Dyeing nozzle, dyeing equipment and dyeing method

Abstract

The invention relates to a dyeing nozzle, dyeing equipment and a dyeing method. The dyeing nozzle (1) comprises a housing (10) and a plurality of nozzles (50). The dyeing nozzle (1) further comprises a first gate (32) movably positioned in the ink jet chamber (20) between a first position and a second position, the first gate (32) dividing the ink jet chamber (20) into a jet dyeing area (24) located on one side of the first gate (32) and an adjusting area (26) located on the opposite side of the first gate (32); the first shutter (32) is movable between a first position in which the first shutter (32) is engaged with an inner wall of the inkjet chamber (20) to block liquid flow between the inkjet region (24) and the adjustment region (26), and a second position in which the first shutter (32) is disengaged from the inner wall of the inkjet chamber (20) to allow liquid flow between the inkjet region (24) and the adjustment region (26).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of this disclosure generally relate to digital dyeing, and more specifically to dyeing nozzles and dyeing apparatus for dyeing media. Background Technology

[0002] Compared to traditional immersion dyeing and roller dyeing, digital dyeing offers advantages such as ink savings and higher efficiency. Digital dyeing equipment is being used increasingly. When dyeing media (such as the fabric to be dyed), digital dyeing equipment needs to be equipped with printheads that match the width of the media to reduce ink waste. During the dyeing process, the width of the media may change. Traditional digital dyeing equipment requires downtime to replace the printheads to adapt to the media width. This operation is inconvenient and results in low spraying efficiency. There is a need for further improvements to the printheads. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This disclosure provides a dyeing nozzle and dyeing apparatus designed to solve or mitigate one or more of the aforementioned problems.

[0004] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a dyeing printhead is provided. The dyeing printhead includes: a housing defining an inkjet chamber extending in a length direction and including at least one ink inlet communicating with the inkjet chamber and for supplying ink to the inkjet chamber, and a plurality of ink outlets communicating with the inkjet chamber and for discharging ink from the inkjet chamber; and a plurality of nozzles respectively received in the plurality of ink outlets and configured to supply ink from the inkjet chamber to a medium to be dyed; wherein the dyeing printhead further includes a first gate movably positioned in the inkjet chamber between a first position and a second position, the first gate dividing the inkjet chamber into a dyeing region located on one side of the first gate and an adjustment region located on the opposite side of the first gate; at the first position, the first gate engages with an inner wall of the inkjet chamber to block liquid flow between the dyeing region and the adjustment region, and at the second position, the first gate disengages from the inner wall of the inkjet chamber to allow liquid flow between the dyeing region and the adjustment region.

[0005] According to this disclosure, the length of the spraying area in the longitudinal direction can be adjusted at low cost through the first gate.

[0006] In some embodiments, the dyeing printhead further includes at least one second gate movably positioned within the inkjet chamber, the at least one second gate dividing the adjustment area of ​​the inkjet chamber into a plurality of sub-adjustment areas arranged sequentially along the length direction, each of the at least one second gate being selectively moved to block or connect the liquid flow in the corresponding sub-adjustment area. This allows for a convenient increase in the dyeing width adjustment range.

[0007] In some embodiments, the at least one second gate includes a plurality of second gates arranged sequentially in the length direction at predetermined intervals; wherein when the first gate is in the second position, one or more second gates adjacent to the first gate are opened to sequentially connect the dyeing area with the sub-adjustment area to increase the dyeing width of the dyeing nozzle; one or more second gates adjacent to the first gate are closed to block the connection between the dyeing area and the sub-adjustment area to reduce the dyeing width of the dyeing nozzle.

[0008] In some embodiments, the housing includes a top plate and a flow channel plate mounted together opposite to each other to define the inkjet chamber, at least one of the top plate and the flow channel plate including a guide groove disposed transversely to the length direction, and the first gate being configured to move along the guide groove between a first position and a second position.

[0009] In some embodiments, the flow channel plate has a top opening, the guide groove is disposed in the top plate, and the first gate is configured to move linearly along the guide groove between a first position and a second position. This reduces the structural complexity of the flow channel plate and improves its straightness.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first gate includes a gate portion adapted to engage or disengage with the inner wall of the inkjet chamber and a drive rod connected to the gate portion. The outer periphery of the gate portion is formed of a sealing material to form a static seal with the inner wall of the inkjet chamber when the first gate is in the first position, and the drive rod forms a sliding seal with the outer wall of the inkjet chamber.

[0011] In some embodiments, the dyeing nozzle further includes a drive device for driving the first gate, the drive device including one or more of an electric drive assembly, a pneumatic drive assembly, and a hydraulic drive assembly.

