Ink jet recording apparatus and method of driving ink jet recording head incorporated in the same

An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising:

• a recording head, provided with a pressure chamber communicated with a nozzle orifice from which an ink droplet is ejected, and a vibration plate which constitutes a part of the pressure chamber;
• a pressure generating element, which deforms the vibration plate to vary a volume of the pressure chamber;
• and
• a drive signal generator, which generates a drive signal for driving the pressure generating element, the drive signal including:
• a first waveform component, which drives the pressure generating element so as to contract the pressure chamber, to push out a meniscus of ink from the nozzle orifice such an extent that an ink drop is not ejected therefrom;
• a second waveform component, which follows the first waveform component and drives the pressure generating element so as to expand the pressure chamber to a first volume, to pull the meniscus toward the pressure chamber;
• a third waveform component, which follows the second waveform component and drives the pressure generating element so as to contract the pressure chamber from the first volume to a second volume which is larger than an initial volume of the pressure chamber, and hold the contracted state to eject an ink droplet from the nozzle orifice;
• and
• a fourth waveform component, which follows the third waveform component and drives the pressure generating element so as to contract the pressure chamber such an extent that an ink droplet is not ejected from the nozzle orifice.