Ink-jet printer with printhead carriage alignment mechanism

An ink-jet printer for printing on a print medium, comprising:

• (a) supply means for providing a supply of print medium to be printed;
• (b) collection means for collecting the printed medium;
• (c) means for conveying the print medium from said supply means to said collection through a printing zone (B);
• (d) a cartridge provided with a printhead and mounted on a carriage cooperatively associated with a carriage guide, for printing on the print medium;
• (e) said cartridge being supported on a platen maintained in said printing zone;
• (f) means for directing print medium in a plane generally parallel to said printing zone just prior to entering said printing zone, in order to maintain in substantial flatness of the print medium;
• (g) means for permitting ink to dry on a previously printed sheet of said medium to dry during printing of a next sheet of said medium;
• (h) a printhead carriage lock-in assembly for use with the cartridge having:
• (i) carriage means;
• (ii) said carriage means including base support means for receiving the cartridge;
• (iii) said base support means depending into referencing means, for aligning the cartridge in proper printing position along at least two directions;
• (iv) said base support means further including retention means for causing the cartridge to be locked in position relative to said carriage means;
• (v) electrical interconnect means, for supplying control signals to the carriage;
• and
• (vi) the cartridge including a reference system corresponding to, and generally coordinating with, said referencing system of said base support means, for providing proper alignment to the cartridge during its positioning relative to said carriage means, and for causing the cartridge to be retained in position during the printing operation.