| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accurately detect the remaining quantity of a liquid in a liquid storage member by a simple constitution. SOLUTION: This liquid level detector is equipped with a prism part 70 which makes light from a light-emitting element 55 coming from an incidence part 73, and which enables the light to be emitted through the inside toward a light-sensitive element 56 from an outgoing part 74. A leading end surface 72, which can emit the light, passing through the inside, toward a reflecting surface of a film 64, is provided midway through the prism part 70. The leading end surface 72 is arranged in a position to get gradually close to the reflecting surface when the film 64 is bent along with a reduction in ink in an ink storage part 66, and provided in the state of allowing the incidence of reflected light from the close reflecting surface so as to make the light pass through the outgoing part 74. The remaining quantity of the ink in the ink storage part 66 can be detected according to the quantity of outgoing light from the outgoing part 74, which is changed along with a change in a distance between the leading end surface 72 and the reflecting surface of the film 64. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI |
