Replaceable shield for a printhead
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsMarta Coma Vives, Xavier Gros Gras, Francesc Melia Sune
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one example, a structure to hold a printhead includes a surface defining an opening through which the printhead orifices may be exposed for printing and a replaceable shield shielding an area of the surface around the opening.
Claims19
A structure to hold a printhead assembly having a plurality of snouts, each respective snout of the plurality of snouts comprising a printhead orifice in a lower surface of the respective snout, wherein a printing fluid is dispensable through the printhead orifice of the respective snout, the structure comprising:
- a surface defining a plurality of openings through which corresponding snouts of the plurality of snouts of the printhead assembly are to protrude for printing;
- and
- a replaceable shield shielding an area of the surface around each of the plurality of openings, wherein the replaceable shield comprises a plurality of collars to individually cover side walls of corresponding snouts of the plurality of snouts, each respective collar of the plurality of collars enclosing the side walls of the corresponding snout and extending downwardly from a bottom surface of the replaceable shield, the respective collar extending downwardly by an amount to a point that is at the lower surface of the corresponding snout that protrudes through a respective opening of the plurality of openings, and the respective collar arranged and positioned to collect printing fluid residue resulting from wiping the lower surface that includes the printhead orifice of the corresponding snout.
A shield for a movable printhead carriage having a plurality of openings therein through which corresponding snouts of a plurality of snouts of a printhead assembly are exposed for printing, each corresponding snout of the plurality of snouts comprising a lower surface having a printhead orifice, the shield comprising:
- a cover comprising a plurality of collars to individually cover side walls of corresponding snouts of the plurality of snouts that each protrudes through a respective opening of the plurality of openings in a surface of the carriage when the cover is fastened to the carriage, each respective collar of the plurality of collars enclosing the side walls of the corresponding snout and extending downwardly from a bottom surface of the cover, the respective collar extending downwardly by an amount to a point that is at the lower surface, including the printhead orifice, of the corresponding snout that protrudes through the respective opening;
- and
- a fastener to releasably fasten the cover to the carriage.
A method for servicing an inkjet printer that includes a printer surface defining an opening through which a printhead may be exposed for printing, the method comprising:
- with a shield, shielding an area of the printer surface surrounding the opening from the accumulation of ink residue;
- and
- replacing a dirty shield on which ink residue has accumulated with a clean shield.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.