Patent ID: 8353572

Claim:
An ink supply device comprising: a cartridge mounting portion to which an ink cartridge is configured to be mounted by being inserted thereinto in an insertion direction; a first optical detector comprising a first light emitter configured to emit light and a first light receiver configured to receive light emitted by the first light emitter; a second optical detector comprising a second light emitter configured to emit light and a second light receiver configured to receive light emitted by the second light emitter, wherein the second optical detector is different from the first optical detector; a first output unit configured to output a reference signal when the ink cartridge reaches a predetermined position in the cartridge mounting portion, wherein the first output unit is different from each of the first optical detector and the second optical detector; a first detection target portion positioned on the ink cartridge, wherein the first detection target portion is configured to be positioned in a first optical path when the ink cartridge reaches the predetermined position, the first optical path extending from the first light emitter to the first light receiver; a first determiner configured to determine a first characteristic of the ink cartridge inserted into the cartridge mounting portion based on whether or not an intensity of light received by the first light receiver is greater than or equal to a predetermined value when the first output unit outputs the reference signal; a second output unit configured to output a mount completion signal when the ink cartridge reaches a mount position which is offset from the predetermined position in the insertion direction in the cartridge mounting portion, wherein the mount completion signal indicates that the ink cartridge has been completely mounted to the cartridge mounting portion, wherein the second output unit is different from each of the first optical detector, the second optical detector, and the first output unit; a second detection target portion positioned on the ink cartridge, wherein the second detection target portion is configured to be positioned in a second optical path when the ink cartridge reaches the mount position, the second optical path extending from the second light emitter to the second light receiver; and a second determiner configured to determine a second characteristic of the ink cartridge inserted into the cartridge mounting portion based on whether or not an intensity of light received by the second light receiver is greater than or equal to a predetermined value when the second output unit outputs the mount completion signal.