Abstract:
An ink jet printing apparatus which is adapted to producing images using inks having predetermined concentrations of a label material therein, includes a printhead, an ink delivery system adapted to provide inks to the printhead, and a sensor associated with the ink delivery system. The sensor is sensitive to the label material in the ink and adapted to produce a signal which is characteristic of the concentration of the label material in the ink. The ink delivery system includes an ink reservoir and an ink flow channel between the ink reservoir and the printhead. The sensor is positioned to sense the concentration of the label material in the ink in the flow channel and/or in the ink reservoir. The sensor may be adapted to sense a magnetic field of the label material, an electromagnetic field of the label material, infrared photons of the label material, or fluorescent photons of the label material.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/846,923 entitled INK DELIVERY SYSTEM AND PROCESS FOR INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS filed in the name of Xin Wen on Apr. 30, 1997 now abandoned. Reference is made to commonly assigned co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/750,438 entitled A LIQUID INK PRINTING APPARATUS AND SYSTEM filed in the name of Kia Silverbrook on Dec. 3, 1996, and Ser. No. 08/846,693 entitled INK JET PRINTING INK COMPOSITION WITH DETECTABLE LABEL MATERIAL filed in the name of Xin Wen, et al. on Apr. 30, 1997. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to the field of digitally controlled ink transfer printing devices, and in particular to such devices comprising sensors for label materials contained in inks to be used therewith. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Ink jet printing has become recognized as a prominent contender in the digitally controlled, electronic printing arena because, e.g., of its non-impact, low-noise characteristics, its use of plain paper and its avoidance of toner transfers and fixing. Ink jet printing mechanisms can be categorized as either continuous ink jet or drop-on-demand ink jet. U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,398, which issued to Kyser et al. in 1970, discloses a drop-on-demand ink jet printer which applies a high voltage to a piezoelectric crystal, causing the crystal to bend, applying pressure on an ink reservoir and jetting drops on demand. Other types of piezoelectric drop-on-demand printers utilize piezoelectric crystals in push mode, shear mode, and squeeze mode. Piezoelectric drop-on-demand printers have achieved commercial success at image resolutions up to 720 dpi for home and office printers. However, piezoelectric printing mechanisms usually require complex high voltage drive circuitry and bulky piezoelectric crystal arrays, which are disadvantageous in regard to manufacturability and performance. 
     Great Britain Patent No. 2,007,162, which issued to Endo et al. in 1979, discloses an electrothermal drop-on-demand ink jet printer which applies a power pulse to an electrothermal heater which is in thermal contact with water based ink in a nozzle. A small quantity of ink rapidly evaporates, forming a bubble which cause drops of ink to be ejected from small apertures along the edge of the heater substrate. This technology is known as Bubblejet™ (trademark of Canon K.K. of Japan). 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,728, which issued to Vaught et al. in 1982, discloses an electrothermal drop ejection system which also operates by bubble formation to eject drops in a direction normal to the plane of the heater substrate. As used herein, the term “thermal ink jet” is used to refer to both this system and system commonly known as Bubblejet™. 
     Thermal ink jet printing typically requires a heater energy of approximately 20 μJ over a period of approximately 2 μsec to heat the ink to a temperature between 280° C. and 400° C. to cause rapid, homogeneous formation of a bubble. The rapid bubble formation provides the momentum for drop ejection. The collapse of the bubble causes a tremendous pressure pulse on the thin film heater materials due to the implosion of the bubble. The high temperatures needed necessitates the use of special inks, complicates the driver electronics, and precipitates deterioration of heater elements. The 10 Watt active power consumption of each heater is one of many factors preventing the manufacture of low cost high speed pagewidth printheads. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,290, which issued to Cielo et al., discloses a liquid ink printing system in which ink is supplied to a reservoir at a predetermined pressure and retained in orifices by surface tension until the surface tension is reduced by heat from an electrically energized resistive heater, which causes ink to issue from the orifice and to thereby contact a paper receiver. This system requires that the ink be designed so as to exhibit a change, preferably large, in surface tension with temperature. The paper receiver must also be in close proximity to the orifice in order to separate the drop from the orifice. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,277, which also issued to Cielo et al., discloses a related liquid ink printing system in which ink is supplied to a reservoir at a predetermined pressure and retained in orifices by surface tension. The surface tension is overcome by the electrostatic force produced by a voltage applied to one or more electrodes which lie in an array above the ink orifices, causing ink to be ejected from selected orifices and to contact a paper receiver. The extent of ejection is claimed to be very small in the above Cielo patents, as opposed to an “ink jet”, contact with the paper being the primary means of printing an ink drop. This system is disadvantageous, in that a plurality of high voltages must be controlled and communicated to the electrode array. Also, the electric fields between neighboring electrodes interfere with one another. Further, the fields required are larger than desired to prevent arcing, and the variable characteristics of the paper receiver such as thickness or dampness can cause the applied field to vary. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,531, which issued to Saito, a heater is located below the meniscus of ink contained between two opposing walls. The heater causes, in conjunction with an electrostatic field applied by an electrode located near the heater, the ejection of an ink drop. There are a plurality of heater/electrode pairs, but there is no orifice array. The force on the ink causing drop ejection is produced by the electric field, but this force is alone insufficient to cause drop ejection. That is, the heat from the heater is also required to reduce either the viscous drag and/or the surface tension of the ink in the vicinity of the heater before the electric field force is sufficient to cause drop ejection. The use of an electrostatic force alone requires high voltages. This system is thus disadvantageous in that a plurality of high voltages must be controlled and communicated to the electrode array. Also the lack of an orifice array reduces the density and controllability of ejected drops. 
     Commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/750,438 entitled A LIQUID INK PRINTING APPARATUS AND SYSTEM filed in the name of Kia Silverbrook on Dec. 3, 1996, discloses a liquid printing system that affords significant improvements toward overcoming the prior art problems associated with drop size and placement accuracy, attainable printing speeds, power usage, durability, thermal stresses, other printer performance characteristics, manufacturability, and characteristics of useful inks. Silverbrook provides a drop-on-demand printing mechanism wherein the means of selecting drops to be printed produces a difference in position between selected drops and drops which are not selected, but which is insufficient to cause the ink drops to overcome the ink surface tension and separate from the body of ink, and wherein an additional means is provided to cause separation of said selected drops from said body of ink. Several drop separation techniques are disclosed by Silverbrook, the following table entitled “Drop separation means” shows some of the possible methods for separating selected drops from the body of ink, and ensuring that the selected drops form dots on the printing medium. The drop separation means discriminates between selected drops and un-selected drops to ensure that un-selected drops do not form dots on the printing medium. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Drop separation means 
               
