KR102090552B1 - Manifold and ink circulation supply pump system for ink-jet printer with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a manifold. The manifold allows a plurality of pumps to be coupled thereto, and comprises: a lower connection hole which is positioned on a lower surface, and allows ink to flow thereinto from the outside or discharges ink to the outside; an upper connection hole which is positioned on an upper surface, and operates in a manner opposite to the lower connection hole; a plurality of installation areas which are positioned on a side and allow a pump to be installed therein; a lower hole formed in the installation areas to be connected to a pump, and connected to the lower connection hole through a pipe formed in a manifold; and an upper hole formed in the installation areas to be connected to a pump, and connected to the upper connection hole through a pipe formed in a manifold. The present invention applies a block-type manifold coupling a plurality of pumps and having a flow path therein to assemble a plurality of pumps in a module form, connect manifolds in various forms, and divide a plurality of pump to individually manage and replace the pumps.

Description

MANIFOLD AND INK CIRCULATION SUPPLY PUMP SYSTEM FOR INK-JET PRINTER WITH THE SAME}

The present invention relates to a manifold used in an inkjet printer, and more particularly, to a manifold that can be used in a pump system that circulates and supplies ink to an inkjet head of an inkjet printer used in the industrial field.

In general, an inkjet method in which liquid ink is jetted onto a surface of a medium in a droplet form according to a shape signal is used not only as a printing method for creating a document or an advertisement, but also used in a solution process in a semiconductor or display field.

The range of application of inkjet printing, which can form patterns of complex shapes on a substrate or eject ink accurately only at specific locations, is expanding. Small inkjet printers for document creation have the form of storing ink in an inkjet head that discharges ink droplets, but large format printers or industrially used inkjet printers use a large amount of ink. A structure in which the storage unit for storing and the inkjet head are separated is applied.

12 is a schematic view for explaining the structure of a general industrial inkjet printer.

A typical industrial inkjet printer includes an inkjet head 10, a head storage section 20, a pressure control section 30, a buffer storage section 40, and an ink storage tank 50.

The inkjet head 10 includes a nozzle for discharging ink and selectively discharges ink at a required position to perform printing. The head supply storage unit 20 is a space for storing ink to supply ink to the inkjet head 10, and is continuously supplied with ink through a supply passage 11 connected to the storage unit 20 for head supply. . The ink may be supplied only in one direction toward the inkjet head 10 from the storage unit 20 for supplying the head, but the ink remaining in the inkjet head 10 may be supplied again to the storage unit 20 for supplying the head in order to accurately control the discharge amount. It is common in industrial inkjet printers to have a return passage 12 to return to). The pressure control unit 30 is configured to adjust the pressure of the inkjet head 10 and the storage unit 20 for supplying the head for accurate discharge of ink, and the pressure control tube 31 is connected to the storage unit 20 for supplying the head. Connected. Since inkjet printers used for industrial use have a large amount of ink, ink must be continuously supplied to the storage unit 20 for head supply, but without adding ink directly to the storage unit 20 for head supply, a buffer storage unit It is common to additionally inject the ink stored in the ink storage tank 50 located outside through (40). At this time, the ink to be added is moved in one direction from the ink storage tank 50 toward the buffer storage unit 40.

In order to discharge the correct amount of ink in the inkjet printing process, it is necessary to maintain a meniscus, a curved state in which the ink, which is ready to be discharged from the inkjet head, is concaved inward by a capillary phenomenon based on the nozzle inlet. To this end, the position of the head supply storage portion is higher than that of the ink jet head, and instead, the inside of the head supply storage portion is maintained in a vacuum to generate a negative pressure in the head supply storage portion, thereby preventing the ink from flowing out of the ink jet head. It is common to maintain the meniscus condition. However, if the storage section for the head supply is maintained in a vacuum, the evaporation of the solvent constituting the ink is accelerated to change the properties of the ink, the most problematic of which is that the viscosity of the ink increases over time. As the viscosity of the ink increases, effective jetting of the ink from the inkjet head becomes difficult.

In addition, in recent years, as the fields of application of inkjet printers are diversified, there are increasing cases of using ink in which particles are dispersed, such as when ink in which metal particles are dispersed for electrode patterns. In particular, as the use of quantum dot materials in the OLED display field increases, attempts have been made to apply inkjet printing in the process of applying the quantum dot materials only to a predetermined pattern or a predetermined position. However, inkjet printing cannot be applied due to a problem in that dispersibility, such as metal particles or quantum dot materials sinking due to its own weight in the state stored in the storage unit for head supply, is lowered.

In order to solve this, a technology has been developed to circulate ink inside an inkjet printer using a piezoelectric pump to maintain a meniscus state. (Registration No. 10-1989375)

Research is continuing to circulate the ink while maintaining the meniscus state more precisely.

Republic of Korea Registered Patent 10-1989375

An object of the present invention is to provide a manifold that is easy to switch performance according to the arrangement of the pump and a pump system to which the manifold is applied.

