Patent ID: 6837560

Claim:
An ink-jet recording apparatus comprising: an ink tank having an ink accommodating portion for storing ink to be discharged from a discharge port; a carriage for moving while mounting said ink tank; a main tank separable from the ink tank having a supply portion to be connected to the ink accommodating portion of said ink tank when replenishing ink to said ink tank; derivation means for deriving an amount of ink remaining within said ink tank; calculation means for calculating an amount to be used of ink based on data to be recorded; comparison means for comparing the amount of ink remaining within said ink tank derived by said derivation means with the amount to be used of ink calculated by said calculation means; and control means for performing control so that when it is determined that ink is to be replenished to said ink tank as a result of comparison by said comparison means, said ink tank is moved by said carriage, the ink accommodating portion of said ink tank is connected to the supply portion of said main tank, and ink is replenished from said main tank to said ink tank, wherein said ink tank accommodates ink whose amount is equal to or more than an amount of ink necessary for performing recording with a duty ratio of 100% on an entire surface of a maximum-size recording medium that can be recorded by said ink-jet apparatus and equal to or less than twice an amount of ink necessary for performing recording with a duty ratio of 100% on an entire surface of a maximum-size recording medium that can be recorded by said ink-jet recording apparatus.