Patent ID: 8376512
Filing Date: 2013-02-19
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A droplet discharge device adapted to perform drawing of droplets of functional liquid from a functional droplet discharge head onto a workpiece in a drawing area, and to perform discharge inspection of the functional droplet discharge head in an inspection area, which is separated from the drawing area, the droplet discharge device comprising: a positioning stage configured and arranged to support the workpiece placed thereon, the positioning stage being disposed on a common movement axis passing through the drawing area and the inspection area; a flushing unit disposed on the common movement axis closer to the inspection area with respect to the positioning stage, and configured and arranged to receive droplets from the functional droplet discharge head during a flushing discharge; an inspection stage disposed on the common movement axis closer to the inspection area with respect to the flushing unit, and configured and arranged to support thereon an inspection sheet for receiving droplets from the functional droplet discharge head during an inspection discharge; an image recognition device disposed in the inspection area, and configured and arranged to conduct image recognition of the droplets discharged on the inspection sheet during the inspection discharge; and a movement mechanism configured and arranged to move the positioning stage, the flushing unit and the inspection stage along the common movement axis so that the drawing of the droplets onto the workpiece is being performed in the drawing area while the image recognition of the droplets discharged on the inspection sheet is being conducted by the image recognition device in the inspection area, the movement mechanism being configured and arranged to move the inspection stage independently of the positioning stage and the flushing unit.