Abstract: An image processing apparatus for executing recording preparation processing in accordance with a time interval in which a recording operation has not been performed includes a first control unit which controls generation of image data to be recorded, a pseudo-time measuring unit which generates pseudo-time data, a calculation unit which calculates the time interval in which a recording unit is not executing the recording operation in accordance with the pseudo-time data, and a second control unit which determines the recording preparation processing executed before recording the generated image data and controlling the processing based on the determination.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting device includes a liquid ejecting head which has a nozzle formation face on which nozzle orifices for ejecting liquid drops are formed and a controller which performs a recovery operation for removing a liquid having a changed liquid property. The recovery operation is performed by using at least a flushing mode in which liquid drops are ejected in a state that the nozzle formation face is sealed. The controller selectively performs a plurality of flushing modes which are set in accordance with degrees in change of a liquid property of the liquid drops being at and near the nozzle orifices. The degrees in change of the liquid property of the liquid drops are determined by a relation between an accumulative time that the nozzle orifices are left in a sealing state and an accumulative time that a liquid ejection is executed.

Abstract: After the front end area of the print medium has been printed and when the printing is to be continued following the front end area, a preliminary ejection is performed, prior to the current scan, on the nozzles that have not been used in preceding scans but begin to be used in a current scan, in order to remove viscous ink from the nozzles and making them ready to perform ejection. As a result, the ink ejection from the nozzles that begin to be used in the current scan becomes satisfactory.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus which performs printing by using a print head. The print head has at least a predetermined number of nozzles to eject ink. The apparatus includes a first prefiring mechanism for causing the print head to perform a prefiring operation to eject ink from nozzles of the print head for maintaining printing quality after a first time interval during a printing operation. The apparatus also includes a driving mechanism for driving nozzles of the print head based on data to be printed, and a second prefiring mechanism for causing the print head to perform the prefiring operation in a case where a number of the nozzles to be driven is changed. Preferably, the apparatus further includes a shifting mechanism for causing the driving mechanism to drive the nozzles of the print head based on the first time interval during the printing operation so as to enhance a power of ejecting ink and continue the printing operation after the first time interval without performing the prefiring operation.

Abstract: A method for correcting deviations from the normal performance of the service station by adapting the level of servicing a printhead receives based upon the age of the service station. For relatively newer service stations, the service stations may be caused to perform relatively less servicing operations on the printheads to thereby conserve ink and relatively increase the life of the service station and the printheads. For relatively older service stations, the service stations may be caused to perform relatively heavier servicing operations on the printheads to substantially compensate for the deleterious effects arising from the aging of the service station.

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: The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus for recording by discharging ink out of a recording head. The apparatus comprises a recovery apparatus for recovering the recording head in performing a conceptually lower recovery operation and a conceptually higher recovery operation including the conceptually lower recovery operation and a controller for controlling the operation of the recovery apparatus. In a case where the conceptually lower recovery operation is otherwise made, if a second condition not satisfying a first condition is satisfied even where the first condition for performing the conceptually higher recovery operation is not satisfied during the conceptually higher recovery operation, the conceptually higher recovery operation is performed without performing the conceptually lower recovery operation.

Abstract: An apparatus detecting an amount of ink discharged by a printer, the printer having a plurality of heaters and corresponding nozzles and performing printing by applying pulses to the heaters to heat the heaters and discharge ink through the corresponding nozzles, the apparatus including a detector connected to the heaters that detects a state change of the heaters and output a state change signal; and an ink discharge amount calculator that calculates an amount of discharged ink corresponding to the state change output signal from the detector.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head is provided with a nozzle formation face on which nozzles for ejecting ink drops in accordance with print data are formed. A capping member for sealing the nozzle formation face has an inner space formed with a bottom. An ink absorbing member is provided on the bottom of the inner space. In a first flushing mode, ink drops are ejected into the capping member in a state that the nozzle formation face is sealed by the capping member. In a second flushing mode, ink drops are ejected into the capping member in a state that the capping member is separated from the nozzle formation face. Either the first flushing mode or the second flushing mode is selectively performed.

Abstract: An imager has a cartridge assembly with a print head arranged directly over a production path. The print head vertically moves on an axis perpendicular to the plane of the production path for allowing the print head to be purged, cleaned, parked or a combination thereof, while the print head remains directly over the production path. The imager also includes a service station assembly having a waste ink receptacle that moves horizontally in relation to an axis parallel to the plane of the production path for purging, cleaning or parking the print head, or a combination thereof, while the print head remains directly over the production path.

Abstract: An ink-jet printer includes a control circuit for controlling a recording operation by receiving power supply from an AC adapter, a voltage output circuit for outputting a voltage on the basis of a signal output by the AC adapter, and a voltage output control circuit for turning on and off the voltage output circuit. In the printer, in case of starting the power supply from the AC adapter, the voltage output control circuit sets the output of the voltage output circuit to an off state after setting the output to an on state for a certain period of time, whereby it is possible to decrease reactive power while the electronic apparatus is not powered.

Abstract: In an ink jet head cleaning apparatus according to the present invention there are provided a wiping unit which performs a wiping operation for a nozzle surface of an ink jet head and a suction unit which performs a sucking operation for the nozzle surface, and an operation OFF condition of the ink jet head, the wiping unit or the suction unit is detected, then the wiping unit and the suction unit are actuated selectively in accordance with the operation OFF condition thus detected. With this construction, the operation frequency of the suction unit necessary for keeping the nozzle surface of the ink jet head in good condition can be kept low and hence it is possible to reduce the consumption of energy. Besides, it is possible to diminish the operation frequency of the wiping unit which causes wear or damage of the nozzle surface and it is possible to attain a long life of the ink jet head.

Abstract: A cap holder on which a cap member is formed is mounted on a slider which constitutes a capping device. This slider is driven along vertical direction by receiving driving force executed by moving a carriage, so that an interval between the cap member and a nozzle forming surface of a recording head is adjusted. As a result, since a stopping position of the carriage is controlled in response to an adjustment amount of a platen gap, a distance between the recording head and the capping device when a flushing operation is carried out can be controlled under proper condition. Also, even when the control operation is advanced to a capping condition, the capping device can cap the nozzle forming surface under proper pressure.

Abstract: A provides a technique for efficient nozzle testing and cleaning in a printing device equipped with a plurality of nozzle groups. Nozzle ejection testing is performed, and on the basis of ejection testing results, a nozzle group is selected as a target for cleaning, and cleaning is performed on the targeted nozzle group, whereby nozzle groups may be cleaned efficiently.

Abstract: A preliminary ejection operation, which ejects ink not contributing to an image forming from ejection openings of the print head, is performed following the wiping of a face of the print head to remove residual ink from the print head face while minimizing the amount of ink ejected by the preliminary ejection. This avoids a degradation of an ink ejection performance of the print head and thereby ensures a high quality of printed image. For this purpose, in performing the preliminary ejection operation following the print head wiping operation, one preferred example changes the number of ink droplets to be ejected by the preliminary ejection operation according to a cumulative count of wiping operations.

Abstract: An inkjet printer has a platen defining the position of printing medium P during image printing and an ink receiver formed in the platen to be opposite to nozzle arrays of a print head. In the inkjet printer, the print head ejects ink from the nozzle arrays for pigment ink and dye ink in accordance with print data. When borderless printing is executed on the edges of printing medium, ink is ejected to lie off printing medium and then received in the ink receiver. Then, the print head ejects dye ink to pigment ink received in the ink receiver of the platen during borderless printing using pigment ink.

Abstract: An image-forming heater element 52 and a recovery ejection heater element 54 are driven to generate heat at the timing in which a bubble may formed in the nozzle owing to temperature difference between the inside of a printing head 22 and the environment. Thereby, a large quantity of ink is ejected at a time. The ejection of a large quantity of the ink removes a bubble or a foreign matter from the nozzle, cleaning the nozzle in a short time.

Abstract: A droplet ejection apparatus is provided having a plurality of droplet ejection heads each ejecting liquid within a cavity through a nozzle in the form of droplets by driving an actuator with a driving circuit. The apparatus includes: ejection failure detecting means for detecting an ejection failure of the droplet ejection heads and a cause thereof; and recovery means for performing a recovery process depending on the cause of the ejection failure if the ejection failure detecting means detects the ejection failure when the droplets are ejected through the nozzles. Also, if a failing nozzle is detected, a recovery process is performed depending on the cause of the ejection failure at least for the failing nozzle. Thereafter, detection by the ejection failure detecting means is repeated by forcing the failing nozzle to perform a droplet ejection operation alone.

