EP1516735B1 - cartouches à jet d'encre - Google Patents

cartouches à jet d'encre Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1516735B1
EP1516735B1 EP20030258146 EP03258146A EP1516735B1 EP 1516735 B1 EP1516735 B1 EP 1516735B1 EP 20030258146 EP20030258146 EP 20030258146 EP 03258146 A EP03258146 A EP 03258146A EP 1516735 B1 EP1516735 B1 EP 1516735B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
ink
coil
cartridge
chamber
jet cartridge
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP20030258146
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1516735A1 (fr
Inventor
Clive Drake
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
INK CARTRIDGE TECHNOLOGIES Ltd
Original Assignee
Ink Cartridge Technologies Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Ink Cartridge Technologies Ltd filed Critical Ink Cartridge Technologies Ltd
Publication of EP1516735A1 publication Critical patent/EP1516735A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1516735B1 publication Critical patent/EP1516735B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/175—Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
    • B41J2/17503—Ink cartridges
    • B41J2/17513—Inner structure
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/175—Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
    • B41J2/17503—Ink cartridges
    • B41J2/1752—Mounting within the printer
    • B41J2/17523—Ink connection
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/175—Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
    • B41J2/17596—Ink pumps, ink valves
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/195—Ink jet characterised by ink handling for monitoring ink quality

