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:
Aug. 11, 1998
Filed:
Feb. 21, 1995
Alfred J Claflin, Fairport, NY (US);
David G Anderson, Ontario, NY (US);
Xerox Corporation, Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
A maintenance device includes a shuttle which is adapted to travel on a track through a fixed path generally parallel to the array. Mounted on the shuttle are an application, which includes a wicking member, for applying a cleaning liquid to the nozzle openings and a vacuum device for applying suction to the nozzle openings. A spacing member on the shuttle spaces the shuttle from the head to form a meniscus of the cleaning liquid against the nozzle openings of the printhead. The maintenance device is used in a cleaning method wherein a vacuum force is applied to the nozzle openings while moving the shuttle in a first direction, the surface is wetted by the cleaning liquid while moving the shuttle in a second direction, and the a vacuum force is again applied to the nozzle openings after the wetting while moving the shuttle in the second direction.