JP5845968B2 - Droplet amount measuring apparatus, droplet amount measuring method, and droplet discharge head manufacturing method - Google Patents
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Description
本発明は、液滴量測定装置、液滴量測定方法、および液滴吐出ヘッドの製造方法に関する。 The present invention relates to a droplet amount measuring device, a droplet amount measuring method, and a method for manufacturing a droplet discharge head.
近年、インクジェット技術を用いた印刷では高精細化技術および高速化技術が要求されている。これらの技術は、インクジェット式記録ヘッドにおける液滴吐出ノズルの高密度化技術、微細化技術、ヘッド駆動波形による液滴の微小化技術等に基づく。一方、製品評価時には、インクジェット式記録ヘッドの特性として、高位な印刷品質を確保するために液滴の飛翔速度や吐出量等の各ノズルに対する特性を適宜測定しなければならない。これは、これらの特性がヘッドの製造工程におけるノズル毎の寸法のばらつき等に依存し、印刷時の液滴着地位置ずれや印刷濃度斑等の品質に直接影響を与えるためである。 In recent years, high-definition technology and high-speed technology are required for printing using inkjet technology. These techniques are based on a technique for increasing the density of a droplet discharge nozzle in an ink jet recording head, a technique for miniaturization, a technique for miniaturizing droplets using a head driving waveform, and the like. On the other hand, at the time of product evaluation, as characteristics of the ink jet recording head, characteristics for each nozzle such as a droplet flying speed and a discharge amount must be appropriately measured in order to ensure high print quality. This is because these characteristics depend on variations in dimensions of each nozzle in the head manufacturing process, and directly affect the quality of droplet landing position deviation and printing density unevenness during printing.
液滴吐出量に関しては、一滴の液滴吐出量を測定するために、１ノズルにつき複数回液滴を吐出させて容器に収集し、それを重量計等で測定する方法、あるいはヘッドに接続したインク供給容器側のインク減少量を重量計等で測定する液滴積算法がある。これらの方法によって比較的高精度に一滴当たりの液滴吐出量が測定可能になっている。また、液滴の飛翔画像をカメラ等で撮影し、撮影画像を画像処理し液滴が回転対称であると仮定してその形状から吐出量を算出する方法も知られている。 Regarding the droplet discharge amount, in order to measure the droplet discharge amount of a single droplet, a droplet was discharged multiple times per nozzle and collected in a container and measured by a weigh scale or the like, or connected to a head. There is a droplet integration method in which the amount of ink decrease on the ink supply container side is measured with a weigh scale or the like. By these methods, the droplet discharge amount per droplet can be measured with relatively high accuracy. A method is also known in which a flying image of a droplet is photographed with a camera or the like, the photographed image is subjected to image processing, and the ejection amount is calculated from the shape assuming that the droplet is rotationally symmetric.
しかし、測定対象である液滴は数ナノｇ（１×１０−９ｇ）程度であることに対して、一般に市販されている高精度重量計の分解能は１×１０−５ｇ程度である。このため、高精度に液滴重量を測定するためには１ノズルにつき数万乃至数十万発程度積算しなければならない。特に、複数集積した各ノズルに対して液滴の重量測定を行う場合には多大な時間を要するという問題があった。 However, while the droplet to be measured is about several nanograms (1 × 10 −9 g), the resolution of a commercially available high-precision weigh scale is about 1 × 10 −5 g. For this reason, in order to measure the droplet weight with high accuracy, it is necessary to integrate about tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of shots per nozzle. In particular, there is a problem that it takes a lot of time to measure the weight of the droplets for each of the plurality of nozzles accumulated.
また、液滴の飛翔画像から液滴吐出量を算出する方法では照明の強さや向きなどの条件によって画像上の液滴の大きさが変わってしまうのに加え、液滴量は測定された回転半径の２乗に比例するため、回転半径の測定誤差が強く影響してしまう。このため、算出される吐出量の精度が悪いという問題があった。 In addition, in the method of calculating the droplet discharge amount from the flying image of the droplet, the size of the droplet on the image changes depending on conditions such as the intensity and direction of illumination, and the droplet amount is measured rotation Since it is proportional to the square of the radius, the measurement error of the turning radius has a strong influence. For this reason, there is a problem that the accuracy of the calculated discharge amount is poor.
特許文献１には、液滴吐出量を効率的に測定する手段として、液滴吐出手段から吐出された液滴長さの異なる複数の液滴の飛翔画像を取得し、各々の画像について二値化閾値を掃引することにより算出した液滴量曲線と、重量取得手段によって測定した液滴量とが等価となる閾値を算出した後、複数の液滴長さと該閾値との間に導出した閾値曲線によって、種々の飛翔形状を有する液滴の画像解析における二値化閾値を最適化する方法が開示されている。 In Patent Document 1, as a means for efficiently measuring the droplet discharge amount, flight images of a plurality of droplets having different droplet lengths discharged from the droplet discharge means are acquired, and a binary value is obtained for each image. Threshold value derived between a plurality of droplet lengths and the threshold value after calculating a threshold value that is equivalent to the droplet amount curve calculated by sweeping the threshold value and the droplet amount measured by the weight acquisition means A method for optimizing a binarization threshold in image analysis of droplets having various flying shapes by a curve is disclosed.
しかし、特許文献１において、液滴吐出量を効率的かつ高精度に測定するという問題は解消できていない。 However, in Patent Document 1, the problem of measuring the droplet discharge amount efficiently and with high accuracy cannot be solved.
本発明は以上の問題点を鑑みなられたものであり、液滴吐出量を効率的かつ高精度に測定する液滴量測定装置、液滴量測定方法、および液滴吐出ヘッドを提供することを目的とする。 The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a droplet amount measuring device, a droplet amount measuring method, and a droplet discharging head that efficiently and accurately measure the droplet discharge amount. With the goal.
上記課題を解決するために、本発明では、液滴量が未知である第１液滴を吐出する第１液滴吐出手段と、液滴量が既知である第２液滴を前記第１液滴と空中で接触する方向に吐出して、前記第２液滴を前記第１液滴に融合させる第２液滴吐出手段と、前記第１液滴、前記第２液滴、および前記第１液滴と前記第２液滴とが融合して形成された融合液滴のそれぞれの速度を計測する計測手段と、前記第１液滴、前記第２液滴、および前記融合液滴のそれぞれの速度と、前記第１液滴および前記第２液滴のそれぞれの液滴量との間に成り立つ運動量保存の関係から前記第１液滴の液滴量を演算する演算手段と、を備えたことを特徴とする液滴量測定装置が提供される。 In order to solve the above-described problem, in the present invention, a first liquid droplet ejecting unit that ejects a first liquid droplet whose amount is unknown and a second liquid droplet whose amount is known are used as the first liquid. A second droplet discharge means for discharging the droplet in a direction in contact with the droplet in the air to fuse the second droplet into the first droplet; the first droplet; the second droplet; and the first droplet Measuring means for measuring the speed of each of the fused droplets formed by fusing the droplets and the second droplets, and each of the first droplets, the second droplets, and the fused droplets Calculating means for calculating the droplet amount of the first droplet from the relationship of the momentum storage established between the velocity and the droplet amount of each of the first droplet and the second droplet; Is provided.
本発明によれば、液滴吐出量を効率的かつ高精度に測定できる。 According to the present invention, the droplet discharge amount can be measured efficiently and with high accuracy.
以下、本発明の実施形態を図面を参照しながら説明する。本発明は以下に説明する実施形態に限定されるものではない。 Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.
（第１の実施形態）
図１は、第１の実施形態に係る液滴量測定装置の全体概要図である。
図２は、第１の実施形態に係る液滴量測定装置の被測定ヘッド、プローブ液滴吐出ヘッド、撮影装置、および光源の配置を説明する図である。図２では、被測定ヘッド１１のノズル１１ｎの正面から眺めた図が示されている。
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is an overall schematic diagram of a droplet amount measuring apparatus according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the arrangement of the head to be measured, the probe droplet discharge head, the imaging device, and the light source of the droplet amount measuring apparatus according to the first embodiment. In FIG. 2, the figure seen from the front of the nozzle 11n of the to-be-measured head 11 is shown.
液滴量測定装置１は、液滴量が未知である第１液滴（被測定液滴１０）を吐出する第１液滴吐出手段（被測定ヘッド１１）と、液滴量が既知である第２液滴（プローブ液滴２０）を前第１液滴と空中で接触する方向に吐出して、前記第２液滴を前記第１液滴に融合させる第２液滴吐出手段（プローブ液滴吐出ヘッド２１）と、前記第１液滴、前記第２液滴、および前記第１液滴と前記第２液滴とが融合して形成された融合液滴３０のそれぞれの速度を計測する計測手段（撮影装置４０）と、前記第１液滴、前記第２液滴、および前記融合液滴のそれぞれの速度と、前記第１液滴および前記第２液滴のそれぞれの液滴量との間に成り立つ運動量保存の関係から前記第１液滴の液滴量を演算する演算手段（情報処理装置５０）と、を備える。 The droplet amount measuring apparatus 1 includes a first droplet discharge unit (measurement head 11) that discharges a first droplet (measurement droplet 10) whose droplet amount is unknown, and a droplet amount is known. Second droplet ejection means (probe liquid) that ejects the second droplet (probe droplet 20) in a direction in contact with the previous first droplet in the air and fuses the second droplet to the first droplet. The respective speeds of the droplet discharge head 21), the first droplet, the second droplet, and the fused droplet 30 formed by fusing the first droplet and the second droplet are measured. Measuring means (imaging device 40), speed of each of the first droplet, the second droplet, and the fusion droplet, and the amount of each of the first droplet and the second droplet, Calculating means (information processing apparatus 50) for calculating the droplet amount of the first droplet based on the momentum conservation relationship established between the two.
さらに、液滴量測定装置１は、計測手段である撮影装置４０と対向して配置された光源６０を備える。計測手段による計測は、光源６０の発光下でなされる。光源６０が撮影装置４０と対向して配置されたことにより、液滴の撮影が容易になる。また、液滴量測定装置１は、被測定ヘッド１１からの液滴の吐出を制御する制御装置１２と、プローブ液滴吐出ヘッド２１からの液滴の吐出を制御する制御装置２２と、光源６０の発光を制御する制御装置６２と、を備える。制御装置１２、２２、６２は、情報処理装置５０に接続されている。情報処理装置５０は、２つのインクジェットヘッド（被測定ヘッド１１、プローブ液滴吐出ヘッド２１）の吐出タイミングと撮影装置４０の撮影タイミング、光源６０の発光タイミングを調整するとともに、撮影装置４０から得られた画像から液滴の速度を算出する。 Furthermore, the droplet amount measuring device 1 includes a light source 60 disposed to face the photographing device 40 that is a measuring unit. Measurement by the measuring means is performed under the light emission of the light source 60. Since the light source 60 is disposed so as to face the imaging device 40, it is possible to easily photograph the droplet. The droplet amount measuring apparatus 1 includes a control device 12 that controls the discharge of droplets from the head 11 to be measured, a control device 22 that controls the discharge of droplets from the probe droplet discharge head 21, and a light source 60. And a control device 62 for controlling the light emission. The control devices 12, 22, and 62 are connected to the information processing device 50. The information processing apparatus 50 is obtained from the imaging apparatus 40 while adjusting the ejection timing of the two inkjet heads (the measured head 11 and the probe droplet ejection head 21), the imaging timing of the imaging apparatus 40, and the light emission timing of the light source 60. The velocity of the droplet is calculated from the obtained image.
液滴量測定装置１は、予め、液滴積算法によって吐出量が既知、即ち吐出される液滴の質量が既知となっている第２液滴吐出手段（プローブ液滴吐出ヘッド２１）を設けている。第２液滴吐出手段から吐出される液滴をプローブ液滴２０とする。第２液滴（プローブ液滴２０）の液滴量は、その重量を取得する重量取得手段（不図示）によって決定される。これにより、第２液滴の液滴量が精度よく測定できる。重量取得手段は、液滴量測定装置１内に組み込んでもよく、組み込まなくてもよい。重量取得手段とは、例えば、重量計等である。 The droplet amount measuring apparatus 1 is previously provided with second droplet discharge means (probe droplet discharge head 21) whose discharge amount is known by the droplet integration method, that is, the mass of the discharged droplet is known. ing. A droplet ejected from the second droplet ejecting means is referred to as a probe droplet 20. The droplet amount of the second droplet (probe droplet 20) is determined by weight acquisition means (not shown) that acquires the weight of the second droplet (probe droplet 20). Thereby, the droplet amount of the second droplet can be accurately measured. The weight acquisition means may or may not be incorporated in the droplet amount measuring apparatus 1. The weight acquisition means is, for example, a weight scale.
図３は、液滴の衝突を撮影した例を示す図である。
図３では、図の上から下に向かって被測定液滴１０が、図の左から右に向かってプローブ液滴２０が飛翔して、図の中央で融合した後、右下に向かって融合液滴３０が飛翔している様子が示されている。
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a droplet collision is photographed.
In FIG. 3, the liquid droplet 10 to be measured flies from the top to the bottom of the figure, and the probe liquid droplet 20 flies from the left to the right of the figure and fuses at the center of the figure, and then fuses toward the lower right. A state in which the droplet 30 is flying is shown.
第１液滴（被測定液滴１０）は、第１液滴吐出手段（被測定ヘッド１１）から吐出された液滴である。第２液滴（プローブ液滴２０）は、第２液滴吐出手段（プローブ液滴吐出ヘッド２１）から吐出された液滴である。 The first droplet (measurement droplet 10) is a droplet ejected from the first droplet ejection means (measurement head 11). The second droplet (probe droplet 20) is a droplet ejected from the second droplet ejection means (probe droplet ejection head 21).
第１液滴吐出手段（被測定ヘッド１１）から吐出された測定対象である質量未知の被測定液滴１０に対し、質量既知のプローブ液滴２０を衝突させることにより、プローブ液滴２０と被測定液滴１０とを合体し融合液滴３０が形成される。この衝突の様子を撮影装置４０（例えば、カメラ、顕微鏡）で撮影し、撮影画像の時間変化より衝突前の２つ液滴のそれぞれの重心の速度と融合後の液滴の重心の速度を測定する。それぞれの重心は、例えば、画像処理等によって決定される。すなわち、計測手段は、第１液滴、第２液滴、および融合液滴のそれぞれの重心の位置に基づいて、それぞれの速度を計測する。 A probe droplet 20 with a known mass collides with a measured droplet 10 with an unknown mass, which is a measurement target, ejected from the first droplet ejection means (measured head 11). The fusion droplet 30 is formed by combining the measurement droplet 10. The state of the collision is photographed by the photographing device 40 (for example, a camera or a microscope), and the velocity of the center of gravity of each of the two droplets before the collision and the velocity of the center of gravity of the droplet after the fusion are measured from the time change of the photographed image. To do. Each center of gravity is determined by image processing or the like, for example. In other words, the measuring means measures the respective velocities based on the positions of the centroids of the first droplet, the second droplet, and the fused droplet.
プローブ液滴２０の重量、衝突前の２つ液滴のそれぞれの重心の速度、融合後の液滴の重心の速度の測定値から、運動量保存則を利用することにより、質量が未知である被測定液滴１０の質量が算出される。 From the measured values of the weight of the probe droplet 20, the velocity of the center of gravity of each of the two droplets before the collision, and the velocity of the center of gravity of the droplet after the fusion, using the momentum conservation law, The mass of the measurement droplet 10 is calculated.
被測定液滴１０の液滴量測定方法としては、液滴量が未知であり空中を飛翔する第１液滴（被測定液滴１０）と接触する方向に、液滴量が既知である第２液滴（プローブ液滴２０）を吐出させ、前記第１液滴及び前記第２液滴を融合させて融合液滴３０を生成し、前記第１液滴と前記第２液滴と前記融合液滴それぞれの速度と前記第１液滴と前記第２液滴それぞれの液滴量の間に成り立つ運動量保存の関係から前記第１液滴の液滴量を算出する。 As a method for measuring the droplet amount of the droplet 10 to be measured, the droplet amount is unknown in the direction in which the droplet amount is unknown and in contact with the first droplet (measured droplet 10) flying in the air. Two droplets (probe droplets 20) are ejected, and the first droplet and the second droplet are merged to generate a merged droplet 30, and the first droplet and the second droplet are merged with each other. The droplet amount of the first droplet is calculated from the relationship of the momentum conservation established between the velocity of each droplet and the droplet amount of each of the first droplet and the second droplet.
例えば、まず、プローブ液滴２０の質量を液滴積算法により測定する。つまり１ノズルにつき複数回吐出させた液滴を容器に収集し、収集した液滴を重量計等で測定して１滴あたりの質量を算出する。 For example, first, the mass of the probe droplet 20 is measured by the droplet integration method. That is, droplets ejected a plurality of times per nozzle are collected in a container, and the collected droplets are measured with a weigh scale or the like to calculate the mass per droplet.
続いて、被測定ヘッド１１とプローブ液滴吐出ヘッド２１から液滴を連続吐出し、撮影装置４０で観察しながら、被測定液滴１０とプローブ液滴２０とが衝突するように両ヘッドの位置および吐出タイミングを調整する。 Subsequently, the liquid droplets are continuously ejected from the head 11 to be measured and the probe liquid droplet ejection head 21, and the positions of both heads are set so that the liquid droplet 10 to be measured and the probe liquid droplet 20 collide while observing with the imaging device 40. And adjust the discharge timing.
液滴の衝突を確認した後、撮影装置４０で液滴の重心位置の時間変化を観察することで被測定液滴１０及びプローブ液滴２０の衝突直前の速度、そして衝突して２つの液滴が融合した融合液滴３０の速度を測定する。 After confirming the collision of the liquid droplets, the imaging device 40 observes the time change of the gravity center position of the liquid droplets, so that the velocity immediately before the collision of the measured liquid droplet 10 and the probe liquid droplet 20 and the two liquid droplets colliding with each other. Measure the velocity of the fused droplet 30 fused.
ここで、プローブ液滴の質量をＭ、速度をＶ、被測定液滴の質量をｍ、速度をｖ、融合液滴の速度をＶ’とおくと、例えば速度の各成分（Ｘ、Ｙ、Ｚ方向成分）をＶ＝（Ｖ１、Ｖ２、Ｖ３）と表記すると、次の式（運動量保存法則）が成立し、
ｍ＝（−（Ｖｉ−Ｖ’ｉ）／（ｖｉ−Ｖ’ｉ））×Ｍ；ただしｉ＝１、２、３
から、被測定液滴１０の質量ｍが得られる。
このように、運動量保存則を用いると、これらの速度とプローブ液滴の質量から被測定液滴１０の質量ｍを算出することができる。
Here, when the mass of the probe droplet is M, the velocity is V, the mass of the droplet to be measured is m, the velocity is v, and the velocity of the fusion droplet is V ′, for example, each component of velocity (X, Y, When the Z-direction component) is expressed as V = (V 1 , V 2 , V 3 ), the following equation (momentum conservation law) holds:
m = (− (V i −V ′ i ) / (v i −V ′ i )) × M; where i = 1, 2, 3
From this, the mass m of the droplet 10 to be measured is obtained.
Thus, when the momentum conservation law is used, the mass m of the measured droplet 10 can be calculated from these velocities and the mass of the probe droplet.
実施形態では、撮影した画像の液滴の輪郭でなく、重心座標の相対移動変化を用いるため撮影時の照明の影響を受けにくく、吐出量測定の精度が良好になる。さらに、被測定液滴１０の質量を直接測定できる点も精度が向上する一因となっている。 In the embodiment, since the relative movement change of the barycentric coordinates is used instead of the contour of the droplet of the photographed image, it is hardly affected by the illumination at the time of photographing, and the accuracy of the discharge amount measurement is improved. Furthermore, the fact that the mass of the droplet 10 to be measured can be directly measured is one factor that improves the accuracy.
なぜなら、液滴が回転対称であると仮定して、撮影した液滴の形状から吐出量を算出する方法では直接測定できるのが液滴の断面積または回転半径である。質量を算出する際に、回転半径を利用する場合には、回転半径の２乗の値が必要になり、その結果、測定誤差が拡大するからである。 This is because it is the droplet cross-sectional area or the radius of rotation that can be directly measured by the method of calculating the discharge amount from the photographed droplet shape on the assumption that the droplet is rotationally symmetric. This is because when the radius of rotation is used when calculating the mass, the value of the square of the radius of rotation is required, and as a result, the measurement error increases.
また、プローブ液滴２０の質量は予め液滴積算法で測定する必要があるものの、被測定液滴１０の吐出量を測定する場合には、液滴積算法を使用する必要がないため、液滴量測定の効率が良好になる。 Further, although the mass of the probe droplet 20 needs to be measured in advance by the droplet integration method, it is not necessary to use the droplet integration method when measuring the discharge amount of the droplet 10 to be measured. The efficiency of drop volume measurement is improved.
このように、液滴吐出手段から吐出された測定対象の液滴に対し、質量が既知であるプローブ液滴と測定対象の液滴を衝突させ合体させ、衝突前後のそれぞれの液滴の重心の移動速度の変化から運動量保存則を用いて測定対象の液滴の質量を測定する。 As described above, the measurement target droplet ejected from the droplet ejection means collides with the measurement target droplet and the probe droplet having a known mass so that the center of gravity of each droplet before and after the collision is merged. The mass of the droplet to be measured is measured using the momentum conservation law from the change in the moving speed.
被測定ヘッド、プローブ液滴吐出ヘッドはともに、オンデマンド型でもコンティニュアス型でもよく、特に制約はされない。また、オンデマンド型の場合、加熱によって液体を発泡させて液滴を吐出させる方式でもよく、圧電素子を変位させることで液滴を吐出する方式でもよく、特に制約はされない。 Both the head to be measured and the probe droplet discharge head may be on-demand type or continuous type, and are not particularly limited. In the case of the on-demand type, there may be a system in which liquid is foamed by heating and a liquid droplet is ejected, or a liquid droplet is ejected by displacing a piezoelectric element, and there is no particular limitation.
被測定ヘッド１１は、単ノズルのヘッドでもよく、ノズルが多数に集積したヘッド（後述）でもよく、特に制約はされない。また、プローブ液滴吐出ヘッド２１は、ノズル２１ｎがキャピラリ形状をした単ノズルヘッドが望ましい。ノズル２１ｎがキャピラリ形状をしていると、撮影装置４０で衝突を観察する際に光源６０からの光を遮る部分が少なく、光量を十分確保できて鮮明な画像が得られるためである。 The head to be measured 11 may be a single nozzle head or a head (described later) in which a large number of nozzles are integrated, and is not particularly limited. The probe droplet discharge head 21 is preferably a single nozzle head in which the nozzle 21n has a capillary shape. This is because, when the nozzle 21n has a capillary shape, there are few portions that block the light from the light source 60 when observing a collision with the photographing apparatus 40, and a sufficient amount of light can be secured and a clear image can be obtained.
被測定ヘッド１１の駆動周波数と吐出された被測定液滴１０の速度の大きさは特に制約されるものではなく、実際にインクジェットヘッドで使用する所望の駆動周波数、液滴速度を用いるのがよい。 The drive frequency of the head 11 to be measured and the speed of the discharged droplet 10 to be measured are not particularly limited, and it is preferable to use a desired drive frequency and droplet speed that are actually used in the inkjet head. .
プローブ液滴吐出ヘッド２１の駆動周波数は、被測定液滴１０と衝突すれば特に制約はされない。好ましくは被測定ヘッド１１と同一周波数である。プローブ液滴２０の速度の大きさ、被測定液滴１０の速度ベクトルとプローブ液滴２０の速度ベクトルとの成す角度は、測定精度の観点から衝突前後の液滴の速度差が大きくなるように調整するとよい。例えば、被測定液滴１０の吐出方向（速度ベクトル）とプローブ液滴２０の吐出方向（速度ベクトル）との成す角度は９０度程度とするのが好適である。 The drive frequency of the probe droplet discharge head 21 is not particularly limited as long as it collides with the measured droplet 10. Preferably, it has the same frequency as the head to be measured 11. The magnitude of the velocity of the probe droplet 20 and the angle formed between the velocity vector of the droplet to be measured 10 and the velocity vector of the probe droplet 20 are such that the velocity difference between the droplets before and after the collision is large from the viewpoint of measurement accuracy. Adjust it. For example, the angle formed by the ejection direction (velocity vector) of the droplet 10 to be measured and the ejection direction (velocity vector) of the probe droplet 20 is preferably about 90 degrees.
被測定液滴１０が柱状に伸びた形状をしている場合には、被測定液滴１０の全てがプローブ液滴２０と融合するように、被測定液滴１０の速度と、被測定液滴の速度ベクトルとプローブ液滴の速度ベクトルの成す角度を調整するとよい。 When the measured droplet 10 has a columnar shape, the velocity of the measured droplet 10 and the measured droplet are adjusted so that all of the measured droplets 10 merge with the probe droplet 20. The angle formed by the velocity vector and the velocity vector of the probe droplet may be adjusted.
プローブ液滴２０を構成する液体は、融合後の重心位置の算出の容易さから、被測定液滴１０を構成する液体と互いに溶解し合う液体が好ましい。プローブ液滴２０の質量は特に制約されるものではないが、測定精度の観点から被測定液滴１０の質量と同じ質量となることは好ましくない。 The liquid that constitutes the probe droplet 20 is preferably a liquid that dissolves with the liquid that constitutes the liquid droplet 10 to be measured from the viewpoint of easy calculation of the position of the center of gravity after the fusion. The mass of the probe droplet 20 is not particularly limited, but it is not preferable to have the same mass as that of the droplet 10 to be measured from the viewpoint of measurement accuracy.
撮影装置４０を用いた撮影方法は、液滴の重心の速度が精度良く測定できれば、高速度カメラでの撮影でもストロボ光源やパルスレーザと組み合わせたストロボ法でもよく、特に制約は受けない。 The photographing method using the photographing device 40 is not particularly limited as long as the velocity of the center of gravity of the droplet can be measured with high accuracy, and may be photographing with a high-speed camera or a strobe method combined with a strobe light source or a pulse laser.
（第２の実施形態）
図４は、第２の実施形態に係る液滴量測定装置の被測定ヘッド、プローブ液滴吐出ヘッド、撮影装置、および光源の配置を説明する図である。
(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the arrangement of the head to be measured, the probe droplet discharge head, the imaging device, and the light source of the droplet amount measuring apparatus according to the second embodiment.
図４に示す液滴量測定装置２においては、第１液滴吐出手段に第１液滴を吐出するノズルが複数集積されている。例えば、液滴量測定装置２は、被測定ヘッド１５としてオンデマンド型の多数のノズルが集積したヘッドを備える。プローブ液滴吐出ヘッド２１は、第１の実施形態と同型のコンティニュアス型ヘッドである。第２の実施形態においても、プローブ液滴２０を複数回、吐出させて容器に収集し、それを重量計で測定し、プローブ液滴１滴の質量を算出した。 In the droplet amount measuring apparatus 2 shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of nozzles that discharge the first droplet are integrated in the first droplet discharge means. For example, the droplet amount measuring apparatus 2 includes a head on which a large number of on-demand nozzles are integrated as the head 15 to be measured. The probe droplet discharge head 21 is the same type of continuous head as that of the first embodiment. Also in the second embodiment, the probe droplet 20 was discharged a plurality of times and collected in a container, which was measured with a weigh scale, and the mass of one probe droplet was calculated.
被測定ヘッド１５のノズル孔１５ｈのうち、測定対象の一つのノズルから液滴を吐出し、さらに、プローブ液滴吐出ヘッド２１のノズル２１ｎから液滴を吐出した。続いて、上記と同様の撮影手段を用いて、２つのヘッド、すなわち、プローブ液滴吐出ヘッド２１のノズル２１ｎと、被測定ヘッド１５のノズル孔１５ｈとから吐出される液滴が衝突するように調整した。そして、撮影装置４０で液滴の衝突を観察し、上記と同様な方法で被測定液滴１０の質量ｍを得た。 A droplet was ejected from one nozzle to be measured in the nozzle hole 15 h of the head 15 to be measured, and further, a droplet was ejected from the nozzle 21 n of the probe droplet ejection head 21. Subsequently, using the same imaging means as described above, the droplets discharged from the two heads, that is, the nozzle 21n of the probe droplet discharge head 21 and the nozzle hole 15h of the head 15 to be measured collide with each other. It was adjusted. And the collision of the droplet was observed with the imaging device 40, and the mass m of the droplet 10 to be measured was obtained by the same method as described above.
次に、被測定ヘッド１５を図４中のｘ方向またはｙ方向に相対的に移動し、被測定ヘッド１５の測定対象の別のノズルから吐出される被測定液滴１０に関しても、同様な方法でその質量を得た。 Next, a similar method is applied to the liquid droplet 10 to be measured, which is ejected from another nozzle to be measured by the head 15 to be measured by moving the head 15 to be measured in the x direction or the y direction in FIG. The mass was obtained.
第２の実施形態では、プローブ液滴２０の質量は予め液滴積算法で測定する必要があるものの、複数集積した各ノズルすべての吐出量を測定する場合には、全ノズルに対して液滴積算法を使用する必要がないため、測定の効率が良好になる。 In the second embodiment, although the mass of the probe droplet 20 needs to be measured in advance by the droplet integration method, when measuring the discharge amount of all the plurality of nozzles that are accumulated, the droplets for all the nozzles are measured. Since it is not necessary to use the integration method, the measurement efficiency is improved.
また、上述した液滴量測定方法を用いて、液滴の吐出量を調整する工程を有することを特徴とする液滴吐出ヘッドの製造方法も実施形態に含まれる。 Further, the embodiment includes a method for manufacturing a droplet discharge head, which includes a step of adjusting the droplet discharge amount using the droplet amount measuring method described above.
以上、実施形態を説明してきたが、本発明は図面に示した実施形態に限定されるものではない。他の実施形態、追加、変更、削除など、当業者が想到することができる範囲内で変更することができる。いずれの態様においても本発明の作用・効果を奏する限り、本発明の範囲に含まれるものである。 Although the embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings. Other embodiments, additions, changes, deletions, and the like can be changed within a range that can be conceived by those skilled in the art. Any aspect is included in the scope of the present invention as long as the operations and effects of the present invention are exhibited.
（実施例１）
次に、液滴量測定装置、液滴量測定方法をより具体的に説明する。
図１、２に示す被測定ヘッド１１は、コンティニュアス型インクジェットヘッドであり、その外径は３６０μｍである。また、被測定ヘッド１１は、先端内径８μｍの細管をノズル１１ｎとしている。プローブ液滴吐出ヘッド２１は、コンティニュアス型インクジェットヘッドである。プローブ液滴２０から複数回、液滴を吐出させて容器に収集し、容器内の液滴群を重量計で測定し、さらに液滴数で除算することにより、プローブ液１滴の質量を算出した。観察装置４０としては、ＣＭＯＳイメージセンサを備えたカメラを用いた。また、発光時間が１μｓ以下のキセノンフラッシュと組み合わせてストロボ撮影を行った。
(Example 1)
Next, the droplet amount measuring apparatus and the droplet amount measuring method will be described more specifically.
The measured head 11 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a continuous type ink jet head, and its outer diameter is 360 μm. Further, the head 11 to be measured uses a thin tube having a tip inner diameter of 8 μm as the nozzle 11n. The probe droplet discharge head 21 is a continuous ink jet head. A plurality of droplets are ejected from the probe droplet 20 and collected in a container, the group of droplets in the container is measured with a weigh scale, and the mass of one probe liquid is calculated by dividing by the number of droplets. did. As the observation apparatus 40, a camera provided with a CMOS image sensor was used. In addition, flash photography was performed in combination with a xenon flash having a light emission time of 1 μs or less.
