| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 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 |
| 20080204506 | Liquid Droplet Ejecting Apparatus - A liquid droplet ejecting apparatus comprises an ejecting head including a passage which is connected to a sub-tank and an ejecting pressure applying device which applies a feed pressure to the liquid inside the passage, a main tank detector which detects that a main tank is mounted to a main tank mounting portion, a suction pump which applies a negative pressure to an air layer inside the sub-tank to discharge air from inside the sub-tank to outside, and a controller configured to control the suction pump and the ejecting pressure applying device, based on information from the main tank detector. The controller causes the suction pump to discharge the air from inside the sub-tank to outside and causes the ejecting pressure applying device to eject the liquid from a nozzle, when the main tank detector detects that the main tank is mounted to the main tank mounting portion. | 08-28-2008 |
| 20080239035 | Ink Cartridges - An ink cartridge includes a case including a front face and a rear face opposite the front face, in which the case has an ink chamber defined therein, and the ink chamber is configured to store ink. The ink cartridge also includes an extension portion extending from the from the front face of the case in a predetermined direction, and the extension portion includes a first end which is coupled to the front face of the case, and a second end opposite the first end. The extension portion also includes an opaque first portion, an opaque second portion positioned adjacent to the first end of the extension portion, and a translucent third portion positioned between the opaque first portion and the opaque second portion in the predetermined direction. | 10-02-2008 |
| 20090002433 | LIQUID DROPLET JETTING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF EXCHANGING MAIN TANK - A main tank has a storage space which stores a liquid. A sub tank has a predetermined interior space and an atmosphere communicating hole which makes the interior space communicate with an atmosphere, formed therein, and has an opening and closing valve which opens and closes the atmosphere communicating hole. When the main tank is not mounted on a main tank installing portion, the opening and closing valve closes the atmosphere communicating hole. When the main tank is mounted on the main tank installing portion, a discharge operation of discharging the liquid from the nozzles of the head with the atmosphere communicating hole closed by the opening and closing valve is carried out. Thereafter, the opening and closing valve opens the atmosphere communicating hole. Accordingly, the liquid is prevented from being leaked out from the sub tank when the main tank is removed. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090073199 | INK CARTRIDGE DETERMINATION SYSTEMS AND INK CARTRIDGES - An ink cartridge determination system includes a cartridge mounting portion, an optical sensor positioned at the cartridge mounting portion, at least one ink cartridge configured to be inserted into the cartridge mounting portion, and a determiner. The optical sensor includes a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element. The optical sensor is configured to selectively output a first signal and a second signal based on an intensity of the light received by the light-receiving element. The at least one ink cartridge includes a first light altering portion, a second light altering portion, and a light passing portion, which are configured to sequentially intersect a optical path of the optical sensor when the at least one ink cartridge is inserted into the cartridge mounting portion, and the determiner is configured to determine a type of the at least one ink cartridge based on a time profile of a signal outputted from the optical sensor. | 03-19-2009 |
| 20090135237 | Ink Supply Device - An ink supply device including an ink cartridge for storing an ink; a mounting portion which includes an opening from which the ink cartridge is removable in a direction; an elastic member which urges the ink cartridge accommodated in the mounting portion to the direction; and a lock member. The lock member includes a lock arm including an operating lever provided at a first end thereof, and a lock portion provided at a second end thereof; a supporting mechanism which movably supports the lock arm between a first posture in which the lock portion is disengaged from the engaged portion and a second posture in which the lock portion is engaged with the engaged portion to regulate a movement of the ink cartridge to the direction; and a stopper which is provided in the lock arm and contacts the ink cartridge when the lock arm takes the first posture. | 05-28-2009 |
| 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 |
