MXPA00009004A - Modular approach for ink-jet technology - Google Patents
Modular approach for ink-jet technologyInfo
- Publication number
- MXPA00009004A MXPA00009004A MXPA/A/2000/009004A MXPA00009004A MXPA00009004A MX PA00009004 A MXPA00009004 A MX PA00009004A MX PA00009004 A MXPA00009004 A MX PA00009004A MX PA00009004 A MXPA00009004 A MX PA00009004A
- Authority
- MX
- Mexico
- Prior art keywords
- ink
- writing
- machine
- ink jet
- producing
- Prior art date
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Abstract
The present invention provides ink-jet writing engine modules for use with a compatible hard copy engine module, a hard copy apparatus based thereon, and methods of manufacturing, operation, and use. Fluidic and electronic partitioning for ink-jet hard copy apparatus is redefined. Modular separation of a hard copy engine from a writing engine allows a replaceable writing module containing all of the key elements of the ink-jet writing system based on writing system technology requirements, particularly for those most likely to age or fail as a result of time, frequency of use, or end-user actions. The writing engine subsystem includes:one or more printing modules having print head elements with concomitant ink manifold components and ink flow and pressure regulation mechanisms;one or more ink containers - either permanent, refillable, or replaceable;one or more ink formulations;one or more ink delivery means, such as tubes and valves fluidically coupling the ink containers to the ink manifolds;service station components;and a framework to retain the elements in a unitary module, insertable cassette-like manner. The present invention further provides a hard copy engine compatible with such a writing engine. The hard copy engine does not contain any components requiring direct contact with ink. Ink-wetted components are predisposed to ink-jet technological changes without affecting the electrical interface and the mechanical interface between the writing engine and the hard copy engine.
Description
MODULAR METHOD FOR INK JET TECHNOLOGY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to inkjet technology and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for producing printed copies with devices and systems for producing printed copies by jet of ink. ink, modular.
2. Description of Related Art Inkjet technology is relatively well developed. Commercial products such as computer printers, plotters, copiers, and facsimile machines use inkjet technology to produce hard copies. The bases of this technology are described, for example, in several articles in the Hewlett-Packard Journal, Vol. 36, No. 5 (May 1985), Vol. 39, No. 4 (August 1988), Vol. 39 , No. 5 (October 1988), vol. 43, No. 4 (August 1992), Vol 43, No. 6 (December 1992) and Vol 45, No. 1 (February 1994) Ink jet devices are also described by WJ Lloyd and HT Taub in Output Hardcopy [sic] Devices, chapter 13 (Ed. RC Durbeck and S. Sherr, Academic Press, San Diego, 1988.) Fundamentally, FIGURE 1 (PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE) describes an apparatus for producing inkjet printed copies, in this exemplary embodiment a peripheral computer printer, 101. A housing 103 contains the electrical and mechanical operating mechanisms of the printer 101. In general, the operation is driven by an electronic controller (usually a microprocessor or application-specific integrated circuit). ("ASIC") controlled by a printed circuit board, not shown) connected by the appropriate cables to a computer (not shown) .It is well known how to program and execute imaging and printing, imaging media manipulation. pressure, control functions and data processing logic with fixed instructions or instructions in the program and programming systems. The printing means that cut sheets 105, loaded by the end user in an input tray 107, are fed by a suitable internal paper path transport mechanism (not shown) to a printing station where graphics or photographic images are created. and alphanumeric text. A carriage 109, mounted on a slide roller 111, scans the printing medium. An encoder band 113 is provided to maintain the course of the position of the carriage 109 at any given time. A set 115 of individual ink jet pens, or print cartridges, 117A-117D is releasably mounted on carriage 109 for easy access (generally, inks are provided for the primary subtractive colors, cyan, yellow, magenta (CMY) and true black (K)). Once a printed page is completed, the printing medium is ejected by the transport mechanism on an output tray 119. The heart of the apparatus for producing ink jet prints is the writing instrument itself, commonly referred to as a "print cartridge". print "or" pen "). As shown in FIGURE 2 (the object of separating patent applications granted to the beneficiary of the present invention), an exemplary inkjet pen 210 includes a body, or frame, 212 that encapsulates an ink reservoir, or a ink accumulator chamber and related printhead regulating mechanisms
(not shown), which contain fluid ink or a printing fluid of the type of heat fusion. A print head 214 includes a nozzle plate 216 having a plurality of small holes (e.g., with a diameter of about twenty ÎĽm) 217 of which small droplets of ink are ejected or ejected (e.g., about ten picoliters) ) on adjacent printing media when the pens scan through the printing zone at high speed (approximately 25 inches per second), "cps"), (63.5 centimeters per second), depositing drops of ink in patterns that through manipulation of the dot matrix form alphanumeric text characters or graphic images. A flexible circuit 218 includes electrical contacts 220 for connecting boom 210 to the electronic controller. The elements of the print head have a limited life due to the electrical, thermodynamic and dynamic loads of the fluid imposed during the operation. Thus, in the current state of the art, a costly and functionally significant portion of the writing system must be replaced with each change in print cartridge. The elements of the apparatus directly involved with the inking of a printing medium - in other words, all the components of the system that come into contact with the ink, in addition to the printing means themselves - which are hereinafter referred to as a writing machine / elements that do not write the system of the apparatus to produce printed copies are hereinafter referred to as a machine for producing printed copies. Cartridges, pens, ink reservoirs, and the like are referred to as ink jet consumables. (The use of those terms is for convenience for description and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, nor should any of such intentions or limitations be implied). Having become commercially practicable in the early 1980s, inkjet technology is a relatively young field of invention. In the state of the art of inkjet technical systems, two complementary writing instruments have become commercially available. The first is the type of disposable print cartridge. The second is the type of semi-permanent printhead pen. The disposable writing instrument has an autonomous reservoir ("on the axle" or "on board"; what it means in a general way about the pen cartridge subsystem) to store ink and provide the appropriate quantities of ink in the print head during a printing or service cycle throughout the life of the writing instrument. When it runs out of ink, the entire ink cartridge is replaced by an end user. When the ink jet technology was in its early stages, the life expectancy of the print head was roughly equivalent to the amount of ink remaining in the ink reservoir on board. More recently, advances in the state of the art for the design and manufacture of the printhead have led to a longer operating life expectancy for the printhead that can be used with a non-replaceable ink reservoir, of reasonable size. In this way, the development and commercialization of a second commercial type using a replaceable ink service subsystem employing a semi-permanent printing element, where the ink is supplied to the print head mechanism from a localized replaceable ink reservoir and either on the axis or "off-axis", (with respect to the subsystem of the pen cartridge), such as a bladder or diverted ink bag (see for example, U.S. Patent No. 5,359,353 to (Hunt et al.) granted to the common beneficiary of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference). This second type of writing instrument, the semi-permanent pen, may also include mechanisms for regulating both the back pressure of the necessary print head (on an ink-free ink jet writing instrument) and the ink flow from the ink reservoir. ink from the reservoir to the pen (shown in FIGURE 2 as having an ink inlet mechanism 222 that would mate 223 to the replaceable or refillable off-axis ink supplies 224). The apparatus for producing printed copies of the off-axis type, locates reservoirs of replaceable or refillable inks, separate, within the housing of the fixed apparatus 103, FIGURE 1, and coupled in a manner aporpiated to the set of moving pens 115 via ink ducts , such as tubes that are impervious to the chemical components of the ink. In the apparatus for producing printed copies of the type on the shaft, the separate ink reservoirs, replaceable or refillable ones are coupled to the interface or interconnection of ink of the printhead directly and are located on the mobile pen cartridge system. Each commercial configuration has advantages and disadvantages. The writing instrument of the disposable printing type is simple and easy to use but expensive, since the mechanism of the relatively expensive print head is discarded together with the ink chamber on the axis once the ink is completely consumed. Furthermore, the ink chamber on the non-replaceable axis in and by itself inherently limits the number of pages that can be printed due to its relatively small ink capacity. With the increase in the longevity of the print head, end users have re-filled their remanufactured printing equipment at lower costs that are less expensive than replacing it with a new print cartridge. The use of equipment to fill ink is often an annoying task. Moreover, the need and desire for an even less expensive ink continues to grow. The recent commercialization of almost photographic quality inkjet printing has increased ink end-user consumption much faster than in the past, when simple text and single-color graphic imaging was the norm. Still traditional business documents are now including more images and complete graphics, thus consuming more ink. Naturally, the costs of replacing the end user increase. The semi-permanent pen type system is potentially more economical for the end user. The ink subsystem, replaceable, on the shaft, offers a lower cost per page printing, but requires the end user to replace smaller ink reservoirs more frequently than with off-axis implementations. This is due to the physical limitation of how much ink can be reasonably transported by the cartridge system. Similar to the disposable pressure cartridge system, there are also performance and size penalties due to the mass and volume of the ink reservoirs on the shaft. The device for producing printed copies of the off-axis ink reservoir type can potentially have a smaller cartridge and offer a larger ink reservoir; the penalty is a more complex design, including additional ink distribution mechanisms within the device, which add cost.
