Claims
- 1. A recovery method for recovering proper operation of an ink jet recording head having a plurality of discharge ports and a plurality of thermal energy generating elements each corresponding to each of said discharge ports, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a recovery means for performing recovery according to at least two different recovery modes including a first recovery mode for only applying pressure to said discharge ports to effect suction of ink from said discharge ports while said discharge ports are capped by a capping means and a second recovery mode for concurrently applying pressure to said discharge ports and driving said thermal energy generating elements to forcibly exhaust ink from said discharge ports while said discharge ports are capped by said capping means; and
- selectively performing one recovery mode of the first recovery mode and the second recovery mode.
- 2. A recovery method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of heating the ink, wherein said heating step is performed when said recovery is performed according to said second mode and prior to said driving.
- 3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said driving further comprises supplying said thermal energy generating elements with a driving signal for forming bubbles in the ink.
- 4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said driving further comprises supplying said heat generating elements with a plurality of said driving signals and forcibly exhausting ink plural times.
- 5. A method according to claim 2, wherein said pressure is applied by applying suction through said capping means.
- 6. A method according to claim 2, wherein the heating is performed by driving a heater provided outside of said ink jet recording head.
- 7. A method according to claim 2, wherein the heating is performed by driving said thermal energy generating elements not enough to discharge ink.
- 8. A method according to claim 2, further comprising a step of wiping said discharge ports following said step of performing recovery.
- 9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising a step of discharging ink from said discharge ports following said wiping step.
- 10. A method according to claims 2, wherein in said driving said thermal energy generating elements corresponding to specific discharge ports of said discharge ports are driven.
- 11. A method according to claim 2, wherein in said driving a driving frequency of said thermal energy generating elements is lower than during a recording operation.
- 12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of heating the ink in response to a start of said recovery, wherein said driving is performed after said heating step.
- 13. A method according to claim 12, wherein said driving further comprises supplying said thermal energy generating elements with a driving signal for forming bubbles in the ink.
- 14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said driving further comprises supplying said thermal energy generating elements with a plurality of said driving signals and forcibly exhausting ink plural times.
- 15. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of heating the ink before said recovery is performed according to said second mode, and wherein said exhaust takes place during a forcible exhausting period and said driving is performed during an element driving period, wherein said element driving period takes place during said forcible exhausting period while the pressure at said discharge ports is at least 30% of a maximum pressure applied to said discharge ports.
- 16. A method according to claim 15, wherein during said element driving period each of said thermal energy generating elements is provided with a driving signal for forming a bubble in the ink.
- 17. A method according to claim 16, wherein said forcible exhausting period comprises a period during which a predetermined suction force is generated by a recovery pump.
- 18. A method according to claim 17, wherein said suction is applied using said capping means.
- 19. A method according to claim 15, wherein said ink jet recording head is of a type which can record using the ink supplied from an ink containing member having an ink absorbing member disposed therein.
- 20. A method according to claim 19, wherein said recovery is performed in a state such that a negative pressure of said ink absorbing member at a static pressure has a predetermined value which is larger than an initial pressure.
- 21. A method according to claim 15, wherein said element driving period is terminated prior to termination of said forcible exhausting period.
- 22. A method according to claim 15, wherein said element driving period is started before said forcible exhausting period is started.
- 23. A method according to claim 22, wherein said element driving period is terminated before said forcible exhausting period is terminated.
- 24. A recording apparatus for effecting recording with an ink jet recording head having a plurality of discharge ports and a plurality of thermal energy generating elements each corresponding to each of said discharge ports, the apparatus comprising:
- capping means for capping said discharge ports;
- pressure applying means for applying pressure to said discharge ports to effect suction of ink from said discharge ports while said discharge ports are capped by said capping means; and
- recovery means for performing recovery according to at least two different recovery modes including a first recovery mode for only applying pressure to said discharge ports to effect suction of ink from said discharge ports while said discharge ports are capped by said capping means and a second recovery mode for concurrently applying pressure to said discharge ports and driving said thermal energy generating elements to forcibly exhaust ink from said discharge ports while said discharge ports are capped by said capping means, wherein one recovery mode of the first recovery mode and the second recovery mode is selected.
- 25. A recording apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said recording head includes an integral ink containing portion provided with an ink absorbing member therein, and said apparatus further comprises
- recording means for driving said thermal energy generating elements in conformity with a recording signal to increase a pressure of the ink and discharge the ink from said discharge ports to effect recording on a recording medium;
- heating means for heating the ink; and
- selecting means for selecting between a recording mode wherein only said recording means is operated and a mode wherein said recording means and said recovery means are operated concurrently, wherein the ink is heated prior to a recovery process.
- 26. A recording apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said thermal energy generating elements are driven with a driving signal for forming a bubble in the ink.
- 27. A recording apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said pressure applying means starts said suction during growth of a bubble in the ink and exerts a maximum suction force during a collapse of said bubble.
- 28. A recording apparatus according to claims 25, wherein said pressure applying means further comprises means for causing a suction force to act on the ink during growth of a bubble in the ink.
- 29. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising:
- said recording head, wherein said thermal energy generating elements are driven at a driving frequency no greater than a limit frequency that allows the discharged ink to be replaced at said discharge ports; and
- heating means for heating the ink,
- wherein in said second recovery mode the driving frequency applied to said thermal energy generating elements is higher than the limit frequency, and the ink is heated prior to a recovery process.
- 30. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said thermal energy generating elements further comprise electro-thermal conversion elements for generating thermal energy for causing film boiling in the ink.
- 31. A recovery method for recovering proper operation of an ink jet recording head having a plurality of discharge ports and a plurality of energy generating elements each corresponding to each of said discharge ports, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a recovery means for performing recovery according to at least two different recovery modes including a first recovery mode for only applying pressure to said discharge ports to effect suction of ink from said discharge ports while said discharge ports are capped by a capping means and a second recovery mode for concurrently applying pressure to said discharge ports and driving said energy generating elements to forcibly exhaust ink from said discharge ports while said discharge ports are capped by said capping means; and
- selectively performing one recovery mode of the first recovery mode and the second recovery mode.
- 32. A recording apparatus for effecting recording with an ink jet recording head having a plurality of discharge ports and a plurality of energy generating elements each corresponding to each of said discharge ports, the apparatus comprising:
- capping means for capping said discharge ports;
- pressure applying means for applying pressure to said discharge ports to effect suction of ink from said discharge ports while said discharge ports are capped by said capping means; and
- recovery means for performing recovery according to at least two different recovery modes including a first recovery mode for only applying pressure to said discharge ports to effect suction of ink from said discharge ports while said discharge ports are capped by said capping means and a second recovery mode for concurrently applying pressure to said discharge ports and driving said energy generating elements to forcibly exhaust ink from said discharge ports while said discharge ports are capped by said capping means, wherein one recovery mode of the first recovery mode and the second recovery mode is selected.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2-95406 |
Apr 1990 |
JPX |
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Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/683,786 filed Apr. 11, 1991, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (19)
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number |
Date |
Country |
3633239 |
|
EPX |
8808370 |
Nov 1988 |
DEX |
84138461 |
|
JPX |
84123670 |
|
JPX |
63-130348 |
Jun 1988 |
JPX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
683786 |
Apr 1991 |
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