Recovery of ink jet recording apparatus using controlled suction of ink

An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising:

• an ink jet head for discharging ink onto a recording medium;
• a supporting member for supporting said ink jet head;
• a cap for receiving ink which is located opposite to said ink jet head when the ink jet head performs a maintaining and recovering ink discharge from said ink jet head;
• a waste ink tank for receiving ink exhausted from said cap;
• an ink pump for transporting ink received by said cap to said waste ink tank by performing idle suction, said ink pump performing the idle suction a number of times;
• and
• a control unit for controlling said ink pump to vary the number of times of the idle suction, wherein the idle suction includes idle suction for recovery suction and idle suction for idle discharge, the recovery suction being suction of ink when said cap caps said ink jet head and the idle suction being suction of ink when said cap is communicated with atmosphere, and the number of times of the idle suction is less for the idle suction for idle discharge than for the idle suction for recovery suction.

An ink jet recovery apparatus for use with an ink jet head for discharging ink, comprising:

• a cap for receiving ink which is located opposite to said ink jet head when the ink jet head performs a maintaining and recovering ink discharge from said ink jet head;
• a waste ink tank for receiving ink exhausted from said cap;
• an ink pump for transporting ink received by said cap to said waste ink tank by performing idle suction, said ink pump performing the idle suction a number of times;
• and
• a control unit for controlling said ink pump to vary the number of times of the idle suction, wherein
• the idle suction includes idle suction for recovery suction and idle suction for idle discharge, the recovery suction being suction of ink when said cap caps said ink jet head and the idle suction being suction of ink when said cap is communicated with atmosphere, and the number of times of the idle suction is less for the idle suction for idle discharge than for the idle suction for recovery suction.

An operating method for an ink jet recovery apparatus, the ink jet recovery apparatus being used with an ink jet head for discharging ink, the method comprising the steps of:

• performing a maintaining and recovering ink discharge from said ink jet head;
• receiving ink in a cap located opposite to said ink jet head when the ink jet head performs the maintaining and recovering ink discharge;
• receiving ink exhausted from said cap in a waste ink tank;
• performing idle suction using an ink pump to transport ink received by said cap to said waste ink tank, said idle suction being performed a number of times;
• and
• controlling said ink pump to vary the number of times of the idle suction,
• wherein the idle suction includes idle suction for recovery suction and idle suction for idle discharge, the recovery suction being suction of ink when said cap caps said ink jet head and the idle suction being suction of ink when said cap is communicated with atmosphere, and the number of times of the idle suction is less for the idle suction for idle discharge than for the idle suction for recovery suction.

An operating method for an ink jet recording apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• discharging ink onto a recording medium using an ink jet head;
• providing a supporting member for supporting said ink jet head;
• performing a maintaining and recovering ink discharge from said ink jet head;
• receiving ink in a cap located opposite to said ink jet head when the ink jet head performs the maintaining and recovering ink discharge;
• receiving ink exhausted from said cap in a waste ink tank;
• performing idle suction using an ink pump to transport ink received by said cap to said waste ink tank, said idle suction being performed a number of times;
• and
• controlling said ink pump to vary the number of times of the idle suction,
• wherein the idle suction includes idle suction for recovery suction and idle suction for idle discharge, the recovery suction being suction of ink when said cap caps said ink jet head and the idle suction being suction of ink when said cap is communicated with atmosphere, and the number of times of the idle suction is less for the idle suction for idle discharge than for the idle suction for recovery suction.

An operating method for an ink jet recovery apparatus for use with an ink jet head for discharging ink, the method comprising the steps of:

• performing a maintaining and recovering ink discharge from said ink jet head;
• receiving ink in a cap located opposite to said ink jet head when the ink jet head performs a maintaining and recovering ink discharge;
• receiving ink exhausted from said cap in a waste ink tank;
• performing idle suction using an ink pump to transport ink received by said cap to said waste ink tank, said idle suction being performed a number of times;
• and
• controlling said ink pump to vary the number of times of the idle suction, wherein
• the idle suction includes idle suction for recovery suction and idle suction for idle discharge, the recovery suction being suction of ink when said cap caps said ink jet head and the idle suction being suction of ink when said cap is communicated with atmosphere, and the number of times of the idle suction is less for the idle suction for idle discharge than for the idle suction for recovery suction.

