Liquid ejection apparatus
A liquid ejection apparatus includes an ejection head configured to include an ejection port surface in which ejection ports for ejecting liquid are arranged, a cap configured to be movable to a capping position where the ejection port surface is capped, and to an uncapped position where the ejection port surface is not capped, and a cleaning mechanism configured to be movable, independently of the cap, to a cleaning position where the ejection head is cleaned, and to a standby position where the ejection head is not cleaned. The cap at the uncapped position is positioned above the cleaning mechanism at the standby position.
1 . A liquid ejection apparatus comprising:
a plurality of ejection heads, including a first ejection head and a second ejection head, configured to include ejection port surfaces in which ejection ports for ejecting liquid are arranged;
a plurality of head holders, including a first head holder for the first ejection head and a second head holder for the second ejection head, each configured to move the ejection head between a recording position for recording by the ejection head and a retracted position above the recording position;
a plurality of caps, including a first cap for the first ejection head and a second cap for the second ejection head, configured to be moved by a cap tray to a capping position where the respective ejection port surfaces are capped, and to an uncapped position where the respective ejection port surfaces are not capped;
a plurality of first positioning portions provided on the cap tray and configured to position one side of each ejection head in a longitudinal direction of each ejection head at the capping position;
a plurality of second positioning portions provided on the cap tray and configured to position another side of each ejection head in the longitudinal direction at the capping position; and
a plurality of cleaning mechanisms configured to be moved by a cleaning tray, the cleaning tray being configured to move independently of the cap tray, to a cleaning position where the ejection heads are cleaned, and to a standby position where the ejection heads are not cleaned,
wherein the cap tray at the uncapped position is positioned above the cleaning tray at the standby position, and
wherein the first cap and the second cap are each arranged between the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion in the longitudinal direction.
2 . The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cap tray at the uncapped position and the cleaning tray at the standby position overlap each other in a gravity direction.
3 . The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a conveying unit configured to convey a recording medium,
wherein the cap tray at the uncapped position is positioned above a conveyance path of the recording medium conveyed by the conveying unit.
4 . The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a conveying tray configured to convey a recording medium,
wherein the cleaning mechanism at the standby position is positioned above a conveyance path of the recording medium conveyed by the conveying unit.
5 . The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a conveying unit configured to convey a recording medium in a conveyance direction,
wherein the cap tray moves from the capping position to the uncapped position in the conveyance direction.
6 . The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a conveying unit configured to convey a recording medium in a conveyance direction,
wherein the cleaning tray moves from the cleaning position to the standby position in the conveyance direction.
7 . The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a conveying unit configured to convey a recording medium in a conveyance direction,
wherein the cap tray at the uncapped position is positioned upstream of the ejection head in the conveyance direction.
8 . The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a conveying tray configured to convey a recording medium in a conveyance direction,
wherein the cleaning mechanism at the standby position is positioned upstream of the ejection head in the conveyance direction.
9 . The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a guide assembly configured to guide movement of the cap tray and the cleaning tray.
10 . The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of cleaning mechanisms includes a wiper configured to wipe the ejection port surface.
11 . The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of cleaning mechanisms includes a suction unit configured to suck the ejection ports.
12 . The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein each of the plurality of ejection heads is a full-line head in which the ejection ports are arranged over a length corresponding to a width in a width direction of the recording medium, and
wherein the cleaning tray moves in the width direction.
13 . The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the ejection head moves in the gravity direction.
14 . The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein a first position of the ejection head at which the ejection port surface is capped with the cap is above a second position of the ejection head at which the ejection port surface is cleaned by the cleaning mechanism.
15 . The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein a recording position at which the ejection head ejects the liquid onto a recording medium is below the second position.
16 . The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion each have a spherical shape.