Patent Publication Number: US-9844942-B2

Title: Recording apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to a recording apparatus. 
     2. Related Art 
     Recording apparatuses that have a recording head that performs recording by ejecting a liquid such as ink from nozzles onto a recording medium while moving the recording head back and forth relative to the recording medium have been used. In these recording apparatuses, recording quality sometimes declines due to mist produced as the recording head ejects the liquid. Therefore, many recording apparatuses in use are equipped with a wiper that wipes such mist. 
     For example, JP-A-6-115065 and JP-A-2014-46502 disclose recording apparatuses each equipped with a wiper capable of wiping a nozzle-formed surface in which nozzles are formed. 
     However, when the nozzle-formed surface is wiped, mist or the like deposited on the nozzle-formed surface may be pushed into nozzles, so that recording quality may sometimes decline. In order to inhibit such decline in recording quality, it is necessary to interrupt a recording operation even during recording and execute a cleaning operation of discharging mist or the like pushed in nozzles. 
     Thus, in the related-art recording apparatuses, the recording speed needs to be reduced in order to inhibit decline in recording quality due to mist produced as the recording head ejects liquid. 
     SUMMARY 
     An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it becomes possible to inhibit the recording quality from declining due to mist produced as the recording head ejects liquid, without reducing the recording speed. 
     A recording apparatus according to an aspect of the invention includes a recording head capable of moving back and forth relative to a recording medium and ejecting a liquid from a nozzle, a cover portion that covers at least a portion of a no-nozzle-formed region in which the nozzle is not formed within a nozzle-formed surface in which the nozzle is formed, and a wiper provided in a back-and-forth movement range of the recording head and capable of wiping the cover portion without contacting the nozzle-formed surface as the recording head moves back and forth. 
     In this recording apparatus, the cover portion may have higher liquid repellency to the liquid than the wiper does. 
     In the foregoing recording apparatus, the liquid repellency of the cover portion to the liquid may be higher in a region near the nozzle than in a region remote from the nozzle. 
     In the foregoing recording apparatus, the wiper may be a blade that extends in a direction that intersects reciprocating directions of the recording head. 
     In the foregoing recording apparatus, in the nozzle-formed surface, a plurality of the nozzle may be arranged in a direction that intersects reciprocating directions of the recording head. Furthermore, the wiper may be capable of wiping in a direction that intersects the reciprocating directions of the recording head. 
     In the foregoing recording apparatus, the wiper may be made of a material capable of absorbing the liquid. 
     In the foregoing recording apparatus, the wiper may be capable of being withdrawn from a location at which the wiper is able to wipe the cover portion as the recording head moves back and forth. 
     In the foregoing recording apparatus, ratio of a thickness of a cover region in the cover portion which covers the nozzle-formed surface to a length of an exposed region in the nozzle-formed surface which is not covered with the cover portion, the length being measured in reciprocating directions of the recording head, may be greater than or equal to 0.02 and less than or equal to 3.0. 
     In the foregoing recording apparatus, the ratio of the thickness of the cover region to the length of the exposed region may be greater than or equal to 0.5 and less than or equal to 2.4. 
     The foregoing recording apparatus may further include a transport portion that transports the recording medium in a direction that intersects reciprocating directions of the recording head, and the wiper may be provided at an end portion of a transport region in which the recording medium is transported by the transport portion, the end portion being at an end in one of the reciprocating directions. 
     In the foregoing recording apparatus, the wiper may be provided at each of two end portions of the transport region in the reciprocating directions. 
     According to the invention, it is possible to inhibit the recording quality from declining due to mist produced as the recording head ejects liquid without reducing the recording speed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic side view presenting a recording apparatus according to Exemplary Embodiment 1 of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic front view presenting the recording apparatus of Exemplary Embodiment 1 of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic plan view presenting the recording apparatus of Exemplary Embodiment 1 of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram presenting the recording apparatus of Exemplary Embodiment 1 of the invention. 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  are schematic front views presenting portions of the recording apparatus of Exemplary Embodiment 1 of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic bottom view presenting portions of the recording apparatus of Exemplary Embodiment 1 of the invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic plan view presenting a recording apparatus according to Exemplary Embodiment 2 of the invention. 
