Patent ID: 8147042

Claim:
An ink filling method for filling with ink each of a plurality of nozzle heads of an ink jet recorder comprising: a head unit including the plurality of nozzle heads; a main tank for storing ink; a distribution tank placed partway along an ink supply passage located between the main tank and each of the nozzle heads, the method comprising: a first step of opening an air discharge passage connected to the distribution tank to the atmosphere and enhancing the backing pressure of the main tank, thereby supplying ink from the main tank through the ink supply passage to an empty distribution tank, and filling the distribution tank with ink; a second step of making the air discharge passage closed to the atmosphere after the distribution tank is filled with ink; and a third step of sucking air from nozzle openings of each of empty nozzle heads, and filling each of the empty nozzle heads with the ink, wherein the backing pressure of the main tank is enhanced by raising the height of the main tank.