UMA COMPARA» C~ AO DE T¶ ECNICAS BASEADAS EM QUADRATS PARA A CARACTERIZA» C~ AO DE PADR~ OES ESPACIAIS EM DOEN» CAS DE PLANTAS

An ink tank cartridge for an ink-jet type recording apparatus is provided. The ink tank cartridge comprises a first chamber and a second chamber formed adjacent the first chamber. A porous member is housed in the second chamber. A partition wall separates the first chamber from second chamber, which communicate through a communication hole therethrough which extends along a portion of the width of the partition wall. An ink supply port extends through a wall of the first chamber and supplies ink to the exterior of the cartridge from the porous member. An air vent is spaced from the ink supply port provides ambient air to the second chamber. The pressure in the first chamber and the second chamber is at a value less than normal atmospheric pressure, and a pressure difference which retains the ink in the first chamber is also maintained between the first and second chambers by the surface tension of the porous member in the vicinity of the communicating hole. The first and second chambers, partition wall, communicating hole, air vent port and ink supply port are positioned and dimensioned so that a pressure difference between the chambers is not maintained as ink is transmitted through the ink supply port, and ink is supplied from the first chamber to the porous member in the second chamber as required until the pressure difference between the chambers is restored.