         FIGS. 8A and 8B  are schematic front views presenting portions of a related-art recording apparatus. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Exemplary Embodiment 1 (FIG.  1  to FIG.  6 ) 
     Recording apparatuses according to exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     First, a recording apparatus  1  according to Exemplary Embodiment 1 of the invention will be generally described. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic side view of the recording apparatus  1  of this exemplary embodiment.  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  are schematic diagrams of portions in and around a transport mechanism  3  that transports a recording medium P and that is equipped with wipers  19  that are portions of the recording apparatus  1  of this exemplary embodiment.  FIG. 2  is a schematic front view and  FIG. 3  is a schematic plan view. 
     As presented in  FIG. 1 , the recording apparatus  1  of this exemplary embodiment includes a feeder portion  2  capable of feeding the recording medium P on which to perform recording by unwinding a roll R 1  of the recording medium P. The recording apparatus  1  further includes a transport mechanism  3  as a transport portion that transports the recording medium P in a transporting direction A by a adhesive belt  10  that supports the recording medium P on a support surface F that has a tackiness agent thereon. There is further provided a recorder mechanism  4  that performs recording on the recording medium P by moving a recording head  7  back and forth in reciprocating directions B that intersect the recording medium P-transporting direction A. A washer mechanism  15  for the adhesive belt  10  is also provided. Furthermore, a winder mechanism  18  having a winding shaft  17  that winds up the recording medium P and a cutter  16  that cuts the recording medium P wound around the winding shaft  17  is provided. 
     The feeder portion  2  includes a rotation shaft  5  on which the roll R 1  of the recording medium P for recording is set, and is capable of feeding the recording medium P from the roll R 1  set on the rotation shaft  5  to the transport mechanism  3  via a driven roller  6 . Incidentally, when the recording medium P is fed to the transport mechanism  3 , the rotation shaft  5  rotates in a rotation direction C. 
     The transport mechanism  3  includes the adhesive belt  10  that supports and transports thereon the recording medium P fed from the feeder portion  2 , a transport roller  8  provided as a driving roller that moves the adhesive belt  10 , and a driven roller  9 . The recording medium P is mounted on and stuck to a support surface F of the adhesive belt  10  by a pressure roller  12  pressurizing the recording medium P onto the support surface F. To transport the recording medium P, the transport roller  8  rotates in the rotation direction C so that the adhesive belt  10  moves in a direction E. 
     However, the transport belt is not limited to a adhesive belt. For example, an electrostatic adsorption type transport belt may be used. 
     The recorder mechanism  4  includes the recording head  7  capable of ejecting ink (liquid) from nozzles N (see  FIGS. 5A and 5B  and  FIG. 6 ) and a carriage motor  30  (see  FIG. 4 ) that moves a carriage on which the recording head  7  is mounted back and forth in the reciprocating directions B relative to the recording medium P. Note that in  FIG. 1 , the reciprocating directions B are directions perpendicular to the sheet of the drawing. 
     During recording, the recording head  7  is moved back and forth for recording. However, during scanning for recording (moving the recording head  7 ), the transport mechanism  3  avoids transporting the recording medium P. In other words, during recording, the back and forth movements of the recording head  7  and the transport of the recording medium P are alternately performed. Specifically, during recording, the transport mechanism  3  intermittently transports the recording medium P (intermittently moves the adhesive belt  10 ) corresponding to the back and forth movements of the recording head  7 . 
     As presented in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the wipers  19  are provided at two opposite end portions  35  of a recording region Rp of the recording head  7  in the reciprocating directions B. The recording region Rp is in a transport region Rc in which the recording medium P is transported by the transport mechanism  3 . 
     Although detailed later, the recording apparatus  1  of this exemplary embodiment is configured to be capable of wiping the recording head  7  by the using wipers  19  during recording. The wipers  19  are movable in directions D and can be withdrawn so as to avoid contact with the recording head  7  during recording. 
     Although not shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the recording apparatus  1  of this exemplary embodiment has a maintenance portion that includes a cap, wipers, a suction mechanism, etc., and that is capable of maintaining the recording head  7  when the recording head  7  is positioned at a home position. 
