INK REPLENISHING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To restrain a recording head from getting stained at the time when the ink replenishing opening of an ink replenishing unit is inserted into and extracted from the replenishing port of a recording head unit and prevents the ink replenishing port and the replenishing opening from getting worn. SOLUTION: In the ink replenishing device 46, the gear 160 of an ink displacement mechanism 56 and a gear 158 rotated by the torque of a driving motor are connected or disconnected by a clutch gear unit 142. The gear 158 is provided for each ink replenishing unit and rotated by a single driving source. Only the gear 160 corresponding to an ink replenishing unit 48 to replenish with an ink is connected to the gear 158 by the clutch gear unit 142. Consequently since only the ink replenishing unit 48 replenishing with the ink can be displaced to an ink replenishing position, the frequency of inserting and extracting the ink replenishing port 76 of the ink replenishing unit 48 into and from the replenishing opening of the recording head unit 32 can be reduced. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI