Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Ejector mechanism
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-26
2001-01-09
Eickholt, Eugene (Department: 2854)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Ejector mechanism
C347S033000, C347S104000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06172691
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to ink-jet printing, and more particularly to techniques for servicing immobile pens in printing systems where the print media is moved relative to the pens.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Pens used with ink-jet printing systems available today include print heads which have nozzle arrays with very small nozzles through which ink droplets are fired. The ink used with the pens typically dries quickly, permitting plain paper printing. Such pens are susceptible to nozzle clogging with dried ink or minute particles such as paper fibers.
Ink-jet printers have utilized a service station which includes a mechanism to cap the print head nozzles when the pen is not printing. Typically, the cap mechanism encloses the exposed outer surface of the orifice plate defining the nozzle array, to help prevent drying of the ink at the nozzles, and prevent contact with dust. The service station may also include a wiper mechanism for wiping away ink residue and dust accumulated on the orifice plate, and a receptacle into which the pen periodically fires to purge dried or plugged nozzles.
Ink-jet printers typically use a mechanical architecture wherein a pen carriage holding one or more print pens, each with a nozzle array, is transported across a stationary print medium to print a swath onto the medium. The medium is advanced between print cycles by a paper advance system to position the medium for subsequent swaths. The paper advance system typically includes a primary drive roller and one or more paper pinching rollers which retain the paper against the drive roller. In such printers, the sled can be positioned at one end of the travel of the pen carriage, off the print zone. During a service mode, the pen carriage is moved to the service station, and the service station actuated to lift the cap and the wiper to active positions. Such arrangements can lead to increase product width, since the printer width is increased to accommodate the service station.
In the above-referenced related application, entitled INK-JET PRINTER WITH STATIONARY PENS AND TWO-AXIS MEDIA DRIVE, a new printer architecture is described, wherein the ink-jet pens are immobile, and a two axis media drive system is used to move the print medium relative to the pens during printing operations. The two axis media drive system includes a media drive roller structure which is rotatable to move the medium in one direction to position the medium for a given swath. The media drive roller is integrated into a translating media carriage, which slews the media in an orthogonal direction at print speed during printing.
This new architecture presents a challenge in servicing the pens.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An ink-jet printer is described, and includes a printer housing structure and at least one immobile ink-jet pen including a nozzle array mounted to the housing structure at a print area. The pen remains stationary during printing operations. A movable carriage hold the print medium during printing operations, and a carriage drive system moves the carriage relative to the pen during printing operations. The printer includes a service station mounted on the carriage, which includes a sled carrying at least one service element for contacting the pen to perform a service function during a printer service mode. A controller actuates the drive system to move the carriage to a service position during a service mode for performing the service function.
In an exemplary embodiment, the carriage drive system includes a drive system for moving the carriage along a slew axis for printing a swath across the medium. The controller provides drive signals to actuate the first drive system to move the carriage along the slew axis to the service position.
The at least one service element can include, in one embodiment, a wiper blade and a cap element. These elements are movable so that the wiper blade is exposed from the carriage platen to contact and wipe the pen nozzle array as the carriage is moved in a wiping movement. In a capping mode, the carriage is moved to position the cap adjacent the pen nozzle array, and the cap is moved to protrude through the platen to contact the pen and cap the nozzle.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method is described for servicing an inkjet pen having an inkjet nozzle array plate, the pen mounted at an immobile position on a printer. The method includes the steps of:
providing a carriage including a platen surface for supporting the print medium during printing operations;
moving the carriage and the print medium in relation to the nozzle array plate during printing operations;
providing a service station carried by the carriage, the station including at least one service element;
during a service mode, moving the at least one service element during a service mode so that the at least one service element protrudes from the platen surface and contacts the pen.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4357619 (1982-11-01), Klockenbrink
patent: 4547786 (1985-10-01), Logan et al.
patent: 5019004 (1991-05-01), Steiner et al.
patent: 5172138 (1992-12-01), Okazawa et al.
patent: 5277140 (1994-01-01), Nakagaki
patent: 5323722 (1994-06-01), Goto et al.
patent: 5333561 (1994-08-01), Katou
patent: 5357859 (1994-10-01), Eckert
patent: 5480132 (1996-01-01), Kiyohara et al.
patent: 5563636 (1996-10-01), Glassett et al.
patent: 5610640 (1997-03-01), Anderson et al.
patent: 5638099 (1997-06-01), Nguyen et al.
patent: 5898445 (1999-04-01), Becker et al.
patent: 5971521 (1999-10-01), Bainvel et al.
patent: 5997128 (1999-12-01), Lou et al.
Belon Juan B.
Petersen David M.
Eickholt Eugene
Hewlett--Packard Company
LandOfFree
Service station with immobile pens and method of servicing pens does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Service station with immobile pens and method of servicing pens, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Service station with immobile pens and method of servicing pens will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2445087