The Epson Print Head Illustrated


WARNING!
This page is some of what I have learned about Epson printers.
Use any of this information at your own discretion.
I take no responsibilty for what you may do to your printer.


Head Guide Lubrication.

If friction develops on the head guides the head can bang into the left side of the printer, make rude noises and throw off the alignment of the print.

Usually simply wiping the guide rode with a clean lint free cloth and applying a small amount of a light machine oil will solve this.

If this doesn't solve the problem, do the rod clean and lube, make a print, do another rod clean and lube, repeat several times.   This should clean gunk out of the bushings.
Cleaning and lubricating the back of the upper guide rail may also be necessary.  A very light grease is on this rail.

Usually the printer will start to sound different, a bit rough, before the friction actually causes problems.  As soon as there is an uneven sound when printing do a clean and lube.  If you are an organized type person a preventative clean/lube once a month should keep the printer happy.
The bronze bushings and the rod lubricating oil pad.

Epson 1200.		 Rod lubricating oil pad
This is the back of the rail which the head carriage hangs on.

A light grease is used to lubricate this slide area.		 Slide rail back of head




This is the bottom of an Epson 440 print head. The metal retainer was removed before the photo was taken and has been loosley repositioned for the the picture.
Removing this metal retainer destroys the print head!

The three shorter sets of nozzles are Yellow, Magenta and Cyan. The two longer rows on the right are the black print head.		 Epson 440 Printhead


These are some of the black print head nozzles.

Those nozzle holes are TINY!		 Printhead Nozzles



440 Head Ink Delivery

spigots
Spigots

screens
Screen under each spigot

head open
Head open showing ink tubes below the screens and the head channels - black on left

Black head ribbon
Black head ribbon. Ink channel at the bottom.


Head Diagrams from the Epson Patent

Unclipping the 1200 head from the carraige.

Head Unclipped
Head Unclipped

Head Out
Head Out


Waste Ink Pads.

Waste Ink Pads






Epson Printhead Patent
For a more detailed explanation of the operation of the Epson printhead:
INK JET RECORDING HEAD U.S. Patent Number 5,748,215


Eddie's page on unclogging epson inkjet heads
Unclogging epson inkjet heads


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