Liquid container having liquid consumption detecting device

Abstract

A liquid container, comprising: a housing containing therein liquid; a liquid supply opening formed in the housing for withdrawing the liquid from the housing; a liquid sensor mounted on the housing for detecting a level of the liquid which is variable in accordance with a consumption of the liquid; and a first partition wall extending in an interior of the housing and defining the interior of the housing into at least two liquid accommodating chambers which communicate with each other, the liquid accommodating chambers comprising: an air-communication side liquid accommodating chamber which communicates with ambient air; and a detection side liquid accommodating chamber in which the liquid sensor is disposed at an upper portion thereof.

1 . A liquid container, comprising: 
 a housing containing therein liquid;    a liquid supply opening formed in said housing for withdrawing the liquid from said housing;    a liquid sensor mounted on said housing for detecting a level of the liquid which is variable in accordance with a consumption of the liquid; and    a first partition wall extending in an interior of said housing and defining the interior of said housing into at least two liquid accommodating chambers which communicate with each other, said liquid accommodating chambers comprising: 
 an air-communication side liquid accommodating chamber which communicates with ambient air; and  
 a detection side liquid accommodating chamber in which said liquid sensor is disposed at an upper portion thereof.  
   
     
     
         2 . The liquid container according to  claim 1 , further comprising a porous member accommodated within said detection side liquid accommodating chamber.  
     
     
         3 . The liquid container according to  claim 1 , wherein said liquid supply opening is formed in said air-communication side liquid accommodating chamber.  
     
     
         4 . The liquid container according to  claim 1 , wherein said liquid supply opening is formed in said detection side liquid accommodating chamber.  
     
     
         5 . The liquid container according to  claim 1 , further comprising a porous member accommodated within said air-communication side liquid accommodating chamber.  
     
     
         6 . The liquid container according to  claim 1 , wherein a volume of said air-communication side liquid accommodating chamber is different from that of said detection side liquid accommodating chamber.  
     
     
         7 . The liquid container according to  claim 6 , wherein the volumes of said at least two liquid accommodating chambers decreases from one side wall of said housing to the other opposite wall.  
     
     
         8 . The liquid container according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second partition wall extending in said detection side liquid accommodating chamber and defining at least two small detection chambers.  
     
     
         9 . The liquid container according to  claim 8 , wherein said second partition wall is formed with a liquid communication opening at a lower part thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The liquid container according to  claim 8 , wherein said second partition wall is formed with a liquid communication opening at an upper part thereof.  
     
     
         11 . The liquid container according to  claim 8 , wherein said detection sensor is disposed on each of said small detection chambers  
     
     
         12 . The liquid container according to  claim 8 , wherein volumes of said small detection chambers are different from each other.  
     
     
         13 . The liquid container according to  claim 12 , wherein the volumes of said at least two small detection chambers decreases from one side wall of said housing to the other opposite wall.  
     
     
         14 . The liquid container according to  claim 1 , wherein said detection side liquid accommodating chamber generates no capillary force for holding the liquid.  
     
     
         15 . The liquid container according to  claim 8 , wherein said small detection chamber generates no capillary force for holding the liquid.  
     
     
         16 . The liquid container according to  claim 1 , wherein said detection side liquid accommodating chamber comprises a recessed part formed at a top wall thereof.  
     
     
         17 . The liquid container according to  claim 1 , wherein said liquid sensor comprises a cavity which opens toward an interior of said housing for contacting the liquid.  
     
     
         18 . The liquid container according to  claim 1 , wherein said liquid sensor comprising a piezoelectric device having a vibrating section, said vibrating section generates a counter electromotive force in accordance with a residual vibration of said vibrating section.  
     
     
         19 . The liquid container according to  claim 1 , wherein said liquid sensor detects at least an acoustic impedance of the liquid and detects a liquid consumption status in accordance with the acoustic impedance.  
     
     
         20 . The liquid container according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid container is mounted on an ink-jet printing apparatus having a printhead which ejects ink droplets, and the liquid container supplies the liquid contained therein to the printhead through said liquid supply opening.  
     
     
         21 . The liquid container according to  claim 8 , wherein a porous member is accommodated within each of said at least two small detection chambers.  
     
     
         22 . The liquid container according to  claim 8 , wherein said air-communication side liquid accommodating chamber includes an airhole which communicates with ambient air, and said porous member is accommodated within said detection side liquid accommodating chamber farthest from said airhole among said at least two small detection chambers.  
     
     
         23 . The liquid container according to  claim 1 , wherein said porous member comprises a first porous material disposed closed to said liquid sensor and a second porous material disposed far from said liquid sensor compared to said first porous material, and a pore size of said second porous material is smaller than that of said first porous material.  
     
     
         24 . The liquid container according to  claim 23 , wherein said first porous material contacts said liquid sensor.  
     
     
         25 . The liquid container according to  claim 2 , wherein a compression ratio of a portion of said porous member located far from said liquid sensor is higher than that of a portion of said porous member located closed to said liquid sensor.  
     
