Print control method and printer

An inkjet printing apparatus for performing printing by using a printhead for discharging an ink, the printhead having a plurality of printing elements divided into a plurality of blocks, said apparatus comprising:

• driving means for driving the plurality of printing elements in units of the blocks;
• measuring means for measuring a time elapsed from an immediately previous ink discharge for each of the blocks;
• determining means for determining whether a predetermined time of each block measured by said measuring means has elapsed;
• and
• preliminary discharge control means for controlling a drive of the printhead to perform preliminary ink discharge of a block for which has been determined by said determining means that the predetermined time has elapsed.

An inkjet printing apparatus for performing printing by using an ink cartridge in which a printhead for discharging an ink and an ink tank for storing the ink are integrally formed, comprising:

• attaching means to which either a first ink cartridge having an ink tank containing a thick ink or a second ink cartridge having an ink tank containing a thin ink is selectively attached;
• capping means for capping an ink discharge surface of the printhead that is integrally formed in the first or second ink cartridge attached to said attaching means;
• identifying means for identifying whether the ink cartridge attached to said attaching means is the first ink cartridge or the second ink cartridge;
• setting means for setting a magnitude of a recovery operation, which includes a first suction operation for drawing ink from an interior of said capping means by suction and a second suction operation for drawing ink from discharge nozzles of the printhead by suction, in accordance with an identification result by said identifying means;
• and
• recovery means for executing the recovery operation in accordance with the magnitude set by said setting means, wherein
• said setting means sets the magnitude in a case where the second ink cartridge is attached to be larger than that in a case where the first ink cartridge is attached.

A print control method of printing by using a printhead, to which one of ink tanks respectively containing inks exhibiting different densities is selectively attached, for discharging an ink, said method comprising:

• an identification step of identifying a type of the attached ink tank;
• a setting step of setting a magnitude of a recovery operation for the printhead in accordance with the type of ink tank identified in said identification step, the recovery operation being executed after the ink tank is attached, and
• a recovery step of executing the recovery operation in accordance with the magnitude set in said setting step, wherein
• said setting step sets the magnitude in a case where the ink tank containing a thin ink is attached to be larger than that in a case where the ink tank containing a thick ink is attached.

A print control method of performing printing by using a printhead for discharging an ink, the printhead having a plurality of printing elements divided into a plurality of blocks, said method comprising:

• a driving step of driving the plurality of printing elements in units of the blocks;
• a measurement step of measuring a time elapsed from an immediately previous ink discharge for each of the blocks;
• a determination step of determining whether a predetermined time of each block measured in said measurement step has elapsed;
• and
• a preliminary discharge control step of controlling a drive of the printhead to perform preliminary ink discharge for a block for which has been determined at said determination step that the predetermined time has elapsed.

A print control method applied to a printing apparatus comprising attaching means to which either a first ink cartridge having an ink tank containing a thick ink and a printhead for discharging the ink or a second ink cartridge having an ink tank containing a thin ink and a printhead for discharging the ink is selectively attached, and a cap for capping an ink discharge surface of the printhead of the first or second ink cartridge attached to said attaching means, said method comprising:

• an identification step of identifying whether an ink cartridge attached to the attaching means is the first ink cartridge or the second ink cartridge;
• a setting step of setting a magnitude of a recovery operation, which includes a first suction operation for drawing ink from an interior of the cap by suction and a second suction operation for drawing ink from discharge nozzles of the printhead by suction, in accordance with an identification result in said identification step;
• and
• a recovery step of executing the recovery operation in accordance with the magnitude set in said setting step, wherein
• said setting means sets the magnitude in a case where the second ink cartridge is attached to be larger than that in a case where the first ink cartridge is attached.

An inkjet printing apparatus for performing printing by using a printhead for discharging an ink, comprising:

• attaching means to which either a first printhead for discharging a thick ink or a second printhead for discharging an thin ink is selectively attached;
• capping means for capping an ink discharge surface of the first or second printhead attached to said attaching means;
• identifying means for identifying whether the printhead attached to said attaching means is the first printhead or the second printhead;
• recovery means for executing a suction recovery operation, including a suction process for drawing residual ink from an interior of said capping means, for the first or second printhead attached to said attaching means through said capping means;
• and
• control means for controlling said recovery means such that a suction amount in the suction process in a case where said identification means identifies that the second printhead is attached to said attaching means is greater than the suction amount in a case where said identification means identifies that the first printhead is attached to said attaching means.

A print control method applied to an inkjet printing apparatus which performs printing by selectively attaching either a first printhead for discharging a thick ink or a second printhead for discharging a thin ink, the apparatus having capping means for capping an ink discharge surface of the attached first or second printhead, said method comprising:

• an identifying step of identifying whether the printhead attached to the attaching means is the first printhead or the second printhead;
• a recovery step of executing a suction recovery operation, including a suction process for drawing residual ink from an interior of the capping means, for the attached first or second printhead through the capping means;
• and
• a control step of controlling the suction recovery operation such that a suction amount in the suction process in a case where said identification step identifies that the second printhead is attached is greater than the suction amount in case where said identification step identifies that the first printhead is attached.