Ink jet recording apparatus having wiping blade ink splash prevention

An ink jet recording apparatus for recording by discharging ink to a recording medium from recording means mounted for movement by moving means, said apparatus comprising:

• a wiping member capable of abutting upon a discharge port surface of said recording means;
• shifting means for shifting said wiping member to abut upon said discharge port surface and to retract from said discharge port surface;
• and
• a damper member in contact with a holder which holds said wiping member, so that said damper member moderates a rotational speed of said wiping member,
• wherein a relative speed is generated by the moving means between said wiping member and said recording means when said wiping member abuts upon said recording means to clean the discharge port surface thereof, and then, said wiping member is retracted from said recording means in a direction parting from said recording means in a state that said wiping member is on the discharge port surface while said relative speed is being generated between said recording means and said wiping member, and said wiping member is retracted from said recording means while the wiping member is allowed to rotate.