Abstract: An inkjet printer including a cartridge for holding ink pellets and means for separating and releasing a single ink pellet and feeding it to the ink-supply unit of a printing head, the cartridge having at least one exit for releasing an ink pellet, wherein the separating and releasing means includes a rotatable shaft extending in a first transport direction provided with a spiralling member at the circumference of said shaft and a tangential movement confining member extending in a parallel direction with respect to said rotatable shaft, positioned at a distance from said spiralling member for confining the tangential movement of an ink pellet, engaging with said spiralling member to form a stable position for transporting said ink pellet in said first transport direction.

Abstract: A printer including: a frame, a bearing assembly mounted to said frame, a platen rotatably supported in the bearing assembly for advancing a sheet of a recording medium, a guide rail mounted to the frame and extending in parallel with an axial direction (Y) of the platen, a ruler extending in parallel with the guide rail, a carriage driven to reciprocate along the guide rail and carrying a printhead, and a detector arranged to detect the position of the carriage relative to the ruler, wherein, in said axial direction (Y), the ruler is rigidly fixed at a location of the bearing assembly independently of the guide rail.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the pressure in an ink reservoir of an ink jet printer which includes at least one ink reservoir of an ink jet printer, a pressure applying device for applying a pressure in the ink reservoir, the pressure applying device communicating with the ink reservoir via a first conduit, a buffer reservoir communicating a gasteous medium with the ink reservoir via a second conduit different from the first conduit, a detection system for monitoring the actual pressure in the ink reservoir, the detection system including at least one electronic pressure sensor, and a controller for controlling the pressure applying means dependent on the actual pressure monitored by the detection system.

Abstract: A printer including: a frame composed of a lower frame and an upper frame supported on the lower frame, a platen rotatably supported in the upper frame for advancing a recording medium, a guide rail extending in parallel with an axial direction (Y) of the platen, a carriage guided at the guide rail and carrying a printhead, and a drive mechanism adapted to drive the carriage reciprocatingly along the guide rail, wherein the drive mechanism is directly supported in said axial direction (Y) by the lower frame.

Abstract: A printer including a frame, a feed roller rotatably supported in the frame for advancing a recording medium, a sheet support plate for supporting said recording medium, a guide rail extending in parallel with an axial direction (Y) of the feed roller, and a carriage guided at the guide rail and carrying a printhead facing the recording medium on the sheet support plate, the frame being composed of a support structure and two plate-like function blocks, which are supported on said support structure at both ends of the feed roller so as to extend in respective planes (X-Z) normal to said axial direction (Y), and which support the guide rail and the sheet support plate, wherein the feed roller is rotatably supported in two bearings, each of which has a bearing case, each bearing case being supported on a member of the support structure, each of the function blocks defining a downwardly open V-shaped notch which is supported on the peripheral surface of one of the bearing cases at exactly two points, and the gui

Abstract: An inkjet printer including a cartridge for holding ink pellets and means for separating and releasing a single ink pellet and feeding it to the ink-supply unit of a printing head, the cartridge having at least one exit for releasing an ink pellet, wherein the separating and releasing means includes a rotatable shaft extending in a first transport direction provided with a spiralling member at the circumference of said shaft and a tangential movement confining member extending in a parallel direction with respect to said rotatable shaft, positioned at a distance from said spiralling member for confining the tangential movement of an ink pellet, engaging with said spiralling member to form a stable position for transporting said ink pellet in said first transport direction.