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JP-2026076074-A - liquid discharge device

JP2026076074AJP 2026076074 AJP2026076074 AJP 2026076074AJP-2026076074-A

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a liquid dispensing device that can efficiently suppress dispensing failures in a configuration that includes a circulation channel. [Solution] The liquid dispensing device comprises a dispensing head for dispensing liquid from the outlet of a pressure chamber, a storage section for storing liquid, a circulation path for circulating liquid including an inflow path for introducing liquid into the pressure chamber and an outflow path for releasing liquid from the pressure chamber, a supply path for introducing liquid from the storage section into the circulation path, a discharge means for discharging the liquid from the pressure chamber, a first temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the dispensing head, a second temperature detection means for detecting the ambient temperature, and a control means. The control means controls the discharge means based on the amount of liquid supplied per unit time to the supply path, the amount of liquid circulated per unit time in the circulation path, a first temperature detected by the first temperature detection means, and a second temperature detected by the second temperature detection means. [Selection Diagram] Figure 6

Inventors

  • 弾塚 俊光
  • 石見 啓太
  • 尾形 隆雄
  • 冨田 晃弘
  • 愛知 晶子

Assignees

  • キヤノン株式会社

Dates

Publication Date
20260511
Application Date
20241023

Claims (6)

  1. A discharge head that discharges liquid from the discharge port of the pressure chamber, A storage section for storing the aforementioned liquid, A circulation channel for circulating liquid, including an inflow channel for introducing liquid into the pressure chamber and an outflow channel for discharging liquid from the pressure chamber, A supply channel for flowing the liquid from the storage section into the circulation channel, Discharge means for discharging the liquid from the pressure chamber, A first temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the discharge head, A second temperature detection means for detecting ambient temperature, A liquid dispensing device comprising control means, The control means, The amount of liquid supplied per unit time to the supply channel, The amount of liquid circulated per unit time in the aforementioned circulation channel, The first temperature detected by the first temperature detection means, A liquid dispensing device characterized by controlling the dispensing means based on the second temperature detected by the second temperature detection means.
  2. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls the discharge means to discharge the liquid when the amount of bubbles around the connection between the inflow channel and the discharge head, determined based on the liquid supply amount, the liquid circulation amount, the first temperature, and the second temperature, exceeds a predetermined value.
  3. The liquid discharge device according to claim 1, further comprising a bypass channel for connecting the inflow channel and the outflow channel, and an on/off valve capable of opening and closing the bypass channel.
  4. The liquid discharge device according to claim 3, wherein the on-off valve closes when the pressure in the outflow passage is above a predetermined value, thereby blocking the bypass passage, and opens when the pressure in the outflow passage is below a predetermined value, thereby opening the bypass passage.
  5. The control means, The amount of liquid transferred per unit time supplied from the inflow channel side to the pressure chamber, The amount of liquid moved per unit time in the circulation channel that is on the pressure chamber side of the bypass channel, driven by the circulation pump, The first temperature and, The above second temperature and, The liquid discharge device according to claim 4, wherein the amount of bubbles around the joint between the inflow channel and the pressure chamber, based on the above, is driven when the amount of bubbles exceeds a predetermined value.
  6. A main scanning means that moves the ejection head and recording medium relative to each other in a first direction and in a direction opposite to the first direction, The system includes a sub-scanning means that moves the ejection head and the recording medium relative to each other in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, The control means, If the amount of bubbles exceeds a first predetermined amount, the discharge means is driven between the end of recording on the recording medium and the start of recording on the next recording medium. The liquid dispensing device according to claim 2, wherein the discharge means is driven when the amount of bubbles exceeds a second predetermined amount different from the first predetermined amount.

Description

This invention relates to a liquid dispensing device. Conventionally, liquid ejection devices have been known to operate by driving ejection elements, such as electrothermal conversion elements or electromechanical conversion elements, located in a pressure chamber with a liquid ejection port, to eject the liquid from the pressure chamber. When applying such a configuration to an inkjet printer, it is common practice to improve recording speed by providing multiple pressure chambers and ejection elements. However, driving multiple ejection elements can cause the temperature inside the pressure chamber to rise. As a result, a temperature difference occurs between the ejected liquid (ink) and the pressure chamber, and molten gas in the liquid can form as bubbles. These bubbles can obstruct the inflow of liquid from the liquid reservoir, potentially preventing liquid from being ejected from the port. Therefore, a configuration is known to discharge these bubbles to the outside (see Patent Document 1). Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-039833 A cross-sectional view of the main part of an inkjet printer to which the liquid ejection device of the present invention is applied.A plan view of the main part of the recording head in the first embodiment.A key part of the recording head around the pressure chamber in the first embodiment.A schematic diagram of the main components of the ink supply system in the first embodiment.Block diagram of the control system of an inkjet printer to which the liquid ejection device of the present invention is applied.A flowchart illustrating the cumulative sequence of bubble volume in the first embodiment.A table showing the temperature coefficients used in the cumulative sequence of bubble volume in the first embodiment.A flowchart illustrating the suction recovery sequence during recording in the first embodiment.Schematic diagrams of the main parts of the ink supply system in the second and third embodiments.Diagram illustrating the flow of ink in the ink supply system in the second and third embodiments.Diagram illustrating the bubble volume accumulation sequence in the second embodiment.Diagram illustrating the bubble volume accumulation sequence in the third embodiment. The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to preferred embodiments. <First Embodiment> Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the inkjet printer in this embodiment. Figure 2 is a plan view of the main part of the recording head in this embodiment. In this embodiment, an example of applying the liquid ejection device of the present invention to an inkjet printer is shown, but it can be applied to other applications as appropriate. The recording head 100, which corresponds to the ejection head, is equipped with rows of ejection ports 101, 101M, 101Y, and 101K, on its ejection port surface 102. Here, ejection ports 101C, 101M, 101Y, and 101K are rows of ejection ports for cyan ink, magenta ink, yellow ink, and black ink, respectively. Each ejection port row contains 600 ejection ports 101, arranged in the direction indicated by the arrow Y in Figure 2 (Y direction), with a spacing of 600 dpi (dots per inch). The recording head 100 is mounted on the carriage 111 and, during recording, is reciprocated by the rotation of the carriage motor (not shown) in Figure 2 in the directions indicated by arrows X1 and X2 (the opposite direction of X1) (directions X1 and X2). The carriage 111 is also reciprocated in the X1 and X2 directions while the recording medium, which is intermittently transported on the platen 120 in the direction indicated by Y1 in Figure 2 (direction Y1) by the rotation of the transport motor (not shown), is stopped. Here, the X1 (X2) direction and the Y1 direction are approximately orthogonal. During this reciprocating scan, ink is ejected from the ejection port 101 of the recording head 100 toward the recording medium, and an image is recorded. The carriage 111 shown in Figure 1 is equipped with the components enclosed by the dotted line in Figure 4, which will be described later. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the recording head 100 reciprocates in the X1 and X2 directions and the recording medium scans in the Y1 direction, but this is not limited to the above as long as the recording head 100 and the recording medium scan relative to each other. For example, the recording medium may scan back and forth in the X1 and X2 directions, and the recording head may scan in the Y1 direction. As shown in Figure 1, the cap 130 is a cap designed to suppress the evaporation of the liquid component of the ink from the discharge port 101 by contacting the discharge port surface of the recording head. The cap 130 has a contact position (capping position) where it contacts the discharge port surface of the recording head and a separated position where it is separated from the recording head, via a detachment mechanism (not shown). Figure 1 shows the ca