Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080198187 | LIQUID RESIDUAL AMOUNT DETECTION APPARATUS FOR LIQUID CONTAINER - A liquid residual amount detection apparatus for a liquid container, includes: a sensor chamber that has a liquid supply port introducing liquid to be delivered from a liquid containing portion, and supplies the liquid to an external liquid consuming apparatus; a diaphragm that defines a part of the sensor chamber and is movable in response to a liquid containing amount in the sensor chamber; a pressure receiving plate that is attached to the diaphragm; a recess portion that is connected to the sensor chamber and is closed by the pressure receiving plate when the liquid containing amount in the sensor chamber becomes a predetermined amount or less; a piezoelectric element that applies vibration to at least a part of the recess portion so as to detect a free vibration state according to the applied vibration; a detection portion that detects an amplitude value or a frequency of a residual vibration waveform of a counter electromotive force by the free vibration state detected by the piezoelectric element; and a calculation portion that calculates a liquid residual amount in the liquid container on the basis of the amplitude value or the frequency of the residual vibration waveform detected by the detection portion. | 08-21-2008 |
20080198188 | Inkjet Printer And Ink Cartridge - An inkjet printer is provided. The inkjet printer includes: a holder configured to mount thereon an ink cartridge for storing ink; and an imaging unit which obtains an image of a surface of the ink in the ink cartridge mounted on the holder. | 08-21-2008 |
20080204487 | INK CARTRIDGE AND INK FILLING METHOD THEREFOR - An ink cartridge includes an ink storage chamber and an ink supply chamber, and the ink supply chamber includes a check valve configured to selectively open and close a communication hole between the ink storage chamber and the ink supply chamber depending on a pressure differential between a first pressure in the ink storage chamber and a second pressure in the ink supply chamber. When the ink storage chamber is filled with ink, the first pressure is lower than an atmospheric pressure, and the second pressure is higher than the first pressure such that the check valve closes the communicating hole. | 08-28-2008 |
20080204488 | Liquid Ejection Device - A liquid ejection device of a first aspect of the invention comprises a sub tank capable of fluid communicating with the main tank removably mountable to the liquid ejection device. The sub tank is configured to satisfy the formula: S | 08-28-2008 |
20080211838 | LIQUID CONTAINER - Provided herein a liquid container including a liquid containing portion for containing liquid; and an detection portion which is used to detect the amount of liquid contained in the liquid containing portion, receives an input driving signal, and outputs a detection signal having a frequency lower than that of the driving signal. | 09-04-2008 |
20080211839 | REPLACEABLE PRINT CARTRIDGE - A replaceable print cartridge includes a container and a memory coupled to the container. The memory is configured to limit use of printing material that is to be contained in the container. | 09-04-2008 |
20080218539 | INKJET PRINTING PARTIALLY IMAGED PANELS WITH SUPERIMPOSED LAYERS - A panel and method for making the panel are disclosed. The panel includes a substrate sheet partially imaged with a print pattern. The print pattern subdivides the panel into a plurality of discrete printed areas and/or a plurality of discrete unprinted areas. The design is superimposed on or forms a part of said print pattern. The design comprises a design layer. The print pattern includes a base layer. The print pattern includes elongate printed areas orientated lengthways in one direction. The design layer and base layer include inkjet printable ink in elongate ink deposits orientated lengthways in the one direction. The elongate ink deposits may have an aspect ratio of length:width greater than 1.5:1. The base layer may include white ink. The panel may be made using a digital inkjet cylindrical printer that prints the base layer during at least 10 revolutions of the cylinder. | 09-11-2008 |
20080225064 | PRINTING SYSTEM - In a printing system including a plurality of inkjet printing units and an ink tank commonly used thereby, wherein the ink tank is capable of notifying an amount of ink consumed thereby and has a memory for storing information relating to the ink consumption amount in a updatable manner, the memory access by the printing units is properly arbitrated. The printing system is provided with a storage section for storing the ink consumption amount notified from the respective printing units, a process section for reading the information from the memory and carrying out the calculation together with the stored ink consumption amount, a process section for updating the content in the memory based on the calculated value, and a process section for suspending the calculation relating to the amount of ink consumption in one printing unit, when the calculation is being carried out about any other printing units. | 09-18-2008 |
20080238956 | LIQUID DETECTION DEVICE, LIQUID CONTAINER USING THE SAME, AND METHOD OF PRODUCING LIQUID DETECTION DEVICE - A liquid detection device includes a casing main body in which a passage is formed and exposed in an opening, a sensor base that is disposed to face the passage of the casing main body, a sensor chip provided on the sensor base, a film that seals the opening in which the sensor base is held, and a partition wall that divides the passage into an upstream side and an downstream side. The sensor chip has a sensor cavity, and the sensor base has a first hole that guides a liquid from the upstream side to the sensor cavity, and a second hole that guides the liquid from the sensor cavity to the downstream side. The sensor base can come into contact with the casing main body through only the partition wall in a depth direction of the opening. | 10-02-2008 |
20080238957 | Functional liquid supplying apparatus, liquid droplet ejection apparatus, method for manufacturing electro-optical apparatus, electro-optical apparatus, and electronic apparatus - Provided herein is a functional liquid supplying apparatus including sub-tanks which supply functional liquid through head-side channels to inkjet functional liquid droplet ejection heads, a main tank which supplies the functional liquid to the sub-tanks by applying a pressure, a functional liquid channel including a main channel connected to the main tank, a branched channel connected to the main channel, and branch channels connected to the branched channel and connected to the corresponding sub-tanks, a buffer tank arranged in the main channel, an auxiliary pressure applying unit used to supply the functional liquid in the buffer tank to the sub-tanks by applying a pressure when the main tank is replaced, and branch channel opening units which are disposed in the branch channels and which supply the functional liquid supplied by applying a pressure from the main tank or the buffer tank to the sub-tanks by performing opening/closing operations. | 10-02-2008 |
20080246787 | Ink Refill Unit For A Print Engine Having A Compression Arrangement With Actuation Means Operable By A Controller Of The Print Engine - Provided is an ink refill unit for a print engine. The unit includes a body assembly defining an ink ejection port at one end thereof, a compressible tank located inside said body assembly, and a compression arrangement for compressing the bellows tank. The compression arrangement includes actuation means selectively operable by a controller of the print engine, a threaded wall and circular plunger assembly, and an elongate drive gear mounted within the body assembly and engaging with the plunger assembly. The drive gear is actuated by the actuation means. The threaded wall and circular plunger assembly includes an internal lead screw provided in a substantially cylindrical internal wall of the body assembly and a helical geared thread provided about the circumference of a substantially circular plunger threaded to the internal lead screw thread and extending along a length thereof. The lead screw thread is provided with a gap along the length of the body assembly in which the drive gear sits and is able to come into contact with the geared thread of the plunger. | 10-09-2008 |
20080259104 | LIQUID DETECTING APPARATUS AND LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - The invention relates to a liquid detecting apparatus that drives a liquid detecting unit that outputs two detection signals having phases opposite to each other in accordance with the amount of liquid. The liquid detecting apparatus according to an aspect of the invention includes: a driving unit that outputs a driving signal to the liquid detecting unit; a differential amplifying unit that performs differential amplification on said two detection signals that are output from the liquid detecting unit on the basis of the driving signal so as to output a differential amplification detection signal; and a signal detecting unit that makes a judgment as to whether the amount of liquid is not less than a predetermined amount or not by means of the differential amplification detection signal input from the differential amplifying unit. | 10-23-2008 |
20080266336 | PRINTING APPARATUS AND INK REMAINING AMOUNT DETECTION METHOD - According to this invention, an inkjet printing apparatus having an arrangement for detecting an amount of remaining ink in an ink tank starts a printing operation in a short time immediately after power-on. If an operation in preceding use is ended without any error at the time of power-off, and no error has occurred even at the time of power-on, the inkjet printing apparatus of this invention starts the printing operation without executing the operation of detecting the amount of remaining ink in the ink tank after power-on. | 10-30-2008 |
20080278524 | INK JET RECORDING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD - An ink jet recording apparatus includes a recording head having a plurality of discharge ports for discharging ink supplied from an ink tank and a plurality of heating elements. The ink jet recording apparatus further includes a detection unit configured to detect a remaining amount of ink in the ink tank, and a preliminary discharge unit configured to discharge ink from the discharge ports, unrelated to recording, by applying energy to the heating elements for recovering the recording head. The ink jet recording apparatus performs control so that when the remaining amount of ink detected is less than a predesignated remaining amount of ink, energy applied to the heating elements per unit time by the preliminary discharge unit is smaller as compared with energy applied to the heating elements per unit time when the remaining amount of ink is more than or equal to the predesignated remaining amount of ink. | 11-13-2008 |
20080291227 | Ink remainder detecting module for ink jet apparatus, ink container with same and ink jet apparatus - An ink remaining amount detection module, mountable to an ink container, for detection of an ink remaining amount in an ink container for ink jet recording, the ink remaining amount detection module, includes a support substrate; at least one detection electrode provided on one side of the support substrate; and readable and writable non-volatile information storing means provided on the one side of the support substrate; and information transmitting means, provided on the support substrate, for transmitting, to an outside, information relating to an ink remaining amount which is provided depending on whether the detection electrode is contacted to ink, and for receiving, from an outside, information to be written in the information storing element. | 11-27-2008 |
20080316236 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR WATER-BASED INK PRINTING - A printer that includes at least one printhead mounted to a carriage of a printing system, and a secondary ink container mounted to the carriage and which holds an ink and is in fluid communication with the at least one printhead. A pressure source in fluid communication with the secondary ink container provides a pressure to the secondary ink container during a purging operation to cause the ink to flow from the at least one printhead. The secondary ink container has a large enough volume to hold a sufficient amount of ink for a purge operation of at least about seven seconds. The secondary ink container has a minimum ink level, and an inlet that is located below the minimum ink level so as to minimize aeration of the ink as it flows through the inlet. The printer can also include a manifold having a pair of inlets, each inlet providing ink to a respective printhead, and a connector which connects the secondary ink container to the manifold, and diverts the ink to the respective manifold inlets before the ink enters the manifold. A filter can be used to filter the ink before it enters the secondary ink container, the filter having a vertical orientation to minimize the accumulation of air in the filter. | 12-25-2008 |
20090015607 | Method and Apparatus for Spoofing Imaging Devices - Techniques for spoofing an imaging device adapted for reading data from an electrical storage device to determine a volume of ink in an ink container include providing a replacement electrical storage device for use with the ink container, the replacement electrical storage device comprising memory locations; and responding, by the replacement electrical storage device, to reads of memory locations of the replacement electrical storage device by returning data to the imaging device which causes the imaging device to calculate an inaccurate initial volume of ink stored in the ink container. | 01-15-2009 |
20090033693 | Image Forming Device, Ink Managing Method, and Ink Managing Program - An image forming device includes an exchangeable cartridge and a subtank arranged to store an ink supplied from the cartridge. A comparing unit compares a first conductivity indicating an electric conductivity of an ink contained in the cartridge and a second conductivity indicating an electric conductivity of the ink stored in the subtank. A discharging unit discharges the ink stored in the subtank when the first conductivity and the second conductivity differ from each other as a result of the comparison by the comparing unit. | 02-05-2009 |
20090040249 | Ink Circulation System For Inkjet Printing - An ink circulation system for use in an inkjet printing apparatus includes an inkjet printhead, a supply subtank for containing a supply of ink for the inkjet printhead and a return subtank for containing a surplus of ink not used by the inkjet printhead. The supply subtank is coupled with the return subtank and with the inkjet printhead via a first fluid path. A second fluid path couples the return subtank with the supply subtank for circulating the ink from the return subtank back to the supply subtank. This way a closed ink circulation path is realized. The ink flow from the supply subtank to the inkjet printhead and to the return subtank is controlled by means of a pressure difference between the ink in the supply subtank and the ink in the return subtank. A back pressure at the nozzle of the inkjet printhead is established via active pressure control means. | 02-12-2009 |
20090040250 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS AND HEAD MAINTENANCE METHOD - An inkjet recording apparatus includes an inkjet head, a tank in which liquid to be supplied to the inkjet head is retained, and a flow path for connecting the inkjet head and the tank to each other. The inkjet head includes a head main body, liquid chambers which are built in the head main body, and in which liquid is kept under negative pressure, a nozzle plate bonded to the head main body in such a manner that the plate constitutes one wall part of each of the liquid chambers, nozzles formed in the nozzle plate in such a manner that the nozzles communicate with the liquid chambers, drive elements for causing the nozzles to eject liquid droplets, and first suction holes formed in the nozzle plate in such a manner that the holes communicate with the liquid chambers. | 02-12-2009 |
20090040251 | DISPLAY CONTROL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRINTER - A multifunction machine includes cartridge accommodation portions provided at different positions. Each of the accommodation portions accommodates multiple ink cartridges. If the ink remaining amount of at least one of the cartridges is smaller than a threshold value, a display control section determines that the cartridge requires replacement and operates a display to display an ink-end screen. The ink-end screen displays a message requiring the cartridge be replaced and information regarding the position of the accommodation portion corresponding to the cartridge requiring replacement. | 02-12-2009 |
20090058894 | LIQUID EJECTING DEVICE - A liquid ejecting device is provided. The liquid ejecting device includes: a liquid ejecting head configured to eject a liquid; a liquid supply channel configured to supply the liquid to the liquid ejecting head; a discharge channel communicating with the liquid supply channel through a communicating portion; a suction unit connected to the discharge channel so as to perform a suction operation of suctioning gas from the discharge channel; a gas permeable film disposed in the communicating portion between the liquid supply channel and the discharge channel; a vibration driving unit configured to vibrate the gas permeable film; and a controller configured to control the suction unit and the vibration driving unit. | 03-05-2009 |
20090066734 | INK CARTRIDGE REFILLING - Apparatus for refilling and subsequently sealing an ink jet cartridge. The apparatus including a body with a pointed distal end which can be pushed through a tape covering the fill hole for the cartridge. A recess is provided in the proximal end of the apparatus for connection to a syringe or a feed pipe. A passage connects with the recess and also a radial passage adjacent the distal end of the apparatus. A resilient sleeve locates in a circumferential recess extending around the apparatus and covering the end of the passage in a rest condition to provide a one way valve. | 03-12-2009 |
20090079771 | FLUID EJECTION APPARATUS - A fluid ejection apparatus includes a fluid ejection head comprising a nozzle through which fluid is ejected, a fluid supply passage through which fluid is supplied to the fluid ejection head, a suction device configured to draw fluid from the nozzle, and a movable member positioned within a predetermined portion of the fluid supply passage. The movable member has openings formed therethrough, and is configured to hold air bubbles therein. The movable member is further configured to move between a first position and a second position downstream of the first position in a fluid flowing direction. When the movable member is in the second position, the movable member partitions the predetermined portion of the fluid supply passage into a first space upstream of the movable member and a second space downstream of the movable member. Moreover, when the suction device transitions from an inactive state to an active state to draw fluid from the nozzle, the movable member moves from the first position to the second position and remains in the second position until the suction device transitions from the active state to the inactive state. | 03-26-2009 |
20090102870 | LIQUID DETECTOR AND LIQUID CONTAINER HAVING THE SAME - A liquid detector includes: a case in which a flow channel is exposed from an opening; a sensor base, disposed in the opening of the case to face the flow channel; a sensor chip, mounted on a surface opposite to a surface of the sensor base which faces the flow channel and including a piezoelectric element; a film, adapted to hold the sensor base in the opening and sealing the opening; a circuit board, disposed in such a manner as to face the sensor chip; a relay terminal, electrically connecting the sensor chip and the circuit board; and a support member, adapted to support the circuit board and the relay terminal and fixed to the case. The relay terminal includes: a base end portion, fixed to the support member; and first and second free end portions, separately extending into two branches from the base end portion, and a first contact connected to the circuit board is formed in the first free end portion, and a second contact connected to the sensor chip is formed in the second free end portion. | 04-23-2009 |
20090109252 | INK DETECTOR VIEWABLE WITH THE HUMAN EYE - An ink cartridge configured to hold an ink includes a substantially hollow body including an inner space and a substantially continuous inner wall. The cartridge further includes an optical prism in the inner space, disposed at a predetermined distance from the continuous inner wall such that an ink pocket is defined by a prism wall and the continuous inner wall. The prism includes at least one reflection site formed at an angle configured to reflect light from a light source through the prism at a predetermined height relative to a bottom of the body. If ink is present in the ink pocket at a level below at least a portion of the reflection site, the ink does not block the light reflected off of the portion of the reflection site from traveling across the ink pocket at the predetermined height, such that the reflected light is externally viewable. | 04-30-2009 |
20090122092 | LIQUID STORAGE CONTAINER AND INK JET RECORDING APPARATUS - A liquid container for containing liquid includes an optical path formation member for forming an optical path for guiding to an operating portion light received from an outside at a predetermined position of the liquid container, the optical path forming member constituting a part of the liquid container, wherein the operating portion is caused to emit light by the light guided by the optical path. | 05-14-2009 |
20090122093 | Fluid Ejection Device, Inkjet Printer and Control Method for Fluid Ejection Device - A printing device ( | 05-14-2009 |
20090128591 | System and method for measuring a supply of solid ink in a solid ink printer - A solid ink printer includes a solid ink measurement system that helps ensure an adequate supply of solid ink is in the feed channels delivering solid ink to a melting device within a printer. The solid ink measurement system includes a driving electrode mounted along a substantial length of a first structure of a first solid ink feed channel, a sensing electrode mounted along a substantial length of a second structure of the first solid ink feed channel, the sensing electrode being opposite and generally parallel to the driving electrode, an AC voltage source coupled to the driving electrode to generate an electrical field emitted from the driving electrode, and a capacitance measurement circuit coupled to the sensing electrode to receive an electrical signal induced in the sensing electrode by the electrical field generated by the driving electrode, the capacitance measurement circuit being configured to identify an amount of solid ink in the first feed channel that corresponds to the electrical signal received from the sensing electrode. | 05-21-2009 |
20090141056 | Image Recording Apparatus and Information Output Method - An image recording apparatus and an information output method are provided. The image recording apparatus includes a mounting portion configured to mount thereon an ink cartridge, a first detecting unit which detects an amount of ink in the ink cartridge mounted on the mounting portion, a storage unit which stores a detection result by the first detecting unit in a storage medium, a comparing unit which compares a first detection result stored in the storage medium before the image recording apparatus is restarted, with a second detection result obtained by the first detecting unit after the image recording apparatus is restarted, and a first output unit which outputs instruction information to re-mount the ink cartridge if the comparing unit determines that the first detection result is not same as the second detection result. | 06-04-2009 |
20090153601 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COMMUNICATION OF DATE INFORMATION BETWEEN AN INK TANK AND PRINTING DEVICE - Some or all of the needs above can be addressed by embodiments of the invention. According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for determining ink evaporation from at least one ink tank can be provided. The method can include determining a removal time associated with removal of at least one ink tank from a printing device. The method can also include determining an insertion time associated with insertion of the at least one ink tank into a printing device. In addition, the method can include estimating an amount of ink evaporation from the at least one ink tank during the time between the removal time and insertion time based at least in part on the difference between the removal time and insertion time. | 06-18-2009 |
