Liquid ejecting device, printing apparatus and liquid supplying method

• US 8,590,994 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2012
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Inoue, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): MRUK, GEOFFREY S
• Application Number:
  US13/477,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20120242761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 347/7
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves

Abstract

A liquid ejecting device is provided. A main tank stores liquid. A sub-tank includes a variable volume liquid chamber that stores the liquid supplied from the main tank. A head ejects the liquid supplied from the sub-tank. A carriage is movable to reciprocate the sub-tank and the head. A first engagement member is provided in the sub-tank and is movable to expand the volume of the liquid chamber. A second engagement member engages with the first engagement member and moves the first engagement member. The liquid is supplied from the main tank to the sub-tank when the first engagement member is moved by the second engagement member to expand the volume of the liquid chamber.

Claims

1. A method of supplying liquid from a main tank detachably mounted on a liquid supplying apparatus to a deformable chamber provided on a movable element that is configured to be reciprocatable, the method comprising:

moving the movable element toward a home position of the movable element;

engaging a first engagement member attached to the movable element or the deformable chamber with a second engagement member while the moveable element is moved toward the home position;

moving the first engagement member by the second engagement member while the moveable element is moved toward the home position; and

expanding a volume of the deformable chamber to supply the liquid from the main tank to the deformable chamber at a time of the engaging and the moving of the first engagement member.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first engagement member include a lever that is configured to rotate about an axis substantially perpendicular to a movement direction of the movable element, and the second engagement member comes in contact with the lever in the engaging, and the second engagement member rotate the lever in the moving of the first engagement member.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the movable element includes a carriage.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first engagement member includes a ring, the second engagement member includes a bar, and the bar is inserted into the ring in the engaging and the ring is moved along the bar in the moving of the first engagement member.

5. A method of supplying liquid from a main tank detachably mounted on a liquid supplying apparatus to a deformable chamber provided on a moveable element that is configured to be reciprocatable, the method comprising:

moving the movable element toward a home position of the moveable element;

engaging a first engagement member attached to the movable element of the deformable chamber with a second engagement member;

moving the first engagement member by the second engagement member; and

expanding a volume of the deformable chamber to supply the liquid from the main tank to the deformable chamber at a time of the engaging and the moving;

wherein the first engagement member includes a ring, the second engagement member includes a bar, and the bar is inserted into the ring in the engaging and the ring is moved along the bar in the moving of the first engagement member.