Ink jet recording apparatus

An ink jet recording apparatus for forming a record by discharging ink from a discharge port toward a face of a recording medium, said apparatus comprising:

• an ink jet head for recording, said head having multiple nozzles and a length substantially equal to the width of the recording medium;
• an ink jet head support member;
• an ink jet head moving mechanism for moving said ink jet head between a printing position, a recovery position, and a retracted position;
• an ink jet head recovery unit including a blade member;
• a recovery unit driving mechanism for moving said ink jet head recovery unit between a recovery position and a retracted position;
• a housing for holding said head support member, said head moving mechanism, said head recovery unit, and said recovery unit driving mechanism;
• and
• a guide means for slidingly guiding said housing into and out of said apparatus.

An ink jet recording apparatus for forming a record by discharging ink from a discharge port toward a face of a recording medium, said apparatus comprising:

• an ink jet head for recording, said head having a discharge face through which said discharge port is disposed;
• means for wiping said discharge face of said ink jet head;
• and
• means for absorbing the ink discharged from said ink jet head, wherein the driving of said wiping means is linked with the driving of said absorbing means.

An ink jet recording apparatus for forming a record by discharging ink from a discharge port toward a face of a recording medium, said apparatus comprising:

• an ink jet head for recording, said head having a discharge face through which said discharge port is disposed;
• means for wiping said discharge face of said ink jet head in a wiping operation;
• means for absorbing the ink discharged from said ink jet head in an absorbing operation;
• and
• means for squeezing the ink from said absorbing means in a squeezing operation, wherein at least a portion of said wiping means serves also as said squeezing means and the squeezing operation is performed in association with the wiping operation.

An ink jet recording apparatus for forming a record by discharging ink from a discharge port toward a face of a recording material, said apparatus comprising:

• an ink jet head having a discharge face through which said discharge port is disposed;
• an ink jet head support member;
• an ink jet head moving mechanism for moving said ink jet head between a printing position, a recovery position, and a retracted position;
• an ink jet head recovery unit including means for wiping said discharge face of said ink jet head in a wiping operation, means for both absorbing the ink discharged from said ink jet head in an absorbing operation and means for squeezing the ink from said absorbing means in a squeezing operation, wherein the squeezing operation is performed in association with the wiping operation;
• recovery unit drive mechanism for moving said ink jet head recovery unit between a recovery position, a printing position, and a retracted position;
• and
• a case integrally supporting said ink jet head, said ink jet head support member, said ink jet head moving mechanism, said ink jet head recovery unit and said recovery unit drive mechanism, said integral casing being detachable from said apparatus.

An ink jet recording apparatus comprising:

• a recording head unit for image recording by ink discharge;
• transport means having a surface for transporting a recording sheet to said recording head unit;
• idle discharge executing means for directing said recording head unit to discharge ink directly onto said surface of said transport means for recovery of said recording head unit;
• cleaning means for cleaning said surface of said transport means.

An ink jet recording apparatus for forming a record by discharging ink from a discharge port toward a face of a recording medium, said apparatus comprising:

• an ink jet head for recording, said head having a discharge face through which said discharge port is disposed;
• a wiping mechanism including a cleaning blade for wiping said discharge face of said ink jet head in a wiping operation;
• an absorbing mechanism including an ink absorbing member for absorbing the ink discharged from said ink jet head in an absorbing operation;
• and
• a squeezing mechanism for squeezing the ink from said ink absorbing member in a squeezing operation, wherein at least a portion of said wiping mechanism serves also as said squeezing mechanism and the squeezing operation is performed in association with the wiping operation.