Pagewidth printhead assembly including capping devices that have movement in two perpendicular directions
View Patent ↗An ink ejection type printhead assembly includes a plurality of printhead modules, each of which includes a U shaped shutter that is mounted on the module with the arms of the shutter engaging the upper and lower surfaces of the module. The upper arm of the shutter has a pad that in the closed position blocks the outlets of the printhead. The shutter slides between open and closed positions under the influence e of a rotatable cam. The shutter includes a resilient leg flexible arm that carries a pad that engages a nozzle guard of the printhead when in the closed position. The flexible arm is moved away from the nozzle guard during opening and closing operations.
1. An ink ejection type printhead assembly including:
at least one printhead module that ejects ink in a first direction; and
at least one capping device movable between an open position, in which the printhead module may eject ink, and a closed position, in which a part of the at least one capping device blocks the at least one printhead module from ejecting ink,
the at least one capping device including at least one first surface that engages at least one second surface of the assembly, the at least one first and second surfaces configured to move the part away from the at least one printhead module in the first direction during movement between the open and closed positions.
2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the second surface includes first and second spaced apart planar portions that extend in a common plane and a third portion therebetween that extends out of the plane of the first and second portions, the first surface engaging the first and second portions when at the open and closed positions respectively and engaging the third portion when at at least one position between the open and closed positions.
3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the third portion is curved.
4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the part includes at least one pad that overlies at least one nozzle guard of the at least one printhead module when in the closed position.
5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the at least one pad contacts the at least one nozzle guard when in the closed position.
6. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the at least one pad is formed of an elastomeric material.
7. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the at least one capping device includes at least one first arm on which the at least one pad is mounted.
8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the at least one first arm is flexible.
9. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the at least one first arm includes the at least one first surface.
10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one capping device is mounted for movement between its open and closed positions generally transverse to the first direction.
11. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the part generally lies in the same plane when in the open and closed positions.
12. The printhead assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one capping device is biased to the open position.
13. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one capping device includes at least one resilient second arm that biases the at least one capping device to the open position.
14. The assembly of claim 1 including a cam movable between open and closed positions to move the at least one capping device between open and closed positions respectively.
15. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one capping device includes at least one resilient second arm that biases the at least one capping device to the open position and a cam movable between open and closed positions to move the at least one capping device from the open position to the closed position against the action of the at least one resilient second arm.
16. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the printhead module has at least two passageways that open onto an upper surface and the at least one capping device includes at least one recess in an opposed surface that, when in the open position, aligns with at least at least two passageways to allow fluid flow from one passageway to the other via the at least one recess.
17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein, when in the closed position the opposed surface closes the at least two passageways.
18. The assembly of claim 1 including a plurality of printhead modules and a capping device for each of the modules.
19. The assembly of claim 18 including a U-shaped channel having a base and two opposed side walls extending from the base and defining a mouth there between, the modules mounted in the mouth of the channel and wherein each capping device includes a U shaped shutter that extends over one of the side walls and over at least part of the base and the respective printhead module.