Inkjet printer incorporating a media tray assembly

• US 6,820,974 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2003
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirshfeld, Andrew H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crenshaw, Marvin P
• Application Number:
  US10/693,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20040085428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• Field of Search: 347/103, 347/104, 347/2, 347/171, 101/348, 400/188
• 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

An inkjet printer includes a housing that defines a receiving formation for a media tray assembly. A chassis is positioned in the housing. A media tray assembly is displaceably engageable with the chassis to permit the tray assembly to be received in, and withdrawn from, the receiving formation. The media tray assembly and the housing define a print medium feed path. The media tray assembly includes a media tray in which a stack of print medium sheets can be stored. A feed mechanism is positioned on the media tray to feed the sheets from the tray. A printhead assembly is positioned downstream of the media tray to carry out a printing operation on the sheets as the sheets are fed from the tray.

Claims

1. An inkjet printer which comprises:

a housing that defines a receiving formation for a media tray assembly;

a chassis positioned in the housing; and

a media tray assembly that is displaceably engageable with the chassis to permit the tray assembly to be received in, and withdrawn from, the receiving formation, the media tray assembly and the housing defining a print medium feed path, the media tray assembly comprising

a media tray in which a stack of print medium sheets can be stored;

a feed mechanism that is positioned on the media tray to feed the sheets from the tray; and

a printhead assembly positioned downstream of the media tray to carry out a printing operation on the sheets as the sheets are fed from the tray.

2. A printer as claimed in claim 1, in which a power supply arrangement is positioned on the housing to be operatively engageable with the printhead assembly when the media tray assembly is received in the receiving formation.

3. A printer as claimed in claim 1, in which a displacement mechanism is mounted on the chassis and is engageable with the media tray assembly to facilitate displacement of the media tray assembly into and out of the receiving formation.

4. A printer as claimed in claim 1, in which the printhead assembly includes

an ink reservoir arrangement mounted on a downstream end of the media tray, the ink reservoir arrangement spanning the feed path;

a printhead chip that is mounted on the ink reservoir arrangement to receive ink from the ink reservoir arrangement;

a transfer roller that is operatively positioned with respect to the printhead chip so that the printhead chip can carry out a printing operation on the transfer roller,

a retaining mechanism that is positioned on the media tray so that the feed path is defined between the retaining mechanism and the transfer roller, the retaining mechanism being configured to urge the sheets of print medium against the transfer roller so that ink printed on the transfer roller is transferred to the sheet of print medium.

5. A printer as claimed in claim 1, in which the printhead assembly includes

a pair of ink reservoir arrangements, one on each side of the feed path;

a printhead chip that is mounted on each ink reservoir arrangement to receive ink from the ink reservoir arrangement; and

a pair of transfer rollers, each transfer roller being operatively positioned with respect to an associated printhead chip so that the printhead chips can carry out a printing operation on the respective transfer rollers, the transfer rollers being positioned with respect to each other so that the feed path is defined between the transfer rollers such that ink printed on the transfer rollers is transferred to each side of the sheet.

6. A media tray assembly for a printer having a housing that defines a receiving formation for receiving the media tray assembly and a chassis that is positioned in the housing, the media tray assembly being displaceable relative to the chassis to permit the tray assembly to be received in, and withdrawn from, the receiving formation, the media tray assembly and the housing defming a print medium feed path, the media tray assembly comprising

a media tray in which a stack of print medium sheets can be stored;

a feed mechanism positioned on the media tray to feed the sheets from the tray; and

a printhead assembly positioned downstream of the media tray to carry out a printing operation on the sheets as the sheets are fed from the tray.