Eastman-kodak Company

Scitex Digital Printing, Inc.

John C Loyd

Robert J Simon

James D McCann

Dan C Lyman

Russell L Bartley

Gregory J Sexton

Richard Troy Enz

Paul K Hengesbach

James Alan Katerberg

Randy Dae Vandagriff

David A Huliba

John N Blum

Daniel J DeVivo

Rodney G Mader

Richard T Enz

A capping unit, a waste liquid tank, a valve, and a cleaning liquid tank are provided for maintaining a printhead. The capping unit includes a drain. The waste liquid tank receives a waste liquid from the capping unit. The valve is in fluid communication with the capping unit through a first fluid passage connected to the drain. The valve is also in fluid communication with the waste liquid tank through a second fluid passage. The valve includes a first state that permits the waste liquid to flow from the capping unit through the valve to the waste liquid tank. The valve includes a second state that prevents the waste liquid from flowing from the capping unit through the valve to the waste liquid tank. The cleaning liquid tank is in fluid communication with the valve through a third fluid passage. The cleaning liquid tank is configured to provide a cleaning liquid through the valve and into the first fluid passage when the valve is in the second state. The valve is operated to cause the valve to move between the first state and the second state.

Maintaining printhead using maintenance station with backflush

A maintenance station apparatus for a printhead including a nozzle face with the nozzle face including a nozzle array for jetting a liquid is provided. The maintenance station includes a capping unit including a drain and a waste liquid tank that receives a waste liquid from the capping unit. A valve is in fluid communication with the capping unit through a first fluid passage and in fluid communication with the waste liquid tank through a second fluid passage. The valve includes a first state that permits the waste liquid to flow from the capping unit through the valve to the waste liquid tank and a second state that prevents the waste liquid from flowing from the capping unit through the valve to the waste liquid tank. A cleaning liquid tank is in fluid communication with the valve through a third fluid passage and is configured to provide a cleaning liquid through the valve and into the first fluid passage when the valve is in the second state.

Printhead maintenance station including station backflush

An inkjet printer having an array of nozzles from which ink drops are emitted further includes a mechanism adapted to detect fluid levels in an ink supply tank to the inkjet printer while the printer is in idle mode, and shut down the printer when ink usage exceeds a predetermined volume.

Inkjet printer with spill detection

A system to recycle waste ink for reuse as replenishment fluid is for an inkjet print station that includes a printhead with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The system uses an ink supply tank, an external ink supply tank with fresh ink and an ink supply valve to control ink flow from the external ink supply tank to the ink supply tank. The system includes a replenishment fluid supply valve for controlling flow between a replenishment fluid supply and the ink supply tank, a device for monitoring ink concentration in communication with ink, a waste tank and a waste reuse valve for controlling flow between the waste tank and ink supply tank. The system includes level sensors and one or more controllers to control any valves, sensors, and pumps associated with the system to optimize operation of the system.

Reuse of solvent startup/shutdown fluid for concentration control

The method for controlling ink migration onto a catcher of an ink jet print station from catch condition using a low surface tension ink entails bringing an ink jet print station using low surface tension ink into catch condition with the eyelid sealably engaging the catcher and the catcher flow pan, and using an eyelid actuator to unseal the eyelid forming a gap between the catcher flow pan, the catcher, and the eyelid. The method ends by operating the ink jet print station with the eyelid unsealed to suppress migration of the low surface tension ink onto the catcher during standby mode.

Supression of Marangoni Effect on the catcher face

An automatic startup sequence for an ink jet print station using solvent based ink entails introducing a flushing fluid to the drop generator using the flushing fluid pump at a drive level and a flushing pressure that enables flushing fluid to flow through the jet array at a flow rate adequate to permit the catcher assembly to extract the flushing fluid; engaging the ink pump; and increasing the pressure of the flushing fluid from the initial pressure. The increased pressure is high enough for stable drop formation and drop deflection from the jet array and low enough to extract drops from the catcher, and to permit flushing fluid to flow freely through the catcher. The method ends by simultaneously opening the ink supply valve and closing the flushing fluid valve permitting ink to flow into the drop generator; and then stopping the flow of the flushing fluid.

Automatic startup sequence for the solvent ink printing system

A system and method are provided for protecting the vacuum pump of an ink jet printer system from the harmful effects of condensation in the vacuum lines, and from the harmful effects of moisture and water in the vacuum lines. This is accomplished by suppressing the condensation and drying the vacuum line walls.

Vacuum system for continuous ink jet printers

A system and method are provided for cleaning the printhead of a continuous ink jet printing system. A cleaning fluid is introduced and used to flush ink residues and debris from the interior of the drop generator, the exterior of the orifice plate, the charge plate face and the catcher face. This system and method removes dried ink residues and other debris and deposits by providing a cleaning fluid with a low surface tension to dissolve or flush away the unwanted material from the orifices. This is particularly advantageous in that the flushing and rinsing is accomplished without mechanical contact which could abrade or damage the orifices.

Printhead flush and cleaning system and method

A fluid flow detection method is used in a continuous ink jet printer which generates a row of parallel selectively charged drop streams from a fluid system. In the fluid flow detection method, a low airflow catcher device is provided for establishing bubble flow in an associated catcher vacuum port and catcher return line. The catcher return line contains catcher return fluid. Pressure fluctuations are monitored in the catcher return fluid to the ink tank, the ink tank having a tank vacuum. The tank vacuum is automatically lowered to a preset value, which preset value is greater than bubble flow transition. The tank vacuum is then incrementally lowered as pressure fluctuations are monitored. The tank vacuum is maintained at a constant level when the pressure fluctuations decrease below a predetermined level due to the establishment of bubble flow. Finally, the fluid flow detection method requires increasing the tank vacuum by a predetermined increment and maintaining that tank vacuum as the operating point for bubble flow for the printer.

Bubble flow detection

A vacuum system solves the heretofore unknown problem of mist generation from an ink reservoir under vacuum. The vacuum system includes an ink reservoir and a vacuum pump for supplying vacuum to the ink reservoir. A mist filter is housed in a housing associated with the vacuum system for capturing ink mist from the ink reservoir.

Ink mist filter

A system and method for emptying a refill container used in a continuous ink jet fluid system reduces the amount of ink left in the refill container and eliminates adverse effects in the event that air enters the fluid system through the refill apparatus. The system for emptying the container includes a system vacuum and a refill container. A bi-directional path is provided between the system vacuum and the refill container. The air is then removed from the refill container while maintaining the system vacuum within a predetermined range.

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Beavercreek, OH, United States of America

John C Loyd