Air Bleeder Assembly for Inkjet Printers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bulk ink supply systems for inkjet printers face issues with ink starvation or flooding due to inadequate ink level maintenance and the introduction of air into the system, which affects print quality and requires frequent reservoir changes, leading to high overhead costs.
Innovation Solution
A bulk ink delivery system with an air bleeder return assembly and a variable-sized orifice flow restrictor that automatically removes air from the ink delivery system, ensuring clean ink reaches the print heads, allowing for reliable operation without air ingestion and enabling the use of larger ink reservoirs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a pump system is used to deliver ink from bulk reservoir through filter to print heads, then ink delivery capability is improved, but air bubbles are introduced into the ink and air enters supply lines when reservoir is dry or changed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the air removal function from the ink delivery system by implementing a separate air bleeder assembly that removes air bubbles from the ink before it reaches the print heads. The air bleeder includes a vent port that allows air to escape while the flow restrictor prevents air from entering the supply lines, effectively separating the harmful air phase from the useful ink flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow restrictor acts as an intermediary element between the air bleeder vent port and the ink supply system. It mediates the flow by allowing ink to pass through while restricting air entry, thus protecting the supply lines from air contamination while maintaining ink delivery capability.
2Device complexity
If gravity feed system is used to transfer ink to printing head, then system complexity is reduced, but ink starvation or flooding occurs at printing head
Solution Approach 1:
The air bleeder assembly provides self-service functionality by automatically removing air bubbles from the ink flow without requiring manual intervention. The system self-regulates the ink level near the print heads by allowing excess air to escape through the vent port while maintaining proper ink pressure, eliminating the need for manual air venting or ink level adjustments.
3Productivity
If bulk ink reservoirs are used to reduce reservoir change frequency, then productivity is improved, but air enters the system during reservoir changes or when reservoir runs dry
Solution Approach 1:
The air bleeder assembly performs preliminary air removal action by continuously venting air bubbles from the ink flow before the ink reaches the print heads. This preliminary action prevents air from accumulating in the supply lines during reservoir changes or when the reservoir runs dry, ensuring that air is removed in advance before it can cause printing problems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution minimizes jet dropouts and misdirection, maintains print quality, and reduces the need for frequent reservoir changes, lowering operational costs by allowing bulk ink usage without air contamination, thus addressing the limitations of existing systems.
Implementation Method 1
an air bleeder return assembly with a flow restrictor orifice that is configured to remove air from ink pumped to the carriage of print heads
Implementation Method 2
Other approaches to bulk ink delivery system involve a pump configured to suck ink from the bulk reservoir through a filter to the print heads via supply lines
Implementation Method 3
The piezoelectric crystal generates a pulse in the ink so that the ink expels through the nozzle as a droplet
Implementation Method 4
The surface tension force of the ink in the nozzle maintains the meniscus and fewer or no drops will be ejected from the ink chamber or the drops will be misdirected
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods of automatically bleeding air from a primary ink delivery system, so little or no air is mixed with the ink once it reaches a secondary ink system containing print heads. An air bleeder return assembly with a flow restrictor orifice that is configured to remove air from ink pumped to the carriage of print heads, thereby minimizing jet dropouts. Additionally, this setup provides the added advantage of the ability to run the bulk bags dry without ingesting large quantities of air to the ink delivery system.