Automatic service station for the printhead of an inkjet printer and method for cleaning the printhead
AssigneePitney Bowes Inc.
InventorRussell W. Holbrook
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A service station for use in an inkjet printer having a printhead with nozzles, the service station including a carriage moveably mounted to the inkjet printer, the printhead being mounted on the carriage to be moveable therewith; a device for moving the carriage between a printhead printing position and a printhead parked position; a cap; a cap garage connected to the inkjet printer; a device for moving the cap to cover the nozzles when the carriage is moved to the printhead parked position and for moving the cap into the cap garage to be covered thereby when the carriage is moved to the printhead printing position.
Claims13
A service station for use in an inkjet printer having a printhead with nozzles, the service station comprising:
- a carriage moveably mounted to the inkjet printer, the printhead being mounted on the carriage to be moveable therewith;
- means for moving the carriage between a printhead printing position and a printhead parked position;
- a cap;
- a cap cover connected to the inkjet printer;
- means for moving the cap to cover the nozzles when the carriage is moved to the printhead parked position and for moving the cap into the cap cover to be covered and capped thereby when the carriage is moved to the printhead printing position so that the cap is not contaminated with debris when covered by the cover.
A service station for use in an inkjet printer having a printhead with nozzles, the service station comprising:
- a carriage movably mounted to the inkjet printer, the printhead being mounted on the carriage to be moveable therewith;
- means for moving the carriage between a printhead printing position and a printhead parked position;
- a moveable wiper arm;
- a wiper blade connected to the wiper arm and moveable therewith;
- means for moving the wiper arm such that the wiper blade sweeps across and cleans the nozzles, the wiper moving means actuated by movement of the carriage;
- wherein the wiper arm moving means further comprises a cam extending from the carriage and a cam follower extending from the wiper arm, and during movement of the carriage between the printhead printing and parked positions the cam and cam follower interact causing the wiper arm to move such that the wiper blade sweeps across and cleans the nozzles.
A method for maintaining a cap of an inkjet printer, the inkjet printer having a moveable printhead with nozzles thereon, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) moving the printhead to a parked position;
- b) moving the cap to cover the printhead in the parked position;
- c) moving the printhead out of the parked position;
- d) moving the cap into a cover thereby capping the cap with the cover such that the cover is covering and protecting the cap from being contaminated with debris.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.