ComColor Ink passage Mechanism(Revised version)
RKC London Office13 April 2010
Advantage of ink circulation system
Removal of air bubble and some dust in ink Decrease cleaning time Decrease cleaning ink consumption
Cool down heads by ink This system is effective for cool down heads such as car radiator. Then long time and high density printing is available continuously
Improve the white line This system is able to keep fresh ink at head nozzle. (When ink viscosity will be high, white line occur easily. If old ink stay at the nozzle for long time, ink viscosity will be high)
Step1 Basic mechanism
Basic mechanism of ink circulation system
Difference of fluid levels
Cylinder pump
Negative tank
Pressure tankInk cartridge
Head
Circulation of ink
ComColor print head has 2 pipes witch are flesh ink pipe and drainpipe for ink circulation
Difference of fluid levels
Cylinder pump
Negative tank
Pressure tank
Print head
IN (flow in)
OUT (flow out)
Difference in fluid levels
Negative tank
Pressure tank
Piezo nozzle
<
Gravity
Negative pressure for making meniscus
Positive pressure for flowing down ink
On the above condition, it unable to make meniscus
How to make meniscus on ComColor
Pressure tank
Piezo nozzle <
Gravity
Positive pressure for flowing down ink
Bellows
Negative tank
Negative pressure for making meniscus
How to make meniscus on HC
HC series
Reservoir
ID unit
Head
Negative pressure for making meniscus
Positive pressure for flowing down ink
<
As for HC, don’t need any additional unit such as bellows
Step2 Ink level and valve condition
Stayed ink
Flowing ink
Direction
Main SW is OFF/Sleep
Ink cartridge valve => ClosePressure tank valve => CloseNegative tank valve => OpenBellows => HPPump solenoid => Not work (close)
Stand by
Stayed ink
Flowing ink
Direction
Ink cartridge valve => ClosePressure tank valve => CloseNegative tank valve => CloseBellows => SuspensionPump solenoid => Not work (close)
Printing (Two tanks are full)
Stayed ink
Flowing ink
Direction
Ink cartridge valve => ClosePressure tank valve => OpenNegative tank valve => CloseBellows => SuspensionPump solenoid => Not work (close)
Printing (Pressure tank is low)
Stayed ink
Flowing ink
Direction
Ink cartridge valve => ClosePressure tank valve => OpenNegative tank valve => CloseBellows => SuspensionPump solenoid => Work (open)
Printing (Two tanks are low)
Stayed ink
Flowing ink
Direction
Ink cartridge valve => OpenPressure tank valve => OpenNegative tank valve => CloseBellows => SuspensionPump solenoid => Not work (close)
Prepare cleaning function (For Strong creaning)
Stayed ink
Flowing ink
Direction
Ink cartridge valve => ClosePressure tank valve => CloseNegative tank valve => OpenBellows => Suspension to lowerPump solenoid => Not work (close)
Normal cleaning
Ink cartridge valve => ClosePressure tank valve => CloseNegative tank valve => CloseBellows => HP to UpperPump solenoid => Not work (close)
Actually a few ink flow via pump and pressure tank, then pressure tank ink also come out from the heads
Stayed ink
Flowing ink
Direction
Strong cleaning
Ink cartridge valve => ClosePressure tank valve => CloseNegative tank valve => CloseBellows => Lower to UpperPump solenoid => Not work (close)
Stayed ink
Flowing ink
Direction Actually a few ink flow via pump and pressure tank, then pressure tank ink also come out from the heads
Air valve mechanism
OFF
ON
Air flowSide pipe
Thick pipe
Thick pipe
Side pipe
Thin pipe
Thin pipe Thick pipe Side pipe
Pressure tank valve
Rubber cap To overflow tank
To common tank
Negative tank valve
To overflow tank
Rubber cap To common tank
Shaft
Shaft
Thin pipeThick pipe
Side pipe
Shaft
Step3 Swap the tank (cyan tank)
Clamp the pressure tubes without Cyan.Disconnect the negative tubes and insert to overflow tank.Clamp the Cyan drain tube and insert to the overflow tank.Place some paper on the BP unit
Prepare to flow down ink-From Cyan tank-
Prepare to flow down ink-From Cyan tank-
Remove the clamp at the drain tube.Ink in the Cyan negative tank will flow down slowly.When the Cyan negative tank become to empty, air bubble will come up to the pressure tank.Exchange ink in the pressure tank and coming up air.
Prepare to flow down ink-From Cyan tank-
Clamp the pressure common tube.Remove the rubber black cap.Air filter tube switch from overflow tank to pressure valve (thin pipe side)When remove the clamp, ink will flow down quickly.
Prevent to enter some dust through pressure tube, you should connectthe air filter tube.
When two tanks for cyan become to empty, you should clamp between ink cartridge and negative tank, and also pressure air valve connection return to normal condition, disconnect the ink cartridge, and then re-connect the drain tube.
After that you can remove the cyan tanks.
Replace Cyan tank-Before replacement-
Replace Cyan tank-During the test mode 2711-
1)Set the test mode 2711 to “1”2)Turn off the machine3)Turn on it then ink supply will start4)Ink level for negative tank will be full5)Ink level for pressure tank will be almost full5)Remove the three clamps6)Head cleaning will start6)Test mode 2711 will be “0” automatically
If the clamp for another color’s drain tube is not enough, another color ink also will flow down from the negative tank slowly.
Fail condition 1
Fail condition 2
If you forget to clamp for another color’s pressure tube, after remove the common tube, another color ink also will flow down from the pressure tank quickly.
And then the negative tank will overflow, ink will come out from negative tank to overflow tank.
Fail condition 3
During the test mode 2711, if you remove the clamps before cyan pressure tank become to full condition, some air through to another pressure tank.
As a result, another color tank will flow down to negative tank, and then itwill overflow