Capping mechanism and system for image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image forming portion comprising one or more inkjet heads, each with an ink discharge surface configured to discharge ink to form an image on a recording medium by discharging the ink from the one or more ink discharge surfaces;
• a recording medium transporting portion including a transport surface which is configured to receive and transport a recording medium and cause the recording medium to face the one or more ink discharge surfaces;
• a moving mechanism configured to move the transport surface toward and away from the ink discharge surface;
• a control unit configured (i) to monitor the transportation of the recording medium, and (ii) to move the transport surface away from the ink discharge surface after determining that the recording medium is jammed;
• a recording medium holding mechanism configured to hold the recording medium on the transport surface;
• and
• one or more ink discharge surface protecting mechanisms having
• a cap member;
• a driving portion configured to move the cap member,
• a guide member provided with a slit configured to guide the cap member;
• and
• a driving force transmitting member configured to transmit a driving force transmitted from the driving portion to the cap member so that the cap member moves along the slit of the guide member,
• wherein the control unit is configured such that in the event that the control unit determines that the recording medium is jammed, the control unit continues an operation of the recording medium holding mechanism;
• and
• wherein the cap member is configured to be moved by the driving portion from a standby position where the cap member is positioned at a time of image formation to a capping position where the cap member covers the ink discharge surface after being moved through a position lower than the capping position.