Printhead service station

• US 20030227503A1
• Filed: 06/17/2003
• Published: 12/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Beauchamp, Robert W., Graham, Victor, Klausbruckner, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,880,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/22
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/04 Roller platens
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/057 Structure of the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/0057 where an intermediate transfer member receives the ink before transferring it on the printing material
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/165 Prevention or detection of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles

Abstract

An image forming device having a rotatable drum, at least one printhead mounted adjacent to the rotatable drum, and a printhead service station. The printhead and rotatable drum together define a print zone in which fluid travels from the printhead towards the rotatable drum, and the printhead service station is within the print zone.

Claims

1. A drum capable of being used in an image forming device including a printhead, comprising:

a substantially cylindrical member defining a channel; and

a printhead service station that is at least partially within the channel.

2. A drum as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substantially cylindrical member comprises a print cylinder.

3. A drum as claimed in claim 2, wherein the print cylinder includes a plurality of embedded cells.

4. A drum as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substantially cylindrical member defines first and second longitudinal ends and the channel extends substantially from the first longitudinal end to the second longitudinal end.

5. A drum as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substantially cylindrical member defines a longitudinal axis and the channel is not parallel to the longitudinal axis.

6. A drum as claimed in claim 1, wherein the printhead service station has first and second positions relative to the channel, wherein the service station is capable of moving between the first and second positions.

7. A drum as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

a drive mechanism that moves the printhead service station relative to the channel.

8. A drum as claimed in claim 7, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a worm gear.

9. A drum as claimed in claim 7, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a motor carried by the substantially cylindrical member.

10. A drum as claimed in claim 1, wherein the printhead service station includes at least one of a spittoon and a wiper.

11. An image forming device, comprising:

a rotatable drum;

at least one printhead mounted adjacent to the rotatable drum, the printhead and rotatable drum together defining a print zone in which fluid travels from the printhead towards the rotatable drum; and

a printhead service station within the print zone.

12. The image forming device of claim 11 wherein the printhead service station is movable between a first position outside the print zone and a second position within the print zone.

13. An image forming device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the rotatable drum comprises a print cylinder having a plurality of embedded cells.

14. An image forming device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the at least one printhead is a portion of a cartridge.

15. An image forming device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the at least one printhead is mounted in a substantially fixed position relative to the rotatable drum during operation of the printhead service station.

16. An image forming device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the printhead service station is carried by the rotatable drum.

17. An image forming device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the rotatable drum defines a channel and the printhead service station is at least partially within the channel.

18. An image forming device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the printhead service station is movable within the channel.

19. An image forming device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the at least one printhead comprises a plurality of printheads and the printhead service station is movable between a plurality of cleaning positions respectively aligned with the plurality of printheads.

20. An image forming device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the plurality of service station positions are rotatably and longitudinally offset from one another.

21. An image forming device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the rotatable drum includes a drive mechanism that moves the printhead service station relative the channel.

22. An image forming device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a worm gear.

23. An image forming device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the printhead service station includes at least one of a spittoon and a wiper.

24. A replaceable printer component comprising:

a substantially cylindrical member defining a channel; and

a printhead service station that is at least partially within the channel.

25. A method of servicing a printhead mounted adjacent to a rotatable drum such that a print zone in which fluid travels from the printhead towards the rotatable drum is defined between the printhead and the rotatable drum, the method comprising:

moving a printhead service station into the print zone; and

servicing the printhead with the printhead service station.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the service station is associated with the rotatable drum and moving the printhead service station into the print zone includes rotating the rotatable drum until the printhead service station is rotationally aligned with the printhead.

27. A method as claimed in claim 26, wherein moving the printhead service station into the print zone further includes moving the printhead service station relative to the rotatable drum.

28. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein servicing the printhead includes-wiping the printhead.

29. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the printhead service station includes a spittoon and servicing the printhead includes spitting fluid into the spittoon.