Patent ID: 8353581

Claim:
An inkjet recording apparatus comprising: an ink tank that has an ink reservoir; a recording head that has an ink inlet connected to the ink reservoir; a box-shaped head holder on which the ink tank is mounted, the head holder holding the recording head; a discharge passage for discharging ink reserved in the ink reservoir or air separated from the ink, the discharge passage being opened through an openable and closable valve element to the outside; and a manipulation member that is provided outside the head holder and allows the valve element to be opened and closed, wherein the head holder has a bottom wall portion and a side wall portion that is erected around the bottom wall portion, wherein the recording head is fixed to the bottom wall portion, wherein the ink tank is fixed to the bottom wall portion or the recording head fixed to the bottom wall portion, wherein the head holder further comprises a discharge case that has at least a part of the discharge passage therein and that is formed integrally with the head holder to constitute a part of the side wall portion, wherein a part of the side wall portion constituting the discharge case extends parallel to the opening and closing manipulation directions and the discharge case has an opening portion formed on an upper end thereof, wherein the opening portion is connected to an introduction member communicating with an upper portion of the ink reservoir, wherein the valve element is held in the discharge case by the introduction member, wherein a second part of the discharge passage is formed from an upper portion of the ink tank to the discharge case, wherein the inkjet recording apparatus further comprises a flexible connection member that connects a downstream end of the second part of the discharge passage close to the ink tank to the introduction member such that the at least a part of the discharge passage formed in the discharge case communicates with the upper portion of the ink tank through the introduction member, the flexible connection member, and the second part of the discharge passage, and wherein the bottom wall portion is connected directly to the side wall portion.