Ink cartridge and an ink-jet printer having the same

摘要

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.