Patent ID: 6938980

Claim:
An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium by discharging ink from ink-discharge openings, comprising: a print head including ink-discharge surfaces having the ink-discharge openings formed therein; a cylindrical cleaning member composed of an elastic material; moving means for effecting relative motion between the cleaning member and the print head while keeping the circumferential surface of the cleaning member in contact with the ink-discharge surfaces of the print head; drive control means for controlling the moving means; a cap member for protecting the ink-discharge surfaces of the print head; and cap opening/closing means for opening and closing the cap member, wherein, when the cap member is opened by the cap opening/closing means, by driving the moving means with control of the drive control means so as to effect relative motion between the cleaning member and the print head while keeping the circumferential surface of the cleaning member in contact with the ink-discharge surfaces, ink in the ink-discharge openings is sucked.