| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To increase throughput by eliminating a waiting time at the start of printing, brought about by a cleaning operation, to the utmost, when the cleaning operation is performed for a print head before the start of the printing depending on a time elapsed from the previous cleaning operation. SOLUTION: In this head maintenance method, the cleaning operation, including suction and ejection operations in which the print head 21 with an ink nozzle capable of ejecting an ink liquid sucks in and ejects the ink liquid from the ink nozzle, is performed before the printing is started in a state in which a predetermined time has elapsed from the completion of the previous cleaning operation. After the completion of a printing operation by the print head 21, it is determined whether or not the time elapsed from the completion of the previous cleaning operation is as long as/longer than a determination time set before the above predetermined time. When the time elapsed from the completion of the previous cleaning operation is as long as/longer than the determination time, the cleaning operation is performed. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT |
