EP1301348B1 - Dispositif d'operculage pour imprimante - Google Patents

Dispositif d'operculage pour imprimante Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1301348B1
EP1301348B1 EP00938316A EP00938316A EP1301348B1 EP 1301348 B1 EP1301348 B1 EP 1301348B1 EP 00938316 A EP00938316 A EP 00938316A EP 00938316 A EP00938316 A EP 00938316A EP 1301348 B1 EP1301348 B1 EP 1301348B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
printhead
capping
torsion bar
print engine
capping mechanism
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP00938316A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1301348A4 (fr
EP1301348A1 (fr
Inventor
Kia Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd SILVERBROOK
Tobin Allen King
Garry Raymond Jackson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
Original Assignee
Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd filed Critical Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
Priority claimed from PCT/AU2000/000743 external-priority patent/WO2002002332A1/fr
Publication of EP1301348A1 publication Critical patent/EP1301348A1/fr
Publication of EP1301348A4 publication Critical patent/EP1301348A4/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1301348B1 publication Critical patent/EP1301348B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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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.
  • US 5,610,640 describes a maintenance apparatus for maintaining an ink jet printhead.
  • the maintenance apparatus includes a maintenance station having a first member, a translation apparatus connected to the maintenance station which generates a translation force to translate the maintenance station along a path, and a displacement apparatus connected to the translation apparatus and operatively coupled to the first member for displacing the first member with respect to the translation apparatus.
  • the maintenance apparatus minimizes system complexity by using the energy which translates the maintenance station for extending and retracting the capping member which seals the area around the front nozzle face of an ink jet printhead during periods of non-use.
  • a lead screw and a motor move the maintenance station in a direction towards an ink jet printhead for maintenance operations and a actuating lever and cam system move the capping member into contact with the front face of the ink jet printhead.
  • a capping mechanism fur a print engine including a capping means mounted in alignment with a printhead of the print engine, the capping means comprising a rib of a resiliently flexible material supported on a carrier and being displaceable into and out of abutment with the printhead for capping and uncapping the printhead, respectively; a torsion bar arrangement which acts on the carrier for displacing the capping means; and a mechanical displaceable element which co-operates with the torsion bar such that, when the element is in a parked position, the element engages the torsion bar 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, and characterised in that the mechanical displaceable element is a separating means including:
  • the printhead is preferably a page width printhead.
  • the capping mechanism preferably comprises a biasing means acting on the torsion bar arrangement for biasing the capping means to an uncapped position.
  • the mechanical displaceable element is 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 includes 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 may be 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.
  • 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 CAO 2 ) and “An Ink Cartridge” (docket number CAO 4 ) filed simultaneously herewith as International Patent Application numbers PCT/AUoo/ 00741 and PCT/AUoo/ 00742 respectively.
  • 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 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.
  • 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.
  • TAB film 712 which is held captive between the insert 599 and the ink feed arrangement 702.
  • 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 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. As shown in greater detail in Figures 14 and 15 of the drawings, 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)

Claims (3)

