Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus and an ink-jet recording method which provide an image featuring reduced graininess and good gradation. A plurality of inks of different densities are used to obtain a halftone image with controlled graininess. An ink which has low penetrability on a recording medium and which controls the diffusion of dots is used as an ink with a relatively high density. An ink which has high penetrability and which permits easy diffusion of dots is used as an ink with a relatively low density. The present invention also provides a characteristic recorded article to be formed by a plurality of dots having different penetrabilities on a recording medium. Among a plurality of inks with different densities, the inks of the same color category are grouped and held in an ink container and are divided in the container by the ink density. This configuration makes it possible to make the containers smaller and minimize the number of containers.

Abstract: A recording apparatus wherein a recording head which has been mounted can be identified more precisely by measuring characteristics of the recording head to obtain information for defining a drive condition of the head and storing the characteristics as ID information of the recording head.

Abstract: A paper feed operation is performed by a width less than one pixel (½) in addition to an integer multiple number of pixels (n/2) with respect to a basic number of pixels inherent to an ink jet recording apparatus having a multi nozzle head having n nozzles. When a plurality of pixel recording operations are performed for a single pixel region, ink dots land within a distance less than one pixel unit (½). Thus, a variation in ink surface density on a recording sheet in an overlapping print operation is reduced, thereby efficiently increasing the image density, and preventing blurring by promoting absorption and evaporation of an ink to and from a paper sheet.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus uses a recording head having discharge ports to discharge ink, and records by discharging ink from the recording head while enabling said recording head to travel in the direction of main scan. This apparatus comprises a recording head which is provided integrally with a plurality of recording units having a plurality of discharge port arrays for discharging ink of different colors, respectively, and then, the plurality of recording units are arranged in the direction of main scan to discharge ink of different densities, respectively. With the structure thus arranged, the recording in all the colors is not executed at a time thus making it possible to obtain an excellent image with a lesser deterioration of image due to ink blur and the like.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a printing medium comprising a cloth and having a Clark stiffness not lower than 10, but not higher than 400 at least at its ends.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus is disclosed in which a bubble is created in ink by thermal energy generated in response to a drive signal applied to a heater, and the ink is ejected onto a recording material by expansion of the bubble. The recording apparatus includes a driving device and a changing device. The driving device applies a plurality of driving signals to the heater for each ink droplet ejection. The driving signals include a first driving signal for increasing a temperature of the ink adjacent the heater without creating the bubble, and a second driving signal after the first drive signal for ejecting the ink. An interval is provided between the first and second drive signals. The changing device changes a width of the first drive signal to adjust an amount of ejected ink. The interval is not shorter than 2.6 microseconds and the second drive signal has a constant width.

Abstract: A paper feed operation is performed by a width less than one pixel (½) in addition to an integer multiple number of pixels (n/2) with respect to a basic number of pixels inherent to an ink jet recording apparatus having a multi nozzle head having n nozzles. When a plurality of tines of pixel recording operations are performed for a single pixel region, ink dots land at a distance less than one pixel (½) at the pixel density. Thus, a variation in ink surface density on a recording sheet in an overlapping print operation is reduced, thereby efficiently increasing the image density, and preventing blurring by promoting absorption and evaporation of an ink to and from a paper sheet.

Abstract: An ink jet recording device includes a recording head having a discharge portion which has a discharge port array of discharge ports for discharging ink to a recording medium, a wiping member engageable with the discharge portion to wipe the discharge portion, and a cleaning member engageable with the wiping member to clean the wiping member, wherein a range of the discharge port array is smaller than a width of the wiping member, and the wiping member is equal to or smaller than a width of the cleaning member.

Abstract: A liquid container for containing printing liquid for supplying to a recording head for an ink jet recording apparatus, the container includes a first chamber containing a negative pressure producing material and having a printing liquid supply port connectable to a recording head for allowing printing liquid to be supplied to the recording head and an air vent for allowing ambient air to enter the container, and a second chamber which provides a printing liquid reservoir for the first chamber and is substantially closed apart from a communication port communicating with the first chamber to allow the printing liquid to flow into the first chamber and to allow air to be introduced into the second chamber from the first chamber. The second chamber comprises a replaceable printing liquid chamber.

