JP3491662B2 - Ink jet recording device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording apparatus provided with an on-demand type ink jet recording head for forming ink dots on a recording medium by ejecting ink droplets from nozzle openings corresponding to print data, and more specifically, a nozzle. The present invention relates to a technique for ejecting ink droplets from an opening regardless of print data to recover the ink droplet ejection capability of a nozzle opening.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An on-demand type ink jet recording head is provided with a plurality of nozzle openings and pressure generating chambers communicating with the nozzle openings, and the pressure generating chambers are expanded and contracted in response to a print signal to generate ink drops. It is configured to discharge. In such a recording head, since new ink is sequentially supplied to the nozzle openings from which ink droplets are continuously ejected by the printing operation, there is almost no risk of clogging, but for example, the nozzle openings at the upper end and the lower end are As described above, when the chances of ejecting ink droplets are extremely low, or when the print data is lost and the printer is placed in the idle state, the ink in the nozzle openings is likely to dry and become clogged. Even if the cap is sealed for a long time without performing a recording operation, the solvent of the ink near the nozzle opening will slightly volatilize and the viscosity will rise, making it impossible to print immediately or printing quality. Have problems such as decrease in

In order to deal with such a problem, as one of preparatory operations before the start of printing, printing is performed on the piezoelectric vibrator at the time when the recording apparatus is powered on or when a print signal is first input. A so-called flushing operation is performed in which a drive signal not related to data is applied to eject ink droplets from all nozzle openings. Also,
As a measure for preventing clogging of the nozzle openings during the printing period, when the print duration or print data exceeds a certain amount, the recording operation is interrupted and the recording head is retracted to the capping means in the non-printing area. The flushing operation of is also used together. However, since the flushing operation causes ink consumption and overall reduction in printing speed, it is necessary to reliably eliminate the clogging of the nozzle openings with a small amount of ink.

For example, in a bubble type ink jet recording head in which ink is vaporized by Joule heat of a heater provided in a pressure generating chamber and ink droplets are ejected by the pressure at this time, the remaining time of the generated bubbles is temperature and humidity. Therefore, it has been proposed to set the minimum frequency of ink droplet ejection during flushing depending on the temperature and humidity, and to end the flushing operation promptly while increasing the frequency without causing residual bubbles. (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-290720).

[0005]

However, when the temperature is higher than room temperature, the volatilization of the ink solvent is promoted to increase the viscosity of the ink components, and when the temperature is lower than room temperature, the solvent itself is Since the viscosity rises and the ink also thickens, there is a problem that the time until the ejection capability of the recording head for ejecting ink droplets is greatly affected by temperature. In order to solve such a problem, the flushing operation is executed with the shortest time until clogging in the usable environment as a cycle, but it still causes inconvenience in ejecting ink droplets. Even in the non-existing state, the printing operation is interrupted, the recording head is moved to the flushing, and the ink droplets for ejecting the clogging are ejected. Therefore, there is a problem that the printing speed decreases and the ink consumption increases. Further, even in the flushing operation, the movement of the ink following the expansion and contraction of the pressure generating chamber is affected by the viscosity. Therefore, if the pressure generating chamber does not expand or contract at a speed commensurate with the viscosity of the ink, There is a problem that air bubbles are drawn into the nozzle openings and rather the ink ejection capability is reduced. The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to cope with various situations that induce clogging without causing a decrease in printing speed or wasteful consumption of ink. An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus capable of recovering the ink ejection capacity of the recording head appropriately.

[0006]

In order to achieve such a object, the invention of claim 1 supplies a recording head for ejecting ink droplets from a nozzle opening in conformity with a drive signal, and supplying ink to the recording head. an ink cartridge, the sealing time detecting means for the recording head is detected the time was sealed capping means, the sealing time detected immediately after said recording head from said capping means is opened
To the recording head based on the sealing time signal from the means.
Ink amount to perform the lashing operation, and during the printing period and a dummy ejection control means for determining a time interval for performing the flushing operation based on the sealing time signal.
According to the invention of claim 5, the drive signal is transmitted from the nozzle opening.
The recording head that ejects ink drops, and the recording head
Ink cartridge that supplies ink to the
When installed to detect the time that the cartridge has been installed
Interval detection means and the recording head from the capping means.
Immediately after the cord is released,
Flushing the recording head based on the mounting time signal
The amount of ink used for the operation, and the above-mentioned device during the printing period
The flushing operation is executed based on the arrival time signal.
And a blank discharge control means for determining a time interval.

[0007]

According to the inventions of claims 1 and 5, the cap
The time when the recording head is sealed by the ping means,
Depends on the length of time the ink cartridge is installed
By the flushing operation while considering the change of ink viscosity
You can decide the amount of ink to eject and the timing of the flushing operation.
Clogging during the printing period while suppressing the waste of ink.
Flushing at the right time to prevent
Can be executed .

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The details of the present invention will be described below with reference to illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 shows a structure around a printing mechanism of a printer of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a carriage, which is connected to a pulse motor 3 via a timing belt 2 and is guided to a guide member 4. The recording paper 5 is reciprocated in the paper width direction.

An ink jet recording head 6, which will be described later, is attached to the surface of the carriage 1 that faces the recording paper 5, that is, the lower surface in this embodiment, and ink is ejected from an ink cartridge 7 mounted on the carriage 1. Upon receiving the replenishment, ink droplets are ejected onto the recording paper 5 in accordance with the movement of the carriage 1 to print an image or a character on the recording paper 5 by a dot matrix.

Reference numeral 8 is a capping device, which is a carriage 1.
Is provided in the non-printing area in the movement path of the recording head 6, and the nozzle opening of the recording head 6 is sealed during the rest to prevent the nozzle opening from being dried. It also functions as a container for receiving the ink droplets ejected from the recording head 6 by the flushing operation performed as the ink ejection capacity recovery operation during printing. Incidentally, reference numeral 9 in the drawing indicates a cleaning means.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a recording head using a piezoelectric vibrator used in the above-mentioned recording apparatus. In the figure, reference numeral 11 is a vibration plate, which abuts against the tip of the piezoelectric vibrator 12. The flow path forming plate 1 is made of a thin plate that elastically deforms upon contact.
The nozzle plate 14 and the nozzle plate 14 are liquid-tightly and integrally fixed to each other with the nozzle 3 interposed therebetween to form the flow path unit 15.

A base 16 is provided with an accommodation chamber 17 for accommodating the piezoelectric vibrator 12 in a vibrating manner, and an opening 18 for supporting the flow path unit 15.
The flow path unit 15 is fixed so as to come into contact with the island portion 11a of FIG.

With this structure, when the piezoelectric vibrator 12 is charged and contracts, the pressure generating chamber 23 expands.
As a result, the meniscus formed in the nozzle opening 22 is slightly drawn into the pressure generating chamber 23, and at the same time, the ink in the common ink chamber 20, 20 flows into the pressure generating chamber 23 via the ink supply ports 21, 21.

When the charge of the piezoelectric vibrator 12 is discharged and the piezoelectric vibrator 12 returns to the original state after a predetermined time has passed,
The pressure generating chamber 23 contracts, the ink in the pressure generating chamber 23 is compressed, and an ink droplet is ejected from the nozzle opening 22.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which reference numeral 30 is a print control means, which creates bitmap data based on a print signal from a host, and carriage control means 31. While the motor 3 is controlled by the head drive circuit 32, ink droplets are ejected from the recording head 6 so as to correspond to the print data.

Reference numeral 33 denotes a time interval of flushing operation,
An idle ejection control unit that determines the ejection frequency of the ink droplets, the number of ejected ink droplets, and the like during the flushing operation. The storage means 41 is based on the data and signals from the stop time detecting means 38, the duration measuring means 39, and the carriage speed detecting means 40.
The optimum flushing operation control data stored in is selected by the head drive circuit 32 from all the nozzle openings 22 of the recording head 6 to the ink ejection area such as the capping device 8 or an ink receiver (not shown). The ink droplets are ejected while controlling the cycle, the repetition interval, the drive voltage for ejecting the ink droplets, and the like.

The printing time detecting means 34 starts a timing operation at the time when the printing is started based on the printing signal and measures the time during which the printing is continuously performed. Then, a signal is output and then reset to measure the time of the next printing.
The mounting detection unit 35 detects attachment / detachment of the ink cartridge 7 by receiving a signal from, for example, a cartridge mounting detection unit provided in the carriage 1 or an ink amount detection unit, and resets when a new ink cartridge is mounted. Then, the usage time of the new cartridge is integrated.

The temperature detecting means 36 detects the temperature of the ink in the recording head or the temperature around the nozzle openings in response to a signal from a temperature sensor (not shown) provided in the recording apparatus. The open time detecting means 37 is reset at the time when the recording head 6 is removed from the capping device 8 and when the printing is started, and detects the time when the recording head 6 is in the non-printing state and the open state. Is configured. The sealing time detection unit 38 is configured to reset when the recording head 6 is sealed by the capping device 8 and detect the time during which the recording head 6 is sealed by the capping device 8.

