Ink jet printer and drive method thereof

摘要

Disclosed is an ink jet printer comprising pattern storage means (110) for storing the print pattern data and sequentially outputting the stored data in conjunction with the relative motion of the print head (30), and a separate purging data generator 160 for causing ink droplets to be ejected simultaneously from plural ejection nozzles of the print head 30. The ink jet printer further comprises selecting means (150) for selecting the output from either the pattern storage means (110) or the purging data generator (160), and ejecting ink droplets from the plural ejection nozzles according to the selected output. This structure avoids the problem involved in a conventional ink jet printer in which purging data generated by an purging data generator is stored to the pattern storage means in the same manner as print pattern data, thereby complicating the control process, preventing print data from being received by the printer during the purging process, and thus resulting in an overall drop in effective printer speed.