Liquid ejecting apparatus and driving method of liquid ejecting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10618307-B2
Application number	US-201815865876-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2018
Priority date	Jan 20, 2017
Publication date	Apr 14, 2020
Grant date	Apr 14, 2020

Abstract

A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid flow path which communicates with a nozzle which ejects liquid; a vacuum degassing chamber for removing air bubbles from liquid by depressurizing a part of the liquid flow path; a gas flow path which communicates with the vacuum degassing chamber; a pressurizing chamber which communicates with the gas flow path; and a pump which communicates with the vacuum degassing chamber and the pressurizing chamber through the gas flow path, in which the pump is driven by a sequence selected from a plurality of sequences, and the plurality of sequences include a plurality of depressurizing sequences in which the vacuum degassing chamber is depressurized so that an average pressure of the vacuum degassing chamber becomes different, and a pressurizing sequence in which the pressurizing chamber is pressurized.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
a liquid flow path which communicates with a nozzle configured to eject liquid;
a vacuum degassing chamber for removing air bubbles from liquid by depressurizing a part of the liquid flow path;
a pressurizing chamber for pressurizing a part of the liquid flow path;
a pump for depressurizing the vacuum degassing chamber and pressurizing the pressurizing chamber;
a gas flow path which communicates with the vacuum degassing chamber, the pressurizing chamber, and the pump, and
a controller configured to drive of the pump;
wherein the controller drives the pump by a sequence selected from a plurality of sequences,
wherein the plurality of sequences include a plurality of depressurizing sequences in which the vacuum degassing chamber is depressurized so that an average pressure of the vacuum degassing chamber becomes different, and a pressurizing sequence in which the pressurizing chamber is pressurized,
wherein (i) both of the vacuum degassing chamber and the pressurizing chamber vacuum gas into the gas flow path in the plurality of depressurizing sequences, and (ii) both of the vacuum degassing chamber and the pressurizing chamber are supplied gas from the gas flow path in the pressurizing sequence, and
wherein liquid is discharged from a nozzle by reducing a volume of the liquid flow path, by bending a flexible film of the pressurizing chamber using the pressurizing sequence.

2. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein in the plurality of depressurizing sequences, a reaching pressure as a target of the vacuum degassing chamber using the pump is different.

3. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein driving cycles of the pump are different in the plurality of depressurizing sequences.

4. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the pressurizing chamber is provided with a flexible film which bends due to pressurizing by the pressurizing sequence, and
wherein the plurality of depressurizing sequences are selected according to a timing of pressurizing the flexible film.

5. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of sequences is selected according to an amount of air bubbles in the liquid flow path.

6. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of depressurizing sequences are selected according to a driving time of the pump.

7. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
a liquid flow path which communicates with a nozzle configured to eject liquid;
a vacuum degassing chamber for removing air bubbles from liquid by depressurizing a part of the liquid flow path;
a pressurizing chamber for pressurizing a part of the liquid flow path;
a pump for depressurizing the vacuum degassing chamber and pressurizing the pressurizing chamber;
a gas flow path which communicates with the vacuum degassing chamber, the pressurizing chamber, and the pump, and
a controller configured to drive of the pump;
wherein the controller drives the pump by a sequence selected from a plurality of sequences,
wherein the plurality of sequences include a plurality of depressurizing sequences in which the vacuum degassing chamber is depressurized so that driving cycles of the pump becomes different, and a pressurizing sequence in which the pressurizing chamber is pressurized,
wherein (i) both of the vacuum degassing chamber and the pressurizing chamber vacuum gas into the gas flow path in the plurality of depressurizing sequences, and (ii) both of the vacuum degassing chamber and the pressurizing chamber are supplied gas from the gas flow path in the pressurizing sequence, and
wherein liquid is discharged from a nozzle by reducing a volume of the liquid flow path, by bending a flexible film of the pressurizing chamber using the pressurizing sequence.

8. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 7 ,
wherein the plurality of depressurizing sequences are selected according to an amount of air bubbles in the liquid flow path.

9. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 7 ,
wherein the plurality of depressurizing sequences are selected according to a driving time of the pump.

10. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
a liquid flow path which communicates with a nozzle configured to eject liquid;
a vacuum degassing chamber for removing air bubbles from liquid by depressurizing a part of the liquid flow path;
a pressurizing chamber for pressurizing a part of the liquid flow path;
a pump for depressurizing the vacuum degassing chamber and pressurizing the pressurizing chamber;
a gas flow path which communicates with the vacuum degassing chamber, the pressurizing chamber, and the pump; and
a controller configured to drive of the pump,
wherein the controller drives the pump by a sequence which is selected from a plurality of sequences, and
wherein the plurality of sequences include a plurality of depressurizing sequences in which the vacuum degassing chamber is depressurized so that a power consumption of the pump becomes different, and a pressurizing sequence in which the pressurizing chamber is pressurized,
wherein (i) both of the vacuum degassing chamber and the pressurizing chamber vacuum gas into the gas flow path in the plurality of depressurizing sequences, and (ii) both of the vacuum degassing chamber and the pressurizing chamber are supplied gas from the gas flow path in the pressurizing sequence, and
wherein liquid is discharged from a nozzle by reducing a volume of the liquid flow path, by bending a flexible film of the pressurizing chamber using the pressurizing sequence.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Tatsuta Daiki
• Fujimori Ryoji
• Koike Kaoru

Classifications

• B41J2/19 Primary

  for removing air bubbles · CPC title

• B41J2/175

  Ink supply systems {; Circuit parts therefor} · CPC title