Patent ID: 6234615
Filing Date: 2001-05-22
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An ink injection method for replenishing an ink, using a replenishing vessel, to an ink tank having a first chamber containing a negative pressure generating member and provided with an ink supply port for supplying the ink to outside of the ink tank, and an atmosphere communicating port for communicating with outside air, and a second chamber communicating with said first chamber through a communicating portion and forming a substantially enclosed space except for said communicating portion, comprising the steps of:connecting said second chamber and said replenishing vessel by a first passage for communicating a gas in said second chamber with a gas in said replenishing vessel to said second chamber, and by a second passage which is different from said first passage, the connection forming a substantially enclosed space relative to an atmosphere except for said communicating portion between said second chamber and said replenishing vessel;after said connecting step, an ink injecting step for moving the ink in said replenishing vessel to said second chamber through said second passage, and moving the gas in said second chamber to said replenishing vessel through said first passage; andafter said ink injecting step, a gas introducing step for discharging the ink from said second chamber to said replenishing vessel, and introducing atmospheric air through said communicating portion and through said atmosphere communicating port of said first chamber into said second chamber.