The benefits of the larger ink reservoir are in potentially greater performance due to a cartridge with lower mass, lower frequency of user intervention and an even lower cost per page. In a system for producing full color printed copies using a plurality of semi-permanent pens, a plurality of off-axis ink reservoirs, and a concomitant set of interconnections, if a printing error occurs, the source of the problem may be difficult to solve. to locate. The diagnosis by the end user may be impossible unless the manufacturer provides expensive technology to solve problems. Changes in the formulation of the ink - either by the manufacturer of the original device or by a second source that uses cheaper materials and chemicals - can also result in the user inadvertently replacing a reservoir with an incompatible model, resulting again in printing errors or even catastrophic equipment failures. Moreover, in some implementations, certain elements of the writing subsystem are not replaced with the ink supply, such as a reservoir pipe, boom, valves, and the like, thus design criteria can be employed - including formulations Chemicals of the ink - so that these elements have a life expectancy greater than that of the components of the machine to produce printed copies. In addition, all of the above configurations require a costly permanent service station (ie, equalizing the life expectancy of the system to produce hard copies), which includes the primary functions of cleaning the nozzle orifices of the ink print head accumulated (cleaner (s)), collection of residual ink (manifolds (s)), and provide protection to the print head by covering it while it is not being used (caps or lid devices). Although apparently a simple device, the technology of the ink jet service station presents many design challenges. Non-replaceable service elements can be designed to extend the lifetime of the machine to produce hard copies. For example, design restrictions are placed on the product size as the algorithms of the printing element services due to the limited capacity of a permanent jet. The manifold must be large enough to keep the ink residue away from all service operations during the life of the machine to produce hard copies, not just from the writing machine. This limits the volume of ink that can be splashed during each service interval. Limiting the amount of ink for printhead service limits the design flexibility for writing instruments. In addition, prolonged use can cause some of the service items, namely the lid and the cleaner to become fatigued or worn, or the ink collected to form a cake and become a problem. Note also that printhead faults, such as ink leakage, can cause the service elements to not operate; service components that fail can cause failures in any new writing instrument after it is installed. In addition, if a new print cartridge contains an ink that is not compatible with the ink that has been left in the service elements of a previous ink cartridge, the new print cartridge may fail due to contamination of the ink in the print cartridge. service station. In order not to replace the elements of the service with each new print cartridge, the choice of future inks is limited by the composition of the use of the previous ink. In this way, permanent service stations raise the costs of manufacturing and support. A key to the commercial success of both disposable printing cartridge and semi-permanent pen ink jet printing systems is the high quality of printing - which approximates the quality of photographic printing, electrophotographic and laser - at a relatively low cost achieved through the use of replaceable printing elements. Aungue is known commercially as packing and selling the ink jet components together, the present invention provides a concept which uses a new method both as ink jet consumables and for apparatuses for producing printed copies. The goal is to get the benefits of both disposable and off-axis ink jet technologies without the associated disadvantages of each. Therefore, the distribution of the components and functions of ink jet printing of the state of the art was undertaken within an apparatus for producing inkjet printed copies.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In its basic aspects, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing an apparatus for producing inkjet printed copies. The method includes the steps of: • manufacturing a machine to produce inkjet printed copies that do not have wet components by inkjet; and manufacturing a plurality of interchangeable, unit ink jet writing machines containing all wet ink jet components, equipping the machine for producing hard copies and the writing machine for replaceable interconnecting of writing machines with the machine for producing printed copies, so that the machine for producing printed copies is reusable with a sequential plurality of writing machines. In another basic aspect, the present invention provides a method for mounting an apparatus for producing ink jet printed copies having a machine for producing ink jet printed copies that includes the known inkjet printer paper transport devices. . The method includes the steps of: supplying at least one unitary ink jet module, having all the wet components of an apparatus for producing ink jet printed copies, including at least one ink jet print head , contained therein in an operational configuration; and inserting the module into the machine to produce ink jet prints so that the insert of the module automatically integrates the wet components with respect to the paper transport devices in an operationally functional configuration and with the print head aligned.
In another basic aspect, the present invention provides a method for improving the operating characteristics of an apparatus for producing inkjet printed copies. The method includes the steps of: providing in a timely manner the writing modules, of unit construction, of selectively replaceable use, which contain all the wet components of an apparatus for producing printed inkjet copies of a first set of technology for the apparatus for producing printed copies; provide on a timely basis second writing modules, of unitary construction, of selectively replaceable use, physically compatible with the first writing machines and containing all the wet components of an inkjet apparatus, wherein at least one wet component of the apparatus Inkjet is a second set of technology that exceeds the first set of technology; and replacing a first module of the writing machine with a second module of the writing machine in the apparatus to produce printed copies. The steps to provide the second writing modules with wet component technology updates on the wet components of the first modules of the writing machine were considered, and the second write modules were provided with a chargeable code for transfer to the apparatus to produce hard copies. . In another basic aspect, the present invention provides a method for converting an apparatus for producing ink jet print copies from having a first set of ink jet printing characteristics to having a second set of ink jet printing characteristics, different. The method includes the steps of: providing a plurality of classes of inkjet writing machines, each class has a different inkjet printing feature set; providing a machine for producing printed copies having at least one module for selectively receiving ink-jet writing machines therein, so that the insertion of a writing machine automatically configures the apparatus to produce ink-jet printed copies; insert a writing magic of a first class in the module; and • converting the apparatus to produce printed copies to a set of different ink jet printing characteristics by removing the first class writing machine and inserting a second class writing machine.
In still another basic aspect, the present invention provides a method for establishing printing functionality of an apparatus for producing ink jet printed copies. The method includes the steps of: providing a machine device for producing ink jet printed copies having all the dry components of an ink jet printer, including at least one cassette type module; provide punctually, selectively replaceable, ink jet writing machines having all the wet components of an ink jet printer in a cassette adapted to be inserted in the cassette type module; and restoring the printing functionality of the apparatus to produce hard copies by replacing a writing machine that does not work with a working writing machine. In another basic aspect, the present invention provides another method for restoring the printing functionality of an apparatus for producing inkjet printed copies. The method includes the steps of: providing a machine device for producing ink jet printed copies having all the dry components of an ink jet printer, including at least one cassette type module;
provide punctually unitary, inkjet writing machines of selectively replaceable use, having all the wet components of an inkjet printer in a cassette adapted to be inserted in the cassette type module, each of the writing constructed for the replacement at the point of use of the individual wet components in it; and restoring the printing functionality of the apparatus to produce hard copies by replacing the individual wet components of a writing machine that does not work by replacing a writing machine that does not work with a writing machine that functions. In another basic aspect, the present invention provides a method for reconfiguring an apparatus for producing printed copies. The method includes the steps of: providing an installed base of the apparatus for producing printed copies, each having a machine for producing printed copies adapted to sequentially receive replaceable modules by the end user including all wet ink jet components in an inkjet writing machine, autonomous, unitary; and providing the end users with a selection of the modules having a variety of inkjet printing characteristics, so that the selection and replacement of the modules reconfigures the apparatus to the printing characteristics associated with the selected module. Among the additional basic aspects, the present invention provides a modular inkjet apparatus having a writing machine in which all the individual elements directly involved with the inking process are combined into an easily storable, disposable, or renewable module and replaceable. A compatible print production machine is also provided. In a basic aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for producing printed copies, which has writing machine modules for inking printing media, each module includes ink jet printing mechanisms for transferring ink from the writing machine modules to the printing means, service mechanisms for maintaining the functional integrity of the ink jet of the writing machine module, at least one predetermined ink, at least one mechanism containing ink to contain a predetermined amount of at least one predetermined ink , distribution mechanisms to distribute the ink of the mechanisms that contain it to the mechanisms of inkjet printing, and mechanisms
power lines for connecting power and control to the mechanisms of the writing machine, and housing mechanisms for housing the printing mechanisms, service mechanisms, ink, ink-containing mechanisms, distribution mechanisms, and electrical mechanisms, in a configuration operative as a unit selectively replaceable within the apparatus to produce hard copies; and, mechanisms of the machine for producing printed copies for distributing printing media to and from a location of the printing zone of a printing station of a machine to produce hard copies and to locate the writing machine in relation to the location of the printing machine. printing area. In another basic aspect, the present invention provides a writing machine for use with an apparatus for producing printed copies adapted to selectively receive a writing machine therein, which includes: ink jet printing mechanisms for transferring ink to printing media; at least one predetermined ink; at least one mechanism containing ink to contain a predetermined amount of at least one predetermined ink; distribution mechanisms to distribute the ink of the mechanisms that contain it to the printing mechanisms; electrical mechanisms to place power and logic signals to the writing machine;
service mechanisms to service the ink jet printing mechanisms; housing mechanisms for housing the printing mechanisms, ink, ink-containing mechanisms, distribution mechanisms, electrical mechanisms, and service mechanisms in a non-unified mounting container that provides a replaceable modular unit; and housing mechanisms and ink jet printing mechanisms having mechanisms to selectively interconnect with the apparatus to produce printed copies when received therein, so that the ink jet printing mechanisms are placed to print ink on the means of printing. In another basic aspect, the present invention provides subsystems of the writing module for an apparatus for producing inkjet printed copies adapted to receive at least one subsystem of the writing module in an operational configuration with the apparatus for producing printed copies by jetting. of ink, each of the subsystems of the writing module includes: all the components of the apparatus for producing inkjet printed copies that come into contact with the ink, and the mechanisms for selectively coupling and decoupling a subsystem of the writing module as a unit a and the apparatus for producing printed copies, respectively, so that the subsystems of the writing module are selectively replaceable. The components include mechanisms to protect the fluidic integrity of the print head components when the subsystem of the writing module is decoupled from the apparatus to produce printed copies. In another basic aspect, the present invention provides a subsystem of the writing module for an apparatus for producing inkjet printed copies adapted to receive the subsystem of the writing module in an operative configuration therewith, including: all wet components of the apparatus to produce printed copies by inkjet; the mechanisms for electrically connecting the subsystem of the writing module to the apparatus to produce printed copies by ink jet; and mechanisms for mechanically aligning the subsystem of the writing module to the apparatus to produce ink jet printed copies; and mechanisms for selectively downloading the write module subsystem as a unit of the apparatus for producing hard copies and maintaining the functional integrity of the wet components while the writing module subsystem is unloaded, so that the writing module subsystem is reusable inserting the subsystem of the writing module into the apparatus to produce printed copies by ink jet.
In yet another basic aspect, the present invention provides an ink jet writing machine that includes a unitary module containing all wet components for an apparatus for producing ink jet printed copies respectively mounted on an operating construct, having an electrical interconnection and a mechanical interconnection to integrate the module into an apparatus for producing printed copies, so that there is no fluidic interconnection between the module and the apparatus to produce hard copies rather than the transfer of printing fluid from the module onto the printing media inside the apparatus to produce printed copies. In still another basic aspect, the present invention provides an inkjet writing machine that includes: a housing; an ink reservoir inside the housing; ink contained within the reservoir; a writing instrument inside the housing; a fluidic coupling between the ink reservoir and the writing instrument; a service station within the housing mounted in operative relation to service the writing instrument; and electronic controls mounted within the housing connected to at least the writing instrument and containing specific control information for the printing and service functionality of the writing machine.
In still another basic aspect, the present invention provides a machine for producing printed copies for an apparatus for producing printed copies adapted to use a cassette-type writing machine that contains all the wet components of an ink jet system, including less an ink reservoir having ink therein fluidically coupled to an inking mechanism within the writing machine for transferring ink from the writing machine to the printing means within the apparatus to produce printed copies using the inkjet processes . The machine for producing printed copies includes: a printing station; mechanisms for transporting printing media to and from the printing station; and mechanisms for interconnecting the machine to produce mechanically and electrically printed copies with the writing machine, the interconnection mechanisms include a cassette compartment for receiving the writing machine thereon for positioning the writing machine in relation to the apparatus for producing copies printed, mechanisms for mechanically and electrically coupling and activating the wet components of the writing machine, and mechanisms for aligning the inking mechanisms of the writing machine to the printing station. In another basic aspect, the present invention provides a machine for producing printed copies that includes: an ink jet printing station, a transport of printing means mounted in relation to the printing station to move the printing means to and from the printing station; a writing machine assembly having a writing instrument interconnection for aligning the ink jet writing instruments of the writing machine with the printing station, so that the writing machines are interchangeable, and an activator of the ink jet service station mounted in relation to the writing machine assembly, so that the trigger is interconnected with a writing machine service station, where the machine for producing printed copies has no components coming into contact with the ink. In another basic aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for producing printed, modular copies, which includes: a first unitary module that includes all the components of the machine to produce printed copies, the first unitary module has a first life expectancy of the equipment; a second unit module including all the components of the ink jet writing machine, the second unit module having a second life expectancy of the equipment substantially shorter than the first life expectancy of the equipment; and it is located on the first unitary module and a second unitary module, complementary mechanisms for selectively interconnecting the second unitary module in the first unitary module, so that the insertion of the second unitary module in the first unitary module automatically forms an apparatus for produce print-ready inkjet prints, where the second unit module is replaceable. In addition, the second unit module is replaceable a plurality of times, where the number of times of replacement is approximately equal to the ratio of the first life expectancy of the equipment to the second life expectancy of the equipment. In another basic aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for producing inkjet printed copies that includes: a first integrated module that includes all the dry components of the machine to produce printed copies, the first integrated module has a first life expectancy of the team; a second integrated module that includes all the wet components of the ink jet writing machine, the second integrated module has a second life expectancy of the equipment substantially shorter than the first life expectancy of the equipment; and located on the first integrated module and the second integrated module, mechanical and electromechanical complementary mechanisms for selectively interconnecting the second module integrated to the first integrated module, so that the insertion of the second module integrated to the first integrated module automatically forms an apparatus for produce print-ready inkjet prints, where the second integrated module is replaceable during the first life expectancy of the equipment. In a further basic aspect, the present invention provides a method for operating an apparatus for producing printed copies, which includes capturing an insertable writing machine that contains all of the wet components for the inkjet in a machine to produce compatible printed copies, of so that the ink jet printing functions and the service functions of the ink jet component are automatically integrated into the apparatus to produce printed copies by inserting the writing machine into it. In another basic aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for producing printed copies that includes: an ink jet writing machine, having a printing element; and a machine for producing ink-jet printed copies, having a receiving station, wherein the writing machine and the machine for producing printed copies are selectively interlaced so that the machine for producing printed copies arranges the printing element and in addition to that the machine for producing printed copies can selectively remove the printing element from the writing machine and transport the printing element to a position for ink jet printing and selectively return the printing element to the writing machine when is not printing by ink jet. In another basic aspect, the present invention provides an improved system for producing inkjet printed copies, including the combination of a plurality of interchangeable writing machines in the form of cassette modules, each cassette module containing all wet components. of a system for producing inkjet printed copies, the plurality provides different ink jet printing capabilities; and at least one machine for producing printed copies, which contains wet components of a system for producing inkjet printed copies, to selectively receive at least one cassette module therein to form a system for producing inkjet printed copies, operative, together with this one. - In another basic aspect, the present invention provides an ink jet system, the system includes
(1) a cassette of writing machine, which includes: a printing component having an entry for receiving at least one ink therethrough, a print head, and a multiple component for transferring ink from the entrance to the head of printing, at least one component in the form of an ink reservoir fluidically coupled to the printing element; at least one ink formulation contained within the reservoir; a service component for covering and cleaning the print head and for receiving residual ink splashed by the print head during the service thereof; a first component of the electronic controller connected to the printhead; a first electrical connected component for connecting power in control signals to the cassette; electrical connections connecting the first electronic controller to the first electrical connector; a housing that contains all the components of the cassette; and (2) a machine to produce printed copies, which includes; a compartment for the cassette to receive the cassette of the writing machine in it; a carriage for receiving the printing component when the cassette is received in the cassette compartment and for translationally moving the printing component outwards and backwards towards the cassette of the writing machine; and a reverse motor coupled to the carriage to provide translational movement thereto; a mechanism for feeding printing means to a position proximate to the printing component when the carriage is translationally moving the printing component; a second electrical connector component for connecting to the first electrical connector component when the cassette is received in the cassette compartment; a second electronic controller for providing power and control signals; electrical connections that connect the second electrical connector to the second electronic controller; a mechanism for engaging and activating the functions of the service component when the cassette is received in the cassette compartment; and a housing that spans the machine to produce hard copies. ~ In another basic aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for producing printed copies that includes: a machine for producing printed copies, having a subsystem of transportation of printing means for moving the printing means through a region or area of printing of the magic to produce printed copies and a cassette compartment to receive writing machines in it; and a plurality of writing machines to be selectively inserted into the cassette compartment and removed from the cassette compartment, so that insertion into the cassette compartment aligns the writing machine to the region of the print area, each the writing machines contain essentially all the wet components of an apparatus for producing ink jet prints and where each of the writing machines has different printing characteristics.
In another basic aspect, the present invention provides an ink jet printing system that includes: a machine for producing printed copies having a cassette compartment; a first cassette of writing machine including ink having a first composition; and a second cassette of writing machine including ink having a second composition, wherein the first composition and the second composition have mutual incompatibilities for ink jet printing, the cassette compartment selectively receives any of the first cassette of the writing machine or the second cassette of the writing machine for printing, so that contamination of the machine is not incurred to produce printed copies due to mutual incompatibilities during the serial selection of the first writing machine and the second writing machine. An advantage of the present invention is that the modular writing subsystems and the machine subsystems for producing modular printed copies can be independently developed as improvements to the state of the art's progress. An advantage of the present invention is that it provides an OEM with the ability to repeatedly convert an installed base of machines to produce hard copies of improved writing machine technologies.
An advantage of the present invention is that it allows designs, which can equal the volumes of the reservoir to the life expectancy of the print head, optimizing the adjustment of the component both in operation and in cost. An advantage of the present invention is that it provides a modular method for inkjet printing systems that is convenient and economical for end users and original equipment manufacturers ("OEMs") as well. An advantage of the present invention is that modular replacement features virtually eliminate the need for procedures to solve problems in the inkjet writing system. An advantage of the present invention is that it improves the machinability of the machine apparatus to produce ink jet prints by eliminating the "wet" processes of assembly operation, i.e., those dealing with ink volume supplies, filled with ink , and similar. Another advantage of the present invention is that it uses a smaller number of replaceable individual components, if any, a smaller number of interconnections between the writing machine and the machine to produce printed copies, thereby reducing the costs and complexity of operation and use.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the complete replaceability of the writing machine in a single module provides more degrees of freedom for design modifications in accordance with the advancement of the state of the art and for solving problems of the writing machine in a installed base. Another advantage of the present invention is that it allows the OEM to introduce updates at very low cost, but at all, to the end user. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the components of the limited life service station can be manufactured to specifications for the estimated life of the writing machine module in place of the machine to produce printed copies, thereby lowering the manufacturing costs. Because write system failures can be caused by both too little use and too much use, one advantage of the present invention is that it provides a writing machine that can have an estimated life expectancy based on time or usage, for example, a year or a fixed number in the printed pages, whichever occurs first. A further advantage of the present invention is that it is adaptable to a variety of repeatedly changing implementations based on the type of use: activities of use in the home, office, recreational hobby, computer for children, and the like. A further advantage of the present invention is that it is adaptable to provide the end user with a variety of selectively replaceable modules aimed at producing different results in the printed copy, for example, continuous black text, color graphics, grayscale images. , full-color photo quality printing, and the like, based on the user's immediate needs. A further advantage of the present invention is that it is adaptable to provide the end user with a variety of cost options, eg, slower modules / lower cost versus faster / higher cost modules; low quality / low cost modules against photographic / high cost modules. An even further advantage of the present invention is that it provides the OEM with simpler recycling contingencies. Still another advantage of the present invention is that it provides the OEM with the ability to renew and remarket. Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a more environmentally conscious product. Still another advantage of the present invention is that it provides the OEM and the end user with simpler, disposable product testing procedures.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that a unitary modular writing machine provides to the OEM a factor of reliability of the product transported greater. Another advantage of the present invention is that it reduces printing costs per page. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it allows an apparatus for producing inkjet printed copies with a smaller footprint of the workspace. Still another advantage of the present invention is that it allows a greater variety of writing systems for special needs. A further advantage of the present invention is that it allows product development strategies of the machine to produce printed copies and the separate writing machine. A further advantage of the present invention is that it allows the administration of the simplified commercial distribution and supply chain. A further advantage of the present invention is that it allows separately generating machines to produce printed copies, which do not require intimate knowledge of inkjet technology. An even further advantage of the present invention is that it allows the removal and repeated storage of an inkjet writing subsystem without the need for special mechanito prevent degradation prior to reuse. Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following explanation and the accompanying drawings, in which designations with similar references represent similar features throughout the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 (PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE) is a perspective view of the schematic drawing of an apparatus for producing commercial, exemplary ink jet prints. FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the schematic drawing of an ink jet pen such as may be used in an apparatus such as the one shown in FIGURE 1. FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the schematic drawing (partially in section) of the pertinent components of a machine for producing printed, modular copies, according to the present invention to be used in conjunction with the writing machine according to the present invention. FIGURE 4 is a perspective view, of the partial exploded view, of the schematic drawing of a modular writing machine in accordance with the present invention to be used in conjunction with the machine to produce printed copies as shown in FIGURE 3. FIGURE 4A is an exploded view of the writing machine as shown on page 4. FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the schematic drawing of the writing machine as shown in FIGURE 4 coupled to the components of the machine. to produce printed copies of FIGURE 3. FIGURE 5A is a perspective view of the schematic drawing of the writing machine as shown in FIGURE 4, being inserted into a machine to produce hard copies as shown in FIGURE 3 FIGURE 6 is a perspective view (lower angle) of the schematic drawing of a module of the writing machine as shown in FIGURE. FIGURE 7 is a fluidic block diagram according to the present invention as shown in FIGURE 4. FIGURE 8 (Prior Art) is a fluidic block diagram for a disposable print cartridge based on the ink jet system . FIGURE 9 (Prior Art) is a fluidic block diagram for the supply of replaceable ink based on the ink jet system.
FIGURE 10 is an electrical block diagram according to the present invention as shown in FIGURE 4. FIGURE 11 (Prior Art) is an electrical block diagram for an HPmr computer printer
DeskJetmr 850c, being the type that uses a disposable print cartridge system as shown in FIGURE
8. FIGURE 12 (Prior Art) is an electrical block diagram for the apparatus for producing printed copies of the type using a replaceable ink supply system as shown in FIGURE 9. FIGURE 13 is a perspective view in accordance with the present invention as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5A with the writing machine module installed in the machine to produce printed copies of writing machine a
"Ready mode". FIGURE 14 is a perspective view according to the present invention as shown in FIGURE 13, with the writing machine module installed in the machine to produce printed copies in a "print mode". FIGURE 15 is a perspective view in accordance with the present invention as shown in FIGURE 14 to demonstrate a flexible rear circuit.
FIGURE 16 is an elevation drawing that schematically depicts a service station of the exemplary embodiment, its interconnection of the machine for producing printed copies, and its operation as may be employed in the present invention, as shown in FIGURES 13 and 14 FIGURE 17 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIGURE 4, in which an alternative service station construct is described. FIGURE 18 is an alternative embodiment of a writing machine according to the present invention in a perspective view (upper angle). FIGURE 19 is the alternative embodiment of the writing machine shown in FIGURE 18 in a perspective view (bottom angle). It should be understood that the drawings referenced in this specification were not drawn to scale except where specifically indicated.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITY Reference is now made in detail to a specific embodiment of the present invention, which illustrates the best mode contemplated so far by the inventors to practice the invention. Alternative modalities are also described briefly when applicable. Although shown as the "prior art", it should be recognized that FIGURE 1 also represents an apparatus for producing generic print copies, both for application purposes and for the bases of the claims of the present invention, with respect to the components that would be well known in the art; for example, lodgings, paper trays, controls and the like, for which the additional detailed explanation is strange for those who do not understand the present invention. Subtitles are provided here simply for convenience to the reader; it is not intended that there be a limitation on the scope of the invention nor will any imply it.
