Patent ID: 8038266
Filing Date: 2011-10-18
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An air bubble trapping apparatus which traps an air bubble present in a liquid flowing through a liquid channel, the air bubble trapping apparatus comprising: a filter arranged in the liquid channel and including a substrate having an electroconductive area formed in a surface of the substrate at a region at which a plurality of through holes are formed through the electroconductive area of the substrate and through which the liquid passes; an electric potential control mechanism which controls an electric potential of the electroconductive area of the substrate; and a mode setting unit which is selectively settable to an air bubble trapping mode for trapping the air bubble in the liquid on a surface of the filter, and an air bubble releasing mode for releasing the air bubble trapped on the surface of the filter, wherein the electric potential control mechanism controls the electric potential of the electroconductive area such that an absolute value of a difference between the electric potential of the electroconductive area and an electric potential of the liquid flowing through the liquid channel when the mode setting unit is set to the air bubble trapping mode is smaller than an absolute value of a difference between the electric potential of the electroconductive area and the electric potential of the liquid flowing through the liquid channel when the mode setting unit is set to the air bubble releasing mode, and wherein the filter further comprises an insulating layer which is stacked in laminate on the substrate and which covers the electroconductive area of the substrate, such that the electroconductive area is electrically insulated from the liquid.