Abstract: An ink jet printhead scrubbing and priming method and apparatus are provided. The apparatus of the method includes a capping member for capping a nozzle face of an ink jet printhead. The capping member has a bottom wall and side walls defining a capping recess and a priming path into the capping recess. A nozzle face of an ink jet printhead being capped, the bottom wall and side walls of the capping member together define an enclosed gap within the capping recess that contains air. The apparatus of the method then includes pressure applying devices for alternatingly applying positive and negative pressure within the enclosed gap and to nozzles in the nozzle face of the ink jet printhead being capped. The positive and negative pressures effectively agitate and scrub the nozzles in the nozzle face of the ink jet printhead being capped, thereby facilitating easy and effective subsequent priming of the nozzles in the nozzle face of the ink jet printhead being capped.

Abstract: A simultaneous push-pull method of, and apparatus for, removing air bubbles from a powerable ink jet printhead are provided. The printhead includes a printhead die containing liquid ink and heating elements within ink channels, and has a nozzle face and nozzles connected to the ink channels. The simultaneous push-pull method includes providing a printhead capping member including side walls, a bottom wall, a vacuuming path through the bottom wall, and a capping recess defined by the side walls and the bottom wall. The method then includes applying heat energy to the heating elements to reduce a viscosity of ink in the channels, activating a print mode of the printhead, firing the printhead while in the print mode to eject droplets of liquid ink in an ink ejecting direction through nozzles into the capping recess.