| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect a liquid quantity at a plurality of detection positions in a liquid storing member by a simple constitution. SOLUTION: A prism part 66 has a detecting part 70 halfway which can pass or reflect an incident light. At the same time, a region excluding the detecting part 70, an incidence part 67 and an emission part 68 is constituted as an optical waveguide region for guiding the light that passes the inside. The detecting part 70 is formed in a longitudinally long slit shape which extends from an upper end detection position U to a lower end detection position L in an ink storage hollow part 58. The detecting part 70 is set in a state to pass a large part of the incident light to the ink side at a soak part which soaks in the ink, and to reflect the large part of the incident light as a liquid quantity detection light to the downstream side at a non soak part which does not soak in the ink. An emitting quantity of light of the emission part 68 is made to change according to a position of a level of the ink from the upper end detection position U to the lower end detection position L. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI |
