Patent ID: 9238372
Filing Date: 2016-01-19
CPC Classification: B41J

Claim Text:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an apparatus body; a printhead to discharge droplets; a sub tank to hold a liquid to be supplied to the printhead for discharge as droplets; a carriage movable in a carriage scanning direction for scanning, including the printhead and the sub tank; a main tank to contain the liquid to be supplied to the sub tank; a liquid supply pump to supply the liquid from the main tank to the sub tank; a first liquid supply tube that connects the main tank to an inlet portion, disposed at one end in the carriage scanning direction, of the liquid supply pump; and a second liquid supply tube that connects the sub tank to an outlet portion, disposed at an opposite end opposite in the carriage scanning direction to the one end, of the liquid supply pump, wherein a fluid resistance of the first liquid supply tube is greater than a fluid resistance of the second liquid supply tube, and wherein the liquid supply pump includes a deformable portion that shrinks and expands in the carriage scanning direction, by scanning movement of the carriage, to take the liquid in from the main tank through the inlet portion at the one end of the liquid supply pump and pump the liquid out to the sub tank through the outlet portion at the opposite end of the liquid supply pump, and the volume of liquid supplied to the sub tank being greater than the volume of liquid supplied to the main tank when the liquid supply pump supplies the liquid to the sub tank.