Noninterrupt ink transfer system for ink jet printer
AssigneeA. B. Dick Company
InventorGeorge Arway
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an ink jet printing system, there is provided an arrangement whereby the ink, which is not used in printing, may be returned to the reservoir from which it was withdrawn, together with fresh ink, in a manner so that ink pressure fluctuations, together with shutdowns for filling the reservoir are avoided.
Claims8
An ink jet printing system of the type wherein ink is supplied from a reservoir to a nozzle to be projected thereby as a stream of drops toward a target, some of the drops in said stream being deflected for printing on said target, the remaining ink drops in said stream being captured, the improvement comprising:
- means for supplying a pressurized gas,
- a first pressure regulator for applying gas at a first pressure from said means to said ink reservoir to thereby cause ink to flow out of said reservoir to said printing head,
- a captured ink container,
- a first valve means connected to said captured ink container, said first valve having a first position for enabling captured ink to be directed to said captured ink container, and a second position for closing said captured ink container and for directing ink from said captured ink container into said ink reservoir,
- means for applying gas at a pressure higher than said first pressure to said captured ink container when said valve means is in its second position,
- means for operating said first valve means from its first, to its second position and from its second to its first position,
- a container for fresh ink, and
- a second valve means having a first position for enabling ink to flow from said fresh ink container to said ink reservoir, and a second position for preventing the flow of fresh ink from said fresh ink container to said ink reservoir.
An ink jet printing system of the type wherein ink is supplied from a reservoir to a nozzle to be projected thereby as a stream of drops toward a target, some of the drops in said stream being deflected for printing on said target, the remaining ink drops in said stream being captured, the improvement comprising:
- means for supplying a pressurized gas,
- a first pressure regulator for applying gas at a first pressure from said means to said ink reservoir to thereby cause ink to flow out of said reservoir to said printing head,
- a captured ink container,
- a first valve means connected to said captured ink container said first valve, having a first position for enabling captured ink to be directed to said captured ink container, and a second position for preventing further input of captured ink to said captured ink container and for directing ink from said captured ink container to be introduced into said ink reservoir,
- means for applying gas, at a pressure higher than said first pressure to said captured ink container when said valve means is in its second position,
- means responsive to the level of the ink in said ink reservoir for operating said first valve means from its first to its second position, and from its second to its first position.
- a container for fresh ink,
- a second valve means having a first position for enabling ink to flow from said fresh ink container to said ink reservoir, and a second position for preventing the flow of fresh ink from said fresh ink container to said ink reservoir, and
- means for applying gas, at a pressure higher than the first pressure, from said source of pressurized gas to said fresh ink container when said second valve is in its first position, whereby ink may flow from said fresh ink container into said ink reservoir through said second valve means.
An ink jet printing system of the type wherein ink is supplied from an ink reservoir to a nozzle to be projected thereby as a stream of drops toward a target, some of the drops in said stream being deflected for printing on said target, the remaining ink drops in said stream being captured, the improvement comprising:
- a container for said captured ink,
- means for transferring said captured ink into said captured ink container,
- means for transferring ink from said captured ink container into said ink reservoir including,
- first means for pressurizing said captured ink container to a pressure greater than the pressure in said ink reservoir during the transfer of ink and for discontinuing the pressurization upon the termination of said ink transfer,
- a fresh ink container, and
- means for transferring ink from said fresh ink container to said ink reservoir, said ink transferring means including second means for pressurizing said fresh ink container to a pressure greater than the pressure in said fresh ink reservoir and for discontinuing the pressurization when said transfer of ink to said ink reservoir is discontinued.
An ink jet printing system of the type wherein ink is supplied from an ink reservoir to a nozzle to be projected thereby as a stream of drops toward a target, some of the drops in said stream being deflected for printing on said target, the remaining ink drops in said stream being captured, the improvement comprising:
- a container for said captured ink,
- means for transferring said captured ink into said captured ink container,
- means for transferring ink from said captured ink container into said ink reservoir including:
- first means for pressurizing said captured ink container to a pressure greater than the pressure in said ink reservoir during the transfer of ink and for discontinuing the pressurization upon the termination of said ink transfer,
- a fresh ink container, and
- means for transferring ink from said fresh ink container to said ink reservoir including,
- means for transferring ink from said fresh ink container to said captured ink container when said means for transferring ink from said captured ink container into said ink reservoir is inoperative.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.