Abstract: An ink cartridge 111 holding a recording material used for printing therein has a sensor substitute module 170 to simulate operations of a cartridge having a built-in sensor. As a control circuit 222 of a printer 200 gives a sensor access instruction to the ink cartridge 111, the sensor substitute module 170 generates a specific signal and outputs the specific signal via an output module 178. The specified signal is equivalent to a signal that represents a sufficient level of remaining ink and is expected to be output from the built-in sensor of the cartridge. The ink cartridge 111 is thus applicable to both a printer designed for the use of a cartridge with a built-in sensor and a printer designed for the use of a cartridge without a built-in sensor. Namely the cartridge of the invention is compatible with the cartridge having the built-in sensor.

Abstract: In an ink container 100 of the invention, an electric power generator 240 rectifies a carrier wave transmitted from a printer PT and thereby generates an electric power for driving a controller 210 and an RF circuit 200. A program voltage generator 250 and a sensor driving voltage generator 260 are connected in series with the electric power generator 240 to individually generate a program voltage required for writing data into an EEPROM 220 and a voltage required for driving a sensor SS including a piezoelectric element. The arrangement of the invention efficiently generates electric powers, which are to be supplied to respective constituents of a container for a printing material, such as the ink container 100, which establishes communication with a printing device, such as the printer PT, from a preset electric power generated by utilizing a radio wave.

Abstract: An IC memory module 33 for storing paper-related information is embedded in a core 31 of a roll paper member 30. A control circuit 50 accesses the IC memory module 33 embedded in the core 31 of roll paper member 30 via a transmission-reception antenna 202 at a timing, for example, when a power source is turned on, the roll paper member 30 is replaced, and power source is turned off, and acquires the paper-related information. The control circuit 50 controls the printing processing by taking account of the information acquired from the IC memory module 33.

Abstract: An ink cartridge has a sensor to detect ink. A printer's control device transmits a detection command and specified detection condition to the ink cartridge by radio communication. In response to input of the detection command into the ink cartridge, a sensor controller actuates and vibrates the sensor under the specified detection condition. The sensor is attached to a resonance chamber disposed in an ink chamber. The frequency of vibration of the sensor is regulated by a resonance frequency of the resonance chamber. The resonance frequency is varied by ink in the resonance chamber. Detection of the resonance frequency specifies if ink is in the resonance chamber and the remaining quantity of ink in the ink cartridge. The printer's control device receives the detection result together with the detection condition from the ink cartridge, and cheeks if detection was carried out under the specified detection condition, validate the detection result.

Abstract: This invention is an apparatus configured to receive expendable from an expendable container with a piezoelectric element attached. This apparatus has a detection signal generation circuit configured to charge and discharge the piezoelectric element, and generate a detection signal including information representing a cycle of remaining vibration of the piezoelectric element after a lapse of a predetermined standby time from a completion of the discharge; and a controller configured to generate a clock signal, and control the charge and the discharge of the piezoelectric element. The cycle is available for determining whether a residual quantity of the expendable is greater than a preset level. The controller is configured to determine the predetermined standby time by counting a number of pulses in the clock signal.

Abstract: An ink cartridge 10 of the invention has a sensor 17 to detect the presence or the absence of ink. A control device 22 of a printer 20 transmits a detection command and a specified detection condition to the ink cartridge 10 by radio communication. In response to input of the detection command into the ink cartridge 10, a sensor controller 19 actuates and vibrates the sensor 17 under the specified detection condition. The sensor 17 is attached to a resonance chamber 18, which is disposed in an ink chamber 16. The frequency of the vibration of the sensor 17 is thus regulated by a resonance frequency of the resonance chamber 18. The resonance frequency is varied by the presence or the absence of ink in the resonance chamber 18. Detection of the resonance frequency accordingly specifies the presence or the absence of ink in the resonance chamber 18 and thereby the remaining quantity of ink in the ink cartridge 10.

