# US 9,434,174 B2 · Ink tank and printing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,434,174 B2 - Document ID: US9434174B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/858,983 - Filed: 2015-09-18 - Published: 2016-03-31 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-25 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Toshihiko Ujita; Satoshi Oikawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434174B2 ## CPC - B41J 2/17546: {electronically} - B41J 2/1752: {Mounting within the printer} - B41J 2/17553: {Outer structure} - 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 A light emitting portion of an ink tank emits light after a delay time in accordance with a mounting speed of the ink tank has elapsed after connecting second electrode pads on an ink tank side and a second contact on a holder side. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ink tank that is capable of being mounted on a mount portion, the ink tank comprising: a tank side contact that is capable of being connected to a mount portion side contact provided on the mount portion; and a notifying portion controlled by a controller that is capable of performing a notification operation, wherein when the ink tank is mounted on the mount portion, the notifying portion performs the notification operation after a delay time, the delay time being set in accordance with a mounting speed of the ink tank that has elapsed from when the tank side contact has been connected to the mount portion side contact. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ink tank according to claim 1, wherein the delay time becomes shorter as the mounting speed of the ink tank becomes faster. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The ink tank according to claim 1, wherein the mount portion side contact includes a mount portion side first contact and a mount portion side second contact, the tank side contact includes a tank side first contact that is capable of being connected to the mount portion side first contact, and a tank side second contact that is capable of being connected to the mount portion side second contact, the tank side first contact and the tank side second contact are disposed so that, when the ink tank is mounted in the mount portion, the tank side second contact is connected to the mount portion side second contact after the tank side first contact is connected to the mount portion side first contact, and the delay time varies according to a time difference between when the tank side first connector is connected to the mount portion side first contact and when the tank side second contact is connected to the mount portion side second contact. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The ink tank according to claim 1, further comprising a tank side engagement portion that is capable of being engaged with a mount portion side engagement portion provided on the mount portion, wherein when the ink tank is mounted on the mount portion, the tank side contact is connected to the mount portion side contact before the tank side engagement portion is engaged with the mount portion side engagement portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The ink tank according to claim 4, wherein the mount portion side engagement portion includes a mount portion side first engagement portion and a mount portion side second engagement portion, the tank side engagement portion includes a tank side first engagement portion that is capable of being engaged with the mount portion side first engagement portion, and a tank side second engagement portion that is capable of being engaged with the mount portion side second engagement portion, the tank side first engagement portion and the tank side second engagement portion are disposed so that, when the ink tank is mounted in the mount portion, the tank side second engagement portion is engaged with the mount portion side second engagement portion after the tank side first engagement portion is engaged with the mount portion side first engagement portion, and when the ink tank is mounted in the mount portion, the tank side contact is connected to the mount portion side contact during a period after the tank side first engagement portion is engaged with the mount portion side first engagement portion and before the tank side second engagement portion is engaged with the mount portion side second engagement portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The ink tank according to claim 5, wherein the tank side first engagement portion is provided on a lateral surface that is adjacent to a bottom surface of the ink tank, and the tank side second engagement portion is provided on another lateral surface that is adjacent to the bottom surface of the ink tank and that is opposite the lateral surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The ink tank according to claim 5, wherein the mount portion side first engagement portion and the mount portion side second engagement portion are each formed in a hole shape, the tank side first engagement portion is a first protrusion that is capable of being engaged with the mount portion side first engagement portion, and the tank side second engagement portion is an elastic lever provided with a second protrusion that is capable of being engaged with the mount portion side second engagement portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The ink tank according to claim 1, wherein the notifying portion is a light emitting portion that emits light to perform the notification operation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The ink tank according to claim 1, further comprising a controller that controls the notifying portion. ### Claim 10 A printing apparatus that includes a mount portion in which an ink tank including a notifying portion capable of performing a notification operation is mounted, the printing apparatus printing an image using a print head to which ink inside the ink tank is supplied, the printing apparatus comprising: a mount portion side contact that is located on the mount portion, the mount portion side contact being capable of being connected to a tank side contact provided on the ink tank; and a controller that controls the notifying portion, wherein when the ink tank is mounted in the mount portion, the controller makes the notification operation be performed after a delay time, the delay time being set in accordance with the mounting speed of the ink tank that has elapsed after the mount portion side contact has been connected to the tank side contact. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The printing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the delay time becomes shorter as the mounting speed of the ink tank becomes faster. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The printing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the tank side contact includes a tank side first contact and a tank side second contact, the mount portion side contact includes a mount portion side first contact that is capable of being connected to the tank side first contact and a mount portion side second contact that is capable of being connected to the tank side second contact, the mount portion side first contact and the mount portion side second contact are disposed so that, when the ink tank is mounted in the mount portion, the mount portion side second contact is connected to the tank side second contact after the mount portion side first contact is connected to the tank side first contact, and the delay time varies according to a time difference between when the mount portion side first contact is connected to the tank side first contact and when the mount portion side second contact is connected to the tank side second contact. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The printing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a mount portion side engagement portion that is capable of being engaged with a tank side engagement portion provided on the ink tank, wherein when the ink tank is mounted in the mount portion, the mount portion side contact is connected to the tank side contact before the mount portion side engagement portion is engaged with the tank side engagement portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The printing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the tank side engagement portion includes a tank side first engagement portion and a tank side second engagement portion, the mount portion side engagement portion includes a mount portion side first engagement portion that is capable of being engaged with the tank side first engagement portion, and a mount portion side second engagement portion that is capable of being engaged with the tank side second engagement portion, the mount portion side first engagement portion and the mount portion side second engagement portion are disposed so that, when the ink tank is mounted in the mount portion, the mount portion side second engagement portion is engaged with the tank side second engagement portion after the mount portion side first engagement portion is engaged with the tank side first engagement portion, and when the ink tank is mounted in the mount portion, the mount portion side contact is connected to the tank side contact during a period after the mount portion side first engagement portion is engaged with the tank side first engagement portion and before the mount portion side second engagement portion is engaged with the tank side second engagement portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The printing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the mount portion side first engagement portion is provided on an inner surface of the mount portion that opposes a lateral surface that is adjacent to a bottom surface of the ink tank, and the mount portion side second engagement portion is provided on an inner surface of the mount portion that opposes another lateral surface that is adjacent to the bottom surface of the ink tank and that is opposite the lateral surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The printing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the tank side first engagement portion is a first protrusion, and the tank side second engagement portion is an elastic lever provided with a second protrusion, the mount portion side first engagement portion includes a first hole portion that is capable of being engaged with the first protrusion, and the mount portion side second engagement portion includes a second hole portion that is capable of being engaged with the second protrusion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The printing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the notifying portion is a light emitting portion that emits light to perform the notification operation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The printing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the mount portion is located on a carriage that is capable of mounting the print head. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The printing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the mount portion is formed in a holder that is capable of being mounted in the carriage. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The printing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the holder includes the print head.