# US 8,740,362 B2 · Ink tank

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- Number: US 8,740,362 B2
- Document ID: US8740362B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/754,590
- Filed: 2013-01-30
- Published: 2013-08-08
- Granted: 2014-06-03
- Earliest claimed: 2012-02-03
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Ryoji Inoue; Haruo Uchida; Yasuo Kotaki; Tetsuya Ohashi; Hiroki Hayashi; Masashi Ogawa; Takashi Fukushima; Hironori Murakami; Koki Yaegashi; Norihiro Ikebe; Takayuki Aizawa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8740362B2

## CPC

- B41J 2/175: Ink supply systems {; Circuit parts therefor}
- B41J 2/17566: {Ink level or ink residue control}
- B41J 2002/17573: {using optical means for ink level indication}
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

An ink tank includes a light-emitting portion and a light-guiding portion for guiding light emitted from the light-emitting portion, wherein the light-guiding portion includes an output portion configured to output the guided light to project individual information about the ink tank and a display portion formed on a side surface different from the output portion and configured to display information about a status of the ink tank by outputting the guided light.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An ink tank comprising:
a light-emitting portion; and
a light-guiding portion for guiding light emitted from the light-emitting portion,
wherein the light-guiding portion includes two surface facing each other, an output surface formed at a top of the light-guiding portion and configured to output the guided light, and a reflecting surface slanted for the two surfaces and the output surface,
wherein the two surfaces connected by the output surface and the reflecting surface, one of the two surfaces is a display surface configured to display information about a status of the ink tank by outputting the guided light, and the reflecting surface reflects the guided light for the display surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The ink tank according to claim 1, wherein the light-guiding portion is a translucent light-guiding member.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The ink tank according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting portion is disposed on one surface that is substantially parallel to a bottom surface of the ink tank, and
wherein the output surface is formed substantially parallel to the one surface to output the light upward from the ink tank.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The ink tank according to claim 3, wherein the light-guiding member further includes an incident surface through which the light emitted from the light-emitting portion located below the light-guiding member enters, and
wherein the incident surface is opposed to the one surface.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The ink tank according to claim 1, wherein the output surface configured to output the guided light to a light-receiving member of an ink jet recording apparatus.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The ink tank according to claim 1, wherein the ink tank have a supporting member engageable with a latching portion of the ink tank, the display surface of the light-guiding portion being provided at a side facing the supporting member.

### Claim 7

An ink tank mountable on an ink jet recording apparatus and configured to emit light, the ink tank comprising:
a light-emitting portion; and
a light-guiding portion configured to guide light emitted from the light-emitting portion,
wherein the light-guiding portion includes two surface facing each other, an output surface formed at a top of the light-guiding portion and configured to output the guided light, and a reflecting surface slanted for the two surfaces and the output surface to a light-receiving portion disposed at a main body side of the ink jet recording apparatus
wherein the two surfaces connected by the output surface and the reflecting surface, one of the two surfaces is a display surface configured to display information about a status of the ink tank by outputting the guided light, and the reflecting surface reflects the guided light for the display surface.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The ink tank according to claim 7, wherein the light-guiding portion is a translucent light-guiding member.