The carriage speed detecting means 39 is configured to detect the speed of the carriage 1 based on a drive signal supplied to the carriage drive motor 3 and a signal from an encoder or the like. The duration measuring means 40 is reset when the flushing operation is started to measure the duration of the flushing operation, and outputs the measured time to the idle discharge control means 33.

The storage means 41 corresponds to the mounting time of the cartridge 7, the temperature, the time during which it is sealed by the capping device 8, the duration of the flushing operation, and the speed of the carriage, and the cycle of flushing operation that is optimum for these conditions. That is, the time interval of the flushing operation, the frequency at which ink droplets are ejected during flushing, the number of ink droplets ejected, and data relating to the drive voltage are stored.

Next, the operation of the thus constructed apparatus will be described. When the recording head 6 is released from the capping means 8 by turning on the power supply of the apparatus, the idle ejection control means 33 executes the flushing operation to ensure the reliability of the printing operation (FIG. 4 (I)). . At this time, the blank ejection control unit 33 seals the mounting time T1 of the currently mounted ink cartridge 7 from the mounting time detection unit 35, and the sealing time detection unit 38 seals the recording head 6 from the capping device 8. After obtaining the data of the stop time T2, the ink droplets are ejected in the optimal flushing form stored in the storage means 41.

That is, the longer the sealing time T2, the more the ink is dried from the vicinity of the nozzle opening to the side of the pressure generating chamber. Therefore, the number of ejected ink droplets, that is, the drive consisting of the pulse signal applied to the recording head 6 is driven. Increase the number of signals,
The total ink ejection amount is increased to reliably eject the ink in the dry area. When the sealing time T2 is the limit, that is, when it exceeds 15 days in this embodiment, the viscosity has increased to the upstream side of the recording head. Therefore, not the flushing operation but the nozzle opening of the recording head. The operation of forcibly ejecting by applying a negative pressure is also used to reliably eject the thickened ink, and the ejection performance of ink droplets in the subsequent printing operation is ensured.

5A and 5B show the sealing time T, respectively.
2 and the recording head 6 before the start of printing the capping device 8
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the relationship with the amount of ink ejected by flushing when the flushing is performed by opening from above, and the amount of ink ejected by flushing is set to increase as the sealing time increases. .

On the other hand, when a print signal is input after the flushing operation is completed, the print control means 30 moves the carriage 1 at a speed suitable for the print mode based on the print data, and causes the recording head 6 to respond to the print signal. Printing is performed while ejecting ink drops. Note that when the mounting time T1 of the cartridge 7 is very long, for example, one year or more, the ink itself in the ink cartridge 7 is already extremely thickened, and the ink in the vicinity of the nozzle opening becomes incapable of being ejected in a short time. Therefore, even if the recording head 6 is sealed by the capping device 8 for a short period of time, a negative pressure is applied to the recording head 6 immediately before the start of printing so that the recording head 6 may be thickened. Ink is forcibly discharged from the printer before printing operation starts. As a result, even if the effective use period of the ink cartridge has expired, it is possible to print as much as possible.

In the flushing operation,
When the mounting time T1 of the cartridge 7 becomes long, the ink solvent in the container forming the ink cartridge 7 is volatilized and the viscosity of the ink in the entire ink cartridge is increased. Since the ink is flowing in, the driving voltage is increased to secure the ink amount per one drop and eject the ink drop as shown in FIG. 6A so as to overcome the deterioration of the fluidity of the ink. ,
The total amount of ink to be ejected is secured.

Further, when the fluidity is lowered due to the thickening of the ink, the meniscus formed in the nozzle opening 22 cannot gradually follow the high speed expansion and contraction of the pressure generating chamber 23. ), As the mounting time T1 becomes longer, the flushing drive frequency is reduced, that is, the flushing cycle (FIG. 4B) is made longer so that the meniscus follows the expansion and contraction of the pressure generating chamber 23. Ink droplets are ejected while preventing bubbles from being sucked from the openings 23.

