Discharge recovery method and apparatus for an ink jet recording head

A recording apparatus for effecting recording with an ink jet recording head having a plurality of discharge ports and a plurality of thermal energy generating elements each corresponding to each of said discharge ports, the apparatus comprising:

• capping means for capping said discharge ports;
• pressure applying means for applying pressure to said discharge ports to effect suction of ink from said discharge ports while said discharge ports are capped by said capping means;
• and
• recovery means for performing recovery according to at least two different recovery modes including a first recovery mode for only applying pressure to said discharge ports to effect suction of ink from said discharge ports while said discharge ports are capped by said capping means and a second recovery mode for concurrently applying pressure to said discharge ports and driving said thermal energy generating elements to forcibly exhaust ink from said discharge ports while said discharge ports are capped by said capping means, wherein one recovery mode of the first recovery mode and the second recovery mode is selected.

A recording apparatus for effecting recording with an ink jet recording head having a plurality of discharge ports and a plurality of energy generating elements each corresponding to each of said discharge ports, the apparatus comprising:

• capping means for capping said discharge ports;
• pressure applying means for applying pressure to said discharge ports to effect suction of ink from said discharge ports while said discharge ports are capped by said capping means;
• and
• recovery means for performing recovery according to at least two different recovery modes including a first recovery mode for only applying pressure to said discharge ports to effect suction of ink from said discharge ports while said discharge ports are capped by said capping means and a second recovery mode for concurrently applying pressure to said discharge ports and driving said energy generating elements to forcibly exhaust ink from said discharge ports while said discharge ports are capped by said capping means, wherein one recovery mode of the first recovery mode and the second recovery mode is selected.