De-coupleable print position indicator

A method of indicating a position on a recording medium at which a print head of a printing assembly of a printing apparatus will print, said method comprising the steps of:

• positioning the print head at a print position on the recording medium;
• visually indicating a next print position at which the print head of the printing assembly will print on the recording medium with a print position indicator substantially adjacent the recording medium, the print position indicator being controllably and detachably coupled to the printing assembly so as to allow for a mechanical coupling of said position indicator to the printing assembly and a mechanical uncoupling of said position indicator from the printing assembly;
• and
• continuing to indicate the next print position even when the print head is no longer adjacent the next print position in the event the print position indicator is uncoupled from the printing assembly and the printing assembly moves away from the print position or in the event the print position indicator indicates a next print position not adjacent the print head.

An ink jet printer for printing on a recording medium comprising:

• a guide rail;
• an ink jet print head slidably mounted on said guide rail for left-and-right movement adjacent the recording medium;
• a print position indicator slidably mounted on said guide rail, for left-and-right movement adjacent the recording medium, said print position indicator being positioned and configured to continuously indicate the next print position;
• a coupling mechanism configured to couple said ink jet print head to said print position indicator and to uncouple said ink Jet print head from said print position indicator;
• a capping mechanism mounted at a home position and configured to engage said ink jet print head when said ink jet print head is located at the home position;
• a keyboard configured to input characters into said printer;
• and
• control means for controlling said ink jet print head to move along said guide rail and to print characters input by said keyboard and for controlling said coupling mechanism to couple said ink jet print head to said print position indicator and to uncouple said ink jet print head from said print position indicator, wherein said print position indicator is pushed along said guide rail to indicate the next print position in response to said ink jet print head moving along said guide rail,
• said control device controlling said coupling mechanism to uncouple said ink jet print head from said print position indicator or to maintain said ink jet print head uncoupled from said print position indicator, controlling said ink jet print head to move to the home position, and activating said capping mechanism to cap said ink jet print head at the home position in response to the elapsing of a predetermined period of time since said ink jet print head has printed,
• said print position indicator remaining at the next print position on said guide rail to indicate the next print position when said ink jet print head moves to the home position.

A method of printing on a recording medium with a ink jet print head of a ink jet printer and of indicating a position on the recording medium at which the ink jet print head will next print, said method comprising the steps of:

• inputting a character into the ink jet printer;
• moving the ink jet print head on a guide rail of the ink jet printer and printing the input character;
• pushing a print position indicator, slidably mounted on the guide rail, to the next print position with the moving ink jet print head as the ink jet print head prints the input character, and indicating the next print position with the print position indicator;
• determining whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the ink jet print head has printed;
• uncoupling the ink jet print head from the print position indicator or maintaining the ink jet print head uncoupled from the print position indicator, moving the ink jet print head to a home position, and activating a capping mechanism at the home position to cap the ink jet print head at the home position in the event said determining step determines that the predetermined time has elapsed;
• and
• maintaining the print position indicator at the next print position and continuing to indicate the next print position with the print position indicator when the ink jet print head moves to the home position.

A method of printing on a recording medium with a ink jet print head of a ink jet printer and of indicating a position on the recording medium at which the ink jet print head will next print, said method comprising the steps of:

• moving the ink jet print head along a guide rail of the ink jet printer to a print position;
• pushing a print position indicator, slidably mounted on the guide rail to the right of the ink jet print head, with the moving ink jet print head, the print position indicator comprising a laterally extending array of a plurality of light emitting elements configured to illuminate a plurality of next print positions at which printing will next occur;
• inputting a plurality of characters into the ink jet printer;
• refraining from moving the ink jet print head and refraining from printing with the ink jet print head during the inputting of characters in said inputting step until a predetermined number of characters have been inputted;
• sequentially illuminating the plurality of light emitting elements to indicate the next print positions during the inputting of the predetermined number of characters in said inputting step while the ink jet print head refrains from moving and printing;
• and
• moving the ink jet print head and printing the input characters with the ink jet print head after the predetermined number of characters have been input in said inputting step.