Ink supply device, printing head assembly and printer

Abstract

The invention relates to an ink supply device, a printing head assembly and a printer, the ink supply device comprises an ink box, a flow divider, a degassing device and a pump, a flow channel with a kidney-shaped hole in the cross section is arranged in the flow divider, the two ends of the upper layer part of the flow channel are communicated with the ink box and the degassing device respectively, and the degassing device is connected to the ink box through the pump to form a degassing loop; the two ends of the lower-layer part of the flow channel are closed, and the bottom of the lower-layer part of the flow channel is used for communicating with a nozzle. In the flowing process of the ink in the flow channel of the flow divider, bubbles float to the upper layer part of the flow channel due to density difference and enter the degassing device along with the upper layer ink to complete gas-liquid separation. The cross sections of the flow channels are kidney-shaped holes, flow resistance can be reduced, and ink supply stability is improved. And the pump is used for pumping the degassed ink into the ink box again for recycling, so that continuous and stable supply of the ink is ensured. The two ends of the lower layer part of the flow channel are closed to form a static pressure area, bubble-free ink can be continuously and stably supplied to the nozzle through the bottom outlet, and the printing precision and the working efficiency are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of binder jet 3D printing, and particularly to an ink supply device, a print head assembly and a printer. Background Art

[0002] In the existing inkjet system, during the process of transporting ink from an ink barrel to an ink cartridge, a degassing device is provided to separate and remove the gas in the ink. However, after the ink is processed by the degassing device, during the process of transporting from the ink cartridge to the print head, a certain amount of air will still be dissolved. Due to the shaking or vibration during the operation of the inkjet system, as well as the changes in the temperature and pressure of the system, the air dissolved in the ink may precipitate to form bubbles and be sent into the print head together. The bubbles will cause nozzle ink breakage, blockage, or abnormal ink droplet shape resulting in ink level deviation, thus affecting the printing effect. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Based on this, in view of the problem that bubbles will be formed during the process of transporting ink from the ink cartridge to the print head, it is necessary to provide an ink supply device, a print head assembly and a printer that can efficiently remove bubbles.

[0004] An ink supply device provided by the present invention includes: an ink cartridge, a diverter, a degassing device, and a pump. The interior of the diverter is provided with a flow channel whose cross-section contains a kidney-shaped hole. The two ends of the upper part of the flow channel are respectively communicated with the ink cartridge and the degassing device, and the degassing device is connected to the ink cartridge through the pump to form a degassing loop; the two ends of the lower part of the flow channel are closed, and the bottom of the lower part of the flow channel is used to communicate with the print head.

[0005] In one example, both the upper part and the lower part of the flow channel extend along the length direction, and the upper part and the lower part are used to divide the flowing ink into an upper fluid and a lower fluid.

[0006] In one example, the ink supply device further includes a first end cap and a second end cap, and the first end cap and the second end cap are respectively connected to both ends of the diverter; a first connector is provided on the upper part of the first end cap, and the first connector is connected to the outlet of the ink cartridge. A second connector is provided on the upper part of the second end cap, and the second connector is used to connect to the inlet of the degassing device.

[0007] In one example, the ink supply device further includes at least one print head interface, and the print head interface is arranged at the bottom of the flow channel of the diverter, and the print head interface is used to communicate with the print head.

[0008] In one example, there are three print head interfaces, and the three print head interfaces are arranged at equal intervals at the bottom of the flow channel of the diverter.

[0009] In one example, the ink supply device further includes a base, the ink cartridge is installed above the base, the flow divider is arranged below the base, the degassing device is arranged on one side of the base close to the flow divider, and the pump is arranged above the base and on the communication path between the degassing device and the ink cartridge.

[0010] The present invention also provides a print head assembly, including the ink supply device as described above and a printer nozzle head, and the ink supply device is connected to the printer nozzle head.

[0011] The present invention also provides a printer, including the print head assembly as described above.

[0012] When the above ink supply device works, the ink flows from the ink cartridge into the flow channel of the flow divider and flows towards the degassing device along the flow channel. During the flowing process, the air bubbles float to the upper part of the flow channel due to the density difference and enter the degassing device with the upper-layer ink to complete gas-liquid separation. Since the cross-section of the internal flow channel of the flow divider is a kidney-shaped hole, the ink can be evenly distributed when flowing in the flow channel, reducing the flow resistance and improving the stability of ink supply. The ink containing air bubbles in the upper part of the flow channel enters the degassing device to remove the air bubbles, and the pump is used to pump the degassed ink back into the ink cartridge for recycling and provide the circulating power for the degassing loop to ensure continuous and stable ink supply. The degassed ink flows towards the nozzle head through the lower part of the flow divider. Since both ends of the lower part of the flow channel are closed, a static pressure area is formed, and the bubble-free ink can be continuously and stably supplied to the nozzle head through the bottom outlet, improving the printing accuracy and working efficiency. The ink supply device has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture and maintain, and reduces the production cost and usage cost.

[0013] The above print head assembly of the present invention also has the beneficial effects that the above ink supply device can achieve, which will not be elaborated here.

[0014] The present invention also provides a printer, and this printer also has the beneficial effects that the above ink supply device and print head assembly can achieve, which will not be elaborated here. Description of the Drawings

[0015] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the ink supply device in an embodiment;

[0016] Figure 2 It is an exploded view of the ink supply device in an embodiment;

[0017] Figure 3 It is a perspective view of the flow divider of the ink supply device in an embodiment;

[0018] Figure 4 It is a first cross-sectional view of the flow divider of the ink supply device in an embodiment;

[0019] Figure 5 The second cross-sectional view of the flow divider of the ink supply device in an embodiment.

[0020] Label description:

[0021] 1. Base; 2. Flow divider; 3. Degassing device; 4. Ink cartridge; 5. Pump; 6. Flow channel; 7. First end cap; 8. First connector; 9. Second end cap; 10. Second connector; 11. Nozzle interface; A. Upper fluid; B. Lower fluid. Detailed implementation manners

[0022] To make the above objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more obvious and understandable, the following will describe the detailed implementation manners of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to fully understand the present invention. However, the present invention can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without departing from the connotation of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0023] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation of the present invention.

[0024] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the description of the present invention, "a plurality" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically and clearly defined.

[0025] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "mounted", "connected", "connected", "fixed", etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or integrated; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the internal communication of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly limited. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0026] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and defined, the first feature being "on" or "under" the second feature may be that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "over" and "on top of" the second feature may be that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or merely indicates that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. The first feature being "under", "below" and "beneath" the second feature may be that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or merely indicates that the horizontal height of the first feature is less than that of the second feature.

[0027] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may also be an intermediate element. When an element is considered to be "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element at the same time. The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and similar expressions used herein are only for the purpose of illustration and do not represent the only implementation.

[0028] Referring to Figures 1 to 5 , an ink supply device provided by an embodiment of the present invention includes: an ink cartridge 4, a diverter 2, a degassing device 3, a pump 5. A flow channel 6 with a waist-shaped hole in cross-section is provided inside the diverter 2. The two ends of the upper layer part of the flow channel 6 are respectively communicated with the ink cartridge 4 and the degassing device 3. The degassing device 3 is connected to the ink cartridge 4 through the pump 5 to form a degassing loop; the two ends of the lower layer part of the flow channel 6 are closed, and the bottom of the lower layer part of the flow channel 6 is used to communicate with a nozzle.

