Seiko Epson Corporation

Masaki Tsukida

Hidetoshi Yokoyama

Shuichi Koganehira

Yuichi Nishihara

Ryohei Ito

Munehide Kanaya

Naomi Kimura

Junpei Yoshida

Masayuki Ishida

A printer to which an ink tank that contains an ink is fixed and that is configured such that a user can refill the ink tank with the ink includes: a consumption amount calculation unit that calculates a consumption amount of the ink; a storage unit that stores a count value that is updated based on the consumption amount of the ink calculated by the consumption amount calculation unit; a sensor that detect whether or not the ink is present at a predetermined position in the ink tank; and a control unit that executes ink presence/absence detection with the sensor. The ink presence/absence detection is for determining whether or not the ink is present. The control unit resets the count value to an initial value thereof if the control unit executes the ink presence/absence detection and determines that the ink is present.

Liquid consumption apparatus

Provided is a liquid detecting unit and a liquid jetting device that avoid generation of air bubbles and deposit of the components of ink due to electrolysis of the liquid when detecting liquid information. The liquid detecting unit is provided with an alternating current generation circuit for generating an alternating current to be applied to the liquid, a detection output generation unit for generating a detection output for detecting the liquid information based on a potential of a first connection point in the alternating current generation circuit and a potential of a second connection point in the alternating current generation circuit, and a detection unit for detecting the liquid information based on the detection output.

Liquid detecting unit and liquid jetting device

An ink tankA includes an ink containing portion, an ink injection portion, an ink supply portion, and a pair of electrode pinsand. The ink containing portionhas a visual check portionthat enables the position of the liquid surface of ink contained in the ink containing portionto be visually checked from the outside in a reference posture, which is a posture at the time when the ink is supplied from the ink tankto the print head portion. The ink supply portionis connected to a lower portionA located below a lower end of the visual check portionin the reference posture. Leading end portionsandof the electrode pinsandare arranged in the lower portionA.

Tank, tank unit, liquid ejection system, and liquid ejection apparatus

A printer which is configured so that an ink tank which accommodates ink is fixed and a user can refill the ink tank with the ink, includes one pair of electrodes which are disposed in the ink tank and serve as sensors for detecting whether or not the ink is present at a predetermined height (first threshold value). A control portion which controls the printer performs liquid presence detection to detect whether or not the ink is present at the predetermined height (first threshold value) by using the sensors, and performs initial filling which corresponds to the result of the detection.

Liquid discharging apparatus

A printerto which an ink tankfor containing ink IK is fixed and configured such that a user can supply the ink IK to the ink tankincludes a sensorfor performing remaining ink detection for checking whether or not the ink IK is present at a predetermined position in the ink tank, a control unitthat executes the remaining ink detection using the sensor, a consumption calculation unitthat calculates consumption of the ink IK that is consumed from the ink tank, and a storage unitthat updates and stores the consumption of the ink IK calculated by the consumption calculation unit. When a print job is being executed, the control unitexecutes the remaining ink detection after a first predetermined amount of the ink IK is consumed.

Printing apparatus

A liquid consuming apparatus includes a photosensorhaving a light-emitting portionand a light-receiving portion, a holdercapable of attachably and detachably holding a liquid container in which a prismhaving a face that faces the photosensoris arranged, and a determination unit (a failure determination unit) that determines status of the photosensorbased on the output of the photosensor. When the liquid container is installed in the holder, the determination unit detects a failure of the photosensorbased on a detection signal of the photosensorin the case of causing the light-emitting portionto emit light, and a detection signal of the photosensorin the case of causing the light-emitting portionto turn off the light.

Liquid consuming apparatus and method for controlling liquid consuming apparatus

A liquid consuming apparatusincludes a photosensorcapable of facing a prismprovided in a liquid container, and a control unit. The control unitperforms remaining status determination processing for determining remaining status of liquid in the liquid container, based on a detection signal detected by the photosensordue to reflection from the prismwhen light is emitted by the photosensor, performs ambient light determining processing for determining whether or not the remaining status determination processing is affected by ambient light, based on the detection signal detected by the photosensorwhen light is not emitted by the photosensor, and continues printing until the end of printing on a sheet that is being printed, even if the control unitdetermines that the influence of ambient light is present, by the ambient light determination processing during execution of printing.

The liquid consuming apparatus includes a detection portionhaving a light-emitting portionand a light-receiving portion, a holderin which a liquid container provided with a prismis attachably and detachably installed, the holderhaving an opening portionprovided at a position facing the prismwhen the liquid container is installed, and a reflection portion, and a moving portion that relatively moves the holder in a first direction with respect to the detection portion. A first portion of the holderthat is peripheral to the reflection portionin a plan view of the holderas seen from the side of the detection portionhas an inclined face that inclines in a second direction intersecting the first direction.

Liquid consuming apparatus with a movable holder having an inclined face

A printer includes a detection portion in which a light-emitting portionand a light-receiving portionare arranged in a main scanning direction, an ink cartridge in which a prismis arranged, the prism having an edge line aligned with a sub-scanning direction and a bottom facefacing the detection portion, a holderin which the ink cartridge is attachably and detachably installed and that has an opening portionat a position in a bottom portionarranged so as to face the detection portion, the position facing a bottom faceof the prism, and a carriage motorthat relatively moves the holderwith respect to the detection portion in the main scanning direction. The bottom portionof the holderhas, on the side facing the detection portion, an inclined faceinclining in a sub-scanning direction.

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Nagano, Japan

Masaki Tsukida