Method and apparatus for discharging liquid material

A method for discharging a liquid material by a discharging apparatus having a liquid chamber communicating with a discharge orifice, and a plunger which advances and retracts within the liquid chamber, capable of moving a work and a discharge orifice relative to each other and discharging the liquid material in the state of a liquid droplet through the discharge orifice, the method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a distance A from a lower end of the discharge orifice to a lower end of a droplet of the liquid material discharged from the discharge orifice by a single advancing movement of the plunger, at the time when the liquid material discharged separates from the discharge orifice as a single droplet;
• determining a distance B between the lower end of the discharge orifice and a work surface based on the distance A to make the distance B in a range of 60 to 100% of the distance A;
• and
• discharging the liquid material by advancing the plunger while holding the distance B, thereby forming a dot of the liquid material, whose amount is substantially equal to that of the single droplet, on the work.

A method for discharging a liquid material by a discharging apparatus having a liquid chamber communicating with a discharge orifice, and a plunger which advances and retracts within the liquid chamber, capable of moving a work and a discharge orifice relative to each other and discharging the liquid material in the state of a liquid droplet through the discharge orifice, the method comprising:

• a first step of obtaining a distance A from a lower end of the discharge orifice to a lower end of a droplet of the liquid material discharged from the discharge orifice by a single advancing movement of the plunger, at the time when the liquid material discharged separates from the discharge orifice as a single droplet;
• a second step of determining a distance B between the lower end of the discharge orifice and a work surface based on the distance A to make the distance B approximately the same as the distance A;
• and
• a third step of discharging the liquid material by advancing the plunger, thereby forming a dot of the liquid material, whose amount is substantially equal to that of the single droplet, on the work.

An apparatus for discharging a liquid material in the state of a liquid droplet through the discharge orifice, comprising:

• a discharge section including a discharge orifice,
• a liquid chamber communicating with the discharge orifice,
• a plunger which advances and retracts within the liquid chamber,
• a work holding mechanism for holding a work at a position opposed to the discharge orifice,
• a discharge distance adjusting mechanism capable of adjusting a distance B between a lower end of the discharge orifice and a work surface, and
• a control section,
• wherein the control section is configured to perform the steps of:
• (a) obtaining the distance A from a lower end of the discharge orifice to a lower end of a droplet of the liquid material discharged from the discharge orifice by a single advancing movement of the plunger, at the time when the liquid material discharged separates from the discharge orifice as a single droplet by the distance obtaining device, (b) determining a distance B between the lower end of the discharge orifice and a work surface based on the distance A to make the distance B approximately the same as the distance A, and (c) controlling the discharge distance adjusting mechanism such that the distance between the lower end of the discharge orifice and the work surface is held the distance B when the liquid material is discharged from the discharged orifice, thereby forming a dot of the liquid material, whose amount is substantially equal to that of the single droplet, on the work.

An apparatus for discharging a liquid material in the state of a liquid droplet through the discharge orifice, comprising

• a discharge section including a discharge orifice,
• a liquid chamber communicating with the discharge orifice,
• a plunger which advances and retracts within the liquid chamber,
• a work holding mechanism for holding a work at a position opposed to the discharge orifice,
• a discharge distance adjusting mechanism capable of adjusting a distance B between a lower end of the discharge orifice and a work surface, and
• a control section,
• wherein the control section is configured to perform the steps of:
• (a) obtaining a distance A from a lower end of the discharge orifice to a lower end of a droplet of the liquid material discharged from the discharge orifice, by a single advancing movement of the plunger, at the time when the liquid material discharged separates from the discharge orifice as a single droplet by the distance obtaining device, (b) determining a distance B between the lower end of the discharge orifice and a work surface based on the distance A to make the distance B in a range of 60 to 100% of the distance A, and (c) controlling the discharge distance adjusting mechanism such that the distance between the lower end of the discharge orifice and the work surface is held the distance B when the liquid material is discharged from the discharged orifice, thereby forming a dot of the liquid material, whose amount is substantially equal to that of the single droplet, on the work.