Abstract: An ink containing apparatus for containing ink includes a negative pressure producing material; a first container for containing the negative pressure producing material, the first container having an air vent and a supply port for supplying the ink out; a second container for containing ink; a communication part for communication between bottom portions of the first and second containers; and ribs for introducing ambient air adjacent the air vent for introducing air into the communication part.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an ink-jet recording apparatus and an ink-jet recording method which make it possible to obtain an image featuring reduced grainy look and good gradation.

Abstract: An ink containing apparatus for containing ink includes a negative pressure producing material; a first container for containing the negative pressure producing material, the first container having an air vent and a supply port for supplying the ink out; a second container for containing ink; a communication part for communication between bottom portions of the first and second containers; and ribs for introducing ambient air adjacent the air vent for introducing air into the communication part.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a printing medium comprising a cloth and having a Clark stiffness not lower than 10, but not higher than 400 at least at its ends.

Abstract: A recording method ejects ink by thermal energy produced by a heat generating element of a recording head in response to a drive signal. The method includes the step of controlling an amount of ejection of the ink by a temperature control for the recording head including at least heating of the recording head, when a temperature of the recording head is not higher than a predetermined first temperature. The method further includes the steps of controlling the amount of ejection of the ink by changing a waveform of the drive signal for ejecting ink in accordance with the temperature of the recording head when the temperature of the recording head is higher than the first temperature and not higher than a second temperature, and fixing the waveform of the drive signal when the temperature of the recording head is higher than the second temperature.

Abstract: A liquid container including a first chamber for containing a reservoir of liquid, a second chamber containing a negative pressure producing material, an air vent for fluid communication with ambient air, a liquid supply port for supplying liquid out of the second chamber, a communication path for fluid communication between the first and second chambers where the first chamber is generally sealed by the ambient air except through the communication path, and a wall extending from the communication port. The communication path has a first region for permitting movement of air from the second chamber to the first chamber and a second region for permitting movement of the liquid from the first chamber to the second chamber.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus for performing recording using a recording head for ejecting an ink from a plurality of ejection orifices, includes a print control unit for performing a print operation while switching a print mode between a thin multi-pass print mode for sequentially recording divided recording data in a plurality of number of times of relative scan operations of the recording head with respect to a single recording area, and a 1-pass print mode for recording all recording data in a single relative scan operation of the recording head, and an eject quantity control unit for controlling the eject quantity of the ink ejected from the recording head so that a total ink quantity on the recording area in the thin multi-pass print mode is larger than a total ink quantity in the 1-pass print mode.

Abstract: Delay of refilling to be conducted immediately after the first discharge in the continuous discharge can be restricted. Adequate air bubbles which do not adversely affect discharge can be formed by means of the air bubble forming unit, such as a sub-heater for heating the ink in the ink reservoir portion, such as a common liquid chamber. The formed air bubbles function as the buffers and thereby absorb the discharge energy (pressure waves) directed toward the common liquid chamber during discharge to restrict flow of the ink in the direction opposite to the discharge port. That is, refilling after discharge can be quickly performed.

Abstract: A liquid jetting device includes a plurality of liquid passages each having a liquid ejecting element and communicating with an ejection hole, a common liquid chamber communicating with each of the plurality of liquid passages and an air bubble introducer for making a non-disappearable air bubble formed by thermal energy exist in the common liquid chamber before a start of liquid ejection. The liquid is allowed to be ejected in the presence of the air bubble. The non-disappearable air bubble functions as a buffer to absorb pressure during discharge to restrict flow of the ink in the direction opposite to the discharge port.

Abstract: A recording apparatus wherein a recording head which has been mounted can be identified more precisely by measuring characteristics of the recording head to obtain information for defining a drive condition of the head and storing the characteristics as ID information of the recording head.

Abstract: A plurality of recording heads for ejecting inks of different colors are reciprocally moved relative to a recording medium, and printing operations are performed by executing main scans in forward and backward scans of the recording heads. In this case, an area printable in a single main scan is recorded by performing a plurality of main scans using a plurality of thinning patterns in which an m×n pixel group is defined as a unit pixel group, and the pixel groups are arranged at non-neighboring positions, and which have a complementary arrangement relationship therebetween. A high-quality color image free from time difference nonuniformity, and density nonuniformity caused by, e.g., variations of recording elements is obtained at high speed.