Printhead-to-media spacing adjustment in a printer

Apparatus for adjusting to different selectable values the printhead-to-media spacing in a printer having a frame and a reversibly, laterally shiftable printhead-carrying carriage which is mounted on the frame both for adjustment to establish different such spacing values, and for lateral movement relative to the frame within (a) an elongate, defined, lateral print-job range during a printing operation, and (b) laterally and selectively beyond that range under other circumstances, said apparatus comprising

• a first fixed mechanical contact actuator anchored to the frame and disposed beyond one end of the print-job range, and
• a first movable mechanical contact actuator carried on and movable with the carriage, positioned toward that side of the carriage which generally faces said first fixed actuator, and engageable with the first fixed actuator during movement of the carriage beyond said one range end to cause a positional adjustment of the carriage which effects a change in printhead-to-media spacing from one value to another,
• wherein the carriage is adjustable via a rocking motion to establish different printhead-to-medium spacings, said first fixed actuator comprises a plate structure joined to the frame, and said first movable actuator comprises a spring-biased push-button, and which further includes a rotary ratchet wheel rotatably mounted on the carriage, and an elongate movable finger drivingly associated with said wheel, and collectively therewith exhibiting bi-stable behavior in relation to successive engagements occurring between said push-button and said plate structure, such bi-stable behavior creating alternating rocking of the carriage to establish different selected printhead-to-media spacings.

Apparatus for adjusting, to different selectable values, the printhead-to-media spacing in a printer having a frame and a reversibly, laterally shiftable printhead-carrying carriage which is mounted on the frame both for adjustment to establish different such spacing values, and for lateral movement relative to the frame within (a) an elongate, defined, lateral print-job range during a printing operation, and (b) laterally and selectively beyond that range under other circumstances, said apparatus comprising:

• first and second fixed mechanical contact actuators anchored to the frame and disposed, respectively and associatively, beyond the opposite ends of the print-job range, and
• first and second movable mechanical contact actuators operatively associated, respectively, with said first and second fixed actuators, carried on and movable with the carriage, and each positioned, respectively, toward those opposite sides of the carriage which generally face, respectively, the first and second fixed actuators, each movable actuator being configured to engage its associated fixed actuator, during movement of the carriage beyond the associated end of the print-job range, to move the movable actuator relative to the carriage, thereby causing a position adjustment of the carriage, which effects a change in printhead-to-medium spacing from one value to another, and where the respective such changes that are effected by engagement of the first and second actuators are different.

Apparatus for adjusting, to different selectable values, the printhead-to-media spacing in a printer having a frame and a reversibly, laterally shiftable printhead-carrying carriage which is mounted on the frame both for adjustment to establish different such spacing values, and for lateral movement relative to the frame within (a) an elongate, defined, lateral print-job range during a printing operation, and (b) laterally and selectively beyond that range under other circumstances, said apparatus comprising:

• first and second fixed mechanical contact actuators anchored to the frame and disposed, respectively and associatively, beyond the opposite ends of the print-job range, and
• first and second movable mechanical contact actuators operatively associated, respectively, with said first and second fixed actuators, carried on and movable with the carriage, and each positioned, respectively, toward those opposite sides of the carriage which generally face, respectively, the first and second fixed actuators, each movable actuator being configured to engage its associated fixed actuator, during movement of the carriage beyond the associated end of the print-job range, to move the movable actuator relative to the carriage, thereby causing a position adjustment of the carriage, which effects a change in printhead-to-medium spacing from one value to another, and where the respective such changes that are effected by engagement of the first and second actuators are different
• wherein the fixed actuators comprise laterally spaced projections mounted on an elongate rail which at least partially supports the carriage for reversible lateral shifting, and the movable actuators take the form of spaced, rotation-implementing cams which are joined to opposite ends of an elongate shaft that is mounted for rotation about its long axis on the carriage, and wherein the cams are engageable with the projections during movement of the carriage beyond the respective opposite ends of the print-job range to cause rotation of the shaft.

Apparatus for adjusting the printhead-to-media spacing in a printer having a printhead-carrying carriage which reciprocates laterally during printing, and which is rockable relative to an elongate anti-rotation rail in the printer to effect a change in such spacing, said apparatus comprising

• a pair of stationary actuators anchored at laterally spaced locations to the rail,
• an elongate shaft mounted for rotation about its long axis on the carriage,
• a pair of cams anchored at laterally spaced locations adjacent opposite ends of said shaft, each cam being selectively engageable with a different one of said stationary actuators to cause rotation of the shaft in different directions, and
• rotatable bearing structure anchored to said shaft intermediate said cams, and including a radially extending finger that is swingable into and out of defined engagement and disengagement with the rail with rotation of said shaft under the influence of engagements occurring between said cams and stationary actuators, and wherein defined engagement of the finger and said rail produces one printhead-to-media spacing value, and defined disengagement therebetween produces another such value.