Definitions

  • This invention relates to ink-jet cartridges, i.e. to ink cartridges for use in ink-jet printers.
  • An ink-jet printer includes a very precise micro-pump, i.e. there is a mechanism which, on the inlet side, produces a suction force which is then converted into the ejection of a liquid ink drop onto the medium beneath it.
  • the print head would simply be a valve which opened and closed to permit ink to flow, but this would not enable the precise formation of an ink drop, which is what is required for digital printing.
  • the ink-jet cartridges at present in use thus typically include a sponge the purpose of which is only to release the ink when the print head is actually creating a demand for it.
  • This demand manifests itself as a suction force that is generated by the print head. If the ink is released too easily, the print head will flood and produce drops of varying sizes. If the ink is released too slowly, then ink starvation results. The print that is formed can thus have many drops missing, which are recognised as white lines.
  • the optimum suction range is between about 4 and 50 mbar, depending on the properties of the printing liquid.
  • the sponge In currently available sponge-based ink-jet cartridges, the sponge is compressed thereby producing a capillary force that regulates the flow of ink, i.e. the ink is released only when the print head suction is sufficiently great to overcome the capillary force of the sponge.
  • US 4 484 202 discloses an ink reservoir wherein the ink is fed to the nozzles via a coiled tube contained within the reservoir.
  • an ink-jet cartridge that includes a chamber for ink and means for controlling the flow of ink from the chamber in the form of a coil of sheet material so arranged that the ink flows from the chamber along a spiral path between adjacent turns of the coil.
  • the coil of sheet material is preferably of stainless steel sheet which is rolled into a coil in such manner that the tension in the coil ensures a substantially constant gap between adjacent turns of the coil.
  • the stainless steel sheet preferably has a length of about 30 mm. and is preferably so wound that the coil extends through at least two revolutions, and preferably less than three revolutions.
  • the coil preferably extends through two and a quarter revolutions.
  • the coil is preferably located in a trough formed in the bottom of the cartridge so that it is constantly immersed in ink.
  • the ends of the coil are preferably sealed and the arrangement is preferably such that the outside of the coil communicates with the ink-containing chamber of the cartridge, while the centre of the coil communicates with the discharge outlet of the cartridge.
  • Communication between the centre of the coil and the discharge outlet is preferably via a feed column which provides a head of about 20 mm. to ensure a constant even feed of ink to the printer.
  • the arrangement will thus be such that the viscosity of the ink and the surface drag within the gap between adjacent turns of the coil provides the required resistance to maintain a constant head pressure within the cartridge.
  • Secondary means may be provided for controlling the flow of ink from the chamber.
  • Such secondary means may be in the form of a valve having a closure member that is movable between a position in which flow of ink from the chamber is permitted and a position in which the flow of ink from the chamber is prevented.
  • the valve closure member is preferably of spherical configuration and acted on by a spring that urges the spherical valve closure member into engagement with a downwardly facing generally conical valve seat.
  • the spring is preferably of conical form and is so arranged that it will only deflect when sufficient suction is applied to the underside of the spherical valve closure member to permit the flow of ink.
  • the ink-jet cartridge shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings is intended to be used in a standard ink-jet printer having a print head mounted on a carriage that traverses a page to which ink is to be applied.
  • the cartridge includes a chamber 10 within which the ink is contained and, at the base of the chamber 10, there is a trough 11 in which a stainless steel coil "a" is located.
  • the stainless steel coil "a” comprises two and a quarter revolutions of micro-thin stainless steel sheet 30 mm. long wound into a spiral coil in such manner that the tension in the coil ensures that there is a small, substantially constant gap between adjacent turns of the coil "a".
  • the interaction of the viscosity of the ink in the chamber 10 and the surface drag within the gap between adjacent turns of the coil "a” ensures that the required flow resistance is obtained to maintain the constant head pressure within the cartridge and the 2G (twice the force of gravity) impulse generated by the print head's carriage movement as it traverses the page during printing.
  • the stainless steel coil "a” thus acts as a flow control coil.
  • the flow control coil “a” is mounted at its ends between seals "b” and “c” and the flow control coil “a” is employed to induce the ink flow to the print head by vacuum-assisted gravity flow. Positioning of the coil “a” in the trough 11 ensures that it is constantly immersed in ink and there is a 20 mm. head feed column “d” to ensure that there is a constant even feed of ink from the chamber 10 as and when the printer demands it.
  • the embodiment shown in Figure 4 functions in the same way as the embodiment described above. It includes a stainless steel flow control coil "a”, as described above, which is contained in the base of the chamber 10 so that it is constantly immersed in the ink in the chamber 10.
  • the coil “a” is sealed at its two ends and there is again a 20 mm. head feed column “d” to ensure that a constant even flow of ink from the chamber is maintained.
  • the ink-jet cartridge shown in Figures 7 and 8 is a modification of the ink-jet cartridge shown in Figures 1 to 3 and differs therefrom in that a closure valve 15 is interposed between the stainless steel spiral coil "a” and the cartridge outlet port 16.
  • the spiral coil "a” is held in place by a locating piece 17 that serves to form a liquid-tight seal at end A of the spiral coil "a” and fixes the spiral coil "a” in the cartridge.
  • the locating piece 17 is so designed that the other end of the coil "a” is connected to the ink outlet port 16 via an ink channel 18.
  • the closure valve 15 comprises a ball bearing that is urged upwardly into engagement with a downwardly facing valve seat 19 by means of a conical spring 20.
  • the ball bearing is normally in engagement with the valve seat 19 so as to prevent the flow of ink to the ink outlet port 16.
  • the spring 20 will be deflected sufficiently for the ball bearing to move downwardly out of engagement with the valve seat 19 to permit the flow of ink to the ink outlet port 16.
  • the flow of ink to the ink outlet port 16 is controlled essentially by the spiral coil "a", but the closure valve 15 serves to ensure that there is no possibility of leakage of ink from the ink outlet port 16.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Quality & Reliability (AREA)
  • Ink Jet (AREA)

Claims (10)