The manifold according to the present invention for achieving the above object is a manifold to which a plurality of pumps are coupled, located on the lower surface, a lower connection hole through which ink flows in or out of the ink; An upper connector located on an upper surface and operating opposite to the lower connector; Located on the side, a plurality of installation areas where the pump is installed; A lower hole formed in the installation area and connected to the pump, and connected to the lower connection hole through a pipe formed inside the manifold; And an upper hole formed in the installation area and connected to the pump, and connected to the upper connection hole through a tube formed inside the manifold.

The upper connection hole is formed in the same number as the number of the installation area, and a plurality of upper holes and a plurality of upper connection holes formed in the plurality of installation areas may be individually connected.

The lower connection hole is formed in the same number as the number of the installation area, and a plurality of lower holes and a plurality of lower connection holes formed in the plurality of installation areas may be individually connected.

The upper connecting hole is formed at the center of the upper surface of the manifold, and a flow path extending from the upper hole into the manifold may be disposed to be out of the center of the manifold.

The lower connecting hole is formed at the center of the lower surface of the manifold, and a flow path extending from the lower hole into the manifold may be disposed to be out of the center of the manifold.

To this end, the side where the installation region is formed may be arranged to have a predetermined angle with respect to the center of the manifold.

An ink circulation pump system according to another aspect of the present invention is an inkjet head and a head supply in an industrial inkjet printer comprising an inkjet head having a plurality of nozzles for discharging ink and a head supply storage section for supplying ink to the inkjet head. An ink circulation pump system for circulating ink between the storage units, comprising: a flow path therein, and one or more manifolds to which a plurality of pumps are coupled; A plurality of pumps coupled to the manifold; A pulsation measurement device installed at a predetermined distance from the pump and measuring pulsation in the flow of ink; And a control unit for controlling the pump and the pulsation measurement device, wherein the manifold is a manifold of the invention described above.

A pump is coupled to one or more manifolds to constitute a pump pack, and the pump pack may be installed such that a line connecting the lower connecting hole and the upper connecting hole of the manifold is 25 ° to 90 ° with respect to the liquid level.

A pump is coupled to one or more manifolds to form a pump pack, and a plurality of pump packs can be connected in parallel.

Close-loop control is performed on the pump, and the life of the pump can be predicted by checking the driving ratio of the pump.

The present invention configured as described above, by combining a plurality of pumps and applying a block-type manifold having a flow path therein, it is possible to assemble a plurality of pumps in a module form, and connect the manifolds in various forms, , There is an effect that can be individually managed and replaced by dividing each of the multiple pumps.

In addition, the manifold of the present invention is provided with a plurality of connecting holes in the portion connected between the manifold, so that the ink flowing in and out of the plurality of pumps to move through the individual flow paths, the ink moving from the plurality of pumps move to each other There is an excellent effect that does not interfere.

In addition, the manifold of the present invention has an excellent effect that the flow paths connected to the pump deviate from the center of the manifold, so that even when one connection hole is provided, ink flowing in and out of a plurality of pumps does not hinder movement of each other.

The ink circulation pump system of the present invention is provided with a pulsation measuring device spaced a predetermined distance from the pump, thereby controlling the pulsation in the ink circulation process, thereby minimizing the shaking of the meniscus to better maintain the meniscus state There is.

In addition, by monitoring the pulsation measuring device to monitor the operation of the pump, there is an effect that can predict the life of the pump or receive notification of the replacement time.

In addition, it is possible to predict the life of the pump by checking the driving rate while performing close-loop control.

Furthermore, by installing the pump packs in which a plurality of pumps are fastened to one or more manifolds at an inclined level, it is possible to actively remove micro bubbles generated in the process of driving the pump.

By connecting a plurality of pump packs in which a plurality of pumps are fastened to one or more manifolds in parallel, there is an effect that printing can be performed even when the pump stops operating due to a failure or a life limitation.

Also, by circulating the ink inside the system, air bubbles generated inside the inkjet head are moved and removed without stagnation, thereby improving the print quality and expecting an effect of increasing the dischargeable window for non-Newtonian fluids. can do.

Finally, since an inkjet printing process using an ink in which a quantum dot material having high recent utilization is dispersed can be applied to a product production process, there is an effect that manufacturing of a product using a quantum dot material is facilitated.

1 to 3 are perspective views showing a manifold for an ink circulation pump system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 and 5 are plan cross-sectional views for explaining the connection form of the flow path inside the manifold for the ink circulation pump system according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 6 shows a state in which the manifold for the ink circulation pump system according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected in various structures.
7 is a view showing the configuration of the ink circulation pump system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a view for explaining another method for predicting the life of the pump in the ink circulation pump system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a view showing the configuration of an inkjet printer to which an ink circulation pump system according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.
10 is a view for explaining a specific form of installing a pump pack in the ink circulation pump system of the present invention.
11 is a view showing a state in which a plurality of pump packs are connected in parallel in another embodiment of the present invention.
12 is a schematic view for explaining the structure of a general industrial inkjet printer.

An embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Since the description of the disclosed technology is only an example for structural or functional description, the scope of rights of the disclosed technology should not be interpreted as being limited by the embodiments described in the text. That is, since the embodiment can be variously changed and have various forms, it should be understood that the scope of rights of the disclosed technology includes equivalents capable of realizing the technical idea.

Meanwhile, the meaning of terms described in the present application should be understood as follows.

Terms such as “first” and “second” are for distinguishing one component from other components, and the scope of rights should not be limited by these terms. For example, the first component may be referred to as the second component, and similarly, the second component may also be referred to as the first component.

1 to 3 are perspective views showing a manifold for an ink circulation pump system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Applicants of the present invention have applied and registered a technology for circulating ink inside an inkjet printer using a piezoelectric pump to maintain a meniscus state (Registration No. 10-1989375). Republic of Korea Patent Registration No. 10-1989375 is characterized in that a plurality of piezoelectric pumps are connected in series and in parallel, and the series driving and parallel driving are selectively performed by using the point that ink does not flow to the inactive piezoelectric pump. The piezoelectric pump has a pump that is too small, so a single pump does not get enough flow to maintain the dispersibility of ink, but it is possible to obtain sufficient lift and flow rate by connecting a plurality of piezoelectric pumps in series and in parallel. It has a feature in that it is configured to be possible, and in particular, it has been proposed to assemble and construct a piezoelectric pump in a module form, and the present invention further develops the module form suggested in the previous application.

The manifold 1000 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 is provided with a passage through which ink passes, and a pump for circulating ink is installed around it, so that a plurality of pumps can be assembled in a module form, and the pumps are combined. A plurality of manifolds can be combined to form a pump package. When the pump pack is configured by combining the pump with the manifold 1000, not only can the pumps be easily combined in various ways, but the process of replacing the pumps becomes very easy.

The manifold 1000 has a lower connection hole 1200 through which ink flows from the outside or ink flows out to the lower surface, and an upper connection hole 1100 located on the upper surface which operates in contrast to the lower connection hole 1200. do. Hereinafter, description is made based on the case where ink flows in from the lower connection hole 1200 and ink flows out from the upper connection hole 1100. This is because the generation of fine bubbles inside is relatively reduced when the ink flows in from the bottom and flows upward, but is not limited thereto, and the ink flows out to the lower connection hole 1200 depending on the position where the pump is installed. Ink may be introduced into the upper connecting hole 1100, and in a structure in which a plurality of manifolds are connected, ink is introduced into the lower connecting hole 1200 and ink is leaked into the upper connecting hole 1100, and some of the upper part The ink may be introduced into the connecting hole 1100 so that ink is discharged to the lower connecting hole 1200.

On the side of the manifold 1000, a plurality of installation areas 1300 in which pumps are installed are located, and the installation area 1300 is composed of two or more, and in the illustrated case, three installation areas 1300 are provided on the sides. It is located, but is not limited thereto. The pump installed on the side of the manifold 1000 is preferably a piezoelectric pump capable of precise pumping of minute flow rates using a piezoelectric element, but in some cases, other types of pumps may be installed.

In the installation area 1300, two holes are formed for exchanging ink with the pump. The lower hole 1400 is connected to the lower connecting hole 1200 and the tube inside the manifold, and the upper hole 1500 is connected to the upper connecting hole 1100 and the tube from inside the manifold. When ink flows into the lower connection hole 1200, it enters the pump through the lower hole 1400 and exits the pump through the upper hole 1500 and flows out to the upper connection hole 1100.

At this time, in a form in which a plurality of lower holes 1400 lead to the lower connecting hole 1200 and the pipe, and a plurality of upper holes 1500 lead to the upper connecting hole 1100 and the tube, the lower connecting hole 1200 and the upper connection Each of the balls 1100 may be composed of one or a plurality of the same as the number of the lower hole 1400 and the upper hole 1500.

1 is a case where the upper connecting hole 1100 is composed of one, and FIG. 2 is a case where the lower connecting hole 1200 is composed of three equal to the number of the lower holes 1400, and FIG. 3 is the upper connecting hole 1100 ) Is the case of three equal to the number of the lower hole (1400).

When the ink moving to the plurality of lower holes 1400 and the upper holes 1500 moves to one tube, resistance to the flow of ink may occur, so the number of the lower holes 1400 and the upper holes 1500 is the same. It is preferable to form a plurality of lower connecting holes 1200 and upper connecting holes 1100. However, since the flow path connecting the inkjet head and the storage unit is generally composed of one, a portion in which the ink first flows into the pump module in which a plurality of manifolds and pumps are combined and a portion where the last flows out forms one connection hole. Needs to be.

After all, when only one manifold is used, the upper connecting hole 1100 and the lower connecting hole 1200 are all composed of one, and the manifold installed between the plurality of manifolds is connected to the upper connecting hole 1100 and the lower connection. All of the balls 1200 are composed of a plurality, and even when using a plurality of manifolds, one of the upper connecting holes 1100 and the lower connecting holes 1200 is composed of one manifold located at the end. One is composed of plural.

As described above, at least one manifold among the manifolds has at least one connection hole, and at this time, the ink coming out or entering through the plurality of lower holes 1400 or the upper holes 1500 comes out or enters through one flow path and resists This can happen. In order to reduce the resistance that occurs when the plurality of lower holes 1400 or the upper holes 1500 are connected to one flow path, the flow paths extending from the plurality of lower holes 1400 or the upper holes 1500 are lower connection holes 1200 or upper portions. When connected to the connecting hole 1100 and one flow path connected to it, it was configured to be combed and connected to the center of the flow path.

4 and 5 are plan cross-sectional views for explaining the connection form of the flow path inside the manifold for the ink circulation pump system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

With reference to the manifold 1000 of FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a flat cross-sectional view shown at the height of the top hole 1500, and FIG. 5 is a flat cross-sectional view shown at the height of the lower hole 1400.

As illustrated, since the flow paths leading to the lower hole 1400 and the upper hole 1500 are preferably connected in a straight line to the inflow or outflow direction of the pump, the side where the installation area 1300 where the pump is located is formed is a manifold. It is formed to have a predetermined angle with respect to the center of the, and due to this angle, the flow paths extending straight from the lower hole 1400 and the upper hole 1500 do not face the center of the manifold 1000.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, since the upper connecting hole 1100 composed of one and the flow paths thereafter are formed in the center of the manifold 1000, the flow paths extending from the upper hole 1500 are upper connection holes 1100. It is connected to deviate from the center. Eventually, the ink discharged from the three pumps and flowed into the inside of the manifold 1000 through the three upper holes 1500 do not collide with each other toward the center, and join as if rotating in the flow path leading to the upper connection hole 1100 By doing so, it is possible to minimize the interference caused by the collision of inks flowing from several tubes.

On the other hand, as shown in Figure 5, the lower connection hole 1200 is provided with a plurality of flow paths corresponding to the one-to-one with the lower hole 1400, the internal resistance is minimized in the process of ink movement.

Figure 6 shows a state in which the manifold for the ink circulation pump system according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected in various structures.

The first form on the left is a case where one manifold is used, the second form is a case where two manifolds are connected, and the ink flows in from the bottom or top and flows out in the opposite direction. As described above, when the ink flows in from the bottom and flows upward, less internal fine bubbles are generated.

The third form on the right is when four manifolds are connected. If the manifolds are continuously connected in series, it may be difficult to secure an installation space because the length is too long. As described above, since the manifold of the present embodiment is in the form of a block, the number of connections can be variously adjusted, and the direction and shape to be connected can be variously configured, so it has high versatility in the installation space and installation method. In addition, even when the pumps are replaced for reasons such as a malfunction, each pump can be easily replaced by removing the manifold from the manifold and installing a new pump.

7 is a view showing the configuration of the ink circulation pump system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The ink circulation pump system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a manifold 1000, a pump 2000, a pump driver 4000, a pulsation measurement device 5000, a monitoring driver 6000, a data collection device 7000, and It consists of a control unit 8000.

In the present embodiment, the manifold 1000 and the pulsation measuring device 5000 to which the plurality of pumps 2000 are coupled are installed in the recovery passage 120 in the ink jet printer illustrated in FIG. 9 to be described below. It is not limited and may be installed in the supply passage 130.

The configuration of the manifold described above is applied to the manifold 1000, and the pump 2000 is fastened to the manifold 1000. The pump 2000 mainly uses a piezoelectric pump, and maintains the dispersibility and homogeneity of the ink by continuously circulating and moving the ink.

The pump driver 4000 is a driver that is connected to the pump 2000 to control the operation of the pump 2000, and controls the operation of the plurality of pumps 2000 to obtain the required lift and flow rate, and some pumps It can be operated selectively or by transmitting a pulse wave type control signal to a piezoelectric pump to control the operation of individual pumps. When low voltage and low frequency signals are applied to the piezoelectric pump, the piezoelectric pump circulates ink at a low flow rate, and when high voltage and high frequency signals are applied to the piezoelectric pump, the piezoelectric pump circulates ink at a high flow rate. By controlling the individual pumps by the pump driver 4000, it is possible to operate at various intensities using a piezoelectric pump having a capacity of 3 cc / min, and circulating ink by selectively driving a plurality of piezoelectric pumps or controlling individual pumps. It is possible to control the head and flow rate of the ink circulation pump system in a very fine manner.

The pulsation measurement device 5000 is a device that measures the pulsation generated in the flow of ink by the operation of the pump 2000. The meniscus state is shaken by the pulsation generated in the flow of ink, and if the pulsation is weak and the meniscus state is small, the pressure control unit 8000 can maintain the meniscus state. Since it is difficult to maintain the nicus, it is possible to check the pulsation and control the operation of the pump 2000 to an appropriate range. In addition, it is possible to monitor the state of the pump 2000 through the results measured by the pulsation measuring device 5000, so that the life of the pump 2000 can be predicted or a notification of the replacement time can be received.

The installation position of the pulsation measurement device 5000 is not particularly limited, but in order to monitor the state of the pump 2000, it must be installed at a distance sufficient to confirm the pulsation by the pump 2000, and the pulsations are located at a plurality of positions. It is preferable to install the measuring device 5000 to detect in duplicate.

The monitoring driver 6000 is connected to the pulsation measurement device 5000 and is a driver for measuring pulsation.

The data collection device 7000 is connected to the monitoring driver 6000 to collect and store the result data measured by the pulsation measurement device 5000. By collecting long-term data, the condition of the pump 2000 can be monitored.

