Inkjet printhead capping mechanism
View Patent ↗An inkjet printhead capping mechanism includes an arm arranged to rotate about a pivot point. A capping assembly is located on one end of the arm whereas a slip wheel is located at the other with the pivot point being located between the two. The slip wheel is periodically driven by a drive wheel of the printer's print media transport mechanism so that the arm pivots to bring the capping assembly to a capping position whilst the printer is not printing. Springs act to bias the capping assembly in the capping position. The capping assembly includes a sponge, which acts as an ink blotter, and a pair of seals located on opposite sides of the sponge to make an air tight seal around the printhead.
1. An inkjet printer having an elongate pagewidth printhead and including:
a pagewidth printhead capping mechanism having a member arranged to pivot about a pivot point, the mechanism including a capping assembly attached to one end of the member and an arrangement arranged to pivot the member about said pivot point to a capping position relative to the printhead during non-printing periods of the inkjet printer, the pivot point being located between the capping mechanism and the arrangement which includes a surface at a second end of the member located to contact a reversible drive wheel of the printer.
2. An inkjet printer according to claim 1 , wherein the surface comprises a surface of a slip wheel fixed to the second end of the member.
3. An inkjet printer according to claim 2 , wherein the drive wheel is coupled to a paper transport motor of the printer during printing to drive the slip wheel in an uncapping direction to rotate the member about the pivot point to uncap the printhead.
4. An inkjet printer according to claim 2 , wherein the drive wheel is coupled to a paper transport motor of the printer during printing to drive the slip wheel in a capping direction to rotate the member about the pivot point to cap the printhead.
5. An inkjet printer according to claim 1 , wherein the capping assembly includes a sponge blotter proximate the printhead in the capping position.
6. An inkjet printer according to claim 5 , including an elastomeric seal located about the sponge to create an airtight seal about the printhead in the capping position.
7. An inkjet printer according to claim 1 , including a biasing member to hold the capping assembly in the capping position during the non-printing periods.