Claims
- 1. A method of servicing an inkjet printhead of an inkjet printing mechanism, comprising the steps of:moving the printhead along a scanning axis to a servicing position; translationally moving a printhead servicing device in first and second planes that are each substantially perpendicular to the scanning axis, wherein said first and second planes are non-parallel to one another, to service the printhead when in the servicing position; and servicing the printhead with the servicing device after said moving step.
- 2. A method of servicing an inkjet printhead according to claim 1, wherein:the printhead moving step is performed in a substantially horizontal plane; and the printhead servicing device moving step is performed in a substantially vertical plane.
- 3. A method of servicing an inkjet printhead according to claim 2, further comprising the step of providing the inkjet printhead with a bottom surface and the printhead servicing device with a top surface wherein the printhead servicing device top surface engages the inkjet printhead bottom surface when the inkjet printhead and the printhead servicing device are in the servicing position.
- 4. A method of servicing an inkjet printhead according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of:providing a wiper mounted on the printhead servicing device; and providing a cap mounted on the printhead servicing device.
- 5. A service station for servicing an inkjet printhead which reciprocates along a scanning axis in an inkjet printing mechanism having a chassis, comprising:a moveable platform supportable by the printing mechanism chassis for movement in first and second directions, the first and second directions being substantially perpendicular to the scanning axis and non-parallel to one another, from a servicing position to a rest position; and a printhead servicing member supported by the platform for selective movement between the rest position and the servicing position to service the printhead.
- 6. A service station according to claim 5, wherein:the scanning axis is substantially horizontal; and the printhead servicing member moves in a plane that is substantially vertical when moving between the rest position and the servicing position.
- 7. A service station according to claim 6, wherein:the inkjet printhead includes a bottom surface and the printhead servicing member includes a top surface; and the printhead servicing member top surface engages the inkjet printhead bottom surface when the inkjet printhead and the printhead servicing member are at the servicing position.
- 8. A service station according to claim 5, wherein:a wiper is mounted on the printhead servicing member; and a cap is mounted on the printhead servicing member.
- 9. An inkjet printing mechanism, comprising:a chassis; an inkjet printhead supported by the chassis for motion along a scanning axis; a translationally moveable platform supported by the chassis for translational movement along a first path substantially perpendicular to the scanning axis, and along a second path substantially perpendicular to the scanning axis and non-parallel to the first path, to a printhead servicing position; and a printhead servicing member supported by the platform to be selectively moved to the printhead servicing position to service the printhead.
- 10. An inkjet printing mechanism according to claim 9, wherein:the scanning axis is substantially horizontal; and the printhead servicing member moves in a plane that is substantially vertical when moving to the printhead servicing position.
- 11. An inkjet printing mechanism according to claim 10, wherein:the inkjet printhead includes a bottom surface and the printhead servicing member includes a top surface; and the printhead servicing member top surface engages the inkjet printhead bottom surface when the inkjet printhead and the printhead servicing member are at the servicing position.
- 12. An inkjet printing mechanism according to claim 9, wherein:a wiper is mounted on the printhead servicing member; and a cap is mounted on the printhead servicing member.
- 13. An inkjet printing mechanism according to claim 9, further comprising:a means for feeding a print media in a first direction; and a printzone where the inkjet printhead may be moved to along the scanning axis and disposed adjacent to the print media and the printhead servicing position.
- 14. An inkjet printing mechanism according to claim 13, wherein the print media is an envelope.
- 15. An inkjet printing mechanism, comprising:means for feeding a print media in a first direction; an inkjet printhead slideably mounted to the inkjet printer; means operatively couples to the inkjet printhead for translating the inkjet printhead back and forth along a single second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction between a print zone where the inkjet printhead is disposed adjacent to the print media and a cleaning position; an inkjet service platform slideably mounted to the inkjet printer; and means operatively coupled to the inkjet service platform for translating the inkjet service platform back and forth in at least a third direction and a fourth direction defining respectively a first plane and a second plane, the first and second planes each being perpendicular to the single second direction and the first plane being parallel to the first direction so that the inkjet service platform engages the inkjet printhead at the cleaning position.
- 16. An inkjet printing mechanism according to claim 15 where the print media is an envelope.
- 17. An inkjet printing mechanism according to claim 15, wherein the inkjet printhead is translated to the cleaning position before the service platform is translated to the cleaning position to effect a maintenance operation.
- 18. An inkjet printing mechanism according to claim 15, wherein the first direction is substantially horizontal.
- 19. An inkjet printing mechanism according to claim 18, wherein the second plane is substantially vertical.
- 20. An inkjet printing mechanism according to claim 19, wherein the inkjet printhead includes a bottom surface and the inkjet service platform includes a top surface, and the inkjet service platform top surface engages the inkjet printhead bottom surface when the inkjet printhead and the inkjet service platform are at the cleaning position.
- 21. An inkjet printing mechanism according to claim 20, wherein the print media is an envelope.
- 22. An inkjet printing mechanism according to claim 15, wherein:a wiper is mounted on the inkjet service platform; and a cap is mounted on the inkjet service platform.
- 23. A method of operating an inkjet printing mechanism comprising the steps of:feeding a print media in a first direction; translating an inkjet printhead back and forth in a single second direction perpendicular to the first direction; translating the inkjet printhead along the single second direction between a print zone where the inkjet printhead is disposed adjacent to the print media and a cleaning position; translating an inkjet service platform back and forth in at least a third direction that defines a plane, the plane being substantially perpendicular to the single second direction and parallel to the first direction; and translating the inkjet service platform in a fourth direction, wherein said fourth direction is substantially perpendicular to the single second direction and is non-parallel to the third direction, to engage the inkjet printhead at the cleaning position.
- 24. A method according to claim 23, wherein the print media being fed is an envelope.
- 25. A method according to claim 23, further comprising the steps of translating the inkjet printhead to the cleaning position and then translating the service platform to the cleaning position to effect a maintenance operation.
- 26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of defining the first direction as substantially horizontal.
- 27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of defining the fourth direction as substantially vertical.
- 28. The method according to claim 27, further comprising the steps of providing the inkjet printhead with a bottom surface and the inkjet service platform with a top surface wherein the inkjet service platform top surface engages the inkjet printhead bottom surface when the inkjet printhead and the inkjet service platform are at the cleaning position.
- 29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the print media being fed is an envelope.
- 30. A method according to claim 23, further comprising the steps of:providing a wiper mounted on the inkjet service platform; and providing a cap mounted on the inkjet service platform.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
This is a continuation of copending application Ser. No. 09/589,530 filed on Jun. 7, 2000, which is a continuation-in-part (“CIP”) application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/667,611, filed on Jul. 3, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,132,026, which is a CIP application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/509,070, filed on Jul. 31, 1995, now abandoned, all having at least one co-inventor in common.
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Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
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09/589530 |
Jun 2000 |
US |
Child |
09/969684 |
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US |
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
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08/667611 |
Jul 1996 |
US |
Child |
09/589530 |
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Parent |
08/509070 |
Jul 1995 |
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08/667611 |
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