It should be noted that the action of preventing the entrainment of air by reducing the driving frequency at the time of ejecting ink drops in response to the increase in the viscosity of the ink in the ink cartridge is not limited to the flushing operation, but for the printing operation. Since the same applies to the ejection of ink droplets, it is necessary to use the thickened ink of the mounted ink cartridge to reduce the driving frequency during printing in accordance with the mounting time of the ink cartridge 7 in the printing operation. Since the printing can be performed without degrading the printing quality, the effective use period of the ink cartridge is extended.

The ejection cycle of ink droplets for flushing further takes into consideration the temperature t in the vicinity of the recording head 6 detected by the temperature detecting means 36, and the recording head 6
In the case of a room temperature that is optimum for the operation, the frequency of ink droplet ejection is increased to shorten the time required for one flushing operation as shown in FIG. 7A, and the temperature is lower than room temperature. In this case, the frequency is lowered in consideration of the decrease in the fluidity of the ink in the pressure generating chamber due to the temperature decrease, and the ink is ejected while avoiding the entrainment of air. When the temperature is higher than room temperature, the frequency is lowered in consideration of the decrease in the fluidity of the ink due to the increase in the ink viscosity due to the drying of the ink solvent near the nozzle opening, and the ink is drawn while avoiding the entrainment of air. Discharge.

Further, when the temperature is low corresponding to the temperature of the recording head 6, the viscosity of the entire ink in the pressure generating chamber 23 is increased as described above, and therefore the driving is performed as shown in FIG. When the voltage is set to a high value, a large pressure is applied to the ink in the pressure generating chamber to ensure the ink amount for each droplet, and the ink is reliably ejected. When the temperature is high, the ink near the nozzle opening is dried due to drying. However, only the ink in a region where the clogging can be eliminated by lowering the drive voltage is ejected.

As described above, the mounting time T1 of the cartridge 7 is set.
If the flushing operation at the beginning of power-on with the temperature of the recording head 6 and the print head 6 turned on is completed and no print signal is input, the carriage control means 31 moves the recording head 6 to the capping device 8 and seals the capping device 8. Then
Further, the sealing time detecting means 38 restarts the time counting operation after clearing the sealing time T2.

During this printing period, the idle discharge control means 33
While monitoring the duration of the printing operation by the printing time detecting means 34, the signal from the sealing time detecting means 38, the temperature t from the temperature detecting means 36, and the carriage speed detecting means 39.
When the time determined by the speed signal from
A signal is output to the print control unit 30 to interrupt the printing operation, and a flushing operation for continuously ejecting about 5 to 20 ink droplets at one time is executed.

That is, the flushing operation is basically executed immediately after the recording head 6 is released from the capping device 8 and during the printing period, and one of the time intervals of the execution is that the recording head 6 is operated by the capping device 8. It is determined based on the time of being sealed in 8.

Further, when the time T1 after the cartridge 7 is mounted is long, the ink itself supplied to the recording head 6 has already thickened, so the idle ejection control means 33.
Sets a short time interval for entering the flushing operation.
In addition, when the temperature t is low, the viscosity of the ink itself is increased, and even a slight volatilization of the ink solvent in a short time deteriorates the ink ejection capability to the extent that printing is inconvenient. As shown in FIG. 8, the flushing operation is performed more frequently than at room temperature (15 ° C. to 30 ° C. in this embodiment), and the print quality is improved when the temperature t near the recording head is high. Since the volatilization of the ink solvent in the vicinity of the nozzle opening, which greatly influences, progresses rapidly, the flushing operation is executed more frequently than at low temperature.

Further, in a high-speed printing mode such as draft printing, or when the moving speed of the carriage 6 is high such as during the idle running period of the carriage 1, the relative speed of the airflow passing through the nozzle opening 22 becomes large and the vicinity of the nozzle opening is increased. Since the drying of the ink is accelerated, the time interval for entering flushing is shortened, and the number of ink droplets to be ejected is increased as necessary to ensure print quality, and in the case of low speed running such as high density printing. Since the relative velocity of the air flow acting on the nozzle opening is low and the drying is relatively suppressed, the time interval for executing flushing is extended and the number of ink droplets to be ejected is reduced to reduce the ink consumption and the recording speed. To prevent the deterioration of

On the other hand, the recording head 6 has a capping device 8
Even if the recording head 6 is sealed, the ink solvent volatilizes from the recording head 6 or the flow path connecting the recording head 6 and the ink cartridge 7, and the viscosity of the ink in the recording head 6 or the flow path is changed to the ink cartridge 7. The viscosity of the ink contained in the ink rises. However, as the ink consumption progresses due to printing, ink having a relatively low viscosity is supplied from the ink cartridge 7, so that the flushing time interval is extended as the flushing operation is repeated. That is, in FIG. 4A, the idle discharge control unit 33 controls the flushing interval so that the flushing interval III is longer than the flushing interval II, the flushing interval IV is further longer than the flushing interval III, and the flushing interval V is longer. This makes it possible not only to prevent clogging with a minimum amount of ink, but also to improve the printing speed.