20090153602 | Printing Cartridge Refill Method And Associated Cartridge Refill System - A method for refilling a printing cartridge includes installing a printing cartridge in a cartridge refill system; establishing communication with a memory device associated with the printing cartridge to read cartridge data stored in the memory device; determining aspects of refilling of the printing cartridge based on at least a portion of the cartridge data; and refilling the printing cartridge based on a result of the determination. | 06-18-2009 |
20090153603 | System and method for imaging ink supplies in a printer - A method identifies ink supplied to a printer. The method includes generating an image of an ink supply installed in a printer, comparing the image of the ink supply to a stored reference image of at least one ink supply, and activating an indicator in response to the generated image corresponding to the stored reference image. | 06-18-2009 |
20090160886 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS USING PRINTHEAD TANK MEMORY TO DETERMINE PRINTHEAD TANK CONFIGURATION - Methods and systems using printhead tank memory to determine printhead tank configuration are provided in accordance with embodiments of the invention. One example embodiment of the invention may include a printhead ink tank. The printhead ink tank may include a memory tag readable by a printer memory tag reader in communication with a printer controller. The memory tag may further include ink tank configuration instructions that include at least one of an ink tank configuration identifier or at least one ink tank location identifier. The ink tank configuration instructions can cause the printer controller to perform at least one memory operation associated with the memory tag. | 06-25-2009 |
20090160887 | LIQUID DROPLET EJECTION HEAD AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A liquid droplet ejection head comprises an ejector, a liquid viscosity-increase prevention structure and a liquid viscosity-increase prevention controller. The ejector includes a nozzle for ejecting a liquid droplet, a pressure chamber communicating with the nozzle through a communication path, and an actuator for applying pressure to a liquid in the pressure chamber. The liquid viscosity-increase prevention structure prevents an increase of viscosity of the liquid in the ejector. The liquid viscosity-increase prevention controller changes the operation frequency of the liquid viscosity-increase prevention structure between when the liquid droplet is ejected from the nozzle and when ejection of the liquid droplet is paused and no liquid droplet is being ejected from the nozzle. | 06-25-2009 |
20090160888 | Ink Tank and Ink Jet Printer - An ink tank of the foam type which is provided with a detected portion capable of exactly and surely detecting the amount of ink used by the printer or remaining in the ink tank. The ink tank includes a sub ink chamber that is disposed or formed between a main ink chamber and an ink outlet of an ink tank of a foam type. When an amount of air flowing into the sub ink chamber increases, one or more reflecting surfaces of a right-angled prism, which function as ink interfaces, resume their original function of reflecting surfaces, thereby enabling the detection of an ink end. Air bubbles having entered the sub ink chamber are surely led onto the one or more reflecting surfaces by a bubble storage part. At an ink passage having a narrow width, which is defined by the one or more reflecting surfaces, air bubbles are pressed against the one or more reflecting surfaces to be put to a crushed state and in surface contact with the latter. Air bubbles are surely led onto the one or more reflecting surfaces, and are crushed and pressed against the reflecting surfaces. This configuration prevents the one or more reflecting surfaces from being covered with ink retained in spaces among the air bubbles. Therefore, the ink end can be detected surely and exactly. | 06-25-2009 |
20090174734 | LIQUID DETECTOR AND LIQUID CONTAINER HAVING THE SAME - A liquid detector includes: a case; a sensor base; a sensor chip; and a partition wall, dividing a part of a flow channel in the case into an upstream and downstream buffer chambers. The sensor chip includes a sensor cavity adapted to receive a liquid to be detected. The sensor base has: a first hole through which the liquid is introduced from the upstream buffer chamber to the sensor cavity; and a second hole through which the liquid is introduced from the sensor cavity to the downstream buffer chamber. The first and second holes are arranged in parallel at the same height, the partition wall is arranged between the first and second holes so as to extend along the sensor base, and a bottom bypass is formed at a lowermost position of the upstream and downstream buffer chambers to communicate the upstream and downstream buffer chambers with each other. | 07-09-2009 |
20090174735 | METHOD FOR CONFIRMING INK CIRCULATION PATH AND METHOD FOR FILLING WITH INK - An image forming apparatus which ejects ink to form an image on a recording medium flows the ink from an upstream side tank to a downstream side tank on an ink circulation path, includes a sensor for detecting a parameter corresponding to variations in amount of the ink in the downstream side tank, and confirms ink circulation in accordance with an amount of ink which returns through circulation from an appropriate amount of ink and a measured time. | 07-09-2009 |
20090174736 | Ink tank holder and ink jet printing head cartridge - In a configuration to inform conditions of an ink tank such as an ink residual quantity by use of a light emitting portion such as a light emitting diode, a display in a position easily viewable to a user is achieved without requiring electric wiring that hinders user visibility and operability. A display section for displaying information by letting light out is separated from a light emitting portion, and a light guiding portion for achieving optical connection between both of the constituents is provided on an ink tank holder. In this way, it is possible to dispose the light emitting portion and the display section respectively in optimum locations, and to ensure freedom of disposing the display section in a position achieving fine user visibility. | 07-09-2009 |
20090179925 | LIQUID CARTRIDGE AND LIQUID EJECTING SYSTEM - A liquid cartridge is detachably mounted in a liquid ejecting device, and supplies liquid to the liquid ejecting device when mounted. The liquid cartridge includes a liquid accommodating chamber, a float member movably disposed in the liquid accommodating chamber, and a detection member moving in conjunction with the float member and being subject to be detected by an external light detector for determining remaining amounts of liquid in the liquid accommodating chamber. A part of the detection member is located at a detection position located above an uppermost liquid surface reached when a predetermined maximum amount of liquid is accommodated in the liquid accommodating chamber. At least a part of the liquid accommodating chamber has light transmissive characteristics so that light from the light detector can reach the detection position. The detection member passes the detection position in conjunction with the float member. | 07-16-2009 |
20090179926 | LIQUID CARTRIDGE AND LIQUID EJECTING SYSTEM - A liquid cartridge is detachable mounted in a liquid ejecting device and supplies liquid to the liquid ejecting device when mounted. The liquid cartridge includes a liquid accommodating chamber, a float member movably disposed in the liquid accommodating chamber, a detection member that moves in conjunction with the float member and is subject to be detected by an external light detector, and a restricting portion that restricts movements of the float member and the detection member along a predetermined path. The detection member includes a light transmission section and first and second light blocking sections and moves past a predetermined detection position when moving the predetermined path. The liquid accommodating chamber includes wall sections that interpose the detection position therebetween, a portion of which has light transmissive characteristics so that light from the light detector can exit outside via the detection position. The detection member moves, in conjunction with the float member, from a first position where the first light blocking section is in coincidence with the detection position, to a second position where the light transmission section is in coincidence with the detection position, and finally to a third position where the second light blocking section is in coincidence with the detection position. | 07-16-2009 |
20090184991 | LIQUID CARTRIDGE AND RECORDING SYSTEM - A liquid cartridge mountable in a recording device includes a liquid accommodating chamber that accommodates liquid therein, a float movably disposed in the liquid accommodating chamber, and a detection section to be detected by an external light detector for determining remaining amounts of the liquid in the liquid accommodating chamber. The detection section is movably disposed in the liquid accommodating chamber to move along a predetermined path in conjunction with movements of the float. The light detector includes a light emitting section that emits light and a light receiving section that receives the light. The detection section includes a first section and a second section; the first section transmits the light when the first section is in a detection point, while the second section blocks the light, the first section and the second section being arranged alternately. An amount of liquid accommodated in the liquid accommodating chamber when the liquid cartridge is mounted in the recording device is determined based on a number of times the light emitted from the light emitting section traverses the alternately arranged first and second sections during mounting the liquid cartridge in a mounting direction in the recording device. | 07-23-2009 |
20090189931 | LIQUID STORING DEVICE AND LIQUID STORING CARTRIDGE - A liquid storing device includes a storage unit that stores a liquid to be consumed and a rotation member inside the storage unit that rotates around a rotation axis. A blade member is installed to the rotation member to be movable in the axis direction of the rotation axis with respect to the rotation member and has a specific gravity smaller than that of the liquid. A detection member detects the blade member when the blade member is located vertically at a detection position. When the rotation member rotates in one direction, the blade member agitates the liquid while moving toward the lower side of a liquid surface of the liquid in the vertical direction along the axis direction in accordance with rotation of the rotation member. When the rotation member stops rotating, the blade member floats toward the liquid surface due to buoyancy of the liquid. | 07-30-2009 |
20090195572 | System And Method For Leveling Applied Ink In A Printer - A system enables ink on an image receiving member to be re-distributed to reduce banding effects in the image. The system includes an ink applicator for applying ink to form an ink image on an image receiving member as it passes by the ink applicator; a plenum chamber for receiving a flow of pressurized fluid from a fluid source, and at least one opening in the plenum chamber to direct the flow of pressurized fluid from the plenum towards the ink image on the image receiving member to re-distribute the ink on the image receiving member. | 08-06-2009 |
20090195573 | LIQUID DETECTION UNIT, AND LIQUID CONTAINER - Disclosed is a liquid detection unit having a liquid detection chamber, a detection portion including a detection space communicating with the liquid detection chamber via a through hole of a detection portion installation member and a piezoelectric sensor which detects remaining vibrations, and a movable member including a detection space sealing surface which is urged by an urging member and thus comes to abut against one surface of a detection portion installation member. The liquid detection chamber includes an abutting surface abutting against a second sealing surface being in contact with a first sealing surface of the movable member and the detection portion installation member. When a distance between the first sealing surface of the movable member to the detection space sealing surface is defined as L1 and a distance between the second sealing surface of the liquid detection chamber to the abutting surface is defined as L2, the relationship L1>L2 is satisfied. | 08-06-2009 |
20090201324 | PRINTER-EQUIPPED DISK RECORDING AND/OR REPRODUCING APPARATUS - A printer-equipped disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes: a disk drive; a printer; a single light-emitting indicator unit able to luminously indicate colors; an ink tank containing color inks of which the number corresponds to the number of colors the light-emitting indicator unit can indicate; an ink level detection unit that detects color ink levels in the ink tank and outputs detected signals; a printing operation detection unit that detects a printer operation and outputs a detected signal; a drive operation detection unit that detects a disk drive operation and outputs a detected signal; and a first light emission control unit that controls a luminous color and state of the light-emitting indicator unit in accordance with the printer operation, the disk drive operation and the color ink levels on the basis of the detected signals from the ink level detection unit, printing operation detection unit and drive operation detection unit. | 08-13-2009 |
20090207199 | Liquid tank and ink jet printing apparatus - There is provided a liquid tank having a liquid remaining amount sensing module that makes it possible to reliably determine that the amount of ink has reached a predetermined value, in spite of its simple and compact configuration. In the ink tank, an information storage element and a module are provided on a ceiling portion of an ink accommodating chamber directly accommodating ink; the module having an optical reflector that faces downward in a vertical direction. A housing of the ink tank is composed of a transparent resin. Infrared light from an external light emitting section is incident on the optical reflector. The reflected light is received by a light receiving section and then, the quantity of light is measured. | 08-20-2009 |
20090219310 | INK CARTRIDGE-ATTACHING DEVICE AND INK JET RECORDING APPARATUS - An ink cartridge-attaching device includes a cartridge attachment section to which cartridges each storing an ink are attachable; optical sensors which are provided on the cartridge attachment section, which detect the cartridges attached to the cartridge attachment section, and each of which has light-emitting portion and light-receiving portion; and a controller which controls the optical sensors to obtain, based on signals from the optical sensors, information about the cartridges; and the optical sensors are disposed such that the light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion of the optical sensors are arranged alternately in a row; and light emitted from the light-emitting portion included in a certain optical sensor among the optical sensors is received by the light-receiving portion included in the certain optical sensor and received by another light-receiving portion adjacent to the light-emitting portion and included in another optical sensor, among the optical sensors, adjacent to the certain optical sensor. | 09-03-2009 |
20090231367 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING METHOD, AND RECORDING MEDIUM STORING PROGRAM THAT CAUSES THE APPARATUS TO EXECUTE THE METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes ink cartridges, image forming units, an ink-remaining-amount manager, a maintenance determiner, an information writer, an ink-amount estimator, and a maintenance-executability determiner. If an ink near-empty or empty state occurs in one of the ink cartridges due to image formation, the ink-amount estimator estimates an amount of ink required to execute the maintenance on the other ink cartridges based on the at least one of the need for and the type of maintenance determined by the maintenance determiner. If the maintenance-executability determiner determines that the maintenance is unexecutable on at least one of the other ink cartridges based on the required ink amount and a remaining ink amount, the maintenance-executability determiner determines that the unexecutable ink cartridge is at an ink near-empty or empty state and stops writing or updating information indicative of a spent state on the memory of the unexecutable ink cartridge. | 09-17-2009 |
20090237425 | SELECTABLE GLOSS COATING SYSTEM - A coating system comprises a high gloss coating ink supply source, and a low gloss coating ink supply source. The system includes a coating module configured to receive the high gloss coating ink and the low gloss coating ink. The coating module includes a first group of nozzles configured to emit the high gloss coating ink, and a second group of nozzles configured to emit the low gloss coating ink. The coating module includes a mixing reservoir configured to receive the high gloss coating ink and the low gloss coating ink and to commingle the high gloss coating ink and the low gloss coating ink to form an intermediate gloss coating ink. The coating module includes a third group of inkjet nozzles configured to emit the intermediate gloss coating ink. | 09-24-2009 |
20090237426 | LIQUID CONTAINER AND LIQUID CONSUMING APPARATUS - The liquid container includes a liquid storage portion that stores a liquid; a liquid feed portion that connects with the liquid consuming apparatus and feeds the liquid to the liquid consuming apparatus when the liquid container is attached to the liquid consuming apparatus, a liquid sensing chamber defining portion having a liquid inlet communicating with the liquid storage portion and a liquid outlet communicating with the liquid feed portion and that defines a liquid sensing chamber that fluctuates in volume according to a differential between atmospheric pressure received from an outside and pressure received from an inside, a bias force member that exerts a bias force on the liquid sensing chamber from an inner side in a direction of expansion of volume of the liquid sensing chamber, and a sensor that senses a decline in volume of the liquid sensing chamber to a prescribed volume value. A pressure of liquid present in the liquid sensing chamber declines as an amount of liquid in the liquid storage portion becomes lower. The bias force is established such that if the amount of liquid in the liquid storage portion is equal to or greater than a prescribed amount, the liquid sensing chamber overcomes atmospheric pressure to assume a volume exceeding a prescribed volume value, whereas if the amount of liquid in the liquid storage portion is less than a prescribed amount, the liquid sensing chamber yields to atmospheric pressure to assume a volume equal to or less than a prescribed volume value. | 09-24-2009 |
20090244121 | INK JET RECORDING METHOD - The invention provides an ink jet recording method including applying an ink onto an ink jet recording medium by ink jet technology, the recording medium containing a support and an ink receptive layer which is provided on or above the support and contains a water-soluble aluminum compound, and the ink containing a dye and 8% by mass or more of a water-soluble solvent based on the total amount of the ink, the water-soluble solvent having a SP value of 24 (MPa) | 10-01-2009 |
20090244122 | LIQUID CONTAINER, BOARD, AND METHOD OF REWRITING LIQUID INFORMATION - A liquid container adapted for installation in a liquid jetting device includes a container body that contains a liquid, a memory, a detector, and an information rewriting portion. The memory allows the liquid jetting device to read and write liquid information relating to the contained liquid while the liquid container is in an installed state installed in the liquid jetting device. The sensing portion detects installation of the liquid container in the liquid jetting device, or detachment of the liquid container from the liquid jetting device. The information rewriting portion rewrites the liquid information in the memory, responsive to detection of the installation or detachment. | 10-01-2009 |
20090251498 | LIQUID CONTAINER, BOARD, AND METHOD OF REWRITING LIQUID INFORMATION - A liquid container adapted for installation in a liquid jetting device includes an installation status notifier portion. The installation status notifier portion, in an installed state wherein the liquid container is installed in the liquid jetting device, is able to make the liquid jetting device determine that there exists the installed state, and alternatively to make the liquid jetting device determine, even in the installed state, that there exists a non-installed state wherein the liquid container is not installed in the liquid jetting device. | 10-08-2009 |
20090256871 | INKJET PRINTING APPARATUS AND INKJET PRINTING METHOD - There is provided an inkjet printing apparatus which are used to obtain a printed matter having a small degree of glossiness unevenness and a flat surface. The apparatus is the inkjet printing apparatus for forming an image on a print medium by relatively scanning a first ejection unit for ejecting a first ink and a second ejection unit for ejecting a second ink to the print medium. The apparatus includes forming unit configured to form the image with the first and second inks on the print medium in each of a first printing mode for completing an image by scanning the first ejection unit one time and a second printing mode for completing an image by scanning the second ejection unit plural times. A gloss value of a solid image with the second ink is greater than a gloss value of a solid image with the first ink. | 10-15-2009 |
20090262152 | INKJET PRINTER SYSTEM AND INK SUPPLY APPARATUS - An inkjet printer system includes a print head and a sub tank. The print head is configured to eject ink. The sub tank is provided above the print head and connected to the print head via a head-side supply passage. The sub tank has a first supplying hole and a second supplying hole which are connected to the head-side supply passage. A position of the first supplying hole is higher than a position of the second supplying hole. | 10-22-2009 |
20090262153 | INKJET PRINTER SYSTEM AND INK SUPPLY APPARATUS - An inkjet printer system includes a print head, a sub tank, and a sensor. The print head is configured to eject ink. The sub tank includes an ink supply chamber and an ink detection chamber. The ink supply chamber has an ink inlet hole and an ink outlet hole connected to the print head. Ink is supplied to the sub tank through the ink inlet hole. Ink is supplied to the print head from the sub tank through the ink outlet hole. The ink detection chamber communicates with the ink supply chamber. The sensor is configured to detect an amount of ink contained in the sub tank and includes a float member provided in the ink detection chamber to float in the ink. | 10-22-2009 |
20090262154 | Printer Control Circuitry For Reading Ink Information From A Refill Unit - A refill unit for refilling an ink cartridge that forms part of an inkjet printer. The printer also having a printhead, control circuitry and an interface for releasably engaging the refill unit. The refill unit has a body containing a quantity of ink, an ink outlet, and a memory circuit for storing information relating to at least one characteristic of the ink. During use the memory circuit allows to the control circuit to interrogate it to verify that the ink in the refill unit is suitable for the printer. | 10-22-2009 |
20090278872 | INK JET PRINTER CARTRIDGE REFILLING METHOD AND APPARATUS - The present invention provides an automated system for refilling printer ink cartridges. The system includes a computer with memory provided to store information relating to a plurality of ink cartridges, and a user interface that is connected to the computer and can receive a model number of a particular ink cartridge to be refilled. Moreover, the system employs a vacuum chamber with one or more needles provided to add ink into the ink cartridge. The vacuum chamber is connected to a vacuum pump that draws a suction on the vacuum chamber to reduce pressure in the vacuum chamber. In operation, the computer controls the vacuum pump to reduce the pressure in the vacuum chamber to a specific pressure based on the model number of the ink cartridge, and once this pressure is reached, ink is added to the ink cartridge by the needle accordingly. | 11-12-2009 |
