Print liquid tank and printing apparatus having the same
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorMasataka Eida
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ink consumption detection unit 60 includes the contact tape 84, whose one end is secured to the tank case 62 side and the other end to the flexible ink bag 68 side, and the contact electrode member 88 secured to the ink bag 68 side and placed in contact with the contact tape 84. As the ink in the ink bag 68 is consumed, the contact electrode member 88 is moved. When the contact electrode member 88 comes into contact with a plurality of contact electrodes 84EA, 84EB, 84EC representing ink consumptions in stages, the ink consumption detection unit 60 successively issues detection signals representing the ink consumptions.
Claims12
A print liquid tank comprising:
- a storage portion made from a flexible material to be contractible or expandable, the storage portion storing a predetermined amount of print liquid and discharging said print liquid;
- a pressing member for pressing against said storage portion;
- an electrode member having an electrode portion, said electrode portion having one of its ends connected to an outer circumferential portion of said storage portion, said outer circumferential portion contracting as said print liquid is consumed, said electrode portion representing a consumption level of said print liquid;
- a contact electrode unit electrically connected to said electrode portion of said electrode member to issue a detection output representing said consumption level, when said contact electrode unit being moved relative to said electrode portion of said electrode member as said print liquid is consumed, said contact electrode unit detecting when a predetermined consumption level or more is consumed and issuing said detection output;
- and
- a on-off control valve provided in said storage portion to control discharging of said print liquid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.