Patent attributes
An ink level detecting apparatus usable with an ink-jet printer includes an ink tank having a bottom, a ceiling, and a sidewall, a shrinkable ink pack is accommodated in the ink tank and having a top surface that moves down evenly as an ink level in the shrinkable ink pack decreases, a fixed electrode installed to an upper portion of the ink tank, and a movable electrode disposed to face the fixed electrode at a predetermined distance from the fixed electrode. The movable electrode moves in a horizontal direction according to a height variation of the top surface of the shrinkable ink pack such that an overlap area between the movable electrode and the fixed electrode varies. Therefore, the ink level is detected from electric capacity variation sensed between the fixed electrode and the movable electrode.
