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US 10,481,527 B2Granted
Cleaning unit
AssigneeHP Indigo B.V.
InventorIgor Chertov
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cleaning unit for removing debris from an ink transfer surface includes a cleaning roller having: a microcellular material outer layer; a wetting module to supply cleaning fluid to the microcellular material outer layer of the cleaning roller; and an extractor to remove cleaning fluid and debris from the cleaning roller.
Claims20
A method for removing debris particles from a LEP ink transfer surface, the method comprising:
- providing a cleaning roller comprising a microcellular material outer layer comprising open cell pores having a diameter smaller than the particle size of the debris particles;
- contacting the microcellular material outer layer of the cleaning roller with a LEP ink transfer surface to transfer debris particles from the LEP ink transfer surface to the cleaning roller;
- wetting the cleaning roller with a cleaning fluid;
- and
- removing cleaning fluid and debris particles from the microcellular material outer layer of the cleaning roller;
- wherein both the wetting with cleaning fluid and removing the cleaning fluid from the cleaning roll occur away from and subsequent to contact with the surface being cleaned in a direction of rotation of the cleaning roller.
3 more elements
A cleaning unit for removing debris particles from a LEP ink transfer surface, the cleaning unit comprising:
- a cleaning roller comprising a microcellular material outer layer comprising open cell pores having a diameter smaller than the particle size of the debris particles;
- a wetting module to supply cleaning fluid to the cleaning roller;
- and
- an extractor to remove cleaning fluid and debris particles from the cleaning roller.
1 more element
A liquid electrophotographic (LEP) printing apparatus comprising:
- a LEP ink transfer surface;
- and
- a cleaning unit for removing debris particles from the LEP ink transfer surface, the cleaning unit comprising:
- a cleaning roller comprising a microcellular material outer layer comprising open cell pores having a diameter smaller than the particle size of the debris particles, the cleaning roller contactable with the LEP ink transfer surface;
- a wetting module to supply cleaning fluid to the cleaning roller;
- and
- an extractor to remove cleaning fluid and debris particles from the microcellular material outer layer of the cleaning roller;
- wherein the extractor comprises an extractor duct through which debris particles and cleaning fluid are removed from the microcellular material outer layer of the cleaning roller;
- and
- wherein the extractor comprises a scrubber positioned within the extractor duct and engageable with the cleaning roller to aid removal of debris particles from the cleaning roller.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.