Method and apparatus for minimizing evaporation in an ink recirculation system

摘要

In continuous flow ink jet printers, over 95% of the ink in the ink reservior is recirculated each time the volume of ink in the reservoir is cycled through the printer. The apparatus herein provides a very low evaporation rate for the recirculating ink. With a low evaporation rate, the ink may be replenished with ink alone rather than having to supply ink concentrate and solvent to readjust the ink composition. The low evaporation rate is achieved by keeping the temperature of the ink in the reservoir and at the print head near ambient temperature of the printer's environment and by minimizing the air flow through the reservoir. In addition, the ink in the reservoir is replenished as it is consumed.