Patent ID: 7427122
Filing Date: 2008-09-23
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A printer maintenance apparatus for maintaining a printer having a print head, wherein the print head includes a nozzle surface in which a plurality of nozzles are formed, for ejecting ink droplets onto fed printing medium for printing, the apparatus comprising: a mounting base that is movable forward and backward between a maintenance position and a retraction position, the maintenance position in which the mounting base is opposed to the nozzle surface and the retraction position in which the mounting base is retracted from the print head; a wiping mechanism being mounted on the mounting base and including a wiper base supported on the mounting base movably toward the nozzle surface and a wiper attached to the wiper base; and a capping mechanism being mounted on the mounting base and including a cap base supported on the mounting base movably toward the nozzle surface and a cap attached to the cap base; wherein the cap base moves toward the nozzle surface to move the cap to cover the nozzle surface when the mounting base is at the maintenance position; the cap base moves retractably from the nozzle surface when the mounting base moves from the maintenance position toward the retraction position; the wiper base moves toward the nozzle surface relative to the mounting base in order to bring the wiper into contact with the nozzle surface when the mounting base is at the maintenance position; and the wiper base keeps the wiper in contact with the nozzle surface while the mounting base moves backward from the maintenance position toward the retraction position.