The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 16, 2017
Filed:
Feb. 24, 2016
Carlton E. Begeal, Golden, CO (US);
Carl R. Bildstein, Lafayette, CO (US);
Timothy Graham Bradley, Longmont, CO (US);
Dilan Nirushan Fernando, Thornton, CO (US);
Ronald Frederick Korsch, Longmont, CO (US);
Casey E. Walker, Boulder, CO (US);
Carlton E. Begeal, Golden, CO (US);
Carl R. Bildstein, Lafayette, CO (US);
Timothy Graham Bradley, Longmont, CO (US);
Dilan Nirushan Fernando, Thornton, CO (US);
Ronald Frederick Korsch, Longmont, CO (US);
Casey E. Walker, Boulder, CO (US);
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Embodiments described herein provide ink recirculation capabilities for Drop-On-Demand (DOD) printing systems. One embodiment comprises a system that includes a controller, a DOD print head, an ink tank, an ink pump, and a recirculation cap. The ink pump transports ink from the ink tank to the DOD print head, and the recirculation cap captures ink ejected by the DOD print head. The recirculation cap also transports the capture ink to the ink tank. In response to detecting a start of an ink recirculation cycle, the controller collocates the recirculation cap proximate to nozzles of the DOD print head, and directs the DOD print head to begin ejecting ink through the nozzles into the recirculation cap for transport of the captured ink to the ink tank. The controller detects an end to the ink recirculation cycle, and directs the DOD print head to stop ejecting ink into the recirculation cap.