Patent ID: 6062670
Filing Date: 2000-05-16
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An ink jet recording apparatus with a recording head having discharge ports for discharging ink and for forming an image on a recording medium by discharging the ink through said discharge ports, comprising:cap means for covering said discharge ports;cap moving means for moving said cap means to a cap position where said recording head is opposite said cap means for covering said discharge ports and a release position for releasing said discharge ports;negative pressure generating means, connecting to said cap means, for applying a negative pressure to said cap means; andcontrol means for causing ink to be removed from said discharge ports of said recording head using said negative pressure generating means,wherein said control means performs operations for causing said negative pressure generating means to generate the negative pressure before an operation for moving said cap means to the cap position by said cap moving means, in succession setting said cap means in a state in which said discharge ports of said recording head are covered by operation of said cap moving means, and in succession causing said negative pressure generating means to remove ink from said discharge ports, by causing said negative pressure generating means to generate the negative pressure.