Method and apparatus for adjusting printhead to print-media travel path spacing in a printer
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsKevin D. O'Hara, Walker M. Beckman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus for adjusting the spacing in a printer between a printhead and the travel path for print media which moves through the printer. The printhead is borne by a carriage which is rotatably mounted adjacent an elongate bearing rail wherein the rotated condition of the carriage relative to that rail establishes the desired spacing. First and second relative moveable bearing structures mounted on the carriage include bearing surfaces which can alternatively adjust the bearing structures so that one or the other, but not both, determine the rotated condition of the carriage.
Claims15
Apparatus for adjusting the spacing in a printer between a printhead and the travel path for print media that moves through the printer, wherein the printhead is borne by a carriage that is rotatably mounted in the printer adjacent an elongate, engageable bearing rail, and wherein the rotated condition of the carriage relative to that rail establishes such spacing, the apparatus comprising:
- first and second relatively moveable bearing structures mounted on the carriage, each including a bearing surface which is moveable relative to the bearing surface in the other bearing structure, the bearing surfaces, as a result of defined relative movement occurring therebetween, selectively engaging the bearing rail to establish two, different, related, rotated conditions of the carriage;
- and
- actuator structure mounted on the carriage and operatively associated with the bearing structures, operable to produce such defined relative movement.
Apparatus for adjusting the printhead to print-media travel-path spacing in a printer having a moveable printhead carriage which is mounted for rotation in a manner that accommodates a change in such spacing, and wherein the carriage carries a first bearing structure having a first bearing surface that nominally engages a fixed rail to define one such spacing, the apparatus comprising:
- a plunger mounted for movement on the carriage adjacent the first bearing structure, the plunger including a second bearing surface which is selectively shiftable between a nonoperative condition and a deployed condition relative to the first bearing surface of the first bearing structure;
- and
- actuator structure associated with interposed the carriage and the plunger, operable to move the plunger so as to shift the second bearing surface from the nonoperative condition to the deployed condition, wherein the second bearing surface engages the rail in lieu of the first bearing surface, such engagement producing rotation of the carriage to establish a changed printhead to print-media travel-path spacing.
A method of determining and adjusting the printhead to print-media travel-path spacing in a printer comprising:
- supporting the printhead on a carriage which can be rocked to change printhead to print-media travel-path spacing;
- furnishing on the carriage plural, different bearing structures which are selectively moveable relative to one another to engage an adjacent bearing rail in the printer, thus to define different rocked conditions of the carriage, and hence different printhead to print-media travel-path spacings;
- and
- selectively moving the bearing structures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.