Method and apparatus for automatically cleaning the printhead of a thermal inkjet cartridge

A self-cleaning thermal inkjet printing system for use in a thermal inkjet printing unit comprising:

• an ink cartridge detachably mounted to and movably positioned within said thermal inkjet printer unit, said cartridge comprising a housing having an exterior surface, a supply of ink within said housing, and a printhead in fluid communication with said ink, said printhead comprising a plurality of resistors and an outer plate having a plurality of openings therethrough, said ink being expelled from said openings through said plate by heat generated from said resistors during operation of said cartridge, said cartridge further comprising a storage chamber mounted to said exterior surface of said housing, said storage chamber comprising a primary absorbent member therein, said primary absorbent member being impregnated with a supply of a printhead cleaning solution, said storage chamber further comprising at least one opening therethrough in order to provide access to and enable direct contact with said primary absorbent member;
• and
• a service station mounted to said printer unit, said cartridge being oriented in a parked position directly above said service station when said cartridge is not in operation, said service station comprising a platform having a plurality of resilient, elongate wiper members secured thereto, said wiper members comprising a first wiper member and a second wiper member, said first wiper member being positioned adjacent to and directly against said second wiper member in order to form a capillary pathway therebetween, said wiper members coming in direct contact with said printhead during movement of said cartridge in order to clean said printhead, said wiper members being secured to said platform at a position thereon so that when said cartridge is in said parked position said wiper members are aligned with said storage chamber of said cartridge and in direct contact with said primary absorbent member through said opening in said storage chamber in order to receive said cleaning solution therefrom, said cleaning solution being received and retained within said capillary pathway between said first wiper member and said second wiper member.

A self-cleaning thermal inkjet printing system for use in a thermal inkjet printer unit comprising:

• an ink cartridge detachably mounted to and movably positioned within said thermal inkjet printer unit, said cartridge comprising a housing having a supply of ink therein and a printhead in fluid communication with said ink, said printhead comprising a plurality of resistors and an outer plate having a plurality of openings therethrough, said ink being expelled from said openings through said plate by heat generated from said resistors during operation of said cartridge, said cartridge further comprising a compartment having a primary absorbent member therein impregnated with a supply of a printhead cleaning solution, said compartment being positioned inside of said housing of said cartridge and comprising at least one opening therethrough in order to provide access to and enable direct contact with said primary absorbent member, said housing of said cartridge further comprising an ink chamber therein, said supply of ink being retained within said ink chamber, said ink chamber being maintained separately from said compartment having said primary absorbent member therein;
• and
• a service station mounted to said printer unit, said cartridge being oriented in a parked position directly above said service station when said cartridge is not in operation, said service station comprising a platform having a plurality of resilient, elongate wiper members secured thereto, said wiper members comprising a first wiper member and a second wiper member, said first wiper member being positioned adjacent to and directly against said second wiper member in order to form a capillary pathway therebetween, said wiper members coming in direct contact with said printhead during movement of said cartridge in order to clean said printhead, said wiper members being secured to said platform at a position thereon so that when said cartridge is in said parked position said wiper members are aligned with said compartment of said cartridge and in direct contact with said primary absorbent member through said opening in said compartment in order to receive said cleaning solution therefrom, said cleaning solution being received and retained within said capillary pathway between said first wiper member and said second wiper member.

