Printhead capping system with lateral cap movement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9962971-B2
Application number	US-201715583036-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2017
Priority date	May 2, 2016
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

A printhead capping system includes: a fixed plate; first and second sliders slidably movable along the fixed plate; a mounting bracket having a cap assembly mounted thereon; and first and second arms interconnecting the mounting bracket and the respective first and second sliders. Movement of the first and second sliders towards each other causes lateral movement of the cap assembly away from the fixed plate, and movement of the first and second sliders away from each other causes lateral movement of the cap assembly towards the fixed plate.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A printhead capping system comprising:
a fixed plate;
first and second sliders slidably movable along the fixed plate;
a mounting bracket having a cap assembly mounted thereon; and
first and second arms interconnecting the mounting bracket and the respective first and second sliders,

wherein movement of the first and second sliders towards each other causes lateral movement of the cap assembly away from the fixed plate, and movement of the first and second sliders away from each other causes lateral movement of the cap assembly towards the fixed plate.

2. The capping system of claim 1 , wherein the first arm has a proximal end hingedly connected to the first slider and an opposite distal end hingedly connected to the mounting bracket, and wherein the second arm has a proximal end hingedly connected to the second slider and an opposite distal end hingedly connected to the mounted bracket.

3. The capping system of claim 1 , wherein respective distal ends of the first and second arms are interengaged via intermeshed gears.

4. The capping system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sliders are each slidably mounted on a guide rod attached to the fixed plate.

5. The capping system of claim 1 further comprising an endless belt tensioned between a pair of pulleys rotatably mounted to the fixed plate, wherein the first slider is engaged with an upper portion of the belt and the second slider is engaged with a lower portion of the belt, such that the movement of the belt causes movement of the first and second sliders in opposite directions.

6. The capping system of claim 5 , wherein one of the pulleys is a drive pulley operatively connected to a bidirectional drive motor.

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

8. The capping system of claim 1 , wherein the mounting bracket comprises first and second shafts for hinged connection with respective first and second arms.

9. The capping system of claim 8 , wherein the first and second arms are interengaged via intermeshed first and second gears rotatably mounted about the first and second shafts, the first and second gears being fixedly positioned relative to their respective first and second arms.

10. The capping system of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the shafts is a drain shaft, the drain shaft having a hollowed core for receiving fluid drained from the cap assembly.

11. The capping system of claim 10 , 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.

12. The capping system of claim 9 , wherein a flexible tube is connected to the drain shaft for carrying fluid away from the cap assembly.

Assignees

• Memjet Technology Ltd

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B41J2002/1655

  with wiping surface parallel with nozzle plate and mounted on reels, e.g. cleaning ribbon cassettes · CPC title

• B41J2/16544

  Constructions for the positioning of wipers · CPC title

• B41J2/155

  for line printing · CPC title

• B41J2/04541 Primary

  Specific driving circuit · CPC title

• B41J29/38

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