Abstract: An inkjet printer having a two-stage capping mechanism for a pagewidth printhead is disclosed. The printhead has a plurality of nozzles located along the printhead and they are arranged to deliver ink onto print media which, in use, is transported past the printhead. The capping mechanism incorporates a capping member which has a length corresponding substantially to that of the printhead and which is configured to contact the printhead in nozzle capping engagement. A pivotal carrier supports the capping member. An actuating mechanism is provided and arranged to effect pivotal movement of the carrier back and forth between a first position at which the capping member is located remotely with respect to the printhead and a second position at which the capping member is located in contact with the printhead.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a method of controlling a driving of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes an ink cartridge including a plurality of printheads which form an image on a printing material, a capping unit movable between a first position to cover the printheads and a second position which is located away from the printheads, a wiping unit which moves in a direction of printing material conveyance, and wipes the printheads, and a cleaning member provided in the capping unit to clean an ink of the wiping unit.

Abstract: In a liquid discharging apparatus for discharging droplets from a liquid discharge nozzle to a discharge object to be discharged and in a method for controlling the liquid discharging apparatus, cleaning effects for the ink discharge nozzle and the adjacent areas can be enhanced, and the time required for a series of performance maintaining operations can be reduced. The apparatus includes a platen plate for supporting recording paper as the discharge object, defining a positional relationship between the discharge object and the liquid discharge head, and receiving the droplets discharged from the liquid discharge head. Ink droplets are preliminarily discharged from the ink discharge nozzle to the platen plate.

Abstract: A head cartridge and a liquid ejection apparatus are provided in which cleaning performance of cleaning means is improved using a liquid absorbing force of a wiping member produced along with restoration of temporarily increased elastic displacement of the wiping member. An elastic displacement h (height of a projection) of a cleaning roller temporarily produced by the projection arranged at a position in the foreground of ink ejection nozzles in the cleaning direction of a nozzle surface is established to satisfy the following condition: h>(Vu/Vr)(L+n/2??/2), where the restoring speed of the elastic deformation of the cleaning roller is denoted as Vu; the moving speed of the cleaning roller is denoted as Vr; the movement distance of the cleaning roller from a restoring initiation point of the elastic deformation to the center of the liquid ejection nozzles is L; the contact width between the cleaning roller and the nozzle surface is n; and the diameter of the ink ejection nozzle is ?.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus comprises: a line type recording head in which a plurality of nozzles ejecting ink are arranged through a length corresponding to a full width of a recording medium; a recording medium conveyance device which supports and conveys the recording medium in a direction of conveyance of the recording medium and causes the recording head and the recording medium to move relatively to each other, the recording medium conveyance device including a medium supporting part which supports the recording medium, a plurality of opening sections being formed in the medium supporting part, the plurality of opening sections being arranged in a staggered matrix in such a manner that at least one of the plurality of opening sections is present throughout a whole width of a nozzle region of the recording head when the plurality of opening sections are projected so as to be aligned in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of conveyance of the recording medium; an ejection control device

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 one printhead, and (b) a capping mechanism having—(i) a capping 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 to a second position and (iii) a second actuating mechanism arranged to move the capping member in an arcuate second direction opposite to that of the first direction to effect nozzle capping engagement of the at least one printhead when the printhead is in the second position. The capping mechanism is also disclosed in relation to a printer having a printhead assembly with two pagewidth printheads.

Abstract: A modular printhead assembly includes an elongate support structure. An ink feed member is mounted on the support structure. The feed member defines a number of ink channels, the ink channels extending in the direction of the support structure and being in fluid communication with an ink supply, the ink feed member having a plurality of outlet openings from which ink can be fed. A plurality of printhead modules is mounted, in a releasable manner, on the support structure to be positioned along a length of the ink feed member. Each printhead module has an ink delivery assembly that defines a mounting formation for an elongate printhead integrated circuit and a plurality of ink inlets in fluid communication with respective outlet openings of the ink feed member and an elongate printhead integrated circuit mounted in said mounting formation.

