Ink jet recording with coordinated capping and recovery ejection operations

摘要

A recording apparatus for performing recording with an ink jet recording head, capable of ejecting ink onto a recording medium, comprises a cap to be opened and closed with respect to a discharge-orifice face of the recording head and a cap drive mechanism for opening the cap at the initiation of recording head driving and closing the cap when a non-driving period of the recording head exceeds a predetermined period of time alpha . A preliminary ejection circuit causes ejection of ink from the discharge orifices by driving the recording head to remedy defective ink ejection and preliminary ejection drive circuitry provides for preliminary ejection when a predetermined period of time beta is exceeded after a previously executed preliminary ejection, wherein the predetermined period of time beta does not include time during which the cap is closed.