Abstract: An image recording apparatus, having a recording head and a pair of transport rollers in front of the recording head and another pair of transport rollers behind the recording head, with a larger transport speed for a recording sheet in the latter pair for applying a suitable tension on the recording sheet, is capable of detecting the remaining amount of the sheet in front of the first pair and varying the transport speed and/or the recording area of the recording head after the rear end of the sheet leaves the first paired roller. Consequently, a potential error in record position, resulting from sheet advancement by the second paired rollers only, can be compensated. In this manner the area of precise image recording on the sheet can be expanded.

Abstract: When the color printing is performed using a recording head arranged such that number of nozzles for discharging black ink is greater than the number of nozzles for discharging inks of other colors, the use frequency of some nozzles among all the nozzles for discharging the black ink is higher, so that image unevenness may arise when transferred to the black printing. The present invention relates to an ink jet recording method and an ink jet recording apparatus in which the image unevenness often seen in the black printing involving the use of more nozzles than other colors, and the blur of recorded image seen in the image having black images adjacent color images located are reduced.

Abstract: In a recording apparatus capable of effecting time-division drive, in a predetermined sequence, the plural blocks formed by dividing plural recording elements of a recording head, if the time-division drive is started from the blocks in the lower half of the recording head as in a reduced image recording operation, the timing of the time-division drive is delayed from the ordinary timing, in order to prevent aberration in the print position in the recorded image.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a recording unit integrally having an image forming recording head and a memory for storing a correction datum for correcting non-uniform image formation property; a reader for reading the correction datum from the memory; and a device for changing image forming conditions in accordance with the correction datum read by the reader. The apparatus also can alter the image forming conditions changed by the changing device when the non-uniformity of the recording unit changes.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus is disclosed in which ink is ejected onto a recording material, the apparatus including a recording head having an energy generating element for producing energy contributable to eject the ink onto the recording material; a recording head driving device for applying drive signals having a waveform to the energy generating element; a temperature detecting device for detecting a temperature relating to the recording head and for producing an output; a changing device for changing the waveform of the driving signals in accordance with the output of the detecting device; and a drive control device for fixing the waveform to a predetermined waveform when the recording material used is an OHP sheet.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus for controlling an image recording operation on the basis of a detected width of a recording medium by a paper width detecting means after the recording medium is fed to a predetermined position on a platen. Whether the recording medium is desirably conveyed or not is determined on the basis of a signal obtained by said paper width detecting means.

Abstract: In the recording method and apparatus, ink is ejected by thermal energy produced by a heat generating element of a recording head in response to application of driving signals thereto, the driving signals being of plural waveforms including a fixed waveform. The method includes the steps of detecting a temperature of the recording head and applying the driving signals to the heat generating element of the recording head. The waveforms of the driving signals are changed in accordance with the temperature of the recording head when the temperature of the recording head is below a predetermined level, and the waveforms of the driving signals comprise the fixed waveform when the temperature of the recording head exceeds the predetermined level.

Abstract: This invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus with a support member for supporting an ink jet recording head for effecting recording by ink discharge onto a recording material, comprising: recording material transport means for transporting the recording material from a feeding position through a recording position to a discharge position; and recovery means for maintaining and restoring the ink discharge state of said ink jet recording head. The driving source for driving the recording material transport means or support member is also used for driving the recovery means, and, when the power supply to the apparatus is turned on, the initial operations of at least the recording material transport means and the recovery means are conducted utilizing a single sensor.

Abstract: Replacement of a recording head on a recording apparatus is detected on the basis of a serial number allocated to each recording head. The recording head also carries head characteristic information such as color information, shading information and so forth. When the recording head is replaced with a new one, the head characteristic information of the newly mounted recording head is automatically stored, so that head driving conditions are automatically determined to optimize the recording conditions without requiring any manual adjustment. Recovery operation is automatically executed when replacement of the recording head is detected, so that required recording conditions are recovered without manual instructions.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus modifies backlash correction data in accordance with changes in weight of a carriage, and reduces the printing disturbance due to the backlash by controlling the recording timing on the basis of the modified correction data. Also, a user is notified of the reduced ink remains in the ink jet recording apparatus by the reduced density of a printed image, and at the same time, the apparatus maximizes the number of sheets that can be recorded with the remaining ink in order to prevent any unrecorded data from being lost. Further, an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention makes it possible to curtail any ink consumption more than necessary by setting the amount of exhausted ink as required for the execution of a discharge recovery process by counting the number of dischargings at the time of recording a given amount.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus comprises a timer for measuring an elapse of time from a predetermined measurement start timing, a backup power source for supplying power to the timer when a main power source is turned off, and a controller for changing the content and/or the frequency of a recover operation for recovering and preventing a discharge error in a discharge port for discharging ink on the basis of the elapsed time.