Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
  • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
  • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
  • B41J2/01—Ink jet
  • B41J2/135—Nozzles
  • B41J2/165—Prevention or detection of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
  • B41J2/16505—Caps, spittoons or covers for cleaning or preventing drying out
  • B41J2/16508—Caps, spittoons or covers for cleaning or preventing drying out connected with the printer frame
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
  • B41J11/00—Devices or arrangements  of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
  • B41J11/66—Applications of cutting devices
  • B41J11/70—Applications of cutting devices cutting perpendicular to the direction of paper feed
  • B41J11/706—Applications of cutting devices cutting perpendicular to the direction of paper feed using a cutting tool mounted on a reciprocating carrier
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
  • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
  • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
  • B41J2/01—Ink jet
  • B41J2/135—Nozzles
  • B41J2/165—Prevention or detection of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
  • B41J2/16505—Caps, spittoons or covers for cleaning or preventing drying out
  • B41J2/16508—Caps, spittoons or covers for cleaning or preventing drying out connected with the printer frame
  • B41J2/16511—Constructions for cap positioning
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
  • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
  • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
  • B41J2/01—Ink jet
  • B41J2/135—Nozzles
  • B41J2/165—Prevention or detection of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
  • B41J2/16585—Prevention or detection of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads

Definitions

• This invention relates to a print engine.
• the invention has particular application in a print engine for use in an instantaneous print, digital camera. More particularly, the invention relates to a capping mechanism for such a print engine.
• the power source will be a battery pack and to reduce the size of the battery pack, for example by using fewer batteries, would result in a more compact camera.
• a capping mechanism for a print engine including a capping means mountable in alignment with a printhead of the print engine, the capping means being displaceable into and out of abutment with the printhead for capping and uncapping the printhead, respectively; an urging means which acts on the capping means for displacing the capping means; and a mechanical displaceable element which co-operates with the urging means such that, when the element is in a parked position, the element engages the urging means to cause the capping means to be displaced into abutment with the printhead to cap the printhead and, when the displaceable element is out of its parked position, the capping means is urged by the urging means out of abutment with the printhead.
• the printhead is, preferably, a page width printhead, the capping means including a rib of a resiliently flexible material to abut against the printhead when the capping means is in a capping position.
• page width is meant that the printhead prints one line at a time on the print media without traversing the print media, or rastering, as the print media moves past the printhead.
• the rib maybe carried on a carrier.
• the urging means may act on the carrier.
• the urging means may include an elongate element which is held captive in the carrier and a biasing means acting on the elongate element for biasing the urging means and, hence, the capping means to an uncapped position.
• the elongate element may comprise a torsion bar arrangement having an arm at each end.
• the mechanical displaceable element may be a separating means, such as a cutter wheel, which separates a piece of print media, after printing of an image by the print engine on the piece of print media, from a supply of the print media.
• the separating means may be displaceable in a direction parallel to the printhead and the separating means may include an engaging means which engages one of the arms of the torsion bar arrangement, when the separating means is in its parked position, to urge the arm against the action of the biasing means to drive the capping mechanism into its capped position.
• the engaging means may be a cam member carried by the separating means. More particularly, the cutter wheel maybe carried on a mounting block, which is driven by a worm gear to traverse the printhead. Then the mounting block may include the cam member such that, when the mounting block is moved to its parked position, the cam member engages the arm of the torsion bar arrangement for displacing the torsion bar arrangement, against the action of the biasing means, such that the capping mechanism is urged into abutment with the printhead.
• Figure 2 shows a three dimensional, exploded view of the print engine
• Figure 3 shows a three dimensional view of the print engine with a removable print cartridge used with the print engine removed
• Figure 4 shows a three dimensional, rear view of the print engine with the print cartridge shown in dotted lines
• Figure 5 shows a three dimensional, sectional view of the print engine
• Figure 6 shows a three dimensional, exploded view of a printhead sub- assembly of the print engine
• Figure 7 shows a partly cutaway view of the printhead sub-assembly
• Figure 8 shows a sectional end view of the printhead sub-assembly with a capping mechanism in a capping position
• Figure 9 shows the printhead sub-assembly with the capping mechanism in its uncapped position
• Figure 10 shows a three dimensional, exploded view of part of the printhead sub-assembly showing the capping mechanism in greater detail
• Figure 11 shows a three dimensional, schematic view of part of the capping mechanism, in its capping position
• Figure 12 shows a three dimensional view, from above, of part of the printhead sub-assembly with the capping mechanism in its capping position
