Back to results
US 2003/0146949 A1Published application
Automatic bi-directional alignment method and sensor for an ink jet printer
AssigneeLexmark International, Inc.
InventorsChristopher Alan Adkins, Adam Jude Ahne, Mark Joseph Edwards, Renee Garcia JR., Paul Harrington III, Alexander Phillip Maroudis, Michael Anthony Marra III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A printhead alignment sensor for an ink jet printer includes two terminals defining a substantially linear gap therebetween. An ink support device supports ink in the gap between the terminals. An electrical measuring device detects a change in an electrical resistance between the terminals when ink is supported in the gap by the ink support device.
Claims30
A printhead alignment sensor for an ink jet printer, said sensor comprising:
- two terminals defining a substantially linear gap therebetween;
- an ink support device configured to support ink in the gap between said terminals;
- and
- an electrical measuring device configured to detect a change in an electrical resistance between said terminals when ink is supported in the gap by said ink support device.
1 more element
A printhead alignment sensor for an ink jet printer, said sensor comprising:
- a substrate having an elongate target area with a width approximately equal to a width of an ink drop;
- and
- a sensing device configured to detect when at least one ink drop is received on said target area.
A printhead alignment sensor for an ink jet printer, said sensor comprising:
- a plurality of aligned terminals, each pair of adjacent said terminals being separated by a corresponding substantially linear gap;
- an ink support device configured to support ink in the gaps between said terminals;
- and
- an electrical measuring device configured to detect a change in an electrical resistance between said adjacent terminals when ink is supported in at least one of the gaps by said ink support device.
1 more element
A printhead alignment sensor for an ink jet printer, said sensor comprising:
- a first terminal having a base and a plurality of tines extending therefrom;
- a second terminal disposed between two adjacent said tines of said first terminal such that said second terminal and said adjacent tines define a pair of substantially linear gaps therebetween;
- an ink support device configured to support ink in the gaps;
- and
- an electrical measuring device configured to detect a change in an electrical resistance between said first terminal and said second terminal when ink is supported in at least one of the gaps by said ink support device.
2 more elements
A printhead alignment sensor for a multi-color ink jet printer, said sensor comprising:
- a substrate having an elongate target area for receiving ink drops thereon, said target area having a length, said target area including a plurality of wide sections and a plurality of narrow sections, said wide sections and said narrow sections being alternatingly arranged along said length of said target area, a width of each said wide section being approximately equal to a width of a black ink drop, a width of each said narrow section being approximately equal to a width of a color ink drop;
- and
- a sensing device configured to detect when at least one ink drop is received on said target area.
A method of aligning a printhead in an ink jet printer, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a substrate having a target area with a width approximately equal to a width of an ink drop;
- moving a carrier of the printhead from a first location toward said target area;
- jetting a plurality of aligned ink drops from the printhead when said carrier is at a jetting location, the aligned ink drops being substantially parallel to said target area;
- sensing whether at least one of said ink drops has been jetted onto said target area;
- returning said carrier to said first location;
- repeating said moving, jetting, sensing and returning steps until at least one of said ink drops has been jetted onto said target area, each said jetting location being closer to said target area than an immediately preceding said jetting location;
- and
- recording a reference location of said carrier, said reference location being a location of said carrier when it is sensed that at least one of said ink drops has been jetted onto said target area.
5 more elements
A method of bi-directionally aligning a printhead in an ink jet printer, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a substrate having a target area with a width approximately equal to a width of an ink drop;
- moving a carrier of the printhead in a first scan direction from a first location toward said target area;
- jetting a plurality of aligned ink drops from the printhead when said carrier is at a first directional jetting location, the aligned ink drops being substantially parallel to said target area;
- sensing whether at least one of said ink drops has been jetted onto said target area;
- returning said carrier to said first location;
- repeating said moving, jetting, sensing and returning steps until at least one of said ink drops has been jetted onto said target area, each said first directional jetting location being closer to said target area than an immediately preceding said first directional jetting location;
- recording a first reference jetting location of said carrier, said first reference jetting location being a location of said carrier when it is sensed that at least one of said ink drops has been jetted onto said target area while said carrier is moving in said first scan direction;
- moving said carrier in a second scan direction from a second location toward said target area, said second scan direction being substantially opposite to said first scan direction;
- jetting a plurality of aligned ink drops from the printhead when said carrier is at a second directional jetting location, the aligned ink drops being substantially parallel to said target area;
- sensing whether at least one of said ink drops has been jetted onto said target area;
- returning said carrier to said second location;
- repeating said second moving, jetting, sensing and returning steps until at least one of said ink drops has been jetted onto said target area, each said second directional jetting location being closer to said target area than an immediately preceding said second directional jetting location;
- recording a second reference jetting location of said carrier, said second reference jetting location being a location of said carrier when it is sensed that at least one of said ink drops has been jetted onto said target area while said carrier is moving in said second scan direction;
- and
- using said first reference jetting location and said second reference jetting location to align ink jetted from the printhead when said carrier is moving in said first scan direction with ink jetted from the printhead when said carrier is moving in said second scan direction.
12 more elements
An ink jet printer, comprising:
- at least one printhead;
- and
- a printhead alignment sensor including:
- a substrate having an elongate target area with a width approximately equal to a width of an ink drop;
- and
- a sensing device configured to detect when at least one ink drop from said at least one printhead is received on said target area.
3 more elements
An ink jet printer, comprising:
- a sensor;
- and
- a positioning mechanism configured to allow said sensor to move between a first position substantially in a paper path of said printer and a second position out of the paper path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.