Abstract: In an ink cartridge, a negative pressure generating mechanism is disposed between an ink storage region and an ink supply port, and has a wall surface having two through-holes for ink flow, and a valve member contacted with and separated from the through-hole by receiving a pressure in an ink supply port side. Ink flowing via the through-hole is supplied via the through-hole to the ink supply port.

Abstract: A mounting structure of a liquid sensor comprising: a vibration cavity forming base portion which has a first surface and a second surface opposed to each other and in which a cavity for receiving a medium as a detection target is formed to be open toward the first surface side and a bottom surface of the cavity can vibrate; a sensor including a piezoelectric element having a first electrode formed on the second surface side of the vibration cavity forming base portion, a piezoelectric layer formed on the first electrode, and a second electrode formed on the piezoelectric layer; a mounting target member which is mounted with the sensor, the mounting target member having an upstream space which communicates with the cavity through an upstream flow path and a downstream space which communicates with the cavity through a downstream flow path; and an elastic seal member which is disposed between the sensor and the mounting target member and which seals a space between the sensor and the mounting target member.

Abstract: A liquid detecting device (1200) including: a unit base (1210), provided with a recessed portion (1211) on an upper face thereof and containing a first material; a sensor base (1220), accommodated in the recessed portion and containing a second material different from the first material; a sensor chip (1230), mounted on an upper face of the sensor base (1220) and having a sensor cavity (1232) for receiving a liquid as a detection target, in which a lower face of the sensor cavity (1232) is formed to be opened for allowing the liquid to flow therein and an upper face thereof is closed by a vibration plate (1233) and provided with a piezoelectric element (1234) mounted on an upper face of the vibration plate (1233); an adhesive layer (1242), formed on the upper face of the sensor base and fixing and sealing the sensor chip (1230) and the sensor base (1220) to each other; and an adhesive film (1240), which fixes and seals the sensor base (1220) and the unit base (1210) to each other and of which an inner periphe

Abstract: Provided herein a liquid container including a liquid containing portion for containing liquid; and an detection portion which is used to detect the amount of liquid contained in the liquid containing portion, receives an input driving signal, and outputs a detection signal having a frequency lower than that of the driving signal.

Abstract: A liquid residual amount detection apparatus for a liquid container, includes: a sensor chamber that has a liquid supply port introducing liquid to be delivered from a liquid containing portion, and supplies the liquid to an external liquid consuming apparatus; a diaphragm that defines a part of the sensor chamber and is movable in response to a liquid containing amount in the sensor chamber; a pressure receiving plate that is attached to the diaphragm; a recess portion that is connected to the sensor chamber and is closed by the pressure receiving plate when the liquid containing amount in the sensor chamber becomes a predetermined amount or less; a piezoelectric element that applies vibration to at least a part of the recess portion so as to detect a free vibration state according to the applied vibration; a detection portion that detects an amplitude value or a frequency of a residual vibration waveform of a counter electromotive force by the free vibration state detected by the piezoelectric element; and

Abstract: A liquid-jet head comprising a pressure generating chamber, which is supplied with a liquid via a liquid supply path and in which a nozzle orifice for jetting the liquid is formed, and a pressure generator for causing a pressure change within the pressure generating chamber, wherein when an inertance and a passage resistance of the liquid supply path are designated as M1 and R1, respectively, and an inertance and a passage resistance of the nozzle orifice are designated as M2 and R2, respectively, relationships M2<M1 and R2>2×R1 hold.

Abstract: A method of driving a liquid ejecting head is provided. The liquid ejecting head varies pressure of a liquid in a pressure-generating chamber as a result of operating a pressure-generating element by supplying an ejection pulse, to eject liquid drops from a nozzle opening due to the pressure variation. The method includes performing a first contraction and performing a second contraction. In the first contraction, the liquid drops are ejected from the nozzle opening as a result of contracting the pressure-generating chamber. In the second contraction, the pressure-generating chamber is contracted so as to reduce withdrawal towards the pressure-generating chamber, of a meniscus after the ejection of the liquid drops A time from a start of the first contraction to a start of the second contraction is between ¼ to ¾ of a Helmholtz vibration period Tc of the pressure-generating chamber. A time of the first contraction is less than or equal to a natural vibration period Ta of the pressure-generating element.

