The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 12, 1996
Filed:
Oct. 13, 1994
David G Anderson, Ontario, NY (US);
Alfred J Claflin, Ontario, NY (US);
John Chinnici, Rochester, NY (US);
Xerox Corporation, Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
An ultrasonic liquid wiper for an ink jet printer maintenance station has a cleaning nozzle confrontingly aligned but spaced from printhead nozzles suspected of having viscous plugs of partially dried ink. A cleaning solution is held within the cleaning nozzle by surface tension to form a meniscus and is caused to bulge toward into contact with the printhead nozzle face and form a bridge of cleaning solution therewith. In addition to dissolving ink, the cleaning solution is ultrasonically excited by a piezoelectric material immediately upstream of the cleaning nozzle to provide a high frequency energized liquid wiper to facilitate viscous plug removal without having physical contact with the printhead nozzle face, thereby preventing wear of any hydrophobic coating on the nozzle face. A vacuum nozzle is positioned on each side of the cleaning nozzle to remove the cleaning solution deposited on the nozzle face, together with any ink dissolved therein. The cleaning nozzle optionally dwells for predetermined time periods to more effectively loosen and/or dissolve the viscous plugs of ink. The cleaning nozzles may have different concave shapes to aid in the ultrasonic cleaning action of the cleaning solution.