An ink tank includes: a first liquid storage chamber; a second liquid storage chamber; a detector having at least two electrode rods in the first liquid storage chamber; an injector having an opening supplying liquid to the first liquid storage chamber; an atmospheric communication passage communicating an outside of the ink tank with the second liquid storage chamber; a cap movable between an open position and a closed position with respect to the injector and configured to seal the first liquid storage chamber; a valve mechanism opening or closing the communication passage by moving up and down with respect to the communication passage; a link mechanism moving the valve mechanism up and down; and a guide portion guiding the valve mechanism, at least a part of the guide portion being provided in the valve mechanism.

An image-recording apparatus includes: a first tank defining a first storage chamber; a second tank defining a second storage chamber; a conveying mechanism for conveying sheets along a conveying path extending in a depthwise direction and a widthwise direction perpendicular to a vertical direction and the depthwise direction; and a recording head including a nozzle. Liquid in the first storage chamber is supplied through a communication port to the second storage chamber and then to the recording head through a liquid outlet port. The second storage chamber is positioned further in a first depthwise direction relative to the nozzle and further in a first widthwise direction relative to the conveying path. A volume of a prescribed space above a liquid level equal to a height of the communication port in the second storage chamber is greater than that of a liquid channel between the liquid outlet port and the nozzle.

A print head cap comprising a base element extending along a longitudinal direction and a first wall element extending along the longitudinal direction and connected to the base element. The base element comprises a cleaning element of a cleaning material on an inner side of the base element facing the first wall element. The first wall element comprises a first attachment element to removably attach the print head cap to a print head. The first attachment element allows removing the print head cap from the print head while the cleaning element remains in contact with the printing area of the print head by sliding the print head cap along the longitudinal direction, wherein the longitudinal direction is perpendicular to an ink depositing direction of the print head.

A communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention is performed between a communication device and an electrical apparatus by use of non-contact short-range wireless communication method. The electrical apparatus includes a built-in antenna in the vicinity of a first region of a surface exposed to the outside of the electrical apparatus. The antenna is provided for non-contact short-range wireless communication with the communication device. The communication method includes the steps of: preparing a storage box to which information is provided at a predetermined position on an exterior surface of the storage box, the information indicating where the antenna is placed; storing the electrical apparatus in power-off state, into the storage box, and thereby placing the electrical apparatus in the storage box such that the first region of the electrical apparatus is close to the predetermined position of the storage box; and moving the communication device close to the predetermined position of the storage box to initiate communication between the communication device and the electrical apparatus.

According to one aspect, the disclosure provides an image recording apparatus including a liquid supplying device. The liquid supplying device includes a tank, a cartridge, an atmospheric communication portion, and a recording portion. The tank has a second storage chamber configured to store liquid, a liquid passage in communication with the second storage chamber, and a gas passage in communication with the second storage chamber. The atmospheric communication portion includes a buffer tank defining a buffer chamber configured to store gas, a single communication flow passage allowing the buffer chamber to communicate with the second storage chamber, and an air communication passage allowing the buffer chamber to communicate with an atmosphere. When the cartridge is attached to the tank, the buffer chamber is positioned below the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber is positioned below the buffer chamber.

An image-recording apparatus includes: a first tank defining a first storage chamber; a second tank defining a second storage chamber; a conveying mechanism for conveying sheets along a conveying path extending in a depthwise direction and a widthwise direction perpendicular to a vertical direction and the depthwise direction; and a recording head including a nozzle. Liquid in the first storage chamber is supplied through a communication port to the second storage chamber and then to the recording head through a liquid outlet port. The second storage chamber is positioned further in a first depthwise direction relative to the nozzle and further in a first widthwise direction relative to the conveying path. A volume of a prescribed space above a liquid level equal to a height of the communication port in the second storage chamber is greater than that of a liquid channel between the liquid outlet port and the nozzle.

A printing apparatus on which an ink tank containing ink to be used for printing is mounted, the printing apparatus including: a cover configured to be opened in a case where the ink tank is replaced; an operation unit configured for shifting to a replacement state in which the ink tank can be replaced; and a control unit configured to display a screen for guidance of a user operation for shifting the ink tank to the replacement state on a display unit if the cover is opened in a case where the ink tank can be replaced and shift the ink tank to the replacement state in a case where the operation unit is operated in a state where the screen is displayed on the display unit.

A maintenance jig includes a protector and an opening. The protector is configured to be attached to a head that has a nozzle surface including a nozzle row to discharge liquid or a head holder that holds the head. The protector is configured to protect the nozzle row. The opening is adjacent to the protector in a lateral direction of the nozzle row intersecting a longitudinal direction of the nozzle row. A distance between an end of the protector in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle row and the nozzle surface is larger than a distance between a portion of the protector other than the end of the protector in the longitudinal direction and the nozzle surface when the maintenance jig is attached to the head or the head holder.

A bottle for ink supply is shipped with a two-dimensional code attached to the bottle, individual information being embedded in the two-dimensional code. A user reads the two-dimensional code with a portable information terminal and thereby transmits the individual information to a management server. If there is no fraud or problem, the management server transmits a passcode to the portable information terminal. When the bottle is placed in a bottle storing unit, the two-dimensional code is read by a two-dimensional code reader, and a passcode is created based on the individual information embedded in the two-dimensional code. Only when the passcode matches the passcode registered by the user, ink in the bottle becomes ready to use.

A tank includes: a wall separating a liquid storage chamber, which stores a liquid to be supplied to a liquid consuming part, from an outside; an inlet penetrating the wall; and a liquid outflow part which allows the liquid to flow to the outside of the liquid storage chamber. The wall includes a view wall, which extends upward and downward and allows a user to visually check a liquid level in the liquid storage chamber, and a bottom wall, which defines an inner bottom surface of the liquid storage chamber by being connected to the view wall. The inner bottom surface of the bottom wall includes an inclined part which extends from at least a part of the view wall to incline downward in a direction away from the view wall.