Continuous refill of spring bag reservoir in an ink-jet swath printer/plotter
US6341853B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 28, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jan 29, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 28, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB41J2002/17516
- WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A closed ink replenishment system for replenishing the supply of ink in negative pressure spring-bag reservoirs in a printer/plotter. A tube runs between each cartridge reservoir and an auxiliary reservoir mounted to the printer/plotter frame to form the closed ink system. As ink is depleted from the spring-bag reservoir during printing operation, the negative pressure in the cartridge increases, drawing ink through the tube from the auxiliary reservoir into the cartridge until the negative pressure decreases to an equilibrium point. As a result, the volume of ink within the spring-bag reservoir remains substantially constant so long as there is ink remaining within the auxiliary reservoir. This maintains the print quality. The auxiliary reservoir is a flat bag mounted on a spring-biased platform, which acts as a height regulating system. As ink is depleted from the auxiliary bag, the height of the platform and bag increases to maintain a constant pressure and elevation head at the spring-bag reservoir.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.