     The washer mechanism  15  for the adhesive belt  10  includes a washing brush  13  in which a plurality of washing rollers are connected in a rotation axis direction and a tray  14  that holds therein a detergent for washing the washing brush  13 . 
     The winder mechanism  18  winds up the recording medium P that has been subjected to recording and transported from the transport mechanism  3  via a driven roller  11 . A medium-winding paper tube or the like is set on the winding shaft  17 , and the recording medium P is wound up as a roll R 2  on the paper tube or the like. 
     Although the recording apparatus  1  of this exemplary embodiment is a recording apparatus in which a roll of the recording medium P is set and the recording medium P from the roll is supported and transported on the adhesive belt  10 , this construction is not restrictive. For example, the recording apparatus of the invention may have a construction in which instead of a rolled recording medium P, a cut sheet-shaped recording medium P can be transported by a pair of rollers that constitute a transport portion and that clamp the recording medium P. 
     Next, an electrical construction of the recording apparatus  1  of this exemplary embodiment will be described. 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram of the recording apparatus  1  of this exemplary embodiment. 
     A control unit  23  includes a CPU (central processing unit)  24  that performs overall control of the recording apparatus  1 . The CPU  24  is connected via a system bus  25  to a ROM (read-only memory)  26  that stores various control programs that the CPU  24  executes and the like and a RAM (random access memory)  27  capable of temporarily storing data. 
     The CPU  24  is also connected via the system bus  25  to a head driving portion  28  that drives the recording head  7 . 
     Furthermore, the CPU  24  is connected via the system bus  25  to a motor driving portion  29  that drives a carriage motor  30 , a transporting motor  31 , a feeding motor  32 , a winding motor  33 , and a wiper moving motor  34 . 
     The carriage motor  30  is a motor that moves the carriage on which the recording head  7  is mounted. The transporting motor  31  is a motor that drives the transport roller  8 . The feeding motor  32  is a motor that is a rotation mechanism for the rotation shaft  5  and that drives the rotation shaft  5  in order to feed the recording medium P to the transport mechanism  3 . Besides, the winding motor  33  is a driving motor that rotates the winding shaft  17 . The wiper moving motor  34  is a motor that moves the wipers  19  in the directions D. 
     The CPU  24  is also connected via the system bus  25  to a cutter driving portion  36  that drives the cutter  16  so that the cutter  16  cuts the recording medium P. 
     Furthermore, the CPU  24  is connected via the system bus  25  to an input/output portion  37 . The input/output portion  37  is connected to a PC (personal computer)  38  that inputs recording data or the like from an external device or the like. 
     Next, a construction of the recording head  7  that is a portion of the recording apparatus  1  of this exemplary embodiment will be described. 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  are schematic front views presenting the recording head  7  of this exemplary embodiment.  FIG. 5A  presents a state in which the recording head  7  is not in contact with either one of the wipers  19 .  FIG. 5B  presents a state in which the recording head  7  is in contact with one of the wipers  19  when moving in a direction B 1  that is one of the reciprocating directions B. Besides,  FIG. 6  is a schematic bottom view presenting the recording head  7  of this exemplary embodiment. 
       FIGS. 8A and 8B  are schematic front views presenting a related-art recording head  7  and correspond to  FIGS. 5A and 5B .  FIG. 8A  presents a state in which the recording head  7  is not in contact with either one of the wipers  19 , and  FIG. 8B  presents a state in which the recording head  7  is in contact with one of the wipers  19 . 
     As presented in  FIGS. 5A and 5B  and  FIG. 6 , the recording head  7  in this exemplary embodiment includes a nozzle plate  21  in which the nozzles N are formed and a cover portion  22  that covers at least a portion of a non-nozzle-N-formed region Rn in the nozzle-formed surface  20  of the nozzle plate  21 . 
     Note that the “non-nozzle-N-formed region Rn in the nozzle-formed surface  20 ” means the entire region in which no nozzle N is formed in the nozzle-formed surface  20 . That is, to express it in another way, the recording head  7  of this exemplary embodiment includes the nozzle plate  21  in which the nozzles N are formed and the cover portion  22  that covers at least a portion of the nozzle-formed surface  20  of the nozzle plate  21  without contacting a nozzle N. 
