PURPOSE: To contrive to increase the storage quantity of ink of a small-sized tank and to decrease the residual quantity of ink in a cartridge and a negative pressure generating member by a method wherein an air introductory part, through which air is directly introduced from an air passing part into negative pressure generating member in a first housing chamber, is formed on the second housing chamber side end of the first housing chamber.
CONSTITUTION: An air introductory part 5 compresses negative pressure generating member SP and locates nearly at the central part of the edge face of the member SP. The position of the part 5 facilitates the change between gas and the ink in an ink storage part 2 so as to promote the movement of the ink interface along the crosssection normal to the lateral moving direction of ink retained in the member SP after the consumption of the ink in the storage part 2. Since the air introductory mechanism forming the introductory part 5 has a space formed lower than the introductory part 5, the space prevents the substantial leakage from a tank from occurring by temporarily house the ink, which leaks from the introductory part 5 to an air communicating port 4 side due to environmental change.
TAKENOUCHI MASANORI
UJITA TOSHIHIKO
HIKUMA MASAHIKO
TSUKUDA KEIICHIRO
