Recovery apparatus and image forming apparatus

A recovery apparatus for recovering an ejection state of an ejection opening is disclosed. The recovery apparatus includes a cap member to seal an ejection surface of a droplet ejection head for ejecting a droplet from the ejection opening, and an absorber mounted in the cap member and to absorb ink attached to the ejection surface, so that the ink within a sealed space is suctioned and discharged. The absorber includes, when the ejection surface is sealed with the cap member, a first absorbing part to face the ejection surface at a first side where the ejection opening is provided through a first gap and a second absorbing part to face the ejection surface at a second side where the ejection opening is not provided through a second gap, wherein the first gap is greater than the second gap.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to a recovery apparatus of an ink discharge part and an image forming apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, an inkjet-type image forming apparatus has been known in which a nozzle surface forming multiple ejecting openings on an ejecting surface of a droplet discharge head of the inkjet discharge part is faced downward, and an ink droplet is dropped on a recording medium opposed to the nozzle surface from the multiple ejecting openings. In this inkjet-type image forming apparatus, an ink solvent is vaporized from the ejecting opening, an ink viscosity around the ejecting opening is increased, and foreign matter such as paper particles and dust are attached at the ejecting opening. Accordingly, clogging is occurred, and an ink ejection can not be normally performed, whereby a defective image may be caused.

Consequently, the following image forming apparatus has been known. An image forming apparatus includes a recovery apparatus which recovers an ink ejecting function by suctioning dust and the like attached to the ejecting opening with ink. The recovery apparatus includes a cap member to cover the nozzle surface from underneath. At an upper portion of the cap member, a concave space which opens upward is formed. The opening due to the concave space has the size to cover an area on which the multiple ejecting openings are formed on the nozzle surface. At a bottom portion of the concave space, which faces the nozzle surface through the opening, a suction hole is formed. The suction hole is connected to a suctioning pump as a suctioning part. Also, the recovery apparatus includes a contact-separation part which moves the cap member between a first location where an opening end face around the opening is adhered to the nozzle surface to seal the area and a second location where the cap member is moved away from the first location and the nozzle surface is released.

In order to recover the ink ejecting function by the recovery apparatus having the above-described configuration, in a state in which the opening edge face is coherent to the nozzle surface and the area is sealed, the air of an internal space formed by the nozzle surface and the concave space of the cap member is suctioned by the suctioning pump. The foreign matters such as the dust attached to the ejecting opening and the like are forcibly suctioned and ejected with the ink from the ejection opening, whereby the ink ejecting function is recovered.

In the above configuration, a recovery apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2007-144696 (hereinafter, called Patent Document 1) has been known. In an inkjet recording apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, a contact absorber and an elastic absorber are provided inside the concave space of the cap member to cohere the ejecting surface. The contact absorber is used to absorb ink on the ejecting surface by contacting the ejecting surface other than an area on which the ejecting opening is provided, when the opening edge face of the cap member is cohered to the ejecting surface to seal an internal portion of the cap member. The elastic absorber is used to apply pressure to the contact absorber so that the contact absorber is pressed with a moderate press contact force. In a state of being provided in the concave space of the cap member in a two layer structure layering these two absorbers, an upper surface of the contact absorber contacting the ejecting surface is ejected toward the ejecting surface from the opening edge face of the cap member and a face height difference exists.

When the internal portion of the cap member is sealed by making the opening edge surface of the cap member cohere to the ejecting surface, the contact absorber is pressed from the ejecting surface, and is pressed inside the cap member to pass a pushing force from the ejecting surface to the elastic absorber, due to the face height difference. Then, the contact absorber, which is provided at a location opposed to the ejecting surface other than the area on which the ejecting opening is provided, is pressed into contact with to the ejecting surface with a moderate press contact force by pressure from the elastic absorber which rebels the pushing force from the ejecting opening. Therefore, it is possible to prevent exceeding the press contact force for a contact between the ejecting surface and the contact absorber, whereby a contact surface is prevented from being damaged.

