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US 6,883,905 B2Granted
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
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims20
An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising:
- a main tank, which stores ink therein;
- and
- a plurality of printer units, each of which comprises:
- a subtank, communicated with the main tank to store ink supplied from the main tank;
- at least one recording head, communicated with the subtank and operable to eject ink supplied from the subtank;
- and
- a controller, which controls the recording head and the subtank;
- and
- a system controller, which controls the controller in each one of the printer units independently from another, so that the recording head in each of the printer units performs printing with respect to an independent recording medium,
- wherein the subtank in one of the printer units and the subtank in another one of the printer units are communicated with the main tank in a parallel manner.
7 more elements
An ink supply system, comprising:
- a main tank, which stores ink therein;
- a plurality of printer units, each of which comprises:
- at least one recording head, communicated with the main tank and operable to eject ink supplied from the main tank;
- and
- a controller, which controls the recording head;
- a system controller, which controls the controller in each one of the printer units independently from another, so that the recording head in each of the printer units performs printing with respect to an independent recording medium, and monitors an ink amount consumed in the recording head to manage a residual ink amount in the main tank,
- wherein the recording head in one of the printer unit and the recording head in another one of the printer unit are communicated with the main tank in a parallel manner, while providing a head difference therebetween.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.