Printhead capping system and drain shaft arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10124616-B2
Application number	US-201715583049-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2017
Priority date	May 2, 2016
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

A printhead capping system includes: a mounting bracket having a fixed shaft; a cap assembly mounted on the mounting bracket; and an arm hingedly connected to the shaft, the arm moving the cap assembly between a capping position and a printing position. The shaft is a drain shaft for receiving fluid drained from the cap assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A printhead capping system comprising:
a mounting bracket comprising a fixed drain shaft;
a cap assembly mounted on the mounting bracket; and
an arm hingedly mounted about the drain shaft, the arm moving the cap assembly between a capping position and a printing position,

wherein the drain shaft positioned for receiving fluid drained from the cap assembly.

2. The capping system of claim 1 , wherein the cap assembly is detachably mounted on the mounting bracket.

3. The capping system of claim 1 , wherein the mounting bracket comprises first and second shafts hingedly connected to respective first and second arms.

4. The capping system of claim 1 , wherein only one of the first and second shafts is the drain shaft.

5. The capping system of claim 1 , wherein the cap assembly comprises a support base and a perimeter capper attached to the support base, wherein the support base is mounted on the mounting bracket and the support base has a drain port fluidically connected to the drain shaft.

6. The capping system of claim 1 , wherein the drain shaft has a hollowed core.

7. The capping system of claim 1 , wherein a flexible tube is connected to the drain shaft for carrying fluid away from the cap assembly.

8. The capping system of claim 7 , wherein the flexible tube is connected to a vacuum pump.

Assignees

• Memjet Technology Ltd

Inventors

• Profaca Mark
• Burke David
• Sy Billy
• Alemana Gilbert
• Hibbard Christopher
• Balala Rommel

Classifications

• B41J2/16535

  using wiping constructions (B41J2/16552 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B41J25/006

  for oscillating, e.g. page-width print heads provided with counter-balancing means or shock absorbers · CPC title

• B41J29/38

  Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism · CPC title

• B41J25/34

  Bodily-changeable print heads or carriages · CPC title

• B41J2/155

  for line printing · CPC title