Abstract: A printer for forming a full-width image on a receiver exclusive of a transverse side of the receiver, and method of assembling the printer. The printer comprises an ink jet print head adapted to eject a plurality of ink droplets onto a receiver sheet for forming an image that extends a full-width of the receiver sheet. To achieve this result, the print head commences ejection of ink droplets beginning at a predetermined distance from a transverse side of the receiver sheet. A reservoir is disposed adjacent the transverse side and along the predetermined distance for collecting ink droplets ejected along the predetermined distance, so that none of the ink droplets are inadvertently deposited onto the transverse side or onto components housed in the printer. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the reservoir is an absorbent material that absorbs the ink droplets ejected along the predetermined distance.

Abstract: A translational inkjet printhead servicing station for an inkjet printing mechanism, particularly one having imaging printheads for creating photographic quality images, includes a collapsible spittoon having a mouth that collapses during a portion of the servicing routine to save space. Spit ledges extend into the spittoon mouth to capture ink droplets and ink aerosol by-products, with the captured ink draining from the ledges into a catch basin below. The service station includes a printhead wiper blade having a tip that removes ink residue from the printhead. A dual-direction wiper cleaning system removes liquid components of the ink residue from the wiping tip in two opposing directions. In one direction, the liquid ink residue is pulled away from the wiper tip under capillary forces created by a series of grooves formed on the surface of the wiper blade, while in the opposite direction, the liquid components are absorbed off the tip by a wiper scraper.

Abstract: Self-cleaning printer with reverse fluid flow and method of assembling the printer. The printer comprises a print head defining a plurality of ink channels therein, each ink channel terminating in an ink ejection orifice. The print head also has a surface thereon surrounding all the orifices. Contaminant may reside on the surface and also may completely or partially obstruct the orifice. Therefore, a cleaning assembly is disposed relative to the surface and/or orifice for directing a flow of fluid along the surface and/or across the orifice to clean the contaminant from the surface and/or orifice. The cleaning assembly includes an oscillatable septum disposed opposite the surface or orifice for defining a gap therebetween. Presence of the oscillatable septum accelerates the flow of fluid through the gap to induce a hydrodynamic shearing force in the fluid. This shearing force acts against the contaminant to clean the contaminant from the surface and/or orifice.

Abstract: An ink jet printer with wiper blade and vacuum canopy cleaning mechanism, and method of assembling the printer. The printer comprises a print head having a surface thereon surrounding a plurality of ink ejection orifices. The orifices are in communication with respective ones of a plurality of ink channels formed in the print head. A vacuum hood capable of sealingly surrounding at least one of the orifices has a passageway therethrough capable of being disposed in communication with the orifice for vacuuming contaminant from the ink channel by way of the orifice. A solvent delivering wiper is connected to the hood and has an areaway therethrough alignable with the surface. The areaway delivers a liquid solvent to the surface to flush contaminant from the surface. Contaminant residing on the surface is entrained in the solvent while the wiper flushes contaminant from the surface. Wicking channels disposed on the bevel edge of the wiper aid in the removal of cleaning liquid and contaminant.

Abstract: A method for purging an ink jet print head to clear ink jet orifices is provided. A purge cap forms a vacuum seal over the orifice plate of the print head. Multiple low pressure differential vacuum pulses are applied to the purge cap to remove debris and trapped air bubbles from the ink jet orifices. The low pressure pulses avoid cavitation inside the print head and reduce the amount of ink expelled during the purging process.

Abstract: A print array that incorporates reservoir(s), microchannels and electrohydrodynamic (EHD) pumps for selectively dispensing fluid (ink) from the reservoir(s) onto the surface of a receptor.

Abstract: A droplet generator for a continuous stream ink jet print head has a cavity (3, 23) for containing the ink; nozzle orifices (17, 27) in a wall (9) of the cavity (3, 23) for passing the ink from the cavity (3, 23) to form jets; and first (11, 21) and a second (13, 25) actuator device for establishing in combined operation a travelling wave. The travelling wave travels from the fist actuator device (11, 21) through the ink to the second actuator device (13, 25) and passes in a direction substantially parallel to the wall (9) containing the nozzle orifices (17, 27).

Abstract: A hide-away wiper and wiper scraper system has a wiper that is extended to wipe ink residue from an inkjet printhead installed in an inkjet printing mechanism, and following wiping, ink residue is scraped from the wiper during retraction into a hide-away rest position inside the scraper mechanism. For cleaning several inkjet printheads, several such hide-away wipers may be provided in like number for cleaning the printheads. The hide-away nature of these wipers allows for independent movement of the wipers between their rest and wiping positions, which facilitates the uses of independent wiping routines tailored for the servicing needs of each printhead, or type of printhead. An inkjet printing mechanism having a hide-away wiping system, along with a method of cleaning one or more inkjet printheads, are also provided.

Abstract: A high deflection capping system has an elastomeric sealing member with a sealing lip that, when viewed in cross section, forms a smiling-shaped seal against an inkjet printhead to provide improved printhead sealing, particularly when sealing over surface irregularities on the printhead. This high deflection sealing member may be onsert molded onto a support frame. A series of these sealing lips being molded on a single flexible frame to simultaneously seal several adjacent inkjet printheads, with the flexible frame having a border region with one or more cap bases attached to the frame by plural suspension spring elements. The suspension spring elements have both cantilever and torsional characteristics which allow the bases to tilt and twist independent of one another to seal each printhead. Alternatively, the support frame may be designed to support only a single high deflection sealing member. A venting system is also provided with vapor diffusion handling capabilities.

