Multi-step heating of a recording head

Claim 2

A recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording material, the apparatus comprising: record control means for controlling a recording head to effect a recording operation; a heat generating element for controlling a temperature of the recording head; driving means for driving said heat generating element to generate heat; and control means for controlling said driving means to generate heat with said heat generating element with plural steps, each generating heat a plurality of times in a predetermined heat generating period, after completion of a recording operation, wherein energy applied to said heat generating element in a later step is smaller than energy applied to said heat generating element in an earlier step.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a heat generating cycle in a later step is longer than a heat generating cycle in an earlier step.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means permits drive of said heat generating element to generate heat after actuation of a main switch of said recording apparatus and before start of a recording operation.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein energy applied to said heat generating element before starting a recording operation is larger than energy applied to said heat generating element in a later step.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising counting means for counting a number of pulse drives in heating steps executed prior to the start of the recording operation, wherein when the number exceeds a predetermined number, said control means controls said driving means so that energy applied to said heat generating element in subsequent heat generating steps is smaller than energy applied to said heat generating element in a heat generating step executed before the start of a recording operation.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said control means controls said driving means so that energy applied to said heat generating element in a heat generating step after the start of a recording operation is smaller than energy applied to said heat generating element in a heat generating step executed before the start of the recording operation.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said driving means pulsewisely drives said heat generating element.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature relating to said recording head, wherein said control means drives said driving means in accordance with temperature information detected by said temperature detecting means.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising memory means for storing a driving condition with which said heat generating element is driven in accordance with temperature information detected by said temperature detecting means, wherein said control means controls said driving means in accordance with the driving condition.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording head comprises an ink jet recording head for ejecting ink for recording.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said recording head uses thermal energy to eject the ink and includes an energy transducer for generating thermal energy to be applied to the ink.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said energy transducer causes a state change in the ink to eject the ink through an ejection outlet.

Claim 14

A recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a recording element for recording the image, said recording element being different from said heat generating element.

Claim 15

A recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording material, the apparatus comprising: record control means for controlling a recording head to effect a recording operation; a heat generating element for controlling a temperature of the recording head; driving means for driving said heat generating element to generate heat; and control means for controlling said driving means to drive said heat generating element with a first step after actuation of a main switch of said recording apparatus and before start of a recording operation and thereafter to drive said heat generating element with a second step, heat being generated in each of said first step and said second step a plurality of times in a predetermined heat generating period, wherein energy applied to said heat generating element in said second step is smaller than energy applied to said heat generating element in said first step.

Claim 16

A recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording material, the apparatus comprising: record control means for controlling a recording head to effect a recording operation; a heat generating element for controlling a temperature of the recording head; driving means for driving said heat generating element to generate heat; and control means for controlling said driving means to drive said heat generating element with a first step after actuation of a main switch of said recording apparatus and before start of a recording operation and thereafter to drive said heat generating element with a second step, heat being generated in each of said first step and said second step a plurality of times in a predetermined heat generating period, wherein energy applied to said heat generating element in said second step is smaller than energy applied to said heat generating element in said first step.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said driving means pulsewisely drives said heat generating element.

Claim 18

An apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising counting means for counting a number of pulse drives in said first step, wherein said control means controls said driving means to permit said second step to be carried out when the number of pulses reaches a predetermined number.

Claim 19

An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said control means controls said driving means to permit said second step to be carried out when a recording operation is started.

Claim 20

An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said recording head comprises an ink jet recording head for ejecting ink for recording.

Claim 21

An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said recording head uses thermal energy to eject the ink and includes an energy transducer for generating thermal energy to be applied to the ink.

Claim 22

An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said energy transducer causes a state change in the ink to eject the ink through an ejection outlet.

Claim 23

A recording apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a recording element for recording the image, said recording element being different from said heat generating element.

Claim 24

A recording method for recording an image on a recording material, the method comprising the steps of: recording with a recording head; and performing a plurality of heat generating steps after said recording step by actuating a heat generating element for controlling the temperature of the recording head plural times so that heat is generated in each heat generating step a plurality of times in a predetermined heat generating period, wherein energy applied to said heat generating element in a later step is smaller than energy applied to said heat generating element in an earlier step.

Claim 25

A recording method for recording an image on a recording material, the method comprising the steps of: recording with a recording head; and performing a plurality of heat generating steps after said recording step by actuating a heat generating element for controlling the temperature of the recording head plural times so that heat is generated in each heat generating step a plurality of times in a predetermined heat generating period, wherein energy applied to said heat generating element in a later step is smaller than energy applied to said heat generating element in an earlier step.

