CN1344620A - System and method for keeping front of fluid injector cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

A purge/clean system and an associated method for a fluid jet apparatus , such as an ink jet printing system, having a fluid chamber including a chamb er wall having an exterior surface and at least one orifice through which fluid is ejected from the fluid chamber toward a substrate involves a cavity defined adjacent the exterior surface of the chamber wall into which fluid which is, expelled from the at least on e orifice during a purging or cleaning operation is permitted to flow and a vacuum pum p for withdrawing fluid which is contained within the cavity. The cavity can be provided by a plurality of plate arranged in an assembled, or stacked, relationship agains t the exterior surface of the chamber wall and, with the aid of a fan or compressor, can be used to create a zone of above -atmospheric pressure adjacent the exterior surface o f the printer head. With the zone of above-atmospheric pressure created within the cavity, any leakage of air from the region into the atmosphere effects a flow of air out of the region and thereby helps to maintain the at least one orifice in a relatively clean condition.

Description

Make the fluid ejector front remain on the system and method for cleaner state

The present invention relates to the fluid injection system field in general, particularly relate to mechanism and method that the fluid ejector that is used to make fluid injection system remains on the operate as normal order.

A printing head that example is an ink-jet printer of the fluid ejector that the present invention relates to.In some cases, it is to rely on capillarity and comprise a mechanism that is installed in this that printing head makes working fluid (as ink) flow to printing head, is used for by an aperture ink guiding target substrate.This ink guiding mechanism can comprise a driver, as a piezoelectric device or a slice electrostatic film, be used to rely on the suitable driving of driver by an aperture guiding ink, perhaps can comprise a hot type device in other mechanism, the heat that wherein adds to ink plays a part by aperture guiding ink.

A fluid chamber or ink flow path are set in printing head usually, make ink from the source and course to the aperture by deferent between source of being connected in and the printing head and ink attitude reference device.Normal work period at printing head must have ink in ink flow path, make the work of ink guiding mechanism play ink suction passage, under the effect of pressure ink is pushed to the target surface by aperture then.But, if air enters ink flow path (just can be this situation if printing head clashes into or telescopes accidentally) by aperture or aperture is stopped up as fragment or the dust that accumulates in the aperture, the ink guiding mechanism can not be drawn into passage to the ink that adds and can not push away small holes to ink so.Therefore, for the efficient operation of printing head, ink flow path must not have air, and it is unblocked that the aperture of printing head also must keep.

Usually remove air or any tamper in the printing head aperture (surface or inner tamper) that is present in the printing head ink flow path with a purge or a cleaning, need of work by one froth, pump or other be used to make ink by force by the mechanism of pipeline, makes the ink of interpolation be forced through pipeline and ink flow path flows to the printing head aperture.But a this purge or a cleaning process normally push away small holes to ink and air or tamper (as fragment) by force.Make the ink released from aperture along the front (being panel) of printing head to dirty.In order to prevent to touch or pollute the surface of the no ink of hope maintenance, with the front of the absorbent material handwork of a slice ground wiping printing head along the defluent ink in the front of printing head.But, the process need people's of wiping intervention behind this first purge, and need to interrupt print job, and normally a kind ofly do not wish the dirty work done.In addition, if desired the printing head that is installed in the assembly line is carried out this processing, the maintenance for printing head is satisfied with so, the production of assembly line may have to temporarily stop, thereby have wasted the production time.

Therefore be desirable to provide a kind of system and method for making the printing head front remain on the new of cleaner state and improve of being used to, even when during a purge or a cleaning, ink being pushed away the aperture of printing head, air or other tamper are blown away from ink flow path.

Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to provide a kind of new and system and method for improving, be used for the fluid chamber when purge or washing fluid injection apparatus, the front that makes fluid ejection apparatus during as the printing head of inkjet-printing device outer surface in other words remains in the cleaner state.

Another object of the present invention provides a kind of like this system and method, and it can be convenient to purge or cleaning, makes that fluid ejection device is carried out this work and do not had the filth relevant with prior art termly.

A further object of the present invention provides a kind of like this system and method, and it prevents wiper fluid injection apparatus front or surperficial needs during fluid ejection device is carried out purge or cleaning.

The present invention also has another purpose to provide a kind of like this system and method, and it is well suited for automatic work, thereby need not people's intervention, and can carry out under the situation of not interrupting fluid injection or any assembly line work with this system and method.

A further object of the present invention provides a kind of like this system and method, and it can be used to keep the aperture of fluid ejection apparatus not have tamper comparatively speaking, as fragment or dust.

A further object of the invention provides a kind of like this system, its simple in structure and high efficiency.

The invention reside in a kind of apparatus and method, be used for during purge or cleaning removing air or tamper from the fluid chamber of fluid ejection apparatus, wherein there is a locular wall in fluid chamber, locular wall has inner surface and at least one aperture of an outer surface and an adjacent fluid chamber, is spraying the duration of work fluid ejection apparatus by this aperture injection fluid.

This device comprises the chamber of a contiguous locular wall, and the fluid that wherein flows through this at least one aperture during purge or cleaning is in this at least one aperture inflow chamber.

Method of the present invention comprises that some are provided with the step in chamber in contiguous locular wall outer surface, and the fluid that flows out from least one aperture during purge or cleaning allows at least one aperture inflow chamber and extracts the fluid that is contained in the chamber out.

These apparatus and method on the other hand in, the chamber can be used to produce the zone of a super-atmospheric pressure in the position of contiguous locular wall outer surface, make the air that leaks from described district help at least one aperture to remain on the state that relatively cleans.For this purpose, compressed air is passed to the inner surface in chamber, make air leak the into leakage of atmosphere from the chamber and make effect outside the air exhaust chamber.

From following be described in detail, accompanying drawing and accompanying Claim book, other characteristics of the present invention and advantage will become significantly.

The professional and technical personnel is more readily understood benefit of the present invention and advantage after detailed description below having examined and the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is the perspective view of ink-jet print system, has utilized in this ink-jet print system according to a purge of the present invention/purging system embodiment.

Fig. 2 is the longitdinal cross-section diagram of the part of prior art printing head, and it schematically illustrates some parts of printing head, and these parts are set at a contiguous ink guiding mechanism embodiment place that is installed in this.

Fig. 3 is the perspective view of the printing head of Fig. 1 print system, and the chamber that is shown with Fig. 1 purge/purging system among the figure provides assembly.

Fig. 4 is the decomposition diagram of the printhead of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is the exploded view that the chamber of Fig. 3 provides assembly.

Fig. 6 is the assembly assembly drawing that the chamber of Fig. 3 provides assembly.

Fig. 7 is the part enlarged drawing of chamber sealing gasket that assembly is provided, and this part is illustrated in the 7-7 circle of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is the longitdinal cross-section diagram in partial graph 6 assemblies, and generally the line 8-18 along Fig. 6 intercepts.

Fig. 9 is the sectional view along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Figure 10 is the sectional view along 9 line 10-10.

Figure 11 is the flow plate figure by Fig. 6 assembly of looking later of Fig. 5.

Figure 12 is a view, and it is the purge of the purge/purging system of key diagram 1 schematically, extracts and organization of stres.

Figure 13 is the perspective view that is similar to the printing head of Fig. 4, different embodiment of its explanation purge/purging system some parts.

Figure 14 is the rearview of safeguarding template of Figure 13, and it represents the acid etching district of this plate.

Figure 15 is the enlarged drawing of Figure 14 same area, and it illustrates the corrosion pattern in this plate.

Figure 16 is the front perspective view of Figure 14, and its explanation is used for this plate is installed to the installation clamping plate of printing head.

Detailed Description Of The Invention

Though the present invention can have various forms of embodiment, accompanying drawing and what narrate below is some specific embodiments, but should be understood that the disclosure is considered to example explanation of the present invention and unintentionally the present invention is confined to illustrated specific embodiment.It is also to be understood that this part title that is generally " detailed Description Of The Invention " relates to the requirement of USPO and trademark office, does not represent, also should not relate to the content of placing restrictions on disclosure herein and claim.

Get back to accompanying drawing now in more detail and, represent a kind of ink-jet print system 20 among the figure, in this system, be incorporated into a purge/purging system embodiment that general Figure 22 represents at first with reference to figure 1.Print system 20 is illustrated in the system that uses under the typical environment for use, wherein print system 20 is used to franking, as bar code 24, mark is printed on the side of carton 26, carton moves in arrow 29 indicated directions along the conveyer 28 that is moving, for this purpose, print system 20 comprise 30, one ink sources 32 of ink jetting head that are fixedly mounted in contiguous conveyer 28 places and one be used to make ink from the source 32 pipe or the flexible pipes 34 that flow to printing head 30.Like this, ink relies on capillarity to flow to printing head 30 by managing 34.

The printing head 30 of described system 20 comprises the ink guiding mechanism that general usefulness 31 is represented, is used for the ink guiding target surface of passing through and flow out printing head 30, on the face as carton.Though this ink guiding mechanism 31 can be obtained any form of a lot of forms, as hot type inkjet mechanism (as comprising that the trade mark that can sell for from U.S. Canon company is " Babble Jet " printing head) and electrostatic transducer, but the ink guiding mechanism 31 of described system 20 is based on piezoelectricity, piezoelectric device in the printing head 30 make by and the ink that flows out printing head 30 flow to the target surface, on the side as carton 26.Although the system 20 in this narration is ink-jet print systems, principle of the present invention can be implemented in other fluid injection system.Therefore, principle of the present invention can be passed through applicable in various ways.

