Lexmark International, Inc.

Shirley Flynn Mitchell

Patrick Lawrence Ransom

Tasha Monique Sims

Peter Mah

Nai-Hsiung Ma

An apparatus for increasing the waste ink storage capacity of an ink printing device includes a printhead and a drive mechanism. The apparatus includes a spreader mechanism coupled to the drive mechanism of the ink printing device, wherein the spreader mechanism is driven in both horizontal and vertical directions by the drive mechanism to engage waste ink in a waste ink accumulation region and disperse waste ink over said waste ink accumulation region.

Waste ink management system for an ink jet printer

A maintenance unit for use in an ink jet printer having a printer frame and a waste ink accumulation region includes a maintenance frame coupled to the printer frame. A maintenance sled is moveably coupled to the maintenance frame. A spreader mechanism is slidably coupled to the maintenance frame, and is driveably coupled to the maintenance sled. The spreader mechanism contacts waste ink to distribute the waste ink over the waste ink accumulation region as the maintenance sled moves relative to the maintenance frame.

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Lexington, KY, United States of America

Shirley Flynn Mitchell