  1. Mécanisme de fermeture par recouvrement pour un moteur d'impression, le mécanisme de fermeture par recouvrement englobant :
    un moyen de fermeture par recouvrement (590) qui peut être monté en alignement avec une tête d'impression du moteur d'impression, le moyen de fermeture par recouvrement comprenant une nervure (592) constituée d'un matériau flexible par résilience disposé sur un support (593) et apte à se déplacer pour venir se disposer en contact d'about avec la tête d'impression et pour s'en écarter à des fins de fermeture et d'ouverture de la tête d'impression par recouvrement et découvrement, respectivement ;
    un arrangement de barre de torsion (728) qui agit sur le support (593) pour déplacer le moyen de fermeture par recouvrement (590) ; et
    un élément mécanique apte à se déplacer qui coopère avec la barre de torsion de telle sorte que, lorsque l'élément se trouve dans une position de repos, l'élément entre en contact avec la barre de torsion pour déclencher le déplacement du moyen de fermeture par recouvrement pour l'amener en about avec la tête d'impression dans le but de recouvrir la tête d'impression et, lorsque l'élément apte à se déplacer ne se trouve pas dans sa position de repos, le moyen de fermeture par recouvrement est pressé par le moyen de pression pour s'écarter de la tête d'impression, l'élément mécanique apte à se déplacer englobant un moyen de mise en contact (746) qui entre en contact avec un bras (732) de l'arrangement de barre de torsion (728), lorsque l'élément se trouve dans sa position de repos, pour presser le bras (732) dans le but d'entraîner le moyen de fermeture par recouvrement dans sa position de recouvrement, et
    caractérisé en ce que
    l'élément mécanique apte à se déplacer est un moyen de séparation (554) englobant :
    une molette coupante (566) pour découper des supports d'impression.
  2. Mécanisme de fermeture par recouvrement selon la revendication 1, comprenant en outre un moyen de mise en état de précontrainte (734) agissant sur l'arrangement de barre de torsion (728) pour mettre le moyen de fermeture par recouvrement en état de précontrainte dans une position découverte.
  3. Mécanisme de fermeture par recouvrement selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le moyen de mise en contact (746) est un membre en forme de came supporté par le moyen de séparation (554).
EP00938316A 2000-06-30 2000-06-30 Dispositif d'operculage pour imprimante Expired - Lifetime EP1301348B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/AU2000/000743 WO2002002332A1 (fr) 2000-06-30 2000-06-30 Dispositif d'operculage pour imprimante

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1301348A1 EP1301348A1 (fr) 2003-04-16
EP1301348A4 EP1301348A4 (fr) 2004-09-29
EP1301348B1 true EP1301348B1 (fr) 2007-04-11

Family

ID=3700824

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP00938316A Expired - Lifetime EP1301348B1 (fr) 2000-06-30 2000-06-30 Dispositif d'operculage pour imprimante

Country Status (8)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1301348B1 (fr)
JP (1) JP4434578B2 (fr)
CN (1) CN1191939C (fr)
AT (1) ATE359179T1 (fr)
AU (2) AU2000253733B2 (fr)
DE (1) DE60034376D1 (fr)
IL (1) IL153725A (fr)
ZA (1) ZA200210019B (fr)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CA2588637C (fr) * 2004-12-06 2010-10-12 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Mecanisme de recouvrement a deux etapes pour imprimantes a jet d'encre
CN111137018A (zh) * 2019-12-31 2020-05-12 绍兴市越生彩印有限公司 一种印染机用染料供给系统

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0598701B1 (fr) * 1986-12-10 1998-03-25 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Appareil d'enregistrement et méthode de remise en état de décharges
DE69222994T2 (de) * 1991-07-31 1998-04-02 Canon Kk Getriebe für Aufzeichnungsgeräte
US5682186A (en) * 1994-03-10 1997-10-28 Hewlett-Packard Company Protective capping apparatus for an ink-jet pen
US5610640A (en) * 1995-02-10 1997-03-11 Xerox Corporation Maintenance apparatus using translation forces to move cap member for ink jet printheads
JP3234906B2 (ja) * 1996-03-12 2001-12-04 シャープ株式会社 インクジェットプリンタ
WO2002002332A1 (fr) * 2000-06-30 2002-01-10 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Dispositif d'operculage pour imprimante

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN1191939C (zh) 2005-03-09
DE60034376D1 (de) 2007-05-24
ZA200210019B (en) 2003-07-30
ATE359179T1 (de) 2007-05-15
JP2004504967A (ja) 2004-02-19
IL153725A (en) 2005-05-17
CN1454151A (zh) 2003-11-05
IL153725A0 (en) 2003-07-06
AU2004203193B2 (en) 2005-07-21
JP4434578B2 (ja) 2010-03-17
AU2000253733A1 (en) 2002-04-11
AU2000253733B2 (en) 2004-04-22
EP1301348A4 (fr) 2004-09-29
AU2004203193A1 (en) 2004-08-12
EP1301348A1 (fr) 2003-04-16

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