Positioning of service station sled using motor-driven cam

A method of servicing an inkjet print cartridge, the print cartridge being inserted in a stall of a print carriage and including a plurality of nozzles that eject ink from a print cartridge printhead, the method comprising the steps of:

• positioning the print carriage adjacent to a service station including a sled assembly, a cap and wiper being mounted on a surface of the sled assembly;
• rotating a cam of the service station such that a cam follower of the sled assembly interacts with the cam to cause movement of the sled assembly;
• biasing said sled assembly away from said member with a spring;
• and
• biasing said member with another spring toward said cam follower to help facilitate preventing said spring from biasing the cap against a printhead when said member is moved to position said sled assembly in a capping position relative to said printhead.

An inkjet printer having a service station, a laterally movable carriage for transporting a printhead to the service station, and a vertically movable sled having a cam follower formed thereon, a moveable member having a cam, wherein movement of the member results in movement of the cam, the cam interacting with the cam follower to effect movement of the sled for transporting a wiper and a cap within said service station toward and away from the printhead, for transporting a wiper and a cap within the service station toward and away from the printhead comprising;

• alignment posts formed on either one of the carriage and the sled;
• alignment cavities formed on the other one of the carriage and the sled;
• a motor for driving the cam to facilitate relative movement between the carriage and the sled to cause said alignment posts to be inserted into said alignment cavities to align the cap to fully enclose the printhead when parked in the service station;
• a gimbal arrangement coupled to the sled to permit relative movement of the cap and the printhead to facilitate sealing engagement between the cap and the printhead when the sled is moved to a capping position within the service station;
• and
• a pair of springs, one spring biasing said sled away from the member and another spring biasing the member toward said cam follower to help facilitate preventing the one spring from biasing the cap against a printhead when said member is moved to position the sled assembly in a capping position relative to said printhead.

An inkjet printer having a service station, a laterally movable carriage for transporting a printhead to the service station, and a vertically movable sled having a cam follower formed thereon, a moveable member having a cam, wherein movement of the member results in movement of the cam, the cam interacting with the cam follower to effect movement of the sled for transporting a wiper and a cap within said service station toward and away from the printhead, comprising:

• alignment means formed on either one of the carriage and the sled;
• cam means for facilitating relative movement between the carriage and the sled to cause said alignment means to align the cap to fully enclose the printhead when parked in the service station;
• and
• spring means for biasing said sled away from the member and for biasing the member toward said cam follower to help facilitate preventing the biasing the cap against said printhead when said member is moved to position the sled assembly in a capping position relative to said printhead.