Ink Distribution Arrangement With Pneumatic Pressure Buffering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ink jet printing systems face challenges in maintaining stable ink pressure and flow rate to printheads, which can lead to nozzle failures due to fluctuations and shear stress from pumps, and require a simplified solution to ensure consistent ink supply.
Innovation Solution
An arrangement with an ink distributor device, buffer tank, proportional valve, and control unit, utilizing gas pressure to maintain precise ink pressure and flow, incorporating sensors and a control unit to regulate pressure and flow, and including a buffer tank with a pressure regulator to stabilize ink distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a pump is used to supply and control ink flow to printheads, then ink delivery can be controlled, but shear stress is exerted on the ink leading to agglomeration or property changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical pump system with a pneumatic system using compressed air to propel ink through the distribution device. This substitution eliminates the direct mechanical contact and shear stress that pumps exert on ink, while maintaining controlled ink delivery through pressure regulation
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses pneumatic pressure from a compressed air source to drive ink flow through the distribution device and to printheads. The system incorporates pressure regulators and control valves to manage the pneumatic pressure, enabling controlled ink delivery without mechanical pump contact
2Reliability
If ink pressure is increased to ensure sufficient ink arrival at printheads, then ink supply reliability improves, but pressure fluctuations increase causing nozzle failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a reservoir or expansion chamber in the ink distribution system that acts as a pressure buffer. This cushioning element absorbs pressure fluctuations and maintains stable ink pressure at the printheads, preventing nozzle failures while ensuring sufficient ink supply
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses pressure sensors to monitor ink pressure in real-time and feeds this information back to a control system. The controller adjusts pneumatic pressure and valve positioning to maintain pressure within optimal ranges, ensuring both reliable ink supply and pressure stability
3Stability of the object's composition
If a complex fluctuation limiting device is added to control air pressure in a closed pressure tank, then pressure stability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pressure control function from a complex fluctuation limiting device and implements it through simpler pneumatic pressure regulation components. The compressed air source with integrated pressure regulators provides stable pressure control without requiring additional complex fluctuation limiting mechanisms
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 ensures precise and stable ink pressure and flow to printheads, reducing shear stress and nozzle failures, while allowing for efficient ink management and quality maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
The buffer tank is part of a closed system and can be filled partly with a gas, in particular air, and partly with ink. The closed system has a pressure regulator configured to control a gas pressure in the buffer tank.
Implementation Method 2
One or more pressure sensors that are set up to measure a pressure within an ink distribution device and to send it to the control unit.
Implementation Method 3
The control unit is configured to control the proportional valve based on the measured pressure in the ink distribution device and to control an ink pressure flow into the ink distribution device.
Implementation Method 4
The ink distribution device is configured to distribute ink to one or more print heads.
Data Source
AI summary
An arrangement for directing ink to print heads of an ink jet printing system. The arrangement including print heads, an ink distributor device, a proportional valve, a buffer tank, and a control unit. The ink distributor device is configured to distribute ink to the print heads. Pressure sensors measure pressure within the ink distribution device and send the measured pressure to the control unit. The control unit controls the proportional valve based on the measured pressure in the ink distribution device and to control an ink flow into the ink distribution device. The buffer tank belongs to a closed system and can be filled in part with ink and in part with a gas, in particular air. A pressure regulator controls a gas pressure in the buffer tank, the buffer tank being ink-connected to the proportional valve and providing the ink to the ink distributor device.