JP2004504967A - Print engine capping mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

A capping mechanism for the print engine includes a capping member mountable along a print engine printhead. The capping member is movable toward and from a position adjacent to the printhead to cap and uncap the printhead. The torsion bar component acts on the capping member to move the capping member. The mechanical moving element cooperates with the torsion bar component to engage the torsion bar component when in the rest position to move the capping means to a position adjacent the printhead to cap the printhead. When the mechanical moving element moves away from the stop position, the capping means is disengaged from the position adjacent to the printhead by the torsion bar component.
[Selection diagram] FIG.

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a print engine. The invention is particularly applicable to print engines for instant printing applications, such as digital cameras. More particularly, the present invention relates to such a print engine capping mechanism.
[0002]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is preferred that the digital camera be manufactured as compact as possible to make it portable. One way to make the camera compact is to use a smaller power supply. Usually, the power source is a battery pack, and it is known that, for example, a smaller battery is used to reduce the size of the battery pack, whereby a more compact camera can be realized.
[0003]
To do this, it is desirable to omit components that consume a lot of power from the camera, more specifically the print engine.
[0004]
Summary of the Invention
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a print engine capping mechanism, the capping mechanism being provided along a print engine printhead and positioned adjacent to the printhead to cap and uncap the printhead. A capping means movable respectively toward and from an adjacent position, a driving means acting on the capping means for moving the capping means, and the capping means engaging with the driving means when in a stop position. Move the cap to the print head by moving it to a position adjacent to the print head, and cooperate with the drive means to remove the capping means from the position adjacent to the print head by the drive means when away from the stop position Machine Including, and the movement element.
[0005]
Also, the printhead is preferably a pagewidth printhead, and the capping means includes a rib of resiliently soft material adjacent to the printhead when in the cap position. By "page width" is meant that the printhead can print one line at a time on the print media as it moves past the printhead without crossing or rastering the print media.
[0006]
The rib may be supported on a carrier. Then, the driving means may act on the carrier.
[0007]
The drive means comprises an elongate element restrained and held within the carrier, and bias means acting on the elongate element to bias the drive means to bring the capping means into an uncapped position. May be.
[0008]
The elongate element may comprise a torsion bar component having an arm at each end.
[0009]
The mechanical moving element may be a decoupling means such as a cutter wheel for decoupling a piece of print media from the print media supply after an image has been printed on the print media by the print engine. The release means is movable in a direction parallel to the printhead and engages one arm of the torsion bar component when the release means is in its parked position so that the capping mechanism opposes the action of the biasing means. May be provided for engaging the arm so that the arm comes to the cap position.
[0010]
The engaging means may be a cam member supported by the separating means. More specifically, the cutter wheel may be supported on a mounting block that is driven across the printhead by a worm gear. The mounting block may include a cam member that moves the torsion bar component to engage the torsion bar component and move the capping mechanism adjacent the printhead against the action of the biasing means when the mounting block moves to its stop position. .
[0011]
[Brief description of drawings]
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described using examples with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0012]
In the figure, reference numeral 500 generally refers to a print engine according to the present invention. The print engine 500 includes a print engine assembly 502 in which a print roll cartridge 504 is removably mounted.
[0013]
The print cartridge 504 is a receptacle that stores consumables such as print media and various types of ink. The print cartridge 504 is described in detail in the applicant's co-pending applications “Print Cartridge” (atomic number CA02) and “Ink Cartridge” (atomic number CA04). These are each simultaneously filed as PCT / AU00 / 00741 and PCT / AU00 / 0742 international applications, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
[0014]
Print engine assembly 502 has a first subassembly 506 and a second printhead subassembly 508.
[0015]
Subassembly 506 includes chassis 510. Chassis 510 has a first molding 512 with an ink supply channel 514 molded therein. An ink supply channel 514 supplies ink from the print cartridge 504 to the printhead 516 (FIGS. 5-7) of the printhead subassembly 508. The print head 516 prints ink that is visible only in the four-color or three-color plus infrared spectrum (hereinafter, referred to as “infrared ink”). Thus, a four-color ink supply channel 514 is defined in the molding 512 with the air supply channel 518. The air supply channel 518 supplies air to the printhead 516 and prevents foreign particles from accumulating on the nozzle guard of the printhead 516.
[0016]
Chassis 510 further includes cover molding 520. Cover molding 520 supports pump 522 thereon. The pump 522 is a suction pump, and draws air through an air filter in the print cartridge 504 via the air injection pin 524 and the air injection opening 526. Air is expelled through exhaust openings 528 into air supply channels 518 of chassis 510.
[0017]
Chassis 510 further supports a first motor in the form of a stepper motor 530. Stepping motor 530 drives pump 522 through first gear train 532. Stepper motor 530 is also connected via a second gear train 538 to drive roller 534 (FIG. 5) of roller assembly 536 of print cartridge 504. Gear train 538 meshes with a matable element 540 (FIG. 2) supported on the end of drive roller 534. This allows the stepping motor 530 to control the feed of print media to the printhead 516 of the subassembly 508 and print an image on the print media as it passes under the printhead 516. It should also be noted that while stepper motor 530 operates simply to advance print media 542, when print media 542 is being printed, pump 522 is simply blowing air over printhead 516. Should.
