Patent ID: 8240809

Claim:
An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising: an ink-jet head including a plurality of nozzle openings from which ink is ejected and an ink ejection surface in which the plurality of nozzle openings are formed; a waste-ink receiving mechanism comprising: (a) a tray distantly separated from the ink jet head and configured to receive ejected ink as a waste ink forced to be ejected from the plurality of nozzle openings when the tray is disposed to be opposed to the ink ejection surface; and (b) a container which contains the ejected ink received by the tray; a tube through which the ejected ink is transferred from the container to an ejected-ink-absorbing member; a supplier which supplies the ejected ink in the container to the ejected-ink-absorbing member via the tube; a set of (a) a wiper configured to wipe the ink adhering to the ink ejection surface and (b) the ejected-ink-absorbing member configured to retain the ejected ink supplied by the supplier via the tube in the form of liquid by absorbing the ejected ink received by the waste-ink receiving mechanism and configured to be brought into contact with the ink ejection surface such that the ejected-ink-absorbing member adheres the ejected ink thereto; and a driving mechanism configured to drive at least one of the ink-jet head and the set of the wiper and the ejected-ink-absorbing member, such that the wiper and the ejected-ink-absorbing member are, one of together and independently, moved relative to the ink ejection surface while being opposed thereto, and such that the ejected-ink-absorbing member adheres the ejected ink to the ink ejection surface and the wiper wipes the ejected ink adhered by the ejected-ink-absorbing member from the ink ejection surface, wherein the ejected-ink-absorbing member is configured to retain the ejected ink in the form of the liquid therein before the ejected-ink-absorbing member is brought into contact with the ink ejection surface.