Ink-jet recording apparatus and recording method for realizing satisfactory recording even when ink temperature is suddenly changed

An ink-jet recording apparatus which includes an ink-jet head and performs recording by discharging an ink onto a recording-objective medium by driving an actuator, the apparatus comprising:

• a temperature sensor which detects a temperature of the ink;
• a drive voltage-determining section which determines a drive voltage amplitude for driving the actuator, according to the temperature of the ink detected by the temperature sensor, and which determines a new drive voltage amplitude when the temperature of the ink is changed;
• and
• a driving section which drives the actuator by one of the drive voltage amplitude and the new drive voltage amplitude determined by the drive voltage-determining section;
• wherein the drive voltage-determining section calculates one of a difference between a first temperature detected at a first timing and a second temperature detected at a second timing and a difference between a first drive voltage amplitude at the first timing determined based on the first temperature and a temporary drive voltage amplitude set based on the second temperature, and the drive voltage-determining section determines a second drive voltage amplitude at the second timing which directly corresponds to the calculated difference;
• and
• wherein when the difference is greater than a predetermined value, the drive voltage-determining section determines a drive voltage amplitude, which is obtained by correcting the first drive voltage amplitude at the first timing only by a correction amount corresponding to the predetermined value, to be the second drive voltage amplitude at the second timing.

A recording method for using an ink-jet head which performs recording by discharging an ink onto a recording-objective medium by driving an actuator, the method comprising:

• detecting a first temperature of the ink at a first timing;
• determining a first drive voltage amplitude at the first timing based on the first temperature of the ink at the first timing;
• detecting a second temperature of the ink at a second timing;
• setting a temporary drive voltage amplitude based on the second temperature of the ink at the second timing;
• calculating one of a difference between the first temperature of the ink detected at the first timing and the second temperature of the ink detected at the second timing and a difference between the first drive voltage amplitude at the first timing determined based on the first temperature and the temporary drive voltage amplitude set based on the second temperature;
• determining a second drive voltage amplitude at the second timing which directly corresponds to the calculated difference;
• and
• performing the recording by discharging the ink onto the recording-objective medium by driving the actuator by the second drive voltage amplitude at the second timing which has been determined;
• wherein when the difference is not more than a predetermined value, the temporary drive voltage amplitude is determined to be the second drive voltage amplitude at the second timing;
• and
• when the difference is greater than the predetermined value, a drive voltage amplitude, which is made to be close, from the first drive voltage amplitude at the first timing, to the temporary drive voltage amplitude by only a value smaller than a difference voltage between the first drive voltage amplitude at the first timing and the temporary drive voltage amplitude, is determined to be the second drive voltage amplitude at the second timing.

A recording method for using an ink-jet head which performs recording by discharging an ink onto a recording-objective medium by driving an actuator, the method comprising:

• detecting a first temperature of the ink at a first timing;
• determining a first drive voltage amplitude at the first timing based on the first temperature of the ink at the first timing;
• detecting a second temperature of the ink at a second timing;
• setting a temporary drive voltage amplitude based on the second temperature of the ink at the second timing;
• calculating one of a difference between the first temperature of the ink detected at the first timing and the second temperature of the ink detected at the second timing and a difference between the first drive voltage amplitude at the first timing determined based on the first temperature and the temporary drive voltage amplitude set based on the second temperature;
• determining a second drive voltage amplitude at the second timing which directly corresponds to the calculated difference;
• and
• performing the recording by discharging the ink onto the recording-objective medium by driving the actuator by the second drive voltage amplitude at the second timing which has been determined;
• and
• wherein when the difference is greater than a predetermined value, a drive voltage amplitude, which is obtained by correcting the first drive voltage amplitude at the first timing only by a correction amount corresponding to the predetermined value, is determined to be the second drive voltage amplitude at the second timing.

A recording method for using an ink-jet head which performs recording by discharging an ink onto a recording-objective medium by driving an actuator, the method comprising:

• detecting a first temperature of the ink at a first timing;
• determining a first drive voltage amplitude at the first timing based on the first temperature of the ink at the first timing;
• detecting a second temperature of the ink at a second timing;
• setting a temporary drive voltage amplitude based on the second temperature of the ink at the second timing;
• calculating one of a difference between the first temperature of the ink detected at the first timing and the second temperature of the ink detected at the second timing and a difference between the first drive voltage amplitude at the first timing determined based on the first temperature and the temporary drive voltage amplitude set based on the second temperature;
• determining a second drive voltage amplitude at the second timing which directly corresponds to the calculated difference;
• and
• performing the recording by discharging the ink onto the recording-objective medium by driving the actuator by the second drive voltage amplitude at the second timing which has been determined;
• wherein the second drive voltage amplitude at the second timing is determined by referring to a table in which drive voltage amplitudes are set for a plurality of temperature ranges, respectively;
• and
• wherein when the difference is greater than a predetermined value, a drive voltage amplitude between the first drive voltage amplitude at the first timing and the temporary drive voltage amplitude is read from the table, and the read drive voltage amplitude is determined to be the second drive voltage amplitude at the second timing.