| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make an ink jet printer small-sized and inexpensive by enabling the changeover of atmosphere communication state/non-communication state only by the attaching and detaching operation of a suction cap with respect to a recording head to avoid a valve or a drive means. SOLUTION: The ink jet printer is provided with a recording head having discharge orifices on its discharge surface, a suction device for sucking ink and the suction cap closely brought into contact with the discharge surface so as to cover the discharge orifices of the recording head at the time of suction of the ink, and further provided with a support member for supporting the suction cap so as to oppose the same to the discharge surface and a contact/separation moving machanism for moving at least one of the support member and the recording head in a direction for bringing the suction cap and the recording head to contact and separation states. The contact/separation moving mechanism brings the suction cap and the recording head into contact with each other and subsequently allows the recording head to approach the support member to hermetically close the communication port provided to the suction cap by a lid member while compressing a shaking support member for supporting the suction cap in a shakable manner. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO |
