US 11,850,868 B2
Circulation device
Daisuke Hozumi, Kirishima (JP); and Hiroyuki Sugimoto, Kirishima (JP)
Assigned to KYOCERA CORPORATION, Kyoto (JP)
Appl. No. 17/638,781
Filed by KYOCERA CORPORATION, Kyoto (JP)
PCT Filed Aug. 28, 2020, PCT No. PCT/JP2020/032714
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 25, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/040005, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 4, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-159115 (JP), filed on Aug. 30, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0274420 A1, Sep. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. B41J 2/175 (2006.01); B41J 2/18 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 2/17596 (2013.01) [B41J 2/18 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A circulation device for controlling circulation pressure of a liquid between a storage unit and a liquid droplet discharge unit, the circulation device comprising:
a storage unit configured to store a liquid to be supplied to a liquid droplet discharge unit;
a first channel configured to communicate the storage unit and the liquid droplet discharge unit with each other to allow the liquid stored in the storage unit to flow into the liquid droplet discharge unit;
a second channel configured to communicate the storage unit and the liquid droplet discharge unit with each other to allow the liquid that has flowed into the liquid droplet discharge unit to return to the storage unit;
a first valve portion interposed in the first channel and configured to control a flow rate of the liquid fed from the storage unit to the liquid droplet discharge unit;
a second valve portion interposed in the second channel and configured to control a flow rate of the liquid fed from the liquid droplet discharge unit to the storage unit;
a first pressure measuring portion configured to measure, through the first channel, a fluid pressure of the liquid flowing between the first valve portion and the liquid droplet discharge unit as a supply pressure;
a second pressure measuring portion configured to measure, through the second channel, a fluid pressure of the liquid flowing between the second valve portion and the liquid droplet discharge unit as a recovery pressure;
a detection unit configured to detect information related to the liquid droplet discharge unit; and
a controller configured to control the first valve portion and the second valve portion in accordance with the information detected by the detection unit and to adjust the supply pressure and the recovery pressure.