Patent ID: 7901033

Claim:
A capping device for an ink jet head having a nozzle face, comprising: a cap configured to cover the nozzle face, the cap having a cap first surface portion oriented to face the nozzle face and a cap second surface portion opposite from the cap first surface portion, the cap having a suction opening extending through the cap from the cap first surface portion to the cap second surface portion; a cap holder supporting the cap, the cap holder having a holder first surface portion facing the cap second surface portion, and a holder second surface portion opposite from the holder first surface portion, the cap holder having a discharge opening extending from the holder first surface portion to the holder second surface portion; and an absorber held between the cap second surface portion and the holder first surface portion, the absorber having a guide path that extends through the absorber and that communicates with the suction opening and the discharge opening, wherein the cap comprises: a cap substrate having the cap second surface portion as a bottom surface; and a sealing lip protruding from the cap and circumscribing the cap first surface portion to define a recess having the cap first surface portion as a recess bottom surface, the sealing lip being configured to sealingly contact the nozzle face, wherein the cap holder comprises: a holder substrate having the holder second surface portion as a bottom surface; and first side walls protruding from the cap holder, and wherein the cap is fitted to the first side walls of the cap holder so that the cap second surface portion faces the holder first surface portion and the first side walls of the cap holder circumscribes the holder first surface portion to define an accommodating recess having the holder first surface portion as an accommodating recess bottom surface, and wherein when the cap is fitted to the first side walls of the cap holder, the cap second surface portion sealingly closes the accommodating recess in which the absorber is accommodated.