FLUID CIRCULATION
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Among other things, an apparatus for use in fluid jetting is described. The apparatus comprises a printhead including a flow path and a nozzle in communication with the flow path that has a first end and a second end. The apparatus also includes a first container fluidically coupled to the first end of the flow path, a second container fluidically coupled to the second end of the flow path, and a controller. The first container has a first controllable internal pressure and the second container has a second controllable internal pressure. The controller controls the first internal pressure and the second internal pressure to have a fluid flow between the first container and the second container through the flow path in the printhead according to a first mode and a second mode. In either mode, at least a portion of the fluid flowing along the flow path is delivered to the nozzle when the nozzle is jetting. The first mode has the first internal pressure higher than the second internal pressure and the second mode has the second internal pressure higher than the first internal pressure. The fluid flows from the first container to the second container according to the first mode and flows from the second container to the first container according to the second mode.
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1-13. -13. (canceled)
-
14. A method for use in fluid jetting, the method comprising:
-
delivering a first portion of a fluid at a controlled flow rate along a first flow path from a first container to a second container, the first portion of the fluid in the first flow path passing by a second flow path in a printhead along a first direction, the second flow path fluidically connecting the first flow path to a nozzle such that a second portion of the fluid passing through the first flow path being is delivered through the second flow path to the nozzle when the nozzle is ejecting the fluid delivered from the first container; and delivering a third portion of the fluid at a controlled flow rate along a third flow path from the second container to the first container, the third portion of the fluid in the third flow path passing by the second flow path in the printhead along a second direction opposite to the first direction, the second flow path fluidically connecting the second flow path to the nozzle such that a fourth portion of the fluid passing through the third flow path is delivered through the second flow path to the nozzle when the nozzle is ejecting the fluid delivered from the second container. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. An apparatus for use in fluid jetting, the apparatus comprising:
-
a printhead including a flow path and a nozzle in communication with the flow path, the flow path having a first end and a second end; a first container fluidically coupled to the first end of the flow path, the first container having a first controllable internal pressure; a second container fluidically coupled to the second end of the flow path, the second container having a second controllable internal pressure, the first container and the second container each being a self-contained fluid reservoir; and a controller to control the first internal pressure and the second internal pressure to have a fluid flow between the first container and the second container through the flow path in the printhead, at least a portion of the fluid flowing along the flow path is delivered to the nozzle when the nozzle is jetting, the first internal pressure being higher than the second internal pressure. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 26)
-
-
25. (canceled)
-
27. A method for use in fluid jetting, the method comprising:
-
flowing a fluid at a controlled flow rate from a first container through a flow path in a first flow direction, the flow path configured such that a first portion of the fluid flows from the first container to a second container and a second portion of the fluid flows from the first container to a nozzle when the nozzle is ejecting the fluid delivered from the first container; and reversing a direction of flow of the fluid in the flow path such that the fluid flows from the second container through the flow path in a second flow direction opposite the first flow direction, the flow path configured such that a first portion of the fluid flows from the second container to the first container and a second portion of the fluid flows from the second container to a nozzle when the nozzle is ejecting the fluid delivered from the second container.
-
Specification