When the recording head 6 is sealed in the capping device 8 for a long time, the ink ejection amount in the flushing operation immediately after being released from the capping device 8 is set to a large amount and is periodically performed during the printing period. Gradually reduce the ink ejection amount in the flushing operation
The same effect can be obtained by converging the ink ejection amount by the flushing performed when the sealing time by the capping device 8 is zero and continuing the printing while periodically performing the flushing with this ejection amount.

Even when the ink droplets are discharged during the flushing operation during the printing period, the mounting time T1 of the ink cartridge 7 and the temperature detecting means 3 are the same as immediately after the power is turned on.
Based on the temperature t in the vicinity of the print head detected by 6, the overall ink ejection mode is determined while taking into consideration the degree of thickening of the entire ink due to the mounting time of the ink cartridge 7.

That is, the mounting time T1 of the cartridge 7
When it becomes longer, the ink solvent volatilizes from the container forming the ink cartridge 7 and the viscosity of the ink in the entire ink cartridge increases, so that the thickened ink also flows into the pressure generating chamber. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6A, the driving voltage is increased so as to overcome the deterioration of the fluidity of the ink, the ink amount per droplet is secured, and the ink droplet is ejected. Secure the ink volume.

Further, when the fluidity is lowered due to the thickening of the ink, the meniscus formed in the nozzle opening 22 cannot gradually follow the high speed expansion and contraction of the pressure generating chamber 23. As shown in), as the mounting time T1 becomes longer, the flushing drive frequency is reduced to cause the meniscus to follow the expansion and contraction of the pressure generating chamber to prevent the suction of air bubbles from the nozzle opening 23, and Discharge.

In consideration of the temperature t in the vicinity of the recording head 6 detected by the temperature detecting means 36, when the room temperature is optimum for the operation of the recording head 6, the ink droplets as shown in FIG. The ejection frequency is increased to shorten the time required for one flushing operation, and when the temperature is lower than room temperature, the frequency is lowered in consideration of the decrease in the fluidity of the ink in the pressure generating chamber due to the decrease in temperature. Then, the ink is ejected while avoiding the drawing of air. When the temperature is higher than room temperature, the frequency is lowered in consideration of the decrease in the fluidity of the ink due to the increase in the ink viscosity due to the drying of the ink solvent near the nozzle opening, and the ink is drawn while avoiding the entrainment of air. Discharge.

Further, when the temperature is low corresponding to the temperature of the recording head 6, the viscosity of the entire ink in the pressure generating chamber 23 is increased as described above, and therefore the drive is performed as shown in FIG. When the voltage is set to a high value, a large pressure is applied to the ink in the pressure generating chamber to ensure the ink amount for each droplet, and the ink is reliably ejected. When the temperature is high, the ink near the nozzle opening is dried due to drying. However, only the ink in a region where the clogging can be eliminated by lowering the drive voltage is ejected.

When the printing operation is completed in this way, the print control means 30 fixes the recording head 6 to the capping device 8
Move to and seal. As a result, the data of the opening time detecting means 37 is cleared, and the sealing time detecting means 38 is also cleared.
Starts timing operation after clearing the timing data.

When the ink in the cartridge 7 is consumed and replaced with a new ink cartridge, the time measurement data of the mounting time detecting means 35 is cleared and the time T1 after mounting is started.

By the way, the operation of ejecting ink droplets at one time of flushing is necessary to recover the ejection ability by lowering the frequency of ink droplet ejection as the number of ink droplets increases as shown in FIG. It is possible to eject a certain amount of ink in a short time, prevent air from being entrained in the vicinity of the nozzle opening until the end of flushing, and finish the flushing operation while forming a stable meniscus.

The change of the ink droplet ejection period at the time of such flushing is made to be an integral fraction of the maximum driving frequency fm of the recording head, that is, the period 1 / (fm /
In 5), if the period is set to 1 / (fm / 4) ... And finally to the period (1 / fm), the function of the head drive circuit 32 can be effectively used.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the recording head using the piezoelectric vibrator which expands and contracts in the axial direction is taken as an example, but the recording head for expanding and contracting the pressure generating chamber by the flexural vibration, and the bubble. It is obvious that the same effect can be obtained even when applied to the jet type recording head.

