Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a wiper and a head mounting member. The recording head is provided with a nozzle area where a number of ink ejection ports are opened downward. The wiper is configured to move in a wiping direction while coming into contact with the nozzle area to wipe the nozzle area. The head mounting member is provided on a side surface of the recording head in the wiping direction. The surface of the head mounting member has water repellency higher than the side surface of the recording head. A recess portion and a protrusion are alternatively provided in a lower end portion of the head mounting member.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes an ink collection tray and a cleaning liquid feeding mechanism. When recovery operation for a recording head that ejects ink onto a recording medium is performed, the ink collection tray is disposed opposite the recording head to collect ink pushed out onto the ink ejection surface of the recording head. The cleaning liquid feeding mechanism feeds a cleaning liquid for flushing off the ink onto the ink collection tray. The ink collection tray has a waste ink catching portion disposed opposite the ink ejection surface and a waste ink discharge portion disposed adjacent to the waste ink catching portion, and has a downward slope from the waste ink catching portion toward the waste ink discharge portion. The waste ink catching portion has formed in it a plurality of grooves with a V-shaped cross section extending along the downward slope.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes an ink collection tray and a cleaning liquid feeding mechanism. The ink collection tray is disposed opposite the recording head to collect ink pushed out onto the ink ejection surface of the recording head. The cleaning liquid feeding mechanism feeds a cleaning liquid onto the ink collection tray. The ink collection tray has a cleaning liquid catching portion, a cleaning liquid spreading portion, a waste ink catching portion, and a waste ink discharge portion, and has a downward slope from the cleaning liquid catching portion toward the waste ink discharge portion. The waste ink catching portion has formed in it a plurality of grooves with a V-shaped cross section extending along the downward slope. The cleaning liquid spreading portion has formed on it a pair of ribs that spreads in a fan shape from the cleaning liquid catching portion toward the waste ink catching portion.

Abstract: A liquid supply device includes a flow pass, a pump, and an opening/closing device. The pump supplies a liquid to the flow pass. The opening/closing device opens and closes the flow pass. The flow pass includes a plurality of distribution flow passes provided in parallel between the pump and the opening/closing device. Each of the distribution flow passes includes a blanch flow pass, a filter, and a check valve. The branch flow pass is branched from the distribution flow pass. The filter filters the liquid flowing in the distribution flow pass. The check valve is provided on a downstream side of the filter. In each of the distribution flow passes, a flow resistance of the filter is larger than a release pressure of the check valve and a flow resistance of the distribution flow pass when the flow pass is opened by the opening/closing device.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus includes: an ink-jet head with a nozzle plate; a blade that wipes the nozzle plate; a supply member provided upstream of the nozzle plate in a direction of wiping and capable of supplying a cleaning liquid to the blade upon contact with the blade; a link member that supports the supply member and rocks about a shaft below the supply member; a biasing member that biases the link member upstream in the wiping direction; and a pressing portion provided in conjunction with the ink-jet head and facing the supply member. While the ink-jet head is moved up, the supply member is kept away from the nozzle plate upstream in the wiping direction. When the ink-jet head moves down, the pressing portion presses down the supply member against a biasing force of the biasing member and, thus, the supply member moves downstream in the wiping direction.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a blade, a first supply member, and a second supply member. The blade performs a wiping operation along a nozzle surface of an inkjet head. The first supply member is provided on a rear side of the nozzle surface in a moving direction in the wiping operation, and supplies a cleaning liquid to the blade. The second supply member is provided on a front side of the nozzle surface in the moving direction in the wiping operation, and supplies the cleaning liquid to the blade.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a blade, a protruding member, a holder, a first biasing member, a supply member, and a second biasing member. The protruding member is provided integrally with the blade, and protrudes toward an inkjet head. The holder supports the protruding member and the blade. The first biasing member biases the protruding member and the blade toward the inkjet head around the shaft portion. The supply member is provided on a rear side of the nozzle surface in the moving direction, and is in contact with a tip end portion of the blade so that a cleaning liquid is supplied to the blade. The second biasing member biases the supply member toward the inkjet head. The blade is not in contact with the supply member when the protruding member and the supply member are not pushed from a side of the inkjet head.

Abstract: An inkjet includes a head unit, a blade, and a cleaning liquid supply member. The head unit is provided with a nozzle surface, and supported to be lifted and lowered. The blade is in contact with the nozzle surface and moves in a predetermined moving direction to wipe off the nozzle surface. The cleaning liquid supply member stores a cleaning liquid, and supplies the cleaning liquid between a moving start position of the blade and the nozzle surface. The cleaning liquid supply member has a plurality of supply ports provided between the moving start position of the blade and the nozzle surface. When a direction crossing to the moving direction is defined as a width direction, a width of the blade is set to “a”, and a width of a region where the supply ports are formed is set to “b”, then the next formula is established, a?b.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a recording head, a blade, and a cleaning liquid dispensing unit. The recording head includes a nozzle surface including a plurality of nozzles each having an ink outlet oriented downward, and is supported so as to move in an up-down direction. The blade wipes the nozzle surface, by moving in a predetermined moving direction in contact with the nozzle surface. The cleaning liquid dispensing unit stores therein cleaning liquid supplied from a cleaning liquid supply source, and supplies the cleaning liquid between a travel start position of the blade and the nozzle surface. The cleaning liquid dispensing unit includes a receptacle in which the cleaning liquid that has been supplied is stored, the receptacle having a top face open upward.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a blade and a receiving member. The blade slides in a predetermined traveling direction along a nozzle surface of an inkjet head in a state where a tip end portion is pressed against the nozzle surface. The receiving member is provided at a sliding end position of the blade and receiving a waste liquid discharged from the blade.

