Piezoelectric Liquid Ejecting Device Waveform Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting devices face challenges in maintaining consistent ejection properties and placement timing, especially at high speeds, due to residual vibrations affecting subsequent droplet ejections, leading to variations in dot position and quality issues in printing.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting device utilizing a piezoelectric element deformed by multiple drive waveforms, allowing selection between a first and second drive waveform to adjust the ejection timing of liquid droplets, ensuring consistent ejection volumes and reducing the need for additional drive signals, thus stabilizing the ejection process without increasing circuit complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If liquid droplets are ejected at high speed to implement high-speed printing, then productivity is improved, but residual vibrations affect placement timing and manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the drive waveform adjustable and adaptive. The control section dynamically selects between a first drive waveform (for stable ejection) and a second drive waveform (for rapid ejection) based on the ejection timing requirements. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to optimize between speed and precision by changing the drive characteristics in real-time without physical modification to the ejection mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of the drive waveform to resolve the contradiction. By modifying the drive waveform parameters (amplitude, duration, shape) between the first and second waveforms, the system can control the ejection characteristics. The control section selects appropriate waveform parameters based on whether stable placement or high-speed ejection is prioritized, thereby adjusting the system behavior to match operational requirements.
2Manufacturing precision
If an additional drive signal is provided to adjust placement timing of the first liquid droplet, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a control section that can selectively apply different drive waveforms for multiple purposes. The same control section handles both the selection of drive waveform type and the adjustment of ejection timing, making it a multi-functional component. This eliminates the need for separate additional drive signal generation sections, as the existing control infrastructure is made versatile enough to handle timing adjustments through waveform selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The control section dynamically adapts its behavior based on operational context. Rather than having fixed, dedicated circuits for different functions, the control section flexibly switches between different drive waveform applications. This dynamic control approach allows one component to perform multiple functions (normal ejection control and placement timing adjustment), thereby reducing overall system 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 approach allows for precise adjustment of ejection timing and volume, improving print quality by minimizing dot position shifts and maintaining stable ejection control without increasing circuit scale or complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a piezoelectric element that is deformed by applying at least one drive waveform among a plurality of drive waveforms to the piezoelectric element
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting device includes: a piezoelectric element that is deformed by applying at least one drive waveform among a plurality of drive waveforms to the piezoelectric element, the plurality of drive waveforms including a first drive waveform and a second drive waveform; a cavity that is filled with a liquid and is increased or decreased in internal pressure due to deformation of the piezoelectric element; a nozzle that communicates with the cavity, and ejects the liquid as a liquid droplet; and a selection section that selects at least one drive waveform from the plurality of drive waveforms, the liquid droplet including a first liquid droplet ejected when the first drive waveform has been selected, and a second liquid droplet ejected when the second drive waveform has been selected, an ejection volume of the first liquid droplet being almost equal to an ejection volume of the second liquid droplet.