Abstract: A printer is disclosed which comprises: (a) a pagewidth printhead assembly having a pagewidth printhead and a plurality of nozzles located along the printhead for delivering ink onto print media as it is transported past the printhead, and (b) a capping/purging mechanism having (i) a capping/purging member having a length corresponding substantially to that of the printhead, (ii) a first actuating mechanism arranged to move the printhead in a arcuate first direction from a first position to a second position and a third position, and (iii) a second actuating mechanism arranged to move the capping/purging member in an arcuate second direction opposite to that of the first direction to effect nozzle capping engagement of the printhead when it is in the second position and to permit purging of the nozzles when the printhead is in the third position. The capping/purging mechanism is also disclosed in relation to a printer having a printhead assembly with two pagewidth printheads.

Abstract: An inkjet recording device according to the present invention performs preliminary ejection, not at an interval of fixed time but at a time detected by the inkjet recording device, to reduce the number of preliminary ejection for high-quality image recording or to reduce the number of preliminary ejection and the required time for higher throughput and faster image recording. A setting data count unit 1009 counts the number of occurrences of consecutive count patterns predetermined for each nozzle block according to the count patterns that are set in a preliminary ejection setting unit 1008 and the analysis result of the command analysis unit 1003. A preliminary ejection control unit checks, for each block, if the count value has reached a predetermined value and, if the count value has reached the predetermined value in at least one block, starts preliminary ejection for the recording head.