Printhead-wiping device
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsGonzalo Gaston Llado, Ana Cristina Garcia Alvarez, Marta Coma Vives
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an example, a printhead-wiping device comprises: a wiper element and a biasing mechanism, the biasing mechanism to bias the wiper element towards a printhead. An actuator may be used to adjust a preload force applied to the biasing mechanism. The preload force applied to the biasing mechanism may be controlled using a controller so as to control a wiping force applied by the wiper element against the printhead.
Claims20
A printhead-wiping device comprising:
- a wiper element;
- a biasing mechanism coupled to the wiper element, the biasing mechanism to bias the wiper element towards a printhead;
- an actuator coupled to the biasing mechanism, the actuator to adjust a preload force applied to the biasing mechanism;
- and
- a controller to actuate the actuator so as to adjust the preload force and thereby control a wiping force applied by the wiper element against the printhead.
A print device comprising:
- a printhead to perform a printing operation;
- a wiper element to clean the printhead;
- a biasing mechanism coupled to the wiper element, the biasing mechanism to bias the wiper element towards the printhead;
- an actuator coupled to the biasing mechanism, the actuator to adjust a preload force applied to the biasing mechanism;
- and
- a controller to move the printhead relative to the wiper element such that the wiper element is drawn across the printhead, wherein the controller actuates the actuator so as to adjust the preload force and thereby control a wiping force applied by the wiper element against the printhead.
A method comprising:
- determining a wiping force to be applied by a wiper element against a printhead during a cleaning operation, the wiping force being determined based on the cleaning operation;
- setting the wiping force by adjusting a preload force applied to a biasing mechanism coupled to the wiper element;
- wherein the preload force is set such that the biasing mechanism biases the wiper element towards the printhead at the determined wiping force;
- and
- executing the cleaning operation by moving the printhead relative to the wiper element so that the wiper element is drawn across the printhead.
A non-transitory machine readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by a controller, cause a print device to
- determine a wiping force to be applied by a wiper element against a printhead during a cleaning operation, the wiping force being determined based on the cleaning operation;
- set the wiping force by adjusting a preload force applied to a biasing mechanism coupled to the wiper element;
- wherein the preload force is set such that the biasing mechanism biases the wiper element towards the printhead at the determined wiping force;
- and
- execute the cleaning operation by moving the printhead relative to the wiper element so that the wiper element is drawn across the printhead.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.