Pressure adjustment apparatus and image forming apparatus, and pressure adjustment method and liquid remaining amount determination method
First Claim
1. A pressure adjustment apparatus which adjusts a pressure of liquid inside a liquid ejection head including nozzles and flow channels, the pressure adjustment apparatus comprising:
- a tank which includes a movable film and a hermetically sealed container of a prescribed volume, the movable film dividing the hermetically sealed container into a gas chamber filled with gas and a liquid chamber filled with the liquid to be supplied to the liquid ejection head;
a pump which changes a pressure of the gas inside the gas chamber so as to adjust a pressure of the liquid inside the liquid chamber;
a buffer chamber which is filled with the gas and which damps gas-flow pulsations caused by the pump;
a first switching device which connects and disconnects the buffer chamber and the gas chamber; and
a second switching device which switches between a state where the pump is connected to the gas chamber without through the buffer chamber, and a state where the pump is connected to the buffer chamber.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A pressure adjustment apparatus for adjusting a pressure of liquid inside a liquid ejection head including nozzles and flow channels includes: a tank; a pump; a buffer chamber; a first switching device; and a second switching device. The tank includes a movable film and a hermetically sealed container of a prescribed volume, the movable film dividing the hermetically sealed container into a gas chamber filled with gas and a liquid chamber filled with the liquid to be supplied to the liquid ejection head. The pump changes a pressure of the gas inside the gas chamber so as to adjust a pressure of the liquid inside the liquid chamber. The buffer chamber is filled with the gas and damps gas-flow pulsations caused by the pump. The first switching device connects and disconnects the buffer chamber and the gas chamber. The second switching device switches between a state where the pump is connected to the gas chamber without through the buffer chamber, and a state where the pump is connected to the buffer chamber.
10 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A pressure adjustment apparatus which adjusts a pressure of liquid inside a liquid ejection head including nozzles and flow channels, the pressure adjustment apparatus comprising:
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a tank which includes a movable film and a hermetically sealed container of a prescribed volume, the movable film dividing the hermetically sealed container into a gas chamber filled with gas and a liquid chamber filled with the liquid to be supplied to the liquid ejection head; a pump which changes a pressure of the gas inside the gas chamber so as to adjust a pressure of the liquid inside the liquid chamber; a buffer chamber which is filled with the gas and which damps gas-flow pulsations caused by the pump; a first switching device which connects and disconnects the buffer chamber and the gas chamber; and a second switching device which switches between a state where the pump is connected to the gas chamber without through the buffer chamber, and a state where the pump is connected to the buffer chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification