Lexmark International, Inc.

Daniel Robert LaBar

Martin Alan Johnson

Robert Michael Meadows

Charles Stanley Aldrich

Marc Alan Herwald

Jeffrey Ray Ehlert

Frederick Charles Griesemer

Michael William Lawrence

Brian Andrew Naro

Patrick Andrew Buxton

Serena Nicole Oaks

A printhead carrier includes a body having spaced apart bearings by means of which the body is supported at a predetermined position in the printer adapted to position a printhead on the printhead carrier at a placement relative to a path of a sheet of print media through a print zone in the printer, and a height-adjustable mechanism associated with one of the bearings that is continuously adjustable to effect a continuous increase or decrease of the height of the one bearing relative to the body to thereby set the printhead at a proper angle relative to the sheet of print media.

Printhead carrier with height-adjustable bearing mechanism for continuous adjustment of the printhead carrier position

An imaging apparatus includes a frame and a maintenance sled movably coupled to the frame. The maintenance sled includes a carrier engagement member. A printhead carrier is coupled to the frame. A carrier motor is drivably coupled to the printhead carrier. A controller is coupled to the carrier motor. The controller controls the carrier motor to drive the printhead carrier at a first velocity and at a second velocity. The second velocity is lower than the first velocity. The printhead carrier is controlled to move at the first velocity toward the maintenance sled, wherein prior to the printhead carrier contacting the carrier engagement member of the maintenance sled, the printhead carrier is decelerated from the first velocity to the second velocity.

Maintenance station for an imaging apparatus

An imaging apparatus configured for mounting a printhead, to which at least one ink tank is removably mounted, includes a print engine configured to move the printhead carrier along a bi-direction main scan path. The printhead carrier has a printhead latch having a printhead latch release button, which when actuated releases the printhead latch to allow removal of the printhead. The printhead has a respective ink tank latch for mounting the respective ink tank to a printhead body. The respective ink tank latch includes a respective ink tank release button which when actuated unlatches the respective ink tank latch to allow removal of the respective ink tank from the printhead body. An access panel has a first opening defining an ink tank removal location that permits access to the respective ink tank release button, while the access panel prevents access to the printhead latch release button.

Apparatus for facilitating ink tank/printhead replacement in an imaging apparatus

A backup roller is formed by a member having a rotational axis and a circumferential region around which a plurality of teeth are arranged. Each tooth of the plurality of teeth has a tip end extending in a direction away from the rotational axis. When the backup roller is rotated the tip end of each of the plurality of teeth sequentially extends toward the rotational axis of a drive roller at an angle non-orthogonal to the rotational axis of the drive roller.

Exit roller system for an imaging apparatus including backup rollers configured to reduce tracking

A printhead capping assembly includes a cap holder and a printhead cap. The cap holder defines a cavity and a vent exit. The printhead cap has a base and a lip portion extending from the base. The lip portion defines an open interior region. The base is inserted into the cavity of the cap holder. The base includes a serpentine channel extending from the open interior region to the vent exit of the cap holder.

Printhead cap assembly for an ink jet printer

An imaging apparatus includes a frame, and a maintenance station coupled to the frame. The maintenance station includes a maintenance housing having an end portion. A maintenance sled is movably mounted to the maintenance housing. The maintenance sled has a first position and a second position. A flexible member is mounted to the maintenance sled. The flexible member includes a main body and an elastic portion extending from the main body. The main body and the elastic portion define a cavity. The elastic portion of the flexible member contacts the end portion of the maintenance housing when the maintenance sled is in the first position.

Maintenance station having acoustical dampening for use in an imaging apparatus

A printhead capping assembly includes a cap holder, a printhead cap and a pin. The pin includes a head and a shaft. The shaft has a proximal end and a distal end, with the proximal end being adjacent to the head. The head has an outer periphery, and a bottom surface extending outwardly from the shaft toward the outer periphery. The pin has a channel including a first channel portion and a second channel portion. The first channel portion extends from the outer periphery of the head to the shaft. The first channel portion is connected to the second channel portion. The pin is inserted through the second hole and into the first hole to place the head in contact with the second base of the printhead cap. The second base of the printhead cap seals along the first channel portion to define a first vent path portion.

Growing community of inventors

Lexington, KY, United States of America

Daniel Robert LaBar