Triple-cartridge inkjet service station

Abstract

An indexing service station services interchangeable first and second inkjet cartridges when installed with a third inkjet cartridge in a dual-cartridge carriage of an inkjet printing mechanism. For printing graphics and text, the first cartridge usually prints black ink, while the third cartridge prints full-colorant concentrations of colored ink. For printing photographic type images, the black cartridge for printing text is replaced with the second cartridge which is an imaging cartridge. The imaging cartridge carries ink formulations having reduced colorant concentrations, which, when used in conjunction with the full color cartridge, provide near photographic image quality, as well as crisp black text and line art. The service station has three separate sets of servicing tools for independent servicing of the black, full color, and imaging cartridges. The full color servicing tools are mounted on a singular tumbler assembly, whereas both the black and imaging cartridge servicing tools; are mounted on a combination tumbler assembly, with both tumbler assemblies being driven by an indexing gear assembly. Leaf springs bias printhead wipers away from the tumbler assemblies, with translational and torsional spring flexure accommodating for any lack of parallelism between the printheads and their associated wipers. A method is also provided of servicing the black, full color, and imaging cartridges when installed in the printing mechanism.