Patent ID: 8047628
Filing Date: 2011-11-01
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A printing apparatus to form an image on a recording medium according to print data representing the image, comprising: a recording head, which ejects ink onto the recording medium; an ink cartridge, which contains the ink therein; an ink cartridge storage to store the ink cartridge; an ink conveyer tube, which connects the recording head and the ink cartridge to convey the ink; a maintenance system having an aspirator to aspirate the ink to be drawn in the recording head and the ink conveyer tube and a cap to cover a nozzle surface of the recording head when the ink in the recording head and the ink conveyer tube is aspirated; and a releasing system, which is arranged in the ink conveyer tube to switch an open state in which air flow in the ink conveyer tube is released and a closed state in which the air flow in the ink conveyer tube is shut down, the releasing system being arranged in a position higher than a position of the ink cartridge so that the releasing system and the ink cartridge have a predetermined water head difference therebetween, wherein: the releasing system includes: