Apparatus and method for printing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12552172-B2
Application number	US-202118267507-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2021
Priority date	Dec 17, 2020
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

Apparatus for continuous ink jet printing, comprising: an ink system comprising an ink storage tank ( 15 ) operable to supply ink to a print head associated with the apparatus; a single cartridge connection ( 9 ) for releasable engagement with a fluid cartridge ( 8 ), the cartridge connection ( 9 ) comprising: a fluid connector ( 10 ) for engaging an outlet of a fluid cartridge; and a conduit configured to allow fluid to flow along a fluid pathway from a cartridge engaged with the cartridge connection, via the fluid connector, to the ink storage tank. The apparatus has a first configuration in which a solvent cartridge is engaged with the cartridge connection and in which the apparatus is configured to receive solvent from the engaged solvent cartridge, and a second configuration in which an ink cartridge is engaged with the cartridge connection and in which the apparatus is configured to receive ink from the engaged ink cartridge.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for continuous ink jet printing, comprising:
an ink system comprising an ink storage tank operable to supply ink to a print head associated with the apparatus; a single cartridge connection for releasable engagement with a fluid cartridge, the cartridge connection comprising:
a fluid connector for engaging an outlet of a fluid cartridge, the fluid connector comprising a needle configured to receive both ink and solvent; and
a conduit configured to allow fluid to flow along a fluid pathway from a cartridge engaged with the cartridge connection, via the fluid connector, to the ink storage tank;
the apparatus having:
a first configuration in which a solvent cartridge is engaged with the cartridge connection and in which the apparatus is configured to receive solvent from the engaged solvent cartridge; and
a second configuration in which an ink cartridge is engaged with the cartridge connection and in which the apparatus is configured to receive ink from the engaged ink cartridge.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid connector is configured to engage an outlet of the solvent cartridge in the first configuration of the apparatus, and is configured to engage an outlet of the ink cartridge in the second configuration of the apparatus.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cartridge connection comprises a data interface configured to obtain data indicative of the contents of an engaged cartridge.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in the second configuration, the apparatus is configured to extract substantially the entire contents of the engaged ink cartridge from the cartridge and into ink storage tank.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in the first configuration, the apparatus is configured to extract solvent from the engaged solvent cartridge and provide the solvent into a solvent storage tank.

6 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to control operations of the ink system and the print head.

7 . The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to detect a cartridge engaged with the cartridge connection, and determine a type of the cartridge.

8 . The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that additional ink is required and generate an indication that additional ink is required.

9 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to:
detect an ink cartridge engaged with the cartridge connection; and cause the ink system to extract substantially the entire contents of the engaged ink cartridge from the cartridge and into ink storage tank.

10 . The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that additional solvent is required and generate an indication that additional solvent is required.

11 . The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to:
detect a solvent cartridge engaged with the cartridge connection; and cause the ink system to extract solvent from the engaged solvent cartridge into the ink system.

12 . The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to:
detect a solvent cartridge engaged with the cartridge connection after an ink refill operation has been performed; and cause the ink system to perform a cleaning operation.

13 . A method of operating an apparatus for ink jet printing, the method comprising:
connecting an ink cartridge with a cartridge connection of the apparatus; detecting an ink cartridge engaged with the cartridge connection; after the ink cartridge has been detected, causing an ink system to extract substantially the entire contents of the detected ink cartridge from the cartridge and into an ink storage tank within the apparatus; disconnecting the ink cartridge from the cartridge connection of the apparatus; connecting a solvent cartridge with the same cartridge connection of the apparatus previously connected to the ink cartridge; detecting a solvent cartridge engaged with the cartridge connection after an ink refill operation has been performed; and after the solvent cartridge has been detected, performing a cleaning operation.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising, after connecting the solvent cartridge with the cartridge connection of the apparatus, transferring solvent from the solvent cartridge to a location within the apparatus.

15 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein transferring solvent from the solvent cartridge to a location within the apparatus and transferring ink from the ink cartridge to a location within the apparatus comprises pumping ink or solvent from the respective cartridge via the same cartridge connection.

16 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the method comprises:
determining that additional ink is required to be added to a location within the apparatus; and generating an indication that additional ink is required.

17 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the method comprises:
detecting a cartridge engaged with the cartridge connection; and determining a type of the detected cartridge.

18 . An apparatus for continuous ink jet printing, comprising:
an ink system comprising an ink storage tank operable to supply ink to a print head associated with the apparatus; a single cartridge connection for releasable engagement with one of an ink cartridge or a solvent cartridge, the single cartridge connection comprising:
a fluid connector for engaging an outlet of the one of the ink cartridge or the solvent cartridge; and
a conduit configured to allow ink or solvent to flow along a fluid pathway from the one of the ink cartridge or the solvent cartridge engaged with the single cartridge connection, via the fluid connector, to the ink storage tank;
the apparatus having:
a first configuration in which the one of the ink cartridge or the solvent cartridge is the solvent cartridge, and the solvent cartridge is engaged with the single cartridge connection and in which the apparatus is configured to receive solvent from the engaged solvent cartridge; and
a second configuration in which the one of the ink cartridge or the solvent cartridge is the ink cartridge, and the ink cartridge is engaged with the single cartridge connection and in which the apparatus is configured to receive ink from the engaged ink cartridge,
the apparatus further comprising a controller configured to control operations of the ink system and the print head, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine that additional solvent is required and generate an indication that additional solvent is required;
detect that the solvent cartridge is engaged with the single cartridge connection; and
cause the ink system to extract solvent from the engaged solvent cartridge into the ink system.

Assignees

• Videojet Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Stamp Michael Jeffrey
• Smith Robert

Classifications

• B41J2/1707

  Conditioning of the inside of ink supply circuits, e.g. flushing during start-up or shut-down · CPC title

• B41J29/17

  Cleaning arrangements · CPC title

• B41J2/02

  generating a continuous ink jet · CPC title

• B41J2002/022

  Control methods or devices for continuous ink jet · CPC title

• B41J2/17566

  Ink level or ink residue control · CPC title