Abstract: This invention concerns a printhead capping mechanism for preventing evaporation of ink from a printhead when it is not in use. The invention has utility, for instance, in a color printer which uses a drop-on-demand inkjet printhead. The mechanism includes a cap fitted with an elastomeric seal to seal against the face of the printhead, and a sponge to catch drops ejected from the printhead during the nozzle cleaning cycle. The mechanism also includes an actuating structure operable to selectively move the cap between an engaged position to press against the printhead and a disengaged position spaced away from the printhead.

Abstract: A system and a method for servicing a printhead using a low-height service station design. The system of the present invention includes a low-height service station having a gear and clutch arrangement that permits a service station drive assembly and a print media feed assembly to use the same motor. By momentarily reversing the motor, the gear and clutch arrangement permits the service station drive assembly to be engaged and the print media feed assembly to be disengaged, or vice versa. Moreover, the gear and clutch arrangement provides a means for a capping platform and a wiping platform within the service station to move independently of each other.

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: An inkjet printing system includes a print media transport assembly which routes a print medium through the inkjet printing system, a carriage assembly which holds an inkjet printhead assembly and traverse the print medium, and a single motor operatively coupled to both the print media transport assembly and the carriage assembly. As such, the single motor selectively drives both the print media transport assembly and the carriage assembly.

Abstract: A method and system for a cam-actuated lever capping arm for use in a maintenance station of an ink jet printer, the printer including a bi-directional translatable carriage supporting a print cartridge having a print head with nozzles in a nozzle face for printing ink droplets ejecting from said nozzles onto a recording medium at a printing zone in the printer, the translatable carriage being controlled by drive members under the control of a printer controller, the maintenance station being positioned at one side of the printing zone for translation of a print cartridge thereto on the translatable carriage for capping by the cap carriage, the cap carriage including, a pair of movable caps for sealing the nozzles in the printhead nozzle face, and a cam-actuated lever for moving the cap into a position in which the cap seals against the printhead nozzle face.

Abstract: A system for servicing a non-scanning printhead includes a servicing plate, a servicing component mounted on the servicing plate and adapted to service the non-scanning printhead, and a drive system adapted to move the servicing plate between a storage position and a service position such that the servicing component is spaced from the non-scanning printhead when the servicing plate is in the storage position and the servicing component is adapted to service the non-scanning printhead when the servicing plate is in the service position.

Abstract: A removable service module in a printer service station periodically interacts with a print cartridge, and is sized for proper installation in a matching service carriage slot. Upper and lower boundary guides on the service carriage prevent an unmatched or wrongly positioned service module from fitting through a slot entrance and becoming seated into a completed mounting position.

Abstract: A maintenance station of an ink-jet printer includes a maintenance carrier. The maintenance carrier has a plurality of positions, including a pumping position. A respective maintenance function is enabled in each of the positions. A pump pumps ink when the maintenance carrier is in the pumping position. A gear train both translates the maintenance carrier between the plurality of positions and actuates the pump. A single motor drives the gear train to thereby translate the maintenance carrier and actuate the pump.

Abstract: A narrow-width modular printing mechanism for a printer includes an integrated platen/service station assembly positioned within the printer. The integrated platen/service station assembly includes a platen member and a service station mechanically coupled together. The service station includes a bottom portion, at least one cap, at least one wiper and a mechanism for displacing the caps and the wipers relative to the bottom portion. The platen member is formed with apertures which are positioned and sized to facilitate displacement of the caps and the wipers through the platen member. In a preferred embodiment, the integrated platen/service station assembly is configured to accommodate a front-in, front-out paper path of the printer. In a preferred embodiment, the platen/service station assembly includes an actuator fork assembly. In a preferred embodiment, the platen/service station assembly includes a self-aligning cap sled.

Abstract: A head jetting property maintenance device includes a wiping device for wiping said recording head, a capping device for sealing said recording head, and a driving device including two planet gears for transmitting a drive force to said wiping device and said capping device and one rotary device for rotating said planet gears, and said driving device is able to drive said wiping device and said capping device in either of normal and reverse directions of said rotary device by switching the engagement of one of said planet gears to the engagement of the other of said planet gears and vice versa. With such a mechanical arrangement, there is no need that providing flags to detect the initializing positions of the cap and wiper are provided on cams for driving the cap and the wiper thereby effecting sensing them. Accordingly, the assembling and adjustment of the device are simplified, and the cost to manufacture the device is decreased.

