Wet wiping printhead cleaning system using a non-contact technique for applying a printhead treatment fluid

Abstract

A wet-wiping printhead cleaning system including a treatment fluid applicator placing treatment fluid on at least one of two elements involved in wiping, said two elements being a printhead orifice plate surface and a wiper, the system being so configured that treatment fluid is applied before wiping the printhead by projecting treatment fluid onto at least one element through the atmosphere, thereby avoiding direct contact between the applicator and said one element, the treatment fluid being placed so as to be available to assist in wiping a portion of the printhead orifice plate where the nozzle orifices are located to remove debris that may have accumulated, the treatment fluid lubricating the wiper so as to lengthen wiper service life and enhance wiping performance, as well as acting to render such accumulations more removable by wiping, the source of treatment fluid being uncontaminated by contact with either the printhead or the wiper.

1. A method of servicing an inkjet printer printhead comprising the steps of :
 providing a wiper mounted for movement with respect to the inkjet printer printhead in wiping contact therewith to remove unwanted accumulation from the printhead;  
 providing a source of printhead servicing fluid;  
 providing another inkjet printhead as a non-contact servicing fluid applicator and orienting said applicator to jet servicing fluid in a reproducible quantity onto a surface of the printhead of said inkjet printer and the wiper;  
 transporting servicing fluid from said source to said applicator;  
 jetting a reproducible quantity of servicing fluid from said an inkjet printhead used as a servicing fluid applicator through atmosphere onto at least one of the printhead of said inkjet printer and the a printhead wiper; and  
 wipingcontacting the printhead of the inkjet printer by movingwith the wiper during relative movement of the wiper with respect toand the printhead of the inkjet printer to remove unwanted accumulation therefrom;  
 vaporizing said servicing fluid to jet ejecting said fluid from said applicator printhead; and  
 said servicing fluid being projected from said applicator printhead onto the printhead and said wiper; and ;  
 counting drops of servicing fluid ejected from said applicator head ; and  
 controlling the amount of servicing fluid applied to the printhead based on the counted number of drops.  
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of :
 maintaining said a source of servicing fluid in an uncontaminated state by preventing contact between said source of servicing fluid and said wiper.  
 
     
     
       3. A method of servicing applying servicing fluid to a printhead of an inkjet printer printing mechanism comprising the steps of :
 providing a wiper mounted for movement with respect to the printhead to facilitate removing unwanted accumulations from the printhead;  
 providing a source of printhead servicing fluids;  
 providing a non-contact applicator and orienting said applicator to project servicing fluid in a reproducible quantity onto a surface of at least one element selected from a group consisting of two elements, the printhead and the wiper through surrounding atmosphere;  
 transporting servicing fluid from said a source to said a non- contact  applicator comprising a resilient spring;  
 projecting the servicing fluid through the atmosphere from said spring onto said at least one element of said printhead and a printhead wiper; and  
 wiping the printhead by moving the wiper with respect to the during relative movement of said wiper and printhead to remove unwanted accumulations from the printhead, said non-contact applicator comprising a spring; and said servicing fluid being projected by: deforming said applicator spring; and releasing said applicator spring to project servicing fluid from said spring onto said printhead by rebound of said spring.  
 
     
     
       4. A system for servicing an inkjet printer having a printhead reciprocally moved by a carriage and a wiper positioned to move with respect to the printhead in wiping contact therewith to remove unwanted accumulations, comprising:
 a source of printhead servicing fluid;  
 a servicing fluid applicator for projecting servicing fluid through the atmosphere onto at least one of the printhead and wiper; and  
 means for transferring servicing fluid from said source of servicing fluid to said applicator, wherein said applicator comprises an elastically deformable spring for impelling treatment servicing fluid toward at least one of the printhead and wiper.  
 
     
     
       5. A system method according to claim  4   15 , wherein said applicator second printhead is oriented to project a precisely controllable amount of servicing fluid through atmosphere onto a selected area on the printhead of said inkjet printer and said wiper the first printhead; and wherein
 said means for transferring servicing fluid includes: 
 control means for counting drops of servicing fluid propelled from said applicator second printhead to help facilitate controlling the amount of servicing fluid applied to the inkjet printer first printhead based on the counted number of drops.  
 
 
     
     
       6. The system method of claim  4   5 , wherein said applicator head includes second printhead is a thermal inkjet head in fluid communication with said source . 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a counter coupled to said applicator head for counting drops of servicing fluid ejected therefrom to control the amount of servicing fluid applied to the printhead. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 4 , wherein said spring is cantilever-mounted and positioned to throw treatment onto said at least one element . 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a transfer wiper for placing servicing fluid from said source onto said spring by wiping contact, said transfer wiper being positioned to elastically bend said spring away from said at least one printhead and wiper element and then release said spring. 
     
     
       10. A system according to  claim 4 , wherein said applicator includes:
 a cartridge for storing said reservoir of treatment fluid; and    said applicator head being in fluid communication with said cartridge for jetting a desired volume of said treatment fluid onto said printhead orifice plate to facilitate an improved wiping action.    
     
     
       11. A system method according to claim  10   16 , wherein said cartridge second printhead is a refillable cartridge. 
     
     
       12. A system method according to claim  10   11 , wherein said applicator head second printhead is a thermal fluid jetting printhead. 
     
     
       13. A system method according to claim  10   11 , wherein said applicator head second printhead is a piezo-electric fluid jetting printhead. 
     
     
       14. A method of servicing a portion of a printhead of an inkjet printer comprising the steps of:
 providing a wiper mounted for movement with respect to the printhead in wiping contact therewith to remove unwanted accumulation from a portion of the printhead;  
 providing a source of printhead servicing fluid;  
 providing another inkjet printhead as a non-contact servicing fluid applicator and orienting said applicator to jet servicing fluid in a reproducible quantity onto a surface of the printhead of said inkjet printer and the wiper;  
 transporting servicing fluid from said source to said applicator;  
 jetting service fluid from said applicator through atmosphere onto the printhead of said inkjet printer and the wiper; and  
 wiping the printhead of the inkjet printer by moving the wiper with respect to the printhead to remove unwanted accumulation therefrom; and  
 further comprising the steps of: 
 vaporizing said servicing fluid to jet ejectingly said fluid from said applicator printhead; and  
 said servicing fluid being projected from said applicator printhead onto the printhead and said wiper.  
 
 
     
     
       15. A method of servicing a first inkjet printhead comprising:
   using a second printhead to project a reproducible quantity of servicing fluid through atmosphere onto said first printhead; and        wiping said first printhead to remove unwanted accumulation.      
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , comprising thermally projecting said servicing fluid.  
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , comprising piezo- electrically projecting said servicing fluid.    
     
     
       18. A system for servicing a printer having a carriage mounted inkjet printhead on a reciprocally movable carriage and a wiper positioned to wipe the carriage mounted printhead to remove unwanted accumulations from the printhead, a source of printhead servicing fluid, a non- contact service fluid applicator in fluid communication with said source, said non - contact applicator comprising a second inkjet printhead oriented to eject servicing fluid in a reproducible quantity onto a surface of said carriage mounted printhead.    
     
     
       19. A method of servicing a portion of a scanning printhead of an inkjet printer which includes a printhead wiper comprising:
   projecting a reproducible quantity of servicing fluid from an applicator pump through atmosphere onto at least one of said printhead and said wiper; and        wiping said printhead by moving said wiper with respect to said printhead to remove unwanted accumulations from said printhead.      
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , further comprising maintaining a source of servicing fluid in an uncontaminated state by preventing contact of said applicator with said printhead and said wiper.  
     
     
       21. A system for servicing a portion of a printhead of an inkjet printer having a printhead reciprocally moved by a carriage and a wiper positioned and adapted to move with respect to the printhead in wiping contact therewith to remove unwanted accumulations from a portion of the printhead, comprising:
   a source of printhead servicing fluid;        a servicing fluid applicator comprising a pump having an outlet for projecting a reproducible quantity of servicing fluid through atmosphere onto at least one of said printhead and said wiper; and        means for transferring servicing fluid from said source of servicing fluid to said servicing fluid applicator.      
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 21 , wherein said applicator projects a metered amount of servicing fluid applied onto at least one of said wiper and said printhead.  
     
     
       23. The system of  claim 22 , wherein said pump is a low volume spray pump.  
     
     
       24. The system of  claim 21 , wherein said source of servicing fluid comprises a collapsible reservoir.