• Figure 13 shows a three dimensional view, from above, of the part of the printhead sub-assembly with the capping mechanism in its uncapped position
• Figure 14 shows a three dimensional view, from below, of the part of the printhead sub-assembly with the capping mechanism in its capping position; and Figure 15 shows a three dimensional view, from below, of the part of the printhead sub-assembly with the capping mechanism in its uncapped position.
• reference numeral 500 generally designates a print engine, in accordance with the invention.
• the print engine 500 includes a print engine assembly 502 on which a print roll cartridge 504 is removably mountable.
• the print cartridge 504 is a receptacle containing consumables such as a supply of print media and various types of ink.
• the print cartridge 504 is described in greater detail in our co-pending applications entitled "A Print Cartridge” (docket number CA02) and “An Ink Cartridge” (docket number CA04) filed simultaneously herewith as International Patent Application numbers PCT/AUoo/ 00741 and PCT/AUoo/ 00742 respectively, the contents of that disclosure being specifically incorporated herein by reference.
• the print engine assembly 502 comprises a first sub-assembly 506 and a second, printhead sub-assembly 508.
• the sub-assembly 506 includes a chassis 510.
• the chassis 510 comprises a first molding 512 in which ink supply channels 514 are molded.
• the ink supply channels 514 supply inks from the print cartridge 504 to a printhead 516 ( Figures 5 to 7) of the printhead sub-assembly 508.
• the printhead 516 prints in four colors or three colors plus ink which is visible in the infrared light spectrum only (hereinafter referred to as 'infrared ink').
• four ink supply channels 514 are defined in the molding 512 together with an air supply channel 518.
• the air supply channel 518 supplies air to the printhead 516 to inhibit the build up of foreign particles on a nozzle guard of the printhead 516.
• the chassis 510 further includes a cover molding 520.
• the cover molding 520 The cover molding 520.
• the 520 supports a pump 522 thereon.
• the pump 522 is a suction pump, which draws air through an air filter in the print cartridge 504 via an air inlet pin 524 and an air inlet opening 526. Air is expelled through an outlet opening 528 into the air supply channel 518 of the chassis 510.
• the chassis 510 further supports a first drive motor in the form of a stepper motor 530.
• the stepper motor 530 drives the pump 522 via a first gear train 532.
• the stepper motor 530 is also connected to a drive roller 534 (Figure 5) of a roller assembly 536 of the print cartridge 504 via a second gear train 538.
• the gear train 538 engages an engagable element 540 ( Figure 2) carried at an end of the drive roller 534.
• the stepper motor 530 thus controls the feed of print media 542 to the printhead 516 of the sub-assembly 508 to enable an image to be printed on the print media 542 as it passes beneath the printhead 516. It also to be noted that, as the stepper motor 530 is only operated to advance the print media 542, the pump 522 is only operational to blow air over the printhead 516 when printing takes place on the print media 542.
• the molding 512 of the chassis 510 also supports a plurality of ink supply conduits in the form of pins 544 which are in communication with the ink supply channels 514.
• the ink supply pins 544 are received through an elastomeric collar assembly 546 of the print cartridge 504 for drawing ink from ink chambers or reservoirs 548 ( Figure 5) in the print cartridge 504 to be supplied to the printhead 516.
• a second motor 550 which is a DC motor, is supported on the cover molding 520 of the chassis 510 via clips 552.
• the motor 550 is provided to drive a separating means in the form of a cutter arm assembly 554 to part a piece of the print media 542, after an image has been printed thereon, from a remainder of the print media.
• the motor 550 carries a beveled gear 556 on an output shaft thereof.
• the beveled gear 556 meshes with a beveled gear 558 carried on a worm gear 560 of the cutter assembly 554.
• the worm gear 560 is rotatably supported via bearings 562 in a chassis base plate 564 of the printhead sub-assembly 508.
• the cutter assembly 554 includes a cutter wheel 566, which is supported on a resiliently flexible arm 568 on a mounting block 570.
• the worm gear 560 passes through the mounting block 570 such that, when the worm gear 560 is rotated, the mounting block 570 and the cutter wheel 566 traverse the chassis base plate 564.
• the mounting block 570 bears against a lip 572 of the base plate 564 to inhibit rotation of the mounting block 570 relative to the worm gear 560.
• the cutter wheel 566 bears against an upper housing or cap portion 574 of the printhead sub-assembly 508.
• This cap portion 574 is a metal portion. Hence, as the cutter wheel 566 traverses the capped portion 574, a scissors-like cutting action is imparted to the print media to separate that part of the print media 542 on which the image has been printed.
• the sub-assembly 506 includes an ejector mechanism 576.
• the ejector mechanism 576 is carried on the chassis 510 and has a collar 578 having clips 580, which clip and affix the ejector mechanism 576 to the chassis 510.
• the collar 578 supports an insert 582 of an elastomeric material therein.
• the elastomeric insert 582 defines a plurality of openings 584.
• the openings 584 close off inlet openings of the pins 544 to inhibit the ingress of foreign particles into the pins 544 and, in so doing, into the channels 514 and the printhead 516.
• the insert 584 defines a land or platform 586 which closes off an inlet opening of the air inlet pin 524 for the same purposes.
• a coil spring 588 is arranged between the chassis 510 and the collar 578 to urge the collar 578 to a spaced position relative to the chassis 510 when the cartridge 504 is removed from the print engine 500, as shown in greater detail in Figure 3 of the drawings.
• the ejector mechanism 576 is shown in its retracted position in Figure 4 of the drawings.
• the printhead sub-assembly 508 includes, as described above, the base plate 564.
• a capping mechanism 590 is supported displaceably on the base plate 564 to be displaceable towards and away from the printhead 516.
• the capping mechanism 590 includes an elongate rib 592 arranged on a carrier 593.
• the carrier is supported by a displacement mechanism 594, which displaces the rib 592 into abutment with the printhead 516 when the printhead 516 is inoperative. Conversely, when the printhead 516 is operational, the displacement mechanism 594 is operable to retract the rib 592 out of abutment with the printhead 516.
• the printhead sub-assembly 508 includes a printhead support molding 596 on which the printhead 516 is mounted.
• the molding 596 together with an insert 599 arranged in the molding 596, defines a passage 598 through which the print media 542 passes when an image is to be printed thereon.
• a groove 700 is defined in the molding 596 through which the capping mechanism 590 projects when the capping mechanism 590 is in its capping position.
• An ink feed arrangement 702 is supported by the insert 599 beneath the cap portion 574.
• the ink feed arrangement 702 comprises a spine portion 704 and a casing 706 mounted on the spine portion 704.
• the spine portion 704 and the casing 706, between them, define ink feed galleries 708 which are in communication with the ink supply channels 514 in the chassis 510 for feeding ink via passages 710 ( Figure 7) to the printhead 516.
• An air supply channel 711 ( Figure 8) is defined in the spine portion 704, alongside the printhead 516.
• the molding 596 includes an angled wing portion 714.
• a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) 716 is supported on and secured to the wing portion 714.
• the flex PCB 716 makes electrical contact with the TAB film 712 by being urged into engagement with the TAB film 712 via a rib 718 of the insert 599.
• the flex PCB 716 supports busbars 720 thereon. The busbars 720 provide power to the printhead 516 and to the other powered components of the print engine 500.
• a camera print engine control chip 721 is supported on the flex PCB 716 together with a QA chip (not shown) which authenticates that the cartridge 504 is compatible and compliant with the print engine 500.
• the PCB 716 includes contacts 723, which engage contacts 725 in the print cartridge 504.
• the printhead itself includes a nozzle guard 722 arranged on a silicon wafer 724.
• the ink is supplied to a nozzle array (not shown) of the printhead 516 via an ink supply member 726.
• the ink supply member 726 communicates with outlets of the passages 710 of the ink feed arrangement 702 for feeding ink to the array of nozzles of the printhead 516, on demand.
• the displacement mechanism 594 for the capping mechanism 590 is described in greater detail.
• the displacement mechanism 594 includes a torsion bar arrangement 728 comprising a bar 730 and a pair of arms 732. One arm 732 extends from each end of the bar 730 at right angles to the bar 730.
• the displacement mechanism further includes a biasing means in the form of a leaf spring 734.
• a biasing means in the form of a leaf spring 734.
• the leaf spring 734 projects from, and is secured to, a securing member 736 forming part of the molding 596.
• the bar 730 of the torsion bar is held captive by clips 738 in the carrier 593 of the capping mechanism 590. It is also to be noted that the carrier 593, itself, is held slidably captive with respect to the molding 596 by means of clip 742.
• the torsion bar arrangement 728 is further located in position with reference to the metal base plate 564 by having free ends of the arm 732 received in openings 740 in the base plate 564.
• the mounting block 570 of the cutter assembly 554 carries a cam member or cam profile 744 having a ramped region 746.
• the mounting block 570 of the cutter assembly 554 moves to its parked position, as shown in Figure 11 of the drawings, one of the arms 732 of the torsion bar arrangement 728 is received within the cam profile 744 and is urged upwardly, against the action of the leaf spring 734, such that the rib 592 of the capping mechanism 590 is urged into abutment with the printhead 516.
• the mounting block 570 is moved in the direction of arrow 748 ( Figure 11) so that the arm 732 of the torsion bar arrangement 728 moves out of the cam profile 744.
• the leaf spring 734 then acts on the bar 730 of the torsion bar arrangement 728 urging the rib 592 of the capping mechanism 590 out of abutment with the printhead 516. This allows the print media 542 to pass through the slot 598 beneath the printhead 516 so that printing can take place.
• the displacement mechanism 594 is entirely mechanical in operation. Accordingly, it is not a drain on a power source of a camera in which the print engine 500 is used.
• the size of the print engine assembly 502 is such that most of the components are received within a footprint of an end of the print cartridge 504.

Landscapes

• Ink Jet (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (3)

Family

ID=3700824

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Families Citing this family (2)

Citations (1)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 2000
  • 2000-06-30 AT AT00938316T patent/ATE359179T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2000-06-30 DE DE60034376T patent/DE60034376D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-06-30 JP JP2002518139A patent/JP4434578B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2000-06-30 CN CNB008197008A patent/CN1191939C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2000-06-30 AU AU2000253733A patent/AU2000253733B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2000-06-30 IL IL15372500A patent/IL153725A/xx not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2000-06-30 EP EP00938316A patent/EP1301348B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 2002
  • 2002-12-11 ZA ZA200210019A patent/ZA200210019B/xx unknown
• 2004
  • 2004-07-15 AU AU2004203193A patent/AU2004203193B2/en not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (1)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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