[0029] When the above ink supply device works, ink flows from the ink cartridge 4 into the flow channel 6 of the diverter 2 and flows along the flow channel 6 towards the degassing device 3. During the flowing process, air bubbles float to the upper layer part of the flow channel 6 due to density difference and enter the degassing device 3 along with the upper layer ink to complete gas-liquid separation. Since the cross-section of the flow channel 6 inside the diverter 2 is a waist-shaped hole, the ink can be evenly distributed when flowing in the flow channel 6, reducing the flow resistance and improving the stability of ink supply. The ink containing air bubbles in the upper layer part of the flow channel 6 enters the degassing device 3 to remove air bubbles, and the pump 5 is used to pump the degassed ink back into the ink cartridge 4 for recycling and provide circulating power for the degassing loop to ensure continuous and stable ink supply. The degassed ink flows towards the nozzle through the lower layer part of the diverter 2. Since the two ends of the lower layer part of the flow channel 6 are closed, a static pressure area is formed, and bubble-free ink can be continuously and stably supplied to the nozzle through the bottom outlet, improving the printing accuracy and working efficiency. The ink supply device has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture and maintain, and reduces the production cost and use cost.

[0030] Further, in order to improve the separation effect of the flow splitter 2, as Figures 3 - 5 shown, in one example, the upper and lower portions of the flow channel 6 extend along the length direction, forming a strip-shaped flow channel 6. The upper and lower portions are used to divide the flowing ink into an upper fluid A and a lower fluid B. During the flow of the ink, the strip-shaped flow channel 6 can provide sufficient precipitation time for the bubbles in the ink, improving the separation efficiency.

[0031] To facilitate the stable connection of the flow splitter 2, in one example, the ink supply device further includes a first end cap 7 and a second end cap 9. The first end cap 7 and the second end cap 9 are respectively connected to both ends of the flow splitter 2. An upper portion of the first end cap 7 is provided with a first connector 8, and the first connector 8 is connected to the outlet of the ink cartridge 4. An upper portion of the second end cap 9 is provided with a second connector 10, and the second connector 10 is used to connect to the inlet of the degassing device 3. When the ink is injected from the ink cartridge 4 through the first connector 8 into the upper layer of the flow channel 6 and flows along the flow channel 6 towards the second end cap 9, the bubbles float and gather in the upper portion region of the flow channel 6 under the action of buoyancy, and then enter the degassing device 3 through the second connector 10 for treatment. The degassed ink returns to the ink cartridge 4 through the pump 5, forming a continuous bubble removal cycle.

[0032] Optionally, as Figures 1 to 5 shown, the second connector 10 of the flow splitter 2 is connected to the degassing device 3 through a hose, then from the outlet end of the degassing device 3 to the inlet of the pump 5 through a hose, then from the outlet of the pump 5 to the inlet of the ink cartridge 4 through a hose, and then from the outlet of the ink cartridge 4 to the first connector 8 of the flow splitter 2 through a hose, forming a degassing circuit.

[0033] Optionally, the degassing device 3 is composed of a body, an inlet, an outlet, and a vacuum port. The ink enters from the inlet and reaches the outlet through the hollow fiber membrane filaments in the body. Based on the tiny hydrophobic pore structure of the hollow fiber membrane filaments, it can block the liquid from passing through the membrane pores, but allows the gas to pass through to the vacuum port to be evacuated by vacuum, thus achieving the purpose of degassing.

[0034] Optionally, to improve the splitting effect, both the first end cap 7 and the second end cap 9 are provided with pipe thread holes for connecting the first connector 8 and the second connector 10. And the positions of the pipe thread holes correspond to the position of the upper portion of the flow channel 6. Both ends of the lower portion of the flow channel 6 are closed to form a static pressure area, which can guide the bubbles to form an aggregation path flowing from the upper portion of the flow channel 6 to the second connector 10, ensuring the splitting effect.

[0035] In one example, the ink supply device further includes at least one nozzle interface 11, which is arranged at the bottom of the flow channel 6 of the diverter 2 and is used to connect to the nozzle. During operation, the bubble-free ink sinks to the lower static area of the flow channel 6 and is vertically transported to the nozzle through the bottom nozzle interface 11. When the nozzle sprays and consumes ink, the liquid level in the static area drops, triggering the degassing circuit to supplement the flow and maintaining the hydraulic stability of the lower layer of the flow channel 6. Moreover, the vertical flow direction design of the bottom interface can reduce turbulence to avoid bubble regeneration.

