Piezoelectric print head drive with energy recovery

摘要

An energy recovery circuit in a print head includes at least one waveform rail, an array of piezoelectric actuators selectively electrically connectable to the waveform rail, the piezoelectric actuators creating a capacitive load, at least one pseudo jet capacitive load, selectively coupled to the waveform rail, depending upon how many piezoelectric actuators are connected to the waveform rail, and a first inductor coupled to the waveform rail, wherein the first inductor forms a resonant circuit with a waveform rail capacitance and returns energy to a power supply. A method of recovering energy in a print head includes providing a waveform to an array of piezoelectric actuators that are selectively electrically connectable to a waveform rail, selectively coupling at least one pseudo-jet load to the waveform rail, depending upon how many piezoelectric actuators are connected to the waveform rail, and using an inductor to form a resonant circuit with a waveform rail capacitance and to return energy to a power supply.