INK CARTRIDGE AND INK-COLLECTING SYSTEM

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To properly handle a waste ink by providing an ink cartridge having an ink feed port detachably connected to a head holder with a waste ink chamber for storing the waster ink. SOLUTION: An ink cartridge 10 comprises a main body 11 which is opened upside and separated of five chambers, an ink-absorbing body 12 of polyurethane foam or the like which is stored in these five chambers, and a lid member 13 for closing the upper opening. The ink cartridge has ink chambers of each color by diaphragms and also a waste ink chamber 16 for storing a waste ink. In a suck process of a recording head, the sucked waster ink is absorbed by the waste ink-absorbing body 12 in the waste ink chamber 16. A capacity of the waste ink chamber is not larger than a quarter of a total capacity of the ink chambers. A waste ink injection port for injecting the waste ink at the maintenance is formed to a side part of the waste ink chamber, which is at a position higher than 2/3 the height of the waste ink chamber. The ink is a solvent series ink.