Liquid discharge apparatus and liquid discharge method

摘要

A liquid discharge apparatus is provided, comprising a channel structure; a piezoelectric actuator which has a plurality of individual electrodes, a common electrode, and a piezoelectric layer sandwiched between the individual electrodes and the common electrode; and a driving device which drives the piezoelectric actuator. The driving device outputs an individual driving signal which causes a change of an electric potential of the individual electrode, to the individual electrode corresponding to the nozzle for discharging the liquid. Further, the driving device outputs a common driving signal which causes a change of an electric potential of the common electrode in synchronization with the change of the electric potential of the individual electrode into which the individual driving signal is inputted, to the common electrode.

主权项

1. A liquid discharge apparatus configured to discharge liquid, comprising:
a channel structure in which a plurality of liquid channels including a plurality of nozzles is formed; a piezoelectric actuator which is formed on the channel structure and which is configured so that discharge energy is applied to the liquid contained in the nozzles to discharge the liquid from the plurality of nozzles respectively, the piezoelectric actuator including:
a plurality of individual electrodes which correspond to the plurality of nozzles respectively and each of which is configured to be subjected to an electric potential, separately;a common electrode which is configured to be subjected to a common electric potential; anda piezoelectric layer which is sandwiched between each of the individual electrodes and the common electrode; and a driving device which is configured to drive the piezoelectric actuator, the driving device being configured so that:
an individual driving signal, which causes a change of an electric potential of the individual electrodes, is output to each of the individual electrodes corresponding to one of the nozzles for discharging the liquid; anda common driving signal, which causes a change of an electric potential of the common electrode in synchronization with the change of the electric potential of the individual electrodes into which the individual driving signal is input, is output to the common electrode; wherein portions of the piezoelectric layer sandwiched between the individual electrodes and the common electrode are polarized in a polarization direction; wherein the individual driving signal is such a signal that the electric potential of the individual electrode is switched between a first electric potential and a second electric potential; wherein the common driving signal is such a signal that the electric potential of the common electrode which is provided when the electric potential of the individual electrode is the first electric potential, is allowed to be the second electric potential, and that the electric potential of the common electrode, which is provided when the electric potential of the individual electrode is the second electric potential, is allowed to be a third electric potential which is intermediate between the first electric potential and the second electric potential; wherein an electric field which has a direction coincident with the polarization direction, is allowed to act on the portions of the piezoelectric layer in a case that the portions of the piezoelectric layer are in a first state in which the electric potential of the individual electrode is the first electric potential and the electric potential of the common electrode is the second electric potential; and wherein an electric field, which has a direction opposite to the polarization direction, is allowed to act on the portions of the piezoelectric layer in a case that the portions of the piezoelectric layer are in a second state in which the electric potential of the individual electrode is the second electric potential and the electric potential of the common electrode is the third electric potential.