Patent ID: 6170942
Filing Date: 2001-01-09
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An ink supply device for use in an ink jet printer, the ink supply device comprising:a carriage capable of being moved in a scanning direction within a scanning region, the scanning region including an ink supply region, the carriage being provided with a plurality of hoppers for receiving ink of a plurality of different colors, respectively, the hoppers being arranged in the scanning direction;an ink storing unit, disposed in the ink supply region, for storing ink of the plurality of different colors, the ink storing unit including a plurality of ink supplying portions each for supplying ink of a corresponding color, the plurality of ink supplying portions being arranged in the scanning direction, distances between the ink supply portions along the scanning direction being different from distances between the hoppers on the carriage along the scanning direction; anda carriage scanning control mechanism for controlling the carriage to move in the scanning direction, the carriage scanning control mechanism selectively stopping the carriage at a plurality of predetermined different stopping positions relative to the ink storing unit, thereby selectively controlling the ink supplying portions to supply ink of the corresponding colors from the ink storing unit to the corresponding hoppers according to the plurality of predetermined different stopping positions of the carriage, the plurality of predetermined different stopping positions being defined in correspondence with the plurality of different colors, respectively, wherein the carriage scanning control mechanism selectively stops the carriage at a desired stopping position, thereby allowing a corresponding hopper to be aligned with a corresponding ink supply portion while preventing remaining hoppers from being aligned with remaining ink supply portions, and controls the corresponding ink supply portion to supply ink of the corresponding color to the aligned, corresponding hopper.