초록 ▼

An ink pump system includes an ink reservoir and an ink solvent reservoir from which solvent is controllably transferred into the ink in the reservoir so as to maintain the desired ink viscosity. The ink reservoir has an ink outlet for discharging ink to a point of consumption and an inlet into whic

An ink pump system includes an ink reservoir and an ink solvent reservoir from which solvent is controllably transferred into the ink in the reservoir so as to maintain the desired ink viscosity. The ink reservoir has an ink outlet for discharging ink to a point of consumption and an inlet into which excess ink may be recirculated to the ink reservoir. A seal-less gear pump is submerged in the ink reservoir. The pump includes a housing with an inlet communicating with the interior of the ink reservoir so as to receive ink from the ink contents in the reservoir. The pump housing also has a discharge outlet communicating with the ink outlet of the reservoir. The power source for drawing the recirculating gear pump can also be used to drive a paddle which stirs the ink in the reservoir.

대표청구항 ▼

In an ink pump system for pump ink comprising: a frame; an ink reservoir mounted on said frame having an outlet in said ink reservoir for discharging ink from said reservoir and an inlet for the return of recirculated ink; an ink solvent reservoir mounted on said frame; means for transferring solven

In an ink pump system for pump ink comprising: a frame; an ink reservoir mounted on said frame having an outlet in said ink reservoir for discharging ink from said reservoir and an inlet for the return of recirculated ink; an ink solvent reservoir mounted on said frame; means for transferring solvent from said solvent reservoir to said ink reservoir; and means for controlling the transfer of said solvent to said ink reservoir in order to maintain the ink contained in said ink reservoir at a substantially constant predetermined viscosity; the improvement comprising: a seal-less gear pump housing located within said ink reservoir so as to be submerged in the ink contained therein, said pump housing having a fluid pumping chamber therein, an inlet in said chamber communicating with said ink reservoir for admitting ink from said reservoir into said chamber, an outlet from said chamber for discharging ink from said chamber to said outlet in said ink reservoir, a first gear rotatably mounted within said chamber, a second gear rotatably mounted within said chamber in meshing engagement with said first gear, and power input means for driving one of said first and second gears whereby said gears rotate in opposite directions to pump ink through said chamber from said inlet opening to said outlet opening; and wherein said ink reservoir has a sump and said gear pump housing is removably disposed in said sump.