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:
Mar. 01, 2011
Filed:
May. 09, 2006
Takeo Eguchi, Kanagawa, JP;
Takumi Namekawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Kazuyasu Takenaka, Kanagawa, JP;
Shinichi Horii, Kanagawa, JP;
Takeo Eguchi, Kanagawa, JP;
Takumi Namekawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Kazuyasu Takenaka, Kanagawa, JP;
Shinichi Horii, Kanagawa, JP;
Sony Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A remaining-liquid-amount apparatus for displaying an amount of conductive liquid (ink) remaining in a container includes electrode units which are arranged along a direction in which the liquid level falls when the amount of liquid in the container decreases and which conduct current when the electrode units are in contact with the liquid, a voltage source (pulse generator) which applies a voltage to the electrode units, a liquid detector (DFFs) which detects the presence/absence of the liquid at positions of the electrode units on the basis of whether or not the electrode units conduct current when the voltage is applied by the voltage source, and a remaining-liquid-amount display unit (LEDs) which displays, in steps, the amount of liquid remaining in the container on the basis of the detection result of the presence/absence of the liquid at positions of the electrode units obtained by the liquid detector.