A self-cleaning thermal inkjet printing system for use in a thermal inkjet printing unit comprising:

• an ink cartridge detachably mounted to and movably positioned within said thermal inkjet printer unit, said cartridge comprising a housing a supply of ink therein and a printhead in fluid communication with said ink, said printhead comprising a plurality of resistors and an outer plate having a plurality of openings therethrough, said ink being expelled from said openings through said plate by heat generated from said resistors during operation of said cartridge;
• and
• a service station mounted to said printer unit, said cartridge being oriented in a parked position directly above said service station when said cartridge is not in operation, said service station comprising a platform having a plurality of resilient, elongate wiper members secured thereto, said wiper members comprising a first wiper member and a second wiper member, said first wiper member being positioned adjacent to and directly against said second wiper member in order to form a capillary pathway therebetween, said wiper members coming in direct contact with said printhead during movement of said cartridge in order to clean said printhead, said service station further comprising a reservoir chamber operatively attached to said platform, said reservoir chamber comprising an interior region having a supply of a printhead cleaning solution therein and an opening therethrough in order to provide access to said interior region, said lower section or said first wiper member and said lower section of said second wiper member coming in direct contact with said cleaning solution in said reservoir chamber through said opening, said cleaning solution being received and retained within said capillary pathway between said first wiper member and said second wiper member.

A self-cleaning thermal inkjet printing system for use in a thermal inkjet printer unit, said cartridge comprising a housing having a supply of ink therein and a printhead in fluid communication with said ink, said printhead comprising a plurality of resistors and an outer plate having a plurality of openings therethrough, said ink being expelled from said openings through said plate by heat generated from said resistors during operation of said cartridge;

• and
• a service station mounted to said printer unit, said cartridge being oriented in a parked position directly above said service station when said cartridge is not in operation, said service station comprising a platform having a plurality of resilient, elongate wiper members secured thereto, said wiper members comprising a first wiper member and a second wiper member, said first wiper member being positioned adjacent to and directly against said second wiper member in order to form a capillary pathway therebetween, said first wiper member comprising an upper section and a lower section, and said second wiper member comprising an upper section and a lower section, said upper section of said first wiper member and said upper section of said second wiper member coming in direct contact with said printhead during movement of said cartridge in order to clean said printhead, said platform of said service station further comprising an absorbent member operatively secured thereto, said absorbent member being in direct contact with said lower section of said first wiper member and said lower section of said second wiper member.

A method for cleaning an ink cartridge printhead in a thermal inkjet printer unit comprising the steps of:

• providing an ink cartridge comprising a housing having a supply of ink therein and a printhead in fluid communication with said ink, said printhead comprising a plurality of resistors and an outer plate having a plurality of openings therethrough, said ink being expelled from said openings through said plate by heat generated from said resistors during operation of said cartridge, said cartridge further comprising a primary absorbent member impregnated with a supply of a printhead cleaning solution;
• positioning said cartridge within said printer unit, said printer unit comprising a service station mounted thereto, said service station comprising a platform having at least one resilient, elongate printhead wiper secured thereto;
• activating said printer unit in order to cause reciprocating movement of said cartridge, said wiper coming in direct contact with said printhead during said reciprocating movement of said cartridge in order to clean said printhead;
• terminating said reciprocating movement of said cartridge;
• moving said cartridge to a stationary, parked position within said printer unit after said terminating of said reciprocating movement;
• and
• positioning said wiper directly against said primary absorbent member in order to moisten said wiper with said cleaning solution while said cartridge is in said parked position.

A method for cleaning an ink cartridge printhead in a thermal inkjet printer unit comprising the steps of:

• providing an ink cartridge comprising a housing having a supply of ink therein and a printhead in fluid communication with said ink, said printhead comprising a plurality of resistors and an outer plate having a plurality of openings therethrough, said ink being expelled from said openings through said plate by heat generated from said resistors during operation of said cartridge, said cartridge further comprising a primary absorbent member impregnated with a supply of a printhead cleaning solution;
• positioning said cartridge within said printer unit, said printer unit comprising a service station mounted thereto, said service station comprising a platform having a plurality of resilient, elongate wiper members secured thereto, said wiper members comprising a first wiper member and a second wiper member, said first wiper member being positioned adjacent to and directly against said second wiper member in order to form a capillary pathway therebetween, said first wiper member comprising an upper section and a lower section, and said second wiper member comprising an upper section and a lower section;
• activating said printer unit in order to cause reciprocating movement of said cartridge, said wiper members coming in direct contact with said printhead during said reciprocating movement of said cartridge in order to clean said printhead;
• terminating said reciprocating movement of said cartridge;
• moving said cartridge to a stationary, parked position within said printer unit after said terminating of said reciprocating movement;
• and
• positioning said upper section of said first wiper member and said upper section of said second wiper member directly against said primary absorbent member so that said cleaning solution therefrom is received and retained within said capillary pathway between said first wiper member and said second wiper member while said cartridge is in said parked position.