For the driving of the ink guiding mechanism 31 of controlling printing head 30, a control cabinet 36 that comprises the control circuit (not shown) is installed at 30 places at contiguous printing head.Multiple conducting wires 38 is at printing head 30 and be placed between the control circuit in the control cabinet 36 and extend.Whether print system 20 also is provided with the sensing mechanism that comprises an electric eye 40, and electric eye 40 suitably is connected in control cabinet 36, be used for sensing and exist along the carton 26 that conveyer 28 moves.Survey by electric eye 40 along the mobile of conveyer 28 at print system 20 duration of work cartons 26, it also starts a series of foregone conclusion spares that cause driving printing head 30, particularly, as desirable, the suitable piezoelectric device of driving head 30 makes and after after a while mark 24 is being printed on the side of carton 26, is carton 26 moves to printing head 30 fronts from electric eye 40 the needed time of desired location during this period of time.Draw thus, the driving of printing head 30 and carton 26 are harmonious along the speed that conveyer 28 moves.

Structure and work based on the ink jetting head of piezoelectricity are known, so believe and needn't be described in detail them.But, in order to deepen understanding to purge/purging system 22 contributions of Fig. 1, the printing head 42 of declaratives prior art schematically in Fig. 2, this head has a main body 44, panel 46 and piezoelectric device 50, panel 46 is determined an aperture 48 willfully in the front of main body 44, and piezoelectric device 50 is installed in contiguous aperture 48 places in the main body 44.In addition, in main body 44, determine an ink flow path 52 (or fluid chamber), can flow to aperture 48 from ink source along this passage ink.Panel 46 provides the locular wall of ink flow path 52 in described 42, and the outer surface of panel 46 provides a front of 42.

Owing to stride across the ink surface tension of aperture 48 usually between the work period of printing head 42, ink generally can not flow out by aperture 48, unless force it to flow out.But, making device 50 rapid pucker ﹠ bloats by piezoelectric device 50 being powered up and not powering up, ink can be pushed to the target surface by aperture 48 then from source suction passage 52 under the effect of pressure.But if having air in ink channel 52, the expansion of piezoelectric device 50 and undershrinking push away small holes 48 then with ink suction passage 52 so.Therefore, if air injects by aperture 48 or suction passage 52 (if 42 telescoped by a carton 26 that is moving along conveyer 28 or bump can this thing happens) must be blown away air so from passage 52, so that printing head can be worked fully.

If the aperture 48 of printing head 42 is stopped up by the tamper of fragment or dust and so on, printing head 42 can not be realized the purpose of being scheduled to equally so.Particularly, tamper (can be the surperficial tamper that stops up panel 46 surface apertures 48, also can be the inside tamper that accumulates in aperture 48 or the ink flow path 52) stop ink to flow out aperture 48 because of driving piezoelectric device 50, thereby stop ink to flow through a passage 52 of 42 in desirable mode, therefore, when aperture 48 occurring, must in a cleaning operation, from passage 52, remove tamper, as blow away tamper by the situation of the tamper of fragment and so on obstruction.Can find out obviously that below purge/the purging system 22 relevant with the print system 20 of Fig. 1 is suitable for blowing away air and tamper in superior mode from aperture 48 and passage 52 easily.

Remember top narration and with reference to figure 3 and Fig. 4, the printing head 30 of the ink-jet print system 20 of Fig. 1 comprises a panel 58 (Fig. 4), determine in line apertures 60 by panel 58.Purge/the purging system 22 that is combined in Fig. 1 system 20 comprises the mechanism that general usefulness 62 is represented, mechanism 62 combines with panel 58, a definite in other words collecting chamber 64 (representing the most clearly in Figure 10) is set at contiguous panel 58 places, be used to collect the ink of discharging from printing head 30 by aperture 60, also be included among Fig. 1 generally, be used to extract out the ink that is collected or is contained in collecting chamber 64 with 66 mechanisms that represent.Except panel 58, in the exploded view of Fig. 4, represent to such an extent that be clear that most, printing head 30 also comprises one generally with 70 internal work spares of representing (promptly based on piezoelectricity) and external shell spare 72,74, the piezoelectric device that ink flows is supported in the internal work spare, and external shell spare is fixing around part 70, and inner part 70 comprises a support 76, panel 58 is installed on the support 76, and the front of panel 58 corresponding pieces 70 keeps motionless like this.

Panel 58 has front surface and rear surface 78,80 respectively, and row's aperture 60 of panel 56 is arranged along straight line 68, and straight line 68 extends along heart in the length of plate 58.In addition, panel 58 has the neighboring of rectangle and is fixed on the support 76 with several screws 82 (for example altogether 16), and these screws pass the screw receiver hole 84 that is provided with along panel 58, and leans on the screw thread precession to be arranged in the tapped hole in the support 76.Can know below, four screws that are fixed on 58 4 angles of panel in the screw are taken out from panel 58, provide the chamber mechanism 62 to be fixed on the support 76 with the same screw hole in the panel 58 then.

