Liquid discharge device and liquid discharge method

A liquid discharge method for discharging a liquid as a droplet using a discharge unit including:

• an elastic discharge part including a storage chamber at least partially formed of an elastic component, a supply hole which leads to the storage chamber and through which the liquid is supplied to the storage chamber, and a discharge hole through which the liquid stored in the storage chamber is discharged;
• and an actuating unit which varies a volumetric capacity of the storage chamber, the liquid discharge method comprising:
• pressurizing the liquid to be supplied to the storage chamber to a pressure within a stable range;
• controlling whether the pressurized liquid is supplied to the storage chamber using the supply control unit;
• and
• discharging the liquid by controlling operation of the actuating unit using the actuation control unit.

A liquid discharge device comprising

• a discharge unit configured to discharge a droplet of a liquid including:
• an elastic discharge part including a storage chamber at least partially formed of an elastic component, a supply hole which leads to the storage chamber and through which the liquid is supplied to the storage chamber, and a discharge hole through which the liquid stored in the storage chamber is discharged;
• and
• an actuating unit configured to vary a volumetric capacity of the storage chamber, and
• the liquid discharge device further comprising:
• a pressurizing unit configured to pressurize the liquid to be supplied to the storage chamber to a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure;
• a supply control unit configured to control whether the pressurized liquid is supplied to the storage chamber;
• and
• an actuation control unit configured to control operation of the actuating unit;
• a supply source including a syringe and a plunger, the supply source holding, in the syringe, the liquid to be supplied to the storage chamber,
• wherein the plunger includes a flexible portion that is flexible in a moving direction of the plunger, and
• the syringe includes a sealed pressure regulating chamber on a side of the plunger opposite to a holding chamber which holds the liquid, and
• the liquid discharge device further comprising:
• a negative pressurizing unit configured to apply a negative pressure to the liquid by transporting gas from inside the pressure regulating chamber to outside the pressure regulating chamber.