Liquid discharge apparatus and capacitive load driving circuit

• US 9,346,264 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2014
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Otsuka, Shuji, Kiyuna, Tadashi, Asanuma, Toshifumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Huffman, Julian
• Assistant Examiner(s): DELOZIER, JEREMY A
• Application Number:
  US14/205,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20140285556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2/04586 controlling heads of a type not covered by groups B41J2/04575 - B41J2/04585, or of an undefined type
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04588 using a specific waveform
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/0459 Height of the driving signal being adjusted
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/07 characterised by jet control B41J2/205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/38 Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/6871 the output circuit comprising more than one controlled field-effect transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/28 using means other than a transformer for feedback

Abstract

A liquid discharge apparatus includes a discharge section, a charge supply source, first and second signal paths, a control signal generation section and a connection path selection section. The discharge section includes a nozzle configured and arranged to discharge a liquid, a pressure chamber in communication with the nozzle, and a piezoelectric element provided for the pressure chamber. A first voltage is applied by the charge supply source through the first signal path. A second voltage higher than the first voltage is applied by the charge supply source through the second signal path. The control signal generation section is configured to supply a control signal. The connection path selection section is configured to use the first or second signal path to electrically connect the piezoelectric element and the charge supply source in accordance with a voltage of the control signal and a holding voltage of the piezoelectric element.

Claims

1. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

a discharge section including a nozzle configured and arranged to discharge a liquid, a pressure chamber in communication with the nozzle, and a piezoelectric element provided for the pressure chamber;

a charge supply source;

a first signal path through which a first voltage is applied by the charge supply source;

a second signal path through which a second voltage higher than the first voltage is applied by the charge supply source;

a control signal generation section configured to supply a control signal; and

a connection path selection section configured to use the first signal path or the second signal path to electrically connect the piezoelectric element and the charge supply source in accordance with a voltage of the control signal and a holding voltage of the piezoelectric element,

the charge supply source being arranged and configured to supply voltage to the connection path selection section.

2. The liquid discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising

a detection section configured and arranged to detect whether or not the holding voltage of the piezoelectric element is less than the first voltage, or whether or not the holding voltage of the piezoelectric is equal to or greater than the first voltage and less than the second voltage.

3. The liquid discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the connection path selection unit is configured to

when the holding voltage is less than the first voltage, control a charge with which the piezoelectric element is charged via the first signal path, in conformity with the voltage of the control signal, and

when the holding voltage is equal to or greater than the first voltage and less than the second voltage, control a charge discharged from the piezoelectric element via the first signal path or a charge with which the piezoelectric element is charged via the second signal path, in accordance with the voltage of the control signal.

4. The liquid discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a first transistor, a second transistor, and a third transistor, wherein

when the holding voltage is less than the first voltage, the first transistor is configured and arranged to control a charge with which the piezoelectric element is charged via the first signal path in accordance with a voltage obtained when the voltage of the control signal is shifted by a predetermined value to a low side,

when the holding voltage is equal to or greater than the first voltage and less than the second voltage, the second transistor is configured to control a charge discharged from the piezoelectric element via the first signal path in accordance with a voltage obtained when the voltage of the control signal is shifted by the predetermined value to a high side, and

the third transistor is configured to control a charge with which the piezoelectric element is charged via the second signal path in accordance with a voltage obtained when the voltage of the control signal is shifted by the predetermined value to the low side.

5. The liquid discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein

when the holding voltage is not less than the first voltage, the first transistor is off, and

when the holding voltage is not equal to or greater than the first voltage and less than the second voltage, the second transistor and the third transistor are off.

6. The liquid discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein

the charge with which the piezoelectric element is charged or the charge discharged from the piezoelectric element is controlled at a voltage obtained when a voltage found by subtracting a voltage held by the piezoelectric element from the voltage of the control signal is multiplied by a predetermined number.

7. A capacitive load driving circuit for repeating between charging and discharging for a capacitive load, the capacitive load driving circuit comprising:

a charge supply source;

a first signal path through which a first voltage is applied by the charge supply source;

a second signal path through which a second voltage higher than the first voltage is applied by the charge supply source;

a control signal generation section configured to supply a control signal; and

a connection path selection section configured to use the first signal path or the second signal path to electrically connect the capacitive load and the charge supply source, in accordance with the voltage of the control signal and a holding voltage of the capacitive load,

the charge supply source being arranged and configured to supply voltage to the connection path selection section.