Machines for Producing Printed Copies According to the present invention. FIGURE 3 demonstrates the components of a machine for producing printed copies 301 adapted to interconnect with a writing machine (as will be described in detail here later with respect to FIGURE 4). External scaffolds, paper trays, electronic control boards, and other components of the machine for producing printed copies are well known to those skilled in the art and inclusion of details to understand the present invention is not necessary. Thus, FIGURE 1 describes those certain characteristics of a machine for producing printed copies of an apparatus for producing complete printed copies, as would be known and used in the art according to the present invention. A mounting 303 of the frame 337 having a stepper motor for the printing means 305 and a transmission in the form of drive rollers for the printing means 307 mounted in a suitable manner on it. An exemplary printing medium, the paper sheet 309 is shown, obtaining a printing area made in the cut 311, as indicated by the arrow and the shaded lines, which has a height of the cutting width approximately equal to the dimension of the height of the hole of the print head; The width of the cutting width is approximately from edge to edge through the sheet of paper. Note, however, that a variety of printhead modes are known in the art, the print area 311 is not limited in practice only to the area of the indicated cut width; For example, theoretically, a printhead along the sheet could print a whole sheet in a pass. A lower drive roller of the means 312 moves the media through the printing area 311 during a printing cycle, the means usually recording a cutting width after one or more scans of the printing element. A module carriage 313 is adapted to run on an anti-rotation rod 315 and a slide bar 317. A variety of carriage designs 313 can be implemented in the printing module; in the exemplary implementation shown, the carriage 313 includes a tubular slide 319 that encompasses the slide bar 317 and a tensioner pulley 321 running over the anti-rotation rod 315. A reversible drive motor 323 has a motor shaft 325 coupled to a band. drive 327, which in turn is coupled to the carriage 313 so that bidirectional translation movement can be imparted to the carriage 313 to scan a print writing machine module (as will be described in greater detail here later with respect to Figure 6) mounted thereon through the printing means 309. Other carriage drive mechanisms such as cable winches, screw drive devices, and the like as would be known in the art are compatible with the present invention. The position of the carriage is followed through an encoder module 329 mounted on the carriage 313 and a coding band 331 mounted on the frame 337; see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,874 (Majette, granted to the common beneficiary of the present invention writing machine incorporated herein by reference). Although several implementations of the elements of the machine to produce printed, individual copies, just described are well known in the art, the modular adaptation to interconnect with a unit writing machine module is unique. In this regard, the carriage of the printing module 313 includes a bracket 333 having a cavity 335 carried therein for releasably receiving a component of the printing module of a writing machine, so that the printing module is captured by a fixed relation to the carriage 313 by the action of installing the entire writing module on the machine to produce printed copies 301, or after the insertion of the writing machine by the movement action of the carriage to couple with the movement of writing. In this way, the printing module is removable from the writing machine for scanning through zone 311 and then being reinserted back into the writing machine. The carriage 313 uses its cavities 335 and its references 336 as necessary to properly align the printing module with respect to the printing zone of the media 311. In other words, together with the development of modular writing machines, the machine to produce printed copies 301 includes berthing features of the writing machine module the writing machine. The carriage 313 is operatively located to interlock with a writing instrument of a writing machine either when the writing machine is received in the machine to produce printed copies or after insertion of the writing module by the action of the movement of the car to be coupled with the writing instrument. Note that the machine for producing printed copies 301 is also a modular design specifically adapted to interconnect with a compatible writing machine module design; an inkjet printing submodule of the writing module is automatically coupled and aligned in an appropriate manner to scan through a printing area on the printing means with the simple act of inserting such a writing machine into the machine to produce printed copies. In the embodiment shown, the machine for producing printed copies 301 has its components adapted to remove the printing module from an inserted writing machine to perform printing operations to place the printing module back into the writing module when it is not printing. Clearly, a variety of other commercial impressions are possible. See, for example, Figures 18 and 19 described hereinafter. Although not illustrated, the inventors specifically claim that a machine for producing printed copies in accordance with the present invention can have more than one cassette compartment of the writing machine for receiving writing machines therein. In addition, it is recognized that the disk mechanism can also be used to change the writing machines in a cassette compartment.
Writing Machines Figure 4 describes an exemplary embodiment of a writing machine 401. As will be obvious to one skilled in the art, a wide variety of writing machine modules can be designed to suit the needs of a particular commercial implementation. Fundamentally, the purpose of the inventor is to have a writing machine 401 that separates the "wet" inkjet components, which comprise those components that come into contact with the ink or support components directly in contact with the ink (frames, connections of the print head, and the like) of the rest of the apparatus to produce printed copies. A unit of hosted writing machine that is inserted simply by the end user in the form of a cassette construct, with that simple action achieves a total integration of the system, is the goal in the distribution of this system to produce printed copies by ink-jet. At the end of the writing unit's life, it is easily removed and removed or returned to the OEM for renewal or recycling. The system to produce printed copies is rejuvenated by placing again an ink system, similar to a cassette, used, with a new one. The system is altered by replacing a cassette having first printing characteristics with a cassette having different printing characteristics, for example, a black text printing ink writing machine module for printing documents against a writing machine module. neon ink for printing t-shirts by means of transfer sheet. A housing of the writing machine 403 forms a case for the components of the writing machine 401; The specifications of this accommodation are the subject of the implementation of the specific design of the machine to produce printed copies for the interconnection of the writing machine. The housing 403 houses a printing submodule 405, a service station module 407, and at least one ink reservoir, four are shown for a full color CMYK implementation - 411, 413, 415, 417, together with the tubes of associated ink 421, 423, 425, 427, and flow control fluid couplings from the reservoir to the tube, such as valves 431, 433, 435, 437 ,. respectively. The ink flow tubes 421-427 can be tied with a harness and guided in and out of the housing 403, where a band of the housing 404 is provided with appropriate cuts 443, 447 to accommodate the insertion similar to a cassette of the writing machine 401 in the machine for producing printed copies 301 and the subsequent extraction-subtraction movement of the components of the writing machine involved in scanning through a sheet of printing medium placed adjacent to the paper transport mechanism . In a simpler construct, the location of a fixed housing band 404, a simple tear-off cover (similar to that commonly used for the organic pigment cartridges of photocopiers) attached to be torn by the end user before being attached can be implemented. the insertion of the writing magic into the machine to produce printed copies. To maximize the advantages of the present invention, it is beneficial to simplify the writing machine module 401 so that from the point of view of the end user it is either fully integrated for a cartridge-like insertion, in a simple step as for the removal and complete elimination. For manufacturability, it is beneficial to maintain the external framework of the simple and inexpensive writing machine. A plastic frame, reinforced cardboard or similar, simplified, with fewer molding requirements than a completely molded housing fulfills this goal. In the exemplary embodiment shown, ink reservoirs 411-417 comprise a simple Mylar ™ bag, or multiple bags, constructs, located fixedly between the wall, or bottom of a housing 403 and a pressure plate 441. The ink reservoirs 411-417 can be of any shape, size, construction and configuration that is suitable for implementation Modularity of the particular writing machine 401. In the preferred embodiment, all the components of the writing machine module comprise a one-time disposable unit, or recyclable or renewable by the manufacturer-recognizing that "single use" also means replaceable intermittently with other modules of the writing magic of different printing characteristics. However, it was also contemplated that the writing machine may be designed to provide replaceable or refillable ink reservoirs (as described hereinafter with reference to Figures 18 and 19). This, however, would obviate some of the advantages set forth in the section of the brief description of the invention above, particularly here related to updates that are transparent to the user, for example, changes in the ink formulations, the design with a cycle of single use life of the service station module components, and the like, however, there may be a need for commercially refillable or refillable ink reservoirs; therefore, replacement reservoirs, pools of multiple color reservoirs, filling equipment (eg, syringes filled with ink as is known in the art) can be manufactured and distributed. Returning to FIGURE 3, the machine for producing printed copies 301 is provided with a pressurization mechanism of the ink reservoir 339. An L-shaped pressure applicator 341 has a substantially planar arm 343 adapted to slide through the top of a pressure plate 441 (FIGURES 4, 14 and 15) movably mounted, such as a conventional slide mount (not shown) to the housing adjacent the ink reservoirs 411-417 on the writing machine 401. When the writing machine 401 is inserted into the machine to produce printed copies 301, the arm 343 comes into contact with the plate 441. The arm 341 is mounted on a rod, or other suitable assembly, 347 connected to a fixing lever and return of the pressure plate 349. By loading by a spring (not shown) the rod 347 or the lever 349, positive pressure is applied to the ink reservoirs 411-417 by applying an ac force. rga to the pressure plate 441 via the arm 343. In other words, by rotating (mechanically or electronically, see the shaded line 345, FIGURE 3) of the pressurizing mechanism 339, the pressure plate 441 is forced to exert a pressure on reservoirs 411-417 for transferring ink from within the reservoirs to the 405 printing submodule via valves 431-437 and tubes 421-427. The locking and return lever 347 is also configured to counteract the deflection force during the installation of a module of the writing machine 401 towards the machine to produce hard copies 301. Returning to FIGURE 4, the band of the housing 404 is provided. with an opening 443 for receiving the arm 343 therethrough upon insertion of the writing machine 401 into the machine to produce hard copies 301, so that the pressure plate 441 is in contact with the arm. Note that a variety of writing instruments 405 of the printing submodule can be adapted for use in accordance with the present invention or patented printing modules can be redesigned. A specific exemplary embodiment is described hereinbelow with respect to FIGURE 6. This also means that a variety of filling techniques and apparatuses are available to the system designer in the state of the art. The transfer of ink from an off-axis reservoir need not be limited to the specific exemplary embodiments described in the drawings. Any equivalent adapted to a specific implementation can work equally well. For example, as taught in U.S. Patent No.
