Abstract: A liquid-ejection testing method includes the following steps (A) to (D): (A) A step of making at least two conductive detection members be opposed, in a non-contact state, to a plurality of liquid ejecting nozzles that are to be tested, the detection members being opposed in a direction that intersects with a direction in which the plurality of liquid ejecting nozzles are arranged, each detection member corresponding to a different liquid ejecting nozzle. (B) A step of ejecting a charged liquid from each of the plurality of liquid ejecting nozzles. (C) A step of detecting an induced current generated at each of the detection members by the liquid that has been ejected from each of the liquid ejecting nozzles (D) A step of judging whether or not ejection of the liquid is being properly performed for each of the plurality of liquid ejecting nozzles, based on a magnitude of the induced current that has been detected.

Abstract: A liquid ejection inspecting apparatus includes: (A) a sensing section; (B) a detection section; and (C) a determination section. The sensing section is arranged in a state of non-contact with a liquid ejection nozzle for ejecting a liquid. The sensing section has a sensing surface arranged in a direction in which the liquid is ejected from the liquid ejection nozzle. The detection section is for detecting an induced current generated in the sensing section due to the liquid which has been ejected from the liquid ejection nozzle and charged electrically. The determination section is for determining whether or not ejection of the liquid from the liquid ejection nozzle is being normally performed, based on the induced current detected by the detection section.

Abstract: The method of detecting a liquid amount includes applying a drive signal to a piezoelectric element provided at a predetermined position in a liquid containing section for containing a liquid, detecting an output signal from the piezoelectric element due to a residual vibration after the application of the drive signal, and detecting whether or not the liquid is present at the predetermined position based on the output signal utilizing difference in resonance frequency of the residual vibration depending on whether or not the liquid is present at the predetermined position. The drive signal includes a first drive waveform portion for driving the piezoelectric element at a resonance frequency of the residual vibration when the liquid is present at the predetermined position and a second drive waveform portion for driving the piezoelectric element at a resonance frequency of the residual vibration when the liquid is not present at the predetermined position.

Abstract: A liquid-ejection testing method includes the following steps (A) to (D): (A) a step of making a conductive first detection member and a conductive second detection member opposed, in a non-contact state, to a liquid ejecting nozzle that is to be tested; (B) a step of ejecting a charged liquid from the liquid ejecting nozzle; (C) a step of detecting an induced current generated at each of the first detection member and the second detection member by the liquid that has been ejected from the liquid ejecting nozzle; and (D) a step of judging, on the liquid ejecting nozzle, whether or not ejection of the liquid is being properly performed based on a magnitude of the detected induced current generated at each of the first detection member and the second detection member.

Abstract: A liquid-ejection testing method comprises following steps (A) to (D): (A) A step of making a conductive detection member be opposed, in a non-contact state, to a plurality of liquid ejecting nozzles that are to be tested, the detection member being opposed in a direction that intersects with a direction in which the plurality of liquid ejecting nozzles are arranged. (B) A step of ejecting a charged liquid from each of the plurality of liquid ejecting nozzles. (C) A step of detecting, with a detecting section, an induced current generated at the detection member by the liquid ejected from the liquid ejecting nozzles. (D) A step of judging whether or not ejection of the liquid is being properly performed for each of at least two of the liquid ejecting nozzles, among the plurality of liquid ejecting nozzles, whose relative positions with respect to the detection member are different from each other, based on a magnitude of the induced current detected by the detecting section.

Abstract: A liquid-ejection testing method includes the following steps (A) to (D): (A) A step of making at least two conductive detection members be opposed, in a non-contact state, to a plurality of liquid ejecting nozzles that are to be tested, the detection members being opposed in a direction that intersects with a direction in which the plurality of liquid ejecting nozzles are arranged, each detection member corresponding to a different liquid ejecting nozzle. (B) A step of ejecting a charged liquid from each of the plurality of liquid ejecting nozzles. (C) A step of detecting an induced current generated at each of the detection members by the liquid that has been ejected from each of the liquid ejecting nozzles (D) A step of judging whether or not ejection of the liquid is being properly performed for each of the plurality of liquid ejecting nozzles, based on a magnitude of the induced current that has been detected.

Abstract: This invention is an expendable container capable of measuring a residual quantity of stored expendable. The expendable container comprising an expendable tank configured to store the expendable and has a piezoelectric element attached thereto; a detection signal generation circuit configured to charge and discharge the piezoelectric element, and generate a detection signal including cycle information, the cycle information representing a cycle of an output voltage wave of the piezoelectric element after the discharge; and a control module configured to control the charge and the discharge of the piezoelectric element by the detection signal generation circuit. The detection signal generation circuit comprises: a comparator configured to compare a voltage of the output voltage wave with a reference voltage for residual quantity detection, and generate a pulse according to a result of the comparison; and a signal generator configured to generate the detection signal in response to the generated pulse.

Abstract: An expendable container of the invention has a function of measuring a residual quantity of an expendable kept therein. The expendable container has: an expendable tank that keeps the expendable therein and has a piezoelectric element attached thereto; a detection signal generation circuit that charges and discharges the piezoelectric element and generates a detection signal including information, which represents a cycle of remaining vibration of the piezoelectric element after the discharge; and a control module that controls the charge and the discharge of the piezoelectric element. The cycle is used to determine whether the residual quantity of the expendable kept in the expendable tank is greater than a preset level. The control module varies a discharge characteristic of the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: Ejection inspection of nozzles for a liquid such as ink is enabled to be carried out easily. A method for inspecting liquid ejection includes: a step of ejecting an electrically-charged liquid from a nozzle subjected to ejection inspection; and a step of determining that the liquid has been ejected if an induced current is produced by the liquid ejected from the nozzle in a sensing section provided in a state of non-contact to the nozzle, and determining that the liquid has not been ejected if the induced current is not produced in the sensing section.

Abstract: In order to provide an ink level detecting unit of an ink jet recording apparatus, which detects surely residual vibration by resonance with a medium such as ink coming into contact with a vibration element without receiving influences such as noise, thereby to heighten ink detection accuracy and reliability, there are provided a piezoelectric element 12 provided in an ink tank 11, an excitation pulse generating part 13 for applying an excitation pulse to the piezoelectric element 12, a sensor 14 which detects a frequency of a counter electromotive force waveform from the piezoelectric element 12 based on residual vibration by resonance with a medium in the ink tank 11, and a judgment part 15 which judges the existence of ink on the basis of the detected frequency.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique that prevents a shift of a driving waveform due to accumulation of errors in a process of generating the driving waveform to drive driving elements on a print head. The technique of the present invention successively sums up a plurality of gradient data at a preset calculation period to give a result of summation and carries out digital-to-analog (D-A) conversion with regard to only specific upper columns in the result of summation in synchronism with the preset calculation period, so as to generate a driving waveform. Each gradient data represents a local gradient of the driving waveform and is stored in a memory. In the process of generating the driving waveform, the technique of the present invention corrects the result of summation to a preset value under a predetermined condition. One preferable embodiment clears specific lower bits in the result of summation in synchronism with a floor signal.

Abstract: A cartridge 100 utilizes a carrier wave of a signal transmitted from a printer PT to generate driving electric powers required for driving respective circuits elements including a sensor SS of a piezoelectric element. The generated electric power is supplied to a sensor driving voltage generator 220 and is then to the sensor SS. The sensor driving voltage generator 220 supplies the electric power to the sensor SS via a supply circuit having a higher impedance. The sensor SS is discharged via a discharge circuit having a lower impedance. Even when there is a limited electric power supply, the structure enables the sensor SS to release a large energy in a unit time and ensures a sufficient displacement of vibration in the sensor SS.

Abstract: A liquid-quantity monitoring apparatus includes: a piezoelectric device having a vibrating part capable of being exposed at least partly to a liquid-containing space, the piezoelectric device being capable of vibrating the vibrating part by a given drive signal and of generating a signal representing back electromotive force generated by vibration of the vibrating part; and a liquid-quantity determining unit for determining a quantity of liquid remaining in the liquid-containing space, to which the vibrating part is exposed, based on a resonance frequency of a residual vibration signal output from the piezoelectric device due to a residual vibration of the vibrating part after the vibrating part has been vibrated by the drive signal.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of driver ICs, which drives an associated print head, includes an analog voltage provider, which provides an analog voltage which is inversely proportional to a temperature of the driver IC, a reference temperature provider, which provides a digital value corresponding to a reference temperature, a D/A converter, which converts the digital value into a corresponding analog value, and a comparator, which compares the analog voltage with the analog value and outputs a comparison signal indicating whether the analog voltage is higher than the analog value. A temperature detector determines whether the temperature of at least one of print heads is higher than the reference temperature in accordance with the comparison signal.

Abstract: A liquid-quantity monitoring apparatus includes: a piezoelectric device having a vibrating part capable of being exposed at least partly to a liquid-containing space, the piezoelectric device being capable of vibrating the vibrating part by a given drive signal and of generating a signal representing back electromotive force generated by vibration of the vibrating part; and a liquid-quantity determining unit for determining a quantity of liquid remaining in the liquid-containing space, to which the vibrating part is exposed, based on a resonance frequency of a residual vibration signal output from the piezoelectric device due to a residual vibration of the vibrating part after the vibrating part has been vibrated by the drive signal.