CA2619862A1 - Method of maintaining a printhead using air blast cleaning - Google Patents

Method of maintaining a printhead using air blast cleaning Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CA2619862A1
CA2619862A1 CA002619862A CA2619862A CA2619862A1 CA 2619862 A1 CA2619862 A1 CA 2619862A1 CA 002619862 A CA002619862 A CA 002619862A CA 2619862 A CA2619862 A CA 2619862A CA 2619862 A1 CA2619862 A1 CA 2619862A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
printhead
face
air
capper
vacuum system
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
CA002619862A
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
CA2619862C (en
Inventor
Vesa Karppinen
Kia Silverbrook
David William Jensen
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
Original Assignee
Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
Vesa Karppinen
Kia Silverbrook
David William Jensen
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd, Vesa Karppinen, Kia Silverbrook, David William Jensen filed Critical Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
Publication of CA2619862A1 publication Critical patent/CA2619862A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2619862C publication Critical patent/CA2619862C/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/165—Preventing or detecting of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
    • B41J2/16517—Cleaning of print head nozzles
    • B41J2/16552—Cleaning of print head nozzles using cleaning fluids
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/165—Preventing or detecting of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
    • B41J2/16517—Cleaning of print head nozzles
    • B41J2/1652—Cleaning of print head nozzles by driving a fluid through the nozzles to the outside thereof, e.g. by applying pressure to the inside or vacuum at the outside of the print head
    • B41J2/16526—Cleaning of print head nozzles by driving a fluid through the nozzles to the outside thereof, e.g. by applying pressure to the inside or vacuum at the outside of the print head by applying pressure only

Abstract

A method of maintaining a printhead (10) in an operable condition is provided.
The method comprises the steps of: (a) flooding an ink ejection face (12) of the printhead (10) with ink; and (b) removing the ink by blasting air across the face (12).

Claims (20)

1. A method of maintaining a printhead in an operable condition, said method comprising the steps of (a) flooding an ink ejection face of said printhead with ink; and (b) removing said ink by blasting air across said face.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said face is flooded by suction.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein said suction purges nozzles in said printhead.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein a capper is sealingly engaged around said printhead during printhead maintenance.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein said capper is disengaged from around said printhead during printing.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein said capper comprises a perimeter gasket for sealing engagement around said printhead.
7. The method of claim 4, wherein said capper is in fluid communication with a vacuum system, said vacuum system flooding said face by generating a vacuum above said face.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein said vacuum system comprises a vacuum pump.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein air is blasted through a blast channel adjacent said face.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein said blast channel is defined by a constriction member spaced apart from said face, said constriction member constricting air flow across said face.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein said constriction member is substantially coextensive with said printhead.
12. The method of claim 7, wherein said capper comprises a constriction member, said constriction member defining a blast channel adjacent said printhead when said capper is engaged around said printhead.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein air is blasted through said blast channel by releasing said vacuum to atmosphere.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein said capper is in fluid communication with an air inlet valve, said vacuum system, said constriction member and said air inlet valve cooperating to blast air through said blast channel.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein said vacuum system and said air inlet valve are arranged to control a direction of air flow through said blast channel.
16. The method of claim 12, wherein said vacuum system further comprises a vacuum reservoir, said reservoir being charged before flooding of said face.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein said reservoir is discharged during air blasting.
18. The method of claim 12, wherein said vacuum system further comprises an ink dump for receiving ink removed from said face during said air blast.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein said vacuum system directs said removed ink into said ink dump during air blasting.
20. The method of claim 1, wherein said printhead is a pagewidth inkjet printhead.
CA2619862A 2005-10-10 2005-10-10 Method of maintaining a printhead using air blast cleaning Active CA2619862C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/AU2005/001566 WO2007041749A1 (en) 2005-10-10 2005-10-10 Method of maintaining a printhead using air blast cleaning

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2619862A1 true CA2619862A1 (en) 2007-04-19
CA2619862C CA2619862C (en) 2011-09-20

Family

ID=37942189

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA2619862A Active CA2619862C (en) 2005-10-10 2005-10-10 Method of maintaining a printhead using air blast cleaning

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1945459B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE477933T1 (en)
AU (1) AU2005337421B2 (en)
CA (1) CA2619862C (en)
DE (1) DE602005023073D1 (en)
WO (1) WO2007041749A1 (en)

Family Cites Families (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS63242643A (en) * 1987-03-31 1988-10-07 Canon Inc Liquid jet recorder
JPH02108549A (en) * 1988-09-26 1990-04-20 Tektronix Inc Method and device for washing ink-jet-head
KR940010881B1 (en) * 1988-10-07 1994-11-19 캐논 가부시끼가이샤 Recording apparatus
WO1997006010A1 (en) * 1995-08-10 1997-02-20 Seiko Epson Corporation Cartridge for ink-jet printers and ink-jet printer
US6142601A (en) * 1998-12-04 2000-11-07 Eastman Kodak Company Self-cleaning ink jet printer with reverse fluid flow and method of assembling the printer
JP2003001858A (en) * 2001-06-25 2003-01-08 Canon Inc Ink jet recorder and recovery system unit thereof
JP2003326739A (en) * 2002-05-13 2003-11-19 Canon Inc Imaging apparatus and printing head replacement method
JP3750808B2 (en) * 2002-07-26 2006-03-01 ブラザー工業株式会社 Inkjet printer
JP2004090233A (en) * 2002-08-29 2004-03-25 Canon Inc Inkjet recorder
US7159963B2 (en) * 2003-04-24 2007-01-09 Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc. Image recording apparatus with wipe unit and nozzle maintenance unit
DE20318248U1 (en) * 2003-11-24 2004-02-26 Francotyp-Postalia Ag & Co. Kg Suction device to remove air and debris from nozzles of ink jet print head while removing minimum ink
JP2005225163A (en) * 2004-02-16 2005-08-25 Seiko Epson Corp Liquid jet device and method of cleaning therefor

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA2619862C (en) 2011-09-20
AU2005337421B2 (en) 2009-10-08
AU2005337421A1 (en) 2007-04-19
WO2007041749A1 (en) 2007-04-19
ATE477933T1 (en) 2010-09-15
EP1945459A1 (en) 2008-07-23
DE602005023073D1 (en) 2010-09-30
EP1945459B1 (en) 2010-08-18
EP1945459A4 (en) 2009-01-14

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