The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 05, 2002
Filed:
May. 13, 1999
Takanori Endo, Saitama, JP;
Tadashi Yonezawa, Saitama, JP;
Masami Miyake, Saitama, JP;
Seiro Yahata, Tokyo, JP;
Shigeru Yashima, Miyagi, JP;
Shigenobu Irokawa, Miyagi, JP;
Sumio Suzuki, Miyagi, JP;
Hideaki Matsuda, Miyagi, JP;
Tohoku Ricoh Co., Ltd., Shibata-gun, JP;
Abstract
A method and a device for determining the amount of ink or similar liquid existing in a container are disclosed. A resonance circuit is arranged on the container storing the liquid. A voltage having a preselected frequency is applied to a drive coil located outside of the container to thereby induce a voltage having a preselected frequency in the resonance circuit. The voltage induced in the resonance circuit, in turn, induces a voltage having a preselected frequency in a sense coil also located outside of the container. The amount of liquid in the container is determined in terms of the voltage induced in the sense coil.