Replaceable shield for a printhead

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10308026-B2
Application number	US-201315101313-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2013
Priority date	Dec 13, 2013
Publication date	Jun 4, 2019
Grant date	Jun 4, 2019

Abstract

In one example, a structure to hold a printhead includes a surface defining an opening through which the printhead orifices may be exposed for printing and a replaceable shield shielding an area of the surface around the opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A structure to hold a printhead assembly having a plurality of snouts, each respective snout of the plurality of snouts comprising a printhead orifice in a lower surface of the respective snout, wherein a printing fluid is dispensable through the printhead orifice of the respective snout, the structure comprising:
a surface defining a plurality of openings through which corresponding snouts of the plurality of snouts of the printhead assembly are to protrude for printing; and
a replaceable shield shielding an area of the surface around each of the plurality of openings, wherein the replaceable shield comprises a plurality of collars to individually cover side walls of corresponding snouts of the plurality of snouts, each respective collar of the plurality of collars enclosing the side walls of the corresponding snout and extending downwardly from a bottom surface of the replaceable shield, the respective collar extending downwardly by an amount to a point that is at the lower surface of the corresponding snout that protrudes through a respective opening of the plurality of openings, and the respective collar arranged and positioned to collect printing fluid residue resulting from wiping the lower surface that includes the printhead orifice of the corresponding snout.

2. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the shield is mounted to the surface with a releasable fastener.

3. The structure of claim 2 , wherein the releasable fastener includes a magnet.

4. The structure of claim 2 , further comprising:
multiple guide pins protruding from one of the surface and the shield; and
multiple alignment holes in the other of the surface and the shield to receive a corresponding one of the guide pins to position the shield over the surface.

5. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the shield surrounds each of the plurality of openings.

6. The structure of claim 5 , wherein the shield is co-extensive with the surface in an area of the surface surrounding each respective opening of the plurality of openings.

7. The structure of claim 6 , wherein the printhead assembly comprises a plurality of removable ink pens, the structure further comprising a plurality of receptacles each configured to hold a respective removable ink pen of the plurality of removable ink pens.

8. A movable carriage including the structure recited in claim 1 .

9. A print bar including the structure recited in claim 1 .

10. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the shield with accumulated printing fluid residue is removable from the surface for replacement with a new replaceable shield.

11. The structure of claim 1 , wherein each respective collar of the plurality of collars has walls defining a receptacle to receive the corresponding snout.

12. The structure of claim 1 , wherein each respective collar of the plurality of collars is to prevent the printing fluid residue from accumulating on sides of the corresponding snout.

13. A shield for a movable printhead carriage having a plurality of openings therein through which corresponding snouts of a plurality of snouts of a printhead assembly are exposed for printing, each corresponding snout of the plurality of snouts comprising a lower surface having a printhead orifice, the shield comprising:
a cover comprising a plurality of collars to individually cover side walls of corresponding snouts of the plurality of snouts that each protrudes through a respective opening of the plurality of openings in a surface of the carriage when the cover is fastened to the carriage, each respective collar of the plurality of collars enclosing the side walls of the corresponding snout and extending downwardly from a bottom surface of the cover, the respective collar extending downwardly by an amount to a point that is at the lower surface, including the printhead orifice, of the corresponding snout that protrudes through the respective opening; and
a fastener to releasably fasten the cover to the carriage.

14. The shield of claim 13 , wherein each respective collar of the plurality of collars has walls defining a receptacle to receive the corresponding snout.

15. The shield of claim 13 , wherein the fastener includes a magnet.

16. The shield of claim 13 , further comprising one of both of:
a guide pin to fit into an alignment hole in the carriage; and
an alignment hole to receive a guide pin on the carriage.

17. The shield of claim 13 , wherein the shield with accumulated printing fluid residue is removable from the surface for replacement with a new replaceable shield.

18. A method for servicing an inkjet printer that includes a printer surface defining an opening through which a printhead may be exposed for printing, the method comprising:
with a shield, shielding an area of the printer surface surrounding the opening from the accumulation of ink residue; and
replacing a dirty shield on which ink residue has accumulated with a clean shield.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the replacing comprises detaching the dirty shield from the printer surface and attaching the clean shield to the printer surface.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Coma Vives Marta
• Gros Gras Xavier
• Melia Sune Francesc

Classifications

• B41J2/15 Primary

  for serial printing · CPC title

• B41J2/1433 Primary

  Structure of nozzle plates · CPC title

• B41J2/16505 Primary

  Caps, spittoons or covers for cleaning or preventing drying out · CPC title

• B41J2202/20

  Modules · CPC title

• B41J2202/19

  Assembling head units · CPC title