Inkjet head cleaning apparatus, image recording apparatus and inkjet head cleaning method

An image recording apparatus, comprising:

• an inkjet head which has a liquid ejection surface oblique to a horizontal plane;
• and
• an inkjet head cleaning unit which applies cleaning liquid to the liquid ejection surface of the inkjet head,
• wherein the head cleaning unit includes:
• a plurality of cleaning liquid nozzles through which the cleaning liquid is applied to the liquid ejection surface of the inkjet head, the cleaning liquid nozzles being arranged in a cleaning liquid emission surface arranged with an inclination so as to face the liquid ejection surface of the inkjet head, the cleaning liquid nozzles being arranged in a line substantially parallel with a direction of the inclination of the cleaning liquid emission surface;
• a plurality of flow channels which are connected respectively to the cleaning liquid nozzles;
• a cleaning liquid inlet port through which the cleaning liquid is supplied to the cleaning liquid nozzles through the flow channels;
• and
• a pressure application device which applies pressure to the cleaning liquid to be emitted through the cleaning liquid nozzles,
• wherein the pressure applied by the pressure application device to the cleaning liquid supplied to the cleaning liquid nozzles on an upper side of the inclined cleaning liquid emission surface is greater than the pressure applied by the pressure application device to the cleaning liquid supplied to the cleaning liquid nozzles on a lower side of the inclined cleaning liquid emission surface.