INK SUPPLY MECHANISM OF INK JET PRINTER

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an ink supply mechanism of an ink jet printer which can prevent the interior of an ink supply passage from turning to a negative pressure to let the air invade the ink supply passage when a main tank is replaced. SOLUTION: When an amount of ink sucked to an intermediate tank 40 from the main tank 20 by an ink supplement means 50 cannot reach an appropriate amount H even after a fixed time has passed, a pump 52 is reversed for a fixed time by an ink return means 70. As a result, the ink sucked to the intermediate tank 40 is returned to the ink supply passage 10, and an ink supply passage part 12 connecting the pump 52 and the main tank 20 with each other is filled with the ink. The air is thus prevented from invading the ink supply passage 12 when the main tank 20 is replaced.