[0012] In some embodiments, the dyeing printhead includes a pair of first gates symmetrically arranged in the length direction, the pair of first gates dividing the inkjet chamber into a central dyeing region and two adjustment regions located on either side of the dyeing region.

[0013] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a dyeing apparatus is provided. The dyeing apparatus includes: an ink source; and a dyeing printhead according to any one of the first aspects, the dyeing printhead being connected to the ink source.

[0014] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a dyeing apparatus is provided. The dyeing apparatus includes: an ink source; a dyeing printhead connected to the ink source, the dyeing printhead including a housing defining an inkjet chamber extending in a length direction and including at least one ink inlet communicating with the inkjet chamber and for supplying ink to the inkjet chamber, and a plurality of ink outlets communicating with the inkjet chamber and for discharging ink from the inkjet chamber; and a plurality of nozzles, respectively received in the plurality of ink outlets, to supply ink from the inkjet chamber to a medium to be dyed; wherein the dyeing printhead further includes at least one width adjustment member movably positioned in the inkjet chamber, the at least one width adjustment member dividing the inkjet chamber into a dyeing region communicating with the at least one ink inlet and an adjustment region not communicating with the at least one ink inlet, wherein the at least one width adjustment member is moved to change the length of the dyeing region in the length direction.

[0015] In some embodiments, the at least one width adjustment member is configured to move along the length direction of the inkjet chamber to continuously change the length of the inkjet area in the length direction.

[0016] In some embodiments, the at least one width adjustment member is configured to move in a direction transverse to the length direction of the inkjet chamber and to move between a position where liquid flow between the inkjet area and the adjustment area is blocked and a position where liquid flow between the inkjet area and the adjustment area is allowed.

[0017] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, a method for dyeing a medium using a dyeing apparatus is provided. The method includes: supplying ink to an inkjet chamber of the dyeing apparatus via at least one ink inlet; detecting a change in the width of the medium; and, based on the change, moving at least one width adjustment member to match the length of a dyeing region of the inkjet chamber in the longitudinal direction to the width of the medium, wherein the at least one width adjustment member is at least partially disposed in the inkjet chamber and divides the inkjet chamber into a dyeing region communicating with the at least one ink inlet and an adjustment region not communicating with the at least one ink inlet. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of embodiments of the present disclosure will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Several embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated in the drawings by way of example and not limitation.

[0019] Figure 1 A general perspective view of a dyeing nozzle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0020] Figure 2 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a dyeing nozzle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0021] Figure 3 and Figure 4 Partial cross-sectional perspective views of dyeing nozzles according to embodiments of the present disclosure are shown respectively;

[0022] Figure 5 A partial exploded view of a dyeing nozzle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; and

[0023] Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating a method for staining a medium using a staining apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0024] Throughout the entire instruction manual, identical or similar parts in the drawings are labeled with the same reference numerals. Detailed Implementation

[0025] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0026] The term "comprising" and its variations as used herein signify an open-ended inclusion, i.e., "including but not limited to". Unless otherwise stated, the term "or" means "and / or". The term "based on" means "at least partially based on". The terms "one example embodiment" and "one embodiment" mean "at least one example embodiment". The term "another embodiment" means "at least one additional embodiment". Terms such as "upper", "lower", "front", and "rear", indicating placement or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are used only for the purpose of describing the principles of this disclosure, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the elements referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed or operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting this disclosure.

[0027] Figure 1 A general perspective view of a dyeing printhead 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. A dyeing apparatus (not shown) typically includes a dyeing printhead 1. The dyeing printhead 1 can be connected to an ink source (not shown) to receive liquid from the ink source. Figure 1As shown, the dyeing printhead 1 is an elongated structure extending along the length direction L. The length of the dyeing printhead 1 is on the order of meters, for example, 1.5m, 1.8m, 2m, 2.4m, etc. The length of the dyeing printhead 1 corresponds to the width of the medium to be dyed, and the dyeing printhead 1 is arranged across the width of the medium to be dyed. When the dyeing equipment is working, the medium passes under the dyeing equipment, and at the same time, the liquid flowing out from the dyeing printhead 1 is sprayed onto the surface of the medium, for example, in the form of a liquid column, thereby achieving spray dyeing of the medium. This dyeing method has the advantages of high efficiency and ink saving compared with traditional dyeing. When the width of the medium changes, the printing width of the dyeing printhead 1 needs to be adjusted so that the printing width of the dyeing printhead 1 corresponds to the width of the medium.

