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EP0588698B1 - Régulateur de pression pneumatique à commande électronique et procédé de régulation de pression d'un fluide utilisant un tel régulateur - Google Patents

Régulateur de pression pneumatique à commande électronique et procédé de régulation de pression d'un fluide utilisant un tel régulateur Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0588698B1
EP0588698B1 EP93402211A EP93402211A EP0588698B1 EP 0588698 B1 EP0588698 B1 EP 0588698B1 EP 93402211 A EP93402211 A EP 93402211A EP 93402211 A EP93402211 A EP 93402211A EP 0588698 B1 EP0588698 B1 EP 0588698B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
pressure
accumulator
solenoid valve
volume
solenoid valves
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP93402211A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0588698A1 (fr
Inventor
Alain Cabinet Ballot-Schmit Pagnon
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Markem Imaje SAS
Original Assignee
Imaje SA
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Imaje SA filed Critical Imaje SA
Publication of EP0588698A1 publication Critical patent/EP0588698A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0588698B1 publication Critical patent/EP0588698B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/175—Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
    • Y10T137/0318—Processes
    • Y10T137/0324—With control of flow by a condition or characteristic of a fluid
    • Y10T137/0379—By fluid pressure

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an electronically controlled pneumatic pressure regulation device and method and their use in a system for controlling the speed of the jets coming from a liquid spray head.
  • a particular application of the invention is the printing by continuous jet of ink drops which must be brought, under constant and precise pressure, to the modulating body of a printer towards a calibrated nozzle.
  • diaphragm regulators diaphragm regulators
  • solenoid valve regulators for which pressure regulation is obtained by the mechanical balance of a moving part (diaphragm-piston).
  • the force applied to the membrane is not due to a spring, as in manual control, but to an air pressure, obtained by means of a pneumatic potentiometer.
  • the value of the pressure thus regulated is between a higher value, called the inlet pressure, given by a source, and a lower value, called the exhaust pressure, generally the atmospheric pressure.
  • the potentiometer consists of an electronic device integrating the regulation loop, associated with a nozzle-vane system, or with two proportional solenoid valves, or even with a three-way solenoid valve and three positions with rapid opening and closing according to technology. chosen.
  • the solenoid valve is three-way, receiving an electrical control signal delivered by an electronic regulating device, as described in French patent applications FR 2 275 822 from HOERBIGER and European EP 328 573 from JOUCOMATIC.
  • a piston internal to the valve takes different positions ensuring either a connection between the source pressure and the regulated pressure when the latter is too low compared to the setpoint, either a connection between the exhaust and the regulated pressure when the latter is higher than the setpoint, or a tightness of the regulated pressure with respect to the source pressure and to the exhaust.
  • the transfer of the ink into this accumulator is done by complete emptying of a viscometer which is filled with ink from a recovery tank itself connected to an ink tank and to a solvent tank, and which controls the viscosity of the ink intended for printing.
  • the pressure level in the accumulator is measured by a needle pressure gauge and the regulation of this pressure is ensured by a manually controlled regulator which acts on a supply line for the pressure supplied by a compressor.
  • the viscosimeter ink is emptied into the accumulator through a calibrated leak, sized to limit the ink transfer rate in accordance with the regulator's response, which must be able to quickly deal with the tendency to overpressure, caused by the sudden arrival of ink in said accumulator.
  • the print head of an inkjet printer is supplied with ink by a first chamber whose pressure is directly regulated either by connecting it to a second chamber which serves as a pressure source, through another solenoid valve, or by connecting it to a pressure well through another e solenoid valve.
  • the pressurization of the second chamber is ensured by a pump placed in an ink recovery circuit, which connects the print head to this chamber.
  • a line, controlled by a third solenoid valve connects the bottom of the second chamber to the first chamber, in order to ensure the ink supply to the latter, from the second chamber.
  • the present invention aims to overcome these different drawbacks by proposing a pressure regulator with an intermediate volume between the source pressure, the exhaust pressure and the pressure of the output volume.
