Ink jet recording apparatus

An ink-jet recording apparatus that performs printing of images or characters on a recording medium by moving a carriage having a recording head for ejecting ink drops, comprising:

• a locking member capable of locking the carriage in a predetermined position, the locking member having an engaging portion and moving between a locked position where the engaging portion is engaged with the carriage and an unlocked position where the engaging portion is released therefrom;
• an ink suction pump for sucking ink from ink nozzles of the recording head while the carriage is set at the predetermined position;
• a head ink wiping member for wiping off foreign materials, the head ink wiping member being movable between a forward position where the head wiping member is in contact with a nozzle-forming surface and a backward position where the head wiping member is away from the nozzle-forming surface;
• a motor being rotatable in a forward or rearward direction, the motor driving the ink suction pump when rotating in the forward direction;
• a first conversion mechanism for converting rotary motion of the motor into reciprocating movement of the head wiping member between the forward position and backward position;
• and
• a second conversion mechanism for converting the rotary motion of the motor into reciprocating movement of the locking member between the locked position and the unlocked position,
• wherein the first conversion mechanism moves the head wiping member toward the forward portion and the second conversion mechanism moves the locking member toward the locked position when the motor rotates in the forward direction, and
• wherein, the first conversion mechanism moves the head wiping member toward the backward position and the second conversion mechanism moves the locking member toward the unlocked position when the motor rotates in the rearward direction.