However, in Patent Document 1, when the cap member is cohered to the ejecting surface, it is required to press the contact absorber with the surface height difference inside the cap member. Also, it is required to successively press the cap member to the ejecting surface with a pushing force more than an elastic force of the elastic absorber. Furthermore, it is required to maintain this state until the ink and the like are suctioned and ejected. Due to a change over time in the above-described configuration, it becomes difficult to maintain and assure a sealed state, and the inside of the cap member can not be firmly sealed. Thus, there is a problem in which a suction defect is caused in a recovery process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of this disclosure, there is provided a recovery apparatus for recovering an ejection state of an ejection opening, including a cap member configured to seal an ejection surface of a droplet ejection head for ejecting a droplet from the ejection opening; and an absorber configured to be mounted in the cap member and to absorb ink attached to the ejection surface, so that the ink within a sealed space is suctioned and discharged, the absorber including: when the ejection surface is sealed with the cap member, a first absorbing part configured to face the ejection surface at a first side where the ejection opening is provided through a first gap; and a second absorbing part configured to face the ejection surface at a second side where the ejection opening is not provided through a second gap, wherein the first gap is greater than the second gap.

In another aspect of this disclosure, there is provided an image forming apparatus for forming an image by using a droplet ejection head which ejects a droplet from an ejection opening, comprising a recovery apparatus for recovering an ejection state of the ejection opening by sealing an ejection surface of the droplet ejection head, with a cap member internally mounting an absorber for absorbing ink attached to the ejection surface, and suctioning and discharging the ink within a sealed space, wherein the absorber is mounted in the cap member, and includes, when the ejection surface is sealed with the cap member, a first absorbing part configured to face the ejection surface at a first side where the ejection opening is provided through a first gap; and a second absorbing part configured to face the ejection surface at a second side where the ejection opening is not provided through a second gap, wherein the first gap is greater than the second gap.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1is a perspective view from a front of a droplet ejecting apparatus as an image forming apparatus of an embodiment. A droplet ejecting apparatus100as the image forming apparatus illustrated inFIG. 1includes a main body101, a paper feed tray102which is mounted to the main body101to load a paper to the main body101, and a paper ejection tray103which is detachably mounted to the main body101and stocks papers on which an image is recorded (formed). Also, the droplet ejecting apparatus100includes a cartridge loading part104at an edge side (lateral sides of the paper feed tray102and the paper ejection tray103) of a front surface of the main body101. The cartridge loading part104is ejected ahead from the front surface of the main body101, and loads an ink cartridge located lower than an upper surface of the main body101. On an upper surface of the cartridge loading part104, an operation-display part105, which includes an operation button, a display device, and the like, is provided.

In the cartridge loading part104, ink cartridges110k,110c,110m, and110yfor recording liquid (ink) as color materials of different colors are inserted and mounted from a front surface side toward a rear side of the main body101. For example, the ink cartridges110k,110c,110m, and110y(if colors are not respectively distinguished, simply called “cartridges110”) may correspond to multiple recording liquid storage containers for containing a black (K) ink, a cyan (C) ink, a magenta (M) ink, and a yellow (Y) ink, respectively. At a front side of the cartridge loading part104, a front cover (cartridge cover)106is provided and is possible to be opened and closed. The front cover106is opened when the ink cartridges110are mounted and removed. Also, the ink cartridges110k,110c,110m, and110yare formed so as to be arranged in a lateral direction in a vertically placed state and loaded to the cartridge loading part104.

Moreover, remaining amount display parts111k,111c,111m, and111yfor respective colors are arranged at arrangement locations corresponding to mounting locations (arrangement locations) of the ink cartridges110k,110c,110m, and110yat the operation-display part105, to display information indicating a nearly end or an end of remaining amounts of the ink cartridges110k,110c,110m, and110y. Moreover, at the operation-display part105, a power button112, a paper feed-print restart button113, and a cancel button114are arranged at the operation-display part105.

Next, mechanical parts of the droplet ejecting apparatus100will be described with reference toFIG. 2andFIG. 3.FIG. 2is a lateral view illustrating a brief configuration of the mechanical parts of the droplet ejecting apparatus100, andFIG. 3is a plan view illustrating main parts in the mechanical parts of the droplet ejecting apparatus100.

In the mechanical parts of the droplet ejecting apparatus100, a carriage133is held slidably in a main scan direction by a guide rod131and a stay132which are guide members bridging lateral boards121A at a left side and a lateral board121B at a right side, thereby forming a frame121. The carriage133is moved in the main scan direction indicated by an arrow inFIG. 3, through a timing belt by a main scan motor which is not illustrated.

In the carriage133, four droplet ejection heads134eject ink droplets of respective color of yellow (Y), cyan (C), magenta (M), and black (Bk) as described above, and are arranged so that multiple ejecting openings are positioned in a direction crossing the main scan direction. The four droplet ejection heads134are mounted so that an ink droplet ejecting direction is directed downward.

