APPARATUS FOR DETECTING RESIDUAL AMOUNT OF INK IN ON-DEMAND INK JET PRINTER HEAD

摘要

PURPOSE:To simply obtain detection accuracy to be satisfied, by mounting a means for converting the contraction of an ink bag to the movement in the direction almost at right angles to the contracting direction and the indication means connected to said means. CONSTITUTION:A flexible thin plate 12 is connected to the center of a foldable support member 13. This support member 13 is stretched across the central part of an ink bag 10 and the central opening of an ink cartridge case 8 to be respectively connected to both of them at both end parts thereof and the central part having the thin plate 12 connected thereto is folded down. The support member 13 is perfectly folded in an ink full state and the leading end of the thin plate 12 is sunk in a slit 11. The support member 13 opens with the consumption of ink and, when the thin plate 12 corresponding to the handle of an umbrella is raised upward, the leading end 15 thereof is protruded from a slit along a guide piece 14. An 'Empty' discriminating color paint is applied to said leading end part 15 and the exhaustion of ink can be visually informed by color change such that the leading end thereof is green (G), the next part thereof is orange (O) and the 'Empty' zone is red (R).