Vapor handling in printing
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsRichard Anderson, Yi-Hua Tsao
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods are disclosed for enabling vapor handling in printing. In certain implementations, for example, one or more volatiles emitted during an ink-based printing process may be condensed into one or more liquids. The one or more liquids may be directed into absorbent materials such that the combined liquids and absorbent materials form a substance that qualifies as a solid, as determined by a given solid definition or regulatory standard. In certain (alternative but non-exhaustive) implementations, the volatiles emitted during printing may include water and oil, with the oil vapor being condensed into a liquid and added to the absorbent materials while the water vapor is being forwarded under the force of, e.g., negative air pressure.
Claims33
A printing device that collects at least one waste product of a printing operation, comprising:
- a print carriage, said print carriage including an ink source;
- a vapor handler, said vapor handler including a condenser and an absorbent material;
- and
- an air passageway, said passageway connecting said print carriage to said vapor handler.
A printing device for disposing of oil vapor byproduct, comprising:
- a print carriage, said print carriage including a printhead and an ink source, said print carriage configured to cause the printhead to eject ink from the ink source during a printing operation that creates oil vapor;
- a vapor handler, said vapor handler including a condenser and an absorber;
- and
- a passageway, said passageway connecting said print carriage to said vapor handler, said passageway adapted to direct the oil vapor from said print carriage to said vapor handler;
- wherein the condenser is configured to condense the oil vapor into oil liquid, and the absorber is configured to absorb the oil liquid.
A printing system for handling waste vapor created during printing, comprising:
- a computing system;
- and
- a printing device, said printing device operably connectable to said computing system for receiving printing instructions therefrom, said printing device including:
- an interface unit, the interface unit capable of interpreting printing instructions received from said computing system;
- and
- a print unit, the print unit including:
- a printing mechanism, the printing mechanism creating oil vapor during printing;
- a passageway, the passageway having a first point and a second point, the first point of the passageway connected to the printing mechanism;
- and
- a vapor handler, the vapor handler connected to the second point of the passageway, the vapor handler including a condenser that is capable of condensing the oil vapor into oil liquid and absorbent material that is capable of absorbing the oil liquid.
An apparatus for handling vapor in a printing process, comprising:
- an ink source, said ink source including at least one pigment and oil;
- a printing mechanism, said printing mechanism capable of applying the at least one pigment to a surface and producing oil vapor from the oil;
- a condenser, said condenser capable of converting the oil vapor to oil liquid;
- a passageway, said passageway including a first opening and a second opening;
- the first opening of said passageway at least proximate to said printing mechanism, and the second opening of said passageway at least proximate to said condenser;
- said passageway adapted to direct the oil vapor away from said printing mechanism and toward said condenser;
- and
- an absorbent material, said absorbent material capable of collecting and absorbing the oil liquid.
A system for handling vapor produced in a printing operation, comprising:
- means for producing oil vapor and water vapor from an ink supply;
- means for condensing the oil vapor into oil liquid;
- means for guiding the oil vapor and the water vapor from the means for producing oil vapor and water vapor from an ink supply to the means for condensing the oil vapor into oil liquid;
- and
- means for collecting the oil liquid into a solid.
A method for handling vapor produced during printing, comprising the steps of:
- printing using an ink source;
- emitting water vapor and oil vapor as byproducts of printing;
- directing the water vapor and the oil vapor toward a condenser;
- condensing the oil vapor into oil liquid by cooling the oil vapor;
- and
- absorbing the oil liquid by an absorbent material.
A method for handling and constraining waste produced during printing, comprising the steps of:
- printing using an ink that includes a first solvent and a second solvent, a first volatility of the first solvent being lower than a second volatility of the second solvent;
- emitting, during said step of printing, a first vapor that is related to the first solvent and a second vapor that is related to the second solvent;
- funneling the first vapor and the second vapor toward a condensing unit;
- condensing, at the condensing unit, the first vapor into a first liquid, a temperature of the condensing unit set responsive to a first temperature corresponding to the first volatility and a second temperature corresponding to the second volatility;
- directing the first liquid into an absorbent material;
- and
- funneling the second vapor beyond the condensing unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.