DOCKING STATION

Abstract

A docking station (1) is for an electronic hand stamp having an inkjet printhead. The docking station (1) includes a body (2) having a rest surface (4) for receiving a substantially flat bottom side of an electronic hand stamp and a border (5) at least partially framing the rest surface (4). The docking station (1) also includes at least one wiper element (3) connected to the body (2) and that projects on one side from the body (2). The wiper element (3) includes a wiper blade (17) for manually sweeping across an inkjet printhead.

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. A docking station for an electronic hand stamp having an inkjet printhead, the docking station comprising: a body having a rest surface for receiving a substantially flat bottom side of an electronic hand stamp; a border at least partially framing the rest surface; and a wiper element connected to the body, the wiper element projecting on one side from the body and comprising a wiper blade for manually sweeping across an inkjet printhead; wherein the wiper element is supported moveable relative to the body; and wherein the wiper element is retractable in the body.

22. The docking station according to claim 21, wherein the wiper element is moveable substantially parallel to the rest surface between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the wiper element is engageable in the retracted position or in the extended position.

23. The docking station according to claim 21, wherein the docking station comprises a cap, wherein the cap is connected to the body and has an opening arranged within the border and substantially parallel to the rest surface of the body.

24. The docking station according to claim 23, wherein the cap comprises an elastomer or rubber material.

25. The docking station according to claim 24, wherein the cap comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.

26. The docking station according to claim 24, wherein the elastomer or rubber material has a shore hardness between 40 and 60 Shore A.

27. The docking station according to claim 21, wherein the cap is supported displaceable relative to the rest surface in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rest surface and biased relative to the rest surface in a direction outward from the body.

28. The docking station according to claim 27, wherein the cap is spring-loaded relative to the rest surface in a direction outward from the body.

29. The docking station according to claim 21, wherein the body comprises at least one magnetic element, wherein the at least one magnetic element is arranged for maintaining a corresponding magnetic element of an electronic hand stamp in contact with the rest surface by magnetic attraction between the magnetic elements.

30. The docking station according to claim 29, wherein the at least one magnetic element is a permanent magnet.

31. The docking station according to claim 21, wherein the body comprises a first connector and a second connector, wherein the first connector and the second connector are electrically connected, wherein the first connector is accessible from a side of the body outside of the rest surface, and wherein the second connector comprises at least two metallic contacts arranged within the border and in a plane substantially parallel to the rest surface of the body.

32. The docking station according to claim 31, wherein the metallic contacts of the second connector are biased relative to the rest surface.

33. The docking station according to claim 31, wherein the first connector and the second connector provide a data connection.

34. The docking station according to claim 21, wherein the body comprises a vertical projection from the rest surface.

35. The docking station according to claim 21, wherein an access opening is formed in the body and in the rest surface, wherein the access opening connects the rest surface with a bottom surface of the docking station.

36. The docking station according to claim 21, comprising one or more rubber feet arranged on a bottom surface of the docking station.

37. A method for cleaning an inkjet printhead of an electronic hand stamp with a docking station according to claim 21, the method comprising: detecting, when the electronic hand stamp is removed from the docking station; upon detection, triggering a spitting routine of the inkjet printhead after a spitting delay.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein the spitting delay is between 100 ms and 500 ms.

Description

[0025] Referring now to the drawings, wherein the figures are for purposes of illustrating the present invention and not for purposes of limiting the same,

[0026] FIG. 1 schematically shows a graphical projection of a preferred embodiment of a docking station according to the invention;

[0027] FIG. 2 schematically shows an exploded view of the docking station according to FIG. 1;

[0028] FIG. 3 schematically shows a bottom side of the docking station according to FIG. 1 with a wiper element in an extended position;

[0029] FIG. 4 schematically shows a bottom side of the docking station according to FIG. 1 with a wiper element in a retracted position; and

[0030] FIG. 5 schematically shows the docking station according to FIG. 1 with an electronic hand stamp received therein.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a docking station 1 for an electronic hand stamp (not shown). The docking station 1 comprises a body 2 and a wiper element 3. The body has a rest surface 4 and a border 5. The border 5 encloses the rest surface 4, thereby framing it. In other words, border 5 defines the circumference of the rest surface 4. The height of the border 5 above the rest surface 4 may override depending on the shape of the electronic hand stamp, in particular its footprint and eventual lateral projections near its bottom side. The rest surface 4 is a substantially flat area and contribute for receiving a substantially flat bottom side of an electronic hand stamp. An access opening 6 is formed in the body 2 and in the rest surface 4. The access opening 6 connects the rest surface 4 with a bottom surface 7 (see FIG. 3) of the docking station 1. Moreover, the body comprises a vertical projection 8 from the rest surface 4. The vertical projection 8 has the form of a ridge of constant height.

[0032] Adjacent to the vertical projection 8, a recess 9 for receiving a cap 10 is provided in the rest surface 4. The cap 10 is connected to the body 2 and has an opening 11. The opening 11 is arranged within the border 5 and essentially parallel to the rest surface 4 of the body 2. The cap 10 is made of a thermoplastic elastomer preferably with a shore hardness of approximately 50 Shore A. Arranged within and enclosed by the cap 10 is a bottom cover 12. As will be apparent from FIG. 2, the cap 10 is supported displaceable or moveable relative to the rest surface 4 in a direction essentially perpendicular to the rest surface 4.

[0033] Finally, the body comprises a first connector 13 and a second connector 14. The first connector 13 and the second connector 14 are electrically connected. The first connector 13 is accessible from a side of the body 2 outside of the rest surface 4. In the present embodiment, the first connector 13 is a socket for receiving a plug of a power supply cable. The second connector 14 comprises six metallic contacts 15 arranged in pairs on respective contact supports 16. The metallic contacts 15 are arranged within the border 5 and in a common plane essentially parallel to the rest surface 4 of the body 2. The metallic contacts 15 of the second connector 14 are formed by angled contact pins that buckle under a contact pressure and are therefore biased relative to the rest surface 4. In the present embodiment, the connection provided by the first and second connectors 13, 14 is a three-pole power or charging connection. As the skilled person will readily recognise, the connectors 13, 14 can be extended to provide for additional connection pins, e.g. for a data connection such as a USB connection (between 4 and 24 pins).

[0034] The wiper element 3 is supported moveable essentially parallel to the rest surface relative to the body 2 and between the extended position shown in FIG. 1 and a retracted position, where the wiper element 3 is retracted in the body 2, shown in FIG. 4. The wiper element 3 comprises a wiper blade 17 defining at least one straight edge 18 for wiping a flat bottom surface of a printhead. The wiper blade 17 is supported by a thin section 19 of the wiper element 3. The thin section 19 has a decreased resiliency impact to the full-strength section 20, from which it extends. The decreased resiliency allows a user to restrict the applied pressure during a wiping routine, to avoid damaging the printhead or its nozzles.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the docking station 1 shown in FIG. 1. As can be seen from this exploded view, the body 2 comprises a first body part 21 and a second body part 22. The body parts 21, 22 are connected by four screws 23. In an assembled state, the screws 23 are each covered by a rubber foot 24 respectively. The wiper element 3 is supported on a slide 25 having a handle 26. The slide 25 in an assembled state is received between two guiding rails 27 formed in the first body part 21, such that it can be moved parallel to the guiding rails 27. The cap 10 is supported on a carrier 28, to which it is attached by pins 29 of the bottom cover 12, which extend through holes in the cap 10 and into the carrier 28. The carrier 28 has three lateral pins 30 received and supported in respective recesses 31 of a cap frame 32 formed in the first body part 21. A spring 33 is received between the carrier 28 and the second body part 22 in an assembled state of the docking station 1, such that the cap 10 is biased in a direction away from the second body part 22 and through the first body part 21. The first connector 13 and the second connector 14 are arranged on a printed circuit board 34 providing for the electric connections between the respective pins and integrated in the body 2. The first body part 21 further comprises three circular retainers 35, each for receiving a magnetic element 36. The magnetic elements 36 are essentially arranged around the cap 10.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of the docking station 1, i.e. onto its bottom side 7. Adjacent to the access opening 6, an opening 37 is provided in the second body part 22 in order to expose the handle 26 of the slide 25 carrying the wiper element 3. In the extended position shown in FIG. 3, and arrow 38 pointing from the handle 26 into a direction opposite the wiper element 3 is visible. By moving the handle 26 in the direction indicated by the arrow 37, a user can move the wiper element from the exposed position into a retracted position.

[0037] FIG. 4 shows the result of such an operation, where the wiper element 3 is entirely retracted into the body 2. The handle 26 is now positioned on an opposite end of the opening 37. Now, and arrow 39 pointing from the handle 26 into a direction of the (retracted) wiper element 3 is visible. By pushing the handle 26 in the direction indicated by the arrow 39, a user of the docking station 1 can move the wiper element from the retracted position shown in FIG. 4 into an extended position shown in FIG. 3, thereby preparing it for a wiping routine for cleaning a printhead of an electronic hand stamp.

[0038] In FIG. 5 the wiper element 3 of the docking station 1 is in a retracted position. An electronic hand stamp 40 is received on the rest surface 4 with its flat bottom side resting the rest surface 4. When the electronic hand stamp 40 is lifted off the docking station 1, the vertical projection 8 is pulled from the electronic hand stamp 40, which is detected by the electronic hand stamp 40 and a spitting routine of an inkjet printhead of the electronic hand stamp 40 is triggered approximately 300 ms of spitting delay after said detection. Thereby, a tiny amount of ink is sprayed into the air above the docking station 1.