4,968,998 (Alien, issued to the common beneficiary of the present invention) for a Refillable Inkjet Printing System, ink injection techniques are known in the art to the service station. Similarly, a variety of fluid interconnections and valve mechanisms are available to the system designer. Types can be used to automatically create or break seals, needle and shank types, flow in one direction, and the like, as would be recognized by those skilled in the art. Another example of a more sophisticated implementation for an off-axis reservoir with an interconnection of valved tubing between the reservoir and a boom is taught in the allowed US Patent Application, Serial No. 08 / 523,424 (Johnson et al., Issued to the common beneficiary of the present invention, writing machine incorporated herein by reference) for an Ink Jet Off-axis Ink Distribution System, in which a multi-position, controlled valve is employed. Another thing that is recognized of the present invention is that it is not limited to the specific exemplary embodiments described in the drawings, the additional details for the off-axis ink supplies are not essential to understand the present invention. In the preferred embodiment, all fluid connections are not detachable, improving reliability, reducing manufacturing costs, and reducing size. As shown in FIGS. 4, 14 and 15, a cut rotating arm 451 has a first end mounted within the housing via a conventional rotary motion to allow free movement outward and backward toward the writing machine 401. The housing of the writing machine 403 has an appropriate slot 406 (FIGURES 14 and 15 only) allowing the pivoting arm 451 to rotate in and out of the housing frame. To support the ink tubes 421-427 (FIGURES 4 and 14) and the electrical writing, the flexible circuit 609 (FIGURE 15) the rotating arm 451 has appropriately sized slots 455 (as best seen in FIGURE 15) and tabs 457, 459 to secure the tubes and wires in the slots. The second end of the rotary arm 451 is rotatably fixed to the printing sub-unit 405. When the carriage 313 (FIGURE 3) of the printing machine 301 extracts the printing sub-module 405 from the writing machine 401, the rotating arm it is mounted to tubes 421-427 and follows circuit 609.
System Integration As can now be recognized as shown in FIGS. 5 and 5A, the writing machine 401 and the printed output machine 301 are adapted to be engaged in a snap fit, sliding fit, or instantaneous setting, instituted by insertion similar to that of a cassette by the end user of the writing machine in the machine to produce printed copies. After or after insertion, a printing submodule 405 is automatically registered in the cavity 335 (FIGURE 3) of the carriage 313. The printing submodule 405 is mechanically coupled to the carriage 313 in a proper orientation for scanning by the simple action of installing the modular writing machine 401 on the machine to produce printed copies 301. Again, more complicated, automated integration systems, such as disk mechanisms, can be used to change the writing machine's modules. Returning briefly to FIGURE 4, it is further intended that the electrical connection between the writing machine 401 and the printing machine 401 be made during the same installation via the electrical conductor 445 for which an opening 447 is provided in the housing band 404. A standard 445 electrical connector may be employed as is known in the art if desired for a specific implementation. In this, the number of interconnecting elements between the writing machine 401 and the machine for producing printed copies 301 is reduced to a simple electrical interconnection and a few simple mechanical interconnections. No coupling or fluid interconnection is required between the writing machine 401 and the machine to produce hard copies 301, this solves many of the prevailing problems of the prior art as illustrated in the background section of the invention above. The insertion of a writing machine in a machine for producing printed copies adapted to it automatically provides the end user with an apparatus for producing fully integrated printed copies. Renovation variants are as simple as renewing one typewriter for another. FIGURE 5 A describes features and additional design modifications of the modulate concept for machines for producing printed copies and writing machines. The machine for producing printed copies 31 is provided with a base frame 401 specifically designed to receive the writing machine 401 in the cavity of the frame 505 that forms a cassette compartment to accommodate a simple, one-step, cassette-like insertion. of a writing machine 401 as described by arrow 505. As an important advantage of the present invention, it is intended that the printing submodule 405 (FIGURES 4, 5 and 6) be a low mass element. Only a limited amount of ink is on board during printing. Therefore, verification of the ink levels in the printing submodule 405 may be required. An ink level dete 507 (FIGURES 5 and 5A) as would be known in the art is mounted on the crossbar 509 of the ink frame. the machine for producing printed copies 505 adjacent to the scanning zone 313 of the scanning carriage superimposed on the printing area 311 of the printing means 309.
Printing Modules FIGURE 6 demonstrates a printing submodule, of the exemplary scanning type, 405 adapted for use on a writing machine 401. An external frame consists of the upper part of a pen 601, an ink container 603, a ink manifold 605, 607 and a print head 611. The print head 611 is positioned with one end of a flexible circuit 609, which in turn, contains an element in the form of nozzle plate 612 of the print head in appropriate relation to the ink manifold 605, 607 and other subcomponents of the print head as will be known in the art (ink droplet generating elements and the like, not shown). The preferred embodiment of the present invention is for a type of thermal inkjet printhead; however, piezoelectric, wave printheads, and other printheads are also suitable for use in accordance with the present invention. The distal end of the flexible circuit 609 is adapted to couple the printing submodule 405 to the electrical conductor 445, FIGURE 4. The flexible circuit 609 may also contain an integrated circuit of the writing machine controller 613. The references or data 615, 616 , 617, 618, 619, 620 (and any others incorporated into a specific implementation that can be hidden in a perspective view) are provided when necessary to couple the printing submodule 405 in the proper orientation to the carriage 313 as discussed with with respect to FIGURES 3 and 5. The modality shown is for four color printing modules; therefore, four sets of arrays of inkjet holes 621 are employed. Other arrangements may be used according to the intended purpose and the purposes of use of any particular writing machine 401. The printing submodule 405 would have input mechanisms for receiving each ink from a reservoir coupled thereto (see FIGURE 4), depending on the printing characteristics of the design of the particular writing machine; for example, an input port for a totally black ink cassette; four inlet ports and one multi-chamber container 603 for the CMYK full color printing motor cassette, and the like. The printing submodule 405 in a preferred embodiment is a semi-permanent pen type, having mechanisms capable of controlling the back pressure of the print head and controlling the ink flow of the off-axis reservoirs towards the printing module. The semi-permanent pen mechanisms known in some way can also be incorporated into the printing module, such mechanisms are described in a variety of patents; for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 4,831,389 (Chan), 4,992,802 (Dion), 5,409,134 (Co ger), 5,325,119 (Fong) 5,448,818 (Scheffelin), and 5,650,811 (Seccombe), each granted to the common beneficiary of the present invention. writing incorporated here as a reference. The additional details of those mechanisms are not essential to understand the present invention. When a writing machine 401 is inserted into a machine for producing printed copies 301 as shown in FIGURE 5A, as a fixed element of the printing submodule 405, the print head 601 on the printing module is automatically placed in the alignment suitable for the printing operation when the printing module is coupled to the cartridge 313 (FIGURE 3) via the simple mechanical interconnection 337. In the preferred embodiment, no other electrical connections need to be made on the fluid between the printing submodule 405 and the carriage 313. It is intended, in a preferred embodiment, that the printing submodule 405 be a low mass component having an unfinished ink supply on board limited to a volume necessary to ink a predetermined area of the printing media., for example, less than or equal to a larger-sized media page compatible with the printed copy device. In other words, the volume of the ink in a reservoir, for example 1/10 of the volume of the reservoir, so that substantially all of the ink is supported off-axis within the writing machine. Small car subsystems benefit from two properties, low mass and small volume. Smaller motors are required to drive the smaller mass. Smaller power supplies and electronic drive devices are required to drive or excite smaller motors. A smaller mass will allow noise control generally easier. Smaller motion systems usually generate more frequent noise; The sources of excitation, such as the gear train and the noise of the motor, are at higher frequencies. The natural frequencies of the motion systems are higher since the stiffness usually increases faster than the mass. The higher frequencies are easier to control; Materials that absorb sound are much more effective at higher frequencies. It is less likely that the elements that move smaller masses excite the frames or rails that enclose the device, which generate low frequency noise (up to approximately 3500 Hz). Relatively large panels couple their vibratory energy to the air much better than smaller components. Low frequencies are perceived as noise rather than as higher frequencies. A smaller printing mechanism can be implemented without the rigidity required for larger masses. The movement of the subsystem of lower mass, viz., Forward and backward scanning through the printing area, causes less shaking of the printer from the reaction to the movement of the carriage. The shaking of the printer can become substantial when some of the larger carriages move forward and backward. A minor shake of the printer allows that all the structural support in the printer is smaller. Moving a small mass allows a reduction in the size of the carriage supports. The stiffness requirements are reduced in the carriage support and the components of the drive system such as the carriage drive belts. It is easier to keep the resonant frequencies high. The lower high frequencies have a greater amplitude for a given acceleration level, leading to a more undulating speed. The undulating speed leads to printing defects, especially in color printing when the colors are not already aligned correctly due to a slight more displacement of the point. The resonant frequencies of the orthogonal movement to the car that explore the axis are also easier to keep high. Again the displacement results in printing defects usually in the form of periodic color changes. Servo design is easier due to the higher resonant frequencies. A smaller mass allows greater speed. To use the higher speed car effectively, larger accelerations are required. Greater acceleration is required to maintain the lengths of the acceleration ramp and the acceleration times. Since, according to Newton's laws, F = MA, a smaller mass requires less force to accelerate. To obtain substantial benefits of cartridge speeds of 60 inches per second (152.4 centimeters per second) on an 8-inch (20.32-centimeter) wide printer, an acceleration of 3 g is required compared to the 1-g acceleration currently used to achieve 20 ips. Similarly, significant benefits of having a relatively small volume of ink on the shaft are derived. Less overdisplacement is required to allow printing with all droplets across the width of the printhead. The products are smaller, both in height due to the height of the boom and in the width due to less overshoot. With the tight desktop space in many commercial applications, products with a smaller workspace footprint are desirable. Transportation costs are reduced because more units can be placed on a single bulky transport platform. Smaller products allow the rigidity and strength requirements to be met with structures of smaller cross section. The stiffness is proportional to the inverse of the cubed length. If there is a smaller distance between the arrays of linear holes, the displacement of the ideal position due to the undulating speed is less. This reduces the bad color alignment for a given undulating speed. Those benefits of a low mass print module and the associated cartridge can be used to reduce costs or increase performance. A smaller size for the same operation will give a lower cost system. The greater accelerations and the smaller displacement allow a greater performance if any of those things in the system remain the same. Note that an alternative mode may be designed in which the printing module is not actually extracted from the writing machine. Orienting the writing machine through the paper transport axis, the axis 10 (see FIGURE 14) it is easy to devise an arrangement in which the carriage mechanism of the machine for producing printed copies reaches the writing machine to hold a writing module mounted inside the writing machine to traverse the printing area without leaving the writing machine. Such a mode will be described hereinafter with respect to FIGS. 18 and 19. Similarly, a printhead across the page, once aligned to the machine to produce hard copies, can print the entire print area without any movement of the writing instrument. In such alternative embodiments, there is still no fluidic interaction between the module of the writing machine and the machine to produce printed copies except the transfer of printing fluid from the writing machine directly onto the printing medium.Service Stations The fundamentals of the technology of the ink jet service station are known in the art. The
U.S. Patent No. 4,567,494 (Taylor); presented on June 29, 1984 is a first patent for Apara to
Cleaning, Closing and Covering a Nozzle for Thermal Ink Jet Printers, granted to the common beneficiary of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference. Start-up and service procedures are also known in the art. A service station can provide a number of useful functions, including: 1. cleaning clogged nozzles and removing bubbles from a pen; 2. Cover the nozzles when a print head is not in use to prevent contamination of the nozzle; 3. prevent the ink from drying on the nozzle when the print head is not in use; 4. clean contaminants from the captured nozzle during printing; and 5. provide a location to activate the nozzles to clean the depressed nozzles. U.S. Patent No. 5,455,608 (Stewart et al.) For Algorithm for Starting a Pen for Black and Color Thermal Ink Jet Plots is exemplary in the operating procedures of the service station (granted to the common beneficiary of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference). A plurality of service station designs and operations are known in the art. More than one, or a combined design is compatible with the present invention.
