Method for installing an uninterruptive ink supply system on a printing device.

Abstract

This invention provides an economical or efficient method for installing an uninterruptive ink supply system (UISS). [Solution] The method for installing an uninterruptive ink supply system (UISS) to a printing device comprises: an external ink supply pipe length adjustment step (S1) for adjusting the length of the external ink supply pipe of the printing device; a branch pipe filling step (S3) for connecting a branch pipe to a plurality of ink outlets of the UISS via its plurality of branch pipe sections and filling the branch pipe with ink, either before, after, or in parallel with the external ink supply pipe length adjustment step; a branch pipe installation step (S4) for connecting the branch pipe filled with ink in the branch pipe filling step to the external ink supply pipe whose length was adjusted in the external ink supply pipe length adjustment step via its main pipe section; and an air bleeding step (S5) for bleeding air from the branch pipe connected to the external ink supply pipe in the branch pipe installation step.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for installing an uninterruptive ink supply system in a printing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] In printing by an inkjet printer, when the ink storage unit becomes empty, printing becomes impossible until the empty ink storage unit is refilled with ink or replaced with a newly filled ink storage unit. Therefore, the continuous operation time of the inkjet printer is restricted by the capacity of the ink storage unit. In order to extend the continuous operation time of the inkjet printer without being restricted by the capacity of the ink storage unit, an uninterruptive ink supply system (hereinafter abbreviated as UISS) is developed, which includes a plurality of ink cartridges connected to one ink supply path for the same color. Initially, ink is flowed from one ink cartridge to the ink supply path, and just before the ink runs out, it is switched to another ink cartridge of the same color, and ink is flowed from the switched ink cartridge to the ink supply path. In the UISS, while the inkjet printer is using the switched ink cartridge, the ink cartridge with a low ink remaining amount can be replaced without stopping the printing operation of the inkjet printer. Therefore, as long as the ink cartridge replacement work is appropriately performed, the continuous operation time of the inkjet printer can be extended infinitely.

[0003] As shown in Patent Document 1, in order to retrofit a UISS to a cartridge-type inkjet printer not equipped with a UISS, a method of connecting the UISS and the inkjet printer through one dummy cartridge fluidly connected to a plurality of cartridges mounted on the UISS for each color is also known.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 7533974 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] However, the connection method using a dummy cartridge not only increases the manufacturing cost of the extra part, the dummy cartridge, but also tends to result in a longer ink supply path connecting the UISS and the dummy cartridge. This requires extra ink for filling and removing air from this ink supply path, and these operations also take a relatively long time. These circumstances are the same for other connection methods as well, making the conventional installation method of UISS uneconomical and inefficient.

[0006] In view of the above, the present invention aims to provide an economical or efficient method for mounting UISS. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The mounting method according to the first aspect of the present invention is: A method for attaching an uninterruptive ink supply system (UISS) to a printing device, The UISS is equipped with multiple cartridges containing the same ink for at least one type of ink, and is configured to allow switching of the cartridges supplying the ink to the printing device, and to allow replacement of other cartridges while one of the cartridges is supplying the ink to the printing device. An external ink supply pipe length adjustment step for adjusting the length of the external ink supply pipe of the printing apparatus, Before, after, or in parallel with the external ink supply pipe length adjustment step, a branch pipe filling step is performed, in which the branch pipe is connected to the multiple ink outlets of the UISS via its multiple branch sections, and the branch pipe is filled with the ink. A branch pipe installation step involves connecting the branch pipe, which has been filled with ink in the branch pipe filling step, to the external ink supply pipe, whose length has been adjusted in the external ink supply pipe length adjustment step, via its main pipe section. The branch pipe installation process includes an air bleeding step in which air is removed from the branch pipe connected to the external ink supply pipe, It is equipped with.

[0008] According to the above configuration, the external ink supply pipe can remain filled with ink before the branch pipe is installed. Therefore, only the branch pipe needs to be filled with ink, and air needs to be removed for the length of the branch pipe. As a result, the amount of ink to be filled can be reduced compared to conventional methods, and the time required for filling the ink supply path with ink and removing air can also be shortened.

[0009] The system may further include a branch pipe length adjustment step for adjusting the length of the branch pipe.

[0010] According to the above configuration, by shortening the length of the branch pipe, the ink supply path connecting the UISS and the printing device can be shortened, thereby reducing the amount of ink that needs to be filled into the ink supply path, and also shortening the time required for filling the ink supply path with ink and removing air.

[0011] Multiple cartridges containing the same ink and corresponding multiple ink outlets may be arranged adjacent to each other.

[0012] According to the above configuration, the total length of the multiple branch pipes of the branch pipe connected to these ink outlets can be shortened, preferably minimized, and the multiple ink outlets to which a particular branch pipe should be attached can be easily identified.

[0013] The printing apparatus is equipped with a circulation mechanism that circulates ink along a circulation path, The branch pipe may be connected to the outside of the loop of the circulation path.

[0014] According to the above configuration, since no special modification is required for the circulation path of the printing apparatus, the influence on the circulation performance of the printing apparatus can be suppressed, and the UISS can be efficiently attached.

Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, the UISS can be economically or efficiently attached to an inkjet printer not equipped with the UISS.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram of an inkjet printer before attaching the UISS is shown. (a) is a front view, (b) is a rear view, and (c) is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the rear opening. [Figure 2] A schematic diagram of an inkjet printer after attaching the UISS is shown. (a) is a front view, (b) is a rear view, and (c) is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the rear opening. [Figure 3] A schematic diagram of a branch pipe connecting the ink outflow portion of the UISS and the external ink supply pipe of the inkjet printer is shown. [Figure 4] A flowchart of the method for attaching the UISS according to the present embodiment is shown. [Figure 5] A schematic diagram of a branch pipe according to a modified example is shown. (a) shows a branch pipe with a short main pipe portion, and (b) shows a branch pipe with a long main pipe portion.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] The method for attaching the UISS30 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0018] (Configuration of Inkjet Printer 10 Not Equipped with UISS30) As shown in FIG. 1, an inkjet printer 10 not equipped with the UISS30 includes an ink supply device 20 on its housing 11. The ink supply device 20 includes a cartridge 21, a main body 22, and a rear cover 23.

[0019] Multiple cartridges 21 are provided, depending on the type of ink (e.g., color), and each cartridge contains the corresponding ink. For example, if the inkjet printer 10 uses four CMYK inks, ink cartridges 21C, 21M, 21Y, and 21K, each containing cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink respectively, are installed in the ink supply device 20.

[0020] The main unit 22 includes, for each cartridge 21, a mounting section, an ink inlet, an internal flow path, and an ink outlet section 24. The mounting section is configured to allow the cartridge 21 to be removably mounted and is located on the front of the main unit 22. When a cartridge 21 is mounted in the mounting section, the ink supply port of the cartridge 21 is connected to the corresponding ink inlet. Each ink inlet is in fluid communication with the corresponding ink outlet section 24 via the corresponding internal flow path. For example, when a cartridge 21C containing cyan ink is mounted in the mounting section, the ink supply port of cartridge 21C is in fluid communication with the ink outlet section 24C via the corresponding ink inlet and the corresponding internal flow path. Similarly, cartridges 21M, 21Y, and 21K containing magenta, yellow, and black inks are in fluid communication with the ink outlet sections 24M, 24Y, and 24K, respectively.

[0021] The ink outlets 24 are located on the back of the main body 22 and are connected to the corresponding external ink supply pipes 13 that extend through the rear opening 12 of the inkjet printer 10. For example, the ink outlet 24C from which cyan ink flows is connected to the external ink supply pipe 13C, and similarly, the ink outlets 24M, 24Y, and 24K from which magenta, yellow, and black ink flows are connected to the external ink supply pipes 13M, 13Y, and 13K, respectively. Each ink outlet 24 is provided with a control valve, which is configured to release or de-release ink as needed under the control of the inkjet printer 10. In this way, ink is supplied from the cartridge 21 to the inkjet printer 10 via the external ink supply pipes 13. The ink supplied to the inkjet printer 10 is finally ejected from the print head and used for printing.

[0022] The external ink supply pipe 13 is positioned in a predetermined location within the housing 11 by a fixing part 14. The back of the main body 22, in particular the ink outlet 24, and the back of the housing 11, in particular the back opening 12 and the external ink supply pipe 13 are covered by a back cover 23 for their protection.

[0023] (UISS30 configuration) As shown in Figure 2, the UISS30 comprises a cartridge 31, a main unit 32, and a rear cover 33.

[0024] Similar to cartridge 21, multiple cartridges 31 are provided according to the type of ink (e.g., color), and each cartridge contains the corresponding ink. For at least one type, and especially for all types, multiple cartridges 31 containing the same corresponding ink are provided. For example, if the inkjet printer 10 uses four CMYK inks, as shown in Figure 2, multiple ink cartridges 31C, 31M, 31Y, and 31K containing the ink of that color, for example, two of each, are installed in the UISS 30.

[0025] The main unit 32 includes, for each cartridge 31, a mounting section, an ink inlet, an internal flow path, and an ink outlet section 34. The mounting section is configured to allow the cartridge 31 to be removably mounted and is located on the front of the main unit 32. When a cartridge 31 is mounted in the mounting section, the ink supply port of the cartridge 31 is connected to the corresponding ink inlet. Each ink inlet is in fluid communication with the corresponding ink outlet section 34 via the corresponding internal flow path. For example, when one of the cartridges 31C containing cyan ink is mounted in the mounting section, the ink supply port of that cartridge 31C is in fluid communication with one of the ink outlet sections 34C via the corresponding ink inlet and the corresponding internal flow path. Similarly, cartridges 21M, 21Y, and 21K containing magenta, yellow, and black inks are in fluid communication with the ink outlet sections 24M, 24Y, and 24K, respectively.

[0026] The ink outlet section 34 is located on the back of the main body 32. Multiple ink outlet sections 34 corresponding to the same ink are connected together to the external ink supply pipe 13 of the inkjet printer 10 via a branch pipe 35. As shown in Figure 3, the branch pipe 35 comprises multiple branch pipe sections 35a connected to each of the multiple ink outlet sections 34, and a main pipe section 35b where the multiple branch pipe sections 35a merge and are connected to one end, with the other end connected to the corresponding external ink supply pipe 13. For example, two ink outlet sections 24C from which cyan ink flows are connected to one external ink supply pipe 13C via a branch pipe 35C, and similarly, ink outlet sections 24M, 24Y, and 24K from which magenta, yellow, and black ink flows are each connected together by color to the external ink supply pipes 13M, 35Y, and 35K via branch pipes 35M, 35Y, and 35K, respectively. Each ink outlet section 34 is equipped with a control valve, which is configured to release or stop ink as needed under the control of the inkjet printer 10. In this way, ink is supplied from the cartridge 31 to the inkjet printer 10 via the branch pipe 35 and the external ink supply pipe 13. The ink supplied to the inkjet printer 10 is finally ejected from the print head and used for printing.

[0027] The back of the main unit 32, particularly the ink outlet section 34 and the branch pipe 35, and the back of the housing 11, particularly the back opening 12 and the external ink supply pipe 13, are covered by a back cover 33 for their protection.

[0028] Unlike the ink supply unit 20, the UISS 30 is provided with multiple cartridges 31 containing the same ink for at least one type of ink, and in particular, for all types. When the inkjet printer 10 is printing, if one of the multiple cartridges 31 corresponding to a certain color is used and the ink level in that cartridge 31 falls below a certain level, the corresponding control valve is closed to stop the use of that cartridge 31. Then, the control valve corresponding to one of the remaining cartridges 31 is opened to start the use of that new cartridge 31. As a result, unused cartridges 31 can be replaced even while the inkjet printer 10 is printing. Thus, cartridges 31 can be replaced without stopping the inkjet printer 10 from printing. Consequently, as long as printing is performed using only inks of types for which multiple cartridges 31 are provided, the inkjet printer 10 can continue printing without being constrained by the amount of those inks.

[0029] (How to install UISS30) The user of the inkjet printer 10 or an installation personnel such as a maintenance worker for the inkjet printer 10 first removes the ink supply device 20 from the inkjet printer 10, and then places the main body 32 of the UISS 30 on the housing 11 of the inkjet printer 10. After that, the UISS 30 is installed on the inkjet printer 10 according to the installation method described in detail below. The installation method of the UISS 30 according to this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, mainly includes an external ink supply pipe length adjustment step S1, a branch pipe length adjustment step S2, a branch pipe filling step S3, a branch pipe installation step S4, an air venting step S5, and a rear cover installation step S6.

[0030] In the external ink supply pipe length adjustment step S1, when connecting the external ink supply pipe 13 to the corresponding branch pipe 35 in the branch pipe installation step S4 described later, the installation personnel cut the external ink supply pipe 13 to adjust its length so that the connected external ink supply pipe 13 and branch pipe 35 do not hang down between the ink outlet 34 and the inkjet printer 10 and bend in a way that crushes the flow path. As shown in Figure 1(c), the point at which the external ink supply pipe 13 is cut is determined appropriately depending on the length and arrangement of the corresponding branch pipe 35. For example, the external ink supply pipe 13 is cut at the point indicated by the dashed line C in Figure 1(c). The external ink supply pipe length adjustment step S1 may be performed before the branch pipe length adjustment step S2 and the branch pipe filling step S3 described later, in parallel with these steps, or after these steps and before the branch pipe installation step S4. Furthermore, if it takes a long time from the external ink supply pipe length adjustment process S1 to the branch pipe installation process S4, a stopper may be attached to the tip of the external ink supply pipe 13 that is to be attached to the branch pipe 35. Note that the external ink supply pipe 13 is not emptied before the external ink supply pipe length adjustment process S1, so the external ink supply pipe 13 is filled with ink.

[0031] In the branch pipe length adjustment process S2, when connecting the external ink supply pipe 13 and the corresponding branch pipe 35 in the branch pipe installation process S4 described later, the installation personnel cut the main pipe section 35b of the branch pipe 35 to adjust its length so that the connected external ink supply pipe 13 and branch pipe 35 do not hang down between the ink outlet section 34 and the inkjet printer 10 and bend in a way that crushes the flow path. The location where the main pipe section 35b of the branch pipe 35 is cut is determined appropriately depending on the length and arrangement of the corresponding branch pipe 35. For example, when the external ink supply pipe 13 is cut at the location indicated by the dashed line C in Figure 1(c), the main pipe section 35b of the branch pipe 35 is cut to adjust its length to match the length of the external ink supply pipe 13 after cutting.

[0032] In the branch pipe filling process S3, the installation personnel connect the branch pipe 35, whose length was adjusted in the branch pipe length adjustment process S2, to the corresponding ink outlet sections 34 via its branch pipe section 35a. If the cartridges 31 corresponding to the branch pipe 35 are not yet installed, the installation personnel install those cartridges 31 into the main body 32 of the UISS 30. Then, using a program pre-installed or added to the control device of the inkjet printer 10, such as an external personal computer, the installation personnel open all the control valves of the ink outlet sections 34 to which the branch pipe 35 is connected, allowing ink to flow into the branch pipe 35 and filling the entire flow path of the branch pipe 35 from all of the branch pipe section 35a to the main pipe section 35b with ink. If it takes a long time from the branch pipe filling process S3 to the branch pipe installation process S4, a stopper may be attached to the tip of the main pipe section 35b of the branch pipe 35 that is to be attached to the external ink supply pipe 13.

[0033] In the branch pipe installation process S4, the branch pipe 35, after undergoing the branch pipe length adjustment process S2 and the branch pipe filling process S3, is connected to the external ink supply pipe 13, after undergoing the external ink supply pipe length adjustment process S1, via its main pipe section 35b. For example, as shown in Figure 2(c), the main pipe section 35b of the branch pipe 35 and the external ink supply pipe 13 are connected via connectors 36 that are crimped and fitted to these pipes at their respective ends.

[0034] In the air bleeding process S5, the installation personnel use a program installed on the control device of the inkjet printer 10 to cause the UISS 30 and the inkjet printer 10 to perform an air bleeding operation in the ink supply path, including the flow path from the multiple ink outlets 34 to which the branch pipe 35 was connected in the branch pipe installation process S4 to the external ink supply pipe 13, thereby bleeding air from the ink supply path, particularly from the branch pipe 35.

