Abstract: Greater throughput is possible by using wider print swaths in each traverse across printing media. Multiple print cartridges are mounted to be offset from each other in the media scan direction (X-axis). The amount of offset is adjustably varied by selective on/off control of individual printing elements as well as by relative mechanical movement of the print cartridges.

Abstract: A thermal ink-jet printer (10) including a paper advancing mechanism (14) and a pen traversing mechanism (18) and a pen (20) is disclosed. The pen (20) includes a nozzle plate portion (22) which includes irregularly spaced columns of nozzles (24) for staggering application of inks onto the print medium (16) such that a drying time is provided between applications of differing inks to adjacent areas. The printer (10) further includes a platen heater assembly (68) as a means of fixing and drying the ink on the print medium (16), and a vacuum fan (62) and an associated plurality of platen vacuum holes (74) as a means of holding the print medium (16) in close contact with the heater plate assembly (68), thus increasing efficiency of heat transfer.

Abstract: Greater throughput is possible by using wider print swaths in each traverse across printing media. Multiple print cartridges are mounted to be offset from each other in the media scan direction (X-axis). The amount of offset is adjustably varied by selective on/off control of individual printing elements as well as by relative mechanical movement of the print cartridges.

Abstract: A molded plastic printer carriage mountable in the printer on a slider rod uses a pair of spaced sintered bronze bushings and a spring biased preload pad intermediate the bushings which engages the slider rod to compensate for and minimize rocking of the carriage during rapid movement thereof during printing without requiring expensively machined slider rods or close tolerance bushings.

Abstract: A molded plastic printer carriage mountable in the printer on a slider rod uses a pair of spaced sintered bronze bushings and a spring biased preload pad intermediate the bushings which engages the slider rod to compensate for and minimize rocking of the carriage during rapid movement thereof during printing without requiring expensively machined slider rods or close tolerance bushings.

Abstract: A dimensionally stable bushing assembly for a printer carriage 10 uses a bushing liner 20 constructed of a relatively flexible and dimensionally non-stable lubricous material which is afforded dimensional stability by an interference fit of the exterior wall of the liner 20 with the interior wall 15, 17 of apertures 14, 16 in the carriage which are manufactured to the desired degree of dimensional tolerance. In the preferred embodiment, the printer carriage 10 is made of polycarbonate which slides on stainless steel slider rods. The bushing liners are preferably a molded mixture of from 25-35 percent carbon, 15-25 percent teflon and 45-55 percent nylon. Although such mixtures typically shrink during the molding process, it is necessary, due to the special open or C-shaped configuration of the liners, only to maintain a close control on the thickness of the molded liners 20 rather than carefully controlling both thickness as well as their peripheral dimension.

Abstract: A molded plastic printer carriage mountable in the printer on a pair of slider rods uses a pair of spaced front bushings and single rear bushing positioned on a line intermediate the two front bushings. The rear bushing is eccentricly spring biased in a direction away from the front bushings and each bushing has two line contacts with the slider rod on which it is mounted, the first of the line contacts being at the top of the bushing and the second being on the side of the bushing substantially facing the opposite slider rod. The eccentric spring biasing and the two line contact configuration of the bushings prevents rotation of the carriage around the slider rods during rapid movement thereof during printing.

Abstract: Apparatus and techniques are disclosed for aligning the operation of the ink jet printhead cartridges of a multiple printhead ink jet swath printer that includes a print carriage that is movable along a horizontal carriage scan axis, (b) first and second ink jet printhead cartridges supported by the movable carriage for printing onto a print media that is selectively movable along a vertical media scan axis, and (c) an optical sensor supported by the movable carriage. Alignment of the operation of the printheads along the media scan axis is performed by determining with the optical sensor the relative positions of horizontal test line segments printed by selected nozzles of the printhead cartridges.

Abstract: Apparatus and techniques are disclosed for aligning the operation of the ink jet printheads of a multiple printhead ink jet swath printer, and particularly for aligning the operation of the printheads along the carriage scan axis. The relative positions of vertical test line segments printed by the cartridges at a fixed swath position are determined with an optical sensor. The relative position information is utilized to calculate horizontal alignment corrections for the printhead cartridges which are utilized to adjust the horizontal offset shifts provided for the swath data and to adjust the timing of the firing of the ink jet nozzles of the printhead cartridges.

Abstract: Apparatus and techniques are disclosed for aligning the operation of the ink jet printhead cartridges of a multiple printhead ink jet swath printer that includes a print carriage that is movable along a horizontal carriage scan axis, (b) first and second ink jet printhead cartridges supported by the movable carriage for printing onto a print media that is selectively movable along a vertical media scan axis, and (c) an optical sensor supported by the movable carriage. Correction of misalignment along the media scan axis is performed by adjusting the position of the nozzle array of one printhead cartridge relative to the position of the nozzle array of another printhead cartridge along the media scan axis. A movable printhead is supported on the print carriage of the printer and is moved relative to the carriage by a rotatable cam that is supported by the carriage fixedly attached to a cam lever.