Ink jet recording apparatus, control and ink replenishing method executed in the same, ink supply system incorporated in the same, and method of managing ink amount supplied by the system
AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation
InventorsHitotoshi Kimura, Nobuhito Takahashi, Shuhei Harada, Atsushi Kobayashi, Hidekazu Mizuno, Taku Ishizawa
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Abstract
In an ink jet recording apparatus, at least one main tank stores ink therein. A plurality of subtanks are communicated with each main tank. Each subtank stores ink supplied from the main tank. Each subtank is communicated with at least one recording head.
Claims83
An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising:
- at least one main tank, which stores ink therein;
- and
- a plurality of subtanks, communicated with each main tank, each subtank storing ink supplied from the main tank, and being communicated with at least one recording head.
An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising:
- at least one main tank, which stores in therein;
- a plurality of recording sections, communicated with each main tank, each recording section including a subtank which stores ink supplied from the main tank, and at least one recording head communicated with the subtank;
- and
- a system controller, which controls the main tank and the recording sections such that a recording section in which a time period required for supplying ink from the main tank to the subtank is shorter is controlled with a higher priority.
A method of initially filling a subtank with ink stored in a main tank which is communicated with the subtank, comprising the steps of:
- a) applying negative pressure to a recording head communicated with the subtank, to discharge air in the subtank while compressing the subtank;
- b) opening a valve member provided between the main tank and the subtank, after the step a), to supply ink from the main tank to the subtank;
- c) closing the valve member after the step b);
- d) applying negative pressure to the recording head, after the step c), to discharge air and ink in the subtank while compressing the subtank;
- and
- e) opening the valve member, after the step d), to supply ink from the main tank to the subtank.
A method of initially filling a subtank with ink stored in a main tank which is communicated with the subtank, comprising the steps of:
- a) applying negative pressure to a recording head communicated with the subtank, to discharge air in the subtank while compressing the subtank;
- b) opening a valve member provided between the main tank and the subtank, after the step a), to supply ink from the main tank to the subtank;
- c) closing the valve member after the step b);
- and
- d) applying negative pressure to the recording head, after the step c), to supply ink from the subtank to the recording head.
An ink supply system, comprising:
- at least one main tank, which stores ink therein;
- a plurality of recording heads, communicated with each main tank while providing a head difference therebetween;
- and
- a system controller, which monitors an ink amount consumed in each recording head to manage a residual ink amount in the main tank.
An ink supply system, comprising:
- at least one main tank, which stores ink therein;
- a plurality of subtanks, communicated with each main tank, each subtank communicated with at least one recording section;
- and
- a system controller, which monitors an ink amount consumed in each subtank to manage a residual ink amount in the main tank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.