[0035] In the rear cover installation process S6, after the installation of the branch pipes 35 for all the desired types of ink is complete, the installation personnel install the rear cover 33 onto the back of the main body 32 of the UISS 30 and the back of the housing 11 of the inkjet printer 10.

[0036] (Effects of the present invention) In conventional UISS installation methods, the ink supply path connecting the UISS to the inkjet printer tends to be long, requiring extra ink for filling and removing air bubbles from this path, and these processes also take a relatively long time. Therefore, conventional UISS installation methods were uneconomical and inefficient.

[0037] On the other hand, according to the above embodiment, the ink supply path connecting the UISS 30 and the inkjet printer 10 can be shortened, and the external ink supply pipe 13 remains filled with ink before the branch pipe 35 is installed. Therefore, only the branch pipe 35 of the ink supply path needs to be filled with ink, and air needs to be bled for the length of the branch pipe 35. As a result, the amount of ink to be filled can be reduced compared to the conventional method, and the time required for filling the ink supply path with ink and bleeding air can also be shortened. For this reason, the UISS 30 can be installed on the inkjet printer 10 economically and efficiently.

[0038] (modified version) The variations described below and the embodiments described above can be combined in any way that does not contradict each other.

[0039] The configuration of the inkjet printer 10 is arbitrary as long as ink can be supplied from the outside via the external ink supply pipe 13. For example, the inkjet printer 10 before the installation of UISS 30 does not have to be a cartridge type, and may have, for example, a bottle-type ink supply device. Furthermore, UISS 30 can be applied to printing devices other than inkjet printers.

[0040] The placement of the UISS30 is not limited to the casing 11 of the inkjet printer 10; it is arbitrary. For example, the UISS30 may be placed on the side or bottom of the casing 11, or it may be placed in a location away from the inkjet printer 10, for example, on a separate stand independent of the inkjet printer 10.

[0041] The configuration of UISS30 is arbitrary, as long as multiple cartridges 31 are installed for at least one type of ink, the cartridges 31 that supply the ink to a printing device such as an inkjet printer 10 can be switched, and the other cartridges 31 can be replaced while one of these cartridges 31 is supplying the ink to the printing device such as an inkjet printer 10.

[0042] Multiple cartridges 31 containing the same ink and multiple ink outlets 34 corresponding to them may be arranged adjacent to each other, or some or all of them may be arranged spaced apart with cartridges 31 containing other inks in between. When multiple cartridges 31 containing the same ink and multiple ink outlets 34 corresponding to them are arranged adjacent to each other, the total length of the multiple branch pipes 35a of the branch pipe 35 connected to these ink outlets 34 can be shortened, preferably minimized, and it is also easy to identify which of the multiple ink outlets 34 to which a particular branch pipe 35 should be attached. When some or all of the multiple cartridges 31 containing the same ink and multiple ink outlets 34 corresponding to them are arranged spaced apart with cartridges 31 containing other inks in between, the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the multiple cartridges 31 can be increased.

[0043] Alternatively, the ink supply unit 20 may be used as part of the UISS 30 without removing it from the inkjet printer 10, and its control may be performed in the same manner as the UISS 30. For example, as shown in Figure 1, if the ink supply unit 20 includes cartridges 21C, 21M, 21Y, and 21K, each containing one of the four CMYK inks, then cartridges 21C and 21M may be replaced with two cartridges 31Y, and cartridges 21Y and 21K may be replaced with two cartridges 31K, and two cartridges 31C and two cartridges 31M may be placed in the UISS 30. In this case, after the addition of the UISS 30, the ink outlet 24 of the ink supply unit 20 is considered as the ink outlet 34 of the UISS 30, and various processes are performed accordingly. The distribution of cartridges 31 between the ink supply unit 20 and the UISS 30 is arbitrary; all of multiple cartridges 31 containing the same ink may be placed in either the ink supply unit 20 or the UISS 30, or some of the multiple cartridges 31 containing the same ink may be placed in the ink supply unit 20 and the rest in the UISS 30. In particular, the combination of inks of the cartridges 31 placed in the ink supply unit 20 and the UISS 30 may be the same. For example, cartridges 31 of the four CMYK inks may be placed in the ink supply unit 20 and the UISS 30, respectively.

