A recording apparatus includes a wiper, a recording head having a step portion and an ejection port surface supporting an ejection port, and a moving unit to relatively move the wiper and the recording head so that the wiper moves with respect to the recording head in relative movement in a first direction. In a first wiping, the relative movement causes the wiper to stop at or in vicinity of the step portion, or pass at or in the vicinity of the step portion at a speed lower than a speed at which the wiper wipes an area in which the ejection port is arranged. In a second wiping performed after the first wiping, the relative movement causes the wiper to pass through the step portion of the recording head and wipe the recording head in the first direction toward the area, and thereafter wipe the area.

A printer includes a head having a nozzle face which ejects ink toward an object, a driving mechanism which moves the head in a first direction and a second direction approximately orthogonal to the first direction, a nozzle cap movable between a first position where the nozzle face is capped and a second position where the nozzle face is uncapped, and a lock mechanism which regulates movement of the head in the first direction and the second direction in the state where the nozzle cap is in the first position.

An image recording apparatus includes: a carriage movable in a first direction; a head mounted on the carriage; a holder movable in the first direction; a cap unit mounted on the holder; and first and second guide portions. The cap unit is movable relative to the holder in the first direction and is also movable toward and away from the head in a second direction crossing the first direction. The head is configured to abut on a second abutment portion of the cap unit in accordance with movement of the carriage in the first direction toward a first abutment portion of the holder. The first guide portion is configured to guide the holder in the first direction. The second guide portion is configured to guide the holder in the second direction to move the cap unit toward the head in accordance with movement of the holder in the first direction.

A recording apparatus includes a recording head having an ejection port surface and a step portion, a blade to wipe the ejection port surface, and a moving unit. A plurality of ink ejection ports is arranged on the ejection port surface. The moving unit performs relative movement of the blade and the recording head by moving the blade or the recording head in a first direction to cause the blade to wipe a wiped surface including the ejection port surface, from the step portion to an area in which the plurality of ink ejection ports is arranged. The moving unit performs the relative movement so that a first relative velocity of the relative movement when the blade passes the step portion is higher than a second relative velocity of the relative movement when the blade, that has been in contact with the wiped surface, is separated from the wiped surface.

An example of a printing apparatus comprising a scanning printhead and a controller is disclosed. The scanning printhead comprises a plurality of nozzles to print using a mask comprising a ramp area and non-ramp area. A first subset of nozzles of the plurality of nozzles is assigned to the ramp area and the second subset of nozzles of the plurality of nozzles is assigned to the non-ramp area. The controller is to calculate a number of spits of a nozzle from the second subset of nozzles for a pass. The controller is also to calculate a number of spits of a nozzle from the first subset of nozzles for the pass based on the number of spits of the nozzle from the second subset of nozzles. The controller is further to instruct the nozzle from the first subset of nozzles to eject online an amount of a composition on a service zone based on the number of spits of the first subset of nozzles.

There is provided a maintenance apparatus to, while in a service zone, perform a cleaning operation of a set of printheads within a carriage. The maintenance apparatus comprises a cleaning structure and an actuation mechanism. The actuation mechanism is arranged to position the cleaning structure between an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration. The disengaged configuration is activated by a first triggering element associated to the carriage interacting with the actuation mechanism subsequent to a cleaning operation. The engaged configuration is activated by a second triggering element as the carriage moves away from the service zone.

Provided are a head maintenance system, a printing system, and a head maintenance method with which preferable washing of a nozzle surface can be realized and a damage to the nozzle surface can be suppressed. The head maintenance system includes: a wiping device (3) including a wiping sheet (10) for wiping a nozzle surface (52) of an ink jet head (50); a relative movement device (2, 3) that relatively moves the ink jet head and the wiping sheet; and a pressing device (18, 56) that presses the wiping sheet against the nozzle surface, in which the wiping device includes the wiping sheet having a value of linearity of compression in a range of 0.3 or more and less than 0.6, the linearity of compression being measured using a compression tester.

A liquid discharging apparatus, having a head with a nozzle surface, a reservoir section having a liquid reservoir chamber and a first atmosphere communication path, a liquid flow path connecting the head with the liquid reservoir chamber, a first switching assembly to switch states of the first atmosphere communication path between a connecting state and a disconnecting state, a cap having a body and a second atmosphere communication path, a movable assembly to move the cap between a covering position and a separated position, and a controller, is provided. The controller is configured to control the head to discharge the liquid, and after discharging the liquid from the head, control the movable assembly to move the cap from the separated position to the covering position. With the cap being located at the covering position, the first atmosphere communication path is placed in the disconnecting state.

A printing apparatus includes a line head, a wiper unit, and a guide. The line head is configured to eject ink from an ejection surface extending in an A direction. The wiper unit includes a wiping portion configured to wipe the ink and a liquid container configured to hold the wiped ink. The wiper unit is configured to move in a Y direction and clean the ejection surface with the wiping portion. The guide extends in the Y direction and guides the wiper unit. The wiper unit includes a guided portion configured to be guided by the guide. The ink container and the guided portion form an overlap in the A direction when viewed in the Y direction.

There is provided a maintenance apparatus to, while in a service zone, perform a cleaning operation of a set of printheads within a carriage. The maintenance apparatus comprises a cleaning structure and an actuation mechanism. The actuation mechanism is arranged to position the cleaning structure between an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration. The disengaged configuration is activated by a first triggering element associated to the carriage interacting with the actuation mechanism subsequent to a cleaning operation. The engaged configuration is activated by a second triggering element as the carriage moves away from the service zone.