Though any parts of available multiple parts and form collecting chamber 64 with any shape of many shapes, but described collecting chamber 64 is with the otch and the groove of the suitable shape of narration form here, these otch and groove provide plate plate 86 in other words in the polylith chamber, form in 88 and 90, the front surface 78 of the relative panel 58 of these plates is lined up the relation of overlapping or lamination.Every block of plate 86,88 is all quite thin with 90 and make its relative panel 58 remain fixed relation with screw 82 (for example aforesaid four screws 82) with installing port, and installing port is used to a panel 58 and is fixed on the support 76.Therefore, each chamber provides plate 86,88 and 90 are equipped with screw receiving port 91, receiving port 91 is to determine at plate 86, on 88 and 90 4 angles, and align, be used to receive the body of screw part of screw 82 with the screw receiving port 84 of panel 58, make plate 86,88 and 90 remain on tightly between the head and the surface of support 76 of screw 82 with panel 58.In addition, every block of plate 86,88 and 90 all is provided with a pair of through hole 93, is used to receive the alignment pins relevant with 30, makes that plate 86,88 and 90 is assembled into the state of alignment is convenient.

With reference to figure 5 and Fig. 6, the chamber that proposes mechanism 62 at described purge/purging system 22 lumens provides plate 86,88 and 90 comprise that one first plate 86 (being called sealing plate 86 later on) is placed in the front surface 78 of panel 58 contacts so that closely cover the front surface 78 of panel 58, also comprise one second flow plate 88 in other words, be placed in the front surface of sealing plate 86 and contact, so that closely cover the front surface of sealing plate 86, also comprise one the 3rd cover plate 90 in other words, be placed in the front surface of flow plate 88 and contact so that closely cover the front surface of flow plate 88.

With reference to figure 5-9, sealing plate 86 is flat and the area that is essentially rectangle is arranged, and is general consistent with the area of panel 58.In addition, sealing plate 86 comprises a port 92, and port 92 extends along the length and the two opposite rows otch 94 of sealing plate 86, and otch 94 and port 92 (Fig. 7 sees the most clearly) intercommunication make otch 94 from port 92 horizontal expansions.The material that constitutes sealing plate 86 can be any material of many kinds of materials, but stainless steel preferably.

Flow plate 88 (representing the most clearly in Fig. 5 and Figure 11) also is flat, but a bit as L shaped and comprise 96,98,100, three ports of three parallel slot type ports and extend along the length straight line of plate 88.Settle the middle port 98 that is positioned between other two (outward) ports 96 and 100 like this, it is alignd with the port 92 of sealing plate 86, settle two outer ports 96 like this, 100, make when flow plate 88 is placed in sealing plate 86 equitant duties otch 94 intercommunications of two ports 96,100 and sealing plate 86.And as see by Figure 11 the most clearly, leg (and the edge and sealing plate 86 side vis-a-vis) along L shaped plate 88 is determined a pair of groove 102,103, make it from outer port 96,100 1 ends (being low side) extend to a pair of tapped mouth through hole 106 in other words, 108, through hole 106,108 is formed on that end of the respective leg of contiguous L shaped plate 88.

Cover plate 90 (representing the most clearly in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6) is board-like, and a bit picture is L shaped, and it generally corresponds to flow plate 88 and is provided with groove shape port 112, and port 112 is that middle heart is along extension basically.Flow plate 88 and cover plate 90 are by the stainless steel manufacturing, although also can make with other material.

When sealing plate 86, flow plate 88 and 90 and panel 58 (having aforesaid four screws 82) when being connected into aforesaid overlapping relation, this sees the most clearly in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9, be arranged on aperture 60 and the center through hole 92 of sealing plate 86, the middle port 98 of flow plate 88 and 112 alignment of the port of cover plate 90 in the panel 58. Port 92,98 and 112 with situation that aperture 60 aligns by this way under the piezoelectric device that is installed in the printing head 30 ink is pushed away small holes 60 and flows to target surface or substrate, and determine the obstruction that plate 86,88 and 90 brings by the chamber.In fact, the printing head 30 of described print system have maximum getting rid of throw distance in other words ink by about 0.25 inch of the distance that throws away from aperture 60 exactly.Therefore, sealing plate 86 the most in this way, and plate 88 and total collection thickness of 90 are no more than about 0.10 inch, so that can make the target surface, can be as the side of carton 26 with the very near distance of distance aperture 60, and the front by cover plate 90 in promptly about 0.25 inch.

Narration by the front can draw, at sealing plate 86, when flow plate 88 and cover plate 90 and panel 58 are connected into aforementioned overlapping relation, a pair of continuous passage is by otch 94, outer port 96,100 and groove 102,103 extend between the through hole 106,108 of aperture 60 and flow plate 88.Therefore, aperture 60 is by port 96 and groove 103 and through hole 106 intercommunications, and aperture 60 is also by outer port 100 and groove 102 and through hole 108 intercommunications simultaneously.Will wash brightly more in detail as following, chamber 64 vacuumizes by through hole 108 during a purge or a cleaning operation, and compressed air is introduced into chamber 64 by through hole 106 simultaneously, and circulation of air small holes like this 60 is guided port 100 into from port 96.The air stream of introducing and the heeling condition of 30 (as shown in Figure 1) make the ink of being discharged by aperture 60 during purge or cleaning flow into port 100 rather than flow into port 96, and 30 inclination (pressurization) places on the port 100 port 96.Therefore, because gravity and flow to from port 96 port 100 introducing air stream act on purge or clean during the ink of discharging from aperture 60 flow into that part in the chamber 64 that port 100 provides rather than chamber 64 those parts that provide by port 96 be provided.

With reference to figure 1 and Fig. 2, except the chamber provides mechanism 62, described purge/purging system 22 also comprises the mechanism that general usefulness 114 is represented, be used for blowing away from the ink flow path blown off air and the tamper in the aperture 60 that accumulates in printing head 30, also comprise the mechanism that general usefulness 116 is represented, be used to extract out from aperture 60 and blow out and be present in ink on panel 58 front surfaces.Purge mechanism 114 comprises a scavenger 118 in described purge/purging system 22, scavenger 118 usefulness pipe 34 is connected in printing head 30, when needing, from source 32, extract small volume of ink by managing 34 out, thereby in ink channel contained any air and accumulate in any tamper aperture 60 in and be pushed out in other words with ink by aperture 60 and be discharged from, ink by printing head 30 by scavenger 118 extrusion.In order to be released in the pressure that pump caused in the printing head, be printed on 30 and source 32 between connect a return duct 120 (in a check valve 122 is housed) and return in the source 32 so that make by pump 118 pumps some inks to printing head.

Draw thus, drive scavenger 118 ink, air and tamper are discharged from the aperture 60 of printing head 30, the ink of being discharged usually along the front surface 78 of panel 58 to dirty.But above-mentioned chamber provides mechanism 62 to stop the ink of these discharges to reveal on the surface that will keep clean, and extracts mechanism 116 and provide the port 100 of mechanism 62 to combine with the chamber so that from the ink of panel 58 these discharges of removal, in order to avoid ink build is on panel 58.

With reference to figure 1 and Figure 12, the extraction mechanism 116 of purge/purging system 22 comprises that 124, one in a vavuum pump is equipped with the controller 126 of vavuum pump 124 and the air flow line 128 between through hole 108 that is connected in vavuum pump 124 and flow plate 88 within it.The air flow line 128 of described system 22 comprise one be connected in first vacuum hose 130 between feeder device 132 and vavuum pump 124 inlets and be connected in feeder device 132 and the through hole 108 of flow plate 88 (Fig. 5) between one second vacuum hose 134, for convenience in vacuum hose 134 being connected on the flow plate 88 an air hose joint 136 (Fig. 5 and 6) with being threaded in the through hole 108, between the suitable surface of joint 136 and flow plate 88, insert a sealing ring 138, so that joint 136 is sealed on the plate 88.

With reference to figure 1 and Figure 12, feeder 132 comprises a groove 142 and a lid 144, stretches out a pair of pipeline section 146,148 by lid.Each pipeline section 146 or 148 correspondingly is connected in vacuum hose 130 or 134, and covers 144, and groove 142 and pipeline section 146,148 be sealed attachment each other, in order to avoid the vacuum that pump 124 produces is by 128 gas leakage of air flow line.By the suitably work of controller control vavuum pump 124 and scavenger 118, these controllers are installed in the controller 126 and suitably are connected in vavuum pump 124 and scavenger 118.

Drive vavuum pump 124 at purge/purging system 22 duration of works, so that air is taken out to pump 124 from the chamber provides the chamber 64 of mechanism 62 by air glide path 128, and start scavenger 118 so that the aperture 60 by printing head pumps small volume of ink, make any tampers that may be present in any air in the ink channel and accumulate in printing head 30 apertures 60 discharge by aperture 60.Because the chamber provides the inside in the chamber 64 of mechanism 62 to pass through the sealing plate 86 and 88 of otch 94 and alignment, 90 port 92,98,112 communicate with atmosphere, can from atmosphere, be drawn into air to come, cause air to provide the chamber 64 of mechanism 62 by the chamber, then by groove 102 and through hole 108 by air flow line 128 sequential flow to vavuum pump 124.

