An inkjet printing system having a replaceable set of ink-related components which are installed together and replaced together with a single ink delivery system for each different color of ink. The set includes an ink printhead with an inlet port, an ink supply module, and a printhead service module, each of which is manually mountable by a user onto an inkjet printer. The ink supply module contains enough ink to completely replenish an entire printhead reservoir several times before the expected useful life of the printhead has expired, at which time a user can replace the entire set of ink-related components for a particular color. Similarly, the printhead service module is designed for reliable performance for the expected useful life of the printhead. This system enables the entire ink delivery system to be replaced for different printing needs, such as replacing indoor dye-based inks with outdoor pigment based inks.

An improved capping method and apparatus is provided for capping a plurality of inkjet printer cartridges. A plurality of capping device are mounted on a common support member which is biased towards the respective printheads of a plurality of cartridges. Relative movement in the capping direction between the capping device and the printheads is limited by a mechanical stop and the biasing force provided is sufficiently large to ensure that in use this relative movement is always so limited. By providing a substantially constant displacement in the capping direction between a set of cartridges and a set of capping means, the capping force between a particular printhead and its respective capping device dependent only on the manufacturing tolerances associated with the particular printhead and capping device and not those associated with all other printheads and capping device in the set.

A service station device in an inkjet printer head includes a cap portion which moves together with a case under guide of the case by a pressure force of a carriage moving to a service area for performing next printing and is then ascended to tightly close a nozzle of a head; a wiper portion which moves and is ascended along with the case under the guide of the case, upon movement of the cap portion, to stand by a cleaning state, and upon printing operation, which moves and descends only the cap portion to a printing area and at the same time cleans a surface of the nozzle; a locking portion integrated with the wiper portion as one unit, which moves together with the wiper portion, to thereby be locked to the case during a standby state, and upon the printing operation, returns to an original state with the wiper portion by releasing the standby state by means of the carriage being continuously moved; and an elastic portion coupled to the case and to the locking portion, which is elastically extended to lock the locking portion to the case, upon movement of the locking portion, and at the same time, releases the locking state by the carriage to return the locking portion to the original state.

A manually removable service module is provided for use with an inkjet printer having a service zone for printhead servicing functions including printhead priming. The service module comprises a nozzle plate cap for interfacing with a nozzle plate of a printhead to perform priming functions, a primer port for connecting the service module to a primer located within the printer, and a path through the service module between the interfacing cap and the primer port. The primer port is automatically connected to the primer as the service module is inserted into the printer by a user of the printer. In a embodiment there is also provided an ink separation chamber having a plurality of baffle walls within the service module so as to prevent ink from contaminating the primer port.

A service station for use in servicing one or more inkjet print cartridges includes a service station sled assembly detachably attached to a service station chassis. The service station according to the invention can be used with either a facsimile machine that uses thermal inkjet printing, or with a thermal inkjet printer. In one embodiment, a mechanism for detaching the sled assembly is easily activated by a lever extending from the service station chassis. The invention enables a user to easily detach the sled assembly from and attach the sled assembly to the remainder of the service station, thereby allowing the user to easily replace the sled assembly without necessity to replace the remainder of the service station.