Method of capping a nozzle face of an ink jet print head
AssigneeOcé Holding B.V.
InventorRonald J.H.M.C. PELZERS
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Abstract
A method of capping a nozzle face of an ink jet print head comprises the step of ejecting an amount of ink from a nozzle opening within the nozzle face, so as to form an ink body covering the nozzle opening, adheringly suspended from a surrounding portion of the nozzle face.
Claims11
Method of protecting a nozzle face of an ink jet print head, comprising the step of:
- ejecting an amount of ink from a nozzle opening within the nozzle face, so as to form an ink body covering the nozzle opening, adheringly suspended from a surrounding portion of the nozzle face, wherein the ink comprises a phase-change ink which is ejected to form the ink body in a fluid state, wherein the method further comprises the step of allowing the ink within the ink body to cool down to a temperature below the phase change temperature.
Printing apparatus comprising an ink jet print head, further comprising a controller having an operative mode for purging out a limited amount of ink from one or more nozzle openings available in a nozzle face of the print head such as to form an ink body of a certain size and volume suspended from the nozzle face, covering the one or more nozzle openings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.