EP0705700B1 - Multiple chimneys for inkjet printer - Google Patents
Multiple chimneys for inkjet printer Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0705700B1 EP0705700B1 EP19950306652 EP95306652A EP0705700B1 EP 0705700 B1 EP0705700 B1 EP 0705700B1 EP 19950306652 EP19950306652 EP 19950306652 EP 95306652 A EP95306652 A EP 95306652A EP 0705700 B1 EP0705700 B1 EP 0705700B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- printheads
- ink
- chimneys
- reservoir
- printing mechanism
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
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
- B41J2/135—Nozzles
- B41J2/165—Preventing or detecting of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
- B41J2/16505—Caps, spittoons or covers for cleaning or preventing drying out
- B41J2/16508—Caps, spittoons or covers for cleaning or preventing drying out connected with the printer frame
Definitions
- This invention relates to inkjet printing mechanisms, and more particularly, to mechanisms for controlling inkjet aerosol in ink-jet printers, plotters, scanners, facsimile machines, and the like.
- An inkjet printing mechanism is a type of non-impact printing device which forms characters and other images by controllably spraying drops of ink from a printhead.
- Inkjet printing mechanisms may be employed in a variety of devices, such as printers, plotters, scanners, facsimile machines, and the like. For convenience, inkjet printers are used herein to illustrate the concepts of the present invention.
- the printhead ejects ink through multiple nozzles in the form of drops which travel across a small air gap and land on a recording media. Different nozzles are employed for different colors. The drops are very small. Inkjet printers commonly print within a range of 180 to 600 dots per inch (dpi). The ink drops dry on the recording media shortly after deposition to form the desired printed images.
- dpi dots per inch
- inkjet printheads there are various types of inkjet printheads including, for example, thermal inkjet printheads and piezoelectric inkjet printheads.
- thermal inkjet printhead ink droplets are ejected from individual nozzles by localized heating.
- a small heating element is disposed at individual nozzles.
- An electrical current is passed through the element to heat it up. This causes a tiny volume of ink to be rapidly heated and vaporized by the heating element. Once vaporized, the ink is ejected through the nozzle.
- a driver circuit is coupled to individual heating elements to provide the energy pulses and thereby controllably deposit ink drops from associated individual nozzles.
- Such drivers are responsive to character generators and other image forming circuitry to energize selected nozzles of the printhead for forming desired images on the recording media.
- an inkjet printing mechanism which comprises a plurality of inkjet printheads, a carriage that carries the printheads, and a service station for cleaning nozzles of the printheads.
- the service station comprises a main body which drains ink from the printheads and a reservoir for collecting ink which has fallen from the main body.
- EP-A-0705699 which is copending and has the same filing and publication dates as the present one, discloses (see Fig. 6) multiple venturi passageways for multiple printheads. The venturi passageways lead into a common reservoir. The invention of the instant Application is related to this feature.
- a unique reservoir assembly for use in an inkjet printing mechanism.
- the reservoir assembly includes a plurality of chimneys which collect ink droplets ejected by inkjet nozzles during a servicing mode. Different nozzles deposit droplets in different chimneys.
- the chimneys channel waste ink to one or more collection areas which collect the waste ink.
- one chimney receives black ink, and another chimney receives color ink.
- absorbent material such as an absorbent pad
- absorbent material is provided in the collection area or areas and absorbs ink deposited therein.
- the chimneys channel the waste ink to a collection area that is larger in volume than a collection area that could be employed if the chimneys were omitted and ink was deposited from the nozzles directly into the collection area.
- two chimneys lead to a single reservoir where ink from the separate chimneys mix together.
- the reservoir contains an absorbent pad, and ink from the separate chimneys mix together on the pad, which mixing results in the formation of a precipitate at a location between the chimneys. Because the precipitate forms laterally between the chimneys, it is far enough away from each chimney that clogging of the chimneys is avoided.
- Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical side view of one form of an inkjet printing mechanism according to this invention.
- Fig. 1 shows a movable carriage, holding a printhead, and a reservoir assembly including two chimneys for receiving ink during a servicing mode.
- Fig. 2 is a top view of the reservoir assembly of Fig. 1, showing a flow path of ink received from the printhead into one of the chimneys.
