US 6,183,060 B2 · Ink jet recorder

Abstract

An ink-jet recording apparatus includes a head for ejecting ink and a carriage for conveying the head. When the cartridge has moved to a maintenance area and rotates a lever, the rotational force is transformed into a force for causing a pressing plate supporting a strip to move against the nozzle, by means of bevel gears, a pressing piece and a pivot arm. The strip comes in contact with the nozzle surface to wipe ink. The recording apparatus has a pump for applying a pressure to the interior of the head for purging the head and a conveyer for conveying the strip to refresh the part of the strip opposing the head. The pump and conveyer can be driven by a common motor which is also used for conveying the recording medium. The driving source used for the recording apparatus is shared thus making it possible to achieve a simplified configuration of the recording apparatus.

Claims30

Dependent claims

An ink-jet recording apparatus comprising:

a recording head having a nozzle for ejecting ink;
a carriage for conveying the recording head and moving across the width of the recording area opposing a recording medium and an additional area outside thereof;
a moving element, disposed within the area outside the recording area, which moves by being put in contact with the carriage or the head when the carriage has moved to the outside area;
a strip disposed within the outside area for cleaning the recording head with a surface thereof;
and
a support element for supporting the rearside of the strip and moving toward the recording head to press the strip against the nozzle of the recording head, wherein the support element is caused to move toward the head by a driving force generated by the movement of the moving element, to thereby press the strip against the head.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Ink jet recorder

Life of this patent

Ink jet recorder

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims30