Pump body structure and ink path system of ink-jet printer

Abstract

The utility model relates to a pump body structure and an ink path system of an ink-jet printer. The pump body structure comprises a first pump body unit, a second pump body unit and a third pump body unit, the second pump body unit is provided with a pumping-out mode and a pumping-in mode, and the working modes of the first pump body unit and the second pump body unit are set to be opposite; the medium flow channel is arranged between the first pump body unit and the second pump body unit and used for circulation and exchange of fluid between the first pump body unit and the second pump body unit. And one of the first pump body unit and the second pump body unit in the pump-out mode pumps fluid to the other one in the pump-in mode through the communicating flow channel. Compared with the prior art, the utility model improves the pumping suction force of the pump body and prolongs the service life at the same time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of hydraulic transmission technology, and in particular to a pump body structure and an ink circuit system for an inkjet printer. Background Technology

[0002] Inkjet printers are devices that use charged ink particles deflected by an electric field to mark products in a non-contact manner. They are widely used in the food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, automotive parts processing, wire and cable, aluminum-plastic pipe, tobacco and alcohol, and other fields. They can be used to print production dates, batch numbers, barcodes, trademarks, anti-counterfeiting marks, and Chinese characters.

[0003] Inkjet printers generally consist of a printing unit, an ink supply system, and a control system. The ink supply system is primarily responsible for ink supply and recycling. This system typically includes ink cartridges and a multi-head gear pump. The multi-head gear pump supplies ink from the cartridges to the printhead and simultaneously recycles unused ink from the printhead back to the cartridges. However, the ink recycling efficiency of multi-head gear pumps is poor during the initial startup phase. Utility Model Content

[0004] Based on this, the purpose of this utility model is to overcome the shortcomings and deficiencies in the prior art and provide a pump body structure and an ink circuit system for an inkjet printer.

[0005] A pump body structure, characterized in that it comprises:

[0006] The first pump unit is equipped with a pumping out mode and a pumping in mode;

[0007] The second pump unit has a pumping out mode and a pumping in mode, and the operating modes of the first pump unit and the second pump unit are set to be opposite; and...

[0008] A medium flow channel is provided between the first pump unit and the second pump unit for fluid to flow and exchange between the first pump unit and the second pump unit, so that the pump unit in the pumping-out mode pumps fluid through the medium flow channel to the pump unit in the pumping-in mode.

[0009] Compared to existing technologies, this invention provides a medium flow channel between the first and second pump units, allowing fluid to be pumped from one end of the pumping outlet mode to one end of the pumping inlet mode. This increases the pumping suction at the pumping inlet end, improving the pump's performance. Simultaneously, the fluid lubricates the gear end faces at the pumping inlet end, preventing dry friction due to lack of lubrication and extending the pump's service life.

[0010] In one embodiment, one end of the medium flow channel is located at the lower part of the first pump unit, and the other end is located at the middle part of the second pump unit.

[0011] In one embodiment, the diameter of the medium flow channel at one end of the first pump unit is larger than that at the other end.

[0012] In one embodiment, the aperture of the medium flow channel is 0.2-0.3 mm.

[0013] In one embodiment, a connecting unit is further included, which is disposed between the first pump body unit and the second pump body unit, and the connecting unit is provided with a medium flow channel.

[0014] In one embodiment, the first pump body unit and the second pump body unit respectively include a shaft core, a drive gear, a driven gear and a rotor. The shaft core is movably connected to the connecting unit. The drive gear is fixedly sleeved on one end of the shaft core near the connecting unit. The driven gear is movably connected to the connecting unit and meshes with the drive gear. The rotor is sleeved on the shaft core.

[0015] In one embodiment, the first pump body unit and the second pump body unit further include a gear cover plate, a gear wavelet, and a gear pressure ring. The gear cover plate covers the driving gear and the driven gear. The surface of the gear cover plate is provided with a groove. The gear wavelet is fixed in the groove and protrudes from the surface of the gear cover plate. The gear wavelet is made of a soft elastic material. The gear pressure ring covers the gear cover plate and the gear wavelet.

[0016] In one embodiment, there are two driven gears, located on opposite sides of the drive gear.

[0017] In one embodiment, an interface unit is also included, which is fixed to the surface of the connection unit, and the first pump body unit and the second pump body unit respectively form a communicating flow channel with the interface unit.

[0018] On the other hand, this utility model provides an ink path system for an inkjet printer, including an ink cartridge and a pump body structure as described above. The outlet end of the ink cartridge is connected to one of the first pump body unit and the second pump body unit in pump-out mode, and the inlet end of the ink cartridge is connected to one of the first pump body unit and the second pump body unit in pump-in mode. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the ink path system of the inkjet printer of this utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a front view of an embodiment of the multi-head gear pump of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of an embodiment of the multi-head gear pump of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of one embodiment of the multi-head gear pump of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Exploded diagram;

[0024] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of an embodiment of the multi-head gear pump of this utility model;

[0025] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Cross-sectional view of section A-A;

[0026] Figure 8 This is a perspective view of an embodiment of the multi-head gear pump of this utility model;

[0027] Figure 9 for Figure 8 Cross-sectional view of section B-B. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0029] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0030] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," "third," and "fourth" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, the term "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0031] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0032] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0033] After analyzing the working state of the multi-head gear pump, technicians found that the working load of the gears at the ink supply end was much smaller than that at the ink recovery end, resulting in lower gear speed and weaker pumping suction, leading to poor ink recovery during the initial startup phase. Therefore, this invention incorporates a media flow channel between the ink supply and recovery ends of the multi-head gear pump. This allows ink from the supply end to flow into the recovery end, thereby increasing the pumping suction at the recovery end and improving ink recovery. Simultaneously, the ink lubricates the gear face at the recovery end, preventing dry friction due to lack of lubrication and extending the service life of the multi-head gear pump.

[0034] The technical solution of this utility model will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0035] Please see Figure 1 , 2The ink path system of this inkjet printer includes an ink cartridge and a multi-head gear pump. The multi-head gear pump includes a connecting unit 10, a first pump body unit 20, a second pump body unit 30, and an interface unit 40. The first pump body unit 20 and the second pump body unit 30 are located on opposite sides of the connecting unit 10. The interface unit 40 is fixed to the surface of the connecting unit 10 and forms a communication channel with the first pump body unit 20 and the second pump body unit 30, respectively. The inlet end of the first pump body unit 20 is connected to the ink cartridge, and the outlet end is connected to the print head, forming an ink supply end. The inlet end of the second pump body unit 30 is connected to the print head, and the outlet end is connected to the ink cartridge, forming a return end. That is, when the first pump body unit 20 is in pumping mode, it pumps ink from the ink cartridge to the print head; when the second pump body unit 30 is in pumping mode, it pumps unused ink from the print head back into the ink cartridge.