In the above-described embodiment, the capping device 8 receives ink droplets ejected by flushing, but the present invention is also applicable to a recording device provided with an ink receiver at a position different from the capping device. It is clear that the same effect is achieved.

[0048]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an inkjet recording apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of an inkjet recording head.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams showing a form of a flushing operation after the recording head is released from the capping unit, and an ink droplet ejection cycle in one flushing operation.

5A and 5B are diagrams showing the relationship between the time during which the recording head is sealed by the capping unit and the amount of ink ejected to recover the ink droplet ejection capability.

6 (a) and 6 (b) are respectively a time after the ink cartridge is mounted in the recording apparatus, a driving voltage for ejecting ink droplets for flushing operation and printing,
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between the drive frequency and the drive frequency.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams showing the relationship between the temperature in the vicinity of the recording head, the ejection frequency of ink droplets in the flushing operation, and the drive voltage, respectively.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a relationship between a temperature near a recording head and a time interval for performing a flushing operation during printing.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the relationship between the number of ink droplets and the ink ejection frequency in a series of ink droplet ejection during a flushing operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

6 Inkjet recording head 7 ink cartridges 8 capping device 9 Cleaning device 12 Piezoelectric vibrator 22 Nozzle opening 23 Pressure generation chamber

Front page continuation (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 2/175 B41J 2/125 B41J 2/165 B41J 2/18 B41J 2/185

Claims (13)

(57) [Claims] 1. A recording head for ejecting ink droplets in accordance with a drive signal from a nozzle opening, an ink cartridge for supplying ink to the recording head, and a time during which the recording head is sealed by a capping means is detected. and a sealing time detecting means for, sealing from the sealing time detecting means immediately after said recording head from said capping means is opened
The recording head is flushed based on the stop time signal.
Ink amount to perform the work, and the idle discharge control means and the ink jet recording device including a determining a time interval for performing the flushing operation based on the sealing time signal during print periods. 2. The ink discharge time interval in the flushing operation is set so as to become shorter as the sealing time becomes longer, and set so as to become longer with the subsequent printing time. Inkjet recording device. 3. The recording head is released from the capping means when the amount of ink ejected during the flushing operation is long based on the sealing time signal from the sealing time detecting means. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ejection amount is increased immediately after the flushing, and the ejection amount is set to decrease with the elapse of the printing time. 4. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ejection frequency of the ink droplets during the flushing operation is determined based on a sealing time signal from the sealing time detecting means. 5. A recording head for ejecting ink droplets from a nozzle opening in accordance with a drive signal, an ink cartridge for supplying ink to the recording head, and a mounting time detection for detecting a mounting time of the ink cartridge. Means and immediately after the recording head is released from the capping means , a mounting time signal from the mounting time detecting means.
The flushing operation is performed on the recording head based on the
Ink amount to I, and an ink jet recording apparatus comprising a dummy ejection control means for determining a time interval for performing the flushing operation based on the placement time signal during printing period. 6. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the time interval for performing the flushing operation is set to be shorter as the mounting time detected by the mounting time detecting means becomes longer. 7. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the drive voltage of the recording head during the flushing operation is determined based on a mounting time signal from the mounting time detecting means. 8. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the ejection frequency of the ink droplets during the flushing operation is determined based on a mounting time signal from the mounting time detecting means. 9. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the ejection frequency of the ink droplets during the flushing operation decreases with the duration of the flushing operation. 10. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the ejection frequency of the ink droplets during the flushing operation is controlled by 1 / integral ratio of the maximum driving frequency of the recording head. 11. When the mounting time detection means counts a predetermined time or more, after the recording head is released from the capping means, a negative pressure is exerted on the recording head before printing starts to force the recording head. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink is ejected onto the recording medium. 12. A recording head that is movable at at least two types of speeds and that ejects ink droplets from a nozzle opening in accordance with a drive signal, an ink cartridge that supplies ink to the recording head, and a movement of the recording head. Carriage movement speed detection means to detect the speed, and during the printing period,
An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising: an idle ejection control unit that determines an interval for causing the recording head to perform a flushing operation based on the movement speed of the carriage detected by the carriage movement speed detection unit. 13. The idle discharge control means controls, based on the moving speed of the carriage detected by the carriage moving speed detecting means, to decrease the number of ejected ink drops when the moving speed is low. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 12.