Patent ID: 11731428

Abstract:
The invention relates to a capping unit (1) for capping at least one printhead (311.1, 311.2, 311.3, 321.1, 321.2, 321.3) of a printer (300), in particular an inkjet printer. The capping unit (1) includes a belt element (2.1, 2.2) having an elongated extent, wherein the belt element (2.1, 2.2) includes at least one flexible cap (3.1, 3.2) for capping the at least one printhead (311.1, 311.2, 311.3, 321.1, 321.2, 321.3), wherein the belt element (2.1, 2.2) features a resting setting and a capping setting and is displaceable from the resting setting to the capping setting and back. The belt element (2.1, 2.2) provides a self-stability section (5.1, 5.2) extending over at least a portion of the belt element (2.1, 2.2)'s elongated extent, wherein in the self-stability section (5.1, 5.2), the belt element (2.1, 2.2) is bendable in a movement plane (13.1, 13.2). In the capping setting, at all positions within the self-stability section (5.1, 5.2), a course of the elongated extent follows a straight line (14.1, 14.2) in the movement plane (13.1 13.2). Furthermore, in the capping setting, at each position within the self-stability section (5.1, 5.2), the belt element (2.1, 2.2) provides a self-stability against bending of the belt element (2.1, 2.2) in a self-stability direction being oriented perpendicular to the straight line (14.1, 14.2) and being aligned in the movement plane (13.1, 13.2). At at least one position within the self-stability section (5.1, 5.2), the belt element (2.1, 2.2) is bendable in the movement plane (13.1, 13.2) away from the straight line (14.1, 14.2) in a bending direction being oriented opposite to the self-stability direction.