Patent Publication Number: US-11660870-B2

Title: Liquid ejecting apparatus and wiping method of liquid ejecting apparatus

Description:
The present application is based on, and claims priority from JP Application Serial Number 2020-161006, filed Sep. 25, 2020, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a liquid ejecting apparatus for ejecting liquid from a nozzle and a wiping method of the liquid ejecting apparatus and relates particularly to an ink jet recording apparatus for ejecting ink, which is an example of a liquid, and a wiping method of the ink jet recording apparatus. 
     2. Related Art 
     As liquid ejecting apparatuses that eject liquid onto an ejection target medium, ink jet recording apparatuses that eject ink, which is an example of a liquid, to perform printing on an ejection target medium (recording target medium) such as paper or a recording sheet have been known. 
     Since an ink jet recording head mounted on such an ink jet recording apparatus ejects ink droplets from a nozzle, ink adheres in the vicinity of the nozzle, or the ink adhering in the vicinity of the nozzle increases in viscosity, causing a problem of an inconsistent ejection trajectory during ejection of ink droplets or a problem of an ejection failure, such as failed ejection of ink droplets. 
     Thus, some ink jet recording apparatuses regularly perform maintenance by wiping a nozzle surface of an ink jet recording head, on which nozzles are provided, by using a wiping member (refer to JP-A-2011-156813, for example). In the disclosure according to JP-A-2011-156813, the wiping member is moved, with respect to the nozzle surface which is a wiped surface to be wiped, in a direction from one end of the nozzle surface to the other end to thereby scrape ink or the like adhering to the nozzle surface. 
     Here, not only liquid ink but also a foreign substance such as paper powder or dust, or solidified ink, may adhere to the wiped surface. Such a foreign substance readily adheres particularly to the outer peripheral portion of the wiped surface. Thus, when the wiping member is moved in a direction from one end of the wiped surface to the other end to thereby wipe the wiped surface as described in JP-A-2011-156813, the wiping member may encounter a foreign substance adhering to the outer peripheral portion of the wiped surface, and the foreign substance may damage a region of the wiped surface in which a nozzle is open, resulting in a potential problem of an inconsistent ejection trajectory during ejection of ink droplets. 
     Ink jet recording apparatuses have such a problem, and liquid ejecting apparatuses that eject liquid other than ink have a similar problem. 
     SUMMARY 
     An aspect of the disclosure to address the aforementioned problem provides a liquid ejecting apparatus including: a liquid ejecting head including a wiped surface that includes a first region including a plurality of nozzles which eject liquid and a second region outside the first region; and a wiping mechanism that wipes the wiped surface, in which a first wiping operation in which the wiping mechanism moves relative to the wiped surface in a first direction to thereby wipe the first region and the second region is performed, and a second wiping operation in which, before the first wiping operation, the wiping mechanism moves relative to the wiped surface in a direction different from the first direction to thereby wipe a region including an upstream portion of the second region, the upstream portion being arranged, with respect to the first region, in a second direction opposite to the first direction, is performed. 
     Moreover, another aspect of the disclosure provides a wiping method of a liquid ejecting apparatus that includes a liquid ejecting head including a wiped surface that includes a first region including a plurality of nozzles which eject liquid and a second region positioned outside the first region and a wiping mechanism that wipes the wiped surface, and the wiping method includes performing a first wiping operation in which the wiping mechanism is moved relative to the wiped surface in a first direction to thereby wipe the first region and the second region of the liquid ejecting head and a second wiping operation in which, before the first wiping operation, the wiping mechanism is moved relative to the wiped surface in a direction different from the first direction to thereby wipe a region including an upstream portion of the second region, the upstream portion being arranged, with respect to the first region, in a second direction opposite to the first direction. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view for schematically explaining a configuration of a recording apparatus according to Embodiment 1. 
         FIG.  2    is an exploded perspective view for schematically explaining a configuration of a recording head according to Embodiment 1. 
         FIG.  3    is a plan view illustrating a wiped surface of the recording head according to Embodiment 1. 
         FIG.  4    is a schematic view illustrating a schematic configuration of a wiping mechanism according to Embodiment 1. 
         FIG.  5    is a view for explaining a configuration of a cap provided in the recording apparatus according to Embodiment 1. 
         FIG.  6    is a plan view for explaining the wiped surface of the recording head according to Embodiment 1. 
         FIG.  7    is a view for explaining a wiping method of the recording apparatus according to Embodiment 1. 
         FIG.  8    is a view for explaining the wiping method of the recording apparatus according to Embodiment 1. 
         FIG.  9    is a view for explaining the wiping method of the recording apparatus according to Embodiment 1. 
         FIG.  10    is a view for explaining the wiping method of the recording apparatus according to Embodiment 1. 
         FIG.  11    is a view for explaining the wiping method of the recording apparatus according to Embodiment 1. 
         FIG.  12    is a schematic view illustrating a schematic configuration of a wiping mechanism according to Embodiment 2. 
         FIG.  13    is a view for explaining a wiping method performed by the wiping mechanism according to Embodiment 2. 
         FIG.  14    is a view for explaining the wiping method performed by the wiping mechanism according to Embodiment 2. 
         FIG.  15    is a view for explaining the wiping method performed by the wiping mechanism according to Embodiment 2. 
         FIG.  16    is a schematic view illustrating a schematic configuration of a wiping mechanism according to Embodiment 3. 
         FIG.  17    is a view for explaining a wiping method of a recording apparatus according to Embodiment 3. 
         FIG.  18    is a view for explaining the wiping method of the recording apparatus according to Embodiment 3. 
         FIG.  19    is a plan view illustrating a wiped surface of a recording head according to another embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments of the disclosure will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that configurations described below are merely aspects of the disclosure and can be freely modified within the scope of the disclosure. Moreover, the same reference numeral will be given to the same member in the drawings, and redundant description will be omitted. 
     Moreover, in the drawings, X, Y, and Z indicate three spatial axes orthogonal to each other. In the present application, directions extending along the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis are the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction, respectively. In the description, the direction of an arrow in each drawing denotes a positive (+) direction, and a direction opposite to the direction of the arrow denotes a negative (−) direction. 
     Embodiment 1 
       FIG.  1    schematically illustrates an ink jet recording apparatus which is an example of a liquid ejecting apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the disclosure.  FIG.  2    is an exploded perspective view of an ink jet recording head which is an example of a liquid ejecting head according to Embodiment 1 of the disclosure.  FIG.  3    is a plan view illustrating a wiped surface of the ink jet recording head according to Embodiment 1.  FIG.  4    is a schematic view illustrating a schematic configuration of a wiping mechanism provided in the ink jet recording head.  FIG.  5    is a view for schematically explaining a configuration of a cap provided in the ink jet recording apparatus.  FIG.  6    is a plan view for explaining the wiped surface of the ink jet recording head according to Embodiment 1. 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  1   , an ink jet recording apparatus  1 , which is an example of the liquid ejecting apparatus, is a printing apparatus that includes an ink jet recording head (hereafter, simply referred to as recording head)  2 , which is an example of the liquid ejecting head, that ejects ink, which is a liquid, as ink droplets, and that causes the ink to be deposited on an ejection target medium S (hereafter, referred to as medium S) such as a printing sheet to perform printing of an image or the like by forming an array of dots on the medium S. Note that, in addition to a recording sheet, any material, such as a resin film or fabric, may be used as the medium S. 
     Note that, in the following description, among the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction, a moving direction (main scanning direction) of the recording head  2  is the Y direction, and a transporting direction of the medium S, which is orthogonal to the main scanning direction, is the X direction. Moreover, a plane parallel to a nozzle surface in which nozzles of the recording head  2  are open is the XY plane, a direction intersecting the XY plane is the Z direction, and ink droplets are ejected in the +Z direction. In the present embodiment, the Z direction is orthogonal to the XY plane. 
     The ink jet recording apparatus  1  includes the recording head  2  and a liquid container  3 , a transporting mechanism  4 , a moving mechanism  5 , and a control unit  6  serving as a control section. 
     The liquid container  3  accumulates ink to be ejected from the recording head  2 . Examples of the liquid container  3  include a cartridge which is detachably attached to the ink jet recording apparatus  1 , a bag-like ink pack formed from a flexible film, and an ink container which is able to be replenished with ink. In the present embodiment, a cartridge detachably attached to the recording head  2  is adopted as the liquid container  3 . Moreover, each of a plurality of the liquid containers  3  accumulates a respective color of ink or a respective kind of ink. 
     The transporting mechanism  4  transports the medium S in the +X direction and includes, for example, a transporting roller  4   a . Note that the transporting mechanism  4  is not limited to transporting the medium S by using the transporting roller  4   a  and may transport the medium S by using a belt or a drum. 
     The moving mechanism  5  reciprocates the recording head  2  in the Y direction. The Y direction in which the recording head  2  is reciprocated by the moving mechanism  5  is a direction orthogonal to the X direction in which the medium S is transported. The moving mechanism  5  of the present embodiment includes a transporting body  7 , a transporting belt  8 , a drive motor  8   a , and a guide rail  9 . The transporting body  7  is a substantially box-shaped structure which accommodates the recording head  2 , that is, a carriage, and is fixed to the transporting belt  8 . The transporting belt  8  is an endless belt extending in the Y direction and is rotated by a driving force of the drive motor  8   a . When the transporting belt  8  rotates, the recording head  2  is reciprocated together with the transporting body  7  along the guide rail  9  extending in the Y direction. Note that the liquid container  3  may be mounted in an apparatus main body  10  separately from the recording head  2 . 
     The control unit  6  includes a control device such as a central processing unit (CPU) or a field programmable gate array (FPGA) and a storage device such as semiconductor memory. The control unit  6  causes the control device to execute a program stored in the storage device and thereby performs overall control of the respective elements of the ink jet recording apparatus  1 , that is, the recording head  2 , the transporting mechanism  4 , the moving mechanism  5 , and the like. 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  2   , the recording head  2  includes a holding member  20 , a plurality of driving sections  21 , and a cover head  22 . 
     The holding member  20  includes, on the surface on the −Z side, a liquid container attachment section  20   a  to which the liquid container  3  formed of an ink cartridge is attached. The liquid container attachment section  20   a  is provided with a coupling section  20   b  attached to the liquid container  3 . In the present embodiment, a needle-shaped protrusion to be inserted into the liquid container  3  is used as the coupling section  20   b . In the tip end of the coupling section  20   b  on the −Z side, a channel (not illustrated) provided in the holding member  20  is open. Note that a filter that captures a foreign substance or air bubbles contained in the ink may be provided in the holding member  20 . 
     The plurality of driving sections  21  that eject ink, which is an example of a liquid, are fixed to the surface of the holding member  20  on the +Z side. In the present embodiment, the single recording head  2  includes four driving sections  21 . As illustrated in  FIG.  3   , nozzles  23  from which liquid ink is ejected as ink droplets are provided on the surface of each of the driving sections  21  on the +Z side. A nozzle row  24  in which the plurality of nozzles  23  are arrayed in the X direction is provided in each of the driving sections  21 . Since the recording head  2  is provided with the four driving sections  21 , four nozzle rows  24  are provided in total. Moreover, the plurality of driving sections  21  are arranged such that the nozzles  23  constituting the nozzle rows  24  are positioned such that corresponding nozzles  23  of the respective nozzle rows  24  are positioned in the same manner in the Y direction. Note that illustration of the holding member  20  is omitted in  FIG.  3   . 
     Although one nozzle row  24  is provided in one driving section  21  in the present embodiment, the number of nozzle rows  24  formed in one driving section  21  is not particularly limited and may be, for example, two or more. Moreover, the nozzle row  24  provided in the driving section  21  is not limited to being formed by the nozzles  23  arrayed in the X direction and may be formed by the nozzles  23  inclined with respect to the X direction and the Y direction in the XY plane, which is within the nozzle surface in which the nozzles  23  are open. 
     Although illustration is omitted, a plurality of channels, each of which communicates with a corresponding one of the nozzles  23 , and a pressure generating unit which causes a change in pressure of ink in the channels are provided in the driving section  21 . The pressure generating unit may be, for example, one that changes a capacity of a liquid channel by deforming a piezoelectric actuator containing a piezoelectric material which exhibits an electromechanical conversion function and that causes a change in pressure of ink in the liquid channel to thereby eject ink droplets from the nozzles  23 . 
     The pressure generating unit may be, for example, one in which a heating element is arranged in a channel and in which ink droplets are ejected from the nozzles  23  by bubbles generated by the heat of the heating element. Furthermore, as an example of the pressure generating unit, an electrostatic actuator that generates an electrostatic force between a diaphragm and an electrode and that deforms the diaphragm by using the electrostatic force to thereby eject ink droplets from the nozzles  23  may be used. 
     Moreover, the recording head  2  includes the cover head  22  on the +Z side. The cover head  22  protects the nozzle surface side on which the nozzles  23  of the plurality of the driving sections  21  are open. Note that the nozzle surface is the surface of the recording head  2 , on which the nozzles  23  for ejecting ink are open, and the cover head  22  is provided with openings  25 , each of which exposes a corresponding one of nozzle rows  24  of the driving sections  21 . In the present embodiment, four openings  25  corresponding to the four driving sections  21  are provided in the cover head  22  so as to be arrayed side by side in the Y direction. 
     Furthermore, the ink jet recording apparatus  1  includes a wiping mechanism  11  that wipes a wiped surface  100  of the recording head  2  in a region on either side of the Y direction which is the main scanning direction of the recording head  2 , that is, a region on the +Y side in the present embodiment. Here, the wiped surface  100  is one surface of the recording head  2  which is to be wiped by the wiping mechanism  11 . In the present embodiment, a surface that includes the nozzle surface on which nozzles  23  of each of the driving sections  21  provided in the recording head  2  are open and that includes the +Z-side surface of the cover head  22 , which protects the nozzle surface, is the wiped surface  100 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  4   , the wiping mechanism  11  includes a wiper  12  as a wiping member and a raising/lowering device  13  that raises/lowers the wiper  12 . The wiper  12  is formed of a plate-shaped elastic member, such as a member made of rubber or an elastomer, and is formed to be wider than the wiped surface  100  of the recording head  2  in the X direction. The raising/lowering device  13  includes a driving unit such as a motor and raises/lowers the wiper  12  between a first position (refer to  FIG.  7   ) at which the wiper  12  is not in contact with the wiped surface  100  and a second position (refer to  FIG.  8   ) which is higher than the first position and at which the wiper  12  is in contact with the wiped surface  100 . 
     Although description will be given later in detail, in a wiping operation of wiping the wiped surface  100  of the recording head  2 , the wiper  12  is moved relative to the recording head  2  in a state in which the tip end portion of the wiper  12  is in contact with the wiped surface  100 , thereby wiping the wiped surface  100  of the recording head  2 . 
     Note that the wiper  12  which is the wiping member for wiping the wiped surface  100  is not limited to being formed of a plate-shaped elastic member or the like and may be formed of, for example, a porous material such as sponge, woven fabric, or nonwoven fabric. 
     Moreover, on the +Y side of the wiper  12 , which is a home position at which the transporting body  7  stands by, a cap  14  is disposed so as to be adjacent to the wiper  12  (refer to  FIG.  1   ). The cap  14  is configured to be able to be raised/lowered and is formed to have a tray shape which can be in contact with the wiped surface  100  of the recording head  2  as illustrated in  FIG.  5   . A space in the cap  14  functions as a sealed space, and the cap  14  is configured to be able to be in close contact with the wiped surface  100  in a state in which the nozzles  23  of the recording head  2  face the interior of the sealed space. Moreover, a pump  16  is coupled to the cap  14  via a waste-liquid tube  15 , and driving of the pump  16  enables the pressure in the sealed space of the cap  14  to be negative. 
     In this manner, by bringing the cap  14  into contact with the wiped surface  100  to close the nozzles  23  of the recoding head  2 , it is possible to suppress an increase in viscosity of ink in the vicinity of the nozzle  23  and suppress an occurrence of nozzle clogging or the like. 
     Meanwhile, a foreign substance, such as paper powder or dust, may adhere to the wiped surface  100  of the recording head  2 . By bringing the cap  14  into contact with the wiped surface  100 , it is possible to suppress a foreign substance from adhering to a portion of the wiped surface  100  which is covered with the cap  14 . However, even when the cap  14  is brought into contact with the wiped surface  100 , a foreign substance  200  may adhere to the outer peripheral portion of the wiped surface  100 , that is, a portion of the wiped surface  100  which is not covered with the cap  14 . 
     Furthermore, when a sealing section  103  (refer to  FIG.  6   ) of the wiped surface  100 , which comes into contact with the cap  14  and which will be described later, repeatedly separates from and comes into contact with the edge of the cap  14  in a state in which ink adheres to the sealing section  103 , a constituent, such as pigment, which is contained in the ink may condense and accumulate, resulting in the foreign substance  200  adhering to the sealing section  103 . 
     In this manner, after the foreign substance  200  adheres to the outer peripheral portion of the wiped surface  100 , when the cap  14  is detached from the wiped surface  100  of the recording head  2  and the wiper  12  is moved from one end of the wiped surface  100  to wipe the wiped surface  100 , the wiper  12  may encounter the foreign substance  200 , and, for example, the foreign substance  200  may damage the nozzle  23  or may be driven into the nozzle  23 , resulting in an ejection failure. 
     However, as described below, according to the ink jet recording apparatus  1  of the disclosure, it is possible to suppress an ejection failure resulting from the foreign substance  200  adhering to the surface of the wiped surface  100 , particularly, the outer peripheral portion of the wiped surface  100 , from occurring. 
     Here, as illustrated in  FIG.  6   , the wiped surface  100  of the recording head  2  is assumed to include a first region  101  that includes the nozzles  23  of the recording head  2  and a second region  102  outside the first region  101 . The first region  101  is a region demarcated by straight lines such that the first region  101  includes all the nozzles  23  of the driving sections  21  and has the smallest area. The second region  102  is a region outside the first region  101 , that is, a region of the outer peripheral portion of the wiped surface  100 . In other words, the second region  102  is a portion of the wiped surface  100  excluding the first region  101  and is a region continuous to the periphery of the first region  101 . 
     The cap  14  described above comes into contact with the second region  102  of the wiped surface  100  and thereby suppresses each of the nozzles  23  from, for example, drying. As illustrated in  FIG.  6   , the cap  14  comes into contact with the wiped surface  100  at the sealing section  103  positioned in the second region  102 , and a region inside the sealing section  103  is a sealed region sealed by the cap  14 . 
     When the wiping operation of wiping the wiped surface  100  of the recording head  2  is performed, the following operations are performed: a first wiping operation in which the wiping mechanism  11  moves relative to the wiped surface  100  in the +Y direction, which is a first direction, to thereby wipe the first region  101  and the second region  102 ; and a second wiping operation in which, immediately before the first wiping operation, the wiping mechanism  11  moves relative to the wiped surface  100  in a direction different from the +Y direction, which is the first direction, to thereby wipe a region including an upstream portion of the second region  102 , the upstream portion being arranged, with respect to the first region  101 , in a second direction opposite to the +Y direction, which is the first direction. 
     In the first wiping operation, which is a main wiping operation, the wiper  12  provided in the wiping mechanism  11  moves relative to the recording head  2  in the +Y direction, which is the first direction, and thereby wipes the first region  101  and the second region  102  of the wiped surface  100 . In the present embodiment, when the recording head  2  is moved in the −Y direction by the moving mechanism  5 , the wiper  12  is moved relative to the recording head  2  in the +Y direction. That is, in the configuration of the present embodiment, the moving mechanism  5  functions also as a portion of the wiping mechanism  11 . 
     In the second wiping operation, which is a pre-wiping operation, the wiper  12  provided in the wiping mechanism  11  moves relative to the recording head  2  in a direction different from the first direction, in the present embodiment, the −Y direction, which is the second direction, and thereby wipes the region including the upstream portion of the second region  102 , the upstream portion being arranged in the −Y direction, which is the second direction. 
     Here, the upstream portion of the second region  102 , the upstream portion being arranged in the second direction, is, in the second region  102  surrounding the periphery of the first region  101 , a portion upstream in the moving direction of the wiper  12  in the first wiping operation, which is the main wiping operation. In a case of the wiped surface  100  illustrated in  FIG.  6   , a portion of the second region  102  which is on the −Y direction side with respect to an end portion  101   a  of the first region  101  corresponds to the upstream portion of the second region  102 , the upstream portion being arranged in the second direction. Moreover, in the second wiping operation, only a region outside the first region  101 , in the present embodiment, the second region  102 , is wiped. That is, in the second wiping operation, the first region  101  is not wiped. Needless to say, a region including a portion of the first region  101  may be wiped together with the second region  102 . That is, in the second wiping operation, wiping may be started from the +Y direction side of the end portion  101   a  of the first region  101 . 
     As described above, for example, when performing the first wiping operation by detaching the cap  14  from the wiped surface  100  and using the wiping mechanism  11 , the ink jet recording apparatus  1  according to the disclosure performs the second wiping operation, which is the pre-wiping operation, before, desirably immediately before, performing the first wiping operation. This makes it possible to suppress the wiper  12  from encountering the foreign substance  200  at the time of the main wiping operation and to suppress an ejection failure resulting from encountering the foreign substance  200  from occurring. 
     Note that the first wiping operation and the second wiping operation with the wiping mechanism  11  are performed by the control unit  6  controlling the wiping mechanism  11 . 
       FIGS.  7  to  11    are views for explaining a wiping method performed by the wiping mechanism according to Embodiment 1. An example of the method of wiping the wiped surface  100  by using the wiping mechanism  11  in accordance with control performed by the control unit  6  will be described below with reference to  FIGS.  7  to  11   . 
     First, when the second wiping operation is started, as illustrated in  FIGS.  7  and  9   , the wiper  12  is moved relative to the recording head  2  such that the wiper  12  is at a position at which the wiper  12  faces the recording head  2 . That is, the recording head  2  is moved by the moving mechanism  5  such that the wiper  12  is at the position at which the wiper  12  faces the recording head  2 . Specifically, the recording head  2  is moved such that the wiper  12  faces a region of the second region  102  of the wiped surface  100 , which is on the −Y direction side of the first region  101  and within the sealing section  103  with respect to the Y direction. 
