Liquid supply apparatus, liquid ejecting apparatus
First Claim
1. A liquid supply apparatus which supplies liquid from a liquid container containing the liquid to a recording head from which the liquid is ejected comprising:
- a liquid supply path which communicates the liquid container with the recording head;
a liquid supply pump which pump-drives when a first flexible member constituting at least a part of an inner surface of a pump chamber is displaced such that a volume of the pump chamber is increased or decreased while a part of the liquid supply path is set as the pump chamber;
a negative pressure chamber which is divided from the pump chamber by the first flexible member and of which volume can be changed;
a pressure reduction unit which applies a negative pressure to the negative pressure chamber;
a first directional valve which is provided at the liquid supply path between the liquid container and the pump chamber and passes the liquid in one direction toward the supply pump from the liquid container;
a second directional valve which is provided at the liquid supply path between the supply pump and the liquid ejecting apparatus and passes the liquid in one direction toward the liquid ejecting apparatus from the supply pump; and
a pressure adjustor which is provided at the liquid supply path between the first directional valve and the second directional valve and which increases a volume corresponding to at least a part of an increase volume compared to the predetermined volume of the liquid container when a negative pressure larger than a predetermined liquid supply pressure is applied to the negative pressure chamber.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A liquid supply apparatus supplies liquid from a liquid container through a liquid supply path to a recording head. A liquid supply pump drives when a flexible member is displaced such that a volume of a pump chamber is increased or decreased while a part of the liquid supply path is set as the pump chamber. A negative pressure chamber is divided from the pump chamber by the flexible member. A first directional valve in the liquid supply path passes the liquid in one direction toward the supply pump from the liquid container. A second directional valve passes the liquid in one direction toward the liquid ejecting apparatus from the supply pump. A pressure adjustor between the first directional valve and the second directional valve increases a volume of the liquid container when a negative pressure larger than a predetermined pressure is applied to the negative pressure chamber.
-
Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A liquid supply apparatus which supplies liquid from a liquid container containing the liquid to a recording head from which the liquid is ejected comprising:
-
a liquid supply path which communicates the liquid container with the recording head; a liquid supply pump which pump-drives when a first flexible member constituting at least a part of an inner surface of a pump chamber is displaced such that a volume of the pump chamber is increased or decreased while a part of the liquid supply path is set as the pump chamber; a negative pressure chamber which is divided from the pump chamber by the first flexible member and of which volume can be changed; a pressure reduction unit which applies a negative pressure to the negative pressure chamber; a first directional valve which is provided at the liquid supply path between the liquid container and the pump chamber and passes the liquid in one direction toward the supply pump from the liquid container; a second directional valve which is provided at the liquid supply path between the supply pump and the liquid ejecting apparatus and passes the liquid in one direction toward the liquid ejecting apparatus from the supply pump; and a pressure adjustor which is provided at the liquid supply path between the first directional valve and the second directional valve and which increases a volume corresponding to at least a part of an increase volume compared to the predetermined volume of the liquid container when a negative pressure larger than a predetermined liquid supply pressure is applied to the negative pressure chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
Specification
-
- Resources
-
Current AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
-
Original AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
-
InventorsYokouchi, Hideya, Ito, Hiroyuki
-
Primary Examiner(s)FEGGINS, KRISTAL J
-
Application NumberUS12/722,348Publication NumberTime in Patent Office887 DaysField of Search347 84- 86, 347/92US Class Current347/85CPC Class CodesB41J 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circui...B41J 2/17509 Whilst mounted in the printerB41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
