Liquid circulation device and liquid discharge device
In accordance with an embodiment, a liquid circulation device comprises a plurality of piezoelectric pumps configured to circulate liquid in a replenishing tank to a liquid discharge head through an operation of a piezoelectric actuator thereof; a DC power supply; a switching circuit configured to switch an output of the DC power supply to supply a driving voltage to the piezoelectric actuator of the piezoelectric pump; and a control circuit configured to control the driving voltage by controlling a switching timing of the switching circuit.
1. A liquid circulation device, comprising:
a plurality of piezoelectric pumps configured to circulate liquid between a replenishing tank and a liquid discharge head through an operation of a piezoelectric actuator thereof;
a DC power supply;
a switching circuit configured to switch an output of the DC power supply to provide a driving voltage to the piezoelectric actuator; and
a control circuit configured to control the driving voltage by controlling a switching timing of the switching circuit.
2. The liquid circulation device according to claim 1 , wherein
the piezoelectric actuator comprises an electrode having a potential that increases in accordance with elapsed time from a start of energization, and
the control circuit controls the driving voltage by controlling a length of energization time of the piezoelectric actuator from the start of the energization to the end of the energization using the switching circuit.
3. The liquid circulation device according to claim 1 , wherein
the switching circuit comprises a full bridge circuit for switching a direction of a driving voltage provided to the piezoelectric actuator.
4. The liquid circulation device according to claim 2 , wherein
the switching circuit comprises a full bridge circuit for switching a direction of a driving voltage provided to the piezoelectric actuator.
5. The liquid circulation device according to claim 3 , wherein
the full bridge circuit comprises four photocouplers.
6. The liquid circulation device according to claim 4 , wherein
the full bridge circuit comprises four photocouplers.
7. A liquid discharge device, comprising:
a liquid discharge head configured to discharge liquid;
a plurality of piezoelectric pumps configured to circulate the liquid between a replenishing tank and the liquid discharge head through an operation of a piezoelectric actuator thereof;
a DC power supply;
a switching circuit configured to switch an output of the DC power supply to provide a driving voltage to the piezoelectric actuator; and
a control circuit configured to control the driving voltage by controlling a switching timing of the switching circuit.
8. The liquid discharge device according to claim 7 , wherein
the piezoelectric actuator comprises an electrode having a potential that increases in accordance with elapsed time from a start of energization, and
the control circuit controls the driving voltage by controlling a length of energization time of the piezoelectric actuator from the start of the energization to the end of the energization using the switching circuit.
9. The liquid discharge device according to claim 7 , wherein
the switching circuit comprises a full bridge circuit for switching a direction of a driving voltage provided to the piezoelectric actuator.
10. The liquid discharge device according to claim 8 , wherein
the switching circuit comprises a full bridge circuit for switching a direction of a driving voltage provided to the piezoelectric actuator.
11. The liquid discharge device according to claim 9 , wherein
the full bridge circuit comprises four photocouplers.
12. The liquid discharge device according to claim 10 , wherein
the full bridge circuit comprises four photocouplers.
13. The liquid discharge device according to claim 7 , wherein
the liquid is inkjet printing ink.
14. The liquid discharge device according to claim 7 , wherein
the liquid discharge device is an inkjet head.
15. A liquid circulation method, comprising:
circulating liquid between a replenishing tank and a liquid discharge head through an operation of a plurality of piezoelectric pumps comprising a piezoelectric actuator;
supplying DC power;
configured to switching an output of the supplied DC power to provide a driving voltage to the piezoelectric actuator using a switching circuit; and
controlling a switching timing of the switching circuit to control the driving voltage.
16. The liquid circulation method according to claim 15 , wherein
the piezoelectric actuator comprises an electrode having a potential that increases in accordance with elapsed time from a start of energization, and further comprising:
controlling a length of energization time of the piezoelectric actuator from the start of the energization to the end of the energization to control the driving voltage.
17. The liquid circulation method according to claim 15 , further comprising:
switching a direction of a driving voltage provided to the piezoelectric actuator using a full bridge circuit.
18. The liquid circulation method according to claim 16 , further comprising:
switching a direction of a driving voltage provided to the piezoelectric actuator using a full bridge circuit.
19. The liquid circulation device according to claim 17 , further comprising:
switching a direction of a driving voltage provided to the piezoelectric actuator using four photocouplers.
20. The liquid circulation device according to claim 18 , further comprising:
switching a direction of a driving voltage provided to the piezoelectric actuator using four photocouplers.