             
          
           
               
                 Means 
                 Advantage 
                 Limitation 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 1. Electro- 
                 Can print on rough 
                 Requires high voltage 
               
               
                 static 
                 surfaces, simple 
                 power supply 
               
               
                 attraction 
                 implementation 
               
               
                 2. AC 
                 Higher field strength is 
                 Requires high voltage AC 
               
               
                 electric 
                 possible than electrosta- 
                 power supply synchronized 
               
               
                 field 
                 tic, operating margins 
                 to drop ejection phase. 
               
               
                   
                 can be increased, ink 
                 Multiple drop phase 
               
               
                   
                 pressure reduced, and 
                 operation is difficult 
               
               
                   
                 dust accumulation 
               
               
                   
                 is reduced 
               
               
                 3. Proximity 
                 Very small spot sizes can 
                 Requires print medium to be 
               
               
                 (printhead 
                 be achieved. Very low 
                 very close to printhead 
               
               
                 in close 
                 power dissipation. High 
                 surface, unsuitable for rough 
               
               
                 proximity to, 
                 drop position accuracy 
                 print media, usually requires 
               
               
                 but not 
                   
                 transfer roller or belt 
               
               
                 touching, 
               
               
                 recording 
               
               
                 medium) 
               
               
                 4. Transfer 
                 Very small spot sizes can 
                 Not compact due to size of 
               
               
                 Proximity 
                 be achieved, very low 
                 transfer roller or transfer 
               
               
                 (printhead 
                 power dissipation, high 
                 belt. 
               
