US20040114010A1 - Solid phase change ink pre-melter assembly and a phase change ink image producing machine having same - Google Patents
Solid phase change ink pre-melter assembly and a phase change ink image producing machine having same Download PDFInfo
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- US20040114010A1 US20040114010A1 US10/320,853 US32085302A US2004114010A1 US 20040114010 A1 US20040114010 A1 US 20040114010A1 US 32085302 A US32085302 A US 32085302A US 2004114010 A1 US2004114010 A1 US 2004114010A1
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- phase change
- change ink
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- feeding
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- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 title claims abstract description 108
- 239000012071 phase Substances 0.000 title claims description 94
- 239000007790 solid phase Substances 0.000 title description 8
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 61
- 238000002844 melting Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 28
- 230000008018 melting Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 28
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 230000003750 conditioning effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- 230000002028 premature Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- 238000003384 imaging method Methods 0.000 claims description 11
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000007791 liquid phase Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000000976 ink Substances 0.000 description 88
- 239000000758 substrate Substances 0.000 description 15
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 9
- 239000008188 pellet Substances 0.000 description 5
- 230000000712 assembly Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000000429 assembly Methods 0.000 description 4
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000012546 transfer Methods 0.000 description 2
- 241000284466 Antarctothoa delta Species 0.000 description 1
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003086 colorant Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000013461 design Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000155 melt Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012545 processing Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
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
- B41J2/17593—Supplying ink in a solid state
Definitions
- This invention relates generally to image producing machines, and more particularly to a solid phase change ink pre-melter assembly and a phase change ink image producing machine or printer having same.
- phase change ink image producing machines or printers employ phase change inks that are in the solid phase at ambient temperature, but exist in the molten or melted liquid phase (and can be ejected as drops or jets) at the elevated operating temperature of the machine or printer.
- droplets or jets of the molten or liquid phase change ink are ejected from a printhead device of the printer onto a printing media.
- Such ejection can be directly onto a final image receiving substrate, or indirectly onto an imaging member before transfer from it to the final image receiving media.
- the ink droplets contact the surface of the printing media, they quickly solidify to create an image in the form of a predetermined pattern of solidified ink drops.
- phase change ink printing process includes raising the temperature of a solid form of the phase change ink so as to melt it and form a molten liquid phase change ink. It also includes applying droplets of the phase change ink in a liquid form onto an imaging surface in a pattern using a device such as an ink jet printhead. The process then includes solidifying the phase change ink droplets on the imaging surface, transferring them the image receiving substrate, and fixing the phase change ink to the substrate.
- the solid form of the phase change is a “stick”, “block”, “bar” or “pellet” as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,803 (rectangular block, cylindrical block); U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,339 (cylindrical block); U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,157 (hexagonal bar); U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,608 (tapered lock with a stepped configuration). Further examples of such solid forms are also disclosed in design patents such as U.S. D453,787 issued Feb. 19, 2002. In use, each such block form “stick”, “block”, “bar” or “pellet” is fed into a heated melting device that melts or phase changes the “stick”, “block”, “bar” or “pellet” directly into a print head reservoir for printing as described above.
- phase change ink image producing machines or printers are considered to be low throughput, typically producing at a rate of less than 30 prints per minute (PPM).
- PPM throughput rate
- the throughput rate (PPM) of each phase change ink image producing machine or printer employing solid phase change inks in such “stick”, “block”, “bar” or “pellet” forms is directly dependent on how quickly such a “stick”, “block”, “bar” or “pellet” form can be melted down into a liquid.
- the quality of the images produced depends on such a melting rate, and on the types and functions of other subsystems employed to treat and control the phase change ink as solid and liquid, the imaging member and its surface, the printheads, and the image receiving substrates.
- a pre-melter assembly for containing, conditioning and feeding solid pieces of phase change ink into a melter housing in a phase change ink image producing machine.
- the pre-melter assembly includes (a) a first portion having a first feeding apparatus and a first container for containing and feeding solid pieces of phase change ink. It also includes a second portion having a second container and a second feeding apparatus for containing and feeding solid pieces of phase change ink to a melter housing.
- the pre-melter assembly then includes a cooling device mounted in heat exchange relationship with the second feeding apparatus for maintaining a temperature Tw of the solid pieces of phase change ink below a melting point temperature Tm of the solid pieces of phase change ink, thereby preventing premature melting of the solid pieces of phase change ink before the solid pieces reach the melter housing.
- FIG. 1 is a vertical schematic of the high-speed phase change ink image producing machine or printer including the solid phase change ink pre-melter assembly of the present invention
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a melting and control system including the solid phase change ink pre-melter assembly of the present invention.
- FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the components of the solid phase change ink pre-melter assembly in accordance with the present invention.
- the high-speed phase change ink image producing machine or printer 10 also includes a phase change ink system 20 that has at least one source 22 of one color phase change ink in solid form. Since the phase change ink image producing machine or printer 10 is a multicolor image producing machine, the ink system 20 includes for example four (4) sources 22 , 24 , 26 , 28 , representing four (4) different colors CYMK (cyan, yellow, magenta, black) of phase change inks.
- the phase change ink system 20 also includes a phase change ink melting and control assembly 100 (FIG. 2), for melting or phase changing the solid form of the phase change ink into a liquid form.
- phase change ink melting and control assembly 100 controls and supplies the molten liquid form of the ink towards a printhead system 30 including at least one printhead assembly 32 .
- the printhead system includes for example four (4) separate printhead assemblies 32 , 34 , 36 and 38 as shown.
- image data for an image to be produced is sent to the controller 80 from either the scanning system 76 or via the online or work station connection 90 for processing and output to the printhead assemblies 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 .
- the controller determines and/or accepts related subsystem and component controls, for example from operator inputs via the user interface 86 , and accordingly executes such controls.
- appropriate color solid forms of phase change ink are melted and delivered to the printhead assemblies.
- pixel placement control is exercised relative to the imaging surface 14 thus forming desired images per such image data, and receiving substrates are supplied by anyone of the sources 42 , 44 , 46 , 48 and handled by means 50 in timed registration with image formation on the surface 14 .
- the image is transferred within the transfer nip 92 , from the surface 14 onto the receiving substrate for subsequent fusing at fusing device 60 .
- phase change ink melting and control assembly 100 that is connected to the ink system 20 is illustrated.
- the phase change ink melting and control assembly 100 includes a melter assembly 300 for melting or phase changing solid pieces of phase change ink to form molten liquid ink. It also includes a molten liquid ink storage and supply assembly 400 that is located below a melter housing 302 of the melter assembly 300 .
- the phase change ink melting and control assembly 100 then includes the pre-melter assembly 200 of the present invention for controllably containing, conditioning and feeding solid pieces of phase change ink from the solid ink sources 22 , 24 , 26 , 28 of the ink system 20 .
- the pre-melter assembly 200 includes (a) a first portion 201 having a first feeding apparatus 202 and a first container 204 for containing and feeding solid pieces of phase change ink. It also includes a second portion 205 having a second container 207 and a second feeding apparatus 206 for containing and feeding solid pieces of phase change ink to the melter housing 302 .
- the pre-melter assembly 200 then includes a cooling device 210 mounted in heat exchange relationship with the second feeding apparatus 206 for maintaining a temperature Tw of the solid pieces of phase change ink below a melting point temperature Tm of the solid pieces of phase change ink, thereby preventing premature melting of the solid pieces of phase change ink before the solid pieces reach the melter housing 302 .
- the first feeding apparatus 202 comprises 4 tubes 202 A, 202 B, 202 C, 202 D, one for each color CYMK of ink
- the second feeding apparatus 206 comprises 4 thermally conductive pipes 206 A, 206 B, 206 C, 206 D, one for each color CYMK of ink.
- the cooling device 210 is a heat sink or heat exchanger.
- Each of the 4 thermally conductive pipes 206 A, 206 B, 206 C, 206 D is made for example of aluminum.
- the heat sink or heat exchanger 210 ensures that the solid ink pieces of phase change ink do not pre-maturely melt in the second feeding apparatus 206 , by keeping the surface temperature Tw of the solid ink pieces at about 60° C.
- the first container 204 is a stationary basket that is mounted to a portion of the frame 105 of the machine 10 .
- a flapper door 212 that closes or shuts the first feeding apparatus 202 when a drawer 214 containing the rest of the ink storage and control assembly 100 is pulled out and separated from the first portion 201 .
- This flapper door 212 prevents the solid ink pieces from falling out into the bottom of the machine.
- the flapper door 212 opens again when the drawer 214 is pushed back into place.
- the stationary upper basket 204 mounts to the frame 105 and stays behind as the drawer 214 is opened.
- the lower container or basket 207 is mounted in the drawer 214 with the rest of the phase change ink melting and control assembly 100 .
- a pre-melter assembly for containing, conditioning and feeding solid pieces of phase change ink into a melter housing in a phase change ink image producing machine.
- the pre-melter assembly includes (a) a first portion having a first feeding apparatus and a first container for containing and feeding solid pieces of phase change ink. It also includes a second portion having a second container and a second feeding apparatus for containing and feeding solid pieces of phase change ink to a melter housing.
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- Ink Jet (AREA)
- Particle Formation And Scattering Control In Inkjet Printers (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. ______ (Applicants' Docket NO. D/A2366) entitled “SOLID PHASE CHANGE INK MELTER ASSEMBLY AND PHASE CHANGE INK IMAGE PRODUCING MACHINE HAVING SAME”; and U.S. application Ser. No. ______ (Applicants' Docket NO. D/A2366Q) entitled “PHASE CHANGE INK MELTING AND CONTROL APPARATUS AND METHOD AND A PHASE CHANGE INK IMAGE PRODUCING MACHINE HAVING SAME”; and U.S. application Ser. No. ______ (Applicants' Docket NO. D/A2538) entitled “HIGH SHEAR BALL CHECK VALVE DEVICE AND A LIQUID INK IMAGE PRODUCING MACHINE USING SAME”, each of which is being filed herewith on the same day and having at least one common inventor.
- This invention relates generally to image producing machines, and more particularly to a solid phase change ink pre-melter assembly and a phase change ink image producing machine or printer having same.
- In general, phase change ink image producing machines or printers employ phase change inks that are in the solid phase at ambient temperature, but exist in the molten or melted liquid phase (and can be ejected as drops or jets) at the elevated operating temperature of the machine or printer. At such an elevated operating temperature, droplets or jets of the molten or liquid phase change ink are ejected from a printhead device of the printer onto a printing media. Such ejection can be directly onto a final image receiving substrate, or indirectly onto an imaging member before transfer from it to the final image receiving media. In any case, when the ink droplets contact the surface of the printing media, they quickly solidify to create an image in the form of a predetermined pattern of solidified ink drops.
- An example of such a phase change ink image producing machine or printer, and the process for producing images therewith onto image receiving sheets is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,852 issued Dec. 13, 1994 to Titterington et al. As disclosed therein, the phase change ink printing process includes raising the temperature of a solid form of the phase change ink so as to melt it and form a molten liquid phase change ink. It also includes applying droplets of the phase change ink in a liquid form onto an imaging surface in a pattern using a device such as an ink jet printhead. The process then includes solidifying the phase change ink droplets on the imaging surface, transferring them the image receiving substrate, and fixing the phase change ink to the substrate.
- Conventionally, the solid form of the phase change is a “stick”, “block”, “bar” or “pellet” as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,803 (rectangular block, cylindrical block); U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,339 (cylindrical block); U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,157 (hexagonal bar); U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,608 (tapered lock with a stepped configuration). Further examples of such solid forms are also disclosed in design patents such as U.S. D453,787 issued Feb. 19, 2002. In use, each such block form “stick”, “block”, “bar” or “pellet” is fed into a heated melting device that melts or phase changes the “stick“, “block”, “bar” or “pellet” directly into a print head reservoir for printing as described above.
- Conventionally, phase change ink image producing machines or printers, particularly color image producing such machines or printers, are considered to be low throughput, typically producing at a rate of less than 30 prints per minute (PPM). The throughput rate (PPM) of each phase change ink image producing machine or printer employing solid phase change inks in such “stick”, “block”, “bar” or “pellet” forms is directly dependent on how quickly such a “stick”, “block”, “bar” or “pellet” form can be melted down into a liquid. The quality of the images produced depends on such a melting rate, and on the types and functions of other subsystems employed to treat and control the phase change ink as solid and liquid, the imaging member and its surface, the printheads, and the image receiving substrates.
- There is therefore a need for a relatively high-speed (greater than “XX” PPM) phase change ink image producing machine or printer that is also capable of producing relatively high quality images, particularly color images on plain paper substrates.
