Patent ID: 8297731
Filing Date: 2012-10-30
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A printer comprising: a first ink tank, a second ink tank, and a third ink tank each including a light emitting unit and a controller configured to control the light emitting unit; a light receiving unit configured to receive light from the light emitting unit of each of the first, second and third ink tanks; a carriage capable of being moved for scanning and including a first pocket configured to mount the first ink tank therein, a second pocket configured to mount the second ink tank therein, and a third pocket configured to mount the third ink tank therein, the carriage being structured such that the ink tanks are able to be mounted at wrong pockets; and a control circuit configured to determine whether an ink tank is mounted in a correct pocket; wherein the first pocket is provided at the extremity of the carriage, the second pocket is provided adjacent to the first pocket and the third pocket is provided not adjacent to the first pocket, the first pocket not being able to be located at a position facing the light receiving unit, and the second and the third pockets being able to be located both at a position facing the light receiving unit and at a position not facing the light receiving unit in accordance with the movement of the carriage, and wherein, when the amount of light received by the light receiving unit in a case where the light receiving unit receives the light emitted by the light emitting unit of the second ink tank when the second pocket is located at the position not facing the light receiving unit is represented as A, the amount of light received by the light receiving unit in a case where the light receiving unit receives the light emitted by the light emitting unit of the second ink tank when the second pocket is located at the position facing the light receiving unit is represented as B, the amount of light received by the light receiving unit in a case where the light receiving unit receives the light emitted by the light emitting unit of the first ink tank when the second pocket is located at the position facing the light receiving unit is represented as C, the amount of light received by the light receiving unit in a case where the light receiving unit receives the light emitted by the light emitting unit of the third ink tank when the third pocket is located at the position_not facing the light receiving unit is represented as D, and the amount of light received by the light receiving unit in a case where the light receiving unit receives the light emitted by the light emitting unit of the third ink tank when the third pocket is located at the position facing the light receiving unit is represented as E, the control circuit determines that the second ink tank is mounted in the second pocket in a case where B>A and B>C are satisfied, determines that the third ink is mounted in the third pocket in a case where E>D is satisfied, and also determines that the first ink tank is mounted in the first pocket in a case where the second ink tank and the third ink tank are mounted in correct pockets.