Source: https://patents.justia.com/patent/20120268509
Timestamp: 2019-06-26 02:22:27
Document Index: 688900570

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 2008', 'Application No. 2009', 'art 69', 'art 71', 'art 69', 'art.\n19']

US Patent Application for FLUID SUPPLY DEVICE, PRINTING DEVICE, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING A FLUID SUPPLY DEVICE Patent Application (Application #20120268509 issued October 25, 2012) - Justia Patents Search
Justia Patents Fluid Content (e.g., Moisture Or Solvent Content, Ink Refilling, Liquid Level)US Patent Application for FLUID SUPPLY DEVICE, PRINTING DEVICE, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING A FLUID SUPPLY DEVICE Patent Application (Application #20120268509)
This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-237321, filed Sep. 17, 2008, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-195119, filed Aug. 26, 2009. The entireties of both of the aforementioned applications are incorporated by reference herein.
The rocker atm 56 has an arm part 69 that extends inside the cylinder 53 from the rocker pin 55, a vertical leg 70 that extends down from the rocker pin 55, and an input part 71 that extends in the opposite direction from the opposite end of the vertical leg 70. The distal end of the arm part 69 is hook shaped, and holds the top end of the coil tension spring 57.
The ink refill operation time in the short time mode is the time required to draw the ink into the ink chamber 50 of the ink pump unit 34 in the sufficient remaining ink level state outside the near-end range X. The relationship between the negative pressure and remaining ink level of the ink cartridge 17, and is set as time T-α, which is a refill time a shorter than the ink refill operation time T in the long time mode.
Once the long time mode or short time mode is set, the ink refill operation of the appropriately set ink refill operation time starts. More specifically, the carriage 23 returns to the standby position and stops for ink refill operation time T in the long time mode and for ink refill operation time T-α in the short time mode (step S07).
3. The fluid supply device described in claim 1, wherein the control unit slows the carriage for the fluid refill operation when the fluid volume is low, as compared to when the fluid volume is sufficient.
4. The fluid supply device described in claim 3, wherein the storage unit is disposed in the main device or the main tank.
5. The fluid supply device described in claim 3, wherein the fluid volume detection unit obtains the fluid volume of the main tank by detecting the volume of fluid discharged from the head.
6. The fluid supply device described in claim 5, wherein the evaluation unit compares the remaining fluid volume in the main tank with the specified value, or compares the used fluid volume with the specified usage value.
7. The fluid supply device described in claim 3, wherein the fluid volume detection unit obtains the fluid volume in the main tank from the rate of change in the current required to move the carriage.
8. The fluid supply device described in claim 7, wherein the evaluation unit determines the remaining fluid volume in the main tank is less than the specified value or the used fluid volume is greater than or equal to the specified usage value when the rate of change is greater than or equal to a specified rate of change.
9. The fluid supply device described in claim 7, wherein the evaluation unit determines the remaining fluid volume in the main tank is less than the specified value or the used fluid volume is greater than or equal to the specified usage value when the current is greater than or equal to a threshold value.
10. A printing device that executes a printing process by discharging ink from a head onto a conveyed medium, comprising:
11. The fluid supply device described in claim 10, wherein the control unit determines that the fluid volume detected by the fluid volume detection unit is sufficient when a remaining fluid volume is greater than or equal to a specified level and determines that the fluid volume is low when the remaining fluid volume is less than the specified level.
12. The fluid supply device described in claim 10, wherein the control unit slows the carriage for the fluid refill operation when the fluid volume is low, as compared to when the fluid volume is sufficient.
13. A control method for a fluid supply device, the control method comprising:
14. The control method for a fluid supply device described in claim 13, wherein the fluid volume is determined to be sufficient when a remaining fluid volume is greater than or equal to a specified level and determined to be low when the remaining fluid volume is less than the specified level.
15. The control method for a fluid supply device described in claim 14, wherein determining the level of fluid volume further comprises evaluating when the rate of change in the current required to move the carriage becomes equal to or greater than a specified rate of change.
16. The control method for a fluid supply device described in claim 14, wherein determining the level of fluid volume further comprises evaluating when the current required to move the carriage becomes greater than or equal to a threshold value.
17. The control method for a fluid supply device described in claim 13, wherein determining the level of fluid volume comprises detecting the volume of fluid discharged from the head.
18. The control method for a fluid supply device described in claim 13, wherein the expansion mechanism comprises a movable member which expands the fluid chamber and supplies fluid from the main tank, and moves in contact with a regulator part.
19. The control method for a fluid supply device described in claim 13, additionally comprising stopping the moveable carriage according to the stop time.
20. The control method for a fluid supply device described in claim 13, wherein the carriage is slowed for the fluid refill operation when the fluid volume is low, as compared to when the fluid volume is sufficient.
Publication number: 20120268509
Patent Grant number: 8348402
Inventor: Susumu Taga (Shiojiri-shi)
International Classification: B41J 29/38 (20060101); B41J 2/175 (20060101);