Independent servicing of multiple inkjet printheads

A maintenance system for servicing a plurality of printheads on a printer carriage comprising:

• a carriage for holding the plurality of printheads in locations which are spaced apart from each other a predetermined distance;
• a guide member supporting said carriage in a print zone and also in a service station zone;
• a first motor coupled to said carriage for moving said carriage to a first servicing mode position in said service station zone and to a second servicing mode position in said service station zone;
• a first servicing element positioned in said service station zone for alignment with a first printhead when said carriage is in said first servicing mode position;
• a second servicing element positioned in said service station zone for alignment with a second printhead when said carriage is in said second servicing mode position, with said first servicing element and said second servicing element performing a same type of servicing function for said first printhead and said second printhead, respectively;
• a plurality of different printheads having different types of ink, and wherein said first servicing element includes one or more servicing elements associated with one or more printheads, as well as one or more other printheads associated with one or more second servicing elements;
• and
• wherein at least one of the printheads is capable of being serviced in both said first servicing mode and in said second servicing mode.

A maintenance system for servicing a plurality of printheads on a printer carriage comprising:

• a carriage for holding the plurality of printheads in locations which are spaced apart from each other a predetermined distance;
• a guide member supporting said carriage in a print zone and also in a service station zone;
• a first motor coupled to said carriage for moving said carriage to a first servicing mode position in said service station zone and to a second servicing mode position in said service station zone;
• a first servicing element positioned in said service station zone for alignment with a first printhead when said carriage is in said first servicing mode position;
• a second servicing element positioned in said service station zone for alignment with a second printhead when said carriage is in said second servicing mode position, with said first servicing element and said second servicing performing a same type of servicing function for said first printhead and said second printhead, respectively;
• and
• wherein said first servicing mode position and said second servicing mode position are in different locations such that said first servicing element is not capable of active operative engagement with said first printhead when said carriage is in said second servicing mode position, and said second servicing element is not capable of active operative engagement with said second printhead when said carriage is in said first servicing mode position;
• and
• further including a second motor coupled to said servicing elements for moving said servicing elements along a path while said carriage is stationary during said first servicing mode and said second servicing mode.