Patent ID: 9365063
Filing Date: 2016-06-14
CPC Classification: B41J,G03G

Claim Text:
1. A variable data ink-based printing system waste ink continuous filtration mechanism, comprising: a waste collection container configured in fluid communication with a cleaning subsystem of a variable data ink-based printing system to collect waste fluid from the cleaning subsystem, the waste fluid including transfer residual components diluted in a cleaning solution, the transfer residual components including ink and skin; a pump coupled to the waste collection container, the pump configured to force the waste fluid from the waste container as a pressurized waste cleaning solution flow; a plurality of filter banks configured to receive the pressurized waste cleaning solution flow in a first direction and produce a filtered cleaning solution output as a filtering operation, each filter bank including a plurality of filters connected in series, with each filter configured to collect at least a portion of the transfer residual components from the pressurized waste cleaning solution flow; a return line coupled to each of the filter banks, the return line configured for fluid communication with the cleaning subsystem of the variable data ink-based printing system to recycle the filtered cleaning solution output to the cleaning subsystem; and a back-flush line in liquid communication with a back-flush liquid supply and with each filter bank to remove the collected transfer residual components from the filters by flowing back-flush liquid from the back-flush liquid supply through the filters in a second direction opposite the first direction as a back-flush operation to produce a concentrated waste liquid, the back-flush line including an outlet configured to communicate with a concentrated waste container and dispose the concentrated waste liquid back-flush to the concentrated waste container; wherein the back-flush liquid supply providing cleaning solution to the cleaning subsystem via the waste collection container.