Ink circulation device and ink jet recording apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10022978-B2
Application number	US-201715484213-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2017
Priority date	Jun 17, 2015
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an ink circulation device includes a first tank which stores ink to be supplied to an ink jet head, a second tank which stores the ink returned from the ink jet head, and a circulation pump which circulates the ink stored in the second tank to the first tank. In addition, the ink circulation device according to the embodiment further includes a heating device which is in contact with and heats a bottom surface of the first tank, a bottom surface of the second tank, and a bottom surface of the circulation pump.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ink circulation device comprising:
a first tank that stores ink to be supplied to an ink jet head;
a second tank that stores the ink returned from the ink jet head;
a circulation pump that circulates the ink stored in the second tank to the first tank;
a cover body that covers the first tank, the second tank, and the circulation pump; and
a heating device that heats the first tank, the second tank, and the circulation pump using the air inside the cover.

2. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a supply pump that pumps the ink to the first tank,
wherein the heater heats the supply pump as well as the first tank, the second tank, and the circulation pump.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the cover body covers the supply pump.

4. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first pressure adjusting mechanism and a second pressure adjusting mechanism that is covered by the cover body.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein
the cover body is formed of a thermally insulating material.

6. The device according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a plurality of heat insulation members provided in or on an inner wall of the cover body in an overlapping manner.

7. An ink jet recording apparatus comprising:
an ink jet head that discharges ink;
a first tank that stores the ink to be supplied to the ink jet head;
a second tank that stores the ink returned from the ink jet head;
a circulation pump that circulates the ink stored in the second tank to the first tank;
a cover body that covers the first tank, the second tank, and the circulation pump; and
a single heater that heats the ink circulated inside the first tank, the second tank, and the circulation pump using the air inside the cover.

8. The device according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a supply pump that pumps the ink to the first tank,
wherein the heater heats the supply pump as well as the first tank, the second tank, and the circulation pump.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein
the cover body covers the supply pump.

10. The device according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a first pressure adjusting mechanism and a second pressure adjusting mechanism that is covered by the cover body.

11. The device according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a cooling unit positioned adjacent to the circulation pump.

12. The device according to claim 7 , wherein
the cover body is formed of a thermally insulating material.

13. The device according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a plurality of heat insulation members provided in or on an inner wall of the cover body in an overlapping manner.

14. An ink jet recording apparatus comprising:
an ink jet head that discharges ink;
a first tank that stores the ink to be supplied to the ink jet head;
a second tank that stores the ink returned from the ink jet head;
a circulation pump that circulates the ink stored in the second tank to the first tank;
a supply pump that pumps ink from the first tank to the inkjet head;
a cover body that covers the first tank, the second tank, and the circulation pump; and
a single heater heats the ink circulated inside the first tank, the second tank, and the circulation pump using the air inside the cover.

15. The device according to claim 14 , further comprising:
a first pressure adjusting mechanism and a second pressure adjusting mechanism that is covered by the cover body.

16. The device according to claim 14 , further comprising:
a cooling unit positioned adjacent to the circulation pump.

17. The device according to claim 14 , wherein
the cover body is formed of a thermally insulating material.

18. The device according to claim 17 , further comprising:
a plurality of heat insulation members provided in or on an inner wall of the cover body in an overlapping manner.

Assignees

• Toshiba Tec Kk

Inventors

• Ohtsu Kazuhiko
• Hara Kazuhiro

Classifications

• B41J2/17593

  Supplying ink in a solid state · CPC title

• B41J2/14088

  Structure of heating means · CPC title

• B41J2/175 Primary

  Ink supply systems {; Circuit parts therefor} · CPC title

• B41J2/18 Primary

  Ink recirculation systems · CPC title

• B41J2/17596

  Ink pumps, ink valves · CPC title