Printer ink pump and method of supplying ink using motion of the carrier

Abstract

A system and method for supplying ink to a print head on a moving carrier using the acceleration of the print head carrier to assist in pumping the ink. The system includes an ink supply reservoir and an ink pump on the moving carrier where the ink pump has a carrier reservoir including at least one flexible wall that deforms from inertial resistance to acceleration of the moving carrier, a print head, and a pressure regulator in fluid communication with the carrier reservoir and the print head. The system also has an ink supply tube in fluid communication with the ink supply reservoir and the carrier reservoir such that acceleration of the moving carrier and ink pump deforms the flexible wall and thereby pumps ink from the ink supply reservoir to the carrier reservoir and from the carrier reservoir to the print head, or solely to the carrier reservoir. The flexible wall preferably includes a mass integrated therewith that increases inertial resistance to the acceleration of the moving carrier and deformation of the flexible wall, and the carrier reservoir preferably includes a rigid member in its interior that prevents deformation of the flexible wall into the interior of the carrier reservoir. The method includes providing ink in a stationary ink supply reservoir, accelerating the moving carrier, and pumping ink from the ink supply reservoir to a print head using a flexible wall in the ink pump that deforms from inertial resistance to the acceleration of the moving carrier.