Ink Delivery Flow Restrictor Prevents Air Bubble Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current inkjet printing systems do not effectively reclaim ink purged during maintenance and cleaning operations, leading to waste and potential air bubbles in the inkjet ejectors causing misfires.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ink delivery system with an inkjet printing apparatus, an ink receptacle, a pump, a porous member, and a flow restrictor that allows ink to pass through at a lower pressure while preventing air from passing through, enabling the reclamation of purged ink and maintaining ink quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If a pump is used to move purged ink from the receptacle back to the ink supply, then ink reclamation is improved, but air bubbles may be drawn into the system causing misfires
Solution Approach 1:
A one-way check valve is introduced as an intermediary component in the fluid pathway between the receptacle and the pump. This valve allows purged ink to flow toward the pump for recirculation but prevents air bubbles from entering the pump and ejector system, thereby enabling ink reclamation while maintaining system reliability and preventing misfires.
2Productivity
If the pump operates at high suction pressure to ensure ink flow, then ink delivery is improved, but air bubbles are drawn through the porous member into the system
Solution Approach 1:
The one-way check valve serves as a protective intermediary positioned between the receptacle and pump. It permits ink to be suctioned through the porous member at pressures sufficient for reliable delivery, while simultaneously blocking air bubbles from entering the pump, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability.
3Quantity of substance
If the porous member allows easy passage of ink, then ink flow is improved, but air bubbles can also pass through more easily
Solution Approach 1:
The one-way check valve is positioned upstream of the porous member to act as a selective intermediary. It allows ink to flow freely through the porous member at rates sufficient for productivity, while preventing air bubbles from passing through the porous member and entering the pump system, thus maintaining both ink flow rate and air bubble resistance.
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
The system effectively recovers purged ink, preventing air from entering the system and reducing misfires, thus enhancing the operational efficiency and ink utilization in inkjet printing.
Implementation Method 1
The porous member is configured to enable ink to pass through the porous member at a first pressure and to enable air to pass through the porous member at a second pressure that is greater in magnitude than the first pressure
Implementation Method 2
The flow restrictor is configured to enable ink flow from the outlet to the first position in the first conduit through a second fluid flow path to the first conduit to establish a pressure at the porous member that is between the first pressure and the second pressure to prevent the pump from moving air through the filter
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid ink delivery system includes a receptacle positioned proximate to a plurality of inkjet ejectors, and an ink supply in fluid communication with the receptacle. Ink held in the receptacle may be withdrawn under negative pressure by a pump in the ink supply. A flow restrictor in fluid communication with the pump limits the negative pressure level applied by the pump to be less than a pressure that draws air across a porous member in the receptacle.