Title:
INK TANK AND INKJET PRINTER
Document Type and Number:
Japanese Patent JP3800204
Kind Code:
B2
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To propose a foam type ink tank equipped with a part to be detected which can correctly and surely detect that ink runs out.
SOLUTION: A sub ink chamber 20 is formed between a main ink chamber 5 and an ink take-out part 7 of the foam type ink tank 1. The sub ink chamber 20 is separated by a separating member 30 to a bubble storage part 21 and an ink storage part 22. A porous member 40 is disposed at a position adjacent to the back of reflecting faces 52a and 52b for detecting an ink end exposed to the ink storage part 22. When the amount of remaining ink decreases, bubbles are formed at a part of the back side of the reflecting faces 52a and 52b by the air entered into the ink storage part 22 through the bubble storage part 21 from the main ink chamber 5. The ink held between the bubbles by the capillary force of the porous member 40 is sucked by the porous member 40 to quickly disappear the bubbles. Thus, the problem is avoided that the back of the reflecting faces 52a and 52b is covered by the bubbles and the ink end is not detected until the bubbles disappear.
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Inventors:
Yukihiro Hanaoka
Yamada Takashi
Hiroyuki Nakayama
Manabu Yamada
Yamada Takashi
Hiroyuki Nakayama
Manabu Yamada
Application Number:
JP2003201897A
Publication Date:
July 26, 2006
Filing Date:
July 25, 2003
Export Citation:
Assignee:
Seiko Epson Corporation
International Classes:
B41J2/175; (IPC1-7): B41J2/175
Domestic Patent References:
| JP2000071471A |
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Masahiko Ueyanagi
Fujitsuna Hideyoshi
Osamu Suzawa
Fujitsuna Hideyoshi
Osamu Suzawa