| 摘要 |
PURPOSE:To prevent malfunction and to achieve stable performance by detecting the remaining quantity of ink with output signals from at least two or more sets of remaining quantity detecting means. CONSTITUTION:For example, three remaining quantity detection pins are symmetrically provided in a vertical direction so as to constitute such an electric circuit that the electric resistance between the remaining quantity detection pins 301 and 302 is detected. In order to inspect a resistance value, the resistance values between the pins 301 and 302, and 301 and 303 are detected and whether the detected value reaches a previously set value showing an ink exhaustion warning is inspected. As a result, when both resistance values between 301 and 302, and 301 and 303 show the ink exhaustion warning or when either of them shows the ink exhaustion warning, the ink exhaustion warning is indicated on a main body, or the recovery by absorbing ink or the vibration of a tank by the main body are performed. By executing a remaining quantity detecting method at specified time, the remaining quantity in the ink tank is detected and the exhaustion of ink is also detected. |