Abstract: A printer is disclosed which comprises: (a) a pagewidth printhead assembly having a single 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 member associated with the printhead, the capping member having a length corresponding substantially to that of the printhead and being located in a non-capping first position adjacent the printhead, (ii) purging means associated with the capping member and arranged to receive material that is purged from the nozzle environment of the printhead, and (iii) an actuating mechanism arranged to effect transitioning of the capping member from the first position to a second position at which the capping member is located in nozzle capping engagement with the printhead.

Abstract: A print engine assembly includes an elongate chassis that defines a channel and a slot. A printhead assembly is fast with respect to the chassis and is configured to print upon print media fed through the chassis. A pair of bearing moldings is located within the channel and mounted on respective, opposite ends of the chassis. A print media feed mechanism is mounted between the bearing moldings and is arranged to feed the print media through the chassis in register with the printhead assembly and out through the slot.

Abstract: An ink jet printhead has a number of printhead chips (10). Each printhead chip (10) has a wafer substrate (16). A plurality of nozzle arrangements (10) is positioned on the wafer substrate. Each nozzle arrangement (22) has nozzle chamber walls and a roof wall that define a nozzle chamber (34) and a nozzle opening (24) in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber. An actuator (28) is operatively arranged with respect to each nozzle arrangement (10) to eject ink from the nozzle chamber through the nozzle opening. A nozzle guard (80) is positioned over the printhead chip. The nozzle guard has a support structure (86) and a planar cover member (82). The planar cover member is positioned on the support structure. The planar cover member defines a plurality of passages (84). Each passage (84) is in register with a respective nozzle opening (24). The planar cover member (82) is less than 300 microns thick.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes: a slider 30 movable back and forth with respect to a fixed base 4 disposed near a home position of an ink cartridge 10; a cap 20 which is attached to the upper part of the slider 30, formed of an elastic member that is opened on its upper end portion 21 so as to cover the head surface 11 of the ink cartridge 10, narrowed at the middle portion 22, and widened toward the lower end portion 23; and a cam mechanism 5 which changes the pressure inside the cap 20 from a positively pressurized status into a negatively pressurized status when the ink cartridge 10 moves within the home position, and at a standby state, maintains the negatively pressurized status so that the cap 20 adsorbs to the head surface 11.

Abstract: An inkjet printer is disclosed in which a protector is provided for a capping facility for a printhead within the printer. The protector comprises a covering member which is arranged to engage with the capping facility during intervals when the capping facility is not engaged with the printhead, whereby the capping member is protected against loss of contained moisture and ingress of contaminating material. In one of its embodiments the printer has a protector for a capping facility in the form of a capping mechanism for a printhead having a plurality of ink-delivery nozzles.

Abstract: A maintenance mechanism for an ink jet printer is configured in such a manner that a claw member (7) for locking a slide member (6) during wiping operation is swingably supported on a base member (5) which is fixed to an apparatus body so that the claw member (7) does not move to the left and right, and the claw member (7) is forced downward by guided projecting parts (6a) provided on the slide member (6) during a print job so that the claw member (7) does not interfere with a carriage (2) which moves back and forth along a main scanning direction across a printing area.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a carriage on which first and second heads are mounted, a first cap configured to cap the first head, and a second cap configured to cap the second head. A distance from the first cap to the first head is shorter than a distance from the second cap to the second head. The carriage stops at a first capping position where capping is performed only with the first cap and a second capping position where capping is performed with both the first cap and the second cap.

Abstract: A cap member for covering a plurality of nozzle arrays disposed in a nozzle plate of a liquid ejecting head includes a first lip, at least one second lip, and a main body. The first lip has an annular shape and is configured to abut against the nozzle plate to enclose the plurality of nozzle arrays. At least one second lip has an annular shape, is disposed within the annular first lip, and is configured to abut against the nozzle plate to enclose at least one of the plurality of nozzle arrays separately from the first lip. The first lip and the at least one second lip are disposed on the main body. The main body is configured to cooperate with the first lip and the at least one second lip to make sealing contact with the nozzle plate.

