Liquid supply device, liquid discharge device, and liquid discharge apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11148932-B2
Application number	US-202016780983-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2020
Priority date	Feb 6, 2019
Publication date	Oct 19, 2021
Grant date	Oct 19, 2021

Abstract

A liquid supply device includes a liquid discharge head, a main tank, a first sub-tank, a second sub-tank, a first channel, a degassing device, and a second channel. The liquid discharge head is configured to discharge liquid. The main tank is configured to store liquid to be supplied to the liquid discharge head. The first sub-tank is configured to store gas and liquid and connected to the main tank and the liquid discharge head. The second sub-tank is configured to store gas and liquid and connected to the first sub-tank and the liquid discharge head. The first channel connects between the main tank and the first sub-tank. The degassing device is configured to degas liquid in the first channel. The second channel connects between the second sub-tank and the first channel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A liquid supply device comprising:
a liquid discharge head configured to discharge liquid;
a main tank configured to store liquid to be supplied to the liquid discharge head;
a first sub-tank configured to store gas and liquid and connected to the main tank and the liquid discharge head;
a second sub-tank configured to store gas and liquid and connected to the first sub-tank and the liquid discharge head;
a first channel connecting between the main tank and the first sub-tank;
a degassing device configured to degas liquid in the first channel; and
a second channel connecting between the second sub-tank and the first channel.

2. The liquid supply device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first sub-tank is a negative-pressure sub-tank configured to collect liquid from the liquid discharge head, and the second sub-tank is a positive-pressure sub-tank configured to supply liquid to the liquid discharge head.

3. The liquid supply device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a negative-pressure air tank connected to the negative-pressure sub-tank to supply a negative air pressure; and
a positive-pressure air tank connected to the positive-pressure sub-tank to supply a positive air pressure.

4. The liquid supply device according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a decompression air pump connected to the negative-pressure air tank to reduce pressure of the negative-pressure air tank; and
a pressurizing air pump connected to the positive-pressure air tank to pressurize the positive-pressure air tank.

5. The liquid supply device according to claim 3 , further comprising:
an additional negative-pressure air tank connected between the negative-pressure air tank and the negative-pressure sub-tank; and
an additional positive-pressure air tank connected between the positive-pressure air tank and the positive-pressure sub-tank.

6. The liquid supply device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first sub-tank is a positive-pressure sub-tank configured to supply liquid to the liquid discharge head, and the second sub-tank is a negative-pressure sub-tank configured to collect liquid from the liquid discharge head.

7. The liquid supply device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first liquid supply pump connected between the main tank and the first sub-tank to supply liquid from the main tank to the first sub-tank; and
a second liquid supply pump connected to the first sub-tank and the second sub-tank to supply liquid from the first sub-tank to the second sub-tank.

8. The liquid supply device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second channel includes a channel resistance configured to control a flow rate of liquid in the second channel.

9. The liquid supply device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second channel includes an electromagnetic valve configured to control a flow rate of liquid in the second channel.

10. The liquid supply device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second channel includes a degassing pump configured to control a flow rate of liquid in the second channel.

11. A liquid supply device comprising:
a liquid discharge head configured to discharge liquid;
a main tank configured to store liquid to be supplied to the liquid discharge head;
a first sub-tank configured to store gas and liquid and connected to the main tank and the liquid discharge head;
a second sub-tank configured to store gas and liquid and connected to the first sub-tank and the liquid discharge head;
a first channel connecting between the main tank and the first sub-tank;
a degassing device configured to degas liquid in the first channel; and
a second channel connecting between the second sub-tank and the main tank.

12. The liquid supply device according to claim 11 ,
wherein the first sub-tank is a negative-pressure sub-tank configured to collect liquid from the liquid discharge head, and the second sub-tank is a positive-pressure sub-tank configured to supply liquid to the liquid discharge head.

13. The liquid supply device according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a negative-pressure air tank connected to the negative-pressure sub-tank to supply a negative air pressure; and
a positive-pressure air tank connected to the positive-pressure sub-tank to supply a positive air pressure.

14. The liquid supply device according to claim 13 , further comprising:
a decompression air pump connected to the negative-pressure air tank to reduce pressure of the negative-pressure air tank; and
a pressurizing air pump connected to the positive-pressure air tank to pressurize the positive-pressure air tank.

15. The liquid supply device according to claim 13 , further comprising:
an additional negative-pressure air tank connected between the negative-pressure air tank and the negative-pressure sub-tank; and
an additional positive-pressure air tank connected between the positive-pressure air tank and the positive-pressure sub-tank.

16. The liquid supply device according to claim 11 ,
wherein the first sub-tank is a positive-pressure sub-tank configured to supply liquid to the liquid discharge head, and the second sub-tank is a negative-pressure sub-tank configured to collect liquid from the liquid discharge head.

17. The liquid supply device according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a first liquid supply pump connected between the main tank and the first sub-tank to supply liquid from the main tank to the first sub-tank; and
a second liquid supply pump connected to the first sub-tank and the second sub-tank to supply liquid from the first sub-tank to the second sub-tank.

18. The liquid supply device according to claim 11 ,
wherein the second channel includes a channel resistance configured to control a flow rate of liquid in the second channel.

19. The liquid supply device according to claim 11 ,
wherein the second channel includes an electromagnetic valve configured to control a flow rate of liquid in the second channel.

20. The liquid supply device according to claim 11 ,
wherein the second channel includes a degassing pump configured to control a flow rate of liquid in the second channel.

21. A liquid supply device comprising:
a liquid discharge head configured to discharge liquid;
a main tank configured to store liquid to be supplied to the liquid discharge head;
a first sub-tank configured to store gas and liquid and connected to the main tank and the liquid discharge head;
a second sub-tank configured to store gas and liquid and connected to the first sub-tank and the liquid discharge head;
a first channel connecting between the main tank and the first sub-tank;
a first degassing device configured to degas liquid in the first channel;
a second channel connecting between the second sub-tank and the first sub-tank to supply liquid from the second sub-tank to the first sub-tank; and
a second degassing device configured to degas liquid in the second channel.

22. The liquid supply device according to claim 21 ,
wherein the first sub-tank is a negative-pressure sub-tank configured to collect liquid from the liquid discharge head, and the second sub-tank is a positive-pressure sub-tank configured to supply liquid to the liquid discharge head.

23. The liquid supply device according to claim 22 , further comprising:
a negative-pressure air tank connected to the negative-pressure sub-tank to supply a negative air pressure; and
a positive-pressure air tank connected to the positiv

Assignees

• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Azami Hiroshi
• Neya Fukuji
• Yuza Masanao

Classifications

• B01D19/0063

  Regulation, control including valves and floats (for construction and details of valves F16K) · CPC title

• B41J2/175

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

• B41J2/18

  Ink recirculation systems · CPC title

• B01D19/0036 Primary

  Flash degasification (the other groups take precedence) · CPC title

• B67D7/763 Primary

  of air separators · CPC title