# US 2013/0155141 A1 · Method for determining maintenance unit performance

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- Number: US 2013/0155141 A1
- Document ID: US20130155141A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/768,524
- Filed: 2013-02-15
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2010-12-21
- Assignees: Oce-Technologies B.V.
- Inventors: Mark MIEDEMA; Bastiaan J.H. MIDDELBOS
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130155141A1

## CPC

- B41J 29/17: Cleaning arrangements
- B41J 2/16538: {with brushes or wiper blades perpendicular to the nozzle plate}
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

In a method for determining a maintenance performance of a maintenance unit of an inkjet printing system, the inkjet system comprises an inkjet print head having an orifice surface, the orifice surface comprising an orifice, which orifice is in fluid communication with an ink chamber. The method comprises operating the maintenance unit to perform a maintenance operation on the orifice surface of the inkjet print head and detecting the presence of a wiper element or amount of ink over the orifice by detecting a pressure wave in the ink chamber and analyzing the detected pressure wave to determine the maintenance performance of the maintenance unit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Method for determining a maintenance performance of a maintenance unit of an inkjet printing system, the inkjet system comprising an inkjet print head having an orifice surface, the orifice surface comprising an orifice, which orifice is in fluid communication with an ink chamber, the method comprising:
a) operating the maintenance unit to perform a maintenance operation on the orifice surface of the inkjet print head;
b) detecting a property change inside the print head; and
c) analyzing the detected property change to determine the maintenance performance of the maintenance unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1, wherein the step b) is performed simultaneously with performing step a).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1, wherein step b) of the method comprises detecting a pressure wave in the ink chamber; and step c) comprises analyzing the detected pressure wave to determine the maintenance performance of the maintenance unit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

Method according to claim 3, wherein step b) comprises
b1) generating a pressure wave; and
b2) detecting a residual pressure wave.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

Method according to claim 4, wherein:
step a) comprises wiping the orifice surface using a wiper element, an amount of ink being accumulated at a side of the wiper element;
prior to performing step b), wiping is paused when the wiper element is expected to be at a predetermined position;
generating a pressure wave in at least the ink chambers in fluid communication with the orifices that are located at the predetermined position;
performing step b) in at least the ink chambers in fluid communication with the orifices that are located at the predetermined position; and
performing step c) to determine whether the wiper element is actually at the predetermined position.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

Method according to claim 5, wherein in step c) a position of the ink accumulated at the side of the wiper element is determined.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1, wherein the property change results from a wiper element passing an orifice and/or the property change results from a suction device passing the orifice and/or results from a liquid being provided on the orifice surface.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

Inkjet printing system comprising an inkjet print head having an orifice surface, the orifice surface comprising a orifice, which orifice is in fluid communication with an ink chamber, and the inkjet printing system comprising a maintenance unit for performing a maintenance operation on the orifice surface, wherein the inkjet printing system is configured to perform the method according to claim 1.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

Computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for instructing a computer to control an inkjet printing system to perform the method according to claim 1, wherein the inkjet printing system comprises
an inkjet print head having an orifice surface, the orifice surface comprising a orifice, which orifice is in fluid communication with an ink chamber, and
a maintenance unit for performing a maintenance operation on the orifice surface.