Abstract: A method of controlling a maintenance operation of an inkjet printhead in an inkjet printer, the method includes providing at least one parameter of the maintenance operation as a function of humidity condition; providing a table of average humidity conditions for a geographic locale in which the printer is located; providing a current date; determining a humidity condition corresponding to the current date; and controlling the maintenance operation, wherein the at least one parameter is determined in accordance with the determined humidity condition.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes an inkjet printhead including nozzles disposed in a printhead face; a cap including: a base; and a sealing face for sealing around the printhead face, wherein suction is generated at the printhead face for priming the nozzles when the base is moved from a first position to a second position, wherein the first position is located a smaller distance from the sealing face than the second position; and a valve having an open position and a closed position, wherein the valve is configured to be in the open position when the base of the cap is moved from the second position to the first position for relieving excess pressure in the cap.

Abstract: A method of maintaining an inkjet printhead in an inkjet printer includes moving a sealing face of a cap into contact with a printhead face in which are disposed nozzles of the inkjet printhead; compressing the cap while a valve connected to the cap is in an open position; closing the valve; and moving a base of the cap away from away from the sealing face while the sealing face is sealed against the printhead face and the valve is closed in order to generate suction at the printhead face for priming the nozzles

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes an inkjet printhead including nozzles disposed in a printhead face; a cap including: a base; and a sealing face for sealing around the printhead face, wherein suction is generated at the printhead face for priming the nozzles when the base is moved from a first position to a second position, wherein the first position is located a smaller distance from the sealing face than the second position; and a valve having an open position and a closed position, wherein the valve is configured to be in the open position when the base of the cap is moved from the second position to the first position for relieving excess pressure in the cap.

Abstract: A method of maintaining an inkjet printhead in an inkjet printer includes moving a sealing face of a cap into contact with a printhead face in which are disposed nozzles of the inkjet printhead; compressing the cap while a valve connected to the cap is in an open position; closing the valve; and moving a base of the cap away from away from the sealing face while the sealing face is sealed against the printhead face and the valve is closed in order to generate suction at the printhead face for priming the nozzles.

Abstract: A method of scanning an oversized document includes positioning the oversized document at a first position on a first surface of a platen which is supported by a frame; wherein a distance between a lid and the first surface of the platen is less than a distance between the lid and the frame; scanning the oversized document in its first position to provide a first scan; moving the oversized document to a second position on the first surface of the platen, wherein the second position overlaps the first position; scanning the oversized document in its second position to provide a second scan; using a controller of the multifunction printer to select a stitching edge of the first scan and the second scan; and stitching together the first scan and the second scan at the stitching edge to form a composite scanned image of the oversized document.

Abstract: A method of printing an image with an inkjet printhead includes a) advancing a sheet of print medium along the array direction; b) stopping the sheet of print medium such that a first portion of the sheet is proximate the first group of arrays of the inkjet printhead; c) moving the inkjet printhead in a first sense along the scan direction while printing on the first portion of the sheet using the first group of arrays; d) advancing the sheet of print medium along the array direction; e) stopping the sheet of print medium such that a second portion of the sheet is proximate the second group of arrays of the inkjet printhead; f) moving the inkjet printhead in a second sense opposite the first sense along the scan direction while printing on the second portion of the sheet using the second group of arrays.

Abstract: A method of printing with a mobile printing apparatus having an array of marking elements, the method includes moving the mobile printing apparatus to an initial starting position; providing a first swath of data; printing a first printed swath corresponding to the first swath of data using a first portion of the array of marking elements while moving the mobile printing apparatus along a scan direction; printing a first set of position reference marks using a second portion of the array of marking elements while moving the mobile printing apparatus along the scan direction; providing a second swath of data; sensing the first set of position reference marks; and printing a second printed swath corresponding to the second swath of data, wherein operation of the mobile printing apparatus for printing the second printed swath is guided, at least in part, by the first set of position reference marks.

Abstract: An ink tank that is detachably mountable to an inkjet printhead, the ink tank includes a first ink source including a first ink supply port; a second ink source including a second ink supply port, the second ink supply port being separated from the first supply ink port along a first direction; and a latch for securing the detachably mountable ink tank, wherein the latch extends from an exterior wall of the ink tank, and wherein the exterior wall is adjacent the second ink source and is not adjacent the first ink source.

Abstract: A scanning apparatus includes a scan element disposed proximate a scan window; a document input holder; a document output holder; an automatic document feeder configured to move sheets of media from the document input holder past the scan window for scanning by the scan element; and a controller including: a first selectable mode that includes ordering a randomly oriented stack of recording medium provided to the automatic document feeder; and a second selectable mode that includes scanning images for information content on documents provided to the automatic document feeder.

Abstract: A method of controlling a maintenance operation of an inkjet printhead in an inkjet printer, the method includes providing at least one parameter of the maintenance operation as a function of humidity condition; providing a table of average humidity conditions for a geographic locale in which the printer is located; providing a current date; determining a humidity condition corresponding to the current date; and controlling the maintenance operation, wherein the at least one parameter is determined in accordance with the determined humidity condition.

Abstract: A method of controlling a maintenance operation of an inkjet printhead in an inkjet printer, the method includes providing at least one parameter of the maintenance operation as a function of humidity condition; receiving data corresponding to a current outdoor humidity condition; determining a humidity condition corresponding to the current outdoor humidity condition; and controlling the maintenance operation, wherein the at least one parameter is determined in accordance with the determined humidity condition.

Abstract: Segmented heater configurations for ejecting fluid on to a medium having heater segments, where area and power level dissipation of each heater segment in the heater configuration are chosen such that different sized drops of fluid are ejected depending on the pulse voltage and/or pulse width used. As the pulse voltage and/or pulse width applied to a particular channel is increased, more heating segments in that ejection channel nucleate bubbles and produce larger drops. As a result, drop volume and spot size of the ejected fluid can be increased as pulse voltage and/or pulse width increase. For side-shooting devices, the heaters and power densities are configured such that the segment closest to the orifice nucleates its bubble first. For devices which eject droplets perpendicular to the plane of the heater, the heater segments can be arranged into a two-dimensional array. Each segment has a different power density.

Abstract: Segmented heater configurations for ejecting fluid on to a medium having heater segments, where area and power level dissipation of each heater segment in the heater configuration are chosen such that different sized drops of fluid are ejected depending on the pulse voltage and/or pulse width used. As the pulse voltage and/or pulse width applied to a particular channel is increased, more heating segments in that ejection channel nucleate bubbles and produce larger drops. As a result, drop volume and spot size of the ejected fluid can be increased as pulse voltage and/or pulse width increase. For side-shooting devices, the heaters and power densities are configured such that the segment closest to the orifice nucleates its bubble first. For devices which eject droplets perpendicular to the plane of the heater, the heater segments can be arranged into a two-dimensional array. Each segment has a different power density.

Abstract: A fluid ejection system and method for variable density pattern forming by producing a plurality of large, mid-sized and small spots. The plurality of large, mid-sized and small spots are produced by a plurality of large, mid-sized and small nozzles, each having a predetermined nozzle diameter. Furthermore, the plurality of large, mid-sized and small spots are placed on different grids, where the grid spacing for at least one of the pluralities of smaller spots is less than the grid spacing of the plurality large spots and is offset from it. The sizes, selection and spacing of the spots are designed to provide a substantially uniformly increasing area coverage from no coverage all the way to full coverage.