     Each of the wipers  19  is provided in a back-and-forth movement range Rh and, as presented in in  FIG. 5B , is capable of wiping the cover portion  22  without contacting the nozzle-formed surface  20  as the recording head  7  moves back and forth. Concretely, the wipers  19  are able to wipe the cover portion  22  without contacting the nozzle-formed surface  20  because a thickness L 2  of a cover region in the cover portion  22  which actually covers the nozzle-formed surface  20  is sufficiently large relative to a length L 1  of an exposed region Ro in the nozzle-formed surface  20  which is not covered with the cover portion  22 , the length L 1  being measured in the reciprocating directions B of the recording head  7 . 
     When the cover portion  22  that covers at least a portion of the non-nozzle-N-formed region Rn in the nozzle-formed surface  20  is provided as in the recording apparatus  1  of this exemplary embodiment, the area of the exposed region Ro becomes small, so that deposit of mist on the nozzle-formed surface  20  can be inhibited or reduced. Furthermore, since the wipers  19  are provided in the back-and-forth movement range Rh of the recording head  7 , the mist deposited on the cover portion  22  instead of the nozzle-formed surface  20  can be wiped by the wipers  19  provided in the back-and-forth movement range Rh of the recording head  7  even during recording, without the wipers  19  contacting the nozzle-formed surface  20 . 
     Therefore, the recording apparatus  1  of this exemplary embodiment is capable of cleaning the cover portion  22 , without reducing the recording speed, while inhibiting the mist or the like deposited on the nozzle-formed surface  20  from being pushed into the nozzles N. Therefore, the recording apparatus  1  is capable of inhibiting the decline in recording quality due to mist produced as the recording head  7  ejects ink, without reducing the recording speed. 
     On the other hand, in the related-art recording head  7 , as presented in  FIG. 8 , the thickness L 4  of the cover region is small in relation to the length L 3  of the exposed region Ro, so that the wipers  19  cannot wipe the cover portion  22  without contacting the nozzle-formed surface  20 . Therefore, if wiping is performed during recording, there is a risk that mist or the like deposited on the cover portion  22  or the nozzle-formed surface  20  may be pushed into the nozzles N and therefore the recording quality may decline. 
     The ratio of the thickness L 2  of the cover region to the length L 1  of the exposed region Ro is desired to be greater than or equal to 0.02 and less than or equal to 3.0. By setting the ratio to 0.02 or greater, contact of the wipers  19  with the nozzle-formed surface  20  can be effectively inhibited. Furthermore, the distance from the nozzle-formed surface  20  to the recording medium P is set to a short distance in order to maintain a recording quality and inhibit production of mist. Despite this setting, the aforementioned setting of the ratio to 3.0 or less will substantially prevent contact of the cover portion  22  with the recording medium P. 
     Furthermore, if the ratio of the thickness L 2  of the cover region to the length L 1  of the exposed region Ro is greater than or equal to 0.5 and less than or equal to 2.4, it is possible to switch between the cleaning in which the wipers  19  wipe without contacting the nozzle-formed surface  20  and the cleaning in which the wipers  19  wipe contacting the nozzle-formed surface  20  by, for example, changing the contact pressure of the wipers  19  on the recording head  7 . Therefore, the cleaning can be suitably carried out with ease, for example, if ink is firmly adhered to the exposed region Ro and therefore the cleaning in which the wipers  19  wipe contacting the nozzle-formed surface  20  is desirable. 
     Note that the recording apparatus  1  of this exemplary embodiment is capable of using black, cyan, magenta, and yellow inks. In the recording head  7  of the exemplary embodiment, as presented in  FIG. 6 , four recording heads  7   a ,  7   b ,  7   c  and  7   d  that correspond to the black, cyan, magenta, and yellow inks, respectively, and that have substantially the same construction are arranged side by side in the reciprocating directions B. Incidentally,  FIGS. 5A and 5B  are partial side sectional views that correspond to one of the recording heads  7   a ,  7   b ,  7   c  and  7   d.    
     However, this arrangement is not restrictive. For example, a plurality of rows of nozzles that eject a plurality of inks may be arranged in a single nozzle plate  21 . 
