Protector for printhead capper

1. A protector for a printhead capper, the capper having a capping member configured to cap a printhead, a carrier carrying the capping member, and an actuator for moving the carrier back and forth between a first position at which the capping member is spaced from the printhead and a second position at which the capping member caps the printhead, the protector comprising a cover member arranged to be engaged by the capping member when the capping member is in the first position,

wherein the capping member is pivotally mounted to the carrier and is arranged to pivot relative to the carrier during back and forth transitional movement of the carrier between a transition position and the second position, the transition position being located intermediate the first and second positions, and

the carrier is pivotally mounted to a support by way of a pivotal element having a first pivot axis, and the capping member is pivotally mounted to the carrier by way of a pivoting arrangement having a second pivot axis that is located parallel to and spaced from the first pivot axis.

2. A protector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the transition position is located a distance from the second position which is small relative to the distance between the first and second positions.

3. A protector as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the ratio of the transitional pivotal movement of the carrier to the total pivotal movement of the carrier between the first and second positions is within the range 1:12 to 1:20.

4. A protector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuator is arranged to move the carrier pivotally between the first and second positions.

5. A protector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the capping member has a capping element that is radially displaced from the second pivot axis, and the radial displacement of the capping element from the second pivot axis is small relative to the spacing between the first and second pivot axes.

6. A protector as claimed in claim 5 , wherein, in the engagement of the cover member and the capping member, a recessed portion of the capping element is effectively closed against loss of contained moisture and ingress of contaminating material.

7. A protector as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the capping element incorporates a lip which is formed from an elastomeric material and is configured to locate about nozzles of the printhead when the capping member is in the second position.

8. A protector as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the cover member is constituted by a face portion of the carrier with which the lip of the capping element engages in the first position.

9. A protector as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the capping element comprises a substantially rigid channel-shaped element.

10. A protector as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the spacing between the first and second pivot axes is of the order of three times the radial displacement of the capping element from the second pivot axis.

11. A protector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the capping member is provided with at least one first stop member that is arranged to contact the printhead and thereby to effect pivoting of the capping member relative to the carrier as the carrier makes the transitional movement from the transition position to the second position.

12. A protector as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the capping member is provided with at least one second stop member that is arranged to contact the carrier and thereby prevent pivoting of the capping member relative to the carrier as the carrier moves from the transition position to the first position.