Servicing system for an inkjet printhead

A system for servicing a portion of a printhead of an inkjet printing mechanism having a printhead reciprocally moved by a carriage, a cap for capping said printhead and a wiper for wiping said printhead during relative movement of said printhead and said wiper, said system comprising:

• a source of printhead servicing fluid including a fluid reservoir;
• and
• an applicator in fluid communication with said reservoir to draw fluid from said reservoir, and said applicator having a tip configured and positioned for directly contacting said wiper to apply a reproducible quantity of servicing fluid onto said wiper, servicing fluid being transferred to the tip of the applicator by capillary action;
• wherein said printer further comprises:
• a reciprocally movable carriage which moves between a first limit and a second limit of travel along a guide rod, and a printhead carried by said carriage wherein said applicator is carried by said guide rod so as to move with a printer carriage to wipingly contact said wiper element;
• wherein said source of servicing fluid is stationary and is mounted adjacent a path of travel of said printhead carriage;
• a pump for pumping servicing fluid from said source to said applicator;
• and
• wherein the pump is actuated by movement of said carriage, said applicator being dosed by moving the carriage to a position to actuate said pump and in a coordinated manner moving the applicator to a position where said applicator receives said treatment fluid pumped from said stationary source of servicing fluid.

A system for servicing a printhead element of an inkjet printer wherein two elements, consisting of said printhead and a wiper element moveable with respect to the printhead in wiping contact therewith, are moved with respect to one another to remove unwanted accumulations from a portion of the printhead comprising:

• a composite wiper element having first and second impervious elastomeric layers, and a layer of fluid impregnated porous elastomeric foam sandwiched therebetween, said foam layer containing a quantity of servicing fluid therein and being in fluid communication with a normally open opening adjacent a top portion of said composite wiper element and allowing servicing fluid to flow out to assist in wiping said printhead by wipingly contacting the composite wiper and said printhead;
• wherein said composite wiper is resiliently deformed by contact with said printhead to expel fluid from said opening;
• and
• a separate source of servicing fluid in fluid communication with said porous layer to replenish the servicing fluid contained in the porous layer.

A system for servicing a printhead, comprising:

• a moveable container having a reservoir of treatment fluid disposed therein;
• a first block of porous material disposed within said container for absorbing by capillary action said reservoir of treatment fluid;
• a second block of porous material partially disposed within said container and extending outwardly therefrom a sufficient distance to facilitate transfer of treatment fluid to the printhead when said container and printhead move relative to one another.
• said second block of porous material having substantially greater capillary action than said first block of porous material so that a distal end portion of said second block is continuously supplied with treatment fluid from said reservoir for facilitating the transfer of treatment fluid to said printhead;
• and
• a wiper mounted adjacent said moveable container for engaging said printhead when said moveable container and printhead move relative to one another;
• said moveable container and printhead moving a sufficient distance relative to one another in at least one direction so that a sufficient amount of the treatment fluid from said distal end portion is transferred to said printhead for transporting dried printhead residue therefrom as said wiper engagingly travels across the orifice plate for printhead cleaning purposes.

A system for servicing a printhead, comprising:

• a moveable container having a reservoir of treatment fluid disposed therein;
• a first block of porous material disposed within said container for absorbing by capillary action said reservoir of treatment fluid;
• a second block of porous material partially disposed within said container and extending outwardly therefrom a sufficient distance to facilitate transfer of treatment fluid to said printhead when said container and printhead move relative to one another;
• said second block of porous material having substantially greater capillary action than said first block of porous material so that a distal end portion of said second block is continuously supplied with treatment fluid from said reservoir for facilitating the transfer of treatment fluid to said printhead;
• and
• a wiper mounted adjacent said moveable container for engaging said printhead when said moveable container and printhead move relative to one another;
• said moveable container and printhead moving a sufficient distance relative to one another in at least one direction so that a sufficient amount of the treatment fluid from said distal end portion is transferred to said printhead for transporting dried printhead residue therefrom as said wiper engagingly travels across said printhead;
• and
• wherein said second block engages said printhead when said container and printhead are moved toward one another in a vertical direction.

A wet wiping system for a printhead, comprising:

• a moveable container having a reservoir of treatment fluid disposed therein;
• a block of porous material disposed within said container for absorbing by capillary action said reservoir of treatment fluid;
• another block of porous material partially disposed within said container and extending outwardly therefrom a sufficient distance to facilitate transfer of treatment fluid to said printhead when said container and printhead move relative to one another;
• said another block of porous material having substantially greater capillary action than said block of porous material so that a distal end portion of the another block is continuously supplied with treatment fluid from said reservoir for facilitating the transfer of treatment fluid to said printhead;
• and
• a wiper mounted adjacent said moveable container for engaging said printhead when said moveable container and printhead move relative to one another;
• said movable container and printhead moving a sufficient distance relative to one another in at least one direction so that a sufficient amount of the treatment fluid from said distal end portion of a transfer element is transferred to said printhead for transporting dried printhead residue therefrom as said wiper engagingly travels across said printhead;
• and
• further comprising a transfer element mounted at about said moveable container and spaced from said wiper for further facilitating the transfer of said sufficient amount of treatment fluid to said printhead.

A system for servicing a printhead of an inkjet printing mechanism, comprising:

• a service station including a cap which covers the printhead when positioned at said service station and a wiper which wipes said printhead during relative movement of said printhead and said wiper;
• a source of printhead servicing fluid;
• and
• an applicator pump having a fluid outlet in said cap for [wetting said printhead with] applying a predetermined quantity of said fluid to said printhead.