Abstract:
A light emitter is operable to emit light. A light receiver is adapted to receive the light emitted from the light emitter, and operable to output a signal in accordance with an amount of the received light, thereby detecting a position of an object. At least one transparent member is disposed between the light emitter and the light receiver. A first line pattern is provided with the transparent member so as to oppose the light emitter, and includes first light transmitting sections and first light shielding sections which are alternately arranged in a first direction with a first pitch. A second line pattern is provided with the transparent member so as to oppose the light receiver, and includes second light transmitting sections and second light shielding sections which are alternately arranged in the first direction with a second pitch. Each of the first light transmitting sections is adapted to allow the light emitted from the light emitter to pass through. Each of the first light shielding sections is adapted to shield the light emitted from the light emitter. Each of the second light transmitting sections is adapted to allow light having passed through the transparent member. Each of the second light shielding sections is adapted to shield the light having passed through the transparent member.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     1. Technical Field  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a position detector and a liquid ejecting apparatus incorporating the same.  
         [0003]     2. Related Art  
         [0004]     In an ink jet printer, a carriage and a printed subject such as paper are driven by a motor. Incidentally, in order to perform position control and speed control, an encoder is generally used. The encoder includes a photo sensor and a scale. The photo sensor includes a light emitting element and a light receiving element the scale includes a light transmitting section which transmits light emitted from the light emitting element, and a light shielding section which shields light emitted from the light emitting element. These light transmitting section and light shielding section are repetitively arranged at a fixed pitch.  
         [0005]     In such the encoder, recently, there is a problem of attachment of ink mist. Namely, recent printers which perform printing with high precision can eject minute ink droplets from a printing head. These minute ink droplets readily become ink mist and drift inside the printer. Therefore, as such the printer is used for a while, solidified ink mist is piled on the scale.  
         [0006]     Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-81691A (JP-A-2005-81691) teaches that a partition member is arranged between a carriage belt and a scale to prevent the attachment of the ink mist onto the scale. Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-202963A (JP-A-2004-202963) discloses a configuration for correcting, in a case where duty factor of a signal outputted from a light receiving element decreases due to the attached ink mist, the duty factor of the output signal so as to become 50%.  
         [0007]     In a case where the ink mist is attached onto the light transmitting section of the scale, light which passes through the light transmitting section is diffracted and causes a disadvantageous effect. Any means for preventing such the disadvantage has not been disclosed in the above publications.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0008]     It is an advantage of some aspects of the invention to provide a position detector which can prevent diffraction of light which passes through a light transmitting section of a scale and prevent erroneous detection in a light receiving element, and to provide a liquid ejecting apparatus incorporating such a position detector.  
         [0009]     According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a position detector, comprising:  
         [0010]     a light emitter, operable to emit light;  
         [0011]     a light receiver, adapted to receive the light emitted from the light emitter, and operable to output a signal in accordance with an amount of the received light, thereby detecting a position of an object;  
         [0012]     at least one transparent member, disposed between the light emitter and the light receiver;  
         [0013]     a first line pattern, provided with the transparent member so as to oppose the light emitter, and including first light transmitting sections and first light shielding sections which are alternately arranged in a first direction with a first pitch; and  
         [0014]     a second line pattern, provided with the transparent member so as to oppose the light receiver, and including second light transmitting sections and second light shielding sections which are alternately arranged in the first direction with a second pitch, wherein:  
         [0015]     each of the first light transmitting sections is adapted to allow the light emitted from the light emitter to pass through;  
         [0016]     each of the first light shielding sections is adapted to shield the light emitted from the light emitter;  
         [0017]     each of the second light transmitting sections is adapted to allow light having passed through the transparent member; and  
         [0018]     each of the second light shielding sections is adapted to shield the light having passed through the transparent member.  
         [0019]     With this configuration, only the light emitted from the light emitter and having reached the first light transmitting section passes through the transparent member, and the light that has reached the first light shielding section is shielded and does not pass through the transparent member. The light that has passed through the transparent member then reaches the second line pattern. Here, only the light that has reached the second light transmitting section passes toward the light receiver side, and the light that has reached the second light shielding section is blocked. Therefore, of the light emitted from the light emitter, only the light that has passed through both of the first light transmitting section and the second light transmitting section is received in the light receiver.  