20090289971 | Ink Containment System and Ink Level Sensing System for an Inkjet Cartridge - An ink containment system for an inkjet cartridge, for storing ink for printing, comprises a housing having a plurality of walls. A rigid basin member and a rigid moveable plate are disposed within the housing. A flexible membrane is affixed to a surface of the basin member and to a surface of the plate forming an ink reservoir within the basin member, plate and flexible membrane. A spring-biased mechanism is disposed between the basin member and plate, for biasing the plate apart from the basin member, generating a negative pressure within the ink reservoir and the basin member remaining stationary relative to the movement of the plate. | 11-26-2009 |
20090289972 | Ink cartridge and recording apparatus - To be capable of preventing the erroneous detection of the residual amount of ink, and to facilitate exchange work. Provided is an ink cartridge including: a flexible ink bag, configured to store ink and change a thickness thereof in response to an amount of the ink; a housing that houses the ink bag; an outflow port that is formed on a front surface of the housing, communicates with the ink bag, and causes the ink to flow out of the inside of the ink bag; a first detection window and a second detection window, which are formed on the housing; a plate that is fixed to an upper surface of the ink bag, and moves together with the ink bag in response to fluctuations of the amount of ink; an “empty” detecting member that is set movable following the plate in the housing, and moves to a position of closing the first detection window when the ink runs out; and a “full” detecting member that is set movable following the plate in the housing, and moves to a position of closing the second window when a fixed amount or more of the ink is stored in the ink bag. | 11-26-2009 |
20090295849 | Apparatus capable of mounting expendable cartridges, method for counting consumption amount of expendable cartridges, and computer program - Provided is an apparatus capable of mounting an expendable cartridge thereon, including: a consumption amount counting unit that counts up the consumption amount of expendable cartridges in the apparatus when a change wherein a residual expendable amount of the expendable cartridge decreases from a value higher than a predetermined low residual level to be lower than or equal to the low residual level is detected for the first time during the continuous operation of the apparatus, wherein the consumption amount of the expendable cartridges is counted up, and with respect to the respective expendable cartridges mounted on the apparatus; (a1) it is detected whether or not the residual expendable amount is lower than or equal to the low residual level immediately after the apparatus is powered on; (a2) the count-up is not performed with respect to an expendable cartridge of which the residual expendable amount is lower than or equal to the low residual level immediately after the power-on; (b1) when any expendable cartridge is replaced, it is detected whether or not the residual expendable amount is lower than or equal to the low residual level immediately after the replacement; and (b2) when any expendable cartridge is replaced and the residual expendable amount immediately after the replacement is lower than or equal to the low residual level, the count-up is not performed with respect to the replaced expendable cartridge. | 12-03-2009 |
20090315927 | PRINTER AND METHOD FOR PRINTING - A printer includes first and second ink cartridges, a print head having first and second nozzle arrays, first and second ink supply passages having first and second valves, and a connecting passages having a third valve. The first passage connects the first cartridge to the first nozzle array. The second passage connects the second cartridge to the second nozzle array. The connecting passage connects the first and second passages at first and second connecting portions, respectively. The first valve is provided in the first passage between the first cartridge and the first connecting portion. The second valve is provided in the second passage between the second cartridge and the second connecting portion. Both the first and second valves are open and the third valve being closed in a first state. The third valve and either one of the first and second valves are open in a second state. | 12-24-2009 |
20090315928 | Fluid Discharge Device, Control Method for a Fluid Discharge Device, and a Fluid Tank - A fluid discharge device, a control method for a fluid discharge device, and an ink tank enable easy and accurate confirmation of the fluid usage history, such as how much fluid is left in the tank, on the user or device side without increasing the price. An inkjet printer that discharges ink from the inkjet head to print on recording paper has a cartridge loading unit in which a ink cartridge is loaded, an inkjet head that discharges ink drawn from the ink cartridge, a reader/writer that reads and writes an ink usage history about usage of ink in the ink cartridge to an IC chip substrate disposed to the ink cartridge, and a control unit that prints at least a part of the ink usage history written to the IC chip substrate to a printable part on the outside surface of the ink cartridge by the inkjet head. | 12-24-2009 |
20090322806 | METHOD OF PRINTING FOR INCREASED INK EFFICIENCY - The present invention relates generally to the field of inkjet printing, and in particular to a method of printing that provides improved ink usage efficiency. In the method of the present invention a threshold level of ink in an ink chamber or reservoir is stored. The remaining amount of ink in the ink chamber or reservoir is monitored and compared to the threshold level. When the remaining amount of ink in the ink chamber or reservoir is below the threshold level, an ink throughput through the printhead for a printed image is reduced. | 12-31-2009 |
20090322807 | FLUID LEVEL SENSING SYSTEM AND METHOD - An ink level sensing system that exhibits good sensitivity is described herein. The system includes a first probe having a first active surface, a second probe having a second active surface facing the first active surface, a memory in which data indicative of a conductivity curve and command instructions are stored, and a processor configured to execute the command instructions to associate a level of fluid in a reservoir with a first signal indicative of the electrical coupling between the first active surface and the second active surface with reference to the data indicative of a conductivity curve. | 12-31-2009 |
20090322808 | Method and apparatus for determining real time ink volume in a printer - A method is disclosed. The method includes measuring a first mass of an ink container supported by a printer support device, converting the first mass to a first volume, printing a first print job, measuring a second mass of the ink container after printing the first print job and converting the second mass to a second volume. | 12-31-2009 |
20090322809 | FLUID DISCHARGE DEVICE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING A FLUID DISCHARGE - A fluid discharge device, a printing device, and a control method for a fluid discharge device enable accurately detecting an empty fluid state and suppressing fluid waste. An inkjet printer 1 has an ink cartridge in which ink is stored, a subtank that draws ink from the ink cartridge, an inkjet head to which ink is supplied from the subtank, a movable carriage on which the inkjet head and subtank are mounted, an ink pump unit that draws the ink supplied to the inkjet head from the ink cartridge by movement of the carriage, and a control unit that determines if ink is in the ink cartridge based on the load required to move the carriage. | 12-31-2009 |
20100013875 | Printing Method And Ink Jet Printing Device - In a method for printing on a substrate, in particular a textile substrate, with the aid of an inkjet printing device, a print image to be printed is constructed by drop-by-drop deposition of one or more ink fluids in picture elements which together form the print image, an ink fluid comprising at least one predetermined concentration of at least one dye in a main solvent. The method comprises for this purpose the following steps: • the determination of the colour value of a picture element from the print image, • the determination of one or more dye-comprising ink fluids, in dependence on the determined colour value. • the determination of colourless transport fluid to be applied to the picture element, in dependence on the determined colour value, • the determination of a colourless auxiliary fluid, comprising rheology-modifying agents, in dependence on the determined colour value, and • the application of the ink fluids, the transport fluid and the auxiliary fluid to the picture element. | 01-21-2010 |
20100013876 | LIQUID APPLICATION DEVICE AND INK JET RECORDING APPARATUS - The present invention provides an inkjet recording apparatus and a recording apparatus capable of reducing wear of a roller for application, even if liquid (for example, application liquid) is insufficient in a case where liquid is applied to recording media. In an embodiment of the present invention, in a case where it is determined that the application liquid is sufficient in a storage tank, the application liquid is filled in a liquid retention space, the application liquid is applied to the recording medium, and thus recording is performed. In a case where it is determined that the liquid application is insufficient in the storage tank, recording with application is prohibited. | 01-21-2010 |
20100026741 | USER ADAPTABLE INK STATUS CONVEYANCE SYSTEM - An ink status conveyance system comprises a maximum monitored ink level sensor operable with respect to an ink source for holding a supply of ink and delivering the ink to a printhead. The ink level sensor is configured to detect when an available amount of ink in the ink source corresponds to an ample ink level. A notification controller is configured to track the available amount of ink in the ink source between an ample ink level and an ink out level. A user interface is configured to enable a user to designate a low ink notification set point for the ink source at any ink level between the ample ink level and the ink out level. The notification controller is configured to compare the user designated low ink notification set point to the available ink volume value to generate a low ink notification when the available ink volume value corresponds to the user designated low ink notification set point. | 02-04-2010 |
20100026742 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING LIQUID FOR FORMING IMAGES - An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a sub-tank, a main tank, a supply unit, a memory, and a controller. The sub-tank includes an ink storage container, a flexible member, an elastic member, and an atmosphere-communicable unit. The ink storage container has an opening sealed by the flexible member biased by the elastic member. The main tank stores ink to be supplied to the sub-tank. The controller controls an ink dispensing operation depending on image forming conditions. The controller determines whether a gas bubble intrudes in the sub-tank. The controller executes the ink dispensing operation from the recording head using a dispensable ink volume when an ink supply from the main tank to the sub-tank is unable to be continued. The controller variably sets the dispensable ink volume. The controller determines that an ink end condition occurs when the recording head dispenses the dispensable ink volume from the sub-tank. | 02-04-2010 |
20100039460 | Ink supply system and process for cleaning this type of ink supply system - The invention is an ink supply system ( | 02-18-2010 |
20100039461 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes: a treatment liquid application device which applies a treatment liquid to a recording medium; a treatment liquid supplying device which abuts against the treatment liquid application device so as to form a liquid holding space, fills the treatment liquid into the liquid holding space by use of a liquid delivery device which delivers the treatment liquid to the liquid holding space via a first flow channel from a treatment liquid reservoir storing the treatment liquid, and restores the treatment liquid to the treatment liquid reservoir via a second flow channel from the liquid holding space; a controller which controls at least one of a treatment liquid filling operation and a treatment liquid restoring operation with respect to the liquid holding space; an ink ejecting device which ejects a droplet of an ink onto the recording medium to which the treatment liquid application device has applied the treatment liquid; and an air bubble mixing avoidance device which is provided in the second flow channel and prevents air from discharging in the treatment liquid in the treatment liquid reservoir. | 02-18-2010 |
20100053240 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - An inkjet recording apparatus including: (a) a recording head; (b) an ink supply source; (c) an ink supply conduit interconnecting the recording head and the ink supply source, such that the ink is supplied from the ink supply source to the recording head in an ink supplying direction; (d) a movable body disposed in the ink supply conduit and movable in the ink supply conduit; (e) a moving device configured to move the movable body in the ink supply conduit; and (f) a control device configured to control the moving device. The ink supply conduit includes a small-clearance defining portion in which a small clearance is to be defined between the movable body and an inner surface of the ink supply conduit when the movable body is being positioned in the small-clearance defining portion. The control device is configured to control the moving device, such that the movable body is moved from a first position located in the small-clearance defining portion, to a second position located in the small-clearance defining portion, whereby the ink within the small-clearance defining portion is caused to flow toward the recording head. | 03-04-2010 |
20100066774 | FLUID SUPPLY DEVICE, PRINTING DEVICE, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING A FLUID SUPPLY DEVICE - A fluid supply device, a printing device, and a control method for a fluid supply device can appropriately determine when the main tank should be replaced without increasing device cost or size. In a structure in which an expansion mechanism draws ink from an ink cartridge by expanding an ink cartridge using the force of carriage movement, a calculation means | 03-18-2010 |
20100079512 | Ink Conductivity Fault Tolerant Mode - A method of operating an imaging device comprises measuring an ink conductivity of an ink volume in an ink reservoir of an imaging device. The imaging device is operated in a conductivity fault tolerant mode in response to the measured ink conductivity being outside of a predetermined ink conductivity operational range. In the conductive fault tolerant mode, at least one parameter of a melt duty cycle for the ink reservoir is set to a corresponding conductivity fault tolerant (CFT) level. | 04-01-2010 |
20100079513 | LIQUID-EJECTION APPARATUS - A liquid-ejection apparatus, including: a head configured to eject a liquid from a plurality of liquid-ejection openings; a main tank configured to accommodate the liquid supplied to the head; a liquid-supply pump configured to supply the liquid in the main tank to the head; a sub-tank in which are formed (a) a connection opening for connecting the sub-tank to the head and (b) an air-discharge opening for communicating the sub-tank with ambient air; a first channel extending from the liquid-supply pump to the sub-tank via the head and the connection opening; a second channel extending from the sub-tank to the liquid-supply pump; a third channel extending from the air-discharge opening of the sub-tank to the ambient air; an air-discharge valve provided in the third channel so as to be openable and closable; and a controller configured to control the air-discharge valve such that the air-discharge valve is temporarily opened in a liquid introducing operation in which the liquid is introduced from the main tank to the liquid-supply pump and an air discharging operation in which air separated from the liquid in the sub-tank by causing the liquid to be flowed through the first channel by driving of the liquid-supply pump is discharged through the third channel, and such that the air-discharge valve is closed in times other than the liquid introducing operation and the air discharging operation. | 04-01-2010 |
20100079514 | LIQUID SUPPLY DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING DEVICE, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM - In a liquid supply device, a liquid chamber and an air chamber of a storage tank are demarcated by an elastic film, a pressure sensor detects pressure within the liquid chamber, and a supply pump supplies liquid to a supply destination via the liquid chamber. First information, that expresses a supply amount per predetermined time and a pressure of the liquid chamber within a range of not being affected by changes over time in the elastic film, is stored in a memory. A controller adjusts detected pressure by adjustment values, and controls the supply pump such that an adjusted pressure becomes constant at a predetermined pressure. The controller controls the supply pump such that there becomes a supply amount that is substantially the same as a supply amount of the first information, and acquires pressure detected at that time as second information, and derives the adjustment values on the basis of an offset amount between pressures of the first information and the second information. | 04-01-2010 |
20100079515 | INK JET PRINTER DEVICE AND HUMIDIFICATION METHOD OF EJECTION PORTION - An inkjet printer device includes: an ejection portion that ejects an ink droplet onto a recording medium; a humidification portion that is provided upstream of the ejection portion in a transportation direction of the recording medium and ejects a wetting liquid droplet onto the recording medium; and a control portion that makes the ink droplet be ejected onto the recording medium from the ejection portion and the wetting liquid droplet be ejected onto the recording medium from the humidification portion, wherein the ejection portion is humidified during printing by letting the wetting liquid droplet ejected onto the recording medium evaporate from the recording medium. | 04-01-2010 |
20100079516 | LIQUID APPLICATION APPARATUS, LIQUID STORAGE METHOD AND INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - A liquid application apparatus has: an application member that has an application surface applying a liquid onto a medium; a holding member that abuts against the application surface of the application member so as to form a liquid holding space in which the liquid is held; a liquid application device that rotates the application surface of the application member in such a manner that the liquid supplied from the holding member to the application surface is applied onto the medium; a storage device that stores the liquid; a first flow channel and a second flow channel that connect the storage device to the holding member; a liquid movement device that causes oscillation of the liquid in the first flow channel, second flow channel and a flow channel including the liquid holding space to generate a flow of the liquid; and a controller that controls the liquid movement device to generate the flow of the liquid caused by the oscillation in such a manner that a product which is generated from the liquid, has a higher viscosity than the liquid and adheres to interior walls of the first flow channel and the second flow channel, is solved in the liquid or collected in the liquid. | 04-01-2010 |
20100079517 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a first liquid containing unit containing a liquid therein and a second detachable liquid containing unit containing a liquid therein and having a liquid containing volume smaller than that of the first liquid containing unit. A communication passage communicates the first liquid containing unit with the second liquid containing unit. The first and second liquid containing units are reciprocally replenished with the liquid by a liquid replenishing unit through the communication passage. When the liquid is replenished from the first or second liquid containing units to the other, a control unit controls the liquid replenishing unit to replenish the liquid from the one liquid containing unit to the other liquid containing unit, until the liquid contained in the one liquid containing unit reaches a predetermined amount smaller than the liquid containing volume of the second liquid containing unit. | 04-01-2010 |
20100085396 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - Inkjet apparatus includes: a tank; a first flow channel; a first liquid chamber; a second flow channel; a second liquid chamber; a first liquid movement; a second liquid movement device; a first pressure determination device; a second pressure determination device; a pressure control device which controls pressures in the first and second liquid chambers by respectively controlling the first and second liquid movement devices, in accordance with determination results of the first and second pressure determination devices, in such a manner that the internal pressures of the first and second liquid chambers respectively remain at the target pressures; a circulation path through which the liquid inside the first liquid chamber is circulated without passing through the inkjet head; and a deaeration device which is provided at an intermediate point of the circulation path and which removes dissolved gas. | 04-08-2010 |
20100103208 | INK FILLING METHOD AND INKJET PRINTER - An ink circulating unit is configured by including an ink head for spraying ink, a first tank, which is arranged upper than the ink head in a gravitational direction, for storing the ink to be supplied to the ink head, a second tank, which is arranged lower than the ink head in the gravitational direction, for storing the ink not sprayed from the ink head, and a pump for conveying the ink within the second tank to the first tank. A first step of driving the pump for a predetermined amount of time in a state where the first tank is sealed, and a second step of stopping the pump for a predetermined amount of time in a state where the air within the first tank is released are executed to fill the ink head with the ink. | 04-29-2010 |
20100110118 | INK DISCHARGING DEVICE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE INK DISCHARGING DEVICE - An ink discharging device may comprise a head that is configured to print an image by discharging black ink and ink other than the black ink onto a print medium. The ink discharging device may further comprise a print controller that is configured to control the head such that the image is printed on the print medium on the basis of print data. The print controller may be configured to control the head such that flushing of the ink other than the black ink is performed at a black-color print area on the print medium onto which the head discharges the black ink on the basis of the print data. | 05-06-2010 |
20100110119 | FLUID SUPPLY DEVICE, PRINTING DEVICE, AND METHOD OF CLEANING A PRINTING DEVICE - A fluid supply device, a printing device, and a method of cleaning a printing device are disclosed. A fluid supply device includes a main tank, a fluid chamber, a fluid-discharging head, a movable carriage, an expansion mechanism that expands the fluid chamber to draw fluid from the main tank, a suction mechanism, a remaining fluid detection unit, a comparison unit that compares the remaining fluid volume in the main tank with a specified value, and a setting unit that sets a cleaning mode. The expansion mechanism is actuated via a movement of the movable carriage. The setting unit sets a first cleaning mode in which a first amount of fluid is vacuumed from the nozzle or a second cleaning mode in which a second amount of fluid is vacuumed from the nozzle that is less than the first amount. The cleaning mode is selected in response to the amount of fluid remaining in the main tank. | 05-06-2010 |
20100134541 | SECURE UPDATING OF INTEGRATED CIRCUITS - A method of attempting a write to an entity to cause performance of an action is provided in which a first message is sent to the entity which causes performance of the action and adjustment of initial values in respective security fields of the entity to respective first adjusted values, and a second message is sent to the entity which causes adjustment of the initial values to respective second adjusted values. The security fields have write restrictions which prevent values in the security fields being adjusted, in accordance with the first message, if the initial values have been adjusted in accordance with the second message, and vice versa. The action is only performed when the initial values have been adjusted in accordance with the first message. The respective first adjusted values are different than the respective second adjusted values. | 06-03-2010 |
