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Chapter 2

2-19

2.3.2 Ink Passage

2.3.2.1 Ink Passage

2.3.2.1.1 Overview of Ink Passage

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The ink passage comprises ink tanks, a printheads, caps, a maintenance cartridge, ink tubes interconnecting the mechanical components of the printer, and a suction

pump that is driven to suck inks. It supplies, circulates, sucks and otherwise handles inks.

The ink passage (per color) is schematically shown below, along with the ink flow.

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a) Supplying inks from the ink tanks to the ink supply valve assembly

The each ink tanks contain ink to supply to the printhead.

Ink of the ink tanks is supplied to the subtanks and then ink of the subtanks is supplied to the ink supply valves by the fluid level difference.

On this occasion, air is discharged through the air passage of the subtanks to keep the internal pressure of the ink tanks constant.

b) Supplying inks from the ink supply valves to the printhead

Ink is filled from the ink tank to the printhead by driving the suction pump after the ink supply valve is opened and the printhead is capped.

The ink sucked from the caps flows to the maintenance cartridge.

c) Supplying inks while printing

The ink supply valves are kept open while printing, so that ink is constantly supplied to the printhead according to the negative pressure of the nozzle assembly

which is caused by the discharging inks.

Furthermore, waste inks sucked by the cleaning operation flow into the maintenance cartridge.

If opening all ink passages (that is, when the ink tank is not installed, ink supply valve is opened and printhead fixer lever is opened) while the ink tube is filled by

ink, ink in the ink tube flows backward according to the fluid level difference.

As a precaution, never open all the ink passages at the same time while the ink tubes are being filled with inks.

Maintenance cartridge

Ink tank

Ink supply vavle

Joint

Carriage unit

Printhead

Cap

Suction pump

Mechanical Drive Unit

Ink or air flow