Ink jet recording apparatus

An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising:

• an ink tank that stores ink;
• an ink jet print head that performs recording onto a recording medium by ejecting the ink stored in the ink tank, the ink jet print head having an ink ejection surface on which nozzles are formed;
• a purge device that recovers an ink ejection condition by sucking the ink from the nozzles formed on the ink ejection surface;
• a remaining ink amount detection device that detects whether a remaining ink amount in the ink tank is less than a predetermined amount;
• a suction force changing device that changes an ink suction force of the purge device to a second suction force when the remaining ink amount detected by the remaining ink amount detection device is less than the predetermined amount, from a first suction force that is used when the remaining ink amount is equal to or greater than the predetermined amount, the second suction force being weaker than the first suction force;
• and
• a display that indicates an ink low condition when a user has selected a purge operation a preselected number of times while the ink stored in the ink tank is determined to be less than the predetermined amount by the remaining ink amount detection device.

An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising:

• an ink tank that stores ink;
• an ink jet print head that ejects the ink, the ink jet print head having an ink ejection surface on which nozzles are formed;
• a purge device that sucks the ink from the nozzles, the purge device including a purge cap that forms an enclosed space with the ink ejection surface by covering the ink ejection surface, and a suction pump that communicates with the purge cap;
• a remaining ink amount detection device that detects whether an ink amount in the ink tank is less than a predetermined amount;
• a changing device that changes a suction volume of the suction pump during an operation of the purge device, to a second suction volume when the ink amount detected by the remaining ink amount detection device is less than the predetermined amount, from a first suction volume that is used when the ink amount in the ink tank is equal to or greater than the predetermined amount, the second suction volume being smaller than the first suction volume;
• and
• a display that indicates an ink low condition when a user has selected a purge operation a preselected number of times while the ink stored in the ink tank is determined to be less than the predetermined amount by the remaining ink amount detection device.

An ink jet recording apparatus comprising:

• an ink tank that stores ink;
• a recording head that ejects the ink stored in the ink tank to a recording medium, the recording head including nozzles;
• a memory storing a program, the program being operable to determine whether an amount of ink stored in the ink tank is less than a predetermined amount, and to output a low suction signal if the ink amount is determined to be less than the predetermined amount and to otherwise output a high suction signal;
• and
• a purge device that purges ink from the nozzles with a level of suction force based on the signal outputted by the program, the suction force indicated by the low suction signal being lower than that indicated by the high suction signal, wherein the program outputs a signal indicative of an ink low condition for display when a user has selected a purge operation a preselected number of times while the ink stored in the ink tank is determined to be less than the predetermined amount.

A method of operating an ink jet recording apparatus having an ink tank that stores ink, a recording head that includes nozzles which eject the ink stored in the ink tank to a recording medium, and a purge device that purges ink from the nozzles, the method comprising:

• determining whether an amount of ink stored in the ink tank is below a predetermined amount;
• outputting a low suction signal to the purge device if the ink amount is determined to be below the predetermined amount;
• outputting a high suction signal to the purge device if the ink amount is determined not to be below the predetermined amount;
• purging by the purging device the ink from the nozzles with a level of suction force based on the outputted signal, the suction force indicated by the low suction signal being lower than that indicated by the high suction signal;
• and
• outputting a signal indicative of an ink low condition for display when a user has selected a purge operation a preselected number of times while the ink stored in the ink tank is determined to be less than the predetermined amount.