Method of operating a printhead
AssigneeVideojet Technologies Inc.
InventorsRobert Smith, Philip John Blowfield
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of operating a continuous inkjet printer (1). The printer comprise a printhead. The printhead comprises a droplet generator (16) comprising a printing nozzle (17) for ejecting an ink jet for printing, at least one electrode (22, 23) for steering the inkjet, and a gutter (18) having an ink receiving orifice (24) for receiving parts of the ink jet which are not used for printing. The method comprises performing a cleaning operation. Said cleaning operation comprises: ejecting a solvent jet from the printing nozzle towards the gutter; and causing at least a portion of the solvent jet to contact at least a part of the gutter (18) surrounding the orifice (24) for cleaning said part of the gutter surrounding the orifice.
Claims26
A method of operating a continuous inkjet printer, the printer comprising a printhead, the printhead comprising:
- a droplet generator comprising a printing nozzle for ejecting an ink jet for printing,
- at least one electrode for steering the ink jet, and
- a gutter having an ink receiving orifice for receiving parts of the ink jet which are not used for printing;
- the method comprising performing a cleaning operation, the cleaning operation comprising:
- ejecting a solvent jet from the printing nozzle towards the gutter;
- and
- causing at least a portion of the solvent jet to contact at least a part of the gutter surrounding the ink receiving orifice for cleaning the part of the gutter surrounding the ink receiving orifice.
A continuous inkjet printer, comprising:
- an ink supply system operable to supply ink to a print head;
- and
- a printhead operable to receive ink from the ink supply system for printing, wherein the printhead comprises:
- a droplet generator comprising a printing nozzle for ejecting an ink jet for printing,
- at least one electrode for steering the ink jet, and
- a gutter having an ink receiving orifice for receiving parts of the ink jet which are not used for printing;
- wherein the continuous inkjet printer is configured to perform a cleaning operation, the cleaning operation comprising:
- ejecting a solvent jet from the printing nozzle towards the gutter;
- and
- causing at least a portion of the solvent jet to contact at least a part of the gutter surrounding the ink receiving orifice for cleaning the part of the gutter surrounding the ink receiving orifice.
Computer readable instructions for a controller of a continuous inkjet printer, the continuous inkjet printer comprising an ink supply system operable to supply ink to a print head, a printhead operable to receive ink from the ink supply system for printing, and a controller for reading the computer readable medium and controlling operation of the continuous inkjet printer;
- wherein the printhead comprises:
- a droplet generator comprising a printing nozzle for ejecting an ink jet for printing,
- at least one electrode for steering the ink jet, and
- a gutter having an ink receiving orifice for receiving parts of the ink jet which are not used for printing;
- and
- wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed by the controller, cause the continuous inkjet printer to:
- eject a solvent jet from the printing nozzle towards the gutter;
- and
- cause at least a portion of the solvent jet to contact at least a part of the gutter surrounding the ink receiving orifice for cleaning the part of the gutter surrounding the ink receiving orifice.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.