1. A printer, comprising:
a recording head, having a plurality of nozzles adapted to eject ink droplets toward a printing medium which is transported in a first direction;
a head supporting member, supporting the recording head;
a light emitter, operable to emit light; and
a light receiver, adapted to receive light reflected from the printing medium, wherein:
the nozzles are arranged in the first direction to form a nozzle array;
the light emitter and the light receiver are disposed between a first one of the nozzles and an upstream end of the head supporting member relative to the first direction;
the first one of the nozzles is located in an upstream end of the nozzle array relative to the first direction; and
the light emitter and the light receiver are provided on the head supporting member and arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
2. The printer as set forth in claim 1, wherein:
the head supporting member is a carriage operable to carry the recording head, the light emitter and the light receiver in the second direction.
3. The printer as set forth in claim 2, further comprising:
a sensor body, formed with recesses respectively holding the light emitter and the light receiver.
4. The printer as set forth in claim 1, wherein:
the sensor body has a first face facing the upstream side, and the carriage has a second face facing the upstream side; and
the sensor body is attached on the carriage such that the first face is made flush with the second face.
5. The printer as set forth in claim 3, further comprising:
a connector section, formed in the sensor body and adapted to be connected with a mating connector which is electrically connected to a control section of the printer.
6. The printer as set forth in claim 4, further comprising:
a retainer, provided on the carriage and retaining the sensor body.
7. The printer as set forth in claim 6, wherein:
a projection is extended from the sensor body in the second direction; and
the retainer comprises a pair of projections arranged in the first direction and clamping the projection therebetween.
8. A printing method performed in a printer which comprises:
a recording head, having a plurality of nozzles adapted to eject ink droplets toward a printing medium which is transported in a first direction;
a head supporting member, supporting the recording head;
a light emitter, disposed on the head supporting member and operable to emit light; and
a light receiver, disposed on the head supporting member and adapted to receive light reflected from the printing medium, the method comprising:
emitting light from the light emitter;
detecting that the presence of the printing medium based on change in a light receiving condition of the light receiver;
counting a prescribed time period from a timing that the light receiving condition is changed; and
reducing at least one of a speed for transporting the printing medium and an area to which the ink is ejected from the recording head when the prescribed time period is counted.
9. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein:
the detecting of the presence of the printing medium is performed with the light emitter and the light receiver which are disposed between a first one of the nozzles and an upstream end of the head supporting member relative to the direction that the nozzle, and arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
the nozzles are arranged in the first direction to form a nozzle array, and the first one of the nozzles is located in an upstream end of the nozzle array relative to the first direction.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A system for dispensing a cleaning fluid into a toilet bowl adapted to receive a flushing liquid from a tank, the system comprising:
(a) a cleaning fluid container positioned outside the tank and communicating with said tank;
(b) a valve controlling fluid passage from said container into a flushing liquid filling said tank at a varying level, said valve having a closed state blocking fluid passage thereof, and an open state enabling fluid passage thereof; and
(c) said valve switching between the closed and open states in accordance with said varying level.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further includes a conduit adapted for:
(i) communicating said container with said valve;
(ii) receiving a certain amount of said cleaning fluid from said container; and
(iii) releasing at least a portion of said amount of said cleaning fluid through said valve to said flushing liquid.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further includes:
(A) a bottle base attached to said tank for receiving a mouth end of a dispenser bottle while supporting a body thereof.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein said dispenser bottle has a diaphragm for sealing said dispenser bottle and said bottle base further includes:
(B) a punching pin for punching said diaphragm while said dispenser bottle is brought into said bottle base,
thereby enabling a flow of a cleaning fluid out of said dispenser bottle.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein said valve is controlled by a connected float.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the system further includes means for tuning an extent of opening of said valve in said open state.
7. The system of claim 5, wherein a lever connects said valve to said float.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the system includes a slide valve operated by said lever.
9. The system of claim 5 wherein the system includes a slide valve actuated directly by said float.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein said container contains a cleaning liquid or a granular cleaning fluid.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein a water supply line providing flushing water to said tank affects dispensing of said cleaning fluid only by affecting said level of flushing liquid in said tank.
12. A method for dispensing a cleaning fluid into a toilet bowl adapted to receive a flushing liquid from a tank, the method comprising:
(a) placing outside the tank a cleaning fluid container communicating with said tank;
(b) installing a valve having a closed state blocking fluid passage from said container into a flushing liquid filling said tank at a varying level and an open state enabling fluid passage thereof, said valve being adapted to switch between the closed and open states in accordance with said varying level of flushing liquid in said tank,
thereby enabling control of fluid passage thereof by actions affecting said varying level.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the method includes:
(i) installing a conduit communicating said container with said valve;
(ii) said conduit receiving a certain amount of said cleaning fluid from said container; and
(iii) said conduit releasing at least a portion of said amount of said cleaning fluid through said valve to said flushing liquid.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the method further includes:
(A) attaching a bottle base to said tank for receiving a mouth end of a dispenser bottle while supporting a body thereof.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein said dispenser bottle has a diaphragm for sealing said dispenser bottle and the method further includes:
(B) punching said diaphragm while said dispenser bottle is brought into said bottle base; and
(C) said dispenser bottle pouring a cleaning fluid out of said dispenser bottle.
16. The method of claim 12, wherein the method further includes tuning an extent of opening of said valve in said open state.
17. The method of claim 12, wherein the method includes controlling said valve by a float connected to said valve.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein a lever connects said float with said valve and the method includes said lever enabling control of said valve by said float.
19. The method of claim 12, wherein the method includes a step of a water supply line affecting dispensing of said cleaning fluid only by affecting said varying level, wherein said water supply line providing flushing water to said tank.