Printhead re-capping assembly for a print and demand digital camera system

• US 6,948,794 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2003
• Issued: 09/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Meier, Stephen D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, LY T
• Application Number:
  US10/729,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20040119775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 347/29
• US Class Current: 347/29
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/0005 Curl smoothing, i.e. smoothing down corrugated printing material, e.g. by pressing means acting on wrinkled printing material
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/70 cutting perpendicular to the direction of paper feed
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/04 Supporting, feeding, or guiding devices; Mountings for web rolls or spindles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1433 Structure of nozzle plates
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/155 for line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16505 Caps, spittoons or covers for cleaning or preventing drying out
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16517 Cleaning of print head nozzles B41J2/16505, B41J2/1707 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14362 Assembling elements of heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14419 Manifold
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/19 Assembling head units
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/36 for portability , i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers B41J3/4075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/445 Printers integrated in other types of apparatus, e.g. printers integrated in cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/53 for automatically delivering a finished picture after a signal causing exposure has been given, e.g. by pushing a button, by inserting a coin
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2219/045 : adapted for unloading the film in the processing laboratory, e.g. disposable, reusable or recyclable cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 : in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 : Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 : Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 : by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 : multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/073 : Special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory protection against unauthorised use of computer memory G06F12/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 : using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 : 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 : by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/086 : by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/12 : Card verification
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/56 : using storage elements with more than two stable states represented by steps, e.g. of voltage, current, phase, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00965 : using a plug-in memory module, e.g. memory card, memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 : using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2154 : the still video camera incorporating a hardcopy reproducing device, e.g. a printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 : Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 : Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/02402 : Arrangements for positioning heads, e.g. with respect to other elements of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3222 : of processing required or performed, e.g. forwarding, urgent or confidential handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3261 : of multimedia information, e.g. a sound signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3264 : of sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 : of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3276 : of a customised additional information profile, e.g. a profile specific to a user ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/328 : Processing of the additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 : Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 : Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 : Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation

Abstract

A printhead re-capping assembly for a printer having a chassis, a platen assembly and a pagewidth printhead operatively mounted on the chassis to carry out a printing operation on print media passing over the platen assembly includes a base structure that is mounted on the chassis. At least one static solenoid is mounted on the base structure and is connected to an electrical power supply of the printer. A support member is actuable by the solenoid to be movable with respect to the chassis between an operative position and an inoperative position. A printhead capping member is mounted on the support member such that when the support member is in the operative position, the capping member engages the printhead to cap the printhead and when the support member is in the inoperative position, the capping member is disengaged from the printhead.

Claims

1. A printhead re-capping assembly for a printer having a chassis, a platen assembly and a pagewidth printhead operatively mounted on the chassis to carry out a printing operation on print media passing over the platen assembly, the re-capping assembly comprising

a base structure that is mounted on the chassis;

at least one static solenoid that is mounted on the base structure and that is connected to an electrical power supply of the printer;

a support member that is actuable by the solenoid to be movable with respect to the chassis between an operative position and an inoperative position; and

a printhead capping member that is mounted directly on the support member such that when the support member is in the operative position, the capping member engages the printhead to cap the printhead and when the support member is in the inoperative position, the capping member is disengaged from the printhead, and wherein the base structure and the at least one static solenoid are both elongate to correspond with a length of the printhead.

2. A printhead re-capping assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the support member is configured to be normally in the operative position and to move into the inoperative position when the solenoid is energized by the electrical power supply.

3. A printhead re-capping assembly as claimed in claim 2, in which a biasing mechanism is engaged with the support member to bias the support member into the operative position when the solenoid is de-energized.

4. A printhead re-capping assembly as claimed in claim 3, in which the support member is elongate and corresponds generally with the printhead.

5. A printhead re-capping assembly as claimed in claim 4, in which the capping member includes a length of sponge that is dimensioned to cover the printhead when the support member is displaced into its operative position.

6. A printhead re-capping assembly as claimed in claim 5, which includes a sealing member that is positioned on the support member to bound the length of sponge such that, when the length of sponge caps the printhead, the sealing member serves to seal a region about the printhead.

7. A printhead re-capping assembly on claimed in claim 6, which includes an elastomer strip, for sealing against the surface of the printhead ink supply cartridge.

8. A printhead re-capping assembly on claimed in claim 7, which includes an elastomer spring unit to deform the elastomer seal.