         [0020]     Thus, the light of which the traveling direction deviates from the predetermined direction, though passing through the first light transmitting section, can be shielded by the second light shielding section, and only the light in the predetermined traveling direction can be received by the light receiver. Hereby, in the light receiver, reception of the excessively diffused or diffracted light can be suppressed. Therefore, the light receiver can output the electric signal corresponding to the light in the predetermined traveling direction, and can improve detection accuracy of the light in the predetermined traveling direction. Namely, detection sensitivity in the light receiver can be improved, so that the erroneous detection can be prevented.  
         [0021]     The first pitch and the second pitch may be identical.  
         [0022]     In this case, the traveling direction of the light that has passed through both of the first transmitting section and the second light transmitting section can be made uniform.  
         [0023]     The transparent member may have a first surface adapted to oppose the light emitter and a second surface adapted to oppose the light receiver. The first line pattern may be provided on the first surface. The second line pattern may be provided on the second surface.  
         [0024]     In this case, it is possible to avoid the increase of dimension in the thickness direction of the transparent member, in comparison with the two line patterns are respectively provided on individual transparent members. Further, influences by light reflection from the first surface can be reduced.  
         [0025]     Each boundary between one of the first light transmitting sections and one of the first light shielding sections which are adjacent to each other may be aligned with an associated boundary between one of the first light transmitting sections and one of the first light shielding sections which are adjacent to each other, relative to a thickness direction of the transparent member which is orthogonal to the first direction.  
         [0026]     In this case, the light having passed through the transparent member is made parallel relative to the thickness direction of the transparent member. Thus, in the light receiver, the influences of the diffused or diffracted light can be reduced.  
         [0027]     The at least one transparent member may include a first transparent member and a second transparent member. The first line pattern may be provided on the first transparent member. The second line pattern may be provided on the second transparent member.  
         [0028]     In this case, it is possible to obtain the desired two line patterns by merely laminating two transparent members while positioning the respective line patterns. Further, relative position between two line patterns can be easily corrected.  
         [0029]     The light receiver may include a plurality of light receiving elements arrayed in the first direction. A dimension in the first direction of one of the first light transmitting sections and one of the light shielding sections which are adjacent to each other may correspond to a dimension in the first direction of an odd number of the light receiving elements.  
         [0030]     In this case, at least one of the light receiving elements must be associated with each of the light transmitting sections and the light shielding sections. Therefore, among these light receiving elements, the signals in which the phase is shifted by 180 degrees can be outputted, and it is possible to obtain an encoder signal having high accuracy by comparison between these signals.  
         [0031]     According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a liquid ejecting apparatus, comprising:  
         [0032]     a liquid ejecting head, operable to eject liquid toward a target medium; and  
         [0033]     the above position detector, operable to detect a position of the liquid ejecting head as the object.  
         [0034]     In this case, since the erroneous detection of the position detector can be prevented, it is possible to eject the liquid toward the target medium accurately.  
         [0035]     The liquid may be pigment-base ink.  
         [0036]     In this case, the reception of the excessively diffused or diffracted light can be suppressed even when the pigment-base ink which tends to cause the light diffraction is attached onto the transparent member. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0037]     The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like elements.  
         [0038]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a printer incorporating a position detector according to one embodiment of the invention.  
         [0039]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing a motor driving control system in the printer.  
         [0040]      FIG. 3  is a schematic section view showing a sheet transporting system in the printer.  
         [0041]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view showing a linear encoder in the printer.  
         [0042]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing a longitudinal end portion of a linear scale in the linear encoder.  
         [0043]      FIG. 6  is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of the linear encoder.  
         [0044]      FIG. 7  is a timing chart showing signals outputted from the linear encoder.  
         [0045]      FIG. 8  is a schematic view showing a modified example of the linear encoder.  
         [0046]      FIG. 9  is a schematic view showing a rotary encoder in the printer.  
         [0047]      FIG. 10  is a diagram for explaining an advantageous effect obtained by the linear encoder. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS  
       [0048]     A position detector according to one embodiment of the invention and a printer  10  using this position detector will be described below with reference to FIGS.  1  to  10 . The printer  10  in the embodiment is an ink jet type printer. However, such the ink jet printer, as long as it can eject ink to perform printing, may adopt any ejection method.  