[0028] Figure 2 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a dyeing nozzle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 3 and Figure 4 Partial cross-sectional perspective views of dyeing nozzles according to embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. Figure 5 A partial explosion diagram of a dyeing nozzle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0029] like Figures 2-5 As shown, further combined Figure 1 The dyeing printhead 1 may include a housing 10. The housing 10 defines an inkjet chamber 20 extending in the length direction L. The inkjet chamber 20 may include one or more ink inlets 23 and a plurality of ink outlets 21. The ink inlets 23 may communicate with the inkjet chamber 20 and are used to supply ink to the inkjet chamber 20. The ink outlets 21 may communicate with the inkjet chamber 20 and are used to discharge ink from the inkjet chamber 20. The areas where the plurality of ink outlets 21 are located correspond to the areas that can be used for dyeing, and the plurality of ink outlets 21 define an arrangement in a row along the length direction L, thereby defining the dyeing width.

[0030] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the housing 10 can be formed from multiple segments sequentially spliced ​​together in the length direction L. Thus, a dyeing nozzle 1 with a predetermined dyeing width can be formed by selecting an appropriate number of segments. This helps to reduce the manufacturing cost of the housing 10, especially when the housing is several meters long and has high dimensional precision requirements.

[0031] In some embodiments, such as Figures 1-5As shown, the housing 10 may include one or more ink inlets 23, which may be connected to an ink source (not shown), for example, via a pump, thereby supplying ink to the inkjet chamber 20 through the ink inlet 23. Five ink inlets are shown in the illustrated embodiment. It should be understood that the illustrated embodiment is merely exemplary, and the number of ink inlets 23 may be set to other suitable numbers depending on the length of the inkjet chamber. In some embodiments, each ink inlet 23 may be connected to an ink source via an independent pump, allowing the ink supply to different ink inlets to be decoupled and controlled, which increases the flexibility of inkjet width adjustment. For example, one or more ink inlets 23 may be selectively closed, and even if ink inlets 23 are present, the area of ​​the inkjet chamber communicating with the ink inlets 23 can be used as a width adjustment area.

[0032] In some embodiments, such as Figures 1-5 As shown, multiple ink outlets 21 are arranged in a row along the length direction L; multiple nozzles 50 are respectively received in the corresponding ink outlets 21. Ink in the inkjet chamber 20 can be supplied to the medium to be dyed, for example, in the form of a liquid column, through the nozzles 50. Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, two rows of nozzles 50 extending in the length direction L are shown. It should be understood that the illustrated embodiment is merely exemplary, and one or more rows of nozzles 50 may be provided.

[0033] The housing 10 can be implemented in various forms. In some embodiments, such as Figures 2-5 As shown, the housing 10 may include a cover plate 12 and a flow channel plate 14 arranged opposite to the cover plate 12. An ink inlet 23 may be disposed on the cover plate 12. The flow channel plate 14 may define a flow channel corresponding to the inkjet chamber 20. Figures 2-5 In the illustrated embodiment, the flow channel plate 14 may include a communicating groove with a top opening, the communicating groove defining an inkjet chamber 20 for holding ink. A plurality of ink outlets 21 may be provided on the bottom side of the flow channel plate 14. This structure offers advantages in terms of maintainability. A cover plate 12 may be combined with the flow channel plate 14 to enclose the inkjet chamber 20. In some embodiments, the cover plate 12 may also include a communicating groove corresponding to the communicating groove on the flow channel plate; in other embodiments, the cover plate 12 may not have a communicating groove and may simply be implemented as a closed cover shape.

[0034] In some embodiments, such as Figures 2-5As shown, the housing 10 may further include a support plate 16, which may be positioned below the flow channel plate 14 and configured to support the nozzle 50. The support plate 16 may include through holes corresponding to the nozzle 50, with one end of the nozzle 50 disposed in the flow channel plate 14 and the other end of the nozzle 50 disposed in the support plate 16. This allows for precise positioning of the nozzle 50, preventing vibration of the nozzle 50. This is beneficial for ensuring uniform ink distribution on the media surface and improving ink quality.

[0035] In some embodiments, such as Figures 2-5 As shown, the housing 10 may further include side plates 18 located on both lateral sides of the flow channel plate 14. The side plates 18 may laterally surround the support plate 16, thereby effectively protecting the components within the housing 10. The side plates 18, support plate 16, flow channel plate 14, and cover plate 12 may be fixed together to collectively define the housing 10. It should be understood that the illustrated embodiment is merely exemplary, and the housing 10 may be implemented as any other suitable structure.

[0036] According to this disclosure, such as Figure 1 As shown, the dyeing nozzle 1 may also include one or more dyeing width adjustment modules 30. In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the dyeing nozzle 1 may include a plurality of dyeing width adjustment modules 30 symmetrically arranged in the length direction L. This allows for simultaneous dyeing width adjustment from both sides of the dyeing nozzle 1 in the length direction L, which improves centering efficiency when the medium to be dyed passes through the dyeing nozzle in a centered manner. It should be understood that the figure is merely exemplary; in other embodiments, only one dyeing width adjustment module 30 may be provided.

