JP2007015264A - Inkjet recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To alter the driving conditions of an ink jet recording head required for optimal ink ejection depending on the time elapsed before the ink jet recording head is delivered to a user after it is manufactured. <P>SOLUTION: The time elapsed after an ink jet recording head is manufactured is recognized and driving conditions (e. g. driving pulse width Pc) optimal for ejection are determined depending on the elapsed time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording by ejecting ink onto a recording medium using an ink jet recording head, and more particularly to an improvement in a method for determining driving conditions of an ink jet recording head.

  In an ink jet recording apparatus, the driving conditions (voltage value, pulse width, etc.) of an element that generates energy used for discharging ink by converting input energy are made constant, and the ink discharge amount and discharge speed are By making it constant, a high-quality image can be stably formed. However, even in a state where the drive is always performed with the same voltage value and pulse width, if the discharge characteristics such as the ink discharge speed and the discharge amount are different among individual printheads, a stable and high-quality image can be provided. Can not be. The cause of the difference in ejection characteristics that occurs between individual printheads is mainly due to manufacturing variations of printheads.

  For example, as the energy generating element, an electrothermal transducer that generates heat according to the electric energy that is input, generates thermal bubbles in the ink to generate bubbles in the ink, and discharges the ink by the pressure of the bubbles The recording head having (discharge heater) is manufactured including a semiconductor manufacturing process. That is, the discharge heater, the electrode wiring for energizing the heater, and the ink flow path communicating with the ink discharge port are formed by forming a film on the substrate through a semiconductor manufacturing process such as etching, vapor deposition, and sputtering. The In this case, for example, in the discharge heater, the film thickness of the heater constituent material varies due to manufacturing errors, so that the heat transmitted to the ink between individuals even when the same driving conditions (constant voltage value and pulse width) are applied. As a result, the amount of energy changes, and as a result, the ejection characteristics also differ among the recording heads.

  In order to suppress such variations in ejection characteristics between individual recording heads, it has been conventional to determine the easiness of ejection for each recording head, and to supply the optimum energy for ejection to each recording head with different easiness of ejection. I have to. That is, a voltage having a large pulse width is applied to a recording head having a small degree of transmission of thermal energy, and a voltage having a small pulse width is applied to a recording head having a large degree of transmission of thermal energy. In other words, even if the main body of the printing apparatus supplies a constant drive voltage, the ink discharge speed and discharge amount generated between individual print heads by modulating the pulse width to give the optimum energy for discharge, etc. Dispersion of discharge characteristics is eliminated. Information on the ease of ejection of each individual recording head is usually determined at the time of manufacturing at the factory, including the meaning of inspection, and the recording device itself is used for the recording head based on that information. Thus, the pulse width for obtaining the optimum discharge state is determined.

JP 2002-29037 A

  However, the ease of ejection of the recording head does not change at all from the time of manufacture. In a situation where the recording head is used, the film quality changes due to the accumulation of coloring material components such as dyes contained in the ink on the discharge heater as burnt or the thermal damage of the discharge heater repeatedly. The ease of ejection varies depending on the frequency of use of the recording head. Along with this, the optimum input energy for discharge also changes. Furthermore, even in a situation where the recording head is not used, the chemical reaction gradually progresses between the ink and the material forming the discharge heater only by contacting the ink and the discharge heater, A problem arises in that the thickness of the discharge heater constituent film changes, and the ease of discharge, and hence the optimum input energy for discharge, changes greatly from the time of manufacture.

  For these reasons, when the optimum input energy for the ejection of the individual recording head is changing, if the drive voltage and drive pulse remain unchanged from the default settings, the discharge amount and discharge speed will change. As a result, the diameter of the ink dots formed upon landing on the recording medium changes or the ink landing position shifts, and as a result, a stable and high-quality image cannot be obtained.

Patent Document 1 proposes a method for selecting an optimal drive pulse based on the use state of a printhead. However, in this method, a change in input energy optimum for ejection in a state where the printhead is not used. Is not considered.
The present invention relates to the change in the ejection characteristics of the recording head when the recording head is not used, that is, the ejection characteristics of the recording head that change depending on the time from when the recording head is manufactured until it reaches the user's hand. An object of the present invention is to make it possible to determine the optimum driving conditions for ejection.

Therefore, the present invention is a recording apparatus that performs recording by discharging ink to a recording medium from a recording head having an ink tank and an ink discharging mechanism,
An ink jet recording apparatus characterized by changing a driving condition for ejecting ink from the ink ejecting mechanism in accordance with an elapsed time from manufacturing the recording head.

