Liquid container, ink-jet recording apparatus, device and method for controlling the apparatus, liquid consumption sensing device and method

A method of controlling an ink jet recording apparatus, on which a liquid container is able to be detachably mounted said liquid container having a container body containing a liquid supplied to a recording head discharging an ink droplet from a nozzle opening and a piezoelectric device for detecting said liquid within said container body, comprising the steps of:

• detecting a characteristic value of said piezoelectric device by a detection section provided inside or outside of said ink jet recording apparatus;
• judging whether or not said characteristic value satisfies a predetermined condition by a judging section provided inside or outside of said ink jet recording apparatus;
• and
• controlling said ink jet recording apparatus so that said ink jet recording apparatus is set in an operable state or in a non-operable state based on a result of said judging step,
• wherein said detecting step is executed at the time that said liquid container is mounted on said ink jet recording apparatus.

An apparatus for controlling an ink jet recording apparatus on which a liquid container is able to be detachably mounted, said liquid container having a container body containing a liquid supplied to a recording head discharging an ink droplet from a nozzle opening and a piezoelectric device for detecting said liquid within said container body, comprising:

• a detection section for detecting a characteristic value of said piezoelectric device, said detection section being provided inside or outside of said ink jet recording apparatus;
• a judging section for judging whether or not said characteristic value satisfies a predetermined condition, said judging section being provided inside or outside of said ink jet recording apparatus;
• and
• a controlling section for controlling said ink jet recording apparatus so that said ink jet recording apparatus is set in an operable state or in a non-operable state based on a result obtained by said judging section,
• wherein said piezoelectric device has a vibrating portion which comes into contact with said liquid in said container body via a cavity, said cavity defining an area of said vibrating portion,
• wherein said characteristic value is detected based on a signal output from said piezoelectric device, said signal indicating a residual oscillating state of said vibrating portion of said piezoelectric device, said characteristic value changing based on phenomenon that said residual oscillating state changes corresponding to a liquid consuming state.

A liquid container comprising:

• a container body containing a liquid;
• a liquid supplying opening for supplying said liquid outside of said container body;
• and
• a piezoelectric device for detecting said liquid within said container body, said piezoelectric device being positioned nearby a liquid level of said liquid when said liquid is not consumed,
• wherein said piezoelectric device has a vibrating portion which comes into contact with said liquid in said container body via a cavity, said cavity defining an area of said vibrating portion,
• wherein a characteristic value is detected based on a signal output from said piezoelectric device, said signal indicating a residual oscillating state of said vibrating portion of said piezoelectric device, said characteristic value changing based on phenomenon that said residual oscillating state changes corresponding to a liquid consuming state.

An ink jet recording apparatus on which a liquid container is able to be detachably mounted, said liquid container having a container body containing a liquid and a piezoelectric device for detecting said liquid within said container body, comprising:

• a recording head receiving said liquid from said liquid container and discharging an ink droplet from a nozzle opening;
• and
• a controller for controlling an operation state of said ink jet recording apparatus, said controller including:
• a detection section for detecting a characteristic value of said piezoelectric device, said detection section being provided inside or outside of said ink jet recording apparatus;
• a judging section for judging whether or not said characteristic value satisfies a predetermined condition, said judging section being provided inside or outside of said ink jet recording apparatus;
• and
• a controlling section for controlling said ink jet recording apparatus so that said ink jet recording apparatus is set in an operable state or in a non-operable state based on a result obtained by said judging section,
• wherein said piezoelectric device has a vibrating portion which comes into contact with said liquid in said container body via a cavity, said cavity defining an area of said vibrating portion,
• wherein said characteristic value is detected based on a signal output from said piezoelectric device, said signal indicating a residual oscillating state of said vibrating portion of said piezoelectric device, said characteristic value changing based on phenomenon that said residual oscillating state changes corresponding to a liquid consuming state.

