Patent ID: 9139012
Filing Date: 2015-09-22
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An ink filling apparatus configured to fill an ink tank with ink, the ink tank comprising a first storage chamber that contains an ink absorber, a second storage chamber that substantially forms a closed space except for a communication section communicating with the first storage chamber, a first port for supplying ink externally from the first storage chamber, and a second port for providing fluid communication between the atmosphere and the first storage chamber, the ink filling apparatus comprising: a pressure reduction unit configured to reduce pressures in the first storage chamber, the second storage chamber, and the communication section to a target pressure through the second port; and a filling unit configured to fill the first storage chamber, the second storage chamber, and the communication section with a target filling amount of ink through the first port after the pressures in the first storage chamber, the second storage chamber, and the communication section have been reduced to the target pressure by the pressure reduction unit, wherein the target pressure is a pressure set such that a compressed volume of gas remaining in the second chamber, after (a) the reduction of pressure in the first storage chamber, second storage chamber and communication section to the target pressure by the pressure reduction unit, (b) the filling of the tank with the target filling amount of ink by the filling unit and (c) application of atmospheric pressure via the second port to the ink in the first storage chamber, is less than a limited volume, wherein the target filling amount is less than a total of a volume of ink absorbable by the absorber, a volume of the second storage chamber, and a volume of the communication section minus the compressed volume, and wherein a volume of the first storage chamber minus a volume of a material of the absorber is denoted by Vs, a volume of the absorber minus the volume of the material of the absorber is denoted by Va, a total volume of the second storage chamber and the communication section is denoted by Vi, the compressed volume is denoted by V