Abstract: A service station for cleaning and sealing the print head of a print module in a printing system is provided. The service station comprises a base, a first direction-changing mechanism, a first moving mechanism and a wiper. The print module drives the first direction-changing mechanism, which drives the first moving mechanism and hence the wiper to clean up the print head. Furthermore, the service station comprises a second direction-changing mechanism, a second moving mechanism and a cap. The print module drives the second direction-changing mechanism, which drives the second moving mechanism and hence the cap to seal the print head.

Abstract: A nozzle guard (80) for an ink jet printhead includes a body member (82) mountable on a substrate (16) which carries a nozzle array (14). The body member defines a plurality of passages (84) through it such that, in use, each passage (84) is in register with a nozzle opening of one of the nozzles of the array (14). The body member (22) further defines fluid inlet openings (88) for directing fluid through the passages (84), from an inlet end of the passages (84), for inhibiting the build up of foreign particles on the nozzle (14).

Abstract: After the front end area of the print medium has been printed and when the printing is to be continued following the front end area, a preliminary ejection is performed, prior to the current scan, on the nozzles that have not been used in preceding scans but begin to be used in a current scan, in order to remove viscous ink from the nozzles and making them ready to perform ejection. As a result, the ink ejection from the nozzles that begin to be used in the current scan becomes satisfactory.

Abstract: A printer head cleaning system for cleaning a printer head, such as a video inkjet printer head reduces exposure of personnel to hazardous solvent vapors by containing and evacuating evaporated cleaning solvent vapors. The printer head cleaning system includes a printer head drying fixture configured to receive a printer head in an interior of the fixture and a vapor capture device for drawing air through the fixture and past the printer head to evaporate and evacuate vapors of the cleaning solution from the printer head. The fixture includes a first end, a second end, a port for receiving the printer head, and a fluid path within the interior of the fixture from the first end to the second end which passes around the printer head when the printer head is received in the fixture.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus is provided with an inkjet head having nozzles. The ink is ejected from the nozzles to recording medium. A platen is arranged close to the inkjet head so as to face the inkjet head. The platen has a rotatable cylindrical body. A porous layer is provided at least a surface of the cylindrical body to absorb ink ejected from the nozzles to the cylindrical body. Alternatively, the surface of the cylindrical body is configured to repel the ink, and a cleaning structure is provided to remove the ink applied on the surface of the cylindrical body.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a frame, and a maintenance station coupled to the frame. The maintenance station includes a maintenance housing having an end portion. A maintenance sled is movably mounted to the maintenance housing. The maintenance sled has a first position and a second position. A flexible member is mounted to the maintenance sled. The flexible member includes a main body and an elastic portion extending from the main body. The main body and the elastic portion define a cavity. The elastic portion of the flexible member contacts the end portion of the maintenance housing when the maintenance sled is in the first position.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a printing device includes one or more print cartridges configured to remain stationary in a first position over a media path during printing and configured to be serviced while in a second position outside an area above the media path. The printing device further includes a service station configured to service the one or more print cartridges; and, a motor assembly configured to move the one or more print cartridges from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: A method for cleaning the nozzle plate of an inkjet printhead includes the steps of: providing a solvent on the nozzle plate; loosening debris collected on the nozzle plate by brushing the nozzle plate in the presence of the solvent with a brush; applying a cleaning solvent to the nozzle plate, and subsequently removing the cleaning solvent and debris from the nozzle plate by vacuum cleaning. Application of the cleaning solvent and the subsequent removal of the cleaning solvent provides a movement of solvent over the nozzle plate.

Abstract: A shutdown procedure is provided for removing all solvent ink from the printhead of an ink jet printer system that uses volatile ink for printing. A shutdown method is provided for an inkjet printer that uses volatile inks for printing. Initially, a colorless flush fluid is provided which readily dissolves the ink. The flush fluid is crossflushed through the drop generator and caused to weep out of the orifices in the drop generator to dissolve and rinse away ink residues from the charge plate and the exterior of the orifice plate. The flush fluid is used to rinse off charging electrodes of the charge plate, the catcher face, and the catcher return line. Fluid crossflushed through the drop generator cleans the interior of the drop generator and cleans the crossflush valve.

Abstract: A waste ink collecting device has an ink tank accommodating an ink absorber that absorbs unnecessary ink discharged from a printhead of an ink-jet printer. The discharged ink is dropped onto the ink tank. An inlet of the dropped ink is formed on a top plate of the ink tank, and the dropped ink enters the ink tank through the inlet. The ink tank has a partition wall that defines, inside the partition wall, a passage of the ink entered through the inlet to an inner bottom surface of the ink tank. The partition wall prevents the dropped ink from directly striking the ink absorber. The ink dropped on the inner bottom surface of the ink tank is absorbed by the ink absorber through a bottom surface thereof.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for allowing a wipe member formed of an elastic material to abut against a nozzle plate in which a plurality nozzles communicating with a pressure chamber for holding ink therein are arranged, moving the wipe member along the nozzle plate to remove ink and foreign particles remaining in the nozzle plate, and switching the position of abutment of the wipe member against the nozzle plate, whereby satisfactory sweeping capability of the wipe member can be maintained without providing a wipe member cleaning mechanism and performing the work of replacing of the wipe member with another.

Abstract: There is provided an ink cartridge having at least one ink bag in which ink is housed, and a joint portion connected to the ink bag and coupled to a printer as required to supply ink. The ink cartridge has a first absorber that absorbs ink ejected to the outside of a sheet during printing, and a second absorber that directly receives, absorbs, and removes waste ink that may be transferred from a wiper during its operation of wiping off ink or the like remaining on an ejection opening formed surface of the printing head. The first and second absorbers are arranged at positions that sandwich the joint portion between themselves. Thus, the first and second absorbers can be effectively to collect adhering or leaking ink that may result from the installation and removal of the joint.

Abstract: A cleaning system for a fluid ejector arrangement employing a single roller for handling different fluids that should not be mixed. The single roller is divided into portions assigned to respective fluids. In embodiments, the single roller is used to clean a plurality of ejectors, in which case each section of the roller handles one ejector. In other embodiments, the single roller is used to clean a single ejector that ejects to a plurality of fluids, in which case each section of the roller handles one fluid. Still other embodiments can employ a plurality of ejectors and a plurality of fluids ejected from one or more of the ejectors, wherein each section of the roller is assigned to a particular fluid, whether the fluid be ejected from the same ejector or from a different ejector.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus which performs printing by using a print head. The print head has at least a predetermined number of nozzles to eject ink. The apparatus includes a first prefiring mechanism for causing the print head to perform a prefiring operation to eject ink from nozzles of the print head for maintaining printing quality after a first time interval during a printing operation. The apparatus also includes a driving mechanism for driving nozzles of the print head based on data to be printed, and a second prefiring mechanism for causing the print head to perform the prefiring operation in a case where a number of the nozzles to be driven is changed. Preferably, the apparatus further includes a shifting mechanism for causing the driving mechanism to drive the nozzles of the print head based on the first time interval during the printing operation so as to enhance a power of ejecting ink and continue the printing operation after the first time interval without performing the prefiring operation.

Abstract: An inkjet printing system includes a platen adapted to support a print media, a printhead adapted to eject ink into a print zone between the printhead and the platen toward the print media and beyond a first edge of the print media to generate waste ink, a first absorber formed in the platen within the print zone such that the first absorber is adapted to extend beyond the first edge of the print media and absorb the waste ink ejected beyond the first edge of the print media, and a second absorber adapted to contact and absorb the waste ink from the first absorber, wherein the first absorber has a first capillary head and the second absorber has a second capillary head greater than the first capillary head.

Abstract: An airflow assembly for a fluid-ejection mechanism of one embodiment of the invention is disclosed that includes at least one first surface and at least one second surface. The at least one first surface is to at least substantially cause airflow to be deflected around the fluid-ejection mechanism while the fluid-ejection mechanism is moving. The at least one second surface is at least substantially flush with a front surface of the fluid-ejection mechanism, to create airflow drag over the front surface of the fluid-ejection mechanism while the fluid-ejection mechanism is moving.

Abstract: A system using discharge orifices having first ink orifices for discharging a first ink and second ink orifices for discharging a second ink which is more difficult to be hardened than the first ink, a cap for covering the discharge orifices, and a suction device for effecting suction through the discharge orifices when the cap covers the discharge orifices. The system includes covering both the first ink orifices and the second ink orifices collectively by the cap, effecting suction through both the first ink orifices and the second ink orifices by driving the suction device when the cap covers both the first ink orifices and the second ink orifices collectively, discharging, after sucking, both the first ink orifices and the second ink orifices into the cap, and exhausting, after discharging, ink out of the cap by driving the suction means when an inside of the cap communicates with air.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus for recording by discharging ink out of a recording head. The apparatus comprises a recovery apparatus for recovering the recording head in performing a conceptually lower recovery operation and a conceptually higher recovery operation including the conceptually lower recovery operation and a controller for controlling the operation of the recovery apparatus. In a case where the conceptually lower recovery operation is otherwise made, if a second condition not satisfying a first condition is satisfied even where the first condition for performing the conceptually higher recovery operation is not satisfied during the conceptually higher recovery operation, the conceptually higher recovery operation is performed without performing the conceptually lower recovery operation.

Abstract: A printer includes at least one ink applicator supported in a medium-facing position in which the applicator is adapted to face the print medium when the medium is in a transport path and a first servicing tool outside the transport path and facing the at least one ink applicator, while the at least one ink applicator is in the medium-facing position. In one embodiment, the printer includes a medium transport configured to move the medium relative to the at least one ink applicator, wherein the medium transport includes the first servicing tool.

Abstract: A cleaning system for a continuous inkjet printer comprises a cleaning chamber positioned substantially parallel to an ink supply chamber and nozzle plate, and a gas supply, such as air or nitrogen. The cleaning chamber is formed by a cover and the nozzle plate, wherein the gas is routed between the cover and the nozzle plate so as to remove debris and excess ink from the inkjet nozzles and surrounding area. A fluid may also be applied in addition to the gas, and a deflector may be positioned on the cover to increase the angle of incidence of air and fluid as it contacts the inkjet nozzles and surrounding area.