezoelectric actuator includes a plurality of piezoelectric sheets.38. The ink-jet print head according to claim 29, further comprising a flexible flat cable.39. The ink-jet print head according to claim 29, wherein the first ink chamber is recessed in a top surface of said second manifold plate.40. The ink-jet print head according to claim 29, wherein said pressure chamber includes a plurality of pressure chambers and said narrowed portion includes a plurality of narrowed portions.41. The ink-jet print head according to claim 40, wherein said first manifold plate includes first through-holes longitudinally staggered in two rows.42. The ink-jet print head according to claim 41, wherein said second manifold plate includes second through-holes longitudinally staggered in two rows and communicating with said first through-holes.43. The ink-jet print head according to claim 42, wherein said nozzle includes a plurality of nozzles communicating with said first through-holes and said second through-holes.44. The ink-jet print head according to claim 43, wherein said spacer plate includes first ink supply ports.45. The ink-jet print head according to claim 44, wherein said base plate includes second ink supply ports.46. The ink-jet print head according to claim 45, wherein each of the pressure chambers includes a narrow end portion and another end portion.47. The ink-jet print head according to claim 46, wherein said narrow end portions communicate with said first through-holes and said second through-holes.48. The ink-jet print head according to claim 47, wherein said pressure chambers are connected via said narrowed portions to a plurality of another end portions which communicate via said first ink chamber and said second ink chamber with said first and second ink supply ports of said base plate and said spacer plate.