Liquid dispensing apparatus and liquid discharging device

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a liquid discharging device includes a storage unit storing a use history indicating whether the liquid discharging device has been previously used, and a discharging device mounted on a liquid dispensing apparatus and configured to discharge a liquid when supplied a discharge voltage in response to a discharge signal received from the liquid dispensing apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A liquid dispensing apparatus, comprising:
 a mounting portion on which a liquid discharging device can be mounted;   a reader-writer configured to acquire a use history from a storage unit on the liquid discharging device that is mounted on the mounting portion;   a driving circuit to supply driving voltages to a discharging device of the liquid discharging device mounted on the mounting portion; and   a controller configured to:
 cause the reader-writer to read the use history in storage unit of the liquid discharging device, and 
 cause the driving circuit to supply a discharge voltage to the discharging device if the acquired use history indicates the liquid discharging device has not been previously used. 
   
     
     
         2 . The liquid dispensing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to cause the use history to indicate that the liquid discharging device has been used if the controller causes the driving circuit to supply the discharge voltage to the discharging device. 
     
     
         3 . The liquid dispensing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to cause the use history to indicate that the liquid discharging device has been previously used if the controller detects that a liquid holding container of the liquid discharging device has been filled with the liquid. 
     
     
         4 . The liquid dispensing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid discharging device comprises a modulation/demodulation circuit and an antenna for wirelessly communicating with the reader-writer. 
     
     
         5 . The liquid dispensing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid discharging device comprises a piezoelectric film. 
     
     
         6 . The liquid dispensing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the discharging device is a heater. 
     
     
         7 . The liquid dispensing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the reader-writer includes an antenna, and the use history is acquired via a communication through the antenna. 
     
     
         8 . The liquid dispensing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the reader-writer acquires the use history via a wired connection to the liquid discharging device. 
     
     
         9 . A liquid dispensing apparatus, comprising:
 a mount for a liquid discharging device;   a reader-writer configured to read a use history from the liquid discharging device mounted on the mount;   a driving circuit to supply driving voltages to an actuator of the liquid discharging device; and   a controller configured to:
 cause the reader-writer to read the use history from the liquid discharging device, and 
 control the driving circuit to supply a discharge voltage to the actuator only if the acquired use history indicates the liquid discharging device has not been previously used. 
   
     
     
         10 . The liquid dispensing apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the reader-writer to change the use history of the liquid discharging device to indicate that the liquid discharging device has been used after the controller controls the driving circuit to supply the discharge voltage to the actuator. 
     
     
         11 . The liquid dispensing apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the reader-writer to change the use history of the liquid discharging device to indicate that the liquid discharging device has been previously used if the controller detects that a liquid holding container of the liquid discharging device has been filled with liquid. 
     
     
         12 . The liquid dispensing apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the reader-writer includes an antenna, and the use history is acquired via a communication through the antenna. 
     
     
         13 . The liquid dispensing apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the reader-writer acquires the use history via a wired connection to the liquid discharging device. 
     
     
         14 . A method for discharging a liquid from a liquid dispensing device, comprising:
 determining a liquid dispensing device is mounted on a liquid dispensing apparatus;   reading a use history from a storage device on the liquid dispensing device after the liquid dispensing device has been mounted on the liquid dispensing apparatus;   driving an actuator of the liquid dispensing device to discharge a liquid only if the use history indicates that the liquid dispensing device has not been previously used; and   changing the use history stored in the storage device to indicate that the liquid dispensing device has been previously.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the use history is acquired wirelessly directly from the liquid dispensing device. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the use history is acquired via a wired connection to the liquid dispensing device. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the use history stored in the storage device is changed according to a wireless communication between the liquid dispensing apparatus and the liquid dispensing device. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the use history stored in the storage device is changed according to a communication via wired connection between the liquid dispensing apparatus and the liquid dispensing device. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the actuator comprises a piezoelectric film. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the actuator comprises a heater.