Duplex inkjet printing system

• US 6,447,113 B1
• Filed: 12/10/1999
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• 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, King, Tobin Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirshfeld, Andrew H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crenshaw, Marvin P.
• Application Number:
  US09/458,785
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 355/212, 400/188, 101/348, 391/104, 347/171, 347/103, 347/2
• US Class Current: 347/103
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/10 Sheet holders, retainers , movable guides, or stationary guides
• 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 2/01 Ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/155 for line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/165 Preventing or detecting of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
• 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 3/00 Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/445 Printers integrated in other types of apparatus, e.g. printers integrated in cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/16 Means for paper feeding or form feeding

Abstract

A digital printing system for printing on both surfaces of a sheet of print media includes a first print engine and a second print engine in an opposed, aligned relationship with the first print engine. Each print engine includes an inkjet printhead and a transfer roller on to which ink ejected from the printhead is deposited to be applied, in turn, on an associated surface of the print media, the transfer roller of one print engine further serving as an urging device for the transfer roller of the other print engine for urging the transfer rollers into contact with their associated surfaces of the print media.

Claims

1. A digital printing system for printing on both surfaces of a sheet of print media, the printing system including:

a first print engine; and

a second print engine in an opposed, aligned relationship with the first print engine, each print engine including an inkjet printhead and a transfer roller on to which ink ejected from the printhead is deposited to be applied, in turn, on an associated surface of the print media, the transfer roller of one print engine further serving as an urging means for the transfer roller of the other print engine for urging the transfer rollers into contact with their associated surfaces of the print media.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 in which the second print engine is pivotally mounted with respect to the first print engine, the second print engine including a biasing means for biasing its transfer roller in to abutment with the transfer roller of the first print engine.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 in which at least one of the transfer rollers acts as an urging means for urging the sheet of print media past the transfer rollers.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 in which at least a surface of the transfer roller of each print engine is of a wear resistant material which is resistant to pitting, scratching or scoring.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4 in which the material is titanium nitride.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 in which each print engine includes a page width printhead, with the transfer roller being of a similar length to the printhead.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6 in which the printhead of each print engine includes an ink-ejecting means and a sealing means surrounding the ink-ejecting means.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7 in which the ink-ejecting means of the printhead of each print engine is a microelectromechanical device having a plurality of inkjet nozzles.

9. The system as claimed in claim 7 in which the sealing means is an elastomeric seal surrounding the ink-ejecting means.

10. The system as claimed in claim 7 in which, when the printhead of each print engine is inoperative, it bears against its associated transfer roller such that the sealing means seals the ink-ejecting means to inhibit evaporation of ink from the ink-ejecting means, each print engine including a displacement means for withdrawing the printhead from the transfer roller when printing is to be effected.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10 in which the displacement means includes an electromagnetically operable device.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11 in which the electromagnetically operable device is a solenoid which, to draw the printhead away from the transfer roller to enable printing to be effected, requires a first, higher current, and to hold the printhead in spaced relationship relative to the transfer means requires a second, lower current.

13. The system as claimed in claim 10 in which each print engine includes a cleaning station, arranged upstream of the printhead, for cleaning the surface of the transfer roller.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13 in which the cleaning station includes a cleaning element of an absorbent, resiliently flexible material and a wiper of a resiliently flexible material arranged downstream of the cleaning element.

15. The system as claimed in claim 1 in which each print engine provides for process color output.

16. The system as claimed in claim 1 in which the print engines are operable substantially simultaneously to effect substantially simultaneous printing on both surfaces of the print media passing between the print engines.