Manifold Flush Pump for Continuous Ink Jet Printer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Continuous ink jet printers face issues with ink thickening due to solvent evaporation, leading to viscosity problems and potential leakage from numerous conduits, which complicates maintenance and reliability in long uninterrupted production runs.
Innovation Solution
An improved ink supply system with a compact manifold-based design that minimizes separate conduits, incorporating a flush pump integrated into the manifold to manage solvent delivery and ink circulation, reducing the risk of leakage and enhancing accessibility for servicing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate conduits are used for ink and solvent delivery, then fluid delivery functionality is achieved, but the risk of leakage increases and maintenance complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate conduits into a single integrated conduit system. The ink supply system and solvent flush system share common conduits, with the single conduit serving dual purposes: delivering ink to the print head during normal operation and delivering solvent for flushing when activated. This merging eliminates multiple connection points and potential leakage sources while reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements multi-functionality in the conduit system where the same conduit performs multiple functions: it serves as both the ink delivery conduit and the solvent flush conduit. The system uses a single conduit that can switch between carrying ink under pressure during printing operations and carrying solvent for cleaning operations, thereby eliminating the need for separate dedicated conduits for each function.
2Ease of operation
If multiple separate conduits are used for ink and solvent delivery, then fluid delivery functionality is achieved, but maintenance accessibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple conduits into a single integrated conduit system, the patent reduces the number of components that require maintenance. The single conduit design eliminates multiple connection points, seals, and junctions that would otherwise need inspection and servicing, thereby improving maintenance accessibility despite the complex dual-function requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary separate conduits from the system, retaining only the essential single conduit that performs multiple functions. This extraction of redundant components simplifies the overall system architecture and makes maintenance more accessible by reducing the number of parts that need to be accessed and serviced.
3Stability of the object's composition
If solvent is added to maintain ink viscosity, then ink viscosity stability is improved, but the number of fluid paths and potential leakage points increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality where the same single conduit system handles both ink delivery and solvent delivery. The conduit is designed to carry ink during normal operation and switch to carrying solvent when flushing is required or when solvent needs to be added to maintain viscosity. This eliminates the need for separate dedicated conduits for solvent addition, thereby maintaining ink viscosity stability without increasing the number of fluid paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the solvent addition function into the existing ink delivery conduit system. Instead of creating a separate solvent addition path, the system uses the same conduit that delivers ink to also deliver solvent when needed, thereby maintaining composition stability while avoiding the complexity of additional separate fluid paths.
4Productivity
If numerous conduits and connections are used in the ink supply system, then fluid delivery capability is enhanced, but the reliability decreases due to potential leakage points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate fluid delivery paths into a single integrated conduit that handles both ink and solvent delivery. This merging maintains the system's ability to deliver fluids effectively while eliminating multiple connection points, seals, and junctions that would otherwise serve as potential leakage sources, thereby enhancing reliability without sacrificing fluid delivery capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a universal conduit system that performs multiple fluid delivery functions. The single conduit delivers ink during printing operations and delivers solvent for flushing and viscosity maintenance, thereby maintaining full fluid delivery capability while reducing the number of connection points and potential leakage sources through its multi-functional design.
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 solution maintains ink viscosity within desired limits, reduces the risk of leakage, and simplifies maintenance by eliminating the need for multiple conduits, thereby improving the reliability and ease of service for continuous ink jet printers.
Implementation Method 1
one of the components being a flush pump disposed at the manifold between the first and second paths and in fluid communication therewith, the pump being configured to pump the solvent into the solvent flush path
Implementation Method 2
a continuous stream of ink emanating from a nozzle is broken up into individual regular drops by, for example, an oscillating piezoelectric element
Implementation Method 3
The drops are directed past a charge electrode where they are selectively and separately given a predetermined charge
Implementation Method 4
Each charged drop is deflected by the field by an amount that is dependent on its charge magnitude before impinging on the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
An ink supply system for an ink jet printer has an ink circuit including a plurality of circuit components and fluid paths for conveying fluid between components. A manifold defines the fluid paths and a plurality of ports in fluid communication with the paths. One of the fluid paths is a solvent supply path for connection to a source of solvent. A second of the fluid paths being a solvent flush path for delivering solvent to an outlet for connection to a print head of the printer. A flush pump is disposed at the manifold between the first and second paths and in fluid communication therewith, the pump being configured to pump the solvent into the solvent flush path.