Abstract: A thermal inkjet printer with firing nozzles perpendicular to the carriage motion has two motors: paper and carriage. These motors, alone or in concert, provide the power to the service station. The service station has separate wiping and pen cleaning functions. The wipers need to move across the pens in a direction that is perpendicular the carriage direction. Through the use of gears, the wipers can be made to clean the pens at the same time that the paper is being advanced and using the same motor source. For capping, the caps are moved into place as the pens come to rest. The motion of the pens themselves could easily push a lever that pushes the caps into place.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wiping apparatus for an ink jet printer, which apparatus prevents the area surrounding the wiping apparatus from being contaminated by ink. The wiping apparatus reduces the amount of ink splashed on the surroundings when a wiper is out of the lower part of a cartridge. The apparatus comprises a housing having an upper part which is open, a cartridge which can be moved from one side to another side in an upper part of the housing, a nozzle for ejecting ink and provided on one side of the cartridge, a wiper installed on an upper part of the housing and made of an elastic material for cleaning the nozzle, a holding unit for holding the wiper and rotatable in a direction of the nozzle when the wiper is bent in one direction for cleaning the nozzle, and an operation unit which operates the holding unit and is provided to move together with the cartridge.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a replaceable printing component for use in a printing system having at least one replaceable printing component. The replaceable printing component is of the type sold through a plurality of sales channels. The replaceable printing component includes a radio frequency link for receiving information indicative of a particular sales channel of a plurality of sales channels. Also included in the replaceable printing component is an electrical storage device for storing information indicative of the particular sales channel. The electrical storage device provides information indicative of the particular sales channel for reordering the replaceable printing component.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus has a recording head 22 having pressure chambers to which ink is supplied, pressure generation elements for generating pressure in the pressure chambers, and nozzle orifices 8 communicating with the pressure chambers for jetting ink drops, a cap 24 for sealing a nozzle face 40 of the recording head 22 while defining an internal space therein, and a suction pump for giving negative pressure to the internal space of the cap 24, and the cap 24 contains a cover member 33 for covering all nozzle orifices 8 with the cap 24 sealing the nozzle face 40, whereby bubbles occurring in the internal space of the cap 24 are prevented from adhering to the nozzle face 40 and entering the nozzle orifices 8 and a print failure is prevented from occurring.

Abstract: A waste ink removal system cleans ink residue from an ink drop sensor in a printing mechanism when a scraper, supported by a base, is actuated between a retracted position and an engaged position. The system also includes a reservoir defining a plurality of capillary drains onto which the scraper deposits ink residue while moving to the engaged position. A method of cleaning ink residue from an electrostatic sensing element of an ink drop detector, and a printing mechanism having such a waste ink removal system are also provided.

Abstract: Service station components for interacting with one type of printhead are located to be aligned in operative position only in a first servicing mode, and service station components for interacting with another type of printhead are differently located to be aligned in operative position only in a second servicing mode. This allows for different servicing schemes of two or more modes to be applied based on the individual characteristics of the ink and/or nozzle plates employed in inkjet printheads. In some instances, an individual printhead can be serviced in more than one servicing mode. In a preferred embodiment, replaceable service station units are provided for each different printhead.

Abstract: An ink ejectability maintenance device maintains an ink ejectability of a recording head which ejects ink droplets to a recording medium. A viper has a first moving path extending in a first direction in which the recording medium is fed, to wipe a noble formation face of the recording head. A cap has a second moving path extending in a vertical direction to seal the nozzle formation face. An absorption member is disposed below the first moving path to receive and absorb ink therein. The first moving path is away from the second moving path in connection with a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A first horizontal plane in which the wiper is placed and a second horizontal plane in which the cap is placed are away from each other in the vertical direction.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus which performs recovery process for recording device by a recovery system having capping device being closely in contact with or parting from recording device installed on a head installation unit for recording by discharging ink to a recording medium. For this recording apparatus, the cap of the recovery system is made controllable so that the cap can be at a first position where it is in close contact with the recording head, and at a second position where the recording sheet is made conveyable. Then, when recording data is transferred, the cap and a movable platen is allowed to shift from the first position to the second position so as to make recording possible. When the recording operation terminates, the cap and the movable platen shifts from the second position to the first position so as to enable it to return to the capping status.

Abstract: An inkjet printer for printing on a print medium includes a printhead having an ink orifice formed therein through which an ink drop is ejected into a print zone between the printhead and the print medium during printing, and an air movement system which directs a stream of gas through the print zone as the ink drop is ejected during printing. When ejected, the ink drop forms a head and a tail. As such, the stream of gas converges the tail of the ink drop and the head of the ink drop during printing so as to improve the shape of a dot formed by the ink drop on the print medium.

Abstract: An improved capping method and apparatus is provided for capping a plurality of inkjet printer cartridges. A plurality of capping device are mounted on a common support member which is biased towards the respective printheads of a plurality of cartridges. Relative movement in the capping direction between the capping device and the printheads is limited by a mechanical stop and the biasing force provided is sufficiently large to ensure that in use this relative movement is always so limited. By providing a substantially constant displacement in the capping direction between a set of cartridges and a set of capping means, the capping force between a particular printhead and its respective capping device dependent only on the manufacturing tolerances associated with the particular printhead and capping device and not those associated with all other printheads and capping device in the set.

Abstract: A capping mechanism for a print engine includes a capping member mountable in alignment with a printhead of the print engine. The capping member is displaceable into and out of abutment with the printhead for capping and uncapping the printhead respectively. A torsion bar arrangement acts on the capping member for displacing the capping member. A mechanical displaceable element co-operates with the torsion bar arrangement such that, when the element is in a parked position, the element engages the torsion bar arrangement to cause the capping member to be displaced into abutment with the printhead to cap the printhead. When the displaceable element is out of its parked position, the capping member is urged by the torsion bar arrangement out of abutment with the printhead.

Abstract: An inkjet printing system includes a print media transport assembly which routes a print medium through the inkjet printing system, a carriage assembly which holds an inkjet printhead assembly and traverse the print medium, and a single motor operatively coupled to both the print media transport assembly and the carriage assembly. As such, the single motor selectively drives both the print media transport assembly and the carriage assembly.

Abstract: The invention relates to a service station for an inkjet printer. The service station includes at least one cap for capping an inkjet nozzle which is mounted on an inkjet carriage of the inkjet printer. The service station also includes at least one wiper arranged to wipe said nozzle of the inkjet carriage. The wiper is arranged to move towards and away from the inkjet nozzle in response to movement of the inkjet carriage so as to enable the nozzle to be wiped of any residual ink.

Abstract: An inkjet head includes a head cap for protecting an ink discharge surface of a print head and a cleaning roller for cleaning the ink discharge surface of the print head. The head cap moves relative to and is removably mounted to the print head including the ink discharge surface with an ink discharge hole for discharging ink supplied from an ink cartridge. The cleaning roller is provided at a print head side of the head cap in the longitudinal direction of the print head. By virtue of this structure, it is possible to reduce the size of a printer body. The invention aims at reducing the size of the printer body by providing the cleaning member at the head cap for protecting the ink discharge surface.

Abstract: A system using discharge orifices having waterproof ink orifices for discharging waterproof ink which becomes water insoluble after drying and non-waterproof ink orifices for discharging non-waterproof ink, a cap for covering the discharge orifices, and a suction device for effecting suction through the discharge orifices when the cap covers the discharge orifices. The system includes covering both the waterproof ink orifices and the non-waterproof ink orifices collectively by the cap, effecting suction through both the waterproof ink orifices and the non-waterproof ink orifices by driving the suction device when the cap covers both the waterproof ink orifices and the non-waterproof ink orifices collectively, discharging, after sucking, both the waterproof ink orifices and the non-waterproof ink orifices into the cap, and exhausting, after discharging, ink out of the cap by driving the suction means when an inside of the cap communicates with air.

Abstract: A method and system for a cap gimbal for a maintenance station of an ink jet printer with a first and second printhead each with a nozzle face that ejects ink. The cap gimbaling system allows a movable base which supports the maintenance caps to move in unison with the printheads and effectively seal the nozzle face.

Abstract: An ink jet printer has a maintenance station in which a movable sled starts from a known position due to a diagonally disposed return spring. A cam profile near the uppermost portion of vertical movement of a movable sled is produced in accordance with a quadratic equation. This quadratic designed equation profile reduces the force required to move the movable sled up the cam profile to its uppermost position. The return spring, which holds the movable sled in the known position by urging a front wall of the movable sled against a front wall of a support housing, also absorbs energy to decrease the noise level of the printer.

