Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Hewlett-packard Company

Jeffrey T Hendricks

Charles R Steinmetz

Scott D Sturgeon

Kenneth R Williams

James P Kearns

Thomas E McCue, Jr

Raymond C Sherman

David C Johnson

John C Santon

William Watts

Ivan F Crespo

Gary Hays

Alexander N Govyadinov

Joseph Edward Scheffelin

Norman E Pawlowski

Curt G Gonzales

Daniel W Petersen

Kris M English

B Michael Eckard

Bruce Alan McFadden

Jose Antonio Alvarez

Dan Dowell

Prodpran Suetrong

Mark A Smith

Patrick J Therien

Daniel D Dowell

Ronald A Hellekson

Si-lam Choy

David B Johnson

Lisa M Hanson

David D Welter

John M Altendorf

Gene D Jones

Vanessa Verzwyvelt

Robert Paul Callaway

Ted Tuern Lee

Michael Lee Hilton

Greg K Justice

Dion C Davidson

Bruce A Mcfadden

In one embodiment, a fluid ejector assembly includes: a bay for holding a detachable fluid container that includes a fluid outlet at a forward part of the container; a fluid ejector; a fluid inlet at a forward part of the bay through which fluid from the outlet of a fluid container installed in the bay may pass to the fluid ejector; and a stationary guide configured to block an improper installation of a fluid container into the bay without also blocking a proper installation of the fluid container into the bay.

Container installation guide for a fluid ejector assembly

In one embodiment, an assembly includes: a print bar; first and second guide rods oriented parallel to one another; a first bracket slidable along the first guide rod and connected loosely to one end of the print bar; and a second bracket slidable along the second guide rod and connected loosely to the other end of the print bar. In another embodiment, a method includes: directly constraining a print bar in Z and theta Y at a first connection; indirectly constraining the print bar in theta Y at a second connection; and neutralizing the theta Y constraint at the second connection through a third connection between the first connection and the second connection.

Print bar lift and method

An apparatus and a method retain a print unit in a dock with a retainer that is at least partially below a top of a fluid supply of the print unit.

Print unit latch

In one embodiment, a carriage for carrying a fluid ejector cartridge includes: a body having a bay therein for holding a fluid ejector cartridge; a pump mounted to the body; a retaining cover connected to the body, the cover movable between an open position in which the cartridge may be installed in or removed from the bay and a closed position in which the cover contacts the cartridge in the bay to help retain the cartridge in place in the bay; and a port disposed within the cover such that the cover port is connected to a port on the cartridge when the cartridge is installed in the bay and the cover is in the closed position, the cover port operatively connected to the pump so that a fluid may be pumped into the cartridge through the cover and cartridge ports.

Carriage for carrying a fluid ejector cartridge

In one embodiment, an assembly includes a lift and a print bar mounted to the lift. The lift includes first and second guide rods oriented parallel to one another and perpendicular to an axis of the print bar across the print zone. The first end of the print bar is slidably connected to the first guide rod, the second end of the print bar is slidably connected to the second guide rod, and the lift is configured to simultaneously move both ends of the print bar along the guide rods. In another embodiment, an assembly includes a chassis and a lift supported by the chassis. The lift is configured to loosely hold a print bar and to raise and lower the print bar over a print zone such that both ends of the print bar move simultaneously.

Print bar lift

A method of detecting orifice health includes moving a cap support into a drop detect position wherein a light source mounted on the cap support is positioned adjacent an array of fluid ejecting orifices, from the light source, projecting a light beam adjacent to the array of fluid ejecting orifices, ejecting at least one fluid drop from the array and through the light beam, and detecting scattered light from the at least one ejected fluid drop.

Orifice health detection device and method

An orifice health detection device includes a fixed array of ink ejecting orifices, the ink ejecting orifices configured to eject at least one ink drop, a light source that produces a light beam configured to scatter light from the at least one ejected ink drop, and a light detector configured to detect light scattered from the at least one ejected ink drop.

Orifice health detection device

Methods and means for wiping a page-wide print array are provided. An installable and removable cartridge includes a quantity of web material. The web material traverses a serpentine pathway and is driven by a motor such that fresh web material can be provided to a cleaning zone. The web material within the cleaning zone is wiped across the ink discharge surface of an array of printing dies to remove debris. Wiping action is performed perpendicular to a lengthwise aspect of the page-wide print array. Various embodiments of compact and effective cleaning mechanisms are thus provided in modular, replaceable forms.

Cross-wipe cleaning of page-wide array printing

An on-axis ink reservoir that is pivotally secured to the carriage of an inkjet printer thereby defining an engaged position, in which the ink reservoir is in fluid communication with a printhead secured to the carriage, and an open position, in which the ink reservoir pivots away from the printhead to allow easy access to the printhead without the need to remove the ink reservoir from the carriage. Preferably, the ink reservoir is detachably secured to an ink-reservoir mounting portion, the printhead is detachably secured to a printhead mounting-portion, and these two mounting portions are pivotally secured together. More preferably, the ink-reservoir mounting portion includes a plurality of ink reservoirs, and the printhead mounting-portion includes a plurality of printheads. A latching mechanism is provided to operably secure the two mounting portions together in the engaged position.

Pivoting on-axis ink reservoir for inkjet printer

The described embodiments relate to a print cartridge that can be configured to receive ink from one of at least two possible ink paths depending upon a desired printer configuration. In one exemplary embodiment, the print cartridge has a body configurable to receive ink from at least two different ink supply configurations, and a fluid interface that when coupled with the body effectively selects one of the ink supply configurations.

Methods and systems for a configurable print cartridge

The present invention relates to a carriage for use in a printing device, the carriage including a carriage body with a bearing structure configured to support such carriage body for movement along a reference track. The carriage also includes a printhead anchored to the carriage body, and aligned directly relative to the carriage bearing structure.

Printhead nozzle alignment in a printing system

The present disclosure relates to a replaceable ink container for providing ink to an inkjet printing system. The inkjet printing system has a receiving station for receiving the replaceable ink container. The replaceable ink container includes a handle extending from a trailing end of the ink container for grasping the ink container for insertion into the receiving station. Also included is a latch for securing the replaceable ink container to the receiving station. The latch has an extended position for engaging the receiving station for securing the ink container to the receiving station and a retracted position. The latch is so disposed and arranged on the ink container to be urged from the extended position to the retracted position as the handle is grasped.

Latch and handle arrangement for a replaceable ink container

The present invention involves a printing device having a frame which defines therein X, Y, and Z operative, orthogonal axes, plural-site, Z-axis datuming structure operatively interposed a printhead assembly and a carriage supporting that assembly within the device, the Z-axis datuming structure, comprising first and second datuming sites spaced generally in an X-axis direction, and a third datuming site spaced from both the first and second sites in a Y-axis direction, and from at least one of the first and second sites in an X-axis direction.

Printhead-assembly-to-support-structure Z-axis datuming in a printing device

A datum arrangement on the replaceable semi-permanent compact print cartridge includes three x-datums, one y-datum and two z-datums to assure proper seating of the print cartridge in the carriage as well as proper electric and fluidic interconnections.

Datum structure for compact print cartridge

The present disclosure relates to a replaceable ink reservoir for installation into a printing system that has a moveable carriage for repositioning a printing portion relative to print media. The replaceable ink reservoir includes an ink reservoir that does not have an integral printing portion. Also included is an electrical storage device for storing information. The installation of the ink reservoir into the moveable carriage establishes both fluid communication between the ink reservoir and the moveable carriage and establishes electrical continuity between the electrical storage device and the moveable carriage.

Growing community of inventors

Camas, WA, United States of America

Jeffrey T Hendricks