Abstract: The present invention is a container for holding printing fluid material. The container includes a detector, a memory unit, a communication module, a first electric power generator, and a second electric power generator. The communication module is configured to transmit at least one of a result of the detection and the information regarding the container to the printing device. The first electric power generator is configured to generate a first electric power by utilizing the radio wave received from the printing device. The second electric power generator is configured to generate a second electric power from the first electric power. The second electric power is supplied to both the detector and the memory unit.

Abstract: A plurality of small loop antenna cells 61, 62 and 63 are magnetically coupled to an antenna coil 8 of a non-contact type data carrier 3. In the plurality of small loop antenna cells, the directions of the magnetic moments of the signals transmitted to the non-contact type data carrier 3 are opposite to each other, the sum of the magnetic moments generated from all the small loop antenna cells 61 to 63 is zero and a conductor forming a short ring pattern 67 is provided collectively for the plurality of small loop antenna cells. Thus, imbalance caused between the small loop antenna cells 61 to 63 can be compensated for by the short ring pattern 67.

Abstract: A cartridge 100 utilizes a carrier wave of a signal transmitted from a printer PT to generate driving electric powers required for driving respective circuits elements including a sensor SS of a piezoelectric element. The generated electric power is supplied to a sensor driving voltage generator 220 and is then to the sensor SS. The sensor driving voltage generator 220 supplies the electric power to the sensor SS via a supply circuit having a higher impedance. The sensor SS is discharged via a discharge circuit having a lower impedance. Even when there is a limited electric power supply, the structure enables the sensor SS to release a large energy in a unit time and ensures a sufficient displacement of vibration in the sensor SS.

Abstract: An ink cartridge 111 holding a recording material used for printing therein has a sensor substitute module 170 to simulate operations of a cartridge having a built-in sensor. As a control circuit 222 of a printer 200 gives a sensor access instruction to the ink cartridge 111, the sensor substitute module 170 generates a specific signal and outputs the specific signal via an output module 178. The specified signal is equivalent to a signal that represents a sufficient level of remaining ink and is expected to be output from the built-in sensor of the cartridge. The ink cartridge 111 is thus applicable to both a printer designed for the use of a cartridge with a built-in sensor and a printer designed for the use of a cartridge without a built-in sensor. Namely the cartridge of the invention is compatible with the cartridge having the built-in sensor.

Abstract: The present invention is a container for holding printing fluid material. The container comprises a detector, a memory unit, a communication module, a first electric power generator, and a second electric power generator. The communication module is configured to transmit at least one of a result of the detection and the information regarding the container to the printing device. The first electric power generator is configured to generate a first electric power by utilizing the radio wave received from the printing device. The second electric power generator is configured to generate a second electric power from the first electric power. The second electric power is supplied to both the detector and the memory unit.

Abstract: In an ink container 100 of the invention, an electric power generator 240 rectifies a carrier wave transmitted from a printer PT and thereby generates an electric power for driving a controller 210 and an RF circuit 200. A program voltage generator 250 and a sensor driving voltage generator 260 are connected in series with the electric power generator 240 to individually generate a program voltage required for writing data into an EEPROM 220 and a voltage required for driving a sensor SS including a piezoelectric element. The arrangement of the invention efficiently generates electric powers, which are to be supplied to respective constituents of a container for a printing material, such as the ink container 100, which establishes communication with a printing device, such as the printer PT, from a preset electric power generated by utilizing a radio wave.

Abstract: An ink cartridge 10 of the invention has a sensor 17 to detect the presence or the absence of ink. A control device 22 of a printer 20 transmits a detection command and a specified detection condition to the ink cartridge 10 by radio communication. In response to input of the detection command into the ink cartridge 10, a sensor controller 19 actuates and vibrates the sensor 17 under the specified detection condition. The sensor 17 is attached to a resonance chamber 18, which is disposed in an ink chamber 16. The frequency of the vibration of the sensor 17 is thus regulated by a resonance frequency of the resonance chamber 18. The resonance frequency is varied by the presence or the absence of ink in the resonance chamber 18. Detection of the resonance frequency accordingly specifies the presence or the absence of ink in the resonance chamber 18 and thereby the remaining quantity of ink in the ink cartridge 10.

Abstract: A printing apparatus which may effectively manage information related to each ink cartridge and an ink cartridge therefor are provided. A printing apparatus having a cartridge mounting portion on which a plurality of ink cartridges are detachably mountable, each ink cartridge having an element which may be written with information, an accumulating means for accumulating a discharge amount of ink discharged for every ink cartridge mounted on the cartridge mounting portion, and a writing member for writing information into the element, in which the writing member writes information into an element in the ink cartridge selected according to an accumulated result of the accumulating means, out of the plurality of ink cartridges mounted on the cartridge mounting portion.

Abstract: A printing apparatus which may effectively manage information related to each ink cartridge and an ink cartridge therefor are provided. A printing apparatus having a cartridge mounting portion on which a plurality of ink cartridges are detachably mountable, each ink cartridge having an element which may be written with information, an accumulating means for accumulating a discharge amount of ink discharged for every ink cartridge mounted on the cartridge mounting portion, and a writing member for writing information into the element, in which the writing member writes information into an element in the ink cartridge selected according to an accumulated result of the accumulating means, out of the plurality of ink cartridges mounted on the cartridge mounting portion.

Abstract: The ink unit of a printer has a memory circuit (memory element) for non-contact communication. The memory circuit has a hold mode M2 in which memory access commands from the transmitter/receiver are not received, and an active mode M4 in which memory access is permitted upon receipt of a memory access command. The memory circuit shifts into active mode M4 if the ID contained in the active mode command matches its own ID when an active mode command containing the cartridge ID is received from the transmitter/receiver while in hold mode M2. The reception of an anti-collision start command from the transmitter/receiver while in hold mode M2 results in a shift to anti-collision mode M3 to check the ID.

Abstract: A printing apparatus which may effectively manage information related to each ink cartridge and an ink cartridge therefor are provided. A printing apparatus having a cartridge mounting portion on which a plurality of ink cartridges are detachably mountable, each ink cartridge having an element which may be written with information, an accumulating means for accumulating a discharge amount of ink discharged for every ink cartridge mounted on the cartridge mounting portion, and a writing member for writing information into the element, in which the writing member writes information into an element in the ink cartridge selected according to an accumulated result of the accumulating means, out of the plurality of ink cartridges mounted on the cartridge mounting portion.

Abstract: An IC memory module 33 for storing paper-related information is embedded in a core 31 of a roll paper member 30. A control circuit 50 accesses the IC memory module 33 embedded in the core 31 of roll paper member 30 via a transmission-reception antenna 202 at a timing, for example, when a power source is turned on, the roll paper member 30 is replaced, and power source is turned off, and acquires the paper-related information. The control circuit 50 controls the printing processing by taking account of the information acquired from the IC memory module 33.

Abstract: The present invention has a recording head of jetting ink drops to record, a carriage adapted to be loaded an ink container storing ink to be fed to the recording head in a removable state, and a communication unit of communicating with a storage element for the ink container installed in the ink container. The communication unit can communicate with the storage element for the ink container when the ink container is not loaded on the carriage. Accordingly, the communication unit can communicate with the storage element for the ink container before mounting the ink container on the carriage.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus having an ink-jet recording head including pressure generating chambers communicatively connected to a nozzle opening and a reservoir, pressure generating member for pressurizing the pressure generating chambers, and a control device for applying drive signals to the pressure generating member. The control device applies drive signals to the pressure generating member. The drive signals contain signals corresponding to print data and signals which minutely vibrate the meniscus of ink in the nozzle openings to such an extent as to not eject ink droplets during a nonprint period. The control device causes ejection of ink droplets from the nozzle openings in accordance with print data during printing operations, and minutely vibrates the meniscuses of ink formed at the nozzle openings a preset period of time before or after the discharging of the ink droplets in a printing operation.