Patent ID: 8226202

Claim:
A fluid ejecting apparatus that ejects a fluid, comprising: a storage portion that stores the fluid; a head that discharges the fluid, which is supplied from the storage portion, from a plurality of nozzles and that includes a fluid discharging passage through which the fluid is discharged from the storage portion not through the nozzles, wherein the fluid discharging passage is included entirely within the head and wherein the head includes a first ink circulation hole at an end of the fluid discharging passage opposite a head side flow passage, wherein the fluid discharging passage includes a valve having a first end in fluid communication with the head side flow passage and a second end in fluid communication with the first ink circulation hole; and a head capping device that contacts the head and that receives the fluid that is discharged from the plurality of nozzles and the fluid that is discharged through the fluid discharging passage and first ink circulation hole, wherein the head and the head capping device respectively include the head side flow passage and a head capping device side flow passage, both of which cooperatively form a circulation flow passage, through which the fluid that flows out from the storage portion through the nozzles and the fluid that is discharged through the fluid discharging passage and first ink circulation hole are returned back to the storage portion, in a state where the head capping device is in contact with the head, wherein a first end of the plurality of nozzles is in direct contact with the head side flow passage and a second end of the plurality of nozzles is in direct contact with the head capping device side flow passage in the state where the head capping device is in contact with the head, wherein the head capping device includes a second ink circulation hole and a third ink circulation hole and wherein the head capping device side flow passage includes at least one ink circulation groove that is located in the head capping device, wherein the second and third ink circulation holes are located at opposite ends of the at least one ink circulation groove, and wherein the second ink circulation hole is configured to match with the first ink circulation hole in the state where the head capping device is in contact with the head and the third ink circulation hole is configured to match with a fourth ink circulation hole located in the head in the state where the head capping device is in contact with the head.