This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-022754, filed on Feb. 17, 2022, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present disclosure relates to a liquid jet head and a liquid jet recording device.
Liquid jet recording devices equipped with liquid jet heads are used in a variety of fields, and a variety of types of liquid jet heads are developed (see, e.g., JP2018-167466A).
In such a liquid jet head, in general, it is required to increase the reliability.
It is desirable to provide a liquid jet head and a liquid jet recording device capable of increasing the reliability.
A liquid jet head according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a jet section configured to jet liquid, at least one drive circuit configured to output a drive signal used to jet the liquid to the jet section, a differential input line configured to transmit data from an outside of the liquid jet head toward the drive circuit, a differential output line configured to transmit data from the drive circuit toward the outside of the liquid jet head, a coupling part which is arranged between the outside of the liquid jet head and the drive circuit, and to which the differential input line and the differential output line are individually coupled, and a detection circuit configured to perform detection of a coupling state in the coupling part using a transmission signal in at least one of the differential output line and the differential input line.
A liquid jet recording device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes the liquid jet head according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.
According to the liquid jet head and the liquid jet recording device related to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it becomes possible to enhance the reliability.
An embodiment of the present disclosure will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the description will be presented in the following order:
[Outline Configuration of Printer 5]
It should be noted that a scale size of each of the members is accordingly altered so that the member is shown in a recognizable size in the drawings used in the description of the present specification.
The printer 5 is an inkjet printer for performing recording (printing) of images, characters, and the like on a recording target medium (e.g., recording paper P shown in
It should be noted that the inkjet head 1 corresponds to a specific example of a “liquid jet head” in the present disclosure, and the printer 5 corresponds to a specific example of a “liquid jet recording device” in the present disclosure. Further, the ink 9 corresponds to a specific example of a “liquid” in the present disclosure.
(A. Print Control Section 2)
The print control section 2 is for supplying the inkjet head 1 with a variety of types of information (data). Specifically, as shown in
It should be noted that the print control signal Sc is arranged to include, for example, image data, an ejection timing signal, and a power supply voltage for making the inkjet head 1 operate. Further, the print control section 2 corresponds to a specific example of an “outside of a liquid jet head” in the present disclosure.
(B. Ink Tank 3)
The ink tanks 3 are each a tank for containing the ink 9 inside. As shown in
(C. Inkjet Head 1)
As represented by dotted arrows in
(C-1. I/F Board 12)
As shown in
As shown in
The connectors 120a, 120b, 120c, and 120d are parts (connector parts) for electrically coupling the I/F board 12 and the flexible boards 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d, respectively.
The circuit arrangement area 121 is an area where a variety of circuits are arranged on the I/F board 12. It should be noted that it is also possible to arrange that such a circuit arrangement area is also disposed in other areas on the I/F board 12.
(C-2. Jet Section 11)
As shown in
As shown in
(Nozzle Plate 112)
The nozzle plate 112 is a plate formed of a film material such as polyimide, or a metal material, and has the plurality of nozzle holes Hn described above as shown in
Specifically, in the example of the jet section 11 shown in
(Actuator Plate 111)
The actuator plate 111 is a plate formed of a piezoelectric material such as PZT (lead zirconate titanate). The actuator plate 111 is provided with a plurality of channels (pressure chambers). These channels are each a part for applying pressure to the ink 9, and are arranged side by side so as to be parallel to each other at predetermined intervals. Each of the channels is partitioned with drive walls (not shown) formed of a piezoelectric body, and forms a groove part having a recessed shape in a cross-sectional view.
As such channels, there exist ejection channels for ejecting the ink 9, and dummy channels (non-ejection channels) which do not eject the ink 9. In other words, it is arranged that the ejection channels are filled with the ink 9 on the one hand, but the dummy channels are not filled with the ink 9 on the other hand.
It should be noted that it is arranged that filling of each of the ejection channels with the ink 9 is performed via, for example, a flow channel (a common flow channel) commonly communicated with such ejection channels. Further, it is arranged that each of the ejection channels is individually communicated with the nozzle hole Hn in the nozzle plate 112 on the one hand, but each of the dummy channels is not communicated with the nozzle hole Hn on the other hand. These ejection channels and the dummy channels are alternately arranged side by side along the column direction (the X-axis direction) described above.
Further, on the inner side surfaces opposed to each other in the drive wall described above, there are respectively disposed drive electrodes. As the drive electrodes, there exist common electrodes disposed on the inner side surfaces facing the ejection channels, and active electrodes (individual electrodes) disposed on the inner side surfaces facing the dummy channels. These drive electrodes and the drive devices 41 described later are electrically coupled to each other via each of the flexible boards 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d. Thus, it is arranged that the drive voltages Vd (the drive signals Sd) described above are applied to the drive electrodes from the drive devices 41 via each of the flexible boards 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d (see
(C-3. Flexible Boards 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d)
The flexible boards 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d are each a board for electrically coupling the I/F board 12 and the jet section 11 to each other as shown in
It should be noted that these flexible boards 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d each correspond to a specific example of a “drive board” in the present disclosure.
On each of such flexible boards 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d, there are individually mounted the drive devices 41 (see
Further, these drive devices 41 are arranged to be cooled by the cooling units 141, 142 described above. Specifically, as shown in
It should be noted that such a drive device 41 corresponds to a specific example of a “drive circuit” in the present disclosure.
[Detailed Configuration of Flexible Boards 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d]
Subsequently, a detailed configuration example of the flexible boards 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d described above will be described with reference to
First, as shown in each of
As shown in each of
It should be noted that such a coupling terminal part 130 corresponds to a specific example of a “coupling part” in the present disclosure. Further, in the example shown in
It is arranged that transmission data Dt (the print control signal Sc described above) transmitted from the outside (the print control section 2 described above) of the inkjet head 1 is input to each of the first input terminal Tin1 and the second input terminal Tin2 described above (see
Here, one of the first differential transmission line Lt1 and the second differential transmission line Lt2 is a differential transmission line (a differential input line) for transmitting data (transmission data Dt) from the outside (the print control section 2) of the inkjet head 1 toward each of the drive devices 41 as described above. On the other hand, the other of the first differential transmission line Lt1 and the second differential transmission line Lt2 is a differential transmission line (a differential output line) for transmitting data from each of the drive devices 41 toward the outside (the print control section 2) of the inkjet head 1.
The five drive devices 41 described above are mounted on each of the flexible boards 13a to 13d (at an obverse surface S1 side out of an obverse surface S1 and a reverse surface S2) in the example shown in
Further, a plurality of differential transmission lines for transmitting the transmission data Dt via the five drive devices 41 arranged in series to each other are arranged between the first input terminal Tin1 and the second input terminal Tin2. Specifically, as shown in
It should be noted that such differential transmission lines (the first differential transmission line Lt1, the second differential transmission line Lt2, and the third differential transmission lines Lt31 to Lt34) are each formed using, for example, LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signaling). It should be noted that it is possible for each of such differential transmission lines to be formed using, for example, CML (Current Mode Logic) or ECL (Emitter Coupled Logic).
Here, as described above, the input terminal (the first input terminal Tin1 or the second input terminal Tin2) to which the transmission data Dt is input is different (see
In such a manner, the input terminal to which the transmission data Dt is input and the transmission direction of the transmission data Dt are different between the flexible boards 13a, 13c and the flexible boards 13b, 13d. It should be noted that the flexible boards 13a, 13c and the flexible boards 13b, 13d are made the same in the structure of the substrate itself as each other, and the configurations of the flexible boards 13a to 13d are commonalized (shared) (see
[Detailed Configuration Example of Coupling Terminal Part 130]
Then, the detailed configuration example of the coupling terminal part 130 described above will be described with reference to
First, in high-speed differential transmission such as LVDS described above, basically, impedance control is performed by arranging the ground (GND) with a broad pattern in a layer opposed to a layer in which the differential transmission lines are arranged. Therefore, there is a restriction that it is difficult to arrange a component and so on in the portion where the differential transmission lines are arranged. Therefore, as shown in, for example,
Here, in the example shown in
In contrast, in the example shown in
Here, when inserting the coupling terminal part 130 with such a pin arrangement into a connector (the connectors 120a, 120b, 120c, and 120d described above) to thereby achieve electrical coupling, such a wrong insertion as described below, for example, occurs in some cases.
Specifically, as such a wrong insertion, there are cited so-called “half-insertion state” and “oblique insertion state” as what is hard to be aware of the wrong insertion besides a mistaken insertion into the connector. The “half-insertion state” means a state in which the coupling terminal part 130 fails to reach contact points of the connector. On the other hand, the “oblique insertion state” means a state in which some of the terminals are electrically coupled while the rest of the terminals fail to be electrically coupled due to the fact that the coupling terminal part 130 is not horizontally inserted with respect to the contact points of the connector.
The mistaken insertion can easily be prevented by providing the connector with a wrong insertion preventing mechanism (e.g., a mechanism in which the connector is provided with a part fulfilling a relationship between a protruding part and a recessed part, and the insertion is inhibited unless the shapes fit each other). However, it is difficult to prevent the half-insertion state and the oblique insertion state described above using such a mechanism. In particular, regarding the oblique insertion state, since some of the terminals are electrically coupled, it superficially looks as if a normal operation were achieved, and therefore, the oblique insertion state is unnoticed in some cases.
Here, as a method of preventing such an oblique insertion state, it is conceivable to adopt a method of additionally arrange terminals (detection terminals) dedicated to detecting (confirming) a coupling state at, for example, both ends of the coupling terminal part 130. Specifically, it is arranged that the drive board side of the pin to be the detection terminal is coupled to the ground (GND), and the detection side is pulled up with the power supply voltage. Thus, when the normal coupling is achieved, the detection side is coupled to the ground to thereby be set to an “L” state, and therefore, by detecting the voltage at the detection side, it becomes possible to confirm whether or not the normal coupling is achieved.
However, when the terminals for the differential signals are arranged around the both ends of the coupling terminal part 130 as, for example, the pin arrangement shown in
[Configuration of Detection Circuit 172]
Then, a configuration example of a detection circuit 172 in the present embodiment for performing the detection of such a coupling state as described above in the coupling terminal part 130 will be described with reference to
First, as shown in
Further, the detection circuit 172 is arranged to perform discrimination related to the coupling state based on a voltage (a voltage V2 of the output transmission signal Sv2) of such a transmission signal. In other words, it is arranged that the discrimination related to the coupling state is performed using the voltage V2 on the differential output line (the second differential transmission line Lt2) which is not used under normal conditions. Further, as shown in
It should be noted that the output transmission signal Sv2 described above corresponds to a specific example of a “transmission signal (in the differential output line)” in the present disclosure.
Here,
First, in the example shown in
In contrast, in the example shown in
Further, in the example shown in
[Operations and Functions/Advantages]
(A. Basic Operation of Printer 5)
In the printer 5, a recording operation (a printing operation) of images, characters, and so on to the recording target medium (the recording paper P and so on) is performed using such a jet operation of the ink 9 by the inkjet head 1 as described below. Specifically, in the inkjet head 1 according to the present embodiment, the jet operation of the ink 9 using a shear mode is performed in the following manner.
First, the drive devices 41 on each of the flexible boards 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d each apply the drive voltage Vd (the drive signal Sd) to the drive electrodes (the common electrode and the active electrode) described above in the actuator plate 111 in the jet section 11. Specifically, each of the drive devices 41 applies the drive voltage Vd to the drive electrodes disposed on the pair of drive walls partitioning the ejection channel described above. Thus, the pair of drive walls each deform so as to protrude toward the dummy channel adjacent to the ejection channel.
