Printer for incorporation into systems with limited access

• US 6,431,777 B1
• Filed: 12/11/1999
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Hilten, John S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Anthony H.
• Application Number:
  US09/459,411
• Time in Patent Office: 976 Days
• Field of Search: 400/578, 400/624, 400/625, 400/88, 347/108, 347/109
• US Class Current: 400/578
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/0095 Detecting means for copy material, e.g. for detecting or sensing presence of copy material or its leading or trailing end
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/42 Controlling printing material conveyance for accurate alignment of the printing material with the printhead; Print registering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/00 Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in short lengths, e.g. sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/076 Construction of rollers; Bearings therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/103 for the sheet feeding section
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/00 Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed mounting, arrangement or disposition of types or dies B41J1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/155 for line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16508 connected with the printer frame
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/023 with reduced dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/17 Cleaning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/38 Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/445 Printers integrated in other types of apparatus, e.g. printers integrated in cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/60 for printing on both faces of the printing material
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/16 Means for paper feeding or form feeding

Abstract

A printer system includes a housing. A front panel is arranged at the end of the housing. The front panel has an opening defined therein. A carrier slidably arranged relative to the housing to be movable, in the opening, between a retracted position and an ejected position. The carrier carries a receptacle for a supply of print media, a receptacle for a supply of inks and a print engine including a page width printhead.

Claims

1. A printer system which includes:

a housing;

a front panel arranged at an end of the housing, the front panel having an opening defined therein; and

a carrier slidably arranged relative to the housing to be movable in the opening between a retracted position and an ejected position the carrier carrying;

a receptacle for a supply of print media;

a receptacle for a supply of ink, the receptacle for the supply of ink having connectors which are mounted directly into the carrier; and

a print engine including a page width printhead being in flow communication with the connectors of the receptacle for the supply of ink.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 in which, when the carrier is in its retracted position, a print media slot is defined between the front panel and the carrier through which print media are ejected after printing of images on the print media.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1 in which an indicating means is contained in the front panel for indicating when printer consumables, being the supply of print media and the supply of ink, require replenishment.

3. The system as claimed in claim I in which the carrier includes a chassis which is supported on a guide means in the housing.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3 in which the receptacle for the supply of print media includes a platen carried on the chassis.

5. The system as claimed in claim 3 in which the receptacle for the supply of ink includes a receiving formation in which an ink cartridge is removably received.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5 in which the receiving formation includes a locking arrangement for releasably locking the ink cartridge in position relative to the carrier and the print engine.

7. The system as claimed in claim I which includes a second print engine arranged in the housing, in opposed relationship to the print engine arranged on the carrier when the carrier is in its retracted position, for effecting printing on both surfaces of the print media.