Patent Application
20180290454
Some ink compositions, e.g. ink-jet compositions, contain particulates, e.g. inorganic particulates dispersed in a liquid carrier. Inkjet printing is a printing method that utilizes electronic signals to control and direct droplets or a stream of ink to be deposited on media. Some commercial and industrial inkjet printers utilize fixed print heads and a moving substrate web in order to achieve high speed printing. Ink may reside in a printer in a storage unit, e.g. a cartridge, which may be replaced once depleted.
In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of the examples disclosed herein. However, it will be understood that the examples may be practiced without these details. While a limited number of examples have been disclosed, it should be understood that there are numerous modifications and variations therefrom. Similar or equal elements in the Figures may be indicated using the same numeral.
Before the apparatus, methods and related aspects are disclosed and described, it is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the particular process steps and materials disclosed herein because such process steps and materials may vary somewhat. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is used for the purpose of describing particular examples.
It is noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
As used herein, “liquid vehicle,” “vehicle,” or “liquid medium” refers to the fluid in which the colorant of the present disclosure can be dispersed or dissolved to form an ink, e.g. an inkjet ink. Liquid vehicles are known in the art, and a wide variety of ink vehicles may be used in accordance with examples of the present disclosure. Such ink vehicles may include a mixture of a variety of different agents, including without limitation, surfactants, organic solvents and co-solvents, buffers, biocides, viscosity-modifiers, sequestering agents, stabilizing agents, anti-kogation agents, and water. Though not part of the liquid vehicle per se, in addition to the colorants, the liquid vehicle can carry solid additives such as polymers, latexes, UV curable materials, plasticizers, salts, etc. Additionally, the term “aqueous liquid vehicle” or “aqueous vehicle” refers to a liquid vehicle including water as a solvent.
As used herein, “particulates” refers to solid material in particulate form, which may comprise a pigment.
As used herein, “pigment” generally includes pigment colorants, magnetic particles, metallic particles, metal oxides such as aluminas, silicas, titanias, and/or other ceramics, organo-metallics or other opaque particles, whether or not such particulates impart color. Thus, though the present description primarily exemplifies the use of pigment colorants, the term “pigment” can be used more generally to describe not only pigment colorants, but other pigments such as organometallics, ferrites, ceramics, etc. In some examples, however, the pigment is a pigment colorant.
As used herein, the term “about” is used to provide flexibility to a numerical range endpoint by providing that a given value may be a little above or a little below the endpoint. The degree of flexibility of this term can be dictated by the particular variable and would be within the knowledge of those skilled in the art to determine based on experience and the associated description herein.
As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements, compositional elements, and/or materials may be presented in a common list for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as though each member of the list is individually identified as a separate and unique member. Thus, no individual member of such list should be construed as a de facto equivalent of any other member of the same list solely based on their presentation in a common group without indications to the contrary.
Concentrations, amounts, and other numerical data may be expressed or presented herein in a range format. It is to be understood that such a range format is used merely for convenience and brevity and thus should be interpreted flexibly to include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also to include all the individual numerical values or subranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. As an illustration, a numerical range of “about 1 wt % to about 5 wt %” should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited values of about 1 wt % to about 5 wt %, but also include individual values and sub-ranges within the indicated range. Thus, included in this numerical range are individual values such as 2, 3.5, and 4 and sub-ranges such as from 1 to 3, from 2 to 4, and from 3 to 5, etc. This same principle applies to ranges reciting only one numerical value. Furthermore, such an interpretation should apply regardless of the breadth of the range or the characteristics being described.
Herein is disclosed an example ink storage unit. The ink storage unit may comprise:
Herein is disclosed an example method. As illustrated in
Herein is disclosed an example printer for printing ink. The printer may comprise:
a print head and
an ink storage unit comprising:
Some ink compositions containing particulates have a tendency to settle over time. This tendency is particularly pronounced in inks containing inorganic particulates such as titanium dioxide. Various techniques have been employed to try to minimise the settlement over time. Examples of the ink storage unit, method and printer described herein allow an ink to be stored over a period of time with limited settlement of particles and with reasonable energy efficiency.
The first and second reservoirs may each have a variable internal volume, i.e., such that their internal volume, i.e., capacity for holding ink, can be increased and decreased. The first and second reservoirs may be termed first and second variable-volume reservoirs, respectively, for brevity. The variable volume reservoirs are fluidly connected to one another to allow the transfer of ink from one reservoir to another. In some examples, the ink storage unit comprises first and second variable volume reservoirs, the reservoirs being fluidly connected to one another, the transfer system allowing ink to be transferred from the first variable-volume reservoirs to the second variable-volume reservoir and back again. The transfer system may comprise a pump fluidly connected to each of the variable volume reservoirs to allow fluid to be pumped between the reservoirs, i.e., both to each reservoir and from each reservoir.
In some examples, the first and/or second variable volume reservoirs may each be or comprise a bag having walls comprising a flexible material. The bag may be such that the internal volume increases as ink is transferred, e.g., pumped, into it and decreases as ink is transferred, e.g., pumped, out of it. The flexible material may comprise a plastic film. The plastic film may comprise a plurality of layers. In some examples, the plastic film comprises a polyalkylene layer (e.g. polyethylene or polypropylene) and, in some examples, at least one further layer comprising a polar barrier material. The polar barrier material may comprise a material selected from ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), propylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (PVOH), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polyamides, nylons, nitrile copolymers, polyacrylonitriles (PAN), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The walls of the variable volume reservoirs, e.g., the plastic film, may have a thickness of 1 mm or less, in some examples 0.5 mm or less, in some examples 0.2 mm or less, in some examples 0.1 mm or less, in some examples 75 μm or less. The walls of the variable volume reservoirs, e.g. the plastic film, may have a thickness of at least 10 μm, in some examples at least 20 μm, in some examples at least 30 μm, in some examples at least 40 μm, in some examples at least 50 μm, in some examples at least 75 μm. The walls of the variable volume reservoirs, e.g. the plastic film, may have a thickness of from 10 μm to 1 mm, in some examples, a thickness of from 50 μm to 0.2 mm, in some examples from 70 μm to 160 μm.
Each variable volume reservoir may have a port that will act as the inlet and/or outlet for the ink as it is transferred into/out of the variable volume reservoir. In some examples, each variable volume reservoir is a bag having walls comprising a flexible material, and having a single port therein for transfer of ink into and out of the bag.
In some examples, the first and/or second variable volume reservoirs may comprise rigid walls, least one of which moves relative to the other walls to effect a change of internal volume in the reservoir.
At least one further variable-volume reservoir may be provided in fluid communication with first and/or second variable volume reservoirs, and there may be provided a transfer system to transfer ink from the first and/or second variable-volume reservoirs to the at least one further variable volume reservoir.
There may be provided a transfer system to transfer ink between the variable-volume reservoirs such that as ink is transferred from the first reservoir to the second reservoir, the internal volume of the first reservoir decreases and the internal volume of the second reservoir increases. The transfer system may transfer ink back and forth between the variable-volume reservoirs such that as ink is transferred from the first reservoir to the second reservoir, the internal volume of the first reservoir decreases and the internal volume of the second reservoir increases, and then as ink is transferred back from the second reservoir to the first reservoir, the internal volume of the second reservoir decreases and the internal volume of the first reservoir increases.
In some examples, the transfer system may comprise a pump for pumping ink from one reservoir to another. The pump may be fluidly connected to each of the first and second reservoirs and be a bi-directional pump, allowing fluid flow in both directions through the pump. In some examples, the transfer system comprises two single-directional pumps, one for pumping ink from the first reservoir to the second reservoir, and the other for pumping ink from the second reservoir to the first reservoir. The pump may be any suitable type. In some examples, the pump is a positive displacement pump. In some examples, the pump is selected from a diaphragm pump, a gear pump, a screw pump, a progressing cavity pump a roots-type pump, a peristaltic pump, a plunger pump, a triplex-style plunger pump and a rope pump. A diaphragm pump may be effective when ink containing high amounts of particulates is used. A diaphragm pump is a type of pump having a portion with a movable diaphragm, either side of which are valves, which cause fluid flow through the pump in a particular direction as the diaphragm is moved. In some examples, the transfer system may comprise a compression unit to compress the first and/or second reservoir to effect a decrease in the internal reservoir of the first or second reservoir, effecting transfer to the other reservoir.
