INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS

• US 20140043381A1
• Filed: 06/27/2013
• Published: 02/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Miyakoshi Printing Machinery., Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Akira Ishikawa, Hideo Izawa, Takao Namiki, Wataru Itabashi
• Inventors: IZAWA, Hideo, ISHIKAWA, Akira, NAMIKI, Takao, ITABASHI, Wataru
• Granted Patent: US 9,004,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/6
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves

Abstract

An inkjet recording apparatus which can make a distribution tank compact and has excellent pressure-control precision is provided.

The present invention is provided with an inkjet portion A having a recording head 11 for applying ink to a recording medium 1 and a distribution tank 12 for supplying ink to the recording head 11, an ink supply means B having a main tank 21 for supplying ink to the distribution tank 12, and an air supply means C having an air chamber 31 communicating with a space 12a in the distribution tank 12 and a pressure adjustment mechanism provided on the air chamber 31 via a solenoid valve, where the pressure of the space 12a and the internal pressure of the air chamber 31 are equal to each other.

Claims

1. An inkjet recording apparatus comprising:

an inkjet portion having a recording head for applying ink to a recording medium and a distribution tank for supplying ink to the recording head;

an ink supply means having a main tank for supplying ink to the distribution tank; and

an air supply means having an air chamber communicating with a space in the distribution tank, and a pressure adjustment mechanism provided on the air chamber via a solenoid valve, wherein

pressure of the space and internal pressure of the air chamber are equal to each other.

2. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the internal volume of the air chamber is larger than the volume of the space.

3. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the volume ratio of volume R1 of the space to an internal volume R2 of the air chamber (R1:

R2) is in a range of 1;

1.28 to 1;

73.3.

4. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the ink supply means and the air supply means are contained in a fluid portion; and

the inkjet portion and the fluid portion are separate members.

5. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distribution tank supplies the ink to the recording head via an ink on-off solenoid valve.

6. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the main tank supplies ink to the distribution tank via a deaerating module.

7. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the distribution tank is provided with a circulation port; and

ink in the distribution tank is circulated from the circulation port to the main tank through a circulating flow passage connected to the circulation port.

8. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the recording head includes a plurality of recording head sections;

the distribution tank includes a plurality of distribution tank sections corresponding to the number of the recording head sections; and

the spaces in the distribution tank sections communicate with the air chamber which is one in number.

9. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressure adjustment mechanism comprises:

a vacuum pump attached to the air chamber via a pressure-reducing solenoid valve;

an air filter attached to the air chamber via an ambient-air solenoid valve so as to communicate with ambient air; and

a pressurizing pump attached to the air chamber via a pressurizing solenoid valve.

10. A method for controlling the inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:

performing control to make the pressure in the air chamber negative during inkjet recording and during storage of the recording head; and

performing control to make the pressure in the air chamber positive during restoring work where the ink is forcibly discharged from the recording head.

11. A method for controlling the inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 9, comprising the steps of:

performing control to make the pressure in the air chamber negative during inkjet recording and during storage of the recording head;

performing control to make the pressure in the air chamber positive during restoring work where the ink is forcibly discharged from the recording head; and

shifting the pressure in the air chamber to atmospheric pressure via the air filter temporarily in the course of changing from the negative pressure to the positive pressure or changing from the positive pressure to the negative pressure.