Therefore, during purge air and head cleaning, discharge and under the effect of vavuum pump 124 and gravity, be drawn into the outer port 100 of flow plate 88 by otch 94 along the dirty any ink of front surface 78 beginnings of panel 58 from aperture 60.Therefore, sealing plate 86 plays manifold, can make the outer port 100 of ink from the front surface 78 suction flow plates 88 of panel 58 by sealing plate 86.In case ink enters port 100 and is just taken out to through hole 108 by vavuum pump 124 (and effect of gravity), from taking out to vavuum pump 124 by the moving pipeline 128 of air flow stream here.Therefore, port 100 and groove 102 play to flow and take out to vavuum pump 124.Therefore, port 100 and groove 102 play a part flow channel, and the ink of discharging by it is downward through the chamber provides 62.In case ink arrives feeder 142 (Figure 12) ink by air flow line 128 and just flows down and be collected in the groove 142 from inlet pipeline section 148, for using again or handling.Because ink is separated from the air extracted out by air flow line 128 and ink mixture at groove 142, so have only air along separating, so have only air to flow to the vavuum pump 124 along the vacuum hose 130 that stretches out from groove 142 from groove 142 from the air extracted out by air flow line 128 with the ink mixture.

For example can start the work of purge/purging system 22 with pushing " Start " switch relevant with controller 126, then controller 126 drives vavuum pump 124 and scavengers 118.With suitable timing control switch vavuum pump 124 and scavenger 118.Close vavuum pump and scavenger 124,118 with suitable timing control switch afterwards at preset time (for example several seconds).When or if during operation, air enters any ink flow path of printing head 30 or any aperture 60 when blocked, the ability that manually starts purge/purging system 22 is superior and wishes to begin purge work immediately, so that change this situation.In addition in other words in addition, can start purge/purging system 22 at interval automatically, after the preset time interval, not have air and aperture tamper with aperture 60 or the ink flow path that guarantees printing head 30 with preset time.For example with the suitable programmable part that is installed in the controller 126, controller 126 can be programmed, make when assembly line begins, automatically to start 22 work of one-period purge/purging system, to guarantee beginning printing head 30 no air and tampers in work.

If the draft of the scavenger 118 of selection purge mechanism 114 usefulness is stronger than the draft of vavuum pump 124, be expected so to work rather than work continuously on the duration of work scavenger 118 discontinuous ground of vavuum pump 124.For this purpose, can select (or programming) controller 126, scavenger 118 is driven discontinuously and is not driven, and vavuum pump 124 is work in the work period of purge/purging system 22.

Can be drawn by above-mentioned discussion, narrate a kind of purge/purging system 22, during printing head was carried out an air blowing and a cleaning, this system got on except that ink from the front surface 78 of panel 58.Therefore, the panel 58 of printing head 30 keeps not staiing preferably, the ink of during an air blowing and a cleaning, discharging from aperture 60, and do not need with manually wiping ink from the front of printing head 30, in order to avoid the ink that is discharged from contact or mark do not have the surface of ink in hope.

Another characteristics of purge/purging system 22 are, it is included among Fig. 1 and Figure 12 generally with 152 mechanisms that represent, be used for the zone that produces a superatmospheric pressure at a position at front panel 58 places of the printing head 30 of contiguous print system, so that help the aperture 60 of header board 58 to keep relative cleaning, in other words, the thing that keeps no undesirable dust and fragment and so on, otherwise these things can slowly accumulate in the aperture 60.In said system 22, produce mechanism 152 and adopt the chamber that the chamber 64 of mechanism 62 is provided, and the chamber 64 that provides like this surrounds such zone of contiguous header board 58, the zone of wishing to produce this superatmospheric pressure just in this position.

And, produce mechanism 152 and also comprise the compressed air source that a usefulness 169 is represented, this source can be positioned at printer system 20 blower fan or compressor 171 on one side, produce mechanism 152 and also comprise a pipeline 170 that is connected between compressed gas source 169 and the through hole 106, be used to make compressed air 169 to flow to chamber 64 those parts that provide by port 96 from the source.Connect hollow air-flow joint 137 (Fig. 5 and 6) by being threaded into through hole 106 at this, pipeline 170 is engaged on the joint 137.Joint 137 usefulness sealing rings 138 are sealed on the flow plate 88.Therefore, flow into ports 96 from the air of compressed air source 169 by pipeline 170 and joint 137, so that make the internal pressure in chamber 64 surpass atmospheric pressure at organization of stres 152 duration of works.

In fact, in order in chamber 64, to cause the wherein any air that spills chamber 64 of such environment to leak, as port 92 by alignment, 98,112 leakage part can reduce the possibility that undesirable dust or fragment are collected thereby gathered at aperture 60 places, the internal pressure in chamber 64 needn't surpass the very big amount (in fact, can be as small as 1.0) of atmospheric pressure.Therefore the air pressure that is sent to chamber 64 by source 169 does not need very highly, and like this, the energy of all consumption of air of pressure source 169 can be lower.