[0037] The spray width adjustment module 30 can be implemented in various ways. In some embodiments, such as Figures 2-5As shown, the dyeing printhead 1 also includes a first gate 32 movably positioned within the inkjet chamber 20 between a first position and a second position. The movable first gate 32 can serve as a dyeing width adjustment component of the dyeing width adjustment module 30. The first gate 32 divides the inkjet chamber 20 into a dyeing region 24 and an adjustment region 26. The dyeing region 24 may be a region located in the center of the inkjet chamber 20, corresponding to a continuous width of the dyeing device. The adjustment region 26 is located adjacent to one end of the inkjet chamber 20 along its length. During operation of the dyeing device, ink from the ink inlet 23 can fill the dyeing region 24. The length of the dyeing region 24 in the length direction L corresponds to the dyeing width. The adjustment region 26 is located on the opposite side of the first gate 32 and is either not connected to or not connected to at least one ink inlet 23. The adjustment region 26 is used as a width adjustment region. The width of the spraying is increased by selectively connecting the adjustment region 26 to the spraying region 24, and the width of the spraying is decreased by selectively disconnecting the adjustment region 26 from the spraying region 24.

[0038] exist Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the inkjet chamber 20 includes a first end and a second end opposite each other in the length direction. The dyeing printhead 1 includes a pair of first gates 32 respectively disposed adjacent to the first end and the second end. The pair of first gates 32 divide the inkjet chamber 20 into a central dyeing region 24 and two adjustment regions 26 located on both sides of the dyeing region 24. The region between the two first gates 32 corresponds to the dyeing region 24. The region to the left of the first gate 32 located on the left side of the figure corresponds to the adjustment region 26; the region to the right of the first gate 32 located on the right side of the figure corresponds to the adjustment region 26.

[0039] The first gate 32 is movable between a first position and a second position. When the first gate 32 is in the first position, it engages with the inner wall of the inkjet chamber 20 to block liquid flow between the dyeing area 24 and the adjustment area 26. At this time, the dyeing width of the dyeing apparatus corresponds to the length of the dyeing area 24 in the longitudinal direction. When the first gate 32 is in the second position, it disengages from the inner wall of the inkjet chamber 20 to allow liquid flow between the dyeing area 24 and the adjustment area 26. At this time, the dyeing width of the dyeing apparatus corresponds to the length of both the dyeing area 24 and the adjustment area 26 in the longitudinal direction. By selectively moving the first gate 32 to either the first or second position to increase or decrease the length of the dyeing area 24 in the longitudinal direction L, the dyeing width can be adjusted.

[0040] In some embodiments, the first gate 32 moves along a substantially transverse length direction L to adjust the inkjet width by blocking or connecting the liquid flow between the inkjet zone 24 and the adjustment zone 26. As an example, at least one of the top plate 12 and the flow channel plate 14 defining the inkjet chamber 20 may include a guide groove 15 disposed transversely to the length direction L. The guide groove 15 may define the movement path of the first gate 32 and provide support for the movement of the first gate 32. The first gate 32 is configured to move along the guide groove 15 between a first position and a second position. Figures 2-5 In the illustrated embodiment, the guide groove 15 may be perpendicular to the length direction L. It should be understood that this is merely exemplary, and in other embodiments, the guide groove may also be inclined relative to the length direction L.

[0041] In addition to the embodiments described above, the first gate 32, serving as the width adjustment member, can be implemented in other ways. In some embodiments, the first gate 32 can be implemented in the form of a piston, which divides the inkjet chamber into a dyeing area on one side of the piston and an adjustment area on the opposite side of the piston in the length direction. The piston can move along the length direction L. Thus, the size of the dyeing area 24 of the inkjet chamber 20 in the length direction can be changed by moving the piston along the length direction L. Thus, the dyeing width adjustment can be realized. By implementing the first gate 32 in the form of a piston that moves along the length direction, continuous adjustment of the dyeing width can be realized. This is advantageous when the width of the medium to be dyed changes continuously. In some embodiments, a linear drive component such as a lead screw-nut can be provided on one side of the housing in the length direction.

[0042] Compared to a piston that is implemented to move along the length direction, there are many advantages to implementing the first gate 32 to move laterally in the length direction.

[0043] Considering that the first gate 32 moves transversely to the length of the inkjet chamber 20, this avoids setting the drive component and the margin length for possible piston linear movement on one side of the housing 30 in the length direction, which facilitates the miniaturization of the dyeing printhead.

[0044] Furthermore, the first gate 32 moves along the height of the inkjet chamber 20 rather than its length, which significantly increases the time responsiveness of the width adjustment of the dyeing equipment. In some embodiments, the height of the inkjet chamber 20 is on the order of a few millimeters to tens of millimeters. The first gate 32 can respond to width adjustments in a very short time. This is beneficial for applications with high responsiveness requirements.