On this occasion, it results in that the drive wall makes a flexion deformation to have a V shape centering on the intermediate position in the depth direction in the drive wall. Further, due to such a flexion deformation of the drive wall, the ejection channel deforms as if the ejection channel bulges. As described above, due to the flexion deformation caused by a piezoelectric thickness-shear effect in the pair of drive walls, the volume of the ejection channel increases. Further, by the volume of the ejection channel increasing, the ink 9 is induced into the ejection channel as a result.
Subsequently, the ink 9 induced into the ejection channel in such a manner turns to a pressure wave to propagate to the inside of the ejection channel. Then, the drive voltage Vd to be applied to the drive electrodes becomes 0 (zero) V at the timing at which the pressure wave has reached the nozzle hole Hn of the nozzle plate 112 (or timing in the vicinity of that timing). Thus, the drive walls are restored from the state of the flexion deformation described above, and as a result, the volume of the ejection channel having once increased is restored again.
In such a manner, the pressure in the ejection channel increases in the process that the volume of the ejection channel is restored, and thus, the ink 9 in the ejection channel is pressurized. As a result, the ink 9 shaped like a droplet is ejected (see
(B. Operation of Detecting Coupling State)
Then, the operation of detecting the coupling state (a detection operation by the detection circuit 172) in the coupling terminal part 130 in the inkjet head 1 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail in comparison with the comparative examples (Comparative Example 1 to Comparative Example 3).
First, in general in the inkjet head, it is very often the case that the plurality of boards is electrically coupled to each other using, for example, connectors or clamping connection inside (including outside) the inkjet head. In such a coupling portion, it is required to confirm whether or not the electrical coupling or the like is normal. For example, there is cited a method of confirming whether or not the receiving side normally receives data, and then, an electrical condition for normally receiving the data is continuously changed, and so on. Among those methods, as a simplified method for detecting (confirming) the coupling state between the boards, there can be cited, for example, the methods related to Comparative Example 1 to Comparative Example 3 described below.
(B-1. Comparative Example 1 to Comparative Example 3)
As shown in
In contrast, when the boards 102, 103 are electrically coupled to each other via the connector C103 as shown in
However, when applying the method in Comparative Example 1 to the differential transmission line (in the case of a method in Comparative Example 2 described below), the following problem can occur.
In the inkjet head 201 according to Comparative Example 2, a differential transmission line Lt201 is coupled to an output device 204 on a board 202, and it results in that this differential transmission line Lt201 is coupled up to a board 203 side via a connector C203. Further, at both ends of this differential transmission line Lt201, there are arranged ground lines Lg201, Lg202 for impedance control, respectively. Further, similarly to the case of Comparative Example 1 described above, an input side of a detection circuit 207 provided on the board 202 is coupled to the power supply voltage Vp via a pull-up resistor R201.
However, in the inkjet head 201 according to Comparative Example 2 described above, such a cut in the ground as denoted by, for example, a symbol P201 in
Further,
In the inkjet head 301 according to Comparative Example 3, first, a differential transmission line Lt301 is coupled to an output device 304 on a board 302, and it results in that a differential transmission line Lt301 is coupled up to a board 303 side via a connector C303 similarly to the inkjet head 201 according to Comparative Example 2 described above. Further, at both ends of this differential transmission line Lt301, there are arranged ground lines Lg301, Lg302 for impedance control, respectively. In contrast, unlike the inkjet head 201, in the inkjet head 301, to an input side of a detection circuit 307 disposed on the board 302, there is coupled a ground line Lg303 which is separated from the ground lines Lg301, Lg302 described above, and which is dedicated to the coupling confirmation. Further, the input side of this detection circuit 307 is also coupled to the power supply voltage Vp via a pull-up resistor R301.
In the method in such Comparative Example 3, unlike the method in Comparative Example 2 described above, since the ground line Lg303 dedicated to the coupling confirmation is separately disposed, it results in that the quality deterioration of the signal transmission on the differential transmission line Lt301 is avoided. However, since a terminal dedicated to the coupling confirmation also becomes necessary in the connector C303 together with such a dedicated ground line Lg303 (see, e.g., an area denoted by a symbol P301 in
That is, the dedicated terminals described above become necessary, and accordingly, the coupling terminals for the power supply lines and the ground lines which become necessary for ensuring a stable operation and the reliability in the inkjet head 301 become impossible to be arranged in the inkjet head 301. In other words, since the number of such power supply lines and ground lines to be arranged decreases, it can be said that there is a possibility that the reliability of the inkjet head 301 deteriorates in Comparative Example 3 described above.
(B-2. Present Embodiment)
Therefore, in the inkjet head 1 according to the present embodiment, the detection (confirmation) of the coupling state in the coupling terminal part 130 is performed using the transmission signal (the output transmission signal Sv2) in the second differential transmission line Lt2 as the differential output line in the detection circuit 172 described above. Specifically, the detection circuit 172 performs the discrimination related to the coupling state based on the voltage (the voltage V2 of the output transmission signal Sv2) of such a transmission signal.
Here,
First, in a logic circuit such as a TTL (Transistor-Transistor-Logic) circuit or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) circuit in a typical single-ended transmission, a voltage (an H-level voltage VH) of a signal representing the “H” level of a signal generally becomes a voltage around the power supply voltage Vp. Further, a voltage (an L-level voltage VL) of a signal representing the “L” level of a signal generally becomes a voltage around the ground (GND: 0 V).
In contrast, when performing the differential transmission, as shown in, for example,
Here, in the circuit operating state shown in
In contrast, since the circuit resting state shown in
As described above, in any of the circuit operating state shown in
It should be noted that when the coupling state in the coupling terminal part 130 is not normal, the voltage V2 of the output transmission signal Sv2 becomes lower than the L-level voltage VL (V2<VL), or higher than the H-level voltage VH (V2>VH). Specifically, when, for example, the electrical coupling is cut, the voltage becomes indefinite, and therefore, normally, the voltage V2=GND (0 V<VL) becomes true. Further, for example, due to a contact failure to the power supply and so on, the voltage V2=the power supply voltage Vp (>VH) is true in some cases.
With these factors, when determining whether or not the coupling state in the coupling terminal part 130 is normal, it is sufficient for the detection circuit 172 to determine whether or not the voltage V2 of the output transmission signal Sv2 is within the range of (VL≤V2≤VH). Specifically, in the example of LVDS described above, it results in that it is sufficient for the detection circuit 172 to determine whether or not (1.025 [V]≤V2≤1.375 [V]) is fulfilled.
More specifically, as shown in
In contrast, when the detection circuit 172 is configured including the AD converter 172B or the CPU with AD converter 172C as shown in
(B-3. Functions/Advantages)
In such a manner, in the inkjet head 1 according to the present embodiment, the coupling state in the coupling terminal part 130 is detected using the transmission signal in the differential transmission line used for the data transmission between the outside (the print control section 2) of the inkjet head 1 and the drive device 41, and therefore, the following is achieved.
That is, it becomes possible to detect the coupling state in the coupling terminal part 130 without separately arranging the dedicated terminals for detecting (confirming) the coupling state and so on as in, for example, the comparative examples (Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Example 3) described above. Thus, the dedicated terminals described above become unnecessary, and accordingly, a larger number of coupling terminals for the power supply lines and the ground lines which become necessary for ensuring the stable operation and the reliability in the inkjet head 1 can be arranged in the inkjet head 1. As a result, in the present embodiment, it becomes possible to enhance the reliability of the inkjet head 1.
Further, in particular in the present embodiment, since the coupling state described above is detected using the transmission signal (the output transmission signal Sv2) in the second differential transmission line Lt2 as the differential output line, the following is achieved. That is, it becomes possible to easily detect the coupling state (with a simplified method) compared to, for example, when detecting the coupling state using the transmission signal in the first differential transmission line Lt1 as the differential input line. As a result, it becomes possible to reduce the cost of the inkjet head 1.
Further, in the present embodiment, since the discrimination related to the coupling state is performed based on the voltage (the voltage V2 of the output transmission signal Sv2) of the transmission signal described above, the following is achieved. That is, it becomes possible to easily (with a simplified method) discriminate the coupling state compared to when performing the discrimination using other methods (e.g., an optical method). As a result, it becomes possible to further reduce the cost of the inkjet head 1.
In addition, in the present embodiment, since the discrimination related to the coupling state is performed using the common-mode voltage Vc which is always applied to the differential transmission line (the second differential transmission line Lt2 as the differential output line), the following is achieved. That is, it is possible to perform the discrimination related to the coupling state without using, for example, a special sequence for detecting the coupling. As a result, it becomes possible to further reduce the cost of the inkjet head 1.
Further, in the present embodiment, when arranging that the discrimination related to the coupling state is performed by comparing the voltage V2 of the output transmission signal Sv2 described above with the voltage range ΔVth around the common-mode voltage Vc in the AD converter 172B (or the CPU with AD converter 172C) included in the detection circuit 172 (in the case shown in
Further, in the present embodiment, since the detection result (the coupling confirmation signal Sj) of the coupling state between each of the flexible boards 13a to 13d and the I/F board 12 in the coupling terminal part 130 is output from the detection circuit 172 arranged on the I/F board 12 to the outside (the print control section 2) of the inkjet head 1, the following is achieved. That is, it is possible to notify the outside of the detection result of the coupling state between the boards by the inkjet head 1 itself after, for example, the coupling operation between the I/F board 12 and each of the flexible boards 13a to 13d is performed by the user. As a result, it becomes possible to enhance the convenience.
In addition, in the present embodiment, the first input terminal Tin1 to which the first differential transmission line Lt1 as the differential input line is coupled is arranged at one end part side in the coupling terminal area Ac of the coupling terminal part 130. On the other hand, the second input terminal Tin2 to which the second differential transmission line Lt2 as the differential output line is coupled is arranged at the other end part side in such a coupling terminal area Ac. Thus, it becomes easy to detect the abnormal coupling state (e.g., the half-insertion state and the oblique insertion state described above) which can occur when the I/F board 12 and each of the flexible boards 13a to 13d are coupled to each other. As a result, it becomes possible to further enhance the reliability of the inkjet head 1.
Then, a modified example of the embodiment described above will be described. It should be noted that hereinafter, the same constituents as those in the embodiment are denoted by the same reference symbols, and the description thereof will arbitrarily be omitted.
[Configuration]
It should be noted that the inkjet head 1A corresponds to a specific example of the “liquid jet head” in the present disclosure. Further, a printer equipped with the inkjet head 1A corresponds to a specific example of the “liquid jet recording device” in the present disclosure.
First, in the inkjet head 1A according to the modified example shown in
The flexible board 13A is obtained by further disposing a detection circuit 171 in the flexible boards 13a, 13c shown in
As shown in
Further, the detection circuit 171 performs the discrimination related to the coupling state based on a voltage (a voltage V1 of the input transmission signal Sv1) of the transmission signal described above. Further, similarly to the detection circuit 172, the detection circuit 171 is arranged to output (see
In such a manner, in the inkjet head 1A, it is arranged that the coupling state in the coupling terminal part 130 is detected using the transmission signals (the output transmission signal Sv2 and the input transmission signal Sv1) in the both differential transmission lines, namely the differential output line (the second differential transmission line Lt2) and the differential input line (the first differential transmission line Lt1).
Here, the input transmission signal Sv1 described above corresponds to a specific example of a “transmission signal (in the differential input line)” in the present disclosure.
It should be noted that the detailed configuration example of the detection circuit 171 and the detailed example of the detection operation by the detection circuit 171 are each basically the same as in the case (see
[Functions and Advantages]
In such a modified example, it also becomes possible to obtain basically the same advantages due to substantially the same function as that of the embodiment. In other words, similarly to the embodiment, in the modified example, it also becomes possible to enhance the reliability of the inkjet head 1A.
