Patent ID: 8303060
Filing Date: 2012-11-06
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a recording head including a nozzle surface having nozzles for jetting droplets of a liquid; a maintenance unit including a cap configured to cap the nozzle surface, a suction unit connected to the cap, and a wiping part configured to wipe the nozzle surface; a liquid container configured to contain the liquid to be supplied to the recording head; a pressure unit configured to pressurize an inside of a supply channel extending from the liquid container to the recording head at a pressurizing position along the supply channel; an opening and closing unit configured to open and close the supply channel at a position downstream of the pressurizing position; a control unit configured to cap the nozzle surface with the cap and suction the liquid from the nozzles with the suction unit, to move the cap away from the nozzle surface after pressurizing the inside of the supply channel with the pressure unit to a pressure greater than or equal to atmospheric pressure, to wipe the nozzle surface with the wiping part after closing the supply channel with the opening and closing unit, and to open the supply channel with the opening and closing unit after wiping the nozzle surface; a sub tank disposed at a position along the supply channel and made at least partially of a flexible material; and a sub tank housing configured to house the sub tank, wherein the pressure unit is configured to supply air into the sub tank housing to pressurize the sub tank and thereby to pressurize the inside of the supply channel.