Control device for an ink jet printer

Abstract

Abstract A control device is proposed for the ink feed system of an ink jet printer (50), which ink feed system prevents the ink droplets from drying up and the nozzle aperture of the nozzle body (30) from becoming blocked and prevents dripping during normal switch-off periods as well as during short-term power failures (operational disturbances). The control device is essentially distinguished in that an advance valve (25), connected upstream of the nozzle body (30) in the ink advance line (26'), and a venting valve (13), connected downstream of the nozzle body in the venting line (12'), are in effective connection with one another in such a way that the kinetic energy in the nozzle body occurring in the column of ink when the ink feed system is switched off causes a negative pressure and a gaseous protective cushion (1) which is saturated with solvent from the ink fluid thereby arises in the front region of the nozzle body. <IMAGE>

Inventors

• 👤 Rudolf Pospichal
• 👤 Karl-Anton Stroppel

Bibliographic Details