               
                 is in close 
                 accuracy, can print on 
               
               
                 proximity 
                 rough paper 
               
               
                 to a transfer 
               
               
                 roller or 
               
               
                 belt 
               
               
                 5. Proximity 
                 Useful for hot melt inks 
                 Requires print medium to be 
               
               
                 with oscillating 
                 using viscosity reduction 
                 very close to printhead 
               
               
                 ink pressure 
                 drop selection method, 
                 surface, not suitable for 
               
               
                   
                 reduces possibility of 
                 rough print media. Requires 
               
               
                   
                 nozzle clogging, can use 
                 ink pressure oscillation 
               
               
                   
                 pigments instead of dyes 
                 apparatus 
               
               
                 6. Magnetic 
                 Can print on rough 
                 Requires uniform high 
               
               
                 attraction 
                 surfaces. Low power if 
                 magnetic field strength, 
               
               
                   
                 permanent magnets are 
                 requires magnetic ink 
               
               
                   
                 used 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Silverbrook discloses a liquid printing system that affords significant improvements toward overcoming the prior art problems associated with drop size and placement accuracy, attainable printing speeds, power usage, durability, thermal stresses, other printer performance characteristics, manufacturability, and characteristics of useful inks. 
     An ink jet printer can comprise several systems: the printheads that can utilize one of the above described printing method, an ink delivery system that supplies the ink to the printhead, a printhead transport system that transports the printhead across the page, a receiver transport system that moves receiver medium across the printhead for printing, an image data process and transfer system that provides digital signal to the printhead, a printhead service station that cleans the printhead, and the mechanical encasement and frame that support all above systems. 
     The ink delivery system in an ink jet printer may exist in several forms. In most page-size ink jet printers, the ink usage is relatively low. The ink is stored in a small cartridge that is attached to, or built in one unit with, the printhead. Examples of the ink cartridges are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,541,632 and 5,557,310. In large format ink jet printers, the ink usage per print is usually high. Auxiliary ink reservoirs are required to store large volumes of ink fluid that are connected to the ink cartridges near the printheads. Examples of auxiliary ink reservoirs are disclosed in European Patents EP 0 745 481 A2 and EP 0 745 482 A2. The level of the ink residual quantity can also be detected. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,957 discloses an ink detector that senses ink by measuring the electric resistance in the ink. 
     One problem for ink jet printing is in the variabilities in the physical properties and the chemical compositions in the ink. These variabilities can be caused by ink aging, or mismatching the wrong types of inks to a printer and receiver medium. The variabilities in the ink physical properties and ink chemical compositions compromise the ideal performance of the ink jet printers. For example, print density and color balance can be adversely affected by variations in the physical properties of the ink. These adverse effects can occur within a print, between prints of a given printer, and/or between prints from different printers. Print failures such as in-jet nozzle plugging can also occur as a result of the above described variabilities. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to overcome to the previously described difficulties. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide for monitoring ink colorant concentrations for reducing variabilities in color gamut and print densities. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide for detecting ink type during the ink refilling process so that the ink matches the printer and the receiver media for achieving the best print image qualities. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide for detecting ink type before printing so that the ink matches the printer and the receiver media for achieving the best print image qualities. 
     In accordance with a feature of the present invention, an ink jet printing apparatus which is adapted to producing images using inks having predetermined concentrations of a label material therein, includes a printhead, an ink delivery system adapted to provide inks to the printhead, and a sensor associated with the ink delivery system. The sensor is sensitive to the label material in the ink and adapted to produce a signal which is characteristic of the concentration of the label material in the ink. 
     According to another feature of the present invention, the ink delivery system includes an ink reservoir and an ink flow channel between the ink reservoir and the printhead. The sensor is positioned to sense the concentration of the label material in the ink in the flow channel. 
     According to still another feature of the present invention, the ink delivery system includes an ink reservoir and an ink flow channel between the ink reservoir and the printhead. The sensor is positioned to sense the concentration of the label material in the ink in the ink reservoir. 
     According to various preferred embodiments of the present invention the sensor is adapted to sense a magnetic field of the label, an electromagnetic field of the label material, infrared photons of the label material, or fluorescent photons of the label material. 
     According to still another feature of the present invention, a process for ink refilling comprising the steps of detecting the presence of a label material in ink and rejecting inks that do not contain the label material. 
     According to still another feature of the present invention, a process for ink refilling comprising the steps of detecting the concentration of a label material in ink and rejecting inks that do not contain at least a predetermined concentration of the label material. 
     According to still another feature of the present invention, a process for ink refilling comprising the steps of detecting the concentration of a label material in ink and rejecting inks that do not contain the label material within a predetermined concentration range. 
     The invention, and its objects and advantages, will become more apparent in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments presented below. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention presented below, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG.  1 ( a ) shows a simplified block schematic diagram of one exemplary printing apparatus according to the present invention; 
     FIG.  1 ( b ) is a cross sectional view of a nozzle tip usable in the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the ink delivery system in the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 shows the work flow diagram of the ink refilling process in the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 shows the work flow diagram of the printing preparation process in the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present description will be directed in particular to elements forming part of, or cooperating more directly with, apparatus in accordance with the present invention. It is to be understood that elements not specifically shown or described may take various forms well known to those skilled in the art. 
     FIG.  1 ( a ) is a drawing of an ink transfer system utilizing a printhead which is capable of producing a drop of controlled volume. An image source  10  may be raster image data from a scanner or computer, or outline image data in the form of a page description language, or other forms of digital image representation. This image data is converted by an image processing unit  12  to a map of the thermal activation necessary to provide the proper volume of ink for each pixel. This map is then transferred to image memory. Heater control circuits  14  read data from the image memory and apply time-varying or multiple electrical pulses to selected nozzle heaters that are part of a printhead  16 . These pulses are applied for an appropriate time, and to the appropriate nozzle, so that selected drops with controlled volumes of ink will form spots on a recording medium  18  after transfer in the appropriate position as defined by the data in the image memory. Recording medium  18  is moved relative to printhead  16  by a paper transport roller  20 , which is electronically controlled by a paper transport control system  22 , which in turn is controlled by a micro-controller  24 . 
     Micro-controller  24  also controls an ink pressure regulator  26 , which maintains a constant ink pressure in an ink reservoir  28  for supply to the printhead through an ink connection tube  29  and an ink channel assembly  30 . Ink channel assembly  30  may also serve the function of holding the printhead rigidly in place, and of correcting warp in the printhead. Alternatively, for larger printing systems, the ink pressure can be very accurately generated and controlled by situating the top surface of the ink in reservoir  28  an appropriate distance above printhead  16 . This ink level can be regulated by a simple float valve (not shown). The ink is distributed to the back surface of printhead  16  by an ink channel device  30 . The ink preferably flows through slots and/or holes etched through the silicon substrate of printhead  16  to the front surface, where the nozzles and heaters are situated. 
