Patent ID: 8157344
Filing Date: 2012-04-17
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An ink cartridge-attaching device, comprising: a cartridge attachment section to which a plurality of cartridges each storing an ink are attachable; a plurality of optical sensors which are provided on the cartridge attachment section, which detect the cartridges attached to the cartridge attachment section respectively, and which have light-emitting portions and light-receiving portions, each of the optical sensors having a light-emitting portion of the light-emitting portions and a light-receiving portion of the light-receiving portions; and a controller which controls the optical sensors to obtain, based on signals from the optical sensors, information about the cartridges; wherein the optical sensors are disposed such that the light-emitting portions and the light-receiving portions are arranged alternately in a row; the light-emitting portion of each of the optical sensors includes a light-emitting element and a light emitting element-case, the light emitting element-case accommodating the light-emitting element therein and having a first light-emission hole and a second light-emission hole formed therein; the light-receiving portion of each of the optical sensors includes a light-receiving element and a light receiving element-case, the light-receiving element-case accommodating the light-receiving element and having a first light-reception hole and a second light-reception hole formed therein; light emitted from a light-emitting portion included in a certain optical sensor among the plurality of optical sensors is received by a light-receiving portion included in the certain optical sensor and received by another light-receiving portion adjacent to the light-emitting portion and included in another optical sensor, among the plurality of optical sensors, adjacent to the certain optical sensor; the controller obtains information about a cartridge, among the plurality of cartridges, detected by the certain optical sensor based on a signal which the light-receiving portion of the certain optical sensor outputs by receiving the light from the first light-emission hole of the light-emitting portion of the certain optical sensor through the first light-reception hole of the light-receiving portion of the certain optical sensor; and the controller obtains information about degradation of another light-emitting portion included in still another optical sensor adjacent to the certain optical sensor and adjacent to the light-receiving portion, based on a signal which the light-receiving portion of the certain optical sensor outputs by receiving the light from the second light-emission hole of the another light-emitting portion of the still another optical sensor through the second light-reception hole of the light-receiving portion of the certain optical sensor, wherein the light receiving element-case is configured, such that light entering the light receiving element-case from the first light-reception hole travels in a first direction toward the light-receiving element and another light entering the light receiving element-case from the second light-reception hole travels in a second direction, which is different from the first direction, toward the light-receiving element.