Seiko Epson Corporation

Toshifumi Asanuma

Shuji Otsuka

Tadashi Kiyuna

In a capacitive load drive circuit, a first driving signal generator generates a first driving signal from a first control signal according to a characteristic of a first capacitive load, and a second driving signal generator generates a second driving signal from a second control signal according to a characteristic of a second capacitive load. A control signal supply portion supplies a common control signal to the first driving signal generator and the second driving signal generator. The first driving signal generator corrects the common control signal to generate the first control signal, and the second driving signal generator corrects the common control signal to generate the second control signal.

Liquid discharging apparatus

A drive signal generator includes a drive signal generator that generates a drive signal for driving a capacitive load. In the drive signal generator, a set of a first MOSFET and a second MOSFET which are electrically connected in series between a wire of a high potential and a wire of a low potential is arranged in plurality in series. A part or all of the first MOSFETs and the second MOSFETs in the plurality of sets have different sizes from each other.

Driving circuit for driving a piezoelectric element

A driving circuit for driving a capacitive load includes: an original drive signal generator that generates a plurality of original drive signals which includes a first original drive signal and a second original drive signal; a selection section that is capable of selecting one original drive signal from the plurality of original drive signals which includes the first original drive signal and the second original drive signal; a driver that generates a drive signal of voltages in accordance with the one original drive signal.

Driving circuit for driving a capacitive load

A capacitive load driving circuit for repeating between charging and discharging for a capacitive load includes a charge supply source, a first signal path through which a first voltage is applied by the charge supply source, a second signal path through which a second voltage higher than the first voltage is applied by the charge supply source, and a connection path selector configured to electrically connect the capacitive load and the charge supply source via at least one of the first signal path and the second signal path, in accordance with a control signal. The charge supply source is arranged and configured to supply voltage to the connection path selection section.

Capacitive load driving circuit

A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a piezoelectric element that is displaced according to a voltage of a drive signal; a cavity which is filled with a liquid and of which an inside volume is changed due to the displacement of the piezoelectric element; a nozzle that communicates with the cavity and is capable of discharging the liquid; a charge source that supplies a charge to the piezoelectric element; and a connection path selecting section that causes the piezoelectric element and the charge source to be electrically connected to each other by using a first signal path or a second signal path. The charge source includes: a first auxiliary power source that outputs two types or more of voltages; and a second auxiliary power source that outputs three types or more of voltages by using the two types or more of voltages output from the first auxiliary power source.

Driving circuit for driving a capacitive load, and control method of a driving circuit for driving a capacitive load

A liquid discharge apparatus includes an actuator element configured and arranged to receive a drive signal to discharge a liquid, the liquid being an ink including 0.1 wt % to 10 wt % of a polar solvent. The waveform of the drive signal supplied to the actuator element includes a non-rectangular shaped pulse with a ripple being formed in a falling portion of the non-rectangular shaped pulse.

Liquid discharge apparatus and method of discharging liquid

A liquid discharge apparatus includes a piezoelectric element in which a drive signal is applied and which is displaced to eject a liquid; a zeroth wire of a zeroth potential; a first wire of a first potential that is higher than the zeroth potential; a second wire of a second potential that is higher than the first potential; and a connection path selecting section that electrically connects one end of the piezoelectric element to the zeroth wire, the first wire, or the second wire in response to a voltage of a source drive signal that controls the voltage of the drive signal and a hold voltage of the piezoelectric element. Here, a first potential difference from the zeroth potential to the first potential is different from a second potential difference from the first potential to the second potential.

Liquid discharge apparatus and control method of liquid discharge apparatus

A liquid discharge apparatus includes: an original drive signal generator that generates a plurality of original drive signals which includes a first original drive signal and a second original drive signal; a selection section that is capable of selecting one original drive signal from the plurality of original drive signals which includes the first original drive signal and the second original drive signal; a driver that generates a drive signal of voltages in accordance with the one original drive signal; a piezoelectric element that is displaced according to the drive signal; a cavity of which an inside volume is changed due to the displacement of the piezoelectric element; and a nozzle that is provided to discharge a liquid in the cavity according to the change of the inside volume of the cavity.

Liquid discharge apparatus, head unit, and control method of liquid discharge apparatus

In a capacitive load drive circuit, first capacitive loads of a first capacitive load group are supplied a first driving signal and second capacitive loads of a second capacitive load group are supplied a second driving signal. A first driving signal generator generates the first driving signal from a control signal according to characteristics of the first capacitive load group, and a second driving signal generator generates the second driving signal from a control signal according to characteristics of the second capacitive load group. A control signal supply portion supplies a common control signal to the first driving signal generator and the second driving signal generator.

A capacitive load drive circuit, which may be embodied in a printer, includes capacitive elements; a first circuit substrate, on which is installed a control signal supply unit that generates control signals; a second circuit substrate, on which is installed a circuit that charges or discharges the capacitive elements according to the control signals; and a flexible flat cable, on which is formed wirings including control wiring, which transmits the control signals from the first to the second circuit substrate, and a wiring, which supplies power supply and ground voltages to the second circuit substrate. A total path length of the wirings between the first and second circuit substrates is shorter than the total path length of the wiring between the second circuit substrate and each of the capacitive elements.

Capacitive load drive circuit

A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a drive signal generator that generates a drive signal; a piezoelectric element that is displaced in response to a voltage of the drive signal; a cavity which is filled with a liquid and of which an inside volume is expanded and contracted due to the displacement of the piezoelectric element; and a nozzle that communicates with the cavity and is capable of discharging the liquid by the expansion and contraction of the inside volume of the cavity. In the drive signal generator, a set of a first MOSFET and a second MOSFET which are electrically connected in series between a wire of a high potential and a wire of a low potential is arranged in plurality in series. A part or all of the first MOSFETs and the second MOSFETs in the plurality of sets have different sizes from each other.

Liquid discharge apparatus

A drive circuit is adapted to charge and discharge a first capacitive load and a second capacitive load. The drive circuit includes a first connection path selection section, a second connection path selection section and a voltage generation section. The first connection path selection section is configured to selectively supply a plurality of voltages to the first capacitive load. The first connection path selection section is arranged so as to correspond to the first capacitive load. The second connection path selection section is configured to selectively supply a plurality of voltages to the second capacitive load. The second connection path selection section is arranged so as to correspond to the second capacitive load. The voltage generation section is configured to generate and supply the voltages shared by the first connection path selection section and the second connection path selection section.

Drive circuit including connection path selection sections and voltage generation section

A liquid discharge apparatus includes a discharge section, a charge supply source, first and second signal paths, a control signal generation section and a connection path selection section. The discharge section includes a nozzle configured and arranged to discharge a liquid, a pressure chamber in communication with the nozzle, and a piezoelectric element provided for the pressure chamber. A first voltage is applied by the charge supply source through the first signal path. A second voltage higher than the first voltage is applied by the charge supply source through the second signal path. The control signal generation section is configured to supply a control signal. The connection path selection section is configured to use the first or second signal path to electrically connect the piezoelectric element and the charge supply source in accordance with a voltage of the control signal and a holding voltage of the piezoelectric element.

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Hamura, Japan

Toshifumi Asanuma