Memjet Technology Limited

Zhenya Yourlo

Norman Micheal Berry

Peter Crichton

Mohammadreza Behi

Reza Behi

Andrew Thomas

Patrick McAuliffe

Patrick Mcauliffe

A pressure regulating valve for an inkjet printhead. The valve includes: a fluid flow path defined between a valve inlet and a valve outlet; an orifice positioned in the flow path; a movable valve member configured for regulating a fluid flow rate through the orifice; a regulator chamber having the valve outlet and including a diaphragm operatively connected to the valve member, such that movement of the diaphragm moves the valve member relative to the orifice; and a biasing mechanism for resiliently biasing the diaphragm away from the orifice. An outer surface of the valve member is non-linearly flared away from the diaphragm.

Pressure-regulating valve with non-linear flow regulator

An ink delivery system for supplying ink to an inkjet printhead at a predetermined backpressure. The ink delivery system includes: a pressure regulating valve connected to a printhead inlet port; an ink tank connected to a valve inlet of the pressure regulating valve; and a pump connected to a printhead outlet port. The backpressure of ink supplied to the printhead is controlled by: a height hof ink in the ink tank relative to a valve orifice, a height hof the valve orifice relative to the printhead, a position of a valve member relative to the orifice and a pump speed of the pump.

Ink delivery system with gravity, valve and pump control of backpressure

A pressure regulating valve for an inkjet printhead. The valve includes: a valve inlet connect to a valve outlet; via a flow path; a first orifice positioned in the flow path having a sealable first seat; a movable first valve member configured for sealing engagement with the first seat; a second orifice positioned in the flow path; a movable second valve member configured for regulating a fluid flow rate through the second orifice; a regulator chamber having the valve outlet and comprising a diaphragm operatively connected to the second valve member, such that movement of the diaphragm moves the second valve member relative to the second orifice; and a biasing mechanism for resiliently biasing the diaphragm away from the second orifice.

Pressure-regulating valve with dual valve members

A printhead maintenance system includes: an elongate inkjet printhead having a nozzle face containing a plurality of inkjet nozzles; a carriage movable longitudinally along the printhead in a cleaning direction, the carriage including a maintenance member having: a fluid bath having a mouth opposing the nozzle face of the printhead, a primary fluid inlet at an upstream end of the fluid bath relative to the cleaning direction and a fluid outlet at a downstream end of the fluid bath relative to the cleaning direction; and a traversing mechanism for traversing the carriage longitudinally along the printhead in the cleaning direction. The maintenance member does not contact inkjet nozzles of the printhead, and the fluid bath is configured to provide a greater fluid velocity at the downstream end relative to the upstream end.

Printhead maintenance system

An ink tank for an ink delivery system includes: a housing having an ink inlet port and an ink outlet port; an air vent communicating with a headspace of the ink tank; a filter positioned in the housing for filtering ink supplied from the ink tank via the ink outlet port; and a baffle plate positioned in the housing between the ink inlet port and the filter. The baffle plate is configured for directing air bubbles entering the ink tank via the ink inlet port towards the headspace of the ink tank. A baffle opening is positioned towards a base of the ink tank, thereby allowing ink to flow from the ink inlet port towards the ink outlet port via the baffle opening.

Ink tank with integrated filter

A printhead maintenance system includes: an inkjet printhead; a carriage movable longitudinally along the printhead in a cleaning direction, the carriage having a maintenance member including: a fluid bath having a mouth opposing the nozzle face of the printhead, a primary fluid inlet at an upstream end of the fluid bath relative to the cleaning direction, a suction nozzle at a downstream end of the fluid bath relative to the cleaning direction and a pair of wipers flanking the fluid bath; and a traversing mechanism for traversing the carriage along the printhead. The maintenance member does not contact inkjet nozzles of the printhead; the wipers each comprise a wiper material for contacting respective parts of the printhead flanking a nozzle face; and the wiper material is air-permeable such that, in use, suction of air through the wiper material into the fluid bath generates a foam in the fluid bath.

Maintenance system using foaming cleaning bath

An ink delivery system for delivering ink to an inkjet printhead. The system includes a first ink tank, a second ink tank, a main air line having an air inlet and an air outlet; a first air line interconnecting the first ink tank and the main air line; a second air line interconnecting the second ink tank and the main air line; an air pump positioned in the main air line; first and second airflow restrictor positioned in the main air line; an ink circulation line interconnecting the first and second ink tanks; and an ink pump positioned in the ink circulation line for pumping ink from the first ink tank to the second ink tank.

Growing community of inventors

North Ryde, Australia

Zhenya Yourlo