Abstract: Provided herein is a liquid container including a liquid containing portion for containing liquid; and a detection portion which outputs a detection signal having a frequency of about 1/odd number of a frequency of a detection signal output when the amount of liquid contained in the liquid containing portion is equal to or less than a predetermined amount, when the amount of liquid contained in the liquid containing portion is greater than the predetermined amount.

Abstract: A liquid detecting method of detecting liquid in a liquid container used on a liquid ejector by use of a liquid sensor. There are included a head cleaning step of performing a head cleaning operation after maintaining for a predetermined time or longer a state there is no flow of fluid into/from the cavity through the liquid supply port and liquid discharge port, and a detecting step of detecting a presence/absence of liquid by applying a drive signal to the piezoelectric device of the liquid sensor after the head cleaning process.

Abstract: A printing apparatus and method for detecting the amount of a printing material in a detachable printing material container comprised of a piezoelectric element and a memory in which frequency information is stored. The printing apparatus further comprises an acquiring unit that acquires the frequency information from the memory; a supplying unit that supplies a driving signal to be used for driving the piezoelectric element based on the frequency information of a first driving signal having a first frequency and a second driving signal having a second frequency that is different from the first frequency; a detecting unit that detects a response signal in response to the vibration of the piezoelectric element; a measuring unit that measures vibration frequency contained in the response signal; and a determining unit that determines the amount of the printing material contained in the printing material container based on the measured vibration frequency.

Abstract: A printing apparatus which a printing material container is detachably mounted to. The printing material container has having a memory and a piezoelectric element for detecting the amount of a printing material contained therein. The printing apparatus includes an acquiring unit that acquires frequency information regarding the frequency of a driving signal for driving the piezoelectric element from the memory; a supplying unit that supplies the driving signal having a frequency that is determined based on the frequency information to the piezoelectric element; a detecting unit that detects a response signal that is outputted in response to vibration of the piezoelectric element after the stopping of supply of the driving signal; a measuring unit that measures vibration frequency of the piezoelectric element contained in the response signal; and a determining unit that determines whether the printing material is present in the printing material container of not based on the vibration frequency.

Abstract: A printing apparatus comprising a dismountable printing material storage container having a piezoelectric element and a memory in which the characteristic frequency of the piezoelectric element is stored, comprising an acquiring unit configured to acquire the frequency information from the memory, a drive signal generating unit configured to generate and output a drive signal having a first and second signal waveform with differing frequencies, a supply unit configured to select a waveform from the first and second waveforms which increases the amplitude of oscillations of the piezoelectric element and supplies only the selected drive signal to the piezoelectric element; a detecting unit configured to detect the response of the oscillation of the piezoelectric element; a measuring unit configured to measure the oscillation frequency of the piezoelectric element included in the response; and a determining unit configured to determine the amount of printing material stored in the printing material storing conta

Abstract: A liquid detection device that is accommodated in a sensor accommodating portion formed in a liquid container containing a liquid therein and detects the liquid in the liquid container using a piezoelectric element, wherein, when a wavelength of a vibration wave to be emitted from the piezoelectric element is ?, a distance H from a rear surface of a vibration wave emitting surface of the piezoelectric element to a wall surface facing the rear surface is represented by Equation 1. (n×?/2??/4??/8)?H?(n×?/2??/4+?/8)??(Equation 1) (where n=1, 2, 3, . . .