[0036] Please see Figure 3-5 The first pump unit 20 includes a gear assembly and a rotor assembly. The gear assembly includes a shaft core 211, a gear 212, a gear cover plate 213, a gear wavelet 214, a gear pressure ring 215, and a mounting plate 216. One end of the shaft core 211 is movably connected to the connecting unit 10. The gear 212 includes a drive gear and two driven gears. The drive gear is fixedly sleeved on the end of the shaft core 211 near the connecting unit 10. The two driven gears are located on opposite sides of the drive gear, movably connected to the connecting unit 10, and meshing with the drive gear. In this invention, the drive gear and the shaft core 211 are clearance-fitted, which ensures the parallelism between the two end faces of the drive gear and the contact surface of the connecting unit, as well as the perpendicularity between the tooth profile of the drive gear and the contact surface of the connecting unit. This results in a smaller internal space compression ratio for the gear pump, thereby achieving low-speed, high-pressure output. The presence of two driven gears increases the flow rate of the multi-head gear pump while reducing internal space, thus shortening the height of the multi-head gear pump. There are two gear cover plates 213, which are arranged opposite each other on both sides of the shaft core 211. Each gear cover plate 213 covers the driving gear and one of the driven gears. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 4-5 Each gear cover plate 213 has a groove on its surface to accommodate a gear wavelet 214, which protrudes from the surface of the gear cover plate 213. A hollow cylinder, the gear pressure ring 215, covers the gear cover plate 213 and the gear wavelet 214. A circular plate with an opening in the center, the mounting plate 216, and the gear pressure ring 215 each have three through holes, which are fixedly connected to the connecting unit 10 by screws. The rotor assembly passes through the central opening of the mounting plate 216 and the gear pressure ring 215 and is fitted onto the shaft core 211. The rotor assembly includes a rotor 222 and a magnetic ring cover 224, which is fitted onto the rotor 222.

[0037] Please continue reading Figure 3The interface unit 40 includes a first connector 402, a second connector 404, a third connector 406, and a fourth connector 408. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 6-7 The connecting unit 10 and the first pump body unit 20 form a cavity, and the gear 212 divides the cavity into an intake chamber and an exhaust chamber. The intake chamber is connected to the first connector 402, and the exhaust chamber is connected to the second connector 404, so that the connecting unit 10 and the first pump body unit 20 form a first connecting flow channel. When the gear pump is used in conjunction with the motor, the motor drives the rotor 222 to rotate after being powered on. When the drive gear rotates with the rotor 222, it drives the driven gear to rotate, and the volume of the intake chamber increases from small to large, forming a vacuum, thereby drawing ink from the ink cartridge through the first connector 402; the ink is pushed to the exhaust chamber by the gear 212 through the tooth groove; the volume of the exhaust chamber decreases from large to small, and the ink is discharged from the second connector 404 to the print head.

[0038] Please see Figure 4 Gear 212 rotates within the narrow cavity between gear cover plate 214 and connecting unit 10. When fluid fills the internal space, the resulting pressure pushes gear cover plate 213 outward. In this invention, gear pressure ring 215 and gear wavelet 214 are interference-fitted, which can press gear wavelet 214 tightly against gear cover plate 213, ensuring that gear cover plate 213 maintains close contact with the end face of gear 212, thereby increasing the suction force of the multi-head gear pump.

[0039] During high-speed operation, the end face of gear 212 is prone to wear, resulting in a short product life of the multi-head gear pump. In this invention, the gear wavelet 214 is made of a soft elastic material. When the end face of gear 212 wears, the gear cover plate 213 adapts to the end face of gear 212 under the elastic force of the gear wavelet 214, ensuring that the end face of gear 212 always maintains a good clearance fit, thereby extending the service life of the multi-head gear pump.

[0040] Please continue reading. Figure 3 The second pump unit 30 has the same structure as the first pump unit 20, and is symmetrically arranged on both sides of the connecting unit 10. The structural composition of the second pump unit 30 will not be described in detail here; please refer to the first pump unit 20 for details. In this invention, a set of pump units is arranged on each side of the connecting unit 10. Each set of pump units includes a separate shaft and rotor, allowing each set of pump units to be driven independently by a motor, enabling adjustment of different speed parameters. Furthermore, since the first pump unit 20 and the second pump unit 30 have the same structure, their operating mode can be selected as either pumping out or pumping in, thus allowing the speed parameters of the two sets of pump units to be interchanged, avoiding the shortened lifespan of the gear pump caused by faster wear of the pump unit with the higher speed.

[0041] Please see Figure 8-9In the multi-head gear pump of this invention, the connecting unit 10 is further provided with a medium flow channel 102, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the first pump body unit 20 and the second pump body unit 30. The medium flow channel of this invention allows ink from the ink supply end to enter the recovery end, avoiding low pumping suction at the recovery end due to insufficient ink, thus improving ink recovery efficiency; simultaneously, it lubricates the gear end faces at the recovery end, preventing dry friction caused by lack of lubrication between gears.

