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US 2026/0109151 A1Published application
Marking system with bypass tube
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsPeter Gulvin, Travis Burt, Christine A. Steurrys, Steven R. Moore
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A marking system of a printer incorporates a bypass tube in its ink supply system to enable ink to bypass a pump during a drool process that removes air bubbles from a printhead. The bypass tube includes a valve that is opened during the drool operation and closed during normal operation of the marking system.
Claims18
A marking system, comprising:
- a printhead comprising a plurality of nozzles configured to eject ink;
- and
- a fluid supply system configured to supply the ink to the printhead, the fluid supply system comprising:
- an ink pump fluidly connected to one or more conduit segments and configured to transport the ink toward the printhead via the one or more conduit segments,
- a bypass tube fluidly coupled to an inlet of the ink pump and an outlet of the ink pump,
- a valve that is connected to the bypass tube and configured to transport ink through the bypass tube when open, and not transport ink through the bypass tube when closed;
- and
- a control system configured to:
- open the valve to transport the ink through the bypass tube instead of the ink pump in response to detection of a missing nozzle condition in the printhead;
- and
- allow the ink to drool through the nozzles of the printhead and absorb air bubbles as the ink drools.
8 more elements
A method of removing gas from a printhead, the method comprising:
- providing a marking system comprising:
- a printhead,
- a control system, and
- a fluid supply system comprising:
- an ink pump fluidly connected to one or more conduit segments and configured to transport the ink toward the printhead via the one or more conduit segments,
- a bypass tube fluidly coupled to an inlet of the ink pump and an outlet of the ink pump, and
- a valve that is connected to the bypass tube and configured to transport ink through the bypass tube when open, and not transport ink through the bypass tube when closed;
- and
- by the control system, in response to the control system detecting a missing nozzle condition in the printhead or by receiving a command from an operator:
- causing the valve to open, thus allowing the ink to pass through the bypass tube, and
- allow the ink to drool through the nozzles of the printhead and absorb air bubbles as the ink drools.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.