Movable ink drop detector pick up for a drop-on-demand printer
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorChristopher A. Schantz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a system and method for a waste ink removal apparatus for cleaning ink residue from an ink drop detection sensor in a printing mechanism, comprising an assembly pivotally supported by a pivot, the assembly pivoting between a first orientation and a second orientation; an ink drop sensor located on the assembly; a pivoting device connected to the assembly and an absorbent pad located to contact the ink drop sensor when the assembly is in the second orientation, wherein operation of the pivoting device causes the assembly to pivot between the first and second orientations such that waste ink is removed from the ink drop sensor when the assembly is in the second orientation.
Claims24
A waste ink removal apparatus for cleaning ink residue from an ink drop detection sensor in a printing mechanism, comprising:
- an assembly pivotally supported by a pivot, said assembly pivoting between a first orientation and a second orientation;
- an ink drop sensor located on said assembly;
- a pivoting device connected to said assembly;
- and
- an absorbent pad located to contact said ink drop sensor when said assembly is in said second orientation;
- wherein operation of said pivoting device causes said assembly to pivot between said first orientation and said second orientation and wherein waste ink is removed from said ink drop sensor when said assembly is in said second orientation.
A method of moving an ink drop sensor between a measuring position and a waste removal position, said method comprising the steps of:
- positioning a pivotal assembly including an ink drop sensor in a measuring position;
- pivoting said pivotal assembly between said measuring position and a waste removal position;
- and
- removing waste ink from said ink drop sensor when said pivotal assembly is in said waste removal position.
A printing mechanism comprising:
- a printhead that selectively ejects ink;
- an ink drop sensor that receives ink from the printhead and accumulates an ink residue thereon;
- and
- a waste ink removal system for cleaning ink residue from the sensor, the waste ink removal system comprising:
- an assembly pivotally supported by a pivot, said assembly pivoting between a first orientation and a second orientation;
- said ink drop sensor located on said assembly;
- a slider cover including a slider arm that contacts said assembly;
- a retractor spring connected to a first end of said slider cover;
- an actuator that contacts said slider cover and horizontally translates said slider cover in a manner to extend or retract said retractor spring;
- and
- an absorbent pad located to contact said ink drop sensor when said assembly is in said second orientation;
- wherein said horizontal translation of said actuator causes said slider arm to contact a different portion of said assembly causing said assembly to pivot between said first orientation and said second orientation and wherein waste ink is removed from said ink drop sensor when said assembly is in said second orientation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.