Defect detection device of a print head and method of detecting defect of a print head

A defect detection device of a print head, comprising:

• first to Nth (N is a positive integer) actuators providing a driving force for ejecting ink to ink chambers;
• a vibration signal generator generating vibration signals for vibrating the first to Nth actuators;
• a switch receiving the generated vibration signals and outputting the vibration signals to a Kth (K is any integer ranging from 1 to N) actuator among the first to Nth actuators;
• and
• a defect detector receiving the Kth vibration signal of the Kth actuator that is made to vibrate by the vibration signals, comparing the received Kth vibration signal with a specific vibration signal of the Kth actuator, the specific vibration signal of the Kth actuator derived from a print head having no defects, and detecting defects in the print head.

A method of detecting defects in a print head, comprising:

• (a) generating vibration signals for vibrating first to Nth (N is one or more positive integer) actuators;
• (b) receiving the generated vibration signals and outputting the vibration signals to a Kth (K is any integer ranging from 1 to N) actuator among the first to Nth actuators;
• (c) receiving vibration signals of one or more of the first to Nth actuators vibrating concurrently with the vibration of the Kth actuator and outputting an Lth vibration signal, which corresponds to a vibration signal of an Lth (L is any integer ranging from 1 to N) actuator adjacent to the Kth actuator, from among the received vibration signals;
• and
• (d) comparing the Lth vibration signal with a specific vibration signal of the Lth actuator, the specific vibration signal of the Lth actuator derived from a print head having no defects, and detecting defects in the print head.

A method of detecting defects in a print head, comprising:

• (a) generating vibration signals for vibrating first to Nth (N is one or more positive integer) actuators;
• (b) receiving the generated vibration signals and outputting the vibration signals to a Kth (K is any integer ranging from 1 to N) actuator among the first to Nth actuators;
• and
• (c) receiving a Kth vibration signal of the Kth actuator that is made to vibrate by the vibration signals, comparing the received Kth vibration signal with a specific vibration signal of the Kth actuator, the specific vibration signal of the Kth actuator derived from a print head having no defects, and detecting defects in the print head.

A method of detecting defects in a print head, comprising:

• (a) generating vibration signals for vibrating first to Nth (N is one or more positive integer) actuators;
• (b) receiving the generated vibration signals and outputting the vibration signals to a Kth (K is any integer ranging from 1 to N) actuator among the first to Nth actuators;
• (c) receiving vibration signals of one or more of the first to Nth actuators vibrating concurrently with the vibration of the Kth actuator and outputting an L1th vibration signal, which corresponds to a vibration signal of an Lth (L is any integer ranging from 1 to N) actuator adjacent to the Kth actuator, from among the received vibration signals;
• (d) generating the vibration signal again;
• (e) receiving the generated vibration signal and outputting the vibration signal to an Mth (M is any integer ranging from 1 to N) actuator adjacent to the Lth actuator among the first to Nth actuators;
• (f) receiving vibration signals of one or more of the first to Nth actuators vibrating concurrently with the vibration of the Mth actuator and outputting an L2th vibration signal, which corresponds to another vibration signal of the Lth actuator among the received vibration signals;
• and
• (g) comparing the L1th vibration signal with a specific vibration signal of the Lth actuator, the specific vibration signal of the Lth actuator derived from a print head having no defects, comparing the L2th vibration signal with the specific vibration signal of the Lth actuator, and detecting defects in the print head.