Patent ID: 6168268
Filing Date: 2001-01-02
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A liquid replenishing method into a liquid supply mechanism, said liquid supply mechanism comprising three or more liquid supply paths, each liquid supply path having a sub-tank for temporarily retaining a liquid and for supplying said liquid by guiding atmospheric air thereinto, said replenishing method comprising: a preparing step to prepare a plurality of negative pressure generating means, each for depressurizing an inside of one of said sub-tanks, the number of negative pressure generating means being smaller than the number of said liquid supply paths, and to group said plurality of liquid supply paths into groups according to said number of said negative pressure generating means, an establishing step to establish a hermetically closed space in a sub-tank with a smallest remaining liquid in each group, and a replenishing step to replenish liquid, the liquid being replenished commencing simultaneously in each said sub-tank with a smallest remaining liquid in each group, and being replenished commencing simultaneously by depressurizing the insides of each hermetically closed space using said negative pressure generating means associated with each group.