Ink-jet printer for printing across an entire surface of a recording medium

A printer comprising:

• a cartridge for supplying a recording medium;
• means for defining a path along which the recording medium supplied from the cartridge is conveyed in a first direction away from the cartridge or in a second direction substantially opposite the first direction;
• a reversible recording medium drive mechanism for moving the recording medium in the first direction away from the cartridge, the drive mechanism operable in a reverse direction for moving the recording medium in the second direction toward the cartridge;
• a print head movably supported across a region greater than a width of the recording medium along a first axis substantially perpendicular to the path and disposed on the path;
• at least one print medium source operationally associated with the print head;
• and
• controlling means operably connected to the print head for enabling printing outboard of the recording medium;
• wherein the controlling means sets a printing range of the print head along the first axis on the recording medium so that the printing range includes a region outside an edge of the recording medium and sets the printing range along the second direction so that the printing range includes a region outside an edge of the recording medium, and
• wherein after the recording medium has advanced in the first direction along the path subsequent to printing a first region, the recording medium drive mechanism is reversed to convey the recording medium in the second direction moving the first printed region of the recording medium to a position between the print head and the cartridge to permit printing on a second region of the recording medium, the second region preceding the first region when the recording medium is moving in the first direction.

A printer comprising:

• a cartridge for supplying a recording medium;
• means defining a path including at least one recording medium guide and at least one recording medium pressing roller and conveying the recording medium supplied from the cartridge along the path;
• an ink-jet print head movably supported on a lead screw and further supported on a guide plate across a region greater than a width of the recording medium, the ink-jet printhead being disposed on the path;
• a motor operably connected to the lead screw for rotating the lead screw to cause movement of the ink-jet print head;
• at least one ink supply source fluidly communicating with the inkjet print head;
• controlling means, including at least one detector for detecting the width of the recording medium and operably connected to the ink-jet print head for selectively causing ink dispersion in a region outboard of the recording medium;
• a printhead capping mechanism having a capping face closing an ink outlet of the ink-jet print head during idle periods;
• and
• a switch for directing power at the motor between the lead screw and the head capping mechanism,
• wherein the controlling means sets a printing range of the ink-jet print head along a first axis on the recording medium so that the printing range includes a region outside an edge of the recording medium and sets the printing range along a second axis different from the first axis on the recording medium so that the printing range includes a region outside an edge of the recording medium.

A printer comprising:

• means for supplying a cut sheet recording medium having a width along a first axis, the width defined by a first side edge and a second side edge, and a leading edge and a trailing edge along a second axis, the second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis;
• means for defining a path including at least one recording medium guide and at least one recording medium pressing roller for conveying the leading edge of the recording medium along the path;
• an ink-jet print head moveably supported on a guide shaft and further supported on a guide plate across a region greater than the width of the recording medium, the ink-jet print head being disposed on the path;
• a timing belt secured to the ink-jet print head;
• a motor operably connected to the timing belt for causing movement of the ink-jet print head;
• at least one ink supply source fluidly communicating with the ink-jet print head;
• excess ink capturing means for capturing ink droplets which are ejected from the print head when the print head is located at a position outward from an edge of the cut sheet recording medium;
• and
• a printing operation control means for setting a printing range including at least one detector for selectively causing ink dispersion in a region outward from an edge of the recording medium,
• wherein the control means sets a print range of the ink-jet print head in the first axis on the recording medium so that the print range includes a region outside an edge of the recording medium and sets the printing range in the second axis on the recording medium so that the print range includes a region outside the leading and trailing edges of the recording medium.