INKJET PRINTER CRADLE

• US 20090167810A1
• Filed: 03/03/2009
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zamtec Limited (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Granted Patent: US 7,883,192 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/19
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/155 for line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14435 Moving nozzle made of thermal bend detached actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/02 Framework

Abstract

An inkjet printer cradle including a body complementary to a removable inkjet cartridge of a type having a pagewidth printhead and an ink supply; and an integrated circuit assembly arranged to test an authentication device of said cartridge.

Claims

1. An inkjet printer cradle including:

a body having a recess complementary to a removable inkjet cartridge for receiving the removable inkjet cartridge, the removable inkjet cartridge having a pagewidth printhead, an ink supply, and a cartridge authentication device storing printing performance information of the printhead and cartridge authentication information;

a media feed system for feeding media past the pagewidth printhead in the removable inkjet cartridge;

an integrated circuit arranged to communicate with the cartridge authentication device of the removable inkjet cartridge upon receipt of the removable inkjet cartridge by the body, the integrated circuit being configured to authenticate the inkjet cartridge from the stored cartridge authentication information of the cartridge authentication device and to operate the media feed system at a media feed speed corresponding to the printing performance information of the printhead,

wherein the cradle and cartridge together form an inkjet printer capable of printing at the determined printing performance.

2. An inkjet printer cradle according to claim 1, further comprising electrical contacts for connecting with corresponding electrical contacts in the removable inkjet cartridge and used by the cradle for supplying power and data to the removable inkjet cartridge.

3. An inkjet printer cradle according to claim 1, further comprising an air compressor for supplying pressurized air to the removable inkjet cartridge.

4. An inkjet printer cradle according to claim 3, further comprising a motor for driving the media feed system and the air compressor.

5. An inkjet printer cradle according to claim 1, wherein the removable inkjet cartridge further includes a port for receiving an ink refill cartridge, the ink refill cartridge having an ink refill cartridge authentication device storing ink authentication information, and the integrated circuit being further configured to authenticate the ink refill cartridge from the stored ink authentication information of the ink refill cartridge authentication device.

6. An inkjet printer cradle according to claim 4, wherein the removable inkjet cartridge further includes a rotor operative to cover the printhead when not in use, and the motor is further arranged to rotate the rotor from a first position where the printhead is covered to a second position where the printhead is exposed to print on media fed past the printhead by the media feed system.