Piezo Print Head Ejection Detection Across Short Drive Intervals
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Solution Overview
Problem
In high-speed liquid ejecting apparatuses, the short interval between ejection section drives complicates accurate determination of ejection states due to the influence of previous drive presence/absence, leading to potential ejection abnormalities.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting apparatus with a detection section and determination section that employs multiple determination modes, including a first mode when the piezoelectric element is driven and a second mode when it is not, to accurately assess ejection states using detection results from a piezoelectric element potential.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the printing speed is increased to improve productivity, then the ejection section drive interval becomes shorter, but the accuracy of ejection state determination deteriorates due to the influence of driving presence/absence
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the determination mode adaptive and changeable based on operating conditions. The determination section dynamically switches between first determination mode (when driven in previous unit period) and second determination mode (when not driven in previous unit period), allowing the system to adapt to varying drive intervals at different printing speeds while maintaining accurate ejection state determination
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the determination parameter (determination mode) based on the drive signal history. By selecting different determination modes according to whether the piezoelectric element was driven in the previous unit period, the system adjusts its evaluation criteria to account for the influence of driving presence/absence, thereby maintaining measurement precision across different printing speeds
2Device complexity
If a single determination mode is used to simplify the determination process, then the device complexity is reduced, but the determination accuracy deteriorates when drive intervals vary
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically selects between multiple determination modes based on the drive signal history, making the determination process adaptive rather than static. This dynamic approach maintains accuracy across varying conditions without requiring complex manual intervention or multiple fixed determination systems
Solution Approach 2:
The determination section automatically selects the appropriate determination mode based on whether the piezoelectric element was driven in the previous unit period, without requiring external intervention. The system self-adjusts its determination criteria according to its own operational history, simplifying the overall control architecture while maintaining precision
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
Enhances the accuracy of ejection state determination by mitigating the impact of drive presence/absence intervals, ensuring reliable ejection performance.
Implementation Method 1
an ejection section including a piezoelectric element that is driven by a drive signal in a unit period defined by a timing signal, a pressure chamber filled with a liquid and having a volume changed according to driving of the piezoelectric element
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting apparatus including: an ejection section including a piezoelectric element that is driven by a drive signal in a unit period, a pressure chamber having a volume changed according to driving of the piezoelectric element, and a nozzle ejecting the liquid in the pressure chamber; a detection section detecting a potential the piezoelectric element; and a determination section determining an ejection state of the ejection section according to a detection result of the detection section using a determination mode selected from among a plurality of determination modes, in which when the piezoelectric element is driven in another unit period preceding one unit period, the determination section determines the ejection state of the ejection section using the first determination mode, and when the piezoelectric element is not driven in the other unit period, the determination section determines the ejection state of the ejection section using the second determination mode.