Ink jet recording apparatus and method for recording information with blend of plural types of ink and ink tank used in the same

An ink jet recording method which performs recording by means of a plurality of recording heads, each said recording head having at least one discharge opening, comprising the steps of:

• storing a first ink, wherein the first ink contains a dye;
• storing a second ink, wherein the second ink is a clear ink which does not contain a dye;
• supplying said first ink to a first said recording head;
• supplying said first ink and said second ink to a second said recording head;
• setting a ratio of mixing of said first and said second inks;
• mixing said first and second inks at said ratio to form a mixed ink;
• discharging said first ink through said first recording head;
• and
• discharging said mixed ink through said second recording head.

An ink jet recording apparatus which performs recording by means of a plurality of recording heads, each said recording head having at least one ink discharge opening, comprising:

• a plurality of ink storage means for storing a plurality of inks, wherein each said ink contains a different type of a colorant;
• a clear ink storage means for storing a clear ink, wherein the clear ink does not contain a dye;
• a plurality of first recording heads for discharging a color ink to be stored in said plurality of ink storage means;
• a plurality of second recording heads for discharging a mixed ink of said clear ink and each of a plurality of inks stored in said plurality of ink storage means;
• ink supplying means for supplying the color inks stored in said plurality of ink storage means to a corresponding said recording head in said plurality of first recording heads, and supplying said color ink and said clear ink to said second recording head;
• and
• mixing ratio setting means for controlling the ratio of said color ink and said clear ink to be provided to said second recording head, wherein the ink discharged from said recording head is said color ink and said clear ink, mixed at a predetermined mixing ratio.

An ink jet recording method which performs recording by means of a plurality of recording heads, each said recording head having at least one discharge opening, comprising the steps of:

• storing a plurality of inks, wherein each said ink contains a different type of colorant;
• storing a clear ink, wherein the clear ink does not contain a dye;
• supplying a color ink to a plurality of first said recording heads;
• supplying said color ink and said clear ink to a plurality of second said recording heads;
• setting a ratio of mixing of said color ink with said clear ink;
• mixing said color ink and said clear ink at said ratio to form a mixed ink;
• discharging said color ink through said plurality of first recording heads;
• and
• discharging said mixed ink through said plurality of second recording heads.

An ink tank comprising:

• partitioning means for dividing an interior of the ink tank into a plurality of ink chambers for separately storing a plurality of inks containing a colorant, and for storing a clear ink not containing a colorant, each said ink chamber storing a respective one of said inks;
• and
• an ink supplying section through which one of said inks containing a colorant selected from said plurality of inks and said clear ink are supplied from said ink chambers, said ink supplying section being divided by said partitioning means to provide openings of different areas communicating with respective ones of said ink chambers so that a ratio of rates of supply of said inks from said respective ink chambers is determined in accordance with a ratio of the areas of said openings associated with said respective ink chambers,
• said ink supplying section supplying said inks at said ratio to provide a mixed ink.

An ink jet recording apparatus which performs recording by means of a plurality of recording heads, each said recording head having a plurality of ink discharge openings, comprising:

• a plurality of ink storage means for storing a plurality of different kinds of inks, wherein each said ink contains a different type of colorant;
• a clear ink storage means for storing a clear ink not containing a dye;
• a plurality of first recording heads for discharging a color ink stored in said plurality of ink storage means;
• a plurality of second recording heads for discharging a mixed ink of said clear ink and each of a plurality of inks stored in said plurality of ink storage means;
• ink supplying means for supplying color inks stored in said plurality of ink storage means to a corresponding said recording head in said plurality of said first recording heads, and supplying said color ink and said clear ink to said second recording head in said plurality of said second recording heads;
• and
• mixing control means for controlling mixing of said inks by said ink supplying means to said second recording head in accordance with an image to be recorded.

An ink jet recording apparatus which performs recording by means of a recording head, said recording head having at least one discharge opening, comprising:

• an ink storage means for storing an ink, wherein said ink contains a colorant;
• a clear ink storage means for storing a clear ink, wherein the clear ink does not contain a dye;
• mixing ratio setting means for setting a ratio of said ink and said clear ink to be supplied to said recording head;
• and
• ink supplying means for supplying the ink stored in said ink storage means and said clear ink stored in said clear ink storage means to said recording head at a ratio in accordance with the set ratio.

An ink jet recording method which performs recording by means of a recording head, which has at least one discharge opening, comprising steps of:

• storing an ink, wherein said ink contains a colorant;
• storing a clear ink, wherein the clear ink does not contain a colorant;
• setting a ratio of mixing of said ink with said clear ink;
• supplying an ink and said clear ink to said recording head at said ratio set by said setting step and forming a mixed ink;
• and
• discharging said mixed ink through said recording head.