Claim 26

An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the recording head comprises an ink jet recording head for ejecting ink for recording.

Claim 27

An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the recording head uses thermal energy to eject the ink and includes an energy transducer for generating thermal energy to be applied to the ink.

Claim 28

An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the energy transducer causes a state change in the ink to eject the ink through an ejection outlet.

Claim 29

A recording method for recording an image on a recording material, the method comprising the steps of: actuating a main switch of a recording apparatus; performing a first heat generating step after actuation of the main switch by driving a heat generating element for controlling a temperature of a recording head to generate heat before start of a recording operation; performing a second heat generating step when a predetermined condition is satisfied after said first heat generating step, wherein energy applied to the heat generating element in said second heat generating step is smaller than the energy applied to the heat generating element in said first heat generating step, and the heat generating element is driven in each of said first heat generating step and said second heat generating step to generate heat a plurality of times in a predetermined heat generating period; and recording using the recording head at least after said first heat generating step.

Claim 30

A recording method for recording an image on a recording material, the method comprising the steps of: actuating a main switch of a recording apparatus; performing a first heat generating step after actuation of the main switch by driving a heat generating element for controlling a temperature of a recording head to generate heat before start of a recording operation; performing a second heat generating step when a predetermined condition is satisfied after said first heat generating step, wherein energy applied to the heat generating element in said second heat generating step is smaller than the energy applied to the heat generating element in said first heat generating step, and the heat generating element is driven in each of said first heat generating step and said second heat generating step to generate heat a plurality of times in a predetermined heat generating period; and recording using the recording head at least after said first heat generating step.

Claim 31

An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the recording head comprises an ink jet recording head for ejecting ink for recording.

Claim 32

An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said recording head uses thermal energy to eject the ink and includes an energy transducer for generating thermal energy to be applied to the ink.

Claim 33

An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the energy transducer causes a state change in the ink to eject the ink through an ejection outlet.

Claim 34

A method according to claim 26, wherein the recording head has a recording element for recording the image which is different from the heat generating element.

Claim 35

A recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording material, the apparatus comprising: record control means for controlling a recording head to effect a recording operation; a heat generating element for controlling a temperature of the recording head; driving means for pulsewisely driving said heat generating element to generate heat; control means for controlling said driving means to generate heat with said heat generating element with plural steps, each having a predetermined heat generating period, after completion of a recording operation; and counting means for counting a number of pulse drives in heating steps executed prior to the start of the recording operation, wherein when the number exceeds a predetermined number, said control means controls said driving means so that energy applied to said heat generating element in subsequent heat generating steps is smaller than energy applied to said heat generating element in a heat generating step executed before the start of a recording operation.

Claim 36

A recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording material, the apparatus comprising: record control means for controlling a recording head to effect a recording operation; a heat generating element for controlling a temperature of the recording head; driving means for pulsewisely driving said heat generating element to generate heat; control means for controlling said driving means to generate heat with said heat generating element with plural steps, each having a predetermined heat generating period, after completion of a recording operation; and counting means for counting a number of pulse drives in heating steps executed prior to the start of the recording operation, wherein when the number exceeds a predetermined number, said control means controls said driving means so that energy applied to said heat generating element in subsequent heat generating steps is smaller than energy applied to said heat generating element in a heat generating step executed before the start of a recording operation.

Claim 37

A recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording material, the apparatus comprising: record control means for controlling a recording head to effect a recording operation; a heat generating element for controlling a temperature of the recording head; driving means for pulsewisely driving said heat generating element to generate heat; control means for controlling said driving means to drive said heat generating element with a first step after actuation of a main switch of said recording apparatus and before start of a recording operation and thereafter to drive said heat generating element with a second step; and counting means for counting a number of pulse drives in said first step, wherein said control means controls said driving means to permit said second step to be carried out when the number of pulses reaches a predetermined number and energy applied to said heat generating element in said second step is smaller than energy applied to said heat generating element in said first step.

Claim 38

A recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording material, the apparatus comprising: record control means for controlling a recording head to effect a recording operation; a heat generating element for controlling a temperature of the recording head; driving means for pulsewisely driving said heat generating element to generate heat; control means for controlling said driving means to drive said heat generating element with a first step after actuation of a main switch of said recording apparatus and before start of a recording operation and thereafter to drive said heat generating element with a second step; and counting means for counting a number of pulse drives in said first step, wherein said control means controls said driving means to permit said second step to be carried out when the number of pulses reaches a predetermined number and energy applied to said heat generating element in said second step is smaller than energy applied to said heat generating element in said first step.