Patent ID: 7819499

Claim:
A liquid droplet jetting apparatus which jets a droplet of a liquid, comprising: a head including a jetting port surface with a jetting port formed thereon, from which the droplet of the liquid is jetted; and a maintenance unit including: a cap which detachably covers the jetting port surface, and which has a surface facing the jetting port surface and having a groove formed therein, the groove having a discharge port which discharges the liquid jetted from the jetting port formed therein; an absorber which is arranged in the groove, and which absorbs the liquid jetted from the jetting port, and which has a first absorbing portion covering the discharge port and a second absorbing portion arranged to be in contact with the first absorbing portion; and a suction mechanism which communicates with the discharge port to suck the liquid; wherein a channel resistance of the first absorbing portion with respect to the liquid is higher than a channel resistance of the second absorbing portion; wherein the cap is formed to be box shaped which is open to the jetting port surface of the head, and the first absorber has a contact surface which makes a contact with a portion of an inner wall of the cap, the discharge port is formed on the portion and an exposed surface which is exposed to an outside of the cap; wherein a plurality of holes is formed in each of the first absorbing portion and the second absorbing portion, and a hole ratio of the first absorbing portion on the exposed surface is smaller than a hole ratio of the second absorbing portion; and wherein the liquid absorbed in the second absorbing portion is sucked to the discharge port through the first absorbing portion.