Patent ID: 7905585

Claim:
A liquid ejection apparatus comprising: a liquid ejection head that ejects a liquid; and a switching device that selectively switches types of the liquid supplied to the liquid ejection head between a first liquid and a second liquid different from the first liquid, the switching device including: a first supply passage through which the first liquid flows; a second supply passage through which the second liquid flows; a head supply passage extending from a joining point between a downstream end of the first supply passage and a downstream end of the second supply passage to the liquid ejection head; a first ON-OFF valve that selectively opens and closes the first supply passage at a position upstream from the joining point; a second ON-OFF valve that selectively opens and closes the second supply passage at a position upstream from the joining point; and a liquid guide portion formed in the first and second supply passages at a position between the first ON-OFF valve and the second ON-OFF valve, wherein, when the first ON-OFF valve is open and the second ON-OFF valve is closed, the liquid guide portion divides the first liquid into a first liquid flow proceeding from the first supply passage directly to the head supply passage and a second liquid flow flowing from the first supply passage into the head supply passage after passing the vicinity of the second ON-OFF valve in the second supply passage, and wherein, when the first ON-OFF valve is closed and the second ON-OFF valve is open, the liquid guide portion divides the second liquid into a third liquid flow proceeding from the second supply passage directly to the head supply passage and a fourth liquid flow flowing from the second supply passage into the head supply passage after passing the vicinity of the first ON-OFF valve in the first supply passage.