Abstract: An imaging device is disclosed that includes a drum platen having a recess. A loading mechanism for loading an absorber into the recess and a pen is configured to eject ink on the absorber while the absorber is in the recess.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a recording head, a spacer, a wiping member, a first ink absorbing member, and an ink releasing member. The recording head includes an ejection surface in which a plurality of ejection ports for ejecting ink are defined. The ejection surface faces a medium transport path. The spacer is disposed in a periphery of the recording head and includes a facing surface, which faces the medium transport path. The wiping member wipes the ejection surface. The first ink absorbing member that is disposed a gap between the ejection surface and the spacer and absorbs ink flowing into the gap between the recording head and the spacer when the wiping member wipes the ejection surface. The ink releasing member is connected to the first ink absorbing member and discharges the ink absorbed by the first ink absorbing member from the gap between the ejection surface and the spacer.

Abstract: A wiping apparatus has a cover box which covers at least a feeding reel, a take-up reel, a wiping member and a spray head, as well as a sheet-feeding passage for the wiping sheet. The passage extends from the feeding reel to the take-up reel. The cover box has formed therein a member opening through which the wiping member protrudes.

Abstract: There is provided an inkjet printing device, which is provided with an inkjet head and an ejection restoring system configured to restore ejection performance of the inkjet head. The ejection restoring system includes a wiping member used to wipe residual ink off a nozzle surface of the inkjet head, a wiper driving system that moves the wiping member relative to the nozzle surface, and a wiper maintenance unit that removes ink adhered to the wiping member. The wiper maintenance unit includes a cassette having an absorbent member therein. The absorbent member absorbs ink adhered to the wiping member. The wiper maintenance unit further includes a cassette holder to which the cassette is detachably attached.

Abstract: An inkjet printer comprising a printhead assembly is provided. The printhead assembly comprises a printhead module configured for ejecting ink in a first direction and a capping device. The capping device is reciprocally movable between an open position in which the printhead module may eject ink onto a print medium, and a closed position in which a blocking part of the capping device blocks the printhead module from ejecting ink onto a print medium. The capping device comprises a first surface for engagement with a second surface of the assembly, the first and second surfaces being configured to move the blocking part of the capping device away from the printhead module in the first direction during movement from the open to the closed position.

Abstract: A printhead assembly includes elongate, printhead integrated circuits having a plurality of micro-electromechanical ink ejection mechanisms configured to eject ink. An ink distribution assembly, to which the, or each, printhead integrated circuit can be mounted, defines a plurality of converging ink passages in fluid communication with respective ink ejection mechanisms. An ink reservoir is mounted to the ink distribution assembly and defines a plurality of parallel ink channels in fluid communication with respective groups of the passages, such that inks can be fed from the channels to respective groups of the ink ejection mechanisms.

Abstract: A maintenance mechanism includes: a carriage 22 capable of performing reciprocating movement along a line parallel to an ink discharging surface 4a; and a purge sheet 21 attached to the carriage 22 and capable of being located, depending on the carriage 22 position, in a purge position opposing the ink discharging surface 4a and a printing position not opposing the ink discharging surface 4a. When being in the purge position, the purge sheet 21 has such a shape that allows ink discharged from the ink discharging surface 4a and adhered to the purge sheet. 21 to move, owing to gravity, toward the center of the purge sheet 21 with respect to the width direction of the purge sheet 21 which is perpendicular to the traveling direction of the carriage 22.

Abstract: A printer comprising: (a) a pagewidth printhead assembly having— (i) a single pagewidth printhead and (ii) a plurality of nozzles located along the printhead and arranged in use to deliver ink onto print media as it is transported past the printhead, and (b) a capping mechanism having— (i) a capping member having a length corresponding substantially to that of the printhead and located in a non-capping first position spaced-apart from but confronting the printhead, and (ii) a motor drive arranged for camming engagement with the capping member to effect its linear transitioning from the first position to a second position at which the capping member is located in nozzle capping engagement with the printhead.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus, including: (1) a recording head to eject ink which is hardened by irradiation of ultraviolet rays; (2) an ultraviolet ray irradiation section to harden the ink ejected from the recording head; and (3) a recording head maintenance device, including, (3-1) a maintenance section for carrying out maintenance of the recording head; (3-2) a coupling section to make the recording head maintenance device to come into close contact with the recording head; and (3-3) a cover section to cover the maintenance section, on which an opening section is formed to make the coupling section to project beyond the maintenance unit cover, including a light shield section to shield the coupling section from the ultraviolet rays emerging from the ultraviolet ray irradiation section.

