Ink jet printer including detachable print cartridge

Abstract

A printer cartridge stationarily fixes an ink package and movably provides a print head, and a separate printer body movably provides a carriage. Prior to mounting of the printer cartridge onto the printer body, the print head is held at a fixed position of the printer cartridge by a pressing member. Because the print head is pressed downward by the pressing member, mounting the cartridge onto the printer body will insert the print head into the carriage. After the print head is inserted into the carriage, a pawl and a protrusion of the carriage fit into an engagement groove and an indentation, respectively, in the print head. Also another protrusions of the print head are supported on an upper edge of the carriage. As a result, the print head is mounted onto the carriage in association with mounting of the print cartridge onto the printer body. A printer cartridge has a retaining member formed with an engaging groove, and the print head has a rectangular protrusion. When the printer cartridge is detached from the printer body, the rectangular protrusion is trapped by the upwardly moving retaining member and is engaged with the engaging groove. Thus, the print head is automatically disengaged from the carriage in interlocking relation with detachment of the printer cartridge from the printer body.