An ink jet recording apparatus on which a liquid container is able to be detachably mounted, said liquid container having a container body containing a liquid and a piezoelectric device for detecting said liquid within said container body, comprising:

• a recording head receiving said liquid from said liquid container and discharging an ink droplet from a nozzle opening;
• and
• a controller for controlling an operation state of said ink jet recording apparatus, said controller including:
• a detection section for detecting oscillation characteristic values of at least two said piezoelectric devices attached to said liquid container;
• and
• a judging section for judging a consumption state of said liquid within said liquid container based on a relative condition of mutual oscillation characteristic values of said at least two piezoelectric devices.

An apparatus for controlling an ink jet recording apparatus on which a liquid container is able to be detachably mounted, said liquid container having a container body containing a liquid supplied to a recording head discharging an ink droplet from a nozzle opening and a piezoelectric device for detecting said liquid within said container body, comprising:

• a detection section for detecting a characteristic value of said piezoelectric device, said detection section being provided inside or outside of said ink jet recording apparatus;
• a judging section for judging whether or not said characteristic value satisfies a predetermined condition, said judging section being provided inside or outside of said ink jet recording apparatus;
• and
• a controlling section for controlling said ink jet recording apparatus so that said ink jet recording apparatus is set in an operable state or in a non-operable state based on a result obtained by said judging section,
• wherein a vibrating region of said piezoelectric device extends from an initial liquid level of said liquid, before said liquid is consumed, to a bottom surface of said liquid container.

An ink cartridge configured to be detachably mounted on an ink jet recording apparatus comprising:

• a container body containing an ink;
• an ink supplying opening for supplying said ink to said ink jet recording apparatus;
• and
• a piezoelectric device for detecting said ink within said container body, said piezoelectric device being positioned slightly below an initial ink level which corresponds to a level of said ink in said container body before bringing said ink cartridge into use,
• wherein said piezoelectric device has a vibrating portion which comes into contact with said ink in said container body via an opening, said opening defining an area of said vibrating portion.

A method of controlling an ink jet recording apparatus on which a liquid container is able to be detachably mounted, comprising:

• detecting a characteristic value of a piezoelectric device of the liquid container;
• determining whether or not the characteristic value satisfies a predetermined condition;
• and
• setting the ink jet recording apparatus in a first state or in a second state based on whether or not the characteristic value satisfies the predetermined condition,
• wherein the piezoelectric device comprises a vibrating portion that contacts liquid in the liquid container via a cavity of the liquid container, and
• wherein the vibrating portion covers an outer opening of the cavity.

A method of controlling an ink jet recording apparatus, on which a liquid container is able to be detachably mounted, comprising:

• detecting a characteristic value of a piezoelectric device of the liquid container;
• determining whether or not the characteristic value satisfies a predetermined condition;
• and
• setting the ink jet recording apparatus in first state or in a second state based on based on whether or not the characteristic value satisfies the predetermined condition,
• wherein the characteristic value is detected when the liquid container is being mounted on the ink jet recording apparatus.

An apparatus for controlling an ink jet recording apparatus on which a liquid container is able to be detachably mounted, comprising:

• a detection circuit that detects a characteristic value of a piezoelectric device of the liquid container;
• and
• a control circuit that determines whether or not the characteristic value satisfies a predetermined condition and that sets the ink jet recording apparatus in a first state or in a second state based on whether or not the characteristic value satisfies the predetermined condition,
• wherein the piezoelectric device has a vibrating portion that contacts liquid in the liquid container via a cavity of the liquid container, and
• wherein the vibrating portion covers an outer opening of the cavity.

An ink jet recording apparatus on which a liquid container is able to be detachably mounted, comprising:

• a recording head that receives the liquid from the liquid container and discharges a droplet of the liquid from a nozzle opening;
• and
• a controller that detects a characteristic value of the piezoelectric device, that determines whether or not the characteristic value satisfies a predetermined condition, that sets the ink jet recording apparatus in a first state or in second state based on whether or not the characteristic value satisfies the predetermined condition,
• wherein the piezoelectric device has a vibrating portion that contacts the liquid via a cavity in the liquid container, and
• wherein the vibrating portion covers an outer opening of the cavity.