Image forming apparatus and its control method

摘要

An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium includes a print head having ink-discharge surfaces having the ink-discharge openings therein; a cylindrical cleaning roller composed of an elastic material; moving means for moving the cleaning roller and the print head relative to each other while keeping the circumferential surface of the cleaning roller in contact with the ink-discharge surfaces; drive control means for controlling the moving means; a head cap for protecting the ink-discharge surfaces; cap opening/closing means for opening and closing the head cap. When the head cap is opened by the cap opening/closing means, by driving the moving means with control of the drive control means so as to move the cleaning roller relative to the print head while keeping the circumferential surface of the cleaning roller in contact with the ink-discharge surfaces, ink in the ink-discharge openings is sucked.