As long as organization of stres 152 is in work, undesirable dust or fragment accumulate in the aperture 60 of printing head 30 thereby stop up the possibility of aperture 60 just quite little.Therefore, organization of stres 152 best continuous operations are even also work during the print system of using purge/purging system 22 is printing.At purge/ purging system 22 and 152 while of organization of stres duration of work, as mentioned above, supply to collect from port 96 is forced to inflow chamber 94 under the effect of the induced air stream of port 100 port 100 at gravity with across aperture 60 at the ink of discharging from aperture 60 during a purge or the cleaning, rather than flow into port 96.

Be appreciated that under the situation of not leaving spirit of the present invention, said system can have many amendment schemes and replacement scheme.For example, though above-mentioned purge/purging system 22 has been represented and has been stated as the system that comprises purge mechanism 114, be used for during a purge or a cleaning, forcing ink to pass through panel hole 60, but can provide mechanism 62 with extraction mechanism 116 and without purge mechanism 114 with the chamber, so that the printing head of the existing ink-jet print system of remodeling, the ink of using relevant with this print system conventional purge mechanism to discharge from panel like this can provide mechanism 62 and extract mechanism's 116 removals with the chamber.

One one different embodiment of purge/purging system 222 are illustrated in Figure 13-16.In this embodiment, vacuum and compressed air piping 234,270 are formed the part of printing head 230, and are unlike in the separating pipe among the embodiment of exemplary illustration among Fig. 6.In other words, two pipelines 234,270 all pass 230, and port 236,272 is set in panel 258.In this embodiment, be used to provide the chamber 264 and the chamber 252 that positive air pressure is provided of extracting ink out with 288 veneers of representing.Plate 288 is commonly called safeguards template.

Plate 288 comprises a front surface 290 and a rear surface 292, and front surface is and surface vis-a-vis, the surface that prints (being target), and printing head panel 258 is pressed close in the rear surface, and plate 288 comprises a groove shape mouth 298, and through port 288 is shifted ink onto target and got on.Groove shape mouth 298 is corresponding to the mouth 92,98 and 112 of the foregoing description.

Ink extracting cavity 252 is formed one and is formed in the rear surface 292 of plate 288 generally with 274 vacuum pipes of representing, a plurality of finger-like otch 276 are formed in the plate 288 and extend between vacuum passage 274 and groove shape mouth 298.Like this, otch 276 just provides the circulation between groove 298 and the vacuum passage 274.In the present embodiment, passage 274 generally is oriented to and is parallel to groove 298, and otch 276 is formed perpendicular to groove 298 and passage 274.

Passage 274 terminates in the end 278 corresponding to the vacuum port in the panel 258 236.Like this, passage 274 is stacked in above the vacuum port 236 of panel 258 near end 278.Therefore, through port 236 directly communicates with passage 274, for plate 288 (thereby be groove 298 by otch 276) provides vacuum.

Positive pressure air chamber 252 is formed purge normal pressure passage 280 in other words, and also is formed in the rear surface 292 of plate 288.As vacuum passage 274, purge passage 280 generally is oriented to and is parallel to groove 298, and finger-like otch 282 extends between groove 298 and passage 280.Purge passage 280 terminates in end 284, and the purge that makes it to be stacked in formation in the panel 258 is in other words above the pressure port 272.Positive pressure air is supplied with groove 298 (by otch 282 by passage 280) so that realize above-mentioned purge function.

In the illustrated embodiment, vacuum and purge passage 274,280 generally are formed on the relative both sides of groove 298 in the plate 288 parallel to each other.In a preferred embodiment, vacuum passage 274 is set on the groove 298, and the major part of channel end 278 downward-sloping relative passages 274 in other words at an angle.Like this, when ink is extracted out around the groove 298 by the vacuum port 236 of gravity current to panel 258.

On the contrary, purge passage 280 is positioned under the groove 298, thereby purge air upwards enters groove 298.Purge channel end 284 generally is formed with the major part of passage 280 and aligns.

In the present embodiment, the thickness of plate 288 is about 0.010 inch (about 10 mils), and passage 274,280 and otch 276,282nd form with acid corrosion.The degree of depth in acid corrosion zone is about 5 mils.Have been found that thick like this plate 288 and corrosion depth can be plate 288 and enough rigidity be provided and provide enough flows in passage 274,280 and otch 276,282, safeguard template so that realize vacuumizing with the function of purge.The professional and technical personnel can know other degree of depth that forms passage and otch, method and mode these all within scope and spirit of the present invention.