- Fig. 3 is a top view of the reservoir assembly of Fig. 1, showing a flow path of ink received from the printhead into the other of the chimneys.
- Fig. 4 is a cut away side elevational view of the reservoir assembly of Fig. 1.
- an inkjet printing mechanism has one or more inkjet printheads which controllably deposit drops of ink in prescribed patterns onto a recording media.
- recording media includes all forms of printable matter including, for example, continuous paper, sheet stock paper, adhesive backed labels, mylar, and the like.
- a typical inkjet printhead has multiple nozzles (e.g., 50 nozzles), such as that described in U.S. Patent No. 5,278,584 by Keefe et al.
- Fig. 1 shows one embodiment of a shuttle-type inkjet printing mechanism 10 constructed according to this invention.
- Printing mechanism 10 includes a platen 12, a shuttle assembly 14, and a service station 16.
- Platen 12 supports a recording media 18 during printing.
- the platen can be stationary, or rotatable to assist in advancing the media through the printing mechanism.
- a media feed mechanism (not shown), such as conventional friction rollers or a tractor feed system, may be used to drive the media through the printing mechanism along a media feed path.
- Printing mechanism 10 has a predefined print zone which is represented by dashed boundary lines 20.
- the print zone coincides at least partially with the media feed path so that the recording media is fed through the print zone.
- An example print zone is defined as an area within which each of the multiple printheads can print across the entire width of the recording media.
- Shuttle assembly 14 includes a carriage 22 slidably mounted on a fixed, elongated guide rod 24 to move bidirectionally across platen 12.
- carriage 22 is designed to maneuver over the full width of the platen, thereby entirely traversing print zone 20, as well as moving to service station 16 outside of the print zone. It is noted, however, that the service station may be located within or under the print zone.
- Shuttle assembly 14 includes a drive subassembly (not shown) that is mechanically coupled to drive carriage 22 back and forth along guide rod 24.
- a typical drive subassembly includes a wire or belt attached to carriage 22 and wound around opposing pulleys, and a motor (e.g., a stepper motor or DC motor) connected to power one of the pulleys.
- a rotary or linear encoder is often coupled to the motor drive shaft to monitor incremental shaft rotation and provide feedback data for use in positioning and controlling the carriage, although some printers can be embodied without an encoder.
- the shuttle assembly 14 described herein is provided for explanation purposes and its construction is well known in the art. Other types of shuttle assembly configurations may alternatively be employed.
- Carriage 22 supports and carries two printheads 26a and 26b which are preferably embodied as replaceable, disposable print cartridges or pens.
- Printheads 26a and 26b are mounted to carriage 22 so that their nozzle sections 28a and 28b are adjacent to, but spaced from, platen 12 to permit passage of the recording media therebetween.
- the carriage 22 moves the printhead back and forth through print zone 20 in horizontal swaths along a scan axis.
- printhead 26a is a multi-color pen which deposits multiple colors, such as Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow.
- An example multi-color printhead is sold by Hewlett-Packard under part number 51625A.
- printhead 26b is a monochrome pen which deposits black ink.
- Carriage 22 is illustrated as moving printheads 26a and 26b out of print zone 20 to service station 16 where the printheads are serviced.
- Service station 16 is preferably located adjacent to platen 12 and outside of print zone 20, although it may alternatively be located within or under the print zone.
- the printheads 26a and 26b are moved to the service station during initialization procedures and then intermittently during printing.
- the printheads 26a and 26b undergo various servicing processes at the service station including "spitting" where the printheads 26a and 26b fire multiple ink droplets to clear the nozzles and orifices of any ink build-up or debris.
- Service station 16 has a reservoir assembly 30 for receiving the ink droplets ejected from the printhead 26 during the servicing mode.
- Reservoir assembly 30 includes a reservoir 32 to collect the ink droplets, and includes side by side chimneys 34 and 36 positioned intermediate of the printheads 26a and 26b and reservoir 32 to guide the ink droplets from the printheads into the reservoir 32.
- a common wall separates the chimneys 34 and 36.
- the chimneys 34 and 36 extend vertically and carry the ink droplets vertically downwardly in the direction shown in Figs. 2 and 3 by the arrows.
- the chimneys 34 and 36 have generally rectangular cross sections, although other shapes are possible.
- nozzle sections 28a and 28b of printheads 26a and 26b are adjacent to, but spaced slightly above, chimneys 34 and 36 when the printheads are positioned above the reservoir assembly 30.
- the printhead nozzle sections 28a and 28b are spaced from the top of the chimneys 34 and 36 by a distance of approximately 0.5 to 2 mm.
- the printheads 26a and 26b are fired many times (perhaps hundreds or thousands of times) to clear the nozzles and orifices of any ink build-up or debris.
- the printheads 26a and 26b can be fired either simultaneously or at separate times.
- the ink droplets exit the printheads 26a and 26b at a comparatively high velocity into the chimneys 34 or 36.
- the ink droplets entrain the surrounding air to create an air flow into the reservoir.
- the chimney 34 has two lower openings 38 and 40, and ink travelling down chimney 34 diverges (Fig. 3) at these openings 38 and 40 to travel to areas 42 and 44 at the bottom of the reservoir 32.
- the chimney 36 has a single lower opening 46 (Fig. 2), and ink travelling down chimney 36 travels to area 48 at the bottom of the reservoir 32.
- printhead 26a deposits droplets into chimney 34
- printhead 26b deposits droplets into chimney 36.
- the chimneys 34 and 36 channel waste ink from the different printheads 26a and 26b to different collection areas 42 and 44, and 48 of the common reservoir 32.
- absorbent material such as an absorbent pad 50, is provided at the bottom of the reservoir 32 and collects ink deposited to the areas 42, 44, and 46.
- one chimney receives black ink
- another chimney receives color ink.
- the printhead 26a is a color printhead and fires ink into chimney 34
- the printhead 26b is a black printhead and fires ink into chimney 36.
- a precipitate forms when the black ink meets the color ink on the pad 50. This is how the latest inks prevent mixing when color contacts black.
- the black ink has a charged polymer attached to black pigment to make it dispersible.
- the color ink contains dissolved metallic ions of the opposite charge. When the color ink meets the black ink, the black polymer charge is neutralized and a solid precipitates out of solution.
- the precipitate forms a natural barrier between the area 48 and the area 44; and between the area 48 and the area 42.
- short vertical barriers 54 are also provided to separate these areas at least for a predetermined horizontal distance from the chimneys.
- separate chimneys are provided for receiving the different color inks.
- tumbler assembly 52 which is located above the areas 42, 44, and 48 of the reservoir 32.
- the tumbler assembly performs such processes as: “wiping” where wipers physically wipe the respective nozzle sections of the printheads 26a and 26b to clean them; "priming” where a pressure gradient is created within the ink conduits of the printhead 26 to prepare the ink stream for continuous flow into the ejecting heating element or to forcibly remove trapped air bubbles and other debris; and “capping" to prevent ink in the printheads 26a and 26b from drying out.
- the tumbler assembly 52 includes structure for performing the "wiping", “priming", and “capping".
- the tumbler assembly 52 and reservoir assembly 30 are a modular unit that can be replaced as a unit if any subcomponent of the tumbler assembly 52 or reservoir assembly 30 fails.
- the reservoir 32 is designed to accommodate ink for the lifetime of the printing mechanism 10, and should not need emptying.
- the reservoir assembly of this invention is advantageous because it provides an efficient and effective technique for controlling inkjet aerosol. Additionally, precipitates which tend to cause clogging and shorten the life of reservoirs can be kept away from the chimneys.
Description
Claims (8)
- An inkjet printing mechanism, comprising:a plurality of inkjet printheads (26a, 26b) which each controllably eject multiple ink droplets;a carriage (22) that carries the printheads through a print zone to a service station (16) where at least one of the printheads (26a, 26b) controllably ejects ink droplets during a servicing mode;a reservoir (32) located at the service station (16) to collect the ejected ink droplets; anda plurality of chimneys (34, 36) positioned adjacent to the reservoir (32), different ones of the chimneys (34, 36) receiving and guiding ink droplets ejected from different ones of the printheads (26a, 26b);
wherein the chimneys (34, 36) guide the ink droplets ejected from the different printheads (26a, 26b) to different areas (42, 44, 48) of the reservoir (32). - An inkjet printing mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the printheads (26a, 26b) are moveable together, and are positionable adjacent the chimneys (34, 36) such that when a first one (26a) of the printheads (26a, 26b) is adjacent a first one (34) of the chimneys (34, 36) where the first chimney (34) can receive ink droplets ejected from the first printhead (26a), a second (26b) of the printheads (26a, 26b) is adjacent a second (36) of the chimneys (34, 36) where the second chimney (36) can receive ink droplets ejected from the second printhead (26b).
- An inkjet printing mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the number of chimneys (34, 36) is equal to the number of printheads (26a, 26b).
- An inkjet printing mechanism according to claim 3 wherein respective chimneys (34, 36) are aligned with respective printheads (26a, 26b) when the printheads (26a, 26b) eject ink droplets during the servicing mode.
- An inkjet printing mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the chimneys (34, 36) each have a horizonal cross-sectional area, and wherein the reservoir (32) has a horizontal area that is greater than the combined horizontal cross-sectional areas of all of the chimneys (34, 36).
- An inkjet printing mechanism according to claim 1 wherein one of the printheads (26a, 26b) ejects ink having a charged polymer, and another one of the printheads (26a, 26b) ejects ink having metallic particles of a charge opposite to the charge of the polymer.
- An inkjet printing mechanism according to Claim 1 wherein one of the printheads (26a, 26b) ejects black ink, and another of the printheads ejects color ink.
- A method for controlling inkjet aerosol, comprising the following steps:ejecting ink droplets of different types of ink at a service station (16);separately directing the different types of ink toward respective separate reservoir areas (42, 44, 49) located at the service station (16); andpreventing mixing of the different types of ink for at least a predetermined minimum extent of ink travel;
wherein the steps of separately directing and preventing mixing comprise passing the different types of ink through respective chimneys (34, 36) to the separate reservoir areas (42, 44, 48).
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US08/316,152 US5563639A (en) | 1994-09-30 | 1994-09-30 | Venturi spittoon system to control inkjet aerosol |
US316152 | 1994-09-30 | ||
US379235 | 1995-01-27 | ||
US08/379,235 US5680162A (en) | 1994-09-30 | 1995-01-27 | Multiple chimneys for ink jet printer |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0705700A1 EP0705700A1 (en) | 1996-04-10 |
EP0705700B1 true EP0705700B1 (en) | 1998-05-20 |
Family
ID=26980273
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP19950306652 Expired - Lifetime EP0705700B1 (en) | 1994-09-30 | 1995-09-20 | Multiple chimneys for inkjet printer |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0705700B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JPH08207267A (en) |
DE (1) | DE69502565T2 (en) |
ES (1) | ES2119319T3 (en) |
Family Cites Families (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4362572A (en) * | 1981-06-25 | 1982-12-07 | Burroughs Corporation | Method and apparatus for cleaning ink jet printer heads |
DE3633239A1 (en) * | 1985-10-01 | 1987-04-16 | Canon Kk | METHOD FOR OPERATING AN INK-JET RECORDING DEVICE AND INK-JET RECORDING DEVICE |
US5103244A (en) * | 1990-07-05 | 1992-04-07 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Method and apparatus for cleaning ink-jet printheads |
US5278584A (en) | 1992-04-02 | 1994-01-11 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Ink delivery system for an inkjet printhead |
JP2832776B2 (en) * | 1992-06-12 | 1998-12-09 | キヤノン株式会社 | Ink jet recording device |
-
1995
- 1995-09-20 EP EP19950306652 patent/EP0705700B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1995-09-20 DE DE1995602565 patent/DE69502565T2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1995-09-20 ES ES95306652T patent/ES2119319T3/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1995-09-29 JP JP27650995A patent/JPH08207267A/en active Pending
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
DE69502565T2 (en) | 1998-09-10 |
EP0705700A1 (en) | 1996-04-10 |
ES2119319T3 (en) | 1998-10-01 |
JPH08207267A (en) | 1996-08-13 |
DE69502565D1 (en) | 1998-06-25 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US5680162A (en) | Multiple chimneys for ink jet printer | |
US5694157A (en) | Multiple wiper servicing system for inkjet printheads | |
US6935717B2 (en) | Ink drop detector configurations | |
EP0732212B1 (en) | Customized printhead servicing for different printer conditions | |
EP0732211A1 (en) | Independent service stations for multiple printheads in inkjet printers | |
US6698864B2 (en) | Ink drop detector waste ink removal system | |
US6050671A (en) | Stalagmite dissolving spittoon system for inkjet printheads | |
US6561621B2 (en) | Vacuum spittoon for collecting ink during servicing of ink jet printheads | |
US6834931B2 (en) | Spittoon system for waste inkjet printer ink | |
US6742864B2 (en) | Waste ink removal system | |
US5943071A (en) | Wiper blade cleaning system for nozzle faces of a color printhead | |
US6644778B2 (en) | Stalagmite dissolving spittoon system for inkjet printheads | |
US6644775B2 (en) | Single actuation axis printhead cleaner architecture for staggered printheads | |
EP0914953B1 (en) | Electrical interconnect cleaning system for inkjet cartridges | |
MXPA96005803A (en) | Cleaning system with cleaning handle for nozzle faces of a co-printing head | |
US7798601B2 (en) | Ink jet printing apparatus and method for recovering the same | |
EP2979875B1 (en) | Inkjet image forming apparatus and cleaning method for inkjet image forming apparatus | |
EP0705700B1 (en) | Multiple chimneys for inkjet printer | |
KR20040016521A (en) | Ink-jet printer | |
JPH07223321A (en) | Ink-jet recording device | |
JP3865135B2 (en) | Image forming apparatus | |
KR100547160B1 (en) | Inkjet printer | |
JPH06191060A (en) | Ink jet recorder | |
JP4794780B2 (en) | Ink jet recording apparatus and recovery method of the apparatus | |
JP2001260384A (en) | Ink jet recorder |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012 |
|
AK | Designated contracting states |
Kind code of ref document: A1 Designated state(s): DE ES FR GB IT |
|
17P | Request for examination filed |
Effective date: 19960916 |
|
17Q | First examination report despatched |
Effective date: 19970416 |
|
GRAG | Despatch of communication of intention to grant |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS AGRA |
|
GRAG | Despatch of communication of intention to grant |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS AGRA |
|
GRAH | Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS IGRA |
|
GRAH | Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS IGRA |
|
GRAA | (expected) grant |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210 |
|
AK | Designated contracting states |
Kind code of ref document: B1 Designated state(s): DE ES FR GB IT |
|
ITF | It: translation for a ep patent filed |
Owner name: SOCIETA' ITALIANA BREVETTI S.P.A. |
|
REF | Corresponds to: |
Ref document number: 69502565 Country of ref document: DE Date of ref document: 19980625 |
|
ET | Fr: translation filed | ||
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: ES Ref legal event code: FG2A Ref document number: 2119319 Country of ref document: ES Kind code of ref document: T3 |
|
PLBE | No opposition filed within time limit |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261 |
|
STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT |
|
26N | No opposition filed | ||
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: GB Ref legal event code: 732E |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: FR Ref legal event code: TP |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: GB Ref legal event code: IF02 |
|
PGFP | Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: ES Payment date: 20070926 Year of fee payment: 13 |
|
PGFP | Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: IT Payment date: 20070926 Year of fee payment: 13 |
|
PGFP | Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: FR Payment date: 20070207 Year of fee payment: 12 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: FR Ref legal event code: ST Effective date: 20080531 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: FR Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20071001 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: IT Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20080920 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: ES Ref legal event code: FD2A Effective date: 20080922 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: ES Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20080922 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: GB Ref legal event code: 732E Free format text: REGISTERED BETWEEN 20120329 AND 20120404 |
|
PGFP | Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: GB Payment date: 20120925 Year of fee payment: 18 |
|
PGFP | Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: DE Payment date: 20120927 Year of fee payment: 18 |
|
GBPC | Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 20130920 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: DE Ref legal event code: R119 Ref document number: 69502565 Country of ref document: DE Effective date: 20140401 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: GB Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20130920 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: DE Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20140401 |