INKJET RECORDING DEVICE AND INK AMOUNT DETECTING METHOD

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inkjet recording device using a main tank and a sub tank, which is configured so that time require for determining whether or not ink remains in the main tank does not get longer than necessary.SOLUTION: The inkjet recording device comprises: a detecting part that detects ink amounts in a sub tank; an ink amount acquiring part that acquires an ink amount in a main tank; and an ink filling part that fills ink into the sub tank by driving a driving part for supplying ink from the main tank to the sub tank. The ink filling part, when determining that the ink amount detected by the detecting part is less than a first predetermined amount and an ink amount that the ink amount acquiring part acquires is equal to a second predetermined amount or less, performs first ink filling operation. A driving amount for filling ink in the first ink filling operation is smaller than a driving amount for filling ink in second ink filling operation which is performed when the ink amount in the main tank at the time of performing filling operation is more than the second predetermined amount. When the first ink filling operation is performed prescribed times, the ink amount in the main tank is determined to be smaller than a predetermined remaining amount.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13 【課題】メインタンクとサブタンクを用いたインクジェット記録装置において、メインタンクのインク残量無を判断するのに要する時間が不必要に長くならない装置を提供する。【解決手段】サブタンクにおけるインク量を検出部と、メインタンクのインク量を取得するインク量取得部と、メインタンクからサブタンクへインクを供給するための駆動部を駆動してサブタンクにインク充填を行うインク充填部とを具え、インク充填部は、検出部が検出するインク量が第１の所定量未満でかつインク量取得部が取得するインク量が第２所定量以下と判断した場合は、第１のインク充填動作を行い、この充填動作は、充填動作を行うときのメインタンクにおけるインク量が第２所定量より多い場合に行われる第２のインク充填動作よりも、インク充填のための駆動量が少ない。第１のインク充填動作を、所定の回数行った場合、メインタンクのインク量が所定の残量より少ないと判断する。【選択図】図１３