Abstract: A printer is disclosed which has: (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 associated with the printhead.

Abstract: An inkjet recording device includes a recording head and a cap placed in tight contact with a nozzle forming surface for defining a sealed space. A head moving mechanism moves the recording head along a direction in which the nozzle forming surface is extended, toward or separately from a contact position at which the cap is placed in tight contact with the recording head. A cap moving mechanism moves the cap toward or separately from the contact position at which the cap is placed in tight contact with the nozzle forming surface. A cap holding mechanism including a slider holds the cap such that the cap is allowed to slide along a moving direction of the recording head and positions the cap at the contact position.

Abstract: A capping mechanism is disclosed for a pagewidth printhead having a plurality of nozzles located along the printhead and arranged to deliver ink onto print media which, in use, is transported past the printhead. The capping mechanism incorporates a capping member which has a length corresponding substantially to that of the printhead and which is configured to contact the printhead in nozzle capping engagement, and a pivotal carrier supporting the capping member. An actuating mechanism is provided and arranged to effect pivotal movement of the carrier back and forth between a first position at which the capping member is located remotely with respect to the printhead and a second position at which the capping member is located in contact with the printhead.

Abstract: On detecting an operation instruction for interrupting a power supply, a maintenance mechanism and an ink head are moved with respect to each other in such a manner that the maintenance mechanism is disposed facing the ink head, and thereafter a power supplied to main body of an image forming apparatus is interrupted in a state in which droplets of ink liquids are received by a container of droplet receiving.

Abstract: Embodiments of a cleaner are disclosed.

Abstract: A printer is disclosed which has— (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 mechanism associated with the printhead. The capping mechanism comprises— i) a capping member formed from a flexible sheet-like material which has a width corresponding substantially to the length of the printhead, and ii) an actuating mechanism arranged to position the capping member in nozzle capping engagement with the printhead. Also disclosed is a printer having a printhead assembly that incorporates two pagewidth printheads between which the capping member is in use located.

Abstract: A printer is disclosed which comprises: (a) a pagewidth printhead assembly having two offset pagewidth printheads and a plurality of nozzles located along each of the printheads for delivering ink onto print media as it is transported past the printheads, and (b) a capping mechanism having (i) a capping member associated with each of the printheads, the capping members having lengths corresponding substantially to those of the printheads and each said capping member being moveable between a non-capping first position and a second position at which the capping member is located in nozzle capping engagement with the associated printhead, and (ii) an actuating mechanism associated with each of the capping members and arranged to effect transitioning of each of the capping members from its first position to its second position.

Abstract: To prevent ink adhesion to a conduit connecting portion after removing an ink tank, there is provided an ink jet recording apparatus including a recording head for jetting ink onto a recording medium; an ink tank for storing ink; an ink tank housing section for attachably and detachably housing the ink tank; a conduit section for supplying ink from the ink tank to a recording head, the conduit section including a conduit connecting portion for connecting with a joint section to the ink tank; and an ink removing device having a removing member for removing ink adhering to a tip end of the conduit connecting portion when the ink tank has been parted from the conduit connecting portion.

Abstract: A printer is disclosed which comprises: (a) a pagewidth printhead assembly having two opposed pagewidth printheads and a plurality of nozzles located along each of the printheads for delivering ink onto print media as it is transported past the printheads, and (b) a capping mechanism having (i) a capping member located adjacent the printheads and having a length corresponding substantially to that of the printheads, (ii) a first actuating mechanism arranged to effect relative movement of the printheads from a printing first position to a spaced-apart second position and (iii) a second actuating mechanism arranged to interpose the capping member between the printheads to effect nozzle capping engagement of the two printheads when the printheads are in the second position.