In a first example, the HP DeskJet 850C printer employs a rotary type service station which orthogonally cleans the linear hole arrangements of the nozzle plates of the print head of the print cartridges used with this model. Service stations of the rotating type are shown in U.S. Patent No. 5,155,250 (Harmon et al., Filed January 12, 1990) for an Ink Jet Print Head Cleaner; U.S. Patent No. 5,103,244 (Gast et al., Filed July 5, 1990) for a Method and Apparatus for Cleaning Ink Jet Printing Heads; U.S. Patent No. 5,146,243 (English et al., Filed on July 29, 1991) for a Diaphragm Cap System for Inkjet Printers; U.S. Patent No. 5,614,930 (Osborne et al., Filed in
October 28, 1994) for Thorium Tour Cleaning System
Orthogonal for Ink Jet Print Head [sic]
(each of which was granted to the common beneficiary of the present invention and are incorporated herein by reference). In another example, "elevator" service stations are also known in the art as shown in U.S. Patent No. 5,396,277 (Gast et al., Filed September 25, 1992) for a Method and Apparatus of Carriage Movement. Synchronized Cleaner for Tin Jet Printers; U.S. Patent No. 5,455,609 (Gast et al., filed September 30, 1992) for a Printhead Service Station for a Printer; U.S. Patent No. 5,440,331 (Grange, filed on December 21, 1992) for a Print Cache Service Apparatus (each issued to the common beneficiary of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference). A sled of translational movement also rises to a raised cap position is shown in U.S. Patent No. 4,853,717 (Harmoon et al., Filed on October 23, 1987) for a Service Station for Ink Jet Printer (issued to common beneficiary of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference). As will be recognized by one skilled in the art, the use of one or more of these service station techniques is applicable to the present invention. The common use is that it is preferable to have the service station inside the writing machine, although a service station activator can be part of the machine to produce printed copies. For example, a major problem with replaceable ink cartridges in the state of the art is that when they are not in use, an ink jet printhead must be capped to prevent problems such as runoff and ink crusting. that would make the pen inoperative. [The coverage is also known in the art; for example, see U.S. Patent No. 5,027,134 (Harmon et al., filed September 1, 1989) for an Antioblock Cover and Service Station for Ink Jet Printheads; U.S. Patent No. 5,440,270 (Osborne, filed November 16, 1994) for an Ink Jet Print Head Cap having a Suspended Lip (both granted to the common beneficiary of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference). Low-cost home printers, pens are usually replaced, black for text printing, color for graphics, some storage devices and separate coverage must be provided with such pens, however, it has been found that the different chemical formulations of ink requires caps formed from materials that are compatible The present invention solves those problems because the writing machine includes the service elements The print head is completely capped when it is not in use if the writing machine itself is installed or stored outside the printer, this allows a machine to be replaced by one that nga different printing characteristics. For example, an office may have a "text-writing tool" containing only a large-volume black ink reservoir, which has an intensive daily use and a color graphics "writing machine" that contains ink reservoirs. cyan, magenta, yellow and black, which is only occasionally used. Similarly, the print head cleaners are subject to wear and tear. Exemplary cleaners are taught by the assignee of the present invention in U.S. Patent No. 5,151,715 (Ward et al., Filed on July 30, 1991) for a Print Head Cleaner for Inkjet Printers (issued to the beneficiary). common of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference). Having the cleaners replaced when a writing machine is replaced substantially eliminates the need for any maintenance. During the operation, the occlusions or partial obstructions and the nozzles of the printhead and the holes are cleaned periodically by firing a number of drops of ink through each of the nozzles in a cleaning or purging process known as "expulsion" . The residual ink is collected in a portion of the service station's ejection reservoir, known as a "splash". In prior art splashes, most of the ejected ink landed on the bottom of the splash. Some of the ink, however, ran down to the walls of the spout tube or "chimney" under the force of gravity and into a reservoir, where many solvents evaporated. Sometimes the residual ink solidifies before reaching the reservoir, forming stalagmites / stalactites or ink deposits along the sides of the chimney. These ink stalagmites / stalactites often grew and blocked the entrance to the splash. To avoid this phenomenon, conventional splashes should be wide, and often 8mm wide, to handle a high content of solid ink. Since conventional spills were located between the printing area and the other service components, this extra width increased the total width of the printer, resulting in additional costs being added to the printer, in the material, and the costs of transport. In addition, this greater width of the printer increased the total size of the printer, making the footprint larger, that is, it required a larger working space to receive the printer, than was undesirable for many consumers. As mentioned above, conventional spills were located between the printing area and the other service components, and to minimize the impact on the width of the printer, conventional spills were only high enough to receive the ink from one print head at a time. In this way, the conventional ejection routine of the multi-boom unit would first place a print head on the spatter for ejection, then the boom carriage moved to the next boom on the spatter for ejection. Unfortunately, the whole movement of the cartridge not only slows down the ejection routine, but also the noise. In addition to increasing the solids content, inks have been developed that precipitate each other to improve color contrasts. For example, a type of colored ink causes the black ink to precipitate out of the solution. This precipitation quickly sets the black solids on the page, which prevents black solids from shifting to the color regions of the printed image.
Unfortunately, if the color and black inks that precipitate each other are mixed in a conventional splash, they do not flow into a drain or absorbent material. Instead, once mixed, the black and colored inks coagulate quickly in a gel with some residual liquid. In this way, mixed black and color inks can not only exhibit a rapid accumulation of solids, but the liquid fraction can also tend to run and form a wick (flowing through capillary action) to undesirable places. To solve the mixing problem, some printers use two conventional stationary spills, one for the black ink and one for the color inks. Unfortunately, each of these double splashes must be wide enough to avoid clogging the stalagmites / stalactites that grow into the side walls of the splash chimney. Such a double splash design, with the splashes located between the print head and other service components, further increases the overall width and footprint of the printer. In addition, the growth of the sides of the spatter, stalagmites / ink stalactites sometimes grow up from the bottom of the splash. To prevent these stalagmites / stalactites from interfering with the print head over time, the use of very deep spatters would typically be required, which could also increase the overall size of the printer. Again, many of the problems associated with ejection and splashing are solved by having spills that are discarded with the writing machine. The details of a type of translational movement service station such as that shown here in FIGS. 4, 5, 13 and 14 and that may be employed in accordance with the present invention are described in US Patent Application Serial No. 08. / 862,952, filed on May 30, 1997, for a Translational Service Station for Ink Jet Printing Heads for Shaping Images, granted to the common beneficiary of the present invention, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and repeated here in relevant part with a drawing of it marked as FIGURE 16 here. FIGURE 16 schematically shows the operation of a basic translational service station 60 constructed in accordance with the present invention that can be located as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 13 and 14 generally designated as a service station module 407 The service station 60 has a platform or translating platform 62, which can be linearly operated using a variety of different propulsion devices, such as a rack gear 64 formed along the underside of the platform and driven by a pinion gear 65. The pinion gear 65 can be driven by a conventional motor and gear assembly (not shown) for translational movement as indicated by the double-headed arrow 66. In the current implementation, the gear of pinion 65 and associated gear assembly and drive motor become an element of the machine to produce hard copies 301, FIGU RAS 3, 5, 5A, 13, 14 and 15. The pallet 62 contains various service components, such as a pair of conventional wipers 68 and a pair of lids 69, each of which can be constructed of any known conventional material. by those skilled in the art, protection is preferably made of an elastomeric, non-abrasive, elastic material, such as nitrile rubber, or more preferably, diethylene and propylene diene monomer (EPDM). The pallet 62 may also contain an absorbent or a portion of the purge or ejection or absorbent station 70, which receives the ink that is purged or "ejected" from the ink jet printheads 54, 56 attached to the manifold ink of the writing module and the ink droplet generating sections 50, 52. Located along a portion of the recessed ejection platform 72 of the pallet 62, the preferred embodiment of the ejection station 70 includes an absorbent ejection target, such as an ejection pad 74, which is preferably made of a porous absorbent material. Preferably, the pad 74 is a compact material of wettable polyethylene, particularly a porous compact material having surface and chemical treatments of the polymer, so that it is wettable by the ink. A suitable pad material is commercially available under the Poron trademark, manufactured by the Porex Company of Atlanta, Georgia. Alternatively, the ejection pad 74 may be of a polyolefin material, such as a polyurethane or sintered polyethylene plastic, which is a porous material, also manufactured by Porex Company. In a preferred embodiment, the absorption of the pad 74 is improved by pre-wetting the pad to better transport the vehicle or solvents of the ink through the pores of the pad. Pad 74 can be pre-wetted either before, during or after assembly of pallet 62, using for example, a polyethylene glycol compound
("PEG"); however pre-wetting before assembly is preferred. Another suitable porous pad 74 may be of a sintered nylon material. The ejection pad 74 has an outer surface that serves as the objective face 75. Preferably, the face of the pad 75 is located very close to the print heads 54 and 56 during ejection, for example about the order of (0.5. to 1.0 millimeters). This proximity is particularly well suited to reduce the amount of ink spray carried by the air. The ejection platform 72 is substantially planar, although a contour may be useful for draining or circulating the air to aid evaporation. The illustrated ejection pad 74 is of substantially uniform thickness, so that the objective face 75 is also substantially planar in its outline, although other surface contours may be useful, such as a series of slots or other patterns to increase the area Surface objective for absorption. To remove any surface build-up of ink residues or other debris from the target face 75, the service station 60 may also include a device for scraping the ejection pad 76. The illustrated scraper 75 has a support device 78 that is mounted to a blade member 80. To couple the target surface 75 with the scraper blade 80, the pallet 65 moves in the direction of the arrow 66 so that the scraper can clean the target face 75. These ejecting remnants are pushed by the scraper blade 80 towards a drain or collection hole 82 formed through the pallet 62, traces which channel therethrough to be collected in a tray 84 or other receptacle. In this way the objective scraper 76 does not interfere with the printhead cleaners 68, the cleaners 68 have been placed on the ejection pad 74. A preferred material for the scraper blade 80 is an elastomeric, non-abrasive material, elastic, such as nitrile rubber, or more preferably, ethylene and propylene diene monomer (EPDM), or other comparable materials known in the art. Another preferable elastomeric material for doctor blade 80 is a blend of polypropylene and polyethylene (in a ratio of about 90:10), such as that sold under the trademark, "Ferro 4", by Ferro Corporation, Filled and Reinforced Plastics Division, 5001 O'Hara Drive, Evansville, Indiana 47711. This Ferro 4 elastomer is a very hard material, that is to say that it is not as elastic as the typical EPDM cleaning blades. The Ferro 4 elastomer has very good wear properties, and good chemical compatibility with a variety of different ink compositions. For example, suitable durometers (Shore A scale) for scraper blade 80 can range from 35 to 100. In some implementations, hard scrapers, such as those of a nylon-like plastic, for example, may be suitable for cleaning the objective pad 75. Actually, a scraper made of steel wire is not only cheap, but also allows the embedded ink to be easily separated from the scraper. In order to bring the cleaners 68 and the caps 69 to the coupling with the print heads 54 and 56, the pallet 64 moves in the direction of the arrow 66, with the capped position being shown in FIGURE 16. The pair of caps 69 assemble to the pallet 62 using a lifting mechanism of the print head or lid that engages the carriage including a sled deflected by a spring 85. The sled 85 is coupled to the pallet 62 by means of two pairs of articulations 86 and 88, for a total of four degrees, each one to stage 62 and sledge 85. Of the four joints, only two are visible in FIGURE 16, with the remaining two joints being obscured from view by the two joints shown. The sled 85 can be deflected towards the lower position, shown in the dashed lines in FIGURE 16, by a biasing member, such as a plastic element 90. When the cartridge 313, FIGURE 3, has placed the printing submodule 405, FIGURE 6 and FIGURE 13, in FIG. 401 writing machine, approximately at the service station 60, the pinion gear 65 activates the pallet 62 via the rack gear 64 until the arms 92, which extend upwards of the sledge 85, engage the body of the printing submodule 405, or the carriage 313. The pinion gear 65 continues to drive the pallet 62 to the right as shown in FIGURE 16, which causes the sledge 82 to rise upwardly from the pallet, extending the spring 90, until the covers 69 engage the respective print heads 54, 56. Although the pairs of links 86, 88 are shown in a vertical position to the cover in FIGURE 16, it is clear that an angled orientation with resp ecto to the pallet 62 in some implementations, for example to accommodate slight variations of elevation in the print heads 54, 56. In this way, the pinion gear 65 can drive the pallet 62, via the rack gear 64, backwards and forward in the direction of the arrow 66 to the position of the pallet 62 in various places to serve more printheads 54, 56. To clean the printheads 54, 56, the pallet preferably oscillates back and forth forward as indicated by arrow 66. To eject through the nozzles to clear any blockage, or to verify temperature increases or the like, the platform moves to a position for cleaning the nozzle where the ejection target 75 It is under the print heads. The coverage movement of the platform was described above. To remove any residue of ink from the surface of the ejection target 75, the pallet 62 moves until the objective 75 is detached by the blade 80 and towards a tray 84. If necessary, the pallet 62 can oscillate and forward to detach objective 75. Additional details regarding this particular service station can be obtained by reference to US Patent Application Serial No. 08 / 862,952, however, additional details are not essential to understand the present invention.
