Franking machine and method for servicing thereof

摘要

A franking machine has an ink jet printing device with exchangeable ink cartridges. The lower housing shell of a security housing of the franking machine has a sealable, shaft-shaped opening in the base and is designed to accommodate assemblies that can be contaminated with ink. These assemblies are situated in a non-secure region of the franking machine and are accessible via the aforementioned opening when a cover of the shaft-shaped opening is opened. A servicing procedure allows the franking machine to be retrofitted to print with a different ink color. After moving the print carriage in one direction and opening a cartridge flap, the ink cartridges can be removed. A displacement of the print carriage takes place after closing the cartridge flap, wherein the print carriage is moved in the opposite direction so that the print carriage arrives in the sealing position for ink cartridges. A box-shaped mod can now be removed from the franking machine. Servicing of the ink-contaminated modules subsequently takes place via the aforementioned opening.

主权项

1. A franking machine comprising:
a security housing comprised of a joined upper housing shell and lower housing shell configured to form a tamper-proof enclosure within said security housing; an ink jet printing device movable along a path within said tamper-proof enclosure in said security housing, said ink jet printing device being configured to eject ink to produce a printed imprint on a flat item movable through a transport path defined by an exterior configuration of said security housing; said lower housing shell of said security housing having a base and interior walls proceeding upwardly from said base that define a non-secure volume within said security housing that has an exterior opening, and a removable cover that closes said exterior opening; a plurality of assemblies contained in said non-secure volume of said lower housing shell at a location beneath a location at which said ink jet printing device ejects ink to produce said printed imprint, said assemblies in said non-secure volume being subject to contamination by said ink, and said assemblies comprising, in succession, an ink capture container, at least one service module, and an ink receptacle, said at least one service module comprising a shaft therein through which ink proceed from said ink capture container to said ink receptacle; said assemblies being removably mounted in said non-secure volume and being accessible and removable through said opening when said cover is removed; and a hole provided in the security housing in to which a multifunction stylus is introduced to manually displaces said ink jet printing device within said tamper-proof enclosure.