Abstract: A cleaning blade cleaner assembly is provided for contacting, scraping, wiping and wicking residual liquid ink from a printhead cleaning blade immediately after the printhead cleaning blade has wiped and cleaned an ink jet printhead within an ink jet printer. The cleaning blade cleaner assembly includes a support frame and a rigid scraping member mounted to the support frame. The rigid scraping member has a body portion, and a scraping edge adjoining the body portion for making scraping and wiping contact with printhead cleaning blade during relative motion between the printhead cleaning blade and the rigid scraping member.

Abstract: A fast acting printhead maintenance assembly is provided and includes a support frame and a flexible wiping member mounted to the support frame. The flexible wiping member has a body portion, and a wiping edge adjoining the body portion for making wiping contact with a nozzle face of a printhead during relative motion between the printhead and the flexible wiping member. The fast acting printhead maintenance assembly also includes a liquid ink wicking and absorbing member attached to the body portion of the flexible wiping member for immediately and quickly wicking and absorbing liquid ink wiped by the wiping edge from the nozzle face of the printhead, thereby resulting in continued high quality printed images and a relatively longer printhead life.

Abstract: A method and system for a vacuum and ink manifold usable in a maintenance station of an ink jet printer, including at least one printhead maintenance cap, a pump generating negative pressure, a waste accumulator, and a manifold. The waste accumulator is designed specifically for the combination of dye and pigment inks to maintain the combined waste ink in a transportable fluid state.

Abstract: A method and system for a cam-actuated lever capping arm for use in a maintenance station of an ink jet printer, the printer including a bi-directional translatable carriage supporting a print cartridge having a print head with nozzles in a nozzle face for printing ink droplets ejecting from said nozzles onto a recording medium at a printing zone in the printer, the translatable carriage being controlled by drive members under the control of a printer controller, the maintenance station being positioned at one side of the printing zone for translation of a print cartridge thereto on the translatable carriage for capping by the cap carriage, the cap carriage including a movable base for intercepting the translatable carriage when the translatable carriage enters the maintenance station, a pair of movable caps for sealing the nozzles in the printhead nozzle face, and a cam-actuated lever for moving the cap into a position in which the cap seals against the printhead nozzle face.

Abstract: A ventable capping and priming assembly is provided for capping a nozzle face of an ink jet printhead so as to enable sealed priming of the printhead, as well as venting of the printhead to relieve defect causing pressures therefrom during non-priming periods. The ventable capping and priming assembly includes a capping member including a sealing member for sealing engagement with the nozzle face of the ink jet printhead, and a capping member mounted to the capping member and including a priming recess and a vacuum path formed therein. Further, the ventable capping and priming assembly includes a venting path formed from an outside surface of the capping member, and through the capping member, into the priming recess for venting the nozzle face of the ink jet printhead being capped, thereby relieving the nozzle face of the ink jet printhead of defect causing capping pressures during non-priming periods.

Abstract: A waste ink pad system includes a separate first and second pad of absorbent material, each pad having a hole which is blocked by the opposing pad. The rate of evaporation of volatile components from waste ink is reduced by introducing the waste ink into the waste ink pad system at an interface between the first and second pads through a sleeve inserted into one of the blocked holes.

Abstract: An ink jet printer includes a capping and wiping system in a maintenance station which is connected to a common vacuum source. The wiping system includes a blotter-type collection member which presents an air vent when the printhead is in a capped position. When a priming operation is initiated, the air vent route is blocked, and full pressure is applied at the capping nozzle interface.

Abstract: A storage container for temporarily storing an ink jet printhead cartridge during periods of non-use, the container including an improved nozzle capping mechanism which permits a variable range of forces to be applied to obtain the necessary sealing. The membrane is characterized by having, on one surface, a ribbed section which encircles the nozzle area to form a sealing perimeter. The other surface of the membrane has a shallow recess formed beneath the ribbed section, the recess providing for inward deflection along the ribbed area, the ribbed section maintaining an effective seal throughout a deflectable range. The arrangement solves a prior art problem of membrane buckling when excessive force is applied.

Abstract: An apparatus for illuminating a photoconductive surface. The apparatus includes a housing defining a chamber and an open end. An imaging device is placed in the housing chamber. The imager transmits light rays through the open end of the housing to the photoconductive surface. An air pump is coupled to the housing. The air pump maintains an outwardly directed flow of air from the open end of the housing so as to move particles away from the open end. Electrically biased electrodes are located between the imaging device and the photoconductive surface. They attract the particles so as to prevent the particles from contaminating the imaging device.