Printer having platen with particle and ink collection slots

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10926544-B2
Application number	US-201916584151-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2019
Priority date	May 12, 2017
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

A printer includes: a printhead; a platen positioned below the printhead for supporting print media conveyed along a media feed direction through a print zone, the platen defining at least one particle-collection slot upstream of the print zone relative to the media feed direction and an ink-collection slot positioned in the print zone downstream of the particle-collection slot. A dam wall is positioned between the particle-collection slot and the ink-collection slot, with the dam wall extending transversely relative to the media feed direction.

First claim

This invention claimed is:

1. A printer comprising:
a printhead;
a platen positioned below the printhead for supporting print media conveyed along a media feed direction through a print zone, the platen defining at least one particle-collection slot upstream of the print zone relative to the media feed direction and an ink-collection slot positioned in the print zone downstream of the particle-collection slot,

wherein a dam wall is positioned between the particle-collection slot and the ink-collection slot, the dam wall extending transversely relative to the media feed direction.

2. The printer of claim 1 , wherein a wick bar is received within the ink-collection slot.

3. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the particle-collection slot is divided into a plurality of discrete particle-collection traps.

4. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the platen has ribs for supporting print media and wherein upper surfaces of the ribs and the dam wall are coplanar.

5. The printer of claim 4 , wherein each rib bridges across the particle-collection slot and meets with the dam wall.

6. The printer of claim 4 , wherein each rib terminates at an upstream side of the particle-collection slot.

7. The printer of claim 6 , wherein each rib has an end portion curved downwards towards the particle-collection slot.

8. The printer of claim 6 , wherein a plurality of fins extend from the dam wall parallel with the ribs, each fin bridging across the particle-collection slot.

9. The printer of claim 8 , wherein the fins are offset from the ribs.

10. The printer of claim 9 , wherein each rib is disposed midway between a pair of fins.

11. The printer of claim 8 , wherein upper surfaces of the ribs, dam wall and fins are coplanar.

12. A platen for supporting print media fed along a media feed direction in an inkjet printer, said platen defining at least one particle-collection slot upstream of a print zone relative to the media feed direction and an ink-collection slot positioned in the print zone downstream of the particle-collection slot, wherein a dam wall is positioned between the particle-collection slot and the ink-collection slot, the dam wall extending transversely relative to the media feed direction.

13. The platen of claim 12 , wherein the particle-collection slot is divided into a plurality of discrete particle-collection traps.

14. The platen of claim 12 , wherein the platen has ribs for supporting print media and wherein upper surfaces of the ribs and the dam wall are coplanar.

15. The platen of claim 14 , wherein each rib bridges across the particle-collection slot and meets with the dam wall.

16. The platen of claim 14 , wherein each rib terminates at an upstream side of the particle-collection slot.

17. The platen of claim 16 , wherein each rib has an end portion curved downwards towards the particle-collection slot.

18. The platen of claim 16 , wherein a plurality of fins extend from the dam wall parallel with the ribs, each fin bridging across the particle-collection slot.

19. The platen of claim 18 , wherein the fins are offset from the ribs.

20. The platen of claim 19 , wherein each rib is disposed midway between a pair of fins.

Assignees

• Memjet Technology Ltd

Inventors

• Balala Rommel
• Baterna Dan

Classifications

• B41J2/1721 Primary

  Collecting waste ink; Collectors therefor · CPC title

• B41J2/1714 Primary

  Conditioning of the outside of ink supply systems, e.g. inkjet collector cleaning, ink mist removal (B41J2/08, B41J2/16517, B41J2/18 take precedence) · CPC title

• B41J2/185

  Ink-collectors; Ink-catchers · CPC title