Fluid ejection system, fluid ejection system drive method, and surgical apparatus

Abstract

A fluid ejection system includes: a pulsation generation section which, including a fluid chamber, a diaphragm which changes a volume of the fluid chamber, and a piezoelectric element which drives the diaphragm, pulsatively ejects a fluid from a nozzle; and a control apparatus including a pressure generation section which supplies the fluid to the fluid chamber at a predetermined pressure, a drive waveform generation section which inputs a drive waveform into the piezoelectric element, and a load detection section which detects a load of the pressure generation section, wherein in the event that the load detection section has detected a load abnormality of the pressure generation section, a fluid discharge pressure amplitude of the pulsation generation section or a fluid supply pressure of the pressure generation section is made higher than at a normal drive time.

1 . A fluid ejection system comprising:
 a pulsation generation section which, including a fluid chamber, a diaphragm which changes a volume of the fluid chamber, and a piezoelectric element which drives the diaphragm, pulsatively ejects a fluid from a nozzle; and   a control apparatus including a pressure generation section which supplies the fluid to the fluid chamber at a predetermined pressure, a drive waveform generation section which inputs a drive waveform into the piezoelectric element, and a load detection section which detects a load of the pressure generation section, wherein   in the event that the load detection section has detected a load abnormality of the pressure generation section, a fluid discharge pressure amplitude of the pulsation generation section or a fluid supply pressure of the pressure generation section is made higher than at a normal drive time.   
   
   
       2 . The fluid ejection system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the drive waveform is configured of a pulsation portion and a quiescent portion, and   in the event that the load detection section has detected a load abnormality of the pressure generation section, the amplitude of the pulsation portion is made larger than the amplitude at the normal drive time.   
   
   
       3 . The fluid ejection system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the drive waveform input in the event that the load detection section has detected a load abnormality of the pressure generation section is configured of a continuous pulsation portion.   
   
   
       4 . The fluid ejection system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a frequency of the drive waveform input in the event that the load detection section has detected a load abnormality of the pressure generation section approximately matches a resonant frequency of a pressure wave propagated through a space from the fluid chamber to the nozzle.   
   
   
       5 . The fluid ejection system according to  claim 2 , wherein
 in the event that the load detection section has detected a load abnormality of the pressure generation section, the amplitude of the pulsation portion is made larger than the amplitude at the normal drive time, and the pressure at which the pressure generation section supplies the fluid to the fluid chamber is made higher than that at the normal drive time.   
   
   
       6 . The fluid ejection system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the load detection section detects a load of the pressure generation section as a change in a drive speed of a fluid delivery device of the pressure generation section.   
   
   
       7 . The fluid ejection system according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the load detection section, in the event that the drive speed has become equal to or less than a prescribed value, determines that there is a load abnormality of the pressure generation section.   
   
   
       8 . The fluid ejection system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the load detection section is a pressure sensor provided inside the pressure generation section.   
   
   
       9 . The fluid ejection system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an alarm which, in the event that the load detection section has detected a load abnormality of the pressure generation section, informs of the abnormality.   
   
   
       10 . The fluid ejection system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 in the event that the load detection section has detected a load abnormality of the pressure generation section, the drive of the pulsation generation section and pressure generation section is stopped.   
   
   
       11 . The fluid ejection system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an operating member which, after the load detection section has detected a load abnormality of the pressure generation section, and the drive of the pulsation generation section and pressure generation section has been stopped, switches in such a way as to make the fluid discharge pressure of the pulsation generation section or the fluid supply pressure of the pressure generation section higher than at the normal drive time.   
   
   
       12 . The fluid ejection system according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the operating member is provided on the pulsation generation section.   
   
   
       13 . The fluid ejection system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 in an idle period of the pulsation generation section, the drive waveform is configured of a combination of a midpoint potential, at which the piezoelectric element is charged to the extent that the fluid is moved to a position in which it reaches the leading extremity of the nozzle, and a potential at which the piezoelectric element is discharged.   
   
   
       14 . A method of driving a fluid ejection system including: a pulsation generation section which, including a fluid chamber, a diaphragm which changes a volume of the fluid chamber, and a piezoelectric element which drives the diaphragm, pulsatively ejects a fluid from a nozzle; and a control apparatus including a pressure generation section which supplies the fluid to the fluid chamber at a predetermined pressure, a drive waveform generation section which inputs a drive waveform into the piezoelectric element, and a load detection section which detects a load of the pressure generation section, the method comprising:
 a step of, during a normal drive of the fluid ejection system, detecting a load of the pressure generation section, which supplies the fluid to the pulsation generation section at the predetermined pressure, by means of the load detection section;   a step of outputting an alarm in the event that the load of the pressure generation section has become equal to or more than a prescribed value;   a step of stopping the drive of the pulsation generation section and pressure generation section;   a cleaning step in which a fluid discharge pressure of the pulsation generation section or a fluid supply pressure of the pressure generation section is made higher than at a normal drive time; and   a step of restoring the normal drive after finishing the cleaning step.   
   
   
       15 . A surgical apparatus comprising the fluid ejection system according to  claim 1 .