Printhead nozzle alignment in a printing system
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsJeffrey T. Hendricks, Si-Lam Choy, Ronald A. Hellekson, John M. Altendorf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a carriage for use in a printing device, the carriage including a carriage body with a bearing structure configured to support such carriage body for movement along a reference track. The carriage also includes a printhead anchored to the carriage body, and aligned directly relative to the carriage bearing structure.
Claims21
A carriage for use in a printing device, the carriage comprising:
- a body having bearing structure configured to support the carriage for movement along a reference track;
- and
- a printhead anchored to the body, and aligned directly relative to the carriage bearing structure.
A printing device comprising:
- a frame;
- a carriage rail anchored, and datumed relative, to the frame;
- a printhead carrier including an integral, plural-axis-datuming datum-reference structure;
- a carriage body mounted on, and datumed relative to, the carriage rail, and having an integral, plural-axis-datuming datum-reception site adapted to receive the printhead carrier;
- anchoring structure configured to anchor the printhead carrier in a generally permanently stabilized condition to the carriage body with the datum-reference structure seated in stabilized contact with the datum-reception site, such anchored and stabilized seating fixedly datuming the printhead carrier relative to the carriage body;
- and
- at least one printhead mounted on the printhead carrier, and aligned relative to the carriage bearing structure.
A printing device comprising:
- a moveable carriage body having bearing structure;
- a printhead carrier anchored, and stabilized relative, to the carriage body through a single-region, plural-axis datuming zone configured to define a mechanical connective datuming interface between the carriage body and printhead carrier;
- and
- a printhead anchored to the printhead carrier, and aligned relative to the carriage bearing structure.
A printing device comprising:
- moveable carriage body means having bearing structure;
- printhead carrier means anchored, and stabilized relative, to the carriage body means;
- and
- datuming means operatively interposed the carriage body means and the printhead carrier means in a region of anchoring therebetween for defining and providing a single-region, plural-axis datuming zone which functions as a full datuming interface between the carriage body means and the printhead carrier means;
- and
- printhead means anchored to the printhead carrier means is positionally defined relationship relative to the bearing structure of the carriage body means.
In a printing device including a frame with respect to which there are associated three mutually orthogonally-related reference axes, datuming apparatus comprising:
- a carriage body having bearing structure and defining a rectilinear datuming socket formed integrally on an underside thereof, the socket defining at least three mutually orthogonally related planar surfaces, each of which corresponds with two of the reference axes;
- a printhead carrier including integrally-formed, rectilinear, datuming docking structure received within the socket and including at least three mutually orthogonally related planar surfaces which bear confrontingly, on a one-to-one basis, with one each of the at least three mutually orthogonally related planar surfaces of the socket, such datumed reception creating a stable, all-degree-of-relative-motion, locked, datumed relationship between the carriage body and the printhead carrier;
- an ink-supply system fluidly connected to the printhead carrier, and mounted on the carriage body in a manner which, together with the printhead carrier, forms a sandwich structure with a portion of the carriage body interposed the printhead carrier and the ink-supply system;
- anchoring structure extending through the portion of the carriage body interposed the printhead carrier and the ink-supply system to anchor the printhead carrier and the ink-supply system to the sandwich structure in a condition with the printhead carrier and the ink-supply system drawn in fixed relationship against opposite sides of the portion of the carriage body interposed the printhead carrier and the ink-supply system;
- and
- a printhead having a plurality of nozzles, the printhead being anchored to the printhead carrier with the nozzles in fluid communication with the ink-supply system via the printhead carrier, such printhead being aligned directly relative the carriage body bearing structure.
A method of aligning a printhead relative to a printzone in a printing device wherein the printing device includes a carriage mounted in the printing device via bearing structure for movement along a reference track, the method comprising:
- selecting surfaces of a carriage body to be carriage body datuming surfaces;
- selecting surfaces of a printhead carrier to be printhead carrier datuming surfaces;
- orienting the carriage body datuming surfaces relative to the printhead carrier datuming surfaces whereby confronting contact between adjacent pairs of such datuming surfaces will be effective to produce plural-axis datuming of the printhead carrier relative to the carriage body;
- anchoring the printhead carrier to the carriage body, with the datuming surfaces contacting one another;
- and
- mounting a printhead on the printhead carrier with the printhead aligned relative to the carriage bearing structure upon such mounting.
A method of assembling a carriage for use in a printing device wherein carriage includes a carriage body mounted for movement along a reference track via bearing structure, the method comprising:
- datuming a printhead carrier relative to the carriage body;
- datuming an ink-supply system relative to the carriage body in fluid communication with the printhead carrier;
- anchoring the printhead carrier to ink-supply system with the carriage body intermediate the printhead carrier and the ink-supply system;
- mounting a printhead on the printhead carrier;
- aligning the printhead relative to the carriage bearing structure upon mounting the printhead on the printhead carrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.