The details with respect to yet another type of translational movement service station, as shown here in FIGS. 4, 5, 13 and 14 as useful in accordance with the present invention are described in U.S. Patent Application No. Series 08 / 667,611, filed on July 3, 1996, for an Integrated Translational Service Station for Ink Jet Printing Heads (granted to the common beneficiary of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference). Although the service station is preferably inside the module of the writing machine, it can be on the machine to produce hard copies and distributed to a module of the writing machine after insertion into the machine to produce hard copies. However, this obviates many of the advantages of having a disposable, or renewable, service station component manufactured in the writing magneto module. The most noticeable problem created is that the module removed without covering the print head would probably cause a printhead failure after any attempt to reuse the module later. At least, the writing module should include a device to cover the print head. Turning to FIGURE 17, a writing machine 401 having a sled in the service station 1701 having only one cap for the print head 1703 is mounted thereon (compare FIGURE 4). A locator of the layer 1705 ascends up the sled 1701 to contact the face of the printing submodule 405 to locate the cap 1703 relative to the print head.
Operation The fundamental partitioning of the apparatus for producing inkjet printed copies according to the present invention is described in the block diagram of FIGURES 7 and 10, and compared with the prior art in FIGURES 8, 9, 11 and 12. FIGURE 7 describes the fluidic construct of a consumable writing machine 401 according to the present invention. In comparison, a typical commercial print cartridge, such as the cartridge 51626 of Hewlett-Packardmr used in the HPmr DeskJetmr, OfficeJetr and other machines for producing popular print copies is described by FIGURE 8 (PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE); note that a service station 407 for such a commercial print cartridge is required to be an integral part of the apparatus for producing printed copies and have a concomitant life expectancy and accompanying capacity. A replaceable ink jet cartridge product, such as that shown in FIGURE 1, which uses a semi-permanent pen as in FIGURE 2, is described in FIGURE 9 (PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE); two consumables are required for such systems and the service station 407 can be permanent as in the system of FIGURE 8. In this way, the comparison with FIGURE 7 shows differences in the distribution of different consumables which also indicate compliance with the notes and assemblies according to the present invention listed in the section of the brief description of the invention above. A similar set of figures describes the differences in the distribution of the electronic system, FIGURES 10-12. FIGURE 10 describes the distribution according to the present invention. FIGURE 11 (PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE) describes the distribution as is common for a commercial product, for example the HP DeskJet printer which uses print cartridges as discussed above. FIGURE 12 describes an off-axis system such as would be implemented in a printer using the semi-permanent pen of FIGURE 2. It is known in the art to provide control algorithms to service the writing, filling and printing instrument (FIG. for example, printing modes and color maps). Having control of wet systems within the writing engine module provides the advantage of allowing updated control with other changes in the writing system.
In other words, the electronic devices are distributed in accordance with the present invention so that the designer of the apparatus for producing printed copies needs a minimum knowledge of the requirements of the ink jet. In the preferred implementation, for printing, the apparatus for producing printed copies would simply direct the specific writing machine of a given color onto a certain dot or pixel grid. The writing machine would be automatically adjusted for different ink formulations, ink color maps, and drop volumes. In addition, the writing machine would contain enough knowledge to have complete control over all the ink filling and service algorithms. A new writing machine, adhering to the same protocol, could later be added to the product's lifetime. A new writing magic would thus give design freedom at the present time in non-modular systems with respect to inks, droplet sizes, ink drop manipulation in the dot matrix, and station algorithms. service. This distribution places intelligence in the module of the writing machine. There are three levels of implementation. The most basic level would be to have the lowest level information about the writing machine contained in the writing machine module.
The pulse synchronization, tripping order of the drop, and related information would be contained in the writing machine. The apparatus for producing printed copies would conceive the pen as a column of drops of x picolitres. This relieves the designer of the apparatus to produce printed copies of the need to know the lowest level of requirements of the inkjet pen. For minor improvements, those are the parameters that are likely to change, and those could be changed and the new writing machines would still be retroactively compatible with the device to produce printed copies in the field. The next level is to allow the addressing of the writing machine regardless of the volume of the drop and the ink color maps. The apparatus for producing printed copies would direct the writing machine that requires specific calibrated colors on a specified grid. The writing machine would contain the information for the translation. New inks with different color maps could be added, and the color maps modified on the writing machine would be automatically compensated without changing the apparatus to produce printed copies. The writing machine would adjust the volume of the drop and changes in the target grid. For a writing machine based on a 10 pl pen it would take 300 dpi, droplet data of 30 pl and it would automatically transfer these to 10 pl droplet data, firing 3 drops per request for 30 pl droplets. At the highest level, the writing machine would have control over all your needs. This includes the control of the service algorithms in the ink valves. This could be implemented in a similar way to the Javamr applet, which would be downloaded from the writing machine to the device to produce hard copies to control those algorithms, or with a more targeted protocol. For a service algorithm, the writing machine would instruct the carriage to move to a certain position, and then automatically trigger certain drops. For the control of ink distribution, there would be inputs of certain detectors that detect the level of ink and outputs to the valves that control the flow of ink. The control algorithm would work from the writing machine, and could easily be updated with a new writing machine. Again, a comparison of FIGURES 11 and 12 with FIGURE 10 shows the distribution differences of different consumables indicating compliance with the goals and advantages according to the present invention as listed in the section of the Brief Description of the Invention previously. The driver of the writing machine can thus be an integrated circuit that controls the sequencing of the ink drop, trigger, pulse synchronization, energy control trigger, temperature control, drop volume scaling, drop position correction, color conversion algorithms, color maps, print mode algorithms, interconnection, and the like as is common in the state of the art for ink jet print head operations, and also the service of the writing instrument and the filling algorithms. FIGURES 13 and 14 show a machine for producing printed copies and a writing machine to form an apparatus for producing combined print copies. Mainly, when it is not printed, as described in FIGS. 5 and 13, the inserted printing submodule 405 is covered by the service station 407 (see also, FIGURE 4). Pressure is applied to the reservoir pressure plate 441 via the deviated pressure applicator 341, so that a positive pressure is exerted on each of the ink reservoirs 411-417. A sheet of printing means 309 is conveyed by the step motor 305 and the associated transmission 307 coupled to the paper drive roller 312 to have a printing area 311 underlying the (hidden) print head of the print submodule 405 now coupled to the scanning carriage 313 and an assembly to be transversely driven back and forth through the printing area 311 by the motor 3-23. FIGURE 14 shows the system while a printing operation is underway. The service station 407 has moved out of the way (compare the position with FIGURE 13), uncovering the print head, and cleaning the nozzle plate. Any ejection algorithms were carried out to clean and prime the print head orifices. The carriage 313, driven by the reversing motor 323 under the control of the "printer control" of FIGURE 10, traverses ("x-axis" as indicated by the arrows) the printing area 311 of the printing medium 309. The oscillating arm 451, which contains the ink tubes 421-427, and a flexible circuit 609 (not shown, but noted in FIGURE 15), being rotatably coupled to the printing submodule 405 follows the movement of the cartridge 313 During the scrolling, the image processing data (see FIGURE 10, "image processing") transferred to the integrated circuit of the writing machine 613 (FIGURES 6 and 10) is used, in a known manner or in the form of algorithm and patented dot matrix printing to trigger ink droplets from the holes 621 of the print head 611 (also FIGURE 6) on the printing medium 309. After completing a scan ~ the width of the cut according to In a print mode algorithm employed (e.g., a pass, two passes, etc.), the printing medium 309 is included ("y axis" as indicated by the arrow marked) to the position of the next printing zone. printing along the width of the cutting 311 of the expense of the print head 611. If the leading edge of the printing medium comes in the form of the front, the back, the top, or the bottom of the printing station of The machine to produce printed copies is a matter of design choice. When the ink detector 507 sends a signal that the printing submodule 405 is low in ink, the carriage 313 returns the print module back to the writing machine and the fill cycle is increased. Once completed, the impression is resumed. Note carefully, that in-flight filler algorithms are also employed in accordance with the present invention. For an example, refer to U.S. Patent No. 5,650,811, issued July 22, 1997, to Seccombe et al., For an "A Providing Ink to a Print Head [sic]" (granted the common beneficiary of the present invention). and incorporated aguĂ as a reference). It was contemplated in a general way that the writing instrument can be filled upon request, either docked inside the writing machine or continuously during the printing operation. A variety of implementations are known in the art or can be developed as a patented construct.
Alternative Modes FIGURES 18 and 19 describe an alternative embodiment of a writing machine 1801. A housing 1803 is configured to be received in a machine for producing complementary print copies (not shown), so that the writing machine module is find through the writing area (see FIGURE 3, 311). Four integral ink reservoirs 1805, 1807, 1809, 1811 are individually mounted in housing 1803. In the preferred embodiment, reservoirs 1805-1811 are automatically pressurized. Note that this not only makes the manufacture simpler, but also makes the 1801 writing machine renewable or reconfigurable by making the reservoirs replace at will. However, it should be recognized that providing the end user with individual replacement reservoirs will obviate certain advantages of the unit writing machine module or could lead to serious equipment failure if incompatible inks are mixed. At one end of the writing machine 1801, an ink jet print head 1813 is located (FIG. 19 only), so that when the writing machine is installed on the machine to produce compatible print copies it is placed approximately over adjacent to one end of the printing area. A cam retainer and a retainer 1815 are provided to release the print head 1813, a service station 1817, and an electrical connector 1819 to interlock with the machine activation mechanisms to produce complementary print copies in a similar manner to the previous mode (see for example, elements 313, FIGURE 3, and FIGURE 16). An ink manifold 1821 incorporating the appropriate fluid couplings for the print head 1813 via the ink tubes 1823 (FIGURE 19 only) is mounted in the housing 1803, so that the insertion of an individual ink reservoir 1805- 1811 releases ink from within each reservoir to the manifold 1821. As with the prior art embodiment, the flexible, displaceable circuit 1825 is mounted to be able to follow the print head 1813 when it passes through a printing medium.
Inks "Ink" is generally used herein for any ink, dye (for example, fabric dyes for printing garments), dyes, organic pigments, hot melt compositions, printing fluid, or the like that is compatible with the technology of the ink jet. A distinct advantage of the present invention is the ability to provide the end user with a variety of easily interchangeable writing machines, each with different printing characteristics. For example, for the printing of heavy alphanumeric text, a single cassette of black ink writing machine of large volume can be installed; For printers that print with photographic quality, a set of ink reservoirs of different colors - for example light cyan, dark cyan, light magenta, dark magenta, yellow, and black - is installed in a single cassette of writing machine. Again, although it is preferred to have the writing machine configured as a one-use construct, equipment may be available to replace or refill the reservoirs. The present invention provides components for a subsystem and inkjet system reconfigured therefor, which are useful in the field of printing, and which provide unique methodologies of manufacturing, manufacturing, construction, assembly, use, operation, refueling, rejuvenation, restoration and proportion of components for an inkjet apparatus for printed copies. The above description of the embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form or to the exemplary embodiments described. Obviously any modifications and variations will be evident to practitioners with skill in this technique. In a similar way, any process steps described above can be interchangeable in order to achieve the same result. The modality was chosen and described in order to better explain the principles of the invention and its best mode of practical application, therefore, it allows others with experience in the art to understand the invention for various modalities, and with various modifications or the particular implementation contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended thereto and their equivalents. It is noted that with respect to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.
Claims (23)
- CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property. A method for manufacturing an apparatus for producing inkjet printed copies, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: manufacturing a machine for producing ink jet printed copies that has no wet ink jet components; and manufacturing a plurality of interchangeable, unitized ink jet writing machines, each of the machines containing a set of all the wet components of the ink jet, equipping the machine for hard copies and the writing machines for interconnecting in a manner replaceable ink jet writing machines with the machine to produce printed copies, so that the machine for producing printed copies is reusable with a plurality of writing machines. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises the step of: combining the machine to produce printed copies with one of the writing machines. 3. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises the step of: producing all the wet components of the ink jet device with approximately equal life expectancy factors. 4. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises the steps of: producing writing machines that have a first operative life expectancy; producing the machine to produce printed copies so that it has a second operational life expectancy, where the second operational life expectancy is substantially greater than the first expectation "of operational life 5. The manufacturing method according to claim 4, characterized in that it further comprises the step of: producing the writing machine so as to have the first life expectancy so that the machine for producing printed copies has a plurality of writing machine replacement cycles, where the plurality of cycles The replacement of the writing machine is approximately equal to the ratio of the second life expectancy to the first life expectancy. 6. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises the step of: manufacturing one or more wet components of the inkjet device, replaceable. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises the step of: manufacturing all the wet components of the inkjet device as consumables. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that the step of manufacturing a plurality of replaceable, unitary ink jet writing machine containing all the wet components of the ink jet further comprises the step of of: incorporating at least one reservoir of ink that is refillable or replaceable. 9. The manufacturing method according to claim 8, characterized in that it further comprises the step of: .making a supply of replaceable ink reservoir. The manufacturing method according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises the step of: manufacturing filling equipment for ink reservoir. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that the step of manufacturing a plurality of replaceable, unitary, ink jet writing machines containing all the wet ink jet components further comprises the step of of: manufacturing writing machines that have a variety of different ink jet printing characteristics. 12. A method for mounting an apparatus for producing ink jet printed copies having a machine for producing inkjet ink-jet copies that includes paper transport devices of the ink jet printer in known manner, the method is characterized in that it comprises the steps of: supplying at least one unitary ink jet writing machine module having all the wet components and an apparatus for producing ink jet writing copies including at least one head inkjet print, contained in it in an operational configuration; and inserting the module of the writing machine, the module of the machine to produce printed copies by ink jet that does not have wet components of an apparatus to produce printed copies by ink jet, so that the insertion of the module automatically integrates the wet components with respect to paper transport devices in an operationally functional configuration and likewise the print head aligned. 13. A method for improving the operating characteristics of an apparatus for producing ink jet copies, characterized by comprising the steps of: providing a unit construction, selectively replaceable at the point of use, first writing magic modules, each of the first modules of the writing machine contains all the wet components of the ink jet apparatus of a first set of technology for the apparatus for producing printed copies; providing a unitary construction, selectively replaceable at the point of use, second writing magic modules physically compatible with the first writing machines and each of the second modules of the writing machine containing all the wet components of the jet apparatus of ink, wherein at least one wet component of the inkjet apparatus is of a second set of technology that precedes the first set of technology; and replacing a first writing machine module with a second writing magic module in the apparatus to produce printed copies. The manufacturing method according to claim 13, characterized in that it also comprises the step of: providing the second writing modules with technological updates of the wet component on the wet components of the first modules of the writing machine. The manufacturing method according to claim 13, characterized in that it comprises the step of: providing the second write module with a chargeable code for transfer to the apparatus for producing printed copies. 16. A method for converting an apparatus for producing ink jet prints from the first set of ink jet printing features to having a second, different set of ink jet printing characteristics, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: provide a plurality of kinds of inkjet writing machine, each class has a different set of ink jet printing characteristics; providing a machine for producing printed copies having at least one module for selectively receiving ink jet writing machines therein, so that the. insertion of an ink machine automatically configures the apparatus to produce ink jet prints; insert a writing machine of a first class into the module; and converting the apparatus to produce printed copies to a different inkjet printing feature set by removing the first class writing machine and inserting a second class writing machine. A method for restoring the printing functionality of an apparatus for producing ink jet printed copies, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: providing a machine device for producing ink jet printed copies having all the dry components of an ink jet ink jet printer including at least one modular of the cassette type; providing ink jet writing machines, unitary, selectively replaceable from the point of use that all the wet components of an ink jet printer have in a cassette adapted for insertion into the cassette type module; and resetting the printing functionality of the apparatus to produce hard copies by replacing a writing machine that does not work with a working writing machine. 18. A method for restoring the printing functionality of an apparatus for producing ink jet printed copies, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: providing a machine device for producing ink jet copies having all the dry components of an ink jet. inkjet printer including at least one module of the cassette type; providing inkjet writing machines, unitized, selectively replaceable from the point of use that has all the wet components of an inkjet printer in a cassette adapted to be inserted in the cassette type module, each of the writing machines is built for the replacement at the point of use of the individual wet components in it; Y . restoring the printing functionality of the apparatus to produce hard copies by replacing the individual wet components of a non-working writing machine or replacing the non-working writing machine with a working writing machine. 19. A method for reconfiguring an apparatus for producing printed copies, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: providing an installed base in an apparatus for producing hard copies, each having a machine adapter for producing hard copies to sequentially receive replaceable modules for the user including all wet subcomponents of the ink jet in an unitary, standalone ink jet writing machine; and providing the end users with the selection of the modules having a variety of inkjet printing characteristics, so that the selection and replacement of the modules reconfigures the apparatus to the printing characteristics associated with the selected module. 20. The reconfiguration method according to claim 19, characterized in that it further comprises the steps of: providing the individually replaceable subcomponent modules by the end user; and .providing end users with the selection of individually replaceable subcomponents so that the selection and replacement of the subcomponents reconfigure the apparatus to the printing characteristics associated with the specific replaceable subcomponents. 21. The reconfiguration method according to claim 19, characterized by further comprising the step of: providing subcomponent modules replaceable only by the manufacturer. 22. The reconfiguration method according to claim 19, characterized in that it also comprises the step of: providing the renewable subcomponent modules only by the manufacturer. 23. The reconfiguration method according to claim 20, characterized in that it further comprises the steps of: providing each module with refillable ink containers; provide means for the end user to fill the ink containers. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides ink jet writing machine modules for use with a machine module for producing compatible hard copies, an apparatus for producing printed copies based thereon, and methods of manufacturing, operation, and use. The fluid and electronic distribution for devices to produce printed copies by inkjet is redefined. The modular separation of a machine for producing printed copies of a writing machine allows a replaceable writing module that contains all the key elements of the inkjet writing system based on the requirements of the writing system technology, particularly for those that most likely age or fail as a result of time, frequency of use, or actions of the end user. The subsystem of the writing machine includes: one or more printing modules having print head elements with concomitant multiple ink components and mechanisms for regulating the flow and pressure of the ink; one or more ink containers - either permanent, refillable, or replaceable, one or more ink formulations; one or more ink distribution means, such as tubes and valves fluidically coupling the ink containers to the ink manifolds; components of the service station; and a frame for retaining the elements in a unitary module, similarly still insertable cassette. The present invention further provides a machine for producing printed copies compatible with such a writing machine. The machine to produce printed copies does not contain any component that requires direct contact with the ink. Components wetted by the ink are prone to technological changes in the inkjet without affecting the electronic interconnection and mechanical interconnection between the writing machine and the machine to produce printed copies.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US09039604 | 1998-03-16 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| MXPA00009004A true MXPA00009004A (en) | 2001-07-09 |
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