Abstract: A printhead maintenance station is provided for an inkjet printer. The maintenance station includes an elongate housing defining internal slots at either end. An elongate support arm defines lugs at either end which are complementarily received in the slots so that the support arm is can slide within the slots. A support is mounted to the lugs and defines a recess. A sloping pad is received in the recess and has a contact surface for bringing into contact with an ink ejection face of a printhead.

Abstract: A printhead maintenance station is provided for an inkjet printer. The maintenance station includes an elongate housing defining internal slots at either end. An elongate support arm assembly can be complementarily received within the slots. The support arm assembly is able to slide within the slots and also defines a pad recess. A pad is received in the recess and has a contact surface defining a curved profile that can be brought into contact with an ink ejection face of a printhead.

Abstract: A printhead assembly is provided for an inkjet printer. The printhead assembly includes a printhead having an ink ejection face defining a plurality of nozzle openings from which ink can be ejected. A maintenance station is operatively mounted to the printhead. The maintenance station includes a pad having a contact surface that can be brought into contact with the ink ejection face, and an engagement mechanism configured to progressively engage the contact surface with the ink ejection face.

Abstract: Provided is an inlet valve and pressure regulator arrangement for a printhead cartridge. The arrangement includes an inlet body having a skirt engaging portion with a depressible member, and a spacer with a central hub. Also included is a diaphragm with a central opening and a spring positioned by a regulator outlet portion so that said spring biases the central opening of the diaphragm against the central hub. An increase in fluid pressure when the depressible member is operatively depressed overcomes the spring bias to allow fluid to flow from the inlet body to the regulator outlet.

Abstract: A method of maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided in which a pad is moved between a first position in which the pad is sealingly engaged with the printhead, a second position in which the pad is disengaged from the printhead and a third position in which the pad is engaged with a pad cleaner. The pad is biased towards the second position relative to the third position.

Abstract: Provided is a print cradle assembly for a printhead cartridge. The cradle assembly includes a docking bay molding and a media feed drive assembly positioned on the docking bay molding and configured to feed media through the assembly. The cradle assembly also includes a printed circuit board (PCB) with a printer controller for controlling the media feed drive assembly and operation of the cartridge, as well as a heatshield mounted to the PCB for shielding the printer controller from electromagnetic interference (EMI) and user contact with the PCB.

Abstract: A printhead assembly for maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided. The assembly comprises a printhead having an ink ejection face and a printhead maintenance station. The printhead maintenance station comprises an elastically deformable pad having a contact surface for sealing engagement with the face, and an engagement mechanism for moving the pad between a first position in which the contact surface is sealingly engaged with the face and a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from the face. The printhead assembly is configured such that the contact surface is progressively contacted with the face during sealing engagement and peeled away from the face during disengagement.

Abstract: Provided is a printhead assembly that includes a printhead mounted on a support structure, said printhead having an ink ejection face, and a print media guide mounted on the support structure for guiding print media past the printhead for printing. The assembly also includes a wicking element mounted on the support structure between the support structure and the print media guide, as well as a pad with an angled contact surface to operatively facilitate the transferral of ink from the printhead to the wicking element. The wicking element is formed from an absorbent material and is positioned in a cavity defined between the print media guide and the support structure.

Abstract: Provided is a printhead assembly having a support structure with a printhead mounted on the support structure, said printhead having an ink ejection face, and a print media guide proximate the support structure for guiding print media past the printhead for printing. The assembly also includes a wicking element mounted on the support structure between the support structure and the print media guide. An ink collector is arranged on the wicking element for receiving ink that has wicked through the wicking element to ensure that wicked ink is removed away from the printhead.

Abstract: A printhead maintenance station includes a housing operatively positioned with respect to an ink ejection face to be maintained. The housing defines a pair of slots. A support arm has lugs at each end that are slidably received in respective slots. A support is mounted on the support arm. A pad is mounted on the support and is suitable for wiping ink. A motor is operatively mounted with respect to the housing. A pair of cams is rotatable by the motor and engaged with respective lugs such that the motor can slide the arms with respect to the housing, thereby moving the pad between a first operative position and a second, inoperative position.

Abstract: Provided is a printhead assembly that includes a support structure and a printhead mounted on the support structure, said printhead having an ink ejection face. The assembly also includes a print media guide proximate the support structure for guiding print media past the printhead for printing, and a wicking element mounted on the support structure between the support structure and the print media guide. Further included is a pad with an angled contact surface to facilitate the transfer of ink from the printhead to the wicking element, as well as a printhead maintenance station. The maintenance station has a body defining an elongate slot along a length thereof, said pad slidably mounted inside said body to be slidable to a first position, where the pad protrudes from the slot, and a second position, where the pad is inside the body.

Abstract: Provided is a printhead assembly that includes a support structure with a printhead mounted on the support structure, said printhead having an ink ejection face, and a print media guide proximate the support structure for guiding print media past the printhead for printing. Also included is a wicking element mounted on the support structure between the support structure and the print media guide, as well as a printhead maintenance station configured to facilitate the transferral of ink from the printhead to the wicking element.

Abstract: A printhead maintenance station for maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided. The maintenance station comprises: an endless maintenance belt having a contact surface for sealing engagement with an ink ejection face of the printhead; a cleaning station for cleaning the belt; and a conveyor mechanism for conveying the belt past the face and past the cleaning station. The belt is reciprocally movable between a first position in which part of the contact surface is sealingly engaged with the face, and a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from the face.

Abstract: A printhead maintenance assembly for maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided. The maintenance assembly comprises: (i) a printhead maintenance station comprising an elastically deformable maintenance belt having a contact surface for sealing engagement with an ink ejection face of the printhead, the contact surface being sloped with respect to the face, and a conveyor mechanism for conveying the belt past the face; and (ii) an engagement mechanism for reciprocally moving the belt between a first position in which part of the contact surface is sealingly engaged with the face and a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from the face.

Abstract: A method of maintaining a printhead in an operable condition and/or remediating a printhead to an operable condition is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (i) providing an elastically deformable maintenance belt having a contact surface for sealing engagement with an ink ejection face of the printhead, the contact surface being sloped with respect to the face; (ii) moving the belt into a first position in which a clean part of the contact surface is sealingly engaged with the face, the movement being such that the contact surface progressively contacts the face during engagement; (iii) moving the belt into a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from the face, the movement being such that the contact surface peels away from the face, thereby providing an inked part of the contact surface; (iv) conveying the belt such that the inked part of the contact surface is conveyed away from the printhead; and (v) optionally repeating steps (ii) to (iv).

Abstract: A printhead maintenance station for maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided. The maintenance station comprises an elastically deformable pad having a contact surface for sealing engagement with an ink ejection face of the printhead. The maintenance station also comprises an engagement mechanism for moving said pad between a first position in which the contact surface is sealingly engaged with the face, a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from the face, and a third position in which the contact surface is engaged with a pad cleaner.

Abstract: A method of maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided. The method comprises the steps of (a) providing an elastically deformable pad having a contact surface for sealing engagement with an ink ejection face of the printhead; and (b) moving the pad between a first position in which the contact surface is sealingly engaged with the face and a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from the face. The movement causes the contact surface to be progressively contacted with the face during sealing engagement and peeled away from the face during disengagement.

Abstract: A printhead assembly is provided. The assembly comprises a printhead having an ink ejection face, and a wicking element positioned for receiving ink from an edge portion of the face and/or an edge portion of a pad being disengaged from the face.

Abstract: A method of maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing an elastically deformable pad having a contact surface for sealing engagement with an ink ejection face of the printhead; and (b) moving the pad between a first position in which the contact surface is sealingly engaged with the face, a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from the face, and a third position in which the contact surface is engaged with a pad cleaner.

Abstract: A printhead maintenance station for maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided. The maintenance station comprises: an elastically deformable maintenance belt having a contact surface for sealing engagement with an ink ejection face of the printhead, the contact surface being sloped with respect to the face; and a conveyor mechanism for conveying the belt past the face. The belt is reciprocally movable between a first position in which part of the contact surface is sealingly engaged with the face, and a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from the face.