US 6,019,466 A · Multicolor liquid ink printer and method for printing on plain paper

Abstract

A multicolor liquid ink printer for printing unmottled, high quality images on sheets of plain paper. The multicolor liquid ink printer includes a flat, generally rectangular stationary platen having a first long side, a second long side, a first short end, a second short end, and a sheet supporting surface for supporting a sheet of plain paper. The multicolor liquid ink printer also includes a heating device for heating the stationary platen, and a sheet containing and feeding assembly for containing and feeding sheets of plain paper onto the sheet supporting surface of the stationary platen. Importantly, the multicolor liquid ink printer includes a bidirectionally movable sheet driving and printing assembly that is movable over and relative to the stationary platen and to a sheet being supported on the stationary platen. The sheet driving and printing assembly includes (i) a carriage; (ii) drive rollers mounted to the carriage for driving and moving a sheet on the stationary platen relative to the stationary platen, and (iii) a plurality of full width array printheads mounted to the carriage. Each full width array printhead of the plurality of full width array printheads contains a different color liquid ink for printing an unmottled, high quality liquid ink image onto a sheet of plain paper that is stationarily supported on the flat platen, thereby together forming an unmottled, high quality multicolor liquid ink image on the plain paper.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A multicolor liquid ink printer for printing on sheets of plain paper, comprising:

(a) a flat stationary platen having a sheet supporting surface for supporting a sheet of plain paper, said stationary platen being generally rectangular including a first long side, a second long side, a first short end, and a second short end;
(b) a heating device for heating said stationary platen;
(c) a sheet containing and feeding assembly for containing and feeding sheets of plain paper onto said sheet supporting surface of said stationary platen;
and
(d) a bidirectionally movable sheet driving and printing assembly being movable over and relative to said stationary platen and to a sheet being supported on said stationary platen, said sheet driving and printing assembly including (i) a carriage device;
(ii) drive rollers mounted to said carriage device for driving and moving a sheet on said stationary platen relative to said stationary platen, and (iii) a plurality of full width array printheads mounted to said carriage device, each full width array printhead of said plurality of full width array printheads containing a different color liquid ink for printing an unmottled, high quality liquid ink image onto a sheet of plain paper stationarily supported on said flat platen, thereby together forming an unmottled, high quality multicolor liquid ink image on said plain paper.

3 more elements

A method of liquid ink printing of unmottled, high quality multicolor images on plain paper, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) heating a flat stationary platen having a first long side, a second long side, a first short end and a second short end, and a sheet supporting surface for supporting and heating a sheet of plain paper;
(b) feeding onto the heated stationary platen, a sheet of plain paper along edge first from a sheet containing and feeding assembly mounted along the first long side of the stationary platen;
(c) moving a sheet drive roller, which is mounted onto a carriage device, over, and to about a center of a sheet of plain paper being supported on the stationary platen;
(d) driving the sheet of plain paper on the platen and against an articulating sheet registration guide on the stationary platen for registration, by using the sheet drive roller;
(e) applying electrostatic charges onto the registered sheet of plain paper for electrostatically holding it down onto the stationary platen;
and
(f) bidirectionally driving a plurality of full width array printheads mounted on said carriage device and each containing a different color liquid ink, back and forth between the first and the second short ends of the stationary platen, and relative to the held down registered sheet of plain paper, for selectively printing with a full width array of the plurality of full width array printheads on each back and each forth movement of the plurality of full width away printheads between the first and second short ends, thereby producing an unmottled, high quality multicolor liquid image on the registered plain paper.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multicolor liquid ink printer and method for printing on plain paper

Life of this patent

Multicolor liquid ink printer and method for printing on plain paper

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15