Abstract: A liquid detecting device (1200) including: a unit base (1210), provided with a recessed portion (1211) on an upper face thereof and containing a first material; a sensor base (1220), accommodated in the recessed portion and containing a second material different from the first material; a sensor chip (1230), mounted on an upper face of the sensor base (1220) and having a sensor cavity (1232) for receiving a liquid as a detection target, in which a lower face of the sensor cavity (1232) is formed to be opened for allowing the liquid to flow therein and an upper face thereof is closed by a vibration plate (1233) and provided with a piezoelectric element (1234) mounted on an upper face of the vibration plate (1233); an adhesive layer (1242), formed on the upper face of the sensor base and fixing and sealing the sensor chip (1230) and the sensor base (1220) to each other; and an adhesive film (1240), which fixes and seals the sensor base (1220) and the unit base (1210) to each other and of which an inner periphe

Abstract: A container having a liquid detecting function includes a cartridge case 101 having a sending passage for sending out a liquid stored therein, buffer chambers 122 and 123 disposed in the vicinity of the end of the sending passage, and a sensor unit 200 disposed to face on the buffer chambers. A sensor chip 230 provided in the sensor unit includes a sensor cavity 233 communicating with the buffer chambers, a vibration plate 233 closing an opening side of the sensor cavity opposite to the side communicating with the buffer chambers, and a piezoelectric element 234 which is disposed on the surface of the vibration plate opposite to the surface facing the sensor cavity, emits a vibration wave to the sensor cavity and the buffer chambers through the vibration plate, receives a reflected wave returning from the buffer chambers through the vibration plate, and then converts the reflected wave into an electrical signal.

Abstract: A mounting structure of a liquid sensor comprising: a vibration cavity forming base portion which has a first surface and a second surface opposed to each other and in which a cavity for receiving a medium as a detection target is formed to be open toward the first surface side and a bottom surface of the cavity can vibrate; a sensor including a piezoelectric element having a first electrode formed on the second surface side of the vibration cavity forming base portion, a piezoelectric layer formed on the first electrode, and a second electrode formed on the piezoelectric layer; a mounting target member which is mounted with the sensor, the mounting target member having an upstream space which communicates with the cavity through an upstream flow path and a downstream space which communicates with the cavity through a downstream flow path; and an elastic seal member which is disposed between the sensor and the mounting target member and which seals a space between the sensor and the mounting target member.

Abstract: A liquid detecting method of detecting liquid in a liquid container used on a liquid ejector by use of a liquid sensor. There are included a head cleaning step of performing a head cleaning operation after maintaining for a predetermined time or longer a state there is no flow of fluid into/from the cavity through the liquid supply port and liquid discharge port, and a detecting step of detecting a presence/absence of liquid by applying a drive signal to the piezoelectric device of the liquid sensor after the head cleaning process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid sensor which can certainly judge the existence of liquid, and a liquid container including the sensor. The liquid sensor has: a vibration cavity forming base portion 40 having a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other, in which a cavity 43 for receiving liquid as a detection object is opened at a side of the first surface, and a bottom of the cavity 43 is capable of vibrating; and a piezoelectric element including a first electrode 46 formed at a side of the second surface of the vibration cavity forming base portion, a piezoelectric layer 47 laminated on the first electrode, and a second electrode 49 laminated on the piezoelectric layer. A shape of the cavity 43 in a plan view has a longitudinal dimension and a lateral dimension smaller than the longitudinal dimension.

Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid sensor which can certainly judge the existence of liquid, and a liquid container including the sensor. A liquid sensor 60 in which a piezoelectric element having a piezoelectric layer 47 on both surfaces of which electrodes 46 and 49 are formed is used, and a bottom 43a of a cavity 43 for receiving liquid as a detection object is vibrated. The sensor 60 includes a vibration cavity forming base portion 40 in which the cavity 43 having the vibratable bottom 43a is formed, and a flow path forming base portion 50 laminated on the vibration cavity forming base portion 40. A liquid supply path 53 for supplying the liquid as the detection object to the cavity 43 and a liquid discharge path 54 for discharging the liquid as the detection object from the cavity 43 are formed in the flow path forming base portion 50.