Printhead arrangement having a maintenance assembly with a molding to facilitate ventilation

Abstract

Provided is a printhead arrangement for an inkjet printer. The arrangement has a maintenance assembly operatively positioned adjacent a printhead. The maintenance assembly includes a maintenance chassis and a lower maintenance molding having air vents to facilitate ventilation of the printhead. The assembly also includes a retainer insert provided to fit within the chassis to provide added rigidity to the maintenance assembly, and an upper maintenance molding to enclose absorbent material within the retainer insert.

1 . A printhead arrangement for an inkjet printer, the arrangement having a maintenance assembly operatively positioned adjacent a printhead, said maintenance assembly comprising:
 a maintenance chassis;   a lower maintenance molding having air vents to facilitate ventilation of the printhead;   a retainer insert provided to fit within the chassis to provide added rigidity to the maintenance assembly; and   an upper maintenance molding to enclose absorbent material within the retainer insert.   
     
     
         2 . The printhead arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the maintenance chassis is in the form of an open ended channel having a pair of upwardly extending tongue portions to engage with retaining projections of the printhead arrangement to secure the maintenance assembly in position. 
     
     
         3 . The printhead arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the maintenance chassis is of pressed steel plate. 
     
     
         4 . The printhead arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the retainer insert includes absorbent media. 
     
     
         5 . The printhead arrangement of  claim 4 , wherein the absorbent media includes an inverted T-shaped assembly of a thin vertical portion which extends upwardly from between two substantially horizontal portions. 
     
     
         6 . The printhead arrangement of  claim 4 , wherein the absorbent media is made from urethane foam. 
     
     
         7 . The printhead arrangement of  claim 5 , wherein the retainer element includes a microfibre fabric that fits over the thin vertical portion, around the two horizontal portions, and then attaches to the retainer insert to retain the absorbent media.