Liquid discharge apparatus, dyeing apparatus, and head drive method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10974522-B2
Application number	US-201916576773-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2019
Priority date	Dec 28, 2018
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

A liquid discharge apparatus includes a head including a row of a plurality of nozzles configured to discharge a liquid. The liquid discharge apparatus further includes circuitry configured to generate a discharge timing in accordance with movement of a linear object to which the head applies the liquid, apply a drive waveform to the head based on the discharge timing, and apply a micro vibrating pulse to the head after application of a discharge pulse for discharging the liquid and before a subsequent discharge timing. The micro vibrating pulse is for vibrating a meniscus of the nozzle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:
a head including a row of a plurality of nozzles configured to discharge a liquid;
circuitry configured to:
generate a discharge timing in accordance with movement of a linear object to which the head applies the liquid;
apply a drive waveform to the head based on the discharge timing; and
apply a micro vibrating pulse to the head after application of a discharge pulse for discharging the liquid and before a subsequent discharge timing, the micro vibrating pulse for vibrating a meniscus of the nozzle,

wherein the circuitry is configured to continue application of the micro vibrating pulse at predetermined time intervals until the subsequent discharge timing.

2. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the circuitry is configured to generate the discharge timing each time an amount of movement of the linear object reaches a predetermined amount.

3. A dyeing apparatus comprising:
a head including a row of a plurality of nozzles configured to discharge a liquid;
circuitry configured to:
generate a discharge timing in accordance with movement of a linear object to which the head applies the liquid;
apply a drive waveform to the head based on the discharge timing; and
apply a micro vibrating pulse to the head after application of a discharge pulse for discharging the liquid and before a subsequent discharge timing, the micro vibrating pulse for vibrating a meniscus of the nozzle,
wherein the circuitry is configured to continue application of the micro vibrating pulse at predetermined time intervals until the subsequent discharge timing.

4. A method for applying a drive waveform to a head including a row of a plurality of nozzles for discharging a liquid, the method comprising:
generating a discharge timing in accordance with movement of a linear object to which the head applies the liquid;
applying a drive waveform to the head based on the discharge timing; and
applying a micro vibrating pulse to the head after application of a discharge pulse for discharging the liquid and before a subsequent discharge timing, the micro vibrating pulse for vibrating a meniscus of the nozzle, wherein the applying the micro vibrating pulse continues application of the micro vibrating pulse at predetermined time intervals until the subsequent discharge timing.

5. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the circuitry is configured to apply the micro vibrating pulse repeatedly until the subsequent discharge timing.

6. The dyeing apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the circuitry is configured to apply the micro vibrating pulse repeatedly until the subsequent discharge timing.

7. The method according to claim 4 , wherein:
the applying the micro vibrating pulse repeatedly applies the micro vibrating pulse until the subsequent discharge timing.

Assignees

• Ikegami Kohtaroh
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ikegami Kohtaroh

Classifications

• B41J2/04573

  Timing; Delays · CPC title

• B41J2/04588

  using a specific waveform · CPC title

• B41J2/04596 Primary

  Non-ejecting pulses · CPC title

• B41J2/04581

  controlling heads based on piezoelectric elements · CPC title

• D06P5/00

  Other features in dyeing or printing textiles, or dyeing leather, furs, or solid macromolecular substances in any form · CPC title