Global Patent Index - EP 0832746 A1

EP 0832746 A1 19980401 - Inkjet printer having print head and maintenance system alignment

Title (en)

Inkjet printer having print head and maintenance system alignment

Title (de)

TINTENSTRAHLDRUCKER MIT VORRICHTUNG ZUR JUSTIERUNG EINES DRUCKKOPFES MIT EINEM ERWARTUNGSSYSTEM

Title (fr)

IMPRIMANTE A JET D'ENCRE AVEC SYSTEME D'ALIGNEMENT D'UNE TETE D'IMPRESSION ET UN SYSTEME D'ENTRETIEN

Publication

EP 0832746 A1 19980401 (EN)

Application

EP 97116568 A 19970923

Priority

  • US 71079596 A 19960923
  • US 78638397 A 19970116

Abstract (en)

Apparatus and a method for cleaning and maintaining an inkjet print head (12) with a maintenance head (14). The apparatus includes: an inkjet print head (12) translatable in a first direction; a device (28,30) for translating the print head (12) to a cleaning station (36); an inkjet maintenance head (14) translatable in second and third directions defining a plane, wherein the first direction is not parallel to the plane; and a device (40,44,46) for translating the maintenance head (14) in at least the second and third directions in the plane to engage the print head (12) at the cleaning station (36). In order to position the print head (12) and maintenance head (14) into proper mating relationship, the print head (12) is driven to a hard stop, an indicator of the distance from the proper mating position to the print head hard stop is measured, the print head distance indicator is stored in a memory, the maintenance head (14) is driven to a hard stop, an indicator of the distance from the proper mating position to the maintenance head hard stop is measured, and the maintenance head distance indicator is stored in the memory. The print head distance indicator is then used to repeatably return the print head (12) to the proper mating relationship position, and the maintenance head distance indicator is used to repeatably return the maintenance head to the proper mating position. <IMAGE>

IPC 1-7

B41J 2/165

IPC 8 full level

B41J 2/165 (2006.01); G07B 17/00 (2006.01)

CPC (source: EP)

B41J 2/16547 (2013.01); G07B 17/00508 (2013.01); G07B 2017/00556 (2013.01)

Citation (search report)

Designated contracting state (EPC)

DE FR GB

DOCDB simple family (publication)

EP 0832746 A1 19980401; EP 0832746 B1 20011128; DE 69708570 D1 20020110; DE 69708570 T2 20020725

DOCDB simple family (application)

EP 97116568 A 19970923; DE 69708570 T 19970923