Further, in particular in this modified example, since the coupling state in the coupling terminal part 130 is detected using the transmission signals (the output transmission signal Sv2 and the input transmission signal Sv1) in the both differential transmission lines, namely the differential output line (the second differential transmission line Lt2) and the differential input line (the first differential transmission line Lt1), the following is achieved. That is, the detection accuracy of the coupling state increases compared to the case of the detection using only the transmission signal in one of these differential transmission lines as in, for example, the embodiment. As a result, compared to the embodiment and so on, in the modified example, it becomes possible to further enhance the reliability of the inkjet head 1A.
The present disclosure is described hereinabove citing the embodiment and the modified example, but the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiment and so on, and a variety of modifications can be adopted.
For example, in the embodiment and so on described above, the description is presented specifically citing the configuration examples (the shapes, the arrangements, the number and so on) of each of the members in the printer 5 and the inkjet heads 1, 1A, but what is described in the above embodiment and so on is not a limitation, and it is possible to adopt other shapes, arrangements, numbers and so on.
Specifically, for example, in the embodiment and so on described above, the description is presented citing the operation of detecting the coupling state on the flexible boards 13a, 13c as an example, but it is possible to perform the operation of detecting the coupling state on the flexible boards 13b, 13d in basically the same manner. Specifically, in the embodiment and so on described above, there is described the example when the first differential transmission line Lt1 functions as the differential input line (the transmission data Dt is input from the first input terminal Tin1 side), and at the same time, the second differential transmission line Lt2 functions as the differential output line, but this example is not a limitation. Specifically, for example, when the second differential transmission line Lt2 functions as the differential input line (the transmission data Dt is input from a second input terminal Tin2 side), and at the same time, the first differential transmission line Lt1 functions as the differential output line, it is possible to perform the operation of detecting the coupling state in substantially the same manner as explained in the embodiment and so on described above.
Further, in the embodiment and so on described above, the description is presented specifically citing the configuration examples of the flexible board (the drive board), the drive device, the differential transmission line, the detection circuit, and so on, but these configuration examples are not limited to those described in the above embodiment and so on. For example, in the embodiment and so on described above, the description is presented citing when the “drive board” in the present disclosure is the flexible board as an example, but the “drive board” in the present disclosure can also be, for example, an inflexible board.
Further, the numerical examples of the variety of parameters (e.g., the numerical examples of the threshold voltage Vth, the voltage range ΔVth, the power supply voltage Vp, the common-mode voltage Vc, the H-level voltage VH, and the L-level voltage VL) explained in the embodiment and so on are not limited to the numerical examples explained in the embodiment and so on, and can also be other numerical values.
In addition, in the embodiment and so on described above, there is described the example when performing the detection of the coupling state in the coupling part using the transmission signal in the differential output line, or using the transmission signals in both of the differential output line and the differential input line, but these examples are not a limitation. Specifically, for example, it is possible to arrange to perform the detection of the coupling state using only the transmission signal in the differential input line. In other words, it is possible to perform the detection of the coupling state using the transmission signal in at least one of the differential output line and the differential input line.
Further, in the embodiment and so on described above, there is described the example when performing the discrimination related to the coupling state based on the voltage of such a transmission signal, but this example is not a limitation. Specifically, it is possible to arrange to perform the discrimination related to the coupling state based on, for example, a parameter (e.g., a current) other than the voltage in such a transmission signal.
Further, a variety of types of structures can be adopted as the structure of the inkjet head. Specifically, for example, it is possible to adopt a so-called side-shoot type inkjet head which emits the ink 9 from a central portion in the extending direction of each of the ejection channels in the actuator plate 111. Alternatively, it is possible to adopt, for example, a so-called edge-shoot type inkjet head for ejecting the ink 9 along the extending direction of each of the ejection channels. Further, the type of the printer is not limited to the type described in the embodiment and so on described above, and it is possible to apply a variety of types such as an MEMS (Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems) type.
Further, for example, it is possible to apply the present disclosure to either of an inkjet head of a circulation type which uses the ink 9 while circulating the ink 9 between the ink tank and the inkjet head, and an inkjet head of a non-circulation type which uses the ink 9 without circulating the ink 9.
