Abstract: Scanning printheads form a color image as inkdrops in a pixel grid on a print medium. Pixel row spacing equals nozzle pitch. Apparatus holds and provides (or creates in real time) a printmask using location rules that prevent addressing, within each scan, immediately neighboring pixels in any horizontal, vertical or diagonal direction. The mask is applied to control the heads. In other aspects of the invention, the rules also prevent addressing, in each scan, horizontally neighboring pixels within the entire width of the mask; or vertically neighboring pixels within its entire height; or immediate neighbors in any direction across a boundary--horizontal, vertical, or either--between abutting masks. Specific masks are set forth implementing these aspects.

Abstract: A unitary coupler and method is provided for interconnecting an ink supply with an inkjet printhead. The coupler includes a first set of latching surfaces for attaching the coupler to the printhead; a second set of latching surfaces integral with the coupler for locking engagement with an inlet valve from an off-carriage ink supply; and alignment guides at one end for receiving the inlet valve. In a preferred method the coupler is initially attached to the printhead and subsequently attached to the inlet valve from the ink supply.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead is mounted on a cartridge which has an outer casing member, an inner collapsible reservoir formed by non-elastic flexible walls, and an internal spring means inside the reservoir for creating negative pressure in the collapsible reservoir during the filling and storage of ink in the collapsible reservoir as well as during the dispensing of ink from the collapsible reservoir to the printhead.

Abstract: An inkjet printing system includes a replaceable printhead servicing module which incorporates multiple functions in a single unit. There is a separate servicing module associated with each different printhead, thus avoiding any contamination of either the printhead or the servicing module from interaction or mixing of different color inks. The servicing module includes a capper, a wiper, a spittoon, and a primer connection.

Abstract: A plurality of ink supply bags for an inkjet printer are each enclosed in a separate protective enclosure having a front opening for an end-connect outlet. The cross-section of the enclosure is a diamond shaped parallelogram so that when several of the enclosures are placed side-by-side, overlapping occurs between adjacent enclosures. This provides a decreased overall width for an ink supply station on the printer while at the same time still allowing use of a flattened collapsible bag inside each enclosure. The ink supply station includes a front-access storage shelf having separate divider walls which together with a floor define a series of slots which coincide with the outer shape of the enclosures for removably receiving and protectively holding the enclosures together on the printer in separated nesting relationship.

Abstract: A storage container and method of storing inkjet cartridges and removable capping means therefor in which the order of their insertion and/or removal is controlled. Preferably, both the order of insertion of a cartridge and its capping means and the order of removal of said cartridge and capping means are controlled so that a cap and a printhead of a cartridge engage and disengage by the movement of the printhead towards or away from the cap thus preventing damage to the printhead by movement of the cap or any of the other components of a service module against the printhead. A rotatable arm mounted on the storage container which abuts a cartridge and obstructs the removal and/or insertion of the capping means is disclosed for controlling said order of insertion and removal.

Abstract: An elongated encoder-strip scale, most typically plastic, is secured to an elongated encoder-strip substrate, most typically metal. The scale has indicia that are at least partially exposed for use in determining the position of a carriage with respect to a chassis in a large-format automatic image-related device--which may be for example a printer, a plotter, or a scanner. The chassis of the image-related device supports an image-bearing sheet, and the carriage scans across the chassis carrying apparatus for forming or sensing marks on the sheet. Preferably the scale is taller than the substrate and mounted to overlap both edges of the substrate, guarding the edges of the substrate. The scale is preferably substantially transparent and mounted for transmission of an optical beam. The substrate is preferably tensioned across the chassis (preferably at a tension under which the scale alone would fail) and threaded, with the scale, through an aperture in the carriage--even during scanning.

Abstract: A removable rollfeed apparatus, adapted to be rigidly attached to a printer, holds a roll of media and is mountable on the underside of the printer. The attachment to the underside of the printer allows a desk-mountable printer to rest on the rollfeed apparatus and thus to be raised away from the desk. In an embodiment the rollfeed apparatus itself has feet which are utilized in place of any feet mounted directly on the printer and extends to the front of the printer so that the media shaft is held in front of and below the printer. Furthermore there is provided a printer having mounting positions on the underside of the printer for mounting i) feet on which the printer may rest on a desktop, ii) legs on which the printer may rest on a floor, and iii) rollfeed apparatus. This enables both desktop and freestanding printers to quickly and easily be configured with or without a rollfeed apparatus.

Abstract: An inkjet printer with multiple printheads in a carriage divides service station functions between a first service station and a second service station. In a preferred embodiment, a black ink printhead is carried by the carriage to a stop position in the first service station where a wiper dedicated to the black ink printhead moves across a stationary nozzle array in a first wiping procedure, and color ink printheads are carried by the carriage to a second service station to move a nozzle array across stationary wipers respectively dedicated to each color ink printhead. The first service station provides spittoon services to all printheads, and the second service station provides capping as well as priming services to all printheads.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead includes a compact substrate of increased stability and structural integrity to provide a high resolution 600 dot-per-inch nozzle array having a one-half inch swath. A plurality of ink vaporization chambers are respectively aligned with the nozzles in two longitudinal columns, one column extending longitudinally along one edge of the substrate and a second column extending longitudinally along an opposite edge of the substrate, with ink feed channels communicating through an ink passage from an underside of the substrate around both edges of the substrate to the vaporization chambers. The ink feed channels have thereby been eliminated from the central portion of the substrate, and replaced by the ink feed channels at the edges of the substrate.

Abstract: Light emitted from an obliquely angled LED source is directed by peripheral light tube walls which extend vertically toward media displaying printed indicia. The emitted light provides an illuminated area surrounding the printed indicia, while the light tube walls shield the printed indicia from excessive external light, so that a sensor measures the intensity of emitted light directly reflected from the media through a protective aperture.

Abstract: A simplified technique and conversion kit allows a user to change a single cartridge monochrome printer into a multiple cartridge color printer without having to use the same slots in the carriage for different print cartridges. As part of the conversion, modifications are made to the carriage by manually removing a carriage cover, manually removing a service station cover for certain user-activated functions such as primer selectors, and adding a new ROM SIMM to the printer.

Abstract: A printer/plotter having a carriage for removably mounting a plurality of printheads, with one type of printhead such as a wider swath higher resolution black inkjet cartridge having one type of electrical interconnect and another type of printhead such as a narrower swath lower resolution color inkjet cartridge having a different type of electrical interconnect. The carriage includes differently configured flex-circuit conductive assemblies for each different type of electrical interconnect without having to change the datum configuration of the cartridges mounted in the carriage.

Abstract: A plurality of spaced-apart deflector guides are positioned over the input platen of a printer. They are suspended from an elongated media shield which extends laterally across an input media path such that a leading edge of media can easily fit under both the media shield and deflector guides. Each deflector guide has a plurality of downward facing surfaces such as ribs for directing the media toward an input slot defined by a top surface of the input platen, a terminal edge of the deflector guides, and a terminal edge of the media shield. The spaces between the deflector guides are wide enough to allow both hands to be placed directly on the media adjacent to or between two deflector guides for easy manual manipulation of a leading edge of the media into general alignment with the input slot where it can be gripped between the main pick roller and opposing pinch wheels for feeding into a print zone on the printer. The invention is applicable to both sheet feed and rollfeed printer devices.

Abstract: A printer with mixed base resolution capabilities, having a higher resolution monochrome component such as black and lower resolution components such as cyan, magenta and yellow. The different resolution components are integrated into the same printing mechanism for composite printing of higher resolution black and lower resolution color at the same time. For increased throughput, a higher resolution black printhead has a wider swath.

Abstract: An inkjet printing system provides an on/off valve adapted for periodic engagement with an inlet port on a print cartridge mounted in a carriage. The valve is connected to an ink supply which is located off the carriage. As the ink reservoir in the print cartridge is slowly depleted during operation of the printing system, a mechanism periodically moves the valve from a first passive position separated from the print cartridge to a second active position engaged with the inlet port of the print cartridge in order to allow replenishment of the ink reservoir in the print cartridge without removing the print cartridge from the carriage.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a linear cut across stationary media in a printer, particularly applicable to rollfeed media.. A self-contained cutter assembly is activated by a printer carriage to move across a media path through a cutting zone and includes a first wheel-driven rotary cutter which acts cooperatively with a second passive rotary cutter to cut through the media. The first rotary cutter is driven by a concentrically mounted drive tire having a diameter less than the diameter of the first rotary cutter, and is generally positioned under the media path. The second rotary cutter rotates freely, and is generally positioned above the media path. A media guide member on the printer has an output flange with a lower surface for engagement with the drive tire and an upper surface to provide underlying support for the media adjacent the cutting zone.

Abstract: A carriage-mounted optical sensor for an inkjet printer/plotter includes a unitary light tube member which holds the optical components in fixed positions relative to each other as well as relative to an outer protective casing which attaches to the carriage. The light tube member serves as a cap to capture two LEDs between itself and a protective casing, to capture an optical lens between itself and a photocell holder, and to directly engage the casing.