Impact damping device for print-head assembly and printing apparatus incorporating same

An impact damping device for a print-head assembly in a printing apparatus, the print-head assembly comprising a print-head carriage, the carriage having a frame and being moveable in a travel direction, the impact damping device comprising:

• a cover having at least one cover panel for forming a hollow structure and comprising an impact member configured to be mounted at an end of the carriage, the impact member having a contact surface facing in the travel direction;
• and
• a mounting mechanism arranged in a hollow space formed by the hollow structure and adapted for mounting the impact member to the frame of the carriage, the mounting mechanism being connected to the impact member to provide for movement of the contact surface over a buffer distance substantially parallel to the travel direction from a first extended position to a second retracted position for absorbing an impact during movement of the carriage in the travel direction,
• wherein, in normal operation, the contact surface is in the first, extended position and, upon impact, is moved to the second, retracted position, and
• wherein the end of the frame of the carriage is received in the hollow space, when the contact surface is in the retracted position.