Printhead maintenance station for scalable printhead arrays

摘要

A printing system includes a maintenance device that is configured to correspond to different configurations of a scalable printhead array. The printing system includes a first printhead array having a plurality of printheads and a pair of frames disposed in parallel and on opposite ends of the first printhead array. A first maintenance platform is mounted between the pair of frames and configured move from a first position at a first side of the first printhead array to a second position opposite faces of the printheads in the first printhead array. The first maintenance platform is configured to perform a maintenance operation on the plurality of printheads of the first printhead array when the platform is at the second position, and a first actuator is configured to move the first maintenance platform between the first position at the first side of the printhead array and the second position.

主权项

1. A printing system comprising:
a first printhead array having a plurality of printheads; a pair of frames disposed in parallel and on opposite ends of the first printhead array; a first maintenance platform mounted between the pair of frames and configured to move from a first position at a first side of the first printhead array to a second position opposite faces of the plurality of printheads of the first printhead array to enable the first maintenance platform to perform a maintenance operation on the plurality of printheads of the first printhead array when the first maintenance platform is at the second position, the first maintenance platform having a body having a first surface that faces the plurality of printheads of the first printhead array when the first maintenance platform is at the second position and a plurality of maintenance modules mounted to the first surface of the body and arranged to enable each maintenance module in the plurality of maintenance modules to align with a corresponding printhead of the first printhead array to perform a maintenance operation on the corresponding printhead of the first printhead array in response to the first maintenance platform being at the second position, the body of the first maintenance platform having a drain port in a surface of the body configured to drain debris from the plurality of maintenance modules, a plurality of drain channels within the body configured to guide the debris from the plurality of maintenance modules to the drain port, a spout extending from the drain port, the spout being configured to move between a first position and a second position, and a drain actuator configured to drain the debris selectively by moving the spout between the first position and the second position; and a first actuator configured to move the first maintenance platform between the first position and the second position.