DUPLEX PRINTER ASSEMBLY HAVING CAPPING PRINTHEADS
A printer assembly for a pagewidth printer includes a casing defining a print media path; two pagewidth printheads mounted on opposite sides, respectively, of a print media path defined by the casing; capping members located adjacent respective printheads, each capping member inclined at a predetermined acute angle to a direction of travel of the print media through said path; and actuating mechanisms engaged with the printheads to rotate the printheads to the predetermined angle, and to move each capping member towards the respective printhead to cap nozzle arrangements located on printing zones of the printheads. The actuating mechanisms move each capping member along a path parallel to the print media path.
1 . A printer assembly for a pagewidth printer, the assembly comprising:
a casing defining a print media path;
two pagewidth printheads mounted on opposite sides, respectively, of a print media path defined by the casing;
capping members located adjacent respective printheads, each capping member inclined at a predetermined acute angle to a direction of travel of the print media through said path; and
actuating mechanisms engaged with the printheads to rotate the printheads to the predetermined angle, and to move each capping member towards the respective printhead to cap nozzle arrangements located on printing zones of the printheads, wherein
the actuating mechanisms move each capping member along a path parallel to the print media path.
2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined angle is approximately 40 degrees with respect to the direction of the print media through the path.
3 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuating mechanisms include geared motor drives with pneumatic actuators for effecting movement of the capping members.
4 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the capping members each include a body portion and, secured to the body portion, a capping portion having an integrally formed lip portion which surrounds a cavity.
5 . The assembly of claim 4 , wherein each body portion is formed from a metal or from a rigid plastics material and the capping and lip portions are formed from an elastomeric material.
6 . The assembly of claim 4 , wherein each cavity is lined with one of a hydrophobic material and a hydrophilic material, depending upon the function of the capping member and whether fluid that is purged from the printhead is to be expelled from, or retained in, the capping member.