Patent ID: 6421073
Filing Date: 2002-07-16
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
In a printer having a printing abutment for supporting a recording carrier to be printed, a print head operable for printing on the recording carrier, and a carriage for supporting the print head and operatively movable in a first direction parallel to the printing abutment and supported recording carrier for printing on the recording carrier and in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the printing abutment and supported recording carrier for adjusting a spacing between a print surface of the print head and the recording carrier, the invention comprising apparatus for adjusting the spacing through controlled movement of the carriage along the second direction in response to variations in a thickness of the supported recording carrier so as to enable optimum printing quality, said apparatus comprising:means mounting the print head to the carriage so as to accommodate displacement of the print head relative to the carriage along said second direction by momentary abutment of the print head print surface with the recording carrier; a second surface on the print head remote from the print surface and disposed in confrontingly opposed relation to the carriage and defining therebetween a clearance that is variable in one of said second direction and a third direction defined at an angle to the second direction as the print head is displaced relative to the carriage along said second direction by said momentary abutment of the print head print surface with the recording carrier; and reflex sensor means for detecting said variations in said clearance and for outputting an electrical signal for use in effecting controlled movement of the carriage along said second direction to properly adjust the spacing between the print surface of the print head and the supported recording carrier in accordance with said detected variations so as to accommodate the thickness of the supported recording carrier.