摘要 |
<p>A high-speed ink jet printing apparatus adapted for use with a plurality of insertable print/cartridges (20) and having a platen (8) for transporting successive line portions of a print medium through a linear print zone, includes a carriage (10) with a plurality of nests (17) for supporting, positioning and electrically coupling respective print/cartridges in the printer, the nests being spaced along the transverse dimension of the linear print zone in a manner dividing it into a plurality of discrete transverse subportions of equal length. A traversing device (17) reciprocates the carriage in forward and return directions parallel to the linear print zone. The movement of the traverse is approximately equal to the length of the print zone divided by the number of nest means of the carriage. The printer can include a sheet supply station, and a platen (8) constructed to feed successive sheets from the supply station into a print path leading to the print zone and the carriage can include guides (23) for directing fed sheets along the print path. The printer also includes a plurality of drop catchers (80) located proximate the print zone at transversely spaced locations, and movable with respect to supported print/cartridges.</p> |