20100149232 | System and Method for Identifying a Particular Inkjet Ink - A system for identifying a particular inkjet ink includes an ink delivery tubing interconnecting an ink cartridge and a printhead, a quantity of ink dispensing from the ink cartridge to the printhead by flowing through the ink delivery tubing, a light emitter configured and positioned to transmit light in a first preselected wavelength bandwidth onto the ink delivery tubing and the ink flowing therethrough, a photo sensor configured and positioned to detect light in a different second preselected wavelength bandwidth that is emitted by a fluorescent additive contained in the dispensed ink, and a signal analyzer electrically connected to the photo sensor and operable to produce an electrical output signal corresponding to such light emissions such that an electrical output signal above a given level is indicative of the presence of the particular ink in the ink cartridge. | 06-17-2010 |
20100165018 | INKJET RECORDING METHOD - An inkjet recording method including recording an image by applying an ink containing a pigment to a recording medium, and fixing an image region by pressure-contacting a pressure-bonding unit against the image region when the tackiness of the image region as measured by a ball tack test method reaches 20 mm or greater. | 07-01-2010 |
20100177132 | Ink Tank and Ink Jet Printer Incorporating the Same - An ink chamber is formed with a vent port allowing atmospheric air to enter therein and an ink outlet from which ink is taken out. An optical member has an ink contact face capable of contacting with ink contained in the ink chamber. The ink contact face includes a detection face at which a remaining amount of ink in the ink chamber is optically detected in accordance with an amount of air entered into the ink chamber via the vent port. A first ink absorbing member is disposed in the vicinity of the ink contact face, and capable of absorbing the ink in the ink chamber. | 07-15-2010 |
20100188446 | INKJET PRINTER EMPLOYING DISPOSABLE SHEET FOR PRINTHEAD MAINTENANCE - An inkjet printer comprises a printhead having an ink ejection face and an ink supply system including a face flooding system. A sheet feed arrangement feeds a disposable sheet past the printhead and through a maintenance zone spaced apart from the face, and a print media feed arrangement feeds print media past the printhead and through a print zone. The maintenance zone is nearer the face than the print zone, and no part of the disposable sheet makes contact with the printhead. | 07-29-2010 |
20100194798 | INKJET PRINTER AND INK CIRCULATION METHOD THEREOF - An inkjet printer includes a first tank for storing ink supplied to a ink jetting unit, a second tank for storing the ink that is not jetted from the ink jetting unit, and a pump for sending the ink within the second tank to the first tank, and a filling unit for filling a ink circulation path with the ink. The pump starts to be driven if the amount of ink within the first tank is smaller than a predetermined amount and the amount of ink within the second tank is equal to or larger than a predetermined amount. Additionally, the filling unit fills the ink circulation path with the ink if the amount of ink within the first tank is smaller than the predetermined amount and the amount of ink within the second tank is smaller than the predetermined amount. | 08-05-2010 |
20100194799 | PRINTER WITH PRESSURE REGULATED INK SUPPLY - An inkjet printer that has a printhead, a container for maintaining a quantity of ink at a pressure less than ambient pressure, an ink outlet for sealed fluid connection to the printhead, and, an air inlet with a pressure regulator that allows air into the container at a predetermined pressure difference between the container interior and atmosphere. The pressure regulator is a porous member with a first surface for exposure to atmosphere and a second surface for contacting the ink in the container. During use, air at the first surface moves to the second surface and forms bubbles and, the porous member is a membrane in a side wall of the reservoir. The membrane is positioned closely adjacent an internal wall such that ink is held between the wall and the membrane by capillary action when the ink level drops below the membrane. | 08-05-2010 |
20100214332 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is presented. The image forming apparatus includes an ink tank configured to store ink, a recording head configured to discharge ink stored in the ink tank onto a recording medium, an adjustment device configured to adjust the flow of ink from the ink tank to the recording head, a damper configured to temporarily store ink that is output from the ink tank to the recording head, an ink condition sensor configured to detect a condition of the ink stored in the damper, and a control device configured to adjust the adjustment device according to the condition detected by the ink condition sensor. | 08-26-2010 |
20100220129 | CONTAINER AND METHOD FOR LIQUID STORAGE AND DISPENSING - A method for measuring the volume of liquid, such as ink or solvent, remaining in a container, such as a replacement cartridge for a continuous ink jet printer, uses a reservoir enclosing an internal space having a variable volume for storage. The reservoir is adapted to provide a reduction in the pressure of the internal space, the reduction substantially monotonically increasing in magnitude as liquid is drawn into the printer, such that the volume of liquid remaining may be calculated from knowledge of the minimum withdrawal pressure required to draw further liquid from the reservoir into the printer. Containers for use with the method have a liquid dispensing port adapted to allow liquid to be dispensed when a withdrawal pressure at the exterior of the port is less than the pressure of the internal space and adapted to prevent the ingress of air into the internal space of the reservoir as liquid is dispensed. | 09-02-2010 |
20100231621 | INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FILLING INK INTO INK TANK IN INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS - An ink jet printing apparatus reduced manufacture costs is provided. The ink jet manufacturing apparatus includes a diaphragm section configured to be able to change the volume of a subtank, and an atmosphere communication port configured to allow the interior of the subtank to communicate with the atmosphere. The ink jet printing apparatus further includes an atmosphere communication valve configured to be able to close the atmosphere communication port, and a driving mechanism configured to drive the diaphragm section and the atmosphere communication valve. The driving mechanism opens the atmosphere communication port and then reduces the volume of the diaphragm section. The driving mechanism subsequently allows the atmosphere communication valve to close the atmosphere communication port and then increases the volume of the diaphragm section. The driving mechanism thus supplies the ink accommodated in a main tank to the subtank. | 09-16-2010 |
20100231622 | Inkjet Recording Apparatus - An inkjet recording apparatus includes a droplet ejection head, a head tank, a tube, an ink cartridge, and a liquid-feed pump. The droplet ejection head has a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink. The head tank is mounted on the droplet ejection head, temporarily stores a certain amount of ink, and creates negative pressure in the droplet ejection head. The tube is connected to the head tank. The ink cartridge is connected via the tube to the head tank, the ink cartridge storing ink. The liquid-feed pump is disposed at the tube between the ink cartridge and the head tank to feed ink from the ink cartridge to the head tank through the tube. The liquid-feed pump is operable in reverse to feed ink from the head tank through the tube to the ink cartridge and create negative pressure in the head tank. | 09-16-2010 |
20100238206 | INK JET PRINTER - An ink jet printer comprising a printing fluid cartridge receiving portion arranged to receive a printing fluid cartridge ( | 09-23-2010 |
20100238207 | FUNCTIONAL LIQUID TANK, METHOD FOR REPLENISHING FUNCTIONAL LIQUID IN DROPLET DISCHARGE DEVICE, AND DROPLET DISCHARGE DEVICE - A functional liquid tank is adapted to receive functional liquid from a functional liquid supply source and to supply the functional liquid to an inkjet functional liquid droplet discharge head. The functional liquid tank includes a tank body, a liquid column pipe, upper and lower limit liquid level detection units, a float member, and a float-regulating member. The float member is accommodated within the tank body with a small gap formed between the float member and an inside wall of the tank body. The float-regulating member is configured and arranged to regulate a descending end position of the float member when the float member descends as a liquid level within the tank body descends. | 09-23-2010 |
20100238208 | LIQUID EJECTION DEVICES - A liquid ejection device includes a liquid ejection head and a cartridge mounting portion configured to selectively mount an initial liquid cartridge and a replacement liquid cartridge The liquid ejection device also includes a controller configured to determine whether a mounting action of the liquid cartridge to the cartridge mounting portion has occurred, determine whether the liquid cartridge mounted by the mounting action is the initial liquid cartridge or the replacement liquid cartridge, and determine whether liquid has been initially introduced to the liquid ejection head. When the controller determines that the mounting action has occurred and the liquid cartridge mounted by the mounting action is the initial liquid cartridge after liquid has been initially introduced to the liquid ejection head, the controller prevents the initial liquid cartridge from being used or gives warning. | 09-23-2010 |
20100245413 | INK SUPPLY DEVICES - An ink supply device includes a cartridge mounting portion to which an ink cartridge is mounted by being inserted thereinto in an insertion direction. The cartridge mounting portion includes a first detector configured to detect a first portion and a second portion of the ink cartridge. The ink supply device also includes an trigger detector configured to output a first signal and a second signal during an insertion of the ink cartridge into the cartridge mounting portion, and a type determiner configured to perform a type determination based on a first determination of whether or not the first detector detects the first portion when the output signal changes from the first signal to the second signal, and based on a second determination of whether or not the first detector detects the second portion when the output signal changes from the second signal to the first signal. | 09-30-2010 |
20100253718 | LIQUID CONSUMING SYSTEM, LIQUID CONSUMING APPARATUS, LIQUID SUPPLY UNIT, AND METHOD OF SUPERVISING A REMAINING AMOUNT OF LIQUID CONTAINED IN A LIQUID SUPPLY UNIT - A liquid supply unit is detachably installable in a liquid consuming apparatus. The liquid supply unit includes a receptacle containing a liquid; a memory device having a first memory area for storing first liquid information for use in identifying a remaining amount of the liquid contained in the receptacle; a sensor that is used to detect whether the remaining amount of the liquid contained in the receptacle is equal to or less than a prescribed value; and a memory control section that carries out write-prohibition control whereby writing to the first memory area in the memory device is prohibited in response to a write lock command from the liquid consuming apparatus. | 10-07-2010 |
20100253719 | PRINTER CONTROLLER FOR MONITORING AN INK DROP COUNT - Provided is a printer controller for a pagewidth printer having a printhead configured to print according to print quality information. The printer has a paper transport mechanism for transporting a sheet of paper along a media path through the printer. The controller includes a processor having an address, data and control bus, an expander unit and a decoder unit each coupled to the bus and configured to decompress a bi-level black layer and a continuous tone (contone) layer of a page to be printed. The controller also includes a replaceable ink cartridge arranged in the media path and having a first integrated circuit (IC) interfaced with the processor, the first IC containing the print quality information. Also included is a second IC interfaced to the processor. The processor is configured to count a number of drops of ink printed by the printhead, to update a remaining drop count of the ink cartridge using the counted drops printed and to write an updated remaining drop count to the second IC each time a page has been printed. The processor is also configured to control the paper transport mechanism during printing. | 10-07-2010 |
20100295883 | PRINTING APPARATUS AND PRINTING METHOD - A printing apparatus including a plurality of ink cartridges each supplying ink; an image processor generates print data for each ink based on input print data; a buffer which stores the print data generated by the image processor for each ink; a print head for discharging the ink supplied from each ink cartridge from a nozzle group for each ink based on the print data for each ink stored in the buffer; and a supply line that supplies print data from the buffer to the print head. | 11-25-2010 |
20100295884 | Integrated Print Head End-of-Life Detection - A method of detecting low ink levels in an integrated print head includes calibrating the integrated print head and producing a baseline temperature rise, performing an end-of-life test to produce a second temperature rise; and comparing the second temperature rise and the baseline temperature rise to estimate ink levels within the integrated print head. A computer product for detection of end-of-life events in integrated inkjet print heads includes computer code to perform a calibration procedure when an integrated print head is first connected to a printer; computer code to perform an end-of-life test on the integrated print head after a triggering event; and computer code to compare end of life test results with a baseline result from the calibration procedure. | 11-25-2010 |
20100309239 | PRINTING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF SWITCHING FILLED STATES - A printing apparatus includes a head which discharges color inks and into which clear ink that prevents the head from being clogged and white ink are selectively filled. A selection portion communicates either of a white or a clear ink container with the head. A controller executes a first switching from a second filled state where the head is filled with clear ink to a first filled state where the head is filled with white ink by shifting from a state where the clear ink container is communicated with the head to a state where the white ink container is communicated with the head. A second switching is executed from the first filled state to the second filled state by shifting from a state where the white ink container is communicated with the head to a state where the clear ink container is communicated with the head. | 12-09-2010 |
20100315452 | PRINTER - A print head includes an ink propelling mechanism, an ink tank supplies ink to the print head, an ink circulation route includes the print head and the ink tank therein, a pump circulates ink through the ink circulation route, a temperature sensor measures a temperature of ink flowing in a route between the print head and the ink tank in the ink circulation route, a heater is disposed in a vicinity of the ink tank to heat ink, and a controller works with a received print job, operating for temperatures of ink as measures at the temperature sensor lower than a first prescribed reference, to heat ink by the heater without starting printing, and for temperatures of ink as measures at the temperature sensor kept equal to or higher than the first reference for a prescribed time interval, to start printing. | 12-16-2010 |
20100321426 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a print head to eject droplets, a subtank to supply ink to the print head, a main tank to supply the ink to the subtank, a supply pump to supply the ink from the main tank to the subtank, a pump driver to drive the supply pump, an amount sensor to sense an ink amount in the subtank and output a signal when the ink amount in the subtank is at a predetermined level, and a unit to drive and control the pump driver, which is configured to decrease an ink supply rate of the supply pump in response to the signal outputted by the amount sensor and to stop the supply pump when predetermined time has passed after the signal is outputted by the amount sensor. | 12-23-2010 |
20100321427 | Open Loop Print Speed Control - A method enables adjustment of a print speed for a phase change ink imaging device with reference to an ink level sensor in a print head reservoir indicating an open loop or a closed loop state. The adjustment may also be made with reference to a measured image density, which may be a rolling solid area coverage average. | 12-23-2010 |
20110001772 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a detector configured to be in a first state when an amount of liquid stored in a liquid container is greater than a first threshold amount, and to be in a second state when the amount of liquid is less than or equal to the first threshold amount, an estimator configured to estimate the amount of liquid, and a determiner configured to determine that, if it is determined that the state of the detector has changed from the first state to the second state, the liquid container has become a low-amount state, and that, if it is determined that the amount of liquid estimated by the estimator has become less than or equal to the second threshold amount, which is less than the first threshold amount, the liquid container has become the low-amount state. | 01-06-2011 |
20110001773 | INK CARTRIDGE AND INKJET PRINTER FOR ACCEPTING SUCH AN INK CARTRIDGE - An ink cartridge ( | 01-06-2011 |
20110001774 | Ink-Saving Ink Supply of Printing Machines - An ink delivery device ( | 01-06-2011 |
20110012944 | INK REFILL KIT - The present disclosure provides a compact and easy-to-use ink refill device that is configured to refill empty ink cartridges. The device includes an ink reservoir that stores ink, a cartridge holder that secures the cartridge during refilling, and an ink delivery system that allows ink to flow from the ink reservoir to the spent cartridge. The ink delivery system is configured to avoid ink from leaking from the reservoir before, during, and after refilling. The ink delivery system of the present disclosure is also configured to avoid overfilling or under filling. | 01-20-2011 |
20110012945 | FLUID HEIGHT BACKPRESSURE DEVICE IN A SYSTEM FOR SUPPLYING FLUID TO A PRINTHEAD - A fluid height backpressure system includes a printhead, a fluid supply tank, a backpressure device, and an air removal device. The backpressure device responsible for supplying system backpressure includes at least one tower disposed in an upright position and having a plurality of walls defining first and second chambers for respectively communicating with the ink supply tank and a fluid supply reservoir of the printhead. The air removal device provides additional back pressure in the second chamber, allows backpressure in the system to be maintained even with an empty fluid supply tank, and also supply of ink to the fluid supply reservoir of the printhead substantially without air bubbles being introduced therein. Also, ink sensors are utilized for sensing out-of-ink/ink-low conditions and also to help establish and continue the operation of the backpressure device. | 01-20-2011 |
20110012946 | FLUID HEIGHT BACKPRESSURE DEVICE IN A SYSTEM FOR SUPPLYING FLUID TO A PRINTHEAD - A fluid height backpressure system includes a printhead, a fluid supply tank, a backpressure device, and an air removal device. The backpressure device responsible for supplying system backpressure includes at least one tower disposed in an upright position and having a plurality of walls defining first and second chambers for respectively communicating with the ink supply tank and a fluid supply reservoir of the printhead. The air removal device provides additional backpressure in the second chamber, allows backpressure in the system to be maintained even with an empty fluid supply tank, and also supply of ink to the fluid supply reservoir of the printhead substantially without air bubbles being introduced therein. Also, ink sensors are utilized for sensing different levels of ink in the ink supply tank and out-of-ink/ink-low conditions in the backpressure device and also to help establish and continue the operation of the backpressure device. | 01-20-2011 |
20110032289 | INK SUPPLY AMOUNT ADJUSTMENT METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRINTING PRESS - An ink supply amount adjustment method for a printing press includes steps of measuring the density value of each density measurement patch printed in a range corresponding to each ink fountain key on a printed printing sheet, obtaining the opening ratio of each ink fountain key in preliminary ink feeding, based on the difference between the measured density value of a patch and a preset reference density value, and the current opening ratio of each ink fountain key or image data in the range corresponding to each ink fountain key, and performing the ink feed operation of an ink ductor roller while printing is suspended, after setting the opening ratio of each ink fountain key to the obtained opening ratio in preliminary ink feeding. An ink supply amount adjustment apparatus for a printing press is also disclosed. | 02-10-2011 |
20110032290 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS USING PRINTHEAD TANK MEMORY TO DETERMINE PRINTHEAD TANK CONFIGURATION - Methods and systems using printhead tank memory to determine printhead tank configuration are provided in accordance with embodiments of the invention. One example embodiment of the invention may include a printhead ink tank. The printhead ink tank may include a memory tag readable by a printer memory tag reader in communication with a printer controller. The memory tag may further include ink tank configuration instructions that include at least one of an ink tank configuration identifier or at least one ink tank location identifier. The ink tank configuration instructions can cause the printer controller to perform at least one memory operation associated with the memory tag. | 02-10-2011 |
20110043557 | STABILIZATION OF INK CONCENTRATION IN A SOLID INK ADD SYSTEM - Apparatus for maintenance of ink concentration stability in a reservoir ( | 02-24-2011 |
20110050766 | Liquid Supply Method - A liquid supply method of a liquid ejecting apparatus including a tank having a liquid capacity greater than a storage amount of the liquid which is stored in a liquid storage unit, and a liquid ejection unit that ejects the liquid supplied from the tank side includes the steps of: firstly supplying all the liquid in the liquid storage unit to the tank; agitating the liquid accommodated in the tank; and secondly supplying the liquid in the tank to the liquid ejection unit. | 03-03-2011 |
20110057971 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMATION ENABLING OR DISABLING METHOD, AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus includes a computing unit to compute an amount of ink to be used to record raster data if a remaining amount of ink reaches a predetermined amount, and a recording control part to enable the recording if the remaining amount of ink is greater than the amount of ink computed by the computing unit. The recording control part disables the recording if the remaining amount of ink is less than or equal to the amount of ink computed by the computing unit. | 03-10-2011 |
20110063344 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND RECORDING MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus includes a head to eject liquid droplets, a sub-tank having a container to store an amount of liquid supplied to the head, a negative pressure generator unit generating a negative pressure and an air introducing mechanism to introduce air, a main-tank to supply the amount of liquid into the sub-tank, a pressure detector unit to detect a pressure inside the sub-tank, and a controller to control an image forming operation using a remaining amount of liquid in the sub-tank while the main-tank is at an end status, where the controller determines whether the pressure inside the sub-tank is within a normal range, causes, if the detected pressure is not within the normal range, the air introducing mechanism to introduce air to raise the pressure inside the sub-tank, and causes the head to eject non-image forming liquid to cause the pressure to fall within the normal range. | 03-17-2011 |
