Abstract: An ink cartridge has a housing with at least one ink container having an ink outlet extending to the outside and in which a differential pressure valve is mounted. The valve has a valve opening and a valve body which can move relative to it and which (relative to the ink chamber) sits sealed on the valve opening, loaded from the outside with a predetermined closing force, and can be moved to the outside from the valve opening against the closing force. In order to form a differential pressure valve which is stable over the long term, precise, easy to produce and install, the invention proposes that a first permanent magnet is attached to the valve body and relative to the valve opening a second permanent magnet is attached securely to the ink cartridge and is opposite the first permanent magnet with the same pole, so that the repelling force between the first and second permanent magnet acts as a closing force on the valve body.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for cleaning an inkjet printing head which has nozzle openings and ink channels which lead to them, in which electrical drive elements for ejecting ink out of the nozzle openings are located, in which the nozzle openings and the ink channels are forcibly flushed with cleaning liquid. To achieve improved cleaning action more gently and less expensively, the drive elements are triggered in an oscillating manner during the forced flushing with cleaning liquid. A cleaning device for carrying out this process is also disclosed.

Abstract: An ink cartridge has a housing with at least one ink container having an ink outlet extending to the outside and in which a differential pressure valve is mounted. The valve has a valve opening and a valve body which can move relative to it and which (relative to the ink chamber) sits sealed on the valve opening, loaded from the outside with a predetermined closing force, and can be moved to the outside from the valve opening against the closing force. In order to form a differential pressure valve which is stable over the long term, precise, easy to produce and install, the invention proposes that a first permanent magnet is attached to the valve body and relative to the valve opening a second permanent magnet is attached securely to the ink cartridge and is opposite the first permanent magnet with the same pole, so that the repelling force between the first and second permanent magnet acts as a closing force on the valve body.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a configuration for forming a ventilation aperture having a small cross section, whereby a sealing part is placed in a passageway and the ventilation aperture is formed between the sealing part and the inner wall of the passageway. In order to simplify manufacturing and, in particular, make possible the use of injection-molded plastic parts throughout, the invention suggests that the sealing part should have a cylindrical stopper that is made of an elastically deformable material and can be inserted into the passageway, and has in its surface shell at least one axially continuous, channel-like depression, the outside diameter of which, when in the unstressed state, is oversized in comparison with the inside diameter of the passageway.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for cleaning an inkjet printing head which has nozzle openings and ink channels which lead to them, in which electrical drive elements for ejecting ink out of the nozzle openings are located, in which the nozzle openings and the ink channels are forcibly flushed with cleaning liquid. To achieve improved cleaning action more gently and less expensively, the drive elements are triggered in an oscillating manner during the forced flushing with cleaning liquid. A cleaning device for carrying out this process is also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention relates to a pierceable sealing element for a liquid outlet, especially an ink outlet opening of an ink reservoir in inkjet printing means, and an ink reservoir with one such sealing element which has a membrane which can be pierced by a hollow needle for removing liquid, and the hollow needle can be surrounded sealed from the outside by the pierced seal element. To form an improved seal with low production and installation cost it is proposed as claimed in the invention that the membrane is surrounded by an annularly peripheral sealing profile which can be twisted in the manner of a torus at least partially around a peripheral line when the membrane has been pierced, a sealing surface which runs radially on the inside being formed.

Abstract: Ink composition, especially for inkjet printing apparatus, which includes an aqueous liquid vehicle in which solid pigment particles are dispersed. To achieve improved functionality for producing water-resistant printouts, the pigment particles are made as continuously colored thermoplastic particles. Moreover, the subject matter of the invention is an ink printing process matched to this ink composition and as well as an ink printing apparatus therefore.

Abstract: An ink cartridge for an inkjet printing system, having an extraction opening closed off by a membrane that is made of thermoplastic elastomer and that can be pierced by a hollow needle when inserted into the inkjet printing system. In order to ensure that the hollow needle penetrates with certainty in the short insertion path available in the dome, the membrane is made of a thermoplastic elastomer that has an elongation at tear that is reduced by the addition of inelastic, inorganic substance.

Abstract: Ink composition, especially for inkjet printing means, which comprises an aqueous liquid vehicle in which solid pigment particles are dispersed. To achieve improved functionality for producing water-resistant printouts, it is proposed as claimed in the invention that the pigment particles be made as continuously colored thermoplastic particles. Moreover, the subject matter of the invention is an ink printing process matched to this ink composition and an ink printing means.

Abstract: This invention relates to a pierceable sealing element (1) for a liquid outlet (2), especially an ink outlet opening of an ink reservoir in inkjet printing means, and an ink reservoir with one such sealing element (1) which has a piercing area (8) which can be pierced by a hollow needle (3) for removing liquid, and the hollow needle (3) can be surrounded sealed from the outside by the pierced seal element (1). To form an improved seal with low production and installation cost it is proposed as claimed in the invention that the piercing area (8) is surrounded by an annularly peripheral sealing profile (9) which can be twisted in the manner of a torus at least partially around a peripheral line when the piercing area (8) has been pierced, a sealing surface which runs radially on the inside being formed.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to an ink reservoir for an inkjet printer, having a chamber that can be filled with ink, in the underside of which is an ink outlet with an ink discharge opening. In order to make the delivery of the ink uniform and independent of fluid movements of the ink contained therein, the invention suggests that the ink outlet be configured in a siphon-like fashion, having a segment that extends from the ink discharge opening into the interior of the chamber and that makes a transition via a deflection bend w into an intake opening that is directed towards the chamber bottom from inside.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to an ink supply tank for an inkjet print head that can be installed in fixed fashion in an inkjet printer, having an ink reservoir that can be connected to an ink supply line leading to an inkjet print head, and having an ink delivery device that has actuating elements accessible from the outside, which can be brought into active engagement with corresponding, motor-powered drive elements of the inkjet printer, in which the ink delivery device feeds ink into the ink supply line at overpressure upon actuation of the actuating elements. In order to reduce the manufacturing effort and ensure a high level of functional reliability with an ink supply tank of such a type, the invention suggests that the ink delivery device have a pressure-generating device that acts on the ink reservoir and is coupled with the actuating elements, and that provides the ink reservoir with overpressure when the actuating elements are driven.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a procedure for manufacturing an ink-filled ink cartridge for an inkjet printer, which, for the withdrawal of ink, has connected to the ink space a tubular dome, the outer end of which is closed off by a pierceable, airtight, elastic membrane, and the inner end of which is covered with a fine-mesh filter screen, with the procedural steps: (1) evacuation of the ink space to a filling vacuum, (2) filling of ink into the ink space, (3) ventilating of the ink space, (4) evacuation of the ink space to transport vacuum, sealing of the ink space. In order to reduce as much as possible the air amount trapped in the dome during filling, the invention suggests that before the evacuation to transport vacuum, a stiff covering be applied from the outside in front of the membrane in a sealing manner, thus trapping a defined air volume.

Abstract: The separation of different components of a fluid, e.g. of He, H.sub.2, O.sub.2, or the like from gaseous mixtures, separation of saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbon, water separation from organic mixtures, waste water purification etc., is effected by passing the treated fluid over a row of permeation cells each formed by a container subdivided, by a wall more readily permeable by one component of the fluid, into an inlet chamber and a permeate chamber. The respective chambers are arranged in series directed opposite to each other and the respective products are withdrawn at the respective ends of the series. A part of the product of the permeate chamber series is fed back into the inlet chamber series. Preferably, the delivery of untreated fluid into the inlet chamber series is effected at a point selected such as to obtain the smallest possible difference in the concentration of a respective component in the incoming untreated fluid and in the fluid being circulated through the system.