[0045] Furthermore, the dyeing printhead offers advantages in terms of cleaning. The dyeing printhead needs cleaning during operations such as printing with different dyes. During this process, cleaning water, such as deionized water, flows throughout the inkjet chamber 20. When components such as the first gate 32 are installed in the inkjet chamber 20, the placement of these gates affects the cleaning of the inkjet chamber 20. As the first gate 32 moves between different sections of the inkjet chamber 20 that are clogging or connecting to other sections, the entire inkjet chamber 20 can be easily cleaned by moving the first gate 32 to a position that does not clog the different sections of the inkjet chamber 20. Furthermore, the first gate 32 can be cleaned by repeatedly reciprocating within the guide groove. Thus, efficient cleaning of the inkjet chamber 20 can be achieved conveniently and quickly.

[0046] In some embodiments, the first gate 32 is arranged opposite to the side where the nozzle 50 is located (i.e., top-mounted), for example in... Figures 2-5 The movement is shown in the vertical direction. In some embodiments, the first gate 32 is arranged adjacent to the side where the nozzle 50 is located (i.e., side-mounted), for example in... Figures 2-5 It moves in the horizontal direction shown.

[0047] In some embodiments, and in some applications, top-mounted designs have advantages over side-mounted designs. For example... Figure 5 As shown, when the flow channel plate 14 has an opening on its top side, the opening and the top plate 12 together define the inkjet chamber 20. In this case, for a top-mounted type, it is not necessary to additionally provide a guide groove for guiding the first gate 32 on the flow channel plate 14; a guide groove 15 can be provided in the top plate 12. The flow channel plate 14 is a high-precision component, and adding a guide groove to the flow channel plate 14 not only increases the manufacturing cost of the flow channel plate 14 but may also change the straightness of the flow channel plate 14. This drawback is more pronounced when multiple second gates 34 are provided.

[0048] In some embodiments, the movement of the first gate 32 is implemented as automatic movement. The dyeing nozzle 1 may also include a drive device 35 for driving the first gate 32. The drive device can be implemented in various ways, in Figures 1-5 In the illustrated embodiment, the drive unit 35 is implemented as a pneumatic actuator. It should be understood that this is merely exemplary, and the drive unit can be implemented as an electric drive assembly, a hydraulic drive assembly, or any drive assembly suitable for driving the first gate 32. In some embodiments, the movement of the first gate 32 can also be implemented in a manual mode, which is suitable, for example, in scenarios where low cost and low efficiency requirements are not critical.

[0049] In some embodiments, such as Figures 3-5As shown, the first gate 32 may include a gate portion 322 adapted to engage or disengage with the inner wall of the inkjet chamber 20 and a drive rod 324 connected to the gate portion 322. In some embodiments, the gate portion 322 may form a static seal with the inner wall of the inkjet chamber 20, which can prevent ink in the inkjet zone 24 from passing through the gate portion 322 and entering the adjustment zone 26. The gate portion 322 can achieve a seal in various ways. The gate portion 322 may be formed of a sealing material at least at its outer periphery, thereby forming a static seal with the inner wall of the inkjet chamber 20 when the first gate 32 is in the blocked position. The drive rod 324 may form a sliding seal with the outer wall of the inkjet chamber 20 (e.g., with the top plate 12). In some embodiments, the gate portion 322 may be made of a sealing material, such as a high-performance engineering plastic, which satisfies both rigidity and sealing performance requirements. In some embodiments, the gate portion 322 may be made of a variety of materials, such as a high-rigidity material (e.g., steel) and a flexible sealing material surrounding the high-rigidity material.

[0050] In some embodiments, a sliding seal is formed between the drive rod 324 and the outer wall of the inkjet chamber 20 (e.g., the top plate 12). In some embodiments, such as Figures 3-5 As shown, a guide sleeve 33 may be provided on the outer side of the outer wall of the inkjet chamber 20 (e.g., top plate 12). The guide sleeve 33 may include a through hole communicating with a guide groove 15, and the guide sleeve 33 and the guide groove 15 together define the linear movement path of the first gate 32. The movement performance of the first gate 32 can be further enhanced by the additionally provided guide sleeve 33. In some embodiments, the guide sleeve 33 may be made of a self-lubricating material (e.g., oil-impregnated nylon). The guide sleeve 33 may include a longitudinally extending guide portion 332 defining a through hole and a lateral fixing portion 334 adapted to abut against the outer wall of the inkjet chamber 20 (e.g., top plate 12). The lateral fixing portion 334 of the guide sleeve 33 may be fixed to the outer wall of the inkjet chamber 20 (e.g., top plate 12) by means of a pressure plate 37. It should be understood that the illustrated structure is merely exemplary, and the sliding seal between the drive rod 324 and the outer wall of the inkjet chamber 20 (e.g., top plate 12) may be formed into any other suitable shape.

