LIQUID DISCHARGE APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD OF LIQUID DISCHARGE APPARATUS, AND CONTROL PROGRAM OF LIQUID DISCHARGE APPARATUS

• US 20160279929A1
• Filed: 01/08/2016
• Published: 09/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: SHINKAWA, Osamu, SUZUKI, Toshiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,636,907 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/0451 for detecting failure, e.g. clogging, malfunctioning actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04541 Specific driving circuit
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04581 controlling heads based on piezoelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04588 using a specific waveform
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04593 Dot-size modulation by changing the size of the drop
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04596 Non-ejecting pulses
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16579 Detection means therefor, e.g. for nozzle clogging
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/2142 Detection of malfunctioning nozzles generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers B41J2/045, B41J2/05; jet deflection sensors B41J2/125; for cleaning purposes B41J2/16579
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14354 Sensor in each pressure chamber

Abstract

A liquid discharge apparatus includes a discharge unit including a piezoelectric element that is displaced in response to a drive signal, a pressure chamber of which an inner pressure is increased or decreased by the piezoelectric element, and a nozzle which is in communication with the pressure chamber and discharges liquid filling the pressure chamber, depending on an increase or a decrease in the inner pressure of the pressure chamber, a detection unit that detects residual vibration occurring in the discharge unit according to a potential change of the drive signal that is supplied to the piezoelectric element, and a determination unit that determines a discharge state, in which the detection unit outputs a first detection signal and a second detection signal, and the determination unit determines the discharge state, based on the first detection signal and the second detection signal.

Claims

1. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

a discharge unit including a piezoelectric element that is displaced in response to a drive signal, a pressure chamber of which an inner pressure is increased or decreased by the piezoelectric element, and a nozzle which is in communication with the pressure chamber and discharges liquid filling the pressure chamber, depending on an increase or a decrease in the inner pressure of the pressure chamber;

a detection unit that detects residual vibration occurring in the discharge unit according to a potential change of the drive signal that is supplied to the piezoelectric element; and

a determination unit that determines a discharge state of the liquid in the discharge unit, depending on a detection result of the detection unit,

the detection unit outputting

a first detection signal indicating a detection result of residual vibration in the discharge unit from a first timing, the first timing being a timing after a potential of the drive signal supplied to the piezoelectric element reaches a first potential from a potential different from the first potential and while the potential of the drive signal keeps the first potential after reaching the first potential, and

a second detection signal indicating a detection result of residual vibration in the discharge unit from a second timing, the second timing being a timing after the potential of the drive signal supplied to the piezoelectric element reaches a second potential from a potential different from the second potential and while the potential of the drive signal keeps the second potential after reaching the second potential, and

the determination unit determining the discharge state of the liquid in the discharge unit, based on the first detection signal and the second detection signal.

5. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the determination unit determines the discharge state of the liquid in the discharge unit, depending on

a phase of residual vibration indicated by the first detection signal,

a magnitude of a change in a signal level indicated by the first detection signal,

a phase of residual vibration indicated by the second detection signal, and

a magnitude of a change in a signal level indicated by the second detection signal.

6. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein when a drive signal having a waveform that changes to the first potential or the second potential is supplied to the piezoelectric element, the discharge unit discharges liquid filling the pressure chamber from the nozzle.

9. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first detection signal indicates a potential of a shaping signal which is shaped based on the residual vibration from the first timing, and the second detection signal indicates a potential of a shaping signal which is shaped based on the residual vibration from the second timing.

2. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

a discharge unit including a piezoelectric element that is displaced in response to a drive signal, a pressure chamber of which an inner pressure is increased or decreased by the piezoelectric element, and a nozzle which is in communication with the pressure chamber and discharges liquid filling the pressure chamber, depending on an increase or a decrease in the inner pressure of the pressure chamber;

a detection unit that outputs a first detection signal indicating a detection result of residual vibration occurring in the discharge unit in a first period, and a second detection signal indicating a detection result of residual vibration occurring in the discharge unit in a second period, when a drive signal is supplied to the piezoelectric element, the drive signal having a drive waveform which is a first potential in the first period and is a second potential in the second period, the first potential during the first period being constant, the second potential during the second period being constant; and

a determination unit that determines a discharge state of liquid in the discharge unit, based on the first detection signal and the second detection signal.

3. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the drive waveform includes

a first waveform that changes to the first potential from a potential different from the first potential, prior to a start of the first period, and

a second waveform that changes to the second potential from a potential different from the second potential, prior to a start of the second period after an end of the first period,

wherein the first detection signal indicates a detection result of residual vibration caused by the first waveform occurring in the discharge unit, and

wherein the second detection signal indicates a detection result of composite vibration of residual vibration caused by the first waveform occurring in the discharge unit and residual vibration caused by the second waveform occurring in the discharge unit.

4. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein at least one period of the first period and the second period is shorter than a period of residual vibration occurring in the discharge unit, in the first period or the second period, if the discharge state of the liquid in the discharge unit is normal.

7. A control method of a liquid discharge apparatus, the liquid discharge apparatus including a discharge unit including a piezoelectric element that is displaced in response to a drive signal, a pressure chamber of which an inner pressure is increased or decreased by the piezoelectric element, and a nozzle which is in communication with the pressure chamber and discharges liquid filling the pressure chamber, depending on an increase or a decrease in the inner pressure of the pressure chamber, the control method comprising:

detecting residual vibration in the discharge unit from a first timing, the first timing being a timing after a potential of the drive signal supplied to the piezoelectric element reaches a first potential from a potential different from the first potential and while the potential of the drive signal keeps the first potential after reaching the first potential;

outputting a first detection signal representing the detection result;

detecting residual vibration in the discharge unit from a second timing, the second timing being a timing after the potential of the drive signal supplied to the piezoelectric element reaches a second potential from a potential different from the second potential and while the potential of the drive signal keeps the second potential after reaching the second potential;

outputting a second detection signal representing the detection result; and

determining a discharge state of liquid in the discharge unit, based on the first detection signal and the second detection signal.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing control program of a liquid discharge apparatus, the liquid discharge apparatus including

a discharge unit including a piezoelectric element that is displaced in response to a drive signal, a pressure chamber of which an inner pressure is increased or decreased by the piezoelectric element, and a nozzle which is in communication with the pressure chamber and discharges liquid filling the pressure chamber, depending on an increase or a decrease in the inner pressure of the pressure chamber;

a detection unit that detects residual vibration occurring in the discharge unit according to a potential change of the drive signal that is supplied to the piezoelectric element; and

a computer,

the control program causing the computer to function as a determination unit that determines a discharge state of liquid in the discharge unit, based on a first detection signal and a second detection signal,

the first detection signal being output as a detection result of residual vibration in the discharge unit from a first timing, the first timing being a timing after a potential of the drive signal supplied to the piezoelectric element reaches a first potential from a potential different from the first potential and while the potential of the drive signal keeps the first potential after reaching the first potential, by the detection unit and

the second detection signal being output as a detection result of residual vibration in the discharge unit from a second timing, the second timing being a timing after the potential of the drive signal supplied to the piezoelectric element reaches a second potential from a potential different from the second potential and while the potential of the drive signal keeps the second potential after reaching the second potential, by the detection unit.