| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To judge the degree of deterioration of a tube 16 and inform the judgment result to a user in a printer 10 arranged to supply ink from an ink tank 14 to a print head on a carriage 12 through a flexible tube 16. SOLUTION: The number of traveling times, especially, the number of traveling times of pass print or logical seek of a carriage 12 are counted and compared with a predetermined threshold in two stages. When the number of traveling times increases to reach a first stage threshold, the user is notified of the fact that the lifetime of a tube 16 is close to the end. When the number of traveling times increases furthermore to reach a second stage threshold, the user is notified of the fact that the lifetime of a tube 16 is ended and the carriage 12 is locked not to travel. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI |
