Wiper for ink jet printers
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorJohn P. Harmon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thin, relatively hard wiper is provided, the wiper including a blade defined by a pair of opposed substantially planar surfaces which are spaced less than 0.008-inches apart. The surfaces run parallel to one another, with each surface terminating in a wiping edge at a first end of the blade. To provide a blade of desired thickness, the wiper is formed from a polymer having a modulus of elasticity within the range of between 100,000-psi to 5,000,000-psi. Such polymers are commonly available as sheet material, allowing for stamp-forming of the wiper, minimizing manufacturing cost.
Claims13
A unitary, substantially fiat wiper for wiping a bi-directionally reciprocable printhead in an ink-jet printer, said wiper comprising:
- an elongate blade formed from a polymer having a modulus of elasticity within a range of between approximately 100,000-psi and 5,000,000-psi, said blade having a pair of opposed substantially planar surfaces running substantially parallel to one another and terminating in a pair of opposed wiping edges at a first end of said blade, each of said edges defining a maximum radius of curvature of approximately 0.004-inches.
The wiper of claim 19, wherein said blade terminates in a pair of opposed wiping edges at a first end of said blade, said wiping edges being positioned along a printhead travel path to wipe the printer's printhead with each printhead reciprocation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.