Patent ID: 7011398

Claim:
An ink jet recording apparatus for recording by discharging an ink onto a recording medium to be recorded, said apparatus comprising: a first ink tank for containing a first ink; a second ink tank for containing a second ink different from the first ink; and a holder enabling said ink tanks to be loaded therein, wherein said ink tanks are provided with distinctions so that said holder is, though capable of being loaded with both of said first ink tank and said second ink tank in a state before loading said ink tanks into said holder, loaded with one of said ink tanks with the result that said other ink tank becomes unable to be loaded into said holder, and said holder is provided with movable type ribs corresponding to the distinctions of said ink tanks, and when said first ink tank or said second ink tank is loaded, said rib for an exclusive use of said loaded ink tank is fixed, and wherein said holder enables any one of said first ink tank and said second ink tank to be again used by canceling the fixation even after said movable type rib has been fixed.