EP2669089A1 - Inkjet printing device - Google Patents

Inkjet printing device Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP2669089A1
EP2669089A1 EP11856705.6A EP11856705A EP2669089A1 EP 2669089 A1 EP2669089 A1 EP 2669089A1 EP 11856705 A EP11856705 A EP 11856705A EP 2669089 A1 EP2669089 A1 EP 2669089A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
ink
ink tank
print head
tank
printing device
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP11856705.6A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Shiro Ichinose
Katsumi Dohi
Tomio NAKAI
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Toshin Kogyo Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Toshin Kogyo Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Toshin Kogyo Co Ltd filed Critical Toshin Kogyo Co Ltd
Publication of EP2669089A1 publication Critical patent/EP2669089A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/18—Ink recirculation systems
    • 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—Prevention or detection of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
    • B41J2/16517—Cleaning of print head nozzles
    • B41J2/1652—Cleaning of print head nozzles by driving a fluid through the nozzles to the outside thereof, e.g. by applying pressure to the inside or vacuum at the outside of the print head
    • B41J2/16523—Waste ink transport from caps or spittoons, e.g. by suction
    • 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
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/1707—Conditioning of the inside of ink supply circuits, e.g. flushing during start-up or shut-down

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an inkjet printing device.
  • an inkjet printing device for performing printing by ejecting ink onto a print object, such as fabric.
  • ink is ejected from the nozzles of the print head.
  • the viscosity of the ink remaining in the nozzles increases, possibly causing clogging in the nozzles.
  • a so-called blank ejection operation in which the ink in the nozzles is forcibly removed with a suction pump or the like, is regularly performed (e.g., Patent Document 1).
  • an object of the present invention is to provide an inkjet printing device capable of effectively using unused ink ejected by means of a blank ejection operation, etc.
  • the inkjet printing device performs printing by ejecting ink onto a print object.
  • the printing device includes a first ink tank for storing ink, a second ink tank for storing the ink supplied from the first ink tank, a print head provided with nozzles for ejecting the ink supplied from the second ink tank onto a print object, a deaerating means for removing air bubbles from the ink, the deaerating means being disposed between the second ink tank and the print head, and a recycle flow path for returning unused ink ejected from the nozzles of the print head back to the second ink tank.
  • the above-described inkjet printing device is provided with a recycle flow path for returning, back to the second ink tank, unused ink ejected by means of a blank ejection operation or the like from the nozzles of the print head.
  • the blank ejection operation is performed for preventing the nozzles from clogging.
  • the unused ink ejected by means of the blank ejection operation or the like can thereby be effectively used.
  • the ink recycled in the above manner sometimes includes air bubbles, etc.; however, because a deaerating means is disposed between the second ink tank and the print head of the present invention, ink with no air bubbles can be supplied to the print head. Further, because a deaerating means is disposed between the second ink tank and the print head, the second ink tank may be an open tank such that the ink is in contact with the air.
  • the above-described inkjet printing device can have a variety of configurations.
  • the pressure loss of ink in the deaerating means is preferably 0.1 kPa or less.
  • the resistance from the second ink tank to the print head is thereby reduced, achieving smooth ink supply by means of the hydraulic head system.
  • the deaerating means is preferably an external perfusion type.
  • the first ink tank, the second ink tank, and the deaerating means may be connected in line in this order. Due to this configuration, the first ink tank may also be an open tank.
  • an ink booster pump be further provided for supplying pressurized ink to the nozzles of the print head.
  • This ink booster pump forcibly discharges ink from the nozzles of the print head, reliably preventing the nozzles from clogging.
  • the inkjet printing device can effectively use unused ink ejected by means of blank ejection operation or the like.
  • ink stored in a first ink tank 2 is supplied to a second ink tank 3 to be temporarily stored in the second ink tank 3.
  • the ink is supplied to a print head 5.
  • the print head 5 then ejects the ink onto a print object to perform printing.
  • the inkjet printing device 1 further includes a suction pad 6, a suction pump P1, and an ink booster pump P2, which serve as clogging prevention means for preventing the nozzles of the print head 5 from clogging.
  • a filter unit 7 is also provided for removing dust, etc., from unused ink ejected by means of a blank ejection operation from the print head 5 by using the clogging prevention means.
  • the first ink tank 2 is an open tank for storing ink to be supplied to the second ink tank 3. When the ink in the first ink tank 2 is consumed, the tank 2 is replaced with a new first ink tank 2. Alternatively, it is also possible to refill the first ink tank 2 with ink.
  • the first ink tank 2 is an open tank, it may be a closed tank, which does not allow the ink to be in contact with the air.
  • the capacity of the first ink tank 2 is not limited, and is generally about 5 to 10 L.
  • the second ink tank 3 is connected to the first ink tank 2 via an ink feed pump P3 and a three-way valve V1.
  • the second ink tank 3 is an open ink tank for temporarily storing ink supplied from the first ink tank 2 and ink ejected by means of a blank ejection operation.
  • the second ink tank 3 supplies the ink to the print head 5 by means of the hydraulic head system.
  • the second ink tank 3 is provided with a liquid surface detection sensor 31 for detecting the liquid surface of the ink to control the hydraulic head.
  • the ink feed pump P3 When the liquid surface detection sensor 31 detects that the liquid surface of the ink stored in the second ink tank 3 is lowered to below the set value while printing is performed, the ink feed pump P3 is operated to supply ink from the first ink tank 2 to the second ink tank 3.
  • the second ink tank 3 is an open tank, it may also be a closed tank.
  • the capacity of the second ink tank 3 is smaller than that of the first ink tank 2, and is generally about 70 to 100 mL.
  • the deaerating module 4 is located between the second ink tank 3 and the print head 5.
  • the deaerating module 4 is a unit for removing air bubbles from the ink fed from the second ink tank 3 to the print head 5. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 2 , the deaerating module 4 is an external perfusion type, and a plurality of hollow strings 42 are housed in a hollow tube-like body 41. To reduce the pressure inside each hollow string 42, at least one of the upper or lower end of each hollow string 42 is connected to a vacuum pump P4. In the deaerating module 4, the ink fed to the tube-like body 41 flows outside the hollow strings 42 so as to be deaerated.
  • the ink fed from the second ink tank 3 to the tube-like body 41 through a supply port 43 is sent to the center of the tube-like body 41; while being directed radially outwardly, the ink is brought into contact with the outer surface of each hollow string 42, and air bubbles in the ink are thereby absorbed into the inside of each hollow string 42.
  • the deaerated ink is then fed to the print head 5 from the tube-like body 41 via the outlet 44.
  • the pressure loss of the ink in the deaerating module 4 is preferably 0.1 kPa or less.
  • the vacuum pump P4 corresponds to a pressure-reducing means of the present invention.
  • the print head 5 ejects the ink supplied from the second ink tank 3 via the deaerating module 4 onto a print object.
  • a known print head having a plurality of nozzles can be used.
  • two three-way valves V2 and V3, a pinch valve V4 provided between the three-way valves V2 and V3, and an ink booster pump P2 are disposed.
  • the ink booster pump P2 is connected, via the three-way valves V2 and V3, to the flow path connecting to the deaerating module 4 and the print head 5.
  • the pinch valve V4 When printing is performed, the pinch valve V4 is in an open state, and the ink from the second ink tank 3 is supplied to the print head 5 via the three-way valves V2 and V3, and the pinch valve V4, without passing through the ink booster pump P2. In contrast, in the event that the pressurized ink is supplied to the nozzles of the print head 5 to prevent the nozzles of the print head 5 from clogging, the pinch valve V4 is set to a closed state.
  • the ink from the second ink tank 3 is sent to the ink booster pump P2, via the three-way valves V2 and V3, which allows high-pressure ink to be supplied to the nozzles of the print head 5 to forcibly discharge the ink from the nozzles, preventing the nozzles from clogging.
  • the ink from the ink booster pump P2 is discharged to the suction pad 6 described later.
  • the suction pad 6 and the suction pump P1 are provided.
  • the suction pad 6 is provided so as to hermitically seal the nozzle portion of the print head 5.
  • the suction pump P1 When the suction pump P1 is operated while the nozzle portion of the print head 5 is hermetically sealed with the suction pad 6, the ink in the nozzles of the print head 5 is forcibly suctioned to be discharged to the suction pad 6.
  • the suction pad 6 is removed from the print head 5 when printing is performed. Because the suction pad 6 covers the nozzles of the print head 5, it also functions as a cap, preventing the ink within the nozzles from drying.
  • the suction pad 6 is attached to an ink-discharging tube 61.
  • an opening and closing means such as an opening and closing valve, provided with the ink-discharging tube 61
  • the opening and closing means is set to an open state, only the ink within the suction pad 6 is suctioned, while the ink within the nozzles of the print head 5 is not suctioned.
  • the flow path from the suction pad 6 to the second ink tank 3 corresponds to the recycle flow path of the present invention.
  • the ink discharged to the suction pad 6 is returned to the second ink tank 3 via a filter unit 7, a check valve V5, and the three-way valve V1. As the ink passes through the filter unit 7, dust, etc., is removed from the ink.
  • the check valve V5 is provided to prevent the ink from flowing in reverse.
  • the check valve V5 prevents the ink fed from the first ink tank 2 to the second ink tank 3 from flowing into the filter unit 7.
  • two clogging prevention means i.e., a suction means consisting of a suction pad 6 and a suction pump P1, and a booster means consisting of an ink booster pump P2, are used as clogging prevention means of the nozzles of the print head 5; however, it is possible for only one of the means to be used.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Ink Jet (AREA)
  • Coloring (AREA)
EP11856705.6A 2011-01-24 2011-12-12 Inkjet printing device Withdrawn EP2669089A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2011011786A JP2012152935A (ja) 2011-01-24 2011-01-24 インクジェット捺染装置
PCT/JP2011/078675 WO2012101918A1 (ja) 2011-01-24 2011-12-12 インクジェット捺染装置

