Liquid ejection apparatus

Abstract

A liquid ejection apparatus includes: an ejection head that ejects a liquid from a nozzle; a cap that can seal an opening of the nozzle; an absorber disposed in the cap; a first ejection unit that allows to perform a first ejection operation toward the cap for maintenance of the nozzle; a suction unit that sucks the liquid from the cap; a second ejection unit that allows to perform a second ejection operation for replenishing the cap with a liquid before the suction, and a capping unit that covers the opening of the nozzle by the cap after the second ejection operation is performed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like elements.

FIG. 1 is schematic perspective view illustrated a whole configuration of the liquid ejection apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a partially-exploded side view illustrated a peripheral configuration of the cap.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrated an electrical configuration of the liquid ejection apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrated a processing related to a drawing operation.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrated a processing related to nozzle maintenance at that time of main power off.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrated a processing related to the drawing operation in Modified Example 1.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrated an electrical configuration of the liquid ejection apparatus in the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrated a processing related to the drawing operation in the second embodiment.

Claims

1. A liquid ejection apparatus comprising: an ejection head that ejects a liquid from a nozzle;a cap that can seal an opening of the nozzle;an absorber disposed in the cap;a first ejection unit that allows to perform a first ejection operation toward the cap for maintenance of the nozzle;a suction unit that sucks the liquid from the cap;a second ejection unit that allows to perform a second ejection operation for replenishing the cap with a liquid before the suction, anda capping unit that covers the opening of the nozzle by the cap after the second ejection operation is performed.

2. The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an amount of the liquid ejected by the second ejection operation is larger than an amount of moisturizing component in the liquid contained in the absorber by the first ejection operation.

3. The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second ejection unit allows to perform the second ejection operation just before a main power supply is turned off.

4. The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the nozzles and caps are provided to correspond to a plurality of liquid types, and wherein the second ejection unit sets an amount of the liquid ejected by the second ejection operation every liquid type.

5. The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the suction unit performs the suction after the second ejection operation is performed and a predetermined waiting time elapses.

6. The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a history managing unit that manages a history related to the first ejection operation, wherein the second ejection unit allows to perform the second ejection operation under a condition based on the history.

7. The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the second ejection unit allows to perform the second ejection operation with an amount of the liquid based on the history.

8. The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the second ejection unit allows to perform the second ejection operation at a time based on the history.

9. The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the history managing unit manages information on an accumulated amount of the liquid ejected by the first ejection operation.

10. The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the history managing unit manages an accumulated time of a drawing operation.

11. The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a drying history managing unit that manages a drying history of the liquid contained in the absorber by the first ejection operation, wherein the second ejection unit allows to perform the second ejection operation with an amount of the liquid based on the drying history.

12. The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature detection unit that detects an ambient temperature, wherein the second ejection unit allows to perform the second ejection operation with an amount of the liquid based on the ambient temperature.