LIQUID CIRCULATION APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND LIQUID CIRCULATION METHOD
First Claim
1. A liquid circulation apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of liquid ejection elements each of which includes;
a nozzle;
a pressure chamber which is connected to the nozzle and accommodates liquid; and
a piezoelectric element which displaces a wall of the pressure chamber to eject the liquid in the pressure chamber through the nozzle;
a plurality of individual supply channels which are respectively connected to the liquid ejection elements;
a common supply channel which is connected to the individual supply channels, the liquid being supplied from the common supply channel to the liquid ejection elements through the individual supply channels;
a plurality of individual circulation channels which are respectively connected to the liquid ejection elements;
a common circulation channel which is connected to the individual circulation channels, the liquid being circulated from the liquid ejection elements to the common circulation channel through the individual circulation channels; and
a control device which controls a circulation volume of the liquid circulated from the liquid ejection elements to the common circulation channel, by adjusting a supply volume of the liquid supplied from the common supply channel to the liquid ejection elements in accordance with an ejection volume of the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection elements.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A liquid circulation apparatus includes: a plurality of liquid ejection elements each of which includes a nozzle, a pressure chamber which is connected to the nozzle and accommodates liquid, and a piezoelectric element which displaces a wall of the pressure chamber to eject the liquid in the pressure chamber through the nozzle; a plurality of individual supply channels which are respectively connected to the liquid ejection elements; a common supply channel which is connected to the individual supply channels, the liquid being supplied from the common supply channel to the liquid ejection elements through the individual supply channels; a plurality of individual circulation channels which are respectively connected to the liquid ejection elements; a common circulation channel which is connected to the individual circulation channels, the liquid being circulated from the liquid ejection elements to the common circulation channel through the individual circulation channels; and a control device which controls a circulation volume of the liquid circulated from the liquid ejection elements to the common circulation channel, by adjusting a supply volume of the liquid supplied from the common supply channel to the liquid ejection elements in accordance with an ejection volume of the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection elements.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A liquid circulation apparatus, comprising:
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a plurality of liquid ejection elements each of which includes;
a nozzle;
a pressure chamber which is connected to the nozzle and accommodates liquid; and
a piezoelectric element which displaces a wall of the pressure chamber to eject the liquid in the pressure chamber through the nozzle;a plurality of individual supply channels which are respectively connected to the liquid ejection elements; a common supply channel which is connected to the individual supply channels, the liquid being supplied from the common supply channel to the liquid ejection elements through the individual supply channels; a plurality of individual circulation channels which are respectively connected to the liquid ejection elements; a common circulation channel which is connected to the individual circulation channels, the liquid being circulated from the liquid ejection elements to the common circulation channel through the individual circulation channels; and a control device which controls a circulation volume of the liquid circulated from the liquid ejection elements to the common circulation channel, by adjusting a supply volume of the liquid supplied from the common supply channel to the liquid ejection elements in accordance with an ejection volume of the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15)
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14. A liquid circulation apparatus, comprising:
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a plurality of pairs of first and second liquid ejection elements, each of the first and second liquid ejection elements including;
a nozzle;
a pressure chamber which is connected to the nozzle and accommodates Liquid; and
a piezoelectric element which displaces a wall of the pressure chamber to eject the liquid in the pressure chamber through the nozzle;a plurality of first individual supply channels which are respectively connected to the first liquid ejection elements; a first common supply channel which is connected to the first individual supply channels; a plurality of second individual supply channels which are respectively connected to the second liquid ejection elements; a second common supply channel which is connected to the second individual supply channels; a plurality of individual circulation channels each of which connects the first and second liquid ejection elements with each other in one of the pairs of the first and second liquid ejection elements; and a control device which controls a pressure differential of the liquid between in the first common channel and in the second common channel according to an ejection volume of the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection elements. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A liquid circulation method for a liquid circulation apparatus which includes:
- a plurality of liquid ejection elements each of which includes a nozzle, a pressure chamber which is connected to the nozzle and accommodates liquid, and a piezoelectric element which displaces a wall of the pressure chamber to eject the liquid in the pressure chamber through the nozzle;
a plurality of individual supply channels which are respectively connected to the liquid ejection elements;
a common supply channel which is connected to the individual supply channels, the liquid being supplied from the common supply channel to the liquid ejection elements through the individual supply channels;
a plurality of individual circulation channels which are respectively connected to the liquid ejection elements; and
a common circulation channel which is connected to the individual circulation channels, the liquid being circulated from the liquid ejection elements to the common circulation channel through the individual circulation channels, the method comprising the steps of;determining an ejection volume of the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection elements; and controlling a circulation volume of the liquid circulated from the liquid ejection elements to the common circulation channel, by adjusting a supply volume of the liquid supplied from the common supply channel to the liquid ejection elements in accordance with the ejection volume determined in the determining step.
- a plurality of liquid ejection elements each of which includes a nozzle, a pressure chamber which is connected to the nozzle and accommodates liquid, and a piezoelectric element which displaces a wall of the pressure chamber to eject the liquid in the pressure chamber through the nozzle;
Specification