Method of discharging liquid during a discharge stabilizing process and an ink jet recording head and apparatus using same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of driving an ink jet recording head comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of discharge units each having a discharge opening for discharging a liquid therethrough and a discharge energy generator associated with said discharge opening for generating energy for discharging the liquid from said discharge opening;
performing a discharge stabilization process by discharging liquid from said plurality of discharge units; and
performing a recording process by discharging liquid from at least one of said discharge units, wherein the number of discharge units utilized during said discharge stabilization process is greater than the number of discharge units which discharge liquid during said recording process and a predetermined number of said discharge units are dedicated to use only during said discharge stabilization process, to provide a stable discharge condition of said ink jet recording head.
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Abstract
A method of driving an ink jet recording head and discharging ink during a preliminary discharge process comprises discharging liquid from less than all of a plurality of discharge units during a discharge stabilizing process. In a specific embodiment, during the discharge stabilizing process liquid is discharged from discharge units selected from a plurality of discharge units prior to recording to rid the liquid passages associated with the discharge units of ink which has increased in viscosity.
50 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method of driving an ink jet recording head comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of discharge units each having a discharge opening for discharging a liquid therethrough and a discharge energy generator associated with said discharge opening for generating energy for discharging the liquid from said discharge opening; performing a discharge stabilization process by discharging liquid from said plurality of discharge units; and performing a recording process by discharging liquid from at least one of said discharge units, wherein the number of discharge units utilized during said discharge stabilization process is greater than the number of discharge units which discharge liquid during said recording process and a predetermined number of said discharge units are dedicated to use only during said discharge stabilization process, to provide a stable discharge condition of said ink jet recording head. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An ink jet recording apparatus operable in a preliminary discharge operation and a recording operation, said recording apparatus comprising:
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an ink jet recording head having a plurality of discharge units each having a discharge opening for discharging a liquid therethrough and a discharge energy generator associated with said discharge opening for generating energy for discharging the liquid from said discharge opening in response to a recording drive signal during the recording operation and a preliminary discharge signal during the preliminary discharge operation, a predetermined number of said discharge units being dedicated to use only during the preliminary discharge operation; and a discharge control circuit for controlling the discharge of liquid through said discharge openings, said control circuit generating and applying said recording drive signal and said preliminary discharge signal, wherein said discharge control circuit applies said preliminary discharge signal in the preliminary discharge operation to more of said discharge energy generators than the number to which said control circuit applies said recording drive signal in the recording operation, in order to discharge liquid from said discharge openings associated with such discharge energy generators and thereby to provide a stable discharge condition of said ink jet recording head. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 13, 15)
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12. An ink jet recording apparatus comprising:
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a driver for generating drive signals; an ink jet recording head having a plurality of discharge units each having a discharge opening for discharging a liquid therethrough and a discharge energy generator associated with said discharge openings for generating energy for discharging the liquid from said discharge opening in response to said drive signal or a preliminary discharge signal; and a preliminary discharge circuit for generating said preliminary discharge signal, wherein said preliminary discharge signal is applied to less than all of said discharge energy generators for discharging liquid from said discharge openings associated with such discharge energy generators prior to recording, said preliminary discharge circuit including wiring electrically connected only to discharge energy generators used for discharging liquid prior to recording. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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16. An ink jet recording head operable in a preliminary discharge operation and a recording operation, said ink jet recording head comprising:
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a first discharge unit having a first discharge opening for discharging a liquid therethrough and a first discharge energy generator associated with said first discharge opening for generating energy to discharge liquid from said first discharge opening in both a recording operation and a preliminary discharge operation prior to the recording operation in order to provide stable discharge during the recording operation; a second discharge unit dedicated to preliminary discharge and having a second discharge opening for discharging a liquid therethrough and a second discharge energy generator associated with said second discharge opening for generating energy to discharge liquid from said second discharge opening only in the preliminary discharge operation; and means for performing the recording operation and the preliminary discharge operation. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An ink jet recording apparatus including an ink jet recording head, said apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of discharge openings in said ink jet recording head for discharging a liquid therethrough and a plurality of discharge energy generators associated with said discharge opening for generating energy for discharging the liquid from said discharge openings, said discharge energy generators being divided into first second groups the second group including the discharge energy generators of the first group and including a number of energy generators greater in number than in the first group, a predetermined number of said second group of discharge energy generators being dedicated to use only during a preliminary discharge operation; a recording signal generating means for generating recording signals that are applied to the first group of said plurality of discharge energy generators for discharging liquid for recording from said discharge openings corresponding to the first group of discharge energy generators; and preliminary discharging signal generating means for generating preliminary discharge signals during the preliminary discharge operation that are applied to the second group of discharge energy generators, said preliminary discharge signals for discharging liquid from discharge openings corresponding to the second group of discharge energy generators to provide a stable discharge. condition. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An ink jet recording apparatus including an ink jet recording head in which a first group and a second group of discharge openings for discharging liquid are arranged in a predetermined direction, said second group of discharge openings being dedicated to use only during a preliminary discharge operation, said recording head movable in a scanning direction, said apparatus comprising:
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a first discharge signal generating means for generating a first discharge signal during a recording operation and the preliminary discharge operation, said first signal being applied to discharge energy generators corresponding to said first group of discharge openings of said arranged discharge openings, to discharge liquid from the first group of discharge openings; and a second discharge signal generating means for generating a second discharge signal only during the preliminary discharge operation, said second signal being applied to discharge energy generators corresponding to said second group of discharge openings to discharge liquid from the second group of discharge openings. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification