Recording head and inkjet recording apparatus

#This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-282344 filed Sep. 28, 2005 in the Japan Patent Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

#This invention relates to a recording head which ejects ink from ejection nozzles and performs image recording on a recording medium. The present invention also relates to an inkjet recording apparatus including such recording head.

#As the above-described inkjet apparatus, inkjet recording apparatus having a function, wherein air entered an ink supply path, connecting an ink tank and ejection nozzles, is removed, have been conventionally known. Especially among such inkjet recording apparatus, there are inkjet apparatus including an ink supply path, wherein a sectional area of the upper portion of the path is larger than that of the lower portion. In this kind of inkjet recording apparatus, the flow speed of ink in the upper portion of the ink supply path is relatively low, and air (air bubbles) do not easily move from the upper portion of the path to the lower portion.

#The invention will now be described below, by way of an example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overall structure of a preferable inkjet recording apparatus for applying the present invention thereto;

#FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

#[Description of Overall Structure of Inkjet Recording Apparatus]

#An inkjet recording apparatus 1 is a so-called multifunction device (MFD) including a printer function, a copier function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function. A sheet of paper, a plastic film, or the like is used as a recording medium. The inkjet recording apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment can perform monochrome image recording when the apparatus 1 functions as a facsimile. The inkjet recording apparatus 1 can perform color and monochrome image recording when the apparatus 1 functions as a printer and a copier.

#As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inkjet recording apparatus 1 includes a scanner 2, a recording unit 7, and a paper feed device 30. The scanner 2 is disposed on a case 1a. The recording unit 7 is disposed under the scanner 2 (in the upper portion in the case 1a) so as to perform recording (image formation) on to a recording paper 40. The paper feed device 30 is disposed in the lower portion inside of the case 1a.