The control unit 8000 is connected to the pump driver 4000, the monitoring driver 6000, and the data collection device 7000, calculates a result for monitoring of the pulsation, controls the pump through the pump driver 4000, and It can be used to predict the lifespan or to generate notifications about when to exchange.

8 is a view for explaining another method for predicting the life of the pump in the ink circulation pump system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown, as the life span reaches the end of use of the pump, in order for the pump driver to operate the pump more strongly, the driving rate of the pump gradually increases while the flow rate gradually decreases.

According to this, if the close-loop control (PID control) is performed to maintain the flow rate of the pump, the driving rate increases as the life of the pump approaches, so the life of the pump can be checked to predict the life of the pump. . In particular, in the present invention in which a plurality of pumps are applied to a pump pack form coupled to a manifold, the life of the pumps can be predicted for each pump. Furthermore, the present invention has an advantage in that the pumps can be individually replaced because the pumps are configured to be coupled to the manifold.

9 is a view showing the configuration of an inkjet printer to which an ink circulation pump system according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

The ink jet printer to which the ink circulation pump system of this embodiment is applied includes an inkjet head 100, a head storage section 200, a pressure control section 300, a buffer storage section 400, and an ink storage tank 500. do.

The inkjet head 100 is a part having a plurality of nozzles for discharging ink, and the inkjet printer including the ink circulation supply system of the present embodiment is configured for industrial use, and the inkjet head 100 and the storage unit 200 for head supply Is a separate configuration. Except that the inkjet head 100 and the head supply storage unit 200 are separated, the technical configuration of the inkjet head used in the prior art can be variously modified within a range that does not impair the features of the present invention.

The head supply storage unit 200 is a portion for storing ink inside the inkjet printer in order to provide ink to the inkjet head 100, and is connected to a pressure control unit 300 for maintaining a meniscus state. The head supply storage unit 200 may be applied without limitation to the technology of the head supply storage unit 200 that has been used in the prior art within a range that does not impair the features of the present invention. For example, a technique in which the space inside the head supply storage unit 200 is divided into two or more and ink is moved between these spaces only under specific conditions may be applied without limitation.

On the other hand, the connection structure for supplying ink between the inkjet head 100 and the head supply storage 200 is not particularly limited, but in the illustrated embodiment, the inkjet head 100 is maintained in a state in which dispersibility and homogeneity of the ink are maintained. ) To supply ink to the inkjet head 100 and the head supply storage unit 200, a configuration in which ink can circulate inside the printer was applied.

Supplying and circulating ink between the head supply storage unit 200 and the inkjet head 100 may be expressed as internal supply or local ink supply. A structure has been developed in which a regulator or a pressure regulator for maintaining a meniscus state in the internal supply structure of an inkjet printer is installed between the storage section for supplying the head and the circulation passages of the inkjet head. (Republic of Korea Patent Registration 10-1356643 , Republic of Korea Registered Patent 10-1430934) These are similar to the present invention in that they form a circulation passage between the head supply storage part and the inkjet head, and install a pump to circulate, but a regulator for maintaining a meniscus in the circulation passage And the pressure regulator is different from the present invention. In Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1356643 and Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1430934, since the device for maintaining a meniscus is connected to a circulation channel, the configuration of the device is relatively more complicated and the operation for maintaining the meniscus is very difficult. There is this. Furthermore, they are configured to operate when the ink is moved and not moved to the circulation passage, and since the device for maintaining the meniscus is installed in the circulation passage, the ink cannot be continuously circulated, and eventually the circulation of the ink The effect of improving the dispersibility by cannot be obtained.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the pressure control devices 300 separately connected to the head supply storage unit 200 are applied, and the pressure control devices previously used to maintain the meniscus in the inkjet printer are unchanged. It was made to be applicable.

Specifically, the supply passage 110 for supplying ink to the inkjet head 100 from the storage unit 200 for head supply and the recovery passage for returning the ink remaining in the inkjet head 100 to the storage unit 200 for head supply It is provided with 120, the ink circulation pump system 130 is installed in the recovery passage (120). At this time, it is important to configure the meniscus state of the inkjet head 100 not to be broken by pulsations generated in the process of operating the ink circulation pump system 130.

In the present invention, the ink circulation pump system may be configured such that a plurality of piezoelectric pumps are connected in series and parallel to each other by using a manifold. By continuously circulating ink between the storage unit 200 for head supply and the inkjet head 100 using a piezoelectric pump capable of obtaining a flow of fluid without excessive pulsation (shock), without affecting the meniscus condition It is possible to obtain a circulation of ink that can maintain the dispersibility of the ink. The piezoelectric pump has a pump that is too small, so a single pump does not get enough flow to maintain the ink dispersibility, but the manifolds described above can be used to connect multiple piezoelectric pumps in series and in parallel. By doing so, it was possible to construct such that sufficient lift and flow rate could be obtained. Furthermore, by monitoring the pulsation through the pulsation measurement device and collecting and analyzing the monitoring data from the data collection device, it is possible to prevent the meniscus state from being shaken by excessive pulsation. Furthermore, the condition of the pump can be monitored to predict the life of the pump or to generate notifications about when to replace it.

In addition, to form a bypass flow path 140 that does not pass through the ink circulation pump system 130, the flow path and the bypass flow path 140 in which the ink circulation pump system 130 is installed according to the operation of the direction switching valve 142 It is configured to be selectively open.

The bypass flow path 140 is a flow path through which ink can move without going through the ink circulation pump system 130, and the ink by the direction change valve 142 is a flow path or a bypass flow path in which the ink circulation pump system 130 is installed ( 140).

The ink circulation pump system includes a check valve for preventing backflow, and acts as an element that raises ink by generating suction pressure (vacuum) during the initial filling process.

In order for the inkjet printing to be accurately performed, the inkjet head 100, the supply passage 110, and the recovery passage 120 must be filled with ink. When using inkjet printer for the first time, injecting ink for the first time or removing all ink from the relevant area for management, etc., and then injecting new ink to restart, natural filling method naturally filled by gravity or external pressure By supplying it, a fast filling method, which is forcibly filled, is selectively performed. When performing natural filling by gravity, it is possible to reduce the generation of air bubbles in the inkjet head 100 and the flow path, and the generated air bubbles are moved and removed without being collected, and the air bubbles that are not removed are transferred to the ink circulation pump system 130. It is mostly removed by the ink circulation of the internal system.

In this embodiment, by forming the bypass flow path 140 separately, when performing natural filling by gravity, the ink is configured to move without passing through the ink circulation pump system 130.

Furthermore, by providing the bypass flow path 140, when the pump of the ink circulation pump system 130 is repaired or replaced, the ink in the inkjet head 100, the supply flow path 110, and the storage section 200 for head supply is removed. It has the effect of not having to.

The pressure control unit 300 controls the ink in the inkjet head 100 to maintain the meniscus state by adjusting the pressure of the storage unit 200 for supplying the head. The pressure control unit 300 can be applied without limitation to the technology of controlling the pressure of the inkjet printer within a range that does not impair the features of the present invention, as described above, the pressure control unit 300 is separately stored in the head supply storage unit 200 Since the connected general structure is applied, the pressure control devices conventionally used to maintain a meniscus in an inkjet printer can be applied without modification.

The buffer storage unit 400 is a component that temporarily stores ink before supplying ink to the storage unit 200 for supplying the head, and the storage unit for supplying the head directly from the ink storage tank 500 that stores a large amount of ink. When ink is supplied to the 200, it is applied to prevent the meniscus state from being broken in the inkjet head 100. The buffer storage 400 is generally installed inside the inkjet printer, but may be installed outside the inkjet printer depending on the structure of the printer.

In the prior art, the buffer storage unit 400 was used for the purpose of maintaining the meniscus state of the inkjet head 100, but in the illustrated embodiment, the fluidity and dispersibility of the ink together with the function for maintaining the meniscus state And functions to maintain homogeneity at the same time. To this end, the ink is circulated between the buffer storage unit 400 and the ink storage tank 500, and the separation between ink supply and circulation between the head supply storage unit 200 and the inkjet head 100 described above For this, it can be expressed as external supply or bulk ink supply.

The buffer storage unit 400 and the head supply storage unit 200 are connected to a first transport pipe 410 through which ink moves, and selectively of the buffer storage unit 400 according to the operation of the first valve 412. Ink is supplied to the storage unit 200 for head supply.

The ink storage tank 500 is configured to store a relatively large amount of ink and supply ink to the buffer storage unit 400. In general, industrial inkjet printers have a large amount of ink, so the inkjet head 100 and the head supply storage 200 are not only separated, but also can continuously supply ink to the head supply storage 200. A separate ink storage tank 500 is provided outside the inkjet printer.

In the illustrated embodiment, in order to maintain the meniscus state of the inkjet head 100, ink is supplied from the external ink storage tank 500 to the storage unit 200 for supplying the head through the buffer storage unit 400. Structure.

At this time, the buffer storage unit 400 and the ink storage tank 500 are connected to the second transport pipe 510 and the third transport pipe 520 through which ink moves, and are connected by one transport pipe to move only in one direction. Unlike conventional techniques that were possible, it is characterized in that ink can be continuously circulated between the buffer storage unit 400 and the ink storage tank 500.

Specifically, the second transport pipe 510 transports the ink from the ink storage tank 500 to the buffer storage unit 400, and the third transport pipe 520 includes the ink storage tank 500 in the buffer storage unit 400. Transport ink.

In order for the inkjet head 100 to operate in the inkjet printer, ink must be continuously supplied, but the process of supplying ink to the storage unit 200 for supplying the head to maintain the meniscus is performed intermittently or at a slow speed. Since it is performed, the buffer storage unit 400 and the ink storage tank 500 are in a state such that ink is stagnant for a long time. At this time, in the case of ink in which the contents are easily separated from each other or ink containing a particulate dispersion such as metal particles or quantum dot materials, separation may occur in stagnant ink, and the separated ink is supplied to the inkjet head 100 Due to the problem that printing cannot be performed smoothly.