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2669089A1 true EP2669089A1 (en) 2013-12-04

Family

ID=46580501

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP11856705.6A Withdrawn EP2669089A1 (en) 2011-01-24 2011-12-12 Inkjet printing device

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2669089A1 (ja)
JP (1) JP2012152935A (ja)
CN (1) CN103347702A (ja)
WO (1) WO2012101918A1 (ja)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP6851800B2 (ja) * 2016-01-08 2021-03-31 キヤノン株式会社 液体吐出装置および液体吐出ヘッド
JP2019130511A (ja) 2018-02-02 2019-08-08 コニカミノルタ株式会社 脱気装置及びインクジェット記録装置
DE102021119858A1 (de) * 2021-07-30 2023-02-02 Koenig & Bauer Ag Verfahren zum Wechsel mindestens eines Druckfluids und Verfahren zur Reinigung und/oder Wartung eines Druckfluidversorgungssystems und Druckmaschine

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP3157978B2 (ja) 1994-03-09 2001-04-23 キヤノン株式会社 液体噴射装置
JPH11209670A (ja) * 1998-01-28 1999-08-03 Mitsubishi Rayon Co Ltd インクジェットプリンタ用インク並びにインクジェットプリンタ用インク中の溶存ガスの除去方法及びインクジェットプリンタ用インクカートリッジの製造方法
JP3631104B2 (ja) * 2000-05-23 2005-03-23 キヤノンファインテック株式会社 インクジェット記録装置
JP2008049582A (ja) * 2006-08-24 2008-03-06 Sii Printek Inc インク供給装置およびインクジェット記録装置
JP5080781B2 (ja) * 2006-11-06 2012-11-21 三菱レイヨン株式会社 脱気用中空糸膜モジュール及び脱気装置
JP5526504B2 (ja) * 2008-07-28 2014-06-18 セイコーエプソン株式会社 液体噴射装置

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO2012101918A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN103347702A (zh) 2013-10-09
JP2012152935A (ja) 2012-08-16
WO2012101918A1 (ja) 2012-08-02

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