[0018]
The molding 512 of the chassis 510 also supports a plurality of ink supply grooves in the form of pins 544 that communicate with the ink supply channels 514. Ink supply pins 544 are received through the resilient color assembly of print cartridge 504 and draw ink from an ink chamber or reservoir 548 (FIG. 5) in ink cartridge 504 and supply it to printhead 516.
[0019]
The second motor 550 is a DC motor, and is supported by the cover molding 520 of the chassis 510 by the clip 552. A motor 550 is provided for driving a release means in the form of a cutter arm assembly 554 to release a piece of print media from the remaining print media after an image has been printed. Motor 550 supports bevel gear 556 on its output shaft. Bevel gear 556 meshes with bevel gear 558 supported on worm gear 560 of cutter assembly 554. The worm gear 560 is rotatably supported by a bearing 562 in a chassis base plate 564 of the printhead subassembly 508.
[0020]
Cutter assembly 554 includes a cutter wheel 556 supported on an elastically flexible arm 568 on mounting block 570. The worm gear 560 passes through the mounting block 570 in such a manner that the rotation of the worm gear 560 causes the mounting block 570 and the cutter wheel 566 to cross the chassis base plate 564. Mounting block block 570 rests against lip 572 of base plate 564 to prevent rotation of mounting block 570 in relation to worm gear 560. In addition, the cutter wheel 566 rests against the housing or cap 574 above the printhead subassembly 508 to effectively separate the print media 542. This cap portion 574 is a metal portion. Thus, when the cutter wheel 566 crosses the cap portion 574, a cutting action such as scissors is given to the print medium, and the print medium 542 on which an image is printed is cut.
[0021]
Subassembly 506 includes an ejector mechanism 576. Ejector mechanism 576 is supported on chassis 510 and includes a collar 578 having a clip 580 for securing and securing ejector mechanism 576 to chassis 510. Collar 578 supports an insert 582 of a resilient material therein. Resilient insert 582 defines a plurality of openings 584. The opening 584 blocks the injection opening of the pin 544 and prevents foreign particles from entering the pin 544, thereby preventing the channel 514 and printhead 516 from entering. In addition, insert 584 defines a land or platform 586 that delimits the inlet of air inlet 524 for the same purpose.
[0022]
A coil spring 588 is disposed between the chassis 510 and the collar 578 so that when the cartridge 504 is removed from the print engine 500 as shown in detail in FIG. Position. FIG. 4 shows a position where the ejector mechanism 576 is retracted.
[0023]
Printhead subassembly 508 includes a base plate 564, as described above. Capping mechanism 590 is movably supported on base plate 564 and is movable toward and away from printhead 516. Capping mechanism 590 includes elongated ribs 592 disposed on carrier 593. The carrier is supported by a moving mechanism 594, which moves the rib 592 to a position adjacent to the printhead 516 when the printhead 516 is not operating. Conversely, when printhead 516 is operating, movement mechanism 594 operates to retract rib 592 from a position adjacent printhead 516.
[0024]
Printhead subassembly 508 includes a printhead support molding 596 that mounts printhead 516. The molding 596, together with the inserts located within the molding 596, define a path 598 through which the print media 542 passes when the image is printed. A groove 700 is defined in the molding 596, through which the capping mechanism 590 projects when the capping mechanism 590 is in the cap position.
[0025]
The ink supply 702 is supported by the insert 599 below the cap 574. The ink supply unit 702 has a spine 704 and a case 706 mounted on the spine 704. Spine 704 and case 706 define an ink supply passage 708 therebetween that communicates with an ink supply channel 514 in chassis 510 and supplies ink to printhead 516 through passage 710 (FIG. 7).
[0026]
An air supply channel 711 (FIG. 8) is defined in spine 704 along printhead 516.
[0027]
An electrical signal is supplied to the printhead 516 via a TAB film 712 that is restrained and held between the insert 599 and the ink supply 702.
[0028]
The molding 596 includes a bent wing 714. A flexible circuit board (PCB) 716 is supported and fixed on the wing 714. Flexible PCB 716 is in electrical contact with TAB film 712 by being mated with TAB film 712 by ribs 718 of insert 599. Flexible PCB 716 supports busbar 720 thereon. Busbar 720 supplies power to printhead 516 and other motorized components of print engine 500. In addition, a camera print engine control chip 721 is supported on the flexible PCB 716 along with a QA chip (not shown), which ensures that the cartridge 504 is compatible and compliant with the print engine 500. To this end, PCB 716 includes contacts 723 that contact contacts 725 in print cartridge 504.
[0029]
As shown in more detail in FIG. 7, the printhead itself includes a nozzle guard 722 located on a silicon wafer 724. The ink is supplied to a nozzle array (not shown) of the print head 516 via an ink supply member 726. The ink supply member 726 is in communication with the outlet of the passage 710 of the ink supply means 702 and supplies ink to the nozzle array of the print head 516 on demand.
[0030]
Next, the moving mechanism 594 for the capping mechanism 590 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The movement mechanism 594 includes a torsion bar component 728 having a bar 730 and a pair of arms 732. Each arm 732 extends perpendicularly to bar 730 from a respective end of bar 730. The movement mechanism further includes a biasing means in the form of a leaf spring 734. As can be seen in detail in FIGS. 14 and 15, the leaf spring 734 extends and is fixed from a fixed member 736 forming a part of the molding 596. Also, as best seen in FIGS. 14 and 15, the bar 730 of the torsion bar is restrained and held by a clip 738 in the carrier 593 of the capping mechanism 590. In addition, the carrier 593 itself is slidably restrained and held by the clip 742 with respect to the molding 596.
[0031]
Torsion bar component 728 is further positioned at a location associated with metal base plate 564 by receiving the free end of arm 732 in opening 740 of base plate 564.
[0032]
The mounting block 570 of the cutter assembly 554 supports a cam member or profile 744 having a sloped area 746. When the mounting block 570 of the cutter assembly 554 moves to the stop position as shown in FIG. 11, one arm 732 of the torsion bar part 728 is received inside the cam profile 744 and the rib 592 of the capping mechanism 590 is attached to the print head 516. The leaf spring 734 is pushed upward so as to be adjacent to the leaf spring 734.
[0033]
Conversely, if it is desired to print using the printhead, mounting block 570 is moved in the direction of arrow 748 (FIG. 11) and arm 732 of torsion bar component 728 moves out of cam profile 744. This causes the leaf spring 734 to act on the bar 730 of the torsion bar component 728, disengaging the rib 592 of the capping mechanism 590 from a position adjacent to the print head 516. This allows the print media 542 to pass through the slot 598 below the print head 516 and allows for printing.
[0034]
It is understood that the movement mechanism 594 is completely mechanical during operation. Therefore, the power of the camera using the print engine 500 is not consumed.
[0035]
It should also be noted that to make print engine 500 more compact, print engine assembly 502 is sized so that many components fit within the bottom surface of print cartridge 504.
[0036]
Numerous variations and / or modifications of the invention, which are indicated by specific embodiments, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the broadly described invention. Is understood. Therefore, the above embodiments are illustrative in every respect and not restrictive.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a print engine including a component according to the present invention.
FIG. 2
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a print engine.
FIG. 3
FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional view of the print engine with a removable print cartridge removed.
FIG. 4
FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional view of the print engine as viewed from the back, with a print cartridge indicated by a dotted line.
FIG. 5
FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional view illustrating a cross section of the print engine.
FIG. 6
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a print head subassembly of the print engine.
FIG. 7
FIG. 3 is a view in which a part of the print head subassembly is cut away.
FIG. 8
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the printhead subassembly and the capping mechanism in the cap position.
FIG. 9
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the printhead subassembly and the capping mechanism in an uncapped position.
FIG. 10
FIG. 3 is an exploded three-dimensional view of a part of the printhead mechanism, showing the capping mechanism in detail.
FIG. 11
FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a part of a capping mechanism at a cap position.
FIG.
FIG. 4 is a top view of the capping mechanism and a portion of the printhead subassembly at the cap position as viewed from above.
FIG. 13
FIG. 4 is a top view of the capping mechanism and a portion of the printhead subassembly in the uncapped position as viewed from above.
FIG. 14
FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of a portion of the capping mechanism and printhead subassembly at the cap position.
FIG.
FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of a portion of the capping mechanism and printhead subassembly in the uncapped position.

Claims (8)

A print engine capping mechanism,
Capping means provided along the printhead of the print engine and movable toward and from a position adjacent to the printhead to cap and uncap the printhead, respectively.
Driving means acting on the capping means to move the capping means,
When in the stop position, the capping means is engaged with the driving means to move the capping means to a position adjacent to the print head to cap the print head. A mechanical moving element cooperating with said drive means to disengage from a position adjacent to the printhead;
A capping mechanism comprising: The printhead is a pagewidth printhead,
The capping means includes a rib of resiliently soft material adjacent to the printhead when in the cap position.
The capping mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The capping mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the rib is supported on a carrier. The capping mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the driving means acts on the carrier. The driving means,
An elongated element restrained and held within the carrier;
Biasing means acting on the elongate element to bias the drive means to bring the capping means into the uncapped position;
The capping mechanism according to claim 4, comprising: The capping mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the elongate element comprises a torsion bar component having an arm at each end. Said mechanical moving element is a disconnecting means for disconnecting a piece of print media from a supply of print media after an image is printed on the print media by a print engine;
The separating means is movable in a direction parallel to the print head,
Engaging means for engaging the arm such that the capping mechanism is in its cap position against the action of the biasing means by engaging with one arm of the torsion bar component when the disconnecting means is in its stop position. Have,
The capping mechanism according to claim 6, wherein: The capping mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the engaging means is a cam member supported by the separating means.