     In this state, the wiper  12  is raised by the raising/lowering device  13 , and the tip end portion of the wiper  12  is brought into contact with the wiped surface  100  as illustrated in  FIG.  8   . Next, the recording head  2  is moved in the +Y direction, and the wiper  12  is thereby moved relative to the wiped surface  100  to a position outside the recording head  2  as illustrated in  FIG.  10   . That is, the wiper  12  is moved relative to the wiped surface  100  in the −Y direction, which is the second direction, from a position within the sealing section  103  with respect to the Y direction and on the −Y direction side of the nozzles  23  to a position outside the recording head  2 . 
     Thereby, the region including the upstream portion of the second region  102 , the upstream portion being arranged in the −Y direction, which is the second direction, is wiped, and the foreign substance  200  is removed. Specifically, since the sealing section  103  is included in a portion of the upstream portion to be wiped in the second wiping operation, not only the foreign substance  200  adhering to the outer peripheral portion of the second region  102  of the wiped surface  100  which is not covered with the cap  14  but also a foreign substance adhering to the sealing section  103  is removed. Moreover, in the second wiping operation, since the wiper  12  is moved relative to the wiped surface  100  in a direction away from the first region  101  and the first region  101  is not wiped, no nozzle  23  is damaged due to the second wiping operation. 
     The first wiping operation, which is the main wiping operation, is then performed. That is, as illustrated in  FIG.  11   , by moving the recording head  2  in the −Y direction from a state in which the wiper  12  is positioned outside the recording head  2  in the −Y direction, the wiper  12  is moved relative to the wiped surface  100  to outside the recording head  2  in the +Y direction. 
     Thereby, it is possible to suppress the foreign substance  200  from being encountered in the first wiping operation and to effectively wipe the wiped surface  100  of the recording head  2 . Moreover, since wiping is started from a region within the sealing section  103  in the second wiping operation, which is the pre-wiping operation, at least a region upstream of the first region  101  and outside the sealing section  103 , that is, a region on the −Y direction side, is effectively wiped. Accordingly, even when the foreign substance  200  adheres to the other region of the second region  102 , the foreign substance  200  is suppressed from being encountered in the first region  101  in the first wiping operation. 
     Moreover, in the present embodiment, the first wiping operation and the second wiping operation are performed by using a single wiper  12 . That is, the wiping mechanism  11  includes the common wiper  12  used in the first wiping operation and the second wiping operation. Thus, it is possible to achieve a reduction in the number of components and, furthermore, to achieve a reduction in manufacturing costs. 
     Moreover, in the present embodiment, the wiper  12  is formed to be wider than the wiped surface  100  of the recording head  2  in the X direction and also wipes the second region  102  outside the first region  101  of the wiped surface  100  in the +X direction and outside the first region  101  in the −X direction. Accordingly, when the cap  14  is then brought into contact with the wiped surface  100 , it is possible to improve a sealing property of the cap  14  with respect to the wiped surface  100 . However, wiping the second region  102  outside the first region  101  in the +X direction and outside the first region  101  in the −X direction does not contribute to preventing the foreign substance  200  from being encountered in the first region  101  and is therefore not necessarily performed. 
     Moreover, in the present embodiment, since the second wiping operation, which is the pre-wiping operation, is performed for only a region upstream of a region wiped in the first wiping operation, which is the main wiping operation, the wiping operation of the wiped surface  100  is able to be finished in a relatively short time. Needless to say, a pre-wiping operation similar to the pre-wiping operation in the upstream region may be performed as necessary for a region downstream of the region wiped in the first wiping operation. 
     Embodiment 2 
       FIG.  12    is a schematic view illustrating a schematic configuration of a wiping mechanism according to Embodiment 2, and  FIGS.  13  to  15    are views for explaining a wiping method performed by the wiping mechanism according to Embodiment 2. 
     An ink jet recording apparatus according to the present embodiment is configured such that the wiping mechanism includes a first wiping member used in the first wiping operation and a second wiping member used in the second wiping operation and such that, in the second wiping operation, the second wiping member moves in a direction intersecting the first direction relative to a region including an upstream portion of the second region, the upstream portion being arranged, with respect to the first region, in the second direction opposite to the first direction. 
