An inkjet printing apparatus includes a printhead having an ejection orifice surface on which ejection orifices for ejecting ink are arranged, where the printhead performs a printing operation in a printing area; a carriage including the printhead, and movable in a first direction; a cap for covering the ejection orifice surface; and a wiper that wipes the ejection orifice surface. The cap is movable, by a movement of the carriage, to a first position, and to a second position farther from the printing area along the first direction. At the second position, the cap can rise and lower to a capping position at which the cap abuts the ejection orifice surface, and to a separated position at which the cap does not abut the ejection orifice surface. The wiper wipes the ejection orifice surface when the cap is at the second position and at the separated position.

An inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head including a first discharge port configured to discharge a first amount of ink droplets and a second discharge port configured to discharge a second amount of ink droplets smaller than the first amount, a cap, a suction unit, and a determination unit configured to determine whether to perform a first recording operation by using the first and second discharge ports or a second recording operation by only using the first discharge port. If the first recording operation is determined to be performed, the suction unit performs a first suction operation with a first strength and a second suction operation with a second strength higher than the first strength. If the second recording operation is determined to be performed, the suction unit is controlled not to perform the second suction operation and to perform the first suction operation.

A liquid ejecting device on which a waste liquid storage unit is mounted includes an ejecting unit that ejects a liquid, a maintenance unit and a collecting unit. The maintenance unit includes a receiving unit and a wiping unit that wipes a nozzle surface in which a nozzle is open, by moving together with the receiving unit in one direction. The receiving unit includes a receiver including a receiving tank that receives the liquid discharged from the nozzle, and a receiving gutter in which a discharging hole for dropping the liquid received by the receiving tank onto the collecting unit is open.

The collecting unit includes a discharging gutter that directs the liquid dropped through the discharging hole to the waste liquid storage unit, and the discharging gutter extends in the one direction and overlaps with at least a part of the receiver as viewed in a vertical direction.

A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting unit and a pump. The liquid ejecting apparatus has a supply channel, a return channel, and a communication channel. The supply channel is designed to be able to supply the liquid from a liquid supply source to the nozzle. The return channel has ends connected to the supply channel and forms, together with the supply channel, a circulation channel. The communication channel is connected to the return channel and allows communication between an inside of the return channel and an outside. In a state in which the return channel communicates with the outside through the communication channel, the pump is driven so as to perform a return-channel replacement operation in which the liquid in the return channel is discharged to the supply channel side.

A head cleaner for a liquid discharge apparatus, the head cleaner includes a first wiper to wipe, in a wiping direction, a nozzle face of a head that discharges liquid from nozzles on the nozzle face, and a second wiper to wipe the nozzle face of the head. The first wiper is belt-shaped, and the second wiper is a blade movable between a wiping position where the second wiper wipes the nozzle face and a cleaning position where the second wiper is cleaned by the first wiper.

An inkjet printing apparatus includes a printhead having an ejection orifice surface on which ejection orifices for ejecting ink are arranged, where the printhead performs a printing operation in a printing area; a carriage including the printhead, and movable in a first direction; a cap for covering the ejection orifice surface; and a wiper that wipes the ejection orifice surface. The cap is movable, by a movement of the carriage, to a first position, and to a second position farther from the printing area along the first direction. At the second position, the cap can rise and lower to a capping position at which the cap abuts the ejection orifice surface, and to a separated position at which the cap does not abut the ejection orifice surface. The wiper wipes the ejection orifice surface when the cap is at the second position and at the separated position.

A liquid ejection apparatus is disclosed. One apparatus includes a nozzle through which fluid is ejected or purged, and a pressure regulating valve arranged upstream of the nozzle. The pressure regulating valve is configured to open in response to an open/close pressure differential of the fluid across the pressure regulating valve. The pressure regulating valve is configured to controllably regulate the open/close pressure differential. The apparatus further includes a controller configured to, when a suction pump is being operated to perform a first purging operation comprising creating a first negative pressure through suctioning by the suction pump to purge the fluid through the nozzle, control the pressure regulating valve to set the open/close pressure differential of the pressure regulating valve to a first value.

An inkjet head maintenance device includes a base, a liquid supplier and a liquid collector. The base has an upper face disposed closely opposite a nozzle face of an inkjet head to form a liquid reservoir space during maintenance of the inkjet head. The base includes a liquid supply hole and a liquid collection hole that open to the upper face. The liquid supplier is configured to supply liquid from the liquid supply hole to the liquid reservoir space. The liquid collector is configured to collect the liquid in the liquid reservoir space from the liquid collection hole.

A maintenance apparatus includes: a cap contactable with a nozzle surface of a liquid discharge head; a suction unit coupled to the cap to suck a liquid in the cap; a valve coupled to the cap with a first path, the valve to cause the first path to be opened and closed to an atmosphere; a second path branched from the first path; and an opening port coupled to the second path and communicating with the atmosphere.

An image recording apparatus includes a head having nozzles, an expelling device, a discharge-testing device to output condition signals according to discharging conditions of the nozzles, a storage to store information concerning the condition signals, and a controller. In response to receipt of a record command, the controller controls the expelling device to expel a liquid from the nozzles based on the information concerning the condition signals stored in the storage, and thereafter, controls the head to discharge the liquid for recording an image on a recording medium. In response to receipt of a particular signal indicating a potential for receiving the record command, the controller executes a discharging-test process in which the controller controls the discharge-testing device to output the condition signals according to the discharging conditions of the nozzles and a storing process in which the information concerning the condition signals is stored in the storage.