Absorber mounted in an ink tank and process for manufacturing this tank

摘要

An ink absorber is housed inside a housing of an ink tank and is capable of retaining ink. The ink absorber has an outer surface equal to or corresponding to a shape of an internal surface of the housing and is made of a fiber material obtained by compressing a fiber body and thermally molding at least a surface thereof. An ink tank is comprised of the ink absorber and the housing. An ink jet cartridge is comprised of the ink tank and a print head. A process for producing the ink tank comprises a first molding step of molding a continuous fiber aggregate of a rod shape or a plate shape with elasticity, a step of cutting the fiber aggregate thus molded to form a fiber body, a second molding step of subjecting the fiber body to compression and thermal molding so as to provide the fiber body with an outer surface corresponding to a shape of the inside of the housing, thus forming an ink absorber and a step of inserting the ink absorber into the inside of the housing.