Abstract: A marker transport system and a method of operating the marker transport system. A group of print bars is located with respect to a marker transport platen and a marker transport belt. A vacuum source and a pneumatic solenoid block are associated with the marker transport platen. The marker transport platen includes airflow sections divided into process-direction slots and cross-section direction slots. The cross-section direction slots are located beneath the print bars and are connected to the vacuum source via the pneumatic solenoid block, which facilitates an individual control of each of the cross-process direction slots. Pneumatic valves are associated with the pneumatic solenoid block, which supplies a flow of vacuum to the cross-process direction vacuum slots. The pneumatic vales can be timed to allow the vacuum to be present when a sheet is present over a corresponding vacuum slot among the process-direction slots and the cross-section direction slots.

Abstract: A vacuum roller system and a method of operation the vacuum roller system can include an assembly of interdigitated rollers, and a vacuum system, wherein the assembly of interdigitated rollers is operably connected to the vacuum system to move sheets of media through a downstream dryer in a printer, wherein a vacuum is drawn between individual rollers among the assembly of interdigitated rollers so that the vacuum is distributed across a sheet of media and is split around the individual rollers. The spacing between the individual rollers among the assembly of interdigitated rollers is variable to vary the vacuum.

Abstract: A system for cleaning and treating a printhead includes (a) a movable carriage having affixed to a base of the movable carriage a cleaning blade and an absorptive pad, (b) a low vapor pressure organic solvent, the low vapor pressure organic solvent is deliverable to the absorptive pad via a pump, the low vapor pressure organic solvent has a vapor pressure lower than water and (c) a carriage moving mechanism that moves the carriage so that the cleaning blade and the absorptive pad pass over the printhead.

Abstract: An inkjet printer is configured with capping stations for storing printheads in the printer during periods of printer inactivity so the viscosity of the ink in the nozzles of the inkjets of the printheads does not increase significantly. Each capping station has a printhead receptacle that encloses a volume, a planar member configured to move between a first position at which the planar member is located within the printhead receptacle and a second position at which the planar member is external of the printhead receptacle, a first actuator operatively connected to the planar member, the first actuator being configured to move the planar member from the first position to the second position, and a controller configured to operate the first actuator to move the planar member from the first position to the second position to mate the planar member with a face of a printhead.

Abstract: A cap is positioned to contact a printhead when the printhead is not ejecting liquid ink. The cap and the printhead create a sealed space adjacent printhead nozzles when contacting each other. A flexible blade is positioned to contact the printhead when the printhead is not in contact with the cap. The flexible blade is adapted to fold over to spread a liquid solution on the nozzles in a first direction, and the flexible blade is adapted to remove excess amounts of the liquid solution from the nozzles in a second direction. A humidifier is connected to the cap and adapted to supply a moisture form of the liquid solution to the sealed space. A moisture sensor is connected to the cap. The humidifier is adapted to vary supply of the moisture to the sealed space based on the amount of moisture detected by the moisture sensor.

Abstract: A cap is positioned to contact a printhead when the printhead is not ejecting liquid ink. The cap and the printhead create a sealed space adjacent printhead nozzles when contacting each other. A heated evaporator is connected to the cap and is adapted to evaporate an ink-compatible liquid to form a water and/or solvent vapor and supply the water and/or solvent vapor to the sealed space to protect the liquid ink in the nozzles. An insulator thermally insulates the heated evaporator from the printhead. This prevents the ink in the nozzles from drying and prevents the nozzles from clogging.

Abstract: A cap is positioned to contact a printhead when the printhead is not ejecting liquid ink. The cap and the printhead create a sealed space adjacent printhead nozzles when contacting each other. A heated evaporator is connected to the cap and is adapted to evaporate an ink-compatible liquid to form a water and/or solvent vapor and supply the water and/or solvent vapor to the sealed space to protect the liquid ink in the nozzles. An insulator thermally insulates the heated evaporator from the printhead. This prevents the ink in the nozzles from drying and prevents the nozzles from clogging.

Abstract: Ink stabilizing material is applied to rotatable panels within a cap of an inkjet cartridge resting structure. The rotatable panels then rotate to contact an inkjet printhead when the printhead contacts the cap. Continuous periodic flushing of the printhead is performed while the rotatable panels are contacting the printhead by periodically and repeatedly alternating between ejecting a mixture of the ink stabilizing material and ink from the nozzles, and drawing the mixture of the ink stabilizing material and the ink back into the nozzles.

Abstract: A printer includes a plurality of printheads, a plurality of printhead drivers, and an optical sensor configured to generate image data of a substrate after the substrate has been printed by the plurality of printheads. A controller operates the printheads using the printhead drivers to print a pattern of ink drops on the substrate, determine from image data of the ink drop pattern received from the optical sensor whether a density response for the pattern of ink drops for each printhead is within a predetermined range about a reference density response for the pattern of ink drops, identify a peak voltage for each printhead determined to have the density response outside the predetermined range, and store the identified peak voltage in the printhead driver for the printhead. The printhead driver uses the identified peak voltage to generate firing signals for the printhead operatively connected to the printhead driver.

Abstract: A cap is positioned to contact a printhead when the printhead is not ejecting liquid ink. The cap and the printhead create a sealed space adjacent printhead nozzles when contacting each other. An evaporator is connected to the cap and is adapted to control evaporation a water-incompatible or solvent-incompatible liquid into the sealed space to condense an ink-blocking film on the surface of the liquid ink in the nozzles to protect the liquid ink in the nozzles. This prevents the ink in the nozzles from drying and prevents the nozzles from clogging.

