Discharge recovery method for ink jet apparatus using waterproof ink and ink jet apparatus employing the method

An ink jet apparatus having discharge orifices including first ink orifices for discharging a first ink, said first ink containing urea, and second ink orifices for discharging a second ink, said second ink not containing urea and having waterproof properties different from said first ink, the apparatus comprising:

• a cap for covering both said first ink orifices and said second ink orifices collectively;
• suction means, connected to said cap to apply suction at an inside thereof, for effecting suction from both said first ink orifices and said second ink orifices when said cap covers both said first ink orifices and said second ink orifices collectively;
• discharge means for discharging said first ink and said second ink from said discharge orifices to said cap;
• and
• control means for causing said suction means to suck ink from both said first ink orifices and said second ink orifices when said cap covers both said first ink orifices and said second ink orifices collectively, for causing both said first ink orifices and said second ink orifices to discharge ink into said cap so that the first ink and the second ink are mixed in said cap, and for causing said suction means to exhaust ink out of said cap when an inside of said cap communicates with air.

An ink jet apparatus having an ink jet head having discharge orifices which include first ink discharge orifices for discharging a first ink, said first ink containing urea, and second ink discharge orifices for discharging a second ink, said second ink not containing urea and having waterproof properties different from said first ink and an ink storing portion for storing ink supplied to said ink jet head, said apparatus comprising:

• a cap for covering both said first ink discharge orifices and said second ink discharge orifices collectively;
• suction means for sucking through an opening portion provided in said cap;
• and
• control means for controlling the ink jet apparatus such that said first ink and said second ink are sucked from said discharge orifices by said suction means when said ink storing portion is not mounted.

An ink jet apparatus having an ink jet head having discharge orifices which include first ink discharge orifices for discharging a first ink, said first ink containing urea, and second ink discharge orifices for discharging a second ink, said second ink not containing urea and having waterproof properties different from said first ink, and an ink storing portion for storing ink supplied to said ink jet head, said apparatus comprising:

• a cap for covering both said first ink discharge orifices and said second ink discharge orifices collectively;
• discharge means for discharging said first ink and said second ink from said discharge orifices to said cap;
• and
• control means for controlling the ink jet apparatus such that said first ink and said second ink are discharged from said discharge orifices to said cap by said discharge means when said ink storing portion is not mounted.