Abstract: A compact printer having a printhead, a powered roller and a novel capping mechanism. The printhead prints on printable media that is passed adjacent to the printhead by the powered rollers. The capping mechanism has a pair of spaced apart capping arms that are bridged by a cap. The cap is moved between a position that protects the printhead and a position that enables the printhead to print on the media. The powered roller causes the capping arms to be moved between these positions and also moves the printable media past the printhead between the cap and the printhead.

Abstract: A capping system has a cap for capping an ink jet print head, and a supporting structure for mechanically engaging and disengaging the cap with the ink jet print head. The cap has a vent. When the supporting structure engages the cap with the ink jet print head, the cap covers the ink jet print head to cap the ink jet print head. The vent in the cap ensures that the pressure inside the volume of the cap equalizes with the pressure outside the volume of the cap. This prevents overpressure within the cap.

Abstract: A capping system has a cap for capping an ink jet print head, and a supporting structure for mechanically engaging and disengaging the cap with the ink jet print head. The cap has a vent. When the supporting structure engages the cap with the ink jet print head, the cap covers the ink jet print head to cap the ink jet print head. The vent in the cap ensures that the pressure inside the volume of the cap equalizes with the pressure outside the volume of the cap. This prevents overpressure within the cap.

Abstract: The present invention provides a capping mechanism for protecting recording means for effecting recording by discharging ink toward a recording medium, comprising a cap movable in directions along which the cap can be contacted with and separated from a discharge port face of the recording means, cam means for controlling a position of the cap, shifting means for shifting the cap in said directions, and biasing means for biasing the cap to be separated from the discharge port face, and wherein the cam means includes first and second cams and the shifting means includes first and second engagement portions so that the first cam is normally engaged with the first engagement portion, and, when the first cam is disengaged from the first engagement portion, the second cam is engaged with the second engagement portion.

Abstract: A ganged inkjet printhead sealing system maintains inkjet printhead health in an inkjet printing mechanism during periods of printing inactivity. In multi-printhead printing mechanisms, separate caps seal against each of the printheads. The caps each have an outlet vent. The vents are all ganged together and fluidically coupled to a single, common pressure regulation chamber that isolates the environment adjacent the printhead nozzles from the external environment when the printheads are capped. A fluid in a U-shaped manometer tube, or an elastomeric bladder are used to isolate the pressure chamber environment. The bladder may be constructed as a thin-walled sheet, a spring-biased bag, or as a bellows. The pressure chamber volume changes to accommodate pressure spikes during the capping process, as well as environmental changes in temperature, elevation, barometric pressure, etc. An inkjet printing mechanism having such a ganged capping system, along with associated capping methods are also provided.

Abstract: A replaceable inkjet printhead cleaner service station system has separate replaceable cleaning units for each printhead in an inkjet printing mechanism, which has a pallet that moves the cleaning units translationally to service the printheads. Each cleaning unit has a printhead wiper, a printhead snout wiper, a capping system, a spittoon, and optionally, an ink solvent application system. A service station pallet moves a replaceable base between rest and sealing positions, with the base defining a cam surface. A sled has a cam follower that rides along the cam surface, with the sled supporting a cap lip. An activation wall extends from the sled to engage the printhead and move the sled along the cam surface to the sealing position through linear motion of the pallet while the printhead remains stationary. A method is provided for sealing an inkjet printhead, along with a printing mechanism employing such a capping system.

Abstract: A liquid jet apparatus includes a recording head for discharging a recording liquid from a nozzle, a cap for capping the nozzle of the recording head, a suction device for sucking the recording liquid from the nozzle when the nozzle is capped, and a drive source used specially for driving the cap and the suction device. The drive source is driven in one direction in order to cause the cap to cap the nozzle, and is driven in a direction opposite to the one direction to cause the suction device to perform sucking.

Abstract: A hardware solution functional including a shaft, an operational range of a full rotation in both directions, translatable force to a plurality of functions, and a translatable sequencing to the plurality of functions by the shaft.

Abstract: A method and system for a cam-actuated lever capping arm for use in a maintenance station of an ink jet printer, the printer including a bi-directional translatable carriage supporting a print cartridge having a print head with nozzles in a nozzle face for printing ink droplets ejecting from said nozzles onto a recording medium at a printing zone in the printer, the translatable carriage being controlled by drive members under the control of a printer controller, the maintenance station being positioned at one side of the printing zone for translation of a print cartridge thereto on the translatable carriage for capping by the cap carriage, the cap carriage including a movable base for intercepting the translatable carriage when the translatable carriage enters the maintenance station, a pair of movable caps for sealing the nozzles in the printhead nozzle face, and a cam-actuated lever for moving the cap into a position in which the cap seals against the printhead nozzle face.

Abstract: There are described a method and mechanism for recovering an ink-jetting head and a cap utilized for sucking nozzles. The mechanism includes a cap to cover at least a nozzle hole of the ink-jetting head, a cap movement mechanism to move the cap relative to a nozzle plate on which the nozzle hole is equipped, a depressurizing device and a controller to control the cap movement mechanism, so that the cap moves to a first position at which the cap air-tightly seals a region of the nozzle plate, and moves to a second position at which the cap contacts the nozzle plate to generate a gap between a lip portion of the cap and the nozzle plate, wherein the depressurizing device operates to depressurize a space covered by the cap, when the cap is positioned at the first position, and the depressurizing device operates, when the cap is positioned at the second position.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus mounts an ink jet recording head for discharging ink from an ink discharging port and has a carriage moved to a recording position opposed to a recording medium and a capping position opposed to a cap for covering the ink discharging port. The ink jet recording apparatus comprises a cap holder for holding the cap for covering the ink discharging port, a cap slider which holds the cap holder and a resilient member for resiliently biasing the cap to a side of the ink jet recording head in the capping position, and is moved in the same direction as a moving direction of the carriage together with the movement of the carriage in accordance with the movement of the carriage to the capping position, and a slider holding mechanism which movably supports the cap slider in the moving direction and has a mechanism for displacing the cap holder to the ink jet recording head side in the capping position in accordance with the movement of the cap slider.

Abstract: This invention concerns a printhead capping mechanism for preventing evaporation of ink from a printhead when it is not in use. The invention has utility, for instance, in a color printer which uses a drop-on-demand inkjet printhead. The mechanism includes a cap fitted with an elastomeric seal to seal against the face of the printhead, and a sponge to catch drops ejected from the printhead during the nozzle cleaning cycle. The mechanism also includes an actuating structure operable to selectively move the cap between an engaged position to press against the printhead and a disengaged position spaced away from the printhead.

Abstract: A printer comprising a printer head disposed above a transportation belt and composed of a plurality of head units having an ink discharge surface, a paper attraction apparatus, and an ink discharge surface recovery apparatus, wherein in order to conduct the recovery treatment of the ink discharge surface, the printer head is moved upward and the recovery apparatus is inserted into the gap formed between the printer head and transportation belt in the direction perpendicular to the paper transportation direction of transportation belt. In the inserted state, ink is discharged from the ink discharge surface toward a cap of the recovery apparatus, the clogged state of the nozzle is eliminated, and recovery treatment is completed. The recovery apparatus is thereafter retracted to the side of transportation belt.

Abstract: The invention provides an ink jet printer, for example, having a tiny protrusion provided on a blade holder for holding a wiper blade at the side opposite to that cap, a coil spring for pulling the blade holder downwardly in a slanting direction toward where the tiny protrusion is provided, and a wiper raising arm raised together with the cap, for raising the wiper blade by contacting the lower surface of the blade holder, and a base for receiving the tiny protrusion on the upper surface thereof when the blade holder is lowered from the most raised position. Therefore, the wiper blade is stopped at the ink wiping position.

Abstract: A description is given of an ink jet printer having an ink jet print head which can be displaced parallel to a print line, and a print backing support used to support a recording medium, a covering device and a cleaning device for the ink nozzles of the ink jet print head. The covering device, the cleaning device and a supporting section for the recording medium are arranged on a rotatable disk within the printing area of the ink jet print head.

Abstract: A print head moves forward and backward along a print track to perform a printing operation, and has at least one nozzle. A station assembly includes a carrier for holding the print head, the carrier moving the print head forward and backward along the print track, and a service station for servicing the print head. The service station is located at one end of the print track and has a housing, and a wiper assembly mounted in the housing for engaging with the carrier to wipe the nozzle. The wiper assembly has a wiper to wipe the nozzle and a carrier contact for mechanically engaging and contacting with the carrier. The carrier contact slides against the carrier along a wiping direction to provide the mechanical motion of the wiper to wipe the nozzles.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead servicing station for an inkjet printing mechanism includes a translational pallet that carries servicing appliances, like wipers, caps and flaps. A service station frame defines a guide track that supports the pallet for translational movement in a plane substantially parallel with a printhead plane and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the scanning axis of the printhead when transported by a carriage. The frame has adjacent pallet and carriage alignment datums. The pallet has a carriage lock that secures the carriage with or without the inkjet printhead installed therein. The pallet has a rack gear that is driven with a spindle pinion gear. The service station frame has a base and a bonnet cover that define the guide track, with the pallet being sandwiched therebetween. An inkjet printing mechanism having such a service station, and a method of assembling a service station are also provided.

Abstract: In order to clean a dirty printhead, the dirty printhead is first capped and the ink pressure in the printhead increased significantly to allow ink to escape through the orifices and completely fill a small gap inside the cap portion. After letting the orifices soak for a predetermined time to dissolve the dried ink and loosen dust debris which may be found on the printheads, the cap drainhole is opened to drain the ink while keeping the ink pressure inside the head at an intermediate higher level. Dirty ink remaining inside the orifice bore is removed using a self cleaning wiping station in separate steps. During a first step, the wiping element is pressed into contact with the orifices. The dirty ink, because of the high pressure inside the printhead, is unable to reenter the printhead and is absorbed by the wiping element. In a second step, the pressure inside the printhead is decreased significantly below operating pressures to enable the menisci to retreat inside an orifice lip.

Abstract: An ink jet printer incudes a carriage supported slidably in opposite reciprocating directions and having a turning axis which extends in these directions. The printer also includes a head holder a and a head unit. The unit is fixed to the front wall of the holder, and has print heads. The printer further includes protective caps for covering the ejection faces of the heads respectively. When the heads are replaced at their position where their ejection faces are opposite the caps the caps are oriented opposite the direction in which the holder is moved toward the axis. When the holder is put on the carriage in such a direction that the holder approaches the caps the caps cap the heads. The caps can move in the directions in which the holder turn. After part of the holder is put on the carriage, the holder is turned around the axis to its normal position, where the heads correctly face the printing position on printing paper. The holder turns together with the caps with the heads capped with them.

Abstract: A jetting device of an image forming apparatus is disposed so as to face a transporting path for an image recording material, and jets an image-forming solvent towards the image recording material. A position of the jetting device is changed in accordance with a state of the jetting device, by a position-controlling mechanism, which is inside the image forming apparatus. The position-controlling mechanism is structured by a plurality of gears which, with an arm that supports the jetting device and rotates, changes the position of the jetting device together with rotation of the jetting device. A sealing- and cleaning-member of the image forming apparatus seals a jetting surface of the image forming apparatus, which surface jets the image-forming solvent, and cleans the jetting surface, in a non-jetting state in which the image-forming solvent is not jetted.

Abstract: A print engine for a printer includes a page width printhead. The printhead includes an ink-ejecting device and a seal surrounding the ink-ejecting device. A transfer roller is arranged adjacent the printhead. Ink ejected by the printhead is received on the transfer roller to be transferred to a sheet of paper. A displacement unit displaces the printhead so that its seal is urged into abutment of the surface of the transfer roller when the printhead is inoperative to inhibit evaporation of ink from the ink-ejecting device. The displacement unit is further operable to draw the printhead into spaced relationship relative to the transfer roller when printing is to be effected.

Abstract: The present invention is a low-height, narrow-width printer. The printer includes a removable input tray for storing input media and at least two printheads to print on the input media. The removable input tray includes an integrated platen and at least two capping stations preferably located at the center of the platen. The removable input tray also contains a motor to move the integrated capping stations up to cap the printheads during periods of non-use and down during use.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead servicing station for an inkjet printing mechanism includes a translational pallet that carries servicing appliances, like wipers, caps and flaps. A service station frame defines a guide track that supports the pallet for translational movement in a plane substantially parallel with a printhead plane and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the scanning axis of the printhead when transported by a carriage. The frame has adjacent pallet and carriage alignment datums. The pallet has a carriage lock that secures the carriage with or without the inkjet printhead installed therein. The pallet has a rack gear that is driven with a spindle pinion gear. The service station frame has a base and a bonnet cover that define the guide track, with the pallet being sandwiched therebetween. An inkjet printing mechanism having such a service station, and a method of assembling a service station are also provided.