LIQUID TRANSPORTING APPARATUS AND LIQUID TRANSPORTING METHOD

• US 20140294607A1
• Filed: 04/01/2014
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: MIYAZAKI, Hajime
• Application Number:
  US14/242,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20140294607A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/53
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 41/02 having reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/08 having tubular flexible members F04B43/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/095 Piezoelectric drive

Abstract

An operation of a liquid transporting apparatus is controlled by communication using a controller, and the power consumption during communication standby is reduced. The liquid transporting apparatus includes a liquid storage section that stores a liquid; a body section that is connected to the liquid storage section when transporting the liquid; a body control section that controls an operation of a driving section having at least a part of function for transporting the liquid. The body control section determines whether the body section and the liquid storage section are connected. If it is determined that the body section and the liquid storage section are connected, the communication between the body control section and an external control section that performs instruction to control the operation of the driving section starts.

Claims

1. A liquid transporting apparatus comprising:

a liquid storage section that stores a liquid;

a body section that supports a driving section having at least a part of function for transporting the liquid and is connected to the liquid storage section when transporting the liquid; and

a body control section that controls an operation of the driving section and determines whether the body section and the liquid storage section are connected,

wherein if it is determined that the body section and the liquid storage section are connected, communication between the body control section and an external control section that communicates with the body control section and performs instruction to control operation of the driving section is started.

2. The liquid transporting apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the body section includes a communication circuit that performs communication with the external control section,

wherein the communication circuit has a contact point that is in a closed state by coming into contact with a contact section that is provided in the liquid storage section, and

wherein the body control section determines that the body section and the liquid storage section are connected if the contact point is in the closed state.

3. The liquid transporting apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein a pressure detection section that measures the pressure is provided in the body section, and

wherein the body control section measures an amount of pressure when the pressure detection section is pressed by a pressing section that is provided in the liquid storage section, and determines that the body section and the liquid storage section are connected if the pressure that is measured has a predetermined amount or more.

4. The liquid transporting apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the body section includes a battery storage section that stores a battery as a power supply of the liquid transporting apparatus, and holds the body control section.

5. The liquid transporting apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein information including a type and a storage amount of the liquid which is stored in the liquid storage section is recorded in the liquid storage section, and

wherein the information is acquired by the external control section.

6. The liquid transporting apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the communication between the external control section and the body control section is performed using radio, and

wherein the setting of connection is performed between the external control section and the body control section before the communication is started.

7. The liquid transporting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a battery as a power supply of the liquid transporting apparatus.

8. The liquid transporting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

the external control section.

9. A liquid transporting apparatus comprising:

a liquid storage section that stores a liquid;

a body section that supports a driving section having at least a part of function for transporting the liquid and is connected to the liquid storage section when transporting the liquid; and

a body control section that controls an operation of the driving section and determines whether the body section and the liquid storage section are connected,

wherein if it is determined that the body section and the liquid storage section are connected, the body control section is set to be capable of communicating with an external control section that communicates with the body control section and performs instruction to control operation of the driving section.

10. The liquid transporting apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein if it is determined that the body section and the liquid storage section are connected, the communication between the external control section and the body control section is started.

11. The liquid transporting apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

the external control section.

12. A liquid transporting method comprising:

determining whether a liquid storage section that stores a liquid and a body section that supports a driving section having at least a part of function for transporting the liquid and is connected to the liquid storage section when the liquid is transported are in a state of being connected;

starting the communication to the external control section if it is determined that the body section and the liquid storage section are connected; and

transporting the liquid by an instruction from the external control section.