Printhead, printhead cartridge, printing apparatus, and element substrate of printhead

1. A printhead with a plurality of printing elements, comprising:

a driving circuit for applying a predetermined voltage to each printing element according to a pulse signal, for driving a printing element, inputted to the printhead,

wherein the driving circuit includes set voltage generation means for generating the predetermined voltage according to a setting signal inputted to the printhead, and

the driving circuit includes a low-level prioritization circuit for receiving the predetermined voltage and a first voltage generated when a switching element of which a conduction state is controlled by the pulse signal is turned on, and for outputting a lower one of the predetermined voltage and the first voltage.

2. A printhead with a plurality of printing elements, comprising:

a driving circuit for applying a predetermined voltage to each printing element according to a pulse signal, for driving a printing element, inputted to the printhead,

wherein the driving circuit includes set voltage generation means for generating the predetermined voltage according to a setting signal inputted to the printhead,

wherein the driving circuit includes a low-level prioritization circuit for receiving the predetermined voltage and a first voltage generated when a switching element of which a

conduction state is controlled by the pulse signal is turned on, and for outputting a lower one of the predetermined voltage and the first voltage, and

wherein the first voltage is higher that the predetermined voltage.

3. A printhead with a plurality of printing elements, comprising:

a driving circuit for applying a predetermined voltage to each printing element according to a pulse signal, for driving a printing element, inputted to the printhead,

wherein the driving circuit includes set voltage generation means for generating the predetermined voltage according to a setting signal inputted to the printhead,

wherein the setting signal is a digital signal of a plurality of bits representing information on a number of concurrently driven printing elements, and

wherein the set voltage generation means includes a D/A converter for converting the digital signal to an analog signal.

4. The printhead according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of printing elements, the driving circuit and the set voltage generation means are formed on a common element substrate by a semiconductor manufacturing process.

5. The printhead according to claim 4 , wherein wiring is made in the element substrate so that a reference voltage of the set voltage generation means is substantially equal to a reference voltage of the plurality of printing elements.

6. The printhead according to claim 4 , wherein

the plurality of printing elements are divided into a plurality of blocks, each having a predetermined number of printing elements, and

wiring is made in the element substrate such that a reference voltage of each printing element is branched out from a common point, and resistances of wirings extending from the common point to each printing element within each block are equal to each other.

7. The printhead according to claim 6 , wherein wiring is made in the element substrate such that the wiring resistances of power wirings extending to each block are equal to each other.

8. The printhead according to claim 7 , wherein

the predetermined voltage is supplied from the set voltage generation means to each block, and

the reference voltage of the set voltage generation means is branched from a reference point of the power wiring, and applied.

9. The printhead according to claim 1 , wherein each printing element includes an electrothermal transducer, and discharges ink by use of thermal energy generated by the electrothermal transducer to perform printing.

10. A printhead carriage including a printhead according to claim 9 and an ink tank containing ink to be supplied to the printhead.