INK LEVEL DETECTOR, INKJET IMAGE FORMING MACHINE EQUIPPED WITH INK LEVEL DETECTOR, AND METHOD FOR DETECTING INK LEVEL

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect the ink level in an ink cartridge well by using a plurality of kinds of pixel counters even after the ink cartridge is replaced in a state that power supply to an inkjet printer is being turned off forcibly. SOLUTION: Two kinds of pixel counters LPC 76B and LLPC 76C and an ink level sensor (ILS) 76A are provided. The LPC 76B is reset to an initial value under such a state as the ink level being detected by the ILS 76A is not higher than residual ink quantity of 25% and the ink level being detected base on the count of the LLPC 76C is not not high than a residual ink quantity of 10%. The LLPC 76C is reset to an initial value under such a state as the ink level being detected by the ILS 76A is not lower than residual ink quantity of 25% and the ink level being detected base on the count of the LPC 76B is not lower than residual ink quantity of 90%. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO