Patent ID: 8251474

Claim:
A droplet ejector comprising: at least one head unit having a droplet ejection surface on which plural nozzles are provided; a conveyor mechanism which conveys, at a position opposing the ejection surface, an ejection target in a conveyance direction in parallel to the ejection surface, the ejection target being an object on which a droplet from the at least one head unit impacts; at least one pushing component which is arranged to be movable with respect to the at least one head unit in a direction orthogonal to the ejection surface, the at least one pushing component pushing the ejection target in a direction of droplet ejection from the nozzles while protruding from the ejection surface; a pushing drive mechanism which moves the at least one pushing component in the direction orthogonal to the ejection surface, between a protruding position in which the at least one pushing component protrudes from the ejection surface of the at least one head unit and a retracted position in which the at least one pushing component does not protrude from the ejection surface; a control unit for controlling the at least one head unit, the conveyor mechanism, and the pushing drive mechanism; and a wiper which is arranged to be movable relative to the ejection surface in a direction in parallel to the ejection surface and which wipes away liquid adhered to the ejection surface, wherein, the at least one pushing component is provided in the vicinity of the at least one head unit, and before the wiper performs wiping, the control unit controls the pushing drive mechanism to move the at least one pushing component to the retracted position.