Ink level detecting apparatus of an ink-jet printer

#This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2005-59667, filed on Jul. 4, 2005, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present general inventive concept relates to an ink level detecting apparatus of an ink-jet printer, and more particularly, to an ink level detecting apparatus that utilizes a shrinkable ink pack having a height that varies according to an amount of remaining ink and a capacitor having an electric capacity that varies in response to the height variation of the shrinkable ink pack.

#These and/or other aspects of the present general inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

#FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views illustrating a structure and operation of an ink level detecting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

#FIG. 2 is a partial side sectional view illustrating an upper portion of an ink tank of the ink level detecting apparatus of FIGS. 1A and 1B;

#Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present general inventive concept, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below in order to explain the present general inventive concept by referring to the figures.

#FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views illustrating a structure and operation of an ink level detecting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present general inventive concept. An ink tank 10 is illustrated only using contour lines to show an inside thereof. In an upper portion of the ink tank 10, a fixed electrode 20 and a movable electrode 30 are provided. The fixed and movable electrodes 20 and 30 are arranged such that an area of overlap between the two electrodes 20 and 30 varies depending on a displacement of the movable electrode 30. A vertical relationship between the fixed electrode 20 and the movable electrode 30 is not limited. The fixed electrode 20 and the movable electrode 30 can be placed on a ceiling of the ink tank 10, and/or under the ceiling, respectively, thereby making the ink tank 10 easy to assemble with the fixed and movable electrodes 20 and 30.

#The ink tank 10 may be a housing accommodating a shrinkable ink pack 40. Although a shape of the ink tank 10 is not limited, a bottom, the ceiling, and a sidewall of the ink tank 10 may be closed. The ink tank 10 may be formed of various materials. The ink tank may be formed of plastic.