Abstract: A continuous inkjet printer includes an ink circuit. A first part of the ink circuit includes hydraulic components for providing a print head of the CIJ printer with ink and solvent. A second part of the ink circuit includes a first single-block assembly including at least part of at least a first pump and a second single-block assembly including at least one filter. Each of the assemblies further includes: a housing having at least one fluid inlet and at least one fluid outlet; fluid connections to allow fluids to flow from the at least one fluid inlet, to the at least part of a first pump or said filter and then to the at least one fluid outlet; and a structure for mounting and disassembling the first single-block assembly and the second single-block assembly to and from the first part of the ink circuit, independently from each other.

Abstract: A continuous inkjet printer includes an ink circuit. A first part of the ink circuit includes hydraulic components for providing a print head of the CIJ printer with ink and solvent. A second part of the ink circuit includes a first single-block assembly including at least part of at least a first pump and a second single-block assembly including at least one filter. Each of the assemblies further includes: a housing having at least one fluid inlet and at least one fluid outlet; fluid connections to allow fluids to flow from the at least one fluid inlet, to the at least part of a first pump or said filter and then to the at least one fluid outlet; and a structure for mounting and disassembling the first single-block assembly and the second single-block assembly to and from the first part of the ink circuit, independently from each other.

Abstract: A cleaning process for cleaning at least one part of a hydraulic circuit of a continuous inkjet printer. The hydraulic circuit includes a solvent tank and an ink tank, and hydraulic connections for sending ink and/or solvent to a print head. The cleaning process includes: a preliminary step of flushing or cleaning at least part of the ink or hydraulic circuit; and flowing or circulating the gas, and solvent, through at least one part of the hydraulic circuit and recovering dirty fluid from the at least one part of the hydraulic circuit in a recovery cartridge or in a tank.

Abstract: A method of calibrating an inkjet printer, which comprises a fluid circuit (4), a print head (1) connected to the fluid circuit through an umbilical (19), this method comprising at least the following functions: calculate a difference between the viscosity of the ink used in the circuit, and a theoretical viscosity of this ink; as a function of this difference, correct data representative of a characteristic function that relates the pressure at a point referred to as the reference point in the fluid circuit or the print head, the ink density, the ink viscosity, the operating temperature and a velocity referred to as the nominal velocity of the ink jet generated by the print head, to form corrected data for said characteristic function.

Abstract: A device for recovery of an atmosphere containing solvent vapours from at least one ink recovery reservoir of a print machine comprising: n (n?1) filter(s) arranged downstream from the at least one ink recovery reservoir, each filter: comprising an inlet face, an outlet face and a filter body between these two faces, and each of the filter being upstream from a condenser or other solvent extraction structure, an atmosphere output from the at least one ink recovery reservoir passing through a separator and through the inlet face, and then through the filter body and through the outlet face before being sent to the solvent extraction structure, the device further comprising at least one second reservoir to recover liquid from the separator.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for cleaning an ink circuit of an ink-jet printer, comprising at least one tank (10), referred to as the main tank, at least one ink cartridge (30), a pump (31) for pumping the ink from the cartridge, ducts and valves (32-35, 320, 340, 341, 343, 344) for fluid connection between the ink cartridge and the tank, and control panel (3) for controlling the printer, the method comprising at least: a step of sending solvent, at a pressure P1, to the cartridge (30), by at least a part of the ducts and valves for fluid connection between the ink cartridge (30) and the tank (10), a step of pumping at least a portion of the solvent, sent in step a), towards the main tank (10).

Abstract: A pumping circuit for fluid of an ink circuit in a continuous inkjet printer, including a diaphragm pump, an inlet circuit having an inlet conduit into the pump for the fluid to be pumped, an outlet conduit for the fluid pumped by the pump, the pumping circuit including a back-flow line which removes, from the outlet of the pump, part of the pumped fluid and returns it to the inlet circuit of fluid to be pumped, at least one singular restriction being arranged on the path of the fluid in the back-flow line, and the back-flow line regulating the pressure and the flow rate of the fluid at the outlet of the pump.

Abstract: A device for recovery of the atmosphere containing solvent vapors from at least one ink recovery reservoir of a print machine comprising: n (n?1) filter(s) arranged at the outlet from at least one ink reservoir (10). Each filter comprises an inlet face, an outlet face, a filter body between the two faces, and conduit(s) for recovering at least part of a liquid condensed on the surface of the inlet face before this liquid has passed through it. Each filter is either: upstream from a condenser, an atmosphere output from the reservoir, passing through the inlet face, and then the filter body and the outlet face before being sent to the condenser; or downstream from the condenser, an atmosphere from the condenser passing through the inlet face, and then the filter body and the outlet face before being sent to at least one print head of the print machine, respectively.

Abstract: A removable single-block assembly for an ink circuit of a continuous inkjet printer, including a plate having a plurality of fluid inlets and a plurality of fluid outlets, this assembly further including a first pump called a pressure pump, a second pump called a recovery pump, and a filter, fluid connection means to allow fluids to flow: between said fluid inlets, the first or second pumps, and said fluid outlets, and means for mounting and dismounting the assembly on the ink circuit.

Abstract: A device for recovery of an atmosphere containing solvent vapours from at least one ink recovery reservoir of a print machine comprising: n (n>1) filter(s) arranged downstream from the at least one ink recovery reservoir, each filter: comprising an inlet face, an outlet face and a filter body between these two faces, and each of the filter being upstream from a condenser or other solvent extraction structure, an atmosphere output from the at least one ink recovery reservoir passing through a separator and through the inlet face, and then through the filter body and through the outlet face before being sent to the solvent extraction structure, the device further comprising at least one second reservoir to recover liquid from the separator.

Abstract: A device for recovery of the atmosphere containing solvent vapours from at least one ink recovery reservoir of a print machine comprising: n (n?1) filter(s) arranged at the outlet from at least one ink reservoir (10). Each filter comprises an inlet face, an outlet face, a filter body between the two faces, and conduit(s) for recovering at least part of a liquid condensed on the surface of the inlet face before this liquid has passed through it. Each filter is either: upstream from a condenser, an atmosphere output from the reservoir, passing through the inlet face, and then the filter body and the outlet face before being sent to the condenser; or downstream from the condenser, an atmosphere from the condenser passing through the inlet face, and then the filter body and the outlet face before being sent to at least one print head of the print machine, respectively.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reservoir lid for a continuous ink jet printer, including a so-called upper surface (331), a so-called lower surface (332), between which are included an upper part (33a) and a lower part (33b) of the lid, at least the latter being delimited sideways by a peripheral surface (Se), and: at least one 1st duct (331), which passes through at least one part of the lid, for leading a 1st fluid from said upper part to said lower part and direct it, at least partly, sideways, to said peripheral surface (Se), at least one 1st chamber (333) delimited by an internal surface into which said duct opens and by said peripheral surface (Se), and means (338) for flowing a liquid contained in this chamber along said peripheral surface.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for cleaning an ink circuit of an ink-jet printer, comprising at least one tank (10), referred to as the main tank, at least one ink cartridge (30), a pump (31) for pumping the ink from the cartridge, ducts and valves (32-35, 320, 340, 341, 343, 344) for fluid connection between the ink cartridge and the tank, and control panel (3) for controlling the printer, the method comprising at least: a step of sending solvent, at a pressure P1, to the cartridge (30), by at least a part of the ducts and valves for fluid connection between the ink cartridge (30) and the tank (10), a step of pumping at least a portion of the solvent, sent in step a), towards the main tank (10).

Abstract: A pumping circuit for fluid of an ink circuit in a continuous inkjet printer, including a diaphragm pump, an inlet circuit having an inlet conduit into the pump for the fluid to be pumped, an outlet conduit for the fluid pumped by the pump, the pumping circuit including a back-flow line which removes, from the outlet of the pump, part of the pumped fluid and returns it to the inlet circuit of fluid to be pumped, at least one singular restriction being arranged on the path of the fluid in the back-flow line, and the back-flow line regulating the pressure and the flow rate of the fluid at the outlet of the pump.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of cleaning a fluid circuit in an inkjet printer that comprises a print head connected to the fluid circuit through an umbilical (19), and also comprises means (50) of recovering fluid from the print head (1), this method comprising at least sending solvent to said fluid recovery means (50), without making this solvent flow in the umbilical or in the print head.

Abstract: A removable single-block assembly for an ink circuit of a continuous inkjet printer, including a plate having a plurality of fluid inlets and a plurality of fluid outlets, this assembly further including a first pump called a pressure pump, a second pump called a recovery pump, and a filter, fluid connection means to allow fluids to flow: between said fluid inlets, the first or second pumps, and said fluid outlets, and means for mounting and dismounting the assembly on the ink circuit.

Abstract: A method of cleaning an ink circuit of an inkjet printer, including at least one reservoir, called the main reservoir, at least one ink cartridge, a first pump to pump ink from the cartridge, a first fluid connection to transfer ink from the ink cartridge to the reservoir, a second pump to pump ink from the reservoir (10), a second fluid connection to transfer ink to the ink cartridge, and a controller. The method includes a) a step in which ink is transferred from the main reservoir as far as the cartridge, through the second pump and the second fluid connection, and b) a step to pump at least part of the ink transferred during step a) to the main reservoir.

Abstract: A removable single-block assembly for an ink circuit of a continuous inkjet printer, including a plate having a first fluid inlet, a second fluid inlet and a third fluid inlet and a first fluid outlet, a second fluid outlet, and a third fluid outlet, this assembly further including a first pump called a pressure pump, a second pump called a recovery pump, and a filter, fluid connection means to allow fluids to flow: between said first fluid inlet, the first pump, and said first fluid outlet, between said second fluid inlet, the filter, and said second fluid outlet, and between said third fluid inlet, said second pump, and said third fluid outlet, and means for mounting and dismounting the assembly on the ink circuit.

Abstract: A pumping circuit for fluid of an ink circuit in a continuous inkjet printer, including a diaphragm pump, an inlet circuit having an inlet conduit into the pump for the fluid to be pumped, an outlet conduit for the fluid pumped by the pump, the pumping circuit including a back-flow line which removes, from the outlet of the pump, part of the pumped fluid and returns it to the inlet circuit of fluid to be pumped, at least one singular restriction being arranged on the path of the fluid in the back-flow line, and the back-flow line regulating the pressure and the flow rate of the fluid at the outlet of the pump.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reservoir lid for a continuous ink jet printer, including a so-called upper surface (331), a so-called lower surface (332), between which are included an upper part (33a) and a lower part (33b) of the lid, at least the latter being delimited sideways by a peripheral surface (Se), and: at least one 1st duct (331), which passes through at least one part of the lid, for leading a 1st fluid from said upper part to said lower part and direct it, at least partly, sideways, to said peripheral surface (Se), at least one 1st chamber (333) delimited by an internal surface into which said duct opens and by said peripheral surface (Se), and means (338) for flowing a liquid contained in this chamber along said peripheral surface.