Printer firing sequence
AssigneeSilverbrook Research Pty Ltd
InventorKia Silverbrook
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention concerns a printhead capping mechanism for preventing evaporation of ink from a printhead when it is not in use. The invention has utility, for instance, in a color printer which uses a drop-on-demand inkjet printhead. The mechanism includes a cap fitted with an elastomeric seal to seal against the face of the printhead, and a sponge to catch drops ejected from the printhead during the nozzle cleaning cycle. The mechanism also includes an actuating structure operable to selectively move the cap between an engaged position to press against the printhead and a disengaged position spaced away from the printhead.
Claims30
1) A firing sequence for use in printing, the printing being performed using a print head having a number of chromopods, each chromopod being formed from a number of pods, each pod being coupled to a respective ink resevoir and each pod comprising a number of nozzles, the firing sequence defining in which order nozzles should be selectively activated, the fining sequence comprising:
- a) For a first nozzle, firing the nozzle selected ones of the pods, for each of the chromopods in turn;
- and,
- b) Repeating step (a) for each nozzle in the pod in turn.
6) A firing sequence according to claim 8, the print head having two podgroups each containing N chromopods, and each pod having n nozzles, the firing sequence comprising:
- 41 Nozzle Chromopod Podgroup 1 1 1, 2 1 2 1, 2 1 . . . . . . 1 N 1, 2 2 1 1, 2 . . . . . . . . . n 1 1, 2 n . . . . . . n N 1, 2
10) A method of printing using a print head, the print head having a number of chromopods, each chromopod having a number of pods, each pod being coupled to a respective ink reservoir and each pod comprising a number of nozzles, the method comprising:
- a) Obtaining a firing sequence defining in which order nozzles should be selectively activated, the firing sequence being:
- i) For a first nozzle, firing the nozzle for selected ones of the pods, for each of the chromopods in turn;
- and,
- ii) Repeating step (ai) for each nozzle in the pod in turn;
- b) Selectively activating the nozzles in accordance with the firing sequence.
18) A printer comprising:
- a) A print head, the print head having a number of chromopods, each chromopod having a number of pods, each pod being coupled to a respective ink reservoir and each pod comprising a number of nozzles;
- b) A store for storing a firing sequence defining in which order nozzles should be selectively activated, the firing sequence being:
- i) For a first nozzle, firing the nozzle for selected ones of the pods, for each of the chromopods in turn;
- and,
- ii) Repeating step (bi) for each nozzle in the pod in turn;
- c) A processor for selectively activating the nozzles in accordance with the firing sequence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.