     Specifically, as illustrated in  FIG.  12   , a wiping mechanism  11 A according to the present embodiment includes a first wiper  121  which is the first wiping member and a second wiper  122  which is the second wiping member. The first wiper  121  has substantially the same configuration as that of the wiper  12  in Embodiment 1, is provided to be wider than the wiped surface  100  in the X direction, and is configured to be movable relative to the recording head  2  in the Y direction. In the present embodiment, when the recording head  2  is moved in the Y direction, the first wiper  121  moves relative to the wiped surface  100  in the Y direction. 
     On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the second wiper  122  is formed from the same member as that of the first wiper  121  but is arranged so as to face a direction intersecting the first wiper  121 , for example, a direction rotated by 90 degrees. The second wiper  122  is configured to be movable relative to the recording head  2  in the X direction which is the second direction orthogonal to the Y direction which is the first direction. The wiping mechanism  11 A includes a transporting device  17  for reciprocating the second wiper  122  in the X direction. Although illustration is omitted, the transporting device  17  is configured to include a power source such as a motor and to be able to reciprocate the second wiper  122  in the X direction in response to power from the power source. 
     Note that, since the configuration of the transporting device  17  is not particularly limited and an existing configuration may be adopted, detailed description thereof will be omitted here. Moreover, the wiping mechanism  11 A includes the raising/lowering devices  13  that raise/lower the first wiper  121  and the second wiper  122 . 
     An example of the wiping method performed by the above-described wiping mechanism  11 A of the present embodiment will be described. 
     First, when the second wiping operation is started, the recording head  2  is moved such that the recording head  2  is at a predetermined position with respect to the second wiper  122 . Specifically, as illustrated in  FIG.  13   , the recording head  2  is moved such that an end portion  122   a  of the second wiper  122  on the +Y direction side is positioned in a region of the second region  102  which is on the −Y direction side of the first region  101  and which is on the +Y direction side of a portion of the sealing section  103  with which the cap  14  comes into contact, that is, which is in an internal region of the sealing section  103 . At this time, the second wiper  122  is arranged at a home position outside the recording head  2  in the −X direction. 
     In this state, the second wiper  122  is raised by the raising/lowering device  13  to a position at which the tip end portion of the second wiper  122  comes into contact with the second region  102  of the wiped surface  100 , and the second wiper  122  is moved in the +X direction by the transporting device  17  as illustrated in  FIG.  14   . That is, the second wiper  122  is moved from outside the recording head  2  in the −X direction to outside the recording head  2  in the +X direction. 
     Similarly to Embodiment 1, the first wiping operation, which is the main wiping operation, is then performed. That is, as illustrated in  FIG.  15   , by moving the recording head  2  in the −Y direction from a state in which the first wiper  121  is positioned outside the recording head  2  in the −Y direction, the first wiper  121  is moved relative to the wiped surface  100  to outside the recording head  2  in the +Y direction. 
     As described above, in the present embodiment, the region including the upstream portion of the second region  102 , the upstream portion being arranged, with respect to the first region  101 , in the −Y direction, which is the second direction, is wiped in the second wiping operation. Moreover, at this time, since the end portion  122   a  of the second wiper  122  is positioned on the +Y direction side of a portion of the sealing section  103 , it is possible to more reliably remove a foreign substance outside the sealing section  103 . Accordingly, it is possible to further suppress nozzle clogging or the like due to a foreign substance encountered at the time of the main wiping operation from occurring. 
     In addition, the wiping mechanism  11 A according to the present embodiment includes two wipers of the first wiper  121  used in the first wiping operation and the second wiper  122  used in the second wiping operation but may include a common wiper used in the first wiping operation and the second wiping operation. That is, the wiping mechanism  11 A may include a single wiper which is a wiping member, a transporting device that is able to transport the wiper in the X direction, and a rotating device that is able to rotate the wiper on the XY plane. 
     Furthermore, in the wiping mechanism  11 A according to the present embodiment, the first wiper  121  used in the first wiping operation and the second wiper  122  used in the second wiping operation are formed of the same member but may be configured such that the width of the second wiper  122  in the Y direction is smaller than the width of the first wiper  121  in the X direction. This is because the width of the region wiped by the second wiper  122 , in other words, the width of the upstream portion of the second region  102  which is a portion upstream of the first region  101 , in the Y direction orthogonal to the X direction in which the second wiper  122  moves relative to the upstream portion is smaller than the width of the wiped surface  100 , which is wiped by the first wiper  121 , in the X direction. 
     Such a configuration enables a reduction in size of the wiping mechanism  11 A. That is, the width of the second wiper  122  in the Y direction may be equal to or less than a distance from the end portion of the first region  101  on the −Y direction side to the end portion of the wiped surface  100  on the −Y direction side as long as the width of the second wiper  122  in the Y direction is equal to or more than a distance from the end portion of the sealing section  103  on the −Y direction side to the end portion of the wiped surface  100  on the −Y direction side. 
     Embodiment 3 
       FIG.  16    is a schematic view illustrating a schematic configuration of a wiping mechanism of an ink jet recording apparatus according to Embodiment 3, and  FIGS.  17  and  18    are views for explaining a wiping method performed by the wiping mechanism according to Embodiment 3. 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  16   , although a wiping mechanism  11 B according to the present embodiment includes the first wiper  121  used in the first wiping operation and the second wiper  122  used in the second wiping operation similarly to Embodiment 2, the shape of the second wiper  122  differs from that in Embodiment 2. 
     Specifically, the second wiper  122  according to the present embodiment is constituted by a first blade  123  and a second blade  124  which are formed from an elastic plate-shaped member and a supporting member  125  which supports the first blade  123  and the second blade  124  in a state in which the first blade  123  and the second blade  124  are separated from each other by a predetermined gap. The gap between the first blade  123  and the second blade  124  is slightly longer than a dimension of the first region  101  of the wiped surface  100  in the Y direction. 
     Thus, in the second wiping operation, when the second wiper  122  is moved relative to the recording head  2  to a position at which the second wiper  122  faces the recording head  2 , the first blade  123  is arranged on the −Y direction side of the first region  101  of the wiped surface  100 , and the second blade  124  is arranged on the +Y direction side of the first region  101 , as illustrated in  FIG.  17   . Accordingly, moving the second wiper  122  in such a state in the X direction by the transporting device  17  as illustrated in  FIG.  18    enables not only a portion of the second region  102  upstream of the first region  101  but also a portion of the second region  102  downstream of the first region  101  to be wiped at the same time. That is, of the second region  102 , a portion outside the first region  101  in the +Y direction and a portion outside the first region  101  in the −Y direction are able to be wiped at the same time. 
     Similarly to Embodiment 2, the first wiping operation, which is the main wiping operation, is then performed. That is, by moving the recording head  2  in the −Y direction from the state in which the first wiper  121  is positioned outside the recording head  2  in the −Y direction, the first wiper  121  is moved relative to the wiped surface  100  to outside the recording head  2  in the +Y direction (refer to  FIG.  15   ). 
     Also in the above-described configuration of the present embodiment, similarly to the above-described embodiments, it is possible to suppress nozzle clogging or the like due to a foreign substance encountered at the time of the first wiping operation, which is the main wiping operation, from occurring. 
     Other Embodiments 
     Although the embodiments of the disclosure have been described above, the disclosure is not limited to the embodiments. 
     For example, although the configuration in which the wiped surface includes the nozzle surface, which corresponds to a surface of a nozzle plate, and the surface of the cover head has been exemplified in the above-described embodiments, the wiped surface is a surface to be wiped, and the configuration of the wiped surface is not particularly limited. For example, when the recording head includes no cover head, the wiped surface may be formed of only the nozzle surface. 
     Moreover, although the wiper for wiping the wiped surface is moved relative to the recording head in the Y direction by moving the recording head at the time of the wiping operation in the above-described embodiments, the configuration for moving the wiper relative to the recording head is not particularly limited. For example, the wiping mechanism may include a transporting device for moving the wiper in the Y direction and may move the wiper itself in the Y direction at the time of wiping. Needless to say, both the recording head and the wiper may be moved in the Y direction. 
     In addition, although the first wiping operation, which is the main wiping operation, is performed by moving the wiper in the Y direction in which the nozzle rows are arranged side by side in the above-described embodiments, the moving direction of the wiper in the first wiping operation is not particularly limited. The moving direction of the wiper may be a direction intersecting the Y direction, for example, the X direction which is the nozzle-row direction. In this manner, when the moving direction of the wiper in the first wiping operation is changed, needless to say, a direction in which the wiping mechanism is moved relative to the recording head in the second wiping operation is changed in accordance with the moving direction of the wiper in the first wiping operation. 
     Further, although the second wiper  122  is moved relative to the recording head  2  in the second direction orthogonal to the first direction in Embodiment 2 described above, the second wiper  122  may be moved relative to the recording head  2  in a direction intersecting the first direction. For example, as illustrated in  FIG.  19   , when the nozzle rows  24  of the recording head  2  are provided in a W direction perpendicular to the Z direction and intersecting both the X direction and the Y direction, which is the first direction, the second wiper  122  may be moved relative to the recording head  2  in the W direction so as to be moved along the nozzle rows  24 .