Printer controller for a high-speed printer
View Patent ↗A duplex color printer includes a body defining a plurality of docking bays in which respective color ink cartridges can be docked in a releasable manner. A pair of opposed print engines is mounted within the body and a substantially straight print media path is defined there-between. Each print engine includes at least one printhead coupled in fluid communication to the docked ink cartridges and is configured to eject the ink. A pair of print media trays is mounted to either side of the body and each contains print media. A print media feed arrangement is configured to feed print media from one of the trays, along the straight path during printing and into the other one of the trays. The straight print media path enables high speed printing.
1. A duplex color printer comprising:
a body defining a plurality of docking bays for receiving color ink cartridges;
a pair of print engines mounted within the body in an opposed manner and defining a print media feed path therebetween, each print engine comprising at least one printhead coupled in fluid communication with the color ink cartridges;
a pair of print media trays mounted on either side of the body for respectively containing print media; and
a print media feed arrangement configured to feed print media from one of the trays, along the print media path during a printing operation carried out by the print engines and into the other one of the trays.
2. A duplex color printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the feed arrangement comprises:
a first motor assembly arranged upstream of the print engines to feed print media along the print media path and towards the print engines; and
a second motor assembly arranged downstream of the print engines to feed print media along the print media path and from the print engines.
3. A duplex color printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each print media tray comprises:
a housing:
a platen movably mounted within the housing for supporting a stack of print media; and
a motorized mechanism configured to move the platen within the housing.
4. A duplex color printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the print engines is pivotally mounted relative to the body.
5. A duplex color printer as claimed in claim 1 wherein, in use, a vertical panel of the body defines a user interface, the user interface comprising:
a display configured to display information to a user;
a keypad to enable the user to input information;
a print button so that the user can actuate the printer; and
a stop button so that the user can stop the printer.
6. A duplex color printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each print engine comprises:
a pair of printheads; and
a transfer roller rotationally mounted relative to the body to receive ink ejected from the printheads and for engaging with the print media fed along the print media path so that the received ink is transferred to the fed print media.
7. A duplex color printer as claimed in claim 6 , wherein at least one of said pair of printheads and said transfer roller can be moved relative to each other to touch so that the printheads can be capped.
8. A duplex color printer as claimed in claim 6 , wherein each print engine includes a cleaning station for removing remaining ink on the transfer roller subsequent to said transfer of received ink to the print media.
9. A duplex color printer as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the cleaning station comprises a resilient wiper and an absorbent sponge.
10. A duplex color printer as claimed in claim 1 wherein, in use, the docking bays are defined in a roof of the body.