Patent ID: 7445309

Claim:
An ink-jet printing apparatus which prints by discharging ink from a plurality of nozzles of an ink-jet head having the plurality of nozzles, comprising: a plurality of capping devices which, when the plurality of nozzles are divided into a plurality of nozzle groups, are arranged one by one for the respective nozzle groups, and cap the respective nozzle groups; a suction device which generates a negative pressure in said plurality of capping devices to suck ink from the plurality of nozzles, and is arranged commonly for said plurality of capping devices; a switching device which switches whether to make the negative pressure by said suction device act on said respective capping devices; and a control device which controls said switching device and said suction device so as to make the negative pressure by said suction device act on all said capping devices when a common negative pressure is generated in said plurality of capping devices, and make different negative pressures by said suction device act sequentially on said plurality of capping devices when different negative pressures are generated in said respective capping devices.