Method of warning a user of end of life of a consumable for an ink jet printer
US6962399B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 30, 2002 |
| Grant date | Nov 8, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 18, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB41J2002/17589
- WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method informs a user of an ink jet printer of the end of life of a consumable. The consumable supplies ink to a printhead having a plurality of ink ejection nozzles and an associated plurality of ink jetting actuators, each of the plurality of ink jetting actuators being addressable. The printhead includes a plurality of address lines for facilitating selection of one or more of the plurality of ink jetting actuators. The method includes the steps of defining a notice threshold that is associated with a corresponding amount of ink remaining in the consumable; providing control logic for selectively controlling the plurality of address lines; determining whether the amount of ink remaining in the consumable has reached the notice threshold; and upon reaching the notice threshold, reducing an image density of images formed by the printhead by selectively disabling at least one of the plurality of address lines.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.