Fluidic delivery system with tubing and manifolding for an off-axis printing system

An ink routing system for an off-axis printer, the printer having a transporting system for transporting a print medium along a medium path, the printer also having a scanning carriage for holding a printing cartridge which includes a printhead, the carriage holding the cartridge, and a scan apparatus for scanning the carriage along a scanning axis transverse to the medium path, the printhead having at least one substantially linear row of nozzles for ejecting ink onto the print medium, the ink routing system comprising:

• a fixed ink supply station;
• and
• a fluid conduit interconnecting between the ink supply station and the carriage to provide an ink replenishment path for the printer carriage, the fluid conduit including an off-axis carriage section that provides a fluid path between the supply station and a first position on the carriage, an on-carriage section that provides a fluid path between the first position on the carriage and the print cartridge, and wherein the fluid conduit is routed between the ink supply station and the carriage such that a dynamically flexing loop is formed in the fluid conduit, the loop crossing a vertical plane bisecting the row of nozzles and extending transversely to the medium path;
• and
• a stress relief member attached to the carriage to provide support to the conduit at the first position, and wherein the fluid conduit turns at least 90 degrees between the stress relief member and the ink supply station.

An ink delivery subsystem for an off-axis printer, the printer having a transporting system for transporting a print medium along a medium path to a print zone, the printer having a scanning carriage for holding a printing cartridge with a printhead such that the printhead faces the print zone, and a scanning apparatus for scanning the carriage along a scanning axis transverse to the medium path at the print zone, the cartridge having at least one substantially linear row of nozzles for ejecting ink onto the print medium, the ink delivery subsystem comprising:

• an ink reservoir adapted to be releasably mounted to a fixed ink supply station;
• a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the ink reservoir;
• ink that travels out of the fluid outlet and through a conduit interconnecting between the ink supply station and the carriage to provide an ink replenishment path for the printer cartridge, the fluid conduit routed between the ink supply station and the carriage such that a dynamically flexing loop is formed in the fluid conduit, the loop crossing a vertical plane transverse to said medium path at two locations, the vertical plane intersecting the row of nozzles when the ink reservoir is releasably mounted in the ink supply station, and wherein the conduit includes an off-axis carriage section that provides a first fluid path between the supply station and a first position on the carriage, an on-carriage section that provides a second fluid path between the first position on the carriage and the print cartridge, and
• a stress relief member attached to the carriage to provide support to the conduit at the first position wherein the fluid conduit turns 90 degrees at least once between the stress relief member and the ink supply station.

A printing system with an off-axis ink supply system, comprising:

• a printer housing;
• transporting system for transporting a print medium along a medium path to a print area;
• a scanning carriage holding a printing cartridge, the cartridge including a printhead;
• a carriage scanning apparatus coupled to the carriage for moving the carriage along a scanning axis transverse to the medium path to pass the carriage through a path of travel which defines a carriage scan swept volume;
• an off-axis ink supply station mounted in a fixed position relative to the printer housing, said off-axis ink supply station is disposed on a supply station side of the scanning axis;
• a fluid conduit apparatus extending between said carriage and said off-axis ink supply station to provide an ink replenishment path for said printer cartridge, said fluid conduit apparatus including a hollow tubing member;
• and wherein said fluid conduit apparatus is routed between said carriage and said off-axis supply station within a volume defined by said housing such that a loop is formed in said fluid conduit apparatus which dynamically flexes as the carriage is scanned along the scanning axis, wherein said fluid conduit apparatus defines a fluid path between said loop and said ink supply station which lies entirely on said supply station side of said scanning axis, said ink replenishment path includes a carriage fluid path portion, and further comprising means for providing at least a 180 degree change of direction in said carriage fluid path portion prior to a connection of said fluid path to said cartridge, said means for providing a change of direction including a direct routing of said hollow tubing member to a fitment adjacent to and in fluid communication with said cartridge, wherein said hollow tubing member is routed through said at least 180 degree change of direction, and wherein a vertical projection of said dynamically flexing loop along a media path direction is substantially contained within a corresponding vertical projection of said carriage swept volume, thereby reducing space required within the printer housing to accommodate said loop and providing a compact, space-saving fluid conduit routing configuration.

A printing system with an off-axis ink supply system, comprising:

• a printer housing;
• transporting system for transporting a print medium along a medium path to a print area;
• a scanning carriage holding a printing cartridge, the cartridge including a printhead;
• a carriage scanning apparatus coupled to the carriage for moving the carriage along a scanning axis transverse to the medium path to pass the carriage through a path of travel which defines a carriage scan swept volume;
• an off-axis ink supply station mounted in a fixed position relative to the printer housing;
• a fluid conduit apparatus including a hollow tubing member, said fluid conduit apparatus extending between said carriage and said off-axis ink supply station to provide an ink replenishment path for said printer cartridge, said off-axis ink supply station disposed on a supply station side of the scanning axis, said ink replenishment path including a carriage fluid path portion means for providing at least a 180 degree change of direction in said carriage fluid path portion prior to a connection of said carriage fluid path to said cartridge, said means for providing a change of direction includes a direct routing of said hollow tubing member to a fitment adjacent to and in fluid communication with said cartridge, wherein said hollow tubing member is routed through said at least 180 degree change of direction and connects directly to said cartridge;
• and wherein said fluid conduit apparatus is routed between said carriage and said off-axis supply station within a volume defined by said housing such that a loop is formed in said fluid conduit apparatus which dynamically flexes as the carriage is scanned along the scanning axis, said fluid conduit apparatus defines a fluid path between said loop and said ink supply station which crosses said scanning axis, and wherein a vertical projection of said dynamically flexing loop along a media path direction is substantially contained within a corresponding vertical projection of said carriage swept volume, thereby reducing space required within the printer housing to accommodate said loop and providing a compact, space-saving fluid conduit routing configuration.

A printing system with an off-axis ink supply system, comprising:

• a printer housing;
• transporting system for transporting a print medium along a medium path to a print area;
• a scanning carriage holding a printing cartridge, the cartridge including a printhead;
• a carriage scanning apparatus coupled to the carriage for moving the carriage along a scanning axis transverse to the medium path to pass the carriage through a path of travel which defines a carriage scan swept volume;
• an off-axis ink supply station mounted in a fixed position relative to the printer housing;
• a fluid conduit apparatus extending between said carriage and said off-axis ink supply station to provide an ink replenishment path for said printer cartridge, said off-axis ink supply station disposed on a supply station side of the scanning axis, said ink replenishment path including a carriage fluid path portion means for providing at least a 180 degree change of direction in said carriage fluid path portion prior to a connection of said carriage fluid path to said cartridge;
• and wherein said fluid conduit apparatus is routed between said carriage and said off-axis supply station within a volume defined by said housing such that a loop is formed in said fluid conduit apparatus which dynamically flexes as the carriage is scanned along the scanning axis, said fluid conduit apparatus defines a fluid path between said loop and said ink supply station which crosses said scanning axis, said means for providing a change of direction includes an ink manifold having an input port and an output port, said input port connected to an end of said fluid conduit apparatus, and further comprising an ink coupler member, said output port connected to said cartridge by said ink coupler member and wherein a vertical projection of said dynamically flexing loop along a media path direction is substantially contained within a corresponding vertical projection of said carriage swept volume, thereby reducing space required within the printer housing to accommodate said loop and providing a compact, space-saving fluid conduit routing configuration.

An ink routing system for an off-axis printer, the printer having a transporting system for transporting a print medium along a medium path, the printer also having a scanning carriage for holding a printing cartridge which includes a printhead, the carriage holding the cartridge, and a scan apparatus for scanning the carriage along a scanning axis transverse to the medium path, the printhead having at least one substantially linear row of nozzles for ejecting ink onto the print medium, the ink routing system comprising:

• a fixed ink supply station;
• and
• a fluid conduit interconnecting between the ink supply station and the carriage to provide an ink replenishment path for the printer carriage, the fluid conduit including an off-axis carriage section that provides a fluid path between the supply station and a first position on the carriage, an on-carriage section that provides a fluid path between the first position on the carriage and the print cartridge, and wherein the fluid conduit is routed between the ink supply station and the carriage such that a dynamically flexing loop is formed in the fluid conduit, the loop crossing a vertical plane bisecting the row of nozzles and extending transversely to the medium path;
• and
• a stress relief member attached to the carriage to provide support to the conduit at the first position, and wherein the fluid conduit passes through a 180 degree turn between the stress relief member and the ink supply station.

An ink delivery subsystem for an off-axis printer, the printer having a transporting system for transporting a print medium along a medium path to a print zone, the printer having a scanning carriage for holding a printing cartridge with a printhead such that the printhead faces the print zone, and a scanning apparatus for scanning the carriage along a scanning axis transverse to the medium path at the print zone, the cartridge having at least one substantially linear row of nozzles for ejecting ink onto the print medium, the ink delivery subsystem comprising:

• an ink reservoir adapted to be releasably mounted to a fixed ink supply station;
• a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the ink reservoir;
• ink that travels out of the fluid outlet and through a conduit interconnecting between the ink supply station and the carriage to provide an ink replenishment path for the printer cartridge, the fluid conduit routed between the ink supply station and the carriage such that a dynamically flexing loop is formed in the fluid conduit, the loop crossing a vertical plane transverse to said medium path at two locations, the vertical plane intersecting the row of nozzles when the ink reservoir is releasably mounted in the ink supply station, and wherein the conduit includes an off-axis carriage section that provides a first fluid path between the supply station and a first position on the carriage, an on-carriage section that provides a second fluid path between the first position on the carriage and the print cartridge, and
• a stress relief member attached to the carriage to provide support to the conduit at the first position, and wherein the fluid conduit passes through at least a 180 degree turn between the stress relief member and the ink supply station.