Automatic ink-jet pen loading/unloading

A method for unloading one or more inkjet pens from a traversing carriage of an ink-jet printer, the ink-jet pens including a nozzle array for ejecting droplets of ink during printing operations, comprising:

• providing a pen shuttle movable between a shuttle access station and a carriage unloading station, the pen shuttle having one or more shuttle receptacles for holding the one or more ink-jet pens in a unique orientation;
• with the carriage positioned at the carriage loading station and the one or more ink-jet pens mounted in corresponding one or more pen stalls of the carriage, moving the pen shuttle to the carriage loading station;
• transferring the one or more ink-jet pens directly from corresponding one or more pen stalls in the carriage to corresponding one or more shuttle receptacles of the pen shuttle, each of the one or more ink-jet pens including a body structure comprising first and second generally planar and orthogonal sidewalls, the body structure being engaged by corresponding shuttle receptacle surfaces such that the one or more ink-jet pens is mounted within the shuttle receptacle in a uniquely defined orientation;
• moving the shuttle from the carriage unloading station to the shuttle access location.

A printer, comprising:

• a replaceable printing element including a body structure comprising first and second generally planar and orthogonal sidewalls;
• a traversing carriage having a receptacle for removably holding the printing element during printing operations;
• a printing element shuttle arranged for movement along a shuttle path, the shuttle path including a shuttle access station and a carriage loading station, the shuttle including a shuttle receptacle and receptacle surfaces for engaging the body structure of the printing element to hold the printing element within the shuttle receptacle in a unique orientation while the printing element is held in the receptacle and the shuttle is moving along the shuttle path;
• a shuttle drive system for moving the shuttle along the shuttle path, the shuttle and the carriage arranged to transfer the printing element directly between the carriage receptacle and the shuttle receptacle with the carriage positioned at the carriage loading station.

A method for loading printing elements into a traversing carriage of a printer, comprising:

• loading a printing element into a shuttle positioned at a shuttle access station, the shuttle having printing element servicing apparatus;
• with the carriage positioned at a carriage loading station, moving the shuttle from the access station to the carriage loading station;
• transferring the printing element from the shuttle to a printing element stall in the carriage;
• and
• moving the shuttle to perform a printing element servicing function using said printing element servicing apparatus.

A method for simultaneously loading a plurality of printing elements into a traversing carriage of a printer, comprising:

• loading the plurality of printing elements into respective shuttle receptacles of a shuttle positioned at a shuttle access station;
• with the carriage positioned at a carriage loading station, moving the shuttle from the access station to the carriage loading station;
• and
• simultaneously transferring the plurality of printing elements directly from the shuttle to respective printing element stalls in the carriage without manual intervention.