Abstract: An inkjet printer is configured with capping stations for storing printheads in the printer during periods of printer inactivity so the viscosity of the ink in the nozzles of the inkjets of the printheads does not increase significantly. Each capping station has a printhead receptacle that encloses a volume, a planar member configured to move between a first position at which the planar member is located within the printhead receptacle and a second position at which the planar member is external of the printhead receptacle, a first actuator operatively connected to the planar member, the first actuator being configured to move the planar member from the first position to the second position, and a controller configured to operate the first actuator to move the planar member from the first position to the second position to mate the planar member with a face of a printhead.

Abstract: A cap is positioned to contact a printhead when the printhead is not ejecting liquid ink. The cap and the printhead create a sealed space adjacent printhead nozzles when contacting each other. A heated evaporator is connected to the cap and is adapted to evaporate an ink-compatible liquid to form a water and/or solvent vapor and supply the water and/or solvent vapor to the sealed space to protect the liquid ink in the nozzles. An insulator thermally insulates the heated evaporator from the printhead. This prevents the ink in the nozzles from drying and prevents the nozzles from clogging.

Abstract: A cap is positioned to contact a printhead when the printhead is not ejecting liquid ink. The cap and the printhead create a sealed space adjacent printhead nozzles when contacting each other. A flexible blade is positioned to contact the printhead when the printhead is not in contact with the cap. The flexible blade is adapted to fold over to spread a liquid solution on the nozzles in a first direction, and the flexible blade is adapted to remove excess amounts of the liquid solution from the nozzles in a second direction. A humidifier is connected to the cap and adapted to supply a moisture form of the liquid solution to the sealed space. A moisture sensor is connected to the cap. The humidifier is adapted to vary supply of the moisture to the sealed space based on the amount of moisture detected by the moisture sensor.

Abstract: A cap is positioned to contact a printhead when the printhead is not ejecting liquid ink. The cap and the printhead create a sealed space adjacent printhead nozzles when contacting each other. An evaporator is connected to the cap and is adapted to control evaporation a water-incompatible or solvent-incompatible liquid into the sealed space to condense an ink-blocking film on the surface of the liquid ink in the nozzles to protect the liquid ink in the nozzles. This prevents the ink in the nozzles from drying and prevents the nozzles from clogging.

Abstract: Ink stabilizing material is applied to rotatable panels within a cap of an inkjet cartridge resting structure. The rotatable panels then rotate to contact an inkjet printhead when the printhead contacts the cap. Continuous periodic flushing of the printhead is performed while the rotatable panels are contacting the printhead by periodically and repeatedly alternating between ejecting a mixture of the ink stabilizing material and ink from the nozzles, and drawing the mixture of the ink stabilizing material and the ink back into the nozzles.

Abstract: An inkjet printer is configured with capping stations for storing printheads in the printer during periods of printer inactivity so the viscosity of the ink in the nozzles of the inkjets of the printheads does not increase significantly. Each capping station has a printhead receptacle that encloses a volume, a planar member configured to move between a first position at which the planar member is located within the printhead receptacle and a second position at which the planar member is external of the printhead receptacle, a first actuator operatively connected to the planar member, the first actuator being configured to move the planar member from the first position to the second position, and a controller configured to operate the first actuator to move the planar member from the first position to the second position to mate the planar member with a face of a printhead.

Abstract: A cap is positioned to contact a printhead when the printhead is not ejecting liquid ink onto print media. A dispenser dispenses an ink stabilizing material into the cap. A blocking structure is positioned in the cap to contact vent openings of the inkjet printhead when the inkjet printhead is in the cap and is in a location to submerge the nozzles in the ink stabilizing material in the cap. An ink control device draws the ink stabilizing material into nozzles of the inkjet printhead when the vent openings are blocked by the blocking structure. The ink control device subsequently draws the ink stabilizing material into the vent openings when the vent openings are separated from the blocking structure.

Abstract: An indicator tag and a method for fabricating the same are disclosed. For example, the indicator tag includes a three-dimensional mesh comprising a plurality of pores, wherein the three-dimensional mesh is printed with a water soluble and ultra-violet (UV) light curable ink, a container enclosing the three-dimensional mesh, a membrane coupled to the three-dimensional mesh, and a dye dispensed on top of the membrane, wherein the three-dimensional mesh interacts with the dye when in contact with the dye to provide an indication.

Abstract: An inkjet printer is configured with capping stations for storing printheads in the printer during periods of printer inactivity so the viscosity of the ink in the nozzles of the inkjets of the printheads does not increase significantly. Each capping station has a printhead receptacle that encloses a volume, a planar member configured to move between a first position at which the planar member is located within the printhead receptacle and a second position at which the planar member is external of the printhead receptacle, a first actuator operatively connected to the planar member, the first actuator being configured to move the planar member from the first position to the second position, and a controller configured to operate the first actuator to move the planar member from the first position to the second position to mate the planar member with a face of a printhead.

Abstract: An ink delivery system of an inkjet printer selectively injects flushing fluid into a supply tube for ink into a printhead to form a mixture of flushing fluid and ink prior to a period of inactivity for the printhead. The ratio of the flushing fluid to the ink is determined by a controller using environmental conditions, ink characteristics, and a duration for the period of inactivity.