Patent ID: 8226219

Claim:
A liquid-droplet ejecting apparatus comprising: a liquid ejecting head having an ejection opening from which a droplet of a liquid is ejected; a liquid supply passage through which the liquid is supplied to the liquid ejecting head; a first suction passage normally held in communication with the liquid supply passage; a sucking device which sucks a gas in the liquid supply passage via the first suction passage; a gas-permeable film disposed at a communication portion at which the liquid supply passage and the first suction passage communicate with each other, the gas-permeable film allowing the gas to pass therethrough but not allowing the liquid to pass therethrough; a gas tank which is disposed in a portion of the first suction passage between the sucking device and the liquid supply passage, and accommodates the gas to accumulate a suction pressure to suck the gas; and a check valve which is disposed in a portion of the first suction passage between the sucking device and the gas tank, and allows the gas to flow in a first direction from the liquid supply passage to the sucking device, but does not allow the gas to flow in a second direction opposite to the first direction, wherein the check valve includes a valve element movable between an opening position to open the first suction passage and a closing position to close the first suction passage, in accordance with a difference between a pressure acting from the side of the sucking device and a pressure acting from the side of the liquid supply passage.