Patent ID: 8506029

Claim:
A liquid droplet circulation control apparatus comprising: a first circulation controller that sets a first circulation mode in which liquid is circulated with pressure control by driving a supply side pressure generator and a return side pressure generator that are disposed on either side of a liquid droplet ejector comprising nozzles for ejecting liquid droplets, a negative pressure for a back pressure of the nozzles being maintained during the circulation of the liquid, the supply side pressure generator supplying the liquid, which is a collection of the liquid droplets, to the liquid droplet ejector and the return side pressure generator returning the liquid from the liquid droplet ejector; a second circulation controller that sets a second circulation mode in which the liquid is circulated with flow rate control by driving the supply side pressure generator and/or the return side pressure generator, such that the liquid is not supplied to the liquid droplet ejector or is made to bypass at least the liquid droplet ejector; a selector that selects one of the first circulation mode and the second circulation mode; and a setting unit that sets a circulation path of the liquid based on the circulation mode selected by the selector, wherein the second circulation controller selects and sets a circulation path that is one of: the first circulation path that includes a supply side pipe path for supplying the liquid to the liquid droplet ejector and a return side pipe path for returning the liquid from the liquid droplet ejector, and does not include the liquid droplet ejector; the second circulation path that includes the supply side pipe path alone; or the third circulation path that includes the return side pipe path alone.