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:
Jan. 06, 2015
Filed:
Jul. 25, 2011
Takeyuki Kobayashi, Kanagawa, JP;
Suguru Masunaga, Kanagawa, JP;
Takeyuki Kobayashi, Kanagawa, JP;
Suguru Masunaga, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In an image forming apparatus, a first detection part and a second detection part, each for detecting a position of a displacement member that changes its position according to a remaining amount of liquid in a sub-tank, are provided to a carriage carrying the sub-tank and a recording head, and a body of the image forming apparatus, respectively. A first position is a position of the displacement member detected by the first detection part such that the remaining amount of liquid in the sub-tank is smaller than that at a second position detected by the second detection part. The liquid is supplied to the sub-tank of a differential supply amount, corresponding to a displacement amount of the displacement member between a position detected by the first detection part and a position detected by the second detection part, after the first detection part detects the displacement member.