Ink jet recording device having monochromatic and color recording modes

Abstract

An ink jet recording device having scanning means for scanning an ink jet recording head having plural arrays in a scanning direction, wherein each of the arrays has discharge ports such that each of the arrays discharges a different color ink, supplying means for supplying recording signals corresponding to a first recording area to plural of ink discharge energy generating elements, conveying means for conveying a recording medium relative to the recording head, and control means for controlling the ink jet recording head, the supplying means and conveying means so that when the control means operates in a first recording mode, a recording covering the first recording area is produced by one of the arrays during one scanning operation, and when the control means operates in a second recording mode a recording covering a second recording area which is smaller than the first recording area is produced by each of the arrays during one scanning operation. The control means selects the recording mode at least according to a number of colors of an image to be recorded on the recording medium and the second recording area produced by respective arrays during the one scanning operation are not overlapped in the scanning direction.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.