Patent ID: 6612683
Filing Date: 2003-09-02
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An ink supply recovery system comprising:a pack body including a main tank connected to an ink joint and storing an ink, and a waste ink receptacle means for receiving waste ink, said pack body being detachably mounted on a printer body, said printer body comprising: a sub-tank mounted on a carriage, said sub-tank having a negative pressure introducing portion arranged with a porous membrane and an ink intake portion connectable with said ink joint, and taking ink into inside from said ink intake portion by a negative pressure introduced from said negative pressure introducing portion; a cap for capping ink ejection openings of a printing head ejecting the ink supplied from said sub-tank; a cylinder pump having: a reciprocally movable piston, a cylinder body having an air suction chamber, defined on one side of the piston, connectable with said negative pressure introducing portion and an ink suction chamber, defined on another side of said piston, connected with said cap via an input port and connectable with said waste ink receptacle means via an output port, and port switching means for switching said input port and said output port open and close associating with movement of said piston; and drive control means for controlling movement of said piston of said cylinder pump, switching of said port switching means, contacting and releasing of said cap relative to said printing head, contacting and releasing of said ink joint relative to said ink intake portion of said sub-tank, and contacting and releasing between said negative pressure introducing portion of said sub-tank and said air suction chamber.