Abstract: An ink jet printer for printing on a print medium includes an ink jet cartridge assembly movable at a scan velocity in scan directions. The ink jet cartridge assembly includes a nozzle plate. A rotary wiper is positioned in association with the nozzle plate for contacting the nozzle plate. The rotary wiper is rotatable with a tangential velocity which is greater than the scan velocity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for accurately indexing print receiving media of various types. A media indexing system is provided that includes a roller capable of indexing a print receiving medium in response to an indexing operation. A relationship exists between a commanded indexing operation of the roller and resultant indexing of a first type of print receiving medium. A type of print receiving medium is supplied to the media indexing system. The type of the print receiving medium is generally identified. A desired amount by which the print receiving medium should be indexed is identified. A commanded indexing operation of the roller to index by the desired amount is modified based on the type of the print receiving medium and the relationship. The print receiving can be indexed by substantially the desired amount.

Abstract: A maintenance station of an ink-jet printer includes a maintenance carrier. The maintenance carrier has a plurality of positions, including a pumping position. A respective maintenance function is enabled in each of the positions. A pump pumps ink when the maintenance carrier is in the pumping position. A gear train both translates the maintenance carrier between the plurality of positions and actuates the pump. A single motor drives the gear train to thereby translate the maintenance carrier and actuate the pump.

Abstract: An ink delivery system for an inkjet printing device has an ink cartridge, and a remote ink reservoir for containing a supply of ink. An air purge chamber is provided in flow communication between the reservoir and the cartridge. The air purge chamber includes a vent with a plug of hydrophobic material in the vent, and an outlet to the cartridge. The outlet communicates with a check valve leading to the cartridge. A screen of hydrophilic material is provided in the conduit, with a system for evacuating ink from the system to the reservoir when the printing device is not in use.

Abstract: An inkjet printer having a printhead closely adjacent a platen and a printzone therebetween has first and second juxtaposed counter-rotating feed rolls for transferring recording media from a first location where a media leading edge is located in an entrance nip between the first and second rolls and a second location where a media trailing edge is located in an exit nip between the first and second rolls. Printer control avoids printing to a media free printzone by sensing for the presence of a sheet of recording media within a nip between the primary and secondary feed rolls and selectively enabling and disabling the printer in accordance with the sensed media presence. The transverse dimension of a sheet of recording media may be estimated by multiple sensors and printer carriage travel limited to less than the estimated dimension.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for accurately indexing print receiving media of various types. A media indexing system is provided that includes a roller capable of indexing a print receiving medium in response to an indexing operation. A relationship exists between a commanded indexing operation of the roller and resultant indexing of a first type of print receiving medium. A type of print receiving medium is supplied to the media indexing system. The type of the print receiving medium is generally identified. A desired amount by which the print receiving medium should be indexed is identified. A commanded indexing operation of the roller to index by the desired amount is modified based on the type of the print receiving medium and the relationship. The print receiving can be indexed by substantially the desired amount.

Abstract: An ink cartridge carrying a supply of ink includes a base assembly forming an ink reservoir. A first ink tank is provided having a foam core for carrying the ink, the foam core being coupled in fluid communication with the ink reservoir. A second ink tank is provided having a bladder for carrying the ink, the bladder being coupled in fluid communication with the ink reservoir and coupled in fluid communication with the first ink tank via said ink reservoir.

Abstract: An ink cartridge carrying a supply of ink includes a base assembly forming an ink reservoir. A first ink tank is provided having a foam core for carrying the ink, the foam core being coupled in fluid communication with the ink reservoir. A second ink tank is provided having a bladder for carrying the ink, the bladder being coupled in fluid communication with the ink reservoir and coupled in fluid communication with the first ink tank via said ink reservoir.

Abstract: The printhead unit is for an imaging apparatus having a guide member. The printhead unit is configured to be positioned in a carrier assembly within the imaging apparatus and is configured for movement within the imaging apparatus via the carrier assembly. The printhead unit includes a housing a printhead and at least one bearing. The housing has at least a first side member. The printhead is attached at least to the first side member of the housing. Further, the at least one bearing has at least one bearing surface, the at least one bearing being coupled to the first side member of the housing and positioned to engage the guide member.

Abstract: An ink mist controller for a maintenance station including spit louvers and a spit wheel which serve as accumulating surfaces. A flow of air directs ink mist through the louvers and around the spit wheel. Mist that is not attracted to a surface is carried to a manifold which filters, then exhausts, air to the environment, thereby preventing contamination of articles surrounding the printer. Color ink droplets are ejected onto the spit louvers. Low pressure is created between and below the louvers, which increases air and mist velocity over the entire spit zone. An unrestricted air curtain occurs on three sides of the color printhead to further control the location of mist deposit. Black ink is ejected onto the spit wheel which holds the mist deposit during evaporation. At defined intervals, the spit wheel rotates a fraction of a revolution. A scraper removes the non-volatile residue from the wheel during rotation. An air curtain is created on all four sides of the spit wheel to direct mist to this surface.

Abstract: A process of, and apparatus for controlling waste ink from an ink jet printer printhead, transfers waste ink to an absorptive diaper, and at least intermittently forces air across the absorptive diaper to promote evaporation of certain volatile ink components from the transferred ink. Waste ink may be received and temporarily retained on a plurality of spaced apart inclined louvers located above the absorptive diaper, and air conveyed across and between the louvers to promote evaporation of certain volatile components from the received ink.

Abstract: A carriage drive system for use in a serial printer includes a carriage movable in transverse directions across a print medium. Each of the transverse directions is substantially perpendicular to a print medium feed direction. A print cartridge is releasably mounted on the carriage and has at least one printhead. The at least one printhead has at least one ink jetting nozzle for jetting ink. The at least one ink jetting nozzle cyclically jets the ink at at least one jetting frequency. A carriage belt is mechanically coupled to the carriage. A transverse drive system drives the carriage belt in the transverse directions. A drive motor is coupled to the drive system. At least one cyclical disturbance exists due to the operation of the carriage belt, the drive system and/or the motor. The at least one cyclical disturbance has at least one disturbance frequency. At least one of the disturbance frequencies is an integer multiple of at least one of the jetting frequencies.

Abstract: A heater chip of a thermal ink jet printer has its entire surface, which is opposite the parallel surface having resistors for heating ink supplied from a cartridge body to nozzles in a nozzle plate, supported by and engaged with a surface of a base of a high thermally conductive radiator. The radiator, which is submerged in the ink in the cartridge body, has fins, which preferably have a surface area greater than the surface area of the base, extending upwardly from the base of the radiator. The cartridge body has surfaces, which are exposed to the ambient, with a surface area preferably greater than the surface area of the fins. Heat is transferred from the heater chip to the radiator base and from the fins of the radiator to the ink. The ink transfers heat to the ambient through the cartridge body.