[0051] In some embodiments, such as Figures 3-5As shown, the drive rod 324 is in a bent shape, such as an L-shape, and includes a first leg defining a first gate 32 and a second leg connected to the first leg, which can be connected to the drive unit 35. The drive unit 35 can be arranged side-by-side with the first gate 32 and mounted on the outer wall of the inkjet chamber 20 (e.g., top plate 12). When in operation, the drive unit 35 can push the first gate 32 up and down to achieve the reciprocating motion of the first gate 32. This can reduce the height of the drive unit 35, which helps to promote the miniaturization of the dyeing printhead. It should be understood that the arrangement shown in the figure is merely exemplary, and the drive unit 35 can be implemented in any other suitable manner.

[0052] In some embodiments, the adjustment region 26 can be divided into multiple sub-adjustment regions, which can increase the range of width adjustment to accommodate more staining media with different widths.

[0053] like Figures 2-5 As shown, the dyeing printhead 1 also includes one or more second gates 34 movably positioned within the inkjet chamber 20. These second gates 34 divide the adjustment region 26 of the inkjet chamber 20 into multiple sub-adjustment regions 26a, 26b arranged sequentially along the length direction L. The connectivity between the multiple sub-adjustment regions 26a, 26b can be changed by selectively moving the second gates 34. The second gates 34 can be controlled in combination with the first gate 32 to achieve adjustment of the dyeing width. Only one second gate 34 is shown in the illustrated embodiment; it should be understood that the number of second gates 34 can be greater.

[0054] In some embodiments, one or more second gates 34 may be implemented similarly to the first gate 32 and configured to move between the location of the blocking sub-regulating region and the location of the connecting sub-regulating region. Figures 2-5 As shown, multiple second gates 34 can be arranged sequentially along the length direction L at predetermined intervals. When the first gate 32 is in the open position (i.e., the connected position), one or more second gates 34 adjacent to the first gate 32 are opened to sequentially connect the dyeing area 24 with the sub-adjustment areas 26a, 26b, thereby increasing the dyeing width of the dyeing nozzle; one or more second gates 34 adjacent to the first gate 32 are closed to block the connection between the dyeing area 24 and the sub-adjustment areas 26a, 26b, thereby reducing the dyeing width of the dyeing nozzle.

[0055] It should be understood that one or more second gates 34 may be implemented in a different form than the first gate 32. As an example, the second gate 34 may be implemented as a linear actuator such as a screw-nut. This is as long as the second gate 34 can achieve length adjustment of the sub-adjustment region in the length direction L.

[0056] According to this disclosure, a dyeing apparatus is also provided. The dyeing apparatus includes: an ink source; a dyeing printhead 1 connected to the ink source, the printhead including a housing 10, the housing 10 defining an inkjet chamber 20 extending in a longitudinal direction L and including at least one ink inlet 23 communicating with the inkjet chamber 20 and for supplying ink to the inkjet chamber 20, and a plurality of ink outlets 21 communicating with the inkjet chamber 20 and for discharging ink from the inkjet chamber 20; and a plurality of nozzles 50, respectively received in the plurality of ink outlets 21 to supply ink from the inkjet chamber 20 to a medium to be dyed. The dyeing printhead 1 further includes at least one width adjustment member movably positioned in the inkjet chamber 20, the at least one width adjustment member dividing the inkjet chamber 20 into a dyeing region 24 communicating with at least one ink inlet 23 and an adjustment region 26 not communicating with at least one ink inlet 23, wherein the at least one width adjustment member is moved to change the length of the dyeing region 24 in the longitudinal direction.

[0057] In some embodiments, at least one width adjustment member is configured to move along the length direction of the inkjet chamber 20 to continuously change the length of the inkjet area 24 in the length direction L.

[0058] In some embodiments, at least one width adjustment member is configured to move in a direction transverse to the length direction L of the inkjet chamber 20 and to move between a position where liquid flow between the inkjet area 24 and the adjustment area 26 is blocked and a position where liquid flow between the inkjet area 24 and the adjustment area 26 is allowed.