  • a pressure regulator according to the invention will advantageously be used in the control of the speed of the jets of a liquid projection head, in particular for an ink jet printer.
  • FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the pressure regulator according to the invention, intended for regulating the pressure of a fluid, two-phase for example, contained in an accumulator 5.
  • This pressure regulator comprises a transfer volume 4, connected to its environment by three solenoid valves 1,2 and 3 with two channels and two positions.
  • This transfer volume 4 is thus connected, by the solenoid valve 1, to a pressure source, a compressor for example, intended to allow the pressurization of the volume 4 at a pressure of the order of 4 relative bars for example.
  • the transfer volume 4 is also connected to a pressure well delivering a pressure lower than the pressure of the accumulator 5 - free air for example - by means of a solenoid valve 2, in order to be able to be brought to the atmospheric pressure.
  • volume 4 is connected, by the solenoid valve 3, to the output volume 5, called the accumulator.
  • a pressure sensor 6, placed at the inlet of the accumulator 5, delivers information, processed by the electronic control system of the solenoid valves, on the value of the pressure prevailing in the accumulator 5 and allows the correct functioning of the regulator.
  • This air volume 4 intermediate between the pressure source, the exhaust pressure and the outlet volume, is dimensioned precisely as a function of this source pressure, of the exhaust pressure, of the pressure in the accumulator 5 and the desired precision on the regulation of this last pressure. So that the transfers between the volume 4 and the accumulator 5 do not cause significant disturbances, in accordance with the precision sought for the regulator, the transfer volume 4 is small compared to the output volume. The frequency of transfers is only a function of the air flow rate requested at the outlet.
  • the operation of the regulator is checked as follows: the solenoid valves 1 and 3 are controlled to be opened, which puts the accumulator 5 in direct communication with the source pressure. It is thus possible to check the level of the source pressure by the pressure sensor 6. Then the opening of the solenoid valves 2 and 3 is then commanded to put the accumulator 5 in direct communication with the atmosphere and check that it is vented by observing a zero relative pressure via the sensor 6.
  • the method of regulating the pressure in the accumulator 5 comprises three basic cycles.
  • the first cycle corresponds to the case where the pressure in the accumulator is in the range of the desired values, for example 3 bars at plus or minus 1%. No sequence is then initialized, and the three solenoid valves remain closed.
  • FIG. 3 relates to the application of the invention to the printing by continuous jet of drops of liquid, and in particular of ink, and represents the hydraulic diagram of an ink jet printer equipped with a regulator according to the 'invention.
  • the accumulator 5 serves as an ink reservoir for the printing of the drops on a support, by the printing head (not shown) of the printer.
  • the ink pressure is imposed by a gas pocket 50 overhanging the ink.
  • the unused ink drops are recovered at the outlet of the print head and recycled by a pipe 7 to a tank 8 called recovery tank serving as an intermediary between an ink tank 12 and the accumulator 5.
  • the tank 8 is put under vacuum by a vacuum circuit as described in French patent application 89 13060 in the name of the applicant.
  • a viscometer 9, intended to measure the viscosity of the ink coming from this recovery tank 8, serves as a reservoir through which the ink from said recovery reservoir 8 passes before being sent to the accumulator 5.
  • This viscometer is connected to the lower part of the reservoir 8 by a solenoid valve 89 via a calibrated leak 10, and to the lower part of the transfer volume 4 by a solenoid valve 13, after passing through a filter 39 preventing the latter from being blocked by the particles in suspension in the ink.
  • the solvent contained in a reservoir 11 can be added to the reservoir 9, by means of a solenoid valve 119.
  • the gas pocket 90 prevailing in the viscometer is connected to on the one hand at the top of the recovery tank 8 by a solenoid valve 98, on the other hand at the source pressure by a solenoid valve 94 and at the exhaust pressure - the atmosphere for example - by a solenoid valve 91.
  • filling the viscometer it is carried out according to the description made in French patent n ° 2 652 540.
  • the ink supply circuit of the printer comprises an electronically controlled pressure regulator as described above, the transfer volume 4 of which contains a small quantity of ink surmounted by a gas pocket 40
  • the base of the transfer volume 4 is connected on the one hand to the base of the viscometer 9 via a solenoid valve 13 authorizing the transfer of the ink from the viscometer to the volume 4 and on the other hand to the base from the accumulator 5 by a solenoid valve 15, authorizing the transfer of the ink from the volume 4 to the accumulator, these two solenoid valves 13 and 15 being electronically controllable.
