Patent ID: 7011386

Claim:
A printing apparatus for printing by reciprocate-scanning an inkjet printhead discharging ink from a plurality of print elements, comprising: count means for counting a number of ink dischargings from the plurality of print elements during print scanning by reciprocate-scanning of the inkjet printhead; determination means for determining at predetermined time intervals whether or not the number of ink dischargings from each of the plurality of print elements, counted by said count means, is equal to or greater than a predetermined number; update means for updating a printable period in accordance with the result of determination by said determination means; comparison means for comparing the printable period updated by said update means with time necessary for a next print scanning, upon completion of one print scanning by the reciprocate-scanning of the inkjet printhead; and preliminary discharge control means for performing preliminary discharge from said the inkjet printhead in accordance with the result of comparison by said comparison means.