The illustrated embodiment does not supply ink only in one direction from the ink storage tank 500 toward the buffer storage unit 400, and the ink storage tank in the buffer storage unit 400 through the third transport pipe 520 By transporting the ink to the 500 and circulating the ink, since the ink continuously moves, the dispersibility and homogeneity of the ink can be maintained. Specifically, even when ink is not additionally supplied to the buffer storage unit 400, the ink is sent to the buffer storage unit 400 through the second transport pipe 510 and the ink is stored again through the third transport pipe 520. It can be circulated in a manner that is returned to the tank 500. When the ink needs to be additionally supplied to the buffer storage unit 400, the transportation of ink through the third transportation pipe 520 is stopped, or the amount of ink moving through the second transportation pipe 510 is transferred to the third transportation pipe 520 ) Can be added to the buffer storage unit 400 while maintaining the circulation of the ink in such a way that it is controlled to be greater than the amount of ink moved through).

As a method of supplying ink from the external ink storage tank 500 to the buffer storage unit 400, both a method of pressurizing the ink storage tank 500 and a method of using a pump are possible. For control, a second valve 512 is installed in the second transport pipe 510 and a third valve 522 is installed in the third transport pipe 520.

At this time, a stirring device 420 for stirring the stored ink may be installed inside the buffer storage unit 400. As the stirring device, a typical rotary stirring device can be applied, and a magnetic stirring device that rotates by magnetic force can be applied. In general, it is difficult to maintain the dispersibility and homogeneity of the ink only with the stirring device 420, but the ink circulation system of this embodiment stirs because the ink continuously circulates between the buffer storage unit 400 and the ink storage tank 500 By adding the device 420, the dispersibility and homogeneity of the ink can be further increased. A general magnetic stirrer is used without a separate frame, and friction heat may be generated when a rotating stick rubs on the floor. In the illustrated embodiment, a fixed frame is installed in the stirring device, and both ends of the rotating shaft protruding upward and downward from the rotating stick are rotated while being inserted into the fixed frame, so that the rotating stick rotates stably at a fixed position, and is predetermined on the floor. By rotating in a spaced apart state, there is no problem caused by friction between the rotating stick and the floor.

Meanwhile, in the process of additionally supplying ink from the ink storage tank 500 to the buffer storage unit 400, a gas supply unit supplying clean dry air (CDA) or N ₂ to maintain the internal pressure of the ink storage tank 500 530 is connected to the ink storage tank 500, and the vent portion 430 for maintaining the internal pressure of the buffer storage portion 400 is connected to the buffer storage portion 400. The gas supply unit 530 and the vent unit 430 may be applied without limitation to the existing technologies, so a detailed description will be omitted.

The inkjet printer described above circulates ink in the process of internally supplying between the head supply storage unit 200 and the inkjet head 100, and externally supplying the ink from the buffer storage unit 400 and the ink storage tank 500. Since ink is also circulated in the ink, the ink is stored in a state in which the dispersibility and homogeneity are maintained in the ink storage tank 500 and the buffer storage part 400, and the dispersibility and homogeneity are maintained in the storage unit 200 for head supply Can supply.

And in the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the stirring device 220 is installed inside the storage unit 200 for head supply. A typical rotational stirring device may be applied to the stirring device, and particularly, a magnetic stirring device that rotates by magnetic force may be used, and the specific form is almost the same as the stirring device used for the buffer storage unit 420 described above. In order to maintain the dispersibility of the ink with only such a stirrer, excessive fluid (ink) rotation is required, which causes the meniscus state of the ink to be inhibited, and cannot be applied to current general inkjet printers. However, the ink circulation system of this embodiment has a structure that improves dispersibility through continuous circulation of ink to be described later, and the stirrer is a configuration added to such an ink circulation system, so that it does not affect the meniscus state. A sufficient effect can be obtained even by stirring.

According to the inkjet printer described above, the fluidity and dispersibility of the ink stored in the buffer storage part and the ink storage tank can be increased to supply the ink with fluidity and dispersibility maintained to the head supply storage part. In addition, the ink can be supplied to the inkjet head by maintaining the fluidity and dispersibility by circulating the ink between the head supply storage part and the inkjet head. The meniscus state can always be maintained through measurement and control.

When such an inkjet printer is applied, in the process of manufacturing a product using a quantum dot material having high utilization recently, an inkjet printing process that performs printing using an ink in which quantum dot materials are dispersed can be applied. Due to the characteristics of the inkjet printing process that can finally perform a precise process quickly, there is an excellent effect that the efficiency of the process of manufacturing a product using a quantum dot material is greatly improved.

10 is a view for explaining a specific form of installing a pump pack in the ink circulation pump system of the present invention.

As described above, one or more manifolds 1000 may be used to configure various connection structures, and a pump 2000 may be fastened to each manifold to form a package, which is a pump pack 3000 It is named as.

In using the pump pack 3000, the pump driving process is performed when the lower connecting hole and the upper connecting hole are inclined than when the lower connecting hole and the upper connecting hole of the manifold are arranged on a vertical line at a liquid level parallel to the ground surface. There are fewer micro bubbles generated in. It is preferable to install the line connecting the lower connecting hole and the upper connecting hole to be 25 ° to 90 ° with respect to the liquid level.

To this end, as shown, it is preferable to configure the pump pack 3000 in an inclined shape using a fixing member 1900 for incliningly fixing the manifold 1000.

11 is a view showing a state in which a plurality of pump packs are connected in parallel in another embodiment of the present invention.

As described above, the pump pack 3000 configured by fastening the pump to one or more manifolds is used in the ink circulation pump system. At this time, as shown, two or more pump packs 3000 are provided, and each pump pack 3000 is installed between the inkjet head 100 and the head supply storage unit 200 so as to be in parallel with each other. Can be.

Each pump pack 3000 is individually connected to a pump driver 4000 and uses one pump pack 3000 among a plurality of pump packs 3000 to store the inkjet head 100 and the head supply storage 200. Circulates the ink in between. When the pump pack 3000 in use becomes unusable due to a failure or a problem of life, the pump driver 4000 stops the use of the pump pack containing the failed or expired pump and controls to use another pump pack.

When a plurality of pump packs 3000 are connected in parallel, ink can be circulated through another pump pack not only when the pump does not operate due to a malfunction, but also when performing maintenance for one pump pack. This has the effect of eliminating the need to stop using the inkjet printer. The number of pump packs 3000 connected in parallel can be variously determined according to needs. At this time, the pump pack 3000 of the present invention is a configuration in which a plurality of pumps are fastened to the manifold, and instead of replacing the entire pump pack 3000, a failed or expired pump can be individually replaced.

The present invention has been described through preferred embodiments, but the above-described embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical spirit of the present invention, and various changes are possible within the scope of the present invention. Anyone with ordinary knowledge will understand. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention should be interpreted by the matters described in the claims, not by specific embodiments, and all technical ideas within the equivalent range should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention.

100: inkjet head
110: supply flow
120: recovery path
130: ink circulation pump system
140: bypass euro
142: directional valve
200: head supply storage
220: stirring device
300: pressure control unit
400: buffer storage
410: 1st transportation pipe
412: first valve
420: stirring device
430: vent section
500: ink storage tank
510: 2nd transportation pipe
512: second valve
520: 3rd transportation hall
522: third valve
530: gas supply
1000: Manifold
1100: upper connector
1200: lower connector
1300: Installation area
1400: bottom hole
1500: upper hole
1900: fixing member
2000: Pump
3000: Pump pack
4000: pump driver
5000: pulsation measuring device
6000: monitoring driver
7000: data collection device
8000: control

Claims (10)

A manifold to which a plurality of pumps are coupled,
Located on the lower surface, the lower connection hole through which ink flows in or out from the outside;
An upper connector located on an upper surface and operating opposite to the lower connector;
Located on the side, a plurality of installation areas where the pump is installed;
A lower hole formed in the installation area and connected to the pump, and connected to the lower connection hole through a pipe formed inside the manifold; And
A manifold characterized in that it comprises an upper hole formed in the installation area and connected to the pump, and connected to the upper connection hole through a tube formed inside the manifold.
The method according to claim 1,
The upper connecting hole is formed in the same number as the number of the installation area, a manifold characterized in that the plurality of upper holes and a plurality of upper connection holes formed in a plurality of installation areas are individually connected.
The method according to claim 1,
A manifold characterized in that the lower connecting hole is formed in the same number as the number of installation areas, and a plurality of lower holes and a plurality of lower connecting holes formed in a plurality of installation areas are individually connected.
The method according to claim 1,
The upper connecting hole is formed in the center of the upper surface of the manifold, the manifold, characterized in that the flow path extending from the upper hole into the manifold is arranged to deviate from the center of the manifold.
The method according to claim 1,
A manifold characterized in that the lower connecting hole is formed at the center of the lower surface of the manifold, and a flow path extending from the lower hole into the manifold is disposed outside the center of the manifold.
The method according to claim 4 or claim 5,
A manifold characterized in that the side where the installation area is formed has a predetermined angle with respect to the center of the manifold.
In an industrial inkjet printer including an ink jet head having a plurality of nozzles for discharging ink and a head supply storage portion that supplies ink to the ink jet head, an ink circulation pump for circulating ink between the ink jet head and the head supply storage portion As a system,
One or more manifold having a flow path therein, a plurality of pumps are coupled;
A plurality of pumps coupled to the manifold;
A pulsation measurement device installed at a predetermined distance from the pump and measuring pulsation in the flow of ink; And
It includes a control unit for controlling the pump and pulsation measurement device,
The manifold is an ink circulation pump system, characterized in that the manifold of claim 1.
The method according to claim 7,
A pump is coupled to one or more manifolds to form a pump pack,
The pump pack is an ink circulation pump system, characterized in that the line connecting the lower connecting hole and the upper connecting hole of the manifold is 25 ° to 90 ° with respect to the liquid level.
The method according to claim 7,
An ink circulation pump system comprising a pump coupled to one or more manifolds to form a pump pack, and a plurality of pump packs connected in parallel.
The method according to claim 7,
An ink circulation pump system, characterized in that close-loop control is performed on the pump and the driving rate of the pump is checked to predict the life of the pump.

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