Liquid ejection control device, liquid ejection system, and control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9456841-B2
Application number	US-201514998145-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2015
Priority date	Dec 24, 2014
Publication date	Oct 4, 2016
Grant date	Oct 4, 2016

Abstract

In a liquid ejection control device, an operation unit includes a momentum dial for inputting a momentum instructing value related to momentum of a pulsed liquid jet ejected from a liquid ejection device, and a repetitive frequency dial for inputting a repetitive frequency instructing value related to the number of times ejection of the pulsed liquid occurs per unit time. In addition, a controller includes a voltage magnitude setting section that sets voltage magnitude of the drive voltage waveform such that the momentum becomes the momentum instructing value, based on a rising index value related to rising of the drive voltage waveform and the repetitive frequency instructing value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid ejection control device in which a predetermined drive voltage waveform is applied to a piezoelectric element to control the ejection of a pulsed liquid jet of liquid having a pulsed shape from a liquid ejection device that uses the piezoelectric element, the liquid ejection control device comprising:
a first operation unit for inputting a first instructing value related to momentum of the pulsed liquid jet;
a second operation unit for inputting a second instructing value related to a number of times an ejection of the pulsed liquid is performed per unit time; and
a voltage magnitude setting section that sets voltage magnitude of the drive voltage waveform such that the momentum becomes the first instructing value, based on an index value related to rising of the drive voltage waveform and the second instructing value.

2. The liquid ejection control device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a third operation unit for inputting a third instructing value related to the index value.

3. A liquid ejection system comprising:
the liquid ejection control device according to claim 2 ;
a liquid ejection device; and
a feeding pump device.

4. The liquid ejection control device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a falling shape setting section that changeably sets a falling shape of the drive voltage waveform depending on the second instructing value.

5. A liquid ejection system comprising:
the liquid ejection control device according to claim 4 ;
a liquid ejection device; and
a feeding pump device.

6. The liquid ejection control device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a display control unit that performs control of display of at least one of the first instructing value and the second instructing value.

7. A liquid ejection system comprising:
the liquid ejection control device according to claim 6 ;
a liquid ejection device; and
a feeding pump device.

8. The liquid ejection control device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the liquid ejection device is controlled such that the pulsed liquid jet has momentum in a range from 2 [nNs (nanonewton seconds)] to 2 [mNs (millinewton seconds)] or kinetic energy in a range from 2 [nJ (nanojules)] to 200 [(mJ (millijules)].

9. A liquid ejection system comprising:
the liquid ejection control device according to claim 8 ;
a liquid ejection device; and
a feeding pump device.

10. The liquid ejection control device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the liquid ejection device is controlled to cut a living tissue using the pulsed liquid jet.

11. A liquid ejection system comprising:
the liquid ejection control device according to claim 10 ;
a liquid ejection device; and
a feeding pump device.

12. A liquid ejection system comprising:
the liquid ejection control device according to claim 1 ;
a liquid ejection device; and
a feeding pump device.

13. A control method in which a predetermined drive voltage waveform is applied to a piezoelectric element to control the ejection of a pulsed liquid jet of liquid having a pulsed shape from a liquid ejection device that uses the piezoelectric element, the control method comprising:
inputting a first instructing value related to momentum of the pulsed liquid jet;
inputting a second instructing value related to the number of times an ejection of the pulsed liquid is performed per unit time; and
setting voltage magnitude of the drive voltage waveform such that the momentum becomes the first instructing value, based on an index value related to rising of the drive voltage waveform and the second instructing value.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Karasawa Junichi

Classifications

• A61B17/32037

  for removing obstructions from inner organs or blood vessels, e.g. for atherectomy · CPC title

• B41J2/04581

  controlling heads based on piezoelectric elements · CPC title

• A61B17/3203 Primary

  Fluid jet cutting instruments · CPC title

• B41J2/04588

  using a specific waveform · CPC title

• A61B2017/00194

  Means for setting or varying the repetition rate · CPC title