| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To replace a feeding container after a remaining amount of a flowable material in the feeding container becomes little. <P>SOLUTION: An ink is fed to a feeding container 41 with an air in a feeding part 4 feeding the ink to a discharging part of an image recording apparatus. An air detecting sensor 43 detects an entrance of an air into a first flow path 42. An ink remaining volume in the feeding container 41 becomes little, a tip of the first flow path 42 is exposed to an ink outside, an air in the feeding container 41 enters into the first flow path 42. When an entrance of an air is detected by the air detecting sensor 43, the feeding container 41 is replaced. An air entered in the first flow path 42 is sent to an air catching container 441 and is reserved at an upper part of the air catching container 441. The entrance of an air into the first flow path 42 is detected as an ink end by the air detecting sensor 43, thereby the feeding container 41 can be replaced after an ink remaining volume in the feeding container 41 becomes little in the image recording apparatus. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT |
