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:
Apr. 09, 2002
Filed:
Jun. 09, 2000
Ravi Sharma, Fairport, NY (US);
Todd R. Griffin, Rochester, NY (US);
Charles F. Faisst, Avon, NY (US);
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
A self-cleaning printer system ( ) with cleaning liquid supply ( ) and print head cleaning assembly ( ) and method of assembling a self-cleaning printer. The printer system ( ) comprises a print head ( ) defining a plurality of ink channels therein, each ink channel terminating in one or more ink ejection nozzles ( ). The print head ( ) also has a surface ( ) thereon surrounding all the nozzles ( ). Contaminant may reside on the surface ( ) and also may completely or partially obstruct one or more of the nozzles ( ). Therefore, the print head cleaning assembly ( ) includes a roller ( ) disposed relative to the surface ( ) and/or nozzles ( ) for cleaning the surface ( ) and/or the nozzles ( ). A cleaning assembly control ( ) directs sliding contact of the roller ( ) with the surface ( ) and/or nozzles ( ). The print head cleaning assembly ( ) is configured to introduce cleaning liquid ( ) to the print head surface ( ) to facilitate and augment cleaning by the roller ( ). In addition, the roller ( ) is combined with channels ( ) for delivery and suction of cleaning liquid ( ).