Abstract: An ink jet printer comprises a carriage having a recording head for jetting ultraviolet curable ink and an ultraviolet irradiating device for curing an ink jetted on the recording medium with irradiation of ultraviolet rays to form an image by a scanning thereof; and a maintenance unit for performing maintenance on the recording head at predetermined timing. It also comprises a control section for controlling the maintenance unit so as to be converted to the masking state which becomes the head maintenance disabling state when an image is formed, and for controlling the maintenance unit so as to be converted to the non-masking state which becomes the head maintenance enabling state after securing a non-irradiating state in which the ultraviolet rays are not irradiated on the maintenance unit, by a function provided by an unit other than the maintenance unit when the head maintenance is performed.

Abstract: A method of servicing a pen comprising a printhead, having a plurality of nozzles, mounted in an inkjet printing device, comprising a servicing area and a drop detector comprising the following steps performing a drop detection on the printhead to check if any of the nozzles of the printhead are malfunctioning; storing the result of the more recent drop detection operation, together with the results of the previous drop detections to keep a history of the health status of each nozzle; deciding whether or not to execute a recovery service in the servicing area to attempt to recover the current malfunctioning nozzles, based on the more recent status of the nozzles and on the history of the health status of the nozzles.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a recording head which has an ink discharge nozzle to discharge ink and an ink non-discharge nozzle to eliminate bubbles, a suction unit which makes suction for maintenance by moving a suction nozzle on the ink discharge side of the recording head, contacting with or closing to the ink discharge nozzle surface of the recording head, and a control unit which controls the suction unit to make suction by a first suction force when the suction nozzle is in the position corresponding to the ink discharge nozzle and by a second suction force when the suction nozzle is in the position corresponding to the ink non-discharge nozzle.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus adjusts at least one of a preliminary discharge time representing a time until the subsequent preliminary discharge is performed and a compensated time determined on the basis of the time elapsed since the previous preliminary discharge, so that the preliminary discharge is performed at a predetermined preliminary discharge hole. Accordingly, the ink jet recording apparatus is capable of recording on different kinds of recording media in a manner suitable for each of them without using a complex control process, and of performing the preliminary discharge according to the size of the recording media. In addition, a reduction in the throughput is prevented by using the ink jet recording apparatus.

Abstract: An example conventional method of avoiding a printing failure caused by residual bubbles in a print head involves counting from an initiation of a printing operation the accumulated number of print dots formed by the entire print head and, when the count value reaches a predetermined value, executing a recovery operation. Such a conventional method, however, requires the recovery operation to be performed frequently for the following reason. The recovery operation initiation condition has been determined by performing printing operations under a variety of conditions that cause printing failures and which change depending on the liquid chamber structure in the print head and an image pattern being printed, and then selecting a threshold value for the worst condition.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to allow images to be printing all the way to the edge portions of printing paper without depositing ink drops on the platen. Cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) nozzle groups are sequentially arranged in the direction of sub-scanning A. Slots 26mC, 26mM, and 26mY are provided at points disposed opposite nozzle Nos. 5-9 near the center of each nozzle group in the direction of sub-scanning. Cyan images are printed by a process in which ink drops Ip are ejected by cyan nozzle Nos. 5-9 onto the printing paper P and its peripheral area. Magenta and yellow images are printed in the same manner. Images of all colors are printed without blank spaces along the upper and lower edges of printing paper. The recorded images are superposed, making it possible to print color images without blank spaces on the printing paper. The nozzles of all groups are used to print images while leaving blank spaces on the periphery of the printing paper.

Abstract: The liquid-jetting apparatus has a liquid-jetting head with nozzle openings through which liquid particles are jetted. The liquid-jetting head performs a flushing operation to remove the thickened liquid from the nozzle openings to recover its normal liquid-jetting ability. The flushing operation jets liquid particles having a weight of 10 ng or below successively through the nozzle openings at a jetting speed of 8 m/s or above. The liquid-jetting apparatus is capable of achieving a satisfactory flushing operation to ensure a satisfactory liquid-jetting characteristic by recovering from a thickened state in a liquid in the nozzle openings even if the liquid is un-uniformly thickened in the nozzle openings.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes: a transport unit that transports a record medium; a print head having a plurality of nozzles that ejects ink, thereby forming an image on the record medium; a first recovery ejection unit that performs recovery ejection of nozzles used for forming an image on the record medium; and a second recovery ejection unit that performs recovery ejection of at least one of the plurality of nozzles in accordance with a time elapsed from a previous recovery ejection.

