Selectively provide pressure differences between reservoirs to cause printing fluid movement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9895897-B2
Application number	US-201314915076-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2013
Priority date	Aug 27, 2013
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

A printing apparatus, a printing system and a method are disclosed. The method of moving printing fluid within a printing apparatus includes selectively providing a first pressure difference between a first reservoir and a second reservoir by a differential pressure system to cause the printing fluid to move from the first reservoir through a printing fluid applicator to the second reservoir. The method also includes selectively providing a second pressure difference between the first reservoir and the second reservoir by the different pressure system to cause the printing fluid to move from the second reservoir through the printing fluid applicator to the first reservoir.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A printing apparatus, comprising:
a first reservoir;
a second reservoir;
an applicator receiving area to receive a printing fluid applicator to be placed in fluid communication with the first reservoir and the second reservoir; and
a differential pressure system including a switching manifold to selectively provide a first pressure difference between the first reservoir and the second reservoir to cause printing fluid to move from the first reservoir through the printing fluid applicator to the second reservoir, and to selectively provide a second pressure difference between the first reservoir and the second reservoir to cause the printing fluid to move from the second reservoir through the printing fluid applicator to the first reservoir; and
wherein the switching manifold is configured to direct at least one of a first amount of pressure and a second amount of pressure to each one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir to selectively establish one of the first pressure difference and the second pressure difference between the first reservoir and the second reservoir; and
a control device for the differential pressure system to operate the differential pressure system to repeatedly apply the first and then the second pressure differences at a predetermined interval to move the printing fluid back and forth repeatedly between the first and second reservoirs to assist in maintaining a target temperature of the printing fluid.

2. A method of operating the printing system of claim 1 , the method comprising:
placing the first reservoir in fluid communication with the printing fluid applicator of the printing apparatus by a first conduit to move the printing fluid there between;
placing the second reservoir in fluid communication with the printing fluid applicator by a second conduit to move the printing fluid there between;
selectively providing a first pressure difference between the first reservoir and the second reservoir by the differential pressure system to cause the printing fluid to move from the first reservoir through the printing fluid applicator to the second reservoir;
selectively providing a second pressure difference between the first reservoir and the second reservoir by the differential pressure system to cause the printing fluid to move from the second reservoir through the printing fluid applicator to the first reservoir; and
heating the printing fluid in at least one of the first reservoir; the second reservoir, the first conduit and the second conduit by at least one heating unit.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the selectively providing a first pressure difference and the selectively providing a second pressure difference further comprise:
providing a first amount of pressure and a second amount of pressure by an air movement device of the differential pressure system; and
controlling whether the first reservoir and the second reservoir receive the first amount of pressure and the second amount of pressure by a control device of the differential pressure system.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
establishing a predetermined interval by the control device to switch between the selectively providing the first pressure difference and the selectively providing the second pressure difference; and
selectively establishing the first pressure difference and the second pressure difference between the first reservoir and the second reservoir at the predetermined interval by the control device.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the providing a first amount of pressure and a second amount of pressure by an air movement device of the differential pressure system further comprises:
supplying the first amount of pressure by a pressure supply of the air movement device; and
communicating with the pressure supply by a pressure adjustment module of the air movement device to supply the second amount of pressure.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the controlling whether the first reservoir and the second reservoir receive the first amount of pressure and the second amount of pressure by a control device of the differential pressure system further comprises:
establishing communication paths between each one of the pressure supply and the pressure adjustment module with the first reservoir and the second reservoir by a switching manifold, respectively, to direct at least one of the first amount of pressure and the second amount of pressure to each one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir to selectively establish one of the first pressure difference and the second pressure difference between the first reservoir and the second reservoir at a predetermined interval.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the heating the printing fluid in at least one of the first reservoir, the second reservoir, the first conduit and the second conduit by at least one heating unit comprises: a first heater disposed at the first reservoir and a second heater disposed at the second reservoir to maintain the printing fluid in the fluid applicator within a predetermined temperature range.

8. The printing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the differential pressure system further comprises:
an air movement device to provide the first amount of pressure and the second amount of pressure.

9. The printing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the air movement device comprises:
a pressure supply to supply the first amount of pressure; and
a pressure adjustment module to communicate with the pressure supply to supply the second amount of pressure.

10. The printing apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
the printing fluid applicator disposed in the applicator receiving area, and in fluid communication with the first reservoir and the second reservoir;
a replaceable printing fluid supply to supply the printing fluid; and
a printing fluid pump to pump the printing fluid from the replaceable printing fluid supply to at least one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir.

11. The printing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first conduit to place the first reservoir in fluid communication with the printing fluid applicator to move the printing fluid there between;
a second conduit to place the second reservoir in fluid communication with the printing fluid applicator to move the printing fluid there between; and
at least one heating unit to heat the printing fluid in at least one of the first reservoir, the second reservoir, the first conduit, and the second conduit.

12. The printing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the printing fluid comprises ultraviolet curable ink and the printing fluid applicator comprises an inkjet print bar to selectively apply the printing fluid to a substrate.

13. The printing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first reservoir comprises a first set of two reservoirs, and the second reservoir comprises a second set of two reservoirs;
the printing fluid applicator comprises a first printhead module disposed between and in fluid communication with the two reservoirs of first set of reservoirs;
the printing fluid applicator comprises a second printhead module disposed between and in fluid communication with the two reservoirs of second set of reservoirs; and
the differential pressure system is to:
selectively provide a first pressure difference between the two reservoirs of first set of reservoirs to cause a first printing fluid to move from the first reservoir through the first printhead module to the second reservoir,
selectively provide a second pressure difference between the two reservoirs of first set of reservoirs to cause the printing fluid to move from the s

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Miravet Jimenez Joan Albert
• Ferran Farres Marina
• Ros Cerro Francesc

Classifications

• B41J2/18

  Ink recirculation systems · CPC title

• B41J2/17556

  Means for regulating the pressure in the cartridge · CPC title

• B41J2202/12

  with ink circulating through the whole print head · CPC title

• B41J2/175 Primary

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

• B41J2/17596

  Ink pumps, ink valves · CPC title