     As presented in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the recording apparatus  1  of Exemplary Embodiment 1 further includes the transport mechanism  3  that transports the recording medium P in the transporting direction A that intersects the reciprocating directions B of the recording head  7 . As presented in  FIG. 3 , the wipers  19  are provided at end portions  35  of the transport region Rc where the recording medium P is transported by the transport mechanism  3 , the end portions  35  being at ends in the reciprocating directions B. That is, the wipers  19  are provided at locations that are within the back-and-forth movement range Rh of the recording head  7  and outside the recording region Rp, so that the wipers  19  can wipe the cover portion  22  without interfering with the recording operation. 
     More specifically, the wipers  19  in this exemplary embodiment are provided at the two end portions  35  of the transport region Rc where the recording medium P is transported by the transport mechanism  3 , the two end portions  35  being at ends in the reciprocating directions B. Therefore, the cover portion  22  can be wiped effectively by the two wipers  19 , without interfering with the recording operation. 
     Furthermore, as mentioned above, the wipers  19  in the exemplary embodiment can be withdrawn from the location at which the wipers  19  are able to wipe the cover portion  22  as the recording head  7  moves back and forth during the recording operation, by the control unit  23  controlling the wiper moving motor  34 . That is, when there is no need to wipe the cover portion  22  every time the recording head  7  moves back and forth, it is possible to perform wiping at every predetermined number of back and forth movements of the recording head  7 . 
     If the wipers  19  and the cover portion  22  frequently contact each other, degradation thereof is considered to occur in an early period. However, the recording apparatus  1  of this exemplary embodiment is configured to be able to inhibit the degradation of the wipers  19  and the cover portion  22  due to frequent contacts therebetween. 
     Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment, the cover portion  22  are made of a material that has higher liquid repellency to ink than the wipers  19 . That is, the cover portion  22  is less easily wetted by ink than the wipers  19  are. Therefore, as the wipers  19  wipe the cover portion  22 , the ink on the cover portion  22  (ink mist deposited on the cover portion  22 ) efficiently moves to the wipers  19 . 
     Incidentally, how to make the cover portion  22  more liquid ink-repellent than the wipers  19  is not particularly limited. Such different liquid repellencies of the cover portion  22  and the wipers  19  to ink may be achieved by, for example, making the cover portion  22  and the wipers  19  from different materials, subjecting the cover portion  22  and the wipers  19  to different surface treatments, etc. 
     Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment, the cover portion  22  has been formed so that the liquid repellency to ink is higher at locations near the nozzles N than at locations remote from the nozzles N. Therefore, mist deposited on the cover portion  22  moves more easily from the vicinity of the nozzles N (a region near the nozzle-formed surface  20 ) toward locations remote from the nozzles N (a region near the side surfaces of the cover portion  22 ), so that mist is effectively inhibited from being pushed into the nozzles N. 
     Note that the construction in which the liquid repellency to ink is higher in a region near the nozzles N than in a region remote from the nozzles N includes a construction in which an inner side surface of the cover portion  22  which faces the exposed region Ro and which extends along the direction of the thickness L 2  has higher ink repellency than other surfaces of the cover portion  22 . 
     Incidentally, how to make the liquid repellency to ink higher in a region near the nozzles N than in a region remote from the nozzles N is not particularly limited. Such different liquid repellencies to ink may be achieved by, for example, using different materials, employing different surface treatments, etc. 
     In this exemplary embodiment, the wipers  19  are blade type wipers that contact the cover portion  22  (a member to be wiped) and scrape mist from the cover portion  22 . More specifically, the wipers  19  are blades that extend in directions that intersect the reciprocating directions B of the recording head  7 . Therefore, the wipers  19  are simple in construction and low in cost. However, such a construction of wipers is not restrictive. 
     For example, the wipers may be liquid absorption type wipers made of a material capable of absorbing a liquid such as ink or the like, for example, a cloth or the like. A wiper having such a construction can more effectively inhibit mist being pushed into nozzles by the wiper than the blade type wiper. 
     Exemplary Embodiment 2 (FIG.  7 ) 
     A recording apparatus according to Exemplary Embodiment 2 of the invention will be described. 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram of portions in and around a transport mechanism  3  that transports a recording medium P, with wipers  19  that are portions of the recording apparatus  1  according to Exemplary Embodiment 2 of the invention, corresponding to  FIG. 3  presenting portions in and around the transport mechanism  3  of Exemplary Embodiment 1. Incidentally, component members of Exemplary Embodiment 2 comparable to those of Exemplary Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same characters and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted below. 
     The recording apparatus  1  of this exemplary embodiment is different from the recording apparatus  1  of Exemplary Embodiment 1 only in the construction of the wipers  19 . 
     The wipers  19  in Exemplary Embodiment 1 are blade type wipers that extend along the transporting direction A. 
     The wipers  19  in Exemplary Embodiment 2, as presented in  FIG. 7 , blade type wipers that extend in the reciprocating directions B and that are movable in directions G along the transporting direction A. During a period from when the recording head  7  that moves in the reciprocating directions B in a recording operation moves out of the recording region Rp, decelerates, stops, and then begins to move in the opposite direction to when the recording head  7  re-enters the recording region Rp, the wipers  19  can move in the directions G to wipe the cover portion  22  of the recording head  7 . 
     To express this in another way, the recording apparatus  1  of this exemplary embodiment includes the recording head  7  that has a nozzle-formed surface  20  in which nozzles N are arranged in the directions G that intersect the reciprocating directions B and the wipers  19  capable of wiping in the directions G of arrangement of the nozzles N (i.e., the nozzle row directions). 
     Due to the construction in which the wipers  19  wipe along the nozzle rows, a direction of the length of an exposed region Ro in the nozzle-formed surface  20  which is not covered by the cover portion  22  and a direction of the length of the wipers  19  intersect each other, so that the wipers  19  are less likely to enter the exposed region Ro. In this construction, because the wipers  19  wipe along the direction of the length of the exposed region Ro, the wipers  19  are unlikely to contact the nozzle-formed surface  20  and therefore mist is less likely to be pushed into the nozzles N. 
     Incidentally, it should be apparent that the invention is not limited by the foregoing exemplary embodiments but can be modified and changed in various manners within the scope of the invention described in the appended claims and that such changes and modifications are encompassed within the scope of the invention. 
     The invention has been described in detail above with reference to the specific exemplary embodiments. Features of the invention will be briefly recapitulated below. 
     A recording apparatus  1  according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention includes a recording head  7  capable of moving back and forth relative to a recording medium P and ejecting a liquid from a nozzle N, a cover portion  22  that covers at least a portion of a no-nozzle-formed region Rn in which the nozzle N is not formed within a nozzle-formed surface  20  in which the nozzle N is formed, and a wiper  19  provided in a back-and-forth movement range Rh of the recording head  7  and capable of wiping the cover portion  22  without contacting the nozzle-formed surface  20  as the recording head  7  moves back and forth. 
     Note that the “nozzle-formed surface  20 ” in the “non-nozzle-N-formed region Rn” means the entire region in the nozzle-formed surface  20  in which no nozzle N is formed. 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the provision of the cover portion  22  that covers at least a portion of the non-nozzle-N-formed region Rn in the nozzle-formed surface  20  inhibits mist from depositing on the nozzle-formed surface  20 . Furthermore, the mist having deposited on the cover portion  22  instead of the nozzle-formed surface  20  can be wiped off even during recording by the wiper  19  provided in the back-and-forth movement range Rh of the recording head  7 , without contacting the nozzle-formed surface  20 . Therefore, the recording apparatus  1  can clean the cover portion  22  while avoiding reduction in the recording speed and inhibiting mist or the like deposited on the nozzle-formed surface  20  from being pushed into the nozzles N. Hence, the recording apparatus  1  can inhibit the decline in recording quality due to mist produced as the recording head  7  ejects liquid, without reducing the recording speed. 
     In a recording apparatus  1  according to the second exemplary embodiment of the invention based on the first exemplary embodiment, the cover portion  22  has higher liquid repellency to the liquid than the wiper  19  does. 