20110063345 | PRINTER INK DELIVERY SYSTEMS - An ink delivery system for a printer. In one embodiment, the system includes an ink supply that contains ink to be delivered to a printhead of the printer and an ink buffer positioned physically below the ink supply such that ink can flow to the ink buffer under gravity alone, the ink buffer being configured to be repeatedly filled with ink from the ink supply and to deliver that ink to the printhead. | 03-17-2011 |
20110063346 | PRINTER INK DELIVERY SYSTEMS - An ink delivery system for a printer. In one embodiment, the system includes an ink supply that contains ink to be delivered to a printhead of the printer and an ink buffer having a capacity that is smaller than a capacity of the ink supply, the ink buffer being configured to be repeatedly filled with ink from the ink supply and to deliver that ink to the printhead. | 03-17-2011 |
20110074842 | INK REFILLING DEVICE - An ink refilling device including a supply portion to be connected to an ink cartridge and supply ink, an ink tank, a first connecting tube having one end connected to the ink tank, a three-way switching valve including an input end connected to the other end of the first connecting tube, a first output end and a second output end, and adapted to switch between a first flow path from the input end to the first output end and a second flow path from the input end to the second output end, a second connecting tube having one end connected to the first output end and the other end connected to the supply portion, a third connecting tube having one end connected to the second output end and the other end connected to the ink tank, and a feed pump provided along the first connecting tube to feed the ink. | 03-31-2011 |
20110074843 | METHOD OF DETECTING RESIDUAL QUANTITY OF INK, PRINTING DEVICE, PROGRAM AND STORAGE MEDIUM - There are provided a method of detecting an ink residual quantity and a printing device which do not make an erroneous determination as to detection on presence/absence of ink without influence of ink mist generated in the middle of using a printing device on calibration of an optical sensor. Therefore, by performing allotment processing based upon ink tank memory element information, calibration of an optical sensor using a reflection portion equipped in the ink tank, in a state where it is determined that the ink is left in the ink tank. | 03-31-2011 |
20110134171 | Method And Device For Controlling The Mass Of An Ink Droplet - An inkjet printing system controls an ink droplet mass by regulating a pressure in an ink reservoir. The printing system includes an ink reservoir, an air pressure device, an ink ejection device, and a controller. The ink reservoir is configured to contain a supply of ink and an air space above the supply of ink. The air pressure device is fluidly coupled to the air space above the supply of ink. The ink ejection device is fluidly coupled to the ink reservoir to receive ink from the supply of ink and to eject ink droplets onto an image receiving surface. The controller is coupled to the air pressure device and is configured to activate the air pressure device selectively to change a mass of the ink droplets ejected by the ink ejection device. | 06-09-2011 |
20110134172 | LOW ENERGY SOLID INK JET IMAGING APPARATUS - A printhead provides selective heating to a supply of molten ink within an ink flow channel. The printhead is adapted to be in electrical communication with a controller and programmed to determine ink required by a print job. Based on the determined ink required by the print job, the controller accordingly provides selective heating to the printhead. The printhead includes an ink inlet, a nozzle in fluid communication with the ink inlet, and an ink flow channel having a length and extending between the ink inlet and the nozzle. A molten ink supply from a solid ink supply retaining device is received by the ink inlet and ejected from the nozzle on a print medium. A plurality of heating zones is also disposed along the length and adjacent to the ink flow channel to provide heating to the molten ink supply adjacent to each of the plurality of heating zones. | 06-09-2011 |
20110141168 | ELECTROCONDUCTIVE TUBING FOR HEATING AND TRANSPORTING LIQUEFIED SOLID INKQ - System and methods for heating and transporting liquefied solid ink in an imaging device. The system includes an electroconductive tube that not only melts the solid ink, but also permits a control system to sense the ink temperature due to the tube's inherent properties. A controller operatively coupled to the electroconductive tube provides power to the tube, which in turn enables current flow. The flow of current resistively heats the electroconductive tube, thereby heating and melting the ink. Further, the controller is configured to control the current flowing through the tube. | 06-16-2011 |
20110181638 | Inkjet print head assembly and ink supply method thereof - An inkjet print head assembly includes: an ink tank storing ink provided from the exterior; a partition demarcating the interior of the ink tank; a tank head including at least two ink movement holes allowing ink to flow into the interior of the ink tank therethrough and a common channel communicating with the ink movement holes; and an inkjet print head coupled to the tank head to discharge the ink from the common channel. | 07-28-2011 |
20110187772 | INK CARTRIDGE, RECORDING DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING RECORDING DEVICE - An ink cartridge includes: an ink accommodating unit; and a storing unit. The ink accommodating unit is configured to accommodate ink therein. The storing unit is configured to store time length data indicative of a length of time to be taken by the ink cartridge to move from a first position to a second position different from the first position, the first position and the second position being defined within a mounting unit in a recording device, the ink cartridge reaching the first position before reaching the second position when the ink cartridge is mounted in the mounting unit. | 08-04-2011 |
20110193901 | IMAGE FORMING SYSTEMS AND METHODS THEREOF - A method to determine an amount of remaining fluid in a replaceable fluid supply unit includes determining a first estimated fluid volume of a first replaceable fluid supply unit in communication with a fluid ejector unit, determining a first correction factor corresponding to the first replaceable fluid supply unit in communication with the fluid ejector unit including at least a first volume ratio parameter corresponding to a ratio of a first nominal fluid volume of the first replaceable fluid supply unit and the first estimated fluid volume, determining an amount of fluid consumed from a second replaceable fluid supply unit configured to replace the first replaceable fluid supply unit, and determining a remaining amount of fluid in the second replaceable fluid supply unit by subtracting the determined amount of fluid consumed from a second nominal fluid volume of the second replaceable fluid supply unit. | 08-11-2011 |
20110199406 | Apparatus and Method For Precision Application and Metering of A Two-Part (Binary) Imaging Solution in An Ink Jet Printer - A multi-color ink jet printing system uses a two-part (Binary) imaging solution, where the precise mixture of the multiple fluid parts (Colorant(s) and Reactant) is controlled with the use of multiple drop size (Grey Scale) ink jet print heads. The precise mixture of colorant(s) and reactant initiates a chemical reaction, which cures the imaging solution into a solid or nearly solid compound that ensures proper drop location. | 08-18-2011 |
20110205267 | Ink cartridge - Any of an improved conventional, a refillable, or a continuous ink supply system (CISS) ink delivery apparatus, including a housing comprising one or more walls defining a chamber therein, a structural feature configured during use to detachably engage with a reciprocal receiving portion of a printer device, a fluid dispensing port extending through a first wall of the housing, and a siphon structure comprising a curved fluid-conducting conduit originating at the chamber and extending to the fluid dispensing port. Additionally and/or alternatively with respect to the siphon structure, an improved ink delivery apparatus includes any one or more of an automatically resettable chipset, a detachable cover plate and/or a fluid (gaseous and/or liquid) input port. | 08-25-2011 |
20110205268 | METHOD FOR INK TANK PRESSURE REGULATION - A method of regulating pressure in an ink tank including biasing an aperture of the ink tank to a closed position, withdrawing ink from an outlet port of the ink tank to provide a reduced internal pressure in the ink tank. The aperture is opened in response to the reduced internal pressure in the ink tank. The aperture leads to ambient atmospheric pressure outside the ink tank. The biasing step can include using biasing a valve member with a predetermined force against a valve seat at a contact region between the valve member and the valve seat. Opening of the aperture can include moving the member away from the valve seat in response to a difference in pressure between ambient atmospheric pressure and the reduced internal pressure in the tank. | 08-25-2011 |
20110216112 | INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS - There is a case where, in the individual tank number checking processing, usually it is determined that individual tank number agreement can not be confirmed due to a collision of response signals from two tanks. However, due to individual differences among main body side control circuit threshold values and the like, there may be a case that an agreement of the individual tank numbers is confirmed. In response to this, the tank that has the individual tank number whose agreement could be confirmed is put in a sleep state, and because a control code is sent, the other tank designated with color ID is able to return its individual tank number, and the main body side control circuit detects its individual tank number. Based on this it is possible to determine that multiple ink tanks with the same color ID are mounted. | 09-08-2011 |
20110221802 | Apparatus And Method For Detecting Ink In A Reservoir Using An Overdriven Thermistor And An Electrical Conductor Extending From The Thermistor - A method detects the level of ink in a print head reservoir by monitoring the power drawn by a thermistor positioned within the print head reservoir by an electrical conductor. The method includes dissipating heat in a thermistor positioned within an ink reservoir, the thermistor having an electrical conductor that extends from the thermistor, a length of the electrical conductor extending through at least a portion of the ink reservoir, providing electrical power through the electrical conductor to the thermistor to maintain the thermistor at a predetermined temperature that is a fixed differential above a temperature of the ink reservoir, measuring a parameter that corresponds to the heat dissipated from the thermistor and the length of the electrical conductor extending through the portion of the ink reservoir, and correlating the measured parameter to a predetermined value corresponding to an ink level in the ink reservoir to detect a position of the ink level in the reservoir continuously along the length of the electrical conductor and the thermistor. | 09-15-2011 |
20110221803 | INK SUPPLY APPARATUS - An ink supply apparatus includes a sub tank connected to a printer head and having an ink reservoir chamber to store a liquid ink. A fluid level detector is configured to detect a fluid level of the liquid ink stored in the ink reservoir chamber. The fluid level detector has a light emitting device, a light receiving device, and a casing having a section through which a light is to pass and which has an outer surface that is to contact the liquid ink. The light emitting device is capable of emitting the light toward the outer surface through the section. The light receiving device is to receive reflected light reflected at the outer surface. A storage amount determining device is configured to determine whether a predetermined amount of the liquid ink is stored in the ink reservoir chamber based on detection results of the fluid level detector. | 09-15-2011 |
20110227972 | INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS AND INK TANK - Provided is an ink jet printing apparatus that receives light from the light emitting part of the ink tank in the light receiving part; on the basis of a result of the light reception, determines an attachment position of the ink tank; and controls the light from the light emitting part to inform the ink tank state, wherein the light emitting part has a plurality of light emitting elements that can respectively emit lights having different peak emission wavelengths. A peak sensitivity wavelength of the light receiving part is in the range not less than 760 nm and not more than 1100 nm; at least one of the plurality of light emitting elements has a peak emission wavelength in the range not less than 760 nm, and at least one has a peak emission wavelength in the range of 400 to 760 nm. | 09-22-2011 |
20110234657 | Inkjet head assembly - There is provided an inkjet head assembly that can readily store ink by separating a passage for transferring ink from a passage for transferring ink between a first storage unit and a second storage unit inside an ink tank. An inkjet head assembly according to an aspect of the invention may include: an ink tank including a first storage unit receiving ink therein and a second storage unit receiving the ink from the first storage unit to maintain a full ink level within the ink, and having an ink transfer hole, through which the ink is supplied from the first storage unit to the second storage ink, and an air transfer hole, through which air from the second storage unit is transmitted to the first storage unit, between the first and second storage units; and an inkjet head connected to the second storage unit via an ink supply passage, the inkjet head receiving the ink from the second storage unit to eject the ink. | 09-29-2011 |
20110234658 | LIQUID CONTAINER AND LIQUID EJECTING SYSTEM - A liquid container mounted on a liquid ejecting apparatus to supply a liquid to the liquid ejecting apparatus. The liquid container includes a storage unit which stores the liquid, an optical member having one portion which is exposed to an inside of the storage unit, and the other portion which is exposed to an outside of the liquid container, and a reflection portion which is provided at the same side as the other portion of the optical member on the outside of the liquid container, and is installed in front of a mounting direction of the liquid container to the liquid ejecting apparatus with the other portion of the optical member. | 09-29-2011 |
20110242157 | Tilt Mitigation Methods to Control Reservoir Ink Level and Printhead Pressure - An ink level control system includes a first dividing wall that divides a reservoir of a printhead into a first chamber and a second chamber. The first and the second chambers are each connected to the ink passages of the inkjet stack by an ink port. The first dividing wall includes an opening that connects the first chamber and the second chamber to enable ink to pass therebetween. The opening is located a predetermined distance above the bottom surface of the reservoir. An ink diverter is associated with the inlet opening that directs ink received through the inlet opening to one of the first and the second chambers in response to the reservoir being tilted in a first direction, and directs ink to the other of the first and the second chambers in response to the reservoir being tilted in a second direction. | 10-06-2011 |
20110242158 | LIQUID DROPLET JETTING APPARATUS - A liquid droplet jetting apparatus comprises a liquid droplet jetting head which jets liquid droplets, a storage tank which stores a liquid to be jetted by the liquid droplet-jetting head, a tube which connects the liquid droplet jetting head and the storage tank, and a liquid-state detecting mechanism which detects a state of the liquid contained in the tube at a plurality of positions in a longitudinal direction of the tube. | 10-06-2011 |
20110298848 | INKJET APPARATUS - There is provided an inkjet apparatus which can accurately detect an ink remaining amount and shorten time necessary for an ink remaining amount detecting process. This apparatus has a first reservoir unit that reserves ink, a second reservoir unit that reserve the ink supplied from the first reservoir unit to supply the ink to a head, a calculation unit that calculates an ink remaining amount in the second reservoir unit based upon an ink ejection amount ejected from the head, a remaining amount detecting unit that detects the ink remaining amount in the second reservoir unit, a foam processing unit that executes a foam process to reduce foams of the ink generated in the second reservoir unit, and a control unit that controls the execution of the foam process by the foam processing unit based upon comparison between the ink remaining amount calculated and the ink remaining amount detected. | 12-08-2011 |
20110310142 | TIME LIMITED PRINTING METHOD AND DEVICE - A method of printing a time-based document is disclosed. The method includes the steps of associating each of a plurality of document print objects with a time-dependent attribute, mixing a plurality of inks having time dependencies corresponding to the document print object time-dependent attributes, and printing the time-based document using the plurality of inks, the time-based document being characterized by document print objects of varying durations. | 12-22-2011 |
20110310143 | INTERMEDIATE FLUID SUPPLY APPARATUS HAVING FLEXIBLE MEMBRANE - An intermediately fluid supply apparatus is to fluidically couple a primary fluid supply to one or more fluid-ejection printheads. A reservoir of the apparatus has a bottom surface and a number of side surfaces, and is open at the top of the reservoir. The reservoir is to store fluid supplied by the primary fluid supply, for ejection by the fluid-ejection printheads. A flexible membrane of the apparatus seals the top of the reservoir. The flexible membrane is to expand and contract over the reservoir in accordance with the volume of the fluid currently stored within the reservoir. A sensing mechanism of the apparatus is to directly or indirectly sense the volume of the fluid currently stored within the reservoir. | 12-22-2011 |
20110316907 | INKJET PRINTING SYSTEM - An inkjet printing system comprises: a liquid supply tank; a print device with at least one print cartridge, wherein there is an altitude difference between the print cartridge and the liquid supply tank; an internal pressure-adjusting device connecting to the liquid supply tank and the print cartridge; and working software for calculating a preliminary altitude, and a predetermined liquid supplementing altitude of the print cartridge. When a liquid level of a liquid inside the print cartridge is lower than the preliminary altitude and below an lower limit of the predetermined liquid supplementing altitude, the working software controls the internal pressure-adjusting device to suck partial gas from the print cartridge into the liquid supply tank to increase a negative pressure inside the print cartridge, and the liquid stored in the liquid supply tank is introduced into the print cartridge to balance the negative pressure inside the print cartridge. | 12-29-2011 |
20110316908 | PRINTER AND PRINTING METHOD - A printer has a thermal print unit that prints by heating a thermochromic medium, an inkjet print unit that prints on the thermochromic medium, a remaining ink detection unit that detects the remaining ink level of the inkjet print unit, a halftone processing unit that converts acquired print data to thermal print data and inkjet print data, and a control unit that controls the thermal print unit and inkjet print unit based on the thermal print data and inkjet print data. The control unit causes the thermal print unit to print the inkjet print data when the detected remaining ink level is less than the amount of ink required to print the acquired inkjet print data. | 12-29-2011 |
20120001968 | INK JET PRINTER AND AIR PURGING CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR - An ink jet printer which uses a common air pump to configure an air path system to supply purge air generated by the air pump to an ink tank and then supply the purge air discharged from the ink tank to a print head or an air path system to supply purge air generated by the air pump directly to the pint head. This solves the following problem inherent to a conventional ink jet printer which recovers ink not used for printing: since an air pump for supplying air to air-purge the print head and an air pump for supplying air to air-purge the ink tank are required, the cost and weight of the printer tends to increase. | 01-05-2012 |
20120007902 | LIQUID SUPPLY CONTROLLER, LIQUID DROPLET DISCHARGE DEVICE, NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM STORING PROGRAM, AND LIQUID SUPPLY CONTROL METHOD - A liquid supply controller includes a liquid circulation controller that includes supply and recovery units of a liquid droplet discharge unit, and that circulates liquid according to a differential pressure between the supply unit and the recovery unit, a back pressure setting unit that sets a back pressure that is a discharge pressure based on supply and recovery pressures set by the liquid circulation controller, a circulation amount obtaining unit that obtains a flow rate of the liquid circulated; a judging unit that judges whether or not the obtained flow rate is a proper value, and a differential pressure adjusting unit that adjusts the differential pressure while maintaining the back pressure within an allowable range when it is judged that the flow rate is not the proper value. | 01-12-2012 |
20120019576 | REPLACEABLE PRINTING COMPONENT - A replaceable printing component is provided, including a fluid reservoir, an electrical storage device mounted on the fluid reservoir, and an identifier stored on the information storage device, wherein the identifier is fixed based on an initial volume of fluid stored in the fluid reservoir. | 01-26-2012 |
20120026222 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COMMUNICATION OF DATE INFORMATION BETWEEN AN INK TANK AND A PRINTING DEVICE - Some or all of the needs above can be addressed by embodiments of the invention. According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for determining ink evaporation from at least one ink tank can be provided. The method can include determining a removal time associated with removal of at least one ink tank from a printing device. The method can also include determining an insertion time associated with insertion of the at least one ink tank into a printing device. In addition, the method can include estimating an amount of ink evaporation from the at least one ink tank during the time between the removal time and insertion time based at least in part on the difference between the removal time and insertion time. | 02-02-2012 |
20120026223 | Method and Apparatus for Spoofing Imaging Devices - Techniques for spoofing an imaging device adapted for reading data from an electrical storage device to determine a volume of ink in an ink container include providing a replacement electrical storage device for use with the ink container, the replacement electrical storage device comprising memory locations; and responding, by the replacement electrical storage device, to reads of memory locations of the replacement electrical storage device by returning data to the imaging device which causes the imaging device to calculate an inaccurate initial volume of ink stored in the ink container. | 02-02-2012 |
20120075364 | INK-JET PRINTER AND METHOD FOR REPLACING FILLING LIQUID IN INK-JET HEAD - There is provided an ink-jet printer including: an ink supply source; an ink-jet head in which a plurality of nozzle groups corresponding to a plurality of color inks are formed; a maintenance mechanism; a controller which controls the ink-jet head and the maintenance mechanism; and a filling liquid filled in the ink jet head in a state before the ink-jet printer is used for the first time, wherein, in the state before the ink-jet primer is used for the first time, the controller controls the maintenance mechanism and the ink-jet head to perform an initial discharge operation; and an amount of a liquid discharged from the ink-jet head during the initial discharge operation is adjusted based on a color difference between one of the plurality of color inks and a replaced-ink. | 03-29-2012 |
