Patent ID: 7384118
Filing Date: 2008-06-10
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An ink-jet recording apparatus comprising: an ink-jet head that has an ink ejection face on which a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink to a record medium are formed; a conveyor mechanism that conveys the record medium to a position confronting the ink ejection face; a supporter that supports a plurality of record media; a pick-up roller that supplies to the conveyor mechanism an uppermost one of the record media supported on the supporter; an elevator that moves up and down the supporter; a pump that forcibly ejects through the nozzles ink staying within the ink-jet head; a drive shaft that is rotated both in positive and negative directions by a drive source; a driving force transmitter that is capable of switching its mode between a mode for transmitting rotating force of the drive shaft in the positive direction to the pump so as to drive the pump and a mode for transmitting rotating force of the drive shaft in the negative direction to the pick-up roller so as to drive the pick-up roller; a purge controller that controls the drive source so as to rotate the drive shaft in the positive direction in order that the pump is driven to forcibly eject through the nozzles ink staying within the ink-jet head; and an elevator controller that controls the elevator so as to bring the uppermost one of the record media supported on the supporter to one of a position in contact with the pick-up roller and a position away from the pick-up roller, wherein, after the elevator controller controls the elevator so as to bring the uppermost one of the record media supported on the supporter to the position away from the pick-up roller, the purge controller controls the drive source so as to rotate the drive shaft in the positive direction.