Patent ID: 7901030

Claim:
An inkjet recording apparatus, comprising: a conveyance device including an endless belt for conveying a recording medium placed on an exterior surface of the endless belt; a recording device for jetting ink to record an image onto the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance device; and a cleaning device for cleaning the exterior surface of the endless belt, wherein the cleaning device includes: a flexible sheet member which is mounted at a position downstream, in a conveyance direction of the endless belt during a recording state, with respect to a position where the recording device is mounted, wherein the position at which the flexible sheet member is mounted is at a predetermined distance from the exterior surface of the endless belt, the distance being less than a free length of the flexible sheet member, such that the flexible sheet member is bent and such that a top of the flexible sheet member is in slidable contact with the exterior surface of the endless belt when the endless belt is driven during the recording state, wherein the flexible sheet member has a nip forming amount against the endless belt; an elastic supporting member which is mounted at a side of the flexible sheet member such that, when the flexible sheet member is bent due to driving of the endless belt during the recording state, the elastic supporting member is in contact with the flexible sheet member to support the flexible sheet member and applies a pressing force against the flexible sheet member so that the flexible sheet member is pressed against the exterior surface of the endless belt, wherein the elastic supporting member has a nip forming amount against the endless belt; wherein the flexible sheet member and the elastic support member are bendable in a direction opposite to the conveyance direction; and wherein, in a stand-by state in which the conveyance device does not convey the recording medium, the conveyance device drives the endless belt for a predetermined distance in the direction opposite to the conveyance direction, and stops the endless belt, thereby bending the flexible sheet member and the elastic support member in the direction opposite to the conveyance direction.