A method for cleaning an ink cartridge printhead in a thermal inkjet printer unit comprising the steps of:

• providing an ink cartridge comprising a housing having a supply of ink therein and a printhead in fluid communication with said ink, said printhead comprising a plurality of resistors and an outer plate having a plurality of openings therethrough, said ink being expelled from said openings through said plate by heat generated from said resistors during operation of said cartridge;
• positioning said cartridge within said printer unit, said printer unit comprising a service station mounted thereto, said service station comprising a platform having a plurality of resilient, elongate wiper members secured thereto, said wiper members comprising a first wiper member and a second wiper member, said first wiper member being positioned adjacent to and directly against said second wiper member in order to form a capillary pathway therebetween, said first wiper member comprising an upper section and a lower section, and said second wiper member comprising an upper section and a lower section, said service station further comprising a reservoir chamber operatively attached to said platform, said reservoir chamber comprising an interior region having a supply of a printhead cleaning solution therein and an opening through said reservoir chamber in order to provide access to said interior region thereof, said lower section of said first wiper member and said lower section of said second wiper member coming in direct contact with said printhead cleaning solution in said reservoir chamber through said opening;
• activating said printer unit in order to cause reciprocating movement of said cartridge, said wiper members coming in direct contact with said printhead during said reciprocating movement of said cartridge in order to clean said printhead;
• and
• withdrawing said printhead cleaning solution from said reservoir chamber into said capillary pathway between said wiper members, said cleaning solution thereafter being moved upwardly through said capillary pathway by capillary action so that said cleaning solution may be delivered to said printhead when said wiper members come in direct contact with said printhead during said reciprocating movement of said cartridge.

A wiper assembly for use in a self-cleaning thermal inkjet printing system comprising:

• a support platform;
• a resilient, elongate first wiper member operatively secured to said support platform, said first wiper member comprising an upper section, said upper section extending outwardly from and above said platform, said first wiper member further comprising a planar inner face;
• and
• a resilient, elongate second wiper member, said second wiper member being entirely separate from said first wiper member and comprising an upper section and a planar inner face, said upper section extending outwardly from and above said platform, said second wiper member being operatively secured to said platform at a position thereon so that said planar inner face of said first wiper member and said planar inner face of said second wiper member are adjacent to and directly against each other in order to form a capillary pathway therebetween, said capillary pathway being at least as long as said first wiper member and said second wiper member.

A wiper assembly for use in a self-cleaning thermal inkjet printing system comprising:

• a support platform;
• a resilient, elongate first wiper member operatively secured to said platform, said first wiper member having an upper section and a lower section, said upper section extending outwardly from and above said platform, and said lower section of said first wiper member extending outwardly from and below said platform;
• a resilient, elongate second wiper member operatively secured to said platform at a position adjacent to and directly against said first wiper member in order to form a capillary pathway therebetween, said second wiper member having an upper section and a lower section, said upper section of said second wiper member extending outwardly from and above said platform, and said lower section of said second wiper member extending outwardly from and below said platform;
• and
• a reservoir chamber operatively attached to said support platform, said reservoir chamber comprising an interior region and an opening therethrough, said reservoir chamber further comprising a supply of a printhead cleaning solution within said interior region, said lower section of said first wiper member and said lower section of said second wiper member coming in direct contact with said cleaning solution within said interior region of said reservoir chamber through said opening therethrough.