Printer having relative arcuately moveable simplex printhead and capping mechanism
View Patent ↗A printer is provided having a pagewidth printhead assembly and a capping mechanism. The printhead assembly has a single pagewidth printhead and a plurality of nozzles located along the printhead and arranged in use to deliver ink onto print media as it is transported past the printhead. The capping mechanism has a capping member having a length corresponding substantially to that of the printhead and located in a non-capping first position spaced-apart from the printhead, and an actuating mechanism arranged to move the printhead between a first and second printhead positions and to move the capping member along an arcuate path from the first position to a second position at which the capping member is located in nozzle capping engagement with the printhead when the printhead is at the second printhead position.
1. A printer comprising:
(a) a pagewidth printhead assembly having—
(i) two pagewidth printheads, and
(ii) a plurality of nozzles located along each printhead and arranged in use to deliver ink onto a respective side of print media as it is transported between and past the printheads, and
(b) a capping mechanism having—
(i) a capping member having a length corresponding substantially to that of the printheads and located in a non-capping first position spaced-apart from the printheads, and
(ii) an actuating mechanism arranged to move the printheads arcuately between first and second printhead positions and to move the capping member arcuately from the first position to a second position at which the capping member is located in nozzle capping engagement with each printhead when the printheads are at the second printhead position.
2. The printer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the actuating mechanism is arranged to effect transitioning of the capping member in a direction approximately normal to the direction of transport of print media past each printhead.
3. The printer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the capping member comprises:
a) an elastomeric material lip portion and
b) a cavity surrounded by the lip portion, and wherein the lip portion is peripherally configured to surround the printhead nozzles.
4. The printer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the capping member is formed effectively as a one-piece member.
5. A printer according to claim 1 , wherein:
the capping mechanism further has purging means associated with the capping member and arranged to receive material that is purged from the nozzle environment of the printheads.