| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a maintenance unit capable of ensuring a good ink ejecting operation by avoiding mixture of bubbles into an ink supply passage when an ink tank is fixed for the first time and ink is introduced into the ink supply passage. SOLUTION: A maintenance cap 81 and a suction pump 82 are connected through a waste ink tube 83. A valve lever 84 for choking the waste ink tube 83 by deforming a part thereof is provided. When an ink tank is fixed for the first time and operation for sucking ink is started, the valve lever 84 is retracted from the waste ink tube 83 and a negative pressure from the suction pump 82 is applied to the maintenance cap 81. When ink ejection failure recovery operation is started, the waste ink tube 83 is choked by the valve lever 84 and then opened thus applying a high negative pressure to the maintenance cap 81 for a short time. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO |
