The invention relates to an add-on module suitable to receive and hold a disposable printer cartridge that is provided with inkjet nozzles, which disposable printer cartridge is equipped for placement in a printer, wherein the printer car tridge is equipped to make prints on nonporous substrates.

In order to make a print adhere onto a non-porous sub strate (like glass, metal, plastics etc.) inks/colouring agents need to be used that are suspended in Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's) . After printing with the inkjet nozzles, the VOC's will be exposed to the ambient, which makes them evaporate. Once the VOC's have evaporated the ink/colouring agent will be left be hind on the nonporous substrate causing the print to adhere onto it .

The quicker the VOC's evaporate, also the quicker the ink will dry on the substrate. The problem is that this same ef fect also happens inside the nozzles of the inkjet cartridge' s printhead. As the nozzles are open, the ink in the nozzles is exposed to the ambient and the VOC's evaporate. As a result when the printer is idle, the ink also dries and solidifies in the nozzles .

The problem of undesirable evaporation of the VOCs from the ink in the nozzles does not occur with continuous printing as the ink is jetted out of the nozzles and immediately replaced by new ink before the VOC's get time to evaporate. But with par ticular inks that dry within seconds even the smallest printing pause can cause the nozzles to become (partially) obstructed.

The problem is therefore that the quicker the VOC' s evaporate, not only the print dries quicker on the substrate, but also the quicker the nozzles become obstructed when printing is interrupted. This may result in missed dots in a first print when printing is resumed after an interruption of printing, or even complete obstruction of the nozzles when the inkjet nozzles are left exposed/idle for too long a time. In order to resume printing without flaws, then depending on the extent to which the ink has already dried in the nozzles, the nozzles will need to be flushed (called purging or spitting) and wiped (in order to clean off access ink or dirt) . In the worst case it may even be necessary that the whole cartridge must be replaced in case the nozzles are obstructed beyond recovery. This results not on ly in a complete waste of ink that is left in the cartridge, but also causes expensive production downtime.

The above-mentioned purging or spitting is basically an action to let each nozzle splash within a fixed time interval a little amount of ink in the air to remove the dried ink from the nozzles. According to the speed at which the ink dries, the shorter also the interval can or must be between each

spit/print. By the spitting or purging it is prevented that the first print after resuming printing following a period of time in which printing has been interrupted, will miss dots due to one (or more) obstructed nozzle (s) . Basically with the technique of purging or spitting all nozzles are blown clear of dried ink just before printing is resumed. So the shorter period of time in which the spit is performed in advance of printing, the big ger the chance that the first print is perfect without missing any dots. This also means that even when the printhead nozzles have been capped, it may still be advisable to perform a spit after de-capping and immediately before printing is resumed to assure that all nozzles will be open.

The invention aims to provide a simple solution for the above-mentioned problems and objectives.

US 7,461,919 discloses an inkjet printhead assembly having a casing removably mounting at least one printhead module which has an elongate support member longitudinally supporting a plurality of printhead integrated circuits and a capping member capping one longitudinal end of the elongate support member. The support member has a plurality of longitudinally extending chan nels for carrying and delivering ink to inkjet nozzles of the printhead integrated circuits. The longitudinal ends of the elongate support member are configured differently and comple- mentarily to one another. The capping member is configured to cap either of the longitudinal ends so as to seal the channels.

US 9,221,261 discloses a printer having an inkjet printhead assembly; a sled slidably arranged with respect to the printhead assembly, the sled supporting a platen module, a cap per module and a wiper module; a sliding mechanism for sliding the sled relative to printhead assembly so as to selectively align one of the platen, capper and wiper modules with the printhead assembly; and a lift mechanism for lifting an aligned module linearly away from the sled and towards the printhead as- sembly. The platen module is positioned between the capper and wiper modules on the sled, such that the capper and wiper mod ules are positioned at opposite sides of the printhead assembly during printing.

Printers that do not operate with disposable printer cartridges and that are accordingly distant from the invention which relates to disposable printer cartridges, are known from US2006/119657; US 9,233,541; and US2017/173959.

According to the invention an add-on module for a printer cartridge is proposed wherein the add-on module is a disposable and independent item without forming a constructional part of the printer, wherein the add-on module comprises at least one of capping means and wiping means that are arranged for capping and wiping respectively of said inkjet nozzles of the printer cartridge. The disposable add-on module of the in vention can cost-effectively be used with existing disposable printer cartridges that thereafter need no further modification for this purpose.

Preferably the disposable add-on module of the inven tion comprises both capping means and wiping means. This pro vides a huge advantage over the prior art wherein it are the printers that have capping and wiping means. In the disposable add-on module of the invention the wiping means are only re quired to have a capacity to absorb excess ink sufficient for the lifetime of only a single disposable printer cartridge. When this printer cartridge is exhausted the add-on module can be disposed together with the printer cartridge, and a new printer cartridge assembled with a fresh add-on module according to the invention can be placed into the printer. The quality of opera tion of the printer benefits tremendously herefrom.

The invention also relates to a printer equipped to re ceive such a disposable printer cartridge that is provided with inkjet nozzles, wherein according to the invention the printer is further equipped to receive and house an assembly of such a disposable printer cartridge provided with the disposable add-on module of the invention.

Suitably the add-on module comprises a frame which is capable to receive the disposable printer cartridge.

When the add-on module has received the disposable printer cartridge and is thus assembled together with the dis posable printer cartridge, desirably the frame still leaves room for reciprocating movement of the disposable printer cartridge in the frame of the add-on module.

The reciprocating movement of the disposable printer cartridge in the frame of the add-on module corresponds to a preferable feature of the printer of the invention being that the printer has an actuator operative on the disposable printer cartridge received in the printer for moving the printer car tridge in the frame of the add-on module. The benefit of this feature is in particular achieved with a preferred embodiment of the disposable add-on module of the invention wherein changing the capping means and/or the wiping means between an operative position and a non-operative position is effected by movement of the disposable printer cartridge with reference to the frame of the add-on module. The benefits of this feature can be suitably achieved by providing the printer with a rail, and arranging that the actuator comprises an actuator arm which is connectable to the disposable printer cartridge, wherein the actuator arm is movable along the rail in the printer.

Corresponding with the just mentioned aspects of the printer, the add-on module preferably has the feature that the capping means and/or the wiping means are movably mounted on the frame of the add-on module.

In a suitable embodiment the capping means and/or the wiping means are provided on movable doors that are mounted on the frame.

Preferably the doors for the capping means and/or the wiping means are connected with a first hinge and a second hinge respectively to the frame of the disposable add-on module.

It is further preferred that the first hinge and/or the second hinge are spring-loaded.

With the features of the movable mounting of the cap ping means and/or the wiping means in the frame of the add-on module, and in particular by the placement of these capping means and wiping means on the hinging doors, moving the disposa ble printer cartridge in the frame of the add-on module from a resting position to its printing position will cause that the printer cartridge will first place the capping means in a non operative position, and second that the wiping means will become operative for cleaning the inkjet nozzles before the actual printing starts. Conversely when after printing the printer car tridge is retracted in the frame of the add-on module from its printing position back to its resting position, the disposable printer cartridge will first let the wiping means return to a ready state for a subsequent wiping operation, and second it will cause the capping means to become operative for closing off the inkjet nozzles of the disposable printer cartridge. The re turning of the wiping means to its ready state and the capping means assuming again their operative position is assisted by the spring-loaded doors on which these respective means are mounted.

Desirably the capping means comprise a nozzle seal, preferably a silicone cap, mounted on the door supporting the capping means.

Further desirably the wiping means comprise a waste ink collector, preferably a sponge, mounted on the door supporting the wiping means .

It is further preferable that the wiping means com prise a bulge which is provided on the concerning door distant from its hinge with the frame. When the disposable printer car tridge moves in the frame of the add-on module and opens the door that is provided with the wiping means, said bulge provides an effective cleaning of the inkjet nozzles of the disposable printer cartridge.

The invention will hereinafter be further elucidated with reference to the drawing of an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention that is not limiting as to the appended claims .

In the drawing:

-figures 1A and IB show in top view and side view re spectively a disposable add-on module according to the invention in combination with a disposable printer cartridge; and

-figures 2A and 2B show in top view and side view re spectively a disposable add-on module according to the invention in combination with a disposable printer cartridge as an assem bly mounted and operational in a printer according to the inven tion .

Whenever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, these numerals refer to the same parts.

Making first reference to figures 1A and IB, it shows a disposable add-on module 1 for a disposable printer cartridge 2. In known way the disposable printer cartridge 2 is provided with inkjet nozzles. The nozzles are not further shown in the drawing since this is perfectly clear for the skilled person. Moreover the inkjet nozzles do not form part of the invention. The dis posable add-on module 1 comprises capping means 3 and/or wiping means 4, and preferably both capping means 3 and wiping means 4, hat are arranged for capping and/or wiping respectively of said inkjet nozzles of the disposable printer cartridge 2.

The figures 1A and IB show that the disposable add-on module 1 comprises a frame 5 which is capable to receive the printer cartridge 2.

Figures 1A and IB further show that the capping means 3 and/or the wiping means 4 are movably mounted on the frame 5 of the disposable add-on module 1, in particular by arranging that the capping means 3 and/or the wiping means 4 are provided on movable doors 7, 8 that are mounted on the frame 5. The doors 7,

8 supporting the capping means 3 and/or the wiping means 4 are connected with a first hinge 9 and a second hinge 10 respective ly to the frame 5 of the add-on module 1. Preferably the first hinge 9 and/or the second hinge 10 are spring-loaded.

In the right-hand part of figures 1A and IB it is shown that the capping means 3 are operative for capping the inkjet nozzles of the disposable printer cartridge 2. The wiping means 4 are in a ready state for a later wiping operation on the inkjet nozzles of the printer cartridge 2 as will be explained hereinafter .

It is remarked that for appropriate operation the cap ping means 3 comprise a nozzle seal, preferably a silicone cap, mounted on the door 7 supporting the capping means 3. And fur ther that the wiping means 4 comprise a waste ink collector, preferably a sponge, mounted on the door 8 supporting the wiping means. It is further noteworthy that the wiping means 4 comprise a bulge 11 which is provided on the concerning door 8 distant from its hinge 10 with the frame 5 of the add-on module 1.

Figures 2A and 2B show that the assembly of the dispos able add-on module 1 and the disposable printer cartridge 2 is placed in a printer 6. Comparing the left-hand part with the right-hand part of figures 2A and 2B shows that when the dispos able add-on module 1 is assembled together with the disposable printer cartridge 2, the frame 5 of the add-on module 1 leaves room for reciprocating movement of the printer cartridge 2 in the frame 5. In connection therewith it is shown that the print er 6 has an actuator 12 operative on the printer cartridge 2 for moving the printer cartridge 2 in the frame 5 of the add-on mod- ule 1. The printer further comprises a rail 13, and the actuator 12 comprises an actuator arm 14 which is connectable to the printer cartridge 2, wherein the actuator arm 14 is movable along the rail 13 in the printer 6 and thus can move the printer cartridge 2 accordingly.

In the left-hand part of figures 2A and 2B the printer cartridge 2 is in its resting position wherein the capping means 3 close off the inkjet nozzles of the printer cartridge 2. When the printer cartridge 2 moves from said resting position to its printing position as depicted in the right-hand part of figures 2A and 2B, this causes that the printer cartridge 2 will first place the capping means 3 in a non-operative position, and sec ond that the wiping means 4 will become operative for cleaning the inkjet nozzles before the actual printing starts.

Conversely when after printing the printer cartridge 2 is retracted in the frame 5 of the add-on module 1 from its printing position in the right-hand part of figures 2A/2B back to its resting position in the left-hand part of figures 2A/2B, the printer cartridge 2 will first let the wiping means 4 return to a ready state for a subsequent wiping operation, and second it will cause the capping means 3 to become operative for clos ing off the inkjet nozzles of the printer cartridge 2. Both the returning of the wiping means 4 to its ready state and the cap ping means 3 assuming their operative position is assisted by the spring-loaded doors 7, 8 on which these respective means are mounted. Accordingly the figures 2A/2B demonstrate that changing the capping means 3 and/or the wiping means 4 between an opera tive position and a non-operative position is effected by move ment of the disposable printer cartridge 2 with reference to the frame 5 of the disposable add-on module 1.

Although the invention has been discussed in the fore going with reference to an exemplary embodiment of the printer cartridge and the add-on module and printer of the invention, the invention is not restricted to this particular embodiment which can be varied in many ways without departing from the in vention. The discussed exemplary embodiment shall therefore not be used to construe the appended claims strictly in accordance therewith. On the contrary the embodiment is merely intended to explain the wording of the appended claims without intent to limit the claims to this exemplary embodiment . The scope of pro tection of the invention shall therefore be construed in accord- ance with the appended claims only, wherein a possible ambiguity in the wording of the claims shall be resolved using this exem plary embodiment .