US 12,291,042 B2
Droplet discharge device and droplet discharge method
Takeshi Akai, Kanagawa (JP); Yu Yamaya, Gifu (JP); Takahiko Matsumoto, Kanagawa (JP); Yusuke Nonoyama, Kanagawa (JP); and Daisuke Arai, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Takeshi Akai, Kanagawa (JP); Yu Yamaya, Gifu (JP); Takahiko Matsumoto, Kanagawa (JP); Yusuke Nonoyama, Kanagawa (JP); and Daisuke Arai, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Mar. 3, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/177,983.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-045889 (JP), filed on Mar. 22, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0302828 A1, Sep. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. B41J 25/00 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 25/006 (2013.01) 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A droplet discharge device comprising:
a storage vessel having a plurality of recess parts configured to store discharged droplets;
a discharge head configured to insert, into a recess part of the storage vessel, a discharge surface having a nozzle hole for discharging a droplet, and to discharge droplets into the recess part while moving in two horizontal directions;
a mounting table on which the storage vessel is mounted;
a vertical position adjusting part configured to vertically move the discharge head or the mounting table to change a relative vertical position between the discharge head and the mounting table;
a vertical position adjustment control part configured to control the vertical position adjusting part;
a horizontal position detecting part configured to detect a horizontal position of the storage vessel mounted on the mounting table; and
a target position detecting part configured to detect, before starting discharge into a first recess part of the storage vessel, a distance from a vertical reference height to a discharge target surface of the first recess part,
wherein the vertical position adjustment control part controls, based on the detected distance to the discharge target surface of the first recess part, a vertical position of the discharge head or the mounting table during discharge to the first recess part such that discharge height of the discharge surface relative to the discharge target surface stays constant.