Inkjet printer

• US 20080079788A1
• Filed: 09/26/2007
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Umeda, Takaichiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,926,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/85
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17509 Whilst mounted in the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves

Abstract

An inkjet printer including (1) a printhead for ejecting ink onto a sheet, (2) a plurality of main tanks, each holding ink and having a height dimension that is relatively small compared with its other dimensions, (3) a plurality of sub-tanks which supply ink to the printhead, and are configured to connect to the plurality of main tanks respectively so that ink can be supplied from the main tanks to the sub-tanks and (4) a mounting member into which the main tanks are detachably mounted, the main tanks being stacked on each other in a vertical direction when the main tanks are mounted in the mounting member. Wherein the main tanks are stacked on each other such that their height dimensions are arranged to substantially coincide with the vertical direction.

Claims

1. An inkjet printer comprising:

a printhead for ejecting ink onto a sheet;

a plurality of main tanks, each holding ink and having a height dimension that is relatively small compared with its other dimensions;

a plurality of sub-tanks which supply ink to the printhead, and are configured to connect to the plurality of main tanks respectively so that ink can be supplied from the main tanks to the sub-tanks; and

a mounting member into which the main tanks are detachably mounted, the main tanks being stacked on each other in a vertical direction when the main tanks are mounted in the mounting member;

wherein the main tanks are stacked on each other such that their height dimensions are arranged to substantially coincide with the vertical direction.

2. The inkjet printer according to claim 1;

wherein each of the main tanks has an ink supply port through which ink is supplied to one of the plurality of the sub-tanks, and

wherein each ink supply port is located at the lowest position, in the vertical direction, of its respective main tank when that respective main tank is mounted in the mounting member.

3. The inkjet printer according to claim 2;

wherein each of the main tanks is shaped like a box;

wherein each ink supply port is located at an end face of its respective main tank, the end face being a forward end of that respective main tank with respect to a mounting direction; and

wherein the mounting direction is the direction in which that respective main tank is mounted into the mounting member.

4. The inkjet printer according to claim 1;

wherein the plurality of main tanks include a main tank that holds black ink; and

wherein the main tank that holds black ink is located at the top of the main tanks when the main tanks are mounted into the mounting member.

5. The inkjet printer according to claim 1;

wherein the height dimensions of the main tanks are angled with respect to the vertical direction at an angle ranging from 0 degrees to approximately 30 degrees.

6. The inkjet printer according to claim 1;

wherein at least one of the plurality of main tanks is disposed at a position in the vertical direction higher than a nozzle surface of the printhead when that one main tank is mounted into the mounting member.

7. The inkjet printer according to claim 1;

wherein a nozzle surface of the printhead is positioned in the vertical direction to be between the highest portion of the uppermost main tank and the lowest portion of the lowermost main tank when all of the main tanks are mounted into the mounting member.

8. An inkjet printer comprising:

a printhead for ejecting ink onto a sheet;

a plurality of main tanks, each holding ink; and

a mounting member into which the main tanks are detachably mounted, the main tanks being stacked on each other in a vertical direction when the main tanks are mounted in the mounting member.

9. The inkjet printer according to claim 8;

wherein height dimensions of the main tanks are angled with respect to the vertical direction at an angle ranging from 0 degrees to approximately 30 degrees.