An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a cap, a tank, a pump, a third communication pipe and a controller. The cap forms a sealed space including an ejection port of the recording head. The tank is connected to the sealed space through a first communication pipe and generates a humidified air. The pump feeds the humidified air to the sealed space through the first communication pipe. The third communication pipe connects the pump and the sealed space. The controller is performable a capping operation to feed the humidified air to the sealed space and a long-period leaving operation to feed the humidifying liquid in the tank to the sealed space through the third communication pipe and to stop a driving of the pump after a predetermined amount of the humidifying liquid is fed in the sealed space.

An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a wiping unit and a moving mechanism. The recording head has a nozzle area where a plurality of ink ejection ports is opened downward. The wiping unit is moved in a first direction with coming into contact with the nozzle area and wipes the ink ejection ports. The moving mechanism performs a wiping operation and a returning operation. The moving mechanism includes a first drive source and a guide part. The first drive source moves the wiping unit in the first direction and in the second direction. The guide part guides the wiping unit in the first direction in the wiping operation, and guides the wiping unit in the first direction so as to separate the wiping unit from the nozzle area downward and then guides the wiping unit in the second direction in the returning operation.

An electronic apparatus includes a mobile object, a moving mechanism, and a functional mechanism. The mobile object has a first contact member and performs a moving operation within a drawing area and a set drawing operation on a drawing medium. The moving mechanism moves the mobile object. The functional mechanism has a portion located within the drawing area and takes a standby state and a function exercised state in which a set function is exercised. The functional mechanism includes a movable portion having a second contact member. In an abutting state where the first contact member and the second contact member come into contact with each other outside the drawing area, the mobile object moves along a movable direction of the movable portion so that the movable portion moves to bring the functional mechanism into the function exercised state.

A liquid discharge device includes a liquid discharge unit that discharges a liquid and a cleaner. The liquid discharge unit has a first end, a second end, and a third end extending in a direction intersecting the first end and the second end. The cleaner moves relative to the liquid discharge unit in a movement direction from the first end toward the second end while contacting the liquid discharge unit with a contact force and a contact pressure. The contact force of the cleaner contacting one of the first end and the second end is smaller than the contact force of the cleaner contacting a portion of the liquid discharge unit other than the first end and the second end.

Systems and techniques for preserving and improving ink jet nozzle health and printing reliability are disclosed herein. The method may include monitoring whether a triggering event has occurred. In response to detecting the triggering event has occurred, pumping at least a portion of ink contained in a header tank in a direction toward an ink cartridge through a tube connecting the header tank to the ink cartridge. The header tank connected to a print head included as a part of a scan head. The method may further include circulating the ink through the tube back into the header tank, and agitating the scan head by moving the scan head along an x-y gantry. Additional methods may include reverse purging, ejecting a portion of ink through nozzles on the print head while simultaneously wiping a nozzle plate included on the print head, and randomizing print head location when printing.

A printer includes a line head, a cover section, and a discharge tray. The line head performs recording on a medium by ejecting ink from an ejection surface inclined. The cover section is provided to be movable between a facing position at which the cover section faces the line head and a non-facing position located in a downward direction with respect to the facing position and performs maintenance of the line head 40 at the facing position. The discharge tray is provided to be detachably attached to an apparatus main body and has the medium mounted thereon in a state in which the discharge tray is attached to the apparatus main body. In the printer, in a state in which the discharge tray retreats from above the cover section, the cover section is able to be removed in an upward direction.

Add-on module suitable to receive and hold a disposable printer cartridge that is provided with inkjet nozzles, which disposable printer cartridge is equipped for placement in a printer, and wherein the add-on module is a disposable and independent item without forming a constructional part of the printer, and wherein the add-on module comprises at least one of capping means and wiping means that are arranged for capping and wiping respectively of said inkjet nozzles of the printer cartridge.

A liquid discharge apparatus includes heads to discharge a liquid; caps to contact and move away from the plurality of heads, respectively; individual drain passages communicating with the plurality of caps, respectively; at least one common drain passage communicating with at least two of the individual drain passages; suction devices provided in the individual drain passages, respectively; and a controller. Each of the individual drain passages is to allow and shut off communication between the cap and the common drain passage. The controller causes the individual drain passage to allow the communication between the cap and the common drain passage when performing capping and decapping of the head. The controller caps the sucking target with the cap after shutting off each individual drain passage communicating with the cap corresponding to the head that is not a sucking target.

Disclosed herein is a spittoon assembly for a printing device, a printing device comprising a spittoon assembly, and a method of cleaning a print head using a spittoon assembly. The spittoon assembly comprises a waste receptacle and a spit plate with a receiving surface. The receiving surface is inclined relative to a horizontal direction by an inclination angle when the spittoon assembly is mounted in the printing device. A fluid path extends from the receiving surface to the waste receptacle.

A fluid ejection device includes a fluid ejection assembly including a fluid ejection die, and a service assembly to be rotated to different positions relative to the fluid ejection assembly for different service operations of the fluid ejection die.