The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 06, 1990
Filed:
Nov. 21, 1988
David W Pinkerpell, Vancouver, WA (US);
Larry A Jackson, Vancouver, WA (US);
J Paul Harmon, Vancouver, WA (US);
Steve O Rasmussen, Vancouver, WA (US);
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
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.