Patent ID: 6378987
Filing Date: 2002-04-30
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A method for reducing torsional deflections in an ink-jet writing-instrument carriage including a movable writing-instrument latch having an open position and a closed position, the method comprising:providing the carriage and the writing-instrument latch with geometrically configured complementary interfit surfaces; and positioning the writing-instrument latch on the carriage against a bias such that when the writing-instrument latch is in said closed position, counterforces to carriage torsional deflections which would affect printhead-to-paper orientation and distance are automatically established by the complementary interfit surfaces, wherein the providing the carriage and the writing-instrument latch with geometrically configured complementary interfit surfaces further comprises: interfitting the carriage and the writing-instrument latch such that both are held by the interfit surfaces with zero clearance interfit in at least one axis selected from said x- axis, y-axis, and z-axis such that torsional deflections of the carriage are reduced and wherein the interfit surfaces are devices that include at least one writing-instrument latch retainer on the carriage and each writing-instrument latch retainer includes wedge-configured receivers having receiver mating surfaces for providing y-axis constraint, and a protruding arm on the writing-instrument latch, the arm including a pivot having a surface wherein the pivot is interfit against the receiver mating surfaces such that the movable writing-instrument latch can be rotated between the open position and the closed position and the interfit provides y-axis, z-axis, theta-y and theta-z constraints for each writing-instrument.