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US 8,465,133 B2Granted
Ink pump with fluid and particulate return flow path
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsDaniel Clark Park, Michael E. Jones
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bidirectional sealless ink pumping system used in an inkjet printing device includes a liquid ink reservoir and a pump. The pump moves ink from the reservoir through a pumping chamber to supply ink to printheads in the printer, and moves ink from a recirculation receptacle through the pumping chamber to the reservoir. A portion of the ink in the pumping chamber is drawn out of the pumping chamber to lubricate the moving member and is filtered before returning to the pumping chamber.
Claims20
A pumping system for moving ink in a printer comprising:
- a pumping chamber having an inlet and an outlet;
- a reservoir configured to store ink, the reservoir having an outlet fluidly connected to the inlet of the pumping chamber;
- a moving member having a first portion positioned in the pumping chamber to contact and move ink from the inlet of the pumping chamber to the outlet of the pumping chamber and a second portion positioned outside of the pumping chamber;
- a first one-way valve operatively connected between the inlet of the pumping chamber and the reservoir, the first one-way valve being configured to enable ink to flow from the reservoir through the inlet into the pumping chamber and to impede ink flow from the pumping chamber to the ink reservoir;
- a second one-way valve operatively connected between the pumping chamber and the reservoir, the second one-way valve being configured to enable ink to flow from the pumping chamber into the reservoir and to impede ink flow from the ink reservoir into the pumping chamber;
- and
- a channel configured about the portion of the moving member positioned outside of the pumping chamber, the channel having a first end and a second end, the first end of the channel being directly connected to the pumping chamber and the second end of the channel being directly connected to the reservoir to enable a portion of the ink in the pumping chamber to move from the pumping chamber and lubricate the portion of the moving member outside of the pumping chamber and return to the reservoir.
4 more elements
A pumping system for moving ink in a printer comprising:
- a pumping chamber having an inlet and an outlet;
- a reservoir configured to store ink, the reservoir having an outlet fluidly connected to the inlet of the pumping chamber;
- a moving member having a first portion positioned in the pumping chamber to contact and move ink from the inlet of the pumping chamber to the outlet of the pumping chamber and a second portion positioned outside of the pumping chamber;
- a channel configured about the portion of the moving member positioned outside of the pumping chamber, the channel having a first end and a second end, the first end of the channel being directly connected to the pumping chamber and the second end of the channel being directly connected to the reservoir to enable a portion of the ink in the pumping chamber to move from the pumping chamber and lubricate the portion of the moving member outside of the pumping chamber and return to the reservoir;
- a fluid bypass channel having a first opening that is in fluid communication with the reservoir and a second opening that is in fluid communication with the outlet of the pumping chamber;
- and
- a one-way valve positioned in the fluid bypass channel, the one-way valve being configured to enable ink to flow from the reservoir through the bypass channel to the outlet of the pumping chamber in response to ink moving from the outlet of the pumping chamber through the pumping chamber to the inlet of the pumping chamber.
4 more elements
An ink pumping system comprising:
- an ink reservoir configured to store liquid ink, the reservoir including an outlet;
- a pumping chamber having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of the pumping chamber being fluidly coupled to the outlet of the reservoir;
- a moving member disposed in the pumping chamber, the moving member being configured to move ink through the pumping chamber;
- a bearing having a first end operatively connected to the pumping chamber and a second end that terminates at a position above a floor of the ink reservoir, the bearing forming a channel between the pumping chamber and the second end of the bearing;
- a flow restrictor that fluidly communicates with the inlet of the pumping chamber, the flow restrictor being configured to establish a positive pressure in the pumping chamber and urge ink through the space between the channel and the bearing in response to the moving member moving ink from the outlet of the pumping chamber through the pumping chamber to the inlet of the pumping chamber;
- a first one-way valve that fluidly communicates with the inlet of the pumping chamber, the one-way valve configured to enable ink to flow from the pumping chamber through the inlet into the ink reservoir and to impede ink flow from the ink reservoir into the pumping chamber;
- a drive shaft positioned in the channel of the bearing, the drive shaft being operatively connected to the moving member to move the moving member in the pumping chamber to move ink through the pumping chamber and to urge a portion of the ink in the pumping chamber into and through a space in the channel formed between the drive shaft and the bearing;
- a bidirectional actuator that is operatively connected to the drive shaft;
- and;
- a controller that is operatively connected to the bidirectional actuator, the controller being configured to operate the bidirectional actuator in a first direction to move the moving member and pump ink from the inlet of the pumping chamber through the pumping chamber to the outlet of the pumping chamber and in a second direction to move the moving member and pump ink from the outlet of the pumping chamber through the pumping chamber to the inlet of the pumping chamber.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.