Further, the series of processing described in the embodiment and so on described above can be arranged to be performed by hardware (a circuit), or can also be arranged to be performed by software (a program). When arranging that the series of processing is performed by the software, the software is constituted by a program group for making the computer perform the functions. The programs can be incorporated in advance in the computer described above to be used by the computer, for example, or can also be installed in the computer described above from a network or a recording medium to be used by the computer.
Further, in the embodiment and so on described above, the description is presented citing the printer 5 (the inkjet printer) as a specific example of the “liquid jet recording device” in the present disclosure, but this example is not a limitation, and it is also possible to apply the present disclosure to other devices than the inkjet printer. In other words, it is also possible to arrange that the “liquid jet head” (the inkjet head) of the present disclosure is applied to other devices than the inkjet printer. Specifically, it is also possible to arrange that the “liquid jet head” of the present disclosure is applied to a device such as a facsimile or an on-demand printer.
In addition, it is also possible to apply the variety of examples described hereinabove in arbitrary combination.
It should be noted that the advantages described in the present specification are illustrative only, but are not a limitation, and other advantages can also be provided.
Further, the present disclosure can also take the following configurations.
<1> A liquid jet head configured to jet liquid comprising: a jet section configured to jet the liquid; at least one drive circuit configured to output a drive signal used to jet the liquid to the jet section; a differential input line configured to transmit data from an outside of the liquid jet head toward the drive circuit; a differential output line configured to transmit data from the drive circuit toward the outside of the liquid jet head; a coupling part which is arranged between the outside of the liquid jet head and the drive circuit, and to which the differential input line and the differential output line are individually coupled; and a detection circuit configured to perform detection of a coupling state in the coupling part using a transmission signal in at least one of the differential output line and the differential input line.
<2> The liquid jet head according to <1>, wherein the detection circuit performs the detection of the coupling state using the transmission signal in the differential output line.
<3> The liquid jet head according to <2>, wherein the detection circuit performs the detection of the coupling state using the transmission signals in both of the differential output line and the differential input line.
<4> The liquid jet head according to any one of <1> to <3>, wherein the detection circuit performs discrimination related to the coupling state based on a voltage of the transmission signal.
<5> The liquid jet head according to <4>, wherein the detection circuit performs the discrimination related to the coupling state by comparing a voltage of the transmission signal with a voltage around a common-mode voltage.
<6> The liquid jet head according to <5>, wherein the detection circuit includes an AD (analog-digital) converter, and the AD converter performs the discrimination related to the coupling state by comparing the voltage of the transmission signal with a voltage range around the common-mode voltage.
<7> The liquid jet head according to any one of <1> to <6>, further comprising: a drive board on which the drive circuit is arranged, and which is electrically coupled to the jet section; and a relay board which is electrically coupled to the drive board via the coupling part, and which relays between the outside of the liquid jet head and the drive board, wherein the detection circuit which performs the detection of the coupling state using the transmission signal in the differential output line is arranged on the relay board, the detection circuit which performs the detection of the coupling state using the transmission signal in the differential input line is arranged on the drive board, and the detection circuit outputs a coupling confirmation signal representing a detection result of the coupling state between the drive board and the relay board in the coupling part to the outside of the liquid jet head.
<8> The liquid jet head according to <7>, wherein the coupling part has a coupling terminal area including a first terminal to which the differential input line is coupled and a second terminal to which the differential output line is coupled, the first terminal is arranged at one end part side in the coupling terminal area, and the second terminal is arranged at another end part side in the coupling terminal area.
<9> liquid jet recording device comprising the liquid jet head according to any one of <1> to <8>.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2022-022754 | Feb 2022 | JP | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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8654166 | Kamatani | Feb 2014 | B2 |
20180288276 | Sato | Oct 2018 | A1 |
20180345658 | Shimono | Dec 2018 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
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2018-167466 | Nov 2018 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20230256733 A1 | Aug 2023 | US |