     According to the second exemplary embodiment, the cover portion  22  has higher liquid repellency to the liquid than the wiper  19  does. That is, the cover portion  22  is less easily wetted by the liquid than the wiper  19  is. Therefore, as the wiper  19  wipes the cover portion  22 , the liquid on the cover portion  22  (mist deposited on the cover portion  22 ) will efficiently move to the wiper  19 . 
     A recording apparatus  1  according to a third exemplary embodiment of the invention based on the first or second exemplary embodiment, the liquid repellency of the cover portion  22  to the liquid is higher in a region near the nozzle N than in a region remote from the nozzle N. 
     According to the third exemplary embodiment, the liquid repellency of the cover portion  22  to the liquid is higher in the region near the nozzle N than in the region remote from the nozzle N. Therefore, mist deposited on the cover portion  22  moves more easily from the region near the nozzle N toward the region remote from the nozzle N, so that mist can be effectively inhibited from being pushed into the nozzle N. 
     In a recording apparatus  1  according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the invention based on any one of the first to third exemplary embodiments, the wiper  19  is a blade that extends in a direction that intersects the reciprocating directions B of the recording head  7 . 
     According to the fourth exemplary embodiment, the wiper  19  is a blade extending in a direction that intersects the reciprocating directions B of the recording head  7 . Therefore, the wiper  19  can be easily constructed at low cost. 
     In a recording apparatus  1  according to a fifth exemplary embodiment of the invention based on any one of the first to third exemplary embodiments, in the nozzle-formed surface  20 , the nozzle N is arranged in a direction G that intersects reciprocating directions B of the recording head  7 . Furthermore, the wiper  19  is capable of wiping along the direction G in which the nozzles N are arranged. 
     According to the fifth exemplary embodiment, nozzles N are arranged in the nozzle-formed surface  20  in the direction G that intersects the reciprocating directions B of the recording head  7 , and wipers  19  can wipe along the direction G in which the nozzles N are arranged. That is, the wiping can be performed along rows of nozzles. This construction makes it possible to easily avoid forming a construction in which the cover portion  22  is wiped by the wiper  19  in a direction that intersects the direction of the length of the exposed region Ro in the nozzle-formed surface  20  which is not covered by the cover portion  22  (a construction in which the wiper  19  is likely to contact the nozzle-formed surface  20 ). Therefore, a construction in which the wiper  19  is unlikely to contact the nozzle-formed surface  20  can be easily provided, so that a construction in which mist is unlikely to be pushed into the nozzle N can be easily provided. 
     In a recording apparatus  1  according to a sixth exemplary embodiment of the invention based on any one of the first to third exemplary embodiments, the wiper  19  is made of a material capable of absorbing the liquid. 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the wiper  19  is made of a material that can absorb the liquid. Therefore, mist can be effectively inhibited from being pushed into the nozzles N by the wiper  19 . 
     In a recording apparatus  1  according to a seventh exemplary embodiment of the invention based on any one of the first to sixth exemplary embodiments, the wiper  19  is capable of being withdrawn from a location at which the wiper  19  is able to wipe the cover portion  22  as the recording head  7  moves back and forth. 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the wiper  19  can be withdrawn from the location at which the wiper  19  can wipe the cover portion  22  as the recording head  7  moves back and forth. Therefore, when there is no need to wipe the cover portion  22  every time the recording head  7  moves back or forth, the recording apparatus  1  can perform wiping at every predetermined number of back and forth movements of the recording head  7 . Hence, the degradation of the wipers  19  and the cover portion  22  due to frequent contacts therebetween can be reduced. 
     In a recording apparatus  1  according to an eighth exemplary embodiment of the invention based on any one of the first to seventh exemplary embodiments, the ratio of the thickness L 2  of the cover region in the cover portion  22  which covers the nozzle-formed surface  20  to the length L 1  of the exposed region Ro in the nozzle-formed surface  20  which is not covered with the cover portion  22 , the length L 1  being measured in the reciprocating directions B of the recording head  7 , is greater than or equal to 0.02 and less than or equal to 3.0. 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the ratio of the thickness L 2  of the cover region to the length L 1  of the exposed region Ro is greater than or equal to 0.02 and less than or equal to 3.0. By setting the ratio to 0.02 or greater, the wiper  19  can be effectively inhibited from contacting the nozzle-formed surface  20 . By setting the ratio to 3.0 or less, contact of the cover portion  22  with the recording medium P can be inhibited even when the distance from the nozzle-formed surface  20  to the recording medium P is a short distance. 
