Ink jet recording apparatus and ink ejection control method

An ink ejection control method in an ink jet recording apparatus including an ink jet head which has at least one ink reservoir chamber having a predetermined capacity for receiving ink from an ink source and having a nozzle for ejecting ink, and which further has a deformable element associated with the ink reservoir chamber and being deformable by changing a drive voltage thereto so as to change the capacity of the ink reservoir chamber, the ink jet recording apparatus further including a drive voltage generator unit that generates the drive voltage to be applied to the deformable element, the ink ejection control method comprising the steps of:

• controlling the drive voltage applied to the deformable element from the drive voltage generator unit, so as to achieve an ink ejection cycle that includes a supplying stage in which ink is supplied into the ink reservoir chamber from the ink source by increasing the capacity of the ink reservoir chamber to a first value, and an ejecting stage in which ink is ejected from the ink reservoir chamber through the nozzle by reducing the capacity of the ink reservoir chamber to a second value;
• and
• controlling the drive voltage applied to the deformable element from the drive voltage generator unit so that, during the ejecting stage of each ink ejection cycle, the capacity of the ink reservoir chamber is maintained at a third value between the first value and the second value, and then reduced to the second value, the capacity of the ink reservoir chamber being maintained at the third value for a sufficient duration to enable a supplemental amount of ink to be supplied into the ink reservoir chamber from the ink source.

An ink jet recording apparatus comprising:

• an ink jet head including at least one ink reservoir chamber having a predetermined capacity for receiving ink from an ink source and having a nozzle for ejecting ink, and a deformable element associated with the ink reservoir chamber and being deformable by changing a drive voltage thereto so as to change the capacity of the ink reservoir chamber;
• drive voltage generator means for generating the drive voltage to be applied to the deformable element;
• and
• drive voltage control means for controlling the drive voltage applied to the deformable element from the drive voltage generator means, so as to achieve an ink ejection cycle that includes a supplying stage in which ink is supplied into the ink reservoir chamber from the ink source by increasing the capacity of the ink reservoir chamber to a first value, and an ejecting stage in which ink is ejected from the ink reservoir chamber through the nozzle by reducing the capacity of the ink reservoir chamber to a second value;
• wherein the drive voltage control means for controlling the drive voltage applied to the deformable element from the drive voltage generator unit so that, during the ejecting stage of each ink ejection cycle, the capacity of the ink reservoir chamber is maintained at a third value between the first value and the second value, and then reduced to the second value, the capacity of the ink reservoir chamber being maintained at the third value for a sufficient duration to enable a supplemental amount of ink to be supplied into the ink reservoir chamber from the ink source.