[0059] According to this disclosure, a method for staining a medium using a staining apparatus is also provided. Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating a method 500 for dyeing media using a dyeing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. At 502, ink is supplied to the inkjet chamber of the dyeing apparatus via at least one ink inlet 23. In cases where the inkjet chamber includes multiple ink inlets 23, the ink supply to each ink inlet 23 can be controlled independently, which is advantageous for expanding the adjustable width range of the inkjet chamber. The range usable as an adjustment area can be appropriately set by selectively closing some ink inlets 23. At 504, a change in the width of the media is detected. In some embodiments, the dyeing apparatus may include a sensor for checking the width of the media to be dyed, the sensor providing information about the media width. As an example, the sensor may be, for example, a photoelectric sensor. At 506, based on the change, at least one width adjustment member is moved so that the length of the dyeing area of ​​the inkjet chamber in the longitudinal direction matches the width of the media. At least one width adjustment member is at least partially disposed in the inkjet chamber and divides the inkjet chamber into a dyeing area 24 communicating with at least one ink inlet 23 and an adjustment area 26 not communicating with at least one ink inlet 23.

[0060] In some embodiments, information about the width of the medium to be dyed from a sensor can be provided to the controller of the dyeing equipment. The controller can then move at least one width adjustment element based on this width information, thereby adaptively adjusting the length of the dyeing area 24 of the dyeing nozzle in the longitudinal direction.

[0061] In some embodiments, at least one width adjustment element may be, for example, in the form of a piston that moves along the length direction L. The controller can determine the piston's movement distance based on the width information and send a command to the piston's drive component to drive the piston's movement. In some embodiments, at least one width adjustment element may be, for example, in the form of one or more gates 32, 34, which can be controlled to move from a blocked position to a connected position, thereby connecting one or more adjustment areas 24 with the dyeing area 24, and thus expanding the length dimension of the dyeing area available for ink supply.

[0062] In some embodiments, the method 500 described above can be executed automatically by a controller. For example, the controller can control the ink supply to the inkjet chamber 20, receive information from a sensor indicating the width of the medium, and control the movement of at least one width adjustment element. The functions described above in this document can be performed at least in part by one or more hardware logic components. For example, exemplary types of hardware logic components that can be used, without limitation, include: field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application-specific standard products (ASSPs), systems-on-a-chip (SoCs), payload programmable logic devices (CPLDs), and so on. Program code used to implement the methods of this disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. This program code may be provided to a processor or controller of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus, such that when executed by the processor or controller, the program code causes the functions / operations specified in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams to be implemented. The program code may be executed entirely on a machine, partially on a machine, partially on a machine and partially on a remote machine as a standalone software package, or entirely on a remote machine or server. The computer program product may include a computer-readable storage medium (or media) having computer-readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to perform various aspects of the methods of this disclosure. The computer-readable storage medium may be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution apparatus. The computer-readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, electronic storage devices, magnetic storage devices, optical storage devices, electromagnetic storage devices, semiconductor storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of computer-readable storage media includes the following: portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), static random access memory (SRAM), portable optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile optical disc (DVD), memory sticks, floppy disks, mechanical encoding devices (e.g., punched cards or raised structures in recesses on which instructions are recorded), and any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0063] In some embodiments, one or more of the above steps can be performed manually. For example, at least one width adjustment element can be manually moved to change its position. In some embodiments, the dyeing nozzle may be provided with a scale on the housing 10, which can provide a measurement indication of the distance traveled.

[0064] Although the operations are described in a specific order, this should be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the specific order shown or in sequential order, or requiring that all illustrated operations be performed to achieve the desired result. In certain environments, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Similarly, while several specific implementation details are included in the above discussion, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure. Certain features described in the context of individual embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single implementation may also be implemented individually or in any suitable sub-combination in multiple implementations.

[0065] Although the subject matter has been described using language specific to structural features and / or methodological logic, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. Rather, the specific features and actions described above are merely illustrative examples of implementing the claims.

[0066] The various embodiments of this disclosure have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or technical improvements to the embodiments in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A dyeing nozzle (1), comprising: The housing (10) defines an inkjet chamber (20) extending in the length direction (L) and includes at least one ink inlet (23) communicating with the inkjet chamber (20) and for supplying ink to the inkjet chamber (20) and a plurality of ink outlets (21) communicating with the inkjet chamber (20) and for discharging ink from the inkjet chamber (20). as well as Multiple nozzles (50) are respectively received in the multiple ink outlets (21) and configured to supply ink from the inkjet chamber (20) to the medium to be dyed; The dyeing nozzle (1) further includes a first gate (32) movably positioned in the inkjet chamber (20) between a first position and a second position, the first gate (32) dividing the inkjet chamber (20) into a dyeing area (24) on one side of the first gate (32) and an adjustment area (26) on the opposite side of the first gate (32). At the first position, the first gate (32) engages with the inner wall of the inkjet chamber (20) to block the flow of liquid between the inkjet area (24) and the adjustment area (26). At the second position, the first gate (32) disengages from the inner wall of the inkjet chamber (20) to allow the flow of liquid between the inkjet area (24) and the adjustment area (26).

