A print head maintenance device is used in a printing device. The print head maintenance device cleans a print head of the printing device. The print head is movable on a horizontal track of the printing device. The print head has at least one linearly arranged nozzle array. When the print head moves across the maintenance device, the print head will connect with the maintenance device through the connecting device, making the connecting device capable of moving along the first track to slide the ink brush along the second track so as to clean remaining ink from the nozzle array of the print head.
A maintenance mechanism for an ink jet printer is configured in such a manner that a claw member (7) for locking a slide member (6) during wiping operation is swingably supported on a base member (5) which is fixed to an apparatus body so that the claw member (7) does not move to the left and right, and the claw member (7) is forced downward by guided projecting parts (6a) provided on the slide member (6) during a print job so that the claw member (7) does not interfere with a carriage (2) which moves back and forth along a main scanning direction across a printing area.