         [0049]     In the following description, a “downside” indicates a side on which the printer  10  is placed, and an “upside” indicates a side apart from the side on which the printer  10  is placed. A direction where a carriage  31  described later moves is taken as a primary scanning direction, and a direction which is orthogonal to the primary scanning direction and where a printed subject P is transported is taken as a secondary scanning direction.  
         [0050]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the printer  10  comprises a housing  20 , a carriage driving mechanism  30 , a sheet transporting mechanism  40 , a linear encoder  50 , a rotary encoder  70 , and a controller  80 .  
         [0051]     The housing  20  includes a chassis  21  placed on an installation surface, and a supporting frame  22  provide upright which extends from this chassis  21  upward. The carriage driving mechanism  30  includes a carriage  31 , a carriage motor  32 , a belt  33 , a driving pulley  34 , a follower pulley  35 , and a carriage shaft  36 . On the carriage  31 , an ink cartridge  37  can be mounted. As shown in  FIG. 2 , on the lower face of the carriage  31 , a printing head  38  which can eject ink droplets is provided. The belt  33  is an endless belt, and its part is fixed onto the rear face of the carriage  31 . This belt  33  is stretched between the driving pulley  34  and the follower pulley  35 .  
         [0052]     The above printing head  38  is provided with not-shown nozzle arrays corresponding to each color of ink. In nozzles constituting this nozzle array, not-shown piezoelectric elements are arranged. By the operation of this piezoelectric element, the ink droplet can be ejected from the nozzle that is located at the end portion of an ink passage. The printing head  38  is not limited to the piezoelectric type using the piezoelectric element, but may adopt, for example, a heater type which heats ink and utilizes power of the produced bubbles, a magnetostrictive type which uses a magnetostrictive element, or a mist type which controls mist by an electric field. The ink filled into the cartridge  37  may be any kind of ink, for example, dye-based ink or pigment-based ink.  
         [0053]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the sheet transporting mechanism  40  includes a motor  41  and a sheet feeding roller  42  for feeding a printed subject P such as plain paper (refer to  FIG. 2 ). On the downstream side of the sheet feeding roller  42 , a sheet transporting roller pair  43  for transporting the printed subject P nipped therebetween is provided. On the downstream side of the sheet transporting roller pair  43 , a platen  44  and the above-mentioned printing head  38  are provided so as to be opposed to each other in the vertical direction. The platen  44  supports, from the downside, the printed subject P being transported below the printing head  38  by the sheet transporting roller pair  43 . On the downstream side of the platen  44 , a sheet ejecting roller pair  45  similar to the sheet transporting roller pair  43  is provided. The driving force from the motor  41  is transmitted to a driving roller  43   a  in the sheet feeding roller pair  43  and a driving roller  45   a  in the sheet ejecting roller pair  45 .  
         [0054]     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the linear encoder  50  includes a linear scale  51  and a photo sensor  60 . The linear scale  51  is formed of an elongated transparent member  52  made of a transparent material such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate). However, other various materials can be applied as the transparent member. As shown in  FIG. 5 , holes  53  are formed at both longitudinal ends of the linear scale  51 , and claws  22   a  provided on the supporting frame  22  are respectively inserted into the holes  53 , so that the linear scale  51  is suspended between the claws  22   a.    
         [0055]     For convenience of description, of the transparent member  52 , a surface facing a light emitter  61  (described later) will be described below as a front surface  52   a , and a surface facing a light receiver  63  (described later) will be described as a back surface  52   b.    
         [0056]     As shown in  FIG. 4 , on the linear scale  51 , a first line pattern  54  and a second line pattern  55  are formed. These line patterns  54  and  55  have, at regular intervals, first light transmitting sections  54   a  and second light transmitting sections  55   a  which transmit light, and first light shielding sections  54   b  and second light shielding sections  55   b  which cuts off transmission of the light. The light shielding sections  54   b  and  55   b  of them are formed by applying black printing with a fixed width and such thickness that the light does not pass therethrough. Onto the light transmitting sections  54   a  and  55   a , the black printing is not applied, and they can transmit light emitted from the light emitter  61 .  
         [0057]     In the following description, the first light transmitting section  54   a  and the second light transmitting section  55   a  are sometimes collectively referred as the light transmitting sections  54   a  and  55   a.  The first light shielding section  54   b  and the second light shielding section  55   b  are sometimes collectively referred as the light shielding sections  54   b  and  55   b.    
