Patent ID: 7121652

Claim:
An ink jet recording apparatus comprising: an ink jet recording head having nozzle orifices from which inkdrops are ejected; an ink storage unit for storing ink to be supplied to the recording head; an ink flow passage communicating the ink storage unit and the recording head; a valve unit for opening/closing the ink flow passage; a capping unit for sealing the nozzle orifices, provided with an air hole communicating with the atmosphere; an air valve for opening/closing the air hole; a suction pump for reducing pressure in an internal space of the capping unit to discharge inkdrops from the nozzles when the capping unit seals the nozzle orifices; and a control unit for controlling the valve unit, the capping unit and the suction pump in such order that: the suction pump decompresses the internal space of the capping unit under a condition that the valve unit closes the ink flow passage and the capping unit seals the nozzle orifice; and the valve unit opens the ink flow passage after a predetermined time period elapses wherein the air valve always closes the air hole while the suction pump decompresses the internal space of the capping unit.