Patent ID: 9649848
Date: 2017-05-16
CPC Classifications: B41J

Claim:
1. A system, comprising: a controller; a Drop-On-Demand (DOD) print head; an ink tank; an ink pump configured to transport ink from the ink tank to the DOD print head; a recirculation cap configured to capture the ink ejected by the DOD print head; a waste ink tank; and a first 3-way valve in fluid communication with the recirculation cap, the ink tank, and the waste ink tank, wherein the controller, responsive to detecting a start of an ink recirculation cycle, is configured to collocate the recirculation cap proximate to nozzles of the DOD print head, to actuate the first 3-way valve to selectively direct the captured ink to one of the ink tank and the waste ink tank, and to direct the DOD print head to begin ejecting ink through the nozzles into the recirculation cap for transport of the captured ink to one of the ink tank and the waste ink tank based on the first 3-way valve, wherein the controller, responsive to detecting an end of the ink recirculation cycle, is configured to direct the DOD print head to stop ejecting the ink into the recirculation cap.