20120075365 | SYSTEM WITH SECURITY DEVICE SEPARATE FROM INK TANK IN A PRINTER - An ink tank security system on a printer includes an ink tank connection station having a cavity with a passage for insertion of at least one ink tank through the passage into the cavity to supply ink for printing operations by the printer and for removal of the ink tank through the passage from the cavity for replenishing with ink. A door is mounted adjacent to the passage for undergoing movement between displaced positions enabling or blocking movement of the ink tank through the passage to or from the cavity. A sensor adjacent to the door is adapted to sense movement of the door between the displaced positions. A security device separate from the ink tank is insertable into and removable from a control slot on the printer under the door to control re-use of the ink tank for replenishing the supply of ink. | 03-29-2012 |
20120081423 | LIQUID DISCHARGER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A liquid discharger is provided, which includes a condition determining unit configured to, based on a remaining amount of first liquid detected by a first liquid remaining amount detector and a remaining amount of second liquid detected by a second liquid remaining amount detector, determine whether a predetermined condition is satisfied under a situation where the remaining amount of the second liquid is less than the remaining amount of the first liquid. When the condition determining unit determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied, a second liquid discharge head is controlled to discharge onto image formation areas the second liquid of an amount smaller than an amount of the second liquid to be discharged onto the image formation areas in a case where the condition determining unit determines that the predetermined condition is not satisfied. | 04-05-2012 |
20120081424 | RECORDING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF DETECTING RESIDUAL AMOUNT OF INK IN INK CARTRIDGE - A recording apparatus includes a controller and a cartridge accommodating section in which an ink cartridge of a predetermined type is mountable. The ink cartridge includes: an ink chamber; a first heat conductor that conducts heat to the ink; a pyroelectric portion that outputs an electrical signal; and a first electrical interface that connects to the pyroelectric portion. The cartridge accommodating section includes: a second electrical interface that connects to the first electrical interface when the ink cartridge is mounted in the cartridge accommodating section; a heater that applies heat; and a second heat conductor that conducts heat to the first heat conductor. The controller determines at least one of the type of the mounted ink cartridge and whether an amount of ink in the ink chamber is less than a predetermined amount based on the electrical signal inputted from the pyroelectric portion via the second electrical interface. | 04-05-2012 |
20120081425 | RECORDING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF CHECKING POSITIONS OF INK CONTAINERS, AND METHOD FOR CHECKING THE POSITIONS - A recording apparatus includes a carriage, ink containers mounted in the carriage and including respective light emitters, a driving unit for moving the ink tanks, a light receiver receiving light from the light emitters, a light control unit controlling lighting the light emitter of a predetermined ink container, and a determining unit for determining whether the predetermined ink container is mounted at a correct position, based on the light emitted from the light emitter of the predetermined ink container at positions. When the driving unit does not move the carriage to a position where at least one of the ink containers is facing the light receiver, the determining unit determines whether the at least one of the ink containers is mounted at the correct position, based on the light received from the light emitters at a position adjacent to the facing position. | 04-05-2012 |
20120092398 | FILL REDUCTION FOR PRINTING - Systems and methods of fill area reduction during printing are disclosed. An example of a method includes identifying a fill area. The method also includes generating a depletion matrix corresponding to the fill area. The depletion matrix identifies which of the plurality of print heads to deactivate. The method also includes selectively adjusting output from the plurality of print heads based on the depletion matrix in order to reduce fill area during printing. | 04-19-2012 |
20120113172 | IMMERSED HIGH SURFACE AREA HEATER FOR A SOLID INK RESERVOIR - A volumetric container for storing phase-change ink includes a housing that is comprised primarily of a thermally insulating material and a heater element positioned within the housing. The heater element is positioned in the container to melt solid ink quickly to enable printing operations. | 05-10-2012 |
20120120133 | USER ADAPTABLE INK STATUS CONVEYANCE SYSTEM - An ink status conveyance system comprises a maximum monitored ink level sensor operable with respect to an ink source for holding a supply of ink and delivering the ink to a printhead. The ink level sensor is configured to detect when an available amount of ink in the ink source corresponds to an ample ink level. A notification controller is configured to track the available amount of ink in the ink source between an ample ink level and an ink out level. The notification controller is configured to compare the user designated low ink notification set point to the available ink volume value to generate a low ink notification when the available ink volume value corresponds to the user designated low ink notification set point. | 05-17-2012 |
20120147073 | METHOD FOR PRINTING IN A PRINTER HAVING AN INOPERABLE INK RESERVOIR - A method for operating a printer includes supplying liquid ink from two ink reservoirs to a printhead to enable the printhead to eject ink drops onto an image receiving substrate. A substrate transport moves the substrate past the printhead at a first speed. In response to detecting an interruption in the supply of liquid ink from one of the two ink reservoirs, the substrate transport moves the image receiving substrate at a slower second speed past the printhead. | 06-14-2012 |
20120162295 | LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS AND STORAGE MEDIUM STORING PROGRAM - A liquid ejection apparatus including: a liquid-ejection head for ejecting image recording liquid; a sealing mechanism for sealing an ejection space; a humid-air supply mechanism storing humidification liquid; and a liquid-discharge portion for discharging the image recording liquid, wherein a controller controls the humid-air supply mechanism to supply an air humidified by the humidification liquid into the sealed ejection space and then controls the liquid-discharge portion to discharge the image recording liquid prior to the image recording, and wherein, where a remaining amount of the humidification liquid is less than a first value, the controller executes a control such that an amount of the supplied humid air and an amount of the discharged image recording liquid are respectively made small and large as compared with in a case where the remaining amount of the humidification liquid is not smaller than the first value. | 06-28-2012 |
20120194581 | LIQUID DROPLET JETTING APPARATUS - A liquid droplet jetting apparatus includes: a liquid droplet jetting head; a liquid kind detecting section detecting whether a liquid, used in the liquid droplet jetting head, is a first liquid having a conductivity of not less than a predetermined value or a second liquid having a conductivity of less than the predetermined value; a discharge mechanism discharging the liquid inside the liquid droplet jetting head therefrom; a waste liquid recovery device recovering the liquid discharged by the discharge mechanism, and including: a waste liquid case, an absorbing body accommodated in the waste liquid case, and a waste liquid detection mechanism measuring an electric current value in the absorbing body and thereby detecting whether or not the liquid arrives at a full-liquid detection position of the absorbing body; and a waste liquid absorb amount estimating section estimating an amount of the waste liquid absorbed in the absorbing body. | 08-02-2012 |
20120194582 | INK CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Disclosed is an ink container rotatable to take a first position and a second position, including an ink reservoir containing ink; and first and second detecting sensors connected to a detecting unit that determines whether the ink reservoir contains a predetermined amount of the ink based on current flowing through the first and second detecting sensors. The first and second detecting sensors are provided to face directions different from each other such that whether the ink reservoir contains a first predetermined amount of the ink for the first position is determined based on whether the first detecting sensor contacts the ink when the ink container takes the first position, and whether the ink reservoir contains a second predetermined amount of the ink for the second position is determined based on whether the second detecting sensor contacts the ink when the ink container takes the second position. | 08-02-2012 |
20120212526 | LIQUID DETECTION SYSTEM, LIQUID CONTAINER, MOUNTING MEMBER, AND LIQUID SUPPLY SYSTEM - A liquid chamber receives liquid flows from a liquid receiving unit. A first urging member urges a deforming portion of the liquid chamber. A lever provided on the liquid container side increases the displacement of the deforming portion. A sensor detects the displacement. A transmitting member transmits the increased displacement to the sensor. A second urging member provided on a liquid consuming apparatus side urges the transmitting member. When the liquid container is installed in the liquid consuming apparatus, the transmitting member comes in contact with the lever member due to the urging force of the second urging member, and the lever member is pushed against the deforming portion. In this manner, it is possible to divide the liquid detection system into the liquid consuming apparatus side and the liquid container side. | 08-23-2012 |
20120218327 | Method And Apparatus For Melt Cessation To Limit Ink Flow And Ink Stick Deformation - A system controls application of heat with a melt plate to an ink stick in a solid ink imaging device. The system includes a melt plate, a heater configured to heat the melt plate to a temperature sufficient to melt solid ink, a feed channel configured to direct solid ink sticks towards the melt plate to enable a leading edge of a solid ink stick to be melted by the heated melt plate, and a controller configured to separate the heater and the leading edge of the ink stick by a distance that arrest melting of the ink stick. | 08-30-2012 |
20120229536 | Solid Inkjet Drum Maintenance Unit (DMU) Employing Adjustable Blade Cam in Order to Control the Oil Rate - A printing device is configured to adjust the angle of a metering blade within a predetermined range of angles to compensate for wear in the blade over time or for other causes of inconsistency. The angle of the metering blade is selected by a controller which operates an actuator to move a moveable member to adjust the angle of the metering blade and regulate the thickness of a release agent layer on a moving imaging member. | 09-13-2012 |
20120268508 | METHOD OF CONTROLLING NOZZLES OF INKJET HEAD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AMOUNTS OF INK EJECTED FROM NOZZLES OF INKJET HEAD - Provided are method of controlling nozzles of an inkjet head and an apparatus for measuring the amounts of ink ejected from the nozzles of the inkjet head. The method includes: preparing a mass measuring device, which measures the mass of ink by using an oscillation change, in a pixel; ejecting ink into the pixel from a nozzle of the inkjet head, and measuring the amount of ink ejected from the nozzle by using the mass measuring device; and adjusting a voltage waveform applied to the nozzle of the inkjet head. | 10-25-2012 |
20120268509 | FLUID SUPPLY DEVICE, PRINTING DEVICE, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING A FLUID SUPPLY DEVICE - A fluid supply device, a printing device, and a control method for a fluid supply device can desirably supply a fluid while maintaining good throughput, and can reduce device size and cost with a simple construction. The inkjet printer has an expansion mechanism that enables an ink refill operation in which a movable member expands an ink chamber by moving a piston that moves in contact with a regulator panel disposed to the main device side and supplies ink from an ink cartridge, a comparison means that determines whether or not the amount of ink left in the ink cartridge is less than a specified value, and a CPU that sets a long time mode in which the ink refill operation time is long when the amount of ink left in the ink cartridge is less than the specified value. | 10-25-2012 |
20120281035 | INK DELIVERY SYSTEM - An ink delivery system includes a first tank including a fill sensor; a second tank including a fill sensor; a pump configured to pump ink from the first tank to the second tank; a third tank including a fill sensor; a print head in fluid communication with the second tank and the third tank. In an embodiment, the third tank is in fluid communication with the first tank and may be configured to provide a closed loop system, the second tank is in fluid communication with the third tank, and a pressure differential across the print head causes ink to flow through the print head. For some embodiments, pumps may be provided to control pressure differentials and print heads may print at one or more angles. | 11-08-2012 |
20120306950 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: a print head; a head tank; a carriage; a main tank; a pump; a displaceable member or feeler; a first sensor; a second sensor; a controller to supply an amount of liquid ink corresponding to the displacement difference amount of the feeler to the head tank; and an environmental condition detector. The controller stores the environmental condition when the displacement difference amount is stored; corrects the stored displacement difference amount when a change in a current environmental condition relative to the stored environmental condition is more than a previously set first threshold amount and below a previously set second threshold amount being larger than the first threshold amount; and detects and stores the displacement difference amount again when the change in the current environmental condition relative to the stored environmental condition exceeds the second threshold amount. | 12-06-2012 |
20120313988 | APPLYING BONDING AGENT FOR SUPPLEMENTAL INK - A method for applying a bonding agent for supplemental ink includes, with a control system of a printing apparatus, determining regions of an image corresponding to regions where a supplemental ink is to be printed, and with the control system, adding an amount of pixels of a standard color channel to portions of a bitmap representing the image, the portions corresponding to the regions where the supplemental ink is to be printed. The amount of pixels is sufficient to trigger application of a bonding agent at the regions. | 12-13-2012 |
20120327145 | SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING THE AUTONOMY IN CONSUMABLE FLUIDS OF A CONTINUOUS INK JET PRINTER - The invention concerns a new system for determining the autonomy in consumable fluids (ink and solvent) of a continuous inkjet printer. | 12-27-2012 |
20120327146 | INK CARTRIDGE AND PRINTING SYSTEM - This disclosure discloses an ink cartridge comprises a housing; a reservoir portion disposed so that an end portion on one side in a thickness direction contacts the housing; a detection plate that is supported with respect to the housing at a lower end portion, comes in contact with the other side of the reservoir portion in the thickness direction, and rotates in accordance with an ink volume, thereby executing a display in accordance with the ink volume by that rotational position; and a collapse prevention rib that creates a predetermined gap between an end portion on one side in the thickness direction and a left wall portion of the housing, extends above the detection plate, and causes the upper portion of the reservoir portion to be inserted through the gap, thereby suppressing the displacement of the reservoir portion to the other side in the thickness direction. | 12-27-2012 |
20130002743 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus filling its head tank with an ink while printing even when a detector of the apparatus detects the filled tank by detecting a displacement member being displaced according to an amount of the ink remaining in the head tank. | 01-03-2013 |
20130050311 | CARRIAGE PRINTER WITH BUBBLE DISLODGING AND REMOVAL - An inkjet carriage printer includes a carriage for transporting an inkjet printhead in a carriage scan direction across the print region in reciprocating fashion, the carriage including an encoder sensor; a linear encoder disposed along the carriage scan direction; and a controller for controlling the motor on the basis of signals provided by the encoder sensor, the controller includes: a first motion control mode for damping carriage vibrations during a period when the carriage is in the print region; and a selectable second motion control mode for dislodging air bubbles for removal from the inkjet printhead, wherein the selectable second motion control mode is configured to decrease damping in order to set the carriage into oscillation. | 02-28-2013 |
20130050312 | DISLODGING AND REMOVING BUBBLES FROM INKJET PRINTHEAD - A method of operating an inkjet printer including an inkjet printhead having an ink inlet, the inkjet printhead mounted on a motor-driven carriage having an encoder sensor, the method including sending a signal from the encoder sensor to a controller to indicate a position of the motor-driven carriage; determining a velocity of the motor-driven carriage; implementing a first motion control mode during a period when the inkjet printhead is printing, wherein the first motion control mode includes a first signal for damping vibrations in order to provide a substantially constant velocity of the carriage; selectively implementing a second motion control mode when the inkjet printhead is not printing, wherein the second motion control mode includes a second signal for enhancing vibrations of the carriage in order to dislodge air bubbles in the printhead; and removing air corresponding to the air bubbles from the printhead. | 02-28-2013 |
20130050313 | Fluid Level Sensing System And Method - An ink level sensing system that exhibits good sensitivity is described herein. The system includes a first probe having a first active surface, a second probe having a second active surface facing the first active surface, a memory in which data indicative of a conductivity curve and command instructions are stored, and a processor configured to execute the command instructions to associate a level of fluid in a reservoir with a first signal indicative of the electrical coupling between the first active surface and the second active surface with reference to the data indicative of a conductivity curve. | 02-28-2013 |
20130057606 | System and Method Using Ink Usage Adjustment Values - A method for tuning ink usage includes storing an ink usage adjustment value in a memory of an ink cartridge; and with a printing system utilizing the ink cartridge, adjusting an ink usage of the ink cartridge based on the ink usage adjustment value. An ink cartridge includes a memory for storing an ink usage adjustment value, the ink usage adjustment value based on ink usage properties of the cartridge. A printing system utilizing the ink cartridge adjusts an ink usage of the ink cartridge based on the ink usage adjustment value. | 03-07-2013 |
20130070008 | RECORDING DEVICE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING A RECORDING DEVICE, AND A PROGRAM - A recording device has a cartridge that holds a first ink tank filled with ink, and a second ink tank that is filled with ink of the same color; an inkjet head that prints using a first nozzle row that ejects ink supplied from the first ink tank, and a second nozzle row that ejects ink supplied from the second ink tank; and recording control unit that prints on a recording medium by ejecting ink from the first nozzle row or the second nozzle row. The recording control unit determines which ink tank contains more ink, and ejects ink to print from the nozzle row connected to the ink tank containing the most ink. | 03-21-2013 |
20130076812 | TEXTILE PRINTING APPARATUS AND TEXTILE PRINTING METHOD - A textile printing apparatus includes a liquid remaining amount grasping unit which grasps remaining amounts of respective two or more kinds of liquids, and a control unit which performs control of execution of printings onto a plurality of printed textile materials, the control unit has a control mode for, in advance of starting the execution of printings, specifying any print-executable printing specification from among the printing specifications on the basis of the remaining amounts of the respective liquids and the contents of the respective printing specifications, and then, starting execution of any printing based on the any print-executable printing specification having been specified. | 03-28-2013 |
20130083099 | DEGASSING APPARATUS ON A LIQUID FEED LINE, AND AN INKJET PRINTING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A degassing apparatus of a liquid feed line for removing gas present in a liquid before feeding the liquid includes a degassing module for receiving, and removing the gas present in, the liquid. The apparatus is constructed and operated for removing gas in deionized water in a semiconductor process or in ink used in printing. | 04-04-2013 |
20130083100 | LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SUPPLYING LIQUID - A liquid ejection apparatus, including: a head; a main tank storing liquid; a sub-tank for temporarily storing the liquid stored in the main tank, before the liquid is supplied to the head; a liquid amount detector for detecting a liquid amount in the sub-tank; a supplier for supplying the liquid from the main tank to the sub-tank; a first housing; a second housing holding the sub-tank, pivotable with respect to the first housing, and positioned at a close position at which the head is close to the first housing or a distant position at which the head is far from the first housing; and a controller for, when the second housing is located at the close position, controlling the liquid supply based on the detected liquid amount. | 04-04-2013 |
20130088535 | Method That Enables A Solid Ink Printer To Learn A Solid Ink Stick Type - A solid ink printer is configured to learn the identity of solid ink sticks for printer operation. The solid ink printer includes a feed channel having an insertion opening configured to receive solid ink sticks, a sensor positioned near the insertion opening of the feed channel and configured to obtain solid ink stick type data from a solid ink stick inserted into the insertion opening of the feed channel, and a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor to receive the solid ink stick type data, the controller being configured to store the solid ink stick type data in a memory in response to an initialization signal and to operate the solid ink printer with reference to the solid ink stick type data stored in the memory by the controller. | 04-11-2013 |
20130127938 | FUNCTIONAL LIQUID TANK, METHOD FOR REPLENISHING FUNCTIONAL LIQUID IN DROPLET DICHARGE DEVICE, AND DROPLET DISCHARGE DEVICE - A droplet discharge device includes a functional liquid droplet discharge head and a functional liquid tank. The functional liquid tank includes a tank body, a liquid column pipe and a liquid level detection mechanism. The tank body is configured and arranged to retain the functional liquid to be supplied to the functional liquid droplet discharge head. The liquid column pipe communicates with the tank body. The liquid level detection mechanism is configured and arranged to detect a liquid level of the functional liquid retained in the liquid column pipe. The functional liquid tank is configured and arranged to allow supplying and ventilating of gas. | 05-23-2013 |
20130135368 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In an image forming apparatus, a first detection part and a second detection part, each for detecting a position of a displacement member that changes its position according to a remaining amount of liquid in a sub-tank, are provided to a carriage carrying the sub-tank and a recording head, and a body of the image forming apparatus, respectively. A first position is a position of the displacement member detected by the first detection part such that the remaining amount of liquid in the sub-tank is smaller than that at a second position detected by the second detection part. The liquid is supplied to the sub-tank of a differential supply amount, corresponding to a displacement amount of the displacement member between a position detected by the first detection part and a position detected by the second detection part, after the first detection part detects the displacement member. | 05-30-2013 |
20130147867 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING RECORDING HEAD AND HEAD TANK - An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a recording head, a head tank, a carriage, a main tank, a liquid feed device, a supply controller, a displacement member, a first detector, and a second detector. When a consumption amount of liquid in the head tank reaches a threshold value, the controller controls the feed device to start supplying the liquid from the main tank to the head tank. When printing operation is not performed and the displacement member is at a position at which a remaining amount of the liquid in the head tank is smaller than when the displacement member is at a first position, the controller controls the feed device to supply the liquid until the displacement member is placed at the first position or a position at which the remaining amount of the liquid is greater than when the displacement member is at the first position. | 06-13-2013 |
20130155133 | LIQUID DISCHARGE DEVICE AND LIQUID DISCHARGE METHOD - A liquid discharge device including a discharge unit including: an elastic discharge part including a storage chamber at least partially formed of an elastic component, a supply hole which leads to the storage chamber and through which liquid is supplied to the storage chamber, and a discharge hole through which the liquid is discharged; and an actuating unit configured to vary a volumetric capacity of the storage chamber. The liquid discharge device further includes: a pressurizing unit configured to pressurize the liquid to be supplied to the storage chamber to a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure; a supply control unit configured to control whether the pressurized liquid is supplied to the storage chamber; and an actuation control unit configured to control operation of the actuating unit. | 06-20-2013 |
20130194327 | IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - It is an objective of the present invention to provide an image processing method that can perform an accurate calibration corresponding to an ink receiving characteristic of a printing medium. The present invention obtains information regarding an ink amount that can be applied to a unit area of a printing medium. Then, the present invention determines, based on the information obtained, a combination of a plurality of ink application amounts corresponding to a plurality of first patches for adjusting ink application amounts corresponding to the respective gradation levels of an image to be printed on the printing medium. | 08-01-2013 |
20130208035 | Printing Apparatus - In a printing apparatus which performs printing by using special ink for generating special glossiness on a printed material and color inks, the apparatus includes a controller that, when an image in which an index value indicating a degree of the special glossiness is low and an image in which the index value is high are to be printed adjacently, controls to print the image in which the index value is low by substituting other inks for the special ink. | 08-15-2013 |
20130222445 | LIQUID CONSUMPTION DEVICE AND METHOD - A liquid consumption device includes a liquid container, a prism, a light emitting unit, a light receiving unit and a control unit. The prism is provided to the liquid container, and configured to receive light that is made incident from outside and to emit the incident light toward the outside according to a liquid residual state inside the liquid container. The control unit is configured to determine a threshold value of the liquid container for determining a light radiation volume by the light emitting part and/or the liquid residual state, based on a light volume of reflected light reflected by an outer surface of the prism and received by the light receiving unit upon radiation of the light by the light emitting unit. The control unit is configured to determine the liquid residual state based on a light volume of the light received by the light receiving unit. | 08-29-2013 |
20130241981 | Ink Tank and Ink Jet Printer - An ink tank, which is mountable on an ink jet printer, includes an ink outlet adapted to supply ink stored in the ink tank to the ink jet printer through the outlet; an air communicating hole configured to introduce air into the ink tank through the hole in accordance with an amount of the ink supplied to the ink jet printer from the ink tank; a passage communicating with the ink outlet; a prism formed in the ink tank and adapted to detect whether a remaining amount of the ink in the ink tank is below a predetermined level or not; a filter disposed between the prism and the passage; and an ink chamber connected to an upstream opening of the passage. The prism and the filter are disposed in the ink chamber. | 09-19-2013 |
20130257933 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - An inkjet recording apparatus predicts the volume of air bubbles generated in a storage section of a recording head based on an input recording job. When the volume of the amount of ink in the storage section of the recording head is less than the predicted volume of air bubbles, a recovery operation is performed. | 10-03-2013 |
20130257934 | PRINTING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING PRINTING DEVICE - In a case where a forcible detection execution flag is set to ON, the end position of the CR movement is changed and the acquiring range of the detection value “Is” is changed such that the movable range of the carriage is enlarged to a range that makes detection of an ink remaining amount by the ink sensor possible. Then, a print process for forcible detection is conducted in which the printing head and the carriage motor are controlled such that the printing head ejects ink while the carriage is moving in the enlarged movable range. Consequently, in a case where the forcible detection is requested, the ink remaining amount in the ink cartridge installed in the carriage can be detected regardless of the printing area based on the print data. | 10-03-2013 |
20130286065 | INK FILLING METHOD AND INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - An inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head, a carriage with the recording head mounted thereon, a main tank, a sub-tank configured to be supplied with ink from the main tank via a tube, a supply tube configured to connect the recording head and the sub-tank, a supply unit connected to the supply tube and configured to supply ink from the main tank to the sub-tank, and a control unit configured to control acceleration of the carriage and to control the supply unit, wherein, when an empty volume in the sub-tank is greater than or equal to an ink volume in the main tank, the supply unit is controlled to supply ink to the sub-tank. | 10-31-2013 |
20130300785 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, INKJET PRINTING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - Uneven glossiness is effectively suppressed between areas where light inks are mainly used and areas where dark inks are mainly used. The gloss is raised in areas where dark cyan ink C is used. In other words, the application amount of second clear ink applied by after application printing is set to 32% at primary cyan (grid point | 11-14-2013 |
20130300786 | Fluid Tilt Sensor Within Ink Tank Supply Item for Micro-Fluid Applications - A container for holding a volume of fluid and having a housing defining an interior for retaining the volume of fluid; at least one in-tank tilt sensor connected to a controller and disposed inside the housing for generating a signal corresponding to a level of fluid inside the housing; and a support material attached to the housing and connected to the at least one in-tank tilt sensor to mechanically support the at least one in-tank tilt sensor such that the at least one in-lank tilt sensor is not in direct contact with the fluid inside the housing. The in-tank tilt sensor detects a change in fluid level which may only be caused by tilting of the imaging device. When tilting is registered, protective action is taken to prevent fluid from leaking. | 11-14-2013 |
20130314461 | Printer And Printing System - A method of controlling a printer involves reading a cartridge identification number from a memory in a cartridge and storing such number, generating status information including such number and may further include a calculated ink usage amount, and sending the status information to a data processing apparatus, which may be a server. In some embodiments, the ink usage amount is calculated as a number of discharged ink shots. The server saves the status information. This or another upstream server can reliably determine the number of ink shots used by the printer only for printing from this status information. | 11-28-2013 |
20130321501 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING RECORDING HEAD FOR EJECTING DROPLETS - An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a head tank, a main tank, a liquid feed device, a measurement unit, and a supply controller. The head tank includes a liquid storage portion, a liquid level detection member, and an air release unit. When the feed device feeds liquid from the main tank to the head tank with an interior of the storage portion opened relative to an atmosphere and the detection member does not detect a liquid level of the liquid after a threshold time, the supply controller controls the air release unit to close the interior of the storage portion and determines whether a measurement value of a consumption amount of the liquid is a threshold value or lower. When the measurement value is the threshold value or lower, the supply controller performs a reverse feed control to drive the feed device to feed the liquid in reverse. | 12-05-2013 |
20130335466 | CONTINUOUS INK SUPPLY APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD - A continuous ink supply (CIS) apparatus, a CIS printer system and a method of CIS employ a one-way valve having a minimum negative activation pressure. The apparatus includes an off-axis ink supply to source liquid ink to a printhead of a printer. The one-way valve is positioned between the off-axis ink supply and the printhead. The minimum negative activation pressure at a printhead side of the one-way valve is at least enough to substantially precludes drooling from the printhead. | 12-19-2013 |
20130342594 | LIQUID CONSUMPTION DEVICE, PROGRAM, AND PRINTING DEVICE - A liquid consumption device includes a communication processing part that performs a communication process with a memory device provided in a liquid container and stores a container side liquid consumption information, a memory part that stores a main body side liquid consumption information, and a processing part. The processing part reads the main body side liquid consumption from the memory part, performs a process of counting the liquid consumption amount, updates the main side liquid consumption information based on the counted liquid consumption amount, performs a comparison process between the liquid consumption amount in the main body side and the liquid consumption amount in the liquid container side, and when an increment of the liquid consumption amount in the main body to the liquid consumption amount in a container side is greater than a determination threshold value of an allowable increment, the processing part determines as an error. | 12-26-2013 |
20140015877 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COMMUNICATION OF DATE INFORMATION BETWEEN AN INK TANK AND A PRINTING DEVICE - Some or all of the needs above can be addressed by embodiments of the invention. According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for determining ink evaporation from at least one ink tank can be provided. The method can include determining a removal time associated with removal of at least one ink tank from a printing device. The method can also include determining an insertion time associated with insertion of the at least one ink tank into a printing device. In addition, the method can include estimating an amount of ink evaporation from the at least one ink tank during the time between the removal time and insertion time based at least in part on the difference between the removal time and insertion time. | 01-16-2014 |
20140022292 | PIEZOELECTRIC SENSOR ARRANGEMENT FOR SENSING FLUID LEVEL IN SMALL VOLUME AND IRREGULAR SHAPE RESERVOIRS - A fluid level sensor measures a height of a fluid in a volume with a plurality of piezoelectric sensors arranged along at least one wall of a container. The sensors are positioned to enable activated sensors to interact with the materials adjacent the sensors to produce electrical signals in more than one of the sensors. These electrical signals are used to identify the fluid level in the volume. | 01-23-2014 |
20140063089 | Printing Apparatus - A printing apparatus includes first to n-th (n is an integer equal to or greater than 2) ink tanks in which ink accommodated in an ink pack is filled, slots that respectively correspond to the ink tank, memory units that are packaged together with the ink pack and are respectively installed in the slots, and a processing unit that controls read-out of data from or writing of data to the memory unit. The processing unit updates total ink consumption information on the main body side for each ink color on the basis of the counted ink consumption, and writes the total ink consumption based on the total ink consumption information on the main body side, to the storage device of the memory unit corresponding to the ink color. | 03-06-2014 |
20140063090 | Printing Apparatus and Ink Pack Set - A printing apparatus includes first to n-th (n is an integer equal to or greater than 2) ink tanks in which ink accommodated in an ink pack is filled, first to n-th slots that correspond to the ink tanks, first to n-th memory units that are packaged together with the ink pack and are respectively installed in the slots, and a processing unit. The processing unit outputs a read-out command in which communication ID information is set, to the storage device included in the memory unit that is installed in the selected slot, determines whether ink color information that is read out and an ink color corresponding to the slot are consistent with each other, and determines that the memory unit is erroneously installed when the read-out ink color information and the ink color corresponding to the slot are inconsistent with each other. | 03-06-2014 |
20140085361 | DETERMINATION OF FLUID CONSUMPTION - The method of operating an inkjet printing system includes ejecting usable fluid on a substrate in a print mode and in a purge container in a maintenance mode by a print head. The method also includes receiving recovered fluid from the purge container and source fluid from the source supply to form the usable fluid in a primary fluid tank. The method also includes receiving and providing an amount of the usable fluid from the primary fluid tank to the print head by at least one of a first supplemental fluid tank and a second supplemental fluid tank. The method also includes determining a consumed amount of the usable fluid corresponding to an amount of the usable fluid used by the print head reduced by an amount of the recovered fluid received by the primary fluid tank from the purge container. | 03-27-2014 |
20140085362 | INK-JET RECORDING APPARATUS - An ink-jet recording apparatus, including: a recording head; a discharge mechanism configured to perform a discharge operation; an absorbing member configured to absorb discharged ink; and a controller configured to: make a judgment as to whether or not to allow the discharge mechanism to perform the discharge operation every time a discharge timing comes; calculate a waste-liquid amount in a specific time period from a current discharge timing to a time point that precedes by a prescribed time from the current discharge timing, the waste-liquid amount indicative of an amount of the ink discharged in the discharge operation; allow the discharge operation when the calculated waste-liquid amount is smaller than an upper-limit value of an ink-absorption amount, in the specific time period, of the absorbing member; and inhibit the discharge operation at the current discharge timing when the calculated waste-liquid amount becomes equal to or larger than the upper-limit value. | 03-27-2014 |
20140085363 | FLUID LEVEL SENSOR AND RELATED METHODS - In an embodiment, a fluid level sensor includes a sensor plate and a current source. The fluid level sensor also includes an algorithm to bias the current source such that current applied to the sensor plate induces a maximum difference in response voltage between a dry sensor plate condition and a wet sensor plate condition. | 03-27-2014 |
20140104333 | System For Transporting Phase Change Ink Using A Thermoelectric Device - An ink transport system for a phase change ink printer has been developed that enables accurate control of refilling a second ink reservoir from a first ink reservoir with minimal moving parts. The system includes a thermoelectric device that is operatively connected to a thermally conductive tube, which fluidly connects the first and second ink reservoirs. The thermoelectric device is operated by a controller to heat phase change ink in the thermally conductive tube and enable flow of ink from the first reservoir to the second reservoir, and to remove heat from the phase change ink in the thermally conductive tube to solidify ink in the tube and disable flow of ink from the first reservoir to the second reservoir. | 04-17-2014 |
20140125719 | RECIRCULATION SYSTEM - A method and apparatus for re-circulating a carrier in a printer is disclosed. The re-circulating system comprises a controller, a print head, a variable speed fan coupled to an air passageway and a condenser. The controller determines a liquid amount of carrier to be place on a page during a print operation. The controller adjusts the variable speed fan dependent on the amount of liquid carrier determined to be placed onto the page. | 05-08-2014 |
20140132654 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A LIGHT EMITTING DEVICE - A technique capable of efficient, high speed processing for the formation of an organic compound layer by using an ink jet method is provided. In the method of forming an organic compound layer by using the ink jet method, a composition containing an organic compound having light emitting characteristics is discharged from an ink head, forming a continuous organic compound layer. The organic compound layer is formed on pixel electrodes aligned in a matrix shape, and is formed in a continuous manner over a plurality of pixel electrodes. A light emitting device is manufactured using organic light emitting elements in accordance with this manufacturing method. | 05-15-2014 |
20140160189 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHODS THEREOF - Image forming apparatus and methods are disclosed which include identifying a first ink density of ink in an ink tank by a density sensor unit disposed in the ink tank. The image forming apparatus and methods also include identifying an ink weight of ink in an intermediate reservoir by a weight sensor unit. The image forming apparatus and methods also include determining a second ink density of the ink in the intermediate reservoir based at least on the identified first ink density by the density sensor unit and the identified ink weight of the ink in the intermediate reservoir by the weight sensor unit. | 06-12-2014 |
20140168297 | NETWORK PRINTER SYSTEM - Electronic systems, such as printing systems, often use components that have integral memory. The integral memory can be used to store information about the component. In some printing systems this memory includes a portion that stores a value indicative of a print yield. Disclosed is a method and system for allowing the memory to have data indicative of an increased print yield. | 06-19-2014 |
20140184674 | PRINTER AND IMAGING MATERIAL DETECTING DEVICE THEREOF - A printer includes a container, a detecting unit and a management unit. The container is used for accommodating an imaging material, where the imaging material is a liquid material or a powdery material. The detecting unit is disposed on a surface of the container. The management unit is coupled to the detecting unit. The detecting unit detects a capacitance value to determine a remaining capacity of the container. When the remaining capacity is higher or lower than a threshold, the detecting unit transmits a trigger signal to the management unit. When the management unit receives the trigger signal, the management unit generates a notification. | 07-03-2014 |
20140204137 | PRINTHEAD COLOR DENSITY CORRECTION IN PRINTING SYSTEMS - A method for color density correction in a printing system that includes a linehead, with one or more printheads, that jets ink onto a moving print media and an integrated imaging system that captures images of content printed on the moving print media is provided. One or more pixel data values and a measured density value trace for a printed test block are produced by scanning the test block and averaging pixel data in a print media transport direction. A color and a density of the ink in the printed test block are determined using the pixel data values. The measured density value trace is compared with a respective reference density value. It is determined whether there is a difference between the measured density value trace and a reference density value is determined. If there is a difference, ink laydown for the printhead is adjusted based on the difference. | 07-24-2014 |
20140204138 | STORAGE DEVICE AND CONSUMPTION CONTAINER - A storage device includes an interface unit, a storage unit, a detection unit and a control unit. When the detection unit detects a preset trigger condition and the total surplus of the recording material is greater than the capacity of the recording material, the control unit effects the updating of the total surplus of the recording material stored in the storage unit and the erasing of the surplus of the erasable recording material or the consumption amount of the erasable recording material as a calculation value. When the total surplus of the recording material is less than or equal to the capacity of the recording material, the control unit will not actively update the total surplus of the recording material or the consumption amount of the recording material in the storage unit. Provided is a consumption container, which can better manage the data in the storage device. | 07-24-2014 |
20140210881 | INKJET PRINTING SYSTEM, FLUID EJECTION SYSTEM, AND METHOD THEREOF - An inkjet printing system, fluid ejection system and method thereof are disclosed. The fluid ejection system includes a fluid ejection device and a determination module to determine a supply condition based on the count value output by the converter module. The fluid ejection device includes a fluid supply chamber to store fluid, an ejection chamber including a nozzle and a corresponding ejection member to selectively eject the fluid through the nozzle, a pressure sensor unit having a sensor plate to output a voltage value corresponding to a cross-sectional area of an amount of fluid in the ejection chamber. The fluid ejection system also includes a converter module to output a count value corresponding to the voltage value output by the pressure sensor unit. | 07-31-2014 |
20140232770 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - In a stand-by state, when an instruction unit issues the printing instruction, a control unit is switched in a maintenance state, in the maintenance state, the control unit closes an air valve and operates a first pump, and when a sensor detects that the ink of a second tank is reduced by discharging the ink from a nozzle by the pressure of a second tank, the control unit opens the air valve to be switched in a printing state, and when a predetermined time elapses after an operation of the first pump before the sensor detects the reduction of the ink of the second tank, the control unit excludes the solidified ink from the nozzle, and in the printing state, the control unit is switched in the stand-by state when the ink is discharged from the nozzle of the head based on a printing instruction. | 08-21-2014 |
20140247297 | Invoice Amount Calculation Method, Invoice Amount Calculation Device, and Printer Invoicing System - A manufacturer server | 09-04-2014 |
