Liquid ejecting apparatus and method of driving the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10556437-B2
Application number	US-201816116131-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2018
Priority date	Aug 30, 2017
Publication date	Feb 11, 2020
Grant date	Feb 11, 2020

Abstract

A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid path comprising a filter and a liquid storing chamber for supplying liquid to a liquid ejecting head. The liquid storing chamber has an inlet, a bubble retention space disposed above the inlet, a bottom disposed below the bubble retention space, and a first outlet and a second outlet. (i) The first outlet is located on one side of an imaginary center line passing through the center of a projected area, and the second outlet is located on the other side of the imaginary center line. Alternatively, (ii) the first outlet and the second outlet are located outside a projected area defined by projecting the bubble retention space onto the bottom.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
a filter disposed in a liquid path for supplying liquid to nozzles of a liquid ejecting head; and
a liquid storing chamber disposed downstream of the filter in the liquid path, the liquid storing chamber including:
an inlet through which the liquid enters the liquid storing chamber;
a bubble retention space disposed above the inlet in the vertical direction;
a bottom disposed below the bubble retention space in the vertical direction; and
a first outlet and a second outlet through which the liquid exits the liquid storing chamber, wherein

the liquid ejecting apparatus satisfies one of conditions (i) and (ii) below:
(i) the first outlet is located on one side of an imaginary center line and the second outlet is located on the other side of the imaginary center line, as viewed in the vertical direction, the imaginary center line passing through a center of a projected area, the projected area being defined by projecting the bubble retention space onto the bottom in the vertical direction; and
(ii) the first outlet and the second outlet are located outside a projected area, as viewed in the vertical direction, the projected area being defined by projecting the bubble retention space onto the bottom in the vertical direction.

2. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a direction from the center of the projected area to the second outlet is opposite to a direction from the center of the projected area to the first outlet, as viewed in the vertical direction.

3. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid storing chamber has a section orthogonal to the vertical direction below the bubble retention space in the vertical direction, the section having an area smaller than an area of the bottom.

4. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the liquid storing chamber has a section orthogonal to the vertical direction below the bubble retention space in the vertical direction, the section having the smallest area.

5. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the bottom comprises a restricting portion disposed at least between the first outlet and the projected area and between the second outlet and the projected area, as viewed in the vertical direction, the restricting portion being configured to restrict movement of by-products accumulated on the bottom.

6. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the first outlet and the second outlet are located below the inlet in the vertical direction.

7. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the first outlet and the second outlet are located below a center of the liquid storing chamber in the vertical direction.

8. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a degassing chamber disposed above the bubble retention space in the vertical direction, the degassing chamber being configured to degas the liquid with a gas permeable film.

9. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the liquid is caused to exit the liquid storing chamber through one of the first outlet and the second outlet so as to generate a flow of the liquid on the bottom.

10. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 3 that satisfies the condition (i).

11. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 3 that satisfies the condition (ii).

12. A method of driving a liquid ejecting apparatus, the liquid ejecting apparatus including:
a filter disposed in a liquid path for supplying liquid to nozzles of a liquid ejecting head; and
a liquid storing chamber disposed downstream of the filter in the liquid path, the liquid storing chamber including:
an inlet through which the liquid enters the liquid storing chamber;
a bubble retention space disposed above the inlet in the vertical direction;
a bottom disposed below the bubble retention space in the vertical direction; and
a first outlet and a second outlet through which the liquid exits the liquid storing chamber, the first outlet being located on one side of an imaginary center line and the second outlet being located on the other side of the imaginary center line, as viewed in the vertical direction, the imaginary center line passing through a center of a projected area, the projected area being defined by projecting the bubble retention space onto the bottom in the vertical direction,

the method comprising causing the liquid to exit the liquid storing chamber through the first outlet and the second outlet.

13. A method of driving a liquid ejecting apparatus, the liquid ejecting apparatus including:
a filter disposed in a liquid path for supplying liquid to nozzles of a liquid ejecting head; and
a liquid storing chamber disposed downstream of the filter in the liquid path, the liquid storing chamber including:
an inlet through which the liquid enters the liquid storing chamber;
a bubble retention space disposed above the inlet in the vertical direction;
a bottom disposed below the bubble retention space in the vertical direction; and
a first outlet and a second outlet through which the liquid exits the liquid storing chamber, the first outlet and the second outlet being located outside a projected area, as viewed in the vertical direction, the projected area being defined by projecting the bubble retention space onto the bottom in the vertical direction,

the method comprising causing the liquid to exit the liquid storing chamber through the first outlet and the second outlet.

14. The method of driving the liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein
the liquid ejecting apparatus further includes a degassing chamber disposed above the bubble retention space in the vertical direction, the degassing chamber being configured to degas the liquid with a gas permeable film, and
the method further comprises discharging bubbles retained in the bubble retention space to the degassing chamber.

15. The method of driving the liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 12 , further comprising:
causing the liquid to exit the liquid storing chamber through one of the first outlet and the second outlet and generating a flow of the liquid on the bottom.

16. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a degassing chamber disposed above the bubble retention space in the vertical direction, the degassing chamber being configured to degas the liquid with a gas permeable film.

17. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid is caused to exit the liquid storing chamber through one of the first outlet and the second outlet so as to generate a flow of the liquid on the bottom.

18. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 that satisfies the condition (i).

19. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 that satisfies the condition (ii).

20. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the liquid storing chamber has a section orthogonal to the vertical direction below the bubble retention space in the vertical direction, the section having the smallest area.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Nakajima Yoshinori
• Kanegae Takahiro
• Owaki Hiroshige
• Suzuki Shigeki
• Matsuoka Hironori

Classifications

• B41J2/14201

  Structure of print heads with piezoelectric elements · CPC title

• B41J2/04581

  controlling heads based on piezoelectric elements · CPC title

• B41J2202/12

  with ink circulating through the whole print head · CPC title

• B41J2002/14241

  having a cover around the piezoelectric thin film element · CPC title

• B41J2/19

  for removing air bubbles · CPC title