Printing mechanism with a rotating platen assembly

Abstract

An inkjet printing mechanism includes an elongate chassis which spans a print area. A printhead assembly is mounted on the elongate chassis. The printhead assembly includes an ink distribution assembly and an array of printhead chips mounted on the ink distribution assembly to span the print area. An elongate platen assembly is mounted on the chassis such that the platen assembly spans the print area. The platen assembly includes an elongate body that defines a longitudinal platen surface for supporting a print medium during a printing operation carried out on the print medium. An elongate ink blotting member is arranged on the body. A rotating mechanism rotates the elongate body such that either the platen surface or the ink blotting member is aligned with the array of printhead chips. A lateral displacement mechanism displaces the body towards the printhead chips when the blotting member is aligned with the printhead chips and displaces the body away from the printhead when the platen surface is aligned with the printhead chips.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.