US 11,981,147 B2
Printing apparatus
Tomohisa Mizuta, Kyoto (JP); Mitsuru Tanemoto, Kyoto (JP); and Yuto Suzuki, Kyoto (JP)
Assigned to SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD., Kyoto (JP)
Appl. No. 17/795,159
Filed by SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD., Kyoto (JP)
PCT Filed Feb. 19, 2021, PCT No. PCT/JP2021/006311
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 25, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/172190, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 2, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-033073 (JP), filed on Feb. 28, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0079276 A1, Mar. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. B41J 2/175 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 2/17566 (2013.01) [B41J 2/17596 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A printing apparatus comprising:
a first printing unit that applies ink to a printing medium to perform printing;
a first sub-tank from which ink is supplied to said first printing unit;
a second printing unit that applies ink to a printing medium to perform printing;
a second sub-tank from which ink is supplied to said second printing unit;
a first branch pipe through which ink is supplied to said first sub-tank;
a second branch pipe through which ink is supplied to said second sub-tank;
a common pipe through which ink is supplied to said first branch pipe and said second branch pipe;
a main tank from which ink is supplied to said common pipe;
a first valve provided in said first branch pipe;
a second valve provided in said second branch pipe; and
a control unit that determines which of said first sub-tank and said second sub-tank is to be preferentially supplied with ink based on at least one of the amount of remaining ink in each of said first sub-tank and said second sub-tank, and an estimated amount of consumption of ink in each of said first printing unit and said second printing unit, and that controls said first valve and said second valve based on a result of the determination.