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:
Jun. 19, 2001
Filed:
Jan. 29, 1999
Xavier Gasso, Barcelona, ES;
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
An ink supply tube guiding system for a large format inkjet printer includes front and rear oppositely facing tube guide channels each having a lower flange which supports the ink tubes which convey printer ink from stationary reservoirs to printheads mounted on a transversely movable printhead carriage. The tube guide channels provide support for the flexible ink supply tubes which are preferably bundled together in a vertically extending plane which has front and rear reaches of the tubes respectively supported by the front and rear channels and a reversed bend between the front and rear tube ridges which is self-supporting between the guide channels. The tube guide channels and ridges which support the guide channels on the printer frame provide a rigid structure in which the flexible ink tubes may be smoothly guided while minimizing wear of the flexible ink tubes.