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 apparatus is capable of securely cleaning foreign matter, such as ink, attached to a discharge port surface with good efficiency, even in the case of a broad discharge port surface such as in a full-line type apparatus, and capable of preventing a discharge defect of the ink or deviation in a discharge direction, so as to perform satisfactory recording. The apparatus includes: an absorbing roller, formed of a rotatable roller-shaped porous absorbing material, for wiping/removing foreign matter, such as ink, attached to a discharge port surface, and wipers, formed of plate-shaped rubber-like elastic materials, for sweeping/removing the foreign matter attached to the discharge port surface. The absorbing roller is moved ahead when both the absorbing roller and the wiper are brought into contact with the discharge port surface and moved in an arrangement direction of discharge ports along the discharge port surface.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a recording head, a conveyance mechanism, a shutter, a storage portion, and a moving mechanism. The recording head includes an ejection surface in which an ejection port for ejecting ink is defined. The conveyance mechanism conveys a printing medium while the printing medium is facing the ejection surface. The shutter covers the ejection surface. The storage portion stores the shutter. The moving mechanism moves the shutter from the storage portion to a facing position while the shutter is separate from the ejection surface. The shutter faces and covers the ejection surface at the facing position.

Abstract: A protector is provided for a capping facility for a printhead. The protector comprises a covering member which is arranged to engage with the capping facility during intervals when the capping facility is not engaged with the printhead, whereby the capping facility is protected against loss of moisture and/or ingress of contaminating material. In one of its possible forms, the protector is provided for a capping facility in the form of a capping mechanism for a printhead having a plurality of ink-delivery nozzles.

Abstract: A printer includes a cleaning mechanism that reliably performs an operation of cleaning a liquid ejecting head with a small amount of driving energy. The cleaning mechanism includes a cap manufactured by coinjection molding of a core part and an elastic part. The cap includes a bottom surface, an outer wall, and a partition wall dividing a cap inner space surrounded by the outer wall into two. A ratio of the elastic part in the partition wall is higher than that in the outer wall. With this structure, the partition wall is more elastically deformable than the outer wall. When the cap comes into contact with a nozzle surface of a recording head and covers nozzle rows, the outer wall comes into contact with the nozzle surface with a larger stress compared with the partition wall, and seals chambers where the nozzle rows on the nozzle surface are exposed.

Abstract: Line heads are arranged along the transfer direction of a recording medium. Each line head has a nozzle surface in which nozzles are provided over a width direction of the recording medium. Purge units each corresponding to one of the line heads are arranged along the transfer direction of the recording medium at positions which deviate from the recording medium in the width direction. Each purge unit cleans the nozzle surface of a corresponding one of the line heads.

Abstract: The inkjet recording apparatus comprises: a recording head including nozzles which discharge ink droplets onto a recording medium for printing; a computing device which computes a non-operational time period for one of the nozzles; a calculating device which calculates a predicted non-operational time period until a next operation of the one of the nozzles; and a preliminary discharge control device which performs control whereby preliminary discharge of the one of the nozzles is carried out if a total of the non-operational time period and the predicted non-operational time period exceeds a reference time period.

Abstract: An inkjet imaging device is provide with a recording head that ejects ink toward a recording medium, a maintenance system that performs a recovery procedure consisting of a plurality of operations which include (1) a purging operation to remove ink from the recording head and (2) a wiping operation to wipe out the ink adhered oh a nozzle surface of the recording head after the purging operation is executed, a determining system that determines whether a currently executed operation of the recovery procedure can be interrupted when interruption of the currently executed recovery procedure is instructed, and an interrupting system that interrupts the recovery procedure when the determining system determines that the currently executed operation of the recovery procedure can be interrupted.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a conveyance unit, a recording head, a sealing unit, and a carrier unit. The conveyance unit conveys a recording medium in a conveyance direction. The recording head includes plural recording portions. Each recording portion has plural ejection ports for ejecting ink. The recording portions partially overlap each other if viewed in the conveyance direction, when the recording head is located at a recording position where the recording head performs record with respect to the recording medium. The sealing unit is disposed in a region outside the conveyance unit. The sealing unit includes plural sealing portions each of which seals the ejection ports of each recording portion. The sealing portions are arranged in the conveyance direction. The carrier unit carries the recording head in a carrying direction between a sealing position where each sealing portion faces the ejection ports of each recording portion and the recording position.

