| 摘要 |
<p><P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid discharge apparatus capable of discharging an extremely small quantity of a liquid while preventing foreign matters from being mixed into the liquid, and a liquid discharge method. <P>SOLUTION: A heater 36 generates heat in the liquid discharge apparatus 13. The temperature of a gas in a housing chamber 35 is raised with the heat generation to expand the gas and to increase the pressure in the housing chamber 35. As a result, air stream from the housing chamber 35 to a second conduit 39 is formed. As the second conduit 39 comes closer to a first conduit 28 with the approach of a discharge outlet 27 and is joined to the first conduit 28, the air stream 71 flows toward the discharge outlet 27. A capillary 14 is attached to the discharge outlet 27. The pressure acting on the liquid 61 in the capillary 14, that is positive pressure, is increased by the action of the air stream 71. As a result, the discharge pressure is supplied in the capillary 14, and an extremely small quantity of the liquid is 61 discharged from the tip 26 of the capillary 61. The air stream is utilized for the supply of the discharge pressure, thereby surely preventing the foreign matters from being mixed into the liquid 61. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT</p> |