         [0058]     In this embodiment, all of the light transmitting sections  54   a ,  55   a  and the light shielding sections  54   b ,  55   b  have the same width (i.e., the mask pitch M is constant). However, the width of each of the light transmitting section and the light shielding section may be varied (i.e., the mask pitch M may be varied) only if opposing ones of the light transmitting sections  54   a ,  55   a  and opposing ones of the light shielding sections  54   b ,  55   b  have the same width.  
         [0059]     As shown in  FIG. 4 , these first line patterns  54  and the second line patterns  55  are formed at the same pitch. in the thickness direction of the linear scale  51 , the two light transmitting sections  54   a  and  55   a  are aligned, and the two light shielding sections  54   b  and  55   b  are similarly aligned, so that a line L passing though a boundary between the light transmitting section  54   a  and the light shielding section  54   b  of the first line pattern  54  also passes through a boundary between the light transmitting section  55   a  and the light shielding section  55   b  of the second line pattern  55 .  
         [0060]     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the photo sensor  60  comprises a light emitter  61 , a collimator lens  62 , and a light receiver  63 . These light emitter  61  and light receiver  63  are opposed to each other through the linear scale  51  located between the collimator lens  62  and the light receiver  63  in a non-contact manner. The light emitter  61  comprises a not-shown light emitting element such as a light emitting diode, and the light generated by this light emitting element is emitted toward the linear scale  51 .  
         [0061]     The light receiver  63  comprises a substrate  64 , and a first light receiving element array  65  and a second light receiving element array  66  which are provided on this substrate  64 . In the first light receiving element array  65 , plural light receiving elements  65   a  and  65   b  are arrayed. Similarly, in the second light receiving element array  66 , plural light receiving elements  66   a  and  66   b  are arrayed. Each of the light receiving elements  65   a ,  65   b ,  66   a , and  66   b  can convert the received light into an electric signal according to the quantity of the received light. A phototransistor, a photodiode, a photo-IC or the like may be adopted as the light receiving element. These light receiving elements are arranged such that two elements are provided in every one segment (corresponding to the mask pitch M) constituted by a pair of the light transmitting section  54   a  ( 55   a ) and  54   b  ( 55   b ). Further, the first light receiving element array  65  and the second light receiving element array  66  are shifted from each other in the extending direction thereof by one fourth of the mask pitch M so that a phase difference between the arrays  65  and  66  becomes 90 degrees.  
         [0062]     In a case where the width dimension of the light transmitting section  54   a ,  55   a  is the same as that of the light shielding section  54   b ,  55   b  as in this embodiment, one light receiving element is associated with each of the light emitting sections  54   a  ( 55   a ) and the light shielding sections  54   b  ( 55   b ).  
         [0063]     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the plural light receiving elements  65   a ,  65   b ,  66   a ,  66   b  are connected to a signal amplifier  67 . Analog waveform signals outputted from the light receiving elements, after being amplified by this signal amplifier  67 , are outputted to a first comparator  68   a  and a second comparator  68   b.  The first comparator  68   a  and the second comparator  68   b  output pulse waveform digital signals on the basis of the analog signals outputted through the signal amplifier  67  from the respective light receiving element arrays  65  and  66 .  
         [0064]     Here, the light receiving element  65   a  in the first light receiving element array  65  is connected to a positive terminal of the first comparator  68   a , and the light receiving element  65   b  in the first light receiving element array  65  is connected to a negative terminal of the first comparator  68   a.  The light receiving elements  66   a  and  66   b  in the second light receiving array  66  are similarly connected to the second comparator  68   b.  For example, in a case where the level of the analog signal inputted to the positive terminal is higher than the level of the analog signal inputted to the negative terminal, a high-level signal is outputted. In the contrary case, a low-level signal is outputted. Hereby, it is possible to output pulse signals (ENC-A, ENC-B) as shown in  FIG. 7 , corresponding to detection by the light transmitting section  54   a ,  55   a  and the light shielding section  54   b ,  55   b.    
         [0065]     A pulse signal ENC-A is outputted from the first comparator  68   a  corresponding to the first light receiving element array  65 , and a pulse signal ENC-B in which the phase is shifted by 90 degrees is outputted from the second comparator  68   b  corresponding to the second light receiving element array  66  shifted by one fourth of the mask pitch M relative to the first light receiving element array  65 .  