  1. Cartouche jet d'encre qui comprend une chambre pour l'encre (10) et un moyen pour commander l'écoulement d'encre à partir de la chambre, caractérisée par le fait que ledit moyen se présente sous la forme d'un enroulement de matière en feuille (a) disposé de telle sorte que l'encre s'écoule à partir de la chambre le long d'un chemin en spirale entre des spires adjacentes de l'enroulement.
  2. Cartouche jet d'encre selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle l'enroulement de matière en feuille est fait d'une feuille en acier inoxydable.
  3. Cartouche jet d'encre selon la revendication 2, dans laquelle la feuille en acier inoxydable est enroulée suivant un enroulement d'une manière telle que la tension dans l'enroulement assure un espace sensiblement constant entre des spires adjacentes de l'enroulement.
  4. Cartouche jet d'encre selon la revendication 2 ou la revendication 3, dans laquelle la feuille en acier inoxydable a une longueur d'environ 30 mm.
  5. Cartouche jet d'encre selon la revendication 4, dans laquelle la feuille en acier inoxydable est enroulée de telle sorte que l'enroulement s'étend sur au moins deux révolutions et sur moins de trois révolutions.
  6. Cartouche jet d'encre selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle l'enroulement s'étend sur deux révolutions un quart.
  7. Cartouche jet d'encre selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle l'enroulement est situé dans une auge (11) formée dans le fond de la cartouche de telle sorte qu'il est constamment immergé dans l'encre, les extrémités de l'enroulement étant scellées et le dispositif étant tel que l'extérieur de l'enroulement communique avec la chambre contenant l'encre de la cartouche, alors que le centre de l'enroulement communique avec la sortie de décharge de la cartouche.
  8. Cartouche jet d'encre selon la revendication 7, dans laquelle la communication entre le centre de l'enroulement et la sortie de décharge s'effectue par l'intermédiaire d'une colonne d'alimentation qui fournit une hauteur manométrique d'environ 20 mm pour assurer une alimentation régulière constante d'encre à l'imprimante.
  9. Cartouche jet d'encre selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, sur laquelle des moyens secondaires sont prévus pour commander l'écoulement d'encre à partir de la chambre, de tels moyens secondaires se présentant sous la forme d'une soupape ayant un élément de fermeture qui est mobile entre une position dans laquelle l'écoulement d'encre à partir de la chambre est permis et une position dans laquelle l'écoulement d'encre à partir de la chambre est empêché.
  10. Cartouche jet d'encre selon la revendication 9, dans laquelle l'élément de fermeture de soupape est de configuration sphérique et est soumis à l'action d'un ressort qui sollicite l'élément de fermeture de soupape sphérique en engagement avec un siège de soupape généralement conique, tourné vers le bas.
EP20030258146 2003-09-17 2003-12-24 cartouches à jet d'encre Expired - Lifetime EP1516735B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0321821 2003-09-17
GB0321821A GB0321821D0 (en) 2003-09-17 2003-09-17 Ink-jet cartridges

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1516735A1 EP1516735A1 (fr) 2005-03-23
EP1516735B1 true EP1516735B1 (fr) 2006-09-20

Family

ID=29227284

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP20030258146 Expired - Lifetime EP1516735B1 (fr) 2003-09-17 2003-12-24 cartouches à jet d'encre

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1516735B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE60308521D1 (fr)
GB (2) GB0321821D0 (fr)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102005055912A1 (de) * 2005-11-22 2007-05-31 Hauni Maschinenbau Ag Aufbringen einer Druckmarke auf einen Artikel der Tabak verarbeitenden Industrie

Family Cites Families (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4484202A (en) * 1982-09-13 1984-11-20 Ncr Corporation Coiled conduits within ink jet reservoir
AU7526096A (en) * 1995-11-03 1997-05-22 Jetfill, Inc. Ink cartridge with improved volumetric efficiency
AUPO806697A0 (en) * 1997-07-15 1997-08-07 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Image creation method and apparatus (IJ01)
AUPO804897A0 (en) * 1997-07-15 1997-08-07 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Image creation method and apparatus (IJ14)
ES2362979T3 (es) * 1998-07-15 2011-07-18 Seiko Epson Corporation Unidad de suministro de tinta.
JP2001248749A (ja) * 2000-03-07 2001-09-14 Canon Inc 液流路開閉器
GB2368557A (en) * 2000-11-03 2002-05-08 Opportunity Europ Limimted Ink cartridge including a float valve disposed in the ink outlet chamber thereof
JP2002326368A (ja) * 2001-05-01 2002-11-12 Seiko Epson Corp インクタンク
GB0214370D0 (en) * 2002-06-21 2002-07-31 Opportunity Europ Limimted Ink-jet cartridges

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0321821D0 (en) 2003-10-15
GB2406077B (en) 2005-08-17
GB2406077A (en) 2005-03-23
DE60308521D1 (de) 2006-11-02
EP1516735A1 (fr) 2005-03-23
GB0420697D0 (en) 2004-10-20

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