[0042] Please see Figure 9 One end of the media flow channel 102 is located at the lower part of the connecting unit 10, and the other end is located at the middle part of the connecting unit 10. Thus, the media flow channel 102 is positioned at the lower part of the connecting unit 10 at the ink supply end, so that ink can flow into the recycling end in a shorter time; the media flow channel 102 is positioned at the middle part of the connecting unit 10 at the recycling end, so that the ink flows out of the recycling end close to the center of the gear, and can flow into the gear end face at the shortest distance to achieve a lubrication effect.

[0043] Please continue reading. Figure 9 The orifice diameter of the media flow channel 102 at one end of the first pump unit 10 is larger than that at the other end. Therefore, the orifice diameter of the media flow channel 102 at the ink supply end is larger than that at the recovery end, which can control the flow rate and prevent excessive ink from flowing into the recovery end, thus affecting the normal operating pressure of the ink supply end. Furthermore, if the orifice diameter of the media flow channel 102 is too small, ink can easily clog the channel, while if the orifice diameter is too large, it will cause large pressure fluctuations inside the gear pump, affecting normal operation. Therefore, the orifice diameter of the media flow channel 102 in this invention is 0.2-0.3 mm.

[0044] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0045] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A pump body structure, characterized in that, include: The first pump unit is equipped with a pumping out mode and a pumping in mode; The second pump unit has a pumping out mode and a pumping in mode, and the operating modes of the first pump unit and the second pump unit are set to be opposite; and... A medium flow channel is provided between the first pump unit and the second pump unit for fluid to flow and exchange between the first pump unit and the second pump unit, so that the pump unit in the pumping-out mode pumps fluid through the medium flow channel to the pump unit in the pumping-in mode.

2. The pump body structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, One end of the medium flow channel is located at the lower part of the first pump unit, and the other end is located at the middle part of the second pump unit.

3. The pump body structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter of the orifice at one end of the medium flow channel of the first pump unit is larger than that at the other end.

4. The pump body structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The aperture of the medium flow channel is 0.2-0.3 mm.

5. The pump body structure according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, It also includes a connecting unit, which is disposed between the first pump body unit and the second pump body unit, and the connecting unit is provided with a medium flow channel.

6. The pump body structure according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first pump body unit and the second pump body unit respectively include a shaft core, a drive gear, a driven gear and a rotor. The shaft core is movably connected to the connecting unit. The drive gear is fixedly sleeved on one end of the shaft core near the connecting unit. The driven gear is movably connected to the connecting unit and meshes with the drive gear. The rotor is sleeved on the shaft core.

7. The pump body structure according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first pump body unit and the second pump body unit further include a gear cover plate, a gear wavelet and a gear pressure ring. The gear cover plate covers the driving gear and the driven gear. The surface of the gear cover plate is provided with a groove. The gear wavelet is fixed in the groove and protrudes from the surface of the gear cover plate. The gear wavelet is made of soft elastic material. The gear pressure ring covers the gear cover plate and the gear wavelet.

8. The pump body structure according to claim 6, characterized in that, There are two driven gears, which are located on opposite sides of the driving gear.

9. The pump body structure according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes an interface unit, which is fixed to the surface of the connection unit, and the first pump body unit and the second pump body unit respectively form a communication channel with the interface unit.

10. An ink path system for an inkjet printer, characterized in that, The device includes an ink cartridge and a pump body structure as described in any one of claims 1-9, wherein the outlet end of the ink cartridge is connected to one of the first pump body unit and the second pump body unit in pump-out mode, and the inlet end of the ink cartridge is connected to one of the first pump body unit and the second pump body unit in pump-in mode.

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