In some examples, the first variable-volume reservoir contains ink and the transfer of ink from the first reservoir to the second reservoir transfers at least 50% of the volume of ink from the first reservoir to the second reservoir, in some examples at least 60%, in some examples at least 70%, in some examples at least 80%, in some examples at least 90%, in some examples at least 95%, in some examples at least 98%, of the volume of the ink from the first reservoir to the second reservoir; and in some examples the volume of ink transferred from the first reservoir to the second reservoir is transferred back from the second reservoir to the first reservoir.
In some examples, ink may be transferred in a plurality of cycles from first to second variable volume reservoirs and back again. Each cycle may have a transfer time period, in which ink is transferred from one reservoir to another and, in some examples, a rest time period, in which no ink is being transferred from one reservoir to another. The transfer time period may be any suitable time period. In some examples, the transfer time period may be at least 1 minute, in some examples at least 5 minutes, in some examples at least 15 minutes, in some examples at least 20 minutes. In some examples, the transfer period is shorter than the rest period. In some examples, the transfer period is longer than the rest period. In some examples, the rest period is at least 10 minutes, in some examples at least 15 minutes, in some examples at 30 minutes, in some examples at least 45 minutes, in some examples at least 1 hour, in some examples at least 2 hours, in some examples at least 3 hours, in some examples at least 3.5 hours. In some examples, the rest period may be from 2 hours to 6 hours, in some examples, from 3 hours to 5 hours, in some examples 3.5 hours to 4.5 hours, in some examples about 4 hours. The ratio between the transfer period and the rest period may be 1:50 to 50:1, in some examples 1:40 to 40:1, in some examples 1:30 to 30:1, in some examples 1:50 to 1:1, in some examples 1:40 to 1:2, in some examples 1:40 to 1:10; in some examples 1:30 to 1:10, in some examples 1:15 to 1:5.
The variable volume reservoirs and the transfer system may be contained within a housing. The housing may, for example, comprise a plastic or cardboard receptacle.
The ink storage unit may further comprise a conduit, e.g. a pipe, to allow fluid attachment to suitable components of a printer to allow ink to be transferred from the ink storage unit to the print head of a printer. The conduit may be in fluid attachment to at least one of the first variable volume reservoir, the second variable volume reservoir and the transfer system. A valve may be provided in the conduit that may prevent fluid flow of the ink from the ink storage unit to a printer when ink is being transferred from one variable volume reservoir to another, but which may allow ink to flow from the ink storage unit to the printer when no ink is being transferred from one variable volume reservoir to another.
The ink may comprise a liquid vehicle having particulates suspended therein. The ink may be an ink-jet ink.
The particulates may comprise a colorant selected from a white colorant, a magenta colorant, a cyan colorant, a yellow colorant, and a black colorant. The particulates may comprise an inorganic particulate. The particulates may comprise a metal oxide. The particulates may comprise a material selected from titanium dioxide, calcium carbonate, aluminium silicate, aluminium oxide, zinc oxide, salts, esters of titanic acid, a mica pigment, which may be coated with titanium dioxide. The colorant may be present in the ink in an amount of 2 wt % to 75 wt %, in some examples at least 10 wt %, in some examples at least 15 wt %, in some examples at least 20 wt % of the ink, in some examples at least 25 wt % of the ink, in some examples at least 30 wt % of the ink. The ink may be a white ink.
The ink may further comprise a latex, which may be in the form of particles. The latex may be in separate particles from the colourant or may form part of the same particles as the colorant. The latex may be selected from polyurethane-based latex, a styrene-based latex and a methacrylic acid-based latex. The latex may be present in the ink in an amount of from about 2 wt % with respect to the colorant wt % present to about 50 wt % with respect to the colorant wt %.
The liquid vehicle may comprise water, and, in some examples, a co-solvent. The co-solvent may be selected from aliphatic alcohols, aromatic alcohols, diols, glycol ethers, polyglycol ethers, caprolactams, formannides, acetamides, and long chain alcohols. The co-solvent may be selected from primary aliphatic alcohols, secondary aliphatic alcohols, 1,2-alcohols, 1,3-alcohols, 1,5-alcohols, ethylene glycol alkyl ethers, propylene glycol alkyl ethers, higher homologs (e.g. C6-C12) of polyethylene glycol alkyl ethers, N-alkyl caprolactams, unsubstituted caprolactams, both substituted and unsubstituted formamides, both substituted and unsubstituted acetamides. The co-solvent may be selected from 2-pyrrolidinone, derivatized 2-pyrrolidinone including 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-pyrrolidinone, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, tetraethylene glycol, and ethyl hydroxypropanediol (EHPD).
