US 12,337,597 B2
Liquid ejecting apparatus and head unit for determining presence of foreign matter
Osamu Shinkawa, Nagano (JP)
Assigned to Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Mar. 23, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/188,509.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-049443 (JP), filed on Mar. 25, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0302792 A1, Sep. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. B41J 2/045 (2006.01); B41J 2/14 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 2/04581 (2013.01) [B41J 2/0451 (2013.01); B41J 2/14233 (2013.01); B41J 2002/14266 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A liquid ejecting apparatus, comprising:
a supply section configured to selectively supply
a first driving signal that drives a piezoelectric element to form an image on a medium by ejecting liquid from a nozzle opening, and
a second driving signal that drives the piezoelectric element to determine whether a foreign matter adheres to an inner wall of the nozzle opening; and
a determination section that determines whether a foreign matter adheres to the inner wall, wherein
the second driving signal includes
a partial signal having a potential changing from a reference potential to a first potential,
a first partial signal having a potential changed from the first potential to a second potential,
a second partial signal having a potential changed from the second potential to the first potential, and
a third partial signal having a potential changed from the first potential to a specific potential, and
the determination section determines,
after the partial signal, the first partial signal, and the second partial signal are supplied to the piezoelectric element,
based on vibration generated in the piezoelectric element due to supply of the third partial signal to the piezoelectric element,
whether a foreign matter adheres to the inner wall.