Patent ID: 6543893
Filing Date: 2003-04-08
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A handheld inkjet printing mechanism for printing a selected image on a print surface of a solid body or a semi-flexible body, comprising:a chassis; a controller supported by the chassis, with the controller storing the selected image therein; an inkjet printhead supported by the chassis to selectively eject ink onto the print surface in response to the controller; a printhead-to-print surface spacing device to control the spacing between the printhead and the print surface, with the spacing device being supported by the chassis to traverse over the print surface when moved therealong by an operator while the printhead selectively ejects ink onto the print surface to record the selected image thereon, and wherein the spacing device comprises protrusions projecting from the chassis to slide along the print surface during said movement by the operator; and wherein the controller is configured to be coupled to a replaceable image cartridge from which the controller receives the selected image.