Abstract: A method is described for removing residue from a fluid deposited on the interior surface of an inkjet printhead after the printhead has contained or dispensed the fluid at least once. The method makes use of a reverse flushing technique optionally used in combination with sonication. A cleaning station for flushing an inkjet printhead with a wash fluid, rinse fluid, and/or inert gas is provided as well.

Abstract: Before starting printing and/or after finishing printing, a preliminary ejection of ink is performed for a cap, which covers a recording head, until the cap is almost filled (S17, S23, S38). Then, a sucking operation (S18, S24, S39) is performed to suck ink stored in the cap. Alternatively, based on a predetermined criterion such as the accumulated number of printed dots, the number of printed pages, or a print time (S71, S72), a first print operation (S73), which preliminarily ejects a predetermined amount of ink at least before starting printing or after printing, and a second print operation (S74), which preliminarily ejects more ink than the predetermined amount at least before starting printing or after printing, are alternately performed. This prevents ink from adhering to a restoring system of an ink-jet recorder and allows the sucking operation and the preliminary ejection operation to be performed smoothly.

Abstract: In an inkjet printing apparatus which includes a printhead that discharges ink and an ink tank detachably attached to the printhead, and executes printing by using the printhead that discharges the ink supplied from the ink tank, an ink tank detection section detects the presence/absence of the ink tank. On the basis of the detection result, a control circuit inhibits the cleaning operation of the printhead.

Abstract: An ink jet recording device is provided comprising a head recovering unit for operating for recovering a discharge function of an ink jet recording head, a cap member disposed on the head recovering unit to tightly close ink discharge ports, a recording medium conveying mechanism for conveying a recording medium, and a connecting unit for switching transmission and non-transmission of a driving force to the head recovering unit in conjunction with a capping operation of the cap member, and makes it possible to provide a drive switching mechanism which is convenient and highly reliable, reduce a number of driving source and realize a recording apparatus having a high reliability at a low cost while saving a space.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head is provided with a nozzle formation face on which nozzles for ejecting ink drops in accordance with print data are formed. A capping member for sealing the nozzle formation face has an inner space formed with a bottom. An ink absorbing member is provided on the bottom of the inner space. In a first flushing mode, ink drops are ejected into the capping member in a state that the nozzle formation face is sealed by the capping member. In a second flushing mode, ink drops are ejected into the capping member in a state that the capping member is separated from the nozzle formation face. Either the first flushing mode or the second flushing mode is selectively performed.

Abstract: A method and system for calibrating a device having a first fluid source that ejects a first drop quantity and a second fluid source that ejects a second drop quantity by, for example, printing a pattern having a first portion and a second portion; obtaining a relationship between the first drop quantity and the second drop quantity from the pattern; and adjusting data used to determine quantities of fluid to eject from the first or second fluid sources based on the relationship between the first and second drop quantities. Other embodiments of the invention are directed to a calibration apparatus and system.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus changes ink suction forces of a purge device according to amounts of ink remaining in an ink cartridge. As it is determined that the amount of ink remaining in the ink cartridge is less than a predetermined amount for a purge operation, second pulse signals which output the smaller number of pulses than first pulse signals, are output to a line feed motor. Accordingly, high viscous ink is sucked from nozzles by a suction pump with a weaker suction force than that when the remaining amount of ink in the ink cartridge is equal to or greater than the predetermined amount. Therefore, even when the amount of ink remaining in the ink cartridge is less than the predetermined amount, that is, when a considerable amount of air is contained in the ink cartridge, the purge operation can be performed without the air being pulled into the ink jet print head by the suction force of the suction pump. Consequently, ink can be stably ejected for subsequent print operation.

Abstract: In cleaning an orifice surface in which the orifices of a printhead are formed, a portion of the orifice surface that readily becomes dirty along with ink discharge from the printhead is preferentially cleaned.

