Patent ID: 8579422
Filing Date: 2013-11-12
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a discharge unit; a tank that accumulates a discharge fluid; a main flow path pipe that is connected to the tank and that includes a horizontal section that transfers the discharge fluid in a horizontal direction; a diverging flow path pipe that diverges in plurality from the main flow path pipe and in which each is respectively connected to a plurality of discharge units that discharge the discharge fluid; a pump; a bypass flow path pipe that is connected to the main flow path pipe; a valve that switches a flow or otherwise of the discharge fluid in the bypass flow path pipe by opening and closing; and a control unit that switches between a first control state of recycling the discharge fluid in a flow path that passes through the horizontal section, the diverging flow path pipe, the discharge unit, and the tank without passing through the bypass flow path pipe by closing the valve and a second control state that recycles the discharge fluid in a flow path that passes through the bypass flow path pipe, the horizontal section, and the tank by opening the valve and operating the pump, wherein the control unit causes a flow speed of the discharge fluid in the horizontal section in the second control state to be greater than a flow speed of the discharge fluid in the horizontal section in the first control state, wherein a cross-sectional area of the main flow path pipe that is orthogonal to the transfer direction of the discharge fluid is greater than a cross-sectional area of the diverging flow path pipe orthogonal to the transfer direction of the discharge fluid and wherein a cross-sectional area of the bypass flow path pipe that is orthogonal to the transfer direction of the discharge fluid is greater than the cross-sectional area of the diverging flow path pipe.