To form each of the droplet ejection heads134, an inkjet head may be used including a piezoelectric actuator such as a piezoelectric element, a thermal actuator using a phase change due to a film boiling of a liquid body by using an electrothermal conversion element such as a heat resistor, an actuator of a shape memory alloy using a metal phase change due to a temperature change, an electrostatic actuator using an electrostatic force, and the like, as a pressure generating part for generating pressure to eject an droplet.

A driver IC is mounted in each of the droplet ejection heads134. Each of the droplet ejection heads134is connected to a control part (not shown) through a harness (flexible print cable)122. Also, in the carriage133, sub-tanks135for respective colors are mounted to supply respective inks to the droplet ejection heads134. As described above, color inks are supplied to replenish the sub-tanks135for respective colors from the ink cartridges110through ink supply tubes136for respective colors. In the cartridge loading part104, a supply pump unit124is provided to feed ink from the ink cartridges110. The ink supply tubes136are supported by a locking member125of a rear board121cforming the frame121, in a middle of being placed around the main scan direction.

On the other hand, to feed sheets142accumulated on a sheet accumulation part (pressure board)141of the paper feed tray102, a separation pad144is provided as a paper feeding part. The separation part144is opposed to a half-moon roller (paper feeding roller)143which separately feeds the sheets142one by one from the sheet accumulation part141, and has a material quality of a friction coefficient. The separation pad144is urged to the half-moon roller (paper feeding roller)143.

Also, to convey the sheets142fed from the paper feeding part below the droplet ejection heads134, in addition to a guide member145guiding the sheets142, a counter roller146, a conveyance guide member147, and a pressing member148including an edge pressure roller149, a conveying belt151is provided as a conveying part for electrostatically attracting the sheets142being fed from the paper feeding part and conveying the sheets142to a location facing the droplet ejection heads134.

The conveying belt151is an endless belt stretched around a conveying roller152and a tension roller153so as to form around a belt conveying direction (sub-scan direction). Also, an electrostatic roller156is provided as an electrostatic part for charging a surface of the carrying belt151. The electrostatic roller156contacts a surface layer of the conveying belt151, and is arranged to be rotated following a rotation of the conveying belt151. Furthermore, a guide member157is arranged corresponding to a print area for the droplet ejection heads134.

The conveying roller152is rotated by a sub-scan motor (not shown) with timing, and then, the conveying belt151is moved and turned round a belt conveying direction inFIG. 3.

Furthermore, a separation claw161for separating the sheets142from the conveying belt151, and ejection rollers162and163are provided as an ejection part for ejecting the sheets142recorded by the droplet ejection heads134. In addition, the paper ejection tray103is provided below the ejection roller162.

Moreover, a double-side unit171is detachably mounted at a rear of the main body101. The double-side unit171takes and turns over the sheets142being returned due to a rotation in a reverse direction of the carrying belt151, and supplies the sheets142between the counter roller146and the carrying belt151. An upper surface of the double-side unit171is used as a manual paper feed tray172.

Furthermore, as illustrated inFIG. 3, in a non-print area at one side of the main scan direction of the carriage133, a state of nozzles of the droplet ejection heads134is maintained and a maintenance recovery mechanism181including a recovery part for recovering the state of nozzles.

The maintenance recovery mechanism181includes cap members (hereinafter, called “caps”)182a,182b,182c,182d(if caps are not respectively distinguished, simply called “caps182”) for capping each of nozzle surfaces of the droplet ejection heads134, a wiper blade183regarded as a blade member for wiping the nozzle surfaces, and an idle ejection receiver184for receiving a droplets in an idle ejection for ejecting an droplet which is not used for a record, to discharge a recording droplet being thickened. The cap182ais used as a cap to suction and moisturize, and other caps182b,182c, and182dare used as caps to moisturize.

Waste liquid of the recording droplet produced by a maintenance recovery operation of the maintenance recovery mechanism181, ink discharged to the caps182, ink removed by a power cleaner185attached with the wiper blade183, and ink ejected by the idle ejection receiver184are discharged and accommodated in a discharge tank which is not shown.

Moreover, as illustrated inFIG. 3, in another non-print area at another side of the main scan direction of the carriage133, an idle ejection receiver188is arranged to receive a droplet not used for the record and being ejected by the idle ejection to eject the record droplet being thickened during the record. The idle ejection receiver188includes openings189each having a shape along a nozzle line direction of the droplet ejection heads134.