Further, the present invention is a recording apparatus that performs recording by discharging ink to a recording medium from a recording head including an ink tank and an ink discharging mechanism,
There is provided an ink jet recording apparatus characterized in that energy input to the ink ejection mechanism is changed in accordance with an elapsed time since the recording head was manufactured.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to select an optimum driving condition in consideration of a change in ejection characteristics of the recording head when the recording head is not used, and as a result, it is possible to provide a stable and high-quality image.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Overview of the main unit)
FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording on a recording medium using an ink jet recording head. FIG. 1 (a) is a schematic view, and FIG. 1 (b) is a diagram in FIG. The schematic side view from -X direction is shown.

  In the figure, reference numerals 100 and 101 denote recording heads in which an ejection portion as an ink ejection mechanism and an ink tank are integrally formed. The ink tank of the recording head 100 stores three colors of ink, for example, black, light cyan, and light magenta. The ink tank of the recording head 101 stores three colors of ink, for example, cyan, magenta, and yellow. Each color ink is stored. Further, the recording heads 100 and 101 are provided with ejection units 102 that are the number of ink ejection mechanisms corresponding to the number of inks to be stored, and the ejection ports are arranged in each ejection unit 102. The recording heads 100 and 101 have exactly the same configuration except that the ink colors to be stored or discharged are different.

  Reference numeral 103 denotes a paper feed roller, which rotates in the direction of the arrow in the figure while sandwiching the recording medium P in cooperation with the auxiliary roller 104, and conveys the recording medium P in the Y direction as needed. A pair of paper feed rollers 105 feeds the recording medium P toward the recording position while sandwiching the recording medium P, and rotates in the direction of the arrow to feed the recording medium P. Also, the recording medium P is held flat. A platen 107 serves to stably support the recording medium P at the recording position.

  A carriage 106 supports the recording heads 100 and 101 and moves them in the main scanning direction (X direction) during a recording operation. The ink discharge performance of the discharge unit 102 of the recording head is achieved when recording is not performed. When performing a recovery operation for maintaining a good state, the position (home position) h indicated by a broken line in the figure is set. A carriage belt 108 transmits a driving force for scanning the carriage 106 in the X direction.

  The carriage 106 set to the home position h before the start of recording starts to move in the X direction in response to the arrival of a recording start command, and from a plurality of ejection openings provided in the ejection unit 102 according to the recording data. Ink is ejected and printing is performed with a width corresponding to the ejection port array range. In addition, the paper feed roller 103 rotates a predetermined amount in the direction of the arrow in the drawing before the next recording operation is started after the end of one recording operation (one scan), so that the Y direction is increased by a predetermined amount. The recording medium P is conveyed. As described above, data is recorded on the recording medium by repeating the recording operation for one scan and the conveyance of the recording medium having a predetermined width.

2 shows the recording head 101 in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 (a) is a schematic perspective view, FIG. 2 (b) is a schematic plan view when viewed from the Z direction, and FIG. 2 (c) is a diagram. The enlarged view around the discharge port in 2 (b) is shown. Since the recording heads 100 and 101 have the same structure as described above, the configuration of the recording head 101 will be described here as a representative.
Reference numeral 201 in FIG. 2A denotes a contact pad that receives a recording signal from the recording apparatus main body and energy (voltage) necessary for driving. Reference numeral 202 in FIG. 2B denotes a recording head chip. A Fuse ROM 203 as a storage element having a storage area is provided on the chip 202. Note that the storage element is not limited to the Fuse ROM, but may be another element such as an EEPROM.

  Reference numerals 204, 205, and 206 denote discharge port arrays (discharge units) for cyan ink, magenta ink, and yellow ink, respectively. Except for discharging different color inks, the discharge port structure of each color ink is the same.