20140253616 | SYSTEM AND PROCESS FOR LIQUID REPLENISHMENT FOR A PRINTING APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING A LIQUID COMPOSITION ON A BACKPLANE - A liquid replenishment system for a printing apparatus that includes a dispensing nozzle and a supply reservoir is improved by a replenishment system having a volume control network responsive to a signal representative of the volume of liquid within the reservoir for generating a volume control signal. The volume control signal is applied to a pump operable to inject replenishment liquid from a replenishment source into the reservoir. The replenishment liquid is injected at a pressure at least substantially equal to the pressure in the reservoir and at a flow rate selectable in accordance with the volume control signal such that the volume of liquid in the reservoir is maintained at a predetermined reference level. A temperature control network for adjusting the temperature of the replenishment liquid to a temperature that lies within a predetermined range of the temperature of the liquid in the reservoir may also be provided. | 09-11-2014 |
20140292844 | CONTAINER AND METHOD FOR LIQUID STORAGE AND DISPENSING - A method for measuring the volume of liquid, such as ink or solvent, remaining in a container, such as a replacement cartridge for a continuous ink jet printer, uses a reservoir enclosing an internal space having a variable volume for storage. The reservoir is adapted to provide a reduction in the pressure of the internal space, the reduction substantially monotonically increasing in magnitude as liquid is drawn into the printer, such that the volume of liquid remaining may be calculated from knowledge of the minimum withdrawal pressure required to draw further liquid from the reservoir into the printer. Containers for use with the method have a liquid dispensing port adapted to allow liquid to be dispensed when a withdrawal pressure at the exterior of the port is less than the pressure of the internal space and adapted to prevent the ingress of air into the internal space of the reservoir as liquid is dispensed. | 10-02-2014 |
20140292845 | PRINTING APPARATUS - A printing apparatus includes a head and a control unit. The head discharges an imaging liquid for forming an image, and a supplementary liquid for supplementing the formation of the image with the imaging liquid onto a predetermined printing medium. The control unit is capable of selectively executing a first mode, in which the imaging liquid and the supplementary liquid are discharged from the head onto the predetermined printing medium, and a second mode, in which the imaging liquid is discharged from the head and the supplementary liquid is not discharged from the head. | 10-02-2014 |
20140313248 | INK JET RECORDING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD - An ink jet recording apparatus includes: a container to store ink; a detector to detect a remaining ink amount; a liquid feeding unit to supply the ink to the container; an energy generation unit to cause the ink to be discharged; a storage unit to store correspondence information in which driving information for driving the energy generation unit is associated with each piece of time information indicating a supply time taken to supply the ink; and a setting unit to set new driving information using the correspondence information when an actual supply time is different from the supply time indicated by the time information associated with current driving information among the pieces of time information. The actual supply time indicates a time period from when the liquid feeding unit starts supplying the ink until the detector detects that the remaining ink amount is equal to or higher than a threshold. | 10-23-2014 |
20140340439 | FLUID DISCHARGE DEVICE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING A FLUID DISCHARGE DEVICE - A fluid discharge device, a printing device, and a control method for a fluid discharge device enable accurately detecting an empty fluid state and suppressing fluid waste. An inkjet printer | 11-20-2014 |
20140354719 | Printing Apparatus - A printing apparatus includes a detection unit that detects the amount of residual ink in a ink cartridge, and a control unit that controls of initial filling of a printing head, in which the control unit performs initial filling when a state of the amount of residual ink detected by the detection unit is equal to or more than a predetermined amount, and the amount of residual ink based on information on the amount of ink stored in a storage unit is equal to or more than a predetermined value. | 12-04-2014 |
20140368565 | PROVIDING REPLACEMENT PRINTING FLUID TO A PRINTER - A method performed using a computer includes receiving a cumulative consumption value for a printing fluid corresponding to a supply from a printer at the computer. The method also includes calculating a plurality of variable values by way of the cumulative consumption value for the printing fluid, a statistically derived depletion quantity for the printing fluid, and an estimated time to ship a supply of replacement printing fluid to the printer to form calculated variable values. The method also includes causing the supply of replacement printing fluid to be shipped to the printer in accordance with the calculating. | 12-18-2014 |
20140375709 | INKJET PRINTER - An ink jet printer according to the present invention includes a liquid accommodation body which is provided with a liquid accommodation chamber which accommodates a liquid that generates a gas as time elapses due to a chemical change in contained components, a liquid flow port which communicates with the liquid accommodation chamber and allows the liquid to flow therethrough, and a gas flow port which communicates with the liquid accommodation chamber and allows the gas to flow therethrough; a recording head which communicates with the liquid flow port and ejects the liquid which flows out from the liquid flow port; and gas discharge means which communicates with the gas flow port and allows the gas to flow out to outside of the liquid accommodation body. | 12-25-2014 |
20150009251 | Control System, Control Device, and Method of Controlling a Control Device - The possibility of information acquired from a recording device not being correct can be detected. A management server | 01-08-2015 |
20150022571 | System And Method For Monitoring The Application Of Release Agent In An Inkjet Printer - An inkjet printer and method therefore including a detector to monitor a quantity of release agent applied to a spreader drum. The inkjet printer includes a drum maintenance unit which applies the release agent to the spreader drum with a metering device, such as a metering blade, and determines a flow rate of unused or excess release agent returned to a release agent sump. The determined flow rate of release agent provides a determination of the quantity of release agent applied to the spreader drum. Upon the determination that too little release agent has been applied, at least one function of the inkjet printer is disabled to stop the flow of release agent and to facilitate maintenance if necessary. | 01-22-2015 |
20150022572 | INKJET PRINTER - A determiner determines whether a total ink amount in an ink circulation passage calculated by an ink amount calculator is less than an ink circulation necessary amount being an amount necessary for circulation of ink in the ink circulation passage, when a liquid level detector detects that a liquid level of the ink in an ink tank is lower than a liquid level corresponding to an ink circulation standard amount being a standard for ink circulation. A controller performs ink supply amount control to supply the ink from an ink bottle to the ink tank in such an amount that the total ink amount is kept below the ink circulation standard amount, when the determiner determines that the total ink amount is less than the ink circulation necessary amount. | 01-22-2015 |
20150029244 | Inkjet Recording Apparatus - An inkjet recording apparatus may include a carriage, a recording head mounted on the carriage and including a nozzle surface, a maintenance mechanism, and a controller. The maintenance mechanism may include a cap which covers, in a covering position, the nozzle surface of the recording head, a pump including an inlet and an outlet, a tube extending from the outlet, and a waste ink storage detachably attached to the tube. The controller drives the pump to execute purging with the inlet of the pump in communication with the cap in the covering position, receives an input indicating replacement of the waste ink storage, and drives the pump to execute an idle suction with the inlet of the pump in communication with atmosphere when a time elapsed after the execution of the purging until the reception of the input is shorter than a threshold time. | 01-29-2015 |
20150062209 | Printing Apparatus - A printing apparatus | 03-05-2015 |
20150070416 | Printer and Printing System - Control of a printer involves reading a cartridge identification number from a memory in a cartridge and storing such number, generating status information including such number and may further include a calculated ink usage amount, and sending the status information to a data processing apparatus, which may be a server. In some embodiments, the ink usage amount is calculated as a number of discharged ink shots. The server saves the status information. This or another upstream server can reliably determine the number of ink shots used by the printer only for printing from this status information. Such control is embodied in a program stored on a non-transitory controller-readable medium, which program is executed by a controller in the printer. | 03-12-2015 |
20150077449 | PRINTING APPARATUS AND PRINTING METHOD - A printing apparatus includes a first processing section configured to convert input values that are specified for each pixel in image data into amounts of ink for inks of each color, and a second processing section configured to generate half tone data from the image data that is converted. The second processing section is further configured to convert an amount of ink for a first ink, which is in a range of a first amount of ink where it is easy for density unevenness to be generated, into an amount of ink for the first ink and an amount of ink for a second ink that is the same color as the first ink and has a high brightness compared to the first ink. An increase in the amount of the first ink that is set in the range of the first amount of ink is large. | 03-19-2015 |
20150116392 | Ink-Jet Recording Apparatus, Ink-Jet Recording Method, Recorded Matter and Composite Black - An ink-jet recording apparatus performing recording on a recording medium includes: a water-based yellow ink containing a yellow dye, a water-based magenta ink containing a magenta dye and a water-based cyan ink containing a cyan dye of which hue angles ∠H° defined in a CIELAB color space are within the predetermined ranges; an ink-jet head configured to discharge the water-based yellow, magenta and cyan inks; and a controller configured to control the ink-jet head so as to satisfy the following conditions (A) and (B) to thereby form a composite black on the recording medium: (A) 0.66≦C/(Y+M) and (B) 530≦Y+M+C≦600, wherein in the conditions (A) and (B): Y, M and C are drop amounts (ng) of the yellow dye, the magenta dye and the cyan dye dropped in a 25.4 mm×25.4 mm area of the recording medium, respectively. | 04-30-2015 |
20150116393 | INK JET PRINTING CONTOL METHOD UTILIZING AND PROCESS LIQUID - The present invention provides an ink jet printing apparatus and an ink jet printing method in which if an image is printed using ink and a process liquid serving to improve the printability of the ink, degradation of print image quality can be suppressed which results from a rise in the temperature of a print head. To achieve this, the present invention reduces the amount of process liquid ejected from a process liquid ejection section capable of ejecting a process liquid, with increasing temperature of an ink ejection section capable of ejecting ink. | 04-30-2015 |
20150138263 | INK JET PRINTING DEVICE - An inkjet printing device including a head unit that includes an inkjet head, a fixed tank for storing ink to be supplied to the inkjet head, and a tank attachment section to which ink tank for storing ink to be replenished to the fixed tank is exchangeably attached. When ink tanks are exchanged, an ink tank attached to the tank attachment section of head unit is removed by an arm section of the tank exchange mechanism, and an ink tank to be used for exchange removed from tank storage unit is attached to the tank attachment section of the head unit. | 05-21-2015 |
20150290944 | FLUID EJECTION DEVICE - A fluid ejection device includes a fluid container having a fluid accommodation portion that has formed therein a fluid outlet and accommodates a fluid. A fluid pressing unit presses the fluid accommodation portion to cause the fluid to flow out of the fluid outlet. Connection piping has an end that is connected to the fluid outlet. A fluid ejection unit has a fluid intake port connected to the other end of the connection piping, and ejects in a pulsed manner the fluid received from the fluid intake port. A pressure detection unit detects pressure of the fluid accommodation portion when the fluid pressing unit presses the fluid accommodation portion, and outputs a level of a detection signal corresponding to the pressure. A press control unit stops the fluid pressing unit from pressing the fluid accommodation portion when the pressure indicated by the detection signal is a predetermined value or higher. | 10-15-2015 |
20150298461 | CONTROL UNIT - An object is to improve a user's convenience. There is provided a control unit for use in a liquid ejecting apparatus using a tank containing a liquid and a storage material attachable to and detachable from the liquid ejecting apparatus, and storing an amount of the liquid in the tank. After the storage material is not mounted on a predetermined place, the control unit receives an answer for a question to ask whether or not the liquid is injected to the tank. | 10-22-2015 |
20150298462 | Rotatable Printhead Assembly - A printing assembly includes a pressure control tank and a printhead assembly. The printhead assembly is fluid communication with the pressure control tank while the print head assembly and the pressure control tank are selectively rotatable into a plurality of different positions relative to one another. | 10-22-2015 |
20150328899 | INKJET PRINTING DEVICE AND LIQUID SUPPLYING DEVICE - The object is to provide a printing device with a superior gas barrier property in an ink supplying passage. As a solution therefor, an ink supplying unit ( | 11-19-2015 |
20150336393 | Printer and Printing System - In a system of a data processing apparatus coupled to a printer, the apparatus sends a status information transmission request to the printer and, in response, receives status information from the printer. The status information includes cartridge identification information written in a memory device contained in a cartridge, device identification information identifying the printer in which the cartridge is installed, and ink usage amount information for use by the printer in calculating an ink usage amount. | 11-26-2015 |
20150375519 | INK SUPPLY CONTROL METHOD FOR AN INKJET PRINTER, AND AN INKJET PRINTER - An inkjet printer | 12-31-2015 |
20160001569 | INKJET PRINTING APPARATUS - An inkjet printing apparatus includes a control unit which, in order to reduce a failure of an air pump, when starting ink circulation, executes preparatory processing of feeding ink from the pressurizing tank toward the inkjet head by applying a positive pressure to a pressurizing tank by an air pump in a state in which the pressurizing tank is sealed by a pressurizing-side atmospheric air opening valve and a negative-pressure tank is opened to the atmosphere by a negative-pressure side atmospheric air opening valve; and feeding ink from the negative-pressure tank to the pressurizing tank by the ink pump until the liquid level height of the negative-pressure tank reaches less than a reference height. | 01-07-2016 |
20160052276 | PRINTING APPARATUS, METHOD, AND NON-TRANSITORY STORAGE MEDIUM - A printing apparatus comprises an ink tank containing ink, a sub-tank containing the ink supplied from the ink tank, a printhead discharging the ink supplied from the sub-tank, a detection unit configured to perform a detection operation of detecting an ink remaining amount of the sub-tank, a suction unit configured to perform a suction operation of sucking the ink from the printhead, and a control unit configured to stop the suction unit from performing the suction operation when the detection unit detects that the ink remaining amount becomes smaller than a predetermined residual amount during execution of the suction operation. | 02-25-2016 |
20160052288 | LIQUID CONSUMING APPARATUS - A liquid consuming apparatus includes a liquid cartridge including a capillary portion having a first end configured to be in communication with the liquid chamber and a second end configured to be in communication with the atmosphere outside the liquid cartridge. The apparatus also includes a detector configured to output a detection signal based on the presence or absence of the liquid in a detection position in the capillary portion and a controller configured to measure, based on the detection signal output from the detector, a physical quantity, based on which a velocity of liquid moving in the capillary portion can be specified and determine whether the physical quantity is within a threshold range. | 02-25-2016 |
20160052290 | PRINTING APPARATUS AND INK AMOUNT CONTROL METHOD FOR INK TANK - An inkjet printing apparatus performing a printing operation using a main tank for storing ink and a sub tank for storing the ink supplied from the main tank to supply the ink to the print head includes a detection unit for detecting the ink amount in the sub tank and an ink filling unit for driving a driving unit for supplying ink from the main tank to the sub tank to subject the sub tank to an ink filling operation. The ink filling unit is configured, when the ink amount detected by the detection unit is determined to be equal to or lower than the first predetermined amount, the second ink filling operation is performed. The second ink filling operation performs a driving longer than the drive time of the driving unit in the first ink filling operation performed when the main tank is attached to the inkjet printing apparatus. | 02-25-2016 |
20160059571 | LIQUID CONSUMING APPARATUS - A liquid consuming apparatus includes a liquid cartridge including a first liquid chamber, a second liquid chamber, and a movable member positioned in the second liquid chamber and including a detection portion and a float. The apparatus also includes a mount detector configured to selectively output a first signal when the liquid cartridge is not in a mount detection position and a second signal when the liquid cartridge in the mount detection position, a detector configured to selectively output a third signal when the detection portion is not in a detection position and a fourth signal when the detection portion is in the detection position, and a controller configured to measure a transit time from when the signal output from the mount detector changes from the first signal to the second signal to when the signal output from the detector changes from one of the third signal and the fourth signal to the other of the third signal and the fourth signal, and determine whether the transit time is within a threshold range. | 03-03-2016 |
20160075143 | PRINTER, TERMINAL DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR OBTAINING INFORMATION - A printer including: a detection unit which detects first remaining amounts of inks; a generation unit which generates a plurality of mixed color information on mixed colors having different distribution densities of the inks, the plurality of mixed color information each including a mixed color and second remaining amounts of the inks representing estimated remaining amounts of the inks based on the first remaining amounts if the mixed color were to be used for printing; and an obtaining unit which obtains mixed color information selected from the plurality of mixed color information. | 03-17-2016 |
20160082742 | INKJET PRINTING DEVICE - A controller controls an ink liquid feeding operation performed by an ink pump from a negative pressure tank to a pressure tank, and an ink replenishing operation performed by an ink replenisher according to a liquid level in each of the pressure tank and the negative pressure tank so that, during purging, the liquid level in each of the pressure tank and the negative pressure tank is maintained at a reference level. | 03-24-2016 |
20160086235 | Invoice Amount Calculation Method, Invoice Amount Calculation Device, and Printer Invoicing System - A manufacturer server | 03-24-2016 |
20160089895 | INK SUPPLY SYSTEM, INK-JET PRINTER, INK LOADING METHOD, AND METHOD OF USING INK SUPPLY SYSTEM - An ink supply system, inkjet printer, and ink loading method are provided. The ink supply system includes an ink head comprising a nozzle; first and second ink containers; a first ink supply passage; a second ink supply passage; an ink amount detecting device configured to detect an amount of ink in the first ink container; and a notifying device to provide a notification when the detected amount of ink is less than or equal to a threshold amount. | 03-31-2016 |
20160101629 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a head tank, a main tank, and a controller. The recording head includes nozzles to discharge liquid droplets. The head tank includes a liquid containing part to contain liquid supplied to the recording head. The main tank contains the liquid supplied to the head tank. The controller controls, after detection of an end state of the main tank, post-end printing using the liquid remaining in the head tank corresponding to the main tank in the end state. The controller permits the post-end printing when an amount of the liquid remaining in the head tank to which the liquid is supplied from the main tank in the end state is a predetermined threshold remaining amount or greater. | 04-14-2016 |
20160114590 | DEVICE FOR MEASURING A LEVEL IN A TANK - A device for continuously measuring a level of an ink in a tank ( | 04-28-2016 |
20160167391 | INK LEVEL SENSOR FORMED WITH AN ARRAY OF SELF-SENSING PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSDUCERS | 06-16-2016 |
20160200115 | REMAINING AMOUNT OF INK DISPLAY APPARATUS, PRINTING SYSTEM | 07-14-2016 |
20160375691 | FLUID LEVEL SENSOR AND RELATED METHODS - In an embodiment, a fluid level sensor includes a sensor plate and a current source. The fluid level sensor also includes an algorithm to bias the current source such that current applied to the sensor plate induces a maximum difference in response voltage between a dry sensor plate condition and a wet sensor plate condition. | 12-29-2016 |
20160375692 | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING LIGHT EMISSION OF INK CARTRIDGE, AND INK CARTRIDGE - Disclosed is a method and an apparatus for controlling light emission of an ink cartridge. The method includes: an ink cartridge control unit ( | 12-29-2016 |
20170232755 | LIQUID SUPPLY DEVICE AND DROPLET EJECTING APPARATUS | 08-17-2017 |
20170232756 | INKJET PRINTER WITH PRIMARY AND SECONDARY INK TANKS | 08-17-2017 |
20190143703 | TRANSFORM MAP AT PRINTER CARTRIDGE | 05-16-2019 |
20220134766 | STORAGE AMOUNT DETECTION DEVICE AND LIQUID DISCHARGE DEVICE - A storage amount detection device includes a storage section that includes a first surface and a second surface separated from the first surface in a first direction, and is configured to store an object between the first surface and the second surface, a transmission electrode provided on the first surface, a first reception electrode provided on the second surface, a second reception electrode provided on the second surface, an output terminal, a selector circuit that switches whether or not to electrically couple the output terminal to at least one of the first reception electrode and the second reception electrode, and a detection circuit that detects a storage amount of the object in the storage section based on an output from the output terminal. | 05-05-2022 |
20220134768 | STORAGE AMOUNT DETECTION DEVICE AND LIQUID DISCHARGE DEVICE - There is provided a storage amount detection device, which detects a storage amount of an object stored in a storage section that includes a first surface and a second surface, the device including a transmission electrode that is provided on the first surface, a plurality of reception electrodes that are provided on the second surface, a constant voltage terminal, a coupling circuit that is configured to electrically a reception electrode to an output terminal, and a detection circuit that detects the storage amount of the object stored in the storage section, in which the coupling circuit couples the reception electrode, which is not electrically coupled to the output terminal, among the plurality of reception electrodes to the constant voltage terminal, and does not couple a reception electrode, which is electrically coupled to the output terminal, among the plurality of reception electrodes to the constant voltage terminal. | 05-05-2022 |