IP Library Granted Patent US 7,540,486
Granted Patent B2
US 7,540,486 · App. 12/145,490 · Granted Jun 2, 2009

Printer incorporating interposed air expulsion and air suction nozzles

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,540,486
App. No.
12/145,490
Granted
Jun 2, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A printer comprising: a support structure; a feed arrangement positioned on the support structure and configured to feed an endmost sheet of print media from the stack and including a movable pick-up assembly, the pick-up assembly having an array of spaced apart nozzles configured to direct air on to respective locations along said topmost sheet so that said topmost sheet can be picked-up from the stack by moving said pick-up assembly; a pair of rollers configured to engage with said endmost sheet fed from said feed arrangement; a printing station configured to print ink upon said endmost sheet engaged by said rollers; and an air displacement mechanism connected to the nozzles to displace air out of some expulsion nozzles and into some other suction nozzles, wherein said expulsion nozzles are interposed with said suction nozzles.

Claims (11)

1. A printer comprising:

a support structure;

a feed arrangement positioned on the support structure and configured to feed an endmost sheet of print media from the stack and including a movable pick-up assembly, the pick-up assembly having an array of spaced apart nozzles configured to direct air on to respective locations along said topmost sheet so that said topmost sheet can be picked-up from the stack by moving said pick-up assembly;

a pair of rollers configured to engage with said endmost sheet fed from said feed arrangement;

a printing station configured to print ink upon said endmost sheet engaged by said rollers; and

an air displacement mechanism connected to the nozzles to displace air out of some expulsion nozzles and into some other suction nozzles, wherein

said expulsion nozzles are interposed with said suction nozzles.

2. A printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said array consists of a one dimensional array.

3. A printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the air displacement mechanism includes an air pump in fluid communication with the expulsion nozzles.

4. A printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said printing station has a pair of opposed printhead assemblies between which said endmost sheet can be fed so that concurrent duplex printing can be performed on the endmost sheet.

5. A printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein one of said rollers is a drive roller and the other one of said rollers is a driven roller.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 25, 2014
From: ZAMTEC LIMITED
To: MEMJET TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 033244/0276 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 17, 2012
From: SILVERBROOK RESEARCH PTY. LIMITED AND CLAMATE PTY LIMITED
To: ZAMTEC LIMITED
Reel/Frame 028570/0361 →