| CPC B41J 2/17506 (2013.01) | 2 Claims |
|
1. A printing apparatus, comprising:
a white drum tank configured to store a white ink;
a white buffer tank configured to store the white ink replenished from the white drum tank;
a white head unit configured to print a white image by discharging the white ink supplied from the white buffer tank to a recording surface of a printing medium; and
a white ink circulator configured to circulate the white ink between the white drum tank and the white buffer tank in a non-replenishment time during which the white ink is not replenished;
a white replenishment pipe having a first end disposed at the white drum tank and a second end disposed at the white buffer tank to allow the white ink to flow from the white drum tank to the white buffer tank;
a white feeding pump disposed in the white replenishment pipe for feeding the white ink stored in the white drum tank to the white buffer tank through the white replenishment pipe; and
a circulation/replenishment switcher,
wherein the white ink circulator includes a branch pipe that branches off a branching point on the white replenishment pipe and extends to the white drum tank, the branching point being located between the white feeding pump and the second end of the white replenishment pipe, and
wherein the circulation/replenishment switcher includes a first valve disposed between the branching point and the second end and is configured to open and close the first valve to switch between an ink circulation operation of returning the white ink fed from the white feeding pump to the white drum tank through the branch pipe and an ink replenishment operation of feeding the white ink fed from the white feeding pump to the white buffer tank through the white replenishment pipe.
|