[0044] The method of connecting the ink outlet 34 and the branch pipe 35, and the method of connecting the branch pipe 35 and the external ink supply pipe 13 are arbitrary. For example, the branch pipe 35 and the external ink supply pipe 13 may be connected directly without using the connector 36. In this case, the tip of the main pipe section 35b of the branch pipe 35 is configured to connect to the tip of the external ink supply pipe 13, for example, by a crimp-fit ​​mechanism. This eliminates the need to install the connector 36.

[0045] In the branch pipe 35, the multiple branch pipe sections 35a and the main pipe section 35b may be formed integrally, or they may be composed of multiple parts. For example, the branch pipe 35 may be formed by connecting multiple individually formed branch pipe sections 35a and main pipe section 35b via connectors.

[0046] If the inkjet printer 10 is equipped with a circulation mechanism that circulates ink along a circulation path, the branch pipe 35 may be connected to the outside of the loop of the circulation path. Specifically, if the ink outlet 34 side is upstream and the print head side is downstream, the return piping of the circulation mechanism is connected to the ink supply path downstream of the connection between the branch pipe 35 and the external ink supply pipe 13. In this case, no special changes are required to the circulation path of the inkjet printer 10, so the impact on the circulation performance of the inkjet printer 10 can be suppressed, and the UISS 30 can be installed efficiently.

[0047] In UISS30, the rear cover 33 may be omitted, and even if the rear cover 33 is included, its installation is not mandatory. Therefore, the rear cover installation step S6 may be omitted.

[0048] In the external ink supply pipe length adjustment step S1 and the branch pipe length adjustment step S2, the lengths of the external ink supply pipe 13 and the branch pipe 35 are adjusted by cutting them, but the method of adjusting the lengths is arbitrary.

[0049] For example, the length of one or both of the external ink supply pipe 13 and the branch pipe 35 may be adjusted by loosely bending the excess length of these pipes so as not to crush the flow path, forming one or more loops, and securing them with fasteners such as cable ties, without cutting either or both of the external ink supply pipe 13 and the branch pipe 35. In this way, when loosely bending and bundling the excess length of one or both of the external ink supply pipe 13 and the branch pipe 35, the external ink supply pipe length adjustment step S1 and the branch pipe length adjustment step S2 may be performed after the branch pipe installation step S4, and even after the air bleeding step S5.

[0050] Furthermore, in the branch pipe length adjustment step S2, instead of cutting the branch pipe 35, the length of the branch pipe 35 to be used may be adjusted by selecting an appropriate length from several types of branch pipes 35 with different lengths of main pipe section 35b that have been prepared in advance. For example, if the distance between the ink outlet section 34 and the external ink supply pipe 13 is short, for example, when connecting the ink outlet section 34K and the external ink supply pipe 13K in Figure 2(c), a branch pipe 35 with a short main pipe section 35b, as shown in Figure 5(a), may be used. Also, if the distance between the ink outlet section 34 and the external ink supply pipe 13 is long, for example, when connecting the ink outlet section 34C and the external ink supply pipe 13C in Figure 2(c), a branch pipe 35 with a long main pipe section 35b, as shown in Figure 5(b), may be used. This eliminates the complicated task of cutting the branch pipe 35. In particular, in this case, the tip of the main pipe section 35b of the branch pipe 35 can be configured, for example, to be fitted with a crimp mechanism so that it can be connected to the tip of the external ink supply pipe 13. This eliminates the need to install the connector 36. Also, if the branch pipe 35 is composed of multiple parts, a part or all of the main pipe section 35b can be made into a selectable part independent of the other parts of the branch pipe 35, and the selection of an appropriate length from multiple types of branch pipes 35 with different lengths of main pipe section 35b can be done by selecting multiple types of selectable parts with different lengths and attaching them to the other parts of the branch pipe 35.

[0051] When connecting a corresponding external ink supply pipe 13 to multiple corresponding ink outlets 34 for a particular ink, if the connected external ink supply pipe 13 and branch pipe 35 do not sag and bend between the ink outlet 34 and the inkjet printer 10, crushing the flow path, then the branch pipe length adjustment step S2 can be omitted for that ink. In particular, if an unadjusted branch pipe 35 is attached to all ink outlets 34 that require a branch pipe 35, and the branch pipe length adjustment step S2 can be omitted for the external ink supply pipe 13 with the shortest distance from the tip of the branch pipe 35 to, for example, its fixing part 14, then the branch pipe length adjustment step S2 can be similarly omitted for the other external ink supply pipes 13.

