Liquid injecting apparatus

A ink passage valve located in an ink passage that connects an ink cartridge to a recording head for stopping the supply of ink as required, the valve comprising:

• an elastic member having a groove;
• a film member that is airtightly applied to the elastic member to cover the groove, wherein the elastic member and the film member constitute a control passage that communicates with the ink passage;
• and
• a control member that contacts the film member and pushes the film member to the elastic member to close the control passage.

An inkjet recorder having a recording head injecting ink from a nozzle thereof, the ink being supplied from an ink cartridge to the recording head, a capping member for sealing the nozzle of the recording head and discharging the ink from the nozzle according to a negative pressure applied to the recording head, and an ink passage valve located in an ink supply passage extending from the ink cartridge to the recording head, the ink passage valve comprising:

• an elastic member having a groove;
• a film member that is airtightly applied to the elastic member to cover the groove, wherein the elastic member and the film member constitute a control passage that communicates with the ink passage;
• a control member that contacts the film member and pushes the film member to the elastic member to close the control passage;
• and
• an actuator that drives the control member;
• wherein, while the actuator closes the ink passage by driving the control member and while the capping member seals the nozzle of the recording head, the negative pressure is applied to the ink cartridge, and wherein, while the negative pressure is accumulated in the ink cartridge, the actuator drives the control member to open the control passage.

An inkjet recorder having a plurality of ink cartridges and a recording head, wherein the ink cartridges deliver ink to the recording head and the recording head injects ink from nozzles thereof, the recorder comprising:

• ink supply passages, each extending from one of the ink cartridges to the recording head;
• and
• ink passage valves each having an ink passage, wherein each passage valve corresponds to one of the ink cartridges, wherein each ink passage valve comprises:
• an elastic member having groove;
• a film member that is airtightly applied to the elastic member to cover the groove, wherein the elastic member and the film member constitute control passage that communicate with the ink passage;
• and
• a control member that contacts the film member and pushes the film member to the elastic member to close the control passage;
• wherein the ink passage valves operate simultaneously.

An inkjet recorder having a plurality of ink cartridges and a recording head, wherein the ink cartridges deliver ink to the recording head and the recording head injects ink from nozzles thereof, the recorder comprising:

• ink supply passages each extending from one of the ink cartridges to the recording head;
• and
• ink passage valves, wherein each passage valve has an ink passage that corresponds to one of the ink cartridges, wherein each ink passage valve comprises:
• an elastic member having a groove;
• a film member that is airtightly applied to the elastic member to cover the groove, wherein the elastic member and the film member constitute a control passage that communicates with the ink passage;
• and
• a control member that contacts the film member and pushes the film member to the elastic member to close the control passage;
• wherein, when the recording head is cleaned, at least one of the ink passages is selected and the associated ink passage valve selectively opens and closes the selected ink passage and the remaining ink passages are remained closed.