Liquid container having a liquid detecting device
AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation
InventorsMinoru Usui, Kenji Tsukada, Munehide Kanaya
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A liquid container, including a housing containing therein liquid, a liquid supply opening formed in the housing through which liquid is supplied to the outside of the housing, and a detection device having a piezoelectric element and attached on the housing, the detection device detects a consumption degree of level of liquid contained in the housing.
Claims48
A liquid container, comprising:
- a housing containing therein liquid;
- a liquid supply opening formed in said housing through which liquid is supplied to the outside of said housing;
- and
- a detection device having a piezoelectric element and attached on said housing, said detection device detects a consumption degree of level of liquid contained in said housing, said detection device further comprising a vibrating plate, a substantially entire periphery of which is supported by a fixing portion, wherein said vibrating plate comprises a first surface on which said piezoelectric element is disposed and a second surface facing in an opposite direction of said first surface, at least a part of said second surface defined by said fixing portion contacting the liquid contained in said housing.
A liquid container comprising:
- a housing containing therein liquid;
- a liquid supply opening formed in said housing through which liquid is supplied to the outside of said housing;
- and
- a detection device having a piezoelectric element and attached on said housing, said detection device detects a consumption degree of level of liquid contained in said housing,
- wherein the liquid container is an ink cartridge mounted on an ink jet printer,
- wherein said detection device comprises a plurality of detection members each having a piezoelectric element, said detection members are arranged in a direction which the liquid contained in said housing decreases, and
- wherein a distance between the lower two adjacent detection members is smaller than that between the upper two.
A liquid container comprising:
- a housing containing therein liquid:
- a liquid supply opening formed in said housing through which liquid is supplied to the outside of said housing;
- and
- a detection device having a piezoelectric element and attached on said housing, said detection device detects a consumption degree of level of liquid contained in said housing,
- wherein the liquid container is an ink cartridge mounted on an ink jet printer,
- wherein said detection device comprises a plurality of detection members each having a piezoelectric element, said detection members are arranged in a direction which the liquid contained in said housing decreases,
- wherein said housing comprises a slant face with respect to the liquid level, and said plurality of detection members are arranged at interval on the slant face, and
- wherein said slant face is formed in the vicinity of said liquid supply opening, and a distance between the two adjacent detection devices closer to said liquid supply opening is shorter than the two far from said liquid supply opening.
A method of detecting a consumption status of liquid contained in a liquid container on the basis of a vibration status of a detection device having a piezoelectric element, said detection device having a vibrating plate, a substantially entire periphery of which is supported by a fixing portion, wherein said vibrating plate comprises a first surface on which said piezoelectric element is disposed and a second surface facing in an opposite direction of said first surface, at least a part of said second surface defined by said fixing portion and contacting the liquid contained in the liquid container, comprising steps of:
- preparing said detection device so as to have a plurality of detecting positions;
- mounting the detection device on the liquid container;
- switching a detecting point to at least one of the plurality of detecting positions of the detection device in a direction of a change of the liquid level while consuming the liquid;
- and
- detecting the liquid level by operating the detection device so that said second surface of said vibrating plate contacts the liquid contained in the liquid container.
A method of detecting a level of liquid contained in a liquid container by operating a detection device having a piezoelectric element, said detection device having a vibrating plate, a substantially entire periphery of which is supported by a fixing portion, wherein said vibrating plate comprises a first surface on which said piezoelectric element is disposed and a second surface facing in an opposite direction of said first surface, at least a part of said second surface defined by said fixing portion and contacting the liquid contained in the liquid container, the method comprising steps of:
- arranging a plurality of detecting points on the liquid container in a direction of a change of the liquid level while consuming the liquid;
- operating the detection device so that said second surface of said vibrating plate contacts the liquid contained in the liquid container;
- and
- judging the liquid level by detecting no-ink status of each of said plurality of the detecting points.
A method of detecting a level of liquid contained in a liquid container by operating a detection device having a piezoelectric element, the method comprising:
- arranging a plurality of detecting points on the liquid container in a direction of a change of the liquid level while consuming the liquid;
- operating the detection device;
- and
- judging the liquid level by detecting no-ink status of each of said plurality of the detecting points,
- wherein the liquid container is an ink cartridge mounted on an ink jet printer, and
- wherein the plurality of the detecting points are operated from top to bottom when the liquid level is above a predetermined detection direction changing level and operated from bottom to top when the liquid level is below said predetermined detection direction changing level.
A liquid container, comprising:
- a housing containing therein liquid;
- a liquid supply opening formed in said housing through which liquid is supplied to the outside of said housing;
- and
- a detection device having a piezoelectric element and attached on said housing, said detection device detects a consumption degree of a level of liquid contained in said housing, wherein said detection device comprises a plurality of detection members each having a piezoelectric element, said detection members are arranged in a direction in which the liquid contained in said housing decreases, further wherein a distance between a lower two adjacent detection members is smaller than that between an upper two.
A method of detecting a consumption status of liquid contained in a liquid container on the basis of a vibration status of a detection device having a piezoelectric element, wherein said detection device comprises a vibrating plate comprising a first surface on which said piezoelectric element is disposed and a second surface facing in an opposite direction of said first surface, wherein said second surface is defined by a fixing portion and contacts the liquid contained in the liquid container, comprising steps of:
- preparing said detection device so as to have a plurality of detecting positions, wherein the detection device detects the liquid level while decreasing the difference of liquid levels determined along two consecutive detecting positions as the liquid level goes down;
- mounting the detection device on the liquid container;
- switching a detecting point to at least one of the plurality of detecting positions of the detection device in a direction of a change of the liquid level while consuming the liquid;
- and detecting the liquid level by operating the detection device so that said second surface of said vibrating plate contacts the liquid in the liquid container.
A method of detecting a level of liquid contained in a liquid container by operating a detection device having a piezoelectric element, wherein a vibrating plate comprises a first surface on which said piezoelectric element is disposed and a second surface facing in an opposite direction of said first surface, wherein said second surface is defined by a fixing portion and contacts the liquid contained in the liquid container, the method comprising steps of:
- arranging a plurality of detecting points on the liquid container in a direction of a change of the liquid level while consuming the liquid;
- operating the detection device so that the second surface of said vibrating plate contacts the liquid in the liquid container, wherein the detection device detects the liquid level while decreasing the difference of liquid levels determined along two consecutive detecting positions as the liquid level goes down;
- and
- judging the liquid level by detecting a no-ink status of each of said plurality of the detecting points,
- wherein the liquid container is an ink cartridge mounted on an ink jet printer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.