Mikrozahn-Wagenantriebssystem für Tintenstrahldruckköpfe

摘要

To quiet inkjet printhead carriage motion in a inkjet printing mechanism (20), a friction drive system (70; 80) is provided for driving a carriage (50) that moves an inkjet printhead (60, 62) across a printzone (25). A belt (78; 88) is secured to the carriage (50) and a drive pulley (75; 85) is coupled to the output shaft of a carriage drive motor (56). The drive pulley (75; 85) has a drive surface (76; 86) comprising a plurality of microteeth that engage a flat drive surface (78; 88) of the belt (78; 88). The microteeth may be randomly arranged on the drive surface, and formed of a granular material (86), for instance. The microteeth may also be arranged in a pattern (76) on the drive surface of the drive pulley, such as in a knurled diamond pattern or in a series of slated ridges formed by defining lands surrounded by depressions in the drive surface of the drive pulley. A method is also provided for quieting inkjet printhead carriage motion in a inkjet printing mechanism (20).