Abstract: An automatic maintenance-performing method to determine whether a first and a second power supply are operational, and performing a periodic maintenance operation at a predetermined time by supplying an electric power to the second power supply when the first power supply is in an ‘on’ state and the second power supply is in an ‘off’ state, and at the predetermined period without supplying the electric power to the second power supply when both the first and second power supplies are in the ‘on’ state, as a result of the decision.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ink jet recording apparatus which performs printing on a recording medium to be subjected to processing such as pasting and folding after the printing, including an ink jet head in which a plurality of ink discharge nozzles are arranged to cross with respect to a conveyance direction of the recording medium, a spit position determining unit which determines a spit position based on size information and unexposed region information of the recording medium, and a spit control unit which controls spit of the ink jet head based on a spit position determining result of the spit position determining unit. Here, the unexposed region information defines regions on the recording medium surface which are unexposed or cut away after printing and processing.

Abstract: A substrate for a recording head includes a circuit through which current flows upon impression of a source voltage, irrespective of the operating state of an energy converting element, and a current cutoff means for cutting off current to the circuit in response to an entered control signal. A reset signal for achieving a standby state of the printing operation serves as the control signal. The current cutoff circuit is operated when the reset signal is active in an H state, and it cuts off the constant current. By cutting off the constant current, the leak current of a heater power source VH may be accurately measured, permitting determination of whether the source voltage wiring is properly insulated from other circuit elements of the substrate. The constant current may also be cut off in the standby state, in which printing is not performed, so as to reduce power consumption.

Abstract: In an inkjet printing apparatus utilizing an inkjet head and an ink tank for supplying ink to the same, it is made possible to suppress any reduction in image quality attributable to changes in physical and chemical properties of the ink that occur during an elapsed time from the manufacture of the ink tank to the use of the same, thereby allowing images to be formed with high reliability and stability at a low running cost. The apparatus has a discharging unit for discharging the ink through a nozzle at the head and an ink detecting unit for detecting the consumption of the ink in the ink tank. The detected ink consumption is compared with a threshold for ink consumption appropriately determined based on the elapsed time, and control is performed such that the amount discharged by the discharging unit is increased when the ink has not been consumed sufficiently.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a technique for reducing the likelihood that cleaning will cause nozzle clogging. In periodic automatic cleaning of a printer that is not being used, the ejecting of ink droplets from each nozzle is tested prior to the cleaning to determine whether each nozzle is an operating nozzle capable of ejecting ink droplets or a non-operating nozzle incapable of ejecting ink droplets. The nozzles are only cleaned if non-operating nozzles are detected. The testing of the nozzles is also automatically carried out after cleaning.

Abstract: The recording medium guide member is placed along the main scanning direction scanned by the carriage mounted with a recording head, and ink-receiver holes for receiving ink discharged from the recording head are formed on the guide member in positions beyond the edges of the recording medium being conveyed. Ink absorbing materials are placed in said ink-receiver holes, and a discharged ink accumulating means that cumulatively counts the amount of ink discharged into the ink absorbing materials is provided. The amount of ink discharged into the ink-receiver holes can be controlled by the discharged ink accumulation means so that contamination of the left and right edges or the top and bottom as well as left and right edges of the recording medium, caused by excessive ink collecting in the ink-receiver holes, can be avoided.

Abstract: The present invention includes as one embodiment a cleaning system for an inkjet printhead, including a wiper and a media detection device coupled to the wiper for activating engagement of the wiper with the printhead when no media is detected and for deactivating the wiper when media contacts the media detection device.

Abstract: An ink cartridge for an ink jet type printing apparatus having a print head, the ink cartridge including: a container having an ink chamber for containing ink therein; an ink supply port for ejecting the ink from the ink chamber to the print head; a memory device for storing data related to the ink or the ink cartridge, the memory device has an area in which the data is stored in a rewritable manner; and a contact device enabling the transmission of data between the memory device and an external device. The memory device may include data indicative of the history of the ink cartridge which may be utilized to control a reproduction of the ink cartridge.