[0052] Even if the branch pipe 35 is not cut in the branch pipe length adjustment step S2, or if the branch pipe length adjustment step S2 is omitted, the external ink supply pipe 13 remains filled with ink before the branch pipe 35 is installed. Therefore, only the branch pipe 35 in the ink supply path needs to be filled with ink, and air needs to be removed for the length of the branch pipe 35. As a result, the amount of ink to be filled can be reduced compared to conventional methods, and the time required for filling the ink supply path with ink and removing air can also be shortened. This allows the UISS 30 to be installed in the inkjet printer 10 economically and efficiently.

[0053] In the branch pipe filling process S3, the control valve of the ink outlet section 34 to which the branch pipe 35 is connected is opened using a program installed in the control device of the inkjet printer 10, but the control valve may be opened manually instead.

[0054] The external ink supply pipe length adjustment process S1, the branch pipe length adjustment process S2, the branch pipe filling process S3, the branch pipe installation process S4, and the air venting process S5 may each be performed individually for the same ink, or they may be performed together for multiple different types of ink. For example, for each type of ink (e.g., color), the external ink supply pipe length adjustment process S1, the branch pipe length adjustment process S2, the branch pipe filling process S3, the branch pipe installation process S4, and the air venting process S5 may be repeated for one branch pipe 35 and one external ink supply pipe 13 corresponding to multiple cartridges 31 containing the same ink. Alternatively, each of the aforementioned processes may be performed together for multiple types of ink, for example, by performing the external ink supply pipe length adjustment process S1 together for multiple types of ink, and the branch pipe length adjustment process S2 together for multiple types of ink. Furthermore, some of the aforementioned processes may be performed for each type of ink, while the other processes may be performed together for multiple types of ink.

[0055] This disclosure allows for various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the embodiments described above are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of this disclosure. In other words, the scope of this disclosure is indicated by the claims, not by the embodiments. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and the equivalent significance of the disclosure are considered to be within the scope of this disclosure. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0056] 10 Inkjet Printers 11 cabinets 12 Rear opening 13 External ink supply tube 14 Fixed part 20 Ink supply device 21, 21C, 21M, 21Y, 21K, 31, 31C, 31M, 31Y, 31K cartridges 22, 32 Main unit 23, 33 Back cover 24, 24C, 24M, 24Y, 24K, 34, 34C, 34M, 34Y, 34K Ink Outlet 30 UISS 35 Branch pipe 35a Branch pipe section 35b Main pipe section

Claims

1. A method for attaching an uninterruptive ink supply system (UISS) to a printing device, The UISS is equipped with multiple cartridges containing the same ink for at least one type of ink, and is configured to allow switching of the cartridges supplying the ink to the printing device, and to allow replacement of other cartridges while one of the cartridges is supplying the ink to the printing device. The aforementioned mounting method is, An external ink supply pipe length adjustment step for adjusting the length of the external ink supply pipe of the printing apparatus, Before, after, or in parallel with the external ink supply pipe length adjustment step, a branch pipe filling step is performed, in which the branch pipe is connected to the multiple ink outlets of the UISS via its multiple branch sections, and the branch pipe is filled with the ink. A branch pipe installation step involves connecting the branch pipe, which has been filled with ink in the branch pipe filling step, to the external ink supply pipe, whose length has been adjusted in the external ink supply pipe length adjustment step, via its main pipe section. The branch pipe installation process includes an air bleeding step in which air is removed from the branch pipe connected to the external ink supply pipe, Equipped with, Installation method.

2. The mounting method according to claim 1, further comprising a branch pipe length adjustment step for adjusting the length of the branch pipe.

3. The mounting method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of the cartridges containing the same ink and a corresponding plurality of the ink outlets are arranged adjacent to each other.

4. The printing apparatus is equipped with a circulation mechanism that circulates ink along a circulation path, The mounting method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the branch pipe is connected to the outside of the loop of the circulation path.

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