Abstract: Self-cleaning printer and method of assembling same. The printer comprises a print head defining a plurality of ink channels therein, each ink channel terminating in an ink ejection orifice. The print head also has a surface thereon surrounding all the orifices. Particulate matter may reside on the surface and also may completely or partially obstruct the orifice. Therefore, a cleaning assembly is disposed relative to the surface and/or orifice for directing a flow of fluid along the surface and/or across the orifice to clean the particulate matter from the surface and/or orifice. The cleaning assembly includes a septum disposed opposite the surface or orifice for defining a gap therebetween. Presence of the septum accelerates the flow of fluid through the gap to induce a hydrodynamic shearing force in the fluid. This shearing force acts against the particulate matter to clean the particulate matter from the surface and/or orifice.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for flushing a printhead of a continuous ink jet printer is disclosed, in which the printer has a feed line to which ink is normally fed in use. A gutter line is also provided through which unused ink is removed from the printhead. A bleed line is connected to the printhead for bleeding ink from the printhead, and a flushing line is connected to the printhead through which line flushing fluid is selectively caused to flow through the flushing line to the printhead and from the printhead through the bleed line.

Abstract: An ink solvent application system applies an inkjet ink solvent with a wiper to clean ink residue from an inkjet printhead. The solvent is stored in a porous applicator and extracted using capillary forces generated when the wiper is rubbed across the applicator. To retain sufficient amounts of ink solvent on the wiper, the wiper moves away from the applicator in a coordinated motion having both rotational and translational components. This coordinated motion for picking solvent from the applicator is superior to a purely rotational stroke of the wiper, which picks very little solvent. The wiper then wipes the solvent across the printhead to dissolve accumulated ink residue. The wiper then moves across a blotter to remove dissolved ink residue and dirty solvent from the wiper. A method of cleaning ink residue from an inkjet printhead, along with an inkjet printing mechanism having such a solvent application system, are also provided.

Abstract: A recycling ink solvent system cleans an inkjet printhead in an inkjet printing mechanism using a wiper that moves between a wiping position for cleaning ink residue from the printhead, a scraping position for scraping residue from the wiper, and a solvent application position. An ink solvent recycling member has a body and a scraper portion that scrapes ink residue from the wiper and an applicator portion that applies ink solvent to the wiper. The body is constructed of a porous material that is impregnated with the ink solvent, with the pores being selected to move the ink solvent under capillary action from the scraper portion toward the applicator portion, and to filter dissolved ink residue from the ink solvent. A method is also provided to clean an inkjet printhead using such a recycling member, along with an inkjet printing mechanism having such a recycling system.

Abstract: Disclosed are an inkjet printing method and an inkjet printer capable of printing high-quality images by the inkjet printing method even when ink is exchanged for ink having a different density, particularly ink having a lower density. A printer using this method identifies the type of an ink tank attached to a printhead. When the printer detects in accordance with the type of an ink tank that an ink tank is changed to another ink tank containing ink with a different density, recovery conditions for the printhead are changed in accordance with the type of the ink. Especially when an ink tank is exchanged for another ink tank containing ink with a lower density, the printer increases the number of times of suction for the printhead after the ink tank exchange and the number of times of preliminary discharge after wiping. The printer also shortens preliminary discharge intervals and increases the number of preliminary discharge times at the time of printing.

Abstract: The printer comprises a maintenance assembly station (18) in the form of a compact module with a support (30) upon which two maintenance assemblies (27, 28) are mounted, each comprising a sealing member (20) suitable for being applied against a printhead, a wiping member (22) for wiping the printhead and a cleaning member (24) for removing the ink from the wiping members (22). A suction member (26) is arranged between the two assemblies (27, 28) and connected by flexible pipes (41, 42) to the sealing members, in which it enables a sucking effect to be created. A camshaft (31) is fitted centrally in the support (30) parallel to the direction of movement of the carriage, is driven by a motor and controls the entire range of movements and functions of all the movable members of the maintenance assembly station.

Abstract: A flexible printhead signal de-multiplexing and interconnect circuit for mounting on the carriage of an inkjet printer receives multiplexed signals through a carriage trailing cable and includes signal de-multiplexers and other circuitry for de-multiplexing the control signals on the printhead carriage. A flexible circuit forms a generally three-sided channel configuration including side or wing panels which may have portions folded back on themselves to provide additional areas for connection of additional circuit components and enclosing the additional circuit components if desired. Electrical connections are also provided for an optical position encoder.

Abstract: A replaceable inkjet printhead cleaner service station system has separate replaceable cleaning units for each printhead in an inkjet printing mechanism, which has a pallet that moves the cleaning units translationally to service the printheads. Each cleaning unit has a printhead wiper, a printhead snout wiper, a capping system, a spittoon, and optionally, an ink solvent application system. A service station pallet moves a replaceable base between rest and sealing positions, with the base defining a cam surface. A sled has a cam follower that rides along the cam surface, with the sled supporting a cap lip. An activation wall extends from the sled to engage the printhead and move the sled along the cam surface to the sealing position through linear motion of the pallet while the printhead remains stationary. A method is provided for sealing an inkjet printhead, along with a printing mechanism employing such a capping system.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus comprises a carriage movable in a given direction with a recording head which is detachably mountable on it and provided with discharge ports for discharging liquid. The apparatus is arranged to include a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the carriage, the recording head, and at least one of the ink containers. This sensor is provided for the main body of the apparatus and positioned within the movable range of the carriage. With this arrangement, it is possible to simplify the structure required for detecting whether or not these vital elements for recording are installed without any auxiliary power-supply or memory means.

Abstract: A simplified, reduced-size ink-jet type image forming apparatus includes a cap member that covers a nozzle, a pump member that sucks air from inside the cap member, a cap through-hole seal member that seals the through-hole of the cap member, a wiper member that removes the ink adhered to an edge of the nozzle and a carriage position fixing member to which is affixed a recording head transfer carriage, that is moved by a drive motor.

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.