Abstract: Separation strips in a dam aid in the separation of adjacent sheets of media being fed from a stack of sheets so that only one sheet is fed to a process station and, more particularly, to separating the uppermost or top sheet of a stack of sheets from the next adjacent sheet during feeding of the top sheet from the stack of sheets of media. When a lift plate is present that adjusts the height of the media stack, rotation of the separation strips to maintain a constant separation angle improves media feed reliability. Curvature of the separation strips may also maintain the separation angle as the lift plate raises the position of the top media sheet.

Abstract: Separation strips in a dam aid in the separation of adjacent sheets of media being fed from a stack of sheets so that only one sheet is fed to a process station and, more particularly, to separating the uppermost or top sheet of a stack of sheets from the next adjacent sheet during feeding of the top sheet from the stack of sheets of media. When a lift plate is present that adjusts the height of the media stack, rotation of the separation strips to maintain a constant separation angle improves media feed reliability. Curvature of the separation strips may also maintain the separation angle as the lift plate raises the position of the top media sheet.

Abstract: A pump for pumping fluid using peristaltic compression. The pump includes a rotor and a roller. The rotor includes a first cam that extends along a circumferential direction relative to the rotor. The first cam has first and second dwells. The roller is movable relative to the rotor between the first dwell and the second dwell of the first cam as the rotor rotates in a first direction and a second direction. The rotor includes a second cam extending radially from its shaft for engaging the roller. Contact between the second cam and the roller increases frictional resistance between the rotor and the roller as the roller translates between the first and second dwells of the first cam such that the roller transitions between the first and second dwells without slipping.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a printhead carrier configured for mounting a printhead cartridge and a cam rotatably coupled to the printhead carrier, the cam having a cam surface positioned opposite the datum pad, the cam surface being positioned for direct contact with the datum pad. A rotation of the cam causes the cam surface to translate the printhead along the media feed direction.

Abstract: A hand-operated printer includes a body, a printhead mounted to the body, a target sight mounted to the body, and a display device mounted to the body. The display device is configured to display an image and a representation of the target sight in relation to the image, and wherein the relation between the representation of the target sight and the image that are displayed on the display device corresponds to a relationship between the target sight and a print position for the image.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a sheet separation surface positioned along the sheet feed path downstream from a media tray. A plurality of pivoting arms is mounted in the imaging apparatus. The pivoting arms are moveable between a first position and a second position. The pivoting arms are positioned and individually spaced along a width of the sheet feed path. Each of the pivoting arms has a media stack engaging surface. When the pivoting arms are in the first position, the media stack engaging surface is non-parallel to the sheet separation surface. When the plurality of pivoting arms is in the second position, the media stack engaging surface is parallel to the sheet separation surface.

Abstract: An encoder including a light source for emitting light, a photodetector for detecting at least part of the light emitted by the light source, and an encoder film including a plurality of alternating bars and windows and being located between the light source and the photodetector. The encoder includes a mask including a plurality of alternating bars and windows, the mask being located between the light source and the photodetector. The encoder further includes a spacer located between the mask and the encoder film, the encoder film contacting the spacer to maintain a predetermined spacing between the mask and the encoder film.

Abstract: A maintenance unit for use in an ink jet printer includes a maintenance frame coupled to a printer frame, a maintenance sled moveably coupled to the maintenance frame and a spreader mechanism coupled to the maintenance sled, wherein the spreader mechanism disperses waste ink over a waste ink accumulation region as the maintenance sled moves relative to the maintenance frame.

Abstract: The invention described in the specification relates to an apparatus for supplying electrical information to a printer controller in order to identify the one or more cartridges installed in a printer. The apparatus comprises a carriage which is laterally translatable relative to the movement of print media through the printer, carriage translation means, and a replaceable cartridge attached to the carriage. The apparatus further comprises an indicia device which is attached to the replaceable cartridge and which has optically readable indicia thereon containing encoded information which contains information identifying the type of cartridge installed in the printer. The apparatus also includes an optical code reader which reads and transmits the encoded information to a printer controller as the cartridge moves in a lateral direction relative to the code reader.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a media tray for an imaging apparatus for receiving a sheet of media. The media tray includes a base having a first side region and a second side region, a first sheet support member, a second sheet support member, a first mechanism, a second mechanism, and a force applying mechanism. The first and second mechanisms pivotally couple the first and second sheet support members to the side regions of the base, respectively. The force applying mechanism applies a force on the first and second sheet support members such that each of the first and second sheet support members diverge upwardly and outwardly from the base. The force applying mechanism includes a first cam member or first spring mechanism positioned between the first sheet support member and the base and a second cam member or second spring mechanism positioned between the second sheet support member and the base.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for providing information to a printer controller in order to identify the type of printer cartridge installed in a thermal ink jet printer. The apparatus includes a printer cable containing a set of electrically-conductive wires connected to contacts in a printer cable connector. The contacts of the printer cable connector make physical connection to an identification circuit on the printer cartridge. The identification circuit includes an electrical conductor which is at an electrical reference potential. When none, or one or more contacts on the cable connector are in electrical contact with the electrical conductor of the identification circuit, a signal corresponding to the identification of the printer cartridge is produced which is used by the printer controller to determine the type of printer cartridge installed in the printer.

Abstract: A print media feed system feeds a print medium in an advance direction through a print zone in an ink jet printer. A printhead includes a plurality of ink emitting nozzles and defines the print zone. A media control surface is positioned in association with the printhead. The media control surface is configured for engaging a back side of the print medium. A feed roller is positioned upstream from the print zone relative to the advance direction of the print medium. At least one deflector plate assembly is pivotable about an axis of rotation and includes at least one metering roller and at least one deflector plate. Each metering roller is positioned in association and defines a nip with the feed roller through which the print medium passes. Each deflector plate includes a deflector end which is disposed between each metering roller and the printhead. The deflector end is configured for deflecting the print medium.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for printer size reduction moves a carrier with print element through a carrier displacement field containing two acceleration ramp area subportions on opposite sides of a print line subportion. The acceleration ramp subportions are of different lengths. A first subportion permits acceleration of the print element to substantially all of a first lower print element speed. The second subportion permits acceleration of the print element to less than substantially all of a second higher print element speed. The overall field size is reduced, but functions effectively for uni-directional printing at the first (letter mode) speed and bi-directional printing at the second (draft mode) speed.

Abstract: Each sheet of a stack of media is aligned with a fixed alignment surface prior to being fed towards a process station of a printer by a single pick roll. During the first portion of its cycle of operation, the sheet advancing force of the pick roll, which is offset from the axis or centerline of the sheet, exerts a torque on at least the uppermost sheet of the stack to have one of its sides engage the alignment surface if it is skewed. When the one side of the sheet is not engaging the alignment surface when the pick roll is initially energized, the uppermost sheet's leading edge engages a resilient projection of an insert of a rib, which is offset from the axis of the sheet but farther from the alignment surface than the pick roll. The skewed sheet pivots about the projection, which is formed of a high coefficient of friction material, extending beyond the surface of the rib. During the remainder of its energization, the pick roll advances the sheet towards the process station of the printer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a replaceable media guide for use with a sheet feeding mechanism. The media guide includes a support plate, an edge guide projecting substantially at right angles from the support plate, and a first sheet engaging friction pad engaged with the support plate. The guide is designed so that the first friction pad faces a friction roller of a sheet feeding mechanism when the guide is mounted on the sheet feeding mechanism. A sheet feeding apparatus is also provided in which the media guide is inserted into the sheet feeding mechanism.

Abstract: An ink jet printhead body includes one or more zones for cleaning, guiding and stabilizing a printhead wiper of an ink jet printer. The printhead body includes a receptacle providing a reservoir for ink, and the receptacle includes a wall having an outer surface. The wall includes a region at which location of one or more ink discharge nozzles is established. A plurality of ribs is located in each of the wiper cleaning zones, which in turn is located to be adjacent the wall region. The orientation of the ribs may be defined with reference to a first axis extending in the plane of the outer wall surface and intersecting the wall region in a first direction, and by a second axis, or axis of symmetry, extending in the plane of the outer wall surface and extending substantially parallel to an edge of the wall and through a central portion of the region to perpendicularly intersect the first axis.

Abstract: An ink-jet printer includes a cartridge having a presser foot thereon for adjusting the gap distance between the ink-ejecting nozzles of a cartridge carried by the carrier and the surface of a sheet of paper which receives the ejected ink. The presser foot is spring biased and slidably mounted on the carrier for movement in a direction generally normal to the plane of the paper. Cartridges are provided with surface features which vary according to the optimum nozzle-to-paper gap distance for best print quality. When a cartridge is mounted on the carrier, the surface feature on the cartridge moves the presser foot toward the paper feed path to automatically adjust the nozzle-to-paper gap distance to the optimum distance for the mounted cartridge. The surface features on the cartridges may be recesses of varying depths or projections of varying heights.

Abstract: A serial drop-on-demand ink jet printer having an ink cartridge mounted for reciprocation on a carrier which traverses paper advancing through the printer. The cartridge includes a nozzle array for the ejection of ink droplets onto the paper, and the carrier includes a tab upstream from the nozzle array, in the direction of paper travel, which touches the top surface of the paper and sets the printhead-to-paper gap. The paper is pushed against the tab and maintains a minimum gap to prevent paper from coming into contact with the nozzle array. The paper is urged against the tab into the proper position relative to the nozzle array by a deflectable guide which acts on the back surface of the paper.

Abstract: A maintenance station for maintaining either a monochrome or a multi-color printhead in an ink-jet printer includes a single flexible wiper having a first wiping edge for wiping the ink-jet nozzle surface of a monochrome printhead and a plurality of second wiping edges for wiping the ink-jet nozzle surface of a multi-color printhead. Wiping of a monochrome printhead is accomplished by moving the printhead to one side of the wiper, raising the wiper into the path of travel of the nozzle surface, and moving the printhead past the wiper. Wiping of a multi-color printhead is accomplished in a similar manner but the printhead is first positioned on the opposite side of the wiper. The flexibility of the wiper is chosen to apply an optimum wiping force to a multi-color printhead as the printhead is moved past the wiper. A backstop is provided at one side of the wiper to brace it against deflection, so that the wiper applies a greater wiping force to a monochrome printhead than it does to a multi-color printhead.