According to one embodiment, a cleaning device comprises a suction port portion, a guide portion, and an urging member. The suction port portion is configured to face a nozzle plate of a liquid discharge head at a predetermined gap distance between the suction port and the nozzle plate. The guide portion is configured to face a cover mask of the liquid discharge head and is moveable in a direction away from the cover mask. The cover mask covers a periphery of a surface of the nozzle plate. The urging member is configured to urge the guide portion toward the cover mask.

Systems and methods for manufacturing multiple integrated tip probes for scanning probe microscopy. According to an embodiment is a microscope probe configured to analyze a sample, the microscope probe including: a movable probe tip including a terminal probe end; a first actuator configured to displace the movable probe tip along a first axis; and a detection component configured to detect motion of the movable probe tip in response to an applied signal; where the moveable probe tip comprises a metal layer affixed to a supporting layer, at least a portion of the metal layer at the terminal probe end extending past the supporting layer.

A liquid ejection head of a side shooter type includes a plate including nozzles arranged along a first direction and through which liquid is ejected, an actuator including pressure chambers communicating with the nozzles, dummy chambers each disposed between two adjacent pressure chambers, and sidewalls separating the chambers along the first direction and deformable to change a volume of each pressure chamber according to a signal, and covers having apertures and partly covering both ends of each pressure chamber in a second direction intersecting the first direction such that the pressure chambers communicate with a common chamber at both ends thereof through the apertures. Each cover includes a first portion on and between the sidewalls and a second portion other than the first portion, and a first length of the first portion is equal to or greater than a second length of the second portion in the second direction.

A printing apparatus comprises: a printing unit configured to print onto a sheet by ejecting ink from a printing head; a maintenance unit configured to perform a maintenance operation capable of being performed in parallel with the printing performed by the printing unit; and a control unit configured to control the maintenance unit such that when the printing by the printing unit and the maintenance operation by the maintenance unit are performed in parallel, and the maintenance operation is not completed by the time the printing by the printing unit has ended, the maintenance operation is ended without being completed.

A printer includes a line head, a transport unit, a head moving unit, a cap unit, and a wiper unit. The head moving unit moves the line head to a recording position and a retracted position along a B direction. The cap unit is configured to move back and forth in an A direction between the line head and the transport unit. The wiper unit is configured to move back and forth in a Y direction intersecting both the B direction and the A direction between the line head and the transport unit. At least a portion of a first movement area in which the cap unit moves and at least a portion of a second movement area in which the wiper unit moves are disposed at an identical position in the B direction.

A printer includes a line head, a transport unit, a head moving unit, a cap unit, and a wiper unit. The head moving unit moves the line head to a recording position and a retracted position along a B direction. The cap unit is configured to move back and forth in an A direction between the line head and the transport unit. The wiper unit is configured to move back and forth in a Y direction intersecting both the B direction and the A direction between the line head and the transport unit. At least a portion of a first movement area in which the cap unit moves and at least a portion of a second movement area in which the wiper unit moves are disposed at an identical position in the B direction.

A liquid discharging apparatus includes: a first storage which stores liquid; a first detector which detects an amount of the liquid in the first storage; a communication hole communicating the first storage and outside; a semipermeable membrane arranged to cover the communication hole; a head unit having at least one nozzle which discharges the liquid supplied from the first storage; a liquid flow channel which communicates the first storage and the head unit; a cap which seals the nozzle of the head unit; a cap movement mechanism which moves the cap; an electrode arranged in the cap and on which the liquid discharged from the nozzle is landed; a second detector connected electrically to the electrode; a suction mechanism which sucks the liquid and gas inside the cap; a waste liquid storage which stores the liquid sucked from inside of the cap by the suction mechanism; and a controller.

A cap device includes a cap, an accommodation member, and a cover. The cap covers a nozzle surface of a liquid ejection head. The accommodation member is accommodated in the cap and is fixed to the cap. The accommodation member has a conductivity and receives a voltage that generates a potential difference between the liquid ejection head and the accommodation member. The accommodation member includes a first portion and a second portion connected with each other. The cover covers the second portion of the accommodation member, and has a surface that is co-planar with a surface of the first portion. The cover has a conductivity and receives a voltage that generates a potential difference between the liquid ejection head and the cover.

A liquid ejection head 3 includes: a liquid ejection part 3a configured to eject a liquid; and a guide part 20b provided upstream of the liquid ejection part 3a with respect to a conveying direction A of a recording medium 2 and configured to guide the front end of a recording medium 2 conveyed to the liquid ejection part 3a. The guide part 20b has an inclined surface 20c inclined so as to be more spaced apart from a conveyance path for the recording medium 2 as the inclined surface 20c is more distant from the liquid ejection part 3a.

According to an aspect of the present invention, an inkjet printing apparatus includes a print head having an ejection opening surface on which ejection openings for ejecting ink are formed, a tank storing ink to be supplied to the print head, a supply flow path for supplying the ink from the tank to the print head, a collection flow path for collecting the ink from the print head to the tank, a supply pump provided in the supply flow path to supply the ink from the tank to the print head, a tank decompression pump which decompresses the inside of the tank, and a control unit which controls to drive the supply pump and the tank decompression pump to fill the collection flow path with ink.