| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inkjet recording apparatus which enables ink to be recovered and easily reused, without being discarded, when the ink in a sub-tank and a supply tube for connecting a print head and the sub-tank together is recovered during secondary transportation, and to provide an ink recovery method. SOLUTION: An ink recovery tube is connected to an undersurface of the sub-tank, and one end of the ink recovery tube is positioned above the maximum ink liquid level of the sub-tank in the direction of gravitational force. During normal printing, the maximum ink liquid level of the sub-tank, which is a liquid level derived by adding the ink in the supply tube onto the liquid level of the ink in the sub-tank under a stand-by state, is positioned below an atmospheric communication port in the sub-tank. Thus, the ink in the ink supply tube is recovered into the sub-tank, and recovered into a main tank via the ink recovery tube, so as to be capable of being reused without being wasted. Additionally, the main tank is brought into negative pressure, so that the ink can also be efficiently recovered. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT |
