Re-circulating fluid delivery system
First Claim
1. A fluid delivery system, comprising:
- a print cartridge including;
a housing structure;
an air-fluid separator structure within the housing structure, said separator structure including an air vent region;
a fluid ejector mounted to the housing structure;
a fluid plenum within the housing structure in fluid communication with said fluid ejector;
a free fluid reservoir in the housing structure in fluid communication with the plenum for supplying fluid to the plenum under negative pressure;
a fluid re-circulation path in said housing structure through said separator structure and said fluid plenum;
a pump structure for re-circulating fluid and air through said re-circulation path during a pump mode, wherein air bubbles may be separated from re-circulated fluid and vented to atmosphere from said air vent region; and
a fluid supply continuously or intermittently fluidically coupled to said free fluid reservoir for supplying fluid under negative pressure to the free fluid reservoir.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fluid delivery system includes a print cartridge and a fluid supply. The print cartridge includes a housing structure, an air-fluid separator structure within the housing structure, including an air vent region in communication with the seperator structure. A fluid ejector is mounted to the housing structure, and a fluid plenum within the housing structure is in fluid communication with the fluid ejector. A fluid reservoir in the housing structures is in fluid communication with the plenum for supplying fluid to the plenum under negative pressure. A fluid re-circulation path is provided in the housing structure through the separator structure and the fluid plenum. A pump structure re-circulates fluid and air through the re-circulation path during a pump mode. The fluid supply is continuously or intermittently fluidically coupled to the fluid reservoir.
42 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A fluid delivery system, comprising:
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a print cartridge including;
a housing structure;
an air-fluid separator structure within the housing structure, said separator structure including an air vent region;
a fluid ejector mounted to the housing structure;
a fluid plenum within the housing structure in fluid communication with said fluid ejector;
a free fluid reservoir in the housing structure in fluid communication with the plenum for supplying fluid to the plenum under negative pressure;
a fluid re-circulation path in said housing structure through said separator structure and said fluid plenum;
a pump structure for re-circulating fluid and air through said re-circulation path during a pump mode, wherein air bubbles may be separated from re-circulated fluid and vented to atmosphere from said air vent region; and
a fluid supply continuously or intermittently fluidically coupled to said free fluid reservoir for supplying fluid under negative pressure to the free fluid reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A fluid delivery system, comprising:
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a print cartridge including;
a housing structure;
an air-fluid separator structure within the housing structure for separating air bubbles from a fluid and venting the air bubbles from the housing structure;
a fluid ejector mounted to the housing structure;
a fluid plenum within the housing structure in fluid communication with said fluid ejector;
a free fluid reservoir in the housing structure in fluid communication with the plenum and the air-fluid separator structure for supplying fluid to the plenum under negative pressure;
a fluid re-circulation path in said housing structure through said separator structure and said fluid plenum;
a pump structure mounted to the housing structure for re-circulating fluid and air through said re-circulation path during a pump mode, wherein air bubbles may be separated from re-circulated fluid and vented from the housing structure; and
a fluid supply fluidically coupled to said free fluid reservoir during fluid ejecting operations for supplying fluid under negative pressure to the free fluid reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A fluid delivery system, comprising:
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a print cartridge including;
a housing structure;
a fluid ejector mounted to the housing structure;
an air-fluid separator structure within the housing structure for separating air bubbles from a fluid and venting the air bubbles from the housing structure;
a fluid plenum within the housing structure in fluid communication with said fluid ejector;
a free fluid reservoir in the housing structure in fluid communication with the plenum and the air-fluid separator for supplying fluid to the plenum under negative pressure;
a fluid re-circulation path in said housing structure through said separator structure, said free fluid reservoir and said fluid plenum;
a pump structure mounted to the housing structure for re-circulating fluid and air through said re-circulation path during a pump mode, wherein fluid is passed through said air fluid separator structure, said free fluid reservoir and said plenum to purge air bubbles from the fluid and housing structure; and
a fluid supply fluidically coupled to said free fluid reservoir during fluid ejecting operations for supplying fluid under negative pressure to the free fluid reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification