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. 19, 2002
Filed:
Mar. 27, 2000
Michael N. Freund, Adelberg, DE;
Kurt Stehle, Neuffen, DE;
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for cleaning from the outer surface of an endless transport belt the ink, not ejected for printing purposes, of an inkjet printer, said method and apparatus serving for completely removing and collecting the ink adhering to the transport belt, while retaining a high transport belt speed. The method is characterized by the application of a converging compressed-air stream onto the outer surface of the ink-wetted transport belt by means of an air conduit, comprising a suction nozzle, of a pressure nozzle, and by extraction of the resulting ink-air mixture by means of the suction nozzle, the two steps being performed simultaneously. The apparatus which is arranged downstream of an inkjet printing device in the transport path of the transport belt is characterized by a pressure nozzle for applying compressed air onto the outer surface of the ink-wetted transport belt, said pressure nozzle being formed by a suction nozzle arranged centrally in the pressure nozzle to extract the ink-air mixture produced by the compressed air.