Abstract: A carriage system for a printing apparatus is disclosed. The carriage system includes a movable carriage for carrying at least one ink pen, a carriage rod on which the carriage is rotatably mounted, an anti-rotation rail that is adjacent to one end of the carriage to prevent the rotation of the carriage in one direction, and a spring-loaded preloader coupled to an underside of the carriage to prevent the rotation of the carriage in the opposite direction and to urge the carriage against the anti-rotation rail. The preloader includes a preloader body made of a nonmetallic material, a roller operable to roll along a surface below the carriage, and a resilient spring.

Abstract: A calibration method for a printing apparatus is disclosed. The printing apparatus has at least one ink pen and a carriage for scanning the ink pen across a printing region. The calibration method includes: (a) printing a test pattern across a print medium at a constant carriage velocity; (b) optically scanning the printed test pattern to obtain a sensor signal thereof; (c) setting the carriage velocity so that there are acceleration, deceleration and constant velocity printing regions; (d) printing the same test pattern; (e) optically scanning the subsequent test pattern to obtain a sensor signal thereof; (f) comparing the sensor signals of the two test patterns to determine ink dot placement errors; and (g) calibrating time-delay compensation values based on the dot placement errors.

Abstract: A media output system is provided with the capability of sorting and separating different print jobs at the output area in an orderly manner. The media output system includes an ejecting mechanism for ejecting a wet printed medium in an output direction toward a collection tray, and a plurality of spaced-apart output ramps arranged adjacent to the ejecting mechanism and above the output tray so that the medium is held for a predetermined holding distance before the medium falls onto the collection tray. The output ramps are operable to extend to a different position in the output direction for each print job until a predetermined number of print jobs have been performed.

Abstract: A carriage system for a printing apparatus is disclosed. The carriage system includes a movable carriage for carrying at least one ink pen, a carriage rod on which the carriage is rotatably mounted, an anti-rotation rail that is adjacent to one end of the carriage to prevent the rotation of the carriage in one direction, and a spring-loaded preloader coupled to an underside of the carriage to prevent the rotation of the carriage in the opposite direction and to urge the carriage against the anti-rotation rail. The preloader includes a preloader body made of a nonmetallic material, a roller operable to roll along a surface below the carriage, and a resilient spring.

Abstract: A calibration method for a printing apparatus is disclosed. The printing apparatus has at least one ink pen and a carriage for scanning the ink pen across a printing region. The calibration method includes: (a) printing a test pattern across a print medium at a constant carriage velocity; (b) optically scanning the printed test pattern to obtain a sensor signal thereof; (c) setting the carriage velocity so that there are acceleration, deceleration and constant velocity printing regions; (d) printing the same test pattern; (e) optically scanning the subsequent test pattern to obtain a sensor signal thereof; (f) comparing the sensor signals of the two test patterns to determine ink dot placement errors; and (g) calibrating time-delay compensation values based on the dot placement errors.