Ink Supply 
SM 6-43 J012/J013/J014 
Detailed 
Description 
Each compartment contains: 
  1 pump motor. 
  2 pumps (one for each print cartridge) 
 2 cams 
When a print head tank needs ink: 
  The printer switches on one ink pump motor. The motor and its worm gear are rotated 
forward or reverse (depending on which type of ink is requested). Only one pump 
operates at a time. 
  One or the other pump is operated, depending on whether the ink pump motor rotates 
forward or reverse. (Two pumps that share a motor cannot operate together at the same 
time.) 
  A cam striking a plunger vibrates the plunger to form the vacuum in the line that sucks 
ink from the cartridge. 
  The supply motor operates long enough to pump the prescribed amount of ink to the 
tank. Then it switches off. 
Explanation of “air release filling”: 
  In order to eject the ink properly from the print head, it is necessary to maintain negative 
pressure (with respect to the surrounding air) inside the head tank. If negative pressure 
is lost, the ink can leak out from the nozzle and adversely affect the image quality. If this 
occurs, the negative pressure must be re-established. This process is known as “air 
release filling”. 
  When the surface of the liquid dips below the detection pins (see diagram below), the 
machine will perform air release filling. This is because if this happens, negative 
pressure may have been lost. To perform air release filling, the air release valve is 
opened (which re-calibrates the internal pressure), ink is poured into the ink head, and 
suction the ink by suction cap with air release valve is closed. Therefore, to perform this 
process, the machine consumes ink. 
Rev. 11/2008 
Air Detection Pin 
Air is detected 
Ink level decreases when air enters from 
the air release valve or ink tube. It also 
decreases when the amount of ink 
supplied is less than the ink consumed.
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