Patent ID: 6846062

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; 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 to perform a normal operation of cleaning after an initial filling operation of the ink jet recording head, 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 the suction pump stops decompressing the internal space of the capping unit.