US 11,685,165 B2
Image recording apparatus
Kyosuke Toda, Kanagawa (JP); Yosuke Takagi, Kanagawa (JP); Akira Goto, Kanagawa (JP); and Chiaki Muraoka, Saitama (JP)
Assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Jun. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/344,856.
Claims priority of application No. JP2020-104275 (JP), filed on Jun. 17, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0394523 A1, Dec. 23, 2021
Int. Cl. B41J 2/175 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 2/17566 (2013.01) [B41J 2002/17579 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image recording apparatus, comprising:
a liquid chamber that stores liquid to be used in recording an image;
a first electrode pin and a second electrode pin inserted into the liquid chamber;
applying unit for applying voltage across the first electrode pin and the second electrode pin, with the first electrode pin serving as an anode side and the second electrode pin serving as a cathode side; and
detecting unit for detecting electric current flowing across the first electrode pin and the second electrode pin, wherein
the image recording apparatus is configured to perform a detection operation of detecting a remaining amount of liquid in the liquid chamber by the detecting unit detecting the electric current when the applying unit applies a voltage across the first electrode pin and the second electrode pin,
prior to executing the detection operation, an oxidization aging operation is performed, in which the applying unit applies voltage across the first electrode pin and the second electrode pin, and
an amount of an oxide layer formed on at least a portion of the first electrode pin exposed inside the liquid chamber is greater than an amount of an oxide layer formed on a portion of the second electrode pin exposed inside the liquid chamber.