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(11) | EP 0 885 730 A3 |
(12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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(54) | Fluid interconnect mechanism and method for an inkjet printer |
(57) Disclosed is a printer having a set of permanent or semi-permanent inkjet printhead
units (pens) (28-34) and a remote ink supply (20-26) connected to the pens by means
of trailing tubes (44). A precision latching mechanism is provided to precisely position
the pens in their respective stalls (76-82). The fluid interconnect device for the
pens is designed so that it does not counteract the precision alignment provided by
the pen and carriage datums. The carriage has a valve member (132-138) with a septum
(148), and the valve is connected to the carriage in such a way that it can rock and
otherwise move a preselected limited amount with respect to the carriage. The pens
each have a needle (54) designed to pierce the septum. The needle is located inside
a shroud (56) connected to the pen by a neck member (58). As the pen is inserted into
the carriage, the neck member fits within a notch (100) in the carriage. The engagement
of the neck member in the notch positions the shroud (56) over the valve. As the pen
is further inserted into the carriage, the shroud contacts the valve to thereby position
the septum below the needle. As the pen is further inserted, the needle pierces the
septum to fluidically connect the pen to the ink supply in the printer. A latching
mechanism firmly locks the pens into the carriage so that the pen datums are positioned
against the carriage datums to precisely locate the pens in their stalls. |