Liquid supply apparatus, liquid discharge apparatus, and three-dimensional fabricating apparatus

A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

• a liquid discharge head to discharge a liquid;
• a liquid container to temporarily store the liquid to be supplied to the liquid discharge head;
• and
• a liquid supply device to supply liquid in the liquid container to the liquid discharge head,
• wherein the liquid supply device includes:
• a vacuum device connected to the liquid container to decompress the liquid container to form a negative pressure in the liquid container;
• and
• a negative pressure forming device disposed between the liquid container and the vacuum device,
• wherein the negative pressure forming device includes:
• a gas chamber connected to the liquid container;
• a flexible member forming a part of wall sur face of the gas chamber;
• a first elastic member to push the flexible member in a first direction to expand the gas chamber;
• and
• a pressing member to push the flexible member in a second direction opposite the first direction that compresses the gas chamber;
• wherein the gas chamber moves between a connection position where a connection between the gas chamber and the vacuum device is established Mid a cutoff position where the connection is cut off;
• the gas chamber is in the connection position when the pressing member pushes the flexible member to compress the gas chamber;
• and
• the gas chamber is in the cutoff position when the pressing member is released from pressing the flexible member so that the first elastic member expands the gas chamber to maintain negative pressure inside the liquid container while the connection is cut off.

A three dimensional fabricating apparatus comprising:

• a liquid discharge head to discharge a liquid;
• a liquid container to temporarily store the liquid to be supplied to the liquid discharge head;
• a liquid supply device to supply liquid in the liquid container to the liquid discharge head, and
• a liquid curing unit to cure the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge head,
• wherein the liquid supply device includes:
• a vacuum device connected to the liquid container to decompress the liquid container to form a negative pressure in the liquid container;
• a negative pressure forming device disposed between the liquid container and the vacuum device,
• wherein the negative pressure forming device includes;
• a gas chamber connected to the liquid container;
• a flexible member forming a part of wall surface of the gas chamber;
• a first elastic member to push the flexible member in a first direction to expand the gas chamber;
• and
• a pressing member to push the flexible member in a second direction opposite the first direction that compresses the gas chamber;
• wherein the gas chamber moves between a connection position where a connection between the gas chamber and the vacuum device is established and a cutoff position where the connection is cut off;
• the gas chamber is in the connection position when the pressing member pushes the flexible member to compress the gas chamber;
• and
• the gas chamber is in the cutoff position when the pressing member is released from pressing the flexible member so that the first elastic member expands the gas chamber to maintain a pressure inside the liquid container to be negative while the connection is cut off.