公开(公告)号：US06547377B2

公开(公告)日：2003-04-15

申请号：US09758746

申请日：2001-01-11

申请人： Jeffrey L. Thielman ,  Rhonda L. Wilson ,  Mark A. DeVries ,  Norman E. Pawlowski, Jr.

发明人： Jeffrey L. Thielman ,  Rhonda L. Wilson ,  Mark A. DeVries ,  Norman E. Pawlowski, Jr.

IPC分类号： B41J2175

CPC分类号： B41J2/17556 ,  B41J2/17509 ,  B41J2/17523

摘要： Techniques for air management in an inkjet printing systems. A method includes providing an ink supply for holding a supply of liquid ink, the ink supply including high barriers to air diffusion, filling the ink supply with a quantity of liquid unsaturated ink, storing the filled ink supply for a storage time interval or until needed, installing the ink supply in an inkjet printing system including an inkjet printhead, supplying unsaturated ink from the ink supply to the inkjet printhead for printing, and allowing the unsaturated ink to absorb air introduced into the printing system, and ejecting droplets of the liquid ink from the printing system during the printing. A semipermanent inkjet printhead for the inkjet printing system includes a printhead body with an internal plenum, a pressure regulator for regulating pressure in the plenum, a nozzle array for ejecting droplets of ink, a fluid inlet mounted to the printhead body and coupled to the plenum for connection to an ink supply path for ink delivered from a replaceable ink supply, and a supply of unsaturated ink disposed in the plenum, the unsaturated ink having an air solubility level sufficient to absorb air introduced into the printhead.

公开(公告)号：US06467861B1

公开(公告)日：2002-10-22

申请号：US09574691

申请日：2000-05-17

申请人： Jeffrey L. Thielman ,  Rhonda L. Wilson ,  Paul Mark Haines ,  Mark A. DeVries

发明人： Jeffrey L. Thielman ,  Rhonda L. Wilson ,  Paul Mark Haines ,  Mark A. DeVries

IPC分类号： B41J2938

CPC分类号： B41J2/175

摘要： An inkjet printing system includes an ink container adapted to hold a supply of liquid ink therein and a printhead communicating with the supply of liquid ink via a flow path. A pressure sensor measures a pressure of liquid ink disposed in the flow path and a volume detector detects a volume of liquid ink delivered through the flow path. In addition, a leak indicator communicates with the pressure sensor and the volume detector, and indicates an ink container leak based on the pressure of liquid ink disposed in the flow path and the volume of liquid ink delivered through the flow path.

摘要翻译： 喷墨打印系统包括适于将液体油墨供应在其中的油墨容器和经由流路与液体油墨供给通信的打印头。 压力传感器测量设置在流路中的液体墨的压力，并且体积检测器检测通过流路输送的液体墨的体积。 此外，泄漏指示器与压力传感器和体积检测器通信，并且基于设置在流路中的液体墨的压力和通过流路输送的液体墨的体积来指示墨水容器泄漏。

公开(公告)号：US06454375B2

公开(公告)日：2002-09-24

申请号：US09888716

申请日：2001-06-25

申请人： Rhonda L. Wilson ,  Jeffrey L. Thielman

发明人： Rhonda L. Wilson ,  Jeffrey L. Thielman

IPC分类号： B41J2195

CPC分类号： B41J2/175

摘要： An apparatus and method for measuring an approximate volume of ink remaining in a flexible bag ink supply. A signal is generated from the pressure applied to an ink supply to force ink out of the bag and the pressure of ink expelled from that ink supply. A predictable relationship is disclosed that permits an approximate volume of remaining ink to be determined based on the differential pressure signal. The use of drop counting in combination with pressure measuring is also disclosed. The apparatus and method is also applicable to non-pressurized in supplies.

摘要翻译： 一种用于测量柔性袋墨水供应中剩余的墨水的大致体积的装置和方法。 从施加到墨水供应的压力产生信号，以迫使墨水从袋中榨出并从该墨水供给墨水排出的墨水压力。 公开了一种可预测的关系，其允许基于差压信号确定剩余墨水的大致体积。 还公开了使用液滴计数与压力测量的组合。 该设备和方法也适用于非加压供应。

公开(公告)号：US06431672B1

公开(公告)日：2002-08-13

申请号：US09798612

申请日：2001-03-01

申请人： Michael S. Ardito ,  Ray A. Walker ,  Jeffrey L. Thielman

发明人： Michael S. Ardito ,  Ray A. Walker ,  Jeffrey L. Thielman

IPC分类号： B41J2195

CPC分类号： B41J2/17513 ,  B41J2/17566 ,  B41J2002/17569

摘要： A replaceable ink container for providing ink to a printhead of a printing system. The ink container has a fluid outlet configured for connection with the printhead. The ink container includes an ink reservoir having a first capillary member having a first capillary pressure, and a second capillary member having a second capillary pressure that is greater than the first capillary pressure such that the second capillary member has a higher resistance to ink flow than the first capillary member. An ink level sensor senses a low ink condition of the ink reservoir. The ink level sensor includes a C-shaped tube having first and second ports that fluidically communicate with only the second capillary member. The first and second capillary members abut one another at a capillary member interface, and the first port is positioned immediately adjacent to this capillary member interface. Placement of the first port immediately adjacent to the capillary member interface minimizes the ink level variation between an ink drained portion of the second capillary member and an ink filled portion of the second capillary member. A light detector detects when the C-shaped tube is free of ink which defines the low ink condition of the ink reservoir.

摘要翻译： 一种用于向打印系统的打印头提供墨水的可更换墨盒。 墨水容器具有被配置为与打印头连接的流体出口。 墨水容器包括具有第一毛细管构件和第二毛细管构件的第二毛细管构件的第二毛细管构件，其具有大于第一毛细管压力的第二毛细管压力，使得第二毛细管构件具有比墨水流动更高的阻力， 第一毛细管构件。 墨水量传感器感测墨水储存器的墨水状况较差。 墨水量传感器包括具有仅与第二毛细管件流体连通的第一和第二端口的C形管。 第一和第二毛细管构件在毛细管构件界面处彼此邻接，并且第一端口定位成紧邻该毛细管构件界面。 靠近毛细管接口的第一端口的放置使得第二毛细管构件的排墨部分和第二毛细管构件的墨水填充部分之间的油墨水平变化最小化。 光检测器检测何时C形管没有墨水，这限定了墨水储存器的低墨水状态。