| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink jet printer in which the color of solid ink is detected even under a state where solid inks of different colors are mixed and a solid ink of detected color can be supplied surely to a corresponding ink tank. SOLUTION: A solid ink stocker 30 having wide open upper part and funnel- like lower part is provided and, at the lower end thereof, an ink tank is provided with a circular supply port 31 slightly larger than a substantially spherical solid ink 21. A large number of solid inks 21 of respective colors are stocked, while being mixed, in the solid ink stocker 30. The supply port 31 is provided with a first gate 33 for opening/closing the supply port 31 and a color sensor 34 is set on the upper surface of the first gate 33 in order to detect the color of the solid ink 21 located on the first gate 33 under closed state. When the color of the solid ink is detected by the color sensor 34, the supply port 31 is opened by opening the first gate 33 and the solid ink 21 is supplied to an ink tank of corresponding color. |