  FIG. 2C shows an enlarged discharge port array 204 of cyan ink as a representative. Reference numeral 102A in FIG. 2C denotes discharge ports arranged on the cyan ink discharge port array 204. The discharge ports 102A are used to discharge ink, for example, inward (Z direction side) of the discharge ports 102A. There is a discharge heater 207 that generates an electrothermal converter (discharge heater) bubble that causes film boiling in the ink as the generated energy and discharges the ink. In the example shown in the figure, 192 ejection ports 102A are arranged at an interval (pitch) of 1/600 inch, so that the recording pixel density is 600 dpi. Further, it is configured so that about 2 pl of ink droplets can be ejected per ejection operation from the ejection port 102A, and the ejection frequency of the ejection heater 207 for stably ejecting these ink droplets is 15 kHz. It has become. The speed in the main scanning direction of the carriage on which the recording heads 100 and 102 are mounted is 24000 (dots / second) ÷ 1200 (dots / inch) = 20 inches / second when ink droplets are recorded at an interval of 1200 dpi in the main scanning direction. It becomes.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a control system of the recording apparatus shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the control system of the recording apparatus includes data including an image input unit 303 that accesses the main bus line 305, an image signal processing unit 304 that processes an input image signal correspondingly, and a CPU 300. Processing (software) subsystem, operation unit 306, recovery system control circuit 307, head temperature control circuit 314, head drive control circuit 315, carriage drive (main scan) control circuit 316, and recording medium conveyance (sub scan) control It is roughly classified into a mechanism control processing (hardware) subsystem including the circuit 317.

  The image input unit 303 has an interface for inputting image data from a host device (host computer) 1000 in the form of a computer that can be a component of the image forming system. In addition, the image input unit 303 may include an interface for inputting image data from a digital camera, an interface for inputting image data from an IC memory card (not shown), and the like.

  The CPU 300 includes memories such as a ROM 301 and a RAM 302, gives appropriate recording conditions to input information, and the recording heads 100 and 101 via a head control circuit 315, a carriage drive control circuit 316, and a recording medium conveyance control circuit 317, respectively. Or, recording is executed while controlling the main scanning of the carriage 106 and the sub-scanning of the recording medium P. The ROM 301 stores fixed data corresponding to a table and the like which will be described later, in addition to a program which defines a part of the processing procedure which will be described later with reference to FIGS. The RAM 302 is used as a work area for the CPU 300. The memory area stores a program for executing a recovery processing sequence, and the CPU 300, as necessary, performs a suction recovery operation condition, an ink supply operation condition from the main tank 107 to the sub tank 101, a preliminary ejection operation condition, or Control data that defines the timing of these operations is supplied to the recovery system control circuit 307, the head drive control circuit 315, and the like. That is, the CPU 300 performs various instructions input from various switches provided on the operation unit 306 based on the control information and image data transferred from the host computer 1000 according to the procedure of the program stored in the ROM 301. The mechanism control processing subsystem is controlled based on the signal.

  The recovery system motor 308 drives the cleaning blade 309, the cap 310, and the pump 311. The head drive control circuit 315 drives the ejection unit or ejection heater, and causes the recording head 102 to perform preliminary ejection in addition to ink ejection for recording.

  A heat retaining heater 313 is provided on the substrate on which the recording element of the recording head 102 is provided, and the head temperature control circuit 314 heats and adjusts the ink temperature in the recording head to a desired set temperature by energizing the heater. can do. Further, a temperature sensor 312 such as a diode sensor is similarly provided on the substrate, and a substantial ink temperature inside the recording head is measured and used for temperature adjustment by the head temperature control circuit 314. The temperature sensor 312 may be provided outside the substrate, or may be in the vicinity of the periphery of the recording head.

  Note that the apparatus according to this example can recognize the current time. For this purpose, a functional element unit having a calendar function or a timer function may be provided in the main body of the ink jet recording apparatus (for example, the CPU 300), and the current time may be recognized by referring to the timely reference. You may employ | adopt the system which acquires time information from the host apparatus 1000 connected to the apparatus, or the system in which a user inputs time information directly.

  Next, some embodiments applied to the above configuration will be described.

(Embodiment 1)
In the first embodiment, information for each recording head is recorded in the Fuse ROM 203 shown in FIG. 2B, and this recording head information includes information on the manufacturing date Ti and the initial drive pulse width Pi. It is. The recording head is usually inspected whether ink is normally ejected from all the ejection ports from the time of manufacture until shipment, and at the same time, the ejection amount and ejection speed are optimal for ink ejection. The drive pulse width is determined by measurement. The initial drive pulse width information Pi indicates the drive pulse width that was optimal for ink ejection at the time of this inspection.

  FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of a control procedure employed in this embodiment.

  First, when the ink jet recording apparatus receives recording data from the host apparatus 1000, it accesses the Fuse ROM 203 of the recording heads 100 and 101 mounted in step S401, and obtains manufacturing date information Ti and initial drive pulse width information Pi of each recording head. read. In the following, only the recording head 101 is taken as an example, and it is assumed that Ti = January 2005 and Pi = 0.70 μs.

  In step S402, a timer built in the ink jet recording apparatus is accessed to acquire current date / time information Tn. Here, it is assumed that Tn = October 2005. In this embodiment, the current date / time information Tn is acquired at the time of recording data reception that is not much different from the time of actual driving, but when the recording head is mounted or the power is turned on. For example, another timing close to that during actual driving may be used.

  After confirming the manufacturing date and current date and time of the recording head, an elapsed time Tp from the time of manufacturing the recording head is calculated by Tp = Tn−Ti in step S403. Here, Tp = 9 months. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S404, and a pulse width Pc to be actually driven is determined with reference to a drive pulse correction table PT (for example, can be configured in the ROM 301) as shown in FIG.

  The drive pulse correction table PT (FIG. 5) is composed of values obtained by measurement, and the left end shows a plurality of initial drive pulse widths Pi that are optimal for ink ejection when the recording head is manufactured, and the right side shows a plurality of drive pulse corrections Pi. The drive pulse width Pc optimum for ejection corresponding to the elapsed time Tp from the time of manufacturing the recording head is shown for all existing Pis. The pulse width Pc that is actually driven is determined according to the drive pulse correction table PT (FIG. 5). Here, the table in the fourth column from the right is selected because Tp = 9 months. On the other hand, the eleventh row from the top is selected because Pi = 0.70 μs. As a result, Pc = 0.66 μs is determined. Is done.

  In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the initial drive pulse width Pi and the drive pulse correction table PT are the same regardless of the ink color in the recording head. However, in the form in which the ease of ejection varies greatly depending on the ink color, Different initial drive pulse width information Pi and drive pulse correction table PT may be used for each ink color.

  FIG. 6 shows the evaluation results of the conventional case and the case of using this embodiment with respect to the granularity of the image formed by the print head, which occurs according to the elapsed time Tp since the print head was manufactured. “○” in the figure is a level that is so small that it cannot be visually confirmed, “△” is a level that is worrisome to the roughness, but the difference between the original image and the recorded image is small, and “×” is a rough surface that is extremely rough. The level is very different from the image.

  Conventionally, as the elapsed time Tp from the time of recording head manufacture increases, the amount and speed of ink discharge change to cause a change in ink landing diameter and a deviation in ink landing position, resulting in the formation of a rough image. It will be. On the other hand, in the case of the present embodiment, it was confirmed that a high-quality image with little roughness was stably obtained regardless of the elapsed time Tp from the time of manufacturing the recording head.

  As described above, the manufacturing time information is written in the recording head, the elapsed time from the recording head manufacturing time is calculated, and the drive pulse width is changed accordingly, so that the recording head is not used. It is possible to select an optimal drive pulse width that also takes into account changes in the ejection characteristics of the recording head, and as a result, it is possible to provide a stable and good quality image.

  In the present embodiment, the correction method for reducing the energy input to the ejection unit or the ejection heater in the form in which ink is easily ejected according to the elapsed time from the recording head manufacturing to the actual use has been described. In a mode in which ink is difficult to be ejected according to the elapsed time from the recording head manufacture to the actual use, a correction may be made to increase the energy input to the ejection heater.

(Embodiment 2)
In the first embodiment, the method of controlling the drive pulse width as a means for changing the energy input to the discharge unit or the discharge heater has been described. In the second embodiment, a method of controlling the voltage of the drive pulse will be described.

  In this example, information for each recording head is recorded in the Fuse ROM 203 (FIG. 2B), and this recording head information includes information on the date of manufacture Ti and the initial drive voltage Vi. The recording head is usually inspected whether ink is normally ejected from all the ejection ports from the time of manufacture until shipment, and at the same time, the ejection amount and ejection speed are optimal for ink ejection. The drive voltage is determined by measurement. The initial drive voltage information Vi indicates the drive pulse width that is optimal for ink ejection at the time of this inspection.

  FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of a control procedure employed in this embodiment.

  First, when the ink jet recording apparatus receives recording data from the host apparatus 1000, it accesses the Fuse ROM 203 of the recording heads 100 and 101 mounted in step S701, and reads the manufacturing date information Ti and initial drive voltage information Vi of each recording head. . In the following, only the recording head 101 is taken as an example, and it is assumed that Ti = January 2005 and Vi = 25.0V.

  Next, in step S702, the timer built in the ink jet recording apparatus is accessed, and current date information Tn is acquired. Here, it is assumed that Tn = October 2005. The timing for acquiring the current date / time information Tn may be when the recording data is received, or when the recording head is mounted or when the power is turned on, as described above.