         [0066]     Here, as shown in  FIG. 8 , there may be adopted a configuration in which a single light receiving element array  650  is provided. In this case, a light receiving element  650   a  is connected to either a positive terminal or a negative terminal of the first comparator  68   a , and a light receiving element  650   b  is connected to either a positive terminal or a negative terminal of the second comparator  68   b.    
         [0067]     As shown in  FIG. 9 , the rotary encoder  70  comprises a disc-shaped scale  71  rotated by the motor  41 , and a photo sensor  72  similar to the photo sensor  60  of the linear encoder  50 . This rotary encoder  70  has the same constitution as that of the linear encoder  50  except that the scale  71  is formed in the shape of a disc. Therefore, the detailed description of the rotary encoder  70  is omitted.  
         [0068]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , an encoder signal outputted from the linear encoder  50  or the rotary encoder  70 , a print signal from a computer  90 , and various output signals are inputted to a controller  80 . More specifically, the controller  80  includes CPU, ROM, RAM, ASIC, a DC unit, and a driver to control the CR motor  32 , the printing head  38 , the motor  41 , and the like.  
         [0069]     When the printer  10  is operated under the above constitution, the operation performed by the linear encoder  50  will be described below.  
         [0070]     When the linear encoder  50  is activated and the light emitter  61  emits the light toward the linear scale  51 , the emitted light passes through the collimator lens  62 , so that the light emergent from the collimator lens  62  becomes parallel light. However, since the emergent light is not complete parallel light, the emergent light to be incident on the light receiving elements  65   a  to  66   b  located on the longitudinal end portions of the light receiving element arrays  65 ,  66  becomes oblique relative to the thickness direction of the linear scale  51  as shown in  FIG. 10 .  
         [0071]     Specifically, the thickness dimension of the transparent member  52  is not as large as each width dimension of the light transmitting sections  54   a ,  55   a  and the light shielding sections  54   b ,  55   b.  However, in a case where the thickness dimension of the transparent member  52  becomes somewhat large, it is possible to prevent well the light which travels obliquely inside the transparent member  52  from being emitted from the back surface  52   b.  This is because the second line pattern  55  are provided on the back surface  52   b  of the transparent member  52  in addition to the first line pattern  54  provided on the front surface  52   a  of the transparent member  52 . That is, the light incident straightly on the first light transmitting section  54   a  of the first line pattern  54  passes straightly through the inside of the transparent member  52 , and reaches the back surface  52   b.  However, the light incident obliquely on the first light transmitting section  54   a  travels obliquely inside the transparent member  52  and is blocked by the light shielding section  55   b  of the second line pattern  55 .  
         [0072]     More specifically, as shown in  FIG. 10 , it is desirable that a line Q connecting a point A of the light shielding section  54   b  and a point B of the light shielding section  55   b  reaches a spot on the surface of any one of the light receiving elements  65   a ,  65   b ,  66   a  and  66   b  that is located doser to the light transmitting section  55   a  than the light shielding section  55   b.  Therefore, the light traveling obliquely can be surely blocked in a case where the thickness dimension of the transparent member  52  is made much larger than the width dimension of the light transmitting sections  54   a ,  55   a  and the light shielding section  54   b ,  55   b.    
         [0073]     With the above configuration, the light having high straightness is emitted from the second light transmitting section  55   a  on the back surface  52   b  and is incident on an associated one of the light receiving elements  65   a ,  65   b ,  66   a  and  66   b.  In accordance with the detection state of the light receiving elements, analog signals are outputted according to the amount of the detected light, and thereafter the pulse signal ENC-A and the pulse signal ENC-B that are the digital signals are outputted respectively through the first comparator  68   a  and the second comparator  68   b.    
         [0074]     In accordance with the pulse signals ENC-A and ENC-B, the controller  80  drives the motor  41  one pitch by one pitch, and controls the carriage motor  32  while detecting the position of the carriage  3 . Further, the controller  80  generates a print signal for controlling ink ejection from the print head  38 , thereby performing printing with respect to the printed medium P.  
