Patent ID: 7802866

Claim:
A recording head for discharging a liquid from discharge orifices by applying thermal energy from electro-thermal transducers to the liquid, the recording head comprising: a driving unit configured to drive by dividing a plurality of electro-thermal transducers, into a plurality of blocks and supplying electric current on a block-by-block basis based on recording data; each of a plurality of temperature sensors disposed in correspondence to each one of the plurality of electro-thermal transducers, such that the plurality of electro-thermal transducers and the plurality of temperature sensors are segmented into a plurality of groups; a constant current source provided in each group, configured to apply a bias current to a plurality of temperature sensors in common for each group; and a voltage output circuit having a first switching element for turning electric current supply from the constant current source to each temperature sensor ON and OFF on the block-by-block basis, and a second switching element for obtaining a voltage generated at both terminals of the temperature sensor by the electric current supply to the temperature sensor regulated by the first switching element.