     FIG.  1 ( b ) is a detail enlargement of a cross-sectional view of a single nozzle tip of the drop-on-demand ink jet printhead  16  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. An ink delivery channel  40 , along with a plurality of nozzle bores  46  are etched in a substrate  42 , which is silicon in this example. In one example the delivery channel  40  and nozzle bore  46  were formed by anisotropic wet etching of silicon, using a p +  etch stop layer to form the shape of nozzle bore  46 . Ink  70  in delivery channel  40  is pressurized above atmospheric pressure, and forms a meniscus  60  which protrudes somewhat above nozzle rim  54 , at a point where the force of surface tension, which tends to hold the drop in, balances the force of the ink pressure, which tends to push the drop out. 
     In this example, the nozzle is of cylindrical form, with a heater  50  forming an annulus. In this example the heater was made of polysilicon doped at a level of about thirty ohms/square, although other resistive heater material could be used. Nozzle rim  54  is formed on top of heater  50  to provide a contact point for meniscus  60 . The width of the nozzle rim in this example was 0.6 μm to 0.8 μm. Heater  50  is separated from substrate  42  by thermal and electrical insulating layers  56  to minimize heat loss to the substrate. 
     The layers in contact with the ink can be passivated with a thin film layer  64  for protection, and can also include a layer to improve wetting of the nozzle with the ink in order to improve refill time. The printhead surface can be coated with a hydrophobizing layer  68  to prevent accidental spread of the ink across the front of the printhead. The top of nozzle rim  54  may also be coated with a protective layer which could be either hydrophobic or hydrophillic. 
     In the quiescent state (with no ink drop selected), the ink pressure is insufficient to overcome the ink surface tension and eject a drop. The ink pressure for optimal operation will depend mainly on the nozzle diameter, surface properties (such as the degree of hydrophobicity) of nozzle bore  46  and rim  54  of the nozzle, surface tension of the ink, and the power and temporal profile of the heater pulse. The ink has a surface tension decrease with temperature such that heat transferred from the heater to the ink after application of an electrothermal pulse will result in the expansion of poised meniscus  60 . 
     For small drop sizes, gravitational force on the ink drop is very small; approximately 10 −4  of the surface tension forces, so gravity can be ignored in most cases. This allows printhead  16  and recording medium  18  to be oriented in any direction in relation to the local gravitational field. This is an important requirement for portable printers. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates the ink delivery system of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Microcontroller  24  (also shown in FIG.  1 ( a )) is connected to a computer  72 , a Read Only Memory (ROM)  74  a Random Access Memory (RAM)  76 , and ink pressure regulator  26  that regulates the ink pressure in ink reservoirs  28 . Microcontroller  24  is also connected to four ink sensors  78 - 81  that detect predetermined characteristics of the inks in the ink reservoirs  82 - 85 , respectively. Reservoirs  82 - 85  correspond to reservoir  28  of FIG.  1 ( a ). Microcontroller  24  is also connected to four ink sensors  86 - 89  that detect characteristics of the inks in ink connection tubes  90 - 93 , corresponding to ink connection tube  29  of FIG.  1 ( a ). Microcontroller  24  is also connected to the holder of the ink cartridge (not shown) for detecting the presence of the ink cartridge. Microcontroller  24  is further connected to ink sensors  160 - 163  for detecting characteristics of the inks in the printheads  94 - 97 . The ink jet printer can utilize multiple printheads  94 - 97 , with each printhead connected to one ink reservoir. The ink types include black, yellow, magenta, and cyan colors and can also include several inks within each color. For example, labels “magental” and “magenta2” in FIG. 2 can represent magenta inks at different colorant concentrations. 
     Sensors  78 - 81 ,  86 - 89  and  160 - 163  can detect the existence and the colorant concentration in the ink by sensing a detectable label material in the ink. The term “detectable label material” refers herein to an ink ingredient that is added to the ink and is detectable by sensors  78 - 81  and  86 - 89  in the ink delivery system and sensors  160 - 163  in the printheads. The concentration of the detectable label material to the concentration of the colorant is held as constant in the ink. The detectable label material is, however, not required to perform any other functions in the printhead or on the receiver media. In other words, the ink can achieve desired print qualities without the assistance of the detectable label materials. 
     One detectable label material which may be used is fine magnetic particles of magnetite Fe 3 O 4  to produce a black magnetic ink when blended with black pigment and solvent(s). The magnetite particles can be refined in procedures as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,405,370. The concentration of the magnetic particles is predetermined during manufacture. Details of a black pigmented ink containing a magnetic label material, e.g., is disclosed in commonly assigned, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/846,693 filed Apr. 30, 1997. Magnetic inks exist in many other colors, and may be used in accordance with the present invention. Details of preparation of colored magnetic inks can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,506,079. 
