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:
Oct. 14, 2014
Filed:
May. 09, 2012
Takeyuki Kobayashi, Kanagawa, JP;
Suguru Masunaga, Kanagawa, JP;
Masanori Igarashi, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
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.