Ink jet printer nozzle clog preventive apparatus

Claim 1

An ink jet printer nozzle clog preventive apparatus comprising: a carriage movable outside of a printing zone: a printing head provided on the carriage, said printing head including at least one printing head nozzle being covered with a cap member when a printing operation is not being conducted, and said cap member being provided opposite said printing head nozzle on the carriage; means for moving said cap member toward and away from said printing head nozzle, said means including a driving source; pump means, connected to the interior of said cap member, when said printing head nozzle is covered with said cap member whereby said negative pressure creates a vacuum state in said cap member; maintenance solution supply means for supplying said interior of said cap member and said printing head nozzle with maintenance solution; means for determining one of a plurality of modes of said printer, said plurality of modes including power ON, power OFF, and a nozzle recovery mode, wherein said nozzle printer in recovery mode discharges ink clogs from said printing head nozzle when said printer has remained ON but inoperative for a predetermined length of time; control means, responsive to said means for determining, for controlling said means for moving, said pump means, and said maintenance solution supply means according to the current mode of the printer; and instruction means for instructing a nozzle recovery operation in response to the determination of a nozzle recovery mode.