Patent ID: 7600862
Filing Date: 2009-10-13
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An inkjet recording apparatus, comprising: a plurality of ink tanks for storing inks in a plurality of colors respectively; a plurality of sub-ink tanks for storing the inks supplied from the ink tanks respectively; a plurality of recording heads incorporating the sub-ink tanks respectively, and each for recording an image on a recording medium by ejecting the ink from a nozzle; a plurality of ink supply tubes for connecting the ink tanks and the recording heads respectively; a liquid feeding unit provided in a middle of the ink supply tubes and capable of feeding each ink in both of a direction of supplying each ink from each ink tank to each ink supply tube and each sub-ink tank and a direction of withdrawing each ink from each ink supply tube into each ink tank; and a controller capable of: switching between a first mode in which image recording is performed using an ink including at least an ink in a first color of the inks in the plurality of colors, and a second mode in which image recording is performed using at least an ink in a second color of the inks in the plurality of colors but not using the ink in the first color; in the second mode, causing the liquid feeding unit to withdraw the ink in the first color into the ink tank from the ink supply tube for supplying the ink in the first color, thereafter causing the recording head to start image recording; and in the first mode, causing the liquid feeding unit to introduce the ink in the first color from the ink tank into the ink supply tube for supplying the ink in the first color, thereafter causing the recording head to start image recording.