According to the present invention, there is disclosed a capping device for an ink jet printer which is constructed such that a cap supporting member 14, adapted to move from the non-capping position to the capping position by the thrust action of a carriage 3, is arranged on the home position side of the ink jet printer so that the outer end part of the cap supporting member 14 is displaced toward the nozzle surface of a printing head 4 with the aid of a guide surface 15b having an inclined surface 15a, until a cap 5 on the cap supporting member 14 is brought into close contact with the nozzle surface of the printing head 4 with an adequate intensity of thrust force by means of a turnable lever 8 operatively connected to the inner end of the cap supporting member 14, while resilient force of a cap spring 11 is exerted on the base end part of the turnable lever 8 so as to normally bias the cap supporting member 14 in the direction toward the printing head 4.
Cap holders (60, 70) are accommodation in a holder receiving member (40) in such a state that the cap holders are urged by springs toward the side of a recording head at two places with inclinations at angles of .theta.1, .theta.2 in the moving direction of a carriage and at an angle of .theta.3 in a direction perpendicular thereto. Moments are produced by giving a difference to the distance between the whole periphery of a cap and the recording head, and peeling is effected from one point, so that the sealing of the recording head and the peeling of the cap off the recording head are made compatible.
A head capping device is adapted to seal a nozzle formation face of a liquid ejecting head in which a nozzle orifice from which liquid is ejected is formed. A capping unit includes: a cap, adapted to be abutted against the nozzle formation face to seal the nozzle orifice; a regulator, provided on the cap; a slider, mounting the cap; and a claw, provided on the slider and adapted to be abutted against the liquid ejecting head. An actuator is operable to move the capping unit in between a first position at which the cap is separated away from the nozzle formation face and a second position at which the cap is abutted against the nozzle formation face. The slider is so configured as to have a first movable length during the movement between the first position and the second position. The cap is so configured as to have a second movable length which is smaller than the first movable length, during the movement between the first position and the second position. The regulator is so configured as to be abutted against a base to restrict the movement of the cap in a direction separating away from the liquid ejecting head when the capping unit is moved from the second position to the first position.
A suction purging unit for removing dusts solidified ink etc. from nozzles of a print head of an ink jet printer, the nozzles being arrayed in a moving direction of the print head. A contact portion is provided at one side of a body portion in which a fluid passage is formed. The contact portion is contactable with at least one of the nozzles for suction purging, and is separated from the nozzle between-suction purging mode. The body portion is pivotally movable toward and away from the print head, and is vertically movable. The body portion is movable along a top surface of the print head when the latter is moved in the moving direction.
An ink jet recording apparatus comprises an ink cap for capping an ink discharge port to discharge ink containing coloring material, a processing liquid cap for capping a processing liquid discharge port to discharge processing liquid for processing ink and preventing means for preventing the ink cap from capping the processing liquid discharge port or preventing means for preventing the processing liquid cap from capping the ink discharge port. With the structure thus arranged, it is made possible to avoid any insolubilization of coloring material contained in ink against solvent, thus maintaining the performance of such ink jet recording apparatus in good condition at all times for the excellent formation of images to be recorded.
An ink jet type recording apparatus in which two recording heads are mounted on one and the same carriage in such a manner that their spatial relationship is fixed, and the heads are positively sealed simultaneously by a capping means. A first cap member 13 adapted to seal the first recording head is provided near an end, proximate to the printing region, of a slider 20, which lifts a base stand according to the movement of a carriage. The first cap member has an air communication hole, and an ink suction hole therein. In addition, a second cap member 14 adapted to seal the second recording head is mounted through elastic members 74 and 75 on the slider 20. The second cap member 14 has an air communication hole, and an ink suction hole therein. The end of the slider 20, proximate to the non-printing region, is supported with an arm 30 which is elastically pressed vertically upwardly of the printing region. The two cap members are fixedly spaced from each other. The first cap member, is slidingly fitted over the first recording head by means of elastic members 31 and 32, thereby making sealing contact with the first recording head; while similarly the second cap member, is slidingly fitted over the second recording head by means of elastic members 74 and 75 interposed between the second cap member and the slider, thereby making sealing contact with the second recording head.
