Patent ID: 8020981

Claim:
An inkjet recording apparatus comprising: an inkjet head for discharging ink to a recording medium; a head holder which is relatively movable with respect to the recording medium and holds the inkjet head; an ink tank which is mounted on the head holder for supplying the ink to the inkjet head, the ink tank having: an ink chamber for reserving the ink; a communicating path for communicating the ink chamber with atmosphere; and an exit valve to open and close the communicating path with respect to the atmosphere; an ink cartridge arranged below the ink tank for supplying the ink to the ink chamber through an ink supply channel; an operating member for opening and closing the exit valve by moving; a transfer device for transferring the ink from the ink cartridge to the ink chamber by applying a pressure to the ink; and a controller for performing controls of: moving the operating member to open the exit valve so that an atmosphere pressure affects an inside of the ink chamber and so that the ink in the ink chamber and the ink in the ink supply channel return to the ink cartridge through the ink supply channel; and then applying the pressure to the ink to fill the ink chamber with the ink from the ink cartridge through the ink supply channel.