INK CONTAINER AND PRINTING DEVICE Russian patent published in 2011 - IPC B41J2/00 

FIELD: printing industry.

SUBSTANCE: invention refers to ink-jet printers, namely to ink container with possibility of detection of ink residue in container and to printing devices. Ink container includes part (5, 25, 35) containing ink (6) and optic detection device for detection of presence or absence of ink (6) in ink-containing part (5, 25, 35); at that, optic detection device includes: light-reflecting part (3) located so that light (12) which is emitted on the outside of ink-containing part (5, 25, 35) is transmitted through ink-containing part (5, 25, 35) when ink is available in ink-containing part (5, 25, 35), and emitted light (12) is reflected with light-reflecting part (3) when ink is not available in ink-containing part (5, 25, 35), and luminescent material (4) located so that luminescent material (4) is excited with light (17) which was reflected with light-reflecting part (3) when ink is not available in ink-containing part (5, 25, 35), and emits light (18) having wave length (λ2) which is different from wave length (λ1) of emitted light (12).

EFFECT: higher reliability and accuracy of control of residual ink in container with the use of optic ink detection method.

10 cl, 16 dwg