Patent ID: 7425060

Claim:
A sealing mechanism for an ink channel which connects a container storing an ink liquid and at least one ink head for spouting the ink liquid, said sealing mechanism comprising: an ink channel switching section which is disposed in the ink channel and which opens and seals the ink channel; an ink inflow section, tilted at an oblique angle along an ascending gradient direction with respect to the ink channel switching section, disposed on an upstream side of the ink channel switching section in the ink channel; and an introducing section, having a tilt surface formed at an oblique angle along an ascending gradient direction towards the ink channel switching section, disposed on a downstream side of the ink channel switching section in the ink channel; wherein the ink channel switching section carries out a parallel process of introducing at least one of air inside the ink channel and air inside the ink head to the upstream side of the ink channel and sending the ink liquid to the ink head only by the action of gravity on the ink liquid in the container, when the ink channel is opened.