Hewlett-packard Company

David W Pinkerpell

Steve Orrin Rasmussen

J P Harmon

Larry A Jackson

A printhead cartridge and carriage assembly (10) is provided comprising: a carriage (12); a snap-spring (62) for securing a printing cartridge (14) in postion on the carriage; and an interconnect strip (16) for supplying electrical signals to the cartridge, including a force loading spring pad (24) for urging a portion of the interconnect strip against a portion of the cartridge. The cartridge has top (32), bottom (34), sides (36, 38), front (40) and rear (42) surfaces and includes a printhead (44) on the bottom surface, an electrical contact strip (46) on the back surface connected to the printhead, referencing pads (56) on the side surface, and a lip (64) on the back surface for accepting the snap-spring. Referencing surface (60) are provided for receiving the referencing pads on the cartridge. The spring pad urges the interconnect strip against the electrical contact of the cartridge. The printhead cartridge/carriage assembly of the invention requires only one hand of the operator to both insert and lock the cartridge in position. Further, the cartridge/carriage assembly provides simultaneous alignment of the printhead in the X, Y, and Z directions. Finally, contact between the printhead and the interconnect strip is reliably made each time the cartridge is inserted and locked in position, thereby ensuring proper nozzle firing each time.

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Vancouver, WA, United States of America

David W Pinkerpell