Ink tank, ink measuring system, and ink measuring method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10792925-B2
Application number	US-201916260442-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2019
Priority date	Jan 30, 2018
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

An ink cartridge includes a tank main body that contains ink, a transparent member that forms at least part of the tank main body and transmits light, and a reference plate that is disposed in the tank main body and in a position facing the transparent member and forms, along with the transparent member, an inflow space which is located between the transparent member and the reference plate and into which the ink flows.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ink tank comprising:
a tank main body that contains ink;
a transparent member that forms at least part of the tank main body and transmits light;
a reference plate that is disposed in the tank main body and in a position facing the transparent member and forms, along with the transparent member, an inflow space which is located between the transparent member and the reference plate and into which the ink flows; and
a pair of transparent substrates that sandwich the reference plate.

2. The ink tank according to claim 1 ,
wherein a width of the inflow space in a direction perpendicular to the reference plate is greater than or equal to 0.2 μm and smaller than or equal to 5.0 μm.

3. The ink tank according to claim 1 ,
wherein the transparent member is disposed at a bottom section of the tank main body.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Kuri Ryohei

Classifications

• B41J2/195

  for monitoring ink quality · CPC title

• G01N33/32

  Paints; Inks · CPC title

• G01J3/50

  using electric radiation detectors · CPC title

• G01J2003/503

  Densitometric colour measurements · CPC title

• G01J2003/425

  Reflectance · CPC title