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.
49 Citations
10 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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7. A pressure adjustment method for adjusting a pressure of liquid inside a liquid ejection head by means of a pressure adjustment apparatus which comprises:
- 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; and
a buffer chamber which is filled with the gas and which damps gas-flow pulsations caused by the pump, the pressure adjustment method comprising;a first pressure adjusting step of adjusting the pressure of the liquid inside the liquid chamber with the pump in a state where the buffer chamber is disconnected from the gas chamber and the pump is connected to the gas chamber without through the buffer chamber; a second pressure adjusting step of adjusting a pressure of the gas inside the buffer chamber with the pump in a state where the pump is connected to the buffer chamber; and a third pressure adjusting step of adjusting the pressure of the liquid inside the liquid chamber through the buffer chamber with the pump in a state where the buffer chamber is connected to the gas chamber and the pump is connected to the buffer chamber. - View Dependent Claims (8)
- 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;
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9. A liquid remaining amount determination method for determining a remaining amount of liquid inside a liquid chamber of a pressure adjustment apparatus which adjusts a pressure of the liquid inside a liquid ejection head and comprises:
- 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 the 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; and
a buffer chamber which is filled with the gas and which damps gas-flow pulsations caused by the pump, the liquid remaining amount determination method comprising the steps of;determining an amplitude of pulsation component in a pressure change in the gas inside the gas chamber during pressure adjustment not using the buffer chamber; and determining the remaining amount of the liquid inside the liquid chamber by determining a volume of the gas chamber according to the determined amplitude of the pulsation component.
- 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 the liquid chamber filled with the liquid to be supplied to the liquid ejection head;
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10. A liquid remaining amount determination method for determining a remaining amount of liquid inside a liquid chamber of a pressure adjustment apparatus which adjusts a pressure of the liquid inside a liquid ejection head and comprises:
- a tank which includes a movable film and a hermetically sealed container of a prescribed volume, the movable film dividing the hermetically seated container into a gas chamber filled with gas and the 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; and
a buffer chamber which is filled with the gas and which damps gas-flow pulsations caused by the pump, the liquid remaining amount determination method comprising the steps of;determining a first amplitude of pulsation component in a pressure change in the gas inside the gas chamber during pressure adjustment not using the buffer chamber; determining a second amplitude of pulsation component in a pressure change in the gas inside the gas chamber during pressure adjustment using the buffer chamber; and determining the remaining amount of the liquid inside the liquid chamber by determining a volume of the gas chamber according to the first and second amplitudes of the pulsation components.
- a tank which includes a movable film and a hermetically sealed container of a prescribed volume, the movable film dividing the hermetically seated container into a gas chamber filled with gas and the liquid chamber filled with the liquid to be supplied to the liquid ejection head;
Specification