Patent ID: 6679578
Filing Date: 2004-01-20
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An ink-jet recording apparatus, comprising:an ink-jet head that has a nozzle surface having a plurality of nozzles therein and performs printing on a recording medium by ejecting ink from the nozzles; a support member that supports the ink-jet head and reciprocates along the recording medium; a wiper that protrudes within a moving path of the nozzle surface of the ink-jet head and wipes the nozzle surface when the support member moves in a wiping direction; a wiper cleaning zone that is provided to the support member upstream of the nozzle wiping direction with respect to the nozzle surface of the ink-jet head; the wiper cleaning zone comprising: a cleaning wall that is provided adjacent to the ink-jet head and protrudes from the support member; a first plane that extends from proximate the cleaning wall in a direction opposite to the wiping direction; and a plurality of grooves provided in the first plane, at a predetermined distance from each other; wherein the wiper does not contact the first plane, but contacts the cleaning wall when the wiper protrudes within the moving path of the nozzle surface of the ink-jet head.