| 20090141096 | INK CARTRIDGE ACCOMMODATING DEVICE - An ink cartridge accommodating device is provided. The ink cartridge accommodating device includes: an accommodating portion which is configured to accommodate a plurality of ink cartridges arranged in an arrangement direction; and a plurality of sensors which are provided correspondingly to the plurality of ink cartridges, and which optically detect information related to the plurality of ink cartridges, respectively. Each of the sensors includes a light-emitting element which emits light and a light-receiving element which receives light. The light-emitting elements or the light-receiving elements of adjacent sensors are arranged adjacent to each other. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090141097 | INK SUPPLY DEVICE - An ink supply device includes a cartridge mounting portion for an ink cartridge. The ink cartridge includes: an ink chamber including a hole; and a cover configured to cover the hole. The cartridge mounting portion includes a cylinder extending in a horizontal direction and is configured to mount thereon the ink cartridge while opening the cover by the cylinder. The cylinder includes a tip surface including: a first contact surface provided in at least an entire first region of the tip surface and configured to contact the cover, the first region being located above an upper end of an inner surface of the cylinder and; a second contact surface provided in a second region of the tip surface other than the first region and configured to contact the cover, and a passage provided in the second region of the tip surface to extend in a radial direction of the cylinder to allow an inner space of the cylinder to communicate with an outside. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090141100 | INK SUPPLY DEVICE - An ink supply device includes: an ink cartridge including a port which is provided in a rear surface thereof at a lower portion of the ink chamber and which allows ink to flow in an ink flow direction and an engaged portion which is provided on an upper surface thereof; a cartridge mounting portion into which the ink cartridge is insertable in an insertion direction wherein the cartridge mounting portion is configured to accommodate the ink cartridge movably between a first posture and a second posture; a joint which is provided in the cartridge mounting portion and is connected to the port; a first elastic member which urges the ink cartridge to a removal direction; and a lock member which is engaged with the engaged portion to prevent the ink cartridge from being moved in the removal direction by the urging force of the first elastic member. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090201351 | LIQUID EJECTION DEVICE - A liquid cartridge is removably moutable to a liquid ejection device of one aspect of the invention. The liquid cartridge includes a sub tank having: a liquid inflow port; a liquid outlet port; a liquid inflow chamber configured to communicate with the outside of a main unit through the liquid inlet port, the liquid inflow chamber allowing the liquid to be supplied from the liquid cartridge through the liquid inflow port; a second liquid storage chamber configured to communicate with the liquid inflow chamber through a second communicating port, the liquid stored in the second liquid storage chamber being allowed to flow out to a liquid ejection head through the liquid outflow port; and an atmosphere opening port. The second communicating port and the liquid outflow port are positioned lower than the liquid supply port. | 08-13-2009 |
| 20090218032 | ULTRASONIC WELDING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING WELDED PRODUCT - In an ultrasonic welding apparatus, ultraviolet-curable ink droplets are discharged to an upper surface of stacked sheets by means of an ink-jet head to land the ink droplets in a predetermined area on the upper surface of the sheets. The sheets, on which the ink droplets have been landed, are interposed and pressed between a welding horn and a receiving stand, while the welding horn is ultrasonically vibrated. Accordingly, the stacked sheets are welded to one another at portions opposed to the predetermined area in which the ink droplets are landed. In this way, the ultrasonic welding apparatus is provided, which makes it possible to perform the ultrasonic welding irrelevant to the shape of the area to be subjected to the welding. | 09-03-2009 |
| 20090256894 | INK CARTRIDGES - A cartridge includes a first member that prevents a first signal, having first intensity, from passing entirely therethrough, wherein one portion of the first signal has a second intensity. A second member either prevents a second signal having a third intensity from entirely passing therethrough, or allows one first portion of the second signal to pass therethrough. The first portion of the second signal has a fourth intensity. The third intensity is greater than the fourth intensity. The first intensity is greater than the second intensity. A third member either prevents the second signal from passing entirely therethrough, or allows either the first portion of the second signal or one second portion of the second signal to pass therethrough. The second portion of the second signal has a fifth intensity. The third intensity is greater than the fifth intensity. An intermediate portion is formed between the second and third member. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090256895 | INK CARTRIDGES - An ink cartridge includes a first member that alters a path of a first signal originating at a first position, a second member that alters a path of a second signal when the second member is aligned with each of a second position and a third position, and when the second member alters the path of the second signal, the second member prevents at least a first portion of the second signal from reaching the third position. The second signal originates at the second position and has a first intensity, and the first portion of the second signal has a second intensity. A difference between the first intensity and the second intensity is less than a predetermined intensity value. A third member alters a path of the second signal when the third member is aligned with the second position and the third position. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090322834 | CONTAINER ARRANGEMENTS - A container arrangement includes a packaging arrangement including an ink tank defining an ink chamber therein, in which the ink chamber is configured to store ink therein, and a packaging bag enclosing the ink tank therein. A pressure of an interior of the packaging bag is less than a pressure of an exterior of the packaging bag. The container arrangement also includes an adapter configured to be coupled to the ink tank, and a container enclosing each of the packaging arrangement and the adapter. The adapter is positioned outside the packaging bag. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20090322835 | INK CARTRIDGES - An ink cartridge includes an ink tank defining an ink chamber therein, in which the ink chamber is configured to store ink therein, and an adapter configured to be coupled to the ink tank. The adapter and the ink tank are separate members, and the adapter includes a main body, and an operation portion extending from the main body in a particular direction. When the adapter is coupled to the ink tank, the operation portion extends toward the ink tank and extends further in the particular direction than the ink tank. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20090322836 | INK CARTRIDGES - An ink cartridge includes an ink tank defining an ink chamber therein, in which the ink chamber is configured to store ink therein, and an adapter configured to be coupled to the ink tank. The adapter and the ink tank are separate members, and the adapter includes a main body having a main body opening formed therein. The main body opening is configured to receive at least a portion of the ink tank therein. The ink cartridge also includes at least one resilient member coupled to the adapter. When the adapter is coupled to the ink tank, the ink tank extends from a first face of the main body in a first direction, and the at least one resilient member extends from a second face of the main body in a second direction opposite the first direction. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20100085398 | INK SURFACE DETECTING SYSTEMS AND INK CARTRIDGE - An ink surface detecting system has an ink cartridge and a first optical detector, and a second optical detector positioned above the first optical detector. The ink cartridge has an ink chamber and a pivoting member having a detected portion and a floating portion. A first distance between the center of pivotal movement of the pivoting member and a first end of the pivoting member is different from a second distance between the center of pivotal movement and a second end of the pivoting member. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100128092 | Liquid Jetting Apparatus - A liquid jetting apparatus includes a liquid jetting head which reciprocates in a first direction on a predetermined plane and which jets the liquid from a nozzle; a liquid supply source which stores the liquid to be supplied to the liquid jetting head; a flexible tube which is fixed to the liquid jetting apparatus at a predetermined fixed portion different from a connecting portion of the tube at which the tube is connected to the liquid jetting head, and which is arranged in a state that the tube is bent at a portion between the fixed portion and the connecting portion; and a regulating member which is arranged to regulate a movement of the tube caused by the bending of the tube, and the regulating member has an accommodating portion which extends in the first direction and accommodates the tube. | 05-27-2010 |
| 20100128093 | Liquid Jetting Apparatus - A liquid jetting apparatus includes a liquid jetting head which reciprocates in a first direction along a first plane and jets a liquid, liquid supply sources which stores the liquid, a plurality of flexible tubes each of which constructs a part of a liquid flow passage from one of the liquid supply sources to the liquid jetting head, which are fixed to the liquid jetting apparatus at predetermined fixed portions which are different from connecting portions of the tubes at which the tubes are connected to the liquid jetting head respectively, and which are arranged in a state that the tubes are bent and twisted at portions between the connecting portions and the fixed portions, respectively; and a regulating member which is arranged to regulate movement of the tubes caused by bending of the tubes and which has a facing surface facing the tubes. | 05-27-2010 |
| 20100245410 | INK SUPPLY DEVICES - An ink supply device includes an ink cartridge and a cartridge mounting portion including a first detector, a second detector, and a determiner. The ink cartridge includes a first detectable portion, a second detectable portion, and a third detectable portion. The determiner is configured to execute a first determination process in which it is determined whether or not the second detector detects the second detectable portion when the first detector initially detects the first detectable portion during an insertion of the ink cartridge into the cartridge mounting portion, and the determiner is configured to execute a second determination process in which it is determined whether or not the second detector detects the second detectable portion when the first detector stops detecting the first detectable portion during the insertion of the ink cartridge into the cartridge mounting portion. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100245435 | LIQUID DISCHARGING APPRATUS - There is provided a liquid discharging apparatus including: a liquid discharging head; a cartridge attaching section in which a liquid cartridge is loaded detachably; a liquid channel; a filter provided in the middle of the liquid channel to capture a foreign substance in the liquid; a parameter deciding mechanism which, based on a cumulative use number of the liquid cartridge, decides a value of a predetermined parameter whose value becomes larger as the cumulative use number becomes larger; and a controller controlling the liquid discharging head so as to decrease an amount of the liquid discharged from the liquid discharging head per unit time as the value of the parameter becomes larger. This structure prevents the occurrence of a failure of the discharge of the liquid from nozzles. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100245437 | LIQUID DISCHARGE APPARATUS - A liquid discharge apparatus which discharges a liquid in each of continuing discharge opportunities includes: a discharge head discharging the liquid from nozzles; a controller controlling the discharge head to discharge the liquid from the nozzles; a duty detecting section detecting a value of a duty which is a ratio of a discharge amount of the liquid discharged from the discharge head with respect to a maximum discharge amount of the liquid to be discharged from the discharge head in each of the discharge opportunities; and a wait time determining section determining whether a wait time, in which the liquid is not discharged, is provided after each of the discharge opportunities, based on the values of the duties detected by the duty detecting section in past continuing discharge opportunities including the last discharge opportunity. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100245456 | INK SUPPLY DEVICES - An ink supply device includes a controller, a cartridge mounting portion, and an ink cartridge. The cartridge mounting portion includes first, second, and third detectors configured to detect first, second, and third detection target portions of the ink cartridge and to output first, second, and third detection information, respectively. The controller is configured to execute a first process if both the first detection information and the second detection information are output and execute a second process if at least one of the first detection information and the second detection information is not output when the third detection information is output during insertion of the ink cartridge into the cartridge mounting portion. It is determined that the ink cartridge has reached a predetermined mount position in the first process, and a type of the ink cartridge is determined in the second process. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100245457 | INK SUPPLY DEVICES - An ink supply device includes a cartridge mounting portion to which an ink cartridge is configured to be mounted by being inserted thereinto in an insertion direction. The ink supply device further includes a controller configured to determine a type of the ink cartridge based on first determination information initially stored during an insertion of the ink cartridge into the cartridge mounting portion and second determination information finally stored during the insertion of the ink cartridge into the cartridge mounting portion. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100245458 | INK SUPPLY DEVICES - An ink supply device includes a controller, a cartridge mounting portion, and an ink cartridge. The cartridge mounting portion includes first, second, and third detectors configured to detect first, second, and third detection target portions of the ink cartridge and to output first, second, and third detection information, respectively. The controller is configured to execute a first process based on whether the first detection information and the second detection information are output when the third detection information is output during insertion of the ink cartridge into the cartridge mounting portion. A type of the ink cartridge is determined in the first process. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100245459 | INK SUPPLY DEVICES - An ink supply device includes a cartridge mounting portion to which an ink cartridge is configured to be mounted by being inserted thereinto in an insertion direction, a first determiner configured to determine a first characteristic of the ink cartridge, and a second determiner configured to determine a second characteristic of the ink cartridge. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20110012953 | LIQUID SUPPLY DEVICES - A liquid supply device includes a liquid cartridge having a liquid chamber that stores a liquid, a cartridge mounting portion, and a level detector that detects a position of a liquid surface of the liquid stored in the liquid chamber. The position of the liquid surface of the liquid is detected to be at one of at least three liquid surface levels. The liquid supply device also includes a determiner that determines that the liquid supply device is in an abnormal state when the position of the liquid surface of the liquid moves up by two or more liquid surface levels and determines that the liquid supply device is not in the abnormal state when the liquid surface of the liquid moves up by one or fewer liquid surface level. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110096127 | LIQUID SUPPLY APPARATUS AND LIQUID-CONSUMING APPARATUS - A liquid supply apparatus configured to supply a liquid for a liquid-consuming apparatus, includes: a liquid container including a storage chamber which stores the liquid and an engaging portion which is provided on an outer surface of the liquid container; and an attaching section to which the liquid container is attachable, which is formed with an opening, and which includes: a holding member configured to have an attitude which is changable between a first attitude and a second attitude; a cover configured to selectively have an open attitude for opening the opening and a close attitude for closing the opening; and a closing-preventive member on the cover and configured to prevent the cover from having the close attitude when the holding member has an attitude different from the first attitude. | 04-28-2011 |