Another safeguards that the further improvement of template is that it is easily mounted on above the panel 258 of printhead 230.In the present embodiment, clamping plate shape part 238 slave plates 288 extend back, and are generally perpendicular to plate 288.Clamping plate 238 are pushed over and engage with the face 260 of panel 258, so that join (Snap-Fit) fixed maintenance template 288 by card.This arrangement reduces or cancelled with screw or other fixture handle safeguards that template 288 is installed to the needs that printhead 230 gets on.Like this, lean against on the printhead panel 258 simply rub by or the card join just can make safeguard template 288 remain on its.

Two or more other available card distribution structures of mouth with fixture or screw provide vacuum and the purge mouth 236,272 in the printhead panel 258.Like this, printhead 230 can be constructed like this, the very little even not influence of the overall dimensions influence of 234, the 270 pairs of printheads 230 in tubulature road in making.In addition, the card distribution structure also can make the alignment of plate 288 on panel 258 easier.Aim at the target that will print for the ink that guarantees to spray by the groove shape mouth in the plate 298, this alignment is necessary.

In addition, have been found that during operation that pollutant may spread without heart and safeguard on the template 288.For example in the operation of baling line,, may on the front surface 290 of plate 288, fall a few condition bonding agents as in vanning that need on case or crate, add bonding agent and the work of dress crate.The professional and technical personnel can know, must remove this bonding agent for the operate as normal that keeps printhead 230, makes bonding agent can not be deposited on the surface 290 of plate 288.

According to coating or the thin layer of safeguarding the low-friction material that template 288 is represented with C in can comprising as Figure 16 of the present invention.Popular materials is a fluoropolymer, as TEFLON or other analog etc.Occurring under plate 288 situation dirty or that polluted by strip of glue etc., this material makes the cleaning of plate 288 front surfaces 290 easier.The professional and technical personnel can know some other low-friction materials of cleaning easily they all within scope and spirit of the present invention.

Can see from above-mentioned discussion, under the situation of the spiritual essence of not leaving new ideas of the present invention and scope, can implement many modifications and change.Should be understood that and be not intended to or should do not infer that the present invention is confined to illustrated specific embodiment.The disclosure is intended to according to attached all amendments that drop in claims scope that comprise in back.

Claims (10)

1. device, be used for during purge or cleaning, air, surperficial tamper or inner tamper being fallen from the fluid ejection apparatus purge, fluid ejection apparatus has at least one aperture, fluid ejection apparatus ejects fluid by described at least one aperture between injection period, a vacuum port and a purge mouth are arranged in the fluid ejection apparatus, and this device comprises:

A plate, determine a mouth within it, described plate is constructed on the part that is stacked in fluid ejection apparatus, make the mouth of described plate overlapping with described fluid ejection apparatus aperture, described plate has a vacuum passage and a purge passage, the part of described vacuum passage is stacked on the vacuum port of fluid ejection apparatus, and the part of described purge passage is stacked on the described purge mouth of fluid ejection apparatus, and each passage of described vacuum passage and purge passage all circulates mutually with the above mouth of plate.

2. the device of claim 1 is characterized in that, described mouthful of described plate is an elongated slot.

3. the device of claim 2 is characterized in that, vacuum and purge passage generally are to be parallel to the long-channel that described elongated slot extends.

4. the device of claim 3 is characterized in that, described vacuum and purge passage are set at the relative both sides of described elongated slot.

5. the device of claim 4 is characterized in that, each passage of described vacuum and purge passage all comprises a plurality of otch that extend between each passage and described groove.

6. the device of claim 5 is characterized in that, described otch is generally perpendicular to passage and elongated slot separately and extends between them.

7. the device of claim 1 is characterized in that, described plate is determined a front and back, and described institute face is pressed close to ink discharge device, and its feature is that also one deck low-friction coating is arranged on the front.

8. the device of claim 1 is characterized in that, described plate is a single whole plate.

9. the device of claim 1 is characterized in that, described plate is the compoboard of polylith adjacent panels.

10. a fluid ejection apparatus is used for a kind of fluid is sprayed onto a target, and this device comprises:

A main body has at least one aperture, and described fluid ejection apparatus sprays fluid by described at least one aperture between injection period;

The panel that main body is equipped with has an aperture in the described panel, fluid sprays by described aperture, and described panel also comprises the purge mouth and the vacuum port that form within it;

A vacuum source operationally is connected in described vacuum port;

A compressed air source operationally is connected in described purge mouth;

A cover plate, determine a mouth within it, described outlet structure is stacked on the part of described fluid ejection apparatus, the mouth of described cover plate is stacked on the aperture of panel, described cover plate has a vacuum passage and purge passage that forms within it, the part of described vacuum passage is stacked on the described vacuum port in the described panel, the part of described purge passage is stacked on the described purge mouth in the described panel, each passage of described vacuum passage and purge passage all circulates mutually with the described mouth of described plate, described purge passage and vacuum passage are configured to match with described vacuum source and compressed air source, so that air, surperficial tamper or inner tamper purge from fluid ejection apparatus fall during purge or cleaning.

Images