Ink delivery system

• US 8,231,212 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2009
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Plastipak Packaging Incorporated (Plastipak Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Plastipak Packaging Incorporated (Plastipak Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Uptergrove, Ronald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huffman, Julian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Polk, Sharon A
• Application Number:
  US12/421,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20100259587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 347/6, 347/7, 347/89, 347/85
• US Class Current: 347/89
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17566 Ink level or ink residue control
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/18 Ink recirculation systems

Abstract

An ink delivery system includes a first tank including a fill sensor; a second tank including a fill sensor; a pump configured to pump ink from the first tank to the second tank; a third tank including a fill sensor; a print head in fluid communication with the second tank and the third tank. In an embodiment, the third tank is in fluid communication with the first tank and may be configured to provide a closed loop system, the second tank is in fluid communication with the third tank, and a pressure differential across the print head causes ink to flow through the print head. For some embodiments, pumps may be provided to control pressure differentials and print heads may print at one or more angles.

Claims

1. An ink delivery system comprising:

a first tank including a fill sensor;

a second tank, wherein the first tank is in fluid communication with the second tank;

a first pump configured to pump ink supplied from the first tank to the second tank;

a third tank;

a second pump configured to pump ink directly from the second tank to the third tank;

a drop-on-demand flow-through print head in direct fluid communication by conduit or passageway with each of the second tank and the third tank,

wherein the third tank is in fluid communication with the first tank, the second tank is in fluid communication with the third tank, negative pressure is provided in the third tank, ink can be controllably jetted from the print head and a pressure differential across the print head causes unjetted ink to flow through the flow-through print head and directly into one of the second tank or third tank by conduit or passageway.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the second tank includes a first reservoir, a second reservoir, and a weir between the first reservoir and the second reservoir, wherein the first tank is in fluid communication with the first reservoir;

the first pump is configured to pump ink supplied from the first tank to the first reservoir;

the third tank includes a third reservoir, a fourth reservoir, and a weir between the third reservoir and the fourth reservoir;

the second pump is configured to pump ink from the second reservoir of the second tank to the third reservoir of the third tank; and

the fourth reservoir is in fluid communication with the first tank, the second reservoir is in fluid communication with the third reservoir, the print head is in fluid communication with the first reservoir and the third reservoir, and a pressure differential across the print head causes ink to flow through the print head.

3. The system of claim 2, including a plurality of print heads in fluid communication with the first reservoir and the third reservoir.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the speed or flow associated with the first pump, the second pump, or the first pump and second pump may be modified with respect to one another to provide or control the pressure differential across the print head.

5. The system of claim 1, including a third pump, the third pump configured to pump ink from the third tank to the first tank.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the speed or flow associated with the second pump, the third pump, or the second pump and third pump may be modified with respect to one another to provide or control the pressure differential between the second pump and the third pump.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the print head is configured to be oriented in two dimensions.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the print head is configured to be oriented in three dimensions.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the print head is configured to be oriented without requiring a stationary period during printing.

10. An ink delivery system comprising:

a first tank;

a second tank, wherein the second tank is in fluid communication with the first tank;

a first pump configured to pump ink supplied from the first tank to the second tank;

a third tank, wherein the third tank is in fluid communication with the second tank;

a second pump configured to pump ink directly from the second tank to the third tank;

at least one flow-through drop-on-demand print head in direct fluid communication by conduit or passageway with each of the second tank and the third tank;

a third pump configured to pump ink from the third tank to the first tank;

wherein the system is configured such that a negative pressure provided in the third tank and a pressure differential across the print head causes unjetted ink to flow through the flow-through drop-on-demand print head and directly into one of the second or third tank by conduit or passageway.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the pressure differential is created or controlled by the operation of the first pump, the second pump, the third pump, or various combinations thereof.

12. The system of claim 10, including a pump controller provided in communication with the second tank and the third tank.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the pump controller is configured to control the pressure differential across at least one print head.

14. The system of claim 12, including a first pressure transducer provided between the pump controller and the second tank, and a second pressure transducer provided between the pump controller and the third tank.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the print head is configured to be oriented in various directions relative to the ink delivery system.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the print head is configured to print in a direction that opposes gravity.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the print head is configured to be oriented without requiring a stationary period during printing.