METHOD FOR DETECTING RESIDUAL QUANTITY OF INK IN INK JET RECORDER

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for visually detecting the residual quantity of ink readily and surely through an inexpensive arrangement without requiring any special light irradiating means or light receiving means for detecting the residual quantity of ink. SOLUTION: The ink jet recorder comprises an ink tank containing an ink absorber for absorption holding ink. The ink tank contains water base inks composed of pigment and dye of different colors in the same ink chamber wherein the concentration of pigment has a gradient in the ink absorber. When printing is performed using the ink jet recorder, residual quantity of ink can be detected from a variation in chromaticness printed on a recording medium. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI