Adc Telecommunications, Inc.

Other

Macdermid Acumen, Inc.

Larry William Gonier

James D Dewey

Aaron Gerald Barclay

Dennis B Shell

Kevin Ready Campion

Kevin R Crystal

Steven Lee Lidke

Karl H Pohl

Peter N Ladas

Mark Ervin Olsen

Patrick J Brickley

John Knaack

Daniel L Jankovich

Kerry Ray Anderson

Robert Alan Schmidt

Peter E Malecha

Ivor F Matz

Dale G Nordenstrom

Matthew G Pedersen

Wade A Kragtorp

Richard J Bigaoutte

An improved, large-format digital inkjet print engine that includes a group of co-operating print engine subassemblies that embody various novel elements that both discreetly and cumulatively advance the current art. The group of subassemblies and sensors cooperate to produce high quality graphic images using a plurality of different colors of ink and different types of print media at speeds several times faster than similar conventional inkjet printers. In addition, the use of cooperating elements permit the manufacture of complex, large-format digital color inkjet print engines that are less expensive to fabricated, operated, and serviced. The present invention finds use in large-format digital color printing and imaging, where successful repeatable printing requires precise placement of droplets of ink, toner or other marking material on a print medium such as paper, vinyl, film, or similar substrate.

Co-operating mechanical subassemblies for a scanning carriage, digital wide-format color inkjet print engine

The disclosure concerns an apparatus that increases the utility of the ink jet printing engines by allowing the engine operator the freedom to select the spacing between the ink emitting nozzles of each inkjet print head and a printing substrate. The preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a reciprocating carriage assembly having twelve individual ink jet pen receptacles and a manual vertical adjustment feature for precise control of the spacing between the printing substrate and the print head(s). In one embodiment, the inventive carriage assembly height adjustment features dual, manually-actuated axial screws that cooperate to evenly raise and lower the carriage assembly. Preferably a third mounting point ensures parallelism when the carriage assembly is raised and lowered. In use, the entire carriage assembly, including circuit boards, ink jet print heads, and electronics all move in unison when the axial shafts are rotated. A simple spacer tool, ground to a preselected thickness is used to confirm that an optimum head height has been reached, although other, more elaborate mechanisms could also be used. The inventive carriage assembly preferably includes a plurality of receptacles for receiving disposable ink jet print heads. Preferred features include a solderless assembly process, a tongue-in-groove coupling, and a first leaf spring to bias the print heads to precision mounting locations. Several elements cooperate to promote electrical contact between a flex circuit having mass terminations of electrical traces on the flex circuit and corresponding electrical features of each print head.

Carriage assembly for a large format ink jet print engine

A wire distribution apparatus is disclosed having a frame member with walls defining a vertical open face chamber. A plurality of termination modules are secured to the frame in side-by-side relation. Each of the modules includes a pair of opposing panels having one end pivotally mounted to the frame on opposite sides of the vertical chamber opening and pivotable between a first position with panels joined to form prismatically shaped termination modules. The panels are also pivotable to a second position with opposing panels pivoted away from one another to expose the openings in the frame to provide access to cables and wiring within the frame. Tie bar mechanisms are provided for rigidly securing panels in open positions.

Wire distribution apparatus

A wire insertion tool for use with split cylinder terminals includes a shaft having a wire insertion post sized to fit within a split cylinder terminal and a sleeve fixed to the shaft with the tip of the sleeve sized to fit around the outside of the wire insertion terminal. A spring biased sliding sleeve is concentrically disposed between the tip of the shaft and the tip of the fixed sleeve. The sliding sleeve is displaceable by the walls of the split cylinder as a wire is inserted, and is spring biased outwardly to eject wire debris as the tool is extracted. Jamming of the tool by wire insertion debris is thereby avoided. A member is provided for removably interlocking the tool and a handle. A cam follower is secured to the handle and a cam surface is provided on an end of the tool for the tool to be locked into the handle when forced in one direction and released when forced in another.

Insertion tool tips

Growing community of inventors

Inver Grove Heights, MN, United States of America

Larry William Gonier