Patent ID: 9387711
Filing Date: 2016-07-12
CPC Classification: B41J

Claim Text:
1. An image recording apparatus comprising: an inspection unit which inspects the presence or absence of abnormality in each recording element of a print head at regular intervals; a determination unit which determines the propriety of use of each recording element based on the inspection result of the inspection unit; a complement unit which prohibits the use of the recording element determined to be disabled by the determination unit and complements image defect due to the use-prohibited recording element, wherein the determination unit disables a recording element determined to have abnormality by inspection in the inspection unit during a determination period set in advance, if the disabled recording element is determined to have no abnormality for a prescribed frequency M in succession from inspection immediately after the recording element is disabled, recovers the recording element to be enabled, and if the disabled recording element is determined to have abnormality again by inspection within a prescribed frequency N from inspection immediately after the recording element is disabled, continuously disables the recording element during the determination period, an abnormality occurrence frequency count unit which counts a frequency K for which the recording element is determined to have abnormality by inspection in the inspection unit during an inspection period set in advance; and a prescribed frequency setting unit which sets the prescribed frequency M and the prescribed frequency N based on the frequency K counted by the abnormality occurrence frequency count unit, wherein the prescribed frequency setting unit sets a number obtained by multiplying a number m set in advance by K as the prescribed frequency M and sets a number obtained by multiplying a number n set in advance by K as the prescribed frequency N.