Patent ID: 8506066
Filing Date: 2013-08-13
Classification: B41J,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a recording head having nozzles to eject droplets of a liquid; a liquid tank to store the liquid to be supplied to the recording head; a waste liquid tank to store a waste of the liquid; a valve located on the liquid tank while communicating therewith; a discharge flow path connecting the valve with the waste liquid tank; and a discharging device located on the discharge flow path to feed a fluid from the liquid tank to the waste liquid tank, wherein the valve includes: wherein when the discharging device is not driven, the first valve member opens the discharge flow path while the second valve member closes the discharge flow path, and when the discharging device starts to be driven, the second valve member opens the discharge flow path while the first valve member keeps the discharge flow path opening even though air flows to the discharge flow path through the communication path of the first valve member, whereas, in a case in which the liquid flows through the communication path of the first valve member, the first valve member is moved by the liquid to close the discharge flow path while the second valve member keeps the discharge flow path opening.