Module for ink jet printer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10399348-B2
Application number	US-201615736669-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2016
Priority date	Jun 15, 2015
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

A removable module for an inkjet printer comprises: a housing; a plurality of fluid conduits; two cartridge connections; a printer connection; and an electrical link. The plurality of fluid conduits are disposed within the housing. The two cartridge connections are each for releasable engagement with a fluid cartridge. Each cartridge connection is exposed by the housing and comprises: a fluid connector for engaging an outlet of a fluid cartridge to allow fluid to flow from the engaged cartridge to one of the plurality of fluid conduits; and an electrical contact arranged to contact a corresponding contact on the engaged fluid cartridge. The printer connection is for releasable engagement with an inkjet printer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A removable module for an inkjet printer comprising a printhead and an ink supply system for supplying a mixture of ink and solvent to the printhead, the removable module comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of fluid conduits disposed within the housing;
two cartridge connections, each for releasable engagement with a fluid cartridge, each cartridge connection being exposed by the housing and comprising: a fluid connector for engaging an outlet of a fluid cartridge to allow fluid to flow from the engaged cartridge to one of the plurality of fluid conduits; and an electrical contact arranged to contact a corresponding electrical contact on the engaged fluid cartridge;
a printer connection for releasable engagement with the inkjet printer, the printer connection being exposed by the housing and comprising: a plurality of fluid ports, each fluid port arranged to connect to a fluid pathway within the inkjet supply system to allow fluid to flow between one or more of the plurality of fluid conduits and the fluid pathway; and an electrical connector arranged to engage with a corresponding connector on the inkjet printer; and
an electrical link between the electrical connector of the printer connection and the electrical contact of each of the two cartridge connections, the electrical link being disposed within the housing; and,
wherein said removable module is adapted to be releasably engaged with said ink supply system.

2. The removable module of claim 1 , wherein the housing is provided with one or more apertures in the vicinity of each of the cartridge connections and the printer connection.

3. The removable module of claim 1 further comprising a pump arranged to draw fluid from the fluid connector or one or both of the fluid connectors to one or more of the plurality of fluid ports of the printer connection.

4. The removable module of claim 3 further comprising an electrical link between the electrical connector of the printer connection and the pump.

5. The removable module of claim 3 further comprising a pressure relief valve connected across an inlet port and an outlet port of the pump.

6. The removable module of claim 1 further comprising a body disposed within the housing and wherein the body defines the plurality of fluid conduits.

7. The removable module of claim 6 , wherein the body comprises two portions and a seal, the two portions being connected together with the seal disposed therebetween.

8. The removable module of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the two portions is provided with one or more grooves and at least one of the plurality of conduits is formed by the one or more grooves when the two portions are connected together.

9. The removable module of claim 1 wherein the fluid connector of each of the cartridge connections comprises a septum needle disposed within a generally cylindrical bore in the housing.

10. The removable module of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of valves disposed within the housing and arranged to selectively link two or more of the plurality of fluid conduits so as to form one or more fluid pathways through the housing.

11. The removable module of claim 1 wherein the fluid connector or a portion thereof is disposed on a first surface of the removable module and the electrical contact or a portion thereof is disposed adjacent the fluid connector on the first surface of the removable module, and the plurality of fluid ports or a portion thereof are disposed on a second surface of the removable module, and the electrical connector or a portion thereof is disposed on a second surface of the removable module.

12. The removable module of claim 1 further comprising a data storage device disposed on the module and an electrical link between the electrical connector of the printer connection and the data storage device, the data storage device configured for transferring data to a controller of the printer.

13. The removable module of claim 1 wherein the removable module does not include an ink reservoir or a filter.

14. The ink jet printer of claim 1 wherein one of the cartridge connections is adapted for releasable engagement with an ink cartridge and the other cartridge connection is adapted for releasable engagement with a solvent cartridge, the ink jet printer further comprising:
a cabinet; an ink storage system disposed within the cabinet, the ink storage system comprising an ink reservoir in fluid communication with the removable module and a filter in fluid communication with the ink reservoir; a print head disposed externally of the cabinet and operable to receive ink from the ink reservoir and to project it, as a stream of drops, onto a substrate; and a controller operable to provide control signals to the removable module, the ink storage system and the print head so as to control the flow of ink and solvent through the inkjet printer.

15. The ink jet printer of claim 14 wherein the controller is operable to provide control signals to control a flow of ink and/or solvent from the two cartridge connections to the ink storage system.

16. The ink jet printer of claim 14 wherein the controller is operable to provide control signals to control a flow of solvent from one of the two cartridge connections to the print head.

17. Apparatus for inkjet printing using a solvent based ink, the Apparatus comprising:
an inkjet printer comprising a printhead and an ink supply system, the ink supply system comprising a removable module adapted to be releasably engaged with the ink supply system and being operable to supply solvent based ink to the printhead;
a cabinet for housing the ink supply system and the removable module, and wherein said printhead is disposed externally of the cabinet;
a gas sensor disposed within the removable module in the cabinet and operable to sense solvent vapor within the cabinet; and
a controller configured to receive a signal the gas sensor and output a signal based thereon.

18. The ink jet printer of claim 17 , wherein the controller outputs an alarm signal based upon sensed solvent vapor.

19. The ink jet printer of claim 18 , wherein the gas sensor outputs a signal indicating a concentration of solvent vapor in the cabinet.

20. The ink jet printer of claim 17 , wherein the gas sensor is disposed in a lower portion of the cabinet.

Assignees

• Videojet Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Smith Robert
• Doswell David

Classifications

• B41J2/1752 Primary

  Mounting within the printer · CPC title

• B41J2002/1853

  ink collectors for continuous Inkjet printers, e.g. gutters, mist suction means · CPC title

• B41J2/17596

  Ink pumps, ink valves · CPC title

• B41J2/17546

  electronically · CPC title

• B41J2/17523 Primary

  Ink connection · CPC title