2. The dyeing nozzle (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The dyeing nozzle (1) further includes at least one second gate (34) movably positioned in the inkjet chamber (20), the at least one second gate (34) dividing the adjustment area (26) of the inkjet chamber (20) into a plurality of sub-adjustment areas (26a, 26b) arranged sequentially in the length direction (L), each of the at least one second gate (34) being selectively moved to block or connect the liquid flow between the corresponding sub-adjustment areas (26a, 26b).

3. The dyeing nozzle (1) according to claim 2, wherein, The at least one second gate (34) comprises a plurality of second gates (34) arranged sequentially in the length direction (L) at predetermined intervals; wherein when the first gate (32) is in the second position, one or more second gates (34) adjacent to the first gate (32) are opened to sequentially connect the dyeing area (24) with the sub-adjustment areas (26a, 26b) to increase the dyeing width of the dyeing nozzle; one or more second gates (34) adjacent to the first gate (32) are closed to block the connection between the dyeing area (24) and the sub-adjustment areas (26a, 26b) to reduce the dyeing width of the dyeing nozzle.

4. The dyeing nozzle (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The housing (10) includes a top plate (12) and a flow channel plate (14) mounted together opposite to each other to define the inkjet chamber (20). At least one of the top plate (12) and the flow channel plate (14) includes a guide groove arranged transversely to the length direction (L). The first gate (32) is configured to move along the guide groove between a first position and a second position.

5. The dyeing nozzle (1) according to claim 3, wherein, The top side opening of the flow channel plate (14), the guide groove is disposed in the top plate (12), and the first gate (32) is configured to move linearly between the first position and the second position along the guide groove.

6. The dyeing nozzle (1) according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The first gate (32) includes a gate portion adapted to engage or disengage with the inner wall of the inkjet chamber (20) and a drive rod connected to the gate portion. The outer periphery of the gate portion is formed of a sealing material to form a static seal with the inner wall of the inkjet chamber (20) when the first gate (32) is in the first position. The drive rod forms a sliding seal with the outer wall of the inkjet chamber (20).

7. The dyeing nozzle (1) according to claim 6 further includes a drive device (35) for driving the first gate (32), the drive device including one or more of an electric drive assembly, a pneumatic drive assembly, and a hydraulic drive assembly.

8. The dyeing nozzle (1) according to any one of claims 1-5 and 7, wherein, The dyeing nozzle (1) includes a pair of first gates (32) symmetrically arranged in the length direction, the pair of first gates (32) dividing the inkjet chamber (20) into the dyeing area (24) located in the center and two adjustment areas (26) located on both sides of the dyeing area (24).

9. A dyeing apparatus, comprising: Ink Source; as well as The dyeing printhead (1) according to any one of claims 1-8 is connected to the ink source.

10. A staining apparatus, comprising: Ink Source; A coloring printhead (1) connected to the ink source includes a housing (10) that defines an inkjet chamber (20) extending in the length direction (L) and includes at least one ink inlet (23) communicating with the inkjet chamber (20) and for supplying ink to the inkjet chamber (20) and a plurality of ink outlets (21) communicating with the inkjet chamber (20) and for discharging ink from the inkjet chamber (20). as well as Multiple nozzles (50) are respectively received in the multiple ink outlets (21) to supply ink from the inkjet chamber (20) to the medium to be dyed; The dyeing printhead (1) further includes at least one width adjustment member movably positioned in the inkjet chamber (20), the at least one width adjustment member dividing the inkjet chamber (20) into a dyeing area (24) communicating with the at least one ink inlet (23) and an adjustment area (26) not communicating with the at least one ink inlet (23), wherein the at least one width adjustment member is moved to change the length of the dyeing area (24) in the longitudinal direction.

11. The dyeing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the at least one width adjustment member is configured to move along the length direction of the inkjet chamber (20) to continuously change the length of the dyeing area (24) in the length direction (L).

12. The dyeing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the at least one width adjustment member is configured to move in a direction transverse to the length direction (L) of the inkjet chamber (20) and between a position where liquid flow between the dyeing area (24) and the adjustment area (26) is blocked and a position where liquid flow between the dyeing area (24) and the adjustment area (26) is permitted.

13. A method for staining a medium using a staining device, comprising: Ink is supplied to the inkjet chamber of the dyeing apparatus via at least one ink inlet (23); Detect the change in the width of the medium; as well as Based on the change, at least one width adjustment member is moved so that the length of the inkjet chamber's inkjet area in the length direction matches the width of the medium, wherein the at least one width adjustment member is at least partially disposed in the inkjet chamber and divides the inkjet chamber into the inkjet area (24) communicating with the at least one ink inlet (23) and an adjustment area (26) not communicating with the at least one ink inlet (23).

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