Patent ID: 7703878
Filing Date: 2010-04-27
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A liquid drop discharging apparatus comprising: a plurality of nozzles that discharge liquid drops; a sensor that detects a malfunctioning nozzle at which abnormal discharge occurs when a liquid drop is supposed to be discharged therefrom; a controller that determines whether a liquid drop is discharged or not from each of the nozzles on the basis of image data, the controller causing the sensor to detect the malfunctioning nozzle among the nozzles that are determined to discharge liquid drops on the basis of the image data; a restoration mechanism used for restoration processing performed on the malfunctioning nozzle so that the restored nozzle discharges ink properly, wherein the controller performs the restoration processing when the sensor detects the malfunctioning nozzle; and a transporting mechanism that transports a target object on which liquid drops discharged from the plurality of nozzles land by means of a belt in a direction which is perpendicular to a predetermined direction in which the plurality of nozzles are arranged in the plurality of heads, wherein the restoration mechanism is provided at a position where the restoration mechanism can be opposed to nozzle surfaces of the plurality of heads in such a manner that the belt is positioned between the restoration mechanism and the plurality of heads, wherein the belt has openings arranged such that only one of the plurality of heads is opposed to a corresponding opening at a single time, the number openings being the same as the number of the plurality of heads.