System and method for supplying a print head with ink
AssigneeOcé Holding B.V.
InventorFlorian Hitzlsperger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A closed supply container that is filled with air and ink is associated with a print head in a one-to-one association. During a printing process, ink is drawn from the supply container into the print head via a connecting line, such that a negative pressure in the supply container is increased. A sensor in the supply container measures the negative pressure and transmits a measurement value to a controller that switches a valve associated with the supply container so that ink is conveyed from an ink storage container into the supply container of the measurement value falls below a predetermined first lower limit value of the pressure such that the fluid pressure in the supply container increases.
Claims14
A system for supplying ink to at least two print heads, each of the at least two print heads comprising:
- a closed supply container configured to be filled with air and ink;
- at least one supply line configured to supply the closed supply container with ink from an ink storage container of the system;
- a sensor associated with the closed supply container, and configured to measure pressure in the closed supply container and generate a measure value corresponding to the measured pressure;
- a connecting line between a respective one of the at least two print heads and the closed supply container associated with the respective one of the at least two print heads;
- a control element between the at least one supply line and the closed supply container;
- and
- a controller configured to evaluate the measurement value of the pressure in the closed supply container, and activate the control element associated with the closed supply container based on the measurement value to selectively convey ink into the closed supply container from the ink storage container.
A system for supplying ink to a print head, comprising:
- a closed supply container configured to be filled with air and ink;
- at least one supply line configured to supply the closed supply container with ink from an ink storage container of the system;
- a sensor associated with the closed supply container, and configured to measure pressure in the closed supply container and generate a measure value corresponding to the measured pressure;
- a connecting line between a respective one of the at least two print heads and the closed supply container associated with the print head;
- a control element between the at least one supply line and the closed supply container;
- and
- a controller configured to evaluate the measurement value of the pressure in the closed supply container, and activate the control element associated with the closed supply container based on the measurement value to selectively convey ink into the closed supply container from the ink storage container.
A method for supplying ink to at least two print heads, comprising:
- providing ink to a closed supply container via a supply line from an ink storage container into a closed supply container, wherein the closed supply container is respectively associated with each of the at least two print heads, the closed supply container being filled with air and the ink;
- during a printing process, supplying ink from the closed supply container to the respective one of the at least two print heads via a respective connecting line, wherein a negative pressure in the respective closed supply container increases during the printing process;
- determining a measurement value of pressure in the respective closed supply container using a respective sensor and transmitting the determined measurement value to a controller;
- and
- activating a control element associated with the respective closed supply container by the controller such that ink is conveyed from the supply line into the closed supply container if the measurement value of the sensor is less than a predetermined first limit value, wherein the pressure in the closed supply container increases via the supply of the ink into the closed supply container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.