被測定ヘッド１１とプローブ液滴吐出ヘッド２１とから液滴を連続吐出し、撮影装置４０で観察しながら被測定液滴１０とプローブ液滴２０とが衝突するように両ヘッドの位置及び吐出タイミングを調整した。衝突位置は被測定ヘッド１１のノズル孔から約４００μｍであり、被測定液滴１０の速度ベクトルとプローブ液滴２０の速度ベクトルとの成す角度は６０度とした。 The positions of both heads and the discharge timing are such that droplets are continuously discharged from the head 11 to be measured and the probe droplet discharge head 21 and the droplet 10 to be measured and the probe droplet 20 collide while observing with the imaging device 40. Adjusted. The collision position was about 400 μm from the nozzle hole of the head 11 to be measured, and the angle between the velocity vector of the droplet 10 to be measured and the velocity vector of the probe droplet 20 was 60 degrees.
また、図３に示す液滴の重心の時間変化を追った結果、図３のｘ方向における被測定液滴１０の速さは０．００ｍ／ｓ、プローブ液滴２０の速さは４．３５ｍ／ｓ、融合液滴３０の速さは１．５８ｍ／ｓであった。これより運動量保存則を用いると、被測定液滴１０の質量ｍは、プローブ液滴２０の質量Ｍの０．５７１倍であると算出できた（ｍ／Ｍ＝０．５７１）。 Further, as a result of following the time change of the gravity center of the droplet shown in FIG. 3, the speed of the measured droplet 10 in the x direction in FIG. 3 is 0.00 m / s, and the velocity of the probe droplet 20 is 4.35 m. / S, the speed of the fusion droplet 30 was 1.58 m / s. From this, using the momentum conservation law, the mass m of the measured droplet 10 could be calculated to be 0.571 times the mass M of the probe droplet 20 (m / M = 0.571).
１、２ 液滴量測定装置
１０ 被測定液滴
１１、１５ 被測定ヘッド
１１ｎ、２１ｎ ノズル
１５ｈ ノズル孔
１２、２２、６２ 制御装置
２０ プローブ液滴
２１ プローブ液滴吐出ヘッド
３０ 融合液滴
４０ 撮影装置
５０ 情報処理装置
６０ 光源
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 2 Drop volume measuring device 10 Measured droplet 11, 15 Measured head 11n, 21n Nozzle 15h Nozzle hole 12, 22, 62 Control device 20 Probe droplet 21 Probe droplet discharge head 30 Fusion droplet 40 Imaging device 50 Information processing device 60 Light source
Claims (7)
液滴量が既知である第２液滴を前記第１液滴と空中で接触する方向に吐出して、前記第２液滴を前記第１液滴に融合させる第２液滴吐出手段と、
前記第１液滴、前記第２液滴、および前記第１液滴と前記第２液滴とが融合して形成された融合液滴のそれぞれの速度を計測する計測手段と、
前記第１液滴、前記第２液滴、および前記融合液滴のそれぞれの速度と、前記第１液滴および前記第２液滴のそれぞれの液滴量との間に成り立つ運動量保存の関係から前記第１液滴の液滴量を演算する演算手段と、
を備えたことを特徴とする液滴量測定装置。 First droplet discharge means for discharging a first droplet with an unknown droplet amount;
A second droplet discharge means for discharging a second droplet having a known droplet amount in a direction in contact with the first droplet in the air, and fusing the second droplet with the first droplet;
Measuring means for measuring the respective speeds of the first droplet, the second droplet, and the fused droplet formed by fusing the first droplet and the second droplet;
From the relationship of momentum conservation established between the respective velocities of the first droplet, the second droplet, and the fusion droplet and the respective droplet amounts of the first droplet and the second droplet. Computing means for computing the droplet volume of the first droplet;
A droplet amount measuring apparatus comprising:
前記第１液滴と前記第２液滴と前記融合液滴のそれぞれの速度と、前記第１液滴と前記第２液滴のそれぞれの液滴量との間に成り立つ運動量保存の関係から前記第１液滴の液滴量を算出することを特徴とする液滴量測定方法。 A second droplet having a known droplet amount is ejected in a direction in contact with the first droplet having an unknown droplet amount and flying in the air, and the first droplet and the second droplet are fused. To produce fused droplets,
From the relationship of the momentum conservation established between the respective velocities of the first droplet, the second droplet, and the fused droplet, and the respective droplet amounts of the first droplet and the second droplet, A method for measuring a droplet amount, comprising calculating a droplet amount of a first droplet.
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