1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus, and more particularly, to the structure of an inkjet recording apparatus which achieves a reduction in size of the whole apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, inkjet recording apparatuses (inkjet printers) have become widely used as recording apparatuses which print and record images that have been captured by a digital still camera, and the like. The inkjet recording apparatus has a plurality of nozzles in a head, and records a prescribed image on the recording medium by ejecting ink droplets onto the recording medium from the nozzles. In many cases, inkjet recording apparatuses are situated on the same desk as other equipment, such as a personal computer, a scanner, a digital camera, and the like, and there are cases where these items of equipment are disposed in a stacked fashion in order that a plurality of items can be arranged compactly on one desk. Therefore, it has been sought in the inkjet recording apparatus to reduce the installation space by reducing the overall size of apparatuses and making them thinner in shape, as well as seeking to improve operability and maintenance characteristics by using a common surface of the apparatus for operations such as switching the power on and off, and maintenance tasks, such as supplying paper or replacing the ink.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-338383 discloses that the overall size of an inkjet recording apparatus is made more compact by simplifying the structure of an ink supply system inside the apparatus, by adopting a method for supplying ink by connecting an ink cartridge to the recording head only when necessary. However, since a paper supply cassette is mounted on the rear side of the apparatus, then it is difficult to reduce the size of the apparatus in the depth direction, and a space for detaching and attaching the paper supply cassette must be left on the rear side of the apparatus. Therefore, it is not possible to reduce the installation surface area of the apparatus. Furthermore, this apparatus also has a structure in which the ink cartridges are inserted and removed via a side face, and therefore it is also necessary to leave space for inserting and removing ink cartridges, on the side face also.
Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 2003-200597 and 2003-200598 disclose an inkjet recording apparatus having a structure in which the operations of replacing an ink supply body, supplying paper, and outputting paper, can be carried out from the front face side of the apparatus. However, it is necessary to leave space for installing the ink cartridge in the carriage, and hence the carriage increases in size. In a mode which uses a vertical type ink cartridge as shown in FIG. 16 of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-200597 and FIG. 27 of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-200598, it is difficult make the apparatus compact in the height direction.
If the ink cartridge is not mounted on the carriage, then it is necessary to have tubing for connecting the ink cartridge with the recording head (carriage), and it is necessary to provide space for accommodating this tubing inside the apparatus. Since this tubing has a length which corresponds to the dimension of the recording head in the scanning direction (breadthways direction), then it is difficult to reduce the dimension of the apparatus in the breadthways direction.