- In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a pre-melter assembly for containing, conditioning and feeding solid pieces of phase change ink into a melter housing in a phase change ink image producing machine. The pre-melter assembly includes (a) a first portion having a first feeding apparatus and a first container for containing and feeding solid pieces of phase change ink. It also includes a second portion having a second container and a second feeding apparatus for containing and feeding solid pieces of phase change ink to a melter housing. The pre-melter assembly then includes a cooling device mounted in heat exchange relationship with the second feeding apparatus for maintaining a temperature Tw of the solid pieces of phase change ink below a melting point temperature Tm of the solid pieces of phase change ink, thereby preventing premature melting of the solid pieces of phase change ink before the solid pieces reach the melter housing.
- In the detailed description of the invention presented below, reference is made to the drawings, in which:
- FIG. 1 is a vertical schematic of the high-speed phase change ink image producing machine or printer including the solid phase change ink pre-melter assembly of the present invention;
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a melting and control system including the solid phase change ink pre-melter assembly of the present invention; and
- FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the components of the solid phase change ink pre-melter assembly in accordance with the present invention.
- While the present invention will be described in connection with a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
- Referring now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated an image producing machine, such as the high-speed phase change ink image producing machine or
printer 10 of the present invention. As illustrated, themachine 10 includes aframe 11 to which are mounted directly or indirectly all its operating subsystems and components, as will be described below. To start, the high-speed phase change ink image producing machine orprinter 10 includes animaging member 12 that is shown in the form of a drum, but can equally be in the form of a supported endless belt. Theimaging member 12 has animaging surface 14 that is movable in thedirection 16, and on which phase change ink images are formed. - The high-speed phase change ink image producing machine or
printer 10 also includes a phasechange ink system 20 that has at least onesource 22 of one color phase change ink in solid form. Since the phase change ink image producing machine orprinter 10 is a multicolor image producing machine, theink system 20 includes for example four (4)sources change ink system 20 also includes a phase change ink melting and control assembly 100 (FIG. 2), for melting or phase changing the solid form of the phase change ink into a liquid form. Thereafter, the phase change ink melting andcontrol assembly 100 then controls and supplies the molten liquid form of the ink towards aprinthead system 30 including at least oneprinthead assembly 32. Since the phase change ink image producing machine orprinter 10 is a high-speed, or high throughput, multicolor image producing machine, the printhead system includes for example four (4)separate printhead assemblies - As further shown, the phase change ink image producing machine or
printer 10 includes a substrate supply andhandling system 40. The substrate supply andhandling system 40 for example may includesubstrate supply sources supply source 48 for example is a high capacity paper supply or feeder for storing and supplying image receiving substrates in the form of cut sheets for example. The substrate supply andhandling system 40 in any case includes a substrate handling andtreatment system 50 that has a substrate pre-heater 52, substrate andimage heater 54, and afusing device 60. The phase change ink image producing machine orprinter 10 as shown may also include anoriginal document feeder 70 that has adocument holding tray 72, document sheet feeding andretrieval devices 74, and a document exposure andscanning system 76. - Operation and control of the various subsystems, components and functions of the machine or
printer 10 are performed with the aid of a controller or electronic subsystem (ESS) 80. The ESS orcontroller 80 for example is a self-contained, dedicated mini-computer having a central processor unit (CPU) 82,electronic storage 84, and a display or user interface (UI) 86. The ESS orcontroller 80 for example includes sensor input and control means 88 as well as a pixel placement and control means 89. In addition theCPU 82 reads, captures, prepares and manages the image data flow between image input sources such as thescanning system 76, or an online or awork station connection 90, and the printhead assemblies 32, 34, 36, 38. As such, the ESS orcontroller 80 is the main multi-tasking processor for operating and controlling all of the other machine subsystems and functions, including the machine's printing operations. - In operation, image data for an image to be produced is sent to the
controller 80 from either thescanning system 76 or via the online orwork station connection 90 for processing and output to theprinthead assemblies user interface 86, and accordingly executes such controls. As a result, appropriate color solid forms of phase change ink are melted and delivered to the printhead assemblies. Additionally, pixel placement control is exercised relative to theimaging surface 14 thus forming desired images per such image data, and receiving substrates are supplied by anyone of thesources means 50 in timed registration with image formation on thesurface 14. Finally, the image is transferred within the transfer nip 92, from thesurface 14 onto the receiving substrate for subsequent fusing at fusingdevice 60. - Referring now to FIGS.2-3, a phase change ink melting and
control assembly 100 that is connected to theink system 20 is illustrated. As shown, the phase change ink melting andcontrol assembly 100 includes amelter assembly 300 for melting or phase changing solid pieces of phase change ink to form molten liquid ink. It also includes a molten liquid ink storage andsupply assembly 400 that is located below a melter housing 302 of themelter assembly 300. The phase change ink melting andcontrol assembly 100 then includes thepre-melter assembly 200 of the present invention for controllably containing, conditioning and feeding solid pieces of phase change ink from thesolid ink sources ink system 20. - As further illustrated, the
pre-melter assembly 200 includes (a) afirst portion 201 having afirst feeding apparatus 202 and afirst container 204 for containing and feeding solid pieces of phase change ink. It also includes asecond portion 205 having asecond container 207 and asecond feeding apparatus 206 for containing and feeding solid pieces of phase change ink to the melter housing 302. Thepre-melter assembly 200 then includes acooling device 210 mounted in heat exchange relationship with thesecond feeding apparatus 206 for maintaining a temperature Tw of the solid pieces of phase change ink below a melting point temperature Tm of the solid pieces of phase change ink, thereby preventing premature melting of the solid pieces of phase change ink before the solid pieces reach the melter housing 302. - The
first feeding apparatus 202 comprises 4tubes second feeding apparatus 206 comprises 4 thermallyconductive pipes cooling device 210 is a heat sink or heat exchanger. Each of the 4 thermallyconductive pipes heat exchanger 210 ensures that the solid ink pieces of phase change ink do not pre-maturely melt in thesecond feeding apparatus 206, by keeping the surface temperature Tw of the solid ink pieces at about 60° C. for example, which is below their melting temperature Tm of 110° C. Themelter assembly 300, as well as the molten liquid ink storage andcontrol assembly 400, which are all located below thepre-melter assembly 200, generate and convect heat vertically at 120° C. for example, and directly up to the aluminumthermal pipes heat exchanger 210 is therefore very necessary. - The
first container 204 is a stationary basket that is mounted to a portion of theframe 105 of themachine 10. At the bottom of the stationary orupper basket 204, there is aflapper door 212 that closes or shuts thefirst feeding apparatus 202 when adrawer 214 containing the rest of the ink storage andcontrol assembly 100 is pulled out and separated from thefirst portion 201. Thisflapper door 212 prevents the solid ink pieces from falling out into the bottom of the machine. Theflapper door 212 opens again when thedrawer 214 is pushed back into place. The stationaryupper basket 204 mounts to theframe 105 and stays behind as thedrawer 214 is opened. The lower container orbasket 207 is mounted in thedrawer 214 with the rest of the phase change ink melting andcontrol assembly 100. - The
heat sink 210 has a perimeter of about 100 inches of fin length and about 100 square inches of fin area for providing enough cooling (about 65° C. delta T) to keep the solid ink pieces from pre-melting in the feed hole orpipes pipes heat sink 210 is thus designed to keep such contact surfaces below 60° C. The heat convection from the subassemblies below itself produces a temperature of 115° C. at steady state. The thermal impedance of theheat sink 210 is 1.28 C/watt. - As can be seen, there has been provided a pre-melter assembly for containing, conditioning and feeding solid pieces of phase change ink into a melter housing in a phase change ink image producing machine. The pre-melter assembly includes (a) a first portion having a first feeding apparatus and a first container for containing and feeding solid pieces of phase change ink. It also includes a second portion having a second container and a second feeding apparatus for containing and feeding solid pieces of phase change ink to a melter housing. The pre-melter assembly then includes a cooling device mounted in heat exchange relationship with the second feeding apparatus for maintaining a temperature Tw of the solid pieces of phase change ink below a melting point temperature Tm of the solid pieces of phase change ink, thereby preventing premature melting of the solid pieces of phase change ink before the solid pieces reach the melter housing.
- While the embodiment of the present invention disclosed herein is preferred, it will be appreciated from this teaching that various alternative, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be made by those skilled in the art, which are intended to be encompassed by the following claims:
Claims (20)
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US10/320,853 US6746113B1 (en) | 2002-12-16 | 2002-12-16 | Solid phase change ink pre-melter assembly and a phase change ink image producing machine having same |
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