Patent ID: 7997669

Claim:
An inkjet recording apparatus comprising: a recording head configured to eject ink toward a recording medium; an ink supply source; an ink supply conduit interconnecting said recording head and said ink supply source, such that the ink is supplied from said ink supply source to said recording head in an ink supplying direction; a movable body disposed in said ink supply conduit and movable in said ink supply conduit; a moving device configured to move said movable body in said ink supply conduit; a valve disposed in said ink supply conduit and configured to selectively open and close said ink supply conduit; and a control device configured to control said moving device, wherein said ink supply conduit includes a reduced-clearance defining portion in which a total clearance between said moveable body and an inner surface of said ink supply conduit, when the moveable body is positioned in said reduced-clearance defining portion, is smaller than a total clearance between said moveable body and an inner surface of said ink supply conduit, when the moveable body is positioned at a larger-clearance defining portion, said reduced-clearance defining portion being located on an upstream side of said valve in said ink supplying direction, and wherein said control device is configured to control said moving device, such that said movable body is moved from a first position located in said reduced-clearance defining portion, to a second position located in said reduced-clearance defining portion, while said valve opens said ink supply conduit, whereby the ink within said reduced-clearance defining portion is caused to flow, via said valve opening said ink supply conduit, toward said recording head, said second position being located on a downstream side of said first position in said ink supplying direction; wherein the moveable body is in direct contact with an inner surface of said ink supply conduit when the moveable body is in the first position, and the moveable body remains in direct contact with said inner surface as it is moved from the first position to the second position, and the moveable body remains in direct contact with said inner surface when it is in the second position; wherein the moveable body is a sphere.