JP2755794B2 - Ink jet recording device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an inkjet recording apparatus that performs recording by discharging ink onto a recording material has been known.

The ink jet recording apparatus is a non-impact type recording apparatus, and has features such as low noise and easy color image recording by using multi-color inks. is there.

However, in an ink jet recording apparatus, recording is performed by directly ejecting ink from minute nozzles of a recording head. In order to perform stable ejection, special considerations not found in other types of recording apparatuses are taken into consideration. Needed.

For example, when the print head is used after being left for a long time, the ink mist generated when the ink is ejected adheres to the ejection surface near the nozzle orifice, and becomes a fixed substance due to evaporation of water over time. Since the nozzle opening may be covered, a certain amount of ink is forced to flow through the nozzle by suction or pressure to refresh the ink in the nozzle and clean the ejection surface. Was doing.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above-described conventional technique, the ejection recovery operation is performed by suctioning or pressing a constant amount of ink regardless of the amount of ink mist attached to the ejection surface of the recording head. As a result, there is a problem that excessive ink is used for the ejection recovery operation when the amount of attached matter is small, which leads to waste of ink.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the related art, and an ink jet recording apparatus capable of reliably removing foreign matter that adheres to the vicinity of a nozzle orifice of a recording head and causes non-ejection of ink. The purpose is to provide.

[Means for solving the problem]

The present invention is directed to a recording head for ejecting ink supplied from an ink tank via an ink supply tube from a minute nozzle opening, and forcibly flowing ink into the recording head to perform ejection recovery of the recording head. An ink-jet recording apparatus having an ink-inflow means for causing ink to flow into the recording head through the ink supply pipe, and the ink-feeding means further comprising: And an ink flow rate changing means for changing an ink inflow amount by the ink inflow means in accordance with a print history of the recording head.

Further, the ink flow rate varying means includes a counting means for counting the number of times of ejection drive to the recording head, and an ink flow rate control means for changing an ink inflow amount by the ink inflow means in accordance with the number of ejection drives counted by the count means. Wherein the ink flow rate varying means has a temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the recording head, and an ink flow rate control means for changing an ink inflow amount by the ink inflow means in accordance with the temperature detected by the temperature detection means. The ink flow varying means changes the ink inflow time by the ink inflow means; the recording head ejects ink using thermal energy; and an electrothermal converter that generates the thermal energy. Some have been provided.

[Action]

In the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention, the ink flowing into the recording head through the ink supply pipe by the ink inflow means is not entirely discharged because the nozzle openings of the recording head are minute, and the extra ink is discharged in the recording head. The ink returns to the ink tank through another ink tube connecting the head and the ink tank, and the ink circulates between the print head and the ink tank during the ejection recovery operation of the print head.

Further, in the ink jet recording apparatus, since the amount of foreign matter that causes non-discharge such as ink mist adhering to the discharge surface near the nozzle port of the recording head is considered to increase with the discharge operation of the nozzle port, Depending on the print history of the recording head, such as the number of ejection drives and temperature changes,
By determining the amount of ink flowing into the recording head for recovery of ejection, the amount of ink flowing is suitable for removing the foreign matter, and the foreign matter can be reliably removed.

〔Example〕

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present embodiment corresponds to a recording head unit 1 including four recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D, and each of the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D. Ink tanks that supply different colors of ink to each
2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D are mounted on a carriage 3, and the carriage 3 receives the power of a carriage drive motor 6 via a timing belt 5 and forms a recording sheet 7 along two guide rails 4. A color image is recorded on the recording sheet 7 by moving in the direction indicated by the arrow X and discharging ink from the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D.

The recording sheet 7 is held at a recording position by a pair of sheet feeding rollers 9 driven by a sheet feeding motor 8 and a pair of holding rollers 10 cooperating with the sheet feeding roller 9, and each time printing of one line is completed. The sheet is fed in the direction indicated by the arrow Y.

As shown in FIG. 2, each of the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D is provided with a plurality of nozzle openings 12 for discharging ink before facing the recording sheet 7.
A nozzle communicating with each nozzle port 12 is provided with an electrothermal converter 13 that applies thermal energy, which is ejection energy to ink, and a printing pulse corresponding to an image signal is supplied to the electrothermal converter 13. At this time, the ink is discharged from the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D by applying discharge energy to the ink by the heat generation of the electrothermal transducer 13.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D respectively receive the ink tanks 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D from the ink tanks 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D, respectively. The supply pipes 15A, 15B, 15C, and 15D for leading ink are connected to return pipes 16A, 16B, 16C, and 16D. The supply pipes 15A, 15B, 15C, and 15D are provided with the ink tanks 2A, 2B, and 2D during an ejection recovery operation for recovering ejection failure of each of the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D, which will be described later.
C, 2D ink is forcibly flowing into each of the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D.
It has 14C and 14D.

Further, the side of each of the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D has a fourth
As shown in the figure, temperature detecting means 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D for detecting the temperatures of the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, respectively, correspond to the detected temperatures of the temperature detecting means 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D. On
Heaters 17A, 17B, 17C, 17D to be turned off are attached.

In the ink jet recording apparatus of this embodiment, the carriage 3 is located outside the recording range of the recording sheet 7 in FIG.
The left end of the guide rail 4, which is one end of the moving range of the recording head unit 1, is a home position H which is a standby position of the recording head unit 1 during a non-recording operation. At positions facing the ejection surfaces of the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D, the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D are operated by a motor or the like (not shown) while the recording heads are in a standby state and perform the ejection recovery operation. As shown in FIG. 3, there is provided a cap member 11 which advances in the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D and caps the respective ejection surfaces.

When performing the ejection recovery operation for the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D, each of the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1
Regarding the capping of the ejection surfaces of C and 1D, as described above, the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D and the ink tanks 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D
By ink pressure feeding means 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D provided in supply pipes 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D connecting the recording heads 1A,
Forced ink inflow to 1B, 1C, 1D is performed.

In this ejection recovery operation, each recording head 1A, 1B, 1C, 1
When ink is forcibly flowed into D, ink flows out from each nozzle port 12 of the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, whereby the nozzles of each recording head 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D Removal of foreign matter that causes non-ejection of ink, such as ink mist adhered to the ejection surface near the mouth, is performed.

As described above, during the ejection recovery operation, the ink
A, 14B, 14C, and 14D forcefully eject the ink that has flowed out from the nozzle port 12, but since the nozzle port 12 is very small, all the ink is not discharged, and the excess ink is returned to the above-described manner. Ink tanks 2A, 2A through tubes 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D
Return to B, 2C, 2D. Therefore, during the ejection recovery operation, between the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D and the ink tanks 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D,
Ink is supplied to supply pipes 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D and return pipes 16A, 16B, 1
It will circulate through 6C and 16D.

Here, the print control unit will be described with reference to FIG.

5 includes a CPU 51, a ROM 52 serving as a storage unit, and a RAM 53 backed up by a battery.
Interface circuit with host device 60 as external device
54, a motor control circuit 55, a head control circuit 56 for driving the electrothermal transducers 13 disposed in the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, respectively, and the number of times of ejection drive of each of the electrothermal transducers 13. A print pulse counting circuit 57 that counts for each of the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D, an ink pressure control circuit 58 that drives the ink pressure feeding units 14A, 14B, 14C, and 14D during an ejection recovery operation, and the recording. And a temperature control circuit 59 for controlling the temperatures of the heads 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D.

The CPU 51 controls the overall printing operation and the ejection recovery operation in accordance with a program and control data stored in the ROM 52 in advance. In the recording operation, the motor control circuit 55 is started, and the carriage 3 is reciprocated by driving the carriage drive motor 6.
Is transferred to the head control circuit 56, and the recording signals from the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, 1
The electrothermal converter 13 is driven for D. By outputting a print pulse corresponding to the image signal, the recording heads 1A and 1
An image is recorded on the recording sheet 7 by discharging ink from B, 1C, and 1D. Further, at the time of this recording operation, when recording of one line on the recording sheet 7 is completed,
By activating the motor control circuit 55 and driving the sheet feed motor 8, sheet feed for one line (Y direction indicated by an arrow in FIG. 1) is performed. The print pulse count circuit 57
The print pulse output by the head control circuit 56 is counted for each nozzle port 12, so that the number of times of ejection drive for each nozzle port 12 is counted for each recording head 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D. At the end of a series of printing operations, the respective ejection drive times are stored by the CPU 51 in a drive number storage area provided in the RAM 53 in advance.

In this embodiment, the ejection recovery operation is set to be performed before the start of the recording operation.
U51 activates the motor control circuit 55 to cap the ejection surfaces of the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D by the cap member 11, and further counts the recording head 1A by the print pulse counting circuit 57. , 1B, 1C, and 1D, the number of times of ejection drive for each nozzle port 12 is compared with a predetermined reference number of times for determining the increase or decrease of the ink inflow amount. In the present embodiment, the reference number is set to 3000 (print pulse: 3
000 pulses) and the ejection port 12 of each recording head 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D.
If any one of them exceeds the reference number, it is determined that a large amount of ink mist has adhered to the ejection surface near the nozzle port 12 and the ink for the recording head provided with the nozzle port 12 is determined. The inflow time is lengthened to increase the ink inflow amount. In this embodiment, the number of ejection driving times is 3000
If there is no such thing, the ink inflow time to the print head is 1 second, and if there is more than 3000, it is 2 seconds.

The control of the ink inflow time in the ejection recovery operation is as follows.
The ink pressure supply control circuit 58 controls each ink pressure supply means according to the result of the comparison between the number of times of ejection drive and the reference number of times by the CPU 51.
This is done by driving 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D. Further, when the inflow of ink to the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D ends, the CPU 51 clears the count number of the print pulse counting circuit 57.

Further, the temperature control circuit 59 includes a recording head 1A, 1B, 1
C, via the temperature detection means 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D provided in the 1D, always monitor the temperature of the recording head 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, the temperature is predetermined, Recording head 1A, 1
When the temperature differs from the set temperature for B, 1C, and 1D, the heaters 17A, 17B, 17C, and 1D provided in the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D are similarly provided.
7D is turned on and off to keep the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D at the set temperature. With such a temperature control, the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D can be used even if the amount of heat generated by the increase in the number of print pulses applied to the electrothermal transducer 13 increases. , 1C, and 1D can be maintained at predetermined set temperatures, respectively, to prevent discharge abnormalities due to temperature changes.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, during the non-recording operation, the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D
Is in a state where each ejection surface is capped by the cap member 11 as described above (step 61).

Thereafter, when an image signal is input from the host device 60 and a control command instructing the start of the printing operation is input (step 61), the ink inflow time in the ejection recovery operation performed before the start of the printing operation is determined. In addition, the CPU 51 of the print control unit 50 stores the number of times of ejection drive for each of the nozzle openings 12 of the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D stored in the number-of-drives storage area of the RAM 53 as the above-mentioned reference number (3000 times). (Step 63). As a result of this comparison, if there is a nozzle port 12 whose ejection drive number is 3000 or more, the ink inflow time for the print head provided with that nozzle port 12 is set to 2 seconds, and printing without the nozzle port 12 of 3000 or more is performed. The ink inflow time for the head is 1 second. For example, if only the nozzle openings 12 provided in the print head 1A exceed 3,000 times, the ejection recovery operation of the
A drive instruction of the ink pressure feeding means 14A indicating 2 seconds is outputted from 1 to the ink pressure feeding control circuit 58, and the other ink pressure feeding means 14B, 14C, 14D indicating 1 second is outputted for the other recording heads 1B, 1C, 1D. Is output.

The ink pressure feed control circuit 58 drives the ink pressure feed means 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D corresponding to each of the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D in accordance with the drive instruction from the CPU 51, whereby
Forced ink flow for 2 seconds or 1 second
An ejection recovery operation is performed (steps 64 and 65). And
When the ejection recovery operation for each of the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D is completed, the CPU 51 clears the count number of the print pulse counting circuit 56 and drives the motor control circuit 55 to drive the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, 1C. The recording operation is started by releasing the capping by the 1D cap member 11 and transferring the image signal to the head control circuit 56 (step 6).
6). The image signal is temporarily stored during an ejection recovery operation.
The data may be stored in the RAM 3 and sequentially read out at the start of the recording operation and transferred to the head control circuit 56.

When the recording operation starts, the printing pulse count circuit 57
When the number of times of ejection drive for each nozzle port 12 is counted, and a series of printing operations is completed (step 67),
The print pulse count circuit in the present recording operation
The number of times of each ejection drive counted by 57 is
It is stored in the drive count storage area of 3. After that, since the recording head again enters the non-printing state, the ejection surfaces of the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D enter a standby state with the cap member 11 capped.

In the present embodiment, a case in which an aqueous ink having a dye concentration of 2 wt% is supplied to a bubble jet recording head of 400 dpi and 128 nozzles and a printing pulse having a pulse width of 7 μsec and a voltage of 30 V is applied to perform continuous recording. , The printing pulse is 3000
When the pulse was exceeded, the ink mist adhered to the ejection surface near the nozzle opening became intense. Therefore, the reference number was set to 3000 times.

 Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In the ink jet recording apparatus in the above-described embodiment, the temperature of each of the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D is configured to be maintained at a predetermined set temperature by a temperature control circuit of a print control unit. When the ejection is concentrated on a specific print head among 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D and the frequency of application of the print pulse increases, the temperature of the print head may become higher than the set temperature.

In the present embodiment, a change in the head temperature, which is a feature of the above-described ink jet recording method, is detected, and the ink flow rate during the ejection recovery operation of the recording head is determined.

Also in the case of the present embodiment, it is possible to realize the same configuration as the ink jet recording apparatus of the above-described embodiment, and each recording head 1
Temperature detection means 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D provided in A, 1B, 1C, 1D
The temperature changes of the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D are detected by the recording heads, and during the recording operation, the detected temperatures of the temperature detecting means 18A, 18B, 18C and 18D are set to a predetermined reference temperature (reference temperature> recording head). If the temperature exceeds the set temperature, the amount of ink flowing into the recording head in the ejection recovery operation is increased.

In the same manner as described above, an aqueous ink having a dye concentration of 2 wt% was supplied to a bubble jet recording head having 400 dpi and 128 nozzles, and an application pulse having a pulse width of 7 μsec and a voltage of 30 V was applied to perform continuous recording. In this case, if the head temperature exceeds 50 ° C., the adhesion of the ink mist to the vicinity of the nozzle opening becomes intense.In this embodiment, the reference temperature is set to 50 ° C., and the detected temperature exceeds 50 ° C. Performs a forced ink inflow for 2 seconds, and performs a forced ink inflow to other print heads for 1 second.

Further, in the present embodiment, the ink flow rate is determined based on whether or not the print head temperature has exceeded the reference temperature.However, the time during which the print head temperature has exceeded the reference temperature is measured, and the ink flow rate is determined based on the time. It is also possible to decide. Actually, when continuous recording is performed under the same conditions using the bubble jet recording head, the head temperature becomes lower.
When the temperature reached 40 ° C. and continued for 30 seconds or more, the adhesion of the ink mist became severe. Therefore, in this case, the reference temperature is set to 40 ° C., and the detected temperatures of the temperature detecting means 18A, 18B, 18C, and 18D are set to 40 ° C.
If anything exceeds ℃, measure the time from that time, and
It is sufficient to increase the ink inflow amount for a print head that lasts for more than a second.

In each of the above-described embodiments, not only the ink mist adhering to the vicinity of the nozzle opening of the recording head is removed, but also the ink pumped by the ink pumping means circulates between the recording head and the ink tank via the supply pipe and the return pipe. Therefore, the ink in the recording head is also refreshed. Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the recording head unit includes four recording heads, each of which is configured to supply a different color ink to record a color image. It is also conceivable to supply only the mainstream color such as, and in that case, one recording head may be used.

The present invention is especially proposed by Canon Inc. among the inkjet recording systems. The present invention provides excellent effects in a bubble jet type recording head and recording apparatus.

Regarding the representative configuration and principle, it is preferable to use the basic principle disclosed in, for example, US Pat. Nos. 4,723,129 and 4,740,796. This method can be applied to both the so-called on-demand type and the continuous type. In particular, in the case of the on-demand type, it is arranged corresponding to the sheet or the liquid path holding the liquid (ink). By applying at least one drive signal corresponding to the recording information and giving a rapid temperature rise exceeding nucleate boiling to the electrothermal transducer, heat energy is generated in the electrothermal transducer, and the recording head This is effective because it is possible to form a film in the liquid (ink) by one-to-one correspondence with the drive signal as a result of film boiling on the heat-acting surface. By discharging the liquid (ink) through the discharge opening by the growth and contraction of the bubble, at least one droplet is formed. When the drive signal is formed into a pulse shape, the growth and shrinkage of the bubble are performed immediately and appropriately, so that the ejection of liquid (ink) having particularly excellent responsiveness can be achieved, which is more preferable. This pulse-shaped drive signal is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,359.
No. 4,434,262 are suitable. Further, when the conditions described in US Pat. No. 4,313,124 of the invention relating to the temperature rise rate of the heat acting surface are adopted, more excellent recording can be performed.

As a configuration of the recording head, in addition to a combination configuration (a linear liquid flow path or a right-angle liquid flow path) of a discharge port, a liquid path, and an electrothermal converter as disclosed in each of the above-described specifications, a heat acting section The arrangements described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,333 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,600, which disclose arrangements in the bend region, may be used. In addition, JP-A-59-123670 discloses a configuration in which a common slit is used as a discharge portion of an electrothermal converter for a plurality of electrothermal converters, and an aperture for absorbing pressure waves of thermal energy. The present invention is also effective as a configuration based on JP-A-59-138461, which discloses a configuration in which is adapted to a discharge unit.

In addition, a replaceable chip-type recording head that can be electrically connected to the apparatus main body and supplied with ink from the apparatus main body by being attached to the apparatus main body, or provided integrally with the recording head itself The present invention is also effective when a cartridge type recording head is used.