Abstract: An ink-jet printing apparatus and suction recovery control method which can minimize reduction in throughput while maintaining a printhead in the most appropriate condition, and can reduce the amount of wasted ink. According to the suction recovery control method, a printing period of predetermined printing operation is timed, and the number of print dots formed by discharging ink from a printhead during the predetermined printing operation is counted. Based on the timed printing period and counted number of print dots, the number of print dots per unit time is calculated. Then based on the calculated number of print dots per unit time, timing of suction recovery operation is determined, and suction recovery operation of the printhead is performed according to the determined timing.

Abstract: In an inkjet printer having primary power-turn-on means for physically supplying power to the printer and secondary power-turn-on means for bringing the printer into a state where functions are enabled, ink consumption due to a suction recovery processing is reduced. The number of times that the secondary power supply is on is counted. The count value is stored in a non-volatile memory. It is judged whether the count value is above a predetermined value when the secondary power supply becomes on, if yes, the recovery processing is executed. The count value and the contents of the memory are then cleared. The counting is prohibited till primary power supply is off. As the above contents is retained even after the primary power supply is off, necessity of recovery processing when the secondary power supply becomes on is judged based on the state before the primary power supply was off.

Abstract: When ink droplets are ejected, angled or splashed where a plurality of minute ink droplets are generated, angled or splashed ink clings on an electrode 401, 402 and increases the amount of electric current conducted therethrough. Hence, the defectiveness of ink ejection can be detected by monitoring the amount of the electric current. When the defectiveness of ink ejection is detected, ejection data D is retrieved and updates the ejection data D based on a condition register S, and set to a defect register E. When the defect register E has only one element that takes a condition value of 1 indicating defectiveness, the corresponding nozzle is identified as defective. The restoring means reallocates dots, which have been originally allocated to the defective nozzle, to neighboring nozzle.

Abstract: A recording apparatus that comprises a cap, an idle suction device for exhausting the cap to the outside, a predischarge device for pre-discharging ink to the cap at designated time intervals, an accumulating device for accumulating the ink by the predischarge, a first comparison device for comparing the accumulated ink with a first threshold value, a first predischarge control device for reducing ink discharge in accordance with the first comparison result, a second comparison device for comparing the accumulated ink with a second threshold value, a predischarge prohibition device for prohibiting predischarge in accordance with the second comparison result, and a second predischarge control device for resuming predischarge in accordance with the period of time defined by the predischarge operation prohibition device, and increasing the ink for predischarge.

Abstract: A head maintenance control method of an inkjet printer includes receiving a printing command performing a printing operation, calculating a time difference between an input time of the printing command and a final time that the printing operation of the inkjet printer has been most recently performed before the printing command is input, displaying a message requesting the maintenance operation when the time difference is greater than a predetermined time, and performing the maintenance when an execution command for performing the maintenance is input. An intensity of the maintenance operation varies in accordance with the time difference. The maintenance operation is performed in response to an actually required degree when the maintenance should be performed, thus an unnecessary maintenance operation is avoided or an incomplete maintenance operation is prevented.

Abstract: A head cap is reciprocally movable between a capping position for covering nozzles of a print head and a retracted position separated from the nozzle surface. A pump is connected to the head cap. A pump gear is rotated by a drive source to drive the pump. A cylindrical cam is reciprocally rotatable between a first position and a second position to reciprocally move the head cap. A frictional clutch rotates the cylindrical cam together with the pump gear, but rotates only the pump gear when the cylindrical cam reaches each one of the first position and the second position.

Abstract: An ink jet printer includes a print head, a cap member, a suction pump, a switching mechanism. The cap member is formed with partition walls. When the cap member and the print head are placed in intimate contact, the partition walls define partitioned chambers around nozzle rows of the print head, so the nozzle rows are isolated from each other. The switching mechanism has a switching member that, by rotating, selectively switches the suction pump into fluid communication with one at a time of the partitioned chambers and out of fluid communication with any partitioned chamber other than a selected partitioned chamber. The suction pump is driven to perform a purge operation on only the nozzle row in the partitioned chamber selected by the switching mechanism.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus has an image recording unit which records an image on a recording medium by discharging ink from a recording head having a row of a plurality of recording elements. The apparatus includes an environmental condition detection unit which detects environmental conditions, a recording head operation state detection unit which detects the operation state of the recording head, and a control unit which executes maintenance of the recording head based on the detected environmental conditions and detected head operation state.