Element substrate, and printhead, head cartridge, and printing apparatus using the element substrate

A printhead which has an element substrate having a plurality of electrothermal transducers and a plurality of switching elements provided in correspondence with the plurality of electrothermal transducers to drive the electrothermal transducers,

• the element substrate comprising:
• an electrothermal transducer selection circuit which receives a print data signal and a block enable signal to divide the plurality of electrothermal transducers into a plurality of blocks, and selectively and time-divisionally drive the blocks and outputs a driving signal;
• a level converter which is provided for a set of a plurality of switching elements corresponding to adjacent electrothermal transducers and steps up the input driving signal;
• and
• a selection circuit which selects, from the adjacent switching elements on the basis of an externally input selection signal, a supply destination of the driving signal output from the level converter.

A head cartridge which has a printhead including an element substrate having a plurality of electrothermal transducers and a plurality of switching elements provided in correspondence with the plurality of electrothermal transducers to drive the electrothermal transducers, and an ink tank containing ink,

• the element substrate comprising:
• an electrothermal transducer selection circuit which receives a print data signal and a block enable signal to divide the plurality of electrothermal transducers into a plurality of blocks, and selectively and time-divisionally drive the blocks and outputs a driving signal;
• a level converter which is provided for a set of a plurality of switching elements corresponding to adjacent electrothermal transducers and steps up the input driving signal;
• and
• a selection circuit which selects, from the adjacent switching elements on the basis of an externally input selection signal, a supply destination of the driving signal output from the level converter.

A printing apparatus which has a printhead including an element substrate having a plurality of electrothermal transducers and a plurality of switching elements provided in correspondence with the plurality of electrothermal transducers to drive the electrothermal transducers,

• the element substrate comprising:
• an electrothermal transducer selection circuit which receives a print data signal and a block enable signal to divide the plurality of electrothermal transducers into a plurality of blocks, and selectively and time-divisionally drive the blocks and outputs a driving signal;
• a level converter which is provided for a set of a plurality of switching elements corresponding to adjacent electrothermal transducers and steps up the input driving signal;
• and
• a selection circuit which selects, from the adjacent switching elements on the basis of an externally input selection signal, a supply destination of the driving signal output from the level converter.