Zamtec Limited

Memjet Technology Limited

Mernjet Technology Limited

Robert Rosati

David B Petch

Neil Doherty

Scott Dennis

Jason Dewey

Loren Hunt

Patrick Kirk

David Burney

Kenneth Andrew Regas

Andy Bound

Bill Cressman

Oksana Buyda

Locson Tonthat

Andrew Buyda

Jim Sykora

Jim Trinchera

Ben Jones

Ron Zech

Bob Mallory

Jeff Borra

Jon Lucas

Ryan Root

Raul Perez

Geoffrey Philip Dyer

Mike Eckard

Tom Alesi

Neal Cekalski

Robert L Mallory

A printing system includes: an ink supply; a feed line coupled to the ink supply; a return line coupled to the ink supply; and a plurality of printhead modules each having an inlet port fluidically coupled to the feed line and an outlet port fluidically coupled to the return line; and bypass lines fluidically coupling the feed line to the return line. A bypass line is open for both priming and printing operations.

Printing system having multiple printheads and bypass lines

A printing system includes: an ink supply; a feed line coupled to the ink supply; a return line coupled to the ink supply; and a plurality of printhead modules each having an inlet port fluidically coupled to the feed line and an outlet port fluidically coupled to the return line. Each print module has a bypass line fluidically coupling the feed line to the return line. The bypass line is open for both priming and printing operations.

A printer includes a modular vacuum belt assembly for moving print media in a media feed direction along a media path. The modular vacuum belt assembly includes a plurality of moving belt modules interconnected along a width of the media path. Neighboring moving belt modules are interconnected via a connecting fixed vacuum plenum.

Modular vacuum belt assembly with interconnecting moving belt modules

A printing system includes: a fixed printhead assembly having an array of printheads and vacuum platen assembly. The vacuum platen assembly includes a fixed vacuum platen and a plurality of rotatable service modules embedded in the fixed vacuum platen. Each service module is positioned opposite a respective printhead, and each service module comprises a respective vacuum platen module.

Printer having modular vacuum belt assembly

Printer having rotatable service modules embedded in fixed vacuum platen

An inkjet printer includes: an ink container having an outlet port and a return port; a printhead having a first ink port and a second ink port; a first ink line interconnecting the outlet port and the first ink port; a second ink line interconnecting the return port and the second ink port; a bypass line interconnecting the first and second ink lines; a valve system for controlling fluid flow through the first ink line and the bypass line; and a controller for controlling the valve system. During printing, the controller is configured to open the first ink line and the bypass line.

Inkjet printer having bypass line

A fluid distribution system for a printhead. The system having a first fluid container a fluid connector for connection to a fluid input of the printhead; and a second fluid container connected between the first container and the connector for delivering fluid from the first container to the connector, wherein the second container is located relative to the first container and the connector so that a fluid pressure difference between fluid contained within the second container and fluid at the connector is independent of the amount of fluid contained within the first container.

Inkjet printer configured for printhead priming and depriming

A fluid distribution system for a printhead, the system having a fluid container fluidically interconnected with the printhead via a closed fluid flow loop, a gas vent on the closed loop and a multi-path valve on the closed loop for selectively allowing venting of gas in the closed loop via the gas vent.

Fluid distribution system having multi-path valve for gas venting

A printing system that has an ink supply, a feed line coupled to the ink supply, a return line coupled to the ink supply, a plurality of printheads each fluidically coupled to the feed and the return lines via separate couplings. Each of the printheads receives ink from both the feed and the return lines.

Printing system with multiple printheads each supplied by multiple conduits

A system for priming and de-priming a printhead, the system having a fluid container fluidically interconnected with the printhead via a closed fluid flow loop, a gas inlet on the closed loop and a valve on the closed loop for selectively allowing gas to enter the closed loop via the gas inlet, and a pump on the closed loop, wherein the pump is operational to draw fluid from the container in a first direction around the closed loop to prime the printhead with fluid from the container, and the vent is operational to cause fluid in the closed loop and the printhead to de-prime to the container in a second direction around the closed loop.

System for priming and de-priming printhead

A fluid distribution system for a printhead, the system having a fluid container fluidically interconnected with the printhead via a closed fluid flow loop, a bypass fluid path bypassing the printhead on the closed loop, a gas vent on the closed loop and a four-way valve on the closed loop for selectively allowing fluid flow along the closed loop via the printhead and the bypass path and venting of gas in the closed loop via the gas vent.

Fluid distribution system having four-way valve

A printer includes: a fixed printhead assembly defining a print zone; a drive roller for feeding media along a media path and into the print zone, the drive roller being positioned upstream of the print zone; a fixed vacuum platen for receiving the media from the drive roller, the fixed vacuum platen being positioned in the print zone opposite the fixed printhead assembly; and a moving belt assembly positioned downstream of the print zone for receiving the media from the fixed vacuum platen.

Printer having fixed vacuum platen and moving belt assembly

A printing system having a media width printhead, a plurality of fluid containers fluidically interconnected with the printhead via a respective plurality of fluid tubes each defining an individual closed fluid flow loop, a first multi-channel valve arrangement for selectively allowing fluid flow along each closed loop via the printhead by selectively moving a pinch element into and out of pinching contact with the fluid tubes so as to respectively block and allow fluid flow through the fluid tubes, a plurality of gas vents, each gas vent being associated with a respective one of the closed loops and a second multi-channel valve arrangement for selectively allowing venting of gas in each closed loop via the gas vents.

Printing system having valved ink and gas distribution for printhead

A coupling for distributing fluid to a printhead, the coupling having a housing, a port plate movably mounted on the housing by a shaft, the port plate having a plurality of ports for receiving respective fluid spouts of the printhead, a seal member mounted on the housing between the housing and the port plate, the seal member having a plurality of seals which align with respective ones of the ports of the port plate and a compression spring mounted on the shaft by a washer so as to be compressed between the washer and the port plate.

Printhead coupling for fluid distribution

A system for coupling a media width printhead to a fluid supply is provided having a printhead having a fluid inlet coupling at one longitudinal end of the media width and a fluid outlet coupling at the other longitudinal end of the media width, an inlet supply coupling having fluid ports defined in a port plate for engagement with fluid ports of the inlet coupling, an outlet supply coupling having fluid ports defined in a port plate for engagement with fluid ports of the outlet coupling, and a coupling drive mechanism connected to the port plates of the supply couplings via pre-compressed compression springs. The coupling drive mechanism is operational to move the port plates relative to the printhead so as to drive the ports of the supply couplings into engagement with the respective ports of the printhead couplings.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Robert Rosati