The ink may comprise a surfactant. The surfactant may be selected from alkyl polyethylene oxides, alkyl phenyl polyethylene oxides, polyethylene oxide block copolymers, acetylenic polyethylene oxides, polyethylene oxide (di)esters, polyethylene oxide amines, protonated polyethylene oxide amines, protonated polyethylene oxide amides, dimethicone copolyols, substituted amine oxides, and the like. Specific examples of surfactants that may be used include, but are not limited to, SOLSPERSE, TERGITOL, DOWFAX. The amount of surfactant added to the formulation, if included, may range from 0.01% to 10.0% by weight.
The ink may include an additive that inhibits the growth of harmful microorganisms, which may be selected from biocides, fungicides, and other anti-microbial agents, which are routinely used in ink formulations. Examples of suitable microbial agents include, but are not limited to, NUOSEPT, UCARCIDE, VAN-CIDE, PROXEL, and combinations thereof.
The ink may include a sequestering agent, such as EDTA. Sequestering agents, such as EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), may be included to eliminate the deleterious effects of metal impurities. Such sequestering agents, if present, typically comprise from 0.01 wt % to 2 wt % of the ink-jet ink compositions. Viscosity modifiers may also be present, as well as other additives. Such additives can be present in the ink-jet ink compositions at from 0 wt % to 20 wt %.
The ink may comprise a buffering agent or pH adjusting agent. The pH adjusting agents may include such pH control solutions as hydroxides of alkali metals and amines, such as lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide; citric acid; amines such as triethanolamine, diethanolamine, and dimethyl-ethanolamine; hydrochloric acid; and other basic or acidic components. If used, pH adjusting agents typically comprise less than about 10 wt % of the ink-jet ink composition. Similarly, buffering agents can be used such as, but not limited to, TRIS, MOPS, citric acid, acetic acid, MES, etc. If used, buffering agents typically comprise less than about 3 wt % of the ink-jet ink composition and generally from about 0.01 wt % to 2 wt %, most commonly from 0.2 wt % to 0.5 wt %.
The ink may comprise an anti-kogation agent. Anti-kogation agents that can be used include lithium phosphate, sodium phosphate, phosphate esters of fatty alcohol alkoxylates, and the like, in amounts from about 0.01 wt % to 5 wt %.
In
In
A schematic illustration of an example of a printer as disclosed herein is shown in
The following illustrate examples of the devices, methods and other aspects described herein. Thus, these Examples should not be considered as limitations of the present disclosure, but are merely in place to teach how to make examples of the present disclosure.
In one experiment using an ink storage unit similar to the one depicted schematically in
In another, comparative experiment (the apparatus for which is shown schematically in
The two experimental setups described above used the same pump type and conduits to move ink through the system. The relative effectiveness can be evaluated by the ability of each system to keep the ink mixed at different duty cycles. The two bag system described first was able to keep the ink appropriately mixed with a duty cycle of 9% (25 minutes on+240 minutes off). The single bag system with 2 ports was unable to keep ink appropriately mixed with, even with a duty cycle of 83% (25 minutes on+5 minutes off).
Other tests involving stirring ink in an ink storage unit were found to be inefficient, and, in some circumstances ineffective. They do not address, for example, the settlement of ink in tubes connecting the storage unit to other components of a printer. Similarly, simple vibration of an ink storage unit was not very effective at keeping ink within it dispersed.
Examples of the ink storage unit described herein having two variable volume reservoirs have been found to be able to keep ink in suspension, with very reasonable power requirements. However, the system has reduced complexity compared to some systems. It is believed that examples of the ink storage unit described herein having two variable volume reservoirs are effective at increasing flow at regions that are not very close to the inlet/outlet of the reservoirs. The use of variable volume reservoirs and an air-sealed system during storage of the inks allows transfer of the ink without air being introduced to any great extent into the system, which is useful for prolonging the life of air-sensitive inks.
While the devices, methods and related aspects have been described with reference to certain examples, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, changes, omissions, and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. It is intended, therefore, that the devices, methods and related aspects be limited by the scope of the following claims. The features of any dependent claim can be combined with the features of any of the other dependent claims, and any independent claim.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2015/075107 | 10/29/2015 | WO | 00 |
