Patent ID: 7926912

Claim:
A liquid discharge method for discharging liquid from a discharge port by applying energy to the liquid, said method comprising the steps of: driving liquid through the discharge port, which includes, in a cross-section of the discharge port, with respect to a liquid discharge direction, two projections projecting toward an inside of the discharge port, as a pillar-shaped liquid stretching externally from the discharge port in the liquid discharge direction; retracting a liquid surface that is positioned on both sides of the two projections and an area between the two projections in the discharge port in a direction opposite to the liquid discharge direction while the liquid positioned in the area is connected to the pillar-shaped liquid and in contact with distal ends of the two projections; and separating the pillar-shaped liquid from the liquid positioned in the area to discharge the liquid from the discharge port while the liquid positioned in the area is in contact with the distal ends of the two projections after the retracting is commenced.