It is preferable to add a preliminary auxiliary means or the like provided as a configuration of the recording apparatus of the present invention since the effects of the present invention can be further stabilized. If these are specifically mentioned, cleaning means for the recording head,
Preheating means using a heating element different from the electrothermal transducer or a combination thereof and a preliminary ejection mode for performing ejection different from recording are also effective for performing stable recording.

In the embodiments of the present invention described above, the ink is described as a liquid. However, an ink that solidifies at room temperature or lower and softens or becomes liquid at room temperature, or is generally used in an ink jet. It may be softened or liquid in a temperature range of 30 ° C. or more and 70 ° C. or less, which is the temperature range of the temperature adjustment. That is, the ink may be in a liquid state when the use recording signal is applied. In addition, positively prevent the temperature rise due to thermal energy by using the energy of the state change of the ink from the solid state to the liquid state, or use ink that solidifies in a standing state to prevent evaporation of the ink. In any case, heat energy is applied by heat energy, such as one in which ink is liquefied and ejected as an ink liquid by application of heat energy according to a recording signal, or one which already starts to solidify when reaching a recording medium. The use of an ink that liquefies for the first time is also applicable to the present invention. In such a case, as described in JP-A-54-56847 or JP-A-60-71260, the ink is held as a liquid or solid in a porous sheet concave portion or through hole, It is good also as a form which opposes an electrothermal transducer. In the present invention, the most effective one for each of the above-mentioned inks is to execute the above-mentioned film boiling method.

〔The invention's effect〕

The present invention has the following effects because it is configured as described above.

(1) When the ink is forcibly flowed into the print head during the recovery operation of the print head, the ink is circulated between the print head and the ink tank via the ink supply pipe and the ink pipe. Therefore, not only the ink is refreshed in the nozzle opening due to the discharge of the ink, but also the ink remaining in the print head is refreshed, and the normal discharge of the print head is ensured even in the printing operation after leaving for a long time.

(2) By changing the amount of ink flowing into the recording head during the ejection recovery operation of the recording head in accordance with the print history of the recording head, the amount of ink flowing in may be a cause of ink non-ejection of the recording head. Therefore, the ink is suitable for removing foreign matter such as deposits near the nozzle opening, so that the foreign matter is reliably removed, the accuracy of the ejection operation of the print head is increased, and the reliability of the printing apparatus is improved.

(3) As described above, since the ink inflow amount is changed in consideration of the amount of foreign matter, the ink inflow amount can be limited when the amount of ink mist attached is considered to be small, which is economically advantageous. It is.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a recording head,
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the standby state of the print head and the relationship between the print head and the ink tank, FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the print head unit, FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of a print control unit, FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Recording head unit, 2 ... Ink tank, 3 ... Carriage, 4 ... Guide rail, 5 ... Timing belt, 6
... Carriage drive motor, 7 ... Recording sheet, 8 ... Sheet feed motor, 9 ... Sheet feed roller, 10 ... Holding roller pair, 11 ... Cap member, 12 ... Nozzle port, 13 ... Electrothermal converter, 14 ... Ink pressure feeding means , 15 ... supply pipe, 16 ... return pipe, 17
... heater, 18 ... temperature detection means, 50 ... print control unit, 51 ... CP
U, 52… ROM, 53… RAM, 54… Interface circuit, 55
... Motor control circuit, 56 ... Head control circuit, 57 ... Print pulse count circuit, 58 ... Ink pressure feed control circuit, 59 ... Temperature control circuit 60 ... Host device, 61-67 ... Step.

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] A recording head for ejecting ink supplied from an ink tank via an ink supply tube from a minute nozzle opening, and forcibly supplying the ink to the recording head to recover the ejection of the recording head. An ink inflow means having an ink inflow means for inflowing, wherein the ink inflow means is an ink pressure feeding means for inflowing ink into the recording head through the ink supply pipe;
Further, the recording head and the ink tank are connected by another ink tube, and an ink flow rate varying means for changing an ink inflow amount by the ink inflow means according to a print history of the recording head is provided. An ink jet recording apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. An ink flow rate variable means for counting the number of times of ejection drive to a print head, and an ink flow rate control means for changing an ink inflow amount by the ink inflow means in accordance with the number of ejection drives counted by the count means. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, comprising: 3. An ink flow rate varying means having a temperature detection means for detecting a temperature of a recording head, and an ink flow rate control means for changing an ink inflow amount by an ink inflow means in accordance with a temperature detected by the temperature detection means. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 4. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said ink flow rate changing means changes an ink inflow time by said ink inflow means. 5. The recording head according to claim 1, wherein said recording head discharges ink by utilizing thermal energy, and comprises an electrothermal transducer for generating said thermal energy. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims.