Patent ID: 7178915
Filing Date: 2007-02-20
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An ink-jet recording apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium by ejecting ink onto the recording medium, comprising: a conveyance unit that forms a conveyance face on which the recording medium is conveyed; an ink-jet head that has an ink ejection surface where a plurality of nozzles that eject ink are formed; a maintenance unit that performs maintenance on the ink-jet head; a first moving mechanism that moves the conveyance unit, so that the conveyance unit can selectively take a conveyance position where the conveyance face is adjacent to the ink ejection surface and a withdrawal position that is other than a position where the conveyance face is adjacent to the ink ejection surface; and a second moving mechanism that moves at least one of the ink-jet head and the maintenance unit relative to the other, so that the ink-jet head and the maintenance unit selectively have a positional relationship for maintenance where the ink ejection surface is adjacent to the maintenance unit and a positional relationship for standby where a distance between the maintenance unit and the ink ejection surface is larger than that in the positional relationship for maintenance, wherein the ink ejection surface extends in a horizontal direction; and the first moving mechanism moves the conveyance unit in the horizontal direction.