     
         26 . The liquid container according to  claim 2 , wherein said porous member comprises a first porous material disposed close to said liquid sensor and a second porous material disposed far from said liquid sensor compared with said first porous material, and said second porous material has a higher liquid-philic characteristics than said first porous material.  
     
     
         27 . A liquid container comprising: 
 a housing containing therein liquid;    a liquid supply opening supplying liquid to an exterior of said housing;    a detection device mounted on said housing, said detection device comprising a piezoelectric element for detecting a liquid consumption status; and    a wave absorbing wall extending in an interior of said housing disposed at a place facing said detection device.    
     
     
         28 . The liquid container according to  claim 27 , wherein a gap is defined between said detection device and said wave absorbing wall.  
     
     
         29 . The liquid container according to  claim 28 , wherein said gap does not generate a capillary force for holding the liquid.  
     
     
         30 . The liquid container according to  claim 28 , wherein said gap generates a capillary force which is smaller than a force for holding the liquid.  
     
     
         31 . The liquid container according to  claim 27 , wherein said detection device comprises a cavity for contacting liquid, said cavity being formed to open toward the interior of said housing.  
     
     
         32 . The liquid container according to  claim 27 , wherein said wave absorbing wall is secured to and extends from an interior wall of said housing.  
     
     
         33 . The liquid container according to  claim 27 , wherein said detection device is attached to a first wall of said housing which extends in a vertical direction of the liquid level, and said wave absorbing wall extends in parallel with said first wall of said housing.  
     
     
         34 . The liquid container according to  claim 27 , wherein said detection device is attached to a bottom wall of said housing, and said wave absorbing wall extends in parallel with the liquid level.  
     
     
         35 . The liquid container according to  claim 27 , wherein said wave absorbing wall extends in an inclined direction with respect to the liquid level.  
     
     
         36 . The liquid container according to  claim 27 , wherein said wave absorbing wall extends from a side wall of said housing which is perpendicular to the liquid level.  
     
     
         37 . The liquid container according to  claim 27 , wherein said a capillary force is generated between at least a part of said wave absorbing wall and an inner wall of said housing.  
     
     
         38 . The liquid container according to  claim 27 , wherein said wave absorbing wall comprises a bending section which is formed by bending at least a part of an edge of said wave absorbing wall toward a wall on which said detection device is mounted, and a gap defined by said bending section and said detection device generates a capillary force while a gap defined by said wave absorbing wall and said detection device does not generate a capillary force.  
     
     
         39 . The liquid container according to  claim 27 , wherein said wave absorbing wall comprises a plurality of wave absorbing wall pieces, and at least one of said plurality of wave absorbing wall pieces extends from a side wall of said housing which is perpendicular to the liquid level.  
     
     
         40 . The liquid container according to  claim 27 , wherein said detection device comprises a vibrating section which generates a counter electromotive force in accordance with a residual vibration of said vibrating section.  
     
     
         41 . The liquid container according to  claim 27 , wherein the liquid container is mounted on an ink-jet printing apparatus having a printhead which ejects ink droplets, and the liquid container supplies the liquid contained therein to the printhead through said liquid supply opening.  
     
     
         42 . A liquid container comprising: 
 a housing containing therein liquid;    a liquid supply opening formed in a wall of said housing for withdrawing the liquid to an exterior;    a detection device mounted on said housing, said detection device comprising a piezoelectric element for detecting a liquid consumption status; and    a porous member disposed within said housing in the vicinity of said detection device.    
     
     
         43 . The liquid container according to  claim 42 , wherein said detection device contacts said porous member.  
     
     
         44 . The liquid container according to  claim 42 , wherein a gap is defined between said porous member and said detection device.  
     
     
         45 . The liquid container according to  claim 42 , wherein said detection device comprises a cavity and a vibrating section which contacts the liquid through said cavity, and said porous member is disposed in said cavity.  
     
     
         46 . The liquid container according to  claim 42 , wherein a capillary force of said porous member is smaller than a force which holds the liquid.  
     
     
         47 . The liquid container according to  claim 42 , wherein said detection device comprises a base plate, a vibrating portion and a through hole formed in said base plate, and said porous member covers at least a part of said through hole.  
     
     
         48 . The liquid container according to  claim 47 , wherein said detection device further comprises a groove connecting with said through hole, and said porous member is disposed on said groove.  
     
     
         49 . The liquid container according to  claim 42 , wherein said detection device and said porous member are disposed on a plane where said liquid supply opening is formed.  
     
     
         50 . The liquid container according to  claim 42 , wherein said detection device comprises a vibrating section which generates a counter electromotive force in accordance with a residual vibration of said vibrating section, and said detection device detects the liquid consumption status in accordance with said counter electromotive force.  
     
     
         51 . The liquid container according to  claim 42 , wherein said detection device detects at least an acoustic impedance of the liquid and detects a liquid consumption status in accordance with the acoustic impedance.  
     
     
         52 . The liquid container according to  claim 42 , wherein the liquid container is mounted on an ink-jet printing apparatus having a printhead which ejects ink droplets, and the liquid container supplies the liquid contained therein to the printhead through said liquid supply opening.