An ink jet recovery apparatus for use with an ink jet head for discharging ink, comprising:

• a cap for receiving ink which is located opposite to said ink jet head when maintaining and recovering ink discharge from said ink jet head;
• a waste ink tank for receiving ink exhausted from said cap;
• an ink pump for transporting ink received by said cap to said waste ink tank by performing idle suction, said ink pump performing the idle suction a number of times;
• and
• a control unit for controlling said ink pump to vary the number of times of the idle suction of said ink pump, wherein the idle suction includes idle suction for recovery suction and idle suction during recording, the recovery suction being suction of ink when said cap caps said ink jet head and the idle suction being suction of ink when said cap is communicated with atmosphere, and the number of times of the idle suction is less for the idle suction during recording than for the idle suction for recovery suction.

An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising:

• an ink jet head for discharging ink onto a recording medium;
• a supporting member for supporting said ink jet head;
• a cap for receiving ink which is located opposite to said ink jet head when the ink jet head performs a maintaining and recovering ink discharge from said ink jet head;
• a waste ink tank for receiving ink exhausted from said cap;
• an ink pump for transporting ink received by said cap to said waste ink tank by performing idle suction, said ink pump performing the idle suction a number of times;
• and
• a control unit for controlling said ink pump to vary the number of times of the idle suction, wherein the idle suction includes idle suction for recovery suction and idle suction during recording, the recovery suction being suction of ink when said cap caps said ink jet head and the idle suction being suction of ink when said cap is communicated with atmosphere, and the number of times of the idle suction is less for the idle suction during recording than for the idle suction for recovery suction.

An ink jet recovery apparatus for use with an ink jet head for discharging ink, comprising:

• a cap for receiving ink which is located opposite to said ink jet head when the ink jet head performs a maintaining and recovering ink discharge from said ink jet head;
• a waste ink tank for receiving ink exhausted from said cap;
• an ink pump for transporting ink received by said cap to said waste ink tank by performing idle suction, said ink pump performing the idle suction a number of times;
• and
• a control unit for controlling said ink pump to vary the number of times of the idle suction, wherein
• the idle suction includes idle suction for recovery suction and idle suction during recording, the recovery suction being suction of ink when said cap caps said ink jet head and the idle suction being suction of ink when said cap is communicated with atmosphere, and the number of times of the idle suction is less for the idle suction during recording than for the idle suction for recovery suction.

An operating method for an ink jet recovery apparatus, the ink jet recovery apparatus being used with an ink jet head for discharging ink, the method comprising the steps of:

• performing a maintaining and recovering ink discharge from said ink jet head;
• receiving ink in a cap located opposite to said ink jet head when the ink jet head performs the maintaining and recovering ink discharge;
• receiving ink exhausted from said cap in a waste ink tank;
• performing idle suction using an ink pump to transport ink received by said cap to said waste ink tank, said idle suction being performed a number of times;
• and
• controlling said ink pump to vary the number of times of the idle suction,
• wherein the idle suction includes idle suction for recovery suction and idle suction during recording, the recovery suction being suction of ink when said cap caps said ink jet head and the idle suction being suction of ink when said cap is communicated with atmosphere, and the number of times of the idle suction is less for the idle suction during recording than for the idle suction for recovery suction.

An operating method for an ink jet recording apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• discharging ink onto a recording medium using an ink jet head;
• providing a supporting member for supporting said ink jet head;
• performing a maintaining and recovering ink discharge from said ink jet head;
• receiving ink in a cap located opposite to said ink jet head when the ink jet head performs the maintaining and recovering ink discharge;
• receiving ink exhausted from said cap in a waste ink tank;
• performing idle suction using an ink pump to transport ink received by said cap to said waste ink tank, said idle suction being performed a number of times;
• and
• controlling said ink pump to vary the number of times of the idle suction,
• wherein the idle suction includes idle suction for recovery suction and idle suction during recording, the recovery suction being suction of ink when said cap caps said ink jet head and the idle suction being suction of ink when said cap is communicated with atmosphere, and the number of times of the idle suction is less for the idle suction during recording than for the idle suction for recovery suction.

An operating method for an ink jet recovery apparatus for use with an ink jet head for discharging ink, the method comprising the steps of:

• performing a maintaining and recovering ink discharge from said ink jet head;
• receiving ink in a cap located opposite to said ink jet head when the ink jet head performs a maintaining and recovering ink discharge;
• receiving ink exhausted from said cap in a waste ink tank;
• performing idle suction using an ink pump to transport ink received by said cap to said waste ink tank, said idle suction being performed a number of times;
• and
• controlling said ink pump to vary the number of times of the idle suction, wherein
• the idle suction includes idle suction for recovery suction and idle suction during recording, the recovery suction being suction of ink when said cap caps said ink jet head and the idle suction of ink being suction of ink when said cap is communicated with atmosphere, and the number of times of the idle suction is less for the idle suction during recording than for the idle suction for recovery suction.