Ink supplying/blocking device and image forming apparatus
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsGu-hwan NA, Jin-ho Park, Dong-woo Ha
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ink supplying/blocking device of an inkjet printer selectively supplies or blocks flow of ink of an ink tank to a channel unit in which print head is supported. The device may include a negative pressure generating unit to generate a negative pressure at the print head and thus supply a desired amount of ink to the print head through the channel unit; an ink supply tube to connect the negative pressure generating unit and the ink tank; a sealing unit to selectively open and close the ink supply tube; and a sensor to detect an operation status of the sealing unit. An image forming apparatus having the same is also disclosed.
Claims30
An ink supplying/blocking device of an inkjet printer which selectively supplies or blocks the flow of ink of an ink tank to a print head, comprising:
- a negative pressure generating unit to generate a negative pressure at the print head to supply ink to the print head;
- an ink supply tube to connect the negative pressure generating unit and the ink tank;
- a sealing unit to selectively open and close the ink supply tube;
- and
- a sensor to detect an operation status of the sealing unit.
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- an ink tank;
- a channel unit which supports a plurality of print heads to supply ink to the print heads;
- a negative pressure generating unit to generate a negative pressure at the print heads and to supply ink to the print heads through the channel unit;
- an ink supply tube to connect the negative pressure generating unit and the ink tank;
- a sealing unit to selectively open and close the ink supply tube;
- and
- a sensor to detect an operation status of the sealing unit.
A method of minimizing ink leakage in a printer, the printer including an ink tank to provide ink to a negative pressure generating unit by an ink passage, the method comprising:
- closing the ink passage to prevent the flow of ink along the ink passage during a period when a printing operation is not desired;
- and
- opening the ink passage to allow ink to flow from the ink tank to the negative pressure generating unit along the ink passage when flow of ink is desired.
A printer comprising:
- a print head;
- an ink tank;
- an ink passage in fluid communication with the ink tank and the print head to pass ink from the ink tank to the print head;
- and
- a blocking element to block the flow of ink along the ink passage only when a printing operation is not desired.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.