         [0075]     With the above configuration, only the light emitted from the light emitter  61  and having reached the first light transmitting section  54   a  passes through the transparent member  52 , and the light that has reached the first light shielding section  54   b  is shielded and does not pass through the transparent member  52 . The light that has passed through the transparent member  52  then reaches the second line pattern  55 . Here, only the light that has reached the second light transmitting section  55   a  passes toward the light receiver  63  side, and the light that has reached the second light shielding section  55   b  is blocked. Therefore, of the light emitted from the light emitter  61 , only the light that has passed through both of the light transmitting section  54   a  and the light transmitting section  55   a  is received in the light receiver  63 .  
         [0076]     Hereby, the light of which the traveling direction deviates from the predetermined traveling direction, though passing through the first transmitting section  54   a , can be shielded by the second light shielding section  55   b , whereby only the light in the predetermined traveling direction can be received by the light receiver  63 . Hereby, the light receiver  63  can suppress the reception of excessively diffused or diffracted light. This advantageous effect is remarkable particularly in a case where the pigment-based ink is used. Therefore, the light receiver  63  can output the electric signal corresponding to the light that travels in the predetermined direction, and detection accuracy of the light in the predetermined traveling direction can be improved. Namely, detection sensitivity in the light receiver  63  can be improved, so that the erroneous detection can be prevented. Accordingly, it is possible to eject the ink droplet toward the printed subject P accurately, so that the printing accuracy can be improved.  
         [0077]     Since the mask pitch M of the first line pattern  54  and the mask pitch M of the second line pattern  55  are the same, the traveling direction of the light that has passed through both of the first transmitting section  54   a  and the second light transmitting section  55   a  is made uniform.  
         [0078]     Since the first line pattern  54  is provided on the front surface  52   a  of the transparent member  52  and the second line pattern  55  is provided on the back surface  52   b  of the same transparent member  52 , it is possible to avoid the increase of dimension in the thickness direction of the transparent member  52 , in comparison with the two line patterns are respectively provided on individual transparent members. Further, influences by light reflection from the front surface  52   a  can be reduced.  
         [0079]     Since each boundary between the light transmitting section  54   a  and the light shielding section  54   b  is aligned with an associated boundary between the light transmitting section  55   a  and the light shielding section  55   b , the light having passed through the transparent member  52  is made parallel relative to the thickness direction of the transparent member  52 . Thus, in the light receiver  63 , the influences of the diffused or diffracted light can be reduced.  
         [0080]     Since the mask pitch M corresponds to the width dimension of a pair of the light receiving element  65   a  ( 66   a ) and the light receiving element  65   b  ( 66   b ), at least one of the light receiving elements  65   a ,  65   b ,  66   a ,  66   b  must be associated with each of the light transmitting sections  54   a  ( 55   a ) and the light shielding sections  54   b  ( 55   b ). Therefore, among these light receiving elements, the signals in which the phase is shifted by 180 degrees can be outputted, and it is possible to obtain an encoder signal having high accuracy by comparison between these signals.  
         [0081]     In the above embodiment, the first line pattern  54  and the second line patter  55  are provided on a single transparent member  52 . However, two transparent members each of which is provided with a single line pattern on either a front surface or a back surface thereof may be laminated to obtain two line patterns.  
         [0082]     In this case, it is possible to obtain the desired two line patterns by merely laminating two transparent members while positioning the respective line patterns. Further, relative position between two line patterns can be easily corrected.  
         [0083]     Further, two or more transparent members each of which is provided with two line patterns on both surfaces may be laminated, and three or more transparent members each of which is provided with a single line pattern as described the above may be laminated. The line pattern may be provided inside the transparent member.  
         [0084]     In the above embodiment, the printer  10  is exemplified as the liquid ejecting apparatus. However, the liquid ejecting apparatus may be any apparatus such as a color filter manufacturing apparatus, a dyeing machine, a micromachine, a semiconductor processing machine, a surface processing machine, a three-dimensional molding machine, a liquid vaporizing apparatus, an organic EL manufacturing apparatus (particularly, polymer EL manufacturing apparatus), a display manufacturing apparatus, a film coating system, and a DNA chip manufacturing apparatus. Here, liquid ejected from the apparatus is changed according to its purpose. For example, metal material, organic material, magnetic material, conductive material, wiring material, film coating material, and various processing liquid may be adopted.  
         [0085]     Although only some exemplary embodiments of the invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciated that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention.  
         [0086]     The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-263444 filed Sep. 12, 2006 including specification, drawings and claims is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.