Piezo Printhead Drive Circuit With Shared DAC Control Lines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing apparatuses using piezoelectric elements require a large circuit substrate area due to numerous signal lines for drive signal transmission, hindering compactness.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus with a control unit that shares control signals among multiple digital-to-analog converters (DACs) to generate and output drive signals at different timings, reducing the need for signal lines and simplifying wiring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple drive circuits are provided to generate different drive signals for stable ejection performance, then ejection performance stability is improved, but the circuit substrate area increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple DACs share common control signal lines, merging the control signal distribution infrastructure. Instead of having separate control lines for each DAC, the patent uses a single control signal that is sequentially applied to multiple DACs, reducing the total number of signal lines and circuit substrate area while maintaining the ability to generate multiple different drive signals
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic sequential operation where control signals are applied to DACs in a time-division manner. Each DAC processes drive signal generation in successive time slots, allowing multiple drive signals to be generated using the same hardware resources sequentially rather than simultaneously, thereby reducing the circuit substrate area
2Measurement precision
If 10-bit drive data is transmitted to 8 drive circuits, then drive signal precision is improved, but the number of signal lines increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses time-division multiplexing where the same 10-bit drive data is sequentially transmitted to multiple DACs in different time slots. Instead of requiring 8 parallel signal lines simultaneously, the system uses a single signal line that transfers data sequentially to each DAC, maintaining 10-bit precision while dramatically reducing the number of signal lines from 80 to 8
Solution Approach 2:
The control signal lines serve multiple functions by being time-shared across different DACs. A single control signal line performs the function of multiple separate control lines, making the control infrastructure universal and multi-functional, thereby reducing overall device complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration reduces the size of the circuit substrate and lowers manufacturing costs by minimizing signal lines and simplifying wiring.
Implementation Method 1
a piezoelectric element configured to eject ink from a nozzle in response to a drive signal
Data Source
AI summary
A printing apparatus has: a print unit configured to print by driving a piezoelectric element and ejecting ink; a generation unit including a plurality of digital-to-analog converters and configured to generate a plurality of drive signals used to drive the piezoelectric element, the digital-to-analog converters being configured to convert a digital signal to an analog signal; a control unit configured to output a control signal for generating the drive signals to the generation unit and control generation of the drive signals by the generation unit; and a selection unit configured to select a particular one of the plurality of drive signals generated by the generation unit and outputs the particular drive signal to the print unit. In the generation unit, the control signal is shared by the plurality of digital-to-analog converters, and the plurality of digital-to-analog converters output output signals at different timings.