  • the upper part of the transfer volume 4 is connected to the pressure source 14 by the solenoid valve 1, to a vacuum source such as the atmosphere by the solenoid valve 2 and to the gas pocket 50 of the accumulator 5 by the solenoid valve 3.
  • the pressure prevailing in the accumulator 5 is measured by a pressure sensor 6, with analog output for example.
  • the operating cycles of the pressure regulator described in FIGS. 2A and 2B, make it possible to control very precisely the pressure of the ink ejected, so to control the speed of the inkjet in order to improve the quality of printing.
  • the subject of the invention is a method for regulating the pressure of the ink contained in the accumulator 5, which comprises the following three cycles.
  • a first cycle of maintaining the pressure in the accumulator 5, when the latter is well within the range of values chosen for proper operation of the print head, includes transfers of elementary quantities of ink from the transfer volume 4 to the accumulator 5, via the solenoid valve 15.
  • the circuit of ink and solvent additions comprises a single circulation channel 102 for the ink and the solvent, thus limiting the problems of clogging of the pipes by the ink and that additions take place through the lower parts of the tanks in order to avoid disturbances of free surfaces.
  • the role of volume of solvent transfer played by the viscometer in order to carry out the rinsing of the print head during its stops.
  • FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the control of the jet speed.
  • This closed loop control receives on the one hand a jet speed setpoint V c - 20 m / s for example - and on the other hand, a measurement of the speed of the jet V j at the outlet of the accumulator 5, carried out by a system described in French patent No. 2,636,884 of the applicant.
  • a comparator 16 works out the difference between the set speed V c and the measured jet speed V j , of the order of 0.3 m / s, for example.
  • error E is then compared with a value ⁇ , which is the allowed error, for example 0.2 m / s.
  • ⁇ which is the allowed error
  • the upper part of the accumulator 5 is placed in communication with the atmosphere, by means of the solenoid valve 2, which authorizes a withdrawal of gas from the accumulator towards the open air.
  • the regulator In the case where the error E is between (+ ⁇ ) and (- ⁇ ), the regulator is left to operate without changing the pressure in the accumulator.
  • the stability of the servo-control is obtained by dimensioning the transfer volume 4 so that the pressure disturbance in the accumulator 5, due to the second and third operating cycles of the regulator, does not cause the jet speed to vary. more than the value ⁇ .
  • the volume V 4 of the gas pocket 40 of the transfer volume 4 must be maintained in a constant relationship with the volume V 5 of the gas pocket 50 of the accumulator 5, thanks to the permanent communication of these two tanks 4 and 5 by the solenoid valve 15, outside the sequences of adding or removing gas in the accumulator 5, as well as outside of the ink transfer sequences, as described below.
  • the level of pressure regulation in said accumulator is obtained from information no longer delivered by the sensor. speed of the inkjet, but delivered by the pressure sensor 6.
  • the pressure setpoint then results from the last measurement preceding the ink transfer sequence from the viscometer 9 to the accumulator 5.
  • Figure 5 is a block diagram of the transfer of ink into the accumulator according to the invention. This transfer must be carried out by bringing only a slight disturbance in the pressure prevailing in the accumulator 5, in agreement with the precision of the speed control. This transfer sequence uses the transfer volume 4, the lower part of which is filled with ink, to pass an elementary quantity of ink from the viscometer 9 to the accumulator 5.
  • the upper part of the viscometer 9, which contains a gas pocket 90 above the ink, is connected to the source pressure by a solenoid valve 17, electronically controllable.
  • FIG. 6 shows the basic sequence of operation of the solenoid valves 1,2,3,13,15 and 17 during the transfer of the ink by means of the opening of said solenoid valves.
  • the next step where the solenoid valves 15 and 3 are open simultaneously corresponds to balancing by vessel communicating ink levels of the accumulator 5 and of the transfer volume 4.
  • the emptying of the viscometer requires several transfer sequences, ten approximately, each followed by a jet speed check. Corrections can be made if necessary.
  • a regulator according to the invention has been tested on a continuous ink jet printer.
  • the ink consumption of the printer is such that a pressure increase cycle is necessary every twenty seconds; a pressure drop cycle does not appear while the pressure maintenance cycle is in the majority.

Landscapes

  • Ink Jet (AREA)
  • Control Of Fluid Pressure (AREA)
EP93402211A 1992-09-15 1993-09-10 Régulateur de pression pneumatique à commande électronique et procédé de régulation de pression d'un fluide utilisant un tel régulateur Expired - Lifetime EP0588698B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR9210993A FR2695704B1 (fr) 1992-09-15 1992-09-15 Régulateur de pression pneumatique à commande électronique et procédé de régulation de pression d'un fluide utilisant un tel régulateur.
FR9210993 1992-09-15

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0588698A1 EP0588698A1 (fr) 1994-03-23
EP0588698B1 true EP0588698B1 (fr) 1997-01-02

Family

ID=9433525

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP93402211A Expired - Lifetime EP0588698B1 (fr) 1992-09-15 1993-09-10 Régulateur de pression pneumatique à commande électronique et procédé de régulation de pression d'un fluide utilisant un tel régulateur

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US5555005A (es)
EP (1) EP0588698B1 (es)
JP (1) JPH06208419A (es)
CN (1) CN1070622C (es)
CA (1) CA2106102A1 (es)
DE (1) DE69307066T2 (es)
ES (1) ES2098007T3 (es)
FR (1) FR2695704B1 (es)

Families Citing this family (19)

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BE1011782A3 (nl) * 1998-03-10 2000-01-11 Atlas Copco Airpower Nv Compressoreenheid en daarbij gebruikte regelinrichting.
FR2792874B1 (fr) * 1999-04-28 2001-06-22 Imaje Sa Imprimante a jet d'encre et procede de gestion de la qualite de l'encre d'une telle imprimante
US6435637B1 (en) * 1999-10-29 2002-08-20 Scitex Digital Printing, Inc. Fluid and vacuum control in an ink jet printing system
US6719394B2 (en) * 2000-04-14 2004-04-13 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Semiconductor device, ink tank provided with such semiconductor device, ink jet cartridge, ink jet recording apparatus, method for manufacturing such semiconductor device, and communication system, method for controlling pressure, memory element, security system of ink jet recording apparatus
US6568416B2 (en) 2001-02-28 2003-05-27 Brian L. Andersen Fluid flow control system, fluid delivery and control system for a fluid delivery line, and method for controlling pressure oscillations within fluid of a fluid delivery line
FR2827682B1 (fr) * 2001-07-20 2004-04-02 Gemplus Card Int Regulation de pression par transfert d'un volume de gaz calibre
US7481627B2 (en) * 2004-08-30 2009-01-27 Mat Industries Llc Air compressor tools that communicate with an air compressor
US20060045751A1 (en) * 2004-08-30 2006-03-02 Powermate Corporation Air compressor with variable speed motor
US20060045749A1 (en) * 2004-08-30 2006-03-02 Powermate Corporation Air compressor utilizing an electronic control system
EP1932671A1 (en) 2006-12-11 2008-06-18 Agfa Graphics N.V. Shuttle mounted pressure control device for injet printer
DE102009029946A1 (de) * 2009-06-19 2010-12-30 Epainters GbR (vertretungsberechtigte Gesellschafter Burkhard Büstgens, 79194 Gundelfingen und Suheel Roland Georges, 79102 Freiburg) Druckkopf oder Dosierkopf
EP2618143B1 (en) 2012-01-19 2015-05-27 Idexx Laboratories, Inc. Analyzer with fluid pressure control device
US9180674B2 (en) 2013-02-08 2015-11-10 R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company System and method for supplying ink to an inkjet cartridge
CN105328996B (zh) * 2014-05-26 2017-08-25 北大方正集团有限公司 重力供墨系统和重力供墨控制方法
EP3277510B1 (en) * 2015-07-31 2018-11-21 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Printer with an air pressurization system and method of building up air pressure in a printing fluid supplier
DE102016106011A1 (de) * 2016-04-01 2017-10-05 Till Gmbh Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur Tintenversorgung beim Digitaldruck
WO2017196839A1 (en) 2016-05-09 2017-11-16 R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company System and method for supplying ink to an inkjet printhead
US10974517B2 (en) * 2018-10-16 2021-04-13 Electronics For Imaging, Inc. High stability ink delivery systems, and associated print systems and methods
CN114103470B (zh) * 2021-11-10 2023-01-10 Tcl华星光电技术有限公司 液体循环系统及循环方法

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AT333091B (de) * 1974-06-21 1976-11-10 Hoerbiger Fluidtechnik Kg Druckregler fur stromende medien
GB8328000D0 (en) * 1983-10-19 1983-11-23 Domino Printing Sciences Ltd Hydraulic systems
DE3722315A1 (de) * 1987-07-07 1989-01-19 Joucomatic Gmbh Druckregelventil
FR2618727B1 (fr) * 1987-07-31 1989-12-15 Ricard Claude Imprimantes a jet d'encre comprenant un collecteur d'aspiration et un collecteur connecte a un reservoir de stockage de gaz et vapeurs comprimes
US4827280A (en) * 1988-08-09 1989-05-02 A. B. Dick Company Flow rate control system
FR2636884B1 (fr) * 1988-09-29 1990-11-02 Imaje Sa Dispositif de controle et de regulation d'une encre et de son traitement dans une imprimante a jet d'encre continu
FR2652540B1 (fr) * 1989-10-02 1995-06-02 Imaje Sa Circuit d'encre notamment destine a la mise en pression d'une encre a pigments pour imprimante a jet d'encre.
GB9009957D0 (en) * 1990-05-03 1990-06-27 Domino Printing Sciences Plc Ink supply system for continuous ink jet printer

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ES2098007T3 (es) 1997-04-16
CN1070622C (zh) 2001-09-05
CA2106102A1 (fr) 1994-03-16
CN1089733A (zh) 1994-07-20
DE69307066T2 (de) 1997-06-26
FR2695704B1 (fr) 1994-10-14
JPH06208419A (ja) 1994-07-26
US5555005A (en) 1996-09-10
FR2695704A1 (fr) 1994-03-18
EP0588698A1 (fr) 1994-03-23
DE69307066D1 (de) 1997-02-13

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