In the droplet ejecting apparatus100, the sheets142are separately fed one by one from the paper feed tray102. Each of the sheets142fed to approximately vertical upper direction is guided by the guide member145, and is conveyed by being sandwiched between the conveying belt151and the counter roller146. Furthermore, each edge of the sheets142is guided by a conveying guide147, and is pressed to the conveying belt151by the edge pressure roller149. Then, each of the sheets142is commutated at approximately 90 degrees.

The electrostatic roller156is charged from a high-voltage power supply by a control circuit which is not shown in which a plus output and a minus output are alternated. That is, an alternating voltage is applied to the electrostatic roller156. Thus, the conveying belt151is charged in an alternating charge voltage pattern. That is, the conveying belt151is charged alternately with plus and minus voltages in a belt-form with a predetermined width in the sub-scan direction which is a peripheral rotation direction. When each of the sheets142is fed onto the conveying belt151being applied alternately plus and minus voltages, each of the sheets142is suctioned on the conveying belt151, and is conveyed in the sub-scan direction by a movement of the peripheral rotation of the conveying belt151.

Then, the droplet ejection heads134are driven in response to an image signal while moving the carriage133in the main scan direction based on main scan location information by a linear encoder137, so that one line is recorded by ejecting an ink droplet on each of the sheets142being stopped. After each of the sheets142is conveyed for a predetermined distance, a next line is recorded. In response to a record end signal or a signal received when a rear edge of each of the sheets142arrives at a recording area, a recording operation ends and each of the sheets142are ejected to the paper ejection tray103.

Also, in a print (record) waiting, the carriage133is moved to a side of the maintenance recovery mechanism181, and the droplet ejection heads134are capped with the caps182. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent from ejection defect caused by inks being dried, by maintaining the nozzles in a wet condition. Moreover, the recording liquid is suctioned from the nozzles by a suctioning pump which is not shown, in a state of capping the droplet ejection heads134with the caps182(called “nozzle suction” or “head suction”). Then, a recovery operation is conducted to discharge the recording liquid being thickened along with air bubbles. In addition, before a record is begun, in a middle of recording, or the like, an idle ejection operation is conducted to eject inks not related to the record. Accordingly, an ejection performance of the droplet ejection heads134is stably maintained.

A configuration of a recovery apparatus10will be briefly described with reference toFIG. 4andFIG. 5.FIG. 4is a plan view illustrating main parts of the recovery apparatus10, andFIG. 5is a schematic lateral view illustrating a mechanical configuration of the recovery apparatus10.

InFIG. 4, at a frame19in the recovery apparatus10, two cap holders20aand20b, a wiper blade12, and a carriage lock21are retained so as to be possible to be elevated (lifted and lowered). The cap holders20aand20b(if cap holders are not respectively distinguished, called “cap holders20”) are regarded as a cap retaining mechanism. The wiper blade12is formed by a wiping member including an elastic body and is regarded as a cleanup part. Also, an idle ejection receiver13is arranged between a wiper blade12and the cap holder20a. In order to clean the wiper blade12, a wiper cleaner14including a cleaner roller is retained so as to be possible to swing. The wiper cleaner14including the cleaner roller is regarded as a cleaning member for the idle ejection receiver13. The cleaner roller is used to press the wiper blade12toward the wiper cleaner14from outside of the frame19. Also, the cap holder20aretains two cap members11aand11bfor capping the nozzle surfaces of two droplet ejection heads, and the cap holder20bretains two cap members11cand11dfor capping the nozzle surfaces of two droplet ejection heads134.

The cap member11a, which is the nearest the print area and held by the cap holder20a, is connected to a tubing pump (suction pump)23regarded as a suction part through a flexible tube22. The cap members11b,11c, and11dother than the cap member11aare not connected the tubing pump23. That is, the cap member11aalone is used for suction (recovery) and moisture, and the cap members11b,11c, and11dare simply used for moisture. Accordingly, when the recovery operation of the droplet ejection heads134is conducted, the droplet ejection heads134are selectively moved to a location where a capping can be conducted by the cap member11afor the recovery operation.

