FLUID EJECTION DEVICE

• US 20150283809A1
• Filed: 04/07/2015
• Published: 10/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: MIYAZAKI, Koichiro, GOMI, Masaki
• Application Number:
  US14/680,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20150283809A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04551 using several operating modes
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04581 controlling heads based on piezoelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14274 of stacked structure type, deformed by compression/extension and disposed on a diaphragm

Abstract

A fluid ejection device includes a fluid ejection unit including a plurality of nozzles, which are arranged side by side in a direction crossing an ejecting direction, and configured to eject fluid from at least any one nozzle in a pulse-like manner according to a drive signal, an ejecting-instruction input unit configured to receive an ejecting instruction input, a mode-selection input unit configured to receive an input of selection information for selecting any one of a first mode for ejecting the fluid using a first nozzle unit including at least one nozzle and a second mode for ejecting the fluid using a second nozzle unit including at least one nozzle, and a fluid-ejecting control unit configured to output, when receiving the ejecting instruction input, according to the selection information, the drive signal such that the fluid is ejected from the first nozzle unit or the second nozzle unit.

Claims

1. A fluid ejection device comprising:

a fluid ejection unit including a plurality of nozzles arranged side by side in a direction crossing an ejecting direction of fluid and configured to eject the fluid from at least any one of the nozzles in a pulse-like manner according to a drive signal;

a fluid supplying unit configured to supply the fluid to the fluid ejection unit;

an ejecting-instruction input unit configured to receive an ejecting instruction input for ejecting the fluid from the fluid ejection unit;

a mode-selection input unit configured to receive an input of selection information for selecting, when the fluid is ejected from the fluid ejection unit, any one of a first mode for ejecting the fluid using a first nozzle unit including at least one of the plurality of nozzles and a second mode for ejecting the fluid using a second nozzle unit including at least one of the plurality of nozzles; and

a fluid-ejecting control unit configured to output, when receiving the ejecting instruction input, according to the selection information, the drive signal to the fluid ejection unit such that the fluid is ejected from the first nozzle unit or the second nozzle unit, wherein

the plurality of nozzles of the fluid ejection unit are arranged such that positions of distal ends in the ejecting direction of the nozzles belonging to the first nozzle unit are different from positions of distal ends in the ejecting direction of the other nozzles excluding the nozzles belonging to the first nozzle unit.

2. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of nozzles of the fluid ejection unit are arranged such that the positions of the distal ends in the ejecting direction of the nozzles belonging to the first nozzle unit further project in the ejecting direction than the positions of the distal ends in the ejecting direction of the other nozzles.

3. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of nozzles of the fluid ejection unit are arranged such that the positions of the distal ends in the ejecting direction of the nozzles belonging to the first nozzle unit further retract in the ejecting direction than the positions of the distal ends in the ejecting direction of the other nozzles.

4. The fluid ejection device according to claim 2, wherein the other nozzles are arranged such that the positions of the distal ends in the ejecting directions are aligned with one another.

5. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein a singularity of the nozzle belongs to the first nozzle unit, and the nozzles belonging to the second nozzle unit include all the nozzles other than the nozzle belonging to the first nozzle unit.

6. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of nozzles of the fluid ejection unit are arranged to be aligned in a row on one side, on which the other nozzles cross the ejecting direction, with respect to the nozzles belonging to the first nozzle unit.

7. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of nozzles of the fluid ejection unit are arranged such that the other nozzles surround the nozzles belonging to the first nozzle unit.