     Various magnetic sensors can be used to detect the presence and concentration of magnetic label material in inks. For example, sensors are known wherein an internal resistance changes as a function of the magnetic field strength experienced by the sensor. This is an indication of the concentration of magnetic label material in the ink, the resistance of the magnetic sensors varies as a function of the magnetic field strength. Details of the detection circuits for the magnetic resistance sensors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,845,456 and 5,483,162. One type of magnetic resistance sensors is the thin-film magnetoresistance sensors. This type of sensors is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,225,951, 5,274,520 and 5,351,158. Also, Hall-effect magnetic sensors, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,931,719, can also be used for the purpose of the present invention. 
     It is understood that the magnetic ink and magnetic sensors used above are only as examples. Many other interactions can be used in the sensing of the detectable label material in the ink by the sensors. The detectable label materials can, for example, be detected by their respective sensors through an electromagnetic field, by ultraviolet, visible, infrared or fluorescent photons. 
     Referring to the chart of FIG. 3, ink refilling starts with refilling ink into one or more of reservoirs  82 - 85 ; block  100 . The ink can be refilled with the assistance of a syringe or by siphoning. Alternatively, an empty ink reservoir can also be replaced by a new one; block  102 . Microcontroller  24  determines at block  104  whether an ink cartridge is installed, if not, the operator is asked to install ink cartridges. 
     Next, microcontroller  24  asks sensors  78 - 81  to detect the detectable label materials in the inks contained in ink reservoirs  82 - 85 ; block  106 . For example, the electric resistance of magnetic resistance sensors may be measured. The magnetic field strength is calculated, from which the concentration of the label material in the ink is deduced. Since the concentration of the pigments and the concentration of the label material is known from the ink manufacturer, the colorant concentration is obtained. If the outputs of sensors  78 - 81  are outside of the specification for optimum performance as determined at block  108 , the operator is then asked to check whether ink is present in the reservoir; block  110 . If it is not, a message “refilling is not complete” will be displayed (block  112 ) on a display  114 , shown in FIG.  2 . The operator is thereby instructed to initiate the refilling process. If, however, the ink is observed to be present in the ink reservoir, a message such as “wrong ink is installed in the reservoir” will be presented (block  116 ) on display  114 . The machine may at that time be disabled until the correct ink has been provided. Alternatively, the operator may be provided with the means to selectively operate the machine in spite of the presence of the wrong ink. 
     If the calculated colorant concentration is within specification in the ink, a counter n is set to zero and the ink is drawn from the ink reservoir through ink connection tube  29  to the associated printhead  94 - 97 ; block  118 . After the ink drawing is completed as determined at block  120 , the ink in the ink connection tube will be detected by sensors  86 - 89 ; block  122 . Alternatively, the ink in the printheads can also be detected by sensors  160 - 163 ; block  122 . If the ink colorant concentration calculated is within specification (block  124 ), the printer is ready for printing and a message will be displayed (block  126 ) on display  114 . If the ink outside of specification, the counter n is incremented by one (block  128 ), and compared to a maximum number N for the ink drawing interactions. If n is less than N, the ink delivery system will be checked and the ink drawing steps repeated; block  130 . If n is greater than N, the ink refilling procedure is terminated. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, upon entering a print command (block  132 ), microcontroller  24  checks to see if the ink cartridges are properly installed; block  134 . If not, a message will be displayed on display  114  and the printing procedure is terminated; blocks  136  and  138 , respectively. If the inks in the ink reservoirs are detected by sensors  78 - 81  (block  140 ) and the colorant concentrations in the inks are calculated as described above to be within specification (block  142 ), the printer is ready to print with a message displayed; block  144 . If the ink is outside of the specification, the ink may be aged, and a requirement of a refilling procedure is displayed; block  146 , and the printing preparation is stopped. If the ink is not present, display  114  will indicate that the one of ink reservoirs  82 - 85  is empty, block  148 , and the printing preparation procedure is terminated. The above procedure is intended to illustrate one example of the print preparation algorithm. In many cases, sensors  86 - 89  and sensors  160 - 163  can also be used to ensure the proper characteristics of the inks in the ink connection tubes  90  and printheads  94 - 97  for determining whether printing operation should proceed. 
     The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.