Patent ID: 7828401
Filing Date: 2010-11-09
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A recording apparatus comprising: a plurality of recording heads each of which has a plurality of actuators and each of which is configured to perform a dot recording operation using a recording material that is ejected by activation of said actuators; a main circuit configured to output a plurality of drive waveform signal sets, each of which includes drive waveform signals having respective waveforms different from each other, and each of which controls ejection of the recording material from a corresponding one of said recording heads; and a head driver unit configured to receive said drive waveform signal sets outputted from said main circuit, and having a drive-waveform-signal selector configured to select a drive waveform signal for each of said actuators of each of said recording heads, from among a corresponding one of the received drive waveform signal sets, wherein said recording apparatus is selectively switchable between a first recording mode in which the dot recording operation is performed by a first recording head as one of said recording heads and a second recording mode in which the dot recording operation is performed by a second recording head as one of said recording heads, wherein said drive-waveform-signal selector includes a common selector portion configured to make a selection from among a first drive waveform signal set as one of said drive waveform signal sets that controls ejection of the recording material from said first recording head and also to make a selection from among a second drive waveform signal set as one of said drive waveform signal sets that controls ejection of the recording material from said second recording head, wherein said common selector portion has a plurality of selected-drive-waveform-signal common output ports each of which is configured to be connected with a corresponding one of said actuators of said first recording head corresponding to said each of said selected-drive-waveform-signal common output ports and configured to be connected with a corresponding one of said actuators of said second recording head corresponding to said each of said selected-drive-waveform-signal common output ports, wherein said head driver unit further has a selected drive-waveform-signal supplier which is selectively switchable between a first supplying mode and a second supplying mode such that said selected drive-waveform-signal supplier is placed in said first supplying mode when said recording apparatus is being placed in said first recording mode, and such that said selected drive-waveform-signal supplier is placed in said second supplying mode when said recording apparatus is being placed in said second recording mode, wherein said selected drive-waveform-signal supplier is configured, when being placed in said first supplying mode, to supply the drive waveform signal selected from among said first drive waveform signal set, from said each of said selected-drive-waveform-signal common output ports, toward the corresponding one of said actuators of said first recording head, without supplying the drive waveform signal selected from among said second drive waveform signal set, from said each of said selected-drive-waveform-signal common output ports, toward the corresponding one of said actuators of said second recording head, and wherein said selected drive-waveform-signal supplier is configured, when being placed in said second supplying mode, to supply the drive waveform signal selected from among said second drive waveform signal set, from said each of said selected-drive-waveform-signal common output ports, toward the corresponding one of said actuators of said second recording head, without supplying the drive waveform signal selected from among said first drive waveform signal set, from said each of said selected-drive-waveform-signal common output ports, toward the corresponding one of said actuators of said first recording head.