Printhead die cap
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsJui Hong Lim, Jian Zhang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a printhead cap system is described. The printhead cap system includes a cap having an elastomer seal to surround a printhead die on a print cartridge. The printhead cap system also includes a variable force capping station to retain the cap. The variable force capping station is to move the cap to 1) a first position wherein the cap exerts a first force on a substrate on which the printhead die is disposed and 2) a second position wherein the cap exerts a second force on the substrate. In an example, the second force is greater than the first force. The printhead cap system also includes a control system to raise the cap from an uncapped position through the first position and the second position.
Claims15
A printhead cap system, comprising:
- a cap comprising an elastomer seal to surround a printhead die on a print cartridge;
- a variable force capping station to retain the cap utilizing a nonlinear spring disposed between the cap and a base of a cap sled, the variable force capping station to move the cap to:
- a first position wherein the cap exerts a first force on a substrate on which the printhead die is disposed through compression of a first portion of the nonlinear spring;
- and
- a second position wherein the cap exerts a second force on the substrate through compression of a second portion of the nonlinear spring, wherein the second force is greater than the first force;
- and
- a control system to raise the cap from an uncapped position through the first position and the second position.
A method, comprising:
- aligning a print cartridge of a printing system with a variable force capping station;
- elevating a cap through compression of a first portion of a nonlinear spring disposed between the cap and a base of a cap sled, comprising an elastomer seal to surround a printhead die of the print cartridge, to a first position to deform the elastomer seal against an underside of the print cartridge;
- and
- elevating the cap through compression of a second portion of the nonlinear spring to a second position to further deform the elastomer seal against the underside of the print cartridge.
A printing system, comprising:
- a print cartridge to eject a fluid, wherein the print cartridge is to be moveable between a printing zone to a capping zone adjacent the printing zone;
- and
- a printhead cap system, comprising:
- a cap comprising an elastomer seal to surround a printhead die on the print cartridge;
- a variable force capping station comprising:
- a cap sled to retain the cap and move in a first direction to interact with a priming shuttle ramped slot to raise the cap to a first position;
- a nonlinear spring disposed between the cap and a base of the cap sled;
- and
- a priming shuttle to retain the cap sled and move in a second direction to interact with a base ramped slot to raise the cap to a second position;
- and
- a control system to move the cap sled and the priming shuttle in the first and second directions, respectively.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.