Patent ID: 7185966
Filing Date: 2007-03-06
Classification: G01V

Abstract:
1. A detection apparatus for detecting droplets discharged from discharge nozzles provided in a discharge head, comprising: a light emitter for emitting detection light; a receiver for receiving said detection light; and a moving device for moving said discharge head in a direction of movement to intersect an optical path of said detection light, wherein said discharge nozzles are all aligned in an alignment direction parallel to said direction of movement of said discharge head, said moving device moves said discharge head, said discharge nozzles aligned in said alignment direction discharge said droplets at a same time and at a predetermined time interval, and when D is the diameter of a beam of said detection light, d is the diameter of said droplets, L is the distance between the discharge nozzles in the direction of movement of said discharge head, and H is the relative distance that said discharge head and said detection apparatus move from when a discharge nozzle discharges one droplet to when said discharge nozzle discharges the next droplet, settings are adjusted so as to satisfy the conditions to place only one droplet discharged from each discharge nozzle onto the optical path of said detection light.