Patent ID: 8905505
Filing Date: 2014-12-09
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A liquid ejecting apparatus, comprising: a liquid ejecting head having an ejection surface in which ejection openings are open for ejecting a liquid, the liquid ejecting head being configured to record an image by ejecting the liquid toward a recording medium; a platen configured to be located at a facing position at which the platen faces the ejection surface for supporting the recording medium, when image recording is carried out; a capping mechanism configured to hermetically close an ejection space that is opposed to the ejection surface, with respect to an external space, the capping mechanism comprising: a first member configured to be disposed so as to be opposed to the ejection surface with the platen interposed therebetween, when the image recording is carried out; and a sleeve-like second member disposed around the liquid ejecting head so as to surround the liquid ejecting head, the second member being configured to cooperate with the first member to hermetically close the ejection space with respect to the external space; a distance adjusting mechanism configured to adjust a distance between the ejection surface and the first member by moving at least one of the liquid ejecting head and the first member; a platen moving mechanism configured to move the platen between the facing position and a non-facing position at which the platen does not face the ejection surface; and a controller configured to control the distance between the ejection surface and the first member is equal to a members-abuttable distance that allows the second member and the first member to abut on each other; and a liquid discharging mechanism configured to carry out a discharging operation in which the liquid in the liquid ejecting head is discharged from the ejection openings, wherein the liquid discharging mechanism is configured to carry out, each as the discharging operation, flushing in which the liquid is discharged by ejection of the liquid in the liquid ejecting head and purging in which the liquid in the liquid ejecting head is ejected at a liquid speed lower than that in the flushing and in a discharge amount larger than that in the flushing; and wherein the controller is configured to control the distance adjusting mechanism such that the distance between the ejection surface and the first member is equal to a first distance when the liquid discharging mechanism carries out the flushing and such that the distance between the ejection surface and the first member is equal to a second distance larger than the first distance when the liquid discharging mechanism carries out the purging.