Printer for a conveyance

• US 7,354,121 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2003
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, King, Tobin Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Huffman; Julian D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Uhlenhake; Jason
• Application Number:
  US10/503,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20050103218A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,882 Days
• Field of Search: 347/13, 347/42, 347/2, 347 84- 87
• US Class Current: 347/2
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/01 Ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/026 Stackable
• 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: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof

Abstract

A conveyance (132) includes a zone for receiving goods and/or persons. At least one printer (10) is incorporated into a fitting in the zone.

Claims

1. A printer for mounting in a conveyance, the printer including:

(a) A cartridge including;

(i) A base for receiving a stack of paper;

(ii) An ink reservoir

(b) A chassis adapted to be mounted in the conveyance, the chassis being adapted to receive the cartridge in use, the chassis including;

(i) A printhead;

(ii) Ink hoses for coupling the printhead to the ink reservoir; and

,

(iii) A feed system for feeding sheets of paper from the stack to the printhead for printing thereon, the feed system including;

(a) A pick-up roller for engaging sheets of paper in the stack;

(b) A first motor; and

(c) A first gear train for coupling the motor to the pick-up roller;

wherein the cartridge includes two first racks for engaging corresponding cogs mounted to an axle on the chassis to thereby prevent skewing of the cartridge as it is inserted into and removed from the chassis, the cartridge further including a second rack for engaging the first gear train such that operation of the gear train can be used to feed the cartridge into the chassis.

2. A printer according to claim 1, the drive system further including:

(a) A drive roller positioned between the pick-up roller and the printhead to feed sheets to the printhead;

(b) A second motor; and

,

(c) A second gear train for coupling the second motor to the drive roller.

3. A printer according to claim 2, the cartridge including a sprung roller, wherein in use the sprung roller is urged toward the drive roller, the sheets of paper being fed between the drive roller and the sprung roller.

4. A printer according to claim 1, the printer including a reversing mechanism adapted to selectively couple the first gear train to the second rack or the pick-up roller.

5. A printer according to claim 1, the cartridge including:

(i) A floor;

(ii) A platen for receiving the stack of paper in use;

(iii) A plurality of leaf springs for urging the platen away from the floor, to thereby urge the stack of paper toward the pick-up roller.

6. A printer according to claim 1, the ink reservoir including:

(a) an ink supply molding defining a plurality of ink supply channels for containing respective colours of ink;

(b) a flexible membrane for sealing the molding;

(c) an ink outlet coupled to each channel for coupling the ink channel to a respective ink hose.

7. A printer according to claim 6, the ink outlet including a rupterable seal, the chassis including an ink supply manifold having respective pins, each pin being in fluid communication with a respective the ink supply hose and being adapted to rupture the seal on the respective ink outlet.