Abstract: A capping device and method for a print head for an inkjet printer are disclosed. The capping device has a head cap to seal the print head during the printing standby mode. The head cap has a through hole to allow a sealed portion formed between the head cap and the print head to fluidly communicate outside of the head cap. The through hole is respectively disposed at an inner wall and outer wall of the head cap. Due to the through hole, an air path is formed in the head cap to allow a sealed portion between the print head and the head cap to fluidly communicate with the outside. Even if the air in the sealed portion is heated and expanded, the pressure therein does not increase.

Abstract: The cleaning process best suited to the condition of an inkjet printer is selected and run, thereby removing nozzle clogging without wastefully consuming ink. The first time a cleaning switch 7 is operated a CL1 cleaning process is run. If the cleaning switch 7 is pressed a second time and the print pass count is less than e.g., 400, a CL2 cleaning process that uses more ink than the CL1 process is used to clean the recording head, but if the print pass count is 400 or more, the CL1 cleaning process is used. If the print pass count is less than 400 the third time the switch is operated, the CL2 cleaning process is used, but the CL1 cleaning process is used if the print pass count is 400 or more. If the cleaning switch 7 is operated four or more times and the print pass count is less than 400, a YCL cleaning process that consumes substantially no ink is used to clean the recording head, but if the print pass count is 400 or more, the CL1 cleaning process is used.

Abstract: A printer is disclosed which has: (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 mechanism associated with the printhead. The capping mechanism comprises (i) a rotatable turret having a longitudinal length corresponding substantially to that of the printhead, (ii) a longitudinally extending capping member carried by the turret and (iii) an actuating mechanism arranged to effect rotation of the turret to move the capping member from a non-capping first position to a second position at which the capping member is located in nozzle capping engagement with the printhead.

Abstract: In a high-speed phase change ink image producing machine having a controller, there is provided apparatus and a method of using it to mount an ink jet printhead unit in an ink jet printing machine for minimizing printing defects due thermal expansion effects. The method includes (a) first mounting a low coefficient of thermal expansion (LCTE) member, having a first end, a second end and a center, to a portion of a frame of the printing machine; (b) next mounting ink jet printhead unit, having a first end, a second end and a center, to an expansible carriage device, having a first end, a second and a center, to form a printhead assembly; and (c) expansibly mounting the expansible carriage device of the printhead assembly to the LCTE member.

Abstract: A cleaning member is pivotally fixed to a support member to clean ink-jet print heads that are positioned on a print-head receptor module. The cleaning member pivots from a cleaning position to an idle position and the print-head receptor module is pivotally fixed to a support member to allow the module to pivot from a printing position to a cleaning position. The pivotal supports are positioned such that, when the module and the cleaning member are each in their respective cleaning positions, the cleaning member is positioned to clean ink jets inserted into the receptors.

Abstract: A discharge recovery device and an ink-jet recording apparatus incorporating the same. The discharge recovery device includes a wiper reciprocating to wipe a discharging surface of a recording head. The wiper touches a pivotable wiper cleaner while moving in a forward direction, and is thereby cleaned of ink. The wiper cleaner is fixed and rubs against the wiper when the wiper moves forward. A cleaner holder also covers the wiper to prevent ink scatter when the wiper in the forward direction. As the wiper moves in a backward direction, the wiper cleaner is pivoted out of contact with the wiper via a retracting device. This reliably prevents ink from scattering during the backward movement of the wiper without reducing cleaning performance of the wiper cleaner.

Abstract: A capping unit for use with a liquid discharge head. The capping unit includes a cap for covering a discharge surface of the liquid discharge head. The cap includes air-communication openings provided at corners of the cap, and a suction opening. The air-communication openings connect a space in the cap with the atmosphere. A high negative pressure pump provides pressure to the space via the suction opening. The cap minimizes liquid spatter on the discharge surface after a suction process.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a wiper apparatus and method for cleaning a printhead are provided. In one embodiment, the wiper apparatus includes a wiper having a leading contact surface, a trailing contact surface, and a capillary passageway that extends at least partially along an axis that intersects the leading contact surface and the trailing contact surface.