[0036] In one example, there are three nozzle interfaces 11, which are equidistantly arranged at the bottom of the flow channel 6 of the diverter 2, so as to evenly supply ink to multiple nozzles, realize synchronous precision ink supply for a large-scale array of nozzles, and be able to adapt to industrial-grade high-precision operations. Optionally, the number of nozzles is set to three, dozens or hundreds according to the operation requirements and the size of the space at the bottom of the diverter 2. Specifically, it can be 3, 5, 10, 20, 50 or 100.

[0037] In one example, the ink supply device further includes a base 1, the ink cartridge 4 is installed above the base 1, the diverter 2 is arranged below the base 1, the degassing device 3 is arranged on one side of the base 1 close to the diverter 2, and the pump 5 is arranged above the base 1 and on the communication path between the degassing device 3 and the ink cartridge 4. By designing the spatial layout of structures such as the ink cartridge 4, the diverter 2, and the degassing device 3 on the base 1, the transportation power is saved, and the space and structural waste of each component are reduced.

[0038] The present invention also provides a print head assembly, including the ink supply device as described above and a printer nozzle, and the ink supply device is connected to the printer nozzle. This print head assembly also has the beneficial effects that the above-mentioned ink supply device can achieve, which will not be elaborated here.

[0039] The present invention also provides a printer, including the print head assembly as described above. This printer also has the beneficial effects that the above-mentioned ink supply device and print head assembly can achieve, which will not be elaborated here.

[0040] The technical features of the above-described embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. For the sake of brevity of description, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-described embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, it should be considered as the scope described in this specification.

[0041] The above-described embodiments merely represent several implementation manners of the present invention. The description thereof is relatively specific and detailed, but it should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the concept of the present invention, several modifications and improvements can still be made, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention patent shall be subject to the appended claims.

Claims

1. An ink supply device, characterized in that: The ink supply device includes: an ink cartridge, a diverter, a degassing device, and a pump. The diverter is provided with a flow channel with a waist-shaped hole in its cross section. The two ends of the upper part of the flow channel are respectively connected to the ink cartridge and the degassing device. The degassing device is connected to the ink cartridge through the pump to form a degassing circuit. The two ends of the lower part of the flow channel are closed, and the bottom of the lower part of the flow channel is used to connect to the nozzle.

2. The ink supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper layer part and the lower layer part of the flow channel both extend in the length direction, and the upper layer part and the lower layer part are used to divide the circulating ink into an upper layer fluid and a lower layer fluid.

3. The ink supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a first end cover and a second end cover, wherein the first end cover and the second end cover are respectively connected to the two ends of the diverter; a first joint is provided on the upper part of the first end cover, and the first joint is connected to the outlet of the ink cartridge; a second joint is provided on the upper part of the second end cover, and the second joint is used to connect to the inlet of the degassing device.

4. The ink supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes at least one nozzle interface, which is arranged at the bottom of the flow channel of the diverter and is used to connect to the nozzle.

5. The ink supply device according to claim 4, characterized in that: There are three nozzle interfaces, and the three nozzle interfaces are arranged at equal intervals at the bottom of the flow channel of the diverter.

6. The ink supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a base, the ink cartridge is installed above the base, the diverter is arranged below the base, the degassing device is arranged on a side of the base close to the diverter, and the pump is arranged above the base and located on the communication path between the degassing device and the ink cartridge.

7. A print head assembly, characterized in that: comprising the ink supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, and A printer nozzle, wherein the ink supply device is connected to the printer nozzle.

8. A printer, characterized in that: Comprising the print head assembly as claimed in claim 7.

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