Liquid discharge apparatus, dyeing apparatus, embroidery machine, and maintenance device

1. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

a plurality of heads to discharge a liquid;

a plurality of caps to contact and move away from the plurality of heads, respectively;

a plurality of individual drain passages to communicate with the plurality of caps, respectively;

at least one common drain passage to communicate with at least two of the plurality of individual drain passages;

a plurality of suction generators in the plurality of individual drain passages, respectively; and

control circuitry,

wherein each of the plurality of individual drain passages is configured to allow and shut off communication between a cap among the plurality of caps and the at least one common drain passage, and

wherein the control circuitry is configured to:

cause each of the plurality of individual drain passages to allow the communication between the cap and the at least one common drain passage when performing decapping of the head;

cap a head that is a sucking target among the plurality of heads with the cap after shutting off each individual drain passage communicating with the cap corresponding to a head that is not the sucking target among the plurality of heads; and

control a corresponding suction generator among the plurality of suction generators to perform suction of the head that is the sucking target.

2. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein each of the plurality of individual drain passages is shut off after the cap is separated from the head.

3. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein each of the plurality of suction generators includes a pump configured to open an internal flow passage when not performing suction.

4. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 3 ,

wherein each of the plurality of suction generators includes a tubing pump configured to:

press an internal tube serving as the individual drain passage to perform suction when rotating in a first direction; and

release pressing of the individual drain passage to open the individual drain passage when rotating in a second direction opposite the first direction.

5. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein each of the plurality of suction generators includes a pump configured to shut off an internal flow passage when not performing suction, and

wherein each of the plurality of individual drain passages includes:

a bypass passage configured to bypass the suction generator; and

a closing structure configured to selectively close the bypass passage.

6. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a driver including a driving source configured to drive in a forward direction and a reverse direction;

the driver is configured to:

drive each of the plurality of suction generators by a forward drive of the driving source; and

cap the head or decap the head by a reverse drive of the driving source.

7. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein each of the plurality of suction generators includes a driving source.

8. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a head driver configured to move each of the plurality of heads between a position at which the liquid is discharged to a liquid application target and a position at which the head opposes corresponding one of the plurality of caps.

9. An embroidery machine comprising:

a plurality of heads to discharge a liquid onto a medium;

a conveyor to convey the medium

a drier to dry the medium to which the liquid is applied;

a post-treatment section to perform a post-treatment of the medium to which the liquid is applied;

an embroiderer to perform embroidery with the medium treated by the post-treatment section;

a plurality of caps to contact and move away from the plurality of heads, respectively;

a plurality of individual drain passages communicating with the plurality of caps, respectively;

at least one common drain passage communicating with at least two of the plurality of individual drain passages;

a plurality of suction generators in the plurality of individual drain passages, respectively; and

control circuitry,

wherein each of the plurality of individual drain passages is configured to allow and shut off communication between a cap among the plurality of caps and the at least one common drain passage, and

wherein the control circuitry is configured to:

cause each of the plurality of individual drain passages to allow the communication between the cap and the at least one common drain passage when performing decapping of the head;

cap a head that is a sucking target among the plurality of heads with the cap after shutting off each individual drain passage communicating with the cap corresponding to a head that is not the sucking target among the plurality of heads; and

control a corresponding suction generator among the plurality of suction generators to perform suction of the head that is the sucking target.

10. A maintenance device comprising:

a plurality of caps to contact and move away from a plurality of heads, respectively;

a plurality of individual drain passages communicating with the plurality of caps, respectively;

at least one common drain passage communicating with at least two of the plurality of individual drain passages;

a plurality of suction generators in the plurality of individual drain passages, respectively; and

control circuitry,

wherein each of the plurality of individual drain passages is configured to allow and shut off communication between a cap among the plurality of caps and the at least one common drain passage, and

wherein the control circuitry is configured to:

cause each of the plurality of individual drain passages to allow the communication between the cap and the at least one common drain passage when performing decapping of the head; and

cap a head that is a sucking target among the plurality of heads with the cap after shutting off each individual drain passage communicating with the cap corresponding to a head that is not the sucking target among the plurality of heads; and

control a corresponding suction generator among the plurality of suction generators to perform suction of the head that is the sucking target.