EP0339770A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ink control supply assembly for an ink jet printer
Assignee: Videojet Technologies Inc
•
Filing: 1989-03-01
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2009-03-01
Abstract
Abstract In a single ink supply control assembly for an ink jet printer there is provided a pump (13), regulator valve/pulsation dampener (23), and interconnecting passageways. The regulator valve/pulsation dampener includes a flexible member (41) disposed in a chamber arranged between the fluid input and fluid output. The diaphragm flexes as a function of the pressure in the chamber to control the opening and closing of a bypass valve member (51) and, in addition, damps out both high and low frequency pulsations generated in the ink by the pump. When the pressure in the system increases beyond a predetermined limit the valve member (51) is opened to divert some of the fluid flow into a bypass passageway (11) until the pressure falls below the predetermined limit. The pressure limit in the system can be varied by adjusting the external pressure applied to the flexible member using an adjustment screw and compression spring.
Inventors
- 👤 George H. Dick
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 17:21
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/17; B41J2/175; B41J2/17596; F; F04; F04C; F04C15/00; F04C15/0042; F04C15/0049; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/2496; Y10T137/2559; Y10T137/2574; Y10T137/2605; Y10T137/2642; Y10T137/2645
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
An ink supply control assembly for an ink jet printer of the type having an ink reservoir (9) for supplying ink to one or more printer heads (36) comprising: (a) a body (3) having an inlet (5) for connection to said reservoir, a fluid passageway means (13,21,23,50) through said body, and an outlet (25) for connection to the or each printer head; (b) means (15,17) for pressurizing ink in the passageway means for drawing ink through said inlet and supplying it to said outlet; and (c) means (41,56) within said body for regulating the pressure of the ink and for dampening pulsations in the ink caused by said pressurizing means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
110 words
An ink supply control assembly for an ink jet printer of the type having an ink reservoir (9) for supplying ink to one or more printer heads (36) comprising: (a) a body (3) having an inlet (5) for connection to said reservoir, a fluid passageway means (13,21,23,50) through said body, and an outlet (25) for connection to the or each printer head; (b) means (15,17) for pressurizing ink in the passageway means for drawing ink through said inlet and supplying it to said outlet; and (c) means (41,56) within said body for regulating the pressure of the ink and for dampening pulsations in the ink caused by said pressurizing means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
72 words
An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said regulating and dampening means includes: a flexible member (41) adapted to contact the ink and displaceable as a function of ink pressure, and a valve means including a valve member (56) adapted to move with the flexible member (41) for diverting from the outlet (25) a variable portion of the ink flow thereby to regulate the pressure of the ink at the outlet (25).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
82 words
An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said regulating and dampening means includes: a flexible member (41) disposed within a chamber (23) in the fluid passageway means and displaceable as a function of the ink pressure in the chamber (23), and a valve means including a valve member (56) adapted to move with the flexible member (41) for diverting from the outlet (25) a variable portion of the ink flow thereby to regulate the pressure of the ink at said outlet (25).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
An assembly according to claim 2 or 3, further including a rigid plate (53) contacting said flexible member (41) over a first portion of its surface, a second portion (41b) of the flexible member being out of contact with said plate, whereby said first portion dampens low frequency pulsations and said second portion dampens high frequency pulsations in the ink.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
87 words
An assembly according to claim 2 or 3, further including a first biasing means (59) for maintaining said valve member (56) in contact with said flexible member (41), and a second biasing means (45) of variable force for providing pressure on the flexible member in opposition to the first biasing means and the ink pressure against the flexible member, whereby diverting of ink does not occur until the combined forces of the ink pressure and the first biasing means exceeds the force of the second biasing means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
63 words
An assembly according to claim 5, further including a rigid plate (53) contacting said flexible member (41) over a first portion of its surface, a second portion (41b) of the flexible member being out of contact with said plate, whereby said first portion and said second biasing means dampens low frequency pulsations and said second portion dampens high frequency pulsations in the ink.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
An assembly according to claim 5 or 6, further including means (51) for varying the force of the second biasing means (45) whereby the displacement of the flexible member (41) and the corresponding movement of the valve member (56) will vary to thereby divert greater or lesser portions of the ink flow.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
An assembly according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein said valve means further includes a bypass means (11) cooperating with said valve member (56) for communicating the diverted portion of ink to the pressurizing means (15,17).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, further including a means (31) for indicating the pressure of the ink at said outlet (25).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
An ink jet printer comprising an ink supply control assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, an ink reservoir (9) connected to said inlet (5) of said assembly, and at least one printer head (36) connected to said outlet (25) thereof.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.