Cleaning a liquid electrophotographic printer
AssigneeHP Indigo B.V.
InventorsIgor Chertov, Doron Schlumm, Shaul Zucker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An example cleaning station for a liquid electrophotographic printer is described. The cleaning station has a first cleaning member, a second cleaning member, and a biasing member. The cleaning station is configured to move between a first position and a second position with respect to a photo imaging member of the printer. In the first position, the first cleaning member is arranged to remove particles from the photo imaging member of the printer and the second cleaning member is arranged to apply a force to a layer of liquid applied to the photo imaging member. In the second position, the biasing member is configured to cause the second cleaning member to contact the first cleaning member to clean the second cleaning member.
Claims11
A cleaning station for a liquid electrophotographic printer comprising:
- a first cleaning member;
- a second cleaning member;
- and
- a spring attached between the cleaning station and the second cleaning member;
- wherein the cleaning station is configured to move between a first position and a second position with respect to a photo imaging member of the printer;
- wherein:
- in the first position, the first cleaning member is arranged to remove particles from the photo imaging member of the printer and the second cleaning member is arranged to apply a force to a layer of liquid applied to the photo imaging member;
- in the second position, the spring is configured to cause the second cleaning member to contact the first cleaning member to clean the second cleaning member;
- and
- the spring is configured to move the second cleaning member in and out of contact with the first cleaning member as the cleaning station moves between the second and first positions respectively.
A liquid electrophotographic printer comprising:
- a photo imaging plate;
- a housing moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the housing comprising:
- a rotatable sponge to, in the engaged position, remove particles from the photo imaging plate;
- a wiper to, in the engaged position, apply a force to a layer of liquid applied to the photo imaging plate,
- wherein the wiper is moveably mounted within the housing such that, in the disengaged position, the wiper contacts the rotatable sponge to clean the wiper;
- and
- a spring attached between the housing and the wiper, the spring being configured to move the wiper in and out of contact with the rotatable sponge as the housing moves between the disengaged position and the engaged position, respectively.
A method of cleaning a liquid electrophotographic printer, the method comprising:
- providing a housing moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the housing comprising
- a rotatable sponge,
- a wiper movably mounted within the housing, and
- a spring attached between the housing and the wiper;
- causing the rotatable sponge to, in the engaged position, remove particles from the photo imaging plate;
- causing the wiper to, in the engaged position, apply a force to a layer of liquid applied to the photo imaging plate
- causing the wiper, in the disengaged position, to contact the rotatable sponge to clean the wiper,
- wherein the spring is to move the wiper in and out of contact with the rotatable sponge as the housing moves between the disengaged position and the engaged position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.