Abstract: A sheet transport for transporting sheets across a surface which includes an elongated member supported for transverse movement across the surface. The transport further includes a fibrous material which comprises a base substrate portion carried by the member and a plurality of fibers extending from the base substrate so that the extending fibers form a sheet engaging area with the surface. Apparatus for moving the member across the surface is also provided so that a sheet in the sheet engaging area is translated in a process direction across the surface when the member is translated.

Abstract: A cap carriage for use in a maintenance station of an ink jet printer. The printer includes a bidirectionally translatable carriage supporting a print cartridge having a printhead with ink droplet ejecting nozzles in a nozzle face. The printhead prints on a recording medium when the printhead is in the printing zone and the printhead nozzles are covered by a cap at a maintenance station positioned on one side of the printing zone when the printhead is not printing. The cap is carried by the cap carriage, which is engaged by the translatable carriage and moved in unison therewith. During the movement of the cap carriage, the cap is brought into sealing engagement with the printhead nozzle face in response to movement by the cap carriage.

Abstract: A waste ink separator is used in an ink jet printer maintenance station for management of the waste ink generated during printhead priming operations. The separator primarily consists of three main components, viz., a rigid chamber body with side walls and a top wall with an inlet and outlet therein, a chamber floor constructed of a material having a high moisture vapor transfer rate to pass moisture therethrough, and a foam material housed in the interior of the chamber body and floor for absorbing and storing waste liquid ink. The internal surface of the chamber top wall has interleaved parallel ribs which provide a serpentine floor path between the chamber inlet and outlet about the foam material for separating the liquid ink from the air.

Abstract: A cartridge for supplying liquid ink to a thermal ink-jet printing apparatus includes a chamber having a ventilation port and an outlet port. A medium occupies at least a portion of the chamber, for retaining liquid ink therein at a predetermined back pressure. An open-ended conduit defines a passageway extending from the ventilation port to a portion of the chamber substantially devoid of liquid ink, to prevent leakage of liquid ink from the cartridge.

Abstract: A cap actuation mechanism for placing a cap, movably mounted on a cap carriage of an ink jet printer maintenance station, into sealing engagement with the nozzle face of the printhead of the printer. The cap mechanism functioning in response to movement by the cap carriage which in turn is moved by printer's print cartridge carriage when it leaves a printing zone for servicing by the maintenance station.

Abstract: An ink cartridge for an ink jet printer that supplies ink at a negative pressure is disclosed. The cartridge includes a cartridge housing having an upper chamber and a lower chamber and a first wall therebetween. The upper chamber has an aperture exposed to atmosphere and it also contains a capillary foam having a specifiable capillarity for absorbing ink. The lower chamber is airlocked until the ink level in the upper chamber is sufficiently low to allow the passage of air through the pores. A printhead is disposed at a vertical height greater than a top level of the lower chamber. A supply line is provided which conveys ink by capillary action of the nozzles to the printhead. A second capillary foam has a specifiable capillarity greater than the capillarity of the first capillary foam. The second foam is in fluidic communication with the upper and lower chambers and with the supply line.

Abstract: In an ink jet printer, a printhead assembly comprising a printhead and an ink reservoir is mounted on a scanning carriage for movement across a recording medium. During printing, droplets of ink are expelled from ink channels within the printhead and the channels are replenished with ink which is drawn in from the reservoir. The reservoir is connected by supply and return lines to an ink source, and a pump is provided to deliver ink from the source along the supply line to prime the printhead and reservoir. To ensure that the reservoir is filled with ink during the priming operation, the outlet from the reservoir to the return line incorporates a flow restriction equal to, or greater than, that of the printhead.

Abstract: In an ink jet printer, a printhead assembly comprising a printhead and an ink reservoir is mounted on a scanning carriage for movement across a recording medium. During printing, droplets of ink are expelled from ink channels within the printhead and the channels are replenished with ink which is drawn in from the reservoir. The reservoir is connected to an ink source from which ink is supplied during printing and when the printhead assembly is being primed. A partition within the reservoir ensures that, during priming, air can be expelled from the reservoir through the ink channels, thereby avoiding the need for an air vent from the reservoir.

Abstract: Roll fuser apparatus and a release agent management system therefor. The fuser comprises a pair of pressure engageable rolls one of which is heated and has a relatively thick silicone rubber outer layer. The fuser is adapted to accommodate various size copy sheets resulting in a number of areas of the silicone rubber undergoing physical changes due to the effects of sheet edge contact therewith. The release agent management system is designed to minimize the adverse effects caused by the sheet edges contacting the silicone rubber outer layer. To this end the system which serves to dispense silicone oil onto the surface of the silicone rubber is provided with a plurality of apertures which are strategically located such that a quantity of the oil is introduced into the silicone rubber in these areas of sheet edge contact whereby the adverse effects noted are counteracted.