IP Library Granted Patent US 12709094
Granted Patent B2
US 12709094 · App. 18/936,040 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Liquid ejecting apparatus

Inventors: Yasuaki Hamada (Chino, JP); Koji Ohashi (Matsumoto, JP); Yoshiki Yano (Chino, JP); Tsukasa Hitomi (Chino, JP); Masao Nakayama (Shiojiri, JP)
Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
B41J2/04581B41J2/04588B41J2/14233
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12709094
App. No.
18/936,040
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

When the drive frequency of the piezoelectric body at which the liquid is ejected is defined as a first drive frequency, the coercive voltage of the piezoelectric body obtained when the piezoelectric body is driven at the first drive frequency is defined as a first coercive voltage, a drive frequency lower than the first drive frequency is defined as a second drive frequency, and the coercive voltage of the piezoelectric body obtained when the piezoelectric body is driven at the second drive frequency is defined as a second coercive voltage, the difference between the reference voltage and the minimum value of the drive voltage is higher than the first coercive voltage and is lower than the second coercive voltage.

Claims (22)

1 . A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:

a liquid ejecting head having a first electrode, a second electrode, and a piezoelectric body disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and

a voltage applying section that drives the piezoelectric body to eject a liquid by applying a reference voltage that does not change with time to the first electrode and applying a drive voltage that changes with time to the second electrode, wherein

when a drive frequency of the piezoelectric body at which the liquid is ejected is defined as a first drive frequency,

a coercive voltage of the piezoelectric body obtained when the piezoelectric body is driven at the first drive frequency is defined as a first coercive voltage,

a drive frequency lower than the first drive frequency is defined as a second drive frequency, and

a coercive voltage of the piezoelectric body obtained when the piezoelectric body is driven at the second drive frequency is defined as a second coercive voltage,

a difference between the reference voltage and a minimum value of the drive voltage is higher than the first coercive voltage and is lower than the second coercive voltage.

2 . The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the difference between the reference voltage and the minimum value of the drive voltage is closer to the first coercive voltage than to the second coercive voltage.

3 . The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the first drive frequency is higher than 1 [kHz].

4 . The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein

the first drive frequency is higher than 50 [kHz].

5 . The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein

the first drive frequency is higher than 80 [kHz].

6 . The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the second drive frequency is higher than 10 [Hz] and is lower than 100 [Hz].

7 . The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the second drive frequency is not the drive frequency at which the liquid is ejected.

8 . The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the liquid ejecting apparatus is configured to switch between a first mode in which the piezoelectric body is driven at the first drive frequency and a second mode in which the piezoelectric body is driven at the second drive frequency.