Patent ID: 7997710
Filing Date: 2011-08-16
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A liquid supply apparatus which supplies a liquid to an object, the liquid supply apparatus comprising: a plurality of liquid storage chambers which are stacked in a predetermined direction; a plurality of damper films each of which defines one surface of an upper surface and a lower surface of one of the liquid storage chambers in the predetermined direction and each of which suppresses a pressure fluctuation of the liquid contained in the one of liquid storage chambers; a plurality of liquid inflow passages each of which is communicated with one of the plurality of liquid storage chambers and through each of which the liquid flows into one of the plurality of liquid storage chambers; a plurality of liquid outflow passages each of which is communicated with one of the liquid storage chambers and through each of which the liquid contained in one of the liquid storage chambers flows toward the object; a gas discharge passage which is arranged on one side in the predetermined direction of the liquid storage chambers and via which a gas contained in each of the plurality of liquid inflow passages and the plurality of liquid outflow passages is discharged; a sucking mechanism which sucks the gas contained in the gas discharge passage to discharge the gas to outside of the gas discharge passage; a plurality of first gas-permeating films each of which partially defines one of the liquid inflow passages and through which only the gas is passable; and a plurality of second gas-permeating films each of which partially defines one of the liquid outflow passages and through which only the gas is passable, wherein the gas discharge passage and each of the liquid inflow flow passages are communicated with each other via one of the first gas-permeating films, and the gas discharge passage and each of the liquid outflow passages are communicated with each other via one of the second gas-permeating films.