  After confirming the manufacturing date and current date and time of the recording head, an elapsed time Tp from the recording head manufacturing time is calculated by Tp = Tn−Ti in step S703. Here, Tp = 9 months. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S704, and the drive voltage correction table VT shown in FIG. 8 (for example, it can be configured in the ROM 301) is referenced to determine the actually driven voltage Vc.

  The drive voltage correction table VT in FIG. 8 is composed of values obtained by measurement. The left end shows a plurality of initial drive voltages Vi that are optimal for ink ejection at the time of manufacturing the recording head, and there are a plurality of them on the right side. The driving voltage Vc optimum for ejection according to the elapsed time Tp from the time of manufacturing the recording head is shown for all Vi. The actual driving voltage Vc is determined according to the driving voltage correction table VT. Here, the fourth column from the right is selected because Tp = 9 months, while the second row is selected from Vi = 25.0V, and Vc = 24.0V is determined as a result. Is done.

  In this embodiment, it is assumed that the initial drive voltage information Vi and the drive voltage correction table VT are the same regardless of the ink color in the recording head. However, in the form in which the ease of ejection varies greatly depending on the ink color, Different initial drive voltage information Vi and drive voltage correction table VT may be used for each ink color.

  By applying this embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained. In other words, recording in the situation where the recording head is not used by writing manufacturing time information to the recording head, calculating the elapsed time from manufacturing the inkjet recording head at the time of use, and changing the drive voltage accordingly. An optimum driving voltage can be selected in consideration of the change in the ejection characteristics of the head, and as a result, a high-quality image can be provided stably.

  In the present embodiment, the method of controlling the drive voltage has been described as a means for changing the energy input to the discharge heater. However, even if this is a drive current, the same effect can be obtained.

  Further, as a means for changing the drive voltage, a circuit that appropriately boosts or lowers the voltage supplied from the recording apparatus main body may be used.

  Further, the first and second embodiments can be combined to correct both the drive pulse width and the drive voltage.

(Embodiment 3)
In the first embodiment, the method using the drive pulse correction table having the drive pulse width information optimum for ejection according to the elapsed time from the time of manufacturing the recording head has been described. On the other hand, in this embodiment, ranks are associated with a plurality of drive pulses that are optimal for ink ejection at the time of recording head manufacture, and the drive pulse width is controlled by having a rank correction table that shifts the ranks. How to do will be described.

  In this example, information for each recording head is recorded in the Fuse ROM 203 (FIG. 2B), and this recording head information includes information on the date of manufacture Ti and the initial drive pulse rank Ri. As described in the first exemplary embodiment, the driving pulse width of the recording head that is optimal for ink ejection is determined by measurement simultaneously with the inspection.

  FIG. 9 shows an example of the initial drive pulse rank rank table RT assigned to the drive pulse width that was optimal for ink ejection at the time of inspection. If the numerical value obtained according to this drive pulse rank table RT is written in the Fuse ROM 203 at the time of inspection as the pulse rank information Ri, the ink jet recording apparatus can select the drive pulse width Pr according to the pulse rank Ri. It is possible to reduce the amount of information held in the.

  FIG. 10 shows a flowchart of a control procedure employed.

  First, when the ink jet recording apparatus receives the recording data, it accesses the Fuse ROM 203 of the recording heads 100 and 101 mounted in step S1001, and reads the manufacturing date information Ti and initial drive pulse rank information Ri of each recording head. In the following, only the recording head 101 is taken as an example, and it is assumed that Ti = January 2005 and Ri = 11.

  In step S1002, a timer built in the ink jet recording apparatus is accessed, and current date / time information Tn is acquired. Here, it is assumed that Tn = October 2005. The timing for acquiring the current date / time information Tn may be when the recording data is received, or when the recording head is mounted or when the power is turned on, as described above.

  After confirming the manufacturing date and current date and time of the recording head, in step S1003, an elapsed time Tp from the time of manufacturing the recording head is calculated by Tp = Tn−Ti. Here, Tp = 9 months. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S1004, and a rank correction amount Rcc is determined with reference to a rank correction table RST (eg, can be configured in the ROM 301) shown in FIG.

  The rank correction table PST in FIG. 11 is composed of values obtained by measurement. The left end shows a plurality of initial drive pulse ranks Ri that are optimal for ink ejection at the time of manufacturing the recording head, and there are a plurality of them on the right side. The rank correction amount Rcc is set such that the driving pulse width is optimal for ejection according to the elapsed time Tp from the time of manufacturing the recording head for all Ri. Here, the table in the fourth column from the right is selected because Tp = 9 months, while the table from the top is selected because Ri = 11. As a result, Rcc = −2 is determined.

  For the rank correction amount Rcc obtained in step S1004, a correction pulse rank Rc to be actually driven is determined as Rc = Ri + Rcc (step S1005), and then in step S1006, a pulse to be actually driven in accordance with the correction pulse rank Rc. The width Pr is determined by referring to a driving pulse rank table RT (for example, it can be configured in the ROM 301) equivalent to that in FIG.

  By applying this embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained. In addition, a storage element having a small capacity is provided in the recording head by writing manufacturing time information to the recording head, calculating an elapsed time from manufacturing the recording head, and shifting the drive pulse rank accordingly. The optimum drive pulse width can be selected in consideration of the change in the ejection characteristics of the recording head when the recording head is not used. As a result, a high-quality image can be stably provided.

It is one structural example of the inkjet recording device which records on a recording medium using an inkjet recording head, (a) is a typical view, (b) is a typical side view from the -X direction in (a). Is shown. 2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining a configuration of a recording head in FIG. 1, in which FIG. 1A is a schematic perspective view, FIG. 1B is a schematic plan view when viewed from a Z direction, and FIG. The enlarged view around the discharge outlet in FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a control system of the recording apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. It is a flowchart of the control procedure employ | adopted in Embodiment 1 of this invention. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a drive pulse correction table employed in Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing evaluation results of the conventional case and the case of using Embodiment 1 with respect to the granularity of an image formed by the print head, which is generated according to the elapsed time since the print head was manufactured. It is a flowchart of the control procedure employ | adopted by Embodiment 2 of this invention. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a drive voltage correction table employed in Embodiment 2. FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the drive pulse rank table | surface which shows the rank corresponding to the initial drive pulse width employ | adopted in Embodiment 3. FIG. It is a flowchart of the control procedure employ | adopted in Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the rank correction table employ | adopted by Embodiment 3. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1000 Host device (computer)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100,101 Recording head 102 Ejection part 102A Ejection port 103 Paper feed roller 104 Auxiliary roller 105 Paper feed roller 106 Carriage 107 Platen 108 Carriage belt P Recording medium h Home position 201 Contact pad 202 Recording head chip 203 FuseROM
204 Cyan ink discharge port array 205 Magenta ink discharge port array 206 Yellow ink discharge port array 207 Discharge heater 300 Central control unit (CPU)
301 ROM
302 RAM
303 Image input unit 304 Image signal processing unit 305 Bus line 306 Operation unit 307 Recovery system control unit 308 Recovery system motor 309 Blade 310 Cap 311 Pump 312 Diode sensor 313 Recording head 314 Head temperature control circuit 315 Head drive control circuit 316 Carriage drive control Circuit 317 Recording medium conveyance control circuit

Claims (8)

A recording apparatus that performs recording by discharging ink to a recording medium from a recording head including an ink tank and an ink discharging mechanism,
An ink jet recording apparatus, wherein driving conditions for causing ink to be ejected from the ink ejecting mechanism are changed in accordance with an elapsed time since the recording head was manufactured. A recording apparatus that performs recording by discharging ink to a recording medium from a recording head including an ink tank and an ink discharging mechanism,
An ink jet recording apparatus, wherein energy input to the ink ejection mechanism is changed in accordance with an elapsed time since the recording head was manufactured.   The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein as the elapsed time becomes longer, the energy is changed so as to reduce energy input to the ink ejection mechanism. A detection mechanism for detecting an elapsed time from the recording head manufacturing to actual use;
The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving condition is changed according to an elapsed time detected by the detection mechanism. The storage element of the recording head holds a table that is divided into a plurality of ranks with respect to energy input to the ink ejection mechanism,
2. The energy input to the ejection mechanism is changed by shifting the rank of the input energy within the table in accordance with the elapsed time from the recording head manufacture to the actual use. Item 4. The ink jet recording apparatus according to any one of Items 3.   4. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the time width of the drive pulse applied to the ink discharge mechanism is changed as means for changing energy input to the ink discharge mechanism. .   The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the voltage value of the drive pulse applied to the ink discharge mechanism is changed as means for changing energy input to the ink discharge mechanism. . 4. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the current value of the drive pulse applied to the ink discharge mechanism is changed as means for changing the energy input to the ink discharge mechanism. .

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