Title:
INK RESIDUAL AMOUNT DETECTING DEVICE
Document Type and Number:
Japanese Patent JP3521625
Kind Code:
B2
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink residual amount detecting device capable of accurately judging whether or not an ink remains optically without contacting to the ink.
SOLUTION: A light emission diode 12 and photo transistors 13, 14 are provided facing to the rear surface of a cartridge case 5 having a light transmissivity. A light beam incident from the light emission diode 12, and totally reflected by the inner surface of the rear surface of the cartridge case 5 to be contacted with an ink is received by the photo transistors 13, 14. The received light amount is sent to an ink judging means as a signal. A detecting circuit 31 as an ink residual amount judging means judges the change of the ink residual amount according to the difference of the received light amounts by the photo transistors 13, 14.
Inventors:
Hiwada, Shiyuuhei
Application Number:
JP18021296A
Publication Date:
April 19, 2004
Filing Date:
July 10, 1996
Export Citation:
Assignee:
BROTHER IND LTD
International Classes:
B41J2/175; B41J2/125; G01F23/28; (IPC1-7): B41J2/175; B41J2/125; G01F23/28
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
鳥巣 実