Patent ID: 7364280
Filing Date: 2008-04-29
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An image recording apparatus, comprising: an image recording unit that records an image by ejecting ink; an ink supply unit that connects at least one ink bottle containing ink for recording the image to the image recording unit, wherein the ink bottle has an ink outlet to flow out the ink, the ink outlet has a valve that is openable and closable, and the ink supply unit includes a bottle holder to hold the ink bottle removably, a detector to detect that the ink bottle is placed at a proper position in the bottle holder, and a valve open/close mechanism to open and close the valve of the ink outlet; and a control unit that controls the driving of the ink supply unit, wherein the control unit drives the valve open/close mechanism to open the valve of the ink outlet of the ink bottle after a predetermined time has passed from receiving a detection signal from the detector; wherein the ink supply unit has an open/close cover placed at a completely closed position when the ink bottle is fit at the proper position in the bottle holder, and the detector has a cover sensor to detect that the cover is placed at the completely closed position.