Patent ID: 8353565
Filing Date: 2013-01-15
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An ink refilling method capable of refilling ink into at least two kinds of ink cartridges including a first ink cartridge which has a first ink capacity and a second ink cartridge which has substantially the same outer configuration as the first ink cartridge and has a second ink capacity which is smaller than the first ink capacity, said method comprising: a step of discriminating a kind of the ink cartridge; a step of inserting a pair of electrodes into the ink cartridge to a predetermined position, based on a result of said discriminating step, wherein when said discriminating step discriminates the first ink cartridge, the pair of electrodes is inserted into the first ink cartridge by a first predetermined length from a top side of said first ink cartridge, and when said discriminating step discriminates the second ink cartridge, the pair of electrodes is inserted into the second ink cartridge by a second predetermined length which is larger than the first length from the top side of said second ink cartridge; a step of detecting, while further inserting the pair of the electrodes beyond the predetermined position, an amount of the ink remaining in the ink cartridge, based on a depth of insertion at a time when a voltage between the electrodes changes; a step of determining an amount of the ink to be supplied into the ink cartridge based on the result of said discriminating step and a result of said detecting step; and a step of filling, into the ink cartridge, the amount of the ink determined in said determining step.