Printhead Servicing System And Method
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsChiok Liang Tay, Kok Weng Chan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for servicing a printhead having a plurality of orifices formed in a face thereof includes a cap configured to mate with the face of the printhead; a porous material provided in the cap, wherein the porous material has a first side arranged to face the face of the printhead and a second side opposite the first side; and a vacuum communicated with the cap, wherein the vacuum is configured to draw fluid from the orifices of the printhead through the porous material provided in the cap. The second side of the porous material has a recess formed therein such that the vacuum is communicated with the recess.
Claims20
A system for servicing a printhead having a plurality of orifices formed in a face thereof, the system comprising:
- a cap configured to mate with the face of the printhead;
- a porous material provided in the cap, the porous material having a first side arranged to face the face of the printhead and a second side opposite the first side;
- and
- a vacuum communicated with the cap, the vacuum configured to draw fluid from the orifices of the printhead through the porous material provided in the cap,
- wherein the second side of the porous material has a recess formed therein, and wherein the vacuum is communicated with the recess.
A method of servicing a printhead having a plurality of orifices formed in a face thereof, the method comprising:
- providing a porous material in a cap for the printhead, the porous material having a first side and a second side opposite the first side;
- mating the cap with the face of the printhead, including providing the first side of the porous material adjacent the face of the printhead;
- and
- communicating a vacuum with the cap and drawing fluid from the orifices of the printhead through the porous material with the vacuum, including communicating the vacuum with a recess formed in the second side of the porous material.
A system for servicing a printhead having a plurality of orifices formed in a face thereof, the system comprising:
- means for capping the face of the printhead;
- means for drawing fluid from the orifices of the printhead, the means for drawing fluid communicating with the means for capping the face of the printhead;
- and
- means for distributing pressure on the fluid drawn from the orifices of the printhead by the means for drawing fluid from the orifices,
- the means for distributing pressure on the fluid provided in the means for capping the face of the printhead, and the means for distributing pressure on the fluid including a recess communicated with the means for drawing fluid from the orifices of the printhead.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.