In an existing service points granting method, service points are changed according to whether the ink ejection amount is corrected. However, changing the service points according to a user's purchases or purchase frequency for components or services has not been considered. A display unit displays products or services relevant to an ink jet recording apparatus, points corresponding to the products or services, and cumulative points possessed by each customer.

A print head of a continuous ink jet printer comprising: a cavity for the circulation of jets, at least one nozzle for producing at least one ink jet or solvent in the cavity, at least one electrode for sorting drops or segments of one or several of the jets intended for printing from drops or segments that are not used for printing, an outlet slot of the cavity, open onto the exterior of the cavity and allowing the exiting of the drops or segments of ink intended for printing, a 1.sup.st gutter for recovering drops or segments not intended for printing, a 2.sup.nd gutter for recovering drops or segments that are not deflected and not intended for printing, this 2.sup.nd gutter being mobile and comprising an input slot and at least one suction channel, a motor, to actuate the 2.sup.nd gutter for recovering in movement between a retracted position, in which it does not close off the outlet slot of the cavity, and a closed position, in which its input slot faces the outlet slot of the cavity; a seal between the print head and the 2.sup.nd gutter for recovering in the closed position of the latter.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an inkjet recording device that is capable of minimizing contamination, by floating ink, of the inside and outside of a print head without increasing the volatilization volume of a solvent. In order to attain the purpose, provided is an inkjet recording device having: a nozzle which applies print onto a printing medium by discharging ink; and a print head which houses therein a deflection electrode for deflecting the discharged ink by means of an electrostatic force, the inkjet recording device being provided with an ink suction unit which sucks in floating ink by means of the electrostatic force.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an inkjet recording device that is capable of minimizing contamination, by floating ink, of the inside and outside of a print head without increasing the volatilization volume of a solvent. In order to attain the purpose, provided is an inkjet recording device having: a nozzle which applies print onto a printing medium by discharging ink; and a print head which houses therein a deflection electrode for deflecting the discharged ink by means of an electrostatic force, the inkjet recording device being provided with an ink suction unit which sucks in floating ink by means of the electrostatic force.

An inkjet recording apparatus, which can enhance the reliability of the phase search result to detect the optimal timing when the ink particles are electrically charged by the electrification electrode and secure the stable printing quality, is provided. The inkjet recording apparatus includes an ink receptacle in which a printing ink for an object to be printed is received; a nozzle which is connected to the ink receptacle and from which the ink fed under pressure is discharged; an electrification electrode to make ink particles discharged from the nozzle electrically charged; an electrification signal generation unit to generate an electrification signal to make the electrification electrode electrically charged; deflection electrodes to make the ink particles electrically charged by the electrification electrode deflect; a gutter to recover the ink unused for the printing; and a control unit to control operations of the inkjet recording apparatus as a whole; a first electric charge detection section to detect an amount of electric charge in accordance with the electrically charged ink particles between the electrification electrode and the deflection electrodes; and a second electric charge detection section to detect an amount of electric charge of the ink flowing within the gutter.

An inkjet recording apparatus, which can enhance the reliability of the phase search result to detect the optimal timing when the ink particles are electrically charged by the electrification electrode and secure the stable printing quality, is provided. The inkjet recording apparatus includes an ink receptacle in which a printing ink for an object to be printed is received; a nozzle which is connected to the ink receptacle and from which the ink fed under pressure is discharged; an electrification electrode to make ink particles discharged from the nozzle electrically charged; an electrification signal generation unit to generate an electrification signal to make the electrification electrode electrically charged; deflection electrodes to make the ink particles electrically charged by the electrification electrode deflect; a gutter to recover the ink unused for the printing; and a control unit to control operations of the inkjet recording apparatus as a whole; a first electric charge detection section to detect an amount of electric charge in accordance with the electrically charged ink particles between the electrification electrode and the deflection electrodes; and a second electric charge detection section to detect an amount of electric charge of the ink flowing within the gutter.

There is provided a charge electrode for charging ink droplets for continuous ink jet printing. The charge electrode has a generally cylindrical main body defining a generally cylindrical passage for the ink droplets, said passage extending along a travel axis that represents, in use, the position of an ink jet in ingress to the electrode and a direction of travel of the ink droplets once these have detached from the ink jet. The charge electrode comprises two distinct axially disposed regions: a first region for charging the droplets as required; and, a second region for screening the charged droplets from any electric fields which could undesirably affect the trajectory of the ink jet and/or the droplets. The second region may fully surround at least a portion of the travel axis. The invention therefore provides improved screening for the ink jet and/or the droplets. This may in turn enable better control of the charge applied to the charged droplets, and/or of their travel trajectory.

There is provided a charge electrode for charging ink droplets for continuous ink jet printing. The charge electrode has a generally cylindrical main body defining a generally cylindrical passage for the ink droplets, said passage extending along a travel axis that represents, in use, the position of an ink jet in ingress to the electrode and a direction of travel of the ink droplets once these have detached from the ink jet. The charge electrode comprises two distinct axially disposed regions: a first region for charging the droplets as required; and, a second region for screening the charged droplets from any electric fields which could undesirably affect the trajectory of the ink jet and/or the droplets. The second region may fully surround at least a portion of the travel axis. The invention therefore provides improved screening for the ink jet and/or the droplets. This may in turn enable better control of the charge applied to the charged droplets, and/or of their travel trajectory.

In order to suppress adherence of ink splash to an electrode and ink contamination of surrounding environment, in a printing system, there is provided a continuous type ink jet printer having a nozzle for jetting ink in the form of particles, a charging electrode for electrically charging the jetted ink particles, and a deflection electrode for deflecting the charged ink particles. The system includes a printing section for printing an object to be printed with the ink particles jetted from the nozzle and a charging section configured to charge at least one of the printing object prior to its printing by the printing section and surrounding atmosphere in which the printing on the printing object is to be effected by the printing section with a polarity opposite to a polarity of the charge provided to the ink particles by the charging electrode.

In order to suppress adherence of ink splash to an electrode and ink contamination of surrounding environment, in a printing system, there is provided a continuous type ink jet printer having a nozzle for jetting ink in the form of particles, a charging electrode for electrically charging the jetted ink particles, and a deflection electrode for deflecting the charged ink particles. The system includes a printing section for printing an object to be printed with the ink particles jetted from the nozzle and a charging section configured to charge at least one of the printing object prior to its printing by the printing section and surrounding atmosphere in which the printing on the printing object is to be effected by the printing section with a polarity opposite to a polarity of the charge provided to the ink particles by the charging electrode.