Patent ID: 8038256

Claim:
An apparatus having a suction unit which can suction liquid in a discharge nozzle of a discharge head in which a plurality of discharge nozzles are arranged to discharge liquids supplied from supply ports, comprising: joint members equal in number to a number of the discharge nozzles and being arranged to face the discharge nozzles, wherein each joint member operates to cover a corresponding one of the discharge nozzles when suctioning one of the discharge nozzles; and a connecting member selectively connectable to each of said joint members, said connecting member being fluidly connected to the suction member, wherein each of said joint members operates to cover a corresponding one of the discharge nozzles in a state of being selectively connected by said connecting member, and does not operate to cover a corresponding one of the discharge nozzles in a state of not being selectively connected by said connecting member, and wherein the suction unit suctions liquid in the discharge nozzle which is covered by said joint member selectively connected by said connecting member.