# US 2018/0022020 A1 · Liquid supply apparatus, liquid discharge apparatus, and three-dimensional fabricating apparatus

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2018/0022020 A1
- Document ID: US20180022020A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/631,324
- Filed: 2017-06-23
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-25
- Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
- Inventors: Yoichi KAWABATA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022020A1

## CPC

- B29C 64/112: using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
- B01D 19/00: Degasification of liquids
- B29C 64/135: the energy source being concentrated, e.g. scanning lasers or focused light sources
- B29C 64/321: Feeding
- B41J 2/14032: {Structure of the pressure chamber}
- B41J 2/1652: {by driving a fluid through the nozzles to the outside thereof, e.g. by applying pressure to the inside or vacuum at the outside of the print head}
- B41J 2/175: Ink supply systems {; Circuit parts therefor}
- B41J 2/17566: {Ink level or ink residue control}
- B29K 2105/0058: {Liquid or visquous}
- B41J 2/16517: {Cleaning of print head nozzles (B41J2/16505, B41J2/1707 take precedence)}
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS

## Abstract

A liquid supply apparatus includes a liquid container to temporarily store liquid, 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. The vacuum 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, a pressing member to push the flexible member in a second direction opposite the first direction to compress the gas chamber. The gas chamber moves between a connection position and a cutoff position.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A liquid supply apparatus, comprising:
a liquid container to temporarily store liquid,
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 to compress 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;
wherein 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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressing member is released from pressing the flexible member when a power supply to the vacuum device is cut off.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The liquid supply apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the pressing member includes a solenoid having a plunger to push the flexible member to compress the gas chamber when the solenoid is activated.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the negative pressure forming device includes:
an air chamber member that forms the gas chamber; and
a housing to movably accommodate the air chamber member; and
a second elastic member to press the air chamber member,
wherein the housing includes a first opening that is connected to the vacuum device;
the air chamber member includes a second opening faceable to the first opening of the housing;
the second elastic member presses the air chamber member to the cutoff position where the second opening is not aligned with the first opening;
the air chamber member moves to the connection position where the first opening is aligned with the second opening when the pressing member presses the flexible member against a restorative force of the second elastic member; and
the air chamber member moves to the cutoff position where the first opening is not aligned with the second opening by the restorative force of the second elastic member when the pressing member is released from pressing the flexible member.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a displacement member that displaces according to a deformation of the flexible member;
a detector to detect displacement of the displacement member when the displacement member moves to a predetermined position; and
circuitry to control the pressing member to press the flexible member or to be released from pressing the flexible member,
wherein the circuitry executes:
detecting the displacement member that moves to the predetermined position with the detector when the negative pressure forming device forms negative pressure inside the liquid container while the connection between the gas chamber and the vacuum device is cut off when the pressing member is released from pressing the flexible member;
pressing the flexible member with the pressing member to establish the connection between the gas chamber and the vacuum device after the detecting of the displacement member;
forming negative pressure in the liquid container by the vacuum device after the pressing of the flexible member; and
releasing the pressing member from pressing the flexible member after the forming of the negative pressure.

### Claim 6

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.

### Claim 7

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.