Patent ID: 6378973
Filing Date: 2002-04-30
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A method of driving an ink jet head which has ink chambers, energy-generating elements provided in the ink chambers, respectively, and ink outlet ports communicating with the ink chambers, respectively, and which ejects ink through the ink outlet ports by applying a drive pulse to the energy-generating elements, thereby to record data, said method comprising:forcing ink outwards from each of the ink outlet ports upon lapse of a predetermined time from formation of a meniscus in the ink outlet ports, thereby forming an ink mass outside each ink outlet port that has a diameter greater than a diameter of the ink outlet ports; applying a negative pressure in each of the ink chambers, thereby drawing the ink back into the ink chambers and forming a meniscus again in the ink outlet ports; and applying the drive pulse to each of the energy-generating elements, while the meniscus remains in each of the ink chambers, thereby ejecting ink from each of the ink outlet ports and recording data.