Moreover, a camshaft24is supported by the frame19so as to be rotated below the cap holders20aand20b. The camshaft24is provided with cap cams25aand25b, a wiper cam26, a carriage lock cam28, a roller29, and a cleaner cam30. The cap cams25aand25bare used to elevate and lower the cap holders20aand20b. The wiper cam26is used to elevate and lower the wiper blade12. The carriage lock cam28is used to elevate and lower the carriage lock21through a carriage lock arm27. The roller29is used as a body of rotation being an idle ejection landing member on which a droplet ejected in the idle ejection receiver13lands. The cleaner cam30is used to oscillate a wiper cleaner15.

The cap members11are elevated and lowered by the cap cams25aand25b. The wiper blade12is elevated and lowered by the wiper cam26. In a case of elevating the wiper blade12, the wiper cleaner15is forged on the wiper blade12. By sandwiching and elevating the wiper blade12between a cleaner roller16of the wiper cleaner15and the idle ejection receiver13, ink attached on the wiper blade12is wiped and dropped into the idle ejection receiver13. The carriage lock21is urged upward (in a lock direction) by a compression spring which is not shown, and is elevated and lowered through the carriage lock arm27driven by the carriage lock cam28.

In order to rotate the tubing pump23and the camshaft24, a motor gear32provided with a motor shaft31aof the motor31is engaged with a pump gear33provided with a pump shaft23aof the tubing pump23. Also, an intermediate gear34integrated with the pump gear33is engaged with another intermediate gear37with a one-way clutch36through another intermediate gear35. Meanwhile, and an intermediate gear38coaxial to the intermediate gear37is engaged with a cam gear40fixed to the cam shaft24via an intermediate gear39. It should be noted that the frame19, which is a rotation shaft of the intermediate gear37with the one-way clutch36and the intermediate gear38, retains an intermediate shaft41so as to rotate.

Moreover, the camshaft24is provided with a cam42having a home position sensor for detecting a home position. A home position lever (not shown) is activated when the home position sensor (not shown) provided in the recovery apparatus10detects that the cap members11are positioned at the lowest end. Then, the home position sensor is in an open state, and the home position of the motor31(other than the tubing pump23) is detected. In a case in which power is ON, regardless of positions of the cap members11(cap holders20), the cap members11(cap holders20) are elevated and lowered, the positions are not detected until a movement starts. After the home position of the cap members11is detected (in a middle of elevation), the cap members11are moved for a determined distance to position at the lowest end. After that, a carriage is moved right to/from left to be back to a cap location after the position detection, and the droplet ejection heads134are capped.

Next, a configuration of the cap members11forming the recovery apparatus10in the embodiment will be described.

FIG. 6AandFIG. 6Bare perspective views illustrating a configuration of each of the cap members in the recovery apparatus10in the embodiment. InFIG. 6AandFIG. 6B, each of the cap members11is illustrated as a cap member202. As illustrated inFIG. 6A, an absorber201is provided with a concave space203of the cap member202. In a sectional view in a shorter direction of the absorber201, the absorber201includes a projected portion201-1close to an ejection surface, which is a part of an ejection surface of the droplet ejection heads134opposed thereto and is not provided with an ejection opening, through a gap. The absorber201having a cross-sectional shape as illustrated inFIG. 6Ais accommodated in a concave space of the cap member202. If the cap member202is contacted and pressed to an ejection surface, it may be difficult to assure a nip state of the cap member202concerning the ejection surface, and an absorption defect may be caused. To address this, the projected portion201-1of the absorber201forms a gap201-2(FIG. 7A) to prevent contact to the ejection surface when the cap member202is appressed to the ejection surface. The gap201-2(FIG. 7A) is formed to be smaller than a gap between the ejection surface and the absorber201facing the ejection surface on which the ejection opening is formed.

Next, the recovery operation conducted by the recovery apparatus10using the cap member202in the embodiment will be described with reference toFIG. 7AthroughFIG. 7E. InFIG. 7AthroughFIG. 7E, a recording head having one line of ejection openings is illustrated. However, it is not limited to this example, the embodiment can be applied to any other recording head having more than one line of ejection openings. Each of the droplet ejection heads134corresponds to a droplet ejection head301.

First, as illustrated inFIG. 7A, the cap member202is contacted to a droplet ejection head301, and an ejection surface302is appressed to the cap member202to be sealed. Then, as illustrated inFIG. 7B, a suction part such as a suction pump or the like (not shown) suctions an internal space formed between the ejection surface302and the cap member202. Ink ejected from an ejection opening7bflows into the absorber201with the projected portion201-1of the absorber201.

When the suction ends and the cap member202is separated from the droplet ejection head301, as illustrated inFIG. 7C, ink inside the cap member202is separated to the ejection surface302and a surface of the absorber201inside the cap member202, and ink is adhered to the ejection surface302. A location where the ink is adhered faces the projected portion201-1of the absorber201closed to the ejection surface302, so that the ink is not adhered in a vicinity of the ejection opening7b. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress taking ink into the droplet ejection head301due to a negative pressure inside the droplet ejection head301. Thus, as illustrated inFIG. 7DandFIG. 7E, foreign matter such as ink, paper particles, and the like remaining on the ejection surface302can be removed by pressing the wiper blade401to the ejection surface302and moving the wiper blade401in a direction indicated by an arrow7a.

The projected portion201-1of the absorber201is located to be asymmetric with respect to the ejection opening7b, and is arranged at an upstream in a wiping direction. By this configuration, remaining ink adhering to the ejection surface302can be used as an antifriction to wipe the ejection surface302. By wiping the ejection surface302, mist attached to the ejection surface302is dispersed. Also, the foreign matter such as paper particles are taken into and removed with wiping the ejection surface302. Therefore, it is possible to improve cleanliness of the ejection surface302. The absorber201is accommodated in the cap member202so as to arrange the projected portion201-1of the absorber201at the upstream in the wiping direction. Also, in the absorber201, a portion of the gap formed with a part of the ejection surface302on which the ejection opening7bis formed, when the cap member202seals the ejection surface302. Furthermore, multiple projected portions may be provided and arranged to form steps. Thus, it is possible to improve absorbency of the absorber201. Alternatively, the absorber201may be divided into multiple portions. In addition, each of divided multiple portions of the absorber201may be formed by different materials. Thus, it is possible to further improve the absorbency of the absorber201.

As described above, in the embodiment, as illustrated inFIG. 6, the projected portion201-1is provided at a part of an upper surface of the absorber201facing the ejection surface other than an area facing the ejection opening7b. As illustrated inFIG. 7AthroughFIG. 7E, the absorber201is formed, so that the cap201-2is formed between the projected portion201-1and the ejection surface302when the cap member202seals the ejection surface302of the droplet ejection head301. The gap201-2is shorter than a gap between a portion of the absorber201facing the part of the ejection surface302providing the ejection opening7band the ejection surface302. By this configuration, when the cap member202is appressed to the ejection surface302, the nip state between the ejection surface302and the cap member202is assured and a sealed state is formed. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent an occurrence of an absorption defect.

Moreover, according to the embodiment, as illustrated inFIG. 7AthroughFIG. 7E, the projected portion201-1is provided at the upstream in a direction of the wiper blade401on a surface of the absorber201after the wiper blade401wiping the ejection surface302passes over the ejection opening7b. Thus, the ink remaining on the ejection surface301is not taken into the ejection opening7b, and is further used as the antifriction for wiping the ejection surface301.

Furthermore, in the embodiment, the absorber201is formed by a porous material. Multiple projected portions are arranged so as to form steps. Furthermore, the absorber201is divided into multiple portions. Each of the multiple portions divided from the absorber201is formed by a different material. Accordingly, the absorber201can be improved to absorb the ink.

According to the present invention, an absorber mounted in a cap member includes a first absorbing part configured to face an ejection surface at a first side where an ejection opening is provided through a first gap, and a second absorbing part configured to face the ejection surface at a second side where the ejection opening is not provided through a second gap, when the ejection opening is sealed with the cap member. The first gap is greater than the second gap. Also, a height of the second gap is shorter than that of ink attached to the ejection surface, and the absorber contacts and absorbs the ink. Moreover, when the cap member is cohered to the ejection surface, due to the first and second gaps between the absorber and the ejection surface, the cap member can be adhered to the ejection surface without being pressed by the absorber. Thus, a nip state between the ejection surface and the cap member can be assured to form a sealed state. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent an occurrence of absorption defect in a recovery process.

The present invention is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiments, and variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Also, variations of the present invention may be formed by appropriately combining multiple functional elements disclosed in the above-described embodiments. For example, one or more functional elements may be deleted from the entire functional elements illustrated in the embodiments. Alternatively, functional elements are selected from different embodiments and appropriately combined.

The present application is based on Japanese Priority Patent Application No. 2010-206926 filed on Sep. 15, 2010, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.