摘要:
An inkjet printer has an inkjet printhead and an ink pressure regulator for regulating a hydrostatic pressure of ink supplied to the printhead. The regulator includes a bubble outlet positioned in a headspace of an ink chamber for bubbling air bubbles directly into the headspace at all operative ink levels. A capillary channel supplies ink from the chamber to the bubble outlet by capillary action and an air channel connects an air inlet with the bubble outlet. The bubble outlet is dimensioned to control a Laplace pressure of air bubbles drawn into the ink chamber as result of supplying ink to the printhead, thereby regulating a hydrostatic pressure of the ink.
摘要:
A method of regulating a hydrostatic pressure of ink supplied to an inkjet printhead is provided. The method comprises withdrawing a volume of ink from an ink chamber and simultaneously bubbling air bubbles into the chamber via a bubble outlet to balance the withdrawn volume of ink. Each air bubble is defined by an air cavity trapped inside a film or a body of ink. The bubble outlet is dimensioned to control a Laplace pressure of the air bubbles, thereby regulating a hydrostatic pressure of the ink.
摘要:
There is provided an ink pressure regulator for regulating a hydrostatic pressure of ink supplied to an inkjet printhead. The regulator comprises: an ink chamber having an ink outlet for fluid communication with the printhead via an ink line; an air inlet; a regulator channel having a first end communicating with the air inlet and a second end communicating with a headspace of the chamber, the second end defining a bubble outlet; and a wetting system for maintaining at least some liquid in the regulator channel, thereby ensuring that air entering the headspace first passes through the liquid. The regulator channel is dimensioned to control a Laplace pressure of air bubbles drawn from the bubble outlet as result of supplying ink to the printhead, thereby regulating a hydrostatic pressure of the ink.
摘要:
A printhead assembly suitable for printhead maintenance operations is provided. The printhead assembly comprises: (a) a printhead having an ink ejection face; (b) an ink supply system for supplying ink to the printhead; and (c) a foaming system for providing a liquid foam on the face.
摘要:
A printhead cartridge for an inkjet printer is removably receivable in the printer. The cartridge comprises: a pagewidth printhead, an ink delivery system and a maintenance station. The maintenance station comprises: a chassis reciprocally moveable between a first position and a second position, and a printhead maintenance system mounted on the chassis. The printhead maintenance system is moveable by the chassis between the first position in which the printhead is maintained by the maintenance system and the second position in which the maintenance system is disengaged from the printhead. The chassis comprises an engagement formation for complementary engagement with an engagement arm of an engagement mechanism in the printer. The chassis is moveable by means of the engagement mechanism.
摘要:
An inkjet printer that has a printhead with an array of ink ejection nozzles, an upstream ink line for connecting the printhead to an ink supply, a downstream ink line for connecting the printhead to a sump, a pump in the downstream ink line for drawing fluid out of the printhead, a gas inlet in communication with the printhead, the gas inlet being configured to open to atmosphere during a printhead de-priming operation, and close to atmosphere during a printhead priming operation and, an accumulator positioned in the upstream ink line for generating a positive pressure pulse for priming the printhead.
摘要:
An inkjet printer having a printhead maintenance assembly for maintaining a printhead in an operable condition. The maintenance assembly comprises a maintenance roller having an elastically-deformable non-absorbent contact surface for sealing engagement with an ink ejection face of the printhead. An engagement mechanism moves the roller between a first position in which the contact surface is sealingly engaged with the face and a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from the face.
摘要:
A printhead maintenance station for maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided. The maintenance station comprises a maintenance roller having an elastically deformable contact surface for sealing engagement with an ink ejection face of the printhead. The roller is rotatable and moveable between a first position in which the contact surface is sealingly engaged with the face and a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from face. An ink removal system removes ink from the contact surface when the maintenance roller is rotated.
摘要:
A printhead maintenance assembly for maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided. The maintenance assembly comprises: (a) a maintenance roller having an elastically deformable contact surface for sealing engagement with an ink ejection face of the printhead; (b) an engagement mechanism for moving the roller between a first position in which the contact surface is sealingly engaged with the face, and a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from the face; and (c) a cleaning mechanism for cleaning the contact surface. The cleaning mechanism comprises a motor for rotating the maintenance roller, and an ink removal system for removing ink from the contact surface when the maintenance roller is rotated.
摘要:
An inkjet printer with a printhead and a conduit connected to the printhead. The conduit defines a flow path for the printing fluid and has an internal cross section configured such that the surface tension of printing fluid within it favors gas bubble growth along the conduit length over radial bubble growth that would fully occlude the flow path.