     In a recording apparatus  1  according to a ninth exemplary embodiment of the invention based on the eighth exemplary embodiment, the ratio of the thickness L 2  of the cover region to the length L 1  of the exposed region Ro is greater than or equal to 0.5 and less than or equal to 2.4. 
     According to the ninth exemplary embodiment, the setting of the ratio of the thickness L 2  of the cover region to the length L 1  of the exposed region Ro to a ratio greater than or equal to 0.5 and less than or equal to 2.4 makes it possible to switch between the cleaning in which the wiper  19  wipes without contacting the nozzle-formed surface  20  and the cleaning in which the wiper  19  wipes contacting the nozzle-formed surface  20  by, for example, changing the contact pressure of the wiper  19  on the recording head  7 . Therefore, the cleaning can be suitably carried out with ease, for example, if ink, as the liquid, is firmly adhered to the exposed region Ro and therefore the cleaning in which the wiper  19  wipes contacting the nozzle-formed surface  20  is desirable. 
     A recording apparatus  1  according to a tenth exemplary embodiment of the invention based on any one of the first to ninth exemplary embodiments further includes the transport portion  3  that transports the recording medium P in a direction A that intersects the reciprocating directions B of the recording head  7  and the wiper  19  is provided at an end portion  35  of the transport region Rc in which the recording medium P is transported by the transport portion  3 , the end portion  35  being at an end in one of the reciprocating directions B. 
     According to the tenth exemplary embodiment, the wiper  19  is provided at an end portion  35  of the transport region Rc in which the recording medium P is transported by the transport portion  3 , the end portion being at an end in one of the reciprocating directions B. Therefore, the wiper  19  can wipe the cover portion  22  without interfering with the recording operation. 
     A recording apparatus  1  according to an eleventh exemplary embodiment of the invention based on the tenth exemplary embodiment, wipers  19  are provided at two end portions  35  of the transport region Rc in the reciprocating directions B. 
     According to the eleventh exemplary embodiment, the wipers  19  are provided at the two end portions  35  of the transport region Rc in which the recording medium P is transported by the transport portion  3 , the end portions  35  being at ends in the reciprocating directions B. Therefore, the cover portion  22  can be wiped effectively by the (two) wipers  19  provided at the two opposite ends, without interfering with the recording operation. 
     Although in Exemplary Embodiment 1, the wipers  19  extend along the transporting direction A, it is also possible to adopt a construction in which the wipers  19  extend in a direction that intersects the transporting direction A so that the direction of the length of the exposed region Ro and the direction of the length of the wipers  19  intersect each other. Due to this construction, entrance of the wipers  19  into the exposed region Ro can be made less likely, and it is possible to perform the cleaning of the cover portion  22  while inhibiting mist deposited on the nozzle-formed surface  20  from being pushed into the nozzles N. 
     Although in Exemplary Embodiment 2, the moving directions of the wipers  19  are the directions G along the transporting direction A and the direction of the length of the wipers  19  is along the reciprocating directions B, it suffices that the recording apparatus  1  has a construction in which the direction of the length of the exposed region Ro and the direction of the length of the wipers  19  intersect each other, in order to achieve the advantage of making the wipers  19  less likely to enter the exposed region Ro and therefore accomplishing the cleaning of the cover portion  22  while substantially avoiding pushing into the nozzles N the mist or the like deposited on the nozzle-formed surface  20 . For examples, a construction in which the moving direction of the wipers  19  intersects both the transporting direction A and the reciprocating directions B or a construction in which the direction of the length of the wipers  19  intersects both the direction of the length of the exposed region Ro and the reciprocating directions B may be adopted. That is, the recording apparatus  1  does not necessarily need to be constructed to be capable of performing the wiping along the direction G in which the nozzles N are arranged (i.e., the direction of rows of nozzles) in order to achieve the foregoing advantage. 
     The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-014093, filed Jan. 28, 2015 is expressly incorporated by reference herein.