Abstract: A liquid supply mechanism includes a tank configured to store liquid, a supply passage having an end connected to the tank so as to allow the liquid to flow, and an ejection member disposed on the supply passage so as to eject the liquid. The ejection member includes a filter, a check valve, and an ejection passage. The filter has a predetermined passage resistance to the passing liquid. The check valve is opened at a predetermined opening pressure for the passing liquid. The ejection passage allows the liquid to flow when the check valve is opened and ejects the liquid from an ejection port formed at a tip thereof. A pressure decompressed by the passage resistance of the filter is larger than the opening pressure of the check valve.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes an inkjet head, a supply path, a blade, and a cleaning liquid supply member. The inkjet head is provided with a nozzle surface on which ink ejection ports of a plurality of nozzles are opened downward. Through the supply path, a cleaning liquid is supplied. The blade is movable in contact with the nozzle surface. The cleaning liquid supply member supplies the cleaning liquid supplied through the supply path to at least one of the nozzle surface and the blade. The cleaning liquid supply member has at least one supply hole through which the cleaning liquid is supplied, and the supply path has a supply part inserted into the supply hole.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an inkjet head, a blade and a cleaning liquid supply member. The inkjet head is provided with a nozzle surface on which ink ejection ports of a plurality of nozzles are opened. The blade is movable in contact with the nozzle surface. The cleaning liquid supply member supplies a cleaning liquid to at least one of the nozzle surface and the blade. The cleaning liquid supply member has a lower surface. On the lower surface, an opening through which the cleaning liquid is discharged and a protrusion with which the cleaning liquid discharged through the opening can be in contact are formed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an inkjet head, a blade and a cleaning liquid supply member. The inkjet head is provided with a nozzle surface on which ink ejection ports of a plurality of nozzles are opened. The blade is movable in contact with the nozzle surface. The cleaning liquid supply member supplies a cleaning liquid to at least one of the nozzle surface and the blade. The cleaning liquid supply member includes a supply hole through which the cleaning liquid is discharged, and a mesh member provided inside an opening of the supply hole and having a mesh size smaller than the opening.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head and a wiper. The recording head is provided with a nozzle region where a plurality of ink ejection ports are opened downward. The wiper comes into contact with the nozzle region and moves in a predetermined direction to wipe the ink ejection ports. A head mounting part protruding outward is provided along the wiping direction on a side surface of the recording head at a position higher than the nozzle region. The head mounting part has: an outside portion having a water repellency higher than that of the side surface; and an inside portion provided inside the outside portion and having a water repellency smaller than that of the outside portion.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a holder, a blade and a biasing member. The holder faces a nozzle surface of an inkjet head and moves in a predetermined traveling direction along the nozzle surface. The blade is provided in the holder and swung about a shaft crossing the traveling direction. The biasing member is provided in the holder and biasing the blade in a direction in which a tip end portion of the blade is pressed against the nozzle surface.

Abstract: A recording head includes an ink ejection portion and an ink holding portion. The ink holding portion includes a sheet portion and a holding portion. The sheet portion has an upper end side fixed to the ink ejection portion and a lower end side movable in a direction of coming closer to or separating away from a side surface of the ink ejection portion. The holding portion is located at a lower end portion of the sheet portion on the ink ejection portion side, is disposed to come into contact with or close to the side surface of the ink ejection portion, and is configured to hold an ink in an adjacent region with respect to the ink ejection portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a wiper and a head mounting member. The recording head is provided with a nozzle area where a number of ink ejection ports are opened downward. The wiper is configured to move in a wiping direction while coming into contact with the nozzle area to wipe the nozzle area. The head mounting member is provided on a side surface of the recording head in the wiping direction. The surface of the head mounting member has water repellency higher than the side surface of the recording head. A recess portion and a protrusion are alternatively provided in a lower end portion of the head mounting member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head and a wiper. The recording head is provided with a nozzle region where a plurality of ink ejection ports are opened downward. The wiper comes into contact with the nozzle region and moves in a predetermined direction to wipe the ink ejection ports. A head mounting part protruding outward is provided along the wiping direction on a side surface of the recording head at a position higher than the nozzle region. The head mounting part has: an outside portion having a water repellency higher than that of the side surface; and an inside portion provided inside the outside portion and having a water repellency smaller than that of the outside portion.

Abstract: The inkjet recording apparatus includes a conveyance belt, a conveyance plate, a suction unit, an inkjet head, and a cleaning unit. The conveyance belt has a plurality of through holes. The conveyance plate includes a plurality of through holes formed in bottom portions of the plurality of recessed portions. The suction unit is configured to suck the sheet to the conveyance belt. The inkjet head includes a head main body and a head end portion adjacent to the head main body, and faces an upper surface of the conveyance plate via the conveyance belt. The cleaning unit removes ink adhering to a lower surface of the head main body. A depth of the recessed portion in a facing region facing the head end portion of the conveyance plate is shallower than a depth of the recessed portion in a region other than the facing region.